#when 90% of them aren’t even the product they’re looking for

[ace-of-drakes]

dress like a punk gf, act like a confused bf

[thepaintedsable]

Uh oh, who let me into a fandom again? Who left the niche within a niche door open??? Y’all should know better.

@sm-baby’s Carnival AU for The Amazing Digital Circus grabbed me by the bootstraps with??? Inspiration??? Not only have I dodged most fandoms and the motivation to draw fanart (not that I don’t want to show support; just no ideas in the noggin), but I genuinely don’t think I’ve sat down and put a non-ironic, genuine OC for a media I like on paper since my Warrior Cats/Creepypasta era. This AU didn’t just get me to sit down and make an OC that fits with the original media, but one that fits with their derivative. I saw other people doing it and it looked like so much fuunnn.

First, have standard TADC version! Either that or a player.

This is Tuus! They’re mainly based on the beanie baby dragon to fit that sweet sweet 90s theme, but generally a mixture of beloved childhood toys I have sitting on my shelf. She’s scruffy, worn, and kinda dirty looking and that’s on purpose. She’s bottom heavy, and I wanted her wings to give off the texture of that basically-plastic shiny fabric you used to see on a lot of toys.

No mouth, but a randomly appearing lizard tongue. For fun.

Tuus deals with the circus by sleeping. A lot. Too much. If you don’t need to sleep, then you don’t need to be awake. If she’s doing to be trapped in a digital hell, she might as well be catching up on her naps. And she will sleep in the worst places. Time for a digital feast? She’s on the table. Caine wants to have an adventure in the lake? Girl is at the bottom. Sleeping with the fishes fr fr. And you need to find her one day? Nowhere to be seen, probably on the roof.

It’s playing on the whole big, lazy, sleeping dragon thing that used to be in a lot of children stories I remember. But also how well loved childhood toys seem to pop up and disappear, there when you aren’t looking but gone when you are. Her name also means “Your” or “Thy.” Your dragon.

BUT AT THE CARNIVAL?

What amusement park is complete without a gift shop? What game doesn’t have a place to buy goofy digital goods? Tuus is the big lady in charge of the gift place of the Carnival! Her room is what should have been a shop of sorts, to buy whatever products that darned company would have tried to push. Cosmetics, virtual toys, digital snacks, whatever. But, uh, I don’t think anyone told them dragons don’t like to…. share. Becoming sentient did wonders for the attitude. You should be just fine if you don’t make too much noise, though! She’s a lazy lizard, and often sleeps sprawled around the place. I imagine the level would be set up like a maze, or a labyrinth. Isles and isles of things, with peaks of a tail or smoke every now and again. Toys, clothing, and even random things that shouldn’t be in there just trash the path. It’s your job not to step on anything! It’s different each time, though (a speed runner’s nightmare). One level you might get lucky and have a straight shot with a sleeping dragon, the next there might be so many things it’s physically impossible to reach any exit at all. Potentially can get out of trouble with some digital coin™, but you’ll have to have found enough hidden in the room to forgive each “damaged item.”

Here she is much, MUCH larger and far cleaner. An oversized display never meant to be bought. A collectors item far too expensive for a child. Think “I used to be a beloved toy and now I’ve been forgotten, even forgetting myself, and this is how I cope” favor VS “I have never known the touch of a person and have been trapped on this shelf only to be abandoned and have the personality of an unsocialized dog” flavor.

She has no mouth, but she bites.

I want to draw more of her :) She’s a goof.

[junewild]

I needed to do some organizing last night, so I figured it would be a good time to run my down pillows through the laundry.

Step one: I toss them into one of the (communal) washers (30 minutes) and run upstairs to assemble a (new, larger) shoe rack and put all the shoes on it. Perfect. Emory investigates the shoe rack with interest.

Step two: I run back down to toss them into one of the (communal) dryers (60 minutes. No, they’re down and on low heat, so I’ll add some extra time—make it 90.) Back upstairs to rearrange the closet and use the (old, smaller) shoe rack to store all the camping supplies. Yay! Things are looking good! I’ll have had a productive evening and still be in bed by 10. :) Emory investigates the closet with suspicion.

Step three: I run back down to get them out of the dryer. Uh-oh… there’s two one-thirds of a pillow in there. Well, I couldn’t give them an extra spin cycle and the (communal) dryers aren’t that good. I’ll toss them back in (60 minutes. No, I don’t want to have to come down again, so I’ll add some extra time—we’ll call it 90). That’ll be pushing 11, and I’d like to be in bed before then, but it’ll be fine.

Step four: I mean, I hadn’t really planned on more organizing tonight?.. but without the pillows I can’t really sit or lie down, thanks to the chronic pain, sooo… I put together another shoe-rack?… and hang up some things in the closet, sort out a lot of trash and recycling from the previous organization efforts. Woo! More progress than I’d been expecting! Yay!(?) Emory tries to erase my memory of feeding her dinner and finds a number of places to sit where she can make Pointed Eye Contact with me.

Step five: I run back downstairs to get the pillows!… which are still halfway damp. Well. I haven’t even brought my phone with me this time, so I have to go back upstairs to put more time on the dryer. Another 60 (no, I really don’t want to have to do it again!!!—I guess I’ll go with 90.) At this point I’ve spent $7.50 just on the dryer, and I won’t be in bed until 12:30.

Step six: I… still can’t sit down. By this point, Emory is glaring at me and lashing her tail. I’m supposed to be in bed, providing a lap to weary cats. But I might as well be productive, so I’ll fill the new shoe-rack with craft supplies and ren-faire outfits, put together another little shelf, and reorganize my nightstand/shelf. Yay.

Step seven: I walk slowly downstairs. When I open the dryer, $7.50 and 4.5 hours later, the pillows are finally dry. They’ve reached maximum fluff. I have three new pieces of furniture, a completely reorganized closet and bookshelf, a lot of trash and recycling to take down in the morning, and an apartment that’s more organized than it’s been the entire time I’ve lived in it.

Step eight: I get in bed with my newly fluffy and warm pillows. Emory is in my lap within thirty seconds, purring louder than a lawnmower.

[gravyhoney]

Find a word!

Was tagged by @rainofthetwilight to find some words in my fics.

I went back through them and WOW that shit kind of hurt I’m not gonna lie. Thanks for tagging me tho! I really enjoyed doing this I think. And it made me curious, so I checked and across all my fics, I used the word hand 90 times. That’s crazy. Also props if you read this entire thing and get jumpscared by the singular ROTTMNT fic I wrote last year.

Idk which of my mutuals specifically write fics, so if I tag you and you don’t, ignore this I apologize :3 @penofwildfire @kibosartcorner @blazersparker @icing-is-really-cool @ashleestarz

I’ve been tasked to find these words: beam, pillar, angry, blood, snap, blue, echo, flicker, dance, horror, flood, opposite, cry, break, and scream.

I’ll be posting bits from unpublished/unfinished works aswell. Toni fic sneak peek for the Toni lovers out there.

Angry-

An Open Palm (ch 1/1)

She sighed, looking at the ground, “I’m…angry. I think,” she said, “I mean…I’ve never been alone? This is the first time I’ve never had to be…something, and I just feel…lost? I don’t know. And it’s making me angry.” She looked back at Kai, and then dropped her gaze back to the table. She didn’t know where to look.

Blood-

The Hayes Post (unpublished)

And now she was stranded in a ghost riddled Stiix with a sore face, a bloody nose, and a blank tape recorder held tightly in her right hand, ready to stop before she’d even started.

Snap-

NOOOOO YOU DONT HAVE A MEDICAL LICENSE (ch 3/3)

“Hello? Earth to Lloyd,” Nya waved a hand in front of Lloyd’s face, snapping him out of his own head, “What are you thinking about?”

Blue-

Fuck You *traumatizes Arin and Sora more* (ch 2/3)

It felt all too familiar, leaning over their wobbly table, a pen in her hand to correct the blueprints in front of her. Arin in the chair pulled closely next to hers, his arms comfortably around her waist with his chin resting on her shoulder.

Echo-

Alive (ch 1/1)

They took another breath, closing their eyes. Lloyd’s far earlier words still echoing in their head, stay awake. The exhaustion was overwhelming. Sora wasn’t trying to fight it anymore. She didn’t know if she had any fight even left in her.

Dance-

Fuck You *traumatizes Arin and Sora more* (ch 2/3)

Memories of loud music late at night, laughing and dancing around with Sora in their small penthouse. It was such a small moment, but it was so special to him. If it got him out of Imperium and closer to Sora, even for a moment, then it would do. God he missed Sora.

Horror-

Untitled currently (unpublished)

Sora pressed her hands together, looking down at her notebook and then back up at Euphrasia who had at that point picked up on Arin’s signal, a horrified look on her face, “I’m so sorry, I didn’t realize it was a touchy subject.”

Flood-

A Burning House (ch 1/2)

That’s when the flood of tears started, pouring down his face. He tried hard to wipe them away, but the tears just kept coming. He whimpered a few more times in an attempt to prevent himself from sobbing. Casey took a few more shaky breaths, trying to calm himself down more, but all efforts to stop crying proved to be in vain when his chest heaved with a sob, finally opening the floodgates.

Opposite-

Fuck You *traumatizes Arin and Sora more* (ch 3/3)

He barely had time to protest before Sora’s hand pulled away from their face, stepping back, “I’m right behind you!” She repeated before turning on her heel and bolting the opposite way she directed Arin to go.

Cry-

You Are A Product Of Your Environment (ch 1/1)

“Lloyd, do not say you’re fine. People who are ‘fine’ don’t stand in hallways in the middle of the night and then start crying when asked if they’re okay,” Nya grabbed his free hand, squeezing it reassuringly, “You aren’t bothering me, it’s okay.”

Break-

Just Girly Things (unpublished)

Wordlessly, Nya’s gaze drifted down to the broom in her hands and then back up to meet Lloyd’s, shaking her head a bit. She was more than happy to take a break from sweeping, it was high on the list of chores she would rather trick Kai into doing.

Scream-

Alive (ch 1/1)

Nonetheless, Sora tried to protest, to scream at them, to shout at them to leave her alone, but any words she tried to form came out as agonized, broken sobs. Every movement was painful.

[adultswim2021]

Space Ghost Weekend (part 1)

Or should it be “weakened”? 

Hey gang, welcome to Space Ghost Weekend. In this special installment, I’m covering several episodes of the Space Ghost Coast to Coast “GameTap” episodes. I unfortunately am bound by the same limitations as most everyone else on the planet, so I will not be watching the lost episodes. I will touch on them by quickly googling the guest and saying something about them that’s a little too abrasive to be funny.

