#if it activates my art brain it's been Chosen

[joyfuladorable]

Of Darkness and Light by Bayluff

It was running. It was running from him. Surging forward, he snagged the shadow of his prey, and slowly crawled up, sliding up a leg, up a strangehardback and finally, into the back of the neck.

Mikey suddenly stopped, shuddering, his breath hitching loudly. Leonardo immediately stopped and looked back. "Mikey? Mike what's wrong?" He questioned, concerned his feeling had been right.

"N-Nothing." Michelangelo said after a pause. "I just got real cold for a second." He laughed. "It's gone now."

My angst gremlin heart was appeased by this fic, lol. But also! I was cooing over all the comfort Mikey got while he was having a Bad Time (tm). ALSO, please don't tag this as ship in anyway. That's insta-block behavior.

Less eye-straining first image ^^

[literatooru]

pairing: gn!reader x miya osamu

flufftober 2024!

Divination has never been Osamu’s favorite class. He always finds himself feeling drowsy; and whether it's because of how it seems to make the hours dreadfully drag on and on, or because of how the professor’s voice mixed with the heavily perfumed smoke that wafts all around the slightly claustrophobic room, he’s not sure.

He had only chosen it because it was easy to fool the professor by making up “predictions” of the future, as long as a tragedy or two (or five) were added. But by Merlin, sometimes he wonders if he should have picked Arithmancy or Study of Ancient runes to at least keep his brain a little more active. He’s also unsure as to why it’s even taught at all, considered that, at best, it’s viewed as a flawed and feeble “art” by most. He thinks it’s more of a fraud.

The only perk he could think of was that at least he got to spend an hour (or two, if he was lucky and had double period) with you.

Osamu heaves a sigh as he climbs the silvery ladder and looks around the crammed classroom. He blinks a couple times to adjust his eyesight to the new, crimson lighting, the corners of his lips automatically quirking up when his eyes finally land on you.

He makes his way to you, evading the dozens of small, circular tables filling the classroom. Once he reaches you, he lets the strap of his bag slide down his arm and it lands on the rug with a muted thud, then sinks onto the little round ottoman right across from yours.

“D’ya think she’s gonna make us continue the dream diary?” he says as a greeting.

You rest your chin on the palm of your hand as you let out a groan. The classroom slowly starts filling up with students, all of them disrupting the silence with animated chatter.

“I hope not. I barely managed to make up enough of them last year,” you mumble, blinking slowly as drowsiness immediately starts taking over you. “I wish we could open a window. It’s so stuffy in here.”

“Psh, ya really wanna disrupt yer Sight like that?” he says with humor.

Osamu busies himself pulling out his textbooks, dropping the heavy tomes on the table with a small huff and rolling his shoulder where his bag had been slung over.

“Ah! My darlings! I could sense you had all finally arrived,” Professor Trelawney speaks in that typical misty tone of hers, rearranging her shawl delicately. “Welcome, welcome. Oh, no need for those today, my dear,” she says, gesturing at a student that had just pulled out one of his textbooks. Osamu purses his lips and carelessly drops his own books into his bag. “I am aware that everyone’s minds seem to get rather foggy after a prolonged break."

“All the incense does a rather fine job as well,” your friend mutters under his breath, and his smile grows when you stifle a chuckle behind your hand.

"I myself make sure to exercise my Inner Eye as often as I can,” the Professor continues. She pushes her large glasses further up the bridge of her nose, sniffing softly as she walks among the tables.

“We shall make a revision of the subjects we’ve previously touched, starting with the basics, just as a refresher. Pass me the large silver teapot, dearie."

A girl stands up from her seat to do as told as Professor Trelawney runs her eyes across the various shelves, grabbing a couple different things off them. “Now, everyone please collect a teacup from the shelf. I will fill it for you.”

Osamu and you stand up from your seats and walk towards the shelves, waiting in line to grab a cup.

“Hold on, I got it,” he tells you. He walks through the crowd, mumbling apologies as he gently nudges people aside, and he takes advantage of his height by reaching out to take two of the teacups and saucers from the top shelf. After that, he makes his way back to you and offers you the delicate china with a warm smile.

“Thank you, giraffe,” you say with a smile of your own.

“I presume you all remember how this goes. Really, the process is fairly simple,” the Professor says. She pours tea into the teacups that are extended to her. “Of course, reading the leaves is the complicated part. Only those that possess the Sight, such as myself—”

Her voice is drowned under the chatter as you and Osamu go back to your table and take a seat. You blow lightly on the scalding liquid, dark ripples disturbing the surface.

Osamu moves the teacup to his lips, gently places the rim against them, takes a small sip and immediately frowns.

“Oof!” he exclaims. His whole face soon scrunches up into a grimace as he takes a second sip without even waiting for it to cool down. “It could do with a little sugar.” 

“More than a little.” You nod, coughing a little after taking the first sip. “I wish we could do this with butterbeer instead.”

“Man, what I wouldn’t do for one right now. It’s getting chilly.”

Once you both finally manage to down the bitter beverage, you each swill the remaining dregs around the cups three times with your left hand, then turn them upside down on the saucers and wait for the last of the tea to drain away before exchanging cups.

You reach into your bag to pull out your old copy of Unfogging the Future (which you had casted Reducio on to decrease its size until it matched that of a small dictionary’s) and place it on the table, flicking through the pages as you examine Osamu’s teacup.

“All right, hit me, partner. Exactly how many tragedies are in store for me?”

You roll your eyes with humor, shaking your head softly as you peer into his teacup. 

“I see… a…” You squint your eyes and frown as you try to make out exactly what the shapes are supposed to depict. “An umbrella. According to what the book says it means ‘difficulties’. And I think that’s— an apple? No, wait, it looks more like a butterfly,” you mumble, rotating the cup and craning your neck with your lips pursed. Osamu snorts, earning a glare from you before you shift your gaze to consult your book. “Which means��� success. And that over there could be a crescent moon, which means… prosperity. So I guess you’re going to struggle with something you’re working on but end up successful, and that’s going to bring you good things."

“I don’t think you’ve exercised yer Inner Eye much, have ya?” Osamu says with an arched eyebrow, and his index finger pressed against his lips to suppress a smile.

You scoff. Your eyes remain on him as you set the teacup down, then mimic his cocked brow and lean forward, closer to him. 

“So you’re an expert now?” you ask.

You drum your fingers on the surface of the table as you watch his smile grow, and it’s almost infuriating how pretty he looks. The corners of his eyes crinkle, and his entire face seems to light up, his eyes glued on you as he gives a sharp nod. Is it just you feeling a little lighter? Perhaps all the smoke and incense have finally gotten to you.

“‘Course. I have an innate ability for divination. M'great, great, great, great aunt was a renowned Seer. She used to read Tarot Cards for the Queen herself.”

You throw your head back with laughter, the sound filling Osamu’s ears and making him feel warm and fuzzy inside. He knows it’s not the environment he’s in—it’s because of you.

“Right, sure. Go on then.” You grab your teacup from the saucer and offer it to him, a look full of expectation on your face. “Tell me what the future holds for me, O' great Seer.”

Osamu huffs out a chuckle. When he reaches out to grab the teacup, his fingers accidentally brush yours. You jerk your hand back and he clears his throat. He stands up from his ottoman and walks over to you, halting once he’s right by your side. Osamu leans down, rests his elbows on the table and gets closer to make sure you can see the inside of the cup as well.

His arm brushes yours every time he moves it, and you you can’t help glancing at him every now and then. How have you never noticed he has such a pretty profile? Well, to be completely honest, his entire face is pretty. It’s just that you’ve somehow only just paid close attention to it. He takes a quick peek at you and smiles when he catches your eyes on him, making you immediately avert your gaze and lean forward so much that your nose is almost touching the teacup.

Osamu chews on the inside of his cheek. You’re so… adorable.

