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grandhotelabyss · 10 months

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Could you discuss some of your major disagreements, if any, with Harold Bloom?

With the stipulation that great critics prove their integrity by being wrong, and that we should thus welcome their wrongness, I have many disagreements. I often find him an inspiring rhapsode more than a persuasive critic or theorist. Or maybe they're differences of sensibility more than disagreements. We could talk about local differences of opinion about this or that writer, but sensibility is probably the larger question.

He was endlessly fascinated by the poet's solitary quest, modeled ultimately on the Biblical prophets, for priority and absoluteness of vision in a degraded cosmos: Alastor on his solitary quest. It's not that he never question or even censured, in the course of his analyses, the solipsism to which this quest gives rise; he wasn't stupid; but it was still the most interesting thing to him, even later, when he disciplined this aspect of himself to arrive at his reverence for Shakespeare, a figure who contains this quest—especially in Hamlet—but contains much more besides. Whereas I can only handle so much Blake, Wordsworth, Shelley, Stevens, etc., before I want to pick up a novel again, a novel or a Shakespeare play.

Though he came to be the public scourge of Theory, Bloom was a theorist himself originally. He was right to challenge both New Critical and then deconstructionist prejudices, with their French formalist paradigms, right to insist that Wordsworth and Tennyson shared the eminence of Baudelaire and Eliot. But he appreciated a very high degree of abstraction, abstraction of rhetoric and abstraction of vision—much more than I can tolerate, much less admire, except in small doses. Like Stevens, he saw the theory of poetry as the life of poetry.

I prefer in contrast a peopled canvas, a richer tapestry. As ideal images of the artist, I like Joyce or Woolf perambulating the city rather than Wordsworth or Shelley alone on their promontories: the novelists are also alone, perhaps, but alone in the crowd, and teaching the crowd how better to be alone, in a communion of our common exile.

He always slights literary form—what other major critic is so little interested in language?—and possibly in consequence misses some dimensions of irony. He saw only the sermon in Dostoevsky, not the disputation. He scanted what was inventive in Poe. He condescended to Keats. He claimed that Beckett, not Joyce, wrote the best English prose of the 20th century. But even when confronted with a solitary different from his preferred solitaries, he missed what was formally at issue: thus he saw Thoreau as only a lesser Emerson rather than as a very different kind of writer than Emerson, one much more attuned to language as material.

His "anxiety of influence" theory is relevant to the strain of visionary, prophetic poetry he prefers, but is it a generally applicable theory of (or standard of value for) poetry, literature, or the arts in general? As Joyce Carol Oates remarked somewhere in her published journal of Bloom, writers are influenced by what they ate for breakfast and read in the news, too. (Novelists more than poets, perhaps.)

This is more minor, but he was also hypocritical on the identity politics question, demoting Dostoevsky and Eliot for their anti-Semitism while wondering why anyone would want to demote, say, Milton for his misogyny or Stevens for his anti-blackness.

The best way to sum it up: this year I finally read David Lindsay's A Voyage to Arcturus, the fantasy novel Bloom loved so much that he wrote (as his only published work of fiction) a sequel or fan fiction. I found Arcturus hideous, quasi-unreadable, a nasty and punitive fable; I found it as unwholesome as Bloom finds Dostoevsky and Eliot. In this post, I try to explain this whole divide between Bloom and myself with reference to Lindsay's book, while also praising his Nietzschean-Kafkan vitalist-ironic reading of the Bible, a book I (how can I say this without sounding "Reddit"?) have trouble with, trouble Bloom explains and helps to allay. I may agree with Bloom about the Bible more than I agree with him about anything else.

After all that, though, he was right about what matters most: our very sense of who we are and of what it is to be who we are has been shaped by a smaller number of writers than we may want to admit, and we will therefore not even know ourselves if we don't read them—read them critically, of course, but read them.

#harold bloom #literary criticism #literary theory

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w523352394 · 1 month

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Personal Reflective Article

In the art concept design of the game Shanhaijing, I am committed to creating a visual experience rich in depth and imagination based on the rich mythological background of traditional Chinese culture, combined with modern game aesthetics.

When designing the game concept, I chose the ancient Chinese painting style as the core artistic expression of the game. However, during the drawing process, I also encountered insufficient understanding or misunderstanding of the mythological elements in the Classic of Mountains and Seas, which resulted in drawing characters or scenes that did not conform to the spirit and style of the original, or inaccurately expressed the cultural connotations of the original.

In this process, I once again returned to the research stage and once again gained a sufficiently in-depth understanding and study of the Shanhaijing and its related cultural background. Reading the original text, related studies and commentaries, as well as references and expert opinions, helped to ensure the accuracy and authenticity of the mythological elements.

There are tons of strange creatures and mysterious beasts in Shanhaijing, and I used these as inspiration for the design of characters and monsters in the game. By giving these creatures special abilities and attributes, it enriches the game's combat system and gameplay. Cultural elements are inherited and embodied, and the cultural elements of my hometown are integrated into the game. When drawing characters, you may encounter the problem of inconsistent visual style or incongruity with the overall style of the game. This may affect the coherence of the character image and the visual unity of the game.

This is why I developed and clarified a clear art direction and style guide before I started drawing. Make sure that all drawing styles follow the same visual style and design principles, including uniformity of color, line and scale. During the character design process, after After sketching a draft, I conducted several self-reviews. In terms of art style and visual presentation, whether it is ancient style, fantasy or combined with modernity, it enhances the game's regional characteristics while allowing more players to understand and feel the charm of these cultures.

During the drawing process, I still occasionally encounter technical or tool limitations or adaptation problems. Especially when drawing complex scenes or effects, appropriate technical support and tools may be needed to help accomplish them. Because different tools may have different advantages and scope of application, choosing the right tool can improve the efficiency and quality of the finished product.

Of course, the most important point is time and schedule management. Drawing game art is often a time-consuming and labor-intensive process. If you don't manage your time wisely, or your schedule is too tight, this may affect the quality and final completion of the art. Before I start painting, I make a detailed project plan and schedule.

Make sure that the amount of work and time for each stage is allocated properly so that the task is completed within the budgeted time. I also prioritize and assign tasks appropriately based on the priority and importance of the project. Sometimes it is necessary to be flexible and adapt the workflow to meet new challenges and discoveries.

Drawing the artwork for a game like <Mountain and Sea's Fantasy> is a complex task that requires several considerations. With in-depth research and effective time management, problems that may arise can be effectively resolved to ensure that the game art is of the desired high quality level.

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dollycas · 3 months

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Special Guest Jeannette de Beauvoir - Author of The Honeymoon Homicides: A Provincetown Mystery (Sydney Riley Series) #GuestPost / #Giveaway @jeannettedebeauvoir - Great Escapes Book Tour

The Honeymoon Homicides: A Provincetown Mystery (Sydney Riley Series) by Jeannette de Beauvoir It is my pleasure to welcome Jeannette de Beauvoir to Escape With Dollycas today! “Mysterious” Travel & Story Archaeology It’s all about tourism, really. The protagonist in one of my mystery series, Martine LeDuc, is the PR director for the city of Montréal, and so obviously tourism is one of her concerns. The protagonist of my current series, Sydney Riley, is a wedding and events planner at a high-end inn in the resort village of Provincetown, on Cape Cod, so she’s also engaged with tourists. And honestly, I’d never have created either of them in the first place if it hadn’t been for my own odd approach to tourism. I’ve done a fair bit of academic work in history that tends to be—well, academic—in the sense that I don’t use it as a career, though that doesn’t mean it’s not still a passion. When I was five years old I announced my intention of becoming an archaeologist—and in a way that’s how I’ve ended up. When I travel, I want to know the stories of the places I visit; and to understand the current stories, you have to first hear the past ones. Places you explore aren’t necessarily just about what’s there now, but what was there once upon a time. I’m a story archaeologist. So, like other travelers, I spend time before I leave researching my destination. Who lived there? What happened there? What are their stories? Because—and trust me on this—the stories invariably lead to the mysteries. Dig deeply into any history and you’ll find mysteries. This is true for people, for families, for communities, for countries. In every history, whether it’s personal or communal, there’s something odd, or eccentric, or even difficult to understand and share. That’s how I discovered the background for Asylum, the first in the Martine LeDuc series, by coming across a list of children buried in a forgotten graveyard. My current series (The Honeymoon Homicides, the tenth book, is just out this spring) inspired the curator at the Provincetown Museum to invite me in to see a new acquisition—children’s Civil War-era shoes, found during the remodel of a house, closed up inside a wall. That led me to write The Deadliest Blessing, where Sydney’s neighbor finds shoes in her wall—and a body to go along with them. Another mystery explored the wreck of a pirate ship that did actually happen, and in yet another one, Sydney finds out about Provincetown’s role in the Underground Railroad. The secrets a community keeps! In The Honeymoon Homicides, I am exploring another facet of history and the center of a significant local controversy, the dune shacks in the National Seashore. Built out of shipwrecks, they housed artists and writers such as Eugene O’Neill, Jackson Pollack, and Tennessee Williams, and are now threatened with destruction. What a terrific background for a murder or two! When I travel, I go to museums. I read books. I walk through neighborhoods. I track down references. I take obscure tours. And as I walk around, as I look around me, I feel an old map superimposed on the modern one, and I ask it questions. That map invariably leads to a story. As I said, it’s all about tourism. I welcome the visitors to Provincetown, where I live and work, and wonder sometimes what they’re making of our stories, how they’re thinking about this place at Land’s End which has gone through so many transformations—from Wampanoag village to whaling capital to fishing port to art colony to LGBTQ-friendly resort—and what stories they will take home in their memories and in their hearts. Everyone travels differently. Everyone has their own priorities, desires, and interests. What are yours? Thank you Jeannette for visiting today! ____ Keep reading for more information about Jeannette and her new book, The Honeymoon Homicides. About The Honeymoon Homicides The Honeymoon Homicides: A Provincetown Mystery (Sydney Riley Series) Cozy Mystery 10th in Series Setting – Provincetown, Massachusetts, is a resort town on the tip of Cape Cod. Publisher ‏ : ‎ Homeport Press (June 15, 2024) Paperback ‏ : ‎ 290 pages ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8986865430 Digital ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0CYHL3FBH Despite an unforeseen disaster ruining her carefully planned wedding reception, hotelier Sydney Riley is undaunted as she and her brand-new husband Ali leave for their honeymoon in the dunes of Cape Cod’s National Seashore. But even in this deserted location, Sydney uncovers clues that might have a bearing on the wedding fiasco. Despite hoping for a new life, she’s drawn into yet another murder investigation—this time to protect Ali, who’s been called away on a secret and dangerous assignment. Can Sydney find the murderer(s) before Ali is harmed, or will a joyous week in the dunes be her only memory of their married life? About Jeannette de Beauvoir Jeannette de Beauvoir is an award-winning author of historical and mystery fiction and poetry, whose work has appeared in numerous literary journals and anthologies. Her Provincetown mystery series is now on its 10th book, and she’s a member of the Authors Guild, the Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, and the Historical Novels Society. She’s also a local theatre critic and hosts an arts-related program on WOMR, a Pacifica Radio affiliate. She lives and works in a seaside cottage on Cape Cod. Author Links - Website - Instagram - Facebook - YouTube - GoodReads Purchase Links Amazon - Bookshop.org - B&N - TOUR PARTICIPANTS June 14 – MJB Reviewers – SPOTLIGHT June 15 – Socrates Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT June 16 – Cozy Up With Kathy – AUTHOR INTERVIEW June 17 – Guatemala Paula Loves to Read! - REVIEW June 18 – Christy's Cozy Corners – CHARACTER GUEST POST June 19 – Celticlady's Reviews – SPOTLIGHT June 20 – Literary Gold – AUTHOR INTERVIEW June 21 – Maureen's Musings – SPOTLIGHT June 22 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT June 23 – StoreyBook Reviews – AUTHOR GUEST POST June 24 – Cassidy's Bookshelves – AUTHOR GUEST POST June 25 – Ascroft, eh? – CHARACTER GUEST POST June 26 – Sapphyria's Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT June 27 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – AUTHOR GUEST POST a Rafflecopter giveaway Have you signed up to be a Tour Host? Click Here to Find Details and Sign Up Today! Want to Book a Tour? Click Here Your Escape Into A Good Book Travel Agent Read the full article

