I just found a new app for creative wordbuilding/writing stuff and guys it's so amazing it's called Fortelling and I only got it today but it's great
There's so much stuff
If you’re an artist who likes to work really close, (like me), do yourself a favor and put up two views. You can do this by clicking View–> New on your toolbar.
There’s nothing worse than finally zooming out and realizing what you were doing was very wrong. This saved me a lot of grief tbh. I’m sure everyone knows this already but ._.;; I arrived quite late to that party.
For someone who struggles to understand sometimes what a given block does inside a specific BHAV, this might be useful!
I've just released a web tool for The Sims 2 modders that converts SimPe BHAV code to Mermaid diagrams. It's intended to make BHAV functions easier to understand, especially the big ones.
BHAV to Mermaid diagram (cosmatevs.github.io)
Lunch time painting #watercolor #pentel #pentelwaterbrush #waterbrush #windsor&newton #art #painting #tools #toolsofthetrade
One of the tools that was used on the Georgetown Loop Railroad.
If you need to fix something on Earth, you could go to a store, buy the tools you need, and get started. In space, it’s not that easy.
Aside from the obvious challenges associated with space (like it being cold and there being no gravity), developing the right tools requires a great deal of creativity because every task is different, especially when the tools need to be designed from scratch. From the time an engineer dreams up the right tools to the time they are used in space, it can be quite a process.
On Nov. 15, astronauts Luca Parmitano and Drew Morgan began a series of spacewalks to repair an instrument called the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS-2) on the exterior of the International Space Station. The first of four spacewalk focused on using specialized tools to remove shields and covers, to gain access to the heart of AMS to perform the repairs, and install a new cooling system.
The debris shield that covered Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer floats away toward Earth as astronaut Drew Morgan successfully releases it.
Once repaired, AMS will continue to help us understand more about the formation of the universe and search for evidence of dark matter and antimatter.
These spacewalks, or extravehicular activities (EVAs), are the most complex of their kind since the servicing of the Hubble Space Telescope. AMS is particularly challenging to repair not only because of the instrument’s complexity and sensitivity, but also because it was never designed to be fixed. Because of this design, it does not have the kinds of interfaces that make spacewalks easier, or the ability to be operated on with traditional multi-purpose tools. These operations are so complex, their design and planning has taken four years. Let’s take a look at how we got ready to repair AMS.
When designing the tools, our engineers need to keep in mind various complications that would not come into play when fixing something on Earth. For example, if you put a screw down while you’re on Earth, gravity will keep it there — in space, you have to consistently make sure each part is secure or it will float away. You also have to add a pressurized space suit with limited dexterity to the equation, which further complicates the tool design.
In addition to regular space complications, the AMS instrument itself presents many challenges — with over 300,000 data channels, it was considered too complex to service and therefore was not designed to one day be repaired or updated if needed. Additionally, astronauts have never before cut and reconnected micro-fluid lines (4 millimeters wide, less than the width of the average pencil) during a spacewalk, which is necessary to repair AMS, so our engineers had to develop the tools for this big first.
With all of this necessary out-of-the-box thinking, who better to go to for help than the teams that worked on the most well-known repair missions — the Hubble servicing missions and the space station tool teams? Building on the legacy of these missions, some of our same engineers that developed tools for the Hubble servicing missions and space station maintenance got to work designing the necessary tools for the AMS repair, some reworked from Hubble, and some from scratch. In total, the teams from Goddard Space Flight Center’s Satellite Servicing Projects Division, Johnson Space Center, and AMS Project Office developed 21 tools for the mission.
Like many great inventions, it all starts with a sketch. Engineers figure out what steps need to be taken to accomplish the task, and imagine the necessary tools to get the job done.
From there, engineers develop a computer-aided design (CAD) model, and get to building a prototype. Tools will then undergo multiple iterations and testing with the AMS repair team and astronauts to get the design just right, until eventually, they are finalized, ready to undergo vibration and thermal vacuum testing to make sure they can withstand the harsh conditions of launch and use in the space environment.
