#because Twitter hates anything with more than a couple of pixels

[purplelurkinghini]

I'm a martyr. Or, I will be. But I'm not Christ. Sometimes, I think I might be the other one. (x)

Red Dragon (2002) || Batman Unburied (2022) S1:E1 || Ralph Fiennes as Francis Dolarhyde in Red Dragon (2022) || The Exorcist III (1990) || BU (2002) S1:E1 || Brad Dourif as James Venamun in The Exorcist III (1990) || The Harvester (2022) by ilovedust || Se7en (1995) || BU (2022) S1:E1 || Se7en (1995)

[dualdeixis]

I came across your art on twitter and really love it, your style is so beautiful! I was wondering what program you use? What brushes are your favourites? Do you have any tipps for starters? (Especially for android users) I hope you don’t mind my questions, I’m trying to get into digital art and have been a bit lost 🥺 lots of love to you!

;_; oh wow thank you so much, your compliments and asking for advice really mean a lot to me, i don’t mind your questions at all!! putting this under a readmore though so i don’t spam anybody because i ended up talking a lot...

right now i use medibang paint on an ipad but i’ve only been doing that for a few months, before then i used firealpaca (which is a sister program to medibang - for both of them i just use the default marker tool) with a mouse. specifically i use them without antialiasing on because idk growing up on ms paint using only the pencil tool just made me accustomed to those crisp pixels

i don’t really have tips for like, the actual drawing aspect because i’m not a professional, i’ve never taken classes or been taught, this is just my hobby. all i can say is just keep drawing! the more you draw the more you stimulate your creativity, the more you train yourself to make a refined drawing out of a concept in your mind, etc.

my main tip has more to do with kind of, the emotional and mental health aspect, which is learn from other artists but don’t compare yourself to them. for example, don’t feel like you’re less of an artist because you don’t have a tablet, you’re just starting out and aren’t as good as the artists you like, etc. this creates a terrible negative thought pattern that can lower your self esteem and make it extremely hard for you to be satisfied with anything that you make... and i’m speaking from experience lol.

so absolutely study the artists you like, break down what it is about their drawings that you like so much, try to incorporate it into what you’re doing. but don’t couple that with negative self-talk, pressure to always be producing and improving, etc. art, all forms of art, are all so unique and beautiful and human, and the art YOU in particular make is so unique and beautiful and human, and i would hate for someone who’s just getting started to fall into this type of attitude! i don’t believe in the objective comparison of art - that is, i don’t believe you can objectively decide that one artist is “better” than the other; i don’t think art should be a competition. i think it should be a focus on learning, developing, communicating. when you see an artist that just blows you away, it’s easy to feel insecure or jealous, and feeling this way is okay and natural... but it’s also important to remind yourself that this is not a competition, and wherever you are in your journey is a completely fine place to be. actually, the fact that there are people whose art blows you away is a wonderful sign: it means you have a deep appreciation for things you don’t know about, for things you haven’t seen before, for things you have yet to learn, and i think an artist MUST have this appreciation. an artist has to know and accept and love that they are never done learning, because an artist who thinks they have nothing left to learn will not grow!

and the other side of that is, draw inspiration from the artists you admire, but also don’t pressure yourself to imitate them/"be like everybody else”/etc. the wonderful thing about your art is that it’s YOUR art! there’s no art in the world like it! so it’s a very delicate balance of finding inspiration outside yourself but also staying in touch with your own unique drive and vision; accepting that you will likely always feel like there is someone who does it “better” than you, but not being discouraged, but rather seeing the beauty in the fact that that means there will also always be something new for you to appreciate and draw inspiration from.

so i honestly think a lot of advice about art can fall under this balance: don’t value your art by how many notes it gets, don’t be afraid of experimenting and trying to do things you haven’t before (it’s scary because it’s new, and it’s okay if you think you’re bad at first!), look for inspiration not just in digital art, but also in film, literature, music, dance, sewing, sculpture - and not just in art period, but also in history, science, everything! i really think it’s all about knowing that your art inherently has value just because it’s something that you made, something that didn’t exist before. “good” or “bad” ultimately doesn’t matter, comparison to other artists ultimately doesn’t matter... just its existence is a wonderful thing. when we look at cave drawings, we don’t talk about it in an art critique way, but in a “people were here and they made art because that’s what people do, people were and are creative and people existed and exist” way, and i think that’s how all art should be at the core of it.

i really really hope this helped. i’m so happy you’re getting into digital art and that you thought to ask me about it, i’m always happy to answer questions. good luck and i’m here for you!!

