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hazelenergy · 4 years

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How I Digitally Paint like a Scenic Artist/Designer

Aka: how I did this and put my degree to good use.

LONG POST WARNING

Step 1: Research.

First off, get to your image search. If you are going to be using Google, you may want to type “-pinterest” in the search to eliminate the countless boards.

I had to figure out clothing that is vaguely late 1800s. I found a multitude of reference images that were fancier clothes- but I wanted to find images of clothing for kindred across all social classes. Photographs from the era and paintings are your friend. They will more accurately showcase what was worn.

After Fashion research comes location research. The 1890s in America is known for the rapid industrialization. Factories were getting bigger and work days were getting longer. But, I wanted the moonlight to be cascading into the place, illuminating the scene. This means I needed to find a structure that had skylights or let sunlight in. And the best images I found? Slaughterhouses. Fitting, huh?

The same rule for fashion still stands- if you can find photographs or paintings from the era- they’re better. There are tons of places still standing today from the 1800s. But today, they look WAY different. Ya know, Abandoned! So just be sure to take this into consideration if you search “abandoned slaughterhouses” or go trespassing like I did.

Lastly, pose research. Finding the poses for a fight scene can be tedious. So, I enlisted some help from a few fight choreographers and stunt men. You can record their fights and play them back at quarter or half speed. You can also get a mirror and flop on the floor a bunch. I did both. This lets you see the action/motion lines you are going to replicate in the drawing. Heres how we initially did fina’s pose:

And sometimes you have to go back and get a clean shot. I ended up using this pose for the axe.

Step 2: Set up and Background!

When you open a new file, set it to the dimensions and resolution you want. I was working at 600. Usually, I’m working at 300-350. You can always reduce resolution. Its hard to prevent fuzzy lines if you increase it later.

I cannot stress the following enough:

You work background to foreground. Big Shapes and areas to little shapes. Work your way forward. What this means is you need to fill in as much space as possible first. Then build your details. I prefer working as follows: Big Solid tones, Soft shadows, Dark Shadows, Highlights, then final blend. Once you finish this, put an overlay on top. This knocks everything back and helps create the illusion of depth. See this at work with the video below or here

Step 3: Figure Drawings + Composition

Utilize that research and images you collected to pose your characters. I create subfolders for each set of figures. Organization is important here. This will help keep you on the right layer and prevent the eternal digital artist struggle of “Fuck that was on the wrong layer!”

Even after you move on to lineart and shading, Keep the sketch layer as a reference. You may need to see what youre original notes/ figures looked like as you do the lineart and shade. Don’t be afraid to move them around and alter the composition rn. You want to be able to make changes. Make notes! Detail light sources!

I’m about to through out some art jargon:

You want to think about asymmetric balance. The easiest way to achieve this in an eye-pleasing manner is to use the Fibonacci spiral. Yeah. This boi:

Place your figures and actions in a similar sequence to the spiral and the viewer’s eye tends to naturally follow it. This is sometimes called the Golden Ratio in the art world.

Doesn’t need to be perfectly on the spiral. You can break it- but its an excellent tool to plan how things move in the piece.

Step 4: Lineart

Once you got things sketched- its time to do the lineart. I’m using clip studio paint’s standard brushes. Nothing fancy. I often switch between the G-pen and the For Effect Liner. Mapping and Turnip are for thicker lines.

Usually I set these pens to a specific thickness depending on where I’m drawing.

My background figures are lined at 0.05 thickness, the midground is .1 to .2, Fina is .3 and the foreground is .4. I set my stabilization high to help keep my lines smooth. Stabilization 100 means there’s a significant delay between where the pen is and the cursor. I like the stabilization to be at 20 for freehanding and at 50 ish for outlining. Dont become completely reliant on the stabilization though. Good and smooth lineart is drawn from the arm not the wrist. Your range of motion is severely limited if you only move your wrist. Practice moving from your elbow and you’ll be surprised how much smoother your lines get.

Once I finish lining the figures, I usually go around it with an outline. This does three things:

1. Solidifies the figure and cleans lineart for paint bucket tool. More on that in the next step.

2. Its a stylistic choice. Helps give it that comic book feel with a heavy outline.

3. Pushes figures forward or back in the composition. Thicker outline helps denote that a figure is farther forward than another. My background figures have no outline to push them away

Step 5: Digitally coloring

For each figure you are going to select outside the lineart.

Create a new layer under the lineart

Invert the selection. Paint bucket. You should now have a solid shape of the figure under the lineart. Do not deselect.

Create a new layer above the one color. Title it solid colors. Paint in thick, solid tones. I like to use the mapping pen and turnip pen to color in my solid tones: skin, clothing, hair, etc.

After that, deselect. Create a multiply layer if you can. If your program does not have a multiplier function, Pick a tone you want to use for shadows and lower the opacity (usually 30-40% I like to use lavenders or blue tones). It will not be as vibrant, but you can edit it in post. Select off of the solid colors layer. I like to start with skin tones. Use the airbrush tool to create soft shadows. You don’t want to create harsh lines on this layer.

Then repeat this process with harsh lines.

Then knock it all back with an overlay. If you dont have the ability to create an overlay, you can again drop a solid color and lower the opacity, but you’ll have to mess with the color balance/ brightness/contrast to let all the hard work come through.

You’re going to repeat this for every single figure. Here’s a few color theory tips though.

Your overlay colors should be darker (not more vibrant) in the foreground and lighter (avoid using pure white) in the background. This helps with the depth of the piece. Things closer tend to be darker (not always true, depends on lighting)

You can choose to use color theory to aid your shadows. Instead of choosing black or grey for shadows, choose a complimentary color. I used a lot of green for this piece, I used red for really dark shadows. Its not that black drains color- its just loses some depth if not used carefully.

Keep your colors consistent. Helps unify the piece. You can strategically break the consistency to draw focus. For example, Fina is the only figure with a true blue overlay. This helps her stand out from the other figures who have reds and greens.

Step 6: Touch Ups and Final Renderings

Now comes the most tedious part. If you’re like me, your computer fans have been whirring for the last few hours trying to render this monster of a file. If you havent already, SAVE FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THINGS GOOD

These are the last four layers I have for the entire piece. Here, I am trying to create effective and believable lighting. This kind of work I have only been able to achieve in clip studio or photoshop. You can do it with normal layers, but choose your colors CAREFULLY. Stay away from pure white. Carefully utilize your knowledge of light and shadow to create soft highlights. Harsh lines tend to be a stylistic choice for me. The final layer, subtract, dulls out harsh red tones. I used this as a final overlay to help put everyone and everything in the scene. Without it, things are a little too green and skin tones are a little too blushed for vampires.

The challenge here is I want to tone down the red, but not lose the vibrancy of the blood. So, shift it to a blue. This also helped reinforce the “nighttime” effect. Its only a slight change.

Final thoughts:

Whenever you finish something, its important to reflect.

1. I am so FUCKING PROUD OF MYSELF. This is easily one of the most complicated pieces I’ve done in a while- and I’ve made 16′ tall faux stained glass. Brag. Let yourself feel awesome cuz you just made something awesome.

2. I timed myself on the piece. I could have easily spent another 7 hours on it. But its important to know when to stop messing with it. Partially for budget reasons but also when you get down to the details you can make yourself go insane. Theres also a ton of detail work I lost cuz of overlays or its just too small to notice. Fina’s face? hard to see cuz its not close enough.

3. I needed to take frequent breaks for this piece. That was good. Resting and stretching was very important. That is one of the reasons why I was able to work so fast.

4. I started doing more digital art in April 2020. I have to say, practice makes perfect. I practice drawing and digital painting for at least 3 hours a day.

That discipline has allowed me to improve so rapidly. So- I don’t wanna hear shit about I can’t possibly get this good! Or I couldn’t even draw a stick figure! BULLSHIT. You can. Get yourself some free software like Krita or Autodesk sketchbook and start playing!

And thats what I got! Thanks for coming with me on this long post!

#digital art #my art #okay to reblog #how to #long post

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venactricisfics · 4 years

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Malibu Desert

Road Trip

Mayans based Story

Angst, fluff, language, and more

Master List

Chapter Three

The days drug on. I hadn't missed seeing someone in a long time. I actually missed the loud as fuck sound of his Harley echoing down the street.

It had been three days since he left for Vegas. It gave me time to wonder if he had found comfort in someone else's bed. I couldn't exactly be mad if he had. We weren't anything really.

The ringing of my cell brought me out of my thoughts.

"Hello?" I didn't recognize the number on the caller ID.

"Hey, it's EZ. Bish told me to call you."

"Why didn't he call himself?" I stare at the screen confused and a little irritated.

"Prez tells me to do something, " he responds, "I don't ask questions."

"It's ok, " I adjust my tone slightly. "What's up?"

"Creeper is coming up in the van with some additional cargo, " he says.

"That's great for Creeper, what's that gotta do with me?" My patience is running thin.

"Bish wants you to join us here. Says the club stuff is taking longer than he thought."

"Join you in Vegas?" I quirk my brow. "When?"

"Creeper is leaving in an hour, " EZ swallowed.

"An hour? I've got to be ready to go on a 300-mile trip in an hour?" I carry the phone with me to my walk-in closet and stare at the clothes. "How many days?"

"He didn't say."

"You are a fountain of information." I snap back. "Is Creeper picking me up or am I meeting him at the yard?"

"He'll pick you up, " EZ replied.

"Alright."

"So you're coming?"

I let out an exasperated sigh. My irritation overshadowed my desire to see Bishop, "Yeah, I'm coming." It wasn't as though I had plans. But Bishop didn't know that.

An hour later I hand my train case and overnight bag to Creeper to load in the van. "Do you have any details?" I ask as I climb in the passenger's seat.

"Sorry, mamá, I was just told to get you from here to there."

"I guess if I need anything else I can pick it up on the strip, " I smile, I missed shopping since I moved to Santro Padre. Not that I needed anything. I owned enough clothes that the spare room in my house doubled as an additional closet.

I glance back wondering what was in the crates but knowing it wasn't my place to ask. " How much longer till we're there?"

He glances at the GPS, "Little over an hour."

"Can we stop somewhere for a bit?" I ask. He gives me a look. “What I have to pee and freshen up.”

“Women,” he mutters with a chuckle. He exits the interstate and pulls into a truck stop parking lot.

“Thank you,” I grab my train case and head into the bathroom. A few minutes later I step out bladder empty and a little more put together. I meet Creeper at the van who’s filling the tank with gas.

“Does Bishop bring many women out on the road like this?” I hand the man a bottle of water.

“No,” he holsters the nozzle and takes the bottle from me, “never seen him do that before.”

“Interesting,” I respond then climb back in the passenger’s seat. I feel the color leave my face when I look in the side mirror.

“You ok, mamá?” Creeper glances over at me.

“Just get us the fuck outta here,” I breathe as the truck stop fades into the distance. When the van pulls to a stop behind a row of Harleys I turn to Creeper, “Will you keep my little freak out moment to yourself?”

“No problem,” he said with a crooked smile. I take a final look at myself in the visor mirror then pull the pen from my hair and let my copper curls fall down my back. Then reach down and fasten the strappy heels. I swing open the door and EZ catches my hand and helps me down. I find my footing.

“Sorry I yelled at you on the phone,” I said.

He gives me a half-grin, “No worries.” I glance around my smile fades slightly, “Where is Bishop?”

“Inside finishing up with the kings,” he responds. I breathe through my feelings. He wanted me here. He wouldn’t have broken all kinds of the protocol to drive me over 300 miles just to fuck with my head“Alright,” I simply said. I leave EZ to help Creeper unload the van heading into the private cassino. This was a lesson I had to learn. Patch before pussy. And I hadn’t even provided that.

I’m welcomed by warm lights and the chimes of the slot machines. I scan the room looking for a familiar face.

"Well if it isn't Malibu Barbie, " Angel's voice echoes behind me, a smug grin on his face.

I give him a matching smile. "What have I done to see your face again, cabrón?"

"Look at you, güera learning Spanish, " he chuckles.

"The vale between love and hate is extremely thin, " I cock my head to the side, "I guess you don't know why I'm here either?"

"Just that your shit needs to be taken to Bish's room when you got here, " he said. "Surprised you only brought one bag. Don't you white girls overpack?"

"Sorry to disappoint. I don't have a purse dog and I hate Uggs. But I will drink you under the table on Pumpkin Spice Lattes, " I give him a wink. I walk with him to the bar, "I'm not hanging with Bishop because I'm looking for a little Mexican flavor or whatever you're thinking. I like him." The thought of him brings a genuine smile to my lips, "I like him a lot."

“I’m disappointed. Thought for sure you’d have a little rat dog,” he smiles, his gaze fixes past my shoulder.

“I’d rather have a dog that can eat a guy’s face off than nip at his ankles,” I take in his face seeing that he is not paying attention to what I’m saying, “Am I not dazzling you with my company?”

“Yeah,” he looks back down at me, “what?”

“Go,” I follow his eyes, seeing a girl in at a tight barely-there dress, “I’ll be fine.”

“You sure?” he asks. “Bish should be here soon.”

“Give me ten bucks,” I climb up on a barstool.

“Qué?” he quirked a brow.

“Open your wallet and give me a ten,” I respond, “I need a drink and have no cash.”

He opens his wallet and thumbs through the bill, “I only got a twenty.” I hold out my hand, “She’s getting away, Angel.”

He slaps the bill in my palm and rushes off. I order a White Russian from the bartender and sip it slowly. Glancing around the room and on my phone, Bishop wasn’t here yet. I road all this way to sit at a bar waiting. I could be waiting at home in my yoga pants and slippers. I slurp the last of my drink from my glass. I feel the warmth of a hand on my lower back. I lift my eyes finding someone, not Bishop leaning moving dangerously close to my comfort bubble.

His breath stank of cheap beer and cigarettes when he spoke, “Get you another drink, sweetheart?”

“No thanks, I’m waiting for someone,” I try to shrug him off but his grip on my waist grew tighter.

“Just one drink,” he moves in closer even as I push against him. I glance up the bartender was helping a couple who just sat at the other end of the bar.

“I said no,” my voice firm and louder, “please get your hands off me.” He moves his hand to grip my thigh. So tight I knew there would be marks later. I push against him, not making much headway. In an instant, a fist collides with his face. Knocking him on his ass.

“She said no,” Bishop’s voice unmistakable, the fury in his eyes burned differently than I’d seen before. He relaxes his clenched fist and holds his hand out to help me down from the stool, “Where’s Angel?”

“He went to take a piss I guess,” I didn’t want to rat him out and lose any of the ground I’d gained with him.

“You don’t have to cover for him, sweetheart,” his voice still stern. I lace my fingers with his. “I don’t need a babysitter.” He motions to the guy that was pulling himself off the floor, “You don’t?”

“Not counting him. He’s an anomaly. And I was handling it. Sort of,” I tuck myself into his side, “I just need you.” The words felt cheesy coming out of my mouth. But they were true. I hadn’t felt as safe in my whole life as I had in the last few weeks I’d spent with Bishop.

"I didn't like seeing that puta's hands on you, " he leads me further in the casino. "Sorry I wasn't here when you got here." He scans me over, taking in my appearance. My top hinted just enough cleavage and my jeans cling to my hips like a second skin. "Real sorry, " his eyes return to mine.

"Next time you want to see me you can call me yourself. I know club shit is a priority. But I don't like making sketch plans via your prospect."

"That wasn't the way I wanted it to happen, " he responds, "meetings with the kings took longer than I wanted." Bishop's hand rested on my neck pulling me closer. His lips were on mine. The noise and smells of the casino fade completely all I can sense is the feel of his lips on mine, the way his hand feels on my neck. The thickness of the leather beneath my palms as I rest them on his chest. "Come on I need to entertain them a little longer but I wanted you with me."

