flareheart8
Keep at it
74 posts
Latest Posts by flareheart8
Being a prototype for the PrettyDoll’s toy line has been hell for Lou. Constantly having to be a perfect example to the other dolls, following strict procedures, and having little freedom, it was all too much for poor Lou. To make things worse, he has to go through these testing phrases where he’s torn apart and put back together.
Eventually, Lou got sick of it all and wanted to get away from the pain. Little did he know, he was going to run into the Original; The Prototype. The Prototype greets Lou in a calm manner, understanding his pain. He lets Lou know that he has a plan to free all the experiments from Playtimes Co.’s cruelties, and ask Lou to join him in his rebellion. Without hesitation, Lou agrees; sticking by The Prototype’s side, no longer feeling alone.
Author note: Yay!! I been wanting to make this post for a while, but my old IPad had a reboot loop issue and I had to get a whole new one. Definitely gonna try to post more ideas on this au, but I also want to do some Cookie Run fanart as well since I got back into the game earlier this year. I’m also planning to do some commissions, so look forward to that. :)
From the CROB KR Roadmap stream…
Caramel Choux and Cream Ferret are coming to CROB!
A Mario Maker-esque mode is arriving soon
And here comes a new legendary cookie challenger!
Longan tweaks out again and has this new sorta evolution to their dragon form!
Their plan had resulted in the timelines of the games coming together, CRK cookies are now set to appear from here on out. Was it really a coincidence that the dragons and TK are set to appear in CRK 2026?
New detective event coming soon in September, “the Mystery of the Escargot”.
Milky Way will also be a thing later in the year.
HELLO!! big fan of your animatics!! How do you make them and do you have any tips for inspiration, planning, and what software do you use?
Thank you! I'm glad you like them!
I think the realization that revolutionized the way I think about storyboarding the most is that you HAVE to let your imagination drive. I start off every animatic with super loose, super messy, barely legible sketches, with wrong anatomy, janky movement, etc. Instead of focusing on making it look good, I can just focus on setting it up for its potential, and starting my motivation at the highest point it can be. I never let my first draft take more than a few hours over the course of like 2 days max, or else the drive dissipates.
If I start a board right away with the cleanest, most beautiful art I can muster, I'll kill my own motivation, like "Oh god, in my head, I imagined a huge spinning 3D camera shot here, with a bunch of dancing characters. That last panel alone took me like 30 minutes to draw, I don't wanna do this! I'll draw a simpler, flatter scene instead." and then it ends up looking nothing like how I imagined, and I get demotivated before abandoning the project. But if I start with super messy lines, just barely enough to get the idea out onto a screen where I can watch it, the excitement and imagination will drive, like "Wow, this shot with a huge spinning 3D camera and all these complicated characters looks SO COOL! It's gonna take a lot of work, but look how interesting it looks already! I can't give up on this!"
For reference, this was puppet boy's first draft!
Storyboarding is a bit different from a lot of other visual art mediums because it takes a LOOOOT more work before it starts feeling rewarding. Learning to manage your own motivation is a huge part of building the skill that I feel a lot of people don't mention.
But when it comes to learning how to finalize it, study up on your storyboarding rules! Learn about perspective, anatomy, screen direction, and learn to draw FAST (that's a big one). Draw out shots from your favourite movies, study their composition and take note of their camera/character movement, and how it aligns with the shots sandwiching them. Learn from other artists (I recommend Toniko Pantoja, he's a very experienced board artist who makes a lot of videos abt improving your boards and what it's like to work in the industry), and PRACTISE! Your first piece of art, whenever you try anything new, is going to SUCK. You're gonna think its bad. That's just how art goes. But the next time you do it, you'll always, always, improve, even if just a little, even if you can't see it for yourself.
The biggest thing to keep telling yourself when making storyboards is DON'T GIVE UP YET. YOU'RE SO CLOSE TO MAKING SOMETHING COOL. And then you have to keep telling yourself that over, and over, and over, and over, through all the sighs, and the frustrated rage-quitting, and the exhausted temporary give-ups, and then eventually, those animatics you keep building in your head get to be real! And it feels incredible.
IT'S TIME! The Far-Fetched Animated Pilot Kickstarter has officially LAUNCHED! To kick things off, here's a first look at our fully animated series opening!
Consider donating, spread the word, and help us bring this beast to life!
you ever listen to a song 47 times in a row and every time you’re like wow what a good song. I’m gonna play it again.
Hello miss Amber, I have something that I think should be brought to your attention.
