#and hooray for a new watermark!

[kaitaiga]

Unexpected Allies

Damien, Lachlan and the rest of the Regiment work alongside Shadow Company in Urzikstan during MWIII. Unexpectedly, they all got on decently well with each other, even exchanging patches to one another.

Unbeknownst to them, SC had tried to eliminate their friends over at the 141 only a year prior 👀 Once they found out, let’s just say they didn’t take that news well at all 🥴🥴

[thatdogmagic]

...that your audience won't hate.

This is a method I started using when NFTs were on the rise - thieves would have to put actual work into getting rid of the mark - and one that I am now grateful for with the arrival of AI. Why? Because anyone who tries to train an AI on my work will end up with random, disruptive color blobs.

I can't say for sure it'll stop theft entirely, but it WILL make your images annoying for databases to incorporate, and add an extra layer of inconvenience for thieves. So as far as I'm concerned, that's a win/win.

I'll be showing the steps in CSP, but it should all be pretty easy to replicate in Photoshop.

Now: let's use the above image as our new signature file. I set mine to be 2500 x 1000 pixels when I'm just starting out.

Note that your text should not have a lot of anti-aliasing, so using a paint brush to start isn't going to work well with this method. Just use the standard G-Pen if you're doing this by hand, or, just use the text tool and whichever font you prefer.

Once that's done, take your magic wand tool, and select all the black. Here are the magic wand settings I'm using to make the selections:

All selected?

Good.

Now, find a brush with a scattering/tone scraping effect. I use one like this.

You can theoretically use any colors you want for this next part, but I'd recommend pastels as they tend to blend better.

Either way, let's add some color to the text.

Once that's finished,

You're going to want to go to Layer Property, and Border Effect

You'll be given an option of choosing color and thickness. Choose black, and go for at least a 5 in thickness. Adjust per your own preferences.

Now create a layer beneath your sig layer, and merge the sig down onto the blank layer.

This effectively 'locks in' the border effect, which is exactly what we want.

Hooray, you've finished your watermark!

Now let's place that bad boy into your finished piece.

You'll get the best mileage out of a mark if you can place it over a spot that isn't black of white, since you'll get better blending options that way. My preference is for Overlay.

From here, I'll adjust the opacity to around 20-25, depending on the image.

If you don't have a spot to use overlay, however, there's a couple other options. For white, there's Linear Burn, which imho doesn't look as good, but it still works in a pinch.

And for lots of black, you have Linear Light

Either way, you're in business!

EDIT since this has escaped my usual circles, and folks aren't as familiar with my personal usage:

An example of one of my own finished pieces, with watermark, so you can see what I mean about 'relatively unobtrusive'-- I try to at least use them as framing devices, or let them work with the image somehow (or, at the very least, not actively against it).

I know it's a bummer for some people to "ruin" their work with watermarks, which is part of the reason I developed this mark in particular. Its disruption is about as minimal as I can make it while still letting it serve its intended purpose.

There's other methods, too, of course! But this is the one I use, and the one I can speak on. Hope it helps some of you!

[linda-likes-to-draw]

Artist Challenge! Feat. Chrysanthe (@99corentine )

hooh BOY look at all these Chry's! Look at all his armours aha! I had a lot of fun with these, drawing all these scenarios haha features lots of references from GOL HAH DOV!

I tried my best to translate these and squish all the texts together without getting rid of the original watermarks... so sorry if they look confusing! (computer texts look so bad..)

Image Description below!

1ST: Around a campfire Chrysanthe, Lucien and Teldryn set up somewhere in Solstheim, Chrysanthe visibly struggles to finish the Ash Yam soup in his hands after trying it. Lucien tells Teldryn “Told you it's terrible!”, referring to the Ash Yam soup that now both Lucien and Chrysanthe dislikes. Teldryn replies “Tsk. You uncultured N'wahs.” as he enjoys ash yams and is annoyed his two companions don't. Chrysanthe is wearing Steel Plates Armour.

2ND: In one of the early days of Chrysanthe's adventuring, before the whole Dragonborn ordeal, Chrysanthe, Lucien and Erandur travel in nordic tombs. Chrysanthe, wearing Steel Armour, pulls at a lever and suddenly getting shot by poison dart traps. This causes him to be poisoned and he pukes blood. Erandur and Lucien are surprised by this sudden trap in the background.

3RD: Takes place after Chry killed Ancano and saved the day in the College of Winterhold. Hooray! Tolfdir is telling Chry, holding the Staff of Magnus and wearing hooded college robes, to be the new Arch-Mage and Chry is highly disinterested lol

4TH: Chrysanthe in the quest The House Of Horrors, a quest located in the Abandoned House in Markarth. He just killed Vigilant Tyranus, the Vigilant sent to investigate the house with the player but is then convinced by Molag Bal to kill you. Chry hesitantly killed him, and is very, very disturbed :)c

5TH: The very morning after Chrysanthe's first telepathy with Miraak in the Winterhold inn. Thanks to Lucien, offscreen, he's covered in a fluffy blanket with tea. He's in a very bad state as he tries his best not to collapse in front of Lucien again.

