#pinterest should not have been my main source

[lizormianillustration]

one word from you will silence me forever

[wekiaam]

Hi, im obsessed with your art, honestly, it keeps me alive man, not gonna lie...

Do you have any tips on drawing anatomy, poses and side profiles? These are the things that i personally struggle as an artist, and i could really use some help with these things.

Thanks<33

Hii thank you so much!! These types of compliments really keep me motivated <3

Most things can be learned from drawing a LOT from life and references. Lately I've been doing a lot of studies from watchingnewyork on Instagram (also great for fashion inspiration by the way) My main two sources for studying are instagram and pinterest, but there are countless other places where you can find amazing references for drawing the human body in all sorts of poses.

For side profiles I found these tips by @grizandnorm very useful:

All their things have helped me a lot, you should definitely check them out!! They're no longer active on here but there's more on their insta 💕

[czarnoxiestwo]

Let me display an array of negative emotions in public for a sec

I feel like I haven't been this low in ages. I'm seriously considering changing my career to something less interesting but maybe a little more stable. I almost wrote 'less fulfilling' instead of 'less interesting' here but the point is - it's more stressful than fulfilling at this point.

Impostor syndrome is a quiet constant for me but it seriously seems like I'm far behind other people I know who started tattooing around the same time as I did. It's like I'm walking in circles, not actually acquiring any new skills, at least not in a sensible timeframe. And being stressed about not being as competent as I should be while having to pretend like I am is not the best learning environment which completes this circle. I work with people who are both younger than me and technically more competent than me which is discouraging in the sad, tired and resigned kind of way. (I should point out that I did the right thing at the very beginning - but you can still go through apprenticeship that doesn't point you in the right direction or provide any actual practical advice, not to mention solid skills). What's more, I feel like it hurt my general artistic abilities, not giving me enough room (energy and mental capacity) to grow through experimentation, exercise that my 'waste' my time or creating more time-consuming projects. I taught myself how not to rely on inspiration (which is actually a very useful skill) but I usually use it to create things at the merely passable level that a perfectly average client finds acceptable and will graciously agree to use instead of some random picture stolen from Pinterest. I love doing art, I want to do art - I don't know if tattooing is the kind of art I should be doing or if the art should be my main source of income in general.

My client base (as little as it was) pretty much crumbled away with only some people coming back from time to time but even then I see they don't have much money to spend (nor I expect them to). I don't know if I'm too awkward around strangers (I'm can be pretty awkward) for clients to actually want to work with me on a purely vibe based level or people just aren't interested in what I have to offer art-wise. I'd say my skills have something to do with that but I know (of) tattooers with absolutely abysmal works still managing to be fully booked. Being a queer person in a not that big of a city also means I have to be selective about who I'm willing to work with because my safety may depend on it. I know the self-promotion is an important part of being any kind of professional artist in this capitalist hell but to be frank, I fucking suck at it. I loathe fake-fun fake-energetic artistic content. I hate content-content, to be honest. At the same time I don't hate social media as a concept, I'm more of a shitposter type of guy though and I don't know if I'm brave enough to let it spill into my public facing profiles - both because of my safety as mentioned above but also because it my scare potential clients even more. In consequence my financial stability kind of doesn't exist at this moment.

I'm burned out but I don't do enough to be burned out. I need a break but I cannot afford to have a break. This job takes its toll on a body too. I need a regular physiotherapy for my arm, and fuckes my eyes even more than they're fucked by themselves (a lot). Sometimes I wonder how for how long I'll be able to continue this career before my body says no.

I'm just constantly stressed and worried, and I'm not sure what to do.

[letstalkwhump]

Let's Talk Whump No.14

Welcome to Let’s Talk Whump, a series of interviews that spotlight the amazing people in our whump community! I’m Malice and I’ll be your host. 

Today I’m talking whump with the wonderful @livelaughwhump!

Great to have you here! Let’s start with a fact or two about yourself!

Greetings! My name is Armin, I'm 19, and my pronouns are they/them! I work as a daycare attendant/assistant preschool teacher. I love crocheting, cross-stitching, and basically anything crafting-related

What does whump mean to you?

Wow, there's a lot I could say to answer this

I think whump is the only interest that I can say I've had for my entire life. I think I got into it when I was about seven-years old and it's one of my only interests that has not faded over time. I find it very freeing to be able to delve into the dark and disturbing parts of my brain instead of ignoring them.

And how did you find the whump community? What made you want to join?

I've been interested in whump for most of my life, but I haven't been a part of the tumblr whump community very long. In fact, I think I only joined in October of 2022. I believe I found some screenshots from whumpblr on pinterest, which led to me going on Tumblr and diving deeper into the content on here.

Has your view on whump changed since you joined? I think so. Before I knew what whump was, I always thought that there was something deeply wrong with me because I enjoyed torturing fictional characters so much. So, it was very relieving to find out there was not only a word for it, but also a community of people that enjoyed the same disturbing things I did. Other than my personal opinion on whump itself, I don't think my favourite tropes or anything really changed.

And your favourite whump tropes?

Oh god, there's so many, but I think my main favorites are captivity, pet whump, dehumanization, muzzles/gags, sensory deprivation, hurt/comfort, etc. There are plenty more but I don't think I can list all of them.

They’re all so good! Do you have a favourite piece or pieces that you've written? 

