#having such a short haircut is the most ''unique'' part of the design but

[watermelonsloth]

So... Sarada's Timeskip Design

First some positives:

The design works in both Haruno(choker, red) and Uchiha(earrings, black) elements. Even though they are few, I prefer it over the complete absence of both like we got in her last manga design

I like the somewhat unique choice in headband placement

The outfit is pretty fashionable and I can easily picture a teenager wearing it

Her earrings are a nice touch

Her haircut is really cute

Now the negatives(oh god are there negatives). I can't shorten this to simple bullet points so I hope you like the paragraph format. First, the obvious:

It Doesn't Look Practical In The Least

She's wearing big-ass heels, her leg warmers are loose enough to get caught under her feet, her shorts(the bottom half of her romper?) are short enough to give her a wedgie, she has pretty much no leg protection, the shuriken holster attached to her leg without bandages looks uncomfortable, the belt is completely useless, her jacket is baggy and unzipped and begging to fall off, her sleeves look like they'd get in the way during combat, her glasses feel noticeably fragile, and what woman in their right mind would wear a strapless bra into combat? (I can only let the last one slide because it's two men who're working on this manga) If not for the metal plate, shuriken holster, and open-toed shoes, I wouldn't even think she was a ninja(or from the Naruto franchise, for that matter). Lack of practicality doesn't tend to bother me since this is fantasy and every character wearing maximum practicality outfits would get boring, but Sarada looks like they didn't even make an attempt at making her look combat ready. Still, all of this would be fine if not for my next point.

This Doesn't Look Like Something Sarada Would Wear

If impracticality was in character or served a narrative purpose, it would be a point in the designs favor. Except, Sarada isn't the type of character to wear something so impractical. In the manga, she's the character that takes being a ninja the most seriously, she's one of the few with clear goals, and she's the resident team leader and smart one. What part of her design tells us any of that? Yes, manga Sarada is weirdly flirtatious. But that aspect of her personality already contradicts her otherwise disinterest in boys and romance, it doesn't mesh well with her portrayal in the anime(which is also supposed to be canon), it's already an inconsistent part of her personality, and there's already been so many complaints about it(even in Japan from what I can tell) that you'd think that Ikemoto wouldn't continue with it.

Why Does It Invoke So Much Akatsuki?

This might just be me, but I think the design has too many nods to the Akatsuki. The oversized jacket, the fabric around the bottom of her leg, and the black, red, and white/silver color scheme in similar ratios. I'm not saying you'll confuse her for an Akatsuki member by any means and there were certainly more things they could've done to make her resemble the Akatsuki if that was their goal. What I'm saying is that if I were trying to make nods towards the former villain organization in a character's design, I'd use similar design elements.

The worst part is that this was entirely avoidable. Even ignoring that they could've scrapped the more impractical aspects of her design to avoid this, her color palette didn't even have to be this way. Red isn't the only color that can invoke connections to Sakura; shades of pink, light green, and white are also colors of Sakura. Black isn't even the most common color that Uchiha's wear, shades of dark purple and blue are. Purples and blues would've also been a better nod to Sasuke. Maybe they wanted her to wear "Uchiha colors," but, once again, those aren't really Uchiha colors. Black is, but red has only appeared in Madara's armor, the sharingan, and the clan crest and white has also only appeared in the clan crest(I don't even remember an Uchiha that ever wore silver). If you wanna argue that Sarada's color is red, then I ask why wouldn't they just keep red as her primary color instead of making it an accent? Her last manga design had black and white as accents, I don't think keeping her color palette the same would've bothered anyone. I know that Kishimoto added black to Naruto's design to help make him look more mature, but Sarada's design doesn't invoke "mature" anyways and it certainly isn't a more mature version of her last design because, much like the majority of the two blue vortex designs, it looks nothing like her last design. It's even worse than when they started adding too much black to Naruto's design because now it reminds people(or at least me) of an organization that I doubt she's meant to be affiliated with. But who knows? Maybe like the metal plate of her headband being on an easily removeable jacket, this is all foreshadowing to something.

I don't blame anyone for thinking this is a nitpick, but it bothers me and I wanted to express it.

Conclusion

Sarada's design is the worst for the same reasons her last design was the worst plus it looking too much like she took inspiration from the Akatsuki's wardrobe. Forget needing a second draft, this design needs to be scrapped and replaced. Maybe the anime will find a way to fix it, maybe it won't. Only time will tell and it'll hopefully tell us good news.

(Side note: why is she constantly drawn with her feet pointed inwards? it makes her look insecure.)

[et103]

Ooh ooh I have a silly to share about this!

So this list is fucking insane, no doubt about it. Just looking up the word futa will give you some true golden entries. But a very particular entry I find incredibly amusing.

You couldn't know this before, but Limbus Company USED TO be red on this list. Main reason being some weird drama stirred up last year that led to jack shit (if Molar association and bodysuits bring back memories of Twitter shit then you know what I'm talking about and I'm very sorry). Very long and meaningless story short, weirdos called it radfem and the list followed through. Why did it bounce back, even after prominent community members had a whole month of events for PRIDE? Most likely the main target of the harassment stepping down for her own safety and media covering it like she was fired, but it gives a very particular insight to how deep their effort goes.

Because two particular characters in this game are DEFINITELY what these idiots would consider "woke" and their sneaking out of detection is still fucking hilarious. (this post ended up pretty long whoops)

Enter stage right, Dante!

This lil amnesiac is the Narrative First Person for this game and has a unique personality as far as gacha games go in that he isn't a self insert. No dialogue options, you're seeing this personification of a practically newborn supernatural baby adult navigate waking up with a clock for a head and with 12 lives at his whim with no prior experience as far as one can be aware.

They also go by he/they pronouns.

No clue if it's a translation oversight or the writers being based but each character either addresses them by name, as male or as nb. He's nowhere near high status or powerful enough for people to use the polite they, in fact he is part of a fledgling company and he himself is barely treated as a manager for several chapters of the story and Dante themself has not addressed this whatsoever. Love it.

Enter stage left, Don Quixote!

Before you look up anything or continue scrolling this post, I would like for you to make an assumption. What is this person? Called Don Quixote by the knight of the same name, clad in armor, bright eyed as can be, certified 160cm gremlin with a haircut that looks like a light bulb.

With this impression, what pronouns hit your head first? Ignore the part that calls them bad, I want you to become dumb for a half minute and judge on first impression.

You got it? Cool.

She/her lmao

Look at all the merch on that fucking nerd-

Yeah, she's sinner #3 of our ensemble of outcasts and the one with the highest chance to act upon her unbreakable sense of justice (much to the grief of her companions)! A veritable knight!!! Holding the Fixers of her City to the highest standard of honor!!!!!

You know. 🥚

Project Moon has a tendency for gender non-conformity with their character designs in every single game they've made and the community eats that shit up always.

And it's such a community bit that... yeah.

So why do I find their revision in this list hilarious?

Because it clues me in on how little these bigots interact with games when they appear in the public eye as well as how much literary analysis they lack to even make a valid point about media in general.

They NEED to form an opinion and feed it to the public, it's a social mandate in their eyes. Whether this will be a hand-crafted machiavelian piece of psychological mastery or genuinely thoughtless, devoid of any neuron activity slop... the latter keeps being proven as the case a whole lot more than the former.

[darkette]

Guideline For Opting For The Most Ideal Beard Style For Your Hair Type

Comprehending your hair type is essential for planting a clean beard. What benefit one person might certainly not work with yet another, and finding the ideal style may be a process of experimentation. Having said that, by realizing the unique qualities of your hair, you can uncover a planet of opportunities. From the simple and easy beauty of a short, hairy beard to the majestic splendour of a full, streaming one, the alternatives are actually never-ending - yet just if you know where to start.

Knowing Your Hair Appearance

Most men possess a distinct hair texture that may substantially determine the general appeal of their beard. Understanding this structure is actually vital in determining the very best beard style, as it can either match or even conflict along with the facial hair. For example, men with great hair might find that a much shorter beard style highlights their attributes, while those along with more thick hair might opt for a much longer, fuller beard. When selecting a beard style, it is actually important to consider the type of hair you have. A good beginning point is actually to calculate your beard type, which may range from smooth and silky to coarse and stringy. This will aid you determine the very best beard grooming trimmer to utilize and the style for beard that will certainly operate best for you. All set to renew your appeal? Head to BeardBeasts for expert pointers on accomplishing buzz cuts fade that matches your special style.

Top Beard Styles for Curly Locks

Men with curly hair frequently deal with special obstacles when it relates to styling their beards, as curly hair could be vulnerable to tangling and uncontrollability. Nevertheless, with the ideal method, curly-haired guys can obtain a stylish and well-groomed beard that matches their natural texture. For curly hair, it is actually necessary to opt for a beard style that collaborates with, as opposed to against, the natural crinkle trend. Hairstyles curly for guys, such as the afro-beard combination, may generate a striking appeal. A curly haircut for men can easily additionally assist to determine the beard's shape and stop it from looking unruly. Men hairstyle waves frequently gain from a much shorter beard span, which assists to reduce tangling and incorporate interpretation. When it relates to beard beard styles, males along with curly men’s hair can pull off a selection of looks.

Taming The Wild: Wavy Hair

Independence from frizz and uncontrollability is actually the best goal for men with curly hair, who typically discover themselves caught in a cycle of designing and restyling to attain a polished look. Wavy hair could be challenging to tame, however with the appropriate procedures and products, men can attain a stylish and controllable beard. For curly hairdos guys small, a vanish hairstyle man along with a low taper fade can make a clean and defined appearance. A bumpy hairstyle man coupled with a quick beards or beard small can include appearance and depth to the face. To keep wavy hair under management, making use of hair putty for curly hair may help add grip and interpretation. For a much more sleek appeal, attempt pairing a discolor hairstyle guy along with a blend along with a discolor. This generates a smooth blend from the hair to the beard, causing a sleek and present day look. Accomplish a timeless look through BeardBeasts, where you'll find every thing you need to understand regarding classic and present-day mens haircuts with beards.

Straight Capturing: Beard Care

Beyond the realm of hairstyling, a clean beard can easily increase a man's general visual. A critical part of beard care is picking the right devices for the project. Acquiring a top quality dog clipper for beard upkeep and a finest trimmer for goatee nutrition can create all the distinction. When it concerns beards in style, there are countless undercut haircut mens to decide on, each along with its special characteristics. Guy can go for a traditional beard buzz cut, or even try out cut beard styles that enhance their face functions. To obtain an unified appearance, it is actually vital to look at hairstyle with beards. A well-coordinated hairdo and beard style can improve a guy's attributes and project peace of mind.

Verdict

To conclude, locating the excellent beard style calls for factor of hair structure. Alright hair matches briefer styles, while more thick hair satisfies longer styles. Curly hair profit from goatees and mustaches, along with mindful designing to go well with all-natural curl patterns. Wavy hair loves fade hairstyles and hair cement for added hold and interpretation. Crude hair demands oil and shorter beard haircuts for a complementary appearance. Recognizing hair structure and customizing beard styles accordingly guarantees a well-groomed appeal.

