#melonandcoconut

[tentatechnologies]

8, 20, 30 for art asks 🗿

meme link 🎨

8. What's an old project idea that you've lost interest in?

i’m really having to wrack my brain for this one because i don’t think i’ve got any, at least not to do with marlo. i’m still half-invested in writing his fic but for the most part, and i swear to god i’ll do that ‘the other side of paradise’ animatic someday, but apart from that i don’t entertain myself with the delusion that i’d actually get it done :’)

the other stuff all belongs to lapsed interests! i had this enormously elaborate post-canon universe for the four swords, the type where i worldbuilt a new dark world / evolution of the twilight realm / parallel to lorule out of whole cloth. or tried to, at least. i was like, twelve, so... (the gist was rolling back shadow link’s slapdash excuse of a redemption arc, making him “king” of the dark world, but really a puppet for the Secret Banished Fourth Goddess—the tetraforce is a fun idea, sue me—so she could like. get her revenge or whatever. i’m still fond of the idea to name her ‘ikana’ though, like the place in majora’s mask.)

nothing came of it, but i still have fsa lore memorized front to back & shadow link has his own little niche in my heart 🖤 the first chunk was structured like an actual zelda game from the links’ pov, with a bunch of macguffins and items to find, then an intermission, and then a more traditional fantastical story following shadow link trying to restore light/balance to hyrule while the actual four swords are separated. (admittedly, i don’t like to ship the links, but you’ll pry the green/shadow dynamic in this timeline from my cold, dead hands.)

ok that’s enough infodumping if you want to know more about this universe. just ask

20. Something everyone else finds hard to draw but you enjoy

OLDER FOLKS/DIFFERENT FACES!!! i don’t know if a whole lot of folks find it hard—in fact i would argue it really isn’t—and some do it a lot better than me, but IMO they’re way more fun and interesting to draw than the same “pretty face” template another dozen times. i do not care about your skinny slim-face button-nose bishie-boy oc. give me a big nose, imperfect teeth, particular lip shapes, different facial proportions, smile lines and crow’s feet! they’re so pleasing and fun and create that extra distinctive Flavor, and it’s just better character design to implement those type of things.

i’m never not gonna have more fun and be prouder of the end result when i’ve got to draw a character that presses the definition of ‘attractive’. marlo is way handsomer than i ever intended to make them, but a lot of that’s from their more unique features and how much i love drawing them. and like, i’m not joking. over half my non-fandom artfight bookmarks are weird old guys (gender-neutral). i love it (also i think machinery would be really fun to draw but i haven’t had the courage to give it a shot)

30. What piece of yours do you think is underrated

i could list a lot, tbh. my art is fantastic. marlo’s outfit meme got plenty of notes, but i love it to death. that tango redesign i did got an eighth of the old version’s notes and i’ll die mad about it. this sango-themed one with the fun perspective. that valentine’s art i did and stare at sometimes because it’s just plush. that tits-out marlo moping in their penthouse i never finished. OR MY STICKER FOR THE NSBSZINE’S CONTEST. marlo glaring over their shoulder asmr. and though it is now an entire year old i’ll never forget how hard i fought for those 20 notes on that full scene of nori in octo valley

[inkray]

RODI for @melonandcoconut !!

[poshgirlstl]

Https://funtimespampering.po.sh #poshingwithcathie #showmewhatyouremermaidofbodyscrub #bodyscrub #skincare #beauty #pamperyourself #missouri #stlouis #letsgoblues #iamptk #entrepreneur #mompreneur #melonandcoconut #matchingbfyhc #sale #special #wednesdayvibes #mar10day #march #vacation #dreams https://www.instagram.com/p/B9mY4MJDRdm/?igshid=1f0llpfjeqcak

[snowtimeisbesttime]

Artfight attacks, batch 2!

Characters belong to (in order, & per image this time): @e8luhs, @calatarii, @paradoxgavel, ~AmbiguousSyntax and @melonandcoconut!

[regu-1]

Final ArtFights of the year

Characters Belong To:

bugjamborees

meatflavors

@melonandcoconut

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art asks 1 16 23 🎶🎷

1. how would you describe your style?

uhhhh , that's a hard one. semirealistic is probably too generous, i think the only thing i've done that really qualifies for that is this portrait of marlo, but i wouldn't call it cartoony either. so... somewhere in-between. i'd say it has a strong focus on character and dimension, a kind of three-dimensionality conveyed in a 2D style with prominent linework and minimal rendering, and emphasis on readability. when i do use colors they're often muted. i've compared my art to paper cut-outs before, which is definitely something i like about it!

i would like to say i have harmonious color schemes and an eye for composition, but saying that to you of all people feels a little presumptuous (which is another way of saying that i admire those aspects of your art a lot and definitely want to emulate them!) also that my art is informed by graphic design in some ways, but not as much as i want it to be.