Oh god, I don't think I can pick a favorite. I love my whole Worthless series, but I think Chapter 12 is one of my all time favorites. My Birthday Gift drabble, my Strays drabble, and my Panic drabble also get an honorable mention.

These are so good! Do you have a regular writing routine or more when the inspiration strikes?

I don't really have a routine, I kind of just write whenever I'm feeling motivated. I usually write on my lunch breaks at work, or late into the night when I should be getting to bed.

What do you find easy to write? Is there anything you struggle with?

Dialogue is easily where I thrive. I'm not good at describing things or explaining actions, but I consider myself pretty good at writing convincing dialogue. Probably because I end up having conversations with myself as my characters, which makes finding natural dialogue pretty easy.

Anything you're working on at the moment?

I am currently working on chapter 16 of my Worthless series, but it's been at a standstill for a couple days. Making up the stories in my head is so much easier than actually writing them.

That last bit is very relatable…Is there any advice you’d like to share?

Write what you would want to read! Don't worry about pleasing everyone because that is literally not possible. Write for yourself and no one else!

Shoutout time! 

@whump-queen, @whumpsday, and @oddsconvert are my top three sources of inspiration. They are all awesome people and amazing writers and their stories have inspired me so much!!

Honorable mention to @rosekins6211 for being one of my biggest supporters!! Literally could not do it without her!!

Anything you'd like to add?

Thank you to everyone that has supported me and read my weird little stories! And thank you, Malice, for having me!

Show no mercy, and happy whumping, everyone!

THank you so much for joining us today, @livelaughwhump! 

And to all you folks at home, have a whump-derful day!

[aimee-if-tulpa]

Auburn-red long straight hair and green eyes. A para/imaginary friend. Kind, empathetic, wise, good listener. A living being I spoke to in my head when I was 18/19-23 like a diary in a way. This is her page. I know I’m an adult (35). But this one needs to be given space. I just watched IF and I think adults should open themselves up to the possibility of having IFs themselves. Maybe it would be therapeutic. All posts will be in her POV.

Main blog @aura-dragonfly (DNI is there).

FYI I am tagging my posts with para to mean a character in a paracosm. I searched that tag on tumblr and it had a different connotation. Mine has a different meaning than that one. (This has since been changed and removed since the majority of the time it is apparently taken to mean something to do with paraphillia, whatever that is anyhow).

Pfp sources:

[hughungrybear]

Thai BL Favourites List Tag Game

Why would you inflict this torture and cruelty on me, @lost-my-sanity1 😭😭😭😭

Favourite BL:

I said it before and I'll say it again, SOTUS holds a very special place in my heart. Say what you want about the storyline, plot, and actors (although, I will have your head if you come for my beloved Singto). I truly believed that the Thai BL landscape changed remarkably (for the better) when GMMTV released SOTUS in 2016. If you have been watching BLs as long as I have, you'll know exactly what I'm talking about.

[Image source: Icvr)

Favourite pairing:

Pat and Pran (OhmNanon) have revived something in me that I thought died with so many underwhelming BLs that had gone before them lol (hello, BBS Episodes 4 and 5) 😅 Although MLC's Heart and Li Ming (GeminiFourth) also had me in a chokehold.

More underrated actor:

Sing Harit. If you don't believe me, just look at his very extensive filmography. Also, Slam Dance, The Revenge, and Not Me. Enough said lol

(Image Source: My Drama List)

Favourite character:

In a Thai BL? Again, @lost-my-sanity1, just why???? Have I offended you in some way? Well, if you really must know then Sun (Chimon Wachirawit) from My Dear Loser: Edge of 17. Look, the way that Sun just accepted the fact that he'll never be number one - not with his family or with his beloved In (who sends Sun mixed signals every chance he gets, played by Pluem Purim), sends me into a downward spiral.

(Image source: Pinterest)

Another character that I love is Oh-aew (played by the ultra-talented PP Krit) from I Told Sunset About You. I'm just soft for characters who are oblivious that they are in a toxic relationship, okay? 😅

Favourite side character:

Definitely Pearmai (Aye Sarunchana) from Be My Favorite. Look, it has been a staple in a Thai BL to have (cis) female villains who are caught in a love triangle with one of the main characters (looking at you, Plern Pleng/Aim Satida of Together with Me). She admits she's not perfect and also cries when she found out that Kawi and Pisaeng are a thing. However, she didn't let it affect her friendship with the two. She even turn down Not's not-so-subtle invitation to be an effing rebound guy ("I'm disappointed, not desperate" will be forever etched in my mind).

Favourite scene:

I have so many. I can't just pick one 😭😭😭😭

Favourite line:

Have I talked about the script from Tale of a Thousand Stars? Because I really need to talk about how each effing episode is a nugget made of quotable quotes (For Pete's sake, from the very beginning, Torfun's "Where we are happy, we are home" sends tears to my eyes).

Most anticipated bl and why:

Only Friends because Jojo Tichakorn. Also, have you seen 3 Will Be Free???

Healthiest relationship in a bl:

PatPran. No explanations are necessary.

Most toxic relationship in a bl:

LOL. Where there is MAME anywhere near the writing and production crew, there is guaranteed toxicity in the plot (and not in a good, entertaining way — more like "you should have gotten a restraining order yesterday").

