#i have like at least 2 wip art pieces with him to do that are more serious-y but i just h ave to doodle him

[savrr]

him again

[miru667]

The whole Once-ler family is working full tilt!

Here's my full piece for the VK Onceler Zine! I was very lucky to get to be a part of it...🥹 I used concept art as my inspiration this time: [link] Keep reading below for my process vid and all my director's commentary!

Thank you for being curious! Here's a video of my WIPs:

Deadlines were TIGHT for this zine! We were given only 2 months (compared to the 6 months I had on the previous onceler zine), so to make sure I could finish on time, I decided to do only base colours and lighting, with almost no shading anywhere. Still, trying to balance all the colours took the longest for me, as you can see in the vid. xP

Also idk if anyone noticed, but for the face I chose to use an already existing onceler doodle: [link] Why? Well, why not! I really liked that doodle and I didn't want it to go to waste. 😆

Things that I enjoyed sneaking in:

-the golden spiral! Vaguely, at least! At the very least I hope your eyes can follow the order of thneed production, from the fallen tree at the window to the tuft harvesting to the thread spinning, to knitting the thneed and then drawing up plans for bigger and better things, and then ending with him pulling on his iconic glove to show he's going to take control now

-15 cents, a nail, and a great great great grandfather snail, as well as a tin pail since that's where you're supposed to deposit your payment

-combining things from the 2012 movie and concept art, the 1972 movie, and the 1971 book (e.g. that funny wrench he uses to fix pipes)

-Miss O'Schmunce-ler! You can see from the vid that I added the bracelet pretty late, because it was a late decision to have a Miss O'Schumunce-ler somewhere. I chose her to be the one picking up the pencil in the end, since she's pretty good with a pencil in the movie hehe. You guys can pretend the arms holding the phone is Miss Funce-ler.

-a thneed, a seed, and a (grickle grass) weed on the floor. The thneed is just the first of many that will soon create a giant pile. The seed lies forgotten in the corner. The weed is foreshadowing the future.

-hinting that Lorax and Once-ler were actually good friends, like they were in the Lorax musical stageplay. 🥺 I kept this part of the script in my mind for this piece:

This was aftermath Once-ler talking to the Lorax, reminiscing on their good times...and also being stupid and inconsiderate because the Lorax was in fact there all along as his friend, trying to warn him of what was going to happen. 😔

So in my zine piece we're witnessing a peaceful time before all the real biggering really starts. I like to think that in this scene, the Lorax had been sitting on the Once-ler's lap, holding his gloves for him and having a nice chat together with maybe some harmless bickering, but then the Once-ler gets a phone call so he cuts their convo short and rolls his chair over to the window to answer it. Putting business over friendship as usual, of course. Inspo for the lap sitting comes from this fanart by Emi that I love: [link]

What else...the parts that I'm proud of the most are the stool (I spent 2 days just drawing this stool), the curtains, the fact that I was able to include every truffula colour, and the Once-ler's pose. I was close to giving up on that pose because I had no idea how to draw it but I'm glad that I tried again. I wanted to show him at ease during a stage in his life that we never got to see much: the happier and more innocent days of his biggering when he only had a small shop. 😊

That's all, I think! Thanks for reading if you did! Once again it was an honour to be part of this zine!!

[little-annie]

Genuine Leather

8.4k E Complete

Steve's belt keeps disappearing and when he does manage to find it, he's discovers much more than he expected to behind Eddie's bedroom door.

Or, a little bit of pining and some filthy smut

Or, a piece of fanart had me drooling and I felt legally obligated to write a fic to go along with it

[Roommates | Bondage | Breath Play | Improper Use of Steve's Belt]

Licorice Ice Cream

3.8k 2/?Ch T WIP but chapters can be read as stand alone

It's damn hot in Hawkins Indiana and of course the Munson's AC is busted. But at least Starcourt Mall has functional AC and an ice cream shop and what is that? Steve Harrington in a Sailors Costume?

[Eddie's POV | Scoops Ahoy | Supportive Uncle Wayne | Heat Wave]

Ghostly

3.6k 2Ch E Complete

"It started in the nights where he'd awake from the horrors of his nightmares to a sudden chill that'd linger at his side. An eerie but oddly comforting feeling that'd press against his body with intent. Pressure at his back and wrapping around his waist, a touch he'd longed for but never had the chance to experience. A touch he'd been desperate for since spring break of 86'. A touch he'd wish to experience in the aftermath of hell but never once had the opportunity before it was taken away and left to rot in the barren wasteland of the Upside Down.

A touch of a man he knows he could have grown to love."

OR Steve falls in love with Eddie's ghost

...but I was high on cold medicine when I wrote this lol so don't expect too much

[Post S4, Ghost Fucking, Happy Ending]

Something More

3.8k E Complete but may add to later

Steve Harrington's not gay.

He just needs more.

And well, 'The Freak's' more.

Or the start of something more between 'The King' and 'The Freak.'

[Internalized Homophobia | Public Blow Job | Steve's First Time With a Man]

In this Lifetime

2.4k T Complete

Years down the road Steve asks Eddie to help plan his proposal, specifically what to say to his future fiance and well, things don't go quite as planned when Eddie's the one who ends up down on one knee.

Or, Eddie never bothered coming out to the ragtag group of monster hunters and so Steve had always thought a future with him wasn't in the cards.

Or, they inevitably sort their shit out and realize they're in love with each other

[Roommates | Post S4 Eddie Lives | Requited Unrequited Love | Panic Attack]

Figured it'd be Different

9.7k E Complete

He has a big fat crush on Eddie and Steve Harrington's never really been good with words so he hoping his actions might spur Eddie to take charge and do something about it.

OR Steve decides to make Eddie jealous by sleeping with people while he knows Eddie's awake and has no choice but to listen.

OR Eddie goes half nuts trying to figure out if everything Steve's doing is intentional or not, he finally clues in when Steve tells him word for word what he's doing any why.

[College | Exhibitionism | Accidental Voyeurism | Fluff and Smut]

They Have to Tell Them

2.6k 3Ch T Complete

Eddie and Steve have been together for a while and they think it's finally time they tell their friends.

OR They come out to Dustin, Robin and The Party on three separate occasions and it's quiet hilarious

[Coming Out | The Party | Secret Relationship]

Closets and Dill Pickle Chips

11.8k E Complete

Steve comes out to Robin a few times whether he means to or not. When he finally does it sober, she helps him devise a plan on how to win over Eddie.

OR From Steve's Bi-Awakening, to Bi-Panic to figuring out he loves a boy.

OR A glimpse into Steve's self discovery and getting the boy of his dreams

OR The first time in years Steve allows himself to cry, is the first time he makes love to Eddie Munson

[Coming Out | Eddie is Steve's Bi Awakening | Friends to Lovers | Bi Panic]

Art by @ahhrenata

Mission: A Very Steddie Christmas

21.6 E Complete but may add to later

The Party and Robin are sick and tired of Steve and Eddie dancing around (read: being hopelessly blind to) each other's affection. So, like any good friends, they set out with a plan to have the pair coupled up before Christmas. Shenanigans and scheming ensue and sooner than later we find the boys giggling and entangled under the Mistletoe.

[My 1st Complete Steddie Fic | My First Time Writing Steddie Smut | Xmas Fic | The Party | Friends to Lovers | Fluff | Eventual Smut]

[kithtaehyung]

racchanel (m) (teaser) | kth

but the thing about vengeance is...

title: racchanel (m) | ⟶ small teaser for tae day 2022! pairing: fashion ceo!taehyung x ex-photographer!reader rating/genre: m (18+) ; angst , smut ; fashion au , ? to lovers summary: you were shut out from the industry before. so when an ex-classmate surprises you with another way in, you have no choice but to accept. determined to destroy the one that took everything, you’ll do whatever it takes - even if that means starting over and knowing nothing. warnings: none for teaser except taehyung being.. well, tae. full list will include explicit scenes, angst but are we shocked?, language, revenge, sexual themes, angst, this tae in general tbh, did i mention angst?, warnings will be posted with each chapter. note: so this is the secret wip that i had been holding onto for the entire year!! hope you all enjoy the snippet i have prepared for tae day 2022 because it’s but a taste of what’s to come. definitely one of the pieces i’m super excited to release in 2023! note 2: this teaser drops you in the middle of the first part! teaser word count: 2.3k | est. word count: 100k  est. drop date: ongoing series in 2023! 18+ taglist link: HERE

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The trek to the front entrance remains uneventful. 

