#but you have to understand i made it with a free online program with no art knowledge & with A MOUSE w/o mousepad LMAO | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

kotori-mochi · 5 months

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Can't afford art school?

After seeing post like this 👇

And this gem 👇

As well as countless of others from the AI generator community. Just talking about how "inaccessible art" is, I decided why not show how wrong these guys are while also helping anyone who actually wants to learn.

Here is the first one ART TEACHERS! There are plenty online and in places like youtube.

📺Here is my list:

Proko (Free, mostly teaches anatomy and how to draw people. But does have art talks and teaches the basics.)

Marc Brunet (Free but he does have other classes for a cheap price. Use to work for Blizzard and teaches you everything)

Aaron Rutten (free, tips about art, talks about art programs and the best products for digital art)

BoroCG (free, teaches a verity of art mediums from 3D modeling to digital painting. As well as some tips that can be used across styles)

Jesse J. Jones (free, talks about animating)

Jesus Conde (free, teaches digital painting and has classes in Spanish)

Mohammed Agbadi (free, he gives some advice in some videos and talks about art)

Ross Draws (free, he does have other classes for a good price. Mostly teaching character designs and simple backgrounds.)

SamDoesArts (free, gives good advice and critiques)

Drawfee Show (free, they do give some good advice and great inspiration)

The Art of Aaron Blaise ( useful tips for digital art and animation. Was an animator for Disney. Mostly nature art)

Bobby Chiu ( useful tips and interviews with artist who are in the industry or making a living as artist)

Sinix Design (has some tips on drawing people)

Winged canvas (art school for free on a verity of mediums)

Bob Ross (just a good time, learn how to paint, as well as how too relax when doing art. "there are no mistakes only happy accidents", this channel also provides tips from another artist)

Scott Christian Sava (Inspiration and provides tips and advice)

Pikat (art advice and critiques)

Drawbox (a suggested cheap online art school, made of a community of artist)

Skillshare (A cheap learning site that has art classes ranging from traditional to digital. As well as Animation and tutorials on art programs. All under one price, in the USA it's around $34 a month)

Human anatomy for artist (not a video or teacher but the site is full of awesome refs to practice and get better at anatomy)

Second part BOOKS, I have collected some books that have helped me and might help others.

📚Here is my list:

The "how to draw manga" series produced by Graphic-sha. These are for manga artist but they give great advice and information.

"Creating characters with personality" by Tom Bancroft. A great book that can help not just people who draw cartoons but also realistic ones. As it helps you with facial ques and how to make a character interesting.

"Albinus on anatomy" by Robert Beverly Hale and Terence Coyle. Great book to help someone learn basic anatomy.

"Artistic Anatomy" by Dr. Paul Richer and Robert Beverly Hale. A good book if you want to go further in-depth with anatomy.

"Directing the story" by Francis Glebas. A good book if you want to Story board or make comics.

"Animal Anatomy for Artists" by Eliot Goldfinger. A good book for if you want to draw animals or creatures.

"Constructive Anatomy: with almost 500 illustrations" by George B. Bridgman. A great book to help you block out shadows in your figures and see them in a more 3 diamantine way.

"Dynamic Anatomy: Revised and expand" by Burne Hogarth. A book that shows how to block out shapes and easily understand what you are looking out. When it comes to human subjects.

"An Atlas of animal anatomy for artist" by W. Ellenberger and H. Dittrich and H. Baum. This is another good one for people who want to draw animals or creatures.

Etherington Brothers, they make books and have a free blog with art tips.

📝As for Supplies, I recommend starting out cheap, buying Pencils and art paper at dollar tree or 5 below. If you want to go fancy Michaels is always a good place for traditional supplies. They also get in some good sales and discounts. For digital art, I recommend not starting with a screen art drawing tablet as they are usually more expensive.

For the Best art Tablet I recommend either Xp-pen, Bamboo or Huion. Some can range from about 40$ to the thousands.

💻As for art programs here is a list of Free to pay.

Clip Studio paint ( you can choose to pay once or sub and get updates. Galaxy, Windows, macOS, iPad, iPhone, Android, or Chromebook device. )

Procreate ( pay once for $9.99, IPAD & IPHONE ONLY)

Blender (for 3D modules/sculpting, animation and more. Free)

PaintTool SAI (pay but has a 31 day free trail)

Krita (Free)

mypaint (free)

FireAlpaca (free)

Libresprite (free, for pixel art)

Drawpile (free and for if you want to draw with others)

IbisPaint (free, phone app ONLY)

Medibang (free, IPAD ONLY)

NOTE: Some of these can work on almost any computer like Clip and Sai but others will require a bit stronger computer like Blender. Please check their sites for if your computer is compatible.

So do with this information as you will but as you can tell there are ways to learn how to become an artist, without breaking the bank. The only thing that might be stopping YOU from using any of these things, is YOU.

I have made time to learn to draw and many artist have too. Either in-between working two jobs or taking care of your family and a job or regular school and chores. YOU just have to take the time or use some time management, it really doesn't take long to practice for like an hour or less. YOU also don't have to do it every day, just once or three times a week is fine.

Hope this was helpful and have a great day.

"also apologies for any spelling or grammar errors, I have Dyslexia and it makes my brain go XP when it comes to speech or writing"

#art #artist #digital art #art help #help #art advice #art tips

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soov-archived · 1 year

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H𝗘𝗘S𝗘𝗨NG 𝗔S Y𝗢𝗨R PR𝗢GR𝗔MM𝗘R BF!

✶ : 0.7k, hcs, programmer!heeseung & gn!reader, fluff, established relationship. ⚠ : kissing, pet names (babe), cuddling, mentions of food, ‘calling’ someone poopy pants (??). ੭ : i needed a break from programming for three hours straight <'3

heeseung lets you sit on his lap while he reads and writes codes. he caresses your head softly with a hand, the other skillfully editing the symbols and functions. occasionally, he spins his chair to take a break, looping his arms around your waist. his lips travel from your shoulder to your neck, jaw, cheeks, and then lips, humming tiredly in satisfaction against them.

because he spends a lot of time in front of his bright computer screen, his eyesight eventually got bad. after visiting the eye doctor, he listened to your suggestions and got a new pair of round glasses. now, whenever you push up the frame that falls to the tip of his nose he smiles shyly, a crimson tint coating his ears. his doe eyes avert from yours and his fingers press the right button of his mouse repeatedly. heeseung also knows that he should call it a day when you carefully take them off his face.

hee only knows bits of html and css, but if you're watching a boring online class he will appear by your side and snatch your laptop from your hands, laughing maniacally. despite your protests, he's already opening the inspect window to change your teacher's name to something dumb like “poopy pants”. he modifies the whole call — from your classmates’ questions in the chat (that now are quoting a random meme) to the class name (which, at the moment, is named “heestory”).

he does the most stupidly cheesy things for you and he's not ashamed at all.

heeseung once created a python program in five minutes and yelled “babe, come see what i did!” from his room. you thought he'd show you a complex project, but it was just a white page with “how much % of the day do you think about lee heeseung?” written in the middle.