Guilty pleasure series:

I have to admit that I have watched 2 Moons 2 an embarrassing amount of times when there was basically only 2gether The Series in my semi-decent BL list.

Bonus! Most underrated series:

Dark Blue Kiss. I do not get all the hate TayNew has gotten over the years, but really the Kiss Me, Kiss Me Again, and Dark Blue Kiss were all worth watching simply because you can see how Pete and Kao grew as a couple.

(Image source: Pinterest)

Also, 3 Will Be Free deserves more YouTube views.

That's it. That's the post.

And since misery loves company, I'm tagging @dribs-and-drabbles, @telomeke, @ellasaru12, and whoever wants to undergo the same torture as I did when answering these questions lol

[cescalr]

Appearances: Harry Potter Ensemble - Pt 1.

So. As someone who writes a lot of fanfic, I don't always decide to borrow directly from the source material for the appearances of the characters. I'll admit that my canon compliance for that can be tangential at best; mostly down to hair and eye colour, whilst everything else is different. This can lead to some confusion in my fics, because my worst sin in this regard that i'm inconsistent in how I portray them. I have multiple fcs and sims of characters, and I sort of just swap between them at whim. So this is a masterpost list of all the different appearances each portrayal of the HP ensemble cast I use. I'll also try and say which fics I pictured as which faces, because why not.

Let's get started, shall we?

Harry Potter. [+ James Potter, because they're meant to be almost identical.]

First, we'll go with documenting the protagonist.

For a canon-compliant Harry, I made this artbreeder a while ago;

Lord above that's ginormous. Anyway. I'm not, like, 100% happy with this, but here it is.

As may be a fairly obvious choice, my main fc for Harry is Darren Criss. He does a great job fitting the visual aspect of Harry, and an even better job of him being identical to his father; Darren Criss makes a perfect James Potter. All you need to do is watch AVP to know that one.

And, as a sidenote; Look at them <3 this is the golden trio, right here!! Sure, Ron's a bit off, not tall enough, nose not long enough, but he works really well for the role, so I don't care.

But he does a pretty good broody harry, too, so I tend to think Darren Criss when I think Harry James Potter.

Again; for a slightly more book compliant Harry (aka; a wholly white Harry) there's a young Peter Capaldi. In these pics specifically, lol.

James Potter by Michelle-Winer on DeviantArt <- there's also this depiction of James as the actor for Will Graham from Hannibal, which works pretty damn well for both James and Harry.

Unfortunately, people don't credit as often as they should on Pinterest; (1) Pinterest this is a very good James, and if anyone happens to know who drew it, that's really necessary to know. He looks just like my James sim, fr. Took the image right from my brain.

He looks a little less like his dad and more like his mum here, which is Incorrect, but I still like these sims.

Ron Weasley.

Next up on the list is Ron.

I made this artbreeder a while ago. I think this is basically perfect, and looks exactly like how I think of him, except the nose is too short.

The blog is gone, but this art by xia-hainex has always been my favourite Ron fanart.

I'm very picky about Ron's face. I don't have an actor fc for him.

But I do have a sim :). You can see the influence, lol.

Hermione Granger.

Hermione has the most fcs out of the Golden Trio. 5 in total. First, her more canon-compliant artbreeder;

Next; those five fcs.

First up; a duo of fcs - one for her younger years, and one for that version's older years. Ella Eyre + Stevvi Alexander.

Of course, as shown above, there's always Bonne Gruesen, who played her in AVP. Which, as you can see, was an image that held a lot of mix dominance in the artbreeder (which I did through combining various images of these five women, plus some general tweaks.)

Nathalie Emmanuel is a version where Hermione kept the buck teeth :D. Would mostly be used in muggle AUs.

But this ^ really does look like book 7 Hermione during the horcrux hunt, don't you think?

Grace Byers is a bit glamorous for Hermione, I'll admit. Sometimes I use her for her mother, instead.

Elarica Johnson is the final fc option for HG, very similar to Nathalie Emmanuel. If I were to give HG a sister, she'd probably end up with Elarica whilst Hermione keeps Nathalie. Also an option for her mother, I suppose.

Because I should mention this; I often use Hayley Law for Mrs. [heacanon name: Eudora] Granger. I haven't actually got an fc for her dad, but the one consistent thing about him is that he's Jewish, but he can be european or african or middle eastern or whatever, I don't care about that part. (Same, really, for Mrs. Granger. The one prerequisite I suppose is that they not match; my Hermione is biracial, and has the specific complication of passing as (depending on the person guessing) either ethnically White British or solely Ashkenazi Jewish, even if her father is not that. Most people miss the black half of her ancestry if they never meet her parents. And, to note, thanks to the schools she was sent to and the care her family took, Hermione has never experienced explicit racism towards herself, and her first personal exposure to prejudice is the whole Muggleborn mistreatment thing. It hits her pretty hard :(.)

[And, to note; I know that my Hermione's ancestry does not match the ancestry of the FCs, and that the situation regarding... all that doesn't really work with some of them, but I'm also not really happy with any one of these, particularly. Hermione's always been the one I find hardest to cast, because my thoughts are so specific but not... exactly refined.]

This is my sim of her, which of course matches what's in my head better than any fc ever realistically could. She's also pretty close to the artbreeder, just, you know, better. Because it's not ai generated. (I tend to use artbreeder as a visual aid when creating the base ideas for things, nothing more.)

