#i know my art is not great excellent wow

[ratguy-nico]

Poll

Hey, Gente, como les baila? (is a funny way of saying how are you?)

For personal reasons (I would probably tell you later) I've been considering opening commissions, I never wanted to do this before cause I consider my art not worthy to be purchase, but I'm in a kinda need of money (I will comment on this later promise) and motivation.

So I made this poll so you, beutiful tumblr people help me decide, cause Im terrible making desicions, and also for field research, which is always a smart thing to do.

let's the games, begin

#my art #commission #question mark #pls be honest #i know my art is not great excellent wow #i just wanna know if you would like to buy some #the messy way it is #or if you think someone would like to buy it #it is not perfect #but is mine #i should tag better for a poll #poll time #my polls #in case you know? i made more polls #to commission or not commission #he ahí el dilema

[journalsouppe]

The Touchstarved DEMO by @redspringstudio! I had so much fun replaying this DEMO over and over, I truly cannot wait for the full release. The art is gorgeous, the writing is excellent, and I am surprised at how much I really loved each character, I expected to at least hate one or two of them like with My Next Life lol. I highly recommend checking out the DEMO if you're a fan of otome games or gothic stories!

The DEMO can be found here on itch.io or here on steam! All the stickers are from different Hallween stickerbooks from Michael's Art Store ^^; (ngl I think this is one of my favorite spreads, I even did do some studies of the color/rendering fhdjsf)

Writing typed below! (plus extra notes)

Rating: 9.5 (demo score - great demo) Played: Sp 2024 Port: itch.io Play full? Y YES!!!!!!

Comments:

First Route: Origin - Unnamed. RO - Leander

love you have a choice of 3 origins

GORGEOUS ART!

this game made me realize I do really enjoy otome games and not as a joke or for irony lol fjdkfal

from initial appearances I like Vere and Mhin ^^;

all the gold on the angel doctor is so gorgeous

killer music

okay I thought I wouldn't like Leander but holy shit --

LMAO NOT HIS SEX ROOM

LETS go I got the special Leander option on the first try

I need to do studies of this art oml I need my art to look like this <3

DAMN, now I'm bummed I missed the kickstarter, I would LOVE the art book

I need the stickers too esp for when I journal the full version

not only do I like the art, the writing is very good too

Vere is so pretty...

I LOVE all the fun marketing lore and illustrations on the Red Spring Socials

ooo damn does Vere have a red option or did I do his route right without one

only three red choice dialogue. 4 recently for Kuras (no Vere)-- Vere has one now!!! Kuras and Vere should have them whenever the DEMO gets an update ^_^

I'm learning I'm good at making the correct decisions lol

I honestly didn't know you could die until after I finished Vere's route (2nd route I did correctly -- 1st was Leander) and was curious what submit surrender did (aka I didn't die initially but went back to see what would happen(

LMFAO NOT MHIN BLUSHING WHEN I TELL THEM OFF pfft

LMAOOO and now Mhin is scolding me

amused with who has slept with who

deathly curious on how fucked up Leander will be

Kuras's nose!!!!! <3

I love the concept designs of Sen and Elyon, I can't wait to meet them

LMFAO 'BASTARD'

ngl I love Ais's mullet

This should not have been one of my first otome games bc now my standards are so high, esp in regards to character design

I wonder if the flashing soulless in the title screen means we'll see more soulless in the full game (than just the one)

okay damn I also really like Ais, these are some really well written characters

LMAO I was not expecting this music for Kuras

oh interesting I didn't realize Mhin's red choice was during your first encounter if you're an alchemist

okay Kuras is very silly and goofy 10/10 guy

ooo good theories about Ocudeus and control on tumblr - "obedience" -- reference to someone thinking the "obedience suits you" line on Ais's character card was actually from Ocudeus not Ais

Summary:

I thought when playing more otome games it would be really hard to beat My Next Life, simply because I am a huge fan of the source material that preceded the game. But wow, with the way this game is setting up plotlines, the full version of this game could easily make it onto my top favorite games list. Otome games are all about replayability, and the way just the DEMO is so rich with content and alternating paths makes me so excited and hopeful for the full game's release. I am bummed I got onto the Touchstarved train late and missed the kickstarter, but hopefully a shop will open around release bc I'd kill for an art book. The art is just so gorgeous and I cannot wait to do some studies, especially with color and rendering. Before playing otome games, I like to look at the character profiles beforehand and predict who I'd like and dislike. And I am very delightfully surprised that any initial dislike I had of characters all but vanished because the writing and personalities of these characters were so well made. I thought I was going to hate Leander but he ended up being the character I'm most curious about. Although I would say my least favorite is Kuras simply bc I'm not a fan of romancing doctors, I am still curious about his background story and connection to the others. In other words, great character who is just not my type. I am also delightfully surprised at the "vulgarity" in this game without being overly explicit -- I have grown so tired of how sanitized a lot of games and shows have been that it's always really nice seeing indie companies play by their own rules. I am so glad I stumbled across this game!! At this point I've done every route favorably but haven't tried all the "wrong" options -- more to play whenever I think about how excited I am for the full game! I've also seen the sneak peaks of an upcoming update ^_^. Highly recommend the game!!

#journalsouppe #bullet journal #journal #video game journal #touchstarved #touchstarved game #red spring studios #otome #otome game

[akkkkollle]

Hi~ can i get some hc for camboy!chifuyu pls??

Pairing: Chifuyu × M!Reader.

 Words: 600+.

 CW/TW: teasing, light body praising, pet names (kitty 1 time), dressing up, cat(?).

  He's just great. The perfect combination of looseness and modesty, my God. He's ready to go all out, but he'll be embarrassed, just wow.

  No one doubts his role. He is an ordinary sub, not very obedient, not very bad. It's all great, but he is a little teasing, I think.

  As for money, I'm not sure. Of course they play an important role for him, because this is his job after all. But he needs not so much money as similar experience.

  Excellent figure, boys and persons, excellent figure. Have you seen the official art where he is topless? He's just... But he's a little confused as to why others like his figure, yes.

-Ah? Do you need me to take off my shirt again? Just a second... - he pulls off his shirt with a few quick, but light movements, leaving himself completely naked. His cheeks are reddening more from this, but he still spreads his legs, continuing his work.

  Well, speaking of gorgeous you... You're not a frequent visitor, but not rare either. You can even say there is a schedule (let's say there are 5 streams, but you only appear on 1 out of 5). Just for the sake of not spoiling the audience with such spectacles.

  -M-m/n, too much..! - his hand clings to your shoulder as his head tilts back in pleasure.   You smirk lightly as you kiss his neck, continuing your thrusts as he whimpers in intense pleasure all over his body.   -But you like it, kitty. - he nodded aggressively and howled slightly, which indicates agreement.

  Suits... Fuck, just picture him in some sexy suit you like and tell him he's not great. He's just superb and he knows it, damn it..

-Like? - he says, circling slightly in front of the camera, showing the fabric on him. - I suit that color, right? Of course it's suiting.

  And another random headcanon, dear ones. Peak-J somehow came to the stream ... Just imagine.

His hand convulsively grips the sheet underneath him as your head kisses his neck, occasionally nibbling at the soft skin. He moans from your slow and deep thrusts right into his sweet spot. But then there is a meow, and then a scream.   - Are you scared of the cat? - you ask, feeling him press against your chest.   -I feel awkward. - you snort, as a result of which you are easily beaten in the chest. - Drive him away, please.   - God, the cat seems to care that you are naked and that you are being fucked.   -M/n! - he pouts, wrapping himself in a blanket, completely forgetting about the included camera.

#akkkkollleworks #top male reader #dom male reader #seme male reader #x male reader #sub tokyo revengers #tokyo revengers x male reader #tokyo revengers smut #sub tokrev #tokrev x male reader #tokrev smut #sub chifuyu #chifuyu x male reader #chifuyu hcs #chifuyu smut #sub character #chifuyu x reader

[morallyinept]

HAPPY SUNDAY LOVELIES! 🖤

Ooof what a week. Busy with work, but I'm on vacation again next week, woo! Plenty of time to write, and catch up on my reading list and I can't wait. 🤗

The weather has turned over the last two weeks here where I live in the UK, and it's very rainy and cold, so I'm looking forward to snuggling up with warm fuzzy socks and hot chocolate on the regular. 😍

So without further ado, let's crack on with this week's Whip Round.

Jack, will you do the honours?

Catch up on last week here, sugar

☆ Things I've posted this week

Five Days - Chapter 8 - I honestly don't want this series to end... But we're getting into the thick of it now. Thank you for all the love for Joel & Reader. 🖤

Thrash Metal - Dieter Bravo One Shot. Thots about a pierced Dieter birthed this and I am not sorry.

The Bow Tie - Dieter Bravo GIFLET

Self-Care With Dieter & Jett focused on loss this week. It was a bit of a heavy subject, but two special guests, Agent Whiskey & Marcus Moreno, stopped by to share their stories.

A Loving Ode To The Writers is my message to all the incredible writers out there in the fandom. And a big F you to all the haters.

This Week's Writer Wow shone the spotlight on my fellow Ezra bae @sp00kymulderr whom I just adore for so many reasons. And you will too, go give them a follow if you're not already. 🖤

☆ Things I'm currently working on

I've teased out my next series after Five Days to some of my friends on Discord this week - teehee... 🤭 Stay tuned for it coming in January.

