#lot of fun figuring out the shading and stuff

[honeyhonest]

I've been thinking about how some of the twst guys are either discovering (by coming at nrc) or shall never ever know what porn is and it's very funny in my head; from what I've been told by friends who were in my highschool's dorms, poor Riddle and Azul definitely got unwillingly exposed to it while doing room rounds; the tweels are freaks and unlimited internet access once on land means it probably took them less than a month to find out that wow humans take videos of themselves doing that huh; kalim probably has a childproofed browser; Malleus, Sebek, and Silver are NEVER ever in a situation where they could find out and shall go back to briar valley and remain blissfully ignorant their whole lives; meanwhile Lilia found out while downloading mods and texture packs, did a hard double take on the adds, clicked because he didn't know yet what internet scams and viruses are, and also had the same revelation that Wow humans take videos of themselves doing that. Then proceeded to spend his evening giggling, looking it up to check how freaky humans could get. Probably never watches porn after that, unless he's curious about specific kinks he learns of later on while hanging out on game forums, anyway it's always only to learn/giggle at it. These are my headcanons

wait can I do headcanons for all the third years!!! and fellow and crowley. I might actually have something to say about this

trey - stumbled across it while looking for recipes online (googled "cream pie", forgot to add the space), didn't stick with him. imagination user. could probably do scary masturbatory things with his UM. knows of porn, doesn't need it, not curious. not for moral reasons, it's just... again the magic thing

cater - I agree with every single take that he jerks off to magicam model's swimsuit pics. yep, the airbrushed filtered shit. stuff that idia (our resident femcel enjoyer) would shudder in fear at the very thought of. no taste for porno, watched some with old friends but didn't get into it. I don't think caycay has much of a libido so he mostly jerks off to let off steam

leona - leona is a rational guy, from the moment he figured out sex and figured out the internet he could put two-and-two together. does he watch it? no. thinks it's unrealistic and tacky. he has CLASS, thank you. he also doesn't really have a high libido, IMO

rook - actually, same as leona. power of deduction! likes amateur porn but doesn't actually get off to it. just sort of... enjoys watching it? reads erotica and commissions a lot of bizarre RPF fetish art in his spare time

vil - accidentally put on one of the X-rated movies his dad produced (HE WAS NOT IN IT), decided he'd seen enough of THAT! jk lol, he probably gets antsy watching the occasional very well-shot softcore sex scene in movies. can maintain an air of indifference, though. secretly enjoys whatever the twst-equivalent of 50 shades is

idia - idk, you know I'm going to say it's hentai and weird deviantart fetish stuff, there's nothing more to add. he's been online for a loooong time. he's like the opposite of cater: (irl) smooth, airbrushed, clean women freak him out, he can't get hard to that

malleus - has never seen porn and has no intention to. I DO think he knows of it (he goes to an all-boys school, after all) but he has no interest in watching two or more people he doesn't know have sex. it just doesn't make sense to him

lilia - will answer this in the next ask!

rollo - almooost the same as malleus, BUT he has watched a few videos out of curiosity, got aroused, felt sick to his stomach, and then quickly repressed the guilt of that by knitting for six hours straight or something. he comes back to porn every once in a while; he likes solo masturbation stuff because it feels less intense

fellow - who even knows how he found out, not even he can remember. he likes the magazine kind, less of a hassle for him, more fun to jerk off on the toilet with

crowley - one time saw a half-naked woman in a vintage drawing and almost passed out

[moralcandy]

take a bite! 🩸(close-up under the cut ↓)

[commander-goo]

sophie REALLLL

[lilianne-tarot]

PICK-A-CARD: How do strangers really see you ✮⋆˙

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I. II. III.

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How to Pick Your Pile: Take a deep breath, clear your mind, and look at the images below. Which one pulls you in the most? Trust your gut! Once you choose the image, The number below your chosen image is your pile. If more than one catches your eye, that just means there’s extra tea for you, go ahead and read both!

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ִ ࣪𖤐⭑Pile I

Cards pulled: 7 of wands, judgement, 9 of cups, queen of wands, ace of swords, the devil, the high priestess, pluto, Sagittarius and the oracle cards.

Okay, babe, let me start by saying this loud and clear: YOU. GET. NOTICED. Like, whether you’re walking into a room, online on your social media profiles, or literally just existing, you catch people’s eyes, period. Your energy is so powerful, it's so unapologetically seductive and alluring, very sexual too. And you know what’s hilarious, Judgment popped out, and in a reading about what strangers think of you?? Girl, I cackled. Like YES of course this card is here. Because people are definitely out here forming assumptions, opinions, even gossips about you. And somehow things reaches you everytime and you’re like “lol okay.” LMAOO

Now listen, most of these assumptions are not coming from random people on the street. This is work-related people. These people are from your professional environment, coworkers, classmates, peers. If you’re in school, think seniors, classmates, mutuals you’re not close with or literally just people who want to be you. They see you as that one person who holds their ground, boldly themselves who isn’t afraid to shake things up if that concerns your career stuff. People assume that you don’t like to play small. babe. That intimidates people. Like, badly.

You’ve got this vibe like… if someone tries to come at you with shade or some weak insult, you’re just standing there, arms crossed, looking them dead in the eye, like “anything else” 😐 And omg the way that just destroys them from the inside out 😭 They don’t know what to do with that energy. They were hoping you’d flinch, but instead you hit them with deadpan queen energy, and they will never try that again. I see that lot o people try to scare you off but fails to do that.  But, the people who actually know you, They think that you are so fun, so sweet, and literally gives the BEST advice.” They’re seeing the angel core under all that boss b*tch exterior. Yall have an INSANE DUALITY. Fire energy is very strong here. You’re powerful and nurturing. Strategic and soft. People can’t figure out how you manage to be so committed, hardworking, AND still a joy to be around, but you just do.

AND, to your colleagues or classmates, You don’t even try and they feel threatened. People consider you their competition without you having to do anything. You just exist and suddenly they’re in competition mode.  They feel challenged by your presence alone. Even those who seem more powerful or qualified, They’re secretly sweating. You shake people up like that.

There’s also this vibe like… strangers kind of assume your life is super intense, Like they see you as someone who’s constantly balancing a million responsibilities, always hustling, always climbing some invisible mountain. And let’s be real, you are always trying to the most you can. They think you’re burned out half the time, but you still show up smiling, determined, and ready to take on more. That’s what makes you unforgettable. Even if they’re whispering like “ugh, she’s doing too much,” deep down they’re like “wait, how is she still going?? Why can’t I be like that??” im seeing that, sometimes you take up more responsibilities than you can handle and STILL manage to complete all of them (uhm… but the breakdown you have behind close doors, let’s keep that between us lol) 

And I cannot ignore this one thing that’s been echoing since I pulled the cards, the word “awesome” just keeps coming. That’s literally the first thing people think when they see you: awesome. Not “cute,” not “cool,” but just this all-caps WOW kind of awe. And one more extra information, I rolled Pluto on the astro dice while channeling, and babe, Judgment is ruled by Pluto too. Which means? You’re not just memorable, you’re transformative. People remember you. You change how they think, how they see things, how they feel about themselves. Even if they never speak to you again, they remember the vibe you gave.

from a total stranger’s perspective, they instantly assume that you’re super giving and generous with the people you’re close to. Like, you ride hard for your loved ones. That energy shows. And it’s not just vibe, , they see it in how you talk, how you act, how you prioritize. You’re the kind of person who makes your people feel safe and spoiled at the same time. And honey, that image is powerful. One of the first things people notice is your bubbly, playful nature. You’re just that fun energy in the room. You're magnetic without trying, smiling, chatting, maybe teasing people a little, just existing with that sunshine energy. But you're not just sweet. You’re also pretty. Like, actually STUNNING. That’s not even an opinion, it’s a consensus. You’ve got a physical beauty that makes people double-take, and on top of that, You're dripping in this intense, irresistible feminine energy, regardless of your gender.

And let me tell you something else… you are lusted over. Like, no exaggeration. People, especially ladies, feel something when they see you. You’re that kind of person who is called, “for the ladies” Same gender, opposite gender, whoever, it doesn’t matter. But there’s a very strong pull coming from women or femme energies in particular. You’ve got that soft, nurturing, dreamy vibe that’s lowkey addictive. They want to be around you. They want to know you. Some of them even want to claim you, period. People are easily sexually pulled towards you and maybe you also get  lot of compliments from ladies. 

You might even get a little obsessive yourself sometimes 👀 Like when you like someone, you like them. All in. No playing games. You’ve probably had your fair share of "crazy in love" moments. Like insane jealousy, possessive moments etc.  You’re also seen as playful and brave when it comes to feelings. Like if you like someone? You’re not afraid to shoot your shot. You will confess. You’re that person who says what everyone else is too scared to say. And when you’re in love? It’s intense. Like all-consuming, addictive, wild ride type of love.

