#i'm proud of most of these but don't look at the zone 1 one too hard

[aquablossomsart]

Somewhere over the rainbow

[mdverse]

md's fun silly little top 10(ish) arts of the 2023!*

*pretend there's a fun cute doodled banner here (i was going to make one earlier and then i forgor)

doing a lil recap of my top 10 15 (it was supposed to be 10 and i could not narrow it down oops) best(? this is subjective as fuck i guess it's more like my personal faves) drawings of the year! *the crowd cheers* (it’s me I’m the crowd)

15: paradise by the dashboard light! i hate to rank her so low bc i spent ages on her but it seems i don't love the result that much anymore so :/ a for effort for me tho this was ambitious

14: cheer girl loml <33 not my best art technically by far but i went way out of my comfort zone for the background and the art style (for no good reason really) (i just wanted to do a comic book thing bc superhero vibes or whatever) (it did not come out the way i was hoping it would bc i think i got too frustrated) and we simply must acknowledge that. atog did things to me that i cannot explain

13: barbie meme brittana! not my best britt but truly sooo fun to work on. there's nothing quite like finding a fun rendering process and then never using it again (i don't even remember how i coloured this but i like it)

12: cowboy barbie brittana <3 they look good, they're about to kiss, cute outfits, pretty sunset, probably went overboard with the rim lighting, what's not to love? a banger, i think

11: i say a little prayer! i think the background is. questionable at best. but this is still really fun! i think i got possessed when i got to the uniforms bc goddamn they look good

10: klaine?? on this blog???? almost unheard of lmao i truly did not think i would like this one as much as i did. i'd consider ranking it higher if i wasn't constantly Unwell over brittana but again, i'm biased, and no one here should be surprised about that

9: pre-wedding kiss my beloved! with how insane i've been over this kiss it could perhaps be higher. i am gnawing on my desk as we speak i'm not even sitting at a desk rn

8: rutherchang x black swan!! ohhh u guys i don't talk about this one enough i think it's so pretty i don't even remember how i did the colours for it but rhgfdkngd?? love her, love pushing the glee x bts agenda, if any of u gifmakers are interested in making a mike chang x black swan lyric gifset i will love u forever

7: colour wheel challenge! busted my whole tiddies and ass for this one fellas. labour of love etc etc i think staring at the bright colours for so long made my eyesight worse and i'm ok with that

6: mistletoe brittana <33 easily the best instalment of this series by a long shot! recency bias (and also just. regular bias) made me rank her much higher originally but technically she is not the most intricate piece so she must sit down here

5: prom queen kurt! dare i say a girlslay on my behalf? i think i dare. every time i see it i think i should do more glosters (glee posters) and then i don't. i could tho they would be really cool (source: dude trust me)

4: churro kiss redraw!!! genuinely Not Sane over this! never have been, never will be! redraws are like crack to me and so is this kiss

3: furtana!! i neglected them for far too long this year but if neglecting them results in art like this i may have to do it again

2: heart kiss <3 if we're being really honest and vulnerable in the chat tonight i think this is technically my best of the brittana kiss screencap redraw things i've done this year? which i did not see coming but i guess practice means refining the process etc etc so. it makes sense ig. mwah to them <3

1: black or white gcv animation <3 it's not what i would call my best drawing (bc it's, yknow, not just one drawing) but it is what i would call the product of a very obsessive thought and some frantic art sessions. objectively it's the coolest thing i've done this year so it deserves the top spot. i'm proud of it i hope to glanimate more next year. also this isn't art but it's a relevant post that i still stand by months later

[a-moth-to-the-light]

Most-Listened of March 2024

[last month]

This was such an exciting month of releases--Purplekiss, Day6, BLEACHERS?? Chung Ha gave us a couple of songs, Nina Suárez came back out of nowhere, Lucy dropped a single, OLIVIA RODRIGO IS BACK?? I've been super excited for the J-Hope album, too, but I haven't been emotionally ready to check it out, yet, since I want to have the energy to really love it! Not to mention the Seori EP-- PLUS Bol4 and StayC both dropped some covers of huge 2019 k-pop hits.

And that isn't all. The highlights of my month were seeing Bruce Springsteen (only my favorite artist ever.) and Gregory Alan Isakov in concert(s)! So honestly, I'm a little overwhelmed by just how exciting music is right now. (It doesn't help that this month gave me my first album of the year candidate, too!!) This post will be my opportunity to go a little wild, then :)

1. Leopardos -- Ine Güemes

I should not enjoy this listening experience as much as I do. That whistling noise should annoy me by now, after all these listens, right? ... Right? Nope. I love it. This song is so soothing, it's literally the musical equivalent of a deep breath.

2. Appaloosa Bones -- Gregory Alan Isakov

Concert prep + THE sulking song this month. Look, I'm a guy who needs my daily floor time (floor time. perhaps you require it.), and it always involves considerable sulking. (At this rate, you're gonna see a sulking song on this list every single month. It's a tradition now!) I've been losing it about "Was I that gone? / Man, I hope not / Glad you found me when you did" and "The pages slow / in the room I called your name" and "They haven't made no pill / To get us across the winter time" ...

3. All Things End -- Hozier

You know what ended? My eight-week class. *sigh of relief* All things end, truly! Now I just need the reminder that this semester will end, too...

4. Death To My Hometown -- Bruce Springsteen

I'd never heard this one before, but I ASCENDED when I heard it live (the horns section was. fantastic.) and I left it on repeat all month post-concert.

5. The Ledge -- Fleetwood Mac

This song makes me proud of my music taste, honestly--see, I can like weird experimental stuff, too! It sounds wonderfully, comfortingly crowded--like the ambient noise from a nearby café, or like falling asleep with the TV on. I don't know, it's just a feeling I find myself really enjoying. I'm also SO deeply in love with the round-style singing (see: "Row, Row, Row Your Boat" rounds in middle school choir) Fleetwood Mac sometimes does (see: my obsession with "Paper Doll"), and they do it in this song !!

6. I Don't Want to Know -- Fleetwood Mac

I like this one for the same reason I like "Second Hand News"--that cheerful self-deprecation just never fails to draw me in. ("Second Hand News" is still better, though!)

7. Smart -- Le Sserafim

Does anyone NOT like this song? I missed the Eve Psyche hype train last year, so this one's hitting me doubly hard. I think the sweeter tone of "Smart" suits Le Sserafim's vocals much better, and the production is just plain adorable! This has been my go-to song during classes, when I need something to cheer me up without making me too overwhelmed.

8. Luz -- Ine Güemes

That vocal processing is SUCH a standout--so soft and hazy and fluffy, just a fascinating texture when you really focus on it, but endlessly pleasant when you leave it on loop and zone out, too. (Look, I REALLY loved this album this month.)

9. Nota de Voz -- Los Hermanos Laser

Classic indie boy music! I like "Azul Plateado" from this album, too, and I have a feeling the whole album will hit for me during the summer--I tend to like that exhausted-sounding alt-rock stuff a whole lot around July & August :)

10. Light Sprite -- Baby Pantera, Isabella Lovestory

Thanks for the rec, @pocima !!

11. I Am Right On Time -- Bleachers

This is a weirdly muted album for Bleachers (especially on the heels of "Stop Making This Hurt" and "How Dare You Want More" from their last album), and this is the most weirdly muted of them all--I really feel like it should be... more, somehow? But it's still quite a cathartic listening experience, and I keep coming back to it!

12. Really Like You -- Gyubin

I've started giving myself 30 minutes of reading time in the mornings, to help me wake up and not be completely miserable about it, so I've been reading a whole bunch of webtoons. (Hell, maybe I'll read a book one day!) This one's the perfect cutesy webtoon soundtrack, and I think it might be here because I left it on repeat while reading Blooming Season?? (I just finished catching up with Jackson's Diary, and I think I'm gonna start Death of a Pop Star next!) Anyway, Gyubin sounds lovely here, can't wait for a comeback!

13. Self Respect -- Bleachers

The production on this song is just SO exciting overall!! But I'm mostly here for the saxophone. God, it's not even that much of the song but it's gorgeous !!!

14. Nieve Sin Fin -- Ine Güemes

Nice aesthetic piano :)

15. Rush -- Twice

I love how dizzying this song is--it's chaotic and overwhelming in the most wonderful way! I was a little disappointed by it when I first listened to the album, I think because their vocals here are much softer than usual. When I let myself get swept away in the production, though, I totally get the appeal.

