#this is one of those sketches where i don't worry too much about anatomy and poses looking perfect but more about the therapeutic properties

[felixeis003]

Almost forgot to post this here!

[aerkame]

Finfolk AU question:

If the potion to make you a finman requires blood, ritualistic style, what other rituals or events might take place on the island?

Surprisingly, almost every neighbor has gotten into the habit of potion-making. But it's mostly Wally and Howdy. Everyone has their own way of doing things. BUT aside from potions of transformation and binding spells, most potions brewed on the island include...

The classic love potion (self explanatory), invisibility, enhancement of a finman/woman's powers, sleep aid or just straight up a sleep potion, a potion that allows the drinker to see into someone's dreams, mind reading, strength potion, truth serum, protection spell, transmutation (finfolk can shapeshift, but this allows them to become a whole other species), and much more. Basically they can make anything they want.

Wally loves to experiment on his own with potions, sometimes Frank watches and takes notes, but it's usually just Wally on his own with the potion-making or rituals...

The rituals are more complicated. There are many that can be performed, and many that can cause great harm to the world. All from a book handed down to Wally from Home that only he can read. The words on the pages are all in a language not understood by anyone else and the rituals themselves are confusing at times.

Two of the most used rituals are that of binding ones. The binding of two souls to one another or binding a soul to the islands of Home.

Howdy on the other hand helps quite a lot considering that he's poisonous (literally), and when someone or several people on the mainland start getting too nosy they've gotta go. Whether it be by sudden illness within a group of puppets or a mysterious death by poison, the finfolk of Home always find a way to get the job done.

Usually the more fatal potions and poisons made are made by Howdy whose gotten pretty handy at the craft using various ingredients, exotic/unknown fish, and his own poison.

They don't usually go the poison route all the time though, that's only when a target is either not a normal puppet (like a fae, angel, werewolf, or whatever other creatures exist on mainland) or the target has too many eyes on them (like someone famous or well-known). They have to worry about other creatures, not just normal puppets. But usually none can match even a weak finman.

Notes for anatomy practice (if anyone is interested):

Use real life references to know where muscles exist. You can draw them however you want after getting the hang of things but keep in mind that inrl anatomy is your base for drawing characters.

If a character has 4 arms, make sure the back muscles are wider or lower the top shoulders. Not all of those arms can fit into one normal-sized back.

Even the slab of mysterious fish meat had a references that I used. You can also use the same logic of just cutting a box in half. The shape stays the same, but the inside is cut off in the same shape.

Note after posting:

I will make some sketches and a short writing for what events do take place on the island of Home.

[jokin-around]

your my favorite artist ever and you got me through a concussion and the flu im not sure if i sent one already but how did you achieve your fluidity with your art? how did u like learn to draw where your at right now?

well, thank you! and I hope you made a full recovery from all those things

as for my fluidity, I suppose It's always been the focus of my skillset if that makes sense, I've taken breaks to learn anatomy or other technical skills, but I always go back make sure my art never loses it's movement

I can't think of anything specific that I study, but Looney tunes and classic cartooning / animation art from disney / other illustrators have been helpful guides

other than that, I just try to make my art embody how movement FEELS, not necessarily how it looks, and the same thing often applies to how I draw expressions

the best advice I can offer is to just get lose with it, don't worry about accuracy or proportions too much, don't flip your canvas too much, just get the hang of drawing with confidence and laying down an idea, lines of action, shapes, and then try to polish it without losing too much of the energy that very first sketch has

[silverwings22]

Song of the Sea: Chapter 30: House Won't Fall

Chapter Warnings: reference to genocide, political corruption, questionable dietary habits, explicit smut Series Warning: explicit smut, alien anatomy (it's a monsterfucker fic, guys), major character injury, grief, canon typical violence, autistic meltdowns, and my terrible attempts at Mando'a

Previous Chapter:

Next Chapter:

Shiani sat at the work table, Echo’s scomp arm opened as she worked on a few adjustments. It had become the ultimate expression of trust from the cyborg, letting her fix his hand for her. When she’d first joined the Batch, he hadn’t been thrilled about her even watching Tech work on it. Now he asked her first, while Tech was in the cockpit. 

Omega was sitting on the steps in front of her room, legs crossed and hands open on her knees. “She’s really getting the hang of meditating.” 

Shiani nodded, adjusting another servo for him. “She ask you to join her?”

“She did, before I came looking for you. I’ll have to pass on that.” 

“Don’t like meditation?” Shiani glanced up at the corporal’s pale face. She worried about him sometimes, even though he’d put on muscle since joining the Batch. She recalled how exhausted he’d seemed when she first saw him though the glass on Kamino, a tired Chainbreaker barely holding himself upright. Now he was every bit the competent warrior she knew he must have been before his torture on Skako Minor. Still, she felt the scars no one could see that lingered deep in his spirit. And that was saying something, considering most of his physical scars were on display.

“I don’t prefer solitude. I had enough of that on Skako. If not for this squad, I might still be there… that’s why I stayed with them. It’s where I fit at the time.” He glanced at her thoughtfully. “You don't much like being alone either.”

“No. Had enough of it in exile.” She agreed. “Baby Mega asks me to meditate with her too, but I don't. Sirens aren't meant for quiet.”

Echo chuckled. “Is that why you fell for Tech? He's the most talkative clone I've ever known.”

Shiani laughed. “One reason out of many.” She closed the port on his arm. “All fixed.”

“Thanks.” He spun the scomp with a critical eye before nodding. 

“Echo, how come you never got a prosthetic arm? It's got to be difficult to do things with one hand.”

“It is, but the scomp was too useful to get rid of.” He shrugged. “With all this metal and machinery, I might as well be useful.”

“You can build a scomp into a prosthetic. I could make it pop out of your wrist or fingertip. With those cybernetics, you'd be an ideal candidate for all kinds of delicate instruments.” She pointed out.

“You could do that? Why didn't Tech mention it when I first got here?” He raised an eyebrow. 

“Tech is a genius who does best with novelty. He invents new things, or makes plans for possibilities that might never happen.” She scrunched her face at the 100 plans she'd memorized with Omega since she'd joined them. Some sounded interesting… some scared her. “This doesn't need new ways for things, just someone to put things together. That's what I'm good at.”

Echo leaned over curiously. “And how would you put it together, if you were going to do it?”

Shiani pulled out her datapad. “Cybernetic connections here with pressure sensors so you could tell how hard you press. I can't replicate full sensation, but it would be something. Scomp loaded into the wrist, comes out like this so you just bend your hand out of the way. Tactical knife in the back of the hand, combines pretty well with a punch… maybe a place for datastick? Removable, though. You don't need all that stuff crowding up your brain.” She sketched out a rough outline for him. 

“...  how fast could you make this?” He looked at it, eyes wide.

“Just a couple hours to get a prototype done. It might need tweaks, but we won't know until you use it.” She smiled slyly. “I'd only need a few measurements from you.”

“Measure away. This sounds great.” Echo laid both arms on the table and raised his voice so Tech could hear him from the cockpit. “Tech, you're the dumber half of your marriage.”

“Don’t say that!” Shaini swatted him gently with a tape measure as she started writing down measurements of his real arm. 

“Did I do something that displeased you?” Tech called back. 

“Echo is being dramatic. I’m aking him a new arm, Tech.” Shiani answered. 

There was a pause from the cockpit before Tech had set the autopilot and was coming to look. Echo looked smug as Shiani marked her measurements and Tech looked over her draft. “I like her better than you today, vod.”

“I like Shiani better than you every day. Consider us even.” Tech snipped back, but there was no real venom in it. Everyone knew Tech loved Echo. Tech loved all his siblings… even Crosshair. “This is… very clever, Shiani. I am impressed.” He put a hand on her shoulder as he gave her back her datapad. 

Squeeze squeeze squeeze. 

She beamed with delight and went to get her toolkit. She loved when he was proud of her. 

She was just getting her protective glasses on when the ships comm went off. “We are receiving a transmission from Rex.” Tech called back to Hunter. 

“Put him through.” The sergeant ordered, walking up to talk to the captain. Shiani decided to stay out of the way and just listen while she worked on the arm. 

“Hey there, boys. Any chance I could borrow your expertise for a mission?”

“What kind of mission?” Hunter sounded a little suspicious, but Shiani wasn't surprised. He was so protective of Omega and cautious of the rest of the squad being in any danger. He was a big brother to the core, with responsibility laid so heavy on his shoulders it might break him if he didn't take care. Luckily, all of the squad members were attentive enough to take the load off him when they could. 

