#also it just looks cool and gives me art nouveau vibes | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

uygfiug · 6 months ago

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yeahhhh my school is pretty fucked up about a lot of things :) and i say this as someone who has seemingly never gone to a normal school ever, even the fucking crèche (is that a word in english?) i went to was fucked :)

yeahhh maybe its just bc im not that into film, but i dont care about most of the big stuff coming out now :( i think the last time i went was to see everything everywhere all at once (REALLY GOOD) + also i usually just wait until stuff gets put on my illegal film website :) yessss across the spiderverse was so good!!

its especially difficult bc its so hard for me to make new friends yknow? online is a lot easier bc im just immediately comfortable being open & as affectionate as i wish but irl i rarely ever feel comfortable for that, and thats also why my online friendships are often so close :) but it takes ages to even get past being really really quiet around new people & they just all find new people so quickly?

the fun thing about online friendships is also that theres a lot more time to hang out? bc theres no expectation of hanging out in person & finding time to call for like 10 minutes is a lot easier than finding time to hang out in person (+ i will also just stay up until like 3 am if i dont have school the day after if it means i get to hang out with friends) (and just for fun as well) i feel like theres a lot more pressure to be 'normal' irl while on the internet youre kinda automatically surrounded by weirdos if youre in the right circles

SAME!!! ive been looking into how to do it bc i thought i could try this summer :) i think its just important to feed them & not be mean & theyll associate you with food (which is good) i think shelled peanuts are good? im planning to buy some after the exams & just carry those around everywhere & if i see a crow near my house ill feed it a bit :)

my great grandma used to put all her breadcrumbs outside & then clap her hands and within minutes a bunch of birds would come eat them :)) thats what i aspire to be like

second hand stores are also just way more fun to be in? often theres less people, less bright lights, and a more cozy vibe? and you never know what you'll come across which is fun :) + theres only one of each item so a good find is way more special :)

oooooh thats so cool!! i found a shirt covered in lipstick kisses that i thought was funny recently :) i think i can go really over the top with it on valentines day :)

i hate motionsickness :(( our school trips are always several hours of bus and its horrible every time

...i zoomed in on england in google maps and ended up in 'Tongue end' upon looking around a bit more i came across 'Vulcan road north' which i thought you might like :) theres a whole bunch of places with kirk in the name as well :)

hm well i can give you a few things to associate with belgium :)

manneken pis (translates to little man pissing) is a fountain of a little boy pissing thats very well known here & a big tourists attraction. they put outfits on him sometimes

waffles, so many waffles

fries bc they were invented here :) idk why people call them french fries but we dont do that here

victor horta, one of the founders of art nouveau (best architecture style ever <33), made art nouveau a pretty big thing here for a while

réne magritte, surrealist, made surrealism a pretty big thing here for a while also

adolphe sax, inventor of the saxophone was also belgian :)

we have a few other big artists i believe, but those are the ones i care about :)

chocolate :) we're known for making really good chocolate, especially pralines

bandes dessinées, a specific style of comics thats really big here, think tintin, lucky luke & asterix :)

broke our own record for country to go the longest without a government :) 652 days i believe

hiya <3

how are ya? i like the new theme :)

i cant really think of another question to ask rn, so just tell me about anything you want? (or not if you dont feel like it ofc)

HELLOO!! <333333

thank you so much!! i love changing it around skfbsng

iii have been incapable of talking without mentioning wooden overcoats (new podcast i started listening to a week ago and have almost finished) because its so underrated and silly and heartfelt and hilarious and charming AUGH i love it so deaaarlyyyy it ssooosoosso

how have you been??? i also cant think of questions FJGBSN but i want to know anything

#no worries about taking a while to answer #i just enjoy talking to you #its not a race or anything :)#i can wait #i hope you feel better soon :)#people #jask

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marzipanandminutiae · 4 years ago

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Please rate all Princess looks from best to worst in modern era Disney - I want your thoughts. Incidentally; Rapunzel is my favourite princess because of her short brown hair (I have short brown hair and always have, it does not grow long) but they always give her back long hair and it breaks my heart. I want representation :(

Sure, why not?

I’m going to arbitrarily interpret “modern era” as “since I was born in 1993.” I will also only count movies that I have actually seen, so Sofia the First and the animated movie sequels are out. So is Ralph Breaks the Internet, which is a good thing, too, or I’d be going off about how much I hate whatever they were doing with “the Disney princesses finally get out of those Nasty Restrictive Dresses and into comfy modern pajamas! is this how you Empowerment? we’re so hip and self-aware! buy our merch!”

Live-action adaptations count. And instead of ranking from best to worst, I’m going to go movie by movie and give each one’s looks an overall score out of 10. Seems more efficient.

(I, too, think giving Rapunzel long blond hair again was a cop-out. More brunette and/or short-haired Disney princesses!)

- Pocahontas (1995).

Nope. Nope. Nope nope nope. 0/10. -47/10. I think I owe actual Pocahontas (c. 1596-1617) an apology for even bringing this movie up.

- Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella (1997)

OF COURSE THIS COUNTS. THIS WAS ICONIC. MY MOM USED TO CALL ME IN FROM PLAYING OUTSIDE WHENEVER IT WAS ON TV, BECAUSE SHE KNEW 4-YEAR-OLD ME WOULD CRY MY EYES OUT IF I MISSED IT. I THOUGHT PRINCESS BRANDY WAS THE PRETTIEST CINDERELLA I’D EVER SEEN.

SO PRETTY. SO FULL OF REPRESENTATION. SO MAGICAL. UGH THIS MOVIE WAS EVERYTHING. I AM NOT TAKING ANY CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM ON THAT.

10/10. Always and forever.

- Mulan (1998).

Coming at this as a white woman with limited knowledge of Chinese dress history, I think its Looks are cool enough. They seem to be about as stylized as Disney’s adaptation of most European historical fashions, based on what little I do know. As a kid I hated that Mulan spent most of the movie in bulky armor without even any ornate designs on it, but like...that’s the whole point. Still, my favorite outfit is the one at the end. It’s not as fussy as the one she wears at the matchmaker’s, but it’s still an interesting silhouette with a lot of nice details.

6/10.

- Enchanted (2007)

Gods, this movie came out of the gate SO STRONG with the costumes. The wedding dress? Poofy. Impractical. Not really my thing at all in its real-life incarnation, but that’s part of the point.

The blue curtain dress? Cute and pastoral; simple but detailed and pretty enough to be magical.

The little white floral 1950s-looking dress? Trending a bit more modern, but still very princess-y and true to what we know about Giselle’s character.

