Aleksi Gray @ The Bard and the Messenger
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alakotila.bsky.social
Aleksi Gray @ The Bard and the Messenger
@alakotila.bsky.social
4.2K followers 400 following 1.6K posts
Hi! I'm Alakotila! 🌈 🏳️‍⚧️ they/he
Enthusiastic about flowers, elves, armor, fantasy thieves, and satyrs
🌻 Read my webcomics: SPIDERSILK, Fell Swoop
🌻 Be warned: sometimes NSFW 🔞
🌻 Freelance Editor, BG artist
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alakotila.bsky.social
Aleksi Gray @ The Bard and the Messenger @alakotila.bsky.social · Aug 9
Hey! I'm an artist and writer. I make queer fantasy and lots of fancy clothes and flowers. Probably too many elves and satyrs.
🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️✨💖⚔️🌻
Webcomics: Spidersilk (ongoing), Fell Swoop (complete)
Novels: The Bard and the Messenger (coming this fall)
linktr.ee/alakotila
A book cover titled "The Bard and the Messenger". It depicts a character with wings jumping up and hugging another from about the shoulders. The bard has an instrument at his side, a huge flower crown on his head, and may be singing. The elf he is hugging looks calm and steady. The messenger wears armor with a huge fur cape and holds a bow. The title is in swoopy, romantic font, and the image has a vibrant, warm feel. Digital artwork depicting a satyr diving down to kiss his merman love. The colors are soft, mostly in blues and greens, with hints of pink clothing detailing on their sleeves. They both have long hair with braids and ribbons, and their clothes are patterned and layered. Photo of an open graphic novel. It's space fantasy, showing a tense conversation with the alien team leader and a human medic. The background is colorful and the armor is fanciful. illustration in pen and ink with gold paint texture accents. It shows two men with pointed ears and light fantasy armor with flowing capes. The background is a dark sky with gold clouds, and they seem weightless against the background. It has an almost romantic feeling.
alakotila.bsky.social
I should also specify that fantasy romance and romantasy of any spice level is welcome! I'm very familiar with romance story beats as both a writer and editor and edit spicy series already. That's totally fine too!
alakotila.bsky.social Aleksi Gray @ The Bard and the Messenger @alakotila.bsky.social · 3d
Hey, I'm looking to take on one short story or novella as a freelance editor. (less than 50K words)

Especially interested in fantasy, romance, queer, and trans stories. Experienced in localization as well. More details to follow.
November 29, 2025 at 10:04 AM
alakotila.bsky.social
I just realized I won't see flowers (outside) for like 4.5 months and got sad
November 29, 2025 at 10:01 AM
alakotila.bsky.social
There are a lot of good graphic novels and comics to follow up on in this thread! And if you have recommendations, pop those into the original thread!
alakotila.bsky.social Aleksi Gray @ The Bard and the Messenger @alakotila.bsky.social · 11d
Hey, I'm looking for comics and graphic novels *by* Indigenous writers and/or illustrators, especially in the Americas. Doesn't have to be a recent book. Any genre! Any topic, any themes, does not have to be a memoir or history, though that is welcome too!
November 28, 2025 at 3:00 AM
Reposted by Aleksi Gray @ The Bard and the Messenger
vampbyte.bsky.social
my csp brush sets are 50% off on ko-fi til dec 1st!

ko-fi.com/vampbyte/lin...

#artsupport #cspbrushes
November 27, 2025 at 6:53 PM
alakotila.bsky.social
Hey, I'm looking to take on one short story or novella as a freelance editor. (less than 50K words)

Especially interested in fantasy, romance, queer, and trans stories. Experienced in localization as well. More details to follow.
November 26, 2025 at 9:16 AM
Reposted by Aleksi Gray @ The Bard and the Messenger
annadrawsstuff.bsky.social
I had to copyright strike 15 listings with stolen pins in them on aliexpress alone, and I do a sweep every few months 😭

their IP protection platform makes it easy, but wiping these bootleg pins out on other platforms is going to be a PAIN
annadrawsstuff.bsky.social annadrawsstuff ✨ @ DCC T-141 @annadrawsstuff.bsky.social · 5d
Ugh, here's another reminder to never shop for pins at Shein, they keep stealing my (and many other artists) work 💀💀💀

