Compiled some basic information I know about drawing fat characters for beginners since I've been seeing more talk about absence of really basic traits in a lot of art lately.
Morpho Fat and Skin Folds on Archive.org (for free!)
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 🌈
In 2002, the photographer Howard Schatz published a photo collection called "Athlete" featuring pictures of, well, various top athletes from every sport and genre. These are some of the women he photographed, and the thing I want you to do in your head is compare the variety of humans that you're seeing here to the variety of humans you see in the cast list of your favourite video games.
These women are all in peak human condition for their fields - if you wanted to design a character who is tough and strong, these are the kinds of bodies you should look to for reference on what that looks like. You tell me how many video games or comics or movies or anime create their characters with even this limited variety in shape and size.
Of course, realism is not the end-all and be-all, fantasy characters don't need to be realistic, but if you are given the chance to make a character look like literally anything and justify it by "magic," and the only thing you do is reproduce the same 3 or 4 generically hot women over and over again, you are doing character design very poorly, in my opinion.
If you can find any of the fonts used in this hundred-year-old Cincinnati butcher supply catalog I would be extremely grateful
The logos in the first two images are hand-drawn.
"Catalog No. 31" in the first image, and "Boss Back Fat Skinner" in the second-last image, are in Lining Gothic No. 5 (1885) [Daylight Fonts · Fonts In Use]:
"Manufacturers and Outfitters" is in Standard Gothic (circa 1905) [Fonts In Use]:
"Refrigerators and Fixtures" and "Machines and Applainces" are in Gothic Condensed No. 129 (1897 or earlier) [Fonts In Use]:
Gothic Condensed No. 129 was apparently later renamed "Gothic Condensed No. 529" (which is the name Fonts In Use calls it). Similarly, Lining Gothic No. 5 was later renamed "Lining Gothic No. 45" and then "Lining Gothic No. 545".
"For All Purposes, Small or Large" is in Lafayette (1885) [Fonts In Use]:
"Boss Hog Scraper with Belt Polishers" is in Bradley (1895) [Daylight Fonts · Fonts In Use · Identifont]:
"Patent Applied For" on the Boss Hog Scraper page, and most of the small text on the Lard Machinery page, are in Ronaldson (1884) [Daylight Fonts · Fonts In Use · Identifont]:
The paragraph describing the Boss Hog Scraper is in Fashion (1876) [Daylight Fonts · Fonts In Use]:
"The Cincinnati Butcher's Supply Co." on the Boss Hog Scraper page is in Skeleton Antique (circa 1858) [Fonts In Use]:
Also note how in the above specimen they were transitioning from the old system of size names (pica, English, great primer, etc.) to the modern point system.
"Lard Machinery" is in Tudor Black (1878) [Daylight Fonts · Fonts In Use]:
Note the art nouveau-y M, a shape not found in more traditional blackletter fonts.
"Patent BOSS Automatic Back Fat Skinner" is in Post Condensed (1902) [Fonts In Use]:
There's also some Post Condensed in the back of the last image.
"Directions for the successful operation of the" is in De Vinne (circa 1892) [Daylight Fonts · Fonts In Use]:
There's also one sentence where De Vinne is used for emphasis inside a paragraph of Ronaldson.
Emotional Walls Your Character Has Built (And What Might Finally Break Them)
(How your character defends their soft core and what could shatter it) Because protection becomes prison real fast.
✶ Sarcasm as armor. (Break it with someone who laughs gently, not mockingly.)
✶ Hyper-independence. (Break it with someone who shows up even when they’re told not to.)
✶ Stoicism. (Break it with a safe space to fall apart.)
✶ Flirting to avoid intimacy. (Break it with real vulnerability they didn’t see coming.)
✶ Ghosting everyone. (Break it with someone who won’t take silence as an answer.)
✶ Lying for convenience. (Break it with someone who sees through them but stays anyway.)
✶ Avoiding touch. (Break it with accidental, gentle contact that feels like home.)
✶ Oversharing meaningless things to hide real depth. (Break it with someone who asks the second question.)
✶ Overworking. (Break it with forced stillness and the terrifying sound of their own thoughts.)
✶ Pretending not to care. (Break it with a loss they can’t fake their way through.)
✶ Avoiding mirrors. (Break it with a quiet compliment that hits too hard.)
✶ Turning every conversation into a joke. (Break it with someone who doesn’t laugh.)
✶ Being everyone’s helper. (Break it when someone asks what they need, and waits for an answer.)
✶ Constantly saying “I’m fine.” (Break it when they finally scream that they’re not.)
✶ Running. Always running. (Break it with someone who doesn’t chase, but doesn’t leave, either.)
✶ Intellectualizing every feeling. (Break it with raw, messy emotion they can’t logic away.)
✶ Trying to be the strong one. (Break it when someone sees the weight they’re carrying, and offers to help.)
