#are people going to take this post as being euphemistically about boobs. THAT'S NOT WHAT I'M SAYING

[dingodad]

hey boss unsure if youve been asked this before but whats your process when it comes to drawing proportions for your characters/what was the path you took to get to where you are

hand ask reminded me of this one i never got around to cus i really wanted to answer it but wasn't really sure how to approach it... SORRYYYY... it's only been a couple months maybe you are still hanging around and can let me know if i can give a better or more specific answer to this. please do if so

as far as the question of how i got here goes i'm really not sure i can give an answer other than that when i was a teenager i drew a lot of dog shit pictures and just never relented lol... proportions are not something i have ever sat down and definitively decided this is how i'm gonna draw them (this is not good advice. don't do it like me) it's just been a constant process of changing and figuring shit out that continues to this day. sometimes this involves things looking worse for a while before they look better that's just how it is... (NOT LIFE ADVICE. DON'T BE LIKE ME) i spent a couple years drawing a lot of my characters naked all the time and that really changed the way i approach drawing them in clothing. is that better advice i don't know

how can i make this about homestuck and fantrolls specifically. um. i guess i would say allowing myself to work in different styles has been a huge part of this. when i first started drawing seriously i was drawing sonic the hedgehog characters so moving from that to the homestuck "bean style" (is that what people call it now. i don't know.) was a very natural kind of progression and familiarising myself with that hyperstylisation went hand in hand with getting to know the process of drawing more real figures

notice how the before / after process is always making the characters more deformed and not less. i went through a phase where i was drawing people's heads really really small (i won't include any of that here but examples are probably not hard to find if you really want to make fun of me in your group chat or something.) and was relentlessly mocked by like this one particular anon hater back in the day LOL but if i learnt anything from this and from the above examples it's that you can always go bigger. okay that's more terrible advice but my point is basically - like the hand post - that my journey has been about embracing exaggeration as a tool to be used rather than a pitfall to be avoided and when i find myself CONSTANTLY thinking "this needs to be smaller" "that part needs to be less pronounced" it's usually at the expense of being able to artistically express myself. people especially love it when you draw characters naked and exaggerate their anatomy at the same time <- really choice advice for real this time

[dianight]

3 months (long)

Not in the right mood but I wanted to have the exact date.

Back when I started growing my hair, like around two years before covid, there was a point where it was too long to not be annoying but too short to do anything about it; it was getting on my face and being messy but I couldn't tie it up or style it beyond trying to comb it and failing because it doesn't stay put. I'm at a similar spot now in a way: when tying up my hair there'll be shorter ones just all over the place. Imagine an anime girl ahoge, that's what I get sometimes. Bald spots are "filling in" I guess; big change is that even when not doing anything my hair looks decent. Decent being relative of course, but compared to before it's massive.

I've had a few interesting experiences this past week, both good (a lot) and bad (a few). As far as this post is concerned I too can play the role of the leashed catgirl (with slight blush). Which is remarkable as that wasn't that appealing before. There's more to it but not here. Feeling the urge to be antagonized just so I can lash out and feel that again. I know I shouldn't but it's just so great. Again there's more to it but not relevant to the reason I'm typing this.

Less facial hair (minor), less "hardness" to it. Makes my face feel less awful. I like it.

I've kinda gotten used to not checking every little thing constantly as I was doing at first so it can be surprising sometimes. My hair was one of them as I found out when I was doing something to it and had to stop to check what was wrong (nothing!).

It's so hot this summer. Doesn't stink! Big (small) victory for me.

Not flat anymore by definition but still small. Not like it matters that much but I should mention that the thought "I kinda want mine to look like that" has been making appearances very often now as oppossed to never before. Boob envy. LUmao. Also I was expecting the so called puffy nipples to happen at some point but no luck(?) yet. Won't ever post pictures for obvious reasons. Unless I change my mind, which I probably won't.

Some(?) body hair seems to be falling off. Again I'm not really checking but I have to clean the shower after using it and you kinda see these things even when showering too.