Alsooo, not to expose anyone but... some of y’all might be attracted to the same gender, and it shows. You’ve got this open, fluid, non-conforming kinda energy that just welcomes attraction from all sides. it’s like “everyone has a crush on me and that’s their problem.” your sex appeal, It’s LOUD. Even if you’re not aware of it, your sexual energy is so strong. People are drawn to your vibe physically. Your aura just screams “magnetic attraction,” and your mental presence only makes it hotter. 

Now here’s the thing: some people actually think you’re just lucky. Like they’ll whisper stuff like “ugh, everything always works out for them,” and pretend like you’re just floating through life on a cloud of privilege. But WE KNOW THE TRUTH. It’s not just luck, babe, it’s your charm, your resilience, your hard-ass work ethic. You’re determined. You don’t half-ass anything. So yeah, maybe the universe does bless you, but it’s because you show up for yourself every damn day. The girls who get it, get it. The ones who don’t? Stay salty 😌you take your personal space seriously. You're big on nurturing yourself. You understand that being soft with yourself is power. People see that and think, “wow, they’re really put together,” but it’s deeper than that. It’s sacred to you. You’re also very protective of your energy, your joy, your peace. And if someone tries to overstep or bother you too much, You're not shy about putting them in their place. You don’t tolerate nonsense. You’ve worked too hard on your vibe to let someone come in and mess with it. People see you as their ideal type. The kind of person they’d manifest. You’re pursued. Desired. Romantic attention follows you like a shadow. And when people fall for you, they fall hard. It’s giving “dream partner” energy. They literally feel like their life would be fulfilled if they had you in it.

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ִ ࣪𖤐⭑Pile II

Cards pulled: 4 of swords, queen of swords, the hanged man, king of cups, justice, page of wands gemini, pluto and oracle cards

Before starting this reading, I wanna say that there are some sexual messages ahead, so if you are comfortable, then please go ahead and read it! <3

Sexual energy for this pile is soo sooo strong. It's very intense. The fact that I got the same planet and oracle card from the pile 1 for this pile 2, but even more such cards for this pile it explains how sexual energy is so strong here for this pile compared to pile 1.

People literally melt in your presence. Like no joke. It’s intense. It’s dangerous at some point. You’re that person strangers can’t stop staring at, and trust me, they try, but your pull is just too strong. To the point that it becomes dangerous. You’re charming in a way that people simply can’t resist. Even strangers, I feel, can’t help but obsessively think about you. Some may even carry intentions that aren't so pleasant or respectful. This is especially emphasised by the 8th house energy cuz it’s soo heavy here!!! BESTIEE Your sexual aura is incredibly strong. There's a raw edge to your appeal, honestly, the word "animal" keeps echoing in my mind. That’s how wild and potent this magnetism is. A lot of these people see you as a sexual figure as well. 

Because of this, some of you might have unfortunately experienced unwanted attention or even harassment in the past, things like people staring too long, glances, or better say it as people glaring at you in public, or just being watched in ways that feel... off. And since many of you are highly intuitive, you can instantly pick up on those disturbing vibes. You know when someone’s gaze carries impure or inappropriate intentions, you feel it in your bones. The feeling is soo uncomfortable. 

Here’s something else: people often lust over you from a distance. Very few have the courage to approach you. You scare people off just by being you. Especially those who know they’re not equipped to meet your standards or handle the weight of your presence. When people feel attracted to you, love and desire override their logic. These strangers who form assumptions about you aren’t neutral, they’re the type who are already crushing, obsessing, and yes, many of them are deeply horny and out-of-control with their fantasies. People obsessing over you are generally thouse useless horny people who have noting better to do. (i’m not saying they need therapy….but maybe) It’s not just lust. It’s craving, longing, hunger, all tangled up into one irresistible energy. Even if they try to resist, your aura breaks down their walls. You become a forbidden temptation they can’t escape. Honestly, the word “animal” keeps coming back because it perfectly describes how intense and instinctual their reactions are.

People may secretly assume you’ve got someone offering you luxury or support, like a “sugar daddy” or “sugar mommy.” That assumption may sound wild, but it’s a private thought they never speak aloud, it lives deep in the corners of their imagination. They project desires and stories onto you without knowing anything real. These people feel you are worth every risk, every fantasy, and every unspoken dream. You’re that one-of-a-kind person people only come across once in a lifetime, and they’d risk everything to have a shot with you.

Some People also assume you’re very sacrificial and giving. You put others’ needs above your own, and sometimes, they may feel like you don’t prioritize yourself enough. They see your generous spirit and assume you’re the kind who gives without limits. But your presence also makes people pause and reflect, you shift their perspective. You unknowingly challenge them to look at themselves and the world differently. Your demeanor is quietly observant, and many of you have strong intuitive gifts, you just know things, and you see beyond what’s shown.

I also see that a lot of you enjoy the spotlight. Not from these unnecessary people, but just being the talk of the town. You’re drawn to attention, and attention is drawn to you. You may thrive when all eyes are on you. Some of you are into poetry, philosophy, or activities that require deep mental engagement. You're emotionally rich, layered, and powerful.

Many people assume you’re high-maintenance, not in a negative way, but in a way that screams: “I have standards. I am worth effort.” You’re seen as mature, grounded, and composed, and you leave people speechless, your looks, your energy, the way you speak, and how you observe everything… it's a lot. In a good way. In fact, even speaking to you can feel intimidating to some. You give off this vibe of, “talk to me only if you have something logical to say” You give off that “queen/king energy,” and people feel like they’re not ready for you. They don’t think they can handle your truth, your vibe, or your standards. 

BUT ALSO, You are genuinely liked by people, like, no constant haters lurking around every corner or anything.  But honestly, a lot of people do find you aloof. It's not because you're mean or distant, it's your opinions, beliefs, and that confident, graceful way you carry yourself. You’ve got that fixed mindset energy that doesn’t just bend because someone said, “Well actually…” (and honestly, good for you 👏). You stay rooted in your truth, and that kind of  strength, Yeah, it pulls people in like gravity. 

Now, after looking at the whole spread, i can feel that people have really mixed opinions about you. Some folks, especially the ones who don’t really get you, might think you’re all maybe even shallow, just about the looks, sensuality, and appearance and stuff. Like, they see a “doll” and forget there’s a whole person there with actual feelings..

But then, THEN, we have got these deep souls, the emotionally intelligent ones, the ones who don’t just look, they e. Analyze too . And they see through you in the best way. They pick up on the depth, the power, the intensity you hold behind the curtain. That’s when the admiration splits, some people are drawn to your physical allure, while others are completely enchanted by your mental and emotional world. 

People either thirst for you or think with you...sometimes both at once.

And listen, I feel like you don’t even smile much. You’re not constantly out here hunting for attention or needing eyes on you 24/7. Most of the time, you give off this calm, composed energy, so relaxed, so centered.  But when it comes to values like justice, rules, and structure, You don’t play around. You NEED things to be systematic. Especially in your work life, people might see you as super methodical, maybe even a bit too stoic or serious. You’ve got this quiet authority that’s kinda intimidating. Some people are legit scared to argue with you. Like, they don’t want the smoke. You’ve got this silent, powerful vibe that screams, “I will win this debate without even raising my voice.” So they just… don't even try.

BUT, underneath all that intense energy, you’ve got this sweet, innocent curiosity. A soft person who is just a human after all. You want to learn, explore, and grow. You’ve got this inner child who still finds joy in little things, and that side of you? It only comes out around your closest people. Not everyone gets to see it. Strangers sense there’s more to you than meets the eye. They wish they could peek behind the veil, catch a glimpse of your playful, radiant, full-of-life side.  And that curiosity drives them crazy (in a fascinated kind of way). You’ve got this mysterious duality, on the outside: poised, intense, untouchable. On the inside: curious, joyful, warm.

People might tell you or think to themselves, “Wait, you’re actually adorable?? I thought you were gonna crush me with your stare" 😭

But here’s the thing, this softer, lighter part of you? It’s almost a secret. You're super protective of it. You don’t just let anyone in. Only the rare, genuine ones, the big-hearted souls who truly get you, ever get to see it bloom. And when you do let that guard down and share that part of you? It's unforgettable. People get addicted to that realness, that duality. 

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ִ ࣪𖤐⭑Pile III

Cards pulled: 4 of pentacles, page of pentacles, page of cups, 8 of cups, 4 of swords, 5 of swords, justice, leo, and oracle cards.

