#so i'm happy to see i've improved a bit over time :)

[salsflore]

i think i posted abt this before but anyways i found this old "progress update!" drawing of mine on a discord server i use for saving stuff.. so i was like let me redraw it in 2023, a whole 3-4 yrs later

[sophiamcdougall]

I am never going to complain about Greek Duolingo again

I mean, I am. But still.

So, as some of you know, my family has been coming to this tiny Greek seaside village for several years. Just over a week ago I came out here with my mum, under the impression that early September, after the height of the summer heat, would be a good time to have a holiday. ANYWAY Storm Daniel had other ideas about that. Locally things are improving (I'm actually really pissed off about the disaster-porn tone of most English-language media coverage, but that's another post). The power is back on, there's running water most of the time, and though the latter is not drinkable, a truck from the government came and handled out free bottled water yesterday. But we are currently kind of stuck. Can't do tourist things. Can't go home. There aren't any local flights out until Saturday and the road to Thessaloniki is still closed.

So this evening, feeling kind of aimless and depressed, I go down to the nearest beach with a couple of binbags and start cleaning up in an effort to at least do something positive. I always try to do this at least once out here and obviously, after the storm, there's a lot more plastic and rubbish than usual.

At some point I find this large, round bit of metal - some kind of machinery part, I think -- that's too big for the bag, so I take it to the bins on its own, leaving the rubbish bag on the beach. And when I come back for it, something among the stones beside it moves.

Specifically, it pulls its head sharply inside its shell

So, meanwhile I've been trying to learn some Greek with the help of Duolingo.

I currently have a 33-day streak and... I have questions. Shouldn't I be able to use the past or future tenses by now? Shouldn't I be able to say "x is like y"? I can't do those things. But one thing I absolutely can say all day long is έχω μια χελώνα : I have a turtle.

This is far from the limit of Duolingo Greek's turtle-related content. "An obsession with turtles" is my mother's characterisation. I can inform you that the turtle is not a bird, and, improbably, that the turtle is drinking milk. I can introduce you to a turtle in company with a horse and an elephant. As far as Duolingo is concerned, it really is turtles all the way down.

Now this, you may be able to see, is not a turtle. It has claws rather than flippers. It is a tortoise. I know there are wild tortoises in Greece: my aunt once rescued a pair of them shagging in the middle of the road -- but that was up in the mountains. I've even seen one myself, but it was also on a road and very dead.

I am 95% certain they don't belong on beaches. There's nothing for it to eat, except, unfortunately, a lot of plastic. Even if it gets off the beach it will immediately find itself on a road where it could get hit by a car. I'm pretty sure it must have been washed down by the floodwater and has been just sitting there, dazed, ever since.

Now obviously the first thing I want to do on encountering this unusual animal is to go and tell my mummy, so I do. The tortoise immediately brightens her day. She agrees that the tortoise is not happy on the beach and needs to be taken somewhere safe. it gets surprisingly wriggly when picked up so we put it in a carrier bag with some grapes and cucumber and go looking for somewhere to rehome it.

We find a path leading up between the houses towards a likely-looking field, but before we get very far a dog in a yard goes berserk and a man's head pops over a fence and demands to know what we're doing. He does this in English, as evidently we're just that obviously tourists.

"I found a tortoise on the beach!" I explain. "We want to find somewhere to put it."

"A what," he asks.

"It's like a, you know," I begin and then to my astonishment I find myself saying... "μια χελώνα"

"Oh! A turtle!" he says.

"But from the land. δεν είναι χελώνα", [it is not a turtle,] I say, as I am worried he will tell me to put it back near the sea where I found it. As it turns out it actually IS a χελώνα, Greek does not distinguish between turtles and tortoises, but I don't know that; I can't even name the days of the week or identify any colours other than pink yet, give me a break.

The man's entire demeanour changes and thaws. He does not worry about my turtle-that-is-not-a-turtle conundrum. He knows where οι χελώνες come from and where η χελώνα μας belongs. He leads us through a gate into a courtyard area.

"[somethingsomething] μια χελώνα," he explains to the assembled onlookers, of whom there are, suddenly, a surprising number.

"ΜΙΑ ΧΕΛΩΝΑ!!!" crows the throng of delighted small children, who are, suddenly, everywhere.

"μια χελώνα!" I agree, accepting that at least for current purposes, that is what it is.

"Μπορούμε να δούμε τη χελώνα σας; [can we see your turtle?]" asks an adorable little girl, shyly, and I understand??

The children fucking love looking at the χελώνα and showing it to them is kind of magical?

I finally put the tortoise down on the grass of this wild area off to the side of the courtyard, and marvel aloud that it is weird that I barely know any Greek except how to say μια χελώνα.

"I think she will soon run off," a kind lady called Aspasia assures me, seeing I remain slightly anxious about its fate. "I don't know why I'm saying 'she'. I suppose because χελώνα is feminine in Greek."

"Yes! I know that!" I exclaim, thrilled.

"Well done!" she says. And also she asks if we are OK for drinking water after the storm and if we need any help with anything and is just generally incredibly lovely and now we know more of the neighbours!

So "μια χελώνα" has just become, by a long way, my most-used and most understood and all-around most conversationally successful phrase in Greek. So I guess I have to admit I was wrong to doubt Duolingo's wisdom: it is correct to be obsessed with turtles. And I concede that prior to learning how to count to ten or to distinguish right from left, the simple ability to yell the word TURTLE over and over again is, it turns out, a crucial element of the responsible traveller's social skills.

(I am pretty fluent in Italian and turtles haven't come up in conversation even once?)

[fangsandfeels]

The vagueness of Astarion sleeping mechanics drives me mad sometimes

So, the game says that elves don't sleep - to the point where it's ironically stated that the only way for them to experience sleeping is to either drink a potion of Angelic Slumber or "get hit really hard with a chair".

Instead, they enter a semi-aware meditative state (Revery) where they experience memories from their past lives (usually most positive and emotional parts). Or they just sorting through their current memories.

Now, we've seen Astarion meditating if his way of lying on a bedroll is anything to go by. He is also immune to sleeping spells. We could also see him sleeping (in a Durge run). I know that devs technically recycle the same sleeping pose for all romanced companions, but still. Also, Astarion has nightmares, which is not typical for elves.

Of course, when I was going through the lore, I scratched the surface, but from what I understood, Revery is supposed to be a controlled state, and nightmares aren't exactly controlled.

But, I've found a very interesting bit that (so far) is still considered part of the official canon:

Elves can sleep and dream just like any human, but almost all surface elves avoid doing so. Dreams, as humans know them, are strange and confusing to elves. Unlike the actual memories of one’s primal soul, present life, or past lives, dreams are uncontrolled products of the subconscious, and perhaps the subconscious minds of those past lives or primal souls as well. An elf who dreams must always wonder whose mind these thoughts first arose from, and why. Priests of Sehanine Moonbow are an exception: they sleep and dream to receive signs from their god, and elves consult such priests to interpret their own dreams."

From: Mordenkainrn's Tome Of Foes, Chapter 2: Elves

And not only does this little bit explain a lot, but it also provides some food for your fic writing purposes.

Now, I'm entering the headcanon territory, so be warned.

Astarion's access to Revery got horribly fucked up after he had been Turned. Not only does he no longer have access to his previous lives since he is technically dead and plucked from the cycle, but he also can't even have his happy or good memories before he became a spawn. Even if they are still there, somewhere in the memory palace, getting to them requires going through the catalog of traumatic and painful memories he acquired after being enslaved by Cazador. It's like running through a burning house trying to rescue your family photo - and the hall gets longer each time. So, entering a trance means confronting the worst memories of his life over and over because there is nothing else there.

Due to this Astarion may resort to sleeping, which elves don't usually do. Elves don't like dreams because dreams are subconscious, and they can't be controlled, which scares them. For Astarion, however, it means there is a chance of him subconsciously dreaming of something nice or just being blissfully empty. However, it doesn't safeguard him from nightmares which (because they are the product of his unconsciousness) get even more twisted than simple memories.

