#i do very little traditional painting so i'm not very good at it but sometimes it turns out nice

[gwinverarrouz]

I scanned a painting I did last month! I like how it turned out :>

[creatingblackcharacters]

"Do Black People Blush?" Bringing brown complexions to life

Inspired by this ask

So, do Black people blush?

We are human beans 🤣! Blood rushes through our veins! This isn't just a nonblack misconception either; I know plenty of Black people who think we don't blush. Stop saying that shit. It's not true! If you thought this at any point, I'm glad you learned, TAKE THIS L IN SILENCE! I am sparing you the indignity of saying this out loud, ever! 🙏🏾

Jokes aside, the actual issue usually lies with the depiction or description. Depending on our skin tone, most of us aren’t going to turn ‘bright pink’ with a blush (if you write that in your y/n or roleplaying fics, that’s an easy way to negate a good amount of your potential Black audience). Think of a cherry coke- how you still see the tint of red in it, but it’s still brown? Like that.

One way to dodge this in writing is to say “flushed”, or “ears/cheeks became hot”. This is describing the physical action of blushing, without having to describe the color of someone’s face. If you’re really nervous about not writing us correctly via blushing… there you go!

Colorism

Okay. So this is something I’ll likely do its own lesson on, because there’s no way I could encapsulate it into one little blurb and I’m not going to try! After asking the internet an admittedly confusing question 😅, one thing I was able to reaffirm is that people have different opinions on what ‘dark’/’darker’ skin tones mean. People recognize that different cultural upbringings and contexts will change what that means! And that’s good- that an important part of the larger conversation!

However, I want everyone to understand that you don’t have to be Black to be dark/’darker’ skinned- you can be Black and very pale! We discussed that in the last lesson! There’s no ‘singular point of brown-ness’ that designates a Black person as ‘Black’- there’s an entire sociological conversation behind that!

My point is, this isn’t a ‘oh Black people OVERALL aren’t depicted blushing properly’- because there are ‘lighter’ skinned Black people that wouldn’t suffer as much from this particular issue.

Blushes and Undertones

Three Links for Tips on Medium to Deep Skintones

Different complexions are going to require different colors, there's not a 'one fits all' option. However! What we want to do for deeper brown complexions is to focus on BOLDER, not lighter! Putting light pink or a white person’s ‘nude’ on our skin will often make us look ashy and undercolored. And we don’t like looking ashy.

"It looks like they're ashy!"

What do we mean when we say this about a piece? Well, worse case scenario, it looks like this:

This was NOT one of KD’s better days, and he was thoroughly mocked for this. He got more than enough money for lotion! Anyway, when we say that your art looks ‘ashy’, it means that it feels like the skin of your Black character is gray, or dead. Like a corpse. We don’t look like that unless things are dire.

In fan and professional art, you can sometimes find people user a grey undertone for deeper shades of brown on Black people: NO! We are NOT grey! We are not pitch! Many skin shades of brown can be found based in the oranges and the reds. Based on lighting and depth of complexion, you might even have to go into the blues and purple to capture the brown you’re seeking.

I’m begging us to stop desaturating the browns we use. We can see the difference. It’s usually one of those ‘White Man Painted Brown’ techniques I discussed before; an attempt to ‘make a character Black’ without really committing to it because the brown skin tone ‘doesn’t look good’ to the artist. Brown is beautiful! Commit to brown! Commit to the full design!

Put in the work to create the brown you need!

While this is a traditional art piece (follow Ellie Mandy Art, a Black creator), I want you to notice how she incorporated many colors to create the deep brown for her piece.

-8:05 for the list of paints

-8:05-17:29 for the process

She used black, yes, but it was nowhere near the base color. She incorporated blues and reds and other browns to capture that depth. It wasn’t ‘toss in a bunch of black or grey to get the brown darker’. (SKIP TO THE END TO SEE HOW GOOD THIS PIECE IS, BTW. I felt like I was in the presence of a master watching her do this, fr. We gotta pay artists more.)

I want to use this model as an example to show that while we might get very dark, we're still not 'pitch black'. You can see the flat of the black of their clothes versus their deep complexion. They're not the same!

Even if your character's complexion is very deep brown into black, you still need to incorporate ‘life’ into them (if that makes sense). And you know what? Even if you want to describe your characters as having ‘black’ skin, that’s fine, but there are still other ways to do it- obsidian, the night sky, velvet. Find a way to romanticize our skin (there’s an entire conversation about how ‘black’ is used in a negative connotation in language and storytelling, and we’re ALSO going to have that conversation later!)

A Real Simple Way (i.e. how I do it)

I tried, but I cannot find my skin tones palette link anymore. I’m sorry! But, it’s been essential to my character design. If you don’t ever buy anything else, I would HIGHLY suggest investing in a skin tones palette for your art program.

Everyone say hello to Philia, my OC! I’m used to drawing her, so I’m going to use her as an example. Now remember, I am still an amateur! But this is how I do it!

Admittedly, I do the one on the left when I'm feeling lazy, but more often I'll take the time to do the one on the right. Now here’s the thing- I’m not actually blending the red into the brown. This is on a whole different layer. What I’m actually doing is adding to and fading the color until it’s at a color that I feel is natural. There's definitely an easier, smarter way to do this, but that’s what I like to do- I like to see the stages slowly until I’m comfortable.

You have to mess around and practice; see what looks good and what doesn't. Go into the reds, the oranges, the pinks and observe how it looks- I may go through multiple before I settle on one. It’s really just a matter of getting used to drawing Black skin tones and how they look in different lighting. This one's not perfect for sure.

Resources

Here are some really good posts and Youtube videos on how both to paint skin, and to add blush tones. And remember, as per my usual, the best way to learn how the draw and paint Black people is to follow and learn from Black artists! Another good idea might be looking into Black makeup and Black SFX makeup artists. As people that work with skin on a regular basis, they would be a good place to study what colors can and should be used on different skin colors as a whole.

ami0amii

Likelihood Art

Tiara Anderson

Proko

Sinix

Ross Draws

In summary, focus on bolder colors, be willing to test until you get what you need, and practice! All you can do to get better is to practice! And as always: it’s the thought that counts, but the action that delivers!

[yan-lorkai]

Hi!! I loved your hcs of the Octotrio with a yuu that seems to only have a talent in art. I related to it a lot because sometimes I feel like I’m not good at anything else other than drawing.

I was wondering if you could do the same prompt with Riddle, Ace, Deuce, Cater, Leona, Malleus & the Scarabia boys please? If that’s too many you can just do Leona, Malleus, & Scarabia. Thank you 😊

.⁠｡⁠*⁠♡ A/N: I guess everyone has one of those episodes, huh? I've been writing for more than 8 years now and sometimes I get hit by the "aa but I'm only good at writing, I should totally try something" and then I try something new and hate it bcs I really love to write and nothing can compare lmao. Anyway, I hope you like this darling, I did all the characters requested too btw ~

.⁠｡⁠*⁠♡ Ace would be playful and encouraging, but his competitive nature would lead him to manipulate situations to keep you close. He’d play little tricks to make sure you stay dependent on him, offering "helpful" critiques that subtly undermine your confidence in anything but your art. His lighthearted facade would hide a deeper need to be the center of your attention, he is your muse, the one you use to practice, the who inspires you, making sure that you see him as the only one who truly understands and supports you, all while ensuring you don't realize how he’s subtly sabotaging any other talents you might want to try to explore, for he fears you will not want to spend more time with him anymore if that was the case.