Got a couple of one shots on the go and as always plenty more GIFLETS to come.

☆ Things I've read this week

I've book marked quite a lot to read and catch up on this week. I'm planning on catching up with some of my favourite writers too next week whilst I am off work.

Some fics that stood out to me this week were:

Be Good, Be Quiet - @undercoverpena Jo mentioned that she wasn't so innocent this week, and after reading this, she's absolutely right. 😜 Holy smokes, this was super hot and made me all up in my sexy Joel feels! Oof. Check it out, it will not disappoint! Innocent my ass, Jo... pfffft. 😉

Sub!Frankie & Bondage - @swiftispunk I had the biggest grin on my face reading this and if you've read it too, you'll know why. Good God this was excellent and packed so much punch! 🔥

Letterman Jacket - @fuckyeahdindjarin I've had this Javi P fic saved on my TBR for a while and am kicking myself I haven't read it sooner because it is utterly divine. Still thinking about that damn jacket now... 😍

Dry Run - @chronically-ghosted Once again, Taylor knocks it well and truly out of the park, this time with Javi P dancing with you. And I couldn't be more enthused or enthralled reading this. It's a scorcher. 🥵

Hoofbeats - @psychedelic-ink I'm a sucker for this pairing of Joel & Whiskey, and this story was exceptionally good with the imagery and feels. I absolutely loved it. 🥰

All these fics and more will be added to my Pedro Character Fic Rec List too.

Just want to give a shoutout to this post too from @fuckyeahpaperco by @fuckyeahdindjarin who makes stunning, and I mean STUNNING Pedro stationary. I can't wait to get my hands on some, been eyeing those post-its! I will be treating myself for sure. Perfect little stocking fillers in time for Christmas too! 🎄

☆ What have I been watching/listening to this week?

I caught up on some Pedro Podcasts this week whilst at work, some of them I hadn't actually listened to in full before...

I've made a playlist putting them all together, and it also includes Pedro's episode on Motherhacker. So, please feel free to click on and have a listen for yourself if you haven't.

My absolute favourite has to be the Talk Art Podcast. Hearing Pedro talk about art he loves is phenomenal.

☆ What have I been up to this week?

Working, and squeezing in some reading and writing. The weather hasn't been too great here for hiking the last two weeks, so I'm itching to get out this week and go for a hike if I can, stretch the ol' legs.

I hope you guys have had a great week and are enjoying the weekend. That wraps it up for this week so I'll catch you on the next Whip Round.

Stay kind, stay creamy. Let's skedaddle, Jack. 🖤

🖤

#jett's weekly whip round #agent whiskey #pedro pascal #pedro pascal characters #agent whiskey jack daniels #fic recs #week in review #Spotify

[queen-astras]

Pearl and Grian Being Sibs

Pearl was at her base with Grian. As siblings there was a moral obligation to hang out at least once in a while. And not that Pearl would ever admit it, but she enjoyed these sessions however much she pretended to be annoyed every other month. They’d been sitting in companionable silence for the past couple minutes.

“You know how you’re really annoying?” Grian said suddenly. Pearl looked at him like ‘gee, thanks’.

“Yeah, but you honestly can’t say much.”

“See, I’ve devised a way to find out who’s more annoying.”

“And you’ve been doing this instead of working on your base?” Pearl teased. Grian fluttered his wings so that they smacked her. “Fine.”

“It actually came to me when I was cleaning my room. I found a whole lot of feathers that have just fallen off. And I don’t want to throw them away. So I thought you would like them.”

“Yes, I want them, but what does that have to do with how annoying I am?”

“I knew you would want them. But I didn’t feel like being that easy to work with. So every time I’m annoying, I get to give you a feather. The catch is, every time YOU’RE annoying, you have to give me something.”

“I can work with that. You’re really annoying anyway. But what do I give you in return? I don’t have a whole lot of something.”

“You DO have a whole lot of wooden soup spoons that you buy since you make a lot of soup.”

“I don’t have that many…” her brother raised his eyebrows.

“Here.” He opened a nearby cabinet and pulled out a box from the bottom that was half as tall as he was (which honestly wasn’t saying much), filled almost fully with soup spoons.

“And I know that’s not the last of them. You’ve got another box around here somewhere, I know it.”

“Okay, fine.” Pearl admitted. “Maybe I do have a thing for wooden soup spoons that I can’t do anything with.”

“Excellent! So whenever you’re annoying, you have to give me one of them. The other catch is that you can’t purposely be less annoying.”

“Deal.”

Four months later

“Why’d you call me here? I was going to show you something at my base.”

“Well, I’ve got to show you something first, then we can go to your pile of rocks.” He fluffed up his wings in indignation.

“Okay, what?”

“I made some art with your feathers! You always have a lot of big blue feathers, medium red feathers, and little yellow ones, I’ve noticed. So I designed the perfect pillowcase!”

Pearl proudly pointed to a rectangular throw pillow that was sitting on a shelf. It depicted the Australian flag, but rather than the white of the stars and Union Jack, it was yellow. Grian walked over and stood on his toes to better see it.

“Wow. Those are all mine. Of course it’s beautiful.”

“Unfortunately you don’t have white feathers, but yellow’s close enough.”

“Oh, you could have just asked if you wanted white feathers.” Grian closed his eyes for a couple seconds, and before her very eyes the yellow feathers became white in a rippling motion from the inside out. The girl’s mouth dropped open.

“You’re telling me that if I wanted to make a Canadian flag I could just ask you for a lot of big red and white feathers?”

“Yup. Avians can shift wings and wing colours.”

“Annoying pigeon.” In response, his wings shifted blue grey - like a pigeon.

“We should go over to my place,” Grian said, shifting his wings back. once he decided that Pearl had gaped enough.

“Funnily enough,” he remarked as they traversed through the nether. “I made some art with your spoons too.”

“Great to see that they’re not just collecting dust anymore.”

“Oh no,” he said very seriously. “They’re still going to be collecting dust, just in a cooler way.” Pearl snorted.

“Here we are!” Grian said, heading to his living room. The white walls used to be blank before, but now one was decorated. The spoons had been arranged in a pattern with spiral arms extending from the center all the way to the edges of the wall. They’d been painted various shades of green, too.

Floating shelves (which upon closer inspection were made of soup spoons) were stuck in between the arms, and they held cute succulents and photos of various Hermits (Pearl and Scar occurring a lot). As expected, the parents were absent.

“That’s a very BDubs style accent wall, I’ll say that.” Pearl quipped.

“He did help me with it, actually. Not that that makes it any less good.”

“No, you’re good. Stress actually helped me with mine as well.” They turned to face each other, plopping down on the couch.

“So what we learned is that we’re both really annoying.”

#writeblr #writers #grian #hermitcraft #hermitcraft grian #hermitcraft fanfic #fanfic #pearlescentmoon #skyblings

[whatstruthgottodowithit]

Hello!! Ok, Oh my I just have to say that I absolutely adore!!!!! your blog like OH MY!! The Elvis Presley stuff is like just Wow. And I was just wandering if your taking requests if I could request something if not please don't worry, you can just skip past this message!! So, I am in need of some Elvis X Reader comfort and was wandering if you could write a fic where reader get's into a car accident (Dark I know, and I understand if your not comfortable!!) What if it's nearing Elvis's birthday (can be whatever era you choose!) and you are picking him up a gift but as your driving to the place you get run off the road by another car. Now your not badly injured or anything but your in shock. Anyway, your cars pretty busted and things and because it's winter it's absolutely freezing and for some reason you didn't bring a thick enough coat just assuming you'd be in and out of the shop. Anyway, so you walk a long while in the cold searching for a house to call Elvis or someone. Eventually you find a payphone and quickly call Graceland. Can be anyone who picks up. Anyway someone does and inform Elvis and he's absolutely freaking out. He's worried, and annoyed that you didn't tell him where you were going (because he's protective.) so eventually they pick you up and he hugs you tightly trying to keep you warm from the cold that's now affecting you badly, and also wanting to make sure that your really there. Anyway once you get home he's all like caring, and overprotective over you and you end up crying because of what happened and also because you couldn't get his gift. He tells you not to worry about it, and it's just all cute and comforting?

I know this is long, and please look past it if you don't want to do it, no problems!! Just thought you'd be great to ask but no problems either way!!

Xx💗💗💗💗

The Art of Gift Giving

Fandom: Elvis Presley, RPF, American Actor

Pairing: Elvis Presley x Reader

Characters: Elvis Presley, Joe Esposito, Reader, Colonel Tom Parker

Word Count: 2110

Rating: Mature

Summary: What happens when the man who has everything gets more than he bargained for?

Tags/Warnings: Injury, Harm, Angst, Fluff, Established Relationship, Birthdays, Elvis’ Birthday, Car Accidents, Car Crash, Hugging, Protective, Forehead Kisses, Cheek Kisses, Birthday Party

Notes: Here you go lovely! Sorry it took so long x

Elvis Tags: @literally-just-elvis-fics @caitlin1996 @notstefaniepresley @elvispresleywife

Today was not my day. And to be honest I didn't even know how it had come to this. I was usually organised, well enough not to forget my boyfriend's birthday but my organisational skills seemed to be no match for Elvis Presley Enterprises. It wasn’t that I couldn't arrange something, it's just that his schedule had not given me much of a chance. He had been away for the past few days touring and was due to leave again the day after his birthday meaning that the time we got to spend together was limited, a fact neither of us was fond of. So, he had clung to me - desperate to soak up the time we had together before he had to go away again. It was nice don't get me wrong but it also left me with no time to sneak out and buy him something. Not to mention he wasn't exactly easy to buy for. An excellent gift giver? Sure. But what do you buy the man who wants for nothing?