The energy of this pile is soo good😭

BABY let’s get this straight, your personality is what grabs people’s attention instantly. Like, first glance and they’re already trying to figure you out. You’ve got that wow factor that just... lingers. People don’t forget you. Ever. and something about how you look at people is so enchanting, yet so scary. It’s like, “scary? My god, you’re divine”. Buddies, yall can literally use your damn eyes for so many things you’re not aware😭

Somehow, y’all always end up leaving the best impression. People see you as courageous, fearless, and just so YOU. There’s something uniquely exceptional about your aura that makes people double-take , like, “Wait... who was that??”

But okay, reality check time: not everyone likes you. 🙃 You’ve got an equal mix of admirers, haters, and jealousy. It’s giving the main character with his team of rivals energy. Your aura of authority is so So real. Especially in professional or social spaces, people tend to feel like they’re in some competition with you, mostly for attention or relevance. 

A lot of people instantly assume you’re “too extra” or “too self-focused,” and it gives them the idea that you’re trying too hard to be noticed or that you're overly ambitious. (“Umm... and what’s wrong with knowing what you want???”) Honestly though, you are ambitious and a little materialistic... BUT that’s not a bad thing. It’s actually amazing. Like hello?? You’re self-aware enough to know what you want, need, and deserve, and you’re not afraid to say it out loud. But yep, people don’t always like that, and that’s a them problem. And tbh... I know y’all don’t lose sleep over it. 

Y’all are extremely mindful when it comes to your finances, and fiercely protective too. You’ve got this soft, radiant aura, I’m seeing a lot of pink and red around you, which feels pure, elegant, and full of love. But you’ve also got boundaries of steel.  You don’t just let anyone in. You’ve built your world from scratch, and you’ll be damned if someone thinks they’re entitled to a piece of it. “Your vibe is: ‘Touch my energy or my stuff without permission and you’ll see the Scorpio in me REAL quick.’” but regardless of all of this hard stuff, People also  see you as emotionally attuned and kind-hearted deep down. Your confidence inspires others, especially those who struggle with it. You’re like a walking masterclass in “I know my worth.”

Pile 3 people reminds me of maddy from euphoria!!! How She was fiercely confident and protective of her people. but if anyone ever betrays her, they're done for. kicked out of her life in an instant. Although she had quite a dark, bold and powerful typa vibe but still she was also such a sweetheart with other people who deserved it. she inspired them. loved them. She was just a sympathetic, compassionate and soft-hearted girl deep inside, but Cassy brought out the worst of her. so yall are also very similar to these aspects of Maddy. (Sorry for the unnecessary yap about her, I just love her throughout her show cuz she embodies the leo+ scorpio characteristic so well) and that brings me to my next point. yall might have the looks and vibe of Casey with the personality and behaviour of Maddy cuz I'm seeing pink colour a lot here, so yall look soft but so powerful. 

Now, people also notice that you move on QUICKLY from things that don’t serve you anyomre. Like, your ex says “I’ll change, I swear!” and you’re already halfway out the door with your peace, You don’t waste energy where it’s not worth investing. Period. The fire energy in this pile? Off. The. Charts. You’ve got zeal, youthfulness, and it’s so infectious that people just respect you automatically. But here’s what’s i fnid superrr hilarious,  they don’t feel like they’re watching you. Instead, they feel SEEN by you, and that’s why they act better around you. There’s something in your gaze that says, “I know what you’re really about.” ��😭 You have strong principles and belief systems, and you're uncompromising about them. Try to criticize that, and ... that’s a mistake. 

You’re more of a thinker than a speaker. People often assume you’re tired or emotionally distant (probably because of your “resting tired face” lol 😂). And you do look like someone who’s been through some tough sh*t, especially financial betrayal by someone close. That’s probably what built your no-nonsense vibe today. You’ve been burned, and you learned. And now? Nobody plays you. Period. 😂

You might have gone through a rebirth phase, a total energetic glow-up. The kind that comes only after deep pain and even deeper lessons. You’ve emerged like a phoenix ( i see that here) , and that’s exactly what draws people to you. People catch crushes left and right because of how poised, confident, and mysteriously collected you are. But let’s be honest, they rarely have the guts to confess.

People also assume you’re always focused, busy most of the time, or just building something quietly. Even in chaos, you stay so calm, and that’s rare. 

The shadow part about yall is, people have used you, left you, and betrayed you when you needed them the most. That’s why your trust doesn’t come easily. And you never waver from your beliefs because those beliefs are what protected you when people didn’t. You built your backbone brick by brick, and now you stand like a fortress. “You're the ‘hurt but healed’ type. That’s why your energy hits so hard.”

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Thank you so much for reading all the way through! I hope my reading resonated with you and that you had a lovely time going through it. If you enjoyed it, please like and reblog, it really means a lot! Let me know which pile you chose; I absolutely love hearing your thoughts and feedback on my readings! ♡

Note: tarot cards provide guidance and possible insights into what could happen based on current energies, thoughts, and actions. the cards can highlight potential paths or outcomes, but they do not predict the future in a fixed way. this is a general reading so take what resonates!

[mistercrowbar]

What advice would you give to someone who wants to start draw comics?

Read comics. Try to absorb the layouts and lettering - there’s so many ways to tackle it! Also even in published comics you’ll see that the art is messy and scrungly and you can take that as permission to be messy and scrungly too.

Comics are about efficiency and Good Enough. If you try to make each panel a masterpiece you’ll be there forever. Reasons why I mostly do simple pencil comics.

Start small. Do a scene or gag comic at a time. Get a feel for the medium and all the steps you have. If there’s a step you hate, find a way to emphasize the steps you love. EG I hate laying down flat colours but love shading, so I make my page form comics painterly greyscale with a gradient map to spruce them up.

Thumbnail!!!!! Figure out your page or panel layout before you start pencils. It can just be chicken scratch and sticken figures but it will help make sure there’s a clean line of action carrying the viewer from panel to panel and that your lettering fits.

don’t skimp on lettering. you can have beautiful artwork but if your dialogue is time new roman on half transparent ellipses or somehow unreadable it’s gonna drag everything else down. Blambot is a great source for free and affordable comic fonts and even has guides from an industry pro.

There are a huge bajillion elements to making comics but once you’ve made like, literally 100 pages you’ll start just intrinsically knowing things like the 180 rule, how to place a speech bubble when the first speaker is on the right, and that you can draw one nice background and then have gradient colour blocks carry you through most of the page/scene. And then you’ll still keep learning. Always learning!

LOTS of example stuff under the cut, mostly for lettering and layouts:

thumbnails vs finished page. The detail is just enough to remind me who goes where. You can see I mostly played with the last part of the scene, going from three panels in one row to making each panel an entire row across three rows. Panels on the same row have less “time” between them as the eyes skips from one to the other faster, whereas there’s a little more gap skipping back to a new row (think resetting a line on a typewriter). Here, the first thumbnail may have fit the artwork more neatly, but I wanted to give Astarion more time to deliberate his decision.

You can also see that I changed the top panel from a close up on Aldiirn to a wider shot showing both. This sets the scene, and the rest of it uses simple/abstract backgrounds until the final panel, which makes a nice bookend while making the overall load easier. One good environment panel will carry you for a while, but don't leave your characters in the void for too long.

Make a script before you start layouts but don’t be shocked if you need to cut things out to have them fit a page. Less is more, generally. This also goes for visual elements - what's most important to the scene? What's just extraneous detail you find fun but is creating clutter?

For the 4-panel comics I don’t put time into thumbnails unless it’s a difficult panel, but I always put the lettering and speech bubbles down first so they have enough room and nothing important gets covered. If you do this much you’re a step ahead imo.

This one I’m working on now and there’s a lot going on with four characters speaking to each other! It’s important to keep a clear line going for the dialogue. Astarion’s first line has the top left corner and clearly starts the conversation. The tail of the bubble carries over to where he whispers to Aldiirn, and we pick up Aldiirn’s lines. The rock wall on the right then draws the eye down to Shadowheart and Gale’s bubble at the bottom. I don’t think the tails on the bottom bubbles are 100% ideal, but it’s Good Enough.

There’s also slightly different points in time going on in this panel, because the art is static but it’s a long convo going on. Gale’s signature finger isn’t in response to Astarion whispering, but to his answer to Aldiirn that comes after. Think of how time works in your panels, especially when you got a big one because size = time.

You can use all sorts of things to direct the eye across a comic page, but I find the strongest things are the bubbles & tails and where characters are looking. Here, Gale’s “stop by” line breaks the panel line to help draw the viewer to him in the last panel, since otherwise the eye was likely to end up at Aldiirn.

I generally like bubbles to be tucked into their panels, either fully inside or up at the edges like “my condolences.” It looks neater than when bubbles are willy nilly over the edges which I see as a sign of poor planning. And! it means when you do break panel lines it can be more meaningful.

the 180 rule is a film/stage thing for composition to avoid confusing the audience, but the simplest way to put it is: if a character is on the left side of the scene, they should stay there until the action or whatever moves them. You can see here that Aldiirn is always on the right facing left, even when the camera is a bit behind him or a bit behind Gale. the 180 line is the front of Aldiirn’s tent, and the camera never crosses it in a way that would put Gale on the right.

