Love is eating bad food in a parked car together

This was my piece for the Darling Dearest zine! A domestic themed zine that you can download Right Here! For Free!!!

You know a lot about cars so I figured it wouldn't hurt to ask: How hard would it be for me to make up brand new cars and 3D model them? The stuff shown here looks fun, and I want to give it a go sometime. (p.s as compensation for submitting an ask not focused on a thing about a car: the interiors of the Italdesign Orca and Mazda MX-81 Aria are silly looking things that everybody should get to see.) (p.p.s i don't understand cars or 3D modeling but i believe it'll all work out fine)

If you want encouragement: every single 3D car shape you've ever seen, from videogames to renders to cars on the street, was either drawn with 3D modelling or with something even harder - and none of those people have a significant genetic leg up on you. You're too short to play basketball, you're too fragile to boxe, you're too heavy for marathons, but you're not too anything for 3D modelling. The only thing it takes is effort.

If you want a warning: effort it does take. 3D modelling is deceptively complex - you think you can model a radio no problem and an hour later your work amounts to a volume knob and you realize you're gonna be here a while. I've studied it for a semester and would be pretty lost if I had to draw curves as complex as a car's, although had I had your interest I would've likely dug deeper on some specific aspects on my own (and actually retained all the lessons on complex curves :/) But yeah, holy hell are cars complex. Nowadays especially, but in general - the lights, the vents, the seals, the panel gaps, all things that are incredibly minute yet essential details that can make or break a design, even at the lowest detail (because of course modelling difficulty varies wildly with the detail level you're targeting). Modelling a car from scratch, I'll be astounded if it takes you less than a year. But by the end of that, any car you model will no longer be from scratch, as you'll already have built the knowledge base!

If you want advice: take your time to learn the tools before you try and tackle any big project. For one because naming your first 3D model "car" and messing around until you have a car is like taking your new bicycle to the bottom of an alpine pass and messing around until you're at its top: you'll be there for as long as it takes you to give up, accomplish nothing and leave feeling useless. For two because starting a project without all the knowledge base it needs will just mean its quality will suffer from the start to the points of the project where you pick that knowledge up. For three because starting a project knowing what to do and how to do it speeds up the process massively and provides a massive boost in confidence and motivation because you know what is ahead and how to tackle it - there's nothing more demoralizing than closing up the day with no idea of how to progress from there. For four, because you need to make sure you like the tools. Modelling a car in abstract is "making a car" or "expressing your vision" or whatever poetic way you put it, but in practice it's using a piece of software for a troubling number of hours. If using that software is a chore to you you're never going to push through the learning curve involved in modelling a car, and that's for the best as modelling a car would be a miserable time.

If you want guidance: here's a Volvo wagon. Their boxiness is nigh on legendary, in the car community the "brick" nickname is nigh on a synonym for Volvo. And this is the 960, the boxiest Volvo that ever boxed.

Look at all the curves. The rear windshield curves forwards and the side windows curve inwards, making the angle between them curve diagonally (how pronounced are those curves? Are they constant?), the entire side of the car has a gentle curve to it, and the fenders flare outwards with a smooth blend between their slope and the body's (what do you suppose the radius of that blend is?) - to say nothing of the hood, the rims, and my God, that mirror is a positive sculpture! And also, the end of the rear door is tilted forward - why do you suppose that is? Well, it's clearer in the much older 240...

...you can clearly see the rear door's window frame is following the lower, downward-sloping roofline of a sedan, indicating the sedan's doors are being reused for the wagon. But now that you looked at the Volvo before, you can see the shape is more bare, more simple -free of the indentation that circled the 960's body, for instance- but much more soft and rounded, with the taillights curving inwards (how much?), the rear windshield having rounded corners (and perchance a rounded top to match a curved roof?), hell, the curve of the rear angle kicks outwards at the bottom to meet an inwards slope that goes from headlight to taillight!

This is how you have to come to see cars - by which I don't just mean noticing these details, but this analytical look being how your eye approaches a car shape. Because you can't learn to write without the ability and interest to read, if you catch my drift.

