#so much in the entire time i've ever had art as a hobby or in class form. this has been the worst year yet. but i still cant let it go | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

thedevotionaltour · 1 month

Text

the desire to quit comics and give up on creating art forever before i've even started my career vs the travis moore answer to my ask in his inbox when he still had a tumblr when i was in high school telling me it was both the most difficult and fulfilling work he ever took on and i should pursue it if i want to and the guy who bought the first ever mini comic i sold this year at my first ever con i tabled asking me to sign it. sniffle sob

#art school really does put you through the wringer man. it really does. i have never felt worse about what i make or struggled to make work #so much in the entire time i've ever had art as a hobby or in class form. this has been the worst year yet. but i still cant let it go #i still at the end of the day want my life to be involved in comics in some way. i've accepted i dont know if i'll make it even close to #anything anywhere within the realm of it professionally. but i dont wanna let go of making them in my life #i still wanna try. i wanna quit and give up so fucking bad every other day. but i still fantasize about being published and having my work #out there for others to see. so i cant let it go no matter how bad i wanna. because i know i'll come back to it #so i just have to keep going. so i can retain them in my life forever. because i love comics. i love making them.#as much as i hate it and it makes me wanna scream and cry and how nothing has ever made me feel worse about myself and what i make.#making comics is everything to me. it is my life and it is my joy when i can remember there is some worth in what i make.#static.soundz

0 notes

falconearring · 7 months

Note

Hello Falcon, first off LOVE you're AU and designs, their so unique. I was just curious and I don't think anyone's ever asked this but.. What did everyone do before the Apocalypse? Aside from Scar which you already answered. :)

Hi hi! So happy to hear you're enjoying! I think here and there I've mentioned bits and pieces of some character's pre-apocalypse lives, but never all at once. Here's a comprehensive list of everybody's prior occupations, with some supplementary info for the characters that I've thought about the most.

Etho worked on an industrial farm. He was mainly tasked with planting and harvesting vegetables, and other miscellaneous labor tasks. When he wasn't working, he spent much of his time with Cleo and Bdubs. He's notorious for leaving his flip phone on the kitchen counter in his apartment when he goes out for the day, so it can be a bit difficult to get a hold of him. In general, he's pretty content with his life, and enjoys the routine his job offers.

Joel sort of just goes through the motions. He works a number of minimum wage jobs during his adult years, and doesn't really do much else. It isn't until the apocalypse, when he starts to meet new people and he realizes being lonely sucked. If you ask him, though, he's never felt lonely in his entire life-that would just be silly.

Grian spends his late childhood learning how to cook in a local restaurant. The owner and staff look after him best they can, but despite their hospitality, he resolves one day to grab as much cash as possible and head to a seaside town to start his early adult life. There he finds a small funeral home, and lands an apprenticeship only because they could really use the help and the owner themselves isn’t particularly concerned if they have to cut corners. It isn’t long before his inexperience starts to cause problems, and he takes off yet again when it comes to light the name he had been going by was stolen from an obituary a few cities over. He continues as he was, from place to place and name to name. It’s become somewhat routine for him to cheat every person he comes into contact with, in some way shape or form.

Scar, as we discussed in this post, has an extensive criminal history. Him and Grian somewhat deserve each other in that regard.

Cleo does a lot of crafting in their free time. I don't think I ever decided what she does for work, but on the side she does jewelry making, pottery, crotchet and a bit of sewing. She often sells some of what she makes, or gifts it to friends.

Bdubs does a trades program and is just starting out doing construction work. He takes up drawing as a hobby, mainly life drawing. His two best friends are his whole entire world, baby! He somewhat struggles with his independence, and usually wants to spend his time with Etho and Cleo.

Martyn is a hypnotherapist who specializes in past and future life progressions/regressions. He also claims to be a surgeon, but it's unclear what kind or when exactly he got a PhD.

Bigb was a racecar driver. Later in his career, he switched from cars to offroad motorcycle racing. He fell in love with modifying bikes and became a really knowledgeable mechanic.

Tango was a paramedic. Not much time for anything, but when he can he usually would meet up with some of his buddies to play board games.

Ren worked at the saw mill where Etho's friends are set up. At the time, he was living in a cabin in the woods not far from his work. He was somewhat of a hermit, and he has all sorts of woodsy knowledge and equipment at the ready.

Impulse has a bachelors of engineering and worked as an electrician for a few years. Loved his job, loved having to take out all his piercings most days a lot less. He's always been very close with his brother, Skizz, and they meet up often.

Skizz worked a 9-5 office job, and genuinely could not be any happier about it. He's the type of person to make extra time to exercise, or wake up early just to have some quiet time.

Pearl was an art student on exchange from Australia. She has a passion for installation pieces and painting. Some of her work is a bit strange.

Mumbo was a programmer. What did he program? I don't know. I'm sorry Mumbo fans. If it's any consolation he is so disoriented and so scared and so stressed.

Jimmy lived on a small farm with his family. It was all he knew growing up, and it was all he really knew going into adulthood.

Lizzie had a part time job at an aquarium in her town. She gave tours and sometimes did workshops with the kids where she did aquatic themed arts and crafts.

Scott.... I have a hard time imagining what he was up to before everything happened. Who can say for sure what he did in his spare time? (<- the guy who is writing the AU and can't think of an answer)

Hopefully this is helpful! Sorry some of it is more sparse than other parts. Take care, thank you for reading ^_^

#asks #falconearringzombieau

102 notes · View notes

currymariana · 2 months

Text

GUYS, I' AM BACK!!!!

Actually, I never left; I just struggled to find the motivation to write again. I was feeling unhappy with my writing style and constantly comparing myself to others, thinking things like "they're so much better than me" or "that's how you should write" or "you suck," and those kinds of things. I wasn't frustrated with my story, but with how I wrote it.

But after a while, I realized a few things: English isn't my first language (heck, it's not even my third); I'm not a professional writer; this is just a hobby, and if there are people who enjoy it, it can't be all that bad. I was being too hard on myself for no good reason. 'The tear in my heart' is a story I've had in mind for a long time, and I wish to share it with anyone who's interested. I've every bullet point mapped out from the beginning to the end; now, I just need to shake off my laziness and self-criticism and actually write it. And I don't even know if people are still interested.

With that being said, I've decided to make some changes. From now on, I'll be rebranding the entire aesthetic of the story, possibly even reconsidering the title (it started to sound a bit tacky to me - but i would like to hear your opinions) and updating th cover too. I'll be changing some scenes just to ease my mind, but these won't alter the storyline at all.

I don't even know if anyone is even reading this; or if it matters to you. Yet I'm writing this for myself and perhaps help someone going through a similiar thing. Don't be too hash on yourself; this is meant to be enjoyable, so embrace the fun. If you want to write a cheesy story or a serious one, follow your heart. We're not earning from this; we are fans who write fiction (or make arts) for others fans. If it's not fun anymore, it's okay to let it go. We're not flawless, and neither are our content. But do what's best for yourself —I extend this advice to writers, artists, and all who engage with this form of expression.

I'm sorry for the lengthy text, but I felt it was necessary only to express myself but also to explain and express my gratitude to everyone who enjoys or has ever appreciated "The Tear in My Heart." You guys are absolutely the best; thank you for everything. And for those still here... I hope you'll enjoy this new phase.