.⁠｡⁠*⁠♡ Cater would use his social media prowess to make you art the talk of the school, ensuring your work — and by extension, his support — is always in the spotlight. However, his validation would come with a price, as he subtly isolates you from others, creating an environment where you feel your art is only appreciated by him and his curated audience. Cater’s charming persona would hide his darker intentions, as he manipulates your into believing that your worth is tied to the art you create under his influence, all while keeping you emotionally dependent on his constant praise. You're already good at other things, so surely you don't need to have another hobby, right?

.⁠｡⁠*⁠♡ Deuce, unlike Ace, would be fiercely protective of your artistic talent. He’d encourage your art with an almost desperate intensity, pushing you to try different brushes and pens, different scenarios and things, but he'd also pressure you to stay focused on what your good at, ensuring you don’t waste time on things you never tried before. His possessiveness would manifest in his need to be your protector, to the point where he'd become intimidating towards anyone who tries to steer you away from your art, that does not apply to yourself, while he think your drawings / paintings are very beautiful, he would not force you to make it more if you're having an episode where you doubt your skills and think you are good only on the art field. If you want to explore new things, Deuce will be by your side the entire time.

.⁠｡⁠*⁠♡ Riddle would be intensely supportive yet controlling, pushing you to perfect your craft while ensuring you don't stray too far from his strict rules, even more if you are already his lover. His obsession with your success would become borderline suffocating, as he constantly monitors your progress and enforces discipline to keep you on the right path, nurturing your already beautiful talent. To Riddle, your art is flawless, it's personal and have a touch of you in every drawing, be it digital or traditional. When you come to tell him about your doubts, about how you're only good at art, Riddle promptly sooth you with gentle words, albeit he is a little awkward while talking. He offer to teach you about whatever you want to learn but be prepared because he is somewhat a strict teacher.

.⁠｡⁠*⁠♡ Leona would admire your dedication to your art, and he would ask questions about it too, learning as much as your interest as possible. However, his possessiveness would be almost primal, keeping you close under the guise of protection, ensuring you don’t waste time on anything — or anyone — else. Leona would be dismissive of your attempts to explore other talents, reinforcing that your art is the only thing that matters. His control would be subtle yet overpowering, as he ensures your world revolves around him and your art, leaving you with little room for anything else.

.⁠｡⁠*⁠♡ Malleus would shower you with endless admiration, captivated by your artistic talent, even more if you were influenced by an artistic movement. He'll notice all the little details, the subtle way the traces converge, how the color scheme is perfect, the way the shadows and the light reflect. He is your number 1 fan, so supportive of you. However, his intense fascination would drag you into his lonely world, where your art becomes your only outlet and he is your audience - though he has your drawings framed and hung on the walls of the castles, so everyone can look at it and admire. Malleus may not understand your struggles and why would you want to pursue another hobby, but he can arrange anything you may want to try at least once, from singing and dancing to sewing and knitting, even the art of potion making, archery or fencing. He just know you're going to find something you like as much as your art, and if you are happy so is he.

.⁠｡⁠*⁠♡ Jamil would secretly nurture your talent, subtly guiding your creativity while undermining any attempts you make to excel elsewhere, he sees your art as something free and with many meanings - it makes him relaxed in some sort of way and Jamil wants to be a little greedy here, he wants you to continue creating more pieces, always keeping you under his watchful eye as you started drawing / painting. There's just something so intimate, so calming about it he can't wrap his head around. He loves watching you creating your art, feeling is guard lowering just a little. If you ever approach him with your doubts, Jamil take you to the kitchen so he can teach you a few things about cooking. It's a different kind of art but when all is said and done, it's just as good as when you're creating and make you feeling accomplished.

.⁠｡⁠*⁠♡ Kalim would be so overwhelmingly supportive and enthusiastic about it, showering you with gifts and opportunities to nurture your artistic talent, buying everything you may need to create your art, a new software? Sure, no problem, he brought the most expensive one too. A few new pencils and pens? Right away. You need more frames and paints? It will be here in a couple of hours. However, his naivety mixed with possessiveness would lead to unintentional control over your life, as he tries to keep you happy and close by his side. Kalim’s well-meaning gestures would create a gilded cage, where your art flourishes but your freedom is slowly stripped away. He would be oblivious to the suffocating effect of his love, believing that as long as you're happy creating art with him, nothing else matters, leaving you feeling trapped and not knowing how to communicate with him. He have done so much for you already!

[hurts2think]

Could you maybe do Hook x gn!reader? Reader as Zellie’s sibling aka Rapunzel and Eugene’s son. Maybe reader is a painter like Rapunzel and Hook is the muse and I dunno sumthing silly like that. I’m obsessed with Tangled right now so :PPP

🏴‍☠️Young!James Hook x GN!Reader🏴‍☠️

Reader pronouns: They/them

Pairing: Young James Hook x GN!Reader

Plot: Reader is the child of Rapunzel and took on the same artistic hobby of being a painter. They have a final project due but can't find the perfect muse. That is, until an annoying boy shows up who might be perfect.

Word Count: 1.7K

Extra: I feel like maybe I write too much dialogue idk. Do you guys prefer more dialogue or more text? Anyway, I hope you Hook fans like this!

Being the child of Rapunzel, it’s no surprise you took on an artistic hobby. Even your sister, Zellie did fun hairstyling and colorful outfits, but you kept it more traditional. Traditional in the sense that you keep it simple and just paint. Painting, drawing, and sketching, anything like that.

You found yourself doodling every time you had a pencil in your hand, half of your jeans are painted with little stars and flowers just from absent minded doodling while coming up with a real project.

This obsession naturally landed you in advanced art classes. Which was of course your favorite class of the day. You had just finished a landscape painting for an assignment that took you longer than it should have, (you were never very good with landscapes) but now that the project is over, that just means it was time for the next.

But this project was your final exam for the year. A portrait. Not a self portrait, but a portrait of someone else at school. There was also a paper that had to be written with it about technique and color theory but that was the boring part. Now you were too busy thinking of the possibilities for your muse!

You were fairly popular at school, especially considering you were royalty. But you were also just nice and charming to many of the people around you, so it usually wasn’t hard to ask people for help with your projects. But… your issue this time being that it was the end of the year. Most people were busy with their own end of the year exams and projects.

You asked Bridget first, who apologized a dozen times about how she couldn’t help this time because she was so overwhelmed with a new recipe she was trying for her culinary final. Then you asked Ella who said she had too much to study for and that she couldn’t do anything after school because she had to go home for chores. And anyone else you asked had similar responses.

In the dining hall you sat by yourself and stared at your notebook, trying to come up with anyone else you could ask. It was a free period so the hall was pretty empty since most of the students spent their time out at the courtyard. The quiet always helped you focus so you weren't complaining about being alone there.

Just as you were about to cross out another name on your list, the notebook was suddenly shoved off the table and replaced by someone hopping up to sit there instead of in a chair.

