#but thats ok! thats what ocs in harnesses are for

[clerichs-xi]

really finding out how much ive grown in the last couple of years (opened insta and didn't immediately feel terrible when seeing my fave artist)

[pineappleciders]

I am in LOVE with your art <3 do you have any tips for beginner artists ? 👾

HELLO i am so glad you enjoy my art!!! i wanna preface this by saying i am by no means amazing at art or drawing so take everything with a grain of salt!! i think i've done a post like this before but i can do it again!!

ive found that if you grew up drawing it's a lot easier to get into it and be better at it,, ive been drawing for as long as i can remember ans i still have a bunch of my really old drawings from lkke 2015-2019 (everything before is probbaly with my dad cuz he was in love with my art as a kid)

so i do think its a bit more difficult to get into it if you didn't start out early, but don't let that discourage you in any way.

eveb if you aren't a super creative person or weren't labeled the "art kid" in school, chances are there's a lot of potential and creativity bubbling under the surface that you just need to activate!

i feel like a lot of people say that you shouldn't 'copy' artstyles or whatever when starting out, but i think that's probably the best way to find what you want to draw! like, if you form an art style off of yourube tutorials or your favorite artist, as you keep drawing and practicing you'll start to stem off into your own style.

you can look up tutorials for any type of drawing you want to create, like realism, anime, cartoonish, whatevwr you'd like to start out with, go for it.

and then just practice! i knwo everyone says that but it's genuinely the only way to form your own artstyle and avtually enjoy what you make. you can make ocs, fanart, scenery, whatever makes you happy. thats what art is all about, is something that you want to express and expressing it!

i think the biggeat thing is to not be hars on yourself. it may take awhile before you're completely happy with your art, and it might even be never. everyone is constantly improving in their art, nothign is ever going to stay the same while drawing. and that's okay! i think that's why it's so beautiful; because you can enver blame yourself for heing 'bad' because at one point in time, that drawing was amazing. to you, or anyone else like your parent or friends, that art was beautiful.

ok i got a little philosophical there but basically don't be scared to copy art styles and keep drawing them because eventually you'll stem off into your own thing even if it's just a variation it's still ur own art. all of us have subconsciously or consciously taken traiys from other peoples art styles and incorporated it into our own, but aomehow all of it looks different!!!!

don't make art into somethting stressful for you if you don't want to. let drawing be whatever you want, a pastime, hobby, job, life, whatever art is to you, own it.

idk if anythinf in this made sense but remember art is to express! a blank canvas at your fingertips. ily and i hope your art journey is fabulous

[meiuya]

ok well this has just been sitting in my drafts for a little while i was going to just keep them in there but i want everyone who is going to scroll through my blog to look at my central country mahoyaku promise of wizard horses actually. thanks everyone<3

[troop52]

do u !!! have any character theme songs for the troop boys? Like any songs you think really fits them (and why u think it fits)?

THATS A GREAT QUESTION!!

Before I get into it Im going to plug this collaborative Troop Playlist on Spotify, feel free to add onto it!! Continuing with my picks

I think a lot of the songs I associate with The Troop in general are just because I happened to listen to them around the same time I got into the book in the first place (So they could only be tangentially related BUT only if you squint hard) Example: Drunk by The Living Tombstone, cant really tie it into the story but in my mind its linked Some better, more fitting songs under the cut (Side note its LONGGG IM SORRY... Also its all YouTube links because some of these arent on Spotify :'^()

Disclaimer -Like 95% of my choices arent really a "These lyrics match up exactly 1 to 1" but more of an overall "the vibe/general idea its trying to capture lines up" type thing. If that makes sense.

Its Alright by Jack Stauber: Kind of self explanatory, I think its a perfect song for these guys. From "It's alright, I'm here, Everything's alright, Feels weird but calm, I wanna hear It's alright" to the whole sound of it- its all great. Equal parts distressing and sad with an almost eerie calmness to it. Despite it all theyre gonna be alright, right?

The Second Little Piggy by Worthikids: Another one that I think is sort of self explanatory- at least with the chorus. "If my brain turns to mush, If the shit hits the fan, Will you be my friend?" Kind of the falling apart of everything, specifically their relationships, in light of the incident.

Poor George by James Supercave: Another case of "listened to at the same time I read the book" BUT I was actually making a Troop PMV script with that song. I never finished it but maybe Ill revisit it... just for you

Cold Summer by Le Matos ft Computer Magic: I dont even think this takes place in the summer but the VIBES and also it came from Summer of 84, which is another good piece of murder boy media.

