#i like the earthly color palette

[richea]

Inomata’s Design Notes & Memories - Destiny Cast

Some notes:

I’ve linked images of each thing she references below.

Unlike the first batch of Eternia characters I previously posted, these were in Japanese. And unlike the Destiny 2 ones I translated, she talks about her experiences with the characters in the game and not just her design processes!

The book in question is this one.

What I think about most when designing characters is their colors and the components to their look. The characters are displayed as such small sprites, so in order to be able to differentiate them from each other, I give each of them a specific color palette and unique accessories to each of their outfits.

Stahn’s thing was his scarf. I also made sure his shoulder pads, gloves, and boots looked huge.

Rutee is supposed to be a thief, so I made her look a bit like a ninja. I didn’t want her to look too girly, so I gave her shorts and exposed her navel. For colors I went with red and black, since that’s a distinctive palette. Whenever I’d do boss battles, she’d always be joyfully picking 2 gald off the ground instead of healing my very low HP characters (laughs). I thought about removing her from my party to prevent this, but then I’d feel bad, and it just made me think “this is all part of her plot” (laughs).

Philia is a priestess through and through. I went for white and green to give her an earthly feel (laughs). Her glasses and braids were a strong request from Namco. I came up with designs for her, but they didn’t have the glasses or braids, so they were repurposed for the priests in Straylize Temple. It was the basis for Philia’s design as well as Elraine’s in the sequel. Philia has her eye on Stahn, but he eats too much and he oversleeps. I feel like they’d work out better if Philia was more the assertive type herself (laughs).

Woodrow is an archetypical handsome man, so I didn’t have much to stress about when designing him. He’s a king, so I wished he had a stronger atmosphere behind him. I almost never used him when playing the game though (laughs). When you break into Dycroft, I thought, “it’d be really cool in a narrative sense to use him here, but he’s just so weak”. But you get special dialogue if you take him along, so I went “tsk” and brought him anyway. ���Just stick to the backlines and don’t die” (laughs).

Leon’s really easy to draw, so again I didn’t have much to stress about when drawing him. He has a princely vibe to him, so I gave him white tights, but everyone was taken back by it! I thought, “is it that weird?” and ended up making them less tight fitting (laughs). He acts a bit snobbish, gets seasick easily and refuses to eat vegetables, so he really crosses off a lot on the “young master” list. He’s also really fun to use in battle (laughs). He has a really low defense stat but he hits fast, so it’s crucial that you string your combos together. When paired with Stahn, if you can isolate your bosses in the far side of the screen, they go down quite fast. Then I see the popup that Rutee’s picking gald off the floor again and I just use healing items on him (laughs).

I wanted to make Chelsea cute and small, so I based her image off of little birds. I gave her a palette of pink, green and blue, and made her hair look like a cockatoo or parrot. Her bloomers look like a paper lantern and I find them quite cute (laughs). Her life story makes me want to cry though. She’s fine and all in the first game, but in the sequel, she’s still wearing those bloomers from when she was a kid, living all alone on a snowy mountain. And if you go through her drawers, you can take something that Woodrow gave to her. I felt so bad, I thought “even though it’s so out of the way, I’ll go buy all the items you need!” (laughs). Then she makes all of these bows for you, but by then, I’d already enhanced my weapons a lot… But I felt so bad that I never Refined them and thought, “I’ll keep these on me forever” (laughs).

Johnny’s original idea was “troubadour,” but as the story progressed and I gave him his hat and all sorts of plumes, he came out a bit comical (laughs). He’s a really fun character to have in your party though, and I fell in love with him right away. I love that his tone-deafness does physical damage to the enemies (laughs).

With the Swordians, they have the will of humans and I wanted to incorporate that into their designs, but it didn’t seem to fit so I went for something more inorganic. Berselius alone has a creepy aura to him, and when Destiny 2 came around I thought “But his owner is such a nice person! Is it really okay for him to have such a creepy design?” but then I thought well, maybe Harold just likes things that way (laughs).

[zilodak]

do you have a thought process behind the coloring of your pieces? your art always has the most gorgeous green undertones and i dont really know how id go through the process of picking the colors like that!! i luv ur work sm <3

I tend to change it a lot when I'm not sure what mood I'm going for. When I do know, I have a set color scheme I want to stay in.

Green is my favorite color, it's extremely versatile in my opinion. Green can represent a positive mood but also set a mysterious tone. It can both signify technology and nature. It's an earthly color, it's very human and intimate too. I tend to think of the other colors as a secondary color.

I want to take a look at some of my illustrations as examples (and not my doodles bc those are more experimental)

With this piece for example, I was going for a pastel look. The green undertone here is washed up because I wanted it to look like an old fading photograph. It's more earthly and desaturated, natural, fading, even a bit melancholic. The pastel look comes second. The pink is washed out as well, but with the greens it still pops out.

Here I wanted to portray an artificialness to their relationship. You can see that something is not quite right and that's thanks to the saturated green in the background. Not only does it divide the foreground from the background, it highlights Johnny and Selin's subtle actions. You notice that Selin's turning her head towards Johnny while Johnny nonchalantly looks forward. It's a conflicting palette on purpose.