So yesterday morning I scoured the copious catalogues around the house and found the most flashy and ornate hand-crafted guitar. A perfect gift. The only problem was I had no time to collect it. That was when the Colonel had intervened. He had suggested Elvis have a birthday party. Nothing too extravagant but something with enough newsworthy material to keep the momentum of the tour going. He didn't want it to appear that Elvis was desperate to get home and ungrateful for the people who were coming out to see him after his small break. I knew it wasn't the best idea, hell Elvis probably just wanted a nice evening at home, but it did give me a chance to get out of the house unnoticed. Whilst Elvis was fussing over what he was going to wear and everyone else was flapping about preparing for the guests I had called the store and made sure my gift was ready and waiting for me. Then I snuck out hoping no one would notice me being gone for twenty minutes.

But I had been too optimistic and as soon as I was out of the house I hit rush hour traffic, unable to escape bottleneck after bottleneck as I made my way slowly through Memphis unable to turn back. My luck didn't change once I got to the store either. Though it wasn't busy it may as well have been. My reserved parcel was unable to be located though I was sure it was something to do with the snotty look the shop girl had given me after she had asked about Elvis and I had declined to comment. All in all, I was forced to stand and wait for them to find it for forty-five minutes until finally, they found the present tucked away exactly where it was supposed to be. Though anger was flowing through my body I didn't stop to complain, I didn't have time, instead, I left quickly and quietly racing back to the car and climbing inside thanking my lucky stars that though it was icy the roads were now clear for my trip home.

I don't remember much of the drive. I remember the way the clock was ticking away on the dash, tormenting me about my lateness. I remember the feeling of guilt as I thought about Elvis, who was sure to have noticed my absence by now. And I remember the squeal of the tires as they hit the ice and tried to scramble for traction as I spun myself away from the oncoming truck as it swerved out of a side street and into my path. From then on it was a blur.

I don’t remember how I managed to haul myself out of the totalled car or how long I walked until I finally found a payphone. I don’t even remember who I spoke to at Graceland or what I told them had happened. All I could focus on was the ache in my body from being jolted around and the cold that had seeped into my bones from the walk.

I only really came to as I noticed a pair of headlights growing ever closer though they didn’t pass like the other cars had, instead, they slowed down in front of the bus stop I had taken to waiting for my ride. Before I could even look who had come to collect me the door was being flung open and Elvis appeared, moving frantically towards me until he was wrapped around every inch of me. His strong musky scent filled my nostrils as the warmth of his body shrouded me trying to force the ice from my bones as fast as he could. When he pulled back his eyes were wide and frantic searching for any evidence of injury or harm but there was none. None that could be seen anyway. Then his eyes went hard and his jaw clenched as he realised I was relatively okay.

‘What the hell are you playing at?!’ he said angrily.

‘What?’ I asked, my brain was unable to process his words or what I had done to receive this reaction.

‘You disappear and then you call saying you’ve crashed your car!? I thought-’ he said his breath hitching in his chest as I realised what he must’ve been thinking. I don’t remember what I said. If I had explained myself or just given the bare minimum and from the look on his face I suspected the latter.

‘I’m sorry,’ I mumbled unsure of where to even start. Fortunately, Joe appeared at his side, pressing a reassuring hand on Elvis’ shoulder which seemed to snap him back to reality.

‘I think we should probably get her in the car, don’t you boss?’ Joe said. Elvis’ cold stare softened as he looked back down at me and then nodded.

I didn’t protest as he shepherded me to the open car door and gestured for me to climb inside. I shuffled across to make room for him and he followed suit, tucking himself into the car and pulling me into him. His arms wrapped around me tighter than ever before. Joe put the car in drive and set off, tapping along to the radio as we drove back home. No one spoke. It felt like all of us were waiting for the other to make the first mood and yet no one did. And though I was tucked in beside him it didn’t feel like he was holding me. It felt as though he was clinging to me, his gaze periodically dropping downwards as if he had to make sure I was still there.

It didn’t take us long to get home. In fact, it appeared that I had walked for longer than I thought as we were barely a ten-minute drive away from the house. When we pulled up the party was still in full swing, unbothered by Elvis’ absence though I figured it was more that people didn’t know he was gone. My suspicions were confirmed as we snuck in the back way with Joe scuttling away to deal with the fallout of Elvis leaving his own party early.

He led me upstairs, decanting me on the bed as he moved around the room. I didn’t pay much attention to what he was doing as the car ride had made my bones stiffen up. I could hear him rummaging around in our closet and then the sound of water running from the bathroom. When he reappeared he dropped a handful of clothes, which I recognised to be my pyjamas, on the bed beside me and then took to his knees in front of me. It was enough to pull me out of my thoughts as his large hands cupped mine, his warm blue eyes watching me worriedly.

‘I, uh, I’m running you a bath,’ he said, ‘you still feel pretty cold.’

‘I am,’ I mumbled, ‘guess I didn’t realise how long I’d been out.’

‘Right, yeah,’ he said. I could see the thoughts swirling around in his mind and I could tell he was too nervous to utter any of them given his initial reaction.

‘I’m okay you know,’ I said moving my hand to stroke his cheek tenderly.

‘Are you sure? I mean what if we should be going to the hospital,’ Elvis asked.

‘Honestly, I’m fine,’ I said, ‘I’m just I’m cold and achy…I mean I think the car fared worse. It’s totalled.’

‘I thought you said it wasn’t that bad,’ he said a slight rise in his voice as I tried to scramble for an excuse. My struggle for words didn’t seem to help my case as he went to stand up, ‘right we’re going to the hospital.’

‘I’m fine! I mean the car bore the brunt of it I’m sure,’ I said pulling on his arm. He didn’t look convinced but after a moment he relented and came to sit beside me on the bed. He watched me for a moment as I placed my hand on his thigh and caressed it gently trying to reassure him as much as I could. Then after a moment he finally murmured, ‘what happened?’

‘I don’t know,’ I mumbled watching as his face flew into a panic, ‘I mean I’m fine but I don’t know what happened.’

‘They said you said a truck,’ he said thickly.

‘I swerved…but I ended up off the road,’ I said.

‘Oh honey,’ he said.

‘Like I said, the car took the worst of it.  I was just jumbled around a little. I mean I bet your, oh my god!’ I said startling him.

‘What?!’ he said.

‘Your present! It was in the back of the car! I totally forgot! I bet it’s ruined or goddamn stolen by now or something! Oh my god, what an idiot!’ I said. Elvis watched me for a moment and then burst out laughing, clutching his chest as he did. My brows knitted together as I took in his mirth suddenly feeling overwhelmed. I didn’t know why he was laughing. I didn’t know what I’d done but the emotion of it all was too much to bear and I felt myself crying. His laughter quickly faded as he noted the tears streaming down my face.

‘Honey what's wrong?!’ he asked in a panic.

‘You’re laughing,’ I hiccupped.

‘Oh honey I wasn’t laughing at you,’ Elvis said pulling me into him and stroking my hair as I tried to corral my sobs into line, ‘I was just laughing at the fact that of all the things for you to be worried about tonight you’re bothered about a gift for me.’

‘It’s w-why I went o-o-out in the f-f-first place,’ I sniffed, my breath still shaky, ‘wanted to surprise y-y-you.’

‘Well you sure did that Satnin,’ he said with a wry smile.

‘But you didn’t get your gift,’ I said pulling back.

‘You’re safe,’ he said with a smile, ‘that’s gift enough.’

‘Maybe you can have one of the boys go and get it,’ I said. My tears had subsided leaving a cold residue on my cheeks. I knew it was silly. I knew that my safety was more important than any stupid present I could buy him and yet I still wanted him to have it. For my horrendous day to have at least meant something.

‘Yeah, I’ll ask,’ he said wiping my tears from my cheeks as he pulled me up off of the bed, ‘but first, how about that bath?'

‘Okay,’ I said as he led me towards the bathroom. As we breached the doors I heard a laugh echo from below which made me snap back to reality. I stopped in my tracks which tugged on his arm and forced him to turn around and look at me with a puzzled look on his face.

‘What about your party?’ I asked. His puzzled look faded, replaced by a small smirk as he pulled me into him and kissed my forehead.

‘You’re the only one I wanted there anyway,’ he said.  He pulled away and started busying himself with the bath which was nearly flooding the bathroom by now. I moved to perch on the toilet seat as he dealt with everything. As I watched him I couldn't help but feel my heart flutter. He always knew what to do. How to take care of me. It was his birthday and yet he was the best gift I could ask for.

I had been right before. Today wasn’t my day but there's nowhere I'd rather end up.

#my writing #elvis #elvis fic #elvis presley #elvis presley fic #the art of gift giving #elvis presley x reader #elvis x reader #elvis x reader fic #elvis presley x reader fic #requested #requested fic #requests

[themuse-if]

Another 20 (or so) Questions with R Fukushi

Interviewer: Welcome to another installment of our character interviews, where we dive deep into the lives and minds of our favorite cast members of The Muse. Today, we have Rina/Ren Fukushi with us, our favorite future principal dancer. Rina/Ren, thank you for joining us. Could you start by telling us what made you want to pursue ballet?