23 notes · View notes

alienshifter · 4 months

Text

Thank youuu for the tag @afterhovr 🌞

1. Are you named after anyone? I'm not named after anyone

2. When was the last time you cried? A few days ago

3. Do you have kids? Nope

4. What sports do you play/have you played? I used to play basketball when I was a kid & in some of my teenage years and I actually decided to start playing again ~ I had my first basketball training last week and it was amazing to reconnect after 13+ years

5. Do you use sarcasm? I do but certainly not with everyone

6. What is the first thing you notice about people? The eyes and just the energy one radiates, the vibe one gives off

7. What’s your eye colour? They're very dark brown :)

8. Scary movies or happy endings? I definitely love both. Having said that I love watching more suspenseful/horror type of movies again lately, thanks to my girlfriend who is very much into the spooky kind of stuff 💛

9. Any talents? I'd say in general I'm just a creative type of person (thank you water placements in my natal chart)

10. Where were you born? In the most beautiful country in the world ~ Greece 🇬🇷

11. What are your hobbies? I have many interests but I mostly find myself so overwhelmed that I usually end up watching something on netflix or scrolling through tumblr... I am working on regaining my energy and motivation though so just to name a few things that bring me joy: reading, writing, drawing, DJ-ing, discovering new music, visiting museums, going to the movies, going to techno parties/festivals, going to concerts & more

12. Do you have any pets? Yes, she's the sweetest lil dog ever and her name is Ravi, but she lives with my ex. Luckily I get to see precious Ravi regularly

13. How tall are you? 167cm or about 5'6"

14. Favorite subject in school? It used to be arts class and English

15. Dream job? Difficult fucking question because I've been thinking about this a lot lately. I would love to be a coach/mentor/social worker using film (or anything else creative) as a tool to help people. I used to think that I wanted to get back into film making entirely but as I'm getting older I'm realizing that I just want to help people unstuck themselves so that they can move forward and grow into their beautiful authentic selves. There's some personal inner work I have to go through still but I am definitely thinking about going back to school so I can start shaping the job of my dreams myself. 👽👽👽 I'm tagging: @sink--orswim @wetwicksdry @starlet-sky @phoenix----rising @in-kind @mossworldsstuff @planetaerium @halosydne @losingmymindx @zohalia @strwbrry5evr @burnitoffyourmind @urtopia @psilocybinsagittarius @xxintuitionxx @inlovewetrust555 @daniellesjourneyxo @celestial-anomie @tendergesturess @for-the-girls-blog @sophiasgranddaughter

#tagged

14 notes · View notes

sunbearsophia · 17 days

Text

"... forgot about this picture. I... I'm sorry, Ma. I love you, too."

---

YEAH SORRY I KNOW IT'S BEEN A HOT MINUTE SINCE I'VE POSTED HERE LEMME CATCH UP WITH SOME OF MY TWITTER ARTWORK-

But yeah, I drew this for Mother's Day, because I have so many thoughts about Eduardo's mom that I don't discuss nearly as much as I should, so here's some lil tidbits about her and her relationship with her son.

So, here's some hcs about Emilia I had written down and then some!

---

She was born and spent her formative years in Coatzacoalcos, and while her upbringing wasn't the best, she always had a huge spot in her heart for port towns and the ocean. She always wanted to take Eduardo to her hometown one day, but never got the chance to do so. (Eduardo probably thinks about going himself one day, since she always talked about it.)

She grew up kind of always feeling like she needed to compete, thanks to a less than warm and loving home life. Her father left when she was young and her mother always seemed to prefer her older siblings over her, and nothing she could do ever seemed to be good enough, which was why she moved to the States as soon as she could. (part of what drew her to alejandro in the first place was the assumption, the hope that she didn't need to compete for his affections, and it's why she avoided having any other kids aside from eduardo, and never let him believe he wasn't good enough or that he ever needed to prove himself to her, he would always be Numero Uno to her <3)

She was actually a really accomplished dancer, and while she never got to pursue her passions, mostly needing to work at any job that would have her ESPECIALLY once she got pregnant with eduardo and got hitched to alejandro, she never gave up that passion and passed on what she knew to eduardo. she was also absolutely a very outdoorsy kinda gal and enjoyed more physically active hobbies, but adored her son's art passions and supported him every step of the way, compared to the bastard who did not do that at all

Is generally a very nice and friendly person, but is a lot more reserved than she would like to admit, and tends to avoid help like the plague by the time she gets to london, not trusting that people have her and her son's best interests at heart (fortunately, her surrogate mother quickly dispelled those fears qwq)

speaking of which, she and grandmado aren't blood-related, so neither are grandmado and eduardo, but she took emilia and eduardo in when they needed a place to stay by chance (maybe emilia's new apartment had the wrong key, her car broke down while she was trying to drive her son to a hotel, and ultimately the older lady was more than happy to let them stay as long as they needed) and before any of them knew it, grandmado quickly became the grandmother eduardo never had but always needed, which made emilia beyond grateful and attached to the older woman, in turn seeing her as the mom her own mother wasn't really, and the two of them became the best things to ever happen to grandmado

emilia absolutely loved her son more than she ever loved anything in the entire universe. she carried so much guilt throughout her life for not leaving alejandro sooner and the way eduardo's life was prior to moving to london, but she always did everything she could to shield her son from him, and did everything in her power to give him a happy life, before and after leaving, and gave everything she had so that her baby boy could be happy. he was her little Numero Uno, and even if she always felt he deserved a better mother, she did everything she could to be the mother he deserved

same thing for eduardo, he adored his mamá, she was his whole world as a kid and did everything he could to make her proud. he always felt the safest and happiest when she was around, and was constantly making art for her and letting her know she was the greatest. (emilia had all of eduardo's either displayed or saved in a safe place, everything her baby made, she made sure he knew how proud of him she was for them)

as you can probably guess with all the past tense, however, she unfortunately never got to watch him grow up, and eduardo unfortunately at to face losing his beloved mother at only twelve years old, one of the most, if not the most, traumatic moments of his life. he was genuinely a sweet and happy kid prior to losing her, but after that... he was really depressed, angry and heartbroken, and it lead him a lot into the person he eventually became. his mom wasn't there to remind him of his self-worth, and his father basically made him feel like he had none, so he dedicated himself to being better than others to feel like there's worth to be had anymore.

he and grandmado made sure to save all of his mother's belongs after she passed, but eduardo wanted to keep a lot of it in storage as a teenager, the wound still fresh and all he wanted was to bury it and not be reminded she wasn't there anymore. as an adult, he's tried to train himself to be numb to what happened and not think about it, but her passing and, well, her in general, remains a touchy subject for him for YEARS, and when he finally does start looking through her old stuff as an adult... a lot of the tears he'd been fighting back for so many years finally end up spilling.

eventually, he does come to terms with such a huge loss at such a young age, and while it will always hurt that she's no longer there, it becomes easier for him to talk about with time and with those he trusts. eventually, he even ends up naming him and laurel's first kid after her grandmother, and finds himself able to talk to his children about their abuela without crying... much

---

Def more art to come, sorry for the infrequent uploads, everyone! <3

#eddsworld eduardo #eddsworld #eddsworld fanart #eduardo eddsworld #eddsworld fanparents #fan parents #teeechnically a mothers day picture but i missed the deadline for that here on tumblr lol #tw death mention #tw depressing stuff

9 notes · View notes

heymrspatel · 1 year

Text

✨ artist interview ✨

i was tagged by @you-are-so-much-better-than-that @mikhailoisbaby and @deathclassic to do this artist interview that chrissy whipped up off of the popular fic writer one! thanks for the tag even if i feel like a grand ol' imposter 😅

1. Do you post on Ao3? If so, how many works do you have on AO3? If not, where do you post? i do! i didn't before, but i was bullied by tumblr into doing so after they took down the art for "cinematic" lmao! then the pals encouraged me to upload the rest! i have 4 works: cinematic, kinktober, gallacrafts, and original art.