[artsofmetamoor]

Hey! I want you to know never doubt it, your art is FAN-TASTIC 👀 and it deserves all the praise it can get! 💖✨️❤️

How do you come up with your designs for the characters? Diego in particular; how did you come up with the design or the color scheme and the like! Seems a complicated process of thought!

Thank you so much for your incredibly kind words, it means a lot!! ❤️❤️❤️❤️

Oh gosh, there's a bit to unpack here, but I'll try not to drag it! Diego is an interesting choice, not many people ask me about him, you are very attentive stranger! It's kind of funny because when I first created him he had a simple antagonistic role, mainly because I didn’t have much experience with character design or storytelling at the time. Both him and my skills are still growing.

When designing a character, I start by exploring their personality, background, and role in the story. So now I aimed to capture Diego's inner qualities and flaws, as well as how his environment and relationships influence him. From his pose, to the way he carries himself, his expressions, the silhouette of his body e.t.c. all of that must hint to the viewer who is is as a person.

For instance Diego has mostly the role of an archer in the rebellion, so he should have well-developed upper arms and shoulders. However, given his stealthy and cunning nature, I imagined him to be toned and athletic rather than overly muscular despite being a warrior. Additionally, Diego has a subtle 'posh' vibe to him even when he's being erratic, which I try to show through small details like elegant movements or the gestures of his hands.

After deciding his body structure I move over to all the other details that add to his character. For example I also wanted his clothes to balance his personality with his role in a rebellion, so they are a bit more elegant for a rebel, reflecting his slightly vain nature, but I also tried to portray them as practical. Everything he wears has a purpose, whether it’s for mobility, stealth, or durability in battle. The elegance in his attire is subtle, maybe in the cut of his tunic or the way his boots are laced, but it’s there, showing that he’s someone who cares about how he presents himself. Now that I think about it Diego is pretty much like an elf ranger 😆

As far as his colors go, one of the first things I knew I wanted for Diego was red hair. Even though it’s a bit cliché, I felt it symbolized the fiery aggression he carries inside. As his character developed, the red hair came to represent not just aggression, but also his passion, determination, and his intense need to prove himself (feelings he often keeps hidden). The color also reflects how he loves fiercely, sometimes to the point of self-destruction. I focused on keeping his hair red and built the color scheme around it because having that one fixed detail made the rest of the design process easier for me.

After that I used complementary and softer colors such as greens and earthly browns to highlight his outfit, eyes e.t.c.

It can definitely seem daunting to create something from scratch, I always try to go back to basics so things don't turn into a rumble in my head. For example, when I'm choosing color schemes for either characters or environments I tend to just look back at color theory, and I know that might seem dull, but it’s incredibly important and useful for understanding how colors interact and complement each other (just like it is important to understand anatomy for drawing figures).

I won’t dive into the technical details since there are plenty of online tutorials, but one reference I highly recommend is James Gurney’s book Color and Light. It’s been a game-changer for me and it's a tool I frequently return to when I feel stuck in my coloring process:

Palette generators are also useful resources:

https://color.adobe.com/create/color-wheel

Even stuff like character creator and dress-up games can be surprisingly effective for inspiration and kick starting a base for character designs and color schemes if you are feeling stuck. Some of our most beloved original characters started from this, combined with the techniques I mentioned above. For example, Dilla was initially created by @katerinaaqu using one of these games (left). I then drew her and fleshed out her body structure and tailored her appearance to better fit her personality and physical descriptions, as we both envisioned her (right) :

With this I also must point out that the development of Diego and the entirety of Chronicles of Metamoor was a team effort. My friend @katerinaaqu, an awesome writer who collaborates with me on this project, played a big role in shaping these characters. Her detailed descriptions, stories, and insights were very important to bring them all to life ❤️

I think this is all for now. I apologize if this explanation was a bit general, but if you (or anyone else) have more questions about Diego’s design or any of our other characters, or even just any general question feel free to ask! Your support and interest in my art and our story mean a lot to me, thank you so much! ❤️🌹

[gattnk]

It's hard to forget Ang-Lì and Mefisto, for the oddest reasons.

These two were unlucky enough to become cut content in the cartoon, and I can see why: the cast was huge, the new plot had a stronger focus on the protagonists, and sadly Ang-Lì and Mefisto were sort of... tertiary in the comics. While it seems like the comic was just about to pick up the pace with them, it got discontinued right before they got their moment to shine. I did my best to take all of this into account, and here's my resulting notes on the redesign process:

I dug up all I could about these two to make sure I understood their characters as much as possible, since the comics themselves shared very little. Finding the extra content that came with the comics was crucial (the original printed issues included all sorts of cool stuff you'd expect from kid magazines at the time).

I noticed how Ang-Lì is usually very enthusiastic in the comic, often cracking a joke or two mid conversation, and he also has a passion for earthly comic books. I gave him pretty plain clothes to contrast with his joking nature, represented by the yellow-orange. This way the color and his personality really pop up!

According to the extra content, Mefisto's super laidback about most things, with the exception of music: he's a metalhead who may or may not pirate his favorite Earth bands, who's also the vocalist of the devils, and can't make it through the day without his headphones. So I just went with the classic metalhead look: dark shirt, washed jeans, wallet chain and thick wristbands. The duller colors go really well with all the green hair, it doesn't feel like too much.

