Ref - Blog Posts
General Advice for Beginner Witches
A brief masterpost of some of my advice posts for beginner witches and the episodes of my podcast dealing with the same. (There is UPG here, particularly where marked, as I base a good deal of my advice on my own experience and observations of other witches.)
Hex Positive Podcast Episodes
Hex Positive, Ep. 04 - Advice for Beginner Witches (July 2020)
Hex Positive, Eps. 6-7 - Come In For A Spell 1 & 2 (Sept 2020)
Hex Positive, Ep. 12 - Witching From The Broom Closet (Jan 2021)
Hex Positive, Ep. 24 - Warding A Witchy Home (Dec 2021)
Hex Positive, Ep. 27 - When Inspo Takes A Holiday (March 2022)
General Tips & Advice
I Feel Like I Might Be A Witch...But I Don't Know
I Have Mental Health Issues - Can I Still Be A Witch?
Can I Still Be A Witch And Use Magic If I Take Medication?
How Do I Teach Myself To Believe In Magic?
How Does Magic Work? (upg ahoy)
Will I Be Possessed Or Haunted If I Try Witchcraft?
What Are Some Things I Can Do To Get Started?
How Can I Start My Practice If I Don't Have Tools Or Books?
How Do I Organize My Study Materials?
How Do I Contact A Deity?
How Do I Worship My Deity If I Can't Have An Altar?
Tips On Working With Deities And Spirits (here be upg)
My Intuitive Spark Feels Low - How Do I Get It Back?
I'm In A Slump - How Do I Get Out Of It?
I've Reached A Stopping Point - What Do I Do Next?
My Candle Is Flickering - Does It Mean Something Bad?
How Do I Make A Magic Circle For Spellcasting?
What Happens If I Get Interrupted While Casting A Spell?
Do I Need To Maintain Positive Vibes For My Spells To Work?
What Should I Do If I REALLY Want To Hex Someone?
How Do I Know / What Do I Do If I've Been Hexed?
How Do I Become More Skilled And More Powerful?
How Do I Know When I'm Ready For The Next Step In My Practice?
Additional Tips For Developing Your Practice
Witchcraft Exercise - Quantifying Your Craft
Witchcraft Exercise - Dig Through The Ditches
Witchcraft Exercise - The Book of Lessons
Witchcraft Exercise - Home Brews
Tips on How to Visualize and Construct Basic Wards
Practicing Your Warding Technique
Cleansing Before Warding / Warding A Shared Space
Refreshing / Patching Existing Wards
Non-Appropriative Herbs for Smoke-Cleansing
Smokeless Cleansing / Other Methods
Recommended Reading & Book Suggestions
by making art you are improving no matter what im so serious never stop making art ever . Never stop drawing that game you like or those ocs only you know or things you see or objects that appeal to you or stars or hearts or shapes. draw wonky hands and weird proportions . This is important btw
PSPSPSPSPSPSPS CLIP STUDIO IS ON SALE RELEASE YOUR ADOBE SHACKLES AND JOIN THE FREE MASSES OF THE RESISTANCE
My animation process (in a GIF!)
So you've learned the 12 principles of animation but don't know where to actually apply them? Fear not!! For here is my step-by-step process, very very condensed, into one singular giant GIF.
Hope it helps!
(You may need to open it in a new tab to read the text)
If you’re on the fence about getting Clip Studio Paint because of the subscription I will say that you do not need a subscription if you buy version 1.0 for PC. PC can have perpetual licenses for each version, but with the perpetual license you have to buy subsequent upgrades in order to have the newest features.
But if you have the subscription you get every update with it- and if I am going to be honest CSP’s subscription model is very much worth it because of the type of product you’re getting. I don’t believe in subscription models but I will say this one is well worth the money once you get accustomed to all of the tools at your disposal.
F*ck Adobe and all of their products. Give CSP a try- once you learn the basics you will love it (probably) 🙏
(I am not being sponsored to say this, I’m just a professional illustrator who loves the program a lot.)
Adobe Alternatives
Adding on to my previous post with a post from Cohost in the case anybody still on the Adobe train decides they want off.
hot artists don't gatekeep
I've been resource gathering for YEARS so now I am going to share my dragons hoard
Floorplanner. Design and furnish a house for you to use for having a consistent background in your comic or anything! Free, you need an account, easy to use, and you can save multiple houses.
Comparing Heights. Input the heights of characters to see what the different is between them. Great for keeping consistency. Free.
