#IM SORRY IS THIS IS BAD ADVICE

[webrollus]

post-finale oj & suitcase

[splinterclan]

sorry this isn't directed at a cat, but how do you keep up with the art for your blog? you're doing exactly what i had hoped to do but i just could not draw so much lol

love your work btw!!

I do commission freelance for my job and have done for like? 5 years now? So drawing is basically just a thing I do like breathing and eating atp LOL Splinterclan is actually what I draw for warm-ups/fun drawing, so I am pretty much always looking forward to/happy to work on it ;v;

My best advice is just genuinely stop worrying about whether something looks good or perfect or whatever and just draw it as fast as you can while still having a good time! Getting bogged down on every single drawing is a project killer (plus 90% of people are only gonna look at a picture for around 10 seconds anyways, esp in comics).

That goes unless your issue is with time/physical setbacks in which case just draw at your own pace and maybe don't start posting it until you have a good backlog and habit of drawing set that you know you'll be able to keep up with - that way you can post for a while without feeling overwhelmed having nothing to fall back on

My answer is the same as above kinda, I've just practiced a lot! I hate to just give the same old advice of "draw a lot" but it really is what you have to do. (Also study real life before you study style, it's very helpful - I barely knew how to draw cats when I started this blog and now I've studied so much cat anatomy I've improved a good amount ^^)

And for program I use clip studio paint which I recommend, it has a lot of helpful features and is a really good program.

[densewentz]

i think the turning point in my life both academically and professionally was realizing that. If you Go First, be it a presentation or an interview or whatever. If you go first, you are being judged based on NOTHING but yourself. They aren't comparing you to anyone else, you don't have an act to "follow". You are the Bar. You can literally just do the best you can and at that point it will automatically be the best they've seen so far. And once you're done you're done. You can mentally and emotionally check out.

Game changer insofar as being stressed about presenting because now I just bulldoze over everyone else to go first like a feral hog.

[cozylittleartblog]

someone on aliexpress stole my wheatley pin too :( look at how they massacred my boy.... why the fuck does he look like that....

it's the portal fandom's turn: please please please do not buy pins on chinese websites like wish, temu, aliexpress, shein, etc. they are all traced and stolen from small artists like me, and way worse and uglier than the originals.

[mechagender]

do you have tips on drawing robots/mecha?

augh I really do wish i could have like a really good and thought out tutorial but honestly I don't even know how I learned WAUUHH ummm I think if I had any tips that I personally had to share which isnt a lot 1. try focusing on bolder geometric shapes!! it REALLY helps to sell the mechanical look. organic things tend to have a lot of soft irregular shapes, so deviating from that helps makes things look inorganic. also, try and picture things as a 3d model in your mind if you can! (if you can't, that's alright! people's imaginations work differently, some people can picture things, some people can't. that's just what I personally do)

2. exaggerate your parts and proportions to your hearts content!! robots and mecha are an excuse to really go crazy with things!! while something like drawing humans would typically have sort of a 'set' anatomy and proportions (varying on art style of course) mecha isn't really bound by any set of 'rules' especially if you don't care about being realistic!! (which i dont HEHE) 3. study and try and learn from some of the details of other mecha art. watch/play/consume media that focuses on mecha/robots like gundam or things like transformers, etc. other things that are good to study is real machinery, dolls, and real organic anatomy in general. i'd probably recommend searching some terms like "how to draw mecha/robots" on here and seeing what other tips more experienced artists have 4. PRACTICE!!!!!!! this should be like the tip ever for anything at all. im only able to draw like i am now because i spent a good few years drawing almost nothing but transformers which sort of forced me to learn. don't stop trying even when things look 'wrong' because fucking up is how you get better at Not fucking up

here's a snippet of like some of the first mecha art i can find in my files from back in 2021, you can tell i wasnt really confident in my shapes at all at the time, but keeping at it gave me the ability to improve (obviously none of these are concrete rules pls dont take them as such!!! i also HEAVILY encourage finding lessons elsewhere because beyond generic primary/middle school art classes i have never taken any sort of art education ever and I have no idea what im talking about. i'm entirely self taught, and i've also rarely done serious studies on my own. bad, i know WAUUUGH.)

[mercuryinjune]

i need to complain about being trans rq sorry but no one i have to talk to irl gets this LMAOO im putting a cut here so this post isnt annoying on people's tls.. that being said if you have experience going on t as a dyke HEELP

being out at queer events meeting other trans ppl makes me want to try going on t SO bad but there is stuff that holds me back and it sucks :-( working in customer service in a conservative town i don't want to like put myself in danger which sucks really bad.. and also my relationship with my mom has FINALLY been like perfect and ik it would piss her off so bad 😭 i'm not scared of her disowning me or anything like ik she'd get over it but the initial crash out would be really hard and i don't wanna have to go through navigating it..