I find it distracting when a conversation is happening in comic and a character breaks the 180 for no particular reason, though are times I’ve done it because a panel worked much better that way. The book Framed Ink has some great guides on composition and how to change the 180 line.

You can also see in the above comic that it’s arranged so that Gale’s always the first speaker in the panels he appears so there’s no criss cross bubble tails. Buuuut what if the first speaker is unavoidably on the right?

Stack the speech bubbles. You want the first speech bubble CLEARLY and undeniably the closest to the top left corner and then other speakers can go below.

the middle example above also has some examples of playing with the speech bubbles. Wyll’s “square-y round-y” bubble is the standard, the boxy ellipse. The tail has a slight, lanquid curve. He;s comfortable teasing the poor vampire. Aldiirn’s bubble is pointy! the tail straight! with urgency! And Astarion’s bubble and tail are burbling and grumbling through gritted teeth and pain. Varsh Ko’kuu, even though he’s speaking with a standard shaped bubble, has a sharp point in the tail that speaks to his assertiveness in protecting the egg. And Shadowheart has some hesitation with that wiggly tail.

Either hand drawing or using vector shapes for bubbles is fine, but I recommend staying away from true ellipses because they look static. Square-y round-y is where it’s at. Just make sure there’s enough space between text and edge of the bubble, usually enough to fit a capital H or W, but you can play with that spacing too.

The second panel here breaks the “first bubble goes top-left corner” rule, so it’s ambiguous if Gale or Aldiirn speaks first. However! In this case everyone is giving their responses in a jumble to Rath, so order matters less. I’m pretty sure every rule I’ve mentioned has a time and place to break it, but it’s still important to learn the basics first.

Key thing about comics typefaces: the capital I will have bars and the lower case will not. The barred I is used for I, as in, “I am not inclined to share” where the unbarred is used everywhere else.

When choosing a font, I recommend grabbing one that has Regular, Italic, and Bold/Bold Italic typefaces. I use Milk Moustache for my 4-panel comics because it’s very casual and similar weight to my own handwriting, but it doesn’t have an italic typeface and that drives me nuts sometimes. For the most flexibility, choose a font that has lower case AND uppercase type faces. I stick to upper case 90% of the time but lower case adds more options, like Aldiirn’s “really?” being so small due to his stressed state.

There are some official guides on what should be bold or italic in dialogues but they don’t matter as much unless you’re working for a big publisher with a style standard. Italics for thinking and whispering are common. I go with my gut, like Astarion’s speech is so dramatic I use italics and bold liberally, whereas for most others I may or may not just choose a key word to bold.

I think some programs will let you make text to fit a bubble instead of a square box, but tbh I just spend a lot of time manually making the text fit nicely in that bubble shape.

[yunsound]

Chinese Mythology: The Four Dragon Kings

Does anyone remember Ao Guang? Or the other three Dragon Kings? Or did anyone watch Ne Zha 2025?

You may then know of the Four Dragon Kings of Ancient China (四海龙王). 

Historically all four of them are male- some recent adaptations will show one (or more) of them as female just for fun. China, even in ancient times, did not have four seas around it- the four dragon kings each correspond to a body of water in the cardinal directions. 

Ao Guang

The big guy, Ao Guang, the Dragon King of the East, does have a “sea”: the East China Sea. 

A carving of Ne Zha fighting Ao Guang (we all remember how that went, right?)

We know and love Ao Guang since he’s the one who got Ne Zha killed (after both he and his son got their asses beat) and is also the guy who gave Sun Wukong his mythical weapon, the Ruyi Jingu Staff (maybe will make a post on mythological weapons at some point).

His third son, Ao Bing, is famous for getting his tendons plucked out by Ne Zha.

Subtitles: I'll pull your tendons out, see if you can still hurt anyone after this! (sorry for Ne Zha being kind of naked, he's a kid who was just taking a bath)

Ao Guang is the biggest, most powerful Dragon King.

In the Fengshen Yanyi (Investiture of the Gods post here), he’s a big dickhead who forces people to give him offerings or he’ll bring them drought and disaster. He’s very powerful, and is the leader of the Four Dragon Kings.

He’s also the sexy dragon dilf dad in Ne Zha 2. 

I just cannot get over this character design, oh my goodness.

Ao Run

Ao Run, pronounced Ow Rwen (also sometimes called Ao Ji) is the Dragon King of the West. 

He does not have a “sea”: in fact, he rules over the biggest lake in China, Qinghai Lake. It’s big enough that we consider it a sea, I guess. It used to be considered an actual sea (like, connected out to the open ocean) probably because it’s huge, but it was probably never actually a sea. 

Lake Qinghai has shrunk a lot. You can tell in this picture: right now it’s about the size of Trinidad.

See all that dry land? Used to be lake.

It’s very blue, which is why it’s called Qinghai 青海 (blue sea). Qing generally refers to a bright blue-teal shade. 

Ao Run’s son, Ao Lie, is the dragon that is sentenced to death by the Jade Emperor for setting fire to Ao Run’s palace accidentally and destroying a whole bunch of stuff. In the end, Guanyin Pusa spares Ao Lie’s life and sends him on the Journey to the West with Wukong, Tangsen, Zhu Bajie and Sha Wujing. You may recall that Tangsen had a big fancy white horse- that’s Ao Lie!

You may notice in this picture everyone else's names are labeled except for the horse. It's kind of sad- he's a little irrelevant.

A huge downgrade, from being a fancy dragon prince to a horse, but you can’t say he didn’t deserve it. 

He's also featured in Fei Ren Zai (a very funny comic/animation series about mythical figures in modern-day also featuring Ne Zha, Wukong and Erlang Shen).

You may remember Ao Run from Ne Zha 2, 2025 as the sexy dragon lady with the killer sky-splitting manicure. 

Sorry, she did things to me when I first saw her appear in her human form.

Ao Shun

Ao Shun, pronounced Ow Shwen, is the Dragon King of the North.

He also does not have a “sea”, like Ao Run. His patron body of water is what’s now known as Lake Baikal (Wikipedia better not fail me, I actually had no idea where the North China Sea was supposed to be). 

Lake Baikal is the deepest lake in the world, it’s right up there in the south part of Siberia. North enough for you?

Back when the Han dynasty was fighting the Xiongnu (the Huns in Disney’s Mulan, basically), they beat the Xiongnu in a battle here. They saw this huge-ass lake, and decided they’d refer to it as the North China Sea. Lake Baikal is larger than Belgium. A little scary, no?

In Ne Zha 2, he was the freaky purple-green guy with blades all over his body. You may remember him fighting Ao Bing in a very exciting battle sequence. I’m not aware of any myths where he’s of any significance. 

A hard pass. Sorry, second uncle. Your big brother and younger sister are much hotter.

Ao Qin

Ao Qin, pronounced Ow Chin (敖钦) is the Dragon King of the South.

The South China Sea of recent geopolitical tension fame is in fact a sea. Other than Ao Guang, he’s the only one with an actual sea. There’s not much to say about Ao Qin, he’s not that relevant.

If you remember him from Ne Zha 2, he’s the big red one who’s dumb as bricks..

The Four Dragon Kings are really not that important aside from Ao Guang and Ao Run. Ao Guang is a key mythological figure- he appears in many myths, and is a semi-major character in Journey to the West.

Ao Run contributes mainly by giving Tangsen a horse in the form of his son. Poor Ao Lie. 

In the 1979 Ne Zha Conquers the Sea, they are all seen briefly scheming with Ao Guang to go Karen-style and ask for the manager (Jade Emperor).

They're all siblings (since they have the same last name, Ao), with Ao Guang being the oldest brother. The order of ages past that is a little harder to figure out- from what I know, their ages are

Ao Guang

Ao Shun

Ao Qin

Ao Run

I actually don't know where Ao Run is in the ranking, I just know Ao Qin is younger than Ao Shun. As such, Ao Run could be either the youngest, the second youngest or the third youngest.