“See that, right there?” he asks quietly, index finger stretched out to point at what looks like… a dark blob. You shoot him a concerned, sideways glance, absolutely confused as to what he’s seeing. “That’s a hat. Means Improvement, if I recall correctly. And a sun and horseshoe right text to it! That means such improvement will also bring you great fortune and happiness.” He cocks his head to the side, his breath mingling with yours due to the closeness. His voice drops in volume, almost forcing you to get even closer to him—close enough that he can smell your perfume over the smokiness of the room. And it just smells so good that he has to stop himself from taking a very obvious deep breath. “A pumpkin…” he carries on, forcing himself to focus on the dregs rather than you. “A circle… huh.”

“What?” you murmur. 

You had actually been so focused on his words that when you turn your face to look at him, you start when you find him so close to you. You feel warmth creep up your neck, and—yep, it’s definitely not due to the ambiance of the Divination classroom.

“It’s a good cup,” Osamu declares, tapping the rim with his index finger. He sets it back down on the saucer and places his left hand on the table, his right one moving to rest on his hip as he looks down at you, lips pursed as he seems to mull something over. “Maybe I should just pop the question then.”

“What are you talking ab—”

“Go out with me,” Osamu interrupts you.

You blink up at him once, twice; suddenly feeling so very grateful that you’re sitting down. You mouth wordlessly at Osamu, then blink once more.

“That’s not a question,” you manage blurt out when you finally find your voice. You’re not sure whether you should slap yourself or punch yourself in the face. Both options sound appropriate for the situation. Osamu Miya has just asked you out on a date and there you are, making a fool of yourself.

To your surprise (and relief), Samu smiles.

“Will you go out with me?”

You dig your teeth into your bottom lip, reaching for your discarded teacup and fiddling with it for a second just to keep your hands busy.

“I don’t know. What are you thinking?”

“That you will if you say yeah.” He adds a cheeky smile to his retort, earning a snort from you.

Smartass.

“And what if I say no?” you ask, narrowing your eyes at him.

“Well, you can’t say no.”

“Why not?” You force a frown onto your face, if anything to conceal the nervousness threatening to take over you.

“Because, my dearie,” he begins, mimicking Professor Trelawney’s misty voice as he yanks the teacup from your hands and waves it in front of your face, “it’s written in the tea leaves.”

This time, the laugh that bubbles out of you is so genuinely filled with good humor that Osamu can’t help the smile that almost splits his face in two. Merlin’s Beard, he loves that sound. He’s willing to make himself look like an absolute idiot if it means getting to hear it again and being the reason for it.

“is it, now?” you say through your chuckling. “I didn’t see anything like that in my cup.”

“Because you don’t possess the Sight, unlike me,” Osamu retorts, tapping his index finger right between your eyebrows gently. “If you had broadened yer mind and casted yerself into the future, you’d know it. I saw it with my own two eyes— er… three?”

“You’re such an idiot, you know that, Samu?”

“A lucky idiot, I hope?” he says leaning forward a bit. “The Three Broomsticks, Friday night. You, me, and a couple of Butterbeers. I’ll wait for you outside your Common Room.”

And there it is, the smile he’s found himself longing for more times than he can count and that you’re convinces makes you like like an absolute idiot.

“It’s a date.”

[spicymotte]

How fandom culture killed my creativity

hi. I have some thoughts about my time in a huge fandom and how it changed me:

First of all, I would like to say that these are my personal experiences in a large anime fandom. I have made very good friends with whom I am still in contact today - and I was exposed to a kind of brain rot that has changed the way I deal with art forever. However, this does not apply to every fandom/every person.

this - essay? - is way longer than I thought it would be. More under the cut:

In 2020, after a long break, I was able to get excited about One Piece again. Until then, I had always considered art important to me and I had never been able to do it professionally. (maybe someday...!)

The One Piece fandom is huge. There are now over 1000 manga chapters and anime episodes, which is gigantic; and the fandom itself is just as huge: millions of fans love this manga/anime and exchange ideas about it on the internet. I was previously very limited to tumblr, but then I ventured into OPtwt, the One Piece community on Twitter. There is a lot of fan art, fan fiction and small cliques that like the same character. There is something for everyone. It was great! I had a hyperfixation phase on OP before, in 2017. Now it came back - so violently that I realized very quickly that I could hardly think of anything else but One Piece.

Hyperfixations involve two major factors: an intense obsession with a character (or theme/media/whatever), which often brings with it a bottomless well of inspiration and motivation for artists – and a strange influence on brain chemistry. Neurodivergent people are prone to difficulties with the release of happiness and rewarding hormones anyway, and even though I am in no way qualified to make grand statements, as a person living with AuDHD, hyperfixations are both a blessing and a curse.

Often, the neurodivergent niches in the fandom communities are very lively. On extremely interactive social media like Twitter, TikTok and Instagram, you are flooded with posts of fan art, discussions and also escalation. It quickly becomes stressful for the brain to keep up with it - especially if you manage to accumulate a large number of followers. (also a blessing and a curse!)

I started posting fanart and OC x canon in 2020. I spent most of the last three years on Twitter and I have to say that it set me back in some ways. At first, I was slow to get to know people through fanart, but then I got to know people very quickly: fellow artists that I am still good friends with today and, unfortunately, people who have also succumbed to an incredible, destructive brainrot. I had chosen a character (or rather, my brain did) who plays almost no role in One Piece. All the better, so I pretty much had him to myself and I could do whatever I wanted. The OC x canon community is generally very friendly and respectful, so I found quite a few people who liked what I drew. Cool!

And then it started. With fanart and a small fan club for my OCs, I got more followers and more likes. More retweets and comments, more notifications. The algorithm started to like me and the growth increased steadily. My fandom (OP) account grew, as did my reach.

I checked Twitter more and more. Every free second I took my smartphone in my hand and checked my notifications. I reloaded the page until I had a new notification. I repeated this on Instagram and tumblr. Sometimes I catch myself doing it today, even though I haven't been active in this fandom for over a year!

Likes were good, retweets better. Every notification of an interaction with my art was a push on the feel-good button in my brain. It's very addictive, even if I talked myself out of it at first. The pandemic was at its peak and the internet was the only way to meet friends anyway. All this shit was fast food for my brain.

Then I started drawing fanarts, even though I didn't feel like it. But the likes had to come from somewhere, didn't they? I drew favorites from manga, characters that I didn't even like that much myself. But they were popular, so that promised likes and reach! Every single day, really every day, I drew fanarts. I was disappointed with myself if I didn't.

As of today, my two One Piece art folders have 80GB of data in it! what the fuck!! That's not normal!

I learned a lot during that time and was able to develop my art. I was able to participate in projects, to draw for several zines and also had a lot of fun – but I treated it like a job. Making fan art your job is very difficult – and has a lot of consequences. If you run a merch shop (as I did for a short time), you always have to follow the hype and draw what's in style. You switch fandoms because the hype has just burned out and the next new thing is already in style. If you're one of the first to offer keychains and stickers - or plushies - you make the big money. That brings profit, but in my opinion you can very quickly step on the wrong foot in this jumping around and slip into burnout. (Or stagnate to such an extent that you lose all motivation to refine your artistic skills and become better at your craft.)

I see friends of mine, many of them, who are trying to live off of fandom merch. They all have one thing in common: their skills in art have remained absolutely the same over the past few years or have even declined. If you have to churn out a new batch of merchandise every week, you have to cut corners. There is no time for experiments and crazy studies when you can hardly live and have to produce merch/fan art that sells 100% well.

I don't mean to offend anyone - it's just that I've been thinking a lot about my own setbacks as an artist since I've been dealing with them so intimately. And I've definitely made some setbacks!

In 2021-2023, fandom life continued and got worse and worse. Checking my smartphone, drawing something every day to post it - just so that the algorithm doesn't sort me out. Posting daily is the number one rule on all Social Media, unfortunately. But I did it, no matter how burned out I felt.

