#I hate trying to draw realistic faces but I'm so surprised to how well this came out

[anglerflsh]

Don't you lift him, let him drown alive (The good Lord speaks like a rolling thunder)

[azureaqua]

Oh my, She did it again! (a.k.a Ikevamp artbreeder edits this time - Pt. 2)

Yup, here we go, Part 2! Let's resume!

↓

Part 1 here, if you missed it!

• Leonardo da Vinci

(I admit I was worried about him, when I started. I couldn't convert his avatar into a semi-realistic guy in my head immediately, so I was unsure. But I went with it, kind of mindlessly and just enjoyed the ride. And it worked! I think he got that mature, older-man look! A relaxed but piercing stare at the same time, and a laid-back expression! His hair is nothing like the game design but you know... I don't hate the extra curls. ;))

• Comte de Saint-Germain

(This is my take on him. It's not so good, not so bad, it's something... But I know I'll never be able to live down @redweed 's edit of him, that I saw once, it was utter perfection. He didn't even got the exact hair color, and its shape has a life of its own. Sorry, Comte. I went for and older, more mature look for him too, like Leo, since the dude's an ancient vampire, so might as well add some age to his gentlemanly features. Maybe his stare is a bit harsh? Not as welcoming and gentle, but a decent try from me!)

• Jean d'Arc

(Again, that one guy with the eyepatch. But this time I didn't struggle that much when drawing it on after. Yeah, I also edited his hair... The other picture is the actual portrait I achieved in artbreeder, minus the eye color. His hair was impossible to do - for me at least -, so I didn't even try. Like with Comte. I went more for the hair color, instead. It's decent, I like his blank and stone-faced stare. And I like how the hair and eyepatch drawing came out! He looks nice!)

• Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

(He was one of the first — IF NOT the first that I completed. I don't remember. His features overall seem a bit strange and a bit possessed, with this eye color. His hair is a tad bit longer than in the game, but I'm actually surprised and happy that I could keep the pure white and it doesn't fade into a grayish color midway, just at the neck area, where it's darker anyway, due to shadows and overlapping lol. I'm satisfied with it! He's a bit grumpy but isn't he always like that?)

• William Shakespeare

(I admit, I kind of forgot about him, and I realized in the last minute that he's missing. Sorry, Shakes. He was similar to Leonardo, couldn't really imagine him right away, but as I searched and just went with it, it came out nice in the end! I went for a gentle look and longer hair, but damn— this time his hair came out really long XD. It looks like he has a long ponytail that reaches his shoulders, and it's a big unhinged, but it's okay since Will is unhinged too, sometimes. Even his mismatched eyes look nice, I like him!)

• Vlad

(I REALLY wanted to go for that soft and pure smile he usually wears! But he also has strong features; a long, firm jaw and nicely curved mouth, so it took a while. But I achieved what I wanted! And in the end, his hair came out good too! By that time, I didn't even pay that much attention to hairstyles. But he looks decent nonetheless, in my opinion. I kind of messed up with his eye color, but nvm. He has that sweet, pure but adult-like, mature look at the same time.)

• Johann Georg Faust

(Okay, OKAY. Everyone calm down! Don't lose control, I know he looks really good! XD. No, but for real, I didn't even spent that much time on him — with editing on glasses and all. AND HE CAME OUT LIKE THIS. AM I THE ONLY ONE WHO'S IN LOVE?? Be my husband, Faust. I was interested in him so far too, but NOW. Although the shape of his glasses are kinda off, you can see the general idea. I drew on his ear cuff and the small chain attached to it, connecting it with his specs, and edited his eyes, but I didn't even need to touch his hair! He just looks sooo good. And his strict, ruthless expression is one to die for too!)

• Charles-Henri Sanson

(I wanted to make him soft, but not as soft as Vincent. And I wanted to add difference in his features too, of course. I unintentionally made his hair this curly, but it makes him cuter in my opinion. I wanted a semi-smiling, gentle expression on him. I didn't draw his earrings on, and his eyes don't pop as much as in the art. But he's precious, isn't he?)

Yay, another one of the Ikemen games is done!

(Now I need to make one for the Sengoku guys, right? Well, who knows, my page is pretty messed up now in artbreeder lol.)

Overall I'm really satisfied with the whole gang, they look really nice!

And the realistic filter helped them a lot! <3

[chronicalchaos]

Wick modern AU: Explained +Some fun facts

Uhm, i was gonna wait until i finish this AU's synopsis and new book cover, but both will be taking a while until they get ready...

And i wanted to post this "overview" for a while now, anyways, here's some fun facts and a summary of the story:

Old book cover:

I'm really proud of Sam's shading, but the twins look weird and Tom looks old...I won't use this cover, 'cus Travis and Duncan are main characters as well and i want to include them on the cover. +My art style changed!

Story summary:

Just a quick thing! I changed quite a few things to fit the narrative and the modern days setting, i hope you understand!

The story of this AU happens in September 2014, a little less than a month until Sam’s birthday, where the Weavers aren't dead– Well, most of them aren't...

The narrative is centered on a curse, that was based on the audio that plays when you pick up Benny's bible, where 7 people are affected by it: Tim, Tom, John, Sam, John's brother/Sam's dad(I won't name him), Mary and James.

Sam's, Travis' and Duncan's side of the story will be more on the investigative side maybe with a bit of comedy(I'm not good with writing that, so it will most likely be just investigation), while Tim and Tom's side will be the more angst and unusual/horror side. Sam will have a bit of horror as well, since he's linked with them by the curse, but the twins will definitely have the spotlight when it comes to horror/unusual stuff.

Fun Facts:

General:

The story happens a week, maybe a bit more, after summer break

Even tho one of the first chapters is set on school, them going to school will probably just be mentioned or implied, Example: Them leaving a school bus

For some reason, i saw a few stories where everyone knew what polio is and how it works, which i felt it wouldn't be realistic, so that won't happen here

It has a lot of paranormal stuff

The summer camp by the Weaver's property is closed and has been like that for a few years now

Just Mary and James call the twins Changelings, the rest of the city knows there are "changelings" walking around, just, not that the twins are them

There's no changelings, they think there is, but in reality it's just a curse(like that's something lighter than a demon switched with a child at birth)

The song that helps me get in the mood of this story when I'm writing is "Far too young to die" by Panic! At the disco

Timas Weaver:

Tim is 12, he'll be 13 in...approximately 3 months

He was born December 30th 2001 and is the oldest between him and Tom

He's almost an inch shorter than Tom

He has a huge burn scar! It goes from a bit more than half of his chest, both his arms, his palms and his whole neck, he got that scar when he was 3 years old

He's does not have asthma, but he does have extreme pyrophobia on it's place

He has flat affect, his face doesn't match his emotions/he looks serious most of the time(I'm so sorry if I don't portrait it right! Please give me constructive criticism if I do something wrong here!)