Five-Star Songs (& Albums!) This Month

BBB -- Purplekiss (the tiktok-music trend finally got me last year--against my will, admittedly. unfortunately for me, "bbb" is a fantastic example of that easy-listening, viral-tiktok sound from a group i'm already obsessed with, so of course i'm a huge fan. great vocal performances and silky songwriting? yeah, it's great--the muted aesthetic doesn't bug me at all--and i actually kind of love the super-short horn sections in the chorus. they're surprisingly full-sounding!)

Beam Beam -- Jeon Soyeon (i didn't get this one at all when it first came out, but i've warmed up to it over the years--and this month it just HIT. it's the perfect showcase of soyeon's energy, and it's such a rush!!)

Death To My Hometown -- Bruce Springsteen (five stars bc it has the words "robber barons" in it!!)

Girl I've Always Been -- Olivia Rodrigo (i keep underestimating olivia rodrigo's power as a performer. of course she could make this country-sounding track work. of course she could make it my favorite from the album in an instant. who am i to question??)

Hey Joe -- Bleachers (a sing-along for the politically disillusioned. happy 2024, fellow usamericans. well, at least the harmonies here are delightful!)

Jesus is Dead -- Bleachers (i mentioned that this album is unusually muted for bleachers--not dull as in 'boring in terms of production or songwriting', but dull as in dead-eyed and zombie-like. the vocal delivery, especially, is unusually bland and flat. "jesus is dead" is definitely the best use of this half-asleep, grayscale aesthetic on the album--a song as hopeless and monotone as its delivery. it's strange and stylish and messy, too, AND there's also a sax solo ?? and it works great ?? i admire it so so so much--i'm very surprised this didn't make the most-listened list, i've been looping it a whole bunch.)

The Ledge -- Fleetwood Mac

Self Respect -- Bleachers (re: saxophone.)

White Rabbit -- Jefferson Airplane (i don't think it's much of a hot take at all to say this one is fantastic. i heard it for the first time in february, and i've been completely obsessed since!!)

Heráldica -- Saramalacara (okay, i've had like. a week. with this album, but it was love at first listen--and "humo" already had my heart, anyway. the atmospherics are breathtaking, the production crisp and intense, and saramalacara's voice // the vocal production here fits SO well!! there's a song called ".tumblr" that's definitely worth checking out, though i enjoy every song on here !! except "_cuervos". i admire that one but god it disturbs me i never want to hear it again.)

Qué Nos Mantiene Despiertos -- Ine Güemes (first album of the year candidate of 2024 !!! not much of a surprise, i'm sure, given my top 15. more breathtaking atmospherics, but in the exact opposite direction of heráldica! this album is full of really unique textures, but all that chaos doesn't make it any less soothing. each song is distinct, but they all come together into this sweet, fluffy youtube-lofi-mix type of experience--and look, i'm a college student. could i ask for anything more in an album?)

[crusherthedoctor]

💫 favorite Sonic game(s) in terms of aesthetic <3

I guess The Aesthetic Guy has become one of my calling cards next to The Green Horsie Guy and The Eggman Guy That Hates Eggdad, huh? Well, I wouldn't have it any other way.

Unfortunately and/or fortunately, there's a lot of Sonic games with top tier aesthetics, which makes it very hard for me to narrow them down. Most games in the series have at least a winner or two: SA2 has the pyramid and A.R.K. levels. Unleashed has Eggmanland and Jungle Joyride. '06 has Kingdom Valley. Black Knight has Misty Lake. Secret Rings has Sand Oasis and Night Palace. Rush has Water Palace and Mirage Road. Rush Adventure has Coral Cave, Sky Babylon, and Pirates' Island. 3D Blast has Rusty Ruin and Volcano Valley. ShtH has more than you'd expect for a game like it, such as Digital Circuit and Circus Park. Even the Rivals duology has a couple of good ones. But if I must decide on a personal top ten for which games I consider to have the most consistently strong aesthetics, then in chronological order...

The Genesis games. They started things off, so they had to establish Sonic's world as a fascinating one. Well it worked for me when I played them on Mega Collection back in '03. Despite playing Advance 2 first, I never thought these ones were uncool by comparison. I loved Marble Zone's juxtaposition of the grassy outdoors with the lava temple. I loved how opulent Casino Night's lights were to offset the night. I loved how funky and quasi-Arabic in architecture Launch Base was. I loved how the already ominous background in Death Egg Act 1 doesn't even move, subtly emphasizing just how massive the spaceship truly is. Even when they had to reuse assets to cobble together a zone, it still looked great!

Sonic CD. I already love the visual storytelling in the game as is, and its aesthetics make me love it even more. My favourites tend to be the Pasts for how they get away with being no less pleasing in spite of their intentionally murkier palettes (I too adore the sunset canyon of Wacky Workbench), and the Good Futures for how unashamedly loud and proud they are, including the way they show nature and technology working together. They're all so good. (Also, shout out to Chaotix for having a similar vibe, even if it can sometimes be hard to tell what you're looking at cause of how trippy it is lol. It's like the physical manifestation of the 90's.)

Sonic R. The neanderthal "I wish Sonic R had more than five courses so the game was longer" VS the intellectual "I wish Sonic R had more than five courses so there were more for me to stop and gawk at".

SA1. Lost World is so pretty. Twinkle Park is so pretty. The At Dawn section of Speed Highway is so pretty. The cave in Ice Cap is so pretty. Beta Windy Valley is so pretty. Red Mountain is pretty from a certain point of view. SA1 may have started the focus on "realism", but it never felt anywhere near as in-your-face as some of the later games that indulged in it. Not just because there were plenty of more whimsical environments to balance it out, but also because even the grounded ones still had an equal amount of colours and fancy Dreamcast lighting trickery. Hell, Final Egg is meant to be a gritty, grungy kind of Eggman base, and it is, yet it still manages to be as visually interesting to look at as the other stages. I can't really say that about Crisis City, or the islands in Frontiers.

The Advance trilogy. C'mon, you know I love me some good pixel art, so I'm never going to stop gushing over how gorgeous Ice Mountain and Twinkle Snow are, or how cool Techno Base is, or how upbeat Music Plant is, or how striking Chaos Angel is, or how-

Heroes. People always say this game had some of the most Genesis-style environments in a 3D installment, and I definitely don't disagree with that. Because of this, it has a very similar appeal to SA1, with levels like Grand Metropolis, Frog Forest, and Hang Castle most likely managing to fit in with the SA1 group without sticking out like a sore thumb. And it's a small detail, but I love how in Egg Fleet, the upper part of the skybox is completely clear. All the clouds are down below. It's a subtle thing, but it really goes a long way to emphasizing just how high up in the atmosphere you really are.

The Riders trilogy. Metal City has one of my favourite city aesthetics in the series. Gigan Rocks is like a more vibrant Dragon Road, and Gigan Device has a beautiful nighttime palette. Dark Desert's eclipse-induced darkness contrasts with the colorful circuitry during the indoor sections. Aquatic Capital is like a high-tech water park, with Tempest Waterway being the sort-of-Bad-Future equivalent that's still pretty in its own way. Digital Dimension is Digital Dimension. Even Crimson Crater, despite mostly consisting of greys and silvers, remains compelling due to how alien the landscape is. There were even some visual highlights in Free Riders despite being Free Riders, like the very first course, Dolphin Resort.

Colours. After Heroes, this game's environments are among the most Genesis, which you know at this point is always a plus in my book. Each of them have their own thing to say about Eggman's theme park and the man himself by extension, with the public announcements giving them even more personality. Aquarium Park is undisputedly my favourite of the lot, doubled by the catching red and blue contrast (and also because underwater tubes is one of those video game tropes that always captivates me; thank Roo's Tubes from CTR for starting that fascination).

Generations. This one's sort of cheating since it's just Old Levels DX: Director's Cut, but it deserves to be mentioned for its version of Sky Sanctuary alone. I really like Generations Sky Sanctuary...

Mania. The older levels have been remixed so heavily that they feel new regardless, and the twists it spins on the actual environment side of things is no exception, like the cavern in Green Hill, or the machinery in Lava Reef. But of course, the new levels are S-tier eye candy as well. I particularly love how Titanic Monarch manages to be dark and spooky while also having every colour under the rainbow at the same time, and the snowy forest backdrop of Press Garden is just... wonderful. <3

And although the game isn't out yet, Superstars looks like it'll be another consistent winner for me. While another Mania-esque pixel art game would have been really nice, I can accept the Sonic 4 But Better approach if it's like what we've seen so far.