[alaskan-wallflower]

eyes (2025 redraw)

i’m very glad i finished this lol—i spent quite some time on it—this definitely caters more to me and my personal designs (which i’ll explain under the cut for those who wanna read it) but i had a lot of fun with this :)) im not usually a soft shading/airbrush person and ive never really done it before, so this was a new experience, but im glad i tried something new :) i still prefer hatching tho

here’s a side by side for comparison

i think this is almost an exact year later too? idk i’ll have to check the posting date of the first one lo)

rambling under the cut if you’re interested :)

ponyboy’s is actually my least favorite one 😭 but honestly i think he does actually have grey green eyes rather than just green eyes like some people say. i just think they’re leaning more towards green rather than being completely green. also i know his hair is more ginger than auburn here. but yk what its ok

sodapop with heterochromia!! this one kinda came to me cause i saw a bunch of people talking about how both movie and musical sodapop have creepy blue eyes while in canon soda’s described with warm brown eyes, and i really liked both so !! kinda combined ‘em. also freckles! my guy has a LOT of ‘em

darry…i don’t like how his came out :/ but i think he’s another one whose eyes are more blue than green, although there’s definitely a hint of green if you look closely. if his looks jumbled it’s cause i merged the layers early and closed out of the app and once you do that you can’t undo it and i had to move some stuff around so that’s why some things look off

johnny’s was a lot of fun tbh—i’ve mentioned a few times but i headcanon that johnny has vitiligo. i tried showing that? i dunno if i did a very good job, i used references as best i could and tried to shade it with my utmost effort but idk if it really worked? also his eye scar! i forgot that in my previous drawing of johnny, which i realized after posting it, but i tried to go with the “big and hard to look at” part of it but i don’t think i did a very good job admittedly—

dally!! dally gave me a chance to kinda show myself with this cause i headcanon that dally has albinism (cause i have it and y’know, i wanted to add it for my own self indulgence)—i used myself as reference for this (minus the hair and with a bit of exaggeration to fit my style better) but i really like how his turned out!! i assumed he’d have some facial scarring too tbh from the fights he’s gotten into, and i wanted to add it in.

two bit—honestly, admittedly, his design is the only one i prefer from the musical over the movie (minus pony) but i still really like the movie/book description since its classic, so i figured why not add both aspects? personally i headcanon two bit to be half polynesian and half irish, and i kept the ginger hair because i thought it was neat and i like it, so i kept it. i also really like him having stormy grey eyes, and i kind do have my own concept for him that’s easier to draw than describe so i guess if/when i make a lineup for all of the gang it’ll be there.

steve…okay i had a change of heart with steve yesterday lol—an anon came to me about steve with green eyes and i had originally said that personally, i headcanoned steve had brown/black eyes…BUT then i thought about it and was like “why not both?” so boom, hazel. (i also think tom cruise has hazel eyes, no? idk) BUT there’s a reason for this. ponyboy originally says he “hates most guys with green eyes” and it kinda made me think like “oh, maybe ponyboy sees steve as one of those guys with green eyes” because he doesn’t like him, but maybe part of both of their character development is go from “steve has green eyes” to “maybe he doesn’t”. it’s more for my own symbolism than anything. oh, also he has a slit eyebrow because he thought it looked tuff and thought it’d look stupid to let it grow back so he just keeps it cut. also rather than “complicated swirls” i kinda think he has big, untamable hair so i tried displaying that, but thats another thing that’ll look better if i get to drawing a lineup lol

sorry steve’s was so long, i just put a lot of thought into that one far—

also just some little things but ive never really done airbrushing before so this was kinda new (which is prolly why they look kinda ehhhh but yk what it’s okay, i tried something new even tho i didn’t want to so i consider it a win

i dunno, i switch between liking how these turned out and hating them so idk, maybe you guys’ll like them more than me! i think ive been staring at em for too long

[marlynnofmany]

Missing But Not Missed

Paint asked, “So are these clothes for protection, or for decoration?” She peered at the readout on the larger of two shipping cases, her lizardy face curious.

I sat down to look, dangling my legs out the open door of the ship. “A bit of both, I think. This one’s all shoes, which most people don’t leave home without, on account of our delicate human skin. Sometimes they’re fancy, though. These shoes … huh. It’s an odd number.”

Paint looked at the readout, then at my own shoes. “You don’t have an odd number of feet.”

“Right. Well, most of us don’t,” I said.

Her eyes widened. “Do some humans have extra limbs?”

“N— Well, it’s not unheard of,” I had to admit. “Conjoined twins have been known to happen. But it’s more likely that somebody’s missing one. Or, really, that someone lost a shoe and needs a replacement.”

“Oh,” Paint said. “That’s much less interesting.”

“Yup.” I inspected the readout on the other case. These two deliveries were from a shipping department at a different spaceport, which had stringent rules about how detailed the cargo manifests were. Handy for a couple of bored couriers waiting for their clients to show up. “I think these are more decorative, but still socially important,” I told Paint.

She was definitely bored too. She hadn’t even commented on the sights and smells of the passersby. “How important?”

“Most people don’t go around shirtless unless they’re wearing minimal clothes for swimming.” I pointed at the first line on the readout. “These look like regular T-shirts. That’s this, the top part.” I tugged on my own shirt.

“Right, yes,” Paint agreed. “So what are ‘shorts’? Why are they short?”

“Those are for the bottom half, but they don’t reach all the way to the ground.” I held a hand above my knee to show the cutoff length. “Good for covering a sensitive part of the body, and for a place to put pockets. Not very warm, though.”

Paint shook her head, likely at the wasted opportunity for warmth. Her people weren’t called Heatseekers for nothing. “I suppose I can’t argue with pockets. But this all sounds like a lot of practical stuff; I was hoping for something extravagant and interesting.”

“Maybe the shirts have fun patterns,” I said. “The readout doesn’t give every possible detail. Though it does say the shirts are adult size and the shorts are for kids. Maybe it’s a family shopping order.”

“That’s nice,” Paint said. “I wonder why they didn’t order more. Must be a small family.”

I shrugged. “Sometimes that’s all you need.”

A distant voice called, “Hello the courier ship!”

I turned to see a small figure waving, backlit by the shine off a particularly glossy ship parked nearby. I waved back.

Paint said quietly, “Both clients are supposed to be human. I wonder if this is someone— Oh. Never mind.” She shrunk down, embarrassed, and in a moment I saw why.

The smiling fellow who glided into view was definitely human, but just the top half. He steered a hoverstool with masterful precision, making better time than someone with legs would have. Pale skin, graying hair, big smile. “Is this the good ship Slap the Stars?” he asked.

“It is indeed,” I said. “Are you Spencer?”

“I am indeed!” he replied, dipping one shoulder in a way that looked like a bow.

“Then I believe this is for you.” I moved the second box forward and brought out the payment tablet, and we finalized the delivery while Paint pretended she hadn’t misinterpreted his silhouette a moment ago.

A second human walked up, this one with the full complement of legs. I assumed he was our second client, but he greeted the first and was given an enthusiastic rundown of the clothing purchases.

“One of the shirts is the most gorgeous shade of lavender, a nice soft weave, and the shorts are from that great company that relocated!”

“The one with the good seams? Nice! We should get you some more from them.”

“I’m testing out just a couple first, in case they changed anything about their manufacturing after the move. It wouldn’t be the first time.”

“Oh, good call.”

Spencer realized he was still holding the payment tablet, and handed it back to me. “Thanks so much!”

“Our pleasure!” I said.

The guy with legs picked up the box, leaving his partner’s hands free for the hoverstool controls. They both said their goodbyes and strolled off in the direction of the food court, where faint music was playing.

“So,” Paint said quietly. “Not a family shopping trip.”

“Not the way we were thinking, no,” I agreed. I looked around at the various people going about their business, spotting several other humans. As soon as I saw one in particular, I suspected he was our second client. “I think another minor mystery is about to be solved,” I told Paint.

“What mystery?”

“The mystery of the odd number of shoes.”

She looked around and made a little “oh” noise when she saw the guy on crutches. He was missing just the one leg, and he also maintained a quicker pace than the average pedestrian, thanks to the long reach of those crutches.

“Is this Slap the Stars?”

“Yes it is! Are you Josh?”

“Yep. And that must be the delivery from my solemate.”

I laughed. “Is that what it is?” Since Paint was looking confused, I told her, “The bottom of shoes are called soles.”

Josh typed his information into the tablet. “I have a friend who’s missing the opposite leg, with the same shoe size. And he has pretty good taste in fashion, so it’s always a nice surprise to swap. Hey by the way, would you guys be heading back that way, by any chance? I’ve actually got a few shoes to send him.”

“Maybe,” I said with a glance at Paint. “Let me check with the captain.”

I stepped aside to use the intercom for the cockpit. Captain Sunlight was there, said yes, and started down the hallway to join us. I ended the call to find Paint discussing prosthetic legs with the client.

“I do have one,” he was saying, “but it’s a pain to use. It takes forever to charge, and isn’t always worth it. I’m faster on the crutches.”

“Are they as maneuverable, though?” Paint asked.

“With practice, they are very maneuverable!” he said. “Have you heard of the Paralympics?”

Paint hadn’t. By the time the captain arrived, the conversation had covered both amputee soccer and one-legged skiing. Paint didn’t even hear her arrive at first. She belatedly stepped aside and stood back next to me so the professional discussion could take place.

