#in all my experience as an artist I’ve never had growth like this | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

hausofneptune · 4 months

Text

aspects/placements i love (and hate!) in my chart pt. 1

[astro notes no. 003]

hey y’all! i felt like going through some of my personal aspects/placements and describing the “positive” and “negative” ways they’ve manifested in my life, so here we are. this ended up being longer than i thought it would, so i'll end up doing a part two since i really enjoyed making this!

disclaimers | masterlist | ask

venus conj. neptune in aquarius (1°03’) in the 1H

this is one of my favorite placements. i feel like this + my pisces sun can make me appear to others as “ethereal” at times, but if i’m keeping it a buck, it also makes me extremely evasive. i have a good amount of aquarius influence in my chart as well, so all of this combined definitely makes me feel like i have to put in effort to not come off as too impersonal, especially towards my loved ones.

having neptune in my 1H also makes me feel like people perceive me to be someone that i’m not. like even my close friends and family, i don’t feel like anyone actually understands who i am, and i don’t think i’ve ever had a relationship (platonic, romantic, or familial) where i felt like i was seen for who i actually am, or where i was able to connect to somebody on a deeper, spiritual level. i can also over-romanticize people and situations at times, but i’ve grown out of this habit… for the most part.

i’ve always been an extremely creative/artistic person. i’ve been drawing, painting, writing, and singing since i was a kid, and i even sell my artwork now as an adult. i’m extremely imaginative, but i do have to be careful to not get too in my head and forget to participate in reality, if that makes sense. i’ve also had issues with dissociation and memory loss throughout my life. i feel like my lived experience has more to do with that, but i can see how the Neptunian influence in my chart could play a role in it as well.

venus opposite north node in the 7H (1°40’)

there are some placements that convince me that the universe was tryna be funny when it made my birth chart. this is one of them. i have so many things in my chart that can make it challenging at times to form meaningful, trustful relationships with other people, and it’s interesting to me the fact that my spiritual growth is something that’s supposed to be found… through my relationships with other people. i try not to victimize myself too much and look at things from an objective lens, but i would be lying if i said it didn’t feel like people find it convenient to have me in their lives only when i allow them to view me in a way that makes them feel the most comfortable.

like i mentioned, i can be very avoidant, it’s something i’m working on. but i know that it’s possible for me to have fulfilling connections with other people, and obviously with this placement it’s something i need to work through my aversion to, seeing as my self-development and spiritual growth is something that’s extremely important to me and deep down i do want to want to experience having meaningful, healthy relationships.

sun sextile lilith (within 3.0°) in the 11H / chiron in the 11H

let me tell you, most of the people i’ve been friends with over the years, regardless of gender, hypersexualize the fuck out of me. especially the men i’ve been friends with, majority of them had feelings for me that i never reciprocated. i was actually friends with a girl in high school who’s moon fell in my 8H, and in hindsight she had a very unhinged, borderline obsession with me. she would speak to me, and get mad at me, as if we were in a relationship together, and did not understand any type of boundaries that you’re supposed to have with someone you’re friends with. i don’t hold it against her now as an adult, but we definitely don’t speak to each other anymore.

i’ve also encountered issues in regards to the relationships i've with women, mainly when i was younger though, the women i’m acquainted with now i have healthy, normal friendships with (thank god). but i’ve had friendships with girls where they secretly didn’t like me, they were secretly attracted to me, or both. and i don't mean this in a weird, misogynistic, "pick me i'm different!" type of way at all, this is just a pattern i picked up on with some of the women i've met throughout my life.

in regards to having chiron in my 11H, my sore spot is most definitely my friendships. on top of feeling misunderstood and objectified in the friendships i’ve had, i’ve also experienced trauma at the hands of people i thought were my friends. and i always do my best to exercise being mindful and self-aware, and i’m definitely not on some “i’ve always been the perfect friend and people hurt me regardless, boo-hoo, woe-is-me” type shit, because i’ve definitely hurt people in my lifetime. but in terms of how these placements have manifested, i’ve always encountered difficulty in connecting to others, and i’m just now getting to a point where i feel comfortable enough to even attempt to try making new friends again.

and this is what i mean when i say: astrology is a tool that you can use for shit that is more important than your appearance and future partner! it wasn’t until my 12H profection year when i started studying traditional astrology and learned how to read charts, that i actually began to understand myself on a deeper level and gained the confidence to end friendships that no longer served me and made new ones that actually do.

chiron in my 11H also makes me feel inclined to take on a “therapist” role in my friendships, something that can be good or bad depending on whether the boundaries are there or not. i tend to attract people who like to trauma dump on me (that’s my moon in the 8H influence too), and i have to actively put boundaries in place and make sure people around me understand that i have to be in the right mindset to hold space for them. there aren’t a lot of pisces sun stereotypes that i can relate to, but being an emotional sponge is definitely one that i can. unfortunately.

moon and ceres in virgo in the 8H

LMAOOO this one might be a little heavy. i apologize in advance. feel free to skip this one if you don’t want to hear about parental/maternal loss or my mommy issues <3

my relationship with my mom is without a doubt where a lot of my emotional avoidance comes from. that plus my moon being in the 8H makes me very guarded when it comes to emotional vulnerability, even with the people i’m closest to. without telling a bunch of strangers on the internet too much of my business, here are the sparknotes:

my home life growing up (and to this day lowkey) never felt stable

it never felt like i could feel my emotions without them “consuming” me, this was mainly an issue in my youth, i was around 12-years-old when i started going to therapy and taking antidepressants

my mom battled a chronic disease her entire life and passed away when i was a teenager

i’ve always craved to have deep, spiritual connections with people, and ever since i was a kid i’ve been extremely intuitive and had the ability to read a room and everyone in it without anyone having to speak, but i typically attract people who are either emotionally unavailable, or emotionally unstable in some way, probably because i come off as “closed off” on the surface.

in terms of my relationship with my mom, i love her but i could never be vulnerable with her about a damn thing, like i never really felt “heard” by her. she was a taurus sun, scorpio moon, with an aries stellium, as soon as she had her mind made up about something it didn’t really matter how i felt (pluto also falls in my 10H, and i definitely viewed her as an “authority figure” more than a mother at times). y’all remember this scene from lady bird where her mom tells her she wants her to “be the best version of herself she can be” and she asks “what if this is the best version?” - it was very much so that.

and i don’t want to give the impression that my mom didn’t love me because she definitely did. i think it was just a matter of what a lot of us eventually come to understand about our parents; that they’re products of the environments and the people they were raised by. and in my mom’s case, she did her best with the cards she was dealt and showed up the best way she could. it doesn’t make my feelings any less important, but it helps to maintain the balance between recognizing her humanity, and also validating my own frustration and trauma regarding our relationship.

venus conjunct ascendant in aquarius (2°40’)

i didn't wanna end this post on a depressing ass note so i'm adding this last aspect lmfao. honestly i struggle with some of the venusian energy in my chart because i honestly never really felt "pretty" growing up. it might be neptune in my 1H that effects my self image, because it wasn't until my 20s that i actually started to genuinely recognize my beauty. i feel like growing up i only viewed my beauty through the lens of the "male gaze" (it didn't help that i felt objectified from the boys around me), or through the lens of euro-centric/white beauty standards, and in adulthood i'm finally approaching the way that i view myself from my perspective.

i do notice that i attract people very easily, both in a friendly and romantic way. i know this aspect has to do a lot with love and romance, but honestly, i'm not too concerned about being in a relationship at this point in my life (with the way the economy is set up i think we all got bigger fish to fry rn but that's neither here nor there-), but like i mentioned i've always been an artist at heart and the art that i create plays a really big role in my identity. i've always found it easier to express myself through my paintings or my writing rather than my words.

aesthetics and comfortability are pretty big for me too, more so now in my 20s. this aspect has a lot to do with sociability and being inclined to uplift and help others, and i can relate to the latter but when it comes to other aspects in my chart i do struggle with being "outgoing" and coming across friendly, but we'll get to that in part two.

as always, if y'all have any of the aspects/placements mentioned in this post let me know how they manifest in your life and personality, and if you have any insight or questions in general feel free to reach out!