6TH: The honey smut from chapter 16 of GHD ;)) Chry and Miraak are sitting opposite each other near a lake as the sun sets in the background. They are both sweating and little hearts can be seen popping up from below :)

7TH: Entirely a made-up scenario of a possible post-GHD scene where Chry and Miraak are living together and Chry accidentally catches Miraak finish taking a bath in the bathroom. Miraak is facing the door with his body visibly nude and wet as Chry stands at the door, surprised and flustered at the view.

8TH: Chry in ebony armour! with Lucien next to him as they pose like the meme from Spiderman: Into The Spiderverse. HMMN are on top of them as it is a sound Chry makes a lot. sksksk

[corruptedremnant]

…that your audience won't hate.

This is a method I started using when NFTs were on the rise - thieves would have to put actual work into getting rid of the mark - and one that I am now grateful for with the arrival of AI. Why? Because anyone who tries to train an AI on my work will end up with random, disruptive color blobs.

I can't say for sure it'll stop theft entirely, but it WILL make your images annoying for databases to incorporate, and add an extra layer of inconvenience for thieves. So as far as I'm concerned, that's a win/win.

I'll be showing the steps in CSP, but it should all be pretty easy to replicate in Photoshop.

Now: let's use the above image as our new signature file. I set mine to be 2500 x 1000 pixels when I'm just starting out.

Note that your text should not have a lot of anti-aliasing, so using a paint brush to start isn't going to work well with this method. Just use the standard G-Pen if you're doing this by hand, or, just use the text tool and whichever font you prefer.

Once that's done, take your magic wand tool, and select all the black. Here are the magic wand settings I'm using to make the selections:

All selected?

Good.

Now, find a brush with a scattering/tone scraping effect. I use one like this.

You can theoretically use any colors you want for this next part, but I'd recommend pastels as they tend to blend better.

Either way, let's add some color to the text.

Once that's finished,

You're going to want to go to Layer Property, and Border Effect

You'll be given an option of choosing color and thickness. Choose black, and go for at least a 5 in thickness. Adjust per your own preferences.

Now create a layer beneath your sig layer, and merge the sig down onto the blank layer.

This effectively 'locks in' the border effect, which is exactly what we want.

Hooray, you've finished your watermark!

Now let's place that bad boy into your finished piece.

You'll get the best mileage out of a mark if you can place it over a spot that isn't black of white, since you'll get better blending options that way. My preference is for Overlay.

From here, I'll adjust the opacity to around 20-25, depending on the image.

If you don't have a spot to use overlay, however, there's a couple other options. For white, there's Linear Burn, which imho doesn't look as good, but it still works in a pinch.

And for lots of black, you have Linear Light

Either way, you're in business!

As a note, I know it's a bummer for some people to "ruin" their work with watermarks, which is part of the reason I developed this mark in particular. Its disruption is about as minimal as I can make it while still being effective.

There's other methods, too, of course! But this is the one I use, and the one I can speak on. Hope it helps some of you!

I don't always do the border bit like I should but I learned my watermarking from [OP]. You can't stop art stealing, especially with bots that by definition lack brains, but you CAN make it so obnoxious they'll move on to someone else. If they have to retrace/repaint to get rid of your watermark then the time involved makes the theft not worth it.

Bonus points: if your work is used without your consent to train an AI then you will also pollute the knowledge pool. Depending on what parameters you put into these AI art generators you'll sometimes end up with a bunch of AI watermarks because they're pulling from artists that've tried to protect their work.

[battle-of-alberta]

yeah i'm back at it again scrutinizing branding palettes. It's partially a personal fascination of mine, but I'm also kind of grieving because at work we are looking at getting a branding kit and I really do NOT like what's on offer to us.

since i last investigated this in 2020, i'm sad to say that Calgary's branding standards have all but disappeared from not only the website, but reality as we know it. Things have certainly gone sideways on the site despite Calgary previously having one of the most robust brands, I daresay almost an obsession with branding generally to the point that there was a whole paragraph on how branding dates back to their cowboy roots.

However in good news, I'm pleased to say that GP seems to have actually put something of a brand identity together with a colour scheme that's consistent across their strategic reports and budget documents. Hooray!

In more neutral news, Edmonton has slightly changed the primary colour of blue for the logo/watermarking (what is this, tumblr?). There is a much more robust section on illustrations, photography, and video in the 2022 version of the branding document that's nice to look at too.

Once again, honourable mention to Lethbridge and Medicine Hat who both have relevant, cheery names for each of their primary colours! :) you love to see it

[jadenite]

Lil Princesses: A Decade Later. Top version is from Jan 2021, bottom version is from Jan 2011. 

The original full resolution image for the 2021 one can be seen on my Patreon!

and not that it’s terribly important, but I’d appreciate it if you gave me a follow on Twitter and Instagram too!

So, I spent the past week working very diligently to recreate (& update) one of my first fully digital pieces. I’m pretty sure the original drawing was the first artwork I ever shared here on tumblr (if anyone’s particularly curious, you can check me on that by going all the way to the end of my art tag on my tumblr).

Okay so I’m gonna ramble quite a lot about this, because it’s so special to me, so for those who want to skip the text and keep scrolling:

But if you’re here to read some more notes on this little exercise, hooray!

