I really enjoyed reading Julian's interview over on Let’s Make Picture Books Blog 🤩 Lots of great advice! Thanks @julianplum.com @stephfc.bsky.social www.letsmakepicturebooks.com/blog/lmpb-su... #kidlitart

re: generative AI I have finally fully and accurately explained my problem with how it’s marketed and used. And now, you can use it, too.

The Kurt Vonnegut letter to those high school kids is never wrong -

Back at it with the Bird Mail newsletter as of last week, promising very occasional emails with new bird art. I declared this month to be Hummingbird Month and started by painting a rufous-crested coquette. So fancy, eh? Bird Mail is a free newsletter at www.stephaniefizercoleman.com/bird-mail

Bird sounds.

"i asked grok" "i asked chatgpt" yeah well i asked carl sagan and he said the greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance but the illusion of knowledge 🧪

Well I cant stand summer but these red ruffed lemurs don't mind.

Important June Dates 3 Egg Day 4 Hug Your Cat Day 4 Cheese Day 6 Donut Day 10 Ballpoint Pen Day 13 Pigeon Day 14 Gin Day 18 Picnic Day 18 Panic Day 19 Sauntering Day 21 Longest Day (WTAF) 22 Onion Ring Day 23 Pink Day 30 Meteor Day

It’s always worth repeating that when the tech guys say “we are going to disrupt x industry”, they mean they are going to disrupt the wages of the workers and make it easier for capitalists to exploit us.

When you outsource thinking, you not only get garbage, but lose your ability to think. When you lose your ability to think, someone else gets to hand you what they call “reality”.

I have those fancy pens I make on sale. thingsbydan.myshopify.com/products/pis...

It's penguin month in the Bird Mail newsletter and this week we met the gentoo penguin, known for being a super zippy swimmer. Sad you missed out on this week's Bird Mail? Get the free newsletter here and get new bird art and facts delivered every Tuesday: stephfc.com/bird-mail

Fairy Penguin from yesterday's edition of the Bird Mail newsletter. Get my bird art and bird facts delivered to your inbox each week and give your eyeballs a break from All The Things: www.stephaniefizercoleman.com/bird-mail

White-Eyed Thrush from yesterday's edition of the Bird Mail newsletter. Get my bird art and bird facts delivered to your inbox each week and give your eyeballs a break from all the Things: www.stephaniefizercoleman.com/bird-mail

"to democratize art is not every person having a cute drawing made in seconds, to democratize art is every person having time and health to learn and make art if they chose to, and mainly to have the means to think and relate introspectively with art."

One bright side to being forced to live in an AI slop tornado is now I see my artistic mistakes as incredibly endearing. The human machine of my body made that weird line. My worst day of drawing is completely untouchably better than anything AI will ever produce until the heat death of the universe

American Robin for yesterday's edition of the Bird Mail newsletter. Get my bird art and bird facts delivered to your inbox each week and give your eyeballs a break from all the Things: www.stephaniefizercoleman.com/bird-mail

Doing a new thing for fellow bird nerds and folks who want cute bird art and fascinating bird facts booped into their inbox every week! Bird Mail 🐦 It's a free weekly newsletter (not Substack) and you can sign up here: www.stephaniefizercoleman.com/bird-mail The first bird will land tomorrow.

It’s the Spring Equinox. A great day to get outside, talk to moss, befriend a murder of crows, barter with ents, become a swamp hag, blame Guilder for your spouse’s disappearance, etc etc.

Rufous-throated solitaire for yesterday's edition of the Bird Mail newsletter. Get bird art and bird facts delivered to your inbox each week and give your eyeballs a break from all the Things: www.stephaniefizercoleman.com/bird-mail

New edition of Bird Mail goes out tomorrow!

Birb I illustrated for this week's Bird Mail newsletter. www.stephaniefizercoleman.com/bird-mail

Doing a new thing for fellow bird nerds and folks who want cute bird art and fascinating bird facts booped into their inbox every week! Bird Mail 🐦 It's a free weekly newsletter (not Substack) and you can sign up here: www.stephaniefizercoleman.com/bird-mail The first bird will land tomorrow.

If you like "hygge" (Danish concept for coziness during the winter months), you’ll love "fredagsmys," a Swedish word meaning "cozy Fridays." Rather than partying it up, fredagsmys encourages a soft ending to the work week with a family meal and some couch time. You’re welcome.