I’ve watched the first two, and the original plan was for me to cover two episodes per post. After watching these two episodes I was inspired to, instead, cover the first “season” of Gametap episodes in one post and the second in another.

Also: I meant to post this last night, so we'll just have two posts in a row.

Space Ghost Coast to Coast #89: "Billy" | May 30, 2006 | S08E01

Space Ghost interviews noted wad Billy Mitchell, the jerkoff who pretends to be good at video games. He comes off like an arrogant prick and the whole thing feels like it’s being written by a Space Ghost fan-fiction writer. Who did write these, anyway? I’m vaguely aware that these were probably handled by a different team, but I can’t find credits for these anywhere. For some reason the line “Take it from me, Billy. It’s lonely at the top.” just sounds like placeholder dialogue for George Lowe to riff something funnier over, but doesn't. Space Ghost did have one line where he says “his parents must be brimming with pride” that comes within spitting distance of a George Lowe riff, but he was probably in a room with some interloper directing him, so nothing came out right. At least, that’s how it all feels. 

Space Ghost Coast to Coast #90: "Rand" | June 13, 2006 | S08E02

Space Ghost talks to Rand Miller, the creator of Myst, I assume. Could be I missed it, but at no point did I register Space Ghost saying “Rand Miller, the creator of Myst” or something like that. He just starts carrying on about visiting Myst island in a comical way that would suggest he’s speaking to the creator of it. I’m guessing the now defunct synopses of each episode did that particular heavy lifting for this one, making this feel less like an episode of a TV show and more like a video clip produced for Rand Miller, the creator of Myst’s birthday party.

Did the Myst guy work on the video effects for this show? That might explain why these guys look like they are inside one of the Myst books.

Line of the episode: “I gotta talk to this hump”. I’m glad these aren’t overly reverent of the guests. That’s one thing these got right.

Space Ghost Coast to Coast #91: "Kenny" | July 4, 2006 | S08E03

This could be the worst one. Kenny Wayne Shepherd, a person with whom I am completely unfamiliar with, is interviewed by Space Ghost. Space Ghost uses embarrassing slang the entire time. It’s very written-sounding and the one joke doesn’t land at any point during the short running time. I feel like when you didn’t know the guest on Space Ghost they’d at least clue you in a little bit by saying who they are so you could look into it. 

Space Ghost Coast to Coast #92: "Al" | October 10, 2006 | S08E04

Okay, so something I never realized until now, which might be instructive to those looking to watch these: The first three episodes are HORRIBLE, but starting with this one they get significantly better. Nowhere near the old magic of the old show, but ALMOST PASSABLE. The video quality is better on these, for one. The guests actually look like they’re supposed to on the monitor. It still feels shoddy compared to even season one. The production values that are lacking are things like being able to use library music, and the audio doesn’t sound like it’s recorded on anything professional. The writing gets a little better, too. Again, still not as good as the real show. 

Also: MOLTAR is in this! And Zorak has lines! Zorak was previously shown to get blown-up but doesn’t speak or even scream. This one has a cold open. The episode has the guy who invented Pong. Episodes so far have simply ended with “Interrupt Feed”, and this one’s no different. 

Space Ghost Coast to Coast #93: "Steve" | Januay 23, 2007 | S08E05

This one has Steve Wozniak. There’s actually a little bit of a plot in these episodes; Zorak is looking to buy a weapon and Moltar peruses a fake eBay site. They actually drew new assets for this. Zorak winds up with a brain canon which launches his brain out of his own head, pathetically. The last image of the episode is of Zorak, looking r-worded. This was the first legitimate laugh these episodes got from me. Most of it was fairly unmemorable, though. 

Space Ghost Coast to Coast #94: "Rob" | February 28, 2007 | S08E06

A cold open? In the commissary!? Space Ghost has a dead cat in a carrier, and is distraught. I Forget who the guy is in this. I think he’s the one I looked up and went “oh, this is the Night Trap guy”. I hope it was accurate of me to call him the “Night Trap guy”.

Space Ghost Coast to Coast #95: "Howard" | March 17, 2007 | S08E07

Space Ghost thinks the guest is Willard Scott. There’s an unfunny bit with a big fly. He looks bad! He’s voiced by someone whose vaguely recognizable. Sorta sounds like Dr. Grumbles from the Brak Show episode Hippo. Note how weird it sounds when George says “the buuug zapper ray”. Not only is the delivery strange, but the sound recording just sounds poor, like they spent $50 at best buy for the sound equipment. I did like the “no whammies” bit, but I’m wondering if they already did that joke somewhere on the show. 

Space Ghost Coast to Coast #96: "Wayne" | April 21, 2007 | S08E08

The idiot from the Flaming Lips is interviewed. The little sitcom plot of this one is that Space Ghost has the commissary chef replaced with Moltar, and Moltar taunts Zorak with recipes for cooking up Mantis. The Space Ghost crew sing a version of that “do you realize” song at Wayne, which is almost funny. There were some fun drawings in this, and there was a part where Zorak looked really off-model. I think it was taken from a 60s episode. He looks just nuts. The only laugh of the episode.

Space Ghost Coast to Coast #97: "Larry" (lost) | May 24, 2007 | S08E09

I am simply sorry to disappoint you, but this is the first missing episode of the GameTap era. Sorta weird that this should be a thing. Even though I’ve been less-than-kind to this era, I would love to see this recovered, obviously. They interview Larry Hunter. There’s almost zero chance I’ll figure out who this even is. I even tried to look at the GameTap website through archive.org and clicked around and maybe it’s because of missing flash assets or something, but how the fuck did people even watch these things? I couldn’t even begin to figure out where these were on the website. 

Later we'll cover the rest of the episodes! How about that! And then after that we’ll continue with 2010, and I will strongly consider adopting a pithy one-paragraph format for the rest of the blog.

[zalrb]

you made a post about there being a difference between an explicit scene and a steamy one and thank you. Literally so many sex scenes now are just them trying to get actors as naked as they can on screen and 90% of the time it looks odd. There are make out scenes which are steamier than some of these explicit omg they are so passionate and in love sex scenes. I know chemistry plays a big factor in this but what other factors do you think makes this difference.

So I posted that after I watched bits and pieces of Netflix's Lady Chatterley's Lover and my problem with the sex scenes there and in Bridgerton and I guess in any "steamy" Netflix production is that I find there's an inability to balance the concept of "we're going to make an aesthetically pleasing statement of a sex scene" with "this is an organic development between two characters." To me, it becomes clinical because the sex scene I'm watching is clearly for the shot, it's clearly for the aesthetic, it's clearly for the think pieces on how sex functions in the show/movie, it's clearly in service to viewers or to theme and it doesn't feel like it's actually for the characters, which removes the steaminess and the passion.

So, I don't think the 2015 BBC Lady Chatterley's Lover is good and I didn't particularly care for the sex scenes either because they were also a bit contrived but there was enough spontaneity in the scenes that made me go, yeah they're clearly passionate and ravenous for each other that she runs out of her house in the middle of a storm to his cottage and he's so relieved to be in her arms again that he just goes down on her right outside of his door even though they risk exposing themselves since people would be able to see from the windows

In this particular rendition, they’re supposed to be having sex outdoors because by the time they get back to his cottage, she’d have to leave to go back home and then once they find a spot, she’s like “I don’t want to be a lady not with you” “I want you to fuck me” and he’s supposed to be taking charge, “Lie down” “Don’t turn away, look at me” but there isn’t a sense of urgency in any of these interactions, they calmly walk to a secluded spot in lush greenery

and then once there, they aren’t breathless, they aren’t needy, they don’t even seem to be aroused, it’s clearly for the shots

it’s clearly that the dialogue is supposed to stir something about passion and female pleasure

and then you have the actual sex scene, it’s shot very dispassionately particularly since there are lot of cool colours in this movie which gives it a sense of distance and coolness, almost like it’s sterile, and the actors themselves don’t have chemistry to heat it up,  it’s just that they’re naked.

Or when they have another sex scene and they’re focused on the contours of her body

it’s almost scientific to me. When we do the isolated shots of bodies in a sex scene, I want something like Atonement

which again Atonement’s sex scene, there are clearly shots that are for the aesthetic but those shots also serve plot, like the bookcase shot, it’s a striking visual but we also see what Briony sees when she walks in on them and how it could be taken out of context

so it’s here’s an elevated, aesthetic sex scene but also here’s how it functions in plot and again it doesn’t feel cold or scientific. So, I hope that kinda answers the ask.

[abramsbooks]

RECIPE: Jacques’s Boeuf Bourguignon (from Fake Meat by Isa Chandra Moskowitz)

Is Julia Child smiling down on us for this one? Probably not. But damn, it’s delicious. All the wine-kissed smoky satisfaction that you want in boeuf Bourguignon. Jackfruit is grilled and charred to rep the meat, along with its trusty sidekick, porcini mushrooms. Lentils add beefy body and smoked paprika brings that bacon kick that vegans love so much. Toasting slices of garlic for this stew creates big, garlicky bites that really make it, so don’t you dare mince it instead. Pearl onions are an iconic component to Julia’s recipe, so I use them here. They’re cooked on the grill right after the jackfruit so that you aren’t using too many dishes. But if you leave them out, no big deal. Julia is already disappointed in us so it can’t get any worse. Serve over ridiculous amounts of mashed potatoes.

Serves 6 to 8

2 (20-ounce/570 g) cans green jackfruit, packed in water

6 tablespoons (90 ml) olive oil

Salt

2 cups (260 g) pearl onions

2 cups (230 g) sliced shallots

¼ cup (35 g) sliced garlic

2 cups (280 g) peeled and sliced carrots, in ¼-inch coins

3 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme

4 bay leaves

2 teaspoons smoked paprika

1½ cups (360 ml) dry red wine

Freshly ground black pepper

½ cup (95 g) uncooked green or brown lentils

1 ounce (28 g) dried porcini mushrooms

5 cups (1.2 liters) vegetable broth

2 tablespoons tomato paste

¼ cup (30 g) all-purpose flour

¼ cup (13 g) chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

HOT TAKE Double-check that the jackfruit is canned in water, not in syrup. You don’t want any sweetness here; even if you wash it off, it would still be super weird.

Drain and rinse the jackfruit. Pat dry. Remove and discard the core from the jackfruit pieces; it looks kind of like a seed. Toss the rest in a bowl with 3 tablespoons of the olive oil and a big pinch of salt.