2. What is your total art count? 83! (including the zine stickers/tattoos)

3. What are your top 5 pieces by likes/kudos? i used the helpful stats website @suzy-queued suggested!

4. Do you respond to comments? Why or why not? yes! i still think it's insane when people choose to leave nice comments, so i try my best to respond!

5. What is your current fandom, and what was the first fandom you drew for? shameless, hi. if we're talking about art that i've shared, then it's also shameless. but the first one just for fun was harry potter (yeaaa yeaaa 🙄)

6. Have you ever received hate on any art? yep lol

7. What’s a fandom/ship you haven’t drawn for yet but want to? i guess the true answer is none. however, i get the urge to draw every time i watch something that i end up loving. recently i've wanted to draw for young royals and stranger things, but i never ended up doing anything. i would also be too shy to post 😅

8. What’s your all-time favorite ship? i've had many, but based on impact and inspiration i'd have to go with ian and mickey 💙

9. Do you draw outside of fandom? i do!! it's my favorite hobby! the only difference is that outside of this space i usually just sketch. so it's very different than what i share here.

10. What’s the an art piece you’ve drawn that came out completely differently than you expected? oh probably this one! it changed quite a bit and was originally drawn flipped around. i think it tells a different story depending on which way you look at it!

11. Do you draw smut? yes! the teasing kind. the "what's that hand doing?!" kind lmao

12. Have you ever had any of your art stolen or copied? not that i know of!

13. Have you ever collaborated on a piece? yea! i've collabed on art for fics with @whatwouldmickeydo and @metalheadmickey and on the zine and timeline with @you-are-so-much-better-than-that 🥰

14. What’s an idea you have that you have yet to draw? omg i have an entire list of ideas that just exist and may never come to life lol! they range from extreme fluff to absolute filth... my notes app: -kiss on the cheek/scrunchy face -mickey's head hanging off bed/mouth open/ian's hand wrapped around the nape of his neck -holding hands at the alibi alsdkfjlk

15. What are your drawing strengths? i would say adding details and tying the story i'm trying to convey together. and i like to think that i'm ok at giving them that tender and in love feel no matter the situation.

16. What are your drawing weaknesses? all of it? haha proportions and certain angles are really hard for me. hands and noses yikes! i am also terrible at drawing from memory. i usually draw with about 20 references pulled up on my laptop. like, i am the bozo googling "table". 17. What’s your favorite art piece you’ve drawn? it's gotta be the roadtrip one! but i also really really love this one:

18. What is one thing you’d like to tell people about your art that they might not know? i love adding/repeating little details that no one would really notice unless you're zooming all the way in or seeing a few pieces as a set. i built a color palette very early on that has stayed consistent throughout. i play a lot with blues and greens as a motif. and uh i'm still learning! everyday! with every single one!

19. What inspires or motivates you to create for fandom? i genuinely love doing it! i also love a prompt, that's why i started all of this with gallacrafts. and i just really love putting them in situations i want to see them in and drawing them stupidly in love!

but, i also hoard unhinged tags in my cheeks like a chipmunk lmao every series i've done was born from people screaming a version of "YOU'RE INSANE" at me 😂

20. And finally, can you describe your process a little? Do you have a favourite place to draw? Do you play something in the background? Do you do research or just go for it? Give us a little insight. i usually draw on the couch, hunched over like a shrimp. i’m normally up really late (i see 3am too often) and that’s when i get most of my work done. i typically watch something i've seen before so that i don't have to fully pay attention or i'll listen to music. i sketch a rough draft of what i want the final piece to end up looking like, then i do a shit ton of research and pull up a stupid amount of references. i have a really creepy pinterest board full of body parts lol! then i fight for my life and rage until the line work is fully done. after that, it’s smooth sailing with coloring and shading 😌

i'm feeling a little tag shy, but i'll tag @gallawitchxx @doodlevich @y0itsbri and @grumpymickmilk if you want to play! if not i'm just giving you some flowers 💐

#why the fuck do i talk so much? why was this so hard?#chrissy encouraged me to just ramble and that i did. i'm sorry about it.#artist interview #tag game

56 notes · View notes

remedyxtragedy · 25 days

Text

Hello!!! Pleasure to meet ya!!

I only really wanna go by RemedyxTragedy but you can also just call me Rem or Remedy, whichever you prefer. I've been posting on tumblr for a good few months now on my other two accounts, however I've yet to emulate the online identity I've always wanted on platforms like this and so I decided, why not start anew and see where I get?

What I really strive to accomplish here is sharing my work with the masses, in a way that's 100% better and more organized than my previous attempts. Before I continue on about my stories, however, some basic and completely relevant facts about me are--

I prefer a much darker and grim style of writing so fluff, heartbalm, and mushy light-hearted stuff isn't really my cup of tea, although I do like wholesome from time to time just as a refresher from the more serious themes and subjects I often entrench myself in, to an unhealthy extent, so if I'm in the mood for it I might post such a story or two

I'm still very much in high school, but writing has been my passion for many years now. I enjoy playwriting and the regular creative style of writing, but as I've stated before my work will most likely only ever consist of Horror, mystery, or Thriller--it's what I'm best at.

Yes, I make art. I'm a rookie, by all means, but it's a very precious hobby of mine and so I make the most of it. My main blog is where I post art showcasing my main art style which is pretty vibrant and colorful so if you're interested you can check that out, but on this blog I'll only be posting art using the particular art style I adopted for Idiosyncratic, my other big story (name to be decided), and any other story I come up with along the journey. You'll see what I mean

I have a kitty cat, Tsukiko, and she's my pride and joy. Probably the most unnecessary detail I've shared about myself but in my eyes this is absolutely vital information the world should know about

I'm a Christian through and through, though I'm quite interested in a variety of religious and philosophical concepts which I incorporate in my writing, including of course heaven and hell, morality based on what is religiously acceptable compared to moral relativism, solipsism, theodicy, eternal recurrence, and many, many more.

I've been working on Idiosyncratic since seventh grade, technically six, so what I have now is the result of more than three years worth of heavy revision, redrafting, and complete reworking of my original idea. And let me tell you, what I had before is like the ugly grandfather of my current version of Idiosyncratic and if you were to place the two together side by side, you'd have no idea that they're related. The juxtaposition would be jaw-dropping, but ultimately all of this is to say that Idiosyncratic is very important to me and I pray that the final product, whatever it becomes, gets me somewhere in this world

Now, derailing from the mini tangent and while we're on the topic of Idiosyncratic, I'll give you all a pretty detailed summary of my idea and I'll make another separate post about my other big story that I recently started working on since this introduction post is already long enough. So, without further ado--

Idiosyncratic tells the dark story of Calixte Stanhope, a rather callous but…ordinary enough young man who awoke in a truly bizarre dystopian world after being pushed in front of an ongoing train while escorting his significant other home, a faceless and nameless woman he remembers only by her mere existence in this vivid memory, and throughout his journey he's haunted by a deep longing for her that's seems to drive his quixotic incentive to do whatever he must to survive

Rather than being welcomed by either the pearly gates of heaven or the fires of hell, Calixte found himself standing in the midst of the very strange and deceptive town of Baltimore, where everything from the largest bank to the tiniest coin is made entirely of cardboard and plastic, like the set for a play—mimicking the real thing while not actually being it. One can say, a rip off of everything in our world.

