#all these things made her instantly photoshopped yet ‘natural’

[fig]

just now realizing these other models got so many things done in the clinic like botox, body sculpting, filler, skin booster… and the whole time i was being so harsh and beat myself up for not having the same pore less smooth skin, no lines and always looking like a doll on camera…. of course i wouldn’t look like that i have never gotten things done

[13a07s]

My Everything #2

(Shoyo Hinata)

[Artwork is not mine! Credit to seranlynx]

Requested by: @l1l14i

Word Count: 3,275

Warnings and/or Pre-Notes:

Cyber bullying (?)

Slight fighting

Weed (Fun fact, as of 2023 weed is still illegal in Japan but we're going to ignore that)

Alcohol

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I looked at the comments. I know Akaashi told me not to, but I did anyway, and it was the dumbest thing I could have done. Since looking, my eyes have been constantly scrolling over the thousands of comments.

     They look so cute!

     She's so lucky! I would kill to have @Hinata._.Shoyo on me like that!

     Do you think this is the mystery girlfriend?

     No wonder #21 never shuts up about her. I wouldn't either!

      Omg, there's a new hottest OTP in the volleyball world. @Bokuto.Koutaro and @Akaashi_Keiji better watch out

     Despite all the good comments praising the glimpse of our relationship, all the compliments thirsting over Shoyo and me, even the upright vail sexual things people wish to do to one or both of us, all I can focus on is the bad comments.

     Ew, that's the mystery girlfriend? I excepted... better

     She's chubby, for an athlete's girlfriend

     No wonder @Hinata._.Shoyo is so dedicated to his sport. If I had to go home to that I'd drown myself in volleyball too

     Gold digger if I've ever seen one

     @MSBY_Black_Jackal maybe get #21's eyes checked??? That is nowhere near the hottest woman alive. Even from the glanced photo, I can see a million needed improvements.

     What the hell is up with her hair???

     My hand jumps up to my head, tugging on my towel hat so it comes unraveling. Right after, my fingers run through my hair, working out some of the wet knots I haven't paid attention to since getting out of the shower. Shoyo likes my hair... I think. He likes it, right?

I haven't talked to Shoyo about the post yet. We were alone long enough for him to drop his bags before he and a few other Jackals went down to the hotel gym for their workout sessions. With me being alone in the room it's given me plenty of time to check the comments, unpack, check the comments, shave, check the comments, shower, and check the comments.

Since he was in such a rush to meet up with the team, he left his phone behind. That has given me time to ponder going on his phone and scrolling through what he's been tagged in that I haven't seen yet. I know the password, it's my birthday, and it's not like Shoyo would care. It still feels wrong doing it without asking, even if I know he doesn't mind.

     The girls' - and Akaashi's - group chat has been dinging every ten minutes or so. They've all been telling me to not look or reply to any of the comments, asking what room we're in so someone can sit with me until the boys get back, telling me I'm beautiful, that Shoyo loves me more than anything in this world.

     I've been ignoring their texts - and the occasional call - as much as I can, barely sparing them a glance. I know Shoyo loves me, that he thinks I'm beautiful. I also know he's a man and that he finds other girls beautiful too.

     I've looked at the profiles of some of the commenters, mostly the ones commenting on my weight or openly slutting themselves out to my boyfriend. A lot of them have been supermodel pretty. Supermodel skinny too. I keep trying to remind myself that those photos aren't natural. That they are photoshopped or filtered. That my photo with Shoyo hasn't been touched up. It was snapped and posted.

The hotel door beeps the click of the door opening following the approved key swipe. "Ya, ya, I'll ask the Mrs. I'll let you know. Ya, see you soon," Shoyo rambles to one of his teammates, slowly sliding his way into the room. "Hey baby," he greets, tone instantly softening and his face relaxing at the sight of me.

     "Hi," I snip back, casting my eyes to my phone again, rolling over a comment made of a line of throw-up emojis and the words 'His humbleness isn't the only thing he took from the Karasuno dirt fields'. Maybe I'm reading into it but I'm pretty sure they're trying to call me hick without actually saying it.

Shoyo shifts his body weight, eyes glancing around the room before they're set on me again. "So, Atsumu and some of the other guys and gals are going down to the bar around seven. He invited us to join... you want to go?"

"No."

Concern flickers across his face, quickly drowned out by a smile. "Alright," Shoyo answers, shrugging his shoulders before making his way toward me. "A night in with you and a movie sounds good too," he tries, kicking his shoes off before crawling onto the bed.

I spare him a glance before fixating on the post again. 'How the hell did THAT bag @Hinata._.Shoyo???' rolls across the screen, adding another drop of emotion to the puddle collecting in my chest.

"You're my everything," Shoyo coos, nuzzling his nose against my neck, the tips of his hair tickling my skin. "You know that, right?" He asks, pressing a gentle kiss to my jaw.

"Ya."

"Do you?" He asks again, arching up so he can lock his sight with my eyes, his nose brushing against mine. "You've been... I don't know. Not you since we've gotten here. Bokuto said Akaashi is worried about you," he slowly pushes out, his fingertips on my thigh, toying with the end of the towel I'm still wrapped in.

"I'm fine, Shoyo," I mutter, moving my legs away from him. When his hand grips me tighter instead of falling off, I push it off myself.

Sadness flickers in his soft eyes for a moment, quickly replaced with concern. "Is this about the picture of us?" Shoyo asks, using his grip on my leg to pull me back to him. He snatches my phone from me, glancing at it for a moment before throwing it on the bed.

     "You know about it?" I ask, a bit dumbfounded. There's no way he knows about it. There's no way he knows about it and hasn't told me about it let alone talked to me about it. I haven't talked to him about it because I haven't had the chance to yet. Not because I just haven't.

     "Of course I do. I've known about it since, I don't know, less than five minutes after it was posted. I was tagged in it and I've gotten a new mention in the comments every ten seconds."

     I sit frozen, staring at my confused boyfriend. He's an idiot, right? Like, legally an idiot. He has to be. "What the fuck, Shoyo?" I mutter, my words coming out slow but heavily.

     "I didn't want you to worry about it. I figured - "

     "You figured what? If you didn't say anything about it I wouldn't find out about it?"

     Sho stays quiet for a few moments, a loose smile on his lips as his eyes wander across my face. "I figured sooner or later the public was going to get a picture of us. You look sexy as hell in the one they got, so why freak out about it?"

     "Have you not read the comments?"

     "I have," he hums, head tumbling downward so his lips can crash against my bare shoulders. "'Damn number twenty-one is lucky'. 'If that's the type of girlfriend volleyball players have, sign me up'. 'No wonder Hinata never shuts up about her'. 'Shit man, if my girlfriend looked like that I'd praise her with every breath I had to offer'. 'If I had a girl like that, I'd make her my everything too'," he quotes, little kisses being littered across any bare inch of skin he can get to.

     "Those aren't the comments I'm talking about," I whisper, quickly losing hold of my anger, on my sadness.

     "Baby," he whispers in my ear, nuzzling the side of my face as his hands rub my thighs, his tight grip closing on my flesh every few seconds. "You are my everything, do you know what that means? It means to me you're perfect. I love your hair, I love how it catches the sun, I love how it feels, how it smells, how it looks."

     "I love your curves, I love the dips and twists and every inch of your body. You could be a hundred pounds heavier or a hundred pounds lighter and I'd still love the shape of you."

     Shoyo's kisses fall toward my neck. He nudges at my chin until I tip my head backward, giving him more space to run his lips over. "I love every birthmark, every scar, every inch of your skin. I love your smile, your eyes, your soul, your laugh. Every second possible I spend thinking of you. Thinking of this gorgeous body, of your loving personality."

     His praises are dripping with his admiration of me, drips that fall into the puddle in my chest, slowly but surely eating away at all the negativity that's been building up. "If you ever left me, if you ever decided we were done, that would be it for me. I would never be with another person again. I'd simply play volleyball until I couldn't anymore and then spend the rest of my days wallowing in Rio, waiting for you to want me again."

     "You're my everything, baby. You've been my everything since the first day I saw you since my eyes fell on the pissy girl with braids in her hair that tried fighting the frappuccino machine because it wouldn't work. You are my everything. You know that. I make sure you know that, and if you don't, I need you to tell me you don't. Tell me you don't feel like my everything if that's what's happening. Tell me so I can remind you, so I can fix it, do you understand?"

     "Ya, I understand," I murmur, my mind foggy from the mix of Shoyo's praises and the feeling of his lips leaving my skin on fire.

     "Good," he whispers against my jaw, a line of kisses leading up to the delicate kiss laid on my lips. "You are my everything, baby. Without you, I'm not even sure I can breathe. I am lucky to have you in my life, and I am thankful for every day I wake up next to you."

     My eyes sting with the threat of tears, a threat that's fulfilled quickly. "Oh, baby," Shoyo coos, kisses instant back in action to brush away the water leaking from my eyes. "Don't cry. I hate seeing you cry."

     Giggles slowly spill out, mixing with my tears as I replay the last line of his love speech. "Sho? What the hell are you going to put in your vows that could top that?"

     "I'll just reuse it," he teases, his laughter easily mixing with mine. "Now, drinks with the gals and the guys?"

     "Drinks with the gals and the guys," I agree, stealing another kiss from him.

                      ————————————

Shoyo's arm is around my shoulders, keeping me pressed close to him as he coats my hair in kisses. With every ding of a passing floor, my heart seems to beat faster. I'm always nervous going out in public with my boyfriend, but with the recent shining light of the public on me, I'm more nervous than usual. Pair that with the fact I'm sure every hotel in Shizuoka is swimming with fans and you have a disaster waiting to happen.

     I don't like the attention or the million cameras or the public in general, which is why Sho usually goes to these things alone and I show up the day of the game. At least for away games. Home games are easier to deal with. But, he begged me to come with him this time so I gave in. That was a dumb decision.

"You're fine, baby. Paparazzi and such aren't allowed on private property. Fans are all we'll have to deal with and most of the time they're too star-struck to notice much. You'll slip into the bar as easy as usual." Blind optimism at its finest, but I can't help but hope that he's right.

     When the final ding comes, Shoyo tugs my hood up for me, helping to hide some of myself. His arm falls too, his fingers instantly finding mine and sliding themselves in place. My heart races with the sound of the elevator doors opening, my stomach turning in tone with the two noises.

     Instantly, a million clicks and cellphone flashes go off, the crowd of fans yelling his last name, asking a million questions. Some are simple questions asking for photos or about the game tomorrow, others are centered toward the recent photo of us. Shoyo simply smiles, stepping forward to block me from the crowd as he answers some of the simpler questions.

     Slowly, he leads me out of the elevator, trying his best to inch around the crowd toward the bar. Within seconds, Bokuto appears situating himself next to Shoyo and in front of me too. "Hey, hey, hey. Don't forget Hinata isn't the only spiker on the team," the bigger man booms, glancing behind himself to send me a smile.

     The two beefy men in front of me continue the slow and stretched-out walk to the bar, the three of us shuffling like penguins to get to the entrance. Sadly, the bar has an open construct; no door, just an open wall with a velvet 'fence' to close it off for the Jackals to use tonight.

     "Hey," Akaashi greets, nodding at the worker to unclip the makeshift gate.

     "Hey," I greet back, stepping through before glancing at Shoyo. Bokuto and him are still taking pictures and answering questions, only two or three steps away from me. "I don't like coming to these things."

     Akaashi shrugs, watching our goofballs with me. "It's a lot at first but over time you get used to it. Just don't do anything stupid, like have dry sex in a car," he teases, a soft grin on his face as he spares me a glance. "And you'll be fine."

     "Ya, that was pretty dumb of us."

     That gets a laugh out of him, and a bigger smile. "If it makes you feel any better, Kotaro's and my first 'scandal' happened because someone got a photo of me helping him button his shirt as we left a restaurant bathroom. He spilled red wine on his shirt so I helped him clean it but of course, the media turned it into us having a quickie." That does help, a lot more than I thought it would.

     "Shit happens. Scandals happen or get fabricated. There's no point hiding in the dark forever because that just leaves more for the imagination. The hard part is done. The world has proof of you. Hot ass proof." That makes me giggle, a few soft chuckles leaving Akaashi as well. "Hey, even the coach's wife said she'd leave him for you."

     "She did not," I manage to get out, more laughter mixing with my words.

     "She did too, which you would know if you answered any of our texts."

     "I was busy wallowing in sadness and self-pity."

     Akaashi shrugs again, his grin falling from his face, his usual resting bitch face back on. "That happens too. Half the world will love you and the other half will hate you regardless of what you say or what photos they get of you. Just got to roll with it."

     "Did you smoke a blunt before coming down here?" All the partners of the players have different ways of dealing with the stress of publicity they and their player have. Some smoke, some use weed like Akaashi, and some just enjoy their partner's hefty wallets and use retail as a means to cope. I'm not sure what I'm going to use to cope yet, but at the moment a few hits of what Akaashi is on sounds like a nice and quick way to chill out.

     "I had an edible. I don't have anymore so you're going to have to be sober or drink."

     "Drinking it is then," I mutter, letting my eyes scan over the growing group of Jackals paying attention to their fans right outside the bar.

     Akaashi and I stand inside the entrance, still blocked from the fans' view by the team members. If this is how people act at the hotel, the gym is going to be insane tomorrow.

"Alright, alright, I promised my everything a drink so I got to go guys. I hope to see you all tomorrow," Shoyo's voice rises above the chaos, the ginger starting to back up from the crowd. Being cut off only makes the crowd louder, the rest of the members quickly follow to avoid the uproar.

As soon as he's through the cloth fence, Shoyo's arms are around me, burying me into himself as he drags me further into the bar. My head pops out from his arms when I'm no longer forced into movement. "There's my everything," he coos, pecking my lips as he loosens his hold.

We - and the rest of the team - are tucked away in the furthest and darkest corner of the bar, safe away from the crowd still at the entrance. Greetings are thrown around, a few "you two looked sexy in your picture" mixed in. Everyone answered with a "damn right" by Sho.

Shoyo's hands are on me at all times, even as we sit with everyone else. Hand on my thigh, in my hair, toying with my fingers, anyway he can touch me he does. "You're beautiful," he whispers, his hand jumping up to push my hood off.

     "Thank you," I answer, taking his hand in mine before resting it in my lap. He's antsy, like always, but more so than usual since he's still worked up from my meltdown. Having his hands wandering over my body isn't going to help much with our scandal.

His movements stall for a moment, his brain ticking at what to do before his soft touches are replaced with butterfly kisses. My cheeks heat up more with every kiss he litters my skin with. "Honey, we're with people," I murmur, trying to shrug him off.

"So?" He whines, shaking his hand out of mine so he can wrap his arms around my waist, pulling both me and the chair closer to him. "You're my everything. With so many people around, so many people having proof you exist, I want to remind everyone that you are my everything. Always have been, always will be."

     "Gross," one of the older members tease, fake gagging until his wife smacks him upside the head, paired with a whispered lecture and an ear pull.

     Shoyo giggles, nuzzling my head until I turn it enough for him to kiss me. Slowly I let myself give into the gentle kiss, letting my adoring boyfriend melt away all the stress of the day. "My beautiful, perfect everything," he sighs, pecking my lips once more before pulling away from me. "Anyway, we should get a round of shots to drink to our future victory over EJP."

     The team cheers at the offer, one of the members flagging down a server to take the order. A smile plays on Shoyo's face, his hand enveloping mine again to raise it, kisses being peppered across my knuckles. It's hard to believe just an hour ago I was convinced I was nothing to him. Even in moments where his focus is on the team, on volleyball, I'm still at the forefront of his mind. I'm still his everything.

———————————————————————

[dreamescapeswriting]

BTS Reaction | You Have Heterochromia [Request]

[BTS X Gender Neutral Reader] [Taehyung x Fem!Reader]

A/N: Heterochromia is the colour variation of the irises 

Seokjin:

Last night was the first night that Jin had stayed over at your apartment and he woke up in the morning earlier than usual because he was going to go and get some breakfast for you both from down the street but while he was in the bathroom he found coloured lenses inside the cabinet.

"Jin?" You whispered coming into the bathroom, you were dressed in one of his shirts and rubbing your eyes sleepily so you hadn't noticed he was holding your coloured contacts case until he mentioned it.