and it's like obviously i don't want to hold back from doing something that would make me happy because other people wouldn't like it but it's difficult to choose put a strain on my relationships for anything :/ my family also has like such a bad view of what going on hrt is like and does to your body and idk how to get that to change.. i think my mom thinks it would just turn me into a middle aged man and then instantly kill me and she also just doesn't understand going on hrt when you aren't a binary trans person and then i'd have to explain it to her and that would be ROUGH

idk whatever i will survive but i yearn so badly.. one day i will be my own hrt experiment and be making out with another weird t-dyke and it will be awesome

[angelpuns]

Me looking at the super long definitely TMI diary-type vent post in my drafts: haha yeah you're gonna live there forever until I delete you <3

[deltamel]

HOW DOES ONE CHOOSE A THEME????? I SIMPLY CANNOT. CHOOSE. I LIKE TOO MANY AESTHETICS IM DYING HERE !!! (p.s. sorry to everyone watching my blog theme change every 2 days i promise i will settle on one soon 😭 i'm torn between a soft, gentle summer theme and a really bright, fun, colourful one...

[prettyboykatsuki-moved]

may i pick ur brain wrt something? you write such a large variety of characters and i think you have great skill in following through with a character's characterization (lol) to their sexual life. i was wondering what do you choose to focus on or how you approach figuring out a character's sexual style (?) when you write? im pretty new to writing smut (i write in general but i usually just fade to black) and im having trouble translating a character's neurosis into sexual acts, particularly when you move beyond the vanilla missionary etc sex (which im not particularly interested in writing even tho i think it can be emotionally poignant in its own right).

what i have most trouble with is like figuring out if a certain act fits character a or character b in my ensemble, say, and then moving through with that. i've been trying to approach it like fighting styles bc of the character's physicality, but there are certain temperamental and moral tensions informing fighting in particular (as a deliverance of violence, i mean) that make it hard for me to pinpoint how to translate that to sex without it feeling shoehorned. for example (and this is just for reference), i have a character who's like a gunslinger and whose style is very explosive and wild and a little bit cocky, but when u look at it under the microscope, his approach is polished and precise and meticulous. and THEN his internality is of a young man with a lot of anger and stunted growth, who really just wants acceptance and affection deep down, and who is so very tired. now i can translate each of those things and its combinations a hundred thousand ways, but which is correct? or faithful to him? at one point it all seems unfathomable to me. and then bc i can't make up my mind i fear everything i write ends up being too plain, or ill-fitting, and because my cast is large, it also all ends up feeling too same-y. has this ever been an issue for you?

first of all - i want to say thank you for entrusting and believing in my writing abilities enough to want to pick my brain about this. i'm not entirely sure what the appeal of my writing is to other people (not in a negative way but more in that its my own stuff so im always critical of it) but i put forth a lot of thought in characterization and translating that into sex as i am primarily a smut writer so while im not the most confident u should come to me for advice, im deeply flattered and will do my best anyway

i'll be real though, the best advice is genuinely just not to overthink it and go with your gut. have some faith in your own writing voice and ideas etc. but anyway

there are a lot of layers to this question and i'll do my best to go through it bit-by-bit. and i don't know if this will really help you since it might come off vague

if i can offer you any advice on characterizing well in a smut scene, it's to not view the smut as a separate entity to your work but as an integral part of it's infrastructure. do not treat the smut scene as part of the work, but as a pillar of it.

the other thing is understanding what is personally compelling to u or arousing about this characters storyline or personality. and not arousing as in physical lust, but what concepts tickle you and make you want to write.

the truth is there's no objectively correct way to characterize a character especially if they're nuanced and complex. which is why all writing is subjective in a sense.

ultimately, it's your job as the author to choose what characterization you like best and convince the audience it's the correct one.

for example, the character you're describing is multifaceted. there are several ways you can take the direction of the story

their outward persona is being a cocky gunslinger who is inwardly polished, meticulous, sensitive and tired. all of these traits can be expanded upon into sexual acts based on your will as the writer - so you have to ask yourself, what aspect of this character is the most arousing to you as a writer or what is this sex scene intending to display about a character. what trait of theirs are you hoping to highlight through sex?

to translate these things into sex gets really tricky and is honestly something you have to experiment with until you feel it click.

for me - if i were attempting to write this character, the breakdown process would look something like this.

this character has a personality gap of being a cocky gunslinger but is actually polished and meticulous

this means they they are likely concerned with appearances.

something in their past must've brought them to that conclusion. if they are continuing to outwardly project themselves as a reckless gunslinger - it is is likely not their "true" self.

what would make a character with this many defense show their true selves, or what other characters cause this character to demonstrate to their true selves?

the translation process of eroticism can go in a hundred different languages. if i personally were writing this character, i might pair them with an older mentor type of character, or a nonchalant rival. i might put them in a situation that requires a different kind of vulnerability and forces them to expose some of their nature for the sake of their ideals

as an author, im aroused by the idea of them showing their submission and affectionate side. trying to subconsciously appeal to authority figures might be interesting if i'm trying to demonstrate their lack of validation. the opposite can also be true, that a character like this might resent mentor / authority figures that impede their own ideas and trying to highlight their anger. writing this gunslinger lashing out at a fellow gunslinger they respect can easily be turned into erotica.

