#I do however have a few new illustrations from recent weeks
Explore tagged Tumblr posts
Text
Professor McGonagall
ig. kofi.
#I would say that “oh I haven't been here a while” but tbh I haven't been drawing for a while either so you missed nothing#I do however have a few new illustrations from recent weeks#this one is for a legend#maggie smith#rip maggie smith#professor mcgonagall#harry potter#fanart#artists on tumbl#magical illustration#myart
9 notes
·
View notes
Text
2024 Year End / New Year 2025
2024 was quite busy for me with my full-time job as layout supervisor on "Carl the Collector", as well as putting a lot of time into my personal projects. I focused on completing one piece of art at a time and did more cross stitch, both of which helped de-stress me and avoid burnout.
----------
Personal Art: I'm aiming to launch a 2025 2026 wall calendar, and I very optimistically thought I could finish all 12 illustrations this year. However. I quickly realized I didn't have enough time for that. I did complete 7/12 illustrations, pictured above (not all of them are drawn from scratch), which means I am on track for 2026.
Cross Stitch: Last year I experimented with some ideas for themed backgrounds to display enamel pins. This year I tried making a layered shadow box, which worked out really well! It's the Hollow Knight photo at the bottom. I have 4 more Hollow Knight themed shadow boxes on my to-do list, and I'm hoping to complete Nightmare King Grimm to submit as a prize for SGDQ 2025.
Art Markets: I didn't apply to as many art markets this year, but I did get accepted into some in the spring. Then I applied to 5 Christmas/holiday markets and didn't get into any of them. Just need to keep trying next year! I've decided to mainly focus on one-day markets in the spring and summer, and also a few winter holiday markets.
Online Shops: One of the biggest decisions I made this year was to open my own online shop. I technically already had INPRNT for large prints and Ko-fi for phone wallpapers, but I have now expanded my Ko-fi to also sell mini prints, stickers, and cross stitch keychains. The shop is closed right now because of the recent postal workers strike, but I will open it again in February. It's exciting to finally have my own shop so I won't just be relying on art markets for sales.
----------
I'm on a 2-week break from work right now, so there are more posts to come before the end of the year. Hope you all have a fun and restful holiday season!
34 notes
·
View notes
Text
Also, here's what I wrote for the open letter. I don't really know what to say in this preface here without talking about things I already say in the letter itself, but I'll pull what I think is my most poignant topic up, because I think it's the point that people don't understand when they laugh at fans for caring - it's not about the character, it's about the company. It's different in the actual letter (edited to be less mean) but this is the original drag:
The objective of a story is to resonate with its audience emotionally. What we hope you will understand with this collection of letters is that you have a character and story that has already succeeded in this task. It is not protectiveness, or a stubborn unwillingness to adapt to the new; It is that when you as the creators are willing to cast aside this story that so many people have cared about over the years for something so fundamentally different simply for profit, the message we receive is that this emotional resonance is one-sided: that it is set dressing that can and will be turned over for the purpose of attracting more appealing audiences. My question, then, is this: if you as creators do not tell this story with sincerity, if you do not respect the integrity of storytelling as an artform and simply pivot your creative vision as the market demands, then why should we as the audience care about the stories you have to tell? Why should we become invested in any of your characters’ stories if you are simply displaying whatever words on the screen make you the most money — if any one of them could be on the chopping block if the wind blows the right way?
This took a week to get my thoughts together enough to write. Full letter under the cut:
Hi, Riot.
Like many others, I’ve been a Viktor fan for some time now. I dropped in around 2020, and the lore of the game as well as the lorefan community was and continues to be an invaluable lifeline to me. I take pride in participating in community initiatives — I was Viktor’s illustrator in two of the Rift Gala events, and I run an archive for the creative works people have made for him as he exists in League of Legends.
I am rather upset with the recently announced VGU in store for Viktor. I don’t understand the need for Viktor’s new lore to be overwritten so completely with Arcane, which is fundamentally incompatible with the space he occupies in League of Legends — both in terms of his in-game power fantasy as well as his character in the lore.
Overall, this VGU is disjointed and half-baked, especially in comparison with previous, more well-rounded VGU's. Others have put it more eloquently than me, but to highlight a few points, the stagnancy of his kit in 2024 is appalling, and the changes to his cosmetics are evident of a rush-job to meet the Arcane release-date deadline. If the purpose is truly to make Viktor play and feel like the character shown in Arcane, why is his kit full of abilities we never see him use in the show? If you wanted to improve the gameplay for old fans, why is his W maintained without change, not even adding a grounding effect that would help his survivability in the high-mobility champion economy as well as add to the power fantasy thematically (it is a gravity field, after all)? As for his skins, why do Creator and High Noon actively lose detailing? Why was Psyops’ head, which has been complained about since the skin’s release, not altered? Why is the most prominent change simply making his models skinnier?
More broadly, Viktor as he currently exists in League occupies a very specific and very unique niche in the roster of champions. Runeterra as a fantasy realm is interesting for its merging of technology and magic, and Viktor is one such outcome of that — a cyborg engineer whose power comes from his own inventions and conviction. What he is about to become, however, is an apocalypse mage that encroaches on the thematic territory of other characters like Malzahar, Syndra, and Bel’Veth. This is fine within Arcane as a standalone universe, as these characters don’t appear, but in moving this iteration over to League he becomes a redundancy while losing the unique standout points that he brought to the table, which are incredibly important in a game that has almost 170 characters. Why would I be drawn to this apocalypse-bringer when there are others that play better?
I don’t think this rework is a good idea on several fronts, and while I understand a great deal of resources have already been invested in it, I firmly believe that continuing forward on the path it sets re: going on to retcon other Arcane-related champs will only be detrimental to the overall health of the IP. Other champions are in more dire need of an update, and I believe it is unfair that reworks such as the one planned for Shyvana have been pushed back even further to prioritize unneeded retcons that don’t actually address the health of the game. I think cancelling Viktor’s VGU and the rest of the planned Arcane VGU’s to focus on updating historically unhealthy champs is a better use of your resources as game developers and as a company seeking to maintain a satisfied player base.
With respect to the lore of Runeterra, it is not a good idea to attempt to merge Arcane with the existing lore. I understand that Riot is a business, and that the objective of this merger is to capitalize on Arcane audiences, but put plainly: this will not work. It is more work than it is worth on Riot’s behalf to go through with changing the foundational lore of a core region, given that it has been built on top of over the years and will require retcons to many champions in the region past those showcased in Arcane. These retcons are highly likely to cause extensive shifts that are actively detrimental to the themes they present, and will only alienate a loving fanbase that the lore universe is very luck to have. To draw an example: the Marvel Comics Universe and the Marvel Cinematic Universe remain as separate canons — they are too different of interpretations, and it is too difficult to implement. Naming a few champions who would be affected in this way, how does Blitzcrank come into being if not for Viktor? And if Viktor is still its creator, why was this not a key point of his story shown in Arcane? For Camille, how does she exist if Hextech was heavily regulated during the time it was around? How was a Shuriman artificer familiar enough with the science to do her augmentations if it is a new technology?
Lore plotholes aside, I’d like to now talk about Viktor’s characterization.
To start: I think Arcane Viktor is fine in a vacuum. I don’t have anything against him or his story — but I believe that using his success as justification for deleting a well beloved character is unfair. You cannot place Arcane Viktor into the space that League Viktor occupies because they are fundamentally different.
League Viktor as a character is defined by his choice. What he does to himself is calculated and thought out — his augmentations are built through technical ability, his replacement of his limbs a decision made by his commitment to his ideology. His transformation into the Machine Herald is a meticulous process and an informed decision. The conflict between his philosophy and the humanity he can’t entirely let go of makes him compelling, as does the fact that he is the sole person to blame for his own tragedy.
Viktor in Arcane becomes the Herald because he seeks a cure to his terminal illness. What occurs to his body is unintended — when he initially experiments with the Hexcore, he has no idea what is going to happen to him. He could not have predicted what would happen to Sky. There is no meticulous transformation, no true choice in the matter to become what he becomes. He has no true agency — which is an interesting story in its own right, but he is not the Machine Herald.
The objective of a story is to resonate with its audience emotionally. What we hope you will understand with this collection of letters is that you have a character and story that has already succeeded in this task. It is not protectiveness, or a stubborn unwillingness to adapt to the new; It is that when you, the company that owns this character, are willing to cast aside this story that so many people have cared about over the years for something so fundamentally different, the message we receive is that this emotional resonance is one-sided: that it is set dressing that can and will be turned over for the purpose of attracting more appealing audiences.
My question, then, is this: if you as a company do not publish this story with sincerity, if you do not respect the integrity of storytelling as an artform and instead let the market dictate the path of your creative vision, then why should we as the audience care about the stories you have to tell? Why should we become invested in any of your characters’ stories if any one of them could have their core identities fundamentally altered if the wind blows the right way?