Fun fact #1: I didn’t have a tablet back when I did the original one. I did it solely through the touchpad from the laptop. You may be asking yourselves “but...how?” Short answer: patiently. Long answer: obviously I didn’t free draw the thing, iirc I think this is how I learned to use the pen tool (the one that makes vector shapes and lines) in Photoshop. 

Fun fact #2: The watermark on the old one is freshly added, because I was a wee baby digital artist back then and didn’t know how important it was to have any type of identifying mark on a work when you share it on the internet. Not that I’m aware of any shady stuff happening with my art so far (because I’m not that a popular an artist on the internet), but still. 

Fun fact #3: I decided to add four more Princesses to the drawing to reflect the passage of time, however, they are all in their canon kid forms as they appeared in their respective movies; Ariel, Kida and Rapunzel also briefly appeared as kids canonically (Ariel’s Beginnings for Ariel if you remember that 2008 sequel) in their movies, but thankfully they just wore a kid’s version of their main outfit so I didn’t have to go back and alter what I initially made.

Other random notes:

There may be people who might argue that Vanellope von Schweetz from Wreck it Ralph and Lilo and/or Nani from Lilo & Stitch should have also been added. I’ve thought about this, but decided not to add them for a couple of reasons: 

Vanellope and Lilo are kids for the entire run of their movies, so I don’t think they would match the concept for the drawings; adding only Nani without Lilo seems a bit cruel under this condition

Vanellope meeting the Disney Princesses in WR2 was very meta, and the concept of the movie itself is quite meta in general, so it would have kinda changed the context of the drawing by adding her too imo

there is only so much unoccupied space available in the image; I knew I was pushing the amount of space I could fill with more characters by adding the 4 new ones already, so idk where I could have found space for two more and not made it look too busy; hopefully I don’t decide to do this again another decade later

I genuinely think I did a better job on the spatial relativity between characters in the 2011 one; idk they just ‘sit’ better and I wonder where and how I lost my ability to see things in space; granted, I think the perspective of the shelves, wardrobe etc is much improved in the 2021 version, but at what cost??? It is entirely possible my brain wanted the girls to be better viewed and not be obstructed by each other. I did punch up the color significantly in the new version after all, and it would have been a shame to have them sit too close to each other (visually). I may be overthinking this too much though.

~*Cinderella dress color discourse time!*~

Jk, we’re not doing that (again). I do want to pat myself on the back for getting it to look so good though! The more I look at it, the more I love it. I’ll probably draw Cindy and this dress some more in the future, because in the past few years I really got to love the entire color combo and how it looks overall. Ariel is still my #1 Disney gal, and at some point I’ll get to do her pink dress some justice too ( it can actually be seen peeking through the wardrobe behind Cinderella and Tiana)! and also the sparkly lavender one because I feel like we don’t talk enough about that one. Just one more dress color thing tho: I picked the light blue dress for Tiana instead of the green leafy one for two reasons: 1) to showcase an actual blue dress in the Disney canon right next to Cinderella’s and 2) I’m actually not that much of a fan of Tiana’s green dress and I like the simpler, blue one way more.

Okay that’s enough writing. Scroll forth!

[manders1984]

Video Update

Many of you know there is a Google Drive with most of my Outlander Enhanced Videos. I have deleted the original master list post because it was frequently reblogged despite now being defunct. There is now a Season 5 folder, which I’m sure will excite a lot of you and relieve you of sending me unanswered anons (HOORAY). Here are a some notes (some new from the previous Master List), please read:

I reserve the right to take the drive down if I feel like it’s being abused. Please ask me before you use these videos for anything and/or give me credit if you do. Based on the messages I’ve received, I know people really enjoy these clips and that’s the main reason I’ve kept it up. I’m glad you do! But I’ve spent a considerable amount of time and resources on this. I’m not here for being taken advantage of. For example, I discovered the previous version of the Reunion Sex #1 clip had no watermark. That was my fault, but I am almost certain people used it to make gifs. (This has now been corrected.) There are a lot of people who have blocked me in this fandom (many for absolutely no reason except they couldn’t handle my criticism of the show, apparently, or they were warned by certain fans desperate to achieve status in a cable TV show fandom). I don’t feel like they deserve my content, especially when it is made so public outside of Tumblr where I can’t really control it. I’ve accepted that... for now. 

Thanks to everyone who have been respectful of this, sent nice messages, and looked out for me, I appreciate it! You're the perfect example of those who will be disappointed and end up missing out if others decide to ruin it for everyone else.

It is incomplete. I will update it when I have time/get a chance/if I want to. It was never originally meant to be a complete library of clips anyways, even though it morphed into a really large collection. Anyways… I will not be taking requests. A nice note and/or a thank you is welcome, however. :)

I don’t know how much I’ll maintain it. I’m doing this because with the global current situation, I had some extra time. I’m sure I’ve made it no secret that I wasn’t a huge fan of Season 4. Season 5 has been hit or miss for me. The best thing you could do is let this remain a fun project for me, rather than a chore.

This isn’t a Brianna and Roger clip database. Sorry. (Not really, though).

To view the videos on a mobile device, downloading the Google Drive app would be a good idea.

This is honor system based, so I strongly discourage people to haphazardly share this widely, like all the people who were posting them to their Facebook groups and elsewhere. I’m pretty sure that’s one reason my Vimeo got taken down.