Rina/Ren: *awkward smile* Uh hey...thanks for having me. Ballet is the epitome of grace and discipline. It's a form of art that allows me to express myself in a way that words cannot. From a young age, I was drawn to its beauty and complexity.

Interviewer: Describe your art, ballet, in your own words.

Rina/Ren: Ballet is about precision and control. Every movement is calculated and deliberate, conveying emotions and stories through the language of dance. It requires immense dedication and practice to perfect each step and technique.

Interviewer: How do you want to be seen by others?

Rina/Ren: I want to be seen as a dedicated and talented dancer. Someone who has worked hard to achieve excellence in their craft.

Interviewer: And how do you want your ballet to be seen by others?

Rina/Ren: I want my ballet to be seen as a form of art that evokes emotions and tells stories. I want the audience to be moved by my performances, to feel what I feel when I dance.

Interviewer: What trait do you value most in a friend?

Rina/Ren: Loyalty. I may not have many friends, but those I do have are incredibly important to me. I value their support and understanding.

Interviewer: You mentioned that you don't have many friends...would you say you have a best friend in your small circle?

Rina/Ren: Umm...my younger sister, Himari, she's a really good kid and no one understands me better than her. I'm honestly so proud to call her my sister. She's so smart and talented, incredibly funny and intuitive...wow...I'm really gonna miss her.

Interviewer: It sounds like you two are really close. When you go to NYU do you hope to make a new best friend?

Rina/Ren: I've never really been one to force friendships. I just feel like if it clicks then that's great and if not that's fine too. Respect and mutual understanding are really important to me. If someone is going to be my best friend they have to know and truly understand my priorities.

Interviewer: Would you describe your ideal partner the same way?

Rina/Ren: I haven't really thought about it. You may be right though. If I was going to date someone they would need to be able to understand my ambition and not resent me for it. Anyways, my focus is on ballet right now, not romantic relationships.

Interviewer: What is your latest obsession?

Rina/Ren: Perfecting my technique. I'm always striving to improve, to push myself further and become the best dancer I can be.

Interviewer: *sighs deeply* Do you have anything you're interested in that isn't ballet related?

Rina/Ren: I guess just general self care. If I'm not in good condition then I can't properly focus on my craft. With that in mind I focus on eating healthy, skincare, and an extensive workout routine. And yes, I do take days off. Burnout is very real and it can only hinder my process.

Interviewer: Sounds like you've got a super productive routine. Now on to something more personal. What was your first kiss like?

Rina/Ren: I haven't had my first kiss yet. *thoughtful pause* Well not technically...I've had one on stage...but nothing real. My senior year the ballet department was putting on Romeo and Juliet. I was cast as Romeo/Juliet. We never actually kissed during rehearsal so my first kiss was during the performance.

Interviewer: Was there any romantic tension between you and your fellow principal dancer?

Rina/Ren: No, obviously it was just for show. I wouldn't be a very good performer if I couldn't separate myself from the character I'm portraying.

Interviewer: Ok, ok understood. I think I already know the answer to this next question, but I still have to ask. When was your last relationship, and why did it end?

Rina/Ren: I've never been in a serious relationship. I've always been focused on ballet, and I haven't had time for anything else.

Interviewer: I thought so. What’s your ideal Friday night?

Rina/Ren: After I've finished practicing, I usually meet up with Himari at this indie movie theater Obscure Cinema. They have a year round Freaky Friday series where they show all kinds of horror, thriller and sci-fi movies. It's honestly pretty small so they don't have a concessions stand. Usually we'll stop and grab some food to take with us. It's definitely a little tradition that I'm gonna miss.

Interviewer: What’s the last song you listened to?

Rina/Ren: I don't really listen to music outside of ballet, but if I had to choose, it would probably be something classical.

Interviewer: How do you behave in a relationship?

Rina/Ren: I can't say for certain, as I haven't been in a relationship. I really don't know, I guess, I hope that my first relationship will be with someone that I'm really comfortable with. It would be nice to be able to be completely myself and feel seen and understood. I know that I'm extremely ambitious and that could make my future partner feel really lonely. Hopefully we could both be patient enough with each other to find the right balance.

Interviewer: Do you approach those you’re interested in or let them come to you?

Rina/Ren: I haven't really met anyone that I've felt drawn to enough. I think that I would really have to like someone, at least half as much as I like ballet. *silly grin* And that would be a lot, but I think that if I liked them that much then maybe I would try to make the effort.

Interviewer: What would someone have to do to grab you attention? to make you notice them in a romantic way?

Rina/Ren: I really admire people who put their entire selves into what they are passionate about. Someone who is driven, goal oriented, I think that someone who is exceedingly dedicated to their craft is probably the same in their relationships.

Interviewer: What is your biggest pet peeve?

Rina/Ren: I feel like this one is pretty obvious, but it's laziness. I can't stand people who half ass things. If you're going to do something then do it right.

Interviewer: What do you notice first about a person?

Rina/Ren: Their posture and body language. It can tell you a lot about a person. How someone tilts their head, the fall of their shoulders, if they speak with their hands, every little detail is very enlightening.

Interviewer: What did you dream about last night?

Rina/Ren: I don't really remember my dreams. I try to make sure that I always get the perfect restful 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep.

Interviewer: Thank you so much for coming in today! It's been great to learn a bit more about you and how your mind works.

#interactive if #interactive fiction #themuse if #twine if #twine interactive fiction #if: themuse #choose your own adventure #choose your own story #interactive story #interact if #interviews2

[thehumantrampoline]

I've said this before lol but I've been home sick all week watching old movies and most unpopular musicals fan take is that in my PERSONAL OPINION S*nging In The R*in is... Fine lol. 2.5 stars of five. It's definitely charming, but it has that huge filler number near the end that's very nice but has nothing to do with the rest of the movie, only like three songs are plot relevant. And people are like wow the dancing is so great and it's like. Yes. Because that's Gene Kelly? I'm not saying it's sub par Gene Kelly, he's 10/10 every fucking time, but like. Is this the only Gene Kelly movie people know? (Read that last in a heartbroken rather than judgemental tone.) Gene Kelly is to movie dancing what Bruce Lee is to movie martial arts. He was That Bitch, he never phoned that shit in once.

So like. what else has it got? All its songs are copped from other movies. The only "original" song it has, make em laugh, was straight up plagiarized from the fully original Cole Porter soundtrack of my FAVORITE virtually unknown Kelly musical "The Pirate" (yes lmao okay I'm biased I don't pretend I'm not). It's FINE like it's cute it's fun but why is it the Greatest Movie Musical Of All Time, I don't get it. It's fine it's fine I don't have to get it everybody can like what they like but like please watch more old dance musicals just to maximize your happiness everybody deserves more excellent dancing in their lives

#original posts

[carriagelamp]

I don't know what to say here this month. February, eh? Hate February, the Thursday of months, I'm just clinging to sanity while I wait for spring. Here are the books that helped me through what is basically a month of overcast skies and fucking winter rain.

Candy Color Paradox v6

Candy Color Paradox is a series I’ve been reading for years now and I’ve really enjoyed how the relationship in this one has progressed over that time. It started somewhat similar to how you’d expect a yaoi manga to start — lots of tension, drama, smut, and some light antagonism between the two main characters who both work at the same weekly magazine. But it’s eased into something that’s really quite genuine. This most recent volume focused entirely on moving in together and all the little complications and insecurities that arise because of that.

Circus of Fear

A 1980s D&D choose your own adventure novel so the quality is exactly what you would expect, but at the very least it was a fun little diversion. Doing a CYOA book with a friend can honestly be a blast, they just feel so silly, and the setting of a magical, vaguely sinister circus is always an enjoyable backdrop. We managed to get a good ending on the second try! So yay! I'd honestly like to read it again and try some of the other routes that also sounding intriguing.

Dungeon Meshi // Delicious in Dungeon v1

Me and my girlfriend started watching Dungeon Meshi because we’d seen so much about it on tumblr lately and wow. Just wow. It really is doing something special and we’re completely enamoured. Since we’re waiting for new episodes, I picked up the first book so we could compare it and the show — it’s really impressive how closely they align! And the art is really lovely, it stands out and not just for it's food glamour shots.

For those who haven't been seduced into watching the anime yet: Dungeon Meshi / Delicious in Dungeon is a DND-style parody in which the adventuring party needs to enter the monster-filled dungeon to save one of their companions who got eaten by a red dragon. They need to get to her and revive her before she entirely digested. However, to hasten their quest (and indulge one of their member’s strange obsessions) they begin to hunt and eat the monsters that fill the dungeon instead of trying to bring food in from the outside. This is 80% a cooking anime and 20% a comedic adventure anime. Book or show, doesn’t matter which, you should give it a try if you haven’t.

Down Among the Sticks and Bones

I really enjoyed the first book of the series, Every Heart A Doorway, and was excited when I found out there was a prequel about Jack and Jill and the world they visited. This can either be read as a prequel or it works fairly well as a stand-alone novella; the story is about twin sisters who have always been forced to fill very precise societal roles by their parents. One afternoon, they stumble across a magical door in the bottom of a chest and venture down into the sinister world of the moors where one sister is taken in by a vampire lord and the other by a mad scientist. The story looks at how the sisters grow and change when apart from each other and their controlling parents. Excellent story, the language is just so enticing.

