Michael Dashow
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mdashow.bsky.social
Michael Dashow
@mdashow.bsky.social
3.7K followers 1.2K following 1.9K posts
Illustrator, character designer, kidLit artist & gameDev art director.
Rep'd by @vickyweberbooks.bsky.social‬ @ CMA
Also developing indie puzzle game Puzzle Spy International at @agentepsilon.bsky.social

https://linktr.ee/mdashow
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mdashow.bsky.social
Michael Dashow @mdashow.bsky.social · Jul 9
Hi, #PortfolioDay !
I'm Mike and I like creating fun, colorful character-driven art. I make lots of art for video and tabletop games and would love to create some MG book covers. I am also seeking representation.
Cheers!

#kidLitArt #characterDesign #characterIllustration #gameArt #illustration
A girl is trying to walk two fluffy samoyeds but has gotten entirely tangled up in the leashes of the two dogs who are happily running circles around her. The title reads "Zoey Crocker, Pet Walker" by Maureen Keene. Two kids explore a hallway in a dark mansion. They look worried, and the boy holds a flashlight. The hallway is lined with paintings in ornate frames, all of the eyes of the paintings watching the kids. We can see the shadow of some sort of horned monster coming up the stairs. The title reads "The Mystery of Mystic Manor" by Jo Barnett. Sherrif Saguaro, an old-timey western sheriff who also happens to be a walking cactus. He's wearing a dusty leather coat and boots with spurs and a red bandana, and while he wears no hat, his cactus head is the shape of a 10-gallon hat. He's dashing through a dusty old western frontier town about to throw a lasso. In the background is his trusty horse, who also happens to be a cactus. A panicked apprentice witch (she's human, with pink hair, glasses, and light academia clothing) makes a mess of her cauldron while being calmy advised by an older, wiser witch (who is a bear.) Aside from the exploding cauldron, the browns of the scene make it warm and cozy. The cover reads "DeepWoods Academy for the Magically Inept" by Jo Barnett, book 1: Trouble Brewing
Reposted by Michael Dashow
dmagpd.bsky.social
Today is the day to take down your government surveillance device. It's the smallest thing you can do to fight ICE.
January 19, 2026 at 3:27 PM
Reposted by Michael Dashow
agentepsilon.bsky.social
For #ScreenshotSaturday I thought I'd share a process shot: Here's a '60s apartment in Paris from Puzzle Spy International, from rough thumbnails (and I made many many more than shown here!) through rough sketch, line art, and finished color.

#gameArt #VN #VNdev #indieGame #indieGameDev #puzzleGame
A collection of 8 rough thumbnail sketches done in blue pencil, showing various configurations and styles of rooms, walls, windows, couches, armoires, lights, etcetera. A finished sketch, still rather rough, showing a room with French molding, pictures on the wall, a big curved 1960s couch, curvy '60s coffee table and chair, a small bar table, and an armoire against the wall. You can just make out pink perspective lines used to guide the lines in the picture. The same apartment, only now all of the lines have been tightened and cleaned up. The final illustration of the apartment, primarily in reds. The color is all flat but there's a sense of richness and modernity, and a large patch of light angles through the room from upper left to lower right.
January 17, 2026 at 10:20 PM
Reposted by Michael Dashow
bennjordan.bsky.social
Grok is so much worse than you think.
January 17, 2026 at 8:45 AM
Reposted by Michael Dashow
studiofirlefanz.bsky.social
some expressions for Milly and Maynard 🐈🐾

#screenshotsaturday #IndieGameDev #farminggame #indiegame
January 17, 2026 at 1:03 PM
Reposted by Michael Dashow
laurazarrin.bsky.social
Back at my #characterseries with this little reader. Is there anything better than curling up with a good book? The correct answer is no 😉

