This is just a simple html guide to formatting text on dA (and other sites as well), since nicely formatted text makes everything more visually appealing! :) My goal was just to compile some html info into a simple, easy to understand guide for quick reference.  I'm not very experienced with html so please let me know if you have any corrections or codes I should add!  

This guide goes a little above and beyond dA's FAQ entry (although I purposely left out anything to do with links, because they don't work on literature submissions).  I also provided working examples, which might make the codes a little easier to understand. (Keep in mind that when you type html tags, the effects won't be visible until you hit "Preview" on your comment, journal, etc. I only made them visible here for the purpose of demonstration.)

Let's get started!

The following codes can be used in comments, deviation descriptions, journals, and profile page widgets.

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<b>This will make bold text.</b>
<strong>This will also make bold text.</strong>

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<i>This will make italicized text.</i>
<em>This will also make italicized text.</em>

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<u>This will make underlined text.</u>

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<s>This will make striked out text.</s>
<strike>This will also make striked out text.</strike>
<del>This will also make striked out text.</del>

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You can also <b><u>combine multiple codes like this,</u></b> easy!
      _{*Note: When using multiple tags, close the most recent tag first (like how I put </u> before </b>).}

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_{_{This will display the text in subscript.}}
_{_{Use it multiple times to make text smaller  _{and smaller _{and smaller}}}}!

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^{^{This will display the text in superscript.}}
^{^{Use it multiple times to make text smaller  ^{and smaller ^{and smaller}}}}!

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<small>This will make text smaller (and not go below like subscript or above like superscript).</small>
      _{*Note: This tag doesn't work in literature submissions, so that's why it's not showing up here properly. XD}

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You can create cool effects like this_sssss by typing this_{s_{s_{s_{s_s}}}}!

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<code>This will change your text to a monospaced font.</code>
<tt>This will also change your text to a monospaced font.</tt>
      _{*Note: Monospaced fonts include Consolas, Courier, DejaVu Sans Mono, Lucida Console, Monaco, Prestige, etc.}

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Type <hr /> or <hr> to get the nice line I've been using throughout this guide! ↓

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If you want something like :) instead of there are a few options:

Type :<i></i>)

Type : then  &#41; for the )
^{(Here is a list of the ASCII character set: http://www.w3schools.com/tags/ref_ascii.asp)}

Sometimes you can also type :<span>)
^{(For example, it works in comments but not in deviation descriptions.)}

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<blockquote>Use this to create an indented section of text.</blockquote>

<blockquote><blockquote>Use it multiple times to indent text further!</blockquote></blockquote>

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To get an ordered (numbered) list like

An artist's essential items:

  
1. Coffee

  
2. deviantART

  
3. Photoshop

  
4. Wacom

you can use the Ordered List tag <ol> by typing:

<h4>An artist's essential items:</h4>
<ol>
  <li>Coffee</li>
  <li>deviantART</li>
  <li>Photoshop</li>
  <li>Wacom</li>
</ol>

(You don't need to hit enter between all of the <li> tags [they can all be on one line] because they will go on separate lines automatically.  I just kept them on separate lines so that the code is easier to see.)

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To get an un-ordered list like

An artist's essential items:

  
• Coffee

  
• deviantART

  
• Photoshop

  
• Wacom

you can use the Un-Ordered List tag <ul> by typing:

<h4>An artist's essential items:</h4>
<ul>
  <li>Coffee</li>
  <li>deviantART</li>
  <li>Photoshop</li>
  <li>Wacom</li>
</ul>

(You don't need to hit enter between all of the <li> tags [they can all be on one line] because they will go on separate lines automatically.  I just kept them on separate lines so that the code is easier to see.)

The following codes can ONLY be used in journals and profile page widgets.

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<font face="impact">This will change your font, depending on what font name you type in the "quotation marks".</font>
      _{*Note: Fonts will only show up if the viewer has that font installed on their computer. Otherwise it will show up as another default font.}

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<font size="4">This will change the size of your font.</font>

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<div align="left">This will align your text to the left.</div>

<div align="center">This will center your text.</div>

<div align="justify">This will justify your text.</div>

<div align="right">This will align your text to the right.</div>

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<h1>

This will give you heading text.

</h1>

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<h2>

This will give you heading text.

</h2>

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<h3>

This will give you heading text.

</h3>

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<h4>

This will give you heading text.

</h4>

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<h5>

This will give you heading text.

</h5>

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<h6>

This will give you heading text.

</h6>

I hope some people found this to be helpful! If you see any mistakes or have other codes you think should be added, please let me know! ♥