Respecting Taehyung’s space, you release your arm from his suit just as the elevator kisses the ground floor. You don’t want anyone starting rumors about you messing around with the CEO before you even launch your career here. 

Career. 

Quite a bold word for you to throw around already. After all, the contract Taehyung offered is only temporary, not to mention strapped with an early termination clause. 

Essentially, you could be dropped at any point without so much as a warning. 

And you don’t expect anything less brutal than that.

When you pass reception, you spare the boys from earlier a glance—much against your better judgment. 

They promptly avert their gazes. Typical. 

A huff leaves you before your eyes focus back on the glass doors. 

“What did you do to them,” your ex-classmate questions before the panels slide open. 

“They were incredibly rude, Taehyung,” you inform, trailing behind and struggling to keep up with his strides. “I just told them to think about how they represented this company. You never know who’ll be walking through those doors.”

The man abruptly stops in front of you, causing you to physically halt on a tiptoe to save yourself from smacking into his back. Swiftly, you find your balance right as he pins you with… a leer?

“I don’t remember you being this nice,” is all he has to say. 

“Ah, well, nice is relative.” You look off into the property gardens, not wanting to face those feline eyes a second longer. “I don’t think your employees would exactly call me a saint.” 

A rueful laugh pops out of your chest, and you turn to look Taehyung dead in the eye. 

“And besides, we went to art school. When was anyone ever nice without some hidden motive?” 

Your former classmate can only blink. 

And blink again. 

“...We’re all screwed up in the head, aren’t we?” 

You offer him a tight smile in agreement before peering off again, taking in the immaculate way everything is laid out in front of Racchanel’s headquarters. 

The gardens could be an exhibition of their own. 

“Undoubtedly,” you finally respond. “But at least you made something of yourself. Most of us are starving artists, or bartenders at jazz joints.” 

The breeze cuts right through your sweats. Quickly slipping on your hood, you wonder if Taehyung really doesn’t care about being seen with you looking like this. His single spritz of cologne probably costs more than everything you’re wearing combined. 

You should head out now.

In the distance, you spot a long black limo rolling up to the sidewalk. 

“I think that’s you, Mr. CEO.” 

Taehyung looks at you a beat longer before turning to see his ride. 

When you expect him to leave without a goodbye, you stand there in confusion when he doesn’t budge. 

What’s he doing? There’s no way he’s not already late for that appearance. 

“Tae—”

Huh? Why’s he looking at you like that? 

…What storm do you see brewing on his horizon?

“Come with me.” 

“What?”

Immediately, your brows furrow impossibly close as he repeats himself,

“To the press conference. Come with me.” 

“I look like a hot pile of garbage—”

“It’s fine—”

“No. No way. Find someone else—”

“I don’t have anyone else.”

You still.

“At least,” he weakly clarifies. “Not right now.”

Before you can wholeheartedly shut him down a final time, you take in his appearance—actually take it all in. 

You aren’t in a dimly lit bar, or frantically thinking your contract offer was a mistake, so you’re finally seeing him with a clear head. 

And what you see is frankly alarming. 

Used to seeing this man radiating confidence on anything from cereal boxes to billboards across the globe, you’re suddenly dialed into the changes in his demeanor. Taehyung’s shoulders droop just enough, the spaces under his lashes hollow just enough. 

Why didn’t you see any of this before?

Reddened eyes from the bar on Christmas Eve come back to you, causing your mountain of excuses to crumble. 

He’s obviously under a lot of pressure from the recent changes in his life. And while change for you means a temporary six-month modeling contract, change to Taehyung means inheriting a multi-million dollar company—seemingly by himself. 

There’s nothing else but a desk. In his entire office.

He may feel… So alone. 

You remember that feeling. Loneliness. It’s dark, and cold, and in the end, you have to pull yourself out of its clutches all on your own. 

Maybe Taehyung can benefit from an extra set of hands. 

“Okay,” you agree, startling him out of a stupor. “I’ll go with you. I can hang in the back, or a hallway, or something.” 

A little flame flickers to life in his eyes as he offers a close-lipped smile. 

“Thank you,” is all he says in return. 

And you don’t make him say anything more than that. 

“Shit.” 

You stop playing with the leather surface of the space next to you. “What.”

It’s been like this the whole ride. Even though Taehyung begged you to accompany him, as soon as you were both settled in the back of the limousine, he seemed to be regretting the impulsive choice. 

As if the multiple times he rakes a hand through his hair aren’t enough of an indication, his chin rubs add on to your own anxiousness. 

He’s clearly uncomfortable with something. But what the hell is up?

Now his nerves seem to jump out in the form of another curse instead of clarification. Which annoys the heck out of you. 

“Taehyung, what’s wrong?” 

The man still doesn’t reply, let alone look your way. 

Maybe he’s not answering because the answer is way too obvious. 

Arriving at a press conference with some random woman in a bunny hoodie and sweats? Yeah. That would make any self-respecting person in fashion shake in their Chelsea boots.

This was a mistake.

What was he thinking? What were you thinking!

The trip to Racchanel was supposed to be a one and done! Tell Taehyung he made an error in the applications, have him verify it, and make your escape. 

But ending up in a limo on the way to a media event? You wouldn’t have been able to write this outcome if you tried. 

Sparing another glance at Taehyung, you realize he’s starting to get downright antsy. 

So you offer to help. “Hey. If you don’t want to be seen with me, I get it. Tell your driver to pull over before we get there and I can get out—” 

“Stop,” Taehyung bites, his expression hard. “Just…” He lowers his head in between his legs, large, ring-studded hands shielding the top of it from the world. His houndstooth coat cascades down his sides, and you want to save him from drowning in those black and white waterfalls. 

You didn’t really hang with him in university, but you always remembered him as the guy that didn’t have to try hard to succeed. He was never under any pressure, academically. 

Really, the only time you remember seeing him upset was when he went through a breakup one year. Kim Taehyung apparently held a grudge as well as he held a pose. 

Reaching out, you lay a hand on his shoulder. After his initial tense, he doesn’t shake you off, so you comfort the model superstar the only way you can think of. 

Tiny circles. Comforting, warm, tiny circles. 

You don’t know if they will work. But it’s something.

Slowly, Taehyung comes back to life like a plant sprouting from a seed. You retract your arm as he straightens against his seat, watching as he rolls his shoulders and tilts his head to stretch. 

From this close, you get to see the skin of his neck. 

And wonder how even that part of him is beautiful.

Turning to you, he scoots closer to tug your hood off in a rush. 

What—

“Shh,” he hushes, proceeding to fix your head to the best of his ability. 

Your eyes roam his face as you stare in shock, wondering why the hell he’s committing to having you here and why he’s styling you himself. 

When was the last time someone else even touched your head? This determined yet this tender, at that? You can’t believe this is happening.

Never mind that. You can’t believe you’re here with him at all. His famous fingers sliding through your strands; his perfect eyelashes brushing his cheeks with every solid blink of his eyes. 

While he’s trying to salvage the mess that’s your head, his hair’s appropriately slicked with just the right amount of product and flawless styling—

That’s when you realize. 

Oh, fuck. 

Taehyung’s getting you ready for the onslaught of cameras. 

Shit, shit shit. 

