thedabblingdummy

[thedabblingdummy]

Another drawing via Youtube tutorial. If trying to learn procreate, then definitely go with Art with Flo! I follow her tutorials religiously and its nice because she has artwork for every level. She takes you step by step, offers color templates, and has exclusive goodies in her Patreon. As a beginner, this was hard but just the right amount of hard. This tutorial taught me a lot about different brushes, blocking aspects of my drawing out, and clipping which makes drawing on layers sooooo much easier!

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My lil lemon squeeze 🥺. I used a YouTube tutorial to make this. This is not my original design or etc. This tutorial really taught me a lot about procreate and the literal moving layers of it. Originally, there was suppose to be animated lemon drops running down the top but that was too advanced. But yes this tutorial taught me about the basic functions of procreate, the use of layers and merging down, shading, and the auto lines or curve function.

Youtube link: https://youtu.be/wt0EWKTKRi8

[thedabblingdummy]

One of the first drawings I ever did. Even though it didn't come out exactly as I pictured, I would love to redesign it someday with the little skills I've learned via tutorials. I also look at it as a reminder of where I started and how far I have came.

[thedabblingdummy]

I create such beautiful backgrounds but I never actually draw on them 😭 I was always interested in graphic design and decided last year that rather than admire, I should do. It is difficult to squeeze in art time due to work and school, but I try when I can

[thedabblingdummy]

“You don’t need another human being to make your life complete, but let’s be honest. Having you wounds kissed by someone who doesn’t see them as disasters in your soul but cracks to put their love into is the most calming thing in this world.”

— Emery Allen

[thedabblingdummy]

Steven Universe, Gravity Falls, Amphibia, Star vs the Forces of Evil are some other shows that invoke the same feelings

It's strange to think of shows like She-Ra and The Owl House as kids shows because they possess so much more nuance, stronger writing, more relatable characters and better worldbuilding than a lot of "adult animation".

Also, "adult animation" is largely a misnomer referring to cartoons aimed at teenage boys. It's not always true, but it's a trend, and finding adult animated shows created by and for women is difficult. (Tuca & Bertie is the only one that comes immediately to mind and Netflix cancelled it. Thankfully, Cartoon Network picked it up.)

I'm an adult but I find so much of adult animation to be immature and boring, and overwhelmingly male-centric. Whereas, shows like She-Ra are engrossing. I care about the characters. I care about Etheria. I care about the relationships and the narrative. Same goes for The Owl House. You can feel the passion and thoughtfulness of the creators in these shows. The diversity and how it's handled is also a striking difference. I identify with the characters in these shows more. They have more humanity. I'm left feeling either nothing or disdain for the majority of characters in adult animation. (Bob's Burgers is good. Diverse. Heartfelt. But its sitcom structure is often its weakest element as it inhibits character growth.)

I want more animated shows by, for and about women. I want more shows that have distinct, thoughtful design and stories. I want shows with POC and LGBTQ and neurodivergent characters. And if you also want these things, you need to say so. And the best way to make your voice heard is to support the shows. Watch the shows. Talk about them. Write about them. Buy merch if that's your thing. And support indie creators so they can make your next favourite show.

[thedabblingdummy]

Another Assasin's Creed: Black Flag clip! Most of my clips happen to be boat battles because I am currently just completing random islands and sea wreckage.

I will say, and please dont kill me, but I HATE SEA WRECKAGES. I HATE THE SWIMMING PART AND HAVING TO FEND OFF SHARKS WHILE WORRYING ABOUT DROWNING. Its not terrible but I've always preferred land adventures but that whole using right analog deciding which direction we swim in is stupid.

[thedabblingdummy]

As I get off of work, I look at this picture and miss my boyfriend so much 😭. The first of many flowers and hopefully the first of many years

[thedabblingdummy]

ASSASSIN'S CREED: BLACK FLAG

I got my Nintendo Switch on a childish whim a couple months and let's just say.... I AM NOT DISAPPOINTED. The Switch is versatile, lightweight, and quite easy to use with clear instructions. This is my first time ever playing Assasin's Creed but I LOVE IT AS WELL, especially Black Flag. The storyline of Edward Kenway and his character development 🤌🏾. Also, I love the open world play! It is nice to sometimes explore and find new places/things to do aside from the main story that gets really HEAVY after the Observatory. I really needed a pick me up from that betrayal, so I have just been sailing and completing islands. Sailing is also another great feature in this game. At first, its quite hard especially when they just throw you into it, but with ship upgrades and practice I soon began to enjoy it. Another key factor that I personally slept on is KENWAY'S FLEET! Now building your fleet is difficult because you do have to take ships, but its so rewarding once the reales come pouring in 🤑🤑🤑. Overall, I'm 76% into the game and hopefully should be finishing up maybe within the next 2 to 3 weeks due to work and other engagements. However, this will not be the end. Due to the switch having Rebel Collection's, I will most like move on to Assasin's Creed: Rogue 😎