✶ Hiding behind success. (Break it when they succeed and still feel empty.)
✶ Avoiding conflict at all costs. (Break it when silence causes more pain than the truth.)
✶ Focusing on everyone else’s healing but their own. (Break it when they hit emotional burnout.)
A list of things I have noticed in LaDs pt. 2.2 ft flowers (ft Zayne and Sylus)
Hellooo I’m here doing more flower analysis. Take all of this with a grain of salt since I’m only doing a brief study into each and I’m adding my own stuff.
Pt 1 here ft Xavier and Rafayel
Sylus
So Sylus’ flower is the Datura, also known as jimsonweeds, devils trumpet, hell’s bell’s, and moonflower. Already pretty fitting. I dunno where in lore it says this (probably in his myth or something) but it looks like this irl
Any purple or black variant makes it look different
Other than that I believe it.
Relating to the nightshade family, it is highly poisonous and has hallucinogenic properties. A quip from Wikipedia says
“Traditionally, their psychoactive administration has often been associated with witchcraft and sorcery or similar practices in many cultures, including the Western world,”
Hmmmmmmm you don’t say. This and MC being called a sorcerer in Sylus’ myth makes me further believe Infold looked at flowers then make Love and Deepspac lore.
Another from a plant care site,
“A genus of over a dozen annual and perennial species. We offer a species (Datura metel) from southwestern China with large, trumpet-like flowers that produce a sweet perfume, redolent of Honeysuckle, that's especially strong at night.”
Just thought that was interesting.
The datura is overall associated with poison, medicine, and the occult.
A post from @/kadmachameleon on Reddit said,
“Datura flowers can cause hallucinations if ingested. And them laying in a field filled with this flowers, dreaming of their love 😭 …Now, on the cultural context, I laughed SO HARD when I saw what this flower is known as in Mexico, where I am from (and I believe in some or all of Latinamerica, pls let me know if you do) and mind, I have quite a dark sense of humor, so it made me laugh but it is also very VERY sad what I am going to explain: Datura flowers are also know as "Toloache". We have a saying that goes "Te dieron Toloache" (You were given Toloache) that we use when someone is so madly crazy infatuated... obssessed in love with someone. We use that phrase to say this person has been bewitched, like they were given a powerful aphrodisiac. A love potion, that is what Toloache is for us.”
Mmm suffering
Anyways
I don’t believe that the flowers in Sylus’ myth are Datura unless they are explicitly said to be (I don’t have his myth lol)
To me they look like petunias, along with his With Him flowers.
Petunias symbolize (from flowermeaning.com)
“The petunia flower symbolizes anger and resentment especially when they are presented by someone with whom you have recently had a heated disagreement. They can also symbolize your desire to spend time with someone because you find their company soothing and peaceful. According to some sources, petunias are also a symbol of not losing hope.”
A black petunia, specifically the sophistica blackberry petunia, means (from greg.app)
“The Sophistica® Blackberry Petunia isn't just another pretty flower. Its deep purple, almost black hues, evoke a sense of mystery and sophistication. Historically, purple has been tied to royalty and wisdom, suggesting that these blooms are more than mere decorations; they're a statement of elegance and intelligence.”
To me these make a bit more sense, just a bit.
Red datura, or red angel trumpet, looks like this
I dunno that’s just me.
Ik that in his myth it’s implied that MC is actually alone and hallucinates/dreams being with Sylus so it being a field of datura makes sense. But also the hallucinations from datura are not pleasant and that’s why datura is not a popular hallucinogenic so I dunno. MC’d just wildin
Zayne
Zaynes flower is obviously the white jasmine flower.
It’s mentioned everywhere that his flower is jasmine like it’s not even funny.
He makes one in your hand in Relax Time under Gift. (Like how Master of Fate did)
Pretty sure his birthday cake had jasmine flowers
His echo bottle from Touring in Love has one (it’s the only one that specifically identifies it as a certain flower in the description) (I mean Rafayels mentions the smell of gardenias but his flower is technically the flame lily so I won’t count it) (gardenias mean purity, innocence, and gentleness and are used in wedding arrangements btw) (anyways)
(Edit: nah I just looked it up and gardenia and jasmine are very similar, they both have a strong and similar smell, both have small white flowers and gardenias are also known as Cape Jasmine. And both are used in wedding arrangements. The only real different is the region they originated from and their stems. I dunno what to do with this information but it’s interesting nonetheless)
In Dawnbreakers anecdote he has a jasmine plant and visits a jasmine field because he sees Dr. Zayne with jasmine and attributes it to MC.
Ik Master of Fate has jasmine flowers though I don’t have his memories.
I’m pretty sure in the memory Forest’s Breeze, one of Master of Fate’s 4 stars, those are jasmine flowers.
The 4 star memory End of Depths also has them.
