#tagging for exposure bc i want this tip to get out it helped me a lot

[labmousegirl]

are you disabled or suffer from other chronic conditions that often leave you bed bound? do you often feel like you’re in the “damn bitch you live like this?” meme because cleaning is too exhausting?

my protip is get yourself one of THESE bad boys and hang it by your bed

it’s an over the door shoe rack and the pockets are perfect for holding a lot of household objects.

you can use the pockets to store trash, snacks, meds, and water bottles. if you worry about hygiene, you can also keep some for dry shampoo, deodorant, body wipes, clean undergarments, or toothbrush materials. on good days, you can clean it out and restock it, or have someone else help you. on bad days, you won’t have to worry about getting food and you’ll be able to feel a little better about hygiene.

it’s also really great if you want to keep your hobbies close by!! i can often only work on my bed, and then i have to worry about putting everything away if i have to lay down. if it’s a hobby that has materials that can be stored in the pockets, it can feel more accessible to jump in and out of and take less spoons to set/clean up.

[murdrdocs]

i need advice on how to grow with my writing on here because i feel like no one wants to read my work :,(

- 🔮

okay first thing, it's all abt appearance. i will read a fic that has a good format before i read one that doesn't (look at @aweina's formatting for example its so pleasing on the eyes omg). so as for getting people to read it, just format it clearly. also make sure you're tagging specifically but not obnoxiously (i personally hate when ppl clog tags ? like if it's a mike fic dont tag vanessa and vice versa).

and i have a couple of posts abt advice for writing in general! i've said it once, and i'll say it again: the biggest tip i can give at any time is legit just to write. even if its shitty, just write for the hell of it. think of it like running? you'll only get better at running if you run, even if it's a hard run and you feel like shit and like you're not making any progress. you are.

and eventually, someone will reblog it (they should ... reblog things ppl) and that helps with your exposure! but trust me, someone out there will want to read it. for example, i write some weird shit that i feel like ppl wont like and then they do ?? for some reason ?? and sometimes i write sickly sweet fluff and i feel like since my audience is mostly smut ppl won't read it but they do! so there's always gonna be an audience out there you just have to trust that they'll find it !!

advice post 1 advice post 2

edit: also!! i didn't plan for my page to get this big or anything it just happened solely bc i hop between fandoms when its hot and that's also not on purpose so dont force it !! you'll build a community that u like with time :)

(remember i started this blog december of 2021 i think ?? so this is 2 yrs and many fandoms of progress)

[caroldantops]

hey! im quite new here and i have seen a lot of talk about readers interactions and i was wondering what is the best way to support my favorite writers (like you) because i think i have been doing this wrong and i really want to support writers who do this<3 ps. sorry if that was confusing, english isnt my first language

not confusing at all babes! you're 100% clear.

also can i just say, i very much appreciate you asking this. i would much rather more people speak up and be like "hey, we dont know the best way to support our favorite writers so how can we?" other than just. Not Knowing and Not Doing Anything.

so, im going to speak from my own personal experience but also what ive seen many of my mutuals/writers i follow talk about. this might get a little long but i wanna answer as thoroughly as i can because people should know!

im putting it under a read more because it got hella long, but please i encourage everyone who reads fics but don't interact to read and consider these things.

fellow writers i encourage you to reblog and add any other commentary you think is helpful!

before anything else (this is absolutely not directed at you, anon, you're perfect), i just want to get this out of the way. never come to a writer's blog and get angry with them for complaining about lack of engagement. like jesus christ. writers are putting hours of work on tumblr for you for free. the least we ask is for comments and reblogs. that's it. if you go and act shitty towards writers who ask for more engagement, yet still follow and wait for the next fic, like what are you even doing bro. just stop.

anyway. now let's get to the actual question!

basically all writers on tumblr will agree, reblogs are vital. and i feel like that gets said a lot but maybe people dont actually understand how impactful it is so lemme give an example.

so let's say hypothetically i have 100 followers. that is 100 potential people who see a fic that i post (i say potential because timezones exist so you might not see it as it's posted)

and let's say one of my followers (Person A) reblogs it, and they have 50 followers. that's 50 more people that can read the fic.

and let's say Person B followers Person A and they also reblog it to their 50 followers.

with only two people reblogging a fic, that's already doubling the number of people who have read the fic.

now imagine Person C followers Person A and reblogs the fic, and Person C has like, 1,000 followers. that's so much more exposure for the writer.

and that's only from two followers of the writer. so imagine if all 100 that read the fic reblogged it? the numbers skyrocket at an exponential rate.

plus, more people reading means that the writer could get more people follow them. so they get a more consistent audience.

likes, on the other hand, do not guarantee this exposure. i would say that most people don't have their likes public on tumblr. and also, even if they do, i know that I'm not about to scroll through people's likes rather than scrolling thru their blogs. likes up the notes, and that's about it. of course i understand liking a fic so you can come back to it later, i do that all the time. but if I've liked a fic, i always reblog it once I've read it.

