Welcome to my art blog

collected works by jimmy schleisman

[jimmyschleisman]

Firbolg Druid

Art commission for Tim: D&D firbolg druid character with ice sword/katana and magic wand

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[jimmyschleisman]

Love Is Love

Art commission for Frank and his boyfriend :3

Also I tried a new signature with this one. Don’t know how I feel about it yet..

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[jimmyschleisman]

Patrick and Ishtar

Art commission for Ryan. I based the concept for Ishtar after the amazing comic “Kill 6 Billion Demons.” Ishtar is a Blue Demon and Patrick is a human that got sucked into a wormhole and somehow found his way to Throne. They met while Patrick was trying to break into a guild to find information on how to get home.

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[jimmyschleisman]

The Mountains

Music: “Shelter” by Porter Robinson & Madeon

Art commission for Amanito and his boyfriend José.

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[jimmyschleisman]

Character art commission for Dustin Street of a character from his upcoming sci-fi fiction novel.

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[jimmyschleisman]

The Skeleton King

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[jimmyschleisman]

Spare Parts

Sci-fi mechanic/swordsman couples art commission for Mashbracanca 

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[jimmyschleisman]

Trenchcoat Fox

Fanart of @tohdraws Fox Mask Man!

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[jimmyschleisman]

Reverie

Music: “Gemini Meteor Shower (December 13th, 2017)” by Sleeping At Last

Sometimes,

I wonder…

Is it the degradation of time?

Or is it our compassion for others?

Heart yearns for company

Mind aches for conversation

Manhood thirsts for husbandry

Soul hungers for copulation

So many lustful, longing things

Appealing in an unconditional fashion

Tugging at all your heartstrings;

Plucking the chords of your deepest passion

Off the record;

Off the rhyme,

If this is love,

How can we cope?

How do you balance:

Desire and empathy?

Sex and cuddling?

Lust and genuine understanding?

Is it simpler to live alone?

To satisfy your sexual urges and be done?

Or is it more adventurous to dive head-over-heels

Down the waterfall to the rocky waters below?

Returning to my rhyme,

I feel that, with guys, variables vary

Concepts like distance and time

Make relationships ultimately scary

In his touch

In his stare

So many people in this revolving world, but

The difficulty is finding someone to care

Love breaks

Love binds

Love is everything but fake

In more ways than nine

So I listen, and feel my heart beating,

It pounds like a hypnotic drum

And I wait, with every second fleeting,

Until my body goes completely numb

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[jimmyschleisman]

Fog

Music: “What Will Become of Us” by Aether

Shrouded waters

The silhouetted mirror

Like a blanket of smoke

Or a cascade of ghosts

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[jimmyschleisman]

Dear Ex-Lover

Music: “The Proposal” by AK & Mapps

Hey

It’s been quite some time

And things have been awkward as hell

I know this might make them worse, but

You have clothes that I need back

Let’s skip the idle, pointless banter

I care how you’ve been, but

It hurts to know you’re doing fine

Especially when I’m not

No, don’t make coffee

I won’t be here long

Like I said

I just came to collect my things

Please,

I know we’re here together

And this is already uncomfortable enough

Don’t ask about my family

I’m not being difficult

Stop turning things against me

Yes you do!

You always make things my fault!

Well if you didn’t want confrontation

You shouldn’t have pried

Or better yet!

You shouldn’t have cheated

Of course I would “bring that up”

You don’t think that it hurts me, too?

You don’t get to be the victim

Not this time

(Sighs, raises hands to indicate desire for neutrality and peace)

I’m sorry

I didn’t come here to fight

I just want to get my stuff and move on with my life

(Awkward silence)

The dog we got together is doing great

He’s full grown now, loving life

He can be such a dork sometimes…

(Pauses, stopping the nostalgic memories from taking root)

Anyway… (Collects belongings)

(Lingers in the doorway)

Goodbye

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[jimmyschleisman]

The Others

Surrounded, I feel suffocated

This murky bar, club, whatever you want to call it

People are packed in tight like canned mandarin oranges

But none of them will ever be as sweet

I see them all, and they stare back one by one

The hunger in their eyes

Thirsting to quench their loneliness

If only for a night

The music plays on

I don’t know how to be hungry

You see to that

You make me feel assembled

You make me feel full

I think about going home

Because crowded spaces make me nervous

And I don’t people well

Hello my name is Awkward

The music plays on

I don’t know how to be confident

But you open me up

You show me how to grow

You show me how to thrive

I think about drinking more

Because liquid courage is supposed to help, right?

My anxiety is noxious

Greetings from planet Getting Drunk

The music plays on

I check my phone once, twice, thrice

Maybe you got caught in traffic?

