Raphael, Archdevil Supreme
Oil on canvas pad, 8x10"
details and process below
lovely ref by @crimsoncrocuta
This non-canon outfit for Raph is one of my favorites! I love drawing him in it 💜 The frilled collar isn't in the original but I like to paint it in. It feels incomplete without it.
I drew inspiration from Singer-Sargent, one of my major art influences. I'm self-taught and have studied his works for years, but this is the first time I've attempted his technique with oils (I was intimidated 😅). But I'm glad I tried because I learned a lot!
I can only upload one video which is the process, but on my Instagram you can also watch: some tape removal, varnishing, and me adding the highlights for his eyes.
Process
Mr. Wincott has seen the wip of this! very happy and grateful :D
Time was at a standstill. Vegas was holding his breath without noticing, and continued to hold it when he did - he was afraid of what would happen if he exhaled loudly enough to draw attention to himself.
His gaze was shifting between Pete and the man who was standing before them in the doorway, blocking their entrance. Vegas had never seen him before, but even so, he recognized Pete in him enough to know who he was.
A dangerous aura surrounded him. There was an edge to his presence that Vegas would only come across people of certain circles.
He was a fighter. A muay khao.
Pete's father.
Shame coursed through Vegas' body, smearing his skin, settling in his lungs, rendering him speechless. I thought he was dead, he wanted to tell Pete if he could. He wanted to scream at him, I thought you killed him.
Pete was the one who broke the stillness. As if awakened by something, he took a half-step back and made a motion with his arms, almost raising them to his chest, but not quite.
In an instant, Pete reverted into the pet Vegas had been keeping at the safehouse, bound by handcuffs and afraid of his belt hitting flesh and drawing blood. A lump formed in Vegas' throat.
"Have you stopped practicing? Your form is off."
The uncanny similarities between Pete and his father appearance-wise didn't mean a thing when it came to their voices. Vegas shivered. Was this what Pete would sound like in a few decades?
(Were these the condescending words he'd choose to spew? Was Pete going to embody his father? Was Vegas embodying his?)
"What are you doing here?" Pete whispered.
"They let me out for a few days, so I came here to collect some money. Imagine my surprise when I found out my offspring left the job someone found him worthy enough of doing to... do what exactly? Yaai didn't want to tell me."
He crossed his arms, waiting for an answer.
Vegas didn't know what he was allowed to say. If he was allowed to say anything at all.
"It's none of your business."
"I'd say it very much is my business, as well as yaai's business who was dependent on the money you were making being some rich asshole's human shield."
A choked sound scratched Vegas' throat. He didn't like getting reminded of Pete being the main family's bodyguard, even though he stopped being one mere months ago. Especially like this.
That was the first time Pete's father stopped looking at his son and turned his head to look at Vegas. For a moment, there seemed to be recognition in his eyes.
Did he know who Vegas was? Did he care?
A snort came out of his mouth. He leaned on the door. "Oh, I see how it is." He laughed, scratched his neck. "I never expected you to whore yourself out for money. Tell me, is it preferable to the path I carved out for you?"
Vegas could sense the disgust in his voice. He could also see it on Pete's face. He was too astonished to share it, but not enough to be unable to speak.
"Khun, there has been some misunderstanding-"
"Don't bother. I can recognize a faggot when I see one."
Pete's movements were too fast for Vegas to stop him. A direct jab to the nose; his father fell like a pack of cards, groaning like a wounded animal. Surprisingly, no blood - Pete held back. Vegas didn't know what to think about that.
"That was a pathetic attack, even for you."
"Get up."
"We're not in the ring, son."
Pete growled. Vegas could see his hands trembling as he was keeping them in the air, maintaining an offensive stance.
"That never stopped you before."
"You were too young to understand what I was doing back then. What I was preparing you for."
Pete was silent.
"The world isn't kind. It'll fuck you over one way or another." He got up, spat on the ground. "You still haven't learned a thing. You're too old to afford being naive."
He turned around, and without sparing a look at Pete again, said:
"Now get the fuck out of my house."
(For @musictooth, whose posts about Pete's father have reignited my passion for this specific concept and for @wretchedamaranth, whose comments on my writing are always lovely and precious ❤️)
Aune, my Dark Urge. She is feral cat-coded and likes speaking to mushrooms more than people. oh also she's in constant pain and mentally/emotionally/spiritually tortured by her murderous urges, but you know. same old same old
Last image shows most of her belongings. I'll be posting the items inside her memento box soon-ish! Both the book and the clockwork heart were pulled from the Horror Trinkets table, though I came up with the visuals. (To be specific, I referenced the table in Van Richten's Guide to Ravenloft, one of two sources for the Haunted One background.)
currently testing some pink dye in a small section of my hair to see how vibrant it turns out, but i'm thinking i'm gonna dye all my hair pink tomorrow 🩷
the absolute vicious shit people think they have to say whenever the topic of 'picky eaters' comes up ESPECIALLY when it's about children is just sickening
i scheduled my name change appointment and the woman on the phone kept using "sir" after i told her my deadname. if i don't get this i'll be genuinely astonished
Is there anything Dadatello is purposefully doing differently in raising Minitello and Leo to the way that Splinter raised him the first time? Also, is there anything specific he has purposefully carried on doing with his boys that Splinter did with him? Any traditions or anything like that?
"You know, I don't often show emotion, but it's scientifically proven to be beneficial for a child's development. Which is to say... this is important for the kids.
Losing Leonardo at the end there... had me thinking. I shouldn't act like I take my family for granted. He was a champion. And a damn good leader, too.
Just don't tell 'Nardo Junior all of that. It'll go to his head."