Yo it's Dalmy! I'm an artist, dance, & youtuber from Columbus, Ohio! I like to make videos and take photos, showing an inside look into my life and some of the hilarious things that happen within it. Enjoy your stay and have a great day :D
Launching my own fashion label has taken years of work. And now itâs actually a reality. Follow @maulapparel for more . . . . . . #fashionable #fashionlabel #fashion #streetwear #streetwearbrand #streetwearfashion #screenprinting #screenprint #indiefashion #unisexfashion #mensfashion #womensfashion #columbusfashion
Iâm proud to announce that Iâve launched my very own fashion label! MĂ€ul. Is a premiere brand built for the masses. With sizes ranging from XS to 4XL! đđŸ @maulapparel đđŸ đđŸ MaulApparel.com đđŸ #urbanstreet #urbanstreetwear #streetwear #streetwearfashion #streetwearbrand #fashion #fashionlabel #clothingbrand #clothinglabel #smallbusiness #columbusfashion #columbusfashionweek #mensfashion #womensfashion #unisexfashion #indiefashion #indieclothing
âš Outfit of the Day âš Iâm a beautiful bumblebee đ #mensfashion #fashion #photography #canonphotography #queerfashion #gayfashion #pokemon #outfitoftheday #fashionable
Yâall know I had to be extra and get all white đ đŸ Canon EOS Rebel SL2! Iâm so flippin excited! #photography #camera #newcamera #dslr #canon #canonphotography
Brunch at @wolfsridgebrewing. Absolutely delicious and the service is the best. #wolfsridgebrewing #columbus #cbus #brewery #beer #food #foodporn #iphoneography #iphonephotography (at Wolf's Ridge Brewing)
Timelapse shot I took on High & Hubbard. So happy to be learning more ways to create better videos. Hope you guys like this! #columbus #cbus #vlog #vlogging #timelapse #iphoneography #iphonevideography #videography #indiefilm #indiefilmmaking (at Hubbard Grille)
My new Vlog Series is now live! Check it out on my YouTube channel, link in the bio. This project is one Iâm very excited to do and I hope you all follow along with me. I want to catalog my growth form the person I am now to the man I want to become. #vlog #vlogger #youtube #youtuber #comingofage #growingupblack #growingupgay #growingup #furry #furries #furryfandom #dalmy #dalmydog
Call Me Mother by Dalmy & The Firehouse Crew! Catch the full video on my YouTube channel, link in the bio! #furry #furries #dance #dancevideo #choreography #rupaul #heels #danceheels #deathdrop #furryfandom
Yâall got no chill I s2g đđ New video is live! Find it on my channel YouTube.com/c/DalmyDog #youtube #youtuber #furryyoutuber #dalmy #furry #furries #furryfandom #q&a #qanda
Introducing my brand new logo! Designed by the incredible @puzzledjaypros. Iâm absolutely thrilled with how it turned out and I couldnât have asked for a better artist to help me bring this vision to life! Check out her work and commission her for all the things! #furries #furry #furryfandom #dalmy #branding #youtube #logo #graphicdesign
Hereâs the photos of Rosieâs partial fursuit all together! :D It was fun and a lot of hard work putting together this cute snow leopard! I think the hands are my favorite part, theyâre so soft and comfy to wear!
Fursuit commissions will reopen sometime TBD late summer/early fall!
To be informed via email when we reopen for commissions, sign up for our mailing list! http://eepurl.com/cd9jLT
In the meantime, we do accept parts commissions for hands, feet, tails, and ears through email: [email protected]
So I know Iâve been neglecting Tumblr for a LONG time now. Iâve just been so busy with life! But now Iâm getting back into content creation and have been really focusing on my youtube channel!
I figured while Iâm getting back into creating, I should start using Tumblr again.
So here Iâll be posting any videos I make as well as cross posting content from Instagram and some stuff from twitter.
This fun and one of a kind collaboration with @yowulfâ (aka Naomi Romero) was such a joy to create. Based off of Naomiâs popular Anxiety Fox plushie, this little guy needs a home and is up for auction! Private offers are also being accepted, through Private Message or Email ([email protected]).