The Art Nouveau influences? Fresh! Thematically appropriate to the Disney princess vibe but hitherto unexplored! Love it!

and then they

...why. just why. you could have established the character’s newfound maturity without making her look like a shapeless grape ice cream bar. with no visual interest.

7/10. They lost a LOT of my goodwill right at the end, but the rest of it was Look after Look.

- The Princess and the Frog (2009)

Oh boy, we’re entering the Renaissance of era- and location-specific Disney princesses. This is both a good thing and a bad thing, in my opinion. I don’t expect much re: accuracy, but there’s more for me to sigh at just a little and wish they’d put in a tiny bit more research effort.

This one was pretty good with the ‘20s influences, though they couldn’t resist the urge to do natural waistlines and more fitted silhouettes. It’s okay, Disney. Almost everyone does that. It’s not your fault the 1920s were the decade of Just Wear A Potato Sack.

Aside from the racism of the whole “first Black princess spends most of the movie as an animal” thing (which is the main issue, obviously, not the costumes), that element reduced the opportunity for Looks significantly. Boo. But Tiana got some impressive gowns all the same, and cute everyday outfits too. So when Looks did appear, they were pretty great.

(Ten minutes ago, I met you...I can’t believe that wasn’t an intentional callback to the unofficial first Black Disney princess. It must have been.)

7/10. Insufficient Look screentime, but it delivered in what little there was.

- Tangled (2010)

Okay, I’m going to be honest- I’ve always felt like Tangled was visually Meh. The movie itself is really fun, re: plot and characters. The CGI was excellent. It just...didn’t feel like anything special in terms of design.

Rapunzel wears one dress the whole time. And it’s a fine dress, I suppose. I couldn’t tell you anything about it beyond “purple, puffed sleeves, lace-up bodice” without Googling, because it’s just. Forgettable.

5/10. Blah, but not actively bad.

- Brave (2012)

Screw Merida’s outfits, ELINOR IS WEARING THE ELLEN TERRY LADY MACBETH DRESS

IT’S JUST

IT’S EXACTLY THAT

(Actual dress worn by actress Ellen Terry in an 1888 production of Macbeth, portrait of her in said dress by John Singer Sargent, Elinor from Brave.)

IDK WHO ON THE PIXAR TEAM SAID “let’s put her in a beetle-wing-covered gown from a Victorian Shakespeare production” BUT BLESS THEM

THIS IS THE STRANGEST AND BEST CULTURAL CALLBACK OF THE EARLY 2000S

I also think Merida’s green dress looks both visually appealing and comfy, as most women’s everyday clothing has probably been, historically speaking. Kudos to the designers for not playing into the “BUT HOW DO THINGS IN SKIRT???” trope

(would have made especially little sense when all the men are in kilts. which, yeah, okay, not a thing in medieval Scotland. but neither was the Lady Macbeth dress, and this technically isn’t Scotland but an Unnamed Fantasy Kingdom so I’ll let it slide)

9/10.

- Frozen (2013)

I cannot in good conscience give this movie anything below a 6/10. Say it with me: cathedral-length sparkly ice train.

Plus, the coronation outfits fit both of the characters’ personalities really well. And Anna’s adventuring outfit is pretty, stylized, reasonably practical-looking, and has clear Scandinavian influences in the embroidery details. I also really like Hans’ overly-perfect uniform, and Kristoff looks appropriately rugged and bundled up. Nice!

9/10.

- Maleficent (2014)

Possibly my favorite of the live-action adaptations. I don’t recall much of Aurora’s actual costumes, but it’s not really about her, is it?

There were so many amazing details, and the shift in Maleficent’s outfits at different points during her character arc was really interesting. From woodsy and dark in equal measure, to extremely dark and restrained-looking, and back to woodsy again.

I have a collectible fashion doll of Mal in her coronation dress, so that one was probably my favorite.

10/10. Not especially memorable for the costumes, but they were definitely gorgeous all the same.

- Cinderella (2015)

Like. Okay. Do we really need to go over this one?

I actually didn’t like the plot or character aspects of this movie so much; it seemed kind of dull and like an unnecessary retread of familiar territory. The costumes, however, took my breath away. An amazing blend of mid-20th century, Victorian, 18th century, and pure fantasy.

It’s Sandy Powell. Of course it’s Sandy Powell. All Hail Sandy Powell.

(How do you make a relatively minimalistic animated dress equally impressive IRL? Lush fabrics, 8 zillion layers, Swarovski crystals, and absolutely flawless tailoring. If they really did tightlace Lily James for this look, I obviously don’t approve of that. But the actual design is just swoon-worthy.)

10/10. The most beautiful movie I watched once in the theatre and then never again.

- Moana (2016)

The costumes aren’t particularly impressive. The clothes aren’t the point of the movie. Moana wears one dress, and it’s a very nice dress that’s appropriate to the setting and what she has to do. The other characters have similarly beautiful single outfits that work for their personalities and roles in the story. I know even less about traditional Polynesian clothing than I do about traditional Chinese clothing, but it seems like research was definitely done. I particularly like the way some gorgeous real-life textile patterns were recreated.

Really, evaluating Moana on the basis of costume design kind of feels like evaluating an airline on the basis of the seat upholstery pattern.

5/10. Does exactly what it’s supposed to do. Clothes aren’t a main feature of this one, just like with Tangled. And that’s okay.

- Beauty and the Beast (2017)

I feel like I’ve already held forth on this one a lot. Most of the costume design was actually pretty cool, a nice blend of fantasy and a sort of pan-18th century France. The Damn Yellow Dress(TM) killed a lot of my goodwill, though.

In conclusion: Audra McDonald in full fantasy Rococo should have just been the entire movie.

(You sit down in the theatre and the title card says “Beauty and the More Beauty.” it’s literally just Audra McDonald swanning around a fairytale palace in increasingly elaborate court gowns. Gugu Mbatha-Raw can come too.)

6/10. Yes, the yellow dress made me that pissed off. It’s more the attitude it represents, you know?

- Frozen II (2019)

No. Just no. Though I do like Anna’s adventuring outfit.

2/10.

#ask #anon #disney #disney princesses

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forabeatofadrum · 3 years ago

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l'amor che move (il sole e l'altre stelle) - chapter 8

Notes: This is for Islay, who insisted on Simon and Baz going to an abandoned art nouveau bathhouse.

AO3

BAZ

Simon is looking at me with a wide smile on his face. I’m gobsmacked. Simon ushers me inside before I can ask anything, which is a great idea to avoid suspicion.

Once we’re inside, underneath the piazza, Simon uses his mobile to give us some light. We’re in the Diurno Venezia and it is definitely closed, so it’s dark inside. I’d usually create flame in my palm, but I can’t do that around Simon. Or can I?

