#i know I don’t have any consistent art style right now like this was just a sudden sleep deprived need
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Couldn’t sleep so sketched formal/ball!trouble from @shepherds-of-haven || view full size bc I don’t care to check ratios before I upload aaaa
#shepherds of haven#trouble alder#cog games#clochus is the demon I hate most of all because due to my stats I have to miss the ball and go with chase to avoid using a WOP#i would much rather be dancing n looking fine n you know maybe knocking over expensive things on purpose…!#this picture exists in a fantasy timeline where mc is not passed tf out and they find trouble somewhere after the party#he’s processing what just happened but also trying to figure out if his distaste for the grandeur of the party is something he can get over#we see how much party food we can ‘confiscate’ and have it distributed to the masses#thanks prihine!!!#so generous!#i know I don’t have any consistent art style right now like this was just a sudden sleep deprived need#and the hair…? teeth vs trouble’s hair vol. 39#this party is the catalyst to shaving it into a mullet#torn between wanting to look hot and resenting conforming to the beauty standards of nobility#can you imagine him saving a bunch of nobles from a rabid demon and they look up towards their newfound hero and he’s sporting a mullet#look in his eyes like ‘I just saved your life I dare you to say something lol’#love u trouble ur a g#+ honestly thinking about how he’s not just dense and gos with the most romance flags in the game#his low self-worth actually saves him from a lot of heartbreak considering more often than not mc DOESNT like him back in ‘that way’#in favour of (often) his 2 best friends#BABES DW YOU HAVE FANS I PROMISE YOU#also do you think trouble weaponises puppy dog eyes or is he unaware of his most powerful weapon…
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Hello! Thank you so much for your time and content you bring into this confusing world.
I’m currently on the starting road to creating a canon-divergent fanfiction but noticed I have trouble with pacing and sentence structure. I don’t have a clear grasp on when to slow down and sit within the scene(s) the characters are in or when to go on and move on to the next scene of the story.
As well as chapter structuring and to keep it consistent at a comfortable pace yet keeping the story going.
I am at the very beginning of my write journey and as fun and exciting it entails, it’s also scary, intimidating, and feels like I’m doing everything wrong despite just pushing through. Any advice or suggestions is so so SO much appreciated, thank you once again for your time <3
-/ Yours Truly, D.F
Crafting Captivating Scenes and Chapter Structure: A Writer's Guide
I'd absolutely love to help you on your journey, congratulations and I wish you the best on your writer journey to create the book of your dreams. If you ever need anymore help just contact me in my inbox!
(If you'd like me to create a scene template for you to use and fill-out. Please let me know. I'd gladly create one for you.)
Today, I want to dive into the art of structuring scenes and chapters in a novel. As we all know, a well-structured story keeps readers hooked from start to finish. So, let's unravel the secrets behind creating compelling scenes and crafting an engaging chapter structure.
Scene Structure:
When it comes to structuring scenes, it's all about capturing the reader's attention and propelling the story forward. Here's a step-by-step guide to help you master this crucial aspect of storytelling:
Establish the Purpose: Every scene should have a clear purpose, such as advancing the plot, revealing character traits, or building tension. Determine what you want to achieve before diving in.
Set the Stage: Transport your readers into the scene by painting vivid descriptions. Engage their senses and create a strong atmosphere to make them feel like they're right there with your characters.
Introduce Conflict: Conflict is the fuel that drives any story. Whether it's an internal struggle or external obstacles, inject tension to keep the readers on their toes. Conflict adds depth and makes scenes memorable.
Build Momentum: Keep the pacing in mind. Start with a strong hook and gradually intensify the scene's stakes. Balance action, dialogue, and introspection to maintain a dynamic flow.
Climax and Resolution: Every scene should have a satisfying resolution that leaves the reader eager to turn the page. It could be a revelation, a new dilemma, or a cliffhanger. End with impact!
Chapter Structure:
Now, let's focus on the structure of your chapters. Chapters act as mini-arcs within your novel, creating a rhythm that keeps readers engrossed. Here are some tips to help you craft an effective chapter structure:
Determine Chapter Length: There's no strict rule, but shorter chapters often create a sense of urgency, while longer chapters allow for deeper exploration. Find a balance that suits your story's pacing and style.
Establish a Theme or Goal: Each chapter should contribute to the overall story arc. Decide on a specific theme, goal, or event that drives the chapter's purpose and ties it to the larger narrative.
Vary Intensity and Tone: Just like scenes, chapters should have their own rise and fall of tension. Alternate between intense action, quieter moments for reflection, or even comic relief to maintain interest.
End with a Hook: Leave your readers wanting more by ending each chapter with a compelling hook. It could be a revelation, a question, or a surprising twist that propels them into the next chapter.
Transition Smoothly: Ensure that your chapters flow seamlessly. Use transitional elements like time jumps, shifts in perspective, or recurring motifs to link chapters together cohesively.
Congratulations! By mastering the art of structuring scenes and chapters, you're well on your way to crafting a captivating novel. Remember, scene structure drives the microcosm of your story, while chapter structure shapes the macrocosm. Experiment, find your style, and above all, let your creativity soar!
Happy writing, and may your scenes be compelling and your chapters unputdownable!
-Rin T.
#thewriteadviceforwriters#writing#writeblr#creative writing#on writing#writing tips#writers block#how to write#writers and poets#writing scenes#NovelWritingTips#SceneCrafting#ChapterStructure#StorytellingSecrets#WritingAdvice#WritersCommunity#CreativeWriting#UnleashYourImagination#CaptivatingScenes#EngagingChapters#MasterTheCraft#WritingJourney#PlotDevelopment#CharacterBuilding#HooksAndTwists#WritingInspiration#AuthorLife#StayMotivated#HappyWriting
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Hi!! Love your artwork and your Charlastor AU with Dawn!!
I was wondering if you think Alastor would make any dawn-themed dad jokes and puns in your AU, and if he does, what would Dawn and Charlie think of them? I can’t really think of any off the top of my head right now, but I know ‘a brand new dawn’ is a phrase he could maybe use!
Again, love your art!!! If you don’t mind answering questions about it, do you have any advice for artists who want to improve their drawing or any practices that have helped you develop your skills? And are there any particular artists that really inspire you?
You’re one of my favorite artists and I don’t know how to explain it but your drawings have so much life in them!! 🌟
sdlksdflkj thank you so much omg!!!
I'm so glad you're enjoying them ;W;
And he would be insufferable with them lmfaoo, especially because I'm sure Charlie would hop in on a few of them and add to the pile as well xD
One more I can think of rn is "Oh, I was wondering where the sun went!" whenever Dawn enters a room, because the implied punchline is "but then it Dawned on me" or something? XD idk I'm not good with puns sadly
Now regarding the art advice!! This one got HELLA long so I'll hide it under a cut for everyone's comfort lmao
I know it sounds shallow and like worthless advice, but a huge huuuuge part of getting better at art is to just... make art! Practice makes perfect - it develops your motor skills, gives you somewhat of a muscle memory for certain basic shapes that are a necessity to have a good feel of for good foundation sketching.