"Uh-huh, " the oxygen hadn't returned to my brain yet. I lace my fingers through his and walk with him to a round booth. Hank stands, pecks my cheek then motions for me to slide in the booth. I give Taza a wave across the table. Two other men, both wearing ‘El Presidente’ patches filled out the rest of the table.

The Mayan Kings.

I slide in the booth painting on a smile, “Evening.” I was strangely comfortable with this group of men that likely had several kills under their belt. The princess girls I went to school with would cast their nose down at them. But after everything, I’d rather be with these ‘dangerous’ men than the dudes and bros that turned into the man I was supposed to like. I was safer with Bishop and his Mayans than I’d ever been.

I sipped my cocktail, careful not to overindulge, listening to they catch up. Bishop’s hand rested possessively on my thigh. I stifle a yawn and leaned over my lips dancing over his ear, speaking soft, “I can’t wait to be alone with you.”

“Tired, Hermosa?” he asked.

“It was a long trip and I’d just come off a long shift,” I answer with another yawn, playing the game. “But it was worth it.”

“Come on,” he slides out of the booth and takes my hand, addressing the table. “Good night.”

I’d always known I was pretty. Copper curls hang loosely around my face-framing my delicate features. Full lips, blue eyes accented with fluttery lashes. Pretty. But when Bishop looked at me I felt beautiful, sexy, a goddess.

“You know I’m not exactly tired,” I tuck my hand in the crook of his arm as he leads me from the elevator and we stop in front of the hotel door. The light on the key slot turned from red to green and he pushes the door open.

“Good,” he holds the door open as I step over the threshold. The room was massive. The floor to ceiling windows gives a view of the bright lights of the Vegas strip. He slips his arm around my waist pulling me close, I lean back into his chest, his warmth wraps around me like a fur. My eyes close when his stubble tickles the sensitive skin on my neck.

“I missed you,” I let out a soft moan as his tongue and lips move over my skin. I turn toward him, my lips finding his. The kiss fueled a fire throughout my body. I step back catching my breath.

“I missed you too,” he runs his thumb over my lip, “you hungry?” I shake my head, “No. But I do need a minute. OK?”

“Take your time,” he pecks my lips again. I grab the train case that EZ left by the door and take it with me to the bathroom. I smile hearing him mutter, “Damn.”

I check my reflection in the mirror. I didn’t have time to apply a new layer of makeup. So I pinch my cheeks and apply some gloss.

“You ok in there?” Bishop calls from the other side of the door.

“I’ll be out in a minute,” I call back. I pull my clothes off quickly and take a look at myself, glad I chose to wear good underwear today. Hot pink lace boyshorts with a matching bra. I lotion my legs satisfied they were smooth then adjust my boobs. I draw in another breath. I’m ready, I want this more than anything.

I swing open the bathroom door, I lean against the frame, feeling my confidence falter until I see his eyes over me like a starving man and I was his next meal. “I promise I won’t pass out this time,” I take a few steps closer to him. I hadn’t been nervous about sex with someone in a long time. But I could feel my heart pounding in my chest as I wait for him to speak. To move, to do something.

He closes the gap between us in two strides, his hands cup my face and his lips crash on mine. I hold onto his sides as he walks me through the room to the bed. He shrugs out of his kutte and drapes it over the chair as I sit on the bed looking up at him. My fingers tremble as I tug at his belt and unbutton his pants. His eyes are dark with lust as he watches me slip my hands inside. I bite my lip, he’s thick. And getting thicker as I stroke him. His calloused hand slips under the lace of my bra. His fingers working my nipple to a hardened peak as I free him from his jeans.

“Not yet, baby,” he leans down pressing his lips to mine. We work our way backward on the bed until he’s over me. Consuming me with the heat of his body. His lips move over my jaw and down my neck, kissing my chest then the tops of my breasts. I moan when his lips circle my nipple through the lace while his other hand toys with the other. Slowly he moves his lips lower and hooks his fingers in my panties. I lift my hips and let him pull them down.

The man I’d known in the past, the one I’d run away from, he never did this before. The sensation was new. Exciting. Bishop’s tongue swirled slowly around my clit and I cried out as the sparks start to shoot through my body. He licked and sucked my pussy slowly as though he were savoring the taste of me. My fingers coil into the sheets as he slipped a finger inside me and then a second. He pumped in choreographed rhythm with flicks of his tongue on my clit. The pressure inside me built, my thighs tremble, as I feel the dam about to break. “Bishop...I…” my words barely coherent as I felt the crash, I couldn’t stop it. He slowed his movements not stopping, dragging out my orgasm as I shuddered under his touch. I feel my cheeks flush as he looks up at me. Smirk tugging at the corners of his lips as he moves back up my body.

“I knew you’d taste good,” his lips glisten with my juices. I hide my face behind my hands. He moves them, “Too late to be embarrassed, querida.”

“Sorry,” I bite my lip, “I’ve never come like that before.”

Bishop’s hand cups my face and turns me to meet his gaze, “That is a fucking shame. I plan on tasting you as often as you’ll let me.” He presses his lips to mine as I nodded my agreement to his plan. I move my hands to his chest fingers tug on the buttons and I push the fabric down his arms. His free hand moves to my back to unhook my bra then moves to cup my breast.

My hands move over the topography of his now bare chest down his abs and slide in his pants, “Take your pants off.”

“Yes, ma’am,” he smiles into the kiss and raises up to push his pants the rest of the way off after pulling a condom from his wallet. I bring his face back to mine, joining my lips to his again. I let my hand move lower again, finding him thick and hard pressing against my thigh. He groans against my mouth when my fingers curl around him. Fingers trace long and slow up and down his cock. He pushes me to my back and raises up again to roll the condom down his length.

I moan softly as he traces the tip of his member along my slit. “Ready?” I nod. I was ready as I’d ever been. And I wanted him. At this moment I wanted to feel him more than my next breath. His hand grips my thigh as he slides inside me. Inch by satisfying inch stretching me to accommodate him. “Fuck,” he mutters and pops his hips again. My leg hooks high on his hips letting him sink deeper. He moves slow and deep. I feel a surge building inside me again. I grip tight to him, my walls flutter around his cock. “That’s it, querida,” his grip tightens on my thigh, “let go.” At his words, I stop holding back and an uncontrollable tingling sensation radiates through my body.

Bishop’s movements become more erratic as he chases his own release. I move to meet his thrusts as I ride out my orgasm. With a few more thrusts I feel his cock twitch and he groans into my neck at his release. His lips find mine as he comes down from his high. He rolls off of me and pulls me to his chest. I rest my head on his chest, listening as his heart thumps. He combs his fingers lightly through my hair and we lay in each other’s arms.

"I'm glad we waited," I look up at him, "Hot dirty drunk sex would have been fun. But this was better than I thought it could be."

"Yeah, it was," he pecks my forehead and slides from the bed, "wait here." I frown losing the warmth of his closeness. I wanted to ask questions. But I didn't want to be that girl. The one that doesn't know her place and reads things that just aren't there.

Though the sounds from the other room did catch my attention, "Bishop?"

I could hear voices but couldn't tell exactly who the other voice was. Probably one of his guys. I grab Bishop's discarded shirt and slip it on, it still smelled of his favorite cigar and cologne, "If you have to go out again with club stuff you seriously have to make it up to me again when you get back." I roll the sleeves up slightly

While walking.

"Stay back there," Bishop calls. It was too late. I feared this would happen since the day I left Malibu. His eyes were cold as he pressed the barrel of his pistol into the back of Bishop's head.

"Why are you here?"

#Mayans #Mayans MC #Bishop Losa #Bishop losa x OC #bishop losa x reader #bishop losa smut #sons of anarchy #soa #smut

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red-moskito · 4 years

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24. April. 2020

Málaga, Spain

For many of us, the last time it felt like the whole world was having the same conversation was on September 11th, 2001. For me, it was also the day I left London for Faedis, Italy. A few people around me on the train were murmuring about some kind an attack. When I got the airport, it was so quiet. People stood frozen in front of televisions watching two plumes of black smoke rise into a blue sky.

I’d met Marco while he was in London for a couple days to sell some wine. We both quoted Biggie Smalls and the Big Lebowski. He was just getting the family vineyard going as a proper business. I had no plans beyond the next weekend. I said I liked the idea of working on a vineyard. He said, cool.

The house was a kitchen and a bedroom above the cantina. Almost everything inside was older than me. The roof in the bedroom sloped down to the floor. We opened a few bottles and ate dinner.

While insects buzzed and chirped outside the windows, we watched our world reorganize itself towards endless war on television. It was cold that night. We slept under scratchy blankets on little beds made during times of less abundance.

I stayed until the end of October. We often ate lunch in Orsaria with his parents, Paolo and Miriam. I liked them. They acted as if Marco had just found a younger brother they had somehow misplaced. I also liked their house. It was big, beautiful and warm. They had comfortable sofas and a computer for sending sentimental emails and downloading mp3s.

I did my best to match their enthusiasm for every course. E buona la pasta, Tito? Si, si... buonissimo! Marco, perché non mangia di più? When I got sick, they had a doctor come to the house. He brought a stethoscope in a leather bag. Nonna introduced me to grappa as medicine. The first glass felt like hot wax going down my throat.

I annoyed Marco with my plans to marry his sister Barbara, even though she thought I was a sfigato. We drove down gravel roads to parties in little bars where his friends played reggae like some of mine did back home.

No matter how late we stayed out, or how many bottles we left empty on the table, Marco was up with the sun and ready to work. He’d drink flat Coca-Cola before his coffee. Some fuel to get the engine started, man. Good for the stomach.

Winemaking is agriculture, science, art, design, engineering, sales, marketing, gambling, guessing…. When there aren’t vines to trim, there are tanks to check, fertilizers to buy, grapes to take to the laboratory, grass to cut, cases to deliver, bottles to label, fill, cork... People we’d meet throughout the day said, buon lavoro as goodbye.

Whenever something could go wrong, it often did. Marco’s momentary frustration would quickly just become something else to laugh about. Stay calm. Piano, piano. We have to be the Tom Cruise of the situation, man.

Sometimes he would sketch out the plans for our day on scrap paper. Little cartoons of machines, grapes, tanks and tubes with arrows between them. Numbers and notes floating around the edges. He never drew us. We were always moving anyway.

During the vendemmia a crowd arrived to help. Friends, traveling workers and his family, of course. Nonno laughed and shook his head at me and my allergies. I never really got the hang of the tractor, but I loved cutting the grapes free. We stacked crates and tipped them into presses. They all knew far more about my country than I did about theirs. We debated the merits of Sublime, compared Berlusconi to Bush and retold our favorite Simpsons episodes. Every day we all ate lunch together on the patio beneath a sunshade of interwoven vines.

The wine we made went to tables all around Friuli-Venezia-Giulia and parts of Europe. I brought a few bottles with me when I left for Torino. Some went to rest on shelves in the cantina.

The last time I was in Faedis was in August 2016. Marco still sings while he’s walking between the rows of vines. 'Biggie Biggie Biggie can’t you see…’ I mean come on. man. He was really the best. You know it. The best... ‘It was all a dream. I used to read Word-Up Magazine…’

The TV in the kitchen is gone. There’s a wood stove there now. They watch movies projected on the wall of the room we used to sleep in. A futon for guests has replaced the little beds. Marco had remodeled the house to make room for another proper bedroom.

He dug out some grimy bottles of our wine. It was six years younger than I was when we made it. I didn’t get to see Barbara. Paulo and Miriam’s house is now a bed and breakfast. Go there if you’re ever near Orsaria. It’s even more beautiful now.

Friuili is 300 km from Lombardia. In February, Marco and I started talking and texting about the virus. I’d already started veering away from people on the sidewalk. There was a movie I wanted to see in the cinema, but I didn’t go. I avoided the port full of cruise ship passengers. But I still went out.

On March 6, I’d had an internal debate about going to the botanical gardens on my day off. It’s outdoors. It’s low season. It’ll be empty. It’s windy and warm. And anyway, Málaga isn’t Bergamo. I rode my bike there, and while I was locking it, I reconsidered again. I saw a couple walking down from the mountains across the road. Should I just hike up this trail instead? Instead I went inside. I’d only been in summer before. I wanted to see what it looked like at the beginning of spring.

While I was having my coffee, a woman sat at the other end of the picnic table. When she started blowing her nose, I told myself it would be silly and rude to get up. Then she started coughing. I looked at the unwrapped sandwich I had brought from home. My open water thermos. Mentally measuring metres and wind speed. Still feeling like I was being ridiculous. Her daughter brought the drinks and sat down. Ecco la tua mamma... I picked up my things and moved to another table.

I spent the next half hour telling myself I was being paranoid while trying to focus on the plants in the sunshine. Doing impossible math in my head. There are 60 million Italians.... they could have been traveling for weeks... maybe they live here... anyone could have it... there are so many old people here... I heard that man couch under is hat... it could have been on the coffee cup anyway… the bartender washes them in the sink... how hot is that water?

I walked to the end of the gardens where a gazebo was built for the view of the cathedral and the sea. I watched turtles swimming around the little pond. Marco texted me. Stay at home. I called him to tell him about the Italian women and my paranoia. They walked by while I was on the phone, and I moved upwind. Still feeling ridiculous.

He was calm as always. The main problem is there aren’t enough beds for the, how do you say... the reanimation. The people they are just fucking dying in the corridors. They don’t know for sure who is the patient zero, but the patient one or two. He’s a 38 years old guy. He’s been on the fucking respirator for weeks. In Cividale there are three cases. It’s crazy, man. What we have to do is just fucking close everything like they did in China. But that will never happen you know man, because this is Europe.

Two days later the Italian government locked down Lombardia and fourteen other provinces. The following day they extended to it include the entire country. Within a week, most of Europe followed suit.

Seven weeks later the Italian government agrees with many of you about the essential nature of wine. So Marco is still working. Since the lockdown started, he’s been in the hospital twice. He was in a car accident in March, and then something more serious happened in April.

He sent me a selfie from the hospital bed. I called him and he answered laughing. His wife had thought he was faking a stroke to play a trick on her. Fucking unbelievable, man. I tried to drink the juice. You know in the morning, the orange juice, and I put it all over my t-shirt. I couldn’t put it to my mouth. I couldn’t say nothing. I was like blah, blah, blah. My brain was no good. Anyway, how are you, are you good?

The hospitals in Udine aren’t overwhelmed, but he was only allowed one visitor per day. He asked his mother to bring his laptop, so he could get some work done. Everybody say rest. Rest, rest, rest. Okay, I’m in the bed.

When he was discharged he sent me a photo with his wife and baby walking between the vines. Their daughter, Emilia, has unruly red hair. In every photo she looks overjoyed and a little surprised to have found herself inside her new body. Are you ok? Super ok, man. Super ok. They were all smiles. Glowing in the green grass. Paola looks far too smart to have fallen for either of us back when we would try to out-charm each other every time a woman arrived at the vineyard.

Marco’s still getting up with the sun. But fewer and fewer Italians have money for wine. He’s not loading pallets with boxes bound for dinner parties in Oslo or Chicago. No American tourists will be giggling at his accent this summer. The local restaurants are dark and full of stale air.

For almost twenty years, whenever I’ve called Marco to talk about moving or just getting away, he reminds me of my house in Faedis.

Next to the front door there are photographs of family and friends working together since long before the days of color. Behind the house, up on top of the hill, there is a little shack with the year 1867 written above the door. It will still be there once our world has reorganized itself yet again.

