#anyway yeah i don't know anything about artists genuinely

[adelle-ein]

every year spotify wrapped just confuses the hell out of me. what is "pov: indie" (why not just indie????) what is "alt z." what the fuck is "hopebeat," is it like "indie poptimism." and where is provo

[unproduciblesmackdown]

sometimes recall that Scenario of like "oh a stranger draws another stranger sharing a space with them & without their knowing & Drawn Stranger is like how flattering that you did that & i love your Beautiful Artistic Interpretation of me" which i hate so i was like what's the opposite of that. & i'm pretty sure i'm averse to like every aspect of it & the opposite is about strangers sharing space with consideration for that & like oh no its sickos using headphones, on they phones, reading. if direct verbal interactions happen (or eye contact, or nonverbal cues) it doesn't have to Transcend shit or be an inherent improvement over not interacting. but also the best opposite is like oh sorry i looked over your shoulder kind of or just indeed spontaneously glimpsed what you were drawing but i like your jellicle cats haunted house episode fanart. or i have a question about some technique or materials i see you using b/c i'd be interested in having that knowledge for myself & if this is a meetanything that's fine i guess but can be a limited as what it is strangers interaction for a minute which is no worse

[marciaillust]

hey, i hope you're doing great! i feel this may be unorthodox, but i really wanted to reach out to extend my engagement?— awe?— solidarity?— (some variant of those, anyways) with your most recent "workposting" art. i don't normally do this. I've maybe sent 3 asks in my whole life. there's no pressure to respond to this, as i mostly just wanted to cheer you on. also, I'm really sorry this is so long.

i only just recently landed my very first freelance art job, at a start-up company dedicated to making comics + DND inspired art content. I've always felt that "Its nothing to call home about", and so i really resonated with your feelings regarding your work for Brawl Stars. I felt kind of ashamed of my job, that its just a small start up— that I'm not enough and that i should be trying harder, or something like that. Specifically i resonated with your comment of "presenting brawl stars art feels like showing my anime girl oc to an art teacher" and i don't think i could have solidified any better.

Anyways. all's to say. I really found your work quite jaw-dropping. I was shocked when i read it was for Brawl Stars. I didn't know anything about it, but when i did some research i was even more amazed. they're really, really compositionally beautiful... i mean, i know its just "work" to you ultimately, but it really does feel lively, and everything about it makes it feel like you care. I think sometimes you're just able to tell when an artist genuinely cares about their work; about its end outcome. there's so many intricacies. and a lot of attention to detail. you kept the style that was necessary of you but i also can feel the warmth and the care of the artist behind it— its not corporate, or stale, it doesn't come across as "just work".

since you mentioned League, i genuinely do think it serves an equal purpose and weight to what League of Legends would produce. from a biased standpoint, i would actually value your work more. Its not even that its "more obtainable"/"more realistic" but that there's genuinely more feeling to it. Compositionally/artistically, yeah, League makes great stuff, but occasionally, the feeling or the sense of warmth and care from the creator of the art is lost along the way. I value seeing the artist within their own art a lot, which is why I've admitted to a degree of bias. either way. what you put out there is really gorgeous, and crazy impressive.

I know a stranger with a dumb, fandom-oriented art blog cant solve the self-indited art elitism (you and me both, man💀) and that you've already received plenty of love/reblogs saying similar things, but i wanted to extend my feelings anyways. Its really heart-warming, i guess. It brings me hopefulness, and deep adoration for the craft. I'm not very good with words. Anyways. don't undersell yourself. seeing your work meant more to me than you can imagine. I'm obviously nowhere near your skill level, but it meant more to me as an aspiration. i think that regardless of who you work for, your work is really valuable and downright incredible. because you bring that sense of warmth, care, time, and patience regardless of the media it portrays. and you're able to do that while being objectively talented— utilizing great compositions, colour pallets, shading, characterization, mood, etc. That is more valuable. That is much much cooler than working for Riot. imo.

Initially, i also wanted to ask you some questions about how you assembled your portfolio, if you went to school, (if so) what it did/didn't provide for you going into the art field, and just how you landed the job in general. But i respect you and your time, and wouldnt want to be a burden or anything. If you ever have time for it, i would love to ask them, among others, and we can chat in DM if you'd prefer. Absolutely no pressure. Im happy just watching from the sidelines. I dont anticipate anything from you to begin with! I just hope youll know how influential your post was to read & see, to someone like me!

Oh man. I. How. Where do I even start except

This is one of the most uplifting, touching and encouraging messages I received in my life. I read it thrice. And I still can't believe how full of love it is. This is such high praise, I want you to know I will cherish it and carry it with me for a long long time. It's not often that an artist gets to learn how their art is perceived, not to mention in such a positive light. It really means a lot to me.

It makes me so happy to hear that my work illustrations retain a piece of me that is visible to others. I myself can't see it, but I imagine my closeness to the matter at hand heavily impacts my ability to see objectively at all. There was a time where I was worried that work was overriding the me that makes my art mine, that I was becoming a corporate rendering machine and that what I did at work (the shape language and style) was bleeding into my personal art. There is a part of me that is now breathing easier after reading your message. I would love to answer any questions you have, it's the least I can do to repay you! Feel free to send an ask or even an email, I'll try to be as thorough as I can be with my answers. I wish you happy holidays! Take care! And again thank you so much for taking the time to write this message!

[dr-spectre]

WE DID IT!!!!!!!

THANK YOU SO MUCH EVERYONE!!!!! This is such a big milestone. Halfway until 1000 followers... that's absolutely insane!!

This will be the last follower update until we reach 1000. But, I wanna share something special with you all and get rather personal...

So, about a year ago, I wanted to learn how to draw because I was feeling depressed about "not being productive enough." Basically I got sucked into the bullshit productivity self help stuff that wants to turn your life into a cold calculated work obsessed nightmare, rather than living in the moment due to fear mongering about the future and how "if you don't grind now you WILL be a failure and die alone and get no pussy." (No wonder I picked Team Present for the Grand Fest...)

Plus I dropped out of uni at the time and welp, to put it lightly, I was feeling fucking god awful and I was scared into basically "putting in the hard work" by all these self help channels and other bullshit online. Whatever the FUCK that vague shit means, my autistic brain still doesn't get it.

It was BY FAR the worst period of my life, but, at least I tried to do SOMETHING. And I wanna show you all some of the things that I drew last year....

This was between October 2023 to February 2024. I stopped drawing due to it causing me much frustration and anger.

So yeah! Uh... enjoy?

So.... not the best work you've seen, right? HAHAHAHAHA!

Would you freak out if I told you that I got upset and damaged a book and a fan because I got so mad at myself over not being able to draw or do anything right?...

I feel like this ain't for me, and you know what? That's okay! I've learnt that it's okay to try new things, it's okay to experiment and if shit doesn't work then it doesn't work. Plain and simple. It's perfectly fine to give up and try something else.

You are not a robot, you are a human being. Don't feel like you "gotta do something everyday otherwise you'll die alone and you'll be broke and you'll never be successful and you'll be forgotten!!"

Do feel pressured to feel like you have to "find your thing" or "be productive" or whatever kind of... heh.... BRAINWASHING you hear online.

I wanted to draw because I was jealous of others, including my friends who are skilled artists... and I did it for the wrong reasons which is why I stopped in February.

I am very happy that I've decided to actually focus on what i like doing and what gives me energy. A quote that has stuck with me for years now is a quote by Jordan Peele from an interview, and it's basically this-

"Follow the fun." And you know what? He's right. Following what gives you that good good boost of dopamine while also feeling like you're accomplishing something is one of the best feelings EVER!!!! Whether it's art, writing, modelling, sculpting, architecture, making music, acting, clay sculptures, etc. FOLLOW THE FUN!! FOLLOW THE SHIT THAT EXCITES YOU!!! I literally always have multiple projects spiralling around in my head all the time and cycling between them at every given moment.

I'm not even saying do only what makes you comfortable or be lazy either, do shit that makes you go "BRING IT ON!!!! I WANNA DO THIS!!!" Get that blood pumping!!! Challenge yourself fairly!!!! There's healthy and unhealthy stress. Healthy stress should make you feel like a fucking PREDATOR!!! AN ANIMAL ON THE HUNT!!! While unhealthy stress makes you feels like you're the prey, the one who's being chased by an unknown force that's out to get you!!

