#the artwork is always so beautiful and I love how you both draw the characters!

[heading-down-to-georgia]

some drawings of @kaitopitoo and @othervio four swords vampire au- I am in love with their designs for the characters and wanted to try redrawing some of the panels from the manga

[fuckyeahgoodomensfanfic]

Good Omens Fic Rec: Big Name Feelings

FANDOM AU! • Crowley is a BNF fic writer, and Aziraphale is a lurking artist who might be just a little parasocially in love with him. How they ever became friends is beyond him, but here they are: One month out from Prophet Con, and Crowley is asking him to be his boyfriend. Just for the weekend, of course.

Length: 103,997 words

AO3 Rating: Explicit / Spice Level 🔥🔥🔥

Best for: Safe in Public, Human AU, Slow Burn, Fake Relationship, Pick-me-up

Triggers: None

Read it here, fic by ghostrat

*Minor Spoilers* It's here! The finale of one of the most entertaining and immersive fanworks that I have ever experienced is finally upon us! I feel like most of you who follow me here are aware of this fanfic or have read it. However, for those who haven't or might come across this post later: I'm begging you to read this one. Buckle up; it's a long post today.

So, if you're not aware, this fanfic involves writer Crowley and fan artist Aziraphale. Crowley, being ace, seeks a boyfriend to shield him from unwanted attention during an upcoming convention. Aziraphale, smitten, agrees to be the fake boyfriend. This Arrangement is sure to work out exactly as planned!

Every one of the author's stories feels cinematic to me. The worlds are always so real and immersive, but this one, in particular, will have you feeling like you're actually watching the story unfold in real life. Some of that is achieved through embedded media like chats, artwork, and Tumblr posts, bringing a sense of reality to these conversations. The rest comes from really rich prose. You'll flow through it very easily, yet deeply.

The use of fandom and a convention as the backdrop for this fic was, to be honest, genius. I've seen attempts before, but none captured the spirit quite like this one. The fandom lore for The Nice and Accurate Prophecy (the in-universe fandom they're in) was rich enough for us to fully grasp the shape and feel of why they loved it so much, yet it never impedes the ongoing story. This story perfectly captured what it's like to be a fan: how friendships develop, how ideas and fan theories are freely discussed, the passion for a shared topic. The con, in particular, will fill anyone who has ever attended a fan convention with a strong dose of nostalgia and love. Oh, and having them in their 50s? Thank you! There is no age limit to fandom!

Having Aziraphale as the artist and Crowley the writer was not the most obvious choice, but it's one that worked amazingly well for the story! Crowley struggles with words and expressing his feelings in real life. However, in stories, he can build his own world and express whatever emotions are on his mind. Aziraphale, who does not wish to draw attention to himself in real life, expresses himself through his bold and beautiful artwork. His specialization in traditional, physical artwork is so fitting for him, though he's not unwilling to try new tech. There is a scene where they stumble upon some street art that Aziraphale had done. I teared up at that scene, and it's not even angsty! Just the casualness of it, how it's not Aziraphale but Crowley who boldly leads them to it, how Aziraphale doesn't sing his own praises. He's not self-deprecating, but he doesn't celebrate his work. He's still learning that he has value that's worth celebrating. At least now he has Crowley to teach him to be proud of himself.

They are both beautifully written characters. It's a real testament to the skill of the author to bring these characters into such a different reality and have them be unmistakably Aziraphale and Crowley. Sure, they're updated for the time and setting, but their souls are still the angel and demon we know and love. This setting is an amazing way to explore the different sides of their personalities. Crowley's asexuality, in particular, was one of the best depictions I've ever read. It brought a new level of understanding to me, and I'm sure many of you will feel a kinship with him. Really pay attention to what's being said here, there's some really deep and insightful passages that are worth analyzing. Like this moment, which may have been a subconscious thought, but again speaks to how deeply the author understands the characters.

This was such an amazing experience as a fan. I've never had a fic feel like this much of an event before. Every chapter drop was so exciting; I never knew what exactly to expect. And now, with the end being over 100k words?? Where did that word count come from! That's insane! I'm sad to leave this iteration, but I'm so excited for what's to come next. So please, if you haven't read this, give it a try. It's such a impressive work, so much time and effort was put into this and you can tell. It's not only a love letter to Good Omens, but one to fandom and fanspaces as well. Thank you, thank you, thank you for this journey

There are some explicit scenes towards the end, but they are all marked and skippable, so I'd say you're perfectly fine reading this in public.

Edit from after actually seeing the finale: no I’m not tearing up it’s just really dusty in this room. I’m being so normal rn 🥹🥹🥹

Read it here, fic by ghostrat

[anangelwhodidntfall]

Picasso II: Dad!JakeSully

Avatar Masterlist

word count: 1.4k

Request: Part Two of Picasso Part I, about how after they leave and arrive at the reefs. Like how would they react when they see Y/n's style and dyed hair? How they start living, adapting, and how both chiefs are with them and stuff. Just everything, let your imagination run wild!

A/N: This was supposed to be Ao'nung x reader, but I could help but think about what if Daughter reader fell in love with an original character from the Metkayina clan who loved her for how different she was.

OC: Äeka Te Veha Toi'itan

After nearly weeks of traveling on their ikrans, y/n's family had finally arrived in Awa'atlu, desperately seeking Uturu to get away from war. With an inaudible sigh, she shuffled closer to her twin, his heavy arm immediately coming to wrap around her tense shoulders, effectively grounding her as she wondered what was going to happen here. As she listened to her parents trying to plead for their sanctuary when her eyes landed on a boy about her age staring at you and your family. Y/n had to admit he was very pretty, he offered her a small smile as she smile back at him before turning back towards her family, hoping she would get to see more of him soon.

"These children aren't even true Na'vi." The Tsahìk said harshly as she held one of Lo'ak's hands in the air making y/n and Neteyam glare at her.

The following weeks had been a struggle for the whole family, but especially you and your siblings as some of the clan kids liked giving you guys a hard time for being different from them but not Tsierya she had become your best friend and the beautiful boy that y/n saw during their arrival was named Äeka he was a warrior in training like Neyetmam and he was so kind to them especially her. He would often seek her out during chores, or after training loving to sit and talk with her while she painted or drew, he has a lot of her artwork.

Speaking of her artistic abilities, y/n more often than not was in the artist's tent working on her drawings or learning about their styles and how they do the tattoos that they have. One day y/n had been in there after her chores roughly sketching a tattoo when Ronal saw it.

"That is very good my child, would you have any interest in learning how to do the tattoos on the skin?" She asked the young girl.

"I would love to actually." Y/n said as Ronal motioned for her to follow her over to her station where she already had a client.

A few days later Äeka had been searching all over for y/n, the young warrior had grown quite fond of the girl since her and her family arrived and not to mention how pretty she was and how different she was from the other Na'vi. He finally found her playing on the beach with her younger sister Tuk, who was building a sandcastle with a bucket of shells sitting by you two and as he got closer to you guys, he noticed that the pink was missing from your hair which made him frown.

"Hi y/n, hi Tuk. What are you girls up to this evening?" He asked as you looked up at him with a smile.

"Hi Äeka, we're just working on building a sandcastle and we're gonna decorate with these shells. Would you like to join us?" You asked him as he nodded his head taking a seat next to you.

"No pink today?" He asked you as you guys worked on the sandcastle.

"Uh no, I took it out. Not many people here are fond of it, as they like to remind me." You said quietly as Äeka frowned wondering who dared to say anything to you about your hair because he loved it.

"That's a shame, I always thought it made you the prettiest girl here." He said as y/n felt her cheeks warm at his word making her lower her head.

"Really?" Y/n asked him.

"Really, don't listen to what others say. They fear what they don't understand." He said brushing some of her hair out her face.

"You know my dad said the same thing to me." Y/n said.

"Well, he's right, so please consider putting the color back in your hair." He said as y/n nodded her head.

They spent the rest of the afternoon playing with Tuk and talking with each other until the eclipse started to happen and the two girls had to head home much to their dismays but Äeka offered to walk them home just to squeeze in a few more minutes with y/n.