I started writing this letter at a gala wrapping up a 4-day national engineering conference that I attended as a delegate of my university. Four years ago, loving this character was the final push for me to choose mechanical engineering as the program I would apply for. I would not be where I am today, nor have the community or close friends I do now without the way this character resonated with me.
The community that this character as he exists in League has fostered is incredibly creative, unique, and passionate. I and many others write this from a place of love for this character and the story you have told with him — which I hope you will understand when you receive these letters.
Thank you for your time.
36 notes
·
View notes
Text
Secret Romantic (Grell Sutcliff x gn!artist!Reader)
A/N: I’m still pretty new to black butler but this woman has been living in my head rent-free for the past few weeks, which fortunately has given me a bit of inspiration to write a fic :> hope u like it and i hope it isn’t too ooc.
Summary: You were not really known to be a hopeless romantic, unlike your flamboyant companion. However, she wasn’t expecting to see a different side of you on the night you dropped your sketchbook nearby…
In the midst of another work-filled night, you quickly flipped through the to-die list one last time. “I think that’s about everyone tonight.” You let out a sigh of relief in unison with the red reaper in front of you, “What a night. I’m so glad that Phantomhive got this case closed rather quickly.” A bit of awkward silence passed until you heard a few quiet giggles, which made you turn to your friend who’s green irises were swinging left and right to each picture she had in her hands.
“Grell, are you listening?!” You raised your voice enough for her to let out a yelp as if she was a frightened puppy. “‘Bassy’ caught your eye again?” You scoff. “Come on, can you blame me? He was ever so graceful, how could I not take a photo or fourty~? Especially when he was wearing that ridiculously handsome suit~!” She dreamily sighs and you do nothing but roll your eyes. You never liked demons, always thought they were a hassle to deal with. It didn’t make it any better that a certain demon butler just so happened to steal the doting heart of the woman who stole yours.
“Well, I’ll head off now so you can have your little fun, I suppose. See you at work, my lady.” You greeted nonchalantly as you quickly jumped out of the scene using your reaper agility. Before Grell could glue her eyes back to the photos, she heard a thud nearby, finding a familiar book on the stone ground. It was the sketchbook you always brought around during work to draw on whenever you had a bit of time on your hands. She remembered the times you refused to show her your artworks, hiding the pages against your chest as a faint but cute blush creeped onto your cheeks.
It seemed that curiosity killed the cat (much to Sebastian’s dismay) as Grell approached the sketchbook with a smirk, letting go of her precious photos for the time being…
“Let’s see what you’ve been hiding from me, darling.” She mutters to herself as she slowly flips through the sketchbook, admiring every image. There’s a sketch of the town you recently visited in the view from a tall building, doodles of a couple of dresses you saw from a store window, and other random things. You were quite talented, she thought, curious if you happened to have a doodle of dear Bassy as well~ It only took a couple minutes until she flipped through a page that caught her off guard.
Several doodles of the red reaper herself were presented to her, some smiling, some frowning, some drawings ended down to her head or bust and there were a couple of full body drawings as well. She flipped through more pages and found herself again. There was one drawing where she was wearing a beautiful dress and another where she and you dancing together, she was wearing the same dress while you wore your own outfit with a similar design. It was like an illustration from a fairytale book, the you in the sketch revealed a big smile that your colleagues don’t often see on you in real life.
The next page had sketches of her in other fancy outfits, the page after that had sketches of her doing her signature pose, the page after that was a drawing of you and her, hand in hand and looking at each other fondly while the moonlight illuminated your figures. She didn’t realize you were so observant over her. It was a bit unsettling, but it also felt endearing to her that you put in so much effort into capturing her beauty on paper. Her mind was filled with different thoughts, the memories of you and her training, laughing, smiling and spending time together all those years ago up till now. She couldn’t deny that it made her heart flutter.
Meanwhile, you were panicking in your room trying to find that lost sketchbook, worried that Grell had caught it first. You dejectedly rushed to your door only to find said reaper in front of your doorstep, causing you to stumble backwards. “Gah! G-Grell, what are y-you doing here..?” Your heart was pounding as you looked over to her hand which was holding very thing you were looking for over the past several minutes. Grell chuckled a bit as she handed it back to you. “Darling, I never thought you felt this way about me~” She stepped closer with a smile.
“I-I’m sorry, I can explain-“ “No, I’m sorry for pulling on your heartstrings like that, my dear.” Grell’s eyes softened as she apologized. “The drawings are gorgeous as well. I didn’t know you were such a romantic~!” She smirked and you huff your cheeks, “I guess you just rubbed off on me, my lady.”
“No worries, it’s cute.” Her smile grew as she watched your cheeks flush and eyes widen. “Aww, look at your cheeks! They’re covered in such an adorable shade of red~” She failed to supress a cheeky giggle. “Stop teasing me!” You quickly protest before she held out a hand to you.
“Heh, well I must admit, you were always dear to me, darling. I guess I was too occupied with my own obsessions to realize it sooner… But since you seem to be interested in a dance, may I take your hand tonight~?” She stated flirtatiously, causing your cheeks to grow hotter. You were a lot less experienced in the world of love compared to the reaper in front of you, causing you to hesitate taking her offer…
But then again, who are you to refuse a lovely lady such as Grell Sutcliff~?
A/N: i need sleep. why must motivation show up during midnight T_T anyways hope u like it :P
#rin’s writings >—❥#black butler grell#grell sutcliff#grell sutcliff x reader#grell x reader#kuroshitsuji#kuroshitsuji x reader#grelle sutcliff#black butler x reader#kuroshitsuji grell
305 notes
·
View notes
Text
/KICKS THE DOOR DOWN- omFG HELLO ITS FINALLY TIME FOR-
welcome to an Elysium Drama Update tHAT IVE BEEN VAGUING AND HYPING ABOUT FOR THREEEEEEEE MONTHS 😱 yes you ARE reading this correctly! After all this time of spiraling deeper and deeper RECENTLY and after the VERY long tumultuous past of the previous decade-ish - the Taki Fuego Trifecta Trio (their tag here) is HAVING AN ENTIRE BABY BY CHOICE AND ON PURPOSE— oh mmmmYYYY GGGGGGGOD—
All five of these illustrations feature completely canon dialogue dating back from January when they first started trying for a baby. now that Loki finally confirmed that he’s actually pregnant a few weeks ago - clearly out loud and in words - it is finally time to reveal this news to all of YOU!
Congratulations YOU are now part of a select few! NO ONE ELSE IN THE PALACE KNOWS YET.
The baby Loki is now incubating is sired by Tory!! with Maci of course knowingly and delightedly pulling all puppet strings “behind the scenes” aka like, to the left of them or whatever on the bed.💞How did this even fucking happen you may be asking??!!! They went from fun bedroom dynamic to let’s have an entire babBY?!?! Well- just like the way these playfully suggestive drawings (every one of these convos took place during…… during. uhhhhhhhhhh) are slyly ambiguous in the way I chose to draw them - let me explain the decision of this baby in the same,, extremely sanitized way:::
Maci and Tory.,,, will say.,,, literally anything. And During one such occasion,, it dawned on Loki - and them too, honestly — suddenly with a full record scratch that — wait are you actually being serious?? WAIT DO YOU *ACTUALLY* WANT A—
As nudged upon here and also in my many recent lore essays, please remember that Loki’s ~antsy~ when it comes to his pregnancies and history of children; due to the prior tragedies that had befallen the first six he’s always made it a habit of just vanishing, paranoid and anxious, each time he’s found himself pregnant. However Maci and Tory unequivocally and wholeheartedly asking him to make a baby with them because 💞love💞 and 💞lust💞 and 💞clingy vibes💞- again LITERALLY the first EVER baby ON PURPOSE EVER- was enough to IMMEDIATELY make him go starry eyed. Even though over these past few months since Tory first initiated the talk Loki had…. Still has……. refused to admit that and continued to be his usual vaguely hostile and suspicious self but….
As of today he’s six weeks pregnant (he can always, magically, tell right away) and he has not yet disappeared.in fact he hasn’t even left their BED or their SIDE in THREE MONTHS. 🥺 mhy god hellO., Loki you’re so full of shit and they’re onto you. Maybe stop blushing so much.
and so now begins the countdown to NEW MYSTERY BABY and the shenanigans that will follow; ONCE AGAIN I am FLOORED and THRILLED and WATCHING all this with my jaw on the FLOOR. ‼️they’re not a throuple this is just uhh fun things to do with your platonic friends!‼️ (oh my god I’m gonna lose my mind for fucking real—)
All the dialogue in the orange bubbles + Tory himself of course belong to @fenixethekid , hiatused, once again trying for real to kill me im pretty sure.Maci & all pink and green bubbles are mine; EeL is mine too idc; do NOT tag this with the m word; I hope this has been worth the hype (and I’m pretty sure I was EXTREMELY obvious about hinting at this so?!?!?! GOLD STAR IF YOU’D ALREADY GUESSED THIS NEWS!)