If this gets taken down, that’s it. It’s highly unlikely I will look for an alternative and spend additional time reuploading everything.

The download option is disabled for all of the videos. Sure there are ways to capture them, but I would hope people could be respectful rather than assholes.

That’s it for now. Thank you for reading this.

[magicplanetanime]

Let’s Watch HeartCatch Precure! Episodes 20 & 21

Two parter today while the maintenance men do stuff to my apartment. Hooray! I actually considered making this a *3* parter but the storyline introduced here is four episodes long and that seemed like a bit much. So 2 it is.

Episode 20 - The Third Fairy! Potpourri’s An Adorable Little Baby!

Let no one ever accuse HeartCatch of being coy. Within the opening seconds of episode 20, you know we’re in for some interesting stuff.

https://i.imgur.com/1QkDJ3k.png

https://i.imgur.com/2dbammJ.png

A new fairy! Now what could this possibly mean? 

We’ll have to wait to find out. Post-credits, there’s an immediate cut to the Desert Apostles’ base, clueing you in even further that this is no filler episode. The Dark Precure approaches Professor Sabark, and makes mention of a hitherto-unknown King Dune, Sabark’s apparent superior, who wants to talk to the Professor. Which this King Dune does, over a pretty classic sci-fi video call screen. I love these things. Even when they’re not working very well, which in this case they’re not.

https://i.imgur.com/EM2Ohjt.png

https://i.imgur.com/EM2Ohjt.png

Sabark is perhaps understandably worried. He assumes Dune will strip him of his command, but Dune proves to be surprisingly reasonable. He says that the fairies escaping after Cure Moonlight was defeated has made this development inevitable. We also get a brief flashback to when Dune ruminates about *his* defeat at the hands of Cure Flower. Interestingly, as he reminisces, we actually get the only shot of Tsubomi’s grandmother as Cure Flower that we have so far, though it’s from quite a distance.

https://i.imgur.com/ggRQg8Q.png

Dune says that Sabark and co. need to find out what it is the Precures have that makes them so powerful. He summarily orders Sabark to investigate the Heart Tree, and from there we cut to our title card.

After which, a very different scene sets. One where Tsubomi is being roped into modelling at Momo’s agency, in place of the model that usually plays Momo’s younger sister. Erika raises a good point.

https://i.imgur.com/wGh8dkk.png

But is rebuffed, and Tsubomi is dragged along.

We cut back to the Heart Tree, where the new fairy (presumably the titular Potpourri) is playing. But not for long, as The Dark Precure soon arrives, searching for it. She launches one of her energy projectiles at the Tree, but a barrier pops up, intercepting the attack. 

https://i.imgur.com/ozrRjN3.png

Back at the modeling agency, an extremely stiff Tsubomi models. 

https://i.imgur.com/Lt5aJiX.png

This scene’s pretty funny but it’s connection to the rest of what’s going on here is minimal. We’re very briefly introduced to a character named Karin, the model that Momo was supposed to work with today. And when I say very briefly I do mean it. She appears, and then promptly runs away, obviously frustrated by something.

https://i.imgur.com/uvw6vVC.png

The episode leaves us with this shot of her grimacing before we cut back to the Heart Tree (this is starting to get to O Maidens In Your Savage Season levels of narrative cross-cutting).

https://i.imgur.com/r8EOxQU.png

Potpourri can’t hold the barrier up for much longer, and the Heart Tree promptly tells them to vamoose. Which they do. Sabark suggests leaving capturing said fairy to Sasorina and friends (because that’s never failed before), while The Dark Precure….focuses on finding the Heart Tree, which is apparently not where we just were. So that’s my bad.

After a brief aside where Sabark orders Kobraja and Kumojacky to find Potpourri (Sasorina herself seems to have gone to bother the Precures of her own accord), we cut to Potpourri flying through the skies over the city, crying. 

Chypre and Coffret hear them, and hop to it on their own.

https://i.imgur.com/Juj4RJW.png

Post-midcard we cut to Karin’s perspective. She’s steamed at being replaced for the day’s shoot and thinks that Momo is trying to replace her permanently. Given the flashback that immediately follows it’s not hard to understand why she thinks that.

https://i.imgur.com/965cdIX.png

Does being kind of just generally insensitive run in the family? Momo’s wider point here though is that models should try to emphasize what the designers have in mind, and try to put themselves in the shoes of the magazine readers who’d want to buy the clothes they’re modeling. 

Karin does not take this advice particularly well.

https://i.imgur.com/6V7NY1k.png

And runs off, thus explaining how we got here in the first place. In a neat narrative technique, the flashback ends and actually cuts back to Momo, though only briefly before we’re back to Karin fuming about how condescending Momo was (from her perspective) being.

Then this happens.

https://i.imgur.com/TUOYk9Q.png

https://i.imgur.com/idJijdR.png

(This is an appropriate reaction to Sasorina)

https://i.imgur.com/4Q7Ympk.png

The Desertrian’s head is a hangar. Brilliant.

The Desertrian actually runs off to go find Momo, much to Sasorina’s befuddlement. It tracks her down, but the girls stop it before it can seriously harm her. They wale on it for a while, but then, after it appears to be defeated and just as they’re about to seal it, an unexpected wrench is thrown into the usual formula.

