Making A Comic Background With A Photo Tutorial

Jimins eyeshadow game tho. 💅

Writing Character Relationships

Character relationships are important to add dimension to the characters and can help make them and the plot more realistic. This isn’t just for romantic relationships because building the characters’ platonic and familial relationships are important as well. So here are a few tips on creating believable and endearing relationships your readers will love.

Don’t rush into it. This goes for platonic relationships as well as romantic ones. A big cliché complaint with romance stories is that the two characters tend to meet and fall head over heels in love with each other after two conversations or one loving glance across the room (sorry Romeo and Juliet). While romantic connections can begin on the first date, the characters probably shouldn’t be professing undying love and devotion to each other an hour after meeting. The problem isn’t so much the length of time that they’ve known each other as it is how well they know each other, which is why character friendships need time too. If your characters spend two full days together where they really get to know each other deeply and we can see the progression from strangers to people who understand each other, great. If their relationship spans a year but all they do is check each other out then you have a problem. Make them know each other and interact in meaningful ways to create the relationship and show how it came to be.

Show their history. Not every relationship your characters have is going to be created in the span of time in which the story takes place. Your character might have a best friend they’ve known for ten years or three older siblings. Just because these predate the beginning of the story doesn’t mean you don’t have to show what kind of relationship they have. You can say that so-and-so is the best friend but you have to make us believe it. Are they the kind of friends that tell each other everything, like even what they probably shouldn’t? Or are they more the kind that have fun and leave the drama when they go out? Show what kind of relationship the characters have rather than just telling.

Give the reader a sense of why the relationship fits. In some stories you read about the guy and the girl who are just so cute together and they’re falling in love but…why? Why does this pairing work? Having things in common is important, particularly in things that are important to the character, like values. But they can and should also have differences, some of which serve to make the other better. Together they should push each other and support each other. If you make them connect in this way it makes the connection much stronger to the reader and that makes them want to cheer them on more. If it’s all about the smooching it can get rather boring quite quickly.

Make them complete without the other(s). I know I just said that making the characters push each other is a good thing, but they still need to be complete characters on their own. If the only real thing you can say about the character is that they are X’s soulmate or best friend, then they’re not a character. It’s more interesting to see how people interact with each other than Love Interests™ following each other around.  

Here’s a little bit on subplots!

As you all probably know I’m obsessed with Korean skincare, but the focus of kbeauty always seems to be focused on hydration and brightening skin, which is great, but I thought I would make a little list of Korean products that are for acne! 

Cosrx Pimple Master Patch: $4.79 for 24 patches. These are great for targeting those large, painful pimples without popping them. Put these on the pimple before bed to dry it out! 

Cosrx Centella Blemish Ampule: $21.71. This ampule is great because it’s anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory to help kill existing bacteria while prevent more from growing, and it is also super soothing and hydrating so it prevents dryness and irritation! 

Mizon AHA Peeling Serum: $13.96. This serum will help unclog pores by sloughing off dead skin cells before they can clog you pores! A great chemical exfoliation as opposed to scrubs that can actually cause more acne. Make sure to follow directions and only use 3 to 4 times a week! 

Klairs Rich Moist Soothing Mask: $16.88 for 10 sheet masks. These masks are gonna help soothe redness and irritation caused by acne while also hydrating the skin.

Banila Co Clean It Zero Purity: $20.50. This is a great cleanser for sensitive acne prone skin. It’s hypoallergenic and will help get rid of excess oils, which can cause breakouts. 

So there you have it! Let me know if you guys want me to do more of these, or if you’ve tried any of the products! Also I know there are a few typos in the picture, sorry! 

How to Write Successful Dialogue

@albino-troll-ninja asked:

Got any feedback/advice/links for someone who wants to make lengthy, relatively action-less dialogues between characters more than just “‘Loren ipsum,’ he said.” “'Ipsum lorem’, she replied.” for forty paragraphs?

No problem!  I love dialogue, so I’m happy to be of assistance in this department.  

Here are my personal rules of thumb:

1.  Allow the dialogue to show the character’s personality.

If you really think about your conversations, it can be telling exactly how much of someone’s personality can shine through when they speak.  

Allow your character’s persona, values, and disposition to spill over when they speak, and it will make for a significantly more interesting read for you and your reader. 

For example:  let’s take a look at a mundane exchange, and see how it can be spruced up by injecting it with a good dose of personality.

