#tips for beginners

[manianart]

You do traditional art too, right? Any tips for someone who's never done it before but wants to get into it? I know I'll suck at it but it's better than AI

(and if you could recommend a brand that's cheap that'd be nice)

Yeah I do and sure I can share some tips (also really good stance to have on AI)

Tip 1: Keep two kinds of sketchbooks One that is stricktly for stupid doodles of any kind A booklet that you only use for ballpoint doodles that are messy and unfinished And one for more finished art where you use pencil first and allow yourself to erase parts as well KEEP IN MIND Those are still just sketchbooks

Tip 2: To make completely finished pieces I would advice getting one block of good paper that can be torn out (best for absolute beginners would be mixed media paper so you can figure out what you like best) That way you can scan them in if you want to keep them digitally too (trust me it makes the whole thing so much easier)

Tip 3: Don't be too ridgid about what art supplies you want to get into Try out as many different things as you can and try to keep an open mind There is no right or wrong way to find your medium and if you use watercolors together with acrylic markers and gel pens then that is fine Just have fun with it and that's usually enough

Tip 4: Don't compare your art or your progress to others You can look at other peoples art, that's encouraged tbh, but don't let their progress or their style get you down You just doing art is more than enough

Tip 5: STOP DRAWING IF YOUR HAND HURTS! do some excercises to loosen your wrists and fingers, take a moment to get a drink, cool or warm your hand and do not start drawing again for at least a few hours! Nobody needs an inflamed carpal tunnel!

as for cheap art supplies I am a fan of Nassau Fine Art They make almost anything tbh and while it's nowhere near professional quality, for a beginner it's definitely enough I really like their mixed media paper and their alcohol markers are pretty good too for how cheap they are Their watercolors are chalky but nicely pigmented and you can get a good few art supplies from them for relatively little money

Online I'd go for either Ohuhu, Arrtx, Himi or Arteza Ohuhu for paper and their alcohol markers Arrtx for their acrylic markers, gouache and sketchbooks Himi makes good gouache and watercolors as well as brush-sets Arteza for almost anything else, they make a lot of different things and so far I've loved almost all of their products (especially their mechanical pencils are a treat to work with)

Hope this helps and I really hope you'll have fun creating things with your own hands^^

[kierantheessa]

‎ ‎ Things to have as a beginner crocheter

1. a crochet hook

╰ I recommend metal hooks but that's a personal preference . you can even get some hooks at the dollar store , but if you want a better one , I recommend Joan's or Michael's .

2. any type of yarn

╰ Choose a type of yarn that YOU like , a nice texture , a nice color , ect. I recommend starting with acrylic yarn .

3. a place to crochet

╰ I recommend a nice comfy spot and to sit against something so you don't hurt your back . I crochet in my bed .

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ Good Places to Start

1. Learn the basics

╰ List of things to learn first : A slipknot , a chain , single crochet , double crochet , and a triple crochet , magic circle .

( these are classified differently in the UK , but are just the same type of stitch )

2. granny squares

╰ for a lot of beginners , this is the easiest , BUT it is okay if it isn't for you .

3. little things like bows, flowers, ect.

╰ These can be fairly easy to do , some are just a chain , ect.

— Lmk if I should make any tutorials for basic stitching 🤎

[cherry-blossom-sword80]

I NEED BEGINNER TIPS FOR OBEY ME.{ WITHOUT USING MONEY

So I've been playing for almost two months if I remember correctly, I started with the Demonus event. And I've already played 3 events!! I'm playing it now mostly during my sleepless hours, [which is a lot... And I have a lot of fun, Wind Breaker and Obey Me were the reasons for me to create a Tumblr

So if you have any advice, I'd listen!!

These are the cards I got from my free spins and getting rewards!!

[who-dat-homeless]

foolish rookie wizards think that the instant Brazilian wax is an ultimate spell but its so amateurish plus you never know whether or not your combat already has a Brazilian wax

Cast "immediate beginning of menstruation"

You'll cast your opponent out of their powers for a few days

HOWEVER never cast immediate beginning of menstruation on blood mages, they're easy to spot for they're always has a big bag of apples to supply their blood with iron

[cardues154]

Are you considering an e-bike?

Are you considering an e-bike? What features are important to you? Have you thought about the benefits of riding an electric bike? And do you have any tips for someone new to the e-bike community?

I'm excited to see the growing interest in e-bikes around the city.

I recently purchased an e-bike, and it has been an incredible experience! The ride is smooth and effortless, making my daily commute a breeze. I’ve heard so many people say that riding an electric bike changes the way you travel, and they are absolutely right! I feel more energized and enjoy the fresh air while getting to my destination.

