A Gem In The Rough @agemintherough - Tumblr Blog

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Hey this is jmr46718, I wish to say that your woodburning of Crocodile and Luffy is pretty cool. How does wood burning works and did you have any trouble the first few times you started doing it?

Hey! Long time, no talk to! I’ve got to reach out to you on FF when I get the chance.

So with woodburning, what you need is a piece of wood and a woodburning kit (Amazon has some for relatively cheap. I use this one: Wood Burning Kit, PETUOL 110PCS Wood Burning Tool with Adjustable Temperature 200~450°C, Professional Pyrography Pen for Embossing/Carving/Soldering https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07QWVHP5B/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_vrWOFb9H64NH1 It’s not the best, but it works nicely).

Then you can either draw your own design on the wood with a pencil or you can put an image that you print out on paper on the wood, use this material to glue it on and make it not burn up on contact, and scrape it off when you are done). I just hand drew Luffy and Crocodile, so I looked at the Manga Volume 21 and 22 covers that have the pictures that I wanted and tried to emulate that. From there, it’s just the patience of tracing your work with the wood burner tool, and you can use different tips for it.

So here we have it burned onto the wood. You might want to go over certain spots again, but it’s mainly done. Then you take some paint pens and paint all the areas that you want. I keep the wood itself as the flesh tones so it’s things like the clothing. Certain areas (Crocodile’s jacket and Luffy’s coverings) were painted in multiple colors to try and make it closer to the source material. The last step that I do is take a thin sharpie and panel line all the burned marks, basically tracing it again. With that, you have your custom artwork that literally nobody else in the world has.

For me, the first few times I woodburned, I was afraid to turn it on too hot, as I didn’t want to burn myself. However, it meant that it was rougher to navigate through the wood. My first effort was Fraggle Rock’s core cast, which is okay but not perfect:

Look at poor Mokey.

But then it got easier and easier to add more details, culminating with my favorite design that I did: Tim Sale’s Two-Face.

This came out great. It’s a great way to kill stress and do something with free time, something I have a lot of now unfortunately. I made a post a few years back with other material I’ve done (and I’ve done more since, but they are for things like Baby Shark and Bubble Guppies... you know, the stuff my kids are into). But it also means I have my own copy of the cover @cyanideoreo made for A Gem in the Rough in burned and painted form.

#woodburning #wood burning #drillmaster #a gem in the rough #steven universe #one piece #Monkey d. Luffy #Crocodile #two face #fraggle rock #cyanideoreo

Imo the diamonds do not deserve a redemption. They are just evil and too far gone like the daleks.

I think everyone deserves a chance to be redeemed, but not everyone deserves to be forgiven. They have to truly work and atone for what they have done, but they aren’t evil. They just literally do not see reality as anything other than what they were presented. Think of bugs. How often do you swat at a fly or a spider? They aren’t doing anything to you, but you’ve been conditioned to literally remove them by any means necessary. It doesn’t matter that you are taking a life. That’s how the Diamonds see things. It doesn’t excuse their behavior, as one can empathize more with someone or something that you can communicate with, but it isn’t truly EVIL.

The fact that they WANT to change is the first step toward making up for the sins of the past, but it doesn’t change what was done, only how to move forward and make amends. By that point, it will be up to those who have been hurt by them to judge them accordingly. They aren’t too far gone, but they sure as hell don’t flip that big of a script in two years on that scale. There’s a lot that goes into it... but that’s just me. The Diamonds were never meant to be compared to the likes of history’S greatest monsters... just to the monsters of the children who have families that don’t understand them and don’t want to understand them. It’s the hope that even in the darkest of situations that those people who should love and accept you can break through years of prejudice and ingrained beliefs to show them you really are... that you can change their mind. On that level, that’s why the Season Five finale works...

Of course, all the genocidal tendencies does leave that message REALLY muddled and complicated it, but that’s for the YouTube discourse videos to discuss...

Now I talk you because blue and yellow diamond must join to crew in a pirate: 1) Scentific search; the gems will can upload their tecnology 2) Broke the rules; they will fin with Steven and know Luffy 3) The take a vacation for clear the mind and for order of White diamond, ehi resolve the problems on homeworld 4) they must become stronger for final battle with bleackbeard.

