#i do the flats and then i merge EVERYTHING and work like that

[1alchemistart]

braided his hair 👍

[lilislegacy]

Okay, I’m so gonna get hate for this. And it will probably get about 4 notes. This is, by far, the most opinionated thing I have ever posted on here. If you can’t tolerate criticism towards Rick Riordan, the books, or the TV show, please keep scrolling. My goal is NOT to change your mind or start arguments.

I also want to preface this by saying that I love and respect Rick Riordan (even if I disagree with him on things and don’t like some of his choices) and fully acknowledge that he has the right to do whatever the hell he pleases with his own series. I also want to say that I love Annabeth Chase (both the book and tv show version) with my entire being and you will never find me being an Annabeth hater. She’s my girl.

We good? Okay cool. So here’s the thing: I’ve seen a lot of people on here saying things like “If you didn’t like the books, you just don’t know how to have fun,” and “The new book haters are just mad that they aren’t the target audience anymore,” and (my personal favorite) “Nothing in the books has changed, only the readers have.”

And while I see your points, and I respect you, allow me to show you something. Because of the 10 picture limit, I am only going to focus on one specific change: Annabeth’s view of Percy.

WOTTG: Annabeth is surprised to be comforted by Percy

Past Books: Percy is constantly comforting Annabeth

WOTTG: Annabeth is shocked when Percy is smart

Past Books: Annabeth often points out that Percy is intelligent

WOTTG: Annabeth thinks Percy can’t do anything on his own, and Rick communicates that Annabeth is always saving his ass

Past Books: Percy is ALWAYS watching her back, and saving her ass just as much (and Annabeth admits that)

I could put a hundred quotes in here. I could go on and on and on. But I can’t, and I won’t.

My problem with this new book is NOT that it is more goofy than serious. My problem is NOT that little things have changed. My problem is NOT that it’s just for fun. My problem is NOT that it’s much more childish. (And by the way, I’ve read PJO and HOO as an adult, so it’s not like I was a child when I read everything else and am now an adult reading the new ones.) I really did like and enjoy many parts of this book.

My problem is that the characters (especially Annabeth) have flat out changed—in bad ways—and we have no choice but to accept it as canon. My problem is that Rick, while trying to merge his books with his new TV show project, is changing the entire personalities and past behaviors/ tendencies of the characters.

I loved Chalice of the Gods. You know why? It was fun, goofy, and showed the characters that we know and love being happy and adorable. I strongly dislike Wrath of the Triple Godess because the characters—no matter how adorable and happy they might be—are no longer the ones we know and love.

My problem is that Rick Riordan fully admitted that he no longer considers the old book characters when he writes the new books. He is now purposefully incorporating his own personal mixture of the book characters and tv characters and writing those versions instead. Because of his desire to change and transform the series, I doubt he’s even read the original PJO or HOO books in years, which is why everything is so inconsistent. The old book characters—the ones who made the series what it was—are gone. And that is not my opinion. Rick fully admits that he doesn’t imagine them when he writes anymore. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE the tv show actors. I adore Walker and Leah and Aryan with my whole heart, and I wouldn’t trade them for anything. But the fact is: they will never be exactly like the book characters. It’s impossible for actors to become the words on a page. They’re their own unique version! And likewise, you cannot turn actors into print. It doesn’t work! And why would you try? The books versions were perfect as they were. And the disney kids need to make the characters their own. The two versions can exist side by side, equally as wonderful, and still be gloriously different. We should celebrate the uniqueness of both. But instead, Rick is attempting to merge them into one. And in my opinion, it’s just hurting them both. And I’m gonna get real brave by saying this, but do you want my honest prediction? If he keeps doing what he’s doing now, the TV show is going to get cancelled and the books are going to turn into a joke. I so, so badly hope that this doesn’t happen! I have loved Rick and PJO for many, many years. I badly want both to thrive. But what is going on right now… it is not working, no matter how much we all want it to. And speaking as someone who knows people in the TV/Film industry, I am sadly not the only one who thinks the show is gonna flop. Which is devastating, because Rick Riordan deserves a redemption on the big screen, and the incredible actors deserve to bring this series to life in a new way.

I am not trying to force my opinions onto anybody. You are welcome to disagree with me and move on. I am not saying that I’m right and you’re wrong. If you disagree, that’s okay. If you agree but you don’t have a problem with it, that’s okay. In fact if other people have literally no issues, that makes me somewhat happy. And if you loved the book, I’m honestly so stoked for you. Feel free to just keep on scrolling, my friend.

But me? I’m sad. I’m really, really freaking sad. And I’m a little angry too, even if I don’t have a right to be. I can’t help it because I’m only human. But this is how I—and a lot of other people—feel. And you know what? That’s okay too. Because the fact of the matter is:

Annabeth isn’t the same Annabeth anymore. And Percy isn’t the same Percy anymore. And it’s not because they went through trauma, or because time has passed. It’s because Rick Riordan doesn’t have any interest in writing those versions of them anymore. And I think the comparisons between the old and the new show that fact pretty clearly.

[ssahotchnerr]

Aaron making hot chocolate for his little girl 😭😭😭😭 she only wants his and can tell if someone else has made it, and flat out REFUSES to drink it. Reader calls Aaron on the phone during a case and all he can hear is his daughter crying in the background and reader is like “wtf do you put in this hot chocolate??? Coke???????” because reader just cannot get it right despite Aaron walking them through the process of his hot chocolate before 😭 maybe Aaron talks on the phone with daughter for a bit to calm her down and the promise of unlimited hot chocolate once he comes home AHHHHHHH

dad's way

please 😭 and the way i literally had a hot cocoa candle burning as i worked on this cw; fem!reader, food descriptions, brief picky eater talk, girl dad!aaron <333333

"hi sweetheart-"

the shriek on the other end immediately caused him to hold his phone an inch or two away. it was piercing and loud, even for his bad ear.

concern had already swarmed his chest before the cry had ceased, and the room suddenly felt a bit hotter. "honey? is everything alright?"

there was a brief rustling sound, a small clattering of what he assumed was dishes, the close of a cabinet following after. "how do you make your hot chocolate?"

"why-"

"how, do you make your hot chocolate." you interrupted him, your voice distancing a bit for a moment, "dada's on the phone, it's okay."

"oh." aaron chuckled softly as realization hit, his voice filled with a tinge of pity. "someone's upset."

"tell me about it." you sighed in defeat, exasperation clear. "apparently, whatever i make isn't good enough. i've given her three different cups already. three. well, given the third was a reattempt of number one. but with whipped cream and sprinkles. jack too tried to persuade her, but nope. it's daddy's hot chocolate and daddy's hot chocolate only."

"is it in the right mug?"

"the one with all the little ladybugs? yup."

"okay," aaron quickly excused himself - he was still sat amongst the rest of the team, who were silently digging through records - jj shot him a sympathetic glance as he got up. he trailed down the short hallway outside the conference room, in search of a more secluded area to give instructions. "well, i usually-"

aaron walked you through it - steaming the milk, at just the right temperature. adding the cocoa mix, a little extra than the standard serving size. mini marshmallows, and the secret ingredient you had missed - adding a touch of vanilla extract. it was simple, really, but your daughter was a stickler.

she wasn't a picky eater, but was very adamant on how things were made or presented. for example, if two foods next to each other on a plate happened to merge - it was the end of the world. and when it came to aaron's hot chocolate, she couldn't get enough of it. she asked for it nightly, promptly right after dinner. she always insisted on sitting on the counter as aaron made it, watching intently and asking questions on what he was doing. it was their thing together. and more than likely, his absence was aiding to the current meltdown.

"here," aaron hears you say, your daughter's cries lessening for a moment. "this is dada's."

there was a moment's pause, and aaron could easily visualize your daughter analyzing the drink, her eyebrows furrowing in that hotchner way that was just genetic at this point - jack had it too. but as you both already anticipated, another wail produced in response.

"nooooo it's not!"

aaron heard you tiredly sigh, and he was quick to offer more assistance. "want me to talk to her?"

"please."

another shuffle came from your end of the phone, handing it to your daughter. there was a slightly louder sniffle, indicating she was close and listening.

"hi sweetheart," aaron softened his voice, his heartstrings tugging as he silently wished he was home, with you all, rather than a few states away. "what's the matter?"

another sharp sniffle. "i want your hot chocolate."

"i know bug," he consoled softly. again, his heart breaking at her small, upset voice. "but since i'm at work, mom's gonna have to make it for you."

she hesitated, bottom lip quivering. another small wail was quick to follow. "but i want yours."