Bigger ass. Not sure how much and it might be a bit of paranoia but even with sweatpants it's not subtle. I don't mind it but I do have a very minor concern about people pointing it out.

Haven't weighted myself in a while but I'd imagine it'd be the same or lower even since I've been sweating a lot and some days (just 3-4 at most this month) I'm too tired to get proper dinner. I'm trying so hard and it's not even close to what I expected.

I have fully embraced the "whatever I don't give a fuck anymore" mentality. I want to elaborate on this one on a different post, but that one Halimede tweet about "trans" wanting to be excellent to prove themselves and so many people saying that it resonates with them. Miss me with that shit. Nothing to prove, I exist as I am. I am going to be as selfish as I can be and I don't care (or have cared) about others' approval, affection or attention. Never got any of that anyway.

For a satisfying conclusion: yesterday I was taking a shower and I was laying on the floor out of exhaustion. Just daydreaming as I splashed water on myself. At some point I was getting a bit "philosophical" euphemistically speaking and one of the stray thoughts was sort of "why am I even doing this, should I just decide to not take my hrt, is there a difference" and literally the outrage of even thinking about it gave me the strength to get up and out of the shower. Doubt dispeller shower session.

Can't think of anything else of note.

1 month (long, TMI as they say)

So I was planning on making a list of changes, sort of, stuff I've noticed but when I try to put it into words it gets quite difficult. Anyway. In no particular order and with the caveat that it might be placebo or simply something that I've never paid attention to or some other unrelated factor:

My hair looks nicer? It used to get tangled pretty often, now I simply get the drill hair curls unless I comb it a bit. Do I notice less hair falling overall? Maybe(?), I still get some loose ones on my hair ties or in the shower. But I feel like (<- feel like) it's less now. Not quite how I'd like it yet but better (<- even if not a thing still feels nicer).

I was genuinely looking forward to having an easier time crying, no luck yet. What emotional changes I've gotten are "villainess behaviors" instead which if I were to elaborate is an incredibly difficult time containing myself when someone antagonizes me in any way. As an example I had a celebration (not mine) recently and some relative said something passive agressive to me, I wanted to just ignore instead I found myself laughing in their face and telling them to mind their business (<- less nice than that). Other minor "I should not let this matter to me" stuff feeding the urge to be cruel. I'm fine but it's funny in a way since it's harder to be nice when people are assholes.

Shaving is much much worse and a bit better now. It used to be something that if I ignored/forgot about for a while it'd not matter, now I had a moment where I couldn't sleep and had to go shave at 2am due to how bad it was making me feel. It does feel nicer now, but only for a while.

Less smell? It's summer, it's hot, I'm not particularly sweaty and yet. It's too big of a change to be something I'm imagining. Weird, in a really nice way.

[I lost track so I check the table for reference to see what else.]

Oh yeah. Big changes happening (<- exaggeration). My nipples randomly get sore, one of them is sore all the time! No noticeable size changes though. Way more sensitive to the point of almost being painful (<- in a good way). Actually concerning. I could talk more about it but perhaps not right now.

Body hair is all the same(?), no differences on skin softness/oiliness. My skin condition remains the same.

Body fat redistribution and pelvis changes seems to not be happening yet. My hips are massive anyway and the dimples in my lower back have always been there (<- bragging).

Decreased muscle and strength. Yeah, not from E I can tell you. It's more the disability and the injuries.

This one is kinda funny. "Changes in mood, emotionality, and behavior". It could be. It could also be the sheer relief of getting something I've been trying to get for 8(9?) years, while being able to focus on other stuff that was simply asking too much of me. I'm biased obviously but apart from the slightly stronger urges it's mostly the same.

Sex drive and all that stuff. Let's just say expected changes. Shooting blanks now, which is amusing. No morning wood. You know the drill. I know there can be atrophy if you don't use it and I'll gladly let that thing rot, but. Let's think about how it might be necessary later on. Bear with it for now.