He's a theater kid and would be quoting a lot of musicals if Mary didn't isolate him and Tom from the world(The theater part only exists because of his and Tom's masks)

The whittling thing exists here, but like, it won't be of much importance to the story, the knife will! But not the whittle part

He despises spiders and it's Tom's fault!

He climbs trees (there's not much I can say here to be honest)

He has this...i don't know if you can call it a quirk, but, he tends to tilt his head to the left, it's kinda random

He's ambidextrous, was left handed, but Mary forced him to learn to use his right hand

He teached himself how to throw knifes...don't mess with him

Paranoia!

Needs therapy

Tomathy Weaver:

Tom is 12 and will be 13 in approximately 3 months

He was born December 30th 2001 and is the youngest between him and Tim

He's almost an inch taller than Tim

He doesn't have Polio now, he did when he was...around 5 years old

His left leg is bigger than his right one, his right feet reaches his left ankle

His left ankle is paralyzed, that's why he uses a leg brace

He's claustrophobic, he developed that on the same day Tim got his scar and pyrophobia

He won first place on a spelling bee before he got Polio and he used to spell when he got anxious, but after John's disappearence he started shuddering, shaking and cracking his joints instead, very similar to how he shudders on the game

He loves spiders!

He is really flexible, but, because of his polio, he can't play around with it anymore

He likes to draw

He has pretty bad scoliosis

Paranoia #2!

Socially awkward baby

Went to therapy when little, needs to go back

Caleb Weaver:

Caleb is 9 years old

He was born August 19th 2005

He's almost the same height as Timas

He was a year old when Tom had polio

He's actually James' kid, not John's

He won first place in 2014's(the year the story happens) county track meet

He dislikes Tim

Lillian Weaver:

Lillian is 5 years old

She was born February 28th 2009

She's a bit tall for her age

She's notorious for making little deals between her and her siblings, like helping them get away with something in exchange of something(getting her out of class during their recess, buying a new plushy, etc.)

She's a really curious and affectionate kid, loves hugs, kisses and especially being picked on someone's lap

She loves bunnies(even tho this isn't a surprise)

Benjamin Weaver:

Benjamin is 14 years old and will be 15 in less then a month

He was born October 24th 1999

He's just really tall compared to the twins (it's kinda funny, Tim and Tom are 4 years older than Caleb, but they are just an inch taller than him)

He's really religious and prays a lot for his siblings' health and safety

He's been trying to take care of Tom after John's disappearence, since Mary doesn't do it, much the opposite, she hides Tom's medicines on purpose

Mary Weaver:

I didn't give her neither an age nor a birthday...i probably need to do that

She had an affair with James, when the twins were 4 and Benny was 6, Caleb was born from this affair

She doesn't hit any of her kids, but she does neglect most of them

On the nights between Saturday and Sunday, she doesn't sleep, she spends this time praying with a candle, then, before they go to church, she writes everything that happened that night on her diary

She has a lot of diaries, she keeps them in the attic

She's a little bitch(i don't know what else to say about her)

Pastor James McAlroy:

James also doesn't have an age nor birthday (i only have the Weaver kids and Sam's birthdays)

He won't appear much, but he does have a big role on the story

He's Caleb's biological dad(i mentioned that like 3 times already)

He tried doing a "honest-to-god exorcism" on the twins, it was just a cover for an attempt of murder

He's a toxic little shit(there's not much I can say about him)

Samuel Burton:

Sam is 12 years old and will be 13 in less than a month

He was born in October 2nd 2001

Him and Travis are Brothers on their mom's part

He's cousin with the Weavers, minus Caleb, they just don't know each other

He can be just as smug as Travis sometimes

He absolutely hates going on ghost hunting, he thinks it's dumb

He has long hair and freckles all over his body

He's just too lazy to tie his own shoes

He's the only one that remembers to bring a backpack when ghost hunting

While Travis is the camera man, he's the flashlight guy

Travis Burton:

Travis is 15 years old and i don't have a birthday for him, well, he would be born in 1999 just like Benny

He doesn't like wearing glasses, but doesn't have other choice, he either doesn't take proper care of his lenses and gets his eyes irritated or he just lost them

He's the face of his and Duncan's channel

He tries to drag Sam to be part of the channel, but he doesn't really want to be part of it

He cusses way too much

He's brave, only because he goes face first into danger without thinking

Duncan:

Duncan is 15 and would also be born in 1999

Big ass coward, sends Travis and Sam to go investigate on his place every fucking time

Entitled as fuck

The "brain" behind his and Travis' channel

He's suspiciously good on researching, he'll find the most unexpected things about you

He's a little shit as well

...i think that's it! Now i can go continue the first chapter and maybe finish it soon

[arysthaeniru]

aAAA the joy of seeing an update on your current favorite fanfic is just aAAA

I always felt that kiwami 1s Nishiki was just a bit too,, I dont know how to describe it; but essentially he just felt off, granted yakuza 1 is a product of its time and therefore the plot is a bit dated and whack as all hell

The way you write Nishiki just feels so much better and realistic; in the original he just seems so uncaring towards Kiryu? which just feels kinda OOC? You'd think he still cares about Kiryu despite it all, especially when you take Yakuza 0 into consideration; and i feel like you portray Nishiki much more accurately

I never thought much about Yumi, because honestly, in the original she was kinda just, there? You actually made her a very interesting person! like I'm actually invested in her in your story! (side note you ever think about her clone who got tortued and died? yeah who WAS that???? thats never brought up is it??)

Theres so much more to talk about but in short; This is the best fix it/rewrite of a game plot I have read to date and it brings me joy in my current stressful school life. and no I will not stop praising it or the author, because this work has made me very happy. ;)

I just have a gift for picking favorites that end up dying,,aand another favorite of mine is Mine

imo theres a lack of soft, reassuring Minedai, i just feel like he'd need a reminder that people love him as a person and not just for the money he can provide, even if its obvious

I'd love to see how you'd write them, but I understand if theres more interesting/appealing drabble requests!

