Yearly post time! Will have some thoughts in here again whoops. Click through the read more to get a closer look at each piece as well as my thoughts for the year, otherwise here’s the summary image:
Previous years: 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021
Decade Overview: 2010 – 2019
Like 2020’s post I’ll put personal thoughts and feelings under the art!
Click in to each image to find out more and view the full art but be aware that images with a 🔞 are only NSFW!
 January
🔞 (Totally Not) Corrupted Simon |
 February
🔞 [COM-2021] Hats & Paws |
 March
Pride (2022 ver) |
 April
[COM-2022-04] Starry Observer |
 May
🔞 [COM-2022-04] Coffee Table Roast |
 June
Rigel Chilling |
 July
Bowser Day 2022 |
 August
🔞 [COM-2022-06] To Make a Red Panda Drone |
 September
Rigel v2.0 Reference |
 October
[COM-2022-06] Biafra Stickers |
 November
Hanging Bat |
 December
Welcoming the New Year |
I’d be lying if I said 2022 was a good year for me. I’ve had a few health grumbles, and summer being 40℃ for the first time in the UK just completely kicked my ass and as a result I did things so much slower than I’d have liked. That said I did the December pic in a timeframe I’d like… …If I completely throw out entirely my work/life balance.
I will however though say one thing, 2020 and 2021 I felt I was artistically stagnant. 2022? I did not feel like that at all. A lot of the pics I did this year I felt I was pushing my ability (in a good way) and I do need to kind of, ingest that and work out why I feel that way. I do however feel burnout again, not in the way that completely crushed me in 2019 but, that sense of weariness.
I think one target for me this year is to maybe poke other full time artists and go “how you work in a way that doesn’t just burn you out??????????”, that and maybe look in to other health service things as well ‘cus I saw a lot of friends get various neurodivergent diagnoses this year and watching them go “Oh yeah I do this and apparently it’s an ADHD thing” I just, sat staring at insert social media here going “Ha ha, I’m in danger”. It might not give me the solutions I seek but I suppose looking at it and seeing what other people are doing with their new understanding of being ND might help me.
*Checks last year’s post*
If there’s any takeaway for that in 2021 it was that I felt things deliberately blocking me from doing art. I got my ass kicked by vaccine side effects and especially in the past 3 months where I’ve just had multiple health ailments (that are still ongoing) that I’m just physically struggling. But I’ll push on, hopefully I can start with 2022 as a sort of reset. That’d be nice lol.
Ha ha, sorry about that past DO. But hey, you got gender euphoria at least as you came to terms with just not being gender. Love being agender it/its it gives me the happy brain. Anyway
I do have a few things on the docket for this year though. I will be attending Confuzzled this year, my very lovely and fantastic partner whom I love lots and I ended up skipping 2022’s CFz due to a mix of the end of 2021 having A Lot happen and also just general uncertainty about COVID. Frankly my fears are still there about being at a con but, I fucking need social contact and be in a place where I actually don’t feel out of place and beyond my usual circle of friends (whom I also love lots too). Because of this I absolutely need to work on a badge design to fit with CFz2023’s theme.
To be honest I do think I may have hit that bottom floor of introverted nature, I’ve kind of isolated social stuff for more than two years of COVID, I kind of pulled back from a lot of local furry events in 2012 for various personal reasons. I kind of want to maybe start showing up at Manchester Meets again, even if infrequent. Don’t miss running them though XD
Another consideration may be updating DarkOverord’s reference sheet again. It’s 5 years old and while it does the job the problem is that it is five years old. This is a low priority though.
Another item isn’t so much of a artistic goal and more a “me” goal, lose a bit of weight, try and walk around more. I suspect a lot of my issues are from not being as mobile and maybe with the realisation of my gender, maybe I should start actually dealing with well. Me.
Who knows, lets see how this year goes.
January – (Totally Not) Corrupted Simon
Also on…
This was one of those images I did in November 2021 that I knew I needed to fully render, I really liked all the tweaks to Simon’s design in the process here haha. It’s not “ambitious” for me (I know for a fact for at least the head I had the canvas flipped so it wasn’t another left facing image) but I really like how it came out in various ways.
🔞 Full Image and Original Description
What me? Demonic corruption? Naw I’ve just been hitting the gym y’know. Gains and all that. Anyway for totally unrelated reasons but we should totally make out and fuck.”