POPS CHAMPAGNE STAY TUUUUNEDDDDD
#LONG POST /#pregnancy /#nsfwtxt .??#my art#Elysium drama update#Taki fuego#eloki#Elysium comics#HEY!!!!! AAUGHHHHHGGFGFFFFF
18 notes
·
View notes
Text
Last teaser because I'm having such a hard time not posting everything immediately
I'm really far ahead with the next few chapters BUT I'm trying my best to only release one a week so I give myself some breathing room if I need some time off.
HOWEVER it's eating away at my brain so here's another excerpt from the upcoming Chapter 7.
----
Alhaitham’s eyelids were drooping from all the social interaction. And it didn’t help that hearing his friends bicker about his choices made him ornery and introspective. He wasn’t precious about his decision to pursue Kaveh; that wasn’t what was bothering him.
He knew that his recent behavior wasn’t anything worthy of praise. But it seemed that it had painted an especially ugly picture of Alhaitham in Kaveh’s mind, one he would describe in great detail to anyone who listened. Overhearing their booming whispers in the theater clarified to Alhaitham that Kaveh held nothing back during their time apart.
Alhaitham swirled his glass and directed his hawk-like gaze at the man sitting across from him. “I’m glad we’re alone now.”
Kaveh could hear the warm blood pumping dopamine through his brain. “Are you? You’re not upset about…about earlier?”
“Truthfully, I’m a little confused. Why do you think everyone thinks we’d be so bad together? Because we argue?”
Kaveh looked up and set his whisky on the coffee table. “Alhaitham, they don’t know you like I do. I wouldn’t worry about what they think.”
“Oh, I don’t,” Alhaitham leaned closer to Kaveh, “But I do care about what you think.”
Silence as the twinkling piano track transitioned into something more melancholy.
“What I think? What I think of what?”
“I kissed you, remember?”
“What? Y-yes, I remember.”
“And you kissed me back.”
“What’s your point?”
“I initiated. You followed. But is being with me something you want? Or are you just lonely, Kaveh? And I happen to be sitting here. Whatever you told our friends turned them not only against me, but against you, too. So you’ll forgive me for being curious about why you’d want to be with someone you disliked so much.”
It didn’t surprise Kaveh to hear such an astute analysis of the circumstances, but it certainly irked him. He folded his arms. “Do you really think I’d be wasting my time here if I didn’t care about you?”
“Honestly? Kind of. You’re in a vulnerable state. That’s not necessarily the best time to be searching for potential suitors. Especially one who ‘doesn’t want to commit,’ as Nilou put it.”
Kaveh’s face got pink. “I appreciate your concern, but I promise you I’ve enjoyed every second of our time together.”
“That’s not what I’m worried about, Kaveh. You enjoy alcohol too, but it’s not good for you.”
“What? We both drink a lot of alcohol! What is this projecting that you’re doing? I like you, Alhaitham. Isn’t that enough?”
“I’m not projecting. I’m trying to illustrate my point. I’m not interested in becoming one of your new fascinations. That’s all.”
It slowly dawned on Kaveh that Alhaitham was self-conscious, but he didn’t have the words to articulate it.
“Do I have to prove to you that you’re more than just a fascination to me?”
---
Check out What the Little Sun Saw here!
9 notes
·
View notes
Text
Week 6: The Self Actualized Individual
This week we continue on with our venture into Samuel W. Franklin's book "The Cult of Creativity: A Surprisingly Recent History" Chapters 2 & 3- which explores the origins of brainstorming and creativity as self-actualization. In addition, I've included a worksheet below that I created titled: Meeting Facilitation Tips, Tricks & Practices (2024).
First things first- let's review the reading! Chapter 2 delves into the birth of brainstorming. In this chapter, we're introduced to Alexander Faickney Osborn (a.k.a. the Father of Brainstorming), an American advertising executive who served as chairman / co-founder of the powerhouse ad agency Batten, Barston, Durston & Osborn (BBDO). Osborn oversaw a portfolio of clients that included General Electric, General Motors, Lucky Strike, Lever Brothers and Dupont.
Known as an ideas man- Osborn spent a lot of time on his practice of creative thinking. "Advertising is my day job, but imagination is my hobby!" He'd often say.
Illustration by Nishant Choksi, The New Yorker Magazine (2012)
Whenever BBDO executives were stumped for a new slogan or a marketing concept, Osborn was their go-to person. He'd gather "about a dozen youngsters and a few brasshats" in a room together, and their appointed "chairman" would pose a problem to the group and everyone was to call out as many rapid fire ideas as they could think up during the timeframe. For the duration of the session, the normal hierarchy was suspended- so "all were equal". However, some of the ground rules typically enforced for brainstorming included:
Criticism or second-guessing is strictly forbidden!
"Freewheeling" encouraged: no idea is too silly or ambitious.
Participant ideas should be built upon or recombined together.
Ideas that emerged from these sessions were documented, shared with leadership and then the good ideas were sorted from the bad. Osborne believed that the mind worked similarly to an ad agency- made up of a "creative and imaginative" half and also a "judicial" half. As Franklin elaborates in this chapter, "both were necessary- but needed to get out of each others way to do their jobs." Brainstorming thus served as a way to balance the dynamic between the two halfs.
Osborne went on to become an author and created a series of books on creative thinking, including titles such as- Your Creative Power: How to Use Your Imagination (1948), Wake Up Your Mind: 101 Ways to Develop Creativeness (1952) and also Applied Imagination (1953).
Essentially, Osborne was the first to make the case that creative thinking was not a mystery- the skill of brainstorming / creative thinking could be accessible to anyone who wanted to develop it. He often reminded his readers that he wasn't a psychologist, instead he coined himself as a self-help author. Osborne's philosophy was that everyone has an innate creative ability, and it is a skill that could be improved upon and unleashed with deliberate, methodical practice.
He often thought of ideas as currency and thinking as a force of nature! "There is no genius in me, but I have learned by experience that imagination- like a muscle, can be built up by exercise." He said.
Osborne's books on creative thinking were shared widely across many educational institutions and workplaces across the country, who wanted to inspire students / workers to imagine what's possible.
On September 13th, 1956- Willard Pleuthner, Vice President and Coordinator of Brainstorming at BBDO, conducted the "fishbowl demonstration" on brainstorming at the DuPont Headquarters. Fishbowl Discussion is a style of group facilitation- it includes rearranging a room in a circular fashion to support collaboration, creating prompts to discuss a variety of topics within small groups, and participants taking turns to listen & contribute to conversation.
Illustration of a Fishbowl Discussion, from Visual Friends Blog (2024)
Here is an additional suggestion: to learn more about social justice, world-building and the effects of social arrangements on ideas / systems thinking, also check out this book: Ideas Arrangements Effects (2020) by The Design Studio for Social Intervention!
As creative thinking trainings and brainstorming sessions paved the way for everyday people to step into being active agents of change- psychologists and academic researchers continued creative studies.
Notably, psychologist Carl Rogers often spoke about creative theory. Being one of the founders of humanistic psychology (along with the likes of Abraham Maslow and Rollo May)- Rogers emphasized that creativity exists within every individual and simply awaits the proper conditions to be fully realized and expressed. While psychometricians like Guilford and Taylor studied creativity as an intellectual ability, Rogers saw creativity as something much more expansive- it was more so the "expression of the human nature in its fullest flowering".
This perspective reflected Rogers own disciplinary background as a psychoanalyst (think Sigmund Freud), whom were not concerned with sorting people into categories but instead interested in helping individuals achieve their own sense of happiness and fulfillment. The humanistic branch of psychology held the belief that the "traditional psychologists focused too much on dysfunction, and on trying to get people to be normal." To be normal was to conform to society- so humanistic psychologists instead turned their attention towards human thriving, creative expression and embracing individuality.
The humanistic psychology movement was felt in the wider field of creative research, and the ideas percolate across creativity literature to this day- quoted in everything from education, management, self help and spirituality books. Creativity and self-actualization were often described as deeply linked, and treating it as a "quantifiable resource was a fool's errand" and somehow, it also complimented technology. Humanistic psychology aimed to shape the future of society at large- creating a world that could become more equitable and humane.
In the spirit of decentralized management, creating structures that support individual agency and synergistic conversations - I created this worksheet Meeting Facilitation Tips, Tricks & Practices (2024).
Text Version:
The Role of Facilitator - "Facilitators play important roles in creating environments that supports generative conversation among groups. Remember that embodying your very-own-form of creative leadership is a subjective, individual experience as much as it is a journey and an ongoing learning process. Always be yourself! When setting the tone for conversations- it's also important to consistently show up as your best self. Through the development of supportive practices (for yourself & the team), keeping a flexible meeting structure and balancing time to discuss topics and hear from everyone around the room: you can lead discussions with confidence, ease and move together towards your collective vision."
Community Agreements - "Community agreements are one way to implement some structure around your team collaborations! Beyond creating "some ground rules"-benefits of forming a set of guidelines for group discussion include: fostering a more welcoming space, extending the invitation for alternative forms of team participation (ie. encouraging the inclusion of both introverts / extroverts) and reaching a shared understanding (or a consensus) of how all participants would like to be in community together. Community agreements change and evolve over time. These guidelines can become a key resource in creating a sense of belonging for all participants, who can then feel safe to both challenge and contribute their own ideas within the group discussion. Agreements can also be relational and/or operational in nature- like practicing WAIT (why am I talking?) and WAINT (why am I not talking?)"
