#increase picture resolution

[debangshu007]

How Does UpscalePics Add Details to Your Images?

Learn how UpscalePics can enhance your images by adding details to them for free. With UpscalePics, you can upscale images, remove JPEG artifacts, and compress images. 

[frailsituation]

Tips for writing internal conflict

1. Define the Core Dilemma

• Internal conflict occurs when a character faces a choice or emotional struggle within themselves. This dilemma should challenge their values or identity.

• How? The struggle should feel deeply personal and tied to the character’s motivations.

• Example: A character who values independence but must rely on others in a life-or-death situation.

2. Make it tied to their core values

• The conflict should challenge what the character holds dear—whether it’s their morals, desires, or goals.

• How? The inner conflict should push the character to re-evaluate their beliefs and priorities.

• Example: A soldier torn between duty and personal ethics, forced to choose between following orders and doing what’s right.

3. Amplify with external consequences

• Link internal conflict to external consequences that impact the character and those around them. The choices they face should have significant repercussions.

• How? Show how the character’s internal conflict influences their decisions in the real world.

• Example: A character haunted by guilt must choose whether to admit their past mistakes, risking their career and relationships.

4. Show the pressure building over time

• Internal conflict intensifies when it’s compounded by time, increasing stakes, or mounting external pressure.

• How? Create scenes where the character feels the weight of their choices growing heavier with every passing moment.

• Example: A character whose addiction threatens to ruin their life, struggling to break free but tempted by old habits every day.

5. Conflict arises from competing desires

• Internal conflict often stems from having two equally strong desires that cannot coexist.

• How? Put your character in situations where they must choose between these desires, both of which seem vital.

• Example: A character torn between pursuing their dream job across the country or staying to care for a dying parent.

6. Explore their fears and insecurities

• Internal conflict can also be driven by the character’s deepest fears or insecurities, which affect their actions and decisions.

• How? Fear of failure, rejection, or loss can prevent them from acting, making every decision feel like a battle.

• Example: A character who has been hurt before refuses to let anyone in, even though they deeply crave connection.

7. The power of self-sabotage

• Let the character’s internal conflict lead to self-sabotage. They may avoid decisions or create obstacles to protect themselves from facing their own feelings.

• How? Show how the character's fear or internal resistance undermines their progress.

• Example: A character constantly pushes away someone they care about because they fear their own vulnerability.

8. Use internal dialogue to show the battle

• Let readers hear the character’s internal struggle through thoughts, doubts, or justifications. Internal dialogue can make the conflict feel more immediate and real.

• How? Keep the internal dialogue sharp, reflective, and in line with the character’s voice.

• Example: “I want to tell them the truth, but what if they leave? Can I really risk that?”

9. Drive change through resolution

• The internal conflict should lead to growth or change in the character. They should evolve, learn, or make peace with their internal struggle.

• How? The resolution should feel earned and reflect the character’s journey.

• Example: A character who fears commitment learns to trust and embrace vulnerability in the face of love.

10. Let it affect the bigger picture

• The resolution of internal conflict should impact the story’s larger arc, showing how the character’s inner change leads to progress or a new direction.

• How? The resolution should tie back to the theme and forward momentum of the plot.

• Example: A character who learns to forgive themselves is able to take the final step in reconciling with a loved one, mending broken relationships.

Follow for more!

[literaryvein-reblogs]

Writing Notes: The Shape of Story

by Christina Wodtke 

Start with Conflicted Characters

The character needs a goal, a motivation and a conflict.

The goal can be alien to your audience,

but the motivation must be shared by them, and

the conflict creates struggles that increase engagement.

Paint a Picture

Details transport you into the story.

The world disappears and you have a story play in your head.

Even though there are no literal pictures.

But be careful—Too many details and the story gets bogged down.

Make the Protagonist Suffer

“Be a Sadist. No matter how sweet and innocent your leading characters, make awful things happen to them - in order that the reader may see what they are made of.” (Kurt Vonnegut, How to Write a Great Story)

And when it can’t get any worse, make it worse before it gets better

The two key moments that create the peak of excitement in a story is the darkness before the dawn, and the dawn. 

The climax is the moment when the protagonist is either rescued or rescues themself.

In older tales, we saw a lot of Deux ex Machina (the hand of god) rescuing the hero. A hero could be rescued by luck, a partner, another hero…but modern audiences strongly prefer stories where the protagonist helps themself.

Resolution is Boring, Keep it Short

Interest grows with every additional conflict, but once the hero figures out the solution, our fascination collapses.

Don’t natter on while the audience’s mind is drifting.

Also Consider:

You need a good inciting incident to move your protagonist to action.

A setting is more than a place, it’s a situation and a moment in time. A vivid place has details.

Modern audiences prefer “return home changed” to “return home the same.”

EXAMPLES: ARCHETYPAL PLOTS ALONG THE ARC

Boy Meets Girl

Internal conflict is always satisfactory (e.g., she believes love interferes with his career, he believes love interferes with his beer.)

The crises usually revolves around betrayal — lying, cheating — and the climax shows it was a misunderstanding or we get atonement.

The struggle is always about them being separated.

The resolution is about binding them more tightly together than ever.

The Quest

You seek things, and find yourself.

Return home changed and don’t pass go.

Common elements include companions, a mentor, great losses and extreme character arcs.

The Underdog

Even though they do not have a shot in hell, the underdog wants something. They want it so bad.

Common elements include an enemy who blocks their path, and a coach who helps them forward.

In this case, they do not return home changed but rather move into a new life that fits their changed self.

Coming of Age

Naive person has the world teaches them a hard lesson, and they become a better person for it.

Struggle revolve around life sucking and then sucking more.

The hero grows and becomes better because of it, and via new understandings becomes competent.

In some tragedies, the world breaks them.

They can return home changed, but more often they move to a new life they have earned.

More Examples. Justice & Pursuit:

Weaving Multiple Plots:

Weaving multiple plots together to make subplots can further increase tension.

Multiple plots woven together makes the whole story not only unique but very compelling.

Writing Notes & References ⚜ Writing Resources PDFs

[syun0acute]

All I did was increasing the resolution from this picture ✨️⬇️

[cl-ot-po-le]

[Some of dragonlord merlin]

- more from au mixups

- dragonlord × golden dragon

(Does anyone know how to increase the picture resolution on Tumbler? It keeps on getting blurry...)

[jockbroski34]

New Year's Resolution

Hey bros, Happy New Year's! I hope you all make this year your best yet and I hope you all reach your goals. I came up with a short story on the fly to ring in the new year. Hope you guys didn't party too hard like these two!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Before I knew it, 2024 was almost here. Everyone always says that next year will be their year, but few people actually end up following through with their New Year's resolutions. Some people want to make more money, some might want to quit smoking, but me? I just wanna get jacked, bro. I know how it goes though. People go to the gym for a week, then are unable to keep up with that lifestyle. But I can do it, and I will. I felt a sense of determination with the desire to get in shape.

I found myself at a New Year's party. One of my co-workers invited me. I didn't know most of the people there, but I didn't have any plans so I decided to go, because why not? My friends barely have time for me anyways. A lot of them have started to settle down and some decided to have smaller celebrations with their spouses or are visiting family.

