#Also to add an extra layer of Crack

[bet-on-me-13]

The Timeline Shifted, and Sam is conflicted...

So! A Timeline Shift occurs one day (thanks Barry) while Team Phantom are in the Ghost Zone helping Clockwork with a few things. As they are going back to the Human World, Clockwork gives them another cryptic piece of advice.

"Unfortunately the world will not be the same as it once was. Samantha, you will find this especially Jarring, but keep an open mind."

Before they can ask what happened, he shoves them through their own respective Portals, and Sam lands in an Alleyway in Gotham.

She is confused, but a green glowing sticky note appears in front of her telling her 'go to the nearby park, you will see what I was talking about'

She walks over, and sees a lady with Green Skin tending to some flowers. Her head is covered by a Hat, so Sam can't see her face.

They strike up a Conversation, and Sam finds that this Lady is great. She loves taking care of Plants, she hates it when Companies pollute the Earth, and she even has Plant Powers just like Sam!

It occurs to her that she never asked for the Lady's name, so she asks and the lady lifts her Hat to reveal her face. And Sam freezes.

"Oh, sorry for not introducing myself. My name is Pamela Isley."

Thats her Mom's Maiden Name.

This lady has her Mom's Name.

This is her Mom.

Oooooooohhhhhhhhhh shit.

...

Read the tags for extra context

[thatsmybook]

A few times, I've heard Lisa and Rojda talk about how Young Royals is about the class system and a queer Prince, but also, it's relatable because not only do the cast look like teenagers, they act like teenagers in today's world. So it's also a show about teenagers. With that in mind, I'd like to talk about Simon Eriksson, working class, immigrant, and mixed race student at Hillerska, falling in love with the Prince.

Simon, in S1, deliberately kept any problems about Sara and his life at Hillerska hidden from his mum because he did not want to burden her. He lied to reassure her when she'd get worried about Sara and equally made decisions to help Sara's wellbeing at school. It seemed that he was taking care of his mum and sister when his dad left and after the abusive relationship that seemed to have really affected the whole family. This is why he doesn't share anything bad that he's going through with his mum. He's trying to protect her. He always has.

As to the comments he is getting. I think he is reading them because often they concern his family and are from the people in their town. That, along with the phone calls at night and hate-mail mentioned by Linda at the court hearing in S3 ep1, this means that he's on hyper-vigilance about threats to him and his family. So, my theory is that he is monitoring his comments and engaging to try to defuse things. But just like in all 3 seasons, his actions often lead to more problems.

This is a 16 year old kid, the youngest in his family, doing things an adult should be doing. This is very relatable for many working-class single parent families. Something to add about first-generation kids of immigrant families, having an extra layer of working to help the family navigate the country and society they're in.

Also, as to the comments, there have been many real life incidents, unfortunately , of teenagers getting hate comments online from their peers and bullied to the point of taking their own lives. Simply telling them not to read the comments may not have worked for them. (Yet so many reactors to this season think it's that simple).

Simon is getting a volumous amount of hate comments, which started right after the sex video was released in S1. At that point, the comments were in the print media.

He needs actual support, less obliviousness from the adults in his life about what is happening to him (that includes the Royal Court), and understanding about the actual effect of comments on his mental health from everyone around him. He is a victim of actual hate, and when I hear about any child going through that kind of regular abuse, my heart goes out to them.

Seeing how supportive Simon's dad could be in this 3rd season in his conversations with Sara, we can see how much Simon actually misses his dad. Because had he had a relationship with him, without the baggage of Sara's need for distance, he would have probably noticed that Simme needed help and been quite good at it, when he could manage it.

However, we as the audience seem to be blinded by Wille's more important problems, partly because the show is largely from his POV, but also because his pressures seem bigger. As a result, I've seen fans come down on Simon for not putting his life's woes in perspective to support Wille more. We start to see big cracks in their relationship and start to feel that they just won't work out.

But, they're also just kids in their first relationship. Miscommunication is completely normal at that age. They've only just been spending actual time with each other this season and getting to know each other. Yet they are dealing with adult problems, and so many of us fans are shouting at the screen - talk to each other! I feel like, if I were one of them, there is so much weight on me that I'd be too scared to open the floodgates and actually tell my boyfriend what's happening because I don't want to scare him. And no wonder they spend most of their time making out. It's the easiest part of their relationship and what gives them actual joy at the moment.

So I give grace to these characters and kudos to the creators of the show, for showing ACTUAL teenagers dealing with real life problems, amplified for drama because of the dichotomy of being a Prince and a commoner. But, I don't judge ANY of the characters when I apply the same analysis I've given here to Simon to all the other four characters. What this show requires of us adults is empathy for their plight and maybe a closer look at the teenagers in our lives. What it does for the teen audience is show them that they're not alone when they mess up or are dealing with life pressures. We as a society won't judge them. We will work to understand them and share their burdens.

[almostyours]

★   .   THE  VOICE  OF  ■■■■

kaia's tone can shift effortlessly from soft,  breathy whispers to full-on belting,  and she makes it look super easy.  she has this light,  airy quality to her voice,  but when she hits those sweet high notes,  there's that little rasp that adds a little something that draws us in.  whether she’s breaking hearts with a ballad or bringing the energy on a hype track,  kaia knows how to shine in hiraeth.

with a voice that resembles the idea of a fairy,  you wouldn’t think that she’s known as one of the best rappers in the industry.  she’s got this sharp,  confident flow that is both playful and intense,  keeping you hooked from the first word,  either in korean,  japanese,  or english.  one moment she’s fierce,  the next she’s throwing in a quirky twist that makes you hum and dance along,  and somehow,  it all works because it’s her.  her voice is smooth enough to switch gears and give you something sweet and sincere too,  making it feel like she’s born for this.

UH  OH!   but isn’t it funny?  her vocals don’t get nearly enough love.  she’s out here harmonizing like a pro—  mind you,  she can keep up with her members that are known as vocalists,  but all anyone talks about are…  the many clips of her voice cracking or the ones where she's messing up their live performances just a little bit.  so now,  people are like,  “just let her do the rapping and be pretty”. like,  hey,  everyone has one of those days!

★   .   SABRINA  CARPENTER,  SOYEON  &  ROSÉ ★   .   KANA  NISHINO.  JOY.  REI.  JULIE.  YOOA.  WONYOUNG.