"What do you need coloured contacts for?" Your eyes widened and you looked down at the floor not wanting to meet his gaze. You hadn't shown Jin your eyes yet as it made you self-conscious, not that there was ever a need to be your Heterochromia made you unique and beautiful but it wasn't something you just showed to people.

"No reason," You stuttered out but he could tell there was something off since you were avoiding his gaze, he walked over to you lifting your chin up so you would look at him and he gasped in shocked,

"Whoa," You groaned pushing him away and telling him you'd keep putting the contacts in, you thought his gasp was one of horror but he took hold of your hands.

"Jagiya, you're beautiful and your eyes-" He tilted your head to look at him once again and he smiled,

"They're beautiful just like you, how come you've never shown me before?" You looked at him and smiled softly as you began explaining how your ex's had reacted badly in the past about having two different coloured eyes and from that point Jin wanted to make sure he could remind you every day how much he loved it about you.

Yoongi:

Yoongi adored your eyes, he was constantly finding new ways to write songs or raps about them so it was no surprise when you were sitting at the table that morning to have breakfast he just ran away after staring at you for so long.

"Do it again," He panted coming back with a pen and paper and looking at you, you frowned wondering what he was talking about.

"Do what again?" You laughed nervously looking at him and then at the paper he was scribbling down on, he just stared at you watching as you took a sip of your hot drink he'd made you. He instantly began writing words down in any order before smiling and looking into your eyes, they mesmerised him the way they looked in the sunlight and in plain light.

"You're going to get bored of them one day," You laughed softly shaking your head at him as you got up to clean up your plate and put the rest of the dishes away in the dishwasher but he came up behind you and hugged you.

"Never," He cooed in your ear leaving a small kiss on your neck before running off to go and make some sense of his notes.

Hoseok:

Hoseok and you were having an interview today about your relationship, BigHit thought it would be a good idea since your relationship had just gone public.

"What are you doing?" Hoseok asked as he walked into the changing room to see you struggling to add a contact to your eye - you'd never been good at putting them in.

"Contacts for the interview-"

"Why?!" He cut you off rushing over to you to see why you were doing it, he never wanted you to cover up your eyes it was one of the first things he ever noticed about you. The one thing that drew him to you and how beautiful they made you look.

"Cause I don't want people to judge me for it..." You trailed off looking down at the contact on your finger.

"People won't judge you for it, Heterochromia is completely normal." He whispered to you cupping your face in his hand and running his thumb over your cheek, he was trying to comfort you and you knew he was trying to be sweet but he didn't know what people were going to think of you.

"They're already going to hate me for dating you it's just-"

"Those who judge have no input in our lives, I love you for you and your eyes just make you all the more special." He reassured you sliding the contact off your finger and back into the case, kissing the top of your head and pulling you towards the exit of the changing room.

Namjoon:

Fans were the first ones to spot it when you and Namjoon were caught in photos together, they thought it was trick lighting or maybe that the articles had begun photoshopping your eyes but when fans came up to you when you were alone they realised how real it was.

"You okay?" Namjoon questioned coming back to the table from the bathroom and you nodded your head shyly pointing over at the camera in the window. It wasn't something you were used to yet but you were trying to get used to being followed everywhere you went.

"Excuse me," You both looked to the side to see a small girl around the age of 9 or 10 in a BTS hoodie with her mother,

"My daughter was wondering if she could get a photo with you," Namjoon nodded his head and got up to take a photo when the girl took your hand,

"I want Y/n in it too...They make me feel better about my eyes." That was when you noticed her eyes they were just like yours except hers were blue and green.

"Sure," You stuttered out looking at Namjoon who was smirking at you, he'd told you many people loved you for your eyes and now it was being proven right before your eyes.

Jimin:

Jimin nervously watched as you got closer to him at the table, he'd spotted you when you were with Namjoon at the top of the table and he'd been waiting for you to get to him.

"Hi," He breathed looking up from the album and then staring into your eyes, you instantly felt self-conscious and looked down at the floor. You'd ran out of contacts that morning and forgot to pick some up before you came to the fan meet and this was what you were worried about - people staring at you.

"Don't look down...Please," He begged and you locked eyes with him and he instantly smiled looking into your eyes and questioning you about them on everything while he had the time,

"I thought I was supposed to ask you questions." You laughed softly and he wrote something down on the back of his photocard and slipped it into your album,

"We'll have to make sure you can sometime," He winked and you began walking toward Hoseok next wondering what he was talking about until you got out of the room and checked the photocard to see his number sitting on the back of the card along with a compliment about your eyes.

Taehyung:

Taehyung ran his hand over the bump on your stomach and smiled softly as he felt the baby kick, you started giggling as he acted as though it hurt and he smiled at you.

"Do you think they'll get your eyes?" He questioned not looking away from the bump as he waited for the baby to make a hand or footprint against your skin.

"I hope not," Taehyung frowned tearing his eyes away and looking up at you,

"Why not?"

"I like your eyes better-" He shook his head cutting you off and sitting up so he was sitting beside you, face to face with you as you talked down about yourself. He thought he did everything he could to make you feel better about your eyes,

"Your eyes are unique and pretty though." He whispered making you tear up thanks to the extra hormones rushing throughout your body, you laid your head on his shoulder.

"I just don't want them to get bullied like I did for mine," He sighed taking your hands in his and kissing the top of it,

"I'll make sure it never happens," He whispered wrapping his arms around your body and pulling you closer to him.

Jungkook:

You frowned looking through the cupboards for your contacts but they were nowhere to be found,

"Kookie?" You called out going back into the bedroom to see him sitting there on his phone - his morning ritual these days.

"What's up?" He looked away from his phone and up at you smiling as soon as his eyes met yours he could stare into them all day if you would let him but it made you anxious to hold eye contact for so long with someone without your contacts being in.

"I think I'm out of contacts, do you know-"

"I threw them out," He whispered pulling you to sit down beside him and look at him, you knew he'd been wanting you to stop wearing them so much and after three years of dating, he thought you would get used to not wearing them around him.

"Jungkook-"

"Please Y/n, it makes me so happy to see your natural eyes instead of the contacts you wear." You looked down at your hands that were locked with his and bit your lip. You knew you couldn't go your whole life wearing your contacts but you'd hoped you could get away with it a little longer,

"You're beautiful Y/n and I want to see that every time I look at you." He whispered to you kissing you softly.

Tagline: 

@snowy-meowl​ @jooniesdarlingdimples​ @lyoongx​ @mitzwinchester​ @fan-ati--c​ @rjsmochii​ @callingmyangel​ @kneel-begyourpardon​ @taestannie​ @innersooya​

[overwatch-does-stuff]

Overwatch: Rehabilitation- Lucio

Summary: Sigma has been captured by Overwatch. And Lucio was not expecting to meet a new friend today, but, uh, whoops. . .

   Man, the melody was always so hard to get right. The background noises came easily, along with the beat, but getting the driving notes of a song down was always the most difficult.    Lucio looked at his computer screen and sighed. He'd woke up this morning with a burst of inspiration and gone straight to work, not even bothering to check his messages (here at the Watchpoint they sent out a daily message with the schedule and such). He figured that if it was truly important, someone would come get him. No one had came, so he had started mixing tracks just like the old days. But now. . . he was stuck. The song just wasn't coming.    He pushed himself away from the desk, rolling backwards on his rolling chair. He spun around until he faced the door. Maybe all he needed was to go for a walk (or a skate, as it was). Maybe he should go ask Bastion for some music inspiration. The Omnic had a natural ear for that kind of thing, and it had gotten him out of many writing blocks before.    Lucio grabbed his headphone (he didn't go anywhere without his tunes) and skated out of his room. Torbjorn's workshop, where Bastion was likely to be, was practically across the base from where the living quarters were. He didn't mind though. More time to think.    The hallways he was skating down started to look more and more empty. Messes he could have sworn were there yesterday were gone. Did Winston go on some sort of cleaning binge this morning? That wasn't really in the gorilla's character, though. Perhaps he simply took a wrong turn.    No one else was to be found, either. The halls, at least this hall, was completely empty. The thought crossed his mind that maybe he should have checked the daily message before he left. Something weird was going on.    A faint sound of muttering came from around a corner down the hall. Finally, people! Lucio sighed in relief and skated towards them. As he got closer, he couldn't make out what the voices were saying, but he recognized one as being Tracer's voice. The other voice he didn't recognize, but then again, he was new to the Watchpoint and still didn't know everybody yet.    "The stabilization chamber will do you wonders, I just know it!" Lucio could finally make out what Tracer was saying.    "But, these are my stabilizers." The other voice replied with a nervous tinge.    "Well then, they aren't very good ones then, hmm?" Tracer's giggle echoed down the hall. "Winston's built this one in his lab to completely stabilize you. Then you could take those ones off, and he could study them! He built my harness, you know. I'm sure he could build yours better."    Lucio approached the corner. Tracer came around it.    Lucio gave a quick wave. "Hi, speedster! How's it-"    Her face went pale and she quickly glanced behind her. At the same time, from around the corner came the Talon superweapon.    Lucio stared in shock. It was just like the pictures he'd seen of the mission. The man was floating. Floating! He wore huge shoulder pads, which Lucio had previously assumed to be Talon photoshop or something. No, this man looked as fully intimidating as the pictures suggested.    They stared at each other. The expression on- what was his name? Sugma? Ligma? No, it was Sigma, Lucio remembered- Sigma's face looked nervous, as if he had been caught doing something he shouldn't. Lucio wasn't sure what his own face looked like. He tried to turn it into a smile, and he gave a quick wave.    After a few moments of silence, Tracer gave a small cough and finally spoke. "Hi, Lucio. What are you doing out here?"    Something was definitely wrong. Tracer called everybody 'luv', unless it was important.    Lucio tried to keep his tone casual. "Oh, not much. I was just on my way down to Torbjorn's workshop to see Bastion. What's up with you?"    Sigma continually glanced between him and Tracer. The man started clasping and unclasping his hands.    "Have you met Siebren before?" Tracer gestured to her companion.    "Nope." Lucio turned to him. Dumping caution into the wind, he held out a hand and gave a smile. "Hi, I'm Lucio. Nice to meet you!"    Sigma- er, what was that name Tracer had called him? Siebren?- didn't respond, only staring blankly at him.    "No handshake? That's no problem, man. Say, are you new here? I haven't seen you around here before." Lucio drew his hand back.    What was he thinking?! Of course Siebren was new here! He had been captured, like, a week ago. Lucio wanted to kick himself. That was dumb. Real dumb.    "I am new here." Siebren responded quietly.    "That's neat. Being new can be kinda scary, but it's nice here." Lucio nodded.    "Is that so?" Siebren asked.    "Yeah! Overwatch is great, compared to that nasty Talon place you were in. You're gonna love it here, Sigma- er, Siebren."    Tracer shot him a fierce warning look, so harsh that Lucio instantly felt a twinge of guilt, but why he didn't know. What did he do? He'd been just trying to say hi!    Lucio felt a totally different feeling now. It felt like his stomach was rising into his chest. He looked to Siebren. The man's eyes looked distant, before snapping into a clear panic.    "Where am I?" He muttered. "Where am I being taken?"    "Shh, luv. It's okay." Tracer put her hand on Siebren's arm. "You're being taken to Winston's lab-"    "NO! Not the lab! Please not the lab!" He threw her arm off and backed away.    "You've been very good. It's going to be okay." Tracer gestured quickly for Lucio to go before taking a few cautious steps toward Siebren. "You're going to a stabilization chamber. It'll help you calm down."    "Not the lab, not the lab. . ." he began to hyperventilate as he repeated the phrase. Slowly, his voice became more singsong-like, and his eyes glazed over.    Lucio stayed still. He reached out with his hands. "Hey man, you're alright. Nothing bad's gonna happen to you here."    "Not the lab. Not the lab." Siebren sang, before his voice devolved into a quiet hum. Something about the song seemed familiar, but not in a way Lucio could place.    "See? It's okay, luv." Tracer approached the man and took his hand. She tugged him, and he limply floated forward.    Suddenly, his eyes focused, snapping to Lucio, causing him to flinch.    "Do you hear that melody?"    The voice sent a chill down Lucio's spine because of its sudden malice. Siebren's face was now twisted into a sly grin. It was the face from the Talon pictures.    "Uh, what melody are you talking about?" Lucio tried to keep his voice from squeaking.    Tracer came up and shushed him "No, no, the melody's all good. Let's stop talking about it, and Siebren and I should really get going-"    "The melody cannot be ignored!" Siebren roared. "It's getting louder now. Louder and louder!"    He covered his ears and took a sharp breath. His humming became louder, and as it grew, so did the feeling of weightlessness. Tracer had already recalled down the hall, and was saying something that Lucio couldn't make out. Hollow tones seemed to fill the air, (or maybe he was just imagining it,) and he turned up the music in his own headphone to try and block it out.    Wait. Maybe to drown the invisible music out, Siebren just needed a different melody.    Lucio tried to skate forward, but the step caused him to bound, as if he was on the moon. Woah. With more gentler steps, he approached Siebren.    He took off his headphone and held it out to him. "Hey, man, why don't you give this a listen instead?"    Siebren frantically grabbed the headphone and shoved it against his ear.    "If you come down here, I can show you how to turn it up." Lucio gestured downwards.    Slowly, Siebren lowered himself and sat on the ground. Only then did Lucio realize how high up the man had been floating.    Lucio skated to his side. He reached underneath Siebren's hand to readjust the headphone, properly fitting it onto his ear. Sliding the volume wheel, he amped up the tunes. Siebren's head began to bob with the beat of the music.    "You like it?" Lucio asked.    There was no reply. Siebren began to relax. His breathing steadied and his jaw unclenched.    Tracer blinked next to Lucio, tapped his shoulder, and whispered, "hey, we need to get out of here for a while."    "Give him a moment." He whispered back.    Focus returned to Siebren. It was as if he had just woken up from a dream. He looked around before his gaze settled on their two faces.    "This music is nice!" He said loudly. The volume of the headphone must have been a bit loud.    "Thanks." Lucio replied. "I wrote it myself."    "Did you now? That's impressive." He smiled. "You're very talented."    "Heh, thank you!" Lucio smiled back.    "Say, have we met before? Your face looks vaguely familiar." He slightly cocked his head.    "You two have met, but, you weren't in the right state of mind." Tracer piped in, and Siebren's face fell.    "I'm Lucio." Lucio held out his hand again.    This time, Siebren took it. "I'm Dr. Siebren de Kuiper. I'm sorry if I. . . did anything to you before."    "Nah, you're cool in my book. Music helps me relax as well." Lucio gave a loose shake.    "Music and I have a rather turbulent relationship," Siebren looked away for just a moment, "but I appreciate what you've done for me today."    "What's your favorite genre?" Lucio asked.    "Hmm, I think-"    "I hate to cut the conversation short, but we should get going, luv." Tracer put a hand on Siebren's shoulder. "Winston's probably waiting for us."    "Oh, yes!" He perked up. "The stabilization chamber. We were heading there right now, correct?"    "That's right. Good job remembering." She smiled.    Siebren beamed as he floated up from the ground.    Seeing him so happy made Lucio smile as well. "Hey, I could walk with you guys. I'm not really doing anything right now."    "You would?" Siebren asked.    "Sure! You seem like a pretty neat guy." He responded. "Let's keep chatting."    "You would, chat with. . . me?" Siebren was quiet, before shaking himself out of it. "I meant, of course. Let's get going."    And the three of them walked.

