Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Reposted by Chief (T.C. Smith) || comms open!

Adurna ✨Comms open✨ @alchemistssketches.bsky.social · 9h

Hello #PortfolioDay!
I’m a Greece-based illustrator and printmaker who loves experimenting with colors and different media 🌟

✉️ [email protected]
🎨 annat.crd.co
☕️ ko-fi.com/alchemistssk...

A woman with light greenish skin and seaweed-like hair walking in a swamp, surrounded by animals.

A fox standing on an outcropping by a blue fiery lake, its eyes glowing orange-red.

A linocut print of a seagull flying against a bright blue backdrop with clouds.

A linocut print that reads “Love is the only reason to do anything in this life.” In different fonts

1 15 22

Chief (T.C. Smith) || comms open! @chiefwritesbook.bsky.social · 10h

#WritingCommunity

A meme of a koala halfway through eating some leaves, looking shocked. caption reads "authors when they discover they have to write their book to publish it"

8

Reposted by Chief (T.C. Smith) || comms open!

birdko🦇🎃 @birdko.art · 17h

commission for a first-time client of their lovely moon druid elf character 🌿🌙

[ #art #artcommission #OCart #DnDart #TTRPG ]

Digital illustration of Mira, a woman with elven features, medium-brown skin, hazel eyes and wavy dark-brown hair, wearing a green gown with leaf embellishments and translucent sleeves, sits on a moon overgrown with ivy vines, amid a field of glowing golden blossoms beneath a starry night sky. She is calling forth magic from a glowing blossom floating between her hands. Mira belongs to swetha.duggi on Instagram.

8 120 440

Reposted by Chief (T.C. Smith) || comms open!

Lykus 🪶 Comms Open @lykus.art · 13h

Happy #portfolioday !! I'm Ly, and I am a fantasy artist and character designer, who loves TTRPGs! ✨

Portfolio & Commissions: lykus.art
Ko-fi: ko-fi.com/lykusart
VGen: vgen.co/LykusArt
Email: [email protected]

#fantasyart #digitalpainting #art

A light pink tiefling, with long magenta hair and white curly horns, blue eyes. She has a capuchin monkey on her shoulder who she is looking at fondly

A blue-green landscape of a forest and waterfall. Branches frame a party of 3 finding their way through the fog.

A minotaur in a fighting ring, covered in blood and holding the horn of his dead brother in front of him.

An elf with curly red hair, casting a spell out of her book. She wears a dark teal dress and leather armor. A portrait of her is on the right, smiling and big round glasses framing her eyes. In the top right is written, "Samandriel - Half Elf Wizard"

11 21

Reposted by Chief (T.C. Smith) || comms open!

NeonSlushie 🌴 @neonslushie.com · 17h

Happy #PortfolioDay! 💙

I'm an illustrator, merch creator, adoptable designer, & fursuit concept artist.

I'm also a hobby naturalist with a fascination of fungi, invertebrates, & every single animal. I hope to share my passion for the amazing natural world through my work!

www.neonslushie.com/shop

A digital illustration of a white anthropomorphic cartoon weasel wearing a brown weasel onesie. They have one hand lifted to examine a large monarch caterpillar, the other hand grasps a stick. They carry a basket full of honey mushrooms that is slung over their shoulder. A small dusky slug sits on top of the mushrooms, and a pillbug is scurrying past their paws. The background features a forest scene with mostly green leaves, but a few have begun to show bright orange autumn colors. 🎨 #FurryArt

A collage of 4 pin designs, all on top of green square backer cards. The pins are a tiny green caterpillar, rubber ducky isopod, firefly, and snail. The backer card features an outline of a critter keeper with sticks and leaves in it that the pin is seated inside. Text on the backer card reads 'Lil Buddies - collectible pin by neonslushie' 🎨 #FurryArt #FurSale

A digital image of 3 different closed species alien character designs. All have very long bodies and cartoon dragon-like appearances. 🎨 #FurryArt #ProjectXero

A digital reference sheet for an anthro furry coyote character named Skyline. He is blue with a white belly, fingers, and toes and orange on his limbs and nose bridge. A black stripe runs down his back and his black hair is tipped in a bright blue. 🎨 #FurryArt

1 17 57

Reposted by Chief (T.C. Smith) || comms open!

Aimee Cozza Illustration @aimeecozza.com · 16h

They installed my mural at the North Conway Walmart!

#Art

A large digital drawing of two people walking with skis and snowboards in hand down a path towards a mountain, surrounded by colorful autumnal frosted trees.