“It's just a data extraction, but it's crucial. I can explain more on Coruscant.”

“Coruscant? That's a tall ask.” Hunter said immediately.

Omega, who'd overheard the comm coming in, snuck over to Shiani at the worktable. “What's on Coruscant?”

“The Republic Senate used to be.” Shiani whispered back. “I guess the Empire is there now, where the Republic used to be.”

 Omega frowned. “Why would Rex be there?”

The siren glanced over at where she could see Hunter's stiff shoulders. “Rex wanted us to come join him fighting the Empire. He asked on Bracca. Hunter said no, so you could have a good life… but Rex is fighting for all the clones with chips, still slaves to the Empire.”

Omega frowned, inching towards Hunter. “I think we should help.” She said softly. Shiani could only admire how brave that girl was, putting her own safety and well-being on the back burner to save brothers she'd never even met.

Hunter sighed. “... how crucial is this data, Rex?”

“It could be life or death for clones across the galaxy. I can get you a flight path avoiding Imperial security, and a safe landing zone.”

Echo looked eager, especially with Omega on his side. Shiani looked down at  the prosthetic components in front of her.  A sad, achy feeling arched through her gills as she realized she'd be remote testing this prototype… Echo wanted to fight too much. He wouldn't be leaving Coruscant with them. She'd have to tweak the arm when he came to visit… if he did. Tech was going to be hurt again, losing another brother to the Empire. This time as its enemy, but that would be only cold comfort.

Better work out the bugs on the first try, then. 

When the Marauder touched down in a private garage Rex had given them, the captain was waiting for them. Next to him was a pretty blue-skinned woman dressed in pink, who looked like the weight of the galaxy sat on her shoulders. 

“Good to see you guys. Senator, this is the squad I was telling you about. Guys, this is Senator Chuchi. She's with us on this.”

The men saluted more as a force of habit than anything else. Shiani held a hand out to the Senator. “Nice to meet you.” 

Chuchi looked a little nervously at Shiani’s claws, but shook her hand. “Likewise, and thank you for coming. I'm Riyo”

“Shiani Illumai.” The siren said softly. 

“I've seen her take down a grown dianoga.” Rex assured the Pantoran. “She's Tech's girlfriend.”

“Wife now.” Tech said mildly. “While I would enjoy telling the story, you said this was a matter of life and death?”

Rex nodded. “Come inside. There's something I want you to see.”

They slipped into the garage, where a table sat with a body bag on top of it. Shiani balked at the faint scent of death, pushing Omega back slightly. “Dead?”

Rex nodded, unzipping the bag. Instead of an Imperial, they were all presented with a clone's face. “He was an assassin.” Rex explained. “I went to meet a brother named Slip, but the assassin got to him first. He almost got the Senator here, too.”

“This doesn't make any sense.” Echo looked sick. “Why would a clone kill one of our own?”

“Slip knew what really happened on Kamino. I was trying to convince him to testify against Vice-Admiral Rampart in front of the senate. He's pushing his recruitment bill tomorrow.” Chuchi explained. “If it passes, the clones will ask be completely abandoned by the Empire. They're already being phased out, and I fear they'll be decommissioned completely  once there is a new army in place.”

“We were there. I could testify.” Echo offered. 

Hunter shook his head. “We're deserters, they'll never listen to us.”

“I'm not.” Shiani murmured. “I could testify…”

“You are a princess, so you would have legal standing and your voice would carry weight.” Tech reached for her hand. “But it would reveal the sirens to the rest of the galaxy.”

Her jaw trembled, but she nodded. “But it will save clones. Decommissioned means killed…”

Everyone else looked at her. “... you're a princess?” Omega whispered. 

“I’m most proud to be a Batcher. Princess is less important.” Shiani said firmly before looking at Chuchi. “You’ll need more than my word as proof.”

Chuchi nodded. “Slip said that he backed up the logs on Rampart's Venator.”

“It's being retrofitted in an Imperial shipyard here on Coruscant.” Rex confirmed. “If we move quickly, we can get it in front of the senate before the vote.”

“I'll go back to the senate and get as much evidence as I can.” Chuchi nodded. “I'll have to get you clearance, Princess.”

“I can take care of that, for her and Omega.” Tech assured them all. “It would be more practical for Omega to go with Shiani than into a shipyard.”

Hunter nodded. “We'll get into the Venator and copy the data, then get it to you before the vote. Shiani can address the senate, and stall if we need her to.” 

Shiani turned and put her face in Tech's chest. “Be careful.” She whispered. 

“I will do my best.” He took both her hands in his and held them gently. Squeeze squeeze squeeze. “You will be brilliant in front of the senate. I know you will.”

Shiani nodded, swallowing hard as she tried to get her mind right. “For you.”

 Omega was wearing Chuchi's cloak, and Shiani had been changed into a spare outfit the Senator kept in her office. It was a white, loose-sleeved dress with gold accents, blessedly open on the sides to allow for her tentacles, with a gold belt and deep blue cloak. She'd even quickly taken Shiani's ponytail up into a careful bun. “If only we had something to really make you look like a princess.”  the Senator murmured as she dabbed a little bit of makeup on Shiani's face. Despite her previous insistence on Ord Mantell that she wasn't suited to cosmetics, a dab of lipstick was nice looking. Shiani didn’t like it, but that may have been the gnawing feeling in her chest that what Chuchi was doing wasn’t trying to make her look royal. It was to make her look tame. To prove to the galaxy that would soon be looking at her that she wasn’t a creature to be feared. In a galaxy full of things like Wookiees and Trandoshans, Hutts and togrutas… she was the unknown who had to be carefully monitored. It didn’t seem fair that she was going to be viewed with suspicion when her biggest crime was the way her mouth was shaped.

“Baby Mega. Hand me my bag?” Shiani murmured. Omega, who'd been kicking her feet in the desk chair, got up and scooped Shiani's gear bag from the floor. 

“Why is this so heavy?” Omega blinked. 

“My tools. And an arm.” Shiani hoisted the bag from her smaller friend's hands and started digging through it. 

“An arm?” Chuchi looked concerned, inching back away from the siren's teeth. 

“Metal, Senator. I swore off eating sentient species.” Shiani said calmly. 

“Did you used to?” Omega squeaked. 

“We'll talk about it later.” Shiani pulled out a package wrapped in a greenish-gold cloth and set the bag back down, pulling out a circlet of coral and polished stone. “Haven't worn this in a long time.” She hadn't even thought about the crown she'd been wearing when she'd fled her home years ago, more concerned with her chains than her station. “How does this look?”

Chuchi smiled as Shiani put it on. “That's more like it. A proper royal…”

Shiani closed her eyes. No, she certainly wasn't. A proper royal siren would be nowhere near the surface, about to reveal her people's existence to the entire galaxy. They'd likely curse her name for generations, but the Empire was going to find them anyway. She felt it in her gills. If she pulled away the curtain and secrecy in front of everyone, her hope was that there were more good than evil people in the galaxy. That people like Chuchi would step up to help the sirens the way she did the clones. “Okay then.”

“Come with me. I'll show you both the Senate Chamber. It can be a little overwhelming the first time, and I don't want you to freeze up.” Chuchi told her. “It's intimidating, even for experienced Senators.” Shiani slipped her bag on her shoulder, hidden under her cloak, and nodded as she followed the Pantoran to the door.

Omega looked up from between Chuchi and Shiani as they stepped out of the office and started down the hall. “What do Senators actually do?”

Chuchi smiled. “We vote in the interest of our people. We're their voice in the senate, and the senate makes laws.”

“It's supposed to.” Shiani murmured. “Not with the Emperor around.”

Chuchi deflated a bit. “That's true…”

“What's the difference between a Senator and a royal?” Omega frowned. 

Shiani hesitated for a moment. “Royals lead by their own hearts. Senator follows the hearts of the people.”

Chuchi nodded agreeably. Omega just frowned further. “Which one is better?”

“That depends on the leader.” Chuchi looked up. “Oh no. There's Rampart… let me handle this.”

Both of them nodded and Shiani subtly slipped her circlet off and held it behind her back. Rampart had a smug, arrogant face that she could only mentally describe as punchable. Selfishness rolled off him in waves. “Hello there, Senator. You're here late.” He smiled, but it felt fake. 

“Just preparing for the vote tomorrow.” Chuchi nodded, plastering a fake smile on her face. Omega stayed behind Shiani, though her nose scrunched the same way Tech’s did when he was displeased. Shiani put a hand on her shoulder, catching Rampart's attention. 