In his Secret Times, A Long Night’s description is literally “Let us see the sun set for one last time in the jasmine fields.”
Also I think it comes up in the main story too, can’t remember where tho.
I don’t think any other LI had a flower so aptly dedicated to them.
There’s more than 200 species of jasmine.
Jasmine symbolizes peace, affection, and sensuality.
A post from @/Tsarwonderful on Reddit says
“It means loyalty, purity, chastity, charm, and sincere love. It's used to express steadfast love. The specific language can also be "You are mine". The white jasmine in particular means kindness/and sensuality.
This makes sense to me. Zayne's a classic man with classic devotion. I can also see him as one of the more possessive MCs as he's always taking care of her, making sure she's doing well or even choosing what she's wearing.”
(from flowermeaning.com)
The jasmine flower is associated with love.
Jasmine also symbolizes beauty and sensuality.
In some cultures, Jasmine represents appreciation and good luck.
When used in religious ceremonies jasmine represents purity.
Jasmine’s meanings varies depending on the culture and setting.
And I need y’all to know this, jasmine comes from the Persian yasmin or yasamin. Yasmin means “gift from God”
Ohhhhh Love and Depression, how you hurt me so
Ik for sure that jasmine is mentioned a lot in Foreseer’s memories. I just haven’t mustered up the courage to read them yet lol
Master of Fate, specifically with his combats abilities, refer to orchids (Orchid Metamorphosis) and bamboo (Bamboo Mirage), two plants regarded in Chinese culture. Master of Fate in general is Chinese culture wrapped up in one man. Talismans, jade, orchids, bamboo, and his clothes?? Yeah
I also found a post about Zayne and Osmanthus that y’all should read if ur interested
The last flower post will be about Caleb. Then I plan on making a small post about the secondary characters names or something, like Mephisto and Astra.
A list of things I have noticed in LaDs pt. 2.1 ft flowers (Xavier and Rafayel)
Ik this has been done countless times over but I wanted to put together the lads flowers together cuz it’s so interesting to read into all of them. Also I also know multiple flowers are attributed to the LI’s so bear with me
TLDR; getting into way too much detail abt flowers (thats not pertinent to the lore lmao) for fictional men in an otome game
Xavier
(I’m starting with him cuz I found the most interesting theories abt his)
His flower looks the closest to (and probably is) a Forget Me Not, meaning eternal true love, respect, remembrance, devotion/faithfulness, and royalty (King Henry IV made it his flower idk lol)
There is a European legend that states that a woman was trying to pick some flowers and fell into a river. A knight saves her but he cannot save himself so he yells “forget me not” to her as he gets swept away. The woman names the flowers Forgot Me Nots and wears them till her death.
Self sacrifice for a woman?? Hello?? Xavier????
But a post from Reddit by @/mimi_gail figured that one of Xavier’s other flowers could be a Menzies baby blue eyes, the post states
“It means woodland loving and has been derived from latin nemos and Greek PHILOS.”
(Menzies baby blue eyes on the left, forget me nots on the right)
Have u seen the memory Starry Sound where Xavier and MC are in the woods where Forget Me Nots like to grow?
Yeah
(Ik im mixing flower lore but it kinda makes sense… maybe not)
Menzies baby blue eyes are attributed to love, innocence and healing from past trauma and abuse, especially from masculine figures. I think it’s a bit of a far stretch to say Menzies are close to Xavier, even with philos from its Greek name. Philos primarily means friend and can also be lover or love. For example philosophy means love of wisdom. In the Bible it’s is mainly translated as friend. Multiple meanings. Take that as you will.
And also more lore on Forget Me Not’s from @/mimi_gail,
“DID YOU know that ANOTHER name for "forget me not" flowers is "chico XAVIER", they are known as XAVIER flowers. Do you think that's why xavier's appearance is blonde hair and blue eyes??? Because of how the flowers look???”
I looked that up and it’s actually a person, a Brazilian spiritualist who used Forget Me Not’s as a kind of medium. Interesting stuff. Probably an insane coincidence but still cool.
Another post on Reddit (@/prlmlkt) says blue flax flower is another good one stating,
“It could be the blue flax flower... It symbolizes life and death cycles, purity, perseverance, and rebirth. In some cultures, it symbolizes faith in action and loyal love.”
The blue flax flower is a resilient and hardy flower, very reminiscent of how Xavier had to be, being on Earth for so long. It also symbolizes delight and simplicity, like how I feel Xavier had fallen into a sort of quiet life before me met MC again.
Wavyleaf Sea Lavender comes up as it’s mentioned somewhere he uses it as a sleep aid (it’s canon lol) Since he loves sleep it does make sense. It symbolizes remembrance and tranquility. Google AI says it can also express “I miss you” but I dunno where it got that from. I just wanted to add this in here.