"i know, but i told momma how i make it, so it'll taste exactly the same, i promise. she put all her love in it too, just like i do. which, do you wanna know a secret?"

that grabbed her attention, her cries stilling so fast it was almost humorous. "uh huh."

"that's the secret ingredient that makes it taste so good, whether mom or i make it. but you can't tell your brother that, okay? it'll be our secret."

"okay."

"so tonight, can you drink mom's hot chocolate? she worked really hard to make it special, just for you." she quieted, still unsure, so aaron switched tactics. "and when i get home, i'll make you two cups. with extra, extra marshmallows. how does that sound?"

[lostintransist]

More on you hating getting frustrated with the guys when they care for you. Apologies for any spelling errors I'm on mobile and fighting a migraine.

Gender neutral reader.

Find Simon and John here.

Nikto: Every piece of him had tuned into caring for you. If you could catch him doing it you would ask him to stop. Okay maybe not stop but slow down. Nikto learned early into sharing space with you that you could wield a wooden spoon as well as any grandmother and weren't cowed by any of his hard stares.

The first time he tried to coax you from the kitchen so he could finish cooking for you hadn't gone well.

"Andre if you touch me one more time with the intention of moving me from my task I might stab you." You hadn't even turned from the counter where you chopped carrots.

He glared at you, arguing with the parts of him he didn't dare name. He worried that by naming them they would stay.

Toss her into bed and tie her there the snarling voice rippled across the internal atmosphere.

Nikto would never tie you down, he doubted he could when with consent. The remembrance of restraints brought gooseflesh to any of his body not cemented with scar tissue.

"Glaring at me won't change the fact I'm going to continue to care for myself and you."

How the hell did you always know?

Turning your head and seeing him you turn fully and lightly place your hands on his hips, one place he has agreed you can touch without permission. Your voice holds the lilt of a laugh that soothes him when you speak again.

"Your stares hold weight my love." Lifting one hand you hover over his cheek until he nods. Holding him as if he is a precious treasure you continue. "If I let you care for me like this how long until paranoid Nikto doesn't let me out the front door?"

Nikto opened his mouth to argue the point but the single lift of your brow stops him. You did have a point.

"Go back to making my life easier in ways that make me question what changed love and leave me to my cooking."

Nikto acquiesced to your ask, slightly annoyed that he had been found out. He dropped a kiss to your waiting lips before slipping from the kitchen.

Kyle: The drive home from the hardware store has a decidedly different feel than the drive there.

"What's on your mind Kyle?" You question as you crane your neck to ensure you were safe to pull out of the parking lot.

"I'm upset with you."

Always pragmatic your lover is. Your face screws up as you think over the past few days of his leave. No fights, good intimate times, and a general lull into happiness give you no clues as to why he is angry now.

"Care to share with the class?" You glance at him as you drive catching nothing more than his broody nose scrunch.

"Why did you let the employee help you but not me?"

That would never have crossed your mind as to a reason to be upset.

"Why did I let the person being paid to haul heavy things move the stones for me instead of my boyfriend who can't hurt himself while on leave?"

"Dammit that is not what I am saying and you know it," Kyle snaps at you.

Focused on driving as you are the only response you can give is the tightneing of your fingers on the steering wheel.

"Kyle I am going to ask you to stop yelling at me. I don't understand why you are upset and I don't like the volume you are choosing. We can discuss this or you can let it go." The calm tone you chose carries an undercurrent of your stress.

He takes three deep breaths as you merge onto the freeway. You wouldn't have a chance to look at him now. Good. Maybe this dicussion could end before you got home and everything would settle back into the normal joy of having him home.

"You fight me on who gets to pay for dinner," he lifts a finger in your peripherals.

Cutting in before he can continue you defend yourself, "I work hard and like splitting the bill or taking turns."

The flat stare of his eyes has you curling your shoulder into your neck to hide from his gaze.

"You don't like gifts except on your birthday and Christmas," he rushes ahead before you can interject again. "You never let me help around the house when I am home. Yes, except for the garbage because you hate the garbage. If I were to pay for a spa day for you I bet I would get yelled at for wasting my money."

"I wouldn't yell at you until after..." you mutter to yourself.

"The point is that you refuse to let me be apart of this relationship and I'm hurt by it. Why won't you let me love you? It makes me think you don't want me."

That statement shook you. It rattled out a deep thought from your brain, one that you and your therapist had been digging to find.

Tears sprang to your eyes as the realization rocked through you. If you let him in you worried that Kyle would leave. If you let him start to take care of you he would abandon you like everyone did. The instant you learned to lean he would disappear as if he had never been.

Blinking to stay focused on the road you took the next closest exit.

"I'm having a revelation, I can talk about this once I can pull over."

Kyle slides a hand onto your thigh, squeezing lightly as you tense your muscles under his touch. The first parking lot you found is where you parked and the sobbing overtook you. It took a long time for you to breathe past the tumult of emotions you had uncovered. He holds you as well as the car allows until you can sit up, back muscles pulling sharply. Damn getting old was hard on a body.

"I...uh...I realized my brain says I can't lean on you, or let you do anything for me because if you do then you will disappear like everyone else has on me."

Kyle looks shattered.

"Baby..."

You rush to reassure him.

"It's not you, and I know," you point to your forehead, "You wouldn't... that if you didn't come home it has nothing to do with me. But me, little me," you point to the lowest point on the back of your head "they don't know that yet. I will email my therapist when I get home and we will start working on it."

Gripping his hand in one of yours you pepper it with kisses.

"I'm so sorry I made you feel so bad. I want you. I want you so badly it aches to breathe sometimes. I need a bit of time to work on this, can you do me a favor?"

Kyle looks at you, tears rimming his eyes.

"Anything."

"Can you tell me when letting you do something for me would help you feel loved?" The sentence sounded weird but you needed to know he would tell you when you were getting to far into your own head about things.

Kissing the tip of your nose Kyle rested his forehead against yours.

"I would do everything for you if you would let me. But can we start here? Will you let me drive us home?" He whispers the words to you.

Your mind violently rejects the idea, some deep piece of you rebelling at the thought.

"Yeah. I think that can be a place we start."

A/N: Oooh I liked these ones! LMK if you would like to see any more of these.

HC Masterlist | Masterlist

[kaluxsims]

It's curtains for you! (evil laugh) Silliness aside, this was treat 1 for my Simblreen trick-or-treaters, a variety of recolors for creepy curtains. Dreadful drapes. Wicked window dressings. Oops, more silliness. I'll put the download up here, but there's more info and previews under the cut.

Download: SFS or MediaFire

Note: I've renamed the mesh files, so please delete the originals. This is especially important for TNW's Velvet Seclusion curtains, because I edited the mesh.

There are three parts to this recolor set. Details are under each preview.

Simplest first. Just some recolors for Veranka's 3t2 The Red Curtains. The mesh now has the original recolors merged in.

Now, the drama. The patterns. The gloomth. I lowered The Ninth Wave's 3t2 Velvet Seclusion curtains to be below the AL ceilings, but I didn't stop there. I wanted more spoop. I edited the mesh to take taller decorative top pieces and made a bat version. Because I edited the mesh, old recolors don't look right anymore. I included some recolors by Donnha that have been updated to work with my edited mesh. The flourish and doodads up at the top are done with texture transparency on a flat surface. It means the same mesh can have different shapes, and it's lower poly. It also means they sometimes look like that first one, but it's not really that noticeable when they're not against a backdrop in sunlight. They'll look better in your gloomy rooms.

Then there are some recolors of Hugelunatic's Contempo Curtain and a new wider version, so that you can do this...

The wider Contempo curtains are made to fit behind the Velvet Seclusion ones, the better to keep your sinister sims' secrets. The wider Contempo curtains are repo'ed to HL's originals.

That should be everything you need to know. Hope you like them and Happy (nearly) Halloween! The rest of my treats will be posted over the next three days, with treat 4 coming on Halloween.

Credits: Veranka for the 3t2 The Red Curtain mesh and textures, The Ninth Wave for 3t2 Velvet Seclusion mesh and texture, Donnha for additional Velvet Seclusion recolors, Hugelunatic for the Contempo Curtain mesh and texture, and the creators of the patterns used (sorry, I found them on Pinterest)

@simblreenofficial

[estellan0vella]

Sweetly Imperfect ❀Toge Inumaki Masterlist

The kitchen is filled with the warm, inviting smell of vanilla and melted chocolate. The sun streams through the window, casting a golden glow over the counter where you and Toge are gathered.

