What I did instead of Doomscrolling this week [Art + Writing Round-up]

1. Wrote this guide about how to use some features of clip studio that I consistently tell people exist, but apparently they don't know exist

2. Got my comic up on my own website

I had to get some help on this one because I genuinely do not know any javascript (all I had to do was slot some values in, but I had to understand like WHERE) but it wasn't hard really once I knew where shit had to go! I actually have been posting my comic on AO3 (and will continue to mirror there for anti-website heads and those who love AO3) because more exposure is not an issue! I had actually been backlinking the actual images to tumblr but now I can hotlink directly from my website so if I decide to change my tumblr or something I have more control over my data, which is nice.

I also put up a page on my website that has a little bit more information about the comic itself and some bonus art.

3. Thumbnailed like the first 20 pages of the first major arc of my comic

This is a huge breakthrough and a testament because it took me like quite a few months (like 8) to get through the thumbnails (55 pgs) of my prologue. Granted that was my first crack at making a comic in.... 15 years, but still, I'm so much faster, can pack in more detailing and now understand where lettering goes, since my thumbnails now include me actually working through dialogue.

4. Worked on finishing a page

I've been meaning to actually get back to my comic, it's not that I've been burned out on the comic itself, it's more so that the past year has been incredibly..... odd. Not in a bad way, it's more that I am just making adjustments to my living space, the political climate, and big lifestyle changes. The good news is that when I got back into it I noticed that I'm FAR faster than I used to be, which is great. It means that I haven't really wasted time. It's a marathon, not a race.

5. Made a bag charm for my bag

Got some cross charms and the big cross on the right is an earring I got a bit back that completely broke off and I was VERY sad about. Luckily for me I realized it could be of use later and re-used it. Sustainability win or whatever.

6. Worked on some future writings

I have a few thoughts rolling around in my head that I'm going through, but I have 2 main ones that I'm working on. A follow up to my Deviantart essay that is more of an illustrative guide on how to build a better creative community with features recommendations and a proper UX strategy.

7. Read some books

Oh yeah, I read too y'know? My commute is super long so I have to fill it some how. Right now I'm making my way through The Wretched of the Earth by Franz Fanon - I feel like it's rewiring my brain. I love Fanon, maybe it's because he was a working psychologist and afro-Caribbean, his work feels very grounded in material reality and makes me feel less insane.

I'm close to the last essay and case studies but I'll carry it forward in my work.

For lighter reading, I've been reading Princess Jellyfish. I absolutely loved the anime when I was younger but was sad it was so short and the manga absolutely makes up for it.

So as you might've heard I've been trying a Digital minimalism challenge this is a little different than a digital detox. I'm not trying to purge myself of the entire urge to ever think about a social media app again - I went to Catholic schools on and off for my entire K-12 experience during the "Just Say no" dominos pizza coupon abstinence purity era of non-sex ed in the shadow of the AIDS crisis. boy do I know that abstinence doesn't work. Instead of I'm trying to practice safer scrolling.

Someone on bluesky tried to say to me, "Social media companies hire psychologists to trick you into staying on their sites."

honey, I am the psychologist, that was me, that was my job lmao.

I sometimes think I mention too much that I used to be a product designer, but then I realize people don't pay attention

Now you know why I am so adamant that UX is a psychological practice and not a visual one-

Anyways, that being said, like drugs I love drugs sometimes, but when you can't sit through a day without sparking up, that's when you know you have a problem. Overall, I do feel better and lighter and I've just been working on my website and am connecting with people and it feels very full and meaningful. I think I'm striking a very good balance.