So will we.

https://www.cecchinimarco.com/

http://www.dorsariabedandbreakfast.it/index.php/it/

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queennicoleinboots · 5 years

Text

I Hate This Planet, part 1

(I started this story six months ago)

I was so pissed when I walked into Peter's house that day. Once again, Godiva was pissed off with the universe and got short with me over the phone as a result. I had my own issues that day. Jasper, my 69-year-old client with back issues, was mad at me because I wasn't supporting the government shutdown. Joebear, my husband, was mad at me because I wasn't at the latest government shutdown protest. I couldn't win for losing.

"What's up with you?!" Peter asked in a pissy tone.

I laughed. "Well, I made it to work to put up with your stupid bullshit. What's up with you?!"

"Ha ha ha. I had the strength to answer the door for your BITCH ASS!" Peter said as he poured himself a cup of coffee.

I poured my own. "So what the fuck is your problem?!" I asked him.

"Oh I don't know! My mom is in extreme pain, and my DAD is asking her to do 50,000 things. I I I have to HEAR about it, and you come in with a pissy attitude like you have been for the last two fucking weeks!" Peter started as he stared at me with glowing red eyes.

"Sorry, but it's not *my* fault she's in pain or that your dad suffers large. Also, I'm in a pissy attitude because every every every decision I've made in the last three fucking weeks has been the wrong one! The government had been shut down for a month. Jasper hates that I go to rallies, and Joebear is pissed that I'm not in the front lines for every single one of them!" I said as I took a sip of my coffee.

"Well, fuck, Xara, get it together! The fuck are you taking it out on me FOR?!" he asked as he sipped his coffee.

"Because you're a curly-haired JERK and the bane of my mere existence!" I yelled as I gulped mine and poured myself another cup.

"Ooooh! So you're mad at me for publishing one novel and trying to publish the other?!" Peter said with a guffaw sound as he drank more coffee. "Jesus. Get over it. God Forbid I accomplish something besides be in 1,200,895 porn videos, model for 15,000 clothing companies worldwide, paint 2,000 masterpieces, sketch 5,000 legitimate drawings, and make 30,000, THIRTY-THOUSAND original photoshop illustrations, all of which are AMAZING! And not to mention I've published and written 20 screenplays!"

I stared at him for a few seconds as I sipped my coffee. "You are a pretentious ass, Peter," I said. "Thank you, Peter. I was in two amateur porn videos, never modelled in my life because I'm not as attractive as you are, only painted 20 paintings, most of which are complete shit. Thank you, Peter. And only did about 567 sketches, but they weren't as good as yours are, PETER. Well, I have another reason to hate this planet now. You fucking ass."

"I'm sorry for being amazing. But I still hate my life. I tried so hard. I'm still broke. Thank you, Trump. Thank you, ever-failing healthcare system of America. Thank you, pretentious ass literary agents that would rather publish bullshit like Danielle Steele and James Patterson. Thank you, Republicans. YOU ASSHOLES have the greatest political party ever. Fuck you. I also hate this shit my parents are going through..." Peter started to say before his mother named Godiva walked out of her bedroom with her shoulders near her ears, a strained face, and her arms to her sides.

"Is there EVER A DAY IN MY LIFE WHEN I CAN JUST HAVE A CUP OF COFFEE TO MYSELF WITHOUT HEARING GODIVA THIS GODIVA THAT!!!!" she yelled.

We looked at her and said, "No."

"EXACTLY!!!!" she said with gritted teeth and poured herself a cup of coffee. She grunted and gritted her teeth some more. "Why is this the last cup of coffee left in the pot?! Why? I worked hard all my life... well, minus when I homeschooled Peter. That was awesome." She said that last sentence as she batted her eyes at Peter.

Peter grinned. "Sorry. I'm pissy today," he said as he got up. "I'll make you some more coffee because you're the only person I'm not angry with."

"Thank you," she said as she drank her coffee. "But seriously. My husband has driven me to the point of insanity. Has he lost his senses? I'm 80 years old. I don't HAVE the strength and patience like I used to to deal with his ever-sinking health. And everyone else in the world is incompetent!"

"Oh boy do I agree!" Peter said as he poured water into the machine and managed to spill half of it on the counter. "I'm incompetent as fuck!" He said as his eyes widened and as his smile became bigger. He added a stupid chuckle at the end of that sentence.

I laughed and managed to projectile spit coffee on the floor. Peter was cracking me up with his stupid bullshit. I went to use a napkin to clean up my coffee spill while I was still laughing.

Godiva stared at him like she wanted to kill him. "My Goodness. Everything's a joke to you two!" she said with red glowing circles around her blue eyes. She threw a paper towel roll at Peter.

Peter took some paper towels and cleaned the counter. "Like I MEANT TO DO THAT!" he said as he widened his eyes at her.

She poured some more water into the pot and handed it to him. "Don't spill it this time, huh!" she said as she glared at him.

"I don't plan to!" he said in a whiny, childish voice as he poured the water in the pot normally. He then turned the coffee pot and waited for it to brew.

"GODIVA! PETER!" Jamie, Peter's bedridden father, called from his bedroom.

"WHAT?!" Godiva and Peter yelled. Godiva stomped her right foot, and Peter slammed his right fist into the counter.

"I need you two to get me out of bed!!" he yelled. "My back is KILLING me!"

Godiva marched over to him. "Mine is, too, but nobody cares about that," she said quietly.

Peter just walked over with this "Fuck my life" look on his face. He stuck his tongue out in disgust.

I tried to get myself ready to clean house, but I laughed and cried the whole time. I hated my life as much as they did. I managed to get myself to work, but I was still frustrated with everything.

My phone buzzed. It was none other than an angry old man named Jasper. I sighed loudly and picked up the phone. "Hello?" I said in an agitated tone.

"Hi Xara," he said with a sigh.

"What happened to you?" I asked.

"I'm building a space ship to get off this planet. I'm fucking done with these people. I can't deal with society. I can't deal with my family full of primates. I can't deal with the banks. I'm done with it all. I'm taking Gabby and Murphee with me. You want to come?" he asked as he was banging on shit in the background. Gabby was his old cat, and Murphee was his middle-aged dog .

I sighed in relief. "Yes. I'd love to get off this planet! When is the space ship going to be done?" I asked.

"Two weeks unfortunately," he said. "Good thing I don't plan to sleep. I'm ready to fly away now."

"No kidding. Fuck today. Please get back to work," I said.

Peter walked out of the room and attempted to have some more coffee.

"Peter! I forgot! I need help with fixing my alarm clock. Your mother's in the bathroom!" Jamie called.

"Ugh!!!!" Peter said as he made an air gesture of choking someone. He had those angry red circles around his eyes.

"Sounds like you have work to do, too," Jasper said. "Peter sounds like he is in the mood to be an asshole."

"Well, that's typical for him," I said.

"My point exactly. I need to get some more horsepower on these jets. Talk to you later," Jasper said.

"Talk to you later," I said.

He hung up.

Peter walked over while he was beating the alarm clock against his head. "Did I hear something about you getting off this planet?" he asked as he still banged the clock against his head.

I chuckled. "Yes," I said as I began dusting his office. "You want to come?"

He bashed the alarm clock off his head and somehow managed to get it back to normal. "Dad, I fixed your alarm clock!" he called to his father. "Yes, please. My dad literally drives me crazy. Look at me. I just beat his alarm clock against my head. Ha ha. It fixed the damn thing. Teeheehee! I need to get the fuck out of my house! Please help me. Ha ha ha." He left the room.

I called Jasper.

"Hello? What do you want? I'm not done with my space ship yet?" Jasper growled over the phone.

"I knew that, asshole. I wanted to know how much room was on your space ship," I said.

"I can fit like 10 people on here. Why the fuck not? I'm sure we aren't the only ones sick of this shit. But anyone but you will have to pay," he said.

Tug, Peter's basenji, charged down the stairs. "Did you say 'space ship'?"

"Well, we'd have to put a gold backing on the currency if we go to another planet," I said to Jasper. "Can Tug come along?"

"Who the fuck is Tug?" Jasper asked.

"Peter's very intelligent basenji. The dog is smarter than Peter," I said.

"Well, yeah. Animals are free, but jackass Peter has to pay. I'll give him a discount if I can tie him up." Jasper said.

"Thank you, Xara. If I could, I'd provide the rope. I'd like to put that jackass on a leash once in a while," Tug said.

"No worries. I can provide rope," I said.

"Fuck you guys," Peter said as he went past us to go to his computer.

Tug followed him and sat on his feet. He looked up at Peter and said, "Because fuck you, too."

"You knew I was going to take you with me if I left the planet. Stop this bullshit," Peter said as he looked down at Tug.

Tug laid out and put more weight on Peter's dainty feet. "I would hope so, fuckface," he said as he bared his teeth at him.

"Peter owes me $300 for getting on my ship. It can be $200 if he lets us duct tape his mouth shut," Jasper said as he built his space ship.

"Oooh. Can it be $100 if he is naked?" I asked.

"Hmmmm... very tempting, but I don't think he'd go for it," Jasper said with a chuckle.

Peter flicked me off before going back to trying to publish his novel.

I giggled. "I think he'd like the idea," I said with a big smile.

Peter snorted angrily and had steam coming from his ears.

"Only if he agrees. Otherwise, it's $200 to have duct tape over his mouth," Jasper said.

"All right. I'll put duct tape over his mouth and pay you $200 to let him on the ship," I said.

Peter smirked.

"Sounds good!" Jasper said. "I need to go back to working on my ship."

"Okay," I said. "I am going to buy duct tape soon."

"Good idea! See you later today," Jasper said.

"See you, Jasp," I said.

We hung up.

"Duct tape? Jasp?" Peter asked with a smirk.

"Jasper will charge only $200 if you let me duct tape over your mouth. And Jasp is my nickname for Jasper. My nickname for you is Peetie. And BaeWhuhh is my nickname for Joebear," I said. I only called Peter Peetie in rare occasion.

"Peetie?" he asked with a grin.

"Mhm," I said as I walked over to him and ran my fingers through his curls. "Peetie seems to suit you."

He grinned. "That might be my new name when I leave this planet," he said.

Joebear called me.

"Hold on, Peetie," I said as I answered the phone. "Hello, BaeBaeWhuhhh?"

He growled over the phone in frustration. "Ughhhhh! Fuck this planet. Satanists are at full force trying to brainwash everyone again. SIGH!!!!" Joebear growled.

Peter was laughing in the background. He snorted.

"Jasper is building a space ship to get off this planet. You want to get on it?" I asked.

He growled in bear language. "Yes!!! For the love of humanity, I'm done with people and this fucking planet. Fuck society. Fuck everyone and their 401k. Fuck these self-centered assfucks! I'm done. Get me on first class on a plane THE FUCK OUT OF HERE!!!" Joebear screamed. "Garfield and Cupid are coming, too." Garfield and Cupid are our orange cats.

Peter belly-laughed.

"Oh. Apparently Peter's done, too. He's fucking laughing hysterically. He's hysterical. He's fucked up," Joebear said.

I laughed. "Yes, bae. You are technically an animal, so you can get on for free," I said.

"Fuck that logic. I'm a goddamn giraffe then. I'm fucking tall enough. Two hundred bucks. Of all the chances to get off this goddamn planet, it has to be with some old fuck who hates me," Peter muttered. "I'll take it. Fuck this planet."

I laughed at Peter's comment.

"I won't keep you, Little Bae. Peter sounds like he is having a mental breakdown," Joebear said.

"He is," I said. "I love you, Buh Buh Huhhhh!!!"

"Love you, too. See you tonight, bae," he said.

"See you tonight, BIG BAAAEEE WHUHHH," I sung.

He hung up.

"My mind is fucked," Peter said as he went back to his bullshit activity on the computer. "I can't figure out this damn website. How the fuck do you design your own website? This is bullshit."

"I don't know. Do you want me to call Bae back?" I asked.

"No. I want off this God-forsaken rock of planet. How long do I have to wait to get the hell out of here?" he asked.

"Two weeks," I said.

"Jesus fuck," he muttered. "I don't know if I am going to make it two weeks. I do know I'm putting in my two weeks' fuck you notice tomorrow." He was a disgruntled drywall installer who hated his job more than life itself.

"Good idea," I said. "I get to keep my job because I am going to convince Mr. Williamson to come with us. He's a nice guy."

"Oh God no. Then I have to deal with Ted the Alligator and Jack the Crocodile. Ugh. Those two give me lung cancer from a the screaming I do at them," he said. He sighed.

"Come on, Peter. I have to make a living, and I still have to put you through bullshit," I said. "At least you won't have to do drywall for the rest of your life in two weeks."

"Fine! I'd rather drill my own teeth than keep my drywall job!!!" Peter exclaimed.

Godiva came in the room. "Why are you ridiculous, Peter?" she asked as she folded her arms.

"Because I don't give a fuck anymore, Mother," he said with an emphasis on 'Mother.' "I'm leaving the planet."

"No you're not. At least not without me, douchebag," she said.

"Fine. You can come with. We can leave together and say fuck this world," he said.

She grinned. "When?!" she asked with bright eyes.

"Two. Agonizing. Painful. Drawn out. Weeks," Peter answered.

"How will we leave?" Godiva asked excitedly.

"My other client is building a space ship to get off the planet," I said.

"Really?! Awesome. How much is he charging?" she asked.

"Hold on. Let me call him," I said as I called Jasper. The phone rang a few times and went to voicemail. I hung up because leaving a voicemail is awkward.

My phone buzzed. I answered. "Hello," I said.

"What do you need? I'm still building my space ship. I'd like to get the hell out of here as soon as possible," Jasper said.

"I'm well aware. How much for a human to get on the space ship if she is not tied up or has duct tape over her mouth?" I asked.

"Oh man. $500. $400 if she gives me a blowjob," he said.

"$500, but $400 if you are willing to do an unspeakable act," I said to Godiva.

"Sure! I stimulate my husband's bowels, and I don't have a poop fetish," she said.

"You're probably one of the only humans in my fucked-up life who doesn't," Peter muttered.

I chuckled. "She'll give you a blowjob," I said to Jasper.

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soysaucevictim · 5 years

Text

Busy, busy, busy... also this post is hella long.

Aug. 20

I woke up around 8AM today.

I was picked up by a new/different transport service than before. Got out there in a rush, because I didn’t get up at an ideal time.

Since I was earlier to the facility and bored before group, I decided to go into the TV Room and continue sorting the VHS cassettes. Felt productive, but worked up a little sweat going up and down.

Seeking Safety went alright. I did the DD afterwards, 30 raised leg push-ups with EC... twice. I mis-remembered it as 15/15, not alternating. Pffft. :P

Then I got a chance to replace my cell. Here’s to hoping it won’t be a giant headache. But it was a thing in the anxiety BG noise to deal with, and this was needed.

Got home, did some dishes, made dinner (a bit cranky, but I’m just tired), BS’D, and did the rest of my exercise.

First, Day 10 of the PO!C. 200 overhead punches, done in one go. I alternated sides with each rep. I started feeling it by the last ~50-100 reps.

Second, Day 10 of the CoSC. 2x40″ calf raise holds. Only rested ~10″. Doable, despite being overtired.

Last, Day 10 of the 30DoY. Nice upright/standing sequence. Love the tree pose, but I did get some awkward tension in my left ankle doing them. Might not’ve been as attentive of form for that, but still, good work!

Aug. 21

I got up a bit after noon.

Did a bit of the usual stuff, overate and was groggy for a few hours. Was roped into playing more rummy with the family. (I won twice and grandma won once... wasn’t Dad’s day, it would seem.)