Practice also develops your eye for compositing and for how color theory actually applies in practice, it basically helps you develop a more consistent grasp on art as a whole :D
There are some things I've learned over time that definitely helped speed things up though xD
here's some rough sketches I did just to demonstrate what my rougher drawings can look like - also a little diagram (on the right side of the image) of things I keep in mind for the average proportions of a human body!
I tend to sketch very loosely and try to capture the overall vibe and silhouette/rough shapes first before I even think about adding details - there's a certain flow, squish and stretch to everything that's just much easier for me to get a good feel for when I use quick, loose brush strokes and as few lines as possible to convey a concept.
Repeatedly sketching humanoid characters of various shapes, builds and sizes for years genuinely helped enormously in getting not only faster but also more consistent with it!
I'm fairly well practiced with hands and expressions especially at this point since I like to focus on those in my art often, so those come fairly easily to me as well now!
Something I learned along the way about keeping a certain liveliness to my artworks is that sometimes you have to forego anatomical correctness a bit if you want to fully express specific emotions - if you try too hard to keep everything perfectly proportional and realistic, it can make the outcome look stiffer than you might've aimed for - this is something I actually struggle with in my cleaner artworks :'D The ones I do proper lineart for, since a lot of the flow of the original sketch gets lost in the process haha
As for artists/artstyles that inspire me...
There's @/southpauz for example!
Her artstyle is unbelievably expressive and her eye for compositing and her use of shapes is SUBLIME - it inspired me to let loose more with my expressions, exaggerate features a bit more and to push the way I try to vary facial features :D
Then, back when I had that massive Rise of the TMNT phase, the artstyle of it has actually greatly influenced how I draw today!
It manages to be detailed and highly recognizable despite its deceivingly simple style - it exaggerates shapes and uses it to communicate personalities, emotions and action super effectively and taught me a lot about utilizing those more efficiently myself :D
And last but not least Ishida Sui - the mangaka behind Tokyo Ghoul (which used to be a highschool obsession of mine)
His striking use of colors, textures in abstract, yet symbolically heavy ways and his courage to be rough and expressive rather than looking polished, yet also having such a solid understanding of realism blew me the fuck away as a teen and still does now!!!
His art may have less of an influence on my style today than it used to back then, but I think in my more exagerrated, more horror-esque drawings you can kind of see it still :'D Either way I greatly admire him as both a writer and artist.
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I'm genuinely so so flattered that you enjoy what I do enough to give me such high praise, thank you so much for writing me such a wonderful ask <3 I'm glad I got to gush about some of my favorite artists/artstyles for a bit haha
If you have any more specific (digital) art related questions don't hesitate to reach out!! I love giving pointers about a subject I'm so passionate about, we don't gatekeep helpful information in this house!!! <3<3<3
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Ok, here are some thoughts on Death Grips, cause I forgot earlier whoops
I’ve been feeling some latent frustration with how I see a lot of people online engage with their music. I don’t mean to be some kind of elitist about this, but a lot of the (deserved) praise that I see them getting feels kind of…detached? It’s almost always coming from the kind of “woah, this music is crazy…but it works somehow?” mindset. I know I’m absolutely making a strawman argument here, but I’ve seen it enough times to where I feel like it’s not just a person I’m making up in my head to be mad at.
I feel like some people don’t get that DG isn’t good in spite of the “insanity”, they’re good because of the “insanity”. And I’ll admit, a lot of their music can be quite alienating! They use lots of abrasive textures, MC Ride’s performances can get very intense, it’s all a lot. But I feel like there are tons of moments of sheer beauty within DG’s discography. The riff from Centuries of Damn comes to mind, it’s so tired and desperate sounding, it’s incredible.
Hearing the incredible art that DG puts out is great, but to see a lot of people in it for the pure spectacle is a little disheartening. And I’m not trying to claim to be the only one who really gets Death Grips, at least I hope I’m not. I just really only see people talk about how crazy they are instead of how flat-out good they are.
Like, each member of DG itself is so talented!
Ride’s ability to channel that much visceral feeling into his performances is impressive on its own, it’s a miracle his throat hasn’t completely given out yet. But it feels so shitty to pigeonhole his style into “Funny homeless man screaming”. First of all, that’s just fucking rude. Second, that’s so reductive! Screaming isn’t all he does, he’s a really damn versatile performer! I never feel like he’s phoning it in or reusing a vibe, he does exactly what needs to be done, every single track. Lots of the most memorable moments of DG’s music are when Ride drops the yelling, and just talks. It’s chilling every time. Plus, his ability to keep a consistent flow over the off-kilter production is a feat all on its own.
Speaking of which, I think Andy Morin might be one of my favorite music producers right now. Right up there with Arca, Patricia Taxxon, Nigel Godrich, that real legendary shit. Like Ride, it never feels like I’m hearing the same thing twice. Each DG track sounds and feels so distinct, even while keeping within the general industrial, electronic, and punk sound palettes. Even my least favorite DG project in terms of production, NLDW, never ever felt lazy or unfinished. I think it’s an excellent project, I just don’t personally enjoy it as much as other DG albums, for very superficial reasons. On projects I prefer more, I still strongly feel that he’s very skilled at creating unique sounds, while still maintaining a sense of familiarity within the outlandish production.
Regarding Zach Hill, I think his drumming speaks for itself. Like, watch any video of a live Death Grips performance. That man goes absolutely ham on the drums, every single time. It’s a wonder he hasn’t snapped his wrists more often. Admittedly, he is the DG member I have the least to say about. I tend to get lost in the electronic elements of most DG tracks, I don’t pay as much attention to the drumming. I also have yet to check out Hella, but I’ve heard nothing but good things about them. Moving forward, I’m definitely going to try to keep my ears open to what he’s doing while the other elements of the tracks pass me by. I’m certain I’ll find something incredible.
Put together, they’re easily one of the most unique and consistently astonishing bands ever. I say that with my full chest. I don’t know, I just really like them! Sorry for the rambling, I just wanted to get all of this out there. Bottom line, Death Grips Good.
#pascal barks#music#death grips#mc ride#andy morin#zach hill#hella#no love deep web#the powers that b#jenny death#arca#patricia taxxon#nigel godrich#radiohead#analysis? question mark?#art#long post
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Staff Recruitment
Greetings! This is a post regarding staff recruitment for Concept: “Mobius”, as you probably surmised. Vertekins and I always looking to add to the ranks and make the site as detailed, informative, and cool as it can be. If you’re interested in joining, great! Let’s find you a spot! Incidentally, you may be able to fill multiple roles, but first things first. You need to run before you can Spin Attack, after all.
Concept: “Mobius” is a Sonic the Hedgehog site dedicated to information about the games within the franchise and the worlds, characters, and events within. While there are multiple wikis and whatnot that serve this purpose, we’re trying to do things differently. We want to enrich the world of the Blue Blur and hopefully make it more cohesive, less muddled, and more fun. Obviously, this is too big a job for a few people, hence the slow trickle of updates over the years.
