#I just like the way they're shaped and how the bones work etc

[fullychaotichell]

someone stop Alastor from self-medicating, he's not as good at it as he thinks 😔😤

But yes, no, all these doodles were an excuse to draw Alastor in pyjamas, and also to figure out how to draw his hooves (and ofc angst in general pff)

Also, these were heaaavily inspired by this specific drawing @notherpuppet did! I haven't been able to stop thinking about it since I saw it, so you could sorta call this fanart of fanart pff

[rolex-kaard]

FINALLY DREW SOMETHING Ok butler anatomy post Go

warning for descriptions including bugs and flesh and stuff but no graphic images beyond bones

So basically. the way i see it:

butlers have skeletons, but a lot of the bones are missing or oddly shaped/not in the best condition. most if not all bones are hollowed out from the inside; the hornets eat the marrow, leaving the bones lighter and easier to keep in place. as there is little to no actual flesh in the body, and only some residual tendons, the skeleton is supplemented with hornet-woven material, kind of like what paper wasps build with. bones can be replaced, sometimes by non-human ones (like from a thumper) if needed

their proportions are not quite human so the bones are spaced out. also their leg bones are probably not human leg bones, or they are but broken down

^ about how i imagine it. their side profile is fucked up bruh. if you can tell well enough, the fainter straight lines in the sketches are examples of the hornet-built connections.

ok so the skull. the entire top part of it is missing, basically all that's there is the jaw. the head i imagine is densely hornet occupied for vision and control so they're able to keep the head's shape with no need for bone there. you can smush its head in with a bit of force (it wouldn't like that). the jaw doesn't serve much of a purpose beyond providing its charming grin/threat display, as the hornets tend to exit the hive and slice food themselves, but it could potentially be used to help crunch into bone, stuff like that.

last point for this image is that butlers don't have any remaining human internal organs except for lungs, repurposed to maintain the hive's conditions. they "breathe" very slowly.

also, as a general point and to try and rationalize why they're built like that, most of the hive's denser workings (nursery, excess food storage, etc) goes in the ribcage area, something like the way human organs are situated but further back to balance the body

ok and about clothes. a butler's clothes are basically a part of its body's structure. they lend support as well as warmth and some protection, helping the hive keep its shape. because of this it can only really comfortably remove the upper coat (though this is where it stores its knife, broom, and any other items, so it would still like to keep that for safety). it will survive without the vest, just get shakier (i gave up drawing that one), but (especially for older butlers) its shirt is in places joined with its skin from repeated repairs and probably impossible to remove

[beneathsilverstars]

@horatiocomehome replied

ooo how about jewelry taste. dangly earrings vs studs, do they wear bracelets, rings, flashy vs elegant, etc

mirabelle has so many cute trinkets! we know she loves accessories that go ding ding, and she'll layer a ton of necklaces so they knock against each other. sometimes they all match nicely, sometimes it's eclectic chic! she adores metal charms and carved beads, especially charmingly unusual shapes like an itty bitty fork, ducky, book, etc. as well as classics like lockets and bells! she tends to fidget with rings and lose track of them, so she avoids those. post-canon she decides to stop wearing earrings, so she turns her novelty earrings into bracelet/necklace charms! and gives her more basic studs to isabeau so he'll actually own some basics.

isabeau is all about shapes and contrast, so he likes chunky beads in materials like turquoise or jasper that have different shades marbled together, metal geometric shapes, wire-wrapped stone, and unique arrangements of elements. he likes funny noises too, but will go for one complicated necklace instead of multiple single strands. he definitely tends towards statement necklaces and earrings — he used to run into trouble because he only had statement pieces, so they would clash terribly, but then he started buying more matching sets. he loves bonding earrings as a romantic, but is a little torn because there's no way any two earrings could match all of his fits...

odile is the kind of person to pick a nice look and stick to it, so there's not much variety in her accessories. she has her glasses gems, a pair of pearl studs, a pair of silver studs, and a couple sentimental rings that she keeps somewhere safe instead of wearing. we know bonding earrings are popular in ka bue but not as universal as in vaugarde; i think it would be cute if ka bue had a whole language of earrings and rings, with different gem types/cuts/colors denoting different sorts of relationships and emotions. so she's got, like, a [daughter, you are the most important thing in my life] ring from her dad, and a [lover, we change each other] ring from an ex.

siffrin is all about sentimental pieces!! it doesn't really occur to him to buy himself jewelry, but isa or mira will see him looking at something in the market and buy it for him and suddenly the aesthetic appeal that sif had mildly enjoyed doesn't matter at all compared to They Gave This To Me. siffrin tends to be drawn towards solid shades or starry dots, and smooth, swirling shapes. isa also gets them stimmy pieces like a bumpy bangle or spinny ring, and mira gets them cute things that remind her of them like star pins or kitty charms. he's just so fun to give trinkets to, even bonnie and odile have gotten him some, so he's working up quite a collection! he carefully rotates through everything, and keeps some pieces in his pockets when he can't fit everything he wants onto his body or doesn't want to wear any jewelry that day.

bonnie's bracelet is smooth wood, and they're going to be very upset the day it no longer fits over their hand. they prefer non-rock materials like wood, shells, bones, and sea glass, because that's just way more fun! they made shell necklaces with nille all the time, so many that it doesn't matter how often they lose them.

loop goes full magpie! since they don't have to buy necessities like food, they're less careful about spending money than siffrin, plus they're more desperate to capture any scrap of joy. they also have a bit of "everyone else is an npc" brain and "i am both above and beneath normal rules", so they're more comfortable with stealing than siffrin is. they like drapey chains, black and white beads, and unusual pieces. they like the pressure stim of very heavy necklaces and the clack of many bracelets. once when one of their favorites broke they procured the tools to fix it, and started modifying the stuff they own and stringing trinkets onto chains!

[bonefall]

Clanmew Expansion Pack: Moths and Butterflies

A guide to the beautiful fluttering insects seen in this region, and how Clan cats classify and describe them.

[ID: A cat with a butterfly on its nose]

In Clanmew, the vocabulary used to describe butterflies is massive compared to English. As a species less than a foot tall and spending their entire lives in the wilderness, Clan cats observe lepidopterians up close and far more personally than humans have done historically.

Combine this with the fact that cats are crepuscular, active in the morning and evening, and you'll realize that they encounter more moths than butterflies. While English-speaking humans tend to think of moths as being dingy and butterflies as being colorful, Clan cats don't find those categories helpful and classify them in a completely different way!

So the very first thing to know is that Clanmew does not have the same conception of "moths" and "butterflies." They have a super term, "Ffyy," and no less than 9 terms for the various groups with related behaviors.

This guide contains 51 new words for various moths and the unique behaviors of lepidopterians. Below the cut, you will find;

An overview to the 9 classifications Clan cats use, plus words for things like cocoons, metamorphosis, caterpillars, etc

A straightforward list of species, in English (Science) = Clanmew format

Expansion on behaviors of noteworthy species within their groupings

Translation trivia on Moth Flight, Mothwing, Archeye, and Mothwhisker (TC) for Better Bones.