- Carp

CARP, thank you for this <3 this is so sweet!!!!! I’m so happy you enjoy my Nishiki! I had fun playing with what Yakuza 0/the Kiwami additions gave us about Nishiki’s personality and outlook on the world, and trying to reconcile that with the plot that Yakuza 1 initially had. Ultimately, I fell on the side that you did: even if Nishiki’s ambition took him down a monstrous path, I don’t think he’s the sort of person who neglects to pay back his debts. And he’s aware of the huge debt he owes Kiryu. Not to mention, their bonds of trust and love vanishing completely because of jealousy felt unreal to me. Their relationship becoming twisted or strange? Yes, but vanishing entirely felt unsatsifying to me. 

And Yumi!! I had so much fun excavating her character from the clues we get of her in canon. I worry sometimes, that she’s unrecognizable, because you know, I’ve given her a college education, and a whole bunch of interests beyond hostessing alone, but people seem to like it and like her, which is great!! I hate fridging women characters, so keeping her and Reina alive was important to me, hahaha. (RE: fake!Mizuki, there’s this substory in Kiwami that actually addresses who she was, BUT IT’S EVEN MORE HORRIFYING. So that’s why Yumi in my fic is the one captured and tortured by Nishiki’s men, because the thought of this poor innocent woman getting dragged into the mess was just untenable to me.)  

Anyway, thank you for your support and kind words, and I hope you’ll continue to read and that my fic can continue to relieve stress. I--tried to write this about Mine, but Daigo kind of stole the spotlight a little??? I hope you still like it--if not, I will try a ficlet from Mine’s perspective too. I enjoy minedai a lot, but I haven’t had room to think out their dynamic yet, so this took me a while. 

Daigo’s no stranger to being desired. He’s attractive, he knows this—his mother’s beauty lives in his veins, and he’s always had the money to look after himself. Fancy soaps to wash his face, the invisible retainers to keep his teeth straight, fancy suits and skin-tight shirts to show off his frame. For all that Kiryu insists his charisma is something that comes from the soul, Daigo knows it wouldn’t be able to draw the sort of attention he does without being attractive.

Which is to say that Daigo’s not especially thrown off by the intensity of Mine’s gaze. It’s happened before, and it’ll happen again. The thing that surprises him is how much he relishes in being seen by Mine.

Maybe it’s because Mine’s an island in a stormy sea, one of the only yakuza his age who’s sensible and level-headed enough to make it big. Maybe it’s because Mine’s gaze is always so reserved, polite, never overly lusty or overstaying its welcome, and Daigo has so rarely been desired so quietly. Or maybe it’s because Majima and Kashiwagi so clearly disapprove of him—Daigo’s always been something of a rebel, and he hasn’t shaken that off, even now he’s in his thirties and is the arbiter of rules for the Tojo Clan.

Daigo can’t quite put a pin on why he’s so comfortable with Mine’s yearning looks, but he’s never been one to hold back when he wants to indulge in something good. Not exactly a hedonist, not by yakuza standards, but Daigo has never kept himself from enjoying life, in the name of some dubious ‘honour.’

Which is why, in an after-hours meeting with Mine, as they eat cheap takeout sushi together, Daigo takes his chance. A momentary slip, the slightest hint of wasabi left at the corners of Mine’s lips and Daigo swoops in, rubs a thumb over the corner of Mine’s lips. Mine stutters to a stop, mid-sentence through a rundown of the real-estate that the Hakuho Clan’s been purchasing up, and stares at Daigo, eyes bewildered.

“Sixth Chairman?” he asks, his voice still remarkably composed.

“Wasabi.” Daigo says, nonchalantly, as if it’s nothing, and sticks his thumb into his mouth, slowly licking it off with a lingering lave of his tongue. He feels a sharp stab of satisfaction as Mine’s eyes turn darker, and his gaze follows Daigo’s hand down.  

Daigo straightens up, languidly, and cracks his neck, casually. At this point in the day, he’s untucked his shirt, and he knows that a slight strip of his stomach will be visible when he stretches out his arms towards the ceiling. And as predictably as clockwork, Mine’s gaze darts downwards, to that pale expanse, to catch that brief second of skin. Daigo can’t help but feel warm. Something about being watched by Mine is exhilarating.

“Smoke?” offers Daigo, but as usual, Mine refuses, with a polite shake of his head.

Daigo knows from hearsay that Mine’s something a health-freak, so he’s not entirely surprised. It’s already too late for Daigo to preserve his health—he knows that his liver’s already been pretty ruined from long nights of binge-drinking as a youth, and this job’s too stressful to withhold from vices like smoking and drinking, without an optimal end-goal. So he walks over to the window, cracks it open a little, and lights up.

The breath of nicotine curls over his body, a tender caress, and Daigo feels his shoulders drop, as the relaxation hits. He pulls off his cufflinks, tosses them into his pockets and rolls up his sleeves. He takes it slow, runs his fingers over his skin a little more than strictly necessary. Surreptitiously checking the reflection in the window, Daigo watches Mine watch him, and smirks at how intense that gaze is, how Mine’s mouth has opened, and Daigo can just see the soft pink of his tongue.

“Dojima’s just fine, you know. When it’s just us two.” Daigo says, turning over his shoulder. He smiles, one of those charming smiles that had always gotten him whatever he wanted as a child, “We’re same-aged friends, after all.”

“Dojima-san.” Mine acknowledges, after a brief pause.

Daigo turns around, to properly look at Mine and lifts an eyebrow. “Dojima. Or Daigo, preferably. Dojima-san’s always my father in my head.”

Mine nods, face impassive. Daigo can’t read him like this. Maybe that’s why he likes when Mine stares at him, filled with longing. At least then, Daigo feels like he knows him. In moments like these, his implacable gazes might as well be a brick wall. “Right. Your Father was also in the Tojo Clan.”

Daigo smiles, wryly, and blows out a puff of smoke. “One of the most horrible men I’ve ever had the misfortune of meeting—and I had to call him Father. But damn if he wasn’t good at the job.” He sighs and stubs the cigarette out against the ashtray. “...sometimes feel like I’m competing with his dead spirit. Everybody’s looking at me and wondering if this is what my Father would do. Or what Kiryu-san would do.”

“You’re doing better than any of them.” Mine says, immediately, with a vicious ferocity that Daigo wasn’t expecting. He can’t quite stop his eyebrows rising in surprise, and Mine straightens upwards, looking self-conscious immediately. Daigo regrets his instinctual reaction, immediately. “That is to say, Dojima, that I think that you’ve pulled this Clan into somewhere far more respectable. From what I’ve heard of your Father, he didn’t have the temperament to do proper business on this level—too insistent on formal obeisance and unable to be flexible as the times require. And Kiryu-san might be very honourable, but we are yakuza. There are certain things you have to do as a Chairman, that he couldn’t bring himself to do. But you are practical and do what is necessary, while also not overstepping into excessive violence. You are uniquely suited for this job, Dojima.”

