sphinx of black quartz

••• tips ••• tricks ••• inspiration •••

[randomishnickname]

One of those fandom things that I love is when there’s new characters around and, with the unwavering confidence of an old farmer appraising cattle, fanfic authors take one good look at them, tilt their imaginary hat, and go “Aye. Praise kink, that one. Mighty case of praise kink if I ever saw one.” And everyone else just “aye.”

[inimitably-ineffable]

Not to mention the plot tropes.

“I don’t think the Highschool AU is going to come in too strong this year. Fandoms a touch jaded for that. But the hurt/comfort is growin’ thick as weeds and twice as fast. It’ll be a good harvest, fer sure.”

[old-primavera-cerezos]

Fandom Farmers Almanac

[blissies-deactivated20240301]

THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF HUNGER

WENDIGO: you’re lost - heavy woods, bones misplaced lost. where have they went? where have you gone? slipped into the ache, the honey toothed bear that has nothing left to eat - there’s nothing but moth eaten rib cages and your wind-burnt skull, you stay buried in the weeds

LEVIATHAN: you jump dripping - salt burning on your tongue but - you still jump and try to taste the sun, to get away from the reeds. gravity just takes and you wonder why your stomach feels like lead and all the oceans and never enough,

CREATION: that crack of suddenness - that chaos caving in on itself until you are born. you can only grow - grow - grow. lift a finger and create - how would you feel when i told you that you were human once? that hunger was human once? that hunger isn’t always empty, that sometimes you just need to taste?

RIB CAGE: empty - your heart is empty - your lungs don’t breathe anymore, you remember oxygen and blue sweetness - you miss being alive

HOPE: parasitic symbiosis - you cling and feed them, you convince them to believe and to die believing - you leave only the scraps of ghosts behind

[sergle]

another weird thing about beer is that it has weird masculinity connections to it. “ya i’ll get a beer, i don’t want none of them girly drinks” Jimothy, you’re drinking wheat juice with a 5% alcohol content and my mixed, fruity, “girly” drink is 40% alcohol and tastes great

[biggest-gaudiest-poltergeist]

O.KAY *CRACKS KNUCKLES* I AM ABOUT TO GIVE YOU AN EDUCATION

BEER IS TRADITIONALLY A WOMAN’S DRINK, IT IS THE MOST FEMALE OF ALL OF THE DRINKS. FOR THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF YEARS, BEER WAS MADE AT HOME BY WOMEN, TO BE CONSUMED BY WOMEN AND CHILDREN–IT WAS ACTUALLY A SOURCE OF NUTRIENTS FOR MANY HOUSEHOLDS. WOMEN CREATED THE CRAFT OF BEER, AND FOR MOST OF HUMAN HISTORY THAT IS WHO YOU’D BUY IT FROM: MANY WOMEN MADE ADDITIONAL INCOME BY BREWING AND SELLING BEER FROM HOME. IT WASN’T UNTIL THE ERA OF INDUSTRIALIZATION THAT BEER BEGAN TO BE BREWED IN FACTORIES. AND ONCE BEER WAS BEING BREWED ON A LARGE SCALE, IT MADE TO START MARKETING IT TO ALL THE MALE FACTORY WORKERS WHO SUDDENLY HAD EXTRA INCOME. HENCE AN AGGRESSIVE MARKETING CAMPAIGN TO RE-BRAND BEER, A DRINK INTRINSICALLY TIED WITH WOMEN’S HISTORY, AS A ‘MASCULINE’ BEVERAGE. 

[biggest-gaudiest-poltergeist]

EVEN BETTER, FEMALE BREWSTERS WERE THE ORIGINAL WICKED OLD WITCH. THE TROPES WE COMMONLY ASSOCIATE WITH STEREOTYPICAL WITCHES ARE ACTUALLY BASED ON THE TRADITIONAL BREWSTER. CAULDRONS & HOT STEAMING POTIONS = BEER BREWING. THE WITCH’S HAT: BELIEVE IT OR NOT POINTY HATS WERE ACTUALLY WORN BY BREWSTERS WHEN SELLING THEIR PRODUCT AT MARKETS: THE ENORMOUS HEADGEAR HELPED THEM STAND OUT, AND CLEARLY TOLD EVERYONE ‘YO MOTHERFUCKA GET YOUR BEER HERE’. 

