#please keep sharing your ocs dear artists

[midnight1nk]

⭐️ WELCOME TO MY MIND PALACE ⭐️

.・-: ✧ :--: ✧ :-・.

Greetings, my dear fellows! The name's Ink, your local bisexual goober who is a sucker for single (and tired) parents with their adorable kids.

⭐️ I grew up watching SMG4 since 2014 and I feel like I'm going to explode if I don't share my theories with the fandom. (Listen, I've been itching to say 'and that's just a theory, an SMG4 theory!')

⭐️ While I am a fandom artist in my main account, this blog is only for my SMG4 theories and related stuff. Sorry, no art requests.

⭐️ Usually neutral/positive to most characters and ships but I do love SMG34 (and I will talk about them a lot)!

Feel free to drop a question/comment to my askbox! Thanks for dropping in.

Now with that settled, hear me out...

TAGS TO ALL MY THEORIES:

⭐ #once upon a perfect smg4

[twisted parallels of IGBP and "Once Upon an SMG4"]

⭐ #wotfi 2024 predictions

[self-explanitory lol]

⭐ #puzzlevision 2

[Final battle with Mr Puzzles, made before WOTFI '24 arc. Origin of Eye of Ra/Horus theory, Goop!Four theories]

⭐ #goop!SMG4 // #👁️

[what-if scenario of the keyboard goo still being inside of SMG4, Venom style]

OTHER TAGS:

⭐️ #ink reviews

[SMG4 episode reaction and reviews]

⭐️ #ink rambles

[me going insane and sharing my thoughts with the world]

⭐️ #ink episode concepts

[SMG4 episode ideas i came up with, Masterpost]

⭐ #ink answers

[answering my ask box]

⭐ #fanart for ink

[we just got some fanart, we just got some fanart,i wonder who it's from? (also on Ink's Fridge)]

⚠️ DISCLAIMER FOR ALL THEORIES, EPISODE CONCEPTS, ETC. ⚠️ 

While I do create theories, episode concepts, and other posts, I want to be respectful to the crew behind SMG4.

I don’t want any of my posts to influence/forcefully change any intended plans for the future so please don’t harass anyone working on the show just because whatever I said wasn’t true. It’s just a reminder to be kind and respectful.

If they somehow see my posts, uh hi, keep doing what you do and I hope for the best! ❤️

📢 UPDATES 📢 

Last time, I came with an update regarding my posts not showing up outside of my profile due to images/videos, likely due to a Tumblr glitch. Right now, everything seems to be back to normal. But if it happens again, I'll revert back to the timestamp method.

[Oct. 13, 2024]

.・-: ✧ :--: ✧ :-・.

[ ⚠️ TERF Proship Zionist DNI ⚠️ ]

oc (ink) ref sheet, ink's fridge, and more below cut....

INK'S FRIDGE

all of my top frames from the show, memes, and fanart I received are featured here

fanart credits from:

@/acro-doodles

@/bowlolol

MEET INK/KOI

my OC/persona

(really messy ref sheet I know)

[purely-interests-here-not-much]

Absolutely amazing piece of art of my Digimon OCs I requested from the ever-so-lovely and pleasant, @makkiah-draws (seriously you have no idea how happy this made me... (❁´◡`❁)❤️🌟🍎🐧), please give them a follow and like on their respective platforms to show them your support! Anyways... these are my OCs from my own little Digimon AU/story, Akasa Oginome 「荻野目赤佐」 and her "partner", Kiran the Impmon 「キラン」, or in my case for him, my little fan-variant of him, "Impmon Rascal" 「インプモン ラスカル」 (basically, a little sword-wielding Impmon, or a toy sword that he's wielding based around the Long Sword from the Digimon World 4/X game), I do have a whole fan variant evolution-line made up for him! Strangely... he remembers that he has a name, but nothing much else... he's just one of the Digimon that follow her around the "Digital World", as I have few more but I kinda wanna make this short and simple. ^^'

Kiran may still keep some of the traditional quirks of an ordinary Impmon, but he usually likes to playfully pretend to be a "Noble Knight", protecting the weak and his Princess/Prince, though he can be a bit of an cowardly lion and a crybaby, I.E going against a bigger Digimon, knowing full well that he might get his butt handed to him, but he doesn't let that stop him from protecting Akasa and friends! Little tidbit, even throughout his evolution line, ending at my variation of an certain tall (albeit... "big 💪"), dark, and handsome biker... Kiran is more so a sweet-tooth than an meat eater, and secretly likes to be held, or digivolves to flip it around to hold you. u///u Which Akasa (+CO.) usually likes to poke fun at him for, teasingly calling him her "Little Prince"... u///u She may not "show" much, but she secretly has a penchant for pranks, even so more than Kiran, but ones that borderline on the surreal/absurd (I.E, like Mai Minakami's pranks for Nichijou). Usually to get a reaction out of them for fun... ^^'

Decided to include the original just cause, made through an old flash game of an Digimon character creator, as I really can't draw worth jack... (wish I could -.-') Her Digivice would be based around the Smartphone Digivice from Last Evolution Kizuna, her smartphone having changed into a Digivice upon waking up in the Digital World.

Akasa's name and outfit drawing some inspiration from a multitude of sources I love, her last name, Oginome, in particular being from an anime that's near and dear to me... Mawaru Penguindrum, with her outfit bearing some similarities to Heather Mason from Silent Hill 3. In some ways, her outfit sharing a somewhat-similar color scheme to both her and Ringo Oginome's respective outfits? Though "shorts" underneath are supposed to be black leggings under her skirt, considering the flash game was from all the way from 2012 (feel old yet?)... had to make some adjustments. >>' I kinda originally imagined her with lavender hair, à la Rika Furude from Higurashi, but thought this made her stand out a bit much, as I wanted her to seem... "normal" to say?

Kiran in the pic is wearing a small black, sleeveless hoodie and shorts his size, with his neckerchief being a red scarf he covers himself with, underneath it as bears similar scars/markings like Beelzebumon/Beelzemon from Xros Wars. As he would state, saying he felt a little... "naked" for some odd reason.

Anyways, this post is long enough as is, just wanted to share this and the artist here, once again, please give them a follow to support their work! ^u^

[rainyynightz]

Hello dear reader/viewer,

Welcome to my corner of the web, known as rainyy nightz. I am a self taught artist [mostly digital], and original character/world building/story creator. You can call me Eirwen, or Eira/Gwyn for short, as my central character, Eirwen Rainfall.

As a story creator, I have kinda a lot of ocs, but most of them are more like secondary, or even background characters. [I haven't revealed them through my social media yet ;-;]

However, here are the main ones of mine:

~ Eirwen Rainfall

~ Meadow

~ Seren

[arts/ocs by: rainyy nightz [me]]

Each of them has a special part on rainyy nightz [& are truly meaningful to me].

Their backstories, personalities, and slice of lives will be uploaded as the time goes by. Some info & facts are still in process though, but I'm working on them :]

Feel free to ask anything about them, a small qna with my ocs would be great.

I would like to mention that, each one of you who support, and follow me through this journey, means a ton to me & motivates me to keep going. I would appreciate your support more than enough <3

And to everyone who supports me: I truly appreciate everything you do. Every little thing means a lot to me.

I call every supporter a "firefly", hope that's okay with you. 🕯️

Remember that this corner of the web is a safe space for everyone.. feel free to vent, you are valid & enough ❤️‍🩹

Remember that you're welcome here as long as you are respectful towards others.

If you ever use any of my creations, please do give credits. [Even if it's in a platform I do not use].

Do not steal any of my creations.