I then did my exercise.

First, today’s DD. 20 pop-up tripods with EC. Very fatiguing, especially the last half, taking a bit of digging deep to get through that! Ooof. :P

Second, Day 11 of the PO!C. 240 punches, bounce-switching every 20, and done in one go. Fun and breezy.

Third, Day 11 of the CoSC. 110 calf raises, split into 2x55. I believe I had to rest ~20″ in between. Doable, but tougher than throwing those punches!

Last, Day 11 of the 30DoY. Okay. I liked MOST of this sequence. Except TWO of the exercises. One being that hollow hold, because I never much cared for ‘em (neck strain). The OTHER was that SHOULDER STAND. Okay. The BIGGEST issue was space negotiation during the transitions (and the position of my computer, in relation to my body).

I knew I would have to do those with wall assist (did it one foot on wall at full extension). I have never done a handstand/etc before.

See how MOST of the positions have the legs splayed out at or near full extension (like that hollow hold)? That meant my upperbody was pretty damn far away from the wall. So I had to waste like 5-10″ just getting up to one.

And then I had to scramble toward getting to the fullest expression I could in ~5 more seconds. Which is hairy because you have to also mind how much pressure your head/neck is getting, during the 5-10″ left of the interval. It’s something I honestly don’t feel comfortable rushing to get into and out of. (Hell - it’s the reason I kinda swore off doing plows anymore.) orz

Now you have to lose ~5″ to getting down and extending into corpse pose. Which as a resting pose really feels hard to appreciate for only 10-15″, before repeating the sequence. :I

Now, If I COULD drop into said shoulder stand anywhere - a lot of that wouldn’t be an issue. Well, I’m glad I’ll only a have to do that one one more time in this program. And I think it’ll be way easier to negotiate from/to that knee hug before/afterwards.

Aug. 22

I woke up a bit before 7:30AM, today.

Got to the facility and worked on a composition sketch for a new project, I’m working on. Also spent some time doodling some of that Kefka art I recently posted. That and I listened to music, leading up to my WRAP Group - which went well enough.

I then did the DD (and a bit of socialization), before leaving the facility. 40 raised leg circles, with EC. I did this one while I was out at the facility again. Glad I remembered correctly how many to do - because that was tough! :U

Had a minor confusion about home-bound transit - but that smoothed out pretty quick.

Got home, updated a transportation reservation for next week (tripping over my words because tired), made some business arrangements, gave the ears some TLC, before a small-ish break (with the usual stuff).

I also did the rest of my exercise, kinda late.

First, Day 12 of the PO!C. 240 overhead punches, done in one go. I decided to go for 120/120 today - and oof. Last 20-40 reps on each side did get pretty intense!

Second, Day 12 of the CoSC. 2x40″ calf raise holds. I basically paused 3-10″ between sets. Manageable.

Last, Day 12 of the 30DoY. 10′ meditation. Since I got a lot of things done today - I felt a bit less fidgety.

Aug. 23

I woke up a bit after 11AM.

Did some more arrangements, poked the usual stuff, and did today’s DD (since today’s an active rest day, it’s the only exercise stuff I’m doing). 40 bridges with EC. This was very doable, but it did get more challenging near the end!

I then did some dishes, made some dinner, watched some Devilman Crybaby, while running some maintenance on my computer.

I needed to fix an issue involving my tablet settings- cursor disappearing on me intermittently. Blew a gasket until I figured what happened. Short of it, I think it was problems with Windows Ink.

But given I was frazzled and it was getting late. I didn’t get much else done.

Aug. 24

I woke up a bit after 10AM.

One of the first things I got done was today’s exercises.

First, today’s DD. 40 plank rotations with EC. This was pretty intense, had a few moments where my center was a bit off. But I managed to keep it for the whole duration. :P

Second, Day 13 of the PO!C. 260 punches, done in one go. I hop-switched at every 20 punches. Very fun and doable.

Third, Day 13 of the CoSC. 120 calf raises, split into 2x60. Rested probably ~20” in between. A bit tough, but doable.

Last, Day 13 of the 30DoY. The sequence was alright, I just don’t think my head was properly in the game. Got my cues a bit mixed up and only managed to get in a few seconds for the dancer pose on right foot (non-dominant side) - struggled to get my center stable enough to hold the expression very long today. Ah well, that’s how it is sometimes.

Spent some time with the usual, afterwards, before getting a commission done. Will be posting that when I get the green light.

Aug. 25

I woke up a bit before noon.

First, today’s DD. 2′ leg extensions (donkey kicks) with EC. I counted 83 reps by the time was up, and this was a fun exercise to do! :D

Second, Day 14 of the PO!C. 260 overhead punches, done in one go. I alternated with each punch and it did get pretty tough!

Third, Day 14 of the CoSC. 2x50″ calf raise holds. I rested about 10″ and this was pretty breezy still.

Last, Day 14 of the 30DoY. Oof, I had to make a few mods here. I think tiring my arms out from those overheads probably made things more challenging. I did the first upward dog proper - but after that I changed them out for cobras. Both push-up planks were sloppy - had to do the latter on my knees. Might have to do my punches AFTER plank-ish days like this one.

I then spent some time making some final touches/revisions on that commission (which I also just posted.) I did one pass through editing down the footage of me drawing it, too.

Remainder of night was spent on the usual.

Aug. 26

I woke up a bit before 11AM.

Did a second and final pass through video editing, before posting that footage today.

I then did my exercises for the day.

First, today’s DD. 1′ bicep extensions with EC. I'm going to count 74 reps, may've done more but unsure if that was an over-count. Anyways - another fun exercise!

Second, Day 15 of the PO!C. 300 punches, done in one go, bounce-switching at every 20.

Third, Day 15 of the CoSC. 130 calf raises, split into 2x65. Was getting to feel that - but it wasn’t too bad.

(After a break and a shower...)

Last, Day 15 of the 30DoY. 10′ meditation. Not a lot to say about this other than I believe it was pretty calming.

I kinda went to bed a bit later than usual - I felt compelled to share with pops a few history/political things. Glad though, that he was receptive and curious about said subjects (even if we jumped from Iran, to China, to Helen Keller and Woodrow Wilson... of all things.)

Aug. 27

I woke up a bit before 7:30AM.

Got to the facility, did the DD right away. 2′ palm strikes with EC. I got in 93 reps in the duration. The only thing that really hampered my pace was using my mp3 player as a timer, but it was no less fun! :D

Group went well enough. And I spent the rest of my time there doing some sketches and socializing (though, I admit I just didn’t get enough sleep and might not have been as great in communicating some stuff).

Once I got home and after I was able to put an order in for a bokken. Katana Week, here I come! (Well, after I’m done with current arrangements and the excitement is real!)

I was also roped into playing some cards. Dad won both games, which fair, since he didn’t win any the last time we played. Pffft!

I then spent a few on the usual, before getting in the rest of my exercise.

First, Day 16 of the PO!C. 300 overhead punches, split into 3x100. Rested ~20″ in between and alternated with each rep. A bit challenging, given my energy levels, but doable!

Second, Day 16 of the CoSC. 2x50″ calf raise holds. Rested only about 10″ again. Still very manageable.

Last, Day 16 of the 30DoY. I liked a good chunk of today’s sequence and felt generally good about my flow between each exercise (I loved the O, boat, and half lord of the fishes poses)! I did however pull a hamstring doing that single leg bridge variation - mostly because I felt to shift the planted foots position while up. But I took care with the remaining exercises, sneaking a few moments to massage it when I could. I think we’re good!

Aug. 28

I woke up around 11AM, today. I got my exercise in pretty early, too.

First, today’s DD. 40 modified scissors with EC. I rather like this version of scissors - feels better in the hips and generally more fun!

Second, Day 17 of the PO!C. 340 punches, in one go, bounce-switching kind of inconsistently due to lack of focus (20-40, I believe.) Nevertheless, a perennial favorite!

Third, Day 17 of the CoSC. 140 calf raises, split into 2x70. Still very manageable work!

Last, Day 17 of the 30DoY. I appreciated that this was a gentler practice, today. I did mod that upward dog into a cobra because I kinda wanted to keep it chill. But all in all - I enjoyed myself a lot! =w=

The only other particularly productive things I got done were cancelling a reservation), doing dishes, and making dinner for the family.

Other than that - yeah. Same old business.

Aug. 29

I woke up around the same time as yesterday..

I determined that I would not be able to get to the facility, but did reschedule that appointment. Going to have to figure out my transportation stuff while some forms get dealt with. :/

After much of the usual, I did my exercise.

First, today’s DD. 2′ elbow clicks with EC. I counted 142 reps for the duration, but after the ~100 mark, elbows stopped being able to consistently make contact. The willpower game was real, but it was still fun!

Second, Day 18 of the PO!C. 340 overhead punches, split into 160+180.

Third, Day 18 of the CoSC. 2x1′ calf raise holds. I only dropped for ~5″ to reset the timer today. Very manageable!

Last, Day 18 of the 30DoY. 10′ meditation. My mind wandered to commission-related stuff. But I did try to stay focused on sensation of breath throughout the session.

I think I’m going to draw today, barring further distractions.

(Okay... I need to actually post this damn thing already.)

#adventures with fitness

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vis3003 · 3 years

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Business Card Project - Part 1

Around the time this module started, I got back into contact with someone by the name of Josh Hitchcock who I met and worked with back in college. We met when we were 16 and worked on several projects with each other during our year studying photography together, I learned a lot from Josh and we’ve stayed loosely in contact ever since leaving school but haven’t collaborated on anything for around 5 years despite having always had similar interests, styles and aesthetics. Josh is also still pursuing his passions and talents in visual communication and is beginning to build a portfolio with the aim of applying for a BA, just like I was doing this time last year. Alongside getting himself prepared to do a degree, he has been expanding his online presence and slowly establishing a business and brand identity for himself. He reached out to me originally to ask if I could potentially create him a logo that he could use across all of his platforms which he needed fairly quickly as he was building a website, unfortunately I couldn’t meet the turnaround deadline and so he commissioned someone else to do a logo, later reaching out to me again to ask if I might be able to create business cards instead.

Josh had already started sketching out ideas and so he sent me his drawings as a starting point for the design

After some discussion and a little bit of time, Josh came to the decision that this was his favorite prospective card design and even began experimenting with it's colors.

It was at this point that I asked him to create a Pinterest board to help gather all of the ideas together which he promptly delivered on. Pinterest’s description of the board “Clean, simple doodles. Photography orientated based on nature and ancient art. A perfect combination of tech, nature and aesthetic.” sums it up perfectly. This was a really strong starting point for the overall design as it includes everything from small decorative graphic details such as flowers, vines and suns; to a concise range of colors for the palette of the art itself. The board isn’t overcrowded, it's clearly well thought through and does good job of clearly communicating the kind of style that I was expected to reflect in my design.

Coincidentally around the same time I started this project, I decided to treat myself to an iPad Pro and Apple Pencil to support my University work, these have become increasing popular in the art world because they are incredibly powerful creative tools, I chose to invest in it mainly for it’s capabilities in creating digital art using the Adobe suite and Procreate using the pencil which is exclusive to iOS and has is slowly becoming the standard for digital drawings.

Having recently attended the Illustrator workshop, I thought that I would experiment with using this software both on my iPad and computer as I figured if I could learn to use them in conjunction with one another from the get go, I would be in a better position overall later on; but in doing so, I threw myself two learning curves at once as I was not only dabbling in software I wasn’t comfortable with but also using that software on a device that I am a complete beginner to which was a definite challenge for myself.

I started out by doing a Google search to find out what the standard size is for business cards and found out that is generally 3.5 x 2 inches (1050 x 600 pixels at 300 DPI, which is the standard DPI for printing). This is how I decided to set my document up which is what gives me the white rectangular shape that you see me working on to start off with.

To begin the design, I picked out my favorite things from Josh's sketch which were the wavy line details and the bohemian style sun. I created some simple outlines using the line tools on iPad Illustrator starting with the border and dividing horizontal line where I intended the design to end, from this I was able rough out where patches of lines would go and add the sun. For the sun, I originally tried to draw one with wavy points but I was struggling to get it proportionate, even when I'd figured out how to use the reflect tool to make my drawing symmetrical, it seemed to be throwing the design off and so I threw this idea out and went for a pointed sun design instead. I chose triangles for the points as a subtle reference to the exposure triangle which is a rule that dictates camera settings when it comes to photography so it ties in with the business well and was also a concept that Josh was trying to reflect in his logo. I achieved the geometrically accurate shape of the points around the sun by creating the very top triangle and then using the Radial Reflect tool whilst using my iPad which automatically created the rest of the points for me with even spacing and perfect symmetry; all I had to do then was resize the points as I pleased. Once I had done this, I decided to repeat the process but with a small line between each point to give it an extra beaming sunshine look, this also fits in with how some of the sun's and graphics are drawn on the Pinterest board that I'm referring to as I design this.

Once the outlines were complete, I started experimenting with filling in the patches with lines, this is an effect that is featured on the album art of one of my favorite albums of all time, Currents by Tame Impala which I previously learned how to do using a vector pack from Spoon Graphics as I did work inspired by it for my University portfolio. Although I have used these particularly line textures before, I have only used them in Photoshop and not Illustrator so I haven't actually used the vector versions of them up until this point. I inserted these into my work using my computer as that's where they were saved, I was able to use Adobe Cloud to sync my work between my PC and iPad making it easy and convenient to switch between the two whilst working. Adjusting the waves worked similarly to how it does when I use them in Photoshop, I just added them in as a layer and then used direct selection mode to delete the extra lines around the outlines and border that I’d drawn in leaving me with what you see above. At this point, I sent what I’d done so far to Josh so that I could begin to get his feedback and make sure that what I was doing was in line with his vision.

Whilst I was waiting for him to reply, I started experimenting with adding color to the design hoping that it would help us visualize it better; I used colors directly from the Pinterest board for my palette by taking a screenshot of the webpage, opening it up in Illustrator, swatching all of the colors and adding them to my Color Library so that they could be easily accessed whenever I needed them.

At this point, I just filled in the colors according to what made sense to me, blue for the sky, yellow for the sun and something contrasting for the wavy lines, honestly, I chose orange because it’s my favorite color and I really like the way that the purple looks next to it, especially against the blue background where it appears slightly more subtle whilst still being effective at breaking up the image in the way that it needs to.

I continued to add colour, changing every other point on the sun to be red to give it more dimension and incorporate more of the colours from the chosen scheme; I then added green to the bottom section which I chose because I thought it would represent grass and fit in with the sun and sky theme that seemed to be emerging. I also added some small stars as I was experimenting with the shape tools dotting them into some small empty spaces on the design so that they line up in a triangular shape which is another subtle reference to the expose triangle.

Then I started experimenting with adding text and social media icons, Josh had told me that he wanted his name, website and social media information on the card, we decided to leave his phone number out as he only has a personal mobile number and didn’t want to risk handing it out to strangers. I chose this Art Deco style font for the name because I liked the lines in it and thought it went well with the lines in the top half of the design which are probably my favourite thing about it at this point. I didn’t use the same font for the website because it doesn’t look as good when it’s small, you can’t really see the lines and it made the website hard to read so instead I chose this glyph font which I thought Josh would like based on some of the imagery from the Pinterest board; I was unsure about this choice at first but it quickly grew on me as it’s subtle and yet it makes the website look bold on the bottom of the image which draws your eye down to it when you’re reading the information. I also added some social shapes to the front keeping Josh updated on my progress as I went along.

