#I think if you click the image you can see a better quality version

[green-eyes-and-orange-ties]

Fen and Volta [ID: Image shows Sebastian Fen and Angelo Volta from Night Shift Podcast from their shoulders up. They are leaning towards each other but both are held back by multiple hands. Sebastian has his mouth slightly open and is being held back by four inhuman hands. They are green and finish in talon like points. Two of the fingers are piercing the skin on Sebastian's neck, and three are sunk into the knuckle in his skull. All the green hands fade to nothing after the wrist. Burn scars can be seen across Sebastian's far shoulder and the front of his neck. Angelo is held back by three hands, two seemingly from one person holding his hair and pulling it back. Angelo also has a third hand is on his shoulder holding him back. A couple of streaks of grey can be seen in Angelo's hair. End description]

Inspired by Sergio Cupido's Romeo and Juliet

[vagabond-umlaut]

two shots of ristretto, please!

One must have heard of espresso, but ristretto? No?

Well, translated to 'restricted' in Italian, ristretto is another version of espresso, but of a sweeter and more intense quality than the latter— though, you reckon, there's no entity in this world, sweeter and more intense than that white-haired, blue-eyed enigma-turned-menace of yours.

▸ yakuza heir! gojo satoru x uni classmate! fem! reader; TIMESKIP; dad! gojo satoru x mom! reader; FLUFF AND HUMOR GALORE; popularising the headcanon that gojo is so terrifyingly gojo for everyone, except his crush; the said crush's smart & not dense, for the first time in my stories; there is yakuza so there's a gun and there's a tiny bit of violence; brief appearance of utahime, shoko, suguru & nanami; POST-TIMESKIP: the most adorable twins ever, sachiko and sachiro, are back, with tons and tons of fluff!!!!!

▸ belongs to the series 'tang!' — same universe as the work 'every rose and its 'twin prickles'' — but you can treat this as a stand-alone fic if you wanna!

▸ i know i described the reader to be smart and stuff, but the thing is: she is smart, of sorts, that is. and the post-timeskip portion is tooth-rottingly fluffy but not for satoru; sachiko & sachiro will never let their papa get some loving from their dearest mama... AND this is 4.4k wc long— idk how i wrote so freaking much! anyways, whatever it is–

▸ i don't own the characters, the image or the divider used. please don't plagiarize or translate or repost this. enjoy reading! ❤️

Gojo Satoru was born with three things.  

His name. 

His looks.  

And, of course– the baggage certain to tag along with the above two. 

Cup of coffee languishing in the frost of your ignorance, you lock gaze, the first time, with the famous infamous scion of the Gojo’s, an awfully stormy morning at the café your friend works at.  

Said friend looks halfway on the path to sweet, sweet dreams, resting her head on folded arms on your table — smiling, you tuck a wayward strand of hair behind the shell of her ear, and return to your sly spying on the group seated couple of feet away. You think you see Gojo look at you yet another time — it must be an error of your eye, you reckon, given how he's giving a sharp grin to the man across from him, in the very next instant.  

Yeah, that's what it is. No one can possibly switch from shooting that level of thoughtful gaze to that level of feral grin in that short span of time. Yeah, it must have been a mistake of your silly eye.  

Anyways, whatever it is, to say you hate drawing attention to yourself will be the greatest understatement of the century— so you decide to look away for a beat, to avoid even the faintest hint of suspicion, eyes going back to the chemical reactions strewn across the mess you call notes— only to snap back to the white-haired boy, widening in horror from the click! then the scene crashing onto your brain.  

Gojo chuckles, eyes flitting from the gun aimed at the space between his eyebrows to the man holding it. "Aww," you register him croon, that self-sabotaging dumbass, "resorting to such cheap violence so quickly, Zenin-san? Grew tired of a civil conversation already? Tsk. What a pity." 

Another time and you think you'll consider this precise moment to be when you wake your friend up and slowly sneak away into the kitchen then out, via the back door. Another day and you know you'll consider this very second to be when you return your focus to your assignment on carbohydrates, all the while hoping you or your friend won't be cast into a brawl none of you are a part of— 

Too bad it isn't another time or another day, though.  

Biting back a grimace, you shut your laptop and rise from your chair with a loud clatter. 

"Forcing someone isn't really a nice way to make a deal, y'know," you hum, walking over to their table and plopping down onto the free seat next to Gojo, "what is better is to explain the pros and cons to the one opposite to you and try to convince them. Gently. And if that doesn't work, manipulate the hell out of them. But this?" you shoot the metal gun a disappointed glance, shaking your head, "this is a method even I know I shouldn't use to get my rival to agree to something, though I'm not from a criminal background." 

The man– Zenin, you correct yourself; the second largest yakuza clan right after Gojo's family, your memory supplies after a beat – gives a slow look from the weapon to you, a scowl appearing on his features. And barks – voice, a disgusting grating noise to your sleep-deprived self.  

"Who the fuck are you, girl? And why the fuck are you interfering in this?"  

You pause. Okay, this wasn't what you were expecting when you first strolled out here. You were expecting a yell, a scuffle; worst case, the gun aimed at your precious brain. But this? One question about your identity, and the other about your reason for approaching them? You haven't prepared yourself for this! 

Frowning, you cast a glance to your left, only to find the white-haired boy stare at you, staggered, with wide eyes and flushed cheeks; then at your friend who's snoring away like she doesn't give a damn about napping at work; then at the man glowering at you.  

You sigh, rubbing your temples. 

"Who the fuck I am... that's for me to know and for you to find out,” you answer, smirking, before growing serious again as you rush to explain, upon catching a murderous glint in the man’s eyes, “I mean, c'mon, y'all are the yakuza. This should be a piece of cake for you, shouldn’t it?"  

The man's glare only worsens in result; stamping down the apprehension in your mind, you continue, "And as for why the fuck I'm interfering in this—"  

You abruptly fall silent.  

Offering the boy beside you a panicky glance.  

Wondering what the hell you can say in reply. 

Should you say, "I've been listening to you threaten the poor boy for a good thirty minutes now, saying he's gonna face dire consequences, or some shit like that, if he doesn't share the area in the east with the Zenin's or refuses to marry their third daughter— who I'm pretty sure, y'all have made into nothing but a maid, a cook and a broodmare. Poor girl, being spoken of by her own family member to a stranger boy, as if she isn't a human being but something with no life or ambition. But, hey, how you raise your kids is honestly your own problem and I’m not here to drill some lesson into your head– though I guess, folks like you could really use some. Anyways, whatever the fuck it is, I'm here because I JUST CAN'T SEE ANOTHER BEING FORCED TO DO SOMETHING AGAINST THEIR WILL. AND I’M GONNA PROTEST AGAINST IT AS LONG AS I’VE A BREATH LEFT IN MY LUNGS." 

The inner-you tsks at the outer-you.  

You groan inwardly, shifting to the next plan already.  

So, must you say, "Gojo's my classmate, who has been sitting behind me since the first class of the year, and very weird to say, but I have also been finding him here at this coffee shop, every day I visit since that day, sitting at this specific table and scribbling in a notebook for hours at end— and, yeah, way weirder to admit out loud, but I guess I have also formed some kind of attachment to him? 'Cause of which, I feel, I get worried when I see him being actively threatened? And, yes, of course– all the while I totally ignore that he's next in line to a notorious criminal family or the fact that he's never even noticed me once before today." 

Another click! bounces off the walls into your ears, making you draw away from your mind back to the situation at hand. You settle for offering a shrug.  

"Why I'm here is because Gojo is one of my acquaintances and I just can't seem to stand someone being forced to do something against their will." 

Your statement earns a mocking laugh from the man, but before you rush to defend yourself and the fact you spoke the truth, a calloused palm rests on your forearm. Gojo's gaze flits from you to the gun still pointed at him then back to you. You feel a mild tremor in his fingers when they meet your skin. Good heavens, Gojo must be really scared, huh? 

His careful voice reaches you, a far cry from the haughty tone he was employing with the Zenin fellow earlier, "It's best if you leave now. Go take your friend and go away. And don't come back here. At least not until sometime later, yeah? Things are gonna get a hell lot messy and I don't want you to see that." 

For the first time in many days, the buzz of caffeine in your veins weakens, giving way to the thrum of worry you feel at Gojo’s words. Has this bastard already accepted his fate!? Hell no! Not if you can help it!!  

You give his arm a light pat. 

"While I leave you here, all alone, huh?" Shaking your head, you click your tongue. "Nope! Not gonna happen, mister. My parents raised me way better than that. Besides, you might not be knowing me but I've been knowing you for a while now, and despite what everyone says of you being the crown prince, or whatever, in the underworld — I ain't leaving you here, with your life at the mercy of a person who doesn't even have a shred of respect for others' freedom of choice and stuff." 

A noisy yawn sounds in the background, soon followed by a noisier series of snores. Gojo's mouth opens and closes a few times, like a funny fish, before he inquires, voice brimming with disbelief, "You... have noticed me? Since when?" 

You blink, then chuckle. "Of course, I have. Since the first day, if I'm being honest here," you reply, then add as a hasty after-thought, so that he doesn't see you as a weirdo, "I mean, it's tough not to notice you, y'know? Not when you're—" 

A deafening crash interrupts you in the middle of your sentence. You look away from the boy to find the man standing now, face contorted in a mix of fury and desperation while he shifts the gun's muzzle from Gojo to you, then back to Gojo, words leaving him in a harsh yell. 

"THE GIRL NOTICED YOU 'CAUSE YOU'RE THE GOJO SATORU AND YOU'RE HANDSOME AS FUCK. NOW, CAN YOU PLEASE SHUT THE FUCK UP, BITCH? AND YOU — YOU SICK, SPOILT GOJO BRAT– YOU SAID YOU DON'T HAVE A MINUTE TO SPARE? BUT HERE YOU ARE, CHATTING YOUR LIFE AWAY WITH THAT GIRL—" 

A second deafening crash reverberates through the small shop– and you think you see your life flash before your eyes– but not before the man drops to the ground, most probably unconscious and hopefully not too damaged to lead a functional life, and very earnestly not dead. The gun clatters to the ground beside him. You turn to your classmate, eyes wide. Gojo returns your gaze, unblinking and slack jawed. 