Once you've got a grasp of the tools involved, a nice idea could be to get a 3D model of a car (I recommend starting with a very boxy one and potentially working your way up), deleting a part (like a fender, or a door) and trying to recreate it yourself by eye - see what challenges you encounter, what you struggle with creating, how the result looks compared to the original, and such.

Also, a thing I would advise is to look into cutaways and diagrams and such, just like you learn anatomy when drawing humans because if you don't you'll end up with something that looks awkward and unrealistic and you will not know why. For example, these two designs seem starkly different, don't they?

And yet, if you overlap them...

...the driver seat is at exactly the same place. Why? Because that's just as far forward as you can seat a person before the crumple zone either is insufficient to absorb the force of a high speed impact or begins including their legs. This is just one of plenty aspects but I've gone on long enough already.

If you want a challenge: set a reminder for next year to come back here and show me your progress. Even if it's not anything close to a car yet, if -as you should- you set some intermediate goals that stimulate and excite you, you can still be back in this askbox with something to be proud of and I'll go wooo!!! I remember you!!! It's so cool you stuck to it and have now made this thing!!! That's great! and you'll feel SO good about yourself. Deal?

Oh about the concepts, The MX-81's steering wheel... sidewall? always made me uneasy, it looks like it's coming off (and like some airport surface that has been touched by too much gross stuff) but I do dig the CRT right in front of you! The one that's going in my car is black and white and a lot smaller than that, so a tinge of envy is there.

Also, if you like the Orca's steering wheel, you may well enjoy the '88 Grand Prix and Citroën C4/C4 Picasso's! Ride, Pontiac Ride! Or transform and dance, that's cool too!

Question: Who's Kennie?

OOO!!! Okok- just to recap what Anon is asking about, here's a panel from a previous ask...

Who is Kennie indeed? This show has enough girls of the week that one of them could have had that name eventually lmbo- but if there is, that's not who's being referred to here...

Oh, also, just to get ahead of it- I switched to digital AGAIN oaihsdohas- My tablet had been acting up, but I've got it working now... I also animated the first panel, in hopes of animating all of this ask for practice. I'm hosting a reanimated project (different fandom) and wanted some practice... however, I quickly found out just how inexperienced I am and how long that would take, soooo I scrapped that idea LOL- have this puzzled Karr gif, ig?

Ok. I know how this looks okay. But I'm NOT just boosting Ask Blog Engagement by introducing a Marketable Animal Sidekick or something. I've actually been tossing around this idea for quite a while, and have had an established design for Kennie as early as 2020 (granted, not drawn very well because... two year old art x_x)

YeAh. It makes,,, some amount of sense for him to have a dog in the AU. As much sense as you would expect from our beloved Silly 80s Car Show anywho. Idk if it's clear from looking at her or not, probably not because I don't draw dogs very much at all, but she's a Husky! GERMAN SHEPHERD HOW DID I JUST NOTICE THIS OVER TWELVE HOURS LATER ASHDOIAHSD she’s a German Shepherd.  I figure that Karr would be a dog person. The "Roving" bit of his acronym seems to suggest that he was more equipped for offroading than Kitt was, or at the very least more willing to (was there something in TDR about that, too??? I feel like there was but it has been a hot minute since I watched it haosfd), so he probably wouldn't have the same hang-ups about "a dog will mess up the interior and scratch the paint!!!" Plus, after how many times he's been double-crossed, he appreciates having a really loyal companion.

If I ever complete the AU beyond the ask blog, I'm not sure how much I will be able to integrate her... as fun as it would be to include her in the adventure, it would kind of bloat things sometimes too, y'know? I dunno, I'll have to spend more time considering it...

Anyway, you can imagine how well Kitt takes this.

