Hello again, it's been a while (nearly 3 years since last post here, and over 5 years since 12 year solo). I'll talk about the ideas and inspirations for the material in my 18 year solo, but first...some personal context.
After the dream battle of WT21 R5, I thought I was ready to explore my 'ultimate' aims - integrating all paths in PS into a coherent framework (thought about this since 2018), and borrowing concepts from other manipulations and artforms (this idea became more serious after conversations with Saltient in 2018-2021, please read his explanation of his creative process). For the next year, I tried 2p1h, 2p2h, and some 3p2h, but couldn't come up with anything convincing, and definitely lacked the mental approach to address the ultimate aims.
I am eternally appreciative of the respect given by newer spinners, who say stuff like 'i.suk doesn't give up'. Unfortunately, this isn't true, and I gave up. With the matchup of my dreams fulfilled, impossibility of winning two WT (my intro post on UPSB forum in 2008 was about aiming to enter a world competition - enter, not win), the contributions I'd already made, I resigned myself to letting the unexplored ideas remain as territory I would never reach. This mentality didn't resolve after seeing 2p1h in PSO22, since I couldn't understand it (or maybe I could've, but I didn't take the time to). Regardless, another year or so passed.
In early 2024, RPD released some 2p1h tutorials and I had discussions with him (which were very insightful but I also disagreed with a lot of things, and subconsciously I probably wanted to prove the strength of my approach)*. Coincidentally, around that time I also happened to read the novel 'Yumi and the Nightmare Painter' (Brandon Sanderson), which reminded me to enjoy artforms as experiences of inherent value. Combined, these events lead to trying 2p1h regularly - the first routine practice I'd done since mid 2022.
*2025 perspective* the limitations I'd noted then were confirmed, but my suggestions were also wrong - the thinking I used to create solo's material was entirely different LOL. Funnily, when I had 0/12 solo combos filmed, I could only do the basic tangle, the basic swift and maybe basic swift reverse; solo is finished now and I can still only do those basic variants.
From 2024 February to July, I planned most of 1 (yes, just 1) 2p1h combo, in August I started transforming it into 2p2h - origin of FS383 for PenU1. I also practiced some 1p1h isolation ideas from around July onwards, and considered making a solo or even competing in 2025 if I could create reasonable effects with 3p2h. In hindsight, I still understood very little, and even by 2025 February (a full year after I'd returned), I didn't even have 2 combos planned, and ZERO combos filmed.
Some time in 2024 I read a scientific journal article regarding convergent and divergent research: convergent - interprets significance and relationships between existing findings to improve understanding; divergent - demonstrates very different ideas or offers different explanations and new thinking. In PS, I consider Saltient and RPD expansions of the frameworks of understanding PS as being divergent; but most of my work was convergent. In the density - integration - conception - framework levels of abstraction I created to contextualise PS in 2019-2021, I never truly reached conception level thinking, even if significance of some of my combos hinted at framework. I was dissatisfied by that.
2025 March, recorded for PenU1 and planned 2p2h that was later sent to Silva's April CV (a great community project, respect for keeping this up!). 2025 March and April - 1 combo per month. If solo was to have 12 combos, it would be done by 2026 March. This is where things became very interesting, since the progress in creating, implementing, and recording exploded. In April I learnt string double star and planned the string star FS385.
In May, PenU1 released as a landmark collab for 2p, and I recorded string star combo, planned 3p2h bed/body hold FS386 inspired by tetora and pd in that collab. That 3p2h combo was planned in practice slots in 2 practice sessions (roughly 2x 30 minutes, as each practice session trains 3-5 combos), and the material seemed to create itself from nothing. In hindsight, this was the point when instinct had 'solved' some element of converting abstract visual figures and shapes into actual PS tricks.
Recording progress
Mar - 1 combo (sent to PenU1), Apr - 1 combo (sent to April CV), May - 1 combo (string star. Planned 2p2h fingerstuck FC combo around this time but wasn't inventive enough)
Jun - 2 combos (3p2h bed/body hold, 2p2h opposite rotations. 3rd combo was recorded this month: not up to solo's calibre).
Jul - 3 combos (3p2h triangle, '3p'2h mod swap, standup. Was a crazy month since I had conference for my research in 2nd week July).
Aug - 2 combos (2p2h string, 2p2h posture change)
Sep - 2 combos (3 tools, 4p2h) and 2 clips (4p2h tricks for BGM change, ending mousepad unroll/UV fluoro)
Overall, the past half a year from Mar - Sep represented the realisation of a dream I'd long sought from 2019 or earlier. Several 'problems', each (?not mutually exclusive) of framework-level significance were considered in solo's combos:
1. development of 'spatial' mechanics (through use of visual structures)
2. translation of mechanics across juggling and manipulative artforms to PS, and considerations from physical properties of the tools used (this has been touched on before, but not in depth)
3. changing number of mods/tool appearance without causing huge visual disruption (I used something from 2. to do this, of course there are many other ways it can be done. Has been troubling me since 2019)
4. demonstration of tricks with practical, dramatic effects that aren't covered by existing breakdowns/modifiers (the breakdown for many of the visual structures is fairly nonsense, since the whole thing works from relation of each pen's position/movements to every other pen, but each pen doesn't do much. This ties into 1., and I used a bit of 2. and 3. for this)
Mar - 1 combo (sent to PenU1), Apr - 1 combo (sent to April CV), May - 1 combo (string star. Planned 2p2h fingerstuck FC combo around this time but wasn't inventive enough)
Jun - 2 combos (3p2h bed/body hold, 2p2h opposite rotations. 3rd combo was recorded this month: not up to solo's calibre).