–
One of the pieces from HypNovember 2021 that I wanted to fully render. Quick to do ‘cus I did all the inking months ago!
February – [COM-2021] Hats & Paws
Also on…
Tbh this had zero context to being my favourite image from Feb, not ‘cus I hadn’t done other images (I had!) but frankly I put in maaaaaaaaaaaaaaaybe too much effort in this for a “simple” background commission. Came out well enough though, also really like how all the gem parts look haha
🔞 Full Image and Original Description
Commission for Regdeh and Ally of some hat and paw makeover work :3c
Looks like after catching the raccoon earlier, Onaka has decided to give the raccoon a new colour scheme while taking a good soak and a good paw massage.
March – Pride (2022 ver)
Also on…
I suspect most people might be surprised to see this in the “March” entry if they’ve been following my art, that and the fact it’s a pride piece, as I posted in June.
But it was actually completed in late March! Granted if you ever looked at the filename (FA and Itaku both show the original file name in the the Download/Show Uncompressed links) being “2022-03-28 – (ORIG-2022-02-01) – Pride” that is a massive giveaway haha. Honestly this is a “standard” picture for me, and that’s okay! I really like how it looks 9 months later so clearly I did something right, that said…
Future DO critque points to past DO: You should’ve weathered the edges of the pride stickers a little so they didn’t look *entirely* printed on, but it’s okay it’s cute.
Original Description
I’d not done anything for pride in a few years, partly ‘cus I generally felt I was too behind on stuff and then June snuck up on me but this year I decided “Oh hey I best do it this year”.
Technically this was hinted in Subtle, it was indeed deliberately subtle. But before I get on to that, I still really love the idea of sticking stickers that wash off over time without damaging the magically animate and unpoppable inflatable toy etc. etc.
Hence the pride stickers. ANYWAY what was Subtle about?
Late Jan/early Feb I’d been ruminated on the hit topic we all know and love. Gender. Or, ironically, a lack of one. It’s something I’ve been thinking on for a while ‘cus boy howdy it sure is a strange coincidence that I keep making self-characters that are masc but also not really attached to being specifically male. Even the Obstagoon is SUPER masc but I don’t really consider them male.
Technically the correct term here probably would be “demiboy/guy/man” (as in, someone who feels male sometimes and other times not). But you know what gave me gender euphoria and what didn’t? Agender and demiboy respectively. So I followed the good chemicals and wow internal validation????????
“What does this mean for peeps though? New pronouns?” NOPE 😀
A lot of this is internal validation, they/he still works for me and I have no specific preference on which one. Boy howdy that’s convenient!
But you know, it’s good to finally bite and be open about it in a less subtle way :B
April – [COM-2022-04] Starry Observer
Also on…
I’m gonna be up front, I am extremely proud of this piece. I don’t like to play favourites with commissions, I try not to use a commission piece as a month favourite unless it genuinely is ‘cus I don’t want other clients to be upset that I didn’t pick their commission. But I love how I did the stars (fun fact, they’re soap bubbles I took a photo of and then messed around) with the nebulae inside them. I think the shine was really nice and aaaaaaaaaa.
I’ve included both versions of this image as I could not decide which was better and just gave the client both, and uploaded the light ver for galleries. I do really like the dark ver though :3c
Original Description
Commission for Aether of their Creation Dragon! A very rad dragon toy with a cosmos (or more!) inside of them. Just looking down off a building curiously :3
![[COM-2022-04] Starry Observer](https://darkoverord.info/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/COM-2022-04-11-Aether-LightVer-PatSt-300x300.png "[COM-2022-04] Starry Observer")
![[COM-2022-04] Starry Observer (Dark Ver)](https://darkoverord.info/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/COM-2022-04-11-Aether-DarkVer-PatSt-300x300.png "[COM-2022-04] Starry Observer (Dark Ver)")
May – [COM-2022-04] Coffee Table Roast
Also on…
He was a yeen, and he was a yeen, can I make it any more obvious that a hedgehog got themselves between a yeen and a yeen
Okay silliness aside I had fun with this, Swisher’s maximum fluff is always fun.
🔞 Full Image and Original Description
Split-roast, get it? ;D
Commission for Orona and Shiro of Orona having a grand time making a mess with Shiro’s yeens Swisher and Tinker!
This took a whiiiiiiiile but I like how it came out.