So, we need a team to tackle this endeavor, and we have many branches for all skill sets. You'll also be asked to help out here, as well, but more on that at another time.
Writers
Arguably one of the most important roles. Writers will be contributing the bulk of the site’s content, from articles and reviews to think pieces and news blurbs. You’ll be expected to be able to spell, know your grammar, and write coherently. If the most writing you’ve done is on Twitter, you may find yourself at a loss here, especially since you’ll probably have to be your own editor, unless you ask your teammates for help (which you can, to be clear).
Artists
Another absolutely crucial role. You’ll be responsible for how the site looks: graphics, character art, zone landscapes, etc. It’ll be a big task, but you’ll always be credited for your work, with links going to whatever platform you choose.
Programmers/Modders
Your job will be to modify the games. Why? Two reasons.
We’ll be using various games for clips and showcases, and we need them to be accurate as possible. Many of them are either missing content, have various inaccuracies between one another, or just don’t look/sound/play right for our purposes. We can’t very well show Sonic’s world if it’s lackluster, can we?
We want to show what even the worst of the franchise could look/sound/play like if given the TLC they deserve.
I know this doesn’t sound necessary or worthwhile, but I assure you, it will make sense in the future.
Theorists
You’ll be helping with various theories and doing your best to plug up various plotholes in the Sonic universe. Unlike certain other game theorists, however, you’ll be expected to show restraint when speculating and not go off on tangents or grasping at whatever straws you see.
Cartographers
Your job is a doozy: making a single, DEFINITIVE map of Sonic’s Earth. You see, there have been many in the games, and they’ve been different every time, depending on the game or the area it's based in. And each one has been inconsistent. Heck, people don't even know where Green Hill Zone definitively is, despite its number of uses.
THIS.
WILL.
NOT.
DO.
If anyone is going to take Sonic lore seriously (and few people do), we need one map that can be used for every game. That way, there is more consistency in the narrative and people have a more defined view of the world.
Modelers
Your role will be to make various character renders to be used for the cast in the Character Database. You’ll be working with the artists to make the most “true to life” representations of Sonic and the others as you can. You might also find yourself recreating certain areas or scenes from the games, demonstrating various abilities, or just letting the cast style on each other.
News Reporters
You’ll be reporting on everything Sonic-related that is newsworthy, whether it be a game announcement or a funny pic from Sega. Just try not to post any memes.
That'll do for now, although, we're welcoming anyone with a notable skill set. If you think you have something to contribute to Concept: "Mobius" that is or isn't listed here, let us know. Just be aware that we can't afford to pay anyone for their work.
Thank you very much in advance!
~Ryan
#Concept: “Mobius”#Sonic the Hedgehog#SEGA#Sonic fandom#fan site#Help Wanted#Recruitment#Looking for help#web site development#web site staff#SIGNAL BOOST#important#please boost
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Advice for artists and non-artists but mainly just artists
You know how you do a thing for so long that it’s becomes super mundane and insignificant to you, like when you’re sewing something you just do a basic stitch and struggle to tie a standard knot at the end. But you don’t do this often enough for it to stand out to you.
You’re an artist, hey maybe even a professional one, and you’ve been doing your art a certain way for a long time. You use pose references and look up environment pictures to reference. But you still draw shoes without a reference or you draw clothes without any detailed folds.
At various points in my art journey I tried using tutorials, resources, and step by step guides for drawing certain things, be that nature brushes, drawing noses front-on, etc. and my skills at the time were kinda basic so I could never really pull off the tutorials in a way that satisfied me. I then went years just improving on broad areas like perspective and posing, focusing more on the overall composition than the minor details. But one day, years later, I got bored and decided to look up how to draw clothing folds
On the left of the green line is some previous work, on the right was two pieces I drew after I heavily referenced cloth physics
Ignore the shading, lighting, colors, etc. the stuff on the right definitely has way better flow than the stuff on the left.
Now it wasn’t like a “wow I used a reference and now I’m a master” situation, there was an adjustment period with some less than stellar examples
But when I created those first 2 folds it was like a fucking switch was flicked in my head and I’ve been improving ever since. I am immensely grateful that I just happened to go looking for reference photos because holy shit something as simple as improving my clothing folds massively boosted my confidence in my work.
Something I’ve noticed after I followed tutorials is that during the adjustment period, while the first couple of pieces are very reminiscent of the source tutorial, they start to get a little too far off and I stop referencing the tutorial and start doing my own thing (for better or for worse), but there’s then a period afterwards where I go back (maybe after re-watching the original tutorial) and develop it more into my own style.
Here’s a graph to better explain my thought process
Here’s another gun to the head reminder to use references. Recently I was drawing shoes for a character and I have a pretty consistent method of drawing shoes (consistent, not good).
But I wanted it to look more rugged so I looked up an image of a hiking boot and guess at what point in this timelapse that the reference was pulled up
I had for years tried using tutorials and reference photos but the process never really clicked for me. But over the years I have improved my technical skills and I believe that those improvements and all that practice made it way easier for me to understand and replicate tutorials, i understand now how the specifics of certain things like shading and depth work, picking up new skills that are still in the area I work in became way easier.
But Im obviously still finding areas in my art by random chance that I can improve on. Because I don’t think about those parts anymore, they’re in the background of my design process.
This is where my advice to non-artists comes in. Look up tutorials. For anything. You know earlier when I mentioned sewing? Look up a guide on stitching, I just learned today what a surgeons knot is despite having been hand stitching for years. You don’t know what you don’t know, you don’t seek out improvement when you don’t perceive the need to improve. Trust me, there’s always areas to improve but you are going to have to stretch your mind at some point to recognize them.
Everybody talks about how you should use tutorials and use references and all that, but I don’t think many people are going to research tutorials for things they don’t feel like they need improvement in.
.
Anyway that’s the end of my monthly psa
If something in this post confused you feel free to send me like an ask or a brick through my window with a note attached to it, I’m not picky.
#somewhat art related#art tutorial#art help#art advice#psa i guess#long post#no alt text#ask to tag#advice for artists
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I love your art!! Do you have any advice on finding an artsyle and drawing bodies?
Hello there pal! Thanks for stopping by!
Apologies if this is a bit long, but I feel like these are rather complex questions and I wanted to make sure I answered them right!
I think that the internet has made folks too preoccupied with finding their “style” to a point at which it’s detrimental. I’ve seen a lotta newer artists draw in one way as though everything they make’s gotta be on model for a television series or somethin. But in the art world I’m accustomed to, consistency in specific projects is certainly valued but variability overall is the mark of a stronger artist.
What I’m saying is, don’t worry about it, and don’t lock yourself into any one approach. Just draw a lot, whenever you can. By simply doing it and seeing other art you’ll subconsciously develop a personal style that’s very malleable to different tasks. So rather than saying “I’m going to draw eyes in this specific way” and then getting stuck when you suddenly have a project that doesn’t suit, draw however you’re feeling! And as much as you draw cartoons, draw from life! It’ll all come together with time.
These are all what I’d consider my style, but put to different uses to give different feelings!
