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felassan · 1 year

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Thoughts/wonderings on Dragon Age: The Missing #2, under a cut due to spoilers for The Missing (not just #2) and for the recent leaks:

Overall I think issue 2 was more interesting and more exciting than issue 1. I don't mean this in a bad way about issue 1; it's just that issue 1 had a lot of catching up to do ('here's what's happened since you were last in Thedas') and setup both for Varric&Harding (they should open a detective agency together)'s current quest and for future issues in this series. that was quite a lot of setup and the comic issues only have a few pages. now in Issue 2, the story is properly starting off and the plot thickens etc.

continuing the theme of issue 1 (which is: Varric Is Having A Very Bad And Terrible Time), this issue opens with Varric groaning and cursing. it really is like this huh.. "shit", he says, while.. stepping in shit.. it's eponymous. eponymous suffering.

change in art style and artist from issue 1. if memory serves, Fernando Heinz Furukawa is the artist who worked on some previous DA comics such as Dark Fortress and Blue Wraith. here's Varric portrayed by Fernando in Knight Errant:

and here's Varric now in The Missing #2

it's day and night! he looks Older and more tired, and also maybe redesigned (outfit, scar etc). if this comic is set around 9:52 or shortly beforehand, he's over 50 years old now since he was born in 9:1. according to this tweet of Fernando's, it wasn't Fernando who did a redesign, BioWare had sent along the reference for Varric for this comic. are we looking at Varric's DA:D Era (Dad Era..) Redesign? is this how he'll look in DA:D? if so why did he look the same as usual in issue 1 - was it a recent decision of BioWare's that happened after issue 1 had been illustrated but before 2 was drawn? or is it just differing art styles between issues - I notice that each of the 4 issues of this comic has a different artist. it will be someone else again in issue 3, so I'll guess we'll find out based on what he looks like in issue 3 :) also, a different artist for each issue is an interesting choice - is it to showcase as many different peoples' talents as possible?

We don't see much of Vyrantium in this issue but from what we do see I think it looks cool

Harding's hair is definitely red/orange here. in one leak the person wrote that there was a rogue lady dwarf party member. in another the person implied via emoji codes (hh) that one of the companions that they saw is a lady with red hair. with these in mind plus Harding's presence and appearance in this DA:D lead-in comic, I wanna speculate that Harding is a companion in DA:D. if Harding is and Varric isn't, I'd be down with that! I'd rather he isn't a companion again, and this setup would provide a lady dwarf companion, an ascended extra (see: Cole, Merrill etc), and the familiar returning face/Inquisition representative on the team without filling up a slot with someone who has already had a turn at being a companion. maybe, like Charter says in issue 1, Varric builds the team, but instead of joining it in person himself, it's Harding who joins the DA:D roster and he's around doing some stuff in the background like giving quests or advising or something. Varnick Fury...

last time we checked in on the Qunari invasion of Tevinter, they had invaded Neromenian (Dark Fortress). before that they invaded Carastes (Blue Wraith) and Ventus/Qarinus (Deception). now the Antaam have progressed towards Vyrantium and are laying siege to it. this shows the passage of time between our looks at Thedas and that that the world isn't static, and it keeps building the backdrop in Tevinter of the Antaam invasion as a potential background plotpoint for DA:D (reminds me of the mage-templar war in the background of DA:I). the Tevinters don't seem to be having much luck in this war, losing city after city to the Antaam.

looking at this progress map below, I'm reminded of this line from Dread Wolf Take You in Tevinter Nights: "I fear everything east of Vyrantium will be under their control inside a year, and northern Antiva as well", said by the Mortalitasi at the meeting Charter attended. we're seeing this come to pass now, and if it roughly followed that projected timescale it gives us a bit of insight into when Charter's meeting with Solas in TN took place relative to the effective prologue to DA:D (this comic). if the Antaam keep this up, I guess the next settlement is Marnas Pell and then onto Asariel. Minrathous has famously never fallen to siege or invasion. I guess you could still effectively choke a country by capturing all of its other cities besides the main one though. maybe the plan is to take the rest and Minrathous would be the last hold out? its food supplies in the Catacombs will only last a year

"You think Solas would have crawled through a city's worth of shit to get here?" felt like a bookend to Varric's comment in the previous issue, "It fits, though. A refuge in the ass end of nowhere is exactly Solas’s style". at this point varric sounds like he's talking about an ex who jilted him lmao. and probably not, Varric, he's probably fast-travelling around as it suits him via the eluvian network. I thought the highlighting of sense of timing, how long it took them to get there, how rough the road there was and the obstacles they went through to reach their destination was interesting. maybe it's a precursor (for the sake of creating contrast) to the possible upcoming 'travelling around via eluvians' stuff from the recent leak? to the possible plotpoint of 'here's how the Inquisition remnants have eluvian access now'? it's taken them weeks to walk from Marnas Pell to Vyrantium, which gives a sense of the scale of Thedas and emphasizes travel time outside of in-game 'fast travel' mechanics. Solas is basically leading them on a wild goose chase in this comic series all over Tevinter. given his effective teleportation relative to their having to walk for weeks to get between cities, he has them at a massive disadvantage.

new locations in the lore: Armael Hills, Wava River/Wava River crossing. given that they have travelled from Marnas Pell to Vyrantium, these must be places in Tevinter.

"food poisoning" ye sure okay bud. at the end of issue 1, Varric was after a stiff drink. this panel is a smart bit of continuity from that, and also, BioWare must have fully known what they were doing with this panel lmao.. on a serious note though I hope Varric is doing okay like, and this was just a hangover after a celebration like he says, rather than part of his recent tired/sad/kinda strugglin vibe. otherwise coupled with his older tireder more haggard look it reminds me a bit of Ser Aaron which is sad to think about :( (RIP)

lmao the valet was really like "You? The noble famous Viscount of Kirkwall? but you're so scrungly, stinky and oldlooking.. No. It can't be so. Bye"

if Lady Crysanthus has been 'indisposed' for months it means Solas was here months ago. that's confirmed when they mention about how the bedroom hasn't been used in months. they're so many steps behind him and would continue to be - the walking distance between Vyrantium and Arlathan Forest is even further than that between Marnas Pell and Vyrantium.

I enjoyed how their cover story was "Hi I'm Varric", they walked straight up to the front door, showed themselves and told him who they were, and then broke in talking about how they're supposed to be being subtle lmao. (also that setup for the house going up in flames at the end and condemning the lady's husband to death so dramatically, LOL subtle indeed. I guess it was them being ironic). so knocking on the door was Harding's suggested approach, Varric had initially suggested breaking in and they decided to try Harding's way first. that's nice, it contrasts them as characters and carries on that idea from their discussion in issue 1 about their two different suggested ways for approaching/dealing with stuff/Solas if they found him

so about Varric's redesign, he has speed stripes now/salt and pepper hair, and where/when did he get that big serious scar? also would you take Varric's hand and trust him, even though he's like, a pathological liar? after that panel i would ok

their dynamic is cute

Tevinter architecture is cool (red glass windows) and I like those lil Tevinter wind chime looking things. inside the bedroom there are serpents coiling around the bed posts.

