#random ramblings my apologies

[hungriestheidi]

Casually looking up late 18th century paintings for a personal project and found out that Archduchess Maria Christina the two had a romantic and most likely sexual affair with her sister in law Isabella of Parma. why were the habsburgs so iconic and insufferable, oh my GOD.

[mellosdrawings]

I'm feeling like rambling about AI on main, ignore me if it's not your cup of tea.

So a while ago, I did check out those art prompts AI, because when I pester about something, I like to know what I'm rambling about. I like to do a minimum of research and, if possible, try the thing out before making my opinion. For AI art, my opinion was already pretty solid, but I still wanted to check it out.

I found a free prompt stuff online, asked it a super easy prompt, and asked for a handful of different images. Just to see.

The prompt was [character tripping]. Really. Super easy, right? I wanted the thing to have as much liberty as possible.

It's not just that though. I chose this prompt because it is something I did in art school. Our teacher would give us simple prompts, and we would have to draw doodles in 5 minutes or less. Imagine a class of 15 exhausted art students full of caffeine being told to draw someone tripping.

The 15 art students' results? Little boys tripping over tree roots, teenage girls falling while rollskating, business men tripping on their papers and burning themselves with coffee, old ladies cracking a hip, comical falls backwards with a leg up, realistic falls forward with pained expressions, etc etc.

See, our fast doodles weren't any better than AI anatomically speaking. We were missing hands and our faces were distorted and a foot was bigger than another, things that are also common with AI. But the DIVERSITY. I remember being flabbergasted by it. We all had the same prompt, but none of us drew the same thing. I remember drawing the good old banana peel slip from the old comics I read when I was a kid. My best friend drew a kid falling in mud.

We did several prompts like that as training, and I always loved to see what everybody was doing, because it was always so different.

Now, here was the AI result: 5 anime girls in a running position at an angle, making shocked pikachu faces. Every. Single. One. Of. Them. The angle and the running poses were the only things that changed, and even then just slightly.

The AI only did 5 times the same stuff. Art style changed a bit from one to the other, but always the same vibe, always the same composition, and always that godsdamned shocked pikachu face. It was very underwhelming.

I don't care about perfect anatomy and lighting. But I care about creativity. I love seeing things that I would never have thought to do myself. And the AI didn't provide that at all. Coz AI has no creativity whatsoever. If you don't further your prompt to be very specific, it will just reheat the same bland stuff again and again. It's just boring.

I have a lot of grievances about AI. Art theft, environmental blunder, artists being paid even less than they already were (as if people and companies suggesting to pay us in visibility wasn't bad enough). But even on an emotional level there's nothing. Yes, it's great to see one's character/idea brought to life when one cannot draw. But it'll be the blandest stuff ever. That's just a shame.

[cent-scratchnsniff]

Please don't hurt yourself

[humanityinahandbag]

I've explored the idea of Eddie being married to Steve without knowing it before in a story before (you can read it here), but in that one, Eddie and Steve have been together for years and Eddie is just so completely blinded by pining that he doesn't know how serious the relationship is.

So now I'd like to put forth a different take on this trope for the steddie court's approval.

Steve, who is so incensed by homophobia for his best friend, Robin, that he decides to protest against Reagan by getting married to Eddie.

The only issue? Eddie has zero clue.

Steve got certified in the mail to be an officiant. Claudia works at city hall and isn't sure why Steve wanted a marriage license, but figured he'd helped Dustin so many times that she could help out with one little favor. And Steve figures that customers in Family Video, while not totally aware, count as witnesses.

So he picks a morning where the sun is shining in an especially Fuck Reagan sort of way, gets dressed in his best polo shirt and jeans, styles his hair, and goes to work.

To be clear; Steve does not think that this is legally binding.

He's thinking that this will be a fun sort of protest souvenir to show Robin. Like "Hey, bestie, soulmate, light of my life! Tack this on the wall! I'm technically gay married to my other best friend, so fuck the haters!"

And to also be clear; he knows Eddie is gay as well. No one told him. But he sees the way Eddie looks at him. He knows Eddie's got a crush (though he doesn't know that said crush has been around since reign as King Steve). Steve knows Love.

He also knows that Eddie unlocked a whole world of bisexuality for him. In fact, he's been putting the moves on Eddie for weeks now.

Eddie is just... so shy and flustered and nervous.

Thankfully, Steve is great at romance. He can seduce. He can use the Harrington Techniques.

And he thinks that a fake marriage license might be just the ice breaker to show Eddie. Proof that he's not homophobic. So much so that he's into dudes. Maybe even get in a good laugh. Get Eddie to chill out and stop acting so skittish and just let Steve kiss him already.

(And maybe, yunno, let Steve do other things to him that probably involve candles and flowers and maybe some smooth jazz).

