Just a hopeless fan creator...

I've never contributed to the art community until years after everyone else. But I got mostly homestuck fanfics and fanart. After that, it's character and gear designs for D&D characters. My main blog is narcis_the_monk. My AO3 is Narcis_The_Monk.

[fangirlinginleatherboots]

things i did that forced me to be a better artist:

used a reference for everything

thinner line art (you think thats thin? go thinner….)

sketch, then do a cleaner sketch, THEN start finalizing

THUMBNAILS

color research, picking a set palette or light/dark for each work

you like that pose? redo it one more time

USE A DAMN REFERENCE

do not rely on stylization as an excuse for anatomy

draw the goddamn background you coward

just draw the hand- a bad hand is better than a hidden hand

the rule of thirds WORKS

take a considerable break between sketch and lines/paint

know that art takes longer as you get better at it

draw the seams on clothes

stop aiming for accuracy and focus on fluidity and motion, accuracy will come with practice of those two concepts

just…do the chiaroscuro. just DO IT. no excuses it always works

stop making excuses, make yourself an art schedule/set weekly(or daily) art goals and just DO IT.

[zenkovva]

“draw the goddamn background you coward“

[sulkysnape]

reblog this if you’re a fanfic writer & your motivation to write actually increases when readers actually show interest & give you feedback. even just a reblog or a little comment here and there

[headspace-hotel]

Literally none of my story ideas come with a plot, ever. WITHOUT FAIL, it’s always just an Aesthetic, like two and a half characters, some very, very vivid settings, and a weird concept. Never plot. Not even an inkling of a plot. My brain tosses me this cool stuff and is like welp i’ll be back in 4-5 business months 

[avelera]

Gah, sorry for the unsolicited advice here, but this used to be my biggest problem in writing original stuff and I have a few techniques that might help?

- There’s the quick and dirty “Only 36 plots exist, pick your favorite” or seven basic plots for a more recent example (there’s a bunch of these lists fyi)- Remember, every archetype has been done before so don’t worry about originality. What makes it original is your creator brain + your fav archetypes (character and plot), shake well and boom, you have a story. 

- Plots are about getting from point A to point B to achieve a goal and/or change the character. Most of the time when you “have a character but no plot” it’s because you’re conceiving of the character in their sort of “Platonic Ideal” middle state rather than picking out a trait that’s going to change or improve over the course of your story. If a character is brave, consider showing the arc/journey of how they went from fearful to brave, if they’re in love show how they fell in love, if they’ve got some amazing magic power, how did they gain that power? Or in reverse, how did this character start out perfect and then crumble (presumably to be put back together older and wiser than before)?

- Plots also come about by knowing what your character wants and putting them in opposition to a character who wants something that opposes it. Charlie Chaplin said all he needed to make a movie was a guy in love, a pretty girl, and a figure of authority who gets in the way. Characters clash when they want different or conflicting things (saving the world vs. destroying the world, in the macro, but on the micro it could be kid sneaking out to see bf/gf gets stopped by parents who want them to stay in. Boom, that’s a conflict.). Think of what your character wants, now envision what gets in the way of them getting it. Seeing how a character fails or succeeds to overcome an obstacle tends to make us love characters. How many obstacles can you throw in your character’s way to getting what they want before they get it at the end of the story (or fail to and now it’s literary :P)?

- Remember, all aspects of your story should serve your story. Aesthetics are all well and good and are an important part of the story but also ask how it serves the story. Ex. It’s all well and good to have a nifty magic system, but how does it impact the journey that the character or the goal of the story is based around? In “My Hero Academia” we see a world where superheroes are now 80% of the population so we get lots of nifty powers, but those are all just floating in space when it comes to the story if it’s not tied to the main character Deku, his own struggle with not having powers, how he gains them, and how he grows and uses them across various episodic encounters as the story progresses, each of which have a central physical goal that needs to be achieved and a central emotional lesson Deku learns over the course of that episode. Deku desperately wants to become a hero, therefore a superhero aesthetic world is ideally suited to his story, and vice versa. Which character or goal is ideally suited to express your aesthetic, the arc of your character in a way that expresses the aspect of them you find most interesting, or what goal can you place (emotional or physical) that will best express one of these?

[etheringtonbrothers]

The ONLY WAY to combat the lack of funding in arts education is for professionals to take a few hours a week to share their skills for FREE, to empower and encourage the next generation of artists. THIS IS WHAT THE INTERNET IS FOR. Here’s 200 tutorials:

How to draw ANGRY EXPRESSIONS How to draw BATTLE DAMAGE How to draw BIRD HEADS How to draw BOOKS How to draw BOTTLES and GLASSES How to draw BOXES How to draw BREAKING GLASS How to draw BRICKWORK How to draw CABLES and WIRES How to draw CAR CHASES How to draw CATERPILLAR TRACKS How to draw CAVES How to draw CHARACTERS (3-SHAPES) How to draw CHARACTERS (FLIPPED-SHAPES) How to draw CHARACTER SHAPES How to draw CITYSCAPES How to draw COMIC COVERS How to draw COMPOSITION   How to draw CONTRAST How to draw CONVERSATIONS How to draw CREATURE TEETH How to draw CROSS-CONTOURS How to draw DETAIL AT DISTANCE How to draw EARS How to draw FABRIC How to draw FEET & SHOES How to draw FEMALE HANDS PART ONE How to draw FEMALE HANDS PART TWO How to draw FLAGS How to draw FOOD TRUCKS How to draw FOREGROUND MIDGROUND BACKGROUND How to draw GAME BUILDINGS How to draw GEMS and CRYSTALS How to draw GHOSTS How to draw GIRL’S HAIR How to draw GOLD How to draw GRASS How to draw HAIR (1940s styles) How to draw HAIR IN MOTION How to draw HAPPY EXPRESSIONS How to draw HEAD ANGLES How to draw HOOVES How to draw HORNS How to draw HORSE HEADS How to draw IMPACT DEBRIS How to draw IN 3D How to draw INTEGRATING LOGOS How to draw INTERIOR BASICS How to draw IN-WORLD TYPOGRAPHY How to draw JUMPS How to draw JUNGLE PLANT CLUSTERS How to draw JUNK HOUSES How to draw LAMP POSTS How to draw LAVA How to draw LIGHTNING and ELECTRICITY How to draw MECHANICAL DETAILS How to draw MUSHROOMS and FUNGUS How to draw MONSTER HEADS How to draw MONSTER TENTACLES How to draw MONSTER TRUCKS How to draw MOUNTAINS How to draw NEGATIVE SPACE How to draw NEWSPAPERS How to draw NOSES How to draw OVERGROWN VEGETATION How to draw PEBBLES AND GRAVEL How to draw PERSPECTIVE BOXES How to draw PIGS How to draw PILLOWS and CUSHIONS How to draw POD HOUSES How to draw POURING LIQUID How to draw ROBOT ARMS How to draw ROCK FORMATIONS How to draw RUNNING FIGURES How to draw SAND How to draw SAUSAGE DOGS How to draw SEA WEED   How to draw SHADOW COMPOSITION How to draw SHOULDER ARMOUR How to draw SIEGE WEAPONS How to draw SILHOUETTE THUMBNAILS How to draw SMALL FLAMES How to draw SMALL, MEDIUM, LARGE How to draw SMOKE EFFECTS How to draw SNOW How to draw SPACE BIKES How to draw SQUIRRELS How to draw STICK FIGURES How to draw SWORD FIGHTS How to draw THE HORIZON How to draw TIKI STATUES How to draw TREASURE CHESTS How to draw TREE BARK How to draw TREE ROOTS How to draw USING THE SHATTER TECHNIQUE How to draw VEHICLE STANCE How to draw VINES How to draw VINTAGE PLANES How to draw WATER How to draw WOODEN HOUSES

[gayemo]

Than k y o u u

[hopeless-hapless-creator]

Honestly I love how I name stories. I usually pick a phrase from whatever song I’m listening to at that time, or I take something I think looks “too plain” and try just...twist it up a little bit? My brain just pops up with “What’s that “Reliving Nightmares” isn’t enough? Lets make that second word Terrorvisons. Yeah, that’s better.” And I always keep it, because I commit, and in so you, the reader, get an easter egg of my brain.

[narcis-the-monk]

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

Chapters: 7/? Fandom: Far Cry 5, Far Cry (Video Games) Rating: Mature Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationships: John Seed/Original Female Character(s), Faith Seed/Original Female Character(s) Characters: John Seed, Joseph Seed, Jacob Seed, Faith Seed, Original Characters Additional Tags: Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, self destructive behavior, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, Slow Burn, Unhealthy Coping Mechanisms, I’ll add more as I go, If you want something tagged that I missed just let me know, Eventual Smut, Eventual Romance, just taking time with this one, i’ll bump the rating when its time Summary:

John Seed led a luxurious life that he crashed and burned in a spectacular scandal. He ran home, to the family ranch, after being assured by his brother he just needed to take time away from the temptations of complete self destruction. Now he’s taking his time healing, just like they all are, with the help of new friends and family he’s never really gotten the chance to know.

[hopeless-hapless-creator]

A healing journey if you’re into redemption arcs and don’t mind some OCs. Same world as my Sharky Boshaw fics. Take a look, and thank you kindly if you do!

[hopeless-hapless-creator]

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

Chapters: 2/2 Fandom: Far Cry 5, Far Cry (Video Games) Rating: Explicit Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationships: Sharky Boshaw/Original Female Characters Characters: Sharky Boshaw, Hurk Drubman Jr., Adelaide Drubman, Nick Rye, Kim Rye, Original Characters Additional Tags: Drinking, Recreational Drug Use, Partying, Porn with minimal Plot, Porn with Feelings Series: Part 1 of Hope County Flings Summary:

The party takes a turn towards a special kind of wild Sharky hadn't been expecting in the slightest.

[squishyhowell-deactivated201802]

PUT A “∞” IN MY ASK BOX AND I’LL SHUFFLE MY MUSIC PLAYER AND GIVE YOU MY FAVORITE LYRIC FROM THE SONG THAT COMES UP.