Harding was right after all, and had the smarts to check under the sheet. she looks shook when they discover Crysanthus. and no wonder, of course the only person they know who can turn people to stone is Solas. from the lady's outstretched 'Stop!' arm and scared facial expression, it doesn't look like she and Solas were having a pleasant conversation when he did this.

that wall mural... lmao. the dog looks kind of like a mabari, which I guess I could see since they originated in Tevinter. my random obscure headcanon is that this ~Decadence~ mural is supposed to, by in-universe artists, depict the golden age of the Imperium when it ruled most of Thedas and before the mabari defected to the 'barbarians' of the south hh

shoutout again to Harding's cool looking cape

Teia and Viago!!!! as the front cover prophecy foretold!! man we knew it was coming but i still went OOOOOO at them appearing. their entrance and they in general was/are so cool. they look amazing!!

wing-like motif on their outfits, fitting for Crows :) hh, Harding knows immediately that they are Crows. also "subtle".. :)

lmao he's so done

I enjoyed the banter back and forth at this point, it was fun :)

Harding's freckles 🥺

The question is, who put out this contract on Crysanthus to the Crows and why? it must have been a pretty big deal (the person who took out the contract and/or the reason for taking it out), otherwise what are two Talons from two different Houses doing on a job in Tevinter when the Antaam is currently invading Antiva and we know from TN that the Crows including Teia and Viago (Eight Little Talons) were going to be taking the defense of Antiva seriously?

So the Inquisition remnants are still basically "The Inquisition" when it comes to name-dropping, and Varric 'my cover is hi I'm Varric also I'm gonna break in now' Tethras has no qualms about telling a pair of Crows they've just met that they're working with the Inquisition. whereas he omits mentioning Solas specifically by name. I guess "Inquisition" is an easier sell than "The Dread Wolf"

also interesting, why are the Crows concerned about a Tevinter mage possibly working with the Venatori, or about the Venatori planning a possible concerted move against the Imperium, or about stopping that? I'm reminded of TN where we learned that a mysterious patron had contracted the Crows to kill a bunch of prominent Venatori (Lucanis' story). some of the Venatori were scared about that, particularly of the aforementioned notorious Crow, "The Demon", who had been doing a lot of these contracts. the Venatori said that they wouldn't cower to foreign mercs like the Crows. and it was implied that the anonymous hirer was elfy, as they gave Lucanis assistance/info about a magic secret passage inside a statue of a vhenadahl, the passage of which was lit with veilfire and guarded by an elf, Athima, who was sent by their patron. then Lucanis died or "died" and we saw his wake, which Teia and Viago were at. and now here are Teia and Viago in Tevinter on a contract job to take out yet another Venatori/Venatori collaborator. are they continuing where Lucanis left off? Crows, the Venatori, and Solas... curiouser and curiouser

the fight scenes in this comic were cool. Varric at one point doesn't even draw Bianca, he just socks someone in the face like POW

Viago with his poisoned rapier/poisons again, ice cold but also like, what a nerd

when the secret door opens Harding is like > :) hhh

when the valet says "You've killed us all just by being here", is it Lady Crysanthus' husband that he's thinking about or someone else? the Venatori? the person who turned the lady to stone?

so Lady Crysanthus was a spymaster who had records and notes on many known Venatori agents, as well as maps and papers relating to their plans to get a magical artifact/magical weapon called the Crucious Stone out of Arlathan Forest. she was also helping Venatori operate in Tevinter. given this, why would she invite Solas to come and talk to her? their mutual interest in the Stone? was the invitation even for Solas, or did he or whoever was using the room in the Deep Roads get it from the person it was actually supposed to be for after he/they got wind of this scheme?

the Stone can bring the Imperium to its knees. that would explain why the Venatori, who are apparently plotting a move against the Imperium (to.. make it great again? I guess they have to take it down or take it over before they can make it great again?), would want it. Solas isn't a fan of the Imperium - is he interested in this Stone because he'd also like to impact Tevinter, or because he needs to use the Stone's powers for his plans relating to the Veil or similar? (I'd think more the latter than the former) Any relation to, or how does it tie in to, the Orb or the idol?

Also I wonder about the specifics of the stone's powers. to bring the whole Imperium to its knees.. we must be talking blood magic? I'd guess? plus some Veil wibbly-wobbly Fadey stuff too, if the last page of the comic is anything to go by. also, the shape of the stone reminds me of the sarcophagus from Dark Fortress. that artifact was of unknown origin but built to fit an elf and there were some possibly elfy aspects to its design..

"Monologue about it, who knows?" // "Is this a contract or an old flame?" // "Well..." killed me hhhh

Viago asking the Important Questions

Stone Fist

Teia is badass

nice group takedown, again a party with majority dwarves and elves :)

Varric's one liner while the guy stabbed through the wrist crushed by a broken statue of his beloved departed wife while he burns to death is. stone cold.

this time around there's a reason why they didn't gather up a bunch of papers/books from the Secret Den, it was going up in flames and they had to escape. makes sense. I still wonder why they didn't take those books with them from the Deep Roads room in issue 1 hh.

in the panel where they are back outside on the streets of Vyrantium, the column of smoke from the burning house can be seen in the background going up into the sky, and off to the right in green is the figure that Teia clocks in the next panels.

Cat

presumably the possible Venatori assassin is the Venatori we saw tailing Varric&Harding at the end of issue 1.

Varric and Harding leave Teia and Viago on a positive note which is nice. I hope we meet them for a bit in DA:D :)

also since it was confirmed that the characters in this comic are Teia and Viago, I think again about the 'this comic is introducing us/re-introducing us to various factions/groups who are players on the chess-board or otherwise of note in DA:D' idea. Issue 1 had Wardens, 2 the Crows, 3 looks to be the Veil Jumpers. also since it was Teia and Viago, I'm also once again wondering if the two Veil Jumpers will be Strife and Irelin, who we know are in a Dalish clan that lives in/near Arlathan Forest. (also I enjoyed the confirmation in this comic that a few/multiple Dalish clans live in Arlathan Forest. those clans, like Morlyn, sound super interesting due to the magical/ancient nature of the Forest)

About the last page of the comic, the tree branches give an elfy vibe, and that structure in the distance being upside down gives a Fadey and/or Arlathan Forest's current time/space topsyturvyness vibe. could the archway in the structure be an eluvian? is this how they get eluvian travel? is this what's in the heart of Arlathan Forest, or is it somewhere in there where the Veil is thin and the time/space reality warping has influenced things? did Dalish elves build those walkways?

the synopsis for Issue 3 is as follows:

Following their adventure in Vyrantium, Varric, and Harding travel to Arlathan Forest in search of the crucious stone. When the duo finds themselves face-to-face with a pair of Veil Jumpers, they decide to team up. Finding what they seek will have them up against puzzling obstacles, and their success could depend on the allies they can gather.

this is the issue in this comic that I'm most excited about. I'm so hyped to meet the Veil Jumpers AAAAAA!! [cat.yodeling.png]

#dragon age: dreadwolf #dragon age 4 #the dread wolf rises #da4 #dragon age #dragon age: the missing #dragon age: the missing spoilers #bioware #video games #long post #longpost #dragon age: dreadwolf spoilers #solas #alcohol cw #lul #strife

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artharakka · 1 year

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Hello

I habe just recently come across your page. My condolences for Minni.