191 notes · View notes

bunnidid-reviews · 7 months

Text

I got the second Elle(s) book today and ofc read it soon as I could

Some thoughts:

- this book focuses more heavily on the inner world exploration, and I found the art to be even more dynamic and lovely in this one

- Blue takes over the host position from the previous book, because of the loss of her aunt and shocking revelation that Elle was adopted as a baby. The whole book is about rose Elle finding her way out of the inner world and back to taking control of her life

- we get a little bit more development on the other parts of Elle, since Rose interacts with them as she’s going through each of the inner worlds. But there’s not a lot there, if I’m honest? They all act like strangers that happen to be dragged into the story rather than parts of your very self who’ve always had a sense of being at least connected to you in some way. Especially since its implied that Elle has ‘had problems with this before’, and she purposefully made these inner worlds for each of them, we as the reader are left confused to how much they actually know eachother.. theres just not much there

- and as for Blue, the one part who’s been looming over both this book and the last, we don’t know much about her either, aside from being manipulative and stealing money and clout off her friends. If she’s supposed to be a persecutor part, she has no obvious drive outside just ~being evil~. (To quote my very own blue-colored persecutory part; “What a lazy bitch”)

- this.. ending..?

(The text reads: Wow! Embryos merged? So that means.. I really am six different people! )

Maybe it’s a problem with translation, but the tone of this picture and text really cuts off any of the built up tension thats been riding throughout the book.

- this book never explicitly mentions DID as being a diagnosis, so it’s more of a concept of multiple personalities being used in a different way…

I’m not someone who’s going to speak on what makes ‘enough’ trauma to create DID, because birth complications and adoption are traumatic, and it’s also not something I have experience with. I can’t speak on how this would feel for people who had twins and lost them for it to be portrayed this way, though. In the book, this is clearly stated to be some sort of Special Unreal Circumstance and I found that.. in weird taste..

-it’s not.. DID. I thought the adventuring through the inner worlds would be more about making honest connections and getting to know these parts of her more fully, but Elle’s journey was really just about pulling herself up by the boot straps and switching back out. She doesn’t really have trauma and this book makes it super clear

-I’m disappointed that there wasnt much time spent with brunette Elle because she really seemed to be grieving honestly in the last book, I thought theyd be helping eachother more. But its.. not reallyyy and its shown as growth anyway

-I like the series but I can’t really take it very seriously. It has the vibes of seeing all the major plot points of someone’s OC stuff without all the extra content that fleshes out the characters.

———

I might just be in a mood because I feel very out of place with my own DID at the moment(I’m usually fairly comfortable, but I think I might be having a DPDR episode), but I’ve been sitting on the Elle(s) series for a good few months now, and I don’t really get any deeper connection

I’ll get the next book anyway and see if any of it ties up more neatly. I know its the artists’ first comic I believe, so maybe theres not so much depth becauseeee offff inexperience. Or translation issues because I believe it came out elsewhere first. I dont know!

O well, enjoy my short review

#dissociative identity disorder #did in media #actuallydid #elle(s)#bunnidid reviews #also in a weird place about liking the art and having a really hard time reading it with all the extreme lighting #supposedly she gets streaks of color in her hair for each of the parts she helps but its really not visible throughout any of it #wheres my DID magical girl transformations :( smh have to do everything myself

28 notes · View notes

reviewsbyliam · 8 months

Text

Nicki Minaj - Last Time I Saw You

(Single Review)

01/09/23

Friendly Reminder: make sure to listen to the song whilst reading!

Nicki Minaj for Last Time I Saw You

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Kicking off September with the supposed lead single from her highly anticipated 5th album 'Pink Friday 2' is none other than Nicki Minaj.

Last Time I Saw You is the 3rd single to be released from her upcoming album, with 1 & 2 being the #1 HIT Super Freaky Girl and Red Ruby Da Sleeze which introduced her new alter ego, Red Ruby Da Sleeze.

Earlier today, Nicki spoke with Zane Lowe on the New Music Daily series which is platformed by Apple Music Radio, touching on the subjects behind the song.

She indicated that it's partly about her late Father, Robert Maraj, who was killed in a hit-and-run in February of 2021, also adding; "The vibe of it was really talking about a loss, a real loss you know. But to not make the song feel only directed at one kind of loss. When I wrote the singing verse, I tried to expand it and think even about relationships. And then by the time I got to the rap, it was like I had included all relationships that I had lost before, because I mentioned even best friends and stuff like that."

Never forgetting to also pay homage to her own personal growth, Nicki stated; "I just wanted the next song that I put out to represent my growth, but not just as an artist, but as a human being. I’ve experienced so many things that I hadn’t experienced five years ago, and that’s just the truth."

Talking earlier today to Zane Lowe about the current rap climate, Nicki said: "I felt that if I don’t take the risk, that I’m just as bad as everyone else who I think should make a change. And not only artists, but people behind the scenes. Because the truth of the matter is people are experiencing real life every day. Believe it or not, people are going through real shit every day. So just because they don’t have that music out to express it, it doesn’t mean they’re not experiencing it."

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Taking risks from the music she has previously put out was the best choice for Nicki, as it proves that no matter how long she has been in the game for; she'll always find a way to create a new wave and ride it like no other whilst managing to stay relatable with her sound and writing.

Diversity in your lyricism and flow alongside experimenting with beats is something that many rappers lack so they choose to stick to their comfort zones, but for Nicki? That's not her story. Each album she has put out for public consumption has been consistently different. From flows, beats, lyrics, alter egos, stories - nothing is the same. Nicki being 15 years into her career and still finding ways to elevate her musical skill is truly inspirational.

After becoming a mother and surviving a very consistent hate train from the general public in 2018 that lasted for a couple years, it's more obvious now than ever that Nicki is ready to show the world what shes made of once again and gently but savagely remind people that whilst they might be able to play with others, they can't play with her. At all.

I'm personally extremely excited for her new album and eager to hear what sounds she has been experimenting with in her studio, alongside everything else that comes. Being a fan since Pink Friday was first released in 2010, it always is anxiety inducing when you don't exactly know where your favorite artists creative mind is directing itself, but then I also find that's what makes it so exciting about being a fan of that person, because when their past work is so consistent and still streamed to this day, you know you won't be let down no matter what, especially when its a mastermind like Nicki Minaj.

PINK FRIDAY 2 OUT NOVEMBER 17TH 2023

-----------------------------------------------------------------

CONCLUSION: A very emotionally layered track from Nicki that is upbeat and catchy whilst managing to stay unique, securing it's destiny for greatness. I (like many others) found myself able to relate on a personal level with past and current situations and even found myself getting a bit emotional at one point once I understood her own personal connections with the song. A very cohesive, well produced track with outstanding vocals and flow from Nicki.

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Last Time I Saw You is a certified 10/10 by Reviews By Liam

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Thank you for checking out my review of Nicki Minaj's new single Last Time I Saw You!

If you would like to listen to Last Time I Saw You, it is available to stream on Spotify and Apple Music, or purchase from iTunes.