Now about bodies!!
I assume you mean living people, though if you meant bodies in a more morbid sense I’m sure Norma down there would probably know more about that than me.
This is a tough one because the only truthful answer is to observe and practice, there’s no real shortcuts I’ve found.
But here’s a fun exercise to simplify things and improve your gestures! Try drawing some figures as near silhouettes! This forces you to think in terms of expressive shapes by making the subject almost abstract. I like to do this a lot not just because it’s good for practice, but also because I think it looks neat!
Anywho! Thanks for enabling my doodling!! 🖤🖤
#asks#hope this helps pal!!! whoever you are!!#I’ll post these pieces without all the text and tag them soon!#my art
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Hii firstly I just wanna say I love your blog and you always seem to have the answers to the exact problems I’m going through as a young adult plus it just inspires me so much, so thank you !!!
Now onto my problem - the past few years, I’ve neglected my body so much. I used to do swimming and martial arts a few times a week, but then it slowly stopped (partially because I moved houses) but also because I went through a stressful time including toxic friend groups plus academic stress the last two years of high school. Now I’m doing much better mentally, but I’ve gained a lot of weight, and I’m not as fit as I used to be and I want to start working towards having my ideal body (which I didn’t have even back when I was doing swimming and tkd) but I’m struggling to get started and create a routine that challenges me as well as motivates me, with steady results. I desperately want my ideal body to be able to wear all kinds of pretty clothes and styles that just make me feel insecure in my current state. Plus I want to be healthy and fit.
Please help me and let me know if you have any tips to get started with creating a workout routine that works!! (I tried using the “body” link on your page but it doesn’t seem to work properly :// )
Thank you so much for taking time out of your day if you do answer this, and either way I’m immensely grateful!!
I’m not a trainer or nutritionist but I’ll give you some advice that works for me. Start really small. It’s going to take some effort for you to stay consistent.
Start with perhaps 2-3 days a week where you walk for 30 minutes/ do some yoga; and 2-3 days of doing some sort of strength training workout from YouTube. I like gainsbybrains. Highly recommend that you make a playlist on YouTube of 4-5 workouts of about 30-40 minutes. Aim to workout 5 days a week. Remember to track your progress if you’re mentally okay with that - things like progress photos, body fat %, weight, measurements etc.
I still do a 5 day split - I work out 2 days, rest 1 day, workout 3 days, rest one day. It works for me. I started by working out for just 30 minutes a day. Aim for small steps.
Get your nutrition in order. If you can talk to a nutritionist, I highly recommend you go for it.
I prefer eating 3 big meals a day as opposed to multiple smaller meals a day. I incorporate at least 3 different vegetables a day in my diet. Ensure you eat enough protein (some studies say 0.11*your weight in pounds, some say 0.36*pounds is the number of grams you need to consume). Don’t rely on just protein powder but also natural protein.
I carry a water bottle with me everywhere I go so that I remain hydrated at all times.
I’ve also noticed that I prefer working out in the mornings as opposed to evenings because I get tired after work. Practice something called habit stacking - so for me, I workout right after brushing my teeth. I prefer doing fasted workouts because I feel uneasy if I eat and workout.
Get a workout buddy if you can! Sometimes having a friend to workout with can really push you for the better.
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(I do not own Bucchigiri or any of the original characters. They belong to their rightful owners. This is a work of fanfiction.)
Summary: Have you ever wanted something so bad that you would do anything to get it? Could you handle the consequences once you got that wish? Shindo Akutaro wasn’t always the villain we see today. You, Shindo (y/n), are his younger sister who is a witness to his ascension to power and a light during his down fall. Let’s see where this story will take you, a blue diamond in the rough.
Blue Diamond Ch 2
After the announcement the president just made you hurried away hoping no one could see your face turn a shade of pink. You were glad she had faith in you and your brother, but part of the time you wished you could just stay under the radar. Slipping on your shoes and putting your school ones away you made your way over to Kana as she was finishing up her phone call.
“The limo will be here in a minute. Did you let your brother know we’ll be hanging out?”
You nodded your head, “Ya, I sent him a text.”
Kana smiled, “Great! You are so lucky your brother is easy going.”
And with that sentence the limo pulled up, Kana got in and you followed. As the door closed you could see your brother walking out with his friends and you quickly waved at him before the car left the school grounds. The city buildings seem to the a blur as the car races towards Cafe Deluxe per Kanas orders to the driver. Bouncing happily up and down in her seat her worries from this morning seem nonexistent due to her test scores. As your day was a cause for celebration you couldn’t help but wonder why it felt off.
The driver stopped out in front of the cafe, its light shining against the white building in soft cursive letters “Cafe Deluxe”. You got out first and stepped to the side to let your friend out. Though as you got a better look at it now it was a……three story building? Kana tugged on your arm, “Come on, come on! Let’s get started!”
Cafe Deluxe wasn’t like any cafe you have been to before, the first floor consisted of drinks to order, then you had to take the elevator up to the second floor that was filled to the brim with cakes, cookies and other sweets you’ve never seen before. The desserts were served in a buffet style, everyone could choose what they wanted and they charged by how much your plate weighed. The third floor was just tables, couches, etc.
After Kana pays for your desserts you carefully put your plates down and begin to eat. You only have three desserts on your plate since you don’t want to take advantage of Kana. The Dragon Fire Dessert is the first thing she bites into. “Oh my gosh! I never knew something spicy and sweet could taste so good!”
You laugh at her, the flaming red ice-cream in the shape of the dragon with scales made of chocolate looked appealing but you knew better. It was called Dragon Fire for a reason. The cakes and puddings on your plate looked like a work of art on their own. The pudding was a white raspberry chocolate in the shape of a swan, the two cakes were caramel cake with chocolate and a lavender cream mochi cake in the shape of teddy bears. You silently apologized to the bears and began to eat.
Time quickly passed by, Kana dropped you off at your house and waved goodbye. You watch as her car disappears around the corner and head inside. As soon as you open the door you hear your brother and your father arguing.
“YOU ARE NOT QUITTING SCHOOL! DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOUR MOTHER AND I HAVE HAD TO SACRIFICE IN ORDER FOR YOU TO HAVE CHANCE AT A BETTER LIFE?!”
The one shouting sounded like your father, apparently he came home from work early but not for a good reason.
“IM NOT QUITTING SCHOOL! I JUST SAID IM TRANSFERRING TO ICHIZU! THERES NOTHING MORE I CAN LEARN WHERE IM AT RIGHT NOW! I WANT TO BECOME STRONG!”
Your brother shouted back, equally as loud as your father.
There was nothing good about this situation, but Kana had already left and if you arrived home any later it would just probably make the situation worse. Taking a deep breath you shut the door and as quickly as possible walk past the kitchen.
“(Y/N)! Did you know about this?!” Your father stops yelling and turns to you. You silently curse that he noticed you.
“No, I left with Kana to go eat at a Cafe and I just got home. This has nothing to do with me dad.” You say as you turn around to answer.
