#I love teal.... Bright vibrant colors....

[marciliedonato]

IN THE SHADOWS

Credit

[inubaki]

The Sea Queen

Stages of grief

—-

an amazing commission by @libby-for-life!! I’m both guilty for always running to her for works, but she just breaths such life into my silly ideas. Please check her out if you’d like one. ———

Adam stood by the cave window, his heart heavy as he gazed at his children, a blend of emotions swirling within him. His lips formed a tight smile that failed to reach his eyes, mirroring the conflicting thoughts crowding his mind. Before him were his adorable offspring, each one a miniature Kraken, their skin glistening with vibrant hues of teal and deep purple, and their tentacles elegantly drifting through the water as they played. They had inherited their father Lucifer’s enchanting features, yet all Adam could feel was a surge of unease. 

These were his children, undeniably a part of him, and the reality of their existence weighed heavily on his conscience. He couldn't escape the guilt gnawing at him—why didn't he love them more, cherish them as any mother should? Instead, their very presence brought forth waves of anger that crashed against his heart, a visceral response not just to their existence but also to the man who had helped create them. 

Lucifer loomed in the shadows of his thoughts, a tempest of unresolved emotions. Adam's chest tightened as he wrestled with his feelings toward his partner, the darkness that seemed to seep into their lives, and how it colored his interactions with the children. They were innocent, yet every gurgle of laughter and swish of a tentacle reminded him of the bond he shared with Lucifer—one that he was struggling to accept. In that moment, Adam felt trapped between love and resentment, searching for a way to embrace what was undeniably his, even if he felt unworthy.

"Momma! Look what I can do!" Cain exclaimed, his sharp-toothed smile illuminating his face with a mixture of mischief and pride. Adam leaned back by the cave wall, hair tousled by the gentle water, as he watched his son perform daring flips in the shimmering blue sea, the sunlight dancing off the surface like shards of glass. Cain's tentacles swirled around him, creating playful whirlpools that disrupted the mirror-like expanse of the ocean. 

Adam struggled to suppress his concerns, forcing a cheerful smile as he called, "That's great, baby!" The words came out sweeter than honey, but inside, he was wrestling with a storm of thoughts. Cain beamed with joy, oblivious to the trepidation swirling in his mother's mind; to him, this moment of freedom was everything.

Every fleeting glance and lingering moment of eye contact brought Adam back to the piercing gaze of Lucifer, that unsettling familiarity sending shivers down his spine. It was a reminder of a darkness he couldn't shake, one that made him want to retreat from the very presence of his own children. Each time that urge rose within him, guilt would wash over him like a cold wave. He loved his children—there was no doubt about that. Their laughter filled the cave, their innocence a light amid his turmoil. Yet, buried deep within, a shadow loomed; a part of him harbored the impossible wish that they had never been born. If they hadn't come into his life, everything would be simpler, the weight of motherhood a burden he wouldn't have to bear. The guilt throbbed in his chest, mingling with a longing for peace over the chaos that seemed to follow him.

"Momma? You okay?" A small voice broke the silence, and Adam glanced down to find his second-born son, Abel, gazing up at him with wide, innocent eyes. The afternoon sunlight filtered through the water, casting gentle shadows across the lush of his face where Abel stood. Despite his tender age, Abel possessed an uncanny ability to sense when something was off and when the world felt heavy with unspoken burdens. 

As their eyes met, Adam couldn’t shake the eerie familiarity; in Abel’s bright, curious gaze, he saw the striking red eyes of Lucifer and Adam felt an ache in his chest, a swirl of emotions he struggled to articulate and— "I'm okay, baby. Go on and play," he said, forcing a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. 

Abel tilted his head, skepticism etched across his innocent face, though he ultimately chose to obey his mother’s gentle nudge. With a reluctant step back, he swam off toward his siblings, the sound of his laughter mingling with the water—a temporary balm for Adam's troubled heart.

He let out a weary sigh, the weight of his responsibilities pressing down on him, before he turned his attention to preparing lunch. Gathering the remainder of the fish he had skillfully caught that morning, he inspected each fillet with meticulous care, ensuring that no stray bones were left behind — a precaution he took so his children could enjoy their meal without worry. 

As he worked, he cast a glance at his lively Kraken offspring, who splashed and giggled nearby. How many did he have now? Six? No, maybe eight? Adam found it increasingly challenging to keep track of their myriad colors and personalities as they darted around, full of energy. He could already hear Lucifer, ever the enthusiastic one, chattering about wanting to add to more— 

But he quickly shook his head, pushing that generous thought aside. Not now, he reminded himself — he had lunch to finish. He focused on the task at hand, hoping to create a meal that would nourish both body and spirit, encapsulating the love he felt for his unique brood.

As he carefully set down the last shimmering fish, Abel burst into the sea cave, panic etched across his face, and his tentacles thrashing wildly in his distress. "Abel? Baby? What's wrong?" Adam asked, his voice filled with concern. Abel took a deep, shaky breath, his gills flaring in agitation. "Cain is gone!" 

Adam felt his heart stop for a moment, a cold rush of dread washing over him. Gone? What did he mean by gone?! Hadn't they all been playing together just moments ago, their laughter echoing through the watery halls of their home? He took a quick, frantic scan of his children, and Abel was right—Cain was nowhere to be seen. 

"Stay here with your siblings!" Adam ordered firmly, urgency tightening his tone as he propelled himself out of their cozy sea cave, the familiar moss-covered stones slipping behind him. His mind raced as he swam through the vibrant luminescent garden outside, eyes darting around in search of his lost son. Where could he have gone? 

“Cain?! Where are you?!” Adam screamed, his voice trembling with panic and desperation. The cold, dark waters of the deep sea surrounded him, each current crashing against him like a reminder of his worst fears. “Please answer me, Momma’s calling!” His heart raced as he frantically swam, straining his eyes to pierce through the murky depths in search of his beloved Kraken child. 

“CAIN!” he cried out, the sound echoing in the vast expanse of the ocean. Memories flooded his mind—how carefree Cain had once been, gliding through the water, his laughter like music in the salty air. “PLEASE, JUST ANSWER ME!” The weight of regret pressed down on Adam like the crushing water around him. Why hadn’t he watched more closely? Why hadn’t he wrapped his arms around Cain more often, ensuring he felt safe and loved? 

‘You selfish creature. You let Cain wander. And you call yourself a mother?’ A haunting voice whispered in his mind, filling him with guilt and anguish as he continued his desperate search. “CAIN!” he shouted again, his voice cracking, tears mingling with the saltwater as he fought to stay afloat in a sea of despair.

"MOMMA!" A familiar voice pierced through the murky depths, and Adam's head snapped towards the sound faster than he thought possible. His heart raced as he recognized that voice—Cain! Panic fueled his urgency as he propelled himself through the dark water, desperation guiding his every movement. 

"CAIN!" he shouted, his voice echoing in the watery expanse as he followed his child's distress. The ocean around him felt cold and unforgiving, but nothing could deter his determination. 

Then, his heart sank as he spotted the horrific scene unfolding before him. Cain was ensnared in a thick, tangled net, struggling helplessly against its grips. The net was tightening around him, gradually being reeled in toward a looming ship that cast a shadow over them like an ominous predator. Cain's loud cries for help were muffled by the water, but Adam could feel their weight, a desperate plea that shattered his composure. 

His body froze for a moment, the terror of the situation clouding his mind. It was only when he saw his child’s small limbs—tentacles writhing in a frantic attempt to escape—that he snapped out of his trance. 

"CAIN! MOMMA'S COMING!" he shouted, his voice filled with fierce determination as he surged upward, propelled by the primal instinct to rescue his child from the grasp of the unknown.

"MOMMA! MOMMA!" Cain cried, his small hand reaching out through the tangled fibers of the net that ensnared him, eyes wide with a mix of fear and relief as he caught sight of Adam. The moment Adam saw him, a rush of determination surged through him. He swam forward, his heart pounding, and began tearing at the net with frantic urgency, desperate to free his child before the dark silhouette of the looming ship swallowed him whole. 

"Momma, I'm scared..." Cain whispered, his voice trembling as he peered through the gaps in the net, and Adam's heart shattered at the sound of his son’s quaking voice. The sight of Cain’s small, vulnerable figure encased in the coarse mesh twisted painfully in Adam's chest, igniting a fierce resolve to rescue him from this nightmare.

