Navigating Cara, AI Scrapers, and Protecting Human Art

 

Navigating Cara, AI Scrapers, and Protecting Human Art

Cara is a wonderful platform for anyone who creates or appreciates art. You can find almost every medium represented there—from photography and stained glass to watercolor, traditional hand drawing, and digital illustration.

Recently, however, Cara was hit by scraper bots. This hit the community hard because Cara was specifically designed as a safe haven where artists could showcase their work without fear of generative AI scraping it.

The Challenge of Fighting Tech Giants

The reality is that Cara supports a massive community—roughly 1.5 to 2 million artists. But we are up against tech giants with trillions of dollars in resources and massive legal teams at their disposal. Even when artists unite, stopping unauthorized web scraping completely is an uphill battle.

The founder of Cara, Jingna Zhang (known online as Zemotion), created the platform alongside a small team of developers to build an anti-AI portfolio space that protects human creators. To strengthen this mission, she partnered with Professor Ben Zhao’s research team at the University of Chicago to integrate Glaze directly into Cara.

Glaze adds invisible mathematical noise to digital artwork. To human eyes, the art looks completely normal, but AI scrapers reading the file get confused and cannot properly copy or mimic the artist's style. Because running Glaze locally requires a heavy graphics card, integrating it into Cara’s cloud servers made style protection accessible to everyone without needing expensive hardware.

When the scraping incidents occurred, some users placed the blame on Jingna Zhang. But that isn't fair. Cara is still in beta, and the reality of the modern internet is that 100% security against aggressive automated scrapers is nearly impossible for any single platform.

Feeding the Scrapers "Inferior Product"

Because of how the internet operates today, I simply operate under the assumption that anything uploaded online will eventually encounter a scraper. To adapt, I take a proactive approach with my work for Serenity of the Mind:

• Visible Copyright Overlay: I apply a clear copyright mark across my backgrounds and graphic elements.

• Low-Resolution Uploads: I upload display images at a much lower resolution.

If a scraper bot steals my work, it only retrieves an inferior, low-res version with text embedded into the visual data. In a small way, this feeds low-quality information back into generative models, frustrating the cycle of automated slop.

Supporting Real Human Creativity

As human creators and art appreciators, our best path forward is to support human-made work in all its forms—whether that is writing, painting, or hand-drawn design. We support the creative ecosystem by choosing non-AI, authentic human effort over shortcut generative content.

Connect & Support:

• Watch: If you enjoy cat compilations, painting process videos, and behind-the-scenes content, visit our YouTube channel at Serenity of the Mind.

• Shop: You can support our work directly at store.serenityofthemind.com, where we offer hand-painted watercolor backgrounds, graphics, and animated graphics (GIFs).

• Reference List

  Platforms & Protection Tools

  • Cara: Anti-AI portfolio platform and social network for artists founded by photographer Jingna Zhang (cara.app).

  • Glaze: Free style-protection software developed by Professor Ben Zhao’s research team at the University of Chicago (glaze.cs.uchicago.edu). Confuses AI scrapers by adding invisible mathematical noise to digital image files.

  • Nightshade: Complementary tool from the Glaze team at UChicago that alters image pixels to disrupt generative AI model training data.

  Resources & Links Mentioned in This Post:

  • Cara Portfolio Platform: cara.app

  • Glaze Style Protection Tool: University of Chicago SAND Lab (glaze.cs.uchicago.edu)

  • Serenity of the Mind Shop: store.serenityofthemind.com

  • YouTube Channel: Serenity of the Mind on YouTube

Fall Items at our store Serenity of the Mind.

 

Fall Items at our store Serenity of the Mind. 

We have some fall speech bubbles available right now; the

 rest of the speech bubbles will be ready at the end of next

 week.

Digital Graphic: Hand-Painted Speech Bubble: Fall Leaf: Hand-Mulled (No AI)

                                                 $2.00

click here to see the asset.

  https://store.serenityofthemind.com/b/zVWZ2

Digital Graphic: Hand-Painted Speech Bubble: Fall Colors (Burst): Hand-Mulled (No AI)

$2.00

click here to see the asset

https://store.serenityofthemind.com/b/vmstT

Digital Graphic: Hand-Painted Speech Bubble: Fall Colors (Rectangle): Hand-Mulled (No AI)

$2.00

click here to see the asset

https://store.serenityofthemind.com/b/sFCxh

Digital Graphic: Hand-Painted Speech Bubble: Fall Colors: Hand-Mulled (No AI)

https://store.serenityofthemind.com/b/MNZfp

$2.00

The rest of the speech bubbles will be done by the end of the week. We like to

 provide single graphics and single

 backgrounds for people that only need one item. We will also make a bundle so

 one can purchase all the speech

 bubbles at once.