You'll notice some running themes with my favourites. The obvious one is a generous amount of vibrancy and character, because no matter how bright or dark, good or evil, hopeful or hopeless the environment is meant to convey, it should never be boring. I also apparently get excited by technicolor stuff, because I never stopped being six years old. And if realism is a thing, I prefer it to be something that compliments an otherwise whimsical land, rather than be at the forefront and eclipsing all other attributes.

But I also like it when they get a bit ethereal, especially if it can provide a contrast with Eggman's handiwork. That's why I marvel at levels like Radiant Emerald, Night Palace, and basically everything in CD. As such, when writing for Stellar, I wanted to emphasize this aspect as a way to help Viridonia stand out as a setting compared to the likes of Station Square. (This was true for the original Beyond the Stars as well, but naturally I wanted to go even further with it after the transition.)

[shynetyme06]

1 - 23 :3

cracks knuckles okay

1. how would you describe your art style? uhhhhhhhh, maybe "safe" is the word rn. whenever I think of my art style, what comes to mind is just how little I've been pushing things with it. I wanna change that ;D

2. what's your favorite thing about your style? I realize I like to use semi-realistic proportions, its cool how comfortable I've gotten with drawing faces and bodies

3. what's your least favorite thing about your style? It's so static man. same thing I said for the first question, I don't think anything really looks bad, but it just is lacking in creativity in comparison to the older art that should be looking worse than what I do now. I prefer my older stuff ;D (looking at you inktobertale2021.. where did it all go wrong)

4. favorite thing to draw? regular ol people. human characters are def more in my comfort zone, which explains why I keep hitting skeletons with the humanization ray (also I prefer to draw feminine characters)

5. least favorite thing to draw? I can't even say I rlly dislike it cuz of how rarely I even do it, but I am procrastinating so hard on learning backgrounds..

6. warm colors or cool colors? cool colors are my fav, but i find it easier to work with warm ones (I used to put a cool overlay over all my warm toned drawings hgdhfg)

7. show us a WIP behold, the wip ever. this drawing... was supposed to be posted on august 2022. and then, it was supposed to be posted on dec 21st, dream and nightmares birthday. (atp if I do end up wanting to finish this idea again, I'll probably just scrap it and start over)

8. what's the most fun and least fun parts about your process? most fun is flat color and rendering. (though I rarely do the latter anymore) and for least fun, tbh a lot of the sketching part tends to be difficult for me, sometimes its cool tho

9. show us a finished piece alongside the original sketch example from when sketching was fun

10. how many different sketches do you usually have until your piece is finished? I think I do need to make more of at least thumbnail sketches tbh.. I usually just make one and keep editing it, trusting the process. (and that fails like 70% of the time. woww wonder why sketching isnt fun for me-) 11. show us the last thing you drew, be it a finished piece or a small doodle can this count,,

12. show us an old drawing first deltarune drawing. here's the redraw I later made of this :3 (also old hsgdhgf)

13. how long do you usually take one a piece? depends. I'll have like 276478923 wips started, and then I get a random idea that I just have to do right at that moment, and I'll get it done in like 1-4 hours. meanwhile old sketches start to rot and maybe if its lucky I'll revisit it before my motivation dies and my style is too different to wanna continue from where I left off 14. digital or traditional? digital all the way, i've gotten too dependent on the transform tool + liquefy ;D (and many other things tbh but I'd be here all day if I tried comparing them more jhdjdf)

15. if digital, what program do you use? procreate, the layouts on other drawing programs scare me

16. favorite media to work with when drawing traditionally pen on paper (am I understanding this right wdym media-)

17. what do you love getting compliments about? I like when people enjoy the humanizations I come up with, and also original designs in general 18. are you satisfied with the attention your art usually gets? hmmm yeah

19. how often do you draw? very often, I just don't have finished things to share most days

20. a piece from this year that you're really proud of :3

21. something you would like to improve on the dynamicness (well, the lack of it) of everything, as said before

22. what inspires you? Ink sans and a ton of creators in this fandom (also animated shows and movies, I love animation)

23. what's something you hope people notice when looking at your art? idk tbh, just notice it at all and I'm happy :>

[kinosternon]

20 Questions

Got tagged by @marezelle (like a month ago, whoops) and this looks fun, so I'm gonna try it!

1. How many works do you have on AO3?

Officially 37, unofficially 57-ish (I have a lot on anon right now, plus some semi-ancient FFN stuff posted under a pseud)

2. What’s your total AO3 words count?

Apparently, 644,538.

3. What fandoms do you write for?

Kind of a lot? One "it's complicated" fandom which I tend to stay on anon for, especially lately; a fair bit for a very specific corner of Free!, also for Natsume's Book of Friends. Voltron's an ex-fandom but I had fun with it right when it started; there's a handful of other anime I've cycled through. I've got an Undertale longfic I'd really like to get back to one of these days. Lately, a whole bunch of stuff for the 9 Worlds series by Victoria Goddard, which is both amazing in itself and also has my favorite fan community to date.

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

Names Gone Before—my one and only Adventure Zone fic, and a oneshot, but apparently it was a hit lol

Chasing Silver, Chasing Gold—my beautiful monstrosity of a love letter to the characters introduced in the third season of Free!, and which came out too late for most of the English-speaking fandom to notice it very much (this goes for the show itself and also the timing of my publishing🥲). I am so grateful that so many people have managed to find it regardless!

Equivalence—aforementioned Undertale longfic. I really want to finish it one of these days, but I know what's coming in the last arc and it intimidates me. XP

Omimai—of all my Natsume fics, I'll admit I wouldn't have figured this to be the top one. But I guess Natori is a fan favorite, and I do appreciate that it's very solidly a gen fic that gets a lot of love regardless.

Like trust falls from towers—aforementioned s1-era Voltron fic. It was an experiment to get me posting more, I had fun with it while it lasted, and I got some truly wonderful comments and support from folks reading along while I was working on it. I still go back and reread it sometimes, and I think it was pretty good.

5. Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?

I always try to! I want to show appreciation and make sure people know that going to the effort it takes to write a comment means a great deal to me.

6. What’s the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

That's a tough one. Probably Pistachio Christmas Tree, as it's a snapshot of a really rough time in the POV character's life and doesn't really show any signs of things getting better for him anytime soon. (All my angsty endings come from canon compliance, lol)

OH. Or Chasing Fingerprints, which is a Nabari no Ou AU oneshot that I wrote back in high school. I wrote it under some weird constraints and don't really like it all that much, but the ending is ambiguous and deeply angsty.

7. What’s the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

That is also weirdly difficult to say! Snapshots for Natsume, Slow your breath down (just take it slow) for Victoria Goddard's novel Plum Duff, and turning in your hand for At the Feet of the Sun (also by Goddard). Two of those three are wintertime fluff; I enjoy that subgenre a whole lot.

8. Do you get hate on fics?

No. I've occasionally had some slightly weird interactions, but overall I'd say even those were well and enthusiastically meant.

9. Do you write smut? If so what kind?

Occasionally, and I'm not sure what kind it'd count as. Insecure, possibly? (me or the characters, either-or XP)

10. Do you write crossovers? What’s the craziest one you’ve written?

Only two so far! The weirder one was my first-ever fic, where I technically crossed over Twilight with both old!Who and new!Who. Then there's Clowder, which crossed over two of Yuhki Kamatani's manga from pretty different eras and genres and which I'm pretty darned proud of.

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Not to my knowledge, no.

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

I had someone ask once, a while back, but at the moment I don't remember which fic it was, or if I ended up hearing how it went.

13. Have you ever cowritten a fic before?

...If adding to a bredlik compilation counts, then yes? And I've also done a fair bit of writing to requested prompts for gift exchanges and the like, which isn't the same thing as cowriting but which feels at least a little bit similar.

14. What’s your all-time favourite ship?

Oh man, how can I choose? 😭 At the top this has to be a tie between Miharu & Yoite (Nabari no Ou, QPR extraordinaire) and Yukito/Touya (Cardcaptor Sakura, TRC, etc). But also Merthur was my first ship-ship. HiyoIku (Free!) for writeability and general fucked-up-ness, but I'm not always 100% sure I ship it, tragically. Natsume and Tanuma for the same uncertainty minus about 90% of the toxicity, whee.