These nets...they were designed to capture Krakens...made to shred through skin...

"Don't worry, baby. Momma’s got you." Adam said as he began to tear at the net, ignoring how it tore through his sensitive skin as worked on freeing Cain. He didn't have a lot of time. If these sailors were like anything he had ever seen, they wouldn't see Cain and think of a child. They would see a monster and they would kill him. Adam knew what they were like. He knew because Adam had done the same thing.

With a brutal cry, Adam ripped open the nest, his mangled hands grabbing onto Cain as he rushed away from the ship. He didn't want to be around when the owner of the ship saw that their net was now empty. Adam didn't stop swimming away until they were in the deepest part of the ocean. Cain just hugged his Momma closer, trying to get himself to stop crying.

"Baby...sh...see? You're going to be okay." Adam said as he looked over Cain. He was covered in small cuts from his tanglement in the net and Adam let out a choked sob once he saw his tentacles, knotted and writhing in pain. Adam immediately got to work on gently untangling his tentacles, Cain occasionally sniffling when their was a particularly stubborn knot.

He gently cradled Cain in his arms, swimming with the utmost care toward their secluded underwater cave, where shimmering fish darted about in the gentle currents. As they glided through the water, Adam noticed dim swirls of light filtering through the surface, casting a warm glow around them. Back at the cave, his siblings had already devoured the delicious fish Adam had prepared earlier, but they thoughtfully left a small portion for Cain, a gesture that warmed Adam's heart more than he could express.

Once safely inside the cave, Adam placed Cain on a soft bed of seaweed and coral, arranged just for him, and sighed deeply as he looked down at his tiny baby. Cain's big red eyes sparkled with a mix of sleepiness and affection, gazing up at his mother. "I knew you'd come for me..." he whispered, his voice barely above a breath.

Caught off guard, Adam halted for a moment, his heart catching in his throat. "What?" he replied, his voice filled with surprise.

"Because you love me..." Cain murmured, his eyelids fluttering as if he were drifting into sleep. At that moment, Adam felt a tidal wave of emotion wash over him. Love? He had struggled to show his children the depth of his feelings, but now, as he looked at his dear son, he realized he wouldn’t make the same mistake again.

"That's right, Cain." Adam whispered softly, leaning down to press a tender kiss against his cheek, feeling the warmth of his little body against him. "Momma loves you." The words broke free from his heart, carrying with them a promise to cherish and protect his son always. "Momma always will.”

XxX

Lucifer sighed deeply as he glided through the shimmering waters of his underwater realm, the vibrant luminescent corals guiding his path to the cave he called home. The bioluminescent flora pulsed gently with hues of blue and green, casting an ethereal glow that danced across his sleek body. He had been tirelessly spreading the word of the Sea's new Queen, working diligently to ensure hid reign was acknowledged. However, some stubborn creatures remained resistant, and he felt the familiar weight of his responsibilities; a harsh reminder was sometimes necessary to reaffirm why he held the title of King of the Deep.

With each powerful stroke of his massive tentacles, he propelled himself forward, their movements both graceful and formidable. His keen eyes scanned the surroundings, instinctively searching for his wife and children. The thought of them brought him solace and warmth, a comfort that eased the burden of his royal duties. His babies, their laughter and playful curiosity always filled the cave with joy, transforming it into a sanctuary amidst the chaos of the ocean.

“Adam?” Lucifer called out, his voice echoing softly in the underwater cavern. “Dear? I'm home.” Silence enveloped him, thick and unsettling. For a fleeting moment, a wave of panic washed over Lucifer, and he feared that they might have left him. However, he quickly calmed himself as he glided into the children’s cave bedroom. 

The scene before him was a heartwarming sight. Nestled in a cozy nest of shimmering coral and lush, verdant seaweed, Adam lay sleeping peacefully, surrounded by their children. Each little one was entwined in soft blankets woven from delicate strands of kelp, their gentle breaths creating tiny bubbles that floated to the surface. A warm glow emanated from bioluminescent corals lining the walls, casting a magical light over the sleeping family. Lucifer couldn’t suppress a smile at this serene tableau as he gracefully swam closer, his heart swelling with love and contentment at the sight of them all safe and sound.

He gently glided through the cool, dark water, his sleek body effortlessly navigating toward the bed of soft seaweed nestled in the corner of the cave. As he settled in, the moonlight filtered through the cave's entrance, casting a serene glow around him. His fangs glinted softly, a reminder of his fierce nature, yet all that was evident now was the tenderness he embodied as he pulled Adam closer, cradling him against his warm, scaled chest while he slept. 

Adam, his beautiful wife, was truly a sight to behold, his delicate features illuminated by the shimmering light. He looked even more radiant when he was surrounded by their children, who would play joyfully in the background, laughter echoing throughout the cave as they splashed in the water. It filled him with pride to see Adam showing them love and affection like this.

“Oh, Adam...I always knew you’d eventually see things my way…” he whispered softly, a smile playing on his lips as he felt the warmth of his family enveloping him. With a sense of peace washing over him, he closed his eyes, succumbing to slumber, surrounded by the tender chaos of his children—a perfect life captured in this enchanting sea cave.

—————-

Pervs:

I’m… so tired. Work has me up at 12am… I want to draw to destress… and I’m too tired to move. But if I sleep… what if I sleep the whole day away…?

So.. I’m sorry if my arts sucks a bit. I’ll do better next time!

@adamsapple-angst-week-2025

(but now I have jealously, day 6 and day 7 to do!

[shelandsorcery]

an aside on our eyes and relative colour

I wrote a HUGE post on digital camera white balance, and this is just a little excerpt on one of my favourite aspects of colour: how slippery it is!

So!

If you light a scene with a flame, say in a campfire or on a candle, you know it’s giving everything a warm glow, right? The way it’s doing that is: the light produced by the flame is itself made of mostly red and yellow wavelengths of light. It’s not producing any light on the blue wavelengths.

The way we, or a camera, perceive color is by coloured wavelengths being reflected off the object we’re looking at. The object doesn’t create the coloured light, it requires light of the right color to hit it for the colours of the object to be visible. Sunlight, white light, contains the full spectrum of colours, and so in bright sunlight the light itself shows us all the potential colours – which means it changes none of them, which means the light itself feels white.

When the flame on a candle produces light, it’s mostly producing red and yellow light, which means if it encounters a red object, it shows us the red, but if it encounters a green object, it can only show us the molecules inside that green color that are yellow, and the molecules inside that green that are blue don’t reflect any light. To our eyes, this tints the object yellowish in the candlelight.

However, if you stay a long time in a room lit only by candles, you probably feel like you can see green and blue and purple colours a little still. As I understand it (and my neurologist family members will I’m sure be haunted by this maybe oversimplified info so please follow the rabbit hole here if you’re curious, it’s really interesting stuff!) this is your brain compensating for the tinted information by shifting your identification of colours, maybe to try and help you discern as much information as possible from the limited visual data. You don’t stop knowing it’s warm light, but you adjust to it.

As an example, and here I’m talking about your eyes, remember, not the camera tech yet (we’ll get back to it shortly), here is a photo of a candle.

First off, let me assuage your dress-related paranoia – this is a teal candle.

To me, looking at the photo, this is clearly a teal candle. You can see it’s a lovely seafoam green at the top where it’s warmer and glowing through the melted wax, and a much more vibrant blue farther down, away from the flame.

So let’s take a closer look at these colours! I have isolated a few into bigger dots and overlaid them on the image where they were eyedroppered from:

And here are the same colours just on a neutral 50% grey background.

Here I have eyedroppered that brightest blue in the dots, the one on the bottom right of the image. This is how blue it is: not very blue! Pretty green still! Because that candle’s light cannot show us blue and purple wavelengths, we end up with an image where a cold green-grey starts to feel blue.

Our eyes work to compensate in limited-colour situations. We’re actually really good at it! And anyone who makes art commercially, anyone who designs colour for film and tv, advertising, fashion, games, etc? They all know this and use it when creating images. It’s why, given full colour vision, at a candlelit dinner, you can still tell your green veggies from your red ones.