13 18 170

Chief (T.C. Smith) || comms open! @chiefwritesbook.bsky.social · 12h

damn, imagine needing an AI to play out your sexual fantasies because you can't get laid in real life

Matt Burgess (WIRED) @mattburgess1.bsky.social · 22h

Oh good, ChatGPT is getting "erotica for verified adults" later this year

We made ChatGPT pretty restrictive to make sure we were being careful with mental health issues. We realize this made it less useful/enjoyable to many users who had no mental health problems, but given the seriousness of the issue we wanted to get this right.

Now that we have been able to mitigate the serious mental health issues and have new tools, we are going to be able to safely relax the restrictions in most cases.

In a few weeks, we plan to put out a new version of ChatGPT that allows people to have a personality that behaves more like what people liked about 4o (we hope it will be better!). If you want your ChatGPT to respond in a very human-like way, or use a ton of emoji, or act like a friend, ChatGPT should do it (but only if you want it, not because we are usage-maxxing).

In December, as we roll out age-gating more fully and as part of our “treat adult users like adults” principle, we will allow even more, like erotica for verified adults.

1 2

Reposted by Chief (T.C. Smith) || comms open!

Rob MacWolf, Werewolf Hitchhiker @robmacwolf.thevoice.dog · 19h

When we write or draw porn or erotica, we get banned from having a bank account and our livelihoods get seized even if we give it away for free.

When billionaires steal what we've written or drawn to churn out a slop-approximate of porn, they're allowed to charge for it.

Matt Burgess (WIRED) @mattburgess1.bsky.social · 22h

Oh good, ChatGPT is getting "erotica for verified adults" later this year

39 3.5K 6.3K

Reposted by Chief (T.C. Smith) || comms open!

Kai Zeal 🐱📘🔮 | Author of Riyati @kaizeal.aquakatpublishing.com · 20h

Hey you. Yes you. Do you want some traumatized teenagers in your life? Well have I got the book for you, fresh to your ereader on Nov 14th and ready for pre-order!

Direct: riyati.ink/store
itch: riyati.ink/itch
Other retailers: riyati.ink/ripple

📚📢📚💙 🌈📚🌎 🪐📚⚔️🌈🚀 #queerAdultSFF #QueerSFF

Header text that reads, “Every act of defiance steers you into the person you were always been meant to become.”

A 3d mockup of an ereader with Riyati Ripple’s cover is on the left. On the right, the following bullets are listed:
Third book in series
Dark Fantasy
Contemporary & low fantasy with urban fantasy elements
Buffy x Persona 4 Vibes
1st Person & Multi PoV
Classism & effects of generational poverty
Demi, ND fMC
Found Family
Reincarnations
Intricate Elemental Magic
Childhood Friends Slow Burn
97k words (~320 pages)

Retailers Logos for the itch.io, ko-fi, Campfire, Payhip, Apple Books, Kobo, Smashwords, Google Play Books, Barnes & Noble, and Amazon Kindle are listed. Underneath says "+ more @ riyati.ink/ripple"

There are faded yellow particles and a yellow faded glyph on a black background. On top of the particles and glyph is text that reads:

I just needed the damn piece of paper. That’s all that mattered. I could do this, would do this. Yet despite telling myself that more than once in the past few weeks, I still wondered if this had been nothing but a massive mistake. I pulled my jacket tighter around myself. Outside was like a humid swamp hell, but they must’ve had the AC running full blast inside. It worked for the best since I preferred long sleeves, but outside of work, I hadn’t been in an AC’ed environment in weeks now — nearing a month. It brought me back to the question I’d asked myself so many times now: how was I going to do this?

Just as predictably, there was only one answer as well: it didn’t matter; I had no other option.
-Maya

On the bottom left, there is a picture of a teenage girl with dark brown hair and light emerald eyes pensively looking to the side. To her right, retailer logos are listed as follows: itch.io, ko-fi, Campfire, Payhip, Apple Books, Smashwords, Google Play Books, Barnes & Noble, and Amazon Kindle. A plus sign with “more @ riyati.ink/ripple” is under the retailer logos.

There are faded yellow particles and a yellow faded glyph on a black background. On top of the particles and glyph is text that reads:

Mom had been an anxious wreck, as bad as when I’d come back from being kidnapped by Asuza. But unlike then, there was no Sia to block emotions; I knew how terrified and exhausted she felt, how she cried when she didn’t think I was awake to hear.

If I’d just died back then, she could’ve moved on, not be put through this again and again.