now, say you're reading hardcore smut that you might not want on your main blog for whatever reason, so that's why you don't reblog a fic. look, i get it. sometimes irl people follow your blog, or sometimes you just don't want people to know what you're getting up to. but that's why i made a sideblog specifically for fics.

this entire blog BEGAN as a way for me to reblog fics i liked. and then it grew and grew and grew into all this. not saying that you have to start writing if you do that of course, but i guarantee, i'd rather see a small sideblog blog with like 3 followers reblog my fic than a blog just like the fic and leave. because that's still 3 more people who will see my fic and possibly read it and reblog it. 3 is better than none.

comments. reblogs are important, but comments are really what keep writers writing. they inspire us with new ideas, help figure out what it is that people enjoy from us, help us improve our writing, and most importantly, they make us feel good. and like writing and posting is worth it.

now, i know that sometimes it can feel awkward reblogging with a comment directly on the post. i even usually don't do that unless it's with a friend. but here are some alternatives/tips!

send an ask or DM! if you're really intimidated, sending an anonymous message is by far the easiest way to bypass that awkwardness.

write in the tags!! i cannot express this enough. comment in the tags. ramble about the fic. just put three tags worth of screaming. literally ANY comments in the tags are my favorite thing. i promise you that writers will scroll thru like basically every tag.

also, if they post it on both tumblr and ao3, don't feel weird about giving a little comment on both! i do that all the time. you can even be like 'hey i read this on tumblr first but wanted to say again how much i enjoyed it' and that is like, heart burstingly nice to hear.

also, if you're having trouble coming up with something to say, my like top commenting tip as both a writer and a reader is point out something specific that you like about the fic. when i comment on a fic (this is moreso when i comment on ao3 bc my comments are always longer there) i try to point out a particular line i like. literally if you just copy and paste it and go 'wow i really really like this line especially' that is the number one way to a writer's heart. seriously. it's the simplest thing, but it makes SUCH an impact.

however, if your comments are only asking for more fics, then that's not a comment, that's a request (which not all writers take).

saying something like 'hey i loved this fic a lot! if you have more in store for this in the future, i'd be really excited to read it!' is a million times better than 'will you do a part 2'. i know they don't sound that different, but i promise you that the tone makes a big difference.

(i honestly have more thoughts about good ways to get over commenting fear/know what exactly to comment that doesn't feel generic, so if people would like me to make another post about it i'd do it.)

and last but not least, if the writer has a way to donate, like a ko-fi, that always is so appreciated. of course, take care of yourself first, but if you have a few bucks and wanna show some support to your faves, that's a great way to help :)

oh! also, if the writer ever reblogs those little ask game things, just send them something! engagement outside of writing is also so much appreciated.

i think that's about everything i can think of! i hope this is helpful and that my explanations weren't confusing (if i need to clarify anything let me know). and again, thank you so much for asking! even doing that shows that you're a reader who cares, and that means the world ❤

[one-leaf-grimoire]

this isn’t really like, like BC ask, but do you have tips for how to grow my blog? 🥺

Hey there, sure, I have a few tips! They worked for me so hopefully it works for you as well!

1. Be consistent- I don’t know what kind of blog you have, but whether it’s art, writing, or just blogging, make sure to have a steady stream of content coming out! This can be hard to do if you have a busy life irl, but I found that followers like blogs that have lots of new material coming out of it. If you can’t make your own content atm, make sure to reblog things and add your thoughts on it!

2. Tag things correctly- This is important for exposure. When I first joined the BC community, I made sure to tag “black clover” on everything, as well as tag any characters in my posts. Also, using any form of the tag “nsfw” or “smut” will usually get your post kicked out of the BC tag search results, so I came up with the tag “spicy” for my nsfw content.

3. Interact with your followers- I feel like this is a big one! It’s a lot of fun, too. Interacting with your followers via the inbox, reblogs, etc can foster a welcoming atmosphere on your blog that people will want to be a part of. I’ve even become /sort of/ friends with some of my followers, which helps exposure because we reblog each other’s stuff and tag each other on posts!

Those are the three main tips that I stick to when running my blog, and I’m nearly to 350 followers which is about as much as a BC blog can expect I think lol. Good luck, if you ever want a shoutout lmk!!

[officialjimmybuffett]

hi! how do you grow followers and ‘support’ as a writeblr? i regularly reblog tips and other ppl’s works but i don’t get much interaction on my wip posts. i know this question probably sounds rly needy and silly but i’ve been here for a few months now and i’m just wondering if i’m doing anything wrong. i have nearly 200 followers but my original posts are kinda neglected lol. you’re blog is amazing btw, riptide is incredible and i’m in love. thank you for reading my ask. have a good day ☺️💞💖

aww thank you anon!!!! and!!!! your question is Not Needy nor Silly it is Valid!!!

building a platform is hard because you’re relying on others. a long standing problem on tumblr (and any social media rlly) is that people will!! not!!! reblog or share stuff!!!! the like to reblog ratio is,,,, frustrating

but enough on that :)

best thing you can do is make both a blog intro post and wip intro post!! those types of posts are great for finding people who are genuinely interested in your blog and your projects. if you need help or inspiration for making these posts there are tons of tags you can look through and i’m always willing to help!!!!

another thing is to be active in the community!! you can’t expect your original posts to get tons of notes if you don’t support other’s original content too!!!! we as creators need to help each other get exposure and encourage each other!! and please please please dont be afraid to read out to others! ive made some really great friends on writeblr by simply sending an ask or rbing their work!!

another part about being active in the community is to join discord servers and “writeblr families”.  you’ll be able to connect with writers and get yourself out there!!!

all in all, it’s about patience and consistency.  trust me, i know its frustrating, but you will grow your platform!!! you will!!!!