I had a cat for Kitt too, but I cannot find a drawing of it, and it made no sense, so that's unfortunate :c

Anyways, as a bonus, have an old comic that I exhaled sharply at

Kennie looks so atrocious btw what was I DOING- I genuinely don't know if I'm actually better at drawing dogs now but. but at least I keep redrawing them until it looks like Not That ASHDOIHASD

Anyway, if y'all have any follow-up questions, my asks are ACTUALLY open now after an embarrassingly long time thinking that they were when they weren't... Sooo ask away :D

We have huge offers for a company for some reason people think they can buy it you say it's definitely not for sale going to call one of your people about their company not ours and we hang up people call him back we block it permanently tons of people are on the line tell me a stupid s*** about their companies what are you making is there like challenging us so we're going to go take the companies love people it's ridiculous too we got these last time but not this many so we figured out something it kind of out there on your own no we discuss what to do and we went in and did it and you're helping out too and something else in the future and weirdo stuff when she says when it just do this and it works I'll see you soon I'm doing all this and she says you're crazy and it's horrible happens all the time it's pretty nice it's Cato's car I think no it might be kiddos on Lincoln I thought so too soon start investing in futures in our son's companies we actually will this is a really nice system it's good for anywhere well we have materials like it and they're better and what was that in the freezer gross well he put in 5 million houses in the upper Midwest area where we are about 10 minutes cuz he has a team and everybody has a house Mac wants a million houses so send him to design book and he heard you send it now he was thank God I miss it so he sent it and it was a few designs he likes and he's saying three of these for these one of these and we asked if you want us to put the pads in and if their plans and he said no plans yet but yeah pass would be nice and so they're going to go ahead and get the drawings done it doesn't take long the computer can do it and print it out the examine it and then they build it it's for a neighborhood across the way near Miami and everybody's surprised and he says what about a clubhouse and a pool enclosed pool and entertainment area and he says okay we'll do that and large kitchen so we're sending that over too and he's got the price and the modified price and we'll do the infrastructure price and do not without it price and the warranty guarantee and so forth and we're going to go ahead and do it and was trying to get over shortly should be there tomorrow morning and he's got the drying sent to us and he wants us to do the site work but the ships came down and aren't they Tommy f and he says no and so that yours and you don't want us to do it and that's what he says so lots of people are ordering this house now we have 600 million orders in the United States all over the states and the fire resistant they have a great flame rating it's almost as good as concrete now the 7 million 150 million globally $700 billion houses now a few seconds later 1.5 trillion it's online people see design how long it takes and how much it costs we sell the whole house and it comes with electrical and plumbing in the walls for $25,000 and it's 1500 square feet it's a deal and that is the price includes the slab and stub Downs for the utilities and stuff out they go outside the foundation and all you need to do is put down layer of grout and run your utilities and your house is done cabinets included bathroom fixtures included closet doors doors windows paint interior exterior finishes roof is finished heating and air conditioning installed 25,000 1500 ft house it's almost as big as our Suns house in the low desert desert hot springs and the land of course will cost you some money and hooking up the utilities and your landscape and driveway comes with the garage square footage of the garage is not included with the garage is with garage door it's an impossible price people saying don't believe it so they buy it just to see if it's real meaning you want to see what they really get the whole thing it's because the panels take seconds to make it don't cost much money and the other items for Mass producing and they're cheap give me appliances are only about $50 each when you sell them and they cost $25 to make they made very simply

Thor Freya

Well, you might as well answer the rest of them too...

...You're an ass I hope you know.

Vanilla Chai Latte : Are you in love?

I'm starting to second guess that. Just kidding. Yes, yes I am absolutely in love.

Flat White : Coffee or Tea?

Coffee.

Cappuccino : What’s your middle name?

I don't have one.

Pumpkin Spice : Dream car?

Lamborghini, probably Aventador, matte black with a very thin pink trip, butterfly doors, black leather interior with pink stitching and pink lighting. Really. One day I'm going to have this car, and I will be the happiest woman.

Jasmine Tea : If you could go anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?

I want to go everywhere in the world, honestly. Even Antarctica, if I ever get the chance. I just really want to see the whole world and soak in as much of it as I can.

Old English : You’re stranded on an island, who do you bring with you?

I'd bring you, honestly. We're pretty resourceful together so we'd make shit work.

Iced Chocolate : Do you have a crush on someone?

I've got this kinda huge crush on this random German guy...

Caramel Frappe : Favorite video game?

Hm...It's seriously a tie between Street Fighter, Soul Calibur, and Mortal Kombat. You know, the best games violence has to offer. Seriously though. I used to be obsessed with Street Fighter and Mortal Kombat as a kid.

