The big 1-0

10 years.

It's been quite the journey.

On April 13th 2006, I discovered a website called DeviantArt from a forum on howtodrawmanga.com and couldn't believe all the amazing and incredible works of art that were posted there. I was so inspired by all the beautiful pieces there, that it made me want to share my imagination and creativity with the internet world. I joined the site, donning the moniker, Aeolus06, after a character from Homer's The Odyssey (one of the only books I read in high school that I liked) and a whole new world had opened up to me.

For 10 years, I learned new techniques, practiced, studied and improved into the artist I am today. 10 years, I've made some new friends, lost some friends, and even made friends who were more talented than me. I've had some great ideas, good ideas, bad ideas and ideas so dumb that I don't even want to think about them. Had some good times and bad times. I've learned and been a part of new fandoms and character ships. And DeviantArt help me branch out to other art communities, such as Hentai Foundry, FurAffinity, Blogspot and Tumblr.

I can honestly say that I'm not the same person I was when I joined all those years ago and that I've grown and changed. And unfortunately, so has DA. Tracers, art thieves, the mods. Seems like they keep popping up every day and I've heard complaints about them all. Some artists have even deleted their accounts and abandoned the site altogether. And I can't blame them. I've been a victim myself of thieves, mods and tracers. Lazy frauds with no talent who try to bank off of the well-deserved talent of other hard-working artists for a quick buck or to make a name for themselves. DA isn't the safe and secure place it used to be back in the day and sometimes I wonder if I should just jump ship like all the others who were fed up with the bullshit and move on. But I guess I couldn't find it in my heart to abandon all that work. Everything I've built here and all the friends and fans I've made here. For better or worse, DeviantArt is my home. And I guess for now, I'm stayin' put.



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Dear Friends


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INSPIRATIONS