This happens.

https://i.imgur.com/AREwiEn.png

And the interruption actually throws them for a pretty nasty loop, but just as things are looking grim, our girls are saved! Not by any of the usual suspects, but by Potpourri.

https://i.imgur.com/i9oRQZL.png

Who uses their barrier to deflect Kumojacky and Kobraja’s attacks, including, pretty amazingly, making Kobraja withdraw by having one of his own throwing cards ricochet back and cut his cheek.

https://i.imgur.com/j5qbiRX.png

The girls manage to re-subdue the Mannequin Desertrian, and Karin’s storyline concludes with her tearfully reconciling with Momo. With some very weird cinematography, because it’s mostly just closeups of their faces while they talk. Bit odd, that.

As the episode ends, Tsubomi has a revelation.

https://i.imgur.com/X9VQ4yM.png

https://i.imgur.com/u2LniYS.png

https://i.imgur.com/BbdoRb2.png

Quite the note to end on! Will we see this new Precure soon? Well, we’ll find out next time.

By which I mean immediately, as this is a multi-episode post.

Episode 21 - Fairy Adventure! The Hunt For The Next Precure!

The episode begins!

Sabark! He’s pissed!

https://i.imgur.com/SSNPLNM.png

Kobraja! He’s pissed!

https://i.imgur.com/aRfdgrc.png

Erika! She’s not pissed. She’s hugging Potpourri.

https://i.imgur.com/ubjREqp.png

Coupe! He’s Coupe!

https://i.imgur.com/pJPRJih.png

We get a surprising amount of exposition here at the botanical garden. It boils down to this; Potpourri needs to find his partner Precure because the Desert Apostles are attacking the Heart Tree, and because Potpourri’s own protective powers are so strong--

https://i.imgur.com/GIySFFs.png

You get the picture. Hilariously, they actually initially think that Tsubomi’s grandma is the “third Precure”, to which she explains the whole Cure Flower situation. We also learn that her partner fairy was (and in a way still is) Coupe. The prospect of Chypre, Coffret, and even Potpourri eventually becoming huge bear things is not an idea that should be considered lightly.

We also get this important tidbit about dreams, this will probably come up later, as a hunch.

https://i.imgur.com/TsbelXJ.png

The fairies’ plan to find the third Precure is absolutely without flaw. They dress up in a trench coat.

https://i.imgur.com/Xw5oz7v.png

They head to Tsubomi and Erika’s school, where they happen to witness their class reading what appears to be an excerpt of *I Am A Cat*, a turn of the 1900s novel by Japanese author Souseki Natsume. I imagine this must be a stock Book To Read in Japan, else the reference is completely left-field.

The pretty butch teacher, Ms. Tsurusaki (who it’s been some time since I last brought up) gives a short little speech on the purpose of education. It’s actually quite nice, if wildly out of place in a Precure episode. I suppose they were trying to impart that message to the kids watching at home (which hey, is noble).

https://i.imgur.com/zJFbVkG.png

The Fairies have other things in mind.

https://i.imgur.com/r83o9T9.png

https://i.imgur.com/AM2Fraf.png

Me too. Me too. Sadly, I think Maria from Symphogear (who is in her 20s) is kind of the upper age bound for magical girls, barring the occasional comedic series. Still, it’s a nice idea, isn’t it?

Then this happens!

https://i.imgur.com/UMzS3KQ.png

https://i.imgur.com/oKFfFow.png

The Fairies flee before anyone else sees them. They scope out the school’s common greens, specifically, the photographer girl from a good number of episodes ago, who raises a good point.

https://i.imgur.com/Z0d3bFT.png

They try to scout her regardless, but she fails at the most important point.

https://i.imgur.com/6r5c6Yb.png

No tree dream, no Precure.

The reference parade continues. Sayaka from aaaaaaaaaall the way back in Episode 3 is the next to show up. They try to convince her (Potpourri even mentions that she could fight with her soccer ball. Now *that’s* a show I’d watch. Anyone out there wanting to finance *Magical Soccer Girl Beckham-chan!*, hit me up). Sadly, she fails on the same criteria.

Post-midcard, we’re reintroduced to Ken from episode 18. You’re probably getting the gist of this by now. Hilariously, Ken is actually making Precure poses when they find him, having adopted a “Cure Fire” persona presumably for the sake of working out ideas for his manga. I looked it up, and sadly there does not seem to have ever actually been a Cure Fire. I did however find this utterly amazing piece of fanart that I desperately wish I could source to somewhere more reliable than Zerochan, but no watermark is present and reverse-googling it turned up nothing. Such is life.

It is, however, based on an actual moment from this episode.

https://i.imgur.com/W0idaal.png

Dream big, Ken-san.

Shortly though it becomes clear that things have gotten rather unexpectedly serious. With the student council (Itsuki puts in a brief appearance) and then the actual staff treating the “tresspasser” on school grounds as an actual threat.

https://i.imgur.com/9KbVCNo.png

Our girls’ teacher goes to join the hunt for this fellow, armed with, amazingly, a net and nothing else.

https://i.imgur.com/GhUFvdb.png

https://i.imgur.com/U2GdH1v.png

Like clockwork.

