#i make all my art using my fingers and picsart

[vigcup]

whenever i see a fuckass bob, i think of kris dreemurr

[killjoyjuice]

HOW I DRAW MY PORTRAITS (long post below)

so I thought it would be fun to talk about how I actually make art. first, these are the main two apps I use:

both offer a subscription type service but you seriously do NOT need to pay for them. I don’t and they’re still relatively useable. for traditional art I take pictures of the piece in daylight and bring it into picsart, and use their copy/paste tool to remove things like pencil marks and such to make it look smoother. for my digital art I use my finger on the touchscreen of my phone on picsart.

my process (using most recent art as the example):

I always always start portraits with a reference image of someone that is close to what i imagine for the character. most of my traditional art (which doesn’t really got posted online) is realism, my stylised art is sort of a mesh of semi realism and comics. having a real base to work from gives me a good idea of placement of features and such. I never make a sketch layer, I just start with line art and clean it as I go with the erase tool. I prefer square brushes because the thicker geometric lines are more satisfying for me visually.

I put very little shadows in my line art, reserving it for the darkest areas. over time I have picked up traits from others artists as well (see three lashes, blocked in upper lip). I think for new artists trying to find their style it’s important to know that we all adopt things from eachother. I struggled to settle into a style because I was trying to find something completely unknown (newsflash: not possible). I also usually don’t give my portraits eye colours, so eyes are finished on the first layer.

next I make a new layer beneath my line art and begin the skin tone. I colour pick from real photos of someone with the skin tone I would like so the tones are accurate. general areas of shadow that I include are the eyes, nose, under the lip, cheekbones, under the neck and ears (and sometimes hairline). though I didn’t do it in this image, I sometimes use a lighter tone along the bridge of the nose and in the middle of the eyelid.

clothes! this is pretty simple. I prefer using muted colours for these

Any small details in a separate layer above the piece. I also tweak the line art in this layer.

Next is hair and any outside details. It’s helpful for me to draw hair as one large chunk before adding strands and pieces that point out

Finally, background. For portraits I like to do monotone solid backgrounds. I will either use a complimentary colour to the clothing or if the character has a certain colour theme I will use that

Finally, I import the drawing into picsart and apply the ‘noise’ filter to give it some texture. Finished drawing is on my blog :D <3

[roguish-gallery]

Did you ever make that joker tier list, I always like seeing what people think of all the different ones. Though if they put Romero last I can no longer respect them.

LMAO I DID! I think I’ve made it kind of obvious in this blog but I... don’t... particularly... care... for... the joker.... unless he’s, y’know, fun to watch. Cause he’s a clown, and clowns are supposed to be entertaining. But since you politely brought it up, and and because I have a deep respect for mutual Romero-lovers, I guess this would be a good time to explain my rankings and just discuss my general thoughts on each clown:

General Thoughts:

For the most part, I don’t really care for the Joker. This is hardly an uncommon opinion here on tumblr, but I definitely fall on the side of the fandom that feels that he gets too much attention from DC. I get WHY they use him so often for films and comics, and I don’t have anything against *most* folks who consider them their favorite Batman villain, but at this point he’s used more for shock value and as a crutch instead of anything interesting. Like, instead of giving attention to the other Rogues, writers (at least for the comics) will try and make up some bullshit story that they can shoehorn the Joker into, ‘cause it sells. It’s tiring, and I feel like the character has lost his meaning; I can only read so many stories about the Joker, I don’t fucking know, wearing a suit made from dead babies and Jason Todd’s flayed corpse before I get sick of it.

I’m at the point where I’ll like any Joker who’s just fun to watch. I genuinely respect those who prefer darker interpretations of the character, but that isn’t me; I vastly prefer the lighthearted takes on him, because... at this point... writers who use the “cleaner” version of him tend to be more creative, since they actually have to write a Joker story that doesn’t rely on gore/torture porn.

TIER ONE:

Joker Baby: Self explanatory. Joker Baby is thematic, thoughtful, and intense. Everytime I watch this video, I shiver with fear and pleasure; something primal in me awakens whenever Joker Baby runs his fingers through his spray-on dyed hair, and ends up smearing green paint on his forehead- it represents the inner turmoil, the chaos, that resides within the disturbed body that is Joker Baby. Nothing can ever hope to top the artistic and cultural impact Joker Baby has had on society.

