Further Updates: Things Still Suck (but that’s okay)

Heya! It’s been a little while— two and a half years, more like— since my last update. A lot has happened since then! I thought it was about time I updated you all on my status and how my health has been progressing. My last post was very emotional (understandably!), so I’ll try to be a little more matter-of-fact and a little less doom-and-gloom this time around.

So, yeah… I have Myalgic Encephalomyelitis, or ME, formerly known as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS); it’s often shortened to ME/CFS for clarity. People tend to refute the name CFS these days, since it hearkens back to a time when ME was seen as a mostly psychological issue, and emphasized the fatigue over everything else, as if the fatigue was the only problem. ME is, and always has been, a debilitating disease that affects millions of people worldwide. Nobody knows for sure what exactly causes it, though the majority of cases seem to be triggered by viral infections, so it’s often referred to as a “post-viral illness”. A lot of people can trace their ME symptoms back to an initial viral infection, but many can’t pin-point it that exactly. I think mine may have been triggered by a really bad flu I got in 2008, which was probably what was called “Swine Flu” at the time, but it’s difficult to be sure. My symptoms have come on so gradually and over so many years, it’s hard to pinpoint when it exactly started. (I haven’t technically been given a formal diagnosis— I’ve technically diagnosed myself— but I haven’t yet had a medical professional refute it.)

Anyway, you can read my previous post for a history of my health problems and how they started. For now, though… how am I doing compared to the last update?

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An Update: Why I’ve Been So Quiet

I thought I’d take a moment to write a little bit about why my web presence and art output has basically trickled to nothing the past couple of years; I figure I owe anyone who’s interested an explanation, especially because things were going so well for a while! I was making so many wonderful friends in the industries I cared about, I was getting offers for projects and collaborations, and other awesome opportunities… and then I all but disappeared.

The reasons, unfortunately, are due to on-going health problems, both physical health and mental health. There’s a lot of rambling about it below the cut, but in short: I’m struggling with long term fatigue issues that still don’t have an identified source or treatment.

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Art Through the Years: Body Studies

In going through some of my old art I was drawn to the various random drawings of bodies I made throughout the years, most of them with the intention of figuring out how anatomy worked and exploring how bodies fit together. Strangely enough, with most of these there were no references at all, just me and a pencil and paper trying to Figure It Out.

I thought it might be fun to share a bunch of them, so you can see how things changed over the years. These don’t result in a comprehensive timeline by any means, and it’s obvious by looking at these that, though I might be getting better over time, growth is not linear, and that’s okay! I was still learning and that all counts!

Be aware: Drawings of nude figures below the cut.

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Watercolour Basics: Masking Fluid

Introduction:

Keep in mind that I’m not an expert! I’m a hobbyist at best. My goal isn’t to teach techniques for professionals, but for other hobbyists who would like to know some techniques to have fun with watercolour. That being said, I’ll try my best to give good advice! If anyone has links to other resources on a similar topic to this tutorial, please do link it in the comments!

Masking fluid, also known as liquid frisket, is used to protect, or “mask”, parts of your paper, so you may paint over it with ease without worrying about painting around any white areas. It’s often made of liquid latex. It can be a valuable tool for watercolour painting when used well! In this tutorial I’ll try to give you lots of pictures and tips so you can feel confident doing your own experiments with masking fluid.

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New Apartment and Comics Camp/VanCAF/collaborations!

Man, it’s been a busy last month or so… my husband and I have been moving house, after the owner of the apartment we lived in for eight years decided to sell (for good reasons!). It’s both been hella stressful (moving always is) and not nearly as stressful as it could have been, so I’m calling it a success! We still have things to do, but the bulk of the move is done, and now comes the long process of unpacking and settling in.

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