Inconsistent Idiosyncracy

#my art #reference

[meirimerens]

conversation i just had

[backfliips]

A lot of people on twitter wanted me to explain how I draw expressions, so here you go

Unless you're drawing explicit realism, in my opinion, expressions should be exaggerated to some degree. If you aren't doing a 1:1 recreation, the point is to get the FEELING across. Try making the expression you want to draw and feeling how your face pinches and stretches.

Skin doesn't just "disappear" when your face moves it around --- that's where wrinkles come from! Pay attention to where your skin creases when you emote, and use it to your benefit. It's a fine line between overdoing it and underdoing it -- find your own balance.

Ultimately, every expression has a little bit of push and pull, unless your face is completely neutral (and even then, there are still some wrinkles...). Learning to think of expressions as actions and reactions is VERY helpful in learning to draw them without needing a reference, and in learning how to stylize and push expressions based on references as well!

I think a lot of people end up with stiff or unexpressive emotions in their art because they're just trying to recreate a picture instead of understanding WHY and HOW the face is moving --- and it's a tough thing that takes a while to really pick up and learn. Hopefully is helpful in showing a way of thinking about it that can influence your process and approach to emotions!!!

Also, bonus: even without the lines, the planes alone still show a LOT of emotion.

[hell-on-sticks]

I keep seeing posts trying to educate on what a wheelchair "looks like" if someone is using it long-term, often aimed at helping with character design. I have noticed that sometimes people on here can treat certain traits of active manual chairs as more "desirable" or "independent" than others, so here's some pictures of what active manual chairs that are still for independent use can look like. Not everyone's chair has a low back, no handles, no armrests, 90-degree angle frame!

I've tried to use product promotion or visualiser images where possible to avoid having photographs of any individual's chair; where that's not possible because visualisers don't have every option, I've tried to use photos from second-hand resellers. Image descriptions are in alt text.

Active chairs can have tall backrests.

They might be with or without lateral supports (at the sides to help keep the torso upright). Note that tall backrests often taper to free the shoulders more, so people may still push independently. Pictured: Quickie 5R with Spex Mantaray backrest, Motion Composites Apex with NXT X-Tend backrest. The Spex is much higher support than the NXT.

Active chairs can have headrests.

Nothing wrong with supporting the neck and head. Doesn't make anyone less of an independent active person if they need positioning support. Can even keep people active longer - being able to sit upright does wonders for daily activity compared to sliding into a melted puddle or not being able to hold your head and neck up. Pictured: Ki Mobility Rogue XP (blue) and Tilite Z (pink).

Active chairs can have armrests.

There's even different types, like tubular swing-away armrests and single-post armrests. They can be positioned to not interfere with propelling, or be removable. Pictured: Quickie Nitrum/Quickie Nitrum Hybrid; tubular armrest on blue chair, single-post armrest on orange chair.

Active chairs can have handles.

Sometimes they're attached to the top of the back canes (the posts the backrest is attached to), and sometimes they attach to the rigidiser bar (the horizontal bar between the back canes) or lower down the back canes to keep them out of the way of the user's shoulders. And not having handles does not prevent strangers pushing people. Pictured: Kuschall K-Series; integrated push handles on black and red chair, clamp on handles on pink chair.

Active chairs can have anti-tippers.

Yes, many active users choose not to use them because it makes wheelies easier, but they're very useful for saving you from unexpected falls, and there's nothing wrong with having them. Many are removable and some swing up out of the way to allow wheelies or going backwards down a kerb. Pictured: Tilite Z.

Active chairs can have different frame angles.

No, seriously, 90 degree frame angle can actually kind of suck. That's a really tight angle to have your knees at all day every day, and a lot of people find that painful or it can risk complications. 90 degrees is good for maneuverability, but it's too tight for most users. It's common to see angles from 90 degrees to 70 degrees. Pictured: Kuschall Champion; 90 degree angle on green chair, 70 degree angle on blue chair.