you tried typing out numbers smaller than 10 to joke around with him, only for a message to pop up:

really? :( he thinks about you every moment of his day!

heeseung gazed up at you sadly from his chair as you tried writing bigger numbers — but none of them made the warning disappear. only when you wrote an obnoxiously big number that a new message came on

:D he thinks about you this much, too! congrats, you got an unlimited free pass to get as many kisses and cuddles as you want!

unfortunately, you didn't get to even read it when your boyfriend tackled you in the bed, tickling your sides and murmuring in faux anger that you were an annoying little brat for teasing him.

if you didn't know, you don't need a powerful computer or laptop to start programming. however, heeseung has a HUGE, modern setup, and being his partner means that you'll get one too. no matter if you use it every day or once in a blue moon, he's ready to spend all his money on a setup as big as his. do you want led lights? you got it. a new cooler? consider it done. a new computer monitor as long as your wall was released? it'll be by your doorstep tomorrow morning.

being his partner also means having to listen to his late-night complaints when a project of his doesn't go as planned. ask him how was his day and you'll get a sulky heeseung holding you close to his chest, ranting your ear off about how the program didn't execute half the commands. he'll pinch you or flick your forehead playfully if you laugh at him, not understanding a thing of what he's saying.

heeseung also uses the lamest technology pick-up lines with you. he prefers using ones that he knows you'll understand instead of choosing ones about the programming languages he uses. expect him to randomly ask you things like “are you wi-fi? ‘cause i'm feeling a connection between us!”, and push a side of his glasses down, winking at you.

last but not least, if you want to learn how to program, he'll immediately clean up his schedule a certain day of the week and teach you himself. heeseung will buy snacks, get fresh bottles of water, and put your chair as closer to his as possible, explaining every function and command with the uttermost love and patience in the world.

⠀ ⠀ © soov, 2O22.

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narudoodles · 8 months

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Update! A kind soul over on twitter let me know that there are pretty reliable AI art checkers online, that have been developed by people specialising in AI and machine learning!

An NYT article also talks about the pros and cons of a number of them.

I tested all the 3 free open access sites (Illuminarty, Optic AI or Not, Umm-Maybe) and only Illuminarty and Optic AI or Not gave consistent results on both art and photographs.

I'll put the links below so anyone can go and check for whichever art they want to (download the original images from tumblr posts, and upload them)

https://www.aiornot.com/#home

https://app.illuminarty.ai/

These are the results :

Optic flagged it as AI immediately.

But Illuminarty had very interesting aspect : when I uploaded the full image, AI probability was 10%. but, on cropping out the bottom of the image (jacket) the probability jumped to 73.9%

This is consistent with my original comment on the art here

My limited understanding of these programs indicate that they scan the entire image including all the individual pixels. AI programs like Stable Diffusion, Mid Journey, DallE all leave signal artifacts when they process an image, which is then left on the final pic generated!

Compare these two @/skykashi original arts, that are immediately flagged as human made.

And now I get to my favourite AI art bro in the fandom @madasama! I commend you for admitting that you not only use AI, but are proud of producing a large number of "real" arts in such a short time!

Here's your "art"s results!!

@elhnrt made a far more detailed and organised post about this specific weirdo, feel free to check it out!

I will be using fandom tags on this particular post so that it has a broader reach. Especially for genuine digital artists and art lovers. Save the links, and always keep an eye out for AI, it's everywhere these days.

#Naruto #Fanart #Digital art #Anti AI #say no to ai art #Fandom #Tumblr #AI resources #Idk if tumblr is gonna eat up this post on the tags #But it's worth a try #Also since I've been accused of trying to spread misinformation without 'solid proof'#Here's an attempt from verified widely used websites that anyone can access free of cost #The NYT article was a great resource #It talked about the pros and cons and limitations of each site #Worth a read tbh #These AI checkers are not 100% guaranteed to give accurate results all the time #It's best to check with multiple AI flaggers and compare results #And also with context clues like the artstyle skill set and frequency of posting arts of the acc in question

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kleyamarki · 8 months

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I’d love to hear some library stories!

Okay friends here is my support your local public library manifesto:

I have worked in a public library for a little over a year now, and I worked in an academic library for a year and a half. They’re two different beasts, and I love both, but public libraries will always have a special place in my heart.

Lately, as I’m sure you know, public libraries in the US have been under attack by people who really don’t understand public libraries and all that their employees do.

So, here are some of the things that I’ve done in my year of public library work that people outside of it might not think of:

1. I’ve taught several older adults how to text on their iPhone for the first time, and how to use their smart phones generally.

2. I led teens through a library orientation to show them all we have to offer (which is pretty important when we regularly have 50-60 teens hanging out at my branch after school).

3. I’ve helped people over chat reference locate information and obituaries for their relatives. This involved looking through old newspapers and databases — it was really cool and the patrons are always extremely thankful!!

4. I helped a woman locate her many-greats grandfather’s civil war records using our local history collection.

5. I’ve printed countless tax forms for people and made appointments for them to get their taxes done at the library for free.

6. I’ve developed relationships with the local community college and a local university to get more college students to use the public library and to get them out into their community. (Let me brag here: this is in the strategic plan to be completed by fiscal year 2026, and I, a 23 year old library associate, have already been doing this, teehee)

7. I set up 4 all-ages displays and 2 adult displays this year alone, and I have 2 more I’m setting up in September.

8. I’ve helped kids locate materials for homework in books and using our online resources.

9. I’ve helped with our branch’s Lunch at the Library program, which feeds any kid up to age 18 for free every weekday during the summer.

10. I’ve helped people young and old with resumes, job applications, and helped them find career readiness and test prep materials countless times.

Libraries are SO much more than just books!!!! We have online resources, puzzles, board games, cameras, fishing poles, cake pans, and so much more!! We have programming for ALL ages! I specifically program for 20s-30s! Check us out!!!!! And don’t forget: public libraries are some of the last spaces that you can exist in without having to spend money. They need to be protected, appreciated, and most of all VISITED!!!

Go get a library card and check us out!!!!!!

#support libraries #public libraries #public librarian #alright i’m done with this manifesto #luv u all

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am-i-the-asshole-official · 7 months

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woo time to ask tumblr for help again. skip this if you feel uncomfortable with kids talking about sexuality

so, I am 16. very much a minor. But, like a lot of teens, I get curious and feel sexual attraction. The thing is, I know a lot of kids lie about their age to see or read stuff online, but I don’t feel comfortable doing that just because if I were an adult making that type of stuff I wouldn’t want a kid viewing it.

So that limits my options. I don’t want to read R-rated fanfic because of the reason above, I don’t want to interact with NSFW blogs because of the reason above, no way I’m roleplaying online with somebody else while I’m a minor, etc etc etc.

Here’s the aita part.