Magma. Draw online with friends in real time. Great for practice or hanging out. Free, paid plan available, account preferred.
Smithsonian Open Access. Loads of free images. Free.
SketchDaily. Lots of pose references, massive library, is set on a timer so you can practice quick figure drawing. Free.
SculptGL. A sculpting tool which I am yet to master, but you should be able to make whatever 3d object you like with it. free.
Pexels. Free stock images. And the search engine is actually pretty good at pulling up what you want.
Figurosity. Great pose references, diverse body types, lots of "how to draw" videos directly on the site, the models are 3d and you can rotate the angle, but you can't make custom poses or edit body proportions. Free, account option, paid plans available.
Line of Action. More drawing references, this one also has a focus on expressions, hands/feet, animals, landscapes. Free.
Animal Photo. You pose a 3d skull model and select an animal species, and they give you a bunch of photo references for that animal at that angle. Super handy. Free.
Height Weight Chart. You ever see an OC listed as having a certain weight but then they look Wildly different than the number suggests? Well here's a site to avoid that! It shows real people at different weights and heights to give you a better idea of what these abstract numbers all look like. Free to use.
apparently ppl don’t know about waifu2x??? despite its… concerning name it’s literally the most convenient website i’ve ever come across as an artist
it allows you to resize artwork without it becoming pixellated. this is a MASSIVE help if you, for example, make lineart too small or something. it works best with things that 1. have no textures 2. have smooth lines 3. have cel shading, but it still works really damn well for things that don’t fit that profile
here’s an example:
normal size
2x in paint
2x in waifu2x
so like, there’s that. go wild
Can you do a tutorial on drawing knight armor? Both for male and female bodies, please.
for learning to draw armor i’d use a similar approach to the one i used for drawing swords!
again, there are two main things i’d suggest focusing on:-studying the different parts of an armor and how they workand-visualizing the armor as 3d shapes
i found some sites that go over things like armor parts and their functions here and here, a lot of nice photo reference here, and a bunch of labelled diagrams on google images
i couldn’t find any clear image reference for how medieval armor is layered but you can see that in this video of a guy getting armor put on
basically though i think its a bit like this:
there is a lot of liberty you can take with the details, shapes, and proportions etc, (also remember, medieval europe isn’t the only era armor comes from!) so you can use that to communicate things like the time period and culture the armor is from, the personality of its wearer, etc.
with simplifying armor into 3d shapes i’d basically just use a regular human body as a base. having a decent grasp of anatomy really helps with this i think
there is technically little or no difference between actual male/female armor, from the way i understand things at least (armor is just armor after all), but you can take a look at this post of mine for strategies you can use to make armor look more masculine or feminine
and then of course there’s that boob plate thingthere are reasons why those don’t really work in real life but you could always pull out the artistic liberty card so
can you do a tutorial on how to draw swords? Idk if you really can but just wondering. I should probably practice drawing objects more but i always have a hard time drawing swords :\\
the two main things i’d try to focus on would be learning the general anatomy of a sword and figuring out how those parts can be simplified into 3d shapes!
by just googling the words “sword anatomy” i’ve found a couple sites that go over the different parts of a sword and their functions
(they all focus more on european swords so i’m focusing this post more on european swords as well because they’re kind of the “generic/default” type of sword. for other swords though you can probably just find the name of the type of the sword you want to draw and google about it (eg. i googled “katana parts” and found these resources.) if you want to be hardcore you can go to a library or something and read books about swords)
to sum it up though swords are basically like this:
and then the next part is just breaking things down into 3d shapes so that they’re easier to draw at different angles and stuff
(simplifying a sword into a pole or something also makes it a lot easier to pose onto a character)
there are all kinds of swords so in general i think it’s good to just keep an observant eye out for things like distinct shapes and details and stuff, and (most importantly) to actually apply and experiment with your observations in your art!