★   .   THE  VOICE  OF  ■■■■■

poppy's tone is crystal-clear,  with this emotional depth that makes every note and lyric feel personal,  as if she was talking to you.  she can float through soft ballads and hit high notes effortlessly,  known to be one of the very few people who can keep up with the group’s main vocalist.  there’s this delicateness to her voice,  but it carries both strength and something familiar to it that makes you feel everything she is singing about.

she also has that breathy style that could make a baby fall asleep!  zzzz.  but what really stands out is her versatility.  her voice is smooth and rich,  but with a little bite that keeps it from sounding too polished.  

poppy's voice is nostalgic,  dreamy,  and has an endearing natural flow,  which is why people speculate it’s too good to have,  calling it either AI or fake.  but that’s not the only reason people call her voice fake!  her singing tone is just that sweet,  but when she starts talking?  totally different.  her speaking voice is deep and low and kind of unexpected to hear from miss pretty face who barely stands at five feet two inches,  giving people real whiplash after hearing her sing!

UH  OH!   remember that one time she was caught lip-syncing?  people just won’t let it goooooooooo, along with those “unprofessional” claims just because she dissociated twice or thrice or something. istoppedcountingnotgonnalie. as if that doesn’t happen to the best of us! but back to the lip-syncing because, mind you,  she was doing this crazy dance routine in literal high heels while wearing a short dress during a festival show,  so obviously,  she had to pace herself or else she was going to get into another accident!  at least she’s constantly proving everyone wrong with every performance...  and in high heels! 

★   .   TAEYEON,  SEULGI  &  ARIANA  GRANDE ★   .   SEJEONG.  CHUNGHA.  NANA  MIZUKI.  BIBI.  SOYOU.

★   .   THE  VOICE  OF  ■■■■

yvan’s voice is powerful,  but in the kind of way that catches you off guard and makes you love it.  there’s this theatrical,  almost dramatic flair to it,  giving every song an extra layer of intensity and of something new.  they can go from something soft and slow to belting with so much control that it feels like the whole room stops to listen.  their voice is bold,  but not overwhelming.  emotional and commanding,  that’s our ITHEY!

then there’s this crispness to their tone,  where every note is hit with precision.  even when they’re singing fast-paced or upbeat tracks,  their voice stays sharp.  they have that ability to switch from lighter,  playful moments to really digging into the deep,  emotional stuff,  making it feel like they’re telling a story with every song.  and one thing that is universally loved by angels and anyone with ears?  is that you can just tell when yvan is smiling,  frowning,  or crying when singing.

their versatility is crazy,  though.  yvan can hit those high,  bright notes with a lot of ease,  but when they drop into the lower range,  there’s this richness that makes anything sound even better.  no matter what, their voice stands out:  it’s loud,  clear,  and always full of personality.

UH  OH!   but,  okay,  here’s the thing…  some people find yvan’s voice a bit too much.  they say they are loud,  dramatic and overpowering.  some fans are like,  “can yvan just tone it down a little so we can hear kaia’s 10-second lines?”.  and then there’s the whole thing whenever yvan collabs with other idols.  their fans are always complaining,  claiming that yvan’s voice overshadows everyone else just to show off.  it’s annoying because what’s the problem?  that’s their job—  to sing!  it’s not their fault that they can sing and others don’t or are just not good at it!

★   .   CHAPPELL  ROAN,  WENDY  &  LiSA ★   .   SOLAR.  LILY.  HAYLEY  WILLIAMS.  RENEÉ  RAPP.

[dimonds456]

Transfem Stan Thoughtdump

Okay so @/abyssalzones made a pretty good post that sums up a lot of my thoughts as well, but I have a few extra ones I'd like to add to this discussion, as well as elaborating on one of the post's points. I've been thinking about transfem Stan for a couple of weeks now and at this point I'm like "fuck it we ball" and throwing it out there. 

For one, it warms my heart whenever there's an older character who was raised in the mid-1900s/older times who realizes they're queer, or comes to terms with their identity in old age. You're never too old to realize you're part of the community, and never too late. Adding this on top of the many, MANY identities that Stan has had to take to survive in her life, it'd be like really turning over a new leaf for her. She'd get to really step into an identity that she aligns with completely, and not something else given to her or that she took to protect herself. 

Not to mention, everything regarding Ford. The fact that she had to pretend to be Ford for so long, she more than likely never had the chance to even think about taking on any other identities. She had to keep this one as intact as she could. Otherwise, she could risk loosing the Shack, and with it, the portal- her brother. No way that was happening. 

It was briefly touched in the post, but when Stan was watching that one movie and she was like "JUST LIKE ME FR", obviously the writers intended that to just be a joke since this was as far and away from Stan's identity as they could get. But we're gonna ignore that and take it at face value for a second. 

The channel introduces itself (jokingly) as the boring old lady black-and-white channel, clearly something that a manly-man like Stan wouldn't be into, and he reacts like how you'd expect. But once it gets going, he gets fully sucked into it, leading eventually to the scene where the main character, seemingly about to complete a Character Arc™, tells her mother "I'm not just a dutchess, I'm also a woman!" and Stan cheers for her, saying the "just like me fr" line. 

Without any transfem headcanons, again, this is a joke. Or you could interpret this in hindsight as Stan feeling a similar way about his father, since lines like "I'm a woman!" declared like that usually means "I'm free to make my own choices," which is a message resident make-my-father-proud-issues Stanley Pines would relate to pretty hard. Even though this isn't a conclusion Stan comes to in the show, we could easily see him coming to a conclusion like that in the future.

Now let's add the transfem headcanon back in. With that new layer to it, Stan (whose egg hasn't cracked yet) would be confused as to why she relates so hard. After all, she's a man who was raised to shove feelings down and be a manly-man man by Filbrick. She's more than likely gone her entire life trying to conform to that idea of toxic masculinity that her dad pushed on both her and Ford. Stan was always the one who resorted to punching, after all. That's a manly-man trait, so surely this goes no further right

There's a part of Gravity Falls that I feel doesn't get discussed enough, and that's the underlying misogyny of it. There's not a ton of it, but there are quite a few jokes about how men are stronger than women and the like. Stan has quite a few lines like that herself. So she would be subscribing to a similar mental state, the idea that if you like punching, CLEARLY you're a guy. Cuz that's how it works. Obviously. 

Introducing Mabel Pines, someone who is VERY much a girly-girl. She likes pink and unicorns and rainbows and makeup and sleepovers, stuff of the like. Now I could make a whole other post about my headcanons for Mabel and her queer journey, but one thing she can definitely do that "girly-girls" DON'T? Punching.

Mabel can punch. And she punches a lot. 

It's a small thing, and something I think Stan has just kinda accepted without question over the course of the series, but if she were to stop and think about it, she'd be like ".....wait a minute." and it could very well be the first piece that cracks the idea of manly-man masculinity vs just. existing as a person and what that actually means. 

Once Stan finally starts to break away from toxic masculinity and all those lessons she got thrown into her head, then her egg would finally be able to start cracking. 

As for why it even matters, first off, it just makes for an interesting interpretation of the character I haven't really seen before until VERY recently. Like, within the past 2 days recently (and maybe once like a month ago?? idk). 