It was at this point that I started to receive some feedback from him, he was really happy with the first impressions of the design but did want to make a few changes. He started out by asking if I could change the green on the bottom to the orange colour in the waves with the hope of giving the card a more uniform look which we both agreed looked much better. He then asked me if I’d started designing the back which I hate to admit that I hadn’t actually thought about at this point and so we started discussing the layout; collectively agreeing to move the social media information to the back of the card and have that there along with some sort of bio which I much preferred the idea of as I wasn’t too keen on how the social shapes looked on the front of the card and I was worried about how I was going to fit all of the contact details on without making it look messy.

Originally we thought it might be nice to add some floral details to the front of the card where the space had now been freed up but we quickly decided that this didn’t look quite right.

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myanondiary · 3 years

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Life after moving out.... November 10th 2020

I planned to move out but I didn’t plan for the way it happened. I certainly didn’t plan to live off of a loan for the first few weeks in my first apartment, but here we are almost three months later. It was rough settling into a new place in the midst of a traumatic event that changed my life forever, but I’m thankful that my friends genuinely helped me with this sudden transition by showing up in ways they knew how; from providing a space for me to sleep, to helping me move, to helping me unpack and being fun distractions during this very difficult time. I appreciate them all.

Moving into apartment is one thing, but moving into a semi furnished apartment with little to no money is another. If my upstairs neighbour wasn’t my upstairs neighbour, I’m not sure if my “post transition” would’ve been as pleasant as he was able to make it. It was the “minor” things at first.. being able to heat up my food because I have no microwave, to thieving internet because his connection just isn't that strong from my apartment, to basically having indoor parties from our own spaces with “money pull ups” via whatsapp because his playlist was just so good! lol

His genuine help continued. I’m pretty sure my neighbours thought I couldn’t cook because my smoke alarm kept going off but soon enough, he was able to take out the batteries for me. I spoke about not wanting to bore holes in the walls to hang my paintings one day and the other day, he came with stick on hooks to hang them for me (no damage to the walls necessary.) The heavy ass work containers on my closet that I struggled with? He put them up with ease. I needed plexi glass to make a light box to trace over some drawings for work - he happily came home with a piece for me. I needed to print a shirt for my first pop up event and though I couldn’t afford a shirt, he offered to buy one. I asked for the price to print my logo onto it and he said it was okay, pay him for next one. (thank the universe cause I was brokeee lol but I would’ve happily paid for his service still.) Even when my closet door fell completely off the hook, he came through like the handy man he has been to fix it for me.

When I was decluttering my apartment, I found some test prints that I traded with him as a thank you for his help so far. It wasn’t much, but he seemed to appreciate them much more than I expected him to.

Eventually we started hanging out. I was mentally drained, so I was open to smoking that pain away even for a little while. He showed me how to smoke, so I experienced my first high and that was it for me. Every bit of anxiety, fear, tight chest and potential tears from this traumatic event just whisked away. Instead, I felt light and cheery and was in good company with my neighbour. We would smoke, listen music, laugh and chat for what seemed like two hours, but really a whole night and even half of the next morning would pass before we realize how long we’ve just been existing in each other’s space. His company was so appreciated, that I looked forward to weekends just to chill in his apartment. Just to forget. Just to enjoy. Just to relax. No funny business.

PS: Just to eat too. This guy can cook and he was always open to sharing.

It took some weeks but eventually, the vibe got a little more...intimate.

For some time I was looking for my favourite snack from three stores and no one had it. I was sick! I told him about it and he managed to find it for me... he surprised me with it at on one our chill days and that meant so much to me.

We started drawing together for Inktober. This was sooo fun. I finally found the art friend I’ve been begging for! lol and it was so easy too. We bounced ideas off of each other, we helped each other with our sketches, we drew, we critiqued and repeated. I was so excited to finish something and being able to take pictures to post the next day. Having someone to do these “art things” with was really...nice. He shocked me too. I knew he could draw, but his imagination is so wild for someone who didn’t need any reference pictures. I was constantly impressed. The last few weeks he kept showing me that there’s really more than meets the eye when it comes to him.

That feeling of being impressed followed through when I saw a logo competition being advertised. It didn’t take me long to sketch a concept but I knew illustrating would take me forever and I only had 24 hours. My neighbour is a graphic designer, the winnings is $1000, I thought why not propose the idea? We’ve worked like this before where I drew the idea and he edited it, so this wouldn’t be new for us. He agreed and managed to illustrate my drawing in like 10 minutes I swear. We discussed $700 for me, $300 for him, but we jokingly changed those numbers just to mess with each other for weeks lol but him being able to illustrate and me being able to take that and package the logo afterwards with the written statement, different formats etc.. I mean wow. We worked well together.

There was a week my neighbour wasn’t his best self and I felt it the moment I stepped inside his apartment to heat up my food. I didn’t want to push it because I could’ve been overthinking it, so I ate, left and decided to ask him in the morning. He said he wasn’t feeling okay but didn’t say much about why either. A day passed and we didn’t communicate as we normally do and I actually missed him. I missed my neighbour. He showed himself the day after with breakfast pancakes and he later on explained that though he wasn’t in a “people” mood, he thought of me while baking which I thought was pretty nice.

That week was still really off not just for my neighbour but for me too. The traumatic event kept replaying in my head and feeling like my mother didn’t defend me enough in the moment and afterwards got stronger. I didn’t feel like talking to her or much people for that matter but I was still open to being a shoulder for my neighbour.

To be continued.

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tessatechaitea · 4 years

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Cerebus #4 (1978)

Elrod! So soon? Be still my quivering loins!

I may not have understood a lot of Dave Sim's historical references when I read began reading this series in my early twenties but I sure as hell got all of his Looney Tunes references! I read the Elric books the summer after my first year of college. I was eighteen. I would have begun reading Cerebus a year or two later. I was definitely reading it by 1992 when I was volunteering with the Santa Clara Junior Theater helping backstage because I passed the first Cerebus phone book around to anybody I could convince to read it by telling them about the characters stowing away on a ship and hiding in some barrels where one of the characters says, "Nobody here but us mice!" and Elrod pipes up with, "Squeak, I say, squeak!" Goddammit that still makes me chuckle. That was my long-winded and autobiographical way of saying that I understood the Elrod/Elric parody! I sometimes think of the first 25 issues of Cerebus as being less than the rest of the series. I suppose because they're a lot of individual stories coming just before the huge 25 issue High Society story arc, they can seem trifling and inconsequential. But we're only on Issue #4 and we've already been introduced to Red Sophia and Elrod of Melvinbone, two of the series most iconic characters. And examples of what Dave Sim does so well: characterization, parody, and mimicry. Sure, Red Sophia is basically just an exaggerated mash-up of Red Sonja and Pepé Le Pew. Of course, Elrod is just a blend of Elric and Foghorn Leghorn (mostly Foghorn Leghorn with an outer glaze of Elric). But he does their voices so well and makes them completely his own, fitting their foibles and eccentricities into Cerebus's world. And Dave Sim is funny. He can be absolutely hilarious. And is it next issue already that we'll get The Roach (it is not. Next issue is Bran Mac Muffin!)? I mean, can you name a comic book that got off the starting block faster without any actual planning?! Deni Loubert announces that she and Dave have moved in "A Note from the Publisher" and not much else. Well, she does exclaim how she forgot to write her editorial. I'm getting the feeling she doesn't really give a shit about these notes and just wants to get on with the real work of getting the stupid comic distributed. In his Swords of Cerebus essay, Dave Sim admits to having never read an Elric story so I guess I probably never had to bother with it either! Although knowing the author's name, Michael Moorcock, helped score some pretty good points in Scattergories on occasion. Speaking of Scattergories and not Cerebus, I once played the game with Sam Adams (ex-Portland Mayor and also my Uncle-in-Law. He also played the assistant to Kyle MacLachlan's Portland Mayor in Portlandia). The category was "type of dance" and the letter rolled was an "L". So my answer was "Lap". Sam sneered and said, "Classy." At least it scored me points and I didn't have to cheat the way Sam and his mom did! That was the Brush with Greatness story I would have told on David Letterman if time and experiences and space were different.

I realize a lot of you are living your worst online life because you view everything on a phone so, really, don't bother trying to read this. Although maybe it's actually easier to increase the size of on a phone! Stupid laptop. I hate you now!

In this essay, Dave Sim mentions how someday he's going to write an issue with Elrod, Lord Julius, and Cerebus locked in a closet. I'm pretty sure that eventual story is the one I mentioned earlier about the mice. I believe the story takes place between High Society and Church & State, maybe Issue #50/51 or something weird like that? When they're fleeing Iest after Cerebus's run as Prime Minister ends? Anyway, it was a great idea and a well executed and hilarious sketch. The issue begins with some guy dying mysteriously to some cursed gem he stole. But never mind his story. It's over and it probably wasn't very interesting anyway. The gem, however, continues on until it winds up in Cerebus's clutches. Cerebus has arrived in Serrea to spend the last of his gold (remember, he never keeps his riches for long) gambling and drinking apricot brandy. I called it Peach Schnapps in a previous review because, have I mentioned, my memory is utter shite? This is also the first appearance of Cerebus's vest. Dave Sim says so in that essay I scanned. But I'm sure I would have commented on it without the prompt because he's so fucking adorable. Plus his snout is nearly to its regular shape and size. That means he's maturing into an adult Earth Pig. After picking up the gem, some strange shit begins to go down.

Cerebus could have been meeting the stripper love of his life but instead he's battling weird magic figments of his imagination.

Remember that thing about my terrible memory? I can't remember if Death was an imaginary character brought on by the aardvark's strangeness mixed with the gem's magic. But I do remember Elrod was some kind of illusion created by this confluence of events. One of the saddest moments in this entire series for me was when Elrod blinks out of existence. I can't say how long I was in denial about that but, month after month, I kept hoping that he'd come back in another of Dave's retcons to make sense of past stories that didn't fit his vision of Cerebus's current world and story. I kept hoping that a bedraggled Elrod would wander into Cerebus's bar in Guys having once again somehow eluded death or capture or nonexistence through his strange blundering overconfidence. Maybe my hope in the reappearance of Elrod was what really kept me reading until Issue #300! Death's plan is to have the Crawler (that's the squiddy, octopus, vagina-stand-in thing) drive Cerebus into Death's clutches. But Cerebus has a knack for winning battles by knowing when to retreat and when not to retreat. Previously, he would have died in the wizard's tower while hunting the flame jewel if he had attacked the skeleton; this time he realizes that if he keeps retreating, he will lose the battle so he presses the attack. Four issues in and I now have total confidence in Cerebus's strategic mind. He can't be defeated even by what amounted to a Great Old One! At least according to Death's description of the beast. I'm not sure Death is the most trustworthy of narrators though. Also, is he really Death? Seems like a crazy character to introduce four issues in. How many issues was Gaiman's The Sandman on before readers were introduced to their next huge comic book crush, Death? Death realizes he can't manipulate Cerebus to force Cerebus to bring him the gem. So he searches for somebody he can manipulate.

Or does he create one? I suppose that spark is the moment Elrod comes into existence.

The first half of this issue was lacking in, as Dave says, "Ha-ha." And true to form, it wasn't that great. Standard sword and sorcery fare with Cerebus battling a monster and magical forces intervene in the barbarian's life. Death isn't much of a character and the monster wasn't much more than any of the listings on a typical wandering monster chart. But then Cerebus wanders into the market to meet one of the top three characters in the series! No wait. Maybe top four because I just remembered another character I love. Whoops! Make that top six. No, no, top seven maybe? Top ten? Christ I forgot about all the characters in Guys who read that Wankerman comic book which puts Elrod in, what? Top twenty, maybe? And do we count all of The Roach's incarnations as one character or several?! Anyway, he's a pretty good character.

Is this the most iconic entrance for a character ever? You know what? Don't answer that. I already said that I hate debating other comic book nerds.

Oh man. I'd completely forgotten about how Elrod refers to Cerebus as the kid in the bunny suit. Which provides for some great imagery later when we see their first encounter through Elrod's eyes. It must have been tough living in barbarian times and also this fictional world because, once again, Cerebus finds himself drawn into a sword fight for practically no reason. I mean, there were probably more reasons for every other fight he got into, like the one against the shadow beast and the one against the skeleton and the one against the wizard and the one against the Boreleans and the one against Klog and the one against the army hypnotized by the succubus and the one against the succubus and the one against Red Sophia and the one against Thugg the Unseemly and the one against Feras and the one against the Crawler. This fight happens because he just tries to ignore Elrod and Elrod is all, "Look at my hat! It's tall and pointy!" Remember that joke from Dave's essay where he said it made him laugh a lot? Yeah, it was pretty good.

Elric's sword was black but it was not called "Seersucker." It was called, um, Black Razor? No wait! Stormbringer!

Speaking of Black Razor, does anybody remember the names of the other two magic weapons that could be found in S2 White Plume Mountain? If so, I'd like to steal your lunch money and give you a swirly. A minor bit of explication happens on the next page which describes Death's motivations for seeking the gem currently in Cerebus's possession. It's the Chaos Gem and would be the 13th magic gem in Death's collection. That would enable him to kill even more people than he presumably already kills. I figure he's eventually going to kill everybody anyway so what's the hurry? Elrod's sword shatters when Cerebus blocks his first blow and Elrod decides maybe they should team up instead. Cerebus has yet to say a word as Elrod talks enough for the two of them. Also, it's a Foghorn Leghorn parody and Foghorn's foils usually have little to say. Half the character is in the bluster and overblown confidence. Elrod gets them both in trouble with the guards and hauled off to prison.

Maybe I loved Elrod because he reminded me so much of my gaming group's role playing encounters.

Cerebus breaks his chains in prison and escapes while Elrod continues to shoot his mouth off. He's useless for anything but talk, evidence, I suppose, that he's nothing but an illusion. I'd like to believe Dave Sim retconned Elrod into being some kind of magical, illusory creation because I don't like to believe that any writer plans that kind of stuff. Why even consider if he's a real being or not this early? But Dave Sim has that bit in the Swords of Cerebus essay where he says, "He always pops up, seemingly from nowhere, with no explanation of how he got out of the fix we left him in (Aha! You hadn't noticed, had you) and an entirely new vision of the best direction for his life to take." It's almost like he's winking at us and nudging us with his elbow, daring us to guess that there's something not right with the character. Maybe Dave Sim only came up with the "Elrod is an actual cartoon character" after a few more Elrod appearances. Cerebus throws the gem in a well, figuring it must be bad luck, and Death walks off dejected that his plan failed. Who's he going to manipulate into climbing down a well?! I mean, The Roach would probably do it. But it seems like Death's heart wasn't really into killing everybody quicker anyway. He probably realized it was just too much extra work. And that's it for the story! Not much in Aardvark Comment except for this list of creatures Cerebus has fought which I did not know existed before I wrote out my list earlier or else I would have simply used it and missed out on some of them.

Also, Frank Thorne wrote another letter.

Cerebus #4 Rating: B+. Dave Sim was correct in his essay about not much really happening in this issue. It's a lot of Death hoping for some gem for some reason which he never gets and nobody ever notices he's even trying, and Elrod going on and on and on about himself. It's a good first appearance by Elrod but he's definitely better utilized when he has actual dialogue with other characters. I loved this issue so don't take it the wrong way when I say my favorite part of this issue was probably when Dave mentioned of Wendy Pini. Elfquest was my favorite thing from 6th to 9th grade. Wendy Pini and Dave Sim have this thing in common: they're two of three comic book creators whom I went out of my way to get to sign my books. The other one was Terry Moore. And I guess you could include Richard Pini but I just think of him as a subset of Wendy.

