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sylveriasarcana · 4 months ago

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The Passenger and OCD, or, Randy Bradley and his Weird, Violent Therapist

Hi! As the title implies, I think the 2023 movie 'The Passenger' can be interpreted from the perspective of OCD recovery! And I think Randy Bradley might have OCD! I also think that over the course of the movie, his experiences with Benson help him recover from OCD!

I've got a lot of thoughts about this, and I've put them all under a Read More because of how damn many I have! I hope you enjoy them!

First off; an overview of OCD, then an overview of the most obvious ways in which I believe Randy exhibits OCD symptoms, then a look at Benson and how he carries out a very twisted version of "Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP)", the recommended treatment for OCD.

I hope you enjoy! I might sleep again after this! That'd be neat!

Please note that OCD is very complex and affects each person that has it differently. In this analysis, I refer largely to my own experiences with OCD. They may not reflect your own. Please do not see this as an attempt to explain everything about OCD, or use this to tell other people they don't have OCD because it's not exactly what I'm describing.

(also a lot of this has screenshots of Benson looking at Randy with "wtf" face so hope you enjoy that)

You're Probably Wrong About OCD (Here's What It Is)

Before we start, we need to understand what OCD is. "Oh, that's when you get really stressed out if things aren't clean, right?". No. It's not your fault if you think that, it's how most people think it is, but it's not. Or at least, that's a very simplified version of it. Here's what it actually is.

OCD can manifest as an obsession (or a "theme") followed by a compulsion to try and ease the distress caused by an obsession. These compulsions are usually illogical, an extreme example being "I need take an equal amount of steps on both feet when I'm walking home from work every day or my grandma might die". Themes, as well, are varied. They are sometimes very taboo - for example, one might experience intrusive thoughts along the lines of "what if you caused serious bodily harm to your partner?" or "what if you are secretly a sexual predator?". A compulsion that usually follows these thoughts is rumination, imagining scenarios where these thoughts are correct and you have to defend yourself in court, for example. If you know somebody who experiences themes like these, please understand it is not a reflection of who they are as a person. They are experiencing intrusive, unwanted thoughts, and they need your support, not your judgement.

Now, let's get to Randy's theme - false memory/real event. False Memory OCD is when your brain literally imagines a scenario for you and tells you it's real, usually a very upsetting one, and dares you to prove it wrong. Real Event OCD is when you are feeling immense guilt or shame over a real event that happened in the past which you are now obsessing over, usually in regard to your own morality ("this happened, I'm a bad person, I can never improve, I am defined by this"). The compulsion to "ease" these themes is usually the same; combing through memories to double check every possible detail of this memory to check if it's real/to check if it's as bad as you remember.

Randy is experiencing a combination of these: a real event that has since become twisted in his mind. He DID cause Miss Beard to lose an eye, but she did not crawl towards him on her knees bleeding and screaming after the fact, as shown in the opening scene. There are other logical fallacies to how Randy remembers the event too; for example, he's the only kid in the classroom when he remembers it. This wasn't the case in reality, and he even says this later when he's gained some confidence throughout the movie. But, as previously touched upon before, OCD can rob you of your rationality.

So now you know what OCD is, and why I think Randy has it. How do I know so much about false memory/real event OCD? Well, because I had/have it. More on that later, but first, let's have a look at Randy's journey in The Passenger and some specific moments that signal OCD to me.

"Your name is Bradley Bradley?": Randy and Over-acceptance

OCD can rob you of your ability to trust yourself and your own decisions. In an extreme case, it could even stop you from standing up for yourself in the most basic of circumstances, for example, correcting someone for getting your name wrong. Randy spent a year at Burgers Burgers Burgers wearing the wrong name badge because he didn't want to correct his manager.

When Randy accidentally injured Miss Beard, the lesson he took from it was that nothing good would come from him speaking up for himself or from making his own choices. "The last time I let myself react the way I wanted to, I ruined a person's life". He has since taken this to an extreme degree, and I argue he is following OCD's orders on that one: "you can't correct someone if they get your name wrong or you'll end up ruining their life too".

When Randy's manager finds out he's been using the wrong name for him, he shrugs it off. When Benson finds out:

Benson was a little too busy preparing to berate a service worker to respond to this (justice for Marsha), but you can imagine the thought process here is, "you let us all call you the wrong name for a year?".

That does not seem rational, does it? But here's the thing: OCD doesn't let you be rational sometimes.

"What are you saying to me? What are you trying to say?": Randy and Irrationality

This is also related to over-acceptance; OCD robs Randy of the ability to think rationally. This is especially noticeable when Lisa is first brought up. Benson asks why Randy and Lisa broke up, and Randy says "her cat died".

Benson has a similar response to what ours likely is: what the hell????

Of course we know that someone's cat dying is not a reason to break up with their significant other (unless it's an Angela and Dwight situation, RIP Sprinkles), but Randy is so deep in OCD and over-acceptance that this IS logical to him. He does not trust himself to think of that situation as irrational. He probably thinks something like "oh, getting dumped because her pet died is probably normal". He doesn't even ask anyone else if it's normal, he's just accepted it as something that has happened to him and makes no effort to challenge or change it, because by OCD's rules, if he does what he wants to do and asks further questions, he's going to ruin someone's life. That's what happened last time, and we don't want to repeat what happened last time, do we?

Ergo, through over-acceptance and irrationality adopted through the presence of OCD, "we broke up because her cat died" becomes a completely logical life event in Randy's world. Can't question it, a bad thing will happen if you question it.

But Benson questions it! A lot! This will be important when discussing Benson's approach to ERP, but first, let's talk about OCD and responsibility.

The Shooting: Randy and Responsibility

Here's one of my least favourite parts about OCD: the way it assigns responsibility to you for everything bad that happens. I can't even read the news without my OCD blaming me for whatever the criminal of today's headlines did. Don't even get me started on YouTuber and influencer drama; my OCD loves accusing me of those guys' crimes!

My heart breaks so much for Randy during the shooting, especially on a rewatch: there is no way he's not blaming himself for what happened.

He's the one that spoke up and asked Chris to stop making him uncomfortable, and following a chain of events, Benson shot Chris and everyone in the restaurant except for Randy. This is never confirmed, but seeing Randy after it happens, all I can think is "oh God. He's blaming himself."

Randy says later that the only time he let himself react the way he wants to, he ruined a person's life. Randy has just let himself react the way he wanted to. Now three people are dead.

We are, of course, not in control of how others respond to our actions. Randy asked Chris to stop making him uncomfortable, he did not take a gun and shoot three people dead. That was Benson. But I really do think Randy sees himself as a little responsible here, and that breaks my heart. To him, his worst fear just came true, his OCD has been proven right: he can't speak up for himself or he ruins lives.

But here's the thing; exposing yourself to your worst fears is exactly how you overcome OCD. This is where Benson the weird, violent therapist comes in.

"Do you see what happens when you do nothing?": Benson and Exposure and Response Prevention

Benson might have the most "don't try this at home" method of this therapy I've ever encountered, but there's no denying he got the job done!

In order to recover from OCD, you have to do "exposures". You have to expose yourself to what you are afraid of in order to train OCD to stop using it to scare you. For example, if OCD has convinced you that you can't touch a certain object for fear of getting a disease from it that you then spread to your entire family and kill them all, the solution is to get your hands ALL OVER that object, and then not wash your hands. That's the "response prevention" part. Another "response" could be reassurance seeking; for example, if you touch the object and then immediately ask everyone if you look like you're getting sick. Reassurance seeking is very discouraged in OCD recovery, as is reassurance giving.

What Randy has to do to overcome his OCD theme is accept what happened, and not engage with rumination. Accept that it happened, but that the world kept going, and that nothing good is going to come from robbing himself of his own life because of something that happened in the past.

Extreme violence and several crimes aside, this is exactly what Benson does for Randy.

Randy, in his mind, began the chain of events that caused the shooting. Of course, this isn't the case; Benson was on the absolute brink and this is just what caused him to snap. But here's the thing: unintentionally, and in a very fucked up way, Benson exposed Randy to what he was afraid of. And prevented a response.

Randy spoke up for himself, and three people got shot. Lives are ruined, just like OCD always told him would happen. Benson doesn't immediately tell him why he's just shot three people - he doesn't offer reassurance. He lets Randy sit with the thought. Randy has no choice but to accept what has happened, whether it was his fault or not.

Here's an example of Benson straight up denying Randy the chance to seek reassurance. Consider the diner scene again:

Randy: What does this have to do with me? [subtext: "Would the shooting have happened if not for me?]

Benson: You mean why are you here right now? [subtext: "We're not doing reassurance right now. Here's what I actually think you need to hear."]

OCD was right, as far as Randy knows. Benson isn't disputing this. And yet, the world kept turning. Exposure number one.

You can already see Randy get a little bit of confidence after this event. In the car on the way to Benson's, Randy tells Benson that his mother had him repeat the 2nd grade, and when Benson gives him a speech about needing to stand up for himself, Randy says "I was only seven".

Randy has probably never spoken that way to anyone in his life, let alone someone he just saw commit a homicide. He has CERTAINLY never defended himself for past actions based on his young age at the time, either; he's spent most of his life torturing himself over something he did when he was seven. But suddenly, the irrational brutality of OCD is cracking a little, and he can see: he was only seven. In a fucked up way, being exposed to his worst fear via the shooting has allowed Randy to see through the haze of OCD, if only for a little while, and realise what everyone else can see: he was only a child. This confidence continues to grow throughout the movie, leading to a moment where Randy feels brave enough to approach Benson, who is waving a gun around in a state of despair and anguish, and manages to convince him not to fire it. This is very different from the Randy we saw at the beginning of the movie, and I argue it's through Benson's exposures that he got there.

Benson continues to put Randy in very high-stress situations, confronting Lisa and then going to visit Miss Beard, the source of his current and most debilitating OCD theme, and in reality this would not be an ideal way to deal with it. It's too much too soon (graded exposure is the way to go in reality), and if this was real life, Randy would probably end his day with Benson feeling much, much worse than he did before due to sheer overstimulation. But this is a movie, and we're with these characters for a day. In the course of that day, I argue we see a really good fictionalised version of OCD recovery.