...he’s taken aback a little, he can’t deny it. Daigo wonders if his cheeks are colouring, wonders if his obvious shock is offputting, wonders if this is how Mine feels every time Daigo teases him lightly about his obvious attraction. A startling warmth spreads through his chest, and Daigo can’t stop the slight smile that touches his face. Has anybody ever said something so unreservedly kind and measured about Daigo before?

Maybe this is the difference between everybody else’s gazes on him, and Mine’s gaze. It’s based on something more than desire alone. Respect.

Daigo runs a hand over his slicked-back hair and ruffles it free, with a rueful smile, a smile that he couldn’t take away from his face, even if he tried. “I appreciate that. You know I couldn’t do it without you, right?”

He’d never really believed himself capable of attraction to a man like Mine. All of his previous childhood crushes had been on bright, cheerful conversational, pure-hearted people. Daigo had always figured they would balance out his sardonic cynicism. He’d never thought someone as reserved and principled as Mine would ever make his heart flutter. But then, there was something about that deep hunger and passion that Daigo craved. Perhaps it was because he was no longer the gloomy punk of his youth. Maybe his tastes have changed towards tall, dark and handsome. Maybe Mine’s just that special.

“Dojima—” Mine says, clearly trying to refute it, but Daigo cuts him off.

“I mean it. Everybody in this fucking Clan wants me to do something or be somebody else. Kashiwagi-san wants me to be my mother. Majima-san wants me to be Kiryu-san. Everybody else expects my Father. But not you. You deal with me honestly, and with candour, and never hold any expectations against me except success. I appreciate your faith in me.” Daigo takes a couple of steps forward, until his shoes almost brush up against Mine’s own. He leans down over Mine’s chair. “I could not do this without your backing and help. Truly. I don’t think I’ve ever had someone like you in my life. A true friend.”

Mine tilts his chin up to meet Daigo’s gaze, a hungry devotion in his eyes, and Daigo, for a moment, wonders if this is wrong. If he should hold back, like Kiryu would. But Daigo is Daigo, and Mine clearly wants him anyway, so he leans down and kisses him.

Mine’s mouth is velvety smooth and wet and hot and it is oh-so satisfying a feeling to put his hand against Mine’s broad neck and feel his warmth up against Daigo. He pulls back, with a satisfied sigh, and feels the burn of wasabi across his lips, a final parting kick.

[hourglassgod]

Thank you to @junkpilestuff for making me aware of this via twitter.

Okay, so I will admit that I really love Asra. Like, a lot. Similarly, I love Julian for being his dorky self. However, after thinking about it for a long while, I realized that if I actually appeared in The Arcana I would most realistically end up with Nadia or Portia. Let's face it. These two have much less drama than our other boys.

So, when I saw this chart on twitter, I got curious. It wasn't that surprising that I would have something akin to a one sided relationship with Asra. Honestly, I would likely assume he didn't have feelings for me and automatically rule out having a romantic relationship with him.

With Julian, it could work but it wouldn't be ideal. I'm going to be frank and say that I've been in relarionships with people like Julian. I loved them dearly but it tended to burn bright and sizzle out due to problems that couldn't be resolved. (And I might have run out of patience) So, it was understandable that I would be drawn to Julian but I would have better luck with him if he had the self realization that he has developed in the most recent chapters. (On a sidenote, Julian and Asra are listed as an ideal match. I could see them getting along quite well if it weren't for the Apprentice's, ah..., effect on Asra at the time causing his judgement to cloud. Then again that entire time frame is a shitty place to try and start a relationship.)

Lucio would be a one sided match. He would likely be enamored with me, and I... I would likely kill him. I had a stalker like him at one point that I got fed up with and beat up to scare him away. Kudos was that it kind of worked.

Muriel would be a better chance. I got to say that I like his quiet nature and way of thinking. However... he kind of, you know, hates us. Ouch. However, the first time I met him I was kind of bristling before deciding that I wanted to become his friend. If he opened up and we did eventually become friends, I might end up after a few years realizing that I like him. I would then try to initiate a relationship and pray that it would work. Honestly, in real life, I wouldn't mind getting married to someone that I became best friends with first before starting a romance with. (On a side note, as formerly having Muriel's personality, he might very well be in love with Asra, even if he doesn't quite realize it himself. And also relating to personal experience and in game evidence, Asra would likely only view him as a good friend or a brother. Which sucks ass and could explain some of the jealousy/hatred towards the apprentice.)

Portia has more than enough of a good chance, in my opinion. She has the teasing fun personality that draws me to Julian, but she lacks some of his danger seeking drama ways. Multiple times she states that Julian is being unnecessarily dramatic when a problem could be solved in a simpler more direct manner. Which I love about her. I actually fell in love with her when I was going through Julian's route and having mild panic attacks at his thoughts and choices. And then Portia would come along to say "That's a stupidass decision, Ilya." And I would be like, Ah! Someone who understands! Additionally, I love her quick humor (Ilya and having more than enough salt for the rest of us). I could definitely see us teasing Julian relentlessly. Also... I will admit that in Julian's route, I did contemplate ditching him in a relationship to go for Portia instead. Her lifestyle with a nice cottage, garden, and Pepi is much more suited for me than constantly running around on crazy adventures with Julian. I crave some of the simpler things in life while still being able to have a good laugh and fun like I would with Portia. It would be a hard decision based on the timeline, but I would have a better relationship with Portia than Julian since I can't have both.

Okay, moving on from that slightly depressing note...