CATS AS FAMILIARS: CATS WERE COMMONLY USED TO PREVENT RODENTS FROM GETTING INTO THE WHEAT. EVEN THE BROOMSTICK IS RELATED TO BEER: A BUNDLE OF TWIGS RESEMBLING A BROOM WAS USED AS AD FOR ALEHOUSES

so basically, beer is the ultimate woman’s and witch’s drink

[biggest-gaudiest-poltergeist]

REBLOG ME

[biggest-gaudiest-poltergeist]

fuck u guys, i didn’t spend 20 min fact checking for 3 notes

[biggest-gaudiest-poltergeist]

ok right links fine

i was probably drunk when i wrote this. best i can remember:

http://brewhoppin.com/2015/10/the-truth-of-women-and-beer-witches/

http://ifmycoastercouldtalk.bangordailynews.com/2015/10/29/events/of-witchcraft-brewsters-and-beer/

http://www.alltheswirl.com/blog/5ayax6j7b7nje35lr4lk48fj3cwlz3

https://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2013/11/women-and-beer-a-4-500-year-history-is-coming-full-circle/281338/

[biggest-gaudiest-poltergeist]

all these whiny bastards complaining about my taste in caps lock. I rewrote it for you:

*Sighs heavily and re-cracks knuckles*

Beer is traditionally a woman’s drink, it is the most female of all of The Drinks. For thousands of years, beer was made at home by women, to be consumed by women and children—it was actually a source of nutrients for many households. Women created the craft of beer, and for most of human history that is who you’d buy it from: many women made additional income by brewing and selling beer from home. It wasn’t until the era of industrialization that beer began to be brewed in factories. And once beer was being brewed on a large scale, it made sense to start marketing it to all the male factory workers who suddenly had extra income. Hence an aggressive marketing campaign to re-brand beer, a drink intrinsically tied with women’s history, as a ‘masculine’ beverage.

[biggest-gaudiest-poltergeist]

final bit:

Even better, female brewters were the original wicked old witch. The tropes we commonly associate with stereotypical witches are actually based on the traditional brewster. Cauldrons & hot steaming potions = beer brewing. The witch’s hat: believe it or not pointy hats were actually worn by brewsters when selling their product at markets: the enormous headgear helped them stand out, and clearly told everyone ‘yo motherfucka get your beer here’.

Cats as familiars: cats were commonly used to prevent rodents from getting into the wheat. Even the broomstick is related to beer: a bundle of twigs resembling a broom was used as advertising for alehouses.

so yeah, beer = witch’s brew. other things to check out:

Fermented low-alcohol beverages being the prime source of safe drinking water, for the whole family, for much of human history.

Beer, women, and the invention of the drinking straw (trivia, the oldest known straw is Sumerian, 5000 years old, made of gold and lapis lazuli. )

Monks horning in on the female-dominated brewing economy, the medieval church persecuting female brewsters

Monks adding hops (and making beer gross) in order to lower their libido (and to avoid the temptation of gay sex)

Dionysus, god of winemaking, and his raving, drunken madwomen followers, the Maenads. 

Or any of a long list of goddesses associated w/ beer. Tenenet, the ancient egyptian  goddess of childbearing & beer brewing. The earliest beer recipe, found in a 3900 year old poem honoring Ninkasi, patron goddess of brewing

And that’s all for now folks. Happy drinking’

[biggest-gaudiest-poltergeist]

no one ever reblogs this version and i wish they would

[andrastesass]

fictional kiss things that end me

being unable to open their eyes for a few moments afterward

one small kiss, pulling away for an instant, then devouring each other

pressing their foreheads together while kissing

speaking normally, then after the kiss their voice is hoarse

guys furrowing their brow when kissing passionately

staring at the other’s lips, trying not to kiss them, before giving in

running their thumb over the other’s lips

when they lean forward a fraction as if to kiss the other person, then realize they shouldn’t and pull back to stop themselves

ripping the other away - “no we shouldn’t” - but when they kiss them again they moan and hold them close

one sliding their hand into the other’s hair slowly

their entire body freezing for a second when their love kisses them

accidentally being forced inches apart from each other, staring at each other’s lips, and just before they kiss someone pulls them back apart

when one stops the kiss to whisper “I’m sorry, are you sure you-” and they answer by kissing them more

a hoarse whisper “kiss me”

then licks their lips and says “please”

[metachimera-deactivated20170726]

Also:

following the kiss with a series of kisses up to suckle an earlobe

following the kiss with a series of kisses down the neck

lightly running the very tip of the tongue around the outline of the lips with darting touches before actually kissing

raking a hand through the hair and getting a good handful to pull the other person closer (before or during the kiss)

starting with a kiss meant to be gentle, ending up in devout passion

softly moaning into the kiss

smiling just before or during the kiss

kissing tears away

kissing at laughlines/crow’s feet/frownlines

kissing pouty lips

lightly running fingers up along the neck while kissing

bringing up the hands to cup the other person’s face while kissing

slowly letting their fingers twine together while kissing softly

a huge smile on face(s) when the kiss ends

a gentle “i love you” whispered after a soft kiss, followed immediately by a stronger kiss

…. I like fictional kisses, mk?