How did he open that door?

I ask him and Simon’s smile widens.

“Sometimes it just happens,” he says, as if it’s nothing out of the ordinary.

“What do you mean?” I ask, just to be sure.

Simon shrugs. “Sometimes, locks unlock for me. It’s luck.”

“Luck?” I ask, appalled. Does Simon think that’s luck? Unlocking doors is a simple non-verbal and wandless spell. Many kids learn it when they’re toddlers, which is why mages have to child proof doors with magic from a certain age.

And Simon thinks it’s luck?

“Come on,” Simon is either oblivious to my shock, or he just ignores it.

I decide to ignore it as well. I still want to ask Simon what the hell is going on, but I wasn’t lying when I told Agatha that I think Simon is unaware of his magickal heritage (assuming he has one.) (I mean, he has to.)

Despite the fact that the Diurno Venezia is closed, everything is in a proper state. I know that the city renovated it. In fact, I tell Simon.

Or actually, I read aloud from another website. He seems to really like it, so I revel in it.

“The space’s first proper visitors in decades arrived in partnership with the Italian National Trust, whose mission includes restoring lost national monuments and places of beauty to the public,” I read. Simon lets out a hum. “A pair of clean up days allowed a slew of volunteers – do-gooders, photographers, and explorers alike – access to the baths in exchange for cleaning and hauling out debris that had accumulated over the years.”

“This place really has a weird vibe,” Simon says. We walk through the lavish entrance. “Why did it close?”

“I don’t know.” I really don’t. I haven’t found that much information. Maybe Italian sources will tell me more. I’ll have to ask Simon to look it up. There used to be a buvette and a post office and telephones, business meeting rooms, flower shops and newsstands, a stationer, a bank, a commercial agency, a barber shop, a copy bureau, a small luggage storehouse, a travel agency, a bicycle garage with attendant, and a shoeshine stand. All I know is that there was a decline in the 60s and eventually only the barbershop was left, but that also closed in 2006.

“You know, it doesn’t beat the art at the fascist shrine, but it’s pretty,” Simon says.

“Nothing beats the fascist shrine, Snow.”

The hall that follows the entrance is straight from a movie set. Or at least, that’s how I’d describe it. The place looks like an art deco set. There are mosaics throughout the building. The ceiling is vaulted and there are a lot of pillars and looping beams.

The two of us walk through the building. Simon takes a photo of himself in one of the barber chairs. We make some mirror selfies as well. I cannot post these, since I am pretty sure we’re breaking and entering, but I can send them to Agatha privately.

There’s a bronze statue en route to the bath section.

“The goddess Hygeia, the goddess of health,” I say.

“The goddess Hylia?” Simon asks, but then he laughs. I don’t get the joke. When he realizes that I don’t, he laughs even more.

The baths aren’t that interesting. I don’t particularly like the green on the walls and the baths look uncomfortable, but it’s still cool that the two of us are here.

We walk around more. It’s actually kind of nice. We’re the only ones here, so we’re not being pushed around by other people. I am also not overwhelmed by magic. I’ve felt many kind of magic in Milan, and those are only the powerful ones. Milan must be filled with mages and magickal communities.

No magic matches Simon’s though.

“I get why you wanted to see this,” Simon says.

“You do?”

I mean, I hoped that he would like it. After all, we’re on a date together and it would suck for the both of us if one of us dislikes the date. Okay, this was a pretty self-indulgent thing to do, since I was the one who wanted to go here, but I think Simon just likes a mystery.

“Do you go breaking and entering often?” I ask him.

He snort. “I wouldn’t call it that.”

“Then what is this?”

“We’re entering, not breaking,” Simon says, “After all, I didn’t have to break down the door or pick the lock. Luckily, someone forgot to properly close it.”

Yes, as if someone accidentally keeps a monument (or whatever this is) in Milan unlocked. There’s probably a guard trying to catch us as we walk.

We go back to the entrance. Now we have to sneak out unnoticed. There are two ways out, although one has been turned into a subway station if I’m correct, so that might be more difficult to sneak out.

“Relax,” Simon says when he sees me, “Just walk out like there’s nothing wrong. Most people think we were allowed to be here. If we look very suspicious, then they might realise that we got in without permission.”

“So you do go breaking and entering a lot?” I say. Simon didn’t answer before. “Oh, scusi, I mean, do you go entering without breaking a lot?”

Simon puts a finger on my lips and he winks. I lick his finger. He pulls away his hand in shock.

“Baz!”

Before Simon can say anything else, I give him a big kiss. No one can see us and I go all out. Simon doesn’t complain. We’ve kissed like this before, but in my flat, not in a public space in Milan. Merlin, am I going down on Simon in a bathhouse? Who am I?

“Hey!” we hear.

I pull back. Simon lets out an actual whine.

“C’è qualcuno!”

“Shit,” Simon says. Luckily, we’re already at the entrance and we sneak out unnoticed. Back outside, we act like there hasn’t been any entering without breaking.

I can’t believe someone ruined the moment, but try to explain to a possible guard that my boyfriend opened a door with magic.

Once outside we readjust our clothes and then we walk to the nearby tram station, the Porta Venezia. I planned for us to have dinner in Navigli, but as I mentioned in the park, I am an idiot and I didn’t realise that it’s on the other side of the city centre, but there’s a tram that departs every ten minutes.

I hope we get to sit in one of those cool historical trams, since the tram network has been present since the nineteenth century. That doesn’t happen. I have our tickets and we get in. It’s a half an hour tram ride with fifteen stops to Piazza 24 Maggio 12 dopo Viale Gorizia.

(I didn’t pay for the tram tickets, the same way I didn’t pay for the parking.) (I usually don’t magickally counterfeit money, but I am not paying for this overpriced crap.)

We’re at the edge of the neighbourhood. There is so much to see in Navigli, but we’re just here to have Aperitivo and dinner. Milan is too big to see in one go, so hopefully we’ll come back.

“Who needs Venice when you have these canals?” Simon says.

“I still want to see Venice one day,” I say. There are still so many places in Italy that I want to see, but I have enough time.

The Alzaia Naviglio Pavese is the street along the smaller canal, the Naviglio Pavese.

“Alzaia translates to towpath.”

This street is filled with people and bars. I can hardly call it path.

“I’m surprised you took me here,” Simon says as we walk down the street.

I raise an eyebrow in response.

Simon uses his free hand to gesture around. “I mean, it isn’t as posh and exquisite as the Galleria.”