I made a character.ai account. I know. I hate ai, I know the problems it presents, trust me I am a regular on the We Hate Ai site, tumblr. I use that account exclusively to do NSFW roleplay. My logic is that since it’s a computer program, I’m not infringing on boundaries, and I can explore that stuff on my own. I still feel guilty about it though. I do write myself erotica on a private google drive but it’s more difficult to hide and more stressful to hide in general.

aita for making and using that account?? I don’t like ai and I feel guilty about using it but it really helps me out sometimes, and it helped me understand myself better to the point I could talk to my therapist about it. The thing is, ai use is sort of unethical and generally conflicts with my values. thoughts???? also, the owner of aita, feel free to delete this ask if you want. I know kids and sex is kind of hard so if you don’t feel comfortable posting it you don’t have to.

What are these acronyms?

#aita #am i the asshole

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em-dash-press · 6 months

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What Is NaNoWriMo?

You’ve likely seen some posts about NaNoWriMo before. It’s nearly impossible to exist in any creative writing ecosystem without seeing people post about it or use it as a tag. This is everything you need to know about NaNoWriMo before the big event arrives this year.

Heads up! NaNoWriMo starts next month. This guide could help you get ready to join in the coming weeks or prepare for next year if you need more time.

What Is NaNoWriMo?

NaNoWriMo is a long acronym for National Novel Writing Month. It’s an event that happens every year in November. People from all over the world open new documents or fresh sheets of paper to write their own 50,000-word novels in 30 days or less.

History of NaNoWriMo

There is a pretty long history behind NaNoWriMo that boils down to these points:

In 1999, Chris Baty–a writer in San Francisco—decided to attempt writing a novel in a month.

He also asked his creative writing friends to join in the attempt.

They started writing on July 1 and six of them reached the word count by July 31.

The next year, the challenge moved to November so everyone could take full advantage of July’s gorgeous weather for vacations and general non-indoor-writing things.

Everyone from 1999’s event invited more friends, so 29 out of 140 reached the word count in year two.

Newspapers covered the fun event, which made it nationally known.

People made a website for NaNoWriMo so more people could participate.

Thousands participated in the annual November event online by following posts on the website.

In 2006, NaNoWriMo became a nonprofit.

Since 2006, NaNoWriMo has grown to include events throughout the year, like the summer program Camp NaNoWriMo.

427,653 writers from around the world participated in 2021.

How NaNoWriMo Works

If you want to see what NaNoWriMo is all about, you’ll have to sign up on the main website. It’s free to sign up so you don’t need to worry about it affecting your budget.

Once you reach your new dashboard, you can set all kinds of goals tailored to your writing routine or hopes, like:

Weekly writing dates

Total words for your story

Word counts per day or week

When you’re ready to start writing, you can use whatever tools you prefer. Physical notebooks, Google Docs, Word docs, and writing software programs are all compatible. Think of your NaNoWriMo dashboard as a separate tool recording your progress while your writing happens on the side.

There are also tons of free resources available year-round on the main website. Check out the resource hub to explore new topics or get the pep talk you need to start your new manuscript.

You can use it to write your first novel or your 50th. It depends on where you are in your creative writing journey.

Benefits of Participating In NaNoWriMo

There are many benefits to participating in NaNoWriMo. Writers enjoy things like:

Finishing a novel

Improving your writing skills

Meeting other writers

Getting feedback on your writing

Having a sense of accomplishment

Tips for Participating In NaNoWriMo

I understand how overwhelming it might feel to think of writing a novel in a month. It’s out of the norm, but that’s the point of NaNoWriMo! You’re supposed to set a writing goal that feels slightly outside of your normal routine. It’s easier to try new resources and writing tricks when you’re in uncharted territory.

Here are a few tips for participating in NaNoWriMo with a little less anxiety than you might feel right now.

Set Realistic Goals

Writing a novel in a month might be literally not possible for you. If your schedule, ideas, or anything else could get in the way of your goal, then it’s likely not realistic.

Set realistic NaNoWriMo goals this year to accomplish your dreams.

You could start by making a SMART goal, which stands for a goal that’s:

Specific (“I will write 500 words this month” instead of “I’ll write this month.”)

Measurable (“To write 500 words this month, I’ll write at least 16 words each day” instead of “I’ll try to write every day.”)

Achievable (“I know I’ll have time for this in my early morning or late evening hours” instead of “I’ll try to find time for my writing.”)

Relevant (“I’ll get to write about a character, theme, or story idea that matters to me” instead of “I’ll write something good.”)

Time-Bound (“I’ll finish writing every day by 10 p.m. at the latest and finish on November 30” instead of “I’ll write for the whole month.”)

Getting specific in these ways makes your writing goals actionable—not just hopeful.

Find a Writing Friend

Search the NaNoWriMo resource page to find writing groups you could join in November. It’ll help to read the forum posts from other participants working through the same challenges you’re facing.

Social media could also be a great place to find NaNoWriMo participants. Look into writing groups specifically for this November’s event. See if there are Discord servers for NaNoWriMo writers or TikToks writers are making about their experiences.

Select a Few Writing Tools

There are free writing resources all over the internet that will help you succeed in your NaNoWriMo goals this year. I’ve got an older list of resources people find helpful, but you can also check out NaNoWriMo’s official resource page.

Take Care of Yourself

You are always more important than your stories. You’re worth the effort it takes to do self-care habits like taking breaks, making quick healthy meals, and getting enough sleep.

Don’t forget to prioritize your physical, mental, and emotional needs this November. Taking breaks during your writing sessions could prevent burnout. Check-in with yourself daily to ask what would help you feel your best and what forms of self-care will boost your writing abilities.

Rewards are another great self-care tool too! What would make you happy? That might look like getting yourself an ice cream cone when you’re done with your first day or going to a movie for getting halfway through your goals. You should finish the self-care activity feeling rested and restored.

Consider Trying NaNoWriMo This Year

Anyone can try NaNoWriMo, no matter how much writing experience you have. Even if your goal is only to write a short story, use this event to practice writing. You’ll have a great time if you set achievable goals, prioritize your self-care, and surround yourself with a supportive creative community.

NaNoWriMo FAQs

Do I Have to Be a Novelist to Participate in NaNoWriMo?

No! The event was created to help the founder finish his first novel. You can join the NaNoWriMo event if you have a novel idea in the back of your mind or even if you just want to write a short story.

On the other hand, novelists are welcomed to join too. You could use the event to tackle your next manuscript or finish the novel you’re working on right now. There are no hard rules about what you can write.

How Much Do I Need to Write for NaNoWriMo?

How much you write for NaNoWriMo is up to you. The average novel is around 50-75,000 words, but that number isn’t realistic for everyone to write in 30 days or less. Set a word count that’s realistic for you given your writing abilities and time.

How Do I Complete NaNoWriMo?

You’ll complete NaNoWriMo by accomplishing the goal or goals you set for yourself on November 1! You’ll be your biggest cheerleader in this event, so make sure you celebrate your accomplishments.

What Happens if I Don’t Finish NaNoWriMo?

If you don’t finish NaNoWriMo, nothing happens. Seriously. It’s an international writing event, but there aren’t penalties for not meeting your writing goals or even falling out halfway through.