[passion-beauty]

The best high quality human hair wigs for different face shapes

A person's appearance can be significantly improved by selecting a wig that complements their unique facial characteristics and natural beauty. With so many distinct designs to choose from, choosing premium human hair wigs that fit various facial types can revolutionize personal fashion. This blog examines numerous premium wig selections that are customized to fit diverse facial shapes, guaranteeing that each person discovers their ideal fit.

Understanding face shapes

Knowing one's facial shape is essential before committing to a particular wig design because it determines the style that will look the best. The oval, round, square, heart, and diamond are the main facial forms. Different wig styles that balance dimensions and highlight a shape's best features fit nicely for any shape.

High quality human hair wigs for every face shape

High quality human hair wigs offer versatility and the most natural look, providing durability and ease of styling that synthetic wigs can't match. Here’s how to choose the best wig for each face shape:

Oval face shape: Oval faces are thought to have balanced proportions, making them the ideal face shape for practically any kind of wig. Bangs, layers, and short or long cuts all look good. A knotless box braid wig can offer beauty to an oval face without drawing attention away from its inherent symmetry.

Round face shape: Choose styles that add height at the top and are less voluminous around the sides to minimize roundness and make a round face appear longer. Excellent human hair wigs that are taller and more full at the crown function nicely. Long, layered hairstyles can also lengthen the face and give the impression that it is thinner.

Square face shapes: Strong jawlines give these features a sharp appearance; wigs help to reduce this angularity. Curls that provide volume around the face or lengthy, layered cuts are examples of styles that work well because they add roundness and softness. In addition to softening the jawline, a knotless Senegalese twist wig may also showcase an elaborate and alluring style.

Heart-shaped faces: They are wonderful with wigs that have side parts or side bangs that take attention away from the forehead since they have a bigger forehead and a smaller chin. Longer, layered styles or bobs that add volume around the neck and jaw can elegantly balance the face.

Diamond face shape: This type of face is smaller at the chin and forehead and wider at the cheeks. The best wigs are ones that widen the chin and forehead. Styles like bobs or shoulder-length haircuts are flattering, as are layers that can give the chin area some extra volume.

Caring for high quality human hair wigs

To keep premium human hair wigs looking natural and lasting longer, adequate maintenance is necessary. The wig may be kept looking vibrant and new with regular washings with sulfate-free shampoo, thorough conditioning, and gentle brushing from the ends up. When not in use, storing the wig on a wig stand out of direct sunlight also helps it keep its texture and shape.

Conclusion

Finding a wig style that highlights one's natural characteristics and boosts self-confidence is more important than just choosing a fashionable one. Knowing which designs fit different face shapes best will help anyone choose wisely, whether they choose a knotless box braids wig, a knotless Senegalese twist, or other styles of premium human hair wigs. For anyone wishing to improve their appearance, these wigs can offer a lovely, natural-looking hair option with proper maintenance.

Source: https://passionbeauty-hairproducts.blogspot.com/2024/08/the-best-high-quality-human-hair-wigs.html

[mindrole]

lately im properly keeping off my wrist, ive never had an injury (at least not from strain, ive hurt it def though, i got launched off a treadmill once when i was a kid) but i fear it, so i'm being vigilant. i'm fine tho. but its really boring cuz i usually doodle to fall asleep...

but i was thinking like, cell series character designs are really great, i think there's a wonderful uniqueness to them in the design philosophy, but

isn't everyone so difficult to draw....?!?!!! usually i feel like... after the first few times i don't need to pull up a reference anymore, but with the characters in this series no matter how many times, i still look up refs, btw did you know shinano has two tone hair? it's not a shadow.

shinano in fact is up there in difficulty... i think balancing his facial proportions is difficult... he should be so cutes and so adorables but he's not like, karen or izu. the hair is also kind of a challenge, namely his hair after he got a haircut.

the character i think is easiest to draw is ryuu. definitely. i've seen people say hatsutori is deceptively difficult to draw. i agree... even though i feel like by some miracle i understood how to draw him much better than others, he's REALLY hard!!!

the funny thing is, recently the last ryuu i draw, i said "i looked at a ref for once"? well its cause i usually ref my own art. usually it's fine. for ryuu who is easy for me to parse it's usually fine, but i realized recently the bangs were wrong the entire time, so i wanted to try being on model at least once (whether or not i apply it correctly next time is a big "maybe"). also i always draw the bunny ears too short, but that's usually something i am very conscious of (because it is a moe point that i hate that i neglect. MOE IS KING)

of course you'd think... well you draw miwa almost every day... you must be proficient in that? the answer is NO. in fact, he's the only character i am pulling up a picture from the actual game to draw almost every time. CONSISTENTLY. dita's look is easy enough to understand i guess, but the usual look, what's with those bangs?!?!?!!! WHY? i draw his bangs too long, but honestly that's not something i'm interested in rectifying. if anything, i've literally never seen anyone draw him 1:1 to the one picture we have, i feel like everyone struggles. genuinely have not seen any two artists draw him the same. so i am not worried about trying to be "on model". it's his fault for having such a weird wig in the first place. i mean, look, im gonna put it under a readmore and i genuinely want to know if you guys think it's fucked or not. i think it is. usually i have like, the one canon picture we have right, and then 3 of my drawings to ref how i did it, it's a struggle every time. but he's too funny. a character who haunts the interlude and doesn't have a single line in it, only ever talked in the one com report. so i keep drawing him because there's so many jokes to make at his expense. it's very cursed. i think having this blog made me a little obsessed.

for the dita look like i said in another post there's a lot of inconsistencies so i just take what i like. though for the most part i follow the design in the interlude. there's not much to comment about, aside from how i'm wondering where his ahoge is actually placed on his head. i just decide on the fly because i can't tell. it's not consistent between appearances. i won't talk about the scarf i'll start foaming at the mouth im not kidding

not even going into the characters i find near impossible like theodore. i'll cry. i'll be here all day. haruki is hard to draw too...

anyway, here's your serving of miwa's fucked up wig that haunt my nightmares every day because i hate drawing this hair so much:

i hope he DIES in com for this, is he stupid?

i hope everyone finds out he's 60+ years old and he has to hold a press conference apologizing for lying about being a recent ex-teenager

[svmproducts-blog]

Flowbee Haircutting System: Common Mistakes to Avoid

Do you dread the cost and inconvenience of getting your hair professionally cut? The flowbee haircutting system is the solution to your problem. This innovative device allows you to craft salon-style haircuts in the comfort of your own home and save you a ton of money in the long run. That being said, adjusting to its use at first can be tricky. In this blog post, we'll look at some common errors people make when using the Flowbee and offer guidance on how to get perfect-looking haircuts every time! Stay tuned for more information about this vacuum hair cutter and how it can revolutionize your hair care routine.

Why You Should Use the flowbee

The Flowbee Haircutting System is a unique and innovative product allowing you to cut your hair at home easily. Here are some reasons why you should consider using the Flowbee for your next haircut:

Firstly, the Flowbee saves time and money by allowing you to skip expensive salon or barber shop trips. With just one purchase of the Flowbee system, you can have unlimited haircuts without additional costs.

Secondly, it's incredibly convenient! You don't need to schedule appointments or wait in line. With the Flowbee, you only need a power outlet and a mirror, making it perfect for busy individuals who want their hair cut on their terms.

Thirdly, if you're hesitant about cutting your hair because of previous bad experiences with clippers or scissors, fear not! The Flowbee uses vacuum technology that ensures even cuts every time. Plus, its patented design guarantees precision accuracy, so there's no guesswork involved.

Using a vacuum hair cutter like the Flowbee also reduces mess compared to traditional methods, as all loose hairs get sucked into the device while cutting, saving clean-up time and effort!

These features make owning a flowbee hair cutter system an excellent investment for those looking for convenience without sacrificing quality results.

How to Use the FlowBee

Using the Flowbee Haircutting System is quite simple, but it may take some getting used to if you're new to vacuum haircutters. Here are the steps to follow when using your Flowbee:

First, make sure that your hair is clean and dry before starting the cutting process. The suction of the vacuum can be more effective on dry hair.

Next, attach the correct spacer to your Flowbee head. This will determine how much hair will be trimmed off during each pass.

Attach your Flowbee unit to a standard household vacuum cleaner hose and turn on both appliances.

Begin by trimming around the edges of your hairline with short strokes in an upward motion. Move slowly and carefully while holding the flowbee at a 90-degree angle for best results.

After completing this step, start working through sections of your hair from front to back or top to bottom, depending on what style you want. Use long strokes with steady pressure throughout each section until all areas have been covered.

Remember that it's important not to rush through this process, as doing so could result in uneven cuts or missed spots!

Once you've finished using your Flowbee Haircutting System, detach it from both hoses and clean any remaining hairs out of its bristles using warm water and soap before storing it safely for next time!

Common Mistakes People Make When Using the Flowbee

While the Flowbee haircutting system may seem like a no-brainer when it comes to getting a quick and easy haircut at home, some common mistakes people make can lead to less-than-desirable results.

One of the most common mistakes is not properly cleaning or maintaining your flowbee. Over time, hair and debris can build up in the blades and vacuum chamber, impacting its performance and even damaging the motor. It's important to clean all parts of your Flowbee after each use regularly.

Another mistake is not using the correct attachment for your desired flowbee haircut. The different length settings are designed for specific areas of your head, so be sure to choose the right one before starting your cut.

It's also important to start with dry hair and brush out any tangles before using the Flowbee. Wet or tangled hair can cause clogs or uneven cutting.

Some people may try to rush through their haircut with the Flowbee, resulting in an uneven or choppy finish. Take your time and work in smaller sections for more precise results.

Always make sure you have enough space around you when using the Flowbee. Accidentally hitting furniture or other objects can result in damage to them as well as potentially injuring yourself.

Tips for Using the Flowbee

Using the Flowbee haircutting system might initially seem daunting, but with a few tips and tricks, you can achieve professional-looking haircuts from the comfort of your home. Here are some tips to help you get started:

Firstly, make sure that your hair is dry before using the Flowbee. Wet hair can clog up the vacuum and cause inconsistent results.

Secondly, start with a longer guard attachment and work your way down gradually. This will give you more control over your cut length and prevent any mistakes.

Thirdly, use slow and steady movements when cutting your hair with the Flowbee. Rushing or jerky motions can result in uneven cuts or even injuries.

Fourthly, always clean the vacuum after each use to ensure optimal performance. A clogged or dirty vacuum can lead to poor suction power and unsatisfactory results.

Don't be afraid to experiment with different styles and techniques! The Flowbee allows for versatility in lengths, angles, and textures, so have fun exploring what works best for you!