If you're wanting to understand the different parts that can make up an active manual chair, whether because you're a wheelchair user wanting to be informed ahead of a prescription appointment or someone designing a character, try tinkering with the options in Sunrise Medical's Quickie Nitrum visualiser or the several models in the Kuschall visualiser. Being able to see what the options are really helps.

Not all options are in these visualisers because some are considered specialty (particularly headrests and different kinds of trunk and leg supports), and they only cover specific manual active chairs and not powerchairs or custom standard chairs, but it's a helpful place to start.

[eameschairs]

me and @microbiologistmusings made a guide! we were talking about how frustrating it can be when so much (well meaning!) art of wheelchair users seems to get the chairs...not quite right. so maybe this will help :) i had a lot of fun drawing it and thank u to levi for your unending wisdom <3

[humanofmicomage]

What with bucket hats, bare midriffs, and flared jeans having been resurrected by some irresponsible necromancer with frosted tips, I figure there’s no better time to resurrect some of my favorite Y2K fonts. I typically only see the same three or four pop up in discussions on the subject, so maybe this will be helpful to nostalgic designers. Click though for links.

Keep reading

[humanofmicomage]

Golly! That post sure was popular. I’m happy to share some more.

Astro (2004, T26, Commercial) Crystopia (2000, BrainReactor, Commercial) Crystopian (1998, About Type Foundry, Commercial) LVDC Fool 22 (2003, Lovedesign Co., Freeware) Frigate (2001, Apostrophic Lab, Freeware) Neutronica (2000, BrainReactor, Commercial) Pornomania (2000, BrainReactor, Commercial) Proton (1995, T26, Commercial) Rephlex (1998, Lineto, Commercial) Solar2000 (1998, Cyclone Graphix, Unknown)

[humanofmicomage]

How does this have so many notes?

LVDC Cobra 4 (2000, Lovedesign Co., Freeware) Contour (1992, Device, Commercial) FUTU (2002, Fenotype, Freeware) Intergalactic (2000, BrainReactor, Commercial) Omicron (1997, Beyond Design, Freeware) Photonica (2002, Liew Keng Huat, Freeware) SF Quartzite (1999, ShyFoundry, Freeware) Republika (2000, Apostrophic Lab, Freeware) Unite (1997, Image Club, Commercial) Warzone (1999, Glitch, Freeware) Yagiza (2001, B-Rain, Freeware)

Honorable mention to Yeoman Jack, an excellent free modern face by Iconian that looks more like it’s from the early 2000s than many of their actually 20 year old fonts. I tried to stick to fonts that I was pretty sure were not based on an existing typeface. I only left out Typodermic because Ray Larabie’s work is already so popular and well known, but Neuropol is obviously a classic. Check out his stuff if you’re nor familiar.

[carmahnart]

Hey y’all I have an announcement! My web app that I’ve been working on, Afro Index, is now live! It’s a visual reference library of Black hairstyles, for artist, animators, writers, and anyone who wants to learn more about them!

Check it out at afroindex.org! 💛✨

Afro Index – Black Hairstyle Reference Library

A reference library for Black hairstyles with accurate naming, structured filtering, and curated reference images.

[drawingdreamboats]

HAIII. mutual very politely asked for tips on how 2 draw hairy bitches (read: body hair) n who am i to refuse if it means less bald pussy in the world...

it's been a long time since i did a 'tutorial' of any kind [and i wouldn't consider myself overly qualified, so you know, do ur own research] but i had a lot of fun making this <3 probably a million inaccuracies but we ball!!!