Hex Head Capture Tool Progression:
Hex Head Capture Tool Used in Space:
One of the reasons the AMS spacewalks have been four years in the making is because the complexity of the repairs required the astronauts to take extra time to practice. Over many months, astronauts tasked with performing the spacewalks practiced the AMS repair procedures in numerous ways to make sure they were ready for action. They practiced in:
Virtual reality simulations:
The Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory:
The Active Response Gravity Offload System (ARGOS):
Astronauts use this testing to develop and practice procedures in space-like conditions, but also to figure out what works and doesn’t work, and what changes need to be made. A great example is a part of the repair that involves cutting and reconnecting fluid lines. When astronauts practiced cutting the fluid lines during testing here on Earth, they found it was difficult to identify which was the right one to cut based on sight alone.
The tubes on the AMS essentially look the same.
After discussing the concern with the team monitoring the EVAs, the engineers once again got to work to fix the problem.
And thus, the Tube Cutting Guide tool was born! Necessity is the mother of invention and the team could not have anticipated the astronauts would need such a tool until they actually began practicing. The Tube Cutting Guide provides alignment guides, fiducials and visual access to enable astronauts to differentiate between the tubes. After each of eight tubes is cut, a newly designed protective numbered cap is installed to cover the sharp tubing.
With the tools and repair procedures tested and ready to go, they launched to the International Space Station earlier this year. Now they’re in the middle of the main event -- Luca and Drew completed the first spacewalk last Friday, taking things apart to access the interior of the AMS instrument. Currently, there are three other spacewalks scheduled over the course of a month. The next spacewalk will happen on Nov. 22 and will put the Tube Cutting Guide to use when astronauts reconnect the tubes to a new cooling system.
With the ingenuity of our tool designers and engineers, and our astronauts' vigorous practice, AMS will be in good hands.
Check out the full video for the first spacewalk. Below you can check out each of the tools above in action in space!
Debris Shield Worksite: 2:29:16 – Debris Shield Handling Aid 2:35:25 – Hex Head Capture Tool (first) 2:53:31 – #10 Allen Bit 2:54:59 – Capture Cages 3:16:35 – #10 Allen Bit (diagonal side) 3:20:58 – Socket Head Capture Tool 3:33:35 – Hex Head Capture Tool (last) 3:39:35 – Fastener Capture Block 3:40:55 – Debris Shield removal 3:46:46 – Debris Shield jettison
Handrail Installations: 4:00:53 – Diagonal Beam Handrail Install 4:26:09 – Nadir Vacuum Case Handrail Install 4:33:50 – Zenith Vacuum Case Handrail InstallVertical Support Beam (VSB)
Vertical Support Beam (VSB) Worksite: 5:04:21 – Zip Tie Cutter 5:15:27 – VSB Cover Handling Aid 5:18:05 – #10 Allen Bit 5:24:34 – Socket Head Capture Tool 5:41:54 – VSB Cover breaking 5:45:22 – VSB Cover jettison 5:58:20 – Top Spacer Tool & M4 Allen Bit 6:08:25 – Top Spacer removal 7:42:05 - Astronaut shoutout to the tools team
We sent the first humans to land on the Moon in 1969. Since then, only of 12 men have stepped foot on the lunar surface – but we left robotic explorers behind to continue gathering science data. And now, we’re preparing to return. Establishing a sustained presence on and near the Moon will help us learn to live off of our home planet and prepare for travel to Mars.
To help establish ourselves on and near the Moon, we are working with a few select American companies. We will buy space on commercial robotic landers, along with other customers, to deliver our payloads to the lunar surface. We’re even developing lunar instruments and tools that will fly on missions as early as 2019!
Through partnerships with American companies, we are leading a flexible and sustainable approach to deep space missions. These early commercial delivery missions will also help inform new space systems we build to send humans to the Moon in the next decade. Involving American companies and stimulating the space market with these new opportunities to send science instruments and new technologies to deep space will be similar to how we use companies like Northrop Grumman and SpaceX to send cargo to the International Space Station now. These selected companies will provide a rocket and cargo space on their robotic landers for us (and others!) to send science and technology to our nearest neighbor.
