New Fursona! (+ Mental Health Update)

Content/Trigger Warning: Mental health, seasonal affective disorder, depression, allusions to self-harm but I didn't actually do anything this time.

I was struggling with my headspace the other night, as a result of the yearly autumnal onset of my seasonal affective disorder (which, on top of my regular depression, can feel incredibly unbearable at times and usually lingers until / through early spring), and didn't want to leave my hands idle. When you have the disorder collection that I have, idle hands in the middle of the night when nobody else is home can lead to dangerous things.

So I decided to try to force myself to focus on art as a healthier, safer distraction. (I recommend it, by the way. You don't have to be the next Picasso to find help in art. Just don't be like me: don't force yourself if you feel unmotivated or low-energy, otherwise you could burn yourself out and leave yourself feeling worse.)

Recently, I redesigned my truesona, Gallifrey (which is a post for another day), and gave them an edgy, emo-ish vibe, inspired by my favourite band of ten years, that my inner-16-year-old-self would have unalived for. But as much as I loved the concept of their design, I just felt like it didn't suit them. That's not the part of me that Galli was meant to represent, so to make them look that way felt wrong and out of character for them. But in re-redesigning them, I didn't want to completely scrap the look, either.

So I went on the hunt for a snow leopard base to put the design on, since they're my favourite animal and I thought the greyscale color palette was perfect for a snowie. But there weren't any F2U (free-to-use) ones that I liked and I'm a tad too broke to pay for one that met my needs or tastes. :P

As luck would have it, though, right as I was ready to cave in and just make another waywick or Skipper Drake (both are custom species by my friend SelkieMoon), I then scrolled upon this pawsome gryphon base that I loved instead! A gryphon sona had been on my to-do list for ages now anyway, so I took this as my sign that it was time and that I'd finally found my idea for one.

After spending the entire night and much of yesterday morning working on both base fills, here's how the gryphon turned out!

Phantom is a raven x snow leopard gryphon inspired by the American rock band, Black Veil Brides. He has become my third truesona, and will embody / represent my strongest emotions and the demons I face as a result of my disorders and gender dysphoria. They immediately became one of my favourite sonas of all.

I'll probably post Gallifrey's new-new look sometime this weekend. In the meantime, stay pawsome!

Link to ref on FA:

https://www.furaffinity.net/view/38431611/

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I realized upon proof-reading that the font on their ref might be difficult to decipher for some folks, particularly on smaller screens, so here's everything it says:

Base by Detruo

Phantom

They / he

Raven x Snow Leopard Gryphon

— Non-binary, gendercryptid

— Omni-sexual

— Polytheistic pagan

— Witch

— Neuro-divergent*

— Moody and broody; acts tough but is actually hella sensitive

— Dissociates a lot

— Fav. Bands: Black Veil Brides, Motionless In White, Pop Evil, Evanescence

— Accessories: Snakebites, left tragus, left second lobe, left industrial bar, tongue ring, 2g non-binary flag plugs, Progress Pride flag dog tag necklace

Base by Detruo (I made a typo, missed the "o") || Character Owned by 2HeartedHusky

*Has AuDHD, depression, anxiety, bipolar 2, PTSD, and c-PTSD

Top surgery scars not optional

Layered Black Veil Brides logo