#kidlitart #characterdesign #picturebookart #childrensbookart
January 17, 2026 at 2:29 PM
Reposted by Michael Dashow
ironspike.bsky.social
Wow, sure would be pretty crazy if a ton of experts in the artificial intelligence field relentlessly warned everyone about this state of affairs being inevitable over and over for years.
January 17, 2026 at 11:38 AM
Reposted by Michael Dashow
lexfeathers.ca
Duckduckgo has a survey for pro/anti-AI and I cackled so hard at the (current) results

https://voteyesornoai.com
Are you YES AI or NO AI? Vote now.
Big Tech doesn't care if you want AI or not. They should.
voteyesornoai.com
January 16, 2026 at 6:11 PM
Reposted by Michael Dashow
standplaatskrk.pl
Grae Hall (@HallGrae) on twitter: "I don't usually like it when authors self-insert themselves into their own stories but you must admit Dolores Umbridge is a particularly memorable character."
January 16, 2026 at 8:39 PM
Reposted by Michael Dashow
bookjockeyalex.bsky.social
Holy shit! If you are still on Spotify, get the fuck off asap.
umaw.bsky.social UMAW @umaw.bsky.social · 4d
In April 2024, Spotify implemented a new scheme: songs with less than 1k streams per year would no longer receive royalties.

The data for 2025 was just released via Luminate, and 88% of songs have been demonetized.

Read it again: 88% of songs on Spotify have been demonetized.
January 16, 2026 at 2:40 PM
Reposted by Michael Dashow
assignedmale.bsky.social
Praxis
4 frame comic. In the first frame, JD Vance is in Greenland. Text reads : praxis is a start-up funded by american billionaires and Trump backers such as jd Vance's puppeteer Peter Thiel and open AI's Sam Altman. its aim is to create "freedom cities" outside of democratic regulations and managed by a "king-ceo leading citizen-shareholders."* Second frame shows some houses of Nuuk, in Greenland. Text reads : in 2023, praxis founder dryden brown went to greenlAND TO Attempt buying it (or at least a sizeable chunk of it), without success. he said in 2025 : "we think Greenland is a very in- teresting place. we view it as one of the last frontiers on earth."** Third frame shows an iceberg. Text reads : he spoke for many. in April 2025, Reuters reported that tech investors in silicon valley were "promoting the frozen island as a site for a so-called freedom city, a libertarian utopia [sic] with minimal regulation."*** Fourth frame shows a Twitter screenshot reading 'according to plan." Text reads : since then, ken Bowery, Who co- founded a venture-capital firm with his PayPal buddy Peter thiel, has been appointed u.s. ambassador to Denmark, with the express order to lead greenland-acquisition negotiations. praxis reacted to the news by posting on Twitter: Sources are indicated at the bottom of the first three frames from Le Monde (Peter Thiel, the libertarian billionaire waging war on government), The New Republic (The oligarchs pushing for conquest of Greenland) and Reuters (Greenland freedom city? Rich donors push Trump for a tech hub up north)
January 15, 2026 at 2:33 PM
Reposted by Michael Dashow
boringstorybook.com
Heads up for those with X accounts.
kellylynnedang.bsky.social Kelly Lynne D’Angelo ✨ @kellylynnedang.bsky.social · 9d
Heads up: new X/Twitter Terms of Service update on Jan 15th asserts rights to your work. Delete old posts.