So who are these companies that will get to ferry science instruments and new technologies to the Moon?
Here’s a digital “catalogue” of the organizations and their spacecraft that will be available for lunar services over the next decade:
Pittsburg, PA
Littleton, CO
Cedar Park, TX
Houston, TX
Littleton, CO
Mojave, CA
Cape Canaveral, FL
Edison, NJ
Cambridge, MA
We are thrilled to be working with these companies to enable us to investigate the Moon in new ways. In order to expand humanity’s presence beyond Earth, we need to return to the Moon before we go to Mars.
The Moon helps us to learn how to live and work on another planetary body while being only three days away from home – instead of several months. The Moon also holds enormous potential for testing new technologies, like prospecting for water ice and turning it into drinking water, oxygen and rocket fuel. Plus, there’s so much science to be done!
The Moon can help us understand the early history of the solar system, how planets migrated to their current formation and much more. Understanding how the Earth-Moon system formed is difficult because those ancient rocks no longer exist here on Earth. They have been recycled by plate tectonics, but the Moon still has rocks that date back to the time of its formation! It’s like traveling to a cosmic time machine!
Join us on this exciting journey as we expand humanity’s presence beyond Earth.
Learn more about the Moon and all the surprises it may hold: https://moon.nasa.gov
Find out more about today’s announcement HERE.
Make sure to follow us on Tumblr for your regular dose of space: http://nasa.tumblr.com
It's really important to remember this is my own version inspired by Traditional Witchcraft. What is presented here is not a "universal" belief about how magic works, and it is influenced by my experiences and UPG/SPG.
The purpose of this charm is to elevate mundane/inert objects, including commercially harvested/mined plants and stones, so that they become filled with power and magically effective.
This is a basic and simple spell which can be adapted to a wide variety of uses. However, it lacks the power and permanence of a formal consecration.
I recommend performing this charm right before you use whatever it is you're enchanting. So, right before drinking the tea, right before using your broom to sweep out energies, etc.
I use a charm similar to this one to prepare spellcasting materials, such as enchanting salt and candles before using them in a spell.
This charm has like two steps and takes about fifteen seconds to do in the moment, but this post runs a little long because I explain the theory along the way.
Whatever it is to be enchanted
A traditional symbol of spiritual power, ideally one simple enough that you can draw it in the air with your finger or picture it in your mind
A very short little incantation (you will be writing it)
"Traditional" as in you didn't make it up - so, not your own sigils.
This is based on my belief about how this charm and magical symbols work.
If you use a really old and powerful magical symbol - like a five-pointed star or the Christian cross - you're tapping into the power of the symbol itself.
If you use a sigil that you created and charged with your own energy, you're going to be drawing on your own power to use this charm. Which of course, totally fine - it's just that it's more draining.
("What if my sigil is designed to channel external power?" you still have to spend your energy to maintain the sigil, like having to repair a bucket you use to carry water)
Whatever symbol you use definitely matters. If you use one of the elemental triangles, it's going to impart elemental energy into the charm. If you use Brigid's Cross, it's going to impart her energy into the charm. If you want to impart your own energy on purpose, you can use your own signature :)
It's worth putting thought into what energies you want to impart. You can keep a collection of symbols handy to impart special kinds of energy if you want, or use something universal like the pentagram for everything.
This can be anything. I enjoy somewhat standardizing mine, it just helps me get into the groove. You usually want your incantation to do 3 things:
Acknowledge the power behind the symbol you're using.
State that you need the power provided by the symbol and that you want this power to go into the object you're enchanting.
Clearly state what you want the outcome to be.
Here are a couple of examples. Materials in [brackets] indicate that word should be swapped out depending on what you're actually charming. You can be plain or poetic, whatever works:
By the power of Christ, I charm this [candle] to purify. Through Him this room will be cleansed.