Being judged by two cowardly receptionists is one thing. But being judged, photographed, and written about by a swath of Kim Taehyung paparazzi?

That’s a thousand times worse. 

Barefaced and carrying evidence of the sleepless night you had yesterday, you’re suddenly grossly self-conscious about your entire appearance. 

The gap between your statuses, experience, and overall lifestyle suddenly resembles a canyon. One so wide you can’t even see him on the other side. 

Taehyung’s right there. 

And yet you feel the furthest you’ve ever felt. 

There’s no way you belong in his world. 

What the fuck are you even doing here? 

“Taehyung,” you hiccup, quickly interrupted by the shouts of people outside as the limo approaches the conference building. Rattling erupts and rings from inside your skin, and you stare back at him with equally trembling eyes. “I can’t do this—”

“You can.” 

“Please—”

Unfazed, he simply asks, 

“Do you trust me?” 

“Yes.” 

Why did you say that so confidently? Why was that so easy to decide?

Do you really?

“Of course you do,” he sighs before pulling you in for a forehead kiss that catapults your heart into your throat. 

But you don’t get to question it before your hood is tugged over your head, dark sunglasses shoved onto your face right as camera flashes and jumbled yells spill into the opened car door.

People. Hands. Phones. Multiple camera snaps and lights and voices bombard your senses, and you’re grateful for the shades over your eyes as you hoist yourself out of the vehicle. 

Taehyung exits right after and blazes a trail for you to walk. 

“Excuse me, miss—”

“Who is she?”

“Taehyung, who is the mystery girl!” 

Through the whirlwind of paparazzi, your thoughts only convene on the cold spot where he kissed you. The freezing wind only makes it more prominent, and you barely even register that you’re walking by yourself as you follow right after him.

It’s only after you get through the heavy doors that your surroundings snap back into focus. 

Wait. What?

How long were you out in the crowd? How did you even get here in one piece? 

The sounds outside muffle as the entrance bangs shut, and you let out a breath you didn’t know you were hiding.

“This way,” Taehyung directs to both you and the security detail that materializes behind you, striding heavily to the right. 

When did these guys…?

Whoa.

You have no clue where you are, but you are miles away from your apartment block. 

Taking in the expansive building, you see that it’s a true conference center, with a grand, open lobby and square footage for days. The right wing looks to house large event rooms, judging by its wide hall and the multiple sets of towering double-doors. 

Scampering after Taehyung, you make sure to stay behind but as close as possible. 

Which makes you almost collide when he stops on a dime. Again. 

You have got to stop walking behind him. 

Face scrunched in annoyance, you’re about to tell the man off—security be damned—before he blurts,

“When we get in there, just relax and follow my lead, okay?”

“Oh, I can wait out here,” you reply, more than happy to leave him to the masses now that you’ve got a taste of them outside. “I don’t mind.” 

Hands set in his trousers, Taehyung peers down at the floor before regarding you with what looks like… 

An apology. 

There’s dread in your veins.

“I wasn’t planning on putting you through a press conference this soon, but you can do this.” 

And it seeps right into your bones. 

“What?” 

His palms land on your shoulders before you can flee. 

“Look. The Board isn’t giving me a lot of time to introduce Astral, even though I told them that’s the only thing I need right now. I just…” Running a hand through his hair, Taehyung looks years older and yet years younger all the same. “I need a familiar face.” 

Hell no. 

There’s no way you can do this. 

Going with him and braving the paparazzi was horrid enough. But a press conference? 

What the fuck are you supposed to say? You aren’t even dressed.

“Taehyung. Look at me.” You gesture to your entire wreck of an ensemble, fingers trembling. “I’m gonna make Racchanel look like a fucking joke.” 

“I don’t care. This new project is going to work.” 

What? How is this possibly going to work? What single thing about this is gonna go well?

Has he lost his mind? 

“What do you mean?”

Instead of responding to your question, Taehyung only gives directions, 

“When we go in there, just keep your face neutral and your back and neck straight. If anyone asks you a question, just say you’re grateful for this opportunity. Understand?”

“Tae—”

“I’ll owe you.” 

You clamp your jaw shut, eyes unblinking as you drink in your former classmate’s entire expression. 

“I’ll owe you. Big.” He breathes in deep before looking at the doors, then back to you. “Just do this one thing. For me.”

What is he thinking?

You pause for eternity before closing your eyes, wondering if he can even see how uncertain they are behind your dark shades. 

“Fine. I will.”

What are you thinking?

“That’s a good girl,” he sighs in relief, embracing you fully before planting another quick peck on your temple. As he pulls away, your hand is clutched before you’re led right up to a set of imposing doors.

To give a press conference.

What are either of you even remotely thinking?

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tbc. :) 

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how do we feel! | taglist + extra optional teaser

a/n: ahhhh it may not make much sense now since this is dropping everyone in the middle of the first part, but i wanted there to be some mystery to everything that’s about to happen! hope you’re all ready to see what’s on the horizon for this tae and reader<33

other links: masterlist | permanent taglist (i check each entry so have your age displayed somewhere in your profile!)

[dgdraws]

Artfight Postmortem

as you may know, i am prone to reflection on my art and process and progress. herein, i'm gonna navel gaze a bit about artfight 2024.

top line: really enjoyed myself, did a bunch of new things and this was "The Year of Artist Friends" which is spectacular.

i completed 20 attacks this year, including my first ever mass attacks! altogether I drew 28 different characters (incl 4 of my own).

for the first time, I had *users* i wanted to attack, rather than just characters i'd gathered via search or discord. honestly, three years ago when i picked up the stylus i was just excited at the prospect of drawing for other people, period. artfight was a cool way to be in community without prerequisites. i didn't quite dare to dream i might make some real connections and make proper friends. and yet :) here we are! i went in with three 'art friends' and i'm leaving with at least three more

in addition to being the year of artist friends, this could be "the year of clip studio paint was on megasale a week before artfight" because i knocked out like 2 practice pieces before July 1st so i wouldn't be starting with completely unfamiliar tools, but i used/learned csp for the vast majority of my attacks. one i finished in krita (lonnie), and my final attack i only used krita.

definitely trial-by-fired myself! but it motivated me to explore csp, and most important, gave me a reason to practice practice practice. last year i drew almost exclusively humans, lots of full bodys, because i wanted to get a better grip on anatomy and drawing a variety of faces. it worked then, and, well, i think i learned more of csp in one month of artfight than i would have if i was just plodding through my personal projects for 33 days :) *looks at my wip folder with months old files* pretty sure.

ok i'm gonna look at a few faves/standouts now:

came in hot with 0tt0 here! the main brush for this one (froggy pencil) was a mainstay for the whole month. so versatile!!! and lovely texture. this isn't quiiite brat green but this was what made me go, hmm, what if i... did a few pieces inspired by this album i can't stop listening to?

and then i took a huge turn and just used a soft round brush for Desa and Iryna for my dear friend @bobomcfoe bc i really wanted to turn these out in something approaching my "usual style" of late and i feared getting too deep into the temptations of csp if i put them off. and, um, yeah i love them. i got sooo close to matching that angle but ahh i can see the tilt now! nonetheless, love these two, not least bc brookie has some of the most pleasing color palettes to work w :)

then on to Rosé and baby's first vector lines! you can RESIZE lines in csp. did you know that? i didn't know that. i did forget to use it as much as i could have in later ones though, so i still only kinda know it ig. and halftone shading! bc why not? another thing i really only did this once, but want to experiment with more

Rook here, for my new friend @gender-premium-tm, was me realizing how to use filters/filter layers in csp. now THAT is something i used a lot this month! also something i use often in krita. i must say, though the csp options are slightly more limited (afaik), they have oomph!