Time to file some copyright takedowns on my day off 😔
November 24, 2025 at 8:00 PM
Reposted by Aleksi Gray @ The Bard and the Messenger
kotalinejones.bsky.social
For graphic novels, especially adult genre fiction, it's incredibly helpful to review it online, talk about it, recommend it to a friend—adult fiction in the graphic novel space is difficult to place, and nothing convinces readers that they'll like a book more than the personal testimonial.
scalzi.com John Scalzi @scalzi.com · 5d
If you like an author's work, the best thing you can do is buy it. The second best thing you can do is ask your local library to buy it. Or, do both!
laurenbeukes.com Lauren Beukes @laurenbeukes.com · 5d
A reminder that the median book deal for a debut author in the UK is £7000, paid over 12-18 months. (from 2022 Society of Authors report). Some of your favourite writers are struggling. societyofauthors.org/2022/12/06/a....
November 24, 2025 at 6:04 PM
Reposted by Aleksi Gray @ The Bard and the Messenger
alakotila.bsky.social
Get this fancy fantasy guys coloring book if you love coloring clothes! Also satyrs. There are a lot of those.

www.barnesandnoble.com/w/fabulous-a...
Photo of a coloring book cover. It depicts a satyr with layered clothes in various patterns, mostly of greens and white. He has a long tail, wears long ribbons, and has flowers in his hair around the base of his horns. The title is "FABULOUS" and the text near the lower right reads "A coloring book by Aleksi Gray." Photo of an open coloring book page. Markers are on the right of the book. In the image, a satyr wears layered clothes with different patterns on them, and even more patterns were added in the coloring process. He has long hair and a long tail, and holds a long staff with a curved blade on it. He wears ribbons and bells and has a hat with flowers in it.
November 22, 2025 at 7:20 AM
Reposted by Aleksi Gray @ The Bard and the Messenger
bleaksqueak.bsky.social
More #slayers fanart for the nostalgia
October 19, 2024 at 7:00 PM
alakotila.bsky.social
Get this fancy fantasy guys coloring book if you love coloring clothes! Also satyrs. There are a lot of those.

www.barnesandnoble.com/w/fabulous-a...
Photo of a coloring book cover. It depicts a satyr with layered clothes in various patterns, mostly of greens and white. He has a long tail, wears long ribbons, and has flowers in his hair around the base of his horns. The title is "FABULOUS" and the text near the lower right reads "A coloring book by Aleksi Gray." Photo of an open coloring book page. Markers are on the right of the book. In the image, a satyr wears layered clothes with different patterns on them, and even more patterns were added in the coloring process. He has long hair and a long tail, and holds a long staff with a curved blade on it. He wears ribbons and bells and has a hat with flowers in it.
November 22, 2025 at 7:20 AM
Reposted by Aleksi Gray @ The Bard and the Messenger
waverlysm.bsky.social
allegiance always to the pornographers and the freaks. consider making a call to mastercard, visa etc in the run-up to big spending season, more info about how to do this at the link
November 14, 2025 at 12:27 AM
Reposted by Aleksi Gray @ The Bard and the Messenger
jessiegender.bsky.social
Star Trek is always so relatable. I’m human and I also don’t have any money…
November 20, 2025 at 1:40 AM
Reposted by Aleksi Gray @ The Bard and the Messenger
jongraywb.bsky.social
I know several of my friends and colleagues use Scrivener for their writing projects so heads up! 👇🏾
scrivenerapp.bsky.social ScrivenerApp @scrivenerapp.bsky.social · 10d
Unlike most apps these days, Scrivener does not use AI in any way. However, if you’re on a Mac, you may see an AI prompt.
.
Here’s why, and what you can do if you want to remove this: buff.ly/MlAq0rL
November 20, 2025 at 1:51 AM
Reposted by Aleksi Gray @ The Bard and the Messenger
keezyyoung.bsky.social
Michael Nicoll Yahgulanaas is a Haida cartoonist who popularized the term "Haida manga," which might get you some additional hits!
Haida manga - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org
November 19, 2025 at 5:21 PM
Reposted by Aleksi Gray @ The Bard and the Messenger
weyodi.bsky.social
I would suggest A Howl, which is a graphic anthology about werewolves made by only Indigenous writers and artists. You can find A Howl and many many many others Indigenous comics and graphic novels at atcgbooksandcomics.com An Indigenous store and publisher focused on sequential art.
ATCG Books and Comics - Keep Calm and Decolonize!
The original Indigenous comic shop! Featuring comics, books, games, toys and collectibles, including exclusive retails items not found in any other stores.
atcgbooksandcomics.com
November 18, 2025 at 6:17 PM
Reposted by Aleksi Gray @ The Bard and the Messenger
tzipporah.cvkvlv.com
I'd like to second the recommendation for Two Tribes by Emily Bowen Cohen. The author is Mvskoke and Jewish, just like me, so this book made me feel so seen!