Additionally, there can be a possibility that after becoming a spawn he got cut off from meditation and trances completely, relying on sleeping only: at least, the cut spawn epilogue by Withers mentions how while Astarion needs to sleep again, he doesn't sleep alone. While we don't know what that means exactly (and whether it will ever be implemented in the game), I assume that the tadpole gave him the ability to meditate back, but it was a small improvement because his memory headspace no longer holds happy memories capable of offering solace or refuge.

So, my personal headcanon is that he switches between meditating and sleeping depending on how aware he needs to be, and whatever option feels less torturous at the moment.

For instance, in his Origin run, when he remembers the moment of Cazador carving scars into him, he is in a trance. Which is why the memory is so horribly vivid, as if he is reliving it anew.

However, when he has a nightmare where Cazador finds him, he is sleeping and experiencing a memory affected by his subconsciousness. Which is why he jolts himself awake and desperate to know the limits of his freedom.

So, yes, the man literally can't catch a break.

On a happier note (and for your hurt/comfort fanfiction purposes), once Astarion starts traveling with Tav and the group, his memory bank gets updated with memories that are actually fun and nice, so he has something to linger upon when he is meditating. Sleeping gradually becomes a bit more pleasant experience because his subconsciousness got more material to work with, so the quality of his non-controlled dreams has to gradually improve.

[makanidotdot]

You've been one of my all-time favorite artists for years now. I was wondering if there was any random tips you'd like to share when it comes to creating art? Perhaps a bit of your mindset when working? Would assume you get a lot of these type of asks, so feel free to ignore it.

I'm happy to see your posting here a bit again, by the way.

I've been thinking abt this all week lol UHH I think a good general artist-y tip I could give is maybe just: if you want to make something, make it. Do as much of, or as little of it as you want. Learn to mentally repel anything internal or external that makes you feel insecure or lazy or cringe or whatever for what you want to make. Because it's not specific exercises or routines or types of art that will make you a better artist- it's just Doing. And if you indulge in what you like, you will do more. The more you do, the more you'll learn, the more you'll level up and want to learn the next new thing that will help you make what you want to make better, and then voila you've got the makings of a decent robust skillset.

The reverse tip of that is don't force yourself to make art if you're not feeling it either. Taking breaks is actually really good for overall improvement too.

Also take an anatomy course and learn how to pose 3d models and draw over them lol

[salemssimblr]

My Top 24 Screenshots Renders of 2024!

I was tagged by the so many lovely mutuals and creators! Thank you @elderwisp, @savagemagician3, @sikoi, @blvckentropy, @mosneakers, & @azeterna! I love yall so much!

I'm so sorry, despite my very best efforts I couldn't choose just 24, so have 30 instead 😅

Looking at all these together, I'm worried I may have plateau'd just a bit 😅 No but in reality, it's really cool to see that I've refined my style and methods over the year, starting in January and continuing it all through 2024. Seeing progress and improvement is one of my favorite things about this process, so doing these recaps is always enjoyable.

January:

Looking back, I'm still so proud of the first dancing set of renders for Ariss & Vasily, and who could forget the first Alice sighting?? I can't, look at her.

February:

February was a bit of a slow month for me but I still love how this A+tM album cover came out!

March:

March was a bit slower, but I love this set of Ariss (:

April:

April was a goood month, I'm still so in love with all three of these.

May:

MerMay was lacking for me a bit this year, but I really love how my contribution turned out (: & this spicy render of Ariss & Vasily is one of my favorites, if for no other reason than his little fang peek.

June:

June was all about Alice + the Madness! & like LEGIT? I still can't believe I made this Rolling Stone cover? I have a secret, I've tried to make another one for Alice, but nothing has or probably will ever look as good as this one so I've given up lmfaoooo

& this render of Erisande was such a labor of love. I sat down and said it'd be really quick and then spent hours editing meshes and adjusting the lighting... but then, that always happens with me and "quick" renders 😅

July:

Bit of a slow month, but I'm still so floored (& happy!) about the love Millie has gotten! This isn't even a completed render and it's one of my most well-received posts to date haha, but I can't blame anyone, look how cute she is.

August:

Ramping up into spooky season we have two of my favorite renders of all time, my "bog demon" and mothwoman! As obsessed as I am with Ariss and Vasily, it's really nice to do creative one-off renders and these were both SO FUN to do. I hope to do more in the new year too (:

September:

This iconic portrait of Ariss will always be one of my favorites (& is actually my computer's wallpaper rn, but a version updated with her 'new' tattoos), & this render of Kai could definitely be improved on (maybe in the new year...) but it was a really fun challenge! I do see flaws in it now but that's growing and learning!

October:

October was (not surprisingly) a very busy month for me! The idea for the render of Theo & Millie had been rolling around in my head since I first created them, & while the end result wasn't exactly what I was envisioning, I still really love how it turned out.

& though this set of renders for Ariss & Vasily took me FOR-FUCKING-EVER, and I see a lot of flaws even now (after trying my damnedest to have NONE), I still really love it. The end result/edit/colorway was NOT what I planned but I really fell in love with it.

November:

November, the month of ambitious scene-building, pose-making, and upping my skin shader game in a BIG way. I spent literal hours perfecting Ariss' new tattoo, and literal days building the scene for that gorgeous render of Kai.

& I'm so glad yall love that pose set! It was definitely a learning experience and a labor of love.

December:

Looking at this overview, December has been dark and spicy lmfao but I actually love it. Once again, all of these took wayyyy longer than I thought they would when I sat down to start them, but I'm genuinely in love with all three!

& that's a wrap (so far) on 2024! I'm having surgery tomorrow so not sure I'll be able to create/post anything else this year, but I have big plans for 2025! So stay tuned (:

I'm tagginggggggg @kuroashims, @a-m-pyra. @acidheaddd, @gothoffspring, @pralinesims, @thebramblewood, @moonfromearth, @nepotisim, & YOU, I want to see all your creations!

(There were a LOT more creators I wanted to tag but I saw yall have already done this!)

[mysteryshoptls]

SSR Rook Hunt - Room Relaxation Vignette

"Happy Birthday"

[Exterior Hallway 2F]

[birds tweet in distance]

Rook: Oh my, that little one over there… Mhhm, welcome back. I see you've decided to spend your winter here this year.

Cater: Hey-o, Rook-kun. Whatcha doin', staring off into the distance like that?

Rook: Oh hi, Cater-kun. It seems like the little bird that left its nest here on campus in the spring has returned. I'm just glad it's doing well.

Cater: A little bird…? Wait, are you talking about that bird waaaay off in the distance? It just looks like a normal bird, doesn't necessarily mean it's the same bird you saw before, does it?

Rook: Not at all, it's definitely the same bird. Each one has a completely different look from each other, so I'm sure it's the same one.

Cater: U-Uh huh… I think it's a little too difficult for me to see.

Cater: Ah, right! I'm changing the subject a little bit, but it's your birthday tomorrow, right?

Rook: Oh là là! You remembered my birthday? I'm floored!

Cater: Obvi! You think your good pal Cay-kun'd ever forget a batchmate's birthday?

Cater: Now, inquiring minds want to know, Mr. Birthday Boy Rook-san! How do you plan on spending your birthday?

Rook: Mhhm, let me think…

Rook: I think I would be content just spending it like any old day, surrounded by good friends!

Cater: Ehhh, come on～ And just when I thought this was my chance to learn a little more about your life that you keep close to your chest…

Rook: You wish to know more about me? Oh my, if you stare any harder, Monsieur Magicam, I'll simply combust on the spot.

Cater: I didn't think I was staring that hard… But I get it, you don't want people prying into your business ♪

Cater: Then, how 'bout I extend an olive branch… Wanna take a pic to celebrate your Birthday Eve?

Rook: Oui, I'd be honored!

[snap!]

Cater: Oh, Rook-kun, your smile's dazzling! Ah, I just thought of something good. I'll send you the photo later ♪

Rook: I look forward to it. See you, Cater-kun!

[Pomefiore Dorm – Hallway]

Rook: ―Confirmation of this week's schedule of events for each grade… Done.

Rook: Ballroom usage requests, confirmation of head counts for each room, equipment returns… Done.