Exhibit A)

“How was your day, by the way?”  asked Oscar, pouring himself a drink.

“Not too bad,” replied Byron.  “Cloudy, but warm.  Not too many people.”

“That’s nice.”   

Exhibit B) 

“How was your day, by the way?” asked Oscar, pouring himself a drink. 

“Ugh.  Not too bad,” groaned Byron, draping himself on the couch.  “Warm, but dreary.  Gray clouds as far as the eye could see.  Not anyone worth mentioning out this time of year.”  A pause.  “Well, except me, of course.”

“Hmmph,” said Oscar, glancing over his shoulder.  “If it were me, I wouldn’t want it any other way.”

Isn’t that better?  Already, the audience will feel as though they’ve gotten to know these characters. 

This works for longer dialogue, too:  allow the character’s personal beliefs, life philosophy, and generally disposition to dictate how they talk, and your readers will thank you.

Of course, this example is also good for giving the reader a general sense of what the characters’ relationship is like.  Which brings me to my next point:

2.  Allow the dialogue to show the character’s relationship. 

Everyone is a slightly different person depending on who they’re around.  Dynamic is an important thing to master, and when you nail it between two characters, sparks can fly.

Work out which character assumes more of the Straight Man role, and which is quicker to go for lowbrow humor.  Think of who’s the more analytical of the two and who’s the more impulse driven.  Who would be the “bad cop” if the situation called for it.  

Then, allow for this to show in your dialogue, and it will immediately become infinitely more entertaining.

Example:  

“Alright,” said Fogg, examining the map before him.  “Thus far, we’ve worked out how we’re going to get in through the ventilation system, and meet up in the office above the volt.  Then, we’re cleared to start drilling.”

Passepartout grinned.  “That’s what she said.” 

“Oh, for the love of God – REALLY, Jean.  Really!?  We are PLANNING a goddamn bank robbery!”

Some more questions about dynamic to ask yourself before writing dialogue: 

Who is more likely to talk and who is more likely to listen? 

Who would talk with their mouth full of food and who would politely wait to swallow?

Is their relationship fraternal/sororal?  If so, who would be the “little sibling?”

Is one of them a bit of a mother/father figure to the other? 

Who more frequently gets irritated with who?

Who has the more understated sense of humor?  Who’s a bit more juvenile?

Who’s better educated?  Does it show when they speak?

Who’s a bit more pretentious/full of themselves?

Who interrupts more?

Who swears more?

This can also be a valuable tool to cluing your reader in on who the characters are as people: 

3.  Think about what this dialogue can tell the reader.

It’s better to fill the reader in more gradually than to waist your valuable first chapter on needless exposition, and dialogue is a great way to do it.  

Think about what your characters are saying, and think about ways in which you can “sneak in” details about their past, their families, and where they came from into the discussion.  

For example, you could say:

Tuckerfield was a happy-go-lucky Southern guy with domineering parents,

and bore everyone to death.  

Or you could have him say: 

“Sheesh.  All this sneakin’ around in the woods late at night reminds me of being back in Kansas.  Good times, man, good times.”  There was a pause, before he added,  “‘Course, it wasn’t nearly so fun when I came home late for curfew and had to sleep on the front step, but y’know.  Life happens.”

Isn’t that much better than the omnipresent monotone?

Dialogue is also a great way to fill in potential plot holes early on, by having your characters talk them out and explain them. 

Moreover, dialogue can also be used to foreshadow, offer relevant hints about the climax, or provide information necessary for the resolution.  

So use it wisely!  

4.  Sprinkle in mini-actions throughout. 

Even in actionless dialogue, no one actually does nothing.  In my case, for example, I stim a lot.  I play with my hair.  I play with eating utensils.  It’s probably very annoying for those around me, but you get the point.

Less fidget-y folks might not do this as much, but they rarely sit totally still during conversations, either.  So occasionally add in these mini-actions, and it will make your characters feel a bit less like disembodied voices or floating heads.

For instance:  

Jo leaned back in her chair rolling her stiff neck from sitting still for so long.  “…So the way I see it,” she continued.  “Even if Pheris Beuller’s Day Off didn’t take place in Cameron’s imagination, Pheris was clearly a sociopath whose behavior shouldn’t be glamorized.”

“Ha.  As if.”  Avery paused to sip her root beer.  “Pheris,” she began, raising an index finger.  “Was clearly emblematic of counterculturist movements such as the Beat Generation, and his disregard for the capitalistic dogmas imposed upon younger generations is something to be admired.” 