I feel like I'm kinda rambling... anyways!!! ENOUGH WITH THE INSPIRATIONAL BULLSHIT!!! THANK YOU ALL!!!!!! 99% of you have been awesome and incredible!!!

It's also been an honor to get to know so many people who feel the same way as I do about a certain squid lady and her best friends.... before I went onto tumblr I genuinely felt so alone and so insane. I felt isolated, I felt like no one saw these characters the way that I do... I thought my perspective of a certain squid lady and her rebel phase was invalided and false... But now I know that I have people who have my back and understand what I'm trying to express...

One final time, thank you. I'll keep going.

STAY FRESH!!!!!!!!!!

[llitchilitchi]

blog update? vent? what I wanna do going forward? this is long and ranty

I am not going anywhere, please remain calm :)

so this has been on my mind for the better part of a year now, if not longer. I don't think it's a secret or a shock to anyone that I am barely engaging in mcyt-related fandoms, even more so when it comes to creators. the community has for a large part transformed into something that I don't want to necessarily be a part of.

I am saddened at what has become of the CCs that I liked and found comfort in back during lockdown. I don't want to delve into any of the things that have happened over the last few weeks, much less months and years - I made it a rule for myself to not keep up with "drama" (I genuinely hate the word. a lot of it is pointless bickering and people being stupid and vile over small things that could have been solved privately, or people attacking others for no reason, and those that do not fit under the "people are stupid" umbrella are matters far too serious to be labelled as drama or discourse) and I try to not comment on it much. I can't help the two posts from time to time but the truth is, seeing discourse on my dash for days on end is wearing me down. and it often feels like that is all there is going on anymore.

as of, this is not me denouncing my love for dream and the dream team, or their friends and supporters, much less the fan community around them. there are many kind people who I cherish and I am grateful that they welcomed me in and shared my art and talked to me about it. these comments and conversations mean more to me than you could ever imagine. I've forged friendships here that I never could have dreamed of. I've never felt so comfortable in a fandom before and I don't think I will ever fully leave it behind.

that being said, I also doubt that I will be posting too much about anything mcyt-related. I haven't really been doing anything for the fandom anyways, not really. I enjoy the fan projects, and I am very grateful that I managed to get on the c!Dream zine as an artist, and I am looking forward to sharing that piece with you guys! it's one of my favourites that I've ever done, so look forward to that, and go support the project if you can! but to post only when it's related to projects feels a little insincere.

I am mostly writing this because there were a couple more projects that popped up, and I hesitate to join. not only because my involvement with the fandom is miniscule, but also because I feel a little worn and tired and gross about everything that has gone down. and I dread that by the time I get to actually work on a piece, the exhaustion and resignation will turn into distaste and unwillingness to do anything.

I still want to support artists and writers in the fandom. I will continue reblogging stuff, maybe even post some of my own (I have been itching to do a small illustration for monarchy again, but I've been incredibly busy, so don't get excited), but for the most part I think I'll be slowly turning towards other fandoms and original content. oh yeah, I there are OCs incoming.

I miss this fandom, and the community, and every good thing that came with it, but it does not feel sincere to keep engaging too much. I will likely stick to DSMP for the most part, if I will stay in the fandom at all. the real people around it just make me sad.

I don't have a conclusion to offer. no tl;dr. I wanted to get this off my chest. my feelings about everything going on are complicated at best. there's a yearning to come back and a revulsion at what many of the CCs are doing that keeps me away. a yearning for the excitement and love I felt once. maybe it'll come back. for now I just want things to calm down and if that isn't possible here, I will be minding my own business. so if you see me posting about Things at Inappropriate Times, do know that I simply do not wish to engage in the bad anymore.

[welovetesvkaidan]

OPINIONS ON KAIDAN EE/IF???

My honest reaction:

in all seriousness, if you wanna hear me yap about it, more under the cut

warning like, genuinely a ginormous yap, like a HUMUNGOUS, sleep-deprived yap,,, im cursed to be obsessed with skyrim + modded followers instead of touching grass

I think a lot of this is probably gonna be the same thing other people have said, so im sorry

if you feel i'm gonna be bringing up redundant points and get mad at me😓dont read

I haven't experienced and thus won't talk about the versions of EE and IF that are now separate mods from each other. I don't know anything about that.

if they're better now yayyy but this is about pre-separation

I should preface this with the fact that I've played through Skyrim 3 times with different stages of Kaidan EE/IF:

The initial Dawnguard + fixes/miscs mod

Kaidan EE/IF versions before extensive faction/NPC dialogue for Kaidan

EE/IF w/ NPC Dialogue (AKA Fratpack)

I was also part of the two different discords that were purged and created during these intervals. i don't even know if there is a discord currently?

anyway, that is to say that I have experienced the mod and it's behind-the-scenes progress, extensively so I have a pretty good idea of what I liked and didn't like

That being said, I will introduce probably my biggest problems with it: Tonal whiplash

Okay, well the most common complaint is ofc that a lot of the writing is out of character - and I agree. But it's not just ooc on paper, it's his voice too. I swear, it is very jarring hearing hushed, mild og Kaidan 2 voicelines, and then being deafened by EE Kaidan SCREAMING in my ear ALL.THE.TIME. (like... why are you yelling at me rn jeez)

Seriously. I'm not sure why they didn't just re-record everything from the original mod instead of adding more and more contradicting lines on top of the originals. It definitely could have been a standalone mod, and sometimes it almost feels like it is - because he is just so different.

My most infamous moment in my last playthrough with him happened after we defeated the dragon at Kynesgrove. His og Kaidan 2 dialogue played first, in it he shows interest and is cordial about Delphine ("I wouldn't mind prodding her mind" or whatver dialogue), THEN immediately after his Kaidan EE/IF dialogue will play, in which he walks up to Delphine and STARTS YELLING AT HER AND INSULTING HER - like they argue for quite a bit wtf. And it's like, listen, I have my thoughts about Delphine, but whether or not it was okay to yell at her isn't the problem. It would be fine - IF he hadn't just calmly told me he thought she was okay.

It is sooo confusing how he contradicts himself :(

I mean, yeah, fragments of who he is are still there, I can tell it's Kaidan, but he's warped to fit a different character. Like a con-artist Kaidan.

Anyway, besides the contradictions, it also feels out of character because of his established backstory.

Let's go over it: He's an orphan, lost his only connection to his family(his guardian) to drugs, fell into substances himself, joined a violent cult, had to escape said cult, came clean from his addictions, has been traveling Tamriel bounty-hunting, got brutally attacked by the Thalmor, rescued by mere chance. Do you honestly mean to tell me this man would be yelling, pissing, drinking, lewding, and joking his ass off?? After all that???? NO - or maybe not these levels of extreme. (maybe some other dude might, but Kaidan's characterization insists he is a brooding, keeps-to-himself man, even though he never acts like it anymore)

That man should be tired, and he did feel like he was tired in the original. He was more brooding then than he is now, usually silent, but could still have an edge of comedy/wittiness, he was smart, he had been through a lot!

In that regard, EE/IF Kaidan felt like... we are experiencing Kaidan 10 years in the past - like a Kaidan in his early 20s when he was still a drunkard low-key terrible person. He is just so energetic, always yapping - GOD he talks a lot now. ugh but most of the time it wasn't about anything, it was either inside-jokes, meta jokes, and only occasionally did we get things that added to the experience.

For example, I think most of us who have played Kaidan 2 remember at least one specific line he has said while exploring. What comes to mind for me is either "Can you smell the magicka in the air too? Smells like a rainless thunderstorm." or "Watch for the mammoth with the carvings on their tusks, that's how the giants mark their herd." Alright, both pretty nice small talk for characterization (he IS smart) and worldbuilding.

Tbh i can't really remember any iconic lines from the additions of EE/IF Kaidan... the only two lines that stood out for me were: the "elevenses" line from the clip above (started bumping into him every time he was about to say this so he would stfu... total tonal dissonance), and one he said while I looted Lucky Lorenz ("poor sod wasn't as lucky as his namesake would have you believe!") kai HOW do you know this man, and his nickname, who told you that??? (idc about it that much but its like the only other added line i remember)

I thought that maybe his ooc-iness might have been caused due to the collaborative approach of the mod, I think the mod authors created their own perfect Kaidan - and that's good for them! It takes a shit ton of work (Ik cuz i was there!!) But I think the original essence was lost with each addition. It might have been lack of direction for the voice acting too, a lot of the lines might have hit better if they weren't borderline screamed.

