#i like to read/look at art about laika all i can and this was such a beautiful work of art i really have no words

[charrfie]

Read Laika No Hoshi and sobbed my fucking eyes out

[animalinvestigator]

any manga recommendations?

yessss oh my gosh always, gladly. so honored you would ask little ol me about such a thing... i haven't been reading much lately so here's just a little list of things ive picked up in the past few months or things i've liked for a long time..... all of them are on mangadex so just look em up... Im editing this to put them under the cut sorry i didn't do it before ive been on the clock for like 4 hours and im tired Lights cigarette

fool night yasuda kasumi !!! it's currently ongoing and i recently got caught up... if i had to describe it in two words.. "post-chainsawman." it's very similar in a lot of ways, but has very different priorities.. what i really like about it is that it has kind of a tighter focus on the "poverty and capitalism" angle that chainsawman definitely covers but doesn't really devote its full attention to. in a world where the sun no longer shines, plants can't grow, so humans are constantly at a deficit of oxygen... to combat this, government facilities offer a payout to desperate people who can't afford to live if they allow themselves to be "transflorated" -- basically fed on by a magical spiritual plant that will eventually kill them and release oxygen in their stead. one such desperate person undergoes the procedure only to find he has the special ability to communicate with transflorated bodies after theyve passed... and then he becomes a Plants Detective and shenanigans ensue. Super good it made me cry... art is beautiful..... definitely worth a read if youre looking to pick up something ongoing

babel no toshokan by tsubana - stumbled upon this after reading the artist's other work "wakusei closet" on a whim... this shorter story is much preferred and has engraved itself deeply on my heart. a girl with a strange set of beliefs about reality enters a strange relationship with a boy who can read everything that's ever been written just by touching an identical sheath of paper..... seriously so good. give it a go if you want something short and sweet

planet laika & scorched earth of love by mayuri yoshida, this is a short manga and one shot bundled with it that has been one of my favorites for like FOUR YEARS NOW!!! mayuri yoshida's sickly cute animal people + loving intricate lineart combine to create a really unique visual aesthetic. its about the titular laika , as in, the dog launched into space, who has since become the ruler of a planet of dogs, and her plot to take revenge on humanity. also she has a lesbian wife. the one shot is so good too SO DONT MISS IT!!!

anyone who has heard me talk about comics for the past year or so probably knows i've been trying to get Just yknow everybody on earth to read dead dead demon's dedededestruction by inio asano. nothing i could ever possibly say about it could do it justice it's seriously my favorite manga of all time. it's about being in love with your best friend and the end of the world and aliens and politics and the internet and stuff. asano's art is truly breathtaking and unlike anything else on earth, the characters are all infectiously lovable, and it's just like... endlessly life affirming and heals my heart in a way i have a hard time articulating.

and last one... not strictly manga but i have really enjoyed keeping up with wanan's webcomic no home recently... its a long one, but i read about 275 chapters of it in like 3 days, because it's that hard to put down, LOL... extremely inspiring character writing and also just insanely fun, eunyung became an all time favorite character of mine on impact and it has one of those casts where you can't help but have fun watching them be together in literally any situation. it's about a bunch of kids with shitty family situations trying to figure out to learn to live with eachother. its an extremely good example of mundane character drama being written so compellingly that it will make you start slamming your head on walls at work. Speaking from experience.

miscellany... everyone tells you to read witch hat atelier, do it its good... everyone tells you to read dungeon meshi do that its good... Chainsaw man part 2 is getting crazy right now ...... uhhh... i have a billion more so if none of those interest you let me know and i'll share more. thank yew so much for your interest in my opinions and i hope there's something here you can appreciate!!!~~

[andmaybegayer]

Last Monday of the Week 2024-09-02

Do you rember. Wen day is dark, sember.

Listening: @cyelatm released a new album Habit Prism that I've been listening to in bits and pieces. Even, rhythmic folk, good music to have on when you have people around.

In that vein, Bandcamp Friday this coming Friday! Make your lists!

Watching: Watched The Raid which I've had kicking around for a bit. Do you want to watch guys punch each other all over for like 15 minutes at a time for an hour? No? Get better taste in movies and then watch guys punch each other all over for like 15 minutes at a time for an hour.

The Raid is so obviously made for like two dollars, there's one building, every single gun and piece of armour is airsoft gear, the camera is visibly some mid-tier hardware that suffers from severe rolling shutter, and it kicks so much ass.

There's some really interesting things happening with camera movement in this movie. Really really complicated multi-axis camera moves, the same shot will take like six different dutch angles in a single move, or will lock on to different objects and follow them, it's great for martial arts but it's also used to pretty good effect in some interstitial scenes.

The culminating fight with Mad Dog is so wild, literally just three guys in an empty concrete cube fighting for a solid ten or twelve minutes and it works! Does not seem possible. They actively remove almost every prop from the room so it's just guys hitting each other but they keep doing incredible stunts.

It's funny looking at the gifsets on here because they're unreadable, everything happens so fast and requires so much context that is only delivered in the full flow of the movie. My favourite part is when he said "It's Raiding Time" and raided all over those guys.

Reading: Finally sat down and got through the Phalanx's Twilight, Legion's Triumph series on acoup.

Sections IVa-c mostly slid off my brain because it's a bunch of wars I don't know enough about to contextualize but it's mostly justification for what's explained in parts I-III which were great, and it's an interesting look at how the political and military structures of Rome interwove to improve the effectiveness of the Legion.

Also reading Skin Horse, which I started ages ago but never got very far, I think because I started a job around that time and lost track of it. Sticking webcomic tabs on my little ARM tablet is really convenient, I've jammed Out Of Placers and Laika's Comet in there as well, it's been a while since I did a big archive dive on a comic.

Skin Horse is very much of its time, not really in sensibility but just in content. The nerds are characterized by liking Harry Potter.

Making: Resolved the power delivery issues that were causing me to have mysterious failures with the LED driver. That was annoying. Anyway remember to split your power supply when you could potentially pull like 10A@5V to drive LED's.

Playing: Tactical Breach Wizards campaign is ongoing, as you get deeper into the campaign your team expands which dramatically complicates operations, your possible actions explode, and I'm not even halfway through.

Dall was my newest operator at time of writing and she's probably the hardest to use, she can deal a lot of damage but relies more so than anyone else on good positioning, it's really easy to end up way out of place and waste her moves, and she's too heavy to shunt around with Jen's storm attacks the way you can with the others.

Speaking of those, I really like how the short turns and deterministic actions mean you can get really into the weeds. The first time I used a gale grenade to shunt Zan over one extra block to line him up I assumed this would be a sometimes food but you really find yourself doing stuff like that all the time.

I'm heading back and picking through some of the challenge missions concurrently with playing partially to stretch out overall gameplay and partially because I think having fewer abilities unlocked will make those more interesting.

Tools and Equipment: You know, I think we know each other pretty well, I can put this here. The Doxy USB-C Wand is a safe and legal thrill.

[fedoraspooky]

I'm absolutely smitten with Charlie from a character standpoint, I love 'escaped experiments' so much, is there any more I can read about him?

Yesss, thank you, it's such a fun concept to write! And to answer your question- there is!

First off, all my art and info and stuff about him can be found in his character tag on my blog, #Charlie!

Also, if you want something more like Cryptids, there is The Breakout RP! It does unfortunately end on a cliffhanger and is discontinued, but basically it's a look at events canon to the tabletop game me and my pals played that spawned Charlie, Tikki, and Laika to begin with!

There are some similarities to Cryptids in that backstories are the same and it starts with Charlie having escaped from the lab (in Breakout it actually shows his escape! And that escape is still canon to Cryptids so if you wanna see how he got out, you can read it in Breakout.) However, beyond that initial escape is where the story diverges, because in Breakout, he's found and rescued by Laika, whereas in Cryptids... He isn't. And he has to figure out how to survive in the outside world on his own for a bit.