Iced Lemon Tea : Favorite song/band?

This is one of those questions that change based on what hour you're asking. Right now, though, I've been in a heavy Sex Pistols mood and so I'll just throw out the same answer as probably a billion other people and say 'God Save the Queen'.

Hot Chocolate : Are you an affectionate person?

I am a very affectionate person. Sometimes sickeningly so. Hahah

Caramel Macchiato : You’re travelling the entire world but you can only take one person with you. Who do you take?

Again, I'd take you. You can put up with nerd tendencies, but we'd also make the absolute most of the trip.

Green Tea : How tall are you?

Tiny as fuck. I think it's like...5'4"? I still have to climb to reach stuff.

Vanilla Latte : Board games or drinking games?

Drinking games. They're just always more creative and entertaining. I'd do drinking games with juice if I felt like it. They're just much more relaxed and fun.

Iced Coffee : Do you like reading? If so, what’s your favorite book?

I really do like reading. I go through spells with it, but when I'm in a reading spell, I will consume several books. My favorite is always going to be Heroin Diaries, not just because it's Nikki Sixx, but it's just one of those books that...Especially right now, I'm drawing a lot from it.

Sparkling Water : Describe what qualities you look for in a person

Well, the biggest is that they stay around longer than a few months and don't knock me up. They also have to have a fair bit of patience with me, and also be able to tell me no when I really need to be told no...Oh yeah, and they aren't a bum looking for free rent while doing absolutely ZERO to help with anything.

Orange Juice : Have you ever had a valentine?

Probably? I was with Gordon for a while, so he was probably it.

Rose Hip Tea : Describe your first kiss

I honestly don't fucking remember it.

Herbal Tea : You’re at a candle shop, what scented candle do you buy?

Something very earthy. I really like the smell of Frankincense and Sandalwood.

#Wacky Drabbles

Here's part 3 of my Kate and Drake short series where they're visiting Kate's Mom in Oregon.

Find the previous chapter here

Written for @emceesynonymroll and her #Wacky Drabbles game

Other Wacky Drabblers:

@jessiembruno @brightpinkpeppercorn @jovialyouthmusic @sirbeepsalot @bobasheebaby @burnsoslow

Prompt #3 I'll be home in an hour

Word count: approx. 1200

Rated: F for fluffy 😊

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Something in the Oven

After collecting their scrambled box of baked goods from the car, Drake and Kate follow Lorraine into the house. As Kate's Mother holds the door for them the harried cat from earlier appears from its hiding place next to the porch and bolts inside. With a sigh of annoyance, Lorraine looks down and protests, “Lester! You damn cat, you're nothing but trouble.”

Kate peers around the box she's carrying just in time to see the blur known as Lester skitter out of sight. “I take it Lester isn't supposed to be in the house.”

Lorraine pulls the door shut, shaking her head. “He's our only outdoor cat and usually spends days at a time prowling the yard for mice and other little things he can catch. Whenever he comes into the house he disturbs the peace among the indoor crew. Eventually there'll be a minor scuffle and I'll have to shoo him back outside. But in the meantime he'll probably hide like the rest of ‘em.”

Drake stands awkwardly next to Kate, casting his eyes around the space and trying to spy any of the numerous cats that were supposed to live there. He was used to living with dogs that eagerly welcomed him at the door, housecats were a new experience for him. Apart from the large basket of cat toys he saw next to the sofa there was no sign of the feline residents, and he was surprised to not smell the presence of them either. The interior of the house smelled clean and fresh and woodsy like a log cabin should. As he follows Kate and her Mother into the kitchen he catches the pleasant scent of apples and cinnamon baking.

“It smells like your Mom has one upped us in the bakery department Kate.” Drake says as they set their box on the counter.

“Yeah Mom, you could have mentioned you had a pie in the oven when I said we were bringing goodies.” Kate jokes.

Lorraine holds her hands up and laughs, “Hey, in my defense I didn't know you two were coming before this morning. Besides the pie is for dessert later.”