Instead, all I could do was lie in bed, barely able to go to the bathroom without her trying to help me. Really, it was worse than after I’d been kidnapped because I couldn’t even sit at my desk to work on stuff and had no Sia to talk to, only my thoughts that never stopped anymore. Exercising was definitely off the table with my actually non-existent injuries, something further destroying any sense of normalcy I might’ve had. Mom had requested emergency leave, had groceries delivered in, never left. How much stress had I put on her? How many lives had been destroyed because of me? I’d finally managed to sneak my spell book into bed with me, hidden it to my right, underneath my comforter. But after having it beside me, I lost any drive to actually skim through it despite knowing I needed to figure out what that “anti-magic” thing was. Another sign of disrespect to those that’d died and suffered because of me.
-Kylie

On the bottom left, there is a picture of a teenage girl with reddish-brown hair and teal eyes anxiously looking at the viewer. To her right, retailer logos are listed as follows: itch.io, ko-fi, Campfire, Payhip, Apple Books, Smashwords, Google Play Books, Barnes & Noble, and Amazon Kindle. A plus sign with “more @ riyati.ink/ripple” is under the retailer logos.

7 9

Chief (T.C. Smith) || comms open! @chiefwritesbook.bsky.social · 1d

Last chance to grab this! Go forth and support my fellow indies 🔥

#BookSky 📦📚

Chief (T.C. Smith) || comms open! @chiefwritesbook.bsky.social · 5d

We all like indie books here yeah? Good news! We have a mega bundle of relatively unknown indie books that deserve more readers! You can get the whole thing for just $38:

itch.io/b/3305/under...

#BookSky 🩵📚 📢📚 📦📚

A graphic featuring some of the books in the under-rated books bundle, surrounding some text in the middle. Text reads: "itch.io under-rated bundle. oct 9th to 13th. bringing attention to the best books you've never heard of." two rows of five stars can be seen above and below the text.

5 5

Reposted by Chief (T.C. Smith) || comms open!

Professor Mitchell @professormitchell.bsky.social · 2d

So many hidden gems, so little time...

There's only 24 hours left on this ebook bundle sale, so if you want to get in on this deal, now is the time! It's got over 60 stories for under $40, including fantasy, science fiction, and more. Don't miss out!

itch.io/b/3305/under...

6 6

Reposted by Chief (T.C. Smith) || comms open!

💀 Rue Morgue 💀🗡️❤️‍🔥🔜 Conference on BIPOC Game Studies 🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍🌈 @ilananight.bsky.social · 3d

I've been out for over a decade, but for National Coming Out Day, I'd like to remind everyone that I'm a queer trans man (he/they pronouns) and nothing "made" me trans.

We have always been here. We will always be here. And no amount of fearmongering will change that.

A picture of me smiling in front of a model dragon

2 1 27

Reposted by Chief (T.C. Smith) || comms open!

Niranjan 🇮🇳 @ormakal.bsky.social · 3d

Check out these under-rated books for your next great read!

#booksky #readersky #readers #books #readersonbluesky #booksonbluesky #bookrecs #readingrecs #whattoread #readingcommunity

itch.io/b/3305/under...

💙📚 🌈🚀💫 📚🌎 📢📚 🩷🧙♂️⚔️ 🪐📚

Under-Rated Books by T.C. Smith and 42 others

Under-Rated Books: 63 items for $38.00

itch.io

5 3

Chief (T.C. Smith) || comms open! @chiefwritesbook.bsky.social · 3d

oh I'm aware, I like to waste their time a bit 😂

1 2

Reposted by Chief (T.C. Smith) || comms open!

key-lime pie @keymonster.bsky.social · 4d

No, I am not currently down at this protest, but I’ve been watching streams regularly. It has not escaped me that my protest animals seem to be in line with how my city has decided to respond to current events. I love my city.

A digital drawing of an opossum holding a sign that says “abolish ice”

A digital drawing of a raccoon holding a sign that says “become ungovernable”

2 60 260

Reposted by Chief (T.C. Smith) || comms open!

Jan Falk (ThistleArts) @thistlearts.bsky.social · 4d

An old watercolour portrait study"

#art #portrait #traditional #watercolor

3 33 170

Reposted by Chief (T.C. Smith) || comms open!

qdbuckwheat.bsky.social @qdbuckwheat.bsky.social · 8d

Sharing a helpful link, has other numbers and call scripts to use.
stop-paypros.neocities.org

Stop payment processors from censoring games!

stop-paypros.neocities.org

62 84

Reposted by Chief (T.C. Smith) || comms open!