The brand I chose offers fantastic features at an affordable price, and I love how easy it is to maneuver in traffic. Plus, it’s a great way to contribute to a cleaner environment. I still enjoy my outdoor adventures and the thrill of exploring new places, but now I can do it with less effort.

Many people mention the initial investment in an e-bike, but I believe it’s worth every penny. The savings on gas and parking fees have been a pleasant surprise. I also appreciate how many resources are available for new e-bike riders, including community groups and online forums, to share tips and experiences.

Overall, I’m thrilled with my decision to ride on an electric bike, and I encourage anyone considering it to take the leap!

[andmineworlddigitalmarketing]

Essential Digital Marketing Tips for Beginners:

Digital marketing is highly competitive in the field. It is considered a great tool for modern businesses. One should at least have a basic understanding of what digital marketing is and all the strategies it involves to make the best choices for your own business. If you are new to digital marketing, you might find yourself overwhelmed by all the strategies and techniques used.

But no need to worry! Here are some tips and strategies for beginners that you can use to effectively navigate the digital marketing path.

1. Define Your Target Audience

Digital marketing starts with identifying and targeting specific customers that are more likely to buy your products and services. To evaluate your customers, you can categorize on the following questions:

Who are they?

What do they want?

Where are they?

2. Make customized and high-quality content.

Content is considered king in the digital marketing field. Content is valuable for attracting and retaining your audience. The content includes blog posts, articles, and social media posts. You need to ensure that the content that you post is well-written and not just visually attractive, but also SEO (search engine optimization) friendly. Make sure to include the following points in your content:

Relevance: Ensure your content aligns with your target audience's interests.

Value: Offer something valuable, informative, or entertaining.

Consistency: Publish content regularly to keep your audience engaged.

3. Do SEO for your business website.

The digital world is very competitive in nature. So it becomes very important for your business to be visible in search engine results. Here are some key strategies:

Keyword Research: Research related keywords and phrases that your target audience is searching for. You can use tools for this, such as Google Keyword Planner.

On-Page Optimization: Include that targeted keyword that you have researched into your website blogs, meta titles, meta descriptions, and other content.

Backlinks: Try building blacklinks from reputable and high-authority websites. This indicates to search engines (Google) that your content and website are also good and valuable.

4. Be active on social media.

You can use social media as a very powerful medium for you to promote and connect with customers of your business. Here's how to make the most of them:

Choose the Right Platforms: Choosing the right platforms is also important when it comes to social media. Try researching with your target audience about which platform they are mostly active on. Such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or LinkedIn.

Engage with Your Audience: Involving yourself and making sure to respond to your audience on time is essential. Try mentioning promptly to build relationships with your value and royal customers.

Share Valuable Content: Make sure the content that you are posting is accurate and that resonates with your audience. This could include blog posts, making videos of your products, or making behind-the-scenes videos of your business.

5. Implement email marketing.

Another important thing in digital marketing is email marketing. This is a highly implemented marketing technique used to lead and comment on relationships with users.

Here's how to get started:

Build an email list: You should take advantage of the email information and collect it for future potential interaction and promotion.

Segment your list: Try separating your subscribers based on their interests and behaviors for customized email design and content.

Send targeted campaigns: After separating your subscribers into different categories, You can now deliver specified relevant content to different segments.

6. Track and analyze your results and customers.

To measure the effectiveness of your digital marketing efforts and make data-driven decisions, it's essential to track and analyze your results. Here's how to do it:

Key performance indicators (KPIs): Set measurable goals and track your progress.

Analytics tools: Use tools like Google Analytics to monitor website traffic and user behavior.

A/B testing: Experiment with different elements of your marketing campaigns to optimize results.

Conclusion

Digital marketing can be a complex field, but with the right strategies and dedication, it can be a powerful tool for growing your business. By following the tips outlined in this guide, you can effectively reach your target audience, build brand awareness, and drive sales. Remember to continuously adapt your approach based on data and industry trends to stay ahead of the competition.

[physalian]

How to make your writing sound less stiff

Just a few suggestions. You shouldn’t have to compromise your writing style and voice with any of these, and some situations and scenes might demand some stiff or jerky writing to better convey emotion and immersion. I am not the first to come up with these, just circulating them again.

1. Vary sentence structure.

This is an example paragraph. You might see this generated from AI. I can’t help but read this in a robotic voice. It’s very flat and undynamic. No matter what the words are, it will be boring. It’s boring because you don’t think in stiff sentences. Comedians don’t tell jokes in stiff sentences. We don’t tell campfire stories in stiff sentences. These often lack flow between points, too.