Rook: Oh, look at the time. It just flew by as I was finishing up my Vice Housewarden tasks. The showers should be free by now, no?

[Pomefiore Dorm – Rook's Room]

Rook: Perhaps it was thanks to that hair mask a fellow dormmate recommended me, but my hair feels silkier than usual today.

Rook: It's good to give myself a little special treat before a special day, after all.

[Pomefiore Dorm – Rook's Room]

Rook: ―I've finished my skincare, body care, and haircare routine.

Rook: I'm completely ready to listen to Roi de Neige's melodious voice! His radio program should be starting soon―

Rook: Oh? It looks like I still have a little over 10 minutes left. I must have been a tad too hasty in my eagerness.

Rook: I suppose I could fill out that "Survey on Quality of Life Improvements for the Student Body" in the time I have left.

「Survey on Quality of Life Improvements for the Student Body」

Rook: Improvements, hm. If I were asked any time before this, I'm sure I would have had much to say on the school regulation that has freshmen and sophomores sharing a room.

Rook: Sharing a room with fellow classmates may have its moments, but nothing is better than my personal time alone.

Rook: I still vividly remember the joy I felt when I became a junior and was assigned my own room. This is what I call paradise!

Rook: Not only am I able to protect my privacy, but this is a perfect place for me to surround myself with beauty and love. I have no complaints!

Rook: If I were to come up with one thing to put down… I would like a safe. I'd want something sturdy with a complex lock that cannot be opened easily.

Rook: If I were to have one, then I could keep safe my trove of journals, my precious photos, and even that one thing I got my hands on that one time… Heheh.

Rook: …Oh, whoops. While I was drifting off imagining all the things I could place in a safe, I seem to have completely filled in the field.

Rook: I'm sitting here in a paradise I built for myself, and I still had so many desires to write down… Ah, me, oh, my! How selfish could I possibly be?

Rook: Thinking back on it, I've not had many memories of staying in the same place for years like this.

Rook: Even after three years here, I find that every single day brings new thrills that keep me just as excited as the first day.

Rook: …Well now, with that, the survey is done. ～fin～ And perfect timing, too.

Rook: It's finally time for Roi du Neige's special radio program… I can't wait! I've been counting down the days ever since the day it was announced.

Rook: BRAVISSIMO!! THAT WAS A PURELY BLISSFUL EXPERIENCE…!

Rook: His dynamic vocals sparkled like an étoile in the sky… It was completely different from his usual sweet manner!

Rook: I could feel my heart completely taken in by the way he beautifully weaved from topic to topic that brought to my mind a silky-smooth kaleidoscope.

Rook: What could his "new work" be that they mentioned on the program…? Aah, I cannot wait for more information to be released…!

Rook: When it comes to updates such as this, there's a higher degree of vivacity in receiving it through a live broadcast rather than an article or a recording!

Rook: I wonder which store he got that pie he said he ate "a little too much of" from…?

Rook: If I'm not mistaken, there are quite a few well-known pâtisserie near that recording studio.

Rook: If it's a new place… I believe the actor who will be co-starring with him in his upcoming drama series is known for his serious sweet tooth.

Rook: Perhaps if I look into the shows they've appeared in or check their online posts, I might be able to figure out a hint as to which place it is. I'll check later.

Rook: I must listen to the program once more and record my heartfelt thoughts into a letter… No, wait! I must first jot down every single emotion it made me feel into my diary!

Rook: …This should be all of my thoughts on the radio program. Every single word I had for it meant everything to me that I felt as though it almost became a word-for-word transcript.

Rook: Now, what else stirred my heart today…? Ah, yes, Cater-kun remembering my birthday was lovely.

Rook: Ahh, yes. I should also write down the joy I felt in being reunited with that little bird once more.

Rook: Today was a wonderful day. I wonder what beautiful things I will encounter tomorrow.

[Pomefiore Dorm - Rook's Room]

[door opens]

[door shuts]

Rook: ―Someone's door just opened… Ah, right, there's early morning practice for the track club today.

Rook: As soon as I hear some kind of noise, I snap awake. It may still be early, but I think I'll start getting ready for the day!

Rook: First, I'll take off my sheets and pillowcase… And leave it in a basket in the hall.

Rook: They'll even return it here front of my door after its been washed, so thankfully I can make my bed myself.

Rook: Ordinarily, the laundry ghosts would do everything for me, but… I just can't feel comfortable having anyone enter my room.

Rook: I appreciate them for listening to my vehement non. Now that I've finished with that, I should go wash my face.

Rook: The quiet atmosphere of the washroom in the early mornings always puts me in a refreshing mood. Now then, I think I'll use this lotion today.

Rook: Before, I knew nothing of skincare, let alone makeup. But with my transfer into this dorm, I was reborn anew!

Rook: I may still be a novice in this regard… But as a student of Pomefiore, I cannot allow myself to shirk on the proper regard for skin care.

Rook: For example, when it comes to UV protection, I've learned that it's not enough to simply apply sunscreen, but I must moisturize myself beforehand.

Rook: I had no idea there were so many types of cosmetics. Aaah, this world is brimming with such spectacular surprises!

Rook: The company who makes this one strives on having fragrance-free products, to the point where they even refine their raw materials as best they can to minimize any lingering aromas…

Rook: However, if this is the extent of what a commercially available product is capable of, it may be beneficial to see if we in the Science Club can look into creating completely fragrance-free cosmetics.

Rook: Next, I'll use concealer. When I asked Vil for recommendations, he gave me an array of colors to choose from to help cover my freckles.

Rook: In the end, after taking into account my skin tone and testing out many different options, I selected this concealer because it had no scent and it adheres well to my skin.

Rook: Similar to how wild animals will protect themselves with camouflage, I must evenly smooth it all over my skin… Good, this should be enough for the base makeup.

Rook: Ah, right. I should use the special eye cosmetic palette that Vil recommended to me when I joined him shopping the other day.

Rook: The way the fine pearl powder shines is as beautiful as sunlight streaming through darkened winter clouds.

Rook: LA PERFECTION…! A perfect look for a perfect birthday!

[doors open and close]

Rook: ―It seems the other students are slowly awakening. Mhhm, I'm sure in another 10 minutes or so, the washroom will be absolutely packed.

Rook: I think I'll quickly check Magicam before changing into my uniform. Has there been any news on Roi du Neige's… Oh?

Rook: It looks as though I received a message exactly at midnight. Oh, this is from―

[Main Street]

[Pomefiore students chatter with Rook]

Cater: Ooh, looks like he's already been cornered by folks～ As it should be on a birthday!

Cater: Rook-kun, Happy Birthday! Your makeup is on point today! Can't expect anything less from a Pomefiore student ♪

Rook: Merci, Cater-kun. And I absolutely loved the message you sent right at midnight.

Rook: Not only did you decorate the picture beautifully, your message was extremely heartwarming.

Cater: I'm glad you liked it～ Soooo… Wanna snap another picture now that it's your actual birthday?

Rook: OUI!!

Requested by @farfalla049, @thelonepearl, and @mizumire.

[thyfleshc0nsumed]

So I'm a phone sex operator and given the fact that I'm a trans woman, the vast majority of my clients come to me with sissy or sissy adjacent fetishes. Some of them are perfectly happy to keep their 'feminine expression' kept in a box most of the time. Some of them are a okay with it being just something they do to get their rocks off. It's a hobby for them.

But a lot of them aren't. So many of them want to be, cuz frankly, being fulfilled by dressing up on the weekends means that change is not required. If I can cordon off this part of myself and be perfectly happy, what is there to change?

A lot of my clients clearly aren't happy with that arrangement of their lives. Some of them will never do anything about it. But some of them are on the precipice of change. The come to me to talk through it.

I've talked to a bit under two dozen of these sorts in depth. One things that I see over and over and over again is this preoccupation with this question--"am I really trans?", and I think it's the wrong question to be asking, cuz, well, it kinda doesn't really matter.

Whatever it is that makes us feel these particular feelings about ourselves is placed within the context of our society's systems of gender. What 'trans' is is not fixed, natural, or god ordained, it's socially created.