Hey i’m a fashion design student so i have tons and tons of pdfs and docs with basic sewing techniques, pattern how-tos, and resources for fabric and trims. I’ve compiled it all into a shareable folder for anyone who wants to look into sewing and making their own clothing. I’ll be adding to this folder whenever i come across new resources
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/16uhmMb8kE4P_vOSycr6XSa9zpmDijZSd?usp=sharing
Here's some notes on some of the upper body muscles so you, artist, don't need to look them up
They are not medically accurate, just enough for artists to know the necessary muscles and how they work together
I 100% recommend doing the last exercise I did to be able to actually place the muscles
It has been an unreal honor to be part of this project, you definitely will want to check it out & it is ever-evolving in real time ♥
thanks to the hard work of the volunteer transcribers, we've finished transcribing 6,000 (!) blinkies archived from old geocities websites!
we've used the transcripts to build Geoblinkies, a blinkie search engine that searches the full text & image descriptions of all 6,000 blinkies!! you can also visit the Geocities page that each blinkie was found on, and explore the old web from there :D
thank you so much to the transcribers and to GifCities & the Internet Archive (the source of all of these blinkies) for making projects like this possible!!!
Transcribers:
max | maple | soleil | bunny | teeth | cactyys | anakin | awnowimsad | robin | starrs | amy | lexi ~ astrogirl | dante | iris | stede | ravioli | p | hermon | peril | lyra | rubycubix-alt | cyrus | murr | jordy | fish | zeph
Words that are used in the trans community (please contact me if there is a mistake)
Ace bandage: very unsafe way to bind
AFAB: assigned female at birth
AMAB: assigned male at birth
Androgyny or Androgynous: 1.) a gender expression that is mix of masculinity and femininity 2.) intersex
Binding: making a chest flat
Bottom surgery: having a penis added or removed
Cisgender: a person who is not trans (can be shortened to cis)
Cisnormativity: the assumption that everyone is cisgender
Cissexism: behavior that favors cisgender people over trans people
Cross-dress: someone who wears clothes that society associates with another gender
Dysphoria: discomfort in someones gender whether it be body, mental, or social
Drag King: someone who only dresses masculinity in a theatrical setting
Drag Queen: someone who only dresses femininely in a theatrical setting
E: estrogen
Femme: someone who identifies themselves as feminine
FTM / F2M: both mean female to male
Gender Binary: 1) the idea that the only genders are male and female 2) referring to males and females
Gender Expression: The way someone presents themselves
Gender Identity: the mental identification of someones gender
Gender Normative / Gender Straight: someone whose gender identity and gender expression matches societies norms
Gender Variant: Someone that gender identity and gender expression does not match societies norms
Hermaphrodite: outdated term for intersex
Intersex: someone whose combination of chromosomes, gonads, hormones, internal sex organs, and genitals differs from the two expected patterns of male or female.
MTF/M2F: both mean male to female
Non-binary: a gender or gender that is not male or female
Packing: having something to make it so it looks like there is a penis bulge
Passing: what gender other people believe you
Preferred Pronouns: pronouns that a person tells you to uses and the only pronouns you use
Sex Reassignment Surgery (SRS): An outdated term because of the fact that there are multiple surgeries for someone to modify there body to better fit there from of gender expression not just one.
T: testosterone
Top surgery: Having breasts removed or added
Trans*: Trans people argue over what this means. The asterisk means it includes more groups then binary trans people but whether transvestites are include depends on the person. This also raises the concern that non-binary people are not truly trans if we need the asterisk to include them instead of just have trans with out the asterisk include binary and non-binary genders.
Transition: a set of changes that someone goes through to make it so better fit their gender
Transman (transguy): a afab person whose male
Transmisandry: the mistreatment of transmen
Transmisogyny: the mistreatment of transwomen
Transphobia: the mistreatment of the trans community
Trans panic (Trans panic defense): a court defense that done by saying that a person was so freaked out by the fact a person was trans that they attacked them because of it in self defense
Transwoman: a amab person whose female
Trans-exclusionary radical feminism: A feminist who believes trans people are not really there gender. Transwomen are then not included in their views of equality
Truscum: someone who believes that in order to be trans you need to have body dysphoria and sometimes do not believe in the non-binary genders
Tucking: a way to make it so there is less of a penis bulge
last edited on July, 2, 2015
angie’s super important and somewhat half-assed guide to basic BDSM knowledge
for cutesymichael, or anyone else who wants to write a BDSM relationship but is unsure of important dynamics.
BDSM is an acronym, a shortened version of BD/DS/SM. This stands for Bondage & Discipline, Domination & Submission, and Sadism & Masochism.
Here’s a really good guide to BDSM if you’re looking for a quick but in depth read. Wikipedia also has a lot of really good information on it. Video Guide
What is BDSM and Its History?