It truly isn’t. The buildings are boring squares and there’s graffiti, but when I was looking up places to go in Milan, I wanted to see another side as well. Yes, I took Simon to some of the most well-known places in the city, but the pictures of Navigli really interested me.

Although I think we’re at the wrong canal. The other canal is called the Naviglio Grande. I don’t want to tell Simon that we are at the wrong canal, so I pretend that I have planned this route. We turn to the Via Magolfa and then to the Via Mario Fusetti to the Via Filipo Argelati. That’s how we get to the bigger canal.

“Oh, look!” Simon points to one of the terraces. I don’t see anything particularly important. “That bar is called FUNKY!”

“Does it have any significance?”

Simon shrugs. “I just like the name. Can we go there?”

I didn’t have any place to go. You can look through all the reviews on Google, but it will probably all be very touristy either. There must be places where the locals go for drinks, but I don’t have the time to figure all of that out.

So if Simon likes the name FUNKY!, we’re going to FUNKY!

There’s a nice table at the front, so we have a nice view on the canal. We order Aperol Spritz, because Agatha told me to order it, and we get complimentary olives and crisps and other little snacks. Merlin, I love Italy for supplying us with these little bites.

“I usually don’t do this,” Simon says as he swirls his glass.

“Do what?”

“Go out for Aperitivo. I don’t drink with my mum around, since she doesn’t like it.”

“She doesn’t like you drinking?”

“No, she doesn’t drink much. But this is nice.”

“Didn’t you go out with friends?”

“Never really had any,” Simon sighs.

“Never?”

“Or maybe I did,” Simon shrugs, “I mean, I had people to hang out with, but now that we’ve graduated, I will probably never see them again and that’s fine with me.”

I think about Dev and Niall. Crowley, I should call them.

We don’t have dinner at FUNKY!, since it’s a cocktail bar, but this street is filled with restaurants. It’s overwhelming and I can’t rely on Simon to help me out. He’s as unfamiliar with this place as I am.

“The best restaurants are for the locals,” Simon says as we look around several menus, “Plastic tables, cheap paper napkins, nonna in the kitchen, telly on… that’s the good stuff. And no one arrives before seven pm.”

We don’t care where we end up to, because I honestly don’t feel like looking for a place like Simon described. We’ll settle for a place catered to tourists, but we are tourists. Il cappellaio matto looks cute, so that’s enough. After all, we picked FUNKY! for the name.

“Thanks, by the way,” Simon suddenly says when we’re seated.

“Hm?”

“For the second date,” Simon says with a wink, “I know I gave you a tough act to follow, but you pulled through. We broke into an old bathhouse.”

“I thought we didn’t break into it.”

“Don’t tease.”

“You’re welcome. For the compliment on the date.”

“I love it, I really do,” Simon says, “I love you.”

I look up in shock. Simon also realises what he’s just said. He starts to sputter out an apology, but I put my hand on his to soothe him.

“I love you too, Simon.”

“I know it’s early to say that, but I do!”

“I know.” Do I? What exactly is ‘too early’ when it comes to the matter of the heart? I fell in love with him the moment I saw him. I didn’t fully get it until we had the date at the fascist shrine, but I did. Was that too early? I don’t think so.

Honestly, Simon freaking out about this is kind of endearing.

“I just- It’s almost as if I can feel it. Your love. Or my love. Or something.”

“Well, I sure hope you do have feelings for me, Snow,” I joke.

Simon blushes. “It’s just that being around you, makes me feel like a different person. It’s as if the atmosphere around us transforms. As if your love for me is tangible.”

I raise my eyebrow. "Since when are you a poet?"

"I'm serious,” Simon laughs out, “When I'm with you, I can literally feel something coming from you. Something that makes me want to be with you."

"Alright,” I let him humour me, “What do I feel like?"

"Hot. I mean temperature wise. Greasy, but in a good way. Like there's a flame that's waiting to be extinguished."

I almost choke on my drink.

“You- what? You feel that?”

“I told you it’s stupid,” Simon sputters out.

Simon’s just described my magic. I’ve always wondered if he feels my magic. He thinks it’s love. It’s weirdly emotional to hear him say that, even though it’s wrong. My magic is wild. My magic is fire and burning and scarring. My magic is like my mother’s.

I’ve never heard someone call it love.

“Snow, it’s not stupid. I feel it too.”

“You do?”

Circe, if only he knew. I’m lucky that I’ve gotten used to it, because his magic is everywhere. I wonder if Italian mages in Milan are currently wondering what the hell is going on.

“Yes, your m- love is hot as well. It’s everywhere. It’s leaking out of you.”

Simon scrunches up his nose. “That sounds kind of gross.”

“It’s a lot.”

“Well, I have a lot of love for you.”

What a sap.

Although this made it pretty clear that Simon doesn’t know anything about magic. Anyone else would recognise it for what it is, but I like the idea that we can feel love.

“To Milan!” I say and I raise my glass.

“To Milan!”

End notes: Like Baz, I had an incredibly difficult time finding information on the Duornio Venezia. As a result, take their entire route there with a huge grain of salt. I don’t even know if the location is correct. I put a lot of research into these trips (yes, spoilers, there will be more) and I cannot credit every damn source that I’ve used because a) I am dumb and I didn’t save them all and b) most of them were in Dutch.

But since I literally copy-pasted a part that Baz read out loud, I feel like I have to source that. Baz at one point reads from https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/albergo-diurno-venezia

#snowbaz #carry on #simon snow series #holy fuck I wrote #2021 #multichaptered #l'amor che move (il sole e l'altre stelle)#story: paradiso

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houseofvans · 6 years ago

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ART SCHOOL | INTERVIEW WITH JUSTINE JONES

Baltimore based artist and illustrator Justine Jones creates her vein of psychedelic fantasy horror drawings–filled with tiny black lines and an occasional pop of bright colors–which have been featured on the covers of Kobold Press and Warlock magazine. Using the hashtag #VisibleWomen to amplify the voices and portfolios of women comic artists, Justine has be able to do more illustrative work and character design. We’re excited to find out more about Justine’s artistic journey, her love of role-playing games, comics, art, her influences and much more. . . Take the leap!

Photography courtesy of the artist.

Introduce yourself? Hi, I’m Justine! I’ve lived in Baltimore Maryland for the past decade and currently live in a small apartment downtown with my partner and my shiba inu Mo, who is a cool and grumpy guy.

How would you describe your work to someone who is just coming across it? I used to call it storybook surrealism, but now I guess it’s more like psychedelic fantasy horror? Monsters and Wizards. Lots of tiny black lines, sometimes with lots of bright intense colors.