How to Maintain Your Flowbee

Keeping your Flowbee in tip-top shape is essential to ensure it lasts long. Here are some tips on how to maintain your Flowbee:

1. Clean the blades regularly: After every use, clean the blades of your Flowbee with a small brush or comb. This will prevent hair from getting stuck in the blades and affecting performance.

2. Oil the Blades: Oil the blades regularly (at least once a month) is also important to keep them running smoothly and prevent rusting.

3. Replace worn-out parts: Some parts of your Flowbee might wear out over time due to constant use. Make sure you replace these parts as soon as possible so that they don't affect the overall performance of your device.

4. Store it properly: When not in use, always store your Flowbee in a dry place away from direct sunlight or humidity.

By following these simple maintenance tips, you can ensure that your Flowbee stays at peak performance for years to come!

So there you have it—everything you need to know about using and maintaining one of the most innovative hair-cutting systems! As long as you avoid common mistakes, follow our expert tips, and take care of them properly, we're confident you'll achieve great results with this unique vacuum haircutting system!

Conclusion

The Flowbee Haircutting System is an excellent product for busy individuals who want to save time and money on haircuts. It's easy to use and maintain but can be tricky at first. By following our expert advice, you can avoid common mistakes and achieve salon-style results from the comfort of your own home! So why not give it a go? With the Flowbee, you have nothing to lose and everything to gain!

[carnival-phantasm]

Opinion on Uzaki-chan's design? Imo she's just another big tiddied anime girl. Nothing new. Nothing changed. Same old shit

Extremely generic design wise, and I still have no idea if the show is any good but I'm too busy not watching my backlog to check.

[yuri-cocaine]

Prompt 2: Aberrant

An imperial researcher makes some reports.

CASTRUM ABANIA PROTOTYPE CLONE PROJECT: REPORT 4 DATE: XX DAY OF XX MONTH AUTHOR: Lumina lux Castella

Report:

Units A01-A14 of Alpha Group are exhibiting signs of degradation within the estimated time of expiration between 4-5 weeks of creation. It is confirmed that clones with over 60% aetherochemical compound 2221 in their chemical makeup have a much faster rate of expiration despite a 20% increase in physical/magical strength. Disposal of units A01-A14 scheduled for next Firesday at 13:00.

Units B01-B14 have an estimated expiration date in the next 3-5 years, possibly 1 or 2 years longer with hypertuned augmentation. Unfortunately, the price of hypertuning is roughly 400k gil per unit, and most of the funding is going to the Resonant Project. I will draft a third request for additional funding.

CASTRUM ABANIA PROTOTYPE CLONE PROJECT: REPORT 5 DATE: XX DAY OF XX MONTH AUTHOR: Lumina lux Castella

Report:

All Alpha Group units are disposed of as of 30 minutes ago. None of them exhibited any signs of developing emotions, even when faced with imminent execution. They were unfeeling, unthinking killing machines. It is impractical to mass produce clone soldiers, as the price for creating each unit is staggering, but not having any personality makes them unfit as hosts for the consciousness of the individuals they are cloned from. Perhaps it is more difficult to create clones without magic than we anticipated.

Units B01-B14 have finished basic life skills training and have begun combat training. Of the 14 units, B08 shows a higher aptitude for melee and magical combat compared to the rest.

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CASTRUM ABANIA PROTOTYPE CLONE PROJECT: SPECIAL REPORT 1 DATE: XX MONTH OF XX DAY AUTHOR: Lumina lux Castella

Report:

All general reports have been assigned to the Chief Medicus. From now on, I am only responsible for managing the Beta Group.

Units B01, B02, B05, and B07 are exhibiting signs of degradation. We will install hypertuned augmentation on them first to see if their lifespans can be extended. The rest of the units are now able to speak and are showing curiosity at the enrichment that has been provided to them. Of note is unit B08, who asked today at 18:00 why it is being trained in combat. The answer given was to serve the Empire.

B08 is unique not only in that it has a greater combat ability than the rest, but it also shows signs of developing a personality. It asks for seconds during feeding time, and shows a preference for sweet nutritional gruel over other flavors. B08 also enjoys singing nonsense songs, looking at flowers and animals, and reading books.

-------------

CASTRUM ABANIA PROTOTYPE CLONE PROJECT: SPECIAL REPORT 9 DATE: XX MONTH OF XX DAY AUTHOR: Lumina lux Castella

Report:

B01, B02, B04, B05, B06, B07, B09, and B11 are dead. Hypertuning did not save them. Even with augmentation, it seems these clones can only live for at most 3 years. The remaining units have their personality data backed up, although we are unsure if we can transfer them into sturdier bodies. We are running out of funding, and Lord Aulus is not pleased with the deaths of so many units.

B08 organized a funeral of sorts for B11 today at 22:00. She was singing an Ala Mhigan funeral hymn. She followed me around for a while afterwards, clearly upset. She asked what happens to them after they die. Since they possess no soul, they would not return to the Lifestream. Where do they go? I had no answer for her, so she went to a different part of the castrum to do some independent research.

I was ordered to go bring her back for her designated recuperation time. B08 asked if she could go visit the Ala Mhigan quarter sometime. The answer given was no. B08 then asked about the original sample she was cloned from. As I saw no harm in showing the data to her, I gave her a dossier on Aisling aan Lee.

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CASTRUM ABANIA PROTOTYPE CLONE PROJECT: SPECIAL REPORT 10 DATE: XX MONTH OF XX DAY AUTHOR: Lumina lux Castella

Report:

Something truly strange happened with B08 today. She told me she doesn’t identify as her original self at all, but instead sees her as a “sister.” Further analysis via soul extraction revealed that B08 has developed her own soul separate from her original sample. B03, B10, and B12 also have developed souls. With souls, they now have the potential to develop advanced personality data. However, if they become their own individuals, this will be problematic if the end goal of the prototype clone project is to make copies of the original samples. We now have 4 aberrant units, and the higher-ups aren’t sure what to do with them.

B08’s hair was getting a bit messy, so I gave her a haircut and brushed her hair. She still has a blank look on her face despite her burgeoning soul. She’s like a doll, in my opinion. A lovely doll who came to life. I think with proper development, B08 can become a great boon to the imperial army. Her combat abilities are exceptional, and she’s also capable of software maintenance, hacking, programming, magitek repairs, etc.

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 CASTRUM ABANIA PROTOTYPE CLONE PROJECT: SPECIAL REPORT 14 DATE: XX MONTH OF XX DAY AUTHOR: Lumina lux Castella

Report:

We’ve installed a fail-safe in the surviving Beta Group units so that they will delete all traces of the prototype clone project once they approach their expiration date. It pains me to program them with this, and it pains me even more that no matter what we did, their lives are still so short.

Without further funding, we cannot proceed with the project and it has already been declared a failure by Lord Aulus. They are too expensive and volatile to maintain. The verdict for B03, B08, B10, and B12 is that they will serve as soldiers in Castrum Abania until their expiration.

There’s nothing more I can do for them. This concludes my report.

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(Note recorded on an abandoned tomephone in Ala Ghiri)

Fuck it. Fuck all of this. I’m not letting Aidea and the rest become slaves with ticking time bombs in them. The chief medicus agrees, thank goodness. I’ve always always wanted a family, and Aidea was that family for a while, gods damn it. I’m going to save her even if it costs me my life.

I’ve let her go into Eorzea. With her combat skills, I doubt anything can get the jump on her, but I’m worried as hell. Will she make friends? Will she even get a chance at a normal life? Ai please please please be safe.

[amostimprobabledream]

I finally finished Xenoblade Chronicles 2!

My final thoughts... - Goddamn, the fighting style is awkward af. I got used to it after a while, but I couldn't stop comparing it to the Tales series where you actually learn new moves as the game goes on, instead of just doing like the same three or four attacks per blade but stronger. It took me such a long time to figure out why element orbs mattered and what various status afflictions meant, etc. Plus there were stretches of some boss fights where I was aggressively jamming buttons as Rex stood there doing nothing.

- My GOD Pyra is a boring character. It really says something when a ROBOT has more personality than you. Every time she talked it was just being a bland nice girl - also her outfit is so awful. She's meant to be the more most/girly type and then she just has these incredibly distracting hot red booty shorts so her ass is always a prominent part of any scene. Also her boobs looked so weird, like they belonged on a doll but they look so out of proportion with her body. Like there was a cutscene where she faints into Jin's arms, but her ass is pointed right at the camera at a weird angle so it immediately killed any drama of the scene. Ironically even though Mythra's outfit showed more skin I found hers a lot more tasteful than Pyra's because at least they weren't pretending it was modest and it was just a white dress instead of this weird armour/leotard thing with booty shorts. Plus since Mythra is a bit taller I don't find her boobs so odd-looking on her. Also even though Mythra's got some fairly clunky tsundere scenes, I overall found her a lot more likeable than Pyra because she actually comes off as like she has opinions and some intellect in there. Pyra just clutches her chest all the time.

- Am I the only one who found it kind of uncomfortable that Nia turned out to be a blade? I mean, it was fairly obviously foreshadowed throughout the game, but the notion of equipping her made me feel weird so I always just left her in her driver form. Nia herself was kind of the generic tomboy character and I absolutely hated her outfit, but I found her inexplicably Welsh accent really funny. (Also, 'Shellhead' is such a stupid nickname for Zeke - it's longer than his actual fucking name!)

- Did whoever designed the characters of this game just have a fetish for really high-cut leotards? Seriously, we have Pyra, Nia's Blade form and Poppi's Qt pi form. Also, boob windows.

- My favourite rare blades were probably Vale, Wulfric and Azami. Azami's sidequest was such a major pain in the arse to do.

- Jin and Malos...eh. They weren't terrible antagonists, their motives made sense and everything, I just found them both to be pretty lame. Jin's your classic brooding white-haired antivillain designed explicitly for fangirl simpery but turns out to be Not That Bad in the end and Malos is your psychopathic manchild who lives for fighting. But eh, for someone who is notorious for stanning animated men, neither of them did it for me. And usually I'm a certified villainfucker but I just found them both pretty bland. Also Malos's haircut is awful.

- Similarly, Rex is a really boring protagonist. He's like every cliché RPG main boy - kind of dumb, ridiculously idealistic, attracts a bunch of girls despite being a moronic teenager and his design is just so blah - wow, brown hair and yellow eyes, so interesting and unique! He was like Lloyd if you take away Lloyd's character development and genuine moments of badassery.

- The Nopon were a really fun bit of worldbuilding. At first I found Tora annoying but they grew on me and I liked there was this entirely new race alongside humans and their design is fun. I liked that Bana was a minor antagonist who had been running things behind the scenes and profiting off Jin and Malos's destruction and he was set up as a foil to Tora. (Also, Lila should have been playable, goddammit.)

- I find it amusing you can warp anywhere in the game at any time - like yes, we're trapped inside a Titan, or we're trying to chase down the big bag, but first I need to go back to Torigoth and play Tora! Tora!