[goodguydotmp3]

also: •jawline kisses •Eskimo kisses •when someone kisses the other person’s hand(s) •shoulder kisses •cheek kisses •when one person’s face is scrunched up, and the other one kisses their lips/nose/forehead •that thing where someone turns into an unexpected kiss, like there were turning around and the other person was just super close •accidental kisses that turn into a giggling fit •kissing eyelids to show reverence •top of head kisses •when one person says “move away if you don’t want this” and the other person moves in for the kiss •height difference kisses where one person has to bend do wn and the other is on their tippy toes •kisses where one person is sitting in the other’s lap •awkward fumbling kisses where their both so excited that it’s sloppy and teeth clash •kisses where a person punctuates every word with a chaste kiss •kisses meant to distract the other person from whatever they were intently doing •KISSES

[nonbinarypastels]

anyway most writing advice is frequently contradictory to other writing advice you might receive from people who have just as much/more writing ~expertise~ and a lot of writing advice is just flat-out terrible even if it’s coming from an ~expert~ so if you’re a writer consider this post a reminder that

writing advice that comes up on your dash should be looked at as tips you can choose to follow or discard as it suits you, not hardline rules you MUST abide by or else you’re a ‘bad writer’

you’re allowed to look at a piece of writing advice and say, “wow, that’s a shit idea and i don’t want write like that” and forget about it – even if the post has thousands of notes full of other people agreeing with it

there is no One True Right Way to write, your writing does not have to be just like everyone else’s – if all stories were written the same way and with the same style, reading would be a much more boring thing to do

if you try to write in a way that pleases everyone, you will fail because pleasing everyone is not possible – your own satisfaction with your work, your own desire to write a story, and your own enjoyment of writing are more important than that

[vetyr]

how do you make ur art look like its glowing?? it's gorgeous!!

I’ll give you a weird secret.  After you put the glowing object on a dark background, surround the white parts with a halo of highly saturated color.  Observe:

It doesn’t have to be that blatant- smaller outlines of color, blended properly with the background, can make an equally effective glow-y look :)

[steven-universe-official-deacti]

Some idiot: I don’t support gender roles

Male character: *does something remotely feminine*

Some idiot: LOOK AT MY TRANS BABY

[kangs-n-sheyut-deactivated20170]

Same idiot: Stop labeling mental disorders, that’s ableist uwu

Some character: *Is somewhat awkward in social situations*

Same idiot: AUTISM, MY NEURODIVERGENT HONEYPOP

[joey-wheeler-official]

same idiot: we need more mentally ill characters

character: shows symptoms of mental illness

same idiot: this character is so abusive and problematic

[97luftballons-deactivated201712]

Same idiot: platonic relationships are really important, don’t forget those

Some character: *is friends with another character of the same sex*

Same idiot: LOOK AT THESE GAY BBS IT’S CANON THEY’RE GAY AAAAAH

[hotpocket-fucker]

If this ain’t the fucking truth…

[thewritingrealm]

If you're reading this...

go write three sentences on your current writing project.

[ezzydean]

# my favourite part about this post # is that nowhere does it say to reblog this # but we’re all reblogging it # because if we have to suffer # so do other writers

[bitegore]

F u c k

[hilunawrites]

Because of this I stopped procrastinating and got 1000 words out on my WIP!!

[mharti-mcfly]

[cleo4u2]

THIS. I saw a post the other day that literally said if you do it to a fictional character, you’ll do it in real life.

No. Just NO.

I’m so glad someone put it into words.

[decepticonsensual]

Lin-Manuel Miranda is a legend, and he’s absolutely right.

And I really feel like there are parts of fandom that don’t get or don’t believe this, and I think that’s troubling.  I’ve seen arguments that people shouldn’t have dark fantasies, or that bad impulses in themselves make a bad person.  I’ve seen so much shaming over thoughts.

And if you get to a point where it’s bad to have dark thoughts and it’s bad to wonder what something would be like and it’s bad to put yourself in the shoes of anyone who isn’t “pure”, if fiction is no longer a realm where you can confront and explore, but an ongoing test of moral purity… well, maybe not everyone’s brain works like mine, but I feel like that takes away something incredibly important to being human.

[athenagray]

Purity culture is gonna kill art if y’all let it.