15. What’s a WIP you want to finish, but doubt you ever will?

I'm not going to say "doubt," but uh. A couple of "it's complicated" fandom pieces (especially the ones I originally meant to be series) and also the Undertale longfic. Also some 9 Worlds WIPs, but I haven't started publishing those ones yet, either.

16. What are your writing strengths?

Characterization is a big one—it matters a lot to me and also I've been complimented on it. Fic is my love letter to canon and so I tend to focus on what I love about canon the most, which is almost always the characters' interiority and/or relationship dynamics. I also think I'm usually fairly good at matching the tone of the original, though admittedly the translation aspect of anime stuff gives me a bit of leeway there.

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

Logistics. I will forget who I put in a room over a certain number of characters, and explaining how people get to and from things (or even appear in a scene) is a terrible chore. (And that's just people—my track record for items, especially furniture, is even worse.) I suspect that my overall pacing also suffers from this because coming up for practical reasons for scenes to start can be difficult.

Also scene transitions, because I write things out of order. :B

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language for a fic?

I probably won't, for several reasons. For one, I feel like without a dedicated beta, my errors would be immersion-breaking for anyone with high enough Japanese proficiency. Also, on the other side of things, presumably most of my readers wouldn't be able to make the jump from English into Japanese (which is the only other language I'm remotely able to write in), so accessibility would be an issue. That said, I've occasionally tried to factor in what I know about Japanese and "translate" (at least a bit) to adjust how I write dialogue, when writing fics based on anime.

19. First fandom you wrote for?

Doctor Who/Twilight, lol. (I cared a lot about them both, okay? Also I thought trying to mash up their canonical vampire mythologies would be funny! And I was definitely right about at least one of those things.)

20. Favourite fic you’ve ever written?

Oh this is also mean. It's gotta be Chasing Silver, Chasing Gold though. It kicked my ass but I also put my heart and soul into it, and its length, completion, and the responses I've gotten to it have all combined to profoundly affect how I see myself as a writer. (Which may sound a little suspect, but the thing is, I spent years massively looking up to people who could write longfic, most of all to people that could do so and finish. It meant so so much to be able to join those ranks myself, whether or not I manage to do it again someday.) It genuinely feels like one of the most significant things I've done with my life, and it's something I think I'll always be proud of myself for managing to write through to the end.

Annnd done! I'm gonna tag @octopus--writer just for fun ;)

[tyfinn]

5 4 3 2 1

Thank you @chelle-68 and @mammameesh for thinking of me

Rules: post the top 5 works you’re most proud of that you released in 2022 (not necessarily your most popular).

4 current WIPs that you’re excited to release in the new year.

3 biggest improvements in your writing over the past year.

2 resolutions (ways you wish to improve your writing/blog) for the new year, and your number 

1 favorite line you’ve written this year!

TOP 5 Works I am most proud of:

Rings Around Your Heart This was the idea I had that led me to write. I could not get this story out of my head, despite the fact I knew so many did not want David to have kids. I posted a couple of fics before I put this one out to get my feet wet. Rings definitely gave me the confidence to continue to write. And then it spiraled into an entire universe that I could not be more proud of.

Embracing Maddy My Maddy girl. This story was so very personal to me because it follows Maddy realizing she is ace. I came out the fall before and I wanted to create a character I wanted to be growing up. She is smart, confident, and so fucking strong.

Interflix Killed the Video Star This was one of my first fics and the first to make me laugh as I wrote it. I could hear all their voices so clear, it was like I was watching it happen.

A December to Remember I wanted to end the year by challenging myself to post a ficlet every day in December. It turned out better than I imagined, and it was a great way to end my first year of writing.

Open Wide I'm proud of this one because I wrote it while I was recovering from surgery. I wrote it one afternoon and it kept my mind off the pain I was feeling. Someone asked why there were not more fics with Patrick as a dentist, and so, here ya go.

4 Current WIPs I'm excited about:

My first angst fic, but D&P will have their HEA

David/Patrick/Stevie fic that has been living in my head for a while

An ending to the Unbroken series

???

3 Biggest improvements in my writing:

I think I've been doing better with choosing different word choices

I've been working on the whole show not tell aspect

Writing the 100 word drabbles have shown me you don't need to be too wordy to pack an emotional punch

2 Resolutions to improve my writing:

Continue to challenge myself to write outside my comfort zone

Accept that if something is not working to let it go

1 Favorite line I've written

This one is tough! But, if I have to choose one, I like this one from Man About Town: David looked down at the card and then quickly glanced up at Patrick.

They both locked eyes for a moment, neither saying a word, yet saying everything. 

Goodness! This one took some time to think about!

Tagging @apothecarose @goodiecornbread @obsessedwithdavrick @mallpretzles

[slice-of-magenta]

Thank you @scribeoffate @rhyslahey and @slumop for tagging me as well! 🧡💕🥰

RULES:

post the top 5 works you’re most proud of that you released in 2022 (not necessarily your most popular)

your top 4 current WIPs that you’re excited to release in the new year

your top 3 biggest improvements in your writing (or art) over the past year

your top 2 resolutions (ways you wish to improve your writing/blog) for the new year

and your number 1 favorite line you’ve written this year!

----------

Top 5 works I'm proud of: one of my top 5 is currently a wip. The rest:

fire close to the heart (platonic sciles)  I just liked that I finally made a fic where Stiles is saving Scott. (It's messy and I love it.)

Inked (Scott + Lydia, gen)  I look back at it and see i should have done some stuff differently but! Tattoos are so interesting and I wanted platonic scydia feels and I got that. I love them.

A Werewolf Heat (sciles)   this was another experiment with smut. tho I didn't go that deep into it as much as I wanted to and I keep saying I might continue it 😂 and I DO think about that. A lot. Every time I write lol. But honestly I want to do another that is so much better than that one? From my reread, it needs editing. it got way more love in kudos and in comments (in my opinion) than I expected. and I was so proud. I also love when fics talk about heats. Its werewolves! Especially with Scott! Why not take advantage of that. And I tried! 🥰

A Visit (kira pov)  I don't know why but I'm so happy about this one. It was the first time I wrote for kira. Maybe it was the first fic I did research with too (altho I kept it to teen wolf's interpretation of skin walkers mostly). This was a gift for momentofmemory 🧡

2. 4 current WIPS (many may not get posted before new year tho)

A fanart for an existing fic. I may have to redraw kira since she's very close to the frame and I want to center more attention on her too.

A fluffy Getting Together Malira fic

Fic with Rafael. I have two that I'm thinking to combine. This focused a lot on Scott too, so I'm contemplating to save it for Scott appreciation.

Sekret fic. That I hope gets finished before the year ends.

3. Three biggest improvements in writing/art

I'm getting comfortable drawing hands and bodies! (Art) I refused to draw those before.

I think my grammar is getting slightly better. Or at least, I worry about it less. Which is MAJOR for me.

the wips listed above and outside it is showing me that I am capable of indulging more. It's fanfic after all.

4. Top 2 resolutions for blog/writing?

Write more fic that goes out of my comfort zone. (Sciles is awesome and I will still write them a lot, but I want to explore different characters and other ships that I like too. Like Scisaac, Scydia, Jennifer/Kali, Malira, some POLYSHIPS, Lydia centric stuff, etc. Those are examples, and I don't promise anything.)

An art resolution would be to practice lighting and shading some more!

Im gonna skip the last question because that's hard. My favorite is in one of my WIPS.

--------

Tagging, feel free to ignore me because I don't exactly recall who did it or not 😅 (most likely everyone here lol): @scintalla @thiamsxbitch @cmnzoq @kailaris-rites @redmoonfever @momentofmemory (because everyone must tag her. It's rules. Made up by me.)

[justaredheadf1fan]

First one in the US is here

Well, hiyah!

That gif made sense seeing all the spectacle going on in Miami since yesterday. Not a fan, but what can I do?

I'm starting to think about stopping this blog not even halfway through the season. Just because with a job with such random shifts and maybe only 2-3 free weekends (Barcelona being one of them since we're attending once again) until I'm done in October keeping it up seems kinda tedious ngl. I'll see what I decide in the next few weeks, I'm still getting used to the adult life again 🤣

Press conference - Thursday

I haven't really paid attention to what was said in the pressers, plus they didn't talk about anything interesting whatsoever.

The most interesting thing was about last weekend's drama between George and Sid the Sloth due to Crofty's question. George really is a mood right now. I mean, it was just an inchident, problem with a certain someone is still that he can't take it when someone pulls the same crap as he normally does.