Okay, at some point while playing I got so tired of his constant himbo chit-chatter that I tried tuning him out and bringing other npcs from vanilla skyrim as followers. Problem: even without kaidan on your party, everything starts being about kaidan. Because the extension made it so that Kaidan either has history with/character interactions and development with different NPCs from the base game.

The main poor sods that traveled with me:

Erik the Slayer: Apparently was Kaidan's childhood friend, got inspired by Kaidan to become an adventurer. Least egregious in my opinion, they say sweet things to each other. I swear, Kaidan yells more at me than he ever did at Erik.

The Companions: dumb, dumber, and dumbest basically.. This part of EE/IF was also known as "The Fratpack" and y e a h they pretty much had Vilkas, Kaidan, and Farkas acting like immature frat boys all the time. Just,, absulutely taking away all the maturity out of these GROWN ASS MEN. im sorry, i guess i dont get the appeal. I liked it when they didn't behave like teens (Aela im so sorry, you deserved better than being part of this)

Lydia: All she does is simp for him, ALL.THE.TIME. You think she's about to have a meaningful thing to say? nope, she's checking out Kaidan's ass. Think she'll have a deep convo with another npc about one another? nope! she wants them to tell her all about Kaidan. Both the Companions and Erik will either talk down to her or have to deal with her thirst for Kaidan. i had to start leaving her home.

They also suffered from the same tonal whiplash as Kaidan, unfortunately

additionally, the mod added an "early flirt switch" - you could basically toggle Kaidan to start showing romantic affection for the Dragonborn before the amulet of mara., the interactions were good on paper, but everytime he stammered and stumbled over his words it was written in such an unnatural way... pls people don't talk like fanfics lol !!!

I did like that he gave me flowers, my inventory got full of them - but then he noticed how many flowers I had in my inventory and judged me for "picking everything i see" ugh dude you gave them to me, but also even if you hadnt... mind your business lol

Another addition was a feature that basically made it so NPCs could potentially throw flirtatious comments at Kaidan and the Dragonborn (Bishop flashbacks😨)

You can't do anything to defend Kaidan from those comments, but he WILL take it upon himself to defend your honor infront of any men, women, jarls, or criminals that even so much as find you attractive (THIS INCLUDES FARKAS AND VILKAS BTW :( ) by being rude, forthcoming, AND violent. so yea, you can guess the target audience

speaking of which, he definitely comes on too strong on you once you start the romance, and it left a bad taste in my mouth. I specifically picked the "go slow" option for the romance, and the next day or two it was him constantly complaining about having to go slow under his breath, how he wanted to do anything but slow rn... and like just, wow. :/ yikeees lmao

Maybe this is the result of "i can fix him" romance ideals? im sorry but I liked him when he was down to earth

Bonus? He comes with a campsite now, which has to be magic because its ginormous and he somehow lugs it around despite it also coming with a whole ass furnace (fine fine i'll hold my disbelief)

anyway I do like it, its basically a player house you can take anywhere (so long as kai is with you ig) also you can have a cat in there

I like that there is an MCM, I like that the MCM lets you get through the quest stages in case you get stuck

I like that he can guide you places, usually he gets stuck in a tree or rock but its the thought that counts

I think if the mod had continued in the vein as its original iteration when it was just audio/bug fixes and included these qol features it would have been better than it is now.

But it seems maybe i'm just not the target audience, and as a young woman I'm really confused as who the target audience is 😓

okay im srry rant over

if anyone else wants me to yap about other kaidan skyrim things also ask or join in cuz i like yapping about skyrim and kaidan to people!!!

[imobsessivesometimes]

Eazy-Duz-It // Logan Howlett x Reader

PT 4

a/n ok last of spam post as of 11/22/24 ('merican notation)

this chapter genuinely took me so long to write, writers block is so real

"Ok!" I clapped my hands to begin, "Since it's our first lesson, I think we should get to know what kind of music you like!" The kid in front of me was scrawny, grumpy, overall uninterested. Ororo told me the only reason why he signed up is because she asked. Guess the kid has a crush on her.

"I don't really listen to music." he remarked listlessly. He hunched in his chair like he was rivaling the guy from that Notre dame movie. It was hard to keep my eye from twitching. I have NO idea what I'm doing.

"That's ok! Yeah, that's, yeah, totally fine. I, uh, actually put together a list of a few songs that I think matches your--uh--vibe!" I grabbed the folder on the piano bench to my right, opened it and grabbed a semi-crumpled piece of paper out of it. "I had seen you in the halls a few times, Oror--I mean, Storm, Miss Ororo, Miss Storm? --anyways, she pointed you out to me and, well, just look at it." I put out the piece of paper to him and he grabs it limply. His eyes rack over the small list and looks back at me unimpressed. "Oh! Right, right, you don't listen to music, so obviously you wouldn't know most if not all of these songs. That's ok! We can listen to them on my speaker and that can be our lesson for the day. And maybe next time we can figure out if you'd like to play an instrument, which one, or if you'd like to sing." I take the piece of paper back from him. I stand up to go to the piano where a small speaker is perched on the top. I que a few of the songs and we started to listen. He slouched down further and crossed his arms. 

Dark Entries (Bauhaus)

The kid emanates a punk attitude. Ororo had mentioned he barely listened in class, didn't participate in exercises unless he wanted to, and he talks back to Charles Xavier. Maybe music that'll get him to stomp around and move will be what he needs.

As the chorus came on, I saw his foot start to tap to the beat, or at least what he thought was the beat. I could see the slight movement of his head rocking. I think I might've clocked what he'll like. I played a few more songs until our 50 minutes was up. I gave him the list again and told him to explore different artists within the same genre. He seemed excited to see me next week.

I lean on the door frame, watching him walk away. His head bopped a little bit, I could feel that his heart was still beating at the same bpm as the last song we listened to. It honestly made me happy to see. Maybe this faux-"music therapy" was going to work. Before I turned back into my little classroom, I heard a gruff voice call out to me.

"Hey, teach," Logan lounged down the hallway, quickly making it over to me in a few strides, "I see you got Jacob to sign up?" he smirked, clearly knowing the kind of kid he was.

"I wish, Ororo did, actually. I think the kid has a thing for her," I scoffed with a smile. Logan leaned against the wall next to the side of the frame I was against. "Not busy?"

"Nah, sometimes you gotta ditch your own class." he shrugged. This guy, I tell ya. "I forgot you got put down here. All good?"

"Yeah, thanks for asking. I didn't think you were the type to check on the noobie." I pushed his shoulder slightly. It was odd, though. The first impression I got from him is that he didn't give a damn about anything or anyone. Maybe Jean Grey, if my eyes are working properly.

"Eh, well, I thought I'd be charitable, for once." he shrugged, "I was told I need to be 'nicer'" he put in quotes, his eyes roll under his furrowed eyebrows. All in jest, I think. 

"Mm, that's sweet," I say, "Got some more time on your hands?"

He raises an eyebrow at me, "Why?"

"I just thought maybe you'd wanna listen to some music with me. I don't have any other students today, literally only one signed up. Maybe you'll be more motivated to work after." I shrug. I try not to let my nerves get the better of me. Asking Logan to basically hang out was not something I was expecting to come out of my mouth, but something in me wants to spend more time with him. Something in me makes me want to get to know him better, maybe even help him. Also, if students know that I'm buddies with the big bad Logan, they'll want to sign up for lessons with me!

Logan looked at me suspiciously. I purse my lips in a thin line with wide eyes waiting for him to answer. "I don't really listen to music, kid, hate to break it to ya."

"Literally no one here does," I push off the frame with an eyeroll. It's getting frustrating how none of these people want to even try to get into something new, "Well, I'm going to practice piano, or something. Have fun at-- well, at whatever you do," I still give him a smile before I retreat back into my room. He gives a grunt in response when I close the door. I plop down on the piano bench and sigh. 