(also you’re so sweet and i’d love to support you so dm me bc i! want!! to check!! out your works!)

[seraphinaleon]

Soft Q&A

Tagged by @char-thenerd 💕

Rules: Answer the soft Q&A's and tag your five most recent followers and three of your biggest fans.

What's the smell of your favorite shampoo?

My favorite shampoo is a pantene shampoo so idk man. 😂

What's your aesthetic?

Pretty journals. Roses. Puppies. Cats. Big bad wolf. Lavenders and black roses. Loud rock and metal music. Loud kpop music. Tattoos. Gummy bears and cola cans. Crying in the corner where no one can see your true pain. Sunrise over a graveyard. Ocean waves with a mermaid's tail. Colorful hearing aids.

What's your favorite time of the day and why?

6AM because of the sunrise.

What do you like the most about the beach?

Riding the waves without a board to use.

What do you worry about constantly?

My anxiety and depression. Also my dreams. I don't want my mental illnesses to take anything else from me. I'm worried I lost one of my biggest dreams bc of them. I worried that with every dream I want to achieve that I won't be able to in what's left of my life.

What is a song you've cried to before?

Hold on by Jonas Brothers.

Here I Am by Renee Sandstrom.

Hikikomori by Yongguk.

My Immortal by Evanescence.

Who Knew by P!nk.

Fucking Perfect by P!nk.

Tomorrow by BTS.

Reflection by RM.

I could go on for days tbh.

What are some relaxing tips for your followers?

If you have a dilemma I would suggest talking to someone you trust or to someone you know won't judge on anon if you fear exposure. Listen to music that helps you cry and turn your mind to realize the real reason you are crying something out. Allow yourself to know it is not irrelevant to cry over anything small or big. Also watch relaxing videos of someone you look up to. Or watch some comedy shows or movies that you like. (P.S this is stuff I do. It may not work for you but I do suggest trying some of these if you think it may help)

What are some things that make you tear up?

I don't think I've shared this quite yet expect to one girl on here (I think?). I've told y'all that I have an injury that is taking longer for me to get through because of my depression. How it happen was I got hit by a car. The injuries weren't bad but I am lucky to be alive. The trauma I suffered from the shock of it on top of some other things from my past and present have been causing alot of tears from this chick here. Also Hikikomori. I relate to that song with every fiber of my being. I never thought anyone could ever write a song that describes that part of me which is a huge part of me btw. Jonghyun's voice never fails to make me cry.

What is your favorite from each sense?

Sight- sunrise. Sunset. Paintings. Writings. Graveyards.

Smell-Lavender. Orange juice. Strawberry. My mother's perfume. My father's cologne. Japanese cherry blossom candles, perfumes etc. Fried chicken.

Taste-Fried Chicken. Orange juice. Strawberry banana smoothie. Fuego takis. Mushroom swiss burgers.

Sound- Music. Especially music where you can feel the emotions off of them. Got7 talking. B.A.P talking. Pinkett-Smith family during red table talk. Rain. Jonghyun's voice.

Touch- silky blankets. Skinship. Kisses especially. The feel of a new journal (I know this is weird but omg)

What's an alternative reality you'll like to live in?

One where my parents aren't addicts and I was never raped or verbally abused.

What are some troubles you face on a daily basis?

Right now? Getting through this injury while also fighting my depression. I'm trying to not become a shut in again.

What is one scene from a book that makes you really sad?

I don't remember a lot of from reading an actual book but one time I read this angsty story with Jongup where the reader was kidnapped and the kidnapper was going to rape her but Jongup saved the day and the happiness that the writer put in the relationship that was between Jongup and the reader made me cry.

Say something to your followers:

I know I don't actually have a lot of followers who actually care about this blog but to each and every one of you thank you. Please talk to me more I'm a lonely little chick over here. But if you don't want to I understand. I love y'all. Maybe once in a while some of you let me know how y'all doing? 😘

I tag:

Most recent followers:

@penmaries @rozegolden @eashmo201 @blueishbts @joanneology

Three biggest fans (I did this one without tagging those above again)

@kpopisthereasonihavenolife @hihello-youngk @tattooedbabymin

PLEASE DON'T FEEL PRESSURED TO DO THIS LOVELYS.

[trinkets-and-spirits]

Gettin’ to Know Me. 😉

Rules: Tag 5 witches you wish to get to know better. Repost—do not reblog.