But secondly, for her character, it would be a good, healthy step into really taking back her identity. Who IS Stan Pines? She's spent so long being other people, either as a form of self-defense or pretending to be her brother so she can help save him from the sideburn hell dimension, that I don't think she's really allowed herself to connect to who Stan is. 

This is true regardless of gender headcanon, but I think the transfem angle makes it so much more interesting. Who is Stan? Not even she knows. And she's starting to feel VERY confused about the whole thing. 

As for Ford, I think he'd be more than willing to support an identity journey for Stan. After all, he's traveled across dimensions and more than likely had all his teachings questioned as well. I am willing to bet money he's encountered trans people before. And, knowing Ford, he'd be open and curious to the idea, not close-minded, no matter what their father tried to teach his kids. Honestly, I could see Ford pestering Stan with questions long into the night regarding the whole thing, and taking up the whole identity mystery for himself as something the two of them can "crack" (heh) together. Just another adventure for the crew of the Stan'o'War II! 

There's SO much more but I don't wanna re-say things that the og post already said, these are just the big ones that stick out to me and what I wanted to elaborate on. 

TL;DR Stan goes on a journey of realizing that toxic masculinity Is Bad Actually and honestly so was his father, and once he accepts that and starts actively challenging his own beliefs about gender, her egg cracks and she realizes that maybe she isn't a guy at all. The rest of the Pines- but Ford especially- are supportive, and although Stan has a LOT of self-reflection to do and I could see her getting frustrated, flustered, or even embarrassed of her newfound realization, ultimately it makes her happier like this. Cuz it's her identity. She's not pretending to be anyone else anymore and she can just wholly be herself.

Thank you and goodnight

[dailyhatsune]

hi! not exactly a request but i do wanna ask, whats your process when you're rendering more paint like art? (if that makes sense, English isnt my first language so apologies hdskhsjdbd) i really love how you use the colors and im curious how you do it :0

i’ve been meaning to answer this one for a while so here’s how i painted miku in today’s post (put under the read more because yeah prepare for a long post

i’d also like to preface this by saying that i never follow a set way of doing things, so in terms of what my personal process is like, these are only broad strokes of what i do! sometimes i’ll combine or skip parts entirely, depending on how i feel. also, this is not a tutorial, just how i do things, so please don’t treat it like one :’D this will read like the ‘how to draw an owl’ picture if you do

first, like every artist, i sketch. more specifically, i’m getting an idea of what i want to paint later on. this could be how a scene is set up or in this case, how a character is posed. here i’m not concerned about details or getting everything perfectly, i’m only planning how the thing will be composed. maybe a lot of canvas size changing, or adjusting what miku’s doing (note how busted miku’s right hand looks from all the transforming!) however, i still have to be concerned with how clear the sketch will be to future me, because the sketch won’t be any good if i can’t read what miku’s doing

after that, i lay down a flat gray under the sketch, mainly focusing on giving miku a clear silhouette. this is also a good time to make adjustments to the composition on the fly if i suddenly feel like something can be improved upon, like shortening miku’s left arm from the sketch!

after painting a flat silhouette, i start shading in grayscale, focusing only on lighting. i usually do it in two passes, one for the lightest and darkest tones i’ll use (not black and white) and then a second for midtones to blend them better with the base gray but i forgot to screenshot the result of the first pass 🗿 nevertheless, here is where i can start adding some amount of details. i’m not including any extra accessories yet, just focusing on the base design of the outfit and the character herself (for anyone wanting to draw characters from That Gacha Game, this is how i personally make the process more bearable for myself.) i still use the dark gray to separate where certain details (like the facial features and fingers) begin and end, mainly to make colouring more bearable later.

now here’s where i get the Good Colours. it’s a cheat lol. i put a gradient map layer over the grayscale painting so that there’s a little bit of color to start. some gradient maps can be applied as is, some need the layer settings adjusted to make it look good. this one, for example, is a (free) gradient map set from the csp assets store that needs you to set the layer opacity to 20% and to set the blending mode to color to achieve this result. in general, i tend to pick which gradient map i want to use based on vibes, or basically whether i want the work to be warmer or cooler, colour-wise. but this does do quite a bit of lifting for the colors in my stuff.

and then, finally, i add the colours. i add flat base colours in an overlay layer. at this stage, i’ve made the character silhouette clear enough that i don’t need to refer to the sketch anymore for what miku looks like. also, the gradient map layer does its magic by making the shading a bit more vibrant than it would’ve been without it. after that i paint over with a new layer to add details like the lace.

and then i put some extra shading on top. basically this is where the ‘better lighting’ happens. again, this isn’t a tutorial, so i’m not here to say what each part of the lighting is, but i’ve labeled which layers do which job. in other works where the lighting within a scene is more defined (from a window, from a small crack in the walls, etc) the glow dodge layer may be more opaque and sharper, but since this isn’t a work with that, the lighting was applied using an airbrush. the linear burn layer is also there to make the whole thing darker so the glow dodge doesn’t end up oversaturating miku. i also usually match the lights to the vibe i want, and use a complementary color for the shadows. so here you can see i have warm colors on the glow dodge layer, but light purple on both the linear burn and multiply layer.

and that’s it for the character—here’s a gif showing how each layer adds to miku! (sorry it’s so toasty)

as for the background, depending on the complexity, it may go through a similar process, or if i can settle with flat image backgrounds, i just go for that. it’s ok to use external image materials. i didn’t have a background in mind for this miku in specific, so i got some default csp materials and threw together something

and that’s about a rough overview of what my process for more finished works looks like! again, art is a fluid process so i never specifically stick to certain steps all the time, and you shouldn’t either. i can probably answer why i’d pick this colour over another in one particular work, but it’s something that kinda has to be learned on a grander scale. i think everyone can already feel what colors work with what atmosphere or what setting, even if they can’t immediately explain why. colors and composition do take some level of experimentation to find what works best!

[bl4z33467]

(Cracks knuckles) Alright folks I remember how to draw

Fat fuck Vulpes by yours truly, Blaze Lander. Inspired by the lovely drawing by @yourmateyoya ,egged on by @legions-top-dog , and because i force you to deal with all my shitty drawings, @noomycatz

Yes, once again, i have put too much effort into a shitpost. Roughly 2 hours as I reused a canvas on ibis paint for a 5th drawing lmao

Yall can burn me at the stake later lol

Process below hehe i like to ramble

And just because i like to talk about my drawing process for characters with complex outfits, this is how my lobotomy brain does it:

First i do silly fun colored sketch. I use different colors to differentiate the "skeleton" from the, euh, fleshy bits, and the clothing. You can see lots of lines that would not be shown in the final product so it makes it confusing to look at.

Next i do a clean sketch.

This is where i clean up everything before doing the final lines. I use one color and a thin brush to make it easier to line over. Here i add any extra bits (like the top football armour) and "render the physics" as i call it, so properly drape cloth and the uhhh squish of stupid fat fuck vulpes' boobs and stomach. I also will balance the drawing here by flipping it and redrawing or using the drag tool.

