'Stop counting only those things you have lost! What is gone, is gone! So ask yourself this: What is there... that still remains to you?'

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: One Piece Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Monkey D. Luffy/Roronoa Zoro Characters: Roronoa Zoro, Tony Tony Chopper, Monkey D. Luffy Additional Tags: Hurt/Comfort, Serious Injuries, Implied Relationships, Canon-Typical Violence, Blood and Injury, Cute Ending, Whump, Roronoa Zoro Loves Monkey D. Luffy, Protective Roronoa Zoro, Whumptober, Hiding Medical Issues, Hurt Roronoa Zoro Summary: "You'd tell me, right? If something was wrong?"

"We need to get back to Luffy," Zoro's voice had an edge to it that made Chopper sigh and nod. The doctor took a deep breath and the swordsman hugged the reindeer close to his chest with one hand and then dove beneath the tunnel for the third time.

---

Zoro and Chopper get into trouble when the ground collapses beneath them and someone decides to hide an injury.

I might as well re-join Tumblr by letting everyone know I’m ZoLu trash. 

How to Make Art that Sells on Redbubble

How to Make Art that Sells A guide for artists looking to connect with buyers and make money off of art on Redbubble. 

If you want to make money off your art, but are struggling to make sales, I find it helps to take a step back and look at the art you are making objectively. 

When someone decides to buy art (for themselves or as a gift), they likely do so because they’ve made a connection in some way with the art. This can help you, as an artist, think about what to create. So instead of making art, you are making a connection between the art and the buyer/collector. 

There are a few main ways I've found that Connection is broken into:

1. Connection via. Subject Matter (What the art is about)

2. Connection via. Art Style (What the art looks like)

3. Connection via. Artist (You as an artist) The more connections someone forms with an artwork, the more likely they are to purchase the art! For example, if you have a fan who wants to support you because they like you as an artist, that is 1/3 connections formed. If they also like your art style, that is 2/3, and if they ALSO love the subject matter, that's 3/3. You don’t need to tick off all three boxes to sell your art, but thinking about the connections buyers make is a good way to think about what will sell.

Connection via. Subject Matter 

Subject Matter is the most easily made (and potentially the most important) connection for selling art. It is especially important for sites like Redbubble, where most people find art via. hashtags, scrolling through popular images, or just by stumbling across monthly themes.  If someone is going to make an emotional connection with the subject matter, it helps to be something folks are interested in. On Redbubble, it helps to create art for popular hashtags (such as #cottagecore or #vintage as examples) to make a quick connection with people looking for specific designs. Making art of generic subjects like landscapes, funny t-shirt quotes, or tarot can be a great way to make sales but sometimes doesn’t give you as much artistic freedom, or an emotional connection. This is where fanart and original art come in. 

Fanart vs. Original Art

When artwork causes an emotional response in someone, they are much more likely to purchase the art. When you make fanart the 'emotional connection' has already been created for you, so you don't need to do the work involved in getting people excited. Someone likely has strong feelings towards a specific subject, and can quickly connect with the art regardless of who made it or what style the art has been created in. This is great for folks at conventions, or people looking to sell to a fanbase. On Redbubble, there is a fantastic Partner Program that allows artists to create fanart legally, and make money off of the Subject MAtter connection easily.  With original art, it can be more difficult to make an emotional connection if someone doesn’t know what the subject matter is. This is why Original Characters (OCs) do not always make as much money as art that people can more easily connect with. If you're making original art, then you lose out on that 'subject matter' connection as easily.  However, if you want to make original art but still have a connection via. the subject matter, that is where certain topics/themes can really help. Adding in elements that are easily recognized to original art can bridge the gap and make your art more universally recognizable.  Fairy Tale elements, Mythical Creatures, Emotional Subjects (mental health, queer topics, etc) are all excellent tools that you can use to tick off the 'subject matter' connection while making Original Art. People will recognize, and connect to your art, even if they don’t know the full story.

Connection via. Art Style

Regardless of the subject matter, the art style of a piece can be a quick way to connect with your audience. This can also be an excellent way to stand out from the crowd or give you a chance to make matching pieces for multiple sales. If you have a series of artworks all in a similar style that follow a theme, it can be a quick win for someone looking to purchase more than one piece of art. 

Fantasy (everyone loves dragons), hyperrealism, traditional pen and ink (hello #inktober) and countless other styles are excellent ways to connect with your audience and find a voice that is uniquely your own. By combining Subject Matter and Art Style you can start to build up a portfolio of work that people are excited to purchase. 