There’s an account claiming that they work for mob entertainment and they seem to be answering certain questions regarding Poppy Playtime’s lore (how the human characters act, when playtime.co was created, etc which should go against some sort of NDA contract that you guys may have?), and most people are believing them without hesitation.
Down below are some screenshots from the account.
Now I do not believe anything to what this person is saying at all due to their lack of evidence that they even work for Mob entertainment and how they act towards shipping with only the Smiling Critters.
They have also reposted art from you and a few other artists without giving credit.
If you need anything else regarding this account, I’ll be happy to share it with you.
Thank you for your time!
o/
@ask-mob-employee-anything Take down your fucking blog impersonator.
Update
Unfortunately, I won’t be able to post my new artwork since my iPad decided to break while I was trying to finish it. Pretty disappointed about it, but hopefully I’ll get a new one soon.
I have something in the works. I should be done with it soon, so here's a sneak peak.
"this game will save mascot horror!" then its the same as every other mascot horror im just failing to understand why people keep using the same concepts.. the defintion of mascot horror is so loose and yet people choose to do the same things with it
HOOO BOY IM OVERWHELMED
In a good way! Thank you all for watching and for all the kind words and support. I was very much crying in my room this morning and feeling the love.
I especially wanna thank all of you here on tumblr! All your asks and questions and investment got ME more invested in my own characters. Like in a way I’ve never felt about my own characters.
But yeah there’s too many messages for me to get to so im probably gonna take a little break today but gaaaah I hope you enjoyed!! I’ll try to sporadically reply to stuff but my phone’s blowing up everywhere hahahaha
Also HAPPY BLACK HISTORY MONTH!! Our stories deserve to be heard and we should be able to exist in ANY genre. I hope this pilot shows that people wanna see Black magical girls and I hope to see more of it, even if im not the one to do it~
Moxy wanted to do something nice for Lou, but Lou (being his mean self) rejects it. It's only when Moxy throws it away, Lou secretly takes it, and appreciates her craft.
Hope you guys had a great Valentine's Day.
Things I’ve noticed are essential in plotting and would probably have saved me a lot of time if I had considered it earlier
The START of your story - how fucked up flawed is your premise/character at the start? what do they have to change? why are they HERE?
The END of your story - How do you want your main character/theme/universe to change after your story? Does it get better or worse? THIS SETS UP THE TONE DRASTICALLY.
What you want to happen IN BETWEEN - the MEAT of it. What made you start writing this WIP in the first place. Don't be ashamed to indulge, it's where the BRAIN JUICE comes from. You want a deep dive into worldbuilding and complex systems? Then your start and end should be rooted in some fundamental, unique rule of your universe (what made you obsess over it?). Want to write unabashed ship content? Make sure your start and end are so compelling you'll never run out of smut scenarios to shove in between scenes (what relationship dynamics made you ship it in the first place?).
The ANTE - the GRAVITY of your story. How high are the stakes? Writing a blurb or interaction? start with a small day-in-the-life so you can focus on shorter timelines and hourly minutiae that can easily get overlooked in more complicated epics. Or you can go ham on it and plot out your whole universe's timeline from conception to demise. Remember: the larger the scale, the less attached your story may get. How quickly time flies in your story typically correlates with the ante (not a hard rule, ofc, but most epics span years of time within a few pages, while a romance novel usually charts out the events of a few months over a whole manuscript.)
Everything else follows….?
What If.....Playtime Co. made Uglydolls?
"Want the suffering to end, little one......? Join me and the rest of experiments in the Hour of Joy, and your freedom will be granted."
What if Playtime Co. made Uglydolls?
Well for starters, I imagine they would make their debut before the Smiling Critters would. Their sales will be decent, but not as good as Huggy Wuggy. Mainly, because kids find them boring with their blank faces, or don't find their personalities engaging. Eventually, they would get overshadowed by the Smiling Critters due to how ambitious Playtime co is with the franchise.
In terms of experimentation, some would act like wild animals while others would have some intelligences. They would mainly be in the laboratory since the orphans in Playcare prefers to play with the Smiling Critters than the Uglydolls. Each Uglydolls would be given a small task they have to complete before the end of the day. If any were to failed, or refuse their task, they will be either punished or destroyed.