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solarys-art · 1 year

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table of contents ;;

what is this? who are you? your tags?

last updated 09/05/23

what is this?

solarys is a portfolio. simple as that. solarys is a hub for my art, whether drawn or written or of some other medium.

it is important to note that solarys is not the main alias i use. for reasons anon, my primary accounts will not be shared. i wish to keep solarys and my other work separate.

as solarys is a collection of work that i am proud of, not all of my creations will be posted here. solarys is reserved for digital works to keep an aesthetic that i cannot capture with my traditional work. to add, this portfolio will only compile my best and proudest work.

notably, solarys was initially created as a collection of my school-assigned projects. that is not to say non-academic works will not appear, but they will take priority.

my askbox is open for any kind of conversation, dont be afraid to ask about my work or just start a chat!

as much as i love sharing others art, due to the nature of this blog, there will be no reblogs. i will still leave likes, but reblogs do not have a space here. im very sorry!

who are you?

glad you asked. im frances, a fifteen year old queer and trans boy from rural canada. i use he/it pronouns. i have adhd and high anxiety so i ask for your patience when talking to me. im not ignoring you, i promise!

ive been an artist for as long as i can remember, and i work primarily in visual art (traditional and digital) and written works (narrative and poetry). i started taking my work seriously in fourth grade as i engaged with fandom and other creative minds- that gives me over 7 years of dedicated practice.

my more serious work tends to lean into ideas of identity. my voice is not unique in the sea of queer perspectives, but it is valuable and deserves to be shared.

i take inspiration from the work of leo fox, sanrio, and many of my creative peers in the field. my style is derived from an ms paint-esque technique featuring small canvases and a digital brush.

your tags?

i organize my work with tags. please note other tags will appear on my posts for publicity, but these will always be first.

solarys

designates any material that is not a portfolio entry in and of itself, and is rather an update, commentary, or something else.

visual art

designates any material that is a digital drawing.

creative writing

designates any material that is a narrative written work.

poetry

designates any material that is a poetic written work.

fandom

designates any material that is inspired by or directly references a pre-existing work.

original

designates any material that is handcrafted by my own brain.

assigned

designates any material that is a school-assigned project.

trigger warnings

trigger warnings is a broad category of tag that refers to any warning for upsetting content. this tag will be formatted as TW : [TEXT].

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guesthypebusinessfinance · 1 year

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As a younger man elevating a younger household, I discovered the primary few years of married life daunting, particularly when it got here to paying payments. Surprising bills all the time arose, and regardless of our greatest budgeting efforts, the cash typically didn’t final via the month. My father, who was an accountant, laid a sensible piece of recommendation on us: “At all times pay your self first. The remainder of the payments come after.” By that he meant we should always begin constructing a reserve and look forward to the long run. That wasn’t all the time straightforward and typically we didn’t pay ourselves very a lot. However the apply turned a behavior and the behavior a way of life, giving us the financial cushion we beforehand lacked and altering life for the higher. Come to seek out out what I assumed was my father’s private nugget of accounting knowledge was one of many pillars of non-public finance, an all-encompassing time period that refers to each side of cash, from financial savings to spending, investments to insurance, and all factors in between. Whether or not you've extra money than you’ll ever want, or a higher want than you'll ever have the cash to satisfy, you have to get your palms round your monetary state of affairs and handle it to the very best of your capabilities. Ignore your earnings and it'll absolutely go away. Actually and figuratively, cash is the forex of life, what will get us via the day, the week, the month and the yr. It helps feed and shelter us, entertain and educate us, and offers us the liberty to extra carefully dwell the lives we need to dwell. Handle your cash and make it give you the results you want and you could spend much less effort and time working for the cash. And that’s as worthy a objective as there ever was. Keep on high of the information of the day Subscribe to our free, each day e-newsletter to get Milwaukee's newest native information, eating places, music, arts and leisure and occasions delivered proper to your inbox each weekday, plus a bonus Week in Overview electronic mail on Saturdays. The Different Private Finance Pillars Pay your self first stays my first and favourite credo, in all probability as a result of it bought us heading in the right direction in life. That month-to-month fee helps construct the inspiration of your private monetary safety, in addition to offering you with funds for unanticipated bills or well-deserved leisure. All of it relies on the way you handle that cash—and all of your cash, actually – as as to if you should have what you want while you want it. However there’s extra to the story. Know your earnings and match it together with your priorities. Regardless of how a lot you make you'll by no means have sufficient to do all the pieces you need. That’s as a lot the fault of human nature as it's monetary ignorance. However realizing the place you're on the planet, not less than by way of monetary capabilities, offers you higher understanding and higher management over your monetary well-being. And that’s a key to non-public success. Set up a finances, whether or not its formal or casual, so you've a mechanism in place that will help you handle your cash. If you happen to want a tenet comply with the 50-30-20 rule: spend 50% of your internet earnings on each day bills; 30% on procuring, outings and leisure actions; and 20% on paying down debt, investing for retirement and different long-term objectives. Talking of paying down debt, carry as little as attainable in your private books. Borrowing cash is just not free, and also you all the time pay again greater than you’ve borrowed. Some borrowing, resembling residence mortgages, are inevitable for many of us, however the much less debt you carry, the higher off you'll be. And the much less debt you carry additionally means the higher your monetary rating shall be. Lenders prefer to see debtors who handle their debt successfully, they usuall

y’re prepared to supply lower-interest-rate loans to debtors with higher credit score scores. Whether or not you need to borrow or not, the credit score rating acts as a report card of your monetary administration capabilities, and a excessive rating could also be a sign that you've ultimately arrived. Is That All? That’s most of it. All of those steps will provide help to higher attain a degree of monetary safety now and within the years to come back. One of many high fears of previous age is the worry that you'll outlive your cash and turn out to be a burden to members of the family. If you happen to begin paying your self first and tuck that cash away there’s a greater likelihood that you'll nonetheless be financially sound while you attain life’s end line. By then, after all, cash gained’t matter to you. However possibly what willmatter to you is that you simply’ve managed your funds—and by extension your life—in one of the best ways attainable and that you simply and your loved ones will profit from all that effort. And that data is healthier than any credit score rating. Michael Muckian Michael Muckian was the banking and finance author for the Milwaukee Enterprise Journal and is the creator of The Full Fool’s Information to Financing and Accounting and The One-Day MBA in Finance and Accounting. Learn extra by Michael Muckian Apr. 07, 2023 4:31 p.m.

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untethereddreams · 3 years

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Writeblr Introduction!

Hi everybody! I’ve been lurking on Writeblr for ages but, since I just finished school, I finally have time and the spoons to make my writeblr introduction! I’ve already reblogged a lot of reference, advice, resources, and inspiration posts on this blog, both for my own use and for anyone with similar interests, but now I’m going to post my own writing as well.

I’m a queer, poc writer and artist working out of North America. My writing style tends toward weird fiction and fantasy, which means that I read and write a lot of horror, fantasy, urban fantasy, and speculative pieces. I’m most comfortable with short fictions (the shorter the better!) but am dipping my toes into long-form fiction with several novel projects. I also recently fell in love with writing screenplays, so that may rear its head sporadically here as well. I also run a short poetry insta (@un.tethered.dreams) and have plans for several blogging projects as well (updates to come)!

Beyond creative fiction, I am also fascinated with the craft of writing, what it takes, why some things work and some don’t, etc. I spent some years going to uni for neuroscience in a different life so science, particularly biology, is an ongoing interest. I also draw traditional art and am learning digital art, so you might see some of that on this blog as well. (Can you tell that I have a problem with overcommitment yet?)

My current projects/priorities include:

The Walls Have Ears and Thorns (Working Title)

Genre: Fantasy

Length: Novel (series?)

Stage: Worldbuilding/First Draft

Set in the world of Chinese Wuxia novels with themes and elements from both Chinese history and Western high fantasy, The Walls Have Ears and Thorns follows Yinning (隐宁), our asexual and non-binary protagonist, as they struggle to reconcile past sins, political intrigue, and the possibility that, despite everything, they are deserving of love.

Tags: walls have ears and thorns, wip wheat

Translation/retellings of Chinese history/myth/folklore (taking suggestions for a better title)

Genre: non-fiction

Length: undetermined, one-shots

Stage: planning/testing

Translations and retellings of stories from ancient Chinese history. These will come out of both Chinese history/reference books and from my own childhood. I'm currently gauging interest in the project and planning how it will work with Patreon and/or Ko fi (because I am currently unemployed and want to build toward self-employment in the creative field). More info here. First sample retelling here. Second retelling here. More details to come.

Tags: chinese history, retellings, translation project (proper project tag to come with new title)

Herbiary Tarot

Genre: fantasy, reference

Length: Book + card deck

Stage: research

Almost done my research of tarot cards and their interpretations based on the decks I have and reference books. The vision for the final project will be a series of linked drabbles related to each card that lead the reader on an exploration of an imagined realm masquerading as the mundane, rather like how bestiaries look to us now. I’m still undecided whether the drabbles will segue into a plotted story told in snapshots. Next step is deciding whether the deck will be high fantasy or urban fantasy.

Tags: herbiary tarot wip, herbalism tarot wip, herbal tarot wip, tarot wip

Trouble (Working Title)

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Length: Novel (series?)

Stage: Worldbuilding/First Draft

When her aunt Cynthia disappears, leaving only a mysterious voice-mail message, Selena must abandon her life as a university student and bookstore clerk and embrace her heritage as one of the Morriganna, ancient prophets of war and doom, in order to stay alive and save her family. Her first task: decide if she can trust the young man who walked into her bookstore, the latest heir and black sheep to a family of Morriganna hunters.

Tags: wip trouble

Daily Flash Fiction

Genre: flash fiction, micro fiction

Length: self-contained

Starting next week, I’ll be committing to writing six pieces of flash fiction a week (one per day plus a rest day). The goal is to get into the rhythm of writing regularly. I’ll be posting these works on my blog and cross-posting here as well. For inspiration, I’ll be working my way through Wikipedia’s list of phobias.

Tags: my writing, flash fiction, short fiction

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petalharbor · 3 years

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One time an anon asked me to answer every single question on an ask game that was like 60 questions and I haven't stopped thinking of it since, so in honor of that legendary anon, every question

DHSKSKCJCJDJSSJXJFJRJS OK

Do you prefer traditional drawing, or digital?

I like both, but I like digital sliightly better, and that’s because 1) I’m a leftie and pencils get my hands messy, and 2) no undo button

How long have you been drawing?

Ever since I could pick up a pencil, so about 14 years. If we’re talking digitally, then about 7 or 8 years

How many classes have you taken?

I’ve taken art electives in high school and that’s about it. I did learn a lot from my teachers, though.

Do you have a DeviantArt, personal website, or art blog?

Yeah I’m on DeviantArt (it’s kinda dead though djdjsndndjfkf)

What’s your favorite thing to draw?

Sonic characters by a long shot. If I start doodling absentmindedly there’s a 99% chance it’ll end up being Sonic.

What’s your least favorite thing to draw?

BACKGROUNDS. And anything overly detailed. My brain can only handle so much

How often do you use references?

Whenever I’m working with something unfamiliar, which is fairly often

Do you draw professionally, or just for fun?

A little bit of both, I think. Art is definitely something I enjoy, but I do want to make a career out of it even if I doubt myself sometimes

How much time do you spend drawing on an average day?

Whenever I can, which varies from day to day. If it was up to me, it would be for hours lol

Are you confident about your art?

Yes and no? I can look at a piece I made and be like “yes this objectively good because of x thing I did” and then there’s some days where I’m like “EVERYTHING I DRAW IS AWFULL”

How many art-related blogs do you follow?

As many as I can find! I love seeing other people’s art!

Is it okay for people to ask you about your process?

Heck yeah go for it! Man I haven’t posted a speed paint in forever I should do that

Do you prefer to keep your art personal, or do you like drawing things for other people?

Both! There are times where I draw things that I don’t even post! But I also love surprising my friends with art of their characters!