And then there were the dramas on Twitter: internet puritans, antis and proshippers were screaming at each other and tearing each other to shreds (a trap I almost fell into myself! anti and pro are the biggest bullshit ever and I'm lucky enough to have reached a point where I can say: I don't give a shit lol). Callout posts, vague tweeting and aggression instead of simply blocking and moving on. Harassment that I myself experienced: I blocked a few people because I found them strange and unpleasant. They posted explicit things that I did not want to see on my timeline. This triggered a wave of harassment that was simply disgusting. These are people who hate their own lives so much that they can't do anything but feel miserable and stalk strangers online. Admittedly, this made me paranoid: a group of people had chosen me as a target. They passed around screenshots of many of my tweets and made fun of me, copying and stealing my art 1:1. They lied and cheated to make me look like an asshole – and this went on for years. It made me paranoid and was the first step away from fandoms, as it escalated more and more.

So, I was successfully bullied out of the fandom and my hyperfixation was over. It left a terrible void that I am still trying to fill today. Neurodivergence sucks, I'll tell you.

That's when I honestly asked myself for the first time: What the fuck am I doing here? When did I become a content machine for strangers on the internet? Why the hell do I feel so bad when I don't draw for a day? And why do I care what strangers think about me?!

Then I realized that I can't draw anymore.

Without references or the 3D models from Clip Studio Paint, I'm lost. When I try to draw something without any help, I sit in front of an empty canvas. My hands don't do what they're supposed to do and my brain blocks the thought of how drawing even works. My eyes only see the mistakes I make. Everything I draw looks bad to me.

I realized I have a problem.

So I try again and learn it all again from scratch: Anatomy, perspective, color theory, everything. But every time I sit down and try to put something on paper, there's nothing there. I've been drawing things every day for the last four years. Now my hyperfixation on this character and this manga is over and there's nothing left. I've been burning the candle at both ends and I've broken something in the process. Art is no longer something I enjoy. I need art to live and breathe, no doubt, but… the barrel now has a bottom again and it's empty to the last drop.

The little motivation I can muster goes into my webcomic, which is my everything. It's just mine, not a fandom. I feel honored that so many people read this comic. At the same time, I'm afraid that it's not enough; in my eyes, my art doesn't look good. Being surrounded by perfect illustrations on social media all day long distorts one's own perception of art, like the beauty industry that gives you body dysmorphia. On top of that, I haven't had any financial success with my comics in recent years, none at all. The dream of being an independent comic artist has receded so far into the distance that I can no longer see it. Bummer.

The constant stream of content that I gave during my fandom days has set me back incredibly. I can no longer enjoy the process of art, but my brain constantly pushes me to finish it, to have a finished product - because then I can post the drawing and get the virtual handshake that my weird brain likes so much.

Social media detox, of course, is the first thing that comes to mind. It's actually bullshit that we're all so addicted to these apps, but here we are. It's uncomfortable for me to admit, but I have hardly any friends in real life. I'm very introverted and many people find my autism very unpleasant (I can't blame them, I often come across as rude), so I only have 1-2 friends. I would like to have more friends, but maintaining social contact is terribly exhausting. It's hard enough to reply to my mutuals in the DMs (sorryyyyy if I forget sometimes………).

And what if I just take a break for a while and don't draw so much? Recharge my batteries? Right now I'm taking a 6-week break, partly because my jaw surgery is coming up soon. I'll be sick anyway, so why not put the webcomic on hiatus and take a break for a while? I don't know if it will work out, but I have a hunch that it won't, because I always have the fast-paced internet in the back of my mind. How can I be a freelancer if I don't do fanart? How can I make money with it to help my partner, who is currently financing our lives, financially? How can I, as a disabled person, find a job that I can do and at the same time build my career as an artist? As an independent comic artist, I have to do the job of so many people (artist, author, manager, taxes, work organization), how am I supposed to do that?

I have no answers to these questions. Original works don't go nearly as well as fanart! So you have to work ten times as hard and play by the vague rules of the algorithms, which is exhausting enough. Nowadays, you can only be lucky and ride the viral wave if it falls into your lap.

But reflecting on my time in a huge fandom has made me realize that I was going down a very wrong path and am now experiencing the consequences. I'm completely burnt out and no longer know why I'm even making art anymore. I don't know if I want to make art much longer. (I think shit-life-syndrome plays a big role here, but not exclusively.)

As I said, I don't have any answers - but I would at least like to warn those who are having difficulties with distancing themselves from the internet and are quickly losing themselves in this maelstrom of social media.

I have since deleted Twitter from my smartphone and, fortunately, have hardly ever used TikTok (dodged a bullet there!). I try to get back into traditional art and get away from my computer. I am all the more grateful to the people, my community, so to speak, who do nonsense with me on tumblr. They read my comics and are extremely nice to me, which I really appreciate. Thank you!

I don't know yet if and how it will continue, but I would like to finish Berserkir in the next few years. I'd love to find a way to finish all the short comics I want to make, even though it's just me and not a whole team. Maybe I'll find a way, maybe I don't. Anyways, thanks for sticking around!

[liketwoswansinbalance]

Rafal Has Baba Yaga Morality

I can't quite contain or explain my evil ways Or explain why I'm not sane All I can say is this is your warning

This one is less of a theory and more of an observation. It's also partway a "defense" of Rafal, but not really.

Note: The "you" referenced doesn't refer to anyone in particular. It's just the pov of a would-be victim, or the collective, generalized "you" that would form an audience.

⸻

Rafal has very "Baba Yaga," "The Scorpion and the Frog," "Dead Dove: Do Not Eat," "It's exactly what it says on the tin" morality, but that's not to say he's at all predictable. He's predictably unpredictable. He is the poisonous frog or bird, draped in naturally bright colors, that is very obviously toxic.

And no one believes him or his outward "labels" when they wrongly give him the uncalled for benefit of the doubt (probably because he's intentionally attractive)! And it usually works out in his favor! Which is a strength in a way. It's only the rare Good he does on occasion that leads people to believe otherwise, or think too highly of him, when really, he's flawed and human, humanly grey.

From there, we know he has the capacity to be both lethal and kind, like the figure of Baba Yaga in the tales:

"Baba Yaga is an ambiguous figure in many folktales and legends. While sometimes she is depicted as a cannibalistic, child devouring witch, other times she is a benevolent sorceress who assists the hero or bestows knowledge."

His morality is variable. He can be both Good and Evil when the situation calls for it. He is adaptable, flexible, and not 100% consistent like Baba Yaga is, not any one thing or role.

I've never read the source material, but this quote I've seen exemplifies him well:

“He is a weapon, a killer. Do not forget it. You can use a spear as a walking stick, but that will not change its nature.” ― Madeline Miller, The Song of Achilles

As for the tale of "The Scorpion and the Frog," referenced in TLEA, he often doesn't lead people on. They do that all on their own with their assumptions and he reaps the benefits. Oftentimes, it's others' own faults for screwing themselves over. They know cognitively that he's Evil, but the fact doesn't actually register in their brains.

And that is a feat in itself, in their world, in the world he lives in. It is absolutely commendable in a perverse way, so I must applaud him at this point.

Despite not bothering to present himself, despite not caring about presentation (on a conscious level, if that's the lie he tells himself?), and despite presenting himself as the worst, at his personal worst, his poorer nature, he still surprises people with his humanity.

But, what they should never be surprised by is his Evil. You do not forget what a spear is capable of just because it's used as a walking stick for however long. You do not suddenly trust a ravenous, wild animal because it appears domesticated.

He steps forward as his worst self, his craftiest, least trustworthy self, that is artful and guileful and who will outwit you, who will outfox you, and you still trust him, while not managing to feel insane for doing so. Somehow, you're compelled to trust him, if only because he's so magnetic and attractive of a force, like a certain type of true Evil sometimes is, that charisma. He attracts people and doesn't repel them. Again, it's not always consciously his fault—it's just a quality to his very being.

