#i'm still not sure how to render it when the light comes from a different angle but i'll practice some more

[mintjeru]

happy arospec awareness week!! hot take: aromantic kanna

open for better quality | no reposts

[sparklykat-hideoutenthusiast]

I've seen people doing an intro post so I suppose I should do the same right? I have no idea how to do this, I'm just winging it :3

INTRO POST TIME WOOO!!

[last updated: sat dec 7th at 7:18 PM 2024]

(I update this often, a reread of it every now and then would be greatly appreciated!)

Maybe every week/month depending on your time scale? ↑

Follow my other blog where I reblog a bunch of stuff and things for the full experience of my personality and interests! @eckos-reblogs :3

@everytime-i-reach-the-postlimit ←Exactly as the name entails

@nature-is-mystical ←is my other random blog that you can follow as well if you want.

that blog is just for reblogging nature stuff and posting nature stuff. (Occasionally rhymes come with it ig)

side blog for fanart!: @sonar-fanart-hall

I'm always working on making reference sheets for OCs ^^

Chill dude side blog: @cool-dudes-official

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I will continue to edit this, probably for the rest of time to get it right since I'm a slight perfectionist lol

Hello! I've been an artist for around 5 to 6 years, and I still kinda suck at it! I do traditional art normally but I've been branching out to digital art as well. I mostly draw animals, anthropomorphic creatures, creatures in general, whatever beautifully ugly faces I can come up with, and sometimes human faces!

I classify as a furry but do not reblog a ton of furry stuff nor do I have a fursuit. I just like drawing and seeing anthropomorphic animals :3

Furries, Therians, anyone of lgbtq+ community (including ace people cuz apparently there's a debate about that), weirdos (but NOT in the gross way), and more are welcome on my blog! :3 ❤️ (you're kinda automatically welcome if you're kind anyway lol but whatevs :3)

Tags and stuff! To help you find stuff in my blog better through search :)

#Ecko draws -exactly as is obvious, it will be for when I make art, digital or traditional.

#Echo Rambles -For posts of mine that include mainly me talking about random stuff

#Echo rants - for when I rant. Similar to #Echo rambles but different..

#Echo answers - For when I answer asks!! :D

#The Clowder seeks - For when you guys ask me stuff!

#Mama Change - For when I mention my mom. (Her name is change..or it's more of a nickname but no one calls her by her actual name except for professional/job people like a dentist or something)

#Echo asks - For when I ask questions :3 lol

#Eckos moots <3 - for interactions with moots, obviously 🙄 (I love y'all sm)

#Ecko irl - me irl

My main Media for traditional art is, pens, pencil, gel pens, paint markers (posca) and normal markers! I hope to soon branch out to ink! (Maybe one day you'll get to see some watercolor stuff from me. It's not that good of watercolor art and I don't enjoy painting too much tbh)

Anatomy You say? Don't know her 😔

If you are interested, I do art requests! It's not guaranteed to be good or to be done quickly but I will try my very best every time. You can even request multiple times if you'd like! Like a ton of times! I really don't mind!

You can also request art of fandoms I'm not in but make sure to give me a good reference or the drawing will look off :3

Art requests open until further notice.

If there's something I don't mention here that you're wondering if I can draw or not, give me an ask in my inbox and I'll let you know! (Pls, I'm friendly I swear)

You can also dm me if you'd like but I'd prefer the askbox instead (⁠´⁠-⁠﹏⁠-⁠`⁠；⁠)

I can't draw/don't want to draw: items, anatomy, bodies (unless you want the equivalent of a boxy stick figure), rendering, lighting, dragons (without a reference), romance/NSFW (no, just no.), hands, human legs (for the life of me 😭), +more

I can draw/like to draw: faces, animals (mostly cat related ones but you can request any animal and I'll at least try to draw it.), different hair styles (only with a reference), eye bags (I think they're pretty lol), dragons (only with a good reference), gore (not the best at it but I'll will try my best to make something nice and bloody for ya!), +more!

My name is Ecko and it's my preferred name but you can refer to me as Melleona (my OC) or by a nickname as well if you'd like! (just please ask me first if you want to use a nickname as I'm bad with setting boundaries.)

My pronouns are She/Her but feel free to refer to me as it/it's! :3

Speaking of which! This is my OC, Melleona:

She is 14 years old, she is introverted and blunt but also shy and insecure. She has anxiety, dealt with a bit of depression, and she's very casual as well as lazy (like me lol)

She's half Cat, she has greyish blue eyes (not visible in the drawing), slightly blueish black hair that's long enough to reach her ankles, she has a mushroom themed party hat, and some wicked whiskers!

If there's anything you'd like to ask me about her or ask her, go ahead and ask away! I love anons and normal asks! ❤️❤️❤️ (There is a slight filter on the drawing. I'll edit this later and put her color palette below ❤️)

I'm a minor! Mind your words, don't send me gross/weird asks or messages. (I've already had a few people message me asking for my age, a picture of me, and my sexuality. No, I will not be sharing my real appearance on here. my age? Minor, that's all you need to know. My sexuality? I don't know and you don't need to know either, respectfully ^^❤️)

IDC if I post something slightly suggestive or that says I know about 18+ themes. I posted it, not someone saying something to me of those themes. Sure, I understand the stuff but It really doesn't matter now does it? It just means I understand enough to know you shouldn't be saying that stuff to me. (Boundaries ✨)

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I do half-curse in posts from time to time. I do censor it a bit tho, like "f7ck" for example. Hope ya don't mind (⁠；⁠^⁠ω⁠^⁠）

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I'd appreciate it if people reblogged my art!

I don't appreciate reposting it however.

Just in case you don't know what the difference between reposting rather than reblogging: it's when you (typically) take a screenshot of the art, and then repost it on either Tumblr or a different app rather than hitting the reblog button!

While this has never happened to me personally, I do feel like it's worth mentioning.

Oh, and, don't under a circumstance feed my art to AI. I can forgive reposting my art. I put out there for people to see not to get fame from it but under no circumstances EVER will I allow feeding my art to AI. It is not human. It does not make art.

AI artists don't exist unless it's used ONLY to assist with a process that is still mostly YOUR OWN SKILLS THAT YOU'VE CULTIVATED OVER TIME. AI is NOT art but it can HELP with art.

ミ⁠●⁠﹏⁠☉⁠ミ-ミ⁠●⁠﹏⁠☉⁠ミ-ミ⁠●⁠﹏⁠☉⁠ミ-ミ⁠●⁠﹏⁠☉⁠ミ-ミ⁠●⁠﹏⁠☉⁠ミ

don't dm asking me to commission from you. like said before, I don't have money bc I'm a minor + I don't like being pestered for me commission you. talk to me like a person, not an ATM.

If I want to commission someone, I will dm them and even then, I'm most likely to commission art from a friend to support them.

I support the lgbtq+ community! And I don't discriminate against race. I really shouldn't have to say this. (˘⁠･⁠_⁠･⁠˘)

I will respond to money asks with "!!" And that's it. I don't have money and even if I did I don't got any money to spare. I'm broke and struggling too. Not to mention, I'm a minor and can't just go out and get the stuff. I hope you understand and I wish you all the best!❤️❤️❤️

Some games and shows and stuff I like:

Shows and stuff: Rick and Morty, adventure time, lost in space, bsd (never watched it but I've seen enough of it on the Internet to know a bit about it. Very interesting :3), Some of the Life Minecraft series, httyd, doctor who, and more!

Games/fandoms: Yonder(Yonder Cloud Catcher Chronicles.), Minecraft, the Stanley parable, tiny bit of South Park, cotl, MLP(childish I know but I don't care. I love them), creepypasta, SCPs, Trevor Henderson's creatures (mostly cartoon cat), plants vs zombies, fran bow, little misfortune, and more!

Stuff and things (hobbies?): Art, apparently I make rhymes now too??, rollerblading, climbing, Hiking (iffy), sleeping, being annoying+lazy, doom scrolling, interacting with people, and more!

(I'm not really in any fandoms really..kinda like on the edge of being in each and every fandom I come across..)

General facts about me! Yippee!

I think eye bags and wrinkles are pretty (odd, I know lol), I live in a bus (not decked out like you see on social media though. We just live in a bus lol), I live with my ma (my dad is my step dad and he and my mom just broke up psooo ye), I blank out a lot and just stare at people for no reason (which freaks them out), I have greyish blue eyes (a long with some, I'm pretty sure permanent eye bags lol), I get energy right before nighttime mostly (and then it disappears as soon as it reaches around 11 pm to 12 am), My favorite color is maroon (and any type of blue along with orange and yellow and forest green..mostly just comfy vibe colors tbh but maroon is a fixed piece), my favorite animal is a cat (although I have a dog. Muffin doesn't count as a dog, she's practically human. Apart of the family.), and more!