Happy #kidlitpostcard day! I'm a mixed media illustrator of nonfiction and picture books and love bringing the magic of nature into my art. Portfolio: stephfc.com Repped by Alex Gehringer at Bright

Hey #kidlit, friendly reminder that tomorrow is #kidlitartpostcard! Last month we set a record on Bluesky with 413 posts. Take care to use the right hashtag so your work can be found. I’m planning to scroll the hashtag with @flashes.blue this time around! 💙❤️💙❤️💙❤️💙❤️💙❤️💙❤️💙❤️💙❤️💙❤️💙❤️💙❤️💙❤️💙❤️💙

If you're not watching these eaglets hatch, what are you even doing??? www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4-L...

The Alphabet in Alphabetical Order. Aich (H) Arr (R) Ay (A) Aye (I) Bee (B) Dee (D) Djee (G) Double-you (W) Ee (E) Eff (F) El (L) Em (M) En (N) Ess (S) Ex (X) Jay (J) Kay (K) Kew (Q) Oh (O) Pee (P) See (C) Tee (T) Vee (V) Wye (Y) You (U) Zed/Zee (Z) Source www.goines.net/Writing/the_...

🌼 Made something cute today!

The Best Place in the World www.vivianeschwarz.co.uk/the-best-pla...

Kakapo. Flightless bird from New Zealand. Also known as the owl parrot which is cute as heck. Painted this cutie in gouache then added a bit of digital collage too. Honestly, birds keep me sane in the *waves arms wildly* whatever this is.

Pretty much everything feels hard and overwhelming these days but here's a spring-inspired illustration to sooth your brain. I've been messing around with paint for a few months and am starting to incorporate more analog art in my illustrations. It's not efficient but it sure is fun!

I can’t stress enough how much AI is ruining the internet. Pinterest is un-usable, Google image searches are overrun with misleading slop. It’s estimated that there are now more bots on the web than there are people. We have seen a wonderful thing destroyed in our lifetimes.

“optimize your writing with AI—” how about you optimize your brain by thinking for yourself and not outsourcing your creativity to companies owned by some of the world’s worst people

It’s good to stay in shape and eat healthy but you also need to be reading. Get a library card. Find a book that appeals to you. Spend a few minutes reading before bed. Your brain will thank you, and you’ll be pleasantly shocked at the joy that books bring.

Happy #KidLitArtPostcard Day! It's so fun to see all the lovely work and I'm happy to be sharing mine too. Portfolio: stephfc.com Repped by Alex Gehringer at Bright

Hello new and old #kidlit - Tomorrow is #KidLitArtPostcard day! You can read all about the monthly #kidlitart event here: www.ginaperry.com/postcard

This plaque in Prague has been rubbed to a shiny gold because for centuries, passersby have touched the dog for good luck, and also to reassure him that he's a very good boy. 14/10

some of you are still reading with all the joy and enthusiasm of a child who’s been offered a personal pan pizza, and if it were in my power, I would give you that pizza.

Sometimes resistance is simply continuing to do the work that you were already doing which aligns with your values.

Oh hi, it's just me reminding you that #KidLitArtPostcard is one week away. February 6th! Read more here: www.ginaperry.com/postcard #kidlit

If an award for most cups of hot tea spilled on a desk and/or lap existed, I would win it.

Hey #kidlit illustrators, I'm looking for an artist who can capture apartment-life in an urban setting for a beginning reader series with a vibrant ensemble cast and a grayscale interior. Respond here with images and a link to your folio. Please no DMs. Agents are welcome to email. 💙❤️

Hey #kidlit illustrators, I'm looking for an artist who can conjure hilariously expressive animals with commercial appeal for a character-driven picture book that's packed with dialogue and action. Respond here with images and a link to your folio. Please no DMs. Agents are welcome to email. 💙❤️

Seems like a good day to make some art and not pay attention to anything else. Just saying.

turns out that even if they are water soluble chalk pastels are still...chalky. and also sneezy 🤧

Vibes.

omg it's my first #PortfolioDay on bluesky! I'm Steph, a mixed media children's book illustrator dabbling in both paint and digital. 🖼️ Portfolio: stephfc.com 🌻 Repped by Alex Gehringer at The Bright Agency