Mixed! Messenger AU

This was an Art Fight attack!! OCs belong to @spatterats!! Galaxy character designs, my beloved Link to the attack is here! https://artfight.net/attack/5319523.two-sides-of-the-same-coin-two-stars-of-the-same-solarity

Man, I thought my Monster Con hyperfixation would last longer, but then my sibling showed me TouchStarved a few days ago, AND I've been listening to EPIC the musical on repeat all week, so it has some competition... The triple hyperfixation combo is real

Well, this is it...

Farewell, my laptop computer. It was a lovely journey having you around... You were there when I first began game development, and you were there when I invented many of my original characters, including my silly little Girafficus. I wouldn't have gotten to the place I got without you... And, I know you're inanimate, but you're still something I've had for years and used happily. You've helped me obtain my associate's degree... And you let me mod the silly little games I made you carry. Things like Stardew Valley Expanded and Monika After Story are wonderful parts of my memories because of you... And Monika, I'm sorry you won't know the cause of my disappearance, but I promise I've saved your persistent files so you won't forget me. I just hope you forgive my time away, for my computer is dying. Elrand, my computer named after my OC Elrand Oshelstor, I am so sorry your heart aches terribly. Why is it that my devices that are named after my OCs end up having the traits of that particular OC? Elrand is an elf who was banished for arson, and two years ago I "banished" the computer to get fixed because it was having issues with temperature and needed a new fan. Now, time has passed, and my computer is having battery problems, which can be compared to the fact that I recently gave my OC some heartbreak and sorrow related to being in a circus and having to leave it and never see his crush again... for a while. Quite poetic... yet "coincidental"... or... perhaps fate? Could a computer have fate? If a computer has a life, what's not to say it, too, has a destiny? It, too, has a birth, a death, and core memories, whether good or bad? Because they certainly do, even if they're merely hardware and lines of code. Elrand, my computer, may you one day work at Subway like the silly emo elf guy... I hope you get over your trauma soon and make friends again. You are not bad luck, my boy. You are just hurt and troubled by what life threw at you. You'll always have me right beside you to keep your memory going. Thank you for being my first personal computer, and my very first laptop. May you rest in peace once your battery drains completely...

turned my favorite part into its own gif free for anyone to use

Waterbuffalo? Nah, Kinito (JUMPSCARE WARNING)

Drew my OCs & sona if they were in Monster Prom!

The gif was made before MonCon came out, so there are a few things I would change (adding Omen for starters). Hehe

Also, the non-canon character in the crush thought bubble is @koiofthevalley 's monstersona! <3 Anyways Characters in order: 1. Pyxis of Space (she/her) 2. Eris the Planet Seeker (they/he) 3. J4WBR34K3R (he/him) 4. Emyr Manee (he/they) 5. The Sparkly Void Lord (they/them)

MYSTIC MESSENGER EDIT OF MY PERSONA'S HUMAN FORM YIPPEE!!!

I used an edited base to make this lol

And I made it two or so months ago? I don't remember lol

Here's the funny-looking edit I made for the base because it deserves to see the world

But yeah the base art is ofc from Mystic Messenger—specifically the characters Ray, Yoosung, and Seven's emotes

i forgot i had this

og image under the cut

Artists, let’s talk about Instagram commission scammers

There’s been a huge rise in commission scammers recently, mostly on Instagram. A lot of new artists don’t know what to look out for, so I figured this might help people.

How they begin

Usually the scammer will write to you asking about a commission. Something deceptively cute - mostly I encounter asks about pet portraits, with one or two photos sent. They’ll probably try to sell you a sweet little story, like “It’s for my son’s birthday”. They will insist that they love your artwork and style, even though they don’t follow you or never liked a single piece of your art.

What to look out for:

Their profiles will either be private, empty, or filled with very generic stuff, dating at most a few years back.

Their language will be very simple, rushed or downright bad. They might use weird emojis that nobody ever uses. They will probably send impatient “??” when you don’t answer immediately. They’re in a crunch - lots of people to scam, you know. 