Please support my blog by giving me a follow and sharing my reviews with your family and friends, whilst not forgetting to leave your own comments below!

X (Twitter): reviewsbyliam

Instagram: reviewsbyliam

#music #music review #blog #blogger #review #spotify #applemusic #barbz #musicreview #nicki minaj #lasttimeisawyou #last time i saw you #pink friday #pink friday 2 #nicki #rap

19 notes · View notes

38sr · 1 year

Note

If you’re still doing the animation q, what makes a portfolio stand out/what should someone do for a portfolio to best interest people? I always get mixed reviews, some people say having a personal art style is key, others say I should’ve have one, etc.

No worries at all! I’ve actually already did an IndustryQ about what I believe makes a solid portfolio and you can find that here! But you do bring up a very good question about personal art style. Even when I was a student the debate about whether or not it’s good to have a specific style was always an on-going topic. So before we begin, everything I will write below from my personal experience and opinion. Nothing I say is the absolute and something you have to follow, it’s always important to do what’s best for you and your voice as an artist.

And with that, let’s answer your question! Should I strive to have a distinct personal art style?

If I may be honest and candid, I don’t believe young artists should be stressed and worried about having a personal art style.

This is coming from someone who has been publicly ridiculed multiple times for drawing in an anime style all throughout my schooling. And even when I changed my style to something more cartoony or more realistic, I was still told the same thing. That was very much from my personal experience and I hope that has never happened to you ‘cause it’s very damaging to an artist’s growth. But if you’re wondering why I don’t think style should be stressed about, it’s because of an experience I had in college.

In college, I had a life drawing class with a very old man (he was like 70 when I was student). This man is the epitome of “fine art is the only true art that exists and I hate commercial arts.” You can imagine how I felt about him every class when he disregards anything that’s not “high art”. One day, when having a homework critique, a student raised his hand and asked the age-old question, “How do I develop a style?”

And he just scoffed at the student and replied, “You’re too young to even think about style. Learn how to execute first.”

That was seriously his answer. And it made me so mad. Not only was it dismissive and plain rude, but in the moment it felt like he didn’t even give the slightest solution to the student’s problem.

The semester continued and one day during break I was looking through some the art books in the classroom (it was the teacher’s personal collection). I always picked the Impressionist art books (Manet, Degas, Lautrec) and I think at some point the teacher noticed me doing that. So, he walked over to me, peered at the book in my hand and suggested I should look at a different artist (I believe it was a Baroque artist). And I just said, “Mm, I don’t really like that.”

“Why not?” He asked.

“I don’t know…I think I like how these guys depict the human body better.” I said with a shrug. We sat in a silence for a moment and when I looked at my teacher, he was smiling. And that shocked me ‘cause he doesn’t smile very often. After that he just walks off saying, “Then you should learn how and why they draw the human body the way they do.”

In the moment, I didn’t realize that he’d given me a hint about what he meant to the other student days prior. It didn’t take me until after college to realize what he was trying to say (and I still think was rude in delivery) was that style is a result of analyzing, deconstructing, reconstructing, experimenting and executing many different foundation techniques.

There are so many different types of styles in the world and it can be easy to feel like, “I have to draw like this if I wanna get job or be popular! If I don’t no one will notice me! How do I stand out?” I’ve had my fair share of those thoughts during my school days. But after college, I realized I was so focused on the end result (the style) that I wasn’t taking the time to understand the how and why they were able to execute art in that particular way (the analyzing, deconstruction, reconstruction). And since learning that lesson way back in college, how I view art styles is drastically now. From realistic, to graphic, to anime, to cartoony, I can look at a style and break down how that artist executed it in that way.

And the coolest thing about it, is that you can acquire multiple styles if you have exceptional foundational skills! It’s kind of like switching out a weapon for a specific type of enemy in a game. You don’t have to lose the style, you can just add it to your inventory and use it again when it’s needed again.

That’s why I don’t think younger artists should be so stressed and worried about developing a style. An artist’s style is a result of them spending years of learning, breaking down, experimenting, executing so many different methods of the core fundamentals and it’s ever changing. I know I say it in almost every IndustryQ but I cannot stress enough how vital it is to learn those foundation skills. It makes you a versatile artist. The reason why I can go from Rugrats to Spiderman to Bleach and adapt super quickly is because of my foundation skills. I learned how to analyze, break down, and reconstruct the art. Once I understand how the foundation rules work in the realm of a specific production, I can execute it in that style (also called on-model) of that show.

Now can you not be hired because you draw in a particular style? Yes, but you can also get hired for drawing in a particular style. How do you think design leads, directors and such get picked? Often times it’s because they have a personal style that aligns with a production’s particular sensibilities. There isn’t like…a real right or wrong when it comes to style because it always different and depends on the production. As long as you present solid drawing skills, you can be taught to draw in style of the production. So instead of worrying about having a personal style, I would implore you to hone your foundation skills while also studying/breaking down your favorite artists’ styles and try to understand what methods are they using to executing art in that specific way. You don’t have to have only one style, you can allow yourself to have an arsenal of them.

Of course, I can’t force you to listen to what I say nor do I expect you to take everything I write here wholeheartedly. All of this is from my personal experience and growth as an artist from school to now working in TV animation and even then I’m still developing my own “style”. I don’t know what that style is or what the outcome will be (just like how you, Anon, might not know what that will be for you). But if anything, don’t worry too much about having a style ‘cause as long as you have solid drawing skills you can adapt to any style.

I hope that answered your question!

#animation #animation industry #IndustryQs #art style #ask #anon #send me anons #send me asks

29 notes · View notes

starsandspicedpeaches · 4 months

Text

Starsandspicedpeaches ao3 wrapped [writers edition]

Well guys, I told you I was going to do it! I wanted to make a brief summary of the content I’ve created this year based on this post (https://starsandspicedpeaches.tumblr.com/post/737795154739707904/floydsin-ao3-wrapped-writers-edition-how-many) and take a moment to appreciate what I managed to do, even if it wasn’t much. Below I’ve answered all the questions for the ao3 wrapped, and I made sure to link all my fics so if you see one that interests you, you can just click it and don’t have to hunt it down. I hope you all had a happy holiday and look forward to new content in the new year!

How many words have you written this year?

Only 11,733, but for someone in college full-time that’s not too bad.

How many works did you publish this year?

4 works, all Resident Evil.

What work are you most proud of (regardless of kudos/hits)?

I think I’m proudest of The Blue Eyed Bunny and the Green Eyed Monster oddly enough. It was my least popular work but I experimented a lot with emotion, timing, and subjects I wasn’t used to. I think that story is where I put a lot of my growth.

What work of yours has the most hits?

Alphas, Omegas, and Workplace Etiquette by a long shot. It is also one of the only s/muts I wrote this year though I think and so that may play into its popularity.

What work of yours got more feedback than you expected?

Again, Alphas, Omegas, and Workplace Etiquette. I’m still not used to writing s/mut and I have never practiced A/B/O dynamics, I only did it for a prompt, so I was extremely surprised by how into it people seemed to be. It also features trans omega Wesker because that’s just what I personally like, so I thought by inserting my headcanons I was ensuring the story would be a flop. I was shocked and thrilled that so many people were willing to read content that not only may have gone outside their personal preferences but also features a trans character. It has definitely encouraged me to just write what I want how I want and work on making things for myself, not just others.

Favorite title you used

I liked the title The Blue Eyed Bunny and the Green Eyed Monster just because I feel like it was creative and was one of those titles that you aren’t exactly sure what it means until you read the story (or at least the description and tags I guess).

If you use song lyrics, which artist’s songs did you pull from the most?