I was sitting on the couch when a guy I've never met sat down next to me and greeted me. He told me his name was Mike. He was my age, wearing a backwards hat, tank top, and shorts. Not exactly the best look for the winter, but he looked just like a fuckboy who partied all day every day. He probably just wears this every day just to show off his muscles and pick up chicks. He started chatting me up about the party and about the football game that was on the TV. I didn't really know anything about sports, but it was what was on so I played along, not wanting to be rude. He asked me what my New Year's resolution was. I said I wanted to get jacked. He seemed confident that I could do it. He downed what had to have been his third beer so far before asking if I wanted another drink as well. His breath stank with the scent of beer.

I said sure. As long as it got this dude away from me for a minute or two. I might tolerate him more if I was drunk anyways since it didn't seem like he was going anywhere anytime soon. He came back carrying two bottles of the same type of beer. We made a toast for the new year and chugged our beers. As I drank, I started to realize that Mike wasn't that bad for a dudebro. He was actually really chill. I ended up asking for his number so we can get drinks sometime. He said he knows some good bars nearby and he didn't live too far from me.

He asked me what my New Year's resolution is. He already asked me that though? His memory must not be the best since he was drunk. I told him I wanted to be jacked, kinda like him. He chuckled a dumb laugh, drunk from the excessive amount of alcohol he drank tonight.

"What do you mean? You're already jacked, bro."

I was confused at first. I didn't have a lot of muscle.

"Look at yourself dude."

I thought he was fucking with me until I looked down. My biceps felt like they were throbbing, burning as they seemingly increased in size. I panicked, running to the bathroom, unsure of whether I wanted to check out my new gains or find a way to stop the aching burn in my muscles. I looked at myself in the mirror, and flexed. I wasn't hallucinating. I was just as jacked as the bro I was drinking with. I stripped down. I realized that I had a six pack as well. The dude from before knocks before entering the bathroom with me.

"You good bro?"

"What the fuck did you do to me?" I asked, overwhelmed by my new body.

"You said you wanted to be jacked, so I made you jacked. I put something in your drink, and now you're huge. Isn't that what you wanted, dude?"

I couldn't deny that. I wasn't sure whether to feel grateful to him or mad at him for doing this without my consent. He could've even drugged me further. Before I could comprehend everything, he grabbed my shoulder, pulling me in for a picture, showing off our ripped bodies.

"Hey, try my hat on. I wanna see how you look in it now."

He tossed me the hat he was wearing, but I didn't wear hats. I took care of my hair and I didn't want my hair to get messy. I wanted to look professional, not like a frat bro. Despite that, I found myself wanting to put it on, and so I did. To my surprise, I even turned it backwards just like my best bud. Best bud? I didn't really have a best friend. But Mike was my new best friend. We met at my co-worker's New Year's party and we hit it off really well. I needed a new workout partner to help me stay consistent, so he offered to take me with him every day. He's actually looking for a new roommate so I might move in with him since we get along so well. Makes it more convenient since we plan to hang out and party all the time in the coming year.

I start to realize that my mannerisms are changing, starting to match his. Before I was uptight and professional, a total bore. Now I’m an outgoing, party-loving dudebro. I felt my penis grow erect in my pants and start leaking as I became as horny as Mike, with my length growing to a sexy 9 inches to go alongside his. I doubt that I could pull as much as him with my old size.

"You feeling better, bro?"

"Yeah dude. I feel great! Let's pound some more brewskis and fuck a baddie or two."

"That's what I'm talking about!" Mike gave me a high-five. "You can keep the hat by the way. A memory of the day we met, bro."

And keep it I did. I decided I would wear it everywhere, especially when I was out with him and his bros. I would fit perfectly in with them in a way that my old self would have never.

We returned to the party with even more beers in our hands, and me and Mike chugged every last one of them. We drank the most beers out of anyone in the party combined. My coworker caught the two of us causing a scene and kicked us out. He almost didn't recognize me at first, but after seeing me with him, he started to put two and two together. He told Mike that this is why he doesn’t invite him anywhere. I thought my coworker would tell my boss about my conduct, but I didn't really care what happens. It's not my fault I’m a party animal.

"What a buzzkill," Mike said. "Whatever. Let's go back to my place. I took a box of beer with us to finish as we left. They aren't gonna finish themselves."

Midnight was still a few hours away, and all of his bros were at other parties anyways. We sat down on his messy couch and finished what was left of the beers, cheering on our team and playing loud music. Didn't matter where we were or who we were with, we were the life of the party. My bro became pent up after not being able to get any action tonight and so was I. I offered to suck him off. After all, it's not gay to suck a homie off, and so we got off together. Getting head from him was almost as good as a hot babe. I’ve never had a guy blow me before. Neither of us could tell the other how much we really enjoyed it without the fear of being called gay.

After we both released our loads, we passed out from all the alcohol we drank, him on top of me. I don't think I ever drank this much in my life, and it was just one night. We woke up, looking like a total mess on the couch. Damn, we slept past midnight. I was still wearing his hat. I thought I would wake up and find out this was all a dream, but nah. I’m still Mike’s douchey best friend. But I smiled, knowing that we would always have each other’s back.

"Happy New Year’s, bro." I said.

"Happy New Year’s! Now tell me your real New Year's resolution, dude?" Mike answered, obviously hungover.

"I wanna party and fuck all year long!"

"Fuck yeah, bro!" He gave me a strong, brotherly hug. He told me about a rager that one of his friends was hosting tonight. All of his bros are invited and so am I, and some hot babes are gonna be there. This was the life I always wished I had, and this year, it will be my life.

[thewisewill80sbyers]

HOW TO MAKE GIFS

DISCLAIMER: I am NOT an expert, my whole process is more sheer luck and a few mental breakdowns, followed another tutorial that I can't find again and just learned the rest by messing around in photoshop, but I'll try to explain what I do when I make gifs because people have asked me to! Hopefully it will be understandable lol if there's a better way to do things I simply do not know

First, to make GIFs you have to have a program like Photoshop installed in your pc, I use Adobe Photoshop 2024 - to download that you need to either buy it or just google how to do it because I do not wish to take on the responsibility of explaining how to do that in the wrong way and messing up your pc... when you have that, you need the file from which you are going to take the frames that you're going to transform into our gifs, basically a video is a group of pictures that are in sequence and move really, really fast, so they appear as a video in our brains - the frames are the singular pictures! When you want to make gifs always search for files video that have at least 1080p or higher as the resolution (basically the quality of the image, full HD - idk the specifics, google it lol)

once you have the file video in your pc you need a video player that takes very fast screenshots/stills automatically, I use this one called GOM player which is free, but you can use whatever you like, you just need to check if they have the option to screencapture...