[gatoinq]

it never occurred to me to write about my ii experience on tumblr, but i figured it could be helpful for those who would appreciate a lil story time like this.

essentially, to make a very long story short, i ended up getting my vip tickets at 2am the morning of my show. i had a fantastic time meeting them and an even better time watching the show! a more in-depth story under the cut, per usual.

needless to say, i was equal parts excited and terrified of what was to come. i hate last minute planning more than anything else so i really had no idea what to say, what to have them sign, what pose i wanted to do with them, etc. (yes, i’ve been a fan since 2013 and have had numerous scenarios of me meeting d&p playing in my head throughout those years but the second that that somehow become a reality ALL expectations and year-long plans flew out of my head instantly).

so to start off, i had to plan what exactly i wanted dan and phil to sign. at first, i wanted to draw something from scratch to have them sign so that it would be that little more special, but i simply couldn’t muster much of anything with the limited time and my shaken nerves, so i settled with printing out two copies of my fanart of dan and phil singing the ii song.  in the end, i figured that this piece was a lot more meaningful to have signed instead of a random fanart that i made at the last minute, and i was completely right to do so.

fast forward a couple hours, and i’m trying to get into the vip line for ii. i made a rather lengthy thread on twitter about this experience if you’re interested but again, to keep a long story short, it was quite a hassle for me! but in the end, i manage to get in.

the meet and greet starts. i’m trying to play it cool because the people i’m with start to completely freak out once dan and phil round the corner to say hi to the vips and all of a sudden the reality just runs us over like a train! what was once a distant “oh yeah we’ll get to that bridge when we cross it” became “OH MY GOD WE’RE AT THE BRIDGE WE’RE CROSSING THE BRIDGE NOW AND THE BRIDGE IS ON FIRE” for me, my big moment was realizing that, finally, after over 5 years of watching these two weird guys on the internet i was actually going to get to meet and hug them and that realization was absolutely WILD.

so, i’m at the front of the line. my sister is in tears and shaking because of how nervous she is to meet them. marianne, being an absolute sweetie, tries to comfort my sister by telling her that dan and phil will be happy to see her and that she shouldn’t be afraid of them. in a way, i kind of needed to hear those words too, so i use that opportunity to go meet them before my sister does so that she can gather herself in the mean time. marianne takes my gift to them (the other copy of the fanart i made) and i go for it.

first thing i see is phil, and wowow holy shit people are 100% not lying when they say he is 569845x more handsome in person. even worse, you can see practically every freckle he has and his eyes are so vibrant!!!! in a way, i would describe it as being used to seeing a pixel art of a character to all of a sudden seeing an 8K render of said character. i knew what i was in for so i immediately dive into phil’s hug before i stare for too long, and i’ll say for sure that the information overload of not only seeing phil in person but also getting to feel how he hugs you made my brain short circuit and i blacked out in phil’s arms for 0.01 seconds so i don’t fully remember exactly how his hug felt like. (UNFORTUNATELY!!!! AHHH) also at this point the first thing i say to them is “oh my gooood y’all are so beautiful!!” whilst squealing incoherently. i don’t know if they said anything in response to that because, again, information overload!!!

next i hug dan, and that goes perfectly fine. he greets me with a big smile and that’s about as much as i can remember of how he looked like. from this point on i’m too scared to look at them in the face so i settle for looking at myself through my selfie camera that i already had prepared or through the middle distance of them lmao.

i’ll say that for the m&g, dan 100% took charge and was the person who responded to me. i give them my art to sign and they both ooh and ahh enthusiastically while signing. dan in particular goes high pitched with his praise and said “this is so good!!”. i explain to them that i’m an animation student and that they are one of my biggest inspirations in art. dan looks up at me and thanks me. once they’re done signing, dan hands back my art to me and compliments my outfit, “i noticed that you’re matching the show’s theme, i appreciate that” and i tell him something along the lines of “yes of course i had to i’m an artist” but like. i think i flubbed my words and it came out mumbly so idk if he heard me try to be funny dnfvjscs