Another interesting one that comes with those emotional changes is how little I care now about certain things, sexually speaking. And how some others will instantly fill a metaphorical bar until it says !!! MADNESS !!! out of nowhere. Case in point, that drawing about the two girls playing the rhythm game(?) while one holds the other's leash. Yeah funny mental image. Somehow it got stuck in my brain for a couple days. Wait what. I'm also much more picky about what types of works I read. It all just seems so boring now. Seen that setup before, that one's got very bad art, that one is too misogynistic, that one is just uninspired.

Anyway I could type more about how it feels different now but words fail me a bit and I think that's enough for now.

[tessatechaitea]

Justice Society of America #6 (1993)

Weak as an asthmatic kitten in light!

Do cats get asthma? I'd hate for somebody to fact check and discover I once said an incorrect thing! My reputation as a staunch teller of ultimate truths is on the line here. Anyway, if it turns out cats can't get asthma, I was speaking euphemistically and you were too dumb to understand that. Dumby. I don't want to call my readers "dumby" but you remember that part about me being a staunch teller of ultimate truths? Well, sorry to reveal something your parents were too cowardly to confide to you. I was too busy contemplating how incredibly fucking cute and sweet a little coughing asthmatic kitten would be pay attention to the cover of JSA #6. But now that I've really looked at it, I'm confused as to why Doctor Mid-Nite is beating up zookeepers. I hesitate to assume the reason is that he's blind because that would probably be ableist. Maybe he was just molested by zookeepers as a young man. An aside: the family member I admire most on Facebook is the one who posts absolutely nothing about anything but every now and then unlocks a badge from Untappd.

Is this an historically accurate Nazi uniform? It looks like she's trying to make the shape of a swastika.

Ugh. I can't believe I just became one of those people who put "an" in front of "historically." It's weird how a little bit of side-boob can make me start thinking, "Were the Nazis really so terrible?" But this is a fictional world where they actually weren't that terrible! They even had a giant war Ferris wheel that would roll around ravaging the world and genociding people. Kind of exactly like a carnival, really. In the real world, Nazis were super bad and they are the villains of every action movie ever set from 1938 to, I'm assuming, 2021. I'm sure we're right around the corner from a Wicked-style Broadway musical from the perspective of Adolf Hitler where the audience learns that he wasn't really the bad guy the earlier protagonists made him out to be. If you don't want that to happen, you'll probably need to go back in time to murder John Gardner before he writes Grendel because I'm pretty sure that's where this whole "let's examine the life and motivations of the bad guy outside of the light of the previous protagonist's propaganda!"

I was thoroughly anti-Nazi when I began reading this comic book but these side-boob arguments are really winning me over.

How are the JSA going to win me back to their side?! They only have one woman on the team and Hawkgirl doesn't ever show any side-boob! I'm afraid America is about to fall and all I can think is, "Hee hee hee. Hee hee hee. Boobies." The Justice Society flies in to spout some patriotic garbage about liberty while The Flash beats up all the Nazis during the first third of the speech. I wonder if The Flash ever gets emotionally exhausted having to bear so much of the load of battling the bad guys. It's a good thing he's not one of those jerks you always wind up working with who never wants to do more work than the next guy so he always works as slowly as possible. But the problem in blue collar work is that most of the people you wind up working with are that guy! So their work output winds up being that of the lowest common denominator. Imagine if The Flash was one of those guys! He'd have to wait for Doctor Mid-Nite to throw a smoke bomb and fist fight a guy for five minutes before The Flash would take out his man in one second (after standing around for four minutes and fifty-nine seconds). The battle goes poorly for the Nazis which I'm elated to see because, you know, proud patriot here and all. Boo Nazis! Boo? Boob! Nazi side-boobs! Go Nazis! As the Nazis nearly defeated, they launch a huge bomb at the White House (which is where this fight is taking place because the Nazis are trying to kill Roosevelt).

"Look! Up in the sky! A noise!"