The citizens of the town too; although they're quick to greet you with a warm smile and talk with such an enticing charm that is sure to ensnare anybody desperate for answers to their odd predicament, they are not even close to being as ordinary as first impressions suggest--first impressions of which Calixte, for whatever reason, could see straight through. And soon enough, those illusions of a society you could trust fades into ash and the true extent of the young man's situation is ever so cruelly unveiled to him, and this reality would threaten twist and pervert the perceptions of goodness and evil he long since held dear to his heart, or at least he thought he did--he can't quite recall where his knowledge of civility, law, and order came from as vivid as they are to him, they seem feel almost like the figments of a hazy dream or fanciful concepts from a child's tale...

Regardless, what's become absolutely and abundantly clear to Calixte is that this world seems to glorify the things we don't, endorse the activity we shouldn't, and corrupt the ideas of right and wrong we have used to scaffold our civilizations from the ground up. Violence and madness is the way, entropy and discord is the center of worship, and every sad unfortunate soul who's found themselves in this world must abide by the matrix of the daily grind as they do here. The citizens of this delightful world are diehard fanatics for this way of living, lusting for violence so much to the point where its broadcasted on television, discussed fanatically in literature, and any horrid death calls for a grand celebration. The more irredeemable and atrocious something is, the more the residents of Baltimore revere it like sacred scripture, and the man who proudly encourages and orchestrates this madness is none other than the eccentric mayor, referred to as just “Whitman Sedgwick"--his pen name, as he only seems to make himself known through various propaganda, manifestos, and biographies littered about the town.

The unlucky few who wound up in Baltimore under bizarre circumstances similar to Calixte’s, properly labeled as “actors”, have to routinely partake in abhorrent acts for the public’s sick entertainment otherwise more than just their dignity, humanity, and pride will be torn from them. And eventually, once you're fully proven yourself to be of no use to Whitman's design, you are properly "dealt with"

It’s a horrifying ordeal to most, but a paradise to some of humanity’s greatest degenerates, and that small minority is powerful, hungry, and determined to survive by any means necessary--no matter how low. Thus leading Calixte, an obstinate man with an ambition, to meet people he never would’ve otherwise, creating a fragile alliance that will either make or break this band of deplorable lowlives, all depraved in their own ways but alike in their desire for freedom and above all, answers.

As he begrudgingly adjusts his mind to this new world, he quickly realizes his dangerous willingness to do anything and everything he must in order to escape the clutches of the Hegemony and Craze and to reunite with the one woman so dear to him. However, Calixte never would’ve thought that the madness of this world stretch far, far beyond just the glamorization and capitalization of evil. It seems, there's more than one person pulling the strings--its just a question of, who exactly is at the end of the cross brace?

OOOOoooh so ominous

Also, PLEASE, give me feedback.

#artists on tumblr #writers on tumblr #writerscommunity #writers and poets #female writers #aspiring writer #aspiring author #aspiring artist #my book idea #book idea #book series #ideas for books #small author #young author #black tumblr #black authors #horror author #aspiring horror author #thriller books

4 notes · View notes

nebulous-rain · 4 months

Note

Hello! My name is Moriah and I am a junior in high school. I was wondering if I might be able to get your insight on a few questions I have?

I am in my final years of high school and am starting to think about college but I have no idea what I want to pursue. I know I love art, so for a long time I have been thinking about getting an art major or going to an art school.

I’m reaching out because I ABSOLUTELY LOVE YOUR ART and I think you are a very talented artist! I have been in love with your art for so long and I am curious and wondering how you are able to fit drawing into your life?

1.) If you are going to college for art, or went to college for art, what is it like? Do you think going to school for art or having an art major is worth it?

2.) how can I fit art into my everyday life? I’m sure you have work and other things to do in your life so how do you balance it out? (I just want to know how you can draw as much as you do!)

3.) do you do art as a hobby or a career? If it is a hobby how to you balance art, work/school, and home life? If it is a career or part-time career is it an alright source of income?

Thank you so much! And sorry if these questions might seem personal. I just want to know how other artist manage to draw and create their work and still have an adult life. Thanks again, and thank you for being a huge inspiration in my life to create the art I love! Your art means so much to me!❤️❤️ ❤️

i am going to CRY this is the sweetest message ever. i'm happy you found your niche and i'm even happier that i could help inspire that!!! i'm not sure if i'm gonna be able to answer all your questions, but i'll try to squeeze in some possibilities where i fall short:

1) growing up i definitely figured i was going to end up in art school because that's what everyone told me i should go into. but as i got older in high school i was kind of panicking cuz i really didn't want to turn my hobby into a job, and i figured out that i wanted to go into education!

but that's just me- my wife is actually going to college for graphic design sometime soon because she loves what she does. if it's something you really enjoy, and that you think you can monetize while still enjoying it, then it's definitely worth it! money is important but you need to put you and your happiness first.

2) to be honest, i haven't had the time or energy to do much art lately (if you look at my post dates you can see how spread out they've been the past year)- but this entirely depends on how you manage your time and your workload. i'm horrific at time management! so that's my problem. BUT, i think sneaking in drawing time in little ways helps a lot, as i tend to sketch small panels of a potential comic or animatic on notebooks and papers while i'm listening to lectures. i've even posted ms paint doodles i've drawn during class

i always have plans for what i'd like to draw once i have the time. it's kind of motivating, but also frustrating, and it's hard to efficiently empty my brain of ideas while still keeping up with everything else. this might be something you'll have to wiggle around once you get settled into a routine each semester!

3) i really wanted art to stay as a hobby for me. the idea of drawing and creating art every day for things i wasn't inspired to do made me really nervous, because what i really wanted was to make fanart and draw my little guys all day lol

if you take anything away from this, i think the most important thing is that if you want to keep art in your life, you will. if you desire having time to make art just for yourself, you'll find time to work that into your life, one way or another- but in order to do that you absolutely need to have a positive mindset about what you're going into, and if you can't find that positivity, maybe it isn't for you

thank you for asking!!! i'm not sure if this'll be any help, but i appreciate the questions <:')

#ask #moriah-doodles #me and my wife are just meesly 19 y/o's #so neither of us have experience working in the art field unfortunately #i wish you luck on your journey though!!!!#art can be so rewarding

5 notes · View notes

dazzlerazz · 9 months

Text

I don't think the best pieces of art I've made over my whole career are those I worked the most on, or the ones that took me the longest, or even the ones that I would consider to be my favorites. I think the best pieces of art I've made are the ones I made when I was a kid, scribbling away on notebook papers in school binders or in between the pages of books that I owned, it was when I was first trying my hand at drawing

It was during times where I saw art in the world that had inspired me so much that I would want to replicate it by my own hand, giving birth to a hobby that I would work on and hone for so many years after, a hobby that I don't think I'll ever grow out of even when I'm older. It was the sparks of something that soon became flames and would continue to burn, and will continue to burn, because of a love I have for something that started out as a want to create something beautiful when I was just a child

Sometimes I wonder where I would be without my art. What kind of friends would I have now, having met most of my current friends through creation? Would I ever have picked up a pencil if I didn't when I was young? is it possible that I would be an entirely different person, or have different outlooks on creation and beauty?

All I know is that those first few months of drawing mean everything to me

#razz rambles #art stuff #artists on tumblr #it's 1 AM I plan to sleep soon I prommy my mutuals

9 notes · View notes

more-than-a-princess · 2 days

Text

mun meme

𝐆𝐄𝐓 𝐓𝐎 𝐊𝐍𝐎𝐖 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐌𝐔𝐍!

★ NAME: Rae

★ PRONOUNS: she/her.

