#courage to start

[languagegarden]

some advice from a musician who picked up drawing again after YEARS of putting it off

This is Brann Dailor, drummer and singer for Mastodon.He always drew when he was a kid but someday he just stopped. He was no longer compelled to it and had no ideas, then fell out of practice and just stopped. Over the course of 25 years he amassed all these sketchbooks, pencils and whatnot for the day he would eventually start drawing again.

Years went by but he didn’t want to force it, pressure himself so he always found an excuse to not start drawing. “I’m not an artist. I’m not talented”, he calls himself a “self defeatist” because he doesn’t want to fail and because he’s scared of failure he doesn’t even start. But why this fear? He thinks he’s not good enough at drawing, he also talks about how deeply he cares about what other people think, what they would think of his skill level.

But when the pandemic hit and he couldn’t play shows anymore and at some point he wasn’t even allowed to meet with his bandmates, that was the moment he pulled out his drawing utensils he had been hoarding all these years. He drew a clown a day, each drawing was finished within a day. It became a routine, a therapeutic ritual, a meditation. He got excited to sit down everyday, look at his progress, look at what needed some work, what he had to teach himself, for example drawing hands.

What Brann says about drawing can be applied to other hobbies, passions as well:

- even if you care what other people think it shouldn’t stop you from doing something you get excited about and you should learn how to deal with different reactions: “if you like it cool if you don’t like it cool”

- get out of your own way and at least try. don’t push it off,don’t find another excuse to never start

- be okay with feeling foolish. you’ll not master everything immediately, you figure stuff out along the way, you’ll improve

A lot of this comes down to being confident and daring, having the courage to start something. neither other people’s opinion nor your own perfectionism should hold you back. and please don’t give up before you even tried.

interview is worth watching! whatever you’ve been putting off, whatever you want to try/learn…(he’s not dressed up as a clown in the interview I PROMISE xD)

xoxo,

A.

[funsimplethings]

[lyoneve]

May I offer you some fluffy Stede/Ed that I put off finishing for two years?

[vivrhan]

　　　 ૮ ྀི ◞ ◟ ა　　 ୨୧　　 𓈒　　 🐑

[aucupariaart]

0. The Fool

Heeey! I’m back with a new version of my Tarot cards! And all 78 have already finished lineart and I’m now in the process of colouring, but I will start posting them now!

The Fool didn’t change that much all in all to the first version, but I think the colours a way nicer here. The important things I wanted to keep here is the sun behind Luffy’s hat. I also got rid of Goa in the background since I found that it just distracted from the important part. All in all it is a bit simpler, but I like it way better.

[latenightsundayblues]

Lil switcheroo AU I couldn't stop thinking about ever since I saw that one drawing by @gattobamboom

Adam's in the role of Amanda, Lawrence's in the role of Lynn and vice-versa

[clumsypuppy]

Alex and my farmer Cosmo (he/him)

[counting-stars-gayly]

when you realize that “death first to vultures and scavengers” is also a main theme of the series (see: lyctors eating the souls of their dead cavaliers)

[blorbologist]

Oh. oh this has to be a deliberate callback.

Percy has the courage to put his heart on the line and start a relationship (knowing this could be trouble and taking the chance anyways) and Vex doesn't (throwing the bottle of Courage which, per sound effects, shatters)

And Vex's response to that statement from her brother...

And yet Percival is the cleverest man you know? hm?

not what I expected to get out of my s1 rewatch but I'll take it!

[its-coda]

It’s him. Calculus

[no main story spoilers for now please, still at the island arc]

[sabugabr]

They are gonna be so personal to me

[macabrewhims]

"ceaseless watcher, turn your gaze upon this wretched thing"

(quote from the magnus archives, episode 165)

[luzzarm]

Martin & Lewis ♡

July 25, 1946 — ∞ 💕

Little coloured sketch I did back in february 2024. (Idk what I was waiting for to post it either, lol)

Really hope you like it ~♡

[wishfulsketching]

I don't know if people can relate but I struggle to draw real life actors. Like, a lot. I keep going "I am not doing them justice" or "I am not drawing their most important features right". They look too much like I drew them rather than like themselves?

I've been trying to doodle some Stargate stuff but I am just looking at the doodles like no. It's cartoony and too "pretty" and not "real". And with too pretty I mean hmm like I am erasing their actual features with my artstyle. Smoothing over things by simplifying lines and all that.