"Whoops. Be more careful with your things." The boy smirked as he crossed one leg over the other.

"Hook." You sighed, picking up the notebook. He thought he was funny for the way he picked on you and others, but really it wasn't that amusing.

You never understood why he decided to pick on you so much, it's not like you ever did anything to him. But at least his bullying was hardly considered bullying. Just a snarky comment here and there with a mocking smirk.

"What's their royal highness doing by themselves? Your mates finally ditch you?" He asked with the same old stupid grin he always had on. How you wish you could take a frying pan to his face and wipe it off sometimes.

"No. I'm trying to work on a project and you're kind of distracting me." You mutter with an annoyed huff.

"Distracting you? That's what I'm best at, darling."

Honestly you weren't really in the mood for this. Usually you'd just laugh and shrug him off since you never saw much harm in him, he just liked attention. But after spending all day working on a project you can't even start has frustrated you beyond belief. You suddenly stood up as if to stand your ground, "You know what, Hook? I've had it with your—" You abruptly stopped speaking.

Hook just looked at you with a mocking grin, clearly not taking you seriously. But the way he sat with his legs crossed, leaned back, and his hook hand held near his face suddenly struck you with inspiration and your annoyment quickly flooded away.

James Hook. He would be the perfect muse for your project. He's elegant with every move he makes, he's undeniably beautiful, and not overwhelmingly proper. His darker demeanor contrasts the elegant position in just the perfect way.

"Oh my gosh." You held your hand to your chest as if you had the most beautiful life changing epiphany ever. You tended to be a little dramatic like that.

"Hmm?" He hummed, clearly a little confused by whatever was going on inside your head.

Your eyes were practically glowing from all of the ideas running in your head, "Hook, you're perfect." Was all that came out of your lips.

The pretty blunt compliment seemed to also confuse Hook, "Yes..." He agreed but still looked at you, waiting for you to supply more context. "And?"

His ego might just be big enough to agree to help you with your project, "Have you ever thought about... Modeling?" You asked, tilting your head to the side, taking in his entire appearance.

----

It was no surprise he enthusiastically agreed. On the way to the art room (that was thankfully empty) he only spoke about his looks and how you'd definitely get an A+ on your project thanks to him. Of course he also wanted to keep the portrait after it's been graded and given back to you. You never really took the self absorbed things he said seriously, they mostly just made you chuckle. It was kind of funny the way he spoke so confidently about himself, considering he wasn't exactly the first person people were lining up to be friends with or date.

You never really hated Hook. Sure, he pissed you off and his friends weren't the greatest either, but you never saw him as big and bad as he wished he was. For a pirate at least, he wasn't very scary. Mostly mildly annoying.

You couldn't say the same for his friend, Uliana. She was definitely the more brutal one of the VKs, which made sense considering she was their 'leader' or something. You mostly tried to steer clear from them, but somehow always had you and Hook running into each other.

"Could you please stop moving? Just hold still for ten minutes." You asked of him sternly. You sat in front of the easel while Hook sat gracefully on the desk in front of you. Well, not very graceful anymore. His pose became slouched and bored after only five minutes of him standing there.

"It's been an hour, can't I move now? Let me see it so far." He complained, frowning at the boredom of just sitting there.

"No. It's not done and if you move then it's going to be impossible for you to sit back correctly again." You explained, eyes not leaving the canvas.

You should have expected this behavior, but you were a little too excited about the process, you forgot who exactly you were dealing with. Every ten or so minutes he'd ask if he could move and you'd have to snap at him to stay still.

Though the next time you looked back up, your eyes narrowed at him shifting and moving, "James! You're moving too much. Tilt your head back to the right."

He rolled his eyes and tilted his head as you said.

"Not your right, my right— Okay, actually," You stood up and walked over to him, grabbing his face and angling it in the correct position.

"Ya know, you should ask me on a date first before getting handsy." He smirked, looking you in the eye.

You give him a skeptical look before taking your hands off of him, "Just stop moving. And keep quiet too." It was impossible to hide your own smirk. You really couldn't help it.

You walk back to your canvas and stare at Hook for a second, picking up your paint brush. Despite you telling him to keep quiet and stop moving, it didn't take long before he started talking again. Mostly gossip and stupid stuff that didn't really matter.

After another long while you finished the painting. Well, not really. You still had details and things to change but you got the base of what you want. It looked pretty much complete to anyone who wasn’t a painter, but it wasn’t quite. It was finished enough to where you didn’t really need Hook anymore though.

“Okay! You can see it now.” You grinned, clearly bursting with excitement. It really turned out better than you imagined.

Your muse sitting on a windowsill with only a little light trickling on his face and overgrown dark plants and roses surrounding. It was definitely darker than you usually painted but it turned out amazing. Using the Flowers to frame his face but the rest being overgrown vines, it really felt like the right artistic decision.

Hook wasted no time to get up and look, resting his arm on your shoulder. His eyebrows raised slightly in surprise, “Wow.” Was all he said at first. You looked at him, hoping he’d say something else or some kind of approval. “Are you in love with me or something?” He grinned, looking from the painting to you.

You chuckled and rolled your eyes, “You wish.”

Based on that statement though, it was clear he liked it. Of course he was always open to someone making something in his image, but he really never expected someone to draw him so elegant and pretty. If anything, he expected something scarier. But you managed to make the painting dark and dramatic but still beautiful. He really was the perfect muse.

“Really? So the royal painter doesn’t want a kiss for their hard work in capturing my beauty?” He teased, taking your hand with his hook and leaning in as if he was about to try and kiss you.

“Try anything and you’re face wont be so pretty anymore.” You threatened with a light hearted laugh, pushing him away.

“Ouch.” Hook dramatically held his hand to his heart as if you’d stabbed him before grinning. Maybe you should’ve admired his beauty a little sooner. He could’ve been very helpful to your other countless projects.

[daman19942]

TSR CC Recommendations: TS2 Lot Builders

Nobody asked for this but I have a little time on my hands and I said I might do it, so here is a list of some TSR lot builders who I recommend checking out. A few notes under the cut before we get started (all details under the cut, as well, in case you aren't interested in my preamble):

This is not meant to be paid promotion for TSR. I believe TSR asking users to pay for their CC is ridiculous, especially for a 19 year old game they haven't supported in 7 years. But I spent many years uploading there during the peak-TS2 / pre-TS3 era and know there is great CC in their archives that newer players may not know about. And unlike TheSims2.com, which has sadly shuffled off this mortal coil, TSR's content is still available to freely download (assuming you can stomach the pop-ups and wait times)

This post will only be about lot builders because that was what I was primarily uploading and downloading in this era. I was friendly with some of the creators I am about to list, but none of them are still active members of the TS2 community.

The preview pics might be a little rough and the architecture styles will likely feel very dated compared to the most popular styles these days, which are more colorful, cluttered, and use 3t2 and 4t2 conversions. Re: the previews: too many of us were using free trials of PaintShopPro back then, and TSR limited us to 2 previews, so we did our best. Re: the styles: unlike pre-2010's CAS CC, which was full of hand painted and "realistic" textures (LOL), these are the same objects you can find in the game today, just being used in different ways! Sometimes for the first time! And, yes, while some of these creators used CC, it was mostly Homecrafter walls and floors, as you'll see below.

