Heidi C. Vlach 🇨🇦
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hcvlach.bsky.social
Heidi C. Vlach 🇨🇦
@hcvlach.bsky.social
210 followers 150 following 550 posts
She/her. Queer. Chronically ill. Loves animals and plants. I self-pubbed fantasy novels in the 2010's; now I'm writing a cozy remake project called Our Long-Steeped Remedies.

Occasional NSFW. No genAI, TERF or Nazi shit ever.
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hcvlach.bsky.social
Who robbed the Louvre? Right answers only.
Mask DeMasque, the flamboyant mystery thief from Ace Attorney. He wears a wide-brimmed hat with feathers, a full-face mask, a heavily embellished frock coat, and tall heeled boots. Mask DeMasque is smirking, leaping away with a sack of stolen goods (a sack with a swirly green pattern on it, stereotypically of Japanese thief characters).
October 23, 2025 at 4:07 AM
hcvlach.bsky.social
Gradually figuring out how to use Clip Studio Pro! I drew this Aligare lineart in 2015-ish, and today I didn't feel well so... colouring time. 🌈✨~
Screenshot of the Clip Studio Pro interface, with some flat-coloured fantasy artwork in the middle. A feathered dragon person kneels in profile, seemingly speaking grave words to their two companions. The dragon is holding out two bulging sacks toward them. One companion - an insect-like humanoid with antennae arcing backward over their head - sits cross-legged with their hands folded, listening. The other companion - a small, long-tailed ferret sitting on their haunches - reaches for a supply sack and smiles calmly. The three of them are floating in a grey-checkered void because they have no background layer yet.
September 24, 2025 at 1:42 AM
hcvlach.bsky.social
It's an anthropomorphic fairy tale that has been exclusive to What The Fur? 2013's convention booklet until now. A simple story, but one I'm still proud of. 💜
Teaser crop of some simple line art. It's a portrait of a rabbit looking upward. She wears a faceted jewel on a string around her neck, and her expression is worried.
August 25, 2025 at 7:49 PM
hcvlach.bsky.social
These little dudes are new to my garden: great spangled fritillaries. Butterfly names are wild 😂 but yeah, purple coneflower is my favourite plant. Tough perennial that only asks for a little compost, in exchange for these big vibrant flowers that nearly every pollinator loves.
A large-ish butterfly - orange and brown wings, speckled with black and white dots - perches on the bristly centre of a coneflower blossom. The flower (whose petals are more pink than purple, despite being named purple coneflower) grows with confidence on a thin, woody stalk, through abundant green leaves. This garden grows beside a solid wooden fence.
July 29, 2025 at 1:55 AM
hcvlach.bsky.social
I wish I could be writing the boldly quiet stories inside my head. But I'm busy doing the small amount of good that I can: working on my organic garden. Been adding native Ontario plants for years now: I'm seeing a steady increase in butterflies, and lots of monarchs at the end of their migration.
A clump of swamp milkweed. Its green stalks and leaves vividly contrast the pink colour of the flowers. A monarch butterfly clings to the leaves, her veined and speckled wings splayed open as she bends to lay eggs. Chips are missing from the edges of those wings; the orange color is scuffed away in places; this insect looks like she's been crumpled but she's here, seeing her goal through.
July 29, 2025 at 1:26 AM
hcvlach.bsky.social
I've been painting and pencil sketcing here and there, when I can focus. This Korvi anatomy is shaping up the way I want - a more bird-like dragon, less of the anthropomorphic chest and shoulders, with some kinda muscle-anchoring keel at the front there to support the wings. 🐦🐉✨
A rough pencil sketch of a bird-like dragon person sitting in an upright perching posture, in profile looking to the right. They have two curved horns and a crocodile-like face, and are covered almost entirely with feathers. Their slender, muscular arms are held up across the page, placing loops of barely-sketched garland with their clawed hands. The dragon person smiles gently at their task. Their feathered wings don't fit on the page, and a shadow falls over this drawing because lighting is hard.