So funnily enough, I had to sit through 87k words of a “romance” written just like this. It was stiff, janky, and very unpoetic. Which is fine, the author didn’t tell me it was erotica. It just felt like an old lady narrator, like Old Rose from Titanic telling the audience decades after the fact instead of living it right in the moment. It was in first person pov, too, which just made it worse. To be able to write something so explicit and yet so un-titillating was a talent. Like, beginner fanfic smut writers at least do it with enthusiasm.

2. Vary dialogue tag placement

You got three options, pre-, mid-, and post-tags.

Leader said, “this is a pre-dialogue tag.”

“This,” Lancer said, “is a mid-dialogue tag.”

“This is a post-dialogue tag,” Heart said.

Pre and Post have about the same effect but mid-tags do a lot of heavy lifting.

They help break up long paragraphs of dialogue that are jank to look at

They give you pauses for ~dramatic effect~

They prompt you to provide some other action, introspection, or scene descriptor with the tag. *don't forget that if you're continuing the sentence as if the tag wasn't there, not to capitalize the first word after the tag. Capitalize if the tag breaks up two complete sentences, not if it interrupts a single sentence.

It also looks better along the lefthand margin when you don’t start every paragraph with either the same character name, the same pronouns, or the same “ as it reads more natural and organic.

3. When the scene demands, get dynamic

General rule of thumb is that action scenes demand quick exchanges, short paragraphs, and very lean descriptors. Action scenes are where you put your juicy verbs to use and cut as many adverbs as you can. But regardless of if you’re in first person, second person, or third person limited, you can let the mood of the narrator bleed out into their narration.

Like, in horror, you can use a lot of onomatopoeia.

Drip Drip Drip

Or let the narration become jerky and unfocused and less strict in punctuation and maybe even a couple run-on sentences as your character struggles to think or catch their breath and is getting very overwhelmed.

You can toss out some grammar rules, too and get more poetic.

Warm breath tickles the back of her neck. It rattles, a quiet, soggy, rasp. She shivers. If she doesn’t look, it’s not there. If she doesn’t look, it’s not there. Sweat beads at her temple. Her heart thunders in her chest. Ba-bump-ba-bump-ba-bump-ba- It moves on, leaving a void of cold behind. She uncurls her fists, fingers achy and palms stinging from her nails. It’s gone.

4. Remember to balance dialogue, monologue, introspection, action, and descriptors.

The amount of times I have been faced with giant blocks of dialogue with zero tags, zero emotions, just speech on a page like they’re notecards to be read on a stage is higher than I expected. Don’t forget that though you may know exactly how your dialogue sounds in your head, your readers don’t. They need dialogue tags to pick up on things like tone, specifically for sarcasm and sincerity, whether a character is joking or hurt or happy.

If you’ve written a block of text (usually exposition or backstory stuff) that’s longer than 50 words, figure out a way to trim it. No matter what, break it up into multiple sections and fill in those breaks with important narrative that reflects the narrator’s feelings on what they’re saying and whoever they’re speaking to’s reaction to the words being said. Otherwise it’s meaningless.

—

Hope this helps anyone struggling! Now get writing.

[harvestmoss]

 💫 Why Protection Magic Is Useful (even if you have no enemies)

A lot of witches will tell new witches (baby witches) that they should start by learning and using protection magic. However, I've started to see a lot of witches say that protection magic is not as important as other witches claim it to be. Saying that they don't have anyone coming after them or an enemy in real life to warrant a spell of protection.

I think this may also be due to how I've not personally come across anyone really explaining why a witch may want to use protection magic all the time.

Now, it is true that there's no need to be paranoid all the time and have protection up 24/7. But here's a list where you may use it, find it useful, or haven't thought protection magic could be included.

An actual person -- This one is obvious, you have an enemy in real life or on the internet and you need protection magic to protect you from their curses.

A malevolant spirit -- They can come from your windows, mirrors (including tv screens, computer screens, and other reflective surfaces maybe), they seep through floor cracks, hanging onto your coats from outside, etc. Just like how you'd use garden gloves to avoid dirt up your nails being trapped there. Protection magic is just like putting on those gloves.

An energy -- Say you have a neighbour who's arguing with someone. They're yelling and screaming and it can be heard through the apartment walls. That negative energy is seeping into your home and your energy. So it may be worth protecting your home and energy from that sour neighbour's energy. (ever been scolded by your mother and your mood is sour? it's kind of like the same here.)