Discussion in Practice - "There are endless ways to approach facilitating a group discussion- it all depends on what works best for your organization and collective change goals. Being open to changing either the meeting structure or the environment (every so often) can encourage innovative thinking and engage creative solutions. Types of facilitation / meeting structures that you could potentially explore include: Fishbowl Discussion, Walking Meetings, Workshops, Small Groups, Learning Circles, Open Space Technology (OST), etc. Change can be exciting- new meeting structure could lead you to stumble upon that next big idea!
Resource Library:
Leadership -
A Prioritization Flowchart - LinkedIn (Justin Wright, 2023)
The Seven Types of Rest - TED (S. Dalton-Smith MD, 2021)
Branding & Marketing Archetypes (Britopia, 2023)
Roles & Responsibilities (Aguilar, Jossey-Bass, 2016)
Reflection & Strategy -
Brainstorming Tools (Gust de Backer, 2024)
Social Business Model Canvas (Swarthmore College, 2024)
Reflection Circle (Stearns Center for Teaching & Learning, 2022)
Reflective Prompts (Alison Yang, 2018)
Decision Making -
Dot Voting (The Facilitation Hub, 2024)
Fist of Five (National Center for Family Philanthropy, 2018)
Round Robin - Arizona State University (Susan Ledlow, 1995)
Meeting Facilitation -
Fishbowl Discussion (Facing History & Ourselves, 2017)
Open Space Technology - OSW (Michael Herman, 2024)
Community Agreements (The New School, 2024)
--
References
• Franklin, Samuel. "The Cult of Creativity: A Surprisingly Recent History." The University of Chicago Press. (April 18th, 2023).
0 notes
Video
youtube
Joining the Navy Reserves LATE IN LIFE?...my thoughts| Navy Transition C... This Navy Transition Coach youtube feature of Joining The Navy Reserves Late In Life... via the Navy Transition Coach youtube channel is honest and illustrative in a thorough way with examples from the youtube author's life. I concur with the youtube author that the navy reserves can still give you something new to do in addition to certain healthcare benefits that are reasonably cost though the active duty side of the navy is more for adventure because of the few times a year that navy reservists meet unless they are selected for deployments. I truly hope that the youtube author does truly obtain what she wants in being able to eventually return to navy active duty. I understand how the youtube author feels in preferring to eventually return to navy active duty. Additionally I would gently advise other prospective navy reservists to allow themselves to be privately honest with themselves as to how stable their civilian job situation is before joining the navy reserves if feasible/possible. The reason being a person is going to require a certain amount of money from their civilian employment situation to pay for necessities both inside and outside drill weekend (rent, upkeep on both civilian and military clothes, healthcare) coupled with needing an understanding civilian employer who is going to keep them employed at their company even after the navy reservist attends their required navy reserve drills. Yes there are opportunities to go navy active duty andor navy reserve deployments. However the caveat is that getting approved to go from navy reserves to navy active duty is far from being guaranteed to always be approved on the first attempt while in the navy reserves and a navy reservist may have to wait at least 2 to 3 months andor longer after they first enlist before they would be approved to go on a long term andor similar to active duty type of navy assignment depending on their navy reserve job, However the navy reserves could also be a godsend especially if you are currently in between civilian jobs and are in the process of working towards having another stable job. I can personally attest to the navy reserve being an unexpected vital lifeline for me. I have unexpectedly found myself being in between civilian jobs though luckily the navy reserve bonus money I recently received has been a helpful money lifeline heavensent for me. Why I prefer to refrain from returning to my recent civilian boss to beg for my job back (despite my shock at my recent civilian boss delivering the decision that they did to me less than a week before my recent navy reserve drill week) is something for another post and better kept offline out of respect for the Navy Transition Coach's youtube author's helpful post regarding joining the navy reserves later in life.
0 notes
Text
Mid-sem reflection
I am happy to say that as I write this reflection, I am back in Jakarta! I aim to complete some work while still having time to unwind and rest, as, after all, I am back home for medical reasons.
What?
Yes, I have been quite unproductive, I would say. However, I have been receiving very helpful advice in applying it in the context of my project. (I hope that counts, too 😭). I have been feeling okay…this honestly sounds odd to me. However, I feel just fine but also a bit worried. Despite applying the steps I intend to take, I have an idea of what I need to do. I feel quite disappointed in myself for not starting any new task developments. Overall, although I am more hopeful as I can see my path clearer, I am getting stressed about the project every week. Amid this stress and anxiety, I am very grateful that I have friends to rely on for feedback and doing work together.
So What?
Observing the previous reflections, see how I have used emotions and feelings interchangeably? Well, it turns out they have completely different meanings. The main difference between the terms is that one is biased. In which feelings are essentially biased thoughts formed by “mental misconceptions” (Allyn, 2022). Meanwhile, emotions are instant sensations the body experiences (Allyn, 2022). In a way, feelings can be seen as overthinking thoughts, which, well…I have been sort of prioritising. I recently got advice to think of feelings as something I completely control and often false. While emotion is valid to experience, I do not have much control over it. Hence, dwelling over feelings is just as similar to overthinking, is it not?
Moments when I feel anxious and doubtful despite being reassured multiple times through feedback could potentially be overthinking feelings. Honestly, looking at this from a bigger perspective, I see that everything is interconnected. Anxiety and doubtfulness stemmed from my perfectionism, which might have originated from overthinking feelings and thoughts. It seems to be a cycle in which the steps I have taken have gradually but surely broken the pattern.
Now What?
I realise that the only viable action plan as of the moment is to continue the practices I have logged in the previous weeks. To list a few primary action plans, that is looking at the picture from the right angle and continuously reminding myself that everything is okay when I start overanalysing and creating realistic schedules. In general, this plan assists me to be more realistic. Regarding my task, I have started to do illustrations and sketches of my prototype but have yet to finalise them. I will progress and traverse through the weeks with (hopefully) a better mindset and perspective on the overall assignment.
Stay tuned to see me get progressively stressed each week! 🕺
References Allyn. R (2023). The Important Difference Between Emotions and Feelings. Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/blog/the-pleasure-is-all-yours/202202/the-important-difference-between-emotions-and-feelings
0 notes
Text
“You don’t seem very sorry.”…
“I am sorry. Sorry that I got caught.” (The Strange Love of Martha Ivers -1946)
Barbara Stanwyck and Kirk Douglas as Martha and Walter
The admission by Martha Ivers (Smith) she most regretted was being unmasked to reveal her true self. An admission of guilt of any sort was not something I would hear or read from Ingeborga. I had now been witness to to Inga's response to narcissistic injury on repeated occasions. Typical of the narcissist who has been wounded, Inga utilized insults, silence, projection and gaslighting as her defenses. My Saturday video call with her illustrated her defensive tools. Obviously absent were the acceptance of responsibility or expression of empathy.
Based upon the further findings of the private investigators I also began to understand that Inga appeared to regard relationships with others as transactional. As long as she was getting what she needed from another, they remained in her orbit.
An absurd offer...
Following my Saturday call with Inga, conversation had ceased. Routine texting had stopped. I had no motivation or energy to reengage with her. I welcomed the silence until it was broken by Inga who texted to inquire as to how I was doing. She made small overtures in order to probe and expressed her supposed bewilderment as to my reactions.
I again explained to her that she made a commitment to me which she did not honor. I explained that she withheld information and deliberately deceived me. I did not expect that my quick review of recent history would make any difference - it did not. However, Inga then made a strange proposal.
Inga stated that she would fly to Cancun to meet me in order to talk, face-to-face. The initial condition she set for this meeting was that she would only stay for the day. It was utterly preposterous that anyone would suggest spending a day in the air (round trip) in order to spend a few hours. It was a laughable suggestion and I was quick to tell her just that. Inga then revised her suggestion by claiming that she would stay overnight but she would get a room at a different hotel. I had to give Inga credit for, in that moment, she tested the limits of credulity and also manage to insult me through the implicit statement that she did not want to be with me. Of course, I rejected the entire scheme as complete nonsense.
More information comes to light...
Approximately two weeks passed after the blow up with Inga with the near cessation of communication when Mikhail Levko (PI Labs) emailed a summary of their most recent findings. He wrote:
During the investigation, information was requested on the presence of a registered property of the family of Reshetnikov. The registration service received information that 19.11.2021, Denis Leonidovich Reshetnikov registered a new real estate object described as an apartment with an area of 150 sq.m., cadastral number - 60: 27: 0010326: 88. Address of the apartment RF, Pskov region, city of Pskov, Gogol Street D.7 "B" Apartment 9. The cadastral value of the property is 3,697,252 rubles. The market value of the real estate object is estimated at about 5,000,000 rubles. This property is pledged from Sberbank of Russia and was acquired in the mortgage.