July 16, 2025 at 12:11 AM
hcvlach.bsky.social
Probably important to mention that she's named after Selphie Tilmitt, from Final Fantasy 8! And she was named before "taking a selfie" became common parlance, so we got a fair amount of "WHY did you name your pet that??" reactions over the years 😅
An official Playstation 1 model (meaning that it's made of blocky-looking polygons) of Selphie Tilmitt from Final Fantasy 8. She's a teenage schoolgirl with light skin and short auburn hair flipped up at the ends, wearing a bright yellow minidress with tall boots. She's posed with knees bent and arms raised, looking cute but battle-ready.
June 23, 2025 at 9:36 PM
hcvlach.bsky.social
(Cw pet loss, pet death) We said goodbye to Selphie last week. 21 years old. We adopted her as a shelter kitten; she needed major leg surgery before her 2nd birthday. Hated the other cats; loved people. My cuddlegrump princess is free of pain now, and will always live beloved in my memory. 💜
An shorthaired white cat sprawled on her side, sleeping in weak sunlight. She's an elderly housepet with leaky eye ducts, laying on a grey sofa with some striped orange bedding under her. The cat's fluffy belly is facing the camera. Same shorthaired white cat, sleeping in a makeshift cat bed on hardwood flooring. She doesn't appear to mind that she's laying on a stack of random blankets and pillowcases, with a Red Lobster T-shirt tucked onto her like a blanket: she's curled up cozy, her face looking like a blissful smile. Same shorthaired white cat on the grey sofa, this time laying in a warm sunbeam on a purple microfleece blanket. From this angle, small orange spots are visible in the fur on top of her head. She has lifted her head slightly to look at the camera, eyes blearily half opened, her whiskers catching threads of light. Looks disgruntled but too comfy to do anything about it. (Also looks like she needs her leaky face wiped, don't worry, I got it after taking the pic.) Same shorthaired white cat, viewed from above. She's curled into a weary loaf, sitting on a folded fleece blanket inside a blue plastic storage bin. Her orange tabby-striped tail is wrapped around her: the orange spots between her ears are clearly visible here, and they're also tabby-striped. Heidi's white-skinned hand is gently petting the back of the cat's neck: the cat is turning toward the touch, eyes downcast.
June 23, 2025 at 6:41 PM
hcvlach.bsky.social
First harvest from my garden this year: chrysanthemum greens. Basically a daisy with less flowers and more leaves. I'm looking forward to trying this new bitter vegetable in some soup! 🥣🥰
A small bunch of frilly, green chrysanthemum leaves, still dew-speckled from being washed. The bunch rests on a rectangle of white paper towel, on a black ceramic cooktop.
May 16, 2025 at 5:44 PM
hcvlach.bsky.social
This jumping spider is welcome to stay, yes hello, thank you, please live right there and eat every aphid and gnat that looks at my plants 💜
Close-up of the mini greenhouse, a metal shelf enclosed with green-edged clear plastic. Inside, a small jumping spider sits on the clear surface, looking down at the plants. It's probably a juvenile zebra jumper (Salticus Scenicus) but couldn't confirm.
May 13, 2025 at 10:05 PM
hcvlach.bsky.social
But warm daytime weather is back and, like the plants, I creep back to life. Picked up this mini greenhouse on sale, it's made the nightly temperature lows less scary. (Each year I start a bunch of zucchini and cucumber plants for the neighbourhood community garden🌱)
A 4-tier shelf made of green wire, enclosed with zippered clear plastic to make a tiny greenhouse. It's sitting in the sunny corner of a backyard porch, with its door plastic unzipped and tied into a roll. A few small, leafy potted plants sit on each shelf.
May 13, 2025 at 9:56 PM
hcvlach.bsky.social
Drew a Ferrin that I'm fairly happy with? I'm figuring out how to make them look more like an actual mustelid, less like a cute mascot blob.
