Scarlett Gale

As a former music teacher, I can also say that "learn the fundamentals first" is the death knell for a vast percentage of beginners, especially adult learners.

I've run into this with drawing several times, where some well-meaning artist has lectured me on needing to study anatomy properly or not use shortcuts like CSP brushes. And oh, believe me, I know. I know exactly how to learn an artistic discipline in a structured way. I just...don't want to!

The thing is, I'm not aiming to be a professional artist. I want to draw my gay little anime guys. I would undoubtedly improve at art much faster if I approached every gay little anime guy drawing as a study exercise. But I would also have quit drawing a decade ago if I couldn't just let myself enjoy drawing imperfect fucked-up little guys with whatever shortcuts I needed to body myself across the finish line.

With my adult piano students, my approach was always "What's your goal?" If their goal was to learn exactly one Elton John songbook to play at parties, then...that's what we did. We'd put tape on the keys to label the notes, and just fuckin go for it. Learning exactly one Elton John songbook is a good and noble musical goal, full stop.

Some of my students needed and enjoyed a more structured approach to learning; if they wanted to be able to play classical music, then yes, scales were going to have to enter the equation at some point. And yet others would learn the Elton John songbook, catch their white whale, and realize they wanted to explore more of the ocean. The scales were still there for them to learn!

Often the choice isn't between "learn art well" and "learn art imperfectly" - the choice is between "learn art imperfectly" and "don't do art at all." To which I say, learn imperfectly! Or, what the hell, don't 'learn' art. Just do, and enjoy the doing of it.

"Nah," I say, "it's a combination of me bringing my violin instructor sheet music of Carly Rae Jepsen songs and the Legend of Zelda theme combined with her getting excited about having an adult student who's willing to actually work on things and throwing me at sometime way above my level."

Also birch bark was used to practice writing on!

I think one of the reasons people use parchment is a LOT of people seem to think the word is just an old timey word for paper and not an entirely different thing? I see people making the same mistake with papyrus too (papyrus IS technically a type of paper but its pretty distinct in its feel and color and weight from regular paper types).

Paper = sheets of matted cellulose fibers. Usually made from wood fiber pulp.

Parchment = Specially prepared sheets of untanned animal skin. Usually goat and calf and sheep.

moreover they should be prepping the bite point with an alcohol wipe.

and while I’m at it, I’ve noticed a blithe disregard for health & safety when it comes to blood pacts. can’t believe I have to say this but you should absolutely NOT be cutting your palm open with the pocket knife from your belt holster (??????)

I drew a bunch of silly stuff with my werewolf woman and decided to gather it one post. Updated it with even more art and a little animation! Sometimes you just have to decompress through being goofy 🐺 You can read about her here --- If you like my art, consider joining my Patreon, it's even cooler there: https://www.patreon.com/c/ndc1992

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These comics are just some silliness I drew for fun. It's not really canon, she lives in a separate setting (not our world) and isn't able to talk as a werewolf. Her original story is also pretty rough and tragic.

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aliexpress is seriously the best place to look at sex toys because they can’t show nudity so they have to finding other ways to show off the use of the toys.

one of my favorite things is when they decide to give you the whole hard sell.

instead of just being like “hey this is a good sex toy”, they instead try to explain why you’d even need a sex toy, from first principles. and that principle is usually “your boyfriend/husband sucks”. or doesn’t, I guess. 

so the sound of this sex toy is between a flower and a clock! 

I’ve posted about the Hammer Sex Toy before, but it turns out it’s not alone. There’s also… 

found another tool! it’s scissors this time.

another fun trope in aliexpress sex toys: just listing off all the rooms of your house you could use it in! 

MY LORD?? there is no way I can follow you there!

Sellsword Arts asked me a silly question, so here’s a silly answer!