But why would the Diamonds want to go to an organic world, regardless if Steven was there especially if they already had Spinel living there. Plus, Steven doesn’t exactly LIKE the Diamonds at that point. If I were to do the time skip, Steven going back in the Grand Line would literally be the equivalent of his escape after Little Homeschool. He has a “saving the world” purpose with the Straw Hats in the form of finding the freedom to live the life of adventure. It’s simultaneous a great place for him to be and not the best place to be, but Luffy would want him to be be free in his choices.

Look, I love the Diamonds, Blue especially. There’s just no logical reason for them to want to join the crew or even fully get there without the use of the Rifting Stone or the Steven Badge. As for vacations, they have been genocidal dictators for years and have to start making amends for their atrocities. They don’t get to have “vacations” yet.

Just because I haven't written anything yet doesn't mean I didn't take time to create One Piece content. I've gotten back into woodburning so here's the process of how I made some Alabasta era art.

#Crocodile #Monkey d. Luffy #Straw hat #One piece #Fan art #Alabasta #Wood burning

In "Strong World" there are still Lapis, Jasper, Lion and maybe pumkin.

No, due to the placement of where I’d see things, Strong World comes before where we’d be reunited with the likes of Lion.

What will are the name of "thriller Bark arc" and i think which the fighter of Lucci must will be Lufven.

Luffy will be fighting Lucci, Steven will be too busy being fused with someone else who should be apparent.

I must ask you! PLEASE! YELLOW AND BLUE DIAMOND MUST JOIN TO CREW! You think about all posibilty for them in the new world and in the battle of Big Non and Kaido! And When BD (blue diamond) met Shiraoshi she thinks which she is similar to Pink diamond.

While there will definitely be a relationship there between the Diamonds and Luffy especially, I wouldn’t count on them being the kind of polymorphic sentient dictators who would be willing to go on an inter dimensional pirate adventure...

You are a great writer but you haven't the fire inside. If you have some ideas about the battle of Enies Lobby you must write them! Because you can lose the time's cognition. I will wait, but if you can post the next chapter for chrismas i will very happy.

I mean, I’d love to have the next chapter done for Christmas. It’s not about “fire” inside of me, it’s that my specialty is character writing. I suck at action, which is where we are now. So that’s the daunting part (plus I’m writing another Masters Degree capstone for a second Masters, so that is also something I’m writing simultaneously). But hey, I technically have more time now so if I can overcome my own mental hurdle, I can get it out.

agemintherough

Well. Now you write one chapter on year? i don't know if i will wait for much time.

secondaryshade

Don’t worry about that guy. It’s not unusual for good fanfiction to take breaks. In fact I’d say it’s your right to take breaks from your hobby. You don’t have the obligation to work on your hobby when you aren’t in the right place in your life to do so.

Anyhow, have you seen Owl House and Infinity Train? Both of those are awesome. In fact Owl House specifically is most likely in top 5 cartoons of all time (quality of world building is insane).

agemintherough

Yeah, I’ve stopped caring about this kind of message. It’s only when I got stuff literally threatening my family (?!) that it started really bothering me. But on the other hand, I’ve seen the pilot for Owl House and loved it. I know it finally dropped on Disney+ so I’m probably going to spend some time binging it as I need something new to watch. As for Infinity Train, that’s something I desperately want to watch but HBO Max isn’t on Roku’s yet, so I have to wait for that to be a thing before I can watch the different books on there (same with Harley Quinn and Doom Patrol, where I’ve seen a bunch of episodes with my friends, but can’t finish it without the service... I try not to pirate).

agemintherough

hi! im a long time fan of your fic, and its my first time commenting to you- but thanks for your hard work! i havent checked on your fic in a long time- i think i last saw it when you took a hiatus a while back because your wife was sick? (I hope you both are doing ok) but i see youre back and theres new chapters so im very excited! ive been wanting to ask since the movie came out- how proud do you think zoro would be when he finds out connie cut a car in half? (aka had her cutting steel moment)

He’d be very proud of his sword-daughter.

As for me, I took a break when my wife was sick with having my third daughter. I used quarantine to try and start up again, but now my wife has decided to separate from me and I’m currently holed up with only one foot after two ankle reconstruction surgeries, all while on medical leave from my job and trying to be a father to three kids under five.