Your mother gets up from the couch. “How about we all calm down? Akutarou, just think about this tonight okay? What your father was trying to say was this sudden change doesn’t sound like you at all. We just want to make sure you are not going to regret this decision.”
The tension in the room seems to have died down for now. Your father begins to loosen his tie and walks past you, “I’m taking a bath, I’ll be down for dinner.”
Your mother puts a hand on Akutarou, “Why don’t you sit down I can whip you up some tea okay? (Y/n), would you mind putting your bag down and help me with dinner?”
You nod and set your bag down by the stairs, “Sure mom. We’ve finished the leftovers, is there anything in particular you had in mind for tonight?”
She takes out the kettle and fills it up with water, “I got some hamburger steak from work. Can you prep it?” Turning on the stove, you hear a click and she sets it on the burner. Your mom goes to the pantry and takes out some tea bags with some cups and sets them down on the counter. Opening up the fridge you get the hamburger steak out, wash the vegetables and begin chopping.
Akutarou just stares at the table not saying a word the entire time as your mom pours his cup of tea. Trying not a look at him with the corner of your eye you decided to ask him about this when your parents were asleep. Something else had to have been going on. As you finish prepping, your mom takes over and motions for you to sit down. After getting your cup of tea you pull out the chair and sit across from your brother who has let his tea gone cold.
He quickly gets up and pushes his chair in, “I apologize, I’m not hungry tonight. Please excuse me.” He grabs his bag that was on the ground and hurries upstairs. Your mom turns around as the meat is sizzling, “Wait! Akutarou! That’s not healthy- I” she sighs and turns her attention back to the meal. “I’m sorry you had to see all this sweety. Are you sure you haven’t noticed anything with your brother lately? He just came home and said he was going to Ichizu. We know he isn’t built for a place like that.” You take another sip of your tea. “Mom I swear this morning he was normal, with his head in a text book and everything. Maybe it happened after school? Did he say what happened.”
She flips the steaks on the other side, “He only said he saw someone with true strength.” Shaking her head, she added more seasonings to the dinner. “Don’t quit school (y/n), I don’t want you to end up in a worse situation.”
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hi... i just joined sp tumblr a few days ago and found your blog and im looking for blogs here to follow? is there anyone you would recommend? any ships are ok!
hey anon!! i think tumblr is so much about personal curation and taste, especially within the sp community, but i'm more than happy to rec a bunch of the blogs i personally follow <3
to start, i clearly love gregstophe and if you also like them (or are looking to become a fan), i highly recommend @pnjrnk, @xyrothmuse, @cheesymorgue, @advisinghat56, @avemariaholic, @r0b2n, and @fox1well1 in terms of relatively active artists. not all of them are consistently gregstophe or even south park, but they're all so incredibly talented and kind <3 there's not that many active fic writers out there for the pair, but @stupidintrders, @revoleotion, and @hellsonlyrose are all active posters who have written for the pair that i have had wonderful conversations with. there’s absolutely more people who i could include here who are gregstophe shippers, but i don’t want to be TOO overwhelming.
for probably my #2 ship (style), i can't not highlight my pal @allymumu who not only has the most gorgeous art style but also writes meta posts from time to time! @prichiyot is another double threat of incredible art and quality writing, gotta give her a look. i've been super into @anddersun and @marshwayle's art lately also?? definitely check them out. and style nation would be NOWHERE without the incredible art that comes from icons like @bunytime, @sn33z3s, @pononoin, @emilyartstudio-s, and @adriabun. on the writer side of things, @amporella writes both fics and meta usually centered around stan and/or kyle and she's got such a good grasp on them as characters. there's a good chance you already know her, but @fayoftheforest writes fic for various pairs but her big one is style and she always has nice things to say. @lyingmakesyousterile has this really intriguing ground hog day-esque fic right now and @tullievolf's fic cosmonauts is life-altering to say the least.
struggling to think of blogs who lean towards/specialize in other ships... but i've got a few! there's countless talented catg artists that lean towards creek out there, but my personal beloveds are @honey-creek (also essential for all clyde lovers), @craigrights, @tweekbroscoffeeshop, and @messtyrion. for fic, obviously @wintergrew if you don’t already know them. for k2, you need to check out @candyunicornsateme, @herbietales, @halwo, and @5ftkyle. all incredible artists as well as general enjoyers of the characters.
AND i've got a number of just general artists and bloggers i really love. @south-park-dimensions is a really cool webcomic with kickass designs and concepts that EVERYONE needs to get on board with now. @imaginationlandtrilogy writes incredible meta, in particular about ike right now. @michuyox has been putting out nothing but bangers lately. @hachichimitsu has neat art and also made this wild mbti quiz (paired with sp character analysis) a while ago that lives in my head rent free. @spinthetags is a really fun blog to help generate some conversation amongst fans. i’m in an artist server that leans heavily sp with a bunch of people who are just some of nicest, funniest, and most talented artists and i could go on and on about them but this rec list is already SO LONG that i’m just gonna close out by tagging a bunch of them: @ghostlykermode, @fantadrawsstuff, @infernoartcorner, @cricket-teeeth, @tuckerrrrr, @sun-sunny, @sp-pitch-park
#THERES LIKE A BUNCH MORE BLOGS I LOVE THAT I DIDNT MENTION BUT I FEEL LIKE THIS LIST IS ALREADY JAM PACKED#deepest apologies to everyone who got tagged here that maybe didnt want to be i just love yall's stuff <3#south park#sp
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CPN : Yibo’s single teaser 2 of 12. 🌤
part one is here.
His new single is called Like The Sunshine. There are 10 more things to see! I don’t know how everything is gonna be released but i’m just here patiently waiting and clowning like I always do. I’m really loving the imagery, it feels so storybook-ish even with all the black/white. it’s like drawn by chalk kind of feel.
Now let’s look at the things we noticed. 📝
⋆﹥━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━﹤⋆
I’m gonna be a lazy in this first one, but the connection of sun/sunshine to bjyx’s sun/sunflower symbol really jumped out when I saw this and read the lines. What they both say about being born towards the sun and what GG said before: “Then everyone can be like the sun”. The boys are really consistent with the things they like. The same goes with the WHALE. I mean, who didn’t think of GG’s drawing and when he posted about that screen cap from Attorney Woo drama? You don’t even have to think that far. It’s right there.
Whale symbolizes great ambition, bravery, beauty and peace. It is also a symbol of love, because it has only one spouse in its life, and it is extremely loyal to love. After the whale dies, it will form a whale fall, which is the last gift of the whale to nature, representing selfless dedication.
There is also jellyfish below and bxgs are reminded of their fave, spongebob, and how they role played it during an interview. The line was — Patrick, let’s catch jellyfish together. Lastly is the band Whale Circus and how GG listed a lot of their songs on his playlist.