This was also the hey-day of CFE lot building, which has certainly fallen out of favor to more traditional builds (in part because graphics cards have improved and these types of builds don't look as good in 2024, and also because the great CFE experimenters, builders, and tutorial writers are no longer part of the community and their original discoveries are gone as well - I am happy to go down a massive rabbit hole on this piece of TS2 history if anyone else cares, but trust me, you don't have to care).

Alright that is enough caveating, here are some recs! (Links are in the creator's names and they take you to their Lots, though many of them have other creations, too).

Lord Tiko Speaking of great CFE builders! Lord Tiko built spaceships, boats, pagodas, domes, windmills and bridges, oh so many bridges before retiring mid-TS2 because of health issues. He was one of the first builders to take Daihtnaoz7's single and double bridge tutorials and apply them to really big lots. I'm still not sure how he built the Venice Rialto Bridge, or his other European water lots. Overall, a massive inspiration to me when I was prioritizing CFE builds.

Hatshepsut My favorite "traditional" home builder, and someone I considered a friend. She specialized in English and American builds, and I had many of Hat's houses in my old saves and was impressed by her range and decorating style which was (for the time) more varied than many of her peers. Knew how to take great preview pics of her houses, too.

Tigerblue Another builder I corresponded with, Tigerblue was probably the least prolific uploader on this list for sheer number of uploads, but she also crossed a range of styles. Her builds leaned way into specific styles (see the previews, these were all part of consistent sets of 3,4, or even 10 lots), but this was also what happened when a new EP dropped and everyone raced to uploaded builds using as many of the new objects and styles as possible. Tigerblue just happened to be better at it than most of us.

Cyclonesue Do current TS2 players know Cyclonesue? Because it's hard to think of someone who had a bigger impact on building and decorating of the era, first with her English and Tudor builds and later with her extremely distinct grunge creations. Seriously, check out her Urban Renewal series and the corresponding objects. Iconic stuff that surely now feels frozen in time. I probably only played 20% of her lots that I downloaded, but they still make for great hood decor. Like Tiko, someone who happily experimented with CFE.

Illiana The creator who inspired me to make this list is, ironically, the one on it who I know the least about (she is a Featured Artist but not in the Hall of Fame, whatever that means). I just started playing her Tri-Annyas fraternity house and have a few other lots floating around my game. She built in a range of styles, from classical to modern to Twikki Island to grunge. Revisiting some of them in-game, the TSR previews do not do them justice.

*EXHALES* If you made it to this point, kudos to you. I'm sure there are creators I've forgotten, and houses I haven't linked to, but this is a good starting point for digging into some of the eclectic builds the TSR(chives) have to offer (I just coined that, is it clever? It is not). Maybe I'll do a Part 2 if people like this.

If you have any favorites of your own, let me know what I missed! And as I do with my old Exchange re-uploads, I am tagging @sims2packrat and @oldasscustomcontent for general TS2 history awareness!

[mazeinthemiroh]

In desperate need of how SKZ would spoil their girlfriends and the gifts they’d get for them like…I feel like lixie’s love language is gift giving so he’s the type to drop half his paycheck on his s/o😩✋🏾

how stray kids would spoil their s/o

genre: fluff

warnings: none

please like and reblog if you enjoy! feel free to request anything <3

bangchan

not only will channie spoil you

he will literally refuse you buying ANYTHING

i just keep thinking of that one clip when he and felix were arguing about who got to pay for stuff at the convenience store... oh the chaos...

like he's so petty about it but it's like a need for him

he needs to buy you stuff

let him buy you stuff!!!

it's just a tendency for him. ingrained in his personality for sure; not something he can control

lee know

he honestly doesn't really think about it at all

in his mind, what's his is your

you want his money? take his freaking money lmfao

spoiling you and treating you to things comes as second nature to him and something he doesn't take much consideration to

it just feels right to buy you stuff you want, and he doesn't give it a second thought tbh

it's just really not that deep to him 🤷

changbin

this man has his wallet out permanently istg

just waiting to pay for things, credit card ready to swipe asap

he's always buying you stuff

just because

like there is no reason for it

maybe he likes being a provider, sure. or perhaps he likes you depending on him to an extent

idk whatever is going through this man's brain, i just think it's in his nature to want to spoil his loved ones

hyunjin

hyunne likes indulging your hobbies

if you are a bookworm, for instance, he will spend not only his money but his time carefully picking out books for you to enjoy

or if you are an artist like him, he will buy you all sorts of paints and pencils and sketchpads. you name it, he's getting you it!

also he has expensive taste, so when he wants to get you a fancy gift he is not stingy with that credit card of his

with him, if he's in love, why should he limit that love? if one way to show love is to get something you've been wanting for ages, why shouldn't he?

han

he would much rather he spend money on you than the other way round

not for traditional reasons or anything like that. more that he feels guilty, like he's not giving enough

he's a very generous soul but sometimes in relationships, he likes to just sit back and relax

and then he feels like he's not putting enough effort in so he over-compensates by spending a tone load of money on you

you reassure him that he is fine the way he is and doesn't have to do that but now it's become a habit he very much enjoys

felix

you are so incredibly right anon

i mean for felix is feel like all love languages fit him because he is basically the human incarnate of love but yeah

gift giving is one of them

felix loves buying gifts i know i have said this so many times in every single felix related content i write but he just can't stop buying stuff for other people

he loves spending money in general, so what better way to do that than spending money on gifts for the person he loves most?

seungmin

he's quite sensible with his money and only usually really buys something if he needs it

but spending money on you is a bit of a different story

he doesn't limit himself nor does he ask if you actually need that item you've been wanting to be. if you want it, you got it.

will literally ask for your wishlist and buy you everything off it, i'm not exaggerating

he's not one to beat around the bush, our seungmin! he goes straight to the point, as he should 💅

jeongin

jeongin is a reallyyyy good gift-buyer

he's perfectly balanced, really. he likes getting you gifts here and there, some of them are personal and others are expensive. he likes to get both kinds of gifts so that your heart is touched but also you get something a little fancy from him too <33

much like felix, he likes spending his money. and he feels he isn't being wasteful with it when he is buying you stuff because it makes you super happy aww

[emptyjunior]

Can I be sooo original and rag on live action avatar show for a sec😭?

Their Katara isn't bossy! She doesn't mother, she doesn't nag, she doesn't bother the boys with the ways she thinks they should live constantly.

And I get why they did it, like I'm sure the intentions were to get away from that mother trope! Of making the one girl in the crew everybody's mommy.

But it Is supposed to be an unlikable trait! It's an unhealthy trait that Katara has and it limits her.

When it comes to jet, toph, sokka, aang, suki there are so many moments where she would have connected with them more if she didn't boss them around (even if sometimes she's right to!) But she can't help taking that approach and it rubs them the wrong way.

And Katara does this because she is externalising her OWN stuff. She's a Ferrari in the garage, she is a warrior put into the healer/support space for so long.

Traditional gender roles and sexism pushed her into the role of a nurturer. And since that's not a role that I Personally think she's acclimated for, her doing it comes off as brash and frustrated.