Writers set their own goals and keep themselves on track. If you don’t finish, recognize what happened and learn from it. You can always try again next year—or even next month if you want to do it again by yourself!

What Are the Official Rules of NaNoWriMo?

The official rules of NaNoWriMo are easy to follow. They include the following guidelines:

Set an official 50,000 word count goal if you want to participate via the NaNoWriMo free member dashboard.

Set a customized goal through the same dashboard, although it won’t be an official goal.

Follow the Code of Conduct whenever you’re posting in group spaces.

There are general understandings as well, like:

Don’t start working on your manuscript before November 1, including plot outlining and character work.

Don’t continue working on your manuscript after November 30. 11:59 PM on November 30 is the last chance to add to your official word count goal. After that, any writing or editing that happens will be unattached to your NaNoWriMo participation.

Does NaNoWriMo Cost Money?

NaNoWriMo doesn’t cost money! It’s completely free to participate in. However, there are additional things you can spend money on if you’d like to upgrade your experience.

You can invest in writing software or online tools as you see fit. You can also buy merchandise from the organization’s shop, which includes notebooks and a book on writing tips.

If you like what you see, please consider using the tip feature on my posts! I run this site for free, but will always appreciate the financial support. 💙

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spongebobafettywap · 1 month

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I really don't get the X-Men fandom: For people who claim to be all about inclusivity and "seeing people beyond their label" they are the most close minded folks I've met and can only think about labels.

Like when I think about Magneto, I perfectly understand where he's coming from but I can clearly see that his mentality and the execution of his ideology are both extreme and sometimes just evil which makes his redemption arc all the more satisfying and well earned. But no the fans and the writers go as far as to say "Magneto was/is actually always right and what he was doing back then was always the right thing and perfectly planned to help mutants".

Emma Frost was very evil at the start and she didn't care much about mutants or people other than herself. She had reasons for doing so and they made sense. Many many things happened which changed her overtime and ended with her finding herself back to doing something she initially liked: Teaching. But no the fandom and the writers both go "Actually Emma was always a mutant ally and X-Men at heart, was really constantly looking out for her people and everything she did was to help mutants and others".

If you were to say you'd never side with Mystique and Destiny, the first thing the fandom will do is call you homophobic then block you and spread the word around that you're anti LGBT. This tells you that the fandom really only views these two for the shipping and their sexuality aka as labels instead of the bigger scope which is that these two are SELFISH TERRORISTS AND BACKSTABBING CONSPIRATORS AGAINST THEIR OWN PEOPLE WHO HAVE CREATED DYSTOPIAN FUTURES THROUGH THEIR OWN SHORTSIGHTED BUFFOONERY

The X-Men franchise got so boring when the story and writers began sharing the same lackluster and surface level analysis pov as the fandom

Magneto is mostly right, sometimes the writers just decide to make him come up with plans that will either harm humans or ones that target humans who aren't even anti mutant its very odd. Mostly because they want to write him as an extremist but they don't want you to sympathise with him too much. Whilst I don't like it I also think it is kinda hard to write him as a villain so I guess I understand why they do it?

Emma was literally part of the Hellfire Club they had ties to the Sentinel Program and engaged in anti mutant acts LOL. She was evil, she redeemed herself later but they devalue that arc by saying she was always good.

Don't get me started on Mystique its like if Magneto is written like "he has a point but lets make him do something evil so people don't root for him" Mystique is written like "lets make her do something so evil and then later pretend she has a point to try and get people to root for her"

And I hate it, I get that she's a shapeshifter so they want to do stories about her manipulating people and switching sides but I don't get why they can't do that AND have her be some type of pro mutant extremist. I much prefer the idea of Mystique being like akin to a Black Panther party member being a fugitive but still fighting to free Mutants and defend them and that getting extreme a lot of the time, thats the type of conflict I want to see with her and her kids. And writing her like that at least makes it more logical why the X-men would ally with her at times not a bad person at the core but just does some villainous things for good reasons. You're definitely right about how people call you homophobic if you don't like her or transphobic despite the fact she is not a trans character officially and she is bi.

Not even gonna comment on Destiny as I just find her like this character a lot of comic fans pretend to like more than they actually do lmao.

I definitely agree with you that the X-men books became really boring once the writers started to have the same surface level reading of the books as the fandom and then basically wrote fanfiction, its like why even bother when you can find this stuff online for free

#Maz answers #X-men #Magneto #Emma Frost #Mystique

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literaticat · 6 months

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This is a question about school visits / bookstore appearances. I know that when authors and illustrators are sent on tour, the Publisher is paying for that (it's publicity) and it's unpaid. But when arrangements for these kinds of visits are are made outside of that: How do authors and illustrators get paid? Do they invoice the school/school district? Do they get paid prior to or after the event? What's the deal with Author Village? Not much info online about how this actually works, and was curious about the inner workings of author visits. Thanks!

I've never been involved on the author side of school visits (though as a bookseller, I have sold books at them!), so I asked my client Kate Messner, who does a lot of them. She says:

"When authors do school visits that aren't part of a publisher-sponsored book tour, they typically charge an honorarium plus travel expenses and invoice either the school or the PTA (which often fundraises for author visits, among other things.) Most schools pay on the day of the event, though some make arrangements to mail a check afterwards.

Author Village is a booking agency that represents a number of authors & illustrators who do school visits. They book appearances for authors when schools and conferences approach them to ask about an author and take a percentage of the honorarium, just like literary agents do."

I could leave it at that, but idk, I can't help embroidering. You didn't ask about this, so Kate didn't answer it, but, it'd be smart to have a list of the different kinds of talks/presentations you are able and willing to give on your website -- these will range from short virtual presentations (that maybe you do for free or for a very low honorarium, for book clubs or classrooms who buy the book), vs in-person, different programs for different age groups, etc. Here are the different offerings Kate has on her site, for example. Author Brad Herzog has a lot of info on his site, too. Look up some of your favorite authors who you know do a lot of school visits, and see what kind of programs they do!

Also, it's best practices to have a contract / memorandum of understanding with the school. That will specify what YOU are supposed to be doing -- how many talks, how big a group, how long, etc. What happens if you (or they) have to cancel. And what THEY are supposed to be doing: Paying x amount, when they are paying, if they are covering travel expenses, providing lunch, making sure that any tech you need such as a projector and screen, or microphones, are set up, asking them to prepare the kids in advance, or making sure that they have made arrangements with a bookstore or have some way to provide books. (they may send an order form home with kids ahead of time and have a bookstore drop them off day of, or order in advance and have somebody there to sell them, etc-- but whatever they do, they should have it in the agreement so you are all on the same page.)

This is important because you'll find that different schools have different levels of experience with these kind of visits, and a poorly coordinated visit can be a real shit-show, so it's best to really make it CRYSTAL CLEAR what you are each doing, and what they need to do to prepare. That's not to say you can't be flexible, obviously different schools have different needs, but whatever you have agreed upon in advance should be memorialized in a contract signed by both you and them. Here's an example of Brad's contract. Here's an example of a generic one.