So to Steve, this is a two for one solution.

He gets to protest homophobia with a fake marriage license for his best friend Robin, and he gets to show the guy he likes (and who likes him back) that he's totally into him with a cute little down with Reagan ice breaker.

It's a win win for everyone.

So one day, when Eddie comes into Family Video, the poor metalhead very nearly dies on the spot when Steve, smile bright enough to light a room, pushes a paper towards him and asks him to sign.

And Eddie, lovestruck and beside himself, doesn't even register what Steve is saying. Steve is perfect and wonderful and funny and smart, and he's asking Eddie to sign something, and Eddie barely even looks down at the document before he's scribbling his name.

Steve does explain. Of course he does.

Eddie just... isn't really listening.

He does however listen when Steve asks Eddie out at the end of his shift and Steve gets to watch the other boy turn pink as a summer sky when he says yes.

And that's that.

Steve has a first date to look forward to and a fake marriage certificate to turn in. He gives the paper back to Claudia and asks if she can stamp it. Make it look real. He'll frame it when he gets it back.

The issue is, Claudia is really good at her job. And Hawkins is currently experiencing the aftermath of a Diet Apocalypse and doesn't notice the fine details of everything moving through their local government. So the paperwork processes; laws be damned.

It's definitely a fun surprise when Steve opens the mail one day (before he's even gotten to take Eddie out), and finds out that he's somehow, legally, the first gay marriage in Indiana. Or most of the United States, really.

Which is... definitely something.

But Steve loves Love. And so he processes the news pretty quick and then walks into work with the energy of an especially confused but cheerful golden retriever. "Hey, Robin!" he'd say, reading through the letter again. "You remember how I made that marriage license for you?"

She laughs fondly. "Yeah, dingus. It was sweet."

"Anything for you," he says, sincerely. And then; "You remember how I'm going to take Eddie out? And you agree? You think he likes me back?"

She snorts. "He's totally obsessed with you. I'm pretty sure we've skipped a few stages over like and moved right onto love."

Which is great. Because when Steve falls, he falls hard. He's a guy who loves Love. It's great to find someone who loves him back the way he wants!

"Awesome," beams Steve. "So do you think I should tell him we're actually legally married before or after I take him to the movies?"

[monstermonger]

Hello! Will your piece with the dragon painted on the side of the mountain be available as a print at some point? I would love to get that one :D (It's from the series you did of interpretation of Friedritchs work)

This one? :)

I went ahead and added it :D thank you so much!!!

[clairedaring]

the mood for this scene.... is insane... literally THE most beautiful scene in a thai period lakorn i have ever witnessed. fearing for my life that i feel you linger in the air is deehuphouse's magnum opus because i don't see any of their future works living up to what ifylita brought to thai bl history

[azrael-arryn]

Angel, Husk, and Luci just making a depression cuddle pile after they all have a bad day is such a cute idea

[born2b-beheaded]

Genuinely if my future relationship isn't as silly as tourcrush I'm ending it ✅✅

[sapphire-heart-tippy]

Me: *finds out a new gender term* genderfae?! Like... Faerie gender?!

Genderfae: genderfluid but NEVER masculine or male in any way EVER.

Me: 😔 oh... That's... The exact opposite of what I am... A masc adjacent pixie boy...

Genderpixie? Is that a thing? Let's see-

*the same exact thing*

Let me be a masculine adjacent androgynous pixie person (light hearted but also genuinely disappointed)

I've also been considering changing my own flag "Creaturescent" to have a pixie on it or something

This one you're allowed to be as masc as you want

Info

[an-indecisive-nerd]

Okay so for What's Your Story since it's the one I'm actively working on I'm trying not to do introductions or anything for characters that I haven't yet introduced in the actual draft, because this helps keep me focused and motivated and stuff.

The problem with this? I can't introduce my son one of my favourite characters yet because not only is he not going to be introduced for a hot second but he is just absolutely drenched in spoilers.

But I love him he's my sweet baby I want to rant about him so bad.

Is he also the villain and a terrible person who would break every bone in my body and step over my broken corpse? Yes. Yes he is.

Does that make me love him any less? Absolutely not, he's my baby boy and I love him so much he just needs a bit of therapy, because I have put him through so much shit. Like he makes the mc's trauma look like a picnic.

My poor boy. I love him, therefore I've destroyed everything he loves and made him a villain.

To be fair a lot of my favourites are "villains" in some capacity.

And he's such a sweetheart when he's not being an evil little shit. And even when he is being an evil little shit he's kind of amazing, like this man is iconic, I'm worried I won't be able to do him justice when writing him because he deserves so much better than me but also if anyone tried to take my boy away from me I would bite them.

He's getting his own spinoff by the way, it's the newest addition to the outline. It's going to be called "Villains Have Stories Too" and it'll be about him and my other favourite villains and how they got here.