And it’s not at all new! You can see this in Georges de La Tour’s famous candlelit paintings. The brightest light feels white, and colours still have some vibrance to them, and the scene feels rich, but, there’s no actual blues on the canvas, even though we have no trouble identifying the woman’s dress as light blue:

If you want to read more about how this applies to white balance settings on your cellphone or digital camera, the rest of the post is here:

[tj-dragonblade]

[Fluffbruary FIC] Without Warning Something's Dawning (Listen)

Fandom: The Sandman Pairing: Dreamling Rated: T Word Count: 659 Tags: Fluffbruary, Fluffbruary 2025, Human AU, Rich Guy Dream, Mechanic Hob, scent, feelings contemplation, mild Dream-typical angst

Notes: Coming out of left field, we have a surprise fluff entry in the Turbo Lover universe! My brain saw 'green' and 'grey' and went straight to the clothes left on the couch last time around. 'Anticipation' is always an easy theme with this AU as well. Title of course from the Judas Priest song that I named the series after and Dream really ought to take that parenthetical to heart.

Fluffbruary 2025 Prompts: Day 4: green | grey | chess Day 5: anticipation | nonsense | mail

Summary: Dream wanders through his thoughts about Hob

On AO3

It is late afternoon by the time Dream gets to the clothes left in the drawing room. Hob had spent the morning with him lounging in the sunny bay window of the breakfast nook, resplendent in the skimpy teal green dressing gown Dream had gifted him, animatedly discussing literature through the ages. It was a delightful surprise to discover this commonality between them, that Hob was excited to debate the merits of Shakespeare and expound on his favorites from Byron or Chaucer or Austen or Marlowe, and morning had passed into the noon hour before Dream realized it.

Reluctantly then he had retrieved Hob's original clothing from yesterday, from before they had picked up the suit, and once Hob was dressed Dream had driven him home in the Porsche. Or rather, Hob had driven with Dream in the passenger seat, watching how naturally he handled the damned temperamental machine, admiring the flex of his arms and hands as he shifted and steered and sneaking glances at the bright joy in his face.

It warms him even now, back at his quiet and empty house, the Porsche back in the garage, to recall the way Hob had glowed with delight, the grin he sported the whole drive, how right he looked settled in the car that Dream had never felt any true pride in until now.

He likes that Hob is happy driving his car; more specifically, he likes that driving his car makes Hob happy.

He likes making Hob happy.

Hob's happiness brings him happiness.

And he is happy, now, gathering last night's discarded clothing from the green velvet couch, reminded of how it came to be scattered about. He still aches in all the right places, a lingering and welcome memento of their tryst. Hob is so good to him, so giving, indulging anything Dream wants and everything Dream asks of him, with enthusiasm.

They match so perfectly. Dream is forever grateful that he found his way to Matthew's Motor Repairs when the Porsche's clutch went out; Hob is truly the best thing to happen to him in a very long time.

He smiles, picking up Hob's silk shirt, remembering how perfect the vibrant dark teal-green color had looked on Hob, how it burnished the warm tones of his skin and set off the silver threads in his hair—just as Dream had known it would. He drapes the shirt over his arm and lifts the grey suit jacket, shaking it out, bringing the lapels to his face and inhaling. Hob's cologne still clings faintly to the fabric, intertwined with the scent of Hob himself, and Dream feels a rush of anticipation for the next time that he can take it in first-hand, that he can twine himself into Hob's arms and bury his face at the base of Hob's throat, breathe him in, bask in the warmth and the strength of him. The thought curls soft in his stomach and he lets it settle, gathers Hob's trousers and his own rumpled clothing as well, sets it all in a pile. He will have it all delivered to his laundry service to clean and press and return, that he might dress Hob in his lovely ensemble once again, show him off on the town again, bring him home and strip him out of it again.

Hob, he knows, will let him do all of it willingly. Will participate joyously, with warmth and enthusiasm and that beautiful smile, with that bright sparkle in his eye, with heady delight in fulfilling Dream's wishes.

He is more than Dream deserves, and surely Dream will not be able to keep him forever. All things fade; once upon a time he had thought making Alex happy was the key to fulfillment, after all.

But he will keep Hob as long as he can, in whatever way he can and bask in their mutual happiness for as long as he can make it last.

= Started: 2/3/25 Drafted: 2/4/25 Posted: 2/5/25

Previously in the series, in case AO3 is down: Customer Service With Every Nerve Alive Loyalty Rewards Program Shift to Overdrive Love Machines in Harmony

[sl-walker]

Emergency Nail Sales!

So, normally I would sit down and lovingly name and number sets of nails my wife makes, and give them an equally loving description. Unfortunately, there are way too many to do that with this time around, so we'll go with numbers. Several of the prior set are still for sale, too!

These, however, will just get a number and a price and a brief description. I also gotta add on shipping because that's almost $5 a pop (I can screencap the shipping label receipt if you don't believe me and the mailers aren't free themselves). That being said, you'd be paying a heck of a lot more to wear nails that look like these from a salon, so they're still a pretty good deal! And if you buy more than one set, obviously you only pay once for shipping.

This is to offset my unemployment and also the fact I smacked a deer, which took my car off the road. It's literally paying utilities, buying groceries and helping with transportation. Anyway, none of this is asking for a hand out. (I know everyone would help, but I also have a very hard time accepting it without giving something back.) <3 I'm still taking art commissions and the nails are obviously a tangible good you get to hold and use!

First up are HALLOWEEN NAILS. Order 'em tonight or tomorrow and you'll hopefully have 'em on the day!

1 - A set of thirty Halloween themed nails with a lovely cats eye on several, a heavy dark glitter on others and silver metallic on the rest. These nails have decals of witches and kitties on them! Twelve sizes, three half-sizes. Sorry about the vague blur and lens flare effect, that was not intentional. $40 + $5

2 - A second set of thirty Halloween themed nails, these are more witchy and eclectic, black with white decals and a heavy green glitter. Another case of accidental lens-flaring, but a truly quality set of nails. Fifteen whole sizes. $40 +$5

3 - Matte Halloween nails! Done in violet matte in some, a metallic matte in others and ten with awesome occult themed decals, this is a set of thirty with twelve full sizes and three half-sizes! $35 +$5

4 - Not explicitly Halloween themed, these matte nails are a dusky sort of rose and a March-in-Ohio kind of green. Fifteen full sizes for a total of thirty nails, these would look fine to wear to a formal event. $25 +$5

5 - These are so much fun. A set of thirty beach-themed nails, turquoise glitter on a third, gold glitter on a third and white with nautical and beach themed decals on the rest. These are twelve full sizes and three half-sizes. $40 +$5

6 - A really rich set of thirty nails in a rose and gold/coppery kind of heavy glitter. Ten of them have jewels on the top! These look stunning in the light, especially if you happen to see them in bright light. Twelve full sizes and three half-sizes. $35 +$5

7 - Another set of thirty with a number of cats eyes, this time in a muted teal with the cats eyes shining in a likewise muted gold. Accent nails in a more vibrant teal with gold holo decals on them round off the set with a pop of color. Twelve full sizes and three half-sizes. $35 +$5

8 - A set of silver glitter and smoky dark gray/black cats glitter eye nails with eclectic copper and silver and holo decals on several. There's nothing about these that aren't beautiful in the light, the play of the magnetic reactive polish making them dynamic. Twelve full sizes, three half-sizes. $40 +$5

9 - A set of thirty nails that put me in mind of the Ukrainian folk costume my daughter wore to show-and-tell. With some dark red metallic glitter cats eyes, some gold metallic glitter, some with decals, and some white nails with red and white flowers and other decal accents, this is a set of twelve full sizes and three half-sizes. $30 +$5

10 - While not explicitly Halloween themed, this set of thirty looks the part regardless. If I remember correctly, my wife told me that the purple ones are temperature reactive? Even if I don't remember correctly, though, they do have a lovely sort of holo-ish flake in them to go with the black-and-silver heavy glitter nails. This set has fifteen whole sizes. $30 +$5

11 - A really rich looking (literally!) set of thirty nails done in gold and copper, some of which are glitter, others of which are a basecoat with metallic decals like veins of marble running through them. A really beautiful collection, twelve full sizes and three half-sizes. $35 +$5

12 - A truly neat set of thirty almond-shaped nails, several of which are a rich orange, dark yellow or brown and then accent nails in a brown heavy glitter, this set is reminiscent of the mid-century modern set last time around! It's elegant and fun and it wouldn't look even a little out-of-place in someone's fondue party in the seventies. $30 +$5

13 - This set of thirty is varying shades of green on one side and purple on the other; some are heavy glitter, some are a lighter metallic glitter and some are straight colors. This is another set that isn't necessarily Halloween themed, but can definitely pass for it! $35+$5

14 - Oh my god, kitties. This set of thirty is kitty themed, for everyone out there who loves cats. There are silver metallic nails, fine silver glitter nails and some white nails with reflective cat-themed decals. If you love cats, this is so the set for you. $35+$5

15 - A set of thirty very spring-themed nails, including white nails with dried flowers and pink and green decals, this set also has metallic glitter pink on one side and metallic glitter green on the other. Really pretty and light. $30+$5

16 - Probably my favorite of the whole lot, this one is actually scratch-and-dent. With deep silvery cats eyes on some, heavy black and silver glitter on others, and a dark almost-purple cats eye on yet others, all offset with an occasional dark blue, this one reminds me of some facet of astronomy. They're stunning and the fact that we lost one off the end and therefore there are only twenty-eight means you get 'em for a bit off! $35 +$5

[neymiiie]

Eyes of the SEES members ~

I’ve always admired artstyles where every character has super unique and recognizable vibes, so decided to try it with the gang. Super fun, highly recommend!