(Translator's Note: I have tried to pick English words that will work nicely as warrior name prefixes, to be translated as specifically or as generically as you desire. They don't reflect cladistic accuracy.)

Types of Ffyy:

Flutter = Kffa Ffyy with large hindwings that flutter around erratically. The closest to the English image of a "butterfly." Most of these are daytime species but this also refers to moths that are drawn to flame. Species depicted: Speckled wood (Pararge aegeria)

Hawkmoth = Uff Fat-bodied ffyy that tend to be wider than they are long, with powerful wings. Fantastic fliers and important pollinators, they have several gigantic species and are beloved by Clan cats. Species depicted: Elephant hawkmoth (Deilephila elpenor)

Tortrix = Owyy Round-winged ffyy that rest with a slightly splayed pose with their wings folded down, almost resembling a turtle. Species depicted: Privet tortrix (Clepsis consimilana)

Veneer = Iff A thin, lanky ffyy that rests in a sticklike pose with a defined head, sporting big, buggy eyes and sometimes a large nose. Any moth with the characteristic eyes or nose gets brought back into this category. Species depicted: Garden-grass veneer (Chrysoteuchia culmella)

Herald = Hawof A very unique type, it can apply to just about any type of moth but is always given to the species with significance in prophetic divination. There are some moths rarely seen in this region which appear only as heralds, thus they are named accordingly. NOTE: This is the sort of word bestowed in Honor Titles. Species depicted: Common Hairstreak, Moth Flight's moth (Callophrys rubi)

Dowd = Gyyff Stiff, fluffy moths which rest as straight as a twig, usually mimicking wood. Their heads aren't as well defined as a veneer, but they aren't as fluffy as a raoff Species depicted: Buff-tip (Phalera bucephala)

Prominent = Raoff "Lion moths," large species with fluffy antennae and big manes. Something between a dowd and a tortrix, but usually larger and fluffier. Species depicted: Muslin moth (Diaphora mendica)

Plume = Ffip Very thin, slender moths that rest in a T-pose with very interesting wing-types. Species depicted: Beautiful plume moth (Amblyptilia acanthadactyla)

Fritilary = Ffow Somewhat between a Kffa and an Owyy, refers to Ffyy with a smoother 'cape' shape when they're resting.

In addition, there are words for shapes associated with Ffyy and other insects, especially in the wings and patterns. Some of those words are;

Fluttered/Fluttering/Will flutter = Afafaf/Afafa/Afaf The erratic wingbeats of Ffyy and small birds of prey.

Hovered/hovering/will hover = Hyyffuhu/hyyffu/hyyff A very special aerial maneuver where an animal can hold their exact place in the air and move in any direction. EXTREMELY rare; only achieved by certain hawkmoths, hoverflies, and dragonflies. NOTE: The UK has no hummingbirds! Their ecological niche is occupied by hawkmoths!

Shy = Wro An emotion, but also a pose. It's when an animal shrinks back and tries to make itself smaller or more hidden, much like a Dowd or a Veneer, or the flattening of a terrified cat's ears

Cape/Humble = Froom An emotion, a shape, and a pattern that is seen on the backs of some animals, describes the way that Prominents and Tortrixes hold their wings.

Flare/Confident/Perpendicular = Akeye An emotion and a shape, describes things that 'stick up,' like the wings of Plumes and Butters. Not like "raised hackles," more like fluffing one's fur out or puffing your chest.

Caterpillar = Poog A word that comes from Parkmew! Caterpillars were significant to Park cat culture because of their old naming system-- cats were born unnamed, and were expected to find one as they grew, like butterflies.

Pupa/Chrysalis = Higab Hard, scaly insect cocoons

Cocoon = Mooun Soft, silky insect cocoons

Silk = Mirro The material that silk cocoons and spider webs are made of. Only cob spiders produce though of this material to be useful to Clan cats; they do not have access to silk moths (bombyx mori) in this part of England. Clan cats also believe that moth wings are made of this.

Chitin = Higko The material that hard pupa and insect exoskeletons are made of.

Exoskeleton = Babaak The hard shell that surrounds the meat of invertebrates such as crabs, moths, beetles; Clan cats do not think this applies to insects that 'shrivel' such as soft-bodied caterpillars.

Metamorphosed/metamorphing/will metamorph = Peb'bep'arr/Peb'bep/Peb'be To massively change between stages of life, the unique way that moths and some other insects grow.

LIST OF SPECIES

This list is arranged with several species of each group, separated by grouping. You can expect for this list to grow, if additional species are translated as time goes on!

Last update: 6/17/2023

HAWMOTH/UFF

Elephant hawkmoth (Deilephila elpenor) = Beksu

Large skipper (Ochlodes sylvanus) = Skepb

Hummingbird hawkmoth (Macroglossum stellatarum) = Lipfu

TORTRIX/OWYY

Privet tortrix (Clepsis consimilana) = Frooke

Oak lantern (Carcina quercana) = Byoff

Common footman (Eilema lurideola) = Yyowo

Dark Arches (Apamea monoglypha) = Oyiw

VENEER/IFF

Garden-grass veneer (Chrysoteuchia culmella) = Chuo

Drinker moth (Euthrix potatoria) = Ssbwohl

Bronze alder moth (Argyresthia goedartella) = Holipo

DOWD/GYYFF

Buff-tip (Argyresthia goedartella) = Kooko

Apple leafminer (Lyonetia clerkella) = Rugna

Hazel slender (Parornix devoniella) = Geehees

PROMINENT/RAOFF

Muslin (Diaphora mendica) = Goorf

Iron prominent (Notodonta dromedarius) = Orge

True lover's knot (Lycophotia porphyrea) = Urmrri

Cinnabar (Tyria jacobaeae) = Genra

PLUME/FFIP

Beautiful plume (Amblyptilia acanthadactyla) = Lebl

Twenty plume (Alucita hexadactyla) = Arrffip

FLUTTER/KFFA

Speckled wood (Pararge aegeria) = Yaero

Holly blue (Celastrina argiolus) = Luya

Clouded border (Lomaspilis marginata) = Oogwo

FRITILARY/FFOW

Magpie moth (Abraxas grossulariata) = Peewo

Mint moth (Pyrausta aurata) = Mwifg

Riband wave (Idaea aversata) = Fisip

HERALD/HAWOF

Green Hairstreak (Callophrys rubi) = Ssefyy

Lunar Hornet (Sesia bembeciformis) = Offes

Death's Head (Acherontia atropos) = Wayoff

HAWKMOTH/UFF

[ID: An "Uff," 'Hawkmoth' in English. It is a large, yellow-and-pink moth. The species depicted is an Elephant Hawkmoth.]

Hawkmoths are the largest types of Ffyy that Clan cats encounter, and deeply beloved. They are considered the 'warriors' of moth-standards, large, honorable, and acrobatic. What defines an uff from other butterflies is primarily its large, bulky body. Some uff, such as the skipper, could be mistaken by outsiders as being a type of ffow or perhaps a kffa.