[sakucorella]

👏👏👏👏

[biggest-gaudiest-poltergeist]

so in horror movies where flat tires stop people from running away…you can still drive with flat tires. it damages the tires and the wheels, and it’s not safe at high speeds, but you can still drive away from a raving serial killer. pro tip next time a knife wielding lunatic comes at you get in the car, you’ll be fine

[pwapboi-deactivated20200412]

well this would have been useful last night

[aro-ace-fangirl]

See this is where people make the mistake. If the knife maniac is running straight at your car, SLAM it into reverse. You probably won’t kill them but you might cause some damage. Then drive. They’ll be stopped and you can get away, and maybe they’ll even be at the same spot to call the cops (and maybe the ambulance) on

[biggest-gaudiest-poltergeist]

what a top notch addition to an already excellent post

[anikisam-deactivated20220728]

are we going to ignore the guy who apparently had an encounter with a serial killer last night

[biggest-gaudiest-poltergeist]

they lived to post about it, it’s fine

[inky-duchess]

Fantasy Wardrobe: Fabrics

We often call clothes silk when they are satin, velvet where they are velveteen or we have no clue what we’re on about. So today let’s look at fabrics.

Laying down the law

Many renaissance/mediaeval societies governed over who could wear what. By adding these laws you had a layer of depth to your world.

Women and men could only be dressed n clothes benefiting their position

Female servants or their daughters could not wear veils costing more than twelve pence

Knightly families could not wear cloth of gold or sable fur or velvets

The wife or daughter of a labourer were not to wear clothes beyond a certain price or a girdle garnished with silver

Cloth of gold and purple silk only worn by the royal family. This goes for ermine.

The importation of silk and lace foreigners was prohibited when the kingdom produced those textiles.

Peasant Clothing (Beggars to Merchant classes)

Wool: This was the staple of much of the clothes owned by peasants. It was in supply and it wasn’t as costly as most fabrics when undyed. It was also warm.

Linen: Forget about softness. Peasant linen was made of coarser weaves and flax. It was heavier than noble linen.

Cotton: A lightweight fabric used in hotter climates. It was softer than the linen and airier.

Fustian: heavy cloth woven from cotton, for menswear.

Leather: Leather was used for boots and shoes rather than killer jackets.

Nobility & Royalty

Cloth of Gold: Cloth made from woven threads of gold (very expensive)

Cloth of silver: cloth made from woven silver strands (very expensive)

Samite: a rich silk fabric woven with gold and silver threads

Tulle: A netting sort of material

Brocade: rich silk fabric with raised patterns sewn on it.

Cambresine: fine, lightweight linen

Cambric: thin white cotton or linen

Cypress: gauze made of cotton or silk

Damask: like brocade but the patterns are flat

Delaine : light wool/mixed wool and cotton

Lawn: sheer plain-woven cotton or linen

Sarsenet: fine and soft silk

Sateen: glossy cotton or wool

Satin: closely woven silk, shiny

Taffeta: Thickly woven silk

Velvet : piled fabric of silk, cotton or synthetic material

Velvetine: cotton with silk pile

Saxony: fine, delicate woollen fabric

Alençon Lace: intricate floral lace with three-dimensional corded detail sewn onto a fine tulle backing

Chantilly Lace: lightest of lace

Charmeuse: smooth, flowing, silk, cotton,

Chiffon: sheer and lightweight fabric

Crepe de Chine: thicker, lightly textured silk

Dupioni: crisp lusturous silk

Organza: sheer and lightweight fabric of very fine weave silk

Georgette: sheer fabric of silk

Guipure Lace: heavier lace

Designs

Embroidery: Patterns sewn on the fabric by thread

Appliqué: decorative fabric, often lace or floral motifs, sewn onto the main material

Embellishment: details such as beads, crystals, sequins, pearls

Trim: a line of material or fur that finishes off a hem or cuff.

Piping: a cord lining the fabric creating a ribbed look.

Colours

Here are the colours that you will catch your people wearing. Keep in mind that dyes had to be sourced and could be very expensive.

Peasant: brown, red or gray.

Nobility: Gold, silver, crimson or scarlet, deep indigo blue, violet colors and even deep black and pure white colors

Royalty: Purple

Furs

Mink: Soft and lightweight, silkly and glossy furs

Fox: Long, lustrous, colourful and easy to dye.

Ermine: White fur streaked with black (ONLY FOR ROYALTY)

Sable: long, luxurious, dense but light.

Wolf: thick, tough, warm but has a bad smell

Vair: fur from a red squirrel really only used for trimming.

[dancing-thru-clouds]

You are-very wrong about some of this.