Re Booking Agencies: You don't NEED to have a booking agency, and most authors probably don't until/unless they are doing a LOT of school visits. I have clients who use the following (but I personally have no direct experience with any of these, I'm not vouching for them or anything, there may be other ones, no idea, but these are just ones that I have heard of!):

Author Village

Booking Biz

Booked Authors

How Now Booking

Also it would probably be smart to either make friends with a bunch of other authors who do school visits, or at the very least join a Facebook group or SCBWI group or something, so you have people to ask questions of who actually have experience doing this professionally, rather than me, a random agent who has never booked a school visit a day in her life!

(ETA: I'm adding this in the FAQ because it might be useful!)

#school visits #author stuff #faq #booking agencies

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doodle-with-alizard · 6 months

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HI I'M SO SORRY IF YOU ANSWERED THIS BEFORE IM KINDA NEW HERE, but what do you use to draw? Especially how you made the pixel art animation of the bathroom with Hoffman and Adams ghost ITS SO COOL and I want to get into pixel art but I have no clue how, I love your art btw it's so AAAA 💗

Hello! Dont worry i haven't. I'll be glad to answer this!

For my digital art that isn't pixelart, I use Krita and Procreate! (Not sure if you also want to know the brushes I use but I can answer that as well if interested)

For my pixelart, I use aseprite! You do have to pay for it but it's a one time purchase and it's Amazing for pixelart, animation, game assets and such. There are free alternatives I'll link but I believe aseprite is the best for its animation.

And here's all the helpful stuff that's helped me learn pixelart, pixelart animation, and aseprite itself:

Alternative programs to use < there channel is also good

Aseprite tutorials

Pixelart tutorials

More Aseprite and pixelart tutorials

Animation tips < check out there 26 aseprite tips especially

pixelart animation tutorial <especially for sub pixeling!

Lospec (colour palettes for pixelart, useful tools, some tutorials) lospec is love lospec is life

ALSO RESIZE YOUR WORK BEFORE POSTING ONLINE! This might not make sense but trust me you'll understand. (asprite and lospec provide tools to do so)

I dont think you wanted this much regarding your question but I love providing stuff like this to anyone interested getting into pixelart! Great community, great art, AH i love it! Also THANK YOU ❤️❤️❤️!!

#pixelart #inbox

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suspendedcosmos · 1 year

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Nightlights and Nail Polish

"I like pretty things." Yuuri breathes, forgetting himself, and blushes when Viktor laughs quietly into the minimal space bridging the gap between them, running his thumb over the soft line of Yuuri's jaw.

“That's wonderful, Yuuri."

word count: 2k

open on ao3 or read below the cut;

“Viktor,” Yuuri asks, eyes closed against the brush Viktor dusts over his eyelids, “When you had longer hair, did the ISO ever try to make you, uh, change it?”

“Hm?” Viktor’s hand pauses briefly, and then starts back up again in the same moment. He tips Yuuri’s chin up with his hand, and Yuuri blushes down to his toes. “Yes, they didn’t really like it. I was encouraged on more than one occasion to cut it, you know how they are. They like to promote athletic masculine men, and I wasn’t that. Why do you ask?”

“Oh, well, I just remember that your scores dipped a little when you were eighteen or nineteen? It didn’t seem justified to me since you were clearly improving — I guess I’ve always wondered if the way you presented yourself at the time had something to do with it, since they improved again later.”

Yuuri also remembers being fourteen and picking fights on skating forums with malicious posters who insisted that not only were Viktor’s lower scores deserved, but that they should actually be even lower?Leading to Yuuri spending extensive amounts of his free time in adolescence personally scoring Viktor’s performances correctly online to defend his honour.

“Yakov implied to me once that they had offered a score boost in exchange for me keeping my hair at a more traditional length. He wasn’t happy about it and I certainly wasn’t either.” Viktor chuckles quietly, and when he moves his hand away from Yuuri’s face briefly, Yuuri’s eyes open to see that he’s now fishing for something else in his kit. “I love this sport dearly, Yuuri, but you’d be hard-pressed to find its integrity sometimes.“

He takes gentle hold of Yuuri’s face again and tells him to close his eyes but not too tight. The little brush is cool when it makes contact with his eyelid, and the air reaching the liquid left behind on his skin leaves him soothed.

“So, you refused and your scores went the other way?”

“It wasn’t a particularly severe reduction, I still won most competitions because my scores were typically a lot higher than most in the first place. But it was enough that people noticed, I suppose. They might have improved again when I did cut my hair by my own decision, but I made sure I continued to wear dresses and glitter and all kinds of pretty things in my programs so they knew that I wasn’t doing it for them.”

Yuuri had particularly fallen in love with Viktor’s exhibition costume from last season. Royal blue has always been his colour, especially pooling around his thighs in light imitation of a cresting wave. He toes the line between femininity and masculinity masterfully, in a way that Yuuri has admired and envied for many years.

“I like pretty things.” Yuuri breathes, forgetting himself, and blushes when Viktor laughs quietly into the minimal space bridging the gap between them, running his thumb over the soft line of Yuuri’s jaw. It doesn’t matter how much Yuuri runs or how healthily he eats, his face is always a little round. Viktor says he likes it though, likes squishing his cheeks because they’re so adorable, apparently, so Yuuri doesn’t mind too much.

“That’s wonderful, Yuuri. You’re certainly beautiful yourself, the seductress is the perfect role for you.” He moves over to the other eye with the brush, “What made you decide to embody her instead?”

Yuuri furrows his brow, taking a few moment before he speaks, “When Minako helped me learn how to carry myself in a more feminine manner, it felt like something was slotting into place that I hadn’t realised wasn’t right before. I think I like being able to embody multiple genders, I like being the beautiful woman.” Viktor hums quietly, like he understands, and then, holding onto that shred of comprehension, he asks, “What do you feel?”

“I don’t suppose I feel much connection to any gender. Of course, sport demands that we pick one so we have a category to compete in, but I don’t mind since I choose what I want to do regardless of expectation, and I don’t feel inclined to publicly explain my attitude towards my expression anyway. I just think of it as something fun to play around with in performance.” He speaks fondly, a warmth to it that makes Yuuri wonder if he’s turned those words over in his head plenty of times before, never having the chance to actually speak them, the way Yuuri has too.

He hears Viktor set the brush aside first. “You can open your eyes, now. Oh! This suits you perfectly, I was right.” And when he opens them, Viktor’s sitting in front of him again, this time holding out the compact Yuuri knows he likes to keep with him at all times. He drags his eyes from the snoozed little heart of Viktor’s smile and takes the compact, peering into his newly painted reflection. “Do you like it?”

Yuuri nods slowly, glancing up, “Thank you for doing it for me. I haven’t used much makeup in years…”

Viktor looks awfully pleased with himself, and Yuuri’s heart aches wonderfully, “Of course, Yuuri, I’m happy I could do this for you.”

He lets Yuuri stare into the miniature mirror a while longer while he puts his brushes away in his ridiculously large makeup kit, with lots of little shelves and dividers for all kinds of things Yuuri doesn’t know the name of. He stands to set it back down on the vanity behind Yuuri and goes to retrieve a box from the mahogany cabinet he’d had imported from Saint Petersburg in April.