I don’t really want to make any interpretations on the lyrics till the whole thing comes out. It’s hard to do so without any context but I have to agree that his Nian and this have a very different feel to his previous ones. I saw this comment ( photo below) and I really do agree. Wugan and ROMW are more of about himself and in a way, his frustrations about the life that he is living. It was more of looking into himself and making it all about him — his world concentrated on his own. However the next two looks at his growth as a person. I won’t credit everything to XZ, only that being with someone like him helped WYB to see the bigger picture. A world view that is more hopeful. WYB always had that in him, it was only amplified when he spent time with XZ. I really love how they make each other a better version of themselves. They are already great as individuals but being together and around each other made them more.
more clownery on the lines released, XZ.
A BXG made this edit and it makes sense. The art style seems very XZ. There is a whimsical quality to some of XZ’s artwork and this teaser gives me the same feel too. The windows also remind us of ZZ’s photos with it featured.
This is a short one, well as expected since we have more to come and not everything will have lots of cpn clues. I really hope we get an MV for this single, a real and actual music video please. 🤍
-END.
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Hi! I really like your art style and your designs of the creeps live rent free in my head. Do you still do the 'Ask the Creeps?' thing?
Also, if you want to (you don't have to), can you please do some sfw head canons for Frankie?
It's honestly near impossible finding anything on the guy ☠️
hihi! tysm!! and honestly, i’m kinda weary with the asks specifically because when i draw it’s really weird. it’s hard to consistently keep drawing asks. however, feel free to submit an ask for a character and i’ll try my hardest to get to it. :)
and also, yes i can!! i love this man to pieces like yall need to know this.
also just my regular disclaimer if you dont like my headcanons or dislike them, not my problem and you can cry about it!! 😚😚 anyways lets get into it,
Frankie the Undead Headcanons
died in 1935, and was brought back to life in 1947.
came to the underworld in 1952.
everything about amy remains canon in my headcanons, if you don’t know about amy go to frankie’s creepypasta wiki!!
absolutely loves whiskey. if this man could drink one thing for the rest of his life it would be whiskey.
literally fucking LOADED. he is RICH. but he lives in the slums to keep his identity on the down low.
is a hitman who works under zalgo and beezlebub. he works alone but he is also apart of a small close friends gang with three other men. Tony, Crosseye and Steven (Steve).
has a heavy boston accent and it’s hot as fuck
smokes those thick as fuck cigars
bisexual with heavy fem lean
is apart of the underworld mafia
has been banned from multiple bars
this is kinda nsfw but idc he has a high sex drive lol
has so many nice jackets, suits and button ups but continues to wear the same worn out brown jacket, black jeans and black shirt with his striped tie. that shit is ANCIENT
has a distinct cologne smell. he smells like cologne, smoke and booze.
has a very nice looking apartment. he has very expensive..everything. seriously, his entire apartment alone would cost more than the actual complex (rip hookman)
technically he is literally an elderly man but since he was murdered and then revived, his aging process is very weird. right now hes 39.
owns multiple guns but has his trusty antique revolver he always has on him.
has genuinely good hygiene.
he likes hamburgers and hot dogs.
dad bod dad bod
has medium length hair
heterochromia
hates jack, faint dislike towards william
jazz music atw
really just wants to find someone to spend eternity with. if he ever fell for a human (hehehe) it would ruin him. because they would die off eventually but he’d still be there.
not saying he can’t die, but he doesn’t age as fast as humans so it takes longer.
wants a daughter more than anything
he does have a heart. and he does do this morally. he doesn’t randomly murder, he always has a reason. most of the time it’s child predators/murderers
that’s all for now! if you have any art requests, specially questions about the characters or even my characters please send them! also if you just have any questions for me please let me know!!
#creepypasta#frankie the undead#laughing jack#will grossman#william grossman#creeps comic#headcanons#headcanon
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I think the Ice demon is putting ninjago adt in ai and then post that
When I made the post it was 100% just straight up stolen artwork.
Ai can sometimes include chopped up watermarks from the pieces it’s using to “learn”, but if you look at the watermarks in the art they were posting, they weren’t cropped or chopped up at all, and if you followed the watermarks to the user you could find the same exact art piece on the original artists account.
After they were called out for art theft, they tried to delete all the artworks with noticeable watermarks (though some were left). But the consistency at which they were posting and their history of art theft + the consistent art style just makes me think they were still stealing, they just realized they had to be more careful so they shifted focus to artists who don’t have noticeable watermarks, meaning you couldn’t follow it back to the user, so unless somebody knew the artist and recognized their work, they couldn’t get caught.
As for right now, I’m not sure. They blocked me after I refused to take down the post, so I can’t see what they’re doing right now. Could be AI, could just be them stealing from artists who don’t have noticeable watermarks again, I don’t really know since I can’t see the art theft in question.
I don’t think posting AI art goes against any rules, it’s just that a lot of people dislike it due to the ethics involved with AI art. I don’t like AI art myself, but I’d say it’s at least better than blatant art theft.
Though If they wanted to make an art blog, I think they’d be better off just making the art themselves instead of stealing and lying about it or using AI. Even just ignoring the ethics side of things, from what I’ve seen AI isn’t exactly popular here and rarely gets any interaction. Can’t see why. /sarc
But yeah, I can’t say anything on what they’re doing right now or if they’re posting AI since I can’t see the art in question, sorry!
#ninjago#ninjago cole#cole ninjago#lego ninjago#jay walker#ninjago jay#ninjago kai#kai jiang#ninjago lloyd#Ty for the ask anon
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Art Theory: The Torso is a Clawfoot Bathtub
This is a bit of an experiment. This is a mirror of my most popular Ko-Fi post, now in full form here on Tumblr (though it does look better there with all the images properly sized and the text centered and etc etc). If it gets enough eyeballs I’ll mirror the other ones too.
Now, without further ado...
Due to the popular demand of like... a couple people, I will be going over how THE HUMAN TORSO IS LIKE A CLAWFOOT BATHTUB.
But first, a story.
When I was still just a wee babby artist I would wander into the local library and pick up art books and be confronted with all of the in-depth anatomy images and feel a bit, well... overwhelmed.
And it's not as if I'm a dumb person or anything. It just never really made any real sense, not in a way that was meaningful to me. I struggled to retain it, unlike with other subjects, which of course confused me even more.
In hindsight I see now that it was like trying to memorize the parts of a car engine, how they all looked visually, where they were placed spatially (in 3D nonetheless), without knowing how a car operates or how all the parts work together in motion.
Which is a bit ridiculous.
In any case, since I didn't have much interest in drawing western style comic superheros with musculature that looks like it's been vacuum sealed by their skin I spent a good amount of time just ignoring it and sneaking by, using a lot of shorthand and doing practices drawing from life. And, to be fair, I did learn a lot like that.
(Thanks for your contribution to the arts, Rob Liefield. I don't like feet either.)
Which brings us back to torsos. So when you look at a torso you can visually see there are features, like pecs and belly buttons, but their relationship to the internal structure is not immediately apparent.
(Me drawing in high school, probably.)
So what ends up happening there is you just end up sort of... putting stuff where you best guess it kind of belongs. And sure, sometimes it's a really educated guess, and can be hella convincing.
I tend to notice this most with collarbones. I can tell when an artists has learned largely through shorthand and idioms when their collarbones are just sort of floating around doing their own thing, basically acting as decoration on the chest without suggesting any greater purpose.