"You grant us a worldwide, royalty-free license, with the right to sublicense, to use, copy, reproduce, process, adapt, modify, publish, transmit, display, upload, download, and distribute..."
January 15, 2026 at 1:24 AM
Reposted by Michael Dashow
billcorbett.bsky.social
People not in Minnesota: please read this excellent summary of what life is like in Minneapolis since the murderous scum ICE swarmed here. And more are on their way. By local reporter / writer / bike dude / legend @dbrauer.net .
Text: “A friend said those of us who live in Minneapolis should write about what's going on here for folks who live elsewhere. You need to know that whether you're a Republican, Independent or Democrat, the Constitution is being violated by our federal government. This is not about catching criminals, or even deporting people. It is about punishing an entire state, including citizens, for not supporting the president. Everyone in my part of Minneapolis is affected. On our streets, ICE is stopping people of color and demanding their papers. In America. US citizens do not have to prove citizenship to ICE. Yet people are being intimidated, some cases beaten up and detained, for requiring ICE to follow the law. ICE needs a judicial warrant to enter homes. Yet there are documented cases of them ignoring the law - violating a bedrock constitutional principle. Americans of color are staying home, afraid to go to work, school, to grocery shop, or fill their cars with gas. This isn't just "illegals" or immigrants with valid work permits, it is citizens who have had their cars rammed by ICE for merely looking Hispanic. Businesses are closing. Schools are 50 percent full. When they are open, fascists are calling in bomb threats because the president decided to make us a meme. After a daycare teacher with a valid work permit (through 2030) was snatched from her workplace, parents (and grandparents) have had to organize to watch their SCHOOLS, to make sure conditional rights are observed. This is being repeated throughout Minnesota. Imagine trying to do your job or live you life while also taking volunteer shifts to make sure the federal government doesn't act extrajudicially. Because of ICE's documented abuses, neighbors have organized to monitor federal actions. This observation is legal, as long as it doesn't interfere with a valid action. Yet since ICE killed Renee Good, they are increasingly stopping this observation, breaking car windows and …”
January 13, 2026 at 10:38 PM
Reposted by Michael Dashow
mattcohen.bsky.social
Happy #PortfolioDay! I'm an Eisner Award nominated writer who can't draw, but here are some samples of my work illustrated by Marc Palm, @gemmacorrell.bsky.social, @aledles.bsky.social, and @charratastica.bsky.social! I'm currently writing novels and graphic novels (while also seeking a new agent.)
This is the the first of four pages from "The Ghastlygun Tinies." It was published by MAD Magazine. The writer is Matt Cohen and the Artist is Marc Palm. The text reads: "A is for Alice the young science wiz B is for Brian cramming for a quiz C is for Connor in his English Class D is for Dana who had a hall pass" This is the first panel of a comic that was published by The New Yorker. It was written by Matt Cohen and illustrated by Gemma Correll. The brightly colored art by Gemma Correll indicated that this "advice" is dripping with irony. The text reads: "HOW TO PRETEND TO BE HAPPY 1. Practice Fake Smiles Practice smiling in the mirror. Wider. No, I said WIDER. Smile harder, damn it! You suck at this. Nobody else needs to practice smiling, so you must be broken. That's why you don't deserve happiness. SMILE! There, that wasn't so hard. Now just do that all day, every day, until people learn what a fraud you are." This is the opening of a Dr. Seuss parody that was published in MAD Magazine. It was written by Matt Cohen and illustrated by Marc Palm. It was called ""Free Speeches On The Beaches." The text reads: "When the Verified Speeches Had checks that were blue It made the Free Speeches Want blue check marks too. Their check envy was weird and their logic was flawed Since the checks were just there to protect them from fraud. Then one day at the beach there arrived a strange gent Riding in a green car that he didn't invent..." This is sample page from the proposal for a graphic novel called Arcade Days. Set in 1980, it tells the story of a girl who relieves the stress of starting at a new school by creating a video game... but when her pixelated hero becomes a national sensation she'll have to defeat the real-world bad guys who want to exploit her game for every quarter they can! Arcade Days is written by Matt Cohen and illustrated by Ale Green and Fanny Rodriguez.
January 13, 2026 at 6:15 PM
Reposted by Michael Dashow
mdashow.bsky.social
Hi #PortfolioDay , I’m Mike and I love drawing fun, colorful characters, animals, and situations.

I'm repped by @vickyweberbooks.bsky.social
and I'm especially looking for middle grade cover work.

