（Warning! Reference To The X-men:apocalypse Poster.(the Villains’ Version))

Princess Louise Margaret, Duchess of Connaught (right) and sister Marie, Princess of Netherlands. Early 1880s

Science of everyday life: 5 essential reads

by Maggie Villiger

One of best things about my job as a science editor is that any crazy idea I start wondering about – whether triggered by something I see on my commute, a current event that’s in the news, or best of all a conversation with my young kids – I can call up an expert and ask her or him to break it down for me, and you.

It seems like our readers enjoy this type of “I’ve always wondered … ” article too. My most-read story of the past year was by an entomologist making the case to bug-haters that by killing a spider they might actually be making their homes more hospitable to insects the spider would have eaten and eliminated for them.

Below, a handful of my favorites from 2018. But curiosity isn’t bound by the calendar, so here’s to a new year of everyday science.

Keep reading

Quick gif thing of this bby

Fantasy Wardrobe: Gowns

Skirts, ball gowns and chitons. Fantasy fashion is seen more often on women than the men so we focus on their clothes more. Sorry for this bible of a post.

Under the gown

Stop that dirty mind. These are the structures that hold out the gown to keep it the shape desired.

Farthingale/verdugado: were a series of hoops stitched into a sheath of material. This was worn under the gown in order to plump it out.

Pannier: Unlike to the farthingale, these were set at the hips rather than all around the body. These were popular in the 17th and 18th centuries. They extended the width of the skirt keeping the front and back panels flat.

Crinoline: This is a structured petticoat made to plump out a skirt of a gown popular in Victorian times. They were popular at the mid-19th century.

Petticoat: This is an underskirt worn under a skirt or a dress. Modern ones are made of layer after layer of tulle or netting.

Chemise/shift: A long underdress made of light material worn under the corset, kirtle and gown.

Top of the gown

This portion of the gown covers from the shoulders to the hips/waist.

Bodice: This part is the where the gown covers area from the neck to the waist.

Halter Neck: The halter neck’s straps go up the shoulders and are fastened at the neck, exposing the shoulders and having a plunging neckline.

Plunging Neck: The neckline makes a V from the neck/shoulders in the direction of the navel.

Empire Line: This style was popular in the Napoleonic courts. The bodice ends below the bust line and here the skirt begins flowing.

Boat neckline: This neckline runs from one shoulder to the other like Meghan Markle’s wedding gown.

Sweetheart: This makes a loveheart shape over the bust.

Scooped: a round neckline

Square: a square neckline

Sheer: When a see-through piece of material is sewn over the top of the gown.

Sleeves

The sleeves of the gown are just as important as the rest of it. Again variations lead to a wider sense of imagination.

Cold Shoulder: The sleeves begins at the top of the shoulder while the rest drapes behind, allowing the arm to be seen through it. Also called Angel sleeve.

Batwing sleeve: This sleeve has a deeper area for the arm and tapers thinner toward the wrist. Also called a magyar.

Bell sleeve: The sleeve runs down the shoulder and flares out from the elbow

Bishop sleeve : This sleeve is loose from the arm but tight at the cuff.

Cap sleeve: This only covers the top of the shoulder.

Fitted point sleeve: The sleeve tapers tp the back of the back in a point.

Gigotor: This sleeve is wide at the upper part of the arm but narrows at the elbow and wrist.

Hanging sleeve: This sleeve that slits at the side or front or the elbow, allowing the arm to peak out. Popular in mediaeval times.

Juliet sleeve : This sleeve has a puff at the top and runs down the arm or leaves it bare. See Snow White.

Lantern sleeve: The top of the sleeve runs straight and then puffs out between wrist and elbow

Poet sleeve: This long sleeve is fitted tight at the shoulder to elbow flares at the elbow and wrist.

Wizard’s sleeve: This sleeve runs from shoulder to wrist opening there and draping toward the floor with points.

Skirts

The shapes of the skirt vary. Try different shapes with your world to give a feeling of variety and depth.

A-line: This skirt flares out from the bodice with a gentle slope almost like the letter A.

Ballgown: This skirt stretches from the bodice in a wide shape. Think of the massive gowns on Big Fat Gypsy Wedding.

Bell Jar: Similar to the ballgown only the hem slightly goes in making it look like a bell.

Drop Waist Silhouette: This skirt begins below the hips from a loose seam. Most popular in 1920s.

Mermaid Silhouette: The gown is tight and fitting from the neck down to the knees of shins where is flares out like a fish’s tale.

Trumpet Silhouette: The skirt flares out from the mid thigh region.

High-Low skirt: the skirt is short at the front and long in the back. The mullet of gowns if you will.

Train: This is a sweep of material that trails behind the lady as she walks.

Examples of interesting historical gowns.