But Holy Shit, your art style is so cool. Your whole page is freaking fantastic beautiful. Sorry for just putting random words together. I love the artstyle so much. To be honest i am flabbergasted. I hope one day I can draw in a similar artstyle too, but i don’t think anything can come near to the talent you have.

Like fr i saw your drawings and was shocked. May i ask are some of your paintings inspired by mythology? Because they remind me of trolls and a book i had when i was a child from Jan Lööf, it was about trolls.

Sending lots if luvs and hugs from little nowhere in europe. 💕💕💕💕💕💕

Hi 🧡 Last night I dreamed of Minni, she was sleeping at my feet and she was warm and her side moved with her breathing, but I knew she wasn't really there and it didn't feel wrong, so in time, I think it will be alright 🧡

And thank you! I hope you don't mind me answering this publicly as this became a longer rambling about creating and inspirations! Rest under the cut:

Often I think I'm still kind of searching for an art style that feels most comfortable to me, but thank you for liking where I'm now 💕 But don't put yourself down! It has taken me a lot of trials and errors to be where I am. And I could've saved a lot of time if I had committed myself to learning the fundamentals first, taken more art classes, etc, but hey, sometimes art isn't about perfercting a style but finding something you are so passionate about you cannot stop creating and you end up learning in the process (for me it is stories, I find it very hard to sit down and do a "random" art piece with no background story for the characters in it). And creativity comes in many forms! With a quick glance, writing comes more naturally to you than to me (even though I would like to do that more).

Your ask made me think what exactly has inspired my art. I haven't illustrated mythological scenes or people (only that I can think of kind of referencing myths is the "Mirror" swordtember drawing I titled as "Perseus' End" on my Inprnt), but I'd say mythology definitely is there in sources of inspiration. Not some one and only, but multiple mythologies I think (mostly European, as sources to those are more accessible to me because, well, eurocentrism and language barriers, but also geographical closeness). Mediterranean mythologies, first as a kid through (Hellenistic) Greek, now more nuanced (lately obsessed with Minoan art and clothing, many thanks to Let's Talk About Myths, Baby! podcast). Playing (= @artist-rat playing for me because I was scared) Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice mabe me dig more deeply into Celtic and Norse mythologies. I'm also inspired by Finnish mythology (and I started to write more in depth about it's nuances, but it got long so it probably needs its own post at some point)

In short, much of it's lost or unclear whether it was appropriated from Karelians (or Sámi) people. But after the sources of mythological events and characters are uclear, what is left that inspires me is this kind of animistic belief system and reverence of nature. That if you sing a spell to the trees or rocks, you can shape what is around you. That a everyone has their own soul bird that brings your soul to you when you are born and carries away when you die. And while I also enjoy high fantasy and epics, what also inspires me is finding beauty in ordinary, in everything. Especially in nature. While I get and appreciate the beauty of mountains and sea and steep cliffs, I try and can find beauty near me. Ordinary pines, birds that I see while I walk to supermarket, lake's small waves against small stones. And I also find beauty and inspiration how in many small things near you, one can find marks of something more. Dinosaurs never disappeared nor did their reign ever end: birds are still here and much more numerous than humans. The small exposed piece of rock is part of Earth's foundation, it's grooves and scrapes were left by tonnes ice that passed it ten thousand years ago. The esker made of gravel and sand is not as high as a mountain, but it is still the highest in the entire world and for thousands of years people before you have climbed on top of it and seen the lakes and forests around it.

Mythologies and cultures also inspire me in a way that I love to invent them. Mostly by looking at what has already been. Imagine what all ways people have had or could have to promise to live together, to enter to adulthood. And I don't think of myself as particularly morbid person, but when I have a new story or ttrpg world, I love to think how do people there bury their loved ones. Where do they think they go and what do they need for that journey? Can they ever come back?

I was also about to list some artists that inspire me, but this is already so long that I think that will also be its own post. But I have a side blog @harakkae and there tags "art" and "inspiration" where I have collected some art and artists that inspire me!

Sorry again for long answer, I swear I cut out a lot of my ramblings! And thank you for loving my art! Hugs and best wishes to you as well and based on the fact that you had a book from Jan Lööf, I think I might be from as or even more nowhere in Europe as you 🧡🐦

#it's near midnight and there probably are typos but man do I love explaining #and enjoy the little lynx 🐆

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dymdrimluga · 9 months

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Art of Mage: The Ascension

Recently, a big event happened: I started playing MtA again, and I was forced to read. To be honest, I still find it difficult to read long and complex texts in English, but it's great practice. It's not the first time I've opened the rule book, but now I somehow paid special attention to the arts. And they are very cool there! This is the book I want to talk about. And this is an old book, after which, I think, a lot has changed in the world of illustration. But I'm just curious how it was. Was this book successful? What do you think about it?

Many people worked on this edition

At first, I wanted to find the specific author of each picture, but despite the existence of such a list, it turned out to be a difficult task. So today I will only comment on the art, not the artists. I am not a professional because my art has never been used for such books, but I want to share my impressions and thoughts.

There were a lot of such cards there and they are also quite cool, and the main thing is that they look in their place and really look like real tarot cards in design and vibe. Although this is not the art that interests me the most, I couldn't help but mention them here.

Really cool. It seems to be something from traditional materials, similar to watercolor, maybe with the addition of something else. If you look closely, you can see the remains of a pencil. Look at the head. Is everything drawn anatomically correct? No. But does it create the right mood? Yes!

Art by Mark Jackson if I'm not mistaken. Kinda reminds me of Sandman from the comics, don't you think? I wonder if this kind of black and white line art is still used in modern books? Must check.

This art... I was a little surprised to see it in the book. I worked in the game industry and was used to the fact that everything should be casually polished (thanks to gamejams for allowing me to deviate from this rule). Right here... a dynamic plot, but work with the clarity of the picture, color, volume, lighting... on some details it is simply not there. It seems that at some point it was not the main thing to be an illustrator. I wonder what was important? And what remains? Because I would really like to be involved in something like this book.