Heart thundering in your ears, you hurry to explain yourself, "I–" 

"You smashed that plate on that guy's head." 

Gojo’s blunt words bring you to a still, making your eyes drift to the fragments of the unlucky glass plate, to the unluckier but-totally-deserved-it Zenin, then back to your classmate. A little more awe on the boy’s face and you think his jaw might hit the floor.  

You nod slowly. 

"Yeah, but as self-defence. I mean, you saw how eccentric that man was acting, right? I had to do something to protect both of us," you explain, looking away from the pair of blue eyes watching you closely, to your friend who still seems to be lost in the land of sleep (how much exactly did she drink last night, huh?) to your grey sneakers, voice growing mumbled with every other syllable you utter.  

"But that doesn't mean you've to feel some sort of debt towards me or anything. I too was kind of at mistake then, I guess... what with me rambling so fucking much when there was a literal gun at your head. I should have acted with more tact then – if I had done so, then maybe this mess could've been avoided. I mean, I've never seen these things before in my life, y'know? Except in TV shows, that is. Yet, this foolish me here thought she could just swoop in and save you like some sort of a hero..." 

Sullen, you trail off, face growing warm from embarrassment whilst your mind devises a plan on how to clear up the mess you created, many thanks to your foolhardy nature, when a muffled laugh reaches you. Gojo's eyes twinkle in enjoyment at the bewildered huff you give him.  

"You did save me like a real hero back then, y'know," he says, grinning a wide grin – before it disappears, making way for a much reserved, much shyer(??) version. A giggly voice within you whispers he looks just as sweet as he did with his cute dimples. The boy continues, carding a hand through his mess of white hair, with a casual glance at the man, "And, as for the mess you keep mentioning, don't you worry. Gun shots create more mess than a plate smashed on the head. And if I can clear that within a minute– this won't even take me a full second, Miss Hero. Don't you worry for this at all. But, yeah, thank you." 

Now, you don't really know if it was the sincerity in his voice as Gojo thanked you, or the fact that he has to clean up the mess you made in the first place, or the stunned feeling so clearly visible in the blue colour of his irises when you admitted to noticing him— whatever it is, you find yourself not wanting to leave anything unsaid between you both.  

Moreover, the realization that lives are considered extremely low-on-value in the world of crime, so much that guns are whipped out at the tiny disagreements or boasts are made on how quick a gunshot mess can be cleared by them — this realization doesn't make things any easier for you. 

Giving the injured man and your napping friend a momentary glance, you return your focus to Gojo, whose eyes are now narrowed at his mobile, and speak those words weighing heavy on your mind right now.  

"I really noticed you since the first day, Gojo," you say. The boy pauses his typing, confused gaze darting to you. "But not just 'cause you're the Gojo Satoru, or 'cause you're really pretty — which you totally are, by the way— but mainly because you had ambled into our first class, on the first day, a magnificent hour late, with your two friends— and my first thought seeing you was, what sort of a fucking entitled brat is this guy, sauntering in as if he owns the entire place." 

A beat passes before the boy erupts into chuckles, though the tense quality of them doesn't escape your notice. Pocketing his mobile, he shoots you a small smile. "And what about noticing me after that? It was just my name and looks which kept your attention hooked onto me, wasn't it?" 

The question– the mumbled way it was asked, more so– sends you into a brief bout of musing silence. Gojo's eyes remain trained on you the entire while — quite contrary to the innumerable adjectives you've heard to describe them: oceanic blue, sparkling blue, mesmerising blue, kind-of-startling blue– you think they're just... blue. So blue, you wonder if there's anything as blue as that gaze peering down at you.  

Perhaps not. 

Lips curving into a smile, you hum, "Yes and no. Yes, 'cause that was the main reason why my eyes kept trailing you whenever we were in the same place. No, 'cause they were the reasons only until I realised what kind of person you are, and how very different you're from what I first thought of you. I got new reasons after those." 

"Mind telling me those new reasons?" 

Gojo's nervous question widens the smile on your face. Casting your friend a glance — goodness, how many drinks did she really have at the party she went to last night — you reply, making your voice light and friendly, "Your personality made me curious. You are old money, with good looks to boot— you're literally the heartthrob of every girl on campus! Still, I've never seen you with anyone from them— never with anyone outside your group of three friends — though, I got to admit, the blond boy looks nothing less than constipated for a week, when he talks to you." 

That last comment draws a chuckle from the white-haired boy. The tightness in his shoulders seems to relax a bit, you note with relief. Face still carrying the same smile as before, you continue speaking.  

"And the second point which made me curious was how different you behave in different places. Your voice rings across the cafeteria every day during lunch yet you stay so quiet here for hours at end. You once said you've never been much of a book person, yet I always see you in this shop, immersed in your notebooks. And– what has struck me the most of all is the way you tend to go out of you way to annoy others – I've been sitting in front of you in class for a good three months now, yet you've never ever irritated me in the slightest. Kind of strange, ain’t it?" 

Stunned silence comes as the answer to your question, what with the addressed classmate of yours, rooted to his spot on the ground, blue eyes as round as the plate you had smashed on the man's head some time ago and the expression on Gojo's face, almost as if you've grown a couple of heads in the while you have been chatting with him.  

Or more like monologuing, now that you think about it.  

This guy is always so chatty with others: he was even then with that gun cocked to take his life — then why the fuck is he so unspeaking right now, eh? 

"Oh God, Satoru, I can't believe your plan of lurking in the places she goes to, to catch her eye, worked out!!" "Are you asking her out right now, bro?" "Can you all please move? It's raining like hell outside and I'm not really keen to get my leather jacket wet, thank you." 

The noisy rumbles of rain and thunder stream in through the opened door, before the latter is closed again, snapping you out of your internal monologue, a bit too sudden and harsh for your liking. Three pairs of eyes regard you with an utmost curiosity — you return them a blink before dragging your eyes away and looking at the boy a good foot away, only to find him resolutely staring at the overhead lights. Two pretty long (and pretty weird) seconds pass before you finally decide to tear your gaze away from him to the rain-soaked glass window of the eatery.  

A face with creased brows and warmed cheeks greets you from your reflection.  

Screwing your eyes tight shut in an attempt to ward off an annoying headache you can feel build up, slowly yet steadily, you let out a sigh.  

Friendship with the Gojo Satoru seems good enough but romance with the Gojo Satoru... that doesn’t seem half-as-good, right? 

Right? 

"Wrong." 

Your son's insistent voice, coupled by the tiny fist he slams down on the table, breaks you out of your reverie and you turn to find Sachiro wearing a frown, tears brimming in his eyes– eyes which move away from his father and sister to you, pinning your drowsy form beneath the weight of their moisture.  

Stifling a weary sigh, you place the menu card back on the table and coo, "Aw, Sachiro! What's wrong, baby? Are Papa and Sachiko saying mean things to you again? Are they still teasing you regarding today's incident?" 

Although, you suppose to yourself, catastrophe might suit what happened today, way more than the word 'incident'— what with the shrieks, cries and yells resounding through your flat in the short time you took to get ready for your Sunday lunch at a restaurant. Rubbing his eyes a little, the little boy scoots closer to you and nods weakly, wrapping his tiny arms round you. Pressing a kiss to the top of his head, you direct a stern look at the two sitting across from you.  

Sipping on the welcome drink, Sachiko just shrugs back at you.  

"I'm not the wrong person here, Mom. He is," your daughter explains, pointing a finger at her brother, then retracting it at your frown. Your husband snickers from beside her. “Yeah, sweetness, it’s Sachiro who’s wrong. Getting confused on when’s your birthday is no small mistake. Besides, our darling little munchkins taunt me the entire time if I ever make a mistake, no? Can’t see why they can’t stand a taste of their own medicine, then.” 

The sobs muffled into the cotton of your dress grow in intensity and misery. Sending her father a vicious stink eye, your daughter moves to observe you and her brother, a cute little frown on her face.  

"Okay, fine," she relents after a short beat, returning the lemonade to the table, "Guess I was a little wrong. Maybe I shouldn't have teased him so much, along with Papa, for messing up the date of your birthday. I also should not have said, he doesn't love you, some time back."  

A very weighted moment passes. The little girl jumps off her seat and reaches your side of the table, tiny arms reaching out to wrap around her brother. It takes a minute, and a small nudge from your side but soon enough, your two kids are hugging each other; Sachiro, a wailing mess, whilst Sachiko, being the older of the twins that she is, keeps saying 'sorry's' and patting his head, the exact same way their father does to them in times of their grave distress — when they throw a tantrum and get a nice long lecture from you, that is.  

Fond smile creeping onto your lips, you tear your gaze away from the two adorable angels of your life to your husband.  

Relieved to find him sans any teasing smile, you receive a gentle look from him, his hand reaching out to interweave his fingers through yours. You let him with a content hum, basking in the simple domestic joy seeping in through the sweetly scented air of the restaurant. A pair of plush lips press to your palm; biting back a giddy giggle, you throw the owner of said luscious lips a meaningful wink.  

Though... you doubt how much of your meaning could be conveyed to him... given how the two of you jerk back from each other a mere instant later, at the loud clearing of a throat from Sachiko and an angry 'Papa! Go away!' from Sachiro.  

Stomping back to her chair and settling into it with some effort and a huff, you watch an extremely pissed shadow form over the little girl's face, worsening as she twists and cranes her neck up to face her father. You really, really think your husband must not chuckle in this way in the face of such a thunderstorm— not when your daughter is shooting daggers with her gaze; and certainly not when your son is shooting that gloating smirk at him.  

Another time and you think you’ll look at that glare and at that smirk, then proceed to be on cloud-nine, realizing your children, despite being xerox copies of their father (both in looks and manners), did inherit certain features from you as well— something which a terribly competitive voice inside your head claims, is a great win— now, however, is decidedly no such time.  