Treehouse by Alex G ft Emily Yacina: This is a Eef and Max type of song because they are bffs and thats final. Basic song because Im not creative, but I think its a nice heart to heart theyd have (with Eef doing the talking)

Fifteen Minuets by Nick Krol: On the flipside heres a song that goes with Eef and Maxs friendship fracturing, once again more from Eefs side than Maxs. THE GIRLS ARE FIGHTINGGG

As far as songs for the boys as individuals hmmm thats a good one that I havent thought about as much...

MAX + The Ghosts by The Real Tuesday Weld: That survivors guilt... lyrics arent like a perfect match but I think it gets that sort of hollow feeling across. Hes haunted man... + Final Girl by Electric Youth: Ok its a little funny because har har Final Girl Trope but I mean HE IS ONE. ANd dont look at me its a nice song- "Others were gone, and you kept going on, You know they never really noticed, you were always different, One by one, They're all done, And you're the last one standing" + Going Grazy by Lonesome Wyatt and the Holy Spooks: HONESTLY this could go for all the characters but Im tagging it onto Max because hes the one who has to deal with the aftermath of losing everyone (sorry survivors guilt Max again </3) "Everyone's saying my mind is unsound, 'Cause I always see you when you aren't around" "They're gonna wrap me in a jacket of white, And lock me away in a room without light" is what cements it as a Max song for me

EEF + The Existential Threat by Sparks: Once again starting sad, I link this one specifically to his paranoia about the worms- especially with lines like "Can't they see the existential threat is on its way". Kind of exasperated no one else can see the danger (he thinks) hes in. + Wrecking Ball by Mother Mother: I know I know its basic but I cant help it!!! Eef anger issues arc we are shaking hands me too + Haunted by Laura Les: Eef struggles with people seeing him as "just like his father" and I think we can get some good angst out of this track if we keep that in mind. Especially the back half of the song with lyrics like "Do you think I'm frightening?" and "Mirrors shatter when I'm passing, broken glass and crashing" since he is just a reflection of his dad (to others at least). Also song good.

KENT + Goodbye Mr A by The Hoosiers: Mfw the disillusionment with authority sets in. I think the vibe fits when he had that little epiphany about how adults are fucked- not perfect but it gets the idea across me thinks. + I'm Gonna Win by Rob Cantor: Ties into his need to "win" aka be the best at everything, be in charge, all that jazz! Hell do whatever it takes to be successful, even if it hurts. That was a little emo + Toba the Tura by Forgive Durden ft Chris Conley: Not to be emo again but "They say you're gifted, well I just see a scared kid. They must have flipped it, your skills are latent. O, you snuffed the glow. Replaced it with coals. Threw away the throne... This mess that you've made, it's a six-foot grave. It's a home for your lonesome bones that remain. We'll disappear, but you'll stay here to rot" AND SO ON AND SO FOURTH representing his fall after it was revealed he was sick. He was referred to as "the uncrowned king" and was on top of the world but then POOF that all crumbled and it was made out that he basically deserved what happened to him. It would be fun to make a pmv of him with this song (Simplifying my thoughts a bit because Ive already written a LOT)

NEWT + I Earn My Life by Lemon Demon: Ok a little Kentcore but Im actually having a hard time coming up with songs for Newton so here we are, they can share. Newt existential crisis moment time I guess + Know How by The Crane Wives: POV Newt struggles with going through with the plans he makes to keep everyone safe (stopping Max from touching Kent, going back into the cabin, etc) "I am not brave, I am not brave, I keep my focus on what is safe, You drew a line, made up your mind, And now I'm struggling to realize" And also maybe struggling with his place in the group and as a person in general- all that living through his cousin thing. "I gotta wrap my head around, What my heart is telling me, I've been trying to drown it out, Just because I know what I am, I am supposed to do now, Doesn't mean I know, Doesn't mean I know how" + On The Outside by Oingo Boingo: Idk man. Hes on the outside lookin in!! Loner nerd!! Its ok though, we still love him

SHEL + Bad Blood by Creature Feature: The lyrics speak for themselves: "I can guarantee I will do evil things, The only way that you can stop me now, Is if you put me in the ground, Somewhere I'll never be found" + Frontier Psychologist by The Avalanches: Hinges on the fact that the principal or whoever was like "Your sons a freak" and Shels mom was like "HES PERFECTLY FINE" while Shelley was like dismembering an animal or something + Johnny by American Murder Song: The songs good but theres this ONE LYRIC that sucks so the link provided is an edited version and also a lovely Warriors oc video I think you should all enjoy and support <3 Anyway Shel would be Johnny I could see this song being a scene in the book. Field trip to Shels house and they find his murder garden

If anyone wants more for Im not opposed to making another post :^)

[feathers-in-the-night]

Do you have any advice on writing/creating ocs? Thank you!