How old are you? — 16. Whoa, shocking, right?

What do you go by? — Free, or Eph. I’m cool with either one.

How long have you been practising witchcraft? — I started practising witchcraft in February 2017, so a little under one year. However, I’ve been a strong believer of the Pagan Paths for a little while longer; as I’ve been following Norse Paganism since March 2016, but I’ve only recently started witchcraft. c:

What type of witchcraft do you specialise in? — Hmm, I’d probably say Hedge Witchcraft & Divination; as my path was built up onto the Hedge after I kept experiencing over-exposure to the other side, and I wanted to learn how to keep myself from being scared upon waking up & seeing the dead in my room. And divination, I’ve always been the sort to experience very specific Deja vu whilst asleep or lost in thought; but I never remembered it until doing the act, as any sorta typical Deja vu moment would do, until I had a very specific thought about one of my best friends—and low & behold, she experienced the thought detail for detail only a week or two later. So! Instead of freaking out alone, I took it upon myself to learn the beautiful art of divination; specifically dream & tarot. c:

What aspect of witchcraft are you best at? — Well, as stated above; I have an uncanny amount of luck with Hedge Witchcraft & Divination. However, I’ve noticed that I’m specifically fortunate with blessings; sigils; and warding magick. Crystals and anything to do with accent herbs or plants, too. I dunno, honestly.

What is a big goal you are working towards/have already achieved? — Hmm, I guess my big goal is to learn as much about witchcraft and the different paths that I can; for personal benefit, and to help teach others about the craft. And I’m not being specific about new/baby witchlings out there; I want to be able to express knowledge to those who are a little bit sceptical, or towards those who downright hate on witchcraft & practitioners, due to the old stories of Salem. Not that I believe that my word alone will change their frightened minds, but still! I’d love to learn all about witchcraft, because I find it interesting; and want to. c:

Who do you worship? If you worship anyone at all? — Well, I follow Norse & Celtic Paganism; though I do happen to follow Norse Paganism, predominantly, and I do believe in each & every single God/Goddess/Other of both religions. However, I tend to sit beneath Loki’s Hearth; and focus & follow on his teaching.

What’s your aesthetic? — Nature; trees, forest wildlife, owls, mountains, lakes. Although I’m a big fan of cemeteries & graveyards, too! I love reblogging scenes from cemeteries, or of singular graves in a beautiful scenery, or something! :3

What are some of your favourite smells? — Hmm...I really love the smell of firewood being burnt; or coal fires; or log burners. It just has one of those smells to it that makes me feel all happy & cosy, and I love passing by fields where the farmers are burning wood, or houses where someone has a fire going. Like yas.

Do you collect anything? — Jars, books, crystals, jewellery, owl ornaments, and plants. Although! I’ve recently started working on building a bone collection, for different practises that I have yet to dabble with directly, because...bones! c:

What are your favourite tools of witchcraft? — Crystals, tarot cards, sigils, and herbs. Sea salt mixed with some water is also a favourite, and incense! c: 

What’s a non-witchcraft pet peeve of yours? — Noisy eaters, or people moving my shit two inches to the side. Like, you’re ruining my aesthetic, stop it. Or, people who are just loud for no fucking reason; which makes it difficult to live in a bungalow with my mother...because she does all of these things. -_-

What’s a witchcraft pet peeve? — Well, I know I’m gonna get a lot of hate for this one: but I really hate the witches who try to make white witches feel like scum, in comparison to POC witches. I’m not talking about the witches who try to give everyone a fair chance to be recognised; and that book document going about where only POC witches are allowed to add their spells? I think that’s gr8. However, there’re certain witches on this site who behave as though white witches should be throwing down their hats, and proclaiming they’re bad people; specifically because of their skin tone—not because of anything they have very specific control over, like an argument that took a turn b/c they chose to let it. :/

Like, I’m sorry to all those tumblr witches who think that white people should be treated like scum, because our ancestors (and present assholes) treated POC like scum; but I don’t agree with you. And I’m not a straight white cis girl who is racist & privileged, so the fuck outta here with those anon hate comments; I’m fully for #BlackLivesMatter & the support for POC that has been rocketing recently, but I just don’t agree with the treatment that y’all are giving white folk. I mean, I’ve seen literal posts where witches are demanding that their followers don’t buy from small businesses (such as those on Etsy, etc.) if they’re run by white people, because “POC are more important.” Like sure, Barbara; but deliberately attempting to ruin people’s passions? That’s not a way to help the movement for equality go forwards; it’s discriminative in it’s own way, ya walnut.