But that's about it. Maybe tomorrow I'll pay more attention, but there's no promises.

Free Practice 1 - Friday

Well, in all honesty, I've watched the first session without watching it. I was drying my hair while FP1 was on and I didn't really pay attention.

There was some trouble for George apparently that they had to fix before he got back on track, the track is almost brand new since they changed the shitty ass tarmac so they all needed to try different set ups to see what works and what doesn't in this new bore of a circuit. Nothing new, all in all.

Hülkengberg did crash with like 20 or 25 minutes to go and the session was Red Flagged immediately. Quick job for once, wish the FIA took it this seriously every single time.

Other than that, the only interesting enough information is having George, Lewis and Sharl respectively on the Top 3. What a sight for sore eyes, am I right? 🥹

It might be a little too late to watch FP1 but I need to take advantage of the free Friday although I'm getting up early tomorrow for work...

Free Practice 2 - Friday

Okay, not the day to watch F1, truth be told. I'm getting ready for bed while I watch FP2 🤣 I'm being so unserious today it's actually funny. Anywho.

Grape Scotch (this reference might be too "obscure"), that save from Kevin!!!!! He missed the wall by less than nothing, phew!!!

Besides that especial someone having troubles with his car's insides, the rest has been really quiet. Even though I've been busy while watching, I've been paying more attention to this one, all for nothing.

SHARL AGAINST THE WALL, NOT AGAIN!!!!!!

Geez, thank goodness it was close to the end and nothing else happened. What a bore. When I wanted some excitement I didn't mean my boy crashing!!!

Anywho, more tomorrow. I might die of lack of sleep but I'll watch from my grave then 🤣

Free Practice 3 - Saturday

Ladies and gents, I'M NOT PAYING ATTENTION. You could say that I dislike this GP and you'd be right. It's not interesting, DRS zones have been shortened, nothing's going on. You name it.

I mean, there's really no point in watching this atm. I couldn't be any more bored. This race for me looks more like a circus than a sport. Well, nowadays all of them are, but Miami is the worst representation. It's more important having celebrities and events unrelated to the sport than the actual race weekend. It's sad. I miss the old F1 so much.

It's been painful to write this crap of a "summary", because you can't even call it that. So unmotivating 🤣

I'm sorry this is such a downer, not proud of it. But I feel like if I don't even try and watch it all and make a post and everything I'd be failing my resolution toward this blog.

Anyway, I'll watch Quali later. I hope it's more interesting. I really hope it is.

Peace out!

[malk1ns]

1, 3 and 19? 👀

oooh these are some thinkers!!

1. what's the fic you're most proud of?

i'm going to cheat and do two because i'm proud of them for different reasons.

you'll know. is a fic that is almost 20k that i wrote without a deadline or any sort of external motivating factor. it's also a totally different format than i've ever written in, and with each section i tried to loop back to the previous one and make the connections and thread weaving the whole story together obvious, but not like i was hitting the reader over the head with it. i've got no clue how well i succeeded but i really enjoyed the exercise, and the end result is one i'm very pleased with!

wine, flowers, & blood i am proud of because the topic and theme was WAY outside my comfort zone. i've never really done a ton of supernatural/horror-y stuff; my writing tends to verge more on purple prose and lightly contrived problems that are easily resolved, not, like...murder and human sacrifice, lol. and i'm not going to pretend i delved too deep into it at all in this fic, but i so rarely even approach 'darker' themes and i think i really looked at this and didn't blink, and was able to make the atmosphere spooky and sid just the right amount of not-quite-right to keep the fic tense throughout.

3. what fic are you emotionally attached to?

talkin' bout, by far. it's a trope i'm terribly fond of, written for a friend i'm also terribly fond of. it was fun, it was extremely easy to write, and i think it's pretty good and a light, enjoyable read with a slightly unusual kink for spice!

i'm also a big fan of all my kinkfest fics for similar reasons; they were fun and low-stress and honestly i enjoyed the opportunity/excuse to lean into some self-indulgent smut without aspirations at being anything more than they actually are.

19. If you could write an ideal fic, what would it include?

gosh. this one is maybe the hardest one yet!!

ok, so i'm going to try and not be too specific because there are a lot of big projects i've got that i'd love to tackle when i have time and/or the self-motivation to really do some deep writing exercises sans a deadline, and i don't think any of them are more 'ideal' than the others or more of a priority for me.

so...

i think the ideal fic that i could write is one that is emotionally resonant. i'm not necessarily talking about angst (although there could definitely be some of that!), but you know those fics that you read a paragraph and it feels like your heart is being ripped out of your chest because it makes you feel so much? the ones where you're reading along breathless, unable to stop even though it's so so late, because you cannot believe how good it is, how complete and rich and well-crafted? the fics that can truly transport you directly into their world and their setting, because the author poured love and time into making everything true-to-life and fleshed-out and real?

you probably have at least one fic in mind when you're reading that--i had a few in my mind when i was writing it. it's that. i want to write that! it would have characters that you feel like you know because they're real people, and a setting that's vivid and visible in the mind's eye, and emotions that make you ache because they're so, so human. that's what i'd like to write one day. i'm not sure i have the talent or the motivation to ever get there! but man, aren't those fics the best to find?

as it so happens, the author in hockey rpf that consistently writes fics that do this to me is the incomparable @sevenfists, so i'm going to take this time to highlight a few that really just kick me in the gut: all the way through and motherland are probably the two at the top. the perfect occupation is just so heartbreakingly sweet and wonderful and does so much in its relatively shorter word count, and if you read just one sid/geno/anna fic and want to feel like you've been repeatedly kicked in the chest with how happysadachyhopeful it makes you, a marriage is the one for you.

thank you :D <3

fic asks here :)

[storm-breaker7]

• Heaven Lost an Angel •

(This is my first post on here so bare with me. Enjoy! [The art not mine!] Also every person on this planet has giant wings [Fyi: They can fly]. The planet is made up and is pronounced Nova.)

Heaven Lost an Angel Master List

Next Chapter ->

••

Summery: Shay meets a Padawan and his Master then accompanies them to Corusant, leaving her peaceful planet of Noava with a few other Jedi.

Warnings: None. (If there is in any of my chapters just point it out :])

Word Count: 2251

°•. Chapter 1 .•°

• No ones Pov •

In the peaceful planet of Noava, all the wild life were chatting on this fine afternoon. Some people glided by all gathering in one giant field.

Today was the competition, Nearly everyone had gone to it. But most of the Jedi went, It was their only source of fun they could go to. Yet, Shay still trained, using her two lightsabers against five hardcore training droids. And to top it all off, she was doing this all with a blindfold on. Completely letting the force guide her actions.

She continued to jump around, but it was graceful. She kept her wings tucked in and made sure not to graze her wing, Shay had learnt that the hard way.

• Shay's Pov •

It surprised me to hear a ship come in and land on the landing pad. I watched as two non-winged men stepped out of the jet in Jedi robes and walked over to the door. They got greeted by my second master, a strict man he was.

"Why do I have a feeling that this is going to be interesting..." I mumbled to myself. I quickly slipped my blind fold back on, deflecting more blaster shots from the droids, and zoned back into my practice.

It was only a few minutes later that one non-winged dude came into the room I was still training in, followed by my second master, Vanler. I could sense them quietly come in, but I continued to spin around deflecting every blaster shot.

"Here she is," Vanler mumbled, I heard his robes move as he gestured somewhat in my direction.

"Does she do this often?" The new guy asked, must have been a little dazed to see a woman as a race's best Jedi. I am surprised too but that is a story for another time.

"Yes, this and meditate. A lot." My old, second master sighed happily, seemingly proud. "Would you like to meet her?"

"I wouldn't mind," He replied, but even they way he worded his sentence wasn't enough to mask his excitement.

"Shay, We have a visitor. They want to meet you, could you quit the cycle." Vanler asked,

"Yes, Vanler" I grumbled, I waved my hand and turned the droids off then pulled my blindfold off my head. I deactivated my white light sabers and put the hilts on either sides of my hips. I then stalked over to the new guy and Van.

I looked up at the new man in front of me and I was surprised to see a Padawan. He was considerably shorter, maybe around 5'6. He craned his neck to see my eyes but I just kneeled down. On this planet, growing is faster and most men make it to around 7ft. I'm barely 6'1, that is short for our kind but this Padawan is a human so I get why he is short.