Jul - 3 combos (3p2h triangle, '3p'2h mod swap, standup. Was a crazy month since I had conference for my research in 2nd week July).
Aug - 2 combos (2p2h string, 2p2h posture change)
Sep - 2 combos (3 tools, 4p2h) and 2 clips (4p2h tricks for BGM change, ending mousepad unroll/UV fluoro)
In the past, most filming was on weekends (and usually in afternoon-evening, when hand was less 'asleep'. For this solo, there were several combos recorded on mornings and/or weekdays, possibly because mechanics are more timing/spatial-based.
Standup 0:11 - 0:27 FS391 Jul 28
I'd wanted to use the dragon visual figure (which I learnt in primary school) in PS since 2018 or earlier, when I started getting into 1p2h. Start of combo was inspired by ky*s O's JC2025 combo - confusing camera angle/viewer perspective. To take the perspective idea further, dragon part had me stepping closer to the camera. Ending with paper stars flying out was adapted from Florian Sainvet's America's Got Talent 2020 performance. I thought of having 2 plastic sheets that unrolled to release the confetti (in same way he did), but rolling/unrolling sheets from cylinder to flat prior to 'disintegrating' is hard. So I put the 'confetti' into the mod being spun. It took a few attempts to direct the trajectory of the stars properly - tried different degrees of facing/not facing camera, horizontal and vertical etc. Was annoying putting the stars back inside since fit was tight.
Mod swap 0:28 - 0:45 FS390 Jul 21
Direct solution to changing number/appearance of mods - also inspired by Florian Sainvet's AGT20 performance. Initially I had the mods held between arm and bed, but it was annoying hiding them properly - didn't realise this until after first day of recording where I used 3 filming sessions trying to angle them better. After this mountain of unusable drafts, I put mods up sleeves which was a bit easier, but sometimes they still rolled to the side, or got stuck etc. Final draft isn't perfect, but I tried again later that Monday night and couldn't get a better take. Probably one of my favourite visual concepts in the solo - I showed research group colleagues (who have seen a bit of PS stuff before) and they were very surprised. Somehow the ending 3p swivel - release trick often had the wrong number of mods be released, and I messed up final basic catch a lot.
2p2h opposite rotations 0:46 - 0:58 FS388 Jun 30
One of the more 'technical'-ish 2p2h solo combos. Wiper portion adapted from PenU1 wipers, but opposite directions. 2p hai tua and bak trick from 2024 clip - when I made this trick then, it took weeks to do it even once (no idea of 2p power mechanics then, but after first landing it I did it 5 times in a row the day following). Highlight is definitely ending PD twirl fall + taps in opposite direction, as an upgrade of PD twirl fall sequences in 2020-2021 12 year solo and WT21 R5 ending. I thought I was too old to do any 'super difficult tricks' again, but it was really fun (even if the exec is nowhere near mastery).
3p2h bed/body hold 0:59 - 1:20 FS386 Jun 1
Inspired by PenU1 tetora and pd. Ending inspired by a tripod lowering, then changing appearance from 1 to 3 mods. A lot of the exec is shakier than I wanted. Some of the 3p movements are inspired by staff manipulations, like KumiKurataO's performances.
PenU1 1:21 - 1:37 FS383 Mar 6
First combo of my return! The mechanics may not be that complex, but flow of visual effects from movements of both mods in relation to each other is satisfying. Ideas mainly based on transformation of 2p1h mechanics into 2p2h. Somehow the starting trick was very annoying to do (I specifically took a trick RPD mentioned was annoying for him in our 2024 convos and tried to do a 2p2h variant of it).
string star 1:38 - 2:11 FS385 May 11
Based on double string star. After learning the star, I considered how to perform 1p2h while doing those motions (so there's not many interactions between mod and string). Tribute to bonkura, who I looked up to as a beginner in 2007; and Suisei Hoshimachi (Vtuber who went from nothing as an independent to performing on The First Take. I listened to a lot of her music when practising).
4p2h clip 2:12 - 2:16 Sep 18
Horrendous exec on right hand LOL, but I only did 1 take of this on some random morning when editing rest of solo. Thanks Criswea!! for pioneering drift (and OhYeah! for making a similar idea in 2018 or 2019, but I can't find the video) and pyramid pass ... I did a scuffed interpretation.
2p2h posture change 2:17 - 2:36 FS393 Aug 16
Based on unusual positions (index fingers of both hands crossing over, and turning to back). Probably one of the shallower 2p combos in solo, but it was fun to do. Inspired by Beck WT21, and similar idea done by Miuk Chiruru in WC22 and various others (Bonkura, Kay, Ponkotu).