Ingredients are spread out: flour, sugar, butter, eggs, and, of course, a generous amount of chocolate chips. You both wear matching aprons, a spontaneous purchase from your last shopping trip, and it adds a playful touch to the whole experience.

"Shake," Toge says, pointing at the bag of flour. You nod, understanding that he wants you to grab it.

“Got it!” you say cheerfully, handing him the flour. He smiles and nods appreciatively, his eyes crinkling at the corners in that way you love.

Together, you start measuring out the ingredients. You read the recipe out loud, making sure everything is correct. Toge measures the flour, his focus intense as he levels it off perfectly. You handle the sugar, pouring it into a bowl with a bit of flair.

"Shake," he repeats, this time pointing to the butter. You unwrap it and place it in a mixing bowl, ready to be creamed with the sugar. Toge takes the wooden spoon and begins to mix, his movements steady and precise.

You watch him for a moment, admiring the concentration on his face. His silver hair falls slightly into his eyes, and you have to resist the urge to reach out and brush it away. Instead, you grab the eggs and crack them into a separate bowl, making sure to avoid any shells.

"Salmon," Toge says, indicating that you should add the eggs to the mixture. You do so, and he continues to stir, the ingredients slowly coming together into a smooth, creamy batter.

Everything seems to be going perfectly. You add the flour mixture to the bowl, and Toge switches to a spatula, folding it in gently. The batter thickens, and you can almost taste the delicious cookies already.

"Shake," Toge says again, this time with a hint of excitement in his eyes. He holds up the bag of chocolate chips, and you laugh, knowing how much he loves them. You pour a generous amount into the bowl, and Toge mixes them in with a satisfied nod.

You preheat the oven, and soon the kitchen is filled with the comforting hum of the appliance. You scoop out portions of the dough onto a baking sheet, spacing them evenly. Toge watches closely, his gaze sharp and attentive.

Just as you’re about to place the sheet in the oven, you notice something off. The dough looks a bit too runny, almost like it’s melting. You frown, wondering if you missed a step.

“Toge, do you think this looks right?” you ask, showing him the dough. He tilts his head, considering it for a moment before shaking it.

"Konbu," he says, indicating that maybe something is missing or wrong. You both go over the recipe again, double-checking everything. That’s when you realize you forgot to add the baking soda.

“Oh no, we missed the baking soda!” you exclaim, feeling a bit embarrassed. Toge just chuckles, his shoulders shaking with silent laughter.

You quickly mix in the baking soda, but the dough is still a bit off. Determined not to let it ruin your fun, you decide to bake them anyway, hoping for the best.

The cookies go into the oven, and you set a timer. As you wait, you and Toge clean up the kitchen, working side by side in comfortable silence. Occasionally, he bumps his shoulder against yours, a playful gesture that makes you smile.

When the timer goes off, you open the oven, expecting to see perfectly golden cookies. Instead, you’re greeted with a tray of flat, overly spread cookies that have merged into one another. They look more like a cookie pancake than individual treats.

You burst out laughing at the sight, and Toge joins in, his eyes sparkling with amusement. Despite the mishap, it’s hard to be upset. The kitchen is filled with the scent of warm cookies, and the sound of your shared laughter makes everything better.

“Well, they might not look perfect, but I bet they still taste good,” you say, grabbing a spatula to cut the giant cookie into pieces. Toge nods in agreement, already reaching for a piece.

The cookies might not be what you intended, but they’re delicious nonetheless. The chocolate chips are gooey and melty, and the edges have a nice crispness to them. You and Toge sit at the kitchen table, enjoying your unconventional treat.

“Thanks for baking with me, Toge. Even if it didn’t go perfectly, I had a lot of fun,” you say, nudging him playfully.

"Mustard leaf," he responds, his way of saying he had fun too. He reaches out and gently squeezes your hand, a warm gesture that makes your heart flutter.

As you sit there, sharing cookies and laughter, you realize that it’s not about the end result. It’s about the time spent together, the shared moments of joy and even the small mistakes along the way. Baking with Toge is an adventure, but it’s one you wouldn’t trade for anything.

The next time you bake, you know you’ll double-check the recipe. But for now, you’re content to enjoy the sweetly imperfect moments with Toge by your side.

[kozachenko]

[Click image for better quality]

I FIGURED OUT A WAY TO FUCKING MAKE THE IMAGE SMALLER FOR POSTING ON TUMBLR WITHOUT SACRIFICING THE ACTUAL QUALITY OF THE IMAGE OH MY GOD

Ok so, what I did is go into the clip studio paint file, make a new file, copy and paste the group in the original file, merge everything, get rid of the extra stuff outside of the canvas, and then make the flattened image smaller and crop the canvas. Once you have that, export it and you're done. This helps maintain the actual quality of the image and also helps shrink the file size down to something actually postable (if anyone has a better way of doing this please tell me)

[Edit]: Ok I guess posting something to Tumblr just naturally compresses the image a bit more somehow because I'm looking at it now and zooming in too much makes it a bit blurry so I'm still gonna have to futz around with image quality for future pieces oof

Artist's Note:

I'm so glad I figured out a way to do this because I like working on a big canvas so I can get as much detail in as I possibly can. Only problems are how laggy it gets while drawing lol.

I had an idea for a drawing with Reimu and Zanmu because I really like thinking about their potential dynamic a lot. I also wanted an excuse to draw Zanmu again but in my normal rendering style because last time I drew her she was in my more sketchy style with generally flat colours so I wanted to draw her again. Speaking of, looking at the sketch for this is a jumpscare that I never enjoy seeing, like, man am I glad I didn't use those for my final piece.

Also about her spear. I was originally gonna make it like the ones she had in game, but it kinda threw off the whole piece. It was too big, too blue, and too flat, so I just went "fuck it" and gave her a different one instead. My headcanon justifying this is that the ones she uses in game are for danmaku battles whereas in any other fight she just uses a proper yari, or she still uses the yari and just makes it all glowy to power it up, maybe both lol. I pulled as much inspiration as I could from Sengoku era spears, and even put in some blue into the decorative part of the spear and also added a little skull to pay tribute to the original spear. Also, in my research I saw some art of izanami and izanagi making japan and saw that the yari izanagi has had a little decorative tassley thingy on it so I took some inspo from that and just made it one of Zanmu's tassles (Idk when that art was from or if the spear was still accurate to Sengoku period Japan but hey, probably the same reasons Eirin puts little bow ties on her arrows, it's just for personalization purposes).

I love rendering hair and clothes so much omg, while I like the super curly hair Zanmu, the longer, wavier hair suits her better for this drawing (I imagine it only does that like how Ghibli characters hair moves when they feel angry lol). I love making Zanmu's hair all messy and crazy, as well as giving her grey hairs, this woman has aged like a fine wine. Also, if the hem on the ends of her sleeves, top of her shirt, and her pants look like gold to you, that's because it is! It's fairly light so she's not collapsing under the weight, but it's gold! (I don't care how impractical it is, it's just cool). Not the undershirt though, it's made of a gold fabric. I had a cute idea with Reimu's hair to make it have a red shine to it. I also changed up Reimu's outfit so it isn't just a blob of red. I like it a lot when Reimu's skirt and outfit is segmented into different layers, so I wanted to incorporate that.

I tried to draw their hands differently as well, but IDK how noticeable that is. Also, I am super happy with how the side profiles for the two of them turned out, I used to struggle a lot with how to make the side profile of a character actually look like the character, so I'm really happy that they actually look like themselves.

Also added in the tree and rocks in the background as an homage to Zanmu's character art in Touhou 19, just because I was getting kinda stumped on what to do with the background lol.

In terms of a story idea with Reimu and Zanmu, idk why but the potential plotline of Zanmu wanting to ascend to godhood is so fascinating to me. Like, it is very possible that if she just convinced everyone she was a god (which would be very easy for her to do), she would become one in a heartbeat. Also, if she were to become a god, with her ability to return stuff to nothing, could she hypothetically get similar abilities to (Jojo Part 5 spoiler btw) GER? Like, idk about the death timeloop stuff, but the concept has been haunting me every night as I have been trying to find loopholes in GER's ability for a while now ( for no reason in particular). Back to the main topic, I imagine that she would probably tell Reimu that if she were to become a god she would take over the Hakurei shrine since the god there might as well be dead, and Reimu just says to her, "Over my dead body bitch." Like, I have no idea how to summarize their dynamic but like, it's the type of hero-villain dynamic where the phrase "We're not so different, you and I" would definitely be a phrase said during a fight. I think that if another IN style game were to release, Reimu and Zanmu would be in a team together. They could also have an interesting mentor and pupil kind of dynamic. Can you tell that Zanmu has been charging my mind rent these part few months? Like, instead of living in my head rent free, she kinda just uno reversed the whole situation and now she's the one charging me rent. What happens if I get evicted from my own brain? Actually, scratch that, I don't think I wanna know.