Why 50 Shades is An Inaccurate Portrayal
Safe, Sane, and Consensual
Safe Words
Terminology for Beginners
Terminology Glossary
Beginners Tips for BDSM
Why BDSM Is Not The Same As Abuse/DV
Manners & Etiquette
Limits
What is Collaring?
How To Be a Dominant
The Eight Types of Domination
How To Be a Good Submissive // and here
Submissive vs. Slave vs. Pet
I’m a Submissive: So What Is My Worth?
Top vs. Bottom vs. Switch
What Is Total Power Exchange?
Subspace
What The Heck Is Subdrop?
Topspace/Domspace
What The Heck Is Domdrop/Top Guilt?
AFTERCARE
Hang On, There’s TYPES of Aftercare?
What Is A Mentor And Why Do I Need One?
Negotiation of a Scene
What is a “Scene” & How Do I Plan One?
Types of Play
Spanking 101
Flogging 101 // (techniques) // (demonstration)
Rope Basics
Dungeon Etiquette and Play Parties
How to Approach a Dom
BDSM In Long Term Relationships/Marriage
Amazing news: Due to me working in a library full-time, I qualified for the federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program for student debt forgiveness. Which means most of my student loans (my Sallie Mae ones) are 100% forgiven. If you have a public service job, and you qualify, it could forgive your loans too. Below is more info on the program.
The information below describes the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program. It includes the eligibility requirements and the process for tracking your progress toward qualifying for PSLF. This information can also be found in the PSLF Fact Sheet and the Dear Borrower Letter, which can be downloaded and printed.
What is the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program?
What must I do to have any remaining balances on my Direct Loans forgiven under the PSLF Program?
What loans are eligible for forgiveness?
What are on-time, full, scheduled, monthly payments?
What is a qualifying repayment plan?
What kinds of employment qualify?
What is full-time employment?
What does it mean that my 120 Direct Loan payments must be made while I am working full-time at certain public service organizations?
How can I keep track of my eligibility?
What should I do after I become eligible for PSLF?
On January 31, 2012, the U.S. Department of Education (ED) released an Employment Certification Package to help borrowers track their progress toward qualifying for PSLF. The PSLF Employment Certification Package includes:
Dear Borrower Letter (updated March 2014)
Instructions for Completing Employment Certification for Public Service Loan Forgiveness
Employment Certification for Public Service Loan Forgiveness Form (available only in English)
PSLF Resources
Fact Sheet (updated December 2013)
Q&As (updated December 2013)
Source: Federal Student Aid, An Office of the US Department of Education
OpenToonz Basics
OpenToonz Download
I decided to jump into the program and figure it out. So, here’s a super quick and dirty guide to all the basic info you might need.
Toolbar / Brushes
The toolbar is automatically hidden. You can get it with Windows > Other Windows > Toolbar
It will open as a pop-up and you can drag it and snap it into place.
Timeline
The timeline is a little different from Flash/Toonboom Harmony in that it reads more like a x-sheet. Layers (”Columns”) go from left to right and Frames go top to bottom.
Right-clicking on a frame will give you options to put the frame on 2′s, etc. (the “step” option).
Onion Skin
This was one of the more confusing ones. You can get to it with Customize > Preferences > Onion Skin
Be sure to check the box next to “Onion Skin ON”.
Getting onion skin to work in the timeline is a little weird at times. Like in Flash and Harmony, there are markers you can drag to expand the onion skin. If you aren’t seeing your previous drawing, try putting your frame on 2′s.
Viewing Your Work
To play your animation you’re going to need to open a new window by going to Windows > ComboViewer
It has play, loop, etc.
Anyway I hope that helps! Basically just play around with it.
My players were using Message and saying how it's so useful that it's a cantrip, and I go "It's like a short range phone system!" and immediately realized what I had described was a walkie-talkie.
My Fat Art Resources Masterpost
Dropbox link with scans of Morpho: Fat and Folds (highest quality ive found)
Archive.org link to scans of Morpho: Fat and Folds
How to draw fat bodies by @ strawberrylind
Tips on drawing big people by @ gubbins-turtledove
Fat bodies tutorial by @ wxrmandfxzzies
Drawing fat simple by @ necronatural
Chubby guide by paggiart (twitter link) (tumblr link)
Guide to drawing fat bodies by @ scwibbs
Double chins by @ officialspec
How I draw fat people by @ iwasarob0t
Stylized fat bodies by @ hometownrockstar
How I Draw Fat Furries by @ mushpuppies