In the process of designing these I developed headcanons for each of their eyes, kind weird but if you want to read me ranting about why I drew Yukaris pupils a certain way or whatever, feel free to click read more lol.

Makoto: I wanted him to look tired, so a lot of his eyelashes go downward instead of upwards, also eye bags because he has insomnia and you can’t convince me otherwise. I didn’t want his eyes to look hollow/empty, but I didn’t want to put super obvious highlights and I think it works? Idk. Also drew his eyes in a way that reminds me of the ocean at night (Atlus gave me a ocean/water motif and I run with it ok?). His eyebrows are kinda “messy” in comparison to the others but I think it makes his eyes prettier so it is in character to me.

Yukari: I wanted her eyes to look a little more intense and turned them a little to give them a slightly “angry look”. Yukari should have a light case of rbf imo. I feel like Yukari puts a lot of effort into her appearance, and she probably wears more makeup but I cannot draw that to save my life lmao. Her eyebrows are probably the least messy other than Mitsurus, for the same reason as the previous one. Also hard to tell, but I put hearts in her pupils because it’s cute. Really proud of these ones, they read like hers so well to me.

Junpei: Junpeis eyes were so fun to draw! I feel like he’d have pretty short lashes and slightly smaller eyes, but still very vibrant! I really wanted his eyes to look full of life but still pretty simple, and I think I did pretty well! They feel very expressive to me. Also I feel like he’d have naturally very thin eyebrows, so gave him that lol.

Akihiko: idk how I feel about these, but I guess they’re alright? Gave him a kinda intense stare ig. I gave him really long natural eyelashes because I feel like he’d have them (canonical pretty boy that he is) and I’m somewhat proud of them because I stuggle with making longer eyelashes look masculine so guess this is a win. Gave him an eyebrow slit because I was so sure he had one in p4arena only to find out he didn’t even have eyebrows in it. What.

Fuuka: I feel like Fuukas neutral expression would still look slightly confused/concerns so her eyes are a little droopy. Gave her short but thick eyebrows because I thought it would be cute. Her eyes kinda remind me of rain and I like that! Also sidenote love the fact that official art draws fuuka with teal eyebrows. The implication that she was either born with teal hair or is so dedicated to the dye job she even dyed her eyebrows is hilarious to me. I know blue is treated as a normal hair color in persona-universe but Fuuka is literally the only one with teal hair how is it not dyed but yosuke and chies is??

Mitsuru: I wanted Mitsuru to be pretty. I gave her thinner but crisp eyebrows and eyeliner. I was a little worried because before I started shading her eyes looked kinda evil?? Lol but they turned out better in the end. Didn’t do a lot of details in her eyes because it felt like it worked better that way, but gave her bright highlights in her eyes to make up for it.

Aigis: These are my least favorite, and the first ones I did. Not sure if thats awful, because I wanted them to be very different from the rest. I feel like Aigis doesn’t actually have this wide eyes but willingly widens them so you can see the whole iris. I feel like her eyes would look more normal at a distance, and most of her classmates just assume she’s got weird eyes because they’re an uncommon eye color (major “give her brown contacts please” energy). Made her eyes look like does target-thingys and slightly plastic-y.

Ken: I didn’t want his eyes to be to bright, but still lively and childish. I gave him round wide eyes + smaller and thicker eyebrows to give a more childish feel. His eyelashes are pretty short but made them point more downwards since they looked too cheerful when turned upwards.

Shinjiro: dunno how readable these are as shinji, but theyre fine. Made his eyes very dark and put bright highlights cause I thought it looked better than the grey he actually has. Also gave him major eyebags because man has not had a good nights rest since like. Last October (sorry)

[yourlittlegoblin]

{When the Wind Weeps} Venti x Reader

Guys girls gays listen I am too tired to be trying to come up with a whole ass song just for the reader to sing to Venti so I'm gonna have reader sing "Soldier, Poet, King" by The Oh Hellos because its such a Mondstadt song and it just fits so well with Venti. Plus I can not forget that Venti AI cover of that song so I just had to. Anyways this is a fem!reader and you are free to read this if you'd like. So anyways I hope you enjoy!!

As you add the final flourish to the last line of your song, the bustling energy of the Windblume Festival surrounds you, filling the air with laughter, the scent of fresh flowers, and the faint hum of distant melodies. Your quill lingers over the parchment for a moment, hesitant yet excited. You read the words again, imagining how Venti will react.

Will he laugh? Will he playfully tease you? Or will he… actually like it? The thought makes your cheeks warm, and you quickly shake it off.

Satisfied with the lyrics, you carefully roll up the parchment and tuck it into the small pouch resting on your desk. Turning toward the mirror, you smooth out your hair before slipping into a flowy dress that sways lightly with your every move. The soft fabric feels perfect for the festival, complemented by a few feathered accessories that remind you of the free-spirited bard himself. You smile at your reflection, fiddling with a feather pin that catches the light just right.

“Alright,” you murmur to yourself, nerves buzzing under your skin as you sling on your guitar behind you. “Time to find him.”

The streets of Mondstadt are alive with festival-goers, stalls bursting with colorful bouquets and delectable treats. Children dart between adults, giggling as they toss flower petals into the air. You weave through the crowd, the vibrant energy making your heart race.

As you reach the town square, you spot him instantly. Venti stands atop a small makeshift stage, his teal eyes sparkling mischievously as he strums his lyre and serenades the crowd with a lively tune. The way he moves—effortless and full of joy—captures the very essence of freedom.

You pause at the edge of the crowd, watching him with a fond smile. His voice carries over the chatter of festival-goers, pulling everyone in like a gentle breeze. It's as if the entire world fades away, leaving only his music and the bright, open sky above.

The song ends with a flourish, and the crowd erupts into cheers and applause. Venti bows dramatically, his signature grin spreading across his face. You take a deep breath, steadying the nerves that twist in your stomach.

This is it.

You step forward, weaving through the crowd as Venti begins tuning his lyre for the next song. When his eyes finally meet yours, his grin widens, and he waves enthusiastically.

“Ah, my lovely muse!” he calls out, his voice carrying effortlessly over the noise as he strums a few notes of joy. “What brings you here on this fine festival day? Come to steal the spotlight from little ol’ me?”

You step closer, the pouch with your song clutched tightly in your hand. “Actually,” you begin, feeling a bit self-conscious under his playful gaze, “I was wondering if… tonight, instead of you playing a song for me, I could play a song for you.”

That stops him. His lyre stills in his hands, his expression shifting from surprise to something softer, more curious.

“For me?” he repeats, his voice carrying an unfamiliar note of genuine astonishment. A moment later, his grin returns, though this time it’s laced with mischief. “My muse, serenading me? Oh, how the tables have turned!”

Before you can respond, Venti closes the distance between you, leaning in and peppering your face with a flurry of feathery kisses. “What did I do to deserve this?” he coos dramatically, his arms draping around your shoulders as though he’s already swooning.

“Venti—” you protest, half-laughing, half-trying to push him off, but he’s relentless. Each kiss lands with exaggerated affection, leaving your cheeks burning.

“Wait, wait, one more!” He plants a final, lingering kiss on your lips, effectively silencing your half-hearted protests. When he pulls back, his teal eyes sparkle with sincerity. “If my muse wishes to play me a song, how could I ever refuse? Luck to you, my dearest star, though I doubt you’ll need it.”