[surveys-at-your-service]

Survey #356

“i’m just a painting that’s still wet: if you touch me, i’ll be smeared, you’ll be stained, stained for the rest of your life”

Have you ever used emotional blackmail to get your own way? WOW, no. What a starter. Has anybody ever used emotional blackmail on you? Not to my memory. Who did you last worry about and why? Honestly? Myself. My physical health just isn't very good right now. When are you next at work? Do you enjoy your work? N/A When was the last time you ate/drank something gross just to be polite? I'm not sure; I'm honestly very, very bad at this. I struggle big time hiding if I don't like something. Last time you heard a growl, who or what did it come from? My stomach. When did you last make up a baby’s bottle? Never. Do you have a mouse for your laptop? (Assuming you have a laptop) I use a mouse. I'm not a big trackpad fan. Do you have the right time set on your microwave? Yeah. What is your most expensive bill? I don't have any bills that I pay myself, because I can't. Do you have a big yard? No. Is there someone you would love to punch right now? Myself lol. Does the water in your shower take a long time to get warm? Yeah, it does. Song playing? I have "Leave A Scar" by Marilyn Manson on. Are you tired? I'm always tired. If you had the power to instantly transform someone’s life (for the better), who would you choose to use this on? My mom. Her entire life has been so fucking unfair, and she doesn't deserve it whatsoever. Just one day of her being perfectly happy would make my entire life. You wake up to a ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE. Your family is safe, but most of your city is zombified. You need weapons and various other supplies. What is your first general course of action? I seriously cannot even begin to imagine what I would do besides panic and be one of the first to die, honestly. If a family member (or boyfriend/girlfriend, if you have one) happened to be infected by one of these undead creatures, how would you go about dealing with that situation? It would tear me to shreds, but shoot them in the head to hopefully prevent them from turning. I couldn't let them suffer. Does someone’s view on homosexuality affect how you feel about them in any way? Sure as hell does. How about someone’s view on religion? This one depends on what their beliefs entail and to what intensity. If you were paralyzed from the neck down, would you still want to continue living? Why or why not? NO. NO. NO. This is seriously one of my biggest fears. Just fucking kill me. That sounds like very legitimate torture to me. Has any medication you’ve taken ever made you sick? How so? Three, to my memory. When I started Latuda, it made me throw up semi-frequently, BUT its effectiveness made me stay on it. My body eventually adjusted. The same thing happened with my current mood stabilizer, Vraylar. I was also on another, Trintellix I think, and that one did nothing but consistently make me puke, so I stopped it. Would you ever consider being a foster parent? No. Would you rather drink alone or with friends? With friends. Do you have too much time on your hands? WAY too much time. And yet I do nothing productive with it. Have you ever thought about hurting someone? Not seriously, no. Do you thank people for helping you? Always. Have you ever seen a zebra up close? Yeah, a few. Do you freak out if you see blood? Nah, it doesn't bother me. Have you ever complained to a manager about anything? What was it? No. Are there any songs that make you feel angry inside when you hear them? "Eternally Yours" by Motionless In White makes me feel that, among a thousand other emotions that are way too strong for me to handle, so I just don't listen to it. Have you ever been in a building that was on fire? YIKES, no. Are you in an argument with anyone right now? No. Have you ever written a poem for someone? Numerous times. Who’s the last person who cussed you out in anger? I think only my grandmother has done that. Who is the person you are closest to that you’ve meet online? Sara. (: Have you friended your parents on FB? I have my mom on there, but Dad doesn't have a FB. Where do you go out to eat for a special occasion? It depends on what we're in the mood for and what the occasion is. When someone sneezes, do you say “Bless you,” or “God Bless you?” Just "bless you." Have you ever seen the movie A Walk to Remember? Cliche or worth watching? Yeah, it's a wonderful movie. Do you live in a house, apartment, or another type of arrangement? House. Are you one of those people who like to spell out numbers? Grammatically speaking, any number below ten should be spelled out. I obviously spell out "ten," but w/e. Did you or do you still have a Furby? Was/is it annoying? I did as a kid. It didn't annoy me then, but as an adult I know they're creepy as shit lol. What's one event your town has that you don’t like to participate in? I don’t participate in any town events. Are any of your siblings married? What are their spouse’s names? Yeah. There's Nick, Josh, and Franky. Do you know how to sew? What's your favorite thing to sew? No. Have you ever owned a turtle? Did it ever bite you when you owned it? It's so awful looking back on, but my sisters and I kept a box turtle that wondered into our yard once as kids. No proper husbandry or anything; it was just in the kiddie pool. Thankfully, we were smart enough to not actually keep it forever (or rather, until it probably died from improper care); we wound up releasing it into the pond near our house, from which we assume it came from. Do you have Photoshop? If so, how often a day do you use it? I do; it comes with the Adobe photography bundle I have. I definitely don't use it daily, or even weekly. Has your school ever had a lockdown? If so, for what reason exactly? No, only drills. Do you enjoy it when your school has drills? (ex/fire or tornado drill?) I didn't, no, because I didn't like imagining the real situation. Do you watch any shows that you know your parents wouldn’t approve of? I'm an adult, for one. But anyway, I've never watched shows they'd have a problem with. If you have any pets, how would you describe their personalities? The cat, Roman: very, very affectionate, boisterous, demanding, playful, smart as fuck, and shy when it comes to strangers. The snake, Venus: curious, chill, and a bit timid. Do you have any friends that own a private lake? Not to my knowledge. Do you have a drone? No. Who is your favorite comedian? It was John Pinette, but following his death, probably Gabriel Iglesias. Where were you the last time you stayed in a hotel? I think at a dance competition? Do you know anyone with Crohn’s disease? Yeah. Out of all of the shows, movies, and books you love, who is your OTP (one true pairing)? Probably Spyro and Cynder from The Legend of Spyro trilogy. I love them. But I honestly don't have like, intense OTP feelings for any fictional characters? No real reasons, I just don't. Rhett and Link are my *true* OTP haha, but I didn't know if they counted since they're obviously real. Have you ever written a fanfiction? Did people actually like it? Nah. Have you ever liked playing dollmakers or online dress-up games? OH MY GOD my little sister and I would do that together ALL the time. Have you ever sent any celeb fan mail? No. Have you ever gotten a serious injury at school? What happened? No. Do your pets follow you when you walk around the house? Oh yes, he's my shadow. What was the very first social media site you signed up for? Myspace. Are you the type of person who knows exactly what they want in life? I mean, I know what I want, I just don't know if it's achievable for me. Do you have commitment issues? Nope. If you were to start a business, what kind would it be? I'd love to have like my own facility for boudoir photography. I've only shot boudoir once, but it immediately became a passion because of how empowering it was for my then-friend. I could go on a real ramble as to why I love it. What’s something you’ve done that sounds too crazy to be true? Been to psychiatric hospitals like six times. I honestly did lose count. Are there any flowers planted outside your house? No. What was the last thing you drank? Water. Truly incredible, I know. What’s the weirdest decoration you’ve seen in someone else’s home? *shrug* Did you have your own bathroom when you were growing up? No. Does anyone in your family smoke? My dad and his wife. What’s an opinion you find impossible to take seriously? That dinosaurs never existed. What was the very first election you voted in? This past one, actually. Do you feel positive and optimistic about your future? I don't want to think about this. What exes do you still associate with? Just Sara and Girt. Who told you they loved you last? My mom. Your worst enemy? I don't say I have any enemies. People who don't like me or I don't like them, but "enemy" isn't the proper word. What was your last dream about? Ugh. What a fucking question to ask, considering what I dreamt last night. I had both a nightmare and a normal dream; in the nightmare, I was sucked up into a tornado and carried away, and it felt so, so real. I was terrified. The dream is more vague in my memory, but I know I was at Jason's house (which wasn't actually his house) and his mom was still alive. I was hanging out with her and just chatting. It made me wake up in a really somber mood. Have you ever been admitted to the hospital? Psych hospitals, yes. Have you ever built a snowman? Yeah. What is your favorite milkshake flavor? Chocolate. Do you have any scars? I have a lot, but most are from negligible instances that just won't go away for some reason. If you could breed two animals together to defy the laws of nature, what new animal would you create? Putting all impossibilities aside as well as any potential health repercussions, maybe a meerkat and an opossum? Just in general a meerkat with a marsupial tail would be SO cute. Plus imagine the pattern. What is the most unusual conversation you’ve ever had? Oh I don't know. Can you do any accents other than your own? I can pull off a really convincing British one. Do you sing in the shower? Or do anything unusual in the shower? Explain. No. I just get clean, get out. I've always hated showering (the process anyway, I obviously enjoy feeling clean), so I get my business done adequately and then I'm done. Do you believe in aliens? Eh, maybe. It does seem pretty questionable to believe NOTHING else can exist in an infinite space. I doubt they're little green men, though. What do you think about babies? WAY too much work and WAY too much responsibility. Keeping another life safe, healthy, happy... the idea alone is terrifying. No thanks.

[darkjanet]

How Cyberbullies ruined my life.

My name is Jasmine Smith and I need your help with this. This is my cyberbullying story since 2011 and that happened to me in my entire life. So now I’m writing this whole story rest of my thoughts and depend on it. Back in 2005 ever since when I was 15, I searched the website called DeviantArt. It had anime, cartoon, space, nature, and yaoi. Yes, I love yaoi. Everyone had drawn so many things, I was astounded. I hadn’t joined the DeviantArt yet because I had MSN TV 2, so I looked at this site; I like anime were Full Metal Alchemist, Beyblades, Digimon, Tenchi Muyo, Sailor Moon, Ah! My Goddess and Naruto. (Fuck, yeah. Naruto is the best.) I wish I could join the DeviantArt and asked them how did they do that. I knew I was an artist when I was young and I also wrote a story. I remember I wrote a letter to Warner Bros. that I wanted to be on the movie. Yes, it was my dream is to become an entertainer. In 2009, I joined the DA after graduated high school and began reading comics to get my mind off the evil teacher named Ms.Baker. One night, I was reading Naruto comic. Nekoni never owned Naruto, it belonged to the creator. Once I finished Naruto comic, I asked Nekoni how he was doing his comic and artwork. And he told me he had Cintiq 21ux and Photoshop. I think it was my first time to join this DA and I realized I didn't have a drawing tablet. So I thanked him for the info and went to the job site. After I finished the job site, I went back to the DA and reading some more comics before I went to sleep. I had read Naruto, Sailor Moon, FMA and more. I was looking for a last comic before I had to go to sleep, in a few seconds later, it caught my attention. I obtained this strange-looking page like it was a real anime. It was PPGD which I hadn't seen or heard of this before. So I took a look and read that. It made me wonder who made it. They said it was Bleedman who created PPGD, Grim Tales and Sugar Bits. I told them I've never even heard of that. And they said those comics were created in 2004. That was 5 years ago. In September, I was packing my stuff and be ready to go to college starting as a freshman. I bid my farewell to my family and drove my car. I had arrived the college and entered my dorm. I had a new Japanese friend named Takari and she gave me Manga, trading cards, video game, and stuff. I was stoked. I asked her to play a game together. This evening I was doing studying my algebra and listened to music from my iPod. I was done studying and went to my laptop, I first visited my DA account and I got a message. So I opened it, it was an icon that that Boomer from RRB eating pies and username BeeAre. I asked him, "Do I know you?" He said he was a writer of PPGD. I was feeling suspicious about this guy. Could this be...? Nah. I went to YouTube to watch some show or something. In March of 2011, I was at the library doing computer (which means my laptop had been broken down), I was looking for a job online to get a new laptop and a drawing tablet. I had applied Pizza Hut, 7-11, Starbucks, and McDonald's. After my applications were submitted, I knew I had plenty of time before going to Physics class. So I went to DA and started collecting Legend of Zelda, BloodRayne, Blade, Naruto, Spawn and more. I was getting bored a little. So I asked Seiryuga when did the 3 boys come in the comic. I was about to log out my DA account, and then the message had instantly sent. It's a message from the girl and she asked me what was with me and the RRB (Rowdyruff Boys). I replied to her they came to the recuse. And then I logged her and to physics class. The next day, I finished the art class and went to the cafeteria meeting with my dear friend Takari. We were eating our lunches and doing conversation. I fished my pocket for my phone, I surfed the internet and went on DA. I got a message from yesterday. I opened it up and read this. However, it was a rude and offensive letter and she said that was just sick. I thought, "WTF?" Takari asked, "What's wrong?" I said, "Something's not right. I didn't say anything like this. What time is it?" She looked at her watch, "12:55." It was five minutes before going to the history class, I had to pick up my stuff and told her I would be right behind her and rushed to the library real quick. As I got in the library, I quickly logged on my DA account and replied to her what the hell was she talking about. And I pressed the submit button, but suddenly there was access denied on the screen. "Huh? Access denied? That can't be right, I just sent the guy a message." I said quietly. I tried to type it and replied again and again but to no avail. I then discovered Seiryuga's profile and to my shock, I was blocked by this guy! I had never been blocked by someone before! I was shocked when this happened. He might have wireless on the go during his vacation when I wasn't around yesterday. And the bell rang jarred my nerves, it was time for me to go to history class. I cursed under my breath, I logged off, quickly grabbed my stuff and ran to the history class. Takari was sitting there and waiting for me. As I got in the class on time. I sat beside her and hung my head and cursed breathlessly. Takari asked me what happened. I told her I got blocked by Seiryuga. How could this happened? On April of 2011, I had decided to go to Snafu-Comics.com and created an account. Now there would be no problem. But suddenly I got attacked by cyberbullies for calling me twifag, troll, slut, retarded, and they said my arts suck. And Seiryuga said he didn't remember me and cursed at me with terrible foul language. I was shocked and hurt that he would NEVER cursed at me in the first place! And BeeAre just asked some fucking stupid questions if I had ADD and OCD. I cannot believe this man that he asked me for my information. That bastard! I'm a fucking college student! I hate BeeAre. In 2012, I had to investigate Snafu-Comics and talked to the moderator to get rid of those cyberbullies. But he didn't believe me and banned my account. I was so frustrated! Shit! This can't be happening... So on February 3, 2015, I went to the police department by myself while my mom and my sister were off to work (I am unemployed, I have to find a job). As I arrived at the police station, I talked to her and tried to report on cyberbullies, unfortunately, the police lady said there was nothing we do. How can this be? They just cyberbullied me on the internet! I was beyond frustrated because no one has ever helped me. I have no job and I can't even move on from my Mom's house. And now I can't become an entertainer and create my own anime. I was very desperate about this. I hate BeeAre and Seiryuga in my entire life. So now I made this petition to stop the cyberbullying. It's my only hope that people will sign this. I've always prayed that let this cyberbullying end. I spread the word to everyone, my family, my aunties and uncles, my cousins, my friends, my idols, my old high school teachers, and even YouTubers. I want everyone to need my support. And also, I mailed them to NBC and CBS about my cyberbullying problem. But I've got to move on from my Mom's house as quick as possible. That's all I'm saying. Sincerely, Jasmine.

[mythicamagic]

Swimming in Silk ~ Chapter 3

Training in front of her, engaging her in conversation and now lending her his clothes…Kagome is starting to suspect that Sesshoumaru is trying to gain her attention.

Continuation of a meant to be oneshot Sesskag fic but then I got requests to continue. Plz Excuse the lack of creativity for the pic, Photoshop has stopped working on me.

 Romance, Humour and some drama

Chapter One - here   Chapter Four - here

Chapter Two - here

Rated T (for now anyway)

Kagome didn't much care what strangers thought of her. It didn't matter if she had no long term goals or plans while living in the Feudal Era. She did her own thing at her own pace, and helped Kaede whenever possible. So it didn't matter when a woman inquired why she wasn't married, or when another asked why she didn't conduct herself more like a normal miko. They weren't people who were precious to her. However, between her swimming class, collecting herbs and assisting the villagers, she couldn't help but notice over the weeks that a pair of narrowed eyes were constantly glaring daggers into her back.

Kagome turned and frowned at Jaken, their gazes locking. He was not precious to her either, yet it was getting ridiculously difficult to ignore him. The little imp had done nothing to hide his displeasure at the news of his lord courting her. With the Daiyoukai away, his bulbous yellow eyes glowered intensely, clutching his staff tight and muttering under his breath.

With a sigh, Kagome set her basket of washing down. "Look Mister, do we need to have a talk? Because I feel like this-" she gestured between them, "isn't going to smooth over naturally. Come on, lay it on me."

Jaken blinked slowly, scoffing and turning his head up into the air, since he lacked a nose with which to snoot arrogantly. "A-as if I would agree to bad mouthing Lord Sesshoumaru's chosen-"

"You can speak freely. I won't tell Sesshoumaru what you say, I promise."

His mouth instantly opened and he threw his small hands up. "You are unsuitable in every way! That my Lord has decided to pursue a filthy human makes me fear he has lost his senses, or been put under an evil spell! Your manners are terrible, and even your-"

Kagome tuned him out after that, letting the insults wash over her at first, but gradually becoming more annoyed. Her hands clenched into fists and she snatched his staff from him in order to get his attention again.

"Well then," she grit out. "I guess you have a lot of opinions on the matter."

Jaken jumped for the staff, which she held just out of reach, causing him to hop up and down for it. "Wench!" He barked.

Kagome huffed, narrowing her eyes and booping him on the head with it. "I didn't ask you to speak your mind for no reason. Look," she crouched down, until they were eye level. Jaken stopped and stared at her in surprise. "The other demons at Sesshoumaru's mansion- stronghold thing...they'd all have the same opinion as you, wouldn't they?" She asks seriously.

