Hi! It's been an eternity! I hope you're all doing fine and having nice time. : D
Do you know what? I share my rooms with a KITTEN now! : 3
He's a lovely little creature, always purring and playing and doing his own thing! Fighting against the stereotypic representation of typical cat, he is a social butterfly who enjoys the human, cat and dog company. He sings songs to birds, checks the well-being of toilet every morning and isn't intimidated by the size of a garbage truck. All in all, he's a very open-minded and brave little cat.
He also loves the full variety of alphates. For example "F" such as in "Food" and "little Felt balls".
And "W" such as in "Walking outside" (in a leash) and "drinking from a Watercolour cup". The latter practice - unfortunately - is for some reason largely prohibited. He really can't understand why, as he sees no reason in favouring the colourless liquid over coloured liquid. He personally has nothing against colours. : /
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And then, to the darker subjects. I recommend you skip the rest of this post if you don't care to read about my personal life and it's many turns. ": )
I’m writing this post only because I have a feeling that I owe an apology to many people here on dA. My leave was quite sudden and even though I tried to come back online, I didn’t succeed in my attempts. I only hope my actions weren’t interpreted as rude, unthankful or not caring. I still feel bad for all the conversations left unfinished and messages left unreplied. : (
However, the gloomy part of this post:
I was battling with mild depression already in 2008 when I originally joined Deviantart. I was studying in the gymnasium at that time and throughout my studies, dA had a very special place in my heart. It represented motivation and urge to grow as an artist, and I was inspired by all the talented people and their creations. The best part was that I met people, similar-minded people with great interest in creating things of their own. I even made friends. It was just plain awesome and I still kind of miss that warm feeling of belonging.
I also remember it being chaotic, to say the least. On the one hand, I was making more or less steady progress in my studies and I had my own little niche on dA. I wrote fiction, painted, drew, did crafts, played a musical instrument, read, did sports and went to gatherings. In a time period of single weekend, I could paint several large scale intricate aquarelles, finish a couple books and produce a ton of sketches. I actually did all the preliminary pieces that were needed for applying into Graphic Arts in one night – from start to finish. I even was accepted to the next stage of the process, but failed the two days test that followed.
And then, on the other hand, I couldn’t sleep, I couldn’t concentrate, and I had a hard time enjoying anything I did. I could go on for weeks with just few hours of sleep per night until I literally fell sick. Unless I was very high, I was very low. So very, very low. I forgot things, had problems with anxiety and felt hollow, unreal and frustrated. The final straw was the failure in the entrance examinations for the University, after which it all just fell apart. I wasn’t able to pursue anything visual arts related nor write for months. Instead I worked at a local library and had a relatively happy time there. (I even learned how to watch movies, again. Nice times.) Actually it took me a full year to recollect myself and rebuild my life.
All in all, leaving dA was not a conscious choice. Instead it was just something I was forced to do since I could no longer manage even the simplest of things – like evaluate an intelligible way to respond to a “Hello!”-message. It felt bad back then, and it still feels a little bad when I think about it. I really had wonderful time here on dA. Chatting with people, participating in art trades and getting valuable feedback and support was great. So great.
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Nowadays I still suffer from recurring depression and anxiety, but my anxiety is not as bad as it used to be. I study Literature at University level and I lead a relatively simple, slow-paced life (with a kitten!). I still have a hard time answering to messages and it takes a lot of concentration and motivation from me to participate in social medias. Nonetheless, I’m feeling better and I enjoy the sense of having a control over my own life. Thus, I won’t promise my stay on dA will be indefinite but I try my best to make it as long and profitable as I can. : D
It would be nice to hear how you folks are doing(?) I just hope I didn’t hurt anyone’s feelings in past. : S
On sketch blogging
I've been toying with the idea of starting a sketch blog for some time now... but don't know where. So, it would be great if anyone had any pros and/or cons to share concerning on different (free) blogging platforms. I'm not really familiar with any other than wordpress and I'm not sure if it's the best pick here. Or is it?
And since I begun the talk on the matter, what kinds of art/sketch blogs do you like to follow? Do you have art blogs yourselves or know any other special ones, let me know! I'm curious! : D (I can start myself with one that I've been following for a long time: www.geninne.com/)
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What comes to work undone, I'm working as always. : ) I'm maybe coming slow but steady, nonetheless. Some of you already know.
