Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Tyler, the Illustrator

@tylercrossdesign.bsky.social

450 followers 2.8K following 160 posts

Tyler, illustrator of visual puns (she/her) 💚 Lover of videogames, movies, & animals 🎨 www.tylercrossdesign.com 📨 [email protected] 🚫No NFTS/AI EMAIL for commissions or inquiries

Posts Media Videos Starter Packs

Pinned

Tyler, the Illustrator @tylercrossdesign.bsky.social · Jan 14

Hiii #PortfolioDay, I'm Tyler! I'm a black, female illustrator based in the DMV who loves to make things inspired by nature, pop culture, media, and visual puns 😊
Check me out if you like what you see!

Digital illustration celebrating 2025 as the Year of the Snake. There is a purple snake in the center against a red background, its body twists around to spell out 2025 down vertically. There are 3 glowing lanterns that hang next to the snake. The text "LUNAR NEW YEAR 2025" is handwritten at the bottom in a pale yellow color.

Digital illustration of a fan poster for the movie musical Wicked. It shows Elphaba and Glinda reaching out to each other. The poster's background is split into pink and green diagonally. The title is in large 3D block letters with a green neon in the center and a gold shadow.

Digital illustration of a retro computer with colorful, fresh flowers growing out of the monitor. There is a real mouse next to the keyboard and vibes wrap around the computer case.

Autumn themed greeting card mockup. The front shows an illustration of a deer with antlers that look like branches with autumn leaves on them. The text reads "Can't help FALLING for you..." The inside reads "You're just so en-DEER-ing" in a hand-lettered script.

3 16

Reposted by Tyler, the Illustrator

Its ruaa @itsmeio.bsky.social · 10d

honestly fu** you if you think gazans are only allowed to ask for help to cover their very basic necessities when they’re starving or being killed, calling a gazan a grifter for trying to secure her education proves that you don’t see gazans as humans who deserve to live equally.

27 670 2.5K

Reposted by Tyler, the Illustrator

Kayla B @queenofthesouth.bsky.social · 10d

Needing multiple streams of income to stay afloat is a societal failure not a personal one. You should be able to afford a comfortable lifestyle with one job. You are not lazy.

78 1.9K 6K

Reposted by Tyler, the Illustrator

NPR @npr.org · 18d

Today marks the first day in public media’s history without federal funding. And we’re not going anywhere.

Listeners like you keep our mission alive. Protect one of the last places where America comes together to hear itself.

Stand with us today. Donate at this link: n.pr/46wamAj

690 9.8K 31K

Reposted by Tyler, the Illustrator

Bree Lundberg @breelundberg.com · 18d

Covid is rampant right now so please get the newest booster if you haven't yet. I have multiple friends and a neighbor with covid right now. The pharmacist might still ask in person if you're high risk (I wasn't asked, my partner was) but you don't have to give details or proof and just say yes.

Alex de Campi @alexdecampi.bsky.social · 18d

To clarify: you currently do not need to say WHY or HOW you qualify for each vaccine if you schedule online at a CVS or a Walgreens. You just tick a box and they trust you. The pharmacist administering the shot won’t ask either

You can get 3-4 vaccines at once

Alex de Campi @alexdecampi.bsky.social · 18d

If you need vaccines (25-26 Covid booster, flu, pneumonia, etc), CVS is currently very much doing a “tick this box if you qualify for this vaccine” method of self-verification for online vaccine scheduling so GO GET YOUR SHOTS before this CDC stuff gets more insane

4 120 240

Reposted by Tyler, the Illustrator

Matt Binder @mattbinder.bsky.social · 22d

this woman has been working at Nintendo for almost 20 years and nearly a decade longer than the guy she is replacing

how much more qualified does she have to be lol

Grummz
@Grummz
X.com

Nintendo...
Is absolutely fucked now, isn't it?

QT:
Centro LEAKS • @CentroLeaks • 1d
Devon Pritchard becomes the new president of
Nintendo of America after Doug Bowser's retirement.
7:06 PM • 9/25/25 • 2.9M Views

650 2K 15K

Reposted by Tyler, the Illustrator

Sam Rusk @samurairusk.bsky.social · 21d

These are still available and half of all the proceeds go to the ACLU to help support immigrant families in legal action, advocacy, and community organization. ⚔️

Sam Rusk @samurairusk.bsky.social · 28d

When you attack one party member, we all roll initiative ⚔️
This design is available as both stickers and shirts and half of the proceeds go to the ACLU to help immigrant families.

6 22

Reposted by Tyler, the Illustrator

SubRosa )✿( Magick (chat to book a reading) @subrosamagick.bsky.social · 25d

1 55 250

Reposted by Tyler, the Illustrator

James Corcoran @jamescorcoran78.bsky.social · 25d

Tributes by Christophe Blain

26 150

Reposted by Tyler, the Illustrator

Kat Abughazaleh @katmabu.bsky.social · 25d

I'm appalled but unfortunately unsurprised to hear that ICE is targeting my neighbors in Rogers Park today. Unidentifiable and unaccountable agents are roaming the streets with their faces covered targeting schools and community centers. It needs to end. Abolish ICE.