(I'll update this as I go)

[I will block as I see fit]

Do not interact with my blog if: You're racist, you only or mostly have sexual themes on your own blog (I apologize but it makes me uncomfortable. Have some other interests and it might make me less uncomfortable ^^), if you in general just enjoy hating on people for no reason (I like to make my area a safe space for people) if you're a Zoophile (No explanation really needed but animals can't consent.) (more will be added later when I think of what to add)

Don't dm me unless you're a moot or you say your intentions within the first 1-3 messages. (moots that I've interacted with can send me a dm unprompted with stated intentions anytime they'd like. Special privileges ✨)

(Added a specific part of that bc a moot felt they were making me uncomfortable by having such themes on their blog. I didn't really realize at first but yes that does make slightly uncomfortable but I don't really care as long as you have other interests. If s3x is your only interest, it weirds me out to have those types of people interact with me. Just know you're all good moot, you're not the type of person I was aiming it at. There are other people that just don't think about anything else but $ex and relationships that creep me out and you are not one of them. ^^❤️)

Things about me, (random stuff): I am cringe from time to time, my fav colors are maroon and any kind of blue, orange is nice too though,

I appreciate any and all constructive criticism. IDC if it sounds rude and might hurt my feelings, TELL ME so I can help better myself and my blog! I'm dum and will most likely not notice I'm doing something weird or anything :P <3

•Send me asks! Wanna to hug one of my OCs, Want to slap the sh1t out of one of em, Want to introduce me to a new (or old) fandom I don't know of but you think I might be interested in, Want to say hi, Want to give a music suggestion, send an ask!

I LOVE interaction and if possible, I want to be busy with asks at all times so send a ton!

•Moots:

@theachskid @voidsweirdthoughts @burningbutter @rafrfr @rateater2000

@footlongdingledong @ender-the-insomniac @thistlebriar @rspoetry @virtualcroissantflapcolor

@jawdoesstuff @storythesilly @yourfavoritecuntist @chamber-of-voices @i-draw-things

@2oo7xddd @catsreblogging @silli-billy15 @totally-not-a-commie @khloethecatsworld

@1nd13gh0st @cur1os1tyk1lledme @nonbinaryriverclan @ilove-fanart-and-lore405 @hermitchild

@my-mom-named-me-duck @hermitchild

@williamsart12345 @lilytheaxoltollover @twobraincellsremaining @nn-the-doodle @emmajasonartz

@bugba-bugbee @railway323 @xho-the-scribble @asqadia-banthen @nasthesilly @ceaselessbackflips

@the-anxious-acrobat @justuravghazbin @callmekiyo24 @maybeyoullfindthissomeday

@sensehumor ♥️

+any future moots/one's I might have forgotten (I hope I wouldn't forget anyone 🥲)

If you don't like being tagged in tag games, let me know and I'll move your name over here cuz I copy paste the ones above for tagging in stuff: (nothing here yet!)

Moot side blogs: @thistlebriar-tags @my-dad-named-me-goose @mysterious-other-being @

Btw, moot/friend privileges: tagging me in whatever the heck you want, sending nonstop and possibly annoying asks, dming me and having a convo at random, +more! I love all y'all and am more than happy to interact ❤️

My art ↑

Yippee!! That's all for now folks! ❤️

I'll update this whole thing as I go, any questions, just send an ask and I'll update this with the answer as well as you know- replying in general lol :3

I seem incredibly childish in this intro post and my general posts but do know, I am over 12 years of age lmao 🤣

I'mma keep some notes here as well... mostly for tone stuffs cuz I can't remember these 😭

/lh = lighthearted

/j = joking

/hj = half joking

[scarletttries]

When The Bloodhounds Boys Find Out You Have Feelings For Them...(Bloodhounds Headcanons Request)

Pairings: Gun Woo x Reader, Woo Jin x Reader

Author's Note: I'm really enjoying writing for lots of different shows/movies at the moment so let's flick back to Bloodhounds for some cutesy headcanons of our two favourite boxers 💞

Gun Woo

- It's so rare that something as light and sweet as the possibility of love makes an appearance in Gun Woo's life. So when it finally does, and in a form as wonderful as you, he doesn't quite know what to do with himself.

- Naturally it would be Woo Jin that has to tell him that you're not just stopping by his mother's cafe for tea these days, the sheer chemistry radiating between the two of you was immediately obvious to his mouthy best friend. Gun Woo would struggle to believe it at first, brushing it off as just his friend being overly kind as always, trying to make the gentle giant feel better about his uncontrollable feelings for you. But the next time you came in, and gave him that warm smile, and lingered to talk to him for as long as possible before you had to skip out to work, and didn't flinch at the way his fingers brushed over yours as he handed you the cup, it all became clear. You felt just as drawn to him as he felt to you.

- This information would render Gun Woo barely able to function in your presence for the next few weeks. He'd stumble over every word and almost spill coffee on himself every time you entered the little shop, still smiling brightly at you through the whole interaction even when he's internally kicking himself for coming across as a fool no doubt. On the contrary, the sudden bout of nerves from the otherwise stoic man would be extremely endearing, and make you finally start to wonder if you should just get it over with and ask him out first.

- Luckily in finally accepting that your feelings for him might be more than just wishful thinking, Gun Woo would have immediately started to brainstorm with Woo Jin about the best way to ask you on a date. It might take him a few weeks to build up the nerve, but once he's put his mind to it, you can be sure that it's going to happen.

- Sure enough one Friday morning on your way through to the office, Gun Woo would have your usual order ready and waiting when you arrive, with a little note scrawled where your name would usually go:

"please could I buy you dinner sometime? - Gun Woo"

It would be completely adorable just how bashful this statuesque man looks as you read his message with a growing smile on your face, his whole body visibly untensing as you nod your head and reassure him that you'd love to go out with him.

- Expect a first date where he is a total gentleman, followed by many more as soon as he can plan them with you. Gun Woo is so sure he's never met anyone like you that he's not going to miss this amazing opportunity to have someone so special in his life.

Woo JIn

- Beneath Woo Jin's extraverted personality runs a deeper current of insecurity than he'd ever like to admit. That's why even when all reason tells him you must have the same feelings he does, he can't quite bring himself to accept it.

- Joining a new gym had been a big step for you, and one that had paid off handsomely in the form of a friendly face that always seemed to be there at the same time as you. The first few times you hadn't braved anything more than exchanging smiles in the mirrored walls as you'd caught each other looking back and forth between you two. Before long Woo Jin would greet you by name every time you walked in, dragging his workout out so that he could talk to you as much as possible between exercises and build what he hoped would be at least a strong foundation for a friendship.

- When he started to feel a little more confident, the smile you put on his face now unwavering in your company, he'd ask if you wanted him to show you a few boxing moves, taking endless pride in holding up the pads for you and showing off some of his skills. And the way your eyes would drift over his powerful arms as then tensed in preparation for your hits, well that only gave him the extra boost he needed to finally ask you out. It'd be hard for him to accept that out of every strong guy in the gym, you'd actually see something special in him, but after a pep talk from Gun Woo he'd at least feel willing to risk the rejection of asking, for the possibility of more time with you.

- You'd notice that throughout one workout he'd be staring your way and smiling more than usual, a rosy glow painting itself over his cheeks each time your eyes met. The moment you started to pack up your things he'd appear beside you, expression much more worried than usual as he mumbled out in a single croaking breath, "if-you're-done with your workout would-you-maybe want to go get something to eat with me?" He'd have to repeat himself at least two more times before you can finally decipher the question behind his nervous rambling, his heart finally slowing back to its normal rhythm as you smiled and nodded,

"Just let me get cleaned up and changed and I'll be ready." You offer warmly, hearing him shout behind you as you turn to walk away, his confidence reappearing again,

"For what it's worth I think you already look perfect!"

- Expect a first date filled with laughter and Woo Jin being genuinely interested in getting to hear everything about you. He can't imagine why you look at him like he's the only person in the room, but now that he's been in your company for this long, he'll do anything to keep you looking at him so brightly.

[forteafy]

1 with Carlos or 5 with Fernando. Or maybe both if you can find inspiration 🤭

CS55 x 'You say you want to get over me?” “Yes.” “So why haven’t you?” “Because it’s you. Because whatever you do, I’m gonna come back to you, no matter what. And I’m trying so hard not to do that but… It’s you. It’s just you. You’re the reason why I can’t get over you.'

I'm in love with the smooth operator, your honour.

You knew the fifth shot was a bad idea. By the ninth? Your mind could barely correlate the link between your feet and the floor. 

You hadn’t been to Monaco in so, so long. The last time you came was on vacation with your ex boyfriend; it had been a weekend of walks, champagne, slow dancing and secret sex on his teammates boat. Charles would never forgive you for that one, his precious yacht had been christened in more ways than one. 