“I don't believe we've met, ma'am. My apologies for not introducing myself immediately. I am Admiral Edmon Rampart.” He lifted her hand and kissed the back of it like he was at a gala instead of a hallway. He didn’t look wary of her, but he did have an almost predatory look in his eyes as he examined her. He didn’t see a siren, just a nicely dressed young woman he thought he could manipulate.

Shiani dipped her head politely, barely opening her mouth to speak. “I am Shiani Illumai, and this young lady is my aide. I am a contemporary of Senator Chuchi. I've asked to observe the vote tomorrow.” She kept her voice as gentle and guileless as she could. 

“You're in for a spectacular show then, Miss Illumai. We'll have to sit down and chat sometime. I'm afraid I'm in a bit of a hurry right now, though.” He smiled. 

Shiani pulled her fingers from his grip. “Have a nice night, Admiral.”

He nodded and headed down the hallway, Shiani's eyes following him until long after he'd turned the corner. Omega tugged on her arm when she turned around and put her crown back on. “How come you hid that?” 

“If he knows I'm royal, he'll ask where I'm from. If he knows I'm from Kamino, he'll know I'm against him.” Shiani said firmly. “It makes us a target. Never let your enemy know what you're planning, Baby Mega. Especially with stakes so high.” 

Omega watched her funny, lively friend, slowly seeing Shiani in a new light. There had always been an undercurrent of sadness in Shiani's joy, a viciousness hidden behind her laughter that came out as surely as the blue rings peppering her purple skin when she got angry. But Omega hadn't expected a competent, level headed leader from the girl who'd always said all she wanted was to follow Tech. 

Chuchi just nodded and led them into the senate chamber. It was, indeed, an intimidating room full of little hoverpods. There were a few that were occupied, listening to preparation speeches for the next day vote. “Every pod is for a planet’s Senators or groups representative.” Chuchi explained. “Almost every race and planet are represented here, and get a vote.”

“Is there one for the clones?” Omega looked up at the rows and rows of pods. 

Chuchi shook her head. “No… a lot of people view the clones as military assets. But that's what I'm working on. I want the clones to have the same rights as every citizen, and someone to look after their best interests.”

Shiani looked balefully around the room. “Not so much has changed in three hundred years. Instead of sirens being only tools to long necks, clones are only tools to the Republic. Long necks see Kamino flood. Republic sees itself become the Empire.”

“We can change things, from here in this room.” Chuchi put a hand on her arm. 

Shiani wanted to believe it, but she kept looking at the pods and seeing a not- so-different council room under the ocean of her home world, where the royal court accused her of every treason known to her kind before she was banished. Like those sirens, almost every pod in this room would contain someone who thought her marriage was invalid. That the man she loved wasn't a person at all. In this chamber, however, she’d have to prove she was a person too. 

She straightened her spine. “We fight. Clones deserve that.”

Chuchi nodded, looking over as a blue and white astromech rolled to her. “... how well can you two keep a secret?”

Omega grinned. “I can.”

Shiani just pushed her shoulders back. “My whole species was declared extinct three hundred years ago. Until today we were the best secret-keepers in the galaxy.”

Chuchi nodded. “Come with me.” 

They slipped out into the hallway, and met up with a tall man with dark hair and kind eyes. “Riyo. I didn’t expect you to have company.”

“They’re helping me with the clone aid provisions.” Chuchi explained. “This is Princess Illumai of Kamino and Omega. Shiani, Omega, this is Senator Bail Organa of Alderaan.” 

He smiled at the two of them, only slightly surprised by Shiani’s appearance. “You have a vested interest in clone’s rights, Princess?” 

“I’m married to a clone.” Shiani said calmly. “We were called to help by Captain Rex, after he saved Senator Chuchi.”

Bail looked at the Pantoran. “Captain Rex is listed as killed in action… and what does she mean ‘saved’?”

“I was almost assassinated while trying to meet with a clone who knew that Rampart was responsible for what happened to Kamino. The assassin killed my contact, but Rex saved me.” Chuchi explained. 

“Rampart is resourceful, isn't he?” Bail murmured. “You’re lucky to be alive, Riyo.”

“I know. And I owe my life to a clone, so I have to help them.” Chuchi nodded. 

“My husband and his squad are getting proof Rampart ordered the bombardment.” Shiani put her hands together quietly. “And I will testify tomorrow.”

Bail nodded. “Brave of you, miss. There will be doubts, you understand, about you. No one has ever seen any of your species before and there’s no one to confirm your royal status.” 

Shiani frowned. “... might not be entirely true. Long necks keep records of what they did… Someone high enough up may have known about us.”

“The Prime Minister of Kamino was arrested.” Chuchi frowned. 

“Senator Halle Burtoni, however, was not.” Bail pointed out. “Though her cooperation may not be forthcoming. She was a member of the Defense Finance Committee, until she was removed from office. She had a vested interest in viewing clones as no more than assets.” 

“Not surprising for long necks.” Shiani muttered coldly, looking at Chuchi. “I’m going to have to talk to her, aren’t I?”

“It would lend us credibility.” Chuchi sighed. “Come on, we’ll go to my apartment and invite her to meet us.”

Shiani sighed. “I spend my whole life avoiding long necks, just to get stuck inviting one to visit….” 

Bail patted her hand lightly. “Follow the money, Princess. It always leaves a trail.”

Shiani stood at the window of Chuchi’s senatorial apartment, looking out at the city lights as the guards waited for Halle Burtoni to arrive. She’d imagined Coruscant a million times, and the romantically soft glow in front of her was not a view to disappoint. Still, she hadn’t imagined she’d be looking at it without Tech… 

“You okay, Shiani?” Omega walked over, watching the siren’s claws tapping at the windowsill mindlessly. “You look anxious.”

“I am anxious.” Shiani nodded. “Longnecks are why my people stay at the bottom of the ocean. Why we live in the dark, without starlight… we could have been a part of this Senate hundreds of years ago if we hadn’t been enslaved… I was always told to be scared of them.” She let Omega take her hand, steadying herself. “But all their cities were destroyed. Not just Tipoca. Millions of people were killed. I thought it would feel… Thought I might be happy, but I’m not. Just feels hollow and sad. Nobody deserves that, even longnecks.” 

Omega snuggled to her side. “I’m glad you don’t think so.” 

“I still don’t think this long neck is going to be much help, though. I don’t trust their honor.” Shiani muttered, running her tongue over her fangs. 

Chuchi patted her arm. “We have to try.”

Shiani turned her head as the guards opened the door to reveal an older, shaky-necked Kaminoan female. The long neck had a sneer almost permanently painted into her voice when she looked at Chuchi. “Are the guards really necessary?”

“They are as much for your safety as ours.” Chuchi said firmly. “Please sit, Senator Burtoni.”

Burtoni looked around, eying Omega and looking Shiani up and down with a surprised expression before sitting in a high backed chair and clasping her hands in her lap. “What do you want?”

“I have questions about the Senate funds that were earmarked for cloning operations on Kamino. What was earmarked is less than what was reported as received, prior to the destruction of the cities.”

“Funds were siphoned off for months before the fall of Kamino.” Burtoni said sourly. “I didn’t take you for a fool, Chuchi, but you should know the danger of prying into matters kept secret. Too many people end up dead for sticking their noses where they don’t belong.”

Chuchi glanced at Shiani, who looked unimpressed but was repressing her “I told you so” in favor of a silent disapproval. The Pantoran looked back at her former colleague. “Think of your people who survived. Finding out where that money went could be the start of helping them.”

“My people are gone. What remains scattered around the galaxy, I have no concern for.” Burtoni huffed, shaking her head. 

Shiani’s eyes sharpened. “You don’t even care about your own people? No wonder the Empire didn’t hesitate to destroy your cities, if you don’t love your own.”

Burtoni sneered at her. “You aren’t Kaminoan, why would you care?”

Shiani leaned back, opening her hands and letting her tentacles come up and spread around her in a display that made her look both beautiful and dangerous. “My people have temples with your likeness on them. I bet yours did too, before the flood. I’m just as Kaminoan as you, longneck.” 

Burtoni’s eyes widened in something akin to both fear and awe. “You’re supposed to be extinct…” 

“You thought you drowned a race with gills? Not so smart.” Shiani sneered, dropping her limbs and showing her teeth. “And still, I care more about what happened to Kamino than you. Omega and I saw the Empire destroy Tipoca City from Venator ships, and your people became the ones to drown instead.” 