The apartment is located on the 2nd floor. The house is located in the center of Pskov. It is considered a fairly good location. The house itself is not a new building, but having an apartment in the historical center of the regional city with fairly large square meter dimensions is a good investment of capital.
Checking the rest of the property of Denis, which we pointed out in previous reports remained also registered on it. There were no ads for the sale of property discovered.
Information was also requested about the registration of property for Ingeborga. According to information received from the registration service, as before, no property is registered in her name.
Not surprising...
So, it seems that after Inga's return to Pskov in late October, plans were underway for the purchase of a new apartment. The distancing I was feeling as well as Inga's distraction and focus on decorating ideas all fit the time frame of the purchase. All of this news from PI Lab came as no surprise; although, the vindication was welcome after Inga's relentless gaslighting.
A return to silence, that is, until the Russians invaded Ukraine.
#relationship#pskov#dating scam#narcissistic sociopath#ingeborga#scam#npd#reshetnikov#jewellerysiren#ingaborgia#lopatyuk#passive aggressive#narcissistic injury
1 note
·
View note
Text
Never Again is Now: A Retrospective
**Content Warning: I know I have a biased opinion due to my background, I just needed to get these thoughts off my chest.
In everything that I write, I always try and find the right words to say. In this particular case, my tongue is metaphorically tied and I cannot come up with any amount of words that can illustrate all of the emotions these past couple of weeks have caused for me. After taking some time to digest what has been going on in the world, I have to at least try and speak not only for myself, but as one of the many voices in my community, both local and at large. Additionally, as a writer, I always try to see both sides of the story and emphasize. However, that cannot be the case with this particular situation.
I am not the first, and I will not be the last, to state the obvious – there is an ongoing problem. One of the most concerning things in today’s society is the sheer amount of hatred and bigotry that still exists. Even in the most prolifically self-defined “Land of the Free”, with the many races and creeds of people that live here, the majority of those minorities do not feel safe. This has been an ongoing problem for centuries – it certainly is not a new phenomenon. If it is, I would highly suggest you take some time to read a history book or educate yourself on the history laid out by our ancestors. The difference between history and today is that more eyes are on it thanks to the power (or in some cases hindrances) of social media. The new age of technology and social media has most certainly escalated the problem, as it now introduces not only anonymity but also runs the risk of taking things entirely out of context. Context is crucial, especially when talking about racism, bigotry, and in the specific case for today’s focus, antisemitism. Within the last few years, I have noted the steady increase of antisemitism not only within the United States but around the world. In fact, a statistic done by the ADL (the Anti-Defamation League) published in March 2023 for antiemetic events within the United States, 2022 tabulated 3,697 events, which is a 36% uptick from the previous year. They also noted that this was the highest number on record since they began recording these events in 1979. Unfortunately, this number will only increase as the ongoing Israeli/Hamas conflict continues.
In the early hours of Saturday, October 7, Hamas stationed in Gaza launched a surprise attack on Israel, shooting rockets through the skies and storming the borders with trucks, armed men, and a determined drive for destruction. Since then, there have been numerous incidents where thousands of lives have been lost. One of the most recent occurrences in this war took place on October 17th - the bombing of the Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital in Gaza, now being classified as a massacre, as it took the lives of hundreds of Palestinians. I want you to take a wild guess as to who the fingers of blame were first pointed at.
I knew that Judaism would always be tried, and tested, but in my life, I never imagined it would be in this capacity. It’s a part of my life, it has been my saving grace in the past. From a young age, I knew my religion was different from everyone around me. I attended Catholic school from fifth grade to eighth grade, and the kids didn’t treat me any differently, unlike my previous school. I felt different though, and for those reasons I admired it. However, it slowly crept up and took its toll on me later in life. Within my bubble, I felt an underlying whisper to converge, to keep my differences to myself. I want to be clear, no one else in my life said anything to this effect – it was self-inflicted thoughts. These thoughts only grew louder as the violence and antisemitism grew. Even when I was out in Los Angeles, I honestly never felt comfortable going to services, partially because of the constant fear of going through an event like the Pittsburgh temple shooting a few years ago.
I have had several small significant cases of antisemitism pop up in my own life, but this is not the time and place to air that laundry. Looking back on those events now, it helped me grow into the Jewish young woman I am today. Now, as a full-fledged adult, and having matured experiences, I look back on those cases of antisemitism, my trip to Israel in high school, and my identity as a Jewish woman and react to different ways. One with pride, and one with utter fear. These opposite-polar reactions are the norm in today’s society.
As raised to be a Jewish woman, one of the things I learned growing up was the deep-seated connection between myself and the Jewish people as a whole. During my bat mitzvah’s parashah way back in 2007, I learned three important lessons that still hold true these many years later. My Torah portion at the time, for context, was Emor from the book of Leviticus:
Judaism teaches us that every one of us is sacred, no matter what his or her status in life may be.
Love Thy Neighbor as thy self – the self-proclaimed “Golden Rule” of societies.
Sacrifices mean giving up something to receive something. Sacrifices are sacred and should not be forgotten.
I know that you are probably thinking “Nicole, why are you spewing knowledge from your childhood for these very real, critical events?” I am not here to educate/give lessons – I am offering comfort and some sort of inspiration to keep us moving forward.
There are two very clear, distinct sides: Pro-Israel and Pro-Hamas. If you believe otherwise, then I kindly ask that you please keep those opinions to yourself.
In the days following the Israeli/Gaza attacks, people’s true colors are put on full display. The President spoke up. Multiple Jewish-based universities, as well as local and national Jewish-centric organizations, spoke up. Schools and places of work spoke up. Social media exploded with videos, retweets, reels, posts. The words of support flooded in and my heart wept with happiness. However, at the same time, the opposite occurred. Hate, death threats, slurs, blame, support for Hamas’ cause, true intentions. My swollen heart now aches with despair and utter shock. We stand on the precipice of where our ancestors stood before.
Have we not learned from history? Are we, in fact, doomed to repeat it, here and now? Is ‘Never Again’ now?
With all this talk of philosophies and rants aside, I grieve for the thousands of my Israeli brothers and sisters who were taken by the careless carnage caused by Hamas. I have a direct connection to the Holy Land – friends on the front lines serving within the IDF, and friends who live in Israel fearing for their lives daily. Constantly looking to the skies and behind their backs, awaiting their next attack. I have stepped foot on Israel’s shores, having gone back in 2010, when the violence was only a rumble. I distinctly remember before our trip that a message was sent to us and our parents, keeping us alert of the very real threat that brews within the Holy Land. We were protected by an armed man throughout our stay, which made me at peace. Not many people are not so lucky as to have a literal guardian angel amongst them. Israel is beautiful – the land, the culture, the food, the people – I wish everyone could see its true beauty and grandeur rather than the perceived notion/idea of what it is.
The most disturbing thing about this entire conflict has been the consequences laced in people’s choices. Many of us have chosen the side of Israel/innocent Palestinians and innocent Gazaians. A life is a life, no matter who it is. A choice is a choice, and in the end, the person who makes that choice is the one who lives with their decision. In this day and age, where social media and technology are driving factors in our everyday decision-making, it’s hard to imagine that, at the heart of this conflict are the Israelis versus the Hamas terrorists, people still dare to make the wrong choice. We’ve seen the news reports. We have seen the shared posts on social media. We have seen videos, photos, and stories of thousands of innocent lives being taken, yet people continue to choose the wrong side. I am not attacking people as they can make their own decisions, but still - It’s not fair. The way that people, yes, have the right to make their own decisions, it’s an unfortunate occurrence that people have chosen to side the world-labeled “monsters” that keep us awake at night. It’s an easy choice to make, so why, even in today’s world with everything that we know, do you still choose to support those who hide behind its residents, who cower in corners of the hospitals and civilians' homes, who slither and constrict innocents like snakes and who pillage innocent lands, by sky, air, and sea. All of this, to annihilate a peaceful people, whose only pure and good intention, is to have a home to have a sense of belonging and a sense of purpose.
It’s not fair.
I know that this isn’t easy. I have had weeks to reflect. All of my previous experiences, my connections to my heritage, my friends on the front lines of this horrible war, have made me so on edge, that I only yearn for them to be safe. In my youth, I only scratched the surface of what Israel has gone through in her lifetime. I was so young, not understanding the complexities or the complicated history of the country and its people. Now, as a full-fledged adult, the complexities of the actions of political leaders, civilians, soldiers, and witnesses, all of these actions and choices, have both written and unwritten consequences which we now live through.
I am proud to be a Jew. I do not apologize for being one-sided. I will not apologize for speaking or in this case writing my true feelings. Now, more than ever, we must endure, we must carry on. We must survive – we are in this for the long haul.
Am Yisrael Chai
1 note
·
View note
Text
Yale Police Union Welcomes Students to Campus With 'Grim Reaper' Fliers
The Yale police union is distributing fliers to students warning them about crime in New Haven.