June – Rigel Chilling
Normally you’d see links here but there’s multiple versions of this
There’s a lot to this one so there’s multiple spoilers below with the versions and their links. This image was literally just an excuse to draw Rigel and tweak their design more. As well as make that tail choky and do the fun thing with Big Tail like that where a character lifts themselves up. I beliiiiiiiiiiiieve this is where I finally made the decision fully to make his feet webbed like his hands (they weren’t originally) amongst other changes.
Which was the point that finally made me go “…okay yeah I’ll do that ref”
Full Image, Links and Original Description, SFW
Also on…
I just wanted to do a pic with Rigel as it’s not common.
More changes to his design which means more and more “DO finally make a new ref sheet”
🔞 Full Image, Links and Original Description, NSFW Alt 1
Also on…
I just wanted to do a pic with Rigel as it’s not common.
More changes to his design which means more and more “DO finally make a new ref sheet”
🔞 Full Image, Links and Original Description, NSFW Alt 2
Also on…
I just wanted to do a pic with Rigel as it’s not common.
More changes to his design which means more and more “DO finally make a new ref sheet”
Oh!
Looks like he noticed you.
🔞 Full Image, Links and Original Description, Unposted NSFW Alt
This version never got posted, mostly because it’s a lot of the same alt. But I wanted that Big Bulge Pants
July – Bowser Day 2022
Normally you’d see links here but there’s multiple versions of this
I like Bowser Day as a concept, I love that koopa. I also seem to only manage an image once every two years, and this time I was Very Silly. I like this design though, shell looking like it’s made of quills is a great choice but it was HELL shading it lol
The images at the bottom are from my sticker set for Simon.
Full Image, Links and Original Description, SFW
Also on…
So while a heatwave was going on (haha first 40C day in the UK while we have no way to deal with that…) I was working on a Bowser Day pic
Combine: Koopa + Hedgehog. Specifically I more went off Giga Bowser’s form (long tail, chonky legs)
And then I made it silly
🔞 Full Image, Links and Original Description, NSFW Alt
Also on…
So while a heatwave was going on (haha first 40C day in the UK while we have no way to deal with that…) I was working on a Bowser Day pic
Combine: Koopa + Hedgehog. Specifically I more went off Giga Bowser’s form (long tail, chonky legs)
And then I made it silly
And then added a dick
August – [COM-2022-06] To Make a Red Panda Drone
Also on…
Fun commission to do but I’m always up for doing drone content tbh. I may BS rubber shading to hell and back but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t find it fun!
I admit I don’t have much to say about this one! I had fun :3
🔞 Full Image and Original Description
You first need to put a funny goopy mask on them first obviously. Commission for Nik of them being remodelled as a drone!
Character is They/Them
September – Rigel v2.0 Reference
Normally you’d see links here but there’s multiple versions of this
So I finally did it and gave Rigel that updated ref, a LOT of thought and decisions went in to this, and a lot of open tabs on FA of inflatable Noodle Dergs.
I’m extremely happy with this outcome. Not many comments on this ahaha
Full Image, Links and Original Description, SFW
Also on…
This has been a project on the back-burner since 2021 and I figured between Nik’s commission and the next I’d take the short palette cleanser to make the new reference
Deliberate use of “v2.0” here, he’s artificial so I wanted to give the implication that he’s just made himself a new body 😛
To be fair with Rigel he’s probably somehow still operating his old body too.
Main changes since the original adoptable ref:
• Rigel had decided he needed to be almost three feet taller, though being an inflatable that size isn’t exactly fixed in the first place
• Whiskers: Longer
• Mane: Bigger
• Tail: More
• Handles: Now on legs too
• Webbies: Feet have them as well as his hands now
🔞 Full Image, Links and Original Description, NSFW Alt
Also on…
This has been a project on the back-burner since 2021 and I figured between Nik’s commission and the next I’d take the short palette cleanser to make the new reference
Deliberate use of “v2.0” here, he’s artificial so I wanted to give the implication that he’s just made himself a new body 😛
To be fair with Rigel he’s probably somehow still operating his old body too.
Main changes since the original adoptable ref (NSFW):
• Rigel had decided he needed to be almost three feet taller, though being an inflatable that size isn’t exactly fixed in the first place
• Whiskers: Longer
• Mane: Bigger
• Tail: More
• Handles: Now on legs too
• Webbies: Feet have them as well as his hands now
Fun NSFW facts:
• It’s not deliberately implied, it is true. Rigel made himself a new body ‘cus he can Just Do That.