350 3.5K 14K

Reposted by Tyler, the Illustrator

lacey, infested with bears @byelacey.bsky.social · 28d

and he didn’t even burst into flames. it’s that easy

16 220 1.3K

Reposted by Tyler, the Illustrator

Writers Guild of America East @wgaeast.bsky.social · Sep 18

The following is a statement from the WGA on ABC’s decision to pull ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’

WGA Statement on ABC's Decision to Pull ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’
The right to speak our minds and to disagree with each other - to disturb, even - is at the very heart of what it means to be a free people. It is not to be denied. Not by violence, not by the abuse of governmental power, nor by acts of corporate cowardice.
As a Guild, we stand united in opposition to anyone who uses their power and influence to silence the voices of writers, or anyone who speaks in dissent. If free speech applied only to ideas we like, we needn't have bothered to write it into the Constitution. What we have signed on to - painful as it may be at times - is the freeing agreement to disagree.
Shame on those in government who forget this founding truth. As for our employers, our words have made you rich.
Silencing us impoverishes the whole world.
The WGA stands with Jimmy Kimmel and his writers.

170 2.1K 7.3K

Reposted by Tyler, the Illustrator

CreepyPasta Ben @pastaben.bsky.social · Sep 18

personally I care way more about this than jimmy kimmel but hopefully people who care about kimmel realize how it’s connected to mahmoud

NBC News @nbcnews.com · Sep 18

BREAKING: Judge orders Columbia activist Mahmoud Khalil to be deported to Algeria or Syria, alleging he omitted information from his green card application.

Immigration judge orders Mahmoud Khalil to be deported to Algeria or Syria

“It is no surprise that the Trump administration continues to retaliate against me for my exercise of free speech," Khalil, a former Columbia University grad student, said in a statement.

nbcnews.to

14 1.1K 2.7K

Reposted by Tyler, the Illustrator

GigerPunk @gigerpunk.bsky.social · Sep 18

Fuck me this is bleak.
But please, do continue to use GenAI slop thumbnails for your YouTube videos, or your album art, or your book covers or whatever else. I'll continue to refuse to watch/listen/read any of them, knowing already they're not worth the time & that you're a disappointing lazy hack.

‘Children's book illustrator isn't a job anymore.’
I've been out of work for a while now. I made children's book illustrations, stock art, and took various art commissions.

Now I have several maxed out credit cards and use a donation bin for food. I haven't had a steady contract in over a year. two weeks ago, when a client who has switched to AI found out about this he gave me $50 out of "a sense of guilt." Basically pity for the fact that Illustrator, as a job, does not exist anymore.

It was my birthday recently and I sincerely considered not living anymore.
The worst part of all is that the parents who once supported me fully in being an artist sent me an AI generated picture of a caricature of themselves holding a birthday cake with my name spelled incorrectly.

44 1.9K 4K

Reposted by Tyler, the Illustrator

Tapling: Queer Zines 🏳️‍🌈 @taplingzines.bsky.social · Sep 18

Our artist applications for "We've Always Been Here" are now open! Help us show that queer people have always existed, and always will 💕

Please share and tag your favorite artists!

forms.gle/zHiVqh3SrsnT...

#ZineSky #AToZines #Zine #Zines #ArtZine #QueerArt #LGBTQArt #ZineApps #ArtistsWanted

A graphic with a vibrant rainbow background, announcing "Artist applications now open!". The white text box below reads, "Artist applications are now open for 'We've Always Been Here', a queer history zine. Let's show everyone that queer people have always been a part of history. This is a paid opportunity, contingent on our Kickstarter successfully funding." Beside the text box is a digital illustration of a north African girl with short, curly hair, wearing overalls, sitting beside an easel with an oil painting she's made of another girl.

28 330 400

Reposted by Tyler, the Illustrator

Loui Stonehill @louistonehill.bsky.social · Sep 18

Kind reminder that during the golden age of illustration, an editorial illustrator was paid the value of half a new car per illustration, artists just forgot to fight for raises based on inflation

Your art has value
Never forget that

2 21 76

Reposted by Tyler, the Illustrator

Cass Morris @cassmorriswrites.com · Sep 18

The address to target is:

Disney-ABC Home Entertainment and Television Distribution
500 S. Buena Vista St.
Burbank, CA 91521-3515

7 1.2K 2K

Reposted by Tyler, the Illustrator

Swara A.S. ☀️🍉🌊🧿 @spiderswarz.bsky.social · Sep 18

Do this to voice your outrage at Disney's unjust cancellation of Kimmel and other people's shows for simply practicing their free speech, ASAP.