Paint murmured, “I’ve never thought of sports specifically for people missing limbs before. It sounds amazing.”

“I’ve seen some! It really is,” I agreed.

“I’m used to that sort of thing being downplayed and ignored,” Paint said. “If you’re missing a part, you just get a replacement part — at least as best as you can — and you carry on.” She shook her scaly head. “I wouldn’t have thought of celebrating it.”

I looked over her head, to where the previous clients were dancing to the music at the food court. They held hands, and one of them danced on air. I smiled. “We humans do love our celebrations.”

~~~

These are the ongoing backstory adventures of the main character from this book.

Shared early on Patreon! There’s even a free tier to get them on the same day as the rest of the world.

The sequel novel is in progress (and will include characters from these stories. I hadn’t thought all of them up when I wrote the first book, but they’re too much fun to leave out of the second).

[eintausendschoen]

Don't ask me how I did it – I just did it – it was hard.

Late, late entry for @mircsy's 'draw this in your style'-challenge #AthenaDTIYSmircsy

That is as far as I got. So far. Might do reworks later. Actually my first DTIYS - never did one before, but I see the fun in it now. No, really, it was a lot of fun, I learned a ton with this, even if I'm not fully convinced of the result.

Also, when I saw mircsy post it, that was an 'immediate HELL, YES'-moment, because I love her art and designs so so so much. Her Polyphemus is who ultimately sold EPIC to me after a total of 3 seconds screentime. I am seriously amazed at the quality all artists and animators produce for the musical accompanying it on its journey to release, but mircsy's art was special.

👀 more yapping, WIPs and progress notes below 👀

It made me want to draw characters again, brought the fun back to drawing and painting for me, and somehow invited me put them out there, again - I can't put a lot of time into it, but I missed this as a joyful hobby and just watching the animatics breathed life back into it for me. So, this lil dtiys entry is a big heartfelt thanks for a nudge I bloody well needed.

So - if you ever read this, mircsy: Rock it all as hard as you can, superstar, make your mark and just enjoy the ride - you're cut out for it! ✨🎆 Wish you the very best for all your endeavours. 💜✨

Progress notes: I tried to challenge myself with this and do stuff out of my comfort zone (*cough* cell shade *cough*). A few things went well, and I am proud of those (metal parts, hands, wings, lineart, i finished it under 5 hours total, stars were fun) and other things I'll need to practise more (soft light + cell shading wtf was I thinking 🙈, glowy stuff, ornaments, less perfectionism, line dynamics, took more time out of me than expected ... (we don't talk about facial expression ahahaha its a nightmare 🙊 i really need to learn how to shade and light these kinds of angles omg 😨)).

As you can see above - the glowy stuff gave me the hardest nightmares, I had no fucking clue how to do that - that was fun, but also took so much time to figure out. Once I had a concept, it went down fast, but up until then... bzzzzzt braindefunct - it's inspired by the Antikythera Mechanism in the end, so Athena can make complicated astronomical calculus while in quick thought to see where Ody ended up.

... her mouth changes in every single picture... 😭🙈

[hansoeii]

Hello! Hope you're having a great day/night! I absolutely adore your art, you are one of my favourite artists. I love the way you shade and do backrounds. Also everytime I get into a new show I immediately see your art for it??

I was wondering if you had any advice on drawing more realistically (backrounds, anatomy etc) but still keeping a style?

Hey hey!

Thank you so much!

I have a pretty good understanding of facial structures, because before I got into drawing more semi-realisticly, I heavily focused on realistic portraits. Here are some example, these are from around 2019!

(yes, I was really into danmei and kpop back then, haha)

I just always loved drawing/painting faces and it was all I did. But at some point I realized that I wanted to do more than that because just portraits felt super restricting. So it took me around 2-3 years to somewhat find my style. Thought it would be fun to show a little timeline! Advice will follow afterwards :)

2020

I began working on my OCs in 2020 and since I didn't have an exact reference to work off of, I struggled a lot. My art from this year is super wonky.

2021

Still wonky, but the Lokius obsession was the jumpstart into finding my style! My work from this year is all over the place haha, I was experimenting a lot.

2022

This first ofmd piece is pretty much the first drawing where you can see where my style is gonna go, which I think is pretty cool! This is the year I made the biggest progress cos I was drawing SO much. These two pieces are only six months apart. The one on the right was the first time I gave drawing a background a proper go, too! It was a good year.

2023

And this is where I am now! I'm still constantly learning and improving, but I'd say I have a style you can recognize now!

Now here comes some actual advice, haha:

What I highly recommend you to do is to study your favorite artists as much as you can! I have like 5 A4 sketchbooks all from 2020 that I filled with sooooo many studies, where basically all I did was look at artists I like and copy how they draw stuff, to try and figure out how to stylize certain things. Some of my favorite artists are Ami Thompson, Velinxi and TB Choi. But I also liked to just scroll through pinterest and study all the art I came across that I liked! For example, if I saw a really great drawing of a pair of pants I would copy it many times in my sketchbook and try to learn how they stylized the folds. Doing this for a prolongued period of time will naturally improve your own work! It'll be difficult at first, but you gotta push through, it's gonna be worth it!

I also highly recommend studying unique faces to try and avoid the same-face syndrome. Find some cool looking people and try to draw them as simple as you can! Maybe even draw a little timeline where you first draw them as cartoon-y as you can, and keep going until you end up with a more detailed, realistic drawing. Maybe in the middle of it you find a step that feels the most fun to you, so you can try to build on that! It's a great way to figure out what kind of style might be the best for you.

Here are some cool faces I found on pinterest!

I have a pinterest board with many more!

One REALLY important part of learning how to draw all kinds of things is to understand forms and shapes and how to manipulate them. I have so many pages in my sketchbook filled with just shapes that I drew from all kinds of angles without any references.

This is a great video on it:

6 Ways to Draw Anything by Proko

Learning how to do this is so crucial! Young artists often think they first have to learn all kinds of detailed anatomy before doing anything else, but all that's gonna do is make you tired and hate drawing. Shapes are where it's at! Once you understand how shapes work and which ones to use for certain parts of bodies or objects, drawing is gonna get so much easier! Once you understand them, you can get into details such as muscles and bones!

And honestly the most important point is to just absolutely love what you're doing! I wouldn't be doing this if it wasn't for the fact that I get extreme hyperfixations on certain media that turn me into some kind of beast where I can suddenly draw 10 detailed illustrations a week, haha. Just be passionate about what you do, find something you REALLY love and go crazy!

I really hope this was somewhat helpful! My inbox is always open if there's any more questions :)

[datcravat]

HI HELLO I love your art So much,,, do you have any tutorials on how you render your stuff? For example, the colors you use & how you pick them, how you get that pink tone around the Lineart (I think) (it's just rly cool). I would love to see stuff like that, cuz your art is Such visual candy (⁠◍⁠•⁠ᴗ��•⁠◍⁠)

Hey! Thank you so much, I'm glad you like my art, I worked hard to make it what it is!! Means a lot you appreciate it!!!!!!

I've had no professional art training, I seriously don't know what I'm doing and struggle making tutorials. But will try here!!

For me the colour work is really situational on the drawing! I find myself experimentally attempting to weaponize colour theory and there's a lot of instinct involved that I can't figure out how to verbalise yet. Here's an example of some thought process I have:

My main advice is to play with sliders a lot and really experiment (that's what I do for every drawing)!

To get the pink glow around your lineart, copy your lineart layer, fill the copy in with a pink of your choice (sometimes I do a gradient), blur the layer (experiment with how much blur you'd like), put it directly below the lineart layer, and set the layer to multiply (or any mode you think looks pretty)!

You may want to adjust your piece's brightness/colours after applying it and sharpen the image after exporting.

A lot of colour gradients are involved and on their own they can eventually compromise the gritty/punchy style, especially the ones that are between extreme and subtle. A good way to combat this is with screentones/haftones!! You can use them to diversify colours and imply shading/texture.

I recommend going nuts and having a lot of fun with it to find what works for you!

I often add a lot of small lens flares as they satisfyingly cut through the piece, imply flash photography (which goes well with the strong black shading), add visual noise to areas you don't want to be your main point of focus, are a great way to show speculars, and idk man sparkles are just pretty haha.

Go nuts with them and have fun!! When you get them to look good, think to yourself why that is.

I made a tutorial ~1 year ago on how I shade with black. This simple trick will really help it look good, 3D and rendered - it just requires a lot of knowledge about shadows to start with. I have a lot of experience rendering "normally" which helped me learn how to use black in an experimental way.

Minor correction that the shadows labelled "ambient occlusion" in the tutorial are actually just normal shadows, ambient occlusion is total lack of light.

I hope this is useful to you!! You have a knack for art, your work is very inspired. Please keep drawing!! I am still learning too, let's keep going baby.