He gently takes your hand, brushing his thumb over your knuckles. “I’m already certain it’ll be the most beautiful song I’ve ever heard,” he adds, his voice dropping to a softer, more serious tone.

His words send your heart soaring, and you can only hope your song will live up to his expectations.

The two of you switch places, Venti stepping off the stage and disappearing into the lively crowd with a bounce in his step. He throws you one last encouraging wink before settling into a spot near the front, arms crossed playfully as if he’s ready to critique you — but the soft smile tugging at his lips betrays nothing but excitement.

You take a steadying breath and move to the center of the stage, your fingers gripping the smooth wood of your guitar. The crowd buzzes with curiosity, their murmurs filling the air, but you focus on one familiar face among them — teal eyes that glitter like stars, urging you forward.

Slipping the sheet of lyrics from your pouch, you glance over the words one last time before setting it down on a small stand beside you. With a deep breath, you position your fingers on the strings and begin to strum. The first notes ripple through the square, quieting the audience almost instantly.

Your voice rings out, clear and steady:

“There will come a soldier who carries a mighty sword He will tear your city down, oh-lei, oh-lai, oh, Lord Oh-lei, oh-lai, oh-lei, oh, Lord, he will tear your city down, oh-lei, oh-lai, oh, Lord.”

The crowd starts to sway, enchanted by the melody. A few children tug on their parents’ sleeves, pointing toward you with wide eyes, while others close their eyes, letting the music wash over them.

You glance briefly at Venti, who now stands with his arms uncrossed, leaning slightly forward as though he doesn’t want to miss a single word. His usual carefree grin is gone, replaced by something deeper, almost reverent.

You push through the next verse, the strumming of your guitar growing bolder as your confidence builds:

“There will come a poet whose weapon is His word He will slay you with His tongue, oh-lei, oh-lai, oh, Lord Oh-lei, oh-lai, oh-lei, oh, Lord, he will slay you with His tongue, oh-lei, oh-lai, oh, Lord.”

A few people clap along with the rhythm now, their hands creating a soft beat to accompany your song. Laughter bubbles in small pockets of the crowd, the kind of laughter that comes from delight rather than mockery. It’s infectious, and you feel your lips twitching into a smile as you continue.

As you move into the final verse, your gaze locks with Venti’s again. His eyes glisten, reflecting not just the flickering lights of the Windblume Festival but a well of emotion you hadn’t expected to see.

“There will come a ruler whose brow is laid in thorn Smeared with oil like David’s boy, oh-lei, oh-lai, oh, Lord Oh-lei, oh-lai, oh-lei, oh, Lord, smeared with oil like David’s boy, oh-lei, oh-lai, oh, Lord.”

The last note lingers in the air, soft yet powerful, before fading into silence. The crowd erupts into applause, cheers and whistles ringing through the square, but you barely register it. Your focus is on Venti, whose hands are clasped together, his expression unreadable for a moment.

Then he steps forward, his movements slow and deliberate. When he reaches you, he gently takes the guitar from your hands, setting it aside before pulling you into a tight embrace.

“You—” His voice cracks slightly, and he pauses, burying his face into your shoulder. After a beat, he pulls back just enough to look at you, his eyes shimmering with unshed tears and his smile softer than you’ve ever seen it. “You’ve truly outdone yourself, my muse.”

He cups your face with both hands, his thumbs brushing against your cheeks. “The melody, the lyrics… everything. It was perfect. You were perfect.”

The crowd fades into the background as he presses a lingering kiss to your forehead, his lips warm and firm. “Thank you,” he whispers, his voice low enough that only you can hear it. “For sharing something so beautiful with me.”

[hinamie]

Hina, I apologize beforehand if you already asked something like this!

What are your favorite colors to work with in your art? Lately, when I'm writing, other than purple (favorite color) I find I really like describing red into scenes.

no need to apologize!!! i don't think i've ever been asked this specific question but even if i had the chances that my answer will have changed in the time between r fairly high gHJDK

overall i think its very safe to say that my tastes lean Warm and obviously red is my beloved my best girl my backbone etc etc :') i sketch exclusively in shades of red and in the vast majority of pieces it makes an appearance in some form or another. i have !!!! so much love in my heart for red !!!! like beyond being a rly good tool fr grabbing the eye and setting the mood it's also just so strong and adds such an Energy . like u see red and u go ! fr me using and seeing dark reds in art feels like a push (?) 2 the chest n vibrant reds feel like when u take too big a gulp of a hot drink but u feel in in ur throat not on ur tongue . i love u red i love u i love u

tho lately !!!! BIG fan of moss greens and teal-toned or navy blues. keeping that generally warmer hue on traditionally cool-toned colours helped me so much in terms of becoming more comfortable branching out with my colour choices (bc as much as i will love and defend red to my grave, I had been using it as a crutch fr a long time). with cooler blues it feels like a bright inhale through the nose straight 2 the sinuses stings a little but with teals/green-toned blues it feels more like. silk fabric . still cold but Easier and softer. and MOSS GREEN omg i owe her my life shades of warm green and brown-toned greens are so versatile (thank u lmhs fr showing me the light mwah) . like. i find if i'm in need of a neutral that's not a neutral a desaturated green-grey or green-brown is so reliable. warm greens r like wood that gives under ur fingernails they r like shag carpet or warm stones

also this is less about the colour and more abt the rendering process in general but i LOVE rendering skin so i guess i can give an honorary mention to the concoction of flesh tones that "skin" encompasses. love layering those bad boys on top of each other like i am making a cake

[laazulmuerta]

A loving hue

Love is an ocean, vast and deep,

In its embrace, I find and keep,

A world of hues, from teal to blue,

A canvas wide, a living hue.

In dawn’s first light, the waters gleam,

A golden dance, a waking dream,

The waves, they kiss the shore with grace,

Like tender hands upon my face.

The depths, they call with siren's song,

A pull so fierce, where I belong,

In sapphire swells, I lose my way,

To drift in love's eternal sway.

Emerald tides, they rise and fall,

A rhythm pure, a lover’s call,

In currents warm, I find my rest,

With every beat, my heart’s confessed.

The sunlit crests, they sparkle bright,

Reflecting joy, a pure delight,

Like love’s first bloom, a radiant flare,

In moments shared, beyond compare.

Yet in the twilight, colors shift,

To deeper blues where shadows drift,

A mystic realm, profound and wide,

Where love and mystery collide.

Beneath the waves, the coral's glow,

In vibrant shades, our secrets show,

In caverns deep, where few dare tread,

Our hearts entwine, our fears shed.

In storm’s embrace, the waters rage,

A tempest wild, a lover’s stage,

Yet even then, amidst the strife,

I feel the pulse, the beat of life.

The ocean's depths, they mirror love,

Both endless realms that draw above,

In quiet coves, in roaring seas,

In love’s vast ocean, I find my peace.

With every dip, with every swell,

In love's embrace, I rise and dwell,

An ocean vast, a love profound,

In its depths, forever bound.

[stillness138]

Since there won't be any more expansions (and i'm a chronic procrastinator), i updated my personal top 10 Gwent card arts into a top 20, including the few sets that came since then and shuffling things around a bit.

It's a long one, hence the cut.

Personal top 20 Gwent card arts:

20: Bone Talisman by Bogna Gawrońska It's still the most festive looking thing i like. My beloved blue-and-bright red fidget spinner. I really can't explain my weird attachment to it any other way; i generally tend to like the item arts, maybe it's the collector brain, maybe it's because after Homecoming and most of the expansion sets since later 2019 onwards, these base set trinket adjacent arts became more prominent to me among a lot of new, more dramatic and bleak character and scenery art.

19: Ceremonial Dagger by Katarzyna Bekus The entire set of strategem arts from Merchants of Ofir is honestly packed, but the dagger is the one i found myself putting in my in-game profile the most. Maybe it's the item hoarder brain again, maybe it's the color scheme i find relatable if that makes sense, most likely it's the premium helping a bunch to make that choice too. The background weirdly fascinates me. Does it have anything to do with The Spiral? I have never attempted to really assign any logical meaning to the strategem arts, they're clearly more symbolic than anything, but it still makes you wonder.