[stjeromeshospital]

HIIIII!!!!! Im late as hell but, before i get to the art request thing: Ive always been curious about what inspired you to make a lot of your ocs? Like what SPARKED that idea, if anything in particular? Especially for characters like Laika and Audrey!

Also…. Here is my creature son…… I thought you might enjoy him :)

HI MALCALM. i want to say before anything im rlly obsessed bc i think u n me are on the same page in regards to character design that guy with long sharp feature is awesome. like his face shape im obsessed eith i just notice that. i really do fucking love this character design it was fun to draw i need to draw mkre of your chars i never got around to during artfight i can say we both burnt out LAWL

thats a hard quastion but i love you for asking it ehmm its hard because i really dont know i just kind of look at art all the time and what people make and watch and experience and read stuff and 1 small piece of something inspires you until you collect enough small pieces to make 1 big thing. i get inspired by lots of stuff and tuck away whatever i like to use later or i just think alot. these days i dont really have very many OCs that are just "mine" anymore most if not all of them start off as fandom chars and i just make them more complicated until its not abt that anymore. audrey and delainey ar the only characters that i have these days that dont stem from fandom even laika actually is a fan character for my buddy henry's original universe. i like stuff i like what people make and i like that people make things and i like to dance around in them and make stuff up too YAY!

the idea for laika really only exists as it does because of the freedom of the universe theyre in, i wanted to make a character design that is complete nonsense and a premise that i like and think is fun without the restraint of grounding or rulesets, their entire being is based in "i think it would be fun if" and their design is entirely self indulgent. audrey is a different story because he is the oldest character i have and have had, he's gone through a variety of design changes and in fact did not even have a human design until i started posting him on this blog, he had existed for years and years before that. but also he is exactly like laika because he is my MOST self indulgent oc and i do whatever i want to him. having ocs is about smashing them together like barbie

[letshaveadepressionparty]

Aaahhhhhh thank you for tagging me @riddle-me-ri 🥺🧡

Are you named after someone?

Nope.

When was the last time you cried?

This morning, I got emotional about the passage of time, because I saw a video about like 2000s nostalgia and I was like fuck man.

Do you have kids?

Nah

Do you use sarcasm a lot?

I definitely use it, I was gonna say that I'm not sure if I use it a lot, but at least once a day I use it so....I guess I do use it a lot??? Idk it's pretty common in my family.

What's the first thing you notice about people?

Uuuhhhhh I guess their voice?? I'm pretty akward when I first meet people and I don't really look directly at them, I mostly listen to their voice, their mannerisms when speaking and stuff.

What's your eye color?

Brown.

Scary movie or a happy ending?

When I was younger I was all about happy endings, if stories didn't have happy endings then what was the point??? I suppose that changed when I grew up, I still like happy endings tho, but I'd say scary movie (love scary movies).

Any special talents?

Uhm, I think it would be that I have a good ear for languages and music?? When I was still learning english my teacher would say that I have a very good ear and could catch and understand very quickly what was being said, and my piano teacher once told me that, again, I have a good ear because I could listen to a song and quickly figure out the melody and the pacing, the tempo, to play it myself, so I guess??? that would be it???

Where were you born?

What are your hobbies?

Video games, reading, building puzzles, painting, listening to music, watching tv shows or movies, learning things, sulking, making my friends happy, being dumb on the internet, space.

Do you have any pets?

No :(

What sports do you play/have played?

I used to do swimming when I was younger, competitive swimming I mean, I still love swimming so much, I love being around water, but it's been a while, I should pick it up again some day.

How tall are you?

This is the hardest question for me, why you ask?? Because I know that I'm 1 meter 70 centimetres, BUT I'm still not entirely sure if that's 5 ft 6 or 5 ft 7, because I've searched but I find different answers everywhere, I think I'll die not knowing. Why do you do this to me americans ??????

Favorite subject in school?

History, Literature, Psychology, Art and English!

Dream job?

Working in a stop motion animation project. That's my dream, I would peak there. If I ever get the opportunity to work for Laika or Guillermo del Toro ever does another animated movie in stop motion and I get to work in it, that's it. That would be the happiest I'll ever be.

Ok so I'm gonna tag the usual victims @jervis-tetch-my-beloved and @freya-faust (there's no pressure to do this of course, you don't have to if you don't wanna 🧡) And whoever else wants to can do it too!

[safesthaveninexistence]

my jokes are astonishingly hardhitting. Like they can TANGIBLY FEEL I made a potent spiritual attack on a celebrity. Everytime I see signs that means it’s inevitably coming(chills). SHIIIIIIIIIT. I HEAR FANS SCREAMINGGGGGGGGGGG!!!!!!! DAWG LAIKAS GON REAL AS FUCK OMG AND SHES GONNA BE PERFECT BECAUSE I AM PERFECT. PERFECTION EXISTS BECAUSE OF ME. Omg Laika’s gon be in my reality sooner than I think (chills).????? What the fuck…….@sooner than I think. Well damn. It’s terrifyingly real. AS FUCK. It’s STAGGERINGLY TERRIFYINGLY REAL AS FUCK. That’s crazy Laika’s coming (chills). Like Jesus Christ like I finally know how Stan Lee feels. Mindblown. Ima feel mindblown. Omg. I always access the future by visualizing seeing precisely what’s to come. I have visions of the future on command. wtf most viewed tedtalk(chills). I look stunning. Wow. Blue hair. Number one most viewed tedtalk about how I became a globally recognized zillionaire. Not a damn thing is out for reach for me (chills). I’m sexy I’m a sex vixen. Insaneeeee I’m getting chills Laika’s coming. I naturally walk into my desired reality. Like I’m so rigged to win on absolutely all the energy levels yo profoundly because I am the self validation. I succeed because I’m naturally in wish fulfillment energy. That’s INSANE THATS BATSHIT. Art imitated life. Movies imitated life. My very existence inherently oozes art imitated life and movies imitated life. Man that’s unhinged. I’m a leader pioneer and now I guide. I won’t be alone with all of the knowledge I know. The world needs my wisdom. So it’s crucial for me to be a Zillionaire Superstar. Like me fulfilling my destiny is profoundly needed. I feel mythical. I feel like a dream. My life feels mythical my life feels like a dream. Holy shit. Life is truly a dream. Got profound chills Laika was gon trib the shit of my pussy real good like dawg I can’t wait to come back to read this and be STAGGERINGLY ASTONISHED AND ASTOUNDED THIS ACTUALLY CAME TRUE(chills). In ALL aspects I make it happen. They feel my gravitational pull before I come. I naturally make it a reality. Yes it works on an energetic level too. I’m impressed with my own Godlike power damn. I blow them all away with my own Godlike power. I got the aura of The Ultimate Supreme God(Truman show type shi). They admire my level of consciousness. I admire my own level of consciousness. I admire the fact I am always effortlessly handed the perspectives that naturally leads me to the life I want to live. Not every single thought of mine come true. Only the ones that put my soul at ease do. :). I find it humorous whether I believe it or not I’m winning on both side of the coin. The timing is coming yeah I’ll talk to her. I’ll naturally talk to friends. I have a satisfying ass social life. Laika and I on FaceTime all the time. I dare to trust. I dare to believe. I’m rigged to win so my fears don’t matter. Each one of my desires come to me naturally. When I affirm it blissfully results in boundless of ways. Im at the top I’m the chillest everyone loves me by default since they all NPC. Basically. Conforming to my expectations and exceeding it. Fuck yes. Life’s abouta real perfect. It’s okay NPC have souls(chills). I was once NPC now I’m God. Escaped the matrix type shit. Laika and I our sexual tensions off the chart(chills). Fuck. I love connecting with her. Physically mentally psychically spiritually sexually romantically platonically. I naturally utilize both the physical and spiritual power. Okay. I don’t got shit to worry about I’m already doing everything right. I’m rigged to get my desires anyway. ^.^ the way I casually speak shows my astonishing intelligence. I beat the Matrix. We awakening on such a profound level of what this all shit really is. And there is a purpose. Even in the randomest lies a purpose. I get my desires at the most randomest of times and it’s always aligned with my current journey. It always get better.