Meanwhile, Jake had been outside the Mauri waiting for his kids to return when he saw y/n and Äeka laughing and talking while they walked home with Tuk a few steps in front of them, while it made him happy to see his baby girl smiling...it also stressed him a bit to think about her dating already.

"So you and Äeka?" Jake asked y/n not so subtly making Neytiri shake her head at him.

"Relax Dad, we're just friends nothing more. So please calm down." Y/n said making her mom laugh as she entered the Mauri.

"Hey, Mom?" Y/n asked her mother as they cleaned up from dinner while her dad was out of the home.

"Yes, sweetheart?" She asked.

"I was wondering if maybe tonight or tomorrow you could help me put the pink back in my hair? If you don't mind." She asked.

"Of course dear, we can work on it tonight while your dad is asleep, so it just stays between us and we don't have to hear how right he is." Your mom said making you laugh.

That night after her dad went to sleep, her mom helped her put the pink back in her hair promising not to out to let her dad know that he was right and that  Äeka may or may not have played a hand in it as well. Y/n woke up that morning and ate her breakfast feeling her father’s eyes on her as she ate. 

“Babygirl, I’m glad to see you put the pink back in your hair.” He said. 

“Thanks dad. I just missed having it there and plus it’s kinda annoying how many times people have thought I was Nete.” She said as she finished up.

“So this had nothing to do with what I said?” He asked her as her and her siblings shared a look. 

“Umm not really no! Look at the time, I got chores to do! Bye mom, bye dad!” She said running out laughing as Jake shook his head in disblief. 

“Nice try! You know I was right about your hair!” He yelled after her making her laugh.

"Y/n." Tonowari said causing the young girl to turn and look at Chief and bow her head at him.

"Tonowari, how may I help you?" She asked wondering what the chief wanted from her.

"Your father and  Äeka  have both come and told me about your artistic skills and I was coming over here to see if you would have any interest in becoming one of the clan's artists?" He asked shocking y/n.

"You want me to do the tattoos and everything?" She asked making sure she was understanding him right.

"Yes in addition to your father and Akea, my wife has always told me about how you have been studying the art of our clans and learning how to tattoo. I think you would excel in this area if you wish." He said.

"I would love to. Thank you so much for this opportunity!" Y/n said shaking his hand.

"Of course. Tomorrow morning just head to the artist's tent and they will get you all set up." He said before leaving.

Äeka had been finishing up his daily chores when he heard footsteps approaching making him look up and see y/n approaching him making him smile as he greeted her.

"You put the pink back in your hair." He said with a smile.

"Yeah I did...turns out you and my dad were right..but don't tell him I said that." She said making him laugh as he agreed.

"So Tonowari offered me a job today." She said making him listen with interest as he had been speaking highly of her art skills to the Olo'eyktan.

"He did? What kind of job did he offer you?" He asked her softly holding her hand.

"He offered me a job as an artist for the clan, thanks to recommendations from you, Ronal, and my dad about my art." She said with that smile that he swore he never get tired of seeing on her face.

"That's amazing sweetheart! Congratulations, I know that you are going to do so well." He said hugging her.

[emojellyace08]

Lookism x Artist! Reader Headcannons 🖤🥀🎨 Part 1 (J-High-Main Boys)

Warnings: None Genre: fluff ☁️ Reader is gender neutral (and in an established relationship with the character of choice :)

︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵︵‿

Daniel Park (Park Hyung Seok)

He is so amazed by your drawings no matter what art style you use. Your works never failed to surprise him.

Daniel can't also help but to stare at your focused yet cute face when you try to draw on your sketchbook/paper (he'll stop if you find it creepy but he can't help it sometimes). He's really astonished by how you illustrate something with passion and take it to the next level even if it's just a doodle. Danny also finds it really smart and creative if you put meaning behind your drawings, whether it's sad or happy! He really likes to see the way you view things in life and express your thoughts on a piece of paper/canvas and he also can't help but to shower you with lots of compliments "Y/N It looks so cool! Keep up the good work!"

Daniel will also appreciate it if you use him as your reference! His heart will melt if you initiate to sketch him especially his original body. He felt so loved and cared about when you, his special someone sees the beauty in him no matter what shape, form or size he's in. He'll look at you like 🥺👉👈"Wa-Wait really? Are you sure?" HAHAHHAHAHAHA XD. Don't mind him but when he'll have an angst episode especially when his insecurities are getting in the way again, your comfort plus your artwork of him can really lift up his spirits. "You really find me cute in my other body?" he'll ask you in his taller form as you cup his cheeks and give him a peck as a sign of affection not wanting him to feel sadness and self-loathing himself. "Yep, that's why I always ask you to be my super model for my drawings! You're more than just your looks, so chin up Danny!" he can't help but smile thinking about it especially when he's feeling sad again, him feeling loved by you especially when it's not just his looks that you really adore and love about him (he feels the same for you). It really boosts his confidence more and in return, he'll not only compliment your works but also everything about you that's just so amazing to him.

If you're the shy type who won't show off your artworks to him, he'll definitely respect your privacy and space though he can't help but to be curious sometimes. And if you're the messy and inorganized type, expect him to just randomly check out your sketchbook especially when you both clean your shared apartment (don't scold him though he just picked it up on either the floor or the dining table which where it shouldn't be lmao). "So-Sorry Y/N I didn't know what I was doing sorry!" Though he will feel relieved when you just simply brushed it off saying it's fine but he won't stop apologizing when he can feel that you're upset about it. But this rarely happens since he will think about his actions first before doing it and he'll feel so much relieved when you started showing him his drawings and him seeing you breaking into your comfort zone.

Overall Danny's supportive about your hobby as long as you don't illustrate something too weird. He wouldn't mind if you teach him the basics or if you also you use one of his friends as your model/reference (especially Duke or his mom). He just loves you so much as much as you love him too (I need a Danny in my life right now).

Zack Lee (Lee Jin Sung)

This man will talk about you to literally everybody 24/7 (in good and really romantic way of course).

Zack's so amazed by everything you do even if it's the simplest things, so what more if you make a masterpiece everybody should be proud of ;)?

He'll also ask if he can take a look of your sketches and he'll be SUPERRR HAPPY when you showed him your sketchbooks and random doodles. Zack's so fascinated by how you illustrate things in your art style, making him showering you with lots of compliments. "You're so good at this! You really are a perfect person!". Trust me when I say that just like Daniel if you asked him to draw him as a reference, his heart will not only beat a hundred times faster but he's also going to explode from your request. His someone asking him to sketch him? His day couldn't get so much better. Just like Danny, Zack will also look at you with that puppy eyes when you ask him to draw him "Really?🥺👉👈" AHAHHAHAHAHHAHAHA xD. He will also tease you about it. Him posing with funny poses while you force yourself to not laugh (he's also doing it to make you smile trust me). "Y/N you think I'm attractive?" "No why?" you playfully denied as you smirked at his reaction before he teases you back. "But why did you ask for me to be your model for your drawings?" "OH C'MON ZACK JUST STAY IN PLACE I CAN'T TAKE A GOOD REFERENCE PHOTO OF YOU" "SORRY Y/N I WON'T DO IT AGAIN!".

If you're the shy type, he'll be okay if you don't want to show your drawings to him. But he'll be definitely be sad and crying inside since he feel like you don't trust him enough lmao (though he'll still respect your wishes). And he will also sneak up to see your works when it's just chilling on your desk or table, but he'll be so sorry and crying when you caught him touching your things without your permission. "SORRY Y/N I WON'T DO IT AGAINNNN!!! PLEASE FORGIVE MEEEE!!!. However, he'll be also relieved when you're okay with him checking out your sketchbook, though next time he'll ask for your permission though! (Always asking you with those puppy eyes. "Y/N can I take a look of your drawings again? I'll be careful with it I promise🥺👉👈 ". He'll also not let anyone touch your things and your coloring materials to other people unless you say so (He'll hand it to Mira since she's careful enough about others' belongings or he'll just simply put it on your desk when he needs to do something important).

Zack is just wholesome and supportive about your hobby. He will always flex you on his friends not only about your artistry but almost about everything about you. "Do you know Y/N is a great artist? You can ask for her to draw you if she/he doesn't mind it ;)". (Protect Zack at all cost).

