#-likes what you're doing to the point they can recognize your artstyle

[mellosdrawings]

Which numbers have you done for the fandom/fic ask? If you haven't done 24 can you?

Thank you for asking o/ So far I've answered to 3, 5, 6, 14, 21 and 22.

24. Funniest fandom related story

Ok, dunno if it's that funny but storytime, guys.

When I was a young teen, I had a Skyblog (the frenchies should know what I'm talking about). That was my very first social media, I used to post One Piece fanarts and fanfics, I would read a whole lot of fanfics and original fictions, I got three or four online friends I would talk with (one of them turned out to genuinely despise me and wouldn't say it to my face but that's another story). Long story short, I was kind of a popular blog? Like, it worked well.

So anyway, I ended up closing it coz I grew up and got in highschool and didn't have as much time and just generally didn't care all that much anymore (plus Skyrock ended up dying so no blogs anymore).

In highschool, my class and a few others went to Paris to visit museums and all, and we went there by train. I got bored so I started drawing, and the girl next to me started watching. And watching. And watching.

And suddenly she says "Wait, you're [old handle]?"

The cold dread and cringe I felt. Someone I now knew was familiar with all the shitpost I made when I was 12.

Those ridiculous feelings aside, we had a fun time in that train. We talked about One Piece and I told her what the end of the fanfic I wrote and discontinued was and she was genuinely the sweetest girl ever. I ended up giving her the drawing I was making.

We never really talked after that, but that's definitely the day I realized all those numbers on my screen were actual, real people. That was a shock for my 16 years old self.

The other fun fandom story I have is the one time I've spammed comments so much on all the Twst related fanfic of one author, and did like two fanarts for them, that I ended up making a friend.

Basically I became friends with someone because I was unhinged about their work lol. Tested and approved method 👌

ASK GAME

[macncherries]

by the way, id like to thank everyone for all of the love on this; especially in regards to praising the body types here.

i work really hard generally, but especially on this, to portray characters I like in different lights than what the original media can give them. due to the manga creation process, and most definitely animation process, things are simplified. i have a worm in my brain that tells me to do the opposite, to extreme amounts. thank you all for indulging my schizo-posting. but more importantly, thank you to everyone who recognizes themselves or others in the body types here.

more below the cut, im going to ramble a lot.

my detail interest mostly applies to faces, as you can see, but Laios is very special to me. He has a BMI of 26, which by all technicality is "overweight". which is crazy to me because in his character art that literally serves the purpose of depicting his body type, he is nowhere near overweight.

you can obviously see hes more well-fed than other characters, but he has virtually no fat or muscle definition (other than those pecs, holy SHIT Kui. GAW DAMN.) anyways, my point here, is that if he's overweight, (which he should be, food is yummy :3) (and you know his whole characters purpose is to consume) then he should look adjacent to what his environment necessitates of him. i.e. he has a big appetite, has the motivation to consume a lot of things, has quite a bit of strength (but not so much as to out-do other races), and fights monsters daily. This says to me his body much match these circumstances.

im not dissing Kui for this decision, by the way. I think everyone has different interpretations of Laios, and what Kui puts out is definitely by all means canon. I try to apply circumstance, context and nuance to the existing canon. Its not me overwriting it entirely. Its the "parent" media after all, I've just taken it and made a sibling/child. I hope that makes sense.

anyways. a few comments on my OG post I want to highlight, cuz they mean a lot to me

thank you...... this means a lot... i want people to look like people, as silly as that is to say. Im really glad I seem to be (?) succeeding. I sometimes with my artstyle was a little bit more realism based, but its kind of difficult to find a balance. I don't know if what I do now is considered "semi realism" but I do want my bodies to look completely realistic. I gave them both scars, and yet I haven't had top surgery yet either. Im glad that you're able to see yourself nonetheless. I am a White Man so I do not feel comfortable identifying with Kabru too heavily (appearance-wise) but I am also slightly underweight, and generally have dark features, so I like to think his body type is also realistic. I'm really, really thankful for this comment. I don't know that I'm putting it into words very well, because its something I struggle with, but I do appreciate it.

just so you know, i read this comment in my notifications while I was at work, and genuinely started to tear up. I am very very happy to hear it. You already have a comment of mine stating this, but I really do appreciate it. Especially the line about seeing these bodies at waterparks. I know its not your intention, but it makes me happy to think about because it means the person with said body isn't ashamed of it; to be out in public and whatnot. Also, Man Studies is a dutifully coined term. i love it. I'm happy to have heard it. I draw men a lot, actually pretty much only men, admittedly. So I work extra hard on them. Thank you for the recognition, professor

anyways, i have news. this ref/HC sheet has some new editions coming to it. along with a google doc of all of the research/notes I've done while re-reading the manga. mmm... autism... she is a beaut. if you're wondering how I have this much time on my hands, its because I'm doing all of this while I'm at work. Autism-diving helps my 40 hour work week go by faster. so I'm glad you're all enjoying that.