Next is lining.

For this drawing, i used a 9.0 digital pen with a taper. Its my standard :þ. I kept my pen at the same size for this piece. Sometimes i line the outside darker to make the drawing stand out more. I decided not to as i wanted to give the drawing a more "serious" tone. (How serious can this be though lol-)You may notice on the arms little bits of the lines are missing, thats because i gave him some arm hair. I like make little details like that show over the lines. But since the one shading technique i used works with clipping masks, i had to but the arm hairs on a layer lower than the line art. Next is colour:

I colour in the drawing with midtones. Simple as. I tried to stick with warm colours besides his eyes, which are grey blue. Idc if they arent, im too lazy to google it. I mostly use flat colors but i did make his shirt a gradient. Next is do simple cell shading:

Depending on how i feel i shade with or without the colours in the back. I went with a sorta "non decrepit" light source here. Didnt want too much intensity. I used a deep marronish orange on a multiply layer on 45% opacity. Soft shading/lighting next:

I get intense with the soft shading. I use the airbrush with a deep maroon to add dark gradient and airbrush with a light pink to add a bit more depth. I usually use less light and more dark because im evil i like the intensity. I keep the layer the same amount of opacity and multiply it with the darks and soft light for the lights. Next are the shine highlights:

I use the dip pen hard with a taper to add light highlights of white on shiny bits like metal and eyes. I uses pure white, set the layer to 25% opacity, and use normal blending.

I also shade the lines because it makes the lines softer. I use a clipping layer on the line art, set the whole thing to a dark grey, and airbrush in darker and lighter parts. (I felt like a picture wasnt needed cuz its hard to notice.

For the background, i used a dark red i stole from the cell shaded layer, drew a vine pattern with the kaleidoscope ruler, and added a vignette. Vignettes are my cheat code for background hehe~ it makes the subject stand out while keeping suave, seriousness and formality. To make a subject pop out more, put the vignette behind the character but in front of the background. For more intensity but it on top of both.

Also- I usually draw with a level 10 stabilizer (i got shaky hands) but i drew with a 2 stabilizer so im surprised it came out so smoothly-

Also i gave him goggle tan lines because if i have to have them from playing tennis with sunnies, so does he.

[mecachrome]

What is the hype around jendo? I am trying to do research but I feel like they barely had any interactions?? Especially recently? Is there a primer or something cause I totally want to try to get into them!

OMGGGG well i wouldn't call myself a jendo expert or anything but i can briefly tell you why i like them!!! also soz for late reply 😭

tbh the very first thing that converted me was watching this interview forever ago because i remember being deeply intrigued by lando's demeanor + relative shyness + how hard he tried overall to appear Respectable and Mature in front of jense while answering his questions??? like the way jenson smiles at him during "are you happy?" "UMMM... kind of" wtheck T__T

jendo honestly have a lot of lore though! again i am not an expert but @cuthechicane has so many fantastic clips and gifsets if you're looking for interax that will rewire your brain chemistry ☝️ (the sheer giddinesssss of their miami interview 😭 also this is a classic moment). part of their thing is that they're both "somerset boys" (lando grew up in glastonbury / jenson is from frome) so that connection also kind of adds an extra layer to jenson having raced for mclaren / lando looking up to him and the general hero worship or cyclical nature of f1 that is palpable in their dynamic and a lot of other f1 agediff ships. ofc rossi was lando's real hero but... you know jenson is jenson

really though i think what i like most about jendo is how much jenson genuinely ADORES lando lmfao like their dynamic is so ridiculous but in a really absurdly sincere way!!! ofc it's super fun to go all in on the rancid age gap power imbalance vibes etc. and the way they flirt in public and fluster each other but jenson 100% RATES lando and hypes him up constantly to the point that it's almost embarrassing negl. lichr him going all in on lando like 4 hours ago... what's craziest to me is that he sincerely believes everyone else loves lando too like his brain can't comprehend the mere concept of someone not being obsessed with his favorite little british twink 😭 he's those innocent guys on reddit who still post comments like "lando is so nice it's impossible to hate him!!!" as if we're still in 2019 or something...... i want to live in that world

imo there's also an aspect to jendo where it's like...? jenson sees so much of himself in lando to the point of having preconceptions about lando's mentality that he projects onto him a bit which i think adds dimension to jenson's vulnerability but that goes into way more my own Meta and isn't really relevant to this post. but part of jenson's personality is that he is very charismatic and a natural speaker and also Usually Right so he loves to SAY shit and although he's not quite a nico-level professional shit stirrer he does kind of um... always speak like he knows something you don't. as evidenced by his time as lewis's teammate wherein he won the idgaf war by not acknowledging it going on in the first place. this is also why he and oscar should banter more because i feel like the comparisons between oscar and jenson are honestly so apt HLSDFH i have a jenson/oscar/lando post if that is of any interest

ok sorry i'm getting off-track but >>>all of that to me is why jendo is fun... jenson presents as very self-assured but if you do a psyche deep dive you realize he was quite sensitive growing up and Personally Victimized by briatore and has been quite open about his anxiety and the way f1 culture functioned at the time, and he's always been quite emotionally regulated but obviously there was... also a lot of glamour that accompanied that until later in his career LOL. so getting to explore those sides of him with a 20-something lando who very much mirrors him (self-reflective and sometimes overly critical and learning to live the "highly committed and industrious playboy" life) but also makes his façade crack in ways you don't often see is so fun & fascinating...!!! imo you can take them in a lot of different directions as a ship :3c

^ bonus bits i like from his book

[psychedelic-ink]

Sil! ❣️ massive congratulations on your 4.5K milestone, that’s so incredible and it’s so well deserved! I can’t wait to see what comes next for you - whether it’s new writing or a Joel Miller-invoked meltdown.

🍄 Can I kindly request the following prompt with Joel Miller: things you said in the dark.

Love ya!

Thank you so much for all the kind words ❤️❤️❤️ I'm definitely going to have a joel miller invoked meltdown, in fact, it's already begun dvdfvdf (also sorry but I could literally think of nothing else but angst with this prompt, but I still tried to keep it as light as possible!) Also even though I have been writing a lot of him in the background this is my first time officially posting for him ❤️

𝐂𝐚𝐧'𝐭 𝐆𝐞𝐭 𝐄𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐨𝐟 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐋𝐢𝐞𝐬

pairing: joel miller x fem!reader

genre: hurt/comfort, mild angst

word count: 1.1k (🤡)

summary: you accidentally hear Joel grieving, and you do everything you can to comfort him.

warnings: themes of grief and loss, includes spoilers for the beginning of the game if you have zero knowledge of tlou and don't want to be spoiled about anything please don't read, platonic relationship with hints of becoming something more towards the end

𝑺𝑰𝑳'𝑺 4.5𝑲 𝑭𝑶𝑳𝑳𝑶𝑾𝑬𝑹 𝑴𝑰𝑵𝑰 𝑬𝑽𝑬𝑵𝑻 (open)

You make your way up the creaky stairs of the abandoned house, heading to the bathroom. Since Joel had been complaining about his back, you told him that he should take the bed in the bedroom while you slept on the couch downstairs. You couldn’t sleep, your mind continuously wondering what might happen if you didn’t stand on guard. 