Vasco (Lee Eun Tae)

Another cinnamon roll here.

Vasco really loves your drawings so much! He's always curious on how you managed to sketch pretty illustrations especially cute animals like kittens and puppies! He has that same puppy expression while his eyes sparkle as he views your artworks in awe. He's so confused when he tries to draw the same as you but it always end up looking a bit weird lmao (But we still love him).

He'll talk about you to Burn Knuckles especially Jace. Their reactions will be so priceless. No one had made Vasco smile and made his day better other than them! "VASCO, YOU TALKED TO A GIRL/BOY???!" "YEAH! SHE'S/HE'S SO PRETTY/HANDSOME, KIND AND SHE'S/HE'S A DRAWER!" "You mean artist right?" Jace asked as Vasco nodded with a cute smile. "Yeah! her/his drawings are so amazing!" As you became friends, Vasco will ask for you to draw him a puppy if you don't mind! And he'll be sooo happy if you did so especially on his birthday (he cherishes the others gifts that the others had given him but he just really loves your art so much!). "JACE! Y/N DREW A PUPPY FOR ME IT'S SO CUTE SHE/HE EVEN PUT IT INSIDE A PICTURE FRAME!"

If you're the shy type, he'll wonder why you're a bit hesitant of showing your works to him, though he will respect it and not force you to but he still can't help but to be curious about what it looks like. But after getting to know each other and getting closer, he will ask again if he can take a look of your sketches and if you agreed so, he'll appreciate you for trusting him and he'll give you lots of compliments so that you can show him your other drawings and he'll have that huge and cute eyes 🥺👉👈 while his mouth his gaped open in shock about how your drawings are so pretty. "Y/N you did all of this? It looks SOOO PRETTY!". And if you're the messy type or you constantly misplace your things, he'll always find your sketchbook where you left it and he'll shout at you with that childish yet deep voice as it echoes in the school hallways holding it up while waving his hand to catch your attention. "Y/NNNNN! I FOUND YOUR SKETCHBOOK IT'S ON THE CAFETERIA TABLE!!!" If he's a dog right now, his tail will waggle if you pat his head and thanked him for helping it find it. "Thanks Euntae, I appreciate your help". Your kindness along with your warm smiles, talent, and hard work never fails to amaze him and fall in love for you more!

And if you and Vasco became official after some time, expect the Burn Knuckles to cry while cheering for the both of you. You'll also find it entertaining to teach the them how to draw silly stuff that they like (It can be a pain in the ass but if that's what makes Vasco happy and you to get each other know better you're probably going to do it lmao, protect Vasco at all cost).

Jay Hong (Hong Jae Yol)

This man would be so protective and proud of you.

Jay finds it really interesting when you illustrate something beautiful while being effortless. If you're seatmates with him, he would slightly look at you sketching random things while the teacher discusses another boring lesson. Him multi-tasking with him just listening to the teacher's ramble while his eyes are focused on you drawing on your scratch paper instead of taking notes. Both of you may get into trouble for not listening but since Jay's a top student he can help you catch up with the topics (Istg I saw him on the anime and webtoon not taking notes down while there's a lesson yet he's manages to be in the top how does he do that?)

Headcannon: You and Jay would communicate with cute and silly drawings. For example you and Jay would exchange notes with you asking him how he's feeling or if he's been doing well with a cute cat doodle with a confused/concerned expression plastered on its face with a question mark. And he would respond back with a much simpler drawing of a dog smiling (considering how much he's scared of dogs, well he used to be), a sign/message that he's okay as the conversation will go on :) He also respects it if you're a bit shy of showing your drawings to him not wanting you to feel uncomfortable but he would also appreciates it when you initiate to show it to him. If you're the messy type he'll also check your sketchbook before giving it back to you. Though he will often ask permission if he can check your artworks out.

He also really likes your artstyle! No matter what style or genre of drawing you have you'll never fail to amaze him. He would also appreciate it when you draw him! I promise you he will put all of your illustrations that you gave him on expensive frames and he'll take care and preserve it like it's a delicate piece of masterpiece that needs to be put and hang on a museum (I love him so much).

Overall, Jay and you will have a special bond especially with anything related to art. Jay's perspective on it is so unique. Since he's having a really hard time in expressing his emotions and thoughts through words, he finds it as an escape and comfort on his problems (for an example is him with good fashion style). So having a partner who's an artist can be relatable for him, you and him will be a good power couple! (he also loves your good attitude and values so please be nice to him :).

A/N: Part 2 will be with Eli, Hudson, Warren, and Johan (if possible)

[irondad-creator-awards]

Artist Spotlight - Monireh89

This week we're speaking to @monireh89, friend of the awards and artist.

Monireh was part of the Awards from the very beginning, creating art prizes for our winners and offering her art for promotion pieces. She's part of why the Awards were successful enough the first year to make us come around to The 2024 Cycle

In 2023 @monireh89 won The Best Sketch Award with this piece.

When did you start drawing, and what inspired you to become an artist?

I enjoyed drawing since Elementary school I think and when it was time to decide on a highschool, I fell in love with one particular art school in Prague so I took drawing lessons and suprisingly for me, I got in. It was an incredible experience for me and I learnt a lot there.

What do you enjoy most about creating your art?

Well, I enjoy the process itself. I love the feeling that I am creating some idea of mine and watch it come to life under my hands. And drawing Irondad is a guilty pleasure for me. I wanted to see more scenes between Tony and Peter in the movies and...damn we only got ONE hug So I was like nope, wanna see more. That's also the reason I want my drawings to be as realistic as possible. To have the feeling THIS really happened in the movies you know.

 Which artwork is your favourite and why?

Hmmmm....well, it is hard for me to decide between two drawings. First one Is an illustration for @losingmymindtonight fic about Peter sleepwalking where Peter is curled on Tony's lap and Tony is like...beaming at the Avengers.

The second one is an illustration for Not broken, Just Bent where Tony is hugging a really scared Peter. I love both of them because I think I managed to get the eyes/expressions right. Cause that is the core of every drawing....to look at it And feel the emotions of those characters just from their expressions.

What’s your subject to create art for?

For me, it has always been portrait. I love drawing emotions on people’s faces.

What inspired the winning piece?

The winning piece was Tony and Peter watching TV on a couch and cuddling over a bowl of popcorn. It was inspired by one of my favourite story by @eccentric-artist-22B Petey and the Hermit. This story is exceptional and always had a place in my heart cause the author is my friend. She send me a copy of the story before she published it and it was such a honor for me to read it first.

 Can you tell us a little about the experience of creating it — did anything stand out or was there a particular person that helped more than others?

So you ask if anything stand out while creating this piece, it was the author. An amazing girl whose stories are an endless pit of inspiration for me.

How did you feel to be a winner of the Awards last year?

How did it feel? Simply amazing! I joined Tumblr years ago with no expectations. I didn’t expect my art to be noticed much and this…this just made me feel like I was really accepted into this beautiful fandom full of incredibly talented people and it really made my day/year.

Thank you so much @monireh89 for answering our questions and your continued support of The Awards.

[shineonyoucrazyyandere]

Hello, I hope you don't mind if I share a weird headcanon of mine 👉👈

I normally see people talking about Kakyoin make drawing about you but what if Jotaro does that too? The reason I have this headcanon because I remember the scene when Jotaro using Star Platinum drawing the fly he saw in the picture, and he draw it so well. It makes me think that maybe Jotaro has talent in art too. Jotaro's style will be realistic style while Kakyoin will be more like cartoon/anime style.

Imagine their sketchbook filling with so many drawing of you 💕 Jotaro will watching you from afar, sketching you with your cute smile, your beautiful eyes, he captured it all. For Kakyoin, I think he will even make up characters (oc) that look like you and him and ship them together lol (this headcanon inspried by my friend, she actually do that with her crush).