- I was pleasantly surprised that Morag became a playable character - I figure Zeke would join the party after he showed up for the second boss fight, but I just thought Morag would be a recurring boss.

- Mor Ardain is so hard to navigate when everything is sepia-toned. It took me forever to find people there.

- I hate Temperantia.

[kingbennyboyyy]

benny’s rwby rewrite: team RWBY redesigns

hello again! in honor of me actually getting some schoolwork done and subsequently having the time to rewatch the first volume of rwby for writing purposes, i thought i’d get out of the way some design notes that have been living in my head for the main girls. with how important colors and motif are in rwby as a whole, i thought that a little more care could be taken. i’ll go into the volume 1 designs most of all, and outline any consistent changes within the character’s notes. i’ll also go into why i’m changing what i’m changing.

with that, my thoughts as always will be under the cut!

ruby rose:

we’re starting strong with ruby’s design, and god do i have some strong opinions about this girl. let it be known that i actually like ruby’s clothing design: i think i’ve mentioned that i think the contrast of a fluffy petticoat and platform boots with a giant scythe and killing monsters is really interesting. that being said, there’s some fucked up geneology happening in the rose-xiao long family.

a big issue i have with ruby and her family members is the fact that despite the fact that yang and ruby are related through taiyang, neither of them have inherited his skintone. you’d think that with how literally their phenotypes are taken, that ruby wouldn’t be white as snow. with how low-contrast ruby’s design is as a whole, i think that her having darker skin would be welcome. adding the bonus of holy shit, a dark-skinned mixed girl is the protagonist makes me really biased toward this. complexion-wise, she should be somewhere between summer and taiyang, but still visibly darker than someone like weiss.

her hair being naturally black and red is perfectly okay for me. i think that it looks nice, and there’s a lot she can do with it. i can’t really complain about it being in her eyes after gushing over her combat cupcake skirt.

what i can complain about is her lack of pockets. like, she only has one little pouch to carry god knows what in. is she really expecting to be able to carry all of her ammunition in that one little pouch? god no. swap out the pouch for some kind of bag, or better yet, a bandolier of some kind to serve the same asymmetrical purpose that dingy little pocket does.  

finally, her eyes. in my ideal world, i would have done something a bit more dramatic to set ruby’s white eyes apart from, say, neo’s grey eyes. maybe making her pupils lighter than black, grey, or even just white. the animators made blake’s pupils smaller to set her apart, why not give ruby’s eyes a little something-something? also, with the contrasting color of her design being either a silver or a white, having her silver eyes be one of the lightest elements of her design is really aesthetically pleasing to me.

weiss schnee:

i’m going to be completely real here, i like weiss’ original design a lot. they really leaned into the weiss part of her: the girl’s white. she’s white as fuck. her dress is white, her little bolero is white, her shoes are white, it’s all white, with just a touch of icy pastel blue to make her feel more cold than sterile. i love it. i’m also a big fan of the other, brighter colors in her design, but i think the introduction of red should have waited a bit longer.

in her introductory outfit, the inside of her bell-sleeved bolero is this blinding, fully-saturated red that is really distracting to the eye. i’d replace this with a blue, sort of like the color of her eyes, and do the same with that little doily piece at the dip in her neckline. i also think that she should have been kept much more symmetrical, the most symmetrical of any of the cast. move that side pony to the center back of her head, put one of those little pouches on each hip, and have her stow her weapon across her back.

also, this isn’t even necessarily a problem, but i think weiss would have benefited from a much more conservative shoe. knowing the schnee family, i don’t they would have found it appropriate for an heiress to be running around in platform heels. i think that pointe shoes, or something familiar, would be really interesting, especially in conjunction with her ballerina aesthetic. her scar can definitely stay as it is; i think it’s both subtle enough to break her symmetry nicely, but also symbolically strong.

also, of all of the characters to give a dramatic haircut, it should have been fucking weiss. i’m all for bi bob blake, but imagine the dramatic potential of weiss just chopping straight through that shit to declare herself independent from her shitdick father. also, i think her hair should be naturally brown, like jacques’ is. the narravite element of her having to tirelessly keep up appearances is really good to me.

blake belladonna:

blake lives in a weird space for me. on the one hand, i would love for her to have dark skin as well, to sort of even the scale in terms of complexion. however, having a dark-skinned woman with literal animal ears being kind of problematic isn’t lost on me. in my opinion, the issue lies in blake being uniquely dark-skinned: in conjunction with ruby and yang, i think that her being dark-skinned is a little less uncomfortable. i think it would also remedy the problem of most of the dark-skinned characters in rwby being either dead or evil, so we’ll make her a bit tan.

with that out of the way, i also really like blake’s design, but she could certainly use some work. she, like many of the other team members, are pretty low-contrast save for the white tube-top thing she had going on. i think the white in her design should be toned down, either to a grey or a purple color. i also think that her arm situation needs to either be long gloves or wrapped-up straps, not both. that motif isn’t anywhere else in her design, and most of the lines are clean and smooth, not all jaggedy like the straps are. keep those bracelets on her upper arms, and make those gloves of hers marksman’s gloves. 

i also think that she should wear thigh-high boots. this isn’t just my bias showing; something about the way those boot cuffs cut off the line of her legs is just really irritating to me. have them attach to that swooping vest situation, this is anime, it doesn’t matter how she’d get into them logistically. also, that gradient situation on her is just terrible. having seen a lot of art of her without that gradient has converted me, her design is just so much more clean-looking without it, and blake really reads as someone who should have a much less complex design, opting for clean lines and nice shapes instead of the frills and textures someone like weiss has.

yang xiao long:

i’m gonna start with something i’ve already mentioned: yang should be brown. the fact that she not nary a fucking hair of melanin from her dad is a crime. ideal yang is brown, but so is her hair to start out. i had the idea of rather than her hair being naturally yellow, starting out brown and being bleached in streaks by the heat of her semblance, and as the show goes on, it gets more and more yellow, and eventually even platinum blonde.

with that out of the way, i do not like yang’s initial design. the puffed sleeves don’t make any sense with her as a character, that weird train situation she has on her belt is an affront to god, and why is she just wearing spats? i think that of all of the people to tear, or hell, burn the sleeves clean off of her jacket, it’d be yang. yang is a fuck sleeves kind of girl. she’s a “i flexed the sleeves clean off of my shit” kind of girl. also, she’s gonna wear a tube top and hot pants, but she’s gonna button up her jacket? fucking what? unbutton that shit. she’s a lesbian vest kinda girl. she can keep her little scarf, and her tube top is a look, so it can stay.

i actually really like yang’s boots. i think they compliment her really nicely, and she’s enough of a brute fighting style-wise to warrant those chunky monsters. the mismatched socks and little scarf are cute touches too, but i think the scarf should start out red. the purple can come in later. addressing the spats (bike shorts? spanx?) situation, there’s a very simple solution: give yang jorts. not even a fucking joke, give the woman jorts. look me in the eye and tell me that yang “t-shirt as a bandana” xiao long would not wear jorts. you can’t. it’s impossible. she would wear neon yellow jorts with that ungodly belt situation and i will not compromise this. the overalls she wears in atlas? also jorts. mistral? black, sure, but fucking jorts nonetheless. jort xiao long will outlive me, so help me god.

... i got a bit carried away there, but i hope you enjoyed my thoughts! i may at some point get around to actually drawing these redesigns, so keep an eye out for that in future!

[illegiblewords]

Notes under the cut!

These aren’t all of my lady WoLs, but they are some of my favorite designs and I tried to specifically show different things with each of them.

I think with design, beyond different silhouettes it’s worth it to be able to look at a character and get a sense of their personality and background. Sometimes lifestyle depending on how realistic you’re going, although Final Fantasy is a bit “fuck practicality we’re running on rule of pretty” lmao.

With these ladies specifically I also wanted to 1) pick fashions that would work well with the body types and proportions 2) create specific tones 3) play with expectations. I also, personally, wanted to explore different forms of femininity in a positive way. I’ve seen some cases where people seem to think the only way to have a “strong” woman is if she’s made traditionally masculine. I have no problem with traditionally masculine women by any means, but I’m really not into demonizing femininity either. So if I have the option to actually explore femininity in a game in positive ways I like to do that!

Nheu/Pink Miqo’te: I wanted to make her a kind of scrappy character, loud and probably a bit obnoxious, a shameless delinquent sort who immediately demands attention with neon color schemes. Going with Keeper of the Moon miqo’te let her have a toothy smile with little fangs too! I didn’t want her to look mysterious or alluring. This is one of my favorite archetypes tbh, I should really use it more.

Lagogeim/Turquoise Roegadyn: I wanted to make a dragoon who tied to Limsa Lominsa instead of Ishgard or even Gridania, who took the concept of Llymlaen with her harpoon and really built into the motif of pirates. So beyond evoking the sea as much as possible, I wanted to use an unnatural skin tone and hair color since people shy away from those a lot. I tried going for a harder fem look too for her--many roegadyn players embrace this angle so I decided to this time!

Eir/Blue Highlander: I’ve seen a stereotype that hyur highlanders have tall, sexy bodies but less attractive faces. I wanted to make a very short, cute looking highlander girl who isn’t the extreme end of curvy, give her a short/cute haircut that still felt strongly feminine, and pair that with a heavier, more traditionally masculine-perceived job like Warrior. I also tried to make her really, REALLY feel Ala Mhigan both in gear and color scheme/features--I drew some aspects of her coloring from Ilberd to be honest!

Asklona/Green Roegadyn: So I mentioned that a lot of people do hard fem looks for lady roegadyns very well, and I’ve seen critics go after femroes saying they have mannish bodies and ugly faces before. I disagree with that a lot, and decided in this case to go as soft and traditionally feminine as I could. I also went with the least saturated Sea Wolf color and tried playing with blushes/hair color combos to help her look a bit more natural (as opposed to blue/greenish) in this case. Another angle I went with was bard specifically to close the gap between Limsa Lominsa and Gridania, playing into siren and pirate themes since this character is a Sea Wolf. Beyond choosing green to fit with my Famfrit team in a unique way, I chose it as that bridge and because the green being a complementary color to red would make any pink hues stand out more!

Osk/Purple Viera: The stereotype I’ve seen for viera has involved them being hyper sexualized. I personally also rarely use brown hair or the color purple apparently so far as those choices go. What’s more, I wanted to make a look for the scholar job that would be a little more versatile, clearly not mistakable for any other job (healing or otherwise) and that would keep this particular character both elegant and more conservatively dressed. I didn’t want the character to feel like she’d hopped out of the woods either given that’s the most frequent angle for Viera--going a more urban direction was something I wanted to do as a contrast to that.