I tried to emphasize their interests with their accessories since their clothes are quite plain compared to the other redesigns. Since Mefisto's headphones are so important to him, they also had to pop out, hence the orange, white and toxic green. In the meantime, Ang-Lì's kicks are a pun of sorts: he keeps the jokes running. lol.

Turns out Ang-Lì's mascot is a stick bug, who knew? He keeps it in his shirt pocket like a pencil, as a bit of a joke. Meanwhile Mefisto places his gecko mascot on his wallet chain, like those lizard keychain bottle openers that used to be popular in the 2000s. I thought it represented their respective natures well.

I actively chose to swap Mefisto's skin color. The devils could use a bit more variety, honestly, and it still holds homage to his old color palette. Besides, you don't see many black metalheads in media and that's a shame! Rock on my metal siblings!

Ang-Lì had a pretty solid design from the start that still holds up well, so the biggest personal change was the haircut. everything else (clothes aside) I kept pretty much the same.

That would be it for these two! Honestly, keeping their character essence was particularly easy, compared to my other redesigns (yes, even easier than Raf/Sulfus). Even with the little content we have, all in all they're pretty solid characters! So yeah, they deserved to be brought back. I did my best to give them the spotlight more often in my script, let's see if I do them justice!

I'll Fly With You (rewrite fic) Art masterpost

[snowflake-sage]

Something to help understand/interpret my art, also lore dump (if you care):

Mae and Sage both are my sonas, Mae is my MAIN sona, she’s literally ME, and Sage represents an ASPECT of me.

Mae uses She/her pronouns and Sage uses He/him, they are both non-binary characters that represent different aspects of my gender experience. Mae represents the more physical gender experiences Ive had, and Sage represents more so what my gender is. (This is sort of hard to explain, Mae represents the experiences I’ve had in relation to my physical body that I was born with, and the experiences I’ve had in society and how society has interpreted me and my gender. She’s still accurate to my gender, but her design is more surface level and obvious. Sage on the other had, represents my gender experience at its CORE, and how I actually feel as an individual, despite my body. I feel like I am simply experiencing a feminine experience in some ways because of my body and how society sees me, but I don’t feel like who I am at my core can be put into any box, hence me being non-binary. I feel very much like I’m sort of playing a game and this is just the avatar I have, and that who I am is neither male nor female. I just happen to have more experiences in one regard because of how I was born. Sage is the aspect that cannot be boxed. He is both masculine and feminine, and also neither male or female. He’s just SAGE.) (this is also extremely personal to MY OWN gender experience so if you don’t relate to this don’t think to hard about it, this is literally how I interpret my own identity, it probably doesn’t make any sense to anyone else)

Back to Mae representing my more physical life experience, she carries a lot of my trauma and bad experiences. She represents every part of me that has ever been hurt.

Sage represents a part of me that is less in the earthly experience. If you know what a “higher self” is, that’s basically what Sage is in relation to Mae. He is an aspect of me, and therefore an aspect of Mae, they’re part of the same character. He acts as a sort of “guardian angel” who loves Mae more than anything and he would literally go any length for her. Representative of the innate love that I feel like everyone has for themself until society fucks us over and makes us hate ourselves.

Sage and Mae are NOT romantic towards each other (any art drawn of that is non-canon, sometimes I’m bored) , they are more like a queer-platonic relationship. I wouldn’t say they’re “just friends” because their lore and story and relationship is pretty complex and doesn’t fit that box for me.

Sage is an angel in canon, that takes a physical form which is the form I always draw, I’m working on drawing his true form for lore but I’m still designing it.

Sage is an angel of healing, which is why he’s so tender and gentle towards Mae and in general such a honey.

Sage is an angel of healing, and represents the higher self, but he also represents the shadow self (if you don’t know what that is, google is your friend). He carries the pain and trauma from Mae indirectly. This is why he has a darker color palette, since he represents Mae’s shadow (I actually am contemplating a few other alternate palettes for him , a crème color palette as well a blue one, as I work through the lore I’ll decide when those apply). He is NOT a dark angel or an evil angel. His character is multifaceted and complex, and his color palette just represents what I just explained. There are evil angels in my oc lore universe but their color palette doesn’t represent that bc I think that concept is overused, also I like being ironic. Sage having a darker palette is again, linked to his relation to Mae and the trauma he carries from her.

Even though Sage is small and sweet looking he is literally insanely powerful, like CRAZY strong

Sage being the shadow self, and also being so close and loving to Mae represents that our shadow self is not a part of us that is bad and needs to be pushed away, but actually a part of us that is just hurt and desperately needs love and healing.

I draw a lot of art of Mae and Sage embracing, either lovingly or during times of turmoil. I draw a lot of art of Mae being physically or mentally hurt and being comforted or embraced by Sage, Sage having different reactions situationally. A lot of the time, Mae is representing the physical effects of trauma, and Sage is the inner self mourning/crying/ suffering the trauma. Sort of like how you feel terrible for your child self for being mistreated, or how you feel bad for yourself because of the experiences you’ve had. It’s like a depiction of self pity, but also in a way, self love. It’s like holding yourself and crying for how the world has hurt you, and wishing better for yourself.

It’s symbolism✋

[msdearlylovers]

[Dnb-Sonas concept!]