The way Benson reacts to Randy throughout the movie is really interesting to me. He not only challenges Randy's OCD-influenced thoughts in a way Randy has never allowed himself to ("what, she said 'I can't date you because my cat died?'"), but often finds a middle ground between reassurance and agreeing with OCD. For example, Benson often reacts with laughter when given details on Randy's "2nd grade incident". This may not be the most sensitive or ideal middle ground (and other Tumblr users have argued given Benson's own experiences when he was around Randy's age, he's laughing more in relief than dismissal), but it is certainly a middle ground. Plus, when Randy's OCD sees Benson responding to Randy's worst ever deed with laughter, resembling joy, OCD may be inspired to leave Randy alone a little regarding haunting flashbacks to a twisted version of what actually happened. OCD doesn't expect that response, and that has the potential to reroute Randy's obsessive thought patterns.

And then, there's the actions Benson carries out to make Randy actually do exposures and prevent avoidance behaviours (Benson is, of course, mostly preventing Randy from avoiding exposures through the act of having a gun, but you know). Randy has been avoiding asking Lisa why she broke up with him, because OCD has convinced him he doesn't need a reason and that things are just allowed to happen to him. Benson makes Randy ask her. Randy is afraid to see Miss Beard again, for fear that she hates him and that he will find her with a ruined life. Benson facilitates their reunion, and Randy finds out that his OCD was lying to him. While Benson has gone about it in a hostage-situation kinda way, over the course of a day, Randy has done everything he's spent years being too afraid to do. Benson gave Randy fucked up ERP. Benson is his weird, violent therapist.

But, this isn't all. Benson gave Randy his weird version of help because he did not think Randy would ever be brave enough to stand up for himself against Benson. But he was.

Interlude: This Seems Not Very Straight

If you're somehow on Tumblr reading about The Passenger and don't know this, this movie is often interpreted as queer. And just to clear up my stance on that: yes. Of course it is.

"Oh but Randy says he's not gay!". Yeah, so did the guys from Brokeback Mountain. Means nothing to me. I'm Roland Barthes-ing this movie enough already, why WOULDN'T I be for making it gay?

source. if no one else got me, Kyle Gallner got me.

So, back to my mental illness!

"I was never in charge, Randy": Benson is a Passenger, Too

Here's a difficult truth: if you are constantly telling your friend that they have to stand up for themselves, and they need to be more assertive, once they learn those skills, they will 100% use them on you if you have mistreated them or others, and you have to be prepared for that. Benson was not.

Benson is probably the closest thing Randy has ever had to a meaningful relationship that wasn't a relative, and vice versa. Both characters become deeply important to each other throughout the film, but there's still a lot of toxicity there. Benson may be helping Randy do exposures, but he is also constantly punching him and ordering him around at gunpoint. Randy recognises this behaviour as not being right from the start, hence how terrified he looks in the beginning, but isn't about to visibly get mad at the guy holding the gun. (Though I will say, the moments where Randy allows himself a moment to fix Benson with a cold, hard "why are you doing this to me" glare are magical. He looks so mad. Little angry cat look.).

But Benson "creates a monster". Over the course of the movie, Randy's confidence grows little by little the more time he spends with Benson, the more time he spends confronting his past, and eventually that works against Benson. Randy calls the cops on him, and I urge you to pay attention to Randy's reaction after he does it.

Randy can't believe he's done it. Benson can't believe he did it; later, when he's looking for who called the cops, he doesn't even consider Randy, who was the only one that could have. It's just so unbelievable to him that Randy would do this; it does not line up with the person Randy was in the beginning of this movie.

Randy did it; he's finally brave enough to stand up for himself and make his own decisions. He doesn't want it to come at Benson's expense, and you can see that in this scene as well, and later when he calls out to Benson when the latter is headed out to face the cops. It's switching between joy and fear; the adrenaline that comes from doing what you're afraid to do as a person with OCD cannot be understated. The high is incredible, but the fear that comes with it is overwhelming. All of that is portrayed here.

And then Randy goes out and says, "Benson, I need to talk to you". Not "we need to talk". Randy prioritises himself and his needs. He's brave enough to do that now. And he says all sorts of things that Benson doesn't want to hear; "there's no point to what you're doing", and that for all Benson's talk about taking risks and standing up, he has barely left the town he grew up in all day, even though he has a very good reason to (Benson is currently on the lam). Randy has realised that perhaps Benson needs to practice what he preaches and do a little more of what he's afraid to do.

And Benson doesn't appreciate it at first. "Who the fuck are you to talk to me like this, after everything I've done for you?!" This is the first and most obvious response, "I helped you, you're not supposed to use that help against me! I'm in charge!"

And then, once it becomes clear that Randy used what he learned from Benson to drum up the courage to call the cops, the real response comes:

"I was never in charge, Randy."

The audience has very recently learned that Benson too suffered a terrible trauma as a child. It is not one that is as easily fixable as Randy's. It's damaged Benson too much, and Benson has known this whole time that he can't really fix it or himself. He damned himself with the shooting at the fast food restaurant. He snapped and can't go back. All he's known for sure is that he could help Randy. One last good deed.

Benson is a passenger, too. Benson was under the command of his own trauma this whole time, just like Randy. The difference was that Randy internalised his and punished himself, while Benson externalised his and he exploded like a grenade. Randy was maybe ten years and a few bad nights of sleep from doing something similar; Benson saw that and tried to stop it.

And that's the kicker: everyone is someone's passenger, even Benson was a passenger in the end. But in his own fucked up way, Benson broke the cycle: he fixed Randy. No matter what happens now, he went out having helped someone.

Benson is a weird, violent therapist. But he got results!

"Thanks, for... thank you": Life 'After' OCD

The reality is that with OCD, once it's done with one theme, it'll usually just move onto another. That's what happened to me; once I'd confronted my original false memory/real event, OCD just moved onto something else. But you know what? I was ready for it. And so was Randy.

No matter what way you swing it, you cannot deny that the life Randy has at the end of this movie likely would not have happened without Benson.

If you asked Randy at the beginning of this movie to play the eraser game with you, he probably would have thrown up on the spot just from the stress of you possibly knowing about what he'd done. And here he is, playing it with Miss Beard's daughter, someone he couldn't even imagine existed because having a daughter would have meant Miss Beard had a life after the incident, something he could never comprehend under OCD's spell. Randy tells his mother as he's leaving Miss Beard's house that he's going to get dinner with his friends. He has friends! They probably know his real name! Because he's brave enough to tell them!

And the thing is, you can see Randy appreciate this, and appreciate Benson. He hasn't forgotten Benson; the stuffed animals they made sit proudly among Miss Beard's daughter's playthings. Randy says 'thank you' to Miss Beard, for forgiving him and for allowing him the chance to move on, and I like to think the 'thank you' was also for Benson, too; Benson's methods may have been... unique, to say the least, but you can't deny the results!

Conclusion

I could not believe what I was seeing when I first saw The Passenger. There I was, in the dark depths of OCD, terrified to tell people about my false memory/real event themes for fear of being shunned and rejected or (because OCD likes to get irrational) imprisoned. But then I saw this movie, I saw this character, in the depths just like I was. And I'd never seen anything like it before. I couldn't stop crying. Someone made an OCD recovery movie. With queer undertones, no less! I was being well fed indeed!

And then, Benson reached over and wiped a tear from Randy's cheek and gently told him that he shouldn't be punishing himself for what happened. And then I thought, should I still be punishing myself? I got therapy. And I confessed my own false memory/real event to my therapist. And she didn't call the cops. She didn't yell obscenities at me. She comforted me. She taught me how to heal, and how to live. Without punching me in the stomach outside an elementary school! Didn't know OCD therapists could do that!

I interpret this movie as fucked up ERP. Like, really fucked up ERP. Violence and murder and abusive boyfriends ERP. But, this is the movie that helped me get the help I need. I wouldn't change a thing about it. Someone made it in a lab for me, and I'm so, so grateful. My weird little mentally ill gay movie. I cannot thank it enough.

And I cannot thank you enough for reading this!

#the passenger #the passenger 2023 #ocd #ocd rant #randy bradley #benson the passenger #my god this took so long #my hands hurt #but i needed it out my brain #and somewhere else #now it's maybe on your dash!!#hi!! hope you enjoy!!! or tell me why you hate it and why I should die lol #okay bye i gotta go sleep #maybe. idk. we'll see #own post #scene analysis

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emuthefandomcollector · 1 month ago

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So there are usually 2 different "hiding da body" culprits in Omari AUs, Aubrey & Hero.

I understand why people would use Hero (I've noticed that it isn't as common anymore), but it usually has to be written well for me to really.. get it? If you understand.

Like, I KNOW it's because he cares a lot about Mari (it's the whole reason he stayed inside for a whole year when she died), but.. it feels like.. super ooc for Hero.

I understand that it's a stressful situation and that he could be not thinking straight, but Hero seems like the kind of guy, no matter the situation, if he sees somebody hurt, to try to help them.. like calling an ambulance in extreme cases like this. He doesn't seem like he would go, "lol let's cover up his death"

Plus, Hero is like.. older than the younger kids, he's said to be 15 in a dialog line in Last Resort, iirc, so he would be more mature, as the younger kids would be 12-13, and there is a BIG mental difference between that.

Plus, Hero would have more common sense? I mean, he just doesn't seem like he would do it.

HOWEVER, I think Aubrey could be more plausible.

Even though Aubrey cares about Sunny, she also cares a lot about Mari. She literally transformed herself completely BECAUSE of Mari's death, and she was willing to basically say, "We aren't friends anymore, Sunny."