no one gets it. this is waht autism does to a mf. welcome to macncherries schizo-posting :(

[blueskittlesart]

Hey, I've quickly become a bit obsessed with your sword of fate au, and I had like a couple questions about what it would actually be like as a game. First off, open world or linear style quest like the old games? Also, what style would you want art-wise? Botw, or more cartoony, or something else? And is zelda a princess, and you go to the castle, or not? Just curious, thanks!!

yeahhh ok so i think it would be linear quest style, more similar to like wind waker almost where the world is TECHNICALLY open but certain things have to be done in a specific order to progress the story. i've got it set up like the older zelda titles with 3 dungeons/inciting incident/6 dungeons/final boss fight.

artstyle wise.. i mean i would like it to be as similar to the style i draw in as possible tbh since i just cant picture the characters any other way. idk how well my style would translate to like. 3d models tho. in terms of like environment artstyle i think i'd like to find a happy medium between skyward sword and botw, with the brighter colors and more cartoony solid shapes of skswkind of merged with the realism botw has, if that makes sense? i think most zelda games really benefit from bright colors and stylized art so i'd definitely want some of that vibe in sof.

zelda is a princess!! sof takes place fairly close to the beginning of hyrule's existence (around 200-300 years after sksw i think) so this zelda is actually the first reincarnation in the line after sksw zelda. She is a princess in title, but since hyrule is still a really young nation at this point the royal family's authority isn't super absolute and hyrule is really just kinda a scattering of human settlements that like. technically recognize the royal family's authority, but there's not a ton of governing power.

you do spend some time in the castle, but the castle isn't the final battle's loaction--that's the temple of time, where the secondary antagonist brings zelda and the 6 sages in order to revive demise. the game would actually start in the castle, with link as a stablehand and zelda as his bestie. you learn why link's there--he's trying to get information on his missing (kidnapped) sister--and that he's been there for a few months with no luck, and our inciting incident happens; another kidnapping. there are a lot of kidnappings in this story because, as i mentioned, it's structured like older zelda games and those games fucking loved kidnapping women. i can go into more detail about the actual story of the game if you're interested but it's basically standard zelda structure lol. the beauty of this franchise is that a lot of the story is written for you via the nature of the lore

[just-a-random-raccoon]

OK I prefer saying something meanwhile THIS is in my watch than doing NOTHING and make me feel guilty knowing I could have saved an artist (yeah artist. You will not change my mind about your art being one of the best things I seen) from disappearing with his good art.

Or at least try to do so! I'm not the best at this so I will try! So prepare for a big text!

I'm gonna be honest, I don't know how to start this text SO I will just go straight to the point.

Your art is so beautiful, I see it and I think "Wow, how this person can do this?" Every art is difficult and has its own way of making. Your style it's what makes you unique, how I know your art is unique? Because it CAN be recognized when you put it without the name of the author.

And I at least can do this.

Since that unhealthy obsession mep, I have seen your art has improved PRETTY MUCH (that is what got me in DSaF, YES, I THANK ALL OF THE ARTIST WHO CONTRIBUTE IN THAT BC without that I would libe without DSaF. And I can't imagine that happening, but that's NOT THE POINT), if I recall correctly. Your animation in your YouTube channel has become better, your character design also has became. I mean: Look at your designs! Moss it's a very good character, Mr. J and Javid have a STRONG personality and their character design express JUST that. David's design demostrates all the way he has go through.

And I'm not talking about the B! David AU because it always makes me cry (I think that was called the AU were David forgets everything). And I love CD's design, I find creative the tail you gave him!

But this is also not about your designs is it? Is about how you aren't comfortable with your artstyle, right?

Let me tell you something, some artist took time to learn what they've done, some can do things slower and some faster. Some are realistic and some are cartoonist, depends on the style you like and want to try. And keeping the thing that makes it unique!

Making realistic art is hard you don't learn it from night to day. You need to practice and practice until you get to the style you want.

It's difficult to pass from a cartoonist style to a realistic one, even get the middle of it.

But.... Your art is also difficult to do, why? Just by putting an idea in a canvas is difficult. Expressing it and having the disposition to do it is difficult.

Just making the poses and that the disposition of the body is right IS difficult.