www.emilybowencohenauthor.com
Emily Bowen Cohen Author | middle grade graphic novel
Website for Emily Bowen Cohen, Native American and Jewish graphic novel creator, the author of Two Tribes.
www.emilybowencohenauthor.com
November 19, 2025 at 12:54 AM
Reposted by Aleksi Gray @ The Bard and the Messenger
trueref.bsky.social
New pack OUT NOW! ⚙💛
Jess is back again, and is channeling your fave sci-fi mechanic. (all of them)
multiple art pose reference of a person posing while sitting and crouching. multiple art pose reference of a person sitting and bending over. multiple art pose reference of a person standing while holding different tools. multiple art pose reference of a person standing while holding different tools.
November 17, 2025 at 5:29 PM
Reposted by Aleksi Gray @ The Bard and the Messenger
megsyv.bsky.social
Today's Art Tip is about drawing the head in perspective, and some shorthands to hopefully make that a little easier.
November 17, 2025 at 11:12 PM
Reposted by Aleksi Gray @ The Bard and the Messenger
ziqqix.bsky.social
That frieren chin up head drawing has me tearing up a lil bit like the artist was brave enough to ask for advice on Reddit and got so many encouraging responses and suggestions from thousands all over the world that they made a thank you post 😭 that’s what art making is all about……
November 17, 2025 at 11:12 PM
Reposted by Aleksi Gray @ The Bard and the Messenger
estregger.bsky.social
Take a look at the Mazinbiige Indigenous Graphic Novel Collection at the University of Manitoba Libraries libguides.lib.umanitoba.ca/c.php?g=6519... The collection was originally created by @tahltanlibrarian.bsky.social and there is an annotated bibliography
LibGuides: The Mazinbiige Indigenous Graphic Novel Collection: Home
This guide gives a brief overview of Mazinbiige Indigenous Graphic Novel Collections, its history and information on the collection.
libguides.lib.umanitoba.ca
November 18, 2025 at 7:51 AM
Reposted by Aleksi Gray @ The Bard and the Messenger
toffuo.bsky.social
I can finally post this illustration now when the episode is out 🧜‍♀️

#dontenterthehousepool #housepool #horrorwebtoon #dethp #webtoon #mermaid #siren
November 17, 2025 at 11:29 AM
Reposted by Aleksi Gray @ The Bard and the Messenger
kelmcdonald.bsky.social
It and Indiginerds are on sale right now store.ironcircus.com/products/ind...

Also I forget the name but guest editor for Woman in the Woods and editor of Indiginerds @alinapete.bsky.social recently drew a gn. Alina, what's the name of your book?
Indiginerds
First Nations culture is living, vibrant, and evolving... ...and generations of Indigenous kids have grown up with pop culture creeping inexorably into our lives. From gaming to social media, pirate r...
store.ironcircus.com
November 18, 2025 at 5:13 AM
Reposted by Aleksi Gray @ The Bard and the Messenger
colleenfrakes.bsky.social
Also- jooliecomix.storenvy.com/collections/...
Zines and Comics from Julie Fiveash
Zines and Comics by Julie Fiveash
jooliecomix.storenvy.com
November 18, 2025 at 4:12 AM
alakotila.bsky.social
Hey, I'm looking for comics and graphic novels *by* Indigenous writers and/or illustrators, especially in the Americas. Doesn't have to be a recent book. Any genre! Any topic, any themes, does not have to be a memoir or history, though that is welcome too!
November 18, 2025 at 3:10 AM
Reposted by Aleksi Gray @ The Bard and the Messenger
emiliusdraws.bsky.social
#3157 A helpful tutorial
A digital drawing of one of those drawing tutorials that says 'don't do this, do this.' The drawing is of an almost naked middle-aged man doing a flying kick. The 'Don't do this' one has a bunch of areas circled and a cross under it. The 'Do this' one is exactly the same but without the circles and a tick instead of a cross. The text reads 'Needlessly adding red circles will ruin your art' and a smaller bit of text at the bottom reads 'Bonus tip! Add a tick under all your art so people think you did it right.'
November 17, 2025 at 11:40 PM