I don’t have the best luck it seems, but my girls are healthy and that’s what I focus on.

secondaryshade

I always get caught off guard when you come back. But it seems a lot of happened.

I am sorry to hear about your separation, bit surprised to hear that (I still remember you talking about her and you watching shows together and her pushing you to do your fanfiction).

Your ankle too on top of all, so it seems you are experiencing “when it rains, it pours”. Although I am curious about what happened with your angle.

I am glad that your daughters are doing well, I hope that you are doing well in these circumstances.

Anyhow, while I might not be person who can commit to being co-writer. But I am willing to help by being beta reader and helping in general (Helping with characterization, fights, and maybe even writing bits if I am up to it).

On the other note, did I manage you to make you read my Zoro vs Jasper story? (Literally fanfiction of your fanfiction lul)

agemintherough

Buddy, let me just say that nobody was more surprised than me when it comes to my wife. I tried everything I could for her, us, and our kids, but quarantine did not do us any favors... I just hope she finds a way for her to be happy and that our kids remain as unaffected by these decisions as possible. As for my ankle, that’s another long story. Basically, I had a major heel spur due to years of walking on my toes so I had it removed back in 2019 (basically, they carved out the size of a plum’s worth of bone on my ankle). However, it never healed (pun unintended but appreciated) correctly and the doctor who did it just told me to wait a year and it would be fine. After a year (which brought us knee-deep into quarantine time), it never got better so I got a second opinion and they immediately realized that I had a problem. So they scheduled me for surgery immediately and had a reconstruction procedure done. A week later, I fell and ruptured everything, necessitating another, much larger surgery to slice up my whole leg and reconstruct everything again with tendons from my toes. In short, I will never be able to play basketball or curl my big toe ever again. So yeah, the past two months especially have been utterly tumultuous. My wife declared that we were separating, I haven’t been able to walk, I had to move back in with my parents, and I had to take forced medical leave despite my students all being virtual still due to the fact that at my school, we just started doing a hybrid style of learning (meaning kids come in two days and are virtual the other three) and the rule was I could remain able to teach remotely from my home as long as my students were not in the building. Right now, only seniors are in the building and wouldn’t you know it, but I have three seniors in my home room that I share with another teacher... whom no matter what my bosses would rather have with me, the personnel office declared that it still counted for me and, as such, I’m on medical leave for another three weeks until I can put pressure on my foot in a walking boot. In short, “when it rains, it pours” is very apt. As for help, honestly, if you want to help me out, I’ll gladly bring you onboard in any capacity you are able to. It’s not like you aren’t already credited with story input and I loved your writing with the Jasper/ Zoro confrontation you send me months back. You’ve got a better view on writing fights than I do I think. Message me about it and we can figure that out.

Well. Now you write one chapter on year? i don't know if i will wait for much time.

He’d be very proud of his sword-daughter.

I don’t have the best luck it seems, but my girls are healthy and that’s what I focus on.

Hello! Seriously LOVE your story, am a huge fan of both Steven Universe and One Piece and this crossover fanfiction is everything I could possibly want and have been dreaming for, THANK YOU SO much for writing this, quarantine has been tough and this fanfiction really helps! Hope you are doing well, and just a question but how far into the One Piece story do you plan on writing? Not to put any pressure I just wanted to know :D

Thank you for the kind words. I’m happy somebody got something out of quarantine.

So in regards to how far I’ve mapped out, I mapped out to the equivalent of the time skip and the end of Change Your Mind. Personally, I don’t know if I have it in me to get that far, but once GWMAPT is finished, I will probably seek a co-writer/ someone to be my Irvin Kershner to my George Lucas.

agemintherough

Oops, just saw another post of your where you mention that Future’s story wouldn’t work with GWM. My b. I see your point but I don’t know... I think it could be incorporated. For me, it really captures the final steps of Steven as a character. Does that mean those events aren’t going to show up in any capacity, or are they just going to come earlier or later like the asker implied?