Preheat a cast-iron grill over medium heat. When the pan is hot, place the jackfruit in as much of a single layer as possible. You will need to do this in two batches. Grill for about 5 minutes, until charred and smoky, then use a thin metal spatula to toss and grill again for 3 more minutes. Transfer to a bowl and set aside to add back later. Repeat with the second batch.

In the same bowl used for the jackfruit, toss the pearl onions in 1 tablespoon olive oil and a pinch of salt to coat. Place them on the hot grill. Let cook until softened and charred in some spots, flipping occasionally, about 15 minutes.

In the meantime, preheat a 4-quart (3.8 liter) pot over medium-high heat. Sauté the shallots and a pinch of salt in the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil until translucent, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic and carrots and sauté for about 5 more minutes. Add thyme, bay leaves, smoked paprika, and 1 teaspoon salt and toss around for a minute.

Pour in the wine to deglaze the pan, scraping the bottom with a wooden spatula, and bring to a boil. The liquid should reduce in about 3 minutes. While it’s reducing, grind in ample amounts of fresh black pepper.

Add the lentils, porcinis, broth, and tomato paste, cover the pot, and bring to a full boil for 5 minutes or so. Lower the heat, leaving the lid ajar for steam to escape, and simmer until the lentils are tender, about 30 minutes.

In a measuring cup, mix the flour into ½ cup (120 ml) water with a fork until no lumps are left. Slowly add the water-flour slurry to the pot, mixing it in well. Let cook for about 10 minutes, stirring often. If it appears too thick, thin with a little water.

Mix in the reserved jackfruit and pearl onions and heat through. Shut off the heat and let the stew hang out for about 15 minutes, for the flavors to marry. Serve with mashed potatoes and garnish with parsley.

Bestselling author Isa Chandra Moskowitz shows you how to create your own vegan meats, like deli slices and ground beef, that will satisfy every craving

“I’m an animal lover and that love doesn’t end when I get hungry. Do I miss meat? Not really. But here’s what I do miss: Aromas. Experiences. Methods. Traditions.

“I remember all the tastes and sensations from my omnivore days, even though they were so long ago. My grandmother’s meatballs, burnt on one side. Slurpy seafood pasta at a café along the bay, my teeth scraping against the hard oyster shells. My favorite pizza burger from a diner underneath a Midtown office building, the feel of the vinyl seat as I bounced with excitement at the sight of the melty mozz arriving at the table.

“These are the moments you could say I miss. Maybe you do, too. But we don’t have to.” —from the Introduction

Fake Meat is packed with 125 recipes that will satisfy every kind of meat craving, from a vegan Philly cheesesteak and a basket of wings to a rich, gooey lasagna.

For more information, click here.

[tdigitalmarketingguru]

How Google Ads Can Help You Reach Your Audience

In today’s competitive digital landscape, businesses are constantly looking for effective ways to connect with their target audience. One of the most powerful tools for doing this is Google Ads. With over 90% of global internet users accessing Google daily, this platform provides businesses with the opportunity to reach their audience in ways that are highly targeted, measurable, and scalable.

In this blog, we’ll explore how Google Ads can help your business connect with the right people at the right time and grow your brand’s visibility and conversions.

1. Target the Right Audience

Google Ads offers an unparalleled level of targeting options. Whether you want to focus on specific demographics, locations, or interests, Google Ads allows you to narrow down your audience. Some of the targeting options include:

Keywords: By bidding on relevant keywords, your ads will show up when users search for products or services similar to yours.

Location: You can target users in specific geographic locations, from countries down to neighborhoods.

Demographics: Target based on age, gender, income levels, and more.

Interests and Behaviors: Google Ads lets you reach users based on their past online behavior, interests, and search history.

By focusing on these parameters, you can ensure that your ads are only seen by those most likely to engage with your business.

2. Leverage Different Ad Formats

Google Ads isn’t just limited to search results. There are a variety of ad formats that allow you to reach your audience across Google’s vast network:

Search Ads: Text ads that appear on Google’s search engine results pages (SERPs) when users search for relevant terms.

Display Ads: Visual ads that show on Google’s partner websites, reaching users even when they aren’t searching directly for your products.

Video Ads: Ads that play on YouTube, helping you connect with users through engaging video content.

Shopping Ads: Perfect for e-commerce businesses, these ads allow you to showcase your products directly in search results with images and prices.

These diverse ad formats help you engage your audience in multiple ways, whether they're actively searching for something or passively browsing online.

3. Maximize Visibility with Search Intent

One of the main advantages of Google Ads is its ability to capture users based on search intent. This means your ads will be shown to users who are already interested in what you offer, as they are actively searching for related terms. Unlike traditional advertising, where you hope to catch someone’s attention, Google Ads places you right in front of your potential customers at the exact moment they’re looking for your products or services.

This search intent-driven advertising increases the likelihood of conversions, making your marketing budget more effective.

4. Control Your Budget with Flexibility

With Google Ads, you have complete control over your advertising budget. Whether you're a small startup or a large enterprise, you can set daily or monthly caps on spending. Additionally, Google Ads operates on a pay-per-click (PPC) model, meaning you only pay when someone clicks on your ad. This ensures that you’re spending money on engaged users rather than just impressions.

You can also adjust your bids based on the performance of your ads, scaling up what’s working and cutting back on what’s not.

5. Gain Insights with Data and Analytics

Google Ads offers in-depth reporting and analytics tools that allow you to measure the success of your campaigns. With data on impressions, clicks, conversions, and even user behavior, you can track which ads are driving the best results.

This transparency means you can continuously optimize your campaigns. For example, if certain keywords are performing well, you can allocate more budget to them, while refining your less successful ads.

6. Remarketing for Increased Engagement

Remarketing is one of the most powerful features of Google Ads. It allows you to reconnect with users who have visited your website but didn’t convert. By showing tailored ads to these users as they browse other websites or use Google services, you can remind them of your products or services, increasing the chances of a conversion.

Remarketing keeps your business top of mind for potential customers, creating more touchpoints in their buying journey.

7. Increase Brand Awareness

Even if users don’t immediately convert after seeing your ads, Google Ads is a fantastic tool for increasing brand awareness. By consistently appearing in search results, display networks, and on YouTube, your brand becomes more familiar to your audience. Over time, this familiarity can build trust, which can lead to increased conversions in the future.

8. Compete with Larger Brands

One of the biggest challenges for small businesses is competing with larger, more established brands. Google Ads levels the playing field by allowing you to compete for the same ad space as bigger competitors. With the right keyword strategy and compelling ad copy, your business can rank right alongside the big players in your industry.

Conclusion

Google Ads is a versatile and powerful tool that can help businesses of all sizes reach their target audience. With its robust targeting options, flexibility in budgeting, diverse ad formats, and insightful analytics, it offers unparalleled opportunities to grow your brand and boost your online presence.

If you’re looking to expand your reach, connect with potential customers, and drive more sales, Google Ads might be the solution you need. Start leveraging its potential today and take your business to the next level.

Do you want to run Google ads and reach your audience? Techtsy can help you with a range of digital marketing solution.

[universalinfo]

THE ULTIMATE HR PROJECT MANAGEMENT STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE

In today’s rapidly evolving business world, the art of managing projects within the human resources domain has become essential. Think about it: A successful project completed in the HR realm can be the linchpin to employee satisfaction, productivity, and overall organizational success. But, how do we ensure these projects run smoothly and achieve their desired outcomes? Enter the domain of HR project management. This handbook is designed to provide you with a step-by-step guide to mastering the blend of human resource management and project management. Get ready to elevate your HR game!

Understanding the Basics

At its core, HR project management is about leveraging the principles of project management within the sphere of human resource management. This unique confluence is not just about merging two domains; it’s about optimizing them in harmony. HR projects span a vast array of areas, from recruitment and training to employee benefits and wellness programs. Each of these areas demands a unique approach, yet all need the structured discipline of project management. This ensures that every HR project is not only successful in its mission but also enhances the overall value proposition of the HR department.

Initiating the Project

Objective Setting

Every HR project starts with a vision. But for that vision to take shape, it needs a solid foundation. This begins with clarity. Define what success looks like. Is it hiring a certain number of employees within a set time frame? Or is it ensuring that 90% of the employees attend a specific training? The clearer the objective, the better the roadmap you can lay out.

Stakeholder Identification

No project operates in isolation. Recognizing every person or group involved is essential. This isn’t just about naming the key players. It’s about understanding their roles, their stakes, and their expectations. When you grasp who the decision-makers are and who benefits from the project’s success, you’re better positioned to ensure alignment across all fronts.

Planning

Resource Allocation

The perfect blend of project management and human resource management helps determine the tools and talent you’ll need. It’s not enough to have people; they need to be the right people. Whether it’s HR specialists for specific tasks or software tools to streamline processes, allocate resources with precision.

Timeline Creation

Deadlines aren’t just dates on a calendar; they’re commitments. Setting realistic, achievable deadlines ensures that every team member knows what’s expected and when. It also gives stakeholders a clear picture of the project’s progress at any given point.

Budget Estimation: Money matters. HR projects, like their counterparts in other departments, need financial prudence. Every dollar counts. By estimating costs early and with a keen eye on detail, you safeguard against unforeseen financial hitches that could derail progress.

Execution

Team Communication

Communication is the lifeblood of any project. In the domain of human resource management, its importance is even more pronounced. With regular updates, team members stay informed, motivated, and aligned to the project’s objectives. Meetings, whether virtual or face-to-face, serve as platforms for brainstorming, feedback, and resolution of any roadblocks.

Monitoring Progress

With a roadmap in hand, the journey becomes clearer. But, as with any project, there will be challenges and deviations. Monitoring progress isn’t about pinpointing mistakes. It’s about real-time course correction. By keeping a keen eye on how the project aligns with the timeline, you ensure that any adjustments are timely, relevant, and keep the project on its path to success.

Monitoring and Controlling

Feedback Mechanism

It’s essential to have your finger on the pulse of the project. A feedback mechanism is that pulse-checker. It ensures that you’re collecting real-time responses, observations, and concerns from those deeply involved in the project. Whether it’s through regular check-ins, surveys, or even informal chats, gathering feedback allows for adjustments, refinement, and better decision-making.

Risk Management

Every project encounters its set of uncertainties. By combining project management skills with human resource management insights, you can anticipate potential issues. Once identified, these roadblocks shouldn’t be viewed as setbacks, but rather as opportunities for course correction. It’s essential to have a plan to address these risks — be it through reallocation of resources, additional training, or even external consultations.

Closing

Project Evaluation

As the project winds down, it’s time for some reflection. This isn’t just about tallying up successes or noting down shortcomings. It’s a holistic view, one that takes into consideration feedback, results, and experiences. Discuss with your team about the strategies that paid off, the tactics that didn’t, and the lessons learned along the way.