Pencil drawing of a ferret-like fantasy creature. They are sitting up on their hind legs, leaning their long body forward to touch clawed fingers against a vaguely drawn curtain. Their facial expression is alert and curious, with their cat-like ears quirked forward. Artist signature HCVlach
March 20, 2025 at 7:56 PM
hcvlach.bsky.social
Re: last repost, it's great to see monarch butterfly numbers improving! I've been emotionally invested in my butterfly garden for a few years now, partly because of how cool it is to see tiny, fragile creatures transforming their entire bodies before they leave for their long journey. 🥹💜
A white-skinned human hand holds up a long green leaf. A freshly emerged monarch butterfly dangles upside down from the leaf: the tips of its vivid orange-and-black wings are still damp and soft. Its empty chrysalis–a a transluscent, paper-thin pod–is attached to the leaf beside the butterfly. Background is a backyard garden with a wooden fence and grass sprouting between the walkway tiles.
March 18, 2025 at 2:42 PM
hcvlach.bsky.social
Think I'm getting the hang of this anthro spider design thing? My main focus was to get the pedipalps looking a lot like mammal ears. And sorting out the chelicerae mouth went kinda well, too! So yeah, here's another unnamed Ara person. 👍🕷️ Maybe soon I'll fathom how to clothe these folk...
Pencil sketch of an anthropomorphic jumping spider. They're sitting down on four crossed legs, with four arms draped loosely around themself. Rectangular head is turned left, looking away with its two largest eyes (which are large enough to be endearing, like a stuffed toy's shiny gaze). The spider's chelicerae tuck into their mouth like little bent fingers, forming a kind smile. Their pedipalps are set far back on their head, held with their fur-tufted joints pointed skyward so that they're triangular, reminiscent of cute mammal ears. Artist signature HCVlach
March 13, 2025 at 12:36 AM
hcvlach.bsky.social
Am quiet because it's winter ❄️😷🛏️ Drew this today though? I'm liking this more bird-like posture and anatomy for Roundigoes Korvi, it matches my sci-fantasy design sensibilities much better than the anthropomorphic body and legs I used for Aligare Korvi.
A yellow pencil, sitting next to the sketch it just created: lineart of a dragon person. They're sitting in profile to the viewer, in an upright perching posture reminiscent of a raptor bird, with their feathered wings folded against their back. They're clutching a spatula in their hand for reasons the artist has not yet determined. Their crocodile-like face is turned downward, staring wide-eyed at the artist's signature floating in front of them. HCVlach
March 10, 2025 at 5:25 AM
hcvlach.bsky.social
Thanks for this! 👍 I'm sharing my quirky serial fiction for free on my personal website (how like the Web used to be). Our Long-Steeped Remedies is a cozy magical sci-fantasy series about 3 non-human peoples who build a peaceful society together & cook a lot of good food. heidicvlach.neocities.org
A roughly circular arrangement of Canadian leaves, stems, flowers and seed heads on a black background. Clover and coneflower blossoms pop out pink against the many textures of green. In the middle of the circle, pink text says, "Here live the stories of Heidi C. Vlach".
February 18, 2025 at 3:59 AM
hcvlach.bsky.social
Another experimental model of an Ara (jumping spider) person, made of paper maché shapes and pipe cleaners. Still trying to get my head around their posture, and how they move all those limbs. (Was delighted to find that the model is strong enough to hold this pine cone unassisted, heh)
A simple 3D model of a lightly anthropomorphized jumping spider, made of blue pipe cleaners and white paper maché shapes. They are holding a small pine cone in their two-fingered hands, seemingly staring into it. The spider's pedipalps are set far back on their head, and held forward in a way faintly resembling rabbit ears. Side view of the spider person made of pipe cleaners and paper maché. They stand on their rearmost four legs, holding their thorax and head upright-ish in a centaur-like arrangement, pine cone held up before their face between two long arms. The paper maché head, thorax and abdomen resemble a stuffed animal: smooth yet textural surfaces, with ragged paper poking out of imprecise leg holes like stuffing out of a worn plush toy. The spider person model held up in Heidi's white-skinned hand to show the underside. Dark blue pipe cleaners form the character's many limbs, emerging from paper maché to squiggle in all directions. The four arms attach to the thorax portion, accurate to real spiders. But the four weight-bearing legs attach to the abdomen to allow the anthropomorphic upright pose. That can probably be explained by evolutionary factors, or magic. Or both!
