Spoiled Robots

This is my sketch and photo blog, where I mainly post drabbles and comics.

[the-starhorse]

On hiatus for a little while. Thanks to the people who told me about Washboard. I’ll look into that when I get back. 

[the-starhorse]

Some Fireflight shots.

[the-starhorse]

My entire life philosophy described in eight seconds.

[the-starhorse]

Hi, I'm a big fan ,I was just wandering if you new where protoforms came from because from what I know they are just there 😐

Hi back, and thanks. :) I don’t think there’s ever been an explanation for the origin of protoforms. I think the first time we saw them was in Beast Wars, but I think they were more like stasis pods in that version. Maybe you could check TFWiki?

[the-starhorse]

The wild Prowl's paint scheme provides perfect camouflage while stalking his natural prey.

[the-starhorse]

How many fem bot toys do you have? Cuz nowadays they seem like an endangered species

I’m not sure why you feel that they’re an endangered species, since Hasbro seems to be making more now than ever. As for me, I only have TFP Arcee, because I thought she was a cool figure, and Sumalee Montano did a good job of making me like her on the show. That having been said, I do not like “femme” Transformers, and haven’t liked them since I was a kid watching the first show. I don’t like gender in Transfomers at all, mainly because it doesn’t make sense for robots to have sex. About the only time genders made sense to me was Beast Wars, because they were part organic. I loved Blackarachnia and Silverbolt. That was great writing, and they were two of my favorites on the show. But the concept of “femmes” in regular Transformers is something I will never like.

[the-starhorse]

I just got this cool tfa samurai prowl toy he comes with armour and a tyre sword thing and it transforms into a sidecar ,he's even got light piping! You should get one so classics prowl can blow a fuse

Samurai Prowl is indeed cool. One of these days I'll pick one up. :)

[the-starhorse]

May i ask what do you use to link your comics together? I wanted to make some comics but i'm only done with the photos by now. I need some suggestions, and thanks for taking your time reading. :)

Hi there. :) On Tumblr, I use the Photogene app to put in speech bubbles, then upload my comics in the right (usually!) order here as a Tumblr photo set. That way I can do everything on my iPad or iPhone. I assume that you’re referring to my comics on deviantart though, and for those, I use Photoshop to string the photos together and add speech bubbles. Here’s the basic overview of what I do:

1. Start with the first photo of the comic. I put it on its own layer, and make the background black. The black background creates the black “lines” between the comic panels.

2. Resize the canvas to be really long. I start with 100 inches, but that’s just a starting point, and people use different measurement types, so do what works for you. Keep the width of the canvas the exact size of your photo however. That way, the comic strip is the right width, but you can keep adding length to your canvas to make it however long or short you want.

3. Add the rest of your photos, each one on its own layer. When you’re done, select all in the layers pallet, then select the move tool (white arrow, I think). Once the move tool is highlighted, you’ll see different alignment options at the top of the screen. Align all to left. That way they’ll all be aligned with each other. Then you can use the arrow keys to center everything at once.

4. Add speech bubbles. I use the marquise tool, and use Edit > Stroke to give it a black border, but you can use the shapes tool or whatever works for you. Add text.

5. When you’re done adding text, and everything is positioned how you like be sure to save a full resolution version. Once that’s done, flatten all layers, and save at 72 dpi. At this point, I make the width 650 pixels, because then it’s big enough to see, but the file is still small enough for people to load.

I hope that helped. I don’t have Photoshop in front of me, so I had to give this overview by memory. If I left anything out, or if anything is confusing, let me know. :)

[the-starhorse]

More Hipstamatic test shots. Just a typical afternoon at Starscream's juice bar. Typical, just more pink than usual.

[the-starhorse]

Testing out the new Versailles Hipstapak. I think this will work better with clouds and spring foliage, so I'll have another go on a day with better skies. I do like the dust and scratches, and it makes a blue sky all dreamy pink. So far, thumbs up on this pack.

[the-starhorse]

Honestly I think the people who take model shots of they toy robots in the middle of the street are some of the best people- it shows they actually have a life and a personality 😊

Thats so kind of you to say. Thanks. :D I get a kick out of photographing robots in public -- and some strange looks! Sometimes, half the fun is freaking people out. 

[the-starhorse]

I love prowls personality on your comics can you make so more with him pretty please?