Not when the person you’ve loved for these many years and know, will continue to do so for an eternity, looks one step away from being tormented to death– by none but the two milk-toothed lights of both of your lives.  

You watch Sachiko’s frown deepen, more than should be possible for someone her age, then begin. 

"Papa, I'm sorry but I have to break our deal. Sachiro is right. We two are the strongest duo of twins in the multiverse — we can't let you break our team this way. So, what if my brother makes a mistake? He's a young baby and babies are allowed to make mistakes, aren't they?"  

You wonder if she truly understands she was born a mere six minutes prior than her brother... and not six whole years, as appears to be the case right now. Holding back chuckles, you spare the person, addressed in the ‘not-really-apology' apology, an amused glance, then nod your head solemnly at her words.  

"They are, baby. They so are," you agree in the very next instant, then ask, a genuine inquiring inflection to your tone, "But what deal did Papa make you agree to, baby? Sounds pretty serious to me, to be honest." 

"Oh, it wasn't anything, sweet cheeks," your husband begins with an awfully nervous-sounding chortle; too bad, your daughter is quick to beat him to it. Throwing him a smirk, you can only describe to be devious, she looks back at you and grins. "Two weeks back, Papa found me in the living room, late at night, staring at shooting stars through the windows. And I found him walking away from the kitchen, eating a giant chocolate bar. Papa said you’ll be very mad because we didn’t listen to what you said, so, we should make a deal and become a team to keep this a secret from you." 

"Papa made that deal– only to divide us. So, our strong team can be destroyed and he can easily defeat us and keep you all for himself, Mama," your son chips in, puffy eyes narrowed into a very hard glare. Your daughter agrees vehemently from the opposite side.  

Your eyes drop to the glass of lemonade before you; you try your best to stifle the yawn.  

This fight over your affection has been going on since the time your children turned four or so... and despite them nearing an age of six in few months, no end can be seen in the horizon, to this war raging within your home...  

And as for the matter of Sachiko being awake way past her bedtime? You reckon you can't really do much on this, other than repeating the rules and the reasons behind each one of them– especially of punctuality and an adequate sleep– to her, like you did the last time... though, you think of toning your lecture down a little this time, considering it wasn't a video game but a meteor show she had stayed awake for... besides you too used to be — okay, no, wait, what??? 

Your husband's sheepish grin collides with the incensed glare you aim his way over the table. Letting out a frustrated huff of an exhale, your face turns away from his, choosing to stare at itself in the clean glass windows instead — too, too mad to acknowledge that white-haired, blue-eyed menace of yours, whining apologies with a pitiful gaze.  

You screw your eyes shut and let out a sigh. 

Being married to the yakuza king, Gojo Satoru, is a story, you deem, it couldn’t have been better, but being married to the sweet fiend, Gojo Satoru?  

Oh, sweet– no, strike that, you fucking hate that word—  

Oh, sour heavens above.  

That's a different story altogether. 

▸ if you've reached this point and still love me and/or my writing, istg I LOVE YOU SO FUCKING MUCH. writing something inspired by one's self-ship is so satisfying but so difficult, ngl. A BIG TYYY TO YOU WHO IS READING THIS LINE RN AFTER READING THIS MONSTROSITY OF A ONESHOT *sniffles*

▸ masterlist

[a-s-levynn]

Happy little trees

aka the only way i know how to draw trees, and even that is thanks to Bob Ross

@alexghost07 I hope this helps! ♥

Always click for better quality, tumblr is not friendly to most image ratios !

Most people (including myself originally) are simply overthinking it. Especially if you are working with a medium that has one colour on a spectrum. For example a graphite pencil. Like i do.

These are so simple that it just.. for me it always felt like cheating almost. It cannot be this easy can it? Well, it is.

For me what helped is that now i never draw them with anything harden than a 2B pencil and very rarely softer than a 4B but there is no rules for these things. Do what feels right and comfortable for you and your desired end result.

And it's not that it would not be doable with a B or HB or even an H pencil, i just prefer the softer side. Easier to control and has an inherent softness that lends itself great to foliage if you are not aiming for high detail. At least for me.

But even between 2B and 2B are differences depending on the quality of the graphite. And a 4B for comparison.

And the scanned version to actually see the differences:

Not a huge difference but everyone has preferences or ideas what goes better with the given drawing or look they try to achieve.

You can also play with the darkness, naturally, to make it even more silhouette than tree:

But maybe the biggest help for me was to switch pencil hold for this. Usually i hold my pencils and pens either like this, this or this:

It is dependent if my hand is hurting/cramping or the area i'm drawing or how i want my lines to fall, how defined or blended shading i want, or to avoid smudgeing if i'm too lazy to get something to put under my hand etc.

But for the trees i am holding it like so:

I do this for these trees or foliage of similar kinds. For bushes and other kinds of trees i just make the trunks a bit more gnarly and the crowns more fluffy in a cloud esque way, and let everything blend together. The viewer's brain fills out most of it anyway.

The goal is for me to evoke foliage just enough to be translated and recognized as for examople: a road between bushes and trees. (instead of beeing just random scribbles on paper)

(I also made the farther ones lighter because as you look towards the horizon in larger expanses, the further away things are, the lighter and less defined they seem.)

And the obligatory video, just so you can actually see what i'm talking about here. Until 2:40 it is real time, so you can see at the actual speed how i am doing these. The rest of the video is about x5.2 speed.

Originally it was almost 8 minute so let's say this little scene took about 10 minutes altogether. It definitely looks like a 10 minute sketch but i love this type of stuff. It's low effort and still looks good.

This is with a single 4B pencil and a white pencil thingie i talked about before.

(No sounds on the video besides the pencil on the paper. Also shout out to my goblet, replacing the RedBull can from last time. ✌🏻)

The main thing is that i try to avoid it to be too symmetrical but still keeping a level of semi-symmetry because pine trees do have a natural symmetry.

And the propeerly scanned end results:

I really hope it helps, because these are very fun to draw and far more easier than people might originally think.

Thank you again if you read this far, happy creating! I hope your day is kind to you. ♥

[fever-project]

Click on the images to see them better, since the quality got absolutely crunched. I was working on a small canvas. Working on some LUxAceAttorney art that makes me want to cry 🫠 I want to draw a bunch of sprites for the chain and redraw the sprites for the aa guys so that they all match. At least I’m not trying to emulate the aa style too much. Anyways, these two scenes aren’t back to back but I wanted to draw the different sprites. Also I didn’t draw the background, it’s from the remaster I think. I just pixelated and blurred it a bit because it didn’t look right to me. Should’ve just used the GBA version probably but oh well. I did recreate the text boxes:) oh, and I have the full version of both of these sprites(this doesn’t mean they are full body) under the cut.

If anyone has any questions for the AU, I’m more than happy to answer, since it’ll be a while before I can draw something substantial for this. Anything about the case(s), the names I’ve come up with, how characters interact, etc. I’ll tell you. And @the-sleepydetective, have some art.

I tried to make them transparent but it didn’t work. Oops! I also based Wild’s design on Maya and ApolloJustice Phoenix, but this isn’t set during aj. This AU is set sometime after the original trilogy

[floor-archivist]

How to spend less money on college textbooks:

Now, this may not work for everyone. If you have a class that needs a book and an online access code or something, see if you can buy the access code separately.

Guide below the cut:

(Click images for better quality)

DO NOT BUY FROM THE BOOKSTORE! I think that’s a given but just in case. Avoid it at all costs, your school does not need more of your money.

1.     Friends: Before I send you on an internet goose chase, check around with some friends. Did they take your class last semester and maybe would be willing to loan you the book, or even sell it to you at a nice price? Well, that’s spectacular you don’t need this anymore!

2.     What you need to start your search:

Title

Author(s)

ISBN number

Edition of the book or Publication Year

Preferably have these somewhere you can copy from and paste into search bars on a computer.

3.    First Option: Library Genesis (https://libgen.rocks/index.php) Open this with an ad blocker, uBlock Origin is free and very good. If you’re not using an ad blocker, click carefully.

Type the ISBN or title and author into the search bar, in my example I’m looking for Biological Science by Freeman (5th edition). You may need to scroll down a little, the book I’m looking for didn’t show up till the 11th entry. This was the entry I ended up choosing:

[ID: A cropped screenshot of Library Genesis, showing the result for Biological Science, which reads, “Biological Science 5th Scott Freeman Pearson 2014 English 0/1418 187 MB pdf“ End ID]

Make sure the file type is a PDF, which it will say in the list on the far right. Now click on the title of the book. You will be brought to the page that looks like the following image:

[ID: A cropped screenshot of Library Genesis, showing the page for the book, Biological Science. It lists all the previous information in the last image, as well as a description of the book, the edition ID, when it was added to the website, when it was modified and the ISBN number. The cover of the book, which appears on the left side of the picture, shows a green reptile. Along the bottom of the picture is a smaller version of the book cover, which is circled in red. End ID]

Make sure everything matches up and this is in fact the correct book. If it is, click on the small version of the cover, next to the file size, circled in red in the above example. You will be brought to the following page:

[ID: A cropped screenshot of Library genesis, showing the cover of the book, Biological Science, as described previously. Above the book in a box, is the word “GET”, circled in red. End ID]

Click “get,” as shown in the image above, circled. Once you have clicked “get” the file should either start downloading immediately or ask where you want the file saved (depending on your preferences). Once it has finished downloading, open the file and make sure everything is in order. If you’ve made it this far, congratulations! You have pirated your textbook! Repeat as needed.

If this doesn’t work...

4.     Second Option: Your School’s Library

Search up your book in the online catalogue. If it does show up, amazing! Go to the library and check it out!

But some schools may have textbooks on something called “reserves.” In the example below, that is what is going on with my book.

Reserve means you need to go to the library staff and ask to borrow it, which you will then have a few hours to use the book as needed in the library (usually 2-3 hours).