One of the Uglydolls, Moxy, hates living in the laboratory, because how cruel and unfair each scientists. Doesn't help the fact that she has to watch her kind get harshly punished or destroyed. She wants to help, but is too scared to do anything that could get her in trouble. That's until when she meets the Prototype. He promised her a chance of freedom if she persuade her kind to participate in the Hour of Joy. Such an offer wasn't something Moxy could pass up, so she reaches out her hand, not knowing she will still only endure more suffering.
A very interesting idea I came up with, and probably explore more of it in the future.
How to Stop Hating Everything You Write
1. Don't be afraid of making mistakes.
Quit judging yourself for every mistake you make along the way. Whether you're writing fiction, fanfiction, or nonfiction, just write. If you can't correct your errors as you go, that's okay. When I don't have the brainpower to multitask, I focus on the writing stage one step at a time. Just write!
2. Don't aim for perfection.
"It's not ready if it's not perfect." That's a lie. When you're in the process of writing, it's best to concentrate on getting your thoughts on paper.
3. Seek feedback and learn to receive it.
Join lively communities with active writers or forums that host events inviting writers to share their work for critique. Not every critique is constructive; learn to discern which feedback to take on board and which to ignore.
4. Read, read, read.
You can't give what you don't have. You learn a lot from reading similar pieces in your chosen genre. Reading is also a source of inspiration that fuels your writing process.
5. Cut yourself some slack.
Writing is no small feat. It takes talent to formulate a story with your mind and skill to visualize it for others to see. Do you love writing? Then keep doing it because it takes practice.
Looking for a supportive community dedicated to helping you grow as a writer? Join the Writers Universe server and thrive!
Starlit Stitchmouse
Scent: Freesia
Starlit Stitchmouse loves knitting new outfits for her friends. She's all about sharing and being kind to others. Whether it's knitting a sweater or crocheting a plushie, Starlit is your gal. If she isn't busy knitting, Starlit is often seen glazing at the starry night sky.
Lensy Roamapanda
Scent: Bird of Paradise
Prefer to be called Lens, this curious red panda loves to go on adventures, and see new things. He never leaves without his camera and often loves to drag his friends on new quest, or discoveries. Sometimes, Lensy Roamapanda lets his curiosity get the best of him, and wander too far from home.
they homeless catnap box him
Reblog = Adopted him
Like = Pat head
Reblog this If you want People to spam your ask boxes(not spam but send in a bunch of asks)
I'm still not over this mf😭
𝐈 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐞𝐬𝐬,
𝑻𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝑳𝒐𝒖 𝒅𝒆𝒔𝒆𝒓𝒗𝒆𝒅 𝒂 𝒎𝒖𝒄𝒉 𝒃𝒆𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒏 𝒉𝒆 𝒈𝒐𝒕! 𝑯𝒆 𝒔𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒃𝒆𝒆𝒏 𝒈𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒏 𝒂 𝒔𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒅 𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒉𝒆 𝒏𝒆𝒆𝒅𝒆𝒅 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝑳𝒐𝒗𝒆!
Advice to aspiring 2D animators/storyboard artists/concept artists etc.:
Don't go to expensive art school
Don't work for low pay indie productions in hope of boosting your resume
Don't do cheap commissions
Don't post traced or AI art ever
Don't make animation your career
Stop telling yourself artistic skill = money
If you are in high school right now, do not go to college for animation. I'm so so serious. The animation industry is crumbling right now, and the last thing you should be doing is racking up college debt for a degree that will fail you.
Here are some things that you can do:
Use your creative skills for jobs outside of the entertainment industry
Work on personal projects
Do not feel like you have to spend your time marketing yourself on social media if you don't enjoy it
Collaborate with other artists on projects you actually want to work on
Widen your creative influences
Try new mediums
Keep private sketchbooks/journals
Allow yourself to flow through periods of creative highs and art block
Even if you 'make it' in the animation industry. It is highly likely you will get laid off, be overworked, or underpaid. Most likely all three.
I've been laid off by two studios, underpaid by all of my animation jobs with exception of two, and I'll name them so no one thinks I am accusing them. One was a small short film called Emaho where I got to set my own rates and pick my workload. And the other is Wild Card, which was commission based and priced by me. I have had three animation studio jobs, and all of them have either not paid me or paid me very little.
The last studio job made me finally quit the industry. It was the largest most prestigious studio I had ever worked for. And, with exception of the studio that paid me nothing as I was an intern, this studio paid me the worst wages of any job I've had. I had calculated my pay, and it was less than minimum wage in my state. The studio had hired me promising part time hours, but would often leave me without work for days. The managers were hard to reach. I had little to no contact with the other animators working at the studio. But it was my first and only credit in an animated show, so that's something.