[emsartwork]

i forgot to add: how do design ????!?!??????

So I’m not expert but this is how I think of character design! (also sry if you were asking about clothing/outfit design thats a little different)

under the cut because this is long im so sorry

So in my opinion there are three really important aspects for character design!

AESTHETIC: obviously everybody’s aesthetic is different, but this is more about what vibe the character has, what makes them THEM design wise. 

INTENTION: who is the character supposed to be? this can range from their personality, their back story, their occupation, or their role in the story, but the design need to fit that intention.

COHESION: does the design go well together? or do certain aspects clash too much? obviously you can have disjointed parts of a character design, and if those serve a purpose then thats fine, but if its so disjointed its distracting from the character as a whole you might need to tweak things. 

AESTHETIC: the contrasting part of the design (white flowers in dark hair, dark trim on dress, and dark shoes) provide interest to the eye. The mixing of round and sharp shapes also keeps the design from feeling “boring” even though its relatively simple. 

INTENTION: so what role would this little doodle character have? according to her design elements, shes cute and friendly with her round shapes (bouncy balls, babies, etc), but could have a sharp/fast/active or even dangerous edge to her with the triangles (arrows, knives etc). of course the design doesn’t limit her possible roles. She could be a bubbly younger sister who teases the older protagonist, or maybe she’s the villain hiding in plain sight. the shape this character design doesn’t really have is squares(think bricks and rocks), which communicates that she might not be really strong, steady, or reliable. 

COHESION: repeating the curves across her whole design builds cohesion, it communicates that “yes, these are all part of the same character”, it also allows the eye to “rest” on a familiar shape or line. 

NOW LETS LOOK AT SOME DESIGNS

(Boku no Hero Academia) so both of these characters are super heroes, but have vastly different design elements. so lets analyze them.

OCHAKO(the pink one) is all rounds, with a few pointed shapes in hair mostly, but a little on her costume as well. Her personality is cute, bubbly, and friendly which perfectly suits her soft and bouncy design. Howevre she also has a very slight edge to her, which is seen her determination and drive to improve herself over the course of the anime. 

KIRISHIMA(the red one) at first glance, seems to be super pointy!! shapes that are usually seen on villains or really dangerous characters, but while he IS sharp(literally sometimes) and sometimes aggressive, he is also made of squares, which perfectly suits his loyal “i gotchu bro” attitude towards most of the other characters in the anime.  

ISSUE AREAS: so the only problems i have with Ochako and Kirishima’s designs is that their costumes each have one area that clashes a little too much for my taste. With Ochako, the belt over the color blocking stripes down her crotch are......questionable taste wise. I think the design would be better if the pink chest ended above the belt in a shallow v. not only would this mirror the triangle aspects of her hair, it would fit the belt outline, and continue the trend her costume has of being “grounded” or “heavy”. Kirishima has those.... gears??? around his shoulders??? and while the gear teeth are technically squares, the gear shape itself is a circle, which is a shape that isn’t present anywhere else in his design. I think changing the gears to something similar to his boots or his mask/headgear would create a more cohesive design(also the gears just look hard to move in)

These two characters are presented as individuals so their costumes don’t have to match at all even though they are still seen as “connected” because of the art style for the face, hair, and body. 

In a group giving the outfits cohesive motifs is an easy way to present a strong team image! In Yuki Yuna is a Hero, the girls all have colored lines(usually princess seam placement), armor or fabric hip accents, covered arms, and similar flower shapes in their hair. The Aesthetic of each girl is strong in a monochrome signature color, but not over whelming as the black+white connects them even in color so they aren’t out of place. 

Speaking of color! if your characters are all similar looking (like same body for all of them) you can communicate their personality and aesthetic just with color! (only gonna talk about a few of the ponies) Pinkie Pie (the really pink one) is energetic and playful, so her color scheme is a variation of the primary colors(happy, child like), and have one of the more saturated colors(high energy, intense) of these characters in a large quantity. Apple Jack (the orange one) is a down to earth farm girl, and her color palette is accordingly, mostly earth tones, its also warm analogous colors, which makes her appear un-complicated and warm personality wise. the pop of red is a nice touch to add interest, but notice that its uses sparingly in her cutie mark and tail accessory. Rarity on the other hand is elegant and fussy, her high contrast scheme of white and dark blue/purples gives her more visual interest and is something that makes her appear more “complex” in addition to the gradient thats included in her hair. the colors are also all cool colors, bringing to mind cool glass or water which both have connotations of grace and beauty.

however all the characters here are unified by their colors being on the pastel side, which is also important for a cohesive cast.

another, short, note on color; making the color/line/shading of your figure different from the background can help them stand out, this is used ESPECIALLY in children’s media, but can be applied to any illustration or animation as needed.

Color can also help your characters “read” quickly on screen, the powerpuff girls are a prime example, of having a distinct color blocking and silhouette. even the color blobs at the top and my crappy hand silhouettes STILL read as the characters despite being broken down into abstract elements. I also really enjoy the thick outline in the powerpuff girls, it really makes the characters pop to the foreground even though they have pretty simple designs and are often in a colorful setting.

Also, for a lot of animation, silhouette is INCREDIBLY important for your characters, some designers sketch silhouettes and then design the particulars its so important to nail the shape. These examples from Coraline are some of my favorites (though Laika wins in my heart every time no matter what lmao) because the simple shapes are SO CLEAR and indicative of the character, you literally don’t need to have watched the movie to know these are each different characters with different personalities and roles. 

silhouette can also help tell the story. In Kubo and the two strings (another Laika film) the above three characters are sisters. One has chosen to leave her home in the heavens to live on earth, and the other two stay in their roles as “heavenly” warriors. This is even shown through their designs, the two sisters are weighted on top and their cloaks don’t even touch the ground, while the first woman has trailing, heavy sleeves, hair, and robes all grounding her and emphasizing her connection with the earth.

another example of shape/silhouette reflecting the story, In The Croods, the family of cavemen are for the most part very top heavy, with large torsos and arms, usually in a more hunched over position, while the newcomer, Guy, is bottom heavy with thin arms and stands more upright. In the plot, the family represents the old ways, the strength and rules that have helped them survive, they look like very stereotypical “cavemen”, while Guy resembles the modern man, and appropriately is associated with new ideas and forward thinking.

MORE SHAPES, in DC super hero girls each girl has a distinct personality emulated by her shape language. Zatana is dramatic curves and edges, Super girl is hard, straight edges against curves, giving her a solid muscular shape. Wonder Woman, though also strong, is taller and leaner, lending to a confident leader type. Green Lantern is slim, her lines all flow into each other giving her a go with the flow look. Bumble Bee is, of course, tiny, but her boots and gauntlets add weight and strength to her otherwise small frame. Batgirl is lanky and has a lot of pointed style lines, reminding the viewer of a skinny cat (ironic what with cat woman i know) or weasel which mirrors her preferred “sneaky” crime fighting style.  (also yes this was just an excuse for me to gush abt how much i love the dcshg designs shut up)

so in my opinion, Cartoon Saloon’s The Secret of Kells is PERFECT in aesthetic, intention, and cohesion. Kells focuses very strongly on creating silhouette WITHIN the larger figure shape via color and line, most of the characters pictured here have no neck, the one who does, Brendan, is the main character and the use of negative space that cuts into his shape is used to draw attention to him. Kells is also very strongly inspired by Medieval Illuminated manuscripts (namely, the book of kells lmao). The characters still manage to stand out against outrageously detailed backgrounds via their simple shapes and strong color blocking. 