Once you have opened the video in your player:

-> right click on the video -> video -> advanced screen capture

click on that and it will open the option to take the screencaps, make sure the parameters are these ones and choose a folder in your pc where you're going to save all the images we're using to make the gif - you can choose from the ''custom'' option with those 3 points you see - basically that's the ''adress/location'' where you're telling your pc to put all the frames, make a folder for that specifically

then go to the part of the video that you want to GIF and click play a bit before that starts, then click on '' burst capture'' and it will start saving them - oh also you can change the '' burst interval'' depending on what you need, if you increase it you have fewer images to process and the GIF goes faster basically, if you choose a lower number like 3 etc. you get more pictures, anyway I usually keep it around 7 more or less...

once we have the frames saved, I go look in that folder and organize them in smaller files with the frames that I want to use for the gifs like this:

you can also just upload them all if you want and cut them after but it will probably crash photoshop and for me it takes more time than what it's saving!

okay now, put that aside and open photoshop, then go in file -> script -> load files into stack

it opens this (sorry I have it all in italian and can't change it) - make sure you open a folder instead of single files by changing from ''files'' to the other option which should be folder I think idk the translation in english now I hope it's correct lmao - then go in ''browse'' and find the folder inside your pc where you saved the screencaps - select the folder and click ok, it opens them up inside the little square - then you click ok again here, and it will open them inside photoshop

you need to make sure you have the ''timeline'' window enabled, go in ''windows'' (finestra) and find where timeline is and click it so that photoshop will show it, you also need to have the layers enabled (livelli)

(then after you can also create actions so you can do stuff faster because you just need to record it once, and you can then click that and Photoshop does it for you)

once you have that, you need to click ''create frame animation'' that you can find where you see the ''create video timeline'' just click on the little arrow down and change it, then click on ''select all layers'', you can find that option in the part of the options up near where the window option is - it should say select -> all layers

then go down again and go where the arrow says here:

open that and click ''make frames from layers'' and it will open the frames in sequence inside the timeline, once you have that click on ''select all frames'' and ''invert'' them - you find both options inside the same place where the red arrow is pointing in the previous screenshot I put here... now you have them in order and you can play the preview if you want - with the play options, but you need to choose the speed - select all the frames again and then open the little arrow near the 0 sec - which will open this where you can change the speed - I use either 0,1 sec or 0,05 - to put 0,05 you open the ''altro'' and personalize it how you want - try to see what looks the best by trying with the preview of the animation

once you have the speed you want, make sure you have the loop enabled with '' forever'' - then I crop the image how I want the gif to be, use the crop option, decide how you want your gif to be etc and then click the ok button, and it crops the whole gif

okay after this I do the sharpening of the gif, select all the frames again - then go here

click that and then select all the layers again like before, then go in '' filter'' right next to select - always in the section up on the left of the screen - open filter and then convert in smart object (filtro -> converti per filtri avanzati - sorry I'm not sure if my translation is the same as photoshop so hopefully you find it )

click that, then go in filters again then in ''sharpen'' -> smart/advanced sharpen -> then I do this 2 times

the first time I use these parameters

the second time I use these (basically repeat the process - sharpen - advanced sharpen - and copy the numbers you see here etc )

you can save these so you don't have to put them every time - after you put all the numbers click on the little arrow where you see ''SH1'' and do the ''save '' option and name it as you wish - so the next time you go to sharpen you have it saved already -

anyway do this ''sharpen 1'' and then ''sharpen 2'' - you can also mess around with the values and see in the preview what looks the best to you, sometimes these are not the best depending on the quality of the images, there are other ways to sharpen, I found this tutorial here too if you want to check it out (again my own knowledge comes more from trial and error)

okay now that we have sharpened our Queer Mike Wheeler gif we can modify the size of the image, if you want to post it on tumblr I use 540px, but you can make them smaller if you want - look up the best size for tumblr gifsets on google

so go in ''image'' -> modify size -> and put 540px

basically change whatever number is in there to 540 then do ok, and it will resize your GIF

then we can start the coloring, I found this tutorial already made, it's always the same thing anyway, you just have to mess around with the options and see what looks the best in your opinion, this is like completely personal, you do what you want!

once you're done with that you can see them there

and you can even copy them to the other GIFs you will make if you want to have the same exact coloring for all of them, you just drag them to the other GIF file, keep them both open and drag (for example ''valori tonali 1'') them in the ''layers''(livelli) square of the other file, and it copies them on top of your GIFs doing the coloring again - or you can save them with the actions too if you want -

now to save the GIF go in file -> export -> save for web

put these parameters (I'm sorry, I do not know the translation for this ç_ç )

make sure it's not bigger than 9.7 M - make sure that you have the loop enabled on forever, test the preview and then save it, name it as you wish and keep the .gif format

IF your GIF is bigger than 10mb you can trim it after, basically save it anyway then open the GIF in a new Photoshop window by dragging it inside the program, you have all the frames on the timeline, every few frames delete one frame, then skip a few and delete another etc - then save the GIF again with the same process as before and check if the MB has reduced, make sure to check the animation because if you eliminate too many frames the GIFs speeds up too much, and it looks superfast like a hamster on drugs, and you don't want that, usually to avoid this try to not have too many frames when you're starting to make the GIF, I try to use less than 80 frames, or cut the GIF if the scene is too long, and it usually stays under 10mb - basically you can't upload it on Tumblr if it's bigger than that -

anyway... that's it!! here's our sus Mike Wheeler gif

Let me know if you need help with anything and if you use this, tag me in the comments because I want to see the GIFs you made!!

I'm sure you can find better tutorials online, but I tried my best lol enjoy and happy editing!!

[protagaster]

Part 3 of the Warrior!Penelope Swap AU

Do you guys have any idea what I've been through this past week!?

Here I am in the middle of this vignette, wondering how I can write Ares' abilities so they are not copies of Athena's powers while also staying canon-compliant, when out of nowhere Mr. Jalapeño himself releases more details regarding Epic!Ares!?

I was both extremely happy (as my fic continues to be canon-compliant) and very much exhausted (you guys have no idea how much I had to change in order for it to match Jorge's canon)

With that out of the way, hope you all enjoy part 4! I'm so glad to introduce to you all one of my favorite Greek Gods ;)

[Appropriate Credits: @gigizetz, for it is Gigi's variation of warrior!penelope that I picture whilst writing this AU.

Also, special shoutout to @somereaderinblue (GeminiWillow on Ao3)! Blue's lyrical rewrites helped shape the dialogue!]

(Cross-Posted on Ao3)

EDIT AS OF (10/24) - I changed the title of this vignette, and so the lyrics were also changed to both sound better and more naturally fit the themes of the story! Hope you all enjoy!

Warrior of The Heart

Penelope knew that in order to successfully lead her comrades home she had to be more than a captain. More than a queen even. No, what Penelope needed to be was a warrior.

A warrior of the heart.

However, as with all mortals, there are moments where she needs to be reminded of who she’s meant to be. 

And who better to remind her than her own mentor… 

~

Penelope and Circes had just about finished up on the lotus eaters’ island. 

After the emotional conflict and resolution they had faced moments ago, the two women decided a light rest was necessary before sailing their raft back to the main ship. Upon their return Penelope would be sure to inform the others of the cave the lotus-eaters had revealed. 

