Grab your phone and turn on your recording app. If you don’t have one of those, then grab a piece of paper or open a word document.

Now I want you to pick to a scene. It could be whatever you’re avoiding working on right now or it could be a random scene that you’ve been thinking about for a while. Got one in mind? Great.

Now talk me through it and I don’t mean just tell me what happens. I want you to tell me why you’re writing this scene, what’s its purpose? Who is in it and why are they there? Why does what happens here happen and how does it play into the rest of the tale?

You can do this in several ways. One way is to just talk about the scene in a general sense. To simply give me the puzzle edges that make it fit into the whole. Another way, and the way I tend to do this, is to pick the one of the characters who cause the scene and tell me about them. Why are they causing the scene? What is it about their personality or actions that is making this happen?

If you can’t do what I just told you to do, then you’ve got a problem because you don’t understand your story well enough to tell yourself about it. If you can’t do that, then how do you expect to tell the story to other people?

I do this technique a lot and I’ve found that it’s a godsend when I’m stuck. I record my explanations on my phone and then I listen to them. I ask myself if what I’m saying makes sense and then, when I’m writing the scene, I keep the reason for the scene in mind. 

Unfortunately, I doubt that posting any of these monologues would be useful. They’re all about characters and scenes that you’ve never read. However, if this technique sounds interesting to you and you want to know more, then I’ll try to record some of these about scenes from popular books or movies. I’ll pretend that I’m the author and record a short sound bite about why the scene is needed, but only if someone asks because if I’m going to act that pretentious I’ve got to know that at least one person want me to be. Anyone interested?

Ten minute photo studies.

Gestures to music. Twelve songs, twelve sets of loose gestural art. Not studies, bc I wasn’t reffing.

…in Photoshop.

I do all my Photoshop painting in RGB mode, then flatten those files and convert them to CMYK when it’s time to send them to my publisher to go to the printing press. Here’s why.

Let’s look at an image in which I’ve used a layer (handily named ”Screen”) with its blend mode set to “Screen” in order to simulate the light bloom from a big ol’ bonfire. This is the same document with the same layers, only the “Screen” layer ON and OFF. I painted it in RGB mode. It’s in RGB mode right now.

Let’s take this same layered file, and just change it into CMYK mode.

(First this happens: Photoshop doesn’t support my “Levels” adjustment layer in CMYK mode, so it’s going to throw it out during the conversion process.)

After the conversion, we get this:

… now we have the original layered document in CMYK mode. Note the differences between the ways Photoshop accomplishes the Blend Mode rendering in each colour mode.

I’ve added some junk to help clarify. Again, notice how Photoshop handles that “Screen” blend mode in the RGB document versus the CMYK document.

If we take away all the other layers…

… you can see the “More Screen” layer is essentially identical, even though PS renders the Blend Mode effect differently.

Photo Filter adjustment layers operate differently, too…

Compare left and right. RGB on the left, CMYK on the right.

To send our painting to the printer AND preserve the original look of our Blend Mode and Adjustment Layer effects, just flatten the image before you convert the colour mode…

Photoshop “bakes” all our layer effects into one layer of definitive pixels, which can then be safely converted to CMYK without losing all the sweet juiciness of our original effects.

Now, CMYK can’t do everything, because the four-colour ink process (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, blacK) just can not replicate the complete range of colours that the RGB (Red, Green, Blue) colour mode can produce. Welcome to “Colour Gamuts.”

All you can do is keep this information in your mind. Remember that those hot pinks, rich teals, and deep purples will not survive the conversion to CMYK. But that’s okay – colour is relative,* so working within the CMYK colour gamut is no great pain. 

[ * This is a topic of discussion for another day. Or, you know, look into it on your own. ]

Here’s an example of an image I painted that didn’t play well with CMYK:

It may be hard to see, but the deep colours of the water turned bland and desaturated after being converted to CMYK. Oh well, you make adjustments and move on with your life.

Happy painting!

TL;DR:

• Blend modes look better in RGB
• Adjustment layers look better in RGB
• Bonus! RGB file sizes are smaller
  

transguy-sex-advice:

Topping with a strap-on as a trans guy

To start, please note that these might also be relevant to cis women who use strap-ons and I don’t intend for this advice to be exclusionary and anybody can take it and use it. But due to this being a trans guy sex advice blog I will be using language to direct it at trans guys and trans masculine people.

A few bits of advice for people starting out with strap-ons (particularly those with no t-growth)

• If using a harness, keep it tight. You’ll lose control if it loosens so don’t be afraid to check the straps as you go. Your partner probably won’t even notice.
• Depending on your body shape, try different angles for the strap-on itself. Try out the strap-on solo to see how it fits you and get used to it to gain confidence before introducing it to a partner.
• Some guys need more mental stimulation to compliment the physical sensations. It’s a good idea to communicate with your partner before and during sex.
• If you are finding a lack of sensation (i.e. rubbing), consider using a tingling/cooling/warming lube on your clit/t-dick/growth to increase what you can feel.
• If you’re a larger guy or have a bit of fat on your pelvic area sometimes this can get pushed down over your clit/t-dick/growth and reduce sensation, it can be a good idea to pull it up and tighten your harness if this happens.
• Remember that regardless of the dildo size your own dick will be smaller so don’t stick with big movements that work best for a big dick. Often smaller movements have more affect for a smaller dick. Find out what works for your body.
• Also try to keep movements smaller (and harder if you both like), because it’s easy to slip out.
• If using a strap-on for anal - go crazy with lube! Most toys are made of silicone or other materials that are smoother and easier to insert than flesh penises but they still need a lot of lubrication to ensure a good fun time.
• Discuss areas of dysphoria with your partner. Do you want them to talk about the strap-on as though it is your penis? Do you want them to touch/avoid other parts of your body when you are topping? What affirming language would you like them to use?
• Be clear on hygiene. Wash your penis every time you have sex. It’s a good idea to keep wipes handy to give it a quick wash before after-sex cuddles, but give it a proper wash according to instructions later (or email the supplier for advice). Especially if using toys for anal use and doubly so if you are using the same toy for anal and vaginal sex.
• Consider condoms to ease cleaning or, again, if using a toy for both anal and vaginal sex consider using condoms for one of them because you don’t want them butt germs getting in a vagina it’s not fun. Condoms with special traits such as ribs/dots or warming/tingling lube are also great.
• ABOVE ALL - always try to be as open with your partner as you can about your desires and your needs. If they aren’t willing to listen then I’m willing to bet that it’s not worth having sex with them.
• ALSO - sexual interest change. Just because you liked/didn’t like something at some point doesn’t mean it will always be that way. Keeping communication open with your partner means you can try and retry things as you both feel comfortable.
• And AS ALWAYS - don’t let anybody tell you how you “should” have sex. Some trans guys top, some bottom, some are verse. Some receive anal or give anal, some don’t like it. Don’t feel as though just because you’re transgender that you have to fulfill any role sexually that you are not comfortable with. Don’t let anybody tell you you are any less trans/gay/straight because of how you have sex. You do you folks.

Look after yourselves!!

Gel printing - my approach

Gel printing as an artist - my approach

I’ve tried to record the process of making one of my gel prints several times, but without success. This is because my working methods mean I am usually working on perhaps a dozen prints at once, jumping between them. I build up each image over time by adding layer after layer of colour and texture. The closest I have come is a series of photographs of different stages. This post tries to fill…

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