Five elements fill you one by one, 'till this [salt] shines like the sun. Hear this task assigned to thee: help my spell and make it well. As my will, so shall it be.
I empower this [incense] to dispel unwanted spirits through the powers of the Sun and Moon.
You do not need to speak it aloud. Just reading it or going over it in your mind will suffice.
Eh. If you've got focus and willpower to spare, feel free to spend them on this. But you don't really need them.
If you're using symbols of actual spiritual power and clearly directing them unto a goal, it should work. Powers don't need your belief in order to be powerful. Energies can still move when you're not focused on them.
If your incantation includes directions that clearly indicates you are A) calling on magical power, B) that the power needs to go into the object, and C) what the power should do for you, then that's all you need.
Staying in the present moment is really helpful, but you don't need to really burn the lamp oil on this, you know?
Using your finger, draw the spiritual symbol over the thing you want to charm. Alternatively:
Draw it on a piece of paper and hold the paper nearby
Picture the symbol in your mind
Speak, think, or sign your very short little incantation. Make sure you are clearly indicating that you are using the symbol for its power, that you want the power to go into the object, and that all this is being done so that the object aligns to your stated intent.
That's it :)
Magical symbols are like the crystalized form of the powers they represent. The charm has power because the symbol you employ radiates with power. It is then up to you to direct it and instruct it according to your needs.
If you're not having success, try changing the symbol you use.
If the symbol is one representing a specific deity or being, ensure you've got at least a neutral relationship with them. If you skipped out on an oath to a god and you're avoiding them, using their symbol is probably not a great idea.
If you are new to magic, spending more willpower and focus will likely be of assistance to you.
what if you got home and your stupid guard dog had gotten its prong collar stuck around its waist and was lying there writhing around trying to get it off but just making it tighter in the process huh 🙄
🐱🔔
With @knottydevil
this as an American traditional tat2 would go crazyyyyy/bonkers/insane also #literallyme yo
In the 1980s Olaf was deliberately looking for effect and shocking, as in his series Chessmen (1988) https://www.mendo.nl/product/erwin-olaf-i-am-english-version/ [Joel Peter Witkin is clearly not far from his deliberations either--Esco20]
here's a list of programs/sites/whatever that were helpful to me when i was moving away from using spotify & back to downloading music:
soulseek - peer to peer downloading program, has most music you'd want. there's "rules" to it though and the UI is a little confusing, but you can figure it out. there's tutorials. i believe in you
cobalt.tools, ytiz.xyz, yt-dlp - mp3 downloaders, for the songs that you can't find on soulseek
musicbee - music player, extremely customiseable. reminds me of when i used itunes back in the day. has a lot of good features, including syncing music over to your phone
lastfm & listenbrainz - sites that keep track of your listening stats. i'd recommend this even if you still choose to use a music streaming service
syncedlyrics - cmd thing that gets you timed song lyrics, like the ones spotify has. there's no UI but it's easy enough to use. just grab the lyrics and timestamps it spits out and paste it into musicbee
music presence - program that shows what song you're listening to in your discord status, in case you use discord and enjoy the thought of other people seeing what you're listening to, which i do for some reason
i'm not going to lie to you and say that switching away from spotify/streaming services is an effortless task, it took me half a whole day of nonstop Work to get all my music downloaded and sorted out, but i will say that it was worth it!! and you should do it 👍 if you want to
Circular saw kit for the Dremel ......... hahaha Okay.. so I decided to share it here too because well, I wrote about it so I figured I’d show ya what I was talking about. Enjoy... and be nice... I’m learning.
For the record... olive wood smells really cool when cut. My next cuts were MUCH better. heh Practice helps. haha
hahaha Okay, I don't play as much as I used to, and what I do when I play has definitely changed BUT... then and now I can not express enough how thankful I am for this site. With updates, questions, and curious finds, this site has helped me sooooo many times... to figure out what, where, how, and uhm... now what can I do with that information?. hahahaha Enjoy!