To see the rest of the 62 backgrounds, graphics, speech bubbles, and gif or

 animated graphic check out our store at

  store.serenityofthemind.com.  

Our Sick Little Cat Is Well Again

 Our Sick Little Cat Is Well Again

It was a rough week, starting on Labor Day when our oldest cat, Emily, got sick. She had liquid diarrhea and was pooping and peeing all over the house. The biggest problem was getting an appointment with our regular vet. I thought I knew what made her sick, so I stopped giving her the liquid cat tooth cleaner, but she still didn’t get better. Tuesday came, and the vet had no openings at all.

Finally, one of the ladies at the front desk suggested a bland diet. I asked her, “Well, what’s a bland diet for a cat? I can’t give her sports drinks.” Luckily, she was kind enough to consult a vet about what I should feed her. She got us some special canned food for cats with diarrhea, and over the week, Emily got better and better. We still took her to see her regular doctor on Saturday. She was doing better, but she was dehydrated, so she had to be put on an IV for fluids for a while. She is fine now, stealing food from her roommate, Athena, and sleeping comfortably with our son.

It seems that products designed to keep cats' teeth clean and improve their breath aren’t always suitable for every cat. Our vet gave us a list of treats that actually work based on testing by the Veterinary Oral Health Council (VOHC). They award the VOHC Seal of Acceptance to specific treats, diets, toothpastes, and water additives scientifically proven to reduce plaque, tartar, or both by at least 20%.

We chose one of the approved options, but Emily refused to eat it—even after I hid it inside a treat that smelled like bacon. It smelled so good I almost wanted to eat it myself! When that didn't work, I tried Feline Greenies. She liked them, but the feeding guidelines recommended 16 treats a day. Emily only weighs seven pounds and eats half a can of food twice a day. Feeding her 16 Greenies made her lose her appetite. No dental product can replace proper nourishment, and cats still need to eat their regular food to stay healthy.

Next, I tried a green liquid tooth cleaner mixed into a creamy cat treat, but that made her very ill. Her little tummy just couldn’t handle it.

You might be asking, “Why didn’t you just have the vet clean her teeth?” Unlike humans, cats won't nicely open their mouths and hold still for a dental cleaning. They have to be put under anesthesia, which is extremely dangerous for older cats. Put simply, putting a cat of her age under anesthesia is a death sentence. That is why we took the route of finding the right dental treat or liquid instead.

The vet finally decided we should stick with Greenies, but instead of 16 a day, we will only give her four to six.

To all of our viewers: take care when introducing recommended dental products, and watch closely to make sure your cat doesn’t get sick from them.

If you would like to support us, please check out our store! We offer digital backgrounds, graphics, and animated GIFs. We now have 59 100% human-made, AI-free digitized assets available.

Apparently, Youtube is re-writing the rules again.

 

Apparently, Youtube is re-writing the rules again. There are several reasons this is being done, and they aren’t necessarily bad:

Picture from Pixabay

What's changed?

YouTube has set out its vision for the Partner Program to "pay even more to creators in 2027 than we did in 2026." The announced changes fall into two groups: one covers what happens if you're already earning, and the other covers what it now takes to get in the door. Knowing which one applies to your channel makes the rest of this update easier to follow.

If you're already in the Partner Program:

• Long-form channels

Nothing changes. As YouTube's Renee Richie put it in a Creator Insider video, "if you have a long-form channel already in the YouTube Partner Program, nothing is changing for revenue sharing."

• Shorts channels

You'll still need to maintain 10 million qualified Shorts views over a rolling 90 day window to keep earning ads and Premium revenue on Shorts. Falling short of 10 million views doesn't remove you from the program – or affect other earnings like Memberships and Supers – it just pauses Shorts payments until you cross the threshold again.

Article from Uppbeat.io

Newest Hand-Mulled, Hand-Painted Watercolor Backgrounds & Graphics!

 

Newest Hand-Mulled, Hand-Painted Watercolor Backgrounds & Graphics!

store.serenityofthemind.com

We try to add new items daily, but sometimes life gets in the way! Since we haven’t posted new items in a little while, we have a wonderfully large update for you today.