Midnight Sun

My brother has been watching all the Twilight movies with a couple of his friends. Listening to him bitch about Jacob like it was 2007 reawakened something in me, so after laughing myself sick I had to go and relisten to Midnight Sun. Still genuinely and unironically love this book, it’s pure trash but by god it's my trash. I’m a simple soul.

Odder

I’ve been hearing great things about this book, and it’s hard to go wrong with Katherine Applegate so I was excited to finally read it. This is a book written entirely in free verse poetry about an orphaned otter and her experiences being rescued by the Monterey Bay Aquarium. It’s inspired by a true story (several true stories, actually!) and it's very worth picking up even if you don't usually go for poetry. It's charming and reads very easily.

Old-Fashioned Cupcake

A middle-aged salaryman is feeling worn down by the humdrum nature of his life, which is filled mostly with work these days. This manga kicks off with his coworker suggests that if he wants to deal with the feelings of boredom and aging, then he needs to do something to shake up his life: so he suggests that they “act like a pair of teenage girls” and go to a fancy new pancake shop just because it seems fun, never mind that it’s not something grown men are supposed to do. This manga ended up being pretty darn cute -- it was slow and compassionate and loving -- and it managed to convince me to buy its sequel.

Professor Calculus: Science’s Forgotten Genius

A ridiculous little book I bought on impulse that was nevertheless a lot of fun to read. It’s a tribute to Cuthbert Calculus, celebrating the 80th anniversary of his first appearance in Tintin. It dives into some of the inspirations that went into the character, and also lovingly and cheekily explores some "facts" we know about Calculus as a person… and wildly extrapolates more from there. It was a cute little read for anyone who’s a fan of the series and wants something a little extra.

Return to Oz

I recently rewatched this movie and maintain that I like it more than the original film, sorry. It made me decide to grab the novelization because I’m always a sucker for a novelization <3 This one was pretty solid too, it actually included details that were left out of the film and improve the stories overall cohesion which is always the marker of a good novelization.

Return to Oz takes place several months after the original film, when Aunty Em and Uncle Henry are trying to build a new house and get the farm back in order before winter. Concerned by Dorothy’s continued belief in Oz and her increased insomnia, Aunty Em decides to take her to a doctor who offers healing through electroshock therapy. Yeah, it’s exactly as fucking creepy as it sounds… You get a scary aslyum, a sinister head nurse, being strapped to a hospital gurney, and new baddies that scared the bejeezus out of me as a kid. Anyway, before she can be electrocuted, Dorothy manages to escape back to Oz where she discovers her friends are in dire need of help. It’s like Alice: Madness Returns but from Disney. Go watch this movie.

She Drives Me Crazy

I had very mixed feelings about this book. It’s about high school basketball player, Scottie, who has suffered a bad breakup with her girlfriend who moved schools to play on the opposing basketball team. Things go from bad to worse when she gets into a car accident with her arch-nemesis, the cheerleader Irene. One things lead to another and bada bing bada boom we have a fake dating scheme so that Scottie can get back at her ex.

This book had some genuinely fun moments (I’m always a sucker for a fake dating scheme, and the characters were reasonably fun) but it’s biggest failing is one that I’ve seen more than I like in current queer lit. It just tries so. fucking. hard. to be unproblematic. Like yeah, it’s great to see healthy relationships but it was SO explicit about it. So much therapy speak, way more than feels natural for a conversation or internal monolgue, especially when they’re in high emotions. The “banter” was very scripted. It was a book that felt like it had a laugh track. And while the ending was satisfying enough, it was also… I don’t know. Anticlimactic. We just spent so long tying everything up in a perfectly neat little bow that it really just strolled to an ending that was obvious from a mile away. 

Like look, I get it, we want this to be squeaky clean and beyond reproach, but I have NEVER entered a fake dating story hoping that everyone was going to be really sensible and respectful and level-headed. Fake dating is the slapstick of the romance world, I want some Shakespearean level bullshit, please don’t try to gussy it up for me. Gonna go and rewatch 10 Things I Hate About You or something just to feel things again. Or maybe pop over to AO3, your average fic writer at least understands that when I say fake dating I mean I want something absolutely fucking unhinged and filled to the gill with mutual pining.

So yeah, if you want a sports-based high school sapphic romance: it’s not a bad book. It went down easy, I liked listening to it in the mornings when I needed something light before work. Some bits I even quite enjoyed. But it’s not going to rock your world.

Shuna’s Journey

Well, if nothing else you can really, definitely tell this was done by Hayoa Miyazaki. I’m honestly not really sure how I felt about it. The art was beautiful, and the story was pure undiluted Miyazaki through and through. The narrative was very nice. The story and message was poignant. It was a nice book. I can’t say it’s stuck very heavily in my mind, but I enjoyed reading it. It felt like a precursor to Princess Monoke / Nausicaa, perhaps?

The Witches

The story of one child and his grandmother needing to contend with witches. Not fairytale witches. Real witches. And all their horrible, child-hating ways. One thing I will always love about Dahl is that when he wants to write about something Horrible, nothing will stop him. His villains are truly villainous and the witches are a prime example of that! I loved the description of the witches and their horrible, sinister deeds, especially in the first half of the book. This sure is Child Murder: The Novel! The ending was absolutely not what I was expecting, and I appreciate that. Such a bizarre book.

#queer lit #hayao miyazaki #dungeon meshi #tintin #twilight #delicious in dungeon #dnd #d&d #book review #book reviews #chatter

[chronotsr]

No. 4 - D1, Descent into the Depths of the Earth (August 1978)

Author(s): Gary Gygax Artist(s): David C. Sutherland III (Cover), David A. Trampier Level range: Average of 10, preferrably party size 7+ players Theme: Underground exploration Major re-releases: D1-2 Descent into the Depths of the Earth, GDQ1-7 Queen of the Spiders

Wait, really? This adventure has never gotten an official adaptation after 1e? That feels really weird. Granted Queen of Spiders in particular would absolutely work with 2e, but, wow. Is there a reason for that?

Ahh, 1e cover art. Looks like hot fucking garbage in the best way. Well, at least it's not a trace? You may be aware that early DND had a bit of an art theft problem (mostly stealing off of comic covers), but I don't actually have a list of all the known cases -- finding art credits at all is enough hassle as is without tracking down which paintings are also stolen. The usual suspect is "Greg Bell" and if you want to look this up the word you need to google is "Swipes", not traces. Just, be aware that's a thing going forward.

We start off on a weak footing: a light retcon. The ending of G3 didn't really imply that the drow had an escape route to the underdark in the Hall, at least not going off the map, but the text of D1 does. It didn't really even have a reason to pursue any drow into the, well it's not called the Underdark yet. In fact, it's going to be a hot minute til then, it'll receive that name in '86 from a not particularly liked supplement that got pumped out during the TSR Money Issues era. So for now, it's just The Depths. G1-3 were highly enclosed dungeons, D1 is a wilderness hexcrawl situation. Which is kinda strange, since like the G series, the D series was a tournament module. The answer to this conundrum, is that it isn't a conundrum, because only D2-D3 were used at GenCon XI, as well as an alternate Q1 that never was. Shame! The Lolth egg raid sounds cool.

A big hexcrawl, in fact! It's almost weird to me that D1 is the middle of a sequence at such a high level, rather than the beginning of a sequence at a low level, simply because there's so much stuff? Hexcrawls aren't my jam (admittedly I've only played in one ever, but I have Forever GM syndrome very hard so maybe one day that'll be fixed…) so it's hard to not see something this huge and go "wow this must be totally overwhelming to run". But we will press on dauntlessly!

We get some guidance on how to run this, including to really sell the "spooky cave" vibes. Gary is one again strangely invested in the importance of caving itself, but here it feels a bit more appropriate than it did in G2. Happily, shockingly, excellently: there IS a way to secure the Drow's favor from the word jump! Wiping out the Mind Flayer camp will have a, not 100% but extremely high chance of the drow FINALLY leaving you alone. Yay! And included in the module are some bonus cave battlemaps in case you need to random encounter in a cave. Also yay! Actually, in general in this introductory section Gary is generally sending out good game design vibes, going to great trouble to mention "if they're being careful, don't fuck them over" and "just straight up tell them you can't teleport very far down here" and "make sure you tidy up this framework into a real adventure". All very good signs!

The artwork is, broadly, much cooler than it has been up to this point. Which is good, because we're getting a whole lot of random tables here. They do a nice thing in this section, where they give 'purposes' to a lot of the random encounters, not full-on spark tables but at least knowing that the ghouls serve the drow is a very handy "why are they here?" to know.

The adventure lightly, reasonably, railroads you into your first encounter -- a checkpoint. It's a pretty rote fight, there are two factions but they can't really be posed against one another in any obvious way. The sub boss has a faerie fire grenade, and the big boss has a cloak that lets you turn into a lurker to fly away in a pinch. It's lightly teased that they worship Lolth here. But otherwise it's mostly just "welcome to the underdark motherfucker!"

There's a brief illithid encounter, which is likewise rote. Chop em' up and move on.