The model featured in the  photos is 5'11" and 200 lbs. However the Kigu shall fit anyone ranging from 5'6" up to 6â 2"  comfortably. For someone smaller, the kigu can be taken in to  accommodate someone from about 4'10" up to 5'6". Due to the kiguâs extra space, it can fit a range of waist sizes and  is mostly one  size fits  all in this regard. If you has specific sizing questions, feel free to send a private message or email  [email protected]
This fun and one of a kind collaboration with @yowulfâ (aka Naomi Romero) was such a joy to create. Based off of Naomiâs popular Anxiety Fox plushie, this little guy needs a home and is up for auction! Private offers are also being accepted, through Private Message or Email ([email protected]).
The model featured in the  photos is 5'11" and 200 lbs. However the Kigu shall fit anyone ranging from 5'6" up to 6' 2"  comfortably. For someone smaller, the kigu can be taken in to  accommodate someone from about 4'10" up to 5'6". Due to the kigu's extra space, it can fit a range of waist sizes and  is mostly one  size fits  all in this regard. If you has specific sizing questions, feel free to send a private message or email  [email protected]
A step by step guide for artists looking to migrate away, or expand their reach beyond Furaffinity.
OVERVIEW
Recently Furaffinity became the victim of a severe breach in security, causing content to be deleted, user information to be comprised, and bring the site to a complete halt. As of today, the website is still in read-only mode, removing the ability for users whose passwords were compromised from even logging in to change their passwords.
In light of these developments, many people have voiced their concerns over not only the stability of Furaffinity, but also the safe keeping of their private information. Due to the large user base, many artists rely on FA for commissions and as a result exchange private information through the note system such as paypal accounts and email addresses. As a result, this hack has caused many to doubt if they should continue to utilize the website and what alternatives they can pursue. In the accompanying video, I plan to explain ways artist can expand their reach beyond the scope of Furaffinity and, depending on their goals, move away from the website entirely.
THE PROBLEM
First, Iâd like to begin by stating that this conversation is not a new one. FA has had many issues in the past few years, many of which have left the site completely inaccessible. During each of these occurrences, there is a massive spike in registrations to websites such as Weasyl, Sofurry, and most recently Furry Network. However after a few weeks, many artists find themselves reverting back to FA, out of frustration from these alternative not providing the same exposure and/or source of income as Furaffinity. And as a result, these websites find themselves in a revolving pattern of users entering and exiting the service as Furaffinity waxes and wanes in its usability. Herein lies the problem. Artists arenât giving the proper time and attention to new platforms in order to allow them to grow, which in turn leaves them feeling devoid of content, pushing users away from these platforms and back to FA
THE SOLUTION
When making the decision to expand beyond FA, hereâs the first thing you should not do. Do not make a long journal voicing your frustrations about FA, the drama, and how youâre leaving forever. Because in two months youâll be right back where you started.
Artists are locked into a chicken and the egg situation where the artist may want to move, but the clientbase doesnât move along with them. So once they find themselves using Weasyl or Furry Network and not receiving the same level of feedback or work, they end up dumping their new gallery and returning to FA.
To combat this, artists need to be willing to invest time and energy in properly migrating your userbase with you. Explain that moving forward your main gallery will be hosted elsewhere (whether that be Weasyl, Furry Network, or your own website) and push your content through both sites. Give users incentives in order to encourage them to move with you. One tactic Iâve seen many artists take is opening for commission first on Twitter or Tumblr and offering them to FA users a day later. Another option is to provide content you otherwise wouldnât post to FA, such as sketches, WIPs, and doodles. Raffles are also a great way to encourage users to follow you on other websites. While this may seem like unfair âpunishmentâ to FA users, what youâre in fact doing is taking ownership of your own content and hosting it where you desire. Which not only allows you to be more satisfied with your work, but allows your client base to explore options they may otherwise have never considered. And from personal experience, I find many users appreciate this, since other platforms allow a level of interaction with artists that FA does not. Whether that be direct communication through twitter, or being able to see a consistent stream of content with Tumblr.
So what options are there when it comes to leaving Furaffinity? Well there are quite a few, all with their own strengths and weaknesses. Itâs a matter of finding the best solution for your and tailoring it to your needs. In order to most effectively relay this information, Iâll be splitting up these suggestions into two groups. Ones focused solely on art galleries, and the other focused on direct communication with clients. From there Iâll discuss the proper methods in order to make the move to a new website.