How did you start from doodling and drawing to what you do now? I feel like it sort of happened organically. When I was younger, I would do just pencil drawings, and then in my late teens, I got more into using micron pens. I didn’t really discover color until a few years ago, so I’m a huge color noob. I think a lot of it also came from working in comic shops for years and going to conventions. Seeing all of these amazing artists grow, and thinking hey, I could maybe also do that! I first started with t-shirt designs because it just seemed really fun, and I used to have a really hard time selling prints. People don’t need more prints, but they can always use clothes! Now i’m getting more into illustrative work and character design, and I’m loving it!

Who and what were some of your early artistic influences? When I was a baby, my dad hung an Aubrey Beardsley print over my crib. My mom thought it would make me deranged, and maybe it did, but it also made me love ink work and Art Nouveau style haha. I was obsessed with sword and sorcery stuff and loooved cartoons like He-Man and She-ra, and later, Pirates of Darkwater. I also spent a lot of time in elementary school copying sexy comic book ladies from 90s comics, and I know that is pretty far from what I do now, but it’s honestly how I learned to draw. I also copied a lot from children’s storybooks when I was little.

What are some things that inspire the drawings you make? What are some of your favorite creatures and beings you like to explore in your art? Video games are a huge inspiration to me, from SNES JRPGs, to games like Dark Souls and Bloodborne. Also folklore and mythology from around the world, and fantasy artwork from the 70’s, 80’s, and 90’s. Basically anything fantasy. My favorite things to draw are wizards and monsters. I love body horror, anything disgusting and beautiful at the same time. I take a lot of inspiration from Manga, like Berserk, or anything Junji Ito. I’ve done a lot of Illustrations for Clark Ashton Smith stories, which I find endlessly inspiring, visually. Just like, fantasy/ sci fi/ dying earth type stuff.

When did you start collaborating with Kobold Press on creating some awesome fantasy art covers for their publications? I remember getting the email from them when I was on the way to Necronomicon Providence in 2017. I thiiiink they found my stuff through the visible women hashtag on twitter? I was very excited because I owned some of their adventures from back in the day when I played Pathfinder!! Plus, I have always always wanted to draw things for table top RPGs, so it’s been really cool to actually do it! The Warlock mag that I’ve been doing covers for is awesome because it’s going for an old school DND vibe, but it’s all things that are made for 5th edition. You can get it on their patreon, and I hiiiighly recommend it to anyone who plays 5e dnd!!

Take us through your artistic process? What’s a typical day in the studio like? Haha extremely chaotic! I don’t even have a real set workspace, which I really need to change, I just draw where ever. Just chill out, listen to music or a podcast, and draw. If I’m further along in a drawing and don’t need to focus so much, I’ll watch movies or video gameπ– let’s plays while I’m drawing. I also love to listen to/ watch things that are in theme with what I’m drawing, to give me some inspiration. I try to go to coffee shops to change things up sometimes! Basically I just do a bunch of sketches until something materializes, and then I will just slowly refine the sketch. I guess it’s not that exciting, but it’s cool to see the first sketch and the finished product because in my head, the sketch always looked like the finished product, but when you go back to look at it, it’s usually just indecipherable scribbles.

What are your essential art tools and materials? 90% of my art is just done using a .05 mechanical pencil and micron pens. I also draw everything on smooth bristol. If I have time and want to make my lines super crisp before I scan them in, i will use a light box. Then for color, I generally use Kyle T Webster brushes in Photoshop with my Wacom tablet. If I’m on the go, I like to draw things in Procreate on my iPad Pro, but I’m definitely not as good at doing detailed lines digitally.

What do you do when you’re not drawing or working on projects? How do you unplug? Haha, I wish I ever truly unplugged, I think my brain is now melded into the internet! But mostly I love to play video games. JRPGs and anything From Software/ Soulsborne (currently obsessed with Sekiro!) I also love comics and manga. I’ve been reading The Girl From the Other Side, which is a beautiful dark fairytale Manga by Nagabe. I also just got one called Witch Hat Atelier, which has the most amazing art! My partner also owns an insane amount of board games, so we play a lot of those. I’m obsessed with coffee, and work part time at a coffee shop, and my favorite thing in the world to do is eat good food.

What has been the most challenging project you’ve worked on? How did you overcome those obstacles and what did you take away from it? I made a kind of cosmic horror short story in mini comic form last year for SPX, I had very little time, and it was my first time actually writing a story/ dialogue to go with my pictures. It was insanely challenging. I ended up with a finished product that I’m really proud of and that I’ve gotten a lot of positive feedback on. I think it really drove home the fact that I just need to stick with things and finish them, even if I don’t feel like they’re perfect. I’m never going to have the time that I want, and I’m never going to feel like anything is perfect. I can still make a great thing!

What advice would you give someone who wants to follow in your footsteps and pursue art? Don’t spend 4 years doing nothing, but playing World of Warcraft (Or doooo?). Uhhh, believe in yourself. Be nice to other artists. Draw all the time! Immerse yourself in things that inspire you! Also, like I said before, things don’t need to be perfect. Let go of perfect, because sometimes it’s an unattainable ideal. Just do as good as you can, and don’t beat yourself up so much! I’m horrible at advice!!!

What’s your best Art School tip that you want to share with folks? Haha, I moved to Baltimore to go to MICA like, 14 years ago, and then realized I was poor, and would never be able to go to MICA… sooo… I never went to real art school. I wanted to go so bad, and I still wish I’d had that experience, but I want other people who can’t afford it to know that you don’t NEED it. Things are a bit harder, but you can find so much free info online if you have the drive, you can teach yourself so many things. Don’t get discouraged just because art school isn’t gonna happen for you.

What are your favorite style of VANS? I love my lavender/ sea fog Authentic Vans, because they basically go with anything, but I am always eyeing those Sk8-His.

Anything you can share that is coming up? Ahhhh, I have some realllly cool things that I can’t share yet, but just everyone keep an eye out (It will be very exciting, i swear)!! As for things I can share, I’m working on some new t-shirt designs, and another comic, and also plan on drawing some more cool wizards in my spare time. So if you wanna see some cool wizards, uhhh, come to my Instagram–you guys! Let’s hang out and look at wizards. And talk about wizards. And if you don’t like wizards well, don’t come I guess.