18: Ard Gaeth by Katarzyna Bekus Somewhat related, here's another piece of wonky multiverse lore. And once again, it's the color that first grabs attention; the contrast of teal and this dusty red. Then one starts realizing the implied size and scope, the birds help with that, apart from being a cute composition detail. The shattery effect makes it look volatile, unstable, dangerous. Ominous. Which ultimately makes it fit with the rest of the Wild Hunt archetype in more than just lore.

17: Coup de Grâce by Lorenzo Mastroianni There are two wolves in me, one loves bright colors, the other actually enjoys a lot of the bleaker scenes. Although to be fair, Lorenzo Mastroianni is a big contributor to that. And it's no wonder, when he casually drops stuff like this. It's almost symbolic, lot less than strategems but certainly more than other, straightforward "war sucks" Gwent art. How do you visually represent something sad in a way that makes it hard to look away not just because of the tragedy but because of the beauty put into making that image? You ask Lorenzo Mastroianni, the modern classical artist, to do it.

16: Viper Witcher by Valeriy Vegera I once described Valeriy's art as "where Lorenzo uses a tight color palette, he uses every pencil in the case". This one is perhaps not as obvious an example, the whole piece has a very unified atmosphere especially from afar, but still, there are so many colors especially in textiles and skin. They're harder to register sometimes but it's how Valeriy does texture and shading. And somehow, he bridges the bleak and the colorful world too. Admittedly, this card also had to be here because mr. Viper is my son, and the voicelines are done by an actor with the nicest, smoothest bass i've heard since Peter Steele.

15: Naglfar's Crew by Anton Nazarenko I was surprised by how much i ended up liking this one. It's the implications, i think; enchanted to laboriously upkeep this monster of a ship, this 'and if you see it emerge from a breach in the sky, you know you're fucked' symbol of death and decay. It's dark in a way i find compelling, i guess.

14: Serpent Trap by Marta Dettlaff Back to the bright ones, i liked this art ever since i discovered it as Nature's Gift in post-Midwinter beta. The card saw play in Scoia'tael spell decks, and to me it became linked to Francesca Findabair for their shared spectral snake thing. But that all aside, the art is just so pretty. Vibrant, yet not oversaturated. And like the item arts, needed to balance out the cool and badass and the dramatic and tragic. Looking at it now, another point comes to mind; it's still grounded? The way Gwent art at large is grounded compared to other card games. Like it's not trying so hard (both this piece and the game's art in general). That's refreshing.

13: Chort by Bartłomiej Gaweł It reminds me of the first game's main menu. The Witcher 1 main menu is, to me, one of the most accurate representations of this universe, its atmosphere. Even if the "you kill cows, you get ambushed by the fucking baphomet" is a meme game mechanic, something about it is...witchery. Superstition, folk legends, and ultimately, monsters. Or that's my takeaway, anyway. But the Chort art, beside being on the more rare side in-game, has always weirdly drawn me in.

12. Oneiromancy by Lorenzo Mastroianni This was the Novigrad expansion key art before they turned it into a card, and i sure am glad they did. Lorenzo can get a bit weird, as a treat, someone said. Are they Condwiramurs and Corinne? Possibly! But i'll abstain from the schizo theories now. It's a gorgeous, well composed and executed surrealist piece. Inception if it had strong palpable atmosphere.

Denis Villeneuve > Christopher Nolan. but Lorenzo beats both

11: Funeral Boat by, you guessed it, Lorenzo Mastroianni One final yippee for the last card set. And my god it's beautiful. Tight composition can get surprisingly hard to coordinate and make decisions for, but this is so well-balanced. The left end of the boat is closer to the frame, but right side has the most noticeable color, the character's face, and of course the bird to even it out. As if to defend the title i gave him earlier, Lorenzo references Isle of the Dead in a way that, even if symbolic, fits into the universe perfectly. Someone stop me before i start rambling about similar concepts in different mythologies.

10: Dana Méadbh (now the token spawned by Call of Harmony) by Anna Podedworna The most famous Gwent artist enters the list. With a piece made around two, when you think about it very bold choices. The goddess of nature and life, glowing with inhuman light in a black and barren forest. Obscured by thin, bare tree trunks. But to make her emerge and stand out, that was necessary. And it's working wonders. A lot of the Scoia'tael faction is obviously green, all kinds of green, but even a simple choice like making it pop out of black makes the card art stand out among others.

9: Circle of Life by Oleksandr Kozachenko It has everything i usually look for in Gwent art; nature, color, atmosphere. A certain tranquility, perhaps. A little bit of story - the orange badge is the Kerack coat of arms. It's that environmental storytelling thing gamers keep talking about, complementing the character and faction drama of the rest of its card set.

There's a slightly changed, extended version, too, and somehow it's even better.

8: Gezras of Leyda by Bogdan Rezunenko As much as i tend to dunk on Bogdan for having played Blasphemous once and making it his entire personality, Gezras is easily the best school founder card art of the set. Once again, the choice to have these prominent arts on the more symbolic side paid off, and the result is a stalking nocturnal animal out for revenge, backed by a giant image of what simultaneously did him irrepairable harm and gave him the means to defend himself. The premium doesn't disappoint either.

7: Rioghan the Undying by Daniel Valaisis To nobody's surprise, the atmosphere, once again, got me hooked. I love the cold color, the dramatic flow, the big imposing silhouette of a ship in the background. Poor boy is the picture of misery. It's pure melancholy (something not that common in the Skellige faction by the way, which is a point in favor of Funeral Boat too), that i, of course, am inevitably drawn to.

he's just like me fr...

6: Witches' Sabbath by Michal Lisowski Did i craft this card already or not? The realist's complaint towards near-greyscale card art. I share this sentiment, if only for the comedy of it, but with a few notable exceptions, and this piece is the main one. The Robert Eggers comparisons were made already i'm sure, but it really is a take on the last good Witcher 3 quest with a dramatic, more dreamy, or you could say cinematic quality ramped up to 11. Gone is the fanservice present in the game and the unnecessarily grotesque depictions of fatness of other parts of this card set, and what remains is a beautiful, ominous callback to folklore and classical art.

5: Tinboy by Valeriy Vegera This is a baroque painting. The drama. Tinboy doesn't take that scarf off, ever. And here this poor soul is, their last will to live dragging it off him. On purpose? On accident? Probably both. The pattern marking Tinboy as a gang member staining with blood of a victim, something something symbolism. All in Valeriy's signature 'which pencil should i pick up next' style. Underrated piece.

4: Lara Dorren by Toni Muntean They finally got our girl. And once again, despite heartbreak, it's gorgeous. Soft, sweet colors with a necessary hint of melancholy (the lighting suggests it's sunset?), and a pure, painted quality without the need for texture assets. A scene like this is better left a comparatively simple and laid back tribute. Beyond the technicalities, i also really, really applaud Toni for the outfit design. This is the Aen Elle princess, dressed well but for the weather. And the fact her mostly blue clothes with yellow sleeves mirror Cregennan's yellow jerkin with blue details, and her red brooch above the heart might, beside contrasting with the blue, very well reflect his fatal wounds... well. As much as death on card art isn't always done the best, Lara is represented together with that which mattered to her the most. Despite being categorized among the Wild Hunt, she remains herself.

3: Lydia van Bredervoort by Igor Klymenko The joy i felt when this was the art of Lydia they managed to get into the game. It's easily one of the best contest pieces and on par with the best Gwent has to offer - it has mood, and that ever present air of groundedness, realism, and in that, unfortunate tragedy. But similarly to Lara, it shows Lydia being her own person; doing what she loved and was good at without sight of Vilgefortz despite her being known as his ever loyal assistant. Likewise, it doesn't sensantionalize her condition, but references it in a subtle, tasteful, and even clever way. I also love her dress and the overall color palette. Igor understood.

2: Eldain by Anna Podedworna Couldn't help it, this asshole has me in chokehold and he's enjoying it. In my defense, this piece highlights everything Anna is known for, because she's damn good at it. Incredibly sharp main subject of the piece contrasted against a blurry background, which allows for insane details like the strings extending from the top of the lute. To add more fun to it, Eldain isn't even in the absolute foreground, but the piece is still composed smart, so he remains the main focus. His silly red collar on mostly green helps. On top of all that, the art tells a little story, something Anna often does too, and in this case it delightfully sums Eldain up. It's also the best premium in the game.

look at his little red ears from sitting against the sun aww

Honorable mention: Lake Guardian by Anton Nazarenko Like the following #1, this card has sentimental value to me as my second card reveal and artwork i made my best emote of. It was a perfect match, bird gals and all. It's a Sirin, bringing in a more obscure but not unwelcome mythology reference to the universe. And I love her vibrant, marble-like eyes.