“Why would a child be involved with you?” The way Burtoni said it, Shiani heard the superiority. Three hundred years and a longneck still thought herself superior, even though her people sank to the bottom and died where Shiani’s had survived and rebuilt. 

“I’m a clone, and Kamino was my home too. The Empire destroyed it!” Omega pushed forward, eyes wide and furious. “It wasn’t right! There was no reason for it.”

“I knew it was coming. Prime Minister Lama Su was an arrogant pawn, secure in his belief that the clones made Kamino indispensable. That the clones were necessary. They weren’t. None of us are.” Burtoni shook her head, looking back at Shiani. “You should have stayed hidden, siren.” 

“And let cowards win? Let bombs drop on my home planet, while the Empire kills innocent clones it has no further use for?” She snapped her teeth together sharply. “I care more about the clones you made than you do. You should be ashamed, Senator. Three peoples come from Kamino; siren, longneck, and clone. When are you going to stand up for any of them?”

“Just tell us who diverted the funds, Burtoni.” Chuchi pleaded. “We can do something about this. We can seek justice.”

“You already know who stole them.” Burtoni shook her head. “Of course it was him. He planned the attack on Kamino meticulously.” 

“Testify.” Shiani said quietly. “About the funds, and confirm you know what I am. You have access to Kaminoan history files, yes? You’ve hidden your people’s crimes against mine, but you can tell the truth.” 

Burtoni pursed her lips. “You want me to embarrass the legacy of my murdered people? My words won’t even matter without proof against Rampart.”

“Tell the truth about three hundred years ago, and get justice for your people.” Shiani rapped her claws against the arm of Burtoni’s chair, centimeters from the long neck’s arm. “We’ll find proof. You and I give our words to the Senate, as justice for our planet. You help me protect the clones, before the Empire throws them away.” She looked at Omega. “You look at her. Tell me that is not a person, and I’ll show you a liar with a mirror.” 

Burtoni glanced at Omega, then Chuchi, who just nodded. “We need proof, and your word. We’re running out of time.”

Shiani stood in the box with Chuchi and Burtoni as the Senate meeting started. Omega was waiting with one of her guards in a skycar at the drop zone, and not having the little girl there was stressing the siren out. Her foot tapped anxiously as she tried not to bounce and swing her limbs like a holo-game idle animation. She was supposed to look dignified. 

“Are you ready?” Chuchi murmured as Rampart started talking about no longer delaying the vote. “We’re going to have to start without those logs.”

Shiani nodded. “They’ll be here. Tech never lets me down.” Shiani nodded and tried to settle her breathing.. 

Burtoni eyed her. “Who is Tech?”

“My husband. And a clone.” Shiani said firmly. 

Chuchi turned on her mic to get started, cutting Rampart off. “We cannot trust Admiral Rampart’s assertions that the clone provisions will be addressed. He has given us reason not to trust him.” She moved the pod to the middle of the podium, putting them front and center with their faces appearing on the large holos and every new station in the Republic. Shiani tried not to crumple under the scrutiny of thousands of eyes, suddenly aware of how uncomfortable recognition was after years in solitude. She wanted to fade into obscurity as the exile from the trash pile, but she had to be Princess for this. It had been so long since she’d wielded any authority it felt like learning a new language again. 

“What reason is that, Senator?” Rampart eyed Chuchi before looking at Shiani again. “Miss Illumai?”

Shiani narrowed her eyes, swallowing her fear in favor of the taste of righteous fury.. “Halle Burtoni is willing to testify that you diverted funds from Kaminoan cloning programs.”

“Halle Burtoni is a disgraced senator, miss. And those funds were redistributed, though I am not at liberty to discuss classified military operations.”

The little siren didn’t back down. “You started siphoning those credits months before the destruction of Kamino. Because you planned for it, when you ordered three Venator class ships to fire on Tipoca City, and then to destroy every other major city on Kamino!”

Rampart flushed, fists clenching. “Those are heavy accusations, ma’am. Who do you think you are?”

“Princess Shiani Illumai, of Kamino. I was there, at Tipoca City, when the Empire destroyed it.” She turned and faced the rest of the Senate. “Senator Burtoni can also testify to my species existence and persecution on Kamino, which is why we have remained isolationist for as long as we have.”

It sounded good, sounded like something Tech would say. Isolationist sounded like policy and not a race living in fear at the bottom of the sea, revealed by one former exile who was either braver or stupider than the rest of them. One little star sailor standing defiantly in the face of the Tidedreamer’s shadow; the Empire. 

Burtoni nodded, and the whispers around the Senate chamber were loud and obvious. Rampart stared at her, looking horrified for a moment as he tried to figure out how to save his own skin. “Your accusations are baseless. I did nothing of the sort.” He finally gasped. 

“You lie. I was there.” She repeated, raising her fist in the air and demanding to be acknowledged. “I saw the Imperial ships firing on the city. A city that nearly all the clones and long necks had already been evacuated from. The attack was planned, to lose as few Imperial resources as possible.” 

The whispering grew louder. “What proof do you have, besides this woman’s statement?” Someone in another box demanded of Chuchi, who squirmed. 

“She has none, because there is none.” Rampart waved his arm. “She’s simply bribed or manipulated this young woman into lying for her. Let’s get on with the vote.”

Another voice in the pods above them rang out. “Senator Chuchi should be removed from the Senate and censured form misconduct! This is an outrage. Investigate the woman with her as well, and Burtoni!”

Chuchi put a hand on Shiani’s arm when she bit back a hiss. “Don’t.” She whispered softly. “Stay calm. They’ll react poorly.” 

Shiani nodded, swallowing hard as another voice seconded removing them and tucking her tentacles under the edge of her cloak to hide the blue rings pulsing furiously. Her comm blinked, and she looked up just in time to see little Omega’s blonde head running to Bail Organa. She smiled, eyes brightening, and tapped Chuchi. “Told you Tech wouldn’t let us down. Here comes proof.”

Organa’s box moved to be even with them, handing over a package. “This is your proof!” Chuchi called. “This is the command log from Rampart’s Venator.” 

Everyone went dead silent as she played the recording, unmistakably Rampart’s voice ordering the bombardment and snapping at a clone for questioning him. Rampart stood stock still, eyes wide, and looking at Chuchi in sickened shock. Shiani lifted her voice and looked around the Senate. “Believe me now?”

Before anyone could say much, a platform lifted up from beneath them. Shaini looked over the edge as it rose, a nauseated feeling in her gills when she was suddenly facing a man in a black cloak being guarded by his vizier. “Emperor Palpatine.” Chuchi whispered softly to Shiani. “He hasn’t been in session for weeks…”

The siren had been so stalwart in her pursuit of justice this far, wearing Burtoni down and refusing to back off Rampart… but the Emperor scared her. She clutched the edge of the pod railing like it might vanish under her feet, utterly petrified as he ascended above them to address the entire room. 

“I commend Senator Chuchi and Princess Illumai for their bravery in the pursuit of truth. Admiral’s cowardly actions in the pursuit of his own selfish goals will not be tolerated, and hold no place in a civilized society.” The Emperor’s voice was gravelly and serpentine, shuddering up the siren’s spine. 

Rampart paled. “I was following orders! I was following-” He couldn’t finish before several shock troopers had boarded his pod and were forcing him to bend over the controls so they could cuff him roughly. Shiani winced as he was dragged away, screaming but unintelligible as his mic was cut. 

The Emperor looked down at Chuchi’s pod. “I must thank you both for exposing a rogue element in our midst. Rampart will be punished for his treachery, but he did not act alone. It concerns me deeply that the clones under his command followed such orders blindly. That is why the Defense Recruitment Bill must go forward. The atrocities committed upon Kamino are proof that the clones cannot be trusted to identify unlawful orders. We must have a military comprised of citizens. This new era of peace and stability will be heralded by the Imperial stormtrooper!”

Shiani wanted to scream, looking around as the voting began without much further prompting. “...The clones are not to blame.” She whispered to Chuchi desperately. “Clones couldn’t disobey. Inhibitor chips…” 

Chuchi patted her arm, looking as desolate as she felt. “We tried, Shiani.” 

The siren looked up, watching senators vote one by one. She’d tried… she’d put herself out in front of a galaxy she barely understood. She’d stood up against the shadow. She’d revealed her people’s existence in front of the Emperor himself in a desperate bid to save the clones who meant so much to her…

And it had all been for nothing.