They are pollinators, jumping between various flowers and mostly seen in grassy, floral environments, such as meadows and moorland. The skipper in particular is one of WindClan's most common butterflies, and a favorite target for pouncing kittens.

Most of the largest hawkmoths survive the winter snug in their cocoons under leaf litter, and more specifically in ThunderClan. Being able to witness a hawkmoth emerge is sometimes taken as a little blessing, like StarClan rewarding you for staying observant on a patrol.

TORTRIX/OWYY

[ID: An Owyy, "Tortrix" in English. It is a humble brown moth with a negligible mane and round, capelike wings. The species depicted is a privet tortrix.]

Tortrixes are the largest classification of ffyy in Clanmew, with many of them being drawn to lights in the dark. They hold their wings 'humbly' (froom), tucked behind themselves and slightly angled. Many prominent share the general shape of tortrixes, but they are separated by a prominent, impressive mane.

Because they are so varied, classifying behaviors of the group as a whole is difficult. Some of them like fruit and others like leaves. Some are large and others small. Some are drab and others colorful.

Most end up named after the species of plant they like most. The Oak Lantern (Byoff) for example can skeletonize entire oak leaves! Others can absolutely mob apple trees, making them a pest to ThunderClan.

Funfact: The cartoon idea of an "apple worm" comes from some species of tortrix moths!

FLUTTER/KFFA

[ID: A Kffa, "Flutter" in English. It is an orange-and-brown butterfly, with wings that stick out perpendicular to the body. The species depicted is a sunspot butterfly.]

Dominated by strange daytime species with bright colors, these confident little creatures are defined by the angle of their wings when resting. They "Flare" out, or Akeye in Clanmew.

The Yaero (sunspot butterfly/speckled wood) is the most well-known of the flutters which isn't also a herald of some sort. These plucky bugs have short lives and spend the ENTIRE time fighting, choosing a sunny spot and engaging in clumsy aerial brawls to defend it. To be compared to a Yaero in Clan Culture is like being called 'scrappy,' fighting until you drop dead of exhaustion.

It's a VERY admirable thing to be!

PROMINENT/RAOFF

[ID: A "Raoff," or a Prominent in English. It is a very fluffy moth with a big mane. The species depicted is a male muslin moth.]

The obvious thing that sets this sort of Ffyy apart from all others is its luscious, majestic mane. Much like how the "Leopard" is a mistranslation and is a mythical composite of several animals, the Clan cat "Lion" is a composite beast whose mane comes from moths!

Thus, it is how they were named. Lion + Moth.

And, of the various raoff, the muslin (Goorf) is one of the most interesting. It comes in black or white, with many cats speaking of a herald coloration that is split perfectly down the middle with black and white. This species' name comes from "Gender + Moth." It is thought that if a pregnant cat only sees black muslins, they will have an all-tom litter. All white, and they will all be mollies. If no muslin moths are seen at all, then they will all reveal themselves to be gib.

FRITILARY/FFOW

[ID: A "ffow," or a fritilary in English. Note, this is the moment where the English names diverge the most because this is not an irl fritilary. It is a moth with a 'cape' that is both froom, and akeye. The species depicted is a magpie moth.]

A family of ffyy remarked upon for their 'savviness.' Not as 'confident' as kffa, nor as humble as an owyy, the animals in this family are typically quite interesting.

For example, the magpie (Peewo). While notably beautiful like a calico cat, it's also strangely left alone by other animals. If caught in a spiderweb, the spider will take a bite and let go. Birds leave them alone. Clan cats believe this must be because they will eat lots of unappetizing plants and become distasteful-- a clever creature!

The thought probably came from watching another ffow, the Mwifg, the "mint moth" in English. Mint is a deadly poison to Clan cats, but the creature eats it up, and goes unbothered by other animals.

So, Peewo and Mwifg are cited often as living examples of how you, "are what you eat."

PLUME/FFIP

[ID: A plume moth, "ffip," a thin insect with a T-shaped body and long legs. The species depicted is a Beautiful Plume Moth.]

Widely considered the least appealing type of moth, often clustered in reedy areas. They're known by their distinctive T-shape and long legs.

Clan Cats find it unsettling that they resemble midges, and have only two unique names within the classification; Arrffip for the 20-Plume, and Lebl for the Beautiful Plume, which resembles a mottled cat which makes it more okay to them.

VENEER/IFF

[ID: A moth with big eyes and a long nose, called an "Iff" in Clanmew, and a veneer in English. The species depicted is a garden grass veneer.]

The silliest moth of all, associated with being panicked and anxious at all times. To be compared to an Iff is to be called a worry-wart in Clanmew!

Most veneers have a big, distinct fuzzy nose, and any moth that displays the same feature gets thrown into the Iff classification. But that isn't the only way to end up in this category! Any moth with big, worried eyes goes here as well, such as the Bronze Alder Moth (Holipo).

Alderheart was compared to a holipo often. Poor guy.

There is also the drinker moth (Ssbwohl), which is known for dunking its head into dewdrops and taking a big sippy.

DOWD/GYYFF

[ID: A moth that looks like a twig, called a Dowd in English and a Gyyff in Clanmew. The species depicted is a buff-tip.]

To be considered a Gyyff, the moth must be long and sticklike. The apple leafminer (Rugna) is a good example of a moth that is not using buff-tip (Kooko) mimicry, but is still a Dowd in Clanmew standards.

The word "kooko" in Clanmew is used for harmless fibs, little pranks, and the buff-tip moth!

HERALD/HAWOF

[ID: A green butterfly with shining wings, facing the camera. It is called a Herald in English, and a Hawof in Clanmew. The species depicted is a Green Hairstreak.]

The defining example of the Herald classification is the Green Hairstreak, an iridescent green moth that lead Moth Flight to the Moonstone so many years ago. A vitally important species to WindClan culturally, a burst in its population is said to be a sign that they need to listen carefully.

Any type of moth can end up going into this category, if it becomes significant in divination. Some moths have even shifted over time out of one classification into Hawof, and back out as they stop being seen as holy in some way!

Another example of a moth of great significance is the death's head moth, called a Wayoff in Clanmew. It's a massive type of hawkmoth, and an exceedingly rare sight. It warns of grand doom, threats so large that they threaten all the Clans at once. Floods, famine, deforestation... these were all preceded by the freak sighting of a Wayoff.

Meanwhile, the Lunar Hornet, Offes in Clanmew, mimics a wasp perfectly. It's a strange creature said to be a piece of the cosmic dust between this world and StarClan, an example of the fantastic creatures they can make if they so choose. It signifies change of some sort, which a Cleric will attempt to interpret for the cat who saw the moth.

And lastly,

Translation Trivia

[ID: A cat chasing a butterfly]

Specifically for the way I have chosen to translate the names of these characters for the Better Bones AU

Moth Flight

Mothwing

Archeye

Mothwhisker

Moth Flight Hawof Faofwe (Herald + Pilgrimage)

A VERY interesting translation quirk, as her name is a remnant from Old Tribemew, one of the ancestral languages that would eventually form Clanmew!