★ BEST EXPERIENCE: I'm...not actually sure what this means? Is this the best RP you've ever written, or where you've enjoyed writing the most? I have no clue, actually. But I tend to prefer 1x1 storylines in a chatroom or email-based format. Tumblr isn't my favorite place to write, honestly: but it's one of the most active, so I'm here.

★ PREFERENCE OF COMMUNICATION: If we haven't written much/at all and you don't enjoy plotting or interacting OOC? Tumblr IMs are fine with me. If you like plotting and sharing a bunch of art/aesthetics/reddit threads that remind me of our muse(s)? Then discord is best. Bryn can attest to this, because I will spam her with memes from relevant muse/aesthetic tags.

★ MOST ACTIVE MUSE: I only keep up one blog right now, so it's Sonia. I don't have a lot of time or energy to write much at present, so juggling two blogs would be very hard. I miss writing Fujiko Mine, though.

★ EXPERIENCE / HOW MANY YEARS: I started roleplaying in 1999. My RP experience is old enough to have a mid-life crisis. I have probably been roleplaying longer, or just as long, as some of you have been alive and this knowledge sends me into...well, a mid-life crisis.

★ RP PET PEEVES:

I've been roleplaying for a long time. I have quite a few, but I'll share some of them.

Muns who do not read rules, or a blog in general. Not just for the sake of boundaries, but just to even get an idea of activity, writing style, and so forth of the blog they're hoping to write with. Maybe it's because I've only written canon muses for the past 15 years or so, but when I've had blogs on tumblr or Livejournal, I've found that I'll get followed by other blogs interested purely in interacting with a canon muse without any regard for writing style, frequency, or other essential components that factor into good writing partner chemistry. Admittedly, this has happened plenty of times because someone wanted a romantic ship with whatever canon muse I happened to be writing without even asking if I wanted to ship my muse with theirs, or had any interest in writing romance at all. I feel like a lot of misunderstanding or bad communication would be helped if some people really looked at the accounts they're trying to interact with, beyond just wanting to write with that character.

Muns with canon muses who do not write out actual bios, or just link to a character's wiki page. Look, it seems like quite a double standard if we as a roleplaying community ask OC writers to produce a small novel describing their muses so canon writers have an idea of where they might fit in a canon or original verse and, in turn, canon writers give absolutely nothing in return to how they portray their muses. Anyone can do an internet search on a canon muse: I want to know how you see and portray your canon muse. Doubly so if you are a new blog with no IC content. Do not assume every mun is familiar with your canon muse, and do not assume that even if a mun is familiar with your muse, they'll interpret them the same way you do. Show your followers how you see them, show your followers how you write!

And the last pet peeve I'll share: muns who drop threads/blogs before interactions even get a chance to start. Doubly so if they clearly just wanted to write a romantic ship without any real chemistry or interactions. I don't mind when writing partners take time with replies: I actually prefer that to muns who reply in 24-72 hours, because it gives me some time to breathe in-between replies and brainstorm about what could happen next. And I don't mind at all when muns have other commitments, jobs, and hobbies that are in need of their attention: if we have interactions going and someone needs to step away for a little while (and it's communicated!), that's understandable.

What I don't like are muns, often with new blogs, who either abandon the blog entirely or constantly ask for new memes, asks, and interactions when we've got active threads going. It's one thing to not have muse, but when you're actively soliciting new threads without replying to ours and not communicating that you'd like to just drop threads?

Yeah. I just don't have time for that. That sort of writing habit works for some muns, but I enjoy long threads with complex storylines (some of which have taken years to write!). I like slow-burn romances, humor, drama, and the progression of life and situations between muses. I'm not fond of one-off interactions that never really form a plot, if that makes sense.

★ PLOTS OR MEMES: Yes! I think memes are great to start off but if my writing partner is wanting to build off initial interactions, then I think plotting is best. Especially if writing partners are looking to write romantic ships: I pretty much exclusively plot these at this point.

★ ARE YOU LIKE YOUR MUSE(S)?: Sonia and I both enjoy tea, chocolate, anime, and horror movies (she likes anime and horror movies more than I do). We also both have similar fashion styles (preppy/tailored/classic with traditionally feminine touches) and come from families with some Rich People Problems. Otherwise, she is the most cheerful glass-half-full sort of woman and I have predominantly resting bitch face and a degree in sarcasm. I also love historical fiction and royalty gossip and news far more than she does.

tagged by: @rolliesanimeclub

tagging: @quickdeaths, @dcviated, and you. I was this close to tagging all of my over-30 brethren in the RPC because you are seen and valid (and also if you're like me probably tired).

#more-than-a-princess musings #(I've been feeling pretty tired and off all day today)#(I blame the time spent in traffic picking up medications)#(But I'm going to try to hit and queue a few replies tonight)

2 notes · View notes

purplesurveys · 20 days

Text

1862

So, how's adulting treating you in the 2020s? Are you smashing those expectations, or do you just wanna Netflix and chill all day? I did way better than the expectations I set for myself. First of all – I'm 26 and I'm still alive. I never thought I would make it past 21. That's an empowering realization to have.

I've been promoted every single year since first getting employed in 2020; I hold a title at work I never thought I would ever be qualified for, and reached it at 25. I got over my biggest source of grief and used it to reach the happiest I've ever been. I have a much, MUCH smaller group of friends now, but in them I've found my ride-or-dies. I've learned to embrace being single because it means I get to be the cool rich aunt and spend my money on whatever food or hobby on the weekends. I've stopped comparing myself to other people and it has brought me peace like nothing I've ever felt. I think I'm doing pretty great.

Remember all the fads and trends from the 2010s? Which one makes you cringe the most when looking back now? The Coachella indie girl look with the muscle tees, denim shorts, rompers etc sort of look looked super cute and cool back then, but with trends changing and all it also feels ever so slightly cringe now. Cringe in an endearing way more than anything, but still.

Idk, I don't really find a lot of things from that time embarrassing now. I was in high school then, so I took part or consumed most of those trends and I'll always look back on them fondly.

In the 2020s, are you living the glamorous life you thought all adults had in the 2010s, or is it more like trying to keep houseplants alive and failing miserably? No. Adults are also just figuring out themselves, and that's okay. I don't think that will ever stop.

Tell us about a moment in the 2010s when you thought you were the coolest kid on the block, but looking back, you were just as awkward as the rest of us. Making my relationship my entire personality.

So, do you adult better with a fancy planner and color-coded schedules, or are you just winging it with Post-it notes and sheer luck? I take it day by day. I do and decide whatever I feel like doing and deciding at the moment.

In the 2020s, have you finally mastered the art of adulting, or do you still have an impressive collection of takeout menus and not a clue about cooking? Oh if you mean like chores, I'm pretty behind lol. It's part of why I plan to move to BGC – everything has a service there. I think being as far away from home as possible would also help straighten me up and force me to fend for myself, and I need that.

Looking back on the 2010s, what was the cringiest song you couldn't stop listening to on your iPod, and did you ever dare to sing it in public? AJ Lee's theme is forever a bop within the wrestling world but I wouldn't ever play it to my friends or sing it out loud haha. It's so endearingly niche.

Are you living the dream of having a fabulous wardrobe that puts fashion bloggers to shame, or is your closet a chaotic mix of hand-me-downs and sale-rack finds? It's chaotic in a sense that my style changes from day to day.

Do you miss the simpler times of the 2010s when social media was all about posting selfies, or are you loving the meme culture that dominates the 2020s? The memes get more hilarious as time passes, and those I have no problem with. It's the peace, the non-conflict, the everyone's-just-here-to-fuck-around vibes on social media. Twitter is a world away from what it used to be.