Your own spell -- Now a self-love spell is probably not something you should protect yourself from. But let's say you're doing a curse. It would be a smart idea to make sure you're protected before beginning such a spell. Much like how you'd wear an apron to protect your clothes from stains when cooking food. You may not always spill your food when cooking, but damn it is it annoying when you do and the stain won't wash off. It's the same with a spell.

Unintentionally -- Sometimes things can happen that's out of our control and it's a good idea to be a little prepared. A black cat suddenly running across the street? Bad luck. Someone got jealous when you told them something good? Evil Eye. Think of it as going to the store with an extra bag for your groceries. You may not need it, but isn't it handy when you at one point do need it?

Protection magic doesn't have to be elaborate or grand or be convoluted. Protection magic is powerful but also extremely simple. All you need is a horseshoe above the door, a little talisman in your pocket, a sigil for your car, etc.

So don't dismiss the importance of protection magic. It may help to improve your spellwork and your energy.

[irtikae]

How to Start Working Out? Tips for Beginners

[nordseehexe]

[coven-of-genesis]

Where to draw your sigils..

Looking for ideas on where to inscribe your sigils for extra magickal oomph? Whether you’re charging intentions, manifesting goals, or just enchanting your daily life, here are some witchy places to draw them:

• On your skin for personal empowerment

• In your grimoire or spellbook to boost your craft

• On letters and stationary to send your magick out into the world

• On teapots and cups for enchanted brews

• On Polaroid cameras to capture good vibes

• On plant pots to encourage growth and vitality

• On spell bottles or ingredients to seal your intention

[nephritebabie]

do not go and see that mf yall it’s a trap

[ts-witchy-archive]

Witchy Self-Care

*pulls out draft from over a year ago* ENJOY

Hi! this is a list of witchy self-care things you can do. Most of these are pretty basic on account that i wrote this ages ago but they definitely still work. Anyways, I hope these help :)

Do the dishes and dedicate it to your house spirit (if you have one) or a deity (if you're religious)

sweep/mop your floor in the shape of sigils

add rosemary (or rosemary water/essential oils) to the water you mop with to set an intention of cleansing

taking ritual a bath/shower

cleansing your energy. it's so basic but I forget more than i'd like to admit

dedicating time to yourself. it's just as important as dedicating time to your deities/other spirits

light shadow work or going to therapy. bettering your mental health also betters your spiritual.

go outside and ground yourself

take a nap (less witchy, more, I love naps. rest is important)

work out/stretch and dedicate it to an entity

do some gratitude

take 5 minutes to just sit and turn off your devices. you can use this time for anything, just take a second to get off screens and connect with the world around you

meditate. if you can't sit still long enough to meditate, just focus on taking 3 deep breathes

when you wash your face, draw sigils on your face with the cleanser and moisturiser

^do the same as above but with your body wash and when you wash your hair

say some affirmations/manifestations while brushing your teeth

just check in with yourself and see how you're feeling spiritually, psychically and emotionally. sometimes we don't actually know how we're feeling until we sit down and actually ask ourselves.

If anyone has any more to add please comment. I'll add them to the list (with credit of course)

[breelandwalker]

Witch Tip - Wild Weed Harvests

When looking around your yard or local biome for wild plants to harvest for your craft, there are several important things to keep in mind:

1 - Prepare for your trip ahead of time. Have some idea ahead of time where you're going, what the terrain and weather will be like, and what plants you want to look for and harvest. Make sure you wear appropriate clothing and footwear, and bring containers, supplies for labeling, and a travel-size resource for plant identification. (Pro-tip: Paper lunch bags are excellent receptacles for harvested plants.)

2 - Look for patches of plants well away from roadways and places which might be contaminated by chemical runoff or pesticides. When possible, select a large patch where your harvest won't wipe out the presence of the plant. (The exception to this is if you are removing invasive plants or weeding a prepared garden as part of your harvesting.)

3 - Make sure you properly identify plants before you harvest them, using a field guide for local plants or an identification app like Plantnet. This helps you avoid potentially harmful lookalikes. (And it couldn't hurt to look up what harmful plants exist in the area where you'll be looking.) Do not harvest endangered plants or plants growing on private property or in national parks. When in doubt, leave it alone.

4 - Take a modest amount of plant material for your stores, no more than you reasonably need, while disturbing the surrounding area as little as possible. Clearly label the container with the species and date of harvest. (Again, I'm recommending those paper lunch bags.) As an added courtesy, you can bring a bottle of water and hydrate the remaining plants to encourage regrowth.