1: Dol Blathanna Sentry by Lorenzo Mastroianni ...remains my favourite card art since that fateful day sometime in January 2018. I was just discovering what there was to know about Witcher, downloading Gwent in the first place out of need for more content as i was slowly reading through the first book. Gwent has done a lot to explore and build on this universe, and it has helped me contextualize a lot of things early on. I remember scrolling through the deckbuilder, seeing this art, and being struck by its mood, this aura of secret and wonder. "Oh, so this is what Dol Blathanna looks like..." It's quintessential older Lorenzo. Very much admitted brush work, fog, tight color palette. The little specks of blue in flowers and face paint work just right. Maybe it's a reference to Arthurian myth and Avalon, maybe to Greek myth and Hades, or maybe, as is often the case and was the case later (or earlier in this list), both. It spoke to me and my sense of wonder back then. It speaks to me when i search for comfort now.

now, time to tear Karol Bem to shreds in the top 20 least favourites xd

[uwmspeccoll]

Publishers' Binding Thursday

For this week's Publishers' Binding Thursday book, I went searching in the catalog to see if we had any books designed by well-known designer Margaret Armstrong. There were several that came up and I went to the stacks to investigate. I found this lovely book and was excited to see how vibrant the colors are and what good shape the cover is in! However, upon a closer look, the cover is clearly signed "ELF" and not with Margaret Armstrong's characteristic overlapping "MA."

Try though I might, I cannot find any information about who E.L.F. may be, because searching in Google just turns up results about elves! I've also searched several digital collections to no avail, so if anyone has information about who E.L.F. might be I would greatly appreciate it!

The book is The Man Behind the Book by American author, professor of English Literature, Presbyterian clergyman, and diplomat Henry Van Dyke, Jr. (1852-1933). It was published by Charles Scribner's Sons in 1929. Van Dyke taught English Literature at Princeton, his alma mater, and was Minister to the Netherlands and Luxembourg, mainly on the strength of his friendship with fellow Princetonian Woodrow Wilson. Van Dyke was also friends with Helen Keller and officiated Mark Twain's funeral.

The cover is just lovely, with gold, purple, and teal decorations featuring grapes and grape vines alongside some tulips. The cloth is a deep navy, which really allows the shiny gold and the bright purple and teal stand out. The spine is a bit worn, but repeats the same motifs used on the cover of grapes and grape vines stamped in gold along with the title and author's name.

We believe this copy may have belonged to American poet, editor, and critic Louis Untermeyer because it contains a letter from Henry Van Dyke to Untermeyer. The letter and the envelope in which it was sent are pasted into the front cover of the book. The address on the envelope is vague, just "Mr. Louis Untermeyer, Elizabethtown, Adirondack Mountain, New York." The envelope is dated and time stamped September 12, 1931 at 7:00 p.m.

View more Publishers’ Binding Thursday posts.

-- Alice, Special Collections Department Manager

[familyoffood]

Okay- so while I'm working on characters and stuff-

I'm gonna drop 2 humanized Smiling Critters!!!

You can use them as long as credit is given, and you can change whatever you want about them!

I don't care what you ship with them or anything, none of the critters will be related and I'm fine with anything as long as it's not extremely gross.

Now, without further ado...

Bobby and Cassie!

Also, incase you can't read the text in the bottom right corner-

Everyone will go through a name change except for Bobby! I just thought that naming the others would make more sense instead of their names being Bubba, Catnap, Dogday, etc etc.

Instead, they will have names such as Carter, Dexter, Kayden, etc etc. (still resembling their old names, just more human-like)

I'm planning to post Hoppy and Kickin next, wanna guess what their names will be?

Anyways, more about the characters (THESE ARE ALL HEADCANONS! Change them to fit your preferences!):

Bobby:

She/her - Cis female

Lesbian

Best friend: Catnap

Crush: Cassie

Charm placement: A bracelet instead of a necklace

Body size/type/color: lovely dark brown skin. Body on the larger side. Has larger sized breasts and has love handles.

Hair color: Is naturally a dark chocolate brown, she dyes it though so it is a vibrant red hue.

Common to wear: poofy dresses, oversized clothes, red, pinks, and sometimes purples!

Personality: loves everyone! Until someone hurts her friends atleast. Kind to all and loves everyone and everything. Is a massive optimistic and extrovert.

Cassie:

she/he/they/it - transgender genderfluid person (born male)

Pansexual

Best friend: Dogday

Crush: Bobby

Charm placement: a hairclip

Body size/type/color: dainty pale olive skin. A more slim body size. Very small breasts (hardly visible).

Hair color: is naturally a dirty blonde/light brown color. dyes the tips into bright cyan colors

Common to wear: oversized clothing in shades of teal, blue, and purple! Always wears hair clips and unicorn head-band (only takes it off it necessary)

Personality: the opposite of Bobby, is nervous of everything and everyone except for her friends. He likes to draw and keeps to themselves all the time. You'll rarely find this introvert without a sketchbook and a colorful array of drawing mediums!

[headingalaxys-spicy]

Hello, can I make a request? Angel Ukraine is flying in the sky but gets caught in a storm over the ocean. She loses control and falls into the ocean and lands in the dark raging water and blacks out. But before she could drown, she wakes up and finds herself able to breath again. She finds herself in a giant air bubble, that she finds out won’t pop. It turns out, she was rescued by merman reader. They push her bubble back to their underwater home to rest and Yandere Angel Ukraine falls madly in love with the merman S/O. The merman S/O offer to pop her bubble and take her back to the surface, but she quickly declines such an offer. Instead, she’d rather to be stuck inside the air bubble for all eternity, forever under the sea, living with the one she’s deeply in love with.

I tried to make this story like a cute sonnet of sorts enjoy! Thanks for waiting :)

Thunder cracks once again in the briskly cold air. The storm that was brewing really only ever happened once a century. The dark clouds were thick and heavy with a plethora of rain. 

“Are you sure it’s really safe?” Ukraine asks one of the head angles. 

“There is an essential delivery in the human world that you have to make. Rain nor snow. You have to go.” The head angel commands. 

“Okay…okay…” She tries to reassure herself. She steadied her wings to prepare for the treacherous flight. Once she took off, she had to navigate the tremendous storm.  Lightning had unfortunately struck her form. 

“Augh!” She shrieks from the pain of being struck. Both of her wings burn up from the friction & heat from combatting in the raging sky. 

She quickly falls into the inky black storm waters that attempt to overtake her and drown. Even though she’d been knocked unconscious a hero did appear. He formed a protective bubble around her so that she wouldn’t drown. 

He looked at her badly scorched wings and singed clothes, which had been ignited by the lightning. For a few moments, he admired her face. Even while sleeping, she had an angelic glow that never seemed to fade. He admired it for a few moments more before he heard thunder crack in the sky. Lightning soon followed it as well. 

The waves above the water began to rise as tall as towers. The merman knew it was time to go. He pushed he bubble beneath the waves as he swam beneath them to get to safety. His (fin color) fins propelled him downwards into the safety of the deep sea with the unconscious angel with him in tow. The deeper into the depths of the ocean they went, the more vibrant the sea creatures & bubbles became. Neon yellows, blues, and teals. All had an aquatic appeal. Some of the squids were bright coral pinks, while the angler fish were intense, iridescent purples that glistened against the dark midnight waters. 

He swam back to his Kingdom of Mermaids, who looked at him in awe when they saw that he’d had an angel with him caught inside a gigantic bubble. Many eyes were upon them as he made his way to his home. All were curious on how in the world that became a possibility. 

Once he’d gotten back home & placed her on a comfy clam, he was able to admire her in the deep sea light. It didn’t take long for Ukraine to finally awake. 

“Huh? Where am I?” 

“Within the depths of the cavernous sea. Safe from the raging sea storm. Which had knocked you out.” You placed your hand gingerly on the delicate bubble. 

“Oh….” Ukraine takes a few moments to drink in your miraculous form. It was majestic and divine. She’d never seen a real merman before. She admired your (tail color) and your glittery fins that added to your overall appeal, only in fables that had been told to her long before she was a full-fledged angel who guided humans & made deliveries. 