The air is thick with the musty smell of neglect, and the darkness seems to press in around you. The walls are peeling and the once-fine wallpaper is now little more than ragged strips. Broken frames and shattered glass litter the floor, evidence of the house's long-ago abandonment.

You pause for a moment, listening to the sound of Joel's whisper echoing through the empty rooms. You continue up the stairs, your footsteps muffled by the thick layer of dust that covers the floorboards. As you reach the landing, you see a faint glow coming from one of the bedrooms. You approach the door cautiously, Joel must be having trouble sleeping too.

Peering into the room, you see Joel sitting on the edge of the bed, his back to you. He seems to be talking to someone, his voice low. The room is a mess, with clothes and papers scattered everywhere. The bed sheets are rumpled and stained, and the once-white curtains are now yellowed and threadbare.

You can't make out the words, but the tone of his voice makes you stand still. He was by no means a happy man, no one was anymore, but the sadness that laced into every word he whispers makes your heartache. 

“I’m so sorry Sarah,” you finally make out, his voice cracking. “I’m so god damn sorry,”

Only then do you realize he has his thick fingers wrapped around his broken watch, looking down at it and muttering the same words over and over. Your chest heaves, the taste of your tongue now significantly tasting of iron as you take slow breaths from your mouth. 

Not caring if he raises at you with anger, you slowly creak the door open, 

“Joel?” 

Suddenly, he spins around and looks straight at you. His brows furrowed, his nostrils flare, and his lips become a tight line. 

“What is it?” he grunts and stands up. “Is something wrong?” 

“N—No. I just heard you and well…wanted to check to see if you’re okay,” 

“As you can see I’m fine,” he snaps, walking around the bed and reaching you. “You really shouldn’t be snooping.” 

“I was just heading to the bathroom,” you answer, before he can say anything else you add. “You know that I’m here for you right? You can talk to me, Joel. Even though that alone might be painful.” 

“I don’t want to talk. I want to sleep.” 

He’s resisting you as he always does. You know he’s in pain, you know he still grieves. You see the extra shine in his eyes that is illuminated by the soft glow of moonlight streaming from the tethered windows. You suck in a breath, heart beating in your ears as you contemplate what move to take. 

“I can’t sleep either. Can I sleep here?” 

“Fine then, I’ll take the couch,” 

He heads for the door, shoulder brushing against yours. Quickly you reach out and take a hold of his wrist, you know that he truly wants to leave he can pull his wrist away, but he doesn’t. He stand completely still, you’re sure he’s also holding his breath, waiting for you to speak. 

“No— I mean, we can share? I would feel much safer if we’re together,” 

You hesitate, wondering if your offer will be accepted. You can see the conflict in Joel's eyes, the struggle between his desire to be alone with his grief and his need for human connection. You hold your breath, waiting for his response.

Finally, he sighs and nods. "Yeah, okay," he says, his voice heavy. "We can share the bed."

You release his wrist and follow him back to the bed. The wind howls outside, rattling the windows in their frames. You both tentatively climb into the bed, trying to keep a respectful distance between each other. The sheets are cool against your skin, and you can feel the warmth radiating from Joel's body.

You lay there in silence, listening to the sound of the wind and the creaking of the old house. You can feel the tension in Joel's body. You want to reach out and comfort him, to offer some kind of solace, but you're not sure if he's ready to accept it.

"I'm sorry," you whisper into the darkness. "I'm sorry for your pain."

Joel's hand reaches out and finds yours, his fingers intertwining with yours. "It's not your fault," he says, his voice barely above a whisper. "It's just...it's just hard to let go...and I'm not sure if I want to let go."

You squeeze his hand, offering what little comfort you can. You lay there in silence, listening to the sound of the wind and the beating of your own hearts. The minutes tick by, and eventually, you feel the tension in his body starting to ease. His breathing becomes slow and steady.

As the night wears on, you find yourself talking to Joel about hope. Which is something you never thought of sharing with him. 

You tell him that one day, all of this pain and suffering will pass. You paint a picture for him of a future where the flowers bloom and the sun shines bright. You tell him that he can be happy again, that there is a way forward.

Joel doesn't believe you. He shakes his head. "I don't know," he says. "It's hard to see how things will ever get better."

You keep talking, describing the world you see in your mind's eye. You tell him about the birds singing in the trees, the soft breeze blowing through the fields. You tell him about the joy and the beauty that still exists in the world, even in the midst of all the pain.

You don’t realize that you’re no just trying to comfort him, you’re trying to comfort yourself as well.

Joel listens. He doesn't say much, but you can see the way his eyes soften, the way his body relaxes. You can feel his breath on your skin, warm and comforting.

You come closer to him, resting your head on his shoulder. You feel his arm wrap around you, pulling you close. You close your eyes, savoring the moment.

And then, you do something you never thought you'd do. You reach out and brush your lips against his cheek, his forehead, his nose. You feel his breath catch in his throat, and for a moment, you wonder if you've gone too far.

But then he squeezes your hips, and you know that everything is going to be okay. You lay there in his embrace, feeling the warmth of his body and the beating of his heart. You fall asleep, feeling more alive and hopeful than you have in a long time.

[isabelofespero]

Y'all mind if I analyze the worldbuilding of my favorite childhood cartoon for a minute?

So I was watching the Spheres of Fear episode of Cyberchase the other day.

The whole concept of the Spheres themselves is interesting enough, but I noticed another detail:

The keypad is written in a weird alphabet that I don't think we see outside of this one episode. Interesting.

Let's have a closer look:

Well would you look at that. We have a grid of 36 bizarre characters. That's enough for the usual 26 English letters, with 10 left over to represent numbers.

Now I'm a bit of a nerd about alphabets. When I see an alphabet in a piece of media, I can't help but try to crack it. So let's look at this.

The first thing that I noticed was that several of the characters are borrowed from other languages. Three of them look like Japanese Hiragana(ろ, る, and ひ), some look like they're Greek(Ψ, Χ, φ, and maybe θ), one is the roman numeral for 2, and one of them looks like Minecraft Enchantment Table of all things(Row 2 column 1). One of them looks like it might be Japanese Kanji, but I can't read those so I'm not sure.

Watching Inez type the code in doesn't give any hint at which letters are which. It seems like the animators just dragged her hand around at random.