Finally, you have your dungeon-dungeon, which is a trog warren. It's mostly just Some Drow and Some Trogs, and it almost feels obligatory? It's got that "bunch of random caves" vibe that I do not like in dungeons. B1 and 2 will both end up doing this. But among the funny things is:

The first appearance of a death lance (drains d4 levels) on some bad motherufcker drow fighter lady

The medal you can negotiate from the drow can also just be looted

A lich is just, kind of taking a nap. the cheeky little fucker has put a magic mouth on basically everything everywhere, so you're flooded with magic aura if you think you're going to see shit coming. He's got some really neat shit, like a portable hole, but unfortunately his non-magic valuables are extremely cursed. Figures.

Sometimes I forget that ghouls and ghasts are sentient and intelligent, since I have had it so trained in my mind that ghouls are essentially smart zombies rather than people in any meaningful sense, but not so in ADND land! These ghouls are trying to ditch the drow they serve, which, understandable.

Thing I only learned now: ADND had many, many sphinxes. Andro (big tough and good), crio (smaller, dumber), gyno (smaller, a little meaner, classical sphinx behaviors including riddles), and hieraco (evil, vicious, and animalbrained). Ours here is the hieracosphinx, which is a pet of some drow lady.

Hopefully we can agree that old timey bugbears were silly little guys. I don't buy that they're evil, they're too silly! And yawn the usual lady monster / child monster dilemma is here, how droll. Your party picked a side 30 sessions ago and now it's just procedural.

Apparently the dark elves and trogdolytes practice mutual aid with one another, though Gary specifies it's coercive so not like that put your flag down. I do think it'd be pretty funny to reveal that the trogs are Actually Really Good and have a lot to teach others about societal organization. There's not really much to say about it as-written, it's just more of that mothers/child dilemma tripe.

At the end, an actually cute little trick that I cannot fathom the party ever working out without the Drow Merchant just straight telling them: There is a room with a magical pool in it. The pool is surrounded by a ton of small gem, which if removed, magically reduce any nearby gems in size and value. But, if you toss gems into the pool, they increase in size and value. Neat! Infinite money machine!

The adventure ends with the unveiling of a new monster-people: the Jermlaine, which are basically just mean little guys who sneak around and cause trouble. Not really a threat, just extremely annoying. Your guys will wanna chop them up for being assholes, but really they're just like the most petty guy at your job. It's a weird addition, but not unwelcome. On the whole, D1 is some lovely and mildly ambitious connective tissue bridging the D series together, and I'm actually kind of fond of it now. Maybe my players will visit The Depths soon…

The adventure ends on an illustration of ya bois taking care of some trolls and shit. Thanks Dave!

#1e #chronotsr #dnd #dungeons and dragons #tsr #ttrpg #adnd

[archandshri]

8th March ‘24 - [arch] colour!!!! community!!!

Hey Shri! <3 

Wow!!!! I’ve seen the finished Brothers Lionheart cover already, but those thumbnails are just incredible. I know you plan to move away from the dark/horror vibes of those images but they’re so impactful!! For sure save those compositions for something else. You’ve put so so much thought into those compositions, it’s inspiring me to put that level of thought into my images too. It's nuts!!!

So y’know how the plan for this blog was to take it easy and do a little at a time? Maybe just pop in and update each other on what we’ve been working on, or even what’s been inspiring us? Well, we haven’t exactly been taking it easy have we :// At the beginning of writing this I thought it was gonna be a chill one but,,, it turned out not to be.

I was lucky enough to be back in Cardiff for a bit the other week, so I hit up the Riso studio. It was super lovely seeing everyone - really made me realise the value of having an artistic community. (for context, I have been travelling recently and it’s been weird, after uni, to not be surrounded by other illustrators)

About once a month, my shared print studio has an event called Open Haus, where we’re open to the public but also loads of members will come in, have a cuppa and a biscuit and talk about art stuff. I happened to be doing some riso printing and Gavin, who’s a right babe and an excellent riso artist, was once again giving me a hand. I love working with other people in the studio, bouncing ideas off them. It sometimes helps me get out of my head (though with practice, I’m also learning to do that by myself!)

Here’s a bit of development work for the print I did a few days before printing. It was actually a bit of development for my comfort characters’ home - but as you know i love building my skills through fun things like that! Trick yourself in to improving xD

This is the print I made!! It’s titled ‘Space Fyn’, named after a place I associate with home <3 

I ran into a bit of an issue with the blue, which I originally planned to use. Once I printed it, I hated it (blehhhhhh), so! We tried a mint out instead. I still didn’t like it. But thankfully, Gavin did this thing where he made me step back and view it from afar and then I liked it again (this has happened twice now I think I need to learn to step back without his help ://) Also, there were about 10 people in the studio, and they all voted on the mint, so I printed a run of 15! (ps. you can order them by dming me on Instagram)

Later, I was showing a friend the progress and she made some great points. The dark blue gives more of an evening vibe, while the mint gives more of a sunrise vibe, a bit brighter. But also, it totally changes the tone! This has led me to think more about how different colours can be used for particular vibes :0 and how can we bend that and make it more interesting than ‘red danger’ and ‘blue sad’. 

Some notes I took from our conversation

Looking at colours in particular genres (they are used differently in specific ways in different contexts) 

for example in Westerns, good guys wearing a white hat and bad guys wearing black hats - misc characters wearing brown.

Light sabres in Star Wars very clearly symbolising ideology

Characters attached to colour - she uses blue and red to symbolise characters that oppose each other in some way, for example.

Character designs, using colours that match well for more grounded characters, and colours that clash for more unstable characters

Power rangers!!

What colour is your ‘normal’ for the world? And how will specific characters break that or blend in?

All of these are just prompts and thinking points of course, it’ll take a lot of exploring to know how i want to apply these to my work.

I was lucky enough to attend Plymouth Comic and Zine fair!!!!! (this is me :0 !!)

It was very lovely, I really enjoyed seeing people from uni, the general Plymouth illustration scene, and those few illustrators you know but only really see at fairs. I also got the opportunity to have some awesome chats about illustration (shoutout to that one hermitcraft fan who let me ramble about Minecraft builds and setting design for a bit <3). I had a chat with the wonderful Ben Wright and Jess Holloway about colours, especially in narrative, and here are some ideas I took away from that!

They didn’t have any specific suggestions for books about colour and narrivite,  but again, film came up! Colours in film are discussed a lot, and vary a lot in genre, so i’ll have to do some looking into that.

In particular wes anderson might be good to look at 

Hero by Jet Li - haven’t looked at this yet

How to take colour that we may associate with a particular feeling and instead make it do something else. (eg. how to make blue happy)

Colour in context with shape and composition

I was very excited after PCZF and got hyperfixated on a little drawing. You and I were chatting about folds in clothes at the fair, so this image was to play with that a bit.

Yes this is an image of my favorite block lady. I love her. [Illustration of GeminiTay, along with her season 10 skin]

I decided to use the colour pick tool from my reference for accurate colours, which I don’t normally do. I do have a habit of going too light with my values, and a bit swampy and desaturated with my colours. When I started with her trousers, I thought it was wayyyy too dark, but I decided to stick with it till the end anyway. Even though it clearly worked in the reference image, I was still surprised it worked on mine. This has proved to me that it’s okay to push and use some darker colours - which is a bit scary but I’m going to give it a go.

'messing around with colors with imp and skizz' by @applestruda

I also saw this incredible image by @applestruda using wonderful colours! This led me to play around with some high-saturation images. I wanted to draw one of GeminiTay’s builds with the spooky vibes she’s been trying to capture. I downloaded applestruda’s image, colour shifted the hue to one that fits the energy I wanted to capture, and used it to create a high saturation colour pallet. This is a great starting point since I’ve never worked with this kind of colour palette before - it gives me a starting point rather than drowning in indecision and cluelessness XD

Here’s a timelapse of the study!

Once I’d finished, I hue-shifted them for some alt colours. I find this a helpful process for figuring out colour stuff that I would never consider normally. I think I like these more, actually. The one with the reddish wood and green accents feels like it has the vibes of the original image, but is exaggerated a bit. I think it pops. And the pink is cool. I think I could have pushed the values further again, but I'm pretty happy with the final images.

So those are my colour thoughts over for now - I’m hoping to keep playing but use of colour is for sure a lifelong skill. 

The past few weeks have been so awesome. I’ve just been so so moulded by conversations with my artistic community and it’s been so lovely!!! I’m really enjoying running around the country and visiting all my pals. It was so nice to see you at PCZF and I’m looking forward to more of it!!! :D

Ps. Here are some sketches I did at the fair

Can’t wait to see more lionheart lil guys :0

Archie <3 :)))))))))

#archillustrates #arch is learning #project development #art #art process #art resource #process #artists on tumblr #illustration #small art blog #art blog #illustration blog #queer artists on tumblr #illustrator #queer illustrator #artists on instagram #procreate #digital artwork #digital artist #riso #risograph #artist blog #artist on tumblr #tumblr art #tumblr art blog #art on tumblr

[umihoshi]

Autumn anime 2023 is so STACKED, it's illigal!

Aside from the obviously amazing continuing shows, there's TOO MANY great new ones.