And, if you still lie to yourself and think he's not using you after that, after glaring, flashing, blaring warning signs, you have only yourself to blame.

"Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me."

Yet, in this particular case, even the first time, you haven't been fooled. You were never fooled. You just thought otherwise, awarded Rafal the benefit of the doubt, and played the fool.

You've only chosen to believe what you wanted to see and have led yourself astray. Because, he never fooled you. He was not the active agent in that last sentence. Read that line again, I ask you. He never fooled you.

You built your own illusions of him, in your mind, by your perceptions. You've painted Rafal differently than how he truly appears in his true form. You've laid your own bait, set your own trap, made your own bed, dug your own grave. It's often not entirely his "fault." (Unless, he's in conscious manipulation mode.)

That is why you are the author of your own misfortune, and he is not. He is "blameless," in that one regard. He is not whom you've made him into. Thus, never trust him is the moral here. And that is what everyone should know, if they ever want to beat Rafal at his own game.

Except Rhian. Rhian should have been the one person to trust Rafal, unlike all the rest. But the opposite happened. All the rest trusted him, and Rhian did not. (The irony!)

"And so it is written." You got exactly what you told him you wanted (if we go by "exact phrasing" logic, like with a rogue genie) or, alternatively, you got what he told you you'd get. He just outmaneuvered you.

The fascinating thing is: he never lies about what he is and whom he truly believes himself to be: Evil. It's his true nature (discounting his arc in Fall for a moment).

People can only blame themselves when they expect him to miraculously rise above and set his best foot forward. It just isn't what he does. And that's just like how the scorpion acts with the frog. The frog naively believed the scorpion would betray its own nature. But the scorpion is a scorpion. What else can you expect? Each of Rafal's victims had been too soft and idealistic about him.

He is an honest villain, a constructive villain, not a destructive one, as I once sort of coined the term, in an earlier post.

Once, in the Doom Room, Rafal even told Midas outright that he could offer Midas nothing, truthfully, aside from trying to get Midas home to Gavaldon. Probably, because in that moment, honesty would have served him better than a lie could have.

That is one thing I find strange and that I somewhat "admire," if you can say that about a clear-cut villain. For all he does, he is (almost always) straightforward and open with his plots. (Unless he withholds information, but that is not lying. Instead, such behavior falls under strategic lies of omission, a completely separate matter.)

It must be another trick up his sleeve, a weapon in mental arsenal. He is often open, clear, and honest about his intentions, say, with James and simply letting him die after he's served his purpose, at least. James wasn't kept the dark.

The point still stands. Rafal doesn't represent himself as something that he's not. Sure, he is a trickster, but he doesn't deny it, or lie about it.

He never leads people to believe he is someone he is not, or when he does, how much of it can you blame on him when everyone already knows he's the very public figure of the literal Evil School Master?

He owns his identity, (or what he sees himself as)—which is as close to the truth as he can realistically get because it's all he knows. He's not an omniscient being.

He does the "best" that he can, and he's usually not wrong about souls, others' souls, that is. Not his own. Apparently. But, few literary characters are capable of complete and total self-awareness, and Rafal is no exception to that. If he were 100% self-aware, the story wouldn't work. That said, I think he was more self-aware than Rhian, initially.

To reference the trickster archetype in relation to him again: he can really swing either way. Everything is up to his whims, impulses, or calculated designs, at any given moment, even if he appears to play "fair," meaning, usually, that he plays with interpretations, loopholes and the like, while staying within certain constraints.

He's not discreet like Evil Rhian had been for a stint. He had been proud of his Evil, to an extent. So, perhaps, that grants him a little leeway or likability. At the start, he simply isn't ashamed of himself, for working situations and people to his advantage (until his conscience catches up to him a little). His Evil is the high-flying banner he and his Nevers unite under; it's their common purpose/drive, to live and to strive for.

But, it always bears repeating: His reputation always precedes him as the Evil School Master.

So, again, you can't blame him for anything Evil he's done, can't pin it on being unexpected because it's always expected. You let your guard down. You can only justifiably be surprised when he does Good, and let that temper and moderate your expectations. (And the inverse of all this is probably why we sometimes might have expected too much, not too little, as is the case with Rafal, from poor Rhian.)

If Evil is what all have come to expect, like what James Hook expects from Rafal: a cold, soulless person, driven by deep villainous purpose, and Rafal doesn't directly tell anyone otherwise about his nature, no one can argue Rafal didn't play "fair," by those technical standards.

They knew exactly whom they were dealing with, and (unconsciously?) chose not to believe the man himself, the one who should know himself best.

By the Rules of Good or Evil, you expect him to be unpredictable, and you can call him out on being unpredictable because he's known for it. Known to commit atrocities, even when you seem to have trust between the both of you. That's why you can never tell.

I don't think Rafal actively encourages or cultivates trust in other people (unless it's a case of his deliberate manipulation). Part of the facade others perceive could just be his "trustworthy" aura.

And, people still expect better from him, implicitly! But how wrong they are. If nothing else, the misplaced trust probably stems from the aura he exudes as I can't think of another reason at the moment.

Because, like always, they put their trust in him—he didn't force them to hand it over—so, they have exactly themselves to blame, when they underestimate him, or think they can beat him.

That's why, in the end, I feel like the phrase: “It takes one to know one” applies really well to Rafal because he continually saves Rhian from being taken advantage of by men a lot like himself, considering how he constantly takes advantage of and uses others.

Now, I'll just leave you with this parting thought: as a villain, Rafal weaponizes the naivete and stupidity that is already there, already present in his victims. So, when Rhian sheds his naivete, he can no longer be used by his brother.

TLDR: Rafal is everyone else's "Vulcan" in a world full of trusting "Rhians."

[twodragons-blooper-reel]

Let's roll the bloopers!

POST LIMIT: I LIVE

Hi there! It's @twodragonsinatrenchcoat I have several Pokemon IRL blogs in the rotumblr sphere and I wanted to make a sort of hub for them! Not just for organization and a spot to hold onto ask games I enjoy- but for meme and AU purposes as well!

I'll post ooc updates as well as jokes I have while writing here from time to time as well :3

I am also happy to do blog promos, I'm bad at looking for new blogs but send me an ask with the blog name or whatever and I'll reblog your pinned

Feel free to ask any and all questions pertaining to the blogs that are listed below!

Pokemon Irl blogs are listed under the cut, all are currently inactive

Active blogs are one I'm posting on actively, Light Activity Blogs are ones I'll reblog to occasionally and Inactive Blogs are blogs I have no intention of returning to in the near future.

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Active Blogs:

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Light activity Blogs:

@celadon-arcade-champ <- new blog. Character works at the Celadon game Corner, completely unaware that it's a front for Team Rocket :]

@disparate-traveller <- A faller blog about my character Diamond who yeeted themselves into Rotomblr to hang out with their bestie

@dersite-agent-jack <- I love Jack(Bec) Noir. So have a homestuck faller blog :]

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Inactive Blogs:

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If I'm answering a question about a specific blog I'll put it in the tags as "blog talk: [Blog name]"

I'm open to questions directed at characters, directed at myself, au talking- Just about anything honestly! This is just a fun sort-of hub for my pokemon blogs.

uhhh love y'all bye for now! <3

@rotumbeast <- The spirit of Rotomblr. Might be responsible for chaos

@piplup-at-naranja <- An in character liveblog of my playthrough of Pokemon Scarlet :]

@magical-girl-evoli <- An eevee magical girl! Because I'm not immune to brain rot

@hello-am-zacian <- A real life dog got Fallered and transformed into legendary pokemon Zacian. She's having a great time

@synthetic-radiance <- Cursed Chosen named Orion, Type:Null hybrid.