Do you ever collaborate with others?

Sure! I’ve hosted an art collab once before.

How long does an average piece take you to complete?

Depends. If it’s something I’m familiar with (like a sonic character), a finished piece can take a few hours. But if it’s something I struggle with it could take waay longer.

Do you draw more today than you did in the past, or do you draw less?

Hmm, I’d say I draw more, but my output speed is slower. I still draw every day, but I don’t post every day because I don’t always finish what I’m working on. Way back when I first started this blog my art took less time to complete but it…didn’t look too great (if you remember my missunsmiley days I’m so sorry)

Do you think you’re justified in giving other people art advice?

I guess? I feel like I can help with some things, but I wouldn’t give advice on something like realism

What are you currently trying to improve on?

Backgrounds. I’ve mostly focused on character art for most of my life and it’s biting me in the ass now. I want to be able to draw comics by myself so it’s a priority.

What is the most difficult thing for you to draw?

Anything with straight lines. It usually doesn’t end up pretty.

What is the easiest thing for you to draw?

Sonic himself, I suppose. I can draw him in my sleep

Do you like to challenge yourself?

Definitely! Lately I’ve been going all out with shading and not just using airbrush and calling it a day

Are you confident that you’re improving steadily?

Haha no. But I’m gonna keep drawing anyway

Do you draw more fanart, or more original art?

Depends. Where do sonic ocs fall on that spectrum

Do you feel jealous when you see other people’s art, or inspired? (Be honest!)

INSPIRED! Whenever I see something that looks cool my brain goes “❤️💖💙💛✨ OOO SO COOL”

Do you like to draw in silence, or with music?

Oh I need noise of some kind, whether it be a video or loud Sonic music at 2 am.

For digital artists: what program(s) do you use?

Clip Studio Paint is my best friend. Firealpaca’s good too, I’ll use it sometimes.

For digital artists: how many layers does a typical piece require?

Hoo, boy. Depends on how lazy I am that day. I try to put all my colors on a separate layer, but that usually turns into just two. So yeah my layer count varies a lot.

For traditional artists: what medium do you like most? (Pencil, charcoals, etc)

I like pencils because forgiveness

For traditional artists: How do you usually start on a big piece? (Light sketch, colored lead, sketchpaper, etc)

I don’t care what it is I need a sketch first. Never going in blind, no siree

What inspires you to not just make art, but to be a better artist?

If I’m being honest? Making enough money to move out HDISOXJCJGKFKDKSKDFJCNSKFX I just…really need my own space.

Phew, that was a lot! Thanks for the ask!

#ask #art stuff

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gallickingun · 4 years

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gallick’s blog writing rules

Hey guys, gallick here! As I expand my writing parameters, I thought it would be good to make a rules post. I ask that you please read this prior to requesting, because it has my preferences, request status, and content info included.

Please be aware: I reserve the right to delete any and ALL requests/asks that do not conform to my rules.

My inbox is always open for thirsting [defined below], questions, conversation, venting, and advice. See the remaining rules below the cut ―

·͙*̩̩͙˚̩̥̩̥*̩̩̥͙　✩　*̩̩̥͙˚̩̥̩̥*̩̩͙‧͙ ·͙*̩̩͙˚̩̥̩̥*̩̩̥͙　✩　*̩̩̥͙˚̩̥̩̥*̩̩͙‧͙ ·͙*̩̩͙˚̩̥̩̥*̩̩̥͙　✩　*̩̩̥͙˚̩̥̩̥*̩̩͙‧͙ ·͙*̩̩͙˚̩̥̩̥*̩̩̥͙　✩　*̩̩̥͙˚̩̥̩̥*̩̩͙‧͙ ·͙*̩̩͙˚̩̥̩̥*̩̩̥͙　✩　*̩̩̥͙˚̩̥̩̥*̩̩͙‧͙ ·͙*̩̩͙˚̩̥̩̥*̩̩̥͙　✩　*̩̩̥͙˚̩̥̩̥*̩̩͙‧͙

【CONTENT INDEX】

what is a... ✰ 『thirst』this is usually when you send in your thoughts on a certain character in a certain situation. My responses can be anything from a jumbled up paragraph to a full on thirst drabble (~250-500 words), depending on whether I’m on mobile vs. desktop, as well as if I jive with your thirst. That being said, don’t ever feel ashamed of the thirst that you want to send in! Even if it’s not my thing, as long as it’s not on my no-no list [see below], I’ll at least post it with some sort of response! See examples of thirst «here», «here», «here», and «here». Thirst can sometimes turn into full on fics depending on how I feel about it!

✰ 『drabble』this is a “fic” that is generally more in depth than a thirst, but not as plot-driven as a full on one shot or fic. I usually keep drabbles between 500-2,000 words. They are normally given their own post instead of replying to the ask itself, but I will respond to the ask with a link to the drabble once I’ve posted it.

✰ 『fic』this is usually a one-shot piece, which means it is a stand-alone fanfiction work. These are at least 2,000 words in length, and I do not put a limit on them as I have no self-control and will write huge fics with no regard to my personal sanity. These will always be posted as their own text post, and will more than likely be {sporadically} uploaded to my ao3 account as well. If the fic is inspired by an ask, I will answer the ask with a link to the fic once I’ve posted it.

✰ 『multi-chap fic』this is usually a piece that spans at minimum two parts, connected via the plotline that runs consistently through them both. As of now, I do not have any multi-chapter works, but I do have a couple planned for the future! These will always be posted as their own text post, with links to the prior part as well as the future part, once it has been posted.

【WRITING RULES】

✰ All characters are aged up to at least 20 years of age no matter whether the situation is sfw or nsfw. The only times I will write “high school” types of works will be in flashbacks, not full length fics. I always try to explicitly state within the work that they are of age - whether that’s referring to them a Pro Heroes (BNHA), Pro Athletes (Haikyuu!!), etc. If I ever discuss “dorms”, I am always talking about college dorms/apartments.

✰ This is my blog, and therefore I get to choose what I do and do not want to write. I apologize if that means I have glossed over your request, but I cannot force myself into writing something I do not feel like I can do, because then it’s not genuine and even though it gets the content out, it’s not content I’d be proud of.

✰ I do NOT close my requests. I feel like it’s pointless, given a lot of people don’t pay attention to the open/closed titles anyway. With this being said, I do receive a lot of requests. If you feel that yours has gotten buried, eaten by the tumblr ask monster, or ignored, please feel free to send it in again. Also keep in mind that I might have deleted or ignored your ask in favor of another that sparked more inspiration. That doesn’t mean I won’t come back to yours later. Be patient with me!

✰ Please be kind. I don’t ask that you fawn over me when you send in a request, but be courteous when you send me an ask. If you just send me a blunt ask, I might not understand what you’re really asking for, or what you actually want, which can stunt the creative process and possibly end up with me deleting your ask. I understand that not everyone speaks English well, so I try to be patient with the more forward requests. Just be aware that I am not a writing machine here for your pleasure. This is a hobby, a fun way of escapism for you and me both. The moment it feels like a job, I will stop.

【DO’S AND DON’T’S】

『 My writing is usually male character x female reader, unless specified otherwise. I do accept female character requests, though. As I do try to keep my appearances of reader relatively neutral, I know that is not always the case. I am constantly trying to learn and evolve my writing, but reader content can be difficult to nail down with all the scenarios that I’m writing or requested to write, given that they are very specific in nature. Please be kind and constructive if you choose to criticize, but criticism is always welcome. 』

『 I always put warnings in my tags above the fic post, so please read the warnings prior to diving into a piece. As stated below, sometimes I will use kinks or tropes or categories/genres that make people uncomfortable or triggered, and I want you to keep yourself safe rather than reading my writing just because it’s mine. I use warnings, tags, and a read more on my posts - if you choose to read the post anyway, then that is your own responsibility and I will not respond to any asks shaming me for what I have written, or blaming me for you being triggered. Please let me know if I have not correctly tagged or warned a post and I will make corrections as soon as possible. 』

― The CHARACTERS I prefer, and who will get priority over others are... My Hero Academia ✰ Bakugou Katsuki ✰ Kirishima Eijirou ✰ Tamaki Amajiki ✰ Todoroki Shouto Haikyuu!! ✰ Sugawara Koushi ✰ Bokuto Koutaro ✰ Kuroo Tetsurou ✰ Oikawa Tooru ✰ Sawamura Daichi ✰ Kageyama Tobio Dragon Ball ✰ Vegeta ✰ Piccolo ✰ Gohan ✰ Trunks

― The GENRES I will write... ✰ Angst (mostly happy endings bc I’m a sap) ✰ Fluff ✰ Smut ✰ Alternate Universe ✰ Hurt/Comfort - this can include things such as anxiety, depression, etc. but will always end with the comfort in mind. ✰ Alpha, Beta, Omega dynamics (bare with me, I’m learning)

― The CONTENT I will NOT write... ✘ Suicide (reader or character) ✘ Minor x Adult ✘ Vore, Gore, Intense Violence ✘ Piss or Shit Kinks ✘ Incest, Pseudo Incest, anything relatively familial in nature. ✘ Ass Play (in detail - i.e. pegging, fingering, etc.) ✘ Cheating ✘ Crack Fics (i.e. overly humorous or satirical content) ✘ Character x Character - this is a loose rule, but currently I don’t have any CxC ships that I am writing for, or feel the need to write for. ✘ Poly relationships - this is another loose rule, but I am not overly well-versed with polyamorous relationships, so they can be difficult for me to nail down. If I feel inspired, or if I open poly requests, I will let you guys know.

【TAGS】

『If there is any type of content you do not want to read, I ask that you please blacklist it. I will do my best to tag all asks/posts accordingly, but I am only human and might miss one here and there. Feel free to send me a quick message letting me know that I have missed something, but please be kind.』

『I believe it is your responsibility to monitor and improve your online experience. If you don’t like Bakugou, please blacklist my Bakugou tag(s). If you are a minor, and do not wish to interact with my nsfw content, please blacklist my smut tag. I will not be tagging things directly as “nsfw”, because this can get you taken out of the tags entirely, and I do also write sfw pieces in addition to my nsfw pieces.』

『I do NOT tag generic posts unless they are triggering. This includes all reblogs - graphics, fics, etc.』

『Here is how to blacklist tags on desktop and mobile.』

『I always use three versions of the “character” tag(s), with their surname only as well as their given name, and then their full name. I.e. bakugou x reader, katsuki x reader, bakugou katsuki x reader.』

― Writing Tags ✰ #character x reader ✰ #character smut ✰ #character thirst ✰ #OC: Belle Marie Sinclair - (Bakugou OC) ✰ #OC: Lilith - (Kirishima OC) ― Trigger Warning Tags ✰ #tw: dubcon ✰ #tw: noncon ✰ #tw: suicide ✰ #tw: self harm ✰ #tw: degredation ― Personal Tags ✰ #morgan.txt - my original text posts ✰ #morgan-gets-mail - answered asks ✰ #morgan-has-friends - mutuals interactions ✰ #morgan-does-commissions - commission-related posts ✰ #morgan-has-a-patreon - Patreon-related posts ✰ #morgan-says-read-it - Fic recs ✰ #morgan-says-look-at-it - Art recs ✰ #morgan-says-listen - Audio recs

【FINAL THOUGHTS】

I reserve the right to delete any of the asks sent into my inbox. This includes... ✘ Hateful Asks ✘ Baiting/Leading Asks ✘ URL referencing Asks (i.e. “I heard gallickingun did....”) ✘ Rule Non-Conforming Asks

【LINKS】

✰ desktop masterlist «here» ✰ mobile masterlist «here» ✰ general writing tag «here» ✰ archiveofourown «here» ✰ wattpad «here» ✰ commissions interest form «here» ✰ ko-fi «here» ✰ patreon (coming soon!) «here» ✰ bnha bookclub (discord server + fic archive) «here»

This is all subject to change, hence the read more.

#gallickingun #bnha x reader #haikyuu x reader #dragon ball x reader #my hero academia x reader #blog rules #mod post

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sockori · 4 years

Text

The Akatsuki But. Pokémon (2)

Not trainers, not preexisting Pokémon- but Pokémon themselves. I mean, Kishimoto’s original plan for them was to all be monsters- so why not reimagine them as pocket monsters?