FOLLOW JUSTINE: INSTAGRAM | WEBSITE | TWITTER | STORE

#Art #Vans #Vans Art #Justine Jones #Vans Girls #Comics #illustration #Art School #Interview #Baltimore

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esotheria-sims · 6 years ago

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Hi Esotheria, I was on Pinterest and saw some TS4-TS2 converted accessories from Toksik by "Chanel" but when I click the link to find the simblr, it only connects to the image of the converted cc. Do you know how I can find this Simblr or if you have any of their CC? Thank you for your help ^-^ can you also recommend any elven-inspired jewelry for me, please? :3

I do indeed! :) @chanelwwww is the Tumblr, and I’m guessing the accessories you’re talking about are these? Chanel’s simblr is still intact (pics, links, etc.) so you can browse to your heart’s content!

As for elf-appropriate jewelry… well, that would depend on your own idea of elves? :) For me personally, anything works as long as it’s a bit more ornate, medieval-ish, fantasy, or nature-inspired… so in other words, any jewelry that isn’t strictly modern or contemporary.

- For medieval jewelry, don’t look any further than PlumbBob Keep! Some personal favorites of mine are Wawa’s European parure sets & Anne of Bavaria jewels, and Maya40′s Cersei Lioncoin necklace. And while we’re talking PBK and elves, there’s these elven circlets by Rebellina and this cool TS2 version of Thranduil’s crown (more recolors here).

- Maybe not elvish jewelry per se, but Hat shared tons of awesome medieval accessories in this post. The pics are unfortunately busted, but trust me, wading through the post is well worth it.

- When we’re talking fantasy jewelry, I’m really partial to Maya40′s creations. Check out her crown accessories & tiaras and GoT-inspired jewelry sets (tiaras, Sansa’s accessories, Cersei’s accessories).

- Kativip’s Fusion accessories are also worth checking out!

- Some of the chinese accessories from MT-Cakestore could also double as fantasy/elvish accessories.

- These Art Nouveau accessories by Vampire_of_Death at GoS give me very elvish vibes, especially the headpiece!

- And here’re some more Art Nouveau necklaces by ClubCrimsyn! And no, I don’t know why I keep equaling elvish to Art Nouveau, so don’t bother asking. :p

- Martini converted this super-pretty necklace+earrings combo, and Skell recolored it (as well as a few other lovely meshes!)

-If you’re a fan of more discreet jewelry, check out these lovely lockets and earrings by Yandereplum.

- Lidiqnata also shared some elvish circlets a while ago. (they’re somewhere around the center of the page)

- This cute daisy crown by Lilith could work well for nature elves!

- And speaking of flower crowns, there’s a gorgeous one by Xenoriarose! (more recolors of it are in that big Accessory dump post by Hat I linked above)

- Even MOAR flower crowns by Nymphy! ✾

- And by JulieJ! ✿

- And by Azaya! ❀

- And by Zerodark! ❃

- And one by Erschsims! (kindly reuploaded at the Gamevn forum. Check out the rest of the thread for even more cool accessories!)

-Violette (Purpleashell @ Tumblr) has some cute accessories that fall under the ‘not necessarily elvish but pretty nonetheless’ category… She’s shared a lot more on the Sims2City forum though, such as this lovely snowflake jewelry set (direct link if you can’t access the forum) which I’ve put on my elven lady Aruena.

- These aren’t strictly elvish, either, but the third earrings in this post by Whysim are just too pretty to miss out on! While you’re at it, I recommend you also check out the rest of Whysim’s downloads, as you’re sure to find some hidden gems (such as these necklaces, or these delicate earrings that might work for you if you don’t tend to give your elves huge floppy ears like I do. :D)

- Back to Chanel again, but I just remembered these singlet rings that could pass as royal jewelry for your elven lords (come to think of it, I might just put them on my own elven noble! :D)

- Old but definitely gold, this star jewelry set from Liana (#41) would look smokin’ on your elven ladies! I’m also quite fond of set #46 from here.

- Another oldie, but this headwear set by Rose (fourth pic) also deserves a mention!

*BONUS: The following accessory sets fit the theme but their download links no longer work, so I’m reuploading them. All due credits go to the original creators!

DOWNLOAD: Daislia Narcissus set (Mirror) | Eir-sims Metal Feather headband | IlTrono crown | Gabi’s Store ‘Dark Romance’ 4t2 Accessories

And if this STILL wasn’t enough, you’re more than welcome to check out my Accessories board on Pinterest or see what other accessories people have asked for under my WCIF Accessories tag. :) Have fun browsing! (and my condolences to your Downloads folder)

#ask #Anonymous #wcif #wcif bodyshop #wcif accessories

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threeddesignwb · 2 years ago

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Self Critique Wire Project

Self Critique

Wileshia Bryant

Title: Retro Roller

Dimensions: 18in. x 11in.

I named my piece “Retro Roller” after being inspired by 1960’s and 70’s fashion trends. The Roller-Skate is an icon of fun in it’s essence and it expresses a certain philosophy that I try to live by. Things should be fun, especially art. I chose to break the skate up into parts; the shoe, the trucks, the wheel, and the tongue. Overall I believe the project was a success. I love that I was able to put my own spin on it as far as the design goes. It does feel a bit gimmicky to me. If i had more time I would’ve loved to make smaller flowers or not use flowers at all.I really wanted to go for a more art nouveau style the mades up the psychedelic vibes of the late 60’s and 70’s.

Five things that I feel enhance my work would be the stylized flower design, the clean lines to make it look like an obvious skate, the choice of the zig-zag tongue design which I was going to originally leave out, the simplification of the trucks and other complex structures of the skate itself, and the attention to the knots to make the entire piece look aesthetically pleasing. I used a combination of both double twisted and single wire to give more dimension to the lines seen. While making finishing touches to the piece I had to leave out certain structures like shoe strings and a toe stopper in order to keep the piece from looking too busy.

Five things that could be improved on would be the structure of my wheels first. With more time I could've thought of my more interesting design or I coulee added a functional element to the work, making the wheels spin. I’m not an engineer but it would’ve been a cool addition.It was also hard enough getting the wheels to be circular or sit flat once I had finished creating the trucks. I also would have designed my wheels to look more full if I had more time to work on this. The flower designs are cool to me but how I imagined it is differently than how it turned out.

The most challenging part of the project was creating the wheels and trucks. The actually skate itself had a complex design for tucks.. It’s three dimensional and has all sort of curves and cuts to be a functional skate.Since I was just making a model there was no need to replicate it exactly so I did have to simplify a lot. And with the simplification I sort of had to design my own truck. A lot of it was improved as I went. I just wanted it to look like a skate as much as possible. They took the most time and were very different to imagine coming together. Also believe it or not the flowers were a lot more difficult to create than I had originally imagined. I used a few different processes to try to make all the petals the same size and shape; most of which involved wrapping wire around different home objects to see which one would give me the best curve. (it was my T-tool in the end)

If I had to do this project again I would spend more time actually designing my trucks instead of improvising after I had gotten the minimum measurements. Of course time was a big issue for me as well. I would've lover to make a functional wheel and I don’t think it would've been too difficult if I would've taken the proper time to understand how such a wheel would work. Also like I mentioned earlier in the critique is the design. Though I’m proud of how it came out, I would’ve liked a design more relevant to art history that would maybe connect with a wider audience. I think the design is borderline cheesy and commercial. From this project I learned how much I enjoy using my hands to create things. I’ve always enjoyed getting down and dirty and it’s so interesting to me see an idea in my head come to life in the physical. I think that my be my favorite part about art in general but I’m always amazed end the end. I’ve also learned the importance of process and planning and documentation.