“For Christ’s sake, will you two lighten up?”  scoffed Leo, counting out bills for the pizza.  “We were talking about which movie we wanted to watch tonight.  Jesus.”

5.  Remember how people actually speak.

In real life conversations, people don’t speak in paragraphs.  Alright, some people might, and this can actually be interesting as the personality aspect of a certain type of character.  

But generally speaking, people don’t speak in paragraphs, or as though they’re writing thought-out prose or letters.

In real conversations, people stutter.  They laugh at their own jokes, repeat words or phrases, and lose their train of thought.

Naturally, you don’t have to illustrate in your writing exactly how chaotic and mundane human speech can be, as writing would be pretty boring in general if it was strictly limited to miming reality.  But it’s good to keep in mind that your characters are talking, not writing in purple prose.

Exhibit A: 

“When I was a young boy, my mother and I had a most tumultuous relationship,” said Marcus.  “She saw me as a hallmark of her past failures, and took every opportunity to remind me as such.”     

Exhibit B:

“My mom, when I was kid, we had what you’d call a sort of tumultuous relationship,” said Marcus.  “Nothing I ever did was right for her.  She, uh – I think she saw me as sort of a hallmark of her past failures.  Took every opportunity to remind me of that.”    

Which of these is more organic, more easy to visualize, and more telling of character?  Unless the point of this dialogue is to illustrate that Marcus is a gentleman crook of some kind with pristine speaking mannerisms, I’m going to say the latter. 

Best of luck, I hope this helps, and happy writing!  <3

Keep reading

水遁・水龍弾の術 ||  Suiton: Suiryūdan no Jutsu ||  Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique || i’m sorry i couldn’t find the seal for yang water

My best of winter 2017

Kuzu no honkai

Personally I was quite thrilled for this one since I was folowing the manga. The wait was worth it

Reasons to see it

Great story

Beatiful visuals and art

The ost is so onpoint like damn

The damn feels

I will give you a 5 cmx second vibe sometimes

GREAT CHARACHTER DEVOLPMENT

The human strugles about love are so real

The really hot nsfw scenes lol

Kobayashi-san Chi no Maid Dragon

Ok I was literally expecting nothing from this anime , moe appart ofc . And It actually turned to be one ot the most batiful slice of life/ comedy I’ve seen in a while

Reasons to see it:

Great charachters

I will make you laugh out loudly ad give you some hapiness

The osts and the gags

Some good lessons about life and stuggles

And the most important reason

Whatch it for this godess. Literally lol

Little Witch Academia

My dark horse of the season. I just love this anime and the vibe it gives so much. Expecially ako and her expressions. Precious child.

  Reasons to whatch it:

One of the best female leads

The great sucy ( we all know she is best girl)

The simple but yet great animation

The comedy that alys hides some deep messagge behind it

Whatch it you want to fall in love with magic and innocence

  Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu: Sukeroku Futatabi-hen

The first season hooked me up. the second one made meworship and love it. Seriously what a magnificent anime

Reason to whatch it:

This is a little masterpiece, You don’t really need more than this lol

Great and unprecditable drama

Memorabe characters

Amazing animation

Best opening I’ve seen in a while. One of my all time favorite op

The feels are real and will et you alive

PLEASE DO YOURSELF A FAVOR AND GO WHATCH THIS

3-gatsu no Lion

This anime once again proved me that underrated anime are the best. This anime strugges are so real that it just breaks your heart. Once again umino chika (Hachimitsu to clover) lived up to her name

Reason to whatch it:

Rei. One of the best devolved protagonist I’ve seen

His problems are so deep and real you can’t help to cheer for him

Great side characters and  charachter devolpment

Amazing art

Great balance betwen comedy/seriousness/sad scenes

Come for the charachters and stay for the feels

Gintama

Hands down to one of the most beatiful shonen’s ever made. You don’t need the sad past from the 1 episode to pity the charachters . Afer 400 episodes is more epic

As the precedent arc Gintama was the anime that made me laugh and cry more than everything. The  great balance between commedy and serious scenes is what makes gintama so special.

You don’t need reasons to go and whatch this. Just do it , you will thank me later. It’s probably better than any overated shonen anime like one piece ( yeah I said one piece) , Fairy tale, and even Naruto which I love with all my hear.

-My favorite part of the season was about zura’s bacstory and fight scene. I already loved him but the deepness sorachi added to him left me spechless.

Very true