3p2h triangle 2:37 - 3:00 FS389 Jul 5
Pacing of later parts of the combo are too slow, oh well. 3p2h swift transfer devised after seeing 2p1h swift tutorial and realising that opens many possibilities for 3p2h. With twirl (rather than charge/sonic) being basis of 1p2h, it's not surprising that swift (rather than tangle?) seeming to facilitate 3p2h, at least for the first steps I've taken - this may change later.
3 tools (3-sided, string, regular mod) 3:01 - 3:20 FS394 Sep 6
Used string more as a rubber band (inspired by Enigma from SPSB), and the 3-sided push on regular mod by Laku in JC2025 . String switches between thumb/pinky of left and right hands several times.
April CV 3:21 - 3:42 FS384 Apr 12
Isolation and zoom/distance from camera aren't explored much in PS, despite being very important in other juggling artforms. Probably one of the more basic combos in the solo, but it encompassed these ideas decently so I included it. Ending index 'arounds' in opposite directions from 2024 Dec, inspired by devil stick jugglers.
2p2h string 3:43 - 4:09 FS392 Aug 10
Focused on interactions between mods and string, particularly the controlled wrapping and unwrapping/release of the mods. Tribute to Bonkura again. At first I wanted to get ideas from yoyo, but a yoyo's rotation is suited for wrapping string, whereas a mod doesn't rotate in that axis well, so the mechanics were not easily translated. So I watched some flow sticks/levitation wand videos, and adapted ideas where string 'holds onto' the mod to do tricks that aren't possible otherwise (the mod-mod swing in middle, and PD 'palmspin' before ending). With fishing line or some invisible string, interesting effects can be created! A lot of trial and error was needed to have mods wrap and unwrap themselves systematically. Jay2up is working on some PS-string ideas as well. Probably the most unfamiliar mechanics/thinking of any of solo's combos, with translation of mechanics across artforms while considering tool properties.
4p2h 4:10 - 4:38 FS395 Sep 14
Based on optical illusion rings. Start based on 4p idea by OhYeah! and yoyo DNA trick. Transitions between 4p as 4p, 4p as 2p (2 pairs of mods stuck together), and asymmetry (1 mod in left hand, 3 mods in right hand). Ending based on 3p idea by DBM. The motion of each mod in this combo is often trivial, but together they make interesting effects - this perspective has huge potential for 3-4p frameworks.
from 2007 to 2025 4:39 - 4:41
Base image source, which was inspired by Daybreak Frontline song (that I listened to when editing solo). PS is relaxing, since I can forget the obligations and stresses of life.
gatherings 4:42 - 5:07 2017 - 2018
NPF 2017, tags with Ocha and Supawit in 2018, WPSAL 2018 tack-on vs DArKT. Meeting other spinners is so fun!
mousepad unroll/UV 5:11 - 5:17 Sep 18
Inspired by Bonkura spinning that black ?paper after unrolling it. Changing 'form' of the object being spun is very interesting, there is so much more that can be done! I want to become a 'visual artist who happens to use some ideas based in pen spinning', and not just a 'traditional pen spinner'. Adjusted roll direction, border of rolled mousepad in relation to fingers, and height of hand to table to make mousepad land in better orientation for words (written in fluoro highlighter) to show up better. Use of selective fluorescence and mod-background illusions can be very interesting too…
Last BGM 4:39 onwards is ‘Peaceful Romancer ~ It's Better to Burn out than to Fade Away (Demetori), remix from 東方 Mystic Square, extra ending theme. This song was released in January 2023, after Demetori was inactive for several years. The title hit me hard, as I was deliberating over my resignation from PS at the time.
Other
Opening image basis - Wish a Shooting Star MV (Shinra-Bansho). PS got me into Touhou series in 2012, and Marisa Kirisame (an ordinary human magician in a world of beings with supernatural powers like youkai and gods, who competes with her friend Reimu Hakurei, a shrine maiden with inborn talent to 'float' through problems) became my favourite character. Translation of song's lyrics has part 'Magic, ideals...even without any of them, just entrust in my heart if that was all I can believe in' - before I was any good at PS, before I knew how to appreciate it, before I had the respect from the community, it was tenacity that drove me to pick up the pen after every drop as a beginner. Beginners who persist hours to learn basic tricks have greater patience than many experienced spinners. However, if you believe you are guaranteed to succeed in the future, every attempt and drop you make is just 1 drop closer to your inevitable success.
I made a joke about combos here messing with AI-generated PS - mods literally change appearance and number, and many non-PS ideas are incorporated. Human experience is encoded by interactions between neurons, which can be argued to be within possibility of being replicated or exceeded by 'artificial' systems. What is creativity? How is insight derived? If a non-human entity comes up with the same or a more sophisticated result, is it superior to humans in these regards? While artificial systems will probably be better at more and more things than human experts are, I want to believe there will always be something humans can create with distinct original value. Perhaps this is an optimistic and unrealistic view, but it is definitely the more motivating one.
I hope my work left an impression on you. Let's keep exploring!