Being in this mansion was starting to get suffocating. And being in this little room with one window felt worse than that stupid shipping container. Worse than anything that fucking "RainTec" did to me. I don't understand why no one has come to talk to me about, or even to see if I'm ok. I am, but it'd still be nice to be asked. I hope I'm not always going to be useless and invisible here. I'm hidden in the farthest corner on the highest floor of this place. It's a wonder why Logan was up here in the first place. Maybe he goes on walks or something, I don't know. He's a weird guy, nothing he does would surprise me, honestly. Well, except if he started acting like Ororo or Kitty.

I sat at the piano for a while; for how long, I don't know, I don't have a clock. My speaker pinged and a muffled voice came out of it asking me to go down to the Professors office. I think it might've been Jean who hacked into my speaker. After another second, I get up begrudgingly. Sitting in my wallows was more appealing, ignoring this would be stupid, though. Besides, it's probably something important. I quickly make my way down to the first floor where Charles' office is located. I open the door to a few people around his desk, looks like I'm the last to the party. Scott, Jean, Ororo, and Logan were the people I recognized. There was another young man, he was blue with a tail and sharp teeth.

"Y/n, I'm happy you could join us on such short notice. I hope I didn't interrupt anything," Charles Xavier greeted. He's always nice to me. Skeptically, he might be a little too nice. "I know you haven't had any training, but the x-men would be at benefit of your knowledge and abilities for this mission." he began to explain, "You wouldn't be put on the battlefield, you'd be conducting behind the scenes work from the jet." he smiled.

"Uhm, ok? What is this mission even about?" I asked.

"My apologies, I forgot you weren't here when I went over it with the other x-men. We've found a base of RainTec's that we have records of you being held there recently. We've gotten reports of mutant's captive there, the mission is to help them escape and bring the base down in the process." he finished. The Professor didn't seemed bother in the slightest by my connection to RainTec, not even by the fact that I was also held captive there recently. But, despite that, this could be a good opportunity to prove myself useful. Maybe by helping them with this, it'll show that I can help people. Logan said that the first step is wanting to help, I guess this is my second. "Are you willing to help?"

"Yeah, sure." 

[everestgale]

jumping onto the opinion bandwagon. (that phrase alone might probably render my anonymity pointless but oh well.)

fucking amazing. in general.

no but you have such a distinct artstyle??? and your designs are so iconic and ESPECIALLY THE UPDATED VERSIONS??? DUDE there is so plainly so much thought put into those little sillies like that's clear enough, especially with those rambles you sent like they're so fun to read. in general, you have a pretty dang prominent presence among the community and are just all-around quite admirable.

it's nice to see someone actually having fun doing what they like. even if the rest of that someone's life is something we don't really know much about, at least it's amazing when they're actually passionate about the work they show us and are completely genuine about it. yeah you seem like that someone

i can't say anything without just regurgitating what the other anons have said so far lmao. but yeah, major shoutout to how chill you've been so far. and another major shoutout to the drawing everyone's voice designs thing, because that must have made a lot of peoples' days. we all love when you draw our voice designs. and our voice designs probably appreciate the kindness shown when others draw them, because their own artists aren't exactly treating them the best half the time lolol.

another major shoutout because you're cool

yeah that's it idk what to say

Thank you so much!!! For everything, for all your kind words and compliments, and for writing out such a nice message!! ❤️

I don't know if I would say I have a prominent presence in the community though (I'm too new myself for that to be the case), but it is nice to know that there's someone who thinks so, I'm having a lot of fun making art and hanging out in this community!! It's easy to be passionate and share my passion around here, and I hope to make it easy for other people, too <3

I genuinely love and adore this game, genuinely love and adore this community, and I hope to keep making more art and other projects for this community! And in fact, I'll share a little secret, I do have a quite large project in the works regarding that... the plan was to have it done just in time for New Years but, uh, that might be ambitious. We will see though, at the latest, it should be done sometime in January :]

Anyways! Thank you for all the shoutouts and all the kind words <3

(Also it's funny that you added that note at the beginning, because it's pretty much everything else but that phrase that (at least I think) made me recognize you lol)

Hope you have a great rest of your day though, and thanks again ❤️

[beanghostprincess]

Shuggy modern day AU where Buggy has a circus artist school/daycare for kids and Shanks constantly brings his godchild Luffy. That kid is so hyperactive that all the teachers don’t want to work with him anymore but anytime Buggy tries to refuse him coming back all Shanks does is flirt Buggy into submission.

Alvida constantly rips Buggy a new one at the evening wine session.

Meanwhile Luffy has the best time getting all bendy like snake man, hop on trampolines and swing on the trapeze.

Maybe Zoro is also there learning how to throw knifes.

This is,,, The cutest thing.

Buggy tries his best not to succumb, but have you seen Shanks? The guy is charming. And it's not like Buggy hates Luffy, either, he's just pretty fucking annoying and hard to deal with (but he has talent and he's a genuinely good kid). So Buggy always ends up letting the kid in. Alvida always laughs at Buggy for this but at the end of the day, she tells him not to get his hopes up because guys like this one only want to flirt to get their kids into school, and Buggy agrees! He hates Shanks! He doesn't even like him! His body is betraying him, okay? He's just hot. That's all. One day it's Luffy's father who comes to pick him up from there, though, and Alvida can see the disappointment in Buggy's eyes. She doesn't need to say anything to get on his nerves because he already can read the "I told you so" in her eyes.

One day, Luffy's the last one to stay waiting for somebody to pick him up from school, and Buggy has the responsibility of waiting there with him. And with Zoro. The kid refuses to go without Luffy. Besides, Zoro is also waiting for his dad to come pick him up. Anyway, long story short, Mihawk (Zoro's dad. Like in every Au. What a surprise) appears and ends up taking Luffy home too and Buggy is suddenly free of the burden. Seconds after this (before Buggy can finally go home) Shanks' car suddenly appears and he starts apologizing and asking where Luffy is. And something like this happens (don't expect narration besties I am still sick):

Shanks: So sorry I was late, I had uh, things to sort out. Where's anchor? Buggy: Huh, yeah, things to sort out. Mihawk took your kid home. Shanks: My home? The kid's home? His home? Buggy: Do I look like I asked? Shanks: You probably should, since you're the one in charge and all. Buggy: Hey! The kids are friends! And I'm not asking Mr.Hypnotizing-Gold-Cat-Eyes here for his direction, thank you very much. Call him yourself. Now, if we're done here- Shanks: Wait! Wait. I was picking up my daughter from her music lessons. Uta. Buggy: Did I ask? I have had enough with one of your bastards already, I don't want to know- Shanks: I just don't want you to think I forgot about Luffy I- I am not the perfect role model but I care about him. I was in my way. Buggy: Yeah, no, I know. Kid talks about you all the time, Mr.Best-Guitarist-In-The-World. Now, seriously, I need to go home. Shanks: It's still early, though. Buggy: And running this place and still doing shows isn't exactly a thing that takes up little time, so- Shanks: But you can skip one training session. Today only. Right? We could hang out Buggy: Hang out? What are you? Twelve? Do you want to go on a silly movie date later and hold hands during the scary parts? Shanks: ... I wouldn't be opposed to that. Buggy: You're unbelievable. Shanks: But if we do watch a horror movie I don't want one about clowns, they're not scary and I rather like them. Buggy: Don't push it, I can show you how scary a clown can be. Shanks: Playing hard to get? Buggy: I can't fucking stand you! I could literally go full murder clown on you and you'd get horny by it Shanks: I told you I like clowns-

[freddie-77-ao3]

infodump about how you got into pjo please :)

okay so when i was younger than six i had absolutely no interest in reading. like. at all. i would fight to avoid reading. I wasn't dyslexic i just really couldn't and wouldn't do it.

But then, I got pretty sick-- influenza which kicked off respitory infections and pneumonia and lead to a kick off a bunch of autoimmune issues (which were never actually diagnosed but that's a whole 'nother thing) and anyway, I basically couldn't do anything from october to april. like, was barely in school and when I was, wasn't allowed to do recess or anything.

and I wasn't interested in the television at all, so my parents started telling me to read/write/draw a lot more.