I would be happy to see how it is done. I have thoughts that maybe photos were used, but most were definitely drawn and I just want to know how

It has its own style. A lot of work on small details requires patience, not everyone can draw so many small details and not get lost in them. I love when people do not lose the courage to draw in a unique style

as in the previous picture, traditional materials seem to have been used here: pencils, felt-tip pens, maybe watercolors? What do you think of when you see this? I think "small artists". So many talented artists with small audiences on Twitter or Tumblr can do the same. Although not. Not "the same", because no one will do "the same" in creativity. At the same level - yes. The same - no. It's obvious that a lot of the artist's personality and experience has been put into this, and that makes this picture unique

oh i love it, it's not even a color drawing, but it looks so good on the page! But I don't really understand what bothers me about this girl's breasts, I wish I could see what it looks like from the front

We have already seen this author. Look at the hair. I.. really don't know what to say. Not exactly what I expected.

interesting art, interesting creature. Many would call it a sketch, but I think it is precisely here that more work on the details is not needed

I don't know the author, but I definitely recognize the style - I saw something like that in the changelings rulebook

Oh, I like it. It takes a special skill to draw like that, and I don't have it. Very dynamic. And the form shown is interesting

Soap. Nothing extra, nice details on the background, clear silhouette. Good.

I love this kind of comic book style. It is exactly as it should be in this style, I don't know what else to say, except that there is a good work with textures

how interestingly and harmoniously different styles are combined in this book

I like it, I would read something like comic book in that style, very nice to look at

I can't say about the plot, but the details, volume, and shadows are very well drawn. I wonder if it was done in pencil? I am fascinated by people who can draw with pencils and have a similar result

very calm great vibe

this is already something closer to the game art I know, not casual, but a step towards polishing, + looks like digital

one more step :) If you don't pay attention to the face, something like this can now be drawn in hidden objects games. Very nice drawing, by the way, I like the dynamics.

I think that will be enough, at least for today. I don't know who would be interested in such a review with personal opinions. But here's what fascinated me and made me think: so many artists with such different styles in one book. Unbelievable. It would be very interesting to be a part of something like that. Now I want to review new books from this point of view. I used to look at them as a reader, but now...

I wonder if there will be new books of this kind? What are the requirements? What is needed?

Only one trend worries me. Some time ago I had a conversation with the author of this book It was an interesting but a little sad conversation. The author says that, at best, he will receive not so much for this book. He says that he cannot pay the artists as well, because then he will have nothing left. It's a shame, but the only solution he found was to use the AI. I wanted to read the text of the book, because Umbra is a very interesting topic. I even had the opportunity to read it for free as a free copy provided by the author. I did not read it. One of the comments says that the art there is well-suited, although it was created by AI. I do not know. I don't want to see it even for free. I think it brings Banality into the world, destroys the dreams of small artists to be part of something great. I can understand a small author of a small book that won't make much money. It's just sad. I can only hope that the trend does not spread to the whole world. It will really be the time of Winter. And no more magic in this technocratic world.

#illustration #world of darkness #mage the ascension #mages #just opinion #jaka kurwa cepibula

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witchhatproductions · 1 year

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Witch Hat News #1: Weird Stories from Space

This is an archived version of our microfiction newsletter! You can read along on our tumblr, or subscribe here.

Hi there! Do you remember signing up to some newsletter from someone you kinda know on twitter? That's me. I'm the newsletter, and I'm here to letter you some news.

For real, though, I have a lot to say about this newsletter. If you know me (I'm Samantha Calthrop, by the way, not a sentient email, hi) then you probably know that I make comics and TTRPGs, which are met with critical acclaim by my extensive audience of almost nobody. I spent my teens in fandom spaces and my early twenties making standalone games.

In other words, I make things, and I put them online, and not a lot of people see them. C'est la vie.

In recent years, I've been drifting increasingly away from social media, and towards real-world creative spaces. I'm fortunate enough to have several social outlets for my art. Between my local comics group, my university, and my small group of mutuals in Irish journo twitter, I feel accomplished enough to be proud regardless of how many Instagram followers I have. (It's 151, much like the original Pokédex.)

That's the problem with the Internet. Even in the coolest and most supportive rings of Twitter and Tumblr there is nothing to achieve but online fame, which has been famously awful for everyone who has ever obtained it. (I imagine social media to be divided into rings, much like the rings of hell in Dante's Inferno.) There are very few spaces online that feel personal and contained, because by nature the internet is large and completely impersonal.

The consequence is that being an up-and-coming creator is like shouting into the void, except the void has a handful of your confused friends and relations in it, some of whom are giving you the thumbs up.

I was thinking about the lack of digital spaces for exploring any kind of fiction that isn't short stories or published novels, and how many cool things have been made by people I know, which nobody ever sees. I thought, man, I wish somebody would start a newsletter about it or something. Then I realised that I was somebody, and I already had a creative label which I'd been using to publish things already. Then I turned to Luke Sophia and said, "Hey, we're starting a newsletter", and wrote this before I could be stopped.

So I guess this newsletter seeks to fill that missing niche; a small, personal space that celebrates obscure creative projects. We're starting out primarily with creators that we know already - friends, past collaborators, and things we're already fans of. That means right now, it's mainly webcomics, podcasts, TTRPGS, and other types of online storytelling.

To that end, here's your bimonthly dose of local talent. By coincidence, all these stories are set in space, and all of them have a wonderfully weird take on the sci-fi genre. Check it out:

Neokosmos is about the horror of being raised by people you don't understand. This series of illustrated sci-fi stories follow the last living humans, who are being raised in captivity many years after the destruction of the Earth. Neokosmos is a deeply beautiful, deeply weird, and deeply visceral story about love, cruelty, and family between completely different alien species. The first book made me realise I like speculative sci-fi. The second book made me sit on my bed, put my head in my hands, and think about how I spent my early twenties. I can't recommend it enough. Neokosmos is in open beta right now, and is available to read for free online.

Chain of Being is a delightfully strange eldritch-horror-ish audio drama by Cai Gwilym Pritchard. It's set in a mystic sci-fi universe with deep folkloric roots, and it's both written and performed unlike any other podcast I've come across. I recommend listening with headphones just for the editing. Chain of Being is also casting voice actors for Season 2 right now - more info here. They're paid roles, and actors with non-standard podcast accents are encouraged to apply.

Fetch Quest by @toonlynnk is a silly fantasy adventure in a spaceship universe. Unambitious Hugh the human is happy to settle for an NPC career and a lifetime of mediocrity, but is instead dragged into the life of an adventurer-for-hire. A webcomic set in a video game universe, and is promising to be the kind of PG comedy adventure that ends up wrenching your guts out, in the style of Owl House and Amphibia.

Your project here. Do you make art of any kind - visual, written, performed? Are you starting a project or recruiting co-creators? We want to hear from you! Email us at [email protected]. A proper submission procedure will be created if needed, but for now, it's open season - show us anything. Fire away.

That's it for now. All going well, I'll see you in a few weeks!

#newsletter #witch hat news #microfiction

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galactic-pirates · 12 days

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15 questions, for 15 friends

@purlturtle thanks for the tag!

ARE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE? Technically no. As while I chose my name because I had sort of 'absorbed it into my consciousness' from a TV character, I didn't name myself after them. However, if I had named myself a few years later I probably would have haha (Sam Carter, role model). But nope, not named after anyone.

WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED? Teared up a bit yesterday but didn't actually cry. Tuesday. I got scared and it's like a pressure release valve I guess.