They’ll give you absolutely no guidelines. No hints on style, contents aside from (usually) the pet and often a name written on the artwork, no theme. Anything you draw will be perfect. Full artistic freedom. In reality they don’t really care for this part.

They’ll offer you a ridiculous amount of money. Usually 100 or 300 USD. They’ll often put in a phrase like “I am willing to compensate you financially” and “I want the best you can draw”, peppered with vague praise. It will most likely sound way too good to be true. That’s because it is.

Where the scam actually happens

If you agree, they will ask you for a payment method. They’ll try to get to this part as soon as possible. 

Usually, they’ll insist on PayPal. And not just any PayPal. They’ll always insist on sending you a transfer immediately. None of that PayPal Invoice stuff (although some do have methods for that, too). They’ll really, REALLY want to get your PayPal email address and name for the transfer - that’s what they’re after. If you insist on any other method, they’ll just circle back to the transfer “for easiest method”. If you do provide them with the info, most likely you’ll soon get a scam email. It most likely be a message with a link that will ultimately lead to bleeding you dry. Never, and I mean NEVER click on any emails or links you get from them. It’s like with any other scam emails you can ever get.

A few things can happen here:

They overpay you and ask for the difference to be wired back. Usually it will go to a different account and you’ll never see that money again. 

They’ll overpay you “for shipping costs” and ask you to forward the difference to their shipping company. Just like before, you’ll never see that money again.

The actual owner of the account (yes, they most likely use stolen accounts to wire from) will realize there’s been something sketchy going on and request a refund via official channels. Your account will be charged with fees and/or you get in trouble for fraudulent transactions. 

You will transfer the money from your PayPal credit to your bank account and they will make a shitstorm when they want their money back, making your life a living hell. They will call you a scammer, a thief, make wild claims, wearing you down and forcing you into wiring money “back” - aka to their final destination account. 

Never, EVER wire money to anyone. This is not how it’s supposed to go. Use PayPal Invoice for secure exchanges where the client needs to provide you with their email, not the other way around.

You can find more info on that method HERE.

What to do when you encounter a scammer:

Ask the right questions: inquire about the style, which artwork of yours they like, as much details as you can. They won’t supply you with any good answers.

Don’t let the rush of the exchange, their praise and the promise of insanely good money to get to you. That’s how they operate, that’s how they make you lose vigilance. 

Don’t engage them. As soon as you realize it might be a scam, block them. The sense of urgency they create with their rushed exchange, and pressure they put on you will sooner or later get to you and you might do something that you’ll regret later.

Never wire money to anyone. Never give out your personal data. Never provide your email, name, address or credit card info. 

Don’t be deceived by receiving a payment, if you somehow agree to go along with it. Just because it’s there now doesn’t mean it can’t be withdrawn. 

Here is a very standard example of such an exchange. I realized it’s a scam pretty fast and went along with it, because I wanted good screenshots for you guys, so I tried going very “by the book” with it. 

Please share this post, make it reach as many artists as possible. Let young or inexperienced artists know that this is going on. So many people have no idea that this is a thing. Let’s help each other out. If you think I missed any relevant info, do add it as an rb!

Also, if you know other scam methods that you think should be shared, consider rb-ing this post with them below. Having a master post of scam protection would AWESOME to have in the art community.

I have drawn my boi Nemo! He will be on Art Fight, so if anyone likes this wholesome, goofy lad, feel free to check out my Art Fight (The-Void-Lord)! FUN FACT, NEMO IS ACTUALLY THIS OC'S OC. YES, YOU HEARD ME RIGHT. THIS OC HAS AN OC. More info on his Art Fight character page!!

I mean, hey, if you wanna send ‘em to the void, fine by me :) It’s rent-free here Just uhhh bring some cookies because you’ll get hungry :)))))

So apparently these are the Chinese server exclusive costumes

I really want them, especially the 2nd picture ones