Looks like the gardening craze has gone a little overboard! This month, our theme is Topiary!

Random Event Companion
• Topiary Boxer - Larthan (#8598)

Donation Companion
• Topiary Unicorn - Larthan (#8598)

Monthly Shop
Upgrade Item
• Unfinished Topiary - Ehm (#93)

Companion
• Topiary Doberman - Larthan (#8598)

Background
• Topiary Background - Innali (#34554)

Accessories
• Topiary Cloak - Nyctra (#288)
• Nesting House Sparrow - Nyctra (#288)
• Gardening Shears - Ehm (#93)
• Garter Snake - Ehm (#93)
• Leaf Blower - Ehm (#93)
• Shaped Hedges (foreground) - Innali (#34554)
• Fancy Topiary Hedges (foreground) - Innali (#34554)

Dyes (Main Shops)
• Flowery Dye - Nyctra (#288)

Steam Icon Contest

Remember, guys, the Steam Group Icon art contest ends on the 21st! We’ve got only 3 submissions so far!!!!! That’s crazy! These are some really nice prizes we’re offering, and we keep hearing from you guys you want to get the chance to submit art for bone, and item prizes, but if your art is chosen as the official, permanent icon you’ll also get a $20 Steam gift card!



OPEN ARTIST APPLICATION

Attention, Alacritites! We are trying to get back into the swing of things more than ever, and to do that, we need some junior artists to help us along. Junior Artists would be enthusiasts from the community who have the skill and desire to create game art for bones. We have been asked several times to make this option available to you guys, so we’re giving it a try! Think you got what it takes? Submit an issue to the Admin Hub and we’ll get you started on your application!

QUESTIONS. WE HAVE THEM. YOU ANSWER THEM.
(and submit the completed application to the Admin Issue Hub)
1) What piece of artwork would you consider is the best that you have completed within the past three months? Please give a link.

2) What area do you feel is your greatest weakness? What is your greatest strength?
Examples include poses, anatomy, lineart, shading and coloring.

3) What are you most comfortable drawing?
Ex: large animals, natural items like trees, rocks and flowers, birds, or manmade inanimate objects.

4) How confident are you that you can match Alacrity’s style, if given guidance by the current art staff? Are you good at taking constructive criticism? Are you good at GIVING constructive criticism?

5) We have a schedule to which all our artists are required to adhere. Artists get their assignments by the 1st of the month with progress sketches (with a mind towards item placement on all breeds) due the 14th, and finished images due the 30th/31st. Would you feel comfortable working on this timetable, taking and applying the revisions/critiques on the rough sketches to ensure uniform, quality work? What concerns would you have about meeting these standards?

6) How many items would you feel comfortable completing in the above time period? Please keep in mind that some items have to be redrawn for each individual breed, though some can simply be placed around the dog instead.

7) As an artist, we assume you have done a lot of work in the past and would like to show more of it to boost your chances of catching our eye. Please provide a few links (two to five will be fine) to some of your work below, or a link to your portfolio if you prefer that.

8) You have just finished your in-progress drafts and feel like they’re pretty good and you’re really enjoying working on them, You receive the following message from the head artist - “I looked over your submissions and I am concerned. This work isn’t the quality we expect on Alacrity and I cannot use any of it as item art in its current state. The proportions are wrong, it’s way too cartoon-y and the palette is bland and it clashes. Please do redraws for these items and get them to me by the 25th.” What is your response to this critique? How do you feel about it? How will it affect your creativity between now and the new deadline? How would it affect your desire to remain on the art team?

9) Our item art is currently backlogged, especially but not exclusively affecting Great Danes. This often involves working from existing art to create matching items on newer breeds. Please demonstrate your suitability by drawing and coloring your own Red Paisley Bandana on our Great Dane breed, trying to match the site style as best you can, and post a link to the completed image below.

*note: Please don’t be discouraged - we understand that you may need some practice and training on the site style, and likely won’t be able to match it perfectly at first - matching the site style perfectly will not be a requirement for being considered for joining our Junior Artist Team.

Vacation!

Hey, guys. Kit here. I just wanted to let you guys know I’ll be taking a little break from the front end of Alacrity for a couple weeks to work on some projects that desperately need my attention. Ehm will be handling my share of issues and community content.
You guys be sure to be good for her and I’ll be back on August 1st!


Happy trails!
Kit

It's a new month, and you know what that means! New Items! :D

All the items that were in the shop last month have been switched out with this month's new items in the Monthly Shop, plus a new dye over at Dyes 4 Dogs and a new special donation only companion over at the Buy Bones page!

Random Event Companion
• Broken Chinchilla Rabbit - Nyctra (#288)

Donation Companion
• Axis Deer Fawn - Larthan (#8598)

Monthly Shop
Upgrade Item
• Playful Kitten - Ehm (#93)
Companions
• Broken Chestnut Rabbit - Nyctra (#288)
• Broken Orange Rabbit - Nyctra (#288)
Backgrounds
• Backyard Garden Background - Innali (#34554)
• Wild Poppy Field Background - Innali (#34554)
Accessories
• Broken Terracotta Pots - Nyctra (#288)
• Bullthistle - Ehm (#93)
• Dandelions - Nyctra (#288)
• Fertilizer - Ehm (#93)
• Theiving Bunny - Nyctra (#288)
• Tomato Plant - Ehm (#93)
• Shrubbery (foreground) - Innali (#34554)
• White Picket Fence (foreground) - Innali (#34554)

Dyes
• Chipmunk Dye - Nyctra (#288)


Along with this update comes a bittersweet departure - Rixon will no longer be on our art team here at Alacrity, but I'm sure she has big plans for the future with her new site, and will do very well for herself.

In light of this, please keep an eye out in the near future for a news post about Junior Artist applications!