ART GALLERY ALTERNATIVES
Weasyl, Inkbunny, Sofurry, & Furry Network
In this category is where I place websites such as Weasyl, Inkbunny,  SoFurry, and Furry Network. These websites, similar to FA, focus on providing content from artist first, so users may easily view, favorite, and comment on submissions. All of these websites support high quality imagery, without unnecessary downscaling and the dreaded jpeg artifacts. Additionally, in the case of Weasyl and Furry Network, they provide easily accessible sections for artists to list their communission information, pricing, and methods of contact, allowing users to quickly see whoâs open for commissions and how best to reach their favorite artists. Lastly, these websites all have special features that make them unique. Weasyl has a streaming notification system that alerts watchers when an artist is streaming. While Furry Network has a âstreamâ similar to that of Tumblrâs dashboard, allowing watchers to see a stream of  content from their favorite artists including submissions they have favorited or commented on as well. This provides a level of interaction with oneâs client base that cannot be attained on FA due to the cluttered way journal notifications are handled. Additionally, due to their folder systems and organizational tools, clients are able to view each artistâs content much more easily and in a manner of which the artist desires.
These websites work best for artist who either want to a gallery of their work in one place or for artists who prefer a straightforward solution to providing art and contacting clients. These sites are built with the artist in mind, and a result are very well tailored to accomplishing those goals. They are not however very good for keeping open dialog with your user base. While they all have a journal system, this is a poor alternative to the open discussion that is possible through social media websites such as Twitter or Tumblr. However for artists who desire a straightforward solution with a wholesome experience, I highly recommend giving one of them a try.
DIRECT COMMUNICATION ALTERNATIVES
Twitter, Tumblr, Patreon, & Personal Websites
Next, weâll discuss direct communication websites, which include social media tools such as Twitter and Tumblr, as well as artist hubs such as Patreon and your own personal website. This category is a bit unique in that none of these solutions work best alone. In fact, in the case of Patreon, theyâre very difficult if not impossible, to use alone. These work best collectively to provide your client base with a full range of options from which they can view your content, while providing avenues for you to reach potential commissioners. Tumblr in particular is very useful due to their robust tagging system. Similar to art gallery websites, Tumblr allows for posts to be tagged with multiple keywords, bring in potential clients who otherwise would not have discovered your work. Combined with Tumblrâs reblog function, this allows for consistent and steady newcomers to locate your content and then share it with their friends or followers. This is also the case with Twitter and their retweet function, allowing your content to be spread beyond just your direct client base, unlike art galleries in which your content is posted and easily forgotten once it leaves the front page. Additionally, these websites allow a level of personal connection with clients not easily attained with a gallery on Weasyl or Inkbunny. Clients can ask questions, respond to your questions, provide feedback, and more all in real time. And due to the mobile apps provided by Twitter, Tumblr, and Patreon, you can easily keep up to date with what your clients are saying.
However, as stated before none of these work very well alone. Especially if you decide to build your own website, itâs difficult for clients to pull clients to your website if you donât have a sort of âfaceâ to you as an artist. Which is where Twitter really shines. You can quickly post when you are doing a stream, contact other artist for potentially collaborations, and other opportunities not presented by a traditional art website. The downside of course being that the time it takes to reach a âcritical massâ where your content is being consistently shared and viewed can take some time and alot of patience. However the reward being that the larger your base grows, the faster your content can spread.
MAKING THE JUMP
Here is the part where alot of artists lose the battle in moving to a new website. Making the jump away from FA isnât so much of a jump, as it is a slow migration. Rather than shutting down your FA and moving all your content at once, allow users to enjoy your content from either service, as you build a following. This will take some extra time, however the return on investment is worth the energy. As you're growing on another platform grows, youâll find yourself not only reaching the same users who followed you on Furaffinity, youâll be reaching new clients whoâve either never seen your work or didnât have a way to easily view it. Â Here are the steps I recommend following once youâve settled on a migrating away from FA
THE STEPS TO SUCCESS
Select the platform that fits your needs
If you just want to post art, a website such as Weasyl or Furry Network may be the best solution. If you prefer posting WIPs alot and talking to clients, try out Twitter or Tumblr.