#Dave Sim #Cerebus

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make-me-imagine · 7 years

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Description: The reader is a photographer and has a drone. The whole team has candids/photos from the reader. And when everyone gets locked in the readers office, the reader shows them all of the saved photos they haven’t seen to pass the time.

Characters: Whole Bones group with slight Hodgins x reader

Gender: Any

Words: 1,316

Triggers: None

This was requested by anon

I did my best, I hope you like it!

You were on lock down. The FBI and Jeffersonian decided to partner up and do a lock down drill with all of you in the lab. You remembered in school when you use to have these stupid lock downs all the time. You would all have to hide under your desks or lean against the most hidden wall. But this time, you were locked in your office. Why yours? Because it was the furthest one away from the main room, therefore it was the safest. But that also meant you would be the last group “evacuated”.

You and the team had just been shoved into your office. Booth was arguing with one of his superiors. He wanted to be a part of the drill, outside, not inside. But he got stuck with you guys. “What’s wrong Booth, don’t wanna be stuck with us for the next hour?” Hodgins said sarcastically. Booth turned and gave him a pointed look. Hodgins chuckled and turned, looking around your office.

Angela sighed audibly “The least they could have done was give us access to our work so we would actually have something to do” she slid down the wall and sat on the floor. The others slowly did the same. You let Brennan sit in your chair, her being pregnant and all.

About ten minutes passed, Sweets was talking nonstop about training exercises and how they are good for relationships. You were listening while the rest tended to be ignoring him. Suddenly Booth got a text. Checking it he sighed “They are adding a few training exercises for the new trainees, we are going to be here longer than we thought” everyone sighed in unison at the news.

“Well, there has to be something we can do, do you have any hidden games or anything in here y/n?” Daisy said enthusiastically.

Thinking to yourself, and looking around your office, your eyes landed on a large filing cabinet you had. Gasping you stood up “Of course, I totally forgot about these” going over to the cabinet you open it, and take out a few files. You passed them around the room. Each one of them had the others names on them.

“What the hell is this?” Booth asked opening his file.

Angela gasped seeing her photos. Each of the files had photos related to each person. Some were copies of photos they already had. They often asked for drone shots of certain sights or building. Other times you just did photography for personal reasons. The files were also full of photos you took just because.

“When did you take these?” Cam said referring to a set of close up photos of her talking to a crowd at some event.

“That was at the conference were you announced the identities of the slaves we found a couple years ago” she nodded her head as she started to recognize it.

“And this?” Angela lifted a drone photo of a park.

“That’s the park where we set up your booth at the farmers market remember?”

“Oh yeah, I sold three paintings that day!” she smiled.

Booth and Brennan were quiet as they were looking at photos you had taken of them, many were of them two together.

Hodgins cleared his throat “These are amazing y/n, I never realized how many you took” he looked up at you with awe in his eyes.

Blushing slightly you looked back down at the file you were holding. “Thanks Jack, I tend to take photos when I’m stressed. Or just bored”

“What’s that one?” Sweets said pointing to the file you were still holding.

Glancing down your face suddenly fell “y/n?” Hodgins asked. The rest had looked up now, seeing your face.

Slowly you opened the folder, taking out a picture you had taken about a year ago. It was a photo of all of you, standing with Nigel Murray at some weird exhibit he forced you all to go to. You passed it around, everyone looking at it smiling. You opened the file fully and set it in the middle of all of you. There were pictures of him with everyone individually. Everyone passed them around talking about the day they were taken. Angela teared up at the photo of them in the lab.

“This was his file. He never got to see it” pausing you quietly continued “I keep every picture I take. I probably shouldn’t....but I do” you looked up smiling. The others smiled with you.

It was about an hour later and you were explaining some of the drone photos you had. You opened another file full of white and black photographs. The very first one was an old couple dancing at a wedding. “I took this at my friends wedding, this was her grandparents. They had been married for 37 years. And every year on their anniversary they would go to the place they first met and have a picnic. Which is funny when you learn they met in a park, that is now the middle of a mall. The people at the mall stopped trying to kick them out years ago.” The others laughed along with you.

Another half hour passed and most everyone was either talking amongst themselves, or trying to fall asleep. The sun was now starting to set, you hated that they started the lock down this late in the afternoon.

Hodgins moved across the room and sat next to you, looking over at him you saw he was still holding his photo file “Why did you take this?” he took out a photo you had of him. He was at a crime scene with messy hair and wearing goggles. “It’s not very flattering”

You giggled at this “Maybe not. But...it’s you.” you didn’t really have to explain what you meant, you knew he understood.

Taking out another photo he showed you “Who took this?” it was a picture of you and Hodgins laughing at something in the lab.

Smiling you looked over at Angela “She did. She wanted to try her hand at photography. She’s pretty good. But she just kept taking pictures of coffee mugs for some reason.”

You were whispering but Angela still heard you, keeping her eyes closed she spoke up “I started learning to draw by sketching kitchen wear, I thought doing the same thing would help.”

Laughing you respond “But did you have to fill up my entire camera roll with 300 photos of every mug in the lab?”

She smiled with her eyes still closed “Shut up” you and Hodgins laughed at her.

“I think this one is my favorite” he said still referencing the same photo.

Trying not the blush and failing, you look at him “Me too” he smiled at you. You felt as though you two were having a moment. But suddenly there was a loud banging on the door, causing everyone to jump while Sweets and Angela both let out equally ear-shattering shrieks. Hearing a familiar laugh on the other side of the door you all looked at each other knowingly as the door swung open.

“You all having fun in here?” Caroline said amused.

“It’s about damn time” Booth said standing up.

“That wasn’t funny Caroline” Sweets said, still embarrassed at the surprisingly high pitched noise that he just made.

Everyone stood and left, some of them taking photos from their files that asked to have. Standing slowly you start to pick up the rest of the files. Hodgins stayed behind to help. “Thanks Jack” you said as he handed you his file.

He was holding a photo of him and Nigel and the photo of you and him “Can I have these two?”

You smiled at him “Of course”

Smiling back at you he waited for you to grab your things “Let me walk you out?” you nodded in agreement as you both walked out together.

#bones #jack hodgins #jack hodgins x reader #jack hodgins oneshot #tj tyne #t.j. thyne #bones oneshot #oneshot #one shot #bones x reader #bones team

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biofunmy · 4 years

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In a Year of Perpetual Motion, Moments That Stopped Time

The 52 Places Traveler

Looking back on a whirlwind journey around the world, the 52 Places Traveler revisits the experiences that offered lessons for travel — and life.

Jan. 6, 2020

On my second day back in New York I walked into my neighborhood bodega and the Yemeni man behind the counter did a double take.

“Damn, bro, what happened? I thought you were dead!” he said.

The following night, I went to pick up an order at the Indian restaurant two blocks from my apartment.

“Long time, no see,” said the Bangladeshi manager who, since I’ve been gone, has grown a bushy beard. “Where have you been?”

What happened? Where have I been? After nearly a year in perpetual transit, hopping between the far-flung spots on 2019’s 52 Places to Go list, these are not easy questions to answer. Maybe a more cohesive picture of a once-in-a-lifetime year will crystallize with time. For now, the best I can do is draw out the moments that float on the surface of my memory, the ones I’m most grateful for, as they taught me invaluable lessons not only about the world, but also about myself. And isn’t that why we travel?

1. When I said yes to goat-carcass games and urban lions

By the third hour in a field on the outskirts of Samarkand, Uzbekistan, my hair had taken on the hue of the dust that filled the air in roaming clouds. Every time I smiled, which was often, more dust poured into my mouth. Two hundred men on horseback galloped back and forth across the dry grass, in pursuit of their target: a goat carcass stuffed full of sand. Shouts from the riders, the whinnying of horses and the cheers of thousands of spectators filled the air. At one point, being the only foreigner — and so a guest of honor — I was invited to ride on the truck that drove onto the field to drop the goat and start each round of kopkari, a sport that originated with the nomadic herders who inhabited these steppes 1,000 years ago.

Six months later and 5,000 miles away, in a small suburb of Dakar, Senegal, “false lions” — men channeling the spirit of the animal — growled, leapt and twirled in elaborate costumes. Drums thundered at earsplitting volumes and children shrieked in delight as the lions chased them through the fluorescently lit streets.

There’s a natural tendency to plan our travels down to the minute: We want to make sure we’re getting the most out of a trip that uses up our valuable money and vacation time. Toward the beginning of the year, I spent hours planning each stop — going over notes on the plane ride and sketching out what each day might look like. By my final stop, I barely knew where I was going to stay until the day before I arrived. The sweet spot is probably somewhere in between, with enough planning to know where you’re going but enough flexibility to say yes to the unexpected. New friends and the currents of serendipity brought me to the horses and the lions — and gave me two experiences I’ll never forget.

2. When I became a member of the guild

Hanging from the zipper of my camera bag is a small, bronze key. It grants me access to the backdoor of the Christian IV’s Guild clubhouse in the Danish city of Aalborg. Over the past year, I’ve accumulated soccer jerseys, paintings and a handwritten poem about an Italian horse, but this key, a symbol of my membership in a Danish society with roots in World War II, has to be the oddest gift. How I got it is just one of many examples of how dropping your guard and letting strangers into your life can lead to experiences far outside the realm of conventional tourism.

It started with Kit Sorensen, a friend twice-removed, who I met on my first afternoon in Aalborg. By the evening, she had taken off work for the remainder of the week to show me around. She took me out for pickled fish and aquavit, the straight-to-your-head spirit that Danes insist on drinking with lunch. Together, we explored World War II bunkers and the city-within-a-city of Fjordbyen. Sensing that I craved a home-cooked meal, she invited me to her family’s house, where I made even more friends — and got invited by a stranger to join the Christian IV’s Guild because he felt that “I had what it takes.”

When traveling alone, it’s up to you how alone you really are. Sit at a bar and take a break from your phone and in minutes you’ll be getting a laundry list of things to do from a local — as I did in Munich, in Danang, in Tunis. You might be invited to their homes — as I was in Georgia, Puerto Rico, Bulgaria. In a quiet bar in the small Japanese city of Takamatsu you might find yourself the only customer, going on a deep dive into salsa and New Orleans jazz with a cat-loving bartender who you would have never known if you hadn’t smiled and said “hello.”

There are walls that as a man traveling alone I didn’t have to put up. Being ethnically ambiguous was also, it turns out, my superpower, blending into the streets of so many places around the world, walking home at night and not even getting a second glance from locals. One’s experience of the world so often depends on one’s identity, and I can only speak to mine. At the same time, I believe that, in general, travelers will encounter kindness far more often than hostility. An open mind, a willingness to learn and an acknowledgment of our own ignorance about a new place or culture flings the doors that separate us wide open. Just ask all my new pen pals.

3. When I became my own best friend on a Norwegian fjord

Before a six-hour solo hike in the fjords surrounding Bergen, Norway, I intentionally left my headphones at home. It was sunny — a rarity for one of Europe’s rainiest cities — and I wanted to be present. It worked. I felt the light, cold breeze; I could smell the dewy grass and feel the foamlike tundra giving way under my boots. Six hours is a lot of time to be walking with nothing but your thoughts, but not once did I feel bored.

When I started this trip, the thought of spending so much time alone was one of my biggest worries. I’m an extrovert by nature. By my third month on the move, I was getting used to it. By my ninth, I was having full-on conversations with myself — out loud.

There’s something beautiful about learning to be comfortable with yourself — especially on the road. I could zero in on moments more completely without worrying whether a companion was having a good time. I could create memories that would be mine and mine alone — building blocks for my development as a person.

I was lonely, too, of course. I cried on the side of a Wyoming highway because John Prine’s “Summer’s End” came on the radio (“Come on home, you don’t have to be alone”); during a nearly four-hour meal at a Michelin-starred restaurant on the Dutch island of Texel, I fell into the abyss of staring at my phone; more than once I dreamed about being on my couch at home, with my partner and cat. But over time, I learned to see those moments coming and lean into them. That threw the distinction between heart-wrenching loneliness and blissful solitude into relief; it made the moments of connection with strangers that much more magical. Solo travel is so many things, psychological roller coaster included.

4. When I crossed the risk line on a dark Chilean highway

It was stupid, plain and simple. After getting off a series of canceled, rerouted and delayed flights that took me from Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, to Santiago, Chile, over the course of about 40 hours, I stumbled into a rental car just after sunset and hit the road for the town of La Serena. I was heading 300 miles north to get closer to where I’d be viewing the solar eclipse in a few days. It was about 40 degrees Fahrenheit, but I drove with the windows down and wore a T-shirt, hoping the cold would keep me awake. I blared death metal as loud as the car speakers could handle. I drank coffee like water. One tollbooth worker, seeing my disheveled and wired state, asked me if I was okay. I pulled into La Serena well after midnight.

This year was full of risks; they come with the job when traveling at the pace I was, alone and looking for stories to tell. Within just a few days of traveling this year, it was clear that some risks are worth taking. Getting into a car with that nice stranger promising a plate of life-changing pork in Puerto Rico’s interior? I can handle that. Solo hiking through the snowy Tatra Mountains of Slovakia? Armed with a trail map, I’m good. Driving for five and a half hours in an unfamiliar country, at night, after a hellish flight and no sleep? Nope: That was stupid.

In talking to friends, it quickly became clear that my threshold for risk is different from others’ (“Are you nuts?” my partner asked, after I told her about my night in the woods outside Batumi, Georgia, drinking myself blind with a bunch of strangers). But travel is ultimately a game of choose-your-own-adventure and part of that choice is figuring out the risks you’re comfortable taking. It’s a learning process and there will be mistakes — there sure were for me this year.

By Land and Sea

48 boat rides, 45 train trips

5. When my plans went to hell and I survived

There was the late night in a hotel in Salvador, Brazil, booking a trip to Mexico that would start the following morning, after my plans to get to the Falkland Islands, also known as the Islas Malvinas, had imploded. A total meltdown at the airport had led to check-in lines that extended past the terminal’s entrance. Despite arriving four hours before my flight and checking in online, I missed my flight — and as a result the once-weekly flight to the Falklands.

There was that scorching hot morning at the port in Banjul, Gambia, where my brother and I had no choice but to wait the four hours until a ferry finally arrived. I sweated out every drop of moisture in my body; I downed two liters of water and sweated that out, too, until the also-shadeless ferry arrived.

There was the carefully arranged Airbnb in La Serena that my host canceled with no explanation, just days before my arrival to watch the solar eclipse. I spent most of a night in Mexico, on spotty Wi-Fi looking for alternatives in a city that would be tripling in population for the eclipse.

There was the moment, three months in, when we had to make the call to cut Iran from my travel plans. The geopolitical situation had grown tense and even if I were given a journalist visa (unlikely), we had security concerns. It made the regular messages I received from Iranians on Instagram welcoming me to their country and offering to be my hosts all the more heartbreaking.

Things go wrong when traveling. And there’s something about the places of travel — airports, ferry terminals, train stations, hotels — that magnify feelings of panic and sadness. It’s a powerlessness we’re not used to when we think we have every detail of a trip planned out.

I learned that there’s very little you can do when your plans fall apart. I learned to pinpoint the small actions I could take and leave everything else to play out without me. I started on a long, circuitous route to Mexico the next day and pushed my Falklands trip to later in the month. The ferry did arrive — and 24 hours later, my brother and I were on a boat floating feet away from wild chimpanzees. I found another Airbnb at the last minute, and so what if it was a little farther out of the city? I kept in touch with my new online Iranian friends, promising that one day I would make it there — and I will.

