Screw it, two in a week, last day Mermay piece

Tagging @gaeasun @calamity-aims @ofteasandherbs and @mformarsala because I owed this one to you all

alternatives for ai to design ocs

hero forge

picrew

the fucking sims 4

your local furry artist

bitmoji

shitty photoshoped collage

DeviantArt bases

zepeto

making edits of your favorite character

searching "dress up game" on the app store

learning how to draw

I want to add that lots of artists sell character packs for super cheap! And artists do custom quick portraits for super cheap! It's been a while since I made an updated list so lemme just make this a resource update post.

Places you can get free or insanely affordable art instead of stealing/using AI

PICREWS - FREE

2. Tiefling Maker by @crowesn - this one is incredible. SUCH cool clothes, so many multi-tone skin options, tons of horns, tons of really nice braid/curl/dreadlock options, etc. Great for tieflings but also great for orcs, fairies, etc. Ex:

3. Avatar Maker by Baydews - I feel like this one is famous at this point. Lots of combinable hair and also has horns, special ears, etc. Ex:

4. Fantasy Girl by spotchy_pooch - this one doesn't have as many skin options but the outfits are super cute and everything is very geared to specifically fantasy outfits and items. Ex:

There are tons of other Picrews and free online doll makers, both for humanoids and specific creatures. @obi-troll-kenobi has kindly compiled a massive list with links here.

CHARACTER PACKS

2. @za-ra-h makes monthly npcs and pcs you can use in your own games, available on Patreon in her stunning painterly style. She also does custom commissions!

3. @offbeatworlds creates gorgeous, fully-painted character portrait packs with ready-made icons that you can get on Patreon. They're also posted on Tumblr.

4. @rosieelfgirl has a dark elf pack with 8 character portraits and descriptions of optional lore, items, etc. There's also a cheaper art-only option if you're planning to do the backstory and things yourself!

5. @topbanana-art makes character posts for sale on Kofi for around £2/pack, or downloadable for patrons on Patreon.

You can search 'character pack' or 'npc pack' on Tumblr, Kofi, or Patreon to find more artists that make these packs.

CUSTOM COMMISSIONS

A great way to directly support artists and also get custom art is through commissions! I'm featuring @yourdndstories at the top here since they do $25 doodle commissions and +$5 character token commissions:

Below are a few other artists who take commissions at various price points. Just checked and comms are currently listed as open for:

This is just a sampling so feel free to add any artists I missed for Picrews/doll makers, character packs, or commissions!

Apollo from Hades 2

Finally, you can have them all.

Warlock and Titan will be June's sticker club rewards. All three will be available for general purchase in mid-late June.

✨ Sticker Club here!

✨ Or get them on a shirt!

thoroughly enjoyed

REBLOG if you have amazing talented artist friends!

A hexagonal storm with a diameter of 25,000 km raging at the north pole of Saturn.

IMPORTANT!!!

that is all

I don't really ever use Tumblr for advertising. But so many of the questions that come in about writing and plotting are answered in much more depth in my Masterclass. (Yes, you have to pay. They have also been answered here on Tumblr and over on my blog for free, but you will have to find them.)

It's been one of the most popular Masterclasses since its release in 2019, and these days I get to hear from people who published books and blame me, which is nice.

So consider this a rare commercial, mostly because it may actually make life easier for some of you.

Your library may give cardholders access for free through Hoopla. We do! Here's the link:

https://www.hoopladigital.com/television/masterclass-presents-neil-gaiman-teaches-the-art-of-storytelling-neil-gaiman/15484462

This link should work for any library that has Hoopla and offers the class :) If you're not sure just follow the link, click sign up, and search for your library (or, of course, ask your librarian!)

more songs about the specific interpersonal issues my characters have

Signs like these are community-changing. They reframe the whole verge.

[ id: a sign on a small field by the road, filled with dandelions. It's circular and yellow, with drawings of beeds on it, and it reads: Pardon the weeds, we are feeding the bees. /End id ]

the mermaid's embrace