The Batch was already in front of the garage, chatting with Rex, when Chuchi brought Omega and Shiani back. Omega looked deflated, tucked up against the siren’s side, as they came to a stop. “I can’t believe we still lost.” She said softly.

Shiani petted her hair before getting out of the car and offering her a hand. “We tried our best, Baby Mega. We did everything we could.” 

Omega nodded and went over to Hunter, scrubbing at her eyes. “What’s the matter?” The sergeant frowned, kneeling next to her. 

“We lost the vote.” Omega whispered. “I don’t understand. We did the right thing, we told the truth.”

“And the Emperor twisted it to his advantage.” Hunter did his best to comfort her.

Rex sighed. “Palpatine was a step ahead of us all through the war, and he’s several steps ahead of us now. He used us implicating Rampart to push the stormtrooper program.”

“The fate of the clones is sealed, and he used us to do it.” Echo said regretfully. 

Shiani’s eyes hadn’t lifted from the ground, as Chuchi anxiously promised Omega she’d keep fighting to protect the clones. When a pair of boots stopped in front of her, she finally looked up at Tech, who was looking at her with concern in his eyes. “Are you alright, dear?” He murmured. 

“It didn’t help.” She breathed. “Clones are still in danger. Maybe in more danger now. Sirens too. I’m sorry.”

“You did the right thing, cyar’ika.” He reached up, cupping her round little face in both hands. “You did everything you possibly could. Do not apologize, you are not to blame.” 

She swallowed hard. “I need to give Chuchi back her dress…”

“You can keep it, Princess. It looks nice on you.” Chuchi smiled faintly. “And who knows? I’m going to keep fighting, until the clones have the same rights as everyone else. Maybe we’ll need to fight together in the senate again.” 

Shiani nodded faintly, putting her hands over Tech’s on her face. She didn’t feel like she deserved the comfort, right now. “I've got to give Echo something.” 

Tech nodded, slowly lowering his hands to let her get to her bag. Omega frowned. “You can give it to him on the ship. What’s the hurry?”

Echo crouched in front of her. “I won’t be going with you, Omega. I’ve decided to stay with Rex, and help the fight here. The other clones need our help more than ever, and I can’t give up on them.”

Omega’s eyes once again watered up, and everyone looked away before her tears undid their resolve and they begged Echo to stay too. “But we’re a squad!”

“I know. But I have to go where I’m needed.” Echo tried his best to keep his face impassive, but he loved this kid so much it was hard. If the rest of the clones hadn’t needed him, he’d have been happy to stay and watch her grow up forever. Duty came first, but damn it was hard.

“But we need you.” She whispered

“It’s not forever, Omega.” Echo murmured. “I’ll be back, but until then you have to keep up with your training. Deal?”

Omega sniffled. “Yes sir…” She threw her arms around him so hard she almost knocked him to the ground, but he managed to stay upright and hug her back tightly. 

Shiani walked over, gently scooping Omega up with two of her tentacles and hugging her to her hip. Omega squished tearfully against the siren as she held out a silver cybernetic arm. “Finished this for you, Echo. Keep notes of any issues, and I’ll fix it when you come back?” 

Echo blinked at the arm, then nodded, taking off his pauldron and adjusting his sleeve so she could take the scomp off and attach the new arm. She was careful, getting everything hooked up quickly for him and showing him how to use the knife and scomp attachments. “Thanks Shiani… I really appreciate it.”

She nodded. “I’m going to miss you.” 

“I’ll miss you too, But I’ll be back.” He tipped her chin up with his new fingers, smiling. “You and Omega look after them for me?”

Shiani nodded. “You look after Rex.”

Echo nodded, and stepped back as the group boarded the Havoc Marauder and gave him a final goodbye. It was bittersweet, but the right thing to do. That seemed to be the theme of the day.

Shiani had been in the fresher for what seemed like hours. Wrecker had fallen asleep in Omega’s room with her, cuddling her while she cuddled Lula. Hunter was out cold in the bunkroom, the stress of the mission and the assault on his senses from Coruscant having taken its toll on him. Tech had been flying, waiting for his favorite copilot to come sit with him. 

He’d watched her testimony recording, her face all over the holonet. The danger was great, but her little fist was in the air and her eyes were bright. She must have been frightened, but she’d stood her ground. She’d demanded they listen to her, head held high and dressed for the role she’d been born into. She was always beautiful, but in that moment he’d never seen her shine brighter. So when he’d rewatched the clip a few times and realized the water wasn’t running, he set the autopilot and got up to look for her. 

Her bag was laying on the ground by the fresher, her overalls and a few tools slipping out of the top where she’d dropped it. The fresher door was closed, but unlocked, so he stuck his head in. “Shiani?”

The siren was sitting on the floor with her back to the wall, wedged between the sink and shower, with her head on her knees and her skirt puddled around her. Tech was instantly concerned, crouching in front of her. “Shiani? Are you alright?”

She peeked up, and her eyes were watery. Her circlet was clutched tightly in her hands, the coral leaving imprints when she slowly relaxed her fingers. “S-sorry.” She whispered. “I know you hate all the crying…” 

“It is alright. What is the matter?” He wiped the tears from her cheeks with his glove. “Come here. That cannot be comfortable.” 

Shiani let him gently pull her away from the wall and fold her into his chest. “Sorry.” She repeated. “I let you down. Couldn’t stop the Empire… so many clones are in trouble. Sirens too. Longnecks are dead already… millions of them. Kamino’s oceans are full of blood now.” 

Tech rested his chin over her shoulder. “That is no one’s fault but the Empire. You are not a failure.” 

He pressed his lips to the top of her head. “Stand up, cyar’ika. Let me show you something.” 

Shiani sniffled, but let him pull her to her feet and stand her in front of the mirror. He wiped another tear off her cheek, then gently pulled her shoulders back and took the circlet from her to set it back on her brow. She scrunched her face and looked at him over her shoulder. “I look silly dressed up like this, but Chuchi said I needed to look like a princess.”

He turned her chin back to the mirror. “Look carefully. Standing in front of you is the bravest woman in the galaxy. Someone who overcame generations of traumatic experience and a lifetime of mistreatment.” He gently lifted her chin again and made her look at her reflection. “Someone who dislikes being the center of attention, but who chose to face the Galactic Senate to do the right thing. Who disavowed her people, but still wants to protect them. Who wanted justice for those who wronged her people.” He pressed a kiss against the side of her neck. “And did so beautifully, I might add.” 

Shiani closed her eyes, leaning back against him. “I don’t feel brave.” 

“You were. I watched your holo several times. I cannot describe how proud of you I am.” His arms slid around her middle, cuddling her the way he knew by now she needed when she was close to melting down. 

She sighed, relaxing into his arms slowly. “I knew you’d get the recording.” She finally said. “You had the hard part… I just had to talk.”

“Which you have never done in public before. Public speaking is a common fear.” His thumbs rubbed circles against the cutouts on her hips, where her tentacles came through. His eyes stayed on her face in the mirror, but a smile hovered over his lips. “You genuinely do not believe what you did was extraordinary. I, however, could watch that recording of you for hours.” 

She opened her eyes and looked up at him. “Why?”

“You were so serious and impassioned. It was captivating… and very attractive. This dress did not hurt, either.” 

Shiani looked down. “You like the dress?”

“I find you attractive in whatever you wear, but I will admit there is something intriguing about seeing a different side of you. I am accustomed to a gentle, curious version who enjoys learning and building things and listens without interrupting. On occasion, I have seen the warrior who approaches any threat with your fangs first to protect what she cares about. And…” He kissed her neck again, softer this time and with a squeeze of her hips to accompany the way his words trailed over her skin. “... sometimes, a playful and enthusiastic lover who is far stronger than she appears. Do you know what I saw when I looked at you today?”

“Hm?” She was leaning back into his chest as he cradled her, squishing her battered soul back into her body with his embrace. Maybe after she took a shower she could convince him to just lay on her and squish her flat until everything inside her stopped feeling like it was full of angry urchins…

“I saw the most beautiful queen in the galaxy.” He moved his hands to her upper arms and slid down, straightening her arms at her side until his hands curled into hers over top of them. “Not a frightened princess but a queen. A leader, fighting with everything she had to save three different races that all came from a planet she hates the idea of returning to but still shows compassion for. Just when I thought I couldn’t be more smitten with that queen, I remembered you were already mine.” He set her hands on the counter lightly, keeping her palms flat on the metal with his own. 

Shiani’s smile slid a little wider across her lips. “... You’re flirting with me.”