He scoffs, crossing his small arms. "Of course! Lord Sesshoumaru's line is prestigious and should remain untainted. Every demon expects him to wed one of the silver foxes from the South Kitsune clan. Or at least a demoness of high standing. You will only dirty him."

Kagome's lips thinned and she looked at the wooden staff in her hands, feeling the demonic power radiating from within. "I'm the Shikon Miko, doesn't that count for something?"

Jaken huffs, "not much." He quiets then, glancing away. "If we said you were a Hime like Inuyasha's mother, MAYBE they might not react quite so badly."

"A-a Hime?"

"Or at least someone of nobility! Not a commoner with a short skirt- gah!" He rubbed his sore head, glaring as she booped him a little more forcefully. Kagome frowned, swallowing her pride and breathing out. She didn't care what others thought of her, but her situation wasn't like Sesshoumaru's. He had others to look after, lands to protect. Surely it mattered then, how she'd reflect on him?

Would their relationship affect land treaties or the goodwill among his allies? Now that she thought about it, Sesshoumaru hadn't brought it up once. Yet he'd left for the Western Lands just that morning without her. She quickly shook away the insidious worry that he was keeping her a secret from his fellow demons. He probably just wasn't ready to show her his home yet.

"Okay..." Kagome handed over the staff and inclined her head slightly. "C-could you..." she trailed off into a mumble.

"Hm? Speak up, girl!" He frowned, booping her head right back with a sharp 'thunk!'

"Ow! I asked you to teach me! Teach me how to act in a way that won't piss off all those other demons." She quieted, dropping her hands from her head. "I don't want his choice to reflect badly on him. I don't care what they or you say about me...but if they start thinking poorly of him because of me, I wouldn't... want that."

Jaken's large eyes blinked slowly, and he straightened, looking her over. "Hnn..."

Kagome felt like he were imitating Sesshoumaru's habit, but it was more like a high pitched, helium induced version. She bit back a smile at the thought.

He gave a sharp nod then, and waved the staff violently in front of her face. "Right then! If you have the resolve, I will strive to turn you into a slightly less wretched version of your pitiful human self. Unfortunately we can't do anything about your species- ow!"

"Uh-huh, enough of that. Let's get on with this, please?" Kagome mutters, dusting off her hands as she stood.

Jaken nodded, turning his head up and leading the way with an air of importance. Kagome hoped she hadn't just made a severe mistake.

Tea ceremonies, calligraphy, etiquette training...even posture control. When she'd asked Jaken for help, she hadn't expected the training to be quite so...snobby? And so close to home of what human nobility practised.

"Ow!" Kagome hissed, quickly snatching back her hand and clutching it to her. She glared at the toad across the low table, "I won't be able to hold the pot if you keep hitting my hand!" She growled, eyeing the staff and considering breaking the bane of her existence.

"Well stop slouching like that! Imagine you're in the presence of the distinguished, beautiful Lady Kimi. Her eyes are sharper than the finest blade- any weakness on your part will be noticed immediately! Especially such a slouch."

"If Lady Kimi cares so much about something as pedantic as Tea Ceremonies then maybe it's a lost cause that we'd get on. Whoever she is," Kagome grumps, lifting the ridiculously large pot and pouring the hot liquid into Jaken's tiny cup, trying not to relax her spine too much. She was grateful Kaede had lent them her hut to practice in, not wanting her friends to see this.

"The nerve! Lady Kimi is Lord Sesshoumaru's mother! She demands respect." He huffs, sipping from the cup and making a pained squawk when it burned his tongue.

That made Kagome pause. "His Mother..." she trailed off thoughtfully, trying to picture such a person. She'd chatted so often about her family, and spared no detail about her gentle, slightly quirky mother. Sesshoumaru had barely talked about his own.

Kagome sat back on her heels, considering. "I hope my being human doesn't bring back any bad memories of the whole- Inuyasha's mom thing."

Jaken tuts, inhaling the fragrance of the tea. "She'll probably not take you too seriously. It's likely she'll view you as passing entertainment for her son. It's not like you and Lord Sesshoumaru are mated."

Her face flamed red, and Kagome stared at her knees, setting down the pot with a 'clank.' Of all creatures, Jaken was not the one she wanted to discuss that with. "Ahaha- y-yeah. Uh...is there anything I can do to make her take me more seriously?"

"Hmm...You could fight one of Lord Sesshoumaru's admirers to the death."

Blue eyes turned flat. "No."

"Fussy girl. Fine then, you could demonstrate that you're on equal ground with my Lord by riding atop Ah-Un."

"Huh? Rin does that all the time, what's so-"

"Without his muzzle or saddle." Jaken adds sharply, scratching his chin. "You must tame Ah-Un to obey you without question. Not as a pet like Rin does, but as a subordinate like my Lord."

"How to train your dragon is going to sue me for copyright," Kagome mumbled, getting to her feet and straightening her summer clothes, smoothing her skirt. "Okay. That sounds much better than this stuff- how do I tame him? Do I give him sugar cubes or rub his belly?"

"Impudent girl!" Jaken barked, soon leading the way from the hut on the outskirts of the village. Ah-Un lazed in the sun at the edge of the wood, seeming very content. The dragon's scales gleamed in the light, and one of the two heads rested atop the other. Gentle snores escaped the beast, causing Kagome to smile at the sight. This is going to be a walk in the park.

"Wake up at once!" Jaken hopped about, poking the hide of the dragon with the staff. "Your services are needed, don't ignore me foul beast!"

When Ah-Un did not stir, Kagome dropped to one knee, reaching out and fiddling with the fastenings of the bridle and muzzle of one of the heads. A yellow eye peeled open to pin her with a startled, keen look. She smiled reassuringly.

"Hey, don't bite me, okay? I'm just taking you both out of these-" she lifted the muzzle off the jaw of the dragon, and he gave a yawn, tongue curling. It's teeth flashed. They were flat and nonthreatening, leading Kagome to realise that it was a herbivore. "So can we start over? I don't want you to treat me like Rin or Jaken okay? You don't have to protect me like Sesshoumaru ordered. I'd like to...earn your loyalty."

The free head, which Kagome now noted to be the left and therefore Un, blinked at her. She lifted the muzzle off Ah, and set it to one side along with the bridle. "I want you to treat me like Sesshoumaru. So...Jaken said I've got to 'tame' you. Is that alright?" She asked, which caused the heads to look at each other, perplexed.

Jaken scoffed as he fiddled with the strap of the saddle, loosening it. "Stupid girl, Lord Sesshoumaru wouldn't ask. He'd demand." He grumbles, tottering around the side of the beast to glare up at the heads. "Now listen here! You're going to fly and run about just like you did in the wild before our gracious Lord caught you. Understood? This girl intends to be our Lords mate."

Kagome looked into Ah's eyes as the dragon gave a listless nod, it's nature apparently quite relaxed. "So um...how do I go about 'taming' Ah-Un?"

"It's simple. You just have to get on the beasts back and grab it by the mane- while invoking the name of the house claiming it."

"Oh, so I guess mine would be Higurashi." She hums, stretching and padding around the side of Ah-Un. "That doesn't sound too hard, way easier than calligraphy."

The moment she lifted the saddle from it's back however, Ah-Un leapt up into the air, sailing high above the trees. Kagome started in surprise, a cold sweat breaking out on the back of her neck. How...am I supposed to catch it like that?

Something that sounded like a witches cackle had her looking down, dazed. Jaken was grinning up at her, and he swept his arm out. "Please do your best!" He burst into another round of laughter, causing her shoulders to tense, jaw setting.

"Right." She muttered, rolling up her sleeves. "Let's do this."

Sesshoumaru slowly glanced down at the never ending chatter by his side. Ever since he'd touched down on the border of the village, the kit had not stopped talking. He'd made no attempt to answer, but had listened enough to glean the key details of the one sided conversation: Shippo had been practising the techniques and heeded the advice he'd offered about transforming, but had only managed some basic manipulations.

"I mean whenever I transform into a human my tail always stays! Why does it do that? Do you have that problem? Is that fluffy thing on your shoulder your tail? It doesn't look attached-"

"Enough, kit." Sesshoumaru uttered, inhaling slightly. Odd...he could sense holy powers, yet did not detect any new youkai in the area. What had the miko been up to?

"Hey...isn't that your dragon?" Shippo asked, perplexed as he pointed at the dull green shape flying above the trees, tail swaying in a tell-tale playful action. Sesshoumaru rose a brow and padded forward, appearing at the edge of a clearing and lingering under the shade of the full branches of leaves.

A dark mane of hair caught his eye as Kagome leapt from some nearby bushes, shaking the greenery off her as she sprinted. She threw a rope out that he distractedly recognised as a lasso of some sort, but it fell short of Ah-Un's tail. The dragon somersaulted out of reach, and the girl fell onto the floor, rolling into a crouch and whining.

"No fair! You're not supposed to move," she huffed, causing the heads to let out a rumbling noise of amusement. One of the heads opened it's jaws, a bright blue light emanating from within it's throat. This was Kagome's only warning as she quickly jumped away, a bolt of lightning hitting the spot moments later. It scorched the grass, causing smoke to curl into the air.

Sesshoumaru noticed Kagome draw an arrow, firing at the dragon. Ah-Un dodged and swept down closer, soaring through the clearing and dancing just out of reach as Kagome threw the lasso out again.

She made a noise of frustration, pushing her hair behind her ear, but her back stiffened. Turning ever so slightly on her heel, she peeked over her shoulder at his location. Sesshoumaru was mildly curious about the unease rolling off her, as though she'd been caught doing something she shouldn't. For the most part though, he was more confused than anything.

Kagome smiled weakly and waved at him. "H-hey there, missed you. Um...me and Ah-Un were just- uh...playing! That's right. Playing," she nodded quickly as Sesshoumaru steadily approached.

He arched a regal brow, "indeed. This one did not think humans took attacks so lightly. It's something I'll have to remember."

Golden eyes bore down on her, sharp and demanding. Kagome sighed, lips pressing together. She could never lie to him for long. Before she could say anything though, a large hand hooked around the underside of her knee, and suddenly she was fighting to keep her balance. Kagome's arms waved in the air, and she quickly planted her hands on his broad shoulders. Sesshoumaru bent down slightly, lifting her knee up so that he could better inspect it.

Kagome blinked, having not noticed it was bleeding, but now awareness crept up on her, and the cut stung. Sesshoumaru's narrow gaze slid to Ah-Un, and the dragon made a soft crooning noise, much like a kicked puppy.

"Don't blame Ah-Un. This was...this was my idea. Besides it's just a little scrape, you know I can handle this."

"Hn, yet you have not explained what you are 'handling."

She smiled and patted the sturdy shoulder under her hand. "Think of it like sparring. I have to keep my skills sharp, right? Wouldn't want any demons to think less of me."

That silver brow quirked again, eyes burning. 'Who would think less of you?' they seemed to demand.

Kagome quickly looked away, gaze landing on her yellow bag. She tugged at her leg as she forced a grin. "Oh! I nearly forgot. I brought you some more puzzles."

Hot breath fanned over her exposed knee, and the cut pulsed in response. Her eyes widened as feather soft lips pressed down on the bloodied flesh, causing a blush to race over her cheeks. Kagome winced slightly when his lips became a firmer pressure, and told herself she was not painfully aware of her skirt hitching up, baring more of her thigh. Swallowing thickly and letting out a shaky breath, she started as their gazes remained locked, his becoming hooded. Her heart stumbled in her chest and quickly picked up.

"...That's not fair." She found her voice too husky for her own liking.

It was his turn to smile, lips curling up into a predatory smirk, a hint of a fang flashing at her. "Yet it is the most effective method."

Kagome breathed out as something shot down to the pit of her stomach, burning low. "I just...want to be on equal footing with you in other demons eyes. Taming Ah-Un is one way of achieving that," she tried to distract herself, finally freeing her knee from his grip and setting it down.

Sesshoumaru looked at her flatly, "it is unnecessary."

She lifted a shoulder, unable to stop the grin from tugging up her mouth, "maybe so, but anyway, I really did get you gifts. Stop interrupting my gift giving!" With a dash, she scooped up her bag and yanked the zip open excitedly riffling through it. She told herself she was not kind of giddy about the kiss, that would be dumb and silly. They'd kissed loads of times. Sesshoumaru waited patiently, but padded closer with a vague air of curiosity.

Kagome straightened and turned with a grin, showing him the puzzle. There was a thin metal circle, and two rods connected to it.

"Okay," she passed it over. "For this puzzle you've got to unhook the two rods from the circle and-"

Sesshoumaru unhooked them with a simple movement of his hand. Kagome's jaw dropped. She grit her teeth as heat rose to her cheeks. "Y-you show off!"

His eyes glittered, and he passed the gift back silently, arching a brow expectantly.

Kagome huffed and stomped to her bag again. "Stupid intelligent jerk," she grumbled, suddenly yanking a cube out of the bag and holding it up.

"This time you'll get a real challenge! That was just a warm up. This is a rubik's cube." She grinned evilly, tossing it over to him. Sesshoumaru caught it easily, glancing at it for a moment.

"...Is the aim of the puzzle to make all the sides one colour?" Was all he asked.

Kagome felt her grin slip slightly at his unaffected tone. "Yeah..."

He focused on the cube and started turning the sides. Kagome felt her expression morph from stunned, annoyed, and finally to exasperation. Sesshoumaru turned the final green side of the cube, completing it in a matter of moments.

Again those warm gold eyes rose to meet hers, and somehow Kagome was reminded of a dog waiting for a stick to be thrown. He didn't say it, but it seemed like he was...enjoying himself.

"Do all humans struggle with these simple games? Or are they meant for children?" He asks in a velvety tone, and her slightly affectionate musings were cut short. She glowered. It had not taken her two weeks to solve a rubik's cube, nope.

Kagome caught the cube he threw back to her, and gave a ticked off 'humph!'  "Just you wait mister, you won't be laughing- or uh...smiling with your eyes for long!"

It was then she realised hopelessly that she hadn't actually brought any more puzzles for him. No wait...she did have something.

Kagome rose from her crouch and smoothly approached him, holding something. Sesshoumaru blinked, but waited, lifting up his hand to accept the unique looking orb. It was black, but had a white circle, with a number 8 fixed in the middle. He could hear something like liquid inside it, and looked at Kagome for instruction this time.

She smiled at him, mischief curling around the edges of her mouth like smoke. "This is called a Magic 8 Ball. It's not a puzzle, but it can tell you your future, see-" she plucked the ball out of his hands and thought for a moment. "Magic 8 Ball, will I catch Ah-Un today?" She asked in a serious sounding tone.

Turning the ball over in her hands, she leaned in to look at a circle Sesshoumaru hadn't noticed. A blue triangle floated up into view, white letters telling her - Absolutely.

Kagome gave a victory cheer, handing it back to Sesshoumaru and waiting with bright enthusiasm. Sesshoumaru eyed the orb warily, "this one decides his own future. The fates do not govern me."

His intended gave a cry of frustration. "That's just like you to say! Just give it a chance. Please?"

When her expression turned pleading, Sesshoumaru cut his eyes to the sky, before turning to the orb. "...Magic 8 Ball, will this one be successful in his quest?" He asks lowly, causing Kagome to wonder what he was referring to. Had he not been at the Western Lands today, but actually on some new quest?

Sesshoumaru turned the ball over just like Kagome had, and they both leaned down slightly to look at the triangle. - Don't count on it.

Burning gold instantly locked on her and Kagome quickly held up her hands. "H-hey! It's not saying it's impossible! M-maybe try again?" She suggests weakly.

Lips thin, he turns back to the orb and utters out the same question, while Kagome feels something tug on her light sweater. She glances down at Shippo, who smiles at her. "That game looks cool, can I play next?"

Kagome winces. She had intended to give the ball to Shippo originally, but the proud Demon Lord had annoyed her so much she'd ended up using it. "Y-yeah, of course you can, Shippo. Just wait your turn and I'm sure Sesshoumaru will-"

A hissing noise caught her attention. The stench of something burning and acidic offended her nose. Kagome placed her hand over her nose and mouth, "what the heck- Sesshoumaru!"

The Daiyoukai glanced up at her, hand slightly lifted from his side, mercilessly pouring poison from his claws onto the Magic 8 Ball on the ground.