okay these two are my "explicitly brat pieces"! artfight keeps you moving, which i find really valuable, bc i could have dithered foreverrr over Lonnie's gif here. like, do i add his arm? maybe he should be wearing a shirt? or, what if i just draw him twice, instead of splitting the expressi--see it just never ends. and as i am always going on about, art is so precious bc it is a reflection of us when we make it. maybe for some future artfight i'll redraw this (as Lonnie's artist @wenmistry did for me with Ebon this year), but for july 2024, i'm amazed at how well i executed this for just 2.5 days of work! (i did forget his glasses, which realization gave me a different take on the composition, so this is high on my list of potential redraws)

and then Aagatha. this is in my top 3 for this year. the pink just works so well with the green and her artist added the song to her character playlist AND added the necklace to her actual dnd inventory. like. omg. the impact your art can have!!! how freaking cool is that???

two mass attacks! i was in a silly goofy mood. i feel like i really got a handle on vectors w the anthro mass attack, i adjusted every single point on that one by hand. weird what hyperfocus makes you do sometimes, but i learned a lot from that. mainly that i will probably never user vectors as my main linework tool. there are circumstances it is perfect for, and outside of that i'm good w my raster lines lol

which is exactly what i used for this other mass attack, featuring mostly my ocs. hey, sometimes you need to shake things up! i can see here the style starting to hew back to my "usual style", though i'm thinking that might have a lot to do with drawing 5 people very quickly. falling back on practiced techniques. and by this time i apparently knew csp well enough to reproduce them pretty closely! ooh, one thing this made me miss was the transform tool in krita. that floor was ROUGH to wrestle into place in csp.

purple and green turned up a lot this year!

Echo is my crowning achievement with the froggy pencil, most of the shading here is just layers w that. and one last nod to brat green :)

i've worked in the paper cut style before (both my pfp's use it) but i really exploited csp's clipping layers to make Scraps here. they did make me briefly forget how they work in krita when i switched back, so well done w that

i played with gradient maps a little earlier in the month but for Okanar i actually made my own gradient! really a useful tool for ref'ing real human skin tones to make non-human ones, without muddying them up too much.

finally, Chaos. this actually might be my favorite! ironically this is the one that i made in krita. it was like, ahh, yes my old friend. wait where is the scroll bar. ah, okay, yes my old friend... the line layer is set to burn which just makes the whole thing so warm (and the cause of the red outlines on the earrings). used my old sable brush, a pattern fill set to overlay... my old stomping grounds! but plus a rendering technique i picked up this month and some other random habits i picked up in csp (like copying a detail to a new layer, moving it where i want a copy, and drawing/tracing it back onto the original layer in the new position. nothing i couldn't have been doing in krita all along, but made easier by the tool layout in csp, and therefore now discovered by me. amazing how one integrates new knowledge. it's like magic sometimes!!!)

that was a good roundup! if you actually read this to the end, wow! and thank you! i hope it was interesting... and inspiring! bc i want to read about your process and reflections too! yes you! and plz tag me, i'm always down to gush about art XD

[bittersweetresilience]

sunny's favorite asukiess creations

hearth (18,589 words)

Because how do you describe a dream once you wake up, when it’s fleeting and slipping through the cracks in your mind like it’s a sieve? You can barely wrap your lips around the concepts and words before you realize it has slipped through like water, and what lay in your hands is just a pang in your chest? When every moment away from it clouds your mind just a little more, until the memories are threadbare? or: Adrien understands what it means to have a home.

Back when I first met Autumn I was on a reading spree and I saved this fic for last and it just completely stunned me. I remember whipping out a textbox page to annotate for my comment, and that's what kicked off insanely long commenter™ Sunny. No matter what Autumn says! This! Is! My! Favorite! Autumn! Fic! At least until I see the secret one she won't let me see... but no, it will always be special to me.

the secrets we keep (14,661 words)

In the wake of a summer that Adrien never wanted to end, all that he wishes to push away comes back to haunt him when the school years starts again: self-doubt from identities that feel no more real than anything else; ghosts of parents who still talk to him; and most all, a fear that the people he loves will leave him in time, too. however, maybe the person who can relate most to him is the one he's never far from.

The best memories of reading this fic as Autumn wrote it and chatting about it and being teased with every Félix mention and being in love with her mind forever and always... if you've ever liked an asukiess meta post or idea post you'll love this. Combination of all of those beautiful things.

wip i saw as of yesterday

Perhaps premature to put it on this list but I have to include it because it was a taste of AUTUMN ORIGINAL WRITING!!!!!!!! AUTUMN ORIGINAL CHARACTERS!!!!!!!! And theater kid Autumn, too. Autumn could be published... Autumn could do anything... if those fools don't get it I'll start my own Autumn publishing company...

switching shenanigans (1,337 words)

Félix.............. first Autumn Félix.............................

felinette fics

FERAL EXPLODE BOOM DECEASED GRAVE HEADSTONE FIRE HOUSE EMOJIS

The art piece whose WIP inspired a fic out of me which was Autumn and my friendship's origin story... FUCKING NATHALIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I accept this. Such a drop dead gorgeous piece.

The most insane fic ever with the most insane fic art ever... WITNESS!!!!!!!!!!!! THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

EEEEEEEEEMOOOOOOOOOOTIOOOOOOOOOOOOON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I love how much Autumn loves this piece, every time she reblogs it it makes me happy. Get some horror in this Felinette tonight.

POLAROIDS I LOVE THEM. LOVEYBUG AU WEEK I LOVE YOU

Can you even function after looking at this. They. Shrimping.

HE'S EVERYTHING TO MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

This is criminally underrated... Look At Him. HIS FUCKING BUNNY

I ran out of link blocks but I also wanted to share Unrequited. HAMBDS.

AND AUTUMN'S SUPER SECRET LOVEYBUG ZINE WIP

AUTUMN AND HER CLASSICS!!!!!!!!!! AUTUMN AND HER HUMONGOUS BRAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I worship this. It's all Autumn, I just helped with images.

Okay, I was slightly more involved with this one, but Autumn's contributions literally made it 1 billion times better and I will forever cherish the memory.

Hnwhnfhwnfjgnhsnghsnhsfshwhgwnhgwghgh... Emilie...

autumn's felinette and adrifelinette thoughts

Just in general. I am so lucky.

autumn's friendship

I scrolled through our pinned messages and almost cried laughing...

[n30n-allavita]

Asriels Followers!!

-Context-

So- this is more UnderStretch! Lore…because I can mwah hah hah!!

Once upon a time there was a young goat boy. Son of Toriel the Sentry and Asgore the Royal Scientist. The young boy was sweet and curious as he always was learning something. Often surprising his Dad who had once been in the scientific field himself. The two loved their son very much, as well as his friends. One day two humans fell into the underground. All in the days before the royal split. So they lived their lives with Asriels family becoming closer friends. Their small group traveling everywhere together. Mk and Dummy always in tow. Everything was great…until curiosity killed the goat. Well not killed…but scattered. When playing in the core that he had helped his Father build…something odd caught his eye. A golden locket was on a lower shelf. He asked his friends to lower him down….but he slipped and fell into the core. The explosion throwing his friends back and they all vanished. With no trace that they ever existed.

Asriel was lost for a long time….

But his friends found him again.

Things changed in the underground immensely from that day.

When the 3-

When the first human fell….

That’s a story for another time though.

(If you have questions you’d like to see drawn about the au comment them and I’ll draw a response!)

[TOOLS]

-iPad

-color pencil procreate pack

-lineart pack

-noise

-half tones

-color aberration

-Overlay

🪲❤️PROCESS💙🐞

————————————

Sketch - I wanted it to be a scene of Asriels followers telling him all about the underground and interacting together. I think they would have gab sessions since Asriel can’t see that much of the underground. Only bits and pieces. Chara of course talks the most as she had the closest bond with the goat.

Line - I went with the ink bleed pen for this one as I wanted to try doing a new style of 90s anime filter I had learned. So I wanted a more hand drawn look

Color block and alpha lock - still my least favorite part- but it was easier since the color palette was smaller

Details - I just like adding all the silly bits and pieces that make it come together. I still always recommend hiding your signature somewhere AND having an obvious one plus adding noise. Prevents art theft!