you could pair this character with a nonchalant rival type. a direct opposite that challenges a characters morals ideological belief or perhaps - understands them through their differences. this rival character pays enough attention to the gunslinger to know that they are polished and special. while they are rivals, there's something legitmate in their dynamic to this sensitive, tired character who puts up a facade and wants to be understood.

your own arousal as an author comes in here and where you have to make choices.

lets say then, i go with the latter. i would then structure the story or chapter around this idea through by demonstrating the push and pull of their relationship. i would subvert this characters personality through the framework of submission and a desire for acceptance. i'd write the erotica about the slow crescendo to sex with their rival who seems to accept them fully. i'd write about their different meetings, choosing small things to represent larger themes. maybe their rival praises their technique or offers them a listening ear. i use those small moments to build up to the intimacy and weave the erotic stuff into the story itself so when the sex comes it feels gratifying and releases tension (lol)

for the actual sex stuff you just have to go with your gut and distinguish things based on what traits you're showing. maybe this characters need for affection and rest makes them a whiny bottom. as a writer, i'd monopolize that. i'd point out their eagerness to please through desperation like kissing or nuzzle, and i'd have their words contradict their actions to display their personality gap etc

for me being structured around erotica means going through that kind of mental process and and building a story framework from the ground up and aiming for a proper sex scene. the erotica process is weaved into the plot mechanisms, the metaphors, the stories ideology. the smut is the point, and every action is central to emphasizing what is going to end up happening. my better examples of this lately are probably uncle sukuna rip

ive been writing smut for long enough now that i do not struggle with it and it's easy for me to come up with a unique character voice and do all the above sort of automatically in my mind. and i know it can feel intimidating.

the best advice i can give you though again is don't overthink it which ik seems contradictory to all of the above advice. but sometimes you just have to let yourself go with the flow and believe in your own abilities. trust your gut and just shoot straight ahead.

i hope this was bale to help u some!!

[luckyemo]

lol note to self do Not buy from the fan merch artist that has repeatedly been shown to be unprofessional bc theyre either gonna play in ur face with ur money and u just have to take it OR u have to be an asshole and be like Hey This Sucks Your Conduct Sucks and its like IM the asshole bc im the buyer and could have just not initiated the purchase but idk i like supporting independent artists that share my interests i just think when i pay for something i shouldnt be faulted for expecting to the get thing i paid for...........

[mlm-blues]

I will one day rot, but id rather be companioned than lonely as i decay, what is a good way to make a boy happy around me?

im choosing to believe i pronounce me like may so that it rhymes with decay

uhhh remind them that theyre awesome and loved and let them ramble about their favourite things and be nice to them. idk do to them what would make u feel happy around someone!!!

[alchemiclee]

I hate how much i'm afraid to open an art shop because my last 2 failures cost me so much money 😭😭😭😭 especially in this time of great, scary uncertainty! and i know i can't bother other people about this, so i'm in this alone. *sad yippee noise*

[mochinomnoms]

Not an “official”ask (or maybe it is) but genuinely love your work and how you write! Makes me want to get back to writing!

What’s your process for writing or any advice for getting out of slumps when it comes to world building?

Can’t wait for more of PTM!! 🩷

Oh how nice!!! Dw asks are open requests aren't!

When it comes to the writing process I actually don't have much of a process for it thoughts just come to me and I feel the need to share lmao but I get inspired by things I just like! So like PTM is based on a manga I really like, my AceYuu fic is gonna be based on a Hozier song and Madoka Magica. I recommend finding something you really like, maybe a basic trope or story, myth, musical etc and use that as a starting point!

For world-building, tbh it's mostly based on my background as an anthropologist, so I ask questions that I would ask research subjects in the field and pretend to fill in the blanks like the characters are answering it! For TWST, since it's based on Disney media which are based in real world cultures/stories, I research those cultures and base my world-building of them!

For slumps, I can't provide too much feedback, tbh I get into slumps and get stuck. I find it most helpful to have someone give you feedback while writing or proofreading rough drafts, cause it's nice to get nice words about your writing! That usually helps me most! I wish I could be more helpful, but that's all I really got!

[rubiesintherough]

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[s4ge-manul]

aita for telling my boyfriend I hate how he doesn't communicate and begging him for ANYTHING so we don't spiral into an even unhealthier relationship....... ANYWAYS LOOK AT THIS MANUL!!! MANULLLL SO MEULIN LEIJON CODED

i dont think youre the asshole! i dont have much relationship experience so im unsure what advice to give 😞 i say like. he doesnt have to tell you all his problems but if it has something to do with the relationship then he should be honest

[bonsaibudz]

second date went very very well (with maybe the exception that he's starting to be a little *too* frat boy for her..) with a teeny tiny surprise below the cut that explains pic 2

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um so a little secret random genuinely unexpected hookup maybe occurred while she was out on the date.. don't look at me i didn't do anything i absolutely made all the decisions :)