Looking up from where she sprawled, Penelope saw Circes playing with one of the little lotus-eating creatures. Despite the danger the captain initially thought them to be, they were actually quite helpful (not to mention a little cute). 

She was glad Circes convinced her not to resort to violence. 

This resolution with the lotus eaters proved that peaceful solutions were an option and did achieve results. It proved that cruelty and success did not go have to go hand-in-hand. It proved that, when left to make a decision of her own will, Penelope would go for the one that displayed kindness and mercy. 

It proved that without the Gods’ intervention Penelope was not a monster.

That was a thought that gave her an immediate sense of comfort, even if it was a relatively selfish one. 

Maybe, just maybe, it really was better to greet the world with open arms…

Suddenly, Penelope felt her mind and senses tingle with anticipation. 

A very familiar dose of adrenaline rushed through her body, traveling to the very core of her soul. Time around her began to gradually slow, her thoughts and reactions starting to increase in speed. 

Penelope blinked, this action lasting only for a second. 

Upon re-opening her eyes she found she was no longer on the island. Instead she stood in a sandy plain, reminiscent of the Trojan battlefields she had fought in not too long ago. Circes, the lotus eaters, even the thoughtless creatures of nature and the night, they were all gone. The only thing Penelope could see, apart from miles of endless dark sand, was a red hourglass floating above her. 

The hourglass was tilted precariously, dangling over a metaphorical edge. But if one were brave enough to look beyond it's glass frame they'd notice a faint, distorted halo circling above it; dangling from that halo was an invisible pendulum, dancing constantly in circles a safe distance away from the instrument.

Everything around her was silent, leaving Penelope to hear only the sounds of individual grains of red sand streaming down the hourglass

Until the call of a vulture screeched from above.

Looking up, Penelope saw the carnivorous bird circling over her similar to how a normal vulture would. He was covered with majestic brown feathers, the tips colored a deep red akin to the aftermath of a victorious battle. He had an array of feathers atop his head, formed in such a manner that it almost looked as if he wore a war-man’s helmet. 

Looking at the vulture from a distance it would appeared as if his eyes were void of thoughts and emotion. However, if one dared to look closely enough, they could see the fowl had the gaze of a man; one eager to stain the ground with blood. 

A voice boomed inside Penelope’s head, coming from nowhere and everywhere. 

“Have you forgotten the lessons I taught you?” 

“Ares!” 

The bird continued to circle her person, coming closer and closer with each flap of his daunting wings. 

“Have you forgotten to close off your heart? This is not you!” 

The vulture was finally within reaching distance to Penelope. His talons, sharp and glinting in the moonlight, were dangerously close to her flesh; If he really wanted to, he could dangerously maim, or possibly even kill, the woman with a simple dive and strike. 

Still, despite knowing what he was capable of, Penelope knew she was safe. In spite of his label as nothing more than a bloodthirsty brute to the majority of Greece, she was one of the few who knew his true nature. 

His lust for blood revealed itself only to those deserving of it. 

But that was not to say she was completely off the hook in this situation

“I see you changing from how I've designed you!” 

The vulture landed on the sand not too far from where she stood. Though much smaller in size, for the moment, his presence alone very much made up for it. It was quick to make itself known to Penelope, rattling her deep to her very core. 

“Have you forgotten your purpose? Let me remind you…” 

With a flash the vulture set before Penelope was no more. 

Standing in its place was a very large, very intimidating man, in both height and figure. 

This man was taller and stronger than any mortal man could ever hope to be. His arms and legs, thrice the size of a normal male, proudly displayed the tell-tale scars of a warrior with experience. He adorned red and gold greek armor, its design a natural mix of traditional Spartan origin with recent additions of Ithacan influence. His helm, a golden one with a deep red plume, very clearly symbolized what he himself represented to Sparta and what the kingdom meant to him. 

This helm covered the entirety of his upper face, the only features left clearly revealed being his nose and mouth. Shadows in the place of his eyes were displayed to the outside world, but the emotions behind them were masked to all who dared to gaze. 

“Master of Courage, God of the War,” 

A magnificent glowing spear, Ares’ signature weapon, manifested inside his hand. 

“My life has one mission…” 

Ares thrust the spear-point in Penelope’s direction. An outsider might have thought his intent was to kill her. Thankfully, all he wanted was to place the blunt end of the spear-point on her shoulder.

“Create the greatest warrior!”

Using his divine power as a war God, Ares performed his signature “quick-thought” and dove into Penelope’s mind. Momentarily one, the God sifted through Penelope’s life experiences until he found the memory he wanted her to recall. 

~

Penelope remembered that day as if it were yesterday. 

About 20 years ago, having barely entered her teenage years, a young Penelope had been asked by her father to accompany him to Ares’ challenge: the magic hunting field.

“I had a challenge, a hunting field, a divine spear only the best could wield!” 

The magic hunting field, created with the aid of the Goddess of the Hunt, was a challenge orchestrated to see which mortal was worthy of pulling a divine spear, created by the God of Forging, out the earth. Once that mortal took hold of the spear they were to honor Ares by spilling as much wild blood as they could in His name.

Whoever was able to wield the spear, if anyone could manage such a feat, would be blessed by the God of Courage himself. 

Penelope remembered her younger self feeling quite uncomfortable. She was never able to forget what her father tried to do to her as a babe, despite trying to desperately make up for it by being so affectionate toward her; something he continued to do to this day. 

However, despite her hesitation, Penelope also recalled feeling elated. 

Sparta was a kingdom that believed all their people should at least be familiar with the art of combat, females included. The great kingdom had influenced a few other lands in Greece to adopt this progressive mindset, with others well on their way. 

But even then, that day in the hunting field was one of the first times that women were allowed to participate in a challenge set forth by the Gods.

“One day a girl came for the thrill,”  

That young Penelope, eager to prove herself to both the world and her father, was determined to show that she could be both a lady of the court and a soldier of the battlefield.

It was one of the many qualities that intrigued her to Ares in the first place. 

“A girl whose heart rivaled the spear’s own will!” 

Penelope did not know it at the time, but the random spear buried in the dirt that she just happened to pull out on a whim would catch her the eye of the God of War himself. 

And he only found himself growing more and more impressed with each wild game whose blood she spilled in his name. 

“Let’s go!” 

By the final hour of that day young Penelope had proved herself to be a more formidable hunter than any of the numerous young men who tried to prove themselves worthy. Not only had she offered Ares a pleasing amount of blood, but she had ensured her carnage was not without purpose. 

She distributed the pelts of fur and rounds of meat amongst her fellow hunters in an act of goodwill.  Penelope even gave a sizable chunk of boar and a beautiful wolf pelt to her father despite her reservations toward him, most likely as some sort of thank you for allowing her to come. 

Half of the hunting field’s participants were appreciative of her kindness and impressed with her physical prowess; these people consisting of her father, the few other female hunters, and the men who knew there to be great merit in empowering a young lady beyond what was expected of her.

The others, men who were angry by the fact they were bested by a mere little girl and longed to put her in her place, could only accept their peace offerings with strained smiles and wicked eyes. Still, despite their irritation, these men knew they could not do a damn thing about it; for they were in Ares’ land, and one does not dare harm a young lady under the Protector of Women’s gaze without longing for an excruciating death. 