"Shay, meet Anakin Skywalker. Anakin, meet Shay Ryail" Vanler gestured either way and smiled at the Padawan.

"Lovely to meet ya, what brings you and your master to Noava?" I asked Anakin as I sat down on the cool titles below me.

"We were coming here on behalf of the council, The wanted to take some Jedi and their Padawans, And some youngling to the capital if your kind would allow. My master is discussing that with your tribe leader, guy" Anakin explained bleakly. I simply nodded, Delta wasn't going to take this lightly.

"Well, Vanler, you should get to the races, I heard your wife is there, I'll watch over the new kid" I smiled at Van, waving him away,

"Shay! Don't do anything you would do!" He called over his shoulder. After we heard the main door close, the kid trots up closer to me and examines my wings.

"What kind of Bleak Jedi do you want me to become!?" I called playfully back at Van.

"Wow... Are you all born with wings?" He asked,

"Yea, Most of us.. but please don't touch them" I warned as he went to reach and touch them, quickly retracting his hand when told.

"Why? They look so cool." He whined, grumbling to himself.

"Because if you touch someone's wings, it's a sign of intimacy and you look good enough to have already found yourself a girl... Even if the code doesn't allow it where you are, it's weird." I replied, mumbling the last sentence so he didn't hear, slowly pulling the wraps around my arm and hand off.

"Oh. That's why Obi wan said that.." He mumbled to himself.

"Well why don't you let me meet you master? It's disrespectful..." I saw his face twist into one of regret, "Ha! Just kidding, but still, where is you master?"

He grinned up at me, "I'm definitely making sure you come to the capital with us." I grinned back, and he walked out of the training room, me following not so far behind, keeping the lead even with my long strides.

"He should be here talking with your leader.." He pointed to a door that led straight into the head Jedi office, Someplace I don't want to end up. But so be it, I can't help my curiosity.

Anakin pushed the door open, Delta and Anakin's master turned around from looking out the giant window. Delta was sitting in his 'chair' while Anakin's Master was just walking back over to the chair in front of the desk, looking to be coming from the large window.

"Shay? Aren't you meant to be training." Delta asked, I shifted my wings uncomfortably, mental cringing at how controlling Delta can be.

I sighed, "I'm not Vanler's Padawan anymore, remember?"

He huffed, glaring my way, "Shay, this is General Kenobi" I bowed and sent him a small smile. Damn that is the hottest human I've seen- Oh shut up, we just meet the guy! I mentally argued with myself.

"Just Obi wan is fine, and it's nice to meet you" He nodded my direction, sending his Padawan a suspicious look.

"Enough with the introductions. She's the one we are taking to the capital." Anakin declared.

"I beg your pardon?" Delta stood up abruptly, practically fuming at the ears. But even though the Padawan felt intimidated and slightly scared, I had noticed through the Force, By Deltas whooping height at 7'3, he didn't back down and wasn't planning on it.

"You heard me birdy, She's coming with us-" Anakin started but was cut off by his Master.

"Anakin." He glared at his Padawan, "She is their best Jedi on this Planet."

"All the more reason to bring her with us!" Anakin argued, "She could help with those really complicated mission and assignments instead of continuing to train and train on this boring planet!"

"Anakin, that's enough. Its up to Master Rea to choose the Jedi coming back on our ship." Obi wan sent his Padawan one more annoyed glare before turning back to Delta,

"I'm sorry for my Padawan's recklessness, He'll be leaving now so we can continue, wont you Anakin?" He asked sitting back down.

"Delta, The kids right!" I finally decide to jump into the conversation when they were going to listen, "I've been copped up here doing nothing but train- Even after getting knighted!" I waved my hands around my eyes staring into Delta's deep dark and Abyss-like Brown eyes.

"Extatically what I was- WHAT!?" Delta started but once he caught up his attention was on me and only me.

"You heard me! I have nothing to do here! Plenty of other Jedi have made their home here and don't want to go unless absolutely necessary, For example, Vanler. I offer myself to join the humans back to Corusant. They need help and the kid makes a great argument. They need more hands on deck and I'm willing to offer mine." I argued lightly. Nearly everyone I know says I can be very convincing but Delta doesn't cave every time and I'm hoping today won't be a day like that.

"But your our best!" Delta flailed his arms around.

"There is always someone who is second in line. I'm sure Lahay will be happy he will be the strongest Jedi on this planet when I'm gone" I shrugged. That young Knight couldn't get his head out of his ass but, he proves himself useful in pressing times.

"No. I will not allow it." Delta sat down angrily, He always did hate it when I was right.

"Fine," I put my hands up, surrendering, and backed out of his office Anakin hesitantly following after me.

"Why'd you give up so easily! You had a good argument there!" Anakin grumbled,

"Don't worry kid... I have a plan, a grand plan. Have you ever flown?" He was about to answer but I added, "With something that isn't man made?"

Anakin only frowned, but it twisted into a grin. "Are you offering fly me to your home?"

"Why wouldn't I? You seemed keen to touch my wings but that ain't happening so the next best thing is this." I smiled at him guiding him to the nearest balcony.

"How do we do this-?" He cut himself off when he felt me grab him around the waist and step up onto the railing, "Ah- Com'n you were really cool"

"Are you thinkin' I'm going to assassinate you or somethin'?" I gasped offended and took a step over into nothing, Anakin let out a yelp as I dove toward the tree-tops. I let my wings open up, catching in the wind and let me glide over the trees. I flapped to get higher and continued on.

"Wow, you wings are really cool..." He mumbled,

"My wings.. I dunno, But this view is nice." I smiled at the sun that slowly dipped on the edge of the horizon. He only gawked at it but didn't have time to admire it because I quickly dove toward the floor.

I swooped up a bit, flapping my wings as I landed lightly. "Wooooow... That was cool, I can tick flying by wing-wings off my bucket list."

I chuckled lightly and walked into my secluded home. Anakin soon following in, grabbed a pen and paper and started writing a short note, "You only came for the day right? Pick us up and leave?" I asked while still working on a short explanation for Delta to find in the coming days.

"Yea, The council didn't want us to waste time... Have you been off planet?" Anakin replied, asking me as he paced around my room, looking at small trinkets I had collected.

"A few times, yea. Never really got used to flying though." I replied finishing off the letter. Folding it up and leaving it on my counter, before sitting down.

"That's weird, You seem to know how to fly well." Anakin sent me a odd look.

"Because I'm used to the wind against my wings, or the diving with my wings, wings I trust. I don't really have a good connection with your man-made cheap versions..." I chuckled nervously, explaining my reasoning in a odd way.

"Uh-huh..." Anakin hummed still looking at my stuff before turning to me. "Your lightsabers are white right?"

"Were you not looking while I was training? Yes they are white, what off it?" I asked, my light green eyes following his every move.

"Well, I've never meet someone with white lightsabers... What does it mean?" He asked, sitting down.

"Well, I got my two from a Sith I killed back when the war on this planet waged, before I was knighted. I purified them and they turned white" I explained,

"You killed a sith! While you were only a Padawan!?" He exclaimed,

"Yea, but that's when my first master died." I mumbled, looking down.

"Oh..." Anakin mumbled, he sent me a guilty frown, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to go there..."

"Its alright kid, you didn't know." I smiled sadly, I got up and grabbed a small trinket of the shelf and stuffed into my small bag on my hip. It was my first one I ever got, and the only one I got while my master was still alive so I'm keeping it.

"What were they like?" He asked, following me over only stopping a few feet away to give me space.

"That's a story for another time, Sky guy" I patted his shoulder as I passed him, and walked out of the house, "Are you going to help me smuggle myself into your ship or do you want to walk there?"

"Your not really giving me an option are you?" He asked, walking out of my house, closing my door behind him.

"Awh, I thought you were adventurous and all" I chuckled,

"I am, thank you. Come on." He walked up to me,

"Bend you knees, It will help me." I told him. Looking up and spreading my wings ready for take off,

"If you wanted to do it now I couLDDD-" He didn't finish his snarky remark when the wind was forced out of his lungs when I jumped up propelling myself up with the Force and my wings,

"Want to continue that Sky guy?" I chuckled,

"I'm good" He retorted, frowning and crossed his arms over his chest and looked down at the scenery that was flying by. I only chuckled, looking over the now darkening sky, I subconsciously flapped my large wings, trying to get back to their ship before they left so no one got suspicious.