“Of course I am. I thought it was obvious.” He nuzzled into the side of her neck. “Unless you have any opposition to that?”

“I don’t, but who’s flying the ship, Tech?” 

“The autopilot. We are over three standard hours from exiting hyperspace.” He pushed her hands a little further forward, until they met the wall under the mirror and she was bent nearly double at the waist. “That is enough time for me to reduce your anxiety and upset using the endorphins released during orgasm.” 

Shiani’s cheeks flushed blue. “Very practical.”

“I have my talents.” He locked the fresher door with a free hand and nudged her feet apart. “I hope the practical aspect of this does not dim your understanding of how I feel about you, cyar’ika.” 

Her eyes softened, locked on his in the mirror. “Not at all. Let me take the dress off-”

“I would prefer you to leave it on. As I said, it is not often I get to see this side of you. I intend to enjoy it.” He vanished from her sight when he dropped to his knees behind her, pushing the pretty white fabric of her dress up over the curve of her ass and pulling her underwear down her legs in the same motion. “Step out, please.” 

Shiani followed instruction, breathless as he tucked her panties into his pocket and squeezed her cheeks while he admired the view for a moment. Then his mouth was on her, tongue sliding through her folds. Like everything he did, Tech was precise and calculated at this. He knew exactly how to pull her apart, to make her forget all the things she regretted and failed. Nothing mattered the minute Tech put his exceptional mind to loving her. 

His hands wrapped around her thighs, keeping her upright when she started shaking and grinding against his face. He only let her go long enough to slip off his gloves before pushing on the small of her back. She dropped to her elbows and stretched to her tiptoes to reach the floor still. 

Tech kissed his way up her spine, squeezing every bit of flesh he could find. Thighs, rear, hips, tummy, breasts, until he had her pinned to the counter by his pelvis pressed against her ass and his still-armored chest on her back. “Keep your eyes on the mirror.” He murmured, blowing air across her good ear to make her shiver. “Do not close your eyes. I want you to watch how beautiful you look. There is nothing more satisfying than the look on your face when you come.” 

Shiani nodded, eyes dead ahead. Behind her, Tech backed up only long enough to remove his codpiece and unzip, wasting no time. He held her skirt bunched up at her waist as he gripped her left hip and sank into her. Her eyes wanted to roll back, but she forced them open when he started moving, releasing her hip to dip his fingers down between her thighs and stroke her clit with calculated precision. 

Her mouth was open, fangs on display as she whimpered and whined his name. Her skin started to shine, slick with sweat, and her blue flush got darker. He'd wanted her to look, and she barely recognized the girl in the mirror. A siren in her crown, moaning Tech's name as his armor left bruises in her flesh… it was the most perverse kind of pretty she'd ever seen, and the most beautiful she'd ever felt in her life.  

Tech let go of her skirts and slid the arm under her, fingers splayed over her throat and keeping her head where he wanted while his face pressed next to hers. She couldn't keep her eyes off of him, face red with exertion. She tried to close her mouth, put her fangs away and curl her fingers into fists that hid her claws in case she saw that look she feared across his perfect honey brown eyes. 

Tech was too smart not to notice, and ever-so-carefully squeezed the side of her throat. “No. No hiding.” He rumbled into her ear. 

He wanted her as she was, and when she realized it her claws dug furrows into the durasteel countertop. She choked out a high, keening note and collapsed, panting and writhing as Tech kept going through her release. When the overstimulation nearly had her sobbing, he moved the hand between her thighs to her chest and hauled her upright. 

She was still looking, trembling with his every movement, impaled on his cock and a sweat-soaked, teary, drooling mess. Tech just turned her head and kissed her hard as his thrusts lost rhythm and heat pooled in her belly from his spend. Tech carefully pulled himself off her, setting her on the counter both to let her rest and to have something to lean on when his own legs wobbled. 

 He couldn't see a thought left in those big eyes of hers besides adoration when she looked at him, taking the crown off her head and setting it on his instead. He could only laugh and kiss her again. “You are a much prettier queen than I am, cyar’ika.” He murmured, cuddling her. 

She wrapped her fingers into the shoulder straps of his chest plate and kissed him, stretching a tentacle out to turn on the fresher. Tech made an agreeable hum  against her lips and stripped them both. Too spent for much else, they ended up sitting on the sanistream floor with her straddling his hips, half grinding and half washing the day off the other under the hot water.  

And if the “standard refractory period” ended and he slipped back into her, rocking up until her head rolled back and he'd coaxed another two orgasms from her before the water started to cool… well, it was time well spent. He'd remember what his siren queen looked like when she let him dry her off and dress her back in her overalls, then pack her crown away and put her dress in the hamper. He’d commit to memory the way she looked before she climbed into his lap back in the pilot’s seat and fell asleep with her hand tangled in his shirtfront and tentacles wrapped around him in four different directions. 

And if she ever doubted herself again, so would she.

[rosekasa]

ive yet to finish an art project since december bc ive been so down abt my work. im startjng to feel like a one trick pony, like i can only make one good art im proud of and never again. each type i set out to make something it just doesn't turn out good so i delete it and start again and rinse and repeat. its nice to know that its not just me who feels this way

baby you are NOT alone!! at a time where most of the art we consume is through the norms of social media it can be so hard to remember that art is not just about making a good 'finished product' and that your value as an artist isn't about your work looking like those of the people you see with thousands of followers. feeling proud of your work comes from feeling proud of yourself. i have so many pieces that objectively are Not good but i feel filled with so much love when i look at them because i remember how happy i was while creating it. but then i have pieces that have gotten thousands of reblogs but i physically cannot bring myself to look at them for too long because while i was drawing it i was constantly thinking about whether it will look good, whether it will fit the idea i had in my head, etc. etc.

I don't know if it's any consolation to hear this, but the feelings triggered in you when you see a result you don't like are not concrete nor are they a true depiction of who you are. you are a wonderful, skilled, creative artist and i can say this to you without knowing who you are and knowing your work because to be that kind of person is to think you are that kind of person. the more you tell yourself not to be nervous about your art not turning out good and focus on creating the things that make you feel joy with confidence, the more your art WILL start to look good, i promise.

i wanted to share some examples with my own art and my feelings about it so if you're not interested don't worry qjkskw im just putting it under here

i think this was my most reblogged piece in 2022 but i dont think ive seen it closeup since then because it does not make me feel good when i look at it. when i sat down to draw this i was so stressed about making it look a certain way. i was trying to use all this technical knowledge like forumlas to make it look 'perfect' but at the end it just felt like a drawing that wasn't even mine. i do like the sky a lot though because painting skies like that have always made me feel really happy.

same situation with this piece. i had the vague idea in my head but it felt like i had to make it a chore to make sure it looked good. i kept trying to find the 'perfect' references and trying to copy tutorials id seen about anatomy to force it to look good but again this just doesn't feel like my art because i think so much of it came from what i thought i shouldve been doing rather than what felt good. it felt like i was trying to prove myself

i did this in an hour and a half and i thought it was going to be a warmup ahkdka. i completely switched off my brain while i did this. i loved this pose from ikari gozen and so i sketched it out really fast in a way that felt so. easy? natural? the rest of the details sort of just fell into place. that's not to say i didnt try to use the same techniques that i did for the other two, but this time i trusted that those techniques that i learned would naturally come to me while i worked while i had the end result in my mind. when i look at this piece i just remember how intuitive the process felt, how i would zoom out of the canvas and look at it and think 'omg wait what if i try that thing i saw on that youtube tutorial...' and how i wasnt trying to prove to myself this was a good drawing, but for the way i felt natural and happy prove it to me instead

this one too ❤️ i have improved my anatomy a lot since this piece but i still use it on all my portfolios and commission examples because it feels like such a good depiction of how i want MY art to feel to me when i see it. i love ladynoir so much and i love oblivio so much and that's genuinely all i was thinking about while drawing this. i didn't want to make it perfect, i just had a vague image of what i wanted it to be like in my head but i was just so excited to be doing oblivio art that i totally forgot about stressing about everything else and just let the brainrot power me HDKDKA. the process was so messy but it felt a lot like solving a puzzle, you know? i didnt need to force any techniques onto it to make it look good because i trusted that the image would already be there, i just needed to find it

[herrscherofmagic]

I think I might take a break from making fanart for some time; or at least, I'll try and make it less of a priority.

This thought came to me just now, and while I don't really have a concrete plan or process in mind I figured I might as well share it anyways

Of course, I do intend to still make fanart soon, and I still have an insane amount of ideas on future projects. Just take a quick glance at that project overview thingy I posted a while back, and you'd see just how much I still have to do!