It would have to happen in a different capacity given just where Steven would be by that point. In canon, Steven was finished with his adventures and was crumbling under the stress of trying to find his own identity in peace time as well as grappling with the fact that change has occurred without him and he’s not really as needed as much as he was (or thought he was). With a story like this, he would throw himself all in to the pirate life as a means of escape. He would still feel like he was needed to save the world. The disconnect would have to be with Luffy and him, understanding that Luffy just wants adventure and to be free while Steven wants purpose as he doesn’t know anything else. Does that mean a breakdown won’t occur? Of course not. But the circumstances would change, so things like Little Homeschool wouldn’t be focused on.

shoottomiss

Very true. I’d imagine though that whatever angle you take, your story would likely still end with “Future” or whatever parallel situation that occurs, with Steven realizing he also needs to spend time away from the Strawhats and their world, much like how he needed to leave Beach City. Seems like a good place to end off.

Still, just for kicks, if things somehow played out the same way they did in Future, what do you suppose each Strawhat’s thought process be as they witnessed the boy they thought was the most emotionally strong breakdown and call himself a fraud? Subsequently, when he becomes a monster? Generally, horrified reactions and guilt of course, but what about the nuances in each of their individual minds? Which SH and ex baroque agents would start blaming themselves in that one scene?

agemintherough

Looking at this particular scene, I’d see the cast as doing the following:

Luffy would be pragmatic about it. He’d try and reach him by declaring him as a personal friend, reminding him how they are nakama and how he will always be there for him. He would get angry that Steven considered himself a fraud and tell him that he is who he is, and that it didn’t matter to him. He would 100% take Spinel’s place as the rubber hug.

Zoro would be the calmest of the Straw Hats externally but would try to talk him down like he did with Pearl, Tashigi, and Connie (however, he’d get swat away in a comical manner by him turning into the monster, showing how ineffective it was). This would cause him to be the main force fighting him in a defensive manner to ensure that nothing and nobody would be injured in his rampage.

Nami would also try to empathize with Steven, yelling back to the years of being under Arlong and hiding her true self from her friends and family (despite them all knowing) as well as betraying the Straw Hats. She’d be shaken about this, but considering this is Post Timeskip, she’d do her best not to let that affect her.

Usopp might be the first to blame himself with everything happening currently to Steven in Enies Lobby, thinking immediately how that hurt him. However, he wouldn’t let that stop him from joining with the declaration of friendship and loyalty, reminding him to be himself as that is who they respect and admire and not to lie to himself that he is a bad person/ made bad choices, which Steven would ignore given his own grief and frustration.

Sanji would join Zoro in being more of a defensive barrier to help Steven in that way. Obviously, his own past and heritage would give him a lot to empathize, but Steven would probably not give him the chance to speak (since I see this happening before Whole Cake Island).

Chopper would definitely get in on the crying, but would have a lot to internalize about Steven turning into a monster given who he considered himself to be in Drum, using this to remind Steven about what he told him and how they would work through things together.

Robin would be given a lot to do. She will instantly be able to bring up her label as a “Demon Child” and how she had told herself for years not to trust anyone or get attached. She would interject about the love and compassion he offered her and, as he did with her, she would be able to work WITH him through trauma as opposed to instantly forgiving it (which is not to say she harbors any fears or doubts, but she knows Steven is hating himself over his emotions and actions). While Chopper might be the doctor, I think that while on the Grand Line, Robin would play the role of therapist for him, allowing him to talk out his concerns and feelings in a constructive manner. Also, I can see her using her powers to become large during the inevitable hug (I think her Devil Fruit would allow for that…it’s hard to say. Oda needs to develop her powers more…and, you know, use her *Here’s hoping for Wano to come through like it’s looking like*).

Franky would be brought to tears in a “manly” way and (like so many others) remind him of how he was a criminal himself and how it’s not about being a pirate or doing things in the past, it’s about what he wants to do with himself. I can see him and Usopp joining together for the shared blame-game for Water 7 and using some of his Battle Franky’s to assist in calming the youth down.

Brook…I can see him and Greg doing a duet together to try to reach Steven through a song, letting him get his guard down in a manner that doesn’t just need a hug and words. Music connects Steven to everyone, so music would assist in this. Brook would pick up on this and do his best to make sure the words and lyrics sunk in.

Petrea and Damian would be cry, no doubts about that, but would tell him how change is good, even if you don’t have control over it. They can use their own experiences with Steven to highlight it and to remind him that no matter what Steven has done, he’s still as close to family as they come and they can work through it with him. Obviously they are a core part of this story and Steven’s involvement, so that would have to be one of the biggest speeches to give.