I love him so much, he's the best. I would die for this man tbh and he doesn't even exist. I might need therapy, but this isn't about me, we're talking about my baby.

I love how at the start I said I couldn't rant about him and then I just did it anyway. He's too good not to get at least one rant though, and he just decided to invade my thoughts for the past couple days so now those thoughts are being word vomited onto Tumblr. You're welcome.

I can't wait for his parts in the book because honestly any narrative he touches instantly becomes better. He is my favourite child and I'm finally owning up to that. All my other children can suffer. Still love you kids though. At least most of you.

I probably should never be a parent. My favourite fictional child is literally psychopathic. He's an angel though, I love him. If anyone hates on my boy I will do nothing to stop you, just know that you are factually incorrect.

This post is permission to go on a rant about your favourite character. If it's more chaotic than mine you get official ain brownie points

@thelovelymachinery @unforgettable-sensations @littleladymab @megamijadeheart @my-bright-legacy

@ominous-feychild @thecomfywriter @wyked-ao3 @anamelessfacelessnerd @differentnighttale

@mysticstarlightduck @the-letterbox-archives @leahnardo-da-veggie @paeliae-occasionally @tr4sh-p4nd4-404

@lovey-dovey-wovey @sidon0isnt0here

[umbraticstickerz]

What even made Lankmann start to like Bailey?? Did Bailey’s apology gift make Lankmann like them?? Didn’t visit Lankmann again and knock on the door politely or smth?!

their story has got me invested rn so sorry that I’m asking so much I just really wanna see the wholesome story

Ur perfectly fine dw!!!! I enjoy questions a lot tbh.

The initial apology gift, as in the well...dead animal hadn't caused Lankmann to have any fondness towards Bailey. The second ones(aka the Stationary and the hat) to a degree he liked but was confusing to him.

I don't really have anything in specific that caused it written in as Bailey was initially made without any specific story in mind aside from things like the initial meeting which ofc came from a joke. I'm not the best writer an' all. Plus part of me hesitates to write too much just since I'd like to learn more information potientally from later doai content too type of thing. So that I'd have more to go off of, ya know?

Though It would be a number of things over time, Bailey is a Veldigun after all. Bailey keeps coming back since Lankmann has a raccoon problem(joke headcanon), so since it's a very easy food supply, it keeps coming which eventually eliminates an issue Lankmann had which to a degree Lankmann was happy about. As Bailey prefers to not deal with prey that is smart enough to realize it's weaknesses to fight back against it(it has some pretty big vulnerabilities). More Gifts as well during more inevitable instances of 'bothering' him. Eventually it tries to help him with things, as Bailey already would've taken a liking to Lankmann.

Things like that basically building up to Lankmann eventually beginning to like it.

[obsidian-vineyard84]

Curious Questions

Based on a bit of writing i did last night, kinda, i started the drawing, then wrote it better

[thatonegaybrit]

; a moth js landed on my bed && my immediate thought was woah little guy I don't want you to get crushed when I throw my weighted blanket around so my plan was to blow on it till it flew back out my window but when I got closer it landed on my hand which. I thought made the process easier but then like 2 other moths landed on my hand and I then had three fuckin moths on my hand so I was like holyshitholyshitholyshitt so I tired take a picture but it was too dark && I gave up and put my hand out the window an all three flew out like. I feel like a moth whisperer I will not be sleeping tonight where did they COME FROM !?? They weren't even little guys they were big little guys what.

[halfratsalready]

Guys the HHN hyperfixation is making it big missing haunt season hours

I miss wearing a pretty dress and a top hat and putting on makeup and fake blood and holding a massive fake knife and walking on a table and yelling at people for not bringing me presents almost every night for a whole month 😔😔😔

[moltengoldveins]

aight for those of you who saw the Philza earrings (shoutout @icarusphil you rock mate thank you so much) I have the charms for another round of ~15-20 sets to go up on the shop on Saturday. Due to the existence of my full time job I’m waiting until the weekend to fill the orders I’ve received from the past few days (except again for IPhil who’s earrings shipped this morning 👍) because otherwise it is very likely I will mix up or miss orders and I DO NOT WANT TO DO THAT. anyway it is bedtime for me bc I’m a geriatric so I must go. Thank you all so so so much. I and my friend have been trying to get traffic to that Etsy shop for years now, and it’s been rough. Regardless of sales, this has been a big encouragement. Love you all, and good night 💜

[echo-the-ghost]

my headcanon is that pre-avatar Jonathan doesn't like eye contact (hahhaa). not in an uwu shy way, it just makes him uncomfortable. his usual methods of avoiding it being rolling his eyes, glaring slightly to the left or right of someone while they're speaking to him, or taking his glasses off to clean them