Nadia is listed as an ideal match for me. Oh lord. Where to start? Her teasing personality just KILLS me. I am used to doing it to other but when it is done to me? It's a 50/50 chance of me saying something witty back or melting into a puddle of goo. Also, I admire her for being a strong woman and trying to accomplish everything on her own. Considering that Lucio wasn't supporting her or helping her, but she started to improve with Asra and Julian's friendship? I would more than be willing to help her and get her to open up about trusting other people. Plus, it would be nice knowing I had someone reliable at my back going through the events of the game. I also feel like as we progress in a relationship she would definitely help me with my "it can't hurt you if it's dead" ways that could certainly get us into trouble with the way things seem to be shaping out in game. Although, in real life, it is an issue as well. Have I mentioned how intelligent and caring she is? She helped design fucking aquaducts in Vesuvia! She geniunely wants to help the people and has the opportunity now that Lucio isn't in the way. (Side note, as also being in a similar mindstate to Nadia before. I can see why she might strike up a relationship and marriage with Lucio. However, it would be a toxic one. I could go more into this at another time if wanted.) I enjoy helping people and would love to do so with Nadia at my side. I could see where she comes from in the beginning with wanting to hang Julian, but after meeting him I would advise caution and try to find out the whole truth. I love figuring out mysteries and either bringing a peaceful end or a righteous execution of consequences. That isn't to say that I would be sympathetic to the difficulties Nadia has with actually killing someone, as I touched on before. I could definitely see us being in a relationship though it would be interesting seeing the both of us constantly presenting each other with gifts that we think the other would like to show affection. I also think that I could help her when it comes to the times that she NEEDS a break. I could see the relstionship working out but I have no idea where it would lead us in the end. Hopefully some place happy where she has reconnected with her family and Vesuvia is prospering with its people healthy and cared for.

I think that that is enough analysis for now. I might do some more theorizing later. Lol. I probably could have done a video on this on YouTube, but oh well.

Asra- ISTP

Julian- ESFJ

Nadia- INTJ

Lucio- ESTP

Portia- ENFP

Muriel- INTP

Me- Can you figure it out?

Thanks again to Junky for inspiring this mess. *salutes*

[pappydaddy]

Obx anon here lmao I hope you're not sick of me. 😭😂

I definitely agree the whole Kie vs her parents arc was very badly handled bc it made her seem more ungrateful than she probably is. I just really couldn't stand her this season, I mean she wasn't my fav character to begin with she definitely already had those moments in S1. I mean she was 80% annoyed with something this season sooo... 💀

I'm kinda surprised that so many ship her with JJ bc I got the impression from her she's rather their friend than be romantically interested in any of them. Like she mostly acts annoyed around JJ, for example in S2ep10 when they both stayed together in the ship container she literally rolled her eyes at him while saying "now it's only us" , so I'm sorry I can't really get on board with this when 85% of their interactions are like this. Or maybe it's just me because I love JJ so much and I think he deserves better idk please don't come for me. 😭 I can totally see her in a relationship outside the friend group plus it's super weird if she would go through every guy in her circle idk. The entire Pope thing was so unnecessary and I still hate her for playing him like that.

Dude I'm way too invested in this show I basically binged the entire thing in two days bc I refused to watch it until this year. I already knew this would happen based on the things I saw on the Internet and I didn't want to add another fictional white boy to my list of characters I'm hopelessly in love with, but here I am daydreaming about JJ Maybank like I predicted a year ago. 🙃🤦🏻‍♀️💀 (might fuck around and start writing fanfics for him bc I can't help myself)

Definitely a highlight of this season was JJ stealing a fucking ambulance bc ofc he would. Like he's so loyal to his friends my heart can't handle this 😭❤️ He definitely has Steve Harrington energy another white boy who stole my heart 😂🙃 I wish both would get more development as normal characters and are not treated as punching bags (literally) and comic relief characters.

I can't wait for season 3 and how this entire thing ends (I heard there will be only three seasons so correct me if I'm wrong). How the fuck will they escape from the island and when will the Camerons finally face the consequences for their actions? 🙃😬

Of course I'm not sick of you lovely! I love when you guys interact with me like this!

I get what you mean, I feel like the situation between Kie and her parents was handled poorly on both their parts, but I feel like Kie's faults were a bit (teeny) more excusable as she is a teen who thought her best friends had died and then had her parents tell her she couldn't hang out with her friends anymore. But overall, aside from her situation with her parents, Kie did annoy me in both seasons. I really hope in season three, there is more character development for her because she is a good character and has strong morals, but I just feel like she's a bit lost in herself. Which is a big reason I don't like her and JJ together. I just feel like they both have such strong personalities and they would only draw out the worst in each other. I also picked up on the things you pointed out about Kie acting annoyed with JJ and that's another reason I feel like they wouldn't be a good match romantically - more like a brother/sister kinda match would be better I feel. For next season, I would love for Kie to find another person outside of the main circle as well, I feel like that would not only be good for her character development, but it would be interesting for the plot since she is usually the person who doesn't like new people joining the group. And I know I said this before, but it would be great if she was LGBTQ+ because I feel like the writers could incorporate her past behaviours and such into the internalized anger she felt towards herself for being part of the LGBTQ+ because I feel like that is something many people in the community still battle internally about even if they are accepting and I know that a lot of bi people still deal with those feelings (spoken from experience).

My take on the Pope/Kie thing was that Kie knew she didn't like Pope that way. And even if, for a second, she thought she might like him that way, when he stopped her before they had sex expressing how he didn't want to do it if there was a possibility that it would mess up their friendship - she should have respected that and maybe they could have felt the relationship out a bit more before going all in. Especially because it was Pope's first time. I love Kie, I really do, I know it doesn't seem like it from this post, but I feel like the writers aren't doing her character justice. Just like Greys Anatomy destroyed Izzie's character.

Also, don't worry, I binged the entirety of season 2 in one day. Nonstop. I laid in bed for ~10 hours just watching the show because I worked 8 hours the next day and I knew I was gonna be too tired when I got home to watch it and I needed to finish it for my sanity. When I first started watching, I knew JJ was gonna be someone I fell in love with because he is the type I usually fall for, so I tried really hard to fight against it, but I am a white man's whore so I ended up losing. But Pope is my baby, I want to protect him and just save him from everything so it's not just JJ who I am in love with from the show. IF YOU START WRITING FOR JJ PLEASE SEND ME THE FICS I WOULD LOVE TO SUPPORT YOU! I ALSO HAVE A HARD TIME FINDING FICS BECAUSE THEY NEVER COME ACROSS MY DASH SO!

BUT 100%, START WRITING FOR JJ, THERE IS NOT NEARLY ENOUGH OBX CONTENT ANYMORE! YOU WOULD BE AWESOME, TRUST ME, YOU HAVE A REALLY GOOD SENSE ABOUT THE CHARACTERS FOR JUST WATCHING THE ENTIRE SERIES IN TWO DAYS! IF YOU NEED ANY HELP REACH OUT!

And JJ def gives off more chaotic Steve vibes. Loyal, a little dumb sometimes, his heart in the right place, crappy parents, etc. It's pretty much a dead match. Even in between last season and this season, JJ had a lot of character development. He seemed more calm this season, he wasn't getting in fights every episodes. But, I agree, both characters def need more character development and to be beat up less.