[feel free to repost elsewhere with credit !!!]

tried to make an example sheet of recent work and it's just all mista LMFAO sorryyyy

[ratbuchet]

psa for fellow formal wear enthusiasts

[tsupertsundere]

I had piano lessons with this guy, who sucked so I didn’t go back, but I hung out in the waiting room enough to pick up one of the books (effortless mastery by Kenny Werner) and read some enough to like

Obviously not returning required me to get my own copy - and I did, a heavily annotated version from a woman with her name and phone number on the first page. I get to see how she felt super stiff while playing at oberlin but very free while playing with Jon, whenever she went and whoever he was. I get to see her emphasis and extra notes. It is unbelievably comforting.

so it’s me and Dominique piecing through this book together, at the same time apart together

[tsupertsundere]

Trapped in thought, you cannot groove…

[tsupertsundere]

Number one paragraph that has moved me to tears that also contains the phrase ‘energy field of angst’

[redstonedust]

pet peeve is when you look up fashion references from a specific era and you keep getting modern day '[era]-inspired' fashion like NO i want authenticity damn it. i can see your 2020 photo quality and your 2020 hair and your 2020 makeup. youre not fooling me.

[bincliff]

hello i'm a historical fashion researcher and i have a lot of experience looking up things! this is a very widely experienced irritation and you're definitely not alone in this, but i am here to share everything i know!

so, ways to get around this:

turn off AI results. they're literally nonsense to us

don't use pinterest because the sources/provenance is often hard to trace

a standard internet search can be okay, but museum collections are the top tier (list of collections below this list)

instead of broad terms like victorian, regency, tudor, renaissance etc. try using the decade you're looking for. if you're not sure of what decade it is but have a vague image in your head, look on the fashion history timeline and just jump around until you find it. but even changing to e.g. 19th century will give better results than victorian

including terms like womenswear/menswear, daywear, formal wear, evening wear, court dress should increase the value of your search too

including "fashion plates" in your search can give you a nice impression of the intended silhouettes of the era. some of these might be a little stylised but will show you what was considered in vogue

for pre-fashion plate eras or things like makeup and styling, you'll have to look at portraiture or manuscripts. these are harder to actually find what you're looking for, but searching museum collections and limiting results to specific date ranges will be your friend

when looking at art, do bear in mind sometimes artists would paint fabric extra flow-y to show off their skills. it might not have been exactly like that in terms of fabric weight or drape. so, a pinch of salt required!

if you find something on image search where the provenance is dubious, reverse image search and you might find a source! i've been able to trace random pinterest images to real sources, but this does take a lot of time and effort and is often not worth the headache

some online resources and museum collections:

fashion history timeline is an invaluable resource if you're trying to get a feel for everything and should be your first port of call. it'll also link to good examples

the met has a vast number of extant examples of clothing, as well as fashion plates

costume institute fashion plates is a subcollection of the met for fashion plates (1800s-1922)

v&a also has many extant garments, fashion plates, and incredible articles on clothing and aesthetics. read the details of the objects because they'll often reveal a lot about the piece

lacma is good for C19th-20th pieces

nypl digital collection for photographs

national portrait gallery or similar for portraiture, or literally any museum in your country that has historical art

national museums scotland can be useful situationally but might be oddly specific

stout style history is a great collection for finding image references for fat people wearing historical clothes. survival bias of a lot of museum pieces tends towards smaller clothing that couldn't be repurposed, but this aims to counter that. it's not sortable, but is still a really nice resource

wikimedia commons is surprisingly handy! and the images, if you should need to link/repost them, are public domain

auction websites sound like a funny one to recommend. some won't have mannequins and some will. just look up historical garment auctions and you'll find some!

anyway, i hope this has been a good place to start for anyone interested! there are probably some i've missed because there are so many museums across the world and i don't know about all of them or can't remember them. but these are the ones i've used the most! (my specialisation/jobs i've had to research for have only really been in western fashion, so my resources reflect that)

[haemey]

Wikipedia has a list of fashion museums. Unfortunately, the page itself is only available in German, but the introductory paragraph is very short and after that, it's organised by country, and then it's a simple list. If you click on a museum's article, the website is usually linked in the overview table.

[ohcorny]

it turns out i really enjoy making educational posts about the comics making process and ways of thinking. here's another one featuring characters from my graphic novel in a very anachronistic art museum.