next, i hand my phone to dan and he and phil immediately go into their standardized meet and greet pose. i had to quickly interject because I PLANNED OUT THIS POSE RIGHT WHEN I GOT THOSE TICKETS and i told them “hey so i have an idea for a pose. basically y’all take a cute selfie and i’m in the bg looking pissed”. i swear i didn’t even get the chance to finish my request because both dan and phil seemed to telepathically know what i wanted and they go into the pose no questions asked and i had to scramble to catch up with their efficiency. we take the picture and dan says something along the lines of “okay now lets take a cute selfie”. we do the normal pose and i’m beaming like a mfer because phil’s holding me and his chin is on my shoulder???? what the heck i stan one man who didn’t talk to me at all during the m&g kdfjcnkjdsncjkdsc (obvs no complaints phil owns my entire heart and soul)

of course, now because i’m a little delirious from phil holding me and dan’s kindness i say “thank you so much” and try to leave so that i can actually breathe but before i go dan stops me (like. he legit looks at me straight in the eyes right as i’m about to walk away and i FREEZE in my spot) and says “keep it up with your art career” and me. kind of extremely shocked that he would be so pointed with his encouragement towards me goes “okay thank you!!” and fucking BOOKS IT.

the only thing after that is, of course, ii. i won’t go into too much detail about the show but i’m so so so so glad san diego got one of the special versions of ii with the phil bucks and phantastic phacts included. by far the best part of the show was the getting real segment though, as phil lester himself walked to the edge of stage RIGHT WHERE I JUST HAPPENED TO BE SITTING IN FRONT ROW and sits there for a good 5 minutes. needless to say i took this time to freely stare at phil so close to me and i truly felt blessed for the allotted amount of time. i love phil a lot.

(the next day, my sister drops the bomb on me that during her m&g she pointed me out to dan and phil and they gushed about me to her saying things like “aww yes you two are matching her art is so good she should keep it up!” just aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa)

so yes, ii was absolutely one of the best experiences of my life and i could not be prouder of dan and phil for being able to pull off a second world tour that is, in my opinion, so much better than their first. i adore them so much. heck.

[fitnesshealthyoga-blog]

New Post has been published on https://fitnesshealthyoga.com/out-of-shape-how-to-start-working-out-for-beginners/

Out of Shape? How to Start Working Out (For Beginners)

When was the last time you did squats? High school PE class?

Or maybe you tried running a few months ago but lost your motivation?

No matter how far you are now from your desired fitness level…

Remember this:

It just takes one second to decide you’re worth it, 10 minutes for your first workout, and 2 weeks to feel a difference.

Everything you need to successfully start and maintain your workout routine is summed up in this helpful guide:

Exercise 101: What you need to know before you start

Benefits of exercise (well-known & less known)

Almost everyone knows exercise improves your health. However, a lot of people aren’t aware of all the benefits of exercise.

Top benefits you can look forward to when you start working out:

Reduced risk of chronic disease(1)

Better mood & mental health(2, 3)

Balanced energy levels throughout the day & better sleep

Slowing of the aging process(4)

A boost to brain health(5)

Positive effect on the microbiome(6)

A boost to sex life

How much exercise is recommended weekly for health benefits?

The general exercise recommendation is:

Cardio (minimum amount of activity): At least 150 minutes of moderate cardio throughout the week. It can be replaced with at least 75 minutes of intense cardio throughout the week or a combination of both.

Strength training (highly recommended): Exercises involving major muscle groups on 2 or more days a week.

For extra health benefits: Minimum cardio should be increased by an additional 300 minutes per week (moderate) or 150 minutes of (intense) cardio per week (or a combination of both).(7)

While it may sound like a lot, the good thing is that you can adjust this to your schedule. As long as the cardio activities are performed for at least 10 minutes, you can divide your active minutes into as many workout sessions you like per week. Whether you do strength or cardio first depends on your goal.

Types of exercise

What are some common types of exercise?

Cardio: Anything that raises your heart rate and makes you breathe faster can be considered cardio. However, it usually refers to activities aimed at improving your endurance and stamina such as:

Moderate cardio: Brisk walking, dancing, jogging, cycling, swimming…

Intense cardio: Running, fast cycling, brisk walk up a hill, swimming laps…(8)

Strength training: Any type of activity that uses resistance to build muscular strength. Using your own bodyweight as resistance has many benefits!

Flexibility & mobility training: Exercises focused on maintaining and improving passive range of motion (flexibility) and active range of motion during movement (mobility).

HIIT: HIIT or high-intensity interval training consists of intense bursts of exercise (strength or cardio) followed by rest intervals, aimed at keeping your heart rate elevated. Find out more about the difference between low-intensity, steady-state cardio, and HIIT cardio.

What is the best type of exercise to lose weight?