And let me tell you, i've never been an artist. So I wrote a bit, but mainly, I started reading mid october, because my dad would get off work early and read harry potter with me. So he read the philosophers stone with me, and then I read the other six books by myself... in two weeks.

So that's when I started reading. Then, in second grade, I discovered percy Jackson-- and flew through the whole series. I got House of Hades the first day it was released, and kept up with the series for a while.

Genuinely, I just loved the disability portion of the series-- Thalia was my favorite character, since TLT because of this one scene in we ride a zebra to vegas.

Anyway, I was, what, 7 then? And so late second grade, I'd started watching youtube videos-- you know the fan edits with fan art and music in the background? I would annoy my brother by playing them on the youtube tab in the Wii, all afternoon while I would do my homework (or make him do it-- he was three years/grades younger-- so not even in school, but I would make him do my math homework)

anyway so those fan edits were really my introduction to fandom, and I don't know how, but I started reading fics on ffn around then as well. also started writing my own fanfiction. anyway, yeah. Then covid happened and i definitely got super reinterested in the series.

[beautifulpersonpeach]

BPP what is your honest view on Jimin biases?

***

A lot of y'all are down bad for that man. Down something horrendous my goodness.

Not that I blame you though.

*

Btw, I was watching fancams with friends again last night and we played this one:

How does he move the way he does? /gen. You can see the strength he infuses into every move, down to his fingertips when he dances.

Do you see that form?

(???)

There are many dancers in k-pop who impress me, some I'd place in the best dancers globally, but Jimin is easily the top ranked in nearly every category IMO, no matter the context. He's a real artist. It's not in him to half-ass a performance, no matter his condition. He gives his all and that's something that both inspires and troubles me about him.

I don't even bias him and Jimin induces some insanity in me from time to time. It's just what he is. Nobody who pays attention to him can react normally to him, everyone gets drawn disproportionately to him. Imagine how tiring that must be for him to know sometimes. And no offense to Jimin biases but I genuinely believe you have to be a little bit off kilter to be able to commit to being chosen by him.

Because Jimin is the sort of person you need... space to love.

Jimin is..

Jimin uses whatever misalignment is in you, eases his way into you to fix that offset, remove that imbalance. The way he is... when you fall under his effect it's like he takes up space inside you. As though he deserves and will take nothing less. In my honest opinion that's one way I perceive him. But then you open your eyes and realize the man is the softest marshmallow, a kind and truly measured person with exceptional emotional and practical intelligence. A Slytherin to the bone, a living shape-shifter, so attuned and sensitive to everything.

And he doesn't really demand anything. He's just so loved people want to commit to supporting him. His charismatic idol persona is just as attractive as his naturally shy but mischievous personality off the clock. It really doesn't get much more perfect than this for any celebrity ever.

Like, sometimes I wonder if Jimin goes to bed at night fearing he might one day destroy k-pop. In real practical terms. I wonder if Jimin agonizes over the fact that he's the most dangerous person in the industry. Knowing him, he probably doesn't but it's still something that as I've said before, needs to be said.

(Between you and me, I think he's yet to come to terms with it. Poor lad.)

Anyway, Jimin biases are actually in love with the man and I'd like to present some evidence both as a self-confession, and in support.

Exhibits

(...)

*

(Do you remember where you were the first time you noticed he has a dimple?)

*

(His look for this shoot is criminally underrated. He had easily the best chic styling for any idol in 2021.)

*

(Orange, yellow, and bright mustard are all good colours on him.)

*

(Yeah.... he's something else.)

*

Alright, now that I've answered this one, that's enough of the Jimin bias asks for now. I'll be ignoring all the rest for the next while.

Remember to keep streaming. :)

[smile-files]

still trying to wrap my head around the unvitational committee. what do they want? the general theme seems to be "mephone is an immoral host so we have to take him down", but not all of the members' motives seem to line up with that...

walkie talkie has been working with(?) mephone this whole time, goading him into making the season run longer and longer with more rejoins. in a way, she's been enabling mephone's scummy hosting practices, including abandoning an entire season and all the people in it, as well as wanting this season to go on forever. why is she suddenly criticizing him for being a bad host? was she not complicit in that?

dr. fizz had to deal with box's horrible injury which, while not technically mephone's fault, is a sign that the show isn't very safe and that mephone doesn't care that much about the well-being of his contestants. i think it makes sense for him to be here.

the cameras came to interview mephone about some touchy subjects, including hosting two seasons at once, bow apparently being alive, and there possibly not being a prize; they get pissed when mephone brushes them and their concerns off. they know some of the shady stuff mephone's been doing as host, as well as his unwillingness to address it, so i suppose they have their place in taking him down.

tyler bombard had his whole ecosystem destroyed by a stupid challenge mishap. yeah, he has the right to be pissed.

sprinkles was going to be forced to compete in a fighting ring of other inani-mates which would almost inevitably lead to her death; almost all of the contestants mistreated their inani-mate companion, her owner (yinyang) included. it makes sense for her to be here too.

springy? they wanted mephone to completely commercialize his show, including selling off the likeness of one of its contestants; he got pissed off when mephone changed his mind and ultimately didn't do that. if anything, that's a sign that mephone isn't quite so morally corrupt! springy has personal reasons to want to take down mephone, but those reasons don't align with the supposed motivation of the whole committee.

zoetrope gave mephone the animation machine to use in his challenges! he was the one who fed mephone the idea that creating a show isn't an art, that using what's essentially ai to do so is perfectly permissible! what right does he have to be angry at mephone for doing exactly what he said? how does that make mephone as a host any worse than zoetrope is as an artist?

i'm tied about groscer; as the apparent owner of a prestigious award organization, it makes sense that she should take her craft seriously and not appreciate those who try to disrespectfully milk it for fame. mephone's show was in the running because what existed genuinely looked good, but he lied about the number of episodes and ultimately sent a ridiculous amount of ai slop to make up for it. she has the right to be annoyed by that, but i don't think one guy making a fool out of himself in the submissions completely discredits your entire award -- certainly not to the point where you personally go after him.

walkie talkie and springy, being the leaders of this group, talk about how ii3 could've been a perfect show -- but by their logic, that would include the season being unending and highly commercialized. at the same time, though, they make out mephone to be this horrible host mistreating his contestants, as if making his show what they want wouldn't make him worse. and as it is, it's strange that they should put the show on such a pedestal anyway, for them to feel they must take it from mephone to save it -- all of this was him! what are you talking about? and you helped him! all of this stuff you say is bad, you helped him do!!

and like... the whole 4th season thing... for one thing, walkie talkie wanted him to keep the show going, so i don't know why she's pissed... but also, you just found that when you got here! that couldn't have been your motivation before you came!

in other news though, silver's whole thing with candle is so fun. he acts like he's so above it all, but her not supporting him shakes his ego so much that he straight up kills her?? insane. in a good way. he got all this way just because he thought candle believed in him...

[maniculum]

Bestiaryposting Results: Nirmosho

Today's is interesting in that it's notably vague about what kind of creature this is, other than "lives in the river" and "smaller than a crocodile". (Convenient that the crocodile was so recent, now that I think of it.)

It should also be noted that this is our very last entry on an individual animal -- as we're winding down, our final half-dozen Bestiaryposts are going to be collections of multiple entries, mostly ones that I felt were too short or too obvious to give their own post. Artists should feel free to pick & choose which to draw, or do a group shot, or however they like.

If you don't know what this is about, you can learn at https://maniculum.tumblr.com/bestiaryposting.

To see the entry the art is based on this week, click this link:

To see the entry for next week and potentially participate, click this one:

Now, let's see what people came up with.

@silverhart-makes-art (link to post here) has drawn this very charming little beastie that is not unlike a horseshoe crab, just less flat. I really like this overall, but I'd like to highlight the tiny little eyes, the detail on the mouthparts, and the nifty fin-thing on its back.

@coolest-capybara (link to post here) correctly observes that she's already drawn this one -- this is indeed the "certain kind of fish" mentioned in the Dolthruk entry, which she included in that illustration. However, in light of addition details, they have revised their design to create a fish that's capable of being mobile on land, basing it heavily on the mudskipper. Here we see an excellent image of two having a dispute in muddy water -- I particularly love the rendering of the fins and think the background works well here. (Also thank you for providing alt text.)