Tell us your most epic "adulting fail" moment that made you wish you could just teleport back to your carefree teenage years. It's not really one specific moment, but I've regretted corporate-slaving my life away. Especially in my earlier work years where I was very career-driven, missing out on family lunches or the chances to go out with friends...it's those moments that make me long for my younger years when I studied during the day but still had time to hang out with my college friends and my girlfriend at the time. In any case, turning 25 turned on a switch in me and I have been prioritizing my life over work ever since, so that's a nice learning, I guess.

How do you balance being a responsible adult in the 2020s and still secretly longing for the reckless fun you had in the 2010s? Eh, I don't really need to? I don't actively miss my time in the 2010s. It was fun while it lasted, but we're here now and I'm going to focus on what makes me happy now.

Confess your most significant guilty pleasure from the 2010s that you can't believe you indulged in. No judgment here! 1D fanfiction maybe lol? I wasn't in deep like most fans and I don't understand most references still getting thrown today, but I did read a couple.

Do you have a "best worst" purchase from the 2010s that you still can't believe you spent money on? Can it just be the worst haha? Probably just all the gas I spent for my ex, driving her everywhere – to dates, to her house, to her dorm.

In the 2020s, have you upgraded your hangover-curing skills from greasy fast food to some sophisticated avocado toast? Nah I will still look for greasy stuff.

What's your go-to dance move when you hit the dance floor in the 2020s, and did it come from an embarrassing attempt in the 2010s? I don't dance.

How do you cope with adulting burnout in the 2020s, and does it involve a secret stash of chocolate or a Netflix binge? I find a lowkey coffee shop tucked away in the middle of nowhere, turn on DND on my phone, and read.

Share the most hilariously awkward Zoom moment you had during the great pandemic of the 2020s. I've never had an awkward on-cam moment, fortunately.

Looking back on the 2010s, what was the weirdest internet challenge you participated in, and did you regret it immediately? I wouldn't call it weird but my sophomore (or was it freshman?) class did the Harlem Shake challenge on the last day of school. I wouldn't call it cringe or be embarrassed by it though. It's cute to think about now.

Have you finally embraced the fact that you're an adult, or do you still find yourself wishing you had Hermione Granger's time-turner to go back to simpler times? I miss the freedom in youth, but I prefer to focus on the now because as much as I long for it, it'll never come back.

So, did you ever jump on the "juice cleanse" bandwagon in the 2010s, and did you last more than a day before devouring a pizza? No I was like 15 and weighed 90 lbs lol.

How do you handle those moments in the 2020s when you feel like you're just a kid pretending to be an adult? Cry it out if I need to, but trudge along anyway and hope that I learn something from the whatever it is I need to do.

In the 2010s, what was your worst fashion faux pas that you wish had never seen the light of day? Statement shirts.

Are you now the queen or king of adulting, doling out life advice like Oprah, or are you still secretly calling your mom for help with laundry? I have no shame asking my parents for help. They won't be around forever, so I like having them around as much as I can.

Looking ahead to the rest of the 2020s, what are your hopes and dreams for your adulting journey, and how will you embrace the chaos with a sense of humor? I would just love to be able to travel the world. And be the aunt that sneaks my nieces/nephews out for ice cream or pizza after school.

3 notes · View notes

my-castles-crumbling · 2 months

Note

Hi Cas!!! I’m so appreciative for the safe space you’ve created and I wish only the best for you. If you have any wisdom for me I could really use it, this might be a lot and all over the place so please only answer if you have the spoons <3

In 1 week I’m quitting my job (along with the entire career path that goes with it) and I feel so broken over it. This career has been my dream since I was 11yo, it’s non-standard, creative, pays plenty, and gives me the freedom to choose what I work on, when I work, and who I want work with. I dropped out of my university with just 1 year left of my bachelors to pursue it because I hated school so much. I have genuinely put every ounce of myself into it. And... I hate it so much. I haven’t told anyone yet because I can barely admit it to myself.

I’m so scared because I don’t think I know who I am without this job. I feel like I have nothing else going for me in my life, I don’t have a group of people I can lean on and I can’t go finish my degree and have no other qualifications. It’s not that I feel I can’t make something of myself now because I know I can but it’s more so like starting next week everything I’ve done in my life will amount to a pile of nothing. And honestly? I feel pretty pathetic realizing that I only really have my job, I’m not good with people and don’t make friends easily and when I do I can’t bring myself to make them last, I’m not incredibly smart or clever, and tbh I don’t think luck has ever been on my side.

I’m also scared that I’m giving up on something that I shouldn’t. I can’t help but feel like I ruined it for myself in a very Vienna way. I was 19 when I left school and I don’t think I ever coped with the overwhelming feeling of oh my god I have to work everyday for the rest of my life and have real responsibilities now and what if that was too much and if I started my job when I was 22 I’d be fine and I’d still love it. I’m absolutely certain in my decision to leave but I don’t know how I’m going to confront losing everything I know about my identity. And what if when I do figure something else out, my tragic disconnectedness makes me hate that too because I feel like it’s inevitable that I grow to hate everything around me.

Hi!

Oh god, this is SO relatable for me. And really, I think you're definitely doing the right thing.

A few things...

First of all, even though you're quitting your job now, that doesn't make the work you did in the past suddenly amount to nothing. It's still something you can be proud of. Hell, from a purely neutral standpoint, holding a job for a decent amount of time looks great on a resume!

I also think it's absolutely brave an commendable that you're taking a step to better your life by searching for what makes you happy. There's NOTHING wrong with doing that at all, and I genuinely wish I could do the same.

As far as realizing your job is your identity- I've been there. During covid, when I couldn't teach, I realized that teaching had become my entire personality. I took all my self-worth from being a good teacher. And I went through a literal depression. But it forced me to find hobbies and spend time with my wife (then-fiancee) and rethink things that are important to me.

Take this time to figure out what makes you you. What hobbies do you enjoy? What makes you happy? Go out by yourself to a bar or to a movie or an art class. Find what makes you feel fulfilled and do it a lot.

You've got this, and I'm SO proud of you for taking this step!

(Also I am naming all the anons who write to me in case they want to write in the future, and I am using a random positive affirmation generator to do so. So I dub thee: brave anon. Enjoy your free tag!)

#ask #asks #ask cas #brave anon

4 notes · View notes

facade · 10 months

Text

art vent, kind of makes me look like a shallow person

FOR clarification i'm 20. turning 21 in two months. yippee! what an eye opener

the point of trying to profit your art, especially using your art to help fund for survival since you were 11 - you realize that while you want to improve your art for yourself, you're so consciously aware of what parts would appeal to strangers who see your art.

because you don't want to appeal to others to enjoy your art, you want to appeal to others to garner money and funds. i've ebegged on this site for almost a decade, on so many different accounts and even used my art as much as i could to get even more money. to pay bills, to pay for food, to help my mother in medical emergencies. since i was only 11 years old, by the way. a lot of the time, while it is a huge part of my reason to keep improving -- i don't actually think of reasons such as improving my art because 'i want to go to college' 'i want to be better' as much as my main reason being: i want this to sell to people.

that being said, my art style is something im so happy with right now for myself. but i think like. you have to really make your art your signature. that way, people will want to buy what you can give them. but algorithm is just, so hard to fight with now. the heartbreaking part is that, even if i'm at my 'peak' in art.

and my art has always been my one consistent interest, thats never faded. it's apart of my daily life. my routine, my medicine, my hobby, my enjoyment. i need this to live in many different ways. whether it be for providing my funds via commissions, coping art for trauma, or generally to express my happiness for things in my head, etc. i need this hobby or i will die. its the one skill ive had my entire life thats stuck, and its something i'm *good* at. and i've kept up with it to this day.