5 - Clean and dry your plant material when you get home, if necessary. Just give them a quick rinse and gentle pat-dry with a clean kitchen towel before placing the plants into your preferred drying device. One simple solution is to cut the flaps off of wide, shallow cardboard shipping boxes and lay out the plant material in a flat layer so that most of it is touching the cardboard. (As opposed to leaving it in a big heap.) Label the sections or the side of the tray and leave your plants to dry.

6 - If you're not using an oven or a dehydrator, allow plant material to dry for at LEAST two or three weeks before breaking it up for storage in airtight jars or freezer bags. Make sure the plants are dry and brittle all the way through to avoid rot and mold in your storage containers and spoilage of the contents. Label and date the containers and store at room temperature out of direct sunlight. (If you discover mold or a bad smell in any of your containers, discard the contents and either throw away the container or sterilize it for reuse - this generally only works for glass jars.)

7 - Check back periodically! Give your wild plant patches time to regrow and you can then make additional small harvests on future visits. Also, look for different plants to emerge as the seasons change.

Familiarizing yourself with your local biome allows you to connect with the land where you live (and encourages you to care about it in the process). Also, it can garner you components for your workings for the cost of a few bags and an afternoon stroll.

But wait! What if your local wild weeds don't have magical correspondences? Not to worry - there's an exercise for that.

Good luck and Happy Witching! 🌿

[lilianasgrimoire]

Herb Correspondences - S-Z

Sage - Used for self-purification and cleansing.  Helps grief and loss. Healing and protection also increase wisdom.   Element Air. 

Sandalwood - Burn during protection, healing, and exorcism spells.  Aids luck and success, meditation and divination. Raises a high spiritual vibration. Element Water. 

Skullcap - Aids in love, fidelity and peace.  Increases harmony. Element Water. 

Sea Salt - Use to cleanse crystals and tools.  For purification, grounding and protection.  Supports ritual work. Absorbs negativity and banishes evil.  Element Earth & Water.  

Sheep's Purse - Prosperity, protection and healing. Element Earth. 

Sheep Sorrel - Carry to protect against heart disease. Cleansing and increases luck.  Use in faery magic. Element Earth. 

St. John's Wort - Worn to prevent colds & fevers.  Induces prophetic and romantic dreams. Protects against hexes and black witchcraft.  Increases happiness. Use in Solar Magic. Element Fire. 

Star Anise - Consecration, purification, and happiness.  Use for curse breaking or increasing luck. Burn to increase psychic awareness.   Element Fire.  

Strawberry Leaf - Attracts success, good fortune, and favorable circumstances. Increases love and aids pregnancy. Element Water. 

Sunflower - Energy, protection, and power.  Aids wisdom and brings about wishes.  Use in fertility magic. Element Fire. 

Sweet Cicely - Use during rituals for the dead or dying.  It helps with divination and the contact of the spirit.  It is sacred to the Goddess’ of death. Element Earth. 

Sweetwood - See Cinnamon.   

Tansy - See Agrimony.  

Tarragon - Increases self-confidence.  Use in Dragon magic. Aids healing after abusive situations.   Element Fire. 

Tea Leaves - Use for courage or strength. In tea for increasing lust. Burn leaves to ensure future riches.  Element Air. 

Thistle - See Blessed Thistle.  

Thyme - Attracts loyalty, affection, and love. Increases good luck and psychic power.  Drink tea to aid sleep. Element Air.  

Valerian - Also called Graveyard dust. Aids sleep is calming and is a sedative.  Quietens emotions. Supports protection and love. Element Water. 

Vervain - Strengthen other herbs. Helps, peace, love and happiness.  Burn the leaves to attract wealth and keep your youth. Increases chastity also.  Element Water. 

Verbena - Psychic protection, peace and purification.  Healing and helps depression. Increases beauty and love.  Mind opening and clearing. Ideal use for exams. Element Earth.  

Violet - See Heart’s Ease.  

White Willow Bark - Use in lunar magic.  Reduces negativity and removes evil forces and hexes.  Used for healing spells. Element Water. 

Willow - Used for lunar magic, drawing or strengthening love, healing, and overcoming sadness.  Element Water. 

Witches Grass - Happiness, lust, love, and exorcism. Reverses hexes.  Element Earth.  

Wood Betony - Use for purification, protection, and the expulsion of evil spirits and nightmares.  Draws love in your direction. Element Fire. 

Woodruff - Victory, protection, and money.  Element Air. 

Wormwood - Used to remove anger, stop war, inhibit violent acts, and for protection. Use in clairvoyance, to summon spirits, or to enhance divinatory abilities. Element Earth. 

Yarrow - Healing, calming and increases love. Used in handfasting & weddings.  Increases psychic power and divination. Gives courage when needed. Element Air.