She also types the code in wrong:

That first 1 was supposed to be an I. Oops.

Something else interesting is that the codebook is written with the usual Latin characters. Meaning the keypad isn't in some common Cyberspace script. The fact that the screen above the keypad has normal letters supports this further.

Maybe it's a Cipher? If it is, then how did Inez have no issue reading it? I know we're probably not supposed to read that much into it, but I'm going to anyways.

Maybe this alphabet is specific to the Spheres of Fear. An extra layer of encryption to keep things from getting out of them perhaps.

My thoughts: It's kind of funny that the animators of this episode took the time to make a whole script for just this one scene, a script that used actual letters from other languages at that. Like we never see it again, it's JUST for this one episode. They could have easily just put a regular keyboard here but they chose to add this extra layer of complexity. Honestly, mad respect to them for that.

Maybe I'll end up assigning letters to all of these characters just for funzies. Who knows?

[minevn]

Haruto's new ref is finished!!

I kept his hair mostly the same, just made the bang symmetrical. His hair color also leans more towards red then it did before without being completely red, I did this cause I wanted his and Kage's hair to be closer to the same color. I also made the his eyes more green to compliment the reddish tones on him. I gave him freckles. I also made his eyes less doe-like but still doe eyes. And then obviously I changed his clothes. I imagine him wearing more neutral colors to appear more mature but he still likes to add those pops of color. I also didn't want to get rid of the green in his original design so I added it as accent colors and based his date outfit roughly on his original(Mainly the color). I also gave him a heart locket, on one side is a picture of you, and on the other is a picture of Kage and their mom. He has this in every outfit but sometimes he tucks it in. He also likes wearing layered clothing so if you ever get cold he can offer you his jacket/sweater/blazer. His personality got a minor update as well! I wanted him to seem more relaxed and calm with you and rather then getting smug outwardly when he see's others getting jealous that he gets to touch you so carefree(Which sometimes he enjoyed touching you to get a reaction out of the others), he just generally touches you without trying to make others jealous(he still can't help the smugness he feels when he see's them jealous though) I'd say his Yandere-ness got toned down, just a bit, and really only around you. Before, Haruto seemed ballsy with his yandere tendencies and I think he'd be more careful. He's more accepting of Aki and Kage, he still feels betrayed when he finds out they like you, but he still won't do anything and might even help them, just a little. All in all though I feel like he'd think of it as a little competition between you three on who wins and no matter what the outcome is, he still cares about them. I'd say he's a lot more closed off now but the friends he made as a child he's close to them and holds them dear to his heart, it's just a bit harder to make friends as an adult and he prefers to keep things professional, but he doesn't mind most people. He also doesn't mind other people as much, but he still doesn't like seeing others get closer to you, that being said he still despises Kei's guts. I also wanted to add more humor onto him, like he cracks stupid jokes with the mc, but he has a very good balance between personal life and work life.

Anyways, some more general info!

Height: 5'8 or 172.7cm

Birthday: 6/15

Likes: You, his friends and family, technology, cleaning, schedules, having you rely on him, animals(he has a love hate relationship with more messy animals though, on one end he hates the mess, on the other he likes cleaning and finds it relaxing), learning new things, jokes

Dislikes: Insects, messes, arrogant and incompetent people, people getting too close to you, having to do his hair for work, having his neck feel restricted(ex: his work tie and collar buttons, he loosens them every break and after work almost instantly. The necklace is fine though since it's not tight :3), KEI

Family: Mother(deceased), Father(who knows where he is?), Kage(younger brother :))

Signature Color: Orange

Extra: He also has a pair of reading glasses!! He's gotten bad eyesight from staying up late and studying.

[aethon-recs]

HP Rec Fest, Day 16 ❄️

@hprecfest daily prompts running through Dec 31. Goal is to find lesser-known or underrated works, even by well-known authors, to feature here.

*

Day 16: A Fic that Made You Laugh

Make a Wish by @crowcrowcrowthing (E, 3k, complete)

Summary: Tom Riddle is wasting away in his hospital bed, far too young to succumb to such a terrible and mysterious illness. The only thing that gives him solace is the hope that football star Harry Potter might visit him in his final days. Why I rec it for this prompt: Tom's utter audacity in this fic is so true-to-character, and so funny. Also, I love that this is told from Riddle Snr's POV, which adds an extra layer of comedy (or horror, depending on how you look at it.) And! There are 3 alternate endings for this fic, and they each get better and better.

Do You Want Fries With That? (part 1) / Tom's Time Has Fry-nally Come (part 2) by jellybeantarot (T, 16k, complete)

Summary: Harry really needed some money, Dumbledore needed someone to dress up as Wendy, and Tom was the only one with the desperation to be Ronald McDonald. Why I rec it for this prompt: Harry and Tom as high school-aged fast-food workers is too good of a brilliant, absurdist crack scenario. Everything from the banter to the plot arc to Tom's SoundCloud rapper name had me in stitches. I can't continue describe this fic without ruining it — just go read it if you're in search for a good laugh.

*

Running list of recs:

Day 1: Favorite under 5k | Such a Noble Villain Day 2: Comfort Fic | In Somno Veritas | Ouroboros Day 3: Podfic | a taste so good (i'd die for it) Day 4: Fic with Art | A Soulmate Like You Day 5: A Non-AO3 Fic | The Anti-Midas Day 6: Unreliable Narrator Fic | Anabiosis Day 7: A Canon-Compliant Fic | In Your Soul is Sealed a Pleasure Day 8: A Canon-Divergence Fic | Thirst Day 9: A Rare Pair Fic | dust in your pocket | A Breed Apart Day 10: A Fest Fic | In Your Image Day 11: A Dark Fic | As Portioned from a Whole Day 12: A WIP Rec | Lover's Spit | Revolution of Configured Stars Day 13: A Fic >100k Words | One Year In Every Ten | if we were lovers Day 14: A Favorite Series | The Immortal Duties of Lord Voldemort Day 15: The Most Recent Bookmark | Creatures of the Dark we are Day 16: A Fic that Made You Laugh | Make a Wish | Do You Want Fries With That?

[piracytheorist]

Episode 28 extras!

I don't know if it's because I'm a parched bitch that will take literally anything the anime team will give me and I'll also thank them, but I'm actually glad they decided to expand the episode with fillers from random parts of the manga. That way they can use more of Endo's stuff that they cannot make an entire episode out of, and at the same time put enough space between anime and manga so that Endo won't be pressured and also the anime won't veer into different canon.

Like, I felt that Yuri's part got adequate screen time and focus. The choices they seemed to have were 1) Push it into a half-episode and add another chapter for the second half, 2) Make it into a full episode dedicated just on that, and 3) Go freely, see how much screen time it takes up, then use fillers for the rest of the episode. And I like that they took the third option, thus giving the appropriate time for Yuri's part without rushing it nor stretching it too much. It was, after all, an episode that required some long moments of silence, so it makes sense why it needed almost sixteen minutes instead of ten like most other chapters get.