First. All linen is made of flax. That’s what it IS. Processed fibers from the stalks of flax. Linen is also incredibly soft, even at really heavy weights, because processing it into the fibers removes most of the stiffness, and spinning it takes care of the rest.

Second. Brocade is made by weaving a base weft for securing the cloth, then a supplemental warp to actually make the pattern. It’s usually not embroidered, because it’s already got an expensive pattern to it.

Third. Damask is a type of brocade, yes, but it’s double-sided brocade, whereas traditional brocade only has the pattern on one side. Still no real textural differences because, see above, the patterns are woven in.

Fourth. White fabric is SUPER GODDAMN COMMON when you have a lot of white wool. Peasants wear a lot of undyed wool, and are not nearly as unwashed as you think. Undyed linen is a nice pale tan though, I’ll give you that.

Fifth. Ermine is, actually, a specific animal. It’s the winter coat of a stoat, a little weasel. Very cute critters.

Sixth. As someone with several wolf pelts, mine actually have less of a smell than any of the sheepskins I’ve been around.

[sca-nerd]

ALSO.

Seventh. Cotton referred to a weave or surface of cloth, and not its fiber in early accounts. The cotton plant, itself, does not grow well in cooler climates and so wasn’t commonly use or available in Northern Europe until about the 17th century, at which time it was normally blended with linen when used in garment fabrics. Eighth. The idea that peasants were restricted to browns, reds, and grays as dye is incorrect. Muted colors were deemed more appropriate for peasants (to reflect the humbleness God had chosen for them and to avoid the mortal sin of pride), and included faded, pale shades of a number of colors if you could source it. Blue was actually a perfectly acceptable color for several classes because of its religious associations.

[petermorwood]

The search term for regulations like this is “Sumptuary Law” - a law or laws governing consumption of food, drink and goods.

It wasn’t just to keep people in their social place, but frequently to help local industry - wearing woollen clothes made here, not cotton clothes imported from there, drinking Scotch whisky not French brandy, and so on.

Hemp produced a fabric which was made in the same way as linen (retting etc. - look it up). I have a couple of hemp shirts by Patagonia; they’re coarser than the fine Irish damask linenware I inherited from my Mum, but are by no means crude peasant garments.

This is hemp.

So is this.

Linen can be made with a weave so tight that, once the fibres expand from their initial soaking, it will hold water (as proved with the fine Irish damask linenware mentioned above) while other weaves are so light they’re translucent.

Check out the way it’s represented in Ancient Egyptian art..

…or indeed a good-quality Irish linen handkerchief.

This is linen.

So is this.

That’s linen damask, like the tablecloths and pillowcases left me by Mum. Its 1950s laundry instructions are “boil wash, then hot iron while damp”. This was when “boil wash” meant just that, not merely the hottest setting on the machine. Linen is sturdy stuff, and so is hemp.

Once woven it was bleached in the sun and with enough good weather would end up white; this bleaching-green was near where I grew up, AFAIK still in use in the 1950s. There’s even more linen laid out off in the distance. @dduane says the strips could be mistaken for poly-tunnels.

Because the linen was laid out in the open for several days at a time, it needed a watchman to keep animals away and prevent theft, and a place for him to stay, rather like this:

“Linens” (plural) meant under-garments. Besides next-the-skin underwear as we know it now - drawers, braies, shifts, chemises - shirts and blouses also qualified as “linens”. Washing simply made and hard-wearing “linens” was easier than doing it to heavier, more elaborate outerwear which needed disassembled - sleeves, braid, lace, buttons and all - before washing could begin.

Blue was a common colour - it came from woad and had been used for thousands of years.

“The Complete Book of Herbs” by Lesley Bremness is a useful book from our reference shelves, and has a chart of 50 dye-herbs, their basic colours, and how those colours could vary, depending on what mordant was used to fix the colour in the fabric and even on what fabric was being dyed.

Just two examples show these changes: woollen cloth dyed with heather tips and alum came out yellow, but young heather branches, alum and a pinch of iron filings produced green. Onion skins and alum gave orange wool, onion skins and copper filings in white vinegar gave brassy yellow wool and tan silk.

Here’s an example of three dye-plants each used with three different mordants.

Alum is the most common mordant in the chart, and explains why the Medici control of newly-discovered alum deposits in Italy made them so rich. Before then Europe’s alum had to be bought, reluctantly and with much grinding of teeth, from the Ottoman Turks.