TIER TWO:

Batman Ninja: I genuinely believe that Batman Ninja is one of the most fun, organic, and creative things to come out from the Batman side of DC comics in like... hmmm... a decade, maybe (I could talk for hours about how much I love this movie but that’s something for a future post). This Joker is easily, and unironically my favorite interpretation of the character, period. I love his energy, his design, everything. This is the most fun I’ve ever had watching a Joker on-screen, and for that I’ve gotta give the film credit where it is due.

Batman ‘66: I looooove Caesar Romero. Batman ‘66 in general is one of my favorite pieces of Batman media, and I absolutely adore this Joker. The show is pure, genuine fun, and it’s nice to turn my brain off and watch a show where the entire cast was allowed to goof around. This Joker is just a cute, goofy little clown-man who likes to commit crimes, go surfing, turn Gotham’s water reserve into gelatin, and have wild orgies with Penguin, Catwoman, and the Riddler. I massively appreciate the hustle. I love his little mustache and his facial expressions. I’d give him a chaste little kiss on the cheek if I could.

The Batman: EXTREMELY CONTROVERSIAL TAKE BUT. I think TB!Joker is better than what people will give him credit for. I can only imagine how stressful it must have been to be the first Batman cartoon to follow BTAS and the writers for this show knew they were gonna be fucked no matter what they did with the Joker, so they just decided to try something completely different with him. Personally, I appreciate the new direction- he has a fun, unhinged energy. I’ve placed him higher than BTAS/BTNA!Joker simply because The Batman was the show that got me into the Rogues in the first place, and I’m just a bit closer to this Joker because of it. Also his vampire form was cool as FUCK in Batman Vs. Dracula and the scene where he gets drenched in blood at a blood bank is fucking awesome.

Batman the Animated Series/The New Adventures: Everyone loves BTAS’s Joker, and I’m no exception. Mark Hamill is fucking great, and the writers clearly knew the character well enough to create a version of him that can be fun and threatening. As an aside, I unironically like his redesign in BTNA- I remember Hamill mentioning somewhere that he thought it was neat that this Joker looked more like a shark (I’ll see if I can find a source on that... I think he said it in an interview with Kevin Smith?) and I kinda agree with him. the redesigns in the final season are hit or miss, but I didn’t get why so many people bitched about the Joker’s new look.

Batman Unlimited: Hear me out... Hear me out... Clown... funny... and cute... He wears a little crown and gives Solomon Grundy a little smooch on the cheek and it is as delightful as it sounds. Yes the Batman Unlimited films literally only exist to sell toys but that doesn’t mean I can’t enjoy them on some ironic level.

TIER THREE:

Lego Batman: He’s a gay icon. He has the range. Enough said.

White Knight: This is just a genuinely good, original take on the character, and the art in White Knight is absolutely gorgeous. 

Arkham: My friends and I joke that this Joker is basically a more unhinged version of BTAS! Joker and... yeah. I’m glad Hamill and Paul Dini got to fuck around with the character more, but I never really dwelled on the Joker parts of the games like I might have for other characters. I definitely liked him the most in Arkham Asylum, as he was more fun to watch. Arkham City was fiiiiine, but I think I replayed the game so much that I kinda got fatigued with everything about it. Genuinely hated his part in Origins, and I was pissed that he stole the attention from Black Mask and Bane (who’s the best fucking part of Origins IMO). I’ll admit that I... Haven’t... played... Knight yet (I have it on PC but my laptop is too wimpy to run it) but like... He’s dead at that point, so I’d assume he isn’t the main point of that game anyway. I love Mark Hamill and the fact I can personally beat the shit out of this Joker, so he’s ranked up pretty high for those reasons.

TIER FOUR:

Batman ‘89: TBH this Joker should be a rank higher, but I’m too lazy to hop onto PicsArt to change it. NIcholson was an excellent choice, and I apprecaite how this Joker makes use of the playful and unhinged aspects of the character. Also, his outfits are cute, and I love the museum scene.

Brave and the Bold: Technically this Joker SHOULD be ranked higher since he’s literally based on the more lighthearted comics in the 60′s but... ehhh... I haven’t really watched BATB so I don’t have any strong opinions on the show and how it handles the character. he’s ranked this high through beause I appreciate what they were going for.