[thedabblingdummy]

Just a throwback trip to Montreal, Canada! I always wanted to go back but COVID said aht aht ☝🏾☝🏾.

I went late August 2019 and enjoyed every moment. I was able to visit multiple museums, attractions, exhibitions, and even went Ziplining! I took these pictures from the Amphibus tour bus. The tour was informational, fun, and very organized!

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Posting all these nailfie throwbacks really got me missing my nails 😭 due to work, they just break often. Looking for ways to strengthen them now

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Another summer time pop!

Oubri!!!

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Another swatch from OOOPolish. This color screams summer time! Light. Bright. Makes the melanin 💥

406 - Sunni Ali Ber

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I love me a good nude! Other nail polish brands just don't compare to OOOPolish! I ended up buying their gel polish set (payment plans are available) to set me up for the summer. Excited to post more swatches!

R to L: Abomey - 285, Benin - 289, Awori - 292, Fon - J19, Nok - 274

[thedabblingdummy]

Book Review: Flame in the Mist by Renee Ahdieh (Spoilers Included)

Renee Ahdieh’s Flame in the Mist is a young adult fantasy novel that strikes the perfect balance between fantasy and reality, fact and fiction, and romance and action/adventure. Set in Feudal Japan, the novel follows Mariko Hatori, a young noblewoman from a renowned samurai family, who survives an unsuccessful assassination attack and decides to figure out who tried to kill her. For this plan to work, she dresses up as a boy, infiltrates a group of bandits, and forsakes her original path of becoming the bride of the Emperor’s second son. Unlike most books I read, this novel had a lot of highs and very few lows.

The Highlights

Mariko’s Intellectuality: From the beginning of the novel, Mariko is deemed as a curious scientist whose imagination and persistence endear her to the Black Clan. At the same time, the author points out how her intellect is both a blessing and a curse. For example, she builds a dangerous weapon, the smoke bomb, that is later used in a raid on her family’s lands. At the same time, she is so focused on thinking that moments, where immediate action is necessary, leaves her blank. 

Progression of Events: Renee Ahdieh puts a good amount of work into foreshadowing and revealing/linking pieces together. She uses small events or moments for big reveals that when looking back, I wasn’t even expecting that to happen. For example, a small outing to Hanami leaves Mariko excited and hopeful to learn more weaknesses of the Black Clan. A calm evening quickly goes to hell once the Emperor’s sons and her brother show up. I was surprised by this because a quiet evening soon turns into a desperate moment of decisions and battle. I think this progression occurred because the readers and I are swept up in Mariko’s perspective, learning more about the Black Clan. Even though she was able to learn how the Black Clan are feudal day Robin Hoods, it becomes a secondary discovery and it wasn’t what she was hoping to find. 

The Surprises

Mariko x Okami: This pairing was, for me, very surprising. Throughout the novel, they bickered and physically fought. Of course, there were moments where Mariko noted how handsome he was, but she brushed off those comments as coming from the perspective of a girl, which she currently isn’t. I sincerely thought she was going to end up with Ranmaru, especially after she finds out about his unrequited love for Yumi. In an ironic fashion, it is interesting how a hunt for mushrooms turned into a hunt for poisonous flowers to use against the Clan turned into a love scene. This is what I’m talking about when I say Renee Ahdeih is literally the pivot queen.

The one burning question I have left is: How did Okami get his powers???? 

Growing up, I was an avid reader and dedicating time towards it. When I got older, it got more difficult to go to the library, pick out books, and read often especially with school and college. Despite this, I promised myself that this year I will try to get back into the habit of reading even if it's one book per week. Audiobooks and mobile library borrowing services like OverDrive and Libby have made it easier to stick with this goal. I enjoyed listening to the novel voiced by Nancy Wu. In the next coming part of the duology, I am eager to see how Ahdieh manages to build and expand this world she has created.