Here are a couple of samplers showing colours from natural dyes:

All these colours were more muted than modern chemical dyes, but not that much more, though they faded faster. Wealthy people who could afford stronger dyes and frequent re-dying would have been more intensely colourful than pastel-hued lower orders, not forgetting the sumptuary laws - remember them? - meant to keep them from looking like their betters. A peasant or yeoman who could get away with bright colours might have other bright ideas too…

However, while History might not have been as vivid as marginalia and full-page Book of Hours illuminations suggests (inks and paints aren’t out in the daylight)…

…it certainly wasn’t as monochromatically muddy as Hollywood would have you believe.

That trend started AFAIK with “Monty Python and the Holy Grail”, and was happily embraced because “everyone knows” historical people were dirty - also stupid, superstitious, deceitful and cruel.

You know, the way modern people aren’t.

Don’t forget the business of coconut shells, either.

(Which was IRL a bit more subtle than just banging them together. I saw a brief filler documentary long ago showing how the coconut-shells were in fact thumped against trays filled with - or actual slabs of - appropriate surface: gravel, cobbles, grass, sand and so on. But that’s another post.)

[awaywardmind]

new genre concept: soft apocalypse

the world as we know it has ended and mother nature starts taking back what’s hers. there are no zombies or cannibals or murderous bandits. the most valued members of the community are those who know how to garden and farm, sew and weave, treat wounds, work wood or build with bricks, cook from scratch. 

people bond together to begin rebuilding instead of killing each other. everyone teaches each other whatever they do know and works together to figure out the stuff none of them know. books become incredibly valued resources because they’re often the only way to learn critical information. if someone is elderly, disabled, or otherwise unable to work at the same level as most of the community, they’re taken care of by the others, not told any sort of “survival of the fittest” bs.

as the generations ware on, communities begin expanding into small cities. some of the settlements even find ways to repurpose solar or wind power on a small scale and have electricity in some of their buildings. storytellers wander the countryside telling tales of the old world in return for some hot stew or a place to rest for the night, and the mythos of the new world start to incorporate elements of the past. the only thing that remains constant is that humans survive, and they do it by working together.

[aughtpunk]

MAY I INTRODUCE YOU TO YOKOHAMA KAIDASHI KIKOU

A CHILL AF MANGA ABOUT A ROBOT LADY RUNNING A COFFEE SHOP DURING THE DECLINE OF HUMANITY WHERE EVERYONE IS SUPER NICE AND HAPPY AND IT’S JUST REALLY LOVELY

IT IS LEGIT ONE OF MY FAVORITE SCI-FI WORKS AND A HUGE INSPIRATION FOR MY WRITING

IF YOU LIKE A QUIET END OF THE WORLD PLEASE CHECK IT OUT BLESS

[xxtc-96xx]

a non dystopian future would be a nice change of pace for once XD

[running-with-toast]

guys this is one of my favorite manga of all time, also a major inspiration for me in terms of tone and themes, please read it you will love it also it is gay

[cartoonbrew]

Toonz Software Used by Studio Ghibli and 'Futurama' Being Made Free and Open Source

Studio Ghibli’s animation software will be made available via open source this month. 

That’s right…💯% free.

Read more on CartoonBrew.com

[kithandqin-deactivated20220918]

This is a BIG DEAL, folks.

Animation software is, by and large, very expensive and out of the range of most people seeking to get into animation.  As of March 26th, this software will become open source and available to all prospective animators!

Spread the word!

[amuseoffirebane]

Here’s a direct link to the Toonz website.

[justanotherrpmeme]

Send my muse some flowers and they'll react to their meaning

Begonia — “We are being watched.” Blue Flax — “You are very kind.” Blue Hyacinth — “I will give my life to your service.” Bronze Chrysanthemum — “Though I value your friendship, I cannot love you.” Daffodil — “I do not return your affections.” Deadly Nightshade — “I believe you to be false.” Foxglove — “You are not really in love.” French Marigold — “You are unreasonably jealous.” Hawthorn — “Despite your answer, I shall strive to win your love.” Iris — "Your friendship means so much to me” Lavender — “I like you very much, but this, I am sure, is not love.” Mistleoe — “Kiss me” Myrtle — “Be my sweetheart.” Ox-eye Daisy — “I might learn to love you.” Pink Carnation — “I’ll never forget you.” Purple Hyacinth — “I am sorry, please forgive me.” Red Rose — “I love you” Scarlet Geranium — "I do not trust you.” Spider Flower — “Elope with me.” Sweet Pea — "Thank you for a lovely time.” Tea Rose — "I’ll remember, always.” Viscaria — “Will you dance with me?” White Camellia — "You’re adorable.” White Rose — "I love you not.” Yellow Rose — "I love another.”

[softcoreish-deactivated20240717]

Obsessed with this way of drawing roses.