The flier instructs students to "remain on campus" and and "stay off the streets after 8 p.m."
The Yale Police chief told The New York Times he's "disgusted" by the union's message to students.
Each year, Yale University attracts students from across the globe, drawn to the Ivy League institution for its renowned academics and the vast opportunities that such an education affords its graduates.
But in recent days, the Yale Police Benevolent Association — the union representing officers at the sprawling campus in New Haven, Connecticut — has come under criticism from the university and city officials for distributing fliers warning students that it's not safe to venture beyond the the collegiate walls in the evenings.
The flier, which says that "some Yalies do manage to survive New Haven and even retain their personal property," points to crime statistics in the New England city that university officials insist is misleading and a tactic that the union is employing as it seeks a new contract.
It also instructs students to "remain on campus," "avoid public transportation," and "stay off the streets after 8 p.m."
Posted near the top of the flier is an illustration of the Grim Reaper with a pointed message: "Good luck."
The Yale fliers are similar to the "Welcome to Fear City" fliers given to tourists visiting New York City in the 1970s — when the city struggled with violent crime — which directed them to "stay off the streets after 6 p.m." and call for cabs in lieu of walking outside in the evenings.
Anthony Campbell, the chief of the Yale Police Department and the onetime police chief of New Haven, blasted the police union over its message to students.
"I am extremely hurt and sad and disgusted by the actions taken by the Yale Police Benevolent Association," he told The New York Times. "I think it is divisive and destructive for any police officer to disparage the city in which they work."
The union in its flier stated that "murders have doubled, burglaries are up 33 percent and motor vehicle thefts are up 56 percent" through the end of July. (According to official New Haven crime statistics, the numbers are accurate, with burglaries up from 177 last year to 235 through July 23 and car thefts having risen from 390 last year to 609 through July 23.)
But violent crime has declined by 16.2% through July 23, compared to last year.
And violent crime has also dropped by 29.2% since 2020, New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker has pointed out.
"Overall, over the past three years or so, crime is down," Elicker told The Times. "While the actual numbers may be accurate, they don't present the full picture of what's going on."
Andrew Matthews, an attorney for the Yale police union and a former Yale Police Department officer, said that the flier was not being used as leverage in the union's contract talks.
"I don't think there was an attempt to fearmonger or scare people," he told The Times.
But he said that the officers wanted to leave an impression with students amid all the other messages that they would receive over the next few weeks.
"And without a doubt, their pamphlet stands out," he added.
However, Campbell, the Yale police chief, reiterated to the newspaper that he disagreed with the sort of impression that the flier was generating on campus.
"When you see, from the day you're moving in, that the police department doesn't have its house in order, then you start saying: 'Well, can I even count on you to tell me the truth and to really keep me safe?'" he said.
0 notes
Text
Life Update: How things are going
Hey guys, it’s been a while since I’ve last posted.
Since University has finished nearly a year ago, I’ve been sort of struggling to find work placements or *at least* find commissions for my work practice. Like, I’ve been wanting to be a freelance children’s illustrator for the whole majority of my degree; but for some reason I’ve always been afraid to just get my foot in the door, as in getting my work out there. For anyone reading this and am close to finishing your degree, this is what you will face in the ‘aftermath’... and it’s honestly soul destroying.
Because of this, I can announce that the dream of becoming a children’s book illustrator will be put on hold for now. I feel like I need a lot more time to rethink my future. Saying this makes me feel really miserable but I feel like I’m not ready for this step just yet.
I have been doing things though: From November 2022 to March 2023 I have been volunteering a few hours a week at Oxfam, where I helped put out donations and also improved my confidence in interacting with the general public. I was even asked to do an a-board design for the shop’s xmas campaign, which was pretty cool. Sadly it was just a mock project but I still had fun though. I have also been designing a couple of colouring sheets for cafes; one recent one was for the Easter hols.
I have also been going to the cinema more, and have been enjoying things I once put off due to my studying. Think of it as self care, which was VERY much needed right now. However, I really feel like travelling somewhere new; just to get a ‘fresh start’.
In all honesty, the real reason why I wanted to do a post today was that I’ve been losing interest in art but I still love being creative. And moreorless I love writing about things I have enjoyed recently. I have been toying with the idea of blogging again; and also interpreting my sketchbook work (or ‘doodles’) with it as well. Not too sure as of how to play this out, but I am generally interested in doing my art as a hobby, rather than something that is of great income (£££). Maybe I’m just putting too much pressure on myself??
To conclude, I am sorry for being all miserable and depressing. But the truth is that this is what this is like now. I’m not at University anymore: this is reality.
0 notes
Note
How did you break into the animation industry?
Oh buckle up 'cause this is a bit of a story. Before starting, I wanna let anyone reading this to know that there's no one absolute way to break into the animation industry. From my experience, I've learned that breaking in has a lot of factors that are often out of your control. If anything, it's a combination of hard work and luck. Sometimes you're at the right place and the right time. Or you happen to know the right people or you are the right fit for a job. Overall, don't be so hard on yourself if you are still trying to break in (or have and just struggling to find the next gig). Often times it's not you as a person/artist, but really if everything else that you cannot control fits in that moment. And with that, let's start this two part story of how I broke into animation. Part 1: Lemme tell you how I got to Sesame Street.
So in 2017, I was a senior in college and my school for some strange reason made it a graduation requirement for students to do an internship in their respective major. While it was an incentive to get students experience, this only worked for the fine arts and illustration students due to the school having a lot of connections with local comic artists and galleries. For the animation department, however, we really didn't have many resources since our program was only 4 years old at that point (very, very new). So I started searching online for any animation internships since my school couldn't really help. I applied to many internships but only got an interview for one: FableVision in Boston.
To be honest, I really thought I was going to get that internship with no doubt. I already knew the people who worked there, had recently went to their anniversary party where they told me their internships were opening again and they wanted me to apply. So I did, got an interview instantly, took the train down and had the greatest interview of my life. I was told I'd hear back by the end of March and excitedly waited for the email.
Except I didn't hear back until April. And they had chosen an illustration student from my school instead of me. I was devastated. It felt like the ground beneath me crumbled and I was falling into a pit of darkness. It was April, there were no more internships, the semester ended in a month and I was afraid I wouldn't be able to graduate. And to top it off, this rejection really made think I was a bad artist and an undesirable hire. I remember being so bummed about it for days, feeling so unmotivated and scared about what to do next....and really unsure how to process the rejection altogether.
So, I contacted my mentor who at the time was a character designer at Sesame Workshop. He was my mother's friend from church and known me since I was a kid. He didn't start mentoring me until high school and was always transparent about his experience working in children's TV animation as a black creative (for those who don't know I am also black). I poured out my heart and asked him, "How do you deal with rejection from a job you really wanted?" And in short, he said, "Sometimes the job you think is perfect for you isn't what you need in order to grow and that's okay. Just because one door closes doesn't mean another door won't open so you just have to be patient and keep working hard." I didn't feel better right away but it was enough for me to realize I couldn't take the rejection personal. I probably wasn't the right fit.
But little did I know that in the next few days I would receive an email from Sesame Workshop requesting me (upon a recommendation) to fill out an application for their internship program when the deadline passed a week ago. I immediately knew it was my mentor who gave the recommendation and I will be forever thankful for him helping me get my first animation job on Sesame Street. And that's kind of the end of that part haha.
But you're probably wondering, "Wait, but you got the job. You broke in. So what's the second part?"
Part 2: The Nickelodeon Artist Program After Sesame Street and graduating college, I didn't get my next studio gig until 2 years later in 2019. I did small indie animation projects and commissions, but was having a hard time breaking into a storyboarding gig. I took tests and got rejected, applied to many jobs and got rejected, just a whole lot of rejections haha. At the same time, my older sister had moved back into my parents' house and we both expressed how we wanted to move to California for job purposes. So in that summer, we took a trip together to California and I finally got to meet some friends who did work in the animation industry. I just remember on the plane back to New York thinking, "Damn....I really have to be there if I wanna break in." So my sister and I both agreed we'd save up money and move out together in the next 1-2 years.
Once I got home, I heard about the Nick Artist Program and that applications were open until August 1st. It was the last week of July and I thought, "I don't know if I can make anything good....but I rather try than not try." So in 3 days (I do not recommend doing a whole sequence in 3 days) I boarded a sequence from my personal project, Hollowville, and submitted sketchbooks pages of thumbnails, character design sketches along with my resume two days before the deadline. To be honest, I really didn't think I was gonna hear back from them. At that point, I was so used to rejection that I had already dispelled any hope the moment I clicked the send button. I know that's pessimistic but that's how I am haha. Until a month later, I get a call from California. At that same moment, I was exchanging phone numbers with an industry friend who lived in California. So assuming it was them, I picked up the phone and the following happened: Me: Hello? Person: Hello, is this Li? Me: Oh yeah. This is she.
Person: Great! This is the Nickelodeon Artist Program and we're calling to inform you that you've been selected to move onto to the quarter final interviews.