(Notes:

- Covers Kakuzu, Hidan, Kisame, Itachi, Sasori, and Deidara.

- See Part 1′s notes. )

Kakuzu

(The Zombie Pokémon)

(The Ragdoll Pokémon)

Type: Dark/Ghost

(Dark fits the greed aspect, Ghost fits his transformation.)

Abilities (1): Cursed Body “May disable a move used on the Pokémon.”

Hidden Ability: Heart Harvest “Steals the stat changes of the Pokémon it takes out.”

(Can only happen once. If multiple faints by a spread move, the first Pokémon that faints gets stolen from.)

General Stats: Largely set on Attack and Defense; rounded everywhere else, with slightly higher HP Stat.

Pokédex Entries (1, 2):

A story told: wronged by those it once trusted, this outraged Pokémon stole the hearts of its superiors, literally- transforming itself into a horrifying beast of immortality. It takes the appearance of a ragdoll, a form made of loosely stitched up parts, its core a mass of strange, elusive black threads.

It holds a reputation for taking other’s wealth, eliminating powerful Pokémon and trainers to steal their riches, hoarding the treasures in an unknown location. Because of this, many have desired to capture it to become rich themselves- though, such a daunting task has, so far, only resulted in many... unfortunate disappearances.

Mega Evolution

Type: Dark/Ghost

Mega Ability: Mold Breaker

“Moves can be used on the target regardless of its Abilities.”

(still not sure on a Mega Ability- resorted to this one.)

Pokédex Entries (1, 2):

The Pokémon’s entangled core bursts forth, rapidly expanding the physical form into a terrifying mass of threads. It rapidly repairs the body, quickly stitching back up the parts it loses along the way, though the effort is not exactly permanent.

The rapid physical transformation reveals strange masks on the Pokémon’s back, each a heart of the superiors it once trusted long ago. These strange creatures aid Kakuzu in masterfully performing Fire, Water, Electric and Flying type attacks, despite not having priority.

Hidan

(The Cult Pokémon)

(The Voodoo Doll Pokémon)

Type: Dark/Fighting

Abilities (1): Reckless

“Powers up moves that have recoil damage.”

Hidden Ability: Justified

“Boosts the Attack stat when it's hit by a Dark-type move.”

General Stats: Very high Attack Stat, with moderate speed and slight but relative bulk.

Pokédex Entries (1, 2):

A wild, cultish Pokémon with no desire for pacifism, it eliminated the peaceful village it came from in the name of violence. Hidan now roams the surrounding region in search of blood, looking for people to sacrifice in the name of a paranormal beast known as Jashin.

Hidan possesses strange power in immortality, able to suffer great injury, even severing, without a care in the world- perhaps even enjoying it. It shares bonds in immortality with Kakuzu, another Pokémon with similar zombie-like qualities.

Mega Evolution

Type: Dark/Fighting

Mega Ability: Cursed Blood

“This Pokémon, upon fainting, takes the opponent down with it.”

(Guaranteed Destiny Bond.)

General Stats: Equal Boosts to Attack, Speed, and Defense.

Pokédex Entries (1, 2):

It draws a strange symbol below its feet, activating an inner dark, arcane power, the sheer aura tainting its skin with a skeleton-like pattern. It can now pass its suffering to others if it so desires, making it a living voodoo doll of sorts.

Fueled by cultish energy, its newfound abilities in pain splitting give it the wild desire to maim in the name of Jashin. It tortures opponents it ensnares in its odd circle, passing on each injury, howling with nefarious laughter all the while.

Kisame

(The Shark Pokémon)

(The Swordsmen Pokémon)

Type: Water

Abilities (1): Rough Skin

“Inflicts damage to the attacker on contact.”

Hidden Ability: Shark Skin

“Inflict additional damage on the opponent when making contact.”

(Attaches Rough Skin to contact moves.)

General Stats: Emphasis on Attack and HP. Slow but bulky, with relatively high defenses.

Pokédex Entries (1, 2):

Losing its faith in the world, it lost the desire to stay in the Mist region, now affiliating itself with the mysterious Pokémon of the Rain. Despite its large, intimidating appearance and thirst for combat, this Shark Pokémon is actually relatively docile, intensely loyal to those it gains trust for.

Kisame possesses one of the legendary Seven Swords- a scaly-skinned, sentient weapon known to absorb the power of anyone it pleases. The bond Kisame holds with this weapon is strong, perhaps even affectionate, giving the strange creature poffins after battles.

Mega Evolution

Type: Water

Mega Ability: Dry Skin

“Restores HP in rain or when hit by Water-type moves. Reduces HP in harsh sunlight, and increases the damage received from Fire-type moves.”

(casually puts skin abilities on Kisame)

Stat Boosts: Trades out its bulk for offensive power, with crazy high Attack and Speed, but lower defenses.

Pokédex Entries (1, 2):

It fuses itself with the legendary Sword, inheriting its regenerative abilities, transforming into a large, more shark-like beast. It captures opponents with its strong jaws, dragging them under the surface without mercy.

Now fused with the legendary Sword, it fights with every last effort against its opponent. Its strange loyalty compels it to fight, willing to exert everything for those it trusts- even if it means sacrificing itself.

Itachi

(The Illusive Pokémon)

(The Optical Pokémon)

Type: Psychic/Fire

Abilities (1): Illusion

“Comes out disguised as the Pokémon in the party's last spot.”

Hidden Ability: Illusive World

“It traps the foe in illusions whilst they’re confused, reducing their HP.”

(Bad Dreams but different. Tsukuyomi would be Dark Void for Confusion.)

General Stats: Highest in Special Attack, good in Attack and Speed. HP is moderate, Defenses are low.

Pokédex Entries (1, 2):

The legendary Pokémon known as the Uchiha were wiped out in a single night by the mysterious Itachi for reasons of testing strength- or so many assume. It now walks outside of the Leaf region, refusing to walk its home grounds once again, though sightings of the Illusive Pokémon inside its borders persist anyway...

It is infamously known as The Optical Pokémon, for its strange changing eyes that are said to stare directly into the soul. It channels Psychic energy into them, generating life-like and sometimes horrific illusions on its opponents- though, doing so further wears down its eyesight.

Mega Evolution

Type: Psychic/Dark

Mega Ability: Susanoo Armor

“The Pokémon’s stats are dramatically increased (3.5x), though it reduces its HP (1/6) every turn.”

(a unique ability, but not signature- as obviously the other Uchihas can have it as well. The HP reducing sucks but without it would be absolutely broken)

(Susanoo Armor is the Mega Evolution stats boost.)

Pokédex Entries (1, 2):

A gigantic armored spirit appears, enveloping the Pokémon in a virtually indestructible armor. However, this armor also dramatically strains the Pokémon, inciting excruciating pain the longer it continues.

Due to the drawbacks of the armor, this Mega Evolution is relatively short-lived. Despite this, it spreads mass destruction, able to topple a nation in just one swing of its sword.

Deidara

(The Explosive Pokémon)

(The Transient Pokémon)

Type: Ground/Rock | Ground/Fire (I’ll let you choose.)

Abilities (1): Flame Body

“Contact with this Pokémon may burn the attacker.”

Hidden Ability: Firecracker

“Gives priority to bomb/ball moves.”

General Stats: Great Sp. Attack and Speed. Moderate everywhere else; slight advantage in Attack.

Pokédex Entries (1, 2):

An intense Pokémon with a taste for art, it searches the region for inspiration- and destruction. Championing the art of “Transient Beauty”, it takes pleasure in bombing and setting fire to anything it finds pleasing, typically without any regards to who may be there.

The odd mouths on Deidara’s body churn up fiery power into clay, giving it an unusually explosive quality. This Explosive Pokémon regularly uses its mouths to create destructive clay creatures; they follow its every will, dutifully guiding themselves into their target like missiles.

Mega Evolution

Type: Ground/Dragon

Mega Ability: Transient Art

“Powers up Bomb/Ball moves by 40%.”

(Yeah he gets two unique abilities. What Of It)

Stat Boosts: Both offensive stats and speed stats boosted. Minor boosts here and there.

Pokédex Entries (1, 2):

Deidara churns up an intense amount of clay, forming a massive, strange white creature in the shape of a dragon. It churns out explosive attacks on the opponent in rapid succession, taking a notch off of its tail in the process.

Creating a giant clay dragon, Deidara hops onto its back and hovers into the air. It proudly proclaims its Transient Art from above, raining down a series of bombs on the opponent- and whoever else is in the area.

Sasori

(The Scorpion Pokémon)

(The Eternal Pokémon)

Type: Poison

Abilities (2):

Poison Touch “Coming into contact with this Pokémon may cause poisoning.”

Battle Armor “Hard armor protects the Pokémon from critical hits.” (In reference to Hiruko.)

Hidden Ability: Contaminated

“All contact moves this Pokémon uses gains a 45% chance to poison the opponent.” (Contact moves that already have a chance to Poison get boosted by the same amount.)

General Stats: High Attack and Speed Stat. Slight emphasis on the defenses, moderate everywhere else.

Pokédex Entries (1, 2):

Unfortunate events turned this Pokémon toward inhumane reason. Fascinated with “Eternal Beauty”, Sasori performed an unknown technique that altered its appearance with semi-immortality. The specifics of this strange transformation remain undiscovered.

This poisonous Pokémon roams the sandy dunes, stealing items and trainers for its grizzly fascinations. It is said that the poison it excretes is so powerful, not even a basic Antidote can cure it. Unlucky victims undergo three agonizing days before meeting their fate.

Mega Evolution

Type: Poison / Steel

Mega Ability: Merciless

“The Pokémon's attacks become critical hits if the target is poisoned.”

General Stats: Massive increase to Attack and Speed. Loses some of its bulk in the process, but its relatively minor.

Pokédex Entries (1, 2):

The Pokémon takes off its cloak, revealing the secrets of its transformation- an intricate puppet body. It uses its sharpened blades and deadly poisons to cut through waves of opponents. It is merciless in its outrage, sparing no sympathy for those it targets.

A wide-eyed, empty stare is plastered over the face of this now revealed puppet. This Pokémon believes it is sparing the foe it poisoned by fainting it swiftly and powerfully- it spares no mercy for those it shreds.

#naruto #naruto shippuden #akatsuki #naruto akatsuki #kakuzu #hidan #kisame #kisame hoshigaki #itachi #itachi uchiha #deidara #sasori #crossover #see part 1's tags

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seenvs3000-21 · 3 years

Text

My Journey as an Interpreter

When this course began, I was in the dark about the whole concept of nature interpretation. Unsurprisingly, I assumed it would mainly entail developing increased awareness and mindfulness when spending time outdoors. I figured this course would help me learn to share those experiences with audiences from all kinds of unique backgrounds. My role as an interpreter before ENVS*3000 focused on topics surrounding my studies as a science student. Being in university has a way of making school the primary lens through which you perceive the world; at least, that has been my experience. As a result, when I look at the world around me, it is easy to recognize the ecosystems at play and the unique interactions happening within them that are essential no matter how small. As a science student in my final year of study, the natural world's complexity is evident, and for me, this is one of the most humbling thoughts to entertain. It is crucial as an interpreter to be mindful of the natural world's sheer magnitude, something often overlooked by the anthropocentric society we are immersed in.

In nearly any situation, humanity has a way of commanding attention, but learning how the complex systems at work in nature genuinely are, makes it clear that it really is a delicate balance. It can also be an eye-opener for many to realize humans are not as pivotal to Earth's well-being and function as we are conditioned to believe. Humans have less control over the world than we would like to admit. Although the environment is plagued by the seemingly infinite number of challenges resulting from human activity, the wilderness will and always should stay out of our control. As interpreters, it should be our role to help others recognize the power and knowledge found within nature and the positivity it can bring to our lives when we do our part to care for it and maintain its integrity. When we care for the Earth, it cares for us by healing our psyche and fostering our physical well-being.