Hawof was the ancient word for moths and butterflies, and still the word in-use in Tribemew to this day. Once they moved down from the highlands, Clanmew adopted and created several new words to describe the hundreds of new types they were seeing on a regular basis. Yet, "hawof" fossilized, coming to only describe those that were particularly holy!

"Faofwe" is another fascinating example. While it once meant 'flight' in Old Tribemew, an animal flying from one place to another, it has come to mean "pilgrimage." This is the word being used for a cat going to visit a holy location, or somewhere else that they will reach a higher religious understanding of the world.

Both of these words are sacred; the type only given to modern cats in Honor Titles.

Mothwing Beksuwesk (Elephant Hawkmoth + Insect Wing)

Sasha fled the violence of TigerClan at her first opportunity, after being trapped in the dangerous situation with no escape. After the death of her son, Tadpole, she brought her kits to RiverClan in the hopes they would be safe. Their names were Ffyy, and Yassga.

Leopardstar saw that their father was Tigerstar, and accepted... though she would change their names. They had to accept what the Clan was to decide for them.

So Yassga (Raptor, any large bird of prey) became Yi'i (sparrowhawk), and Ffyy (Any butterfly) was pigeonholed into a type of hawkmoth as Besku. She thinks of this often, that RiverClan took the name her mother gave her, that she followed Hawkfrost to the Lake, and now she is all that remains. With nothing left of her family.

Archeye Oyiwipo (Dark Arches Moth + Eye)

A simple one! He has a stripe just above one eye that perfectly resembles the tip of a Dark Arches' wing.

(note: i updated this translation from an earlier statement.)

Mothwhisker Yaerohussk (Speckled Wood Butterfly + Hussk)

Fresh from the ThunderClan Family Tree fix, Mothwhisker is a parent of Adderfang and Seedfall.

An old Oakstar loyalist, Mothwhisker was spitting from the moment he was born, clawing the nose of his Ba. On the spot, he was given the prefix Yaero, and he eventually grew into a ferocious Crusader after the death of Mapleshade's kittens and the creation of Darkstar's Commandment.

Though "Butterflywhisker" would technically have been accurate, the translator chose 'moth' for brevity. Clan cats don't distinguish between the two, regardless.

[ciearcab]

I've been curious for a while now how you draw poses. How do you use references? Everything you make looks so natural but still lively it's so gorgeous

ghghfghn thankyou! i definitely feel like the worst person to ask for advice on this from, but i'll try and explain some of my thought process when working with character-focused art (and posing them!)

(rambling below the cut)

i think that understanding human form in general is probably the best way to feel confident in posing even if that sounds like what everyone says. when you feel familiar with the shapes of a body it's far easier to understand the rules in which they will move/interact with, and then composition in general tends to come a little easier.

When i start a pose (or just. character art in general) i like to try and work with the most bare-bones type sketch possible. I dont visualize things in my head very clearly, so when i do try and copy a reference or detailed sketch 1 to 1, it usually ends up incredibly stiff and boring because i get stuck following all the details. the way i break down shapes is a little off as well, i think in very angular and long lines, so i like to use the chest, knees, and shoulders as my "anchor points" for my figures - they're what i personally consider the most prominent points to focus on visually and i usually will build my pose around their placements. i think it’s good to come up with something like this to help ground your pose early on.

when i draw multiple characters interacting or in the same scene, i like to try and think of poses that feel in-character or natural to them. these two in my recent piece started out kinda cutesy but they argue a lot, so you can see the change as i readjusted the posing to make it feel more aggressive as i went along.

redoing a portion of a character midway through for whatever reason is pretty standard in my process, so i dont stress if i cant quite figure out a limb or perspective at first (this is when i will look for reference if i dont have one or take my own photos).

I dont really enjoy drawing characters just standing around, so doing something that feels more like a "scene" or moment of interaction like this (being scolded at for an injury, chatting, reading a book, catching a falling object, etc etc) is a nice way to try and come up with something at least a little more compelling to draw, and a way to work some body language into the poses too. legs and arms can make great space-fillers while still adding to the mood!

i dont really know how to wrap this up but as a general rule of thumb i try to think of poses that will fill the space of the canvas/image im drawing on, just like any other composition, while still considering the feeling or moment i want to convey. if i’m unhappy with the final full piece, i usually will just crop for a closer image (posting on other platforms usually makes me do this anyways, so i consider it part of the process at this point ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ )

[ovinophobia]

Ok my biologist brain needs to be satisfied:

Does your body work like a human's ? Or something else ? Like, are your bones shaped in a different way ? Do you have a heartbeat ? Do you even need to eat ? Or are you just... Void inside ? Like no organs ?

And is it the same for Alternates ?

oh my GOD I LOVE YOU FOR THIS I'VE BEEN WANTING TO EXPLAIN THIS FOR SO LONG HSHS

wayy too long explanation under the cut

answering this ooc,,,,

gabriel has smtn fairly close to the same biology/internal systems that a normal person would have, except that its more mechanical (i'm not too sure that makes sense ,,)

it's immune to (most) disease, has an infinitely slower metabolism (hence the need to not eat too much, since it takes so long to fully break down.. that + a general disliking for how it feels to eat/drink)

his bones are the same as a persons, although, a bit more ?? flexible?? if that makes any sense ??

theyre more flexible/weaker so he can change his body shape, height, facial structure, etc,,,

(sorta following what i said about his body running a bit more mechanically ↓ )

gabriel ONLY has vital organs (excluding his stomach, but tbf, it's small enough to the point where it can barely eat a sandwich)- he didn't see the others as "fit" so, as a result, got rid of any non-vital organs (spleen, appendix, reproductive organs, etc)

he does have a heartbeat, but it's much closer to artificial in order to appear more alive than he is if that makes any sense ??

gabriel wouldn't die entirely if his heart stopped beating (as i said, it's more artificial.. it's already barely beating as is) but he WOULD have to take a day or two to get his body up nd running again

he still does need to eat/drink occasionally, but doesn't most of the time if he has the choice not to (this doesn't have a specific reason other than his preference)

i feel some of this doesn't make too much sense biology wise but i do NOT know how to elaborate further for gabriel specifically ,, im going off of the fact that hes lucifer nd wtv, so rather than him needing a fully functioning body, he made/chose this one to tinker with until it looked decent enough for him (i.e.: removing the organs because he didn't believe he would need them)

ALTERNATES RAFH

they don't have blood,, or at least, don't bleed as easily as humans do; they CAN be harmed, although it takes a lot to do so (i.e.: setting an alternate on fire would probably do a little bit of damage, but not to a fatal point)

their skin has a really rubbery consistency, making it hard to pierce !!

they have blood vessels, veins, wtv, but they walls around them are a lot thicker (like a giraffe ^_^)

they don't have any bones (no i don't know how this would make sense movement or structure wise, but they just,, don't,, if they did, then it'd only be the spine, skull, scapula, sternum, maybe pelvis??) so that they can take whatever shape/form they like, allowing them to turn into people, animals, blobs (???) whenever they wish

they don't necessarily have organs? mainly to prevent problems when changing form/because gabriel imo didn't believe it to be efficient nor necessary + they're still artificial.. they're not real people, nor entirely alive

they eat, but only for the pleasure of eating ! it doesn't serve a purpose whatsoever

alternates are virtually just mass,, something to take up space- they don't have much of a sentience, either; they were made for one purpose (inflict MAD onto people) and follow that said purpose

there are gonna ofc be some cases where they gain sentience, occasionally morality, except extremely rare (simple defect that gabriel ignored/assumed wouldn't happen)

PLEASE tell me if i left anything out. i adore explaining this typa stuff thank you so much for this ask ohmy god

[a-strawberry-mouse]

I have a conundrum and I crave opinions!