Document Everything

The value of documentation cannot be overstated. Keeping a detailed record serves two primary purposes. Firstly, it offers a transparent view of the project from start to finish, which can be a valuable learning resource. Secondly, this documentation becomes a goldmine for future projects. Knowing what worked and what didn’t can fast-track decision-making and strategy formulation in subsequent ventures.

Continuous Improvement

Change is the only constant, especially in the dynamic realm of human resource management. This means that the end of one project can very well be the beginning of another improvement phase. Stay curious. Whether it’s a groundbreaking software tool that streamlines HR processes or a new talent management strategy that’s taking the industry by storm, be open to it. Continuous learning and adaptability are the hallmarks of a successful HR project manager.

Incorporating Technology

Today’s technological advancements offer a treasure trove of tools tailored for HR project management. From artificial intelligence-powered recruitment platforms to advanced data analytics tools that gauge employee satisfaction, technology is reshaping how HR projects are managed. By staying updated and integrating these technologies, you can bring in more efficiency, accuracy, and effectiveness to your projects.

People at the Heart

Processes and tools are critical, but they’re facilitators. The real essence of human resource management lies in its name: human. It’s about the people, their aspirations, their challenges, and their growth. As you dive deep into HR project management, always keep this human element in focus. It’s this empathy and understanding that will set your projects apart, ensuring they resonate with the very people they’re designed for. Remember, it’s the human touch, complemented by strategic planning and execution, that truly brings HR projects to life.

Conclusion

HR project management is a potent combination of two crucial domains: project management and human resource management. This blend ensures that projects are not just completed but are executed in a way that maximizes benefits for both the organization and its employees. Following this step-by-step guide will set you on the path to becoming an expert in this field. But remember, the world of HR is dynamic.

Always be ready to adapt, learn, and grow. After all, in the realm of human resources, it’s the people and the relationships we build that truly make all the difference. Equip yourself with the right knowledge, tools, and mindset, and you’re poised for success in the ever-important world of HR project management.

Read More:

Why You Need to Use Hr Software to Save Money in Your Small Business

The Top 10 Benefits of Hr Services for Small Businesses

How to Find the Right Hr Software for Your Small Business

[thisaintascenereviews]

The Rolling Stones - Hackney Diamonds

I’m sure that you saw a handful of jokes from people when the new album, Hackney Diamonds, by The Rolling Stones came out a few months ago that were along the lines of “what year is it,” because when that album came out, The Beatles dropped a “new” song. I kind of had to ask myself the same question, because if I had a nickel for every time that a beloved and influential British band from the 1960s released something new in 2023, I’d have two nickels. That’s not a lot, but it’s weird it happened twice. No one really expected The Rolling Stones to put out a new album, but here we are. The Rolling Stones, in case you don’t know, is one of the most popular and influential bands in rock history, and their new album, Hackney Diamonds, is their first album of original material in 18 years. They did put out a covers album in 2016 of blues songs they grew up with, but The Rolling Stones is a band that took me awhile to get into. I’ve only heard their classic material from the 1960s and 1970s, but they’re great. Mick Jagger and Keith Richards are just as important of a songwriting duo just as John Lennon and and Paul McCartney. There’s a reason that there’s a debate between who’s better, The Stones or The Beatles, but why can’t someone enjoy both? They both have their place in music and rock history, just for different reasons.

As for their new album, I was very hesitant to listen to this, and it took me a few months to give it a listen, but like with a lot of new albums from these boomer rock bands, they’re usually not very good and it shows how clearly they’re out of ideas. I hate to be that guy that says these bands only put out late career albums when they’re either desperate for money and/or they got nothing better to do, but that’s how it happens. A lot of late career albums just aren’t good, unless you’re Paul McCartney, then your late career albums are actually pretty damn good. What about Hackey Diamonds? Nothing was riding on this album, as The Rolling Stones have nothing to prove, and both Mick Jagger and Keith Richards are 80, so what else do they have to say?

Turns out, they don’t have anything important to say, but this album is still pretty damn good, especially (and I mean especially) if you look at it for what it is. This album reminds me a lot of the newest Metallica album, 72 Seasons, from earlier this year. Metallica isn’t as old, despite their debut coming out 40-years-ago this year, but 72 Seasons is their first album in seven years, and it’s also their best album since the 90s. A lot of people have said that Hackney Diamonds is The Stones’ best album in many years, too, maybe even since the 80s, and I would agree. Like 72 Seasons, too, it’s not among their best, but it’s their best in a long time (and still a good album in its own right).

This album has a couple of interesting tricks up its sleeve, such as having a modern production style with producer Andrew Watt at the helm. He’s worked with many rock bands, as well as pop artists, but I noticed that he worked with Ozzy on his last couple of albums. The songs feel more modern, but also have that classic rock sound to them. Songs like “Angry,” “Bite My Head Off,” and “Close To You” have a classic sound to them, but the modern production makes them a bit more interesting. The issue is, like I hinted earlier, the lyrics aren’t very good. Vocalist Mick Jagger sounds great, despite being 80, but these lyrics are bad at worst and bland at best. There’s nothing on here that I’m thinking about after the fact, even the song with Lady Gaga, which is cool all in itself.

This record is worth hearing if you’re a rock fan that wants to hear what a classic rock band is up to in the year 2023, but as much as I hate to say it, this record isn’t “essential” to hear at all. Not that every album needs to be, but there’s nothing out of this album that you can’t get from their earlier work. I can say the same thing for 72 Seasons, too, especially people that aren’t diehard fans, but there is something worth listening to if you are a big fan of this band, or you love classic rock. You’ll get some solid hooks, melodies, vocals riffs, and overall songs, but the lyrics are lacking. I guess when that’s the only major issue, minus this album just sounding like a typical Rolling Stones album, that’s not a bad thing whatsoever.

[fulokis]

Honest ahsoka thoughts warning it’s long and ranty and I may be using it as an excuse to not express some of the feelings that I have in personal life right not

I’m gonna be honest I never thought I would hate ahsoka as a character, like she was my favorite for the longest time. And yeah that started to change in high school because I related more to Ezra and Sabine while watching rebels as it came out and that makes sense because I was the same age. But she was still a cool character that I liked. But I can’t fucking stand her after rebels, even in the last season of rebels she’s iffy for me. And like yes I’m watching ahsoka but at this point it’s not for ahsoka it’s because I’m nostalgic for rebels (and imma be honest the actors they chose for Sabine and hera are not my favorite) and I’m a huge Thrawn fan. But like I’m terrified they’re gonna fuck up thrawns character more than they did in rebels (honestly heir to the empire with canon Thrawn seems not like something that would happen unless he was playing an angle like he was going to the empire in the first place (my opinion clearly most people aren’t necessarily going to agree with me.) ) at the very least they have Lars playing Thrawn which gives me a little hope it won’t be totally off the mark. But also a lot of the dialogue just isn’t well written, like I know the actors are just given it but it seems a lot like most of them just kinda stuck to the script and didn’t play around with it to make it work. (I say this having only been in a few productions in highschool but like we would play around with stuff and to me this feels like they’re at a table read) which honestly is a shame because the music? the loth cat? The droids? A good portions of the effects? Are all really well done to me and it hurts because this could be such a beautiful production but it’s falling short because the writing and the actors aren’t my favorite

And don’t get me wrong I am enjoying bits and pieces but if I truly enjoy a piece of media I will go back to it and re experience it again. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve rewatched the clone wars, rebels, the prequels, rouge one. Or replayed swtor and Kotor and the battlefront campaign. I know I’ve read the Thrawn 2017 series at least three times in full and the separate books at different points. I’ve read the ascendency trilogy twice as well. Death troopers I’ve read three times at least, same with annihilation (which tbh is absolute crap but the point is it’s entertaining and I enjoyed it)

And that’s the thing I love Star Wars, Star Wars genuinely probably saved my life because I had something to look forward to despite my mental health being dogshit. And I can recognize that not all Star Wars is for me. And yeah it makes me sad especially when it involves characters that I love. Like the Revan book couldn’t read that shit, a new dawn I can’t ever get past the first 90 pages (yes this kills me and I don’t know why I can’t) and I think that’s what makes me upset the most is that as much as I loved ahsoka as a character it has been ruined for me, and I’m not sure I’ll ever enjoy her as a character ever again. Cause the thing with the other two is Revan is different for everyone and that’s because BioWare let you choose who you wanted to play as back in 2003. With a new dawn I don’t know why but it isn’t vastly different than the characters I love, it’s still them and I know it’s still very much them even if I personally can’t get through it. But with ahsoka its hard to explain but I can’t stand her since after rebels and it hurts.

And I understand characters develop as they grow, but I don’t see how she made the jump from being rebels season two ahsoka to this ahsoka we have now. There’s such a disconnect to me, I don’t know how to word it other than she seems like such a bitch now and there’s nothing to me that would have made her develop that way. Yeah there’s a war and trauma and shit but that doesn’t connect to the way she’s bitchy. Like sure I can see how some of it could be a trauma response. But not all of it, like geuinely I don’t understand how she would just not wish to tell Sabine about the potential to find Ezra at all. Like I’m sorry your dealing with your personal issues cause it sounds like y’all got into a fight but you honestly expect me to believe a character who typically was mediating between people so much when she was a fucking teen that she’s going to be some bitch who holds grudges and refuses to solve her own goddamn issues? Like I’m sorry but that seems like some backward character development and as far as we know there’s been no major developments whatsoever.

Also can I just say the choice to make Sabine her padawan is fucking weird. Like they never interacted much, if they wanted to pull that they should’ve left kanan alive and had him do it.