Photo by Lukasz Szmigiel on Unsplash

My development as a nature interpreter is heavily influenced by my personal morals and the belief that good interpreters should share the knowledge and power nature offers. The things most important to me that define my personal ethics as an individual and as an interpreter are respect, integrity, and the value knowledge holds. As interpreters, our primary role is to share the knowledge we have with others so that they may achieve the same benefits we do as a result of forming a meaningful connection with nature. Additionally, I think it is our job to teach others how we know to be respectful of the environment in sustainable ways to maintain the integrity of our natural surroundings. When discussing my development as an interpreter, my mind automatically jumps to my future role as a science teacher. I am starting my Bachelor of Education this upcoming fall to teach high school science, a clear showcase of my priority to share the invaluable knowledge that exists in the field of science with others.

I have always loved sharing what I have learned with people around me, even if it's just a remarkable fact I learned in class that week with a friend or even my mom. The key here is how significant knowledge and learning is to me, and I think this goes hand in hand with honesty, integrity, and respect, morals by which I try to live my life. While these factors are those by which I guide the actions and decisions I make in my life, they are also the ones I focus on when interacting with the natural world around me. Being respectful is one of the most important things to keep in mind when getting out and experiencing nature, especially to maintain the integrity of the ecosystems and the organisms that rely on them. Connecting back to my future as an interpreter through the role of science teacher, I can share these ethics with the students who enter my classroom and show them the importance of the environment and how they can personally maintain nature's integrity.

Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash

Continuing my role as an interpreter through teaching science introduces a variety of responsibilities. First and foremost, teaching youth to respect the environment and do what they can to improve nature's conditions whenever possible. Environmental stewardship offers benefits to the domain directly, but it also provides an outlet for individuals to connect and spend time outdoors. I believe nature holds so much power, be it in terms of psychological relief from stress or anxiety or a physical escape from the hustle-bustle we are affronted by in modern society. I believe it is a gift to be shared, and that is our responsibility as teachers and as interpreters of the natural world. As mentioned in Rodenburg's article (2019), today's youth simply are not getting outside to experience nature the way many of us did as kids, even though that really was not so long ago. In a world that has been rapidly developing new technologies for even more convenience, people are beginning to forget to slow down and appreciate what is around them, and children are not exempt from this. It is so important to foster the connection between humanity and the environment to avoid "nature deficit disorder," a term coined by Richard Louv in the textbook (Beck et al. 2019) to describe the detachment between humanity and nature.

Throughout history, nature and humanity have always been intertwined; one can never exist without the other, so nature deficit disorder can introduce various challenges. Perpetuated by modern society, nature deficit disorder can manifest in countless ways that exemplify the physical, social, and cognitive deficits that result from the disconnect with nature (Beck et al., 2019). Teachers have so much power to initiate reform by educating and inspiring their students who will grow up to be the policy-makers, business owners, scientists, teachers ultimately, the future caretakers of the world. The impact teachers can have on their students is undeniable, which is a primary aspect of effective interpreters, which is a significant reason I decided to pursue a career in teaching to make a difference.

Photo by Element5 Digital on Unsplash

Everyone will have a unique perception of the broad privileges granted by the environment that expresses the individuality between people. As an interpreter, it is vital to focus on the various things that catch different individuals' attention, providing insight into the unique personal relationship held with nature and their relationships with others and even within themselves. There is a valuable connection between humans and the environment from the deep evolutionary history that forever links the two. Creating a strong relationship with nature and helping others to do so will aid mental wellness by reducing stress, anxiety, and depression, elevating mood and reestablishing attention to the physical health benefits that include promoting cardiovascular health and reducing obesity by staying active. There are many benefits to support the power of getting involved in the environment and building a personal relationship with nature. I believe that to be one of the responsibilities of a nature interpreter and a science teacher.

Photo by Steve Halama on Unsplash

This course provided invaluable knowledge about how to reach a variety of audiences, but more importantly, it allowed me to gain insight into my personal relationship with nature. While learning techniques to improve the way I can share my own interpretations with others has been amazing to prepare me for my time in teachers' college. The enhanced relationship with the natural world has provided me with much needed benefits and escape from symptoms of nature deficit disorder and many other aspects of nature I had never recognized before this course. I always knew the importance of the environment when it comes to science, of course, and in art based on the numerous art pieces or musical creations inspired by nature. This course expanded my appreciation for the incredible impact nature has had on humanity throughout history, but it is even more important in society today.

Thanks for a great semester everyone!!

Sierra 🌼

References:

Rodenburg, J. (2019). Why Environmental Educators Shouldn’t Give Up Hope | CLEARING: A Nonprofit Magazine for Environmental Education in the Pacific Northwest. clearingmagazine.org. https://clearingmagazine.org/archives/14300

Beck, L., Cable, T. T., & Knudson, D. M. (2019). Interpreting cultural and natural heritage: For a better world. Urbana: Sagamore Publishing

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magpiemorality · 4 years

Note

Oh! It’s Saturday! I can send in a prompt! So way back when Altruistic Skittles did the first of the nightmare series, with Remus, you reblogged and said you might want to write something based on the picture. Last I knew, she said that people can write fanfictions from the pictures, as long as they’re properly credited. If that’s still something you’d be interested in, I’d love to see it!

This is very big, somewhat in honour of Remus’ birthday today, a very long and dramatic origin for him.

Check out the amazing art that prompted this fic here :) and thanks to @altruistic-skittles for making it and allowing works based off it!!

Also thanks to @omgsomeonesomewhereonearth for giving this a glance over for me on very short notice :)

Warnings: unreliable narrator, Anxiety is viewed as a bad guy, Remus isn’t particularly friendly, long post.

AO3

***

Roman had been feeling off for a while. He was far from the only one; puberty was tough on every aspect of Thomas, including Logan who had been stretched to his limits trying to keep up with all the demands of an average American high school life. But with Anxiety suddenly in the picture things were even more complicated. Who was he? Where had he come from? And why wouldn’t he leave?

In all honesty Roman hadn’t actually known there were other sides. He’d sort of, maybe naively, assumed that the three of them were the sum of Thomas’ parts, and that they covered everything Thomas would ever need. Sort of like Inside Out, which had in no way at all influenced their existence; they were the pilots who tended to the world inside Thomas’ busy head, just… minus the less good parts. Maybe Thomas didn’t need avatars for those things; maybe he didn’t value them that way, or maybe he just didn’t view them as part of himself?

It was an unfinished theory, but Roman mostly left those sorts of things to Logan, and Logan was too busy for much introspection these days. Which was why Anxiety had gone unchecked for so long.

Sometimes it felt like only Roman was the target of his attacks. Logan faltered, sure, but he was stubborn as all hell when it came to his routines and priorities and Anxiety hadn’t managed to shake them too much just yet. Logan was too established in Thomas’ head to allow wiggle room for anxious thoughts to disrupt his work. Patton also seemed to get away with coexisting with the guy; they fed off each other, or perhaps Anxiety had seen Patton’s power and figured it was easier to work with him than against him, turning good feelings to worry and guilt.

Okay so maybe Patton wasn’t unaffected, but he was so good at putting on a brave face that Anxiety had evidently seen fit to back off out of pure pity, and that left Roman.

Roman, Roman, Roman, trying his best to stay afloat on the sea of schoolwork and stress, to throw creativity into Thomas’ days so his smile wouldn’t fade. Until stupid, miserable, Despicable He, came along and took it upon himself to thwart Roman’s noble goal.

Their fights were spectacular, unfortunately often feeding into the influence Anxiety had clawed for himself over Thomas and leaving him feeling worse than before Roman had begun the battle. Not that Roman ever started things! He just kept trying to do his work, to do his best, and then Anxiety would show up and bam! Thomas’ hand would falter when writing his cathartic fanfiction, or his mind would blank as he searched for the lines to his latest monologue, or his voice would wobble and break on the notes of a song.

So things were weird, and that wasn’t all.

All it took in the end were a few cutting remarks from Anxiety that didn’t make any sense, and Roman was lost to that edge of paranoia, forever wondering what he meant. A jibe about Thomas not being a perfect person; a sneer laughing at how none of them had even known Anxiety existed before he’d appeared; a scoff that came with the bold assertion that just pretending you weren’t like that didn’t mean you actually weren’t. He seemed to reference someone else sometimes, with a vicious sort of victory that was at least in part tainted with misery, someone who- if Roman was interpreting the clues right- Thomas didn’t even know worked for him, who Anxiety had escaped from.

And then there was the matter of the tower.

Roman stared out of the bedroom window. It was his bedroom, his own copy of Thomas’, and if he focused hard enough he could see the shimmering after-images of the original, with Thomas’ homework on the desk, his clothes on the floor, his posters not quite matching up to Roman’s. He wasn’t in his room like Roman was, downstairs at dinner with the family, and not thinking too hard with his creativity. It left Roman free to do what he so often did these days; stare out of the window.

Spread out below him was the familiar, comforting sight of the backyard, with its play area and the patio and the grass, the treehouse in the far right corner looking shabbier than ever from its lack of use. Thomas’ dad had been talking of taking it down soon now the kids were too old to use it, but both Patton and Roman- and in fact Anxiety in a rare display of unity- had dug their heels in as Thomas instinctively balked at the prospect of losing just another tie to his childhood. Patton had discovered nostalgia recently and Anxiety had discovered how much Roman feared the term ‘growing up’ and the treehouse was just a big old symbol for all of them to cling to. A beacon of bad things; a final point of no return.

Roman hadn’t been inside in years, in all honesty, but curiously Thomas had, and more than once. Whatever occurred in there Roman wasn’t sure, but he felt a sense of… something faintly off whenever he looked at the treehouse, that hadn’t entirely started after he’d stopped going inside. This time was no different, and he wondered what the slight churn in Thomas’ gut meant, now that Roman had inadvertently bent his thoughts in the direction of the bottom right corner of the garden. Why picking at the faint memories of the interior of that shadowy wooden structure made their creator push his food around the plate and focus extra hard on talking about his classes, shutting Roman out soundly.

The treehouse was still there, still dark and foreboding and strange. Roman’s eyes started to water slightly, warping the image, until it flickered ever so quickly.

He gasped, shoving his whole body forwards, pressing his nose to the glass as it fogged around him with his quick breaths, trying to see it again.

It remained stubbornly as it always had been, leaving Roman to wonder if he’d imagined the flash of dark, crumbling tower that had blinked into and out of existence.

But he hadn’t, because as he lay in bed that night, doodling ideas into his notebook while Thomas tried to fall asleep, the shadows outside his window lengthened and the light that should have fallen on his curtains was slowly, steadily blocked out. The darkness felt cool, and thrilling in the way watching a horror movie when you weren’t supposed to felt thrilling, with that edge of risk to it that got your heartbeat going and made your palms clammy. Roman could feel the moment Anxiety noticed it as well, because Thomas’ brain whirred back awake in an instant, the tossing and turning that disrupted him more and more often these teenage nights starting up yet again. Logan began gamely battling to get Thomas to continue on to sleep, Logic coming up against Anxiety for once, but Roman…

Roman got out of bed, creeping out of his room and down the hall, sneaking carefully down the stairs one by one so Logan wouldn’t notice and stop fighting with Anxiety. The tiled floor was cool under his bare feet as he crossed it to the back door, sliding it open with a soft whoosh of the well-used mechanism.

The tower awaited him, taller than the treehouse had ever been and far more foreboding. It was made of dark, black brick, slimy and badly worn, surrounded by thorns and with no discernible entrance. A real Rapunzel tower, straight from the Grimm brothers themselves.

A fairy-tale come to life. And Thomas hadn’t imagined Roman in the image of a dashing Disney prince for nothing; so he started forwards, heedless of his lack of shoes or weapons or anything. He had his curiosity and that was a thousand times more powerful in that moment than anything else. He wanted to know, and whatever thing (maybe a monster? Roman had only vague theories but he was leaning towards trapped monster) was imprisoned within; it felt close to escape.

Were he Logan in that moment, Roman would theorise that the tower held some kind of dark aspect of Thomas that he’d hidden from himself, and that in the darkness before sleep it was hardest to maintain the lie, confronted with the harsh truth of oneself. But Roman wasn’t Logan, and he didn’t think too deeply beyond thing bad- must know more.