[ID: A cropped image of a library search for the book, The First Days of School by Harry K. Wong and Rosemary T. Wong. To the left is a picture of the cover of the book, showing the name and authors in green lettering. Along the bottom of the search result is a section that shows the location of the book, the first part of which is blocked out, and reads “Reserves (Circulation Desk) (PERSONAL COPY)” End ID.]

4.5    Third Option: WorldCat / ILL

Go into the advanced search options of your library’s catalogue and click “WorldCat” as shown below:

[ID: A cropped image of a library search engine. It reads as follows, “Search criteria. Search for: Books, articles and more.” “WorldCat.” is circled in red. Below this lists options for fields of search, material types, languages, and dates. End ID.]

This will search the catalog of every school that participates in a program called InterLibrary Loans (ILL). It will allow you to request books to be sent to your school for free! Now, if you find your book this way, submit a request and you should get the book within a week or two!

Public Libraries also have a similar system, if you are looking for a very specific book you may be able to find it through that, check out your local libraries’ website for more info!

** I’m not sure how Universities outside of the US work, however there is a chance they have a similar system of loaning books between participating libraries. Check your library’s website, there should be something on there if they do have a similar system.

5.     Fourth Option: PDF Searches

Google search “filetype:pdf “(insert book name here)”” In my example shown below I’m searching for a book called "El español a través de la lingüística”

[ID: A screenshot of a google search. The search bar contains, “filetype:pdf "El español a través de la lingüística”” The images shows the first three results of the search. The first is a pdf file titled, “felix-brasdefer-2008-cortesia.pdf” the next is a website titled, “Introduccion A La Linguistica Espanola Azeveado 2009 (PDF)” the last is website titled, “Introduccion A La Linguistica Espanola 3rd Edition Spanish...” End ID]

This only brings up search results that are pdfs, making it more likely to be a textbook. In this search I was able to find chapter 9 of my textbook in a pdf. Look through all the results.

6.   Tips for if the previous things did not work:

Get a buddy in the class and split the cost!

Buy secondhand; try amazon, chegg, thriftbooks, ebay

Get a digital copy, paper costs money man, saves some trees too?

Get an earlier edition. Yes, they’re particular about them sometimes, but the information remains the same throughout each book usually, especially if they’re close in editions.

Rent them!

DO NOT BUY YOUR TEXTBOOK TILL YOU HAVE ACTUALLY SAT IN THE CLASS. You never know if you’ll have to drop it for some unforeseen circumstance, or maybe you’ll just hate the professor so much you just drop the class.

If the book is not a “textbook” but more like a “required reading” check with your local public library!

Talk to your professor! Some will let students borrow books for the whole semester if they can’t get them or are waiting on shipping. Some will even scan the books and print them for you! But this works best in universities with very small class sizes.

I hope this was able to help to at least spend a bit less money on textbooks this year! Thanks for reading! Last Updated on: 6/20/2023

[paperw0rmz]

Complete guide to Flickr and why you should use it

bc I got some things wrong but it’s still a very good website that we should all use instead of Instagram

1: Flickr isn’t tied to Meta or any of that Facebook bullshit, from my knowledge it doesn’t share your contacts so no one will get a notification that you joined, it’s safer that way and more private than Instagram.

2: It’s built for photos. Instagram kills quality of photos, if you’re an artist, especially a digital one, uploading to Flickr would be way better for people to actually see detail and the color.

Going on with this because it’s built for photos, while it can host video, it doesn’t have TikTok/Reels and lives which is soooo nice. Like I don’t hate that stuff, but I like that Flickr isn’t trying to catch on the latest trends.

3: There isn’t likes. Flickr is mainly for sharing and LOOKING at photos. The most interaction you can get one on one is commenting, following, and favoriting. Favoriting is basically the public saves, no one really faves things on there unless it’s a recipe or for a reference or something.

4: Groups. Flickr does have an option for communities to make groups in where you can share similar interests MOST OF THESE ARE DEAD BUT WE CAN BRING THEM BACK!!! (IM BEGGING)

5: The bios are unlimited ( I think ), I copy and pasted the entire Bee Movie script three times along with my own bio that was already in there. I’m always pissed when I have to trim my bio, so bitches who like to put everything in their bio this website is for YOU

6: It’s in chronological order. Everything. You can even look up when certain posts where made by year, month, even fucking day. The archives of Flickr are so fucking fun.

7: Its not a contest. The main reason as to why I fucking hate Instagram (other than they took away chronological order and being able to see the recents under a tag) is that it focuses too much on “#aesthetic” even on the casual Instagram side people are still posing and trying to make an aesthetic of it. Flickr is just for photos you like, which yes can be aesthetic, but it’s mainly for daily life. You will see older people just posting what they are working on, maybe a cat they saw at the store, nothing planned. Just a quick unprompted click.

8: Organization, Flickr let’s you have Albums which is where you can organize all your photos in much like Pinterest. Most do it by year but others do it by topic too.

9: You can upload photos in bulk. You don’t have to upload them one by one, or at a limit of ten, you can upload a FUCK ton of photos at once.

10: if you don’t like ads and want more storage space, the pro version is extremely cheap compared to Netflix. Netflix without ads is fucking $15.49 and Flickr is $8.25 a month. There are also two other payment plans if that’s still too much for you.

11: It allowed adult content. In like. Every form. Enough said

CONS

1: You can’t DM (this is not a con to me and I hate when people complain about this just fucking use a email it is so fun to email people please for the love of god)

2: You can only upload 1,000 images before you run out of space. (You can always delete images later, I personally like to delete images at new years for a fresh start and archive them somewhere else)

3: it’s dead. No one really uses it.

4: to upload your bio you have to use a desktop version of the app.

THANK YOU FOR READING PLEASE SWITCH TO FLICKR AND SHARE THIS SO WE CAN START TO REVIVE OLD PLATFORMS TO SAVE THEM TO REBEL AGAINST META AND THIS NEW AGE OF CREATING SOCIAL MEDIA APPS AND SHIT

[anamazingangie]

House of the Dragon : Stills / Screen-cap Resources

Making this mostly for my discord as per usual, but some people have asked me where I get my files for edits. not tagging this with anything since the more people who know about these, the more they will be targeted for takedown...but i'd like other fans to enjoy them as much as i have, too.

Stills: [these are photographs taken during production rather than images pulled from footage, so they tend to be higher quality and have better lighting without the various filters]

Section of Randomess is amazing - free, no ads, great quality, easy to download, but does not update frequently.

Warner Brothers Media very well organized, search by episode, date, etc. all very official as they literally make the show. however these are intended for use in press releases, and you need to have a press account to download the files. still, you can look at all the previews.

MovieStillsDB updates very frequently, has the largest collection of images released by official sources spanning all the various international hbo media accounts. you do need an account to download, and credits, but the most "expensive" credit packages still come out to less than 10c per a photo.

Kinorium this kind of has everything in one place which is nice, but the quality is lower. i usually use it to find an image i like, then right click and 'search image in google' to find a higher resolution version. stills gallery [kinorium]

poster gallery [kinorium]

promo gallery [out of costume] [kinorium]

they have tabs for BTS photos and screenshots too, but they are very incomplete.

Stock photo websites i am CHEAP and these are EXPENSIVE so i don't have a lot to say about them, but the big ones like shutterstock and almay usually have a selection of high resolution images too.

Posters: [branded promotional material to build hype]

Cinematerial i think this is the sister site to moviestills, similarly you can browse everything but need credits to download, and they have the same pricing system. still it's pretty great because they have every variant of each poster including international ones, and they offer very high resolution copies.

also, see above for poster gallery [kinorium]

Screencaps: images pulled ['captured'] from the episodes

there are probably dozens or even hundreds of sites with screencaps, but my favorites have been these two

Cap-That very thorough caps from every episode that can be viewed and downloaded individually in 4K, or downloaded in zips for each episode in standard HD.

and i do mean very thorough. each episode has on average four thousand images.

comparatively the zips from another site [lostintimegraphics] have about one thousand images per an episode.

what makes them "special" in addition to few ads (comparatively) is that they brighten the thumbnails on each page, a MUST to see wtf is going on in some parts, given how dark the show is.

when you click on the thumbnail and download the file, it is unfiltered/as appears in show, it just makes it easier to find the file you want instead of wading through a sea of black thumbnails.

So-Obsessed i think this is managed by a single person and i give them MAJOR props for that. they not only have 4k screencaps of HotD, but also every episode of Game of Thrones.

they are sorted by episode, there is no download a zip option, only individual files. they also have a stills gallery. there are no ads, which is wonderful.

the only reason i prefer cap-that is because they have 3x times the number of images for each page. despite both sites being comparably thorough, on so-obsessed there are 120 pages for episode two, and on cap-that there are 40.

you also can't right click/open in new tab/download images, you have to use their toolbar. it's well designed, just slower for me who is accustomed to the other method.

ok, am done. if you're wondering why the fuck anyone would want screencaps or stills, personally *i* like using them for edits to entertain me in the offseason, see here.

what other people do with them...that's between them and god.

