#budgetalks

[budgebuttons]

There's a lot of reasonably frustrated but ultimately misdirected psa-style posting about how viewers NEED to start reblogging things rather than just liking them because that is the primary mode of post circulation on this site. The modern manifestation of this sentiment seems to miss the fact that, if you've been here for ~15 years, were here prior to, during, and after the exodus to the bird app, you already know that likes have always been more common than reblogs, that many people simply don't want to put your art on their blog, and that guilting end-users into using a microblogging site A Specific Way absolutely does not work. If it did, the trend would have shifted a decade ago. Because this conversation really is that old. Regardless, the modern discourse of how difficult it is to be Seen specifically on Tumblr isn't productive because I think it ultimately misses the reason being an artist online feels so Bad, now.

The social media era has funneled Looking At Stuff on the Internet into an economy of engagement that encourages end-users to treat everything we/they see as quick, cheap, and disposable. This is just another fun and flirty way that capitalism devalues art. It's nothing new. Trying to force masses of users to behave in a way that is healthier for the circulation of art isn't going to do anything to solve the discontent we all feel when we hurl something into the void and it is ultimately ignored. I swear up and down: A higher notes number won't feel better, either. Popularity is just as demoralizing as radio silence, but it manifests differently. Instead of 4 likes and maybe 1 reblog from Old Faithful Mutual, you get a horde of people who treat you like a content machine. You keep hoping for an impossibly Bigger Number. The notifs on the first Big Number Post haven't even settled, and people are already asking when the follow-up is coming. You get anons, but most of them are trying to passively convince you to give them More Content.

It's really, really hard to make people care about art. If there was a silver bullet for making the average person appreciate the enormity of human effort behind every beautiful thing they encounter, we would have found it centuries ago.

The best thing creatives can do for their lives online is to be friendly, or at least kind, with other creators. "Big" artists don't form in-groups because they're snobs. They find each other because they casually showed each other support, and their mutual appreciation for that Thing that wound them up in the same tag becomes a foundation for connection, and in many cases, the ever-illusive Bigger Audience as they introduce themselves to each others' circles. We get more eyes on our work by building community with each other.

Where does that leave people who are just here to look at things, not post them? I think the answer is almost identical: COMMENT!! Please, comment! The first step to engaging with art on a more meaningful level is to point out something you particularly enjoy about a given work. It can go in the replies, it can go in the tags, doesn't matter!! If you notice some symbolism or make some connection, there is all likelihood that OP put it there because they desperately wanted somebody to notice it. Let them know why you like it!

Reaching for the nebulous, impossible goal of better post circulation isn't going to make being a creator online in 2023 suck less. Meaningfully connecting with each other can, will, and does. You can make someone's day just by passingly letting them know that their effort is worth more than a number.

#budgetalks #I got to thinking about this because of fanfic actually #the proportion of comments to kudos ESPECIALLY on popular fics bums me out #especially when you open the comments and half of them are people asking for more

[scarwasright]

the more irrelevant 03 becomes the more annoying it is when work that is specific to it breaches containment

like Yeah, I’m sorry your Sloth isn’t a horrifying consequence of the series’ inciting events and What Remains Of Trisha Elric isn’t haunting the narrative. Sorry your Lust and Scar don’t have an invisible trauma bond so bone-deep that it can only be revealed as one of them dies and leaves the other permanently changed. Sorry Roy wanting to be King Shit of Fash Mountain Isn’t Cool, Actually. Could have watched a better show, I guess.

#budgetalks

[soundsperfect]

with LoK coming to netflix and the likely fan art renaissance that will follow, here's a tip. coloring Asami as pale as a cloud so you can 'get away' with Korra being vaguely peach isn't as sneaky as you think it is.

#korrasami #budgetalks #their model sheets are right there it's so easy

[tomsawyee]

I guess we're just gonna ignore all those sexy sexy frame drops in the "please compare this to botw we are literally begging" trailer huh

#pokemon #budgetalks

[budgebuttons]

If you are any kind of fandom creative you have GOT to have at least one Extremely Niche Interest to help you remember how worthless popularity really is. One person sending a tip and an only-partially-hinged note of thanks for making merch of the protag of a culturally panned adaptation's undead mom gives way more Happy Chemical than 2,000 functionally anonymous likes on Twitter for a Popular Video Game Comic.

#budgetalks

[scarwasright]

The plushie I have meticulously set up to look like it is at the dinner table with me: Are you ok? You've barely touched your food.