I feel as if I deserve a successful grade. My work could’ve been cleaner especially if I payed more attention to details. I do think I got it done though. I made sure it was the correct size and material. I could've utilized my time more effectively sure, but I did not turn in an unfinished piece. My knots were clean for the most part and I also filled otherwise empty space with an interesting and eye capturing design that would if anything make the viewer look at my work for that much longer. I also think the connection with the retro vibe of the skate adds an extra layer to the work, a historical narrative almost which was done intentionally. Because I chose a unique object and saw the vision through to the end, I think I deserve an A.

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fadingfartconnoisseur · 7 years ago

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Guide to Ljubljana, Slovenia – The Old, Alternative and Green Capital of Europe

My trip to Ljubljana was a combination of a #EuroCityTrip project to highlight the city as a ‘cool neighbour’ to Austria’s second largest city of Graz in partnership with both city tourism offices. Perfect as part of a multi-country city hopping trip, you’ll be surprised how much they have in common being so close to one another.

Slovenia’s capital of Ljubljana is all the pretty things you hear about.

Except Ljubljana is more than the sum of its charming Old Town status that many do not look beyond, thereby setting a course in time for overcrowding as well as missing out on the young, artistic minds that have come to also shape the city.

Ljubljana is a mix of the old and charming, dominated by the architectural visions of the father of design, Plečnik; the hip cultural and art scene alive in alternative neighbourhoods and the student influence; and with access to relaxation and adventure in the surrounding countryside, where 70% of Slovenia’s population reside.

It’s a small capital city combining all means of exploration and interests in one. Being located in the centre of Slovenia means having a pivotal point to explore all corners of the country easily, which can be easily done via day trips. And that’s before you start thinking of your ‘Euro City Trip’ further, and how you are easily connected and in good distance to neighbouring Italy and Croatia, as well as Austria and Ljubljana’s ‘sister city’ and cool neighbour of Graz (which was the city hopping route I took).

Ljubljana has a ‘small town feel’ but with big European capital vibes, which is what you can expect from a capital that is nestled between central Europe and the Mediterranean.

My four days there was a perfect introduction to the variation of European capitals in central Europe and to my first foray into Slovenia. Here’s my guide to Ljubljana and its multi-faceted layers for all kinds of curious traveller. Living in Austria, I certainly have no excuses to not return…

Ljubljana Charm: The Old Town

Like any visitor, the Old Town was top of my list to explore. Like most former medieval strongholds, it’s compact yet full of a long, historical timeline of architectural styles and charms. In Ljubljana, this means endless cobblestone conveyor belts of streets that present numerous bridges, intricate townhouse facades, palaces, fountains, statues, monuments, churches and squares (of which Trg Republike next to the Slovenian parliament building is the largest).

Place all of that within the Mediterranean atmosphere of streets lined with tables, humming outdoor markets, a slew of coffee shops and those revelling in wine tasting and locals casually wheeling past pastel boulevards on their bicycles, and you’ve got yourself a very attractive city.

A city that has preserved a huge timelines of historical changes, which is what cultural geeks like me get really excited about.

There are still remains of the Roman city of Emona in the serene, green-filled outer city suburb of Trnovo – one of the oldest areas of the city, built outside of the city medieval walls, that used to be home to the fisherman.

Then you have the remnants of the medieval days including the 15th century old town hall on Mestni trg and when you stroll Vegova Ulica Street to follow the course of the former medieval town wall, where a tower still stands at the end of the street.

Renaissance era and Baroque (the latter designs found mostly in Stari trg, the oldest part of the city) fill the town, as they do in most European cities, providing the kind of charming city campus we all love to experience in variation across the continent. In Ljubljana, the more quirky Art Nouveau structures from the early 20th century can be found in the area between the old city and railway station.

The Dragon’s Bridge, adorned with giant emerald green dragon figures is the city’s first Art Nouveau creation made in 1901.

Then of course, there is the design works of Plečnik – Ljubljana’s famous architect and urban designer.

Ljubljana’s Modern Architectural Legacy: Jože Plečnik’s Urban Design

In Vienna, I live just minutes from some structures designed by the Slovenian father of design. He left his visionary marks in many parts of Europe (having studied in Graz, Vienna and later becoming the Chief Architect in charge of Prague castle renovation), but he transformed his hometown of Ljubljana in the period between the two world wars (the era referred to as ‘Plečnik’s Ljubljana’).

All his works in Ljubljana were created in less than 20 years and his constructions here are rated some of the most prominent works of European art of the 20th Century. You likely stumble or stroll upon them without realising but the main design works include:

The Cobbler’s Bridge (connecting Mestini trg to Stari trg) designed to be a ‘square’ above the water.

The Triple Bridge (where two bridges were added to an original stone bridge) and the Butcher’s bridge (to create more space in the central market’s colonnade for trading) which you can spot by the love locks and opaque floor.

There’s also the Žale Cemetery, the promenade in Tivoli Park (Ljubljana’s largest) and the National and University Library.

I visited the NUK Café in the library to take part in an honourary Plečnik tradition – for tea, just as it was made for him by his housekeeper, in a strainer cup just like the one he used, and served with a honey biscuit (Plečnik loved honey) – before heading to his house (Karunova 4-6) in Trnovo that is now a permanent exhibition and has been left the exact same way since his death in 1957.

You can grab a map of Plečnik’s 39 works in Ljubljana from the Tourism Information centre and go on a self-guided walk.

Modern Slovenian Cuisine in Old Ljubljana. Reinventing Tradition

Not only is it about the architecture, but Ljubljana thrives on the atmosphere that comes from the food and drink scene that mixes traditional with the modern in a city where young local chefs and international kitchen wizards are the force behind the reinvention.

We had lunch in Atelji, cooked up by one of Ljubljana’s award-winning chefs. Other recommendations include healthy menu of Mala Terasa Bistro in the Skyscraper Nebotičnik for food with a view, and to sample the international influence of Slovenian cuisine check out the Japanese chef influence at Bazilika and the middle-eastern feasts at Abi Falafel.