-Cravat x

[innerfare]

Random Kid Headcanons 

Summary: A random collection of Sir Crocodile headcanons

CW: None // SFW

———

Jams to music in his workshop. Most of the time, it’s metal. Likes pop music; would rather die than admit it. Sometimes, being on the Victoria Punk feels like being in a musical. Drums with his eating utensils at meal times. Has diverted course because he heard about a rock concert on a different island than the one his crew was initially headed for. 

Pretty messy, TBH. Always has clothes strewn around his room, can never tell which ones are clean and which ones are dirty. Everything he owns has some sort of oil, grease, or lipstick stain on it. Also has lots of holes in his clothes, claims it’s grunge but really he’s just too lazy to mend them or doesn’t feel like buying replacements. 

Drinks milk, orange juice, etc. straight out of the carton and puts it back in the fridge. Also dips his grimy hands into chip and trail mix bags. And if he’s cutting bread for a sandwich, he’ll do it directly on the counter; brushes his crumbs on the floor after. 

Has used a steel scouring pad to get dried blood and oil off his skin before, and regularly uses dish soap to wash his hair. Thinks dishwasher soap and dish soap are the same thing, and that they’re the same thing as hand soap. Doesn’t know what fabric softener is. (If you decide to date this man, you will definitely have your work cut out for you; he’s a stray and it shows in his daily habits.) 

That being said, he’s very picky about cosmetics. He only uses a certain shade of eyeliner, a certain brand of lipstick, and always uses a top coat when he paints his nails. He doesn’t, however, use makeup remover, meaning he usually wakes up with raccoon eyes. 

Literally so dramatic, probably has a smoke machine somewhere on the Victoria Punk. 

Has a notorious temper (as if we don’t already know). Snaps over small things. Blames others for moving his stuff because he can never keep track of anything, only to find he was the one who did it. Will never admit to being wrong. The temper can be confusing, too, because he often shows affection by making fun of people and even punching them (granted they’re strong enough to take a friendly punch). If he yells at you, he hates you, but also, if he yells at you, he loves you- oh, and he refuses to elaborate. 

Uses his devil fruit powers to give members of his crew free piercings. Pierced Killer’s nipples after he (Killer) lost a bet. Has considered piercing his own nipples, thinks it would look sick. 

Once accidentally drank oil instead of coffee when he was working in his workshop one night because he confused the canister for his coffee mug. 

Drinks his coffee black, and not in a performative “I’m a man so I hate cream and sugar” kind of way. Genuinely enjoys his coffee black and bitter, the stronger the better. 

Has the sort of mechanical brain that just has to fix things. If someone mentions a hinge is squeaking, a piece of something broke off, etc., he’s dealing with it almost immediately. Will lose track of time trying to repair things, once without realizing spent four hours trying to fix a can opener that Killer said needed to be thrown away. Has definitely taken things apart before to figure out how they work and then not put them back together because he got distracted (has undiagnosed ADHD for sure). 

Smokes, but only ever late at night and when he’s alone. They’re his contemplative cigarettes, a little something to take the edge off and keep his hands occupied while the gears in his brain are turning. I.e., treats his late night cigarettes as a fidget spinner. 

———

Hope you enjoyed it! If you want more, you can check out my masterlist here!

[ohno-the-sun]

Oh uh forgot to ask in the previous ask (the one with the digital piece of candy and scurrying and stuff)

How do you draw art so good

Like

Is there a method you use or is that just the style you've gotten over time?

you've activated my trap card

I'm just gonna preface that this tutorial is from someone who was not professionally trained and didn't have a lot of free time for art, so a lot of the tips I have is short cuts I use to get the best results quickly

If you genuinely want to get better at art then please look at references and practice that is always the best

However if you are like me and only really do art for fun but want to go faster then these are for you pfppt

Overall I'd say my style is influenced by speedpaints I would watch when I was younger, I like analyzing how people do things and what makes something look "good" to me

I always recommend watching them because they will often have techniques you've never seen before or do things a certain way that you can try out yourself

I consume good art, it feeds me

but seriously it can be super helpful when developing your own methodology, or just generally trying something new

Usually it starts with me pulling some references from artists I really admire and sort of sketching out how they do the things I like

For example 8um8le has like super good anatomy and poses so I focused on trying to replicate how they do that

venemous-qwille is super good at color and pulling focus so that's what I focused on in my study of them

In general I'd say my process is sketch -> silhouette -> color -> shading -> render

I really don't like doing lineart lol

I'd say for the sketch the most important part is using references and just kind of fudging it until it looks correct anatomically/physically

General rule of thumb is spend time on areas of interest, and keep non important areas light (like the stitching on his pants)

I don't do lineart because I think its unnecessary for most paintings I do

I naturally tend to put more time and focus on areas of interest (like hands and feet) and if you use a brush with opacity for the sketch, those areas are naturally going to be darker in the final sketch

Of course this is gonna be different for everyone but it's what works for me

Sometimes I do a really really sketchy layer underneath my sketch/lineart, just so I know where everything is going

Use thumbnails! They are great to help figure out the general layout of things and what pose I wanna do

Next is what I call the "silhouette" layer

This is super important for me cause it helps me refine the figure and make sure the pose/anatomy looks correct, also depending on what color I choose for the silhouette helps guide what colors I'm going to use on top

This piece is a good example of how it works. The silhouette shows me how the figure interacts with the background, how the pose looks and if its any good

The silhouette layer doesn't have to be super clean, as long as it follows the sketch decently well and shows where the figure is then its fine

I also sometimes make the silhouette layer multiple colors to help guide shading and vibe

Next is the coloring layer. I usually make this a clipping layer on top of the silhouette layer, or I change the silhouette layer to alpha lock, either way it saves me time on coloring everything in

Sometimes I am super rough with the coloring too, using like an airbrush or my fav watercolor brush just to generically block in color where I want it

Works out cause most objects have like a bounce light to them from surrounding objects, so this is sort of a cheat I use to get that effect without all the work lol

Also don't be afraid to have the lower silhouette layer shining through, having multiple colors sort of subtly shining through the piece helps lots

Next is the shading layer, this is usually another clipping layer, usually set to "multiply"

The colors I pick here is usually within this range, any color works, just depends on the piece and vibes.

Since this piece is set in a sunset forest I choose a more desaturated orange for the shading layer

I know there's a whole thing about multiply layer being a crutch (and it kind of it) but it is a useful tool when you just want some darker values across the piece but don't want to go through the process of color picking every single darker shade

Also in my opinion it looks better than picking a darker color and setting it to a lower opacity, idk I just think the color has more "depth"

Next is the hardest to explain, sort of the vibes layer

Usually its just a layer of more concentrated color on top of the normal color and I fudge with the settings and values until I get a result I like

Next is the longest step, is the "extra" or the render stage.

Usually I add a background before this step so that if I need to merge the figure better with the background I can

If I render with a white background but he's supposed to be in a dark forest, its going to mess with the lighting severely

Also this is when I add more "vibe" layers on top to get the figure to match the background better

Backgrounds in general I recommend checking out @/derekdomnicdsouza on instagram he's got lots of great tutorials for breaking down backgrounds simply

I'd say general rule for the rendering layer is to focus on the areas of interest and spend less time on areas you don't care about

I even blur stuff out on the edges I don't want people to see, partially to save time on fixing mistakes in areas I dont care about (oop), but mainly to help draw the eye to the areas I do want people to focus on

Theoretically parts of the background should like mesh with the characters, parrallel lines are a no no unless they are directing a viewer to look somewhere, things that are perpendicular help bring things together

tbh I'm still not the best at layout and probably need more practice, but overall this is what I like doing

Overall this is what my layer set up ends up being

Sort of a sandwich with the lineart/sketch as the "meat" lol

Color and basic shading below the sketch, clean-up and rendering on top

I like this method cause it's super flexible if I ever want to try something different or try to replicate someone's style

I can make each step less or more messy depending on the end result and can add a lineart layer if need be. Also if there's a part that is straight up not working or needs to be removed its super easy to do cause I can just paint over it on the "extras" layer, color picking from the surrounding area to get the same vibe

Generally rule of thumb for my style is: get the initial layout of colors, form and shading to look good, then the rendering should be smooth sailing