I don’t think I used any song lyrics this year. I generally don’t, just not my cup of tea. Maybe I should try it next year!

Pairing you wrote the most for this year?

Chrisker (Chris Redfield x Albert Wesker) was the only ship I wrote this year, lmao.

Favorite pairing you wrote for this year?

Chrisker again, only thing I wrote, but I don’t regret it, it’s a top-tier ship.

What work was the quickest to write?

No Questions, when I was writing it I still didn’t really have a community to work with so I did everything myself on my own time. I was able to get it out fast because I did all the writing and editing and didn’t have to wait on anyone, but that also meant I had no feedback before posting, and that probably lessened the quality.

What work took you the longest to write?

Alphas, Omegas, and Workplace Etiquette. Not only was it my longest word count, but I had also never written A/B/O before so I really had to mess with it, edit it, and play with it a lot. Additionally, my biggest criticism with A/B/O is that it can often time feel really rape-y and I didn’t want to create a tone where it felt like Chris was taking advantage of Wesker, that’s not how I understood Chris’s character in this fic. I was really just taking a lot of time to reread and edit it into something where it felt in character and like something I could be proud of.

How many WIP’s do you have in your docs for next year?

Right now I only have one WIP, but I have more than twenty ideas written down. Typically I never have more than one or two WIPs in progress at a time because if I start to do more I never get any projects done.

What’s your longest work of the year?

Alphas, Omegas, and Workplace Etiquette with nearly 5,000 words.

What’s your shortest work of the year?

The Alternate Approach with less than 2,000.

What WIP are you taking into next year with you?

Well don’t look ahead if you want to be surprised, but last year I started a little smut piece where Uroborous messes with Wesker while he’s still working on creating it. I started on it but then I found out about Chrisker week and made that my priority. I certainly don’t plan on abandoning that project though so hopefully you’ll see it before 2025.

What’s your most common “Additional Tags” tag?

Lmfao it’s a tie between trans Albert Wesker, vaginal fingering, and vaginal sex. I don’t even know what to say.

Your favorite character to write this year?

Honestly, she only shows up in one fic but probably Rebecca. I love her character and think she deserves all the love in the world. Plus, she’s just a good person trying to take care of others so it felt nice to write.

The character that gave you the most trouble writing this year?

I think Chris was the hardest, which I think is funny since I wrote from his perspective so much. I think it’s easy to make Chris a little shallow and one note since he’s typically the protagonist in the games, and so he needs to be just a bit blank slate-y for the player to connect to the world through him. That means that as a writer I have more free reign to interpret his thoughts and motivations how I want, but that room for creativity is scary, especially when you know that there will be people who interpret him differently.

What’s one pairing you want to explore next year?

I do want to play around with a little Albert x Sergei because 1. I love toxic yaoi and want those cunts to be nasty to each other, and 2. old man pretty.

Which work of yours have you reread the most?

Once I publish my works I almost never reread them because I know that I’ll just hate everything and never stop thinking about how I should have done this or changed that. Taking that into consideration, most likely Alphas, Omegas, and Workplace Etiquette just because I edited it so much and kept going over it for flaws again and again.

How many kudos in total did you get this year?

255 kudos, thank you all so much!

Which work has the most comments?

The Alternate Approach, I was certainly surprised by this but those who read it seemed to really like it. Thank you all for letting me know your thoughts!

Did you do any collaborative works this year?

Nope. I really have no clue where to start with collaborative works and I’ve never done it before. If I ever did one it would probably be just for fun, not super professional.

Did you write any gifts this year?

No, I’m only just starting to find communities and friends to fit in with in fandom, and I tend to really struggle with socializing so making a friend in the first place has been tricky lol. That’s why I’m always telling you all to reach out, if you want me to be your friend just claim me, I’ll let you know if it’s ever too much.

Did you receive any gifts this year?

No, most likely for the same reasons as above.

What’s your most common category?

Not entirely sure what categories are on AO3 but Chris Redfield/Albert Wesker I think?

What do you listen to while writing?

Usually nothing, I get super sucked into music so I can’t really listen to much. Sometimes I’ll play soundtracks if it’s a good attention day. If that’s the case I’ll listen to the soundtracks from Midsommar, Hereditary, Coraline, and Squid Game.

Favorite work you wrote this year?

The Blue Eyed Bunny and the Green Eyed Monster, Wesker is just such a fucking cunt in this one and I loved getting to see him mind-game Chris into bad behavior too. Exploring the issues with their relationship while simultaneously seeing it prevail, especially as a prequel to the events of the first game where the reader knows just how much worse Wesker gets was so much fun. Plus, I got to write the STARS team who we don’t see a ton in the game, and bring them back to life for a little bit. See them be people with flaws, loves, and passions, not just cannon fodder for the monsters in the mansion.

Favorite line/passage you wrote this year?

Probably this excerpt from The Blue Eyed Bunny and the Green Eyed Monster (spoilers ahead):

“Are you upset about me showing up to Barry’s Party in this outfit?” He asked, pulling the jacket off the reveal that Chris had indeed been right, he still had the costume on.

“Yeah, I am upset, and I think you know that.”

“Hmm, and why does me showing up to a party with all your friends and coworkers dressed like this upset you, Chris?” Albert purred, slowly stepping closer.

“What do you want from me, Albert?” Chris blurted out, “Don’t you think I’ve dealt with enough bullshit tonight?”

Albert stepped forward and took Chris’s chin in his hand, pushing his head up to make eye contact. Chris didn’t know why but he let him.

“Just tell me. Chris, why did it upset you?”

“Because I’m jealous. I’m jealous I’ve every person who gets near you, every person who gets to touch you, everyone who gets to enjoy looking you up and down like that because I want it only to be me.”

I liked the push and pull in the moment, Wesker forcing information out of Chris and just playing him. It shows Wesker finding Chris’s flaws and forcing them out into the light for his own pleasure.

Biggest surprise while writing this year?

I think I was surprised by the communities that formed around writing. Like I said, I tend to struggle with socializing and just understanding people in general so I wasn’t expecting myself to find people who consistently interacted within fanfic. There were readers who came back and commented on the works I make regularly, the Chrisker Week server has evolved into a new server where people still talk about the ship and work on content together, and I just kind of notice the same people milling about offering kind words and inspiration when most needed. It’s been really beautiful

Thank you all again so much for following me and interacting so kindly when I do put work out. This year has been a delight and an opportunity for a lot of growth in my writing which will hopefully go into making next year even better! Take care everyone and I'm sending you the best on this new adventure!

#stars speaks #fanfic #ao3 #resident evil #chrisker #chris redfield x albert wesker #chris redfield #albert wesker #trans albert wesker #rebecca chambers #sergei vladimir

3 notes · View notes

crosseyedcricketart · 6 months

Text

Memphis, Tennessee - From A Local

Original Post Link / Original post date: September 11 2023

Here is everything I enjoy doing in Memphis as a local to Memphis, Tennessee. Memphis is an interesting city to visit with a lot of history while currently in a season of growth and healing. I also did include some museums that relate back to the history of Memphis for anyone who is visiting and wants to know more about it.

Memphis Museum of Science & History (The Pink Palace) – Information Page

This has always been a favorite of mine in Memphis, ever since I was a kid. It’s so fun to walk around. There’s Memphis history and southern history In a beautiful museum. The gift shop is a bit overpriced FYI. [11/02/2023 Add.] A good thought of warning that there is a Civil War section with grotesque, realistic wax statues of amputations and Civil War medicine, so… Keep that in mind. If you want to hold your food down.