In case you are interested, here are my social medias:

• Instagram:

• YouTube:

• Pinterest:

& Tumblr [these are for the moment]

If you reached till the end, your time & support is truly appreciated. I wish you the best :]

Have a lovely day/night, fireflies 🌒🕯️

[alterchaos]

Welcome to Alter Chaos!

click "keep reading" for the table of contents as well as an intro, about info, and links to both my side blog and discord

Have you ever listened to a good song and imagined yourself in an epic fight scene? That is exactly how Alter Chaos was created! Music has been a huge form of escapism for me in my struggles as a teen and even now as a young adult. For over ten years, I slowly built up a Sonic au in my head with an attempt at connecting all the games, shows, comics, etc. I imagined myself as part of the action, using my daydreaming to cope and even work through many of the problems I faced in my daily life. For instance, if I got into a fight, I would pick a character who was similar and imagine how I'd work things out with them before addressing real life again. It was my safe space and one I had absolutely NO intention of sharing.

Well...we all know how that turned out, right?

In 2023, I finally caved and mentioned my little self-insert au to a group I was in at the time. With some encouragement, I drew a few concepts...then some more...then it sort of just...came together. When I became serious about it, I considered for a while if I should've replaced my oc with another character, not wanting to turn my story into a journey of self-aggrandizement. Ultimately though, I decided that I wanted to keep the self-insert element and use it as a way to self-reflect and allow others to insert themselves as well. It helped motivate me to be realistic about both my strengths and my flaws as a person, and I believe it's helped me grow as a result.

Despite the many hurdles this series has faced over the course of its lifetime from struggles in my confidence as a writer to finding my voice and identity, I'm proud of what it's become today. When I think about it, the ups and downs it's faced since the very first chapter are so reminiscent of what life is, and that's the exact kind of energy I wanted to capture. It's what makes life beautiful...meaningful...and I hope that this series can give out that same feeling to all of you.

Thank you all so much for reading Alter Chaos and giving me the chance to share stories and messages so near and dear to my heart.

Please enjoy the show!

A BIT OF CAUTION:

This series is rated PG-13. While individual chapters will have warnings, know that this series as a whole will involve some heavy content from blood and body horror to depictions of bullying and depression. The purpose of this kind of content is not to be as dark or angsty as possible, rather to show real struggles and ways they can be managed or overcome. That and...I'm a bit of a horror fan (especially in special effects and makeup).

Reader discretion is always advised.

Also for anyone worried, I don't do smut. I enjoy a good ship or romance but we're keeping it cute here. No unnecessary melodrama either. I'm a fan of healthy, loving partnerships, however that presents itself. And no, my oc is NOT shipped with Sonic...or any Mobians for that matter...that'd be weird (raises eyebrow at 06).

A BIT ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

I'll make this short and sweet. Hi everyone! I'm Eve (the one and only haha). I'm only kidding. Writing these stories has actually been a very humbling experience for me. There's always a new technique to learn and incredible artists to be inspired by. Seriously, the Sonic Community has some TALENTED individuals! ♡

Let's see...I guess I should give some sort of list or blurb to help you all get to know me outside of my character. While she's accurate in as many ways as possible, she's more reflective of me as a kid and, believe me, I've changed a LOT since I was a kid...I think. Here's some basic rapid-fire facts to help:

Star Sign: Taurus (yup, I'm a stubborn one)

Favorite Color: a light, rosy pink

Personal Style: casual but cute

Favorite Food: mashed potatoes and mac n' cheese (so cozy...)

Favorite Movie: How to Train Your Dragon 2

Favorite Videogame: Sonic Unleashed/Kingdom Hearts 2

Favorite Sonic Character: Silver and Jason's Sonic

Sonic Character I'm Most Like: Tails. I'm a complete nerd who can ramble for hours and lose myself in a project.

Favorite Sonic Moment: the "Live Life" speech

What Got Me into Art: I wanted to be a Disney animator as a kid

Biggest Strengths: humor/perseverance/compassion (p.s. I am the self-proclaimed "pun queen". Challenge me if you dare.)

Biggest Struggles: self-doubt/difficulty trusting others/social anxiety

Weird Fact: I have a near-photographic memory. Between that and my love of chocolate, I'm basically just Chip if he, like, ate the camera or something.

You can follow my regular Tumblr here for content outside of Alter Chaos -> THE CHAO GARDEN

NEW

Be sure to check out the ALTER CHAOS DISCORD SERVER here

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

💎 BEGINNINGS 💎 💎🌌 THE SPIRIT'S REQUIEM SAGA 🌌💎 💎🏙 ALTER EARTH SAGA 🌆💎

💎🌎 ALTER EARTH ADVENTURES 🌎💎 💎🚀 METAREX SAGA 🌸💎 💎🎸 A HERO'S PURPOSE SAGA 🎻💎 💎🖤 SHADOW SAGA 💛💎

💎🌎 MOBIUS ADVENTURES ACT 1 🌎💎 💎🔥 SEVEN RINGS SAGA 🌟💎 💠🌕 THE MOONBEAST SAGA 🌙💎

STAY TUNED FOR MORE

FIRST CHAPTER: THE BIRTH OF A LEGEND

LATEST CHAPTER: TEARS

[nugzzzzzzz]

Hello! 1st off I LOVE your artstyle!! Very expressive and full of life! Really looking forward to seeing more from you 💜

2nd, your art, your OCs, your blog, your time, your energy, and your peace is and will ALWAYS will be YOURS. no one else's. EVER. If anyone has an issue about it? Keep it pushing, there too many people running a blog everywhere making content for whatever reason they could follow instead, and shit making far worse things, and no one bats an eye or even encourages it.

You're posting content for free here, I'd imagine, yes? You don't have to post a damn thing so no one has the right to tell you what or what not to post, what an oc should or should not look like, they're yours after all. If that means your oc is gonna black? Sure, do it. They're gonna be Asian? Awesome, go right, head! A fury, a lesbians bi trans, nonbinery it doesn't matter do it because you want to! And you don't have to explain and justify why they look the way they look. You made something cool and shared with the world, and that's all there is no explanation or justification needed. You're not hurting anyone. You're not purposely trying to offend anybody. You're just creating that's no cri. That's never a crime.

Trying appease strangers that might not even know how to draw aren't worth it, plus they'll likely come back and say whatever fixes you made are bad too or problematic too or not good enough. It can get so bad that you don't even want to draw anymore...

Please don't let that happen. Continue to draw, continue to have fun, and continue to be you Cause man, I really like what you've done so far, and I'm eager to see you do more hun :)

Much luck and love from a fellow artist.

(Forgive me for sounding, possibly very pushy, or preachy, btw. Art is a very significant aspect of my life that I hold dear, and it always saddens me when an artist is hounded on simply because of bad criticism or shit bullying.)

Almost brought me to tears ngl, literally you are absolutely a saint this made my day ♥���♥️ I promise to keep posting for myself 😁♥️ I really do appreciate you guys a lot comments like these brighten my day and help me improve to keep pushing and loving my work 💞💞

[mrshiraethsworld]

For the OC basics ask game: 13 + 14 + 15 for Bethany, please??

@dancingsunflowers-ocs ✨💛✨

I love my dear Bethany O'Neal:

13. What is your oc’s most prized possession? What’s the importance/meaning behind this item?

Bethany's most prized possession is a locket with a picture of her family. Despite her family not always understanding her choices, she does love them unconditionally. They are the reason she joined Starfleet, and knowing that every day she is in space is another day they are safe keeps her going.

14. Does your oc have any hobbies? How did they get involved in these?

She keeps most of her hobbies a secret, with the one exception of drawing. She is an amateur artist who takes inspiration from the worlds she visits and the people around her. It's her release from her job, which she only shares with a few close people.