Ok, as I am the creator of the concept of what dnbladers would look like in a magical environment.

They have three forms.

An earthly one.

A changeable one.

And a semi-earthly

The earthly one would be the one that is when they meet other dnbladers

A color palette that ranges from white, shades of green (including lime, aquamarine, etc.) and shades of pink (including red and fuchsia tones) Along with extremely white skin with green/red paint pigmentations (Or more brown depending on what ethnicity the dnb-sona is)

Completely fuchsia and green eyes (Heterochromatic) with specific blob/piggie shapes depending on their characteristic. They also carry large or small accessories with the ship's flag! (Like bows, tiaras, gloves.)

Here's something we forgot to say.

They have hair like Princess Celestia's.

That is, it can change color from fuchsia to green

OR have a gradient

OR also be completely one color with streaks of the other.

The changeling is what they would look like as humans

Example Harmolletade (my dnb-sona): Long dark hair, blue glasses, medium brown skin with freckles and black eyes

And the semi-earthly one follows the parameters of the earthly one, halfway.

For example: The eyes become normal (green and fuchsia pupils) but the hair remains red and green OR everything is normal but the skin changes in shape.

[starry-miki]

TLDR: If devildom had traditional clothing in the past, what type of region of the world would inspire their traditional clothing for style?

****Spoilers from NightBringer on Lore****

↓ ↓ ↓ Processed with Caution ↓ ↓ ↓

Since it’s been revealed in NightBringer, lesson 14, that before the world was named the Devildom and before the first Demon King, there was a Fairy king that ruled over the land. Which before the Devildom had its buildings and it’s castle, it was first covered by forest (this info was from season 2). So the (future king) demon tricked the Fairy King to drink its blood which made them go into a deep sleep, thus creating the first demon king or so that’s how the legend goes. AND it’s been stated in NB lesson 15 from thirteen, that rumors said that Barbatos has been around before Devildom was even form and Thirteen also mentions that Solomon has said that Barbatos has popped up in ancient documents and he is at times is mention under different names. SO what happens Barbatos was the demon that “poisoned” the Fairy King, and he was the first Demon King but he was somehow kicked out so he decide became a servant to reclaim his throne but ended up getting attached to Diavolo Jk Unless 👀

Since Barbatos is most likely to be around for a long freakin time, Pre-Devildom and Devildom time, what type of style or traditional clothing would he or other demons be wearing? Like we get a statue version of what the Fairy King is supposed to look like and have an idea of what the past is suppose to be wearing, but Ngl it bland 💀 (also do the fairy king sleep upwards???💀)

Credit: Obey Me! NightBringer Lesson 14-1/4

Alright so a prime example of like ancient civilization traditional period clothing thing for for their over world would be Tears of the Kingdom from Legend of Zelda: (which is also the reason the idea popped into my head lol)

Common features: similar color palette of earthly tones, white pine cones shape with number 2 and 3 and the right image of the steward (the stewards r so cute 🥰) , etc etc

In Conclusion: they have the same feel of the same time, so I was wondering if the Devildom has an “traditional clothes” that was commonly worn when the Devildom was being established, what exactly would it look like? I would love to draw an idea up, especially since Barbatos was possibly around doing the time, and dress up the boys (and thirteen even if she isn’t a demon).

Yes I’m aware that it has been stated and implied in the game that their demon form is the best formal/respectfully outfit they could wear, but I like the idea of the beginning of the Devildom having “traditional clothing” 😩 (also do the outfits change over time when it comes to the demon form or do they remain the same? Like Barbs wearing the same demon outfits since the beginning, I just don’t see it, it’s way to modern💀💀)

However how much I would love to attempt to make “traditional clothing” for the Devildom I have no idea wear to start, like what type of style they would go for, I know their demon form is meant to represent them, so it doesn’t give me much to go off, on making traditional wear and I do want each traditional wear to have their own pizazz, but similar style. So I’ve tried thinking of all the Devildom traditions like holidays to give me a type of theme to go off by, but like most of the time the events would either be RAD related or like human world events.

HOWEVER (the sequel) I think the best vibe or color scheme for the Devildom traditional wear would have to be this outfit from TOTK again Lmao

Sorry for the low quality I couldn’t find a decent quality, it’s called Gloom Resistant Armor if you want to look it up for better quality. But this roughly what I was thinking in color palette however I don’t mind hearing about other ideas as well.

I would gladly appreciate to hear everyone thoughts and ideas on the matter as well, and ideas of style you would think Devildom traditional wear would be (that is not fully kimono or Yukata based but could be use as a reference) or any inspiration from an region of the world or from a different franchise. Information of any “traditional holidays” that is canon in Obey me is welcomed, any type of information little or small is always welcomed, and if you wish to talk about this subject with me feel free to DM if you want. 😘

Anyway if you have made it this far in reading thank you so much for your time in reading this, I hope you have a lovely rest of your night or day! 🥰

[pumpkin-wanderer]