• I implied Rigel is probably operating his old body, which is actually also true. In fact even waaaaaay back in 2015 I did a small story that confirmed Rigel actively clones himself on others
• If handles make a pooltoy a bottom then that’s ‘cus Rigel’s making you top for him, you don’t have a choice.
October – [COM-2022-06] Biafra Stickers
Normally you’d see links here but there’s multiple versions of this
This was a very big project so it kind of took the full month, though I am happy with how they came out. Some lessons about management I needed to take from this haha
Also I love my silly “I’m gaaaaaaaaay” stickers
Full Image, Links and Original Description, SFW
🔞 Full Image, Links and Original Description, NSFW Alt
Also on…
Commission for Biafra of some stickers for them! This isn’t a typical commission for me (or at least the quantity isn’t) but I’m happy with how they came out 🙂
Now with dicks!
November – Hanging Bat
Normally you’d see links here but there’s multiple versions of this
With October being a busy month focusing on Biafra’s stickers (I’m always gonna put something a client has paid me for above personal projects that aren’t just, silly doodles), I didn’t really get chance to do a “halloween” pic for Ferris, and then I spent a lot of November setting up Itaku ‘cus Twitter Might Explode?????????? By the end of November I had time to sit down and complete a sketch I did on the 28th of October haha
I really like how this came out, plus a few tweaks on deciding Ferris’ amorphous anatomy that never will matter as they’re a shapeshifter. But you know, maybe some new consistent traits.
Full Image, Links and Original Description, SFW
Also on…
I’m a tad late for Halloween but that’s okay ‘cus I only got this idea on the 28th of October
I’d have liked to get this out sooner but as it was a personal project I was prioritising commissions
So here’s Ferris, hanging off an unusually sturdy tree-branch in the night, and you’ve managed to spot them with a torch, lucky you!
Maybe >:3c
🔞 Full Image, Links and Original Description, NSFW Alt 1
Also on…
I’m a month late for Halloween but that’s okay ‘cus I only got this idea on the 28th of October
I’d have liked to get this out sooner but as it was a personal project I was prioritising commissions
So here’s Ferris, hanging off an unusually sturdy tree-branch in the night, and you’ve managed to spot them with a torch, lucky you!
Maybe >:3c He’s clearly in a mood
🔞 Full Image, Links and Original Description, NSFW Alt 2
Also on…
I’m a month late for Halloween but that’s okay ‘cus I only got this idea on the 28th of October
I’d have liked to get this out sooner but as it was a personal project I was prioritising commissions
So here’s Ferris, hanging off an unusually sturdy tree-branch in the night, and you’ve managed to spot them with a torch, lucky you!
Maybe >:3c He’s clearly in a mood oh no never-mind the branch was unusually sturdy and shiny for a reason
🔞 Full Image, Links and Original Description, Unposted NSFW Alt
Technically it was posted to Twitter, ‘cus it’s easier to group images there without spamming galley sites with alts haha.
December – Welcoming the New Year
Also on…
So guess who hammered on this in 72 hours and stayed up until 6AM on the 31st to get this done in time? This agender idiot! 😀
That said I do like how this came out. I did a dumb with the fireworks though, I accidentally painted them on to the BG XD
“DO that thumbnail doesn’t look the same as the pic here?” you say, well, tee hee :3c Maybe I’ll sneak in a bigger look here at the bottom of this, except it’s still not posted publicly so not the full image yet >:3c
Original Description
I want to thank you so much for all your support this year and I hope we all collectively kick 2023’s butt to endure it isn’t 2022 again.
Also this is the first pic with the 23 mark! I only started putting a year on my art midway this year so that’s nice of me 18 years later to keep track of years :B
A secret slightly 🔞 sneak peak
![[COM-2022-04] Starry Observer](https://darkoverord.info/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/COM-2022-04-11-Aether-LightVer-PatSt.png "[COM-2022-04] Starry Observer")
![[COM-2022-04] Starry Observer (Dark Ver)](https://darkoverord.info/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/COM-2022-04-11-Aether-DarkVer-PatSt.png "[COM-2022-04] Starry Observer (Dark Ver)")