[octuscle]

Teens work out free all Summer

Jakob was done. The day had been exhausting. And somehow he couldn't cope with two or three exhausting days in a row as well as he used to. He was now 27 years old, his 28th birthday was only a few weeks away and the days when Jakob had been described as sporty were long gone. Even during his studies, he had spent less time at the gym or in the swimming pool than when he was at school and the slight tummy bulge with which he had accepted his master's degree and started his career had developed into a veritable paunch. Climbing stairs? Only in an emergency… Walking or cycling? What were cabs for… Jakob was done and he knew why.

It was trade fair in the city. The last one before the summer break. The hotels were full, you couldn't get a table in the restaurants and there were no cabs to be had either. So Jacob bit the bullet and walked to the nearest bus stop. Sweat was pouring down his forehead. And there he saw this sign: “Teens Workout Free All Summer”. Sure, he was no longer a teen. But he also earned enough money to afford a gym. All he had to do was sign up. Just for the summer. Since he didn't have any school-age children, he didn't have his vacation until mid-September. What was the worst that could happen? He could lose a few kilos and cut a better figure in the late summer sun on the Croatian coast. “I'll sign up first thing tomorrow,” Jacob thought to himself. And then it hit him. "Shit, don't keep putting it off, I'll sign up now. Now and immediately. And if they have a store for gym gear, I'll start training today."

It was hot in the gym. The place was obviously not air-conditioned. It smelled of sweat and sneakers. It smelled like the changing rooms in the schools gym earlier. Loud music blared from the speakers. The reception and training area merged seamlessly. The monotonous sound of people on treadmills and the groaning of people lifting iron was mixed into the booming music, occasionally interrupted by the sound of dumbbells falling into the rack or onto the floor. This was certainly not the kind of gym Jacob wanted to work out in. He was almost on his way out again when the lad behind the counter approached him. “Hi bro! Are you here for our summer offer?” Jacob said that he was here for a membership, yes. But not for the offer. ‘Why not, bro? My name is Liam, by the way. And you are?’ ‘Jacob,’ Jacob introduced himself. ‘Cool thing, bro! Don't worry, we'll get you in shape here.’ Jacob thought for a moment. Of course he would make a fool of himself here among all the beefcakes, but better here in front of people he didn't know than in some stylish gym where customers, colleagues or neighbors would make fun of him.

Liam was already hammering away at his keyboard. “So, your name is Jake. What's next?” “Jacob,” Jacob corrected. “Goldsmith” “Smith, Jake Smith. Your birthday?” Jacob wanted to correct Liam first, but maybe a pseudonym wasn't wrong. “August 12, 1996.” “Bro, I'll put in August 12, 2006,” Liam said with a wink. “Nobody checks here anyway. And I get a commission when I sign contracts for the summer offer.” Address? Jacob was just about to give his address when he thought to himself that he was here anonymously or under a pseudonym. So he gave the address of his parents' house, where they had all lived when he was at school. His parents had sold everything last year and moved to Provence, but as Liam said, no one would probably check it. “Please be so kind,” said Liam. Jacob looked surprised at a flash of light. And a few seconds later, a plastic card came out of the printer. His membership card, his ticket back to a life where climbing stairs wouldn't lead to panting and sweating. “Because it's your birthday in the summer, you get a water bottle and the water flat rate. Do you also want the protein shake flat rate? It's on special offer today. 20 pounds a month, 50 pounds for June, July and August together.” Jacob nodded and asked if he could also buy something to wear here. “That's my lad,” said Liam with a grin. “Get started right away, no hesitation, very good. No, you can't buy anything, but there's a treasure trove at the back. Just take what you need. I'll let Colin know in the meantime, he can show you around and show you everything.

Slightly disgusted, Jacob went to the corner with the lost-and-found treasure trove. It was obviously a source of odour. But it was surprisingly neat. Shoes, shorts, tank tops… Everything was neatly sorted by size. Only the socks were in a big box. It took Jacob a few minutes to find a pair. And while he was looking, he heard a throat clearing behind him. “So you're Jake, the new guy?” Jacob turned around, startled. Behind him stood a mountain of a man. Probably his age. Maybe a few years older. But someone who had never skipped chest or leg days. Never in his life. He obviously didn't take his personal hygiene that seriously. Colin was smelly. Jacob pulled himself together. “Jake, nice to meet you. You must be Colin.” “You can be sure of that! And now stop making a fashion show out of it.” Colin unerringly grabbed a tank top, shorts, shoes and even a matching pair of socks. And a jockstrap. He stuffed everything into a rucksack. Jacob shuddered. “The changing room is over there. Don't look for girls and boys, it's a lads only place here. Hurry up, we should allow two and a half hours for a training session." Jacob was beginning to feel sure he had made a mistake. Okay, at worst he had lost 50 pounds… But it was a mistake.

There were no cubicles in the changing room, no lockers. Things went on open racks. Shoes and bags on benches or on the floor. There was no one around. Only by the sinks was a lad, maybe 16 years old, showing off his enviably fit body in front of the mirror. Jacob sighed. He'd looked something like that when he was 16. He undressed and put on the unwashed clothes that Colin had stuffed into his bag. He looked in the mirror. He looked silly. He was wearing the washed-out clothes of an obviously much more muscular man… The shorts were too tight. The tank top too loose. The socks had holes in them. But at least the shoes fitted. Jacob sighed. And the torture on the dumbbells began.

Colin hadn't given him puppy protection. Colin had worked out with him as if they were training partners. Of course, he had reduced the weights for Jacob. But when Jacob couldn't do any more, he had shouted at him. Four more, three more, two more… Somehow Jacob had always managed the last repetition. The two of them were the last ones in the gym. Liam had already called it a day. Colin gave Jacob a fist bump. “Good training, mate! You've got bite and talent. You'll be something!“ Jacob would have blushed if his head hadn't been glowing anyway. ‘By the way,’ said Colin. ‘Hot water is turned off after 10 p.m. You can take a cold shower. Or…’ ‘I'll take the ’or',” Jacob chastised and grinned. He went into the changing room and packed his clothes from the office into his rucksack. He walked to the bus stop with the last of his strength. The city was full of fairgoers. Some raised their eyebrows in pique. Yes, he had to stink. But he had to get home now. He didn't care about anything else.

When the alarm clock woke him up at 06:00, he felt like everything was gone. He had fallen asleep sitting on his bed. He had just managed to undress. His office clothes were still in his rucksack. His sports kit was scattered on the floor. And he had slept half-sitting, half-asleep on his bed. In a puddle of sperm. Because he had obviously had at least one wet dream. And his morning wood was already standing at attention again. Jacob started to jerk himself off. Damn, did his cock feel good. Jacob smelled his own cold sweat. He smelled male. And he had a hard-on. He had smegma under his foreskin. Just like when he wasn't so serious about personal hygiene at school. He smelled his hand. Damn, that smelled like youth and manhood… And at that moment he came. He cummed all the way up to his chin, even though he had obviously emptied his balls at least once tonight. Shit, he thought to himself, breathing heavily… The training is paying off. As exhausted as I am, I'm more agile than I've been at any point in the last ten years.

Jacob went into the kitchen and stirred protein powder into his cottage cheese. He didn't question where the protein powder and cottage cheese came from. He drank two bottles of water because he felt completely dehydrated. He wolfed down his breakfast and made himself five more scrambled eggs. And another protein shake. Shit, he was starving. And late. He jumped into the shower. He didn't take a really thorough shower. He didn't shave either. He emptied out his rucksack on the floor and stuffed yesterday's clothes, which were still damp with sweat, into it. His bus was leaving in ten minutes. He had to walk. Cardio was never his thing. He was more of a weightlifting man.

He got lots of compliments in the office. He was told he looked fresh. He was told he'd lost weight. He looked younger. But he also got a few unpleasant questions. What was so smelly here. The old rucksack was standing next to his desk. And it stank. Jacob simply ignored the questions about the rucksack. He felt fit and full of energy. For lunch, he had a salad with three turkey breasts. His colleagues looked at him questioningly. “Mass phase,” he said apologetically, chewing with his mouth full.