Oh, I will never not Prowl. There will be more of him to come, I'm sure. :)

[the-starhorse]

Some Fireflight shots to brighten your day. I just imagine him up there in the clouds, snapping happily away with his camera.

[the-starhorse]

Hi, I just wanted to say thanks for making that post. I didn't know anything about that condition and I'm thankful you posted about it. Thank you.

Of course. Thank you for taking the time to read it. <3 It's so important to know how to help an animal instead of causing more harm. I almost wish schools would teach animal care, just so people could learn to see animals as living beings and not toys. There's so much I didn't know until I spent time working with animals, and learning from people much wiser than myself, and I've been shocked at how much richer my life has been for being able to understand the animals in my life. So if even one person read my post, and knows a little better how to help a fawn, it was well worth writing it. :) 

(Disclaimer: I am by no means an expert, so any time a person encounters wildlife in need, again, contact your local wildlife rescue organization for instructions on what to do.)

[cheese24k]

Baby deer cries every time it tries to be put down

[theressomethingaboutasunrise-de]

This is the opposite of a problem

[theimperfectaresetfree]

Well that’s adorable.

[kansanintransition]

"He spoil’t. We have spoil’t a wild deer."

[zohbugg]

I need like 10 minutes of this

[the-starhorse]

I almost never reblog things, but this makes me so deeply uncomfortable that I had to comment. I also don’t want to be contrary, but bear with me, because this needs to be said for the fawn's sake.

First, this fawn is very likely not crying because he’s being put down. He’s crying because he’s calling for his mom. His body language is stiff and nervous, and if I had to guess, I would say that he is not enjoying being rubbed right where a predator would sink its fangs into his belly. Wild animals are not pets, and it’s important to try to think of the situation from the animal’s perspective instead of our own. In short, this very well intentioned guy is freaking this fawn out, and the fact is that all of this handling could actually be fatal for the fawn.

Here is an article on how the shock of capture and excessive handling can kill a wild animal: https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=255884264622150&id=110956179092668

Here is another article on capture myopathy: https://wildinstincts.wordpress.com/2012/09/09/capture-myopathy/

Secondly, it’s very important not to handle a wild animal so that our human scent remains on him. The guy in this video probably doesn’t realize it, but he’s rubbing his scent all over the fawn, which will probably result in the mother rejecting him. This guy doesn’t know it, but he’s probably killing this fawn with all the petting.

Guys, wild animals are wonderful, but if we really appreciate them, we must think about things from their perspective, which means doing what they need, not what we want. This fawn needed to be moved because the workmen were cutting down a tree. I give these guys full marks for being kind enough to be concerned about the fawn’s safety, and attempt to move him. However, what they should have done was this:

1. If at all possible, leave a fawn alone. Mothers leave their fawns to hide, sometimes for long stretches of time, so if you find a fawn, do not assume he is in trouble. Leave him alone.

2. If a fawn must be moved, either call a wildlife aid organization, or if you can’t do that, at least use gloves, towels, and anything that will keep your scent off of the fawn. If you touch the fawn at all, you can gently rub him with grass and dirt after he’s moved to the new location to mask the scent.

3. Move the fawn quietly, and with as little fuss as possible. Do not pet the fawn. Do not talk to him if you can manage it. Make it a quiet, low-key transition. Gently place the fawn where his mother will be able to get to him.

4. Leave the fawn alone.

Again, I don’t mean to criticize the gentleman in the video, because he likely didn’t know any better, but the problem is that people need to know better. There are 269,000 notes on this video, which means that 269,000 people think that what they’re looking at is cute. It’s not cute. It’s a traumatized fawn who is probably dead by now, either due to shock or due to being rejected by his mother. Please, if you see a wild animal in need of help, find out how to help him correctly, or if you’re in such a remote spot that you can’t find help, at least approach the animal calmly and quietly, and cause him as little stress as possible. Wild animals are not toys. They aren’t dogs. They don’t understand what’s being done to them. They also might seem calm and complacent, but being strangely calm is a classic sign of an animal in shock.

So please, we need to consider the animal’s welfare ahead of our own fun. Remember, if you see a fawn, or a rabbit kit, or any wild animal that is clearly not injured, just leave it alone. For injuries, contact your local wildlife rescue organization. Thanks for reading.

[the-starhorse]

Charlie finds Starscream. Because someone had to.

[the-starhorse]

sinceredir requested more Skydive, so here are a few shots from today. :)