People tend to overlook Aubrey when it comes to AUs (especially Omari AUs)/in general. She went through so much, and they only really tend to look at Aubrey to ship her, but Aubrey has problems. She was literally growing up in an abusive household for gods sake, so I doubt she really has a completely sound mind, and due to growing up in a household, she hates. she views Sunny and Maris household as her second home and views Mari basically like a sister. -so yeah. She cares, a lot.

People forget sometimes that Basil did it because he cared for Sunny so much that he got tunnel vision and was only worried for him. He didn't want him to get in trouble (simplified), BUT he still cared for Mari, so it's not a problem of "but she cares for Sunny!!" It's a thing of Aubrey caring so much about Mari, basically her non-biological sister, that when she sees her in distress, ESPECIALLY while she herself is stressed, she wouldn't be thinking correctly. She would act irrationally just like Basil because she wouldn't know, she is too young and she hasn't grown up and might be too scared to pick up a phone and ask for help.

It's scary and traumatic for Basil in the OG game because he cared for Mari and that Sunny basically abandoned him for YEARS, and it could EASILY happen to Aubrey under the worst kinds of points, she COULD act irrationally when she is stressed and sees Mari basically having a mental breakdown. She COULD see SUNNY in pain, but in her brain, she thinks he's long gone. She COULD be too scared to pick up a phone, maybe due to stress or maybe because she doesn't want Mari to get in trouble (i.e., like Basil did).

For Aubrey, she was basically the closeest to Mari (and maybe also Sunny as well, but we only really see the past mostly through Sunnys eyes, so its unsure, and Sunny is very unreliable at times in Headspace), people sometimes forget this fact that Aubrey is close to Mari, so she could make more sense as a "hide a body simulator" culprit. Also, it's really fun exploring Aubrey in this way, lol :]

Basically:

Hero is unlikely because;

He is more mature (still young, yes, but 15 is way different than 12-13).

He would probably call for help and then help Mari calm down.

He seems like the kind of guy to have hope that he's alive instead of instantly thinking to hide a body

Why I think Aubrey would maybe make more sense;

Once again, very young and likely wouldn't know what to do as she isn't very developed mentally, and she wouldn't be used to able to handle this kind of stress.

Likely would jump to the conclusion that Sunny is dead and that she needs to help Mari be fine (she'd likely get a sort of tunnel vision like Basil)

She would act VERY irrationally. We have seen her do that even when she is about 16 or so years old.

She would try in any way she could to help Mari and could possibly think, "If she gets in trouble, she'll get more sad/it would be extremely bad."

She just wouldn't want anything worse to happen to the group, thus why she would hide the body so Mari wouldn't get in trouble and make things worse aswell

She could have a very hard time thinking about picking up a phone in these kinds of situations, note: because of age and/or mentality.

Overall, Hero can work if written well, and the characters can still bounce off each other properly, but usually Aubrey makes more sense.

(if this makes no sense I made this without taking my meds right after school and waiting 1 hour for a bus.)

#anyways im done yapping #Btw note: be careful about just roleswapping without having any care put into it #you gotta think about who and whatll happen #Im not a expert writer and writings for funny so do whatever tho #omori #omori mari #omori aubrey #omori hero #omari au #omari #au #alternate universe #certified yapper #😼

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live-laugh-legolas · 3 months ago

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hi!! if you're still taking requests I'd love to requests headcanons of the fellowship with a reader with adhd?

(if you need pointers of specific traits to include plz feel free to message me!)

thanks so much!! love your stuff :)

I tried to include spectrum of traits and just general experiences with adhd, but I definitely do steer towards my own experiences a bit. I actually found this one a little difficult so I don’t consider it my best, so I apologize.

The fellowship (+Faramir) x adhd!reader

Aragorn:

-Gives lots of gentle reminders and subtle pushes

-He is very good about showing you while explaining something so it’s easier to understand

-Because sometimes just being told goes in one ear and out the other or just doesn’t even make its way into your brain

-He will listen to you ramble on about a hyper-fixation with no complaint

-Seriously he will always listen and never tone you out to be “background noise” (damn I need an Aragorn in my life lol)

Legolas:

-I don’t think he knows much about it but he learns fast and is very perceptive

-If you are very hyperactive and talk a lot he is super patient; and probably a little entertained

-I think that elves could be prone to sensory overload sometimes if they are really stressed, so he knows how to help if you experience this

-Will take you somewhere quiet and will give you something to hold to fidget with

Gimli:

-He may think your leg bouncing or fidgeting is done because you are stressed; which maybe you are; so he will try and calm you down either way

-Honestly I think he might not really do anything different, like he just is like “welp that’s y/n”

-But not in a dismissive way you know?

-If you drum your fingers a lot he will join in and create a little song

-He also isn’t bothered if you just talk to fill silence, even if you are just kind of narrating the obvious (I do this and am always told it’s because I must like the sound of my own voice, but he would never think this)

-He may be a little concerned if you just zone out randomly

-Will wave his hand in front of your face like “dude, you alright?”

Boromir:

-I think he may not be the most helpful in terms of organization

-But he likes to help you get some energy out so you feel less jittery

-He also isn’t bothered if you interrupt him, because honestly he does the same thing

-He understands that you don’t mean it to be rude, it’s just sometimes your mouth works before your brain can stop you

Frodo:

-He is so patient

-Feels bad when you are stressed and will help you with out standing tasks like cleaning so you can focus on whatever it is you need to

-He’s also really good at explaining things in a way that is easily digestible

-Like either very simplified or using comparisons to things you enjoy or are currently hyper-fixated on

Sam:

-Very productive himself so he probably doesn’t initially notice if you aren’t

-However he will notice if you are forgetful about self care

-Did you forget to eat? Sam has a biscuit ready for you and he will make you eat it

-He will also help you make and keep a schedule if that is something you struggle with

Merry:

-I think Pippin could have adhd so Merry has a good understanding about it

-He will make simple tasks into games to keep your focus

-This also helps to make tasks feel less daunting

-He will also be completely honest with you if something is becoming a problem

-“you can’t forget to turn off the stove because you remembered you needed to send a letter”

Pippin:

-I wouldn’t be surprised if he also had adhd

-I imagine he will start a bunch of tasks but never finish any of them

-You two can be dysfunctional together

-So either nothing gets done when you two are together, or you both hyper focus and will clean the entire house in a few hours

Gandalf:

-He is really good at telling when you are overwhelmed

-Like if a task feels too daunting or you get choice paralysis

-He will break things down to simplify whatever it is you are struggling with, and will aid you in getting started (because let’s be honest, just starting is the hardest part)

-He will never let you get down on yourself for things you can’t control; “you are not lazy, you are overwhelmed”

Faramir:

-This sweet man would be super supportive and helpful

-He may feel a little overbearing sometimes but it’s just because he is worried and doesn’t want you to feel dejected or insecure

-If you ever feel overwhelmed he is right there

-He also is super smart and patient so he doesn’t mind if he needs to re-explain something or if he has to repeat that same thing multiple times over time

-Won’t judge you if you forget something and need to ask again (I always ask what words mean even if I have been told a million times and have googled it)

#lord of the rings #lotr #lotr preferences #lotr headcanons #legolas #lotr fellowship #aragorn #boromir #frodo baggins #samwise gamgee #merry and pippin #meriadoc brandybuck #peregrin took #faramir #gimli #gandalf #the lord of the rings #lotr x y/n #adhd

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hajihiko · 1 year ago

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Ahhh, I'm sorry if this doesn't make sense, but I'm curious to know what changed Hajime/Izuru's mind in the universe your art takes place in? Like, what made him go from not caring about anything because everything was boring and meaningless, to trying to enjoy life?

I don't really remember what it was in the anime, but it was probably hope. And like, that makes sense if you think about it, considering that's the definition of hope, but hope doesn't usually just happen like that, you know? Especially not to someone who probably had never felt it since the whole Ultimate Hope thing (ironically). In my mind, it's hard to imagine what it could have been, considering nothing ever phased him. I know that whatever gave him hope doesn't have to be that deep, because that's how it is sometimes, but I was wondering what you think it could have been (or more importantly, what you consider it to be in your art)!

Also, this is kinda unrelated, but I find it so cool how much your art makes me really think about the characters. It's amazing how you're able to really see how you've fleshed out the characters through you art, and honestly, you are probably one of my favourite artists because of it.

But anyway, sorry about this long and random rant 😭 Idk why I spend my time analyzing the character and point of view of fictional characters, but I guess sometimes the ADHD brain goes brrrrrr.

Thank you for sharing your art; I hope have a great day or night!

depends on the universe! But I'll assume you mean my general post-game stuff.

I've said it somewhere before so if it's old bread to you bear with me, but basically, it was a genuine dedication to face the big horrible awful feelings that come with trauma and life in general, and also the brain boost of getting to skip the slow growing part even for just a while.

My idea is that Izuru and Hajime are not two separate identities, rather, an amnesiac and horribly traumatized boy was given a moniker he didn't care to accept or deny. It's not like he had any other name to go by. That was Izuru Kamukura.

The brain has these neural pathways of how it responds to things, and his all got burnt out so he could respond with an appropriate talent each time. As a very simplified example, someone might respon to threat with the Flight response, because it worked in a dire situation and the brain decided "that saved us, this is how we will respond from now on".

Hajime, in the game, gets a sudden bump out of those pathways, enabling him to feel things properly and be fully present in his life. Thematically, the big Super Sayian moment is him deciding to not fall into old, but true and tried, brain patterns, and instead taking on the horrific experience of being human, with all the messy Emotions and Failures that comes with it.

When he wakes up from the game, he still struggles, but the artificial boost from his old thinking as well as a conscious, strenuous, painful effort to not repress himself anymore but instead face the things that he did and were done to him, make him able to carve himself into a new Him.

Not the same, in the sense that WHO could say they're the same as they were before a simulated murder game that revealed that you were a killing machine terrorist and so were your friends. But the same as in, he's Hajime Hinata and he decides what exactly that means. To want is an emotion, and he wants to become someone who can experience life fully, and chasing that single feeling of Want opens up the doors to everything else. You might've heard this before but "before you change, you have to want to change".