Me: In the 2003 anime adaptation of Fullmetal Alchemist, most homunculi have consistent cool violet eye coloring. Lust's, however, while still undeniably purple, are a noticeably warmer shade than the others, closer to faded magenta. Closer to red. This is most noticeable in the closeups in the 4th end credits (ep 42-end), making its intentionality obvious at the same point in the narrative where her origins can no longer be reconciled with her new identity.

The plushie: Hm ok. Mashed Potato?

#budgetalks #fma lust

[scarwasright]

there’s no canonical precedent for this but homunculus eyes can 100% do Silly Mode like cats

#budgetalks

[scarwasright]

you can't bring the dead back to life except that you can but watch out! You Can't!

#budgetalks

[scarwasright]

Some bad news-- My acrylics provider is no longer accepting orders of <10 for a given design, so unfortunately it’s looking like a charm restock won’t be able to happen.

I’m pretty bummed about it, bc I wanted to add at least Paninya, Sheska, and Dante to the pile, but it’s basically a guarantee that no one except maybe Roy and Al would meet the minimum if the numbers from last time are any indication. Looks like it’s just not in the cards, sorry guys :(

#budgetalks #thank you all for the support regardless

[budgebuttons]

I saw a friend talking about this, but rather than spamming in her notes, I'm going here instead--

Clip Studio is going subscription. From the last 15 years of being jerked around by unavoidable, exploitative subscription services, we have a well-founded knee-jerk reaction that this will functionally ruin the product as we know it. I have nothing to say about how Clip will or won't successfully make paying for a sub worth it, but there is another side to this point that I think is arguably just as important:

Adobe CS6 is literally 10 years old. Photoshop CS6 still serves almost every single function to be found in Photoshop CC 2022, discounting niche additions that the majority of hobbyists and semi-pros will never even notice. More importantly to this point: It still works. It works so well that Adobe has bent over backwards since the launch of CC trying to convince us that it doesn't.

There is no current reason to think that a Clip key from now or any point in the past will stop working. If we are unwilling to take Celsys' word for it, we can look at the monopoly Clip is taking shots at just by existing: Adobe has failed for nearly a decade to make people stop using their old keys.

Software purchases have never been truly permanent. Before DRM subscriptions, we had annual version releases with varying degrees of forced obsolescence. Before the internet was mainstream, software was developed, sold on a disc, then existed for consumers as-is. If you wanted any updates, you bought the new one next year.

The expectation that a one time purchase should be updated and upkept forever isn't founded on any release model that has ever existed. Unfortunately, we live a world where money exists, and infinite install base growth is a lie of capitalism, so it is also an impossible promise from the people making it.

The "permanent" key version of Clip Studio is not going away. This isn't the death of a website or the end of Flash. It's just offline (so, not a security risk) art software that will continue to exist as-is the same way you can finagle CS2 to run in Windows. Depending on your creative needs (which, for the majority of us, is just "be a better drawing tool than photoshop") it will continue to have value for the long-forseeable future. Also, it's on sale right now.

#budgetalks #i dont do brand loyalty #but i do recognize when one thing is objectively better for the consumer than other options present

[budgebuttons]

The Thing about Apex Legends is that yes, it's a good game, but taking even a cursory glance at the supplementary flavor content, it's about gay people who play paintball for money. The most recent Lore Beat was the often annoying but genuine Himbo Guy forgetting to send out invites to his party. His mechanic roommate is dabbling in interplanetary diplomacy. Don't worry about it.

#budgetalks

[scarwasright]

So I guess some of you are just gonna ignore the brownface elephant in the room, huh. Neat.

#new url bc i am feeling obnoxious #hello legbutts good to have another free blocklist #budgetalks

[scarwasright]

fulfilling my lifelong dream of Ed and Scar having a bitter, livid argument about What We Should Do About The Sad Zombies

#budgetalks #heeheehoohoo chapters soon

[scarwasright]

Lust's desperation to return to a life and home that will never exist again vs Sloth's violent rejection of the family begging her to come home?

#im upset #budgetalks #fma lust #fma sloth

[scarwasright]

2021 is good actually because I can just say that Scar was right and I won't have eighty-four weirdos in my ask box soapboxing about gray morality and how Bad Roy Felt... the people who care enough don't hate-read tags anymore, all they do is write bad m/m fic and complain about antis on twitter

so,

Scar should have killed more people, actually <3

and the only reason he shouldn't is because of the damage that so much violence has inflicted upon himself

#budgetalks

[budgebuttons]

anime boston drew my name from the waitlist LET'S FUCKING GO, GIRLS

#budgetalks