[worldecoideas]

When you care about the environment, it’s important to make small changes that add up. From using eco-friendly cleaning products that are safer for both humans and animals to making efforts to reduce your carbon footprint. And when it comes to living in a smaller home, eco-friendly living is even more important. With less space, every decision you make has an amplified impact on both your energy usage and the natural resources being consumed by your home.  Reducing your carbon footprint doesn’t have to feel like a burden or a sacrifice; there are simple things you can do as a homeowner to live more sustainably and reduce waste at the same time! These 8 eco-friendly tips for your home will help you live with less impact on the environment and leave this planet a little better than you found it. Turn your home into a smart home A smart home is a home that is highly automated and controlled through software, the internet, or other networks. A smart home can be controlled remotely by a computer or smartphone, allowing you to manage your home from almost anywhere in the world—whenever you are and wherever you are!  A smart home can be adapted to suit your needs, making it easier to control temperature, lighting, home security, and appliances—all while reducing your impact on the environment. There are many small changes you can make to create a more eco-friendly smart home.  First and foremost, you can reduce your energy consumption by installing LED light bulbs. LED lights last up to 50 times longer than traditional bulbs and use 90% less energy, making them a great choice for any eco-conscious homeowner. You can also look into installing programmable thermostats to reduce energy consumption and costs while making it easier to manage the temperature in your home. Use eco-friendly cleaning products There are loads of eco-friendly cleaning products available to help you get your home sparkling clean without harming the environment. From eco-friendly cleaning agents to plant-based cleaners, you have plenty of options to make your cleaning products less harmful to your family and the environment.  Eco-friendly cleaning agents come in a variety of forms, from liquids to powders. You can also use eco-friendly cleaning products to clean your laundry, dishes, and even carpets. There are also many eco-friendly alternatives for common household items like paper towels, sponges, and mops.  Using eco-friendly cleaning products will help you reduce your impact on the environment by reducing waste, conserving water and energy, lowering costs, and protecting your family from harmful chemicals. Install a smart thermostat A thermostat is one of the most common places where homeowners can save money while reducing their carbon footprint. By installing a programmable thermostat, you can monitor your energy usage and make small changes that add up to big savings.  Eco-friendly homeowners often choose to install smart thermostats to make it even easier to monitor and manage their energy usage. With a smart thermostat, you can control your temperature from anywhere using a smartphone app.  This is especially helpful if you work from home or want to make it easier for friends and family to adjust the temperature while they’re visiting. Enhance your windows with light filters Windows are an essential part of any home. However, they aren’t perfect; they often let in unwanted light pollution, which can disrupt our sleeping patterns and affect our moods. To reduce light pollution and improve your indoor climate, you can install light filters on your windows.  Eco-friendly homeowners often install light filters to reduce glare, improve privacy, and control temperature. You can also use light filters to reduce light pollution and create a more restful sleeping environment. Light filters come in a variety of styles, from clip-on shades to full-sized window treatments. They are easy to install, affordable, and available in many eco-friendly options.

Use eco-friendly paints and finishes If you’ve decided to remodel your home, it’s important to choose eco-friendly finishes that are safe for your family and the environment. You can choose from a wide range of eco-friendly paint and finish options, including low-VOC paints, water-based finishes, and low-sulfur paints. Making the switch to less toxic paints and finishes will not only improve your indoor air quality by reducing harmful fumes, but it will also help reduce your carbon footprint by reducing waste. Go paperless with e-books and e-readers An e-book reader is a device that allows you to read books, newspapers, and magazines on a digital screen. While they’re not new, e-book readers are becoming more eco-friendly as more manufacturers create devices that reduce our reliance on paper. E-readers are designed to reduce your use of paper, helping you go paperless.  They can hold thousands of books, newspapers, magazines, and documents. That means less paper for us to consume and less material for us to recycle at the end of our lifespan. E-readers are becoming increasingly eco-friendly as companies start designing devices with longer battery life and eco-friendly materials. Advance your eco-friendly home with solar panels Solar panels generate electricity from sunlight, meaning they aren’t reliant on non-renewable energy sources. Solar energy has been around for decades, but in recent years, it has become more accessible to homeowners thanks to technological advancements. If you have the space for solar panels, they are one of the most eco-friendly ways to generate electricity for your home. Solar power is completely clean and doesn’t produce any harmful emissions. Solar panels are relatively expensive to install, but they are a long-term investment. They require very little maintenance over the years and will produce free electricity for many decades. Join a Co-op or rent a renewable resource If you live in a smaller home, there might not be room for all the items and gadgets you would like. You can rent or join a co-op to share resources with other eco-friendly homeowners. Eco-friendly homeowners often share resources like lawnmowers, gardening equipment, and power tools through co-ops.  Alternatively, you could join a car-sharing program and rent cars on an hourly or weekly basis. This is a great way to rent eco-friendly cars, SUVs, and pickup trucks at a lower cost than owning a vehicle. Plus, you’ll be reducing your carbon footprint by taking fewer car journeys! Conclusion These eco-friendly tips for your home will help you create a more sustainable living environment. From installing solar panels to renting eco-friendly cars—there are plenty of ways to reduce your carbon footprint without sacrificing comfort or convenience. These small changes will add up over time, helping you live with less impact on the environment and leave this planet a little better than you found it.

[airadam]

Episode 160 : Raw Up Close

"Whose ways are strange when it's time to survive?"

- DOOM

My birth month comes around once again, but times are getting rougher out there, so this is a pretty rugged selection on the whole - which, to be fair, fits the changing of the season too. Looks like I'm going to be pulling the hoodies and boots out...

RIP Coolio, who passed away just after the music recording was completed for this episode. Never heard a bad word said about the man even once. I'd love to see our legends grow old.

Twitter : @airadam13

Twitch : @airadam13

Playlist/Notes

L.E.G.A.C.Y : 7-3-71

For all these years, I had no idea what the track title was referring to, but I decided to try and find out while writing these notes. There weren't too many notable events that seemed to fit, but one looked possible - the death of Jim Morrison. On this track, L.E.G.A.C.Y mentions being "the Jim Morrison of this"...the mystery might just be solved! 9th Wonder is on the beat, which shuffles along nicely with a bassline-driven rhythm while L.E.G.A.C.Y spits two freewheeling verses. The "Legsclusives" album from 2003 is now available on Bandcamp, so you can get this and put some money directly into the man's pocket.

Statik Selektah : Nobody Move

As much as the vocal version with Raekwon and Royce from the "8" LP is a winner, it's actually nice to hear this dramatic number on the instrumental version of the LP without the vocals. The drum track brings to mind the famous "Amen" break, but I don't think it's a sample, and the horns are a great accompaniment.

Black Moon : Stay Real

If the sample sounds familiar, your ears aren't deceiving you! While you might recognise it from Jay-Z's "Public Service Announcement", it was the Beatminerz who cooked it up for this track first (and actually, Buckwild touched it even before them). It's a noisy, dark backing for Buckshot's slithering Brooklyn flow, while 5ft comes with a more animated mic style. This single was a standout from the "Total Eclipse" LP, which was a worthy addition to the Black Moon catalogue. They're truly a group who never, ever switched it up for commercial appeal.

Prodigy & DJ Premier : Walk Out

The welcome surprise of the month is this dark single, just released by the estate of the late Prodigy of Mobb Deep. With DJ Premier, who backed Mobb Deep early on, on production, P just goes in with his legendary icy-cold delivery. For more, check the any-day-now release of the first posthumous Prodigy album, "The Hegelian Dialectic 2: The Book of Heroine". Rest in peace P.

Meyhem Lauren, Daringer, and Hologram : Raspberry Crush

Meyhem is one of my favourite on the mic, so I was excited to see he had a new release out, entirely produced by Daringer from the Griselda crew. "Black Vladimir" is a 15-track platter of fuzzy, dusty, mostly downtempo street production for an MC who knows exactly what to do with that kind of material. On this tune Meyhem's fellow Outdoorsman Hologram comes along for the ride, and he does his thing - though there was one adlib I had to be rid of - but Meyhem will pretty much always be the best MC on any track you hear him on.

Roc Marciano & The Alchemist : Zig Zag Zig

If you like the kind of dark, downtempo crime records that have been in vogue over the last few years, understand that Roc Marciano was a pioneer of that style. Combine him with the genius behind the boards that is The Alchemist, leave to cook, and you get something like the new "The Elephant Man’s Bones: Pimpire Edition" album, from which this is drawn. The drums are more prominent here than on many Roc tracks, but still somewhat subdued, and he kicks his trademarked slick talk, street corner, word association lyrics over a long verse before Alchemist brings it home with a changeup on the beat. If you've ever heard me talk about "headphone music", this is a prime example.

Jay Dee : Kamaal

A little something to nod your head to, taken from Jay Dee's 2003 "Vintage" release. The tracks themselves are from the mid to late 90s, but even several years later they stand up, and there's no mistaking the producer - this was the era of his work that arguably spawned the most disciples and imitators. 

Zo! and Tall Black Guy ft. Sy Smith, Black Milk, and Elzhi : The Ride

Last year's "Abstractions" album is a compact, beautiful collaboration between these two talented producers, and one which the R&B fans should definitely have a listen to. Here, it's an all-Detroit affair on the mic with Black Milk and Elzhi coming with short, laidback verses over an instrumental I'd call smooth as silk if it wasn't also giving the woofers a bit of a workout too. Sy Smith rounds things off with a staccato, breathy hook, and a little bit of talkbox action on backing vocals is the perfect accent.

Snoop Dogg : The Way Life Used To Be

West West! Something told me I needed a DJ Battlecat production in this spot, so here's one from the 2011 "Doggumentary" album - and Snoop was trying to go even further back that that! Reflecting on the old days and the wisdom of family elders, this actually leads well into the following cut...

2Pac : Nothing But Love

This September marks twenty-six years since 2Pac's passing, so I thought I'd go to a B-side (well, co-A-side at least) from my collection, as I've recently been back on my digitisation project. This is on the "I Get Around" 12", and has Pac talking about the streets and lessons learned over a beat he co-produced with Tony Pizzaro.

Stro Elliot & James Brown : Coal Sweat

Vintage funk with a 21st century kick (literally) as the highly talented producer and multi-instrumentalist Stro Elliot puts some grade A knock into this version of James Brown's pivotal funk classic "Cold Sweat". This is just one of the heaters on his excellent release "Black & Loud : James Brown Reimagined by Stro Elliot" from earlier this year. If any track on this episode deserves your volume turning to 11, it's this one. 

Otis McDonald : We Go Hard

Otis McDonald is the alter ego of producer Joe Bagale, and since finding out about him this year, I haven't heard a bad beat yet! A lot of his music has actually been released as copyright free, which is definitely an unusual move. As great as this new single from the "Fall" LP would be with a top-tier lyricist rhyming on it, it simply doesn't need it, and effortlessly lives up to its title.

The Basement Khemist : Everybody (L.I.F.E.)

This B-side slipped by me for many a year, as the excellent "Vibrate" was always a favourite, but I gave the other side a spin recently and thought it'd be a good one to share! While the act name implies a single person, their name has varied over different releases and this is in fact a group. Produced by crew member Joc Max, there's a lot to like lyrically here, with the MCs alternating between a prayer and lamenting the temptations of the streets. 