So what you do also takes time, and it's appreciated. At least I do appreciate it! I know you feel your art is bad, but that's because you're focusing on the bad side (I had too, personal experience, I also don't like my art style and sometimes do.) So, try focusing on the good side of it! (EXAMPLE AND I WILL ALWAYS SAY IT: HOW YOU MAKE THE DESIGN CHARACTER MAKE SENSE WITH THE PERSONALITY OF THEM)

Also it may also be because you have been stressed lately or working hard in art, I recommend you take a little break (if you would like to do so)

With this I end my BIG BIG text, I also sometimes feel like I draw badly and get intimidated by others art, so I do these things like focusing in the good things (with some external opinion of what I do good.) And, taking some tutorials for improving works for me! So that would be what I do. I don't know if it would work with other people so-

Still sorry wouldn't ramble anymore, hope you feel better (or at least slightly) later of this. Bye! And merry Christmas!

dont be surprised if a cease to exist online and all trace of me vanishes

[xenoblademisadventures]

I think part of the reason the designs piss some people off so much is the game is otherwise fantastic.

Story:

- It's not as good as 1 but it's definitely above X

- a lot of focus is placed on Rex's and Pyra's relationship.

- I really like the synopses, way more than I probably should

- too much lore and world-building that goes nowhere/contributes nothing

- lots of unfulfilled potential (didn't notice a lot of this first Playthrough, so if you're only planning to play it once, shouldn't be a problem)

- Gripes aside, the story isn't terrible and does it's job. However 2 is much more character driven than story driven

Characters:

- minus Pyra's design clashing too much with her character (thus dragging both the character and design down), the major characters are really well written

- the characters make up for the story's okness

- every character except Dromarch gets at least one point in the story where they shine.

- a lot of the rare Blades are kinda one-note with their personalities. Sheba, Kora, Herald, and Zenobia come to mind here, though I've done very few of the Blade Quests, so they may be exceptionally poorly written Blades (Kora is the exception by virtue of being a parody of female stereotypes).

- characters are a lot closer to recognized anime tropes than in previous games (Mythra is the obvious tsundere compared to Melia where that aspect of her character was super diluted).

Combat:

- Like in 1 and X it's hard unless you know what you're doing. But unlike 1 and X, the tutorials are concise and actually exist (bad X, bad >:()

- There's a ton of changes made between 1 and 2, I enjoyed them but I've got no idea whether or not you will

- like in 1 and X, there are overlevelled enemies in low leveled areas, however it's less common (especially compared to X)

Music:

- area music is more energetic than 1 and still amazing

- Counterattack track generally isn't well used which sucks because it's a really good song.

- the sadness theme in Xenoblade 2 is so much more memorable than the one in 1.

- several really good songs are only used once or twice and/or don't have the full version play

Character Designs:

- besides Pyra, Mythra, and 5th's Blade, every major character is wearing clothes that reflects aspects of their character (Mythra less so than the other two, it's just that the artist went too far with one aspect, mainly the 'sexy' in 'sexy confident will beat the shit out of you').

- Rare Blade designs are all over the place (Adenine has an amazing design meanwhile Dahlia's over there with a design that's a tailored for a completely different type of character).

- inconsistent artstyles (Wulfric, Kora, Vess, Ursula, Azami, Fan La Noire, Brighid, Praxis, and Nim do not look like they belong in the same game, the art style is inconsistent (also everyone has their portrait taken at eye level except Dahlia who has the camera above her), and there's no consistent aesthetic

- some designs do not fit the character it belongs to at all (Pyra and Vess are the main offenders)

- clothes are for suckers, unless you're male. Then you're usually fully clothed (four exceptions to the rule)

- the armor is so intricate and bulky that there is so much characters clipping into themselves in their animations. My favorite moment is when Pyra's doing the dishes and her arms clip into her boobs.

Exploration:

- there's less stuff to do by going out of your way than in other games, and that stuff usually isn't very interesting

- it's better in the first few titans and Morytha but I didn't find exploration nearly as interesting as in 1 and especially X.

Glitches:

- some game/quest breaking ones I haven't encountered involving sidequests, but they're being patched (not game breaking as in look what I can do, more like you can't progress thanks)

- animation glitches aren't rare during gameplay, especially on Blade Combo finishers and Dromarch

Overall:

- doesn't beat Xenoblade 1 or X at anything but keep in mind that's a steep comparison

- it's far from a bad game and if you don't mind a less than perfect story and enjoy a fun combat system, this game's great

Hopefully this helps. I'm better at pointing out the bad than the good. But I'd give this game at least a B. The gameplay's the most important part and that's solid. It's a good comfort game, the combat isn't too difficult and there's usually something you can grind on if you'd like.

So, issues with character design and artstyle besides, is Xenoblade 2 a worth while pick up? I loved the story of Xenoblade one (I watched an LP, I didn’t have the PC to run an emulator for ir, cash for a Wii copy and no new 3DS to play the remake, so any way I cut it it was damn near over 100$ for me to play it) and while I was really turned off after the art style was shown, I mellowed out on it.  Is the story as interesting as the first one? Is the music as good? Are the characters (personality not designs) as memorable and endearing as those found in Xenoblade one?