[honey-tragedy]

this is nova, nova is my proto type spidersona based on the salmon pink bird eating spider. nova is what happens if you tell a broke 18 year old you'll give them 5000 bucks and a full ride scholarship if they agree to be part of your sketchy bio engineering drug trial. 

per usual, click for better resolution cause tumblr just eats image quality. 

long post below

their universe, number 244598, is a semi technologically advanced world, but its advancements are mostly in military applications. time line wise their running in the year 2040.

based on the what if situation of oscorp realizing that their radioactive spider could be used to make the newest batch of super soldiers , and the military funding the project. currently their are only two surviving from the original pool of applicants, both of which got spider powers, nova as the feet on the ground half and a yet to be named other half as the guy in the chair. 

both of them weren't to keen on being the newest attack dogs for the military, but oscorp doesn't exactly agree with that. oscorp don't know whos under the spider mask but they do know Spiderman has got to be using their experimental supersoldier serum and if they can capture them the compony would have a working version of the serum.  consequently both “spiderman” and “ that other smaller spiderman” have warrants out for their arrest.

nova, during a attempt to transfer them to larger tank, “dealt with” the researchers in the lad at the time, in a sort of spider-sense fueled blind rage. destroying the lab and wiping as much evidenced of the project as they could.  they destroyed the tanks and the rest of the deceased trial candidates, threw the only other survivor over their shoulder and bolted.

after setting the place on fire of course. they've got a Deadpool style “I'm too changed and monstrous to go back to the people i love but ill keep them safe in the meantime” thing going on.

they went into the trial 5′2 and with the normal two arms and two eyes.

 their now about 7′1 and around 700 pounds, even if they don't look it, two extra arms, six extra mini eyes and a whole lot of muscle and joint issues on their left side.  due to them growing far larger then expected their containment tank was too small, as such their left side was pressed into the glass and its growth stunted.

their suit compensates for most of it with braces and extra support on that side. outside of costume they use a Cain. 

im playing with the idea of their like, unique power being some sort of weight/ density shifting, their basically like a brick wall with other various spider powers. but because their so heavy they got to  be super carful with where they swing and land. many billboards have been dented and bent due to them. 

they were in new York for collage when they joined the spider experiment. now seeing as they essentially faked their death, collage’s not exactly in the cards.  they work day shift at a strip club bar and nights as the one and only goliath.

im basically planning on throwing them into their universes team red cause i think dp and dd would do very well with a big big friend.

[murumokirby360]

My High Purity Copper Wire Replacement Audio for my QKZ AK6 Pro IEM review (w/ my paper dolls) - 2nd Half (Final) [Recorded: Dec 8th, 2023]

DeviantART Version: [CLICK ME!]

Hello, December. Here's my 2nd half (and final) of my 'High Purity Copper Wire Replacement Audio' for my QKZ AK6 Pro IEM Earphones, or as I call it my 'audio wire replacement' (, feat. my paper dolls).

• If you haven't seen my '1st half', then please → [CLICK ME!].

BTW: And once again, If you haven't seen my review of QKZ AK6 Pro (from 2022), then I'll provide some links down below. ↓ 😉

My QKZ AK6 Pro IEM Earphones:

• Revealing parcel [Oct 1st, 2022]

• Part 1 (1st half) [Oct 8th, 2022]

• Part 2 (2nd half) [Oct 8th, 2022]

• Part 3 (Final) [Oct 26th, 2022]

So, without further ado, let's get started:

20th & 21st Image(s): ↑

• Here's a preview of installing my two AK6 Pro earpieces to my new 'audio wire replacement'. 🎶🎧🙂 My paper dolls are excited to wear it. Don't you worry, you two. I hope your ears we're fit. Hehe 😅 Nonetheless, here's my 2nd recorded video. 🎦📲

🎦 My Recorded video No. 2 ↑ 📲

• Here's me connecting two audio pieces into one, and it fits perfectly! 🎧🎶😊 Once again, my apologies for the awful background, despite my current smartphone (the Honor 8C) doesn't have noise cancelling / anti-background sound feature. 🚫🎶🏙️📲

22nd to 24th Image(s): ↑

• [22nd & 23rd Image] Finally, the installation is complete! Care to wear it, you two? 🎧😊 "Yes, please" said my paper dolls. [24th Image] Mmmmm... 🤔 A-Okay, but uhh... I think, would it better if you two wear my headphones over earphones, Okay? 😊 My paper dolls completely agree.

25th & 26th Image(s): ↑

• Now, let's go to the actual wear, featuring "ME!". 😊 You can see these photos of mine, they fit well on both of my ears just like before 👂🙂👍. Sound-wise, the sound quality is the same as I expected 🙂🎶👌, but say cannot be said for the quality of ear hooks. You see, upon wearing these or taking off after hours of listening, the material for the ear hooks feels quite flimsy than the original one. 🪢 👂🎧🤔 My OG audio wire's ear hooks used to have a solid bend without worrying about. On top of that, the wiring itself feels quite light, making it easy to snap after a long use (, as I predict 🤔). Not to mention, the slippery and glossy appearance of the wiring. Though, I'm not sure if this replacement could last as long as the original one. But, we'll see in the endurance durability pace for my new audio wire. On the plus side, it is as comfy as before without hurting my ears; not even once.

• As of today (Dec 15th, 2023), I have no issues whatsoever, so far. I've tested it on my Honor 8C phone to see the function of the controls (play/pause, and the volume buttons), and it worked well. And with the volume controls on my IEM earphones, I don't have to reach my phone just to adjust the volume for hearing purposes. 🎧📲😊👍

Overall & Asking Price:

• Despite material differences between the OG and the replacement one, I'd say if your OG audio wire was busted after the lifespan was dead, a replacement for your current IEM earbuds is a better choice. 🎶🎧😊👍 Not only the audio wire replacements deliver the same quality sound as the original, but they also it'll save your budget, as well, if you have existing functional IEM detachable earpieces. Because some people like me, don't want to spend another spare of regular earphones with no detachable feature, right? Well, okay I guess that is debatable (BUT). 🤔Nonetheless, I think every IEM budget owners should buy this if they so desire. 😊

• As for the price, I order it from Shopee PH for only ₱ 145 [CLICK ME!] 🏷️. 🇵🇭🛒🌐 There's also an additional ₱10 for the pouch, but I rather not spending it. Considering, that I have tons of pouches to used. 🙂 There's also available on Lazada PH [CLICK ME!] 🇵🇭🛒🌐, as well albeit a different price than Shopee 🏷️, plus there's a Type C variant and different style choices.

Well, that's the end of my topic, and see you in 2024! 🥂🥳🎇

Tagged: @lordromulus90, @bryan360, @carmenramcat, @leapant, @rafacaz4lisam2k4, @alexander1301, @paektu

[green-eyes-and-orange-ties]

click the picture for a slightly better quality image

17. The Star

Upright: renewal, hope, end of a destructive period Reversed: disconnection, despair, overwhelmed by challenges faced

A far too detailed reading of this card below

The star appears in a time of vulnerability as you have to be open to believing in more than what has been. In traditional decks (and here) this vulnerability is depicted by having naked figures. The one large star represents the core of Cam's being, which comes across as hopeful and warm even after suffering a great loss (at least to me it does). Cam's bow is unstrung, to show whilst capable of destruction/violence they are unwilling.

Traditionally this card depicts running water to show the flow of the unconscious and the conscious and that they need to be in balance with one another. Water didn't fit so here the universe/night sky is flowing between Cam and Dagger seeking balance. This card is also about balancing practicality with intuition, I think Cam and Dagger could balance each other nicely. Where as Cam's body language is very open (for honestly), Dagger's is much more guarded and she is gripping her weapon ready to use it.

Upright Meaning - The Star is after card after The Tower in most tarot decks, so can signify the end of a destructive time or an end of harsh challenges that you have endured of late. These challenges may have cut to the core of your being forcing you to acknowledge who you really are, giving you a new sense of self. With this new understanding of your self you are entering into a time of important personal growth, but from a place of peace and calm. You will learn that dreams can become reality.

Now is a good time to be honest with yourself about who you want to be and make the changes needed to transform into that person. Now is the time to get rid of limiting beliefs or deceptions and live as you. During this time be open to new ideas and the possibility of rediscovery.

Reversed Meaning - The Star reversed shows up when you are feeling that there is no hope or purpose in the world. You may feel overwhelmed by challenges and uninspired by your day to day (either work, hobbies, relationships ect.). Maybe a project isn't panning out as planned and you are wondering whether it is time to cut your losses and just move on.

This card often shows up when you need to align/realign your daily life with your own core values. Take the time to step back before your burn yourself out trying to push through the challenges. Whilst everyone's version of reenergising looks different, being near water helps most people.

The Star reversed can also be a warning that if you don't take time to realign now you run the risk of being overwhelmed by challenges and collapsing in on yourself (shown by Cam and Dagger looking like they are falling when this card is reversed , compared to jumping when upright).

This is just my interpretation of the characters so it might be different to how they were intended or how others see them.

[Bonus - In romantic readings The Star can signify that you are ready to move past previous hurt and harmful relationships and open yourself up to a new person ... no comment but consider it]

[semi-imaginary-place]

"what modern persona game should I play?"

Play both p3 and p5r eventually. P3 had better thematic execution and story, P5R is out right now, both are good games. I've been seeing P5R for half price over the last few months. I suppose it depends on how much you care about hype and trends, I don't and I've played P3 so I don't mind waiting a couple years until Reload is on sale. Between P3 FES and P5 Royal P3 is the better game, P5 has a bad habit of thematically shooting itself in the face constantly it doesn't know what it wants to say, P3 is much more coherent and has one of my favorite stories. Both have good casts, who you will like depends on you. P3 in tone is more somber and mature and that shows in the characters like even the jokey characters have something going on. P5 is more lively comparatively (though really I'd say P4 is the liveliest and youngest feeling). I like the character arcs of the P3 cast more as they are more integrated into the main plot. For p5 overall the writing quality is high and I found the story to be compelling so it has that going for it, but 3rd semester fleshes out Maruki, Akechi, and Yoshizawa so if you hate those 3 you might be annoyed at seeing them on screen.

On a note for P3, don't play Portable. If you are only going to play 1 version of P3, Portable is the worst one to choose. It has valuable content if you are already a p3 fan, but it cuts out the animated cutscenes which are the best directed cutscenes I have ever seen as well as removing the overworld which really takes away form the immersion and intractability of the world (it's replaced with a point and click image), it also makes some other changes that weaken the story and themes of p3. The animation direction of the og and FES cutscenes is a godly high tier art form and worth seeing. As of right now FES is the best version if you are only going to play P3 once. We will see about Reload but so far it looks to be promising for being the best version, for you I'd probably wait for Reload to play P3. (P3P makes sense for a switch port since it was designed for mobile platforms and the PSP but for a pc port i would have chosen FES. While i like the option for friendships on the female route, P3P also makes several changes that weaken the themes of P3.)