Sorry, I went off on a rant. xD But might as well be detailed, so that I have something to reference, when all of the haters come & claim that I was shoving my opinion down their throats. I hope I was respectful as possible with my opinion, bc I honestly know that a lot of witches I follow are cool beans about white people & such; or at least don’t flat out try to run people outta business, and I really just wanted to state my opinion that my biggest pet peeves are the witches who try to ruin lives and slap “POC” onto it to make it seem justified. c:

Good advice not relating to witchcraft that you can give? — Okay, so there’s this Welsh folktale that I’ve been told since I was a little girl; called Gelert. It’s a very fascinating story, and I would recommend anyone to go read it, tbh. Anyway, it’s a story about this loyal dog to the Prince Llewellyn; who protects the Prince’s baby from a wolf that has been terrorising the countryside for the past couple of months, whilst his beloved owner is out hunting for the same creature. Llewellyn returns; and sees the room of his baby destroyed, blood on the blanket that had been in the crib, the baby missing—and Gelert laying on the floor, soaked with blood. Immediately, Llewellyn loses his shit & decapitates Gelert, without taking a moment to look around; and then...he hears his baby crying. He rounds the side of the tipped over crib, and finds his kid; and the body of a wolf mangled to pieces, and Llewellyn realises his mistake of decapitating Gelert, but now it’s too late, and his mistakes haunt him for the rest of his days. He buried his most trustworthy companion, and placed a stone on his grave, and blah blah.

Anyway, my advice is to keep a level head in situations that you might find emotionally distressful. Don’t act on your first emotion, because you might end up causing more hurt than relief. Look at the situation; look at every possible angle, and once you’ve done that, make a decision that will benefit everyone. c:

Do you have any good advice pertaining to witchcraft that you can give?— Not really. The only advice I can hand is to question everything; never give up on researching things, even if you stumble across a blog that seems to be legit AF with their fancy spells & recipes, always double check; always triple check; check until you’re 100% certain that the magic you’re thinking of performing isn’t harmful towards you or your surroundings. Also, don’t allow others to declare to you what makes a real witch, or any of that shit; we’re all individuals—so own it.

Do you have a familiar? — Yes, I do! n w n My deceased cat was my beloved familiar when he was alive, and it would seem that he’s not straying too far into the afterlife, as he is often with me in both energies & spirit; I’ve bumped into him on the other side, too. He’s such a brilliant cat, and I’m so blessed to have him as my familiar; he’s always there for me, and offers me guidance & protection. c:

Altar? — Not yet! Since I recently moved from my old house, I had to take down the starts of my altar back there, and I haven’t had time to start building it up. ; - ; However, I’m planning to start building it up over the Christmas break, because I feel unsettled without a visible representation of my worship in my bedroom. :c

I was tagged by @insert-a-catchy-name-here — thank you for tagging me, dear!

In turn, I’ll tag the following people — @lunaesteria, @eyeliner-of-cups, @orriculum, @onyxmagik, and @maddiviner...because y’all are honestly the only blog names I remember straight off the top of my head. xD Plus, I do wanna see this lil tag catch on, because I think it’s pretty sweet. c: x

[ling-n-lang]

how to make artsy geometric aesthetic thingies

today imma show u guys how to make these kinds of backgrounds

okay so ur gonna need two apps for this: Pixlr and Toolwiz (i provided the links there, well for android users anyway, sry if ur on something else)

imma put this on a read more bc this is gonna be kind of long and I’m a Mess

okay so

Step 1 - since this is a tutorial for a specific image im just gonna show u exactly how i made that one. i downloaded this pic from tumblr bc the colors looked pretty (apparently it’s Yosemite national park??? also i can’t find the photographer so, :// sry), choose whatever picture u want bc no one will know what it is further on tbh

Step 2 - then i opened toolwiz and made that picture abstract as hell with the crystal and triangle options, a bunch of times

and anyway i ended up with this 

i can’t express how much i love toolwiz, like look at this Cubism level image, i cri. anyway, for now we leave this pic alone

Step 3 - download a blank image from google or somewhere. this is the one that i use bc its super huge (feel free to use this one)

Step 4 - now open this up in pixlr, go to the fist button on the bottom dock, select adjustment and change the exposure to make it grey (it has to be grey enough so that the later effects will be noticeable)

step 5 - go to the third button, click overlay in the center, and scroll until you find the “impala” overlays (they’re so pretty), click on the overlay called idol

step 6 - go back to the first button, go to adjustments, scroll to the end and make the hue red

step 7 - go back to the first button but this time click on double exposure

add the image u made in the beginning on Toolwiz and change the effect to hard light

step 8 - go back to the impala overlays and add the “kiss” overlay

add it again for more color

step 9 - save png image and open it up in Toolwiz (as u can see there is no set process for this, i just got bored and decided to dick around w the effects lmao)

step 10 - open up the art button at then end of the dock and use the first crystal effect (apparently it comes out more polygon-ish once you actually apply the effects so make sure to make the preview look a bit more round than you want)

and the final product ...

it didn’t come out exactly like the original bc im not sure how i did that one exactly lol

but hopefully u get the idea that color is super important and u can make something pretty by just adding a bunch of effects and experimenting !! 

some final tips: definitely use double exposure a lot, if u make something pretty use it again on another thing, try using only toolwiz or only pixlr, and i guess most importantly have fun making ur aesthetics!!