Charlotte had caught you by storm; a few phone calls and a promise of a night out so incredible, it would render every other evening numb, you’d been on a plane instantly, falling into your close friends arms, surrounded by a gaggle of girls, cooing about how you were glowing after…recent events. 

The night in question had been what Charlotte promised; loud music, screams and cheers whilst dancing in a group, even chatting to the occasional stranger about the busy streets. However, one cocktail had turned into two, two into three…it was always a slippery slope where expensive drinks and shots were involved. 

The brunch you had all booked for the next day seemed well out of question.

Three of the girls had already vanished; presumably heading home with different men, possibly with one another. Charlotte was gossiping with two girls sat on a table. She’d beckoned you over, but instead you’d wandered away; drunken mind mesmerised by lights. 

You would have probably wandered right out into the cool streets of Monaco, if a body hadn’t collided with yours. A light whine emitted from your lips, looking up, ready for a drunken apology to stumble out of your lips. Instead, your mouth hung open, breath caught from seeing those brown eyes. Those you were oh-so-familiar with. 

“Carlos.” You whisper, a slight sway still in your step. You had to be drunk, blackout drunk, to be seeing the figure of your ex-boyfriend stood in front of you. Frozen in your spot, the trance was broken when a figure appeared from behind him, eyes brightened to see you.

“Hey! Charlotte mentioned you were with her!” Charles calls out, grin resting on his face. “I came to get her- Carlos is visiting us for a few days.��� 

Your mind couldn’t put the pieces together in that moment. Charlotte, your supposed best friend, had made sure you came to visit whilst Carlos was in Monaco. If you didn’t know her better, you’d say she was playing matchmaker, even after your intense speech of how adamant you were to get over the spaniard. 

“Yeah- she’s-“ You can’t get your words out, too drunk to comprehend any form of communication. Charles nods to his friend, silently hoping despite it all, he’ll stay with you whilst he goes to find his own intoxicated girlfriend. 

Carlos is nothing, if not a gentleman. Gently, he rests a hand on your lower back. The warmth radiates through the sheer silk of your dress. He thinks you look beautiful like this. Hair messy, makeup smudged, the lines on your face from how much you had been laughing alongside your friends.

“Let’s get you outside.” He speaks above the thump of the music deeper inside the club. “You need some air.”

The cold air dances across your skin the moment the two of you step out from behind the heavy doors. Carlos is already tinted a light shade of red from being inside the room for less than five minutes. His eyes scan over you, arm held out as you tentatively cling to it, stumbling like a baby’s first step. 

Carefully, the man leads you away from the direct entrance, giving you some space between the crowds of people. The cold air and movement gives into a sudden wave of nausea. Your body can’t control it, leaning over to the side of the road, trying your hardest not to make a mess. 

A gentle sigh is heard from behind you, soft hands holding your hair back, a warm hand on your shoulder. The comfort, you don’t deserve it. 

You eventually pull yourself back up, turning to thank the man in question. However, before you can say anything, one arm is resting around your waist, keeping you from stumbling, the other is resting on your cheek, his thumb gently stroking over you. 

“Why do you do this to yourself?” He murmurs, eyes soft, seeing the girl he cares so deeply for in this position. “Why?” 

“Trying.” You mumble in response. “Trying to stop thinking about you.” 

Carlos isn’t aware of Charlotte’s plan. When she had mentioned going out with you that evening, he had thought you were in Monaco as a happy accident. He had intended to come and see you, maybe ask if you’d like to go out for a drink. Maybe when he did, he’d change the idea to coffee. Alcohol didn’t seem to be the best idea anymore. 

“You say you want to get over me?” He mumbles, face closer to you, trying to find some emotion in your eye. 

“Yes.”

“So why haven’t you?” 

“Because it’s you. Because whatever you do, I’m gonna come back to you, no matter what. And I’m trying so hard not to do that but… It’s you. It’s just you. You’re the reason why I can’t get over you.”

The sudden explosion of words from your hazarded mind causes a trigger inside you. Tears begin to litter your lower lash line. Carlos has always hated seeing girls cry, especially those he cares about. Without thinking, he pulls you into his chest, quiet hushes, one hand brushing across the back of your head. 

“Don’t get over me.” He pleads, his own voice cracking. “Don’t. Because I could never get over you.”

[simlicious]

Hi hey gurl! I've been trying to understand something... when it comes to performance, is it vertices or polycount that really matters? I’m trying to get a clearer picture of how they affect gameplay. Hope this isn’t too random tho 😂

Hey nonny, thanks for the great question! I'm not sure if you are looking for a non-creator answer or if you maybe have some experience with meshing, but I try to cover some technical aspects that hopefully will make you understand vertices and polygons better! It's a bit of a longer journey, so grab some snacks and settle in!

Disclaimer: This is my opinion and the definitions are how I came to understand them. I believe what I say to be correct, but I am also human and may have misunderstood something, and making mistakes can happen. Thanks for understanding! TL;DR There will be calculations made on every vertex and every face present in a mesh. So the more you have of either, the worse it is for performance, but if the vertex count is much higher than the poly count, the mesh is especially unoptimized and may impact performance more than it would in an optimized state. Vertex and polygons are actually connected, literally. To understand, we need to start with the basics.

Vertices are points in a 3d space that provide the foundations of a grid-like 3d structure, known as a mesh. Connected through lines known as edges, they form a 3d shape. Three edges form a triangle, or tri for short, also known as a face or polygon. These terms can be used interchangeably, but a tri always has three vertices, whereas faces and polygons can have more than three vertices.

A polygon with 4 vertices (known as a quad) is very commonly used in 3D-modelling, because it can be used to create very neat and well-structured meshes (it is easy to make grids using rectangular shapes). A mesh that is made in a grid-like way may have the same overall shape as one made out of triangles, but the flow of the edges is different, and this plays a role during animation. Having these grid-like lines is usually better for moving and animating characters and avoiding shading issues.

Most meshes for games are thus initially made with 4-sided polygons. These quads are usually further broken down into tris if they aren't already, and three is the least amount of vertices needed to form a coplanar surface.

When the quads of the left sphere are turned into triangles, the grid structure will remain intact:

We can further break down the elements of a polygon. Let's take a simple cube. It has 6 sides, or faces, and each face has 4 vertices that make up the corners. But if we count all the vertices, we will notice that each face shares vertices with other faces. So on a simple cube, we have 6 faces and 8 vertices.

Depending on how a mesh is made though, it may have a lot of edges. You can think of those like cuts in the mesh. If we wanted to cut up the cube, we would separate each face from each other. Now we still have the same number of faces (6), but the vertices are suddenly much higher, because now, every face has its own set of 4 vertices, meaning that we have a total of 24 vertices.

In video games, polygons are usually rendered as triangles. So for our cube, that would mean that every face would be diagonally cut in half, giving us a total number of 12 faces/polygons/tris.

If we take it to the next level and separate all of these triangles from each other, the vertex count would be 36! To recount, on a mesh that is not split, it's only 8. Having these cuts (or split edges, as they are commonly called) in strategic places in the mesh where vertices are split can be important for the final look of the mesh in the Sims games.

You may have already encountered some meshes that have dark spots or shading in some parts, often at the hems. That can happen if the mesh is not split correctly in these areas. It has to do with how the normals work (they are important to how light gets reflected off the mesh).

To not go too off-topic, I won't get into detail about that here.

Ideally, a mesh is only split where it needs to be so it will look right. If there are unnecessary cuts, then the vertex count (and with it, the polygon count) goes up when it doesn't really have to be. If a mesh has a lot of these areas where a lot of faces have their own vertices, then the vertex count is much higher than on a mesh with fewer split edges. This can be a sign that a mesh is not well-optimized. So if you see a mesh that has much more vertices than polys, you may want to question it in regards to performance. CC converters will probably know that Sims 4 meshes come with a lot of these cuts that are needed for Sims 4 because of the way the CC is made (for example, pants have such a split edge cut to allow boots to look tucked-in), but those are superfluous for TS3. So I encourage every Sims 3 CC creator to remove those to save on both vertices and polygons when they are converting! The thing is, in the game, the mesh will be processed and there will be calculations made on every vertex and every face present. Each vertex is indexed, and triangles need to be drawn from the information. Other processes will need to also use the vertices for their calculations. There is more going on during rendering than simply drawing the polygons. The shaders have to calculate their effects, the textures need to be rendered and applied accordingly, filtering such as anti-aliasing will be applied, etc. So the more geometry you have in a mesh, the worse it gets in terms of performance. More geometry means that the polygons are smaller and more numerous, which will in turn affect the vertex count too.

As CC creators, we cannot address all the factors that impact performance, as we can only influence a small part, but we can try to adhere to the game's standards to minimize the performance impact as best as we can. If we wish our meshes to be more detailed than what the game's standards are, then we impact the performance more.