Gilbert #NewDeal4Animation @discord12395.bsky.social · 7d

In addition to paypros problems, everyone also needs to be aware of the dangerous censorship bills that are on the table. Each of them threatens our freedom of speech, privacy, and business. Call your reps and tell them to OPPOSE each of these bills. R or D, get LOUD and spread the word! #SaveSpeech

Dieselbrain @dieselbrain.bsky.social · 21d

#SaveSpeech

Ive updated this infographic with additional bill info, issues, etc

Find your federal and state reps below and make your voices heard!

www.congress.gov/members/find...

www.usa.gov/elected-offi...

67 83

Reposted by Chief (T.C. Smith) || comms open!

Gilbert #NewDeal4Animation @discord12395.bsky.social · 12d

This is a warning to every artists and clients using PayPal: Leave the note blank or send invoices. Apparently even saying "commission" makes them trigger happy. #SaveSpeech #StopPaypros

And continue the pressure by calling PayPal. Helpful link here: anti-censorship-campaign.carrd.co#phonescript

@Inker_comics: I JUST GOT FUCKED UP REAL BAD [shared a screenshot of his suspension from PayPal]

@MrQuessos: [quote tweeting @Inker_comics] If you are going to pay an artist via PayPal, please DO NOT include ANYTHING related to commission or nsfw in the payment description. Whether out of ignorance or innocence, you could screw up someone's job.

Mastercard

Phone (US): 1-800-627-8372
1-800-307-7309
US option selection: 1, 1, 2, 2, 2, 1
Phone (outside US): 1-636-722-7111
Aus: +61 1800 120 113
UK: 0-800-96-4767
All region numbers here (and here )

Stripe

California: 888-926-2289
US: 877-887-7815
France: +33 805-11-19-67

Paypal

Phone (US): 1-888-221-1161
Phone (outside US): 1-402-935-2050
UK: +44 (0203)-901-7000

Visa

Phone (US): 1-800-847-2911
US option selection: 1, 1, 2 or 1, 1, 3
Headquarters: +1 (650)-432-3200
Aus: +61 1800 125 440
Phone (outside US): click here

38 4.5K 4.6K

Reposted by Chief (T.C. Smith) || comms open!

🍊 tsu @tsurudraws.art · 4d

Rephrasing for clarity, but please do not use F&F (even blank ones) for commission payments; this is and ALWAYS HAS BEEN against ToS.

If you're getting paid for a service, use invoices.

F&F has no protections in place, especially for buyers, and using it to bypass fees is, again, against site ToS.

Gilbert #NewDeal4Animation @discord12395.bsky.social · 12d

This is a warning to every artists and clients using PayPal: Leave the note blank or send invoices. Apparently even saying "commission" makes them trigger happy. #SaveSpeech #StopPaypros

And continue the pressure by calling PayPal. Helpful link here: anti-censorship-campaign.carrd.co#phonescript

2 200 270

Reposted by Chief (T.C. Smith) || comms open!

Jan Falk (ThistleArts) @thistlearts.bsky.social · 4d

A little teaser of my artwork that will be featured in #hardcover2025

A cropped preview of a digtal artwork in retro style
A young blond man in a luxurious white shirt layes on a black sofa. He has a golden ring with a blue gem on his finger
Behind them there's a man who presses him down on a sofa with his arm. The man has dark hair with a slick cut.

5 17 140

Chief (T.C. Smith) || comms open! @chiefwritesbook.bsky.social · 4d

yeah I'm not looking for one atm

2 3

Reposted by Chief (T.C. Smith) || comms open!

Pixies a/k/a Map Nerd @mcburnellauthor.bsky.social · 4d

#Caturday This is the first time I've seen them actually sleep whilst this close to one another. Fiona can't resist the urge to bite her brother's tail or put him in a headlock while she grooms his ears.

2 kitties sleeping on a bed. The tiny tortie faces the camera, sprawled on her side, tail curled around one leg. The ginger is angled away, sleeping in a tidy log on his tummy with one hip just touching her back.

1 2 14

Reposted by Chief (T.C. Smith) || comms open!

LoS Draws 🔞 @monsterfucker.bsky.social · 4d

Hey! I'm LoS! And unfortunately, feeling a bit under the weather this week. I will be here for a bit, but partner will be making me go rest after I get a little bit of artshare in my veins

Not a lot of new stuff, alas, so we're doing a random assortment of reruns

Nyss, climbing a rope ladder and looking intense

Luka taking some massive starfish monster cock

51 69 190

Chief (T.C. Smith) || comms open! @chiefwritesbook.bsky.social · 4d

my current WIP is epic fantasy & my other (currently benched) series is urban fantasy c:

1 3