DO YOU HAVE KIDS? Nope. Never will either.

WHAT SPORTS DO YOU PLAY/HAVE YOU PLAYED? Hmm. I'm not a sporty person. I do keep meaning to take my basketball to the court and play a game of 21 against myself. A million years ago when I was at high school I played cricket. I've always liked tennis but rarely ever had the opportunity to play. The trouble with sports is they generally require other people and I don't do well with people.

DO YOU USE SARCASM? Yeah sometimes. I don't recognise it when other people use it on me though. I'm weirdly literal. I guess I can get my sarcasm as I know I'm being sarcastic.

WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE? Oooh interesting, I'm not sure. I mean there's so much to take in about a person in just a single glance. Age, gender, size etc. I suppose it probably boils down to threat assessment - do they look scary?

WHAT'S YOUR EYE COLOR? Brown

SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS? Happy endings 110%. I'm the worlds biggest wuss, I don't do scary movies at all. Anything with a jump scare in it is a huge no-no.

ANY TALENTS? I like to sort things. I'm also good at doing things the exact same way, every single time.

WHERE WERE YOU BORN? Not my fault, I didn't choose it - Harlow, in Essex (England). Debated whether to answer this but I'm pretty sure it's not my security question anywhere haha.

WHAT ARE YOUR HOBBIES? Writing, art, lego, piano, reading, video games. Think that covers the broad strokes but there's a lot to unpack with some of those 'areas'.

DO YOU HAVE ANY PETS? Nope. I don't do well with anything that's alive to be honest, it's too unpredictable for me.

HOW TALL ARE YOU? 5ft 3" (I think). Mum has tried to tell me for years that I'm 5ft 2" because she's 3" and she's taller. But she definitely isn't anymore (I hate that actually, mum should be taller than me, she's the mum but alas shrinkage).

FAVOURITE SUBJECT? What when I was at school? I always wanted it to be English because I do love stories, but we never got to analyse them how I wanted (meta posts my beloved). Honestly it was probably History. It's kinda a story itself. The cause and the effect and the interconnected nature of developments.

These days it's definitely writing. I could talk about it for days.

DREAM JOB? Funnily enough - writer :) Well actually I suppose to be accurate - storyteller. Writing is the medium I am most practiced with but I do hope to level up my art skills enough to utilise those. Illustration, cover art etc. at a minimum but how cool would it be to draw my own graphic novel? I'm a million miles away from being good enough for that but that's why it's a dream.

I have a dozen novel series I want to share with the world. Maybe I will be able to one day.

Erm I don't think I have 15 people I'm comfortable tagging so just anyone that wants to do it.

Here's a blank version for easy copying:

15 Questions for 15 Friends ARE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE? WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED? DO YOU HAVE KIDS? WHAT SPORTS DO YOU PLAY/HAVE YOU PLAYED? DO YOU USE SARCASM? WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE? WHAT'S YOUR EYE COLOR? SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS? ANY TALENTS? WHERE WERE YOU BORN? WHAT ARE YOUR HOBBIES? DO YOU HAVE ANY PETS? HOW TALL ARE YOU? FAVOURITE SUBJECT? DREAM JOB?

#long post #I answer things #sam rambles (a lot)

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apparentabstractions · 11 months

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Some unstructured thoughts

My reaction to the trend of "AI artists" has been pretty viscerally negative—it's a clear off-shoot of the same Silicon Valley tech bro bullshit that gave us NFTs—but I've also been left grappling with the reality that there are very real similarities between much of my APPARENT ABSTRACTIONS work and images generated by AI. The latter involves someone inputting text and hoping for the best. My edited ROM corruption screenshots require similarly little "effort"—ask a program to inject some junk data or alter a few bytes, then wait for the results. In the end, we both have very little control over the actual output. I often make edits to the shape or color to make mine stand out more, but that's not a tall task either.

Furthermore, both are built off the backs of others' work. I think my only real saving grace here is that the "sources" I pull from are commercial, mass-produced products. Of course video games are an art form, and artists worked to create the graphics which I then ask a program to mangle, but at the end of the day I'm pulling from the works of corporations. Fair game for editing? Fair game for collages and sampling? The music enthusiast in me has always felt that way, at least. I wouldn't have a guilty conscience screencapping and editing something from say, Ninja Gaiden—as opposed to trying the same thing from some DeviantArt user's work. One like myself, maybe. I also illustrate as a hobby, and yeah, I don't want my drawings used in AI training datasets. And these days, it's getting harder to trust the websites we host our work on to protect us.

Maybe the big difference between what I'm making and what "AI artists" are doing comes down to ethos. AA is a project that's been going on for four years now. The works have always been released into the public domain. I just think what I'm doing is cool, and I wish more people would do it. It's not really even about the individual pieces but all of them as a unified gallery. I've always viewed AA as one singular ever-expanding art piece. I think it's why I enjoyed making the Tower Unite gallery so much. Very few "AI artists" ever seem actually interested in art. Or at least, they weren't interested in the concept of "art" until they saw that it could be an easy way to make them popular or rich. But you probably know that already.

We saw it with NFTs, too, though maybe less so percentage-wise—I saw a lot of legitimate artists I admired become grifters. I almost bought a John Karel (jjjjjjjjjjohn, the one with the low-poly skeletons) shirt and now I'm glad I didn't. Mark Vomit, the guy who made that "you are not immune to propaganda" meme, is actually a talented audiovisual producer that I liked a lot. Ironically, he tried making NFTs but threw a fit when no one wanted them and people started making fun of him. I don't think he's tried again since. Probably my biggest disappointment in this field was Osamu Sato—the guy behind LSD: Dream Emulator among a slew of great albums. And don't forget a bunch of musicians who were probably forced to engage with NFTs by their labels. But also, like, 80% of the people making "abstract digital art" like my own started getting into it! I had to unfollow the vast majority of them. At their height, it was so bad that you could just tell someone was probably doing NFTs by looking at their art because it had become so popular with certain cliques—my own included. I started using the "AGAINST CRYPTO / AGAINST NFTS" avatar around that time not just because I wanted to make a bold statement against it, but also because I didn't want people to have to check.

#text post #tech hell

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not-poignant · 1 year

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hi! i'm a really big fan of yours and i want to thank you so much for sharing your talent with us. i was also so pleasantly surprised when i found out you did some of the really wonderful art for juliet marillier's books? which is so insane to think about because it's like two worlds colliding! would you ever talk about how that came about?

Hi anon!

So, Juliet Marillier got in touch with me, because she'd seen some of my animal artwork, and asked if I could do a hedgehog based cover for Prickle Moon, an acclaimed and award-winning anthology of really awesome short stories, being published by Ticonderoga (whose owners I know and who are also lovely people, and who I've also been published through re: short stories), the owners of Ticonderoga gave Juliet Marillier control over who she picked for the cover art, which is very rare! She was really polite and lovely, and we organised to meet in person because she only lives about 25 minutes from me.