A pack of bros bump into me and I spill my drink

The big one shoves me

“Watch where you’re going Fag.”

My throat knots and I wince at the last word

My shirt is soaked and stained

My eyes lower and I turn to leave

The music changes

Suddenly big, hairy arms wrap around my wet torso

“Hey beautiful, where’s the fire?”

Your beard tickles my nose as you kiss me

A tear rolls down my cheek

I lean in and kiss you back

I stare into your eyes as you backpedal us onto the dance floor

I don’t know how to dance

You know all too well

You try to sway with me romantically

But I stumble and we laugh at my two left feet

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I found the picture online and decided to use it as my prompt for this little love poem.

[jimmyschleisman]

The Space Between

Music: "Bare" by WILDES

Like the silence before the symphony, lightning flashed across the sky. The air outside Sam's house hummed with thick anticipation.

Waves of desire and longing plucked at his narrow heartstrings. The knot in his throat grew tighter. It was a viper-like chokehold on his very soul.

The sky opened and fell. The rush of water hammered the trees. Through gritted teeth and clenched fists, Sam dashed out into the gray. The rain stained his clothes with all the tears he'd ever shed over his loneliness.

The way to Matthew's house remained ingrained in Sam's memory. Down this street, a left at the next. A shortcut through the park, then towards the woods.

Shoes trampled through the myriad puddles. Like wet minefields, they exploded on impact. But still he ran, faster and faster to freedom. The freedom that was named Matthew.

A familiar blue house came into view. Sam hopped the fence to the back yard and knocked on Matthew's window just like he always did.

At first there was no answer. Then, suddenly, the window swung open. Matthew's scent assaulted Sam's nose. An amused grin spread across Matthew's face when he saw Sam standing drenched in the rain.

"Come inside, you're soaked."

Sam couldn't hold in his feelings. They ripped and tore at his vocal chords, aching for release.

"I love you, Matthew."

Matthew's eyebrows shot up. They remained there for several moments. Then his eyes melted and returned a loving look. He pulled Sam inside and held him tight.

"Good." He joked and kissed Sam deep. "I love you too, Monkey."

Sam chuckled at hearing Matthew's ridiculous nickname for him. Sam would never admit it, but he loved when Matthew used it.

He pulled Matthew towards the bedroom. Between long, passionate kisses, they undressed.

Raindrops pounded the earth like a drum to the rhythm of an ancient song. They let open all the windows and made love to the sounds of the storm.

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I was feeling all sorts of lonely today, so I decided to write a short story about a guy named Sam who finally built the courage to tell his boyfriend Matthew that he loved him.

[jimmyschleisman]

Retrograde

Music: "I Can Almost See You" by Hammock

The door opens and Connor's sister enters

Her hair beautifully woven like a sea of roses

She smiles and starts to cry

His wedding suit fits like a well-worn glove

Conner blushes and grins, throwing his arms around her

She leads him, still crying, through the cathedral doors

At the end of the path stands a priest, and Malcom

Malcom winks at Connor and mouths "I love you."

– A step backward in time –

Connor enters the apartment, cold and chilly

He stomps his boots and shakes off the snow

Another Christmas apart from the parents that rejected him

Again he feels the brunt of their self-righteous sting

Suddenly, Malcom appears in the kitchen doorway

Two cups of hot chocolate, steaming with marshmallows

They plop down on the couch, cuddled under blanket mountains

And drift off to sleep watching "The Year Without A Santa Claus"

– A step backward in time –

Connor shifts uncomfortably in his seat

The restaurant is a little too fancy for the clothes he's wearing

He fidgets and fumbles. He isn't good at this type of stuff

This is his first date. Ever.

"Hey, how's about we ditch dinner and go grab a drink someplace?" Malcom asks

"YES!" Connor blurts out loud enough to catch glances from other customers

He blushes, embarrassed by the stares. "Er, I mean, yeah. That would be great."

They both laugh, pay for the meal, and gladly leave their untouched food on the table

– A step backward in time –

Connor runs to class, his eyes red and swollen

Ever since his parents disowned him, it has been hard to get out of bed

His student debt piles higher each day and his many jobs take their toll

Stress, anxiety, fear, worry, depression all take root in his soul

Not paying attention, Connor collides with another student

He scrambles to apologize and pick up the student's books

The student helps Connor up, "Connor, right? Do you remember me?"

Connor looks up into Malcom's eyes and blushes, of course he did

– A step backward in time –

Connor backs into a corner in the boys bathroom

Three large upperclassmen crowd in, blocking any path of escape

"Yeah, that's right. Cower you sissy fag. We wanna see you beg."

"Teach this fairy fucker a lesson!"

Connor cries out, "If you so much as touch me, I'll scream for help!"

"We'll just tell whoever comes that you tried to grab our junk."