P4 is also a good game. I don't think Golden is that much better than vanilla since there's parts added I didn't like but it's not worse. P4 is my least favorite of the recent 3 main games. It hasn't aged well but if you look at it as a period piece for the culture of the mid-late 2000s it can be pretty interesting. P4 like P5 also has a habit of tripping over it's own themes and face planting into the ground.

The side games in general tend to be a step down from the main games (Arena, Strikers, Answer, Dancing etc. not sure about PQ just starting them). The Arena games and Persona Q both have spoilers for P3 so I'd advise playing P3 and P4 first. The stories to the Arena games were ok I guess but I didn't find them particularly compelling. The main concepts are fine but it takes a while to get to the juicy part. Arena is a split storyline visual novel sot hat's part of it. Really the draw to Arena is seeing the P3/4 characters which is a shame because they did some bizarre characterization choices, in general flattening/simplifying down their personalities, or like drastically changing characters personalities. Its enough that a good chunk of us ignore it as canon. The Arena games aren't that great storywise and some of the character writing is weirdly different than in the main games, like it is flat out bad. Strikers is good for a spinoff and is a good extension of p5 but it's not as good as and doesn't have nearly as much content as the main games.

[oswlld]

Show Your Coloring Before & After

was tagged by @rose-nebulijia + @laowen ♥ thank u babes

As previously mentioned, all edits are done on mobile apps. Here, I specifically wanted to focus on the raw export onto my computer before sizing/fonts are applied. SW and MARVEL caps typically have screencap galleries in 2160p, while most BL’s I cap myself are required to be 1080p or more. And the most important thing I look for, before editing, is a cap that already shows good lighting and composition. That way, the editing elevates the image.

I won’t go into detail for each edit, but I can touch on my common adjustments and then call out what additional work needed to be achieved for the final edit.

VSCO is my main app for coloring. In addition to having a better quality camera than the built-in one I have, the presets and adjustments achieve better results than other apps I used for IG. I gravitate towards exposure, white balance, vignette, and grain (rip grain 2020-2022, nothing happened but im still bitter its now a subscription feature).

At this point, I am very in tune with what I look for in my edits, so I know how to measure my adjustments and the number range for each (ex: grain ranged between 2.8 to 4.1 depending on the resolution). I now rely on Snapseed for Grain, which is under Grainy Film.

Snapseed is also my go-to app for my most recent editing style — the scratchy or film clip borders (Frames) and then the borders (Expand). If there’s a dusty film look or blurred text, they were overlays (Double Exposure). I’ve also used Perspective, Selective, and Lens Blur in past edits. And of course, text is available here but there’s a limited selection.

When I have made all the necessary adjustments, I specifically save as an Export (not Save or Save a Copy) with the final changes. I find that the Exported images from Snapseed (VSCO too) size down better than the Saved versions.

Size matters, in regards to these edits. Why? I manipulate the size down (commonly from ~1500px+ width to less than 900px), so that the grain is accentuated (and looks sharper). In the end, coloring does skew slightly underneath the grain, which gives off that photograph look moreso than the raw export. Feel free to click on the images to enlarge and see the differences close up. I didn’t mess with the sizing, so it should look slightly different than the post

Additional work for the selected edits are below the cut -

Random BB Screen Cap #12 (Frame 5) - very minimal adjustments, exposure and grain did most of the work

Anakin from Ep VI (Frame 1) - also very minimum, before the additional frame and border; white balance leans heavily on the red side of the spectrum (I think it was above 3.0) before adjusting the saturation down a smidge.

KinnPorsche/War of the Foxes (Frame 4) - I use the B5 preset for all b/w edits in VSCO; image was very mid in coloring, so I used Brush in Snapseed to “burn” the bg

Weeping Angels Set (Frame 12) - very little adjustments needed; white balance leaned more yellow for warmth, in order to work cohesively with the surrounding images; 

BB/Jane Eyre (Frame 2) - again, very little need to be adjusted; the seat lean more pink, but I needed the set to match the purple in Frame 3; white balance leans more blue

The Good Place (Frame 3) - similar to all above statements with adjustments; the additional ’scratches’ come from Unfold, another app I use frequently for this affect and others; I believe this can be found under Journals(?); I export the template and then go back to Snapseed to crop out the excess

BB Top 3 Eps (Frame 2) - Unfold again, but this is under the Paper series; if I want variety in the “folds”, I would flip the image upside down

BB Film Noir #2 (Frame 1) - the only time I used contrast and exposure to its extremes; also heavily relies on using Double Exposure in Snapseed to add in the old film effects and blurred text

Feel free to reach out if you want to know some specifics or if you want to just learn how to apps work. Will also add this to the q&a section.

tagging @mrdumpling @actually-yikes @pranpats @taeminie @loversmore @liyazaki @dingyuxi (no pressure if you’ve already done it or whatnot, i just adore you guys okay)​

[pilots-and-protons]

I’M SCREAMING

Ok for context, ages ago I found a photo on an old website for Robert Duncan McNeill that was from some show I’d never heard of. The photo wasn’t very big and being curious, I wanted to find a better/larger version of it. 

This was the image (from “Going to Extremes”, some one-season show from the early 90′s apparently):

The thing is, even with a lot of googling and various reverse-image searches, I couldn’t find a better size or quality for this image and I eventually just gave up. 

Fast forward months, and now I’m randomly googling Robbie this evening because I was looking for a completely different photo (there was something I wanted to show my sister and I couldn’t remember where to find it).

Lo and behold, I find THIS:

Despite the odd color toning and the obvious stock-photo watermarks, it’s a way bigger and way better quality photo. Which is excellent! Except, that’s not why I’m screaming.

Because you know how, when you search for images on google, and you click on an image, you can then open whatever website page the photo comes from? Can you guess where google image search linked me to when I innocently clicked on the “visit page” button? Do you think that I was sent to alamy dot com and their no doubt large collection of stock photos?

No. This photo was hiding deep within the internet for me to find, on fucking

MEN’S WIKIFEET

If that isn’t insane enough, you want to know what’s even wilder?

I can’t find this photo on alamy dot com. You know, the place where all the watermarks are telling me it is from. Did it used to be there? Was it taken down for some reason? Has it somehow been mislabeled so my search terms aren’t working? Who fucking knows.

The point is, I finally got to see a better version of this image. But boy, I wouldn’t have bet that goddamn Wikifeet would be where it was fucking hiding.

[aicommandhub]

SEO Writing AI: Review: Does This AI Write Better Blog Posts Than You?