Her mum and dad, for reference.

And that's the GT, so. Onto the next part! [For those wondering; I will keep hitting the image limit, doing this, so need to move on once I do.]

[amajorartattack]

My General ROTTMNT Donatello Headcanons:

- He’s the tallest at 6′6″, alright. Like the longer neck of a softshell turtle my guys, is what gives him the height over Raph, if he didn’t have the long neck, he’d be the second tallest. - Longer snoot, not always able to see on forward facing shots cuz of perspective. His brothers always boop it, and when they first started doing so it annoyed him to all hell and back, but he’s used to it now.      - Sometimes presses his nose against his brothers, Splinter, or April, to show his affection (Kinda like a headbutt...kinda.) - He often paints his nails, usually purple, or black. But he’s painted them other colors, usually they would be some variant of blue, orange, or red. - Alright, I saw a post...pin thing on Pinterest, and it was where Leo and Donnie had heterochromia, and shared one of the colors, and I absotively posilutely loved it. So yes, he has heterochromia, and shares the red with Leo.      - Also fucking Disaster Twins my beloveds. - Unable to control when his tail wags, but it usually happens when he’s working on something and it’s all coming together, when he’s proud of himself or others, or excited for something. - The fastest swimmer of all of them, and likes to swim, especially when he was younger. - Gamer Boi (yes I know this is technically canon, but.) He streams, and makes videos of him gaming, and there has been many Donnie rage compilations going around (totally not made by Leo) - When he was younger he rarely spoke, and when he did everyone made sure to be quiet and let him do so. - When he gets really overwhelmed, he rarely speaks, or goes completely non-verbal. - Is the second best artist, he needs to be able to draw up designs for his tech, this is one of the main ways that him and Mikey bond. This also is a way that he can communicate if goes non-verbal. - Huge horror fan, especially in game form, but still absolutely gets scared. But that’s the point of it. - Overworks himself, and stays up very late. He has insomnia, but doesn’t always do anything to help with it.       - Splinter has gotten him melatonin gummies, that are safe for Donnie to consume, and he has them in a drawer by his bed. (It’s still a little more than half full.) He only eats them if he’s unable to sleep when he’s already in bed. - He is genuinely great with kids, but claims to not like them. He has said this while a kid was doing it’s damnedest to use Donnie as a jungle-gym, and he did pretty much nothing to stop it.      - Like; April: Donnie, you should come help me with work at *insert random restaurant that is catered to kids*, it’ll be fun.        Donnie (letting a kid mess with his claws): Now why would I do that? I don’t like kids.        April: You’re-but. EH?! - He is the older twin, and has used it to his advantages against Leo. He’s like two minutes older. - For as much as he likes pizza, his favorite food is actually ramen, especially seafood ramen. He knows all of the ramen places in New York, and has them labeled from best to worst. (He cries a little inside whenever he sees that the top most best place is closed.) - Knows all new slang, but chooses to not say it, or claims to say it ironically. Also has more than likely created a new slang word without knowing. - Woops ass in Mario Kart, and always plays as Bowser. Claims he’s the best character to play as because of his high speed stats, even if he has a lower acceleration stat. - Honestly to me, this guy is Demisexual/romantic, he’s gotta be able to trust and feel trust before making any claims about a relationship. - Genderfluid, most often he feels like he’s a guy, and uses he/him pronouns. - Also wears contacts, and if he doesn't have any (even though he typically always keeps a good stock of them,) he wears glasses. - Connecting the 7th and 11th lil hc thing, Donnie does not stream or record videos of himself playing horror games, because he knows that his brothers will see them, and he doesn’t want his videos to be the source of any of their nightmares.

(Imma more than likely just add onto this when I think of more shit to add. This is mainly because I posted this at 4 am, and I was really tired, and so now that I’m more awake I’m thinking of other things to add.)

[arsenicflame]

what should i do with my robe fabric? an uncomfortably long write up and a poll (since i have polls now)

id really appreciate if you could take the time to give some input, even if you dont read all my writing and just skip to the voting! the writing is mostly me explaining my ideas, buf you can totally skim it and get the idea

the fabric is here, so its time to plan

i think im down to two main options, screen accurate robe or a historically accurate one- accurate is a general term here, ultimately ill do what i want with little care for being exact, but as an overview, thats the idea split. there was a fleeting idea i might do some other style of robe, but i never found anything i exactly vibed with (if you wanna vanilla extract it though, feel free to drop other suggestions in the replies)

screen accurate (SA)

a lot of my information for this comes from this blog post, its excellent research and covers just about everything. honestly theres not much i can say that isn't already written on there, and anyway, its the robe. you know the robe.