National Civil Rights Museum – Lorraine Motel – Information Page

Go. Go to this museum. This is one of the most important museums you could visit currently. If you go to one museum in Memphis, go to this one. This is Memphis history. This is the history of a city that was born of holding your head up and moving forward.

The Children’s Museum of Memphis – Information Page

This is another fun museum! I went when I was… you know, a children at one time, and I remember vividly enjoying it. I would recommend this is if you have a young restless child. If you have an older child, go to the Pink Palace.

Bass Pro Shops at the Pyramid – Information Page

Look. This is a fever dream and I beg you to go. I cannot explain the trip I feel with this being the largest bass pro shop in the world while being in Memphis, Tennessee, on the Mississippi River, in a Pyramid. They have a whole bowling alley.

Memphis Brooks Museum of Art – Information Page

I have been to this museum a few times and I have loved it. It is a very nice museum. In my opinion, it Is one of the better Southern art museums in terms of covering ancient to contemporary art.

Huey’s – Website

I like their queso. I’ve been to many Huey’s locations and I have had a good experience at all of them. Just be careful if you go when Memphis is playing. It’ll probably be busy. Or any other football or basketball game.

Central BBQ – Website

Central is great. Go to it.

The Art Center – Website

This is my art store! If you are an artist, I would suggest popping in and supporting a Memphis business. [11/02/2023 Add.] If you’re driving and not flying, I would suggest stocking up a little here. They have great prices on certain things like Golden Acrylic Paints.

Memphis Zoo – Information Page

I think if you grew up in and around Memphis, you know this place like the back of your hand. It’s wonderful. It is one of the best Zoo’s. End of sentence. The Memphis Zoo is beside the Brooks in Overton Park and they have events for halloween and the winter holidays. I am partial to Zoo Lights, for the winter holidays, where the zoo is covered in lights and certain exhibits are open.

Stax Museum of American Soul Music – Website

Slave Haven/Burkle Estate Museum – Website

Memphis Rock ‘n’ Soul Museum – Website

Blues Hall of Fame Museum – Website

The Cotton Museum at Memphis Cotton Exchange – Website

Dixon Gallery & Gardens – Website

Two places that are overhyped in my opinion: The Rendezvous and Graceland. I grew up here. No local could care about either of these places. If you want to go to Graceland, that’s fine. None of us particularly care, but that’s okay. The Rendezvous on the other hand… don’t. Go get some real barbecue and experience the city. Not whatever monstrosity this is. Central BBQ is great. Tops is pretty good. Don’t go to The Rendezvous unless you want subpar BBQ. Do not.

Also, we have a whole IKEA. If you’ve never been and want to go… we’ve got one! It’s big. Bring your walking shoes.

I really just wanted to make a post about where I’m from and put that out there. I love this city. Aside from that, I hope you’re having a good day/night wherever you are, and most of all-

Happy travels! – Annie, the Crosseyed Cricket.

#travel #travelling #roadtrip #road trip #memphis #tennessee #memphis tennessee #road trip destination #musuem #museums #civil rights museum #traveling #wanderlust #vacation

3 notes · View notes

hebblog · 11 months

Photo

FIRST GUEST SPOT! I just spent the last week at DFA Tattoos in Montreal, and could not have asked for a more amazing experience! I went in nervous as hell, not knowing what to expect, but mostly scared that I was going to fuck it all up. I’ve always been an anxious person in new work (and travel) settings, so my ADHD was fully flaring up and every negative thought was destroying me...until I walked in the door :) All of the artists went above and beyond to make me feel welcome, the space was beautiful, the neighbourhood was fun, we had time at the start/finish of the week to do some city exploration and I got to do some really gnarly tattoos! Everything one could hope for in a guest spot. This really nice couple (not even from MTL) came specifically to play my “get what you get” card game and share their must-see spots. I got to tattoo some of my closest friends that live out there (and then catch up over beers afterwards). I was able to learn about some different setups and equipment in the shop. But most importantly I was able to make some real connections with MULTIPLE shops and a ton of artists, solidifying that I’ll definitely be going back to work out there in the future. I really feel like Montreal is going to play a key role in my tattooing growth. Sure, I didn’t get to do an insane amount of tattoos and make all the money, but it wasn’t about that for me. Each time I enter into a “first” in this job, I go in with the mindset of learning/trying/experiencing something new to add to my utility belt. The fact that the next time I go out I have THREE possible shops to work at alone is more than any amount of money. But for those that care; I averaged x2 tats a day, and made enough to pay for my share of the housing for the week (+shop rent). This also feels like a “universe moment” as I’m currently in the midst of packing up my gear to move into a new shop here at home, and am feeling all those same anxious feelings again.

If you’re ever in MTL go checkout DFA, they’re the real deal and I’ll never be able to express enough love for everyone I was able to hangout with!

#dfa tattoos #tattooing #blog #2023 #guest spot #tattoos #montreal #canada #travel

4 notes · View notes

diamondtaem6v6 · 1 year

Text

✨ 190105 - Taemin’s interview on AbemaTV Bros Magazine

He is a great success both as a member of SHINee and, of course, as a solo artist. Taemin, who succeeded in the long run tour with 32 performances in 18 venues nationwide in Japan. With his first solo tour, what is his current frank thought of growing further as an artist? We will deliver the interview that was on air on the show!

– You've reached the end of your first solo tour, how is your current feeling?

Taemin: It was a long tour, I think it passed quickly for me. Initially, although I was worried about being able to finish it safely, health management and performance, I was able to finish it well. And it was a really fun time, since it was a stage I could make with the dancers, staff members and the fans.

– What's your growth or evolution?

Taemin: I think my physical strength has improved. There were so many intense dances and rehearsals that I thought it would be hard if I didn't make adjustments but I got used to it more and more, and now I think I've gained more strength than before the tour.

– What kind of energy did the fans give you during the long tour?

Taemin: It was an “energy that helps me to push the limits”. For real. After an intense dance, I'm physically and mentally tired, but this energy everyone gives me, I can push the limits when I listen to them calling my name or cheering on me.

– Did you have any difficulties during the tour?

Taemin: The tour schedule continued, so I was careful about managing my physical condition. For example, there were days when my voice didn't come out well, but I ate a lot to overcome it! I really gain strength when I eat! I was just worried I would get swollen (laughs). During this tour, I ate properly and stood on the stage without dietary restrictions!

– How do you think this tour will help you in the future?

Taemin: I think it will help in all future activities. I felt once again that there were a lot of people who would work hard for me or for SHINee, and I thought that when I go back to Korea, I have to be aware of the feelings of the staffs. The team work is stronger right now and they understand my feelings even with just my facial expressions and so on. I'm impressed and really grateful for this.

– What would you like to try on your solo tour in the future?

Taemin: I want to show everyone a new kind of dance that was never seen before. And I want to sympathize* more with the fans. I think we need to change the atmosphere.

(*By “sympathize” he means “being able to understand how the fans feel”)

– Do you think your solo live experiences will be put good use in SHINee’s future activities?

Taemin: This time, there are no members around me to help me, so I think I can do what I couldn't do before. There have been changes throughout my solo activities, for example, I was not the type to talk very actively during MCs, but when I went on stage with SHINee after my solo activities, I became the type to talk a lot. I thought that this part has changed. I became more and more greedy and wanted to talk. Like that, I'm sure this tour will give me some power to give it back to SHINee.

– How to manage your physical condition during the tour?

Taemin: These days I go in the bathtub more often than before to relax/soften my muscles. And after all, of course, food. I used to eat food and fruits containing vitamins and take supplements and (thanks to that) I didn’t catch a cold and I’m doing very well.

– What are the 3 best things you ate during the tour?