Kobraja actually swipes the fairies’ getup to make easily the goddamn coolest Desertrian we’ve seen so far.

https://i.imgur.com/Um5PqM4.png

The fight with the Ghost Desertrian is one of the better ones of the last half dozen-ish episodes. It’s very fluid, and there’s a lot of cool camera angles and such (including a neat rotating-perspective cut) and the Ghost Desertrian itself has a nice repertoire of cool powers, including a bunch of stretchy arms and the ability to both make and turn into will-o-wisps.

https://i.imgur.com/VEC69Kq.png

It doesn’t last of course. With a little help from Potpourri they’re able to defeat the Desertrian and free their teacher.

https://i.imgur.com/BwnB9yi.png

This bit of the story ends here, with Tsurusaki’s self-confidence renewed. 

https://i.imgur.com/F6YtvCz.png

What a good teacher.

At episode’s end, we cut back to the botanical garden, where Yuri shows up, somewhat unexpectedly. Apparently the panic over an “intruder” spread even to the neighboring high school.

https://i.imgur.com/qCsXHzy.png

Potpourri (as one might expect), tries to get Yuri as their partner, but she turns them down, saying they should find someone else. Tsubomi’s grandma imparts the little nugget of wisdom that it takes a mutual bond of trust to find one’s chosen partner. This, incidentally, makes Yuri smile, which is a beautiful thing to see.

https://i.imgur.com/dZswQfl.png

And there, the episode ends.

And that’s the first two parts of what I believe is a four-part storyline. So I’ll see y’all with the second half of it soon.

[sheparrdtumb]

More amberprice and even with blanket....

Also hooray for the new watermark made by @onegirllis so I dont have to use my ugly ass watermark anymore, thanks for that ;)

[daftpatience]

another sticker commission that’s in the shop! His name is Oliver!

also peep my nice new watermark its bc my sticker designs keep gettin stolen & posted on other tshirt sites hooray

[twinkiplier]

Hair Color Tutorial (PhotoShop)

So my friend @dreamsoffallingstars wanted to know how I color hair, since they don’t think they’re very good at it. (I think they are.) But here you go! It’s kind of long, so I put it under the cut, but I think I did pretty well and I hope this helps anyone who needs it!

Step One: Find your image.

Yeah, I know, we’re starting here. Bleh. But it’s really important that you get the right resolution for a picture, okay? So I’m just gonna make sure you get it.

When you search for your image, make sure you’re using the tools and that you’re searching for a fairly large image. Larger than 2MP is the best option, but sometimes doesn’t have what you’re looking for.

When you find the image you’re looking for, hold on - it might not be the biggest size you can find. Make sure you Search by image first.

This should pop up underneath the search bar of the new page. Click on All sizes, it’ll take you to another page with just that image.

Clicking on the first usually brings up the biggest one, but sometimes they’re of bad resolution and you have to click through. If it takes a second to load, chances are it’s nice and big. But wait! Don’t just click and drag.

Make sure you View image to get the highest resolution! It’ll open in a new tab.

You’ll need to right click and Save image as.... This will allow you to save to the desktop, or whatever work folder you’re using. Hooray! Now you have the best possible image to use for this.

Step Two: Prepare the image.

Okay, so you have it now. You need to get it into PS. But before you open a new canvas, hang on.

OPEN. Yes. I’m literally showing you how to open a document. Deal with it.

Now that you have it open, it’s best to crop it to whatever size you want. Just so it’s easier to work with.

I wanted to switch it into a more portrait-sized photo, so that’s what I did.

Now, duplicate your layer. You can do this by pressing Cmd-J or Ctrl-J.

On this layer, we’re going to adjust the levels (Cmd-L or Ctrl-L). If you don’t know how to do that, just bring the black and white arrows in closer to eachother with preview on. It’ll look right eventually.

This picture was a little oversaturated for my tastes, so I dulled it down just a little. You shouldn’t need to do that, but if you do, use Ctrl-U or Cmd-U.

Now, make a new layer. Easy.

Pick the color you want the hair to be. Don’t make it too bright, but don’t make it too dull either.

Sometimes googling the hex code of the color you want can work.

Websites often have lists with samples.

Now, once you have your color, select the paint bucket tool and fill the new layer.

Cool! It’s blue! We’re done now, right? Hahahaha no.

With the colored layer selected, change the layer style to “Color.” That will make it color the layer under it.

Pretty! But we don’t want the whole thing blue.

So we need to change this to... usually, about 50% opacity works. Might want to mess with it a little to get it to look natural, but not too much like the old hair color.

This still looks a little green to me, so I’m going to make it 75% opacity.

Much better. Now, we’re going to hide this layer because it’s obnoxious and gets in the way.

Now, grab your quick selection tool and get to work on the hair.

It doesn’t have to be absolutely perfect, but it should be pretty close, with no stray little ants.

Once that’s done, click Select and Mask up above. That’ll open the masking bridge.

Immediately, I always turn on the smart radius and crank up the edge detection.

That’ll make it look a bit wonky, so erase and add parts until it looks satisfactory to you. Remember any parts you just can’t get to look right.

Now, once you finish, it should look a lot better, right?

Now, with that selected, just add a layer mask to your color layer and turn it back on.

Blue! So now we’re done? Not quite. Zoom in.

Look at all the gross extra blue. DESGUSTANG. You’ll want to fix that.