••

Next Chapter ->

[postapocalypticcatbrat]

art journeys are so strange. the fuckers in my head don't make it any less strange. I've been drawing since i was a kid, just never stopped and now that's what I'm in college for. I'm cleaning my room. I found all my old sketchbooks, i don't remember half any of it nor the order they go in. only some pages have dates. my headmate could ID some late highschool stuff, mainly because that's when we got into a game that genuinely improved our life. our mom (genuinely a shit mom) banned us from fanart back in middle school i think.

but then there's fanart of beloved characters that i still hold dear, yet there's some downright primal fear around those drawings. and it makes me wonder how much did our mom fuck up our art journey. i wonder who remembers how our mom reacted to the fanart of two guys holding hands, the drawing of a demon guy in a dress. there's no more fashion drawings after that.

i graduated highschool the same year i found my favorite video game, a game my mom never knew i adored, i also got into zelda at that time, but my mom knew of that. i was also in ap 2d art at that time. my art teacher said to hide my art style, it was "too anime" in her words. my art looks so stagnant until i started sketching my favorite game's antagonist.

my childhood friend entered my life again after graduating highschool. they got to be the first one to hear about my favorite game and the first to see the first fanart i did of it.

college started and i was in art appreciation, the teacher encumbered me to go into the art department. I'm glad i listened to her.

but before that i had winter break. some traumatic shit happened during it so I'll spare the details, but i used my favorite game as a coping mechanism and drew it to stay calm. even with the bad memories connected to the drawings from then, i still actually like them.

school started back and i entered drawing 1, the teacher is a kind lady, she's from Ukraine, she also teaches printmaking. entering her class was a weird time. my mom got sick, no longer fully controlling me, i just discovered my system (or well, the words for it), the main fucker who deals with school now showed up (I'll call them 'C', they are here alot), and an abusive friendship ended. it was alot.

my time in drawing class had me draw a portrait of soneone by memory, i had chosen that childhood friend. it was the first time in our memories that there was a sense of pride in a portrait. god it was awful looking, but it was them, C was proud of it. i don't they ever showed our friend, oh well.

drawing class was amazing. the teacher still is amazing, we're taking printmaking 2 next semester with her. she encouraged trying new things, framed as "seeing new horizons" rather than "leaving your comfort zone" but she also wanted everyone to do things they liked. we did character illustration, C designed a group of characters for one class and decided to use those characters in our drawing final, a large 3 piece series.

those drawings look almost 3d, the characters were cut out and taped onto a drawn background, layered to have deep shadows. it doesn't look that good, but it's interesting, it even had the teacher encourage us to try making pop ups. C indeed tried that suggestion. and they liked it, the mix of art and engineering made C find it enjoyable.

i wonder why no other teacher before was as encouraging as her. why was it always to hide, not embrace.

now i sew. cosplay was something we've loved for years, but now we see how much our mom controlled us with it. i finally sewn a part of a cosplay from scratch. why was i not allowed to do that before is something C and I wonder now. C wore that costume to a convention, it was of the antagonist for our favorite game. it's weird, it feels like we're reclaiming what was stolen from us by an abusive peice of shit mother.

we've sewn a plush, it actually was the critter that went to C's costume. it's in an artshow now. something most people think to submit master studies, still lifes, and sculpture or abstract art to. now a pokemon from a fangame is in it, I'm told it's always the artwork you're not proud of that gets into shows, but now the plushy C is so proud of is on display. it's weird.

i know if our mom was alive, she's tell us what to submit, i doubt it would have been the plushy, she probably wouldn't have let us make it.

it's still weird. sometimes i wonder how our art would look if our mom just let us do our thing. or if we never got into that game. i know our art would be very different (or more consistent lol) if we weren't a system, but that one i can answer, the others will be mysteries as long as we're on our art journey

idk, moral of the story, it gets better even if it's weird as fuck. i went from not being allowed to do anything to making a giant staff out of wood at school (with the teacher's help because my disability said no saws for me) for a cosplay. I went from not knowing anything going on and being scared to jokingly arguing with my headmates about zelda lore while doing art homework. it's weird, it's unwell, but it's better than it was and it'll keep getting better

[tinylandchaos]

Watch the pics gradually get more deranged like my sanity while editing this video (Song: Partner in crime by Madilyn Mei)

IT'S NO MORE THAN 1 MIN BUT IT TOOK ME LIKE 3-4 DAYS CUZ OF THE AMOUNT OF PICS I HAD TO FIT IN TO MATCH THE VIBE AND LYRICS

As for why I did this, honestly, simply because I had this song stuck in my head hshs and when I like a song sm I like to make an edit out of them, I did so for my previous songs but this took the most time and effort, and I'm proud of it!

The steps I took during the 3-4 days of editing:

1. Immediately inserted audio first in the vid so I can listen to the lyrics repeatedly and be in the zone while editing the pics

2. Drafting by focusing on editing 1 line each ONLY so I don't get overwhelmed. (ex. "Here's the reigns, take ahold of me, please don't let me go" that's 1 line, I didn't move on to the next line until I finished drafting that)

3. The most TEDIOUS task ever in editing: looking for the pics that would fit the lyrics and the vibe of the song, I used pinterest as my source

4. Putting the lyrics in only half of each lines cuz if I did full lyrics I would've took longer and gone more insane (also, it took me awhile to realize I could've just copy pasted the previous lyrics and just edit the words instead of clicking the text button each time and syncing them with the pictures one by one smh)

5. This is still the draft, are we following? okay, so I inserted all the pics I downloaded and idk what I did but the app buffered and the pics and lyrics after the 2nd line moved and it's not on sync with the audio anymore and I had to re-adjust it one by one

6. The 1st and 2nd lines (thank God) wasn't affected so I deleted everything other than those lines and had to take a break first, I think this was the 2nd day?

7. I downloaded more pics because the song was fast-paced so the I thought the transitions has to be fast, too, to match it, I just typed in " aesthetic" at the end of every theme I'm searching for (police aesthetic, murder aesthetic, partners in crime aesthetic, scream aesthetic etc. lol)

8. Then I edited the lyrics to have glitch effect cuz that's the only effect I found fitting(there was very limited options so I'm glad I found smth), I also edited the colors into dark blood red halfway to present the gradual decline in sanity(of the singer)

9. Recycled some pics at the last line cuz I couldn't take another searching(the pics were creeping me OUT) was worried it would look repetitive but I realized I could just adjust the filter, contrast, and use zooming to manipulate the perspective a lil bit

10. Finished draft on my last day, then edited some more so the lyrics, pics, and the transitions are on sync and match each others vibes, then we're finally done!

I'll do anything but review for the finals, seriously

[platformerprojectfm]

A very very long catch-up blog post

So I missed the day after EGX after getting sick at the event, this caused me to lose ALL of my rhythm and pretty much stop doing work as my motivation was shot too. My fault but here is my big long catch-up post to post everything I've been working on (through the hours of 12-5am every night). As of writing this it is 19/10/23 on the last day of the project, and i've been awake since 12am trying to do college work.

SECTION 1: ART PAIN

I can not stress enough how much I HATE doing art, it pains me so much because I'm not too much of a creative type, but we ball anyway. I've been doing ALOT of asset making (for my standards) Finishing up a tent as a "win zone", a few extra blocks to make corners look less weird and an animation for throwing a vial, which is my new form of score and ammo and a bit more.

this looks weird, but trust me when i say it works in-game,there will be videos further on showcasing it :)

This was my third tilemap, it's pretty simple but was necessary for a win-area, here is also my updated 2nd tilemap, now with a few extra things.

Overall i'm pretty happy how these came out, I have the artistic skills of a 6 year old usually.

SECTION 2: PROJECTILES, ANIMATION AND BLUEPRINTS

I don't really know how to explain this here, so i'm just going to send screenshots of my code with small explanations. A) Projectile go whoooosh

A projectile movement is added so the projectile can move, it contains this code to make it be destroyed after impact or some time.

B) Animations and projectiles.

This is the meaty part that took most of my time, i rewrote a good portion of my score system since it was stored inside of the level, when it was also ammo so it had to be stored inside of the player. I made an integer called "vials" in the player to track ammo. This meant i had to update it from casting from the level to the player in the UI, so it got the accurate number of vials to display on screen. Here is the code for the new vials ammo block, which is what you pick up to get ammo

I wanted to make a throwable that has an animation, because I thought it was a bit weird that i'll just fly out of my character's front, so here is the code for it.