its necessary to note at this point i already plan to stray a little from screen accuracy on my lining. the SA lining is quite a vibrant pink, but to compliment my personal wardrobe more, im learning towards a dusky pink or almost maroon colour (im visualising the robe fabric background colour but a little darker, but itll depend on what i can actually find in my local shop)

this one will also require buying another fabric on top of the lining (an orange for the piping) and making or sourcing tassels if i decide to have them (up in the air as i am bound to catch them on things)

a big appeal to this version for me is the box pleat in the back- it allows for more volume, more movement, while still sitting right and keeping the silhouette. i do like volume in my garments

its probably a more technical build than a HA one, just on the neck binding and kinomo sleeves, but it should still be pretty straight forward

historically accurate (HA)

historically, the SA version seems to be based on wrapping gowns. a very simple construction, cut all in one big length (though, as on the SA i would have a seam at the shoulder so the print isn't upside down) this image gives both a good idea of pattern and silhouette

the wrapping gown is generally quite a loose fitting garment, and is very simple in its cutting. its all straight lines, and all triangles and rectangles. theres a couple of different options in the cutting, but im thinking as flared as i can make it (with or without piecing) at the hem, and also maybe some flare on the cutting of the sleeve to make it wider at the wrist without affecting mobility

wrapping gowns do typically have a small collar up near the neck, similar to the way the SA one is, but it only wraps around a short distance, not to halfway down the body as the SA does

this is obviously a much easier pattern, in my research ive seen people complete this in a day. my main concerns for me personally are in the flare and in the fit. i like a good swoosh and im not sure that ill get that in this (but not certain. some look quite full).

while it is designed to be an unfitted garment, it still has some fitting. im a little concerned that to give myself enough room around the chest i will end up with quite a dropped shoulder (shoulder seam sitting down the arm) and im not a huge fan of that. these are all things id figure out in a mockup, but it has me hesitating to go that way

here are some research links, if you care to read a bit more

video by nicole rudolph, wrapping gown talk starts at 18:27

the difference between banyan and wrapping gown

pinterest board with various historical pictures

a sort of tldr;

heres a basic look at what the patterns look like. as you can see the HA one is far more simplistic in shape

if youve been following any of my sewing projects youll know i have a tendency to make things take far longer than they really need to, so obviously a simpler garment that uses mostly techniques i already know is a huge appeal rather than a far more complicated and out of my comfort zone project. but i have concerns about the fit of the HA, and there is just something so appealing to making the SA version....

obviously. whichever path i pick i have a lot more research to do, and with OFMD now being on iplayer ill definitely be watching the episodes it appears in the get a better idea of how it should sit myself.... but for now

[thatbanditqueen]

I will say this; when it comes to the Memphis Mafia, always beware of what the "boys" say. I take their stories with a grain of salt. According to a 2008 article,

"One would think that the various members of Elvis’ entourage, having worked and socialized closely with him for years, would be convincing sources of information. However, over the years several of the “boys” have proved themselves far from reliable when recalling their times with Elvis. Back in 1977, Red West, Sonny West, and Dave Hebler’s book, Elvis: What Happened?, was filled with bias and inaccuracies, Lamar Fike was a main conduit of misinformation for Albert Goodman’s deeply flawed 1981 Elvis biography, and Byron Raphael’s article about Elvis’ sex life in a 2005 issue of Playboy is completely spurious.

Of course, not all those close to Elvis have proved unreliable. Joe Esposito and Jerry Schilling are two who seem to have told their stories about Elvis with honesty and balance. The lesson here is that when reading these “I-was-there-books,” the reader must keep an open mind when it comes to accuracy, honesty, and bias.

In the end, I’m not suggesting we should all be cynical about everything that has been and will be written about Elvis. And I don’t think there is anything to be gained by arguing over isolated facts. However, the legacy of Elvis should be important to all of his fans. And if it takes setting the record straight once in awhile, then sign me up for the crusade."

This is a really good point and is well taken, thank you Nonnie. Thanks for taking the time to write to me, and I agree, history is always constructed refractions of what happened, and is shaped by the bias and agendas and axes that those who are left have to grind. This whole story about the girl in Palm Springs definitely shows this, and its actually been a really good lesson for me in soooo many ways. As a fan, as a citizen of tumblr, as a historian (I'm going to go ahead and claim that everyone in the EP fan community is a historian because we are all shifting through traces of the past to access him). I think you really pushed me to reconsider how I am evaluating the traces of Elvis that I grasp at here and elsewhere.

I was thinking to myself, should I take the passage I copied from Alana Nash's book Elvis and the Memphis Mafia down? I mean, I put it up in a bit of a hurry in-between meetings at work and I didn't really have time to edit or respond. I also didn't really think twice, I was just responding to an ask about a conversation on another post. And the truth is that the first version, where I quote the book, gave incorrect information, and ts veracity is impossible to conclusively prove.

But I've decided to leave it up, because I love the discussion that followed and that is now a part of that post. I am relatively new to active fandom, and I am learning everyday. That whole discussion shows how fans need to be aware of references that are questionable, as well as those that are not, because it becomes part of our shared understanding and useful for how we elevate the stories we encounter about Elvis. The thing I love about tumblr is how random artifacts circulate with stories about specific incidents, because I learn alot this way and I love when something pops up. But I also cannot tell you how often I wish they had a date or a source or more information. I also can't tell you how much I wish there was a pinterest tumblr integration that was easier than me creating pins over there for posts but that is a whole other post....

What books or interviews or websites have you found the most useful for learning about Elvis? I guess I put that question to everyone reading this.

thanks for your insightful advice and for discussing this important topic with me!!

xoxox

norAHHHHHH

this is my elvis history is hard work face v

[echovale052]

How do u find outfits for ur ocs + characters in general??