She doesn't really seem to take joy in it and it doesn't service her like it does other people.

Only when she breaks free from those barriers in her life and explores her freedom do you see her change.

She can direct that big moral compass and urge to do Right into fighting the real fight! Her boldness and fearlessness has an outlet that isn't "make stupid brother do laundry today".

And that makes her calmer, more willing to listen.

Back to live action,,., Um Katara already starts that way?

She already connects with people just fine.

And they removed the sexism and traditionalist ideals of her water tribe so uhh not dealing with that.

She's good to go👍👍 Fine young lady👍

So what now😭😭

Like toph does NOT like Katara when they first meet, they grow to like each other and understand the ways they are the same.

I don't see Any reason why this Katara wouldn't get along fine with toph😭

This Katara seems like a well adjusted person!

Does a well adjusted person paint their face like a ghost and bomb an oil rig. Do they stop the very water in the air as they ready themselves for an execution. Do they BLOOD BEND and twist their enemies like puppets against their will😭

I just don't think they've thought this through? All these little changes to make characters more likeable, more loved, more recognisable to a fandom who's already Finished the show it'll add up! Stuff is gonna stop making sense!

[siblingskissing]

vance hcs pleeeeease 🤲

Vance Hopper Headcanons

-Momma's boyMomma's boyMomma's boyMomma's boyMomma's boyMomma's boy -Vance has anger issues that I believe are both trauma based and also possibly an undiagnosed disorder/mental health issue. It was the 70s so he likely wouldn't have been diagnosed but you see what I mean -He's not rich but he's also not dirt poor either. I imagine his dad probably has a really nice job and forced his mom to be a housewife/caregiver 24/7. That being said- Vance has a pretty humble mindset when it comes to finances despite the fact -When Vance went missing he was out walking after a fight with his old man- likely had some bruising already when the Grabber tried coaxing him into helping him. I feel like Vance probably didn't try to help but rather tried to fight him and that's how he grabbed him

- (I'm not gonna go into my headcanons for his captivity in this post but I will happily do a separate post if yall want that)

-Vance hates sweets but sour candy has a grip on his soul -He also loves salty foods

-His style is inspired by both his own need to rebel but also his mom's style when she was younger. I think she had hair similar to this:

-I think she actually has dark hair to and the color comes from his dad's side

-Vance actually is really smart and would do well in school if he was given the chance. however, do to both his environment and his temper he can't actually show that -He loves dogs. He prefers cats some days but he likes to feed the stray dogs that sit in the alleys -He loves bananas. Ever since he was a toddler he would munch on them. His mother once got concerned that he had a potassium issue. Nope. Just likes banana -He's allergic to kind of a lot. Cinnamon, peanuts,almonds, eggs, honestly he has a laundry list of allergens that his mom keeps handy -Thankfully most of his allergies (minus the peanuts and almonds) are mostly just irritants so he can still eat things he likes. However those two will kill him. -He likes horror films but isn't huge on them. He'll sometimes sneak into the drive in to watch them but that's more for the rush than the actual film. His favourite horror film is Halloween -I don't have a specific sexuality headcanoned for him. I guess most people would say Pansexual but i think he's unlabelled. He doesn't like many people but if he gets involved with someone? Well, good for them. -chocolate chip pancakes lover -Watches the Twilight Zone with his mom every week. His favorite episode is 'To Serve Man' - Vance always secretly wanted to be a firefighter when he got older. He thought they were cool and when he was like 5 he used to play with his mom that he was a firefighter rescuing her. - His favourite ice cream flavour is vanilla. He does not care that it's basic, he likes the simplicity and how its not too sweet. -Same reason he likes dark chocolate. -IDK why but I imagine him as an older brother?? Maybe his mom had a little girl after him or was pregnant when he went missing. -IDK but either way he is so protective. -He hates reading with a passion. He hates silence and he hates being silent the entire time he reads. He does however enjoy when people read to him/he can follow along with someone reading. -Rip vance you would've loved audiobooks -Know how I said he likes horror? He HATES horror stories. They aren't as fun for him and he things they're boring -I imagine he has a very clean room for some reason?? Like he likes things to be in their place, how he likes it and its organized for his needs -Kinda similar in the idea of this?? Like i doubt he has tons of decor but he has what he needs

-Secret art kid. He's really good at drawing but doesn't do it much outside of his room. He prefers traditional pencil drawings since paint leaves too much residue but if he gets his hands on colored pencils? He flourishes. -rip vance you would've loved alcohol markers-

[syrcus]

OC smash or pass sure

Rules: pretty self explanatory. include physical descriptions or pics, and propaganda. the “other” label can be used for “sexuality misalignment” (ie: oc is femme and you’re gay, vice versa or you aren’t into smashing but a specific thing you wanna do with them like perhaps hug or study them under a microscope idc).

ty for the tag @coldshrugs sorry it took me a minute I'm. lacking in screenshots.

tagging: I think everyone I would have tagged has been tagged at this point so I'm tagging anyone who sees this and wants to do it, or wants to do it again for a second OC.

anyway here's quo propaganda:

Look. They can paint!

Quick Facts:

Height: 5'9"ish

Age: early 30s by Dawntrail

Gender: no thank you

Pronouns: they/them

Sexuality: demi/bi

Pros:

very cute extremely dorky laugh

can and will paint people they love with or without warning

can cook. will cook. you will eat their food. sometimes this is a blessing. good luck

very good at hugs. slightly higher than average resting body temperature, strong arms, good for hugging

cool facial scar. pretty eyes. lots of little moles to find and to count

Cons:

acts first, thinks later. will not consider consequences

presently recovering from a guilt-induced mental breakdown resulting from years of thoughtless adventuring and occasional manslaughter. still gets flashbacks, might wake up screaming in the night

stubborn. if they don't want to do something they're not gonna do it. if they want to, there is no convincing them otherwise

sometimes not very quick on the uptake. sometimes too quick on the uptake. easily distracted

can cook. will cook. you will eat their food. sometimes they experiment with recipes. good luck

Details:

knows lots of quiet, cool little spots in a variety of places. they will take you. you may not get a choice. they get very excited about the cool little spots they found.

not very well-educated in the traditional sense. will however happily listen to people talk about their areas of expertise. it's their favourite way to learn things

quick to smile, quick to laugh, likes to make people feel at ease

learned to read for the sole purpose of bonding with a loved one. dedicated.

can curse in multiple dialects

cannot hold their booze. at all.

excellent storyteller, especially if you don't mind your stories a little long-winded and rambly. lots of good stories to tell.

sees a lot of beauty in the mundane. might get distracted looking at the way the light's hitting a pond, or haloing a friend

difficult to get to know deeply. they don't mean to be, they just don't really think to open up to people.

has a pet fish. they caught it themself. it's from another dimension. they will talk about the fish to anyone who'll listen.

not actually very interested in smashing at this time, as they are in a committed relationship, but they will be flattered nonetheless

[alliluyevas]

If AG gave you full creative control over the Girl of the Year for 2025 what direction would you choose for her? Can be general or specific.

oooh good question. I honestly am not a huge follower of GOTY dolls and wasn't during my first wave of AG interest as a child either. I looked back at the roster on the AG wiki to refresh my memory, though.