15. What’s your oc’s favorite color? Does this color have any special meaning/symbolism?

Bethany's favorite color is white, a clean and minimalistic color with many possibilities. Given how chaotic her job is, she likes the simple things in life. One of the first things Jim learns around her is to clean up after himself, especially given most of her home is white. Plus, she rarely has time to live in her home, much less decorate it with color. The only splashes of color she brings into her life are bits of yellows and blues once she starts being at home a bit more.

ask me a question & spread some positivity!

[aria0fgold]

Why is Cain your favourite character? Please tell me about him and share why you like him so much!

Okay so like-- I'm predictable aoxbwlfnwlzjj

First off, I gravitate towards redhead characters A LOT, and secondly: I love knights. Cain having both qualities was enough to get my focus on him entirely.

Funnily enough, I first started liking him years ago actually, aroun 2020? 2021? But that was when I wasn't an artist yet and needed a faceclaim for my dear OC Alec. In which case, the closest one I found was Cain via this known bot in discord, Mudae.

But it wasn't until around 2023 when I got hyperfixated on mhyk as a whole (and became insane towards Cain and Owen) cuz I finally got free time enough during then to just go haywire on whatever I wanted so that was when I got to read through as many mhyk stories as I wanted.

My introduction to mhyk and ultimately is the April Fool's AU Paradox Roid, my fave AU ever... Terrible to have as the first intro to mhyk though cuz pararoid is AMAZING and lighthearted meanwhile mhyk main stories is AMAZING and goodness me, angsty.

Pararoid <3 Cain is sooo amazing there, I get to see him living happily without much danger other than the one he ended up in during the pararoid story where he works with others to save Owen. His smooth-talker qualities shows there too, the insanity of this man. I just love how pararoid showcases the positive raw qualities of Cain while showcasing the other raw qualities of the characters in ways they wouldn't be able to show in canon with how gestures vaguely everything is.

The whiplash of reading ms1 though right after reading pararoid was astronomical. It just made me latch onto Cain more cuz wdym this knight is willing to befriend the guy he supposedly hated for partially ruining his life??? And then when I read through more stories with him, it just keeps getting insane cuz WDYM THIS KNIGHT IS ACTUALLY PARTIALLY GLAD OWEN RUINED HIS LIFE??? Once you see through the many lies and facades this man puts up with as a shield, he just becomes REALLY INSANE SOMEHOW??? He's honestly doing far worse than Owen who is LIKE THAT, it just so happens that Cain is way too much of an expert in hiding ALL his bad and negative traits that most people gets fooled by his act of Only being a reliable older brother figure who is a sunshine personified knight. He Still is pretty much that, but he has so much more depth to that, he's just an outright insane of a guy neck deep into his own meticulously crafted public image.

[silverwingborn-moved]

Knowing your partner can potentially make writing together a lot easier.

– BASICS.

♡ NAME: Soul

♡ PRONOUNS: she/her

♡ SEXUALITY: bisexual

♡ TAKEN OR SINGLE: Single lady

– THREE FACTS.

♡ I interned at a wildlife rescue rehab facility during college and worked with many birds of prey (including owls, kestrels, hawks and an osprey), fawns, 40+ raccoons, 80+ Virginia opossums, and turtles

♡ My initial major was Marine Bio, but I began to fail courses (due to being undiagnosed with chronic Lyme disease for the next 5 years). I switched to a BFA with a Concentration in Drawing and Minor in Graphic Design.

♡ While I don’t use my BFA for artistic mediums much anymore, I use the skills I gained and apply them for fossil preparation at a museum.

– EXPERIENCE.

♡ HOW LONG (MONTHS / YEARS?): Overall I’ve rp’d with people for about 16 yrs. Online I’ve been rping in fandoms for 12 yrs.

♡ PLATFORMS YOU’VE USED: passing a journal between classes, texting, IM, Deviantart, Skype, Tumblr, Discord, Twitter

♡ BEST EXPERIENCE: It’s hard to pick a single best experience. Each fandom and person I’ve interacted with has given me some kind of growth and joy. I will say my first rp group made up entirely of OC’s in an original story format will always hold a place dear in my heart.

– MUSE PREFERENCES.

♡ FEMALE OR MALE: Most of my muses are male, but I also write females from time to time.

♡ FLUFF, ANGST OR SMUT: I usually aim for angst and fluff. It’s always fun to keep a balance of both so not to get bored or overwhelmed. I can and do write smut with rp partners, but it’s only if our characters share chemistry and have had time to get to know one another first. I’m not a fan of shipping just for the sake of it.

♡ PLOTS OR MEMES: I eagerly accept both!

♡ LONG OR SHORT REPLIES: I like a medium ground. Lengthier replies delight me to no end because there’s so much more to work with. However sometimes I burn out or my muses don’t have as much to say in the moment so short replies are also acceptable. Just no one liners please?

♡ BEST TIME TO WRITE: I am a night owl. Late afternoon into the dark morning hours are the best time to write. However I am at home recovering from surgery so I’m on way more than normal.

♡ ARE YOU LIKE YOUR MUSE(S): I put a bit of myself into every character I write. It’s nice to have a relatable trait in them.

tagged by: swiped from dash

tagging: anyone who wants to ❤️

[chronicparagon]

💻 — how many friends have you made in the rpc? feel free to tag a few of them!

[I made a lot of friends here! Some I met in real life or see on social media outside Tumblr. I would love to tag as many as possible. If I missed anyone, please let me know via im or ask. I included people I have known for some time or met irl but I want to include everyone who wants to be mentioned.]

One friend would include you. I actually spent a week with you and had a lot of fun. The trip to the zoo and playing video games together were my faves. We go to each other Animal Crossing islands too and I love seeing the improvements on yours.

@theamazingchickenman - I visited him twice and he is always fun to hang out with. I had a blast at the arcade with him and my sister, dinner at the rainforest cafe, and the aquarium. We also went to a zoo and witnessed the porb (puffin orb). I always have fun when I see CM-mun! He’s a wonderful friend.

@the-expatriate - I known the Mun as far back as my FF7 rp days. I love seeing updates about her and her cat. My hope os one day, we will meet.

@quantumseraph-blog - It’s been a very long time since I heard from them. But I miss them a lot. We met a few years ago, even went through a haunted house together. I still think about them and that adventure. I hope they are doing well.

@pinklocksoflove - We often talk on Discord. I would love to talk more but things have been a bit hectic on my end. However, I appreciate the pictures of their muses and cats that they send. I think Karine is adorable too.

@sunflower-dancing - We sometimes talk but I consider the mun as a lovely friend. I like their portrayal of Saphir and their OC’s are wonderful!

@skullboysfinale - Another great multi-muse rp blog! The mun is someone I enjoy talking and plotting with and look forward to their updates on their muses!

@makoheadrush - one of my first rp partners here. She inspired me to try fanfic writing which I still do from time to time. I see her on other social media platforms and I love seeing updates about her trips, pets, and cooking.

@lickmyemr - Another friend who I met in FF7 rp. I miss her but I still see her on other platforms more and I’m glad she is doing well.

@tredispade - I known the mun for a few years now since I used to rp only FF7. I moved on to expand to other rpcs focusing on horror rp but I am always open to writing with them and catching up when give the chance.

@shutupreno - Known them for years. We used to send each other stuff from time to time. I still have their post cards and the French coin they got in their trip to Europe. I pinned the cards to my board in my room along with the cards from friends and family and tickets, one of my omamoris, and stuff from my travels. I keep the coin at my workstation. I think of it as a good luck charm. It’s special to me because they thought of me by sending it.