See more of my work at mdashow-kidlitart.carrd.co or www.michaeldashow.com

#kidLitArt #gameArt
In a dark nighttime hallway with huge arched windows, a girl and a werewolf (also a girl) are sneaking around. Both are wearing school uniforms, although the werewolf's has ripped a bit from her transformation. She has just knocked over a small table and broken a vase and the girl is shushing her. Through one of the large windows, we see more school buildings and a full moon. The book cover title is "Boarding School Werewolf" by Jo Barnett. At the top of the cover, it says "School can be a transformative experience." An illustration of three happy dogs wearing human-type clothing, all exchanging gifts. The gifts are all wrapped but it's clear that they're all things that dogs love: A ball, a stick, and a bone. The picture is all in tans and browns, except for the gift-wrapping, which is all blue. An illustration from my upcoming indie game Puzzle Spy International, drawn in a mid-century modern style. It's a red control room with LCD-green screens and a world map. In the foreground is Agent Epsilon looking worried. She's in a teal and charcoal mod dress and has dark skin and short black hair. Behind her are two mysterious figures: A woman in white robes which cover everything but her eyes (it's called a haik) and a white man in a dark suit and turtleneck and thick rimmed glasses. He looks unhappy, and his hands and fingers are steepled.
January 13, 2026 at 5:14 PM
Reposted by Michael Dashow
amandamorrowart.bsky.social
Hi #portfolioday 👋I'm Amanda, I am an award winning children's book illustrator on the lookout for more picture book projects. I thrive in narrative-based illustrations where I can play with texture and color.

💼www.amandamorrowart.com
🖍Rep'd by The Bright Agency

#kidlitart #childrensbooks
January 13, 2026 at 4:12 PM
Reposted by Michael Dashow
brookebaum.bsky.social
Happy #PortfolioDay! ✨

I’m Brooke and I love creating goofball art for goofball kids. I’m available for picture book, early reader, and graphic novel projects!

I’m rep’d by Marissa Brown at Pippin Properties!

brookebaum.com

#kidlit #kidlitart
January 13, 2026 at 6:07 PM
Reposted by Michael Dashow
ledgerbound.bsky.social
Some say the adventuring party is still split on how exactly Aura found Avarice...

#indiegame #visualnovel
January 11, 2026 at 10:53 PM
Reposted by Michael Dashow
boringstorybook.com
#BluePit 📖 #pb After Melody spots a COW ON A BALLOON, the Internet explodes with wild speculation. As the world loses its mind, Melody keeps hers, proving that in a frenzy of clicks, clout and chaos, creative problem solving can save the day (and keep a cow grounded). #OS BrianKirbyStudio.com
Colorful picture book illustrations of a girl in overalls as a spot illustration next to a full page of a cow tied to a red balloon that is floating over a city as hands hold up phones that are recording video BrianKirbyStudio.com
January 13, 2026 at 7:10 PM
Reposted by Michael Dashow
boringstorybook.com
#BluePit 📖 #pb When two overtired kids resist bedtime, Dad uses a secret weapon: INCREDIBLY BORING STORIES. If the reader stays awake, they’ll witness a showdown between the world‘s most tedious dad and kids who hold out hopes for dracula vs. dinosaur battles. #OS BrianKirbyStudio.com
Two cartoon kids going wild and the text around them reads THEY REJECT BEDTIME! THEY GO.. BONKERS UNTIL... BrianKirbyStudio.com Repetitive cartoon panels show a dad brushing his teeth. The text reads: BUT FIRST I BRUSHED MY TEETH. BRUSH BRUSH BRUSH GARGLE GARGLE This really is boring. MORE GARGLING Below the panels are two kids faces, observing “This is the most boring page in this book.”
January 13, 2026 at 8:24 PM
Reposted by Michael Dashow
milifayart.bsky.social
Ellen, a born ballerina, dances problems away — a monster in her room, misbehaving integers, school bullies…

At fourteen, a car accident lands her in a wheelchair. If Ellen is no longer a dancer, then… Who is she?