So this question of "am I trans" just isn't very helpful. What I really wish they were asking themselves is "I feel xyz way, what am I going to do about it?" Cuz that's a material question. "What steps can I take to live a happier life?"

A lot of these girls are carried by inertia. In many ways, it's easier to keep things the same and be unhappy than make changes to improve our quality of life. But I think we owe it to ourselves to do the scary shit, to live authentically. Cuz we've only got this one life, best to start living it.

[parisoonic]

I just want to say I love how you do your lineart, it looks so good! ahhhhhhhh!!

I'm gathering a lot of advice about the topic of lineart and I just wanna know how you get it to look like that? My line weight is getting better but the drawing itself just comes out a bit.. weird.

Thank you so much! Lineart is probably the thing I've been working hardest on as I am not a lineartist (and still struggle a lot) but it's something I really need to get better at for my job. UM there's honestly so much that could be said on the topic of lineart. Big things for me are:

Weight -> Use line weight (aka thickness) to describe form, lighting, contact and scale. Thick lines imply shadow, contact and nearness-to-camera. Thin lines imply tension, recession and light.

Straights vs Curves -> Use straight lines against curved ones for maximum interest. This is partly a character design thing but as we're using lines to describe our characters it's worth mentioning :)

Complex vx Simple -> Use complex lines against simple. Faces are always complex so therefore the backs of heads should always be simple. Chests are quite complex so backs should be simple. Dorsal sides of the arms are complex (Delt, tricep, bicep) whilst the ventral side is more simple (tricep...mainly) etc.

'Think in Ink' -> Lower your sketch layer almost to 0% opacity so you're not getting hung up on how nice/energetic your sketch look and instead are approaching the piece from an ink mindset. BUT it's digital! So if there's something in your sketch that you like just bring it forward (copy and paste) into your ink layer. I sketch and ink with the same brush so I can use this workflow

'Confidence' -> small hesitant feathery lines will look nervous compared to big swooping lines. Less is always more. I'll redraw arms/limbs until I can get the appearance that it was done in one brush stroke. Again it's digital so you can erase to cheat this look : )

MISC 01: I always hear 'draw from the shoulder'........meh............it's digital so draw from your wrist...it's fine honestly. If we were working at A1 in a life drawing class then we could get some shoulder action going but most of us are hunched over 16inch tablets. I think this advice aims to pull people away from feathery-nervous lineart honestly which you can improve on without relearning how to draw from your shoulder.

MISC 02: For a 'smoother' look do your lineart at a larger canvas size than you need. Once I'm happy with a sketch I usually double the canvas size and do my lineart then.

MISC 03: In PS (at least) anti-aliasing goes funny at any zoom level that isn't in the 5 times table. So try not to look at your canvas when you're zoomed in to 87% or 71.39% or something crazy. Just stick to 25%, 50%, 75% and 100% if possible.

UNFORTUNATE TRUTH: Lineart is incredibly based on raw draughtmanship I've discovered. When you're working with colour you can hide a lot in rendering (shadows, highlights) or post-processing (depth of field) but in lineart all your mistakes are just...there for people to see. There's ways round this...which I use A LOT. 'Flourishes' (I use 'flourishes' to mean over-confident lineart where it veers particuarly thick or particuarly thin in contrast to your approach in the rest of the image) can sort of trick people into thinking you're more confident about an area than you actually are.

As well as leaving 'breathing room' within your lineart instead of actually...resolving the area. I do this the most around the face and hands.

Hopefully some of this helps? Honestly there's a lot of deep dives that could be done into indivudal things and there's also the massive caveat that all of these are 'guidelines' and not strict rules. I also favour a more...concept-arty? animation-y? storyboard-y? look to my lineart which favours flourishes and breathing room for a incomplete/work-in-progress feel which would make methodical colouring (ie: for a comic or something) a pain.

Keep up pratice is the main thing and doing studies of artists who you like that have great lineart - you'll pick up draughtmanship skills along with the lineart studies. Here's some of my lineart from a year or two ago...it varies between very 'standardised' (which makes it difficult to read volumes and to be honest, it's boring) and 'TOO EXCITING' (which...also makes it difficult to read volumes and for the eye to rest).

I'd like to share my brushes at some point as I've found 3 that I really like and use for everything more or less. I discovered that a shocking low amount of people use PS on tumblr (shocking to me I guess as i'm so used to PS being the standard) and everyone seems to use Procreate or Clip Studio Pro...so I want to check that the brushes are Procreate compatible at least before I share!

[funishment-time]

another crop of Kodaka birthday posts!

(note: from here on i'll be reposting these one at a time so that you all can reblog/comment on the character you like, rather than a Group!)

we've got:

Himiko

Celestia

Miu

Keebo

Nagisa

Kyoko

Rantaro

i've put it all under the cut!

🎩 HIMIKO

auto-translate:

Yumeno: "Ah, it's been a year since my last birthday. However, I've noticed something strange. How many birthdays is this? How old am I? Could it be... that I'm trapped inside a magic barrier? Is that why my measurements haven't changed, no matter how many years pass? Hmm... I know I'm the type who gets more attractive with age, but I still think this is strange. So... I'll use my magic to break through this barrier. It will take a year to chant, but... you'll have to wait. I want to see me all grown up and glamorous!"

🎰 CELESTIA

auto-translate:

Celes: "Oh... So you're celebrating my birthday again this year. I'm so happy. I've been gambling hard this year, but I still haven't won enough to make my dreams come true. However, I've made enough to build a town in the countryside, so I've decided to build my own members-only gambling town, Celes Town. If you want to come, please bring some money. If you run out of money, you won't be able to leave the town... but I guess you don't need to worry about that."

🔧 MIU

auto-translate:

Iruma: "Hya-ha-ha! Tributes have arrived from bored pigs this year too! Every single one of them, men and women, are perverts who get off on me! If you want me to recognize you, you'd better call yourself "the pig of the overly beautiful inventor Iruma Miu" more loudly and increase how many fans I have! Cry a little! Otherwise I won't let you be my fan! What? "In that case, I'll stop being a fan and stop giving you presents"? Wait a sec... I'm just kidding. I'll turn into a pig. I'll cry a little..."

🤖 KEEBO

auto-translate:

Ki-Bo: "Thank you! Birthdays are great after all! What? You're asking me if I'm getting older? How rude! That's discrimination against robots! My parts are designed to deteriorate over time! Even a yearly robot dock is essential! What? You're saying I'm just using a cheap one? That's another rude thing you said! I've recorded what you just said. I'll write it down on a piece of paper I'll remember, so please wait a bit!"

🔵 NAGISA

auto-translate:

Shingetsu: "That's what I'm saying. I'm not a kid anymore. There's no way I'm going to get excited about a birthday. I'm way too busy now to improve myself and live up to everyone's expectations. That's why I don't have time to play around. What? A birthday party? Monaca's hosting it...? I-I'll go! It's important to deepen the bonds with everyone, after all! Of course!"

🔎 KYOKO

auto-translate:

Kirigiri: "Before, when someone did something for me, I would just look confused. I was not good at expressing my joy. But now it's different. I can naturally smile and be happy. Everyone is always congratulating me... and maybe it's partly thanks to him."

🥑 RANTARO

auto-translate:

Amami: "So you're celebrating my birthday again this year? I'm popular for a mysterious guy, aren't I? Haha, I guess it's because I'm good looking. And for my birthday, you went to the library? You just want me to ask, 'Why did you go to the library?' You shouldn't underestimate my powers of deduction. After all, I'm living the school life of killing... I guess I shouldn't go any further than this, haha."

[smallestapplin]

aaaaaa i just saw that you take stardew reqs!! i've been following for a bit but i NEVER get your posts on my dash i stg,,,

may i request some cuddles and reassurances for shane? i can't fix him but i want to just hold him and pretend I can,, can be platonic or romantic, up to you!

I love Shane, cause I'm depressed and self destructive too mf now get over here so I can hug you-

Romance is hinted and it's mutual but neither have confessed.

TW : just Shane having some self deprecating thoughts but nothing serious.

-

-

-

Shane has been doing much better in the months following when you found him drunk by the cliff side, you two have grown closer allowing you to watch how therapy continues to improve him.