A post on the importance of sending letters

53 3.7K 5.8K

Reposted by Tyler, the Illustrator

Governor JB Pritzker @govpritzker.illinois.gov · Sep 18

This is the playbook, folks.

If you're not paying attention now and doing something about it, then you're going to have to sit down the rest of your life because democracy is being taken away.

Do not be quiet in this moment.

1.3K 15K 48K

Reposted by Tyler, the Illustrator

Brian Merchant @bcmerchant.bsky.social · Sep 18

I've seen some reactions from struggling artists along the lines of 'I give up' and I feel your pain—but please do not.

Most people don't want to live in a world where artists are automated away, art production is captured by AI firms. Most people hate this idea.

Organize. Build solidarity. Fight.

Brian Merchant @bcmerchant.bsky.social · Sep 17

Freelance illustration gigs drying up. Ad agencies using Midjourney instead of hiring human artists. Costume design turned over to AI wholesale. Good work vanishing.

These are the stories of working visual artists, who describe losing jobs, wages, and hope as their clients and bosses embrace AI.

Artists are losing work, wages, and hope as bosses and clients embrace AI

Visual artists, illustrators and graphic designers share their stories about how AI is being used to lower wages, degrade work and even replace it altogether, in this installment of AI Killed My Job.

www.bloodinthemachine.com

13 270 720

Reposted by Tyler, the Illustrator

Mo Ryan @moryan.bsky.social · Sep 18

Rich people, especially rich people in the media & entertainment industries right this moment:

The point of having fuck you money is saying “fuck you” when it counts.

a rainbow colored shooting star with the words the mo you know above it

ALT: a rainbow colored shooting star with the words the mo you know above it

media.tenor.com

45 970 4.7K

Reposted by Tyler, the Illustrator

The Serfs (youtube.com/theserfstv) @theserfstv.bsky.social · Sep 18

This is why everything sucks. It's not trans people. It's not immigrants. You are being robbed blind before your eyes and those same people also own all the tech and media networks to tell you that the cause is not them

@MorePerfectUS
U.S. billionaires reached a record breaking $7.6 trillion in wealth as of September 2025, an increase of $4.7 trillion in the less than eight years.

Most of that wealth hasn’t been taxed and won’t be taxed under our current system — per
@4TaxFairness
.

27 2.4K 5.3K

Reposted by Tyler, the Illustrator

Karen Attiah @karenattiah.bsky.social · Sep 18

I gave my heart and soul to that place. Built entire sections for journalists pushed out of their home countries.

When the writer I hired, Jamal Khashoggi was murdered by Saudi Arabia, they paraded me around as a symbol for press freedom.

I put MY LIFE on the line to defend journalism and WaPo.

bmazing.bsky.social @bmazing.bsky.social · Sep 18

weird that neither of these articles two main stories decrying censorship mention WaPo's firing of @karenattiah.bsky.social I guess democracy really does die in darkness

160 3.2K 11K

Reposted by Tyler, the Illustrator

Zohran Kwame Mamdani @zohrankmamdani.bsky.social · Sep 18

Overcrowded cells. Unsanitary conditions. Limited access to food and water.

These are the conditions that ICE has created at 26 Federal Plaza, which eleven elected officials sought to expose. Instead, they were arrested.

They must be released right now — and inspectors let in.

Gwynne Hogan @gwynnefitz.bsky.social · Sep 18

Just now, 11 state and city lawmakers were arrested by DHS police on the 10th floor of 26 Federal Plaza after a hour of demanding access to the ICE lock up on the same floor. @thecity.nyc

250 4.9K 14K

Tyler, the Illustrator @tylercrossdesign.bsky.social · Sep 18

My entries for the Maryland Treasures Art Contest by @mdlottery . Although I'm bummed I wasn't chosen as a finalist, I still loved making these and happy how they turned out. Can't wait to see the winning pieces in the scratch offs next year 👀

Digital illustration of a Baltimore Oriole bird standing on top of a terrapin turtle. The background shows layers of black eyed susans on a solid green background.

Digital illustration of a bucket of cooked crabs with Old Bay seasoning on them. To the right on the table, there is a bowl of butter and some shell crackers. The table has a light lavender tablecloth with a plaid checker pattern in white. There is a brown chair tucked underneath the table.

Digital illustration of 3 wild Assateague horses running through some water. The Assateague Island Lighthouse can be seen in the background amongst the trees.

Reposted by Tyler, the Illustrator

Kurt Busiek @kurtbusiek.bsky.social · Sep 15

"I don't care that he's dead."
"He's not a hero."
"He's a scumbag."
"He shouldn't be celebrated."

No, no. I'm not saying that about Charlie Kirk. Charlie Kirk said that about George Floyd.

Just in case anyone's interested in what he thought was fair to say about someone who was killed on camera.

180 5.1K 16K