I realized that I have one more academia aesthetic that suits me so well. Heres some description and pics for inspo. Let`s call it "spiritual academia" The "Spiritual Academia" aesthetic is a captivating fusion of intellectual curiosity, vintage charm, and mystical allure. It seeks to harmonize the pursuit of knowledge and wisdom with a deep connection to the spiritual and metaphysical realms. This aesthetic embraces both the earthly and the ethereal, resulting in a unique style that is both contemplative and enchanting Wardrobe: A blend of vintage, classic, and bohemian styles. Think tweed blazers paired with flowing, ethereal dresses, adorned with occult symbols like pentagrams or crystals. Earthy colors like deep browns, dark greens, and rich purples dominate the palette. Accessories: Incorporate statement pieces like crystal pendants, antique rings, and feathered headbands. Layered necklaces featuring both literary and spiritual symbols can be a key element. Books and Altar: Create a study space that doubles as a spiritual altar. Arrange old leather-bound books alongside candles, incense, and tarot cards. A vintage typewriter can sit next to a crystal ball or a set of runes. Nature Connection: Integrate nature into your space with potted plants, dried herbs, and botanical illustrations. A window with billowing curtains that catch the sunlight adds a dreamy touch. Rituals and Mindfulness: Embrace practices like tarot reading, astrology, meditation, and journaling to cultivate a sense of self-discovery and intellectual growth. Aesthetic Inspiration: Draw inspiration from literary figures like Virginia Woolf or Hermann Hesse, who explored both intellectual and spiritual themes in their work.

[jokerownsmysoul]

midnight, the stars and you

Summary: the strike of midnight in between the last moments of the past year & the first moments of the new one lived with arthur. aka, a slice of your first new year’s eve together.

Warnings: smut.

Words: 5300

Notes: this was born as a drabble written in haste at 4 am but I got carried away a bit. very funny of me to post an unplanned new year's eve piece before the much planned Christmas ones I've been working on, but my writing flow works in mysterious ways. I wish you all a wonderful start of the year and a more wonderful unfurling, I hope that it'll be kinder and gentler with your hearts and will keep you away from any kind of hurting. 🤎

It’s nice to think that this is the first written piece of the year; I’m looking forward to a year full of creation, writing and arthing, and the many emotions along with it. 🤎

The roaring sounds of fireworks was almost overlapping the regular noises of the city, which gave no chance of respite even on New Year’s Eve. Muffled to the point of being nearly hard to define, Gotham was covered by cheerfulness.

They looked beautiful as they shone in the starry winter sky, sprinkling its navy mantle with confetti of various colors and illuminating the skyscrapers of Gotham to the darkest, farthest peaks of the horizon as they darted downhill on the streets like shooting stars.

Yet, your eyes could not stop falling on Arthur. The fireworks looked a lot more beautiful when reflected visibly in the green of his dreamy eyes, tinging his skin of different shades on the way. They granted to the apples of his cheek the resemblance of a painter's palette flecked with different splashes of colors.

It had been Arthur’s idea to reach the fire escape and watch the midnight fireworks after a cozy evening indoors. He’d grabbed the warmest and softest cardigan he managed to find in his closet to keep you warm as soon as the first shades of fires flashed into the living room through the windows stripped bare by the curtains, shielding your arms left bare by your dress from the snowy cold while pecks of flurries flecked the streets below in white. On a last thought you grabbed also the radio you would otherwise keep on the edge of the bathtub, already tuned on the Gotham City New Year’s Eve GCR local station where the countdown to the strike of midnight would start soon, and together moved outside on the fire escape; your personal made-up romantic balcony.

Beyond the fire escape, behind you, you’ve given your evening celebration a different touch once the fireworks started, the Gotham city’s way to say goodbye to the past year and greet the new one with flying sparkles and flames. The champagne flutes to toast at the strike of midnight were ready, resting on the coffee table in front of the couch next to the dinner glasses, the red lipstick mark signing the edge of yours distinguishable from his, and the candles scattered all over the room, never missed in your celebrations, fluttered in the night.

It was easy for Arthur to get lost in these moments of earthly wonder and let his mind flow into his fantasies. Moments like these that showed the enchantment of the city, that prooved that something magical was possible to find in the continuous mundanity of the world, unleashed his nature of the dreamer; not only because he got to live these moments while appeared possible to him, but because he shared them with you.

Your gaze lingered on Arthur, on his curls caught in the light and on his eyes completely transfixed on the fires. His youthful enjoyment boosted him to lean over, forearms perched on the railing while a cigarette hung from his middle and forefinger, its embers standing out in the night almost as much as the fireworks above your heads did, and definitely more adept at catching your attention.

Arthur brought the tiny firework he held in his hand to his mouth. His lips squeezed between the stick, then a sucking, your belly trembling at this sight that triggered your desire to take over his lips and a second later there was a cloud of smoke puffed upwards to reach the others in the sky, larger and louder, imposing and out of reach. He watched the fires through the thick smoke circling around his face, not letting it be a distraction.

You loved the way he payed attention to things. Not only with the things he cared about, not only with you, not only with people he was careful not to hurt – Arthur took seriously the knowledge of how important it was to keep his attention always vigilant about anything that mattered. Even now you could see that as he enjoyed the fireworks and didn’t avert his eyes from them once. You wondered what he was thinking, yet a part of you didn’t need to ask to know.

You recognized his eyes lost in the rapture of the flaming skyline, and the pad of his middle finger was tracing the curve of his lower lip, a familiar gesture that used to give away the extent of his full immersion in his fantasies or thoughts.