Thank you for reading my ramble, glad to talk with you :D I would love to hear your thoughts about my weird headcanon

P/s: Love you writing so muchhhh 💝

This is fun stuff, I could eat it up all day. Thanks for sending it in, so I can blabber my mouth about it

This always internally bugged me so I’m very thrilled that someone brought up how well Star Platinum drew that fly. I suppose it’s kind of easy to gloss over for a lot of people compared to Kakyoin’s scene of painting on that canvas. (Then again that fly was kind of important to identify to figure out where Dio was so then again it’s “???” for an explanation)

Anywho, I’d say signs point to Jotaro being able to draw, and I think it’s a hobby he prefers keeping to himself. Like you said of him having a sketchbook, almost no one sees what he draws in it and he doesn’t want anyone else to see it especially if it’s various sketches of you. So more than likely when he does do so, he’s somewhere where he won’t be pestered by school girls, or whatever punk tries to start a fight with him.

I’d also like to think he goes back and lingers on prior stuff, just staring at it for a little while. This applies usually when you’re out of school sick (which he’ll probably stop by later anyway with or without your knowledge). But there’s something comforting about seeing every piece of your visage in his sketchbook. Literally no one else knows about this sketchbook aside from maybe Kakyoin (Holly has her suspicions he takes a sketchbook around but she smiles not pestering her son on his hobbies as she thinks it’s adorable).

For the most part art wise I think Jotaro sticks to traditional art, maybe a dabble of charcoal but he prefers pencils. Maybe watercolor if he ever went beyond, but traditional with pencil/pen is the easiest way for him to pull something out at his leisure. Would he let you see? Maybe eventually when he gets you where he wants you, or if the cat is out of the bag early and you see it and you’re not quite with him yet. Let’s just say seeing that may speed up him taking you.

Kakyoin I could definitely see diving into the oc type of thing, he’d certainly reference an artstyle of a manga you like. (Don’t ask how he figured that out so quickly). Though he definitely loves putting some passion into his artwork and occasionally shamelessly make sultry artwork of you and himself. He loves painting the most as he spreads colors, mixing them into the wondrous hues that is your skin tone. Or splashing watercolors in a notebook, that looks something out of a fairytale. Soft and warm lighting….oops he’s getting a tad bit excited.

He definitely presents pieces that are obviously meant to be stand ins for the two of you. That no one else would ever be wiser too, yeah you might have this odd feeling something’s not quite right, but there’s nothing there you could really prove other than observe just how pretty the composition is. If you compliment it, that just fuels this man’s desire further.

Biggest takeaway here is Jotaro and Kakyoin very blatantly have their own styles whether sticking with black/white/grey, or full on color. Both would be pretty in their own right, and their style choices speak of their personalities without saying a single word.

[princessofmerchants]

Which scenes from acotar- acosf with Nesta are your favorites? 👀

Thank you for this ask, anon! This will be super fun to list out all of my favorite Nesta scenes from the ACOTAR books.

ACOTAR

"Tell me everything that happened." - When Feyre returns to her family halfway through the book, and we learn Tamlin's glamour didn't work on Nesta, and Feyre starts to understand Nesta's inner fire in a way she hadn't before. This set of scenes launched Nesta right on to my list of favorite characters - they are pure fire.

Feyre teaches Nesta to paint - This is a brief but, to me, utterly beautiful moment amid the set of scenes I listed above. It's when Nesta asks Feyre to teach her to paint, and in particular it's the moment when they emerge from where they had been painting together and both are covered in paint and charcoal, even as it's clear Nesta isn't very good at it but she wanted to try anyway, with her sister. Some day I want to commission an artist to draw Feyre and Nesta in this moment of ACOTAR. It fills my familial heart right up every time I read it.

ACOMAF

"Wings and Embers" bonus chapter - When I first read this bonus chapter, the way Nesta's pov in this extended scene made me feel seen by words on the page, in a way I never had felt seen before, is something I cherish.

When the human queens visit the Archeron estate - Nesta makes a passionate and uncharacteristically vulnerable plea to the queens to protect the human lands south of Prythian, which leads to Cassian promising to protect the humans even if the queens will not. It's another beautiful example of Nesta being vulnerable in a public way, and it moves me every time I read it.

"The hellcat now, if you'll be so kind." - When the King of Hybern orders Nesta to be pushed into the Cauldron and forcibly Made Fae. This entire scene is devastating and traumatic. But watching Nesta fight back with the rage we first glimpse in "Wings and Embers" makes this an absolute standout Nesta scene for me. The finger point at Hybern and his unnerved reaction are everything to me.

ACOWAR

Scenes when Nesta is training with Amren - I always loved these and even though my present canonical feelings about Amren are mixed to poor, the way these scenes brought out a side of Nesta we hadn't seen yet make them special to me.

The meeting of the High Lords - Both during it, when Nesta as the Night Court's new Emissary to the Human Lands makes a public and, again, incredibly vulnerable case to those assembled that the humans are worth protecting, and also the scene just after the meeting when Nesta senses the Cauldron and Cassian believes her without question, which is just one of many of the embarrassment of riches we get in this book when it comes to Nessian.

When Nesta scries for the Cauldron with stones and bones - Everything about this scene is chef's kiss, but especially the Nessian dynamic in it.

Nesta screaming for Cassian during the battle against Hybern - This doesn't need an explanation, does it? As we learn later, it's the moment Cassian realizes they are mates. It is everything.

Cassian lifting Nesta to greet Drakon and the legions he brought with him, and the arrival of Papa Archeron - This scene, also during the battle, means so much to me that it's depicted in the first ever artwork I commissioned.

Nessian's stand against the King of Hybern - the way they fight together and are willing to die together sets me alight whenever I read it, and it's always fascinating to me that SJM manages to show us this scene from within Feyre's pov, who isn't even present for it.

Nesta and her father - His last words to her.....ACOSF shows just how important and complicated this moment is for Nesta, and it's for those same reasons this scene is so important to me.

Nesta kills the king - I love that Elain is the one who appears and makes the first blow on this kill, and that when Nesta finishes the job she lifts the king's head like the badass that she is. There is such trauma and rage in this moment and, again, seeing that baldly on the page is transformative for me every time I read it. Related to this moment is a little while later when the Archeron sisters walk past the King of Hybern's corpse, and Nesta spits on it. So raw, so perfect.

ACOFAS

Nesta's pov - After her fight with Cassian, the small snippet we get in Nesta's pov when she returns to her apartment, locks her doors, and completely dissociates in despair. It is so painful and raw, but again there is something about this scene that also makes me feel seen, especially heading into ACOSF.

ACOSF

(I need to do these rapid fire because, if I give an explanation for each one, this post will take forever to write; they also may be listed out of order, my apologies for that)

The Prologue - Nesta in the Cauldron from her pov

Opening scenes in Nesta's pov where we finally learn what she's been going through

Nesta's nightmare after her first try at scrying

Nesta successfully scrying for the Mask (when the room turns cold and Cassian kisses her back to herself after using her power)

Nesta fighting the kelpie in the Bog of Oorid and then reuniting with Cass and Az

The first time Nesta wields a sword

Ch. 50 - Nesta and Cassian by the lake after their hike through the Sleeping Mountains

Nesta's fight against Lanthys in the Prison

Nesta bringing Cassian to her family's cottage (this scene is absolutely standout for me)

Nesta, Gwyn, and Emerie making friendship bracelets together

When Gwyn gives Nesta and Emerie her Solstice gift to them ("We're in a book." "Our stories are worth telling." *sobs*)

Nesta working through her PTSD response to the sound of fire and then the House of Wind's Solstice gift to her in the heart of the House

Nesta dancing at the Solstice ball (when this leaked ahead of the book's release, I sobbed at seeing a glimpse of Nesta healed and joyful)

Ch. 58 - Cassian giving Nesta the Symphonia, her response, and Nessian finally yielding to each other and their mating bond solidifying

Nesta mastering herself during her fight with Cassian about their mating bond and choosing not to hurt him with her words

Nesta, Emerie, and Gwyn fighting off a group of random Illyrians during the Blood Rite like a single Valkyrie unit

Nesta sending Emerie and Gwyn to the summit of Ramiel and holding the Pass of Enalius

Nesta erupting with the power of the Cauldron

Nesta's conversation with the Mother while wearing the Mask during the birth of Nyx

Nesta visiting her father's grave at the very end of the book

[wabxxisabi]

⋆.˚ ☾ .⭒˚ 【 𝗞𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗵𝗮𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘂 𝘅 𝗛𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗶: ʟᴏᴠᴇ ɪꜱ ᴀ ʙᴀᴛᴛʟᴇꜰɪᴇʟᴅ 】 ☪︎ ִ ֶ֢࣪⋆

( C ) Naruto / Boruto by Kishimoto Masashi

Artwork by me wabxxisabi

When you let your soul free, you also let your heart go to who you are meant to be — to your destiny. That is why Hanabi and Konohamaru chose to be each other's destiny. And their destinies became the change for their clans and the future ahead of them.

