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Meet the new Boost: More control, more exposure by team, journal
Meet the new Boost: More control, more exposure
Amplify your art
Artists across DeviantArt have been using Boost, a useful tool that helps your work reach the right audience across DeviantArt. Think of Boost as a way of putting your creations in front of more people who’ll love your style. Oh hello, new fans!
Take your art further
Boost has been optimized to give you more flexibility, control, and insight — helping you find and grow a highly engaged audience that’s just right for your art.
Here’s what’s new:
Customizable duration. Choose how long each Boost runs — from 2 to 8 days, in 48-hour increments.
Smarter targeting. Select up to 3 tags to more accurately pinpoint the audience most likely to connect with your work.
Boost-balance tracking. See your current Points and remaining free Boosts at a glance.
More insight. Review how your Boosts did with a clear performance view to help refine your next one.
All this, so you can make the most of every Boost.
Pick a deviation and give the new Boost a go
Advanced guide for profile or group customization by team, journal
Advanced guide for profile or group customization
Ready to take your DeviantArt profile or group to the next level?
While there are many types of sections you can add to your profile, this journal focuses on how to use Custom Sections to make your profile or group truly stand out.
Get ready for:
✔ Advanced tips
✔ Templates
✔ Suggested dimensions
✔ Pro-level examples
💚 New to profile customization? Start with this beginner’s guide to learn how to add a cover image and Profile Skin before diving deeper.
Note: Some Profile customization options are Core Member features. Upgrade to Core to take your personalization to the next level!
Navigation
Plan your layout | Organize your graphics in Studio | Create and design custom graphics | Custom backgrounds | Buttons and links | Align text | Customize your profile/group | FAQ
Plan your layout
Pick the structure for your profile/group and decide where you’d like to add Custom Sections:
Top Custom Section (up to 3 vertical columns)
Left column (up to 3 Custom Sections)
Right
How we're fighting scams on DeviantArt by team, journal
How we're fighting scams on DeviantArt
You may have noticed an increase in spam activity lately, particularly phishing attempts and scams. This is a widespread issue affecting many online communities, and we’ve been actively working to detect and block these attacks.
Several improvements have already been implemented over the past few weeks. Because spam remains persistent, we’re taking a stricter approach with prevention tools aimed at stopping attackers in their tracks. Occasionally, valid messages, comments, or deviations may be blocked. If this happens, try rephrasing and resending your message, and share any blocked content in the comments below so our team can review it. We appreciate your patience as these measures continue to be refined.
We’ve also added a warning notice when clicking many outgoing links.
As new scams arise, we’ll keep fortifying DeviantArt’s systems to safeguard the community.
Looking ahead, the upcoming launch of Messages will provide more tools to keep your inbox safe:
Enhanced spam
Launchpad NY 2025: A night of art and community by team, journal
Launchpad NY 2025: A night of art and community
What happens when you bring together DeviantArt’s fiercest creators, fresh tools, and some deviance in both art and attitude? On November 6th, a corner of New York City pulsed with creativity and conversation as artists from every background arrived at DeviantArt’s Launchpad Live Dev Meet. Art displayed on the screens sent in from deviants around the world welcomed everyone as they snacked and mingled. Anyone who attended will tell you: it wasn’t just an event. It was a celebration, a learning opportunity, and a night to remember.
"It was really nice to go to an event that was actually in person and speak to people face-to-face." – @AnyaBoz
The evening officially kicked off with @TheLaurenVerse keeping the audience on their toes with a tale of deviance through the years.
Next up, CEO Moti Levy (@Wannabby) took the stage with a keynote on the state of the art on DeviantArt, and how cultural and technological shifts are disrupting the creator economy and introducing new
Win Black Friday: A game plan for sellers by team, journal
Win Black Friday: A game plan for sellers
As the leaves turn golden, there’s a sense of change in the air as the year winds down. But there’s still time to make the most of 2025.
Black Friday is an excellent opportunity to attract new buyers, reward loyal fans, and dramatically increase your sales!