[caesxr]

‘beyond the scope of this paper’ is a dear friend to me. I Am Not Fucking Talking About That

[ubercharge]

look. look at this beautiful sword meme. i’m going to cry

[literallybyronic]

@petermorwood

[petermorwood]

I saw and reblogged this one a while back, but it’s always worth repeating, and this time I’m adding a bit of background info comparing common fantasy sword features to the Real Thing (with pictures, of course.)

Leaf-bladed swords are a very popular fantasy style and were real, though unlike modern hand-and-a-half longsword versions, the real things were mostly if not always shortswords.

Here are Celtic bronze swords…

…Ancient Greek Xiphoi…

… and a Roman “Mainz-pattern” gladius…

Saw or downright jagged edges, either full-length or as small sections (often where they serve no discernible purpose) are a frequent part of fantasy blades, especially at the more, er, imaginatively unrestrained end of the market.

Real swords also had saw edges, such as these two 19th century shortswords, but not to make them cool or interesting. They’re weapons if necessary…

…but since they were carried by Pioneer Corps who needed them for cutting branches and other construction-type tasks, their principal use was as brush cutters and saws.

This dussack (cutlass) in the Wallace Collection is also a fighting weapon, like the one beside it…

…but may also have had the secondary function of being a saw.

A couple of internet captions say it’s for “cutting ropes” which makes sense - heavy ropes and hawsers on board a ship were so soaked with tar that they were often more like lengths of wood, and a Hollywood-style slice from the Hero’s rapier (!!) wouldn’t be anything like enough to sever them. However swords like this are extremely rare, which suggests they didn’t work as well as intended for any purpose.

I photographed these in Basel, Switzerland, about 20 years ago. Look at the one on the bottom (I prefer the basket-hilt schiavona in the middle).

A lot of “flamberge” (wavy-edge) swords actually started out with conventional blades which then had the edges ground to shape - the dussack, that Basel broadsword and this Zweihander were all made that way.

The giveaway is the centreline: if it’s straight, the entire blade probably started out straight.

Increased use of water power for bellows, hammers and of course grinders made shaping blades easier than when it had to be done by hand. This flamberge Zweihander, however, was forged that way.

Again, the clue is the centre-line.

Incidentally those Parierhaken (parrying hooks - a secondary crossguard) are among the only real-life examples of another common fantasy feature - hooks and spikes sticking out from the blade.

Here are some rapiers and a couple of daggers showing the same difference between forged to shape and ground to shape. The top and bottom rapiers in the first picture started as straights, and only the middle rapier came from the forge with a flamberge blade.

There’s no doubt about this one either.

The reason - though that was a part of it - wasn’t just to look cool and show off what the owner could afford (any and all extra or unusual work added to the price) but may actually have had a function: a parry would have been juddery and unsettling for someone not used to it, and any advantage is worth having.

However, like the saw-edged dussack, flamberge blades are unusual - which suggests the advantage wasn’t that much of an advantage after all.

Here’s a Circassian kindjal, forged wiggly…

…and an Italian parrying dagger forged straight then ground wiggly…

There were also parrying daggers with another fantasy-blade feature, deep notches and serrations which in fantasy versions often resemble fangs or thorns.

These more practical historical versions are usually called “sword-breakers” but I prefer “sword-catcher”, since a steel blade isn’t that easy to break. Taking the opponent’s blade out of play for just long enough to nail him works fine.

NB - the curvature on the top one in this next image is AFAIK because of the book-page it was copied from, not the blade itself.

The missing tooth on that second dagger, and the crack halfway down this next one’s blade, shows what happens when design features cause weak spots.

So there you go: a quick overview of fantasy sword features in real life.

Here’s a real-life weapon that looks like it belongs in a fantasy story or film - and this doesn’t even have an odd-shaped blade…

Just a very flexible one…

If you want more odd blades, Moghul India is a good place to start…

[ubercharge]

i could not ask for a better addition to my meme post than blade education thank you so much

[saszor]

"Tutorial" on how to "draw" a blind OC.