Today was leg day. Colin had told him that he should allow three hours for warming up, stretching and maybe a bit of fitness training if he was serious. And Jacob was serious. He finished his work very punctually. Unusual for someone who was always the last one. Yes, he was on the verge of promotion, but his fitness was important to him. As soon as he entered, he pulled the access card out of his wallet. He looked at the photo with a grin. He was 23 on it, that was two years ago. What a slim man he had been then… Liam greeted him with a fist bump. Colin could be heard grunting from the chest press throughout the hall. Jacob greeted his bros as he entered the changing room. It was busy. Of course, most of the people here were still at university, unemployed or tradesmen who had already started work at 06:00 in the morning. There were few armchair farters like him here. But that didn't matter to him. Today, all that mattered was the weight on the leg press. And how much protein he could swallow from his flat rate. Protein and the leg press was a toxic combination. But protein farts didn't bother anyone here. They were part of the workout. And when he finally left the gym with Colin at around 11 p.m., there were a lot of protein farts in the air. Neither Colin nor Jacob had been bothered by that during the final cardio workout. Damn it, how could a beefcake like Colin be so limber!

His morning routine was well established. Alarm clock at 05:30. Sit-ups and press-ups. Breakfast, running gear on, run to the office, shower there, and be at his desk by 08:00. Sitting was the new smoking, he hated it. Jake was 22, he had just finished his bachelor's degree and as a trainee he couldn't afford to make any mistakes. His colleagues knew after a few days that he was a fitness junkie. The carefully labeled Tupperware containers spoke for themselves. Jake had to eat something every two hours. His trainer had told him to. Jake had been an ambitious bodybuilder since the age of 16. His tight ass and broad shoulders showed this even when he was wearing a suit. And many of his female colleagues and even some of his male colleagues appreciated the fact that Jake always wore tight and crisp-fitting suits.

This afternoon was going to be an ordeal for Jake. He had promised Liam that he would take over the shift from 21:00. If he wanted to work out properly before then, he had to get off work at 5:00 p.m., 5:30 p.m. at the latest. The meeting went on and on. Jake looked nervously at his mobile again and again. At 5:15 p.m., over an hour later than planned, it was finally over. Jake breathed a sigh of relief. And then his boss asked Jake and two colleagues to stay for the minutes and the upcoming tasks. FUCK! He should have accepted Colin's offer and taken over the management of the gym after graduation. But his tutor at university had convinced him that auditing was his future. Holy shit. Now he'd have to skip cardio training.

05:30. Damn, that was early. But Paul, his roommate, was obviously already awake and seemed to be making breakfast in the kitchen. Yes, Jake was actually disciplined. Otherwise you didn't stand a chance when studying at the sports college. But at least sleep until 06:00 for once, he thought to himself… While he did his burpees to wake up. Paul was Liam's little brother. The two had met at the gym last summer. And Liam and Paul had convinced Jake to study sports economics. He had never regretted his decision. If only because sharing a flat with Paul was a cool thing. The two of them constantly motivated each other. And they also fucked each other from time to time. Hey, tighter asses were hard to find on the whole campus! Today was mostly sports on the timetable. Just one statistics lecture. It wasn't worth changing for that. Jake enjoyed riding his road bike to campus in just shorts and a cut-off tank top. And if the clothes weren't freshly washed, they were at least aired out by the breeze. Of course, the business students sitting in the statistics lecture would get upset about the smelly sports economists again. But hey, Jake already knew the game. It wouldn't be the first time one of these Oxford-shirt-wearing snobs would follow him to the toilet after the lecture and lick his hairy armpits. And it wouldn't be the first time he'd take someone home for a shag or join the gym as a new member. The first was fun, the second earned him a small commission.

“Jake, my darling! It's time to get up!” His mother looked into Jake's teenage room. His bed had already been made. Jake stood behind his mother in sweaty running clothes and quietly went “Boo!” His mother winced. Jake deliberately hugged her tightly so that his sweat made her nightgown damp. “Honey, when did you get up? It's the middle of the night!” Jake replied that he still had body fat to lose before his first amateur competition this weekend. He pulled off his wet running jersey and did a double bicep pose. “Jake, more important than losing body fat would be a shower.” his mother laughed. “Fuck, mom, I'm late. And by the time I've ridden my bike to school, I'll be sweaty again anyway.” “Don't talk back, otherwise there'll be no breakfast.” The threat worked. Jake reluctantly trotted into the shower and his mother prepared his ten-egg omelette.

A poster announcing the national bodybuilding championship hung above the reception desk. With local hero Jake Smith as the favorite in the juniors. You could find those posters everywhere in the neighbourhood. Jake was somehow a local hero. Liam greeted the studio's up-and-coming star with a fist bump. Male rituals. Jake enjoyed that. He wasn't turning 18 for a few days, but here he felt like a full-fledged man. Liam said that ten new members had signed up to the teen-working-out-for-free-in-the-summer promotion last week alone. And eight said they had come to the gym because of Jake's fitness channel. Jake should get in touch with Colin and there would be a special bonus. Hehehe, thought Jake. That could be an extra 50 pounds. Or a shot of extra protein from Colin's cock. With a bit of luck, both. But Jake wasn't greedy. Either would be enough for him.

Inspiration by @olivierlefou, pic by @ki-kink

[genericpuff]

Hey, so I really love Lore Rekindled, and the art is one of my favorite parts! The style, the coloring, the background, all of it is just so… smooth! I don’t really know how to describe it. Recently, I’ve been trying to replicate it, and I was hoping you would give me a few pointers. What brushes do you use for line art? How do you decided what to line, and what to leave blank? What about coloring brushes? Do you use smudge brushes? Whats, like, the step by step process? You don’t have to answer if you don’t want to! But any tips or answers would be great!

Ah thanks so much!!!

Here are the brushes! They're .abr brushes, so they should work in Photoshop, Clip Studio and Procreate :) (they don't work in Krita or other software that utilizes PNG brushes though, sorry ; ; )

There's also a tutorial included with that file that breaks down my process layer by layer! That said, there are a couple things that have changed in my process since doing that tutorial:

I mostly use the Hard Square Pastel brush now for all of that 'crispy' lighting that often happens along the edges of characters' shoulders and heads, such as seen here:

I now do an extra step of applying a 'blur' layer, where I essentially merge all the layers into a new layer on top of everything, set it to Overlay, and then Gaussian Blur by about 60%. This is how I get that 'dreamy' look that's been present in a lot of the more recent episodes!

It's subtle, but really effective in making the glow effects and deeper colors really pop!

As for the more nuanced stuff like lineart, it's kinda just something I do by feel! Sometimes I'll shade something in and realize the lineart doesn't need to be there, so then I'll go in and erase, other times I have to be a bit more excessive with it esp if two similar colors are up against each other. I'm actually trying to use less lineart going forward to get more of that authentic LO look but it's hard, I'm very used to doing lineart-heavy drawings so it's forcing me to draw in a way that I'm not used to! 😆 I usually always start with flat colors first though, meaning I start by 'shaping' out the character poses and then lining them in afterwards!

You can see an example of this process in my END OF PERSEPHONE time lapse here:

I also usually stream work sessions of Rekindled over on my Twitch, but I'm currently on hiatus from streaming due to technical difficulties (OBS just... decided it was gonna stop working, sigh). Go give it a follow anyways tho so you can be notified when I start streaming again! I'm thinking in the meantime until I can get my Twitch going again I might start doing some screen sharing sessions in Discord. So keep your eyes peeled for that if you ever wanna catch me working! I'm always happy to talk about and demystify the process <3

[saewokhrisz]

have u ever talked anywhere about your coloring or composition processes? u are honestly one of my favorite artists and i would love to hear any insight on how you make pieces 💓

wahh thank you TTT !!! I did sorta give a very simplistic answer here but it was more of my simpler sketchy style so lemme redo that, ill try to be consise and make this understandable ?? its a bit hard cuz it honest to god depends on what Kind of piece im even drawing, cuz for some i go the whole length of doing lineart flats and all that, others i just just fuck around untill it looks right?

i do usually start with a rough sketch or colour draft, especially with more compley pieces this helps with figuring out the feel, honestly i should spend more time drafting properly, figuring out poses and such but im so lazy i just go w the first thing that looks good

then just lines over the colour draft, fixing lots of anatomy and proportion stuff, and depending on how i wanna do the colours ill either keep the colour layers or merge them together and have the edited colours as the base colour (this might not even make sense help)

see this piece at the time gave me an insane ammount of trouble with lighting and colours, so after trying to render i ended up merging everything together....which i dont USUALLY do but the rendering is pretty similar except usually i have colours be seperated by layer,

ANYWAYS sadly i dont have a process on how it got from flats to this specific render for this piece...but i still followed my initial drafts/plans with vibe and colours and just painted over it, its why i make it after all!

but honestly a lot of times its just very simple colours and just trying to mainting good contrast and values !!!! and THEN fucking around with colours and rextures, for other pieces i kinda just paint as i go? i have this timelapse of my justice piece that may be a bit more help!

it includes the initial colour draft, the cleanup/lining process, flats, rendering, and all that so its probs the most accurate timelapse of my morecomplex work processes, with stuff that doesnt include heavier backgrounds, which is a whole OTHER topic honestly

im sorry if i cant explain it more cohesively, i genuinely barely know what im doing most times and go by muscle memory and stuff i Know but cant. Explain? like i know how light and folds work since i observed and studied them but i cannot put it into words at all )--)0

my brushes also contribute a lot to how i render and colour, depending on what i use, you can find the swatches for them here !