So what changed? And what does this have to do with bathtubs?
Well, I had a few paradigm shifts. To put it more simply, I realized I am a very conceptual and relational thinker. Anatomy never stuck with me because it never "clicked." So my success came from starting with big concepts and adding increasing levels of complication as I became ready for them. Pieces falling into place bit by bit.
Like a car, for instance, is a vehicle that runs on a series of explosions. Which is kind of badass. These explosions, in turn, are caused by pistons which rotate in time, which is kept going by... weird shaped gears and belts and pulleys... sparks... compression... well that's about it for my knowledge of engines.
*I have since been informed that it is the spark plugs that make the explosions and the explosions that power the movement of the pistons. I think it was clear by my diagram of a car that I am not well versed in automobiles.
So what is the bathtub about? This is literally all I came here for.
Ok, ok... So the bathtub is a conceptual metaphor that helps an artist understand the structure of the torso.
Cool.
So, to break that down... It's easy to think of the body in terms of a column. A series of objects supported by the object below. That makes sense, right? At heart we are, essentially, the Michelin man.
(★ ☆ ☆)
Except not at all. Unlike palm trees, pyramids, and economic class systems we are not, in fact, a series of parts dependent on the parts beneath them. And we knows this. I know this, you know this, we've all seen spooky skeletons before, but for some reason artists consistently fail to internalize it.
The issue being that we are still just mammals, just mammals that walk around funny. And Mammals are basically flesh tents. But... less horrifying than that phrase suggests.
(Like this but skin.)
Essentially your standard cat or dog is holding up its spine with its four legs and then its body is hanging from that support structure created by the spine. The body is not being held up from below by the legs. And that's a fairly crucial distinction as it turns out. The muscles of the legs connect to the spine(ish), and the ribcage hangs down from the spine, making a nice tidy sack to hold all the insides where they are supposed to be.
And humans? Well we're all evolved from previously four legged critters.
(We're really just some jumped up fancy rats.)
Which means we follow a very similar diagram - but with alterations to account for a bipedal stance.
WHICH BRINGS US TO BATHTUBS.
So, take this weird upright mammal and break it down into very basic blocks.
(I can draw better but I refuse.)
Got some hips, a spine, a ribcage, just like a cat but vertical. So, again, all the focus is on supporting the spine, specifically. Which is why our arm muscles still largely connect to our back (except, like, your pecs which are literally contracting and yanking your arm bones forward which is metal AF).
So, like an umbrella designed in hell, we are actually bags of meat hanging from our spines.
And that "decorative" collarbone? Literally holding up a ton of meat draped over it so we can continue to move our arms.
Which 🎉🎉🎉 BRINGS US TO THE BATHTUB🎉 🎉🎉
( F***in told you. )
It's not a perfect metaphor since usually the curtain rod is held up by other supports besides just the shower head (it's literally called a head this is such a great metaphor) but give me a little slack.
The ribcage is like the curtain, held up by the spine of the showerhead, and the hip bones are the bowl of the bathtub, within which are lovingly nestled... all the intestines. And stuff. This metaphor helps an artist conceptualize the human structure, so they can start applying further degrees of knowledge, like muscles and motion and afsGkljSAKjhgfajhs hands.
But I specifically said a clawfoot bathtub you say pedantically? Well...
I didn't stutter. It is a CLAWFOOT BATHTUB. Specifically.
And not just for some reason like "oh because it has feet."
(OK like maybe a little but not only, alright?)
So let's talk about hips.
Now muscles work by contracting, something I passingly mentioned before (didn't think that would be on the test, did ya?) so to create motion the better generally contracts a muscle that has ends tied to two bones.
(Hips. You might already see where I'm going here.)
That's why we don't resemble ball jointed dolls. Due to *insert complicated mechanical reason based on leverage, pulleys, walking, flexibility, and so on* we, again, aren't just objects stacked on top of each other like dishes.
(I only chose this image because it sounds like a band name.)
So, as it turns out, rather than balls and sticks and vague underwear shapes, there is another pretty stellar way to consider the leg hip connection area.
Excuse my atrocious rendition of it here, but I assume you get the jist. Two turkey drumsticks tagged onto Lego Bionicle pegs jammed into a pair of hipster undies, with some amorphous fleshy bits spackled in there.
( I am very serious right now. )
So, I'm sure you've figured it out by now, but this shape very much resembles...
And that, my dear friends
is why the human torso
is a clawfoot tub.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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Hate this? Day ruined? ME TOO B
#art tutorial#how to draw#art breakdown#art theory#art education#artists on tumblr#art how to#art resource#my art#anatomy#anatomy for artists
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One of my favorite tropes to put in stories is “video game come to life”. Or “piece of media in general come to life”. But what types of media would the DHMIS characters be from (besides the series itself)? Here’s some ideas:
The main trio: Don’t Hug Me I’m Scared if it were really for children and not a horror. Or I could keep everything as is; this would just have to be a world where they’d allow Roy’s version to air.
Sketchbook: A children’s art program, like Kid Pix.
Tony: An educational PC game that teaches math. Telling time falls under math, right?
EDIT: History. How could I forget about history.
Shrignold: An 80’s cartoon about love and friendship, like Care Bears. I’ll need to see if they had that sort of thing in the UK.
Colin: He’s the computer the protagonist uses to play the sentient game! That, or he’s in a tutorial on how to use Windows 95 or something.
Health Band: Series of commercials about healthy eating. I like to think they introduce a bizarre new nutrition facts label that was used for exactly three weeks before they switched to the current one.
Lamp: A PC game that contains various bedtime stories it reads aloud to the player.
Briefcase: He’s the mascot for a job search website! Brendan may also be there.
Coffin: A Halloween special
Lillie and Todney: I can see them in a camera commercial. Or a VHS tape called “Inspirational Family Songs”.
Warren: A PSA on respectful behavior. Except he’s only in the first version; they remade it after too many schools complained he was annoying. Now the first version is lost media!
Train: Thomas the Tank Engine parody. Or perhaps a mostly live action children’s show about a group of kids with a friend who can turn into any type of transport and take them on adventures.
Electracey: Chuck E. Cheese’s style restaurant.
Roy: An unaired pilot that consists solely of Roy staring at the camera for the whole 22 minutes. No one knows why the creator thought it would get picked up.
Lesley: She’s the host of a Twilight Zone-esque variety show. A new freaky story every week!
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So this is just something I need to say to get off my chest. It is not meant to be attacking or insulting anyone.