SEO WRITING AI, A Content Creator's Honest Take (Free & Paid Options) Struggling to keep up with content creation? SEO Writing AI promises to be your AI writing sidekick, churning out SEO-optimized articles in a flash. But is it all it's cracked up to be? I put it to the test to find out. I asked the program to write a review of itself. Let's dive into the results and you can decide how well it performs. SEO Writing AI offers a surprisingly generous free plan. You get 5 article generations per month, with a 5,000-word limit. This lets you try out the features and see if the writing style meshes with your needs. The paid plan starts at $19/month, offering a significant jump in features and word count. UPDATE!!! We upgraded our plan and created Nybble's Knook. If you want to see the full features in action head over to Nybbles Knook and give some of the articles a read. 1 Click Blog Post Pros: - Free Plan with Teeth: Unlike some anemic free tiers, SEO Writing AI's free version packs a punch. You can generate multiple articles, utilize bulk generation, and even leverage an AI-powered SEO mode to optimize your content. Connecting your OpenAI API key further enhances the free version's output. - Quality Content, Right Out the Gate: I was impressed with the quality of the generated content. Even on the free tier, the articles were well-written, incorporated quotes and tables, and maintained a visually appealing structure. - Paid Version Supercharges Your Workflow: The paid plan unlocks serious content creation power. Higher word counts, increased article generation limits, and features like YouTube embedding and AI image generation can significantly streamline your workflow. At $19/month, it's a compelling option for content creators with a high volume. - Collaboration, Not Replacement: While AI writes the core content, it doesn't replace your expertise. I found the best results came from adding my own voice and refining the generated text. Think of it as a powerful collaborator, not a writing robot. Cons: - Learning Curve: As with any new tool, there's a slight learning curve to get the most out of SEO Writing AI. Experimenting with prompts and settings might be necessary to achieve your desired outcome. - Not a Magic Bullet: Don't expect perfect, publish-ready articles straight out of the AI. The generated content serves as a solid foundation that can be polished and improved with your own touch. Why I Like It: SEO Writing AI's free plan is a fantastic way to dip your toes into AI-powered content creation. The paid plan offers impressive features at an affordable price, making it a valuable tool for content creators who need to crank out high-quality content consistently. The ability to collaborate with the AI, leveraging its strengths while adding your own insights, makes it a powerful tool for bloggers and marketers alike. Should You Try It? Whether you're a seasoned content creator or just starting out, SEO Writing AI is worth considering. The free plan allows for experimentation, while the paid plan offers a wealth of features for a reasonable price. Since I used the free version, I didn't utilize the image generation, but it's a compelling option for those on the paid plan. Overall, SEO Writing AI can be a valuable asset in your content creation arsenal – just be prepared to add your own touch for the best results! SEO Writing Dashboard READ THE SEO WRITING AI ARTICLE BELOW As technology continues to advance, artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing various industries, and content creation is no exception. But have you ever wondered if AI writing software can outperform human writers when it comes to crafting compelling and SEO-optimized blog posts? In this in-depth review, we will explore SEO Writing AI, a cutting-edge tool that claims to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of content creation. Can it truly write better blog posts than humans? And what are the implications for SEO optimization strategies? Let's dive into the world of AI and find out. Key Takeaways: - SEO Writing AI is an AI-powered tool designed to assist in creating compelling and SEO-friendly blog content. - Using SEO Writing AI can streamline content creation processes and enhance writing efficiency. - AI-generated content raises the ongoing debate between AI and human writers regarding creativity and expertise. - Maximizing the potential of SEO Writing AI requires leveraging its capabilities for effective SEO content creation. - The future of content creation and SEO optimization may be heavily influenced by AI technology. What is SEO Writing AI? In this section, we will provide an overview of SEO Writing AI and explore its purpose as a valuable writing assistant in the realm of content creation. SEO Writing AI is an innovative AI-powered tool that has gained significant attention in the digital marketing industry. As an advanced SEO writing tool, it leverages the power of artificial intelligence to assist content creators in developing SEO-friendly content, optimizing blog posts, and enhancing search engine rankings. Through its sophisticated AI writing software, SEO Writing AI aims to revolutionize the way we approach content creation and SEO optimization. Its intuitive interface and powerful algorithms empower content creators to streamline their writing processes, formulate engaging blog posts, and boost organic traffic to their websites. SEO Writing AI boasts an array of features that make it an indispensable tool for both experienced bloggers and beginners. It offers helpful suggestions for keyword placement, identifies keywords that drive high search traffic, and provides insights into optimizing meta tags and headings. By analyzing search engine algorithms and data, SEO Writing AI helps writers craft compelling, SEO-optimized content that captivates audiences and achieves favorable search engine rankings. Let's explore some of the key functionalities and benefits of utilizing SEO Writing AI in more detail. The Benefits of Using SEO Writing AI Utilizing SEO Writing AI can bring numerous advantages to your content creation and optimization efforts. This AI-powered tool streamlines the process of creating compelling blog posts and enhances writing efficiency. With its advanced algorithms and machine learning capabilities, SEO Writing AI generates high-quality content that is optimized for search engines, helping you achieve better rankings and organic traffic. One of the key benefits of using SEO Writing AI is its ability to provide valuable insights for optimizing blog posts. By analyzing data and identifying SEO opportunities, this tool helps you identify relevant keywords, optimize meta tags, and structure your content to improve search engine visibility. With SEO Writing AI, you can ensure that your blog posts are well-optimized and tailored to attract your target audience. Furthermore, SEO Writing AI is recognized as one of the best SEO tools available in the market. Its AI-powered capabilities give it an edge over traditional writing tools, enabling you to produce content that resonates with both readers and search engines. This tool allows you to save time and resources by automating various aspects of the content creation process, while still maintaining high-quality, SEO-friendly content. "SEO Writing AI has revolutionized our content creation process. It not only helps us write better-optimized blog posts but also provides valuable insights for improving our SEO strategies. Its AI-powered capabilities are unmatched, making it one of the best SEO tools out there."Tweet With SEO Writing AI, you can benefit from enhanced productivity and efficiency in your content creation endeavors. Whether you're a professional writer, marketer, or blogger, this AI writing tool can be a valuable asset in your quest for SEO success. Benefits of Using SEO Writing AIDescriptionStreamline content creationAutomate and speed up the process of creating blog postsEnhance writing efficiencyUtilize AI capabilities to improve content quality and readabilityOptimize for SEOGain valuable insights and optimize blog posts for better search engine rankingsSave time and resourcesAutomate various aspects of content creation without compromising quality How Does SEO Writing AI Work? In order to understand how SEO Writing AI operates, let's take a closer look at its inner workings. This AI-powered tool incorporates advanced algorithms and machine learning capabilities to generate high-quality blog content that is optimized for search engines. At the heart of SEO Writing AI is its AI command hub, which serves as the central control system for content creation. This command hub facilitates the seamless interaction between the user and the AI, allowing for efficient communication and collaboration in the content creation process. By utilizing the AI command hub, users can provide specific instructions, guidelines, and preferences to fine-tune the content generated. The AI then leverages its extensive knowledge base and language models to produce well-structured and engaging blog posts that meet the desired SEO requirements. The AI command hub also enables users to customize the content based on their target audience, industry, and brand voice. This ensures that the generated content aligns with the user's specific needs and resonates with their intended readers. In addition, SEO Writing AI continuously learns and improves over time through its machine learning capabilities. The more it is used, the better it becomes at understanding the user's preferences and adapting to their writing style. This iterative process allows for a more efficient and personalized content creation experience. Overall, SEO Writing AI combines sophisticated algorithms, powerful machine learning, and the intuitive AI command hub to deliver high-quality blog content that is optimized for search engine visibility. It offers users an innovative solution for enhancing their content creation process and maximizing their  SEO strategies. Key Features of SEO Writing AIBenefitsAdvanced algorithmsEnhanced content qualityMachine learning capabilitiesPersonalized content creationAI command hubEfficient collaborationCustomization optionsBrand alignmentContinuous learningImproved performance over time AI vs. Human Writers: The Debate In the world of content creation, the debate between AI and human writers rages on. As technology advances and AI content writing becomes more sophisticated, there are questions about whether AI can truly surpass the creativity and expertise of human writers in crafting compelling blog posts. AI Writing AI review On one hand, AI brings unprecedented speed and efficiency to the writing process. With AI writing software like SEO Writing AI, content creation tasks that used to take hours can now be completed in a matter of minutes. This allows businesses to produce large volumes of SEO-friendly content at a fraction of the time and cost. Additionally, AI can quickly analyze and generate insights from vast amounts of data, providing valuable recommendations for optimizing blog posts. AI content writing However, human writers possess a unique ability to inject creativity, emotion, and personality into their writing. They can adapt to different tones and styles, connecting with readers on a deeper level. Human writers can think critically and employ intuition, crafting narratives that engage and resonate with audiences. This human touch is difficult for AI to replicate. SEO strategies While AI-generated content can provide efficiency and data-driven optimization, there are potential implications for SEO strategies. Search engines prioritize content that provides value to readers, and human-written content often excels in delivering a personalized and engaging experience. AI-generated content may lack the human touch and creativity that can influence search engine rankings and user engagement. Ultimately, the debate between AI and human writers is complex and multifaceted. It's important to recognize the strengths and weaknesses of both approaches and consider how they can complement each other. By leveraging the capabilities of AI writing tools like SEO Writing AI while harnessing the creativity and expertise of human writers, businesses can achieve the best of both worlds in their content creation and SEO strategies. AI vs. Human Writers Comparison AI WritersHuman WritersSpeedHighVariesEfficiencyHighVariesCreativityVariesHighEmotion and PersonalityVariesHighSearch Engine RankingsVariesHighUser EngagementVariesHigh Maximizing SEO Writing AI's Potential In this section, we will provide tips and recommendations for maximizing the potential of SEO Writing AI. With its advanced AI content writing capabilities, this tool can revolutionize your SEO content creation process. By leveraging the power of machine learning and natural language processing, SEO Writing AI enables you to create high-quality, keyword-rich blog posts that drive organic traffic to your website. Leverage Keyword Research When using SEO Writing AI, it's essential to conduct thorough keyword research to identify relevant and high-performing keywords for your target audience. By incorporating these keywords naturally throughout your content, you can improve its visibility and rank higher on search engine result pages (SERPs). Optimize Meta Tags Meta tags play a crucial role in SEO optimization. With SEO Writing AI, you can easily optimize your meta tags to accurately describe the content of your blog post. By including relevant keywords in your meta title and description, you can improve your click-through rate and attract more qualified traffic. Structure Your Blog Posts In addition to keyword research and meta tag optimization, structuring your blog posts properly is essential for SEO. With SEO Writing AI, you can utilize the tool's insights to create a well-organized and reader-friendly blog post. Use headings, subheadings, and bullet points to break down your content into easy-to-read sections, helping search engines understand your content and improving user experience. "SEO Writing AI has transformed the way I create content. It has significantly improved my writing efficiency and allowed me to create SEO-optimized blog posts effortlessly." - Jane Smith, Content Marketer - Jane Smith, Content MarketerTweet By following these tips and utilizing the features of SEO Writing AI, you can achieve remarkable results in your SEO content creation efforts. This AI-powered tool will enhance your writing process, optimize your blog posts, and drive more organic traffic to your website. FeatureBenefitsAI-Generated SuggestionsReceive valuable insights and suggestions to enhance your contentSEO OptimizationCreate keyword-rich and SEO-friendly blog posts to improve search engine rankings.Time-SavingStreamline your content creation process and save time by leveraging AI automation.Improved User ExperienceCreate well-structured and engaging blog posts that keep readers on your website longer. Conclusion In this SEO Writing AI review, we have explored the capabilities of AI-powered writing software and its potential impact on content creation and SEO optimization. Throughout the article, we have analyzed the benefits and drawbacks of using SEO Writing AI, compared AI-generated content to human writing, and discussed ways to maximize its potential for SEO content creation. While SEO Writing AI offers valuable assistance in streamlining content creation processes and providing optimization insights, it is important to acknowledge that human creativity and expertise still play a crucial role in crafting compelling blog posts. AI-generated content may excel in terms of efficiency, but it may lack the nuance and originality that a human writer can provide. Looking to the future, the use of AI in content creation and SEO optimization is likely to continue evolving. While AI can enhance certain aspects of content creation, it is important to maintain a balance between automated processes and human input to ensure the best results. Ultimately, the true power of AI lies in its ability to assist and augment human writers. In conclusion, SEO Writing AI is a valuable tool that can offer valuable insights and streamline the content creation process. However, it is not a complete replacement for human creativity and expertise. By leveraging the strengths of both AI and human writers, we can create compelling and optimized blog posts that resonate with audiences and achieve SEO success. FAQ Can SEO Writing AI write better blog posts than human writers? SEO Writing AI is an advanced writing tool that assists in creating compelling and optimized blog content. While it can enhance the writing process and provide valuable insights, the outcome ultimately depends on the skills and creativity of the human writer. SEO Writing AI should be seen as a valuable tool to support and optimize the content creation process. What is SEO Writing AI? SEO Writing AI is an AI-powered tool designed to assist in creating SEO-friendly content. It leverages artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms to optimize blog posts for better search engine visibility. This writing assistant offers various features to streamline content creation and enhance the overall writing experience. What are the benefits of using SEO Writing AI? Utilizing SEO Writing AI offers several advantages. It streamlines the content creation process, increasing writing efficiency and productivity. Additionally, it provides valuable insights and suggestions for optimizing blog posts. SEO Writing AI is considered one of the best SEO tools available due to its ability to enhance the overall quality and effectiveness of content. How does SEO Writing AI work? SEO Writing AI works by utilizing advanced algorithms and machine learning capabilities to generate high-quality blog content. It leverages the AI command hub to analyze data, identify keywords, and suggest optimizations. The tool assists in structuring and optimizing blog posts for improved search engine rankings and overall SEO strategies. Can AI writing software surpass human creativity and expertise? The debate between AI and human writers is ongoing. While AI writing software, such as SEO Writing AI, can assist in generating optimized content, it cannot replicate human creativity and expertise entirely. Human writers bring a unique perspective and creative flair that AI may not yet fully capture. However, AI can still be an invaluable tool to support and enhance human writing, especially in the context of SEO strategies. How can I maximize the potential of SEO Writing AI? To maximize the potential of SEO Writing AI, consider conducting thorough keyword research to optimize your content for search engine rankings. Utilize the tool's suggestions and insights for structuring your blog posts, optimizing meta tags, and incorporating relevant keywords. Additionally, continuously update your knowledge of SEO best practices to leverage the full capabilities of the tool. What is the conclusion of this SEO Writing AI review? In conclusion, SEO Writing AI is a powerful tool that can enhance the content creation process and optimize blog posts for better SEO performance. While it offers valuable insights and suggestions, it should be seen as a tool to support and enhance human writing skills, rather than a complete replacement. The debate between AI and human writers continues, but leveraging AI tools like SEO Writing AI can significantly improve SEO content creation strategies. Read the full article