All of our digital assets are 100% hand-painted by Shy Artist for Serenity of the Mind using our custom, hand-mulled pigments on cold press watercolor paper—strictly No AI.

 Digital Background: Serene Circles in Emerald (No AI)

Our latest digital backdrop brings the tactile depth of traditional, handmade art directly to your digital projects. Featuring a rich Emerald Green wash lightened with French Turquoise, it is layered with soft circles in varying values of Serenity Buff, medium Emerald, and a touch of Black Ochre.

Perfect For:

• Content Creation: Calm YouTube videos, Shorts, TikToks, and Reels.

• Design Assets: Professional video overlays, YouTube title cards, and blog headers.

• Tech Aesthetics: Full HD Desktop and Mobile wallpapers.

Details & Format:

• High-Resolution Digital Download: Includes both Vertical and Horizontal (Short & Long) formats.

• Pixel Dimensions: 1920 × 1080 px (Horizontal) & 1080 × 1920 px (Vertical).

• License: Personal & Commercial License included. (Note: Reselling or redistributing the digital files themselves is not permitted).

• Price: $5.00 for the set.

 Click here to purchase Serene Circles in Emerald

(Purchased backgrounds, graphics, and speech bubbles are delivered clean without any watermarks or copyright notices).

 Digital Graphic: Hand-Painted Watercolor Heart – Mayan Red (No AI)

A high-resolution, hand-painted watercolor graphic featuring a vibrant heart painted with custom, hand-mulled Mayan Red pigment. Crafted with care on textured cold press paper, this piece brings natural depth and warm, organic tones to any creative design—an authentic human touch that AI simply cannot replicate.

Product Features:

• High-Resolution Transparent PNG File: Crisp, clean background for seamless layering over any backdrop.

• Ready to Use Everywhere: Optimized for digital note-taking apps (GoodNotes, Notability), digital scrapbooks, graphic design, high-quality printing, craft projects, or video overlays.

Creative Ways to Use This Graphic:

• Digital Planning & Journaling: Import directly into GoodNotes or digital bullet journals as decorative stickers and theme accents.

• Content Creation: Overlay onto video intros, thumbnails, end screens, or social media graphics for an organic, cozy aesthetic.

• Crafts & Printing: Create physical stickers, scrapbooking pages, greeting cards, wall art prints, or custom stationery.

Terms of Use:

Includes a commercial license for small business and personal use. You are welcome to print it for your home, craft physical gifts, or overlay it into your creative projects and videos. Reselling or redistributing the original standalone graphic file is strictly prohibited.

• Price: $2.00

 Click here to view & purchase the Mayan Red Heart

Explore & Follow Us

•  Store: Visit our Serenity of the Mind Store to explore all our hand-painted backgrounds and graphics.

•  Pinterest: Check out our Pinterest Gallery to see artwork mock-ups and ideas.

•  YouTube: Search Serenity of the Mind on YouTube or watch our Latest YouTube Videos to see how we use our graphics and backgrounds in action!

 

Is Your Cat Safe This Summer? Heat, Smoke, and Evacuation Prep

Where we live, it is very hot—over one hundred degrees—and there is smoke from forest fires everywhere. It led my wife and me to do research on how to keep our cats safe. We are lucky that no fires are threatening where we live, but we have had friends with issues this year. So, I put together some information to help you better care for your cat during the hot summer months and during fire season.

8 Ways to Keep Cats Cool in Summer

The temperatures are rising, and it can only mean one thing—the long days of summer are here. While our canine pals frolic in sprinklers, what's a cat to do but seek out the coolest corner of the bathroom floor? From semi-friendly outdoor cats searching for shade to indoor cats loafing about, knowing how to keep cats cool in the summer is essential to their health.

"Cats that have any health issues or older cats are very prone to serious health conditions caused by the heat," says Dr. Sarah McCormack, DVM at Northwest Neighborhood Veterinary Hospital in Portland, Oregon. She adds that any cat could experience dehydration, heat exhaustion, or heatstroke when temperatures teeter toward 80 degrees Fahrenheit.

1. Swap the Water Bowl for a Fountain: Cats are notorious for not drinking enough water. Swapping their still water for a cat water fountain replicates a natural running water source that entices them to drink. Other options for encouraging hydration without spending extra money include adding a splash of sardine water or tuna water to their bowl, or encouraging them to drink from a running bathroom faucet.