Some days are better than others, but you're so proud of the improvements he's been making. But even then he still has some bad days, and those are the days he doesn't want you to see.

He feels so tired, so worthless, so useless, all he can do is lay in bed and rot.

He's watched his clock tick from 8am to 12pm to 5pm and so on, he just doesn't have the energy to get up, the fight he had been carrying just feels like a burden now.

He had been doing so good to, he's sure you'd be disappointed in him for slipping into a depressive state like this. Shane is so lost in his head he doesn't hear his bedroom door open or close, but he dos feel his bed side dip at the newly added weight.

But he doesn't bother looking up, afraid he may start crying, which is all the more likely when you so tenderly brush his hair from his face.

"Rough day today?" You ask, though you know the answer.

You smile at him, even as he finally looks at you with tear filled green eyes. Even now, you still look at him with such care and warmth, what did he ever do to deserve you?

You kick your boots off and lay down behind him, curling up against him with your face buried into the back of his neck and your arms around his waist. You know he will tell you when he is ready, but for right now you just want to distract him from his pain.

"You know my chickens missed you today, Jopeep was not happy when I was the one trying to give her pets, made this clucking sound that i swear sounded like she was sassing me."

You chuckle, your smile growing when Shane gives a small snort.

"And then Eggatha, bless her, hopped on my shoulder like she usually does, but kept looking around like a bird on a mission."

He can almost imagine your day with your flock, your chickens have always had such personalities it was a delight.

"I misssed you too, I was worried when you didn't stop by or answered my text, I figured you were sleeping. But I did bring over some stuffed peppers for you."

You sound so happy, like you don't mind being here with him while he's like this.

"You don't have to do all this." His voice is rough and gravely from not being used all day today, but it sounds so weak.

"I know, you make it sound like I do all this out of some obligation. You do know I do all this because I want to, right? You deserve some peace and joy, you've been through enough."

You're doing all this because you want to.

You help him practice the coping skills and thought processes his therapist has given him, because you want to.

You cook his favorite dishes because you want to.

There is no needing to.

There is no feeling pity and doing these things.

You want to.

"I like having you around, it's fun having you over at the farm and I get to see how many starws of hay I can put in your hood before you notice, I like our inside jokes, I like our time together, I like you and your company, even if you can't see it, it's there."

His body trembles, leaving him shaking like a leaf as he tries to hold back the tears that are already falling down his cheeks.

"But why, I'm not..." he trails off, letting out a choked sob, but that doesn't stop you.

"Healing takes time, it's a slow process and there will be days or times you slip back, to take a few steps back, but you're still working on it, you are still trying to change for the better. And i don't know if you have noticed, but even in two months of therpay you have changed, you seem happier, you seem livelier. You will always have rough days or even rough weeks, but that doesn't mean you're a failure."

Shane can't stop the sobs that leave him, he finds himself flipping around to hug you, buring his face into your shoulder to let it all out. You hold him tightly, gently shushing him and reminding him to breathe.

"I will be here no matter what."

You know your love won't fix his pain, but you know your support can help him feel more confident about going about it.

You want to tell him you love him, that you adore him and his dry sense of humor, that his gentleness with the chickens and Jas make your heart swell.

But maybe you will wait a few more months and see how he is feeling.

You know he means the world to you, even as he cries himself to sleep in your arms after muttering 'thank you's over and over again.

He deserves a safe place to feel happy.

And you want to be that for him.

[arrayoflightarchives]

Kagehina yap because I can't get them out of my brain even tho I need to go to bed bc I have a full day of lectures tomorrow,,,

(be warned yall that this is a long one, which is why I've put the big explanation under the cut)

Okay so Kagehina shouldn't be getting together before Brazil Arcc. If you wanna write them before then, go ahead I love a good bit of hs kghn or long-distance kghn as much as the next person. However, for their characters at the end of HS, I feel like they need to have the Adlers v MSBY match before they should be in a relationship:

The end of 3rd year:

At the end of their third year, Kageyama is still not fully open with Hinata, let alone anyone else. I'm not saying that you have to be completely open with everyone before getting into a relationship, but I think for their dynamic, he needs to learn to be more open with his emotions than he is at that point before you can have two personalities like him and Hinata in a relationship together.

At the end of third year, Hinata is still nowhere near Kageyama's skill level in volleyball. Again, I'm not saying that they need to have equal skill levels to be in a relationship however, Hinata does have a major inferiority complex about this specifically when compared to Kageyama and I don't think that, with he skill level he is at in 2015 (when they graduate). He can't catch up with Kageyama by becoming a skilled player in his own right without going to Brazil, we know this, but going to Brazil also develops his personality as well as his vb skills. He is now more confident and has learnt a lot and so he is able to be on what he considered equal footing with Kageyama (what he considered is the important part here bc of his issues with comparing himself to Kageyama, which we see the whole way through the story).

Now flip to post Brazil:

At this point, Kageyama has begun to open up a bit more by spending time with his teammates, mostly on Adlers, but you can assume JNT as well - we just don't see much of that bc Hinata is the protag, and he's busy sulking over Kags not visiting him atp. Like we can see this in small things like him showing Ushijima the photo of Hinata and Oikawa. He is now more open than he was in hs but he hasn't talked to (at least not much more than maybe like a couple two message interactions) Hinata in a couple years as far as we know. Because of their whole soulmate thing because Kageyama is still somewhat alone because of his skill level (see Kazuyo's promise)

At this point, Hinata is finally confident in his skill level, I mean, he was practically unknown and got into the MSBY D1 starting line-up. However, I think it's important to note that atp he has not beaten Kageyama so although he has definitely improved - he's earned the title of Ninja Shoyo, which is his own compared to the little giant (I can also yap abt that honestly) - he doesn't know whether he has caught up with Kageyama who, for all he knows could have improved just as much as he did in the time they were apart. Hinata might now have many brain cells, but he knows enough that it's silly to think that Kageyama has not improved at all while playing with the JNT and being in VL D1 since high school.

Post-Adlers v MSBY match:

Kageyama has now opened up. This bit is less about opening up to those around him (although he has, see "took you long enough") and is more about him being open with his own emotions. Obviously, he's not suddenly fixed years of emotional repression in one match, but he's chosen to open himself up to Hinata (see being happy/smiling at losing a match) and therefore also open with the audience (we finally see his backstory - that idea is not mine it's from this post it's rlly good u should read it). At this point, I feel like he is ready to have a healthy relationship with Hinata while still working through his other issues. He isn't going to be magically perfect now, but still, he's at a maturity point where he would be able to be in a relationship with someone as competitive as him and Hinata are together.

Hinata has now won against Kageyama. He now knows and feels confident with his skills as a player of his own right and worth, and so now his competition with both people like Hoshiumi and then especially with Kageyama is not going to be him seeing himself as the small junior high version of him who got beaten in 30 minutes still trying to prove himself, but the amazing Ninja Shoyo who is an amazing all-rounder and a wing spiker (the position he's wanted to play in order to be ace which he didn't get a chance to play before). He has grown as a person already while in Brazil, but this win is simply confirmation that he has done what he went there to do. He can trust that he made the right choice to leave Kageyama and the trust and dynamic that they had created (which was a major worry of his through the first part of the Brazil arc - with the homesickness and seeing Kageyama in the Olympics) and is better for it. this game proves it all to him, and he can welcome Kageyama and a possible relationship with him now that they are equals, rivals and a team at the same time.

Finally, onwards:

We finally see that they are together, whether you want that to be as teammates and best friends/platonic soulmates or as romantic soulmates it's up to you, but we see that they have improved both in vb and in their relationship together (see one of my fav panels to ever exist with their fist bump in JNT uniforms).

They are on the same team together, except stronger, when they go to the Olympics together. And then when we see after that, they still have a strong dynamic with them both declaring they're going to win in the Ali Roma v ASAS São Paulo game which makes me think that they keep in contact a lot better than they did while Hinata was playing beach - only bc there seems to be less of the tension that is there when they meet before the MSBY Adlers game.