Hi anon! This is great question and usually I tend to wing it and throw aesthetics into a Pinterest board until I have a solid grasp on the character, because I’m gonna be honest I have no idea what I’m doing either.

Recently though, I’ve been putting more thought into characters fashion and how it’ll tie into their personality, and apply to the world building. Drawing all of that is a different story. 💀

I try to decide a motif for them in a few different categories;

- Color: Get a general color palette for their body and features, and then I have to decide whether they are the type to wear bold colors, what purpose these clothes serve to them, and how much that fashion/material matters to the character.

- Symbols: So for example with Emile, their listener is named Ace, so I’ve picked out the Ace of Spades for them to use in like jewelry and statement pieces.

- Repeating symbols: If a character is the type to wear patterns or have things that require small details; For example, Rowan, she uses a lot of spirals and so there should be that in her hair, in the hems of her dresses and aprons and stuff like that.

- Contrasting colors: it’s very important (for me at least) to have at least an idea of what colors contrast well with their physical features in order to create a good outfit.

-Silhouette is also a good thing to consider but I don’t consider it too often, or as much as I should 👀

Main colors, Main symbols/Statement pieces, smaller repeating symbols, Contrasting colors, and silhouette.

Just search, “different types of *insert clothing piece you’re looking for* chart” and that pulls up a lot of different patterns and things. :) 👍 (not my images, they’re from Pinterest so I’ll link them but I’m not sure they’re the original source :/)

Image 1

Image 2

[sexybabystevie]

i kinda want to get back into writing again, only im not exactly sure how if we're being honest. it's been so long and so much has happened i feel like i've lost the ability to do it. or the idea of writing feels so- distant. any tips on how to get back into it?

hi anon! i absolutely want to say that feeling this way is totally okay and valid! i feel like this a little bit currently, and it is pretty hard to stop feeling this way and to get out of that slump. however, i do think i can give you some tips!

also, i just want to say that it's totally okay if you don't want to write anymore, or if your mental wellbeing comes first. sometimes we get overwhelmed by what we feel we should be doing, and it's hard to just enjoy our old hobbies like we used to. if that's the case, taking a break can be good, but you can also use writing to try and cope with what's going on. (i do this a lot. you don't necessarily have to write about your situation, but you can do that if you want! i write very similar situations with some of my favorite characters - or sometimes i become a little evil and write pure angst to get through it. it helps!)

anyway, back to the tips!

1.) READ. i know this sounds a little silly, but sometimes we lose touch of how much we enjoy fics and literature because we don't have the time to enjoy others' works! reading your own share of fics can totally help, but it's okay if that doesn't apply to you or if it doesn't help at all. i become inspired by others frequently, so it's something that can assist me at times!

2.) try not to stress about it. i know this one is hard, but when we place a lot of pressure on ourselves to write perfectly, to have amazing works out to our followers all of the time, it really drains us of our drive and our inspiration, and it makes writing seem like a chore rather than something we're meant to enjoy.

3.) start out small. basically, try not to rush yourself into writing huge fics again. it's okay to do little blurbs or shorter one shots to get back into the groove of things.

4.) if you do have an idea that really inspires you, go for it! when i come up with an idea i absolutely love, sometimes the words are just easier to write, and i stress less about how im doing and have more fun! if you can do this, i totally suggest trying it!

5.) if you don't have any ideas, try pinterest or other sources. i have a boad on pinterest that's strictly writing prompts, and it's a great source for inspo and knowledge about writing! i know a lot of writing blogs exist on tumblr as well, so using those can be of great help too.

6.) check in with where your interests lie. this may sound strange, but part of the issue could be that you're trying to force yourself to write for characters or a series you no longer are passionate about (or are as passionate as you used to be). this is totally fine! maybe explore some new forms of media to write for, and incorporate that into your blog! (and don't stress, i find that the desire to write for certain series or media can come back in time! especially when/if you suddenly get more content for it!)

7.) if you're swamped with other things, don't force it! try not to stress even more about making your followes happy by giving them content. trust me when i say most of us would rather you enjoy what you post rather than feeling obligated to stress over something entirely and then post it. your health and happiness comes first, and when those needs are met it's so much easier to get back into the swing of things!

these are the main things that help me, i'm sure there are more but my brain isn't really working all that well right now. regardless, i hope that this helps you out anon! sending you so much love and positivity, you got this! <333

[bisluthq]

Not the swiftologist 😭 that guy changed his mind everyday. One day he says that Taylor has been pining after Matty for 9 years and that she’ll never be over him as TTPD shows and the next he’s widows on main 😭 not to be rude or anything because I know only what is public knowledge, but it’s getting a tad repetitive how everyone claims to Know Taylor’s thoughts and feelings based on sleuthing online or “inner sources” when most likely the people that knew her deepest thoughts were like 5 and also what’s on the internet isn’t entirely reflective of what goes on in someone’s priv life

this is what I’m saying - especially re internet sleuthing. What internet sleuthing can dredge up is stuff that these people are okay with publicly sharing. So for example we know Taylor and Joe lived together until the end and we know they were looking at a place to buy because records have shown that so yes it’s not shocking that they shared Pinterest boards with each other and with their decorators. That doesn’t speak to what went on behind closed doors. It does challenge people who claim they were long broken up or The Contract type people but tbh reality should do that anyway and it doesn’t actually tell us anything more. People can find things online when these things aren’t especially secret. Our innermost thoughts generally are.