🍿🛏️TIIIIIIMMMEEEEEE☎️🎨

Sketch - 30 minutes

Line art - 20 minutes (kept it simpler)

Color blocking - 2 hours

Details - 1 hour

Hope you like it!!! I only have three photos for this picture as it was a short process with not much to it.

Check out the wip WIKI

https://undertale-au.fandom.com/wiki/UnderStretch_/_EchoStretch_AU?so=search

Or the book!

https://www.wattpad.com/story/374748075?utm_source=ios&utm_medium=link&utm_content=story_info&wp_page=story_details&wp_uname=Neontolife

[connorsjorts]

Fic tag game! Tagged by the lovely @sweeteatercat , thank you!!

1. How many works do you have on AO3? 4

2. What's your total AO3 word count? 229,987

3. What fandoms do you write for? DBH

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos? I don't even have 5 fics 😅 but here they are in order: 1. he's making a list; i'm checking him out 2. long way home 3. stupid sexy priest 4. make my wish come true

5. Do you respond to comments? Why or why not? Always! I haven't responded to comments on my latest chapter yet, but I will. It's really important to me: 1) If someone takes the time to read my work AND share their thoughts with me, that really does mean so much, saying thank you (and clumsily attempting to express the depth of my gratitude in an annoying amount of emojis) is the least I can do; and 2) This is a community! The validation is nice, yes, but I write to connect with people. I love hearing what people have to say and I love to talk with them about it! I've made friends through my ao3 comments, we're all here because we love the same thing, and if you're excited about my silly contributions OF COURSE I'm gonna want to talk to you! Your reactions to the work are just as important as the work itself imo. Art is a conversation!

6. What's the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending? Probably make my wish come true, just because it's an alternate POV of a scene in a different fic so the main conflict remains unresolved. But it still has a feel-good ending! Sad endings don't exist in my world

7. What's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending? I'm not sure! What do you guys think? Generally in my fics I try to wrap everything up in a happy little bow without everything being too perfect--we still have to work, we still make mistakes, life is still hell; but it's easier when we have each other and have found faith in ourselves.

8. Do you get hate on fics? I haven't yet...... (bracing myself for my first hate comment to come through as soon as I publish this post)

9. Do you write smut? If so what kind? Sure do! I write the over-the-top, too long, lots of emotion, lots of laughing/banter, taking-off-your-pants-is-awkward kind. Sex is cool but friendship is the most romantic thing to me ❤️ I enjoy writing smut the most when they really, genuinely like each other as people.

10. Do you write crossovers? What's the craziest one you've written? I have not and I doubt I would. Probably the closest I would get is an au based on another piece of media (I do dream of a hankcon twin peaks au)

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen? I have never even considered that being a thing until now

12. Have you ever had a fic translated? Someone requested to translate one of my fics but I don't know if it will ever come to fruition. I hope it does though, I would love that!

13. Have you ever cowritten a fic before? No but I've briefly discussed it with a friend... now that I'm done with the bb I'll need to contact them and see if they're still interested because I sure am 👀👀

14. What's your all-time favourite ship? Hankconnnnnnnnnn

15. What's a WIP you want to finish, but doubt you ever will? I started a fic where Connor works in a sex shop and a very vanilla Hank comes in looking for something to spice things up with his girlfriend. He gets some fuzzy handcuffs and they do their job when it comes to Hank's boner, unfortunately that has more to do with Hank fantasizing about the person who sold them to him more than anything else. He breaks up with the girlfriend and most of the fic would be Hank continuing to frequent the sex shop as an excuse to talk to Connor as he gets more and more in over his head thanks to Connor's recommendations. It was really good in my head, but when I put it to paper it just... wasn't. So I'll probably never continue it.

16. What are your writing strengths? Characterization, I think! I get a lot of compliments on it. It's the best feeling when someone falls in love with one of my characters ❤️

17. What are your writing weaknesses? Setting 😖 I like to pepper in details as I go, I really struggle when the scene calls for describing the whole-ass place at once

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language for a fic? If y'all want a fic about the Duolingo characters, sure. Otherwise I'm sure I'd be abysmal at it. I'm not proficient enough in any other language to get the voice right.

19. First fandom you wrote for? DBH. I am a fic-writing newbie and also I tend to stick with one thing for 4,000 years

20. Favourite fic you've ever written? Probably long way home, it's not as popular as mall santa but there's so much of my soul in that fic. Artistically and thematically, it's very me, and it's also the story that taught me how to write. I had never written any work of fiction before I started it (Hankcon was just that strong) and now I never want to do anything else. Thank you for reading, if you want to play consider yourself tagged! 💖

[more-better-words]

Questions yoinked from @iamstartraveller776 (hope you don't mind! ☺️)

1. Do you have a word-count goal for the upcoming year?

I don't tend to pay attention to word count so much as completing chapters. So my goal is to finish chapters.

2. Will you participate in any fandom exchanges or fic challenges, etc? 

I never have before, but @talshiargirlfriend is planning to do a small-ish one, so hopefully that won't be too intimidating!

3. Do you anticipate writing for a new fandom this year? Which one?

Only if some new-to-me media grabs me by the throat, which always a possibility.

4. Do you think you’ll stop writing for a fandom this year? Which one?

Well, once I complete The Place We Call Home, that will likely mark the end of me writing longform ST:ENT fic. I'm sure I'll still write shorter pieces and one-offs, but completing the Built to Last series will be a capstone for me.

5. Which WIP is first on your list to complete this year? Will you post a snippet?

The Place We Call Home!

She slumped back, her energy suddenly and absolutely depleted. Then Doctor Jimenez was handing her a very small form, placed against her chest. The baby whimpered, unaccustomed to this huge new world, and she lifted an exhausted arm to cradle her daughter. It's all right. Everything’s all right. I'm here, just like I said I would be. She looked up at Trip, whose eyes were huge and bright with tears. “Oh my God, T'Pol,” he murmured, swallowing hard against the lump in his throat. “She’s here. She’s perfect.” “She is,” she agreed. She reached up, brushing at the tears on his cheeks. “You should hold her.” With infinite care, he tentatively took their daughter in his hands, a marveling, awe-struck smile on his face. “Hi,” he whispered. “It’s me. Do you recognize my voice?” T'Pol looked at them, her mate and their child, and suddenly her entire being was filled with a triumphant, roaring love like a fire in her veins. She would do anything for them, because they were hers. Trip felt her eyes on him, and shot her a tiny, tearful, adoring smile. “You did it,” he said. “We did,” she replied. “We three.”

6. Which yet-to-be-started fic is first on your list?

The one that hasn't occurred to me yet. 😅

7. Will you change anything about the way you interact with other writers?

I don't think so? Do I need to?

*frets*

8. Is there a story idea in your mental vault that you’ve never been brave enough to try writing? Is this the year? Can you tell us about it?

Mostly followups to (much) older fic that never made it out of the outline/draft stages. But I doubt I'll ever return to them - not a lot of interest in the world of Baldur's Gate 2 when we have Baldur's Gate 3.

9. Short term goals… what do you hope to complete this week or in January?

By the end of January, I may have The Place We Call Home fully drafted. Maybe. Hopefully.

10. Will you keep a record of all the fics you write and/or post this year?

Other than my AO3 stats, no.

11. Would you like to try any new fanfic genres or tropes this year?

I finally took the plunge and tried my hand at writing...well, we'll call it smut adjacent. I think I'll keep at it, and we'll see how it evolves.

12. Will you change anything about the way you edit or rewrite this year?

I don't think so...my current system works fairly well. At least I think so.

13. Aside from fanfic, are there any other fan works you’d like to try creating? Fanart, or fanvids, gifsets, or podfic? 

I write because I'm no good at any of that other stuff! I'd LOVE to be able to create visual art, but...I'm just not wired for it.