I went to her house and we hung out and talked about many things, I met her lovely rescue dogs (she tends to rescue small elderly dogs, and gives them so much enrichment and love and care), and I showed her some of my original sketches and thoughts re: colour schemes, she picked what she liked and I got started.

After that, the cover was approved, we did a book signing together at Swancon one year (both of us signing the same anthology, which was amazing for me, because that was my first time signing anything), and then a short time later I joined a writer's group that she was a member of, along with many other published speculative fiction authors. We were all a part of Write Club for many years, but it sadly disbanded at the beginning of 2020. Though we still have a small chat group for the core members.

Juliet Marillier is a lovely person, an amazing writer, and she's also a member of the same spiritual group I am (the Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids - OBOD). You'd never guess from meeting her that she's one of the most acclaimed women fantasy writers of the last few decades, or that she's travelled the world doing book signings etc. She's very humble, wry, funny, caring, and a little shy in social settings. I feel very fortunate and humbled that I got to spend time with her, and every time I see or think of hedgehogs I will forever think of Juliet Marillier. :)

Here's the full cover. It was done entirely in ink, watercolour pencil, and coloured pencil. I gave her the original artwork once it was done.

And here's some of my original sketches that I did, that I showed her at her home (including an illustration of different monochromatic colour palettes, Juliet chose purple/violet):

So yeah!

Tbh long before I wrote fanfiction and did things the way I do them now re: writing, I was actually a professional artist and award-winning author doing quite 'Serious' writing etc. I don't work as a professional artist anymore, but I do still sell some of my art and sometimes share it here. I've done a couple of other book and magazine covers over the years, and an internal illustration for the World Fantasy Award winning She Walks in Shadows anthology edited by the amazing Silvia Moreno-Garcia.

I've had some very cool experiences through my writing and my art, but being in a writer's group with Juliet Marillier and many other very excellent writers is definitely a highlight. :D

#asks and answers #my art #stuff i do as #pia ravenari #juliet marillier #prickle moon #juliet's writing is incredible #her personality matches #i really miss Write Club #but covid and some of the times of the sessions made it really hard #still for a while there #it was a lovely group where we all got a lot done #and chatted in a university cafe afterwards

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jamiedead · 10 months

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15 Questions, 11 Mutuals ^-^

Thank you to @frenchywrites and @gay4utica for tagging me! ^-^

Nudging other moots: @sm-writes-chaos @talitha52 @lavender-laney @aurevives @broodparasitism @enne-uni @hallwriteblr (i double checked to make sure it was okay, unsure about the rest of my moots. lmk if you want to be tagged in this and/or in other tag games :3 )

Rules and answers below the cut.

Rules: Answer each question as yourself or as your OC!

-- I'm going to be answering as both myself, and my OC Isaac, my beloved. (Specifically 90s AU Isaac, not Dishonored fan OC Isaac.)

1. Are you named after anyone?

Me: Nope. Jamie is my chosen name and I just liked how it sounded!

Isaac: Not that I know of. My dad named me. It probably meant something to him then.

2. When was the last time you cried?

Me: I can't remember the last time. But I'm replaying Omori, so likely soon.

Isaac: Last phone call with Quinn. I don't want to talk about it.

3. Do you have kids?

Me: No. I don't plan on it.

Isaac: No. I'd suck as a parent.

4. Do you use sarcasm?

Me: Online, not often. IRL, yeah. I'm trying to tone it down.

Isaac: No shit.

5. What's the first thing you notice about people?

Me: Their hands. I like me some good hands!

Isaac: Their eyes, usually. Whatever stands out. But usually eyes.

6. What's your eye color?

Me: Brown!

Isaac: Lighter Brown.

7. Scary movies or happy endings?

Me: It depends! Scary movies is my instinctual answer, since happy endings usually make me feel weird. Like gross weird, if it's too sappy.

Isaac: Happy endings so I can vicariously live through it.

8. Any special talents?

Me: I used to draw a lot! I wanted to be an illustrator for many years, but I've been extremely creatively burnt out overall and lost my passion for it. I do doodles here and there when I feel inspired, particularly by video games, but I no longer feel the desire to share it, pursue visual art as a profession, or for fame/recognition. I have a lot of thoughts about it, but I don't like talking about it often because it upsets me sometimes if I'm caught in a bad thought cycle. LOL.

Isaac: I ran track in high school. But there's nothing special about me. Quinn says I'm really good at chess though, but I don't even know all the rules. I think he's just so bad that it makes me look good. heh.

9. Where were you born?

Me: NYC.

Isaac: Syracuse, New York State.

10. What are your hobbies?

Me: Writing, listening to new music, and playing video games. Also programming if I have the mental bandwidth for it.

Isaac: Playing bass guitar, riding my bike, people watching, video games, watch MTV. I don't go out much.

11. Do you have any pets?

Me: I have a dog and a cat!

Isaac: I wish I did. I'd want a cool one though. Like a skunk or a spider.

12. What sports do you play/have played?

Me: I did martial arts (karate and tae kwon do) for most of my youth, but discontinued it after moving around too often.

Isaac: I ran track in school. Maybe riding my bike is a sport? I tried skateboarding too but I think I'm too finnicky. My bike has more control.

13. How tall are you?

Me: No comment... v-v

Isaac: 5'8". I dunno what that is everywhere else.

14. Favorite subject in school?

Me: Math and Science.

Isaac: Chemistry. And Home Economics, surprisingly. And ironically. Please don't look at my room.

15. Dream job?

Me: Realistically, a software developer. Ideally, a painter/illustrator/game designer. Again, creative burnout. Brain no work. Brain broken, and I can't fix it... Writing is an exception though! I find writing to be extremely cathartic.

Isaac: Maybe a chef. Or musician, once I get good enough at bass. I don't want to think about it.

#writeblr #tag game #jamie speaks #lmao

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newkatzkafe2023 · 6 months

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Male Holli would x Sadistic Female Manga Artist Reader

Coming Soon!

You are (Y/N) (L/N) and you hate Everything well Every but doodles, Cartoons and Illustrating.

Allow me to explain you spent 13 years of your life in the Foster Care system abandoned by your parents who couldn't really handle you anymore. A sweet little angle like you, sure you drowned the hamsters, Drugged a Girl and shaved her hair off, and burned your school down but those are just everyday child-like Shenanigans, Not to Mention went in and out of Juvie but what can you say your a cute little Dickens. Now You always hated the real world with it's problems like War, Politics, Disease selfishness, and other everyday problems you just wish that escape to the world of Cartoons where the only thing you have to worry about is getting Crushed by and anvil.

Anyways you soon were conned on,i mean Adopted by Jack Deebs Sr and his wife Jill who seem to be either Blind or Dumb because nobody lasted more the 2 weeks tops with you but no they lasted 8 years later and they still stupidly love you well at least you mother does. Back to the main point you found yourself dealing with you adopted brother Jack Deebs and boy he is the biggest Idoit you ever met. You back-stabbed,Conned,Scammed, taken advantage of and Framed this Moron so many times and he still doesn't have a single clue. Yeah He came in handy when ever you got into trouble he even did time for you once.