I don't know, man. I don't think about these things when looking at other people's fanart?? Augh

[wardingshout]

Hi Livi!

I finally gathered the courage to send something to your ask box. There’s so much I want to say, but I'm not very good at expressing myself, so if my words seem a bit jumbled, I hope you don't mind.

I started using Tumblr a little over a year ago, and I remember stumbling upon one of your artworks after searching the “alttp” tag. I was so incredibly happy and excited — I loved it immediately, especially because it’s so rare to see ALTTP-related art where I’m from.

Back then, I didn’t pay much attention to who the artist was and just kept browsing. But over time, I realized that so many of the amazing pieces I loved were actually created by you! Honestly, your art is breathtaking. The way you portray Link and Zelda outside of the game’s narrative makes them feel so real. Your inspiration and creativity seem endless.

Your use of bright, intricate, and emotionally resonant colors fills every piece with a sense of story — sometimes with a gentle sadness, sometimes with tiny, charming interactions that make me smile.

I remember seeing that you draw on a particular site, and I tried using it too. It was really hard 😣 and made me admire your work even more — I’m amazed at how you manage to create such rich, detailed pieces on such a tiny canvas and with such limited tools.

Your compositions and the way you frame your scenes are incredible too — the perspectives you use, whether it's looking up, down, or close-up, show such skill and depth. I’ve been obsessed with your artwork for a long time 🥺🥺

And the outfits you design for Link and Zelda — they’re absolutely beautiful. They’re so different from the classic green tunic, yet they feel *exactly* like something the characters would wear. I don’t think any language could fully express how much I love your costume designs. Please allow me to scream for a moment here.

There’s still so much I want to say, but now that I’m writing, I find myself at a loss for words. So I’ll just say this: you are truly an amazing artist. Your work is astonishing and deeply captivating.

Also, I drew some of your versions of Link and Zelda — I hope you’ll like them! (Screaming again, their designs are just too beautiful 😭😭)

VIOLET HI!!! 💕💕💕

I'm sorry I have no idea where to start here, I'm feeling so overwhelmed in the best way ever! I just barely managed to load this ask before leaving the locker room at work yesterday and ended up hiding there until everyone else left bc I didn't want them to see my cry haha💕,,

I don't think there's any beginning or end to how emotional this got me and to how honoured I feel to have my art described in such a way;; this is!! absolutely everything I've ever dreamed of reaching with my art, so having someone else putting it into words just from looking at is so incredible !!!! ;v; even if it's hard to feel happy about my own stuff it seems like I can still portray the things I want to, this makes me so happy 🥹💕💕

and especially because a lot of this is stuff I absolutely love about your art too!!!! you have such an incredible way of creating soft, yet somber atmospheres and your compositions always come off so intentional and interesting !!! the way you blend so many different colours into everything looks both natural and interesting and it's one of my absolute favourite things from art !! ✨✨✨

Seeing you back on tegaki was such a joy too !!! ;v; even if it ended up feeling difficult, I was so excited to see you there and getting to check your posts for new comments brought me so much joy !!!! I always wanted to send you more comments but got so caught up in the excitement of you posting smth yourself I got distracted from it too often...

in general I'm always so excited to see you post new art !!! and super grateful we get to see a lot of your sketches lately too !!!! you art has such a consistent and pretty style and always comes off so smooth and effortless and interesting and it has inspired me so much !!! 💖💖💖🥹💕

I'm feeling a bit lost for words since there's So much I want to say it's difficult to phrase it properly. but you bringing up fun tegaki memories reminded me of the most fun way to thank people! (I tried bringing out the classic palette too!)

and since I also really love the way you draw them too and I was sad I missed maid day (yet again) them !!

I've been absolutely losing my mind over the way you drew my little guys!!!!!!!;; I've been looking at them so much already they almost feel ingrained into my brain, to the point I almost forgot they were real !!! there's no way I could properly thank you for all of this; the amazing art, the incredibly nice words and all the art inspiration you bring me by sharing your work!!! I'm feeling so so lucky and again so so honoured ;v; 💖💖💖💕💖💕

[i-am-as-normal-as-you-are]

Keep thinking about this Payneland Sentinels/Guides + Wing AU idea I had awhile ago SO y'all get to deal with me rambling

Quick info about Sentinels and Guides

~ A Sentinel is a person with enhanced senses (touch, sight, hearing, smelling, and taste), due to the enhanced senses it can become very overwhelming - similar to pulling a muscle, that can happen with their senses being too overstimulated

