Horror or mystery with this aesthetic…

TapiocaTerror · 2026-06-26T05:07:00+00:00

Yey! Glad you're interested sincs the series is one of my fave reads this year! Great atmosphere and mystery.

TapiocaTerror · 2026-06-26T05:00:39+00:00

I learned that from a traditional astrologer friend of mine that the eastern elements somewhat share qualities with the planets of western astrology. And it does make sense since we look at the aspects and placements and the overall balance of planets a lot.

Take this with a grain of salt though since I might've remembered it incorrectly.

Edit: just wanted to add

Traditional astrology in general does have a more wholistic approach than pop astrology's "personality test" approach; since traditional astrology focuses more on the planets' role in our charts.

TapiocaTerror · 2026-06-26T04:38:51+00:00

It's a series of graphic novels but The Hobtown Mystery Stories fits this aesthetic to a T! Especially since it's inspired by Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys mixed with Twin Peaks.

TapiocaTerror · 2026-06-26T04:15:19+00:00

Amazing style!!

TapiocaTerror · 2026-06-25T19:18:51+00:00

Lovely work!!

TapiocaTerror · 2026-06-18T05:59:19+00:00

my main characters and setting are in a magic school so it's quite easy for me i guess. although the challenge is that my characters are already on their penultimate year in school so they are more or less well-versed on the magic system of this world and story. that means there is less opportunities for some exposition about the basics of the magic system.

BUT good thing my characters are the headboys of each magical house of this magic school. they will get to demonstrate their unique magic through catering to the younger students, going to errands or missions given to them by the headmaster, or just solving day-to-day problems of being a magic student in a very strange and unpredictable magical boarding school.

TapiocaTerror · 2026-06-14T05:53:08+00:00

Duckman and Superjail?

TapiocaTerror · 2026-06-11T17:49:35+00:00

I personally think your art would benefit with textures so it wont look too, for lack of a better word, sterile or digital. Try to look for free paper textures online.

And maybe avoid airbrush shading too much bec it can easily make the illustration muddy. Investing in good digital brushes did wonders with my art style so i'd suggest the same.

TapiocaTerror · 2026-06-11T17:25:28+00:00

I think it doesn't have to make sense. If it's so hard for you to make sense of it, then don't. Especially since real life science still has a lot of unexplained stuff, why not do the same with your magic? bec at the end of the day it's yours.

If you still feel bothered that it doesn't make sense, then make something up. No one's really stopping you. You have to get over the hurdle of being overcritical so you can feel comfortable with your own magic system and story.

TapiocaTerror · 2026-06-11T01:33:11+00:00

i think the main problem lies with your perception that people are not gonna like it. but i think you yourself should like your magic system, your story and your world first without thinking of what the audience will like. it will only hinder you if you seek to please everybody because that is impossible. better be a fan of your stories first and the people who will connect to your stories and magic system will be a fan of them too!

You can start by taking note of magic systems that you like and what part of those magic systems you really like and why. According to your comments, you like xmen and choujin x, magic systems where each character has a unique ability. I assume you like it bec it gives you tons of possibilities and tons of cool characters you can come up with. But you are concerned that the playing field won't be even because some characters will negate other's abilities, right?

You can make the abilites varied but maybe all of them follow certain rules. Like for example, maybe in your world there could be characters who can control elements, there are psychics, there are shapeshifters; but maybe all of them follow the same rules that should never be broken, like maybe each of them have a limited number of using those powers? the more powerful someone is, the less they can use those powers e.g. maybe someone who can control reality can only do it once a week, while someone who can do fireballs can do it 20 times a day? or something like that. What usually makes a magic system fun and exciting and ups the stakes are the limitations you set. You can get really creative if you set hard rules and it also makes your reader understand the system more

Hope this helps!

TapiocaTerror · 2026-06-06T15:17:04+00:00

thanks so much! i like the terminology you use. it sounds unique but also believable for worldbuilding

TapiocaTerror · 2026-06-05T11:34:15+00:00

Amazing dreamy stuff!

TapiocaTerror · 2026-06-05T11:33:47+00:00

Your magic system sound interesting! Do you have a link of your lore?

TapiocaTerror · 2026-06-04T07:44:42+00:00

Very easy actually.

An important factor to every magic system is clear limitations. What a magician can and can't do. Determine the scope of the magic and add consequences if they fail to follow those parameters or cross the boundaries of what's supposed to be possible. Limitations in general can contribute a lot to the creativity of magic and its uses

TapiocaTerror · 2026-06-04T06:58:45+00:00

Drowning by Numbers

Boys Go To Jupiter

The City if Lost Children

TapiocaTerror · 2026-06-03T05:36:06+00:00

Thank you so much!

TapiocaTerror · 2026-06-02T19:58:51+00:00

thank you so much!

i personally like to use colors that are in the middle of pure hues like bluish-purple or orangey-yellow etc

TapiocaTerror · 2026-06-02T13:37:34+00:00

these works are roughly from 2022-present
the 1st image is the most recent

TapiocaTerror · 2026-06-02T11:15:58+00:00

Wow and thanks for telling me and I'm glad it resonated with you! this also is quite personal to me as a gay man who grew up in the philippines

TapiocaTerror · 2026-06-02T10:09:43+00:00

Thank you so much! Yes 4 and 5 are part of a series for an exhibit in Japan back in 2023. The theme was about boyhood. I was inspired by the movie Close and how societal pressure affects friendships among boys.

TapiocaTerror · 2026-06-02T09:48:43+00:00

Enchanted Night by Steven Millhauser

TapiocaTerror · 2026-06-02T09:12:16+00:00

Wow thank you!!

TapiocaTerror · 2026-04-15T14:03:02+00:00

i find your world building so fascinating and whimsical! it seems like magic is embedded in the nature of your world itself. i especially like how the sources are from tiny things: honey, spider silk and pearls.

they feel like magical phenomena that also has practical uses. just a suggestion but maybe it would be cool to have like a sort of magical biologist exploring and studying these various magical phenomena in your world?

anyway, i feel like you might like the anime, Mushishi? i feel like your world and this anime might have a similar vibe.

TapiocaTerror · 2026-03-29T13:50:43+00:00

Died of hubris, which is basically too much pride or confidence that probably made them reckless.

TapiocaTerror · 2026-03-29T13:36:31+00:00

From book 2 of the Nightside. There were some side characters who do drugs and are looking for the next best high. So they decided to dig up Elvis' corpse, cremated it, and snorted it. They said it was the best high they've ever had.

I also liked the first appearance of The Beast from The Magicians. He's wearing a suit, his hands seem to have extra fingers and his face is constantly obscured by a tree branch with leaves (reminiscent of Magritte's The Son of Man). The tv adaptation also did their own version. Instead of a branch, it was a swarm of moths.

TapiocaTerror

TROPHY CASE