Anywaysss that pretty much concludes my yap on why they shouldn't get together until after the Brazil arc. I could probably say a billion more things about this, but this was the best way to get any sort of coherence from me about this. I will probably do more yaps so if people want, feel free to ask me questions in my ask box or in the notes!!!!

(Also I hope yall appriciate the colour coding, I chose the purple over the blue cause I felt it was more Kageyama coded, at least on my phone it is)

[strangesthirdeye]

ɴᴏᴛ sᴏ ʟɪᴛᴛʟᴇ sᴛᴀʀ (ɪɴᴇғғᴀʙʟᴇ ʜᴜʙʙʏs x ᴛᴏᴅᴅʟᴇʀ ғᴇᴍ! ʀᴇᴀᴅᴇʀ)

Summary: When little star is no more little.

Warning: IT'S INEFFABLE HUBBYS! WE LOVE THEM MUAH 💋, fluff, love, Crowley being a crybaby, Little star go to kindergarten, reader age between 4 or 5 years, Azirapapa comfort his husband, lots of hugs, acceptance.

As usual, I'm sorry if there are any wrong sentences or typos or grammatical mistakes, please forgive me and again English is not my first language, so I try to improve my language and writing in this way.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

"Icky! Icky! " You whined in your daddy's arms, struggling to get free as Crowley hugged you tightly.

"Papa help!" you called your papa as you made grabbing hands towards him.

Aziraphale shook his head several times while massaging the bridge of his nose. It seems that Crowley will act like this once you are old enough to go to school. Human kindergarten. Aziraphale is the one who insists you to go to school with humans even though you are half demon and angel, like he said;

"She needs to get along with humans so that she doesn't need to feel awkward around them or scared" he said one evening.

Crowley, on the other hand, he disagrees because for him humans will know what you are and they will feel threatened by you even though you are just a little girl, not to mention, humans now have a sense of curiosity that pushes them towards the unwanted and Crowley doesn't want that to happen to you so he insists on letting you just sit at Bookshop A. K. A home.

And this lead to some disagreement between the two celestial beings which resulted in Aziraphale winning the disagreement. Crowley just sulked at the corner bookstore which he will be ok again in a few seconds.

Now you have been registered to kindergarten (with a miracle because Aziraphale did not know how to register to kindergarten) and now you are in front of the kindergarten gate for the first day. Well, maybe you'll come in a few minutes late because you're stuck in your daddy's arms.

"Crowley, please let her go, She has to go to her class for the first day. She will be late if you don't let her go" Aziraphale scolded as he tried to take you to get out of Crowley's arms.

Crowley grumbled grumpily. "What do you know? Those little mortals in there will definitely mock her or try to hurt her if she accidentally uses a miracle. You don't know what those little mortals can do to her!"

"well those little mortals will be her friends and help her adapt here. You don't need to worry about her, Crowley. Miss Dhani always watches over the children here. If Y/n needs anything, Miss Dhani will help her. She's her class teacher. She has responsibility for the children here" Aziraphale reasoned.

"Ngeh- what if that woman scolds her? What if she doesn't care about my star if she needs anything?" Crowley sneered, hands still hugging you who struggled to break free.

"Miss Dhani is the best woman I've ever known. I can sense her aura that only leads to goodness so that's not a concern" Aziraphale replied as he finally managed to release you from his husband's arms.

"Now, my star. Are you ready for your first class?" Aziraphale smiled at you who was brushing yourself to remove the creases on your shirt. You beamed at him.

"Yes! I want to make many friends!" you beamed energetically.

Aziraphale chuckled while clapping his hands. Crowley grumbled grumpily but deep down he was also happy for his excited star.

*Ahh, friends! Of course you can make many friends. But remember, you need to find a friend who will stay with you no matter how hard or easy it is, because that friend will be with you for a long time." Aziraphale pointed out. "And stay out of trouble" Crowley narrowed his eyes at you.

You smiled innocently which Crowley could see past that innocent smile. He laughed out loud.

"Aye! She's a half angel, angel. She won't cause trouble here even though there's a little bit of demon in her. She's a sweet half angel and demon. Aside from she's a troublemaker" Crowley whispered the last part. He patted his husband's shoulder.

"But my sweet demon will leave her daddy alone in the bookshop, I can't survive that" Crowley complained dramatically as he kneeled at your level.

"You can survive that, Crowley. Kindergarten isn't that long, she'll be back in no time" Aziraphale replied, rolling his eyes at his husband's antics.

"Dada won't die! I'll be back!" you beamed at him, patted his head.

"Dada will be bored at the bookshop without my little star, those books will attack Dada" Crowley muttered. Aziraphale raised his eyebrow.

"It will attack you if you don't help me arrange those books" Aziraphale crossed his arms.

"See! Help me, star! Please be with daddy at the bookshop to save me from it" Crowley whined.

Aziraphale rolled his eyes, tired enough to deal with his antics. He sighed.

"You always do something at the bookshop, Crowley. Everyday" Aziraphale mumbled.

"those things are boring without Y/n" Crowley grumbled.

"Including tempted one of the elderly to buy pornography who came to the bookshop? No" Aziraphale recalled, slightly cringing at that memory.

"That could be your own fault because you have that kind of books in those bookshelves" Crowley protested.

You cocked your head in confusion. "what's a pontography?"

Aziraphale sweat. "Ah, nothing, my dear. It's not important. The important thing now is that you need to get to class as soon as possible before you're late. Miss Dhani must be waiting."

You nodded excitedly. "Ok! I'm going then!" you hugged your Daddy and Papa tightly before running into the kindergarten.

Crowley groaned. "Argh.. here we go. Boredom has hit"

Aziraphale shook his head "We shouldn't have mentioned those kind of thing in front of her. She's a curious girl."

Crowley shrugged. "It's your fault because you started it first"

Aziraphale became nervous. "Well- Well, I just want to make a point that not everything you do involves Y/n" Aziraphale adjusted his bowtie. "I accidentally blurted it out"

"aye, point. Which you 'accidentally' mentioned 'that'" Crowley raised the fire.

"I was trying to make a point! Besides it crossed my mind" Aziraphale looked down shyly. His face turned red.

Crowley smirked cheekily. "Did I sense something, Angel?"

"Shut up, Crowley!" Aziraphale whined as he walked fast to Bentley.

Crowley laughed out loud at his husband.

Later, you come back with messy hair and a shirt full of watercolors.

[pointyhatspointyears]

Then & Now: OCs & Gposing

Tagged by @sparrowsong-7 @l3ylines & @lynxden (thank you <3)

This'll be long and all over the place because I took a very different direction with gposing this years and it's been very uh educational. Learned to use posing tools less than a year ago and it's really given our characters more life and made a world of difference. Old embarrassing screenshots incoming.. (but the point here is to show ~Growth~ and I hope it motivates you to keep improving too. and push through all the bugs and that existential ennui hit when your game crashes before youve taken a single screenshot ;-;)

-

Random sentimental observations first, going through old folders..

My gurl aged. But the older she got the happier we both were. We discovered ✨boundaries✨ together.

Her fem elezen Era of 2013-2014 had a bit of both Gabriel & Theneras in her. Nerdy elf and grumpy elf were always there. Never realized. (also apparently we've always had that annoying light/shadow shimmer effect and it's not just a post DT lighting thing)

Apparently I've been wearing the same outfit since 2018. Sometimes you just put on a hat and your character says Yup. That's me. Forever. You'll just have to find a way to squeeze under. (sorry for +6 years of clipping, sweetie, but it was your gift and I'm never taking it off)

Gabriel and @pocketyoukai's Yuusei were besties since 2016 before they were RP characters. and he'll always be a loving doting dad retainer to her sister.

2020- Goose & Amalthea were girlfriends before we realized they were girlfriends. The ship sailed itself.

2018: discovered GIF making. Tried to put it to good use..

…but I just kept making shitposts. which didn't last long thankfully.