@psychic-type-appreciator <- Seraphina's sister Agni. She's less of a wet cat

@ghost-type-appreciator <- A Ceruledge hybrid blog :] her name is Seraphina! She's a wet cat

@clockwork-soul-heart <- Princess Steele! She's been trapped in a clockwork kingdom by a haunted doll for the last seven years of her life.

@drifting-rocket <- Kidnapped Aegis a couple times. His name is Drifter, he's a Team Rocket Executive. He's got so many issues.

@oreburghminingmuseum <- A blog about Aegis's caretakers and the museum they work for! Mostly an excuse for a place where I can post non-shieldon fossil pokemon art-

@fields-of-gracidea <- Vio! Branded chosen of Shaymin, Sawsbuck Hybrid, tasked with taking care of the younger brandeds

@sturdy-and-soundproof <- What you probably know me from! Aegis! Shieldon boy! I'm not sure how best to explain him besides he's cute. Has a whole slew of blogs related to him which are up next :)

@mareeplings <- My first pkmn Irl blog :D I dream of returning to it someday but I can't find the inspiration.

@snarling-maschiff <- a blog with a normal person running it as opposed to all my other blogs (whoops) They like dog pokemon!

@wayward-silver <- One of 13* Silver blogs, he's a mew taking the form of his past life. Was stuck underground as a ditto for like 20 years though.

@devilisinthedeinos <- A "Sleeby" named Eris who turned into a deino after getting top surgery. There's something else behind the scenes there...

@distortion-escapee <- A blog for my personal take on giratina, related to Dakota's blog.

@dakota-and-paris <- About a girl who has had way too much on her plate for thirteen years and will continue to have too much on her plate until I say so.

*there's so many silver blogs on this website i'm not gonna keep this number updated but that's how many there was when I made the blog

[rileys-battlecats]

How do you feel satisfied/happy with your art style? Whenever I draw with my current art style, I find it too "cartoony" and "less detailed" than any other artist I've seen, which is a bit of a dumb thought I know. I think I want to pursue a more semi-realistic/realistic art style, but I'm not sure where to start.

See, I'm not even sure if I'm ever satisfied with my art style as a whole! Really, it's more of just the question of if I'm satisfied with each drawing/art piece I finish ^^ I see a lot of people saying they want to "find their style" (which is totally fine!) but I think an art style is more of something that just kinda develops over time, rather than being something you actively pursue? I could be wrong with this but that's been my experience over my time as an artist. I think it's great to pursue improvement, even if you become satisfied with your current art (though I've yet to meet an artist that feels like they've figured everything out lol, all my artist friends are always trying to learn more and improve in different areas!). An art style, if I'm interpreting the term correctly, is just like. what you default to when you're drawing! It's what your comfortable doing and creating with, right? So, the more you try new things and expand your experience, the more varied and flexible your art style will become! More tools in the tool belt!

That being said, if you want to pursue an art style that's a bit more realistic, I think it's best to start by working from life/photos! I've said this before on my blog, but practicing a bit of realism will do wonders to help you learn! The more you practice that realism, the better your brain will be at picking up the proportions and shapes that are used, the way the volumes look at different angles in a 3D space, and how that translates to a 2D drawing :) Maybe try doing some simple still-life drawings, to help you get in the practice of drawing what you see?

Here's some exercises I did in school that you could try out, if you want!

Choose something to draw that's not gonna move: a book, a shoe, an apple, anything! Get your paper and pencil, lock your eyes on your chosen object, and don't look at the paper while you draw. This is an exercise to help you think about exact angles, distances, etc when you draw something you see. The end result is not pretty lol, but it's a good exercise to really get you focused!

Choose something to draw, or multiple things, and draw the edges of it. No inner contour lines! Focus on the negative space around the object(s). So it's actually less of drawing the object, and more of drawing where the object isn't. This is gonna help with judging proportions and distances when you draw!

Try drawing something without lifting your pencil. Use one continuous line! Full honesty I don't remember what this does to help but I remember it being a fun exercise lol

These exercises might not help with developing an art style quickly, but I think they could help in learning to draw from life, and that will hopefully help in building skills that you can incorporate into your style :)

[gaypyro]

Rating the New Champions Variant Covers

So marvel recently revealed a bunch of Varient Covers of "What if every hero had a sidekick/youth counterpart" and while I love most of the designs, some definately are better then others

#22

I hate the Vision Design and I dont know why. Something just feels fundamentally off about it/ Maybe its the fact its a pitch white, skintight 8 year old? Maybe its the posing? The Debris? IDK Man is feels weird.

#21

and

#20

These two get paired together for a single reason

It's just Billy and Teddy. I love Billy and Teddy, their some of the only actual Gay Men in Marvel, but come one guys. Certainly you can do a young Dr. Strange and Young Hulk thats different? Strange goes higher if only because I like the art more, the Young Hulk I just dislike entirely

#19

Speaking of uninspired, the only reason Miles is above Billy & Teddy is that at least shes a different gender then her mainline counterpart. Other then that its probably the laziest design here. Also, you may notice the webbing seems off, that will be a recurring trend here where limbs or background elements were layered improperly or something.

#18

I actually really like this character design. It looks like a fun character in a superhero elementry school spin-off book. The only issue um... thats Storm. Its the next gen Storm and she's white. That's basically my only issue, and why shes above the 3 I actively somewhat dislike designwise, but... Storm is one the premiere Black Superheros. Having her next gen counterpart be white feels so weird. I

#17

On one hand, I can 100% see normal Deadpool wearing this. On the other, the My Boy adds way to much charm for me to rate it with the other uninspired ones, and at least I dont feel like its whitewashing anything. We are at the point where I'd unironically love to see any of these designs in a book, even if its an Elseworld instead of main universe one.

#16

Teen Female Wolverine has been done to death, but I do like how this one goes for a more monstrous Angle compared to Laura and Gabby. The tattered, beast up costumes, beastial feet, large Ponytail giving off the deelling of a mane, nasty looking teeth, and BONE CLAWS very much makes it feel more like a feral forest mutant then the more clean, assassin design Laura had.

#15

The big thing I like here is it isn't a reimagining of Carol Danvers current, captain marvel outfit, but her Miss Marvel ones. We already have Kamala for a new gen version of Carols current design, so a reimigining of the old one, in a way that doesn't feel super fetishy is nice. First I thought it was a dude, but it might be a girl? Unsure.

#14

I really love this design, but it doesn't really scream Black Panther... and I honestly dont care. I love bright colors, makes my brain go byr, and the fact she has a completely different powerset most likely intrigues me.

#13

I have a weakness for fishpeople of all types ok? I find the designs naturally appealing. Even still, Starlord's Chibi Starfish Successor is neat, but not amazing. The ideas done a lot better later on.

#12

He looks like he is having so much fun with his Mentor. I also like how, unlike everyone else, Black Cat's Apprentice is kinda chubby. I don't know man he just seems like he'd be a fun guy to hang out with at college.

#11

Whats better then a succesor to one hero? a Succesor to TWO HEROES! The Captain America Succesor I feel very much has some elements of Wasp design, and I always am down for High Tech Wingspans even if they weren't intentionally going for it.

#10

Instead of being the Scarlet witch they made her the Magenta Witch. All in all I just really like the sorta sorceror design, especially the chosen color scheme. Also ghostly mystical fire is fun you should follow it into the swamp.

#9

Listen I love this design. Its in the top 10 for a reason but man... that arm. Every time I see the image I cant help but notice how insanely small his arm is, like he was supposed to have both arms resting but they decided "Have him twirl a stake so people know its blade."

#8

Moon Squire is here to kick ass and pass third grade math! I just like the Cowl mixed with baseball cap design lol. Moon Knight always fucking kills it with the drip though so im not surprised.

#7

A Friend told me It's Gwen Tennyson cosplaying Magneto and now I cant not see it. I do like that shes implied to have a different powerset then Eric as well, always fun when they did that.