**Context below the poll.**

I've been looking for a wooden folding leaf table for a while. The plan was to get one, strip it, sand, and stain it with some variety of purple. Visible mending is my favorite for many things. Furniture included.

Imagine my outright glee when I found one for $40. And it came with a storage section for chairs with the original four chairs! A year of searching, now over with results.

I looked at the pictures enough to see that it needs cosmetic repair, but it's sturdy. Good bones. The accordion door sticks, but it does work. The varnish has seen better decades, etc.

The seller was fab. Told me about the previous owners(mom and dad) and it was lovely. I bought a couple of other things from the sale. Small stuff I keep forgetting to buy. Very nice experience.

The accordion door(kept up because I haven't found why it's acting up yet)

Original wheels!

The top has water damage.

The hinge has the center metal of the hinge about a cm out.

The leaves have water damage and some scraping.

Mouse damage(I'm innocent).

I look up, "Romanian drop leaf table," and this thing is most likely from the 60s! In better shape they sell for more than $1000. Obviously this one needs work, but I mean, for $40 this is amazing. Past amazing.

But.

Is it okay to alter an antique?

Can I still turn this purple, or is that disrespectful?

I know that no matter what I do someone will be upset. I also know someone has already called dibs on the table upon my death regardless of which direction I go(they're not kidding, but they did say it in a funny way).

With just how much damage it has and the fact that a lot of this is veneer; it seems like a total overhaul is necessary either way. I've been told to scrub the tabletop with a baking soda paste mixture and a toothbrush. I confess, I'm not sure I'm really ready to do that. That sounds like a terrible time.

Originally spray painting the table was an option. It still could be if I do just the top. It may genuinely be the best option for the table's longevity. Quick, thin, and there's a lot of options for color and seal strengths. Plus there's already something that will need paint in the kitchen(this table will be in the kitchen) so they could match.

[demon-of-the-ancient-world]

barely comprehensible ramblings under the cut, also spoilers for dune messiah

Figuring out in my head (with close to zero knowledge about nuclear physics & i'm too scared to research it because it scares me, your girl couldn't even watch Oppenheimer ok) how the stone burner in Dune Messiah works/what the hell it is. This likely will not make any actual sense, science side of tumblr please don't eat me.

What we actually know about it. 1) it's a weapon "powered by atomics" (what?) that is somehow barely legal within the in-universe laws surrounding atomic weapons 2) it "emits J-rays" (wikipedia did not elaborate) 3) it has just enough power to fuck up eye tissue of anyone in the vicinity but not enough to destroy skin, bones etc. The explosion itself like, levels an entire block of buildings though so there's that. Also, if "given too much fuel" it can also destroy an entire planet?

What we/I can infer from Dune: Messiah. 1) It's portable and at least somewhat concealable, or else the Tleilaxu not checking spelling on that i'm tired wouldn't have been able to sneak it into the city correct? 2) there are different "settings" or at least different fueling levels that can alter the level of destruction

What I'm not at all clear on: 1)what it actually looks like?? I have zero idea what I'm supposed to be picturing 2) how it's activated. Is it like a firework where someone's gotta run in and light it and then back the fuck away? is it remote controlled? is it a missile? no clue 3) similarly just...how it works?? clearly there's some kind of nuclear reaction going on but there seem to be suggestions that something external is going on too...once again I know Nothing about atomic weapons in our own world let alone this fictional sci-fi one but. it feels like it doesn't make a lot of sense ya know.

And honestly...it doesn't matter that much? I joke but I really don't mind that it's this sort of weird mysterious thing that isn't fully explained in the text. But I remain a very visual person, and it bugs me that I don't know what I'm supposed to be imagining. Also, I wonder how the hell they're going to depict it in the third film, assuming they do so, because while being deliberately vague about a piece of Weird technology can work in a book...in a visual medium that's a lot trickier.

(I've more recently wondered if Denis won't actually have a stone burner be a thing at all...while I'm convinced that, no matter how far from the book they might stray, they'll stick with Paul going blind, I almost wonder if they'll have it happen in a way that's similar but easier to explain just to get rid of the uncertainty around the tech?? Though I hope not bc I want to see what he comes up with)

So my conceptulization of it in my head as I was reading it, was like. Not something that probably makes any sense but I thought it was a cool visual and so tried to rationalize it??

I imagined something of a cross between a firework and a gas camping stove. Bear with me. I pictured something sort of tube-like in shape and a couple feet tall that houses...something radioactive. The "J rays" are the radiation that's released prior to the explosion itself and are somehow "inactive"/somewhat benign to begin with. Then then some kind of "spark" is set off remotely, and ignites at the top of the "radiation bubble", causing a chain reaction of ignition that "activates" the bubble and causes an explosion that remains within the specific radius and also causes the radiation to become dangerous.

So we have the hissing sound of the radiation "leaking" before the explosion, followed by the visual of the ignition spark rising slowly into the air and then sort of exploding downwards. Sort of like a weird firework. I am aware this is not at all how atomic weapons work.

@fuckyeahisawthat coming back to tag u in whatever the hell this is...

[kedikatzen]

Do you have advice on how to draw characters with different body types and faces like you do? Me and my sister have been amazed with you art style since your first comic and its a big insperation to us

Tons, and I honestly need to just make a video on it x'D But I'll do my best to make something cohesive here, while keeping it quick. I'm also definitely not the expert, I'm just somebody trying to learn as I go and trying to constantly improve.

I bring this up first because this is something of a bad habit I've noticed a lot of people slip into - I've slipped into it myself, and had to make a conscious effort to get out of it. When it comes to bad habits in art, I try to point them out and cut them out, because it'll be harder to steer away from doing it once you've made it a go-to.

You really want to strive to create bodies that are similar "weights" or "builds" while also still looking different. Some people are top heavy and some are bottom heavy. Some people are skinny and other people are lean, they're different. A good way to practice in a way that builds better habits would be to draw a bunch of bodies in a certain weight or form category that still look different.

When it comes to those little things that set your characters apart, you want to strive to keep those unique to them as well, and while this is nice:

it might be relying too heavily on the little details to set characters apart. All your characters wearing different coloured t-shirts doesn't change that, at the end of the day, they're all wearing t-shirts. Try to break things down to the bare bones, and make sure they're still distinguishable and unique to them.

That said, don't become so fixated on making each and every person so perfectly unique that it stunts you. Some characters will have the same bodies, some characters will have similar faces, etc. Aesthetic still plays a role in overall bigger pictures, characters should be cohesive with each other if they're all in the same world, etc.