After turning off the room’s main light — full lighting no longer necessary with the makeup finished — and switching on his nightstand lamp, he plops back down into the chair across from Yuuri with an accomplished sigh and balances the box on both of their thighs between them. Leaning into Yuuri's space a little, he lifts the lid off of the box to reveal an array of small glass bottles, arranged by the looks of it in order of brand and then colour. Yuuri notices three bottles of silver polish — metallic, glitter, iridescent. There’s one hardly used bottle of metallic gold next to them.

“Which colour would you like? It doesn’t have to match with your costume — we’ll probably use black or red for performances — this is just for fun.” Viktor jiggles the box and the bottles clack together quietly, a sound Yuuri finds he likes both for its nostalgia quality, and how it makes his tired eyes droop a little.

He spots a pale blue polish in the corner of the box — Hasetsu’s ocean, Viktor’s eyes. “This one, please.”

Viktor plucks the bottle of blue and two others of clear polish from the box and leaves them on the vanity. Once he’s put the box aside, he sets to work applying a clear base coat of polish to Yuuri’s nails.

Viktor has a delicate touch. He presses his upturned hand to Yuuri’s, strokes Yuuri’s wrist bone with his fingers and carefully picks up any stray polish from his skin with his thumbnail. They bask in the quiet for a while, listening to the gentle bustle of customers in the common room downstairs and Yuuri watches Viktor smile softly to himself for the entirety of the base coat application.

By the time he’s finished and reaching for the blue polish, the clear coat has dried on Yuuri’s right hand so he starts there again, and before Yuuri can fall back into a daze of watching the quirk of Viktor’s lips, Viktor decides to speak.

‘’Thank you for asking me about those things, Yuuri. It's rare to have someone to share them with, even less so with someone who understands. I feel very lucky that you do. Can I tell you a secret? Sometimes, I think about growing my hair long again. What do you think? Would l still suit it?”

Yuuri practically swoons. Maybe if Viktor stuck around long enough, Yuuri could brush it for him… “Yes, I loved your long hair, just as much as your short hair.” And then, a little more hesitantly, he adds, “I grew my hair out when I was fifteen because of you.”

And Viktor glows from his dimpled cheeks to the corners of his eyes. “Really? Wow! Does Mama Hiroko have pictures? I'll have to ask her to show me.”

It takes everything in Yuuri not to flail his hands abortively and ruin Viktor’s neat work, so he just shakes his head as much as he can without jostling himself, “Oh God, please don't ask! I'm not very photogenic now, much less back then. They're all really embarrassing.”

Viktor tuts, pointing the nail polish brush at Yuuri, “Now, now, Yuuri. You are nothing less than gorgeous, on and off the ice. Don't be mean to my favourite skater, he’s very special. His coach is tough enough on him.” And then he winks, and Yuuri knows it’s only a gentle reminder.

“Sorry. Sorry, you're right.”

”We all have things to work on, zolotse, it's okay. You've already become much more confident since l just got here, I can see it in your skating. I'm proud of you.”

Yuuri’s stomach flips at that. He hardly remembers to speak, his brain so close to shutting off. “Ah, thank you.”

And then Viktor, who never seems to miss a thing, tugs Yuuri closer by his hand and murmurs, gleeful, “Still so shy, Yuuri. Am I embarrassing you with my compliments?”

Yuuri’s left to stammer for a few moments, brain completely wiped at the sudden closer proximity, but he’s saved by beloved Makkachin nudging open the cracked door. She pads along the floor, looking just as worn out as Yuuri suddenly feels, and flops down by Yuuri’s legs, closing her eyes. Viktor forgets to expect an answer from Yuuri as he leans down to scratch Makka behind the ears, cooing probable Russian nonsense to her. Yuuri mourns his inability to join in with the petting for now, lest Makka’s fur be matted with nail polish.

They’re mostly quiet through the remaining application of the polish and then the clear top coat, making passing comments about what they can cover tomorrow at training, where they’ll go to eat lunch, cooing at a sleeping Makka. Viktor finishes the last nail with a flourish of his fingers on the brush, because of course, and closes the final bottle of polish with a quiet “Ta-da!”. He turns Yuuri’s hands this way and that, peering closely most likely to check for any spilling into his cuticles. “There! That looks great. We just have to wait for them to dry now. I asked Mama to make us katsudon for dinner, are you hungry?”

Yuuri blinks, “But it's the off season, l haven't won anything.”

And Viktor waves him off, “Finding a look you feel comfortable performing in is an achievement in my opinion. We’ll run it off together tomorrow. Now, do you want to keep this on for going downstairs?” He holds his hand out, touches the backs of his fingers to Yuuri’s cheekbone. Yuuri barely hesitates to lean into it. He doesn’t hesitate much at all these days.

“Yeah, Minako and Okaasan would like to see, I think.”

“Great! Thank you for spending the evening with me, Yuuri, I love this kind of thing.” He presses a soft kiss to Yuuri’s brow then leans back enough to face him, tapping his own cheek.

“Viktor, I’m wearing lipstick.”

“That’s the fun part, Yuuri!” So with a little embarrassed huff he leans closer and opts to leave a very quick kiss high on Viktor’s cheekbone, a saturated wine crimson imprint left behind. Viktor leans around him to look at the vanity mirror, delighted. Yuuri’s heart soars.

“Thank you, again. I had fun too.”

And now, they’ll clean everything on Viktor’s vanity away and go downstairs to eat, Yuuri will flush under complimented from his parents and Minako and undoubtedly Viktor again. They’ll take Makkachin for a walk by the beach after eating and run around with her for a while and return by sundown. But the part Yuuri most looks forward to is sitting back in Viktor’s room tonight, a hand under his chin and another removing the makeup from his skin delicately with a wipe. He looks forward to the heart of a tired smile and arms around him and sleeping next to the person he likes best. It’s only a few sweet hours away, now.

#yuri on ice #yuri!!! on ice #yuuri katsuki #katsuki yuuri #victor nikiforov #viktor nikiforov #viktuuri #victuuri #victuri #vikturi #myfics

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waterspoutskies · 2 months

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NBC made a pair of podcast series' about my childhood hometown area.

Ok, I've been formatting this post for a hot minute but given the timing. The primaries start in two weeks. It is three weeks to Super Tuesday. And I am beginning to be sorely worried.

I'm not so steady on how to phrase this, how to explain the sheer magnitude of how and why this election matters So Very Much. (And maybe that's why I'm writing this so late at night with the fog of medication settling in.) But I will try.

I am originally from Texas- North Texas, specifically, and Northeast Tarrant County to really zoom in the lens. I grew up on the cutting edge of both gifted student and disability accessible programs, surrounded by teachers who taught us we could and would go anywhere, supported by parents who loved and fought for our futures. We lived in an idyll. An American dreamscape.

There was a battleground brewing underneath it all.