So in short. What enabled him to get Hopeful so to speak was the combination of a brain kick (you could call that a metaphor for outside help), and a concrete decision to try to do the difficult but right thing. Sounds kind of boring maybe, but everything else comes later - like his interest and care for his friends, an enjoyment of philosophy and the arts, a pleasure from being useful and helpful, a serenity from accepting things as they are, and a thrill that comes with strong genuine emotion (from my own life, sometimes a single moment of !!!! can carry you on for months).

Yes the whole thing is a metaphor for getting better with mental health stuff. It's personal to me okay 😂

(also I like the idea from Miggys fic that his human connections override the apathy and distance so as long as he's around the people he loves he can hold onto what keeps him going)

I love thinking about and building on characters too! Spending tons of time inspecting them like a specimen 🤝 people (and therefore characters) are very interesting to me so I just like rolling them around my brain. Thank you for your interest and kind words!

#not an art #Talky talky #Hioe this answer suffices

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miiilowo · 1 year ago

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i feel like theres not a lot of great resources out there so i figured id just ask -- how would you recommend ways of living with/helping out someone else with npd? :)

youre right! most of the time when u look up NPD stuff its "THE ABUSER DISORDER: KNOW HOW TO RECOGNIZE IT AND DISABLE NARC DEFENSES SO THEY CANT TAKE ADVANTAGE OF YOU" which isnt. Great

all it really comes down to is listening to them n addressing their needs if they've communicated them to you. ill try to simplify it so i dont get too into details, though i will likely fail, and most of this advice will be based off my experiences, so idk how much itll apply to whoever ur talking about BUT:

generally (and w me especially) you can safely say that NPD mostly has to do with ego dysregulation. Our [as in myself and people w npd] mental health and general happiness tends to rely on how people perceive us, and if that perception is anything but positive, we feel like poopy doo doo dogshit. we kinda need to be paid attention to in a way that feels meaningful, yknow? compliment them, make sure theyre included in conversations (esp group ones), and try not to ignore em in any way. if youre talking to them and youre busy, for example, make sure you include that detail so they don't feel like youre brushing them aside. stuff like that. if they make art, and you genuinely like it, try going into detail as to why, whether its the colors or linework or what have you. if they write, tell them what you liked about the story or poem, etcetera. Tag them in stuff that reminds you of them if you have their socials, or send them things, show it to them, whatever.

lots of us tend to actually be very insecure, even if it doesn't seem that way, which might be important to keep in mind. sometimes we can get whats referred to as "narc crashes" (im not particularly a fan of the term narc, though theres nothing actually wrong with it, so ill just call it an NPD crash) where for whatever reason, we go from feeling great and secure in our egos and our stability and happiness and security to falling 600 feet down directly into hell no recovery absolutely awful 0% joy 0% light 100% agony. dogs with human teeth screaming at you and shit its really just no good. calling you a dunderhead

they usually (though not always!) come after a high where we feel fantastic, and most commonly the cause of a crash is we get hurt by someone, humiliated, or made to feel lesser in some significant way. for me, they're the worst when i no longer feel confident that people like me, and i become incredibly worried everybody secretly hates me. which is a very very very awful train of thought to be experiencing when you have the "EVERYBODY NEEDS TO LIKE ME NOOOOOWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW" disorder. so if ur friend seems depressed or upset make sure to ask whats going on and bump up the praise and stuff up a notch. its the best way to recover for Me, at least. crashes dont have a consistent like. timeframe? i think it highly depends on the severity of what happened and whats being done to fix it, though im certainly no psychologist lmao

i feel like when folks w npd Are mean or unfair its because their needs arent being met, theyre doing awful, and they need support so they dont desperately lash out for it. god knows thats the case for me. thats another thing thats important to keep in mind i think

a lot of traits of NPD aren't pretty, and thats just a fact of the matter. its a disorder for a reason and all. even if we dont express the almost inherently negative traits all the time (usually because we are aware they are unfair to other people), its very likely that we are feeling them, and it does erode your brain after a while. The DSM-5 list of traits is probably the best way to go for this, as per this government website:

"A pervasive pattern of grandiosity (fantasy or behavior), need for admiration, and with lack of empathy, beginning by early adulthood, as indicated by at least five of the following:

Has a grandiose sense of self-importance (e.g., exaggerates achievements, expects to be recognized as superior without actually completing the achievements)

Is preoccupied with fantasies of success, power, brilliance, beauty, or perfect love.

Believes that they are "special" and can only be understood by or should only associate with other special people (or institutions).[milo note: its hard for me to find something specific to make bold in this definition, but generally, i do not express that i think that i am better than other people even if i think it]

Requires excessive admiration.

Has a sense of entitlement, such as an unreasonable expectation of favorable treatment or compliance with his or her expectations.

Is exploitative and takes advantage of others to achieve their own ends.

Lacks empathy and is unwilling to identify with the needs of others.

Is often envious of others or believes that others are envious of them.

Shows arrogant, haughty behaviors and attitudes."

Ive bolded the ones that would negatively affect people that, I, at least, try not to express but still feel, or feel the desire to do, near constantly.

As you can see, thats a pretty hefty chunk of them! I'm sure some people could take problem with every trait listed here, in which case they can suck my whole dick, but those are the ones I've noticed upset people the most, or make relationships the most difficult. I bring these up because if someone does express these, you need to keep in mind it is because of a personality disorder. That doesn't always make them acceptable, and if they are really upsetting, you should talk to them about it, but thats just like. basic relationship shit lmao. just try to be an eensy bit forgiving

Though the MAIN reason I wanted to bring up the traits is due to the 'entitlement/unreasonable expectation of favorable treatment/compliance' one. This can manifest in a whole lot of ways, but it is genuinely infuriating when someone ignores what i want them to do/what ive asked them to do/etc, especially if its for a reason that doesnt 'feel' solid enough, like them just not wanting to do it. it can be incredibly frustrating if someone with npd says they need something from you or want you to do xyz and it doesnt happen, so try your best to listen to them. if you cant do what they desire for whatever reason, make sure thats clear, and why. Most of us will recognize we're being unfair, but will still be mad; Just know its not because of you, its because of the disorder, and most people will not hold it against you because they're aware its unreasonable in some fashion.

i think thats like. the main things when it comes to meeting the needs of someone w NPD. to summarize and dumb it down:

make sure to compliment them in meaningful ways, especially when you really mean it

pay attention to them; try to prioritize them in conversation and such. it feels very nice. dont ignore them for the love of god

keep the crashes in mind, and try to uplift your friend as much as you can. reassure them you care about them, maybe not directly by saying "i care about you" but with your actions in general

listen to them and adapt to their needs as best as you can

remember that if they are being unpleasant its probably because of The Disorder and they are not doing well. dont let anyone be a prick to you but try to be kind. everybody goes through shit

if anyone has anything to add, or if you have any followup questions, feel free to ask ^_^ i very much didn't cover everything here, and again, this is mostly based off of my experience as someone w NPD, and everyone is different to some degree. The most important thing to do is ask about their needs, and try to adapt to them the best you can.

i think thats all i have to say for now tho so. sayanora. if i come up w anything else ill add it in an edit

#ask to tag

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justalia · 7 months ago

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Hello Alia!

I must express my admiration for your work here on social media. I like the way you are direct with conscious creation. You simplify everything to make it easy to understand! I'm seeking guidance in my situation because I don’t know what to do, or if I should even take action. I like how you come across things, so In asking for advice in here. This might be a bit lengthy, I apologize in advance.

How can I reset my manifesting journey?

I've been into manifesting since middle school, and now I’m in college. Most of my life, I’ve desired a life I could achieve most of the time. In middle school/high school, I wanted to be popular and admired (I was an insecure weird kid) and tried absurd methods like “writing letters to the Universe to get your SP” and things like that. Obviously, I didn’t achieve anything. When it came to partners, I became fixated, creating scenarios in my head to materialize (to get) things in my life

Of course, I spent years, YEARS, trying to obtain things. Not one thing specifically , it was me chasing the perfect idea of how my life should look like. Throughout those years, I discovered many manifestation teachers; Neville, Edward, etc., but none led me to a stable point, because I had this pattern of overconsumption and obsession.

I think it's pretty embarrassing to admit that I spent a lot of time in my teenage years desiring a life that I couldn’t have. I was always lost in my own mind. I was nothing. I yearned to be loved. I was imagining and hoping but nothing changed

It was a cycle of terrible punishment to myself because I couldn’t materialize what I wanted. I fell into a state of limerence and, for my own mental well-being, I sort of gave up trying to get things.

My life became normal, but deep down, a part of me desired that successful, wealthy, and fulfilled life. I've tried to return to this journey, but it seems like I'm so burned out that it isn’t (somehow) available to me anymore. It's like a blockage. I think I resent myself for putting myself through this.

I know manifesting works; there have been times in my life where I’ve imagined things and they just appeared, but it was never the things I wanted.

I'm crying while typing this because, sincerely: this makes me feel so pathetic. Tons of material, tons of information, and applied incorrectly causing a mental burnout for me. I know that I should apply it, but my brain doesn't let me. (I hope I'm explaining myself well) I'm really afraid that if I try to manifest something, I'll fall into this state of limerence and madness. When I say I'm burned out, I'm burned out. Every time I think about this topic, my head hurts. I seem to know everything about this but nothing.

The main problem is that sort of, this way of hoping trying to get things it’s so engraved in my mind that I can’t seem to even start to “manifest” small things without feeling like I’m manifesting them. I know you become one in imagination, but how can I make my brain understand this? 😔

What should I do? How can I reset? If not, what is the best that I can do?