..And I'm glad it was short-lived, because when I focused more on telling stories through gposing, especially this past year, it's like my brain got rewired to view this world differently, through the eyes of a little sprout again. If I was going to use screenshots only and no words, I had to take shots/gifs of different things to set my scene and experiment with angles I wouldn't otherwise have considered (and fail 50% of the time and try something else. timing is so tricky😭)

..not to mention, when you're thirsty and need to work around censorship you also get creative with angles and visual subtext

It's 10x more fun and rewarding, albeit challenging especially if you don't want to use any crime tools. But doable. And just as fun and rewarding. And I want to do more of this (and fail and keep experimenting) next year and see you tell more of your stories your way too. and be inspired by and fall in love with your characters.

..I was very much 100% vanilla, as in not even shaders, until early 2020. And started using posing tools about a year ago. When you say "your characters have more character!" (you know who you are) I know exactly what you mean now and that makes me very emotional ;-; it really wasn't the case until less than a year ago. a lil criminal activity goes a long way.

Also vanilla kisses were so hard to gpose and turned out so funny. Note to self never to /puckerup for kisses. ever. But we did our best and learned a lot. A ton more kissing next year for sure.

-

A little late so not sure who hasn't done this yet. Tagging my new favorite gpose storyteller @quiethealer , @squidzure (you've shown us Rhea's glow-up but where is Birdie's glow-up!), partner in storytelling & crime @pocketyoukai & @pumpkinmagekupo

and if you're seeing this and are happy with the growth you've done lately... doeet. Show me your embarrassing shots and the shots you're most proud of this year.

[brigdh]

Okay. My thoughts on the Our Flag Means Death finale. Obviously I'm not very happy with the ending, though I'm also not as upset as some people are. I would say I'm discontent. Unsatisfied. Too aware of how it could have been improved, and a bit bitter that we didn't get a better version, but I also don't hate what we did get.

I know a lot of meta has attributed the problems to a shorter season, and absolutely I would have loved to get 10 episodes instead. I would have loved 22 episodes! Why don't we do that anymore? But I don't think the 8 episode length was the ultimate problem. A) The showrunner and writers knew they had only 8 episodes, so they needed to choose a story that fit into that length, but even more importantly, B) my problem is not that they had too much story for too little time, but actually that they had plenty of time and chose to fill it with too little story.

As I've sat with it over the last few days and thought more about the season's arc, it feels to me like we got eight episodes of filler. Filler episodes can be great! Filler episodes can have some of the funniest lines, the greatest scenes, the most intriguing ideas. But filler episodes do not progress character arcs or major themes, and that's exactly the problem this season had.

The only characters who got arcs this season are Izzy, and to a lesser and more rushed extent, Lucius. Which sure is a choice.

Ed and Stede and their relationship did not meaningfully change from S1. (Okay, yes, they had sex, they said I Love You – but these are external changes, not internal. They don't represent character growth. Stede realized he loved Ed and was telling everyone back in 1x10. Ed clearly would have slept with him in S1 if they'd had a little more time.) Ed and Stede in 2x08 are not different from who they are in 2x01. If Ed had asked Stede to be innkeepers in 2x01, does anyone think Stede wouldn't have immediately agreed? One of the big moments in 2x08 is Ed reading a letter that Stede wrote in 2x01! Stede's exact words from the very beginning of the season! What better way to underline that none of the subsequent seven episodes had important growth or changes?

Another one of 2x08's big shippy moments is Ed and Stede running to each other across a beach – deliberately paralleling the dream Stede had in 2x01. What are we supposed to take from this parallel? My original thought was that we're supposed to see how different the real version is from the dream, but there's honestly not many differences. Neither one has a beard, now? The dream mocked how Stede knew they needed to have a conversation about their relationship that he wanted to avoid, but they don't have a conversation in the "real" version either. They exchange about two sentences (which includes Ed's I Love You, yes, which is a big deal but still isn't a conversation) and then they charge right back into the fight, without discussing anything like Ed abruptly dumping Stede to go be a fisherman, Stede killing Ned Low when Ed asked him not to, their differences of opinion on being pirates, if having sex was a mistake or if that's only a thing Ed said because he was panicking, etc etc. They have just as many issues to address as they did in the dream, but just like the dream they act like everything is magically okay without talking about it!

So I think we're meant to take the beach-run parallels as "here's what Stede's been wanting, and after waiting for so long he finally gets it". Which is fine, a very sweet take-away for a finale. But it underlines what I'm saying is the problem of the season: Stede has just been waiting for eight episodes for his dream to come true. Not changing. Not growing. Not doing anything to bring the dream about, other than trying to get himself and Ed into the same physical location. Just... waiting.

This is an extra surprising development, because the show was really good at giving Ed and Stede character arcs in S1! Ed and Stede in 1x10 are significantly different than they were in their first introductions. Also, just to preempt some criticism, by 'progressing' I do not mean 'wrap up literally every loose end and make a firm final ending' – S1's finale is an excellent example of both moving the characters forward and leaving a ton of room for future stories. I wasn't expecting for 2x08 to show us a Stede and Ed who were perfectly on the same page and would never again have a problem. I was expecting them to be somewhat different than they were in 2x01, and I just don't see that.

Instead of arcs, we got little pieces of single-episode growth here and there that never added up to an overall whole. The season brought up a ton of potential arcs for Ed – violence, piracy, guilt, suicide, daddy issues, self-loathing, apologies, redemption, his tendency to idealize escaping into a different life – but didn't do anything with any of these options. Stede had nothing resembling a season arc at all.

Stede works to improve as a captain! Stede kills someone and has regrets! Stede confronts Ed's dark side! <- All potential arcs, but none of which lasted for more than an episode or had consequences. We don't even know what the ending means for Stede: does he want to be an innkeeper because he failed as a pirate in 2x07? Because piracy was always just a displaced search for love, and now that he has love, he doesn't need piracy? What does the crew of the Revenge leaving mean to him? Stede's understanding of their new arrangement literally happens off-screen and we're left to fumble at guesses for its significance to him as an individual.

Ed and Stede's last big conversation in the season is their break-up fight in 2x07, which is a shocking way to send off your main couple in a rom-com. Yes, there's the I Love You on the beach (again: two sentences) and the brief 'let's try to be innkeepers' conversation at the very end, but that's it for them in 2x08, except for their inclusion in some brief large group conversations about their fighting skills and the plan for escaping the British. How can you end your rom-com with the main couple exchanging only a paragraph's worth of dialogue in the finale? None of the stuff was brought up in the fishing fight in 2x07 is ever addressed at all!

Again, I don't think this is solely a matter of time crunch. Instead of using the eight episodes to progress the two main characters, we got a bunch of filler episodes that used the time in amusing side tangents instead of forward progress. I don't think that's the inevitable result of having to work with eight episodes.

Look, I can come up with a better Ed/Stede relationship arc without needing more episodes, and despite only thinking about this for a couple days and not having an entire writing room to work with:

(Note: this only addresses the Ed/Stede relationship. It doesn't fix Stede completely lacking an independent character arc and Ed having about ten thousand of them, none of which went anywhere.)

In 2x05 to 2x07, I would make Ed's motivations in their relationship very clearly that he's pushing Stede away so he doesn't get hurt again. Basically play up Ed's comment about "I was all in" in 2x04, and make him determined not to get 'all in' this time around. This aligns the "let's take it slow" conversation in 2x05, the "sex was a mistake" in 2x06, and Ed running away to be a fisherman in 2x07 into a single arc. He wants Stede, but he's afraid of what that wanting will do to him. He's trying to find a way to have a relationship without making himself vulnerable. He keeps pushing off commitment and openness.

Then, in 2x08, I'd make it more explicit that Ed thinks/fears Stede is dead when he sees the pirate ships burning. I think it's subtext in the episode as-is, but give him a line or two to make it really clear. Ed and Stede still see each other on the beach, have their dramatic run to each other, and Ed says, "I love you". Now this moment is Ed acknowledging his love, exactly what he's been avoiding for the last three episodes.

Near the end of the episode, Ed and Stede have a conversation where Ed says something like, "I didn't want to get hurt again, I was afraid of the risk of falling in love and you leaving again, but thinking you were dead made me realize that never loving you would be worse" (but better written, ha, this is a tumblr post that's already too long). (Also possibly you could tie in Izzy's death here to underline both Ed and Stede not wanting to lose another person they care about, if we must have that plot point for some reason.) We actually get to see Ed asking Stede to come be innkeepers with him, paralleling asking him to run away to China (and paralleling NOT asking Stede to a fisherman), Stede voices some of his worries (paralleling him keeping them inside in 1x09, but also giving him a chance to explain what piracy and love mean to him and why he'd give up one for the other), but ultimately they agree that they at least want to try.