Kagome gave a sigh, patting Shippo's head. "I'll get you a new one," she mumbles, ushering the boy at her side away from the fumes.

A little while later, after the ball was nothing but a crumpled, melted heap of black goo on the forest floor, Sesshoumaru deigned to grace them with his attention again.

"As previously mentioned. It is unnecessary for you to be taking on the traditions of my kind," he mutters, waving a hand in the direction of the aimlessly flying Ah-Un.

Kagome shrugged. "I needed something to distract me while you were away."

Golden eyes warm, and he seemed to forgive her for the foul fortune-telling orb. "Hn...this one is here now," his voice is deep and smooth.

"I know," she drew up onto her tiptoes and pecked him on the lips, winking with a saccharine smile. "I won't be long."

Sesshoumaru hums, cooled claws brushing her hand lightly, thumb trailing over her red and slightly sore knuckles. He seemed to pause, but Kagome was more distracted by his hand. The Higurashi seal was still there, after several weeks. Curiously her stamper had gone missing. He's not been...re-applying that, has he?

Sesshoumaru slowly glances over at Shippo. The kit had been waiting patiently the entire time, albeit with his back awkwardly turned, scuffing his small paw on the ground.

Shippo starts and looks up when a shadow falls over him, Sesshoumaru's gaze fixed on the boy.

"Come, kit."

Shippo blinks in surprise, watching the Daiyoukai pad away without a backwards look. Shippo glances at Kagome, who shoots him a thumbs up, smiling encouragingly. With a spring in his step, he hurries after the flow of white hair, causing Kagome to lightly giggle. Adorable.

Though to her surprise, when she heard Jaken racing over to him with a greeting- Sesshoumaru kicked the imp, sending him soaring over the tree tops like a screeching football. Shippo seemed to ask him why he'd just abused his retainer. Sesshoumaru gave the taciturn answer of; "he knows why."

Turning back to the matter at hand slightly confused, Kagome looked up at the dragon lazing in the sky. At least the break had given her room to think, and she'd never catch Ah-Un using conventional means. She turned on her heel, getting to work under the shadows of the trees.

Ah-Un eventually tired of flying, giving a lethargic yawn. In truth, the dragon had gotten used to simply being a 'beast of burden' so was unused to such long stretches of activity. Un made a noise as he caught sight of something. Flying down towards a flat, sunbathed rock near a stream, two pairs of eyes locked on the Lettuce leaves that had been scattered atop it. The dragon settled down, ears pricked as the two heads tore into the leaves, happily munching away. It's not as if the miko could be easily forgotten, but she'd been gone for awhile, and Ah-Un felt tired. Perhaps resting for a moment would be...

The sound of something scuffing on the ground- like a shoe, had Ah raising his head. Kagome grinned, standing on the opposite side of the river, soaked to the bone to throw off her scent. The beast's yellow eye's widened as she aimed her arrow- not at them, but at a rope strung tight into the ground. Kagome fired, and the arrow cut through the rope, causing a previously concealed net to shoot down from the branches.

Ah-Un made a startled noise as the net landed atop them, and quickly thrashed and wriggled. Kagome dashed through the stream, leaping onto the dragon's back and scrambling to reach for it's mane.

"Hold still!" Kagome laughed, feeling her body jolt as the dragon bucked.

Just as she grabbed hold of the hair-like mane under the net, the dragon jumped up into the air, rolling. Kagome gasped and locked her legs around it's hide, tightening her grip as she felt herself nearly be thrown.

"I claim you in- gah!" Her chin smacked into dull green scales as Ah-Un thrashed down with a roar, landing on the ground. Tangling it's legs in the net, it's tail swung from side to side, trying to shake free.

"I claim you in the name of-" Kagome gave a sharp cry of pain as the dragon rolled heavily onto one side, trapping her leg beneath it's hide and crushing it into the ground. Gritting her teeth as tears pricked her eyes, Kagome's fingers made a fist in the mane, and she tugged, voice finding it's strength.

"I claim you in the name of house Higurashi!"

Ah-Un stilled, the two heads perking up. Kagome breathed out, "...sit up, easy now."

The dragon did as asked, straightening from it's position on it's side to lay in a more dignified manner. Kagome felt her ankle pulse, but she ignored it in favour of wrestling with the net, finally lifting it off over their heads. She tossed it aside and winced as she panted, reaching down to touch her foot- quickly retracting her hand.

Ah-Un gave a low croon, Un turning it's long neck to glance at her, as though sensing her pain. Kagome gave a weak smile, breathing out, "I-I'm okay. Don't worry about me. But uh...I should probably go home before Sesshoumaru finds out about this." She thought back to the two men who had nearly wounded her, and hoped that Sesshoumaru would see reason enough not to skin the dragon. Still, she really didn't want to worry anyone, and her time felt like the best place to be for injuries if she could help it. Pulling her sock down slightly, Kagome's lips thinned at the sight that awaited her. Black bruises circed around her ankle.

At her soft request, the dragon flew into the air, though it's movements were careful not to jostle her. Kagome smiled slightly, patting it's side. "Now I can see how you take such good care of Rin," she mutters, trying to distract herself from the pain.

Ah-Un gave another noise, and she directed it towards the Bone Eaters Well, breathing out in relief when it came into view beneath them.

Something faint teased at the edge of her awareness, like a breeze to an incoming storm. Sesshoumaru's signature youki reached out from where Edo lay, no doubt searching for her pulse of reiki. Kagome bit her lip, hard. If she reached out, he'd sense her pain in the tangled web of their energy, and would probably come looking for her.

"Hurry, Ah-Un," she bid, gripping the dragon's mane as it soared down from the sky towards the well.

The youki spread wider behind her, hot on her heels. She felt his breath on her neck. 'Why aren't you answering me?'

Kagome quickly lifted her uninjured leg, swinging it over so that she rode 'side saddle.' When the well was in position below her, she glanced at Ah-Un. "I'll be back, please tell Sesshoumaru not to worry. Just say it's an emergency."

With shift, she pushed off the dragon and plunged from the sky, her hair whipping up above her as she fell towards the well's opening. As the breeze sped past her, Kagome sensed what felt like long, clawed fingernails strain to reach her black locks. The strands slid through his fingers, and Kagome disappeared within the depths of the well with a burst of magic.

When she smelt the familiar fumes of the city, and collapsed into a heap at the bottom of the well, Kagome let out a long, agonised cry that she'd been holding in. Her ankle flared up, and Kagome grasped the rungs of the ladder, hauling herself up. Whatever it was, she needed a Doctor.

And pain killers. Lots of them.

[laetro]

Sonja Stangl: Weaving Wondrous and Magical Illustrations

Sonja Stangl: Weaving illustrations with colors, textures, and stories and sprinkling animation to infuse life into her art

Sonja Stangl is an award-winning Illustrator and storyteller from Vienna, Austria. She is a graduate of Multimedia Art from the University of Applied Science in Salzburg. Since 2012, she has been working with clients in advertising, animation, and children’s education. Her work has been exhibited (Vienna, Brussels, London) and she has been awarded for her work at the World Illustration Awards in the professional advertising category.

Her specialties lie in creating editorial illustrations, product prints, pattern designs, and interesting animated illustrations. She also curates creative solutions for Brands.

ORDER CUSTOM ART

Q. What led to the birth of Illustration as a professional career for you?

Sonja Stangl: My art teacher in college once said: “the way you hold a pencil, you will never be able to draw properly!” After that, I started drawing every day just to prove her wrong and discovered that I can imagine myself drawing every day for the rest of my life.

Then there was Erik, the owner of a small graphic design studio in Ireland where I did an internship. He encouraged me that a career in illustration is possible and did let me work on all the illustrative projects coming in. I got to illustrate beer labels and maps and we had a “Painting Friday” every week. During that time I also met some established, full-time working illustrators and got a little glimpse into the world of professional illustration. My mind was set to give it the best try that I could and see where it goes.

Oh, and since then I have met a few great artists along the way who also hold their pencils in the same weird way I do!

Q. After graduation where you studied Multi-media Art, what was the first professional project you worked on?

Sonja Stangl: While I was still studying I worked on some smaller projects with an organization that helps adults change their career paths and find further education. So straight after I graduated I already had my foot in the door and managed to get a bigger project from them.

I got to design a character as their mascot and made little comics and illustrated cards and posters as well. Specifically, witnessing my work all over town, in trains and buses, so soon in my career was extremely rewarding and motivating.

Q. What does the process to turn a colored pencil illustration into digital art look like for your projects?

Sonja Stangl:  I like to start all projects on paper. For ideas and sketching it just comes more naturally to me. While colored pencils are great because they help with picking a limited palette and I love the mark they make on paper. Finding three nicely fitting colors out of a pack of pencils is way less overwhelming than sitting in front of photoshop’s color wheel.

When I go digital I take the sketch and more or less start over. While digitally it’s a lot easier to refine the composition and balance out the contrast of sizes and shapes. Often I still use analog parts in my Illustrations like scanned pencil or ink marks. They do feel more real and alive.

Q. Which software do you use to dabble in animated illustration?

Sonja Stangl: It depends on the project and where I am physical. Specifically for frame-by-frame animations, whenever I am in the studio, I use Photoshop. On the go, I use proCreate. Whereas for motion graphics and cutout animations, I go with After Effects and Spine. Every software has its pros and cons so it depends on what is needed.

Q. What is the reason that the majority of your illustrations channel a childlike innocence in their perspective even with varied themes?

Sonja Stangl: Maybe because I am still quite a bit of a child myself.

For me, illustration was always something wondrous and magical. It can expand reality and show things how they could be different. Especially how I would have seen them as a kid or wanted them to be like them.

Q. Why is children’s education so important to you and what do you hope to create next in this sphere?

Sonja Stangl: I can still remember most of the illustrations I saw as a child very clearly. They were quite important for me and I loved to add extra stories to what I saw in drawings. Even an old Bruegel painting we had in the living room and that I used to stare at for hours imagining worlds and stories in there. An illustration could make every mundane thing much more interesting.

So I kind of wants to pass that gift on. Inspire kids to visualize and to explore and imagine.

I am dabbling in some ideas for projects to come, but nothing concrete I could talk about yet. At the moment I am also fully submerged in a big project for a museum for alternative energy. A project dear to my heart, where I can playfully help people to understand complex topics and the need to take care of our environment.

Q. How does the creative process differ when you create a character design as opposed to creating art prints to be featured on products?

Sonja Stangl: When it comes to character designs you need to fulfill a very clear purpose. They need to tell a story and are part of a specific world. That’s why most of this kind of work starts with writing, brainstorming, and setting rules to be followed. Then I can create within these rules.

When it comes to more decorative or playful projects there isn’t so much rule-making. I would sometimes just start by putting marks on paper and see where it goes. And or dip whatever I find in my studio or the yard or the forest into ink and see what that makes on paper. Then scan and go further, add more details and turn it into an illustration.

“When I go digital I take the sketch and more or less start over. While digitally it’s a lot easier to refine the composition and balance out the contrast of sizes and shapes. Often I still use analog parts in my Illustrations like scanned pencil or ink marks. They do feel more real and alive.”

Q. Where do you hope to showcase your work after exhibiting in Vienna, London, and Brussels?

Sonja Stangl: Well, the pandemic brought me a bit away from the exhibition phase and more into the creation phase again. We will see where it goes from here.

Q. How many sketches do you create before feeding it to create a moving illustration?

Sonja Stangl: It depends on the project, the client, and also my mood that day. Sometimes things hit off straight away and I don’t need that many sketches and sometimes I need some more days to get to where I want.

I love the animation feature on proCreate to just flesh out stuff though. I can instantly try different things and have a rough idea about the motion and timing.

You can follow the award-winning illustrations from Sonja Stang on her website and Instagram.

Stay tuned for more exciting new artist interviews and follow Laetro on Instagram and Twitter.

[benjaminsblog]

D.I.S.M. (pt. 3)

2015: American Footbawl in New York

I went on a long-weekend-jaunt to NY with Josh - final year of my degree be damned - and while it turned out to be a pretty magical 24 hours of sport, the headline act was getting to experience my first NFL game in the flesh! In between waking up early to see Andy Murray (that man again) win the Davis Cup for Great Britain and watching my Broncos beat the Patriots in the late game on TV, we skipped states and travelled to Metlife Stadium, which is home to both the NY teams despite being situated in New Jersey. In fact, our seats were on the very top row, and when I looked directly behind me I could peer over the battlements to see the Big Apple in the distance.

It was the Jets’ turn to host a home game, and it was against a divisional rival, the Miami Dolphins. Now, when there’s a derby game back home, things get tense; insults are hurled every-which-way, you revel in your rivals’ misery almost as much as your own happiness, and in some cases you make sure there’s a police horse between you and them at all times. Happily, things weren’t so fraught in East Rutherford, with opposing fans jumbled together throughout the stadium and nothing more than good, solid banter between them; maybe it’s not the most heated rivalry in the league, or perhaps both teams’ lack of quality and general relevance had taken some heat out of the situation.

Whatever the reason, the relaxed atmosphere lent itself to a most enjoyable afternoon as Gang Green ended up winning handsomely, and the pyrotechnics department earned its paycheck. The crowd was in good form - aside from the wally next to us who insisted on repeatedly smacking his chair to add to the general din - and I admired the spirits of the girl sporting a Miami bobble hat a few rows in front of us; once the game was clearly over as a contest, most of the away fans started heading towards the exits (something our derbies have in common), but she stubbornly remained standing and loudly called out their lack of commitment, stating that they should always stay to the end - a sentiment I fully endorse - my admiration for her lessened a little when she and her friend did leave just before the very end!

2018: Blues bash Blackhawks

America does sport really well, just sayin’. During my visits to Missouri I was fortunate enough to see four humdingin’ hockey matches, and it was really tough deciding which one would be representin’ in the final 8. I’ve gone for the last one I saw, which happens to be another derby match - though this one had a bit more of the spice that I’m used to from my rivalries!

The St. Louis Blues played host to their bitter adversaries Chicago Blackhawks, who are based a short hop-skip-and-a-jump across the border in Illinois; whereas previous visits to Scottrade/Enterprise Center had been similar to the Jets-Dolphins game in terms of mood - i.e. relaxed, good-natured - as soon as the arena came into view I instantly knew that this was a different kettle of fish. Electricity was in the air, and the B*s fans were better-represented than other teams due to their proximity, but if anything it made the atmosphere all the more special.

One of the many reasons I warmed to the Blues is because of how much they reminded me of Arsenal! They have demonstrated the capacity to frustrate and amaze in equal measure - they can go AWOL for long periods, but on their day they are capable of turning on the style in devastating fashion. As fortune would have it, the boys in blue turned up, delivering a performance worthy of Arsenal’s greatest North London derbies, putting Chicago to the sword and running out worthy 7-3 winners.

For the icing on the cake I got to see my first hockey fight (which we also won resoundingly), which rounded off the night more perfectly than I could have possibly imagined. I augmented my position as StL sporting talisman by moving to a 5-0 record at live games, and although that was to be the last one, I continued to tune in to watch the Blues many more times that season, as they went from bottom-of-the-league to playoffs-bound, to the final itself, to finally lifting the franchise’s first Stanley Cup!

2019: Watford v Wolves and my Wembley debut

A few days into my new job as a sports graphics operator, I was sent to my first live event - an FA Cup semi-final at the home of football, no less! I was not yet ready to play an active part and only shadowed my colleagues, which allowed me more time to appreciate my special surroundings; the night before the game I got to wander out and gaze at the deserted stands and hallowed turf, and although my love for the ‘beautiful game’ has diminished greatly in recent years, I found myself utterly captivated.

And because I was essentially a spare wheel, I got to watch the whole game pretty-much uninterrupted and unencumbered, and it was a cracker. Wolves deservedly went 2-0 up, but super-sub Gerard Deulofeu (I always have to Google how to spell his bloody name) turned the game 180 degrees. The little Spaniard got Watford back into the match with a cheeky lobbed finish, before Troy Deeney smashed home a (questionable) penalty in the 4th minute of injury time to prolong the drama. Deulofeu ensured the headlines would be all his as he scored the winner in extra time to break Wolves hearts, putting the finishing touch on an FA Cup classic and my own dream debut!