TINY DANCER meets ELLIE IN FIRST POSITION.
#bluepit💥 #MG #Q #SP #GN #BluePit

TBC
Mili Fay’s “Just Dance!” Concept Art featuring the main character Ellen, a sad, blond 14-year-old girl, whose hair is pink at the edges, sitting in a wheelchair dressed in a tutu. The background is teal blue, green and pink, featuring water lilies covered in rain. Water lilies symbolize purity, rebirth, enlightenment and resilience. Mili Fay’s “Just Dance!” Chapter 6: BFF Graphic Novel chapter cover final art. It shows Ellen, Christopher and Ellen’s dog Lulu walking against a white background. The decorative frame is constructed from a variety of flowers that represent devoted friendship. Mili Fay’s “Just Dance!” Graphic Novel Chapter 6: Page 01 final art showing a montage of Ellen’s and Christopher’s growing friendship. Mili Fay’s “Just Dance!” Graphic Novel Chapter 6: Page 02 final art showing a montage of Ellen’s and Christopher’s growing friendship. Page 03 beginning of a sequence: Ellen comes to school, looking sad.
January 13, 2026 at 5:47 AM
Reposted by Michael Dashow
8bluebirds.bsky.social
Hello! I'm an artist obsessed with birds 🐦💜 I primarily sculpt miniatures and jewelry from polymer clay, and my favorite part of the process is photographing them out in nature.

#portfolioday

My website is 8bluebirds.com
A miniature clay figurine of a grey cockatiel with a tiny red ladybug on his head. He is standing on a faded brick pathway next to a pile of oak leaves A handfull of tiny bird charms. Three are green and yellow budgerigars, three are blue and white, and two are blue and yellow. They are held in the palm of a white hand, with a field of clovers in the background A pair of bird earrings perched on a leaf. The birds are a matched male and female pair of fairy wrens. The female is on the left with a grey head and red cheeks. The male is to the right, with a purple head and a black gem on his forehead. A tan and brown shorebird pendant hanging on a brown cord. The bird has beads hanging below him.
January 13, 2026 at 6:54 PM
Reposted by Michael Dashow
andrieristefano.bsky.social
Happy #PortfolioDay !
Hi! I'm a Concept Artist focused on environment and prop design. Open for opportunities!
January 13, 2026 at 7:01 PM
Reposted by Michael Dashow
gwenckatz.bsky.social
Surradia is featured in Steam Detective Fest!

store.steampowered.com/app/2781420/...
Surradia: An Art Retrospective on Steam
Unravel the mystery of three magical artists who went missing during World War II in this challenging, story-rich deduction game. Explore artworks, letters, photographs, and interviews to answer the q...
store.steampowered.com
January 13, 2026 at 6:27 PM
Reposted by Michael Dashow
boringstorybook.com
#PortfolioDay today! 🎨
I'm Brian, picture book author/illustrator rep'd by @kaitlynleann17.bsky.social at @bradfordagents.bsky.social - you can see what I’m up to at briankirbystudio.com
Cartoon of a vampire unicorn turning away from a large stained glass window, bats flapping outside. Text reads COUNT RAINBOW BRiANKiRBYSTUDIO.COM A 3x3 grid of cartoons of a little girl with black hair and pigtails. 5 panel cartoon of a mysterious silhouetted kid getting out of bed at 5:58 and startling a mom & dad in their bed A tired dad sits up with a wide-awake baby in a dark nursery, a lady is seen sleeping soundly in the room across the hall
January 13, 2026 at 6:28 PM
Reposted by Michael Dashow
leyalluna.bsky.social
Hello, I'm Leyalluna! ✨

I'm a digital artist currently focusing on pixel art and 3D modeling+animation, looking for work on those areas if it's possible.

Available for freelance and full-time.

🖼 cara.app/leyalluna
✉️ lluna1094@gmail.com

#PortfolioDay #digitalart #pixelart #3Dart
January 13, 2026 at 5:32 PM