14. Have you ever lost large chunks of your work in the past, due to not backing up your work? Will you change your methods this year?

I thought I'd lost two whole chapters a couple of weeks ago and I was distraught! Fortunately, I was wrong and my backups were still there.

15. Do you foresee any personal or professional obstacles this year, that would keep you from creating fanworks? 

Unfortunately, yes. But I shall soldier on!

16. Do you have that one fanfic that you wrote a ton for, ages ago, but never posted? Will this be the year, come hell or high water, that it WILL get finished and posted?

The aformentioned Baldur's Gate stuff, and no. I just don't feel the compulsion, really.

17. Do you typically answer all comments/reviews individually? Do you plan to change the way you interact with your readers this year?

I try to! I absolutely treasure every comment and reblog - why would I change that?

18. Do you typically post multi-chapters as you write, or finish it all and then start posting? Would you like to change your posting method? 

I keep a buffer of chapters - like I published chapter 13 of TPWCH a few days ago, but I've got chapter 14-16 basically complete, and I'm working on chapter 17 right now as of posting this.

It's a system that works pretty well for me, though sometimes I am left dying wanting to just share it all! Now! I want everyone to see it!

19. Would you consider non-fandom writing events, like NaNoWriMo or writing contests? 

Probably not.

20. Any plans to work on original fiction this year?

I toyed with the idea of writing original fiction years ago, and I had a few ideas, but...I find it much more stressful that fanfic. Fanfic is my hobby. I like to tell stories for fun. I don't think I want to turn it into a job.

21. Will you try writing software, like Scrivener or those programs that won’t let you stop writing?

I use Word - I've tried more specialized software, like Scrivener and Focus Writer, but I just didn't get anything out of them.

22. Do you plan to take writing classes this year?

I have never taken anything that might be even in the neighborhood of a creative writing class, and I'm scared that if I did now, they'd tell me I'm doing it all wrong!

23. Would you like to go on a writing retreat?

That sounds fascinating, but I don't even know what that would entail lol

24. By the end of this year, you want your fandom to think of you as “that author who _______.”

Wrote the best darn post-Terra Prime Trip/T'Pol fic out there. The one you recommend to anyone suffering post-TATV trauma.

25. If you answered questions from this list last year, find your answers and compare your goals to your results. How’d you do?

N/A

[sharkinlovewithadolphin]

top 5 rinharu fics? ❤️💙

Thank you!! &lt;3 put “top 5” anything in my ask and i will answer Okay so here’s a shameful fact about me: I rarely read rinharu fanfics anymore. This is not because I don’t want to or that there’s not any good ones I haven’t read already out there (there is!! so many!!), but I simply don’t have time to read that much fanfiction in general anymore. :/ If I have time for fanfiction, I either write or read through my own WIPs. I try my best to read other people’s RH fics, not just for the pleasure of reading, but also to engage with other writers and write comments for them, and discover and appreciate other ways of writing the characters, but there's only so much time in a day. ;-; That being said, I also never really kept tabs on the fics I used to read/still read. I never wrote them down or saved them in any way, not even with an ao3 bookmark (i regret this so much), and so it would require extensive amount of time to go through my giant ao3 history to try to rank them properly. However! I do want to answer this ask with some recs (that aren't my own fics lol) in some way, so here goes the ones that sticks out the most in my current memory: 1) Family (3577 words) by NamelessPastel. An absolutely adorable fic in which Rin is babysitting his cousin and Haru comes around and ends up helping him. 2) Chicken Scratch (Ongoing, 88.754 words) by MatsuokasPonytail (@matsuokas-ponytail). Lovely and captivating fic with gardener!Rin and rich kid!Haru. It was wild to follow from its origin in @tomakehimfree's wonderful and sexy art and all the anons in her askbox, to the fic's first chapter and all the exciting chapter updates that followed. Sadly it’s on hiatus (and likely stays that way), but 1) what's there is still 100% worth reading! 2) I still naively hope to get that new chapter mail notification any day now lol. You can read all the individual chapters here on tumblr too. 3) The Long Engagement (25/25 chapters, 175,128 words) by RubyEliz. It's an arranged marriage fic with tons of angst and miscommunication that'll have you at the edge of your seat, then leave you with a warm little hug of a happy ending. This is the last longfic I've read of RH. It grabbed a hold of my attention SO hard and made me pull an all-nighter just to finish it. I couldn't put it down at all. 4) AO3@Misila (@misila / @nenufair) has written SO many RH fics, way more than I’ll ever get the chance to read (i think. Might dare myself one day jkfdk). She writes extremely well, so I can recommend checking her extensive list of works out! She definitely has at least one fic for any rinharu shipper’s taste. 5) I own physical copies of the fanfics Inked (tattoo artist x biker au), Dinner For One (angst with a happy ending) and Fluid Like Water (Olympic setting) by AO3@ellerean/@ellereanwrites (formerly tumblr@letsswimtogethernanase. I love them all a lot. The fanfics were the first RH "fan-made" merch pieces I ever bought (I think?), so they mean a lot to me and I feel privileged that I can have them displayed on my RH alter. <3

[slitheringghost]

I really liked your post about James + Lily's canonically volatile relationship, I've always thought that the reasons they got married (and so young) was because 1) shotgun wedding 2) James couldn't even bring himself to say "mudblood," immediately accepted werewolves, "hated the dark arts," etc, which must've meant a great deal to Lily in wartime. I have one disagreement, if you don't mind - I doubt James asked her out before SWM, because Lily looks so surprised after he does and he probably blurted it out in the heat of the moment. Doesn't make it much better in context though. I also think Lily was at least intrigued by him beforehand, I have a HC that her favorite part of being a witch is flight - it's her first piece of magic we see Snape observe in The Prince's Tale, and I'll bet she commiserated with Snape over wishing they could just fly out of Cokeworth (Harry used to dream about the same thing before Hogwarts - on Sirius's motorbike!). And I'm pretty sure Snape is the only one besides Voldemort who flies unaided so that's kinda touching to me. So James being an excellent flier must've at least drawn her attention - but I think she was immediately disgusted with herself for that. Honestly their arguments must've been even worse than Ron/Hermione, Sirius and Harry have all my sympathies for dealing with this. This is why I HC that the moment Jily started going out in 7th year, Sirius decided to finally try dating partly to get over his un(?)requited love for James (and Lily?) and partly just to avoid being around their incessant fighting lol.

(in response to this meta) Thank you for the ask, I’m glad you found the post interesting! Yeah I’ve gone back and forth on that, my original interpretation was also that it was a spur of the moment thing he just blurted out without thinking, which I still find very plausible. I’ve also seen the take that James felt “safe” for Lily during the war, it is just anything on that line of thought for Jily, Lily being in love with Sirius can explain much better lmao (after all Sirius running away from his family shows his dedication to his politics better than James’s).

Oh I looove what you said about Lily and Snape wishing they could fly out of Cokeworth and the parallel to Harry!

Funnily enough, I actually HC that Sirius and Lily were talking about Sirius charming his motorbike to fly (or having started the research for it anyway) while they were waiting in line for O.W.L.s - because if you pay attention to Harry's OWLs, we know the students were standing in line alphabetically, and per DH Sirius and Lily are next to each other alphabetically - and Lily was grudgingly super impressed. That makes “I’m surprised your broomstick can get off the ground with that fat head on it” an extra sick burn towards James, lol. Agree about Lily loving flight, and I think I had Lily finding James’s flight grudgingly endearing in a WIP but that was before I became considerably more anti Jily. I like the idea that Lily’s two best friends Snape and Sirius came up with alternate methods of flight to Quidditch and both can’t stand Quidditch like her lmao (Sirius only dealing with it for James’s sake).