Taemin: Everything was really good, so it's difficult to choose. The Genghis Khan and draft beer that I had in Sapporo were wonderful, although I’ve always liked it. And the Agu pork I ate in Okinawa! It's my first time eating it, but recently I've been into pork, so I've come to like it. And lastly, the tonkotsu ramen that I ate in Fukuoka.

– What kind of year was 2018 to you?

Taemin: I was really busy and it went by so quickly but I think it was a year when I was able to make a lot of memories. I had SHINee's activities and solo activities, and I had my first solo tour in Japan, and I had a lot of experience, so I think I can do my best next year as a more mature person.

– What if you could express 2018 in one word?

Taemin: “First step”. I think it was a year when I've had a lot of experiences and my personality has changed. If Taemin's new year is the first step, I'd like to show everyone where he's going from next year. I was actually an introvert and didn't go out much, but these days I’ve been going out every day. I've been to Japan a lot and the members have been out quite a bit and experienced Japanese culture but I wouldn’t come out much. But this year, I really enjoyed going to Kyoto for the first time, the festivals (matsuri) and Okinawa while touring.

– Has your feelings for your fans changed over the past 10 years since your debut?

Taemin: I used to be pretty scared. I'm afraid the fans will leave someday. But when I look back, there are a lot of fans around me, and I think: “Oh, I think I was wrong”. Recently I've gained more confidence and I'll continue to do my best to repay my fans' feelings.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Credits: AbemaTV Bros Magazine

JPN - ENG translation: @DiamondTaem

#shinee taemin #taemin #lee taemin #shinee #샤이니 #샤이니월드

4 notes · View notes

dream-loudly · 11 months

Text

The Impact of Beyoncé’s Renaissance - Album Review Almost One Year Later

May 28, 2023

It’s been almost a year since Beyoncé released her seventh studio album Renaissance, which was released July 29, 2022. Ever since that day, the album is still a daily discussion amongst critics and listeners alike. However, one thing that was very apparent while listening to this album was how queer it sounded. Everything from the ballroom influenced outro on ‘Heated’ to the flamboyant sounds on ‘Pure/Honey.’ This album is a gay fantasy. Nevertheless, how does this album stand the test of time one year later?

youtube

I’ve been a Beyoncé fan for as long as I remember. My favorite project by her to date would have to be B-Day, which was Beyoncé’s second studio album. B-Day in my opinion was a skipless masterpiece that will keep you moving from the first song to the last. It was when we got pop star Beyoncé. However, as Queen Bey’s career started to progress, she made the decision to make more artistic choices in her music that ranged from political awareness to personal themes such as marriage and infidelity. Nevertheless, this showed a lot of growth in Beyoncé’s artistry, but for me something was missing when she made the change in her career. I missed Beyoncé the pop star. I wanted her to make fun, carefree dance music. However, with Renaissance, Beyoncé is still political but displays it in a different way through the intersections of different communities, especially the queer community. Beyoncé has stated that this album is inspired by her late uncle Johnny who passed away from AIDS complications. The album is heavily influenced by Dance-pop, house, disco, R&B and Afrobeat. The first single that was released was ‘Break My Soul,’ which interpolates ‘Show Me Love,’ by Robin S. When I saw that title of the song, I assumed it was going to be a ballad, but I was pleasantly surprised by the sound, which was something I have never heard from Beyoncé. This was a sign that a new era was coming!

As July 29th approached, I was eager and excited to hear what this body of work would sound like in it’s entirety. At first listen, I was impressed by the complexities of the sounds. Every song had transitions that slowly faded into the next song similar to that of a DJ set. There’s a couple of transitions that come to mind, one being the Cuff it, Energy and Break My Soul transitions that were chief’s kiss and very pleasing to the ear. I loved how she wanted this album to feel like a club experience. Speaking of club experience, I went to a gay club one month after Renaissance was released and the DJ played four songs from the album. This says a lot considering that it isn’t always the norm to hear multiple songs from one artist, especially songs that would be considered deep cuts from an album. One of those deeps cuts that would eventually become a single is ‘Cuff It.’

youtube

Cuff It was definitely a highlight on this album for me. It’s bright, lighthearted and dance floor ready. It’s nostalgic and throwback to 70s disco. The song gained immense popularity on TikTok after users started creating dances to the song ultimately inspiring the “Cuff it challenge.” Along with Cuff It, there were other songs that were polarizing from this project such as Virgo’s Groove, which is a whopping six minutes in length. However, when listening to the track, it doesn’t feel like a long song as the harmonies and arrangements are made in a way to flow as it is too enjoyable to even think about the playing time. What is especially interesting to me about the song is the sultry outro in which Beyoncé coos the lyrics, “You’re the love of my life.” It is so beautiful yet striking to hear those powerhouse vocals, and apparently there’s emotion behind what she’s trying to convey. Another few songs that are worth mentioning are THIQUE, All Up In Your Mind and America Has a Song Problem.

youtube

Renaissance was released 10 months ago at this point and there seems to still be quite a dialogue going on about the album. In a way, it has taken on a life of its own. Before Renaissance Beyoncé was taking on social and political topics in her music about blackness and black liberation. However, she does the same thing here, but with the intersections of the queer community. House and disco were created by queer people of color, especially black and brown folks in cities such as New York and Chicago. Beyoncé does her homework when studying these sounds and as a result gives credit to the innovators who made this sound possible. However, we still have to acknowledge that Beyoncé is a cisgendered, straight woman dappling in this genre. There’s a big difference between appropriating and appreciating; however, Beyoncé is doing the latter. I’ve also noticed that the album is not an easy listen for most people. There are so many sounds, transitions and effects going on that it might be hard for the general listener to keep up with. This was evident recently when YouTuber AJay Deluxe reacted to Renaissance for the first time. And when I say that woman was dragged by social media, I mean DRAGGED! To be fair, house, dance and disco aren’t everyone’s cup of tea in terms of music, and everyone is entitled to their own opinion. Nevertheless, one problematic thing she said in her video is that Renaissance is “hip hop,” which is furtherest from the truth. Beyoncé is known for talk-singing in a melodic way so it is completely ignorant to call her music hip hop just because she’s singing or talking in rhythmic patterns. The tracks where you can clearly hear those tones are in Church Girl and THIQUE, but to say the whole album is considered hip hop is a stretch.

In conclusion, after spending one year with Renaissance, I still listen to the album at least twice a week. I’ve actually never grown tired of it. It simply gets better with every listen. It’s safe to say that this is my second favorite Beyoncé album (first being B-Day). I’m also astounded by how Beyoncé is constantly reinventing herself with each era in her career. As someone who has followed her since her days of Destiny’s Child, I am proud to say that she is just as relevant if not more than she was back when she debuted. Renaissance is going to be an album that we will be speaking about for years to come. It’s legendary, iconic and timeless.

#beyonce #renaissance #pop music #music #edm music #cuff it #break my soul #music review #album review #r&b/hip hop #r&b #black tumblr #black women #rihanna #lgbtq #black queer #queer love

2 notes · View notes

undrgrnd-nft · 1 year

Text

UNDRGRND ARTIST: JORDI GANDUL

BY NFTJOE, ORIGINALLY POSTED SEPTEMBER 23, 2022 ON UNDRGRND.IO

THE SEWERS

Each week 100 NFTs are minted and randomly airdropped to UNDRGRND Membership Cardholders. To find out how you can be featured as an UNDRGRND Artist check out our Discord.

______________________________________________________________

An entire generation coming of age during the current iteration of an artistic renaissance raised on anime gives us these talented animators conveying dark themes and undertones behind colorful cartoons.