Now the one thing you and your unfortunately Brother has in Common is that you both have a talent for drawing hend the suppose creation of the little world you both share Cool World.

Now Years Later your Lousy brother got himself Arrested (Yay!), and you got fired from your Crappy office job, Got cheated on by your Current Boyfriend hence the reason you hate men and finally your on the Verge of going bankrupt and getting evicted from your Apartment so your hating real life more then ever, But Now weird things began to happen to not only him but you as Well.

Now both you and Jack finally meet twins Holli and Hal E Would who both want to be like you two Real. Now you already don't buy any of Holli's BS but you also think this might benefit you if you help her become what you are a Noid then maybe she can help you become what she originally was a Doodle.

To bad you both have to worried about dealing with you dumb in love brother, and pesky Noid Cop 👮‍♂️, a 🕷 ,an old guy and Holli's own dumb Himbo like Brother who not only wants to be a Noid but to have you as Well.

Just F*cking Great🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️

Ok Preview is over so leave comments I'm making a Bio for this Character later so look out!

#cool world #X reader #Genderbend #Annoyed Reader #Toxic Reader #love is blind #villain reader

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the-technocracy · 2 years

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Dream.ai Series: 001.

Whilst this isn't the first subject matter I picked for my forays into AI created art, this is the first set of images I'm posting as part of my Dream.ai series here:

Ash Williams (Evil Dead franchise), As Illustrated By Various Artists.

Simon Bisley set.

I was absolutely thrilled with these, although in actuality, I generated about a dozen, but this selection really captured the controlled chaos of Bisley's brushwork. I think the set of covers above would make for a great set for an adaptation of the teased, but never materialised season 4. . .

Botticelli set.

This was, in fact, the first set of Ash images I had generated. I don't know why Botticelli was my first thought as an artistic interpretation, but it worked out reasonably well. It didn't really capture Botticelli's style quite so much, but I was impressed enough to save five of the ruddy things!

John William Waterhouse set.

I think this is the set that impressed me the most, that genuinely made me go "Wow!" The Pre-Raphaelites is (are?) one of my favourite artistic movements, and John William Waterhouse, one of its foremost representatives, and I think his talent is captured pretty well in this set, if not precisely. I was most impressed by the second in this set, and surprised by the piece I called "Alternative Ash", as it definitely seemed to be an interpretation of my prompt, but still in Woodhouse's style. It was also literally the only one of about ten pieces that portrayed Ash as a woman - and I thought the result was pretty cool. Perhaps it's actually his daughter, Brandy. . .

Yusuke Murata set.

This set was admittedly a bit hit-and-miss, although I'm very fond of the second one. I do genuinely feel that, if there ever was an Ash comic, then One Punch Man's Yusuke Murata would be absolutely perfect for it!

Artgerm (Stanley Lau) set.

I'm quite an admirer of Artgerm and love his work (to the point that I bought his Marvel Portfolio and have a number of comics he painted covers for, waiting to be framed and hung on my walls!). Unfortunately however, these two images were the best it could muster, the other four or five I generated looking less than stellar.

Katsuhiro Otomo (left) and Rumiko Takahashi (right).

These two I've admittedly mixed feelings about, but they have their merits; I rather like to think the Otomo version is an homage to the Ash vs Evil Dead series, and the other two characters we see are Kelly (*sighs dreamily*) and Pablo. The Takahashi version I simply wanted to include as an artist who, on paper, might be antithetical to Ash's world, but would really probably not be; this is a mangaka who, from the 1970s, made her living from horror, high action and sex comedy stories; Ash would probably be a cakewalk to her! Unfortunately, any other attempt I made to incorporate her style, as with Otomo, looked bloody awful.

Hayao Miyazaki set.

Grossly inaccurate, but fun. These were the only three I made. Miyazaki-sensei would truly be antithetical to the world of Ashley J Williams, but what an interesting experiment it would be!

HR Giger set.

These were a little disappointing, tbh. I'd rather hoped that, owing to Giger's surreal, dark and often disturbing style, we'd get something similar out of these, but alas no. The first one tries, I guess, with some kind of interpretation of Ash's chainsaw arm, but they were rather lacking in Giger's creepy, skin-crawly weirdness. They still have a certain je ne sais quoi about them though, so I'm including them here.

Hope you enjoyed.

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tflaw · 1 year

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Hello!! Hi!! Where do I start? How do I start?? I'm feeling like a reader lining up in a book signing event, a fangirl abt to meet her idol in a fan meeting, I'm all nervous sending this. This is totally off season hehehe it's abt ur wt. Maybe I should share with you my exp just so u can imagine y I'm feeling this way.

-> Sooo, I only got back to Tumblr in Nov, left few years back after done w college and succumbed to modern slavery of the evil corporate world and torture of guilt to be a responsible adult, (oh, it was awful *putting the back of my hand resting on my forehead like a damsel in distress* ok that was dramatic) butt yess I return just for fun. Despite no longer reading fanfic on Tumblr/AO3 I still read original works from time to time.

-> So when I was in Tumblr the first week if, I remembered I saw an illustration and I was like woahhh nice!! I'm always so drawn to historical/period/royal au fics and I thought, oh cool concept for TR and ahh Mikey is always like a King for me. Silly me, I didn't know it was a fanart by one of your readers for ur wt!!! 2 days back I read this terrible fic from elsewhere not here, historical romance and I thought what was that TR fanart abt again? I felt so dumb, I lost the post I didn't even rb it, not sure the name/title/tag used/ until 9h ago. Found it, rb the fanart, read wt on AO3, and I'm blown away. It was 10000000000% wayyyy better than what I read goodness lawd, well for me, for me u wrote better than a published writer my love!! I felt the excitement of reading another Tolkien's and reminds me of asoiaf.

-> Oh but I had another silly episode of finding u back in Tumblr, from one handle to another my silly self did not realize I've already followed you the first week for a Genshin fic tbr and only now I understood that one person sent you some Asks as a knight or something following you. Long shall you reign hehehe. Sumtg like that abt ur handle. This also I was confused I thought it was someone else's acct. 😂

Ok there. That's why I have no idea where to start or how to start. But sweetheart,this is an appreciation msg. I'm so so in love with you and your writing, wicked throne. Gosh I wanted to just sit down w u in a coffee shop/garden and just talk abt this au. Hang on this reminds me of the two besties on IG wearing medieval dresses and walk around in some European gardens in modern day 🤭 lmao. I've read all of your TR on AO3, but I had no acct there to send Kudos so I'm sending from this Ask. I've been missing sooo much since you wrote it.sighhhh

Here you go babe ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ thanks for writing so well!!! Ok this def isn't enough for all the effort, blood, sweat and tears you've put into your babies.

FIRST I DONT RLY KNOW WHAT TO SAY OMG this is such a sweet message i'm honestly so happy!! it's been a while since wicked throne has been mentioned in any of my blogs so it makes me extremely joyous receiving this ask today!!