But honestly, art has been really stressful for me recently. Not because of art itself, not because drawing is difficult. It's just that I'm dealing with a lot of anxiety, exhaustion, and stress from other life stuff, and I already have really low self-esteem when it comes to my art, so trying to force myself to work on these various fanart WIPs hasn't been helping at all.

So I think I want to experiment a bit and start posting more of my practice work. Gesture drawings, studies, anatomy notes, scribbles, and whatever else comes to mind. I want to try and do more with drawing from life both with pen and with pencil, too.

One of my biggest issues is that it's incredibly difficult for me to focus and commit on anything. This isn't an art issue, this is an issue I have with nearly everything in my life. So I can't really "solve" it, I just have to mitigate it to the best of my ability.

Recently, I think what's been giving me the most trouble with art is that I struggle with line quality and mark-making. I'm starting to understand anatomy more, I've gotten decent at gesture, I'm even taking a live drawing class as part of my college studies; but none of these things matter if I can't even move the pen(cil) across the paper or screen to make the mark I need to convey form, shape, value, and so on.

I'm also not just talking about lineart in the sense you usually think of, like in manga as one example. This is about all sorts of marks, whether it's using a brush to show value on the side of an object, or making lines to show the position & orientation of a limb.

I tend to draw really quickly and roughly, basically drawing at the same speed that I think- which is way too fast. Sometimes it's good to draw quickly like that, but I'm running into an issue where I'm spending upwards of one hour on rough sketching and "planning" when I should be taking less than 30 minutes on that, and using the rest of the time to actually draw the damn thing T_T

And because I rarely get to that later stage in the drawing, I've constantly hit roadblocks with my more complex works because I have so little experience there. That disconnect between my ideas and execution is really demoralizing, but I don't think I realized what the exact issue was until these past few weeks...

Instead of trying to worry about these large illustrations or comics and whatnot, I think I want to try and focus on some drawings that will help me really figure out my mark-making. Things like drawing a scene from life, such as plants or buildings or people on the street. Drawing more studies of clothed people instead of only doing anatomy. Drawing 3D forms in simple perspective, and then repeatedly adding more onto these forms to try and add complexity without muddying up the drawing with inconsistent and shoddy linework.

I've always wanted to add those kinds of drawings to my social media, but my ideas for fanart fill my mind 24/7 and I've been trying so hard to realize these ideas- and failing miserably. At the rate that I'm going, we're gonna experience the heat death of the universe before I reach a level of artistic skill that would actually let me make a living and survive off of my work. So I need to seriously address these concepts, and I need to (mostly) detach it from my fanwork so I don't get too emotionally attached to the countless shitty drawings I'll be making >.>

So I'll try and worry less about making all these cool fanarts and instead pick a single or handful of simpler fanarts to seriously work on, and surround those few works with lots of other practice that will help me build the skills I need to execute these ideas.

I also think I'm going to go back to writing more fan fiction in the meantime, since my writing skills are pretty well developed; far more than my drawing, at least. So I can try to present more of my fan ideas through writing instead of only through art, that way I can still share these thoughts with the world.

Plus I have some ideas that can help combine my fanfics with simple fanart in the form of illustrations- like one or two drawings per chapter of a fic, for example. Not full scenes with lots of detail- rather they'd be simple drawings with more rough linework and simple shading, which focus on conveying a key idea of the text instead of trying to convey all the meaning within the artwork itself. Like if a chapter introduces a new character, then having an illustration of said character in a simple scene. That kind of thing!

No clue where this'll take me, but hopefully it'll at least let me continue to improve my art skills without feeling miserable, while also giving me time to catch up on other work that I've been neglecting, including some huge life stuff I need to sort out if I want any chance of surviving on my own once I graduate.

I'll still have a lot of stress and anxiety from other places, but I want to at least take art and transform it into something I can do for fun and to relax, instead of being stressed by my art because of the pressure to make things "look good" instead of building up the skills I need to do that in the first place. If I can learn to enjoy making art, that'll go a long way in helping me get to a better frame of mind ^.^

[invader-777]

How did you get into animation? Im 23 and feel its too late to get into it

HI HI HI!! So sorry I'm responding to this so late! I had work yesterday and I have been so tired out from the physical labor, on top of other personal drama I don't want to delve into.

To answer your question, I'm still trying to get into the animation industry, so I'm not a certified professional yet. Emphasis on YET. I will be turning 25 in 5 months and I still haven't had the job opportunity come my way. So if you think age has any factor in getting into the career: rest assured that age has no limit in this industry. To get further into detail, I'll add a read more about the intricacies that I've learned from the animation industry so far <3

So the animation experience varies from person to person. I've had friends who started their careers with big studios right after we all graduated art school by age 22. You have people like me who are still looking for a job in the industry by age 24, and show no signs of stopping. I've seen plenty of artists over 30 and 40 barely getting their foot in the door into the career. Don't let these young content creators or success stories of infamous show runners make you think you're too late to get started in animation!

As an example: J.G. Quintel ,the creator of Regular Show, took what I believe was 10 years to get started at Cartoon Network after graduating from CALarts, and spent those 10 years after graduating working retail and register jobs.

Consider your factors in life. For me, I grew up with a town that never favored the arts, so I thankfully had the financial support to go to an art school in California for a couple of years to expand and improve the skills I previously had. DO NOT THINK THAT GOING TO ART SCHOOL IS A MUST! Plenty of artists in this career have gotten successful without ever having went to college. Unless you think you need it and you have the money, then start researching where you'd want to attend, look at the intuition and alumni reviews and etc.

As far as portfolio advice goes, my professors have taught me one thing I keep in mind: ✨QUALITY OVER QUANTITY✨. You can have a small and dingy or big and fancy portfolio, but recruiters will not care. As long as you have the skill they're looking for, that's all that matters. Do not be afraid to draw something outside of your comfort zone - flexibility in your skills is a bonus. Anatomy and cafè/life drawings are a must to show companies you know how to draw humans and animals. Most importantly, try to cater to the specific job in the industry you want to aim for. If you're looking to only be a storyboard artist, show thumbnails, rough sketches, and your own animatics/storyboards projects. And vice versa appplies for the other positions out there.

My last pieces of advice: DO. NOT. GIVE. UP. This profession relies on passion, optimism, resilience, preservation, and determination. The second you give up, it's over. Obviously this doesn’t mean you can't draw for yourself or take a break; but do not get discouraged from being denied or ignored from the opportunities you apply to, that you don't see the point in it anymore. These, at this time, are extremely common, but they aren't a reflection of you as an artist or as a person. This is why you constantly need to practice as much as you can, thus going back to never giving up. That way, when you apply again, you'll be better than you were before, improving your chances of getting hired even more.

Do not worry about your age and thinking that it's too late for you. In this industry, it's never too late to start your career regardless of your age. Stay vigilant, do not give up, and always practice on improving your drawing skills! I hope this helps and I wish you the best of luck in your endeavor 💖 here's to one day working with each other🌸

[carpisuns]

anatomy tips for anon

(someone asked me for this but tumblr ate the ask lol so I’ll just answer it here)

hi anon, I actually really struggle with anatomy so i was kinda surprised to get this ask hdjsksjs but i hope my answer is at least somewhat helpful!

first of all, there are a million methods for drawing a full body. some people like sketching out a skeleton first and building on top of it, some people start with a super loose/flowy general shape of the pose, some people use ovals or 3D boxes or cylinders—i'd recommend looking at various tutorials and trying them out to see what works for you!

unfortunately none of those methods worked very well for me,, i found them kinda cumbersome and counterintuitive so I usually end up just like. going for it lol. I don’t really have a System cause my method is honestly just “try your best, hold back the tears, fix it until it looks as passable as you can get it” DHJSKS but idk maybe it will help you to see my "process" lol

(ok i've never done a speed drawing thing before so i'm about to Expose Myself but im doing this for you anon haha)

(putting the rest under a cut bc it's long, sorry lol)

as u can see, it's a lot of trial and error for me. you may have noticed how i redrew every single thing like 50 times, how i initially made her arm ridiculously long and had to shorten it, how i general just Abused the lasso and warp tools....the list goes on haha. the point is, i make a lot of mistakes and my final products are still very flawed, but that's okay because i know i'm getting better the more i practice! if you scroll back through my art tag you will see some anatomical horrors that would make picasso cry, but at the time i was really proud of them LKJDFSKJLF

ok let me break it down a bit

i usually start with the head, neck, and like a vague indication of the shoulders lol. then i add these slightly angled lines to build the torso from and leave a little gap so i can come back for the arms

then I add the legs!