The single best thing I think you can do as an artist is go out and draw real people. Draw shapes, draw quick sketches, draw structures, draw what you see. There's so much variety and beauty out in the world, it's the best place to find inspiration and practice for your work. I used to sit in cafes or at parks or even bus stops and just draw shapes I saw, very basic shapes and gestures but it got me out of my comfort zone and helped me see more variety.

[wildflowerteas]

WE HAVE MAX (cosmobrain00 on this website) ON TSP NOW ch 1 reactions pt 1

HIII MAXX!!!!!! Please do not apologize in any way shape or form TSP isn't written as a story that requires theorizing, anyway. It's a mystery, but more of a 'watch this unfold' than a 'you should have seen this coming from the start' mystery. I'm so grateful glad? excited? I don't exactly how to describe the feeling, but just super giddy to know that you were excited from the get-go. i put my entire heart and soul into the summary for my fics ( i ran this one past azey a thousand times before i posted ).

also, Rori, give yourself some credit. you pick up on the subtlest characterizations and hints of symbolism and gnaw on them until they're bone. I'm always impressed by you.

'me personally i'm excited for the sex scene' . . . I wasn't. <- guy who was shaking and almost crying in the dorm showers after posting.

OKAY IM NOT. LAZY. I think I definitely fall into the pit of 'write what you know,' or at least, 'write what you're comfortable with' and it worries me sometimes.

Urghi'm going to explode. my face is definitely red ( surely not courtesy of the summer heat ).

It actually wouldn't be beyond me to put significance into the weather reports, but as Rori said: they're only in there for setting purposes ( and for logistics ) and for accuracy. Heat + smog + asthma isn't great on the lungs. Heat isn't great for Camellias. etc. etc. I actually have a day-by-day record from the LA airport that I sometimes reference for snowfall and such!

HIIIII MARKKK <3 ELLI. AUUGHHHHGJJFJKJHG!@!@!@!>>>!!@!!!!!@!@! PLEASE I COULDJUST 💥💥💥 he makes me SO ill. I bully him for comic relief in the heavier moments, but i adore him ( it's a disease ) and i love his interactions with Lucy especially

Yes!!!!!! Rori you're right, I don't like copy-pasting the organizations from canon to AU. Not that I dislike it in fic, but I just can't do it because I get the itch to throw just basically whoever into the mix. It's why in WIA the Keiō University crew wasn't Atsushi-centered, Dazai, or even ADA centered ( I mean, Rimbaud was a professor there. He literally brings sskk together. ). I'm like botw Link, just tossing things into the pot and seeing if its a consumable success. Agh actually that reminds me, I should rb my RS. The spring is Dry.

I actually decided to call it 'The Crypt' because of the gloominess and dustiness of it all, and because Lovecraft is in charge of it and . . . The Crypt of Cthulhu <- a pretty famous fanzine for Lovecrafts works and Cthulhu lore in general. Mark definitely would have come up with it in AU though, that is so true.

I . . . do bully Atsushi. Sorry. I make him go through so much in this fic especially because I think this version of him can Take It.

Dazai is petty!!!!!! Incredibly so!!!!!! 'If I can't solve this, then no one can' vibe. . . . Or?

'joint tsp dazai jumping when' BAHAHAHAHAA

OKAY WHAT THE FUCK. I REALLY WAS JUST MINDING MY OWN BUSINESS ( actually, I was scrolling through pinterest looking at The Godfather movie posters and Hella's TBOS moodboard ) when I got the urge to rb and lament the fact that I'll never be able to replicate the aura of that piece. That's an insane coincidence. I'm attuned to the group chat I guess.

[zeeckz]

any tips on how to learn to draw heads and facial expressions? i see some of your old drawings have some flaws (such as small upper or back part of head) but newer ones look perfect to me. did you do any specific exercises to learn or follow any guides? i am really bad at this so no answer is obvious and any advice is appreciated

Hi anon! I suppose my "old drawings" are the ones I have here on tumblr? Those are from 2016-18 more or less, the digital ones I did very uncomfortably with my finger on a small iPad, so they're like. Worse than my average. But either way I'm not sure I understood what you meant - I think I've always done the same kind of head shape (small upper/back head), so I wouldn't know what to tell you about it;;

I also grew up kind of obsessed with Ancient Greek sculptures (and Greek-adjacent, aka Roman copies, Renaissance, Neoclassicism, etc), so my proportions are directly based on their canon. I think it might help you feel more comfortable with drawing faces/heads, but keep in mind it is just for that - getting used to it. You don't have to use these proportions forever, and real life people more often than not do not follow them. This is pretty eurocentric AND mathematically idealized, so it really won't apply to everyone, but you can still throw (guide)lines and adapt them to your needs

This is more or less the way I draw faces and where I position things (like the eye, the ear, the end of the hairline or the front part of the neck). Again, you don't need to follow these. You can try to learn them, if you want, but it works the same way if you do so from real people. You can ignore things you don't feel as interested by, or draw them in a way that you like more (for instance I don't really draw the double chin a real person would have, I just do the bone jawline and the neck directly attached to it, if that makes sense). You could even pick your favorite person (or character) ever and draw their face/proportions until you're comfortable enough to try different things!

I've been talking about profiles because I think I don't have that much "structure" with front faces? As in, at most I think I'm only taking into consideration where to put the eyes in relation to the nose or viceversa, but you can try to do turnarounds like this and see what works best for you or just to test yourself

(Lined notebooks are pretty useful for this...) Either way if you want me to be more specific about front faces, lmk and I'll try

Anyways, I think these should work out regardless of what your artstyle might be. By this I mean you could use, idk, Shin-Chan or Rick & Morty (or whatever else) to get the author's way of doing proportions. It's easier with 2D animation shows because they already need to do character sheets with them for the animators to draw characters consistently, but any other media should work just fine

If despite going through all of it you still feel you lack structure, then I'd suggest to learn some basic anatomy. You're lucky enough to currently be in an era with thousands of tutorials with thousands of artists, old and new, and styles that you can find for free. Honestly I don't personally own that sort of books, or if I do they're rather advanced compared to what your question is, so I could only suggest you some youtubers if you really wanted me to, but then you might already know them

As per how to draw expressions, I think my previous examples already show I've never been one to differ a lot from the lack of it, but I think this one depends more on the artstyle you want to achieve - I'd say it's way easier to clearly show an emotion with less realistic styles, as it allows you to exaggerate things more. Thus, I'm not sure what to tell you about this either. Keep things simple for now, try to recognize the way faces distort when they're smiling and compare them to when they're pissed off (or any other emotion you're interested in), look for the most basic guidelines/shapes from that, try to apply them to your drawings

I do struggle with certain things when conveying expressions or doing certain body parts, so I try to have a reference (or several) for them. This is normal. I'm not Kim Jung Gi, after all. So don't feel disappointed if you find yourself needing 10 different pictures or drawings of the same thing by different people. It's okay. Expressions are difficult. Bodies move in weird ways. Don't be hard on yourself, and have as much fun as possible

[elithilanor]

For the ask game:

what are 3 things you'd say shaped you into who you are?

what's an inside joke you have with your family or friends?

what's some good advice you want to share?