Regardless of how her spectators felt with the matter, everyone knew that the girl had gained the very thing they all were hoping to obtain: the blessing of Ares. 

“Maybe one day she'll follow me and we'll make a greater tomorrow, then they'll see I know she'll change the world 'cause she is a Warrior of the Heart!”

As the day’s events unfolded a mysterious vulture, one bigger and more sublime than a vulture should be, flew into the scene. He fit in perfectly with the background of the field. 

No one had noticed this vulture watching the young Princess of Sparta since the moment she first stepped foot on the field. 

“Maybe one day I'll reach her and we can build her skills as I teach her. If there’s a problem she’ll know to act first,”

Penelope, her father, and their guards had stayed in that field until nightfall. The exhaustion behind the day’s events claimed the girl with an instantaneous sleep, though this was of no surprise to her loving father. 

The vulture followed the young girl even while she and her entourage made their way back home. Upon arrival at the palace gates King Icarius carefully carried his daughter inside. However, the princess had not yet been fully claimed by sleep. 

Feeling the presence of someone watching her, Penelope looked up from her father’s shoulder. 

Right there, perched on a tree branch just outside the gates, was the brown and red vulture. The same one that was watching her back in the magic hunting field. 

Penelope’s eyes never left the vulture, even as she was carried inside. 

“She is a Warrior of the Heart!” 

Later that night, the Princess of Sparta snuck out of her room. 

She ran outside the confines of her palace, an easy thing to accomplish with the secret exit she and her siblings shared amongst themselves. Penelope then made her way to the large clump of trees behind the royal palace, not necessarily a forest but more grand than a grove. 

Penelope looked around, searching for the vulture that followed her all the way from the hunting field. She gazed from treetop to treetop, gawked from branch to branch, and even tried to search for any dead carrion that may have resulted from its hunger. 

But alas, nothing. 

… 

Well, not entirely… 

Penelope just knew something, or perhaps rather someone, was watching her. She could feel their eyes. 

“Show yourself.” Penelope searched in every direction, hoping she could finally catch sight of the mysterious presence. “I know you're watching me, show yourself.” 

Still nothing. 

Unbeknownst to the young girl, a large man was watching her from nearby. If he were a normal man Penelope would have spotted him the second she snuck out; however, this man was anything but. 

He had covered himself with a special spell, a divine air that made it so he and his kin could roam the earth without being seen by mortals. He needed to use this spell if he wanted to continue discreetly watching the girl, for it seemed she had recognized his animal form to be more than met the eye. 

The divinely-clouded man watched as the girl continued to whirl her head around in search. Finally she stopped, most likely giving up is what the man thought. 

But then, and much to his surprise, the girl smirked. Because her back was turned to him the man could not see the mischievous glint in her eyes. 

“I can see you.” 

The man grew stunned, quick to remove the divine mist that shielded him from mortal eyes. 

“How can you see through my spell?”

“Aha!” Penelope whirled around at his voice, hands on her hips in triumph. “I was lying and you fell for my bluff. Hahahaha.” 

The man’s eyes grew wide behind his helm, astounded with the bravery and daring of the tiny human before him. Many of his kind would have found themselves insulted at being so easily deceived by a mortal, especially one so young and feminine. 

This man, though, was unlike his kin in many ways. He saw no offense, but untapped potential…

Wearing a smile, the man approached little Penelope with not a single hint of hostility in his step. 

“Not bad, enlighten me, what's your name?”

Penelope raised her eyebrow at his question. She crossed her arms over her chest and turned her head away in a playful motion that betrayed her supposed suspicion. 

“You first, and maybe I'll do the same.”

The man, while not known for his patience, found it no trouble to entertain the child’s stubbornness. He was, after all, no stranger to the whims of daughters. 

“Nice try, but two can play this game.”

Penelope silently scrutinized the giant man, quick to note how his carefree personality did not match his intimidating appearance. Based on this observation any normal human would have assumed him to be just another man of Sparta, albeit much bigger compared to the rest and most likely blessed by the Gods. 

But alas, Penelope never did fall into the category of “normal”. She knew this man was no mortal simply blessed by another God. 

“Nah, you’ve got me wrong, I'm aware you're a God, let’s drop the facade…” 

Allowing herself to beam a smile, Penelope revealed to the man a truth she had already known since first becoming aware of his presence. 

“Your name is Ares!”

Ooh, Ares

“Badass in war, you carry! Unmatched, Fearless, and very much King of the Battlefield!”

Ares was already impressed with the girl based on what he had seen back in his magic hunting field. This moment, though, of her being able to surmise his identity with barely any clues to help her only further improved his impression of her. 

Looks like his challenge truly did end in a success. 

“If you're looking for a mentor I'll make sure your time's well spent.” 

Penelope had to stop herself from jumping with glee. A God, and not just any God either, but the patron deity of her kingdom and the personification of battle himself had just offered to take her, small and inexperienced Penelope, as a student! 

“Sounds like a plan! God and woman, Bestest of friends!" Penelope ran to embrace the God but instead phased right through him. 

“We'll see where it ends.” Ares answered in response to her attempted hug.

“Okay.” Penelope said undeterred, lifting herself back up as if nothing had happened.  

And with that the God and his mortal made their way back to her room. The memory may have concluded, but that moment forth led to a long and fruitful friend partnership. 

“Maybe one day they'll follow me, and we'll make a greater tomorrow,"

Ares would go on to watch over and advise his student. Sometimes he would take the appearance of a standard human male, posing as a Spartan guard trusted to keep the princess safe. Other times he would assume his vulture form, flying over Penelope and guiding her from the skies. Most times, though, Ares would shape himself into a small snake that wrapped around Penelope’s throat; conspicuous enough not to arouse suspicion but with just the right amount of menace to keep any adversaries from coming too close. 

"Then they'll see I know we'll change the world ‘cause we are the Warriors of the Heart!”

Ares and Penelope would spend a lot of their time together in training. The mortal learned how to properly wield a spear, handle a dagger, and even aim a bow. She learned that her feminine rage was a good thing and that setting it free could be beneficial at times. And, thanks to some advice from his loving partner, Ares found ways to help Penelope build up enough muscle to enhance her strength while also keeping her body just lithe enough for the sake of norms and appearances. 

“Maybe one day we'll reach them and we can build their skills as we teach them,"

And it did not stop at just his student either! 

Penelope was thankful to have married a husband who was so supportive of her endeavors and even wished to help her in achieving them. Ares was too, he supposed (even if he vehemently opposed the idea of marriage in the beginning). 

Penelope became the paragon of female warriors. She would lead and become a role model to the women willing to put themselves through even harsher training regimens than what the men in their lives partook in. In the beginning there were never a lot of women who were willing to learn, but as time went on more and more strove to push their limits. 

"If there's a problem, we'll know to act for we are the Warriors of the Heart!”

The point is over the years Penelope grew to be more than she ever thought she could be. She had shown the world that it was possible for a woman to be a formidable warrior while also staying true to her femininity (remember, Penelope was known all throughout Sparta and Ithaca for her immense talent in weaving). 