Aisling, a secondary but very important character, is not human, and has a totally different shape language from the rest of the characters. She is thin and pointy, while most of the others are round or square. Aisling also has the most negative space making up her silhouette, compare the triangles made by her arms and legs in the above picture to the figures in the first image where everybody’s body is self contained with no negative space. She is also very different color wise, very pale and cool colored, as opposed to the warm saturated colors of the human characters. (yes this was another excuse to gush abt one of my fave pieces of media deal with it)

hopefully that wasn’t too rambley and actually helps? if yall have more specific design questions lemma know lol

[gayregis]

right away sorry if this gets too ranty I've just been Thinking lately and i feel like twn is such a good example of like. this idea that Real and Good film and television can only be made by Hollywood i guess? like there's even this polish saying that roughly translates to "you praise the foreign and don't know your own" which gets made fun of a lot but also. it's very true imo. like i still wonder what could've been if actual good polish filmmakers were entrusted with making a new witcher (1/?

and it would've been such a good opportunity for like. one showcasing that there Can be good art and entertainment made locally and two some genuine cultural exchange. like i know its too big of an idea for Capitalism™ but if there was a well made polish-language show on international Netflix like. idk i feel like maybe that could spark some interest in like broadening peoples horizons and changing their views on what fantasy looks like etc and its just frustrating that there wasnt even a chance

i really agree. i have been dreaming recently about what my ideal "visual adaptation" of the witcher would look like, and what i've come up with essentially is something like the polish audiodramas set to 2D animation by fans of the witcher. subs, not dubs, i guess?

audiodramas

gilthoniel1173 on youtube has uploaded many select clips of the audiodramas, translated them and set them to pictures. amazing work and i highly recommend this.

i really value the majority of sapkowski's prose, though there are faults with the witcher, his prose really has a marvelous quality to it and i am trying to think of a way to keep this intact. something like the audiodramas in which there are narration may be the best way to go, with subtitles so that

animation

it's the sort of thing i think about like, hey, if i had netflix's budget (approx. $70 to $80 million, [dies]), how would i make the witcher adaptation?

disclaimer: i hesitated to @ artists because i feel like it sends the message that i am saying, "hey you, specifically, should do this idea for free, also btw, i only see you as a witcher fanartist and nothing more :)" this is not my intention, what i want to do here is just want to bring light to these artists in the community and the work they have done, both witcher-related and original work (and i hope that i am in no way defining them as 'only-witcher' artists). additionally, this is in no way suggesting that i don't want to involve any artists i did not mention or that i do not adore the work of other artists in the witcher fandom, these are just the immediate two i think of when i think of animating the witcher.

i imagine it in the style of @paticmak , @astrolunos , @johix because they have done just such gorgeous art of the witcher... <3 (i hope everyone reading knows of these artists already, but if you do not, please check out their work and support!)

paticmak's cherry vodka, an original animation which you should watch: [x]

paticmak's witcher fanart: [x]

astrolunos' animations, including geralt and ciri from sword of destiny and yennefer and ciri from blood of elves: [x]

astrolunos' witcher fanart: [x]

johix's jadýrko, an original interactive story which you should check out: [x] [x]

johix's art (some ship and ns/fw): [x]

specific witcher pieces from these artists that i think about:

[paticmak / "The witcher drawings redraws and sketches"]

[astrolunos / slavic-inspired outfits]

[astrolunos / "yen and ciri’s room, ellander"]

[johix / geralt and dandelion at beltane (ship)]

other major inspirations in my dreams of this:

studio ghibli movies (spirited away and howl's moving castle)

independent animators like felix colgrave (double king)

laika studio animations (kubo and the two strings)

gobelins studio (sundown)

embracing the roots, introducing diversity

my main point in this section is that i believe the polish & eastern european culture of the witcher is essential to it, at the same time i also value diversity and uplifting people of color. i do not believe that these two concepts are in conflict with one another! a discussion simply needs to be held, which is something that netflix did not do because it had few eastern european voices on the set, and kept the voices of color it did have down.

something netflix failed to do is acknowledge the witcher's cultural origins... at all. really, at all. in the writing, in the dialogue, in the set design, in the character and fashion design... and they had the opportunity to do this. this is massively disappointing and thoughtless.

my goal would be to bring polish & other eastern european writers who are fans of the witcher to work through the prose to tell the story. i would also like to have female and lgbt voices in this because the witcher has some elements that are...! disconcerting, let's just say. as we saw with lauren, having a woman in charge doesn't immediately make things not misogynist anymore, somehow she added to the misogyny of the witcher. but i think this is still a step in the right direction. additionally, this writing process would NOT look like writing fanfiction. it would really be going through and working with the artists and translating the prose, deciding what should be kept and what should be left out (some things like forest gramps should be left out, wouldn't you agree?).

new scenes could be added, but they would just have to be done for a reason. i believe the 2002 hexer did this somewhat-successfully in scenes such as this one, in which they develop relationships between characters just that little bit more and add to the pathos of the witcher (which is quite direct and does not "loiter" upon many things!)

i would also really value the voices of set designers, fashion historians, food historians, and cultural anthropologists who are from + study poland & eastern europe because i believe the history and culture should be integrated into the witcher and appreciated, demonstrated in a positive and celebratory light to the world, without doing so in a cultural appropriation-like manner (in which elements are just taken without any knowledge of where they are from and what context they hold). also, yes, the witcher is not a historical fantasy - but its setting is inspired by history and it would be rewarding to see a visual fantasy universe that is not based in english culture!

i think the witcher community is really vast and holds many opinions... this is both a good and bad thing, because "the witcher fandom" includes both people of color and like, white supremacists. i will say that i wouldn't want the latter working on the project, just saying. i would like to see designs of color for the cast of the witcher (i have done a few but hesitated to post them, lol) and sensitivity readings, NOT just diversity for views like netflix performed, but diversity that empowers, makes sense, and isn't "people of color are in this, they are either white-passing or just there to support the white characters." ... i also would like to think about how we approach diversity, as in, designs/casting of color should not be relegated to insignificant or evil characters, the good protagonists could be people of color. i would also like to think about and avoid problematic tropes such as when white characters in a media teach and "civilize" a young person of color, or when "monsters" or non-human characters are cast as people of color... i think people of color should be given roles in which they are in control, powerful, desirable, and good. we need to think about the message we send. in the end, my goal would be "genuine cultural exchange" as you said.

additionally: i think involving jewish and indigenous (broad terms, but i mean them to be broad) voices specifically in conversations about writing would be significant because sapkowski made some decisions in the witcher which can come off as offensive to these groups in particular (regarding the parts of the story about elves, dwarves, gnomes, dryads, and specific characters such as yennefer and regis).

music

honestly, not many thoughts here! can we really get any better than the soundtrack of the witcher 3? cdpr has many faults, but their music is not one of them in my opinion.

afterthoughts

i was displeased to learn that alik sakharov left twn because of not being appreciated and instead being fought on his writing, but i feel a project like this would actually value input like his instead of kicking him out and citing "creative differences"

what is really the most significant thing to me is good writing and ciri's relationship with her parents, because i believe these being taken away is one of the things which was most painful about netflix's "adaptation."

[adiwriting]

Going through all my old notes and half written Nova Mae fics... and several of them are now noncompliant with the canon I’ve created for the verse so I’m getting rid of them. But this one I’m struggling to part with so I’m posting it here for the world to read. 

This was written in a version of the verse where it took Michael a few more weeks to tell Alex the truth about Nova. 

****

Michael watches as Nova skips up the gravel path towards towards where there is a bounce house set up for the kids. She’s got her stuffed space dog in one hand and one of Arturo’s famous churros in her other hand. Michael had tried to hold firm to his no sugar before dinner rule, but when Arturo started handing out free churros and Nova had looked at him with those big brown eyes of her that reminded him so much of Alex, he couldn’t say no. 

Hopefully she’ll burn off all that sugar in the bounce house and still sleep tonight. He’s got an early shift at Sanders tomorrow and Nova has to come with him since Isobel and Max both have work. She’ll be a complete crab if she doesn’t get sleep. 