Based on first episodes, here's my top ranking (may be subject to change cuz Apothecary Diaries isn't out yet. And excluding SpyxFamily, dr. Stone and Tokyo Revengers which are all *chef's kiss*)

1. Kamonohashi Ron: Deranged Detective

you had me at Detective. and then you had me at Deranged. Also, I'm a big fan of Amano Akira's other works, Reborn and eldLIVE (Psycho-Pass not so much, but she only did the character art) Depressed adult who is too curious for his own good, what's not to love?

2. Undead Unluck

I saw the manga before and had been really anticipating the anime. They're such a fun duo and their personalities and abilities compliment one another really well. looks like there'll be a lot of cool unusual superpowers. Reminds me a lot of Blood Lad, just hoping this anime won't end with virtually nothing solved T~T;

3. Kingdom of Ruin

Bit on the over the top side with the amount of tragedy, but the worldbuilding seems very interesting. I'm a slut for witch hunting too. May end up severely traumatized if I continue, but we'll see how it goes.

4. My New Boss Is Goofy

My soul is healed, my crops are growing. Grown men doing stilly stuff is comfort food for the eyes. Looks a bit yaoi baiting, but can't complain if it's cute. Reminds me of Cool Douji Danshi.

5. Migi & Dali

I don't even know what's going on at this point, it's so surreal. Elder couple wants to adopt one child and genius twins thought 'we can work with that'. The silly love children of Johan Liebert and Sakamoto desu ga. (same author as Sakamoto too. it sure shows.)

6. Crash course on Naughtiness

Last season, I was confronted with the pet-peeve of feeble waifu syndrome (I finished My Happy Marriage, but I'm sorry, I could not stand that girl...) And this season around, I realized the formula that breaks the curse of feeble waifus: a batshit crazy counterpart. This man is just bullying her with kindness. plus points for another excelent job done by Sugita Tomokazu.

7. Frieren

As a big fan of DnD, I can't say no to such a DnD-based series. Plus the pressure of having to live such a long live as elves do is very interesting. It's a bit slow to my liking, but the characters are amusing and layered.

8. Yuzuki family's 4 sons

a young man who has to take care of his 3 little brothers after his parents died, give me some napkins Q-Q not a single person looks or acts their age (the youngest has better vocabulary than I do;;) but it's all fun and sweet and trying to find your way in an unusual family-hirarchy

9. I'm in love with the villainess

My eyes hurt from looking at this. But the over the top artstyle works quite well with how silly the story is. I too would like to say 'step on me, mommy' to my favorite villain. Just hope it won't become repetitive in its jokes.

10. Tearmoon Empire

Wow, will you look at that. Another reincarnated villainess. Luckily, this one has no memories of living in a different world or something. Just her future self's diary. Enjoying the concept where she's not suddenly a saintly good girl for a change.

11. Oujo to Banken

This dude is on THIN fucking ice. I commonly enjoy age gaps very much. but in no way what so ever, would I support a relationship between a teenager and the 10 year older guy who basically raised her. Him being her parent figure is where I draw the line. That said, I'm eating up the amount of over-protectiveness and yakuza-logics. It has the amount of spice I had hoped to find in Yakuza's Guide to Babysitting that wasn't there.

12. Ragna Crimson

I'm sorry. just...... you can't make me believe that the ditsy loli-girl is the best dragon killer in the world. stop. The maincharacter is quite interesting, though. I like how it's like... his actual own power that he has for his OP special snowflake thing. Borrowing tomorrow's energy for today.....that's the description of a burn out I read the other day;;; But you do you, boy. good luck dying very early in life.

#you can see I gave up on writing reviews somewhere halfway

[tina-aumont]

Maria Montez in the Spanish "El Inocente" stage play

Hi!

So thanks to this article you shared some time ago https://www.abc.es/archivo/periodicos/abc-madrid-19690126-135.html I created María Montez’ page on Theatricalia https://theatricalia.com/person/3s2c/maria-montez I hope we can all be finding more information so I can add it there.

Anyway, both the book and the play were published/premiered on 1968 and I found the cover of a 1969 edition of the book online and I wonder if Maria is one of the young women featured: https://www.todocoleccion.net/libros-segunda-mano-teatro/el-inocente-una-noche-lluvia-joaquin-calvo-sotelo-ano-1969~x403295609 or better https://pictures.abebooks.com/inventory/30614081670.jpg

Thank you! :)

🌟Thank you so much for this great information about María Montez II🌟

Wow, this is really cool. You know I was looking for the post about this link you sent me and I just can’t find it? and in my mind I was thinking that maybe that was a picture from a theatre play she did, well, thank you so much for sending me again the link, and thank you very very much for sending me the information and the photos from “El Inocente”. She’s one of the girls in the cover, the one at the far right, I will add the photos here, and I’m going to translate the part of the news that speaks about her cause it’s really interesting and beautiful what’s written in it :)

The four actresses of the chorus of “El Inocente” talk about their work, their illusions and their hopes

MARÍA MONTEZ

Seventeen springs born in Santo Domingo and the mother-of-pearl smile. Maria Montez has a cascade of shiny black hair down her back. As pretty as her aunt.

- I didn’t get to meet her. I was born twenty-three days after her death. That’s why they named me Maria, after her.

No doubt. This girl has climbed on the boards because art is in her blood.

- Making theater is very important, because it is where you learn, but my goal is cinema. I want to be a great actress.

And in the cinema she has already done, for the moment, ten small roles.

- First thing you did?- Die!- But, how?- In the first scene that I shot for the movie “15 gallows for a murderer” I played the role of a dead girl. The same thing happened to my aunt and cousin Tina Aumont. It looks like it runs in the family.- How long have you been in Spain?- Five years. I’m an only child.

During this time she has done children’s theater at the Beatriz, together with Charo Tijero. Then she went to the small screen, where she took part for two years in that musical program called “Escala en Hi-Fi”.- What do you think of the current theater?- That there are very good authors who write excellent works and that I would like to interpret.Apart from cinema and theater, María Montez has two great hobbies:- I love rhythm and astrology.And one thinks that in the immensity of the firmament a new star must have lit up in which tomorrow this name will be read for the second time: María Montez.

- ABC Madrid, 26th January 1969.

#submission #María Montez II #Maria Montez II #María Montez Gracia Fiallo #Maria Montez Gracia Fiallo #actress #stage actress #El Inocente #1968 El Inocente #collaboration #1968 María M #ABC #1969 ABC

[deadboyfriendd]

hello, i hope you are well and that the holidays are treating you gently! in response to an ask i sent in earlier and you talked about cochise and your inspo being blood meridian:

firstly apologies for the length of this reply! OMG!!! wow thank you so much for this incredibly thoughtful answer and yes ofc i would love to talk to you about writing or anything else anytime!! i haven't read blood meridian but i've heard lots of good things about it, i just tend to get squeemish at graphic violence but i'm willing to give it a go to see how the original work, as well as your derivative (i mean that as a compliment) work handle violence and keep it from being simple shock value and mean something in your respective stories. i also haven't read cochise but something tells me i should do my homework. in any case, excited to analyse violence! you mentioned that stone gothic helped you establish the kind of narratives you're interested in and i'm excited to see how you develop and build on the tones and structures you excelled in in that fic!

it's also interesting that you're designing a reader character who sounds quite different from ones you wrote before, naive and cloudy doesn't sound the same as one who realises they just have to keep going on, and that's honestly really brave of you! stone gothic reader sounds similar but hallmark and the 50 first dates girl sound more in line with another sort of fmc. lots of writers tend to write a specific sort of character and it's not necessarily a bad thing, why fix something that ain't broke/write what you know, etc etc, but i am excited to see how you face that challenge on!

I also like the idea that both of them bring some sort of change out to each other. i really really love the line you brought up, "i will not know gentleness in the way i love you". it's very beautiful, i went and re read the letters until i found it and it touched me in a new way. firstly, thank you for talking about your inspirations, that's always great to hear from any artist and it's amazing how much art inspires other art and takes themes and ideas and reshapes them for new stories and purposes! that line is so good and i deeply love the concept of love as softening, of melting, of turning someone who has seen a lot and reminds them of the gentleness that still exists in the world. but the inverse of that that you're planning, of a reader who becomes stronger, more practical, a little more aware of what's going around her, is also a new and exciting thing to think about love! a lot of people, me included, think about love the first way! one of the first qualities i'd want any partner of mine to have is gentle, kind, soft, but the idea that love can also be expressed in making you "harder", stronger, more smarter, worldly, just, i guess more capable? is interesting! its especially interesting because i think it relates somewhat to how a lot of first generation immigrants i think conceptualise love, including my parents, which funnily enough, in certain aspects i show you can explain the western frontier (it's not a one to one match. but. certain aspects, especially since many cowboys were people of colour.). for my mom, for eg, loving my dad was largely an endeavor of mutual success in a new country. their love was made of shoveling snow and breaking ice and living with people they didn't really understand and a lot of that meant becoming smarter and quicker on their feet, and sure they're gentle and nice, but there's also a lot of bonding that happens when you're both working and moving together in a world that's out to get you, and that's an interesting way to make the romance actively part of her character growth, and imbues it with a sense of theme instead of another plot point for the sake of it.

as for the garrison mentality, lmaoooo i do sort of love when nature is seen as a great terrifying unknowable thing and omg!! doc hollidays' last words being "well, i'll be damned" as he went onto the gentle goodnight when he he was sure he'd die a violent death is both ironic and i think, idk if you mean to make it as one, but a very juicy character trait to deal with in a romance. someone who is very sure that they will perish to the forces of destiny and feel a sense of inevitable destiny about it bc of the things they've seen, and instead be actively surprised by the gentleness of their end or the overall tenderness that still exists in the world, is all very delicious, and a complex i absolutely adore. the world can be cruel and evil and chaotic but it can be just as tender and good and soft if we really look for it, especially if we see it in the faces of the people we love! i am also very curious to see if there will be some pedestal-putting of reader at the hands of steve as you mentioned that she is running away from something that steve hasn't really considered a dark past of her own....wondering how he might react when he finds out this person he saw no violence in may have some blood in their path at all and the kind of toll that it could take....all in all incredibly excited to see whatever you're cooking with and it's obvious that there's some real heat in your kitchen!

my apologies for the essay in your askbox, i just found your answer to my original director's cut question so interesting and it's always fun connecting with people and asking them to discuss their art! also, i talked a bit about things in your answer that interested me and how i thought they'd play out, i hope it goes without saying that whatever you decide to do in your story is the right thing to do, especially on a free platform, and any speculation on my part is just excitement and curiosity of a project that sounds interesting and has a very clear passion behind it, which is always something to admire! death of the author and all that is fine, but i believe toni morrison more when she says reading is an act done by writers and readers together! again, hope you're doing good, and excited for bisbee, friend! much love <3 :) !!!

