Listening to: Gary Jules- Mad World

Time's up, dagger.
Well, this is it. Dagger-Calica has packed her bags and is taking leave of DeviantArt. I've been planning this for over a week, and I'm finally going to do it. I find it a little sad that I should leave less than a week after my one-year anniversary here, but hey, what're you gonna do. ^^
I'm saying this is a hiatus, because who knows when I will be back. I'm 15, and I'm not prepared to say "forever" when chances are it won't be.
You never know what the future will hold.

Why am I leaving?
You all know what's been happening in DA over the last few weeks, I won't go into it again. The fact is, it's blown over with the majority of people and many of those who still have it on thier mind are leaving. I guess I'm one of them.
I'm not doing it out of protest, really. I'm a low-profile artist and I know my leaving won't make any difference to DeviantArt. Frankly, unknown wannabe anime-artists like me are ten-a-penny here, so I won't matter. I could stay. But as I've said in previous journals, it's a matter of morals. I know a few months ago there was a small scare when some people actually sat down and read the submission agreement, and discovered that it was fairly draconian, effectively giving DA unlimited liscense to your work, even when it's been deleted (you might have notcied they don't disappear, they DO stay on the server). To be able to submit your work without worrying about your art being violated requires trust in DeviantArt, which I guess I'm lacking in at the moment.

Of course there are other reasons. You may have notcied that since about May this year my fairly steady stream of submissions has gradually diminished. I know why. I've always needed a lot of inspiration and motivation to complete my artwork or writing. It's always been like that. I need to be constantly stimulated to stop myself losing commitment to my creativity. It was a huge problem in the years before DA.
When I joined, it was a revelation. So many artists to encourage me, so much art to look at and learnt from. In half a year, I managed to complete about 50 pieces of artwork. I was extremely proud of myself. But now the initial excitement has passed. I've seen what DeviantArt has to offer and it's no longer inspiring me, because I've been on here so much I've grown to expect nothing less. So, one of the main reasons I can to DA is no longer valid.
And DA has drawbacks as well- you feel pressurised to finish art as soon as possible, in case people lose interest in you. Whats more it takes up a lot of time to comment and look at other people's art. I love doing that, seeing other people's contributions and supporting them like they support me, but the simple fact is that some days it can take 2-3 hours. 2-3 hours in which I could be doing art. It gets in the way, and when you watch so many people as I do, it stops you doing your own art, and gets in the way of life.

And..I have other commitments. DA is about art, and our development as artists. Right now, I feel I've progressed as much as I can with DA and I need some time to develop as an artist on my lonesome. I want to devote more time to Spirits' Requiem. I have another cosplay costume to make. I have another project on the go with ~Aziran and ~tae which wants my attention. And of course I have school- next year I have my GCSEs. I can't afford to get complacent.

The time I've spent at DA has been wonderful. I think I've begun to mature as both an artist and a person during the last year. I've loved it. But...it's time to move on.

The future
I may be getting a livejournal account, which I will put up a link to if I get it. Also I may be getting my own website, so again, I'll link you then. SheezyArt is a possibilty...but don't count on it. This journal will be updated if I get new info regarding any of these leads.

I WILL occasionaly be visiting to check up on you guys, but this marks the end of my contribution to DA, for the forseeable future at least. And I won't be here enough to hold a conversation with you guys commenting or whatever anymore. So...

Contact me!
I now have msn, so anyone can feel free to add me. (dagger-calica (at) hotmail.com) I'll miss all you random DA peeps if you don't. ^^ Or you can, y'know, give me an email. I don't bite. ^^

So...so long! I love you all. I'll leave you with a tale from Final Fantasy 9...because I feel like it (typical). I just want you guys to know...that you are what makes DA such a wonderful place. And it's meant a lot to me, so...thank you.

"Ipsen and his good friend Colin worked at a tavern in Treno. One day, Ipsen got a letter. The letter was so wet from rain that most of the writing was illegible. The only part he could read said 'Come back home.'. Nowadays, we have airships and stuff, but back then, it was really hard to travel. He didn't know why he had to go back, but he got some time off, gathered his things, and set out on his journey home. He walked a thousand leagues through the Mist. Sometimes he was attacked by vicious monsters, but he made it, because his friend Colin was by his side. And then, after much time on the road... He had to ask Colin something:
'Why did you come with me?'.
'Only because I wanted to go with you'."

- Dagger-Calica, signing off. .