Instead of just cranking up detail like crazy, it is good to see if we really need it. And ask questions such as how often will the player view the item closely? If the player is usually far away from the item or it is a very small item, making it super detailed will not really do much, since the item looks the same as a low-poly item from a certain distance. We can also make compromises and maybe make an item 50% more detailed instead of 200% more detailed, providing a more detailed item while minimizing the performance impact.

This is a bit off-topic, but since I'm here already, we may refrain from using a bigger texture for a very plain piece without any notable intricate detail (like a basic T-shirt, for example), since it already looks fine with a smaller texture, but it may pay off for a highly detailed texture which looks visibly better with a bigger texture, warranting the performance impact (like a lace blouse with an intricate pattern, stitching, and small buttons).

On that note, using the texture space efficiently can also do wonders to increase detail. Use all the real estate you have on that UV map (that is a 2d representation of your 3d mesh and used to apply the texture to the mesh). Have you tried upscaling the texture yet? Okay okay, I'll stop now and get...

Back on topic: The number of polygons also matters, not just the vertex count. When a mesh has lots of smaller polygons, a lot of them are necessary to form the entire mesh. Bigger polys will not provide as much fine details, but will have less impact on hardware because fewer calculations to be made. A good mesh uses only as much detail as needed while using as few polygons as possible to still maintain functionality.

Sims clothing meshes need to animate and move well, so they need to be able to flex at the joints, and the shape must also be able to change to accommodate body sizes, thus the mesh needs the minimum amount of geometry to achieve this and still look decent, which is a sweet spot the developers have to find to craft meshes that perform well while looking reasonably good.

A good habit for creators looking to make meshes for the Sims games is to look at similar meshes in the game and study them (so for TS3, check the original TS3 game meshes, for TS4, check the original TS4 game meshes). Check how many polys they use and how good the topology (structure) of the mesh is.

For example, how many rows of edges do they usually have, and what sizes are the polys usually? How many vertices are in one round of edge loops, for example for the arms? How are the different mesh parts connected to each other, where are split edges used? Then imitate that.

The professionals who made these original meshes knew what they were doing, and they optimized them to be gameplay-friendly, so if in doubt, copy what they do.

Game meshes are usually especially optimized and it is very much game-dependent how they are structured, so a mesh from a different game can look totally different. CC Creators looking to optimize performance in their meshes should try to match the original game's mesh in terms of structure and polycounts. This will also ensure they animate well!

If you made it this far: well done, thanks for bearing with me! I hope you feel more knowledgeable and ready to apply what you've learned to your own meshes or when selecting CC for your favorite Sims game.

[lrgoescrazy]

Hi hi um you helped me with one of my drawings on the criticism club, tysmmmmmm for that, I've fixed it a lot but I'm not done colouring so I won't be posting it yet :) your advice was insanely helpful, because I realised the arm wouldn't be there,and a BUNCH of other things

I was just exploring your posts and OMG HOW YOU RENDER SKIN AND HAIR IS SOO PRETTY AND GORGEOUS OMG!!! AND I LOVE THAT ONE DRAWING OF AN EYE U MADE AHH!

Sooo while i was looking at my fav post of yours, I was reading the description and you were talking about the new blend brush in magma! So, I'm assuming you use magma? I've been using it for like, half a year, but im not a pro at digital art so I don't really know what all the layer settings and whatever are. I did watch a video but it was a bit confusing. I know about like opacity and whatnot but I'm still a bit confused on mainly the layer settings. Also, I can't find any tutorials on magma apart from blending :(

I was wondering if U could maybe explain a bit, just the basics like multiply and add and most of the layer settings a begginer would use :) I'm sort of stepping out of my comfort zone because I don't usually bother with colouring and stuff. Any tips U recommend for magma would also help tons! Omg I just realised that this is kind of a stupid request because you probably have to explain a lot... Sorry!

idk how to end this ┐⁠(⁠ ⁠∵⁠ ⁠)⁠┌

ok ok this will be a long post!!

i made this graphic a long time ago for my friend @mythology-lover, this is using all layer blend modes with the colour bright orange, so you can see what each one does. most of them are self explanatory, I hope. there is no "add" in magma, but colour dodge is similar. I'll go over how to use the blend modes below!

not sure if you want to know how to use the blend modes to render stuff but i'll show you anyway lol

this was a drawing i posted, and i actually detailed my step by step process for my friend again, but I use multiply or darken for shading, its the best way to shade and personally I use dark red for shading but this can change based on lighting. obv I also lower the opacity cuz I don't want bright red. my tip for using multiply is to use a colour more saturated/brighter than you think you would use, cuz multiply ends up darkening the colour anyway.

i recommend using blend modes for shading because they have some "transparency" to them, if you put on shading in a block colour with no blend mode it'll just cover up things you already drew like blush or makeup. i also just create more multiply layers to build up darker and darker shadows.

also, when it comes to more dramatic lighting, ill just put a multiply layer over the WHOLE drawing since in real life in a dark scene there will be a shadow over everything including darker shadows for the actual details. after I add the multiply layer (this one is blue because its supposed to be a nighttime scene and the sky is dark blue) I just erase parts where light is hitting the object

(this isnt well done because im making this quickly)

and when it comes to lighting i like to use overlay, it creates this really nice saturated glowy effect. you can use colour dodge too but it creates these weird artifacts of pixels that are a completely different colour, at least for me

with overlay

also maybe you already know this, but the little square icon next to the opacity bar is alpha lock its useful if you don't wanna have to make a whole layer and clip it to the layer underneath

also... my BEST advice for magma has got to be to use filters, they save my life, and I frequently use them when my colours arent looking too good. and I specifically LOVE using the "curves" option when you click filters.

they let you control how bright the drawing is, and specifically the amount of each colour (red, green, and blue) in your drawing

here i reduced blue, increased red, and reduced yellow, plus reduced contrast and increased saturation plus made it a bit brighter. looks a lot better in my opinion, filters can really save a drawing lol

random tips: use lasso selection its basically necessary! if the paint bucket/fill tool isn't working that great, increase tolerance and turn on anti-alias, you can also try using the smart option. although I gotta say generally I don't use fill tool as it only really works if you have very clean, sharp, and connected lines. usually what I'll do instead to save time on colouring is make a layer below the lineart, and then make the target layer "above," and then fill it, then fill in the gaps manually. i also recommend using the full mode layout option, unless you have a small screen then it's most optimal, because then you can see all the tools and options.

i also use this layout thing, idk what its called, and have each one be a different brush with different settings (for me, one will be a soft brush with hardness and density lowered, another a hard round (default) brush, another a textured lineart brush, a brush for stars, freckles, or other scattered dots where I just turn up spacing, scattering and jitter for size variation)

also... make sure you flip your canvas to catch your mistakes, you wont notice them until you see it from a different perspective, and the flip canvas button is up top

its this one

this is for colouring, but periodically go to "view" and click "show in greyscale" so you can see the contrast between your colours. if everything's the same shade or similar shade of grey, you need to make some parts darker or lighter to make them stand out

ngl i think that's it, unless there's something else you need to know. just realised I've been using magma for like 4 years at this point, time really flies by. hope I helped!

[carionto]

Geronimo!

Space suits have come a long way - near 1 to 1 articulation and haptic feedback, intuitive zero-g booster based movement, nano-clamps for spiderman-like grip in low/no gravity, and of course dozens of micro layers of protection against all know space radiation and other hazards. Plus a centimeter thick composite armor against sentient threats, with a "cocoon" mode to fully cover all joints and other normally more exposed parts, that renders the Human inside near impervious to most small arms, and even some heavier impacts.

To fully test the limits of protection you don't actually need to have a person inside, just plenty of sensors and a good understanding Human physiology and anatomy. The military, of course, does things a bit differently, as their suits are even tougher. They do have this half-half mode where you are mostly armor, but can still move, but more like the Terminator. Given it also boasts a powered exoskeleton between the armor and hazardous protection layers, soldiers can wield weapons other militaries typically mount on vehicles, so the metaphor is almost just a straight factual comparison.

Some, however, are still not satisfied, and are always seeking to extend the durability of their suits to beyond the extremes.

____________________________

Hilda Lavre was standing on the edge of the ship in low orbit. One hand gripping an outer handle while engaged in final diagnostics.

"Alright, Hilda, everything looks green on our end, how 'bout you?"

"Same green green. I'm good."

"Whenever you're ready then. There's some clouds in the way of the predicted path, might slow you down a bit. Wanna wait?"

"Nah, nah. I'll wing it."

After a seconds pause, Hilda let go of the handle and gently kicked off the side of the ship. She was now on a direct collision course with the Atlantic Ocean.

.

.

.

(Thermals should start going up soon. I'm gonna turn on the external mic just a tad. There's just something about how the heat sounds scraping against the metal.

Oh, there it goes. Yellow, slowly getting to orange. Good.

Yea, that's a nice screech - burn that paint!