I have also seen that some people say cosmos’ are a good candidate too. I looked a bit into it and cosmos symbolize order, harmony, and peace. Blue cosmos in particular symbolize desire and inspiration like a muse. It is also the birth flower for October! I dunno if I buy into cosmos but still very interesting to learn abt
Rafayel
(I’m going to be so honest and say I know the least about Raf’s lore and overall story but I’ll try my best)
Rafayels flower is a Flame Lily, also known as the Gloriosa Lily.
A striking and vibrant red, yellow, and pink that suits Rafayel perfectly.
It symbolizes passion, love, and nobility, also harbinger of good fortune (how ironic). It is a strong cultural symbol in our world, finding ties in Africa, India and Hinduism. National flower of Zimbabwe, it likes hot and dry climates and is highly toxic to humans lol.
I always found it morbidly ironic that the god of the sea who sacrificed his people for his bride was reborn(?) with a fire evol. That and his underwater civilization was dried up into a desert, where the fame lily would love to grow.
(There’s lore in this picture I just know it but I dunno what it is yet) (just look how he’s holding his, Zayne’s, and Xavier’s flowers) (lore is there I know it)
Another flower I feel like would a good fit is a bleeding heart (cuz.. yknow)
Bleeding hearts symbolize sorrow, passionate love, and loss/abandonment. I know I’m getting very literal but you can see it right??
Another is camellia flowers. Symbolizing affection and admiration, the pink ones show longing for someone and the red ones deep desire.
I also think the many petal layers of the camellia parallels nicely to how deep and complex a character Rafayel is. He seems aloof and bratty but the deep seated fears of abandonment and rejection that keep popping up is heart wrenching. This man is so anxious for MC to remember and love him again. (;´༎ຶٹ༎ຶ`)
and very briefly ik there are theories as to some of his accessories being safely pins and bro auggghhhh that really hurts to know how much he is just barely holding on for her.
Part two of this flower analysis will be for Zayne and Sylus and the final part will be for Caleb
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.
People with low spoons, someone just recommended this cookbook to me, so I thought I’d pass it on.
I always look at cookbooks for people who have no energy/time to do elaborate meal preparations, and roll my eyes. Like, you want me to stay on my feet for long enough to prepare 15 different ingredients from scratch, and use 5 different pots and pans, when I have chronic fatigue and no dishwasher?
These people seem to get it, though. It’s very simple in places. It’s basically the cookbook for people who think, ‘I’m really bored of those same five low-spoons meals I eat, but I can’t think of anything else to cook that won’t exhaust me’. And it’s free!
by Rachel A. Rosen and Zilla Novikov || Food you can make so you don't die.
SPREAD THE WORD THIS IS FUCKING GOD TIER OH MY GOD, SOMETIMES I HAVE SPOONS SOMETIMES I DON’T BUT NO COOKBOOK OFFERS LEVELS IN THEIR RECIPES THIS ONE DOES!
Chelly Wood Kelly pattern (https://chellywood.com):
Dress composed of bodice + skirt+sleeves (different lengths). Includes tutorial
Looking for size comparisons I found that Kelly from Barbie is a 1/12 doll and patterns for this doll can be used on dolls of similar sizes, although length for skirts and dresses might vary.
Beth Alvarez (https://www.ithilear.com) Thank you very much for allowing me to post a direct link to your patterns!
Pukipuki leggings // Youtube tutorial HERE
Basic tee // Youtube tutorial HERE
Sundress // Youtube tutorial HERE
Strappy sundress // Youtube tutorial HERE
Yukata // Youtube tutorial HERE
Hooded cape
Winter boots
Bloomers
Coat
Tunic
*Please check the youtube videos for instructions on how to assemble the pieces and drop a nice comment!
Chuchu Doll HINA (@dolchu_sae on twitter, personal blog http://princesskiss.blog4.fc2.com/) has made a compilation of outfits that appear on Dollybird and they are available for printing directly on the link. I figure it would be easier if printed directly on fabric with services such as spoonflower but eitherway it provides the patterns!
THIS LINK includes:
Vest+shirt+shorts+bow
Witch cloak+witch hat
Two-tone dress
Pajama set
Coat+shirt+skirt
Yukata
Maid dress with bonnet
Dorothy dress
Chinese-style dress
Sailor uniform
Nurse (?) Outfit: Dress+overdress+hat
Irregular dress
Overall pants
Haru from https://chicchaimono.net provides the following patterns + tutorial on the blog (click on the big blue button to access them):
Hoodie
Jeans
Summer dress
Long sleeve T-shirt
Camo pants and shirt
Fluffy vest
Button-down shirt
T-shirt and pants set
Raglan shirt
Photobox @zrllosynreferences - Tumblr Blog | Tumgag
yousharknotpass
vaporwave
romaincrisis
gummygunk
kianamaiart