Jordi Gandul, from Barcelona, is one of these artists focusing his creations around industrialization, typically indicating growth and success while bringing with it corruption, deceit and pollution. Born and raised in a small town outside of Barcelona, Tarragona, home of the largest chemical hub in southern Europe. Quick internet searches will bring about marketing materials celebrating the jobs created and the exporting and importing of a wide variety of chemical and natural resources. What you will not find is the effect it has on the surrounding areas, specifically the communities and people who run these chemical plants.

“You can go outside and ask everyone their thoughts about this topic,” says Jordi, “you will quickly see the people’s disappointment.”

“Rich people rule the game, just to make money, so they can keep winning this game. Workers’ safety and wellness are not a priority. We are not listened to. We’re always blamed if a company fails, like the explosion that took place in my town. Two persons died, and they are still blamed for it by the owners of the plant who didn’t even make it to court. They were young and, in fact, hired with no training at all, just for the sake of saving money for the company. And then tragedy happens. And if we try to protest about it, we get beaten up by policemen, so that’s why I say authorities should be accountable for this matter, and not cover up to make people forget about it. That kind of stuff makes it hard for us to trust them.”

“We are done with explosions, bad smells, bad air quality and cancer.”

Growing up poor Jordi’s art was never encouraged or seen as a possible career to pursue. Like many families from his town, they were far too busy with work to see the potential in Jordi’s talent. So while he does not see his work as political or as a social critique but rather as a freestyle expression, it’s impossible to ignore the impact that his life has had on his art. He creates what he knows and experiences.

“I’ve been lost for a lot of time, trying to understand where I could fit,” Jordi says, “It took so many years to trust in myself and know that I’m able to build what I want.”

What Jordi is building are beautiful cities filled with the same toxic (literally and figuratively) issues. However, here he is the omnipotent voice speaking to those injustices.

#UNDRGRND #undrgrnd #tezos (xtz)#nftcommunity #nftmagazine #crypto #cryptoart #nft #nftcollection #nftgallery #objktnft #crypto latest news #blockchain

6 notes · View notes

sharecreators · 2 years

Text

3A Project Creative Insights and Sprout Program at Share Creators

Dunhuang Chen has told us 3A project creative experience at Share Creators, shared some personal insights about working at Share Creators, and spoke about the Share Creators Sprout Program.

Hi, I’m Dunhuang Chen! I have been working for Share Creators for almost a year now since the end of 2021. Now I've been in 2D team, mainly doing character design, environmental design, 2D rendering and so on and I am a Leading artist now.

How did I become a designer?

The American sci-fi blockbusters and Japanese anime I watched when I was young had a profound influence on my future growth. Especially in the 1980s, many Japanese Cyberpunk cartoons, such as Akira, Bubble gum Crisis, Ghost in the Shell, etc. The avant-garde design and fascinating world view in them were my spiritual food when I was young. The later Star Wars is undoubtedly the leader of my temple of faith. The scenes, props, vehicles and character designs in it are unprecedented. The Matrix and Blade Runner are all works that I am deeply addicted to. These childhood interests led me all the way to become a concept designer, so that I could design sci-fi movie games myself in the future. After graduating from high school, I went to the Central Academy of Fine Arts (CAFA), the top art institution in China. Because of being obsessed with these avant-garde conceptual designs, I finally chose animation as a less traditional major, which can give full play to my rich imagination and creative desire.

I also had a legendary experience when I came to Art Center College of Design（ACCD）, because my brother and I were both in Central Academy of Fine Arts（CAFA）, he was an industrial design major, and his teachers often used Scott Robertson's works as examples, so I first knew that he was a legendary teacher of ACCD and the founder of the entertainment design program. Later, in the graduation exhibition of CAFA, the dean of the Department of Automobile came and liked our graduation design very much. He told us that he graduated from ACCD, so he recommended us. If you are keen on conceptual design, I think ACCD is the best choice.

Therefore, my brother and I decided to study in Art Center College of Design. We chose the direction of entertainment in illustration. Here I finally have the opportunity to systematically contact and learn the top design in the industry, and communicate face to face with the legendary designers in the industry.

The 3A project experience at Share Creators

After graduation, I participated in the design work of several major projects, such as Treyarch's Call of Duty Black Ops 4 character ART, which was quite challenging. As a fresh graduate, it took me some time to adapt to the style needs of customers. After that, I did character design for Destiny 2 and scene architecture and vehicle design for Lucas Film. And vehicle designs for domestic sci-fi movies. These famous IP designs have accumulated a lot of industry experience for my future work and growth.

In 2021, I joined Share Creators and embarked on a new journey. Here at Share Creators, there's a great atmosphere to work with. There are so many exciting 3A projects, basically every artist can choose what they're good at, and there's demand across the pipeline, whether you're a 2D, 3D, Modeler or VFX group, you can always find a place. At the same time, Share Creators is very friendly to new recruits. At the beginning, AD will give me some test tasks, and there will be a process of gradual adaptation and improvement. Especially after a period of cooperation, there will be a performance evaluation, where AD will point out your existing problems, and you can come up with any needs at any time. We are all very active at work and often share interesting information on the platform. When we need any help, AD will allocate human resources at any time to help any artist who needs help. New recruits never work alone here!

In addition, many artists from all over the world work in different time zones, and some of them can work from home. In short, everyone can find their best working hours and maintain high efficiency, which was a big surprise to me. Personally, I really liked the hybrid office model here at Share Creators.

What's more important to me is that newcomers get a quick access to a number of prestigious 3A programs here!

I went straight to Diablo immortal character and weapon design when I first joined the 2D team, as a world-famous IP，I really understand how Rigorous Diablo's design standards are. It requires highly artistic skills and Aesthetics. At first, I even questioned my design abilities for that. The feedback of first draft was not so bad. It points out that my design was too narrow, safe. It needed to be more ambitious and exaggerated. For example, my designs were more like for movie rather than game. Character’s form language and details are lack of exaggeration. However, the customer provided accurate reference and later I carefully studied Blizzard Diablo's design philosophy. My design progress became more and more smoother after I fully studying the style of their work. I gained Deep understanding of Blizzard's "over-design" philosophy form this project. Blizzard Diablo's design was a combination of exaggeration and Rationality. It was beautiful and reasonable. I really enjoyed the process of designing Diablo armor and weapons.

A few months later, I began work on the Lord of Ring illustrate project. I personally love the Lord of the Rings IP, both the movies and the novels, so I am very excited and proud to be involved with this famous IP. This project is also a new challenge for me, because illustration is different from single design, which requires a series of complex artistic skills such as skillful use of colors and shadows in all aspects. In addition, I have worked on a number of 3A projects such as Garena Free Fire and PUBG: Mobile X The Boys co-promotion. All in all, there are a large number of 3A projects that Share Creators have been deeply involved in producing, and there are plenty of opportunities to participate in major IP projects here at Share Creators.

How do new artists get rapid growth?

At Share Creators, there are a wide range of artistic projects in different styles, from realistic to cartoon, where each artist can find his or her most suitable position and give full play to his or her talents. In addition, the artists here get together like a big family and cooperate with each other to solve problems. They are not independent, and each artist can always seek help and support from other colleagues. For example, AD checks my progress and achievements, and gives me guidance and suggestions at any time. In this way, I can not only ensure the smooth completion of daily work, but also learn experience and new skills from the guidance of senior.

At the same time, the company has a lot of internal training courses, coverage from 3d to 2d, 3d technology, such as different modeling, lighting, rigging, composition, color, etc.. For artists who are very specialized in a certain technology, they can learn a variety of skills to make up for their shortcomings and ensure that they can still improve their abilities during work. As for me, I volunteered to go to internal training classroom every Friday, where I learned very useful art skills.