[iamhereinthebg]

Hello! I hope you have a nice day, I love your art a lot and I wanted to know if you have maybe anything about your process to do you drawings?

Heya! I am having a good day ty :DD I hope you are too^^ and thanks this is really nice dshgjds TvT

I will be really honest but I don't have a lot of time to draw in general so my process is more 'this is between cosmic entities, the 30minutes I have and me, I draw whatever the fck happens in my head' rather than having really complex steps :'))

I have some speedpaints! (I record them a lot it helps me for some details)

I think this one is the most representative of how I work

I doodle a lot of stuff on the same file and I often go to one drawing to another because I can't draw more than 30min/1hour on a drawing most of the time ://

When doing bigger illustrations I do sometimes just really quick doodles to have the idea, doodle or some notes on my phone notepad (and I wrote a lot on it too, here is a chaotic example of a stuff I never finished that makes me laugh so hard)

I don't do lineart too, and mostly just 'clean' my sketches/doodles, and I do a sketch for colors too (to test stuff) before doing the 'clean colors' on bigger pieces.

I use one layer for the sketch, one for the basic background and one layer for the colors, then merge everything to paint over it. (I use some effects on layers for colors then merge them)

Here is the layers on my last sketch (I am happy I saved the steps ahah)

the sketch

the colors

and the merged one where I painted a lil bit over

I have a really doodling/sketchy style (and no time) so it works for me but tbh it really depends on what you want for your artstyle too. If you like flat colors I think colored lines look better than just sketch but this is my preference ^^

Idk if this is what you mean but I hope it helps ^^ thank you for your ask!

[bamsara]

Oooo, for the dialogue prompts "you should have thought about that before you got into a fight" and "I only wanted to help"

I love your works! Your art looks like itd taste like sour patch kids, v nice!! ^^

Sun (Mostly) Centric | Wordcount: 1,147 | AO3 Version

The world has not yet adjusted to the flood of robots merging with day-to-day society.

At least, not in the form they had taken prior. To say that there was some backlash was undercutting it; using arguments of humanity vs machine to its core, despite the clarity that those walking alongside them weren't just AI made to mimic human traits and personality, but sentient beings that develop their own. There's a difference between a chatbot app and your next-door neighbor who just so happens to be made out of metal.

Still, there is progress as much as there are incidents. A recent ruling states that all robots don't need to look human in order to receive the same amount of respect and rights (which is fantastic for all of Fazbear's line up of robots, considering they were animals in nature and all, in all franchises and pizza plexes across the country) but there were...incidents too, some of them making the news.

So when you're out doing some quick shopping for groceries one day and a stranger with a taut face and a sour attitude starts heckling Sun, and that heckling turns to harassment, and thus turns into him reaching for the back of the animatronic's head and pulling at the vulnerable wires there, you clock him.

Hard, actually. Your knuckles hurt like a bitch, but you don't have time to shake the feeling out from your hand because the guy sends one right back and oh, there you go, tumbling in the isle and knocking baking soda and sugar and other cake ingredients off the shelf as the two of you yell profanities and arguments while Sun has a metaphorical loading symbol over his head while he processes the last five seconds.

Now you're both banned from that store. The other guy is too, thankfully. Still sucks though. You didn't get to check out the ingredients for the cake.

"You're a real mess." Sun scolds you, dipping the rag back into the warm water, and bringing it back up to your face. He dabs at the dried blood under your eye, careful not to rub too harshly so as to not irritate the darkening skin beneath it. "Honestly. That could have gone so much worse-"

"Like pulling wires out of your head?" You interrupt. You're not too keen about the bathroom being turned into a lecture hall, and the lid of the toilet seat being your 'time-out' spot as he tends to you. "Yeah, sure. I'll just let the stranger rip out what is essentially your brain cords out of your flat skull and be fine with it."

Sun shoots you a look. The default smile is strained.

"What?" You hiss in the silent pause, and not because of the sting of your eye. "All I'm saying is that this-" A point to your face, "-is preferable than the other outcome."

"Our wires are welded in with steel, so I highly doubt a human could rip them out without some sort of power tool." Sun tuts. "You remember Parts n Service."

He had a point. The machine in Parts n Service did weld his arm back into place at the time, and all the other repairs since then didn't go without some sort of heat tool to make sure everything was properly molded in place. Still, you frown. "It's still fucked up that he did that, though."

"Language."

"We didn't even get the cake mix." A light dab on the eye, you bite your tongue as Sun clears the last of the dried blood from the area. "Shouldn't have banned us. Now we have to go across town to get groceries."

Sun pulls back the rag, stained pink and light brown with old blood, dropping it in the sink to be washed later. "You should have thought about that before getting into a fight."

"I was only trying to help!" You defend, continuing as Sun pulls out the disinfectant in a rather knowing manner. The cut underneath your eye from the guy's ring was about to sting like hell. "And it's not like I was the one who started it!"

He pours a dab of alcohol onto a cotton ball retrieved from the first aid kit, a small puff of white in between large silocone fingers, it's almost comical how he pinches it into place before crouching back down, the cotton ball hovering over your face. "Hush. This is going to sting."

Your mouth thins at the underlying tone of Moon's voice in his scolding, leaning away from the offending ball. "You're such a hypocrite."

A hand comes underneath your chin to hold you in place, thumb pressed into your jawline. "Stop whining."

"How would you feel, huh?" You wrinkle your nose as the disinfectant ball comes closer. "What would you do if someone attacked me like that?"

The cotton ball presses against the cut and you flinch, hard enough that your shoulders hike up and your neck tenses. It stings like hell, searing for a moment before dulling to an aching throb, a hiss in the back of your dry throat.

The Daycare Attendant's thumb keeps in place for a second, then pulls it away, expression unreadable. "The same thing we did the last time someone tried."

You grit your teeth, pressing your lips into a thin line as the stinging starts to fade.

"Though," He continues, pulling the cotton ball away and tossing it into the trash. "While your help is appreciated, It would be very much appreciated if we were to avoid something like that in the future!" He waves his hands, the bright smile returning, and Sun's fingers go behind your ear, pulling back out a colorful bandage. "I think it goes without saying that it makes me very sad to see you all hurt. Not fun at all!"

You blow hot air out of your nose in a huff as he applies the sticky bandage. "Hypocrite."

"There you are! Right as rain, dandy and peachy." Sun pulls back to observe his handiwork, and there's a slight pause. "Well, not quite. You've still got a bit of a shiner. I don't think I have a medicine for that one."

"It makes me look cool." You jest. "I look badass."

The animatronic sighs, heavy and loaded for a robot with no lungs, though his exasperation is evident in his voicebox. "Pulling my wires, our wires, please, you're constantly on them-" He's mumbling, quickly. Still talking even as he cradles your head gently by your jawline, and presses his faceplate to the skin above the black eye. "Afraid that's all I can give."

You wrinkle your nose, smiling. "I think a cake would be great too."

"Thanks to someone-" He starts, rising from a crouched position and taking your hand to help you stand. "It looks like we'll be ordering one from the bakery instead."