I haven't heard anything about them being signed on for more seasons yet, so I'm not sure how many seasons there are going to be. But saying as though it's still in the top 10 and lot of people are streaming it, I feel hopeful that Netflix isn't gonna just cancel it like they love to do. I have a feeling that they might sign on for more than three seasons if the actors are willing (hopefully) since it is such a popular show.

I think they will probably pick up next season with a search being conducted, but I have a sneaking suspicion that Pope will figure a way to get them off or lure help to them. Maybe the coast guard will stumble upon them or Pope will do some cool shit to send a distress signal to them. But since this show is really realistic when it comes to the privileges that rich, powerful, white men hold, I have a sneaking suspicion that Rafe and Ward won't face the consequences for their actions, especially not if Rose continues to help them.

But, please, oh please, start writing for JJ and send me your fics, I would love to read them and support you! I started this blog and writing my fics just because I wanted to try my hand at them, but I also didn't want them cluttering up from drive. I just had so many ideas swirling around my head and I needed a place to put them. I have not regretted the decision to start this blog. It's been the best year. I found so many great people who are supportive, I found followers who are supportive and put up with my randomness and my rants about my life and family. If you need any help getting started, never hesitate to reach out. I would be glad to help you even if you just need a hype man.

[stereksecretsanta]

Merry Christmas, @stacinadia!

For the lovely stacinadia

So, I admittedly ran out of time, this is why there's just one chapter instead of a whole fic... BUT! I'm almost done with the second part so it will be up super soon I promise!

Hope you still enjoy and like your present!

Happy Holidays

;)

Read on AO3

*****

Time Stands Still

Chapter 1

It happens while they're fighting. Of course it does. They're in the loft, back from the preserve after an eventful afternoon spent fighting a trio of hunters who had thought they were better than all the others that came before them.

Stiles is sporting an impressive bruise on his cheekbone and a busted lip, but, all in all, it could have been worse. He could have ended up like Derek, with a foot-long gash on his side and a wolfsbane bullet in his hip.

Stiles is furious.

Derek shouldn't have been hit, he shouldn't even have been there at all. Derek was supposed to be backup, standing on the sidelines and acting only if Stiles was in need. It was supposed to be just a civil confrontation, some threatening words and incantations to scare the hunters away. But one of them had hit Stiles and, of course, instead of letting him, the pack emissary for fuck's sake, handle the situation, Derek had decided to intervene.

He jumped out, catching two hunters by surprise and knocking them out easily. The third one reacted quickly, though, shooting him before approaching and slashing his side with a wolfsbane coated blade. Luckily Argent and Scott appeared just in time, knocking the hunter out, quickly throwing the weapons at Stiles and shouting for him to run and take a now semi-unconscious Derek with him.

Stiles was furious.

He carried Derek back to his jeep and up to the loft, muttering swear words and commenting on whether a werewolf could ever be stupider. He could hear ragged breaths coming from Derek and the occasional groan at Stiles's insults. He swiftly laid him on the couch, tearing Derek's shirt open and working quickly to take out the bullet from the wound and burning the wolfsbane.

Stiles hates that it’s always so easy for him to tend to Derek's wounds, the fact that he’s had so much practice with it that he is basically an expert makes him want to throw up. How many times is Derek going to endure that shit?

"I hate this," Stiles whispers, sitting on the coffee table while Derek's breath evens out and his wounds stitch themselves up.

"If you hadn't been so adamant that you had to go there alone we wouldn't have had any problems."

And, really, fuck off.

“Fuck you, I had it under control. I was going to scare them off with a charm, but you didn't even give me the chance," Stiles shouts, outraged.

"They attacked you, what did you expect I'd do? You were supposed to convince them to leave, not rile them up, but, of course, you had to put your foot in your mouth."

Stiles turns towards Derek, he has sat up and Stiles chances a look at the wounds on his upper body to see them almost healed. He can't help the sigh of relief that escapes his lips before he registers Derek's words and a murderous glare flashes in his eyes.

"Fuck, Derek, I was doing my job. I'm the pack emissary, that's what I do. Besides, I can take care of myself. I don't need you to defend my virtue or something.” Stiles shouts, shutting his eyes in frustration and grabbing a pillow from the armchair.

He squeezes it in his hands to release the pressure before he does something stupid, like punching a werewolf.

"Yeah, I can see how well you take care of yourself."

Derek's rolling his eyes and making a vague gesture to Stiles's face. His tone is mocking and Stiles hates it. He hates that even after all these years Derek can still make him feel like he's just a useless human in a pack of much more powerful beings.

When he opens his eyes, Derek is standing next to the couch. He shouldn't stand. He should be lying down, he should be resting. His wounds are still there, glaring at Stiles. He bites his tongue to keep silent about it, he is still furious.

"Fuck you," he shouts.

He throws the pillow at Derek in a fit of rage, before closing his eyes again, trying to keep his emotions at bay. He feels energy bubbling underneath his skin, a thrumming in his veins as his anger mounts.

“Stiles you’re being a stubborn assho—”

Stiles opens his eyes when Derek pauses, he can see that his eyes are wide and he’s staring at the pillow floating between them. Well, scratch that, it’s not even floating, that would imply some kind of movement, but no, it’s actually still, frozen mid-air, as if someone had taken a picture of it.

Derek is staring at him, a shocked expression on his face.

“What did you do?” He asks.

Stiles frowns.

“Why would you automatically assume it’s my fault?” He says, narrowing his eyes, unimpressed.

“Well, who’s the one with magic powers here?” Derek says matter-of-factly.

And like, fuck you, Derek.

“Well, I didn’t do anything so you can kindly fuck off and stop blaming me,” He says, swatting at the pillow as he walks to the window.

He looks outside, down to the streets and, well, shit. They might have a problem.

“Derek!” He calls, motioning for Derek to come close as a surge of panic starts taking over him.

“What now?”

Stiles can still hear the frustration in Derek’s tone as he approaches. He’s not sure what’s going on but Stiles knows it’s him. It must have been him. Him and his stupid spark that he still can't control. And if Derek doesn’t get there quick and reassures him that he’s going to be fine Stiles is going to have a panic attack. Like, for sure.

In retrospect, Stiles probably should have seen it coming. What with Alan-fucking-Deaton being the most cryptic and unhelpful asshole ever. There really was no chance for Stiles to avoid fucking up massively at some point.

