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Misfortune's Sons: Chapter 1 by DrThomasStockmann, literature
Literature
Misfortune's Sons: Chapter 1
[This is a romance story with some mentions of substance abuse and homophobia.]
I should know that my day is about to take a turn for the worse when I spot my ex from Sixth Form in the produce section of the supermarket where I work. It’s as if an unwelcome ghost from my past is paying me a visit; thirteen years after we broke up and I still recognise her instantly. She’s tall and elegantly lean, with curly red hair that falls past her shoulders. She’s still as fashionably dressed as she’d always been in our teenage years.
I wonder where her life had taken her that she would be buying strawberries at an upscale supermarket at ten in the morning, but I don’t dare approach her. Instead, I disappear into the stock room of the store until I am quite sure that she has left. I would be mortified if she saw me and asked me how my own life is going. When we broke up after going to separate universities, I was beginning a programme in nuclear engineering at my country’s premier
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Join DeviantArt's Ambassador program! by moonbeam13, journal
Join DeviantArt's Ambassador program!
DeviantArt is proud to announce a new opportunity for deviants to contribute to the community at a deeper level! The Ambassador program is designed to give deviants a chance to bring artists together, offer ways for artists to hone their skills or try new things, and help shape the future of the community.
Deviants eligible to participate in the Ambassador program are those who are co-founders or top contributors of official DeviantArt groups or affiliated groups. There are many factors that determine whether or not deviants might be a good fit for the Ambassador program, but all potential ambassadors should:
Frequently run or organize community events
Routinely be active participants in their community
Consistently encourage and cheer on other artists
Ambassadors will have direct contact with and support from DeviantArt team members when hosting events and challenges, to help their projects thrive.
Are you ready to be a community ambassador? Fill out the application
Find spring all around you by Team, journal
Find spring all around you
[DEVIATION]
Spring is so much more than new blossoms and eggs hatching.
A brave wildflower bursting through a crack in the sidewalk. The rumble of far-away thunderstorms. Needing a sweater in the morning but shedding it for a lighter shirt in the afternoon.
[DEVIATION]
To celebrate the season, share a deviation that reflects the feeling of spring for you, whether that’s blooming flowers, shifting light, lush landscapes, soft textures, or small everyday details that feel full of new life.
[DEVIATION]
[EMOTE]Spring forth[EMOTE]
Create a deviation that captures the feeling or color of spring.
Submit it to DeviantArt as a deviation with the tag #SpringForth.
[DEVIATION]
[DEVIATION]
Want to earn an extra badge? Post your deviation to Reddit and drop a link to your post in the comments below. Staff will be awarding Quartz, Hype, and Diamond badges in the comments.
However spring shows up around you, share how you interpret it!
[DEVIATION]
Community Events - January 2026 by moonbeam13, journal
Community Events - January 2026
January is all about fresh starts, creative momentum, and finding inspiration in new places. As the year unfolds, our community is already buzzing with challenges, prompts, and collaborative events designed to spark ideas, build connections, and celebrate creativity in all its forms.
✨ Community Highlights
Celebrating Deviousness - January 2026
This month, we’re thrilled to celebrate @BisBiswas as our January recipient of the Deviousness Award!
Seniority Announcement - January 2026
Congratulations to our newest Senior Members! Thank you for your continued impact and passion within the community.
🎉 Confetti EVERYWHERE!
Nothing says “I love your art” like a Confetti Badge! Sprinkle some joy and make someone’s day.
💥 Missed a Badge - Revisit 2025s Tutorials!
How’s your badge collection looking? Peek at last year’s most coveted digital keepsakes.
Group-Led Events
New Horizons Challenge
Draw it, color it, or do both! Create unseen worlds and bring them to
The Nice Shot badge is back for 2026 by Team, journal
The Nice Shot badge is back for 2026
See a photo that stopped you mid-scroll? Even more than photos: see a painting that made you do a double take? This June, you can show artists exactly how you feel by giving them a Nice Shot badge.
[DEVIATION]
It costs just 1 gem to send some appreciation to a photo or artwork that moved you. The badge runs from June 1–30, so there's a whole month to spread the love.
[DEVIATION]
[DEVIATION]
Keep the summer of giving going.
Head outside, touch grass, and snap (or paint, or write about) a day in your life, and you might earn a Nice Shot badge of your own!
[DEVIATION]
Bzzzt! The beloved Bee badge is BACK by Team, journal
Bzzzt! The beloved Bee badge is BACK
Get ready to bee-hold the buzz of the community 🐝✨
The Bee badge is back in bizzness, celebrating the artists who keep DeviantArt humming with creativity, sticky-sweet interactions, and hive-worthy art.
Spot something that makes you hum with joy? Drop a limited-time Bee badge on it!
[DEVIATION]
🐝 How to give the Buzzing Bee badge
[DEVIATION]
Just click the badge icon beneath any deviation or comment, pick the Bee, and hit “Award Badge.”