Nivienne/Gold Elezen: Wildwood elezen tend to be pushed with more natural skintones while Duskwights are more likely to have blue undertones that let them feel like drow. In this case I wanted to make a Wildwood elezen who, due to color combinations, felt fantasy-golden and a little otherworldly. I did a lot of designing to foil Emet-Selch in the name of fanfic lmao (use of gray and gold in different places to different degrees, height, etc.) but I also wanted to make a summoner character who, like scholar, felt extremely visually distinct from other casters. The biggest Summoner-specific look involves horns so that stayed, but for the rest I wanted there to be a flowing and mysterious feel. There was a critique I saw in the past that female casters end up looking like magical girls, so I wanted to challenge that. I also was careful with how the face and shoulders were framed to make sure that Nivienne would feel proportional, since that’s a potential risk for elezen.

Acja/Brass Viera: Another alternate take on dragoon! This time, I wanted to make a viera who tied to savanna aesthetics as a contrast to forest ones, and I did look at Sub-Saharan African fashions as influence. I couldn’t get things exact/used some “it’s Final Fantasy people wear five billion belts” artistic license (and offhand I don’t remember the exact country I used, it might have involved Ghana’s historical armor?) but I tried to match silhouettes, materials, shoes, etc. as best I could. Part of this is also that I know African visuals get used less often in video games, which is a shame because they’re incredibly gorgeous and distinct! So Acja is one design where I did try to bring that in.

Kokono/Orange Lalafell: I’ve seen people lament lack of canine race options in FFXIV and honestly, I agree with that sentiment. We have so many cats and it would have been cool to get dog options. Since it’s not an in-game thing though, I figured this was an opportunity to make the type of character instead. In this case, I used the dark nose option for lalafells and combined with pieces from the werewolf set to make a little fox! She has a few different influences to her visuals due to backstory stuff, but I do think there are ways to make more foxes and small dogs for lalafells as well as wolves for Hellsguard roegadyns.

Eshe/Yellow Au Ra: Another African-influenced design, this one tying to Ethiopian historical fashion and armor! Same rules apply though, the top goes hugely with the “it’s Final Fantasy” brand of artistic license. I know au ra are mostly associated with Othard/Eastern regions, so I decided to shift things to a different tone while trying to keep things fully immersive. I made Eshe a paladin because the swords and shields have some options that resemble African sword designs (WHICH ARE SO FUCKING COOL) and I wanted to try a different tone for paladin from the Western knight-in-shining-armor as well. I didn’t want Eshe to feel overly cutesy or innocent, but did want her to feel very graceful and strong.

Mitsu/Red Midlander: A few things hit me in combination here. First, I’d been nerfing myself to a degree with hyur midlanders when I knew there was an approach I liked. Second, I haven’t seen a lot of traditional-looking characters from Othard and I wanted to switch that up. By this I mean that looking at Far Eastern NPCs, often they are midlander hyurs with black, dark brown, or occasionally gray hair. Not a ton of dye. I love that the Warrior of Light could come from anywhere, so I tried to design someone who credibly could have been an NPC in Kugane. She’s a summoner because there is an Othard tradition of summoning, and she wears red because to my knowledge it has symbolism for good luck in both Japan and China besides being pretty. I also wanted to make a very different summoner (and general caster) visual compared to Nivienne.

[worstgirleva]

This thread will explore the character design and visual cues for easy identification of characters in homestuck. Go in detail about design choices for specific characters and how they work well in differentiating the characters

It has already been explored how her long jacket makes her look smaller, but it’s an interesting addition to her design and balances all the indigo she wears otherwise she would be wearing more indigo than her actual color. When looking at the base sprites for characters in homestuck it’s interesting how they’re both at the same time 1: very simple, following the same base and lacking various characteristics (like noses and ears) and 2: extremely easy to differentiate from each other. 

Even arguably the two characters most alike to each other, June and Jake who have the exact same face and only differentiate from each other by their hair and outfit are easy to tell apart even when ignoring their bodies and looking only to their faces.

And of course we should mention the use of different glasses for easy identification of the characters. In a comic where characters are so simple it begs the question: how to make characters easily identifiable? The answer? A lot of glasses.

Jake and June again are the only ones who share a pair of glasses, all the others have one completely unique to them. Jade has round ones, Jane has oval ones, and we absolutely can’t ignore the iconic Strider shades.

Dave and Dirk’s shades have not only become something to easily identify the character, but almost a platonical symbolic representation of their characters. Dirk’s glasses specifically considering how unique they are and how they associate him with anime protagonists

This makes the few characters like Rose and Roxy that don’t use glasses almost unique in their own ways. When six out eight kids wear glasses being the only ones who don’t becomes a novelty (not even mentioning Meat Roxy’s heart shades).

Other subtle details in each character like how their hair is build, mostly using basic shapes that don’t even look like hair and more like a symbolic representation of hair. Like Dirk and Dave's hair are literally birds turned 90 degrees.

Other details like Rose’s headband, the Prospit kid’s buck teeth in contrast with the Lalonde’s lipstick and between their eyes with Jade and Jane’s while June and Jake only have dots for eyes.

Their symbols on their chests and the main detail of their outfit is also a huge signifier of who you’re looking to and part of their personality. Also the only hint of color in their initial outfit designs.

Their bottoms are all also simple and minimalist representation of their clothes. Jade has a long skirt that slightly sits on top of her shoes: You can either read that as just a normal part of her long skirt, or that she’s too small for her skirt.

And now we get into how their designs are so abstract that you can easily have different interpretations of visual things. Some things are just shapes and colors in a way different people will interpret it in different ways.

Maybe Roxy’s hair just looks like that or maybe it’s meant to represent the beehive haircut that was popular in the 60’s linking to Mom Lalonde’s vintage housewife aesthetics.

So let’s skip to act 5 and take a look at the trolls: The first one to have their appearance shown is Karkat. You can consider him the default troll that all others are defined by how they’re different from him.

He has no glasses, little bags under his eyes and what I like to think is the equivalent of buck teeth connecting him with June. They also help his face look less blank. Adding fangs and teeth to trolls is another easy way to make their designs unique.

His hair is very wild which fits into being an literal alien and presents how other trolls will also be wild and have more different designs. His shirt is black, a clear juxtaposing to the kid’s white outfits as the trolls have mostly black clothes.

Creating a clear distinction between kids and trolls and a shared motif between each group. Karkat also has a symbol on his shirt, but a astrological sign one in contrast with the kids having mostly symbols that don’t properly make a pattern.

And of course: he has horns. Giving each character unique horn designs fitting their zodiac motif and personality is another great way of differentiating between them. Each one has a distinct pair of horns that can be easily used to differentiate them.

The next to be introduced is Gamzee: His expression reflects his personality. His hair is even more wild and barely even looks like hair. It's just a lot of shapes together conveying the idea of very wild and unkempt hair.

His horns are much longer and his teeth looks like proper fangs and his facial paint and pants details reinforce his clown aesthetic. He also wears his blood color on his shoes presenting the pattern.

Why is Gamzee often considered the tallest troll? All characters in homestuck have no clear size distinctions. In this image we see Nepeta and Equius (who fanon wise often have very different body types) having the exact same height and body type.

And while Karkat is shouty, he is also harmless, making it common the body type of a very angry little marshmallow. Kanaya on the other hand is composed and refined, making it easy to view her as tall, but in a very different way that Gamzee is tall.

Terezi, has a much more kempt hair and a simple design. Her horns are small, just a little more sharp than Karkat’s, but she is also the first one to have glasses, bright red ones like her shoes which connects her design to Vriska.

Her glasses are another point of iconicity. Where you could only draw a piece that is enterily composed of her glasses and the viewer will know that it’s about Terezi Pyrope.

Her smile and her sharp teeth is another point that brings her personality out. She is sharp and although she is smiling it’s not a friendly and welcoming smile. It’s a smile that invokes fear as she is not scared of violence.

Sollux is another one that comes with iconic glasses. They’re not only useful as a visual signifier, but it fits his duality theme and the two universes. They’re perfectly round in contrast of Terezi’s sharp glasses following shape theory

Rounder shapes are whole and friendly in contrast with triangles that are more dynamic, volatile and aggresive. Sollux might not show it, but he is also harmless and one of the trolls with the largest common sense among the twelve and highly caring for the others.

He also has 4 horns. They’re all very simple, but the fact he has the double amount than all the others not only also fits his themes, but also helps to easily differentiate him from the others. His hair is short, simple and somewhat kempt.

Unsure over the intent of his “bangs”. Are they just short? His hairline? There is a joke about him cutting his hair with funny scissors. Interpretation. And for last his shoes also fit his theme of duality. A small detail, but helps to build his character with few cues.

Tavros has a mohawk (or side cuts, interpretation) and very large bull horns. He wears sandals on the color of his blood and a jacket in contrast to all the others that wears only shirts (something he shares with Vriska)

We will be mostly focusing on Aradia’s dead form because she just changes forms too much in a period of time too small. First: her eyes are completely blank a very clear visual signifier if you ask me!

Her ram horns reinforces her motif and red lipstick and lashes makes her face that would be otherwise quite bland more unique. Her skirt reflects how she is dead and i like the implication that her shirt is button up one.

Another on the list of “things that are implied, but not actually confirmed so its open to you on how you want to draw them”. Her hair is long and fluffy, like a sheep’s fur! Another fitting into her motif.

Next we have Nepeta. She is the first one to have clothes of the blood color of someone important to her. Directly connecting her design to her moirallegiance to Equius. Her mouth and horns fit into her cat motif and her wild hair reflects how unkept she is.

It has already been explored how her long jacket makes her look smaller, but it’s an interesting addition to her design and balances all the indigo she wears otherwise she would be wearing more indigo than her actual color.

And how long can we talk about homestuck without her eventual appearance? That’s right, the next one to introduced is Vriska Serket. Part of the iconic glasses gang her half shades aviator and eightfold eyes makes not only for an easy signifier that “yes, this is Vriska”

But fun fact! the reason i started reading homestuck in the first place was because i saw an image of vriska and i wanted to know what was the deal with her eye.

Her horns reflect the hook and and arrow in her symbol, but also there’s meta about how it represents the sun and the moon. Much to think about. It also connects her with Kanaya as they share one horn since both of their signs are “M”s.

Her jacket is something she shares with tavros and her red shoes she shares with Terezi. Her large hair has a small bit that reminds me Jade which I like to think links to how they’re almost opposites, but I might be just making this up (interpretations!)

Also her eye patch and metal arm links her to captain hook, but I already wrote a very long meta on that too. https://tinyurl.com/qooc5el

Next is Equius. His horn is broken which explores how trolls *can* break their horns over physical trauma. It fits into his symbol and also phallic metaphors. He also wears iconic glasses: square shattered ones with eye bags underneath.

His default mouth brings in to the fact he constantly breaks his teeth and he is one of the only characters with straight hair. And for last: while Nepeta wore indigo all over her her body, Equius doesn’t wear a single piece of green clothing.

Kanaya somewhat follows Terezi and Vriska’s of bright red pieces. Her hair is short and very sharp with few details. Her visible fangs make her mouth more unique. Her long skirt connects her with Jade as they’re both space players.