[chamoemileclown]

How do you art, and where do you art?

hi my name is moe! i've doing digital 2d art since about 2017 and here's a big post about the how and where of it!

the program i use for my 2d art is firealpaca! the version i use is free to download with the exception of a popup ad that shows up when you start up the program! it's a great, very consistent, program that has updated a lot and improved since i started and i don't think i can vouch for it more. everything i include in this post applies to firealpaca specifically though you can probably do similar things in other programs im a college student on a budget and im very comfortable working with this program.

the three main brushes i use i got off firealpaca's brush marketplace! they're all free crayon brushes the first one hard one being the one i use for lineart, the second sort brush i use for sketching, and the third hard one i use for coloring. i think this might be the reason why i get some stuff about people associating my art with childhood/ children's illustrations, im a big fan of using texture where i can and these help to add a lot of visual interest.

seawatt jumpscare

you may see that my finish pieces don't have a lot of flat colors if you zoom all the way in. that's because i use a lot of noise to make the colors look less flat. it sort of reminds me of construction paper, gives a little bit of a fuzziness to it.

i have it set to color at usually around 50. i turn it down sometimes if im working on something smaller. my canvas sizes usually are about 1500 x 1500 just to keep a more consistent square shape across most of my drawings.

another thing i do to make my art pop is i duplicate my lineart layer, use protect alpha to color the duplicated layer another color that's usually brigther than the original layer, put some gaussian blur on it and add multiply or add to the blending on that layer.

with versus without the added layer! i have this set to add on 31% opacity and ill add more or less if i want the effect to be more or less subtle. it's not very noticable but i think it helps a lot with line clarity and can make something almost glow if you wanted that effect.

here's another example with a multiply layer (i turned up the opacity to give a better example) subtle and it fights a lot with tumblr image degradation but it makes me happy.

i also make a lot of use of halftoning as you can see in the examples above. I usually only use it to make shadows darker and highlights stand out but they're also really good at filling up dead space like backgrounds to make them more visually appealing

with versus without halftoning! in firealpace you achieve this by using a 8-bit layer (one highlighted) once you add the layer hit the gear icon by the layer and use that to modify the halftoning to your choosing

i usually have mine with a density of 40 but you can tweak it to your choosing. you can also change the blending type on these types of layers i usually just use multiply/ add and occasionally overlay. mess around with the opacity! make it more or less subtle! have fun!

halftoning is tricky to use in firealpaca however due to the way it works. usually i apply it with my soft crayon brush since it hangs around 35% opacity. you can get a more dense halftoning using more or less opacity on your brush and can go back and forth over the halftoning to layer more on. you can also layer two different layers of halftoning to create interesting effects

two different halftoning layers laid on top of each other ^

more opacity + two different halftoning layers laid on top of each other ^

when you go to combine all your layers however because 8bit layers when combined with regular layers lose their halftoning properties. my way around this when combining everything is going layer > merge all when going to finish up and convert everything to png.

that, for the most part is all the technical stuff. i wish i could tell you how i knew what colors to pick but for me i usually pick some variation of green and just go with it. i usually pick the lineart color with my background colors in my mind and go from there until i get bored. complimentary colors such as blue/ orange and red/ green are usually good picks.

did you notice the background/ lineart is green in this picture? that's because the red cancels it out. i sneak it in there sometimes C:

that's pretty much the how of it all, as for the where, usually my bed

that's all

[sequinsmile-x]

Stained Glass Windows - Chapter Eighty

Life was complicated, but they wouldn't have it any other way.

-x-

Hi besties <3

Today is the two year anniversary of the first chapter of SGW being posted!! Which is crazy, and wild and everything in between - and I can't believe that you are all still enjoying and reading this fic!

Thank you for your continued love for this version of them as we start the final 1/5 of this fic <3

As always, let me know what you think <3

-x-

Words: 2.3k

A full list of warnings for the fic can be found on the Series Master List.

Read over on Ao3, or below the cut

Emily groans as she tries to get comfortable in a hard plastic chair, one hand on her bump as she tries to resettle. She catches the eye of the woman sitting opposite her in the waiting room and they exchange a knowing look as she does the same thing. She couldn’t believe she was 20 weeks along, that she was halfway through her pregnancy. Time felt like it was slipping through her fingers like sand, catching only briefly on her skin before she lost it forever. 

It made her ache when she looked at Lily sometimes, something she was sure was made worse by her pregnancy hormones. It felt like just yesterday that she was a tiny little thing in Aaron’s arms as he handed her to Emily to hold for the first time, his smile soft and voice shaking as he told her they had a little girl. Aaron always had to remind Emily that Lily was still only 18 months old, his smile just as soft as the first time she held their baby girl as he assured her that even though she could walk and talk now, she was still very much her baby. She knew it would go just as quickly with this baby too. That in a year's time she’d be looking at his or her sweet face and wondering where the time had gone, her focus on features she couldn’t quite picture yet that she’d commit to memory the second she could. 

There were times when she struggled to believe that this really was her life, that it wasn’t just some dream. That she’d fallen in love with Aaron and they’d made it work, that their love for each other had created the family they now had - broken pieces of her life and his merging together to make something beautiful. She couldn’t imagine her life without him, Jack, Lily and the baby rolling in her belly, and she never wanted to picture a world without them. If this was a dream, it was certainly one she never wanted to wake up from.

Her phone vibrates in her pocket and she smiles as she pulls it out, Aaron’s name and contact photo - a picture of him with Lily on one hip and Jack on the other - flashing up at her. 

“Hi,” she says as she answers, the bustling sound of the precinct he was in giving away the fact he was calling her from work, “Is everything okay?” 

“Everything’s fine,” he assures her, his voice low as he tries to give them some privacy, “I wanted to make sure that you made it to your appointment.”

She nods even though he can’t see her, and rests her hand on her bump, “Pickle and I are here in the most uncomfortable chair in the world,” she says, smiling when he chuckles, her dislike of the chairs at her doctor’s office well-known, “Doctor Gibson is at a delivery though so her fellow is doing the scan.” 

“I’m so sorry I can’t be there sweetheart,” he says, and she can hear the guilt in his voice, can picture the way his shoulders would be tight as he curled in on himself in what he would consider his failure as a husband and father. It was a hangover from his marriage with Haley. He’d come into their relationship having learnt from his mistakes with Haley, but he was hard on himself sometimes and saw anything like this as the very thing that could start them down a rocky path he’d stumbled down before. 

“You have work,” she says, smiling softly, “I don’t think the innocent people of Philadelphia would appreciate you not doing your job just so you can go to your wife’s 20 week scan,” she says, her attempt at humour falling flat when he hums, “It’s the only appointment you’ve ever missed Aaron. I’ll call and tell you all about it later when Pickle has passed everything with flying colours.” 

“Emily Hotchner?”

She looks up and smiles at the nurse who’d called for her and stands up, her phone tucked between her ear and shoulder as she gathers her things, “They’ve just called me through, honey. I’ll speak to you later, okay?” 

“Okay. I love you.” 

“I love you too. We all do.”  

She hangs up and follows the nurse through to the examination room, and is greeted by a doctor who looks younger than Spencer, enthusiasm shining in her eyes as she stands up to shake Emily’s hand.

“Hi Mrs Hotchner, I’m Doctor Jackson, Doctor Gibson’s fellow. She said to pass on her apologies that she couldn’t be here today.”

“That’s okay,” she says, placing her purse down on the seat Aaron would usually sit in, “And please, call me Emily. You’re going to spend the best part of an hour examining me and the baby,” she smiles as she gets onto the bed. She feels a spark of anxiety as she lays down and she instinctively reaches for Aaron’s hand before she remembers that he isn’t here. She clenches her hands into fists as she blows out a slow breath, her smile shaking a little as she looks back over at Doctor Jackson, “We may as well be on first name terms.”

“In that case, I think you should call me Louise,” she says, “Are we waiting on anyone, or-”

“My husband is away for work,” Emily replies, tugging her shirt up over her bump and tucking it under her bra, “So I’ve promised him a lot of pictures.” 

Louise smiles and nods, reaching for the gel to squeeze some onto Emily’s belly, “We can definitely arrange that.” 

Her anxiety starts to ease with each passing minute, her eyes fixed on her baby on the screen as Louise tells her that everything looks good. She smiles as she feels the baby shift and watches the movement on the screen, tiny fists and little legs kicking about as Louise finishes the scan. 

“Everything looks really good,” Louise says as she hands Emily a paper towel to wipe the gel from her belly, “She’s measuring exactly how she should be, and I have no concerns.”

Emily smiles, huffing out a breath of relief, “Thank you, thats…” She drifts off, her eyebrows furrowing as she pulls her shirt back over her belly, “Did you say she?” 