But regarding James being against the Dark Arts (I think the text / you meant against Dark wizards rather than the theoretical type of magic but this just reminded me of this fic), I love this part in brilliant difficulty where Lily dated both Snape and Sirius before she dated James, and Lily and her two boyfriends were all super into Dark Arts (and James being against Dark Arts as a type of magic is something him and Lily conflict over) and Madame Pomfrey is yelling at them about it, a perfect representation of their intellectual connection:

“I am tired of seeing students unnecessarily hospitalized by experimentation in the Dark Arts that I cannot actually see them assisted with with lest the Ministry haul them off to Azkaban - and do not give me those looks! Professor Snape, I remember your final years of school! Professor Black, in addition to your personal activities I have ample records of your family from previous Hogwarts Healers! And your mother," she said, rounding on Harry, "Was the worst of you all!“

Yeah, I think Sirius’s unimpressed reaction to Jily is so telling, especially given he was clearly close to Lily. “James is getting frustrated” in Lily’s letter also definitely sounds like code for “we are fighting come save us”, lol.

Personally I love to think of Lily’s love for Sirius being unrequited until like late 1981 where Sirius Just starts to return them and then Lily dies. Also I find it such a fun twist on the usual “Snape unrequited pining for Lily and Sirius unrequited pining for James”. That letter gives major pathetic pining vibes from Lily tbh. I generally HC Sirius dating a lot from early on as rebellion from his family’s arranged marriage plan for him (which makes Lily’s pining even worse and more painful) but yeah I can definitely see that too.

[unknownarmageddon]

1, 2, 4, 8, 9, 13, 15, 17, 18, 24, 31, 34, AND 35!!!!!!!! WOE GET ATTACKED

WAUGHH HOLY SHIT T

what medium do you use most (if applicable, what software)?

well!!! the software i use is krita, and i guess in terms of like physical traditional mediums, i’d say i use paint the most. and polymer clay

2. most popular piece?

aughhhh god i dunno i don’t. really pay attention to that that much probably,,,, this one that ones definitely a contender. out of the ones recent enough for me to remember wailing

4. piece you wish got more love?

i actually,, can’t really think of one for this one maybe this one and a lot of my original stuff too, but that’s kinda expected cause. y’know how it is and and my most recent piece too but i always feel like that for the first few days /silly

8. thing you struggle to draw?

posing definitely is something i struggle with i think, it’s hard to come up with stuff that’s like. dynamic or interesting enough for what i wanna get across or whatever

9. whats something you always come back to when drawing?

k. kross…. /silly nah nah i definitely think i always come back to the fuckin. bright ass solid red background CACKLES and red and purple that too

13. talk about a wip you like

well!!!! i have. a rental suits piece in the works cackles cackles its the one where i have. two fucking gas station backgrounds to do and it’s hell on earth BUT i’m still hyped about it cause i’m gonna like,, i dunno how to describe it but i’m gonna do some neat stuff with it cackles and its slightly a christ alive related thing but not. in an exciting way weeping

15. least favorite thing about drawing?

i think this isn’t like, that exciting of an answer but whenever something doesn’t turn out the way i want or is not turning out the way i want that’s rough dude

17. what’s something you’re confident about on your art?

my lineart!!!! that’s like one of the main things i think i’ve got down cackles and my backgrounds, i think i’ve got those down too

18. something you feel like you need to work on?

kinda mentioned this already, but i definitely think i needa work on my like, posing and perspective and composition and all that. i always feel like it’s not as dynamic as i’d like it to be sometimes

answered 24 here! i would. say something else but i can’t think of anything wailing

31. what fandom have you drawn the most for?

oh absolutely undertale hands fucking down. that’s like 80% of what got me where i am with my art cause i was so committed to those skeletons dude CACKLES like where’s that post about a tip for improving your art is getting obsessed with one guy and drawing him over and over cause that’s what happened to me /silly

34. what’s something you still like from your old art?

hmmm probably my lineart!! the style for that’s stayed about the same and i think it’s neat :]

35. if you had one piece of advise to give your younger self what would it be?

just to keep fucking going. even if you don’t feel like you’re improving or going anywhere or getting better cause you will that’s how growing works. and to not be afraid to branch out and try different stuff. cause like for so much of my time i just draw the same stuff in the same way and i never got anywhere cause i was afraid of doing something different. yeag

[captain-grammar]

Tagged by the AMAZING and double-y talented @goldheartedsky to participate in this writer's ask:

1) How many works do you have on AO3? 22. Because I'm excellent at thinking up ideas and then scaring myself out of writing them. 2) What’s your total AO3 word count? 89,347. Again, I'm AMAZING at psyching myself out of projects.

3) What fandoms do you write for? The bulk of my paltry number of fics are The Old Guard focussed, but I have an ANCIENT, unfinished Stargate: Atlantis fic on there and a snippet of a LOTR/LOTRO piece that will never be completed.

4) What are your top 5 fics by kudos? Codeword Blue, For The First Time, The Slowest Burn, Lost in Translation and Close. Which is kind of amazing because the ship-focus for these is, arguably, not necessarily 'mainstream' in the TOG fan space so I massively appreciate that people rate them!

5) Do you respond to comments? I do! Or I used to, back when I posted something new/regularly. I haven't posted anything for a VERY long time now, and so actively avoid reading any new comments because then I'll feel guilty for not writing, or feel like a fraud.

6) What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending? I don't really go for angsty, because I tend to just want happy endings for all. I have an unsatisfying cliff-hanger ending to what was supposed to be a two-parter fic (Homewrecker) so I supposed in a parallel universe where people are dying for me to finish it, the fact that it's resolutely NOT complete might be causing some angst?

7) What’s the fic you wrote with the happiest ending? They all have happy endings in one form or another but I think the one that might have the most "aaawwh" factor is maybe I Won't Let You Sink. Any excuse for my boy Booker to get a hug, really.

8) Do you get hate on fics? I don't think so? At least none that I'm aware of! Nobody's leaving me comments or hitting up my DMs, put it that way.

9) Do you write smut? I do. With varying degrees of success, admittedly, but still...

10) Do you write crossovers? If so, what’s the craziest one you’ve written? Many moons ago, perhaps, on a long-forgotten fanfiction.net account but nothing I can remember!

11) Have you ever had a fic stolen? Darling, I don't want my fics half the time. Why the hell would anyone else?!

12) have you ever had a fic translated? I have not!

13) have you ever cowritten a fic before? I think I've made plans to with a few people but not followed through. I'm scared of not living up to the hype and letting them down!

14) What’s your all time favorite ship? Honestly? The Ongoing LOTRO Fic I'll Never Finish, featuring my OC and Lothrandir. That Ranger needs a hug, a break and therapy in that order and my elf will give him that.

15) What’s a WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will? BITCH, THROW A DART AT ANY OF THE 40-ODD DRAFTS IN MY FOLDER AND YOU'RE A WINNER.

16) What are your writing strengths? I'm almost annoyingly descriptive. I can't draw for shit so I'll use words to try and conjure up an image that I could never in a million years manage with a paintbrush.

17) what are your writing weaknesses? My lack of self-belief...

18) thoughts on writing dialogue in another language in fic? I'm for it! As I'm not fluent in any other language, I'll keep it to short little snippets, italicised, that I'm confident aren't terrible and won't cause an international incident! I think it can be a nice nod to a character's past, who they are and their heritage.

19) First fandom you wrote for? Again, MANY moons ago and long-forgotten, but Stargate: SG-1 when I was maybe 13?

20) Favorite fic you’ve written? Probably Bloom. I just really like the idea that Booker and Joe's relationship is deep and probably has evolved and developed and fluctuated a LOT over the years and had fun exploring that! (And Goldie's art for it was just phenomenal!)

TAGGING: I honestly don't know who else may have been tagged in something like this already so hey, if you write fic and want to participate, by all means fill your boots!

[therobotmonster]

Making a Monster: Smackoderm (or maybe Ogrephant?)