~ Guides help to ground and calm a Sentinel

~ Together they can help control and focus a Sentinel's abilities as well

Check out this cool Sentinels and Guides info post if you don't know what they are, the person does a great job explaining things

Now rambling time

Edwin is a Sentinel and Charles is a Guide

Overall Sentinels and Guides are rarities here, they were less known about during Edwin's time and were shunned - during Charles' time there was more knowledge on them but they still weren't really accepted by everyone - then modern day there's definitely better acceptance compared to the past + laws/rights protecting them

While Edwin was alive, he didn't have a Guide, but had some control to not get too overwhelmed due to his enhanced senses (or at least not show it around others, otherwise he'd definitely hear about it from his family)

But Hell threw that bit of control and composure out the window with how intense it was.

He thought that with escaping he'd be able to get some reprieve, but he still feels too much, and there's so many new things around him that it takes awhile to attempt adjusting.

Then he stumbles onto Charles and things start to feel a little less, more comfortable and controlled.

When Charles dies, they learn that he can't feel things like before, which they assume is the norm for ghosts. BUT he can feel Edwin perfectly fine, especially after bonding. He only has senses when it regards Edwin, like for example he can smell Edwin's ghostly hair pomade. Plus Charles is able to detect him nearby.

(I hc that a lot of ghost's senses are dulled or seem off compared to when alive, like touching things feel odd or smells seem dulled - so Charles would follow that logic + the special added bonus of properly feeling Edwin and his senses being able to detect Edwin due to being his Guide)

They learn that Edwin has all of his enhanced senses in tact, so for example he's still capable of tasting/eating but doesn't need to eat since he's a ghost so he doesn't see a point in doing it unless if it's necessary for a case (sometimes Edwin wishes he could give that capability to Charles since Charles reminisces and misses food a lot)

During the beginning, they basically had to stay attached at the hip. Anytime they'd tried to do something separately, Edwin would get spikes or zone-out frequently. Edwin hated feeling so useless plus thinking that he's trapped Charles where he won't move on due to Edwin's reliance on him - Charles does enjoy being around Edwin, he also really enjoys that he can feel and sense him, he's now in a world that he can't properly feel things like when alive but then there's Edwin as his beacon, but sometimes he worries that he's just using Edwin to feel something like 'Am I touching him too much, is he uncomfortable and just not saying anything?'

Things improve overtime where they can go do their own thing from time to time, but still just usually default to sticking together. They started taking on cases especially since Edwin's enhanced senses seemed perfect for it.

Also at first they bond and see it as plantonic.

It isn't till Crystal comes around which causes Edwin to have more territorial/protective instincts and jealousy come out regarding Charles + all of the stuff in Port Townsend, that they start to think about taking it further towards it being romantic.

(Bonus: Crystal thinking they're already together cause they constantly touch each other and have been caught cuddling together)

Then combining the wing au idea with the Sentinel/Guide stuff

So here Sentinels and Guides are also born with wings, at times it's used as a way to help easily spot others (So for example, in modern day if an unbonded Sentinel might be having a spike or zone-out, others might seek out the nearest person with wings who is an unbonded Guide to assist the Sentinel)

Edwin has the wings of a Little Owl and Charles has the wings of a Laggar Falcon

When alive, Edwin was to bind his wings and hide them so others wouldn't see them, only able to have them out in private. Then while in Hell, he had to learn the habit of keeping his wings tucked very close to his body or else they would be a huge liability.

Charles keeps his wings out since he finds them cool, but also tries his best to keep them under control. Too many instances of him getting too excited and his wings accidentally knocking something over... his dad wasn't happy.. (His dad hates his wings, but his mom praises how beautiful they are)

After they meet and Edwin binds his wings out of habit, Charles immediately puts a stop to it cause that CAN'T be healthy. But Edwin will still keep them closely tucked to his body.

Edwin has found that when Charles helps him calm down, he quite enjoys when Charles wraps his wings around him to encompass both of them. It helps block things out.

Then it took awhile, mainly due to Edwin not being as open about his wings, where they help preen/groom each other's wings

Edwin was used to making do on his own, while Charles usually had help from his mom. So it started with Charles asking for help, then Charles saw what Edwin was doing and decided that boy needs help (like 'Edwin this spot is an absolute mess cause you can't reach it properly, I'm helping you')