✴⛧⁺˚⋆｡°✩₊✴⛧⁺˚⋆｡°✩₊✴⛧⁺˚⋆｡°✩₊✴⛧⁺˚⋆｡°✩₊✴⛧⁺˚⋆｡°✩₊✴⛧⁺˚⋆｡°✩₊

⤹ I am literally crying inside with these two digital paintings I created. I'm also speechless at how beautiful Hanabi and Konohamaru came out of my canvas o(〒﹏〒)o I just really love their characters!

⤹ Inspiration for these paintings is from 'TAG' by @kiljoius-writes @kiljoius (≧◡≦) ♡ The 'Change' chapter hit so hard in my feelings because Hanabi and Kono wanted a union instead of just a mere alliance with their clans. Lo and behold, my paintings of KonoHana wearing both clan symbols for their unification and destiny in love~ I can't wait for your next KonoHana fanfics. Love you Kiljoius-san!

⤹ Special shoutout to the person who inspired me in this digital painting journey. No other than @jollyart - san!! ヽ(≧◡≦)八(o^ ^o)ノYou've been there for me since day 1 of my digital art. Whenever I start coloring and drawing, I always remember the advice you told me about color theory, proportions, shadowing and more. I know you are doing great things right now and always stay healthy ~ I dedicate this art to you too! Sending you lots of love and hugs!!

[kobayashisoul]

》 ʙᴇɪɴɢ ᴍᴀʀʀɪᴇᴅ 《

Gaara and Raziela were married for some Months now. It still was such a new Feeling, so refreshing, so beautiful. Neither Gaara nor Reeze could believe it. Being finally married.

Gaara often asked himself how he could be so lucky. And for Reeze it was the same.

After so much tragedy in their both lives none of them believed that they could ever find their happy End, their loved ones.

Before Gaara met her, he never thought that he would habe romantic Feelings for someone. He always was a workaholic, someone who lived for his work. Especially after he became the Kazekage of Suna. He worked so hard to reach this goal, and he was ready to only live for his dream that came true.

But with Reeze a totally different dream came true. A dream he never was aware of. Suddenly he not only lived for his work, now he only lived to make her happy, to bring a Smile to her Face. To always be there for her.

Reeze totally closed her heart for everything after Akio died. She swore to herself that she would never fall in love again. That no one would ever be so close to her heart again.

And well, what happened? Gaara happened, haha.

And that wasn't even everything. Not being here they not only were married, they were Parents of two wonderful Children. Gaara's and her Heir.

Everything changed so drastically after they met each other. Things happened they never dreamed of, or things that they closed their Hearts for.

And they wouldn't want to change one Thing about that.

➖️➖️➖️➖️➖️➖️➖️➖️➖️➖️➖️➖️➖️➖️➖️➖️➖️➖️➖️➖️➖️

Art (c) akaneiro.arts on Instagram

Raziela Kobayashi (c) @kobayashisoul

Sabaku No Gaara (c) Masashi Kishimoto

Naruto & Boruto (c) Masashi Kishimoto and Mikio Ikemoto

This Picture was a YCH Comission for me from akaneiro.arts. I am NOT the Artist of this Artwork. I am a Art Collector. I have the Artists written permission to upload this drawing to my Social Media. ⚠️

The Oc, her Design and Story belong to me. ⚠️

Without my written permission you have no right to recolor/repost/trace/edit/use this in any way. Also please don't use my Characters for Roleplay or Fanfictions. ⚠️

[bookaddict24-7]

REVIEWS OF THE WEEK!

EVERY WEEK I WILL POST A VARIOUS REVIEWS I’VE WRITTEN SO FAR IN 2024. YOU CAN CHECK OUT MY GOODREADS FOR MORE UP-TO-DATE REVIEWS HERE.

___

8. That Time I Got Drunk & Saved A Demon by Kimberly Lemming--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

First five-star read of 2024 🙏🏽

My friends have read this book and LOVED it, so I don't know why I'm lowkey surprised by how much I enjoyed this. I thought it would be a cheesy and slightly boring read (I didn't read the synopsis, okay? Sue me.) But what I got was SO far from that. Full of adventure, heart, sexual tension, and hilarious sass, I found myself laughing and paying rapt attention.

I loved the MC and her responses and commentary. I can see myself re-reading this just to highlight all of her sass. She's one of those contemporary characters set in a fantastical world that helps keep these kinds of stories light and fun. There's a scene where the demon just stares at her like "Okay, so we are definitely getting married" and I don't even blame him. This woman is a BADASS.

I loved their exploration of their world and how quick it was. Some readers might want more setting development, but honestly? I'm happy with how light and straightforward it was. I also really liked the side characters and how the demon just takes out anyone he wants, especially if they threaten the MC.

This was fun and everything I wish that other cozy fantasy book had given me. The new editions of the other two books have already been preordered 😌.

___

9. The Thing About Jellyfish by Ali Benjamin--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

THE THING ABOUT JELLYFISH perfectly encompasses the tortures of middle school, the changing of the people we once called friends, and the effects of grief and how a child's mind may twist in ways that might help them comprehend the reality of death.

Ali Benjamin does a fantastic job of drawing out the history of her MC and her friend. The way they both changed and how the MC came to choosing to stay silent verbally for the majority of the book. Watching her trying to find reasons for why her friend has died was heartbreaking. I can't imagine being a parent in that situation, where you know you can't help your child comprehend the change in their reality.

Also, middle school is a cruel place for a lot of kids (hi, I was one of its victims) and the levels of evil some of these kids get up to is truly astounding. It broke me a little watching this friendship fall apart and this poor, young MC having to remember the last moment she saw her friend alive.

Sometimes things just happen and this whole book is, ultimately, a great source for children grieving. Life can be messy, confusing, and sometimes heartbreaking. Benjamin's novel is beautiful and this is another one of those middle grade books that I think adults AND kids should be reading.

___

10. The Skull by Jon Klassen--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

If no one has read any other Jon Klassen books, then they're in for a surprise. If they have, then they'll recognize the eeriness of his writing.

You can't tell me that the hat books aren't creepy (there's a couple of pages where the big fish CLEARLY eats the little fish in the long grass). This guy is morbid and props to kids' authors who can write a book both for kids and adults.

The artwork was beautiful as always and the story was a very, very quick read. Perfect for those 5-7 year olds who want to try something themselves but don't mind a talking skeleton or skull.

This also got reeeeeeal dark at one point and I was just thinking of how some of the Gen Alpha kids are.

Highly recommend--especially for those littles who love a little spooky with their bedtime stories.

___

11. The Fiancée Farce by Alexandria Bellefleur--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Romantic, at times funny, spicy, and full of characters I wanted to punch in the dick, THE FIANCÉE FARCE was entertaining from beginning to end.

Much like many of my reading experiences, I jumped into this without knowing what I was getting myself into and imagine my joy and surprise when the trope of "marriage of convenience" popped up. I loved watching these characters fall in love with each other, and I loved seeing the thwart the horrible people in their lives. I also loved that one of the MCs has a massive love for reading (shown through her family's bookstore).

Was this the best romance I've ever read? Not really--it had some pretty obvious climactic points and some very over the top villains--but it held my attention and I fell for the couple. I loved that one helped the other find her confidence that had been stripped from her at a younger age.

One of the things that keeps me from giving this a five star rating is how...in a bubble this story feels? Like, we meet other characters as they serve their purpose (as is the usual) but if they're not in the scene, it's like they don't exist. There's one scene where one particular character doesn't speak and it's a pretty pivotal moment for the reader to pay extra attention because this is a huge hint about this character, but Bellefleur doesn't even hint at it? It's like that character is deleted from the scene. This is like taking the adage of "when you're with me, I only see you" and using it to the max.