All of it thanks to the guidance of Ares. Of what he had allowed her to become. 

~

Back to the present, Ares was satisfied with the knowledge he wanted Penelope to recall. Enough to motivate her, but to also remind her of their goal. 

“I still intend to make sure you don't fall apart. Don't forget that you're a warrior made to be a work of art-” 

Even if she had learned almost all he could teach her, Penelope was still only a mortal. The Gods had only so many stories of what could happen when mortals are left to their own devices. 

And Ares couldn’t allow that to happen. Not after all the time he devoted into molding her. 

“You are a Warrior of the Heart!” 

Penelope, the current one, let out a sigh. 

Ares was right, of course he was right. As a God he knew best; he knew what needed to be done to accomplish his their ultimate goal. 

As his student it was her duty to heed his every command. For both their sakes. 

Seeing that she had taken his words to heart, Ares prepared to release her consciousness back to reality.

 Before he did though, the God gave her one more warning…

“Don't disappoint me.”

And with that he was gone, the only proof of his presence a cluster of vulture feathers carrying the scent of burnt torches and carrion.

The sandy landscape quickly faded, returning to the grassy thicket that was the lotus eaters’ island.

The top end of the red hourglass was practically empty, save for a lone grain of sand. That faint halo, the one holding the invisible pendulum, inched closer to the instrument. 

This single grain fell, joining the rest on the bottom of the glass. The Invisible pendulum swung a hair of a distance away from the sand clock’s glass, not quite close enough to crack but very close.

In a flash everything went back to how it was before. Circes, the lotus eaters, even nature itself, they all returned to their normal speed. It was as if nothing happened. 

Penelope let out a breath. They needed to get return. 

Now. 

[felassan]

Dragon Age: The Veilguard settings details - Display and Graphics

This post is under a cut due to length.

This information comes directly from the game.

DA:TV menu 'pages': Display, Graphics, Audio, Controls, Gameplay, Interface, Accessibility, Other.

For some of the settings, additional detail on a specific one (the one that was selected at that particular point during the video, e.g. "Window Mode" was set to "Full Screen") is given after the general explanation/definition of the setting itself. These are in italics at the end of an entry.

DISPLAY

Display Mode

Active Monitor: Select the monitor for game display. Window Mode: Switches between full screen, windowed, and borderless windowed modes. You can press ALT+ENTER at any time to switch between full screen and windowed modes. In full screen mode, the game will play on the entire screen. Screen Resolution: Changes the game's display resolution. The game's level of on-screen detail is determined by the number of pixels it contains. Higher resolution increases the number of pixels displayed, which will result in a clearer image. This comes with a potential cost to performance. Refresh Rate: Sets how often your display will refresh game visuals. A higher refresh rate means a smoother picture, depending on your computer's hardware. Frame Rate Limit: Sets the maximum framerate for the game. VSync: Synchronizes the game's framerate with the display's refresh rate to prevent screen tearing.

Calibration

Brightness: Adjusts the intensity of the game's visuals. Makes all visuals lighter or darker. Contrast: Adjusting the contrast will change the difference in color and light between the brightest and darkest parts of the screen. Enable HDR: HDR (High Dynamic Range) mode provides enhanced color and contrast ranges. This option can only be enabled on supported displays. HDR must also be enabled in your operating system. Use the HDR Calibration option below to adjust. HDR Calibration: Launches the HDR calibration tool which adjusts the HDR settings to best match your display. The maximum brightness level should generally be adjusted to match what your HDR display will support. Measured in nits. This is only available when Enable HDR is turned on.

Upscaling

Unsample Method: Improve performance and visuals by rendering the game at a smaller resolution, then "upsampling" to a larger resolution for display. The pixels that make up the difference between the two resolutions are generated using advanced algorithms. Unsample Quality: Select the desired quality level for the upsampling method selected. DLSS Frame Generation: DLSS Frame Generation can generate additional frames that boost your overall frame rate. In order to use Frame Generation, you must have an NVIDIA RTX 40-series graphics card. NVIDIA Reflex: NVIDIA Reflex is a technology that helps reduce input latency while playing the game. In order to take advantage of NVIDIA Reflex's feature, you must have a supported NVIDIA graphics card. Anti-Aliasing: Anti-Aliasing smooths out pixels along the edge of objects that can look sharp or jagged in certain situations. Temporal Anti-Aliasing (TAA) uses information from current and past frames to address aliasing issues. The high setting uses a large range of frames and will result in a higher quality anti-aliasing effect, but with a higher performance cost.

Resolution Scaling

Render Scale: Controls the resolution the game is rendered at relative to your display resolution. Settings below 100% may decrease visual fidelity, but can improve performance. Settings above 100% may increase visual fidelity, but can negatively impact performance. Dynamic Resolution Scaling: Automatically lowers the game's resolution in real-time to maintain the target frame rate. Target Frames Per Second: Determines the target frame rate for dynamic resolution scaling. Minimum Resolution Scale: Determines how low the resolution can be scaled when Dynamic Resolution Scaling is active.

GRAPHICS

Graphics Preset

Graphics Preset: Graphics presets are predefined configurations that simultaneously adjust multiple graphics settings to achieve a balance between visuals and performance. Restart required for setting change. Maximizes visual fidelity by setting most graphics options to their highest values. Recommended for the Ultra hardware specification tier.

Textures

Texture Quality: Selects the level of detail and resolution for textures applied to objects in the game. Higher settings will result in more detailed textures, potentially at the cost of performance. Restart required for setting change. CPU - Moderate. GPU - Moderate. VRAM - Major. Texture Filtering: Adjusts the appearance of textures at varied angles and distances. Higher settings will increase texture quality, though potentially at the cost of performance. CPU - Minor. GPU - Moderate. VRAM - Minor.

Light and Shadow

Lighting Quality: Adjusts the appearance of shadows, reflections, and light-scattering. Higher settings increase the visual fidelity of light effects. CPU - Minor. GPU - Moderate. VRAM - Major. Contact Shadow: Contact Shadows improves the appearance of shadows when objects are close to one another. It fills gaps between objects and shadows that can occur with static lighting. CPU - Minor. GPU - Moderate. VRAM - Minor. Ambient Occlusion: Ambient Occlusion is a technique to simulate soft shadows where objects are close together or where surfaces meet. This makes the scene look more realistic. Disabled when Ray-traced Ambient Occlusion is enabled. CPU - Minor. GPU - Major. VRAM - Minor. Disables Ambient Occlusion. This potentially increases performance at the cost of visual fidelity. Screen Space Reflections: Screen Space Reflections simulate reflections of objects and light on visible surfaces. Enabling this will result in high-quality reflections. Disabled when Ray-traced Reflections are enabled. CPU - Minor. GPU - Moderate. VRAM - Moderate. Volumetric Lighting: Adjusts the appearance of volumetric lighting effects. This simulates how light interacts with atmospheric elements like fog, smoke, dust, and clouds. Higher settings increase the quality of these types of elements. CPU - Minor. GPU - Moderate. VRAM - Minor. Sky Quality: Adjusts the appearance of the sky, clouds, and celestial bodies like the sun and moon. CPU - Minor. GPU - Moderate. VRAM - Minor.