@mybikeasmypride - It’s been a long time since I heard from them, but I miss them. They’ve been a good friend. We got pretty close and talked on Skype several years ago. I still have the woodblock burning that’s a picture of Reno and the scarf they made. Sometimes, I wear it when it’s cold out.

@myfreespirit23 - I write and talk with them on and off Tumblr. I love seeing their muses like Joe and the story we created for them. I hope to talk with the mun more soon and write with them more!

@beloved-death - I’m grateful for Val! They have a great multi-muse blog with Mason being my favorite. I enjoy talking with Val, too. I think we followed each other for several years now but it was around last year when we got closer, which I am happy for!

@whispers-in-daydreams - I met her through two mutual friends, Rene and Blair. I’m glad I crossed paths with her because she is an amazing writer and friend. We share picture of our cats and updates while also writing threads and reply to ic asks. She is lovely and so are her muses!

@s-talking - Blair is someone I look up to as a writer, artist, and friend. He’s a dear friend of mine and I love his muses like Envy. I write more horror and dark romance because he and Rene are big inspirations. I always love seeing his ferrets and we share a love for animals. I always wish the best for him and I hope we will be friend for a long time.

@spectralhunter - Rene is a great person! I love his muses and I’m always happy to see him on my dash. His muses are becoming stronger characters and I love his ideas like with Takumi and his pet rat, Hunter. I’m working on fanart for Hunter (and Mrs. Saebom) and plan to finish those soon.

All in all, I always look forward to seeing him when I get the chance.

[artistsoftheapocalypse]

My GOODNESS, it has been a week. More than a week, I'd say it's been a month, and that can only mean one thing...

! IT'S TIME FOR SHIPPY SATURDAY !

Curious about the event? Here's the FAQ Our Lead Artist this week is Loor Want more of their Fallout content? @solesurvivorpaigeargot Want to support their work? Here's their Ko-fi! Wanna participate this weekend? Keep reading!

This week, we're talking about the ways we both need and are needed by the people near and dear to us. The skills others have that we don't, and the skills we do that others don't. The gentle guiding hands that can be trusted to instruct, to teach, and not to judge; the grasp we welcome when we're not sure.

To send a VALID Sketchy Saturday Request, please send the following information to @artistsoftheapocalypse as an ASK to our ASKBOX.

The TWO CHARACTERS you'd like to be sketched up ---- All Fallout characters welcome ---- Canon? YES. OC? FUCK YES. ---- TWO CHARACTERS PER ASK. I have nothing against poly ships, but more figures means more time per piece.

The NATURE of their relationship ---- Romantic? Platonic? Familial? What is their dynamic? 10 words or less, please. ---- Is either individual touch adverse? Uninterested in physical contact and/or repulsed by it? Please let me know so I don't draw OOC physical affection.

WHO needs help? WITH WHAT? ---- Helping hands need a task to help with! Tell me whom is having difficulty and what they're having difficulty with ---- Can be as simple as 'heavy lifting' ---- Can be specific, like 'starting a fire in the rain' ---- Can be silly! 'Eating an overszied mutfruit' is also valid ---- Can be emotional, 'struggling with grief' or just 'struggling to be' are valid, too.

IF YOU'RE SENDING IN AN OC! ---- First time? Cool! Send in your request ask to OUR [ ArtistsOfTheApocalypse ] askbox FIRST ---- THEN send reference info to @solesurvivorpaigeargot 's TUMBLR IM ---- Why? It keeps things cleaner and more organized. Loor manages a reference folder which is then shared via dropbox to the entire team. That way, even when we have a different lead artist, we still know who your OC is :D ---- PLEASE SEND ACTUAL IMAGES, NOT LINKS to posts or google docs. It's a lot easier to just save the images from the IM window.

Hokay? HOKAY. As always, we remind askers that Sketchy Saturday is a free event supported by volunteers.

PLEASE be polite and kind in your request ask. PLEASE reblog the finished works PLEASE add feedback into the caption or tags if you have any thoughts on a piece

ALRIGHT! That's all the boring stuff outta the way-- GET YOUR REQUESTS IN NOW! We will be taking requests on this prompt from NOW until 6 PM, US Pacific Time, July 30th, 2021.

See you folks in the morning!

-Loor

[milfjinart]

Hi there!

I keep forgetting to make a little intro post, but now that I have more followers on here I figured I should get around to it! especially since I’m kind of a luddite and I can’t be assed to figure out how to make a caard or whatever.

 I’m Heidi (she/they), and up until like February of this year I was mostly a traditional nature artist. But to get myself out of a long ass artblock, I taught myself how to draw people/clones and now I’m a Star Wars fanartist! I also do some writing on the side, including poetry, creative nonfiction, and fanfiction, but I haven’t published any of my fics here or on ao3 yet. 

You can find my art on this blog (milfjinart) under the #my art tag, or on Instagram @/milfjaster (previously nejohaasketches). 

My favorite Star Wars subject to draw is the clones, especially Cody and my boy Fives. I have a few ocs but haven’t done much art of them yet (again, because i only started drawing people/fanart in February and i’ve been super busy with work recently so i don’t have as much time to draw as i’d like). I also love drawing Togrutas and incorporating landscapes and plants into my fanart! 

My inbox is open if y’all wanna talk to me or ask me anything, but since I’m so busy i am not currently doing art trades or commissions at all :(

Fun facts about me: 

I collect Star Wars pins and love to talk about them

My favorite sw characters are Fives, Ahsoka, and Jyn Erso, and basically all sw milfs :)

I have several types of synesthesia - chromesthesia, grapheme-color, spatial sequence, and number form.

my favorite animals are goats and my favorite color is green!

I have been vegan for like 5 years and I love baking and cooking! if you want tasty recipes hmu

I love reading poetry! some of my favorite poets are Joy Harjo, Simon Ortiz, Sasha Banks, Diane di Prima, Mary Oliver, Emily Dickinson, and Rebecca Elson.

related to that last point: feel free to send me an ask if you want me to share one of my favorite poems with you! I keep a google doc of them + I have a bunch of books of poetry and i love sharing :)

Besides my terminal star wars brainrot, I enjoy:

 The X-Files and Lucifer (which you can find a hodgepodge of on my main blog, 1998scully)

Astronomy (NOT to be confused with astrology dear god please). I used to teach astronomy programs at a science center I worked at, and I currently work part-time for a local astronomy tour company and love it!

All things outdoors - hiking, river running, slacklining, camping, backpacking, etc. 

Gardening and foraging for wild edible and medicinal plants!  

Lastly: 

I’m anticapitalist, antiracist, antifascist, and politically aligned with anarchism. 

Black lives matter and we need to return Indigenous lands to Indigenous people. 

I do not under any circumstances take shit from TERFS, homophobes, islamophobes, ableists, or whitewashing apologists. 