Halfway to red, altitude check. Already this close? Guess it'll be just shy of 80% tolerance.

Hehehehe, that means we can go for a bit faster next time. Cool.

Eh... wind without the heat just doesn't sound right, I'll turn it down to just barely audible. Something to keep me company.

Aaaand three.

Two.

One.)

SPLASH

.

.

.

(It's dark. But I guess it was dark before...

before what though?

Well, that's okay.

This feels like a new kind of dark though.

There's the dark when you're alone in your room at night, all the lights are out.

Another kind is when you decide to get inside your brothers closet to scare him when he comes back from the kitchen. That's a fun kind of dark. (it's getting cold)

There's also the dark of being in an underground bunker during a storm. Then the power gets cut and all the exits are sealed. That's a... lonely kind of dark.

One time I was wandering the woods, and before I knew it, it was the middle of a moonless night, overcast too. Hiding out in an abandoned shed, without even the wind or animal sounds to let you know anything is out there. I didn't like that kind of dark at all. (It's really cold)

This dark though... I dunno. It's like I'm hiding out in my own closet. My shoulder is up against my winter jacket, feet are grazing those old sandals I swore to throw out two summers ago. But also, it's not my room. Or even my house. Why am I in my closet? How did it get here? Where even is here?

I feel sleepy.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

"Hey, hey! Hilda! Wake up!"

*grunting* "Ugh... shut, shut up Barry..."

"Gods, don't freak us out like that. You okay?"

"Depends. How high did it go go?"

*laughter* "Okay, [She's fine everyone] yeah, you're fine. 87 meters, new record."

"Hmm, I was aiming to to break 90."

"Well, those clouds nudged you a little off, you hit it at a 83 degree angle. Still, those other readings are nice. I'm pretty sure we can do a boosted fall next time."

"Yeah, I I think so too. I feel a little little cold, did something break on hit hit?"

"Not break, but the impact did jolt the subsystems a bit. Activated one of the sedative shots. I manually made your suit give you a wake up shot right as I noticed. You should be feeling the effects right about now."

"Mmhhmmm, oh yea. I'm feeling the kick kick now. We need to improve the kinetic tic dampeners. No good if if it puts you to sleep upon any hard enough nough impact."

"Yup. We're suspending any other jumps for the week until we get that fixed and implement some minor tweaks based on your jump once we analyze the telemetry further.

Okay, everyone! Good job today! Let's meet up next weekend and test these bad boys out. Let's aim for a 100 meter splash by the end of the year!"

*cheers and yeahs as Barry opens a mini fridge and everyone cracks open a cold one*

[peachymilkandcream]

My Husband, My Monster|Part 9|William Afton x Wife!Reader

(A/N: We're getting closer and closer to the end of this series, I'm still not sure how many chapters it will end up being but for now we'll keep pressing forward! Hope you enjoy and comment to be added to the taglist!)

WARNINGS: noncon, dubcon, manipulation, domestic abuse, yandere themes, forced marriage, forced pregnancy, stockholm syndrome, violence, mind breaking, misogyny, etc.

============================================

Thankfully the next funeral William had to go to wasn't that of someone he cared for. Now it was Henry's turn to feel the pain and loss he had, poor little Charlie, dumped in the alley, strangled but with no suspects to be found. What a sob story. But when his child died the world didn't care for the innocent life snatched away too soon, no they cared about the chance to drag down his name and his life's work. My how different they were.

Granted it had been William's own fault, his drunk escapades rendered him useless to think. Therefore Henry found the body before he could bury in launch an investigation. So far he couldn't be linked to anything, the cameras outside of the building had always been sketchy at best. And it could have been any old tie that killed her, his was normal enough if they found any fibers it couldn't be linked to him. He was free. Although he couldn't shake the uneasy feeling that Henry suspected it was him. Their relationship was never good, but now it was on a new low. Glares and whispers replaced civil conversation, they were both biding their time.

============================================

Months passed, Charlie's death had been officially branded a tragic random act of violence and the case was closed. Law enforcement after some time give up when it's not an open and shut case. Millions of tax dollars for this kind of justice. William didn't mind, lazy cops meant more fun for him.

His home life had never been better. His beloved wife was developing nicely, and she seemed to have come around to his behavior. She let him control more and more aspects of her life, where she went, how she dressed. The list went on and on. Her showing pregnancy also helped to limit the amount of time outside the house she could spend. And since his true personality of absentee husband did nothing to control her moods his newest role as caring husband who dotes on his pregnant wife seemed to work wonders on her pliable mind.

His son was still a handful, haunted by what he had done to his brother. Michael had gotten into a habit of sneaking out to find distance from the space that once held his younger sibling, it was driving his mother sick with worry. With a child on the way the less stress the better, so William agreed he would talk to the boy and try to ease his guilt. Trips to the now closed diner that killed his brother had it's intended effect. Michael, seeing the dried bloodstains and rotting animatronics plagued his mind with nightmares. Nightmares that they were coming after him now, William could hear him crying in his room with terror, lights left on so they couldn't come to get him. He learned to stay indoors in the dark.

The Afton family was growing and thriving, William had intended for them to forget at least a little of their recent loss, he wanted to be the bearer of their sorrows, so they would love him as much as he loved himself. They were flying high and nothing could bring them down.

==============================================

"Scrapping Spring Bonnie?" The outrage was impossible to conceal in his voice. "That was my character, he's what started this whole business!"

"We already have another Bonnie, so your suit doesn't fit William." Henry didn't even give him the decency of eye contact.

"Then he can be a floor animatronic, you can't just get rid of the original mascot-"

"To tell you the truth William parents are afraid of it, since that suit and Fredbear had the same mechanical system parents are hesitant to bring their kids near so there's not a repeat of the accident."

"My son has a name, Henry. He's not just "the accident"."

Henry holds his hands up calmly and apologetically. "Alright, I'm sorry. What tragically happened to Evan makes parent's warry to trust our animatronics."

"The kids loved it!"

"True but they can't if they're not coming since parents are so concerned."

"So what, I'll just hide away in my office like you from now on?"

Henry scratches the back of his head. "About that-"

"You're joking-"

"Listen William, out on the floor your behavior is...eccentric. And I think it's too much for the kids."

"I'm a partner to this company shouldn't I have a say what I do?"

"Technically William I own most of it. I could buy out your shares in an instant."

"So you get to push me around."

"I hate that you word it like that but yes."

William scoffs. "I can't believe you."

"Believe what you want." He turns around in his chair. "I'll expect that suit to be in parts and repairs by the end of the day."

William storms out, fuming with rage. How dare he? He was just reacting to his dead brat. Children mean so much to him yeah? Well lets see what he'll do next. For weeks that insatiable thirst for blood plagued his every sense. No longer. He'd oblige that craving, indulge that urge. If William couldn't run the restaurant like he wanted, he'd burn it to the ground.

============================================

Choosing the victim wasn't hard. Birthday parties at the Pizzeria always meant a lot of commotion and confusion, the little blonde girl just happened to be all on her own. He recognized her, Henry had given the girl and her family permission to hang up missing dog posters in the door window since he cared so deeply about children's happiness. The stupid girl even gave him bait with which to lure her into the backrooms.

Henry wasn't here today, no one would notice the security cameras being tampered with. They wouldn't see him putting on his favorite suit since the parts and service camera busted months ago. It felt like home, smelled like home. He remembered the first time showing his wife his disguise and how she had laughed at "how adorable he was". Now she was at home caring for their newly born Vanessa, probably hoping he had a good day. Good, he had become very fond of the woman he vowed to spend eternity with. He'd hate to lose her over something like this.

================================================

His approach started subtly, just another mascot approaching a seemingly depressed child to cheer her up. He put on his best cartoon voice and offered her a balloon animal dog.

"Hey there miss, I couldn't help but notice your frown. What's wrong? Parties are no fun if you're sad." It was corny and made him cringe, but it always had a response with the kids.

"My dog, he's missing."

"Aw, well I am so sorry to hear that. But wait, is that your dog in that poster?" He points, a part of him wishing this was over so he could at least talk like an adult.

She nods, making him grin under the mask. "Good news! I think I saw that same dog in the back of the Pizzeria."

The way her eyes light up almost causes him to laugh, so gullible and naïve. Believing everything anyone says, she almost deserves it coming. "Really!?"

"Come with me!" He offers his large hand, having her take it as he slowly and surely leads her into the parts and service room, keeping his grin hidden and excitement in check.

Once there in the dark she looks around curiously, waiting for her dog to jump out of nowhere. When it didn't happen she looked up at him confused. "Mister, where is my dog?"

The knife plunging into her stomach severed all further questions. Her mouth hung agape in shock and horror as he repeated the action again and again. Not stopping until he was satisfied with his work.

When he was finished, a smile carved into her face, a wave of panic washed over him. What now? What about the body? Where wouldn't they look? He couldn't get lucky a second time.