Traveling is an incredible privilege and it’s mind-boggling how easy it is these days to cross the planet. Reminding myself of that got me through many a moment this year that previously would have left me a weepy mess on an airport floor.

under the sea

11 total hours underwater

6. When “no one goes there now” became my time to go

Travel itself, regardless of destination, is taking its toll on the environment: The most frequent, and valid, criticism I’ve received this year is for my Sasquatch-size carbon footprint. While no one at the Times is encouraging everyone to go to 52 places in a year — I’d think again if you are planning on trying this yourself — I also don’t believe the answer is not to travel. To see the natural wonder that still abounds; to encounter the places that are on the verge of catastrophic change because of a warming planet; to meet the people who deal with its effects every day and forge real, profound, cross-cultural connections makes for a more informed, empathetic world. That doesn’t mean there aren’t steps we can take to be more responsible travelers. And part of that is realizing that sustainability goes beyond carbon emissions.

The Falklands in the dead of winter, when I had a colony of King penguins to myself; Mexico in the crushing heat of summer, when the beaches were empty; Senegal and Gambia during the most humid month of the year, when locals were actually excited to see visitors who had braved it; Siberia’s Lake Baikal, in neither the glorious summer nor the spectacularly frozen winter, but instead in autumn, when the trees burn bright yellow.

In planning my trip and limiting cross-continental treks as much as possible, it proved difficult to be everywhere at the “right” time to visit. But again and again, I found myself falling for low season, when it was far easier to blend into the fabric of daily life because I wasn’t just part of a horde of tourists changing the face of entire cities for months at a time.

Cities like Venice — or even Zadar, in Croatia, as I saw when I arrived in the summer — are buckling under the weight of overtourism. As travelers, we could make a difference by spreading the wealth, so to speak. That means, for the most adventurous, going to places that are still hard to get to; it took me two tries to get to the Falklands and three to get out, but that made it special. But it also means thinking outside the “Europe in summer” paradigm.

taking to the skies

40 airlines, 88 flights (only 1 missed flight)

7. When I really learned what a “place to go” is

There’s beauty, surprise and genuine wonder to be found everywhere — and I mean everywhere. A Vegas naysayer can have his mind changed through a chance encounter with a crew of rockabilly musicians. A half-Indian student of history can learn about a mighty Indian empire, of which he knew nothing, by coming face-to-face with its ruins. A traveler can come home after 11 grueling months of continuous travel and start dreaming of where he’s going next.

But first, some sleep.

Sahred From Source link Travel

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#IFTTT #WordPress

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strawberrypoundcake · 7 years

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job causes bad health, then asks me to pay more and more money to fix it

So here’s what’s going on that’s got me so desperate for money all of a sudden, it’s a story that’s been ongoing and finally led up to this. I’ll link to it later from commission post.

After having worked a year and a half at my first retail type job, making less than living wage (more than when I started, but still shit) around March of this year I suddenly started getting all sorts of problems. My feet started to hurt a lot, and got worse every week, even though before I got pretty much used to standing all day and this never happened. It started getting to the point where I couldn’t even stand without going into extreme pain. (I started mysteriously gaining more weight too, but my doctor said it wasn’t related to the foot pain)

After visiting a doctor about this, which I took too long to do because it’s now July, they also noticed my blood pressure was WAY up, which was weird because it was fine last year!! They asked me to track it, and it was consistently high for 2 weeks. I have been diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder, panic attacks, bipolar disorder with extreme depressive episodes, and ADD, so my doctor/s blamed the overwhelming stress from my job, since that was the only factor that had changed from the previous visits. (supposedly my muscles, including the ones on my feet, were getting weaker from the stress or something like that, I dunno I’m not a doctor)

Meanwhile I was paying more money than I expected, because it turns out the shit insurance from my job, while covering SOME costs, most of the time covers only 70% of it. :| Literally any doctor that was recommended to me that would be fully covered had a minimum two month waiting period. Sure, let’s wait while my fucking blood pressure keeps getting higher and I have a stroke!! I was also paying a bit more for new prescriptions too, like one that helps with high blood pressure.

I took several PTO’s to try and get over all this junk because they wouldn’t give me paid leave... And I needed SOME money to pay for all this medical shit. Doctor kept recommending to not work there.

Another factor is that I’m leaving to South Carolina in November, so this wasn’t a job I was committed to. There was money that I would get for a while, enough to last until the move, if I just straight up left the job in mid-September. After much discussion in the household and from my doctors, I decided to just leave, because my conditions were getting worse and I couldn’t keep working here.

They have a thing called COBRA which they ham-handedly explained to me, if I left I could continue coverage. “How much?” I ask, “around 300 dollars” they fucking say. It was around what I was expecting to pay for normal insurance, so I took it. Turns out it’s 490 dollars because it didn’t let me downgrade to the 300 one!!!!! Oops!!!! “You’d have to pay 490 dollars every month it’s happening, we can bill you or take direct deposit.” In what turns out to be a life-saving decision I say to just bill me. If I just pay for two months I can live with it.

As it turns out, they failed to fucking explain that they’re gonna bill TWO MONTHS in advance and they want that payment immediately, not at the end of the fucking month, when I get paid!! SO I have to pay essentially ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS that I don’t have upfront at once just so I can keep having medical. If I don’t pay it right away they’re going to put a delinquency in my credit. :) So, I have to take out a loan for this and now here I am, with no money for anything except my expensive-ass medical insurance that cost more than what my job was paying me and I need it because of shit that my job caused in the first place.

To top it off as well, even though it’s the same insurance I had before, I’m just paying more for it, it stopped covering my anxiety medication, it doesn’t even cover the generic. So now, here I am, without medication, going through extreme withdrawal symptoms and panic attacks, and without a psychiatrist because oops! The medical doesn’t cover any of them except for ones that again, have a two month waiting period or more.

I can’t cancel this shit medical insurance so I’m stuck with it for two months, broke and anxious.

So this is why I’m desperate and asking here, and other places for money. Some friends have pointed out that my prices are too cheap, which I’m aware of, but I need money fast and I’m good with sketches and can finish them fast and since I’m out of a job and can’t stand much, I have more time to do them. Eventually I’ll raise their prices if I get more people than expected, (which I doubt will happen since I’m in a little corner of tumblr) or after November. So please, anything you can do to help so I don’t go berserk from all these panic attacks, would be greatly appreciated. (I’ll have a donate button as well!)

Thanks! :)

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woodenwookie-blog · 5 years

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Designing your projects

I’m not going to lie to you, I will always use technology over the old school every time. It’s not that I don’t like pen and paper. It’s a great medium but I find it limited due to physical constraints that don’t exist in the digital world. I've tried to make this post platform agnostic. If you're using Fusion 360, SketchUp, AutoCAD, or pen and paper then this post is still going to work for you.

Inside out

On a recent project I kind of ballsed things up by working with wrong thinking. The outside dimensions were right but it ended up too small because I forgot about the width of the timber.

I repurposed that project as a charging station. I then redesigned the project in Fusion 360 using an inside out method. Inside out design is simple. Say you have an object that you want to contain. The dimensions of that object become the basis of the entire project. My project was a "Screen Stand" that would house my laptop and hard drives as well as my WiFi. This is an effort to save space on the desk and tidy things up a bit. Everything I’m trying to hide away has a given size. By measuring them and adding them together I got a size that would work - 600mm x 300mm. This became my internal measurements which I would base everything else at. This next part now is more suited to two apps Fusion 360 and pen and paper. The reason for this is because it requires calculations to determine other parameters.

Parametric design is not only for Fusion 360

So the above measurements become my base numbers. Because I’m using Fusion 360 I would create a couple of parameters. So I created “Internal Length” and “Internal Width” with values of 600 and 300.

There are other base parameters as well. MDF12 and MDF6 refers to the dimensions of the wood I was using. I like to name these according to the type of wood. MDF refers to the fact I’m using MDF or Custom Board for this project and the 12 and 6 refer to the thickness.

This is where Fusion 360 gets cool and rules it over all other apps except for pen and paper. I needed a parameter to define the depth of the rabbet. That was this:

Rabbet = - MDF12 / 2

I created a negative value because a rabbet is a cut so… Already you can see why Fusion 360 is a great option for designing. This negative value creates a rabbet exactly half the thickness of the MDF I’m working with. Why not use -MDF6? Because if I change MDF12 to say MDF18 then the size of the rabbet would be out. So now I have all the information I need to set the dimensions of this project. This is where Fusion 360 and even pen and paper rule. Check out the parameters I set:

MDF12 = 12 MDF6 = 6 Rabbet = - MDF12 / 2 InternalLength = 600 InternalWidth = 300 CabinetLength = MDF12 + InternalLength + MDF12 CabinetWidth = InternalWidth + MDF12 SideLength = InternalWidth - Rabbet TopShelf = 40 MiddleShelf = 80 BottomShelf = 50 SideWidth = - Rabbet + TopShelf + MDF6 + MiddleShelf + MDF6 + BottomShelf - Rabbet CutoutDiameter = 20 CutoutPosition = CutoutDiameter + MDF12 ShelfLength = InternalLength - ( Rabbet * 2 ) ShelfWidth = SideLength

You might notice that a couple times I used “- Rabbet” in the calculations. The reason for that is that I needed positive values and a negative minus a negative equals a positive.

But as you can see these parameters feed off each other in some way. I could change MDF12 to “Ply18 = 18” and Fusion 360 would change that to Ply18 with a measurement of 18mm. The whole drawing changes with it.

The parametric approach of Fusion 360 works well for all forms of design. It allows you to ensure that what you are designing is going to be in proportion no matter what medium you use. If you’re using SketchUp then there’s no ability to store these calculations. You’d have to use a pen and paper or a spreadsheet to do the same thing. No matter what method you choose to design, I recommend this style of approach. It makes changing things down the line easier.

Fusion 360 vs SketchUp

The big question now is which method is better? Should I learn SketchUp or Fusion 360 or should I learn to do it on paper?

I rule out paper but that’s because it’s kind of expensive if you add it all up. It also requires more space than I actually have because of the need for a drawing desk. This section now becomes a duel between Fusion 360 and SketchUp.

SketchUp is a pretty great tool. To get the best out of this app if you’re a beginner then you need to checkout The SketchUp Essentials. I learned 3D design using this method and found it pretty cool only the more I used SketchUp the more I hated it. I found it’s facial editing to be a pain in the butt because everything was a separate face including the edges. This got frustrating when I thought I had grabbed an entire face only to have grabbed an edge. This made everything warped and twisted. I hammered the hell out of Command Z in SketchUp. Not only that but once you’ve made everything it can be difficult to change everything later on. It’s not undoable. It’s not easy and if you’ve not followed good standards then it can be a matter of starting all over again. The worst thing about SketchUp is that to use the free client you have two options. Either use the web client or use an old version of the desktop client. So you’ve either got to use unsupported software or have a constant connection to the internet. This can be annoying, although I must say our internet is pretty awesome so it’s not an issue for me.

This leads me to Fusion 360. Fusion 360 is very much a real-world editor. By this, I mean that instead of creating faces it creates bodies and you use those bodies desired. But it’s the parametric editing that makes Fusion 360 the best for woodworkers. Use the parameters I've listed above in Fusion 360 now if you want. It’s now a matter of creating components and sketches and you’ve got a model. This model will take me about 50 minutes to create from scratch and that’s including the rabbets and parts.

You don't have to be a pro user. Download Fusion 360. When asked for a licence, run through the questions to see if you’re eligible for the free licence. Make sure you say that you’re a hobbyist to get Fusion 360 for free. If you are going to make money from plans, etc. then you buy a proper licence because it’s only fair. Fusion 360 is pretty easy to learn but it will need you to rethink how you do things. Once you learn you’ll wonder why you did it any other way.

Conclusions

I’ve come a long way since I started woodworking and much of what I’ve built has been reverse engineered to suit my needs. Before Fusion 360 I worked off quick designs on paper but since then I design all my stuff in that now. I even have a plan for a helicopter that I designed from scratch. Fusion 360 makes this so easy.

I’ve described nothing that you can’t do in other media such as SketchUp, AutoCAD, or good old pen and paper. Whatever method you choose you need to understand if you are designing for an area, or to house something.

You should aim to start designing if you want to kick off your skills as a woodworker. Projects found on the internet are a great place to start. But there’s nothing quite like designing something yourself. Whether you use CAD or pen and paper do give it a go. Remember to research though especially if you are designing furniture. This is because you need to factor in forces acting on that furniture in order for it to be safe.

#design #fusion360 #penandpaper #sketchup

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crazy-grrrl-on-the-computer · 7 years

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8 and 18 for the artist ask meme!

Thank you!!!! I half wasn’t expecting to get any Asks forthis, but I am pleasantly surprised!

I’m gonna go ahead and plop question 8 below the cut becauseit… got long… because I decided to cheat. >.

Feelfree to ask me more about my art~

18. What is yourpurpose for drawing?

Even when I was a kid, I have always drawn to illustrate theideas I had in my head either to go with a story I was writing or to tell astory in pictures. (Can you believe that once upon a time I also used to drawcomics? I still have them somewhere. ;;v;;) A few years ago, I made it my goalto draw every OC I ever created because I wanted to have the visuals to go withtheir stories. But since there are 300 and counting and I have so little energynow, the process became an endless cycle and I will forever be unable to catchup with my overactive imagination.

So, I guess what you can pluck out of that is that I draw asa creative outlet and to make myself happy. But I do hope that what I draw isable to make other people happy, too! So, if I can accomplish that, it makes mefeel even better that I can share this little joy with someone else~ nvn

Especially since lately I’ve mostly been drawing fanart ofrare ships. My art is usually highly self-indulgent is what I’m trying to say,but it brings me joy when I discover that there are other people who also sharemy interests and look forward to seeing my content.

8. What is yourfavourite piece that you have done?

Well, this is an unfair question because I have too manyfavorites to just pick one. But… I guess I’ll go through the stuff I’ve postedonline and link a few of them here instead of reposting them (because I am notin the mood to go through all of the art pieces I HAVEN’T posted just tophotograph and upload them… yet, anyway… but I may later if prompted). ^^

AKing Always Makes His Pretty Fool Dance is an old favorite because I drewit for a friend based on an idea from a roleplay we were doing with our OCs. Ihave such a great love for Magister and Smith because they have a really funand intimate dynamic that is great to portray~ I had an interesting time withthat piece particularly because there’s something so playful there about howthey’re sizing each other up and playing this game just to get closer. Theirentire story basically started with Magister challenging Smith to solve herriddles and it evolved into an intricate mind game that Smith quickly foundhimself addicted to (hence the title of the still unposted story being AnAccidental Addiction).

FriendOr Foe is another sketch illustrating a scene where two of my mer OCs meetfor the first time. Aleksander and Zane are so precious because it’s like thehappy socialite sunshine baby meets the always-on-edge-fight-to-survive lonertype and they find something they didn’t realize they were looking for in eachother. It’s very sweet but also angsty and that sketch gives me so many feelsbecause I love them. ;;v;;

I don’t really have as particular of a reason for likingthese next two aside from how much work I put into their character sheets. Daceyis such a cutiepie and despite the fact that there was a struggle to get hisdragon half to look good, I’m actually more proud of how soft his torso looksand how good the markings on his face turned out. The sheet for Brizalatook me so long to complete and the coloring!!! The reason I don’t color muchanymore is that it takes too much energy, but it looks really good here~ And Ialso just really like all the poses and how they illustrate different parts ofxyr story. >v

But anyway, enough of my OCs (even though I could and wouldgo on about them for ages if prompted) because the only thing I’m known forhere on Tumblr is fanart and I’m sure that’s what most people are expecting. XDI could say every single piece of Boueibu fanart in myart tag is my favorite, but… I’ll just pluck out a few.