If you have a problem with any of this, a) rethink your life, and b) if you engage with me in bad faith i will block you. 

be kind to people and the earth. it’s not that hard. <3

[nightsoulsworld]

Hello I would like a match-up please? So I requested a match-up of the same oc but in another blog but I really only have one oc and I'd like to know who other people think she would match with :)

Well her name is Serena and she looks like this (except her hair is 100% pink)

Serena is 17, she's half Asian and half Brazilian (but she looks more like her mother). She moved from Brazil to NY with her mother after their parents divorced, she can look cold at first but it's just that she never had the chance to actually learn how to speak English properly so she chooses to talk less so people won't make fun of her and she's 24/7 apologizing for her "bad English" like "hello sorry for bad English"

Serena's personality is like one of those popular teenagers girls from that movies from the 2000's, like Regina George from Mean Girls, and it's not that she's a mean girl, she's just really into that kind of movie and she really tries to be more like the cool girls so she won't get bullied lol

Her favorite color is pink, like her whole room is pink and almost all of her clothes are pink. She's an artist and loves drawing and knitting stuff, whenever she's happy or sad she'll draw or knit to express her feelings or just to pass the time, she can make special plushies and paints for her friends because she loves making gifts to people she loves

She's very into teenager stuff like makeup and gossip magazines, she knows all the celebrities dramas and has watched all the disney series like Jessie or Shake It Up. She also loves musicals and obviously was addicted to high school Musical and Camp Rock, she can make her significant other watch all of it with her because she loves sharing her special likes with people she cares about

She's very kind and polite even with people she doesn't like, mainly because she's to coward to confront people when they mistreat her, like you can punch her in the face and she won't complain, she hates confronts and thinks she's too weak. She tries really to make new friends but it's hard for her since she's so shy and quiet, but mostly because she's insecure about her English skills and she thinks people will make fun of her

She starts pretending she likes the same things that the person she's talking to. "Omg do you like Teen Wolf? Me too!" (She hates Teen Wolf). She thinks that if she opens up the others will call her childish or dumb so she hides her personality until she's 100% sure she can trust them

Sometimes she feels sad because she misses her old home and her family she left behind. She loves sharing things about her country and will be more than happy to teach portuguese to her significant other. Serena has depression and there are days she doesn't feel like pretending she's okay so she just keeps in her room until she feels "better". She would never judge anybody by their appearance (since she doesn't think she's a pretty girl)

Hello, dear ♥️. Thank you so much for your time and ask. Also thank you for tagging me at your post, I really appreciates that you like my blog. I hope you will like it. If you don't like it, message me anytime 💜💜

Sorry for any mistakes, English is not my first language

Here we go

🤔 I think I'd paired you with...🤔

Mikey

This ball of sunshine would fall hard for you

He liked you more and more the more he spent with you

Your kindness was that what drew him to you

When you two first met, you were so shy and quiet but after a while you open up; he was so happy and glad

Mkey will never laugh at you and he will ask ( force ) Donnie to help you with that you need help

Sometimes he's jealous about how you two are close but he knows that you will not cheat

He would have the longest converstations with you about Art and your favorite things

He finds it very cute when you doing your things; he feels calm when he watch you draw or knit

When you paint him for the first time, he break down into tears of happiness and he told you thank you non-stop

He's so happy when you give him something: he see your hard work in it and he really appreciates that from you

He will lend you his comics and he loves to watch with you some Disney movies and musicals

He loves your style and your bedroom is so cute to him

He likes to spend time with you at your place

When you're with him, you don't need to pretend anything, Mikey accept you and he loves you because of who you are

Mikey will cheer you up when you're sad and he's all ears when you need somebody to talk about your feelings or problems

I hope you like your match 💛��💛

[tinderboxofsillyideas]

ARTISTS! COMIC DUBBERS! ATTENTION, PLEASE!

I have a story for y'all and this story is not so bright and beautiful. I thought I would not talk about it in public, but I can't leave the situation like this, because it's important. I just have to do that, because I don't want people get in the same situation.

I will talk about you @undertalecomictv​. No offence.

One year ago I get a message from David - owner of "Undertale Comic TV” and "Sans Comic TV" on YouTube. He asked me about promotion and using my videos (animations and memes) on his channels. I had a terrible headache at that day and this offer was a little bit strange to me. I asked to clarify how it supposed to work and for some reasons I said "yes" at the end. That was a dumb decision, because I didn't realize what I'll get and why I even said yes. But I don't have any regrets, because I can say a lot of things now. This how our first dialogue looked like:

I have to mention – we DID NOT talk about comic dubs as well, I just made a suggestion like "It will be cool to see comic dubs from you in the future, but that's just a thoughts". We did not talk about any agreement, I just said it and that's all. After half of the year, I got a message with dub of one of my Kustard comics. I was happy to see it, because this dub was very cool and this was the first time when somebody made a dub for me. I was too happy and did not see what I missed. I just… enjoyed. They leaved a links on me in the description and in the video too, so that was totally fine and I shared this dub with my followers in both communities – foreign and Russian.

All was good, I got a couple of more dubs, and I loved them really much, but in one day I saw something what made me feel like "???".  I saw a video on SCTV with a frame from my animation (Bloom meme). It was used as a thumbnail, with erased reply from echo flowers. This video contained comic of my friend @nsfwgarbagedump​

The most important – there was a several pages what me and @hakkids has colored. In this video was no credits in description. Only nicknames of Crude and me (Hakki was not even included but we worked together on coloring and we're still making colors for the rest of the pages). I was confused, because frame from animation was cropped out of my video (I did not post this pic anywhere, I remember that). When I gave a permission to use my videos I did not think they will be used in this way. That's just not nice.

I saw a part two and there was my art again, but none of my content in the video. There was rest of b&w pages and I can't understand why my art was used for the thumbnail if there's none of my stuff in the video. They could use one of the pages or frames from comic for a thumbnail, but they used my stuff because it looks good? That's a clickbait, you know?

Crude had a conversation with them and after that they deleted their comic, both of the parts. I was sad about the fact they did not leave the credits on us like LINKS, because some of the people having a problems with searching artists, and that would be better to leave the links, not only nicknames:

I was too disappointed and had a thought about ask them to stop making dubs on my stuff. I messaged them with this offer, even if I loved their dubs before – there was no way out. I got an answer like this:

After that, I was confused a bit more. They made a dub of our modified Kustard before in one of the compilations. I was happy to see that at first, but Hakki told me one thing, which turned all the tables. They messed up with voices and some specific details, includes the fact they DID NOT asked about permission from Hakki about using Ras (modified Red) in the dubs. Yes, those comics was made by me, but Ras belongs to Hakki and I got a permission to use him in my stories, because hell – we are friends, so we allowed to use our boys in our comics.

If somebody giving you a permission to make comic dubs (but they did not get a permission from me on this either if we look at the situation a bit closer) you have to ask again before using Fan-Characters/Original Characters in dubs. They can have some specific differences and it's always better to ask. Much better to send SAMPLES too, because some people can be picky. If you don't want to make all those "difficult" stuff – just do not touch FC's and OC's. And ask ALL the artists if you want to make dubs with two (or more) characters which belongs to different people. The first one can say "yes, sure!" and the second one can be against it. Respect people! Ask them about their characters!

I asked to delete all the videos with our modified Kustard (or at least cut out the fragments with them), and when I told this was not only my desire, I got a message which made me super confused and angry at the same time. I got an excuse like "we worked so hard, give our permission to keep your videos". I was triggered about it, because I'm already told about the reasons why I asked to delete those videos.

I told about that again and said about I worked hard too, because that's true. Artists spend a lot of time when they working on one picture, so that's no need to talk about making comics or animations. So I had to ask to delete the modified Kustard, OR I'll ask to delete ALL my stuff from the channels. If they'll refuse – I'll strike them down. You can see my full answer below:

And who knows what I will get on my simple ask to delete only modifications…

I don't know, maybe I'm cruel piece of garbage or what, but I HATE when people use excuses like family and stuff. That's super lame and I can explain why I think in that way. You know, all of us have families, somebody has children too but people didn't use this fact as an excuse to make shit and break the rules. If you have a sweetheart and babies – how can you use them like this? It looks like you're only worrying about yourself, and did not want to pay attention to feeling of the artists which works you're using in dubs. I can understand all those things, because I have a family too, just like other artists do. I even have some ill people in my family and we have to pay big amounts to help them, plus bills, buying food, etc. BUT! I DID NOT use all this stuff for this kind of situations! I just continue to work and that's all!