His thoughts raced and raced until he spotted Chica, in for some routine maintenance with her chest cavity wide open. Perfect for a little girl.

With the body carefully hidden, William allowed himself a chance to enjoy his work and to revel in what he'd done. Nothing beat a high like this, he had to keep chasing it. But what could he do in this moment? Another kill would be too hasty.

His thoughts wandered until they finally came to his wife, knowing that she would be willing to feed until this high wasn't enough anymore and he needed his next rush. And then the one after this.

William stared at all of the parts and machines around him, Henry's pride and joy.

"Just think old friend." He said to the silence. "Now your precious machines are as corrupted and foul on the inside as you."

Tags:

===========

@fandomreader @n3r0-1417 @2pacl0ve

[itsgivingeattherich]

Café Blues (Part 4) Port Mafia Dazai

Hey pookie I got mail 💌

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 is coming out tomorrow

Warnings: Tying up, Mention of gun. Enjoy

Frost nibbled at your fingers. Yellow light penetrated through your eyes lids. As you came too, you realised your hands and legs were bound, which led you to wait for the panic to come - it never came -. You opened your eyes to a non-stop beeping. You took in your surroundings a dark room with no windows. Were you underground? At still you were on a chair, not the most comfortable, but at least all in one piece. Steps sounded from the hall, the door Infront of you turned open to illuminate the room

"Hey baby."

Dazai purred. He shut the door behind him and then looked at you. He flipped the switch behind him and a small light turned on above you. Basking the room in soft light. The gag in your mouth made you salivate.

"Oh, sorry I just wanted to make sure you didn't bite me." He winked.

He stepped closer and winded his arms around your head to pull off the gag.

"So, baby do you wanna explain why you had a gun to my head."

Silence.

He chuckled. "Okay." He reached into his belt and pulled out a gun. "Now talk."

"I - I"

"stop stuttering, it's going to draw my attention to your lips, and" he looked at you with lust in his eyes. "I'd rather have my dick in your mouth."

"I wanted to help you." Tears threatened to roll down your face.

"Explain."

"I don't want you to be in this anymore. I care about you. Obviously. I can't stand it that you're in this-"

"Baby. I'm not asking you to tell me your feelings. I'm asking for why you pointed a gun. At. My. Head"

He took the gun and brushed the hair in front of your face to the side.

"Tell me." He purred.

You flinched and looked up at him. "Please. Don't hurt me."

You've never seen him like this before, it's scary to see someone you trusted become someone you can't even recognise. He sighed.

" If you don't explain then I'll have to."

"Okay. Fine fine." You sputtered out ."I'll tell you if. If you put the gun away."

He obliged then tucked it back into the band if his trousers.

"I was working for a man. I can't tell you the name right now, but we are trying to break down the port Mafia." You gulped.

"really? Mmm and tell me sweets, what does that have to do with me."

He gestures with his hands to point to himself. Pulling his long coat back ever so slightly that the shine of his gun peaks out from under it.

"well I was ordered to get closer to one of the members, then carry out an inside mission."

"Wow. You fucked me for a mission. Wow. Wouldn't expect something like that from you. I'm quite um.. how do you say. Disappointed? Disgusted."

"Wait. Wait. That was before."

"Before what." He spat out.

"Before- before I fell in love with you. Before my reasons were to avenge my family, but I guess getting to know you. I changed. It shifted to me getting you out of the mafia."

"Really." His eyebrows arched in surprise.

"Yes. I just. I just was so angry. At the world at me, at the port Mafia. My parents death really had an impact on me, but I guess that changed when. When you showed me that not everyone involved is evil. You've killed. I know you have"

"Yes but that doesn't make me a bad person."

"You're going to stand there and tell me every life you took was worth it, everyone"

" You have to understand. I don't have a choice on who I kill-."

"YOU DID. YOU HAD THE CHOICE TO NOT JOIN."

"I was fourteen. I wanted to feel something. I-"

"no just stop. I don't want to hear excuses. The port Mafia was responsible for my parents death, and quite frankly the more you talk the more I associate you with them."

He looked at the ground, you rendered him defeated. He then stepped forward, bent down then unbound your legs, but not your hands.

"Sweets. *Sigh* I wish this were different. I want to let you go, but.. I've already brought you here. Listen I'll try and find a way to get you out of here but. No promises"

He tilted his head up for you to see his cascading locks move around his head. He had a beat up look to him. Scars. Some faded, others fresh lay on his forearms. A cut up lip and a bruised eyebrow.

"Did something happen?"

"They uh." He cleared his throat "There was a scuffle, they accused me of um. Leaking information."

"So they beat you up?"

"it's how things work here." He went to unbind your hands and relief washed through you. No more pain in your wrists and you gripped them to massage the pain away.

"Where are we going?" You stood up and caressed his face. He leaned into it and closed his eyes.

"Sweets there is no us." He opened his eyes to look at you and you gasped in response.

ℍ𝕖𝕝𝕝𝕠 𝕡𝕠𝕠𝕜𝕚𝕖𝕤. 𝔽𝕚𝕣𝕤𝕥𝕝𝕪 𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕟𝕜 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕗𝕠𝕣 𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕕𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕦𝕟𝕥𝕚𝕝 𝕡𝕒𝕣𝕥 𝕗𝕠𝕦𝕣 𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕥'𝕤 𝕔𝕣𝕒𝕫𝕪. 𝕀 𝕜𝕟𝕠𝕨 𝕀 𝕜𝕟𝕠𝕨 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕔𝕝𝕚𝕗𝕗𝕙𝕒𝕟𝕘𝕖𝕣𝕤 𝕚𝕥'𝕤 𝕒𝕟𝕟𝕠𝕪𝕚𝕟𝕘, 𝕓𝕦𝕥 𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕣𝕖'𝕤 𝕥𝕠 𝕓𝕖 𝕒 𝕤𝕦𝕣𝕡𝕣𝕚𝕤𝕖 𝕚𝕟 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕟𝕖𝕩𝕥 𝕡𝕒𝕣𝕥. *𝕎𝕚𝕟𝕜 𝕨𝕚𝕟𝕜*. 𝔸𝕘𝕒𝕚𝕟 𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕤 𝕚𝕤 𝕞𝕪 𝕚𝕟𝕥𝕖𝕣𝕡𝕣𝕖𝕥𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟 𝕠𝕗 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕔𝕙𝕒𝕣𝕒𝕔𝕥𝕖𝕣 𝕚𝕗 𝕚𝕥 𝕕𝕠𝕖𝕤 𝕟𝕠𝕥 𝕞𝕒𝕜𝕖 𝕤𝕖𝕟𝕤𝕖 𝕠𝕣 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕤𝕡𝕖𝕝𝕝𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕚𝕤 𝕤𝕙𝕚𝕥 𝕡𝕝𝕖𝕒𝕤𝕖 𝕝𝕖𝕥 𝕞𝕖 𝕜𝕟𝕠𝕨.

𝕰𝖆𝖙 𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝖗𝖎𝖈𝖍, 𝖙𝖍𝖊𝖓 𝖘𝖕𝖎𝖙 𝖙𝖍𝖊𝖒 𝖔𝖚𝖙

Also, part 5 is coming out tomorrow. I absolutely hate it when people make a story and then never finish it. So, I promise by the time this comes out all the parts are done.

[lycheeleeches]

you're so good at drawing the sides!! any tips for newer artists on your process?

Thank you <3 :D I definitely still consider myself a beginner but I can still go over my basic process

when I start sketching I play around with different poses warp stuff and scoot body parts over until I’m satisfied with it

Then we go into line art considering I’m still doing art for fun I tend to prioritize parts of the art process that I find more enjoyable so since line art in most cases tends to be my least favorite thing to do I’m not stressing over how messy it is (as I continue in my process I will clean up but as for now it isn’t a big priority) when doing line art I'm making sure to do lines one stroke and not have a bunch of little strokes make up a line. Playing around with line weight helps for example having thicker lines to indicate shadows are heaviness. Also it's fun to play around with different brushes until you find one you like

Then when choosing colors I tend to fill the character in a color I want the drawing to have and remove my white background I find that it helps me when choosing colors. I still keep all little colored parts separate in case I want to switch colors or add gradients. At this time I also add some blush to the face cause personally I think it makes them feel more alive.

Time for shading, at the start I have the color I want my shadows to be then hit the multiply layer then lower the opacity with however I see fit. It allows me a basic idea of where I want my shadows to fall (this isn’t the best example but it helps to have a basic idea of where your light source is coming from

Then the 2nd part of my rendering which is me playing around with colors surprisingly there is some method to the madness and that is having a basic idea of what color I want my light source and shadows to be with this drawing I want my light sources to be an orangy color and my shadows a pinkish one - at this stage I’m also painting over mistakes and anything I feel is sort of wonky

And there is times where I add an overlay layer if I want to help my colors to be more cohesive, or lights and shadows to be more dramatic

Lastly I have a layer to add my white highlights and any little effects I want

As I’m drawing if I am stumped with whatever I’m trying to depict I look at references also what helped me continue wanting to draw is drawing stuff I found enjoyable and making sure that I found a way to do art in a way I found fun. As I continued drawing I also try to compare myself to only past drawings that I did cause comparing myself to others only ever made me feel demotivated. I also took a lot of inspiration from other artists and how they colored stuff. Hope this messy explanation of my process helped.