I'm pretty proud of it to be honest, the code detects if there's any vials before playing an animation, and if there are vials then it updates the "throwing" boolean variable which is used to pause all other animations until the vial is thrown (apart from the death animation which overrides the throwing animation), this then plays the animation with a small delay to make it look like the character is throwing the vial.

This is my updated animations code, the branch that is circled is the one that denies any animations playing if the "throwing?" boolean is yes. This was really fun to figure out overall, I think my programming experience from last year in college helped alot since I end up having the same thought process I had in that class to overcoming problems, which I think helps make more efficient outcomes.

[strawberry-barista]

⚅— @hopeful-hugz asked: —⚅ ⚅— ¥ - Hope for Decaf and Espresso ¥ - And Apocalypse!Cam for Apocalypse!Hanekoma —⚅

Rating Meme

— ★ ⚄ ★ —

⚀ Decaf's Rating of Hope:

Looks: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 "Hope is a beautiful young lady. I think she could do to stop being afraid to get outta her comfort zone with fashion, though. She should wear things she likes, even if it's not her lab coat." Personality: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 "I think she has a lot of growing to do, but she's a great person. She just needs a little more self-love, yeah?" Attraction: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 "She's my kid. I have no kinda romantic attraction to her." Would they date them: yes | no "See above, boss." Favorite thing about them: "Hope is so sweet, and I love her with alla my heart. My Rune, I want nothing but the best for a heart so big. She cares about everyone, and forgives as easily as I do, for the most part. I'm proud of that. No other soul coulda ever got through to J." Least favorite thing about them: "She holds far too much guilt in her chest. Guilt over things that aren't her fault. Guilt over things she can't affect. Guilt over just existing. She can't see herself as anything but a curse to any place or person she meets, no matter how much she helps them and saves them. No matter how much good she does. She never sees herself as anything but a monster. It... Hurts, that I'm part of the reason she feels that way. Hurts that I can't do anything about that... I wish I could..."

⚀ Espresso's Rating of Hope:

Looks: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 "Drop dead gorgeous. She's the most beautiful thing I ever laid eyes on, inside and out. I wish she could see that, too." Personality: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 "I've never met anyone sweeter. I think she could stand to have a little more confidence, but I'm not gonna hold that against her too much. She's not a monster to me, in any case." Attraction: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 "I love her. I love her with all of my heart. I will always love her." Would they date them: yes | no "I would, but she told me no. She's moved on to bigger and better fish. Well, for her, anyway. I guess I just couldn't stand up to the others. Doesn't mean I wouldn't say yes in a heartbeat if she ever turned around and offered, though." Favorite thing about them: "Hope has a beautiful soul, shining brighter than anything else I've ever seen. The first moment I saw her I knew it was meant to be... Heh, but I guess I really did lose to Queenie, huh? At least she can be happy. She's been kind enough to stay in my life despite all that, and that's just another part of that beautiful soul of hers. She's so giving. So bright, so creative. I love every part of her." Least favorite thing about them: "Honestly? I don't have one. Only that I can't make her love me, I guess. But even then, is that that bad when she's still my friend? It's fine. She's perfect just as she is. I just want her to be happy."

⚀ Apocalypse Hanekoma to Arcalypse:

Looks: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 "She's not bad, got a real pretty face. But ya know, it'd be a lot prettier if we weren't always worried about our lives and our loved ones' lives." Personality: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 "She's nice enough to me, and she does good things for my group. I wish I could say more, but unfortunately she mostly keeps herself at arm's length. Can't say I blame 'er, though." Attraction: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 "She's pretty, but I don't really know her well enough to say I'm attracted to her. I guess there could be potential? But I'm not really worried about it." Would they date them: yes | no "Not at present, no. I think we both have bigger things to worry about." Favorite thing about them: "She seems real passionate about taking care of her sister. A protective spirit like that is something I can relate to and appreciate. It's not a bad thing to be worried about her, especially considering the state of this world. And really, she's not as overbearing as one might think, so it's really as good as it gets there." Least favorite thing about them: "Being careful means being secretive. She's told me a lot more than I imagine she'd tell your average stranger, but as much information as she's given me I don't know much about her herself. It makes me a little sad."

[ahrva]

Hello there :3 sooo for the 40 question writing meme - how about 1, 7, 8, 9, 15, 31? ^^

Uh, fuck. This looks like a long one folks lol

1. Describe your comfort zone—a typical you fic.

If I'm reading a fic, my go it tends to be hurt/comfort. But if I'm writing, it can really vary with my mood and the vibes that are going though my brain. Though I've found the words tend to come out a bit easier if I'm not focused on making them for any one thing.

7. Share a snippet from one of your favorite pieces of prose you've written and explain why you're proud of it.

This actually isn't from a fic, it's from a short original story I wrote for school once that I'm still really proud of.

It didn't take long for then to find out that it wasn't all that big compared to most of the rivers that had been sent up over the decades. It was only about a quarter a size of their cruiser, being right around the same size as an early 21st century golf cart. Half an hour later, they were able to get it out.

Stepping back, they all took a long look at the price of history that they had just uncovered.

The 'face' they had seen sticking out of the ground before was made up of what looked to be old fashioned cameras attached to other sensors. There were also long since broken solar panels covered in dirt and dust on its back. Many of the wires that connected the different parts were either exposed in some way, or snapped all together.

The most surprising this about it though, was the fact that it was still mostly intact. Sure the solar panels had been cracked and even broken off entirely in one place, and the wheels where bent and out of place, but it was still mostly in one piece.

In case you aren't able to tell, this is from a short story that's supposed to take place a hundred or so years into the future. Humans have made a base on Mars to try and do more research, and while they are there, they manage to find Opportunity.

The story itself is only around 1300 words, and looking back on it, it could use some major editing in parts. Over all, I feel like this part holds up very well.

A good chunk of the reason why this one would have to be my favorite, would be due to the subject matter in it. I've always been a bit of a space nerd, and at the time I got the assignment that I wrote this for, we had also been going over the different Mars rovers in another class, so it was right there in my mind. This is just one shot little story that, I really hope does come to be one day, that sometime in the future, we'll find Oppy again.

8. Share a snippet from one of your favorite dialogue scenes you've written and explain why you're proud of it.

This one is just a random little snippet that currently lives in a random bit doc I have, since I don't really have anything else to go with it atm

"If you had the chance, would you do it differently?"

"Hm?" Legend looked over at Link.

"If you woke up again on the night it all started," Link clarified what he was asking his other self, "with all the memories of what you've gone through, would you have done it differently than you did before?"

Legend looked up at the sky and thought for a moment.

"Honestly? I don't think I would. Knowing what would await the poor sap that fell into the role of the hero, I would be able to stay in bed and let someone else go though all that . Even if it meant Uncle would still be around for me."

This one, I'm not to sure where I had been going when I wrote it down, but this bit of dialogue just lives rent free in my head most the time.

The context of it is supposed to be that, Legend from Linked Universe is meeting a version of himself, that never had to go on any of the adventures Legend went on. No turning into a Pink Bunny, no traveling to other countries, no Koholint, no Ravio, no any of that. And just, Legend seeing how different he his because of it. I'm thinking that he's not too different than he would have been, but there are some noticable differences.

9. Which fic has been the hardest to write?

Might be easier to ask which hasn't been the hardest to write /lh

Out of all of them, I'd have to say Clipped Wings has been one of the hardest. I have most all of it planned out and everything, I just can ever get myself to work on it and get it done. Same with Dealings with the Fae

With some of my other ones, it's more just because I'm not to sure where exactly I'm going next with them. Or I know where I want to go with them, but there's still that nasty middle part that I happen to be on.

15. If you could choose one of your fics to be filmed, which would you choose?

What it Means to Start Over No question about it. It's still just a wip, but it's one I absolutely love where I'm going to be going with (once I actually get to write the good parts).

Out of my finished works though, I'd have to say Phantoms in the Night takes that price. The main premise of that one is based off of a part of Phantom Hourglass that for years I thought was really in the game, only to find out that it wasn't. Even if it was only just to have that one little bit that I can still see so clearly in my head play out in front of me.

31. Do you take liberties with Canon or are you very strict about your fic being Canon compliant?

That can really depend with what I'm doing. I tend to like sticking to Canon, it gives me a good base for working with stuff. Other times, I will throw Canon out of the window because I don't like it and I have stuff that will work better.

Anyhow, thank you for the ask! And sorry for the long post of you made it this far lol.