@cheapsweets (link to post here) has drawn this really nice fish inspired by various prehistoric species -- to me, it genuinely looks like this drawing would fit right into a series of illustrations in a paleontological text. To me, it's giving coelacanth, but that may be mostly because that's the only lobe-finned fish I recognize. I also like the little fang at the front. (And thank you for including alt text.)

@strixcattus (link to post here) has drawn this rather polite-looking snake, noting that the description provided lines up quite well with it being some sort of snake. As usual, the gold is in the naturalist-style description they've provided in the linked post -- in this case, I think it fits right in with any given article about unusual animal life cycles & behaviors. Weird, but not implausibly weird.

@wendievergreen (link to post here) is depicting, in their usual aesthetically pleasing stylized form, an insect life cycle. I like the idea of it being an insect, which does fit the description, I like the thought put into this crocodile-centric life cycle, and again I really like the vibe of the artwork here. See the linked post for more detail on the life cycle being depicted, and close-ups of the individual details of this drawing.

Now to see what the Aberdeen Bestiary has to say:

... yeah, that is neither a crocodile nor a fish.

The beast being killed here looks more like a medieval hyena than anything -- people who have read these posts from the beginning may find that spiny back familiar. And the creature killing it, which this entry is ostensibly describing, is dead-on identical to the standard-issue Medieval Wyvern Thing that you see in a lot of different manuscripts.

Anyway, as I'm certain nobody guessed from that illustration, we're going out with a bang on the world-famous... Ydrus.

If you've never heard of it, you're not alone. It isn't real, and is one of those imaginary beasts that never quite caught on. As far as I know, it pretty much only shows up in bestiaries -- occasionally it gets confused with the Hydra, but I don't think they were originally intended to be the same, similar names aside.

And now you know.

seriously i don't think the illustrator was making a lot of effort to fit the description

[pseudowho]

i so agree with what you said about the reblog thing. i do consider myself a writer, i have since i was about 8 years old and would participate in creative writing competitions. i've been told im a good writer by almost every english teacher i've had (though i've always had my doubts, but i suppose that's my imposter syndrome). but i hadnt ever posted anything or publicly showcased my writing skills to an actual audience up until last year in september. i post both written fics and smaus, but funnily enough, my smaus get more interaction that my writings. it doesn't bother me, they're both my works. and i never even expected to get any interaction really. i always think of it this way: 100 likes in a post means 100 people read my work and liked it, which means so much to me!

as for the reblog thing, it never actually occurred to me that people reblogged to support others, as i also reblog for the same reason as you do. i literally just found out that's a thing. if someone has a habit of reading but never liking, it wouldn't bother me either. i write on here to find an audience who would enjoy my works, and because i have too many stories to tell. how much engagement i get (though it is a very humble amount) is a plus.

i don't know why i just said all of this, i just found it really interesting how i never knew about the reblog thing despite being here for so long (I've been reading fics on here longer than i've been writing them).

I think I also only learned about the reblog thing once I started getting more involved in Tumblr (i.e. writing, and then ending up talking to other people who write (as I really hesitate to call myself a writer, I stumbled in here and someone gave me a glass of wine and people seem cool so I stayed)).

The issue I find, is that there seems to be an overlap between the people who are deeply into the reblog culture argument, and people who feel like they 'should receive more likes and reblogs'. While it's not just a circle, it definitely feels like a Venn diagram. I don't really engage with it.

I very much agree with your whole '100 people liked my fic!!' thing, because genuinely, put those people in a room: that's a lot! As someone who, like you, both didn't expect any engagement and didn't post for engagement, anyone who likes my work makes me smile.

Anyway!

I reblog the things I adore, so I can read them again later. I don't get much chance to read these days, so...yeah.

Plus, I'm always crazy impressed by the artists on here. I definitely reblog the artists more, I think.

Love,

-- Haitch xxx

[tedlyanderson]

Reading posts from someone I follow on why image generators are a legitimate form of art and their use should be normalized, and it's refreshing to encounter some pro-generative-AI arguments more nuanced than "I don't want to pay artists." I still think they're fundamentally wrong, but it's been extremely helpful, because it's forced me to examine my own thoughts on the matter and determine why, exactly, I believe what I do. Something something mind needs books like a sword needs a whetstone, idk, I didn't watch Thame of Groans.

(Of course I'm not going to mention the person by name or tag them or anything, and for that matter I'd appreciate it if people didn't reblog this. I'm not writing this to get into an argument; I'm mostly just consolidating my own thoughts into a semi-coherent form.)

There are a number of arguments that have been leveled against generative AI, some of which I find more persuasive than others. The energy usage and financial waste, for instance, are significant, but not relevant in the case of one person using a locally hosted image generator and not selling the results. The question of the quality of the work is similarly unimportant to the bigger question; AI-generated images are going to continue to get better-looking as the technology improves, and "good" versus "bad" art is impossible to define in a meaningful way for the purposes of this argument.

The copyright argument is much more important, particularly to me as a creator. Another user pointed out that copyright cases against LLMs (on behalf of creators whose works were included in the learning sets) could have a potentially deleterious effect on fair use and transformative artworks. I'm not hooked into the legal scholarship on this, so I can't respond to that point. I do think it's somewhat short-sighted of that user to say "AI is a tool like any other, its use can be good or evil, our true enemy is capitalism," and then turn around and attack copyright as some kind of uniquely evil legal technology, rather than a technology that can also be used for good (making sure artists are recognized and paid for their work) or evil (large corporations shutting down parodies). And yeah, the revolution would fix all this, but how long do we have to wait for that? And what can we do in the meantime?

Anyway, the one argument that made me genuinely examine my own beliefs was "what is art anyway, and can you define it in a way that does not disqualify large swaths of what is widely recognized as human creative work and also excludes generative AI?" Because that's the meat of all this—not whether image generators suck up too much energy (because it's not about the specifics of the technology, which will change and improve over time, just as new types of paint do not fundamentally alter the nature of painting) nor copyright (which is a whole other legal mess), but whether we can call this "art" at all. For that, you need a definition, and that's the sticking point.

The original poster named a couple common ways of defining art/not-art (the "smell test," i.e. I Know It When I See It, and the "quality test," i.e. Can You Hang It In A Museum, which are largely the same but from different perspectives), and points out that they and other definitions would exclude quite a lot of human endeavors that most people would describe as art (graffiti, calligraphy) as well as fields that are more difficult to define but could constitute art (mathematics, programming).

(They also ascribed to anyone who attempted to make such a definition the motivation of not just gatekeeping but unadulterated fascism, which is an argument I think holds no water and wins them no friends, but. Let's just leave the paranoia aside and concentrate on the argument itself.)

So what is art? How do we define it, and why do I fundamentally disagree that anything that comes out of an image generator can be considered "art"?

I don't think this is sufficient for a full definition, but after talking it over with friends, I think, in part, art requires a perspective, which is to say that it must be the result of individual human decisions about non-trivial components. Another way to state this would be that the artist (if indeed they are an artist) must be able to make conscious choices about the work that are beyond what is strictly necessary for its completion.

Should the background be blue or green? Would this sentence be improved by an adjective? How large of a flourish should this letter have? What if I carve the gargoyle's snarl more deeply? What color should the hair of my halfling rogue be? These choices are indicative of a product that would be widely recognized as belonging to the category of "art."

Obviously, there are still gray areas. Certain fields have both a creator and a performer; can we say that one is "more of" an artist than the other? What about commissioned works? What if the artist is creating something within a strict limit or form—for instance, the 14-line sonnet, or a novel without the letter 'e'? What about Duchamp's Fountain, or John Cage's "4'33""? What about works with a large number of creators, such as films or collaborative writings? What about works where there is a level of interactivity with the audience, such as video games or certain theater pieces? Those and other questions are certainly open to debate, and should be debated! But to my mind, they do not challenge the fundamental principle, which is that the artist is an artist because they exercise choice in the process of creation.