Have a good day. Keep doing what you do. And thank u anyway.

hi!

i couldn’t leave this ask unanswered so i’m gonna try my best.

first of all thank you so much for your kind words and i’m glad you could find my words helpful and knowledgeable.

i really understand where you are coming from and my greatest advice would be to drop all the knowledge you have on this and look into non dualism. i advice you do it only when you feel like you can go into it with a completely open mind and without any expectations so that you can find yourself. the real Self.

non dualism has been for me a way of understanding the way the “world” actually operates better and look at “manifestation” in a completely different way.

when it comes to how you’re feeling regarding your journey i’d like to give you this insight: that was never you. the character you’ve built has been through so many trials and tribulations and it feels “pathetic” for that. that was never you. believe me when i tell you this. all the labels you put on yourself are simply that: labels.

find your true self, stop manifesting anything and realize who you are. really realize it and feel the peace coming with this realization.

let me add this: the thing you think you have to free yourself from never really happened.

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findingmypeace · 18 days ago

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Right now I have the time to either get ahead for the week on work things OR spend time on tumblr. Haha, and here I am. I have so much I want to say so I'm going to break it into multiple posts

I got the results of the brain mapping. It was hard for me to understand so she labeled the categories and made several charts to help me. To simplify it as much as possible there was a strong indication towards ADHD, dyslexia, and autism. The strongest indications were for insomnia and anxiety. Depression was one of the lowest. In a different analysis, it showed that I can be "inattentive and deep in thought" while my brain is also "hyper aware, on guard, tense, and anxious"

Omfg, this explains so much! That contrast between being deep in thought and hyper aware is exactly how I feel. It's being pulled in two directions and trying to function like everyone else. This is most likely the ADHD. I've ALWAYS suspected I might have this but I didn't thinking people would believe me.

I'm also wondering how much of what I think is depression is actually about dealing with trauma, a lot of anxiety, trying to keep up with the rest of the world, and doing this while my brain is being pulled in different directions.

Add in the dyslexia and autism. Same thing. Will people believe me? I've thought about the autism for a long time. There are so many signs that RY even said to me "I wonder if you have autism". And the dyslexia make so much sense. She mentioned it's not just about letters. For me, it probably shows up as dyscalculia. And (random thought) now I'm wondering if all of the above leads to me skipping words when I type (my mind is moving too fast) or adding in extra words here and there.

On top of all of this, I am going through all of my belongings and "purging" aka going through all of my belongings, organizing things, and throwing out/donating things I don't need. While doing this I am came across a genetic test I did in 2015 that shows the different ways my brain will react to certain medications. My current psychiatrist has not seen this yet but he has done a good job of following these recommendations anyway. However, the report showed I am very susceptible to weight gain while taking antipsychotics. I know antipsychotics have a well know side-effect of weight gain. This is just saying I am more likely to have this as a side-effect. AND there are very few categories of medication that will have a strong influence on my brain. I remember taking this and now I'm remembering these results.

I will be taking both reports and showing my psychiatrist. He had asked me about the genesight test result a long time ago but I had no clue where I kept the them or if I even had it anymore. It looks like I do! I really, really hope all this information can lead to more effective treatment for me.

#personal #brain mapping #brain functioning

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snapcracklepop-myjoints · 1 month ago

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do u have a reccomendation for what form of shorthand to learn first. deeply interested-- i saw ur reply on that one post and then u seem cool so i just followed u and figured i would ask here

hello !!! thank you for asking !!!!!!!!!! and im so sorry this is so long lol

If you want my biased personal recommendation, I would suggest Pitman New Era. That's what I use, and I think its the best balance of efficiency vs difficulty to learn, and I like that the learning curve is such that, as you learn, you apply more rules that simplify the writing process more (meaning that earlier practice is still legible, if far less efficient). This compared to other forms (like Gregg) where, as you learn, youre just kind of generally suffering and trying to get your brain to memorise things and differentiate very similar looking strokes. I find Pitman also lends itself well to using in conjunction with other "standard" writing styles so you can take notes that are enough in "standard" writing to be skimmable while using enough shorthand to be much faster to write, basically maninmising writeing AND reading speed. [example below]

You can skip to the end for resources for Pitman and shorthand in general if this answer is sufficient :)

If you want a horrifically long, massively autistic answer that breaks down the three most popular/common styles, then thats what the rest of the post is !! It is so fucking long I am so sorry

Horrifically Long Answer:

I'm answering on the assumption that you would be learning for use with english. If you want to learn shorthand for another language there are a variety of options however I am less versed in them :( I'm also assuming you're asking out of personal interest rather than vocational, since certain jobs will recommend or require you learn certain styles of shorthand and it would be best to defer to that.

The most popular methods are Gregg, the various forms of Pitman (this is what I use), and Teeline. Gregg and Pitman are phonemic while Teeline is alphabetical. There are also a huge number of other, less popular forms of shorthand (as well as shorthand systems which are popular in/made for other languages). If you're interested in learning about these, check out the subreddit listed at the end of this post under "resources".

Teeline:

I know much less about Teeline, so I'll go into it less, but basically it is a "spelling-based" shorthand system -- that is, it is based off the standard spelling of words. It replaces latin letters which different forms that are faster to write and can be connected more efficiently, while removing extraneous letters from words. It is simpler to learn, in part because it is spelling-based, and also because it has fewer rules which further consolidate and shorten word forms. Due to this, it is ultimately much slower to write than the other two systems mentioned here (although you can still get up to good speeds !!). Like the other shorthand systems, you can learn to a more basic extent, or learn more advanced theory to maximise its capability and speed. Teeline is very standard for journalism and overall quite popular for professional use, however it is still in copyright and so there are far fewer resources available online. If you are interested in taking classes, however, I would assume those are available.

Teeline TL;DR: alphabetical, simplest to learn but less efficient, popular, still in copyright so fewer resources.

examples of Teeline:

[images sourced from wiki]

Pitman and Gregg: Phonemic Systems and Regional Accents:

As mentioned, Gregg and Pitman are phonemic. If you dont have any practice with phonemic writing systems, you might have luck starting out with shavian just to practice. also because shavian is fun :) (its one of the writing systems in my header !) Im saying this partly because I want more people to learn shavian and partly because I learned Shavian long before I learned Pitman and found that having that practice was helpful. In particular, if you have any accent other than RP, its helpful for figuring out either which vowel sounds and phonetic spellings are relevant to your accent and your pronunciation, or, should you choose to go a "standard" (RP) route, how certain words should be spelled despite how you may pronounce them. Using a "standard" RP approach can be helpful if you want people to more easily be able to read your writing or want to "match" the dictionary, but someone well versed in shorthand should be able to figure it out no matter what, and if its just for your personal use I'd suggest just going by your own regional pronunciations.

Pitman:

Pitman was an early shorthand system developed in the early to mid 1800s. It used to be the most popular shorthand system, however nowadays has been eclipsed in popularity by Teeline and/or Gregg, depending on the country and occupational context. However, it remains popular among enthusiasts and there are significant amount of resources available for learners and practitioners.

The main thing to know with Pitman is that words are built using different strokes for each consonant sound, and symbols attached to these consonants to mark vowels. These consonant sounds are differentiated by shape as well as line thickness. Voiced and unvoiced pairs of consonants (eg., T and D, C and G, S and Z, etc.) are designated using the same strokes, with the voiced consonant of the pair being thicker than the other. This line variation is something which is normally achieved with a pencil, though I mostly use fountain pens to write and so I use flex nibs to achieve the same effect.

Vowels are marked with certain dots or dashes placed along corresponding consonant markings, For increased writing speed, most vowel markings can also be left off in Pitman, and instead where on the line the first stroke begins serves to signal the first vowel.

Pitman uses short forms (also called "logograms" or "grammalogues," depending on the version and book you use) which are abbreviated forms of commonly used words (see picture below for a few examples). Different versions of Pitman have different numbers of grammalogues.

With Pitman, efficiency is increased through a combination of memorising various short forms and implementing rules which simplify strokes. (Examples of these can be seen in the picture below. probably need to click to be able to actually see anything rip) This allows you to have certain "levels" of complexity, where as you learn more complex rules you increase in efficiency, but you can also eschew some of those rules if they are too complex for you without sacrificing legibility to you or proficient practitioners. Probably someone somewhere on reddit has something to say about that but tbh who gives a fuck. You can do whatever you want forever. Its known to be very common for people to come up with their own personal shortcuts and variations in whatever shorthand system they use, and imo sometimes that just means looking at a rule and going "well thats stupid👍" and ignoring it. Pitman can seem really intimidating, however just remember that you can ignore rules for as long as you want until they are less intimidating to learn and apply.

There are 3 "main" versions of Pitman: the original system, Pitman New Era, and Pitman 2000. New Era has the most complex system of rules and abbreviations, while 2000 simplified many of these and got rid of most of the abbreviations. I personally use New Era, in part because I was able to access more resources for this, but largely because I found the increased number of rules and abbreviations to be better in the long run. If you are willing to invest more time and effort into learning a more complicated system, with the tradeoff that it will be faster and easier once you are proficient, you should learn New Era. The main benefit of 2000 is that the rules are simplified. I would say, however, that the downsizing of the list of abbreviations is not a benefit. While it in theory requires you to memorise more individual symbols, in practice these abbreviations are commonly used enough that they can become automatic with very little practice. If you decide to learn 2000, I would suggest taking he time to go through the list of abbreviations from New Era and, if not learning all of them, picking out the ones you think you are likely to use with semi-regularity. If you compile them into a cheat sheet and hand it next to your desk, they should be easy to practice using and become memorised really quickly. I myself dont have every abbreviation memorised, but instead focused on ones i use regularly, and often go through the list again to pick out new ones to learn and add to my lexicon as I think they may be used.

Pitman TL;DR: phonemic, differentiates strokes through line thickness, rules can be applied or discarded as best suits your practice without sacrificing readability. Increased speed and efficiency is achieved through extra short forms for commonly used words, and rules which simplify strokes.

examples of Pitman:

[first image mine, other two images sourced from Long Live Pitman's (website, linked below), and wiki]

Gregg:

Gregg is a very popular form of shorthand which utilises round, smooth strokes with the intent of increasing writing efficiency and legibility.