2. Get a Cooling Mat: If you don't have AC, a cooling mat can do the trick. Just make sure it's made to withstand cat nails, or trim your cat's nails before use.

3. Swap Dry Food for Wet Food: Wet food packs up to 66% more water than dry food, helping prevent dehydration. Try chilling the wet food in the fridge before serving to see if your cat likes cold food (though some prefer room temperature).

4. Grooming & Coat Care: "A lion cut can provide a lot of comfort to a cat, especially long-haired cats," Dr. McCormack says. For indoor-outdoor cats with a short cut, consider a pet-safe sunscreen or a UV shirt to protect their skin from sunburn.

   • Note on Shaving: Some research suggests shaving your cat to help with heat, while other sources warn that a cat's coat actually acts as insulation against extreme heat and UV rays. Because every cat is different, it is best to contact your veterinarian to know what is right for your own cat.

5. Provide Airflow: If you don't have AC, cracking open windows and turning on a fan can work on moderately hot days. When temps push toward triple digits, consider a portable AC unit or seeking out a cat-friendly hotel with air conditioning.

6. Apply Cool Water to Her Paws: Cats cool slightly with the evaporation of sweat through their paw pads. If you are concerned your cat is hot, putting cool water on her paws helps her cool down.

7. Give Experienced Bathers a Cool Bath: If your cat is a pro at bath time, a cool bath can help. However, stress can exacerbate health conditions, so if your cat isn't used to baths, a record-setting hot day is not the time to try it.

8. Provide Outdoor Cats a Cool Spot: For neighborhood or feral cats, share fresh water and wet food in a shady spot. If there is no shade, set up a summer cat house that is open on the sides to allow maximum airflow (Jacklyn Ellis, Director of Behavior at Toronto Humane Society).

Signs Your Cat is Too Hot or Dehydrated

Heat exhaustion is the beginning phase of heatstroke. When a cat feels too hot, she may refuse food, hide, or pant. Even indoor cats are at risk without proper precautions. Contact your vet immediately if you notice:

• Panting or open-mouth breathing

• Rapid respiratory rate

• Hot ears

• Bright red tongue

• Dark red or pale gums

• Drooling

• Depression, weakness, or stumbling

• Anxious behavior or vocalization

• Lying on one side, completely stretched out

Dehydration Skin-Tent Test: Lift the skin along your cat's back and drop it. If hydrated, it snaps back quickly. If there is a delay and the skin stays tented up, your cat is dehydrated.

9 Tips to Keep Your Cat Safe from Wildfires & Smoke

Wildfires are common across the US and typically occur from spring to fall, particularly in dry areas. Pets can be just as affected by smoke as humans, and if you need to evacuate, they add a layer of complexity. Planning ahead is key.

Is wildfire smoke dangerous for cats? Yes—wildfire smoke irritates a cat's eyes and lungs just as much as human lungs. Animals with respiratory or cardiovascular disease are at higher risk, but all animals can be affected if smoke is severe.

1. Pack a Pet Emergency Kit: Always have an emergency kit ready for natural disasters containing:

   • Pet carrier for each cat

   • Two-week supply of food and water

   • Medications and dosing instructions

   • Pet first-aid kit

   • Non-spill food and water bowls

   • Cat litter box and litter

   • Plastic bags for waste disposal, paper towels, and disinfectants

   • Extra leashes, collars, blankets, toys, and treats

2. Know Your Evacuation Options: Not all emergency shelters accept pets. Make a plan for where you can go (pet-friendly hotels or friends) well in advance. Microchip your cats and make arrangements with neighbors to check on or transport your pets if you are away when disaster strikes.

3. Monitor Air Quality: Check air quality alerts at AirNow.gov. If alerts advise limiting outdoor activity for humans, keep your pets strictly inside as well.

4. Keep Cats Indoors: Close all doors and windows to keep smoke out. If your cats cannot safely have the run of the house, bring them into a bathroom, bedroom, or safe room with adequate ventilation.

5. Monitor Your Cat's Breathing: Watch for coughing, gagging, trouble breathing, noisy breathing, fatigue, weakness, reduced appetite, nasal discharge, red/watery eyes, or disorientation. Contact a vet immediately if these occur.

6. Avoid Heavy Exercise: Skip intense play sessions during smoke events. Make sure your cat has a litter box inside so they don't need to go outdoors.