When they get to the bounce house, Nova slips off her sandals and hands them to him along with her half eaten churro with strict instructions to not eat it. He’s already got her backpack in his hand carrying her essentials like her water bottle, snacks, and an extra pair of clothes just in case, along with an arm full of fresh produce that he’d picked up from one of the stands here, but he’s long since mastered the art of juggling all of Nova’s things like a pro. Finally, she kisses her space dog and hands it to Michael with a stern look and makes him promise not to lose it before she hugs his knees and goes running off into the house. 

“Looks like you need about five more hands,” a familiar voice says from behind. He turns around to find Alex standing at one of the nearby booths, looking over their local spices. 

“Are you volunteering?” Michael teases, trying not to allow his mind to wander. It would be dangerous. After all, most of his daydreams involve Alex learning that Nova is his daughter and him stepping up to be the husband and father Michael’s always wanted him to be. 

“I could be persuaded,” he says, setting down the bottle of whatever he’d been holding and walking over to stand next to Michael. He holds out his hand and goes to grab Laika, but Michael pulls away. 

“Oh, not that,” he says seriously. “Nova is very territorial over him. She might murder you if she saw you carrying him. Or worse, me.” 

Alex laughs. “Fair enough,” he says before taking the bag of produce out of Michael’s hands. Michael takes the opportunity to sink to the ground and start packing up more of Nova’s stuff into her backpack so it’s easier to juggle. He hands Alex the half eaten churro. 

“Yum. Is Arturo here? I haven’t seen him.”

“He’s two aisles over.” 

Alex nods. “So you two here alone?” he asks, going for nonchalant but Michael can hear what he’s really asking. 

“It’s just me,” he says, giving Alex a pointed look. Alex nods, but when Michael doesn’t break eye contact or add any more, Alex adds, “Oh,” and Michael can tell he actually gets it.

[charrfie]

howdy laika! for that ask game, spamton with 17, 22, 23, 24?

LONG POST INCOMING PLEASE READY YOURSELF

17. What's a ship for this character you don't hate but it's not your favorite that you're fine with?

See this is a tricky question bc I wouldn't say I truly LIKE any spamton ships really; they all don't work for me for one reason or another. But I'm fine with seeing some* of them regardless because I do view a majority of them as having been a part of his history? Like him and swatch for example. I do not enjoy that ship or actively take part in it but do I think there was something going on there during spamtons big shot years??? Yeah. Do I have a problem with anyone that does enjoy it? No. Kind of a non-answer but it's the best I've got

* = "Some" excluding any addison ships (bc I personally view them as siblings) and also ones that aren't morally gross, obviously

22. If you're a fic reader, what's something you like in fics when it comes to ths character? Something you don't like?

OH BOY AM I A FIC READER. For the past month or so as my hyperfixation on spam has ramped up in severity again I've been trying to read every spamton centric fic that's ever been written and wow has it been a journey. So as for what I like!! The easiest answer to this is probably just the general statement of "when people write him how he is in canon." It's surprisingly rare to see him written in such a manner but is always a nice surprise when he is. Not only do I say this in relation to his character as a whole, but his speech patterns too! Which- admittedly- are extremely difficult to get the hang of! So I understand if people aren't super well versed in it and can't write him accurately in that manner. But it's my favorite thing ever when people do.

As for the second part of this question, I think the most glaring thing I hate when it comes to fics about him is just how often he's infantilized. It's SHOCKING how often it happens. Sure sure, he can be silly no doubt about it, but he's a grown man in his 40s and has experienced so much awful shit. Can we knock it off with treating him like he's a newborn or is stupid?? In the same breadth is when people make him excessively kind or sweet right off the bat... like is he not kind of an asshole??? I think its perfectly fine to embrace that fact; him being morally gray adds SO much to his character! Dare I say a lot of people who enjoy his character wouldn't have been intrigued by him without it, so I don't know why that element of his character is so often neglected. Same with his small moments of kindness/humanity; they wouldn't hit as hard if he was like that the whole time. Idk. I'm kind of picky about writing and literature so I have a lot to say sorry lol

23. Favorite picture of this character?

If we're talking about canon art of him only then I will forever be thinking about this gif of him. It makes me crazy. Same with this drawing toby did of him, you people have no idea the damage it does to me

If fan works are included... then this piece by @fatspamton is my absolute favorite picture of spamton EVER and it has been for the longest time, no question about it. It's exactly how I see him in my head and he looks so charming in it T_T <3 All of this artists spamton art (and other art/music too!!) is absolutely worth looking at if you ask me; the way he draws spam is unbelievably perfect, I think about all of its works of him very often :"^]

24. What other character from another fandom of yours reminds you of them?

Going to be honest I've been stumped on this one. I don't think I have any answer?? There's no guy that takes up my brain space which is similar enough to him for me to say in full confidence "yeah x is like him," sorry!

[hecallsmehischild]

Recent Media Consumed

Games

The First Tree. So, I’ve concluded that this game is not for me, but that doesn’t mean it’s bad. If anything, I’ve found it at the wrong time in my life. This is clearly a game meant to help people process grief, and I might recommend that anyone who is going through grief and loss give it a try. It might help.

Portal 2: Co-op version. SO. I can’t believe neither of us realized this… but around the same time, my husband and I realized that for years we’d both “figured we’d never get to play the co-op version of Portal 2.” HAHAHAH. We kind of sat there, stunned for a moment, and immediately dove in. MUCH FUN. And sometimes Glados has different dialogue for each player, trying to pit us against each other. Lovely extension of the game.

Books

The Housing Boom and Bust by Thomas Sowell. This was one where I didn’t understand everything, but the parts that I understood helped clarify a lot. My parents were one of the couples suckered by an institution that knew how to take advantage of the loopholes and risky creative home re-financing procedures described by Sowell. I have hazy memories of the situation because I didn’t care for finances and didn’t understand what was happening. I appreciated how Sowell tackled the failings of both political parties in this whole debacle, and the way he describes it, it stretches backwards and forwards and I can see the pattern and it is dismal and depressing. At the same time, very useful to know. It’s fairly readable and on the shorter side of his works. Very useful read.

Nutcracker and Mouse King/The Tale of the Nutcracker by E.T.A. Hoffmann/Alexandre Dumas. These two versions of the Nutcracker fairytale were paired in a Penguins Classic volume, along with a helpful introductory. I have to say that, though Hoffman’s is the original, I understand Dumas’ version far more easily. Maybe it’s a translation issue or maybe it really is a drastic difference in writing. Either way, it was interesting to read the roots of the George Ballanchine ballet I grew up watching, and getting a heavy dose of “author’s intent” lecture in the introduction.

Clara & The Nutcracker by T.K. Merchant (Jessica Kalei Sheffield). I was pointed in the direction of this story that someone had written as a follow-up to the Nutcracker story. First, I had to read the original Nutcracker story (as seen in the previous point) and then I read through this. I have mixed feelings. On the one hand, I feel this story could have benefitted from more editing work. On the other hand, I have bittersweet pangs of jealousy reading what is clearly a published (and legal) fanfiction. It’s a good story with a solid core that (IMO) just needs some more spit and polish.

12 Rules for Life by Jordan Peterson. At this point I’ve seen enough of his lectures that I’m starting to get a real feel for what he says and believes in general. That being said, this was still a very polished and condensed version of it, and well worth reading. I think I was dragged into an alley and MUGGED by his chapter about friendship. It was a big, “Ow. But. True,” feel. Some of his chapters are straightforward and concrete and some are more abstracted, so this book ranges from chapter to chapter in terms of ease in reading comprehension. This book is geared more toward chaotic type people like me. Now I’m curious what he has to say to the more orderly type people. *eyes the other book*

A Conflict of Visions by Thomas Sowell. This was interesting. It was probably medium difficulty to read because it did deal with abstract concepts but grounded them pretty thoroughly in examples and historical references. Though it’s likely clear which vision Sowell ascribes more to, this work (as far as I can tell) is an academic look at the roots, paths, strengths, and weaknesses of the political divide. I think this is a good “bridging the gap” book because it does attempt to thoroughly lay out why each side is self consistent in its beliefs and behaviors. I think it is a read that leads to deeper understanding of both sides.