Where Pitman uses variation in line thickness to differentiate between strokes, Gregg uses line length. Both consonants and vowels are marked with designated strokes (compared to Teeline, which has vowel strokes but tends to omit them where possible, and Pitman, which adds vowel marking to consonant strokes or signals vowels through figure placement), and vowels are largely kept in-line. With Gregg, efficiency is achieved through the use of short forms, prefixes, and suffixes; "phrasing", (wherein certain phrases, such as "I may be," "one of the most," "by the," etc. are combined into a single stroke); as well as through the more efficient way in which strokes are joined together into words.

Left-handed people sometimes write Gregg from right to left.

Like Pitman, there are a number of different versions of Gregg, however Gregg seems to have significantly more versions and significantly less consensus around which version is best or why. I am not the best person to give advice on which one is best or information on the different types, so if you decide to go with Gregg I'd suggest checking out the subreddit or some of the other resources linked below for information on that.

examples of Gregg:

[Images sourced from wiki and gregg-shorthand.com]

Comparisons:

I would say that one of the main things to consider if choosing between Gregg and Pitman is which you think is more intuitive to read and write for you. Which sounds obvious lol but like. as an example. I struggle with spatial awareness and stuff like estimating lengths so for me Gregg is not a good option since it differentiates certain consonants through their length and I would have a hard time writing those consistently or easily reading them. Pitman is easier for me in that regard, as well as since it is more "choppy" (for lack of better word) which makes it much easier for me to recognise certain words without having to break them down, as well as making it easier for me to break them down to read them should I need to. On the other hand, some people find Gregg to be easier since its much "smoother" and flowier to write, which can be much faster and more intuitive for some.

Compared to Pitman, Gregg has significantly fewer rules to learn, making it in theory simpler, however, due to the way it is written, it requires significantly more practice to be able to consistently properly write and tell apart certain letters, words, and phrases. Once you are proficient in this, it is by far more efficient, however Gregg is very difficult to use while you are still figuring it out. Pitman, on the other hand, has significantly more rules, however you can continue to easily use it as you learn these rules and add them into your practice. The downside of this is that once you are fully proficient, it is less efficient than full proficiency Gregg. Essentially, the main difficulty with learning Gregg is telling apart different strokes and writing them so that they can be differentiated, while the main difficulty with Pitman is in learning the rules.

I havent talked much about Teeline because honestly I know far less about it, because it is so much harder to find resources on, and honestly because I'm a bit of an old man and personally prefer the older styles lol. Its popular for a reason, though !

I know it probably sounds like I'm shilling a lot for Pitman, however thats just because its what I use and know the most about, as well as because it is what works best for my unique considerations. Most people would probably be more likely to recommend Gregg (for a number of very good reasons !), however when I was first deciding which shorthand system to learn I saw very few people making the points that were most relevant to me (eg, that pitman can be used AS you learn, whereas Gregg is more of a "its useless until you actually have it down" situation, that Gregg is really difficult if you struggle with differentiating lengths, etc) so I feel the need to mention them

TL;DR: Everything:

Ultimately you should use whatever you think is best for you :) I'd say Teeline is your best bet if you are in journalism, or want something easier. Gregg is best if you want something popular, smoother to write, and extremely fast, and are willing and able to put in significant amounts of consistent work and practice to master it. Pitman is best if you want something you can use as you learn, and that's somewhere in between Teeline and Gregg in terms of difficulty and efficiency. If you wanted, you could probably learn Teeline as well as either Pitman or Gregg, but learning both Pitman and Gregg would be much more difficult.

Other:

I take all my notes by hand, generally using a mix of palmer method cursive and pitman shorthand to do so, however, I also have to write a lot of papers, and when I do, I get frustrated at having to type out whole words I normally write in shorthand. This is kind of the curse of shorthand, you get really annoyed having to type out "because". To deal with this, while typing in a word processor, I use an alphabetic shorthand I've come up with over time. I basically input a bunch of auto-replacements into my spellcheck, so that I can have shortcuts for commonly used words set up. so basically i can write: "here, . cnstrctn ` ntnl idntty served to lgtmse the ntn stte" and it will autocorrect to "here, the construction of national identity served to legitimise the nation state". Highly recommend this if you do a lot of writing, especially if a lot of the same topics and words come up a lot. Use whatever shortened versions feel intuitive for you, instead of something you've consciously + intentionally constructed, otherwise youre more likely to forget them or have them get mixed up.

Resources:

stenophile.com has a huge number of shorthand resources linked, particularly for Gregg and Pitman. If you end up choosing either of these I'd suggest starting here to find instruction books.

this website can transliterate into Pitman and Gregg, DEK and Stolze-Schrey (two German shorthand systems), and Sütterlinschrift (a historical German script)(also in my header !)

r/fastwriting is run by a very nice very dedicated man who posts a huge amount of content and resources on various shorthand methods, including lesser known ones. If you decide you want to learn/learn about a different shorthand system, he's the guy to talk to. This subreddit differs from r/shorthand or system-specific subreddits like r/greggshorthand, as those are more discussion-based for learners and practitioners, while r/fastwriting is better for research and being autistic. R/shorthand does have a number of resources listed for more popular shorthand systems, and is a good place to go for advice while learning.

Teeline:

blog with a few free resources

Pitman:

Pitman New Era Instructor and Dictionary. These are what I largely used to learn.

Long Live Pitman's: a website dedicated to Pitman, full of good information for beginning learners.

if you learn Pitman, as mentioned the line variation can be accomplished with a pencil, however if you want to get a bit fancy with it while staying on a budget, Fountain Pen Revolution carries a number of cheap yet reliable fountain pens with flex nibs, such as the FPR Indus or Himalaya. I'd suggest the steel flex rather than the ultra-flex for shorthand unless you have a lighter hand or have practiced with a flex pen before. I've also heard good things about the Noodler's Ahab pen but honestly find its very temperamental, needs tweaking (not ideal if youre a fp beginner) and just not as good. Both FPR and Noodler's pens are made of bioresin and must be kept away from solvents like isopropyl alcohol !!!

Gregg:

Gregg Phrasebook. Short guide to phraseology for Gregg

Gregg-shorthand.com: seems like a good place to start for learning Gregg. Answers some beginner's questions, and provides learning aids and reading material (transliterated into Gregg)

r/greggshorthand

greggshorthand.gibhub.io: a more in depth website with a number of book pdfs and lessons for various forms of Gregg.

#ahhh thank you for asking !!!! i love the opportunity to rant about this lol. im sorry this is so long also lol #if you want to know more abt anything in particular or want me to simplify anything since i know this is a lot lmk !!#and if you end up learning shorthand id love to hear about it <3 #especially if u learn pitman i can send u some of the cheat sheets and shit i made and stuff.#i admittedly will be less help with other shorthand systems but id still love to hear abt it :)#ask #homeybee #shorthand #pitman shorthand #gregg shorthand #shavian #teeline #ceci says stuff #undescribed

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pdid-culture-is · 2 months ago

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Not P-DID Culture, but we want to give some info about a specific thing we see repeated a lot (if you don’t mind)

A while ago, an anon sent an and saying: “the point of the disorder is to have other consciousnesses be able to take over for you to help you survive” and that’s a common sentiment repeated in the larger system community…but, while true for some, that’s not quite accurate

Before we explain, five things are worth noting:

We’re not calling anyone out! This is just a thing we’ve seen repeated in system communities (over and over again) and it’s not 100% accurate and wanted to bring that up

We’re explaining two models/theories. There are others not mentioned

These are models/theories that try to explain things

For the sake of like simplicity, not writing a wall of text and whatnot, everything we’re going to say is a highly oversimplified explanation (also we’re human and might be misremembering things)

These won’t necessarily be applicable to everyone— everyone’s different and unique and there’s always exceptions (among other things)

TLDR though: most of the theories/models we’re read describe the point of (most) DID/OSDD/PDID systems as “it was (originally) created as a coping mechanism” (rather than “have others be able to take over to help you survive” specifically. There can be— and seemingly often is�� overlap between the two, but not always with the main example being us PDID system)

Theory of Structural Dissociation (extremely simplified)

The Theory of Structural Dissociation (ToSD) is the current “main” theory when it comes to dissociation. It is a theory, which people have opinions on, and may or may not end up being replaced by another in the next decade

An extremely simplified explanation of ToSD is that: there’s an assumption that no one is born fully integrated and that one typically naturally becomes integrated (into one coherent and cohesive being) over time. This did not happen, however, in systems and dissociative barriers develop (these are the things tend to lead to alters and whatnot)

From what we’ve understood, ToSD says that the point is that the mind didn’t integrate and develop dissociative barriers in order to cope. Switching isn’t the point; it’s a thing that can (but not always) happen because of it

(Note: ToSD also discusses PTSD, CPTSD and other dissociative disorders. We, however, have extremely simplified it for the sake of this ask. For more details/info, that’s still easy to comprehend, we recommend the CTAD’s video (on YouTube) on the topic and/or DIS-SOS (website)’s articles on it (and the one about ego states vs dissociative states in particular since we found that article has the best explanation))

As a Coping Mechanism

To our knowledge, this is not an “official” theory/model (in the psych field), but we personally like it. This says that the point of the disorder(s) is, in short, it being a coping mechanism (and, as an extension, how one’s system function is the coping mechanism)

For some people, the coping mechanism the brain created is a system that involves switching…

For others, the brain “decided” (so to speak) that the best coping mechanism is a system with barely, if any, switching for whatever reason (e.g., maybe the brain thought creating other alters and giving them the memories/feelings/etc was enough and/or that switching was unnecessary; maybe the brain thought that being a system was the best coping mechanism, but that switching itself would be dangerous [as in it could cause more problems/not be something that would help the system cope])

We— or, at least, I (the host)— like this…whatever this is considered…because it helped us understand our system better (it was a very “oooooh. That makes so much sense suddenly” moment for me lol)

(This all being said, we do want to once again mention that these aren’t necessarily applicable to everyone. For example, ToSD articles/books/etc usually have some form of “we’re not looking at/referring to cultural and/or spiritual related multiplicity” disclaimer)

!!! Not much to add, I'm really tired, but thank you! That also makes sense to us, pretty helpful!