Other than that, this was an entertaining and sexy story of proving assholes wrong and falling in love despite you believing that you're not deserving of love. Highly recommend for enough looking for a cute romance full of family drama and fake relationships!

___

12. Ana On the Edge by A.J. Sass--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Such a powerful story!

One of my favourite messages that ANA ON THE EDGE could potentially give young readers that it is OKAY to be in the process of trying to figure out who you are, but also that it's okay to not have all of the answers at once.

We see the MC struggle with their identity and their relationships throughout the whole book, especially because their world has always seemingly had such clear cut gender norms (Ice skating is a huge part of her world). I can't even imagine trying to find who you are when everyone around you is imposing who they think you are on you.

I also enjoyed that we got to see some of the more pivotal relationships in the MCs life and that messy in-between with friendships when big changes happen--like sudden schedule changes, or new friendships blossom. While this book tackled pretty big topics, I liked that its core it was still truly an MGLit book that explored the importance of friendships and keeping the good ones alive (even when life gets a bit hectic.)

Finally, I adored the relationship between the MC and their mom. I loved that they were a team and even though it took a little bit of time, they had some good communication between the two of them. There were some heartwarming moments and I loved seeing them understand each other better as the story progressed.

I think this is another great LGBTQ+ book to have in my back pocket for when I need to recommend great Queer books to readers!

___

13. Mindy Kim & the Birthday Puppy by Lyla Lee and Dung Ho Hanh (Illustrations)--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

It's been a while since I picked up the last MINDY KIM book but this was just as cute as I remember the last two books being. There were some moments that made me tear up a little, but I'm just an emotional mess sometimes.

I loved seeing Mindy come into her own with her brand new puppy. A couple of my best friends have a puppy and as I read Mindy's adventures (or misadventures), I thought of how difficult it was for my friends to parent a brand new puppy. This is a kid's book, so I'm not surprised Mindy was able to be so successful so quickly, but in reality, puppies are a lot more work than what was shown here. BUT this didn't take away from the story at all! I love that this could be a really great resource for littles who want a puppy, but need a further understanding of the responsibilities behind it.

And much like the last two books, there were some important topics explored here: how families might look, grief, multicultural traditions, and responsibilities one might take on.

Another great addition to the series and I'll hopefully be reading the next one soon!

___

14. Suddenly by Isabelle Autissier--⭐️⭐️.5

I had a lot of expectations for SUDDENLY by Isabelle Autissier, but we all know expectations are sometimes the death knell of a story. The cover enticed me, the synopsis further pulled me in, but the clunky translation full of thesaurus-level words and the random time-jump totally took me out of the story.

Normally, I DNF books that aren't working for me because hi, I have a massive TBR to get through before I die. But I will give Autissier this: she wrote a very intriguing beginning to her book. I wanted to see these characters survive and thrive in their new environment. A morbid sense of intrigue had me continuing the story as they mercilessly killed creatures I never thought someone could kill so coldly, and as they had massive introspection about their super privileged lives (and their first world ignorance about their importance in the grand scheme of things.)

These two characters were severely unlikable, but I couldn't help but get attached. I felt such a mixed bag of emotions towards the FMC and when the time jump happened, I felt further disconnected from not just her, but the story as a whole.

I'll be blunt: the second part of the book (or more like 3/4 way through the book) ruined this for me. I understand the importance of seeing the story of the "after" but I hated it. I think it went from being an interesting exploration of survival and humanity to the superficial experience of society marking you as a hero for surviving. I get that this is also the point: the further examination of how society is in (the character's) reality vs. the truths they realized about the societies they had grown in and how wholly unprepared they were for the battlefield of survival. I get that, but I still disliked it. From there, I felt like the story dragged and my attention wavered even more.

And don't get me started on the ending--the page I thought was going to be the last page was a better last page than the actual last page.

Overall, I liked the first half of the book. Despite the dark aspects, the gut churning choices, and the heartbreaking conclusion, I enjoyed that part. The second part of the book brought the whole story down for me.

___

15. Fake Dates & Mooncakes by Sher Lee--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

FAKE DATES AND MOONCAKES was a pretty straightforward and easy read, but listen, it was FUN. This felt like I was experiencing a K-Drama or C-Drama. It was such a good time--the dramatic twists, the threats against the middle class guy dating the rich guy, and the CRAZY RICH ASIANS-like trip and event? Freaking amazing. LOL the love interest literally waits for the MC outside of his school standing by his Ferrari. This is juicy Asian-drama level stuff and I ate. it. up.

The romance was adorable and sweet and I won't lie, I sometimes forgot these were teenagers--not because of anything gross, but because these two were so mature in their actions and how they interacted with each other.

The familial relationships were so sweet and I loved how they clearly had each others' best interests in mind whenever something pivotal happened. They were adorable and I loved them.

Reading this was like experiencing some of my favourite Asian dramas again, with a dash of CRAZY RICH ASIANS. It wasn't an earth-shattering read, but five stars for solely being entertaining and making me smile with giddiness. If you want a cute gay story with some truly cute moments, then you might like this--especially as a read for when the warmer weather finally returns!

___

Have you read any of these books? Would you recommend them?

___

Happy reading!

[blackcultureis]

Whitewashing and why you shouldn't do (or support) it

Disclaimer: This post will specifically address the white washing of Black people and characters.

What is white washing? White washing in the context of fanart is when you take a character of color, usually one with brown/black skin, and either make their skin lighter, give them more Eurocentric features, or both.

Why is it harmful? To explain why this is harmful, I will use one of the first examples of fanart; renaissance paintings of ancient Greek myths. Specifically, artwork featuring Princess Andromeda. Go to your search engine and type in "princess Andromeda". Based on those images, you would never have known that in the original Greek legends, Andromeda was black. So why is she most often depicted as a white woman?

McGrath’s article was definitive in addressing three things: that all the Greek mythographers placed Andromeda as a princess of Ethiopia, that Ovid specifically refers to her dark skin and that artists throughout Western art history frequently omitted to depict her blackness because Andromeda was supposed to be beautiful, and blackness and beauty – for many of them – was dichotomous.

That quote is from this article, and I highly recommend you give it a read. When you whitewash a character, you are perpetuating the idea in the quote above. That this character you like, whether you like them because they're funny or smart or beautiful, cannot be those things and also have black features.

Colorism and whitewashing

I'm going to bring up colorism, because sometimes, people will have a character still look Black, but lighten their skin tone, essentially making a dark skinned character light skinned. That is not okay either.

colorism: prejudice or discrimination against individuals with a dark skin tone, typically among people of the same ethnic or racial group:

Lighter skinned Black people, while still targets of racism, are closer to whiteness than darker skinned Black people, and in some cases face less discrimination. When Black people first started to appear on TV, it was generally lighter skinned ones because that was more acceptable. This article goes more in depth about colorism.

Misogynoir and whitewashing.

Misogynoir is a word coined to describe the unique hatred that black women face. It is the intersection of racism and misogyny.

People may whitewash a female presenting character but not a male presenting character. One trait of misogyny is tying a womans worth to their beauty. When you realize that beauty and blackness were (and still are) seen as antonyms, the issue with this type of whitewashing is made clear.

Texturism and whitewashing

texturism: a form of social injustice, where afro-textured hair or coarse hair types are viewed negatively, often perceived as "unprofessional", "unattractive", or "unclean".

When Black characters were first introduced to media, aspects of them would be changed to heighten their proximity to whiteness and make them more palatable to white audiences. Black women would get perms or silk presses, and Black men would keep their hair cut short and "tidy." This would occur in normal workplaces as well. Black hair has too often been regarded as "unprofessional" or "thuggish."

Note: This does not mean that all Black women with silk presses or perms or all Black men with short hair are trying to heighten their proximity to whiteness, or do not love themselves and their hair.