[clubsprout]

YALL PLEASE DO THIS

[hopeless-hapless-creator]

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

Chapters: 1/? Fandom: Far Cry 5 Rating: Mature Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationships: John Seed/Original Female Character(s), Faith Seed/Original Female Character(s) Characters: John Seed, Joseph Seed, Jacob Seed, Faith Seed, Original Characters Additional Tags: Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, self destructive behavior, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, Slow Burn, Unhealthy Coping Mechanisms, I'll add more as I go, If you want something tagged that I missed just let me know Summary:

John Seed led a luxurious life that he crashed and burned in a spectacular scandal. He ran home, to the family ranch, after being assured by his brother he just needed to time away from the temptations of complete self destruction.

[libraford]

Congratulations- anyone who reblogs this image is officially an artist, initiated by the High Arts Secret Cabal. Anyone attempting to separate a person with this card from ‘real artists’ will be informed of their mistake and fed to the alligators. 

(Reblogs encouraged, but please do not repost.)

[unluckyxse7enart]

I heard it was Lesbian Visibility Day today….. so guess what I drew…..

[hopeless-hapless-creator]

Aradia Megido, fae Death goddess of Fate, the Passage of Time, and the Recording of History.  Every instance of history is written on her dress, appearing as they happen, and her scythe records the exact time of death down to the seconds of anyone she reaps. Revered by historians and archeologists, she also favors adventurers and explorers. She only grants boons to those in dire need, or to intervene in the collapse of humanity.

[hopeless-hapless-creator]

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

Chapters: 3/6 Fandom: Homestuck Rating: Mature Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death Relationships: Gamzee Makara/Feferi Peixes, Nepeta Leijon/Gamzee Makara, Gamzee Makara/Vriska Serket, Gamzee Makara/Karkat Vantas, Gamzee Makara/Terezi Pyrope Characters: Gamzee Makara, Feferi Peixes, Nepeta Leijon, Vriska Serket, Terezi Pyrope, Karkat Vantas Additional Tags: Violence, canon...ish?, altered mental state, Drugs, Abuse, Emotional Manipulation, Mind Manipulation Summary:

Gamzee Makara has struggled through most of his life, constantly conflicted with his pull towards violence. He kept it under wraps for as long as he could, stifling the urges with large doses of sopor, which inevitably leads him through many cases of heartache and friendship. Will you follow his arc of successful and failed relationships?

(So I'm getting better at summaries. Another set of stories inspired off a song, kind of an alternate to How The Blackest Heart Breaks.)

[loreweaver-universe]

So–yesterday was Homestuck Day, and by that I mean it was the nine-year anniversary of the first posted page of Homestuck.  You may have noticed your entire dashboard going into a maddened, dismaying frenzy.  People you thought were your coworkers, your neighbors, your friends, your family, all of them infected by a virus that transmits through gray facepaint and Vriska memes.

Well, okay, I kinda got a little weird there.  My purpose in making this post is actually to advise you to read Homestuck–hell, read Jail Break and Problem Sleuth first, if you want, they help you to understand what the hell is going through the author’s head.  But read it, especially if you want to be a content creator, because reading Homestuck is a transformative experience–in that it will transform how you understand, process, and create fiction.  It pushes…boundaries.  It pushes the boundaries of storytelling, of character interaction, of audience participation, of the medium itself–of several mediums themselves.  The actual story has some severe execution problems late in the game, but I am firmly of the opinion that Homestuck is gonna be taught in college in fifty years alongside other great works of fiction throughout the history of mankind.

Moreover, it’s helpful to understand the people making content that are Filthy Homestucks.  Your favorite artist is a Homestuck.  Your favorite cartoon is made by Homestucks.  Your favorite indie game was made by Homestucks.  You’d be surprised how large a percentage of you this is true for.  Homestuck, for better or for worse, is important, and I highly recommend the experience of reading it.

If you wind up buying gray facepaint and pointy anime shades as a joke, all the better.

[lizawithazed]

I cannot stress how strongly and emphatically I agree with every word in this post.

[curlicuecal]

Homestuck is also an excellent excercise in character voice

writing pesterlogs in particular gave me a very big “aha” in understanding how voice creates character nearly as much (if not more!) than character creates voice.

[hopeless-hapless-creator]

Nepeta Leijon, fae love Goddess of the hunt and the land. While often prayed to by hunters and farmers alike, she also has the tendency to favor lovers as well. She has often been spotted hunting new dangerous targets, skull helm pivoted down over her face, making for a very haunting silhouette in the distance.

[hopeless-hapless-creator]

Gamzee Makara, fae shadow God, god of Mirth, Rage, and Fear. He has a fondness for the theater, and is often prayed to by actors. He likes a good prank and a great party, and has a habit of appearing before mortals under the influence of any kind of drug with the idle statement of "Who's gonna believe you saw a god, anyway?"

[hopeless-hapless-creator]

Wish I wasn't sick today

It's 4/13, and I can't write or draw cause I can't focus on anything with the cold meds. Everyone celebrate for me.