Yes, you perverts. That's the leg of the side-boob Nazi on the left and if I'd scanned a little bit more, you would have had a nice crotch shot. Sorry to disappoint you, horny nerds. Green Lantern lets the bomb explode on a big green patriotic shield because the Nazi's were too dumb to make the bomb out of two by fours. Wildcat says, "Yay!", as Roosevelt watches through a nearby window. His nurse, Nancy, approaches him slowly from behind. She pulls a Nazi pistol on him, full of Nazi bullets! It looks like the end! But then a bag of sand hits her in the side of the face and she forgets to pull the trigger as she says, "Gast! I'll...ooooh!" Then she dies, I guess? The Nazi story was being told to Jesse Quick by Alan and Jay. It was never reported because the American populace is too weak to hear certain news items. Why when we think about a population as a whole, we attribute all of the worst attributes to them? Cowardly, stupid, irrational. Why don't we think, "I would react fine to that news so I'm assuming everybody else would too." Instead, we simply assume everybody is a bigger and weaker jerk than we are. Weird that I'm as cynical as you can get but I'm somehow not as cynical as the average person? No, no! I'm more cynical! I just use my cynicism for good!

He didn't say that, Jesse. What he might be trying to express though is that coming down hard on criminals when much of the crime is driven by systemic problems resulting in an abundance of poverty for which the government takes no action to mitigate might be a bigger evil than the crime itself. Much of crime is a symptom of a bigger problem that is harder to fix so people ignore it and try to just hide the symptoms by putting them in jail.

Alan just doesn't quite have the words (or the real world experience of the 60s, 70s, and 80s because he was in Valhalla) to express how the constant lowering of taxes on the upper brackets of income have caused the slow destruction of the middle class by allowing CEOs and upper management to keep more of their money instead of reinvesting it into the business because they'd rather improve their business than give away 99% of their income after a certain point to the government. And by allowing them to keep that money, they stopped putting it into the business which meant salaries stagnated, pensions disappeared, and health care was no longer an automatic company benefit. I'm sure that's what he was getting at though. Jay's wife interrupts so we can finally see she exists six issues into the series. Alan's beard, Molly, also arrives. You might be wondering why "Jay's wife" is only "Jay's wife" but you shouldn't ask me that question. Ask the comic book who thinks I'm supposed to remember her name from whenever it was last mentioned, if at all. Maybe Linda? Let's just go with Linda. The Justice Society is on a ship because they're headed to Bahdnesia which doesn't allow plane travel in and out of its country. That's probably because air traffic control would be a nightmare with all the genies flying around. That was a joke but I bet it's the actual reason as well. Oh! It's Joan! Ted mentions it to Al after he gets tangled up in his deck chair while wearing an ice bucket on his head. I think Al might be having some old person cognition problems.

Nothing suspicious about a country run like a well-armed Applebee's.

Doctor Mid-Nite decides to check behind the scenes to see what's going on. The place is run like Disneyland so he enters the employee only backstage section to investigate. He's eventually attacked by some guards (see the cover!) and his story ends mid-fight. Meanwhile, Ted winds up climbing into a boxing ring to stop a fight that he believes is a huge mismatch. He knocks out the big guy even though the big guy doesn't necessarily mean he's the bad guy. Ted is basically interfering in a business transaction or, even worse, a staged event! Which means he climbs in the ring and begins beating up one of the actors. Guards also swarm him and he thinks, "What are these guys doing here?!" As if what he's doing is just fine and dandy. Didn't he hear the announcement about how nobody breaks the rules here? This is why! They get swarmed with violent guards! Justice Society of America #6 Rating: B-. Nothing says "The titular team's best days are behind them!" like a story where the only interesting thing that happens happens in a flashback. The whole cruise and island exploration part of the story was a big snooze. And it only ends in two members battling guards who are only doing their jobs to keep the JSA members from breaking the rules. Poor guards are going to get their asses whooped when they're only doing their job! I'm totally into the whole "I was just following orders" excuse thanks to the unbeatable side-boob argument.