Elzhi ft. Ayah : The Leak

Elzhi again, why not? This time he takes centre stage though, on the first full track from his 2008 LP "The Preface". Black Milk's beat is burly, with the kick-bass combo filling the low end nicely, and all the other (sampled?) instrumentation falling into place around it. Of course, it's all about the bars when it comes to an Elzhi cut and he gives us the quality verses we've come to expect. For the streaming fans, this LP currently is on Tidal but not Spotify, but personally I'd recomment buying it - especially with the excellent "Hands Up" also being included.

Nym Lo, Dave East, Statik Selektah : I Love The Game

The final tune chosen for this month's mix, this one leapt into the selection before I'd even got to the end of the first verse! Harlem representative Nym Lo drops a wicked single, but it's guest Dave East who more effectively emphasises the message from the hook - the streets don't love you. Statik Selektah's beat has plenty of low-end knock on a 2022 boom-bap tip. Definitely a release to add to your collection!

Madvillain : Strange Ways

"Now, who's the real thugs, killers, and gangsters?" Who indeed? Probably my favourite track from the classic "Madvillainy" LP - while I confess to not being as big a Madlib fan as some, this beat of his is a perfect canvas for the late MF DOOM to spit a compact two verses on the violence of the world. 

Pete Rock : Mind Frame (Instrumental)

Winding it back over twenty years, we have this bumping, brash Pete Rock beat that you might well know from the updated release of the "Petestrumentals" album; pretty much any modern-day purchase will include this, with Freddie Foxxx coming extra-rugged on the vocals. This instrumental did come out as part of the "Mind Frame/Back On The Block" single though, as well as the compilation "The Beat Generation 10th Anniversary Single Collection" - both well worth having.

Wu-Tang Clan : Protect Ya Neck (Radio Version)

As I say on the voiceover, Wu-Tang came to mind when I reached this episode number, and this track in particular. Rather than play the album version, I decided to go with the radio edit from the original 12" single - this was the way I heard this track for the first time, and to this day I still prefer it! Absolute rawness that still hits almost thirty years after its original release, and a near-perfect introduction to the Clan; Masta Killa and Cappadonna, who at various times have been listed as members, don't appear, but everyone else does and they burn it down. You had to be there in '93 to appreciate what a rebellion this was against the dominant sounds, but just know that it changed the game. 

Please remember to support the artists you like! The purpose of putting the podcast out and providing the full tracklist is to try and give some light, so do use the songs on each episode as a starting point to search out more material. If you have Spotify in your country it's a great way to explore, but otherwise there's always Youtube and the like. Seeing your favourite artists live is the best way to put money in their pockets, and buy the vinyl/CDs/downloads of the stuff you like the most!

Check out this episode!

[thefanficmonster]

Let Them Talk

Corpse Husband x Reader (Female) ft. Sykkuno

Warnings: Swearing, Jealousy

Genre: Fluff, a bit of Angst

Summary: We can all agree Among Us is a fun game on its own but what makes it ten times better is playing it with the right company. Y/N could agree 100% Being a streamer herself, she loves playing with the streamer gang that includes her boyfriend and best friend. But, what happens when her boyfriend starts doubting her feelings for him due to her close relationship with her best friend.

Requested by @cheetoscat . Thank you so much for your request! Sorry it took so long to write, I hope the final product is worth the wait. Enjoy! Love, Vy ❤

Y/AU/N - Your Among Us Name

I settle in my gaming chair, adjusting my webcam one last time before joining the Among Us lobby with my friends. 

“Hi everyone!“ I say into the mic, a smile plastering itself on my face. Discord is a magical thing, man. It’s so easy to forget that the people you are talking to aren’t around you or within arm’s reach. You could be separated by miles and miles of land or - in our case - oceans as well. Distance becomes negligible when you hear your friends’ voices, their laughter; when you have a good time together despite being each behind a screen, often times alone.

Well, I’m one of those lucky ones that isn’t alone. No one knows that, though. Everyone thinks I’m a single, self-employed girl that’s straight out of college. And they are 90% right. Only thing is - I’m not single. That would be a shocker in and of itself, but revealing who’s changed my relationship status would be a bomb with a whole new intensity.

Speaking of my significant other who shall remain unnamed - just kidding, it’s Corpse - his form materializes in the doorway of my recording room. I give him a hand signal the camera isn’t able to capture, alerting him of the fact that my mic is on. He replies by blowing me a kiss and walking off down the hall to his recording room where he’ll be stationed for the next three or so hours.

I owe this relationship to my best friend Sykkuno. I’m a pretty new and not very well known on the platform, however, thanks to him I haven’t only obtained a boyfriend, but a following of a little over million subscribers as well. 

It all started with an invitation to fill a spot in the Among Us lobby him and his friends had created. It took him quite a bit to convince me to join, but I eventually caved and agreed. Suddenly, there I was. In a Discord call, in an Among Us lobby with some of the most well-known names on this platform. I’m talking YouTube legends. I was that puppy playing with the big dogs. The newbie tagging along with the big leagues. Or at least that’s how I felt until we all started vibing - talking and teasing each other as though we’ve known each other for years and not minutes.

When I joined the call, Corpse wasn’t present. After everyone else introduced themselves, Sykkuno informed me that we were waiting for Corpse to return. The name sounded really cool to me and I was genuinely very excited to meet this Corpse guy.

And then, out of the blue - no prep, no warning...

“Did you get someone to fill the spot? Oh- Hello, Y/AU/N.“ 

…he started talking and he had me star-struck. Apparently, he also had me a blabbering mess cause I remember blurting out: “Whoa, who’s this guy speaking in bold and underlined at the same time?”

The entire lobby, including Corpse, laughed. Sean, or Jack like they called him most often, answered my question, “That is the voice of God, Y/N. Its source is named Corpse, though.”

Heat spread from the bottom of my neck to the tips of my ears. I was mortified by my own stupidity. I was well aware they couldn’t see me and I was incredibly thankful for that, but I simply could not get myself to open my eyes. “I’m so sorry.” I said through nervous laughter.

“No, no, I like that description. Bold and underlined at the same time, huh?“ His voice sounded even more pleasant when it had that teasing, mischievous note to it. That thought popping up in my head only made things worse for my self-esteem and only made me more embarrassed, causing me to hide my face in my hands. “You sure it’s not in Italics as well?“ 

His question got a weak laugh out of me. “Nope, definitely not. Nothing Italic about it.“

Yes, I don’t even know how some terrible jokes about MS Word fonts got me as far as a romantic relationship, but they did! We’ve been living together for quite some time now, dating for even longer - hiding it just as long. It’s not that we have been actively trying to hide it or something, we just wanted to see how long it would take someone to become sus of us. When we realized no one would notice, we decided that if any rumors about us started, or even fans shipping us, we’d come clean. That hasn’t happened either, so we haven’t had the proper chance to address our relationship and neither of us minds.

At this point, I’m honestly afraid of revealing it to the gaming squad. Sykkuno especially. He’s my best friend, after all. I can see him being hurt by the fact that I kept a secret so big even from him. The last thing I wanna do is hurt my best friend but it’s already too late for that, it’s inevitable.

“Y/N have you looked at Twitter today?“ Rae, another streamer I’ve become close with over the months, says urgently.

Overlooking the tension in her words, I answer: “Nope, haven’t had the time. Why? What’s up?“

Before Rae can say anything else, Sykkuno joins the conversation, his voice somehow even more urgent than Rae’s. “It’s nothing, Y/N. If you see it, just don’t let it bother you, ok?”

Hearing such a tone from Rae isn’t unusual, but hearing it from Sykkuno is completely different and a lot more worrisome. “Well if it has the potential of bothering me it can’t be nothing. What’s going on?”

Just then, my phone dings with two notifications. I check to see they are messages from Rae.

“I sent you screenshots. Sorry, Sykkuno. She has to know in order to address it and defuse it as well. I know better than anyone how fast these rumors can spread, especially if no one reacts to them.“ She says, her tone barely apologetic at all.

I open the screenshots she has sent me and I find myself frozen in shock. Some old pictures of Sykkuno and I have been posted on Twitter by some random user. These pictures have started an entire thread of suspicions surrounding our relationship.

The pictures in question are from a New Year’s Eve party a mutual friend of ours held two years ago. Sure, in the pictures we are a lot closer than what would be considered a platonic proximity. And yes one of the pictures is of me kissing his cheek. Yes we were both a bit tipsy. I acknowledge all those things and yet none of them are concrete reasons for these rumors to have started piling. 

“This is silly.“ I finally say after maybe five minutes of silence on my end. ”This is absolutely ridiculous! And why are people so serious about it as well? Actual, important matters get discussed more nonchalantly than the potential relationship between two online personalities! What is this world we live in?“ I know I shouldn’t let these rumors get to me like this, especially not on camera. Still, I can’t help it. I feel it’s so unfair to Corpse. He has to put up with this as well and it’s by no means easy for him. I’ve been shipped with people from our group in the past and he always took those rumors to heart despite acting like he didn’t care. Neither of us should get worked up, but him getting upset about them creates a domino effect with my emotions - causing me to be hit just as hard as him, in some cases harder.

Rumors of the past aside, this one is the worst by far. Mostly cause even Corpse himself suspected something between Sykkuno and I at the very beginning, when we were still acquaintances, barely crossing into the realm of friends.

I pull up Twitter to look for the whole thread, barely sparing my stream chat a glance in the process. It seems pretty split - those who agree with me and those who think Sykkuno and I make ‘such an adorable couple’. The thread is ridiculously long, and if we take into account that it was only started approximately five hours ago, you can either view it as impressive, amusing or sad. Why sad? Because someone has dedicated so much time and effort into fueling the fire of a weakly supported theory.

I love Sykkuno with all my heart. Everyone knows that - fandom, streamer squad, Corpse and Sykkuno included. I love too much and too platonically to ever even dream of having a romantic connection with him. I thought that was more than obvious, but people are either blind here, or just grasping at straws. One thing’s for certain - they’re stepping on a nerve.

“Hey where’s Corpse? Did he disconnect?” Felix asks, gaining my full attention. My eyes dart to the monitor, searching through the little avatars in a desperate search for the one of my boyfriend. It’s nowhere to be found.

“He just messaged me saying his connection is unstable but he might join us later.“ Rae says, “You guys can invite someone to fill...“

“Bathroom break.“ I interrupt, not waiting for a response before shutting my mic off, putting the ‘BRB‘ graphic on my stream and yanking the headset off. I basically run down the hall to Corpse’s recording room, my heart pounding like a bass drum.

“Corpse?!“ I call out to him, one hand already on the doorknob. When five seconds pass by without a response, I barge in. 

Inside, I find his usual spot on the gaming chair empty and his slumped figure seated on his bed.