However, to get a real taste for how vast the option are in Ljubljana, the Open Kitchen Market should be top of your list. Every Friday the best chefs and city eateries come together, each with their own stall for locals and visitors to enjoy dishes on the spot. All washed down with fines wines, a good crowd and some music pumping in the background. It’s crowded, but for good reason.

Ljubljana Castle: The Symbol of the City

If there was ever a breakfast so wonderfully presented 376 metres on the hill, it is at the restaurant Gostilna na Gradu at Ljubljana castle and a great way to begin the exploration up here. In showcasing traditional eats and local ingredients, this breakfast serving is a part of a project established in 2015 giving hoteliers and restaurants the chance to bring farm to table.

The site of a former fortress, military warehouse, army barracks, prison and even apartments is worth strolling, especially for the panorama views and walks along the old ramparts and towers.

It’s a complex catalogue of Ljubljana’s past – whose early beginnings in the early 1100’s are recorded before being turned into a stone fortress in the 13th century, where it came under the estate of the Habsburgs in 1335 who demolished it and rebuilt it as new. It was ‘repurchased’ in 1905 by the then major of Ljubljana from Austro-Hungarian authorities.

The castle is now the core symbol of the city and the most visited tourist attraction, complete with interactive exhibitions on Slovene and Ljubljana history. There’s even stones with fossils dating back 310 million years! So take the one-minute funicular ride up, whether for breakfast, the city views or to enjoy one of the many social and cultural events like theatre shows, open-air cinema screenings, ‘Castle Summer Nights’ concerts and major annual events, including the Pink Week Ball that I attended.

Modern, Gritty Ljubljana – The Alternative Arts Scene

I’m always seeking out the ‘other side’ to these pretty pastel old cities, and of course in Ljubljana, artists have found their space for expression.

While small murals can be found in the old town, like the images above, you’ll know when you’ve crossed into the more gritty neighbourhoods.These corners of the city are home to street art, sculpture art, and artist galleries and studios that are home to an underground music scene of alternative bars and clubs at night. I couldn’t imagine Ljubljana without this contrast, since it’s such a striking and fascinating difference to the Old Town.

Metelkova (which is a site of an abandoned barracks, turned urban squat, turned artists studios) is therefore the place to be to experience new Ljubljana, whose injection of cool partly comes from its 60,000 students.

In the day time, I loved photographing the eclectic mix of art, from wall mosaics to giant sculptures (including a horror-house looking façade of giant sperm), and at night I ventured out to revel with the cool kids and students of the city as they party in these clubs and gather in droves on these very streets. I got a good feel for the real Ljubljana as it stands today – young, vibrant and outrageously artistic.

The hostel on site, should you want to base yourself here, is a former prison where all rooms are former cells and made to still look like them (but with more comfortable touches!).

I was told there wasn’t a lot to see at the Rog Factory, which is a short walk away from Metelkova, but I disagree. Should the door to the site be open, it’s well worth a wander. One room was an ariel silk practice area, others artists were working away in their small studios and the courtyard was filled with junk art, murals and even a robot sculpture made of metal. It’s a fascinating, reformed space where anything goes.

Green Ljubljana – Adventures in City Nature

Ljubljana is described as a “small capital with a green soul”, which means there’s plenty more to visually feast on than the gorgeous old town architecture. Central Slovenia is a blanket of nature filled with lakes, hills and mountains. Look out for my next post where I will be exploring all the hiking, biking and countryside fun in and around Ljubljana, which you can easily combine with a trip to the city.

The heart of Slovenia and a lesser-known darling of central Europe, Ljubljana will charm you with its old town, but surprise you with how much more it has to offer. It might just be time to re-think your European city-hopping route.

Things to Know:

How to Get to Ljubljana and Around

Well connected by rail, European buses like Flix and by plane, the Slovenian company GoOpti also operates car transfers between neighbouring cities and neighbouring country airports in Germany, Austria, Croatia and Italy. We took the GoOpti transfer from Graz to Ljubljana and I also took it back to Vienna from Ljubljana, where you share a car with other travellers booked on the same journey or route. You are reminded about your journey via text both 24 hours before and when your vehicle has arrived.

Attractions in Ljubljana

The Ljubljana card is an all-inclusive card giving you access to over 20 major attractions and museums, travel on the city buses, a guided city tour and 24-hour Internet access. You can save 10% by booking online.

24 hours: €27

48 hours: €34

72 hours: €39

Where to Stay in Ljubljana

I stayed in Hotel Gallaria, a part of the Old Town and on its quiet fringes. It sits on the corner of some restaurants and coffee shops (which are open until late!), and is a five minute walk to the very centre of the old town where the action is.

The former prison turned design hostel in the alternative area of Metlekova is called Celica Art Hostel, with 20 unique cell rooms to choose from. It’s five minutes walk from the main train station and 10 to the very heart of town.

For those looking for luxury, the 4 star Grand Union Hotel, just metres from Preseren Square and the Triple Bridge. From the early 20th century, it is the oldest in the city, built during the Austro-Hungarian monarchy. It is considered to be one of the most significant Art Nouveau architectural structures in central Europe.

Getting Around Ljubljana

In the Old Town, which is a vehicle free zone, a free shuttle bus/buggy system exists where you can get from one end of the Old Town to another quickly. It’s super handy at times, although the joy is in walking.

If you want to use the bus (without a Ljubljana card), you will need to purchase an ‘Urbana’ card from a newspaper stand. It costs €2. Each bus tickets cost €1.20 and is valid for 90 minutes.

Bikes are everywhere in Ljubljana, to the point where you’ll feel like you are in Amsterdam. Should you wish to join the city cyclists, bicycles can be hired in summer and autumn from the Slovenian Tourist Information Centre on Krekov trg 10, for €2 for 2 hours and €8 for two hours or more. You can also use the Bicike(LJ) hire network with 36 docking stations around the city. The first hour is free and every additional hour is €1. You have to register online first.

Ljubljana City Tours and Excursions in Slovenia

There’s a whole host of city tours and day excursions, from culinary and cultural walks, to beer and bicycle tours, as well as day trips to many parts of Slovenia and neighbouring countries such as Italy. All can be booked from the Tourism Office in the heart of the Old Town on Stritarjeva ulica (street). Slovenia is so small, it is said you can visit any point of the country in a day.

What time of the Year is Best to Visit Ljubljana?

Ljubljana is considered to have a ‘continental climate’ making it both a winter haven, given the rolling green that surrounds it, and with beautiful Mediterranean climate in the summer months

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