It is worth mentioning that here I also get the hands-on instruction of artists like Sasha Beliaev. Sasha Beliaev is a legendary artist that I admired very much when I was a student. It is my great honor to work with this legendary artist, which makes me unforgettable in my life. I still remember a task he assigned to me at that time. Every time I made a change, he would personally guide me and share his work process experience with me. For several times, he did a demo directly by video and voice.

In addition, there are omnipotent ADs like Saeed and Magda, who are on hand to provide artistic guidance. I am very lucky to work with these legendary artists on major IP projects, and I can greatly improve my strength in doing the projects. I can learn new experience and industry skills every day here.

At Share Creators, if you want to try or learn different content, artists can contact and learn the content of the whole business line through job rotation system. I believe this flexible job rotation system can enrich employees' familiarity and cognition of the whole business line, so as to improve their comprehensive ability in an all-round way. Personally, I have been working as a front-line designer at present, but I am gradually involved in certain project management, so I am free to change positions, and AD will provide help and training, so I don't feel too much pressure. Here, everyone has a great opportunity to manage art projects and improve their management ability, which is really precious for artists. These are all the immediate benefits that Share Creators Sprout Program has brought to me.

Insights on design and creation

In terms of design, I personally believe that inspiration can come from any design that moves you in life, whether it is the conceptual design of others, the design of nature, or the design of reality. My creative idea is to define myself first -- what do I want to create? A character? Mecha? Creature? Secondly, you can ask yourself 5 W, that is, why, what, when, who, where. When you've answered these five questions, you've built your framework. The rest is the excitement, the occasional feeling of pain or confusion, but ultimately the joy of the creative process! Each in-depth design is to improve their original idea, but also in the continuous exploration to find some design logic flaws or impassability. Sometimes they even make radical changes, realizing that the original design was not rigorous enough to find new and more interesting ideas. Like a hobbit's unexpected journey, it may end up in a design that is not what you intended. Isn't that interesting?

In terms of creation style, I like to combine some conflicting elements, such as new and old materials, different modeling languages and different pattern patterns. For example, when I design Sci-Fi characters, I like to combine some classical clothing styles, but the tailoring materials may be very sci-fi. The strong contrast of modeling language gives people a sense of conflict of The Times, which is refreshing. Sometimes the consideration is not only simple visual impact, a lot of it is how to make your design fresh in a variety of cultural backgrounds, but also conform to the aesthetic logic. Therefore, I often do this kind of challenging work, sometimes it takes a long time to explore the style, sometimes it takes days to work on a detail, and I love the feeling of exploration.

As for creation skills, I believe that as a professional concept designer, basic artistic skills are the most basic, followed by design ability. It is undoubtedly very important to skillfully use reference and research. For example, during breakdown reference, I will extract the features that best summarize the characteristics of the reference, and then abstract and simplify them into visual elements to be integrated into my design. In this way, I can make my design achieve an unexpected wonderful feeling through the clever combination!

Advice for new recruits

There are plenty of opportunities to work with big artists and work on famous IPs. It is very important to exercise your skills, improve your professional quality, and keep a love of learning and the pursuit of progress. You're about to embark on an extraordinary journey with Share Creators!

2 notes · View notes

sen-no-kotowari · 2 years

Text

Selena Interlude: Stardust Song Ch 2

Chapter 2: Divine Comedy

Eden would like to express our gratitude for your contributions. As all of mankind are Eden's valiant soldiers, your noble sacrifices will never be forgotten.

Even though it hasn’t been long since Selena became a Structure, there weren’t any troubles or dramas that occurred in her daily life as she had thought. Most of the Structures in the World Administration’s Arts Association were affiliated with the Archeology Platoon Unit. The military’s official elite units called this unit “Rover.” With Rover at the heart of the infantry unit, they appear to be similar to 16th-century archeologists who are accompanied by the expedition unit while under the strictest security protocols. The Archeology Platoon’s mission and work naturally involve “archeology”—in other words, they are in charge of examining, retrieving, and restoring the legacies humanity left behind. Selena has never directly fought in battle. The few two missions she took were also simple archeological investigations like this at a nearby satellite. She has never even fought against what people call “Infected,” so to speak. That’s why Selena was honestly surprised when she accepted the mission to investigate the space station.

(......)

Allen: The space station will soon enter an intersecting trajectory with us. We hope for the Archeology Platoon to participate with the Elite Corps’ vanguards in this mission. During battle, they should retrieve as much data about the space station as possible

You should also come along with them, Selena.

Selena: You’re allowing me to join them?

Allen: Do you not wish to go?

Selena: No, of course, I’d love to go. It’s just that I was just surprised, I thought that I wouldn't be able to participate in such a large-scale mission given my career.

Allen: No, you are more than qualified. You could even say that the missions you’ve participated in up to date were perfect. There aren't many members within the Art Association’s Archeology Platoon today who’re as strict and responsible as you are.

Aside from that, I’ve accepted that you’ve always wanted to be sent to the frontline together with the Structures from the Elite Corps. The operation this time is going to be beneficial for your growth. Use this opportunity to accumulate multiple experiences.

Selena: Thank you for your kindness, chairman.

Allen: No need to thank me for this… That’s right, Selena. There’s one question that’s been on my mind, but it might be too personal and impolite to ask you about it.

Selena: Please ask away. I have nothing to hide.

Allen: Looking at your personal history— …No, I’m rather curious about you since before.

People said that your opera had a huge influence on Eden. Everyone in the World Administration Arts Association saw that your future has potential and no one doubted your talent and actual capabilities as an artist.

Your family’s circumstances aren’t remorseful either, so your future should’ve been bright as a diamond. I don’t think you have a compelling reason for becoming a Structure though…

Despite that, just why did you become a Structure and joined the Archeology Platoon?

Please don’t take this out of context. It’s fine whether you continue being a member of the Archeology Platoon or pursue your past hobbies. Since there will regularly be on missions, however, the time you can direct your attention to opera will be far less than before…

I don’t think you’ve given up on opera. Yet still, you won’t do anything half-heartedly either.

What made you take up the sword over the pen and stand here at this moment?

(......)

“Normally this would’ve been a simple investigative archeological mission, and yet I wonder why it turned out like this?” While their investigation about the space station is ongoing, one member of the Archeology Platoon was able to unlock the electronic lock of the Outer Part of the space station. It was a once-in-a-lifetime chance. The captain of the Elite Corps made adjustments to the grueling encounters as they decided to make their way towards the Inner Parts of the space station since the information about the space station could become a turning point in changing the tides of this war— “—However, when we saw those cruciform-shaped enemies, we were supposed to immediately fall back.”

But tragically, such a presumption was impossible. When they surprisingly managed to enter the deepest part of the space station, they realized the “truth” behind this place. In the middle of the massive circular room, the core of the geometric entity, which can be called blue-light emitting geometric shape, continually changed its location while under a continuous cycle of dispersion and agglomeration.

Elite Corps Member: W-what in the world is that thing?!

Elite Corps Captain: Is that an Infected Automata? Archeology Platoon, check the database for information about that!

Selena: We’ve compared it to the existing data we have, but we couldn’t find a match. Similar to that cruciform object earlier, it’s a new type of enemy Eden has yet to encounter.

The cerulean core of the geometric entity started to gradually change the composition of its shell while it rang out a mechanical sound, as though it was restored to life. It’s as if it was a beast that sensed others invading its territory.

Selena: Be careful! It seems like it’s about to launch an attack on us!

(——)