First of all, I'd like to ditch the very trendy mini-teenager style of clothing that the last several GOTY dolls have had. GOTY 2025 might be a bit tomboyish, but I'm not wedded to that. Either way, I'd just like to see her wearing clothing that is a bit more childlike. Also, I think in general I'm sick of the bright-pinks and pastels that seem to dominate AG's color palates nowadays. Put her in a red shirt and blue jeans or something.

A lot of the GOTY stories center around the doll's hobbies or activities, as well as sometimes Relatable Struggles the character is going through like parental divorce, moving, sibling rivalry, or some similar theme. I feel like performing arts hobbies and extreme/outdoor sports are overrepresented in GOTY storylines. We have a lot of dolls who are dancers, and we've had skiing dolls, surfing dolls, dolls who are really into animal rescue and conservation etc. These are definitely cool hobbies but especially the latter ones aren't necessarily super accessible to most little girls. (There are lots of girls who do cheer or dance or theater or music, but I think they've been represented and I also think those are very conventionally feminine pursuits and I would like to see something else.) In terms of hobbies, I think it would be nice to see a GOTY who plays a more traditional team sport like soccer or softball, or maybe a runner. On the other hand, I don't think we've seen a visual artist for a while, so maybe painting or drawing. (I also think pottery would be a really cool idea, because I think it would be super cute for her to have a tiny little pottery wheel and maybe 3 little pots of different stages of completion you could switch in and out. But pottery is also maybe not as accessible as drawing would be). Actually, sports and art aren't mutually exclusive and that might be a fun message. Maybe a little girl who is really into both softball and painting?

I'm not expecting one doll to fulfill all these things in terms of representation, but given what I talked about yesterday about different groups or family configurations that haven't been represented in an AG doll yet, I think it would be nice to do a GOTY who is Muslim or who has same-sex parents.

Also, I think 2020 GOTY Joss, who is hard of hearing and comes with little hearing aids, was a really cool step in the right direction for AG with disability representation. (As a side note, I think they dropped the ball with 1950s historical doll Maryellen, who is written in her stories as a polio survivor who walks with a limp but this is not visible at all in her doll and girls might not know about it if they don't read the books. I think they should have made a little leg brace for the doll or something.) 2025 GOTY could highlight a different aspect of disability experience. Maybe her story could talk about ADHD because that is so common but girls with ADHD are still underrepresented, or a chronic illness like Type One Diabetes?

Anyway, just a sort of grab bag of what I would like to see :)

[gemharvest]

Hiii local pico fanboy here to request him for the character thing :))

YES!!! PICO BRAINWORM, ACTIVATE !!!!!!!!!

favorite thing about them: TBHHHH idk. I like his silly maybe. His whimsy. I angst his ass so much but he's such a goober in canon. I want to put him in a hamster ball and watch him run around and I genuinely think he'd enjoy it.

least favorite thing about them: I feel like every time I mention him I run the risk of someone making a weird assumption about me. Pico toxoplasmosis curse: will someone yell at me because my fave, my little scrunkly, my blorbo, originates from the Newgrounds school shooting satire game. The answer is to tell myself not to worry about it and I go "Okay💗 Yay💗" and continue brainrotting.

favorite line: What does this guy even say fuuuuufhfhuhhkkckkk. Guy who mostly thinks about FNF and has barely touched Pico's School stuff. Unfortunately might have to pass on this for now sorry. You can give me a bad grade on being a Pico fan LMAO. /j

brOTP: I'm going to be so fr I am obsessed with the dynamic you can get between him and Nene. I am studying them like bugs. Tho of course Pico & Darnell's friendship is so good. Newgrounds trio you are so fucked up I love you guys.

OTP: Hey guys do any of you know about this niche little thing called the RGB polyshioGFOKMKFGMLKM>. Very obvious answer but yeah. OT3. As of late I've been having so much fun with romantic PicoGF. PicoBF gets a lot of focus and it has from me too, but there's such a fun dynamic you can get from GF and Pico. They can have something fun even if you take a platonic/ QPR angle, tho I said already that I like exploring a romantic dynamic between them.

nOTP: I don't knowwwwwwwww. I don't think I have a nOTP for him. Yes, even considering Cass (huge-ass disclaimer that I do not ship them, but I can't see myself caring if others do). Sorry LOL.

random headcanon: I think if you asked him if he'd jump off a cliff he'd say no, of course not wtf, but then if you asked him if he'd jump off a cliff because Boyfriend did he'd take a suspicious amount of time to answer. Like that one Dan Vs. bit. Idk I'm trying to think of something I haven't mentioned before. Secondary answer that's more of a headcanon is that I really do think this guy would be a non-traditional pet owner. Like snakes/ tarantulas that kinda thing. I think he'd like rats/ other rodents too but the idea of him handling a snake makes me bounce off the walls.

unpopular opinion: The curse I bare is that I barely go to wider fandom spaces I don't know what a popular opinion for him right now would be. Idk I think people sometimes write him to be way tougher than he'd be. Like, OK I'm tired idk how to fully explain it but in my head this guy's a softie once he lets you past his exterior. He's kind at heart even if he has his whole Thing going on and I've seen takes that ignore that/ aren't aware of it, and I feel like that's the surface-level read people might get off of him. Might be able to put this better when I have a rested mind LMAO.

song i associate with them: *cracks my knuckles and opens my playlist for him* Oh I was built for this. Two because I an never content picking just one, my playlist for him would be massive if I remembered to add songs regularly LMAO.

favorite picture of them:

I feel like this is a very funny choice for "favorite image" but it's specifically this bit in his character sheet. "Kind like how cats stretch out look longer" you don't say... Guy who isn't even beating the kitty allegations in his fucking character sheet. My non-funny answer would probably be his game-over sprite for when you lose to one of the spray paint cans:

>> original ask game here; feel free to send more, I don't bite <<

[stranded-ziggy]

Some advice for my fellow artists who are uncertain about doing commissions or monetizing/promoting their art in general:

Have equal parts respect for yourself and your client, and if you sense they do not respect you or your work, turn them down before any money is exchanged.

Mutual respect is so important in avoiding scams and people who will break your T&Cs, that's why I recommend turning down anyone who participates in supporting AI art and NFTs. These things have drawn crowds of people who actively have disdain for artists.

You may be asking "but Ziggy, why would someone hate artists? We just draw our blorbo's and help each other do that."

Damn right we do, but these people are jealous that we've found a way to still have fun in this dystopian hellscape we live in while their crypto keeps crashing.

A good mindset to have when learning to respect yourself and your craft if you struggle with that:

You've worked hard to gain the skills you have, it's admirable, there's people out there in awe that we can paint or draw even vaguely accurate things.

In this online space where everyone seems to be the next Da Vinci it can feel so demoralizing to be an artist, but think about it, before all this online BS you probably would have been one of the best artist's in your town!

(Actually, if you don't have crushing social anxiety like myself, consider doing art for local people, I did this once before and got paid very well, it was a traditional piece though, not sure if you'll get far doing digital art only like this but who knows! You might have local TTRPG groups who need some art.)