Anyway! Bondman is over Princess Honey, it seems.

He once again shoots his enemies with suction cup darts. Guess real bullets are too much... but blood is not, lol

I mean they do show him getting whipped on another episode, so

Also, poor trigger discipline! Get yo finger off!

Then Spy Wars decides to get actually dark. A little.

I was so convinced by my crack theory that the show is royal propaganda for Ostania, that this shook me completely off, lol.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO MAKE OF THIS ANYMORE. The fictional kid's cartoon in my fake family anime makes no sense and I am devastated

The second to last thing I expected from Spy Wars was to give Bondman a harem. The last thing I expected was for those women to get revenge on him for exactly that.

And then once again I am Loid, Loid is me

What is this generation rotting their brains with

I also didn't expect them to animate the bonus parts from the manga! I liked that they added a layer of art strokes over it. Dunno why, but it's a funny little addition to end the episode.

Anya: *is a child* Twilight: I dO nOT UnDeRsTAnD!!11!!

Here Loid is wearing a shirt while in the manga he's shirtless, and being the whump fan I am, my very first thought was "Now I can still headcanon he has scars there and is cautious about showing them 👀👀"

Also! Anya's alarm clock says it's twenty-five to nine, and Loid says she has ten minutes before her bus gets there.

So the bus arrives at a quarter to nine, takes her to school, and classes start around nine. I thought they'd start at eight, lol, but now it makes sense why sometimes it's sunset when Anya gets back from school.

And another VERY FUNNY detail is that the alarm is ringing, and when Loid shakes Anya he's also shaking the clock. If you notice you can hear the alarm bell ring a little differently as he does because the movement impacts the way the little hammer hits the bells. It rings again normally when he stops moving. I legitimately cannot believe they went that far in the sound effects department, we stan 🤣

[recapitulation]

For the symphony asks:

20. Describe in detail how a particular symphony makes you feel and have us guess the symphony.

23. Symphony that best utilizes the celesta?

Bonus silly one for 23: Wagner Tuba? (There's only one I can think that uses it haha)

:)))

hiii. sits down quietly. it DID take me this long to think of something for question 20 thank u for asking. blinks cutely

thanks for asking and also for waiting a billion years i did not forget about uuuuuuuu

20. Describe in detail how a particular symphony makes you feel and have us guess the symphony.

ok ok here's what i came up with. this symphony is like if a symphony were a bug. it's the piece that comes to mind when i think of the phrase creepy crawly. it's also like if an ice cream sundae were a symphony. it combines the whipped smooth soaring textures of horn and cello with sprinkles of crinkly and unusual textures on top that you can crunch between your teeth. it's the soundtrack of you getting pulled down to hell by little tiny sprites that are also laughing the whole time. it's the soundtrack of a romance between you and your sleep paralysis demon. it's like a puzzle, something you have to work at with your tongue before it will crack open. and then bite you.

23. Symphony that best utilizes the celesta?

imo it fits so well into mahler 8. it adds an extra layer of other-worldliness that makes the symphony that much better....

and hehe WAGNER TUBA BLAST!!!!

[you-remind-me-of-the-babe]

I’m gonna do some fic recs today! Let’s goooo!

What Remains After the Storm, Complete, 86k, rated M by @hushed-chorus

This fic completely sucked me in and transported me to another world. Simon is a goatherd in a small seaside town who finds a nearly drowned man he rescues, only to find out it’s someone important from his past who also happens to be under a Fae curse that has turned him into a merman. The author weaves incredible lore, lush descriptions of harsh but beautiful settings and a meticulous plot that will blow you away. Plus! This fic is accompanied by a staggering amount of gorgeous art by @erzbethluna that compliments the story in such a delightful way. (Seriously, these two are geniuses.)

Swords into Plowshares, Complete, 6.5k, rated T by @ileadacharmedlife

I don’t often click on fics with the crack tag, but if they’re anything like this fic then I am thoroughly missing out! It’s a simple premise. Baz feels jealous that Simon is spending so much time with his new Excalibur sword. This silly yet sexy fic had me cackling with glee at nearly every turn. Come for the sword innuendos and stay for Baz’s paranoia clashing with Simon’s enthusiasm.

A Gift From the Propheseals, Complete, ~7k, rated E by @skeedelvee

Simon is sent on a mission to ask the propheseals to grant him visions to help with defeating the Humdrum and instead is gifted with visions of a future with Baz that is very different than what Simon would expect from his nemesis. This fic is tender, sexy and sweet and is accompanied with fantastic art by @letraspal that really adds a dreamlike quality to Simon’s visions. This premise is so creative and at just under 7k you will devour it quickly and be left with a warm feeling in your chest.

The Sexual Education of Simon Snow, Complete, ~15k, rated E by @eelwinks (LakeWitch on AO3)

Watford-era, Agatha wants to have sex so Simon sets off on a journey of educating himself on the intricacies of the act, with the help of his dread companion, and to the consternation of his roommate. I know, I know, this is an older fic, but some of us are slow readers and take a while to get to things. If you’re like me and you missed this one (or have been meaning to get to it) you should go for it. Of course the sexual tension between Simon and Baz is delicious but also I thoroughly enjoyed Penny bravely trying to teach her friend about sex with nearly zero boundaries.

Personal Best [Link to the Podfic version] Complete, 36min, rated T, written by @scone-lover and read by @petrodobreva

Man, there are some fabulous podfics in this fandom, and if you haven’t checked any out yet, this is a great one to start with. This Normal AU features Simon and Baz as rivals on the same swim team and does a beautiful job showing the progression of Simon’s admiration, frustration and feelings of inadequacy morphing into attraction and want. And @petrodobreva adds a rich layer of brilliant characterization, coupled with lovely voices/accents and extra touches of sound effects and music. Plus, if you like this one, she has a couple of other CO podfics that are done with equally superb levels of production.

And We Still Do, Complete, 8k, rated T by @facewithoutheart

Another one that came out months ago that I missed! This fic is really like 5+1 mini-fics, imagining Simon and Baz meeting in various different AUs. Each one is a mini world the author crafts beautifully in a short time, pulling you in and making you feel as if you’ve read 20k in each of them. My particular fave was Simon and Baz meeting at 5 years old, but honestly, they are all fantastic. Do yourself a favor and immerse yourself in each of these worlds. You won’t regret it.

That’s it from me for now! I’ve read other great fics but I’ll save them for another time. Thank you to everyone who continues to tag me btw! I love reading your stuff and hopefully I’ll have words of my own to share soon.