[madhukumarc]

Will ChatGPT Kill Blogging?

No, ChatGPT will not kill blogging. I understand that you might be wondering about this question in relation to Open AI's ChatGPT, which is used worldwide in both free and paid versions. Right?

“Doing searches within ChatGPT is a new paradigm that threatens Google’s dominance in traditional search” – MediaPost

First of all, it's important to understand what Open AI's ChatGPT is and how it works. ChatGPT is a language model that uses machine learning to generate human-like responses to natural language inputs. 

In simpler terms, it's an AI-powered chatbot that can hold conversations with humans. In fact, it exceeded user expectations in almost every way. 

Do you know? - “69% Of Marketers Are Using ChatGPT, Making It By Far The Most Popular AI Tool” – AuthorityHacker’s AI Survey 2023 Report

Now, again to answer the question at hand - will ChatGPT kill blogging? The short answer is no, it won't. 

But to a certain extent, yes, there is indeed an impact on organic search clicks and traffic for publishers. [Of course, some of this impact is also attributable to SGE [Search Engine Generative Experience], which is in progress]]. 

This is because the tasks that were traditionally performed [prior to Dec 2022], such as generating content ideas, conducting keyword research, finding content inspiration, blog post title analysis, content outlines, content briefs, and more, can now be accomplished through various ways and possibilities using ChatGPT.

To put it simply, users have started using ChatGPT directly to look up solutions to their questions instead of using search engines like Google in the past.

“AI tools don't have to be scary. When you adopt the right outlook, you'll see that they can make our lives much easier. And that is especially true in marketing, because ChatGPT can take some of the mundane creation tasks off your plate so you can focus on planning and strategy” – MarketingProfs

So, based on the sources I have found, particularly on social media and other blog networks, I would predict that the impact on publishers' websites, including blogs, will be less than 10%.

While ChatGPT is effective in terms of quality, productivity, and speed, only the individual bloggers can add the personal touch to the content to give it a finished product form. In other words, add value to readers. 

Image Source - AuthorityHacker’s AI Survey 2023 Report

So, blogging involves more than just writing words on a screen. It requires research, creativity, fact checking, and strategic thinking to create content that resonates with your target audience. 

While ChatGPT can produce content, it can't replicate the unique voice and perspective of a human blogger, despite recent generative AI’s research showing that content quality is approaching a human touch.

“65.8% Of People Think AI Content Is Equal To Or Better Than Human Writing” – AuthorityHacker’s AI Survey 2023 Report

Therefore, you may think of ChatGPT as an assistant who helps you be more productive than you were before and improve the quality of your content by aiming to meet the needs and demands of your audience. 

In other words, use it as inspiration while incorporating your own style into your writing. 

A blogger must keep up with trends in order to succeed, and they should do everything possible to improve their search engine rankings in their blogging efforts, or websites in general. 

At the same time, you must keep in mind that [Google processes billions of searches every second, every day]; therefore, you should not be afraid and should instead focus on your task at hand. 

Now read this: 

“Though data is limited in regards to how often people use ChatGPT in place of search engines, ChatGPT currently receives about 1 billion [monthly] website visitors and has an estimated 100 million active users” - HubSpot

With concerns running through your head, I hope you got some form of relief!

Use ChatGPT responsibly and wisely to advance your work; strive and thrive in the future to many such challenges. 

Pro-Tip: To reduce serious negative consequences, it is strongly suggested to focus on building a loyal audience, fostering a community, and growing your email list. 

These measures can help compensate for any potential decline in search-driven traffic and clicks on your blog posts [blog performance]. 

In conclusion, ChatGPT won't kill blogging, except a bit of increased challenges for bloggers [site owners], also a powerful tool and technology for improved performance.

So, as long as bloggers continue to provide valuable content and engage with their audience, blogging will continue to thrive.

Here's related information that you may also find helpful – Why Blogs Fail? [Top 7 reasons along with pro-action plans for success].

[culinaryhannah]

Laminated Doughs

INTRODUCTION

This week, I will be learning…

Method: Laminated dough

Menu: Laminated Dough: Puff Pastry & Danish Dough Various shapes: Palmier, Vol au vent, diamonds, horns, Fillings: frangipane, pastry cream, cream cheese filling

Vocabulary: Palmier, Vol au vent, frangipane

Anecdotal Knowledge

I have not ever made puff pastry, but I have enjoyed many puff pastry treats. My aunt makes chocolate croissants sometimes and it usually takes a lot of preparation and time. The temperature of the butter is very important since it creates the desirable layers and puffiness. I look forward to learning this technique.

Learning Objectives

My learning objectives are to describe and use the steps and techniques for preparing and baking laminated dough, prepare puff pastry, and to prepare a variety of pastries using laminated dough.

RESEARCH

Method of Cooking

Laminated Doughs

Also called rolled-in doughs, these pastries are so named because the fat is incorporated into the dough through a process of rolling and folding. Laminating produces alternating layers (laminates) of dough and fat, which creates layers when baked and helps leaven the dough. Products made with laminated dough have a distinctive flaky texture created by the many layers of fat within the dough. Although the formulas for making these products may differ, the techniques for laminating and shaping these doughs are similar.

Origin and History

���Palmiers are made of puff pastry and baked. Palmier is the French word for palm tree, and the pastry gets its name from its resemblance to a palm leaf. A Finnish version of these pastries is called kanapee. It is commonly thought that palmiers were invented in France around the beginning of the 20th century.”

Danish dough is made with instant yeast for high fat content doughs. This is different from laminated dough which is unleavened.

Two different vol au vent, the first is a combination with the diamond pastry. The one below is an egg and anchovy vol-au-vent in the typical style. Vol-au-vent means “windblown” in English.

Dish Method Variations

The vol-au-vents can be made with larger cutters for starter-sized portions. If you don’t have pastry cutters, the vol-au-vents will also work as squares or rectangles.

Sources

1)Labensky. On Baking, Fourth Edition 2https://www.delightedcooking.com/what-is-a-palmier.htm 3)https://www.greatbritishchefs.com/how-to-cook/how-to-make-vol-au-vents 4)https://www.volpifoods.com/recipes/diamond-vol-au-vents-puff-pastry-shell/

RECIPES

(click for better image quality)

Plan of Work

REFLECTION

Results

Method:

Laminated Dough: The laminated dough method worked decently well. We struggled to roll the dough by hand and create even and sturdy layers.

Chef Michael Schwartz brought us some puff pastry to try. His layers using the sheeter were very consistent and easy to see in the final product. Our layers were less visually distinct. It was easy to count ten layers of his pastries since the layers were separate and outlined with a darker brown from crisping on the edges after separating.

Pastry Cream: Creating pastry cream went smoothly. There were some teams that had trouble with scrambling their eggs. We allowed the mixture to cool off somewhat, and we also stirred some of the hot liquid into the eggs to temper them before adding them to the hot mixture.

Taste: The pastry was a decent balance of sweet and salty. I would say that the butter flavor was strong.

I am not sure what category this goes in, but it should be noted that these pastries sit heavily in your stomach. The small amount that I had made me feel like I had eaten a lot of junk food. This is why I think this pastry goes well with some fresh fruit to balance out the fat.

Flavor: The cream cheese recipe was not a good recipe flavorwise; it was overwhelmingly sweet. The frangipane baked in the pastry had the best flavor over all. It was not too sweet and the almond flavor shone through.

Texture: The texture of the pastries was fine. It was not excellent, but there was crunch and tenderness. I would say that the pastries lacked volume and air. They were not as puffy as they should have been.

The texture of the pastry cream was pleasant. It was smooth and silky. The vanilla made it smell nice as well.

Appearance:

Evaluation of results  

Discuss the techniques that did work well.

The pastry cream method worked well and was tasty. I can see why this is a useful item to know how to create.

Discuss the techniques that did not work well.

Laminated dough worked not as well as we would have liked. The dough was stretching and tearing. The layers did not become as distinct as we would have liked.

The filling methods worked fine, however the accidental addition of the raw fillings to the pastries caused some food illness which is very bad.

Conclusions

The learning objectives were somewhat met. We prepared laminated dough, and prepared puff pastry, however, we did not bake the danish dough, so we did not get to see the results.

In the future, I will use the sheeter to laminate dough. This is a skill that I would like to learn. I would also like to try some alternative pastry shapes and fillings as well as a savory pastry. I think pastry is best with fresh fruit, so maybe I will make this again when it is time to pick some!

Thank you for reading!