Finally, I'd like to say something about making your online experience better in general:

Have patience!

Social media thrives on people getting angry and afraid, sometimes rightfully so! But we gain so little (in fact I would say we lose more) by falling for fear mongering and dog whistles.

If you're just trying to run an art account, surround yourself with fellow artists, support each other, whether by boosting their art or sharing the occasional bit of advice.

I'm not a perfect person, but I try and be a force of positivity where I can, especially as my platform grows, sometimes this slips when I'm feeling the weight of the world but that's fine too, it happens.

In general, just make sure you have a support system that you can vent your frustrations to outside of twitter and tumblr.

We do need to speak out against things like AI and our unfair treatment by corporations and social issues that seem to get more and more frightening. But there's so many people out there who *want* you to be angry, and who profit from it and will use it against you.

So when you see something inflammatory, ask yourself why it's there and if you really want to directly interact with it and boost it to your followers.

Thank you if you read all of this! I hope it's helpful, but really I just felt like blabbering for a while x'D

[thebluestbluewords]

ot3 week day 3: the princess, the knight, and the dragon

(I do have a rough sketch for this concept as a 5+1 thing, but at this time I’ve only written…an introduction plus two and a half parts of it. So here’s the first part!)

Once upon a time, in a land of rolling forests and enchanted oceans, there lived a dragon. Not just any dragon, but a wicked purple dragon, with fire in her belly and madness in her eyes, and a fondness for causing mischief that often outstripped her capacity for getting herself out of said mischief. 

Traditionally, in a land like this one, fully of fairy tales and magical castles and enchantments, it falls to the resident dragon to capture a beautiful princess, and in turn be defeated by a brave knight, and then the two will do something horribly indecent in front of the dragon's steaming corpse, in the name of true love, of course, and then ride off into the sunset in order to live happily ever after. Sometimes, room can be made in the tradition for a just and kind king to be the one marrying off the princess to the knight, but that variation typically relies on the king being old, and in this land, the king is...

Not. 

He's young. 

Very young. 

So young, in fact, that he may have allowed the traditional story to go a little, teeny tiny, itsy-bitsy bit astray. 

So yeah. Maybe the dragon is in love with her princess, and maybe the knight is a little bit in love with both of them, and maybe the king isn't interested in the princess after all, even though that's the only other way for the story to go, with the princess and the king having a doomed lovers sort of thing, and the knight having some kind of erotic rivalry with the dragon, and all of them dying very tragically in the end. But this king is too good and kind to fit in that sort of story, and besides, the traditional stories really only make space for three, maybe four roles, and none of them have a mad scientist riding in on the back of the dragon to cause even more trouble than either of them could on their own. 

Once upon a time, there was a different sort of fairy tale. 

+ 

The wicked stepsister pauses in her creeping path down the hallway. 

"Evie," comes a smushed sort of voice. "I can't breathe." 

A giggle floats out of the empty science classroom. "Beauty is pain, beastie boy," a low girl's voice says. "Let the princess do her wicked work on you." 

Another giggle. Hannah, wicked stepsister extraordinaire, creeps closer. 'Beastie boy' sounds an awful lot like gossip material, and Audrey and her court of princesses will pay a pretty penny for any school gossip to hit their ears first. 

"...you're sure this is the best way to test your experiment?" the boy's voice says. 

Two people at least stifle giggles. Badly. "I'm so sure," Evie coos. "This is going to be the most perfect makeup line you've ever seen, and it's going to be allll because of you." 

"Because it feels like this is some sort of elaborate hazing ritual," Ben continues. "Not that I'm complaining about helping you. Because I love helping. But it just feels like you're hazing me." 

More stifled giggles. "Now what makes you think that?"

"Oh, nothing. Just that you're painting liquid blush through my eyebrows." 

"I'm testing it for potential secondary uses as a brow tint. You're actually a fashion frontrunner right now."

"I believe that. Totally." 

Hannah creeps closer. The classroom door is shut, but there's a glass window in the front, and if she angles herself just right around the corner-- 

"Don't be such a wimp," Evie says, through her giggles. "But if you insist on being traditional, I'll let you test some lipstick next. You're not even the first to try this one, so put that frown away, I'm not giving you the one with frog venom." 

"Just the nail polish with neurotoxin." Ben complains cheerfully. Hannah angles herself a little closer, pushes up on her toes, and-- 

"Baby," Evie says, leaning in to where she's got the king of Auradon sitting on the science lab table, surrounded by tiny jars and bottles of colorful conctions. "I love you too much to really poison you." 

And just like that, she leans down and kisses him. 

Hannah gasps.

This is it. This is the hottest gossip she's ever going to break. She slaps a hand over her mouth before she can make another noise and give herself away, but she can't tear her eyes away, and oh, she doesn't need to worry about them looking up and seeing her. That's not just a kiss, that's a makeout. 

The king. Making out with a villain. A princess villain, but still. 

Audrey's going to freak out. 

Hannah's seen enough. As quietly as she can, she spins around and creeps back the other way. She can get her science textbook later, or never, for all she cares. She's going to be absolutely famous in the gossip circles tomorrow. 

Unseen, unheard, Evie pulls back. 

Ben's lips are red and wet and stained almost-perfectly with her juicy strawberry-red lip tint. 

"You didn't have to give her a show," Ben says, tipping his mouth up to meet hers again, laughing. "I don't think anyone else is going to understand the appeal of friend makeouts." 

Evie tosses her silky ponytail over her shoulder, and leans down to meet him halfway. "They don't need to understand. I like being gossip fuel. It gives me power over them.”  

"Power to make them buy your new eyebrow tint?" 

Both girls, Evie in Ben's arms and Mal standing guard by the door, giggle. "Totally. You're the perfect model, beastie boy." 

Ben sighs. "You're so mean to me." 

"Because we love you!" Evie sing-songs. "Now hold still so I can do your lashes too.” 

[drill-teeth-art]

Hey what's it like being so swag? The people wanna know! (It's me, I'm people)

I just wanted to drop by and say something silly since I've been lurking following you for a while and your art is such a delight! You've been a huge source of motivation for me to work on improving my own art and keeping up with your fan continuity has been super fun! (I love all of your trans headcanons so much, it's really nice to see people like me)

I was wondering if you had any advice on how to build up confidence with physical art work? I'd like to try and go beyond just pencil sketches but using pens for line art or adding color to a piece can feel so intimidating since that's a lot harder to undo than pencil lines... Part of me knows it'll just take some time and practice but the rest of me can't seem to work up the courage to start anyway (⁠^⁠～⁠^⁠;⁠)⁠ゞ

Regardless, you're very cool and I hope you continue to feel better! Have a nice day/night! :D

First of all, thank you so so much for the kind words! I'm so glad you enjoy all my art and trans headcanons! And I'm so so happy to hear my work has been inspiring you! That makes me so glad to hear. I am very passionate about encouraging other artists to explore and develop their own process and work.

And second, here is my hot tip for building traditional art confidence. And it is...make stuff in mediums you have been hesitating to use. Non-erasable mediums work best for building up confidence. Pens. Markers. Even paint if you prefer. You can find and watch traditional process videos if you want as you do. However, the best way to figure out your favorite way to use art supplies and to figure out how to make it look the way you want is just to experiment.