Golden Age: The quality of comics are always subjective, based on the creative team behind them. Some I’ll like more, others less so, It’s kind of hard to rank the pre-52 comic version of the Joker because of this.

TIER FIVE:

Killing Joke: Read it, didn’t care for it. I acknowledge how massive the impact this comic had on... everything, but just because I recognize how important this graphic novel is, doesn’t mean I have to like it.

The Dark Knight: Ledger did an excellent job with the role, but uhh... I’m kind of sick of the alt-right chuds who are out there sucking this Joker’s dick. The fanbase definitely ruined the character for me.

TIER SIX:

99′: Eh

Endgame: No

Suicide Squad: NO

Death of the Family: Hate him. Despise him. Lame stupid dumb little edgy bitch.

Gotham (Jeremiah): I don’t particulary care for Gotham in general, but the only reason I ranked this Joker over Jerome is beause I thought it was kinda funny to see that they made him a little rat-man, and I liked watching all the fujoshi on here cry and complain that they can’t ship this version of the joker with the pre-pubescent Bruce Wayne in the show bc he’s too ugly.

Gotham (Jerome): stop shippping this freak (who is fucking eighteen years old) with a literal twelve year old child. what the FUCK is wrong with yall.

UNRANKED:

The Joker (2019): I don’t plan on watching this film, nor will I ever. I know this is ironic, coming from someone who runs a Rogue blog, but stuff that focuses primarily on a character’s deteriorating mental health makes me reaaaaallllllyyyyy anxious (it’s kind of a phobia) and considering that I don’t particularly the Joker, I have no reason to watch something I know will only give my dumb ADHD-ass intrusive throughts.

[lilakennedy]

ugh that thing about just slapping a filter or effect over a pic and calling it an edit pisses me off so much; before I had a laptop and Photoshop I used to make edits on my phone with Picsart and I could spend HOURS WITH MY DAMN FINGER doing my best, and I have to admit they weren't that bad, so what upsets me is that they can make amazing things with so little resources, but instead they choose not to try and letting the app do all the work smh (sorry if this doesn't make sense aaaa)

oh!!!! yea no, don’t worry! it does make sense!! 

there are widely available, free apps & websites people can use to edit things. yea sure, it doesn’t do all the work for you - but that also isn’t the fucking point of an edit, is it? 

ok full honesty: i can’t take those PhotoLab edits serious, in a way. i always just see them as silly and for shits & giggles so when people try to post them as Serious Edits i can’t,,, take it serious -

like, i used those type of apps a few times for dumb shit or just back when i wanted to check out new apps, but i never thought they were Amazing Editing Apps, yk? i couldn’t use an app like that and go to bed knowing i posted it seriously.

and using these quick, cheap apps is also especially fun for someone that talked down to editors and steals art so - 

[rosy-dodie]

how i make moodboards!

If you want to start making aesthetics/moodboards, you’ve come to the right place! Under the cut is a foolproof step-by-step plan I always follow to make them! Trust me lol, I had to figure all of this out myself.

Step 1: Choosing a theme

The great thing about moodboards is that they can be based on so many things! The possibilities are pretty much endless. Typically, the theme of a moodboard is one of these, though:

* an object

* a period of time (ie. months/seasons)

* an event or historical occurrence (concert, women’s march, etc)

* a color scheme

* a specific aesthetic (ie. vintage, artsy)

bonus: moodboards can also be based on people’s names, which I find to be extremely cool!

Step 2: Collecting images

what pictures do I choose?

If you’ve taken photographs you’d like to include in a moodboard, that’s always a really good option! By doing that, you’re ensuring no one will get mad at your use of their photo in another post. What I typically find to be easier, though, is searching Tumblr or Google for photos of the theme I’ve chosen. (Tip: A good way to find nice, good-quality pictures of what you’re looking for is to add “aesthetic” at the end of your search.) Make sure to choose photos that go well together; usually, your moodboard will look nicer if the photos in it are similar in color/style.

how do i save images?

Usually, I get all of my photos from Tumblr. On mobile, there’s a very easy way to save pictures that you’d like to use in a moodboard (or just in general). Simply select the image by pressing and holding your finger to the screen, and your phone will give you the option “Save Image.” Voila! Your image has been saved!

stealing??