...and I realize the paradox here, yes. Me, asking tips on sketch blogging. Even though I can hardly keep semi-active on dA these days! But currently my main art form is sketching and I can hardly see my sketches on dA, really. Although I couldn't forget dA, either. Don't worry. ^^
Free requests!
In any case, since I am very determined to get rid of my artist block completely and once for all I am offering:
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
3 FREE REQUESTS for the first three persons to
post their requests as comments to this post.
(Also, in the case of more requests given, I might pick subjects from there too and thus keep drawing on.
In other words, some runner-ups may exist as well, even though in random order. Free lottery. : )
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Just to make a point: one request per person, so pick carefully. And this is, by the way, completely free as the title yells no need to offer free request onward even though that would fun. Also, everyone can have their say - it plays no matter whether s/he is just passing by or a loyal watcher (I am honored to have loyal watchers, it seems. Thank you guys for your support. It means a lot to me. : )
I will promise nothing too fancy, neither do I promise anything beforehand what comes to the media I will use. I am currently fond of basic ball point pen, but probably I will choose my trade according to the theme suggested. I am trying to improve my timing so the only real objective I have in mind is to finish all the requests before summer vacation is over. ":---{D
(No need to worry if I am not answering right away. I will travel tomorrow to a place where Internet is only to be hastily visited (if at all). Your request will nonetheless be secured here even in the case of me returning lazy from my holiday and not really brave enough to open requests at all.)
I hope everyone will be able to enjoy their summer.
(To me, it is maybe even too hot and sunny, I burn ah-so-easily.)
Hopefully back for now : )
ages ago (twice actually). Here you go with the first one 
:Rules:
1. Post these rules.
2. Post 8 facts about your character.
3. Tag 8 other characters.
4. Post their names with the creators avatars.
5. No tag backs.
sherega
1. Gah. There is nothing to write about. I can only tell you that as a word it has quite a nice hue of red (as I see it). :3
Nathaniel
1. Is being called “Ohdake” these days or “Thistel” in (Old) English as I would translate it. The reason for this is that “Nathaniel” never was a name I was going to keep calling him permanently. : ) You can still call him Nathaniel if you find this transition complicated. I'm cursing myself for having started with such a name in the beginning. -_-" Unfortunately, probability that any of the characters could have ended up carrying such a name is possibly smaller than that of winning in a lottery or being hit by lightning twice. He's not that lucky.
Thistel
1. …is a bit afraid of the sea. All the creatures lurking there with their overly exaggerated amounts of legs and huge blind eyes with no pupils. And sharp teeth, yellow-pink spots on the back and feet to walk on ground when night falls. Talons so lengthy they carve lines on the sand as the creatures creep nearer and nearer to the trail leading all the way up and under Thistel's window. As certain people may have already concluded, this anxiety might be at least partly based on Scarletia’s description concerning on the native inhabitants of the dark, unknown depths. Besides, no one has ever proved her to be really lying (in this matter) yet.
2. …would like to test his capabilities what comes to cooking but as long as Scarletia is there to decide, he may only set the table and do the dishes. In any case, he’s an expert what comes to boiling water or polishing silver tableware.
3. …likes to chat with Nokiki (that wolf-like creature he's having most of the time near him) even though she never answers to him. Few times he has tried to encourage her to tell if she finds his company boring but these attempts have also ended with some serious Fails.
4. …has tried to teach his favourite little robin, Sebal, to read. This project did not succeed as expected.
5. …can write with handwriting so similar to his Master’s that Ophiopogon eventually grew annoyed as destined. (Problem-solving went wrong.) Nevertheless, demanding Thistel to create a handwriting of his own has developed a lack of education what comes to connecting these sophisticated smudges with the respective symbols already existing. Ophiopogon has considered on inquiring whether Thistel would be interested in publishing a dictionary to go alongside with his written work cause it would be far easier to consider Thistel’s writing as a new language rather than as a remake of the already existing one.
6. …uses a simple picture consisting of a circle and spikes on it as his signature. According to Thistel’s explanation it resembles thistle, or burdock, his Master is so often referring him to. Scarletia says it looks like a bug having seven legs or a spider with one leg missing. Ophiopogon thinks it is best to say nothing on the matter or some disaster could see an opportunity to take place.