And I just. I cried on the phone. It's so embarrassing thinking back now but it was so unexpected that the tears started flowing out. After that call, I proceeded to go through the most intense interview process I'll ever experience in my life and was officially selected as a trainee right after Thanksgiving weekend (which meant I had only a month to move out to California). And that was my final breakthrough into the animation industry. There's a lot more details I glossed over since these posts have word count limits....but that pretty much sums up how I broke into animation haha.
I don't know if this story will be helpful for anyone out there who wants to break in and having a hard time. But I hope what you take away from this is that breaking in is different for everyone. There will be a lot of rejections, but you can't take them personal. Almost all the time it's about being the right fit which isn't really quantifiable. You're not a bad artist and aren't unskilled, there are just variables out of your control that are the ultimate deciding factor. So I implore anyone who aspires to work in animation to keep working hard, keep improving and never forget that just because one door closes it doesn't mean another won't open up ahead.
56 notes
·
View notes
Note
Are Spinosaurus corocodilian? I think they're really interesting but theories about them seem to change regularly, it's hard to keep up with all the different versions in media and which are or aren't accurate.
Also are there any trusted and regularly updated sources you recommend to keep my facts about prehistoric creatures up to date?
Palaeontologists are amazing, I don't think I could cope with all the things you have to be good at to study it (if I had to guess it's biology, geology, history, and a lot of essays), but I love hearing about discoveries regarding all the different creatures that have lived on the planet because it's a special interest of mine.
I hope you have a nice day
Hello! Sorry for answering this like...3+ weeks later, i have a terrible tendency to forget i get asks but they are greatly appreciated!
Short answer is no, Spinosaurus is not crocodilian, if by that you mean "most closely related to crocodiles". They are however somewhat convergent with crocodiles, especially with regards to their snouts and teeth!
Spinosaurus and Crocodilians are both members of the clade (group) Archosauria, which includes Crocodiles and their extinct relatives, pterosaurs and dinosaurs (which in turn includes birds). Archosauria in turn consists of two main clades (divided based on how their ankle bones work, but i digress); the Pseudosuchia (sometimes called the Crurotarsi) which consists of crocodiles and their relatives, and the Avemetatarsalia which consists of the Pterosauromorphs and Dinosauromorphs. Since Spinosaurus is a Dinosaur (more specifically a theropod dinosaur), the distance between them and crocodiles is pretty large within Archosauria (for example Spinosaurus is much closer related to a modern day raven than it is to a modern day crocodile).
(figure taken from wikipedia) The phylogeny (that is, the relationship between groups) in Archosauria is never fully agreed upon, but this tree here (adapted from Nesbitt's 2011 analysis) does a pretty good job of illustrating how far apart Crocodiles (in Crocodylomorphs) and Spinosaurus (in Theropoda) are from each other (both underlined in red).
That is not to say however that there aren't convergent similarites! You are very much right in that the theories around Spinosaurus changes quite often. The most recent one (that i have read, Theropods isn't my main area of study) is by Fabbri et al., 2022 from earlier this year (called Subaqueous foraging among carnivorous dinosaurs) which came to the conclusion that Spinosaurus could have swam underwater to hunt fish, not unlike a crocodile. The snout is of course also something that seems very similar to that of certain crocodiles. It has long been accepted that Spinsoaurus was piscivorous (that is, mainly ate fish)
(figure modified from Hone & Holtz, 2021) As can be seen with the snout, it is long and slender with protruding, conical teeth. Now the modern animal that this is most similar to is indeed a crocodile, the Indian Gharial, whose snout also is especially adapted for fish-eating!
(image source: Wikipedia, Photo by Charles J. Sharp) so whilst they are not very closly related, Spinosaurus does ressemble Crocodiles due to convergent evolution (evolving similar appearances due to having similar ecological niches).
For trusted sources on reading and staying up to date on Paleontological news, the best way would of course be to read the articles in scientific journals. However, far from all of these are open access (although access through a university is possible). Other ways to stay up to date is Sci-news, Science Daily, National Geographic, Phys.org and sometimes also BBC and CNN amongst others.
And thank you! It is indeed quite a few things to learn, as you said mainly biology and geology (with some history as well), and at least in my experience essays are aplenty, but it is something i really anjoy doing!
Thank you for the question (and once again pardon the late response) and hope you have a great day too!
#palaeontology#long post#spinosaurus#dinosauria#crocodiles#crocodilia#gharial#This is quite a simplified overview of the entire issue; if i wrote all the details it would have been way WAY longer#but i dont quite have the time right now#and as i said; i am not one who focuses on theropods#so other paleontologists seeing this please feel free to correct any errors i have made#or misconceptions which may arise
29 notes
·
View notes
Note
Hi Chekhov! Really enjoying your white diamond au! I had a quick art question: How do you start comissions? I've been improving my drawing skills and thinking about drawing for others after having fun in artfight, but I don't know where to start? How much to charge, how to get paid, etc. Do you have any tips? Hope you're doing well! :)
Alright, since a few people have asked, I’ve decided to put together a few things about how to get started on commissions - what you need, what you should make, and how to keep things organized.
This will get a little long, so I’ll divide it into 4 main sections:
1) Draw Art - Getting started
2) Get Commissioned - Making a commission sheet, Advertising
3) ??? - Communicating, Setting Limits, Running the Business
4) Profit - Pricing Yourself and Getting Paid
* Disclaimer: I’m an artist, so this How-To will be illustration-focused. I’m sure many of these tips can apply to ANY types of commissions, but I will be focusing on the type I know best. If you are proficient in other types of commissions for other types of art - music commissions, photography, etc - feel free to chime in and leave a comment or make your own tutorial!
1) Draw Art
I think this is probably the most obvious part, but it needs to be said:
Before you start making art for other people, you must first be comfortable making art in general.
I’m not saying your art has to be Disney-quality, or industry-level! Not at all.
BUT! You must be comfortable creating what you sell. If you try to sell something you have little confidence in, you will stress yourself out and possibly end up losing time AND money.
Don’t shoot for the moon if you haven’t landed on it even once. Sell what you know you’re good at. Your commissions don’t HAVE to include full-body illustrations if you don’t know how to draw feet/solid stances. Limit yourself to what you can do.
Things you need to should probably have before starting commissions:
1. Access to art materials or a fully downloaded art program
DO NOT - Use a free tutorial version that will expire in a month and leave you without a way to draw! If you are having trouble finding a program, try free ones like MediBang Paint Pro.
2. Free time to complete the amount of commissions you want to take.
DO NOT - Take on or offer commissions if you KNOW you’re going to be overwhelmed with school or personal life for the next 2+ months. Pace yourself, otherwise you’ll burn out, get stressed, and get discouraged.
3. A reliable way to communicate with your customers like a commissions-only email
DO NOT - Use your friend/family/college email. It’s hard to keep track of things as it is, and creating new emails is easy and free. And keep it professional if you can! Not many people will reach out to dong-wiggles20434 to ask for a design. Ideally, your email should be close to your brand - however you want to brand yourself. Usernames are fine!)
DO NOT - Use Instagram/Twitter/Tumblr to collect commission info unless you are ready to do the organizing yourself. Some people make it work, but in my experience, if you use these SNS sites to communicate with friends and network... you’re going to be losing commission inquiries right and left and accidentally ignoring people. Email is much easier to organize and sort into folders.
4. A portfolio or at least 2-3 pieces of each type of art you’re planning to sell.
DO NOT - Advertise commissions without having any examples of the art you plan to sell. People will find it difficult to trust you if you can’t even give them a vague idea of what sort of drawing they’ll be getting.
Disclaimer: These are not hard ‘do not’s. If you have had a different experience, I respect that. I’m simplifying for the sake of streamlining this advice.
.
2) Get Commissioned
So - you have your art, you have your art program, and you’ve got all the time in the world. That means.... that’s right! It’s time to let the world know you’re taking commissions.
One of the most common ways artists signal to their audience that they can do commissions is by creating a commissions sheet. There are MANY ways to make this - and they range from simple and doodly ones to VERY complex designs. For example, here’s mine!
There are many ways to organize a commission sheet. At its core, a commission sheet should display the types of art you WANT to be commissioned to make. Let’s go over a few ways they can be done!
#1.... Body Portion Dividers!
This sheet is most common with those who want to capitalize on drawing people and characters. If you want to draw lots of characters, this is a great way to offer several tiers of pricing based on how much of their character your customers want to see.
#2... Complexity Scale
If you’re open to drawing many things but want to base your pricing off of how complex something is, you can split your tiers into done-ness. This type of commission is popular with those that draw characters AND animals, furries, etc.
#3.... Style and Type
If you’re more on the design side of things, or if you have various niche art styles that you can’t quite lump together, display a variety of your skills alongside each other! It helps if all the ones you have can be organized under a common customer - like those looking to advance their own business and get logos, websites, or mascots made for them!
.
3) ???
You got your first commission... what happens now???
Well, ideally you have the time, tools and motivation to make things happen! Now all you have to do is... sit down and... draw.......