I know that many of us have all the reason in the world to be extremely angry with the writers after this season. I also totally understand why some people are just too afraid to get their hopes up after this season. That said, I do feel that perhaps some of the criticism that is flung at the writers is not entirely warranted. For example, I’ve seen people say that the way karate is represented in the show is unrealistic. However, I would argue that this is the whole point. The whole point of both Cobra Kai and Miyagi-Do is that they are completely unique styles that are not a part of traditional karate. I actually feel that the show has done a pretty good job of expanding on the roots of both styles while remaining respectful to the art itself. Same with the movies for that matter. It is also important to remember that this is a tv show at the end of the day and shows and movies will always provide some level of mysticism or glamor to certain things bc that is what garners interest. After all, there are dojos within the show (like Topanga) that stick to traditional karate but we aren’t interested in those beyond the odd joke. Cobra Kai and Miyagi-Do are made to be different from traditional styles, that is why they are at war. And I will say that I have seen a lot of professional martial artists praising the way the show has portrayed it and particularly praising Tanner for his performance so clearly they are doing something right. People also compare the movies to the show and say that the show is worse. However, let’s bear in mind that while movies have one major arc with a limited amount of characters and a set ending, tv shows have multiple seasons which requires multiple arcs and a much larger amount of actors, all of whom have their own individual characteristics and while there can be a set ending, there is no way of knowing when the ending will come and so it makes it harder for viewers to gage the content as a whole. While the writers of this show are not perfect, they have actually done a very good job of remaining consistent with the characterizations and with the overall story even if it’s in ways that we as the audience don’t always like. However, just bc we don’t like something doesn’t make it bad writing and it’s important to remember that writers are not as beholden to fan service as it may seem they are. Writers have a story to tell and they will tell it. Sure there may be moments of fan service along the way especially as a show continues beyond the first or second season but that is not necessarily a bad thing. After all, those of us who want a happy ending for Robby are also requesting fan service. Sure, what we are requesting is actually the right thing but it is technically fan service in its own right.
Now, this particular point is more of a general observation that I have had of fandoms in general. I feel that people often look for things to be angry about. This is not meant to target any person in particular and is not even necessarily a criticism of this fandom in particular. It is just something that I have noticed and as someone who specializes in the field of media literacy and representation, it is not something that I can stay quiet on. One of the first things those of us who study media are taught is that there is a difference between critical thinking and criticism. Criticism is when you see something you perceive as wrong and label it as such without really thinking about if your own thoughts on it may not be entirely accurate. The truth is, if we look at a show and only criticize what we see without even delving into whether or not our perception of it is even completely accurate, we are only ruining our own enjoyment. Critical thinking is when you look at a piece of media and analyze it. Yes, criticism can be a part of it but that’s not all there is to it. It’s about looking at the piece and analyzing just what it is we are seeing. Thinking about why a certain scene played out the way it did and how that adds up to the story as a whole. What the real intentions were behind it bc every single scene and piece of dialogue goes through an insane amount of editing before it is even filmed so if something makes it into the final product, it is there for a reason. It is also about examining our own biases and how they might be affecting our perception on what we are seeing. Just to be clear, we all have biases, it’s just a matter of putting them aside when analyzing things. For example, I have always thought that they way Robby is treated by the fandom is reflective of the way our society treats kids like him. Media has a way of holding up a mirror to our society and whether it was the writers intentions to do so or not, that is exactly what this show has done. People love to feel sorry for abused children when those children exist only as a picture in their minds but when that child is real and shows their hurt and anger at the way they have been treated, the same people will turn on them bc they are “too angry.” That is what we have seen with Robby. People like Robby now bc he appears to have fully submitted to Johnny and everyone else despite the hurt they have inflicted on him and thus he is now considered likeable when before he was just too angry even though all Robby had done was express the hurt he felt. Now he is no longer doing that and people are happy. This is just like what can be seen in real life.
This leads me onto my next point. I totally get why people are so angry at the writers. Believe me I am too. Since the season dropped, all I have wanted to do is storm the writers room and give them a piece of my mind. It almost doesn’t even matter what their true intentions are for Robby when the way they have framed and marketed the narrative makes him out to be the one who is wrong and makes light of his suffering. That said, upon rewatching, there are things that lead me to believe that there is more to Robby’s arc this season than what I had initially believed. And Robby does have an arc this season despite what it feels like. It is an awful and painful arc but it is an arc nonetheless. I could list all the moments that made me believe there was more to the story but that would just take too long so I will just state one. The moment when Johnny and Miguel are talking about Miguel and Sam and Robby makes that crack about fatherly advice. Bearing in mind that Robby had broken up with his girlfriend as well and Johnny didn’t say a single word to him about it beyond that “bitchy mood” comment and even then it was directed at both him and Miguel. Sure, when Johnny starts sputtering his defenses, Robby says that he’s just messing with him but if we are meant to believe that Robby no longer holds any hurt or anger and that everything is hunky-dory between him, Johnny and Miguel now then why include that comment in the first place? It is also important to remember that when we talk about our hopes for Robby, we are talking about an endgame that hasn’t happened yet. While I personally am not a fan of shows going on for too long, I can actually see the potential for a couple of more seasons of this show if it means a happy ending for Robby. For shows that go beyond five seasons, s5 tends to serve as a catalyst for something bigger in the seasons after it. I have seen this before with other shows. I know there were some things that felt really rushed this season but let’s remember that this season was shot the same year as s4 which is not something that was meant to happen. Obviously, the pandemic things up and that meant that the writers had to rush to get s5 out by the usual date in September especially since s4 had already been delayed to December. But this also opens the show up for more seasons where things can change. After all this time that Robby has spent in misery, it would make sense to spread his healing over the span of one or two whole seasons.
There is also the issue of hostile media phenomenon. Essentially, this means that when people feel that a piece of media is against them, they view everything about it as being bad. Now, I personally feel that a lot of us have plenty of reason to believe that the show is against us after this season and it is really hard to see beyond that feeling sometimes. I am certainly not going to tell anyone who feels that way that they should do a rewatch and analyze things deeper bc the fact of the matter is, the anger a lot of us are feeling is totally valid. That said, I would still advise people to be careful about making assumptions. Our anger at seeing certain things can, as I said before, lead us to look for things to be angry about. After having watched the show from s1 multiple times and going as far as too take notes as I watch, I have to admit that I feel that a lot of the criticism that I see is rather unwarranted. Of course, everybody is entitled to their opinion but I can’t help but feel that by getting angry or criticizing everything about the show, we are actually doing ourselves a disservice. Let’s remember that there is a reason why we started watching the show to begin with. Even if we stick around for certain characters, let’s remember that those characters were created by the writers. Robby was created by the writers for a reason and I doubt it was just to inflict misery on him. If that had been the case, it would have been a lot less effort on the writers part to just never have included him in the first place. It’s important to look at things with a combination of the Doylist and Watsonian perspective bc that offers up a much richer understanding. Robby is quite frankly the one of the best characters that I have ever seen anywhere and as far as I’m concerned the best character in this whole damn show. There is a reason he is the way he is, it didn’t just happen by accident. All I am trying to say is that it’s ok to be upset at what we are seeing but we can only blame the writers so much. Ultimately, we as the audience make our own decisions as to how we view things and characters and there are those of us (granted we are few and far inbetween) that do get Robby so clearly it is not impossible. However, as I said early on in this post, media has a way of holding up a mirror to our society so as horrible as seeing the hate Robby gets is, it doesn’t surprise me at all and I can’t even entirely blame the writers for that
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