When Arthur finally turned to you and caught you looking at him already, he smiled. “Do you have any New Year’s resolutions?”

His question struck with you, but wasn’t unexpected at all. You shrunk in yourself, clutching his cardigan to your chest and to your heart from both sides. It smelled like him. You squeezed it even tigther, to get as many whiffs of him as you could.

There had been a time when New Year’s resolutions were punctually made, and punctually failed – which frankly, was part of the fun. There had been a time when making resolutions encouraged you in the spirit. But then followed also a time when you stopped believing in it, when you thought better things could never occur; you’d made yourself believe that it was all for nothing, even celebrating. The time that had lasted the longest.

But meeting Arthur had inspired you back to life again. To have dreams, aspirations, something that ignited the soul of desire and hunger to grab life with bare hands. Falling in love with him had allowed you to live the greatest desire of all and see it finally fulfilled after years of longing: to be in love, to find your twin flame. Arthur’s infectious nature of the dreamer and, above all, the certainty of how right you were, how happy and safe he made you feel, had stilled into you the craving for new wishes you wanted him to be a part of. It felt as though Arthur was the serenity that the universe had wanted to gift to you after so much endurance.

You thought about how happy you were to wake up and go to bed with Arthur every day. Simple moments of mundanity that marked and conditioned everything: your day, your mood, your life, your happiness. To start and then to end each day with Arthur was a blissful gift, some favorite moments of the day. You would’ve liked to start and then to end the year to come with him, too. To make of your whole life a simple moment of mundanity shared with him sounded like the kind of life you’ve always wanted, the apotheosis of happiness.

“Umh... I think my only new year’s resolutions is to start and end this year with you, and to be able to tell you again on every New year’s eve to come. Wait, the second, is to love you very hard.” You told yourself these were the only resolutions you wouldn’t have failed that you’d ever made. You didn’t know how much of resolutions they were though. More than resolutions, those were declarations of love. But you didn’t mind. It sounded much better that way.

Happiness took over his dimples when he smiled at you, hollowed the creases around his eyes. A smile that made his eyes shine bright with promises and vows more than any other firework was able to do. “I like your resolutions,” he commented sweetly.

The transfixing-by-fireworks look you’ve seen in him was easy to mirror when you gaped at Arthur, and you grew transfixed by him. “What are yours?”

His answer was ready, perching already at the tip of his tongue. “They used to be always the same. To keep trying. To do better… to become someone worthy of finding my one and only person.” He swallowed, and threw away the cigarette butt; melancholia of the things that had been tucked itself in the lump of his throath as he continued. “They still are... but now I feel happy with you and I like my life a little more. And when you first told me you loved me, I thought maybe I didn’t have to become more than myself to find love.”

You scooped closer and nestled his bicep, hugging him fondly and tight around his middle, hoping that all your love would seep inside him. You pecked his shoulder and nodded as you rested your cheek there, letting him now that you were present in his feelings, meeting him in a place of trust that was made of attentive listening and understanding. There was a peculiar exhale through his chest that told you he had more to add.

“But there’s just one small thing I still want.”

You tilted your head up lightly, just enough to read his expression. “What do you want?”

“A spotlight,” he confessed.

“A spotlight?”

“Yes. A spotlight. I'm not sure what kind.” He ducked his chin, the squishy skin on its underside starting to crinkle in that endearing way that used to give you always butterflies. “It’s silly, I know.”

“I don’t think it’s silly. I think it’s brave.” You held him tighter as a firework burst into the sky. You both turned toward it in tandem, observing its fiery ascend upon Gotham in a silence that spoke of many things that for the two of you were easy to understand. You stayed there for a few heartbeats. This silence, too, was a important part of your conversation. “I’ll help you get this spotlight if you want me to.” You let it float into the open, just to let him know that you would support anything he wished for. His arm drifting over and then squeezing yours was his most sincere answer, telling you he really did want to.

You enjoyed this moment together, focused only on the padded voice of the reporter coming from the radio that you’ve put on one of the step of the fire escape, close enough to outline what the reporter would say without interfering. His voice was growing high-pitched and stilled with increase excitement, and the fireworks were picking up the pace, clue that midnight was very close. Before midnight struck there was something else you wanted, after all.

“Can I ask for a last wish?” Your voice was a sudden sound that went to blend with all the others around you.

Arthur turned to you, willing alertness to whatever your request would be. “What is it?”

You bit your lip. “Can you kiss me at midnight?”

Even with the fireworks tinging his features you could distinguish the familiar blush on his cheeks as he giggled softly. “I'll kiss you at midnight, darling. Any time of the new year you want.”

You grinned at him. You knew a romantic at heart like him would’ve appreciated the gesture. You both were romantic at heart; it was nice to know that each of you had the other to share and experience your wishes with, as cheesy as they could be. It felt as though your hearts were tuned on the same radio station talking about romance and love languages.

Then the fireworks stopped. It was a brief, customary moment that lasted only a few seconds, if only to mark the passage from one year to another. Silence settled upon Gotham all of a sudden, a sense of suspence despite some distant, typical noises of the city came back again audible. Everyone was waiting for the new year. As on time, you heard the repoter from the radio starting to count down and encourage the listeners to follow along.