This expierience has been echoed by my animator friends and coworkers. It is not a sustainable industry. It profits off of worker exploitation. Don't feed it with your time, money, and creativity.
My PrettyDolls Redesign
Took awhile, but I finally got these designs done. Similar to my Uglydolls redesign, I didn't change too much from their original designs. All I did was added some accessories, and change up their clothes. Most of the pretty girls have golden earrings, and different size skirts besides Lydia.
Kitty is the leader of the Spy Girls. She makes sure that the other spies, and Mandy look top tier as they are the lead examples of perfections in the Institute. Because of this, Kitty is very strict on how the girls should dress, look, and act as she doesn't want to disappoint Lou. For my redesign, I gave her long white stockings, shortened her skirt a bit, and a cat hairpin. Kitty wants to look professional and up to Lou's standards. She doesn't wear to any thing that's too distracting, and keeps things simple. The cat hairpin is something she added to give her outfit some flare, and to show her love for cats.
Tuesday is a big fan of Lou and wants his attention 24/7. Kitty makes sure to keep her in lane, but Tuesday can't help it. Besides her obsessions of Lou, Tuesday's job is to keep track what's trending and whatever gossips that goes around in Perfection. It's how the Spy Girls stay ahead of the game, and have a bunch of dirt on everyone. For her redesign, I gave a big red bow, and a cowlick. The red bow helps her gain attentions, and the cowlick is to show that she can be a bit of an airhead despite her perfections.
Lydia is the defense of the group. She makes sure the dolls keep their distances from Lou, and defends the Spy Girls name. Lydia is not some doll you should mess with, and willing to stuffed anyone that gets in her way. The reason why I gave her long, flowing pants, because I kept imagining her with them, and felt like they suit her better than a skirt. I also gave her a bunny pin since she does have a bit of the soft side, and she mentioned that she loves bunnies.
Mandy's redesign is very similar to how she's looks in the movie. The only differences is that she's allow to wear her glasses around Lou, and the Spy Girls since in my rewrite. Wearing glasses doesn't make you ugly. That doesn't mean she's completely perfect as she hides something messier underneath. Besides that, Mandy pretty much act that same like she did in the movie, and have a decent, but neutral relationship with the Spy Girls. Though, she is pretty close to Kitty as Kitty tends to trust her with certain tasks, and helps keep the group organize.
For Meghan and Michael, they are background characters that appear once in a while, but I wanted to redesign them as well. Meghan skirt isn't as twirly like some of the other pretty girls' skirts. She takes her role as a lawyer serious, and doesn't mess around. For Micheal, I shorten up his jacket vest and have his shirt stick out a bit. He likes to keep his himself clean, and really dislikes the idea of going into the washer (Though, that is pretty much how all of the institute feels.) Both Meghan and Michael try to live up to Lou's standards, but aren't on the same level like Mandy and the Spy Girls.
Now for the doll himself, Lou!! The only changes I made for his design is that I added a "L" initial on his jacket. Other than that, Lou is leader of the Institute of Perfection, and mentor to all pretty dolls. He seeks out the best of the best, and is very harsh and judgmental when doing so. He only wants what's best for the pretty dolls as he knows that they can do better. Though, he doesn't have much hope for Imperfects dolls as he sees them as mistakes and wouldn't hesitate to recycle them if they refuse to do labor work. All the pretty dolls look up to him, and see him as this flawless doll can do no wrong. Despite wanting to forget, he constantly thinks about that one friendship he had with a certain ugly doll as that was the only time he felt something more genuine than admiration.
Note: I notice that I made Mandy, Kitty, Tuesday, Meghan, and Micheal's skirt and pants a lot lighter than I intended to be, so that's going to get fix in the future.
Hey guys, I was reached out to by my friend Siraj @siraj2024 to share his story and shed some light on his situation
Please listen, do not scroll away.
Siraj used to live in Northern Gaza with his family of five, including his wife and three children. He had painstakingly built the family house over ten years, going into debt so that he could provide a beautiful home for his family. But when the occupational forces declared war on Gaza, the area where he had built this home was one of the first areas to get invaded and destroyed by the tanks and bomb shells.
This is the state of their family's beloved home now:
Since large portions of their home was destroyed and they were forced to flee from the violence, Siraj's family has been displaced six times in the months that followed.
Siraj has described to me that living out of these tents has been like living in a convection oven under the current heat wave, and full of disease ridden pests.