Children who dream #02 soo the series is going forward albeit a bit slow. Here's a girl who dreams of being a mechanic 🔧 #art #illustration #watercolor #artistforhire #children #book #inspiration #dream #goal #mechanic #repair #tools #girl #plant #joy #car #bicycle #artistOnInsta #artistontumblr #love #green #nature #whimsyillos #whimsical #wip
You really don't need all the fancy bullshit every tumblr influencer will ever tell you to use. Here's my countdown ofaxtually useful shit.
A pocket knife, preferably with a wood handle. Use that bitch for everything, enchant it, carve symbols in it. It will absolutely be your best friend.
A good bag or backpack with a couple of plastic or ziploc bags in it. If you ever run off into the woods to find minerals, bones, plants, etc. A set aside bag and some things to store your treasures in becomes a necessity.
Basic divinatory sets. You don't have to buy fancy shit, learn to divine with playing cards and dice, or learn geomancy, lithomancy, or rune casting with homemade sets. A tarot deck is nice, but it isn't necessary when you've got so many other divinatory aids available.
A nice sized chunk of scrap cloth. When you process dried plants or sort new ones, that shit can and will get everywhere. A scrap piece of muslin or linen can help contain all of that mess and make clean up way easier.
A stash of good rocks. Draw sigils or symbols on those babies and leave them in the garden, the windowsill,property boundaries, under the stoop, etc. You can never have too many good rocks.
A pendulum, for fucks sake. The cards are going to be vague as hell when you're trying to figure out yes or no questions, and using a candle to communicate with spirits is really fucking hard outside. If you can't afford one, find a nice chunk of pointy quartz and learn to macrame.
A workspace. Everyone talks about having big fancy altars, but no one mentions that you need a good surface to do all your work on.
Storage, so much storage. I'm not talking about mason jars and pill bottles, I'm talking about where you put all the things you put in those jars. Having a workspace with drawers is immeasurably helpful.
A broom and water source. You're going to be cleaning up after yourself a lot, it's helpful to have a jug of water and a broom that stays by your workspace.
A mode of cleansing. I make a salt concoction to scatter around my workspace on short notice and store it close by.
On that note: SOMETHING TO CANCEL SPELLS WITH. Eventually, something will go wrong. You'll want to end that spell immediately. Have something to do it with.
A strainer. If you don't have a blender, rub dried plants across it to get a powder. If you do have a blender, you can strain that powder with it. Either way, if you intend to powder shit, get a strainer.
Small trays. It makes drying flowers so much easier if you have a small metal surface to contain them with- then just stick those suckers in a southern window and let em go.
Yarn/string scraps. Having a box or drawer of scraps makes trying this up to dry easier and a bit less wasteful.
A stash of offerings for whatever you work with. Honey for fae, coins for graveyard gatekeepers, alcohol for ancestors, etc.
Protective talismans or charms. Once you're into all of this stuff, you'll likely stick your nose in something you shouldn't. Having basic protection with you or in your workspace is incredibly important. A key and hagstone with red string is simple and effective.
A lighter- so many people forget the most basic shit. You're going to want to light shit on fire if you're a witch.
And a last tip- if something is too hard for a mortar and pestle, a plastic bag and hammer works too.
When you first start out as a witch there is so much excitement to go out and buy all the “fancy” new tools, supplies, and books. You think that you need them. That you have to own specific things to make your spells work. It is easy to get caught up in all that. But there are plenty of things that you mostly likely already own that can be used as ritual/spell tools and supplies. Not as fancy as going to the local occult shop, but will help you get started right away or good for those who are in the broom closet.
I'm going to offer household suggestions for the main tools you may need.
Wand: A stick you can leave plain or decorate (try not to cut off a branch but look for something that has already been shed.) A chopstick that you have decorated (I like the hot glue handle then painted). A wooden spoon. You can wire or string wrap several kabob skewers together. A wooden dowel. Stirring rod.
Athame: Plain old butter knife. A pocket knife. A letter opener. A toy sword or dagger. (it would be symbolic only as it wouldn't actually cut anything, My athame is made of resin and I use it only symbolically.)