Capitalize on your âbrandâ
If your name on Furaffinity is âArtistCatâ, donât make your username on Tumblr âCatalicious99â. Your identity as an artist is also your brand. As such, make it easy for your followers to locate your content by keeping your username as consistent as possible between platform.
Start uploading previous content to your new gallery over time
One mistake many artists make when migrating to a new website is batch uploading all their artwork at once. DONâT DO THIS! Why? Because if you flood the website with your art, youâll have a full gallery yes. But now you have a full gallery that no one has viewed. Most modern art websites has locks in place which prevent more than 4 or 5 pieces being on the homepage at one time. Rather than upload all your art and risk only a portion of it being seen. Upload 3-4 submissions a day, allowing you to gain the most traction possible from each submission, which keeping your followerâs timelines from being flooded with your content.
Keep your galleries consistent when uploading new content
While it can be easy to become lazy and resort to just uploading artwork to your new gallery, itâs best to keep uploading to FA as well. The reason being that each submission you make to FA is another opportunity to encourage users to follow you on your new platform. Additionally this allows you to prevent users from feeling âabandonedâ and in turn refusing to view your content out of spire.
Offer incentives for users to migrate to your new platform
As I discussed before, it helps to offer incentives for users to make the jump along with you. One common method artists use is by offering content not found on Furaffinity. Twitter and Tumblr are a wonderful chance to show WIP updates or to upload quick sketches or doodles done throughout the day. Not only does this allow users to see your creative process, it also allows for consistent content in between major uploads. Another method is to do Raffles (Follow + RT to win a sketch, for example) which encourage users not only to view your content, but to share it with their friends. A more aggressive method is to offer commissions on one platform ahead of another. Whatever your means, it helps to give users a good reason to move, rather than just telling them repeatedly.
Give it time
Rome wasnât built in a day. Similarly, you wonât find yourself with a flood of notifications the moment you join a new platform. Just as it took time to grow a following on FA, it will take time to reach new clients and for old ones to move to a new platform as well. For some, this process can take months, if not a year. However, with time and dedication, many artists find themselves thriving on new platforms once theyâve invested themselves into it. As with anything, you get out of it what you put into it. So if you remain steadfast, results will soon follow.
Donât put yourself out on the street
To put it simply, FA is still King. Despite its many flaws, Furaffinity remains the largest anthropomorphic community art website in the world, and as result it would be foolish to abandon it overnight. The goal with migrating to a new platform is to build yourself up, so you may reduce your reliance on Furaffinity. For some artists, this may mean maintaining multiple art galleries for a few months as their base grows. You always want to keep your own needs in mind first. So if commissions are a main source of income, then it is in your best interest to continue using Furaffinity in order to maintain that income. And as your income from other sources grows, reduce your availability of commission on Furaffinity in proportion to the income you draw from various platforms. Itâs a balancing act, and no two artists will have the same experience. However with proper handling, you can ensure you are making the transition without a drop in income.
Donât bite off more than you can chew
Maintaining an online presence through multiple platforms can be time consuming. When uploading a completed commission, it can be tedious to copy and paste titles or descriptions to multiple channels. If you find yourself becoming overwhelmed, take stock of what platforms you may or may not need. For some artists, you may desire and benefit from operating through multiple platforms. For others, it may be best to stick to only a few. Understand your capabilities, and work within them. However be careful not to limit yourself too much and restrict yourself from potential opportunities.
You canât please everyone, the only one you can always make happy is you
People dislike change. Itâs complicated and different and that scares people. As a result some of your userbase will refuse to make the switch to a new platform. And thatâs okay! At the end of the day, the only person who can be the judge of what is, and is not, a good decision for where your art resides is you. So be sure the decisions you make are in your best interests and no one elseâs. For every user who stays with FA, there are 2-3 ready to take their place on your new platform. Understand that you canât make everyone happy, and thatâs okay.
SUCCESS RESTS WITH YOU
In closing, the decision of whether or not you should stay or leave FA is not one any can make for you. Some artists have made it clear they wonât be going anywhere, while others have expressed their extreme distaste for the website as a whole. Whatever the outcome, I hope this guide provided a wholesome view from which you can make an informed decision of whatâs best. Thank you for reading and be sure to share this with anyone whom may find it useful.