He got through the thorns with relative ease, considering how large and deadly they looked from across the garden. All it took was a stick from the pile they kept for a bug hotel, a brief flash of inspiration turning it to a shining sharp sword that sliced neatly through each thick tendril until they started to wither away from him as he approached and revealed a door with no lock nor handle, carved into the base of the tower.

Curiosity won again as Roman kicked it in, crumbling the ancient wood. He gasped, coughing as a thick gust of stale air wheezed out. It left Roman’s stomach twisting with nausea, but the need to be the prince and climb the tower was too strong to be deterred. Inside the house Anxiety upped the ante and Logan turned too late towards his own window, missing seeing Creativity take a step forwards and disappear into the treehouse.

It was dark inside, that was the first thing Roman noticed. It was obviously going to be dark, a tower with no windows, but the darkness felt more than that. It felt like it hid an endless number of bad things waiting to come forwards, to pounce at any moment. The walls were horribly slimy when Roman used them to find the winding staircase, and the smell… Better not to mention it at all.

Suddenly, the sound of whispered movement from above.

“Hello?” Roman called softly, hoping he’d imagined it. Nothing replied, but the darkness felt closer, and he hurried upwards with the sword ready. “Anyone there?”

A pair of yellow eyes watched, waiting, from below, but Roman never looked down, intent on reaching his goal. He didn’t see the way the door was repairing itself, or how the thorns had regrown. His only thoughts were for the top of the tower and what lay in wait.

There was the tiniest crack of light when he got up at long last, feet sore and eyes dry from straining to see something. It was a sliver from under a door, faint silver light, the only hint there was a door there at all until he felt it under his fingertips.

It didn’t budge when he touched it, and once again there was no sign of a handle. Roman kicked it with a frustrated sigh, only to freeze totally still when the whisper of movement came again, -only this time, closer and clearer- it sounded a little like rusted metal, sliding against itself.

The eyes down below, having followed the prince’s progress, narrowed in thought, but before they could make a decision Logic gained the upper hand over Anxiety back in the house and for a brief, shining moment, the tower was lit up bright and the door clicked open.

Roman threw himself in before it could close again, and just in time too, because the light faded not a moment later, the door sealing itself up again. How he was going to get out, he wasn’t sure. But that was a problem for later- the fairy-tale dictated he had reached his goal. This was the end of the story.

So what was his prize?

There was a shape, in the room. A figure, about his own size, sat facing the window. Roman blinked hard to clear the spots that danced over his vision in the wake of the sudden flash of light, and the figure came slowly into view in the murk. A boy, with poufy sleeves and an outfit to match the setting, staring out of the window back towards the house. Back towards Thomas, back towards where Roman had been staring out from. The boy yawned, stretching his arms up and it was then that Roman noticed the chains.

He was chained to the floor. Was this the monster at the top of the tower? Or the… dude in distress?!

This wasn't actually a fairy-tale, so the former seemed exponentially more likely, and Roman gulped as fear took root.

“I know, I know, come to shut me up again. I just wanted a bit of fun, D-“

The boy stopped, frozen as still as Roman’s heart as it skipped a beat. Two identical faces, two sets of identical eyes, stared in horror and dawning, dim comprehension at each other.

“You’re Roman!” The other boy shrieked, loud enough to make Roman flinch back. It stopped the grin on the chained boy’s face in its tracks, and he tilted his head, eyes turning cold and calculating in a heartbeat.

“Who are you?” Roman squeaked, barely able to get his voice to work. “Why are you locked up? Are you evil? Does Thomas have…” his voice fell to a whisper. “A Dark side?”

The boy cackled, a joyful sound that shouldn’t have been as unsettling as it was. The clanking of the chains as he doubled over only heightened the feeling that something was wrong, and Roman screamed when the boy darted forwards suddenly.

He was yanked back by the chains, snapping his jaw in Roman’s face with a wild snarl and snorting with amusement when Roman’s back hit the far wall, sword out and shaking in his unsteady grip. “A dark side? Everyone’s got a dark side, Prince Perfect. If you think you don’t, you’re just not looking hard enough."

"Thomas is good!"

"Thomas is real,” the boy purred, moving back to sit at the window again, gazing back towards the house. The distant sensation of Logic and Anxiety fighting for the upper hand grew when Patton joined, his constant underlying guilt swelling support for their anxious antagonist. The chained boy laughed, fingers tapping against his face too quick for Roman to even see, lips moving soundlessly on words Roman definitely didn’t want to hear. “Have you come to defeat me, Roman? No, you didn’t even know I was here, did you. Locked in my tower, kept from my one true calling. It’s for my own good, you know? D- the dragon that guards me says so. It’s for everyone’s good that I don’t get out, most of all Thomas’.” The name felt reverent the way the boy said it, softly and sweetly, like calling the name of a deity. It made Roman wince. “It’s only right that a villain should be kept away.”

“Who are you?"

"I’m you, but stronger,” the boy retorted, breaking into cackles. “I’m you but scarier. That’s what they thought, anyway. I think I’m just something else. I think I’m bad news. I think Thomas is bad news…"

Roman wouldn’t stand for that. He held his sword out more confidently, raising his chin. "Thomas is a great guy! He’s the best! He’s full of good things and light and-”

“And darkness and wondering, wandering thoughts and impulses, just like anyone. Even you. You would kill me if you thought you should, if you thought it was your Disney story, wouldn’t you. Without hesitation, but Roman! Killing is wrong!”

“Not in Disney!"

”Even in Disney!“

A howl of rage echoed around the tower, along with the sound of metal on stone as Roman brought the sword down on the window ledge beside the boy’s hands. The chained boy didn’t flinch, just beaming victoriously at Roman, cackling his disquieting cackle.

"Who are you really?! Tell me!"

The boy opened his mouth to speak, a hunger in his eyes that Roman didn’t understand, but the tower shuddered. His eyes darted to the door and Roman’s couldn’t help but follow. "Oh dear, Roman. You shouldn’t have come here. Curiosity killed the cat, you know, and the witch is on his way to toss you out of the tower…”

“I thought you said it was a dragon?”

“Dragon, witch, there was a time when there wasn’t any difference to you. Maybe you’re learning some nuance now though. That’s gotta be rough, buddy, you’re practically made from simplicity.”

Roman narrowed his eyes at the insult, and the tower shuddered again. The boy picked up his cackling again, louder and louder as the shuddering turned to heavy footsteps approaching up the stairs. And Roman wondered, if this was the monster that guarded this boy, what did that make the boy?

“He’s here.”

The door burst open, a hazy shape flying in and grabbing Roman, what felt like giant claws snatching him up and carrying him out of the tower, dropping him hard onto the lawn before it whirled back around and vanished back into the… treehouse?

The tower was gone. The treehouse looked like it always had, dark and grim, but it was definitely just the same treehouse as ever.

He fell back, sprawling on the grass as his limbs turned to jelly from the residual adrenaline, while inside Anxiety let up at last and Logan won the battle for the night. Thomas slipped uneasily into dreams.

The tug of unconsciousness grew heavy, dragging on Roman’s very being now his creator had finally fallen asleep. He just about managed to drag himself inside to bed before succumbing at last, glad to leave the whole strange night behind him.

Masterlist | Buymeacoffee

#writepie #ts roman #ts remus #ts sanders sides #ts sanders sides fic #sanders sides #sanders sides fanfiction #sanders sides fic #fucking READ MORES #FIX THEM

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recentanimenews · 4 years

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FEATURE: How I Got Into Sakuga

Kaiba, Directed by Masaaki Yuasa

If you’re an anime fan, you’re likely an animation fan in general. But how do you know when an animation is “good”? How do you learn to identify an animator by only what you see, or tell when their drawings are better than usual?

English-speaking anime fans have adopted sakuga as a general catch-all term for exceptional animation. While the word sakuga itself means “animation,” in this context, sakuga has come to mean something very specific: Not just animation that looks cool, but the deliberate handiwork of specific animators with specific artistic aspirations. For example, a single-animator project might have a lot of “sakuga shots” because it has a personal, highly-refined style. Meanwhile, a television series might have an entire team of varying specialists for a larger narrative. Some of this might be attributed to specific key animators, while some might be credited to an entire studio — transformation sequences, explosive missiles, robots — that’s all fair game to be called sakuga. But how do you really know if what you’re looking at really is this so-called “sakuga?”

Like most art, it’s almost entirely subjective. Here’s my story.

Project A-ko, a high-energy 1986 OVA series best remembered for its exceptional animation staff

(Image via Retrocrush)

All’s Fair in Love and War Games

When I was a kid, I got my hands on the English-dubbed Digimon: The Movie on VHS. This notorious release was a three-part recut of Mamoru Hosoda’s Digimon OVAs released from 1999 to 2000, heavily featuring his second film Digimon Adventure: Our War Game. Of course, I didn’t experience this package as a “Hosoda anime” at the time. Besides the inspired inclusion of Barenaked Ladies’ "One Week" to the soundtrack, I strongly associate these films with Hosoda’s signature interpretation of Katsuyoshi Nakatsuru’s original Digimon Adventure character designs. Compared to the Toei-produced television series, these renditions of the Digi-Destined are charmingly off-model and move with awkward intention, like actual kids up against terrifying monsters.

In a sense, that’s what most people mean by sakuga — animation that makes us lean in and notice traits about the world and characters that can’t be communicated otherwise. Sakuga, in particular, places special emphasis on an individual animator’s keyframes, or the drawings used as a basis for in-between frames during movement. That’s what I mean by the phrase “Hosoda anime.” If you watch Summer Wars or The Girl Who Leapt Through Time enough times, anyone will notice a stylistic palette of idiosyncrasies.

Digimon Adventure “Home Away From Home” directed by Mamoru Hosoda

(Image via Hulu)

An Emerging Style

When I got older and realized there was more anime than what was on cable, I kept returning to “flat” style animation with films like Tatsuo Satō’s 2001 Cat Soup and Shōji Kawamori’s 1996 Spring and Chaos. Around this time, contemporary artist Takashi Murakami also began developing his own “superflat” style (coined in his 2000 book Superflat and later in Little Boy: The Arts of Japan's Exploding Subculture) we’ll return to. Once I got a taste for the experimental, I never turned back.

But back to Hosoda. Less focused on the details of models and more fixated on a “flat” or fluid style of movement, the key animation in Hosoda’s films makes body language a priority. This is perhaps the best thing about good sakuga — its potential to express deep emotion even under production constraints. My favorite example comes from the first Digimon short film Hosoda directed, the simply titled Digimon Adventure from 1999.

Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken!, Directed by Masaaki Yuasa

Originally conceived as a standalone for Bandai’s then-new Digital Monsters virtual pet toys, this version of Digimon is less loud, more atmospheric — and sincerely preoccupied with the question: “How would little kids actually handle a giant monster of their own?” The result is an unforgettable shot of Kairi, Tai’s little sister desperately blowing her whistle, stopping to catch her breath, then spitting and coughing in an attempt to calm down their newly evolved kaiju Greymon friend.

For the television series, Hosoda directed the episode “Home Away From,” depicting the two siblings clinging to each other as the other slowly drifts back to the Digital World. In both scenes, characters don’t constantly move, but only act when necessary via careful manipulation of the frames. This technique not only makes everything seem more “realistic,” but also acts as a visual cue for the anxiety Tai and Kairi feel. In other words, painstakingly controlled animation serves both form and function, especially when you’re selling an emotional climax of another kid-meets-monster plot.

Tomorrow’s Joe, 1980 film adaptation of the 1970 TV anime series directed by Osamu Dezaki

(Image via Retrocrush)

A Little History Lesson

After Digimon, Hosoda and Nakatsuru collaborated on films like Summer Wars and the Takashi Murakami-inspired pop art short Superflat Monogram. Hosoda is no doubt inescapable to sakuga fans today thanks to the ubiquity of his feature films. Still, Hosoda obviously wasn’t the first sakuga animator. Animators like Yasuo Ōtsuka, known for his cinematic work in a pre-Ghibli era of anime film with Toei, documented the growth ‘60s and ‘70s of Japan’s animation industry in his 2013 book Sakuga Asemamire. When the demand for films lowered in favor of anime television during that era, animators took risks. Classics of the era like Tiger Mask and Tomorrow's Joe literally held no punches, and Osamu Tezuka’s own Mushi Productions dove headfirst into experimental adult films. Animators, and especially keyframe animators, had creative control. In this perfect storm, the advent of sakuga was inevitable.