Each badge costs 1 gem, so you can keep the good vibezzz flowing all month long.
[DEVIATION]
Go on then, make someone’s day a little sweeter 💛
[DEVIATION]
Tutorial: How to draw a feather with BeckyKidus by Team, journal
Tutorial: How to draw a feather with BeckyKidus
[DEVIATION]
Feathers are delicate and detailed, and after you follow this tutorial by @BeckyKidus , you'll have the building blocks you need to add details to feather drawings of your own. Submit your creation to get a Badge. Now that's a feather in your cap!
[DEVIATION]
Part I: The Basics
Step 1: Planning
Start with a swoopy line for the feather shaft, showing the size and direction of your feather.
Tip: A slight curve instantly makes your feather feel more natural.
[DEVIATION]
Step 2: Finishing the sketch
Draw the vane around the shaft, tapering at each end as you see here.
Tip: Asymmetrical sides make for a more interesting feather.
[DEVIATION]
Step 3: Inking
Add lineart once you've gotten a shape you like.
[DEVIATION]
Step 4: Finishing the lineart
Add larger details: the afterfeather (the downy poof near the base) and any damage to the vane. A feather that isn't perfectly smooth is more interesting!
[DEVIATION]
Step 5: Detailing
Add parallel lines across the vane
May 2026 Community Group Challenges by moonbeam13, journal
May 2026 Community Group Challenges
Each month, Community Groups across DeviantArt host creative challenges for their members, offering an opportunity to earn that month’s shared Profile badge.
[DEVIATION]
🧜 May theme: Mermay
Celebrate Mermay with artwork inspired by merfolk, ocean fantasy, underwater worlds, and the wonder beneath the waves. Make a splash with your aquatic artwork!
[DEVIATION]
🎨 May 2026 Community Group challenges
@Fan-Art-World - MerMay Magic Fan Art Challenge
@DevNews - The May group badge, Mermay!
@DeviantAI - Push your limits during Mermay
@Traditionalists - May badge challenge - Mermay magic
@color-me-club - May profile badge challenge
@CRLiterature - Extra, Extra! Earn the mermay badge
🏅 How to earn the badge
Participate in any of the challenges listed above and follow the instructions in that Group’s journal. When you’re done creating and ready to submit your deviation, make sure to include #Mermay under Tags before submission.
[DEVIATION]
Once your deviation’s live, you can confirm
New Volunteer Alert - PurpelBlur by Team, journal
New Volunteer Alert - PurpelBlur
Please welcome @PurpelBlur to the volunteer team! He'll be representing a number of communities, and working hard to bring great finds from across the site to more eyes.
So give them a warm welcome and learn more about @PurpelBlur here:
[DEVIATION]
Tutorial: Draw an animal face with basiceagles by Team, journal
Tutorial: Draw an animal face with basiceagles
[EMOTE] Ready to unleash some wild emotion?
[DEVIATION]
Animals might not show feelings the same way we do, but with a few tricks, you can bring them vividly to life and make every expression jump off the page (or screen!).
In this tutorial, @basiceagles walks you through easy, fun techniques to give your animals expressions full of personality and attitude.
[DEVIATION]
Follow along, pick up some new skills, and snag a feisty new badge for completing the tutorial!
[DEVIATION]
[EMOTE] STEP-BY-STEP TUTORIAL
Build the face
Step 1
Sketch a rough circle and add horizontal and vertical guidelines to set the direction of your animal’s gaze.
[DEVIATION]
Step 2
Block in the head with simple shapes for the face and ears.
[DEVIATION]
Step 3
Place the eyes and mouth.
[DEVIATION]
Step 4
Refine with fur, small details, and your final polish.
[DEVIATION]
[EMOTE] Want to give your character more personality? Add facial expressions to make it pop!
🐾 TIP 1: Let the eyes shine
The eyes do
Pride Palette: Celebrating the rainbow by Team, journal
Pride Palette: Celebrating the rainbow
[DEVIATION]
Every color tells a story. This Pride, we're asking the DeviantArt community to pick up their palettes and paint theirs. Whether you're celebrating yourself, someone you love, or the community that holds you. We want to see all of it.
[EMOTE]Dazzle[EMOTE]
Create art inspired by your pride, either using colors from the one of the color palettes provided below or highlight a single dominant color that calls to you.
[DEVIATION]
[DEVIATION]
Submit a character study, a landscape, a doodle with your chosen color or colors using the tag #PridePalette, and your work could be featured in our Wrap-Up Gallery and Feature. Oh, you’ll also earn a Pride 2026 badge if you submit before June 30th at 11:59 PM PST!
[DEVIATION]
Get acquainted with the colors of Pride
Not sure where to start? Learn a little about some of the flags that currently color Pride. But this is just a raindrop compared to all the Pride flags out there. Find more and what they mean!
[DEVIATION]
🏳️🌈 Rainbow
There’s so much more art to discover.
Join the world’s biggest online art community and scroll to your art’s content.
Join DeviantArt to Continue








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