#not pdid culture is #pdid community #actually pdid #pdid system #pdid #partial did #partial did system #partial dissociative identity disorder #did system #actually plural #plural #plural community #plurality #plural system

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gamerwoo · 2 years ago

Text

[Tales from the Pack] Soonyoung: Imperfect (Part Seven)

Characters: Soonyoung x female reader

Genre/warnings: werewolf au, fantasy, fluff with some minor angst in there, guns, mentions of sex but nothing explicitly happens, stealing

Word count: 2,000

Summary: Soonyoung has always been desperate to find his mate, often going out into town at night to fill the void of imprinting that he craves so much. Then suddenly, you (quite literally) appear in front of him. He’d always dreamed and fantasized about what having his mate would be like, but the reality is nothing like he expected.

a/n: things in bold are in english and whenever soonyoung says reader’s name it’s meant to be reader’s surname

if you’d like to be added to the tag list, please fill out this form!!!

Previous | Next | Imperfect Masterlist

The rules were simple, except they were very difficult for both you and Soonyoung. It was meant to test you, which you knew was good for you. Both of you had learned a decent amount, and now it was time to see what you retained -- if anything -- by going to the market for a 'test’.

Rule one: you can’t get an item off the shopping list unless you can name that item in the other language.

Rule two: you can’t help each other to cheat.

Rule three: Soonyoung cannot use his power against Kyung or Hansol to get what he wants.

“What’s this?” Hansol asked you as he held up a potato.

You stared at the vegetable like you were trying to make it move with your mind, “Uh... p-po...tato...?”

Soonyoung, however, pointed straight at it and excitedly exclaimed, “Tomato!”

Kyung shrugged with a, “Close enough,” and tossed a few into the bag hanging off her arm.

As the four of you walked through the market, Hansol asked, “What else do we need?”

“Next on the list is...” Kyung looked down at the paper before saying, “meat.”

Hansol then looked at you over his shoulder with a smirk, and your eyes widened.

“Can you ask for meat in Korean?” he wondered.

Your eyes looked up, as if you could roll them back to search for the answer in your brain, “Uh... Can I...h-have... Uh...pork belly?”

Despite your answer, he continued to look at you expectantly, an eyebrow raised.

“Please!” you quickly interjected.

Hansol nodded with a chuckle, “Good job. But no, we’re getting something else.”

Soonyoung frowned, “No pork belly?”

Your small group paused. You were near the outskirts of the market, but there seemed to be a series of canvas tarps with tables set up underneath them, almost like their own min-market. However, there were a bunch of large men wandering around the border, and they seemed to be eyeing the public who got too close.

“We need to go talk to the butcher,” Kyung explained. “Stay put, got it?”

As she said the last part, she looked intently between both you and Soonyoung.

“Talk to who?” you asked.

She smiled, “See, you’re picking things up quickly.”

And then her and Hansol left.

“That didn’t answer my question...” you mumbled.

“Butcher,” Soonyoung told you.

You looked back at him quizzically, unsure why he knew that word, but you didn’t say anything about it. Instead, you looked back to the mini-market that Hansol and Kyung had walked toward, getting stopped by one of the men on patrol.

“Is...that a...market?” you asked slowly.

“It’s called a black market,” he explained.

Your eyebrows furrowed as you looked at him, and he quickly tried to think of a way to simplify what ‘black market’ meant.

“It’s a market, but...” he paused to think again of the right word. “It’s bad. Illegal?”

Now it made sense. Of course the pack would get their meat from the black market. It was probably a hell of a lot cheaper, and they could probably trade things for it instead of stealing or using money.

“We could hunt for meat, but we might end up leading werewolf hunters to us,” Soonyoung explained.

That also made sense. If they found a deer carcass torn to shreds, they’d obviously get suspicious. And it wasn’t like they could bring the thing home and then bury it in the backyard or something.

The two of you waited for a while, silently observing the black market from the outside. But then you realized you had to pee, and you started to get antsy.

“I’m gonna...find...the bathroom,” you told him.

He chuckled, but nodded.

After you left, Soonyoung continued to stand in the same spot. He couldn’t see Hansol or Kyung anymore, so he just watched the sketchy-looking venders under the tarps. It was pretty boring, though, so he eventually wandered over to a booth that was near the black market. It seemed to sell fake-looking jewelry for incredibly expensive prices, but he just needed something else to occupy his time and mind.

As he was browsing the jewelry that was laid out, he felt a tap on his shoulder as a male voice asked, “Excuse me?”

Soonyoung turned around and saw a...vaguely familiar face. He couldn’t quite place where he saw it though.

That is, until he saw the short girl standing timidly behind him, looking up at Soonyoung wide-eyed. Then the memories came flooding back. Going home with that girl -- he couldn’t even remember her name, honestly -- and being interrupted in the middle of their business by her boyfriend barging in, looking like steam was going to come out of his ears at any moment.

All Soonyoung could manage to say was, “Shit...”

The guy grabbed Soonyoung by the collar, turned him around, and threw him to the ground.

“So,” Soonyoung coughed as dirt kicked up around him, “I’ll take it you’re still upset.”

Soonyoung watched as the boyfriend pulled out a gun from a holster on his pants. His brown eyes widened as he stared into the short barrel of the gun.

“Okay...” Soonyoung began slowly, raising his hands as he slowly got to his feet, the gun following his every move, “let’s not do anything too rash. I get you’re mad, but--”

“You almost ruined my family!” the man shouted.

That’s when Soonyoung spotted the sparkle on the girl’s left ring finger.

Husband. He’s her husband.

“I swore to kill you then, and you got away,” he continued. “We must’ve crossed paths again for a reason, then.”

Soonyoung had to weigh his options quickly. On one hand, he could take this guy. He could shift and scare him shitless, but he’d give himself away. He could use his power, but that would also give him away. But it was give himself away or be shot.

On the other hand, he could handle a regular bullet, right? Unless it went straight between his eyes and killed him instantly, he’d probably survive. But being shot really didn’t sound like fun.

So...what was he supposed to do?

With a gasp, Soonyoung felt himself get yanked to the side before tumbling to the ground. A shot rang out, and Soonyoung squeezed his eyes shut, but all he felt was his back hit the ground and a weight on his stomach.

“Troublemaker,” he heard your voice say, and his eyes shot open to see you straddling him, both hands on his chest. “Right?”

He breathed out a, “Yeah,” as he tried to collect his thoughts and gather what the fuck had just happened.

“Where the hell did you go?!” the man shouted angrily, aiming his gun every which way.

Soonyoung had forgotten about your power, and now he felt like he could let out a sigh of relief knowing the man couldn’t see either of you, so you wouldn’t be in trouble, either.

“Come with me,” you instructed as you took one of his hands, keeping a firm grip to keep him invisible. “Don’t let go.”

You got up and helped him up before the two of you were taking off through the market, far away from the trouble Soonyoung got himself mixed up in. You noticed that seemed to be a habit of his, so maybe you’d have another task on your hands on top of learning how to communicate with your mate.

You had no idea where you were going, you were just running and giggling to yourselves as you weaved between bodies that couldn’t see you if you happened to graze or bump them. And Soonyoung was just following, loving to see this other side of you.

But you were suddenly tugged to a stop, being pulled over to a booth that had bread and cheese laid out, as well as some cured meats. You watched as Soonyoung kept his eyes trained on the vendor and the few people around as he wrapped a hand around a loaf of bread and slowly moved it to the end of the table before stuffing it into the canvas bag slung across your body.

“What’re you doing?” you asked him.

“We can’t...uh...pay for food,” he explained. Then he looked at you with a mischievous smirk. “So... Your power...help us...take.”

“Ohhh,” you nodded slowly, understanding what he was getting at.

Jiung never taught you to steal. He always wanted to get things fair and square, so you never thought to use your power to steal anything.

...But you couldn’t say it was a bad idea.

“Are you kidding me?!” Kyung demanded when she entered the house.

“Uh-oh,” Junhui snickered from where him, you and Soonyoung, and other members of Soonyoung’s pack were gathered in the kitchen.

An angry-looking Kyung stormed into the kitchen, standing in the doorway as her eyes found you and Soonyoung sitting in kitchen chairs with Seungcheol and Jihoon standing in front of the two of you. Both of you looked like children being scolded by their parents, while the rest of your siblings looked on in amusement.

“We told you to stay put!” she exclaimed, throwing her arms out. “Then we hear gunshots, and you two are gone?! Christ, _____, I thought you died!”

“We knew you didn’t die,” Hansol sighed, putting a calming hand on his mate’s shoulder.

“Can you let the rest of us in on what’s happening?” Jihoon asked in an annoyed tone.

Kyung glared at him, “Don’t get an attitude with me.”

“Kyung and I went to get meat, and we left Soonyoung and _____ alone,” Hansol explained. “We heard a gunshot, so went to check on them, and they were both gone.”

“Gunshots?!” Seungcheol gasped, turning back to look down at you and Soonyoung with wide eyes.

“This is getting good,” Mingyu whispered to Seokmin.

Soonyoung frowned up at him, “Shut it.”

“Care to explain?” Jihoon questioned, looking straight at the second oldest alpha.

Soonyoung looked offended, demanding, “Why’re you only asking me?!”

“I highly doubt _____ would get into the kind of trouble where someone shoots at her.”

“Fair...” he muttered, and then shifted in his seat with a sigh. “Look, I ran into...this...girl, and her...husband--”

“Husband?!” Seungkwan repeated.

“Shh!” Jooyeon hissed. “It’s getting good.

Soonyoung rolled his eyes as he continued, “Her husband seemed to remember me and had some...unresolved emotions toward me.”

Seungcheol scoffed, “Rightfully so...”

“But _____ showed up before he could do anything, and we got away,” he concluded. “Nobody got hurt, and nobody was outed; I promise.”