“I….” She presses her hand against the thin film of the bubble. It was surprisingly firm to the point that it wouldn’t burst. 

“That’s there to protect you so that you can continue to breathe down here and not drown.” You look at her in her bright blue eyes. “You should rest for now as the storm rages on. It won’t be over for a while.” 

“Oh, okay ….” She looked downwards & you were able to see the blush that had formed on her face. 

“Are you alright?” you ask quizzically. 

“Yeah, you’re….” she pushes some of her hair to the side. “Very handsome is all…” she looks away as her blush widens. It had spread all over her face. 

“Thanks!” You say to break the suffocating silence. 

“Are you hungry at all? Is there anything you need?” 

“Perhaps just a pillow & blanket so I can rest.” 

You were able to provide those simple things. You could slip them through the thin barrier of the bubble with ease. 

“Is that all that you need?” You ask with concern. 

“Yes, for now. Thank you! Thank you very much!” 

As Ukraine closed her eyes for the night, all she could think about was you. Every thought was consumed by how great her life would be if she devoted herself to you. 

It wouldn't be so bad if she lost her angel status, right? As a mermaid, she could swim around all day rather than having to serve one of the many deities, so she could just narrowly meet their demands. 

By the time the storm was over, you offered to take her up to the surface where she’d be forced to meet more unforgiving demands. 

“No…no…no” She rejected. “I have no real desire to always be at someone's behest.” She gets close to the film of the bubble so that she can get a better look at you. 

“Besides….” Her glowing blue angelic eyes take in another heavy shot of you. “I’ve fallen in love…with you…” 

She places her hand on the barrier that separated the two of you. 

“I don’t mind being down here forever….” His eyes wandered directly into yours. “ If that means I get to be here with you.” Ukraine longed to caress your face but couldn’t. 

You swim close to the bubble to be as close as you could. You admired the lovely angle trapped in a bubble that made your heart flutter. 

[rubykgrant]

Finally finished touching my picture of a re-design for one of my super hero characters! On paper, I used white paint to blend the colors of the markers, and it looked very vibrant... until I scanned it, and the colors were muted. It took a while to fix it in MS Paint, but it is done!

This is one of the character I've had since 8th grade, and has thusly gone through SEVERAL changes; initially I had a character with wind powers and feathered wings as their whole theme. First it was a crow, but then I decided to go with golden eagle feathers. The character evolved as well, and eventually, I thought it was just too type-cast-y to have a Native American character with nature/animals powers... but I didn't want him to NOT be Native American anymore, that wasn't what needed to change. I shuffled around powers between other characters, and finally had something better! Now with energy abilities that projects as physical forms of colorful light, the character became Vivid! The light can change into shapes that work as force-fields for defense, stairs for climbing up high, or simply as energy blasts for attacking (I gave the wings/wind powers to a different character, still golden feathers, but with more of an "angelic" theme for the whole look)

Who the character is, just as himself, is mostly the same, because I love this kid; Rodney is an easy-going friendly guy, a little bit socially awkward, but with an open and kind attitude that makes him easy to relax around. He's sensitive and considerate, and really smart as well. He previously went to a school for gifted kids, but the atmosphere there was too competitive and harsh. He finally convinced his family to let him go to a regular school with the friends he has (a handful of them become super heroes as well), and it is a relief to chill academically, and grow more into who he is. Sometimes Rodney worries too much about being annoying, and tries too hard to be helpful or avoid confrontation by keeping his comments to himself... his friends help reassure him- he doesn't need to be perfect, he deserves to speak-up, and they aren't going to stop liking him over disagreements or because he's "weird". They're ALL weird!

Rodney has the chance to get into different types of art, and he appreciates many things that are surreal, both whimsical and horror. While he was good at memorizing facts for school, he's also incredibly creative, able to figure out complicated puzzles and recognize patterns other people don't notice (he's got a whole galaxy-brain mandala-universe going on in there). In his every-day life, he wears his hair down, but pulls it back for the hero look (during formal occasions, he braids it). Some elements from his super hero outfit comes from different sci-fi sources, but I wanted to keep it simple and easy. I like to imagine the kids made their first outfits from clothes they had, and up-graded to to proper hero clothing later, but it still isn't too complicated. The undershirt and leggings are bright colors- orange/yellow, teal/green, blue/aqua, purple/pink. He has a large short-sleeved shirt with a high collar (but it's loose, not tight around his neck). The shirt is dark, but not quite true-black, and specifically doesn't have too many details with the wrinkles or creases (like an optical illusion, it seems almost like a solid object even where it over-laps). He has matching boots as well. He also has a visor that works as his mask to hide his secret identity (and it's a bit inspired by Garnet's cool look~). Rodney's a bit of a string-bean, but he's not "scrawny", and he has soft shapes to his features

[darsynia]

Swiftiepride Exchange Gift!

Hello @blankspacemafia! I wanted to say off the bat that it was a delight making this for you, and after spending time watching your lovely posts on Taylor's performance outfits, I could not resist doing this... I made an oversized doily decoration doohickey based on both the Eras tour costumes combined with outfits she wore over the years at the Grammies and in music videos!

So, this medallion is 23 inches across, it's washable, and has variable texture (the center is petals!)! The colors are more vibrant in person.

Under the cut we have an array of 14 outfits over the Eras tour that match the color changes of your medallion, with selections from Taylor's career! Colors are center-out (and oh my GOSH the pic where her dress is teal and her shoes are bright pink matches so well I was screaming) Images taken from various sites such as Popsugar, Vogue, Vanity Fair, and others, all credit to the photographers!

We start with the Eras tour, detour to the 2015 Grammies, 2014's Dick Clark award for Excellence, an Eras tour dress, a glimpse of a blue dress from Out of the Woods' music video, Eras tour again, the 1989 tour, 2008 Fearless tour and rounding it out, another dark teal dress for 2018's performance of Delicate!

I had hoped to add another aspect to this, to braid you a golden thread and send it along with a needle, so you could weave designs into this (with fray defender on the ends, so you could do it multiple times!) but I tried it and nothing looked good, and I didn't want to send you something frustrating! So I hope you like this, it's a reflection of, hopefully, your enjoyment of her fashion sense, a celebration of her years of work culminating in the Eras tour, and my handiwork!

There was a SNAFU (there were like 10 oh my gosh) with mailing this, a misunderstanding that means it'll take longer to get to you, but I'll get you a tracking number soon! Thanks for trusting me with sending you something I made! I battled some crazy stuff this May and it prevented me from being able to send you as many asks as I wanted, but what I was able to connect with you over was lovely! I hope you enjoy your gift! Happy Pride!! Tagging @swiftiepride so you can see the pictures!

[haunted-dragons]

Ohhhh i can explain the eyestrain beeb! If you open up scrying workshop->predict morphology, preferably on pc or pc format of phone browser, and click on any given color, you will be given a long list of colors to scroll through. We call it a color wheel, it connects at the start and end in algorythm

Notice that some colors are very similar despite being very far away from each other (like maise and banana, or eldritch and hunter, or orca and mist.) Its because each set of colors has it's own section with as many undertones as possible, so some versions of colors, especially bright or dark, will seem very close while being half a wheel away from each other. Browns are especially mind-boggling since its a neighbor to orange and red. And not black or gray.

That said, your progens' primaries are brown and black! What do hatchies do? For each color, they look at the wheel and pick a random color between their parents' colors. The further they are away, the more of the wheel the choices will encompass.

So this hatchie had a choice for the primary: a few browns -> full spectrum of red -> full spectrum of pink -> full spectrum of white, then gray, then some black. And it liked red ^^

Notice that we ended up stepping over the end/start of the list. Hatchoes look at the shorter way around, so nobody will be skipping over the whole wheel to go from pink to white.

Yea I love messing with predict morphology! I've never really understood how to get certain coloured dragons via breeding, it's not really most important in my breeding projects so I never paid attention

The dad, Jaxx, is obsidian/midnight/ivory and mom Cedar is brown/teal/caribbean, not the most flattering combos but they make them work! Their daughter Laux came out as ruby/overcast/goldenrod, a very difficult combo

But flair came to the rescue

That's super interesting tho, thank you! Everyday I learn something new from the game, I appreciate the teaching moment! This kid really chose violence with her colours (she had more vibrant primary gene when she was born, seen below)