Important!! If you find a post that explicitly states “do not repost,” please don’t! It’s extremely disrespectful to them and their work. It’s sort of a known rule that you shouldn’t repost someone’s art, too, even if the caption doesn’t say anything against it. There can be exceptions, though, so if you’re worried about stealing art it’s always better to message the artist and ask for permission. I’ve posted art in moodboards before, but I’m always selective about the art I choose. Try not to do it at all if you can help it.

how many photos should I save?

You’ll need nine images to fill a standard moodboard, but Tumblr allows you to post 10 at a time. I always like to pick out around a dozen pictures just in case some end up not working out.

important note:

I didn’t realize this for so long, and I’d like to save you from the sinking realization that your moodboard isn’t a perfect square. It might just be something that bothers me, but there��s a definite way to ensure your board is perfectly positioned, and it’s just about picking the right pictures. Make sure you never choose any photos that are too wide and short to be a square. If the photo is too long vertically, that’s fine, because Tumblr will automatically format it to a square (so long as at least one image in the row is a square).

Step 2.5: People (Optional)

You also have the option of basing your moodboard off of a person, whose picture is typically included in it. Because my account is specifically for Dodie, all of mine are centered around her! You pretty much use the same process as you would finding any other picture, but it can sometimes be harder to find a picture of that person that fits your theme. If so, no worries! You can always edit the coloring of images, improvise with another picture, or change the type of photos you’re getting! (An example of the latter: changing the shade of pink you’re using, or the theme altogether)

Step 3: Formatting

Now that you’ve gotten your pictures and theme sorted, it’s time to put everything together! This is usually the point where I start to realize none of my pictures go together— If that happens to you, take a short trip back to Step 2 and get pictures that fit better.

As I mentioned before, a standard moodboard consists of nine pictures, arranged in a 3 x 3 form. However, it isn’t just “stick them all in and you’re done.” For me, at least, it definitely takes a bit of time to arrange everything the way I want it. I try to separate pictures that are too similar or have too many of the same colors because they can be distracting if they’re clumped in one spot. For example, this is a rose-gold moodboard I made the other day:

As you can see, the photos surrounding Dodie are all a little more pink than the outside ones are. I placed them like this to make it seem more intentional and symmetrical, and this way none of the pink pictures touch.

Step 4: Phone a friend (Optional but recommended)

Now, listen. This isn’t to criticize your work in the slightest, but you’ve been looking at the same set of photos for God knows how long. It always helps me to get a fresh pair of eyes to check the moodboard over. Usually, if anything’s wrong it will pop out immediately to your friend, because they’ve never seen it before (plus they didn’t make it!). They’re the betas of your work, and though it isn’t necessary to have one, it’s always helpful to spot errors you haven’t thought of/seen. If you don’t have anyone to check it over, I’d recommend leaving it be for a while. When you come back to it later, you might see things you hadn’t before. I tend to do the work at night and come back to it in the morning, but that’s just me! Find a system that works for you, and enjoy what you’re doing! That applies to everything in life, but like, you know. 

edit: Many people also find it easier to use apps other than Tumblr to format their moodboards! They make sure all pictures are the correct size without the struggle Tumblr mobile presents. A life saver, @colorful-dodie, recommended Picsart, which I totally agree with! It’s what I use whenever I make split moodboards (look for a future post on that!) Also, they recommend you use Afterlight and/or VSCO to change the coloring of a picture!

Step 5: Tagging and Posting

(credit to @colorful-dodie for bringing this up!)

Tagging is quite possibly the most important part of the entire process! If you don’t tag your posts correctly, they may not get many notes and you won’t get the feedback and encouragement you need to make more! My advice: tag the heck out of all of your moodboards. 

I will admit, I did go quite overboard in my first few posts (I spent more time tagging than making the moodboard!) but it was really helpful in getting my account discovered by other Dodie fans. 

what should i tag my posts with?

Probably the most important thing to tag your post with is the topic or theme you chose, and the person or object you centered it around. That way, you can be found and supported by other aesthetic/fandom accounts, and it will motivate you to keep making your moodboards! Don’t be afraid to do strange variations of each and every tag, too- I spent my earlier evenings figuring out how else to say “dodie green aesthetic” and “dodie green moodboard” for a month before it really paid off. 

so is it time to post?

Yes, if you’ve followed all of the steps listed above, you should be totally set! Good luck with your new hobby, and be sure to take advantage of all of the friends and tips it brings you! Have fun!!