Her design is clean and conveys very well the idea of how refined and consistent she is. She cares about her appearance and also her T-shirt long sleeve shirt combo also helps to make her more unique

Eridan and Feferi are awfully more detailed than the others like the more far from Karkat we get the unique designs do (which also reflects on how detailed the dancestors are). But anyway.

Eridan is the only one to have dyed hair. His face doesn’t need that many details as he also has those big square glasses and seadweller fins. He wears a lot of Vriska’s color showing how he didn’t moved on from their break up and golden rings to show royalty.

Feferi is almost the only one with no bangs which already makes her design unique. Her golden tiara and goggle make her face unique and simple to signify. her outfit is awfully detailed compared to others with golden jewelry and whatever that skirt was.

All the unique glasses help to frame all the character’s faces and make clear who they are even with the lack of noses, ears or different facial shapes. All the different types of tooth and color of lipstick help to easily differentiate their mouths

It ends up creating designs that could be hyper simplified and still be recognizable. Reducing a character to it’s bare essentials, but it’s already presented on it’s bare essentials so you only elaborate on that.

Not only that but they're reduced to platonical symbols that can easily be subverted so a character can be so many different things.

And here’s hyper fast doodles of each character I did to prove how simple it is to convey an image that can easily be related to each character.

A few more bits on other characters: The midnight crew all have unique body shapes as they lack hair and have very simple designs. They also have unique hats for each one.

Doc Scratch’s head is a white circle. You really can’t go more unique than that. You see a large white circle, that’s doc scratch. It's hyper simple, but also not meant to be interpreted. It *is* a circle and that's it.

The Felt has very unique body shapes since there is way too many of them and they need to be clearly different from each other. They also have unique mouths and and hats, not only in color, but also in shape, to elaborate on that.

The cherubs, well they’re green so it’s easy to distinguish them from other characters and it's interesting how they're so similar to each other, but also so easily differentiated: eyes, cheeks, mouth expression and outfit is all you need to see the clear distinction.

thank you for reading

[sunbird-tells-stories]

= T I M B E R W I L D E =

(Full color refs courtesy of @fbschin and @the-trinket-witch, please support the artists)

FULL NAME: Tapeesa ‘Timber’ Wilde

APPEARANCE: 6’2, and by virtue of her height is the second tallest Xiaolin Dragon (second only to Clay, and even then it’s pretty close).

Floofy blonde hair. It is usually worn long but it is currently cut short with parts of it dyed forget-me-not blue. Tan skin. Brown almond-shaped eyes. Often wears a black toque/beanie, and has a taste for punk, grungy, and “woodsy” type fashions like leather jackets, plaid, distressed denim, etc.

Current outfit is as follows: Long sleeve black shirt with Canadian maple leaf design. Plaid overshirt. Ripped jeans, black socks and black boots. Fingerless black gloves. Single piercing on her nose, multiple piercings in her ears, and a forest green jacket with brown fur lining on the hood. Jacket is designed to make the wearer look like a wolf. This is Timber’s trademark jacket and her most recognizable article of clothing.

GENDER/SEXUALITY: Female. Pansexual. Polyamorous and proud.

PRONOUNS: She/Her/Hers

ETHNICITY: Mixed race - her mother is an Inuk woman from Labrador, and her father was an Irish-Canadian man from Newfoundland.

BIRTHPLACE/BIRTHDATE: Born and raised in the province of Newfoundland, Canada on November 2nd, 2003. Scorpio. 16 going on 17.

GUILTY PLEASURES: Cigarettes. Food. Weed. Food. Sneaking into places she shouldn’t. Food. Saucy reading materials. Food. Pretty girls. Food. Feisty boys. Food. Abusing her powers to be lazy, get what she wants and take shortcuts. Food. Loud music. Food. Singing. Food. Sneaking out at night. Food. Petty vandalism. Food. Street hockey. Food. Regular hockey. Food. Skateboarding. Food. Tagging property with her own unique brand of art. Food. Cute dogs. Food. Taking lots and lots of selfies and candid photos, as photography is her biggest passion and addiction ALSO FOOD DID I MENTION FOOD YET BECAUSE THAT’S A BIG ONE SHE IS ALWAYS HUNGRY

QUIRKS: Constantly takes photos. Constantly gets distracted. Constantly wanders off. Bites her lip when she is anxious or about to lie. Takes great pride in her hair and prior to her forced haircut took good care of it and grew it out long, thick and messy. Her wild hair is a trademark of hers and she doesn’t like people touching it or doing anything to it.

Is well known for having a nervous tic in the form of shaking hands. She claims it’s due to bad medication - and may even in fact believe her own lie - but in reality, it’s completely psychological in nature, due to her undiagnosed PTSD and trauma from a formative life event when she was 8 years old. It is always present, worsens under stress, and at times affects her motor skills so intensely that she cannot tie her shoes or pick up a spoon. It is a great insecurity of hers and she does her best to hide it.

TRIGGERS: Mentions of her family, being called “crazy” and being near the ocean or on water.

FUN FACTS:

When visiting a new place, Timber will build or draw an inukshuk and take a photo of it to commemorate the occasion. She has been doing this since she was small, and she continues this ritual in honor of the loved one who taught her how to do this.

Her real name Tapeesa means “arctic flower” in the Inuktituk language, but most people know her as Timber. Earned the nickname ‘Timber’ from her father when she made a tree fall as a young girl due to her Wood elemental powers revealing themselves. Answers only to the name ‘Timber’ in his memory.

Really loves blueberries. She likes all food and eats like a starving animal but she gravitates to blueberries and blueberry flavored things. Her trademark favorite food though is blueberry pancakes with blueberry jam, as per her father’s recipe.

COLORS: Blue and Green

ANIMAL SYMBOLISM: Moths 🦋

PHOBIAS: Several, actually.

Going home.

Losing the one “friend” she has.

Being alone for the rest of her life.

Being an outcast for the rest of her life.

Not being able to fulfill her deal to Sun and complete the one mission that has kept her going for YEARS.

Being open and honest and vulnerable with other people.

Trusting other people.

Other people.

But the one thing she fears more than anything else is the ocean. Deep water in general makes her very uncomfortable and she slowly loses it when in close proximity to beaches, docks, and boats. She. HATES. Being on water.

And she has every reason to hate it.

WHAT SHE WOULD BE FAMOUS FOR: Timber Wilde is the first Dragon of Wood in centuries, a “Wilde” card that even Wuya herself was not aware of before she made herself known. And due to the complicated history of the Xiaolin Dragons and the Dragons of Wood, that alone is more than enough to have everyone from the Xiaolin to the Heylin hunting her down. Inexperienced in actual combat, but with enough raw power and natural talent that exceeds even Raimundo and Omi’s Shoku-level abilities, Timber Wilde is cunning, powerful, creative, and above all, unpredictable.

Timber Wilde is also currently the owner of the Crown of the Monkey King, the most dangerous Shen Gong Wu in existence. What’s more, she is also the faithful and long-suffering servant, student and sometimes host of the evil that resides in it.

Along with her traveling companions, Jack Spicer, the reluctant Dragon of Metal, and Jermaine Thompson, the kung-fu prodigy that was trained by Chase Young himself, Timber Wilde currently travels the world in an ongoing journey, keeping her secrets close, her “enemies” closer, and searching for a way to free her master in exchange for her one and only chance to rectify the greatest failure of her life.

She will do whatever it takes to reach this goal. Even if she has to burn down the whole world to do it. After all...a deal’s a deal, right?

WHAT THEY WOULD GET ARRESTED FOR:

Theft. Arson. Disturbing the peace. Possession and underage usage of tobacco products and marijuana. General teenage mayhem. Destruction of property. Aggravated assault. Vandalism and trespassing.

...Treason.

WHO DO YOU SHIP THEM WITH: Timber is polyamorous and has a lot of romantic potential with a few different characters. I feel like she’d be happiest in a polyamorous triad with Jack Spicer as one of her lifelong partners due to how well they connect and compliment each other, but jury’s still out on who would best complete their OT3.

She’s 100 percent into nerds tho. Nerds and angry types and red hair and blue eyes. All she wants is to be topped by someone smarter than her. She just needs a feisty bookworm who can put her in her place and teach her things.

CHARACTER MOST LIKELY TO KILL THEM: Everyone is out to get Timber but sadly her worst enemy is in her own head. Literally. He’s in her HEAD.

FAVORITE BOOK/MOVIE GENRE: Historical/documtary type stuff because she’s hungry for knowledge of the world outside her small seaside town, but she also has a secret soft spot for shojo mangas and saucy romance books.

LEAST FAVORITE MOVIE/BOOK CLICHE: Sad endings, or stories where the dog dies.

TALENTS/POWERS: As the Dragon Of Wood, Timber Wilde has power over every form of plant life, and once again she’s nearly above Shoku level with her abilities. In addition to manipulating and accelerating plant growth, she can also....

Gift plants with sentience and speech,

Use pollen and scents to confuse, manipulate, charm or take out foes,

Create bioluminescent plants and fungi

Create armor for herself from plants

Use plants for camouflage, disguise, defense or offense

Create her own food source

And much more.

But the most important skill as Dragon of Wood she has is, above all, her healing abilities.

With the power to use the medicinal properties in her plants to heal almost any wound or illness, Timber Wilde’s healing powers make her invaluable in battle.

She also has learned one more technique from Sun, one that allows her to “borrow” another person’s power for her own.

But we can discuss that later.

WHY SOMEONE MIGHT LOVE THEM: Despite her many flaws, Timber Wilde isn’t that bad of a person. Deep down underneath her tough, nihilistic, cold exterior, she’s just a sweet, silly, mischief making teenager who just needs and wants a friend. She is a dreamer. She is an artist. Though she has long since lost faith in people she still has an eye for beauty and finds it everywhere in the world around her. She thirsts for adventure and wants to live life to the fullest and experience everything the unknown has to offer.

At her best, Timber Wilde is a lively, incredible, inspiring soul who is passionately devoted to everything and everyone she loves. She will go to the ends of the earth for anything and anyone she cares about, even if it costs her her own life.

WHY SOMEONE MIGHT HATE THEM: Timber Wilde is a deeply complicated person who has a lot of inner pain and fears. And like a certain other redhead, these feelings cause her to lash out at the world around her in less than ideal ways.

Timber lies. Timber keeps secrets. Timber can get very defensive when you poke past the casual front she tries to keep up and start asking her real questions. She has a loose sense of morals, and a survivalist mindset. She doesn’t reach out to other people. She doesn’t trust other people. In fact, the only person she puts her faith in is an evil entity trapped within the Shen Gong Wu she wears on her head. And because of his influence, her view of reality is severely warped.

She genuinely believes she has no real place in this world amongst other people. She genuinely believes everyone is out to get her and that everyone disappoints each other eventually and to make yourself vulnerable or to have faith in others is to invite hurt and heartbreak. And despite the fact that she holds her own needs and desires above everyone else’s, she thinks very, very lowly of herself.