#6

The better Chibi Venom. Only missed the top 5 since I dont think he'd be able to carry a book as the main protag, he is the perfect sidekick though. Just this mildly creepy cutie pootie handing with the fairly creepy Symbiote. After Extreme Venomverse shouldn't be surprised the Venom varient is amazing, but I am suprised thats the direction they went.

#5

If Next Gen Storm and Next Gen Moon Knight are in the Elementary School book, Wee-Hulk is the main god damn character. She's just a very fun little kid hulk, I especially love how shes doing the Iconic "She-Hulk holds a Car Above her head" pose with an electric scooter.

#4

Listen, Non-Binery Latin America Iron Man with the Criminally Underused Grey Armor design is great. They gpt Green Hair, Pronouns, and the backing of Americas #1 Arms Dealer, ready to take on the world!

#3

The Thing has become one of them Yancy Street Kids, and the Fantastic Four are his gang. I just love the design, Spiky Rock person is always a favorite of mine.

#2

Miku Ghost Rider. On Roller Skates. With a fucking Hellfire Flail. I am imagining she has an entire like, Magical Girl Transformation Sequence whenever she transforms, just with a lot more demons and fire then normal.

#1

Listen, I get it. Legs dont bend like that. She is objectively less creative then the last 3 or 4. But, I like Crows. I like Ravens. I like Thor. And this Thor looks like she wont take any of Odins BS when he goes shit dad mode.

[accio-victuuri]

CPN : about this “matching” post for china television arts committee

( these photos have nothing to do with the post but i want to use it cause lei yu x gu yiye pairing is so hot 🔥🔥🔥 also to capture everyone’s attention 😂😂😂 )

a bit of a background, these are their learnings from a symposium the committee held related to the two sessions. yibo was captured in one of these video call meetings and that was our first hint of this event. tho at the time, we didn’t know XZ was part of it too. It is a professional working group for the national television performing arts under the leadership of the China Television Association ( also under the care and guidance of the Central Propaganda Department and the China Federation of Literary and Art Circles ). if you’ve been in this fandom long enough, you’ll know it’s good for them to be a part of organizations like this.

okay, time for the sweets ⬇️⬇️⬇️

1. The very obvious fact that they are in this group together. sure, you can say that a lot of people in the industry would want to sign up for it but the way they are both featured in this recent effort is nice to see. It just shows that no matter how many antis are out there, they are still on the good side of the powers that be. I wonder what other creative groups they belong to, and this information we usually don’t know unless they are brought out to actively promote it. I’m also curious about that video call. lol. I wanna know what session XZ joined cause they were obviously not on the same one. But what about others? Imagine if these committees had meetings before and the 2 were on there. Oh to be a CPF who is on that video call!

2. Matching outfits! White inner shirt / Black coat. It’s not enough for the combo to be that, even the coat looks like the same style! 👀

people are saying that artists submit their photos for promotional work like this and i have to agree. you wouldn’t want for anyone to just pull random photos of you, so why submit theirs that look like this? at first i thought maybe they were told to send something with them wearing black and white. a simple white shirt and black coat so all the men will have a uniformed look. but no.

here are the other artists featured over at their douyin account. i can see black & white but anyone can look at this and pick up on the not very subtle similarity between their clothes. what kind of coincidence is this. they are trolling us. wyb have been using this photo alot tho, so my cpn brain is thinking that the conscious “matching” is on ZZ’s side.

link to their actual douyin homepage

3. The BGM used for their video, XZ’s is Guangdian ( light spot / we are made to love ) and WYB’s is Light Chaser ( the one who chases the light ). Again we don’t know if these were chosen with permission from the artist themselves but you would WYB will choose LTS since it’s his latest single. But no. XZ can also select a song that’s more “CCP friendly” if you will but he didn’t. Same theme in the title right there, the Light! It’s not enough for couple outfit, the BGM should match too? Okay. We understand.

4. Their “learnings” both have that element of wanting to improve, it’s their theme of “getting better”. How many times have we heard this from them? They really strive for excellence and have no problem in accepting criticism so they can work on their weaknesses. It’s what i love about them! They care more about being actors and bringing good works for the audience than being a “celebrity”. As I observed with them, the “celebrity” part of their life is their least favorite thing.

-END.

[i3utterflyeffect]

ough i don't know if you're looking for just art prompts or w/e but i do have the reaper au spinning around in my brain so here's questions

how does chosen think of reaper, in terms of him being alan? are him and alan pretty much distinct entities in their mind at this point? he did still... do everything this alan did, though a long time ago for him

depends on at what point we're talking about him! i don't think chosen entirely saw them as the same person, but the fact that Reaper shared a name with Alan was enough to scare them pretty bad.

after he 'dies' (to chosen's assumption at least), they... think a lot more about how different he was from Alan and the fact that he actively tried to distract Alan from Chosen, not to mention helping Chosen escape. It becomes pretty obvious in AVA 3 that he was on their side, but... they still hesitated. And hate themself for it.

after the showdown, they're still not entirely sure of his origin, but they are convinced he's at least different from Alan, especially since he's changed a lot. he's a lot more pale in color (lost a lot of blood), he's very soft-spoken, he never seems to get angry or even frustrated. not to mention the fact that he's kind of been known for cleaning up after Chosen and Dark for a while now!

i'm not sure how exactly season 3 would go but it'd definitely be different from normal untitled time travel au! at best (for vic), his memories are much harder to read (missing piece of his head), at worst, memory reader doesn't fit at all (again! missing piece of his head)

Most likely the latter since the memory reader goes over the eyes and. Well. He's missing enough of a chunk that one of those is gone.

[pureewhitesnow]

Heheee you were one of the chosen ones! Ask chain be upon youu! No pressure tho :3

List 5 things that make you happy, then put this in the askbox for the last 10 people who liked or reblogged something from you! Get to know your mutuals and followers.

AHH !! ive been blessed ... thank you <3

5 Things that make me happy ..? Alot but i'll sum it up ;

1. Art in general , it has been my special interest in quite some time , i think 8 ~ 10 years ..? My family and environment support this dear hobby of mine , and with art .. i can make anything come to life , y'know ? it's ... a simple but powerful talent to hold on to <3

2. Music , music all the way !! i sleep with music or ambiance playing to calm myself down , and when i draw , when i play games , i'd always ... ALWAYS have music with me

3. Everyone i've met and the people / things i cherish / look up to . Even though my insane brain brings obstacles like making off - putting scenarios of them , they make me happy ... like a seretonin in disguise ... it's the reason i look up to them and cherish them <3

4. All the nice things people say to me ...? It's hard to think of something , but all the nice words people say whether they know me or not has been the reason for me to keep going ... i don't want the atmosphere to be sentimental all of a sudden , but ... they encourage me to love what i love , draw what i want , and all those ... nice things . their words flow like a wind that pushes me to keep running for that dream , y'know ? <3

5. This sounds REALLY stupid , but you know what ? Yashio Rui and Morfonica . i don't think i would find true happiness if it weren't for them ... i've never been this active in consuming my interest , but in a way , monica crosses the line ... and the only thing i've been watching and listening to has been monica , monica , monica ... even the live - band !! i love them all very dearly , they've pulled me out of the dark hole that is my life . *they* are the ones that make me happiest , especially rui . i really don't know what and how fate decided she would be a character i cherish , i'm still looking for the answer ... but she's the one that makes me happy , and when i feel down , i'd kindly ask my friends to send me icons and pictures of rui , just her in general ... she brings comfort , and i genuinely don't know how and why , but it's alright cuz i love her and her band utmost dearly ... and now i'm rambling like some stupid millennial about their high - school days ...

ENOUGH ME RAMBLING !! if you're that down to hear me infodump about rui go friend me on discord while also specify who you are ; [ somnusviolin ] ( jeez moth you and your shameless promotion )

this is so funny but embarrassing ... and it's ok i love what i love

not too sure if i want to send this to other peeps , but i really need to socialize ... i'll give it a shot ..!!