Really the best advice I can give to get better at art is to enjoy what you're doing and become very very obsessed with drawing a silly little guy

You'll eventually get very good at drawing them pfptpf

[httpvomitello]

I GOT AN IDEA :D

Ok so, reader is 2012 April's best friend but reader is male so the turtles think they are dating.

After donnie gets jelous one day after april brags about what reader made for her (also thinking wielder reader, like working with metal so thinking jewelry and or small weapons , the turtles and casey ask if they are dating when april let's it slip that reader is gay.

Maybe there could be a think where reader gains a crush on one of the turtles and starts making small things for them like rings that fit their hands, bracelets, small pocket knives hes made just for them, ext, I think it would be pretty neat

You don't have to do this ask of course, your writing is so much fun to ready, I always have a blast reading your work :D

Hello, hello! Thank you for enjoying reading what I write, it makes me very happy! Although requests are CLOSED at the moment, reading your request made me want to write about it, so... Yeah, I did. But guys, please read the rules, so you know when it's okay to ask! Anyway, I hope you like it ~ ♡♡♡♡

Do you want to go out with me? *⁠.⁠✧

It was a normal evening in the lair when the conversation turned toward April. It wasn’t unusual—she was a frequent topic of discussion, especially for Donnie—but this time, it wasn’t her escapades with school or her time spent with the Turtles that got them talking. It was you.

You, April’s best friend, had recently made her a stunning bracelet, one of your many custom metalwork creations. She’d shown it off with pride during one of her visits to the lair, gushing about how thoughtful and talented you were.

“You should’ve seen it, guys,” she said, holding out her wrist for the hundredth time. “Y/N made it by hand! He even personalized it with little engravings—look, it has my initials!”

Donnie’s mood visibly soured as April raved about your talent and kindness. He crossed his arms, his lips pressed into a thin line.

“Sounds like you two are pretty close,” he muttered, trying (and failing) to sound indifferent.

“Of course we are! Y/N’s been my best friend for years,” April replied.

Raph smirked, leaning back against the wall. “Yeah, but is he just your best friend? 'Cause it sounds like Donnie here’s thinkin’ otherwise.”

“Shut up, Raph,” Donnie snapped, his face flushing a deep shade of red.

April blinked, then let out a loud laugh. “Oh my gosh, you guys think Y/N and I are dating?”

“Well, yeah,” Mikey said, popping a slice of pizza into his mouth. “I mean, you’re always talking about him, and he makes you stuff. Kinda sounds like boyfriend material to me.”

Casey chimed in with a snort. “Can’t blame the guy if he’s into you. You’re a catch, Red.”

April waved her hands frantically. “No, no, no! You’ve got it all wrong! Y/N’s gay!”

The room fell silent.

“Oh,” Mikey said, pizza halfway to his mouth. “Well, that explains a lot.”

Donnie’s eyes widened as he processed the information, a mix of relief and embarrassment washing over him. “Wait, seriously?”

“Yeah,” April confirmed, laughing. “I can’t believe you guys thought we were dating. He’s like my brother.”

From that moment, the tension eased… or so it seemed. Donnie couldn’t help but feel a little guilty for assuming the worst about you. When you visited the lair a few days later, he kept his distance at first, unsure how to act around you now that he knew the truth.

But you? You were completely unfazed.

“Hey, Donatello,” you greeted with a warm smile as you approached him. “April’s told me all about your tech skills. Pretty impressive stuff.”

Donnie blinked, caught off guard by your casual friendliness. “Uh, thanks,” he replied, fiddling with the edge of his staff.

“You know,” you continued, “I’ve been thinking about making something for you guys. April says you’re always busy saving the city, so I figured you could use a little appreciation.”

Donnie’s face flushed slightly. “That’s... really thoughtful of you.”

True to your word, you started crafting small gifts for each of the Turtles. It started with practical things—like a custom pocket knife for Raph and a set of throwing stars for Mikey—but over time, your gifts became more personal.

For Donnie, you made a sleek metal bracelet with subtle engravings of his favorite equations. He stared at it for a long time when you gave it to him, tracing the intricate designs with his fingers.

“This is... incredible,” he said softly.

You shrugged, trying to play it cool. “It’s nothing, really. Just thought it might be your style.”

Donnie looked up at you, his heart skipping a beat. “It’s perfect.”

It wasn’t long before the others started picking up on your growing interest in Donnie. You spent more time in his lab, asking questions about his inventions and offering to help where you could. You even started bringing him snacks when he got too absorbed in his work to eat.

Mikey was the first to notice.

“Dude,” he whispered one night when you’d stepped out of the lab. “Y/N totally likes you.”

Donnie nearly dropped the tool he was holding. “What? That’s ridiculous.”

“C’mon, it’s so obvious!” Mikey insisted. “He’s always hanging around you, making you stuff, bringing you food. That’s love language if I’ve ever seen it.”

Donnie tried to brush it off, but the more he thought about it, the more Mikey’s words made sense.

One evening, as you were finishing up a new project in your workshop—a custom screwdriver set for Donnie. You found yourself wondering if Donnie notice the little things you did for him? Did he even like you back?

You decided to take a chance.

The next time you visited the lair, you handed Donnie the screwdriver set with a shy smile. “I made this for you,” you said, your voice quieter than usual.

Donnie took the set, his eyes widening as he examined each piece. “You made this?”

“Yeah,” you replied, rubbing the back of your neck nervously. “I figured it might come in handy for your lab stuff.”

Donnie looked up at you, a soft smile spreading across his face. “Y/N, this is... amazing. Thank you.”

You hesitated, then decided to just go for it. “Donnie, can I ask you something?”

“Of course,” he said, setting the tools aside.

You took a deep breath. “Do you... I mean, would you want to go out sometime? Like, just the two of us?”

Donnie’s eyes widened, and for a moment, you thought you’d completely misread the situation. But then he smiled—soft and genuine—and nodded.

“I’d like that,” he said.

Your heart swelled with relief and excitement as you returned his smile.

[bullet-prooflove]

I don’t know if you’ve answered this before, but do all your Pitt characters exist in the same universe? Like Donnie and Jesse and Frank and Jacks partners all exist together?

Hi!

Yes they do. Sometimes in certain fics there's references to it.

Examples:

In Frank’s fics – Robby was the one to tell Frank that he really fucked Ivy up with his OD and Jack was the one that treated him and told him, if he wanted to destroy himself go ahead but not to take Ivy with him.

In Robby’s – There was reference in 50 Shades of Robby to a costume party that occurred on New Year’s Eve where Robby, Allegra, Faye & Jack all dressed up. The pic was on Allegra’s Insta feed. Faye was also the one to give Allegra the festival pass that resulted in her shooting.

In Jack’s – There’s references in Nadine to him having to tell Cici they were turning Maria’s life support off. There was also references to Cici in Go Bag as Faye knew Jack had made one for Cici.

In John’s – There is a whole fic called Jack, that describes how Cici ended up becoming Jack’s adoptive daughter. In The Shirt Jack talks to John about dating Cici after he figures out they are together. Ivy and Cici are close friends which is how they found out they were dating the same guy in Dick Pics. They met when Ivy had switched to the night shift because she couldn’t be around Frank when he returned to work after rehab.

Stuff You Don’t Know Yet That May or May Not Make It Into Fics:

Jesse sometimes acts as the sound engineer or will play in the band alongside Alicia (Donnie’s partner) when she’s on stage. Donnie actually met Alicia when he was attending one of Jesse’s gigs.

Jana (Jesse’s partner) has worked with Faye on several academic articles/studies regarding mental health and neurodiversity. Jana is a professor specializing in this field at Pittsburgh university.

The initial reason Faye and Allegra were attending Pittfest was to see Alicia play live on stage. Jesse was also meant to be playing but his equipment was stolen the night before.

All of the folks who work in the ED know Lola Lisbon (Dennis Whitaker’s partner) because of her capacity as a mortuary tech. They all have a healthy respect for her because of her treatment of the dead and how she deals with the families. She’s usually invited out because she’s a lot of fun to be around.

Jack and Faye will be the Godparents of Robby and Allegra’s baby, Jack is probably going to deliver it too.

[parisoonic]

hi!! I was wondering if you could share tips (or at least a timelapse) on how you do your lineless art? It’s so simple, yet so pretty, and I’d really love to learn from you :0

Thank you so much! Lineless art IS simple (or rather...as simple as you make it haha)....lined stuff with cel shading is what I find really tough as it's SO tied down and concrete! You can definitely cheat a lot more with raw colour...

I put this tutorial together quickly to hopefully explain a little the basics of my process. I use A LOT of layers but it's mainly to keep all the 'bits' seperate (limbs from torso, head from torso etc) as I'm a fiddler when it comes to rotations but the actual process is very simple. Of course you can add further complexity with gradients, texture etc but I thought I'd use a really straight-forward example.

Unfortunately I don't have any timelapses to hand and I'd have to either bust out Procreate or figure out how to record my screen in PS to record one! Might be fun to do in the future :) Next best thing though - my pal works in exactly the same way I do and she's uploaded a bunch of speed paints here (albeit most are landscapes). I also touch on my lineless approach with the few progress pics I posted here and here. Hopefully this helps! Studying other lineless art is the way to go - lots of great vintage illustration to look at as well as shows like Tangled: The Series, Carmen San Diego and Samurai Jack.