His children, who should have been in school and playing with other kids their age, instead have to worry about if they'll have enough water for the day and how they will carry it over long distances. They have to stand long queues just to fill their buckets and even then, the water is so polluted that they have to risk serious illnesses like hepatitis when they drink it anyway, for the sake of their survival.
They have lost an entire year, along with a lot of hopes and dreams, to this genocide that they will never get back.
The gravity of their situation cannot be understated. They do not have access to clean water. They do not have access to basic medical care and hygiene products.
There is no safe place left in Gaza. They are constantly living under the threat of violence from the IOF, illness and starvation.
The funds collected from this gfm will go into reconstruction of their home, as well as providing for the family's basic needs during this troubling time.
Please support Siraj and his family to rebuild his home, educate their children, and meet their needs.
This gfm was vetted by @/nabulsi and appears on their list of vetted fundraisers (#219)
July 1st: $1,789 CAD raised of $82,000
They have a long way to go, so please dont hesitate to donate anything you can! No amount is too little!
And if you can't, please spread the word so that someone else can. Please make sure to follow Siraj's blog @siraj2024 so you can hear updates on the situation from him directly!
I'm getting so close to finishing this. Just been really busy lately. Can't wait to show to you all!
STORYBOARD/ANIMATIC TIPS
ko-fi✏️
I made these for my friends, but I thought that might be helpful for yall as well! hehe! Now whenever someone asks for storyboard tips I can throw this at them!
Examples of storyboards I made for fun:
Writing tips for long fics that helped me that no one asked for.
1.) Don't actually delete content from your WIP unless it is minor editing - instead cut it and put it in a secondary document. If you're omitting paragraphs of content, dialog, a whole scene you might find a better place for it later and having it readily available can really save time. Sometimes your idea was fantastic, but it just wasn't in the right spot.
2.) Stuck with wording the action? Just write the dialog then revisit it later.
3.) Stuck on the whole scene? Skip it and write the next one.
4.) Write on literally any other color than a white background. It just works. (I use black)
5.) If you have a beta, while they are beta-ing have them read your fic out loud. Yes, I know a lot of betas/writers do not have the luxury of face-timing or have the opportunity to do this due to time constraints etc but reading your fic out loud can catch some very awkward phrasing that otherwise might be missed. If you don't have a beta, you read it out loud to yourself. Throw some passion into your dialog, you might find a better way to word it if it sounds stuffy or weird.
6.) The moment you have an idea, write it down. If you don't have paper or a pen, EMAIL it to yourself or put it in a draft etc etc. I have sent myself dozens of ideas while laying down before sleep that I 10/10 forgot the next morning but had emailed them to myself and got to implement them.
7.) Remember - hits/likes/kudos/comments are not reflective of the quality of your fic or your ability to write. Most people just don't comment - even if they say they do, they don't, even if they preach all day about commenting, they don't, even if they are a very popular blog that passionately reminds people to comment - they don't comment (I know this personally). Even if your fic brought tears to their eyes and it haunted them for weeks and they printed it out and sent it to their friends they just don't comment. You just have to accept it. That being said - comment on the fic you're reading now, just do it, if you're 'shy' and that's why you don't comment the more you comment the better you'll get at it. Just do it.
8.) Remove unrealistic daily word count goals from your routine. I've seen people stress 1500 - 2000 words a day and if they don't reach that they feel like a failure and they get discouraged. This is ridiculous. Write when you can, but remove absurd goals. My average is 500 words a day in combination with a 40 hour a week job and I have written over 200k words from 2022-2023.
9.) There are dozens of ways to do an outline from precise analytical deconstruction that goes scene by scene to the minimalist bullet point list - it doesn't matter which one you use just have some sort of direction. A partial outline is better than no outline.
10.) Write for yourself, not for others. Write the fic you know no one is going to read. Write the fic that sounds ridiculous. You will be so happy you put it out in the world and there will be people who will be glad it exists.
Happy birthday camp camp!! 🫡
MORE CAMP CAMP LORE! The spooky Island Mansion's design was a direct reference to the Munster's House! One of my favorite TV families and one of the COOLEST creepy houses on the block. Weirdly enough the actual house exists in Waxahachie, Texas which is about a 2.5 hour drive away from where the Rooster Teeth studios used to be.
The Munster's was one of those formative shows for me AND a few members of the Team Team. My personal experience was watching marathons of it while home sick from school. It's one of THE MOST WHOLESOME goth family comedies right next to The Addam's Family
Thank you to everyone who got me to 250 likes!