Hi! Sorry I'm just now getting back!

I will say Blood Meridian is VERY graphic and very sudden with the violent onslaught of violent events. If you are squeamish I would avoid reading it to be completely honest, for the sake of readability, historical accuracy, and the general appeal to audience that my readers are, I'm not going to write in several events even remotely adjacent to Blood Meridian in Bisbee. The violence that I do write in is going to be more easily palatable and necessary for character development. Stone Gothic really helped me develop that melodramatic tone and how I can write in a love story with debilitating hurdles. I ended up falling in love with this form of writing and have written it in several different fics: SITG, The bisbee and Cochise Universes, and a lot of my WIPs. I think Bisbee's reader's downfall is ultimately naive, yet is using that personal to ultimately mask the fact that she is painfully self aware. It has been really helpful to me so far to pull pieces from my other characters- who ultimately contain pieces of me- and stitch them together to create a different worldview.

I think a really big part of it so far is that writing has, like a lot of other people on this platform, held some sort of catharsis for me. It is a way for me to write out and process things and understand that, even though I'm hard to love, I'm not impossible to love. The Stains in the Granite reader really helped me through that. The house had such a big part in the actual fic because the street was based off of my childhood home and the house I grew up in! I actually lived down the street from a Dr. Cullen who was a dentist and had yellow show-quality labs! The SITG reader helped me find that part of myself that I knew was mean and helped me process that, even though I am not an internet personality with a shining smile like Disney on ice, that I am a real person that is worthy of being loved. My Nellie reader was how I was learning to process major grief as an adult and trying to navigate those feelings for the first time in my life. It helped me metabolize and marinate in those feelings of losing a loved one, losing a past version of yourself, or losing grip on who you thought you were. Nellie is gritty and forward like I am. She is learning how to heal alongside Eddie. The same is going to go for this Elsie character, my reader from Bisbee. She is loud and obnoxious, she pushes steve a little too far, she is naive, and she is ballsy. She is also carrying the baggage of a past life and a past lover.

I am a firm believer that you are a culmination of everyone you have ever met, and the boys in my fics are merely catalysts for change within my readers. I still listen to Valentines Sux by the frights every valentines day because my ex-best-friend and I did it once and drove around town in heart shaped sunglasses and ate shitty chinese food because we thought we were unloveable but at least we had each other. I wear turqoise and paint cactus landscapes because my grammy fell in love with the desert and let us love it, too. I got into the habit of documenting and photographing even the most mundane things in my life to accomodate my best friend who lives across the country. My readers are shining examples of the way we carry pieces on everyone we have ever met like stones in a suitcase.

I can also relate to conceptualizing love through stories of immigration. My grandfather was a Finnish immigrant who joined the US air force, got stationed at the Clark military base in the Philippines, and then met my grandmother! I didn't know my grandfather very well as he died when I was so young, but seeing how that love manifested itself into met needs is so much different than the way Mr. Flea and I love each other or the way my mom and dad love each other. My grandmother is a very cold person, however, she shows love by means of met necessities. She will make sure you are clothed and fed, make sure you are still in school, make sure you are disciplined and poised and polite- but she will not tell you she loves you. My mother was raised coldly this way, and my dad was a child of divorce, born to teen parents in the 70s. My parents conceptualization of love was also not outward, and oftentimes expressed as frustration or overbearing guardianship, yet we were fed and we were clothed and we figured out how to not kill each other together. However, Mr. Flea was also a child of divorce born to teen parents, though his mom his very outwardly affectionate and he is, too. It's really interesting to me to see how our environments really affected the way we love each other and how we had to learn to heal and navigate each other in the six years we've been together, and the four we've lived together. I was 16 when I met him, after all! One of my favorite examples of this is my grammy, on my paternal side. She was one of many children, her father died of complications of Polio later in his life- when she was 13. She doesn't remember him much, but she did know that he was a talented and published author. He wrote westerns! We were able to get our hands on a collection of recounting he had from the family. My grammy and I read through every page and laughed and cried together 1.) because our diction and humor has been so overtly passed down through generations like stamps and 2.) you could tell that he loved his family by the way he wrote, not by the way he showed it.

#flea speaks #flea answers #flea's friends

[chiropteracupola]

tagged in a thing by @charliemack and @littleastrobleme - wow!

last song: 'gold' by we are the guests, which is part of a playlist I made for an original project some years ago and today found myself quite nostalgic for.*

currently watching: it'll be hilda again as soon as I figure out a place to find the rest of it (the site I was using previously lacked most of the middle of season 1 and all of season 2, to my great dismay)

currently reading: 'leeward' by katie daysh! it is as good as everyone who has recommended said, altho' I do find the frequent use of first names rather than surnames a little odd. excellent Sad Soggy Sailor in there, which as you likely know is a genre I'm very fond of.

current obsession: I have been spending A Certain Amount of Time staring deeply at wikipedia formatting and and also particularly grubby and dusty pdfs in order to figure out how to Capture their essence for art purposes of late!

...also I have been a little silly in the head over 'the motive and the cue' (it's a play about hamlet! and a lot of other things!) for approximately ten days now, but primarily I have been doing that Inside My Head because it is not exactly the kind of silly in the head that causes Posts to form. seriously this is a play that I think Intertextuality Tumblr would enjoy very much, and since I know they have filmed the production (source: was there when they did that) I really hope that that eventually gets put up somewheres where it may be Beheld. also johnny flynn is very good in it if that provides any context to my meanderings.

alright, game says to tag nine people... @natdrinkstea, @sailorpants, @wilhelmina-murray-harker, @graveyardrabbit, @kigiom, @alizuriacrow, @what-even-is-sleep, @cytocutie, @verecunda, what have you all been up to lately?

#one of those tag things #*[guy who already has too many projects] I just miss my funky little sea captain; want to draw her again; cannot because of Reasons :( #are some of my thoughts regarding that play additions to my 'johnny flynn could and should play jack aubrey' conspiracy board? #yes of course but What Of It.

[reliquiaenfr]

shadow and earth for fr ask meme

yo excellent! thanks anon! ask meme here

Shadow - Show us a dragon you are currently excited about!

wow that's tough actually. i have like 14 projects currently (and six of them are double pears) let me think.

okay instead of sharing one of the pears waiting for genes, try this girl:

I've had rwn for like four or five years? idk a long time. she's actually a fully gened guardian but i was determined for her to be an ancient. the only problem? i was deadset on her having python and capsule. like i am SUCH a picky person about my dragons lmao and i refused to settle on something that was nice but not what i originally planned. the jester secondary was a surprise tho. she's gonna be such a good lil sandy ourobouros when she's done!

Earth - Tell about a nice Flight Rising related memory!

i mean lol after ten years i have so many to choose from this is very hard! it's easy to say that i've met some of my Best Friends through flight rising, a bunch of whom i've met in real life now too!

it's always community stuff that really makes me smile i suppose. those crazy dom chats on skype waaaay back in 2013/2014, mass hatches coordinated for fun dates (like the colour wheel update or, more recently, twosday... wait that was two years ago oh no). it's shenanigans in discord servers and spontaneous wish rising and how often someone goes 'ugh x won't stock/drop' and some random person just SENDS it and then someone else goes 'oh whoops i was sniped lmao now you have two' (i'm usually the second person bc i am not fast haha). it's those weird serendipity moments, like meeting a friend i've known for years bc she gave me a nature egg (after i complained about it, pls see the previous point), or someone else i bought a dragon off of and we just talked and then i met all their friends and we were all friends and it was great. it was how everyone on tumblr reblogged kizzy's art after she passed away as a sort of memorial. it's that time my brother convinced someone he didn't know to send me a boolean on my birthday when i was struggling with depression (for the achievement, i sent it back, but like, i also cried a lot).

for all the ups and downs and drama that goes on, this is the best community i've been a part of and i love every single person in it.

#flight rising #nonsense #asks #i think the earth answer is a bit of a cop out but like #sue me idc #i have a lot of fond memories #and i will not pick one over another #too many wonderful people have been brought into my life #bc of this game