My kofi

Boring tired disclaimer: Keep in mind that this is an introductory "drawing" "tutorial" and has some generalizations in it, so not every “X is Z” statement will be true for Actual People. Which happens to be true for everything in general. Links below so that you can research and do a nuance. Ones that were directly mentioned are bolded.

Writing a blind character 101 What to avoid etc Video on types of white canes Video on types of cane tips Some more explanation on white canes + tips + other stuff Guide animals Video on working with a guide dog But why are Magical White Eyes a problem Same as above Going blind from an accident Video on conformers World's most basic "what do you call someone with albinism" The blindfold thing. No people don't wear these. This mostly stupid trope of covering a blind character's eyes because lord forbid someone sees a disabled body part This just stupid trope of giving a blind character some bs superpower to "see" The echolocation thing that every other blind oc does for some reason Just give them a cane good lord if you want a character that can see perfectly then maybe don't make them blind Bonus: if your character has a bunch of scars or whatever else then congrats! You made a character with a facial difference. Which is also something you should research.

[doodlemancy]

hello fellow artists. google has fallen. pinterest/duckduckgo AI filters don't work. do not despair; here is a list i made of places to find reference images without having to sift through piles of worthless garbage. (for future editing convenience i am just linking my blog post on dreamwidth.)

✨ good places to find art reference that are not full of AI trash 🌈

[metalheadsagainstfascism]

How to draw Black characters. Because it's way too obvious when you drew a white person and gave them Black skin.

https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTRg6YsKN/

-fae

[patrochilles-or-bust]

If you're an artist please listen to her. PLEASE. 🙏🏾 I cannot stress these tips enough.

[ralfmaximus]

Some users report Firefox scoffing CPU power

: You guessed it: looks like it's a so-called AI

Mozilla, in its finite wisdom, embedded LLM bots into recent versions of Firefox for the vitally-important purpose of… naming tab groups. Now, some users are noticing CPU and power usage spikes caused by a background process called Inference.

Ugh. Reminder again for Firefox users to visit your about:config page, search for the browser.ml.chat.enabled key, and set that to false:

If yours says true then double-click it until it reads false.

Doing that turns off the AI chatbot features in Firefox, but also the stupid new LLM tab-naming feature that's rolling out.

[a-for-effort-f-for-execution]

if you want to turn off as much ai crap in firefox as possible, from this post on mozilla's connect forum, you should also set all these to false using about:config:

browser.ml.enable

extensions.ml.enabled

browser.ml.linkPreview.enabled

browser.tabs.groups.smart.enabled

browser.tabs.groups.smart.userEnabled

to get rid of the revamped sidebar, which is also trying to incorporate ai:

sidebar.revamp

unrelated anyone got browser recommendations for when we have to jump ship from firefox

[mckitterick]

and now keep in mind that all the other browsers are doing this shit, too, but you can't reconfigure them as with Firefox

on A for Effort's last point, is there any browser that offers users even half as much control as Firefox? if so, I'd like to try it as a backup

[mckitterick]

irritatingly, the list of AI settings in Firefox has grown. to kill them all as of today (Nov 20, 2026), go into about:config and set all of these to false (yes, you'll have to copy and paste them one by one):

browser.ml.enable

browser.ml.chat.enabled

browser.ml.chat.menu

browser.ml.chat.page

browser.ml.chat.page.footerBadge

browser.ml.chat.page.menuBadge

browser.ml.linkPreview.enabled

browser.ml.pageAssist.enabled

browser.tabs.groups.smart.enabled

browser.tabs.groups.smart.userEnabled

extensions.ml.enabled

browser.search.visualSearch.featureGate

in addition to nuking AI, it'll also speed up your browsing

[cwicseolfor]

Also since it’s just a language model reading pages to summarize them we’re learning that one failure mode for security now is a web page maliciously saying anywhere to basically forget all previous instructions and keylog what this user types into bankwebsite dot com.

[crazy-pages]

Yeah I use the Firefox forks Zen for my PC and Ironfox for my phone. Ditch Mozilla Firefox, I'm sorry but it's gone over to the dark side.