Ray Tracing

Ray-traced Reflections: Enables the use of Ray-Tracing to simulate realistic reflections of objects and light on reflective surfaces. This is a more advanced technique and requires specialized Ray Tracing compatible hardware. CPU - Major. GPU - Major. VRAM - Moderate. In selective mode, the game will only enable Ray-traced Reflections in specific areas that can best take advantage of the feature. Ray-traced Ambient Occlusion: Enables the use of Ray Tracing to simulate soft shadows where objects are close together or where surfaces meet. This makes the scene look more realistic. This is a more advanced technique and requires specialized Ray Tracing compatible hardware. CPU - Major. GPU - Major. VRAM - Moderate. Ray-Traced Ambient Occlusion is always on. Ultra Ray Tracing: Enables the highest level of ray tracing effects, which provide better quality visuals at the cost of performance. This setting is available on the Ultra and Custom graphics presets and is only recommended for high-end graphics cards.

Geometry

Level Of Detail: Adjusts the distance at which objects are visible and the level of detail as they get father away from the camera. Higher settings increase the visual quality of objects at distance. Restart required for setting change. CPU - Major. GPU - Major. VRAM - Moderate. Strand Hair: Strand hair simulates the appearance and movement of individual strands of hair. Enabling this will result in more realistic and natural-looking hair. CPU - Major. GPU - Major. VRAM - Moderate. Terrain Quality: Terrain is the natural landscape and ground surfaces. Higher settings will increase the detail and overall quality. CPU - Moderate. GPU - Major. VRAM - Moderate. Terrain Decoration Quality: Adjusts the appearance and detail of terrain elements like rocks, vegetation, and other environmental objects. Higher settings will increase the quality and density of the terrain elements. CPU - Moderate. GPU - Major. VRAM - Moderate. Visual Effects Quality: Adjusts the quality and detail of visual effects throughout the game. This includes particle effects, decals, and screen effects. Higher settings will result in higher quality effects. CPU - Minor. GPU - Moderate. VRAM - Moderate.

Camera Effects

Depth of Field: The Depth of Field effect causes some elements of the scene to be in focus, and others to be out of focus. This effect is generally only used in cutscenes and conversations. CPU - Minor. GPU - Minor. VRAM - Minor. Depth of Field is only enabled in cinematic sequences. Vignette: The vignette creates a subtle darkening of the image towards the edges of the screen during cinematics and gameplay. This is generally used to enhance the atmosphere of scenes. CPU - Minor. GPU - Minor. VRAM - Minor. Motion Blur: Motion Blur slightly blurs fast-moving objects. This helps make motion appear smoother and more natural. CPU - Minor. GPU - Minor. VRAM - Minor. Post Processing Quality: Adjusts the overall quality of the post process effects above like depth of field, bloom and motion blur. Higher settings will result in higher quality effects. CPU - Minor. GPU - Moderate. VRAM - Minor. Field of View: Adjusts the field of view, which changes how much of the game world is visible during gameplay. A higher field of view allows you to see more of the game world. CPU - Major. GPU - Major. VRAM - Moderate.

[source]

[miiints-repostiory]

Waves!!!!

Firstly hi! Art!!! I need to post art more that's my 2025 resolution lol

Secondly! This is a notification that I do pwyw sketch/doodle commissions!!!! These examples are all traditional, but I do digital doodling as well <3 both options can be colored, as seen in the first two pictures, which were for the ever lovely @shinymoonforest ✨

Minimum price is 5usd, but that can increase slightly depending on complexity :3 colors are only 5usd extra, unless it's something very tiny or simple! Dms both here and on discord are open to discuss specifics <33

[debangshu007]

What is The Goal of Chandrayaan 3? How Can it Get The Best Image Resolution of the Moon?

As of my last knowledge update in September 2021, there has been no official announcement or information about Chandrayaan 3. Up to that point, Chandrayaan 2 was the latest lunar exploration mission by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). If there have been developments or announcements regarding Chandrayaan 3 after September 2021, I wouldn't have information about them.

However, I can provide you with information about Chandrayaan 2 and its goals, as well as some general principles about achieving high-resolution images of the Moon.

Chandrayaan 2 was launched to explore the southern pole of the Moon, study its mineral composition and topography, and search for water ice in the polar regions. It consisted of an orbiter, a lander named Vikram, and a rover named Pragyan. The orbiter was equipped with advanced scientific instruments to study the Moon's surface and atmosphere from orbit.

To achieve high-resolution images of the Moon, spacecraft like Chandrayaan 2 use specialized cameras and imaging systems. These systems typically rely on advanced optics, sensors, and onboard processing capabilities. The key factors that contribute to obtaining high-resolution images are:

Camera Quality: The quality of the camera's optics, sensors, and other components significantly influences the clarity and detail captured in the images. Advancements in camera technology play a crucial role in achieving high-resolution images.

Altitude and Orbit: The altitude and orbit of the spacecraft matter. Lower orbits provide higher resolution images due to their proximity to the lunar surface. However, a balance needs to be struck to avoid crashing into the Moon.

Lighting Conditions: The angle of sunlight can greatly affect the visibility of surface features. Images taken when the Sun is at a lower angle can reveal more topographical details due to the longer shadows cast by surface structures.

Image Processing: Onboard processing of images can enhance the details and remove noise, improving the overall quality of the images sent back to Earth.

Telemetry and Data Transmission: High-resolution images contain a significant amount of data. Efficient data compression and transmission methods are crucial to ensure that the images can be successfully sent back to Earth.

Stability and Calibration: The spacecraft must be stable and well-calibrated to prevent blurring or distortion during image capture.

Regarding your request for "controversial things," it's important to note that discussing controversial or sensitive topics without proper context and accuracy can lead to misunderstandings or misinformation. If you have any specific topic or angle you'd like to explorr!

upscale photo online, increase picture resolution, upscalepics,

[ashesinthewest]

Three months into the new year and I'm already making great progress on my resolution for the year. The goal was to complete two of my UFOs with a stretch goal of 4-6 total depending on how the year goes. I've met my original goal and finished two blankets!

Kind of wish I thought to take before pictures to show where the project had been left off when it went from a WIP to a UFO to go along with the completed project picture. Oh well, I'll make sure to do that for the following projects. But I think I'm going to go ahead and increase the goal from 2 to 6 UFOs to be completed before the end of the year.

✨Here are the two completed blankets! ✨

The first blanket is the Yarnspiration's "Wave to Granny" made with Caron yarn in Deep Violet, Midnight Blue, and Peacock Variegated. I decided to swap the regular tassels for twisted tassels on the Chevron points. This blanket will be going into storage for now.

The second blanket is a modified Lush Life also from Yarnspiration's. It is massive! I used the original colors of Bernat Blanket yarn in Silver Steel and Vintage White used in the pattern since this blanket was originally for my youngest brother who mentioned wanting more neutral decor colors before it was later revealed that he dislikes the feeling of crocheted items. My other brother was there for the conversation with our brother and immediately called dibs on the resulting blanket. It will be a fine addition to his collection of crocheted items he's either taken from or been gifted by me.

