I've been wanting to post more personal journals and get to know my followers better, especially after the questionnaire, and I saw everybody doing this and I admit I'm a sucker for talking about myself....in the least self-centered way possible XD SO this seemed like the perfect opportunity!

So my name is Sparta. My IRL name is Alex or AJ. You are welcome to call me any of those names, whether we know each other IRL or not. I'm 21 and live with my parents on the Jersey Shore. I was attending the Richard Stockton College of New Jersey for a Bachelor's in Fine Arts, but dropped out for financial reasons. I have a boxer/Staffordshire bull terrier mix, 4 snakes, and a betta with some tank mates. I suffer from a number of as-of-yet undiagnosed anxiety and mood disorders, which I'm working on getting therapy and medication for.

My gender and sexuality are kind of muddied and don't really fit into a particular box, but for simplicity's sake, I'm FTM transgender (in truth hovering somewhere between gender neutral and male) and I'd say like....90% gay (mostly into guys, but also attracted to a number of nonbinary folks and an occasional woman here or there). My pronouns are he/his/him, but the neutral they/them/their is good if you aren't sure or forget. I am happily involved in a serious long-term relationship with Battleferrets and not looking to take on any additional partners any time soon.

I am an ardent feminist and advocate for the rights and freedom of gender, sexuality, romantic, racial, religious, and medical minorities (i.e. physical and mental disabilities). I hesitate to call myself an activist because I don't go out to rallies or protests and I feel that term should be reserved for those who do, so I settle for advocate in that I try to spread awareness as much as possible.

Aside from furries I am a huge fan of....well, a lot of things. My main interests are monsters, robots, superheroes (especially DC characters but I have a few Marvel favorites), reptiles (especially snakes), and making characters. My satellite interests and fandoms include Mass Effect, Pokemon, taxidermy and bones, Transformers Prime, Disney, Egyptology and ancient history in general, birds, and dinosaurs.

The FAQ

• Do you do commissions?
  Yes I do, but you probably know that already lol. Prices can be found on my profile.

• Do you do trades?
  Occasionally, but mostly with friends or people who post journals offering. Don't be afraid to ask, though!

• Do you do requests?
  No. Well, mostly no. I'll sometimes draw inside jokes between my friends and I but that's about it. Otherwise I do more gift art than legit requests.

• Do you do collaborations?
  I don't have much experience doing these but I'm certainly not opposed to it.

• Can I use your art?
  If you commissioned the piece from me, yes, you may. See my TOS for more details. Otherwise, no, unless otherwise stated. When in doubt ask permission.

• Can I repost your art?
  ...I'm a bit torn on this one, but for now I will say yes, with restrictions. You MAY post my WATERMARKED artwork on places like e621, etc PROVIDED THAT you not only credit me but LINK to either my Weasyl, FurAffinity, Tumblr, or art Facebook. You MAY NOT repost to art sites like Weasyl, FA, Deviantart, SoFurry, etc. You MAY NOT repost to Tumblr or Facebook, but you are more than welcome to reblog/share (please do not remove my original commentary if you do). Commissioners may post commissioned pieces on any site they wish so long as they use the watermarked version, but I still prefer Tumblr/Facebook posts to be reblogged/shared.

• Can I use your art as a character reference/faceclaim/etc?
  No. They are my characters and I put a lot of time and effort into them. If you would like something similar, you may commission me for a reference sheet or character design.

• Can you teach me to draw [insert thing here]?
  Maybe? I can teach you my techniques and a few tips and tricks, but I cannot teach to draw a specific thing. So for example, I can show you my technique for sketching or coloring or species definition, but I cannot teach you how to draw dogs or badgers or clothes. The best way to get me for help or quick tutorials is to catch one of my steams. I don't mind putting my work aside for a few minutes to help you out.

• Can I add you on Skype?
  Yes please! I love talking to new people! My Skype is SpartaDog. Just let me know who you are when you add me so I don't ignore/block you.

• Do you go to cons?
  Yes. I go to FurAffinity: United every year, and Furpocalypse, Anthrocon, and hopefully a few others this year as time and money allow.

• Do you fursuit?
  I do. I have two, actually. I have a partial of Sparta, and a partial of an older fursona I am in the process of selling.

• What do you use to do your art?
  Digital work is done in Photoshop CS6 with a medium Wacom Intuos 5. Traditional work varies, but most of it is done in pencil and colored pencil. I am looking to get back into markers though.

• Do you accept gift art?
  Absolutely! However I do ask that you make sure it's kept in-character, and that you ask permission before buying or drawing anything sexual.

• Can I trace or copy your art?
  A lot of artists don't like this, but I will say yes, provided it is for practice, you credit adequately, and you do not profit off the piece at all. As a bit of personal advice, it is better to trace/copy photographs than others' art because on top of copyright issues, if the artist made any mistakes, so will you. There are no mistakes in real life lol. Also, you should try to develop your own style inspired by other artists, but not directly copied from them. You want to stand out and be unique! And finally, it's generally not a good idea to use directly copied images in professional portfolios. It's considered unprofessional and showcases someone else's creativity, not your own. Tracing/copying is for practice, not portfolios. (please note I am absolutely differentiating between tracing/copying and using references; they are different)

• Do you roleplay?
  Yes, but under very particular circumstances. I very rarely rp with anyone but my boyfriend, I only rp in literate script format, and I absolutely need need need NEED to plot and plan scenes in advance. I can't just improvise. A conversation, yes. A whole scene or plot, no.

• Are you an SJW?
  By most people's definition, yes. However I try not to be obnoxious about it. I point out harmful thought processes and behaviors and explain why they are harmful, and offer alternatives if possible, but prefer to be informative and persuasive rather than confrontational. While I may have learned most of my social justice from Tumblr, I try to distance myself from "the Tumblr brand of social justice", if you know what I mean.

I think that's just about everything, but if you have any other questions, please don't hesitate to ask! And on that note, how about YOU tell me about yourselves?