The Quest for Cosmic Justice by Thomas Sowell. This is a collection of essays that overlaps other works of his (Intellectuals and Society, A Conflict of Visions, etc) but focuses on this one aspect. It is definitely not unbiased, but it’s very readable.

Movies

Loving Vincent. I’d heard about this movie, off and on, for a long time. Is it too low of a pun to say, “This movie is art”? I mean… this movie is animation… but with HAND PAINTED OILS. In the style of Van Gogh. How even??? And the dialogue is pretty good, too. There’s a lot of emotion conveyed in this film, both through the visuals and story of it all. And the flashback scenes are, sometimes, nearly photorealistic in their style. I also love how you have to piece together who Vincent was through many different peoples’ memories of him, not all flattering. It is a painful movie to watch, and ends with the iconic song dedicated to Vincent. This is quality cinema.

Missing Link. I really shouldn’t have put watching this off for so long. Laika studio’s stop motion gets smoother EVERY. FRIGGIN. FILM. Gosh… I have to believe some of these shots were just them showing off, seriously. Once you are looking for it, you can see some scenes that are just there because they’re impressive under the circumstances of it being STOP. MOTION. But they’re done well enough that they don’t detract even a tiny bit from the quality of the film (as opposed to situations where I’ve seen some films do 3D effects very intrusively). So, all that said, I didn’t enjoy the story as much. Cardboard villainy isn’t as fun for me as it used to be, so my enjoyment of the story isn’t as high as for other Laika films, but it's good for one watch through.

[reimenaashelyee]

Ask Me Anything: Finding Your Art Style

I get this species of art question so often that I now think it’s worth making a blog post to answer it (for posterity). The question usually goes something like this:

“How did you find your style of art?”

Which is a valid question. Unfortunately, this is a question with extremely vague and mundane answers. Note: these answers are very rooted to my particular development as an artist, though bits and pieces can be applied generally.

Answer 1:

Just draw. Yeah there’s really no secret to it – just keep drawing. All that practice will teach you what your eyes and your hands like, and what you like.

Answer 2:

Do a lot of studies – gesture drawings, anatomical studies, style studies, composition, etc. There are plenty of online gesture drawing tools listed on Google.

Observe life with your eye.

Experiment with different tools.

Take a closer look at drawings from artists you like and ask questions: why do you like it? What has the artist done to make that work appealing to you? Is it the lighting, the colour palette, the inking style, the way they stylise hands? Identify and pick up those elements and do your own spin on it. (This is different from tracing/copying, because you’re engaging in critical and analytical thought)

Find out your favourite artists’ influences and study those influences’ portfolio the same way as above.

Answer 3:

Consume art from outside your field and medium and genre. Film cinematography, theatre, set design, graphic design, packaging, music, physics, history, architecture, the list goes on.

Answer 4:

Figure out who you are as a person first, then artist. Find what you love and indulge in it, and put that love into everything you draw, no matter how little.

Answer 5: (specific)

I’ve always had my style since I was… 9? I rarely ever had anxiety over “finding a unique style”. What I would worry about, despite my strong artistic voice, was the immaturity of my skills – anatomy was trash, I didn’t know how to draw humans, some elements could be improved… which made sense cos I was a new artist. So between the ages 13 – 17 I really went in hard on Answers 1 to 4. I wrote a monthly journal cataloguing each thing I wanted to worked on, and I did exercises. And it’s helped a lot.

If you can can bother going through my Deviantart from the first art to the most recent one you can see the learning journey.

Growing as an artist takes a lot of time and a lot of effort. Avoid comparing yourself to artists your age group or younger who already have clocked in more hours, and avoid thinking it’s a difference of talent. It’s not. The difference between you and the other person is practice.

Answer 6: (specific)

But what is an artistic voice? I think it’s the essence of yourself – the way you observe and interpret the world – that can’t be helped. It shows as the little quirks that persist – maybe it’s a particular line style or a repeating motif or a colour palette.

For me, for example, I tend to stylise shapes and emphasise clear silhouettes, even when I attempt realism. This may or may not have influenced me into being a highly graphical illustrator. You won’t see me doing highly-rendered conceptual painterly drawings. That’s just not me.

Honestly I’d recommend not worrying about your artistic voice, or trying to force it out. An artistic voice is something that already lives within you. And if you say you can’t see it, that you don’t have it, it may just be an issue of self-confidence, rather than an issue of non-existence. You just haven’t reached the level where you can see it. And how do you get there? Answers 1 to 4.

Focus on expanding your foundational skills, critical thought and inspiration toolbox instead. Doing this will gradually build up your self-confidence. One day you’ll find that you have clearer eyes, and you’ll be able to look back and admire how much you’ve grown.

Answer 7 (specific):

Here is a list of my foundational influences – the ones that inspired me as I was developing my art. Chris Riddell, Shaun Tan, Emily Carroll, Dave McKean, Joann Sfar, Milt Kahl, Tadahiro Uesugi, Alessandro Barbucci, Tom Oreb.

Nowadays, my influences are all over the place. I don’t think I can point to one specific illustrator that majorly influences me anymore. From the top of my head:

40’s to 60’s stylised book illustration and animation. UPA animated shorts, JP Miller, the Provensen illustrators, Golden Book series, Soviet animation, 101 Dalmations.

Illuminated manuscripts from different cultures and history.

Early 20th century Japanese woodblock illustration and its 21st century descendent. Hamui Kawase, Tatsuro Kiuchi, Tadahiro Uesugi.

Rifle Paper & Co.

Wes Andersen.

Stop motion animation, especially from Laika.

European graphic novels (bande dessinee)

In Conclusion

Thematically, my advice is similar to the one in my Where Do You Get Your Inspiration? post — just chill, pal. Don’t force it. Engage in the world a lot. Do your thing.

This ‘Where do you find your style/inspiration?’ question has been going on since at least 15 year ago, but it definitely feels more urgent in this socmedia era of the internet with a rush to produce art that gets shared and becomes capital (social and financial). There’s a lot of pressure to come out with perfect and consumable art. Like Athena out of Zeus’ head. And it can look like you either need A Style, or have a particular genre of style, to be successful.

As someone who’s been drawing for more than a decade and has gradually become more professional, I can assure you what matters more is that you’ve a good work ethic and you love what you do. Your style, whatever it is, will become more clear as long as you put in the hours and the dedication.

Good luck with your journey.

------

I keep a semi-active blog if you want to read more thoughts from me about craft (like this), my work, life, and all the things that bother me. (https://blog.reimenayee.com)

[artcenterstories]

Experience Seeker: Meet Artist/Author Dominick Domingo

ArtCenter: What inspired your current creative project? Dominick Domingo (Illustration ‘91) arist/author/designer: A prolonged hospital stay and the proverbial brush with death. Being in touch with my mortality has lit a fire creatively and put legacy at the forefront. My latest IP, mythic fiction novel The Seeker is a parable of my recent trials and a portrait of all I’ve learned about the spiritual journey we are all on.

AC: What have been some of the most memorable twists and turns in your professional/creative journey after graduating ArtCenter? DD: A month after graduation, I began work at Disney Feature Animation on a small film to later known as Lion King. Having interned there between fourth and fifth terms, I visually developed the film during preproduction, then went on to paint production backgrounds. I continued on with Disney Feature for 11 years, in L.A. and Paris, painting backgrounds and creating visual development art for Pocahontas, Hunchback of Notre Dame, Tarzan, Little Match Girl and One By One.

I then attended New York Film Academy and began making independent live-action films as an auteur. My films won awards in the festival circuit and garnered distribution. Original screenplay credits on SAG/IMDB films led me to put my lifelong love of writing on the front-burner, while keeping one foot in animation by freelancing for major companies like Mirada, Blue Sky, Dreamworks TV, Nickelodeon, Disney Interactive, etc. The electives I offered for 20 years at my alma mater, ArtCenter, became the foundation of what has diverged into today’s Entertainment Arts and Entertainment Design tracks.