[wordsnstuff]

Resources For Describing Emotion

Emotions

Without Making Your Character Feel Too Self Aware

Showing Emotion Without Telling About It

Emotions Associated With Body Language

Telling Readers What The Character Doesn’t Want To Show

Hiding Emotions

Expressing Cardinal Emotions: Masculine vs. Feminine

Writing Extreme Emotion Without Melodrama

Specific Emotions

Conveying Shock

Conveying Embarrassment

Conveying Disappointment

Conveying Love/Attraction

Conveying Annoyance

Conveying Relief

Conveying Uncertainty

Conveying Impatience

Conveying Shame

Conveying Resentment

Conveying Panic

Conveying Guilt

Conveying Desperation

Conveying Sarcasm & Verbal Disrespect

Conveying Confusion

Conveying Stubbornness

Conveying Frustration

Conveying Indifference

Conveying Indignation

Conveying Confidence & Pride

Conveying Smugness

Conveying Enthusiasm

Conveying Curiosity

Conveying Hopefulness

Conveying Unease

Conveying Reluctance

Conveying Worry

Conveying Humility & Meekness

Conveying Happiness & Joy

Conveying Amusement

Conveying Disgust

Conveying Resignation

Conveying Jealousy

Conveying Anticipation

Conveying Contentment

Conveying Defeat

Conveying Excitement

Conveying Fear

Conveying Hatred

Conveying Hurt

Conveying Being Overwhelmed

Conveying Sadness & Grief

Conveying Satisfaction

Conveying Somberness

Conveying Sympathy & Empathy

Conveying Wariness

Conveying Defensiveness

Conveying Desire

Conveying Doubt

Conveying Energy

Conveying Exhaustion

Conveying Hunger

Conveying Loneliness

Conveying Physical Pain

Emotional Wounds

A Role Model Who Disappoints

A Sibling’s Betrayal

A Speech Impediment

Becoming a Caregiver at an Early Age

Being Bullied

Being Fired or Laid Off

Being Held Captive

Being Mugged

Being Publicly Humiliated

Being Raised by Neglectful Parents

Being Raised by Overprotective Parents

Being So Beautiful It’s All People See

Being the Victim of a Vicious Rumor

Being Stalked

Being Trapped in a Collapsed Building

Being Unfairly Blamed For The Death of Another

Childhood Sexual Abuse (by a family member or known person)

Discovering One’s Parent is a Monster

Discovering One’s Sibling was Abused

Experiencing a Miscarriage or Stillbirth

Failing At School

Failing To Do The Right Thing

Financial Ruin Due To A Spouse’s Irresponsibility

Finding Out One’s Child Was Abused

Finding Out One Was Adopted

Getting Lost In a Natural Environment

Growing Up In A Cult

Growing Up in a Dangerous Neighborhood

Growing Up In Foster Care

Growing Up In The Public Eye

Growing Up In The Shadow of a Successful Sibling

Growing Up with a Sibling Who Has a Chronic Disability or Illness

Having Parents Who Favored One Child Over Another

Having To Kill Another Person To Survive

Infertility

Infidelity (emotional or physical)

Losing a Limb

Losing a Loved One To A Random Act of Violence

Making a Very Public Mistake

Overly Critical or Strict Parents

Physical Disfigurement

Rejection By One’s Peers

Telling The Truth But Not Being Believed

The Death of a Child On One’s Watch

Victimization via Identity Theft

Watching A Loved One Die

Wrongful Imprisonment

Spending Time In Jail

Suffering From a Learning Disability

Motivation

Achieving Spiritual Enlightenment

Avoiding Certain Death

Avoiding Financial Ruin

Beating a Diagnosis or Condition

Being Acknowledged and Appreciated by Family

Being a Leader of Others

Being the Best At Something

Caring for an Aging Parent

Carrying on a Legacy

Catching The Bad Guy or Girl

Coming To Grips With Mental Illness

Discovering One’s True Self

Escaping a Dangerous Life one Doesn’t Want

Escaping a Killer

Escaping a Widespread Disaster

Escaping Confinement

Escaping Homelessness

Escaping Invaders

Finding Friendship or Companionship

Finding a Lifelong Partner

Having a Child

Helping a Loved One See They Are Hurting Themselves and Others

Obtaining Shelter From The Elements

Overcoming Abuse and Learning To Trust

Overcoming Addiction

Protecting One’s Home or Property

Pursuing Justice For Oneself or Others

Realizing a Dream

Reconciling with an Estranged Family Member

Rescuing a Loved One From a Captor

Restoring A Name or Reputation

Righting a Deep Wrong

Seeking Out One’s Biological Roots

Stopping an Event From Happening

Trying Again When One Has Previously Failed

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WRITING HELP/CHARACTER

writing a bitchy character (1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10)

writing a cocky character (1,2,3,4)

writing a emotion character (1,2)

How to play a hippie

Playing the quiet character.