Any type of exercise that requires high effort (for you) will have similar effect – especially for beginners.(9) So the truth is, it doesn’t really matter! Find activities that you enjoy and can imagine doing for more than just a month or two. In the end, weight loss is about calorie deficit. So make sure to adjust your nutrition for best results.

Tips to get started with exercise

First step: reach the fitness level where you don’t feel like you “hate exercise” anymore. Here’s how to do it…

Choose your inspiration & set a goal

How many times have you decided to lose 5 kg and then failed? Take a different approach and decide what you want to get good at first. Think of what you want to be able to do – whether it’s running 30 minutes non-stop or crossing that marathon off your bucket list, getting into better shape so you are more energized and productive at work or keeping up with your kids as you get older. Find your inspiration and then set yourself long-term and short-term goals.

The following video will give you an in-depth motivational introduction on how to set the right goals for your fitness journey:

Start small & track your progress

Starting small means focusing on short term goals first.

Focus on one week at a time. Get in your workout for the day. Then complete the next workout. Make it a challenge to find that 15-45 minutes in your day, as often as possible, to just get more active.

Once the first week is finished, look back and take it a step further – aim for one more workout or just 5 additional minutes of running in the next week.

Establishing a workout routine and sticking to it is more important than the duration & type of workouts you are doing. On days when you really have no time, even short 7-10 minute workouts can provide health benefits, especially for beginners.

It takes time to see results. That’s why you need a tracking system that will show you how you improve day by day and motivate you when you are not feeling it. The Runtastic app and the Results app can support you on your fitness journey – from the first workout to your yearly running goal. Be proud of every active minute that you add to your schedule!

Expect setbacks & have a plan b

Skipping a workout or getting a cold shouldn’t throw you off your game. Everyone experiences setbacks. Often even after the first 2-3 weeks.

The goal is not to be perfect, but to get better with time. The important thing is that you don’t give up. Just like you don’t quit school because of a bad grade or don’t quit your job when you face a challenge.

Here are some options for what to do when you experience a setback:

Planned a workout but suddenly feel like you have no energy at all? If you already feel exhausted in the morning, take a break from exercising and really focus on what you eat during this rest day to improve your nutrition. If you start feeling too tired later in the afternoon, take a walk to relax and get some movement in your day.

Feeling stressed or lost motivation for your workout plan? It’s normal to get overwhelmed. Skip a day and focus on getting enough quality sleep.

Skipped a couple of days and now you feel bad? Think about what caused this – was it a cheat meal, a tough day, or just a packed schedule? Learn something from it, because it will happen again. Prepare yourself to continue where you left off. Every setback can bring new insights and motivation if you are ready to look deeper 😉

Check your health

It’s always good to get advice from your doctor or physical therapist before making big changes to your lifestyle, such as starting a new workout routine – especially if you are over 45, suffer from any chronic illness, or had injuries in the past.

Don’t exhaust yourself right away

No pain, no gain? Should you really be pushing yourself as a beginner? Yes, but only for the sake of consistency.

How long does it take for your body to get used to working out?

It depends on how long it’s been since the last time you were in shape… but don’t be discouraged by sore muscles. A common saying is that “it takes 2 weeks to feel a change, 4 weeks to see a change, and 8 weeks for other to notice it, too.”

Push yourself to be more active, but don’t do an exercise when you are in pain. The real battle is in your head, and it’s about getting through the first months. Once you make it a habit and learn how to perform all the exercises, it’s time to push yourself even harder in your workouts.

Think about your form

Avoid injury and get better results by learning from common exercise mistakes. When you start out, it might feel overwhelming to consider so many tips on form. Focus on getting better in one exercise every couple of days, not all at once. And if you don’t feel ready to perform a certain exercise – don’t force it. There are always other options and ways to replace exercises with easier variations. Do what you can with good form and be patient: strength & endurance come with consistency!

Workouts & training plans

Interval runs, slow runs, HIIT training, Tabata workouts, yoga… there are so many workouts you can do without equipment:

Running workouts

Many people discover their love for running later in life, so it’s always worth giving it another try. Prepare yourself for these challenges that await beginner runners and don’t make the most common runner’s mistake. Here are a few examples of training plans that might be useful:

Home workouts without equipment

Not enough ideas? Get a personalized 12-week home training plan in the Results app – starting with just 2 workouts per week!

Set a goal to do at least 2 workouts this week and don’t forget to play some motivational workout music!

***

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