One lands a punch and breaks Connor's nose, another kicks him in the stomach

Connor crumples to the ground and they continue their assault

Two massive hands grab the letter jacket of the first upperclassman from behind

They throw him headfirst into a bathroom stall

"Whoa, hey! What the fuck, Malcom!? What's your problem?"

Malcom's fist connects with the remaining upperclassman's jaw, breaking it instantly

The three assailants turn tail and run, Malcom cradles Connor's bruised form. Connor struggles to break free.

"Hey! Hey, I'm not here to hurt you. Are you okay?" Malcom asks gently.

Connor's swollen eyes open. Malcom holds him tight

"You're going to be alright. My name is Malcom. I won't let them hurt you anymore."

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I really love narrative-style poetry. It’s different. It allows me to paint a scene and use language and imagery to convey tense topics in conceivable settings.

I wrote this poem from my experiences with bullying as a closeted gay child. I sincerely hope you enjoy it.

-J

[jimmyschleisman]

A Finite Infinity

Music: "Boy 1904" by Jónsi & Alex

The Door opened and light poured forth

Stars, galaxies, the expanse of space

Shimmered within one rectangular, lambent window

Pya marveled at the brilliance of the cosmos

She extended a hand to touch it, but stopped

The Door began to shift its form, edges molding and shaping

Until it became the silhouette of a human body

A Galaxy Man with the face of the Multiverse

Pya remained unflinching, watching the figure with awe

Something about this being caressed her memory

It was undoubtedly familiar

But its place in her mind was an elusive spirit

"Excuse me, but do I know you?"

Pya felt the strings in her memory begin to tug

and wind their way to the tip of her tongue

Her eyes grew wild with sudden realization

"Are you God?" She blurted out

The figure shook its head dismissively

Pya's brow furrowed, she tried another guess

"Are you...Death?"

A voice of a thousand voices echoed in Pya's mind

"I am not the Death. I am but one of many."

Its index finger lightly touched her sternum

"I am yours."

Pya's eyes widened

"Wait, what? How? Where? WHEN?"

The cosmos inside the figure shifted into visuals

They were her memories

"You were struck with a sudden illness.

It crippled your nervous system within weeks.

You were hardly conscious for any of it."

The voice was full of lenity

Memories of her days in high school flashed

Of her graduation, of her first day at college

Birthday parties and family vacations

Of the day she adopted her dog from the pound

Pya began to shake, she wasn't ready

There was still so much she wished to accomplish

Adventures left unsought, Love left untouched

She was only nineteen

"Please, I...I...don't want to die."

The figure paused for a moment

Then extended a hand to Pya,

"When one life ends, another begins."

The visuals inside the figure changed again

This time, revealing innumerable people and animals

They all felt the same familiarity to Pya that the figure had

There were so many, "Who are they?" she asked

"They were you."

A beautiful koi fish

A red-tailed fox, a monarch butterfly

An elm tree in a quiet park

A short man on a train to New York

Waiting for Pya to fully grasp the situation,

It continued, "I am your door.

Through me, your next chapter begins...

...and ends."

The hand remained extended to her

But she didn't know what to think

So much information had been thrust upon her

As if she'd been expected to just accept it

Pya wanted to cry and feel and mourn

Mourn the life that could have been hers

Her chapter in an endless book of lives

Lives she didn't remember living

She did, however, remember a poem

A poem she had read in her literature class

It, too, was about Death

But the words seemed somewhat whimsical now

Pya chuckled, "Because I could not stop for Death..."

"...he kindly stopped for me." The figure finished.

Pya began to cry

They both stepped forward and hugged

"Exist, and be born anew."

Slowly, Pya melted into pure light

And disappeared into the figure's form

And so she began again

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In life, we find adventure.

In death, we find peace.

[jimmyschleisman]

Colorblind

Music: "Hibernation" by Random Forest

An atmospheric high

Like I'm on drugs or something

That dizzy, giddy, and slightly anxious feeling

Though my mind has never been more clear

ROYGBIV in my veins

My very own Liquid Courage

Cut me, and I'll bleed a rainbow

Love me, and I'll shine

Embrace me

Or don't (this is about me anyway)

At this point I'm selfish

Because my flesh, my heart, and my mind are finally mine

Proud to be,

Proud to breathe

I change nothing about myself going forward

Because my soul is beautifully made

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My ship sails the color sea

A new journey begins as the old one ends for me

The long, artificial chapters of my life book

Finally close

More ships appear on the horizon

Hoisting their colors in grandeur

The Grand Fleet of the Spectrum

Pressing onward towards the purple horizon

The night sky engulfs my sails

The stars and I dance until daybreak

At which point I drift off to sleep and dream

Of life, love, and the pursuit of happiness