Changing a Black character's natural hair/curl pattern to be more loosely textured can also be considered white washing, especially when paired with lightened skin. However, it is very nuanced; some people may want to show a character with a sew-in or wearing a wig, or just draw them with straightened hair. It is not always white washing, but it is a good thing to be aware of anyway. This article goes more in depth about texturisim.

How can you help?

Don't create, support, or reblog whitewashed art.

P.S. if anyone wants to come on this post bringing up blackwashing, read this (now updated) post of mine.

[bumbleboa]

I just need you to know that your artwork of Law combined with Calypso's ZoLaw fics/AUs have send me down a wonderful rabbit hole and maybe kinda turned me into a ZoLaw shipper. Definitely a Law fan. Seriously you two are AMAZING and so creative and all of your work is beautiful

(including the second ask, typos haunt my existence, so I feel you, Anon)

First of all, this is such a sweet message! I love Law as a character which is probably quite obvious from how much I draw him. He has been haunting my mind for a long time now and if I can pass on some of these feelings to others, then that's awesome.

And I am doubly glad that you followed @calysto1395 and me into the ZoLaw rabbit hole!

Fun story about that: Calysto started catching up to the manga this summer (she was only up to Water 7 before from watching the anime when it aired a long time ago). She liveblogged her read-through and I lived vicariously through her reading plot beats for the first time. Her favorite character has always been Zoro, and mine, as stated above, is Law.

I tried REALLY hard to not be too giddy for Law to appear in her read-through, to not gush about him and set up false expectations that might be disappointed in the long run. To my relief, she also ended up liking him and in a true moment of genius she decided that if Zoro is her fave and Law is mine ... what better than to mash the two together!

I had up to this point not thought about this pairing besides ''oh that's neat'' in passing, but very quickly we both realized that we fell head-first into a new ship that will keep us busy for the foreseeable future.

I am very grateful to have such a good friend like her, who saw me gushing over a thing and decided to play in my space and then invited me to read the stories she came up with. It's been a real blast!

[guppygiggles]

((Oh shoot I was mid-ask and pushed the wrong thing and I’m not sure it sent so starting over 😅))

Anywho hello hi there I really hope you don’t mind the like spamming (and interactions in general from nsfw blogs); I just really couldn’t help myself bc I’m resonating so much with your content and tags and you seem like a genuinely lovely human with absolutely adorable artwork so I wanted to show you some appreciation 🥺💗 It immediately comes across how much you love and care for your OCs via the lore you’ve created and the utmost tender way you talk about them and the way they interact with each other ?? 😭 it’s impossible not to fall in love with them too. I also hope you’ve heard copious amount of feedback about how brilliant your writing is - so detailed, so warm, so intimate…it’s extremely flustering and endlessly endearing and I’m so grateful you share your gift with all of us on here! In particular, I’m positively fascinated with Avery’s backstory and anatomy and am loving discovering the depth of the layers of thought that you put into composing him. Excited to learn more 🥰

((((I’m also approaching my third decade of life next year and it’s always nice seeing rep for folks my age in the community who are still enjoying and exploring their relationship with this “kink”(using this term lightly bc I know everyone may not consider themselves to fall under that umbrella). I too met my partner on here, and it’s beautiful to hear that things can work out in the long run so thank you for that tidbit of reassurance 💗 sending wishes of happiness for you both!!))))

Sorry again for this long winded ramble I was just inspired and wanted to send the warm vibes I received while perusing your awesome blog back your way!!! Hope you have a lovely day 💕

-🐰

Anon... my god! 😭💙 /very positive

Crying into my tea on a Sunday morning... god, I am so touched by this, I'm just falling apart...

Let me respond to this sequentially, so I don't just get flooded with emotion (and if you've been watching how I post, you already know this is going to be long as fuck... Sorry! 🥲)

1. I am absolutely okay with NSFW blogs interacting with me, and spam interactions don't bother me at all! The only interactions I don't want are from minors and dickheads, haha. No worries on this, peach.

2. Fewer people interact with my fic than with my art, but when I tell you I treasure every single thing people say about my fic... god, there's just nothing like it. My fic is so, so close to my heart. I've been a writer much longer than I've been an artist, so I feel like I can really express myself through writing in a way I can't with art... I'm trying, but I'm not quite there yet! God, thank you so much for your kind words... I am so grateful that the warmth and love I feel when I'm writing is felt by others, too. I really try to capture the very essence of how these characters and their emotions feel in my mind and heart.

And you like the lore, too? 🥺 My long-winded rambling? My wordy expositions? God, my heart! 😭💙

3. I am so happy to know you met your partner in this community, too! I am really wishing the best for you, and yes, it absolutely can work out! My spouse and I are very different from each other, but we are still best friends after six years, and I don't see that changing any time soon.

4. I feel like this community tends to be younger, especially here on Tumblr, so it's kind of refreshing to hear from someone in the same phase of life as me. If there's anything I didn't expect, it's that I would still be exploring my feelings about tickling (and, well, intimacy as a whole) well into adulthood. It's funny how things come back around, though... I was making tickling doodles in my diary when I was just a kid, but I stopped (and, stopped drawing altogether, really) after high school. Had to work through a ton of shame, religious trauma, and just a metric fuckton of other shit, all to come right back around to doing tickling doodles again, haha! I was delighted to find that, at 30 (and with a whole lot of new experiences and context), it still makes me just as giddy now as it did then.

All of this is to say... There may be common threads throughout one's life, but we aren't really set in stone the way people think. You can absolutely discover, and rediscover, yourself and what brings you joy over and over again as you grow and have new experiences. If I can give any advice on this, it's this: Don't close yourself off. You only have this one life, so use it to experience all you can. Even if you're shy, like me... do your best to lend a kind word, an ear, or a hand as often as possible. You never know who, or what, is gonna set your soul on fire.

Anon, thank you so much for this ask... And if you ever want to chat, I'd be more than delighted. 💙

[seeminglydark]

i dont know if theres like, a specific time we usually save the fangirling for on this blog (it seems to come in waves) but im in my feels right now so, heck it, here we go! i just wanted to say that, as a trans person, your work makes me so happy. the fact that you’ve created such a compelling story where a trans person not only survives but thrives in their identity and their relationship is so special to me, even more so with the fact that you never seem to shy away from caro’s transness in your art even outside of the comic. it is genuinely SO awe-inspiring, and i just wanted to thank you, as one trans man that your work has touched the heart of !! (and also just, beyond all of that, your writing is so lovely and all of your characters are so lovely and i am positively in love with the story you’re telling through seemingly dark) so yeah- thank you, again, for putting this story out into the world, it means so much !!

No specific time, I always enjoy getting asks!

Well, congrats cuz you put me in my feels too, and I spent WAY TO LONG drawing this little bb Caro newly on their path to transition to say thank you for this incredibly sweet message.

When I created Caro, i didn’t have a lot of experience in anything trans-related. I had a lot of help from friends who told me their stories. I created them because I knew it was an identity I shared, but I didn’t know how to navigate it. My trans friends and Caro helped me find my words, myself and my own story. I wanted a strong (in some ways lol), incredibly cool and beautiful (imo) character everyone in the story liked, who dealt with body image issues in such a positive way, being fem in so many ways, while knowing inherently they are not a girl. I wanted Caro to embrace their body and be proud of what they had, and what they made from it to fit their identity. Obviously there’s moments they deal with in Seemingly Dark, phobic assholes and fear of coming out officially to John, just like most of us have in real life, but I wanted Caro to be confident enough in themself and their found family to know the people who matter love and accept them. I wanted Caro’s character flaws and obstacles in both comics to have nothing to do with their transition, I wanted their identity to be their joy. Supernatural problems, difficult relationship stuff, uncertainty of the future, but the one thing that they know for absolute certain is who they are. And they embrace it.

Caro’s transition is important to me, and I’m really glad you like and notice my artwork surrounding them, I want to celebrate them, cuz I love seeing beautiful trans art and I thought, hey! Maybe I can do that too.