my art looks consistently good. flattering. i would say at some points it feels.. professional, sometimes. i am consistently proud and satisfied with my art and haven't struggled on pieces as much as i used to several years ago. it took me 2 months to come up with illustrations. now ive been pumping them out with ease. commissions are so much faster. quicker. ive really upgraded. i'm efficient, quick, and my stylization journey has been amazing.

yet..

this has been the hardest i've ever fucking struggled to make money, ever. since i was 11 years old. i've never.. had so much difficulty. i feel spoiled, honestly, when i know so many other artists struggle filling commissions too. but i've always had good fortune, i guess. good luck. but not since the year began. it's been so hard to fill in requests, so hard to fill slots. even when my prices are cheaper, it's still so hard. which is crazy, because 2 years ago i was consistently filling slots like crazy. i had consistent income, for the most part. i was able to help my family, avoid eviction, pay for water, clothes, food. emergencies like car wrecks, medical stuff -- god, its insane how much my art has helped me. it's scary. to think about what woulld happen if i didnt have this skill.

back then, like my art looked like this in 2021.

i look back and i wonder. this is fine, its definitely my art style. but how did i makee so much money off of stuff like this? so much more than i do now? i still draw fanart, and my art's been getting better. i think its honestly just bad luck, or maybe algorithm has flopped a lot of my stuff. either way, it's sort of humbling. Extremely humbling, that even with all this improvement - it still may not be enough to get me anywhere. i've never struggled before, trying to open commissions even when ive always focused on original content primarily. i know its hard to get popularity when you only draw ocs, but ive been fine for the most part. getting by, until lately.

i think i'll just have to keep working harder. see what people enjoy, but its just really ego crushingi think. And i could care less about popularity or anything. i think the really awful part is that im just stressed all the time about how i can keep making money off of this when its been so hard to even fill slots, let alone gaining peoples interests. Is this competition related? is this just a shit time for artists? am i just flopping. Who knows.. ohwell. ill survive

7 notes · View notes

mariska · 11 months

Text

tumblr buddies, hello!!! its been like two months since i've posted on here which is maybe one of the longest periods of time i've ever unintentionally gone on a posting hiatus on this blog ever in the 10+ years i've had it???? im super sorry if i've worried anyone with my unexplained absence; long story short i have been in literal fight-or-flight survival mode since pretty much right after my birthday at the start of May because of medication and healthcare and disability related issues so it's been very difficult for me to set aside even a few minutes to browse through my dashboard here or on instagram and stuff. i just wanted to make a post to let you all know that i'm [glados voice] Still Alive, and hopefully i'll be feeling more like my usual self soon, but at the moment i'm still very overwhelmed and burned out from life outside of the internet and my hobbies/internet communities etc so i might still be away from here a bit longer. i am surviving though!! not entirely sure how at this point but my god dude i sure am trying as much as i physically and mentally can 😭😭😭

also, in unrelated and much more positive brief news; if any of you are taking part in this year's "Art Fight" on the official website for it, i'm hoping to at least contribute some art for the first time and have slowly been uploading reference pics/info/etc about some of my ocs on my profile there if anyone is interested in that! my art fight username is MariskaO so if you look me up i should hopefully be on there, so far i only have pics/descriptions of my dungeons & dragons necromancer Sludge, but as soon as i have a few minutes to do so i'll be adding my oc Paige (the blonde one from the 60s/70s that i made as a teenager and hold very close 2 my heart forever lol 🩵) to my character page on there too. i'm on the Vampire team but i'm more interested in just making art in general than the point game system so if you have an art fight profile and want me to check it out and maybe make some art of an oc of yours let me know, i haven't had a chance to contribute any new art yet and i would absolutely love to start drawing stuff to give (or, attack/defend, is how i think its worded on the site) to anyone!!

ok thats all for now just wanted to check in and mostly let everyone know that i have not expired. that i am still runnin up that road runnin up that hill runnin up that building

8 notes · View notes

metro-nix · 11 months

Text

Cosplaying a Dalek

How I spedran my first ever cosplay to wear it at a con, aka a sentimental writeup on the making of the costume with lots of pictures! Find it under the cut.

Ever since I first laid eyes on them, I've loved the Daleks, both as a wider entity and in their design.

Look at this thing, it's perfection! A modern design from the newer, post-2005 series, but with a more classic-feeling black colour scheme.

During my comprehensive Doctor Who watch-through, sometime around January 2020, an idea for an anthropomorphic Dalek materialised in my mind, centering around the Dalek trooper helmets from Resurrection of the Daleks. Except I thought they could have looked way cooler.

I mean look at it. It's got the spirit but it lacks the style. So my design incorporated all the parts I found important about the entirety of the Dalek form. I doubt I thought about cosplaying it while I first had the idea, but the first post I ever made about it already mentions that desire. …huh, it's been so long already??

I never did much about it since that time, though, aside from talking it over with a friend for ideas and thinking about visiting some second-hand clothes shops to look for the right sort of coat. That didn't end up happening, because by sheer luck I found two leather coats to choose from at home, just sitting there unused, and one of them had exactly the right collar!

…that was definitely way over a year ago though. The next time anything moved forward cosplay-wise was early in April this year. Once my small group of friends decided all three of us would go to this year's convention, and all of us were to show up in costume, it was on. With a time limit and a real goal of creating the costume I'd dreamed of for so long, I actually got to work.

The cosplay never left my mind since that day; I was constantly planning what I'd need and how I'd go about achieving it in the back of my mind. There were some things I had ideas for, but many more that I didn't even know how to start approaching; I spent several days in the first two weeks just visiting every art and hobby shop and some more specialised ones across (and some outside) the entire city. (I found out more about public transport here in that week than for my entire life here.)

Some harder to find items that I'd known I'd need from the beginning were a bicycle chain (for the exo-spine) and clear plastic cups (for the helmet lights). Those required dedicated trips and, in the chain's case, much additional work cleaning and breaking it to the desired length.

What gave me the MOST trouble, though, were all the balls on the costume, both helmet and coat. Nearly everyone I talked to about this project had their own (mostly unsolicited) ideas for what they could be made of, but none felt right to me. Eventually I latched onto wanting to make them from buttons - so the problem became finding large enough buttons. After much effort I got them - only coconut shell buttons were anywhere near the correct size - and spent the next few days sewing them and the bike chain onto the coat. Tip: never attempt sewing leather without a thimble.

Here's what it looked like with all the attachments + a dirt cheap belt from a second hand.

Through all the work on the coat, however, I'd been dreading the part I knew least about: the helmet. It was the most crucial element, the lynchpin of the entire thing, and I knew exactly what I wanted it to look like, but nothing about how I'd achieve it. It took me the longest time to even settle on a material to make it out of.

Everything started coming together once I remembered I have access to 3D modelling software that I *knew how to use*. I speed modelled the helmet in one evening, adjusting only the cup holes for real size and eyeballing the rest of the dimensions, praying that it'd end up being right because I had neither the time nor willpower to go through modelling-printing-cutting and gluing it all a second time.

Some wip stages looked pretty funny considering the cup shapes were perfectly to scale

Once unfolded, printed out, glued together, cut out, traced on cardboard, and cut out once more, it looked like this:

a LOT of tape and wishing I had someone to help me hold things in place later, I finally ended up with a shape that looked right and thankfully turned out to be perfectly sized for my noggin. It's incredible how many strokes of luck happened here, really. and there's still several coming up!

After connecting the visor, cups, and a safety helmet base to the cardboard structure, I had a Usable Helmet. Feeling so close to my goal, I still knew there was a long way to go, as I had barely an inkling as to how I'd make or connect the helmet's optic.