Louise’s eyes go wide, a reaction Emily would have caught regardless of her experience as a profiler, and she slaps her hand over her mouth, “Oh, Mrs Hotchner. It was in your file that you didn’t want to know. I’m so sorry, I-”

“It’s a girl?” Emily asks, her hand on her bump, her thumb tracing back and forth over where she can feel the baby, her daughter, moving, “I’m having another girl.” 

“Yes, you’re having a girl,” Louise says, “I’m so sorry.” 

“No thats…” she shakes her head, blowing out a slow breath as she wipes a tear from her cheek. She’d wanted it to be a surprise, but now she knew she couldn’t imagine not knowing, the image in her mind of her baby, her little girl, already clearer than it had been just a few minutes ago, “That’s amazing,” she chokes on a laugh, “I’m having another girl.”

___

She keeps the news to herself when she calls Aaron to tell him about the scan, her smile wide and her teeth digging into the inside of her cheek as she tells him that their baby looks perfect. She wants to see his face when she tells him they are having another girl, to share that experience with him in person. 

It’s a long couple of days. She finds herself almost slipping up a couple of times, catching herself before she accidentally reveals they are having a daughter over the phone, so she’s even happier than usual when he texts to say he’ll be home in a few hours. She’s pacing back and forth with Lily in her arms, the toddler half-asleep, her eyes drifting closed as she fights sleep, when Emily hears the car pull up onto their driveway, and she kisses the side of Lily’s head.

“Daddy’s home, sweet girl,” she says, and she heads for the front door and smiles when he walks in, “Hi.”

“There are my girls,” he says, dropping his go-bag to the floor and stepping towards them, smiling at the sight of Lily perched on top of Emily’s bump, matching sleepy looks in their eyes. He kisses Emily and then Lily’s head, “Hi.” 

“Dada!” Lily exclaims tiredly, yawning as she reaches out for him. Emily passes her over, her fingers skimming over her husband’s as he holds their daughter against his chest. 

“We were just about to do bedtime,” Emily says, her hand over his on Lily’s back, “Since you’re here, do you want to do it? I’ll make us some hot chocolate.” 

“I’ll be back down in a few minutes,” Aaron says, and he kisses Emily’s cheek before stepping past her, his lips against Lily’s forehead as she continues to pretend she isn’t tired, “Let’s get you to bed Lily-Pad.” 

Emily watches them go and smiles when she feels the baby kick. She laughs as she presses her hand against her bump and walks to the kitchen, “It’s time to tell Daddy all about you, sweet girl.” 

She’s just finishing dropping marshmallows into the hot chocolates when Aaron wraps his arms around her, his lips against her neck and his hands on her bump, “Despite acting like she wasn’t tired she fell asleep the moment I started reading to her.”

Emily hums and places her hand over his, linking their fingers together over the baby shifting under her skin, “She missed her Daddy,” she turns in his arms and kisses him, “I did too.” 

“I missed you,” he kisses her before he picks up the hot chocolates and they walk into the living room. He smiles when he realises the lights on the Christmas tree are already on, and he turns to his wife, “Were you and Lily in here looking at the lights?” 

She presses her lips together and nods as she sits down on the couch, “We were. She loves them.” 

“Just like her mom,” Aaron says as he settles next to her, one arm looping around her shoulders whilst he places his other hand on her bump, “And next Christmas we’ll have another baby for you to pass your love of the holidays on to.” 

She hums and rests her head on his shoulder, love simmering under her skin in a way that was prone to making her cry these days, “I can’t wait.” 

“Me neither,” he says, kissing her temple, “I’m glad your appointment went well and everything looks good,” he says, rubbing his thumb back and forth over her sweater, “I’m sorry I wasn’t there.” 

She pulls back to look at him and cups his cheek, dragging him in for a kiss so she doesn’t just blurt out that they are having a little girl quite yet, “It’s okay, honey,” she says, stamping a kiss against his lips again, “I know you would have been there if work hadn’t got in the way.” 

“The doctor said everything looked good?” He asks and she nods, running her thumb back and forth over his jaw. 

“Everything looks perfect,” she says and she blows out a breath, her heart hammering so hard in her chest she’s surprised he can’t hear it, “She also told me something else…accidentally,” she says, biting her lower lip as she sucks in a breath, “She told me what we’re having.” 

His eyes go wide, “She did?”

She nods, her eyes already shining with tears she knew she was seconds away from shedding, “Yeah, she was really apologetic…but I couldn’t bring myself to care,” she strokes his cheek again, feels the wonder and happiness in his dimple as she presses her thumb into it, “Do you want to know?” 

“Of course, I want to know,” he says, not even having to think about it, the speed at which he answers drawing a laugh out of both of them. 

“Good,” she replies, chuckling, the sound wet as it catches in her throat, “Because I would have struggled to keep it a secret from you for another 20 weeks,” she presses her lips together and blows out a shaky breath, and she wonders if this was how he felt when he told her that they’d had a girl when he handed her Lily for the first time, “We’re having a girl.” 

He gasps, the sound catching on his ribs as his eyes go wide, “We’re having a girl?” 

She nods, sniffing as tears spill down onto her cheeks, “Yeah. We’re having another little girl.”

He drags her into a hug, his arms tight around her as he kisses her wherever he can reach. His lips catch her temple, then her forehead, then her nose. Drawing a laugh out of her with his relentless love for her. 

“I love you so much, sweetheart,” he says, his words muffled against her lips, and she captures his chin as she laughs, kissing him softly before she pulls back. 

“I love you too,” she replies, kissing him again, “So much.” 

He rests his forehead against hers, “Do you want to tell anyone else?”

She’d thought about it ever since she’d found out and she shakes her head, “We so rarely have anything just for the two of us. It would be nice to have this be something just is just for us until she gets here.” 

He nods and kisses her again before he wraps his arms around her, holding her close and burying his nose in her hair, “Whatever you want, sweetheart,” he kisses her forehead, “Whatever you want.” 

[little-miss-dilf-lover]

While I can definitely see Pietro and the reader living at the Avengers compound, if they wanted to, what kind of house do you picture Pietro and the reader living in?

-🐬

you know, I have too many different ideas for this. he has that “two-young-idiots-in-love-sharing-an-apartment-for-the-first-time-and-kinda-struggling-financially-but-making-it-work” vibe

so everything is kinda eclectic and things don’t match, but I think it’s really charming and I love houses like that. lots of fridge magnets, shoes by the door, thrifted frames, chipped walls, noisy neighbours, patterned rugs, mix match mugs and cutlery, diy bookshelves, plants on window sills, books used as makeshift tables/ stands, outdated appliances, small quaint space — I feel like that suits. maybe something like this :

then overtime would move into next flat and save money. your things would become more cohesive and your aesthetics would merge. it would have more character and charm to it, colour coordination?? high ceilings?? big windows?? a balcony?? a quieter neighbourhood with more sun??

something like this :

[dvrtrblhr]

hii! sorry if this is weird, but i super love your art, it's so inspiring ^▽^ have you ever posted any speedpaints before? i struggle figuring out the process in my own art so i like looking at other artists process.. but only if you want to ♡

Thanks a lot! Also I don't think it's weird at all. It makes me super happy to know others are inspired by my art!

I'm supposing you mean speedpaint as in video of my painting process? If it is so, I do post them every once in a while in my instagram account (I'm babittia there). They are just the timelapses generated by procreate, there's no voice over or anything.

I can post some here if others find it interesting. Here is the timelapse for my last Mercedes portrait:

I think my process is usually like this:

Sketch whatever, find reference if needed (like for Mercedes clothes for exemple), correct sketch

Make a second cleaner sketch (or as many as needed to make the pic understandable) - I rarely ever draw a definitive lineart, I just work with my sketch lines and paint over them later if needed

Apply flat colors (sometimes I also add some shadows on another layer using multiply)

Change lines color, merge the human figure (sketch+colors) in one layer, use liquify and transform to 'fix' anything that feels odd

Paint over the sketch, over and over again, until it looks finished (My concept of finished depend a lot on my ambition with the piece I'm working on)

Add rim light and other effects to give it a more unified look

Merge everything and use color balance to make colors pop

Export pic, open it on photoshop on a much bigger screen, correct whatever weirdness I find, use selective color to push the colors even further

It's done!

I hope this is helpful! I honestly don't mind sharing my thoughts on my art process, so feel free to ask me questions about it if you want!

Also feel free to request timelapses of a particular pic. If I made it on procreate, I have it saved (none for my photoshop art, unfortunately :/)