Usually it starts out with just a small ‘hey what if...’ and then the person sort of grows in your mind, developing and growing bigger, more detailed (Like an actual pregnancy lol)

A lot of the time, your oc’s personality hinges a lot on what kind of story you’re writing. Georgia is a lot more chill and ‘average’ than Morgan, whose personality is a lot more dramatic and ‘loud’. This is both because Georgia is a mostly well-adjusted grown up woman, with a background thats a lot less stressful than Morgan’s, but also because Georgia is the lead in a very character driven, not particularly action packed romance story. If her story had been a movie, it would’ve been a feel-good chick flick (my fav kind of movie lmao) 

Morgan, however, is the lead in a story thats a lot bigger than her. Her character needs to be a lot stronger, more dramatic, to stand out against all the crazy stuff happening around her. She wouldn’t fit in the kind of narrative that Georgia was in, just as Georgia wouldn’t be a good lead in the kind of story Morgan was in. 

So you need to ask yourself what kind of story you’re writing, and what kind of main character you need to make it work. 

Also, dont be afraid to pick and choose things from your OWN personality. We should write what we know, to a certain extend, and that definitely includes your characters traits. Georgia definitely gets her hermit tendencies from me, as well as her artistic flair, and her hopelessly romantic outlook on life (How do you think i managed to write the woman accepting her crush will never love her back so convincingly lmao) 

In a lot of ways, Morgan isn’t as much like me as Georgia was. Morgan is SUCH a Gryffindor, while I’m a pure Slytherin. She’s a lot stronger than me and not as afriad of what others will think of her. There are a few things though, but mostly in the looks department: She’s short, blonde and har grey eyes.Morgan gets her sarcasm from me and is not always so good with new people. Most importantly, she’s half danish, which means i get to insert a lot of my own culture in her, which I’ve immensely enjoyed. 

People give a lot of flack for writing ‘selfinserts’, but the truth is, the more you insert aspects of your own personality in your character, the easier it is to write that character. Just dont make is super obvious. And dont be afraid to add things thats NOT like your own personality, its always fun to try and guess how someone with a different personality would react in whatever situation they’re in. Just don’t make it harder for yourself than necessary. 

Alright,, i feel like I’m rambling a bunch. Basically: 

1. Ask yourself what you need from your character to make the story flow

2. For every strenght you give your character, you should thinkg of a flaw too

3. Is this character an extrovert or an introvert? Knowing this is a super good beginning bc that aspect is super fundamental to how your character works around other people

4. What is their background? Parents? Siblings? Give them a detailed history, because our histories shape our personality. For example: I went to a school in 4th grade where i was rejected by the other kids and i was alone a lot, so now I’m scared of rejection and I hate being alone in a crowd because it feels humiliating. This is something i know about myself: It’s a weakness, but its also part of mer personality, and something I’m working on overcoming every day (See, in a character, this would be an interesting flaw to make the characterwork through) 

5. Maybe do some research on different personalities. the Meyers Briggs personality test is always a good place to start

6. Give them some interests, quirks and so on. Little things that arent necessarily important to the plot, but just serve to give the character some depth. Something that gives the reader a sense that this is a well rounded character: Georgia likes painting and star gazing and trying out new dishes. Morgan reads classics, she likes historical chick flicks and she has the kind of red-green colorblindness that distorts the colors when they’re next to each other (my sister and dad has this. I do too, to some small extend) 

7. Character profiles!!!!! Go on the internet and find a character profile that asks you a whole bunch of questions about your character that you should consider, and then answer all of them. You’ll know your character a lot better by the end. But make sure the answers make sense. You cant just decide that your character is distrustful of old people, there has to be a reason. Maybe her grandfather turned out to be a mob boss of some sort (lame example but ok) Just remember that traits dont just show up one day. They happen for a reason, so find the thing in the characters past that create this strenght or flaw. 

Most importantly, remember: Everytime you react to something, your reaction is subconsciously influenced by your past, but also your core personality. Morgan starts out really angry, but she mellows out, because anger wasn’t her core personality: It was a product of her past. Once she starts working on overcoming her past and her insecurities, she stops being angry and in the defense all the time. Your character should change and grow during the story. Sometimes, you make that change subconsciously, other times, you should make an effort to remember what direction your character is heading. Be sure you know what your characters core personality is, and which parts of their personality is ccaused by their past. 

Ok wow i need to stop now. I hope this helped! If you have further questions or something I didn’t cover, don’t hesitate to ask more. I can try to give you a shorter answer next time ^^