She puts the broom away and then shoos them out of the kitchen, “Please make yourself at home while I go freshen up. I've been tidying the house like a mad woman since you called me this morning. It's not everyday that this humble corner of Oregon is graced by the presence of a bona fide Duke and Duchess.” With a smirk and a halfhearted curtsey she heads for the bedroom.

Kate grimaces slightly at the emphasis that her Mom puts on their titles. She felt guilty for keeping the past several months of her life a secret from her. It had been a chaotic whirlwind to say the least, and the vast geographic distance and many time zones between Oregon and Cordonia hadn't exactly helped. The last time she and her Mom had spoken on the phone she was still living in New York City. Kate wasn't sure how well or if she paid attention to foreign news or politics. Drake gives Kate's hand a reassuring squeeze. In the relative quiet of the house he feels the need to lower his voice, “Your Mom seems nice.”

Kate lets out the breath she's holding with a nervous grin as she squeezes his hand back. “She is most of the time. But I'm fully prepared for her natural skepticism and sarcasm to appear at some point. Expect to be grilled like the proverbial Thanksgiving goose over dinner. I've suddenly shown up married to a guy from Europe with a fancy title in front of my name. No doubt it's a little bit much for her to wrap her head around.”

Drake grins, wrapping his arm around Kate’s shoulders and kissing her on the temple, “I think I can manage whatever verbal jabs your Mom sends my way. I married a New Yorker remember? Besides you know me, I eat snark for breakfast.”

With a smirk of her own Kate leans into his chest, releasing a sigh of contentment when his strong arms wrap around her tightly. “I knew I married you for a reason. You're my hero.”

“And I have the scars to prove it. C'mon let's explore the house while your Mom's busy. You know how much I love log cabins.” Drake slides his hand into hers again and gives her a conspiratorial wink.

Up in the loft bedroom Lorraine is talking to Carol on the phone while she rummages through her closet. “What do you wear to dinner when you're trying too hard to impress someone?” Lorraine sighs in annoyance as she cradles the phone between her shoulder and her cheek.

“So Katherine and her husband have already arrived then? So tell me what he's like?” Carol’s voice holds an air of amusement and wonder.

Lorraine makes a face and shrugs her shoulders, almost dropping the phone which she catches in her hand as she whines back, “I don't know. Do you have any idea how long it's been since I paid attention to what a guy looks like? I've barely spoken to him.”

Pulling a blouse and a pair of jeans out of the closet, she tosses them onto the bed, still uncertain how to dress up her meager wardrobe to impress a Duke and Duchess. At the same time she's wondering why she was bothering in the first place. Shaking her head she strips out of her comfy sweats and throws them aside. On the other end of the phone call Carol presses for more information.

“Oh come on Rainey, if you're fussing around trying to dress to impress then spill it. Is he handsome and pretentious? Is he ugly and boring? I’m dying with curiosity. Besides I haven't met your daughter yet either. I've only seen pictures.”

With a sigh, Lorraine cradles the phone next to her ear again as she pulls on her jeans.

“Well to be honest, you wouldn't know he was European or a Duke at all. He dresses pretty casual like any other guy. Until he opened his mouth and spoke I would have assumed he was American. His accent is unusual but his voice is nice. He's more rugged than refined. I suppose you could call him handsome.”

Carol laughs in her ear, “Uh Huh so you didn't notice him at all. I'll be home in an hour. Should I pick up a bottle of wine to go with dinner?"

“Sure. We're having pasta, but I'm not sure what kind of wine they like so get a red and a white."

Walking hand in hand Drake and Kate explore the downstairs. They find another bedroom down the hall from the kitchen. As Kate pushes the door open, an orangey colored cat streaks out and then runs down the hall passed them. “Well I guess that's cat number one.” Drake says with a chuckle.

“Aww, such a cutie.” Kate says, watching the cat with a longing expression.

Drake notices how her face lights up and scolds her playfully, “No more pets for you. I know we have a big house and everything but I draw the line at two corgis underfoot. Besides..” He wraps his arms around Kate from behind and places a soft kiss on her cheek, his hand straying down to rest on her belly, “We're going to have a little critter of our own in a few months.”

With a smile Kate looks down and laces her fingers through his. “Yes I know. And I can't wait to tell Mom over dinner.”

Continue to the next part