Everyman Ken Kubo is taught the ways of eighties anime in Otaku no Video

(Image via Retrocrush)

Why Bother With Sakuga?

In 2013, animation aficionado Sean Bires and company hosted an informational panel titled “Sakuga: The Animation of Anime” at Anime Central Chicago. Uploaded to YouTube that same year, this panel informed my younger self’s understanding of not just the “how” of sakuga, but the “why” it even needed to exist in anyone’s vocabulary. Accessible, meticulously researched, and full of visual references, Sean’s two-hour panel-lecture does the heavy lifting of contextualizing anime not just through a historical lens, but within the broader project of expanding cinematic techniques. This primer might sound heady, but considering the popularity of Masaaki Yuasa’s series like Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken!, and references to animator Ichirō Itano’s “Itano circus” missiles in American cartoons like DuckTales, it’s hard to say sakuga isn't relevant. Nowadays, it's practically a trope to parody one of Dezaki's most iconic shots. Supplemented by a rich community of blogs and forums, it couldn’t be easier to learn about animators like Yasuo Ōtsuka or the early days of Toei if you want a bigger picture. Blogs like Ben Ettinger’s Anipages and the aptly named Sakuga Blog are a good place to start, not to mention dozens of dedicated galleries of anime production and art books published by studios themselves. Now couldn’t be a better time to vicariously live your art school dreams through anime masterworks.

Little Nemo: Adventures in Slumberland, a 1989 film featuring animation by Yasuo Ōtsuka best known for his work on the Lupin III franchise

Sakuga Is For Everyone

Fans have always been obsessed with the technicalities of animation, even if they weren't artists. As early as 2007, uncut dubbed collector box sets for Naruto came with annotated booklets of episode storyboards. More recently, critically-acclaimed series like Shirobako further explicated this love for animation as a team effort — people love attaching other people to art. In contrast, psychological horror series like Satoshi Kon’s Paranoia Agent features an episode about an anime studio’s production going terribly wrong. Not to mention the endlessly self-referential Otaku no Video Gainax OVA and its depiction of zealous sakuga otaku. Anime fans adore watching anime be born over and over. It’s that simple.

Digimon Adventure “Home Away From Home” directed by Mamoru Hosoda

(Image via Hulu)

Today, I’d comfortably call some shots from Hosoda Digimon films great sakuga. But Koromon is still weird. Sorry. The love for sakuga isn’t a contest to one-up fans on production trivia or terminology. It’s about taking the time to appreciate the fact that anime is ultimately a collaborative artistic endeavor. From tracing back the lineage of animators like Yoshinori Kanada to Kill la Kill, to appreciating the visual sugar rush of Project A-Ko alongside slow-paced Ghibli films, “getting into sakuga” isn't a passive effort, nor a waste of time. Besides, wouldn't it be fun understanding how your favorite animator achieved your favorite scene? The phrase "labor of love" is cliché, but maybe that’s a good synonym for what role sakuga inevitably plays for artists and fans alike — work that brings you joy, no matter how you cut it. Who is your favorite animator? When did you get into sakuga? Let us know in the comments below!

Blake P. is a weekly columnist for Crunchyroll Features. His twitter is @_dispossessed. His bylines include Fanbyte, VRV, Unwinnable, and more. He actually doesn't hate Koromon.

Do you love writing? Do you love anime? If you have an idea for a features story, pitch it to Crunchyroll Features!

By: Blake Planty

#Anime #News #Latest in Anime News by Crunchyroll!

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patricksmusicblog · 4 years

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PMB Favorites: My Favorite Albums of 2020

2020 was largely year of changes that brought on a heightened sense of stress and anxiety in my life (and a lot of peoples lives as well) but when I needed it music was there to provide escapism or to color the grim and uncertain mood the year tended to bring. Here are the albums that were the soundtrack to my 2020(In no particular order). I welcome all musical recommendations.

. Squarepusher- Be Up, Hello: Squarepusher returned early in 2020 with a hard-hitting drum and bass album, filled with bright textures and poly-rhythms. The albums both exhilarating and intense listen at times. Love “Speedcrank” and “Voltrack”

Oneohtrix Point Never- Magic Oneohtrix Point Never: Released in the 4th quarter of the year Oneohtrix Point Never came through with an album strongly inspired by his love of radio growing up Magic 106.7 to be specific. The result is an album of diverse styles of pop, rock, hip-hop etc blended into the plunder-phonics that Oneohtrix fans have come to know, great project.

Lady Gaga- Chromatica: Chromatica is Lady Gaga's triumphant return to dance-pop after getting personal with Joanne (2016) and doing the Star is Born soundtrack. Chromatica, like Gaga's early work, is packed with hits and catchy tunes, i.e., the Ariana Grande assisted "Rain on Me" and "Stupid love," a great pop album and one of my favorite albums from Lady Gaga thus far.

TOPS-I Feel Alive: Tops are a band that has been progressing with each release. This album is a beautiful mix of indie-pop/dream pop that features the summery title track and the brisk synth-driven "Colder and Closer." It is one of the better indie-pop releases this year.

Dream Wife-So When You Gonna...”: Dream Wife typically has a high octane and raucous sound. So When You Gonna... calms things down a bit. They go more in-depth on this project with songs about keeping sexual agency, not seeking validation from others, and staying true to yourself. It has nearly the energy of their previous self titled LP but with lyrical depth.

Hinds-The Prettiest Curse: Hinds have gotten better with every album. The Prettiest Curse is their best thus far. The Prettiest Curse finds them expanding their sound with more lavish production and some synth-pop in there to go along with their garage rock sound. A few Great tracks on here but "Good Bad Times" and "Take Me Back" are amongst my favorites.

Nas- King’s Disease: Nas's Kings Disease maybe the best Nas release since at least Untitled and probably since the early 00s. A lot of that has to do with producer Hit-Boy who provided Nas the canvas to create a wise and timely album. "Ultra Black," "Til the War is Won" with Lil Durk, and "10 Points" are amongst my favorites on the album.

Westside Gunn- Pray for Paris: Griselda Records was dominant in 2020. Westside Gunn is a big part of that in that he released two great albums this year. The first of which was the menacing but luxurious Pray for Paris. The beats are hard and classy, and Westside's rhymes are both street and opulent/artful. "$500 Ounces", "Shawn vs. Flair," "George Bando," and "327″ are essential.

Westside- Gunn- Who Made The Sunshine: The second great album by Westside was Who Made The Sunshine. This album is a darker ominous project that sounds like quintessential Griselda. Built for grey skies and dark times, it was great on overcast days late this year. "The Butcher and the Blade," "98 Sabers and "All Praises" are my favorites on this one.

Conway The Machine- From a King to a God: Conway The Machine's From a King to a God may be the best album from the camp this year. It's an album that spans both street tales, introspection, and some social commentary. It's also found Conway getting as personal as he's gotten any album thus far. The album features high-level production from Hit-Boy, Daringer, DJ Premier, etc. "Spurs 3″, "Dough & Damani", are my favorites here.

Benny The Butcher-Burden of Proof: Rounding out the Griselda releases to make my 2020 favorites is Benny The Butcher's Burden of Proof. Burden of Proof is handled 100% by Hit-Boy, who gives Benny's hard-nosed rhymes a bit of pristine sheen without taking anything away from Benny's style. There's no real reaching here, and it ends up being an album that shows Benny can be versatile. "One Way Flight," "Timeless," "War Paint," and "Legend" rank amongst my favorites on the album.

Freddie Gibbs- Alfredo: Been following Freddie Gibbs since Pinata with Madlib in 2014, and it seems as though he hasn't missed since. I loved his 2019 project Bandanna, and Alfredo is another excellent project. Alchemist handles the production here and does a great job providing a backdrop for Freddie's fluid and vivid rhymes. There's the measured reminiscing of "Babies & Fools," the soaring "1985″, the shadowy menace of "God is Perfect," essential hip-hop listens for 2020.

Royce Da 5′9-Allegory: Royce Da 5′9 follows up his excellent Book of Ryan (not to mention PRhyme with DJ Premier) with Allegory. While his last album was decidedly a personal effort, this one finds him using his lyrical gymnastics on being the best and spitting knowledge on what's going on in rap and in general. "I Play Forever," "Tricked," "Overcomer" are the favorites here.

Princess Nokia- Everything is Beautiful: Everything is Beautiful is in my opinion, the better of two albums; Princess Nokia released in the early part of 2020, an album that finds Princess Nokia reflecting on what made her coming up in her childhood. Elastic flows and charisma with eclectic production from the likes of Adam Pallin and Tony Seltzer. Favorite cuts on this are "Green Eggs and Ham," "Wash and Sets," and "The Conclusion."

Logic-No Pressure: Logic came full circle on this album from 2014 Under Pressure to his current and (for now) final release No Pressure. No Pressure may be his best album. It's consistent all the way through, it wears its influences on its sleeve than previous albums, and it's not a knee-jerk reaction album done based on what people want from him, and it's not corny. It feels closest to pure Logic that sounds like he's just spitting about where he's at in life(dadbod) and finding peace within himself. I love this LP.

Jeezy- Recession 2: Jeezy's one of those rappers that is just solid, you know what to expect, thunderous beats, hood motivation music. Even still, Jeezy's music continues to mature as he does, touching on the ills of the ghetto, police brutality, and putting your monetary priorities in the right place. "Modern Day," "Back," "Almighty Black Dollar" are amongst my favorites here.

Roc Marciano- Mt. Marci: Roc Marciano's Mt. Marci is a darkly beautiful album. The album features collages of different soundscapes that are generally classy and ominous. Of course, Roc's stoic monotone flow continuously reeling off-kilter references and punchlines is the album's centerpiece. Roc's flow is just cold-blooded. "Covid Cough," "Downtown 81″, "Wheat 40s", and "Butterfly Effect" are among the livest tracks on this album, in my opinion.

Run The Jewels-RTJ4: Killer Mike and EL-P kill it every time they drop, and RTJ4 is no different. It's another album of high octane/great beats from EL-P and essential bars from Killer Mike and EL-P. As you'd expect, RTJ speaks to lots of issues going on today while at the same time going crazy to one-up each other bar for bar. "Ooh La La," "Out of Sight," "Never Look Back," and "Pulling the Pin" are the highlights of the project to my ears.

Megan Thee Stallion-Good News: Megan Thee Stallion has been dope since Tina Snow. Whether it's Fever or Suga, you can expect both skill and top-notch charisma and confidence from Meg’. If you've heard those projects, you know you can expect to hear Meg taking explicit agency of her sexuality, partying, rappin' her ass off, and generally commanding these tracks. There's also the drama with Tory Lanez, but the album, fortunately, isn't weighed down with ways about that. Favorites on this album include "Shots Fired," "Savage(Remix), "Movie," "Girls In The Hood."

21 Savage & Metro Boomin- Savage Mode II: 21 Savage and Metro Boomin's original Savage Mode was bleak and brooding enough to launch 21 Savage careers, and this one is similarly cold-hearted. Still, there are more varied styles of savagery here, whether we're talking the 80′s inspired "Steppin' On Niggas” or the more pop-orientated "Mr. Right Now" or the inspirational/introspective "Said N Done."

#My Favorite Albums of 2020 #20 Albums #Music Blogs #Music Favorites #Lady Gaga #griselda #21 savage #TOPS #dream wife #Hinds #Jeezy #megan thee stallion #roc marciano #Freddie gibbs #RTJ #princess nokia #Square pusher #oneohtrix point never

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the-darklings · 4 years

Text

—𝗖𝗢𝗔 𝗙𝗔𝗤;

Hello, everyone! So with COA being such a long-running series and new readers finding it constantly, I have come to realise that a lot of questions I get often repeat. So to keep everything easy and clear and friendly for everyone regardless of whether you started COA at the very beginning of the story or just recently found it, I have spent the day relaxing, eating junk food, and compiling this FAQ. Please read through it because chances are the answers are here somewhere. I have sectioned the guide into following: general, story, ships, original squad (OCs), AUS, OC!V and tips/advice. If the answer to your question is not here, please feel free to send me a message and have a wonderful day! <33 - kat.

