mistformsquirrel

So, I'm a big fan of TVTropes and it's way of looking at fiction. Looking at common tropes, identifying their use, what they mean both in their original context and in a present context and the reason behind those things. I think it's just... fun, and useful, if you've any interest in creating fiction of your own. Because even if you don't realize it, you will use tropes in your work - either playing them straight, subverting them, averting them or otherwise playing around with them. And there's a classic trope of using the Seven Deadly Sins in various ways - often as a group of villains themed after each, though sometimes just as a general concept within a given story. Thing is though... while the concepts behind those sins are largely evergreen, the terminology is archaic enough (and sometimes laden with so many specific examples of use) that I think they've kinda lost their bite a bit, or veer into unfortunate implications unintentionally. So I figure 'hey, I'm waking up, I

If you're just spamming unmodified AI 'art', then yeah I've probably blocked you. I'm not mad at *you* personally though. You're using a technology and enjoying it and that's great. I'm happy for you. What I am not happy about is everything around this new technology. The way it acts as a cultural mulching machine, chewing up decades of hard work by human artists, many of whom struggle to get by, and then spitting out the regurgitated fragments is... deeply upsetting. Especially since those human artists who've been fed into the machine got no say in the matter, no compensation, not even a warning. Just *bam* 'your hard work has been used to fuel the probable decimation of your livelihood. I'm not even at the point where I was making money - I *just* went back to school for art - something I'd been wanting to do since I was a kid but didn't have the guts to try when I was fresh out of highschool - and now it's like "well shit, why am I even fucking bothering?" - I mean I know

So first off, very sorry I've not been particularly active here over the past several months. A lot of that has been getting used to the ipad, which is my new drawing tool of choice - it's been a huge (but positive!) adjustment. I just haven't put together much with it that I've felt is worth putting up just yet (soon though!) I've also had some personal health issues (not Covid stuff, thankfully, but still personally taxing); so that's kinda been an energy and time suck on me. However I do have some more general life news that's pretty positive! I am going back to school - and specifically for art this time! Specifically to Illinois State University, where previously I'd taken English courses but had to drop out due to a combination of severe stress and a car accident. I am... thrilled frankly. Shocked I got in even - to have my art even get me in the door at all is just really affirming on some level? I know this is just Step 1 of a much longer process, and there's a lot