Bonus: 

or overlay the image you just made!!!

anyway pls tell me if this helped u (srsly, like tag me or leave me an anon, i love knowing that kind of stuff) and ya srry for the ridiculously long post.  i hope y’all make some Good Aesthetics tho !!!

[hufflepuffwannabe]

Advice and Blog Compliments for Small/New Studyblrs

An earlier exchange with @taschutschka inspired me to do something to help smaller studyblrs get noticed. I decided to do two things: write a little advice and also do a special blog compliments for small studyblrs only.

General advice & tips for new studyblrs (taken from an ask I answered recently):

Make an intro post and tag studyblrs (using the “@”) that have been inspirational to you. They will most likely reblog it.

Post original content! When taking pictures always use the best lighting, preferably natural lighting. Look to your favorite studyblrs for inspiration.

Don’t be shy! Reach out and contact other studyblrs and make friends. Most people in this community are super friendly, warm, and welcoming.

Make use of the queue and keep your blog active. I use the queue for like 99% of my posts. It keeps my blog active and full of fresh content.

Use popular hashtags. Also find out your favorite blogs’ hashtags and tag them in your posts. It’s a great way to get exposure.

As for the blog compliments, there are a few rules:

You must have less than 1,000 followers.

You must reblog this post (I will check!).

You don’t have to be following me, but it would be nice :)

Send me an ask with [bc], so I know you want a compliment. You can just tell me about your day, why you started a studyblr, what subjects you’re focusing on, etc.

Have a link to your original content/tell me how to find it.

Specify if you’d like feedback specific to your blog.

Feel free to blacklist #carolyncompliments if you would like your dash free and clear. 

Also, blog compliments will close May 9, 11:59 pm EST.

Now I ask that bigger studyblrs reblog this too for maximum visibility. Please and thank you!

[jesperfaheyd]

ravenbell in color

since there’s been an uptick of ppl making edits for raven/bellamy (which, bless, thank u) i thought i’d make this lil thingy about coloring some of their scenes on ps since t100 is pretty known for it’s horrible whitewashing lighting n we can work on a couple of things to make it better while giffing

so this is a short bit on how to go from this

to this

okay hello so i’m not especially gifted at ps i’ve just made t100 gifs for a while (couple of years). so this is all just out of my experience n idk i hope it’s helpful n at least reminds you to keep an eye out for this stuff idk

okay so i have the cs6 n i make all my own psds n always have

so the starting point is this

you can see on the right the steps i’ll be taking. but for the first tip i’ll say don’t go too much with the brightness you can always brighten it more later but when it comes to not whitewashing sometimes brightness is what you have to compromise on. 

for those who still live in 2015 n wanna go more pastel you can start that up by dragging the higher of those middle dots down a bit. but be careful w that too. doesn’t always look great. can easily whitewash.

vibrance is optional. i don’t remember when i started adding it too but it brings out the warmer tones faster so unless it’s a horrific red tent scene it usually looks nice. and if it looks unnatural you can always tone it down either with brightness or taking both or one of these down.

then some (optional) levels i generally only do a bit of shadow to it if the scene isn’t dark as it is. just a bit of contrast. again if you’d wanna go pastel you’d pull the middle arrow to the left. just remember to balance it by taking the left one to the right or you’ll wash it out. 

selective color is KEY. check any tutorial they’ll tell you. if you’re doing nothing fancy (like me. literally never.) you can just use the reds and yellows. i prefer warm toned gifs but if you wanted to go more cool you’d do more pink rather than yellow. 

instead of selective color or to support it, you can also use color balance. (i didn’t in this case bc of the curves layer we’ll do in a bit.) with than you can also define whether it’s more cool (magenta, blue, cyan) or warm (yellow, green, red) toned. just to mention it. in the end it’s all about balancing it to look most natural. 

exposure is also optional i guess people who go for more saturated gifs use it more. i just do it. it’s in my routine. i have ocd so i gotta do this in a specific order. 

but what i wanted to say at this point is that this particular example is good re: t100 bc even with the selective color layers to add more color, it’s not showing up much. this scene happens to have a lot of blue hues which makes the light bland on these two. that’s why we gotta pull out the big guns. this step isn’t always needed when the scene has good lighting. but lbr, t100 has some truly shitty light in it.

in your curves layer when you click on the rbg you can find the blue and green curve. from blue comes more yellow and from green more pink. that’s what we work with. this scene with the blue background takes us to the blue first. i generally do this on a second curves layer so i don’t end up fucking up my general brightness. so we work these layers by pulling down from somewhere near the middle.

again, balance is key. when you pull down you see more yellows appear but things are also getting a little green. it’s gonna look bad for a bit but hang on. when it goes green you know it’s time to switch over to the green curves.

you drag down the green, pink and blue start appearing. at this point it’s really just about what you feel looks good. i wanted it just a bit more yellow rather than pink (again, warm tones) so i went back to blue curves once more.