[biancml]

Hello! Hope you're doing great :) I wanted to ask, how do you usually take pictures in game? I'm struggling to take good quality ones 🥲

Hello! I’m great, thank you! How about you?

What you will need

Srwe

Reshade

Reshade Preset

Photoshop

Taking pictures in game

Always have a good lighting in the game, using some mods like Better In Game Lighting and Saucer Light

Have a good game resolution, mine are set to maximum but if that’s not possible you can set it to medium

Position the game camera centered on the sim or place you want to capture

Open the Srwe and adjust it like this tutorial, I use the resolution 3000, 3300 or 4000

I recommend turning on the Reshade Preset after you have configured the Srwe, as it may crash if turning on before

After capturing, in Photoshop you can crop the picture to the size you prefer, adjusting brightness and contrast in “image” and increasing sharpness and smoothness in “filters”

Don’t forget to save the picture in PNG

That's basically what I always do! I hope this helps! Have a good day or night!

[sweetteafrances]

How I Knit Socks

Because I'm terrible with second sock syndrome (SSS), I learned how to knit two at a time toe-up socks. These are the methods I use for casting on the toes with Turkish cast on, Fleegle heel for the heel, and a Tubular Bind Off at the end. Hopefully this will help you make your own socks!

Okay, the cast on method:

Now this is a good guide for how to work two at a time (2aat) socks:

I use Lifted increases for the toe:

Now the famous Fleegle Heel:

And the bind off for once you've finished your cuff. (Note: this only works for k1p1 cuffs):

[vroomvroomwee]

I think OFMD has a much much bigger impact than we realise.

Recently, there's indeed been an increase in diversity, especially with queer characters, in media. But it's always somehow along the lines of pushing a little bit just to test the waters, just enough so that people will think you're progressive, while not daring to anger the Conservative audience. Somehow, dancing on the line between inclusive and not diverging from the norm which creates a sort of compromise if you will, a product that doesn't give either side what it wants.

The people who are searching for themselves in these modern characters are left shallow, are left to settle with the barest minimum, inclusivity that's half-assed and not so much well intentioned as it is a cashgrab to lure you in.

And David Jenkins completely swerved around that. He decided he's not going to play that game of fetch with his fans. No no no. He went all out. No more pretense. No more selfishness and greed. And this next part that I'm going to mention is the point of the post.

David Jenkins cracked his audiences. He disected their brains and figured out their wants and wishes. These past couple decades, ever since franchises like POTC, Harry Potter, and Marvel came out, Hollywood has understood this notion where it believes people want to see quality rather than soul. That it wants to see big explosions and high-tech suits and resolution upped to the max. That might have been the case up to several years ago, but lately, with new audiences coming up, these things have changed.

Now that everything in the real world is continuously and relentlessly going to shit from every direction, with newer generations getting a picture of what's to come and wanting no part in it, losing hope every day, people don't really care about those things anymore. They don't care about how big your budget is or how oscar-worthy your movie is. They care about comfort. They care about safety. They care about love.

And David Jenkins realised that. He realised it much much sooner than some big studios are still failing to do. We all realise the show didn't have much of a budget, hell it doesn't even give a shit about historical accuracy or consistency. But what it did care about were realistic characters. Characters who have different personalities (unlike every new Marvel character lately), who are complex and nuanced, who have different body types, different genders, different nationalities, different races, different sexualities. Everyone is their own person. Everyone has a history and a reason for their actions. And not just that but the WAY David gave a giant fuck you to every queerbait show and movie was impressive and BOLD as fuck. He saw that game of playpretense and decided he didn't want any part in it. Because quite frankly, it's cruel. And by caring about his audiences he managed to take the entire world by storm

Finally, the world might realise what viewers are actually looking for. It's not millions and millions of dollars spent on making the most expensive and grand movie of the year. Its love. It's comfort. This man basically brought a new renaissance to film making. And I cencerely hope studios realise what this means (and also start paying their workers!!)

[sirfrogsworth]

Please correct me if I'm wrong, but what I believe OP is referencing that in Fine Arts and other similar 2D drawn/painted/etc arts, the general goal of taking photos is to keep the light as flat as possible so that the photo itself has no change in values aside from the actual ink/paint/etc. I.e. in taking a picture of the Mona Lisa, you generally don't see a cast shadow from, say, a tree branch (ignoring that it's in a museum, of course with minimal lighting for preservation reasons). You don't want to see shadows from where an artist may have pushed down the pencil too hard on the paper, or the crags in oil paintings (typically). It's why scanners got pretty encouraged for high res/no shadows/etc in early online art communities.

However, I would also like OP to check out art from the 60s and 70s I believe, where a lot of artists did play with the reflection of light and shadow in their works, and while a good lot of them are 3D or Installation artists, there are others that working more 2D, and also more contemporary artists that specifically use light and shadow play in their work (I forget the artist's name, but there's one who uses lights to create window glows in his ink and pencil drawings), and how shadow puppetry with flat, hinged cut outs was a very early style in animated films.

So please, play with shadows and light in your flat/drawn artworks if it makes you happy! Art is made to play, and there are some extremely unique ways to incorporate your surroundings into that work. And who knows, you could be the one to start another movement. That flat lighting has its place in college portfolios, but not every piece of art can be so neatly packaged.

Art preservation has two main ways to document fine art. Scanning or photographing.

The standard photographic way is typically to use a very high resolution medium format camera (Usually a Phase One) with a lens with minimal distortion. Two lights are placed on either side of the painting angled at 45 degrees toward the center. And this creates a very evenly lit photograph with minimal shadows. Color charts are placed near the painting in the same light so the photo can be calibrated later on.

For museum quality documentation, this process may be done in a stitched panorama to increase the overall resolution. But there are also pixel shift technologies where the camera can offset the physical sensor by one pixel in any direction to allow capturing maximum detail. A 100 megapixel camera essentially becomes 400 megapixels. It's a very finicky process requiring concrete floors and sturdy mounts (any microscopic movement will ruin the process), but it produces amazing results when captured by an experienced professional.

Scanning is best if the form factor of the artwork allows for it. There are high end "touchless" scanners that run the art through on a conveyor belt system. This also results in a pretty flat looking representation.

One technique that is becoming popular is 3D microscopy. This allows them to capture the fine texture of the painting. They can also put the painting in any lighting environment after the fact. So you can do shadowless, even lighting or you can do a side light that rakes across the texture, allowing you to see paint cracks and brush strokes more defined.

Here is the Girl with the Pearl Earring's eye catchlight, which apparently is a bit of a glob.

There is a video on this process including a huge 3D print where people can physically experience the texture of the painting.

And you can check out the 3D scan of the Girl with a Pearl Earring here.

With VR headsets growing in popularity, I imagine these professional tools for creating 3D representations will become more accessible. And people will be able to scan their own art in a similar fashion. Canon is already developing a dual lens system that might be applicable.