Thus, by my (admittedly partial and underdeveloped) definition, I don't regard AI-generated images as art. The algorithm does not choose in a meaningful way; it merely calculates the most statistically likely next word/pixel/frame/etc. based on the database and the prompt with which is has been provided. (If you want to claim that this constitutes a choice, please submit a 5,000-word essay on whether free will exists and how we could possibly know if it does.) The remixer samples a specific beat; the collage artist cuts a particular image out of a magazine; the parodist deliberately draws in a specific way. The computer computes. It uses a mathematical operation—which, by definition, is repeatable and will produce the exact same outputs, given the same inputs. (Yes, the results have elements of randomization. We all know that true randomness is impossible for a computer, so they produce quasi-random numbers using things like the system time and so forth. I don't want to split hairs on this specific point. You get what I'm gesturing to. Don't look at the finger, look at the moon.) A prompt limits the database to certain specific sets, which the algorithm assembles according to its internal logic. The input is disconnected from the outputs; anyone could input the same prompt and receive the same art. (Even The Policeman's Beard is Half Constructed required an editor.) Generative AI is no more "creating" a piece of visual art than turning a radio dial to a specific station is "composing" the music that plays. The purely mathematical nature of its generative process makes it no qualitatively different from assembling a Lego set according to the directions.

The first obvious challenge to my partial definition is to say that it just restates the premise and shifts the goalposts: art is something that must be made by a person, and thus cannot be made by a computer. Which is fair! This is a verbalization of a belief I've always held about art, and which caused me to immediately (instinctively, unthinkingly) reject the idea that an AI-generated image could be "art." That's how I got into this discursive mess! It's why my brain recoiled when I heard someone call these images "art"!

But it also helps me understand why I instinctively categorize other acts and works as either "art" or "not art." A photograph was taken by a person at a specific time and a specific place, its elements arranged and its moment chosen according to the photographer's visual logic; it is therefore art. A hamburger put together by an underpaid worker at McDonald's is not art; a recipe by a chef that combines existing ingredients in a new way or using a new method is; a meal created by a person who tweaked a recipe might be. (That one might actually run counter to current copyright law, I'm not sure.) A mechanism assembled by a worker on an assembly line, identical in every way to another mechanism made by a different worker, is not art, because there was no choice on the part of the worker. (Could it be art because the designer of the mechanism exercised choice? Depends on the nature of the mechanism and the industry! Venmo me $20 for a debate.) A dance choreographed to produce a specific visual effect is art; an exercise designed to stretch certain muscles in the most efficient and painless way is not art. And so forth.

AI-generated images are not art. (They are also not a medium, which I saw several other commentators claim; an image is an image, regardless of where it comes from. I'm already knee-deep in linguistic debate, let's not cloud the matter any further.) Generative AI is a tool, and there are and can be creative and ethical uses for it! But to claim that it is capable of making art is giving agency to a thing that cannot have it, and claiming that someone who writes "sexy anime girl" in a prompt field is an artist is to expand the meaning of that word to the point of nonsense.

More than one person has brought up Jorge Luis Borges' "The Library of Babel" when talking about the potential of AI-generated works. It's got some bearing on the question, sure, but I feel like the more apropos point of comparison is his story "Pierre Menard, Author of the Quixote." In that work, Pierre Menard is a friend of the author's who is attempting to become the author of Don Quixote—not in the sense that he is trying to plagiarize the work, or time-travel and replace Cervantes in history, but that he is trying to make himself into a version of himself that could have independently written Don Quixote. It's partly a critique of elements of literary criticism, in that Quixote would become a far more interesting book (according to the narrator) if it had been written by a 20th-century Frenchman rather than a 17th-century Spaniard (it was written some 28 years before Barthes' "The Death of the Author," for context). But in the context of the current argument of generative AI, and specifically to my fumbling attempts to defining what is and is not art, it's an illustrative example of what I think it all boils down to: any work of art is the work of an artist, who inevitably brings to the work perspective/knowledge/experience/an individual understanding of the world. Ascribing any such perspective to an algorithm is just fetishism. (And not the kind that generative AI is most often used for.)

Or, to put this way more succinctly and directly:

[callm3-q]

WIP

disclaimer: Starhalo/sweetduo, Marriage, homosexuality[ don't know what else you'd expect from the LGBTQSMP]

-Summary-

-Bad and Ètoiles get married in the span of 15 hours, cause they don't know any better, and why the hell not :D

-Fluff

-WIP

Just a long term alliance, not a marriage proposal

[Ch 1- Isn’t that how it’s done?]

WHAT!? BAD! NO NO NO NO NO! AHHHHH! NO NO NO BUT ALSO FUCK YESSSSSS! BAD YOU’RE GETTING MARRIED! HOLY SHIT! IN I-IN LIKE… FUCK! IN LIKE 10 HOURS!? OH MY FUCK…

You good now?

Y-you’re getting married…YOU’RE- YOU, YOU, MARRIED!?

Well… I wouldn’t call it that… More of a… Long term alliance

Of course you would call it that…

Chill out Baghs, I already dealt with most of it

Really?

W-What? Of course! I’m not some soulless person who would give someone a crappy wedding! What kind of monster do you think I am?

Bad said, sounding kind of genuinely sad that she would think that.

W-Well… You are a demon…

…One thing you may not know about demons Baghs… We can through one heck of a party

…

…

…

Ok! 5 hours left… Hmmm… I cannnn… Ooh! I can make a new ring , I just needed one quick for the… asking for the long term alliance… Definitely not a proposal. Anyways! The store bought ones are always just straight terrible all gross and basic [for how expensive they are], non of which are anything close to what Ètoiles is, he’s just… The best. And he deserves the best, obviously. Why else would I marryyyyyy- suggest a long term not proposal alliance. 

…But how should the ring look… We need something that is easy to wear during combat, something that will stay on, and it has to be small, not to much, not to little, something that will suit him. Hmm… Maybe… Stars! That’s literally what “Ètoiles” stands for, something like… Like, we could, make thin outlines of stars around the ring, thin lines, so it doesn’t get caught on anything. I want him to be able to wear it all the time so people know that he’s in a long term alliance with me and not anyone else.

Bad had zoned out, not even noticing Dapper watching him from around the table. He only noticed when he felt a small tug on his cloak.

Oh! Good morning Dapper!

Good morning dad, what were you thinking about?

Oh, nothing important

Well, important or not I wanna know

Well, ok then. I’m going to a wedding in about 5 hours

What? Who’s getting married?

Me?

WHAT!?

What?

YOUR GETTING MARRIED DAD?!

Yeah?

TO WHO?! I’LL KILL THEM

Please don’t, and it’s not a ‘marriage’ per say, more of a long term alliance

Your getting married

I guess you could say it like that, if you really wanted to

To who though? Who do you find good enough to marry you. I’ll kill them, nobody is good enough for my dad

That’s sweet Dapper, but please don’t kill Ètoiles…

Ètoiles?! Two of the people most known for not wanting to be tied down are getting married, what a sight to see

Not married Dapper, just an alliance

Yeah Yeah whatever. What about this ‘alliance’ were you thinking about

Well, I was thinking about just making him something

A ring?

How did you know? But yeah, I wanted something better that the stupid store bought ones, those ones stink

I agree, what design were you thinking of doing?

Well… I’ll draw it out for you, but be nice, I’m not an artist Dapper

…

…

…

It’s so pretty dad!

Thanks  Dapper… But like I said I’m not an artist…

Just give yourself the credit you deserve, but I would like to make a small sudjestion

What is it?

Make the jewel thingy on the top red

You sure?

Yep

Well If you say so Dapper, I’m gonna get to work

Ok, I’ll help!

…

…

…

What do you think Dapper?

It’e perfect!

That’s good to hear…

Are you ok?

Yeah…

Nervous…?

Kind of I guess…

It’s normal to be nervous dad

I know…

You’ll be great, and I’ll be there, right by your side cheering you on

Thanks Dapper

Bad choked out, not expecting to be crying. He brought Dapper into a hug, holding him tight. Crying into the top of his head, Dapper gladly accepted the hug. He felt bad, but proud. It was nice to see Bad getting this rush of emotion, felling so deeply about this, trusting someone enough to, finally, have a bigger bond that just a really close friendship.

You’ll do great dad…

All Dapper got in return was sobs, soft and quiet, but still audible.

Dapper looked slightly to the side, hearing the warp stone go off. He saw a small figure peeking out from the door. He signaled Pomme to come in, trying to not disturb Bad, who seemed to not hear the swoosh sound of the warp stone

Are you ok dad?

I-‘m ok Pomme

What happened…?