The two alphas looked at you expectantly, and you guessed they wanted to know if Soonyoung was telling the truth. Honestly, you only understood a portion of what was said, but you figured you were better off saving yourself the trouble -- well, more of it -- and nodded eagerly.

Seungcheol sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose, “And did the stealing come before or after this?”

“Stealing?” Kyung interjected.

“They brought home a feast,” Junhui laughed.

Maybe you and Soonyoung had gone a little overboard with your power, but you figured it was for a good cause. Soonyoung had a lot of mouths to feed, and you wanted to be helpful. Besides, it wasn’t like anyone got hurt.

Though, Jihoon did remind you that people definitely lost out on a lot of money, which made you feel guilty.

Kyung let out a deep sigh as she looked at the ground. Then she looked back up at you, her stare a mix of disappointment, but also something you couldn’t quite place. Almost like she couldn’t believe what you’d done.

Hansol, however, was very amused.

“Are you kidding me, _____?” your sister asked. “You can hardly speak to him, but he’s already being a bad influence on you!”

Soonyoung mostly understood what she said, and he giggled quietly to himself, “Troublemakers.”

You looked at him as smile formed on your face from his giggle, before looking back at Kyung with a shrug, “What can I say? He’s growing on me.”

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tomatoart · 2 years ago

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mwah your art is good and nice :>

can I ask for some advice? no worries if u don't want to answer.

do you have any tips on how exactly to practice art? everytime I ask for art advice everyone always says "practice" but idk what to practice first! do you have any strategies for learning how to draw something? do you do excercises? and if so how do they work?and are there any beginner mistakes I should look out for and change specifically?

thank you so much!! have a wonderful week :>

thank you so much! im ok w answering! i dont want to speak as if i am an expert on how to draw things in general as i am learning as well and definitely am not completely learned, so i might not be the best person to ask since im not very professional w my art as I do it as a hobby (and I can only speak on mostly digital cartoon matters) but i reallly hope to try and help u out even a lil ! im really happy that you’re eager to draw :] I wish you so much luck muwah muwah

i also hated when ppl told me “just practice” and i dont wanna inflict tht on u EITHER LOL but also thats just what i ended up doing for awhile but i tried to find some things to help ^_^

tips for practice: My number one rule is that practices should be challenging but still fun, I know it can get frustrating trying to redraw a pose over and over trying to get it perfect. And over time it rlly is all about muscle memory, the longer you draw the more your eyes will pick out specific shapes in everyday life and convert them into its own vision of them! or at least its good to look at life that way, try to pin point key shapes and stress less on details in practices. after you look at key points, THEN you can go over what you have and draw in and over it to make it more “complete.” To stop practices from getting too stressful I recommend starting out drawing what you want a little more simple looking than ur desired finished product. This helps eliminate the pressure of everything not looking “perfect” and keeps your art more loose and fun. Doing this a few times is gonna get ur brain to recognize patterns in art and how things look/flow in anatomy and such. dont get stuck in ur own head abt perfecting everything to the point you either 1) give up bc ur not at a level capable of it being 100% “perfect” or 2) focus so much on making it perfect that you end up saying the work looks “wonky” or stale in dynamics, So while I do think studies help, don’t get too lost in them. I always practice with media I enjoy too, whether it’s characters or fashion I enjoy.

Strategies learning to draw something: people get mad abt this one but I think tracing reference photos is great. its been awhile but When I tried learning to draw hands better at first I would trace them then put the traced image to the side of the canvas, then try and replicate what my mind saw as its most important angles and aspects. Same for clothing folds/hair/etc! I think it’s maybe not the best idea to trace the ref and use the tracings as is, because you learn more from tracing it then trying to replicate and simplify what u learned into the style you’re working in. Find what shapes you like from them and don’t over detail it. you may have to go by eye and think “what parts of this ref photo should i simplify to fit my style” and for me, its usually adjusting the length of the torso and then the limbs by associations. i dont recommend feeling like u need a reference for every art you make though, its ok to let ur own head try out its own sometimes too while trying to learn this, see if it remembers any call bad from the past referenced sketches! over time ull remember where everything goes more, these days i rarely kick myself to use refs but im sure they still would help to use, but figure drawing simple blobby figure in a bunch of random poses was a big thing i used to do as well to get better at full body art + overall dynamics (still does this). also paying attention to silhouettes is great

Exercises and how they work: I WANNA HELP U SO BAD BUT to be honest, all the works on my blog ARE exercises! i rarely actually do finished pieces, if u scroll thru my posts ull notice most r sketches. i usually just fill up a page and call it “warm ups” then i get attached to some of them, take a few, and just line them up pleasingly on a smaller page, then color them in (or sometimes fix the lines to be more clean too). im not rlly a person who “exercises” to practice, it more so happens from just me drawing a lot for fun as a hobby! but i really should. i will tell u this has humbled me a lil i need to start practicing too 😭 LOL but a good exercise is to look at what ur inspirations do, and study it. Make a collage and write out what you like most abt their styles/what u want to gain from them. For ref Here’s a page I did awhile ago when someone asked me abt my insps:

i also look at fashion magazines and as well as anime figures and take insps from that sometimes with learning cool poses and compositions to convert into my own things

Beginner mistakes to look out for: its hard for me to pin point “mistakes” beginners make, as sometimes we cant avoid all of them or even notice them, progress comes from growing out of old ways. some mistakes are even the foundation of ur future amazing cool style! but i think some things to look out for could be these, from my own old art experiences

Hands were the first thing I learned bc i liked drawing them. I don’t know if that is the best way to go but I think it is smart to practice sooner than later, here is a lil guide thingggyyy wingyyy from awhle ago

i see beginners shy away from drawing signs of age in people, sometimes adding too much detail on an older person in cartoon art makes it look weird, so i try and hit the key markings on ppls faces of age.

Too thin of lines. sometimes its a stylistic choice to use thin lineart, and it can look amazing ! but sometimes it can flatten an image if ur not familiar with its flow. im not saying use thick line art, but more so to keep in mind the weight of ur strokes, adding depth with a thick thin combo of line art can do SO much for the simplest of pieces. heres a visual from a while back when i talked abt my brush + more abt lines:

but if ur desired style is thin lineart that is cool too! tbh it was just harder for me as a beginner

sometimes artists think they need to do full lineart for everything and then hate how it looks compared to the sketch, do not fear i will introduce u to my bff: painting over a sketch, extractinging the lines, then calling it line art. i only do this sometimes but its a fun exercise-ish thing to do in a pinch. example:

finding what shading fits ur art. sometimes ill see ppl starting out who have a style thats very simple, but they use a very detailed rendering process on it. this is not something id ever police of course, art is each persons own choice! And it CAN work. It can be so cute! but sometimes mixing two very contrasting mediums of art can throw off the “put together” look of it. i use to abuse the airbrush tool thinking it made my simple style look super cool and detailed, but looking back on it now those pieces looked a little off, having such a simple style have somewhat more realistic shading. dont get me wrong the ability i see ppl use rendering like that is so insanely talented! but i found cellshading to be a good match for cartoony art like my own. a tip i learned way too late abt that is rather than shading each layer by color picking a darker color, instead use a clipping mask over the entire art (above line art too as I color my lineart) and lasso tool the areas u want shaded + fill it w a saturated purple then set to multiply + lower opacity. also, sometimes coloring can come out chalky looking when u meant for it to be smooth and transitional, i think this comes from overshading and overlighting pieces without reason. pay attention to where the light source is, and focus on making the shaded and lighter areas nice shapes that cover the necessary areas, then u can add additional shading to the smaller details of what should have a casted shadow/light

its good to spice up ur art now rather than later, focusing making ur art pop more w backgrounds will help ur coloring skills look better too! i dont mean detailed huge backgrounds, a small lil color pallet and design rather than a blank white bg. like this will make u feel better abt it or at least it helped me *sweats* yeah:

beginners tend to draw blank faces like “:)” but I think a good thing to do is try and get silly with expressions early on. It’s okay if the mouth hangs off the face cartoonishly with joy or shock, it’s ok if the eyebrows are super high in surprise.

tracing and pasting it as is (already said this but I’ve seen ppl do it a lot with hair styles and it makes it look alienated from the rest of the style) (final fantasy fans found critically injured) n if need a ref for a pose, using a real humans anatomy as-is doesn’t look quite right on a cartoonyish drawing. Shortening torso and legs usually comes out of this for me!

flip ur canvas i promise u it’ll be less embarrassing over time!

using guidelines for perspective and foreshortening is GREAT. Do it stylistically rather than realistically to add some groove to it...yay. Having silly perspective in art can make it look like a 10 so easily opposed to a normal front facing sketch. Look at cool poses from fashion magazines! Don’t be scared to draw something you don’t feel confident in conveying perfectly, this is why progress redraws exist :)

Drawing the hairline b4 u draw the hair is great, it helps u understand where their hair flows from, where it starts and stops, AND prepares u for drawing bald ppl. Also don’t make the head too big, the skull IS bigger up top, but sometimes I see an alien head affect.

Anatomy is an interesting mistake that beginners make a lot, but it’s one they find harder to notice! When I started out, all my art would be SO wonky, but I didn’t even realize it! It still happens today too! specifically though I see beginners struggle with the arms in this department. My advice is to try and measure them out and make sure they don’t go past the knees, and are the same length as each other when Unfolded. asking for criticism is hard but it helped me realize when i would make something bigger/longer than it should have been in my art, and stuck with me being able to go “oh... i see it LOL”

clothing wrinkles- do not over do it! Too many wrinkles and shading can look unpleasant and wirey- like a plastic table cloth all bunched up which isn’t exactly what ppl wear. pay attention to gravity too

I hope this helped even a lil im sorry tht I’m not very good at explaining or didn’t have much to sayyy! If u have any troubles no guarantee I’ll have the answer, but ur always free to ask!

#asks #faq #I hope ur week is going good n that u’ll have fun creating 💙🐠#long post #not tomaart

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