7. …is rarely afraid of anybody reading his notebook.
8. …happens to know where Fégo keeps all the silver teaspoons she “borrows” from Ophiopogon. Nonetheless, he keeps this information to himself in order to hold Fégo from gathering all the biscuits under her sharp and frustratingly alert beak whenever Ophiopogon is having tea with her.
Scarletia
1. …does not fear anything at least according to her own words.
2. …would never, ever touch Ophiopogon’s notebook.
3. …likes producing noise but deep inside is likely to be slightly more introverted than extroverted.
4. …does knitting from time to time in order to work also with “softer” materials. At least to Thistel it sounds like being engaged in some very serious metal working, though. As everyone knows, needles of any sort are hard to handle quietly.
5. …values Thistel’s company more than is willing to express in words.
6. …would go quite far for the sake of her fellow stoat when needed. : )
7. …is interested in probability calculus but has nearly none other real ambitions on the area of mathematics.
8. …daydreams on beating one of her uncle’s colleagues in cards some day.
Ophiopogon
1. …finds food to be somewhat overrated. Some people have said him to be picky what comes to eating.
2. …does not like red colour. There are several reasons for this.
3. …drinks no more than a quarter of a glass of wine when wine is served. This amount then has to be diluted with water or secretly donated to nearest pot plant as an extra nutrition if water is not served. Wine is no good for him even though he secretly likes the taste of it at times.
4. …every now and then enjoys his tea with salt when in a hurry.
5. …sleeps most of the nights on a couch located in his study. And some days, too. Anyway, Thistel is able to tell that whenever his Master is lying on his back, he’s still listening too closely.
6. …will go and meet his tailor if any of the buttons of any of his clothes have loosened or *!GASP!* fallen off. Is quite very, extremely, really, really fond of his “antique” clothes. The term most of the people would use. Thistel has a problem understanding how a single button is possibly able to cause such a fuss just by being absent for a while. -__-“
7. …considers dictionaries to be amusing. Reads them for fun when he has nothing better to do.
8. …is at times intimidated by his own height.
9. …hates the sound of scissors.
I'll tag
& 
(No need to do three, though)
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^^
As usual. Too long phrases, inaccuracies and typos are included. And I'm tired and I think I'll go and fetch some energy via sleeping couple hours.
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Currently I'm recovering from one very nasty flu. The last and only time I was pretty sure over having a fever was when I had to take a vaccination. At least I could have filled a survey listing all the symptoms of fever and mark big X:s all the way down. This time I pretty much felt the same and even had a slight increase over 37C for some time... after which my temperature dropped to about 35,4C and I slept five days in a row. *yaaawn* At least my books-to-read -list has decreased by couple millimeters and I've slept pretty well - even though it was not so glorious to be awake. I'm still connecting words "head" and "pumpkin" with each other for some reason.
In regard to New Year 2011 I'm hoping better time both art- and personal life -wise. Hope all of you will also enjoy coming year and Christmas or simply semester depending on what each of you is celebrating. n___n So much things to do during coming year and also before 1.1.2011.
...hi? ':
I'm not dead.
I'll make comeback before 22th December.
I promise.
Oh, and """:---D
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So, the real message behind this is...
(surprise surprise) to people who I've promised anything concerning on drawing or painting (or pointless doodling for that matter), I'm working. I've been suffering one nerves breaking and taking art block for almost five months now but I'm working. And working... and working... and working... I just don't want to submit any rubbish here as long as I cannot see on the paper anything to show to anybody.
You deserve better. Believe me.
I try my best in order to not let you down and get over the art block as soon as possible. ": D
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To everybody else, I've got a lot of plans in my mind to be put on paper. Only that the problem is indeed putting them on paper. Such a conflict. =____=" It feels so stupid I cannot hold a paint brush in my hand without feeling exhausted. I'm falling apart. And it's not a nice feeling at all. Gah. I'll find some way to get rid of this Block. It's disturbing with my life. Grr.
Hope your all having nice time there where ever you are. I'm telling my Block how nice it would be to be able to paint even part of the beautiful snowy scenery just behind the window. I hope it will grasp the idea soon. : )