[albertelaursen]

the harry potter sims 4 legacy challenge <3

If Hogwarts has ever said something to you or ever caught your interest, then I guess you might be at the right place :)

To my fellow Harry Potter fans <3 here's something I've got for you. Now let's get on with it, shall we?

General Rules:

Aging & Lifespan: Use normal lifespan or long lifespan. Short is not recommended.

Money: No use of money cheats. Earn your wealth through careers, skills, and other in-game means. Start with 1.000 simoloeons and work your way up. If you want to make it more difficult start out with 0 simoloeons.

Magic: Given the base game's limitations, use your imagination to simulate magical achievements (e.g., a Sim mastering the Logic skill could be seen as mastering potions or spells).

Legacy Home: Choose a lot to serve as Hogwarts, where all generations will live. You cannot move lots, but you can expand and renovate as your family grows and wealth accumulates.

Succession: The heir of each generation can be male or female, chosen based on the fulfillment of their generational goals.

Gen 1: The Founder (Godric Gryffindor):

Bravery has your name on it. Like I mean written all-over it. You always wanted to show it off. But will you be able to show it off? Or will something get in the way to take you down?

Aspiration: Bodybuilder (to represent bravery and strength)

Traits: Active, Good, Ambitious

Goals: Start of as a teenager, reach level 10 in Fitness, build a "common room" in your home, achieve the top of the Athlete career, and have at least 3 children.

Gen 2: The Scholar (Rowena Ravenclaw):

Your always loved books. Books has always been your safe space. If something happened at home you would just open a book, and zone out, for how long? I'm not that sure. Probrably long enough I guess.

Aspiration: Nerd Brain

Traits: Genius, Bookworm, Creative

Goals: Master the Logic and Writing skills, write and publish 5 books, own a library filled with at least 100 books in your home, and have at least 3 adopted children.

Gen 3:The Loyal (Helga Hufflepuff):

You're the loyal friend everyone's looked for. I mean literally everyone. Anybody could use somebody like YOU!

Aspiration: Friend of the World

Traits: Cheerful, Good, Outgoing

Goals: Befriend 20 Sims, achieve level 10 in the Cooking skill, and throw a grand feast for your friends, and have 5 children.

Gen 4: The Cunning (Salazar Slytherin):

Who said enemy? Well, no one has said it. It just your the enemy. Everybody fears you. Yeah, YOU!

Aspiration: Public Enemy

Traits: Ambitious, Self-Assured, Mean

Goals: Reach the top of the Criminal career, achieve level 10 in Mischief, and have a basement dedicated to your "dark arts" (use creative decoration to represent this), and have 1 child and make their childhood a living hell - if the child dies before they are young adult, then you have to adopt a child if it's too late to make one :)

Gen 5: The Chosen One (Harry Potter):

Your the chosen one, as in the one Voldemort is after. Will you be able to take him down? Or would it be the other way around?

Aspiration: Chief of Mischief (representing his role as a leader against Voldemort)

Traits: Genius, Loner, Art lover

Goals: Form a "Dumbledore's Army" club with at least 6 members (do this imaginary), master Handiness (to represent his knack for getting out of tricky situations), defeat a "dark lord" by achieving level 10 in the Logic skill (chess matches against a designated rival Sim), and have 1 enemy as in Lord Voldemort, and have at least 2 children.

Gen 6:The Bright Witch (Hermione Granger):

Your always been on top of your game. Means you go back in time to go to class, because you missed it somehow. But you always find a way to get back up again. And catch up. With all the homework and stuff.

Aspiration: Renaissance Sim

Traits: Genius, Neat, Perfectionist

Goals: Master 3 skills of your choice (to represent her broad knowledge), achieve top grades in school, lead a successful protest against an injustice in your community, and have at least 4 children.

Gen 7: The Loyal Friend (Ron Weasley):

Your there then someone needs you. You are always there. Like for real always. Would it be to much to handle? To look after everybody?

Aspiration: Neighborhood Confidante

Traits: Good, Clumsy, Loves the Outdoors

Goals: Master the Comedy skill, have a large family (at least 5 children), and find and marry your childhood sweetheart.

Gen 8: The Protector (Sirius Black):

Azkaban has been your place, where your lived for as long as you remember. And you can't say that it's been fun. It hasn't. It's been an awful place to be. But someday, just someday you decide to escape and then you would be on the run again. How many times should you be on the run? Would you be able to escape succesfully? Or would it just be a fail all-over again?

Aspiration: Chief of Mischief (twisted to represent his mischievous nature and ability to evade capture)

Traits: Good, Hot-Headed, Genius

Goals: Escape a "prison" (lock yourself in a room for a week simulating Azkaban, then break out), live as a "dog" (Pet Lover lifestyle "like imagine it") for a period, prove your innocence by achieving high friendship with all household members, and have 4 children.

Gen 9: The Teacher (Albus Dumbledore):

Your always wanted to teach everybody all off your knowlegde. Would you be able to do that? Or would something get in the way?

Aspiration: Renaissance Sim (representing his wide range of knowledge and skills)

Traits: Genius, Good, Creative

Goals: Reach the top of the Education career (use your imagination for base game careers that could fit), mentor children in 3 different skills, have a significant artifact collection (minerals, elements, or fossils), and have 3 enemies & 3 children.

Gen 10: The Healer (Madam Pomfrey):

If you could heal everybody you would. If it was that easy to heal somebody. But it isn't, it's harder than it seems. Would you be able to heal your friends? Or would everything just turn out to be wrong?

Aspiration: The Curator (to represent her collection of cures and remedies)

Traits: Good, Neat, Genius

Goals: Achieve level 10 in the Gardening skill (to grow plants for potions and remedies), master the Cooking skill (to make food that heals), and "heal" 20 different Sims (make 20 friends by imagining you're healing them from various conditions).

[grimbz007]

Friday, 26th October 2024,

How to unlock your creavity, a reminder to one’s self:

I want to track my progress, bit by bit, and witness my growth over time. Some may say my drive for improvement is overly ambitious, but for me, it’s rooted in hope…

A hope to finally succeed and, perhaps more deeply, a desire to prove to my parents that my decision to pursue art full-time was the right one. Every step forward, no matter how small, brings me closer to realising both my dreams and my belief in the path I’ve chosen

Again, I am in my first year…

My teacher recommended me this book, It’s book about animation, by Shamaus Culhane, he became the lead designer for Snow White. Fun fact: He was on the verge of being fired in his earlier years

Honestly… It’s inspiring to look back and see how people in the past, with far less technology than we have today, still found ingenious ways to solve complex problems. It’s comforting to realise that, with time these struggles and uncertainties, that I’m facing now, will begin to face, again with due time…

This reminds me of how artists in earlier times used pinholes to aid in their painting…a simple yet brilliant tool! Honestly, reinforces the idea how references are so important!

(Another nice reminder to use them)

The author begins by describing how their animation work seemed to occur in two distinct stages.

The first stage was a “daydream” phase characterised by a burst of energy where the artist avoided contemplation, allowing their subconscious mind to take over! (Introspection was absent during this part of the process)

The second stage was more deliberate, involving conscious thought and analysis, where the artist took time to reflect on the drawing and the emotions it conveyed.

The author references a specific book, which discusses the functions of the brain and the idea that the right side is more creative, while the left side is more analytical.

We can see it through how he highlights the quote from the book he read, stating that the brain works best when daydreaming, hinting at the value of the right hemisphere in the creative process.

This section concludes by illustrating the practical results of this theory, showing a set of drawings that progressively improve within a short span of time. These drawings exemplify how activating the right side of the brain leads to creative breakthroughs!

Again, I also do think Pomodoro technique works wonders!