For you see, this is conservative, (majority) white, christian, suburban North Texas. And the same school where our valedictorian is gay and our prom queen is lesbian harbored the quiet laboratory for pushing intolerance to the masses- One upset megachurch attendee at a time.

First it was Southlake.

In the Southlake podcast, the topics and recordings include blatant, overt racism. They include explicit and vulgar language. There are points recounting anti-LGBTQ+ commentary, racial slurs, deriding mental illnesses, the whole nine yards. Every episode comes with a necessary warning preceding the vicious parts.

And then, god help me, it was my quiet, tolerant, always insulated hometown. Grapevine.

In the Grapevine podcast, the topics and recordings include anti-LGBTQ+ commentary of all levels. They cover conversion therapy, deadnaming, homophobia. They cover how parents ruined lives and careers for their own interest. Anything that you have seen spouted online is fair game. As with Southlake, every episode comes with a necessary warning preceding the vicious parts.

I cannot and will not make anyone listen to/read (transcripts are available for each episode) these, but I hope people will.

In short, the sum is that we do not win. In Southlake, white supremacy wins. In Grapevine, evangelical nonsense wins.

And I need people to understand that this is the kind of thing at stake in the elections this year. This is my hometown. This is where my classmates took our educational opportunities and made them political weapons. This is where the same people who shook my hand and smiled so brightly as I campaigned against them are those who want my friends in conversion therapy, run out of town, or dead.

Some of the students highlighted within these podcasts are friends and acquaintances of mine. My best friend and I walk one student's dogs when their family is on vacation. Another plays the 7 foot something war-axe wielding barbarian in our D&D campaign.

Mercifully, we have or are able to get out. But there are so many who are not as close or free to escape as we were.

So please, please, do not skip this election. Do not stay at home. Do not think your vote does not matter, because it does. Every inch we can claw back, from the municipal to the legislative to making our anger known in the primaries, it matters. This starts in your town, and yes, it does goes all the way up. But there are so. many. steps, and offices, and intervening laws, and political entities in between here and the White House. And if there is anywhere you can throw in a wrench or shock the system, you should.

A lot of queer kids in my hometown high school will thank you.

(I think, following this, I'm going to go back and try to explain a little more of the situation and the buildup to how we've gotten here, how this has been bubbling up to the surface for years longer than the last four. But not now, and not in this post. I just needed to get this out there.)

#Oh look it's 2024 #2024 elections #us elections #US politics #politics #Please vote #Please dear god go vote #This isn't me trying to be alarmist. This happened and is still happening.#Please learn from us.

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smartgirl1970 · 3 months

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Digital Essay on my Technology Literacy (Class Assignment)

In 1981 the IBM Personal Computer model 5150 was released. My parents bought one for my 11th birthday, thinking it would be a great asset for school. I used it as a glorified typewriter. You had to essentially add the programs yourself, and that was not easy to do. I was too young to understand what all the bells and whistles did, and there were not many. The World Wide Web, or WWW, was not introduced until 1989, my freshman year in college (the first go-round).

My first video gaming system was Atari. This came out in 1977. However, I didn’t get one until I was about 10 years old. To be perfectly honest, I wasn’t a big gamer. I skipped right over the Nintendo era. My cousins and friends had one, but other than Leapfrog and the first Mario Brothers game, it wasn’t my thing. I wasn’t good at Pac-Man either.

I bought my first cellphone in 1992. It was a Nokia. The first phone bill came in at $289. You got something for 1000 minutes free and were charged .30 cents a minute over that. I understand that in 2023, that may not sound like a lot of money, but in 1992, it took an entire paycheck to pay it. I made $7 an hour, and that was a decent salary working at Macy’s flagship store on 34th Street in New York.

My son was born in 1996, and the world of technology opened new doors for me. I bought him a LeapPad to be used as a learning tool for reading and math. He graduated to every gaming system created from an Xbox to Nintendo. I was introduced to the World Wide Web through social media when Facebook became a thing because I had to monitor his use of this platform. By 2008, my son was in the 7th grade, and I allowed him to interact with his friends on Facebook, but his time was limited, and it was conditional upon him accepting my friend request. My acquired sons (I dislike the word step) were older than him, and they kept me in the loop about how social media worked. Facebook was great for me because it was a link to communicating with my family in New York without having to call all the time. It was great for sharing pictures. Social media has taken a turn, and in some ways its great for activism, in other ways, people are very comfortable being contrary and saying things they would say publicly.

My concern with the development of AI is how easily things can be manipulated. AI’s voice generator can create words that do not come out of someone’s mouth. I see the dangers in that with a political leader’s voice. Manipulating photos can be fun. However, it can also be used to lie about where someone is, what they are doing, and who they are doing it with. Technology is changing rapidly. There isn’t much a robot can’t do. From driving a car without human intervention to soon enough, flying an airplane. My question would be, will there be a time when life imitates art, and we are faced with an iRobot catastrophe.

My technical literacy is almost nonexistent beyond the day-to-day life of social media and basic content creation. As a creative writer, storyteller, and activist, I took this class with the hopes that I will be able to better understand the basics of web design and create more enticing visual content when I use TikTok and other platforms to display my work. I am a Global student, so my entire degree has been online. I graduate in May of 2024!

Over the last year, I have learned to use social media sites like LinkedIn to further my writing presence and create an outlet to network with like-minded people. I am a self-published author on Amazon, and I had to learn how to utilize Canva when creating my book "Journal and Manifest with Your Ancestors." So I consider that to be an incredible success since I created this journal completely on my own. I followed someone on YouTube to learn the ins and outs of utilizing KDP Amazon and Canva.

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fracturedporcelaindoll · 3 months

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Dear diary,

I've been thinking why do I care what other people who don't know me say or think about me. I don't need to win some popularity contest yet I realize I've always cared about what others say. I suppose it was because I thought if I was being nice why would anyone be mean? The navieity of that.

I know I shouldn't think more on it, sure was there a little truth to what that random person said? yes but did they consider the effect of the words or give me a chance to better explain stuff so they might have a better understanding? No.

I could have replied with anger which I certainly felt and I could have pointed thier flaws out but I merely acknowledged thier perspective as informative while remaining calm.

I mean you think a person would appreciate calmness over emotional outbursts. Of course that's not to say I am always calm either.

Well onwards to another topic, I watched Red and Red 2 recently and very good movies. I don't care what anyone says there is something sexy about characters that are in the line of dangerous work, like assassins, spies etc. I wouldn't have called the police like the fl, (first movie) obviously Bruce Willis is just gorgeous and he could fuck me anytime.

I completed my workout and added in additional routine sets that I had taken a little break from and I remembered to stretch this time before starting sets, yay me lol.

As I was working out I got annoyed as some days I find it takes a little longer to complete set than other days. Although since recently upped reps it's to be expected that a couple of days may be needed before get into a comfortable pace during set. Honestly I feel like that can be the most difficult finding the right pace and literally remembering to breathe properly during workout sets.

I found a quiz that models or aspiring models use to help guide them with getting into shape and it made me feel so much better about myself. I mean maybe it's silly since I know am not a Victoria secret model physic yet but I am including the link in case others want to take the quiz as well.