You may notice that the lines on my traditional pieces are sketchy and not polished lineart. With practice, I figured out how to do that my way and make it visually clear and appealing like I wanted. Sometimes, it really does help to just move out of your comfort zone and say "no pencils and no erasers I gotta be a little messy for a bit". I hope this helps!

And thank you for the well wishes! I hope you have a good day/night too!

[jamisonwritestf2trash]

hey dude, love the writing! your characterizations are so on point for em :0 what do you reckon the merc's hobbies are in their downtime? like knitting, golfing, stuff like that.

TF2 Mercs and Their Hobbies!

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I'm glad people think I'm good because that justifies the fact that this is what I do with my spare time 😭 (kidding) Also again mandatory mutual appreciation, love ya for that 🫶🏻 and ty for loving my writing, I really appreciate it <3

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This one's definitely got me smiling and kicking my legs bc something about the idea of these guys being happy and doing normal human things makes me happy.

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Demo knits! He also sews and crochets. This man is just a little grandma (affectionate). His mom taught him, and he just always liked it. It's calming, has definitely given the other Mercs blankets, and just claimed, "Oh well, I found it somewhere." Like it isn't in their well-known favorite color or subtly customized to them. I think he'd also be into most art. Painting and wood carving are two I think he'd fine interesting.

Engie- This man loves Legos. He has at least ten finished sets and about six unfinished ones lying around. He buys the adult sets for himself but has bought Pyro smaller sets so they can build together. Also isn't opposed to going fishing.

Heavy- Did you know he likes rock climbing? Turns out it's a lot easier to get into that hobby if you're strong. He's also a fan of hiking and swimming. Also very good at chess, he and Madic play a lot.

Medic- He loves music! He's good at it too, (I've seen others hc that he plays violin and please I love that, I love violin.) Along with the violin he kills on piano. It's actually really nice to hear piano coming from the lab and not screaming. Who knew? THIS. MAN. LOVES. TO. DANCE. He knows how to and loves to teach people. He specifically likes ballroom dancing, he can waltz, he can swing, if you can think of a dance he probably learned how to do it at some point.

Scout- Sports are probably the most obvious hobby I could pick for Scout, with video games coming in second. But I am a man who deviates from the obvious. He likes to bake and cook! Like I've seen people say this man can't boil water, and that's an insane take to me. Sure, it's funny, but this man loves his mom. Do you think he didn't bake and cook with her to help her out? He has a box of recipes that have been in the family for years. This man is killer when it comes to food, and I will die on this hill. (When he's baking, though, Pyro comes out of nowhere to "help." If any fellow bakers know how annoying it is to have a partner in the kitchen, you'll know how patient Scout has become, but he aurally doesn't mind Pyro baking with him after a while.) Don't ask him to do paintball with you! He loves it a bit too much.

Sniper- My man loves plants. He loves to garden. He has a little windowsill planter in his van. He grows little fruit plants sometimes and has a few cacti scattered around. He also has a bonsai tree, which he is meticulous with. You'd think this man would take up these hobbies to relax, but no. He is also insanely good at poker.

Spy- Really in to calligraphy, origami, and wine tasting. (Also, not really a hobby, but I hc that he can bartend if need be). He's just really into the "fancier." Hobbies that can also show off his art skills, also he likes wine so yk.

Soldier- Like Sniper, he's a really good poker player. He's definitely more into it than the other guys. He hates losing. He also does the traditional suburban while dad hobbies. He watches football and likes to grill. He's just a silly little American man.

Pyro- For the most part, they don't have a singular hobby they really do by themself. Scout and Engie just tend to include them in theirs, so they've never really had to figure out what to do in their downtime. But that doesn't mean they didn't find one eventually. They get into collecting! Specifically, bugs! They have at least two orchid praying mantis and one normal green one in a shadow box. Plus, they have a small collection on honeybees and even some scorpions and spiders (I know they aren't bugs, but I feel like most bug collectors have them too.) Engie went into Pyros room once because Pyro wanted to show off their collection and nearly fainted when Pyro showed off their favorite spider, it was a camel spider. (Look them up if you want but good God, they're so gross 😭)

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One of my favorites to write, super cute and wholesome idea. I smiled the whole time writing this.

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[rosethreeart]

Rendering tips that hopefully don't sound nonsensical or vague <3

Gonna skip my "study the fundamentals" soapbox but Color Theory, contrast, and understanding how light works (especially bounce light) are your best friends!

Try not to over blend, especially with a soft brush/blur tool. This usually removes all the detail and little color variations present in the piece and essentially can set you back several stages in the rendering process. Figuring out how "blended" or "smooth" certain surfaces are compared to others is essential.

Frequently zooming in and out like a millennial trying to stay relevant on tiktok by making ads helps prevent you getting tunnel-visioned and helps with the tip mentioned above.

I'm a little freak and do almost all of my rendering on one layer immediately after sketching and laying down really quick flats. I didn't start that way tho! Doing your lighting in various different layers and layer styles first, and then merging them all to a new layer (do this with a "copy canvas" type of tool or even import the png of it to preserve the previous layers!!) and going in and blending on that, can help give a good sense on how the rendering process works.

traditional painting rules can and should apply! I had an after school art class in hs with some very wonderful teachers and one of the things that they taught me was to "only blend the outer edges of the colors". This helps with keeping color variation and detail., as well as preventing your colors from getting too "muddy".

if you're painting a person, knowing where the color variation in undertones is a huge help! Places like the rims of eyes, the nose, ears, neck, and joints tend to have a more reddish hue due to blood flow and whatnot! There are also "blues", yellows, and oranges, especially in the face!

I put "blue" because, once again, color theory kinda lowkey fucked up and does what it wants LMAO. Essentially if you have something "blue toned" on the body (save for veins) its typically a de-saturated, darker, and more "yellow"-ish tone then the original skin tone used, however even a dark, and muted magenta or even purple can give a similar effect! It really depends on the skin tone, and the colors that are surrounding it. Also different skin tones reflect light differently so that's important to be aware of as well!

Typically what I do is I use 3-5 "main" colors for a section that I'm doing. So lets look at this hand for a second

Since hands are very warm toned, I stuck in the red range and did very little variation in hue, to preserve that. So I have his natural skin tone as the "base", did a deeper and more saturated color as the "outline" to help me stay aware of my form. I have two shadows, a cool tone (where the twig would reflect light) and a warm tone (where the red of the hands would reflect). But I also used almost a neon red! You can see it a little bit on that thumb right there near the shadow. Sometimes having a (slightly-extremely) more saturated color can help act as a "transition" color. These also help with maintaining your contrast, preventing the colors from getting too muddy, be a function of bounce light, and help show the more "internal" hues of the body.

References can be a HUGE help (I used one for the tree <3) but keep in mind that they're there to give you an IDEA of what you're trying to make, not just be a 1:1 recreation (art studies are a different thing that I wont get into here)!

This shit aint easy and there WILL be an ugly phase or multiple but you gotta push through it! This also takes a long time to do so there's no shame in doing it in multiple sessions, in fact I recommend it, as fresh-eyes can be a savior to a drawing.

thats all I can think of at the moment <3