Connection via. Artist 

This is one of the trickier connections for folks to foster, especially on sites like Redbubble, but can be a huge asset over time. If someone wants to support you as an artist, they are more likely to make multiple purchases, tell others about your art, and become a lifelong fan. If you are still struggling with Subject Matter and Art Style, then connection via. Artist will likely come in the form of friends and family who want to support you as a creative person without really caring about the actual art.

In order to make more connections via. the Artist, it is important to build up your personal brand, develop a style, and have an online presence. Making sure folks can follow you easily and learn more about you gives your audience the feeling that they are connected with you and your art regardless of what you decide to create or what style you develop. 

By taking a step back, and thinking about what you want to create and how you want to connect with your buyers, you can boost sales both on Redbubble and across whatever platforms you use to sell your art. 

It’s been a while, tumblr! I wanted to share the mockup of my booth for San Diego Comic Con! Still missing the print-wall at the back, but that is still in transit. See you all soon at table 934!  What are all of you looking forward to most about SDCC?

Me Too

Me too.

You’re a little girl and your cousin won’t stop bothering you because no one ever taught him that no means no. You punch him in the face because you’re young enough that you are a thunderstorm and no one can stop your lightning.

You’re walking to the bus stop with a rainbow pin on your bag and man twice your size tells you that he can turn you straight. You want to punch him in the face too, but your thunder trembles in fear and he chases you down the alley until you hide in the library and wait for the threat to pass.

You’re at a comic convention, dressing up as someone strong and powerful who makes you feel like a tsunami. But the next day you find photos of your ass, taken without permission on the Internet, and there is nowhere for your lightning to strike.

You’re at a staff party. Your married boss decides to go around kissing all of the women. You refuse, but he kisses you anyway and tells you he likes it better when women say no. Your thunder is drowned out by the crash of guilt that somehow you should have done more to stop it.

A million moments just like these happen all around you. Your thunder feels like a quiet, voiceless rage. But you see the same thunder echoed in the faces around you and you hope that one day it won’t take a tsunami of ‘me too’ before they realize it’s raining.

Oh! When you're down and looking for a pick-me-up, Then just head right on up to the Caffeine Drinky cave. When you get inside you'll find yourself a cheery land, Such a happy and bouncy and perky, merry land. They've got pumpkin-spice and lemonade and blended things, Oh so many things that will brighten up your day. It's impossible to wear a frown in Starbucks town! It's the mecca of love, the Caffeine cave! They've got tango-tea and mocha drinks with little straws, Fresh whipped cream, chocolate chai, it's a wonderland of drinks. Ride the caffeine train to town and hear the latte band, Venti drinks, it's a treat as they march across the land. Frappuccinos stream across the sky into your mouth; Turn around It astounds! It's a dancing coffee bean! In the Caffeine cave imagination runs so free, So now Charlie, please will you go into the drink.

A speed painting for the topic ‘Long Trunk’. I just have a thing for neck corsets, okay? As usual, this piece can be found on my RedBubble shop here! ---- VISIT MY WEBSITE M I C A L E A D A W N . C O M FOLLOW ME: FACEBOOK   |  TWITTER   |  INSTAGRAM

About Victor Lavelle’s 'Destroyer' When Dr. Jo Baker loses her son as the tragic result of an encounter with the police, she turns to science to find true justice for the death of her only child… by resurrecting him. Embracing her heritage as the last living heir of the Frankenstein family, Baker will soon come face-to-face with her family’s original monster, one whose quest to eliminate the scourge of humanity from the planet has been reawakened by recent events. But as the two must decide if they’re friend or foe, Dr. Baker will be forced to question if this battle for vengeance makes her the family’s true monster. --- This cover is the first in the series, set to be released in May 2017. I wanted to highlight some of my painting process as well as the final illustration for the cover. Look for more work for this series to come soon, and consider purchasing Destroyer at your local comic shop! VISIT MY WEBSITE M I C A L E A D A W N . C O M FOLLOW ME: FACEBOOK   |  TWITTER   |  INSTAGRAM

Hope y’all are lookin’ sharp! Doing some pen and ink illustrations this evening with a hedgehog combined with hedgehog cactus flowers. And also puns, because of who I a as a human being. 