It recommends diet and exercise focus regimens as well as has offer for program not that I'll be doing that as prefer not paying to participate in workout programs.

I also don't think it was accurate on diet, like do I love carbs? Absolutely but I can't just eat as many as I like without suffering the consequences.

I also found that my prior liking to believe I was an hourglass figure shape was incorrect so much for being a classic bombshell beauty..... I have a rectangular shape which apparently is considered less womanly and more girly. I'll take it tho as apparently such body types are recommended for model industry.

I also have according to the quiz results have what's classified as an Ectomorph body. It may just be marketing to get people to buy into thier workout program in hopes of achieving model physic of Victoria secret models but thanks for making me feel slightly better about myself.

Of course I think I'll wait til April before purchasing any sexy swimsuits.

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sciedithub-services · 1 year

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8 Top Tips and Pieces of Advice for New PhD Students

PhD imposter syndrome is far more common than you might realize. Feelings of self-doubt and inadequacy are completely valid and can make you feel as though you shouldn’t be studying for a Ph.D. Imposter syndrome manifests differently for everyone – and is something Áine has experienced herself.

IMPOSTER SYNDROME IS REAL

“Imposter syndrome is real and pretty much everyone experiences it at some point. I find it helps to open up about it to peers as you realize others feel the same way.”

Which leads us to Áine’s next piece of advice…

‘Don’t compare your PhD project to other people's

“Don’t compare your PhD project to other people’s. They are all different, so don’t worry if you have more or fewer data, papers, and experience than your peers. You were accepted onto the program because you deserve to be there!”

A PhD is a massively steep learning curve. Whether you’ve got your heart set on a PhD in Accounting & Finance, Biomedical Engineering, Environmental Sustainability, Media & Cultural Policy, or Planetary Science like Áine, looking around and comparing yourself to others never helps – especially when everyone is on their own PhD journey. Managing your expectations, as well as having the right attitude and work ethic to keep yourself moving forward is important.

‘Be super organized!’

Establishing a routine and dedicated workspace free from distractions with access to the right resources and tools is the golden rule, and can really help lay the groundwork for success.

From the get-go, calendars, diaries, planners, and to-do lists will be your BFFs throughout your PhD. You are ultimately responsible for the planning and management of your studies. Although it may seem obvious, it’s not uncommon to find yourself suddenly struggling to keep track of whats-what – something which Áine wish she’d thought about at the start of her PhD.

“I have dozens of notebooks from loads of meetings, experiments and conferences and I am terrible at keeping track of what information is in which notebook. I wish I had made a system for this as it would have saved me so much time now!”

‘Build yourself a research network’

It doesn’t matter what your research area is, or where in the world you’re studying, networking is a huge part of your PhD. Attending and participating in local and international events, such as conferences, seminars, lab meetings, and even graduate school sessions are a great way to build and maintain professional and social relationships.

“Be it online or not, be it in your research group, research department or not, find peers in the same boat with a little more experience than you who you feel comfortable talking to,” explains Áine.

‘Make use of your university’s student counseling service if there is one

PhDs demand long hours, with massive amounts of reading, researching, and writing which can understandably result in high levels of stress. Checking in with yourself on a regular basis is important. Be open and honest, and don’t feel like you’re on your own, whatever your worries or concerns may be.

“Over half of PhD students experience poor mental health symptoms during their PhD. If this happens to you, make use of your university’s student counselling service if there is one, learn to notice the signs that you’re struggling and give yourself a break.”

The University of Glasgow, offers a wide range of support services, including a dedicated Wellbeing service which students can access as little or as much as they like.

‘Don’t feel pressured to work 24/7’

“Some people in academia work really long days seven days a week and that just isn’t me,” says Áine. “Early on I was really worried I was going to fail because other people around me were working such long hours, and I told my supervisor this was worrying me, and she was really helpful in encouraging me to have a work-life balance.”

Having a good work-life balance is essential. You’re allowed to have a life away from your PhD, so make time to organize fun and exciting plans with friends and family in between reading sessions, research, seminars and meetings with your supervisor.

‘Don’t worry if your project changes as you progress

“Don’t worry if your project changes as you progress, and when that happens, don’t be concerned if you feel a bit lost and unsure as to what’s happening,” says Áine. “Doing a PhD means contributing to knowledge and so it’s totally normal for what you might contribute to change as you go through.”

You’re challenging existing beliefs and customs, all while developing new ways of thinking. Remember you’ve chosen to study a PhD to make a significant contribution to your field

Regularly check in and assess where you are in your schedule, but keep in mind that encountering problems and new developments are inevitable. Accepting that your initial plan of action may change is also ok.

#sciedithub.org #sciedithub #phd struggles #phd guidance #phd candidate #phd thesis #phd journey

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mit · 6 months

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Teen uses calculus learned through MITx to better understand his cancer treatment

High schooler Dustin Liang estimated his blood cell counts by applying knowledge from an MITx course and talking to doctors.

Sara Feijo | MIT Open Learning

When Dustin Liang was diagnosed with T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia in June, the cancer consumed his life. But despite a monthlong hospital stay, aggressive chemotherapy treatments, and ongoing headaches, fatigue, loss of appetite, and nausea, the 17-year-old high school senior enrolled in MITx’s class 18.01.1x (Calculus 1A: Differentiation).

MITx, part of MIT Open Learning, offers hundreds of high-quality massive open online courses adapted from the MIT classroom for learners worldwide. The Calculus 1A: Differentiation course was designed and created by the Department of Mathematics and offered through the MITx program. Liang took the free course this summer in between treatment sessions and medical tests so that he could meet the four-year math requirement to graduate from a Massachusetts high school — an arrangement he made with his school.

In class, Liang learned how to differentiate functions and how to make linear and quadratic approximations. He then applied this knowledge to estimate his blood cell counts. “I was in a hospital bed when I saw the doctor draw a graph of my neutrophils on a whiteboard, and I thought you could apply a quadratic approximation to it to estimate my blood cell counts at a certain time in the future,” Liang recalls. “I talked to the doctors about it, and they said it was a good idea but that they currently didn’t have the technology to do that.”

In Calculus 1A, Liang was learning how to predict the near future value of a function using linear or quadratic approximation methods. After seeing a doctor’s chart of his neutrophils, Liang hypothesized that he could use quadratic approximation to predict his neutrophil count.

“Given a series of points of the blood cell counts, a function can be modeled,” Liang explains. “So, predicting a future point not far away is mathematically feasible.”

Determined to test his idea, Liang called his mentor, Jiawen Sun, who works in a London security exchange firm as a trading analyst simulating and modeling stock market behavior. Sun helped Liang create a graph to estimate Liang’s neutrophil count at a certain time. When Liang compared the graph to his blood test results, he found that the math worked.

“I was able to predict the blood cell counts. It was a little off, but close enough,” Liang says. “There are some challenges in simulating the function of blood cells. However, the human blood cell counts turned out to be converging easier than the stock market to simulate.”

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