Thank you for the message, I really need to hear things like this sometimes, I’m so glad you found my art and stories! Thank you for reading ✨ 🏳️‍⚧️

[theaistired]

WIP Intro - Galidean

Key Words

Fantasy | Mystery | Magic | Nature

About the WIP

I was in 7th grade when I played Fire Emblem Blazing Sword for the first time. My brother showed me the official artwork and since I loved the art so much, I started drawing characters that could fit into a Fire Emblem game. Eventually, it turned into an original story which was later combined with two other story ideas into one big setting. Also known as the reason why this series sits currently at 12 planned books�� No, I don’t know why I (keep) do(ing) this to myself.

The series is (currently) structured into 3x4 books. While there is an ongoing story happening throughout the entire series, 4 books always tell one story in themselves.

Since I’ve been in a never-ending cycle of writing and then fully abandoning my drafts until last year, I’m still working on the first draft of the first book. However, the entire series is more or less planned out with major plot points already set in stone.

Trigger Warnings

This isn’t supposed to be dark fantasy, however some worldbuilding elements/plot points might be disturbing to some.

Violence (mostly physical, sexual violence is only alluded to) | Body horror | Human experimentation

Summary

The first story told within the world of Galidean takes place 100 years after the defeat of the Dark Sun, the most powerful dragon in living memory. To celebrate their victory, the human nations gather together, sending their future leaders on a diplomatic journey through the different territories.

While all seems well at the surface, scorching raids are leaving their marks all over the continent. Afraid that the seal keeping the Dark Sun imprisoned is beginning to break, strangers band together to find a way to end the Dark Sun permanently.

Main Characters

Valerian: The second prince of the Empire. An anxious young man who tries his best to make his family proud despite his numerous shortcomings. A gentle soul interested in history and culture and always intend on kindness and doing good in the world. 21 y.o. | he/him

Sanura: An orphan from the Land of Legends. A confident and outgoing woman who will soon take up her oath to serve her home for the rest of her life. As most people struggle to see past her muscles, they don’t see Sanura’s many skills honed through years of dedication. 20 y.o. | she/her

Calder: A noble from Ilai, heir to the most prominent and influential house. An easy-going young man who keeps calm in the face of the many rumours surrounding his past and present. As charming and cunning as a fox. 18 y.o. | he/him

Rune: A shaman from the nomadic people of the north. A young man with a cold demeanour and a brilliant mind. Dedicated to his family, his people and the pursuit of arcane knowledge above all else. 18 y.o. | he/him

Side Characters

Nimue: A noble from Ilai, one of the few arcane healers. Quiet and seemingly unshakable, the young woman is renowned for both her beauty and healing abilities. She keeps her thoughts to herself and is the closest confidant of her betrothed, Calder. 19 y.o. | she/her

Thyra: Rune’s little sister. They suffer from a unique chronic condition that will result in an early death. Driven, sharp witted and inpatient with those around them, they impress others with an odd assortment of talents. 15 y.o. | they/them

Snippet: Galidean Book 1 | The Secret Kepper | Prologue

Today I say goodbye to my home and family, to my people and myself. Here I write the last testament and last confessions of a legend. This grand hall holds many accounts of its accomplishments, of victories and defeats. However, some is still missing, and it is my last duty to complete this archive. The hole within history is made of betrayal and secrets, going hand in hand to where I do not know how to begin.  But I suppose, it does not matter. These words are meant for no one but the echoes of a hollow heart.

Tagging

@colombette (Thank you so much for your feedback on the intro!)

[lizziempress]

Bulletproof Yourself from Feast or Famine

A career in Illustration is often portrayed as a risky journey rife with highs and lows. There is a path that will help you revel in feasts rather than endure a life of famine. Become a chameleon.

Chameleons get work. As an illustrator for entertainment advertising, I am required to switch styles on a dime (often multiple times in one day). This ability keeps me busy even when client needs vary widely. Being able to work efficiently in a variety of styles and mediums may come at the price of being an all-star in one particular method. But, your drawing muscles will be well developed, your mind will be sharp, you’ll discover new ways of problem-solving (which increases speed), and you’ll be working. Developing mastery of one style has its own merits, and you’ll always be stronger in one or two naturally. If you’ve targeted a particular industry, medium, or even company as your holy grail, then by all means go for broke. If your primary goal is to develop into the strongest, fastest, most employed illustrator you can, read on.

Collect Books & Stay Inspired

Great artists have come before us, and our contemporaries are generating impressive content at an incredible pace. Bring their work home with you. Stay abreast of what is out there both traditionally and currently. Keep a Pinterest collection of your favorite illustration work, and several folders of reference. Learn from observation. Why do you love this work? Is this digital color laid over pencil sketches? How many heads tall are the characters in this children’s book? What would you have done differently as the artist?

Every so often, stop by a second-hand bookstore to load up an arm full of illustrated material that you find inspirational. Maintain a personal library of cherished books. At any moment, you may walk the shelf and be re-engaged by a comic, concept art, or a picture book that you haven’t glanced at in a year. Flip through, and it will tell you old tells in a new way. Your mind will absorb a portion of the technique without picking up a pencil (or stylus).

Study Anatomy & Build an Écorché

If you are serious about working as an illustrator full-time, a solid understanding of the human form is a must. Human faces and anthropomorphic characters grace nearly every advertisement, film, and animated feature. Constructing an écorché model from clay over a wire base (or drawing the bones, muscles, then surface detail of the human form) will significantly improve your understanding of human anatomy. When you are assigned to draw several figures at various angles with little reference in a hurry, the task won’t be as staggering. You will better understand how muscle connects to the bone, where to plot boney protrusions, the angle of the wrist. If a leg is hidden in the reference but you must draw it for the assignment, you will have the mental power to invent the mystery leg.

Attend Figure Drawing Sessions

Photographs will only get you so far when it comes to learning how a real person moves, breaths, and exists in natural light. Nothing beats a live figure drawing session. Zoom figure drawing is valuable too. Whenever possible, attend drawing sessions that feature models of every gender, height, weight, ethnicity, and age that you can. Humans are diverse, and that is a beautiful thing. Immortalize all types of people on the page. You’ll be rewarded with artwork that is relatable, believable, and stronger. The more figure drawings you produce, the larger your mental library will become, and the more accurate and graceful your strokes will be.

Practice Drawing in Several Styles

Now that you’ve assembled a treasure trove of beloved style samples, and built your mental library of human (and maybe even animal) anatomy, it is time to experiment. Try everything from realism to extremely stylized animated characters. Flexible artists get work. One week you may be sketching black and white storyboard panels for a vehicle AD spot, the next you will be painting a vintage pin-up style character for a wine label, then the following week you’ll be asked to design a cute Twitter emoji of an animated sloth, and so on. Yes, there are artists who maintain one signature style that lands them tons of lucrative projects. But, when you are starting out and building your reputation as an illustrator who shows up and produces great work on time, you may not yet enjoy the luxuries of being a sought-out all-star yet. By having the ability to switch gears multiple times a week, even multiple times a day, you’ll not only work — you’ll discover what you really love to draw, and what styles you excel at. Think of it like a style buffet (with a paycheck)!

Now that I’ve mentioned money, never work for free. Let me repeat that, never work for free! Developing art muscles that can spring effortlessly from one style to the next, is a valuable skill. Your time, and the years you spent learning leading up to this gig, are precious. Get paid. Get paid fairly, and if you aren’t sure what to charge, ask another artist. Check out a guide book, forums, do your research. The health of our industry relies on it. Future you, will be oh so glad that you did! Now that you’re networking regarding rates…

Stay Connected

Other illustrators are your most valuable resource. Seek out mentors and friends within the industry for guidance and support. Your first gigs will likely come from a more experienced artist who has an overflow of work, or who knows of a project (or company) that you’d be a great fit for. Join groups and collectives such as Girls Drawin’ Girls, The Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, or Freelancers Union. Take small boutique classes with industry professionals, in which you’ll get to actively speak with the teacher.

Most importantly, make actual friends. Some of your best memories will likely come from figure drawing with other artists, attending museums and shows, collaborating on projects, or even surviving intense deadlines together. Share your knowledge freely with others, and listen when your fellow illustrators have advice for you. Cutthroat competitiveness isn’t a good look, it isn’t pleasant, and it won’t get you far anyway. Skip it. Build a community. You chose drawing as a career path because it is fun. Enjoy being an illustrator!