The Flush Fatale Kickstarter has 3 days left!!  We are thrilled to have had so much support so far, and every share and pledge helps to us bring the art to life. Take a look at this Playing Card Preview by @chantalhoreis Sophie Scholl was a student when she became active within the "White Rose" non-violent resistance group in Germany during the Nazi Regime. She was caught distributing leaflets against the war in the University of Munich and was later executed for her actions. In an earlier interview with Chantal, she spoke of what was inspiring about Sophie Scholl. "Her courage. I am sure she knew the consequences of her actions, once the Nazis would find out about it. Still, she had an idea of the world she wanted to live in and fought for what she thought was right. By distributing leaflets she even used a medium that represented her message so well without harming anyone."

Flush Fatale is a deck of cards illustrated entirely by women, featuring 54 women from history. The main goal of Flush Fatale is to create a woman-centered project that pays each and every artist for her time and energy while highlighting notable women from history. 

Please support & share our Kickstarter! 

For just $25 you can pre-order a deck and help us get a little closer to making this project a reality. Thank you so much for sharing!

Exclusive LIVE painting of Mary Shelley - King of Spades on Kickstarter! We would like to personally invite you all to a live streaming of Mary Shelley; the King of Spades on Friday, December 9th at 6:30pm MST! Maggie Ivy (@maggieivy), the talented illustrator behind this card, will be answering questions and showing off her traditional painting skills as she works on the King of Spades card. Please subscribe to be notified when the stream goes live, or to submit questions you have about Flush Fatale. 

Flush Fatale is now LIVE on Kickstarter!

Flush Fatale is a deck of cards illustrated entirely by women, featuring 54 women from history. The main goal of Flush Fatale is to create a woman-centered project that pays each and every artist for her time and energy while highlighting notable women from history. Each of the playing cards will be illustrated once the Kickstarter is funded to ensure that the artists will be properly compensated. No funding means no art and no card decks. Simple as that.

This means that without your support, none of the artwork will come to life. To learn more about Flush Fatale, please visit our Kickstarter page or website!

Flush Fatale is a deck of cards illustrated entirely by women, featuring 54 women from history. The main goal of Flush Fatale is to create a woman-centered project that pays each and every artist for her time and energy while highlighting notable women from history. 

Please support & share our Kickstarter! 

For just $25 you can pre-order a deck and help us get a little closer to making this project a reality. Thank you so much for sharing!

Good news everyone! We added prints of the playing cards to the Flush Fatale  Kickstarter!  Options include a small or large museum-quality print of the Flush Fatale Playing Card of your choice made on thick, durable, matte paper. This small print is 8"x 10". This large print is 18"x 24".

Flush Fatale is now LIVE on Kickstarter!

Flush Fatale is a deck of cards illustrated entirely by women, featuring 54 women from history. The main goal of Flush Fatale is to create a woman-centered project that pays each and every artist for her time and energy while highlighting notable women from history. Each of the playing cards will be illustrated once the Kickstarter is funded to ensure that the artists will be properly compensated. No funding means no art and no card decks. Simple as that.

This means that without your support, none of the artwork will come to life. To learn more about Flush Fatale, please visit our Kickstarter page or website!

The Flush Fatale Kickstarter is now LIVE! Please consider supporting and sharing our @kickstarter! Over the next 20 days, we’ll be highlighting the amazing artists and the women from history that they will be illustrating. This is the first in our ‘Artist Interviews’ for Flush Fatale. If you have any questions you would like the artists to talk about, or special requests, just let us know!  What is your name? Kiri Østergaard Leonard @kirileonard

Website? KiriLeonard.com

When did you know you wanted to be an artist? As a child, I always dreamed of it but I didn't know it was a real career option until I was in my late twenties.

Do you have a favorite piece of art you’ve done? Yes, a piece called 'Descendant' it's close to my heart because the inspiration was pulled from my home country of Denmark where I no longer reside.

Who will you be illustrating?

Queen Thyra of Denmark, first queen of the Vikings! I am so excited, I hope I can do her justice.

What did your woman from history accomplish/what is she known for?

Thyra was the wife of Gorm the Old of Denmark, who is the first historically recognized King. They reigned from c. 936 - c.958 Thyra is believed to have been a shield maiden (female Viking warrior) who led an army against the Germans. King Gorm raised a memorial stone to her at Jelling which still stands today. She is also believed to be the daughter of King Æthelred of England/Wessex.

What about her do you find inspiring?

She wasn't just our (Denmark's) first recorded Queen but also a warrior, leading an army into battle to fight for her country. That shows real strength and character. Especially in past times where the world was easily male dominated.