February 10, 2025 at 3:06 AM
hcvlach.bsky.social
Did some sketching last night, I liked this blacksmithing dragon dude 👍
A simple pen sketch of a dragon hunched around an anvil, raising a hammer in its fist. The dragon stares down at its metalwork project with a drawn, focused brow.
February 4, 2025 at 10:17 PM
hcvlach.bsky.social
The header art, in case it doesn't preview for anyone else... I enjoyed arranging these garden trimmings very much. 💜
On a black background, light pink text says, "Here live the stories of Heidi C. Vlach". Cut flowers and leaves are arranged in a bountiful circle around the text: a ceiling of climbing vetch leaves; harebell and parsley; two sizes of clover blossoms; big pink coneflowers showboating around the right side of the arc.
January 22, 2025 at 2:30 AM
hcvlach.bsky.social
Been watching Youtube tutorials for DIY tabletop miniatures and I felt like trying out a dice tower. Don't play TTRPGs myself (too tired and too introverted), but I appreciate that level of commitment to building fantasy stories. And I always love an excuse to make a tree out of paper maché. 🌳🙌
A small dice tower made of a cardboard toilet paper tube, fixed onto the corner of a scrap cardboard box. A wide slit running the entire height of the tower allows the viewer to see the angled bumpers inside the tower. Same cardboard dice tower from the first image, mounted onto the corner of a cardboard box. Now the structure is mostly covered with a layer of paper maché, made of torn strips of a mostly-red grocery store flyer.
January 19, 2025 at 5:52 PM
hcvlach.bsky.social
I'm managing a little worldbuilding and sketching lately. Here's an Ara dude in a hoodie.
Simple lineart of a jumping spider person wearing a hoodie-like cloak. They're yanking the hood's strings tight: two big, dark eyes peer out from the cinched circle.
December 31, 2024 at 3:23 AM
hcvlach.bsky.social
Post your first RPG
Screenshot of a battle from the video game Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars. Mario and his 2 allies stand in a line, opposing a formation of clown-like enemies. They're in a wood-panelled room with checkerboard tile floor, viewed from an isometric angle.
December 23, 2024 at 3:49 AM
hcvlach.bsky.social
Enjoying low-key Halloween vibes this year. It's pouring rain outside but in here we've got candy 💜
In a shadowed place, two Jack-o-lantern statuettes grin at the viewer. They glow with inner LED lights, casting warm orange light on other gathered Halloween items: faceted crystals, mini chocolate bars with shiny wrappers, cylindrical wrapped candies and lots of scattered triangles of candy corn. The backdrop is a draped scarf, spotted orange and purple.
November 1, 2024 at 3:40 AM
hcvlach.bsky.social
coloured 'em 💜
The previous sketch of a Korvi, now with scratchy black ink and orange marker applied. They are an anthropomorphic dragon with two horns and a wild mane of orange feathers. They're wearing shorts and a sash-like belt. They're in motion, with their feathered wings and tail flaring out behind them, manipulating a loop of rope with their hands. Their crocodilian face is intent on the task. Author signature HCVlach.
October 25, 2024 at 3:46 AM
hcvlach.bsky.social
Drew a Korvi today. My dragon folk aren't much different in Roundigoes than in my previous stories! I do want to try to get that chest and torso looking more bird/crocodile-like, though.🤔 Might need to actually give them a keel instead of the modified vertebrae handwave I was using.
Pencil sketch of a Korvi, an anthropomorphic dragon with two horns and a wild mane of feathers. They're wearing shorts and a sash-like belt. They're in motion, with their feathered wings and tail flaring out behind them, manipulating a loop of rope with their hands. Their crocodilian face is intent on the task. Author signature HCVlach.
October 23, 2024 at 8:23 PM