Finally, Genevieve would try to use her paints, but would be unable to do so as she would have no ability to stop a Diamond-level rampage. I see her being in on a lot of Steven’s anger well before others pick up on it and have her try to talk to him more actively.

Mind you, this is just where I see things now. These specific emotions may change once the material is written, but while I’d personally keep some material (including a hug), the buildup and the actual “corruption” would be more drawn out and befitting of happening in a Shonen Manga.

I'm sorry I made that assumption. It's just that, in pretty much all the OP fanfic stories I've seen that revisit the original story tend to skip some arcs, one in particular being Thriller Bark.

But then how would Brook and Greg become best friends for life?

I know you plan to at least have the Water 7 Arc and Cluster Arc done, but what about Triller Bark Arc? I know the arc itsef wasn't one of the bests, but it did had some great moments such as the Straw Hats fighting together against Oars, Zoro vs Ryuma, Shadow Luffy, and everything related to Kuma. I'd love to see the Crystal Gems reacting to everything on this arc alongside the Straw Hats, especially meeting Brook. I'll understand if that doesn't happen, I'm sure you have a good plan notheless.

Who said the Cluster arc is set to happen before Thriller Bark?

What are your thoughts on each of the episode of Steven Universe: Future? Also which ones are your favorite?-BH

It was okay, but not the best Steven Universe had to offer. The first few episodes with Little Homeschool were good in establishing Amethyst being the most mature out of the Gems, but then you get to “Rose Buds” and Volleyball,” which were great follow ups to the original run while expanding upon the characters (”Rose Buds” gets major points for literally being an amazing showcase of Kimberly Brooks’ range). Then you get to the worst episodes of the bunch with “A Very Special Episode” (which has a good song but is otherwise forgettable) and “Bluebird” (which was a wasted opportunity to do more with the antagonistic characters of Eyeball and Aquamarine). “Snow Day” is pretty damn perfect as a stand-alone episode and gives us one last chance to see the original dynamic play out before everything hits the fan. “Why So Blue” was fun but I wish more could have been done with Lapis (all of them). “Little Graduation” is good in tone and spirit but not really one I’d want to rewatch, especially as the final Sadie/Lars/Cool Kids/ Off-Colors episode. However, the music and just where both Sadie, Shep, the Off-Colors, and Lars end up is fitting. I just wish we got more with them. Finally, we get “Prickly Pair,” which is just painful to watch. It’s not a bad episode, but it’s really where the drama begins to fester as they reach the endgame of the show. Then we get to the heavy hitters. “In Dreams” has memorable visuals as well as a great sendoff for Peridot. “Bismuth Casual” works as a means of giving Bismuth a fresh start (and, after this, a new voice...who I know was in the video game, but still) and a great Stevonnie moment (the only one...which saddened me). “Together Forever” is surprisingly well-done on Connie’s end, but just hard to watch given the downward spiral Steven is on...

But then we get to my favorite episode of the lot: “Growing Pains.” Holy hell, do I love everything with Dr. Maheswaran, including her on-point diagnostics. I will 100% be referencing that in my classroom as well as our district’s SEL committee.

“Mr. Universe” gets points for being a Greg episode, featuring Jermaine Clement, and having a Wawa in it. “Fragments” was so damn good that I was pissed somebody spoiled the episode while I was watching it minutes behind on Facebook. “Homeworld Bound” was fun and dark. It did well to reinforce the notion that the Diamonds aren’t actually redeemed and are more supposed to be representing neglectful controlling parents than real life fascists (despite how muddy that interpretation is). Also, Spinel is there referencing Sonic the Hedgehog. “Everything’s Fine” had a good ending, but hard to sit through opening and middle, but the speech at the end is good writing. “I Am My Monster” should have been longer and was resolved way too quickly. I’m fine with the hug ending thematically, but there should have been more urgency or buildup to it. Finally, “The Future” is a great sendoff to the show and characters. They are allowed to grow and progress outside the confines of the show’s setting, which shows a bright future ahead with hopefully limited drama and conflict. Was it perfect? No. Did I enjoy it as much as the original run? No, but it wasn’t supposed to be that. It was an exploration of trauma in a children’s show and I respect that and like it for that reason. I’ll miss these characters, but it ended fine enough.

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