2019: Kamaishi Recovery Memorial Stadium

The showstopping moment of the Rugby World Cup in Japan was unquestionably when my crew travelled to the Kamaishi Stadium, located in the remote city of the same name. It is an unusual spot for a sports ground, but that’s because it has an unusual reason for being there - as the focal point of a rebuild project following the devastation caused by the 2011 tsunami. The stadium itself is modest but its surroundings are truly spectacular; I walked around them in stunned disbelief, never quite believing such places existed without the aid of Photoshop, nor that a place as beautiful as this could be subjected to such unfathomable destruction.

The stadium’s inaugural match served up a fitting show, as Uruguay shocked Fiji in a topsy-turvy contest that had to wait until the very last kick to be decided. The Uruguayan underdogs played some lovely stuff whilst the fancied Fijians were sloppy, so both teams got their just rewards. To put the upset into perspective, this was only Uruguay’s third victory in RWC history and its first since 2003, so the team’s wild celebrations at the final whistle were well-earned.

Although a second match was slated to be played here, it was cancelled due to a typhoon. However, I actually think that in a way it made the stadium’s story a little neater - one great game successfully hosted, and another milestone achieved in the rebuild project. Sport doesn’t always give you the happy ending you’d hoped for, but a place like this deserved a great occasion, and I was so glad it got exactly that.

“Sport has the power to change the world. It has the power to inspire. It has the power to unite people in a way that little else does...sport can create hope where once there was only despair.” Nelson Mandela

[flawedwrites]

Esme could feel her cheeks flush at being complimented - this was a natural reaction for her, especially when the person offering the compliment was so dang cute. She was still reeling from the revelation that this person in front of her was supposed to be her person forever and always (if they got lucky, that is). “You think I’m nice? Oh, well, thank you. That’s very kind of you to point out,” she replied with a warm smile. She appreciated Briar’s honesty about being nervous - admittedly she was too. How could they not be? This was quite the exhilarating experience. “Hm, yeah, it is a bit strange when you think about it. But this is the only thing I’ve ever known so I guess it isn’t too strange.” She could feel Briar’s uncertainty and made a promise to herself that she was going to get the other woman to feel more comfortable and open up to her. At the very least she wanted to be friends with her soulmate.

“Pilot? Oh my goodness, that’s really cool. This is the first time I’ve ever met a pilot,” Esmeralda gushed with bright enthusiasm. “Cuba is a complicated place, to be honest. It’s my home country and I’ll never be ashamed of that. But it’s not in great shape at the moment, so I haven’t visited in a very long time. I hope one day things will be better and my family can go back,” she admitted with a momentarily solemn expression before lighting back up. “Well thankfully as a pilot you will get to see all over the world. I imagine you’ll have amazing experiences and lovely stories to tell at parties.” Esmeralda didn’t miss that weird pause Briar did, but she knew it wasn’t her place to pry on their first meeting. That would come down the road, she could be patient. “Those are lovely things to be into. I like talking, as you can see. I’ve always been very passionate about using my voice. I like art - I make graphics online in my spare time. Photoshop, you know? I like gardening, watching documentaries and singing karaoke.” Her cheeks flushes some more and she ducked her head in embarrassment. “Okay your turn. Tell me something about you that I couldn’t guess by looking at you.” 

Briar gave the other girl a look of confusion to how she had answered to Briar’s compliment. “Why wouldn’t I think you were nice?” She asked biting her lip a bit anxiously as she was now going over in her mind things that she shouldn’t have said. Sometimes that happened with Briar, that she would just ramble on and think that something was okay to say but it wouldn’t be. That was one of the many things that her parents had wanted Briar to work on when they had sent her to conversion therapy to work on her attraction to other females. Briar nodded at Esmeralda and gave the other girl a small smile. “That’s true… I mean, when you put it that way it’s a bit less nerve wracking. I have always just really wanted to make a good impression on my soul mate.” She went on admitting, feeling her heart pounding furiously inside of her chest. She briefly wondered if Esme could hear it.

“I’m still training to be a pilot, but yes! I love being in the air so much. It’s exhilarating. Have you ever flown anywhere?” She asked feeling more like herself when she spoke about her passion. “I’m not sure if I want to fly for the military or for commercial airlines yet but I have time to decide.” Briar explained, her hands moving quickly as she continued to speak. “Oh wow, I’m sorry. I hope you get to go back and visit too.” Briar said softly knowing what it was like to not be able to go back to where you called home. For Briar, it had been one of the hardest things to have her parents rip her away from everything she knew and send her away. Briar would never ever fucking forgive them for what they had put her through.

“You like a lot of things!” Briar smiled openly at her soulmate, finding it adorable that the other girl had so many things that she liked to do. “It’s nice that you have so many passions.” Briar went on and then pierced her lips together deep in thought. “Dang, I don’t know. Um, not to be depressing but I guess you wouldn’t know that I haven’t spoken to my parents in a year.” She admitted and instantly regretted saying anything. But if she couldn’t say it to her soulmate, then who could she ay it to? @wingsandahalo​

[hollymountcastleunit27]

Researching Cinemagraphs

What is a cinemagraph? A cinemagraph is a still image with a certain element moving; simply put, a moving image. However, unlike a gif where everything is moving, it’s only usually one part out of the whole image moving on repeat. 

What equipment is needed to create a cinemagraph? To create a cinemagraph you firstly need a camera that can record with a tripod, recording for around 10-30 seconds for a clip.  To go about creating the cinemagraph you can either use a cinemagraph specific program or Photoshop. 

What techniques are commonly practiced when making cinemagraphs? Generally cinemagraphs are created in Photoshop, but there are other available programs specifically made for creating cinemagraphs as well. Making it in Photoshop you need to make sure your footage loops by cutting it to whatever size it may need. Duplicating the footage have them overlapping so that it will blend together. Layer mask is what is used to separate the movement from the still image, only painting where the motion will be in black. 

What common errors can occur with cinemagraphs? Common errors could be bad footage due to lack of stability which can be fixed with a tripod, along with bad quality. Although the quality doesn’t affect the cinemagraph itself, it could complicate things and lower the final result. Another error could be resizing of the final animated gif, a number of times the trouble has occurred. 

Cinemagraphs

The first cinemagraph looks like it was created on a specific set, having arranged the vegetables and glasses very specifically on and in front of a white background. Due to how you can slightly see the overlapping over the overlays, I imagine it was made on Photoshop using clipping masks. A camera placed on either a tall tripod to view over the surface or a small one placed on the surface to be on the same or slightly higher than where the footage is being filmed.  The cinemagraph is a form of advertisement for cocktails which is clearly being shown. It’s very effective, the way the liquid moves makes it look very appetising along with the complimenting colours to the side and against the white background, making it stand out. I really like the movement in the cinemagraph, almost like the liquid has a mind of its own. You expect it to go over the edge and drip onto the white surface yet it doesn’t. Unfortunately, the overlay and overlapping is quite obvious in this cinemagraph which puts me off a bit as it becomes distracting. To improve the clipping could be improved, spending more time on it or having a lot less movement, by only having the slosh in the glass rather than the liquid pouring down as well. 

The next cinemagraph is a bit more complicated. Using a camera and tripod to capture the footage however to get something like this with the sky and sea looking a specific way the recording would likely last a long while, lasting a number of minutes rather than seconds, possibly having to wait around for hours before any capture could be captured in the first place. This cinemagraph could well be part of a story or other communication rather than just an advertisement. If it were part of a story it could be one focused on the person stood in the middle and the beach she stands on, a connection or feeling and I believe that feeling is showing through.  Overall I like the cinemagraph a lot. There’s nothing too major and it’s a pleasing scene to look at with nothing too bright or sharp. Although I don’t like the movement very much. I think either something more or something different should have been animated as the water beneath her feet doesn’t quite seem to fit properly. To improve the woman’s hair could be animated to give a little bit more life but still keeping the sea still.

This cinemagraph is a bit different to the others. It’s not in a setting which is clear to see whether it was set or not. It could well be that the man was recorded somewhere and the background has been changed or he’s purposefully been placed in a room with dark walls to capture the smoke, however I find this unlikely due to what looks like an outline of light around him which looks like it could be caused from moving him from a lighter setting to a darker one but that may not be the case. If it was created in a room with a wall like shown then it’s likely that they not only used a camera and tripod but a lighting system as well hold from behind/overhead to create the shadow and light.  The meaning behind this cinemagraph isn’t clear but I’d say it’s probably a narrative. What that may be exactly is a little unsure as it doesn’t have a setting.  It’s both effective and not. The movement has been well captured but with the lack of setting it makes it hard to tell what it is exactly as I wouldn’t say anything pictured is something to be advertised.  I like the cinemagraph due to how little movement there is and how strongly the smoke is displayed, but again I think the setting could be different. I like that its been kept dark but it’s very bland and a bit too boring. A dark scene could’ve been picked and still been interesting rather than a blank wall.  To improve it could be put in a different setting; a dark and light source but interesting. 

Next, the fourth cinemagraph is likely to have been recorded the same as all the others; camera on a tripod but due to the angle it’s likely a different type of tripod to your regular would’ve been used to extend it over the area without capturing a part of the tripod and the shot being angled correctly and the main focus center in the middle.  It’s likely this cinemagraph is an advertisement. There’s a hot drink with something being mixed in and from the surroundings it looks like Baileys. It’s not often something specifically shows a label unless it is to promote a brand which is exactly what is happening here.  Personally I think the cinemagraph is effective. They haven’t exactly shoved the brand name in your face and made it the main point. Instead they’ve focused on a cup with an appetising and interesting movement to it with the brand angled so you have to look for it rather than it popping out at you instantly. The surrounding props have been placed well to not remove the main focus on the middle but still setting a natural scene. There isn’t anything that I don’t like in this one other than perhaps some of the props could have been placed a bit different to make it look a bit better but it’s also trying to make the scene natural which I think it successfully does. 

Finally, the fifth cinemagraph I have picked. This one would have been easy to film, a camera could have easily been placed on top of a stack of books to get the intended height but it would have to be a fairly good quality camera to capture the reflection in detail. I’d say this is probably a narrative as I can’t see anything that could be used in an advertisement, not really pin-pointing on anything specific.  I like how subtle this cinemagraph is that if you were only quickly looking over it you may not even notice the movement. It’s subtle but very effective, showing the movement what would have been if the whole video were moving. There’s not much that I don’t like about this cinemagraph. The scene is natural with fairly warm and neutral colours. Maybe the watch on the man’s wrist could have been time lapsed and moving to add extra movement to the piece but otherwise I like it. 

A lot of cinemagraphs seem to have similar scenes, mostly focusing around food and natural elements (such as sky and sea, etc). They’re mostly still or in large quantities making them easier to animate so this could be the connection between them and their popularity. 

Idea Generation

“Nottingham in Motion” Trams, people, clocks and time, liquid, traffic- more or less anything happening in Nottingham could be classed as “Nottingham in Motion” due to how busy and active it is as a city, not a time where everything is still.  This widely opened up areas to look into all throughout the city, from the city center near Old Market Square around to the borders. 

One part of Nottingham which I felt stood out was the center of Nottingham outside the Council Building at the Old Market Square. This would have to be due to how active it is during both the day and night, the center for all the shops and often times areas to meet and go out for the night. It’s popular which although might not make it unique it still something recognisable to most that know Nottingham.  I plan on making it a wide shot, featuring the Council Building with the tram going down the side with the large area in between the building and council where people will walk, going about their daily lives.  There’s a few different elements of the cinemagraph that could move, ranging from the small flag at the top of the building to the tram down the side. These are in fact what I plan to keep the movement going for whilst any other vehicles or people are still.  The Council House is a big building and so I don’t want the movement to be based on it very much, instead keeping it still and beings around it moving. I’m hoping to convey the message that it will always be there and stood still whilst the world around it continuously moves. As it’s outdoors and a big tourist attraction I won’t need any form of permission before making the cinemagraph and should be straight forward save for the challenges such as bad weather.

[marie-allen-on]

Madame Claw and The Mirror Mask - Part 2

Hillwood's superhero duo are just your average high schoolers. Oneshot. Now told in three multiple parts. Rated T for language. Can be found on Fanfiction.net and Archive of Our Own.

Part 1 >> Part 3

The Aftermath

It had all been a blur after Arnold confirmed he was her masked partner, but she did remember the urgency she felt of not being able to get out of the boarding house fast enough. She had grabbed her bag and bolted out faster than she could formulate a response. Holy shit, Arnold was The Mirror Mask? Arnold? When had she fallen into this Twilight Zone episode and how was she supposed to wake up?

Gerald had sent a text along the lines of hoping she felt better, but she couldn't really recall exactly; it had been Arnold's obvious cover as to why she had bailed on them and missed out on those yummy subs. Nor could she figure out if it had really been her that had written five pages towards their report, because if someone were to ask her anything about those cultures, let alone how they viewed women, she wouldn't have been able to tell them shit.

Yet, when she had gone to school on Monday, Gerald had freaked out on her in response to her email from the night before, wondering how she had been able to do the research and knock out that much when he himself had just finished reading the first book.

She just brushed him off, telling him that she obviously was a natural at research.

School…what a nightmare that had been so far. Despite their shared classes, she had avoided Arnold like the plague. As soon as the bell rang, she bolted out of class. She took her lunch alone these last few days and in different places because, dammit, the football-headed dweeb was actually looking for her.

She avoided Mask during Tuesday and Wednesday night's patrol, too, instead keeping to the ground rather than the roofs that they were usually so fond of.

In fact, she was doing pretty well for herself…until last night with the two insignificant minions. The first had been so quick and easy to get rid of; she had been able to defeat him before Mask had even shown up. The second had been just as easy but because she was so worried about trying not to get anywhere close to Mask, she had almost royally screwed up. Before Mask could corner her, she had taken off.

And now it was Friday in the last class of the day. Helga couldn't wait to get out of there, especially since she shared it with Arnold. Then she could hole up in her room until she was needed. If she was needed. Besides that mess up the night before, there hadn't been much happening around town.

However, as much as he had tried getting her to talk to him the last few days, he hadn't even looked at her today. They had one other shared class earlier in the day and she had been too busy trying to ignore him that she didn't realize it until he sat down in his desk in front of her. No comments, no pleas or passed notes; he just sat and prepared for the class. Surely he wasn't actually mad at her? She just needed time to process all of this. She wasn't like him and didn't need to talk things out. She preferred to internalize.

It was small group discussion time about last night's reading, but she ignored everyone in favor of trying to actually do the reading that had been assigned. Normally she wasn't so flaky in her classes but she had genuinely forgotten about it. This avoiding thing was really taking its toll on her.

"Did you see the news this morning?" It was Claire speaking to Arnold. Even if they were supposed to be discussing the reading, it wasn't uncommon to talk about other things.

"About what?" Helga unconsciously perked up when Arnold responded. So he would talk to Claire instead of her, huh? So what if she had been ignoring and avoiding him all week? He was her partner and he should know that she needed to keep him at a distance but, dammit, he shouldn't ignore her! So what if that's what she'd been pretty much asked for these last few days?

"About Madame Claw and The Mirror Mask. It was kind of weird."

"What was weird?" interjected Gerald. It actually kind of freaked her out, but Gerald was a total fanboy for Claw. Not that she would have ever brought the superheroes up in front of anyone, but she always steered clear of conversation of Claw and Mask when Gerald was involved.

"The footage that they showed from last night. Madame Claw almost fell off the building and then she just left without checking on anyone or anything like she normally does. I hope she didn't get hurt."

Gerald nodded at Claire's observation. "Oh, yeah, something was definitely up with her. Like her head wasn't in the game."

Helga continued to look down at the pages, but wasn't actually reading anything. Truthfully, she was a bit surprised that Gerald and Claire had paid that enough attention. Not to mention she was almost touched at their concern. To be fair, she didn't do it for the fame and glory – it was pretty much a requirement on her end. And even if she couldn't really accept praise (thanks a lot Bob and Miriam for that screw up), it was nice to hear her peers talk about her in a positive light.

"Do you think they're having a lover's quarrel?"

She instantly thought she heard a violin screeching. A WHAT now?

Gerald sputtered. "What! No way! They're totally not together, Claire! I can't believe you're one of those people! Not to mention that she'd never go for a dork like Mask."

Helga sunk lower in her seat and held up the book to cover her warming face. She couldn't believe they were talking like that. And ha! If only you knew, Gerald. Helga couldn't help but snicker at the thought of what Gerald would say or do if he ever found out that Arnold was Mask.

Crap, now she was thinking of The Reveal. Her stomach fell.