He was training to become an emissary, or, rather, control his spark at least. But he had been training for months with scarce results, finding it hard to concentrate (gee thanks ADHD you’re being very helpful with that) and he was growing impatient and Deaton was just confusing at best with his incomprehensible instructions that sounded like riddles more like anything. And, like, Stiles has reached his own riddle quota with the Nogitsune so, thanks, but no, thanks.

On top of that, Derek was being the usual annoying righteous asshole, making him feel small and useless.

It must have been a reaction to it. It must have been that, for sure. But the problem, the fucking problem, is that Stiles has no idea of how to fix it.

Stiles sees the moment that Derek realises what’s going on, the stiffness of his back and the way he tightens his fists. He can see the way he breathes through his nose and gulps as he takes in the sight of the unmoving world outside his window. Everything is frozen, people, cars, even birds, they’re there, stuck in the sky like in some kind of hyper realistic painting. And, fuck, it's all because of Stiles.

He doesn't know what to do. He feels guilt growing inside him and barely registers Derek turning towards him before shutting his eyes. Willing it to stop. Willing everything to go back to normal.

“Stiles.”

Stiles hears Derek's voice like it's far away. He takes deep breaths, feels his head exploding as he tries to get some air into his lungs. Every breath seems useless as he suddenly feels his legs giving out and he’s crumbling to the floor.

Great. A panic attack is just what they need.

“Stiles! Come on, breathe with me.”

He hears Derek calling him and feels a hand grabbing his shoulders and keeping him up. There’s a thumb drawing circles on his left hip and he can feel Derek breathing close to his ear.

“Breathe, Stiles, slowly...like that, yeah.”

He concentrates on the sound of Derek’s voice and tries to sync his breathing to his, the hand on his shoulders is stroking gently up and down, soothingly.

It takes Stiles a whole five minutes to calm down. Derek is rubbing his palm up and down his back and whispering encouragements in his ear and Stiles can't do anything but relax, leaning forward and letting his forehead rest on Derek's shoulder.

"Thanks," Stiles mutters once his pulse is finally steady.

It takes him a moment to find the strength to push himself off of Derek and give up the safety of his arms. He turns towards the window and looks back down. His pulse speeds up minutely.

"It's fine," Derek says, his arms are still loosely around Stiles, ready to catch him.

Stiles can't take his eyes off of the scene outside, what if everything is stuck forever? What if he can't find a way to put things right? What if it takes him too long and then the damage is done?

"I don't know how to fix it."

"I know you can," Derek mumbles, and Stiles is so concentrated on all the 'what if's' and self-loathe that he almost misses it.

He turns to Derek, a questioning look on his face.

"What?"

"I know you can fix it. And– We can figure it out– I'm–" Derek clears his throat "I'll help you. We can go to Deaton's and see if there's anything in his books. Even if he's frozen we can still take a look at them."

Stiles nods, mumbling a small thank you and looking on as Derek just pats his shoulder briefly, before walking ahead towards the door. Stiles has a shit feeling about this.

•••

By the time they've managed to find the book and read the right section, Derek's positive attitude has plummeted towards way below zero and Stiles's shit feeling has become more like a monumentally-huge-pile-of-shit kind of feeling.

He groans hiding his face in his hands. It's impossible. He's never gonna be able to fix this mess.

Deaton's frozen smirk staring back at him doesn't help at all to ease his anxiety. He looks even creepier like that. Stiles isn't sure how that's even possible.

"So, just a strong emotion? What kind of emotion? Do I just toss you around until you get mad again?" Derek asks. Stiles just shakes his head defeated.

"It's much more than that."

"Then explain."

And yeah, Stiles would love to explain, but that might be a bit hard.

He glances down at the spellbook, pretending to read while he actually tries to collect his thoughts and make sense of what just happened.

Because yeah, a strong emotion, that's what caused the freeze in time. And, like, of course, anger is probably the strong emotion in question, Stiles was mad and his whole body was tingling with it, so it's safe to say that it was it. But, first things first, the enchantment was so powerful and intricate that Stiles has no idea of how he's even managed to cast it. Not to mention that it's listed as a protection spell. Those cast only when the emissary feels a member of their pack is in danger, and Stiles still isn't sure what exactly he was trying to protect. He refuses to believe that he was trying to protect Derek from a pillow, seriously, his magic can't be that fucked up. Then again, Derek was the one arguing with him and if Stiles was so keen on being protected himself, maybe he should have frozen the sole reason he was angry in the first place.

But nope. Of course, Stiles managed to freeze everything but Derek. Well done, really. Saved the wolf from the big bad fluffy pillow. Sometimes he can't believe this is his life

Stiles reads once more through the page, to see if he's missed any vital information and to try and come up with an easy way to explain this mess. He looks up when he feels Derek's gaze on him, the werewolf clearly growing impatient at Stiles's silence.

"It's–" Stiles takes a deep breath. "It's complicated."

"No shit Sherlock," Derek says, rolling his eyes. It startles a chuckle out of Stiles. He sometimes still can't believe how much of a sarcastic shit Derek is.

"Anger is considered a negative emotion, so what we need to reverse the spell is an opposite feeling," Stiles explains.

"So what, you need to be excessively calm?" Derek is saying, "like, what? should I give you a massage?"

And Stiles would love it, really, he would. He's been in need of a massage for ages, seriously. He definitely deserves one, especially considering everything he's been through in the past years. He'd totally go for a proper one, one of those massages that hurt a bit but left you boneless and relaxed. And, like, Stiles is 100% sure that Derek would be great at giving massages. Stiles can almost picture it, strong hands applying just the right pressure and manhandling him until he's relaxed and pliant. And, okay, Stiles really needs to steer off this track as quickly as he can because no, that's not necessarily what he needs to reverse the spell.

"No, but thanks for offering. It just needs to be a very positive one."

"Right, and how do we manage that?" Derek looks at him with a raised eyebrow.

"There's more actually," Stiles says, casting a fleeting glance at Derek before looking down. From the murderous look in Derek's eyes, Stiles isn't too opposed as to think that this is going to end in a bloodbath. Oh, God. This could actually be the day that Derek actually follows through with his threats of ripping Stiles's throat out. With his teeth.

"I need to make sure everyone in the pack is safe. It's a protection spell, I must have felt some kind of danger so I have to–" Stiles pauses when he sees the frown on Derek's face deepen with each word. He looks as if he's being personally attacked and, oh, shit. Stiles knows that look. It's guilt. Stiles hates it. He can't believe that idiot wolf really thinks that Stiles was feeling in danger because of him. This needs to stop like, now.