That's the same situation like ask the artist to make you an art for free because you're poor little creature and you have no money to pay for your bills, clothes, etc. NOBODY have to work for free and nobody have to break the low to get something what they want! That's an awful shit, don't do that!

About monetization, huh? You know I don't like liars, I disrespect them, but I disrespect the greedy ones liars even more. My videos was monetized on those channels and NOBODY WARNED ME ABOUT THAT. I just got an excuse like "I asked some artists in the past and they was okay with monetization". Well duh? If one person said "yes" that doesn't mean you can just being a sly shit and don't ask people about monetization their content ever again. You HAVE TO ask artists about that! Somebody can be against it! This content is NOT YOURS, so that's terrible to make moneys on works of artists who probably get NOTHING for their works. Nothing but love and appreciation, and sometimes they even doesn't have this too. And that's sad.

I can understand you have to pay dubbers for their voices and work, David, but you had to ask about monetization anyway. That's just not cool. I don't know about people in your crew and I don't know are they even know about that, but I'm really disappointed. I can say thanks to Jordan Woollen for his voice. Btw – he's good in voice acting and I can be grateful to him for those minutes of happiness. I don’t think that is his fault.

If keeping of these channels is too hard for you – maybe you should find something what will fits you more? Something where you will not need to lie to people or making something like this. I dunno, maybe you can be a better person? Or you just like to make people feel bad or thinks about they're cruel with you… Who knows? You told my stuff has been deleted from your channels, but you didn't. Some of the videos are hidden, and I can see that because I have links. So why are you lying to me again? Just delete them, I'll not allow to bring them back. Because I can't trust you now.

Limited is not the same thing as deleted, my friend.

That was heartbreaking. I LOVED those dubs with all my soul and I couldn't even imagine all will end like this. I just disappointed and this story was broke me on a couple of days. But after I recovered myself, I decided to make this post. I just can't hold it in my soul anymore…

If I got a true apology with something like "yes, I understand how hard to be an artist and how much strength you spent to make arts and comics, so I'm sorry. It was my mistake that I did not tell you" maybe I could allow you to continue to make dubs. But you started to feed me with excuses about how hard that was for you. You totally forgot about my feelings. I don't have any hate to you, David. And I don't call people to hate you for what you've done. I just told them my story. Maybe you lied some of them as you done with me, and now they will decide what to do by themselves. But think about it and stop acting like this to people. Please.

Dear voice actors, I begging you – please, ask permissions before making dubs, talk with artists about all the issues. Ask them about monetization, about their characters, credits, etc. Please, respect their feelings and make a good things! I love dubs and I'm always want to support good dubbers, so don't play with feelings of people. We're doing are best to make a cool stories which you could dub. And some of us ready to pay you for this. Because you’re bring some good vibes with your dubs when you making them with love and desire.

Dear artists – be careful with some kind of offers. Talk with dubbers and ask them about everything. Do not be shy to make it, and if you don't like something – tell them about it before it's too late. Don't be such a softie like I was.

Guys, do not be a dicks, respect each other and try to become better on the next year. Artists, comic dubbers – y'all great while you respect the work of each other. We all have hard work, so be good people and don't lie to anybody. Thank you for your attention, Marry Chrysler and happy holidays!

[theimpossiblescheme]

Back Among the Cages

I’m back to shed some more love on my Cats OCs, and this time I’ve brought a friend along!  @thedragonchilde (the artist of that beautiful sketch) and I have talked about my Ulysses and her Aida sharing a sort of uncle-niece relationship, so here’s a little glimpse of them!  Trigger warning up front for mentions of animal cruelty--again, nothing explicit, but it is present.  I hope everyone enjoys!

“I can’t believe that—that—joke on felinity would sink so low…”  Even from her corner of the healers’ den, tending the stocks of lavender and catmint for Jenyanydots and Hathor while they were away, Aida could make out Ulysses’ voice.  He sounded tired and exasperated, which wasn’t unusual for him, but there was a note in it this time that concerned her.  A tense, almost angry note.  Who could he be talking about…?

“I can, sadly.”  That was Munkustrap’s voice.  He sounded much the same, but there was a tinge of bitter sadness in his words that made it abundantly clear who he and Ulysses meant. “He’s been… obsessed with the idea of some kind of—of magical heir for some time.  Someone to take over his crime empire.  And if none of his mates will give him one… he’ll find one someplace else.”

“Yeah, but kitten mills?”  That was an unusually disgusted Tugger, but the chill that ran down Aida’s back prevented her from recognizing him right away.  “That’s… on a whole new level for him.”

“He’ll end up killing them before he gets any magic out of them.”  Alonzo this time.  “You know what those places are like, Munk—”

“I know,” Munkustrap snapped wearily, and Aida reached the entrance of the den to see all the toms around him instantly fall silent.  Tugger fluffed his mane in an attempt to save face, and Ulysses fussed with the hem of his vest while their lead Protector regathered his thoughts. “But we’re not letting him get away with this.  From now on, we don’t let any of Macavity’s henchcats out of our sight. If any of you see one, and you get the slightest whiff that they’re heading for the mills, you come and get me, and we will follow them there.  And we will not rest until every kitten there is safe with a new home.  Am I understood?”

“Yes, Munkustrap,” the other three toms chorused.  And Aida suddenly found herself wishing she was standing with them.  Were there new kitten mills in London?  Or was Macavity searching around the same mill she and Paw de Deux had narrowly escaped from?  Had he already… Cat in Heaviside, those poor kittens… already starving and cold and now having to follow the Hidden Paw everywhere he went…

From what felt like a long way away, Munkustrap nodded.  “All right, patrol is dissolved… thank you all.  It… means a great deal.”  Patting Tugger and Alonzo on the shoulders as he passed, he trudged off toward his den, and the remaining three toms shifted their postures.  As she ventured closer, Aida could hear them briefly discussing who was taking what shift on morning patrol before Tugger and Alonzo also turned in for the night, gently joking that their respective mates would miss them. Ulysses waved them off for the night and settled onto the stairs in front of the great tire, taking off his monocle and restlessly polishing it against his shoulder.

It’s okay, Aida… it’s just Ulysses, he likes you, he’ll listen to you…  Dropping the sprig of aloe she was holding, she gathered her courage and walked up to him, waiting for him to notice her where she stood.  “Um… Ulysses?”

The older tom replaced his monocle and blinked owlishly at her for a moment.  “Oh—my dear girl, I thought you were asleep!  It’s far too late for any of you little ones to be up, now let’s be off with you…”  He started to stand and reach toward her paw.

But she wouldn’t be deterred.  “I heard something about kitten mills,” she said as bluntly as she could, even as another chill shot through her fur saying the words out loud.  “And that Macavity’s looking for them… what’s going on?”

Ulysses sighed, shaking his head.  “Alonzo heard it earlier from a source on the street.”  He patted the edge of the step he sat on, and Aida settled next to him at his feet.  “An old sewer tom, of all cats—he’s done a couple of jobs for Macavity, and he likes to keep abreast of the rest of his operations.  Alonzo brought him back to tell the rest of us… it’s ghastly.” He sounded very much like he wanted to say a different, much stronger word, but couldn’t in the presence of a kitten. “Just when I think he can’t sink any lower, he finds a way.”

Aida wanted to answer, to say something halfway intelligent… for a moment she was back there.  Her and Deux, among the cages… among the cold and the creaking metal and the shouting humans and the constant smell of feline waste and wet straw… she wrapped her arms around herself as a new thought clattered into the pit of her stomach like a ball of lead.  “I guess if Skimble hadn’t found us,” she said quietly, “Deux and I could have ended up with Macavity.”

“What do you mean?”