Technically, this is a WIP despite the main image being complete, because I’m planning on toy package graphic design elements, but this might be an interesting look into my “completed piece” AI process, for those interested.

I wanted to see if I could use Midjourney V4 to produce something resembling late 70s, early 80s toy package paintings, the kind you’d see on lines like MOTU and late-run Micronauts.

Long post after the fold.

To this end, I started prompting with:

bio-mammoth, cyborg mammoth/mastodon/elephant with glowing green bio-goo cannons on its back, huge metal claws, and glowing green eyes. barbarian warrior with green skin rides the beast into battle. battle painting, Masters of the Universe package painting, 1985, by frank frazetta and earl norem, pulp fantasy painting

I didn’t really get my Bio-Mammoth. Complex ideas are difficult for text-to-image at this stage, and I intentionally introduced a lot of conceptual chaos with my image prompts, which included such things as the MOTU slime pit, a beast of the apocalypse, and yes, a Frank Frazetta of a mammoth.

A couple of attempts got me at least a few that were pachyderm-like (the other weirdos aren’t necessarily wasted, as I can adjust prompt and evolve them into their own creations)

I wound up developing about five strains of the concept, tweaking the prompt as I went, until one started to produce results that fired my imagination.

Not just in that it was a cool beast, but in that it had the right look for an early 80s 5.5″ fantasy toy release. A battle-steed creature, with the not-included figure riding on the back (probably in an awkward bucket-seat that leaves little room for organs), four easy-to-lose tusks. Just scary enough to be cool, just goofy enough to be fun.

In all, I enlarged about eight of couple of dozen variants of the image I worked up, and began compositing and repainting. I knew I was going to need more real estate for packaging so there be space for logos, text blurbs, feature call-outs, etc.  So once I got the basic chunks’o’phant squared away, I reposition, and start expanding out and replacing background features.

Then I run into the problem that the humans generated in-picture are all pretty much mush, which isn’t shocking given they’re small portions of the overall composition.

So after upscaling my main composition, I start working on the hyena warrior.

an orange anthropomorphic hyena warrior, gnoll, with a bioluminescent blue spots, shouting, 2/3 portrait composition,, Masters of the Universe package painting, 1985, by frank frazetta and earl norem, pulp fantasy painting

I didn’t spend as much time iterating the hyena, since he was going to be small and I’d have to retouch his hands extensively regardless. Eagle eyed viewers may note that most of what I’ve got here isn’t quite what I requested. AI art is bad as specificity, one of the many things humans do better.

For funsies, here’s a hyena I didn’t use.

I was playing this one free-and-loose, and rolling with elements that looked cool, rather than those that matched my initial vision. If I’d been more intent on a specific result, I’d have prompted more generically and leaned more on manual reworking. This time, however, I was steering with, rather than against, the current, so as to learn how the AI responds to different kinds of requests.

Once the hyena-rider was in place, I did work compositing him in, and did some more background touch-up. After that is color-adjusting and balancing (I like to shift the darker values of the piece toward the blue to add depth), another round of cleanups and tweaks, and then pushing it out for all to see despite not really being sure its “done.”

[fourphoenixfeathers]

I posted 492 times in 2022

That's 295 more posts than 2021!

276 posts created (56%)

216 posts reblogged (44%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@fourphoenixfeathers

@avtfol

@littleblueberryartist

@blaiddraws

@egglands-worst

I tagged 449 of my posts in 2022

Only 9% of my posts had no tags

#submas - 175 posts

#ingo - 134 posts

#emmet - 114 posts

#kat answers - 92 posts

#kat art - 78 posts

#mutuals my beloved - 48 posts

#ei - 39 posts

#submas fusion au - 38 posts

#kat rambles - 37 posts

#paper lantern au - 28 posts

Longest Tag: 137 characters

#if i had a nickel for every paper lantern chandelure ive seen someone mention who wasnt me id have. um. i cant remember but its not a lot

My Top Posts in 2022:

#5

Rejoice, DP x Submas crossover be upon ye! I'm calling it Ghost Train au because that's how Ingo and Akari get home.

The distortion world is just pokemon ghost zone and Akari and Ingo became halfas when they got eeby deebied.

Ingo's obsession is conducting and safety, but he can fulfill it well enough with his "guiding travellers on Coronet" job to survive, even if he isn't at full power. Akari, who is actually Rowan's assistant Dawn instead of the dppt protag Dawn, has an obsession with caring for and studying pokemon. Helping Laventon with the Pokedex and helping out at the pasture are right up her alley.

Feel free to ask questions, I spent all day monday brainstorming in discord and I have sooo many details. I love how many people there are also dp fans, I'm living.

Here's a sketch for the titular ghost train! I left my tablet pen at home today, so i couldn't clean and color it :'>

See the full post

391 notes - Posted June 9, 2022

#4

I finished that WIP! They have matching goatees :>

679 notes - Posted May 25, 2022

#3

I've been thinking about paper lantern au a bit for reasons, so i realized I never drew what Ingo looks like when he gets home!

Poor guy has to do his PT before he can get back on the trains... But hey, he gets a neat custom chandelure-themed staff to hang his lantern up on.

I also have extra spooky mode, for when the unruly passengers be acting up.

See the full post

710 notes - Posted September 12, 2022

#2

Happy trainguy Tuesday! Have a ghost train for a ghost guy.

Just when i think the hyperfixation is fading, i start a complex piece for my most niche au yet... Anyways i just really like the image of Ingo riding a ghost train through the Distortion World. This composition has been rattling around in my brain since I made the au.

St. Elmo's Fire is playing through the loudspeakers on blast. It's somehow not as loud as Ingo himself.

776 notes - Posted June 21, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

The Nimbasa City police department gets a call from Gear Station about a Neo Plasma invasion. It makes sense. Subway Boss Ingo is missing and Subway Boss Emmet has been on vacation searching for him for a while. Neo Plasma probably planned to strike the heart of the city while its strongest protectors were away. The NCPD sent a team to their aid immediately.

They arrive to see this:

Well, it looks like the bosses are back at least.

1,013 notes - Posted June 6, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

[quinloki]

kink anon (i guess i’ll just go by that now? lmao) back again, with a question! so, you got ocs too, right? like the one you drew with marco the other day (incredible art btw!). if you’d like, i’d like to hear a bit more abt them, whatever random thoughts you’d like (their story, or whatever they like to do most with the other characters, etc)

Oh goodness, ah - thank you ^_^ I’m glad you liked the art 🥰

I wasn’t expecting anyone to ask, but I will happily share a bit.

Quill is kind of maybe more of a self-insert than an OC, but also kind of reader-ish too for the fact that most everything I have planned for them is Isekai’d into the One Piece world for someone from Earth.

Most of it is just an indulgent excuse to write what if’s and alternative versions of the story. I really REALLY love the kind of Korean vibe “reborn into a novel as the x” or whatever and changing the story, and I want to pay homage to that with Quill.

So who Quill was before may never come up, and while their appearance is set, it’s not meant to be their actual appearance, it’s the body of the person they ended up in.

I just don’t think I’m going to use an actual OP character so much as create a catalyst that helps tell an alternative story.

I want to do one for Quill x Doffy that’s just gonna be very dark and the villains win kind of deal (maybe, it might go from that to a Quill x Law if Quill betrays Doffy at Dressrosa >.> )

I want to do a Quill x Eustass where she helps him become the King of Pirates, while still having it be as close to the canon final ending. (Whatever that ends up being).

And finally a Quill x Marco that’s just a fix it story so that Ace, Thatch, etc. don’t die. That one ends with a nice raunchy retirement on a quiet island and waking up to coffee and 8am after your pretty bird rails you to sleep the night before >.>

But I don’t really even want to start any of those until the series finishes, which works out nicely because I have at least a year’s worth of WIPs and book 2’s to get done before then.

Quill’s adventures might be the only thing I write that I won’t ever post, but we’ll see ^_^