10, 9, 8, 7…

You locked your eyes into one another as the numbers went by. You spent the last moment of the year focused on each other’s features and the love pooling from this exchange of glances. Your minds were flipping through every page of the wonderful story you’ve written together over this year coming to an end, loving every little word, grateful for every chapter.

3, 2, 1...

The fireworks broke through as suddenly as they have left once the countodown came to an end, yet this time looked and sounded much bigger and louder, more imposing than the ones you’ve seen so far.

“Happy n–”

Arthur didn’t give you any more time. He drew you into him in a flourish and captured your lips in a passional kiss, looping an arm around your waist and cupping your cheek with the other hand to pull you close. It was a kiss worthy of a black and white movie; those kisses visibly overwhelming and with not-held back abandon, with mouth pressed eagerly against another mouth, as if the lovers were taking each other somewhere very far away. Yours felt even better.

“… New Year,” you completed in a after-kiss daze when he pulled away. You smiled at each other. The reporter continued to talk, but this time neither of you wanted to pay attention.

“Happy new year.”

You brought your hand to his chest clad in a gray sweater, caressing a line along his front. He was looking so beautiful, with chestnut locks falling along his cheeks caught by tiny flurries, and a twinkle in his eyes that rather belonging to the reflections of fireworks belonged to the joy you were sharing. A giggle lifted the corners of your mouth as you noted the lapels of his shirt collar tucked purposefully underneath the sweater. You loved him and his little quirks so much. You took a mental note to leave a red lipstick mark in one of them later... or in both. “It's nice to start things with you, and to know you'll be there when they will come to an end,” you told him. “You’re the beginning of everything to me.”

He hugged you close, his chin grazing your temple like when you danced as your arms drifted around to clasp his shoulder blazes. His eyes fluttered closed as your words reached his heart, soothing every itch of the past not yet healed. Before you, he didn’t even know if he had a life at all. It’d started with you. “I love you too, y/n.”

Your embrace lasted until you remembered about the flutes on the coffe table. You withdrew as on a mission. “We need to toast. Hold on.”

He watched your back with anticipation as you walked back inside. You reached the kitchen to grab the bottle opener, then returned to the living room where you filled both flutes with a few inches of champagne and went back to Arthur right after. Fireworks had again caught his attention. You found place by his side and handed him one of the flutes.

“What do you want to toast to?” You asked, flutes ready to sing against one another.

His anwer came quickly. “To us.”

You nodded with a smile. “To us. And to spotlights.”

You let your flutes collide against one another and took a sip together, then another one. The night was getting colder, a blanket of flurries was descending slowly through the wake of fireworks, but you decided to stay a while longer; fireworks didn’t occur very frequently in the city, and it was important for you that Arthur enjoyed them till he could. You put both flutes on the windowsill and leaned on the railing by his side. One of his arm looped around your back while you rested your head on his shoulder. You snuggled into each other to shield from the cold and turned towards the skyline together, and together, you watched the fireworks wonders highlight the brightness of the flurries in the sky, tinging them red, green, orange, their sparks mixing with the flakes of snow as they covered the streets. The multicolored fog the fireworks left across the horizon would already begin to vanish as soon as another one would pop. It looked almost like a dance above ground; maybe that’s also what Arthur saw in them. 

You stayed like this for awhile until you felt Arthur start shivering against you. “Are you cold?” You worried.

“A little bit.”

You waisted no time and slid the cardigan off your shoulders. The chill of the night hit your bare skin like a knife, the kind one that made you crave to be under the covers intertwined with Arthur. You ignored it and put the cardigan over his back instead.

He tried to oppose, an attempt that failed while he loosened in your care and ended in a flustered chuckle. “I gave this to you. You must be freezing.”

“And now I give it to you.” Your hand drifted to the collar of his shirt to let it fit more snuggly. His skin was cold at the touch. “We need to get you a flannel shirt to wear beneath this sweater.”

He chuckled. “I don’t mind this one.”

You rubbed your hands across his back to warm him up. You worked to keep him as warm as you possibly could until you figured it was time to go back inside. You took with you the radio and the flutes, closed the windows for the night, and a minute later you were warm and safe in your home. A slow song came up on the local station a few minutes later, with the repoter wishing a happy new year and saying goodnight, thank you for staying here with us, before the first notes started playing.

Arthur didn’t let this opportunity fly away. He reached for your hand to pull you close for a brief dance, his request implied in how his arm was outstreched towards you and in the peculiar twinkle his eyes held only when there was music. It was impossible to resist him. Your eyes sparkled with excitment when you took his hand and let him drew you in, hands going to land in familiar places of each other before he begun to rock you gently in his arms. The pace he followed was slow and lazy, as though he wanted this to feel a lot like cuddling now that you were about to settle in for the night.

Now back inside and heated by each other’s embrace, you were starting to feel warm again. His hold was comfortable around you. The orchestra was lulling every sway or light shift of his feet when a thought dawned on you, one that made you smile to yourself and therefore wanted to share with him. “You know what they say?”

He shook his head from left to right. “What do they say?”

“If you dance on New Year’s Eve, you dance all year long.”

He puffed a snort, the sweetest you could hear. “That would be nice. We can make it happen. Ehy, it can be our shared new year’s resolution.”