My essays and short stories have been included in anthologies and collections, some winning awards (most recently Writer’s Digest 2020 and Craft Literary 2020). My young adult trilogy, The Nameless Prince, launched in 2012 through Twilight Times Books. The Seeker marks my debut in the mythic fiction-meets-visionary fiction genre. I’ve had the good fortune of crafting a career that spans various formats and genres, all expressions of a drive I consider essential to the human condition: storytelling.

AC: What’s been the most unexpected or valuable takeaway from your ArtCenter education? DD: I am grateful for the ArtCenter legacy of excellence, and its stellar reputation in the fields of art and design; both have served me well. The demanding program and high expectations of instructors like Gary Meyer, David Mocarski, Jon Conrad, Harry Carmean and Burne Hogarth taught me to strive for excellence, believe in my potential, and push boundaries. At ArtCenter I learned nothing less than the art of alchemy and manifestation, to co-create with the universe and use my authentic gifts to contribute to our collective transformation.

AC: What’s the one tool you can’t do without? DD: My imagination. Like many artists, I consider myself a storyteller with different modes of expression. Whether editing a film in Final Cut, modeling in Maya or SketchUp during visual development or painting concepts in Photoshop, the common denominator is my imagination! My fingers come in pretty handy as well. And my eyeballs.

AC: What design cliché are you most tempted to use? DD: In my teaching, I've heard myself say, "Know the rules before you break them!" With regard to figurative and representational work, I am a big fan of buckling down and applying the discipline to master foundational principles at the outset. Whether Chevreul’s laws of color theory or Gestalt studies, internalizing theory with the faith it will become second nature is precisely what eventually allows one to take risks and explore. In developing one’s authentic voice, a framework of regiments and a clear vision can, in the end, free up the intuition to orchestrate magic that may not occur if one is struggling with technique or "finding one’s way…"

AC: What’s the first site you look at when you open your computer in the morning? DD: I tend to check e-mail and (UGH) Facebook first. But NEVER before putting caffeine in me and getting a change of scenery. As a long time freelancer/independent contractor, I like to get a walk in and listen to inspirational content (blogs or podcasts) before settling in front of the computer. Novelty is crucial for the ol’ dendrites and for brain plasticity!

AC: If you could trade jobs for a day with anyone, who would it be? DD: Pretty much anyone at Laika, as I would kill or die to get in there. I love their brand, its spirit, and the content they produce. As a kid who once knew every dinosaur that ever walked the earth and the period in which it lived (although they’ve changed them all), I'm often baffled I did not make every attempt to work with Stan Winston on Jurassic Park. I guess I was busy at Disney, but I often kick myself as that ship has clearly sailed… Also, Peter Jackson — he is living my dream!

AC: What books are on your bedside table? DD: Rather than imposing my recommendations (like "all artists should read Letters to a Young Poet or all humans should read The Alchemist,) I will give an honest answer: I don’t have a bedside table. However, on my coffee table currently: The Kybalion, Giant, 12 Years a Slave, and Jane Fonda’s autobiography, My Life So Far. Jane is an inspiration: the fact that she still gives a damn and gets up every morning and walks the walk. I also admire her tackling ageism head on, the societal ill I am most passionate about rectifying at over half-a-century. As a writer, I read a wide variety of genres. Neil Gaiman, Junot Díaz, Davy Rothbart, David Sedaris and Augusten Burroughs are also huge influences.

AC: What is your prized possession? DD: I have two. One is an amazing painting titled The Three Muses painted by the formidable John Watkiss, with whom I worked on Disney’s Tarzan and who has since passed. The other is the traditional animation desk I had commissioned in the '90s using Disney’s patented design. There was one architect in the world with the Mouse’s blessing to use the patented design. But none of that is what makes it a prized possession — the reason is this: I nearly lost it in a fire. But unbeknownst to me, rather than taking the charred thing to the dump as discussed, my father secretly took it home and brought it back from the dead. Refurbished every bit of charred wood, every molding, right down to the laminate and the proper finish. Like new.

AC: What’s your best piece of advice for an ArtCenter student who’s interested in following your career path?​ DD: Remember why you do what you do. There are plenty of times in life when we must keep our noses to the grindstone and work can feel like drudgery. But inspired work energizes — the opposite of drudgery. Whatever is paying the bills, I would be sure it’s something that contributes to your personal transformation on the micro level and to our collective evolution on the macro. The artistic journey is lifelong: We may find our authentic voice, but it’s ever-evolving. I would encourage all artists to take stock now and then, and assess whether that voice has been married with a sense of purpose. And whether that purpose contributes to the dialectic of our human potential!

[starswake--archived]

Anemone, Aster (another one!), Baneberries, Begonia, Black-Eyed Susan, Blazing Stars, Cock’s Comb, Hellebore, Lavender, Pansy, Rosemallows, Transvaal Daisy, Zinnia

They're a lot, but there were so many cute questions!

the ask was really cute though ! So I'm happy you sent in some :>

Anemone: Favorite flower?

Balloon flowers! That question actually reminded me I haven't looked into the flower meanings for balloon flowers so I did. Apparently it means "unchanging love", "honesty", and "obedience." I just really liked it because it's purple and shaped like a star lkjsfladf

Aster: What’s one of your favorite quotes?

How about a quote from one of my favorite games "What Remains of Edith Finch"? :D

If we lived forever, maybe we'd have time to understand things. But as it is, I think the best we can do is try to open our eyes. And appreciate how strange and brief all of this is.

Baneberries: Favorite song?

I'll give you two: an all time fave and a current fave.

A current fave: Talk to You by Ricky Montgomery. He just released it yesterday and I've had it on loop since yesterday. I just can't help but be haunted by a following tweet he made later about how the song was about grieving those he wished he could still talk to these days.

All time fave: "Fuck this World (Interlude)" by Rina Sawayama. It just resonated really hard with me. A long time ago, I always wished to just go away from this world because during that period everything was just absolutely awful. I'd dream of taking a space ship far away but the trouble is I couldn't ever dream of going anywhere past the moon, being trapped in the orbit of the Earth. And I guess I realized as much as I'd want to go, something about the world still keeps me here. And I want to keep trying. So the final lyrics of "This is a mission impossible/Maybe unlovable/Maybe unstoppable/But least we're trying" really just summarized that change for me.

Begonia: Favorite color?

I'm vibing with a gray blue right now !

Black-Eyed Susan: If you could be any animal for a day, what would it be?

GOOD QUESTION I wanted to say lion because I'd laze around in the sun...But I'd like to be an elephant too....but it's mostly because I love elephants lol

Blazing Stars: What are you afraid of? Is there a reason why?

dead animals :V I mean animal death is kind of an ooph for me but I'm also deathly afraid of them. I think it's mostly because I've been exposed to that stuff since youth (like I accidentally picked up a dead bird's body once at a trip to the ocean and I was terrified and I'd get a lot of dead birds in my childhood backyard)

Cock’s Comb: Favorite font?

Either avenir or helvetica! Looks so cleaaan

Hellebore: How do you show affection?

I like checking in from time to time. Or well, if someone crosses my mind, I like sending in check ins. Either that, or I just like helping people however I can -- if I can. I’m getting better with expressing it verbally though but sometimes I still shut up about it. 

Lavender: What’s your favorite thing about yourself?

Uhhh I guess it would just be my passion? I ramble a lot just because I try to make sense of the things I love and come to better appreciate and love them, and idk I just love that excited feeling when I learn something new and find another reason to appreciate said thing !

Pansy: What was your most memorable birthday? What made it be so memorable?