16. favorite media to work with when drawing traditionally?

i am a fraud, i only work with pencil and ink......... and by ink, i mean like... ballpoint pens. colored pencils are fun but it's been a very long time since i used them, and paint and i don't really get along :\ i have been meaning to get my hands on some markers, either alcohol or paint, but i can't invest in them in good conscience when i do traditionally so rarely.

23. what's something you hope people notice when looking at your art?

usually small details, so it varies by piece! there's usually a degree of intentionality in every little detail (emphasis on usually) and it's really nice when folks pick up on that. like, in that quick doodle of ness, his top scars are stylized like sunrays; and of course the textures in my zine piece; there is a consistency and deliberation with which i draw my ocs' faces; stuff like that. in short, the thought i put into it!

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🎧 wheeee

bad idea ft jason mraz, sara bareilles

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HI....

(meme link)

live by the ocean, the hoosiers

I did my best to fit in but I outstayed my welcome I change my name and my friends, run til the land ends But I'm always waiting for me, no matter how hard I pretend

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for the soft oc asks: 🌻🌿🥀 (your choice of ocs!)

well because i'm allergic to not talking about soda i'll do them for each, and then whoever else comes to mind after that [meme link]

🌻 What little things do they notice about people or the world around them that make them happy? What tiny little treasures do they find in the normal day to day that makes the world seem a little brighter for them?

soda's is very broad but it just comes down to nature, and the passage of time. they like the patter of rain, big fluffy clouds, fog clinging to the mountains in the morning, the sea black and frothing in a storm. they like old places and artifacts and heirlooms for the same reason: the idea that life goes on, that the earth has been here long before and will be long after, that life extends beyond them personally.

that much pervades about every aspect of their agent-adjacent life: it's why they hang out on octavio's saucer despite their fear of heights—they can see the city and valley and ocean for miles around—and why octo valley's state of disrepair was and is comforting to them. it's the reason they're an archivist and do urban exploration. it's even, in a twisted way, why they allied with tartar.

in a very literal sense, soda's tiny pleasures come in stopping to smell the roses and knowing they're going to bloom again next year. it's not exactly optimistic nihilism because there's no element of transcendental despair, just assurance in this life.

for perry, she finds contentment in things that work like well-oiled machines, whether it's a literal machine, a set of friends that get along, in things that don't have to strain and fight to function; in things that are easy. she notices it in squads chatting as they go to work, in watching routine check-ups on the zapfish, in making something she could make with her eyes closed, in all the sky panels in a dome synchronized and lit.

so much of perry's life has been damage control, at this point she appreciates it when things just work and she doesn't have to worry about it. she used to be an octoweapon engineer and is now a caretaker for those same weapons, but she takes the same delight in ensuring they work (and are happy to see her).

🌿 What way does your OC show that they care without using words? What way do others show your OC that they’re cared about without using speech?

ok this one's fun. the thing about soda is there's all but a switch that flips when they start caring about you, and you're going to know whether you want to or not. soda is perfectly capable of cruelty but they know life's too short to keep that up when they don't have to, so you're going to be doted on in about every way you can think of. they're a physically affectionate person even when they don't like you—dial it up to 11, if you're okay with that. they'll use their wealth and resources and own hands to take weight off your shoulders without you asking. and they make a marked difference to listen and obey your boundaries, where they usually couldn't give a shit (and admittedly, sometimes they still don't).

but because you now occupy a place of respect, where soda can suddenly cross a line and get (however rightfully) snapped at for it, they tend to flip to the other extreme and fawn at their own expense. you're going to notice because their personality becomes softer and quieter in many ways. they're less bombastic, more domestic. they start bottling their anger. depending on the role you're supposed to fulfill—i.e., if you're an octoling soldier—soda might still insult you to your face and cause you all kinds of grief, but you get these moments where they hesitate, where their grip doesn't bruise, where they step in front of you when in danger.

the "way they show they care" is genuine, but is also damage control, "I'm not trying to hurt you, please don't hurt me". they're not used to others caring about them, so they probably wouldn't recognize it, and if they did they'd assume it was a mistake on their part. (soda has some, uh, Issues.)