"What are you talking about, Gerald? It's completely obvious that they care for each other."

"Care, yeah, I can see that; they're partners. But there's no way they're dating," he argued.

Claire rolled her eyes to Arnold. "You boys are all alike; absolutely blind to the truth of love."

Helga gripped her book. Don't you dare, Football Head.

"I never said I agreed with Gerald."

"You don't?" responded both his best friend and Claire in sync. Helga gripped her book tighter and narrowed her eyes at a random spot on the page, wishing she could shoot daggers to the boy in front of her instead.

"Yeah. In fact, I don't just think they're dating, I know they are."

There was a squeak but Helga couldn't honestly say if it was she or Claire. Her book dropped to the desk and she could feel the color that had been starting to show immediately drop down to a level that would make Snow White envious. "What!"

"Seriously, Arnold?" Claire was grinning and practically bouncing on the edge of her seat. "How do you know?"

Helga could only see half of his face, grinning that idiotic way he did when he was about to get cocky (seriously, how the hell did she not see it before?) and he didn't miss a beat. "I've seen them a couple of times while they're out patrolling since I typically hang out on my roof. Besides, a blind man can see how in sync they are with each other. How could they not be together?"

"Oh my god, Arnold, you are so full of shit." Three pairs of eyes landed on her: two round in surprise and one hooded in obvious challenge. Damn, had she really said that? Well, no turning back now. "Stop gossiping about stuff you don't know."

"Why Helga," he began, a smile forming on his perfect face, "I didn't realize you cared so much about the topic. You're usually not interested in the lives of our superheroes."

"I can't stand rumors," she snapped. "And while normally I would stay out of this crap, I have a civil duty to stop it from spreading before it gets out of hand. Besides, shouldn't we be discussing last night's reading?"

Arnold shifted in his chair and rested his arm on her desk. "What does it matter what people think? It's not harming anyone."

"Yet!" She shoved his arm off and he promptly put it back. "Before you know it, the whole town is going to act crazy. They're going to start interfering with their battles and getting hurt. I don't need my tax dollars paying for the ignorant's hospital bills!" She tried to shove it off again but he held firm. Damn, his arms really were solid.

"You don't work, Helga."

"Every time I buy an ice cream or coffee, I'm paying taxes, Football Head. I'm a contributing member to society."

"So what are your reasons for thinking they're not together?" As much as she knew Mask, Mask knew her. And to make it worse, Arnold knew Helga. It was obvious to him that she was trying to distract him with another argument and he hadn't taken the bait.

She rolled her eyes and leaned back against her seat, folding her arms across her chest. "Tons of crap. It's almost impossible to hide a relationship. People make too many mistakes when they try and Claw and Mask haven't made any of those mistakes."

Arnold's ever-widening smile made her blood boil. "Enlighten us."

She glared at him. "They never touch each other."

"Oh, I have to disagree with you there, Helga." It was Claire again. Helga was momentarily startled that she was still there, having almost forgotten about her and Gerald.

"And I agree with you, Claire," was Arnold's response but continued to look at Helga. "They touch all the time. Claw is always doing that hair ruffle thing to Mask," (she does?) "he's always holding her a little bit longer than he probably should when he catches her or pulls her to safety in one dashing move or another," (Oh, god, she was instantly reminded of all the times Arnold seemed to mancrush on Mask. It made so much more sense now! Seriously, Mask, how narcissistic can you be?), "they high-five, push each other around-"

"They seem to always be holding hands!" Interrupted Claire. "And what about The Kiss?" she giggled.

Helga groaned and rubbed her forehead with her left hand. "It wasn't a kiss, Claire. It was obviously photoshopped." Of course she would be referring to that stupid tabloid picture that popped up a couple of months ago. It had taken weeks for that to die down, even if it was blatantly altered.

"No, no. Not that one. When The Mirror Mask was attacked by The Galloping Knight." Oh. That had been a particularly nasty fight. But there hadn't been anything remotely close to what could have been assumed as a kiss. Helga frowned, trying hard to remember the play-by-play.

"Oooh, right!" Arnold was grinning at her again. "He was cornered, probably thinking he was on his final lance when Knight stabbed him just as Claw swooped in. If I recall correctly, which I most certainly do, she fought particularly harder than normal."

Helga scoffed. "That proves nothing. Her partner was hurt. Of course she had to save his tail." Arnold's grin widened even more and she suddenly realized the pun. Helga flushed and slammed her hand on the desk, completely ignoring her stunned classmates. "Dammit, that doesn't count! It wasn't intentional!"

He didn't respond to her outburst but she knew just how giddy he was over that. Dammit.

"So he's laying there, bleeding, and Claw defeats the minion. She rushes to his side, perhaps thinking he's dead…" he trails off, his grin still wide, instantly knowing she would remember what happened next.

That wasn't fair, though. She really thought he had been injured pretty bad. So what if her emotions got the better of her that one time? It had been scary, thinking that he had been seriously injured. And there had been so much blood. It had been a no brainer for her to rush back to him, to make sure the minion hadn't punctured something important. And of course she had been relieved to find out he was ok and, still emotionally charged, she had hugged him and kissed his cheek.

Her face warmed a touch more, but she brushed it off with a roll of her eyes. "A kiss on the cheek means nothing. Especially after that particular fight."

"Yeah. Timberly kisses me all the time, especially whens I get hurt," Gerald finally contributed.

"Claw and Mask aren't siblings, though." Helga paused a moment when Gerald gave her a 'are you kidding me? I thought you were on my side!' look and mentally kicked herself for giving more fuel to Arnold and Claire. She should have just kept her big mouth shut from the beginning.

Arnold couldn't have been happier if he was a pig in mud and he had the laugh to show it. She glared at him again for good measure. "See, Helga? You're on the MirrorClaw ship whether you realize it or not."

"Shove it, football face. They are not together. Never have been nor will they ever be. They have a strictly business relationship and that is all it will ever be. She respects him too much."

Her face, once again, turned a shade of pink at that slip up, especially since his grin got even wider with a raise of an eyebrow that was elegantly arched up. She could just feel his arrogance oozing off of him in waves, the jerk.

"You guys are crazy." Although she heard Gerald, she continued to glare at Arnold as he grinned back at her. "I can't believe we're even talking about this. Arnold, I love you bro, but you're whack to think anything will ever come of your shipper fantasy."

Arnold turned to smirk at his best friend. "So you can have a go with her? And ruin your chance with a certain someone else?"

Any other time, Helga would have given Gerald a hard time about how his face turned redder than the shirt he was wearing, but the bell rang and Helga had to get out of there. Even if they had a têt-à-têt just a moment ago, she really didn't want to have to deal with Arnold alone.

Not even bothering with putting her book away, Helga grabbed her bag with her other free hand and ran out.

In fact, she ran all the way home, not even stopping at her locker or to walk with Phoebe to the bus stop. She'd text an apology later. The most important thing is to get away from school. And it looks like it was a good thing she had ran because she beat the bus by a good twenty minutes.

With Bob gone until dinner and Miriam suspiciously but blessedly absent, Helga leapt up the stairs with ease and ran into her room. Success! It was officially the weekend! No more dodging Arnold in the hallways and classes, no more sitting on edge whenever she spotted him coming towards her, and no confrontation. Now if only she could get through the weekend without seeing Mask and –

Helga let out a started scream as she skidded to a stop at her doorway. There, standing in the middle of her room with his arms folded across his chest and a scowl on his face was none other than the football-headed jerk himself.

She slammed the door behind her and barely reminded herself to gently put down her bag as her beloved sprite was hiding out in there, the very being that made her Madame Claw. "What are you doing in my room?" she yelled, advancing onto him. "In fact, how did you even get in here? And how did you beat me from school?"

Still scowling, he pointed to her mirror. She kept herself from smacking her forehead, not believing he had used his powers to get the upper hand.

Oh, shit, he could have done that all week…

She'd think about it later.

"You've been avoiding me."

She scoffed. "You're imagining things. Now get out of here."

"No. Not until we talk."

"There's nothing to talk about!"

He frowned and lowered his arms. "Why are you so upset that I'm Mask? Do you hate me that much?"

Helga was taken aback by that, wondering where he had put that together. Besides the typical insults and teasing here and there, she and Arnold had actually gotten along pretty well in high school. They were civil in the worst of times and almost pals in the best. Not in the level of hey-I'm-bored-let's-hang-out type, but if they saw each other alone while they were out, which was pretty frequent, they would keep company for a bit.

"What? I don't hate you."

"Then why are you angry?"

"Why aren't you?" she cried, throwing her arms up in the air. "There are so many things wrong with this. First of all, we were never supposed to know each other's identity, let alone actually know each other in civilian form. Do you know how dangerous this is now?"

"So…you're upset because of that and not because it's me?" The relief that showed on his face and in his tone took Helga by surprise and stopped her retort. To be honest, she had been so consumed with the fact that Mask was Arnold that she hadn't really thought about Arnold being Mask. And what freaked her out the most was that she had just started to accept her feelings for Mask and, low and behold, he turns out to be the one other guy she had ever had feelings for. And that was putting it lightly.

It was for purely selfish reasons why she had freaked out. And she was still uncomfortable with it: her getting over Arnold, Mask constantly making his feelings known for Claw, her new feelings for Mask, finding out that both boys were one and the same…it had just been too much. And if she didn't let go of that, her own insecurities would have taken over and crush her.

Helga wasn't Claw. Helga was crass, rude, tomboyish, and definitely not someone anyone would want to be with. In fact, she had been so sure that if Mask would ever find out who she really was, he would be so disgusted with himself that he would bail out on her and hang up his superhero gig for good just to get away from her.

And now that this confrontation was happening, her fears were surely about to become reality: she was going to lose him.

But, then he had asked if she had been upset that it was him. The anger that she had lashed out towards him just moments ago drained, sucking out most of her energy.

"Of course I'm not upset it's you, Arnold. Yeah, I was surprised, just as you were, but…it's just..."

She couldn't continue and looked away, not wanting to show any weakness in front of him. She had only shown Mask insecurity a couple of times, and those had been in moments of weakness for both of them, but right now she was in front of Arnold. It was still weird.

Arnold reached out and took a hold of her left hand. It had been scratching her arm, as she was wont to do when she was nervous, and she looked back up at him with a frown. There was that familiar twinkle in his eyes as he gave her a crooked grin and squeezed her hand.

"You don't have to feel guilty, Helga. If I wanted revenge against you for all the years of torment, I would have done that when I first discovered my powers."

She blinked up at him, confused at first before rolling her eyes and punching him in his shoulder, freeing her hand from his grasp. She was relieved that he had taken the comedic way out of that instead of getting her upset with trying to talk. He really did know her.

"Yeah, right. You're a goody-goody both in and out of the mask, Arnoldo. There's no away you'd beat me up, anyway. I'd kick your butt any time, any where."

"Is that a promise?"

Helga brushed passed him with a roll of her eyes, heading to her closet (which had thankfully be sans shrines for years now), and hung up her jacket. "Call it whatever you want, Lotte, it's all the same to me."

When she turned back to him with a smirk, closing the closet behind her, she was taken aback by the look on his face. It wasn't something that she could immediately identify because she had never seen it on Arnold before. Maybe…tenderness?

"For the record, Helga, I'm glad you're Claw. I feel stupid and blind for not seeing it before, but out of all the girls I know, I'm glad you're her."

It didn't go unnoticed by Helga that he had referred to her being Claw and not Claw being her. It was telling and it hit something deep inside, causing her stomach to do a funny flop. "Oh yeah? Was that before or after you blew chunks realizing that you'd been flirting with the devil?" She smirked, feeling a stab in her gut. She took his cue from earlier and stuck with humor even though she knew that any minute now he was going to do a one-eighty and reveal just how disgusted he was and leave her, even if it would be out of character for either of his identities.

He chuckled at her instead, prompting a frown from her. "Are you kidding? I couldn't have asked for a better person than you."

"What?"

He flashed her a genuine smile and stepped towards her, but not enough to close the distance. She mentally applauded his instincts because if he had come any closer, she would have struck out. She was tightly on guard, ready to spring again, especially since she was cornered in her room. If there was one thing she couldn't do, it was handle any sort of praise.

"I'm glad it's you because if it had been anyone else, they wouldn't be able to handle both worlds. You're strong, smart, funny when you're not trying to act like a bitch –"

"Hey!"

He grinned wider. "You aren't the same bully-in-hiding that you used to be when you were a kid. You've always had a good side to you and you were always so afraid to show it. You're actually pretty compassionate when you want to be. I feel like now you finally get to be the person who you've always been inside. I've always known she was in there and she's finally been coming out these last few years." That was true, at least. He had been telling her that she was good since the first grade and she had been pretty chill since freshman year. Even more so since she became Madame Claw. Maybe it was because the long nights were making her too tired to be a brat to everyone like the years prior. "We all get to see who Helga Pataki really is; the one I've always known about.

"And then with Claw… Hillwood gets a superhero and a positive, female role model to kids. Which," he cut her off when she was about to protest, "is very much the case, Helga. Whether you want to admit it or not, she's done a lot of good for this town. And there aren't a lot of good, female superheroes out there. They're all guys."

"They're all in movies and books, too, Football Head…" she trailed off, instantly regretting what she said as it just helped to prove his point. She hated when she did that and it happened almost too often.

It seemed as if he was expecting it, because his grin was triumphant. She rolled her eyes away from him, looking towards her bookshelf to keep from looking up at him.

Really, she didn't know what to say. While Arnold had always insisted she was good growing up, she didn't realize how deeply he believed that until now. He always looked on the bright side of things but to see it in her was just crazy. And even if what he did say made sense to her, especially with the positive things about Claw, it was still hard for her to accept it. She was mean ol' Helga deep down. Not this great thing he obviously believed her to be.

But even despite that, she knew that he saw her for who she was, and not some unattainable figure that she joked with Mask about whenever he flirted with her.

Oh god…how could he want to stay with her knowing who she really was?

"Helga." She looked up at him, blinking back the tears she didn't realize were forming. "You're overthinking things."

She scoffed at him and folded her arms. "I'm not."

"Yes you are, because I did and kind of am still doing it, too."

She sighed then, knowing that was probably true. He had always been good at reading her, just as she was good at reading him. At least, that was the case during battles. It's one of the things that made – make – them such a great team.

"Claw wouldn't be anywhere without Mask, you know. If you were to say that you couldn't do this anymore…" she trailed off and tried to swallow the lump in her throat. She couldn't do this alone.

Before she realized what had happened, she found herself enveloped in his arms. She tensed, prepared to push him away but found that she really didn't have the energy to. "Chasca…the only way that I would leave would be if you told me to. You're my partner. I would never leave you willingly and never on my own."

Helga closed her eyes, the lump in her throat growing larger. It finally clicked for her that Arnold wasn't Mask, and Mask wasn't Arnold. They were both one and the same and, just how she would never give up on Mask or Arnold, he would never give up on her. Neither side of her. It was a surreal feeling, one that, even if she recognized it, she would probably not be able to full grasp for some time. But now, standing here in his embrace, she realized that it was something she would eventually come to accept.

There would be no Madame Claw without The Mirror Mask, just as there would be no Helga without Arnold. And even if the latter had distanced themselves over the years, they had always really been together. This, she realized, just solidified it and made it factual. Together, Mask and Claw had been one hell of a force. And now, together in both worlds, they would be unstoppable.

As long as they were together, they would be undefeatable. Dark Matter didn't stand a chance.

Part 1 >> Part 3

[reflectivejournaloflauram-blog]

Tutorial with James Smith - 21st March

I decided to have another tutorial with James, as he hadn’t seen any of the work I had produced yet and I wanted to get his opinion on it. I was feeling pretty confident with what I had already shot and was finally beginning to see the work come together. I reminded James that I wanted dark, brooding imagery that combined portrait, landscape and still life. He really broke down my images and made me think more about the technical side of them, rather than just the subject, which is what I’ve been focusing on so intently. The first thing he said was that they looked too ‘nice’, which was quite disappointing to hear as that is the opposite of what I was going for and I personally think they look extremely eerie and creepy. I also mentioned that I hadn’t shot much still life yet as I don’t like it an awful lot and his reply was ‘if you don’t like it, don’t do it’, which is good advice. I told him I don’t mind it if it’s in a more unconventional sense, rather than specifically gathering objects to shoot, but I may discontinue the still life altogether, as I don’t really feel it is going anywhere. James also said that there isn’t really any need to categorise my work into portrait, landscape and still life and to just see it as a body of work. I think I was being a little closed minded by thinking that way, so I’ll try not to do that anymore and see where it gets me.