"No no no, wait," Stiles rushes out with his palm held up. "I wasn't feeling in danger, it must have been you. I would have frozen the danger, I would–"

"So what, were you protecting me?" Derek interrupts him. He has taken a step forward and Stiles has to reach out to the exam table in the middle of the room. Because Derek's tone is harsh, and it sounds like the fact that Stiles wants to protect him is just absurd. Like it's something foreign and incomprehensible. As if he doesn't really need any of it. As if he doesn't deserve it. And Stiles is so, so tired of this bullshit.

"I was,” Stiles murmurs, “I'd always protect you.”

He’s looking straight into Derek's eyes, hoping that he understands, hoping that he gets how important he is. He can see the way Derek's eyes widen in surprise, shock almost. There's a faint blush spreading on his cheeks and Stiles's heart is suddenly in his throat. Because he didn't know Derek could ever get more attractive than usual but, apparently, he can. Derek blushing is the most amazing thing Stiles has ever seen.

God, he's so screwed.

"But," Derek catches his attention, "what was the danger, though?"

And yeah, that's a topic Stiles didn't want to get to. He looks down, shaking his head a bit. He knows he should lie, he should come up with an excuse. But then Derek would worry and would feel guilty for not noticing sooner a danger that wasn’t even there in the first place. And that's a path Stiles doesn't want to take.

"I think it was the pillow? You were still healing I–"

It’s barely a whisper, and Stiles doesn’t know how to go on without dying from embarrassment. He feels his cheeks burning as they share a look, Derek probably gauging whether Stiles is serious. And Stiles is. And he hates it.

He tries to look defiant, but Derek is bursting out laughing. He's in stitches, properly wheezing, holding the exam table with one hand as he bends his knees and ends up in a crouching position.

And, oh, this is new.

Because, sure, Derek has been happier lately, calmer and more relaxed. The weight he carried on his shoulders somehow less heavy, less consuming. But this is the first time that Stiles witnesses a full body laugh from Derek. And scratch whatever Stiles said before. This. The scrunched up eyes and the teeth bared, the way Derek holds his belly and the way his body is pulsing through each peal of laughter, this. This is the most amazing thing he's ever seen.

God, Stiles is so completely screwed.

To Be Continued...

[antialiart]

I've been following this since you started doing the draw every day thing, and your art has definitely improved a lot. I'm thinking about doing this too -- do you have any suggestions (esp. for things like keeping motivation) as someone who has been drawing every day for over a year? Thank you!

Thanks! I’m thrilled to hear you want to try daily drawing - I really love doing it and I’m so glad I went ahead and did it.

I’ve honestly never really had trouble staying motivated, which surprised me; I wasn’t at all sure I wouldn’t flake on this when I started, but it turned out really easy for me to keep up. I think the biggest factors that have contributed to how well I’ve kept it up are the following:

- I post all my drawings to an artblog and have made my intention to draw something every day very explicit. Whether I actually do a drawing on a given day is a matter of public record. I don’t know if any of my followers would really notice if I failed to do a drawing, but it still discourages me from thinking stuff like “I’ll just draw two things tomorrow instead” which could lead down a slippery slope of never actually doing all the drawing.

- I’m willing to be lenient with myself with regards to what I’ll consider an acceptable drawing. This is really important, I think. It’s just “draw something”. If I’m tired and sick and don’t want to draw at all, I’m allowed to draw a two-minute half-assed sketch of a Voltorb and post that. If that weren’t allowed, I’d be forced to skip days every now and then when I’m just not physically capable of putting effort into a drawing, and once I’m allowed to skip days, it becomes too easy to slowly expand the definition of what qualifies as a day I’m allowed to skip. None of that; I will do some kind of drawing every single day, but it doesn’t have to be good or refined in the slightest if I can’t do that. No pressure; it should feel like a game, not a chore, and definitely not like some sort of looming, intimidating duty.

- Of course, as a corollary, I need to want to make good drawings; otherwise I’d just end up doing something half-assed every day, which wouldn’t be terribly helpful. Posting to the artblog serves an important role here, too: you can all see exactly what I’m drawing, and if it’s halfhearted crap, I don’t like posting it. It’s extremely important that I do so anyway, but I would much, much rather draw something I’m actually happy to show off. So if I’m not extremely tired or sick or otherwise unable to put effort into my daily, I will make at least something of an effort.

- Other important way to get yourself to make an effort: draw something you care about. Draw presents for your friends; draw your own characters or your pets or people you love; draw scenes from movies or shows or games that are emotionally important to you. I say this with the reservation that you shouldn’t try to bite off more than you can chew - if you don’t feel like you’re any good at realistic faces yet, trying to draw a realistic face that you actually care about may just end up feeling frustrating, because you don’t have the skill to get them close enough to be satisfied, and because of the emotional importance to you, it might make you just really hate the idea of posting your failure. That’s not very productive. Start by drawing easy-to-draw things that you care about and then ramp up the difficulty when you get good enough to not utterly hate yourself when you try. (But still be willing to screw it up a bit. Don’t wait forever to be good enough; you should be eager to get to try to draw things you care about! Be bold and try the moment you think you might even conceivably be able to draw something kind of close. It’s not going to be perfect, but it actually just might be better than anything similar you’ve done before.)

- Ask for challenges from others. I haven’t been doing a lot of suggestions recently, but I really need to finish the last few and make a new suggestion post, because doing suggestions has definitely been one of the things I’ve found most consistently helpful. Ask for something that challenges you at your current skill level, things you’ve noticed you have trouble with. I happen to have a decent audience on my artblog but you can also just ask friends. Not only do you get to draw something challenging, you also get an automatic motivation boost from the fact that you’re doing it for somebody and you don’t want to disappoint them. Plus, people often come up with wild, hilarious suggestions and the results are great and incredibly fun to do regardless of the quality of the drawing.

- Do a lot of different things! Often people do scheduled daily projects, like one Pokémon a day or something, and if that works out well for you, great, but if you get bored with that sort of routine, don’t try to force yourself to draw something you’re not really feeling. Switch it up, do something different from what you’ve been doing and practice different things if that’s what it takes to keep yourself interested.

- Think of how awesome it will be when you can draw that thing you’ve always wanted to draw. Think of how every artist got good by drawing a lot. Think of how by keeping this up you are in the process of making yourself awesome. You’re not just doing a dinky little drawing, you’re one drawing closer to godhood.

That’s about all I can think of right now. I hope that helps, and I hope daily drawing works out great for you!