Vanilla-ScentedAngel is definitely a personal favorite because of how nice the colors lookand I love the expressions on their faces~ They just look so happy and in love,and it’s very sweet and just how I wanted them to be. ^^ Arima’s smile, though…is the best part along with the rose, in my opinion.

The Kurotori/Munakata sketch I drew for TomorrowStarts Today is one of the most unexpectedly beautiful things I think I’vepersonally done (even though I was too lazy to finish drawing Kurotori’s hands//bricked) because they just look so good together. Similarly, I could say thesame for the Ichiban/Ryuusketches I drew for that series rewrite AU I’ve been planning. Iespecially love how the first one cameout because Ichiban ended up way more handsome than I had originally intended(though I’m not complaining) and the body language is just… so perfect for thedynamics I had in my head. And then I just wanted to mention my Kurotori/Gourasketches for The Darkest Night again because I will forever have too manyfeelings about them and something about those first two sketches makes mereally happy. I think it’s mostly their facial expressions and also how softthey look in the second picture that I really like.

And I’ll force myself to stop here because I pretty muchcheated on this question and didn’t particularly add any insight to thosesketches by talking about them either. //shot

#Ask That Dork #boueibu #Just My OCs #Cloe tries to art #eh I’ll plop this in my art tag too because of the links to the OC stuff on my dA (I did that once before so it counts)#this is a really late response but I’ve been swamped with schoolwork >.<#aaaaaaaaand most of that section on my favorite fanarts are already things you knew because we’d talked about it before but #I reiterated it in case there were other people who got curious enough to read this post XD #also I’m really annoyed that I had almost this whole Ask answered but then Tumblr refreshed and deleted everything before I was done #I kinda wish there was a way to save responses to Asks in drafts on desktop? because if there is without requiring an extension I don’t know #oh well I’m sorry the answer you got ended up being the leftovers of what little I could remember from my first attempt //bricked #but hey in some ways I think this was actually a more condensed and less rambly version #because it forced me to summarize the important points ^^’#(if anything I said in this response could be considered important that is)

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technato · 6 years

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NASA Remakes the Airplane Wing With Electric Propulsion and a Whole Lot of Propellers

Speeding the flow of air over a smaller wing promises more efficient aircraft

https://spectrum.ieee.org//www.youtube.com/embed/z-Wdii8-jd8

I remember distinctly the cool December day in 2013 at my company’s headquarters in the Santa Cruz mountains when we met with researchers from NASA to plan tests for a novel propeller configuration for electric aircraft. Somehow, our Joby Aviation team, the NASA researchers, and colleagues from another small California business brainstormed our way into a much more ambitious program than any of us had expected when the meeting began.

Instead of building and testing a scale model, we decided to construct a full-scale wing—one large enough to lift a four-passenger aircraft. And it would have not two or four, but a dozen or more separate motors and propellers arrayed along the leading edge. We could have tested a smaller wing by mounting it on a pickup truck. A full-scale wing would require something a lot more elaborate. And the project would need to be completed in less than a year, on a budget small enough to make most companies turn tail. But we were committed.

Photo: Curt Mason/Project Habu

Our novel configuration was based on an old concept: The idea—known as a “blown wing”—was to propel air at high speed over the wing using many motors and propellers mounted along the leading edge. Usually, the speed of this airflow is about the same as the speed the aircraft is moving; that’s why airplanes need to pick up speed before they can take off. But with many propellers blowing air over it at high speed, the wing behaves as though it’s traveling faster than it actually is, providing greater lift.

That’s a key advantage, because with greater lift, you can use a smaller wing, one that would otherwise require inordinately long runways so that the plane could take off and land at high speed. The situation is different in flight, when the plane is traveling fast and only a small wing is needed to provide the requisite lift. During that phase of flight, a larger wing is a disadvantage, because drag forces act over the whole area of the wing, reducing efficiency.

With many propellers blowing air over it at high speed, the wing behaves as though it’s traveling faster than it actually is, providing greater lift

So what’s an airplane designer to choose: a big wing or a small one? Takeoff and landing considerations usually rule the day, so aircraft end up with wings that are too large for efficient cruising. A larger wing also means that the aircraft will be tossed around more when it encounters turbulence.

The blown wing provides a solution to this conundrum. During takeoff and landing, air can be blown over the wing at higher speeds, providing additional lift without sacrificing cruise performance. Although a few aircraft have been developed in the past with blown wings, the use of combustion engines for propulsion limited how far their designers could go. They had to use relatively few, large propellers, which aren’t well suited to pushing air at high speed.

It would be more effective to distribute a large number of small propellers across the span of the wing, but for most of aviation history, that arrangement has been impractical.

The problem is that the efficiency and specific power (the ratio of power output to weight) of combustion engines plummet as they’re scaled down. So using a large number of smaller engines results in a less efficient and heavier aircraft.

What’s more, combustion engines are complex beasts. So placing a large number of them on the wing would create a maintenance nightmare. True, a series of propellers could instead be driven by a system of driveshafts and gearboxes connected to a single engine or perhaps a small number of them. But that approach, too, would create additional maintenance concerns and force various design compromises, as the French firm Breguet Aviation discovered in the 1960s with its short-lived 941 model, which used a blown wing.

What has changed the picture, of course, are recent advances in electric propulsion. Electric motors don’t give up much efficiency or specific power as they’re scaled down. And they’re extremely simple—often having just one moving part—so they require very little maintenance. As a result, there is little disadvantage to using a large number of small electric motors, which can be placed at locations on the aircraft where a combustion engine would be impractically bulky or heavy, such as near the wingtips.

Although electric motors can be driven by a combustion-powered generator, the benefits are even greater if the aircraft is battery powered. Indeed, battery-electric propulsion is about three times as efficient as a typical combustion-engine power train. It’s also a lot quieter. And because electricity costs much less than aviation fuel, this two-pronged attack—adding a more efficient power train, plus a more efficient airframe due to the smaller wing—promises to slash operating costs, especially considering the reduced need for maintenance.

So why aren’t all aircraft battery powered? Because, of course, batteries aren’t yet up to the task. Even today’s best are very heavy for their energy content, which severely limits the range of electric aircraft. And they are sometimes prone to catching fire, which some commentators speculate may have been the cause of a fatal crash of an electric airplane in Hungary this past May. But battery technology will no doubt improve with time. So NASA, Joby Aviation, and many other companies are busy exploring various strategies for designing electric aircraft. And reviving the blown wing is one of them.

Photo: Tom Tschida/NASA

Winging It: NASA engineers Sean Clarke [top left], Kurt Papathakis [top right], and Anthony Cash [foreground] prepare the experimental LEAPTech wing for ground-based tests.

Five years ago, engineers at NASA started to think about using a large number of electric motors to create a blown wing, later naming the project LEAPTech, for Leading Edge Asynchronous Propeller Technology. (The “Asynchronous” part of that moniker refers to the possibility that the propellers would not necessarily all be spinning at the same speed.)

Joby Aviation, a startup formed in 2009 to develop personal electric aircraft, had already been collaborating with NASA. When my Joby colleagues and I learned about LEAPTech, we jumped at a chance to get involved. Rounding out the LEAPTech collaboration was Empirical Systems Aerospace (ESAero), another small business that had worked with NASA to investigate how electric propulsion can improve aircraft performance.

NASA hoped to vet the idea with an actual test of a wing and propellers, in part because the relevant aerodynamic effects are very complex, and so computational fluid dynamics, or CFD, simulations of them would perhaps not be completely trustworthy. Another concern was that this distributed propulsion system might turn out to be too complicated to operate reliably in a real-world environment.

The test NASA was envisioning would show whether a smaller-than-normal wing with electrically powered leading-edge propellers could produce enough lift to allow a four-passenger airplane to take off at a reasonable speed. Typically, such a test would be done in a wind tunnel. But leasing such a wind tunnel would have exceeded NASA’s small budget for the project. Besides, the waiting lists for appropriately sized wind tunnels were just too long.

So we decided that we would test a prototype LEAPTech wing by mounting it on a truck and driving at a high enough speed to analyze takeoff and landing performance. Such a test is not without precedent. Perhaps most famously, Scaled Composites performed a similar test of the tail of its SpaceShipOne space plane, a method its engineers jokingly also dubbed CFD—for Creative Ford Driving. And Joby had been conducting similar testing for years, with a Ford F-150 Lightning pickup.

https://spectrum.ieee.org//www.youtube.com/embed/f50gvzb_eBc

Shortly after the fateful 2013 meeting when we decided to build and test a full-scale LEAPTech wing, we divvied up the labor. Joby would work with NASA on the design, also building the wing, motors, and propellers, and it would modify a suitable truck for testing. ESAero would do the wiring, configure the needed instrumentation, and troubleshoot the test setup.

NASA’s initial design sketches featured a wing with 10 leading-edge propellers for takeoff and landing, plus two separate propellers mounted on each wingtip to power the aircraft after takeoff. Putting propellers on the wingtips—where they can reduce drag by counteracting the wingtip vortices—is another old idea that would rarely be practical without electric propulsion. Combustion engines are just too large and heavy to build into a wingtip, and using driveshafts and gearboxes in a wing to turn propellers at the tips creates engineering headaches, just as it does for leading-edge propellers.

After a few months analyzing the problem, we arrived at a design for a wing with a span of about 9 meters and an area of about 5 square meters. It would have a series of 18 propellers, each about a half meter in diameter, distributed along the length of the wing. Altogether, the 18 motors offered some 225 kilowatts, or 300 horsepower.

Although this wing would be used only for ground tests, we designed it with a particular application in mind: an experimental aircraft based on the Tecnam P2006T four-seat twin-engine propeller aircraft. We chose the P2006T because it was a good size, because it had wing-mounted engines (meaning replacing them with electric motors would be straightforward), and because the management at Tecnam was excited about the project.

The experimental aircraft we envisioned would weigh about 1,400 kilograms and take off at a speed of 61 knots (113 kilometers per hour) while cruising at 174 knots (322 km/h). Only the wingtip propellers would be used after the aircraft was up and away. And the leading-edge propellers would be needed just during takeoff and landing. We therefore designed the latter so that their blades could fold flush against their nacelles during the remainder of the flight, making them similar to the folding propellers used in some modern motor gliders. But because our testing would be limited to measuring takeoff and landing performance, the test wing would include neither the wingtip propellers nor the folding mechanism.

These specifications make our design comparable to that of four-seat propeller planes, but with a much smaller wing. Indeed, our wing would be only about a third the size of those on conventional aircraft. On paper, anyway, it would still provide enough lift for normal-speed landings and takeoffs. Our charge was to prove that this surmise matched reality.

For that, we purchased a Peterbilt truck—the kind of thing you might see barreling down the highway with a trailer in tow. On it we constructed supports to mount the wing high enough to minimize the aerodynamic effects of the ground below. To reduce vibration, we attached the wing to the truck using four beefy airbags. The giant winged truck looked distinctly odd, but it was exactly what this job required.

After the design and construction work was complete, we began our tests on the dry lake bed at NASA’s premier flight-testing facility, the Neil A. Armstrong Flight Research Center, at Edwards Air Force Base in California’s Mojave Desert. Tom Wolfe’s 1974 book The Right Stuff and the 1983 movie of the same name made this locale famous. It’s where Chuck Yeager first broke the sound barrier in 1947, and it was the original landing site for the space shuttle.

Images, Top: Lauren Hughes/NASA; Bottom: Advanced Concept Lab/AMA/NASA Langley

Future X-Plane: A special stand [top] is used to test the wingtip cruise motors for the upcoming X-57 Maxwell, which is depicted in this computer rendering [bottom].

We were using carefully groomed sections of the lake bed that are maintained as backup runways for the flight test programs currently under way at Edwards. Although it would never leave the ground, we had to treat our unconventional test platform like an aircraft and take all the same precautions to minimize the chance that we’d harm the lake bed or leave behind debris that could later damage an aircraft making an emergency landing there.

Once we had all the batteries and power cables secured and our instrumentation system logging data, we began our tests, which entailed driving the truck at speeds up to about 130 km/h (80 mph) with the wing canted at different angles and with the propellers set to spin at various speeds. A wind tunnel would have offered carefully controlled conditions, whereas we had to estimate our airspeed based on the ground speed of the test vehicle and the wind speed as measured by several weather stations we had placed around the dry lake. To minimize errors and variations, we began at daybreak when the winds were calmest. We also had to find days when other aircraft were not likely to need our runway for an emergency landing, which meant a lot of waiting while NASA tested its X-56A drone and the Air Force tested the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II fighter.

After two months in the desert, we had collected enough data to fully check our computer simulations. We were happy to see the expected performance boost. Indeed, the tests indicated that our predictions for the lift force that could be generated were somewhat conservative. Our electrically blown wing indeed worked!

Based on those encouraging results, NASA decided to further explore the blown-wing concept with a new experimental aircraft, one based on the same aircraft we’d investigated during the LEAPTech project, the Tecnam P2006T. It would be dubbed the X-57 Maxwell, the first piloted NASA X-Plane in more than a decade.

For the X-57, we modified the design in various ways. For one, the X-57 will be using a slightly larger wing. That change would provide enough interior volume for installing the wiring. But a more significant motivation was to improve “loiter” performance: Although the energy required to travel a given distance increases with a larger wing, the energy required to stay in the air for a given amount of time actually goes down. This is important when, for example, the aircraft must circle an airport while waiting for the weather to improve to land.

We also decided to reduce the number of leading-edge propellers from 18 to 12, which we felt would be a better compromise between simplicity and performance. Also, the takeoff speed was decreased slightly to 58 knots (107 km/h), which is more like that of comparable aircraft. And the two wingtip propellers, which we had designed for a “pusher” configuration, were moved from behind the wing to ahead of it, to provide additional ground clearance on landing, when the nose of the plane comes up.

Construction on the X-57 Maxwell is now under way. The original Tecnam P2006T will be modified in stages. For its first flight, probably less than a year away, the two wing-mounted engines will be replaced with two electric motors, without otherwise modifying the wing. The next phase will swap out the original wing for a much smaller one, with the two electric motors moved outboard to the wingtips for greater efficiency. (After this modification, the plane will require longer runways to take off and land.) The final phase will add 12 smaller electric motors spaced along the leading edge, to allow it to take off and land on typical runways while retaining the efficiency gained with the smaller wing.

Flight tests of the X-57 will help NASA engineers gauge the performance and practicality of this configuration. Those tests will also help guide designs for the next generation of distributed electric propulsion, which is soon to arrive. My Joby colleagues and I have already completed a study that examines the possibility of applying similar principles to an 11-seat airliner.

Wingtip propellers and blown wings are not the only strategies newly made practical by advances in electric propulsion. As another example, my colleagues at Joby and I are developing a five-seat electric aircraft that uses tilting propellers to take off vertically and then transition to normal airplane flight, allowing it to cruise much faster and more efficiently than a helicopter.

Most of today’s airplanes and helicopters look very similar to models from many decades ago, but as this work demonstrates, that’s about to change. Thanks to the flexibility of electric propulsion, aviation is about to experience the greatest renaissance in design since the advent of the jet engine. So be prepared, and don’t forget to fasten your seat belt.

This article appears in the August 2018 print issue as “Reinventing the Wing.”

About the Author

Alex Stoll is an aeronautical engineer at Joby Aviation, in Santa Cruz, Calif.

NASA Remakes the Airplane Wing With Electric Propulsion and a Whole Lot of Propellers syndicated from https://jiohowweb.blogspot.com

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