For the Ask Game!

What are 3 things you'd say shaped you into who you are?

Friends, places/locations that I've lived (California, San Francisco, etc.), and the experiences that I've had. Very cliché in a way but it's the truth.

What's an inside joke you have with your family or friends?

With my roommate: a very obnoxious fake Jon Snow vibe: "She's ma queen, I don't want it." anytime we don't like or don't want to do something a la the disastrous and just horrendous season 8 of game of thrones. I hope my fanfiction writing is never as bad as that catastrophe.

It's mostly a long list of like variant versions of back and forth echolalia with my roommate because we're both ND and that's just how we roll, honestly.

What's some good advice you want to share?

Here's some medical advice I've had to learn over the last few months through my own issues and fighting to find out what's wrong. Also shout out to the failures of the US's scholastic teachings (mitochondria is the power house of the cell lolol):

Advocate for yourself and remember that you're the only one who will. You don't know medicine maybe, but you know when something isn't working the way it should in your body.

Hydration affects every bodily function including your heart and your dry eyes (omega-3s also affect eyes). Drink water and eat your fruit and veg with higher water content (cucumbers, watermelon, etc.).

If you're a vegetarian, pescetarian, vegan, or just don't consume too many meats and animal products, check if you're vitamin B12 levels (energy) are okay. It's the only way to get them as they aren't produced in the body. Legumes and soy are all fine and dandy for protein, but not B12. B12 is a required nutrient and affects the skin, hair, liver, heart, etc.

If you live in the Pacific Northwest or other far northern climes and/or you don't get out a lot and/or you don't eat a lot of animal byproducts, please check your Vitamin D levels! Also affects heart, brain, skin, etc. Your body does make vit D naturally, but that assumes that you're getting enough time in the sun for you to produce it and that you don't have any underlying issues that affect it's production and/or absorption. Vit D levels also affect your body's calcium intake, which especially for AFAB people, can affect bone health and the likelihood of osteoporosis later in life.

Movement (as much as you can) will keep you alive and your circulation flowing. Even if it's just one part of your body, move it. Stand up and move every half hour if you can.

Sleep matters. Undisturbed sleep matters. Movement helps sleep.

Soreness is okay. Tiredness is okay. Exhaustion, constant fatigue, and long-term pain is an indication that something is wrong.

Stress will kill you.

Different fruits and veg have different nutrients and vitamins that your body needs. Don't just eat the leafy greens because they're "healthiest".

Relationships take work. Not really, "how do I improve and make things better all the time (though this can be important)", but just reaching out and saying "hi how are you" every so often.

If it took you 20 years to get to a point, it's going to take more than a couple of weeks to reverse it.

If your body is telling you to rest and you can, do it.

You spend the latter half of your 20s making adjustments and changes to the life that you've been leading. Everyone goes through this and it's normal. You're a little crazy until the 30s/40s. That's fine. Roll with it. Your life is just getting started.

Life is hard. Life is so hard. It has it's ups and downs. Enjoy that cup of coffee or that cup of tea or 5 min in the sun.

Community matters more.

Stop trying to "better yourself" all the time. You're probably a fine person with fine and great qualities. You can improve, but spend time just being or else life will pass you by and you won't have a lot to say for it.

You're doing better than you think you are.

[acaciapines]

taking the initative - how does having a daemon work for Hunter? given, you know, everything about grimwalkers. I'm also super interested in how you worked out the Azura series!

he he :333 i'll put this under a cut since hunters Deal is a pretty big thing we unpack over the course of the daemon au so. technically spoilers!! if you wanna wait a year til it comes out or somehow came across this while i was posting the fic.

anyways! so hunter is a freak of nature (affectionate) even by grimwalker standards njgdfg. but before we get into that i gotta do some ~term definition~ cause both daemons and palismen exist in this world and its important you know what i mean when i use em!

daemon: we know them. we love them. what you think of when i say 'daemon au.' creatures made entirely of dust that are the other half of a human, who can change shape up until they settle (around 12 years of age), and have a set range based on their form of how far they can go from said human, with most being between like 10-20 feet. daemons are born when their human is like, 6 months to a year old, slowly forming until they've got enough dust to take their first form.

palismen: the other half of a witch. palismen are born with their witches at palistrom trees--pregnant witches seek out a palistrom tree thats calling to baby and give birth there, and when the witch-baby is born a part of the palistrom tree will break off (usually leaves, twigs, branches, in the past berries + flowers) and become their palisman. palismen can change form up until a witch settles (typically upon joining a coven at 18), and until they settle have no set range--witch and palisman can go as far from each other as they want.

anyways with THAT out of the way, for all intents and purposes golden guards, seeing as they're all grimwalkers of a human, work on the human-side of things. but hunter and fidelity/flapjack (will be using flapjack for clarity's sake going forwards) use witch and palisman respectively since that's the world they grew up in lol.

all living creatures have some sort of connection to dust. for humans this is daemons, for witch palismen, demons have a variety of ways (some have flowers, some are connected to specific places, ex. hooty to the owl house, etc). so, every single living thing is in some way connected to the world around it. this includes hunter!

so, for most of the grimwalkers, they were made of caleb's bones. so, they were pulled out of the ground, and when they were their daemons formed--since grimwalkers Grow underground for a while their dust has the time to build up into their daemon. but see. belos might have made a little mistake in how often he murdered grimwalkers cause come hunter's time and he might. just a little bit. be out of caleb bones. whoopsie! but, you know, he does have some of caleb's daemon's dust, left. that's the same as bone, right?

and thus we get hunter and flapjack. flapjack is the grimwalker--her ortet was the dust of fidelity, caleb's daemon, and so she's dragged out of the ground as a wolfhound, the same form fidelity settled as. flapjack is entirely flesh and blood and has no ability to change. she is, technically, the witch.

but hunter.

needless to say belos was not expecting a weird little witch-baby, that's for certain!

now of course flapjack and hunter do Not know any of this at the start lol, and there's a bit more to it than this (hunter doesnt know he can change form! hmm, i wonder why....), but i need to keep some of my secrets.

as for azura! its not entirely worked out yet (i did just come up with the idea like, a few days ago so ive got some stuff to add in the edits), but the general idea of it is that when luz's dad was dying he very much left her the azura books on purpose. luz and mari have always very obviously stood out from their peers (its the neruodivergency) and as they approached 12 and still weren't settled, and as mari more often than not spoke for luz which is a HUGE no-no (daemons, after all, arent supposed to speak....)

yeah so camila + manny were terrified for her lol. thus azura! in my mind the azura books are very interested in taking the term witch--in my human world sort of the common word for what is medicalized as 'bond disorders,' ie, someone who doesnt settle by 12-13, someone who doesnt WANT to settle, a daemon who speaks when they should have grown out of this--and saying, hey, guys, uh, what the fuck?

so, azura is a witch! i imagine like witches of legend azura (in my eyes being the daemon's name, not that i know what the human would be named lol) wouldn't have a range, and would be various bird-forms. it explores ideas of teenagers not settling, and struggling to figure out who you are when 'who you are' is a thing you do not get to change, and people who do settle do so as daemon-forms that are ALSO medicalized (think, fish. which is the daemon luz's dad had! not sure what fish yet, but he had a fish :D)

basically: I Have A Lot Of Thoughts. Ha. Ha. hope you enjoyed them!