and that’s my personal sweet spot right there. when you go into coloring a scene like this you can just do this bit right after your regular curves. bc it’s just that colorless to begin with. usually i do it last bc it’s not always necessary. also sometimes it makes their teeth/eyeballs etc a kind of off shade that i get stuck on. in those cases do less curves and more selective color/color balance. 

that’s our finished result but as i said not everyone wants it to be this warm or colorful or vibrant or idk. ppl have different tastes. i’d recommend playing with selective colors more. my latest favorite thing is to pull the arrow for black a bit further in for both reds and yellows for a more natural look. it kinda tones them down but keeps the warmth. usually works for me. 

this is just an example of taking out some red. i wouldn’t take That much. but if this was a more red scene, that would work to balance it out. 

i know this seems like a lot of work but honestly i just save my usual routine in a psd n use it for Everything with just a little tweaks. at least i feel it’s worth it bc honestly isn’t this a pretty big improvement? you tell me. 

lmk if you’re struggling n feel free to tag me in edits also like/reblog this or reply to this if you wanna 

[4lyeskas]

❤ Hi, hello! I’ve updated my commissions post bc I recently changed usernames and also I’ve migrated my writing content to this blog, so--

If you like my writing/work, maybe you could consider commissioning me to write you a fic! I mainly write Yuri!!! On Ice and Haikyuu, but I’m also well-versed in the BBC Sherlock, 00Q, Supernatural, and Harry Potter universes, among others.

What do you give me? You can purchase a coffee or three ($3/each) on my ko-fi account or direct pay to my PayPal at angesyle@gmail.com! However, if you want a fic but are short on cash like me, you can also trade art + a promo (I need all the exposure I can get). We can talk about this more when we discuss the commission. Drop me a line on Tumblr, Twitter, or email!!

What’s my writing like? You can find me on AO3 under the pseudonym harlequindreaming, and you can find more samples here on this blog under /tagged/my-fanfic, /tagged/my-writing, and /tagged/compilation. You can also check my listography for a compilation of my fanworks and threads!

If you’re feeling kind, you can also donate to or tip me on my ko-fi and PayPal! Given the exchange rates with my country, any little bit helps, and will go to paying for my medication, my studio fees, and my professional expenses. If you do donate something, let me know and I’d be glad to make you something in return if you’d like!

HELP A GIRL OUT PLEASE! I appreciate any little bit that comes my way, even if it’s just a reblog of this post ❤ Thank you so much!!

[jiyeonstudies]

hey! I'm a new studyblr and I was wondering if you had any tips on gaining new followers? Thanks in advance! :)

hello hello!! so @studyb00ks and @studyingisbaeblog both asked me the same question, and now i can finally go in depth about it!

1. introduce yourself  when i first started out i made a lowkey kind of serious intro post!! basically it’s just a post stating your name, subjects, school year, honestly whatever you want tbh~ but if you tag/mention your favorite studyblrs then there’s a 99.9% chance they’ll reblog it. this gives you more exposure to the community and also helps other people with similar interests look at your blog!

2. post original content original content is important but not exactly necessary when running a studyblr! here’s the guide by @elkstudies​ i used that first helped me out with taking photos. but original content is nice to have :’) and it doesn’t have to be just photos, it can literally be like tips & tricks that help you study, a masterpost of everything that got you through ap bio, etc. the possibilities are honestly endless when it comes to studyblrs. 3. tag your contentthis right here is what helped me get to where i am today LOL when you tag studyblrs in your content, there is a 90% chance they will reblog/queue from you. for example, my tag is #jiyeonstudies and i check it at least once every 2-3 days and queue everything from it~ usually studyblrs will have their tag in their description, but if you can’t find it then it doesn’t hurt to ask them :) (also if you decide to start tracking your own tag make sure it’s a tag nobody uses LOL)

4. find a theme this one isn’t really a big deal but themes are always fun to decorate/mess around with and personally i don’t really like the options tumblr gives you :// but themes can really express who you are (minimalistic theme for minimalistic people, pink theme for people who like pink, ya know) theme-hunter has a ton of options that you can go through and find whatever tickles your fancy~5. join networks/study groupsthere’s literally a network for everything from like kpop to various animes to ap calc networks/study groups. joining these is another good way to meet studyblrs with similar interests with you~ ( @julstudies & @rhubarbstudies run a network called the homework help network and you will literally find any subject there)

6. comment on people’s posts if you think somebody’s handwriting is gorgeous or their studyspace is pretty or their lettering is amazing then tell them!! literally the studyblr community is here to support each other so nobody’s gonna think you’re weird for complimenting them~ plus 90% chance if you compliment them u will make a new friend

so tl;dr: be yourself, tag your content, and don’t be a dick

here are some more guides to help out new studyblrs if you want more tips/tricks :’) (guaranteed to work bc i used them)elkstudies’ guide studyign’s guide theorganisedstudent’s guide obsidianstudy’s guide

[pjihoon]

Hi~~ I'm really sorry to bother you! But I saw your gifs in my dash and they're so pretty! I don't even stan wanna one but I just went through your gif tag for so long cause they're so nice 😍 Would you ever share your sharpen / action / topaz or coloring settings or tips? 😊

ahh omg anon thank you so much for your kind words! you’re so sweet

i think i’ll just share generic tips! From each stage of the giffing process. i still have so much i can improve with in giffing, so i’m sorry if i give you super wrong advice ahhh but i hope this helps a little?it got super long so it’s under the read more!!