I used a small tube of thick cardboard and bent wire in the end. The lens was from an old bedstand clock.

Other than that though, what remained was mostly decoration - and I was not about to even attempt painting this thing; I had to cut the helmet's template into separate pieces, lay them out tightly on a few sheets of PVC foam, cut those and then attach them to each side of the helmet one by one. It took a good while but the result was pretty phenomenal, colour quality-wise.

The helmet also got the button treatment, though these were a different kind and not ones I went looking for - I'd actually had these lying around for years, and exactly the right number, too! Incredible how good they look, especially when in motion and catching all the light. Ended up having to reattach them with a different kind of tape, but they're holding fast now.

So my helmet was done and I had little time to spare, and even less idea how to make my Dalek gun, despite having the parts for it. A classmate unexpectedly offered to let me use a 3D printer he had access to, though, and this opened up an opportunity - so the base for attaching the gun to my forearm was 3D printed, glued, got the straps (from an old gutted backpack) sewn into it and it worked pretty great.

For the gun, I used a clear plastic tube and even more bent wire, and finally for the cable leading to the gun I could do something relaxing - a measure tape that I had to cover with isolation tape. Taped again to the base of the gun, but detachable on the other side via paperclip that I can put on and take off the collar of the coat.

I had all the elements that required crafting ready and put together just a day before the con, then. I'd picked out appropriate underdress (my Dalek shirt and colour-fitting trousers, light for the hot weather) in between working on them.

Let's summarise: it's June. Sunny weather. My cosplay consists of

gun

shirt

trousers

long leather coat

black helmet

gloves

whatever shoes fit the vibe

and I wanted to put a backpack on top of all that, too. You'd have to be insane to wear all of that on a hot summer day!*

*Disclaimer: all Daleks are clinically insane or close enough, so it all checks out.

I decided not to use the gloves and spare myself that much, at least. In the end, the day was even a little cloudy, and it was only about 25°C outside (for my Fahrenheit-using friends, that translates to "way too hot to wear all that") - so the eleven hours of walking in full Dalek cosplay dehydrated me only a little in the end. I think. Yeah that water bottle was gone fast.

The day was incredibly fun, even more fun than it was exhausting, and the number of people who complimented the cosplay or even asked to take a photo with me was absolutely staggering to a newbie like me! It was all worth it in the end; as I write this, I haven't yet had my planned photoshoot to get nice detailed photos of the cosplay, but I did find a TARDIS prop at the con to pose with, so… I guess I can bend my no photos rule and show you this one.

Censoring my face with an actual Dalek picture for accuracy.

Now here I am, a proud and happy new owner of a rather nice Dalek costume. It still needs some adjustments for better comfort of wearing, mostly to make the helmet less wobbly while walking, but I have it! I got help from my friends and colleagues both in terms of solution ideas and resources given to me nearly every step of the way and completing it so quickly wouldn't have been possible without it. Thank you, guys. And thank you, if you've read this entire thing, hope it was enjoyable B ] Questions and comments most welcome if you have any.

#if this feels like an online article that's probably because I've read one today (don't do it often)#mx creations #cosplay #Dalek cosplay #Dalek #the Daleks #Doctor Who #original art #oc #Dalek anthro #TARDIS #additional perks of the con were all the COOL THINGS I GOT THERE #they had Transformers comics guys. there were nice things

11 notes · View notes

datamodel-of-disaster · 7 months

Text

Ask game time! Thanks for the tag, @filmamir!

1. Are you named after anyone?

I keep saying if I do anything noteworthy enough in my life to deserve a wikipedia page, someone has to add me to List of things named after Bernhard Riemann - Wikipedia, so... yes.

2. When was the last time you cried?

Yesterday night, and also, longer ago than I remember. Are the tears mine if the sadness isn't? It be like that sometimes.

3. Do you have kids?

No, and thank the powers that be (mostly contraception) for that!

4. What sports do you play/have played?

No real sports, unless highschool PE counts. I was a fervent and pretty skilled skier for a while but my partner is afraid of skiing and its too expensive to go on my own, so it's been years since I did it.

5. Do you use sarcasm?

Not as much as you'd think. I'm a painfully sincere person much of the time.

6. What's the first thing you notice about people?

I hate to be *that* person, but... their vibe. Fake car salesperson smiles, awkward "haha we will ignore that!" silences, confrontational high-schooler convo style... Some people just have fucky energy, idk what else to say. That said, my actual opinion of people takes a while to form -it's like a committee vote more or less.

7. What's your eye colour?

Blue-green

8. Scary movies or happy endings?

Happy endings all the way. I can watch unhappy endings if the movie is aesthetic(TM) or it's more about the art or history of the film than the narrative, but if I'm immersing myself in a story-story, the person(s) the narrative makes me root for better fucking make it to a happy end.

I'm very selective about scary movies: they need to be aesthetic, and satisfying.

9. Any talents?

... not... really? I kinda struggle with linking my qualities to "talents". I don't have many (if any) things I'm just "naturally good" at; even skill sets I'm now proud of were not something I ever had a natural aptitude for, and if I developed a skill it was 99% of the time out of necessity rather than enjoyment.

I guess I have... shockingly broad bandwidth for other people's issues. Like... interpersonal exhaustion? I don't know her, man. Mostly due to a combination of voyeuristic enjoyment of knowing and understanding things about others, my sense of empathy being almost entirely generated through fine-grained psych analysis rather than instinct, and the *very* odd given that my own personality temporarily stabilizes when exposed to interpersonal input. I'm not sure that's a talent so much as a condition, though xD

10. Where were you born?

Belgium

11. What are your hobbies?

At the moment, mostly writing Tron fanfiction. I also draw (sometimes), paint and kitbash Warhammer 40k minis (been a while), do metalwork (I need a new welding helm T_T), do gothic and fetish modelling, thrift and collect things for my house, etcetera. I cycle through hobbies mostly. Writing is my most stable one -I dare say I keeps me sane.

12. Do you have any pets?

I have a cat! Her name is Meoi (Quenya for "Cat", in honour of Huan and terrible Feanorian naming traditions -retired Silmarillion fan here)

13. How tall are you?

1m70 but most people assume I'm a good bit taller because I'm broad-shouldered and always in 17cm platform stilettos.

14. Favourite subject in school?

Oof. Tough one. I've been out of school for a good long while. The person I was in high-school would have picked physics, followed closely by math. Leaving the following period in the middle (lalala), at uni *in the major I actually graduated from*, my favourites were Architectural Theory, Medieval Image Culture, and Visual Analysis.

15. Dream job?

Oof again. Opinions divided on this one.

I like to say my dream job needs to meet the following criteria:

- I am competent at the job and reasonably regularly get this confirmed by others

- Every day at work I know largely what is expected of me, and what is expected fully falls within my capacity to deliver.

- I have tangible, well-described tasks and goals and never have to "be proactive about finding more work" or "try to look more productive".

- I have good coworkers I get along with, at least professionally.

- No extraneous admin tasks or timesheet micromanagement.

- GOOD PAY

If I'm really ambitious, I would add to that:

- I'm an expert (or just really, really good) at it.

But let's be honest, actual dream jobs Riemann over here has dreamed of having or pursuing? Interior designer/stylist, professional fetish performer/pro-domme, and Enterprise IT Architect.

Yeah.

You see why I stick to bullet point lists.

Tagging... @bowiesinspace @inquisitor-gayfax @clevermird @et-novum and everyone else who feels like it!

#meet the disaster #tag game

3 notes · View notes