+ yep omg wicked throne has a lot of talented artist AND I SWOON EVERY TIME SOMEONE DRAWS A FANART FOR THE FIC!! just the effort of sitting down and thinking of wanting to draw fanart for wt makes me want to cry !!

+ thank you so much for reading!! if i could i would sit down in a coffee shop w you too to talk about it!! it's a story i've been cultivating during the last few years and it's forever in my system <33 i'm just rly sad that i haven't the inspiration to continue it but it's gonna be finished one day !! thank u for ur support and rly any kind of interaction is more than enough for me so u don't have to leave kudos or anything! this ask is already a treasure to me. again thank you and i hope you're having a wonderful day!!

#from swanphantasm.#✉️: hotmail.

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drawthething · 1 year

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Artist Asks! 22, 30!

22. Are you confident that you’re improving steadily?

I think so! Especially on the colouring part, I think I've sooorta figured out my own style for that one. Next things to master are more expressive & dynamic posings and character designs which I'm kiiiinda mehhh at, though I can feel that I'm getting a better hang at those. Sketching characters gets easier over time and I'm more happy with the results now 👀 (don't look for my old art don't look for my old art don't look for my old art)

30. What inspires you to not just make art, but to be a better artist?

Other artists! I look at those bloody talented folks' stuff and my Bob Ross side kicks in real quick 😭 Also have lots of illustration books/comics/animation media that I always go back to everytime I wanna be inspired (blaming Road to El Dorado and those gorgeous children illustration books for starting all of these 🤌) I just... love art so fricking much and genuinely wanna make something just as cool as those amazing stuff I saw 🥺

#ahh you're blessing me with two asks thank youuuu 😭❤#ngl my younger self would probably freak out and go feral if kid knew current me made an art blog #ask game #asks

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fkareynolds · 1 year

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today I went to the fair

where they were selling zines and other things that queer people made at home. the truth is I don't like the look of many such works even though politically I think they're admirable and probably they contribute more to a world worth living in than most of the things I find more aesthetically pleasing like church or old books. but I went anyway and bought a couple things and tried to somehow be genuine to people even though I didn't have a lot of interest in paying money for their wares.

my friend from New York was tabling there and I bought some of his stuff not only because he's my friend but because I think he's very talented. he had these cool illustrated prayer cards with stylized representations of martyrdom. while we were talking a mutual friend approached the table who I hadn't seen in months because last time I saw him I'd told him I didn't want to hang out anymore because we had histories of tension I'd never addressed and they had upset me. for a while I thought the right thing to do was to ignore that and try to be friends on a new basis but the truth is that's not possible. so I felt I had to end it all at least for a while and that hurt him a lot and I felt sorry even though it was the right thing. anyway it's been a while now and our lives have moved on so the first thing I did was give him a hug and in doing so I tried to say 'I forgive you'

it made me think about these other problems I'm having with family and how I want to ask for space but I don't feel like I can. maybe I just have to accept that it's up to them to respond in a way that engenders love and if they don't then they have their own responsibility for having lost a chance at a genuine relationship with me. still it's scary to have that power over people and if it were up to me sometimes I think I'd rather not and I'd rather be no one and have no earthly ties only I tried that for a long time and mostly I just got more sad.

I've been trying to pray about it. sometimes I pray the rosary and I don't think about anything at all except Mary and the blessed fruit of her womb Jesus. other times I improvise personal appeals to God that help me actually think about what's bothering me and what I want and do it on terms where I say 'I know in spite of whatever they say that in your infinite wisdom and perfection you are not homphobic and do not believe in sin'. both of these acts are important for me and I think they help me be a more effective person. I used to try very hard to undo my faith in Christianity but that never made me a better person only a desperate and angry and stupid one and anyway the more difficult and responsible thing anyway is to take ownership of what you believe and decide why and measure it against your other beliefs and push through towards what is truthful and will create love between you and other people.

I'm really tired now and don't feel like wearing clothes or cooking dinner. apparently there was a gas leak in our house? in the basement. and also the neighbors left their stove on all day. so the apartment was full of gas. I think it's fixed now. but that was really more than I could deal with. I think I'll find something to eat and watch Sharp Objects

I might write more long posts like this. I hope you've enjoyed this deeper look at the life of steph

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llycaons · 1 year

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palm tree + sage !!

hi dolly!

palm tree ⇢ do you have a fictional villain you shouldn’t like but love regardless?

let's see *checks my database of media real quick* eh the only character I can think of is xue yang, just because he's so unhinged. whx is a real treat to watch, and his scenes were just fantastic. he manages to be fun and amusing despite the truly horrific things he did. and if his performances wasn't enough, the sheer power of wearing cheetah-print robes in a wuxia setting sealed the deal. 10/10 presentation but I AM glad he's dead

sage ⇢ what ‘medium’ of art (poetry, music, fiction, paintings, statues etc.) is the most touching to you? why do you think that is?

oh, I love this question! when I was an edgy high schooler I used to joke that I hated art 😭 this was foolish and short-sighted obviously, I just meant that I don't really care for the types of paintings I would see in museums. obviously I appreciate visual arts like illustration and painting now for its aesthetic and the talent that goes into it, but I can't say it really touches me emotionally. same for most songs, poetry, music....I like sculptures more than most things, but still only in a way where I think it's cool and exciting and not in a way hat I feel like, the deeper meaning of what the artist is trying to say.

my most beloved, most meaningful, and most emotional connections to art has always primarily been through storytelling, whether through animation, comics, movies, tv shows...especially longform works where I can follow a character's trajectory and watch their development. I've seen some very condescending posts about people who treat fictional characters like real people who we like personally and who we believe deserve things, and maybe that means that I'm engaging with stories on a more juvenile level than the other people Consuming Art on here, but that's what fun about it, for me. so I don't really mind? yeah it's cool to step back and see something deeper and keep that distance and objectivity but a lot of the times I like rooting for my little guys and sharing their losses and their joys.

the creation of fictional lives and people gives me that emotional connection to really feel a piece of art. I've certainly never cried at any painting or piece of classical music no matter how beautiful it may be...I just find stories about people to be the richest, most rewarding, most endlessly fascinating type of art to be invested in. from the moment my librarian introduced me to fiction to get me to read something besides animal care booklets, to my current fascination with all the worst fanfic the internet has to offer, I just have the most to say about storytelling, and my engagement in it feels the most rewarding.

as for why....idk. I'm well aware this is the majority of how people interact with fiction on here, so my reasons are probably similar to lots of other people's. I've always struggled to communicate with others, so through fiction I feel like I'm getting that sense of connection, whether I'm discovering how other people perceive the world, or seeing myself in someone else's writing. there's also the escapist appeal, but I don't think I've watched this stuff for escapism in a long time. I just like to feel connected to other people, I guess, and I find that writing and tv and other forms of linear storytelling can deliver the types of character development and engaging plot that I find very rewarding. and sometimes I just want to watch or read something that makes me stand up and walk around like

and storytelling (manga in particular - I love you yu yu hakusho) has been the only form of art to give me that

what a fun question. thank you!

#asks

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