Grab your brush, switch it to black, and turn down the flow and hardness. Touch it up where there’s too much blue or you can see the leftover hair color. It takes a bit of time, but it’s all in the details.

There, doesn’t that look lovely?

DONT FORGET TO SAVE AS PNG.

Tada! Blue boy! I hope this helped you Ally, and I hope it helps anyone else who needs it now or might need it in the future! Let me know if you want another tutorial!

One more thing: You might notice there’s a watermark on the photo I edited. Usually, I try to find ones without watermarks unless they look like they’ve been professionally taken by someone, or I’m just lazy. But don’t ever, ever ever EVER remove someone’s watermark, for any reason. On anything. I don’t care if you don’t think they have claim to it, I don’t care if they don’t have claim to it. Just don’t do it, man, even if it’s big and obnoxious. Thanks. <3

[scenarios-on-ice]

“Alright, Luna-senpai!”

Thus the technically-smol and not-so-innocent Evans was saved from a brutal, feelsy death by Queen Luna’s common sense.

If only we could say the same for Philip Hamilton. R.I.P

Ah, it is true that I am professional feels-murderer. However, when it comes to me being a cinnamon roll…that remains to be seen :)

Aww, I didn’t mind the basement thing, really! That isn’t something I’d see as a major spoiler since you didn’t tell me what was actually inside of it ^^ as for AoT, I forgot to mention that I’ve caught up with the manga now! I got so irritated at falling behind all of my fandoms and then going on tumblr like “wth new chapter already now I’ve got to avoid the spoilers but I WANNA SEE THE SPOILERS but I WANNA APPRECIATE THE TWISTS” that I went and binge-read Black Butler, AoT and TG almost all at once lol

Like you, though, I don’t know if I’m appreciating what’s going on in AoT right now. Isayama’s doing so many POV switches and focusing on so many new plot twists and info dumps that it almost feels like he’s abandoning all the old plot threads he hasn’t tied up yet. Also, he’s pulled off two time skips in quick succession now, which makes things even more confusing.

If he has a plan and knows what he’s doing this could turn out OK, but if not, well…it could become a complete and utter trainwreck.

YOU POSSESS THE POWER OF AMVs I BOW DOWN TO YOU

Seriously, if you want to and you have the time, I’d love to see that actually happen (though if you can’t that’s fine too ^^). I actually wrote down a whole plan for this MMV/AMV thing because the more I listen to Wait for It the more it reminds me of TG…

(More feels: for the line ‘My grandfather was a fire and brimstone preacher’, Amon and Donato. And then 'but there are things that the homilies and hymns can’t teach you’ Amon’s first encounter with Kaneki.

Then 'My mother was a genius’ possibly Eto and Ukina? or Matsumae?

'My father commanded respect’ Juuzou and Shinohara

And you know how the chorus echoes 'respect’ after that line? Sasaki’s face shows up during that echo (he did have the Q squad’s respect in his own way). Or maybe Yoshimura. I considered Arima but I have another line I want for him…

'When they died, they left no instructions’ Ryouko’s (Hinami’s mother’s) death

'Just a legacy to protect’ Hinami saving Sasaki in the auction arc. Cinnamon roll is making her parents proud.

'Death doesn’t discriminate’ anything with Arima. Maybe his death scene? The Grim Reaper never hesitated, not even when it came to his own life.

Also, the scenes with Nutcracker’s death and young Arima reaching out the window in his flashback might fit well with the last chorus (“Life doesn’t discriminate”). In fact, I feel like the most emotional scenes or the ones that show characters going through hardships would fit with the last chorus, since it’s about how hard life can be no matter who you are.

I know I want the 'Let’s go home’ scene in here somewhere but I’m not sure where it should go. It should be in a powerful, meaningful place, probably in the last chorus like the above scenes, but I can’t decide where it would have the most impact.)

I just went back and checked out some discussions in the fandom, and I’m really, REALLY sorry! But apparently the 'I’ve forgotten their names’ was an April Fool’s joke…? I’m kinda glad that there’s no deeper, more tragic meaning I could dig out from that line now, but also kind of disappointed because I was liking the contrast with Naki.

The line that was actually there is no better when it comes to feels.

“If the people you lost somehow returned to you…how would you feel?”

“It’d be frightening.

I’d worry that they might just disappear again.”

coupled with this lovely panel of Kaneki, his eyes closed and head tilted upwards, with a vaguely melancholy expression on his face.

Ishida Why

Also, remember Furuta’s touching declaration of love?

“I’ll have Rize bear me a bunch of children, 101 dalmations style~”

Yeah, well.

He got his wish…? Sort of…?

I love Hinami more and more. Despite everything that’s happened she’s made it clear since a few chapters ago that she has no grudge against Akira or even Kureo Mado, and in fact, she’s the one who pulls Akira into her arms (Akira just stands there and soon starts to cry for the first time since the Anteiku Raid).

Those names do sound a bit weird XD but I’m definitely gonna watch all of those when I can! And I’ll let you know when I do!

OMG.

There’s something weirdly exciting about knowing that we’re this close (like one of us could literally jump on a plane and meet the other in around a couple of hours) :D I really hope you have fun in Japan! :) I’m almost kinda jealous lol…but CONGRATS!