[allsketchesnononsense]

I SAW YOUR POST ABOUT THE PSYCHOPOMP HELMET AND I HAVE TO ASK HOW’D YOU MAKE IT??

i wanted to cosplay her at some point in the future but i’ve never tried my hand at prop making or anything of that matter really so i can’t wrap my head around any like basic concepts to make the psychopomp itself 😭😭

sorry for taking abit to answer, wanted to make sure I was at my PC to answer so I can give Exact Images n stuff of what I got/used

warning: you're gonna need some serious power tools for this. alotta bits I had to get help from my dad bc he has SO MANY hobbies that involve power tools lol

SO

For the base:

you need a good helmet. n finding one of those ain't easy, so you're probs gonna haveta Make Do with something you can cut parts off of.

I used something like this, but cut off the parts that jut out at the ears and the lip at the front. The internal bit that keeps your Actual Head from touching the Actual Helmet is VERY helpful bc (atleast w/ mine) it wasnt a layer of foam or anything that'd be finnicky, it was just straps.

theoretically could also use a cheap-y baseball helmet though obvi you still gotta Mutilate it

For the accessories™:

The antannae are actual extendable radio antannae I harvested from an old boombox n another thing, but you can buy JUST the antannae online

the megaphone/satellite dish bit my dad helped me cut n gut a car alarm type thing and attatch it w/ this silicone stuff he had on hand

And the headphone pieces on the sides are a set of vintage radio headphones I found at a thrift store. these to be exact (they're not v rare n go for 10-30 bucks on ebay)

Though any old, chunky headphones could easily work. These were just what I had on hand. And, as a useful thing, the metal prongs connecting to the headband were perfect to easily bolt in place on the helmet and keep them flexible for easy putting on and taking off. The little radio speaker-y bits on the outside I added my dad had laying around though obvi not 1000% Necessary

And that's all really for the easily bought supplies

The front plate is Literally just a chunk of sheet metal he happened to have on hand, and added the bolts to. The fifth bolt in the middle is the only Functional one that actually attatches to the helmet

And the bit keeping the wires in place is a piece of plastic we melted to shape, painted accordingly, then hot glued in place. Added the screws to make it look abit more Cohesive with the rest of it.

The staples specifically on mine are holes drilled then w/ v thin wire fed through and twisted and trimmed.

Some smaller seams n details I added with super glue since it gave a v subtle raised effect, and bc it cracked in shipping I had to super glue some of the cracks back together Anyways lmao

also had to do alot of spraypainting to get it the right color. Make sure to paint the "accessories" seperate before assembly bc trying to tape off everything could end up Annoying and that way the metal bolts and the plate can retain their orig metal color to add contrast.

Also make sure you get Matte paint, bc it'll look goofy shiny. Preferably something meant for outdoor use bc those will have the more gritty textures you're looking for n its easy to find.

For any extra scuffing n details I did some dry brushing w/ grey and black acrylic to add depth. Best way to do it imo is add some drybrush with a scrappy old paintbrush then wipe away some with a paper towel

or just use a paper towel with a v tiny, thinly spread bit of paint

Hopefully this helps atleast some!! If you need more detailed shots of my helmet for better reference just lemme know, I just dont feel like going to grab her rn for a photo shoot lmao

Good luck w/ your helmet!! n be sure to post it lots when you're done!!

It'll be sick as hell to see how your interpretation turns out!

just be careful bout wearing it too long

start seeing things you're not supposed to

knowing things you're not supposed to

[stranded-ziggy]

Ziggy's Beginner Oil Painting Tips (Part 1)

Despite being far from a master oil painter, I'd like to do what I can to try and make this amazing medium easier to access for all artists in the wake of AI, NFTs and the current culture of art being seen as "content" rather than something timeless.

I'm far from a spiritual person in any sense, but there is something completely unique about holding an oil painting you created in your own hands. I've yet to be lucky enough to see any of the old master's paintings in person so all I've seen are my own but despite my inexperience there's a depth to my oil paintings that my digital art can't begin to compare with.

Disclaimer: I take a very relaxed approach to oil painting and have never sold a painting before nor do I have any intention to start selling them any time soon so if you want to create museum quality pieces this is not the guide for you.

This is a guide to help people start experimenting with oil paints and putting paint to paper/canvas.

Contents:

Paints

Gesso

Mediums

Paints

I'm primarily a portrait painter so the palletes I recommend will mostly be useful for painting people.

My favourite pallete:

Titanium white

Yellow ochre

Dusty pink (optional, I just got it for quickly mixing skin tones but burnt sienna and white will do the same; provide a base which you can then cool down/darken/hue shift as you want

Vermillion hue

Burnt sienna

Burnt umber

ultramarine blue

Basically it's the Zorn pallete with a bit of customization, but that means if you want some tips for painting with this pallete you can just search "painting with the zorn pallete" and find a lot of helpful resources.

(Note: You may note there is no lamp black or Ivory black, that is because I prefer to mix burnt umber and ultramarine blue. This dries faster in my experience and also lets me cool it down or warm it up as I want.)

Budget pallete:

Titanium white

Yellow ochre

Vermillion hue

Alizarin crimson

Viridian hue

(Note: in this pallete alizarin crimson and viridian hue can be used to mix a grey/black)

Gesso

Despite my laziness in nearly all aspects of life I do like to gesso my painting surfaces even when they are pre-primed (if you are using a surface that hasn't been primed already such as paper priming is very important).

Usually I buy packs of cheap canvases for around $6 AUD so I feel as though the least I can do is add a few extra layers of gesso to them to help stop the paint from sinking right in and beginning to look dull and matte.

Honestly I don't have a brand to recommend, I have used the liquitex gesso and it's good but despite paying a lot for it I only had enough for a few canvases so for the most part I use the type you can get at craft stores for less than $10, so I say go for whatever is within your budget.

Mediums

I avoid solvents completely in my painting, sacrificing my health any more than I already do by leading the Sedentary Artist Life (tm) isn't worth it in my opinion.

I use Liquin primarily but I also enjoyed using Gamlin's solvent free fluid until I stopped being able to open the cap...

Linseed oil is probably the best medium but you will wait weeks for your painting to dry between layers verses the day, maybe 2 days you will wait using Liquin.

Brushes

There's really no reason to buy super expensive brushes, at least not for me, I paint in a way that's very loose so they don't have the longest life span. I still use brushes that have lost their shape for loose hairs and interesting textures though.

You'll note there's usually "oil painting" brushes in art supply stores, these are good for starting a painting and scrubbing paint onto the canvas when you are trying to work lean over fat (as in layers with more oil on top as they dry slower, this helps the painting to not end up looking cracked).

However, water colour paint brushes serve me well for details as well as acrylic painting brushes.

It's all up to experimentation on you, the artist's part.

As for washing your brushes, as long as you don't leave them lying around with paint on them for so long that it drys completely using a bar of soap will do, or if you can afford it buying some brush cleaner/ restorer is great, solvents like turpentine are not necessary at all.