i used to be so allergic to legs lol but i've been drawing them more lately and i decided i actually kind of love them?? who'd have thought. (but not feet. dni)

here are some basic examples of how i draw legs. keep in mind that i am still learning and these are not like the best examples ever! i don't tend to put a lot of detail in my anatomy and mainly stick to very simple lines and curves, partially because i prefer a simpler style and partially bc i currently lack the skill to be fancier about it lol

i usually start with basically two lines slanted slightly inward for the upper leg and then for the lower leg i do a straighter line and a line with a bump for the calf. pay attention to what direction the knee is facing because that will determine where your bumps go

once i've got the legs, i have the basis of the pose in place, so i add the arms

shoulders are a weird struggle for me lol but i usually add like a little circle or triangle to indicate the joint so i can attach the arms. and then i build the arms kinda similar to how i do the legs—like with two slanted lines and then the bump for the lower arm

once I’ve got the whole body down, there is usually a fair amount of adjustment haha. I gotta ask, does the pose actually work? like, where is the character putting their weight, and does the pose make sense that way? are the legs and arms and torso the proper length and width? and then at some point after a lot of fiddling i give up and voila, done :)

as far as proportions goes, my advice is to pay attention but not sweat too much about it. I used to try to like Vitruvian Man it lol and count how many heads tall the character was and try to be super precise about the proportions according to one of those proportion chart things. and ofc that stuff helpful and important to know! but in the end, worrying that much about it was a hindrance for me and I ended up with really stiff and unnatural-looking poses. so I mostly just follow a couple rules of thumb:

1. The elbow should hit around the waist/mid-torso

2. The arm, fully extended, usually hits the upper thigh. like, wrist at crotch level I guess?

3. The length of the legs is like roughly equalish to the length of the the whole upper body (head to bottom of hips)

these are just basics and not very Scientific haha but that’s vaguely what I go for. also remember that proportions can be pretty stylistic too! for example, a real human body is normally like 8 heads tall, but I probably do like 6ish heads normally. that’s pretty common for more cartoony styles, and the bigger heads also make the character look younger bc kid proportions are different than adult proportions. just kinda play around with it and go with what feels natural and good for the character you’re drawing

if you feel like your pose is stiff and weird rather than natural/dynamic, it often helps to make sure the shoulders and hips are tilted slightly at opposite angles. that's a tip i picked up from this tumblr tutorial a long time ago and i always come back to it, haha

ok that's about all i have for specifics but i have just 2 general tips to end with:

1. Use!!! References!!! seriously. i use references every time i draw. i look at photos of real people and screenshots from the show and i even sometimes take pictures of myself for reference. often i'm using multiple references for one drawing, like piecing together elements of various refs to create the pose i want, but sometimes i work from a single reference. i also study my favorite artists' work pretty frequently to see how they do things. getting familiar with what good art and real life looks like will help you get better at mimicking it and noticing when things are off.

2. Be patient with yourself. You’re gonna mess up a lot. Sometimes you may even post something and realize months later that you made chat noir’s upper arm literally twice as long as it should be :/

but fear not! you don’t have to live forever in the shadow of Long Arm Chat! lol. you will get better just by trying, I promise.

Part of the process of making art you like is making a lot of art that you don't like, or art that you like at first but hate later. Your skills and your eye are developing simultaneously, and sometimes your eye passes up your skills, so that you're better at noticing your mistakes even if you struggle to fix them. that's okay! that gap can be really frustrating and discouraging, but it's still a sign of growth and your skill will catch up. just keep studying, keep drawing, and keep having fun! it gets better, seriously. when i first started drawing like two years ago, i thought i'd never be able to do a passable full-body pose. it was SO hard. and it's still hard for me! but i can do it much better now than i could then, and when i get bummed out about my limitations, it helps me to remember that even though i still have a long way to go to get where i want to be, i've also come a long way. and you will too! if your current self could see what your future self can do, you'd be so impressed 😌

P.S. just to reiterate, I am Not an expert At All and these are just some methods/tips that are working pretty well for me right now. i hope they help you out too, but my methods may not be the best fit for you, and if that's the case, don't sweat. try out a lot of stuff and see what clicks and makes sense. art is a learning process and it's so individual so i encourage you to experiment!

Good luck, and have fun!

[your-mighty-words-astound-me]

Transcript:

[SLIDE 1]

THE STRUGGLE

"I... I finally found you! The ART MASTER! Please, teach me o wise one! Teach me how to be better at art! I want to be a better artist!"

[SLIDE 2]

"Mhmhmm... ...Kay. Well first u gotta..."

[SLIDE 3]

"practice"

[SLIDE 4]

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA-"

"I think I can just stop this right there. We all know how this ends.

I s'pose there's an explanation for this. Many self taught artists echo this advice because it was advice they, themselve, were given by their respected artists. And it's true! But often, it's not enough to inspire any real progress. It's too vague and too daunting to actually mean anything."

[SLIDE 5]

"So how about this - if you guys promise to practice every day, just like many artists recommend, I'm gonna teach you some interesting WAYS to practice that will help you stretch your drawing ability in more concrete ways.

Without further ado... Lets get started."

DISCLAIMER:

I'm not an art teacher

I'm self taught

Results may vary

[SLIDE 6]

1. DRAW LIKE A KID

For: Artists who are anxious about messing up

What is one thing kids lack? Attention to detail. What is one thing they have in spades? Lack of shits given. Their technique may be bad but their ability to relay basic shapes and feelings is on point. Grab a reference photo (preferably an animal) and let it go.

materials pencil crayon pen

Focus on drawing as simply as possible without losing the main feeling of what it is. Don't worry about anatomy or details.

[SLIDE 7]

2. CIRCLES and LINES

For: Artists who think their drawings are 'flat'

Instead of drawing immediately, start with a shape.Either draw a bunch of circles with a compass, or draw a weird shape with a ruler. Then keeping to this shapes, draw the detail of what it is based on what shapes you have in front of you. Be creative!

materials ruler set square compass

Try to draw not only people, but things, too!

[SLIDE 8]

3. ONE-LINE or NOTHING

For: Artists who don’t like their lineart

Oftentimes, we think that sketchy lineart looks better than wobbly lineart. But unless executed correctly, sketchiness is just messy. Try to draw something without picking up your pen/pencil off the paper at all!

materials pencil pen

There’s actually a psychological reason behind why we think the sketch layer looks better. When we see multiple lines, our brain picks up on the one that looks most correct, and the overall impression is that the drawing looks ok. However, if we only see one line, our brain can more easily pick up on minor errors.

[SLIDE 9]

4. SUBTRACT

For: Artists who struggle with shading/light source.

How often have you been frustrated that your drawing looks like it was 2D despite you vigorous shading? Try subtractive drawing. Try with a black canvas and try to draw something using ONLY the lit surfaces. Be careful not to draw lineart - that’s cheating!

materials eraser

decide on a light source use a reference where possible

Very often we underestimate how much light and shadow we need. Yet if we give the drawing too little of either it will look flat and incomplete. You will need to experiment a lot to allow your brain to understand that going overboard with light and giving your drawing deep shadows is actually BETTER. It’s scary at first, but it’ll be worth it later.

“to tell the truth I could use this advice myself!”

[SLIDE 10]

5. POST-IT NOTE STUDY

For: Artists who are stubborn and impatient

Get a post-it note pad with about 50-100 notes, based on how stubborn you are. Pick a small, simple thing which you cannot draw reliably from memory (yet) and draw it ONCE without looking at a reference. Set it aside. Then using a ref, draw it again. And again.

materials post-it notes/sticky notes

The main reason so many artists recommend practice is because it is the only thing that works. You have to draw something about 30 times to become reliably good at drawing it by heart. The more your hand goes through the motions, the better it will recall those motions when there is no reference.

2017 CHEKHOV

I made a thing! I was thinking about this for a few days - because I realized that when I was young, I was also frustrated about being given the same advice over and over - without really knowing what it meant!!

Here’s 5 techniques which I have done before which have helped me grow as an artist, which are good for 5-minute warmups or just straight up challenges for your sketchbook! 

Obviously, these are not the ONLY techniques - they’re just the ones I find most fun! And maybe they’re not the most ‘correct’ ones out there, but it’s better than another comic about practicing more, right? 

Good luck to everyone on their drawings!