This both puts them into a much clearer place for a happy ending, has clear growth from S1 and the beginning of this season, but also leaves open a ton of room for S3, because welp, it turns out trying to have a relationship entails all sorts of problems! Especially with these two. It also would make me feel like they'd at least addressed some of the issues between them.

Right now I feel like S3 will have to spend at least the first few episodes running through exactly the same "don't talk – break up – get back together dramatically" arc that Stede and Ed have already done twice but have never discussed and never learned from. I liked it, but I don't need to see it yet again. That will – ironically – feel like yet more wasted time, more episodes that are just churning through beats without moving the characters forward. I wanted them to have new, different fights in S3, but now I don't even feel like they've made enough progress to have a fresh set of problems.

[consciousgordiacea]

I'M GONNA TAKE A BREAK FOR THE REST OF THE NIGHT TO GET SOME CHORES DONE WHILE EVERYONE IS ASLEEP. CURRENT SITUATION IS AS FOLLOWS:

EMILY'S ON THE MEND SLOWLY BUT SURELY. I'VE BEEN ACTING AS HER RECOVERY NURSE IN SHIFTS WITH MILTON ASSISTING SOMETIMES. THAT EXORCISM TOOK A LOT OUT OF ME BUT IT REALLY REALLY TOOK A LOT OUT OF HER. SHE'S HAD TO DEAL WITH ENTIRE CHUNKS OF MEMORIES BEING RIPPED OUT OF HER HEAD DUE TO THE PLUSHIE'S REMOVAL. I FEEL FOR HER A LOT AND I'M DOING MY BEST TO TAKE CARE OF HER WHILE SHE RECOVERS.

MILTON'S MENTAL HEALTH SEEMS TO BE APPROACHING SOME LEVEL OF STABILITY. HE SMILED FOR THE FIRST TIME (THAT I'VE SEEN) LAST NIGHT DURING OUR MOVIE HANGOUT. I'M VERY PROUD OF HIM. HE'S BEEN THROUGH SO MUCH AND I'M EXCITED TO SEE HIM GROW AND THRIVE AS A PERSON NOW THAT HE HAS A CHOICE OVER HIS OWN FUTURE.

I'VE MANAGED TO KEEP THE PEACE BETWEEN EVERYONE HERE. IF IT WEREN'T FOR ME, MILTON PROBABLY WOULD HAVE MAULED ATHENA AGAIN. I'VE GROWN AS A PERSON A LOT IN THE TWO MONTHS I'VE BEEN ALIVE. TRY AS I MIGHT, I JUST CAN'T HELP CARING SO GODDAMN MUCH ABOUT EVERYONE. I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S A FLAW. IT JUST MAKES ME HAPPY SEEING EVERYONE ELSE'S SITUATIONS IMPROVING AND I'M GLAD I COULD BE A PART OF IT.

I'VE BEEN GETTING TO KNOW SAGE BETTER NOW THAT WE'VE BEEN PROPERLY INTRODUCED. SHE'S COOL BUT VERY ALOOF. I CAN SEE WHY PEOPLE LIKE HER. I JUST WISH I COULD APPROACH WITHOUT FEELING LIKE I'M WALKING ON EGGSHELLS.

ATHENA HASN'T REALLY BEEN TALKING TO ANYONE BESIDES SAGE. I'M NOT A BIG FAN OF HER BECAUSE OF HOW SHE TREATED MILTON, BUT I HAVE TO RESPECT SARA'S SPACE.

SARA'S JUST BEEN BUSY WITH WORK, BUT WE'VE MANAGED TO HANG OUT A BIT. I'M EXCITED FOR OUR MUSIC RELEASE. YOU'RE ALL REALLY GONNA LIKE IT!

THE PLUSHIE IS STILL CONTAINED WITHIN THE APPLEJACK FIGURE. I PUT IT IN A JAR SO IT COULDN'T ESCAPE. HE IS NOT HAPPY ABOUT THIS.

OVERALL, I'VE BEEN BUSY, BUT THE WORK IS REWARDING. I'M HOPEFUL THAT THE FUTURE HOLDS SOMETHING GOOD FOR ALL OF US.

LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH.

PEACE ON PLANET EARTH.

[poomphuripan]

Hello Claire,

First of all, thank you so much for everything you have been sharing these last few weeks about My Stand-In and Poom (and Up). It's such a treat ❤️

Was My Stand-In Poom's first project out of CH8 or was it Bake Me Please? I hope his popularity will rise and allow him to be cast in different kinds of show and role. Because it must be frustrating to always play the same type of character... And do you know in which agency does he belong please?

Have a nice day ❤️

hiiii (⁠*⁠˘⁠︶⁠˘⁠*⁠)⁠.⁠｡⁠*⁠♡

well thank you for following and always supporting my gifs i see you (⁠｡⁠･⁠ω⁠･⁠｡⁠)⁠ﾉ⁠♡

So Bake Me Please is actually Channel 8 (CH8)'s first ever BL series where they got their rising male actors (Ohm, Guide, Poom, Atom, Prame, Tawan) to star in, so BMP is actually a CH8 series.

I believe Poom's first ever non CH8 work is Saneha Stories Season 4: Saiyai Saneha (2022) which is a two-episode mini series based on the real life story of a gay man. This was aired on AIS Play and produced by TV Thunder.

Poom also has another comedy series Jenny A.M./P.M. (2022) on AIS Play but this was in collaboration with CH8 which is why there were some CH8 actors (Poom, Nonny, Prame) in the series. Poom plays the straight best friend of the male protagonist (played by Singto Prachaya).

So technically My Stand-In is Poom's 2nd or 3rd work outside of CH8 (depending on how you view the two projects above) but it is Poom's first lead role in a major production and Poom often refers to My Stand-In as his first ever lead role in interviews so that's Poom's position on it 😅

For some background on Poom's agency. He is managed by RSDG - a production/talent management subsidiary company of RS Group, a Thai entertainment and media company that owns CH8. So basically Poom is a Channel 8 actor but it seems that CH8 is a bit more laxed about their actors partaking in series outside of their network (but that also comes with a cost).

I've heard rumors that CH8 gave Poom an ultimatum between becoming 2ML in another CH8 lakorn or choosing to star in My Stand-In (a non CH8 work) and not having any CH8 lakorn projects left for the rest of the year. I have no idea the accuracy of this rumor but I guess all we gotta do is look at Poom's schedule for the rest of this year and see if he's got anything else other than MSI fanmeetings here and there ಥ_ಥ

But I have a lot of fun watching Poom playing his evil lakorn villain roles at CH8 as well and I think those scenes helped greatly in honing his acting skills throughout his acting career so far (you can watch Poom being very stiff in his early works and the gradual improvement progress over the course of his lakorn works). If you pick a random CH8 lakorn with Poom, his character is sure to be killing or dying or crying or getting mad or fucking someone (sometimes all of the above).

Whatever the future holds for Poom, I'm very happy that he chose My Stand-In because I can't imagine a world where we do not get Poom Phuripan as Joe. Poom expresses a lot of happiness from finally getting positive reactions about his acting performances for the first time, which is a thing that I think lakorn actors will hardly get (especially if you play supporting roles at an obscure TV channel with low to average viewership). I also feel like Poom is pretty happy to finally get to play a character that's so close to his personality in real life (bonus the fact that his character isn't dying or going to jail).

I too hope that My Stand-In will be the breakthrough project Poom needed to get the attention and the opportunities he deserved after being much underrated and typecasted at CH8, manifesting many interesting scripts and acting opportunities come his way 🥹

sorry op i hope i answered some of your inquiries. i totally get carried away whenever i'm rambling. tldr: poom is managed by rsdg group so officially speaking, he's an actor for channel 8 but sometimes they let him out to star in non-ch8 works.