Chalice: Any cup will do. I have a wine glass that I use sometimes and a HP mug I use sometimes.
Besom: Anything that will “sweep” the energy. A folding fan(paper, lace or feathers.) A hand broom, a feather duster(please be careful around open flame)
Cauldron: Needs to be heat and fire proof. A small pot. You can fill a small ceramic or terra cotta bowl/pot with some sand(I'd also place on a trivet as well just to be on the safe side) Small camping cast iron pot.
Bell: Any bell with do, doesn't have to have a handle. Could be jingle bells from Xmas or sport's fan cowbell.(My old college was always handing those out for homecoming) Before I got a singing bowl I had one piece of actual crystal, I used to do the water on the rim trick for ringing.
Candles: Pretty much any candles will do, even flame-less if that is how you have to go. I like birthday candles, they come in every color, are easy to source, and burn quickly.
Mortar and Pestle: You just need to be able to grind and crush herbs, seeds, eggshells, etc. Alternatives could be a spice or coffee grinder. A rolling pin and baggie, round rock and bowl,
Grimoire or Book of Shadows(BOS): Notebook or composition notebooks. Journals. Binder and loose leaf paper. Digital journal. Sketchbooks. If you want something a bit bigger and fancier, you can combine several composition notebooks together by gluing the front and back covers together and binding with fabric or tape. You can keep all your writings in a box, envelope, or chest. It doesn't need to be a “book.”
You don't have to go out and buy all kinds of new things to get started as a witch. By all means, you can if you want to, but you certainly don't have to. There are so many alternative things out there that you can make use of. Take a look through your home with fresh eyes, maybe there is something that would work perfectly that you just hadn't noticed before.
Hi! I just found your art and it’s so beautiful, I just have two questions- where do you find your pose references (do you take them yourself or look somewhere online)? And how do you paint lighting so well, especially on faces? Thank you and I hope you have a nice day ❤️
Hi there! I do both, I take pictures of stuff like my hands, poses, etc. and I also look online to find similar poses to get as many angles as I can.
For painting lighting, I look at photo references of lighting where it’s close to what I’m painting. Stuff like the turning shadow, rebound light, cast shadow; see if you can identify those in references or other objects. I’d also look at Bargue plates (ex down below), especially for faces. Lighting on faces is a bit more complex because there are so many planes at different angles, but hey, that’s what makes it interesting too. It definitely helps to look at facial structure drawings and sculptures. Knowing where the planes of the face are is important when you’re painting light on faces.
I love Bargue :)
I have a quick question about colouring if you dont mind! 🥺 I notice that whenever I try to render something with lots of shades and colours etc (esp if there’s dramatical lighting) everything ends up looking just,, muddy? I was wondering if that’s something you had to deal with before and if you have any advice on how to fix it? Haha thank you!!!
This definitely happened to me in my earlier years, and it sometimes still happens now if I’m not paying attention.
If something’s turning out to be muddy, I would try more clearly defining your contrasts in the image. Especially with dramatic lighting, it should be relatively simple (though not easy) to portray contrast, as opposed to something like more softer lighting/not as contrasting. Definitely check out your values (just lower saturation of the whole image till it’s in greyscale to check) from time to time while painting if you feel your image is getting muddy. Usually that’s a result of things like overrendering, not enough contrast (and contrast can come from both hue and value, not just value). So keep in mind color theory along with value, since color can definitely be a factor in muddiness. For ex, contrast in terms of color theory can be a complementary color scheme, and contrast in value is light and dark, and the intensity and degree to which you apply those is up to you :)
I also recommend simplifying your lights and darks at first, so you know where those are placed and so you don’t accidentally let them get away from you while painting. And use references too!! See how other artists paint light and dark, for example. Another tip is to paint the planes of an object before softening them, and to see if the contrast is as you wanted it to be. Think low-res polygon going to a more rounded form. Good luck! Happy painting :)
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.