Idk, I’m very unfiltered here so technically if a person who knows me found this blog and connected it back to me, which is doable if you sleuthed real hard, they’d find out some stuff that I might not share randomly like at work or with casual friends or whatever. They’re still not gonna find out like my innermost thoughts or even things I’ve told my closest friends/bf in confidence and certainly not things they’ve told me in confidence. And that’s an unfiltered storytime blog. My Pinterest would give people even less to fucking go on lol.

[galatially]

hey, y'all!

my name's kendra michelle, i'm twenty-seven, and i'm your resident taurus sun, virgo moon, and capricorn rising (god save us all lol)! i've been on this hellsite as a reader since 2008 but have since decided to become a writer so, again, god save us all. i'm black, my pronouns are she/her, and i'm always down for nicknames (but don't be ignorant).

spotify | discord | pinterest | library | donate to my ko-fi | ao3

❝𝐑𝐔𝐋𝐄𝐒 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐌𝐘 𝐁𝐋𝐎𝐆❞

disclaimer: all of my works are fiction; i don't own any of the characters or their respective franchises (marvel, dc, etc.) and all of my main characters are black and afab unless stated otherwise. conversely, all of my descriptions of said characters that aren't mine will be comic or source material accurate

having been on this site as long as i have, i've seen some pretty horrific treatment of creators here. so these are my stipulations:

● i block blank and ageless bios; no ifs, and, or buts. i post and interact with content that isn't for minors and don't feel comfortable with minors interacting with me and my content. even if you have an age in your bio with no picture, i'm still wary and will still block you

● i work full-time so i don't have a posting or updating schedule and i don't take kindly to harassment or people coming into my inbox asking me to update my fics

● i do not tolerate hate speech in any capacity. and if you're coming to this page — the page of a queer, black woman — and decide to disrespect me, you will be blocked

● you are in charge of your own media consumption — you, not me or any other creator on this site. i make sure that the warnings of my fics are at the forefront and are always present. that being said, i and many of the fics that i recommend can and will contain dark content so read the content warnings

● i do not condone the reposting or sharing of my works on sites other than tumblr and will take action should it be brought to my attention

[lesbianstarlightglimmer]

night

[writing-with-olive]

How to write essays fast

I've been writing a lot of papers, so that's what's on my mind.

So this mostly applies to your standard 5-paragraph paper, though it's fairly straightforward to adapt it to longer (or sometimes shorter) assignments.

One of the main things to note is that essays are VERY formulaic, so knowing the formula and being able to write down your ideas in a way that fit into the formula is probably the number one way to get stuff done fast. Because of that, most of what I’m covering is breaking down the formulas so they’re more accessable.

Also this got very long. If there’s anything you want me to expand on just let me know in the comments or send me an ask/DM and I’ll make another post that goes more in-depth about it.

Structure (I hate this step, so I’ve figured out how to do it very fast becuase it’s still important)

The first thing to consider is prewriting and structure. To start, there are two major paper structures I usually consider. The first goes

Introduction

Main point #1

Main point #2

Main point #3

Conclusion

This is good if you have a lot to say on the topic, or if it's something closer to a summary essay where there's not really an opposing side. In something where there are distinct sides, (or if you have less to say to support your own side), you may want something that looks like

Introduction

Main point #1

Main point #2

Why the other side is wrong

Conclusion

The "why the other side is wrong" side is involves thinking through the MOST credible arguments the other side might make, and methodically breaking them down to show how they don't work. The stronger the argument you choose, the more effective this is.

Since I personally hate prewriting with a passion, I usually do this step very fast and end up with an outline that looks like

Intro [insert thesis statement]

P1: [three word summary]

P2: [three word summary]

P3: [three word summary]

Conclusion

(thesis statement, introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion tips are all below the cut)

Usually, this is enough so when I look at my outline, I can see what I'm trying to focus on for each paragraph - and do so without straying from my main point.

For the prewriting, the main things to do are identify with basic structure of the two will serve your purposes better, and write a thesis statement that solidly supports your argument.

Thesis Statement

There are so many guides about creating thesis statements that are powerful, but I'm just going to quickly go over how to be fast about it.

The first thing to know is that a thesis statement is usually a complex sentence: it's your entire essay distilled down to a single line. The general formula I follow goes something like this:

"In their [media type] [name of specific piece], [creator's full name] explored/demonstrated/other verb [theme you're going to be arguing about] demonstrated/using/as evidenced/as shown by [example 1], [example 2], and [optional example 3]."

For example, a thesis statement that follows this format might go

“In his short film Job at Place, David Davidson explored the manifestations of human stupidity through the absurdity of the main character’s home, school, and office.”

Or, if you're writing a historical piece, it might look something like this:

"In [place/time period], [thing you're arguing was happening]: they had to/the conditions were such that/other thing to set up a list [example 1], [example 2], and [example 3]."

For example, a thesis statement that follows this format might go

“During the Tusken Invasion of 32nd century Tatooine, it was the lives of the children that were most affected, from their social development and connections with others to more personal struggles they didn’t yet have the tools to overcome.”

The examples you give are going to correlate to your paragraphs - example 1 is for body paragraph 1, and so on. 