Better yet, this year, you’re armed with a powerful tool in your arsenal: DeviantArt’s Discounts tool. Set up custom, limited-time, targeted offers right from your Studio — and make this Black Friday your most successful yet.
Build a multi-layered sales strategy
Creating different levels of offers helps you engage everyone from first-time fans to your most loyal supporters.
Attract new buyers. Offer a broad sitewide discount that invites all deviants to make their first purchase.
Example: 10% off your entire Shop.
Create exclusivity. Make your watchers feel special with a higher offer.
Example: 20% off for watchers only.
Treat your fans. Active fans deserve something extra. Offer bigger discounts to foster long-term
Grab your forks -- Cake badges are FREE! by team, journal
Grab your forks -- Cake badges are FREE!
In celebration of DeviantArt’s 25th birthday, we’re gifting you, the deviants who made it all happen, with a sweet surprise. Cake badges are now FREE! No points, no checkout, just digitally collect cakey goodness and leave no crumbs.
To start, click “Give Cake” on a deviant’s profile for their birthday or DeviantArt anniversary. You could even give one to celebrate an important milestone like a first sale or their 100th DeviantArt watcher! Or cool vibes, if you prefer your digital cake with pixelated ice cream… There are no bad cakes. Except cookie cakes. Those are an abomination.
Earn more than 20 Cakes
The top tier of Cakes has also been raised. While each deviant can still receive the same 20 Cake badges originally available, the maximum has been lifted, and now deviants can keep giving past that point. Find your current Cake count in your About tab on your profile!
The Centa-Cake
You know what? It’s such a milestone year, why not introduce a new Cake badge milestone? Deviants can
Subscription sellers, your Shop Analytics just uncovered "Subscription Cancellation Reasons." Turn real feedback into future retention wins by reading clear feedback straight from fans who may have moved on. Visit the Analytics tab in your Studio to level up your retention today!
Lighting - Tutorial by Syntetyc, journal
Lighting - Tutorial
Hello everyone!
This month's theme is “Lighting”.
It is a fascinating subject because light is essential to achieve the desired atmosphere. Light interacts with everything and is one of the most important subjects in art.
In this tutorial, I want to explain, in simple steps, how to add basic lighting to a tree trunk and the surrounding vegetation.
For the tutorial, I’m using my “*🖌️ Free Environment Brushes 2.0 “, and my “ 🎨 Anime & *Ghibli Style Color Palette 2.0” . And you can download the PSD tutorial file here.
⭐ You are invited for a live Q&A session that will take place on this journal on November 10th at 11AM PST .
👉 JOIN HERE
Use the tag #ShineWithSyntetyc to earn the exclusive badge
⭐ Let’s start!
1 - Paint the background.
Fill the background with a dark green or blue shade.
With the “ 🖌️ Airsoft” brush, and darker shade, paint vertical lines, like background trees. Don’t worry about precision.
2 - Draw a cylinder
In a new layer, with the “ 🖌️ Rounded Sketch”
Great news, Exclusives sellers! Your source files are now automatically included when you list an exclusive. No more uploads to Sta.sh or links to add.
This highly requested change streamlines your workflow, and allows for easier editing or replacing the files later if needed.
Spend less time managing files and more time creating art!
What to know about the upcoming messaging system by team, journal
What to know about the upcoming messaging system
Update (October 20, 2025): As the migration develops, and based on some feedback from this journal, we've adjusted how the transition from Notes and Chat to the new Messages system will be handled.
We heard your feedback about needing to retain your histories of custom Note folders, starred Notes, and drafts. As a result, you’ll now be able to access a read-only version of Notes, and if you’d like to continue the conversation, you can use the Messages feature.
Then, given its less-complicated structure, your Chat history will now be provided to you as a download. That way, you'll still have a copy of all your past conversations for reference.
We hope this strikes the balance everyone was looking for, and we’re excited for you to dive into Messages soon!
Previous Article (Now outdated in places, but for context)
In July, we shared that private messaging through Notes and Chat would be getting a major upgrade, with the two messaging types joining forces into one unified




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