[elizabethminkel]

Hi Elizabeth! Huge fan of The Rec Center, genuinely a delightful thing to get in my inbox and I’m so grateful. One concern, sorry, I wasn’t sure how to go about leaving formatting feedback. With the change from Twitter posts to Bluesky posts being included in the email (which is very cool! I’m down with it!) viewing the email in dark mode on a iPhone just shows a black text box. If that’s just how the formatting works out, no worries, but wanted to mention in case it wasn’t a known issue 🤷‍♀️

Hello! Thanks so much for your kind words about the newsletter. 🥰 Unfortunately this *is* a known issue—another dark-mode user and I went back and forth for a while and I had them screenshot how it looked one week (when I just popped the URL in directly and let it render) vs the next (when I used the full embed code). Neither were good lol, but not as bad as what you're screenshotting!

The only other thing I can think of is screenshotting the posts, but I worry that will diminish accessibility in a different way, since when I've tried that it's made them difficult to read within an email, period. So my next step is to look and see if this is a known issue at Bluesky itself—I'm sure they want their posts to render well in all kinds of emails and this feels like a failing on their end haha.

But also, why I'm publishing this instead of answering privately: if anyone else has any other suggestions, please let me know. We are 100% done with Twitter and short Tumblr posts would also come in via a screenshot method (and are often heavily tagged in a way that makes sense on Tumblr but renders them largely unusable in this context) so figuring out a way all readers can see Bluesky posts would be ideal.

lol ETA: I should have googled before I posted this. It looks like it's known and there's some movement on it, but as recently as yesterday someone was asking why it still wasn't live... (Though unclear to me if this will be responsive to a reader's settings or if the dark v light is something you specify at the start, the latter of which will not solve the problem....)

[lavendergalactic]

Gray & blue for the azk game !! :3

gray: talk about the colors you tend to use in edits! do you like making bright or dark edits? are there colors you dislike editing?

i tend to lean towards making pink edits i think! i love making pink and red edits mostly :D

and i HATE editing yellow or a light green, i don't know why i can just never get it right- except for this yayoi edit i think the yellows in this one are really nice

blue: do you have favorite editors? is there any specific reasoning for your choosing?

@llocket !! 100% locket i really love anything he makes and i am VERY biased but hey i am locket's #1 fan forever >:) she's been improving their graphics so much recently, i love the married in red edits they did today... the improvement is crazy

@saeriji PROUD SAE OG FAN SINCE DAY 1 BRO 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥 i love all the gifts she's given me, she's so generous and kind T_T and i'm pretty sure she does all her colouring and editing on ibis paint and literally she is just so good at colouring on ibis paint i strive to be like that

@necroangelz OFC! i've seen hir improve SOO much over the past few months, and idol even hit 1k followers recently which is so incredibly deserved

@hiddencircus i always find myself staring at radio's edits for 5 mins straight like... they're all so incredibly detailed and i just feel so much intention and effort that was poured into the edits

@doveish the way shi colours stuff is so nice on the eyes, and i've got to talk with macalo like two times on discord and shi's such a blast to talk to! shi also got me hooked to the lolitawardrobe account on twitter

@narcbf got me super inspired to make shiny buttons / imvu badges, thanks to their tutorial i can make them too now 🙏 also .co/pixelprism is like an angel sent from the heavens i love going there for any resources or really pretty shiny buttons

@herrscherofmemories (YOU!) the absolute IMPROVEMENT i've seen from amaru is so wild to me like i love to see it fr. im in love with this psd of hers, also i forever associate them with any melusine- i see a melusine in the wild and go "OMGG AMARU!! NO WAY!!" also with s = z typing quirks too, i remember my S key hurt too much to press so i settled with what i called "an amaru typing quirk" it was actually really fun

@spiralssyndrome i love love love her colouring on anything, and their melanin edits she does!!!! im a sucker for genshin melanin edits omg... also they're super helpful when it comes to making renders; it's so sweet how willing she is to help me with rendering an image :D also they helped with colouring on my chappell roan buttons 🙏 my hot to go button would be very different without her help thank u

@ideallyadored SUPER DUPER SMOOPER HELPFUL WHEN IT COMES TO GRAPHIC TIPS!! recently told me i should use sharpen on my stamp gifs, i still have yet to figure it out but i can't stop thinking about that tip it lives rent free in my head, i also love their clean aesthetic approach to things all of it is so nice on my eyes

that was such a yap fest i would have gone more but i'd be here for years guys LMAOFOA

[xbruised-peachx]

I love your hcs! And I love that you write for Gromsko and Fender!! ❤️❤️❤️

I checked your blog to see if you're accepting requests but I couldn't find anything. 🤔

I wanted to ask how you think those two act around their crush before they confess to them/how they go about asking their crush out?

Please ignore this if your requests are closed 😅

(thank you!!! for a ref, my writing requests are open! pretty much only req i dont do is render request, but my writing requests are always open!)

Tags: fem!reader, not betaread, one shot, slight angst in fenders section

Gromsko w/ a crush

I've gone into this in Sowa Team but he's kinda the type to genuinely not believe you're single and just assume you're taken. I mean... come on, how could you not have a lucky someone? He admires from afar, adoring the way you talk, you walk, your smile. He notes the way you react when he talks to you though, looking away when you catch his gaze, a softly blush barely appearing on your laughing face. He never asks directly, instead hearing from others or from an implication from you that you aren't taken. He takes that and starts to flirt a bit more, starting to call you little pet names but only in Polish, assuming you wouldn't understand and if you do understand... then you'd get his hint. Kochanie, malenka (everyone is small to him), kotku, he'll even tease light-heartedly; "Whatever you say, piękna..." He'll play off your words, making you smile and laugh however he can because he just can't get enough of it. That's how he finally asked you out too, catching him looking at you while eating lunch.

"You're staring at me like you're a cartoon character," you called him out and you were right, head in his hands and slightly tilted. "Only thing missing is the hearts in your eyes."

He chuckled, shaking his head as he broke his gaze. "Yeah... I can't help it I guess." He paused, looking back at you with such soft eyes. "...I could just look at you for hours. I think seeing you smile would be my sunrise in the morning."

You laughed, your cheeks starting to blush. "Gromsko... have you thought of waking up to me?"

His smile dropped slightly, realizing he slipped up, his eyes darting as for once, his confidence fell. "Maybe..."

"Mhmm... and how long have you thought about that? Why were you thinking of that?" You teased him playfully.

He smirked, gaining a bit of self-assurance as he looked back at you. "I think you know why..."

With a sly smile, he let his hand slip over to you, letting that be his answer as he looked at you with adoration again... and you accepted.

Fender w/ a crush

With the way he is, knowing his father's fate... love terrifies him. He's tried to keep it out of his mind and for the most part it had been successful. People would catch the way he'd be struck by you, lingering looks for longer than he has for anyone else... and when called on it it struck him in a different way. He'd notice how his heart skipped a beat when he saw you smile in pure joy. You'd never catch him looking though because he'd look away just as quick, snapping himself out of it. He wanted to keep you smiling, but to him the only way to do that was to keep away from you. He lived a dangerous life... his heart ached just thinking about hurting someone by leaving them. And he could avoid that by simply never coming into your life. But he could only avoid for so long. Once you started talking to him and he got to know you more... he started falling more and more. But he remained in denial, despite how often you insisted on wanting to hang out with him, showing how much you enjoyed his company, he convinced himself you didn't like him like that. But as he got more comfortable around you he also got more comfortable sharing, eventually sharing his fear... even his fear of love and why.

"I... can understand that," you said sympathetically. "I'm sure seeing your mom all your life post... I can't even imagine but I can understand."

"...It's hard still. She always said I looked like him... the way her face dropped in fear when I told her I was joining but... I also remember her pride in telling me to protect my face..." He paused, looking away from you and to the floor, shutting his eyes as he took a deep breath. "...Even if I don't date anyone... the idea of leaving her alone is..."

He couldn't finish his words before a releasing a shuttering breath. You let him have his moment of quiet before scooting close, putting your arm around him to help ground him back to reality before dark thoughts took him. "I know you're scared but... Fender, you don't have to suffer alone with these thoughts... I'm here for you, no matter what."