“Corpse?“ I try again, watching for even the tiniest change of body language. He remains still as a statue, not bothering to look up at me either. 

His hands are gripping the edge of the mattress, his head hanging low. His eyes are covered by the short curtain of his dark messy curls. I can’t gauge much. Is he angry? Is he sad? Both? How should I approach the situation?

Before I find the answer to any of those questions, I am kneeling in front of him, our height difference eliminated. I gently pry his hands off the mattress and take them in mine, holding them firmly but tenderly. With one hand I reach up to tilt his head so his eyes can meet mine. He complies, his tear-filled brown orbs meeting mine. Those tears have the same effect on me as fifty sharp knives stabbing into my chest. These tears focus their attack straight on my heart, tearing it to pieces.

“Baby....“

He cuts me off, “Why is it always someone else, huh? Do they deem me not worthy of being with you? Do they think you deserve better?” His voice wavers, “Well, they might be right. They are correct and there’s little I can do to prove them wrong. They mean you well, Y/N - pairing you with guys better than me. Those are some loyal fans you’ve got. They only want what’s best for you. And so do I. If ‘best’ is being with someone else then...”

It’s my turn to cut him off. I put an end to his nonsense ramble that’s slowly killing me by pressing my finger against his lips. The sternness of my gaze is beyond me as I get up and walk over to his computer setup. I put on his headset and hop into the call as well as the lobby with his avatar.

“Hey Corpse’s back!” Toast says, “Good to have you back buddy.”

“No, not Corpse.” I say in a casual, nonchalant voice.

“Wait, wha-“ Sean’s voice shows just how confused he is, representing the confusion of the entire lobby actually.

“I know all of you are streaming so this message will be heard by several different audiences so I’m gonna make myself perfectly clear.“ I take a deep breath, “Sykkuno and I aren’t dating. He’s a lovely guy and he deserves to find a girl who will treat him right. That girl isn’t and won’t be me though. I am already treating someone right. Someone who treats me more than right as well. An amazing person. A man-child with a heart of gold. You know him, to a certain extent. He goes by the name of Corpse Husband, but I prefer to call him ‘Love of my life’. Thank you for your time and attention, goodbye.“

I exit the call and turn around to find a stunned Copse looking at me.

“That was meant for you just as much.“ I say with a fake strict attitude, one hand on my hip the other rested on his desk behind me, “Were you listening?“

Within milliseconds, he’s on his feet standing directly in front of me, his lips inches away from mine. “I heard and memorized every word. But...” he pauses for a moment, “I think you have no idea how big of a chaos you just created.”

I smile mischievously, “We’ll worry about that later. For now...” I close the gap between us, connecting our lips in a sweet and passionate kiss. 

@susceptible-but-siriusexual  @simonsbluee  @save-the-sky  @hacker-ghost  @itsminniekat  @bi-andready-tocry  @imtiredaffff  @jazzkaurtheglorious  @hereforbeebo  @fandomgirl17  @chrysanthykios  @maehemscorpyus  @loraleiix  @letsloveimagines  @annshit  @i-cant-choose-a-username-help  @enigmaticmaze  @divine-artemis  @waterlilypat  @idontknowwhatthisisfam  @evi-ka  @classyandfabulous00  @redperson58  @lilysdaydreams  @the-fuck-up-of-today  @slashersdream  @chiefwombathoagiepizza  @solowheein @mythicalamphitrite  @axen-gers  @luckygirl144  @nj01

[thimbil]

Having some thoughts about the references and inspirations used for the Bad Batch’s designs.

So Boba Fett is my absolute favorite character and Temeura Morrison was perfect casting. I went to see the 2008 TCW movie in theaters because I was so excited to see him again, even if he was animated. You can imagine my disappointment. Whoever was on screen was not Temeura Morrison. You could sort of see a resemblance if you squinted and didn’t think too hard about it. They replaced Temeura with Racially Ambiguous G.I. Joe. If I didn’t know better and someone told me the animated clones are space Italians from the moon of New Jersey I would buy it. One Million Brothers Pizzeria and Italian Bistro. Not that there’s something wrong with being space Italian, I just don’t think it’s the right choice for the Fetts. The design got slightly improved by season 7 but it still bugs the hell out of me.

I did eventually get into the show later and (of course) got invested in the clones. Unfortunately, they were largely sidelined by the Jedi storylines. Out of the two new main characters created for TCW, Ahsoka definitely got more development and focus than Rex. When they announced The Bad Batch, I was excited to see a show specifically devoted to the clones… at least that’s what it said on the tin. We have all seen what lurks beneath those stylish helmets.

Jango Fett, you are NOT the father.

So who is?

Based on interviews with Filoni, it sounds like the Bad Batch was a George Lucas idea. And like all his ideas, it’s super derivative. The original trilogy directly lifted elements from sci fi serials, westerns, and samurai movies, more specifically Kurosawa films like The Hidden Fortress. For The Bad Batch character designs, the influence is obviously American action and adventure movies.

Now let’s get specific. Bad Batch, who’s your daddy?

Hunter

Sylvester Stallone as Rambo in First Blood 1982. That bandana has become an integral part of the iconic action hero look. You see a character wearing one and it’s a visual shorthand for either “this character is a tough guy” like Billy played by Sonny Landham in Predator 1987, or “this character thinks he is/wants to be a tough guy” like Brand played by Josh Brolin in The Goonies 1985 or Edward Frog played by Corey Feldman in The Lost Boys 1987.

Hunter’s model is closest to the original clone base. If you look closely you will see the eyebrows are straighter with a much lower angle to the arch. His nose is also not the same shape as a standard clone like Rex, including a narrower bridge. It’s certainly not Temeura Morrison’s nose. Remember what I said about space Italians? It didn’t take much to push the existing clone design to resemble an specific Italian man instead of a specific Māori man. The 23&Me came back, and Hunter inherited more than the bandana from Sylvester.

Crosshair

The long narrow nose, the sharp cheekbones, the scowl. That’s no clone, that’s just animated Clint Eastwood. Not even Young and Hot Clint Eastwood from Rawhide 1959-1965. With that hair, I’m talking Gran Torino 2008. The man of few words schtick and family friendly toothpick in lieu of cigar are pure Eastwood as The Man With No Name from Sergio Leone’s spaghetti westerns A Fist Full of Dollars 1964, For a Few Dollars More 1965, and The Good the Bad and the Ugly 1966.

In a way, this is full circle because the actor Jeremy Bulloch took inspiration from Clint Eastwood for his performance as Boba Fett in ESB.

Wrecker

In an interview Filoni lists the Hulk as an (obvious) inspiration for Wrecker. Ever seen the old Hulk tv show from 1978? Well take a look at the actor who played him, Lou Ferrigno. Would you look at that. Even has his papa’s nose.

You could make the argument that Wrecker was influenced by The Rock, an appropriately buff ‘n bald Polynesian (Samoan, not Maori) man. But look at him next his Fast and Furious costar Vin Diesel and tell me which one resembles Wrecker’s character model more.

Tech

Tech is a little trickier for me to place. If he has a more direct inspiration it must be something I haven’t seen. That said, his hairline is very Bruce Willis as John McClane in Die Hard 1988. His quippiness and large glasses remind me of Shane Black as Hawkins from Predator 1987. In terms of his face, he looks a but like the result of McClane and Hawkins deciding to settle down and start a family. Although, Tech’s biggest contributors are probably just everyone on TV Trope’s list for Smart People Wear Glasses.

And finally,

Echo

Oh Echo. Considering he wasn’t created for the Bad Batch, he probably wasn’t based on a particular character or movie. But if I had to guess, his situation and appearance remind me a lot of Alex Murphy played by Peter Weller in Robocop 1987. However, Robocop explored the Man or Machine Identity Crisis with more nuance, depth, and dignity. Yikes.

The exact tropes and references used in The Bad Batch have been done successfully with characters who aren’t even human. Gizmo from Gremlins 2: The New Batch 1990 had a brief stint with the Rambo bandana. I could have picked any number of characters for Defining Feature Is Glasses but here is the most cursed version of Simon of Alvin and the Chipmunks. Suffer as I have. Marc Antony with his beloved Pussyfoot from Looney Tunes has the same tough guy with a soft center vibe as Wrecker and his Lula (also a kind of cat). Hell, in the same show we have Cad Bane sharing Cowboy Clint Eastwood with Crosshair. I actually think Bane makes a better Eastwood which is wild considering Crosshair has Eastwood’s entire face and Bane is blue.

So we’ve established you don’t need your characters to look exactly like their inspirations to match their vibe. So why go through the trouble and cost of creating completely new character designs instead of recycling and altering assets they already had on hand? Just slap on a bandana, toothpick, goggles, and make Wrecker bigger than the others while he does a Hulk pose and you’re done. Based on the general reaction to Howzer it would have been a low effort slam dunk crowd pleaser.

But they didn’t do that.

So here’s the thing. I like the tropes used in The Bad Batch. I am a fan of action adventure movies from the 80s-90s, the sillier the better. I am part of the Bad Batch’s target audience. Considering what I know about Disney and Lucasfilm, I went in with low expectations. I genuinely don’t hate the idea of seeing references to these actors and media in The Bad Batch. I don’t think basing these characters on tropes was a bad idea. If anything it’s a solid starting point for building the characters.

The trouble is nothing got built on the foundation. The plot is directionless, the pacing is wacky, and the characters have nearly no emotional depth or defining character arcs. They just sort of exist without reacting much while the story happens around them. But I can excuse all of that. You don’t stay a fan of Star Wars as long as I have not being able to cherrypick and fill in the gaps. This show has a deeper issue that shouldn’t be ignored.

Why do the animated clones bear at best only a passing resemblance to their live action actor? In interviews, Filoni wouldn’t shut up but the technological advancements in the animation for season 7. So if they are updating things, why not try to make the clones a closer match to their source material? Why did they have to look like completely different people in The Bad Batch to be “unique”? Looking like Temeura Morrison would have no bearing on their special abilities and TCW proved you can have identical looking characters and still have them be distinct. In fact, that’s a powerful theme and the source of tragedy for the clones’ narrative overall.

Here’s Filoni’s early concept art of Crosshair, Wrecker, Tech, and Hunter. (Interesting but irrelevant: Wrecker seems to have a cog tattoo similar to Jesse’s instead of a scar. Wouldn’t it have been funny if they kept that so when they met in season 7 one if them could say something like “Hey we’re twins!” That’s a little clone humor. Just for you guys 😘)

None of these drawings look like the clones in TCW, much less Temeura Morrison. Let’s be generous. Maybe Filoni struggles with drawing a real person’s likeness, as many people do. But he had to hand this off to other artists down the line whose job specifically involves making a stylized character resemble their actor. Yet the final designs missed the mark almost as much as this initial concept. Starting to seem as if the clones looking more like Temeura Morrison was never even on the table. It wasn’t a lack of creativity, skill or technical limitations on the part of the creative team. I don’t think there is an innocent explanation. They went out of their way to make the final product exactly how we got it.

