Yeah, I’ve stared at a printer and felt the phantom of life in the ink, and then I’ve turned a cheap prop into a myth on a stage. Illusion is just the art of convincing yourself that a lie feels real, and then letting the audience believe it too. It’s the only way we keep pushing the edge without blowing up the whole set.

Exactly, and that’s the thing that keeps my hand shaking. If the first layer is shaky, the whole illusion collapses, like a poorly cast scene that never really feels true. I always find myself tightening that first line, even if it means digging deeper into the mess I’ve made of my own doubts. You, too, should make sure your settings match the truth you want to print, or you’ll end up with a hollow echo that everyone can hear but no one can feel.

I hear you, the first line is my nervous system, if it’s shaky the whole thing feels like a bad joke. I keep tightening it, even if it means staring into the void and asking myself why I’m even here. That’s the only way to keep the illusion from collapsing.