The amount of times I’ve died and risen from the dead is astonishing. 

Phillip needed an Evans and a Luna to save him from his demise. Too bad he didn’t have any. 

Your feels-murdering skills are over 9000 *breaks eyepiece*

Ah, that’s amazing! I’m glad you’re all caught up now ^^ We have a lot (A LOT) to discuss, especially about Black Butler. To sum up my feelings about it: I am dead inside. WHYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY(Did he have to say goodbye). 

I am this close to giving up on AoT as well. However, I wish to see how my precious ray of sunshine (Armin) will fare, so I’ll have to bear with it. Hooray.

Fun facts, my amvs are horrible. Since I use a free program, they have huge watermarks and I don’t know how to add effects at all, but there’s always youtube to help hahah I’ll work on it quite soon, but I can’t guarantee how well it’ll turn out ^^ 

When thinking about how to pull it off, I was realised that using manga panels for everything would be the best way to go, as not to confuse people or make it weird. As for ‘Let’s go home’, it could probably fit well with ‘death doesn’t discriminate’, but we already have Arima for it... Oh, oh, maybe with ‘it takes and it takes’. Finding all the right panels will be a pain in the ass ;-; I’ll probably ask you a few times if you know the approximate chapter of certain scenes ^^;;

Oh thank god. I mean, it was quite out of character, even for Sasaki. Jeez. That was mean ;-; (Not mean from you, but from the fandom T_T) The alternate line is so much better and fits him more. And it’s actually just as sad. Gdi Ishida, you’re evil.

What What What What What No Please no Oh dear God and I’m not even a religious person WHYYYY I believe Ishida is made out of 5% cinnamon roll and 95% pure evil.  Also, I just happen to stumble upon the last panel of the latest chapter, aka Mutuski being creepy af, holding Kaneki and going ‘sense <3′ whaT’D I MISS?? Lots and lots of things

WHAT IS THIS???

((Don’t mind me, I’m just searching for the panel of Kaneki and his what if everyone came back. I WILL FIND IT))

Whoops, found it

Well, shit

On to lighter themes!

Japan was absolutely amazing! We did so many things and saw lots of new places! It’s a completely different world, that’s for sure. And my Love Live loving ass was in heaven. Seriously, I bought 4 figures (bc they’re really cheap there) and one plush toy, and they’re all related to LL. I might need help. Aaand, after watching the 4 eps of BnHA season 2, I recommend it even more! It’s a mix between serious/dark and humour and imo, it was pulled off very well ^^

I hope school’s going fine for you! Cause mine isn’t :’) Well, it’ll get better now, since this week was the hellpoint hahah

[perkoform]

Opinion Piece:Also a Pretty Poem:

There’s like this externalised vein of misinformation through like, all the theory and advertising. Like someone is lying but who, do those guys (authors and such) really even understand they’re lying or are they just puppets who nod along like the rest of us (who admit to that servitudal/ist levelle)? And how many more television programs and advertisements will they encode (as a watermark) with their own personal sex lives? At least use the generic one! How many more?!?! haha

For example, in this book I’m reading, it says axe heads are a shape that happen naturally, occasionally in nature, but there’s actually a sharp crystal and a volcano that forms axe heads due to the heating, cooling angle, and chemical causation of the area, somewhere in the northern hemisphere so like, it happens all the time, so that’s what I think is misinformation. And swords form naturally aswell. Monkeys climb, huge revelation. Whoa

Some other guy’s droll kind of, opinion about the whole big deal. Going going gone, never too much never too little, ever so much. Pretty blossom cavernous bottomless freshly snipped lawn big vortex dripping drip drop, swirling through the air like a swarm. Copic disaster zone, soaking up the uv rainbow into your bone density. Merrily around the may pole in October. Never never over. I can because I know I can I think I can I have before. Whenever you look at it that way it will come across in the same light and when will you ever see it any clearer, from another viewpoint, how do you accelerate, intensify, highlight the numbness and breathe new life and new approaches at the edge of reason? Not good at rhyming with the fact, in a respective orderly manner, but the topic was thoroughly explored up and all over it bulls eye. Bigger better conundrum for old times sake, for keeping forever, for when you know too much, or for when someone else knows better. I did now, yes, and no thank you, no. Many times over pedantically meticulously with bated breath and sweat on your brow. Oh my god, you got shit. Did you though?

Big time small time I can see it from here and then a couple of steps closer and wwe all fall down and the purple rings taking a hold there a cow in the meadow shitting midas gold, so when you say it, say it louder and we’ll hear it all in all. I can imagine that it was beautiful and we’ll stop to remember how, when where why and ever for ever more. Walking alone down the way you find a pretty rock then you throw it away across the pond surface it skips hooray, and your heart beats slowly and you suddenly fell faint, for the day will turn to night and there will be no more light, and all together they were so right, I thought that if you knew, then you would keep it in mind, but I didn’t tell you often enough, maybe it’s my fault, but I’m letting go now, roll da ray, I don’t need to know. never ever again, maybe one day. Can you hand me the screwdriver can you hand me the file, can you interpret this properly sleep now for a while, or be content when it is over again. Small time is much better if you think about it perks perks, rather well thanak you, how are you? It’s good to see you again and again and again and again and again, ever.

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