Especially with an artist with ADHD (like me), it’s basically when break your work time into intervals (traditionally 25 minutes long, but I do around 30 minutes, since I have been training my brain) called “Pomodoros,” followed by short breaks (usually 5 minutes, once again I do 2 minutes each)

REMEMBER TO PLAN PLAN PLAN! BEFORE YOU DRAW OR YOU END UP BLANK……………..

Anyway, the author quotes that when creativity is in demand, the right side must suppress the left side’s desire to control and analyse. To maintain the creative flow, it’s important to avoid overthinking, as even a single moment of conscious thought can halt the creative process.

In summary, this chapter of the book (3) emphasises the distinction between the analytical and creative functions of the brain, showing how the creative side flourishes when allowed to operate without interference from the more rational side.

It suggests that achieving artistic breakthroughs requires letting go of conscious thought and trusting the intuitive, subconscious processes associated with the right side of the brain, which… Worked!

❤️ Less thinking more working, get your ideas down on paper so you can develop them into the thoughts you want! That’s how you can truely create what you think about!

Examples of drawings I did with this new mindset! They roughly took the same amount of time, around 10-45 minutes! (Done in span of 2 days, school work is such a bitch…)

[morosoro]

Well, Sense and Sensibility won my poll a handful of weeks ago, but as I only got around to finishing Song Of Achilles last week, I only began reading S&S today….

Unfortunately, as much as I want to enjoy it, as thoroughly as I enjoyed Pride and Prejudice, reading just the first few chapters earlier gave me a headache. It’s much too wordy for my little ADHD Zoomer brain to fully digest and comprehend right now, and as I want to fully enjoy the books I read, I have decided to put it back on the shelf for now, and revisit it at a later date, when I feel more up to the challenge of understanding the older language used.

Now, I could just choose the next highest book voted for in the poll, but where’s the fun in that? Instead I have shrunk the contestant size, chosen the top 5 books I am most considering, and only leaving the poll active for only 24 hours!

To make things more fair and to allow anyone who might not know my choices well to vote too, I will include a very quick summary of the blurbs on the back for context!

FEED: Main character, Titus, and his friends live on the Moon in a futuristic environment. They are used to a constant stream of online activity sent directly into their brains, called their ‘feed’, until a hacker causes them to malfunction and they are left with nothing but their own thoughts for what is presumably the first time ever.

Like A Love Story: Setting is 1989, New York City. Main character is a teenage boy named Reza. Reza is a gay, closeted, Iranian immigrant who is afraid for people to find out he’s gay as all he knows about the ‘lifestyle’ are the media’s images of men dying from AIDS. A girl he dates, Judy, has an uncle with AIDS who devotes his time to activism with ACT UP. Judy is also best friends with the only out-and-proud guy at their school, Art, who is rebelling against his conservative family by photographing and documenting the AIDS crisis.

Fairy Tale: Main character Charlie is seventeen and meets an old recluse, Mr.Bowditch, who he starts doing jobs for. When the old man dies, he leaves a cassette tape for Charlie, telling the story of the secret he’s been keeping all his life; he has a portal to another world in his shed, and Charlie just inherited it.

Companion Piece: A woman receives an unexpected call from a former classmate/college friend asking for help deciphering a puzzling interaction. Everything is somehow linked to the life of a young blacksmith hounded from her trade and branded a vagrant nearly 500 years ago.

1984: Set in Oceania, a society is being tyrannized. In the furtherance of eradicating all expressions of individuality, people’s lives are constantly monitored via telescreens, helicopter patrols, window-spying and the Thought Police. Main Character Winston Smith sits in the one corner of his apartment that is hidden to write a diary, despite the threat of severe punishment.

[hpdfag]

17, 20 and 21!!!

17 — how do you feel about your darling's friends?

it's ... complex. i want him to be happy. many of his friends are my friends as well. but it's still hard, seeing him happy with other people. i love him, and it's impossible not to be jealous, i think. i feel much better about it when i'm there with him as well. it hurts to not be there now. i hope he hasn't chosen them over me in my absence ...

20 — do you care if your relationship is healthy or not?

yes and no. im working actively with my therapist to have a much more healthy view of hinata ... i want to see him more as a human and less of an almost mythological figure. i want to be able to properly communicate with him. i also want him to break me down and put me back together. like almost everything else, it's complicated. i want to have a healthily unhealthy relationship if that makes sense.

21 — how do you cope with being away from your darling?

hahahahahaa thatsfunny i do Not. it hurts every day. ive nearly died so many times in the past four years, i wish i knew how to live on my own ... my default coping mechanism for a long time has been substance abuse which is "bad for me" and i probably "shouldnt lean on it so much" LOLOL ... right now it's mainly through art, i need a way to express myself in a way much less literal than direct communucation because it will never properly translate from my brain to the page.

[emcandon]

Hello ! I finished TAU today and it's been quite a while since a book has crawled its way into my brain and made a home like this; thank you for creating such a wild beautiful hilarious emotional work and characters - the world you built is so deep and I am so deliciously intrigued and delighted by so much of it (all the implied history with the Cradle and ascension and recolonization is making me want to chew drywall (in a good way)) and I can't wait to see what else you have in store, but for now a question that I hope isn't too spoilery: can you talk about how you named the AIs? Every time you dropped in a new one it really spurred my imagination about the circumstances under which it originated (am I right in thinking they became more abstracted from programming terminology as time went on?), and I'd love to hear any thoughts you can share about what you imagined when coming up with them all.

Hi!! I am tickled, I am pleased, I am fed, I am DELIGHT! I hope to tell y'all more about Cradle in the next book! I'm unsure what's going to get shared there, so I have to keep a lid on it!

But AI names are pretty safe, tho there are some interesting implications to be nosed out. I will not explore those implications too deeply bc those will almost definitely get room in the sequel. ANYWAY.

The AIs you meet in TAU have all chosen their own names! Their names are also pretty good indicators as to their particular interests and fascinations -- which themselves tend to derive from facets of their original designs. So it's a bit destiny (design) but a destiny remodeled by active participation in it (autonomy). Iterate Fractal alludes to its fascination with the biological infinite; So-Beloved was devoted to art, particularly music, as a kind of worship of the human condition; Register Parse was driven to connect people and deepen understanding; and Fun-Size Exultation in Perpetuity is just really interested in like, money -- more so gifts and the exchange of things, but all economics as a rule.

[teaandinanity]

hi, tea c: 5, 6, 19 & 20 for the love your fandom ask game, please? any fandom or fandom community in general. also may the rest of your weekend be kind!

5. something you see in fics a lot and love

I am SO MUCH of the two cakes school; I love that multiple authors will see something in a work and go 'hm, that needs fixing' and come up with completely different (but believable and good!) solutions. See: The Sheer Number of System Reveal Fics I have read for SVSSS. There are so many and so many are excellent. But like, this has been true in almost every fandom I've ever been in that wasn't a rowboat! I love that about fandom, generally.

6. something you see in art a lot and love

This is mostly for heavily-visual fandoms but I've seen a lot of artists who clearly looked at the character designs and said 'that's a fun jumping-off point!' and then create something where you can 100% recognize who the art is of but at the same time it is ENTIRELY theirs. I love that. It makes my brain do the happyfizz thing when someone has clearly chosen to yes-and the original design of something.

19. your current fandom(s)

The ones I'm actively making things for/consuming things in are Scum Villain's Self-Saving System, Baldur's Gate 3, and the perennial Seven Kingdoms: The Princess Problem.

20. your very first fandom!

I honestly do not remember. I'm old enough that this was in the dark ages lol

I think the first fic I found and read was for X-Files. Pretty sure the first fanworks I sought out on purpose were for Slayers. My first flurry of fanart was definitely inspired by Slayers and Sailor Moon (fairly sure that era was also Princess Rouge, which I doubt anyone remembers, and Record of Lodoss War and Dragon Half and Magic Knight Rayearth. I know all of them were on VHS tapes.). The first thing I created and posted fic for was either Kingdom Hearts or Avatar: The Last Airbender.

(questions from this list)