Pre-wedding jitters…

W-

Pomme paused, not wanting to make her dad more upset or nervous, but still having questions, having not heard about this until just now

You’ll do great dad… I’m sure the person your marrying will be  so happy to be with you

Yeah! 

Dapper replied, patting his dad’s shoulder softly

Calming Bad’s sobs down into small hiccups

T-thank you kids…

No problem Dad… How much time before you’ve got to go?

Li-ke 2 hours…

Why don’t we get you dressed then

Pomme snickered, a wide grin sprawled onto her face 

Ok Pomme

Bad replied with a chuckle

…

…

…

You look so pretty dad!

Pomme said, ecstatically 

You think so?

We know so

Dapper replied proudly

You guys want to go get ready? I made sure I got you something you would like to wear, as a surprise from me to each of you specifically.

Ooooh yayyyy!

Pomme and Dapper ran into their bedrooms to get changed

…

…

…

Let’s get going…

Your gonna do awesome dad..

Thanks Dapper… Ok… let’s go…

…

…

…

Woahhhhh, this place looks amazing

Pomme said looking around, mouth agape in awe

Thanks Pomme…

Bad replied with a small smile spreading across his face

You did this dad?

Dapper looked up to Bad in shock

Yeah…

Woah…

Dapper had the same reaction as Pomme, mouth agape

I know it’s kinda crappy-

It’s amazing!

Well… I’m gonna go to, whatever that place is

Ok, see you later dad!

Bye Pomme, bye Dapper

…

…

...

[Dappers POV]

There were a lot of people there, guess word really spread fast, people were crying in joy? Pride? I don’t really know, but still, a ton of people. It would probably make dad freak out a bit.

Dapper kinda was wondering who would walk Bad down the aisle, kind of having a sneaking suspicion of who would. Not wanting to assume anything though.

Dapper saw Ètoiles walk out first

He looks… Fine… I guess… Nothing compared to my dad though.

Following he saw Sunny, Pomme, Empanada, Tallulah, and Leo. Pomme leading the group proudly, even though she had just figured out she was a flower girl. 

[End of POV]

Pomme, and all the other little huevitos in their little flower petered dresses, perfectly matching the color theme of the beautiful setting around them. Matching Almost all the things Ètoiles had told in secrecy to Bad, matching the things that he loves. All the colors, down to matching all the tones perfectly, the music, the setting, the time of night, all the stars visible through the glass roof. It was perfect.

Ètoiles saw Bad standing at the entrance, and my god did he look stunning. He felt his face get red, how could he not. He also saw Foolish? Walking him down the aisle, shocked that Foolish would agree. It also looked like he was crying? Again, shocking. But it was cute, they really do care about each other.

Once they had gotten all the way up to where Ètoiles was, Foolish went to stand to the side, behind Bad wiping the tears from his face. Ètoiles took in all the little details of the masterpiece that was in front of him, the luminous glow of Bad’s eyes to every little barely noticeable scar that covered his face, and even the barely visible freckles that were splattered perfectly on his face. He truly was just the definition of beautiful.

The outfit he had on just solidified it even more in Ètoiles’s mind, Bad was wearing a white suit, tailored to a perfect fit. He had on matching white shoes, guessing Pomme had helped him with the outfit, cute. But his suit, my god his suit. It was perfect, almost dress like, but not fully there. It was flowy and moved softly in the wind, like water. That’s what gave it away that Pomme and the other kids helped Bad with the outfit, always making Bad wear these kinds of things, Ètoiles wasn’t upset by it though, better for him. Bad can just find a way to make any outfit look good.

…

Bad inspected Ètoiles just as closely, seeing the way his hair effortlessly falls perfectly on his face, despite the wind blowing in the opposite direction, looking at his eyes, the light green blush spread across his face, the mask that usually hid the details of his face now gone. Ètoiles was so handsome, unbelievably and upsettingly so, how can he just so effortlessly look this good. And the black suit he was wearing suite him perfectly.

Both thoughts were quickly stoped when Dapper and Pepito came with the rings, holding them carefully.

Bad picked it up and put in onto Ètoiles’s finger, as Ètoiles stared in awe, at the intricate work of the ring, ‘Ètoiles’ inscribes into it, with a small red ruby on top, seeing how well put together this was, Ètoiles was ashamed of how sloppy his would look compared to Bad’s.

Ètoiles picked up the second ring and slipped it gently onto Bad’s finger, Bad was shocked that the islands greatest fighter was able to pull something so intricate off, the ring looked almost spiraled, The word ‘Halo’ inscribed on the inner walls of the ring, a small emerald embedded on the top.

…

…

…

Blah Blah Blah, after all the other boring wedding stuff

Vows

Recession

Procesional

Readings

The officiant

Etc

Let’s skip to the good part

[The Kiss]

Bad had gotten Max to officiate the wedding, seeing that he’s done it time and time again for the islanders.

…

Do you, Ètoiles, take BadBoyHalo, as your lawfully wedded husband

I do

Ètoiles stated, with no hesitation whatsoever

And do you, BadBoyHalo, take Ètoiles, as your lawfully wedded husband

I do

Bad said, with somehow less hesitation than Ètoiles

Then, by the power invested in me, I pronounce you husbands. You may kiss the Groom

Ètoiles grabbed Bad and immediately kissed him, dipping him. 

Bad didn’t fight back, gladly accepting everything that Ètoiles did. 

They stayed like that for a bit longer, before standing up straight again. Only looking at each other, only letting a quick glance out to the crowd. Seeing the Huevos still covering their eyes in disgust from the kiss made them laugh. They looked back to each other, love visible in their eyes. Ètoiles took Bad’s hands in his, noticing that they were way smaller than his. How they fit perfectly into his, how soft they were.

Ètoiles saw how happy Bad looked, he had never seen him so exited or happy before. It felt nice to see.

Bad looked lovingly into Ètoiles’s eyes, seeing him look back with just as much love. He had almost never felt so happy, first being when he got Dapper. Oh! Dapper! Where was Dapper? Bad looked around for him, quickly seeing him sitting with Richarlyson, Pomme, and Cheyenne by the kitchen. He smiled at Dapper, before looking back at Ètoiles

…

…

…

You did so good dad!

Dapper stated proudly

Y-Yeah

Pomme said, sobbing

Calm down Pomme

Bad said with a small chuckle

I-I-I Can’t! My- my dad-s j-ju-st got m-married!

Pomme said, still sobbing

Bad brought Pomme into a tight hug, gently patting her hair. Dapper squeezed his way into the hug, not wanting to be left out.

[Ètoiles’s POV]

Ètoiles was talking to Baghera, who was probably crying just as much as Pomme. But… Not out of happiness for him, more out of anger for not asking her for permission to marry her younger-brother-figure… Nice… But it’s not even like I knew, or even hoped the question! I only figured out I was getting married like, 15 hours ago! It was sudden, but still the best “Long Term Alliance” proposal I could of asked for.

Look Baghera, how could I have asked for your permission when, first, I wasn’t the one who proposed. And two, I didn’t even know I was getting married until 15 hours ago… sooo, how could I have asked for your permission?

Wait… 15 HOURS?!

Yeah…?

HOW!?

Isn’t that how it’s done?

NO?!

Oh

“OH”?!

Well either way, shut up about me not asking for your permission, be mad at Bad for not asking. I’m going to talk with Bad now, bye!

[End of POV]

Ètoiles walked over to Bad, hugging him from behind. Resting his head on Bad’s shoulder.

Oh, hi Ètoiles

Hi…

Are you ok?

Yeah

You sure?

Mhm

Ok

Hi dad!

Pomme said, running up to Ètoiles, hugging his leg

Hi Pomme, hi Dapper

Hi Ètoiles

Are you feeling ok dad?

Yeah, why?

You just seem a bit sad is all

Pomme said, moving back to look Ètoiles in the eyes

I’m alright, just tired I guess

You can go chill somewhere quieter if you want, I can keep everyone else entertained

Bad said softly, turning his head to look towards Ètoiles.

It’s ok

When you need to rest you need to rest, it’s nothing to be ashamed of love. It was a busy day

I know, I’m just waiting for you to be able to go with me

Ètoiles whispered the last part, placing a gentle kiss on Bad’s cheek