GENERAL:

when does this story update?

I try to keep a bi-weekly schedule (now usually Sunday updates). But I always let you know when the chapter is done by making a final word count post (pre edits).

do you have a masterlist?

yes, you can find it here.

do you have a tag list?

not for COA. they’re very time consuming and I’m already really busy sorry :(

are your requests open?

I rarely open my inbox for requests. the only exception being the monthly blurb nights. then I reblog a prompt list and let people send some requests in for any fandom/ship. however, usually due to how many I get, it only happens every few months. that being said, you can still send me ideas/suggestions and if it inspires me, I will write it. that’s how the majority of the AUs have come about. but i’m also a very busy person so sorry if I can’t.

can I make X or Y for COA and tag you?

yes. yes. yes. please, please, feel free to create whatever for COA (no matter how small or silly) because I consider it a great honour that I’ve been able to inspire someone else. whatever it is, please tag me. I wanna see.

okay, I made a thing and tagged you but you didn’t respond :(

Tumblr is notorious for eating my notifs. whatever it is (art/post/etc) if I don’t respond to it in a day or two, please give me a nudge. you’re not being annoying, I promise. chances are I missed it/tumblr ate it.

I wanna scream/discuss/theorise about COA with others, is there any way for me to do that?

my amazing readers have set up this reddit page that is full of lovely people, theories, and memes etc. I check it often and interact on there, too, so feel free to drop by.

STORY:

how many chapters will COA be?

25. the last one being a very long epilogue.

have you decided on the ending yet?

yes. from as early as part 2. it's barely changed since.

will we ever see more of Prague/Naples? hoe, please say yes.

yes. I plan to write both as COA bonus stories after the main story-line concludes.

will there be a sequel?

depends. on two things: 1) if anyone will even care by that point 2) time. this story has consumed 5 months of my life entirely. i’ve been incredibly strict with myself when it comes to writing it (in a good way) but at best it won’t be finished till the end of august/beginning of september. so likely even if I do, there will be a break for a few months at least. I do have ideas though.

you promised us smut. where is it?

patience is a virtue. ;)

happy ending or tragedy? (please don’t say tragedy, you monster)

I would describe it more as “bittersweet” but whether it leans more towards bitter or sweet you’ll have to see.

SHIPS:

any endgame hints?

you know more about the ending than you probably realise

can v/s finally go to Paris? for the love of GOD? pLEASE?

hector + v? powerful. will there be more of them in the future?

agreed & yes. hector and v have their own arc to go on. it’s actually one of my favourites in this story. I don’t want to say more than that right now because I have plans for their dynamic so no spoilers. :)

please stop bullying john. give us some j/v content please?

i, for one, adore john. it’s team S that’s bullying him lol. but wait till parabellum. i’ve always referred to that portion of the story as the second coming of j/v.

does lucien actually have a thing for v or is it a creepy obsession?

it’s both.

I ship v with everyone :/ is that bad?

the sky is the limit. ship all the things proudly (but seriously, no, it isn’t. I ship all the ships, too, and that’s the fun of it)

v/elder tho? 👀

🔫🤡

j/v or s/v? be honest.

you fool,,,, you buffoon. ot3 j/v/s is where it’s really at. imagine their POWER.

ORIGINAL SQUAD:

what do the Elites/Lovers look like/how old are they?

please refer to this

will there be more step??

of course. he’s my baby. :)

will we see more of camorra/learn more about the elite’s and their backstories?

while I would love to take the time and flesh them all out with full backstories, only hector will be getting his backstory explored in the main canon because plot.

does lucien care for mika anymore or has he replaced her with v?

lucien is a messy hoe. mika is his subject of “affection” but v is his foil and equal. he recognises the same hurt in her that he has gone through himself so it’s more of a fixation. with time, lucien would likely destroy v so no bueno.

I ship our OCs.

I do, too.

can we write about your OCs/V?

so you would have to come to me and discuss this more in private but I’m fine with this sort of thing usually. in fact, a prequel hector story already exists so you’re likely good but please contact me first.

AUs:

when/how often do you update the vampire!au?

whenever I have time/inspo. mainly time. so this means you can get it daily or not get it for several weeks because COA is priority. I keep you all updated on when I have something cooking tho.

what is the actual pairing for vamp!au?

undecided as of yet. i’m leaning more towards ot3 right now but we shall see.

how often do you update flowing in me?

same as the above. whenever I have the time but I will keep you updated.

how many parts will flowing in me be?

I have 5 parts(ish) planned.

do you have a tag list for flowing in me?

I will. please leave a comment on the story if you want to be tagged in future parts!

will flowing in me feature other characters (john, winston etc.)?

this story is mainly camorra-centric but I do plan for John to appear at some point.

how did you come up with your lore in vamp!au?

to be completely honest....I just wrote a bunch of stuff down and used what stuck. mostly the ideas were pulled out of thin air while still trying to keep within the spirit of the canon material (the high priest, the holy church, the twelve priests, john being the boogeyman etc). camorra as the natural enemy seemed fitting and santino as a vampire prince even more so.

can we send you new au ideas/expand on old ones (manager!V etc)?

yes, always. I always try my hardest to reply but ofc I can’t promise I’ll be able to use them all but thank you in advance.

OC!V:

who is the face claim for OC!V?

weronika spyrka

what is her real name?

clara

how old is she at the beginning of the story and now?

23 beginning of chapter 1, 30 beginning of chapter 4 (current timeline)

will/would you ever write an original story about her?

I have considered creating something original out of COA itself or one of its sister series/concepts (like FIM). since I really started working on COA during last year’s NaNo, that might be the time I create something original this year.

TIPS & ADVICE:

how do you write so much, so quickly?

I don’t think that word count is really reflective of the quality work itself. I don’t think you should worry how much you write, either. 100 words can be just as valuable as 1k. most of them time I have a deadline breathing down my neck and I do work well under pressure so that inspires me to force the chapters out. I also do very long days because despite what it might look like I’m not a fast writer.

how can I improve my writing?

read and practice. I know it’s dumb and overused advice but it’s how I learned english and found my style (still a mess and WIP) but still this advice does help.

how do you keep motivated?

spite, your support, genuine adoration for these characters/word, a lot of spite.

do you plan? outline?

I have a vague story outline with specific scenes in mind as I go along (helps to set up foreshadowing, twists, and those ‘full circle’ moments). I also plan each chapter scene by scene and know what each chapter is meant to accomplish. So yeah in a sense.

#i will add more in the future if it comes to mind #with this future parts coming up i imagine more questions will repeat lol #faq post #fic: children of ares

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thecreaturecodex · 5 years

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Daemon, Draconadaemon

[Commissioned by @cupofsorrows, using the names generated by the Neural Network Fantasy Creatures. With as many dragons and daemons as are in Pathfinder, no wonder it decided to mash two of them together. So seeing that name, I was inspired by a previous mash-up. Demodragon originally appeared in the 1980s Dungeons and Dragons cartoon, presumably because they wanted to use Demogorgon, but referring to demons was verboten in that era of Satanic Panic. The first and only time official stats for Demodragon were printed was in a late issue of Dungeon Magazine, where the art above came from. My draconadaemon uses that article as a launching point, but I’ve made them smarter and stripped out some of the abilities directly based on stuff in the cartoon episode.]

Daemon, Draconadaemon CR 19 NE Outsider This two-headed, multicolored dragon has a goatish aspect, with curling horns and short beards beneath both its chins. Its long tail ends in a cluster of blades, and it has hooves tipping its four muscular legs. Instead of wings, six tentacles grow like a cape from its back and shoulders.

A draconadaemon is a metaphysical imprint of the power of dragons. They represent both the death of dragons and death by dragons. As such, draconadaemons are phenomenally powerful, among the strongest of the non-unique daemons. They enjoy hunting dragons for sport, killing them in the prime of life but before they can grow too strong.

In combat, a draconadaemon typically opens with both its breath weapons, one a line of scarlet fire, one a line of cyan cold. Any creatures that survive this dual onslaught are brought to heel by their natural weapons. Draconadaemons are skilled at using magical items, and often supplement their physical powers with spells that augment their defenses or mobility. They use their tentacles both to wield magic items and to steal the items of their enemies. Perhaps ironically, weapons and spells designed to slay true dragons are also effective against draconadaemons, and a wise draconadaemon will make countering such abilities its first priority in battle.

Most draconadaemons mimic their draconic models by lairing in remote reaches of Abaddon. As a reflection of draconic ideals, they are greedier than most daemons and covet treasure. Draconadaemons enjoy bossing lesser daemons around, but respect the power of the Horsemen. Although some serve one Horseman or their harbingers exclusively, most are free agents. Draconadaemons are skilled liars and actors, and some enjoy pretending to be a simple beast in order to keep their foes off guard.

A draconadaemon stands fifty feet high and is longer than 100 feet from noses to the tips of its tail.

Draconadaemon CR 19 XP 204,800 NE Colossal outsider (daemon, extraplanar, evil) Init +4; Senses arcane sight, blindsense 120 ft., darkvision 60 ft., Perception +29 Aura frightful presence (300 ft., Will DC 26, 5d6 rounds) Defense AC 37, touch 7, flat-footed 37 (-8 size, +5 deflection, +29 natural) hp 310 (20d10+200) Fort +18, Ref +14, Will +18; +8 vs. spells DR 15/good; Immune acid, death effects, disease, poison; Resist cold 10, electricity 10, fire 10; SR 30 Defensive Abilities slippery mind; Weakness dragon blooded Offense Speed 50 ft. Melee 2 bites +25 (2d8+13), tail slap +23 (1d12+19), 6 tentacles +23 (1d8+6) Space 30 ft.; Reach 30 ft. Special Attacks breath weapons (200 ft. line, 15d6 fire or 15d6 cold, Ref DC 30, 1d4 rounds), powerful blows (tail slap), shattering breath, swift items, trample (DC 33, 4d6+19) Spell-like Abilities CL 19th, concentration +26 Constant—arcane sight, protection from spells, shield of faith At will—fire shield, greater teleport (self plus 50 lbs. objects only) 3/day—air walk, greater dispel magic, heroism 1/day—meteor swarm (DC 25), summon (2 yagnodaemons, 70%, 9th level) Statistics Str 36, Dex 11, Con 31, Int 19, Wis 22, Cha 22 Base Atk +20; CMB +41 (+43 disarm, +45 sunder); CMD 56 (58 vs. disarm or sunder) Feats Combat Expertise, Greater Sunder, Improved Disarm, Improved Initiative, Improved Sunder, Lightning Reflexes, Magical Aptitude, Multiattack, Power Attack, Quick Draw Skills Appraise +27, Bluff +29, Intimidate +26. Knowledge (arcana) +27, Knowledge (planes) +27, Perception +29, Sense Motive +29, Spellcraft +31, Swim +33, Use Magic Device +33 Languages Abyssal, Draconic, Infernal, telepathy 100 ft. Ecology Environment any land or underground (Abaddon) Organization solitary Treasure double standard Special Abilities Breath Weapons (Su) A draconadaemon can use one breath weapon as a standard action and both as a full-round action. Its breath weapons each take 1d4 rounds to recharge separately. Dragon Blooded (Ex) A draconadaemon counts as both an evil outsider and a dragon for the purposes of spells and effects that depend on creature type. Shattering Breath (Su) A draconadaemon’s breath weapons ignore the hardness of objects and creatures. Slippery Mind (Ex) If a draconadaemon is affected by an enchantment spell or effect and fails its saving throw, it may attempt a second saving throw 1 round later at the same DC. It only gets one extra chance to succeed on this saving throw. Swift Items (Ex) A draconadaemon can use a spell completion or spell trigger item as a swift action. Tail Slap (Ex) A draconadaemon’s tail slap attack deals slashing and bludgeoning damage.

#draconadaemon #daemon #demodragon #D&D #pathfinder 1e

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