“We were… actually from one of those mills.  I managed to get us out, but we didn’t really have any other… any other place to stay.” In truth, the place had been busted by human police, and she and Deux had scattered during the ensuing chaos. But she liked to believe she had been brave and clever, that she had been a good sister and done everything she could to help her brother without help from anyone before Skimble.  “So we were on the streets for a long time.  And eventually we ended up at the train station, and that’s where Skimble found us.”  That part was completely true, at least.

Above her, Ulysses’ face had softened into a look of quiet horror and pity, and she almost couldn’t look at him… it was too much, what he was feeling and what she was feeling at the same time.  “Oh, my dear… Aida, I’m so sorry.  I had no idea… oh, you poor things…”

“And I kept thinking,” she continued, another sudden thought striking her, “we were the lucky ones. My brother and I got out… but I never found out what happened to all those other kittens.  Did they… did they die there?  Did they escape?  Did they find new homes?  I never knew.”  She swallowed heavily.  “And I thought… if I could have taken someone else with me… if I could have saved someone besides me and Deux…”

“It was never your responsibility, Aida, dear.”  Ulysses’ paw came to rest on her shoulder, and she closed her own paw over it, grateful for its warmth in spite of herself. “You were just a kitten, and you were thinking of yourself and your brother—nobody would have blamed you.”

“Yeah, but I’m… I’m not a little kitten anymore.  I’ll be of age soon, and… I can do something about it, finally—I can actually help cats who need it.  And I know I’m not that much of a fighter, but I still wanna do what I can.”  If you don’t ask now, you never will…  She looked up, forcing herself to make eye contact with the older tom.  “I want to ask if… if I can go with you guys.”

For a moment, he looked completely dumbfounded.  “You want to go back—?”

“I want to help those kittens.”  Saying it out loud felt… good, in a way.  It gave her purpose, made her believe it might work.  And it made sense, after so long taking care of Deux and Jupiter… she could care for these kittens, too.  She was good at that.  “I want to—to pay it forward somehow.  Because if I got out, then they deserve that, too.”

“It’s going to be very dangerous,” Ulysses protested, his voice mild, but his gaze deadly serious. “And even aside from Macavity’s gang, I don’t want you to be reminded of your time in one of those places.”  His grip on her shoulder tightened slightly. “Are you absolutely sure this is what you want?”

“I’m sure.”  Aida nodded firmly, more to reassure herself than Ulysses.  “I’ve actually been thinking about this for a while… if I can be some kind of go-between for you and the mill kittens, I’d be happy to do it.”

“…All right, then.” Still looking a bit unsure, Ulysses withdrew his paw and fluttered it uncertainly against his other palm.  “We’ll—we’ll both talk to Munkustrap in the morning and get his thoughts.  But for right now, please go home and get some sleep… and think on it a little while longer.”

“I really don’t have to think on it,” she replied, a bit of impatience in her voice that she immediately regretted.  She knew that Ulysses was just worried about her, like he worried about everyone, and a part of her was so grateful for that.  But the last thing she needed was to doubt her own resolve.  Not now, not when it was something so important.  “I know what I want to do… but I will.  I promise.”  And she managed a very small smile, one that actually stayed put for longer than she thought it would.

“All right, fair enough,” Ulysses replied, raising a paw in surrender.  “Just… humor me, my dear.  And let me walk and you and Deux home for the night.”  He extended an arm to her, and Aida looped her own around it, both getting to their feet.  She wondered if she shouldn’t feel more scared, as scared as everyone had sounded during the meeting.  Maybe it was just the adrenaline and subsequent relief of finally saying it out loud.  Maybe it would all change in the morning.  But she still refused to change her mind—she had to be strong, for all those kittens she hadn’t even met yet.  For the other Protectors, who would be counting on her… for her family.

I’ll make you guys proud, I promise, she mused, leaning her head on Ulysses’ shoulder as they walked.

[rachelbethhines]

Tangled Salt Marathon - The Way of the Willow

Now here’s a controversial episode from season one. Let’s delve into the discourse, shall we. 

Summary:  It's Queen Arianna's birthday, and she receives an unexpected guest: her estranged sister, Willow. Willow and Rapunzel quickly bond, sharing a lot of the same personality traits (most notably them never wearing shoes), and Arianna feels a bit left out. To add to her aggravation, Willow has given her a pet with an annoying rattle. Eventually, Arianna explodes at her sister, letting her know her irritation with her and throws away the rattle. The pet starts to multiply and rampage over the countryside. Meanwhile, Lance and Eugene  take the King camping. 

More Filler, More Poor Pacing, More Fatigue 

This is yet another episode that was moved around. Noticing a pattern yet? It doesn’t effect the plot much, but it kills the pacing dead. By the time you get to this episode you’re just tired and bored and ready for the show to just get on with things. 

Let's Talk About Representation 

So we have here a show that is marketed towards pre-teen little girls run by two middle aged white guys and written primarily by men. The creators have claimed that female relationships are the focus of the show, but only to give us one female friend for our main hero, no other friendships with women in them, just two sister relationships, and only one mother that is even alive. 

Furthermore they go on to break up that single female friendship, refuse to give any focus to the only mother in the show, and then wrap the plot around the dead abusive mom instead, making her unnecessarily even more horrible than she was in the OG film. (just to make the equally abusive father in the show look better)

Meanwhile we get four father figures, all of whom are just some variant on the ‘overprotective estranged dad’ trope. Even though at least two of them could have been easily written to be mothers instead and it’d not change the plot one bit.   

When women talk about about poor representation in media, it’s things like this we are often complaining about. That’s not to say that men can’t write women.  Miyazaki, of Studio Ghibli fame, has made a lifelong career out writing movies for and starring women. Nor is this a claim that the TTS crew are misogynist. You can be well intentioned and still screw up. As is most often the case in films. 

But nevertheless, if you are writing for a demographic that you are not a part of then you need to either include those voices in the development of your story or reach out and consult people within that demographic. And no, you’re wife/niece/daughter/mother does not count here. You need to go beyond your personal social circle, as people who either don’t know you or have worked in the industry can be more open about what is needed in the writing process.  

Sadly there are rumors, (and please keep in mind this is only rumor, and we’ll never know the actual truth due to the fact that production artists are under contract and can’t share things without fearing for their livelihoods) but there are stories of the head showrunner shutting down the opinions of the female storyboard artists who warned him of some these creative decisions. 

Moreover said creator responded to criticisms of how his female characters were written by claiming he ‘knew strong women in his life’ as if that actually had anything to do with his writing skills. It’s a poor response and smacks of ‘Well I can’t be misogynistic, I love women. See, I married one’. Dear, male creators, please don't ever do this. It makes you look bad. 

So Where are Arianna and Willow From, Again?

The show keeps dropping hints that they’re from Corona itself and are born princesses, but that makes little sense. Because if Arianna was the rightful heir she’d have far more political power then she actually does in the show. If we’re to buy the idea that only Rapunzel will be in charge, and not her and Eugene, or even just Eugene. Then we have to accept that it’s because she’s the rightful heir by birth. If so, then Frederic must also be the blood heir or otherwise he wouldn’t be able to do all the things he does in the show. 

TTS is so determine to not have any real world markers in the show and keeping things a ‘fantasy’ that it winds up swinging too far in the opposite direction. To the point that it undermines its own worldbuilding.     

The Conflict Between Willow and Arianna is Good, but Unnecessary 

I’ve seen some debate over ‘who is right’ here, along with tons of unwarranted shade thrown at Willow, but the truth is, it doesn’t matter. Neither side is right or wrong, and for once the conflict in TTS is real, complex, not easily solvable with a ten minute conversation, and is presented evenly so that you know where each side is coming from. But in the end, it doesn’t add anything to the series. 