I’m going to say something that may be a little controversial:
Commissions aren’t fun.
No, no, hear me out: I have fun doing commissions! I genuinely enjoy drawing characters and coming up with designs. But even with all that said, commissions are, first and foremost: WORK
I’m not saying this to discourage you, I’m saying this to keep things realistic. When I first began commissions, I thought it would be just like any other type of drawing. I would sit down, imagine a thing, draw it... it would be fun!
But then I realized that I couldn’t just draw what I wanted - another person had an idea in mind and had asked me to do it. I stressed over getting the design correct from descriptions. I stressed over not having the right reference for the pose the commissioner wanted. I stressed over not being able to draw the leg right in the way I had promised I would do. I stressed about billing. I stressed about digital money transfers. It was difficult, and time-consuming, and I did not enjoy it. At all.
And a part of that is definitely on the commissioner - we, as artists, NEED to demand proper references or descriptions. We, as artists, NEED to limit the amount of changes we’re going to make at the flick of a finger. We NEED to demand clear instructions and set boundaries. That’s also super important.
But also - don’t be discouraged if you find yourself exhausted drawing your first commission. MANY artists go through this. Adjust your rules, fix up your limits, practice putting your foot down on finicky commissioners who expect you to read their mind! It does get easier, but you have to communicate and put in the effort and act as your own manager AND your own customer service AND your own accountant. That’s what you’re looking at.
Good limits and boundaries to set:
Limit the amount of changes a person can ask to make. “I want blue hair.” Next email: “No wait, yeah, make it red.” Next email: “Actually I changed my mind, can I get the blue but like, lighter?” Next email: “No, not that light.” ... At some point, we have to stop. I personally allow 2-3 changes on the final stages of a commission before I start refusing or start asking for extra money.
Demand clear instructions and/or references. If something isn’t described, you have to take artistic liberty and design it, but that’s difficult! And if the customer is not happy with it but can’t tell you more? That’s not your problem - the burden of reference is on THEM. You cannot read their mind, and that’s not your fault.
Get at least half the payment up front! This is a good balance between the ‘pay before art’ and the ‘pay after art’ conundrum that will limit the amount of woes between artist and customer. (I’ll touch upon this a little more in the Profit section.)
Organization:
Where possible, create good habits! Tag your emails and organize your folders. I have a tag on my emails for active and finished commissions. I also keep my emails on Unread until I have time to sit down and properly look at/reply to them.
My Commissions in the folder are also organized chronologically and I mark down which ones are paid and which ones are not.
(I understand not everyone can do this, but if you want to give it a try, it does make things easier in the long run. Again, this advice is just what I have found personally helps.)
One last thing - I do not want to shame ANYONE for taking their time with commissions! Commissions are complex, and they take time and work. You can draw in 8 hours, but some things take research, materials, etc. Some illustrations realistically take up to half a year, or, depending on what’s involved, several years!!
THAT BEING SAID - it’s good manners to be upfront with your customers about how long you expect the commission to take. If you think you’re busy, just say that! Explain that you have a lot going on, and you will probably take (insert time period here).
And if your commissioners are worried, work out a system to keep them updated! I send my commissioners updates when I finish the lineart/flat colors/etc and I try to be clear about how long everything will take. I try to estimate with a +3-5 days buffer to give myself extra time... and recently I’ve been using it. Always say a bigger number than you think you’ll need.
If someone wants a rushed commission... make them pay more. If ANYONE wants a commission done ‘by the end of the week’ - that’s an automatic rush-job for me because I’m juggling an irl job and several commissions at once. I WILL charge a rush fee and I won’t feel bad about it.
If someone wants a commission within 24 hours...... Well, they better be paying you 3x your normal amount, or more. And remember - you CAN refuse! It’s perfectly reasonable to say ‘No, sorry, that sort of turnaround time is not realistic for me.’
Food For Thought - Invoicing
Many artists I’ve commissioned in the past have not used Invoicing, but I’ve recently begun to fill out invoices and file them in my Commissions folder just to keep track of things. It’s not necessary until you start getting into the Small Business side of Freelancing, but it’s not a bad idea to get into the habit early in case you might need to do it later for tax purposes.
Here’s what my Invoice looks like, for example.
I’ve optimized it to help me remember who, what, and how much is involved! It also contains important info for my customers like where to send the money.
Which brings us to...
.
4) Profit
One of the hardest things for artists is pricing themselves. I’m not going to tell you which way is BEST - there is no BEST way, only the best way for YOU.
One of the options available to you is pricing by the hour. It includes averaging out how long it takes you to draw a specific type of art (whatever you’re offering as a commission) and multiplying that by an hourly wage you’ve decided on.
When you do this, I stress - do NOT price yourself below minimum wage if you can help it. When you first start out, aim for the $15/hour mark and adjust accordingly.
Other ways to price your art:
- Per complexity: Portraits vs full body should be scaled based on how difficult you find one vs. the other. You can also easily decide on a price for a sketch and double it for lineart, triple it for full color, etc.
- Per type: Look up for industry prices for website design and logo design. They may surprise you! You don’t have to charge that much, but it helps to keep things in perspective.
It’s okay to change your prices! Keep your commission sheet image handy so you can update the amounts as you grow. :)
Payment up front or after completion?
Some artist take full payment up front. Some only demand payment after they’ve finished and sent out the piece. I personally think these are both risky for everyone involved.
I recommend doing at least HALF of the payment BEFORE you start the commission. Calculate your full price and ask for half before you start working on it in earnest, to make sure the person can actually pay you. Then, when they receive the full piece and are satisfied, they can complete the payment.
I personally work in this structure:
> Someone emails me with their idea/reference
> I send back a rough draft sketch that shows the idea/pose (only takes me 10-20 minutes so not a huge loss if they ghost) and quote them a price
> They can pay the full thing upfront OR pay half
> I finish the commission and send updates when I do the lineart/colors to double check anything so they have multiple chances to spot any errors
> If the person paid only half on completion, I send them a low-res version of the finished thing, they finish up their payment and THEN I send them the full-res version plus any other filetypes/CYMK proofs, etc.
Many of the people who commission me pay me up front even though I offer they pay half - and I’m really flattered that they trust me that much! Because of that, I feel encouraged to update them frequently and ask for their input as I work, so they have the peace of mind knowing I’m actually doing their commission.
Great, but how do I get PAID????
There are NUMEROUS ways - these days money is relatively easy to transfer over digital means, and you have a few options.
Paypal is perhaps one of the oldest digital wallets and is geared towards businesses. By setting up a PayPal and connecting it to your debit card of bank account, you can tunnel a pathway from your online business directly into your hands in a matter of days.
Paypal also offers Invoicing - you make an invoice, price it and send it to the person’s email and they can pay whatever way they need! (It also allows partial payments.)
Pros: transfers from PayPal to bank account are free, and take a couple of business days. It also has no upper limit to the amount of money you can move in/out each month. It can force refunds due to the nature of its business-oriented payment system.
Cons: Because it’s used by businesses for larger transactions, PayPal may demand a more rigorous proof of your identity. It may also take longer to set up and be harder to get used to. I’ve also heard that they can be a hassle when it comes to closing your account.
Venmo is another type of digital wallet that acts much like paypal, except for a few key differences - it is NOT made for businesses (so depending on whether you’re officially registered as a freelancer, you may not be able to use it). I personally don’t use venmo, so I cannot speak to its usefulness, but I know a few people that use it for casual transactions. It’s easy and quick! :)
Keep in mind that you cannot force a refund over venmo! The transactions are final.
There’s also CashApp, GooglePay (which could load gift cards but also allows peer-to-peer transactions) and I’ve heard good things about Due, though I’ve never personally used it.
Other ways to pay: I’ve had people pay me over Patreon by upping their pledge, and I’ve had people pay me over Ko-Fi by donating a specific amount.
Many people even use Etsy - the website specialized for independent small businesses selling art - by listing their commission sheet and offering up several ‘slots’ of commissions, which allows you to track taxes AND allows your clients to pay using whatever they feel comfortable with.
If you’re in Canada, you can even pay by emailing money directly from bank account to bank account - check whether your country offers this type of service! There’s no shortage of ways to move money in the digital world.
Just like everything else, there’s no singular ‘Best’ way. It just depends on what works for you.
I think that just about wraps it up! I can’t quite think of what else to put here - but I’m sure other artists will chime in with their own advice. :) I’m very sorry this became so long but I hope it was helpful!
Obligatory Disclaimer: I’m not qualified to give legal or accounting counsel. Please double-check the laws in your own country/state in regards to taxation of freelancing work and do your own research. If you are underage, DEFINITELY get an adult’s permission before you start doing commissions, and have the adult help you through the process.
. . . . . . . . . . . .
OTHER POSTS YOU MAY FIND USEFUL:
An Extended Post on Pricing Yourself for Commissions
Dealing with Imposter Syndrome/Feeling ‘Not Good Enough’
Growing Your Audience
Advice for Starting Digital Art
2K notes
·
View notes