Downloading Videos

make sure it’s the highest quality video you can get. 1080p is your friend. ok honestly, when i’ve giffed, i havent really noticed a difference in quality between 2k/4k and 1080p? maybe im doing it wrong but honestly the only thing ive noticed is that 2k/4k just slows down my computer drastically and takes up way too much space on a computer that already has like zero space to begin with. so i tend to stick with 1080p. 

Also! if you can get 60fps, thats also nice bc it helps your gifs look smoother.

yaknow how i said 1080p is your friend? well ts files are your best friends/family. if you can torrent them or download the, your gifs will look super pretty. i highly recommend this for live performance gifs. you can find ts files for a lot of shows, but again, since my computer has

kpop24hrs and kpopexciting are two places i go for those live perf ts files! kpop24hrs tends to have more i feel (it’s where i go when i want to gif my rookie groups that dont have too much attention on them)

you can also find torrents on twitter, if you search the right things

Extracting Videos

ok for this, if you have a pc (so like not a mac) i HIGHLY recommend looking into avisynth. there’s this tumblr account named brandinator who i’ve heard gives really awesome tips for avisynth and made it really easy for people to get avisnyth.if youre like me and your stuck with a mac, or if you just want to stick with photoshop then you can read the rest of this

i have photoshop cs5? so my tips are generally based around that. 

for youtube videos (so basically mp4/avi format) i use photoshop’s video extraction feature. file—>import–>video frames to layersif your photoshop is like mine for whatever reason and it doesnt want to recognize mp4 files, then what i do is changed the .mp4 extension to a .avi extension (and its super easy to do on mac….i dont have a pc so idk how different that is) the quality doesnt really change either with that simple changing of the ending it sorta just tricks photoshop i guess lol idunno

when youre on the ‘video frames to layers’ window, make sure you don’t hit the ‘limit to every _____ frames’ bc that makes it lose the smoothness quality of gifs. maybe back when the gif limit was like 1mb that would have been important, but we live in a world of luxury now. so for smoother looking gifs, make sure that box is unchecked. other ppl (pc users i think) tend to use other video extraction softwares. i cant remember the name, but all i remember is that for macs, that software cant extract frames so its useless for us. i think it was kmplayer? not sure. like you can download kmplayer on mac but it doesnt have the same features rip.for ts files, i use vlc player (since ps can’t open it) and sit there and capture each and every frame lol. 

Actually Giffing

here’s where things get a bit interpretive

(im assuming you know how to make a gif since you’ve asked for specific things like sharpening and stuff)

for coloring, 

ive found that not changing the lighting too much of the video youre giffing leads to higher quality stuff…but i also hate not changing the lighting too much which is why a lot of my gifs turn out grainy hahah (my coloring is really centered around how to make the person in the gifs look the most ‘natural’? so that usually involves trying to take out video filters). but yea the gifs in which i didnt change too much with coloring, tended to be my most high quality gifs. 

i don’t use other peoples psds and make my own everytime for each gif, and i only usually just adjust ‘curves’ and ‘exposure’ yea.

if there’s an ugly color background that you want to make look more white, when youre in ‘curve’s, go to each color (red green and blue) and drag the little line thing in the top right corner a little to the left. idk what is actually happening there and why it only really addresses the bg but thats a good way to try to make your bg whiter without actually whitewashing the gif. 

for sharpening

lol sharpening, my enemy. its what i struggle with the most

i use .4 at 500% for smart sharpen

and then for topaz i make sure clean color is at 0 first of all, and i mess around with ‘overall strength’ and ‘reduce blur’ until i get the quality that i wanted. i nvr go higher than .07 strength. 

but an important thing for sharpening i think is deciding when you want to crop the picture? do you crop it before or after the sharpening/topaz? i dunno honestly, but for me ive found that cropping first, and then applying sharpening settings leads to the highest quality (or maybe thats what im used to so it turns out better). 

oh yea i dont resize, i crop instead. i’m not sure if that does anything but when i was first starting i found that resizing made my gifs look more blurry…? and that cropping was nicer to my gifs? i’m not sure if that does anything though lol maybe cropping is worse who knows, but its something ive stuck with ever since ive started

save settings

i’ve recently switched over to diffusion! but sometimes that doenst work out so i use the pattern one. i play around with adaptive/selective to see which one looks better or takes up less space haha

last but not least: pray

i spend a lot of my time praying that my gif will come out good haha bc even if you think you did everything right, once you hit that ‘save for web’ button, it’ll look like the ugliest thing in the world it’s really frustrating. like even when i make a gifset from the same video using the same everything (coloring, sharpening, save settings) one gif will look like trash and the other one will be like the best thing ive ever giffed so its like?? pray