Willow is never seen outside of this episode. This is the only story that gives Arianna any kind of focus. Rapunzel learns nothing useful from witnessing their squabbles and it’s all build up to a be bad parable/parallel in the series finale. 

It’s a waste. A waste of conflict. A waste of character. A waste of time. 

Had Arianna been treated as an important character to the narrative, like she should have been, then maybe the episode would have fared better. 

Arianna is Reduced to a Pointless Parallel

We talked about it before but this might be the most grievous example of Tangled’s useless parallels.

Willow and Arianna are meant to be ‘foreshadowing’ (and I use that term loosely) for Rapunzel and Cassandra’s conflict in the finale season. Let me count the ways of how bad this actually is..

For starters Willows and Arianna’s conflit isn’t actually the same as Raps and Cass. There’s some overlap, but ultimately theirs is actually deeper and more complex than the Raps vs Cass stuff. It’s also only between them and does not involve ruining the lives of other people. So it’s a weak comparison to begin with.

Cassandra isn’t even here to make the parallel complete. She barely interacts with Arianna and has never met Willow on screen.

Rapunzel learns the wrong lessons from this. She gets encouragement from her aunt to go traveling and a pep talk from her mom during the show’s finale, but she doesn’t actually apply any of the actual context of the arguments being made to her own life. Making the parallel shallow.

Reducing a character from the original film, one that you did not create and who has reasons to be have more plot importance then they are given, to a mere ‘parallel’ for your favorite OC is just bad fanfiction. This is something that I would expect from a seven year old setting out to write their first ever story. Not from grown adults, who are supposedly professionals, who've worked for years in the industry and are employed by the largest entertainment studio in the world.

Now before you jump down my throat, there’s nothing wrong with fanfiction itself, nor with children exploring their favorite stories in ways they find personally fulfilling. But I happen to hold mass produced media to a different, and ultimately higher standard. As well should we all. A television show made by the mouse has more real world impact than a little girl posting on Ao3.

Critiquing stuff like female representation, the behind the scenes hiring processes that leads to either good or bad rep, and the impression these stories can have on people still developing their worldviews is important. Questioning things are needed in order to make change happen. If you never acknowledge how giving a show targeted to women to a male showrunner can cause problems then you’re never going to push the big companies for more female lead shows. Which means more women are left without work.    

This is Subjective but...

I don’t like the Uumlaut being used as the main conflict. Look, if you like the Gremlins references, good for you, but I was promised sword fights and adventure according to the pilot and all I got was a parody of a 80s horror comedy that decided to skip out on the ‘horror’ part. The Uumlaut isn’t threatening enough to be interesting and the lack of real threats and challenges in this show is really starting to weigh things down. Plus it just distracts from the far more interesting human drama going on with Willow and Arianna. 

Like if you don't want action to be the focus of every episode, that’s fine, but commit to that. Don't just half-ass it because you feel the need to shoehorn in an action sequence where it isn’t needed.    

Conclusion

I like Willow as a character, but not this episode. They needed to do more with her to justify her existence, and they needed to do more with Arianna while at it. Sadly, you won't really miss out on much if you decided to skip this episode and that’s a shame. 

Also... 

I’ll forever headcanon that Willow is the wife that Stan mentioned back in Rapunzel’s Enemy and that she’s his and Pete’s beard. You can’t change my mind. Poly relationships for the win! 

[thewritingcaddy]

Pridefest Question Mess created by @raevenlywrites (Part 1)

I have decided to answer in the form of an essay (which I’ve divided into two parts). The questions provided are under the cut. 

My name’s Mel, short for Melanie. I’m 29 and I’m Welsh. I still live in Wales. :) I wear hearing aids (and glasses), and I have fibromyalgia. I also struggle with depression, anxiety, OCD and panic attacks.My passions and hobbies include reading, writing, gaming, arts/crafts/needlework, penpals, film/TV, the internet and social media, swimming (although I don’t get to go at the moment), horses, dogs, cats, marine biology, paleozoology, crytozoology, history, culture, British Sign Language, and playing bingo.

As a writer, I write fantasy, sci-fi and dystopia, with a little poetry and horror. I want to write some literary stuff and more essays. My current main project is Haunted Towers (working title). It’s a paranormal, sci-fi mash-up with magic. It’s meant to be like Scooby Doo, Ghostbusters and Men In Black with Goosebumps, Stranger Things and Dracula thrown in. Also Luigi’s Mansion, because that’s where I got the idea. 

I write LGBT characters, because I am LGBT. I also care, and I want people to find themselves in books the way I have through my struggles with depression. I want my books to be what makes it better for someone when everything is crap. The way other authors have done, and do, for me. And including LGBT+ characters and themes gives me the chance to do that for that community. After all, no one knows what it’s like to be gay or bi or aro, unless they are. And those of us that are need to be there for all the rest, particularly the younger ones. We need to be what we didn’t have for the next generation.

I haven’t always written LGBT characters. I started writing at 6 and didn’t realise I was gay until gone 20. I started having LGBT characters at 21.

Well I know lots of people don’t like labels. Especially if they’re other people’s labels. But I personally like the term “lesbian”, so that’s what I use. If someone wants me to use a different word to describe them, I would always respect that. In my writing, I currently stick to plain old gay, lesbian or bi, and I do use those terms. I don’t tend to write other LGBT+ characters, although I want to change this. I’m attempting to write Liv as genderfluid, although I don’t use a specific term for them yet.

Questions for you:

Introduce yourself! Tell us a little bit about you and what you write

Why do you write LGBT+ characters?

Have you always written LGBT+ characters? If no, what inspired you to start? Is it a deliberate representational choice?

Do you use modern labels in your work? Why or why not?

World builders: do you have any neat societal twists? (unique names for IDs, different marriage practices, etc.)

Do you write outside your own experiences? (cis writing trans, wlw writing mlm, etc.) If yes, how confident do you feel about it?

Tell us about a favorite book/character someone else wrote that inspired you (or just plain gave you a warm and fuzzy)

Any advice for someone else writing LGBT+ characters?

Would you like people to ask you more questions when this is over?

Free space! Wax poetic about something near and dear to your heart.

Questions for your Ocs (in character or out, dealer’s choice):

Say hi! Let us get to know you, you big beautiful person, you!

How do you feel about the world your author has created for you?

Are you out? To whom, why or why not, etc?

Tell us a little about your journey. Have you always IDed the way you do now? Are there parts of you you’re still figuring out?

Do you feel settled in your ID, or do you think it might change as you and your author go on?

Did your author always know you were [blank], or did you have to tell them? If yes, oh please, please tell us how! :3

Is being [blank] particularly hard in your world? How does your society treat you differently than ours might?

Tell us a little about your unique experiences with your ID. Do you experience dysphoria? Is it impossible to find a date? Just want to find that special someone for snuggles but everyone expects sex? Unload for a minute, it’s okay to struggle sometimes.

What’s the best part about being [blank] in your world?

Do you like getting fan-mail? Would you like people to ask you more questions when this is over?

Grab that mic! Drop some truth on us, something you’ve just been dying to share! Shout out to your besties!

Questions for either you or your OCs:

What’s your orientation and gender? Wave that flag!!!

When did you realize you were LGBT+?

What makes your heart melt?

Do you have a favorite LGBT+ song? Movie? Book? Artist? (comic?)

Do you have a secret crush outside of your own work? Some wild crossover OTP?

Tell us about your LGTB+ headcannons (I’d really love to see someone’s character answer this)

What’s your favorite thing about being LGBT+?

Is there a cool place you like to hang out with your squad? Maybe an LGBT+ meet up?

What are some things you do to keep positive?

Do you have any advice for young LGBT+ people?

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?