[drawsdenfiles]

I don't use tumblr a lot, but i check your blog all the time now and I wanted to ask what your process is for desiging Butcher's characters?

Aw, thank you for your question! I have way too much to say about this, here we go.

I started drawing them just based on how I imagined them while listening to the audio series, but lately I've tried putting more effort into actually reading Butcher's descriptions. It's his series, man, it's important to me that the characters look like the characters. ♥ Also, putting in that extra effort gives you a better chance at achieving a design other readers might've imagined too. ♥

After reading the descriptions, I'll try to incorporate more personal stuff into each character based on their personality, actions, and/or whatever, like, team they're associated with. For example, Lasciel's a Fallen Angel, right, so I've been giving her a pretty, albeit shattered, halo lately. Namshiel, too, has a broken halo in the form of some curved horns and floaty, magical gemstones. This part's really, really fun and an awesome creative exercise.

Next thing is to not settle on a design until it feels right. It's an amazing feeling and you'll know it when it hits you. I can't tell you how long I thought about Kincaid's design and how hard it was for me to see him as a blonde. I don't know why! Kincaid took a super long time and I also ended up looking for outside inspiration- I've been playing the Witcher 3 a lot lately and you can totally see that guy in the Kincaid drawings I made recently. Always keep playing around with stuff. It's so fun. Dresden Files is the first book series I've actually gotten really into- seriously, I'm not much of a reader at all, but Butcher's descriptions of characters and scenes give you so much to work with. Aaaand, while I have you... If you're looking for some art-related advice-- studying anatomy/photo books and redrawing the pictures in them have helped me out a whole bunch. I spent hours and hours studying/sketching the shape of the collar bone back when I was in middle school. Really look into proportions too. An oil painting class I took in community college has REALLY helped me appreciate colors and shapes- I've never oil painted before and maybe the supplies can be expensive, but God, it's so worth it, man. My teacher was, and continues to be, a master. OH- and a color theory class too! It was kind of tedious, but I can see color in a totally different way than I used to before. These classes are your tools, man, whether you do traditional or digital art. Did any of that make any sense?? Thank you for your question! I love talking about art- I think it may be difficult for a lot of people, especially nowadays with the introduction of AI, but nothing beats creating something all by yourself, whether it's writing or drawing, etc. Putting in the work and getting that good feeling- it's super cool.

[sutimetravelau]

So, about Strawberry...

so i've been working on writing again, and im starting to get in my head about strawberry. Im just gonna throw this out there: i really do not want to offend anyone or play into any stereotypes, so should i keep strawberry nonverbal/mute? (im also finding conflicting opinions on if the term "mute" is offensive or not)

ive been doing a lot of research, and im coming across resources that make me think i should not keep this aspect of his character because i dont believe i would be able to portray it correctly/the reasoning is not good.

Strawberry is nonverbal because of his PTSD. I do not remember how his character developed into having this trait, but regardless I want his character to represent/show that Steven is affected by what's happening around him and the affects can be permanent. Since Steven usually just heals his bones the minute they're broken, and always pushes down his feelings, having a physical sign that he's affected by what's happening around him is the goal. (all Stevens have purposes and what they represent in the story- not just SB) It's not meant to be a bad thing, but the more I think about it, the more it seems that way. I do not want his nonverbalness to be seen as a warning, something bad that happened to him that should be avoided, etc. Especially since he's the only nonverbal character. But the more I look at it, the more it seems to shape up that way and that I should not keep this aspect of his character.

considering this, i've been thinking of alternatives:

He shows a physical sign of trauma in a separate way- much like Volleyball in SUF. Something shown on his form, in his gem, etc. It's separate from depictions of real people as it's more of a gem thing/fantasy thing.

He has a permanent physical injury, such as a limp leg/broken leg/arm/bodily injury etc. However, this has the same issue as above of being seen as 'this is proof bad things can happen = his disability is something bad'. So i'm really not confident on this one.

The permanence is shown more in behavior, like being avoidant of missions and such- but he still goes nonverbal after a flashback/being triggered. However, that's most likely going to be rare. In addition he is not nonverbal, but is just generally more quiet and soft spoken.

I'm hesitant to remove this aspect of his character because I don't want to just "give up" and make him verbal, etc. that seems wrong. However, this is why im throwing this question out: what do you all think? I'm not sure how many nonverbal people/friends of nonverbal people follow me, but I'd love to have some second opinions on this before I make any big changes to Strawberry's character.

only replies are enabled, please send me an ask or reply if you have feedback. thank you!

[jiminiecrickets]

not a request or anything, but do you have any tips at writing smut? or just sex scenes in general? i've read up some of your work and you seem really good at it from what i'm seeing so i'm just wondering! cs out of everything i've tried writing it's one of the things i can't grasp. so i figured maybe a bit of advice could be rlly good help!

oh man i'm certainly not the best but i appreciate it! honestly i don't know how some people do it so well, but i'll list a few things i keep at the front of my mind when writing :)

my big thing is descriptions upon descriptions. people have different ways of writing smut, like i notice a lot of ya novels are vague yet physical (eg "he took me in his hand"). it's also over quite quickly because the focus isn't on the sex but the characters and how the act of intimacy either progresses or regresses their relationship. bc i have no publisher limitations and bc i want to, i use "pornographic" terms to describe physicality and what they're doing first, then focus on what that action makes them feel and what else they're doing. playing with this can either speed up or slow down the scene (eg. less description = faster reading time = quicker sex) which helps define relationships (like hookup vs honeymoon) or sexual experience. equating the experience of reading with the actual act of sex using time makes it more personal, in my opinion.

in terms of what descriptions i use, after establishing where they are in relation to each other/the room, i frequently "zoom in" on certain sections, like in movies: tensed fingers, shifting bone beneath muscle and skin, etc. the face is where everything happens, so describing the brows/eyes/mouth gives personality to the characters. sex isn't only visual, so adding sound/touch is more immersive. i always go for temperature/contrast in temperature because it's visceral and everybody knows what that feels like. as an artist, i also like playing with light/shadow within the "frame" and how that can affect the shape of a person or their sensuality.

personally, i read/write smut for the relationship. "i sheathed myself inside him" does nothing for me, but knowing whether they grip each other with their whole hand (not just the fingers) or if they refuse to look into each other's eyes makes me invested! how do they react to each other? does leaning in for a kiss make their heartbeat quicken, which the other can feel through their chest? i need backstory as to who they are and what they think of each other :)

tldr; lots of physical descriptions besides the act of dick-in-hole (or anything else) and lots of emotion. imo, emotion and relationships sell it.

hope any of this helps!