She cannot forgive herself for past mistakes. She cannot let go of what’s already gone. She blames herself for the fate of her family and the untimely demise of the most important person in her life and this has taken a severe emotional and mental toll on her. And due to this loss, she has ONE goal in life that she chases after with all her heart and soul, and the way she tunnel visions in on her mission often means she leaves others to the wayside, though not always without guilt or regret.

Timber is....complicated. Like a wildfire, she burns and burns and burns, and each and every day she burns a little more out of control than before.

But fires don’t burn because they want to hurt people. Fires burn because they don’t know how else to keep from going out.

Timber Wilde knows her actions have consequences. But seeing no better options, she forces herself not to care. She lies to everyone, including herself.

HOW THEY CHANGE: Spoilers.

But I think a certain someone, or two certain someones, can help her change.

Power of friendship, baby.

Why You Love Them: Because she fulfills several of my wishes for what I wanted to see in Xiaolin Showdown.

A) She’s a female character

B) She’s a female XIAOLIN character

C) She is or will be a true blue ally and supportive friend to Jack Spicer, a boy who desperately needs friends

D) She’s a Dragon Of Wood and

E) She is a girl with grit who gets swept up into a magical life changing adventure

[dreams-madeof-strawberrylemonade]

Heartbreaker - Part 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Greta Van Fleet, nor their songs. This series (as well as everything else I write and is a fanfiction) is pure fiction. I have not been alive in the 1960s, and most of the details have been researched beforehand. Also, the GIFs and photos I use throughout this series are NOT mine, they are just images I have downloaded from Tumblr. If you are the owner, please DM me, I would be more than happy to give credit. Warnings: language, smoking Word count: 1.4K + A/N: Finally part 1 yay!!! I honestly can’t wait to just upload the rest of the story, I get urges like this from time to time lol. Feedback is welcomed, as well as critiques and opinions!! Enjoy! To be added to the taglist, DM me or send an ask.

Jake Kiszka x (female) Reader

Heartbreaker Masterpost // Fanfiction Masterpost

“Take notes on every single thing they say or do, insist on your unanswered questions. No losing control, and no unprofessional behavior. After all, you go there under our magazine’s name. Do you understand?” your boss spoke to you, just moments before stepping backstage.

“Yes, I do. Thank you again for the opportunity, sir!” you spoke back as you took one last drag out of your cigarette and put it out. You could feel the slight tingle down your throat caused by the smoke. You actually quitted smoking one year ago, but you couldn’t stop from smoking a cigarette every once and again when you were nervous.

“Friendly advice, don’t fucking ruin our name by doing something stupid,” he spoke one last time before he disappeared in the dark.

You looked as his shadow became invisible and took in a deep breath. You could hear the sound of a drum solo onstage, that announced that the show was nearly over, so you had to get backstage as soon as possible.

You opened the door only to be greeted by a guard, so you showed him your permit and continued your way. You were so nervous, you didn’t know what to expect, how to introduce yourself, you didn’t even know if someone has told them beforehand that you were going to come. What if they didn’t want to tell you anything?

You could feel your heart pumping and blood flowing in the veins on your neck as your ears started hearing louder and louder screams from the fans in the public, as the band said their goodbyes. You finally arrived to the room the band was expected to come right after the show was over. You had absolutely no idea how these people were going to be and this- being on unknown territory- made you nervous.

You were snapped out of your thoughts and worries by the loud sound of a door hitting the wall, and men’s voices talking and laughing. Your eyes moved almost instantly to the group of four men that just walked in. Their eyes stopped on you as well. You felt like you were caught in a staring contest, and decided to break the awkward silence you were in.

“Hello, I am Y/F/N, a reporter for-“

“You’re from the new music magazine, aren’t you?” one of the guys in the front spoke. He had long brown hair, a few strands stuck on his face from all the sweat. He was wearing a black jacket with gold detailing, leaving his chest bare underneath.

“Yes, that’s me,” you forced an awkward smile.

“Cool, but as for me, I am tired and I want to take the party elsewhere,” another one spoke. He was about the same height of the first one, but this one gave off a Bob Dylan vibe with his haircut.

You had to admit, they were a pretty interesting-looking group and you were sure they had quite some stories to tell you.

“Definitely. I don’t want to stay around here for too long,” the first one, in the jacket, answered. “I’m Jake Kiszka, guitarist,” he introduced himself.

“I am Josh Kiszka, I play the vocals,” the Dylan-ish one spoke. You nodded, and tried to match the face to the name.

You turned to the other two, who were silently waiting for their moment.

A tall man stepped forward, he had kind of frizzy hair, and his arms’ muscles gave away the fact that he was a drummer. Probably he has been drumming since a really young age, but you didn’t know yet if that was true or not. “I am Daniel, Wagner.”

“Are you the drummer?” you asked the tall, dark-haired man that introduced himself as Daniel Wagner.

“Oh! The girl has done her homework!” spoke the fourth man, the one still left to introduce himself. “In fact, he really is. But more importantly, I am Sam Kiszka, and I am the bassist.”

You all shook hands. “So, if not here, where do you want to go and talk?” you asked as you saw them on the couch. You were feeling slightly intimidated, but you were sent with a job.

“Today we’re kicking off the tour, so I say we find a nice local or something nearby. I am starving. You’re free to join us if you’d like,” Josh, the shortest Kiszka, with the fluffy hair, spoke. You agreed almost instantly.

You took one last look at the group of four men. Their outfits were fitting them like a glove and you had to admit to yourself that they were really good looking. The details in their stage outfits was otherworldly. There hasn’t been anyone quite like that before. You could tell they had a bright road ahead of themselves.

The singer, Josh, was wearing a black vest as well, with the similar gold details as the guitarist. Josh also wore a lot of necklaces, that tangled together on his bare chest, while he had a couple of feathers hanging from his hair and down his shoulders.

While the vocalist and the guitarist matched their outfits, the bassist was wearing red bell bottoms and a halfway-unbuttoned shirt with oriental design. Now, the interesting thing about the bassist, was that he was barefoot. He noticed that you were intrigued by this unusual lack of shoes, but didn’t say anything.

The drummer also had an unique outfit- he was wearing a vest with floral motifs and black leather pants.

Even though their stage looks were quite unusual, you had a feeling that they were going to start a music revolution that would lead the way into the 70s.

You noted down all the details you remembered about their outfits, as they left one by one and got changed into a fresh set of clothes. They weren’t as extra as before, but they were still giving off the same vibe as before.

“Let me guess, why am I not wearing shoes, right?” Sam asked as he sat down next to you and extended his arm on the upper part of the couch, behind you. You just nodded, a little bit taken aback by his forwardness. “Because I like to feel connected to the Earth,” he said as you watched him closely, almost caught in a trance, studying the fine detailing of his face. “Come on, note it down.”

You did as you were told and followed Josh, since he was already leaving the room. The four men lead the way down the dark streets of the city, looking for a welcoming local on that chilly night. You were walking behind them, thinking of the way you should behave around them.

They finally stopped in front of a local that gave away light out of its windows. It seemed cozy inside, so the boys walked in and asked for a table for five.

“So, how will you travel on this tour?” asked Sam once you all sat down.

“My boss said that with you, with your bus, right?” you answered his question with another question, unsure. You thought all of it has been planned in advance and that the band has been informed.

“That’s going to be fun,” Sam spoke again as he fixed you with his eyes. Your cheeks heated up, not being exactly sure of what was going on.

“If the lady’s going with us, you behave,” Josh spoke as if he was their dad. Maybe he was the oldest, who knows.

“Do you smoke?” Jake asked as he put a cigar between his lips and light it up. He puffed the smoke and handed you his packet as you nodded. His arm extended and flicked open the metal lighter in his hand and lit up the cigar in your mouth.

You took a deep drag out of it and felt the tingle down your throat and let the smoke out.

“The lady’s smoking!” Daniel looked at you, as if he’s never seen a woman smoking.

“So, shall we get started?” you asked as you put your clipboard on the table, after the waiter took your orders. An affirmative murmur was heard so you continued. “How was the band formed?”

“We’re blood brothers,” Jake pointed at himself, Josh and Sam, “and he is our brother from other mother,” he continued, pointing at the dark haired drummer, who smiled at his words. You smiled as well, noticing the love that was at the roots of this band.

“Can’t we do this tomorrow? I am tired,” Jake asked as he looked at you and slid a hand underneath the table that rested on your knee. You and Jake had a short exchange of looks that went by unnoticed by the other boys.

The three of them agreed. “How about we get to know each other better?”  suggested Josh as you put the clipboard away.

Tags: @myownparadise96, @jeordinevankiszka, @littlegeekwonder, @gretavanyeeeeet, @umbriellethenightfall, @songbirdkisses, @freeeshavacadoo, @sweet-dreams-on-butterfly-wings, @stevie-baby, @satans-helper, @bigthighsandstupidguys, @leterscam, @valleyd0ll, @mountainofthesunn, @retrodrummers

[wisqcrafts]

19 Home Quarantine Boredom Busters!

Bored? Bored??? Complain about your neighbors, your family, the government, the sky, anything else. But I never wanna hear or see anyone complain about boredom. Sorry not sorry. There's so many masterposts of things to do and free online resources. Here are just some of my dork ass ideas:

1) Free (yes FREE) online college courses from, you know, Yale, Harvard, MIT, etc:

https://www.coursera.org/

https://ocw.mit.edu/courses/find-by-topic/#cat=engineering&subcat=nuclearengineering&spec=nuclearsystemspolicyandeconomics

https://www.edx.org/school/harvardx

https://www.freecodecamp.org/news/ivy-league-free-online-courses-a0d7ae675869/?fbclid=IwAR1a9qAE6IcqmcQpPaTmXH6q63QBCA95rntnZPY0ah_U80d8u0wa9wAIYhc

What, like it's hard?

2) "Tattoo" practice - This is a personal idea of mine. Basically, you just take some non-toxic markers to draw on yourself or whoever youre in home quarantine with that wants a fake tattoo. This isn't the best time to be getting real tattoos but you can have fun seeing what youd look like with a one. If you dont really draw, you can print designs to cut into stencils.

3) Bento "stories" - I got this idea from the mom that went viral for the creative bentos she makes for her kids. I think, for even just one meal a day, it would be cute to tell a story with each bento. So if you're living with someone, they need to wait til the next day to find out what happens next! If you live alone, make them for yourself and post your bento story online.

https://www.boredpanda.com/creative-bento-food-art-samantha-lee/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=organic

4) Karaoke - By yourself or with others, doesn't matter, make it a party! Just search for your karaoke sobgs on Youtube. And anything is a microphone: hairbrush, remote, piece of fried chicken.... Good for you if you have one of those bluetooth mics tho.