7. Create a Clean Room: If you have central AC or window units, buy high-efficiency filters to capture fine smoke particles. You can also run a portable HEPA air cleaner in a designated room.

8. Keep Indoor Air Clean: Avoid adding indoor air pollution during a wildfire. Do not fry or broil food, burn scented candles, use wood stoves, or smoke cigarettes inside while smoke is outside.

9. Always Include Your Pets in Your Evacuation Plan: Ideally, use a carrier or pet backpack. If an extreme emergency forces you to leave pets behind, place them in a clean, preselected room with enough food, water, and litter. Never confine a cat in a crate or leave them outside without access to food, water, and shade, and return for them the moment it is safe.

Research Articles & Sources Referenced

• Summer Safety for Cats: Essential Tips to Keep Your Feline Safe by Janelle Leeson / NASC

• 9 Tips to Keep Your Cat Safe from Wildfire Smoke by Nicole Cosgrove (Director of Content Management at Catster)

• Pet Fire Safety: Top Strategies for Emergencies / The Spruce Pets

• Veterinary Experts Consulted: Dr. Sarah McCormack, DVM (Northwest Neighborhood Veterinary Hospital) & Dr. Jacklyn Ellis (Director of Behavior, Toronto Humane Society)

My wife and I here at Serenity of the Mind hope you and your cats or other pets stay safe this year. Please take a look at our YouTube channel @serenityofthemind where you can find funny cat compilations and other fun videos. You can also visit our store at store.serenityofthemind.com to find hand-mulled watercolor backgrounds, speech bubbles, and digital graphics ready to use in any of your creative projects!

  Learn how to protect your cats during extreme summer heat, high temperatures, and wildfire smoke season. Includes emergency evacuation prep, cooling tips, and pet safety advice from veterinary experts.

Showing Off Our Cat Shorts (and How We Make Them)

 Showing Off Our Cat Shorts (and How We Make Them)

We are now putting our shorts on our blog. It is very hard with the way the algorithm is these days for us to show off our cat shorts, so today I am showing you a few that you might like.

Funny Cats: Cats Being Cats #shorts

This is the first one Shy Artist made a hand-painted watercolor background for. We couldn’t find good backgrounds anymore, and we felt that YouTube was changing. But she had not painted any speech bubbles yet, so we were still using the speech bubbles from Canva or Pixabay. It started not to be as easy to use Canva like it used to be, and we couldn’t get good transparencies at the time, which is important if you are going to make your own speech bubbles. I always like to add words to the kitties and make funny sound effects if it fits the video. The cat hit and run was one of those cat clips that really needed a car screech and then a collision sound. Back then, I got all of my sound effects from Pixabay. Eventually, I would have to get sound effects somewhere else. I ended up paying for them because I needed to have a license I could actually show to YouTube or become whitelisted. Whitelisting is when a company like Uppbeat tells YouTube, "This content creator has a license to use any sound effects or music we have." It protects you when you have a content claim, especially nowadays. YouTube says they don’t punish a channel for having content claims, but I beg to differ, as we have always experienced losing views after a content claim even after presenting them with the license.

Actually, I was wrong—Jan 14, 2026 is when I started using backgrounds painted by Shy Artist. Since we don’t really like showing humans very much, we decided to use the background to show less of the humans so all the focus would be on the cat stealing the koi fish. Also, it makes us look unique, which is very important these days. YouTube can say you are not unique and stop viewers from finding you. The clip with the kitten moving on the ceiling uses one of Shy Artist's Legacy backgrounds. It worked well at allowing us to drop the cat down low enough so you can see the speech bubble. The speech bubble wasn’t Shy Artist’s. We used three of the backgrounds this time.

Funny Cats Naughty Cats and Cute Kitten

I didn’t do any more for a while because I had stopped using Canva and then had to use Clipchamp, and then Clipchamp was going to force me to pay for cloud service even if I didn’t use it. So I was struggling using different free editors that didn’t work well. February 18, 2026 is the second one we did because my son told me about Pixlr and the Resolve editor. Pixlr helped a lot. It took me three months to learn both these new tools to make my videos, but Pixlr was really important because it allowed Shy Artist to make speech bubbles.

If you liked any of the backgrounds that were used in these cat compilations, they are sold on store.serenityofthemind.com. They are reasonably priced. Shy Artist, who is also my wife, feels as we use them ourselves, we can give people a break.