He slowly looked to you, tears just barely pricking his brown eyes as he hesitantly leaned into your touch, enjoying it but still having anxiety. "...Thank you......" his voice was soft, and his smile showing his absolute gratitude. It took a while for him to gain the trust needed to let you love him... to let himself show love to another. But when he did, he couldn't be happier allowing himself to be vulnerable in a way he never has before.

[bakawitch]

So since one of the things mentioned in H.F.I.V.E. ask prompt is magic using super spies, what magic types/powers do the characters have? Also how does toxic masculinity play a role story's theme?

Ooh fun question! Okay!

So they technically don't really have actual magic, they just have really strong imaginations. I'll expand on that in a bit.

Basically, all spies have special watches that supply them with their spy suits. The suits grant them the regular power ups you'd expect, like flexibility and stuff, but nothing op. The spies are given a set amount of gear every episode that they can use, kinda like in Totally Spies. Or kind of like in Mickey Mouse Clubhouse XD

Each spy also has a special tool. These tools are regular everyday objects, but using their heightened imagination and their watches' spification(?) they transform into heir signiture spy gadgets with special abilities! This is essentially a mix of the Persona metaverse rules and how the Tokyo Mew Mew girls get their weapons. Basically, they have an already existing object they're somewhat attached to, and when their imagination is finally unleashed after training, they declare the first thing that comes to mind and from that point on that object will be able to transform into their signature gadget. Harper doesn't have hers yet since she's still a trainee.

Let's go through who has what now:

Hayden has a pen that can transform into the Lightline Quill, a pen that draws terrain outlines with beams of light that become solid, climbable, or walkable surfaces. Can double as a flashlight.

Fern has a bracelet that can transform into the Milkyway, basically projectile beads that constantly stay on target. They can be used as spy cameras that transmit info to his watch.

Ike has glasses that can transform into the Trace Goggles, a pair of goggles that can render the wearer and anything/one they touch invisible. Can be used for night vision and heat signiture tracing.

Virgil has a keychain/motorcycle key that can transform into the Exhaust Pipe, a smoke blaster that can emit different kinds of smoke.

Evan has a phone that can transform into the Master Key that can emit a strong EMP. It can double as a hacking device that can control anything electronic remotely as long as he can break into it.

These gadgets lose power when the spies stop believing in their usefulness and lose belief in themselves or let fear control them.

This, I feel, is a good point to divulge into the subject matter!

Toxic masculinity often teaches boys to suppress imagination, vulnerability, or emotional depth, labelling them as weak or childish or y'know "not man enough"! For these spies, that mindset literally weakens the gadgets since belief and imagination are what powers them. A boy raised to “tough it out”, "be a man", "man up" or “grow up” might struggle to power his device because imagination is seen as unmanly and unadulty (I'm pretty sure that's not word). Say if a spy fears ridicule or something like that about their gadgets and denies them (their authentic strengths), the gadgets will weaken, which kinda mirrors how toxic masculinity punishes deviation from stoic norms.

This angle will mostly apply to Virgil, specifically because he will start off as the weakest spy due to his kinda toxic masculine beliefs with lacking emotional intelligence. But as he grows emotionally and sheds his harmful habits and views, his abilities will also grow as a spy to show that dismantling toxic masculinity leads to empowerment and not effemination (that's probably a word idk).

The Black Snake also specifically embodies these toxic ideals, mocking imagination, enforcing conformity, and using power without empathy. This would mostly be shown through his treatment of his minions (especially Black Thorn) and how defeating the spies means thrusting them into a stereotypical world of an "unappreciated man" to him with his methods, possibly even recruiting them to his cause. Defeating him will not be about brute force and which side is the most powerful one, but about courage to believe, feel, and create.

Phew! Sorry this took so long, I wanted the toxic masculinity commentary to at least make a little sense ┐('u`;)┌

[feyspeaker]

Hii me again. I'm not sure if I sent the ask I'm talking about on anon, so maybe that's why you didn't see it? It partially got answered with a recent ask you got anyway so no worries. I was just wondering if you use 3d in your process and if so, how? I've seen other illustrators use it to varying degrees and it seems like a really helpful tool to push your work.

Oh that's so weird! No I periodically go through my asks in chunks and I didn't see anything like that. I've had a few people in the past few months send me asks that looked like the second half of something else with no context, so maybe it's Tumblr fuckery. Sorry!!

I recommend learning Blender so you can help sculpt shapes and render lighting onto them in order to get the weirder/more complex shadows right. You can also apply colors onto the things you sculpt in order to see how the colors act in different lighting. It's pretty much an invaluable tool to me as it keeps me from having to problem-solve too much. I did a lot of digging around in my house to build references to photograph but it was just impractical to achieve the things I want to a lot of the time. I still do that, and you would not believe how many goofy photos I have of my husband in the poses you've seen me paint Astarion in lmao...

I do think that it needs to be used in moderation if you are a more beginner artist- I think that using 3D is DANGEROUSLY close to becoming a massive crutch for a newer artist and improper usage or over reliance on it can lead to stiffness or artificial looking colors. You need to be able to train your eye to create compelling compositions by bashing things together, and train your hand to replicate/add/subtract as needed from your references with an organic feel.

I will say this as a total committer of this crime myself in the past, it's VERY easy to tell when an artist relies too much on, for example, Clip Studio Paint posed models as bases for pieces without a good enough grasp on their fundamentals. And I also used to prickle when I saw more advanced artists warn of this, so I do think maybe it just has to run its course sometimes, because I know that using 3D for reference seems like an easy-button.

I've taken a lot of in-person classes for live figure drawing and painting, as well as just totally done drills, basically, on sketching and painting from life before relying too much on static imagery/3D/etc.

I often fret over every piece I do looking too stiff even still.

You have to do a LOT of the boring hard stuff the old fashioned way. And I regularly go back to it over and over when needed.

For example, I recently did a stupid amount of rose petal/flower studies deconstructing and painting ugly little paintings/doodles over and over because I know that I've been horribly weak at painting flowers for years (actively avoiding them). And I've been doing a lot of floral stuff lately due to that.

Whenever I start a new piece in new territory, I know it's going to mean several 3AM nighters where I have two other tabs open on Photoshop where I test out different textures or do a couple of studies. I'm working on a piece of my OC right now that has a lot of gore/medical instruments and I've been working on testing out different methods for shiny metal painting and some anatomical studies. I'll come to a snag in a painting and go "here we go" and work through it one piece at a time.

My Halsin piece, "Secret Spot" in the hot spring, was a massive undertaking with a lot of these moments. The Karlach x Dammon piece took 3 times longer than it should have due to me just having to go back and fix things knowing I could do better after doing some studies.

Ultimately I personally find art tutorials to be quite useless overall once you get to a certain point, unless they are teaching the use of a tool/software because you HAVE to figure out what works for you. And even then I use Blender like a monkey with a keyboard, I suspect, because I've just bruteforced through it, so I could probably use a tuneup from a good teacher on that haha. I hope this helps some, and sorry if I overstepped if I sound preachy.

[part-time-zombie]

I started looking back on the kinds of movies/series I rewatch the most and which tropes inspire me to keep coming back even if I've seen the same story a thousand times before, and I noticed a pattern that (in my own opinion at least) reflects/correlates with my tastes in media regarding the expectation of romantic love.

I've found that when I find a show with characters/plot/tropes i enjoy, it's usually got one of two extremes regarding dynamics and character relationships, both of which subtly subvert or defy standard romantic expectations.

The first extreme is where there is very little explicit romance in the story. Sure there might be love still present, but it's usually shown in a broader expression of acceptance, admiration, understanding, respect, and appreciation. It's simply about caring about the people who care about you, and not expecting that warmth and familiarity to become something different just for the sake of being romantic. This love inspires them to be the best of themselves, and to do the best for the other. It is about seeing this other person as home, and feeling safest and the most like themselves in each others presence. This kind of love doesn't need to be romantic/sexual, and in fact to make it that way would often render it unrecognizable from what it once was.

(think good omens... romantic and yet also More)

The second extreme is where the love is far more intense, far more dramatic, than most romantic stories let themselves go. This love is obsessive, all-consuming, and completely and utterly devoted. It is a pledge of one's life sewn to the other, promising to rebuild the world so it will hold them and to destroy it if they cannot be together. It is acceptance of each others darkness, and inspiration of their light. This love is dangerous, addictive, and ultimately life-saving. It completely alters the characters and the story surrounding them. This love is loud and violent and beautiful, a transformation into power and strength that defies fate itself. It is ultimately what romance wants to be and often falls short of.

(think hannibal, romantic and yet also More...)

That's alot of words to simply say that I like when love stories are vague on the type of love it is supposed to be seen as, but clear in its beauty and greatness and how it doesn't really matter How they love, or even If they love in the way you'd expect, but what matters it that their bond is stronger than their world.

I guess I'm just getting tired of seeing countless drawn out will-they-wont-they romance shit for the sake of drama, I want to see them team up against everything else.