Sack-back gown or robe à la française: Popular in the 18th century. This style has the fabric gathered and streaming from the shoulders like a cape. The gown is open at the front to show the stomacher and petticoat. Here panniers will be worn, the wider the richer the lady. This gown often had ¾ length sleeves.

Robe à la polonaise: This is a gown with a skirt that is cutaway, draped and ruffled at the overskirt. It can also be fitted.

Robe à l'anglaise: Similar to the francaise, the back of the gown was pleated into a cape like train. The gown was open in front to show the petticoat and the sleeves reached the elbows.

Tudor Style: This gown has a square neckline which may or may not include a sheer. The sleeves an be fitted to elbow and then billow out, lined with fur or are fitted at the elbow and wrist, showing the chemise underneath.

Chiton: This dress is often seen in Roman or Greek art. The Doric version was made by draping material over the body and fastened at the shoulder by clasps The Ionic chiton version was draped about the body and pinned at the waist.

Civil War Gown: These gowns featured drop shoulder sleeves, had low necklines, and ridiculously voluminous skirts. All this had to have petticoats and crinoline to keep the shape.

Tea gown: These gowns were seen in 19th century clothes. They had little form or structure and were often made of light fabrics.

Russian court dress: This gown consisted of robes worn over a tablier, with a boat neckline and cold shoulder sleeves.

Young Justice: One Gifset Per Episode: Season Two, Episode Nineteen: Summit

France: what if the person who named Walkie Talkies named everything?

America: pregnancy tests are Maybe Babies

Seychelles: socks are Feetie Heaties

Sealand: forks are Stabby Grabbies

Canada: defibrillators are Heartie Starties

Australia: nightmares are Dreamy Screamies

Hong Kong: stamps are Lickie Stickies

England: my children are disappointments

Rozālija von Brock (nyo!Latvia). Also featured in the class. More #intro sketches.

Tanto tempo fa

I love to draw babies so much (*´∀`)~♥

Know your way around Narnia

CS Lewis was born on this day in 1898. A poet, academic, critic and theologian, Lewis is best known for his novels, particularly the timelessly popular Chronicles of Narnia.

This delightful map of Narnia and its surrounding lands was drawn by Lewis himself and now resides in the Bodleian archives, preserving a privileged insight into Lewis’ world-making processes.

Lewis did not intend for his own illustration to be published in his books, intending instead that a professional artist would create a more polished interpretation. Pauline Baynes was introduced to Lewis by his fellow Inkling JRR Tolkien, and she redrafted the map for publication in Prince Caspian, the second book of the series.

In a letter with further instructions for Baynes, dated 8 January 1951, Lewis described the finished look he was hoping for.

My idea was that the map should be more like a medieval map than an Ordnance Survey – mountains and castles drawn – perhaps winds blowing at the corners – and a few heraldic-looking ships, whales and dolphins in the sea.

For those who do not know Narnia quite so well, here are some of the more interesting places on the map.

Aslan’s How: The mound covering what was once the Stone Table where Aslan was sacrificed.

Beruna: One of the four named towns in Narnia. Strategically built at the confluence of rivers, Beruna became the site of two great battles.

Cair Paravel: The capital of the Kingdom of Narnia, and the location of the Royal Castle where High King Peter, Queen Susan, Queen Lucy and King Edmund havetheir thrones.

Dancing Lawn: The ritual site for old Narnians, and the meeting place after Prince Caspian flees from Miraz’s castle.

Lantern Waste: The location of The Lantern of Ever Lighted Lamp, the lamppost where Lucy and Mr Tumnus first meet after she passes through the wardrobe. Lantern Waste is also where Digory, Polly, Jadis and their companions witnessed the creation of Narnia.

Miraz’s Castle: Where Prince Caspian is raised by Miraz, his uncle and un-rightful ruler of Narnia. 

Trufflehunter’s Cave: The home of Trufflehunter the badger, first talking animal that Prince Caspian meets and later a Knight in the Order of the Lion.

Things that took me way too long to learn about colour theory

-colours are nothing but RELATIVE -neutral backgrounds. NEUTRAL BACKGROUNDS. they make your colours pop because COLOUR. RELATIVITY.  -rim light are a cheat sheet for making awe-worthy art -on that note, DON’T DROWN YOUR DRAWINGS IN RIM LIGHT. LESS IS MORE. -light purple + ‘multiply’ = BEAUTIFUL SHADOWS -hell any light colour + ‘multiply’ = bam you have atmospheric shadows  -orange/yellow light + blue/purple shadows (because our instinctual reference for light… is the sun. which is yellow/orange. and blah blah blah something light physics blah blah it makes the shadows the opposite colour, so opposite of yellow/orange sunlight is purple/blue shadows). I mean it’s a nice default but it’s not set-in-stone and other colour palettes add mood so GO ON WITH YOUR COOL LIGHTS AND WARM SHADOWS

(cont. if people are interested)