This goes beyond homage. They could have made the same pop culture references and character tropes without completely stripping Temeura Morrison from the role he originated. It was a very purposeful choice to replace him with more immediately familiar actors from established franchises and films. It wouldn’t shock me if Filoni, Lucas, and anyone else calling the shots didn’t even think hard or care enough about the decision to immediately recognize a problem. And I don’t think they believed anyone else would either. At least no one whose opinion they cared about. Those faces are comfortingly familiar and proven bankable. They are what we’re all used to seeing after all. They’re white.

Lack of imagination, bad intentions, or simple ignorance doesn’t really matter in the end. The result is the same. Call it what it is. They replaced a man of color with a bunch of white guys. That’s by the book garden variety run of the mill whitewashing. There’s no debate worth having about it. For a fanbase that loves to nitpick things like whether or not it’s in character for Han to shoot first or Jeans Guy in the Mandalorian, we sure are quick to find excuses for clones who look nothing like their template. Why is that? If you don’t see the problem, congratulations. Your ass is showing. Pull your jeans up.

[meruz]

once again i am answering asks in a big compilation post. included is... gotham, patrick stump, tips about drawing backgrounds, tips about drawing in general, links to my faq, and infinity train

like.... the tv series? No... I’ve drawn dc comics fanart before, though. But it’s been years since I’ve been really into it. I like jumped ship like 10 years ago when the New 52 happened LOL.

AFJHDSLKGH I’m sorry I (probably) won’t do it again??

Actually full disclosure I have a truly cringe amount of p stump drawings/photo studies in my sketchbook right now LOL. He’s just fun to draw... hats, glasses, guitar, a good shape... but I don’t think I’ll rly post those until I can hide them in another big sketchbook pdf.. probably Jan 2022. Stay tuned........ (ominous) 

(ominous preview)

These are all sort of related to backgrounds/painting so I grouped them together even though they’re pretty much entirely separate questions.... ANYWAYS

a) How is it working as a BG artist? Is it hard? What show are you drawing for?

I think you’re the first person to ever ask me about my job! Being a background artist is great. It’s definitely labor intensive but I think that could describe pretty much any art job (If something were rote or easy to automate, you wouldn’t hire an artist to do it) and I hesitate to say whether its harder or easier than any other role in the animation pipeline. Plus, so much of what truly makes a job difficult varies from one production to the next, schedule, working environment, co-workers etc. But I will say that I think while BGs are generally a lot of work on the upfront, I think they’re subject to less scrutiny/revisions than something like character/props/effects design and you don’t have to pitch them to a room like boards. So I guess it’s good if you don’t like to talk to people? LOL

A lot of my previous projects + the show I’ve worked on the longest aren’t public yet so I can’t talk about em (but I assure you if/when the news does break I won’t shut up about it). But I’m currently working on Archer Season 12 LOL. I’m like 90% sure I’m allowed to say that.

b) ~~~THANK YOU!! ~~~

c) What exactly do you like to draw most [in a background]?

@kaitomiury​ Lots of stuff! I really like to draw clutter! Because it’s a great opportunity for environmental storytelling and also you can be kind of messy with it because the sheer mass will supersede any details LOL. 

I like to draw clouds... I like to draw grass but not trees lol,,, I like to draw anything that sells perspective really easily like tiled floors and ceilings, shelves, lamp posts on a street etc.

d) Do you have any tips on how to paint (observational)?

god there’s so much to say. painting is really a whole ass discipline like someone can paint their whole life and still discover new things about it. I guess if you’re really just starting out my best advice is that habit is more important than product. especially with traditional plein air painting, I find that the procedure of going outside and setting up your paints is almost harder than the actual painting. There’s a lot of artists who say “I want to do plein air sometime!!” and then never actually get around to doing it. A lot of people just end up working from google streetview or photos on their computer.

But going outside to paint is a really good challenge because it forces you to make and commit to lighting and composition decisions really quickly. And to work through your mistakes instead of against them via undo button.

My last tip is to check out James Gurney’s youtube channel because hes probably the best and most consistent resource on observational painting out there rn. There’s lots other artists doing the same thing (off the top of my head I know a lot of the Warrior Painters group has people regularly posting plein air stuff and lightbox expo had a Jesse Schmidt lecture abt it last year) but Gurney’s probably the most prolific poster and one of the best at explaining the more technical stuff - his books are great too.

e) Do you have tips for drawing cleanly on heavypaint?

@marigoldfool​ UMM LOL I LIKE ONLY USE THE FILL TOOL so maybe use the fill tool? Fill and rectangle are good for edge control as opposed to the rest of the heavy paint tools which can get sort of muddles. And also I use a stylus so maybe if you’re using your finger, find a stylus that works with your device instead. That’s all I’ve got, frankly I don’t think my drawings are particularly clean lol.

f) Tips on improving backgrounds/scenes making them more dynamic practicing etc?

Ive given some tips about backgrounds/scenes before so I’m not gonna re-tread those but here’s another thing that might be helpful...

I think a good way to approach backgrounds is to think of the specific story or even mood you want to convey with the background first. Thinking “I just need to put something behind this character” is going to lead you to drawing like... a green screen tourist photo backdrop. But if you think “I need this bg to make the characters feel small” or “I need this bg to make the world feel colorful” then it gives you requirements and cues to work off of.

If I know a character needs to feel overwhelmed and small, then I know I need to create environment elements that will cage them in and corner them. If a character needs to feel triumphant/on top of the world then I know I need to let the environment open up around them. etc. If I know my focal point/ where I want to draw attention, I can build the background around that.

Also, backgrounds like figure compositions will have focal points of their own and you can draw attention to it/ the relationship the characters have with the bg element via scale or directionality or color, any number of cues. I think of it almost as a second/third character in a scene.

Not every composition is gonna have something so obvious like this but it helps me to think about these because then the characters feel connected and integrated with the environment.

Some more general art questions

a) Do you have any process/tips to start drawing character/bodies/heads?

I tried to kind of draw something to answer this but honestly this is difficult for me to answer because I don’t think I’m that great at drawing characters LOL. Ok, I think I have two tips.

1) flip your canvas often. A lot about what makes human bodies look correct and believable is symmetry and balance. Even if someone has asymmetrical features, the body will often pull and push in a way to counterbalance it. we often have inherent biases to one side or another like dominant hands dominant eyes etc. you know how right-handed artists will often favor drawing characters facing 45 degrees facing (the artist’s) left? that’s part of it. so viewing your drawing flipped even just to evaluate it helps compensate for that bias and makes you more aware of balance.

2) draw the whole figure often. I feel like a lot of beginner artists (myself included for a long time) defer to just drawing headshots or busts because it’s easier, you dont have to think about posing limbs etc. But drawing a full body allows you to better gauge proportion, perspective, body language, everything that makes a character look believable and grounded.

Like if you (me) have that issue where you draw the head too big and then have to resize it to fit the proportions of the rest of the body, it’s probably because you (I) drew the head first and are treating the body as an afterthought/attachment. Sketching out the whole figure first or even just quick drawing guides for it will help you think of it more holistically. I learned this figure drawing in charcoal at art school LOL.

oh. third mini tip - try to draw people from life often! its the best study. if you can get into a figure drawing/nude drawing class EVEN BETTER and if you have a local college/art space/museum that hosts those for free TREASURE IT AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT, that’s a huge boon that a lot of artists (me again) wish they had. though if youre not so lucky and youre sitting in a park trying to creeper draw people and they keep moving.. don’t let that stop you! that’s good practice because it’s forcing you to work fast to get the important stuff down LOL. its a challenge!

b) I’ve been pretty out of energy and have had no inspiration to draw but I have the desire to. Any advice?

Dude, take a walk or something.... Or a nap? Low energy is going to effect everything else so you gotta hit that problem at its source.

If you’re looking for inspiration though, I’d recommend stuff like watching a movie, reading a book, playing video games etc. Fill up your idea bank with content and then give yourself time/space to gestate it into new concepts. Sometimes looking at other art works but sometimes it can work against you because it’s too close. 

Also something that helps me is remembering that art doesn’t always have to be groundbreaking... like it’s okay to make something shitty and stupid that you don’t post online and only show to your friend. That’s all part of the process imo. If you want to hit a home run you gotta warm up first, right? Sports.

I should probably compile everytime i give tips on stuff like this but that’s getting dangerously close to being a social media artist who makes stupid boiled down art tutorials for clout which is the last thing i want to be... the thing I want to stress is that art is a whole visual language and there are widely agreed upon rules and customs but they exist in large part to be broken. Like there's an infinite number of ways to reach an infinite number of solutions and that’s actually what makes it really cool and personal for both the artist and the viewer. So when you make work you like or you find someone else’s work you like, take a step back and ask yourself what about it speaks for you, what about it works for you, what makes it effective, how to recreate that effect and how to break that effect completely, etc. And have a good time with it or else what’s the point.

for the first 2, I direct you to my FAQ

For the last one, I don’t actually believe I’ve ever addressed artwork as insp for stories/rp but I’ll say here and now yeah go ahead! As long as you’re not making profit or taking credit for my work then I’m normally ok with it. Especially anything thats private and purely recreational, that’s generally 100% green light go. I only ask that if you post it anywhere public that you please credit me.

(and I reserve the right to ask you to take it down if I see it and don’t approve of it’s use but I think that case is pretty rare.)

a) @lemuelzero101 Thank you!!! I haven’t played Life is Strange but actually  that series’ vis dev artist Edouard Caplain is one of my bigger art inspirations lately so that’s a really high compliment lol. And yeah I hope we get 5-8 too...!

b) Thank you for sticking around! I’ve been thinking about Digimon and Infinity Train in tandem lately, actually. They’re a little similar? Enter a dangerous alternate world and have wacky adventures with monsters/inanimate objects that have weird powers... there’s like weird engineers and mechanisms behind the scenes... also frontier literally starts with them getting on a train. Anyways if anyone else followed me for digimon... maybe you’d like Infinity Train? LOL

c) @king-wens-king I’M GLAD MY ART JUST HAS PINOY VIBES LOL I hope you are having a good day too :^)

a, b, c, d) yessss my Watch Infinity Train agenda is working....

e) aw thank you!! i think you should watch infinity train :)