Haha that’s actually pretty perfect timing actually Tues XD (tomorrow’s my birthday haha) Birthdays tend to be very immemorable for me as many things always happen before my birthday that I have to keep it postponed or the like. It’s only a couple years ago that I actually started celebrating my own birthday, but the first time I did? That was probably the most memorable. I wanted to celebrate in a way I know I’d like and a way that my sisters would like too, so I took my sisters out to the local arcade and we spent practically the whole day just playing games and winning prizes! It was very fun (also they had a FF rhythm game in there and I went bonkers over FF13 music my sisters had to pull me away) 

Rosemallows: What’s your favorite memory?

Ahhh I feel like I have a lot of “favorite” memories lol But one of them that came to mind was when I first got my license I just drove in some random direction once after school and just got lost for a little while with my favorite music playing. It was fun exploring all these places I’ve never seen before but yeah my folks were so confused why it took me so long to get back home lol It was very relaxing though!

Transvaal Daisy: What’s your favorite item of clothing?

Generally I just really love big poofy shirts... or bows... If something includes a bow I’m 100000% buying it. 

Zinnia: Give a random fact about yourself.

Well, I’m currently watching Paranorman while answering these questions so! I’m really fond of Laika Studios and their works. The times they had an exhibit I begged my folks to take me and I spent like 3 hrs in the exhibit alone just reading every single detail the exhibit had to offer...even though there was ...the rest of the art museum XD 

flower asks

[elstreem]

All of my Laika films chaarctersx Splatoon crossover art! Now reuploaded in better format. This was such a fun challenge to make, and it really makes me appreciate the beauty of the character designs. I ended up having 3 characters from each film (including Cat and Fish in their respective titles). If I have to pick favorites, it would be Aggie, Neil, Eggs, Winnie and Kubo. I feel like redoing some of these, Coraline especially, but for now this series is complete.

As for my (very lengthy) thoughts about what these characters are like in the Splatoon world, read under the cut. 

Inkling Coraline: -Never, ever call her Caroline. Ever. -Best friends with Wybie. -Hates spiders and button-eye dolls for reasons she won't tell anyone. -Once got disqualified in Turf War after she threw her shoe at an enemy Inkling and called them a "jerk wad." -Most fashion-forward out of all her friends and loves browsing for unusual clothes. -Hates unusual cuisine, however. -Is sometimes followed by a scrawny black cat...but that can't be right, the only mammals left are Judd and Li'l Judd...

Octoling Wybie and Cat:

-A lot of people have grown to expect Cat around Coraline, but not many know that he was being taken care of by Wybie before Coraline. -Cat loves to appear and disappear in the most unexpected of ways, times, and places. -Wybie became friends with Coraline after she moved into an apartment being managed by his grandmother. -Wybie is usually on guard, being an Octoling in a city of Inklings, but he's relaxed a bit now that more Octolings are coming to the surface. -Wybie is best buds with Eggs as well, and thinks that the Box Salmons are really cool too. -Once got into trouble after he and the boys went a little wild driving his bicycle. -Shares a dislike of button-eye dolls with Coraline.

Inkling Paranorman:

-Has a tendency to pause and speak to seemingly  empty air. None of his friends mind (the Laika gang has seen weirder, to be honest). Kubo even joins Norman in talking sometimes. -Loves Halloween stuff, but witches are a touchy subject for him.

Inkling Neil:

-You wouldn't expect it from his looks, but he loves going into Turf War! Though, he nearly got disqualified one time after he threw spicy hummus at an enemy Inkling instead of a bomb. -He is Norman's first and best friend, but he definitely doesn't mind meeting the rest of the Laika gang! He thinks they're all a cool bunch. -Is generally just a bright and energetic cinnamon roll and everyone in the Laika gang loves him for that.

Inkling Aggie:

-Never, ever call her a witch, EVER. It's the only thing scarier than calling Coraline "Caroline." -Like Norman, she is prone to talking to seemingly empty air, but she's warmed up to the other kids and can confidently say that living people aren't as bad as she thought they were. -Coraline and Winnie tried to get her to wear other clothes, but she insists on wearing the same black dress day after day. -Loves stories and eagerly awaits Kubo's storytelling sessions. She will still insist her mom is a better storyteller, though.

Octoling Eggs and Salmonid Fish:

-Eggs is an Octoling foundling adopted by a group of docile, box-wearing Salmonids that live in the sewers beneath Inkopolis. -For years Eggs was content to just wander the sewers of his home, but eventually he found himself up in Inkopolis and was fascinated by Inkling life. -Fish, being the protective parent he is, distrusts Inklings. Besides, Inklings and Salmonids never got along very well...however, since he knows Eggs passes off as an Inkling quite well, he lets the boy do what he wants. -Eggs's first friend is Winnie, and being a sharp little Inkling she finds out about his origins, and even correctly guesses that he is an Octoling rather than an Inkling. -Eggs loves music, which is probably one of the reasons he likes Inkopolis so much. Imagine his delight when he got to meet Kubo. Since then, Eggs likes making contraptions for Kubo's origami/storytelling sessions. -Gets along very well with Wybie too, the two even come up with a lot of contraptions together.

Inkling Winnie

-She didn't have too many friends growing up since she had a tendency to scare away the other kids - but she found a friend in Eggs. After mistaking him for a pickpocket. It's a long story. -Unlike Aggie, she wears a lot of fancy clothing, but she doesn't really care all that much for them. Is a dab hand herself at making outfits, though, even if it's not something she is particularly into. -Is slightly jealous of Kubo for having attentive parents. -Speaking of Kubo, she loves sharing the stage with him, and the two love putting on a show every now and then.

Inkling Kubo

-Kubo loves to wander the streets of Inkopolis, putting on musical shows and magical storytelling sessions using his origami as props. On these jaunts he will often be accompanied by fellow storyteller, Winnie. They're a great hit especially near Splatoween, and Kubo has made it sort of an annual thing to have an elaborate Splatoween show, in which Eggs and Wybie helps a lot by building contraptions for more complex stuff. -Has been offered to have his songs sold on CDs, but always refuses. -Has a strained relationship with his mother's family. Met his aunts once and never talked about them ever again. As for his blind eye, it might have something to do with his strict grandfather... -Has really bad eating manners together with Eggs.

 Inkling Sariatu:

-Sariatu came from a rich family renowned for playing traditional music. However, due to this Sariatu and her sisters were raised very strictly. -Of course, everything changes when Sariatu meets a certain rogue Inkling and falls in love with him. -She happily turned back on her own family, something her father and sisters never forgave her for. She was surprised when they turned up to see her newborn son...unfortunately, it turned into an incident she never forgave her family for after it literally scarred Kubo for life. -Even up to now she is very protective of Kubo, but seeing as they live far away from her hometown she relaxes and lets him out of the house as he pleases. She still worries plenty about him, and doesn't like it when he stays out too long.

Inkling Hanzo:

-Hanzo = dad jokes for days. Anytime the Laika kids come over they will never hear the end of goofy jokes and puns. -Was said to be quite the ferocious Inkling in Turf Wars, but almost no one sees this side of him anymore. He much prefers just kicking back and having fun with his family, whom he loves to bits. -As for how he and Sariatu met, they lived in the same hometown. Sariatu was well-known for being the eldest daughter of the snootiest family in town, and she had no friends. Only Hanzo had the courage to walk up to her and chat her up. At first she wasn't impressed by him trying to show off his Turf War skills, but she later grew to love his charm and really - he was just a good guy who treated her like a person, not as another girl held up on a pedestal. They eventually eloped together and came to Inkopolis to escape Sariatu's family. -While Sariatu knew how fierce Hanzo was, she never knew just how fearsome he could truly be. When Sariatu's father came over with her sisters to see Kubo, they took out their anger on the boy, resulting in Kubo's lost eye. Hanzo furiously drove off all three of them, the only time he had ever been truly angry. (whoa that got dark 0_0) -Same as Sariatu, Hanzo is protective of Kubo, but he doesn't show it as much. He just wants Kubo to grow up like a normal kid, which is why he is delighted to see that Kubo has built a great circle of friends around himself.