Portraying the shopaholic.

Portraying a mute character.

Portraying a kleptomaniac.

How to play the stalker.

Writing distant, indifferent characters.

How to write a character who stutters.

Writing a character who is sassy.

A guide to playing a southern character.

Portraying characters with crushes.

How to portray a teen mom.

How to play a character who is mean.

How to portray a character high on cocaine.

Writing a character who is high on amphetamines.

Playing an efficient male character.

Portraying the asshole.

Playing a character who suffers from shyness.

How to play a mentally ill/insane character.

Writing a character who self-harms.

Writing a happy character.

Writing a character who suffers from night terrors.

Writing a character with paranoid personality disorder.

How to play a victim of rape.

How to RP a blind character.

Writing a leader.

Writing a character with Dissociative Identity Disorder.

Writing a character with depression.

Writing a character who is homosexual.

Writing a character with schizophrenia.

Playing a fe/male character.

Writing a character with Nymphomania.

How to write a worry wart.

How to write a character with HPD.

How to write a bad ass character.

Playing a pansexual.

Tips on writing a drug addict.

Tips on writing the pregnant female.

Writing insane characters.

Playing a character under the influence of marijuana.

Portraying a character with diabetes.

How to play a prankster.

Playing a character who has been adopted.

Portraying a vampire.

Playing a character with an eating disorder.

Portraying a character who is anti-social.

Portraying a character who is depressed.

How to portray someone with dyslexia.

How to portray a character with bipolar disorder.

Portraying a character with severe depression.

How to play a serial killer.

Writing a tomboy.

Playing a pyromaniac.

How to write a mute character.

How to write a character with an OCD.

How to play a stoner.

How to write an asexual character.

How to play a bitchy/vicious character.

How to play a character with HPD.

Playing a pregnant woman.

Playing the burn-out.

Writing a “nice” character.

How to play a gentleman.

How to play a shy/introvert character.

How to play a naive character.

Playing characters with memory loss.

How to write a character who smokes.

How to write pirates.

How to write characters with PTSD.

How to play a character who isn’t ready for sex.

How to play the geek.

Playing the manipulative character.

Portraying a character with borderline personality disorder.

Playing a character with Orthorexia Nervosa.

Writing a character who lost someone important.

Playing the bullies.

Portraying the drug dealer.

Playing a rebellious character.

How to portray a sociopath.

How to play a swimmer.

Portraying a ballerina.

Playing a promiscuous male.

Playing a character with cancer.

How to portray a bubbly character.

How to portray a power driven character.

How to portray the shy character.

Playing a character under the influence of drugs.

Playing a character who struggles with Bulimia.

Portraying a hippie.

Portraying sexually/emotionally abused characters.

Playing a character with asthma.

Portraying characters who have secrets.

Portraying a recovering alcoholic.

Portraying a sex addict.

How to play someone creepy.

Portraying a foreigner.

Portraying an emotionally detached character.

How to play a character with social anxiety.

Portraying a character who is high.

How to play a strong, female character.

Writing a character with a hangover.

Playing angry characters.

Playing a character who is smarter than you.

Playing and writing autistic characters.

Portraying a trans character.

How to portray a dominant character.

Playing a character who is faking a disorder.

Playing a prisoner.

Playing the opposite sex.

Portraying a character who has PTSD.

Playing a character who stutters.

How to play a depressed character who self-harms.

Portraying the “dumb” character.

How to portray a lesbian.

How to play a blind character.

How to play a sexual assault victim.

Writing a compulsive gambler.

Playing a werewolf.

Writing a character who is drunk.

Playing a Brit.

Portraying a character with amnesia.

Playing heroes.

Portraying a witty character.

How to play a vampire.

How to play a character who is manipulative.

Portraying the natural born leader.

Portraying the character who is flirtatious.

Writing a nice character.

How to portray a character who has asthma.

Playing a character with ADHD.

Amnesia

Children

Losing Someone (2)

Physical Injuries (2, 3)

Sexual Abuse (2)

Fight Scenes (2, 3, 4)

Horror

Torture

How to Describe the Body Shape of Female Characters

Character Appearance Help

Words to Describe Voice

Character Development Exercises

Art of Character Development

Introducing Characters

Characters You Need to Reinvent

Making Characters Likable

Heroes and Villains

Understanding Body Language

Mental Illness in Writing

Conflicts and Characters

How about some writing resources for those post-NaNoWriMo blues?