5) Professor Day - Okay this one is really nerdy but it's more fun than it sounds. Pick a random topic, anything at all, and prepare a "lesson" or presentation on it. It could be one of your interests, an intro to a new language, or something you always wanted to learn. You can keep it to yourself, share the file online, or better: Dress the part and call your home quarantine buddies in for "class." If you live alone, teaching a class of inanimate objects would make for a silly yet informative video on your topic. Hey maybe this can catch on! Everyone can be an expert of something they're passionate about and should share their unique take on it, who knows who will be into it.

6) Miss Going Outside? Bring the experiences indoors! Like the family that made a home grocery for their grandma, you can make part of your home into something you miss from the outside world. Museum? Plenty offer free virtual tours. Cinema? If you don't have a big TV, you can make a projector for your phone with a shoebox. Camping? Hello, pillow fort and blanket tent. Roast marshmallows on the stove. Play relaxing nature sounds on your speaker. (Try the free app Relax Melodies, I love the mixing feature) Get creative with your space and what you have to make something you want. When you're really bored and missing the outdoors, Youtube or Google Streetview somewhere you wish you could go.

https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/75809/12-world-class-museums-you-can-visit-online

https://www.relaxmelodies.com/?utm_expid=.P1gqxCs8TYuGTBlAbE0VkQ.0&utm_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2F

https://newsvideo.su/video/12560164

https://www.instructables.com/id/Build-A-Smartphone-Projector/

7) Room Makeover - No better time to do it! It's good exercise and it's a creative experience.

8) New Hair Dont Care - This is the best time to try an outrageous haircut or color since you're stuck at home. If it doesn't turn out ideal, no one has to know. If you love it, great! You can try any look you normally wouldn't wear outside or at work.

9) Safe Science Experiments - emphasis on the word SAFE. Safety first, always. There's plenty of free resources online for instructions, esp on YouTube.

10) Consume All The Free Movies, Shows, Music, Books, Audio Books and even Comics Online... it's endless! So much free... And now not so little time. You won't run out of things to watch, read, or listen to.

https://www.epubor.com/10-best-sites-for-free-comic-books.html

https://www.bettercloud.com/monitor/15-classic-video-games/

http://www.loyalbooks.com/genre/Non-fiction

https://www.digitalbook.io/search-audiobooks-ebooks.html#!///history

https://documentaryaddict.com/

11) Make a Short Film - Get creative or just be silly! Try stop motion with old toys, get yourself or someone you're home with into acting, or make your pet a star.

12) Tea Party - Be a kid again and dress up for tea... but put whatever twist you want on it! Wear an old Halloween costume or something! If you live alone, video call your friends or family to join you for tea.

13) Spa Day - All the pampering you didn't have time for when work/school wasn't from home? You have time now. DIY facial. Bubble bath. Nail art. Really soak in every little act of self love.

14) Practice drag makeup, styling, and performance for fun. Your gender or sexual preference doesn't even matter here. Its all good fun! Be a drag queen or king for a day. Lip sync for your life by yourself or make it a drag race with your home quarantine mates.

15) Mystery Day - Create a fake crime scene and have your friends/family solve it! Doesn't have to be a big mess and you don't have to make it so complicated for yourself or your home quarantine fam. You could also just write a simple mystery/riddle online for friends to solve if you live alone. You can even assign roles like accomplice, police, detective, etc. Work your brain, the goal is to kill boredom right?

16) Scrapbook - or Burn Book, Spell Book, pop-up book, revolutionary manifesto, whatever. Use anything you have as a base even if it has writing: an old phone book, something missing pages, a faded magazine, whatever. Then stick any pics, stickers, printouts, tags, wrappers, etc you want. What kind of book will it be?

17) Art Therapy - Even if you dont consider it something you're "good" at, use art to express yourself. It doesn't just have to be drawing, painting, or sculpting... You can pick up a forgotten musical instrument you may have lying around and just keep trying. Youtube is life. Countless tutorials for everything.

18) Crafts Crafts Crafts - Theres so many simple crafts to try at home. 5 Minute Crafts on Youtube and various other channels offer some great yet easy ideas. Try going about it in this order:

a) Look around your house for stuff you don't need. Set aside for craft pile or donate pile.

b) Look around again for any ways you can improve you home. You need mor storage? Is your shoe rack broken? Are you always missing something? Then search online for crafts specific to that.

c) Set up a neat work space with your craft pile and some tools you can use. Note: Never use kitchen items for crafts if you still intend to use them on food. You may be able to wash them but you can't undo any damage from crafting trial and error.

https://youtu.be/AROj7nkH2LQ

19) If you have any skill that can possibly help frontliners during this crisis, do see what you can do without risking your own health. If you can sew, donate masks or even PPE suits as there are guides online for the right patterns and materials. Even just a few pieces are helpful. If you sing, sing for our frontliners. If you write, write about them. Do your research about the situation in your town. Health workers, sanitation workers, grocery staff, and other essential workers are all putting their lives on the line. All we have to do is stay home but we can make the most of it.

https://drive.google.com/drive/mobile/folders/1-Xr-67gs2qw0o44-hy-INb89I9m-wcLD?fbclid=IwAR2q0JV6uqgDW5e_m5X5ABLv86rXdQodXh4x5fYDg9_WRsMe0hQwki9PUTk&fbclid=IwAR3Oofo8FIjzwZOoLepnGxYTrST_zV1dRf6NMtoWVRQVSuho1nnqwG5esUE

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.cnet.com/google-amp/news/coronavirus-face-mask-what-you-need-to-know-about-making-a-covering-at-home/

[lovenotereminders]

i'm ugly, i feel ugly, i don't have confidence, what should i do?

The first thing I’d recommend for anyone struggling with low self-confidence is to strongly consider speaking to a therapist. Therapy isn’t just for people with mental illnesses, and it can teach a lot of really helpful skills about assertiveness, self-acceptance, and interrupting unhealthy thought patterns. 

Removing negative influences on your own confidence and replacing them with positive ones is another good place to start. Maybe that means cutting out friends who put you down. Unfollow blogs or accounts on social media that make you feel bad about yourself (like people who post self-deprecating humour or people you compare yourself to too much). But it can also refer to yourself - cut out self-deprecating jokes, and being down on yourself. Try to interrupt those bad thoughts when you notice yourself having them. 

Some things to remind yourself when you’re feeling bad about yourself:

Beauty is arbitrary. What some people consider ugly will be beautiful to others. 

Beauty isn’t just about aesthetics - it’s about kindness, confidence, generosity, humour. People are much more likely to find you attractive if your personality is attractive - who you are inside is much more important than the way you look. Remember this comic. 

Current beauty standards are designed to be unattainable. They’re based on an entrenched culture of racism, misogyny, ableism, cissexism, fatphobia, etc. and are enforced so heavily by our capitalist society to make people feel bad about themselves in order to sell them things. Shaving products, cosmetics, skin lightening products, hair products, diet pills, gym memberships, teeth whitening products, magazines, weight loss subscription services, cosmetic surgeries, etc. The beauty industry is immensely profitable and has a vested interest in making you feel bad about yourself. You don’t have to fit into their ideal of beauty - which is only obtainable if you’re wealthy enough to afford personal trainers and dieticians and makeup artists and surgeons and a massive amount of airbrushing anyway - to be beautiful. 

Try to focus on the things you love about your body. Make a list of them mentally, or on a piece of paper or in a journal or on your phone, or write them on a mirror in drywipe marker pen. 

Examples could be physical attributes like eye colour, hair texture, freckles, the uniqueness of the placement of a birth mark or mole, or the character that your teeth give your smile, your eyelashes or eyebrows, your belly button, your bum, your nose, your collarbones. It doesn’t matter how small - just anything you like about your body. 

But equally, it can be more abstract things - the fact your eyes let you see beautiful things, your ears let you hear your favourite song, your skin lets you feel the softness of a blanket or a pet’s fur or the warmth of a hug, your feet hold you up, your hands let you create things, your fingers let you play an instrument or pop bubble wrap, your legs and arms are strong, your tummy lets you eat your favourite things and digests your food to keep you nourished, your lungs let you take deep breaths of crisp morning air, or breathe in smells like flowers and baking cookies. 

Maybe you could list little things about your body that you’re grateful for - for instance, maybe your hair dries fast or doesn’t go limp or frizzy, maybe your skin isn’t prone to dryness, maybe your teeth aren’t sensitive to cold, maybe you heal really fast or have a high pain tolerance, maybe you have steady hands, maybe you tend to suntan really nicely instead of burning, maybe you can hold your pee for ages. Anything at all, no matter how small or seemingly silly it is. 

Shift your focus to something else that makes you happy. Message a friend, read a page of a book, look at social media, do a hobby you enjoy. 

Beauty isn’t a competition. You don’t have to compare yourself to others, because people have different circumstances and people have different standards of attractiveness. You might think your friend is more attractive than you, but not everyone will agree with that. Equally, don’t put people down to make yourself feel better, even if they never know about it. That doesn’t give you true self-esteem. 

Remember that your self-worth is inherent to your existence. You are worth something as a person, and that worth is not based on your attractiveness or productivity or anything like that. 

Give yourself permission to love yourself now, not when you’re ‘more beautiful’. You don’t have to wait until you fit xyz pair of jeans to be attractive, you don’t have to lose weight before you can buy that top you think is cute, you don’t have to shave your legs before you can wear those shorts, you don’t have to put on makeup before you go out and do something fun. You don’t have to keep clothes that don’t fit you anymore and wait for the day you can get back in them. You don’t have to prioritise beauty over your health. 

Practice self-care diligently. Your body is a good body, and it deserves to be taken care of. Self-care doesn’t have to be lavish and expensive - it doesn’t need to be lush bath bombs and fancy lotions. It can be making sure you drink water and eat at least two meals a day, eating fruit and veg, having a nice hot shower, brushing your teeth, putting lotion that smells nice on your skin, exfoliating, going for a walk, wearing comfy clothes, taking your meds on time, getting an early night or a long lie in, etc. 

Do things that make you feel good about yourself as regularly as you can. Ideas include: wearing your favourite outfit, buying clothes that fit comfortably and make you feel good about yourself (even if it’s as small as some cool socks), getting a fresh haircut, styling your hair in a different way or changing your haircut or dying your hair, getting a tattoo or piercing, exercising, painting your nails, putting on makeup, getting some kind of beauty treatment like a facial or a massage or a pedicure, send a kind message to a friend, work on or complete a project, i.e. for school or work or as part of a hobby of yours, doodle on your arms, donate old clothes, etc. 

Be patient and forgiving with yourself. The journey to self-love is a long one, and it doesn’t happen right away. As with anything, the most important thing is to try as much as you’re able to, learn from your mistakes, and persevere. 

These are all potential things you could try incorporating into your routine, or doing when you feel bad about yourself to interrupt those cycles of negative thought patterns, and try and get yourself into more positive and affirming habits. 

I know it can be difficult, and I’m sorry that you’ve been feeling this way, but it’s possible to get out of this negative mindset and learn how to be kinder to yourself and your body, and I believe in you that you can do it. Good luck 💗