If you could go back in time and talk to the woman you are illustrating, what would you ask her?

I would ask her about her life, upbringing, her culture, her hopes for the future and her country.

If you could tell other women artists one thing, what would it be?

The motto of Pratt Institute, where I studied art, states: Be true to your work and your work will be true to you. I have come to believe in that deeply. Your work is what you put into it. If you put your heart and soul in it will portray just that.

The Flush Fatale Kickstarter is now LIVE! Please consider supporting and sharing our project! Over the next 20 days, we’ll be highlighting the amazing artists and the women from history that they will be illustrating. This is the first in our ‘Artist Interviews’ for Flush Fatale. If you have any questions you would like the artists to talk about, or special requests, just let us know!  What is your name? Ameorry Luo @dustandhalosart

Website? http://www.dustandhalos.com/

When did you know you wanted to be an artist? I don't think there was ever anything else. I've always been drawing. I did have a bit of a crisis as a teenager as far as what kind of artist, but I always knew I would end up being some kind of creative.

Do you have a favorite piece of art you’ve done? That's hard! I'm really into fashion, so right now, probably this one. (Above)

Who will you be illustrating? Lyudmila Pavlichenko What did your woman from history accomplish/what is she known for? Lyudmila Mykhailivna Pavlychenko was a Ukrainian Soviet sniper during World War II. Credited with 309 kills, she is regarded as one of the top military snipers of all time and the most successful female sniper in history.

What about her do you find inspiring? I've always been really interested in military women and the specific challenges they faced. As far as sexism goes, it's not only men doubting whether or not women can do the job, but patriarchal society having the nerve to deny a woman the right and opportunity to fight and die for her country. Why shouldn't women be able to do that, as long as they live up to the same standards as men do in the military?

On another note, I always love sniper characters and I think guns, from a design and engineering standpoint, are beautiful. So it's an awesome to be able to work with my interests in a real woman from history! 

If you could go back in time and talk to the woman you are illustrating, what would you ask her? I'm not sure I have any specific questions for her! It's obvious to me that a lady could have interest and talent in shooting, as well as a desire to serve. It's not like I'd have to ask to know whether or not she dealt with sexism in the military. I think I'd just want to hang out!

If you could tell other women artists one thing, what would it be? Never be afraid to be self-indulgent in your work. That's what people will notice, and will make you happier in the long run.

The Flush Fatale Kickstarter is now LIVE! Please consider supporting and sharing our project! Over the next 30 days, we’ll be highlighting the amazing artists and the women from history that they will be illustrating. This is the first in our ‘Artist Interviews’ for Flush Fatale. If you have any questions you would like the artists to talk about, or special requests, just let us know!  What is your name? Monica Amneus, but I go by the pseudonym Monkah (my last name is impossibly Swedish)

Website? http://www.monkah.com/

When did you know you wanted to be an artist? I was a pretty late bloomer - I didn't even discover I could draw until I was 19. Even then, I chose graphic design because it was "safe". After a semester in graphic design classes, I found out illustration was a job option, so I finished my associates and transferred to MICA to major in illustration.

Do you have a favorite piece of art you’ve done? I know this is the piece (above) that always gets attention, but it's the piece that I'm most proud of because of where it's gotten me. It was originally for a project with Adobe where they chose 10 female art students internationally to create a work that would be painted as a mural in Brooklyn, New York. It's still completely surreal that I was chosen, and this piece really represents the turning point of my career as an artist.

Who will you be illustrating? Maud Stevens Wagner

What did your woman from history accomplish/what is she known for? She was a circus performer and the first female tattoo artist.

What about her do you find inspiring? As a woman was a lot of tattoos, I get tons of questions and comments on both the artwork and the choice to cover myself in tattoos. It's hard, there are some negative reactions, but ultimately it's my body and I can do whatever I want to it. Maud represents that choice. She represents empowerment and confidence and she's just a supreme badass.

If you could go back in time and talk to the woman you are illustrating, what would you ask her? I would ask her to tattoo me first of all, then I could have a decent conversation. I would ask all about what it's like working in the circus, about the hardships she faces being labeled as a "freak", and I'd probably want stories of all her tattoos. She seems like a fascinating woman with loads of stories to tell.

If you could tell other women artists one thing, what would it be? Be confident in your work, and never apologize for not being what someone else thinks you should be, because they're wrong.