but one way is to encourage soda's enthusiasm, to make sure they take care of themself, and it's a tall order (and you have to be careful about how much leeway you give them) but be patient with them. make them good food, take them places like the aquarium, let them wander off and disappear for long periods of time and be there for them when they get back. you are going to have to tell them, though, or they aren't gonna get it through their thick head.

this is something rome still struggles with because she hasn't had to care about anyone but herself for years, and extending a hand doesn't come very naturally to her. she doesn't show she cares so much as she trusts, which are basically the same thing to her; it'd be things like letting you in on her space—her home, her routine, her personal opinions. she makes time for you and just sort of assumes you know.

she isn't emotionally available until/unless she offers, in which case she'll sit with you and talk you down, make you tea and put on your favorite movie, help shoulder your burden. she cares when it counts and doesn't really express it beyond that. and she forgives you: which is a big deal.

to show her you care, listening is really important; she's used to getting talked over. respect her space, of course. make an effort to learn about her interests outside of turf. just find ways to remind her that she exists beyond people watching her and she isn't just a trophy—buy her silly trinkets and clothes; endure her beating you in video games; she's a big eater, so treat her to a buffet; put on some cringey music and dance with her.

🥀 How would your OC decorate a notebook or journal? What kind of things are written in there? Could you give an example of a nice entry?

I'M SO HAPPY YOU ASKED.

soda's original journals were dedicated to the octarian military, consisting of maps and diagrams, with everything else stored on audiotapes because... they didn't know how to read or write well enough to keep it on paper. (soda still uses speech to text partly because of that, partly because their fine motor skills aren't great.) over time it branched out to other topics like their agriculture, religion, biology, history, etc., it was an early iteration of their archivist work and eventually became the foundation.

apart from now existing in physical books and encompassing the metro, they're the same thing. soda has a pocket composition-bound notebook on them at all times and tons more filled back at home, sort of research or nature journals. the older they are the more organized they tend to be, because soda probably went back and cleaned them up and put them in a bigger book. if they're new, they're full of shorthand and rushed drawings, and probably a shopping list or two.

the originals are always written in octarian, since they're significantly quicker at writing in it (and that's what they're thinking in when underground anyway).

nature journal is probably the best description for what they look like when revised, this post reminded me of their notes a lot—some entries are really dense with words, others are covered in diagrams and ink drawings with explanatory footnotes. they're a way better artist than you would guess by looking at them, even if their drawings are pretty loose or messy; they've been doing this for awhile. (obviously the revised compilations are better polished but soda physically can't draw clean, precise linework.)

some have photographs they've taken, or clippings from primary sources, but soda doesn't really bother making them look pretty, just organized. they're also. really long. when soda gets around to compiling a finished journal, they've got stacks of notes. so i'm not going to pad this with anything resembling a full entry but here's something of an early attempt.

"Zapfish are thought of uniquely by the Octarians. Aboveground we take them for granted, but they are connected to many parts of Octarians’ faith. Light and sun are central to their worship and as Zapfish provide the power for these things, in modern orthodox systems they are seen as a connection to these higher powers and treated as semi-divine. This is a recent development motivated by their migration underground. They do not appear in pre-war or ancient iconography except as children of the first Great Zapfish who heralded the technological revolution, and were probably not worshiped individually.

However, for the secular majority population, Zapfish are desirable for their technical application and not very much else. They are an extraordinary source of electricity for the Octarians, who do not have many alternative sources of energy, apart from trade with the Salmonids and some siphoned off surface generators. Generally a Zapfish is assigned to one dome at a time, but it is possible a Zapfish could currently power two or three domes at once which did not need as much energy, and that is not including the optimization Octarians could reach with a longer amount of time. [sic]"

they're the only one you get for this answer (although ness and crush also keep journals) because it is too stupid long. <3

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art is insane

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Retro Tones📼

itvara belongs to @melonandcoconut !

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doodles w @melonandcoconut 's ocs :^)

context for these can best be summarized by: marlo is a little too interested in octarian plants (and crushes a little too easily. sorry olive)

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revenge on @melonandcoconut time—not the attack i had planned but one i had lots of fun with!!! (and learned chromatic aberration for)

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hijacked some of @melonandcoconut ‘s wonderful vibrant ocs for composition practice, rodi’s is an R + spiral, olive’s is an A + horizontal lines, and pepper’s is an L + radius lines!

the latter components were chosen based off andrew loomis’ info on comic illustration: spirals are supposed to equate to motion and excitement; horizontals to tranquility; and radiation to attention, glory, and ambition. see if you can spot the letters!