Introduction

I like to think of the introduction as a funnel that gets more and more specific.

First, write a broad statement that touches on whatever theme you’re referencing. 

Job at Place is about human stupidity, so something like “while great minds have flourished throughout the ages, so have the not-so-great.”

Tatooine is about war, and about child development, so something like “children’s development has always been impacted by the state of the world around them.” or “war has many effects, many of which impact those not directly involved with the conflict.”

The idea is that it’s a broad statement that can almost be looked at like a universal truth.

Next, you’re going to go deeper - two sentences that narrow down the time and place you’re talking about specifically, and how that time and place fit into your universal statement. 

The fourth sentence gets even more specific - introducing how the thesis sentence fits into your first three sentences.

Then the last line is your thesis statements. 

Body Paragraphs

Your three main body paragraphs all follow the same formula. (I’ll get to the “why the other side is wrong” paragraph in a minute)

The first sentence you’re going to want is a topic sentence. For this, you’re going to want to look at the example you gave in your thesis statement that corresponds to this paragraph, and see how it relates to your central claim. 

If we’re going with the Job at Place example from above, for the second paragraph, you might open with a line like:

“A striking characteristic of Davidson’s short film was the abnormality of the main character’s school, used to showcase exactly what happens when poor decisions get taken too far.”

Everything within the paragraph will then back up the claim you’re making in the topic sentence (which in turn is backing up your thesis). 

For each paragraph, you’re probably going to want about three pieces of evidence, either in the form of direct quotes (plucking words directly from the source) or paraphrased quotes (summarizing what happened in your own words). The quote should be used to directly support your argument.

After each piece of evidence, you’re going to want about... twoish lines of analysis (this number can change as you need it to, but two lines is something solid to fall back to). 

While analysis can take all kinds of forms, one pattern you can use if you’re stuck is

evidence sentence 

what it means

how that meaning ties back into your main point

Following this pattern, a piece of analysis of Job at Place might look like:

“One of the first images of the private school is that it’s a tall spire with creaking stairs and loose floorboards. Despite this, the principal has eight personal cars parked outside on full display. While the first glimpse of the school might indicate that there is little money to care for the structural integrity, the notion is directly negated by the principal’s actions. By using these two images, Davidson demonstrates what can happen to the youth when those in power let greed carry them away.”

After you write your analysis, include some kind of transition phrase, and go onto the next piece of evidence.

The last line of your paragraph is going to transition into the next paragraph while also summing up the main point of what you talked about in the current one. (This line can also get moved down and tacked onto the beginning of the next paragraph, before the topic sentence, but I have found it tends to look less cohesive that way).

You might choose something like:

“While the school was a disaster in its own right, it wasn’t the only example of human folly.”

If you’re writing a “this is why the other side is wrong” you’re going to want to think about the MOST compelling arguments the other side could make. Take the top one (or two), and figure out ways to crack them apart using evidence from your source material.

In this case, your topic sentence might start off with something like

“While opponents might say [insert compelling counterargument], their reasoning breaks down when one takes into account the evidence.”

At this point, you’re going to follow the same formula as above. The main thing to keep in mind is that for the duration of this paragraph, your point is that the other side’s claim of X is wrong.

Conclusion!

If you know what you’re doing, this is actually the easiest part.

(wait, what??????)

The thing is, you NEVER want to introduce new ideas into your conclusion. Instead, you’re summarizing your main points.

The formula I follow per sentence is:

Thesis statement but reworded (you can change the sentence structure too)

Topic sentence for paragraph 2 or 3, but reworded (I’ll explain why you shouldn’t do the sentence for P1 in just a sec)

Topic sentence for paragraph 1 or 3 but reworded

Topic sentence for paragraph 1 or 2 but reworded

Wow sentence or question (i’ll get to this too)

The idea for the middle three sentences is you don’t want them to read as repetitive, so you’re going to mix up the order so it doesn’t match the order of the rest of the essay. This will help to keep it fresh.

The wow sentence is basically the last impression you get to make. I find it’s usually a good idea to go just a tad dramatic (it sounds dumb, but it has never failed me). If I can’t think of anything, a declarative statement on whatever major theme was being discussed throughout the essay usually does the trick.

Examples:

All of this shows that in the absence of friendships and platonic love, humanity will falter.

Fiction may seem far fetched now, but if the world falls into those same mistakes, it’s only a matter of time until it becomes a reality.

Art has existed for as long as humans have populated the earth; it’s not going away any time soon.

A lesson everyone must understand is the most powerful weapon isn’t anything physical or tangeable: it’s the ideas that exist in the minds of those who care.

(I told you they were going to be dramatic) A way I look at it is if you can’t imagine dropping the mic on the last line, it needs to be stronger (yes I found that plagiarized with not even a whisper of credit on Pinterest, but it works).

If you wrote a SOLID essay, consider ending with a question aimed at the reader (this will push your essay in the direction of either the positive or negative extreme: a strong essay will become stronger, a weak essay will become weaker). Questions can be a call to action or rhetorical as a means to drive home your final point. Becuase they’re more nuanced to the content of the essay, I don’t really have great examples to give you though (sorry).

Hopefully this is useful to at least some of you - good luck!

++++

Tagging:@candlemouse

If you want to be added to or removed from any of my taglists (found pinned to the top of my blog) just let me know :)