I explained that my main influences were Francesca Woodman and Joel Peter Witkin and James immediately made the suggestion that I use a red filter when shooting. He said that he thought my images were far too contrasty, as they were straight from the printer, which makes changes that it thinks are correct, but this isn’t always the case. Although I have always been a fan of high contrast imagery and it was one of the main things I liked about the photos I’ve shot, I can see where he is coming from. He said that a lot more control was needed and that a red filter on the lens would help to balance the contrast with the darkness I am looking for. He showed me some examples and I immediately thought of Ansel Adams work, as dark skies and contrast are his signature style. I am kind of on the fence about this idea, but I’m willing to give it a try.

We looked very closely at some images shot using a red filter and then talked about the cornsweet illusion. The image below shows exactly the same colour, with a very slight gradient in the middle and many photographers have put this into practice in their work.

We then talked about how people read an image from left to right and certain triggers that photographers use to make sure the photo is examined in that order. For example, in Flach’s image below, the dog is the first point in which the eyes will be drawn to due to his bold black and white colouring. We then travel to the pheasant in the centre of the frame, then up to the pheasant on the right, then to the bottom right corner where we can just make out another pheasant’s head and then back around to the odd, significantly placed stick that stands out, and then the cycle continues. It is that defined stick that keeps the image flowing in that order because it looks slightly out of place.

Another example is Tim Walker’s image of Lily Cole. We begin with the brightest, most noticeable point which are the small windows in the bottom left hand corner (which James said had been photoshopped brighter for this purpose). We then travel up to the larger windows and then onto the brightness of the staircase, then onto the model and our eyes flow downwards with her dress to the highlights at the bottom, and then the cycle is repeated. These highlights are strategically placed to ensure this is the way in which we read the image, therefore lighting is incredibly important and Walker has taken note of the cornsweet effect here.

James also explained that he thought I was getting a little lost in the background of some of the portrait images and that some unimportant things like piles of rubbish were being accentuated instead of me. He said that using a flash would instantly solve this problem and define the subject a lot better. I love using natural light because I feel it is flattering and authentic and works with my practice and using a flash did not even cross my mind. James suggested that I take out a ranger kit and experiment, but I am not very keen on this idea at all. He then showed me some images shot by Tim Flach, of Icelandic horses where he had used a flash to highlight the subject, letting the background take care of itself. I usually associate flash with harsh shadows, but these appear very soft and well-controlled, clearly showing a great knowledge of the equipment used.

James also took a look at my digital work and I told him I had been attempting to edit it to look as close to film as possible. He showed me a method in Photoshop using two simple points in the curves adjustment that will instantly make the image look more like it was shot on film. He also asked me if I planned on going into the darkroom at any point and I said probably not due to time, money and the fact that my darkroom skills aren’t that great.

Overall, this was a very useful tutorial which made me think about the technical aspects of my images in greater details.

[brendagilliam2]

30 brilliantly creative resumés

We all know finding work in the creative industry is extremely competitive, even if you do have a killer design portfolio. With so many talented people in the world, just getting noticed is a job in itself. So creatives all over the world have been coming up with unusual strategies for job resumés to gain an edge in the hunt for employment. Here are 30 brilliant examples of creative resumés to help you reinvent your CV.

01. Portfolio mail package

You’d be all over this if it turned up in the post

This portfolio mail package created by Robynne Redgrave, a Canadian graphic designer based in Helsinki, is a real attention-grabber. It contains not only her CV but a whole load of stuff including a hand-bound portfolio book, a letter of intent, application form and certificates.

02. Animated Curriculum Vitae

An animated CV is a bit of a risky proposition, but Livia Natalie’s effort really pays off. It’s beautifully animated, covers all the salient points that prospective employers need to know about her, and it’s done and dusted in just over a minute, which makes it a lot more likely that people will sit through the whole thing.

03. SkateRésumé

What happens if the recipient uses it and breaks their neck?

We’ve seen all manner of CVs printed on unlikely objects (and featured some of them here), but this is definitely the first time we’ve seen a resumé printed on a skateboard. Well played, Jairo Alzate. It can’t be particularly cost-effective, but still, well played.

04. Curriculum 3D

Benjamin Benhaim’s 3D CV really stands out

Inspired by this great-looking flat CV from Jimmy Raheriarisoa, Paris-based art director and motion designer Benjamin Benhaim set to work and made this stunning 3D rendered resumé. Created using Cinema 4D, Octane and After Effects, it covers all the bases and features plenty of playful touches, and each image took around seven minutes to render. Time well spent!

05. Hire the Donald

What are the chances, eh?

Turns out that even if your CV shows you to be racist, sexist, arrogant, exploitative and fraudulent, not to mention woefully inexperienced and utterly unqualified, you can still get the job. Go figure.

06. The whole package

Although this one isn’t on an actual packaging – but it displays Sid Santos‘ expertise perfectly – conceptual design, illustration and package design (all seen in the text) are skills demonstrated, along with an obvious proficiency with numerous digital art softwares. His previous CV was no less impressive – prospective clients could print it off and create their very own 3D helpbox, courtesey of some innovative design.

07. The Flowchart

Craig Baute created a helpful flowchart as part of his resumé, so that his potential employer could easily decipher why he was the man for the job. The technique was so successful he landed an interview with Apple. Although he never worked at there, he has built a successful career for himself, so perhaps some crafty arrogance is a-okay when it comes to a CV!

08. Facebook Feed

Sabrina Saccoccio took a new, yet undeniably familiar approach to her curriculum vitae. We are all told Facebook is the new resumé and like it or not employers will find yours – but what if you just fed it to them straight off? Sabrina’s approach definitely captures the imagination while being easy to read in a format we are all more than familiar with – and she even added a quirky comments section!

09. Illustrated book

Lucia Paul has used her resumé as a showcase for her illustration skills by creating an intricately doodled book. The freelancer created the entire thing from scratch, from the simple but effective frontcover and spine to the detailed illustrations within. Lucia has landed jobs with Smart (as in the cars), Lycra and Staples to name but a few, so she must be doing something right!

10. Gameboy

Robby Leonardi is a multidisciplinary designer based in New York City. Specialising in illustration, graphic design, animation, and front-end development, he has worked with the likes of Fox, Speed TV, FX Networks, myNetworkTV, and G4. His incredibly fun interactive design resumé will have you scrolling for hours!

11. Box of chocolates

Life is like a box of chocolates for designer Rob Jervis

“I handed out and emailed way more conventional CVs than I can remember, and got a response from about two or three of those,” recalls designer Rob Jervis. “So I redesigned my CV and turned it into a box, learning how to make the chocolates inside as well (Oreo truffles, peanut butter cups, amaretto ganaches, etc).” LFH called Jervis up an hour after receiving his chocolate-themed resume and offered him a paid internship, which led to a full time job.

12. Personal portfolio

Scott Duffey wanted to leave a lasting impression, placing this at the back of his portfolio

Designer Scott Duffey created this desktop scene to use in the back of his portfolios as his resume. “I wanted to end my portfolio in a way that would leave an impression,” explains . “I wanted to be remembered by my interviewer, so I needed to deliver key information whilst also giving a feel of my personality.”

13. Branding box

We love the little touches with this adorable branding box

“Rather than sending a covering email and a CV, I posted multiple self promotional mailers to companies I would like to work with,” explains designer Emma Hopkins. Packed full of adorable badges and an entire catalogue featuring her work and skills, this is a package any agency or client would be lucky to receive.

14. Medication

Relieve your creative pain with this fake medication CV

Designed by Cai Griffith of She Was Only, this fake medication résumé design for copywriter Jon Ryder is pure genius. The leaflet inside explained that the medicine could be used for the ‘short-term treatment of acute, moderate creative pain’, detailing how to store it, all known interactions, side-effects and whether or not it can be used while operating heavy machinery.

“The active ingredients in Jon Ryder are creativity, originality and typing. Together, they form a powerful painkiller (analgesic) that works by eradicating stress that naturally occurs in agencies during busy times. it works by increasing the flow of ideas through the system.”

The leaflet adds: “Drinking alcohol with Jon Ryder will not cause any adverse effects. Mixing Jon Ryder with moderate alcohol consumption after the end of the working day may improve effectiveness.”

15. Carton of milk

Potential employers are offered up a creative lunch box with a milk carton CV

“I decided to create a Milk BOX with my CV on it, so I could send it to the agencies inside a ‘Creative Lunch Box’,” explains designer Miguel Rato. Using the ingredients to showcase his skills, such as ‘High Calories for Photoshop’ and ‘Medium Calories for HTML and CSS’, it’s a truly innovative way of getting the right kind of attention.

Next page: 15 more brilliantly creative resumes to inspire you…

16. The Game of Design

Will a potential employer play the game of design?

This would certainly catch a potential employer’s eye. Created by a designer with work woes, ‘The Game of Design‘ includes instructions and dice as well as research, client, visual communication and composition cards.

We know it is said that employers only look at résumés for a matter of seconds but we hope that they would take some time with this one. Working in a creative industry, you would assume that they would relish a résumé such as this. We certainly do!

17. The infographic

A simple and inventive approach to the résumé design

Singapore-based student Chen Zhi Liang was set a task by his graphic design tutor to create an inventive résumé that would make him stand out from the crowd. The semester-end assignment was to create an infographic résumé and we think he’s come up trumps with this design.

Showcasing the all-important qualifications and skills, the résumé is eye-catching without being overwhelming. Liang’s minimal approach is perfect for an overcrowded job market. We’d definitely hire him!

18. Sewn fabric

Showcasing her sewing abilities, Melissa produces a truly unique offering

What a way to show off your design skills! Here, Melissa wanted to showcase her sewing abilities to potential employers, so decided to create this beautiful sewn résumé. Crafted during her senior year in college, she wanted to represent her affection for sewing and including handmade elements in her design work for a more intimate feel.

It was such a hit that Melissa did infact, get the first job she applied for out of college. We certainly wouldn’t toss this offering in the trash!

19. Billboard

Féilim received a huge response from employers willing to give tips and advice

In response to mass unemployment and the prospect of having to emigrate, Féilim Mac An Iomaire spent his entire life savings on this billboard. Placing the ad on a busy road in South Dublin, the billboard sees the marketing graduate staring at a number of instantly recognisable landmarks with the tag line ‘save me from emigration’.

20. The Creative Relocation Program

Matt Stafford was in a bind. Already employed at a well-known agency, he was looking for a new challenge, and wanted to create a web-based campaign that would showcase his talent to creative directors at leading shops, hopefully getting him hired. But how to do it without his current employer finding out, and giving him the HR equivalent of a Chinese burn?

Here’s how. Matt created an alter ego, Miguel Jackson, who – via The Creative Relocation Program – contacted creative directors via anonymous video messages, where he gave them one chance to contact him via Skype (Matt would remain disguised behind a balaclava at all times, inlcuding ‘face to face’ meetings, until he was offered a job). Seven out of nine creative directors responded, one of whom hired him on the spot. And Matt may have inspired others to follow suit …

21. The Creative Ransom

This stunt comes to us courtesy of creative team Andrew Grinter and Lee Spencer-Michaelsen. The duo decided against a traditional approach to job applications and instead opted to send mysterious notes, using letters cut out of a magazine, to top creative directors in Melbourne.

The notes directed each to a URL that held a digital ransom note. Their demands? Simple. Arrange an interview or the site gets it. And it worked! The idea landed the duo an interview with no less than seven directors, each of which they met wearing traditional kidnapper balaclavas. The pair are now working at digital marketing firm DT Digital/Ogilvy. Pure genius.

22. Vintage Pixar resumé

We bet the guys at Pixar had never seen a job application like this before!

Getting your foot in the door at animation giant Pixar is a tough job, so in order to get his resumé noticed among the thousands of others, creative artist Brian Moose created this gorgeous vintage package to house his application.

Inside, the Pixar hiring team would have been delighted to find a old-school film case, which housed a notebook featuring gorgeous illustrations and notes detailing Moose’s skills and previous employment history. We don’t know if it worked but it’s a brilliantly presented and genius idea.

Also read: How to get a job at Pixar Studios

23. Google job experiment

Copywriter Alec Brownstein‘s goal was to secure a position working for a top creative director in New York. While Googling his favourite creatives, Brownstein noticed they had no sponsored links attached to their names.

Seeing an opportunity, he purchased five directors’ names on Google AdWords, meaning whenever someone ran a search for one, the following message appeared at the top of the results page: “Hey, [creative director’s name]: Goooogling [sic] yourself is a lot of fun.”

He recieved calls from all but one of the creative directors whose names he purchased, and was offered a job by two. He now works for Young & Rubicam New York. And it cost him a total of $6.

24. QR code resumé

When applying for internships at communications agencies, French creative Victor Petit quickly realised that the hardest part of the process was getting an interview. So he decided to spice up his paper resumé with the inclusion of a QR code.

One side of his application features a pretty standard resumé design. The other is a close-up of Petit’s face, with a QR code in place of his mouth. Prospective employers scan the code, which then plays a YouTube video, featuring Petit’s mouth and transforming his paper application into a talking resumé.

25. Lego resumé

Writer Kendra Wiig created this brilliant model of a company’s mascot and sent it, together with her resumé

Okay, so this idea didn’t get Kendra Wiig the job she was after, but it’s still a cracking idea. After finding an opening for a company working on a Lego-themed game, she built a model of its mascot in the famous little bricks and put her resumé in the fish’s jaws.

Despite not being successful, the idea still attracted Wiig a lot of attention, with the hiring manager sending her back a personal email thanking her for the model. She was also sent details of positions they expected to open up in the near future. Bet she had a great time building it, too!

26. Twitter job hustle

Knowing that many creatives spend a lot of time seeing what others are up to on Twitter, freelance creative team Bas Van de Poel and Daan van Dam decided to use this to their advantage. Their brief was to ‘land a job at an awesome agency’.

The duo created five new Twitter accounts and uploaded different letters as profile pics that would spell out ‘HIRE US’. They then followed creative directors from AKQA, BBH, Sid Lee and Boondoggle so the message appeared on their Twitter pages. Each letter linked to the team’s portfolio on their Twitter timeline. The nifty idea did the trick too, with the duo landing themselves a job with Boondoggle.

27. ‘Vick’ cereal box

Designer Victor Rodriguez came up with this quirky concept while eating his breakfast, unsurprisingly

When Canada-based web and graphic designer Victor Rodriguez was looking for work, his design for a resumé was reached by thinking outside of the box. Literally.

Inspired by his morning meal, Rodrigues based his concept on a cereal box, featuring a bright, eye-catching design on the front and his personal information down the side. His skills were awarded percentages, much like the nutritional information listed on traditional cereal packets.

28. Google Map CV

Ed Hamilton’s Google Map resumé uses personalised placemarkers to highlight his skills and experience

When London-based copywriter Ed Hamilton was out of work, he decided to put his time to good use and develop a creative way to stand out to prospective employers.

Using Google Maps’ My Maps feature, Hamilton mapped his resumé, using different coloured pins to create personalised placemarkers, each accompanied by explanatory text. The brilliant design includes pins for where Hamilton lives, his interests and his previous employment.

29. Resumé in lights

HR specialist Liz Hickok used the festive season to her advantage in her search for employment

Now this is the kind of resumé Clark Griswold would be proud of! And with Christmas just around the corner, we just had to include this resumé in festive lights. Known for her Christmas light show, HR specialist Liz Hickok decided to modify her display slightly by adding a sign to employers that she was on hunt for a HR job.

The resumé, lit up on the front of her house, read ‘My wish, HR job, Liz Hickok, Linked In’. In addition to many appreciation messages on LinkedIn, Hickok also landed four interviews as a result of the lights.

30. This is Erika

The 90-second video by Miguel Durao showcases his model girlfriend Erika, whom, he explains, is not just a pretty face but also does charity work, is caring, sensitive and has been dating Durao for six years. There’s a brilliant pay off at the end, in which the whole scenario becomes clear.

Off the back of it, Miguel had several interviews and job offers from big name agencies, a series of freelance jobs, and a permanent position which he’s had for a year now. Well done that man!

Contributions: Jim McCauley

Related articles:

The secrets of fulfilling a creative design brief

How to be the designer every agency wants to hire

Top tips for making design awards work for you

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