You gave him a toothy grin as you tried to tame the swelling of your heart. “I love this idea. There’s no one I would rather dance with other than you.” You squeezed your arms tighter around him, giving in to the cozy bliss his closeness gave you. The fabric of his gray sweater underneath the palm of your hand, his loving eyes as he looked at you, how safe he made you feel when his body was secured to yours so protectively with confidence.

Arthur made you twirl three times.

The first, delicately, to get you used to the rhythm he wanted to follow. The second, passionately, to crash his lips to yours in a very old-fashioned demeanor once the twirl made you land on his chest. The third, eagerly, to pull your body flush against him.

Every part of your body became aware of his. Your breast found itself sensitive to the warm nearness of his chest as it brushed against your nipples through the light material of your dress, leading to stiffen whenever he twisted in the right angle. Your breath itched in unison when you pressed yourself to his crotch and kept on dancing so knotted together. Your minds started to get hazy as you focused more on what your closeness felt like rather than on keeping a steady pace. 

Even dance with Arthur felt like a foreplay. Especially dance.

When your eyes fell on the lapels of his shirt, you remembered the promise you’ve made to yourself a few minutes prior. Bringing your mouth to the right white lapel, you pressed your lips to it prolongingly, to make sure the lipstick mark left behind would depict neatly your lip texture and no one else’s. “I don’t mind this shirt either,” you whispered, pecking the side of his neck before breaking away.

Arthur looked visibly flustered. His breath stalled in his chest. You adored to make him feel so loved, how he let it show. You lifted up and connected your lips to his, cupping tenderly his cheeks. You planted a tender, chaste kiss on his lips before your mouth nudged and pecked the scar of his upper lip. You relished in the scruff below his nose scratching the smoothness of your lips when you reached that area to kiss him there. When his eyes fluttered shut lost in your affection and dancing, you leaned on to peck his eyelids, too. It made him giggle in surprise and open his eyes back to you. 

You watched him watching you, and he watched you watching him. The rhythm of your rocking was changing, becoming slower, each back and forth dragged out as you got lost in each other’s gaze. Soft unspoken things floated between you. You wanted to show him how much you wanted him, how much you craved for him; all evidences of how much you loved everything about him, from the most wonderful quality to the little quirks only you knew. You halted your rocking halfway through the song only to grab his hand and guide him timidly towards the bedroom, blowing out all the candles on your way and exchanging knowing smiles of connectedness. Anticipation guided each of your steps while his fingers clutched between yours, his mind spinning for what you had in store for him. 

Once the lights were off, you hoped to tell him how your measure of time now was before and after him, with or without him. Maybe that was the reason why time with him stopped flowing by, and with the same force rushed by all the same, making you feel like you were rotating around every never ending circle of the ancient web in the arrow of time, without any traces of an ending.

You wanted to undress him, and he let you. You undressed him slowly in the penumbra, caressing with tenderness every part of his body as it went exposed to your touch and your gaze, folding his clothes with care on the bed bench at the foot of the bed at your left. You didn’t want to rush things tonight. His bare body unfolding before you article by article, ready to be loved on, felt like the prayer you uttered under your breath every night before you knew him; those lonely nights when you longed for some arms to hold you, for a gentle smile to reassure you, for a soul to love with ardor.

You stripped him bare from any clothes until he was standing naked in front of you, enlightened by the glow of the street lamps below and of the hues set afire by fireworks. A map of sinews and muscles caught in the light meant only for your mouth and your hands. You couldn’t still quite believe that someone like him, that Arthur, loved you back. To meet the person who seemed to be meant for you wasn’t as hard as people may thing, oftentimes. The very fortune was, once you met them, that they loved you back. You felt so blessed that he did. You still thanked him for it quite often. Sometimes openly, sometimes in silence as you watched him simply exist next to you.

His look was welcoming as he gave himself to you. You drew yourself closer, nestling your face in the warm curve of his neck. Your nose nudged the tendon there, breathing in his scent as if it was the only thing managing to keep you alive, and somehow it was. His soft meowling weakened your heart when you let your nose skim along it as you moved upward to lick his earlobe.

Your hands brushed along his sides, halting when you reached his love handles that you held carefully in the palm of your hands. You held him close in an embrace. “You’re my wish that came true.” Your breath fell hot in the spot below his ear as you whispered love to him, your voice gravelly born from a love confession that couldn’t wait any longer.

Then you kissed him, swallowing his answer that you knew was love, too. You didn’t bother to hide the craving for him. Cupping both of his cheeks, your lips parted to one another as you licked the soft hum falling from his mouth. Your tongue was missing the taste of him, and your heart felt heavy of all of those feelings it held for him, of all those things you hoped to tell him in this way that didn’t require any words.

You pulled him backward to lay him down on the mattress as you deepened the kiss and straddled him to settle on top. You let him watch you while you peeled yourself off your dress and underwear above him, to tell him that every part of you was his to see as well as to touch. Fireworks caught the peak of your nipples when you unclasped your bra and tossed it aside, its curve on the underside overshadowed by the nightlight. Heavy exhales filled his chest when your breasts appeared bare before his gaze, outstretching his tummy with desire.

You leaned over to kiss him. He moaned in your mouth when your breasts squeezed against his bare chest and your hand drifted low. You took hold of his hardening cock, and watched him while you stroked his lenght until you felt him writhe in your hand and beneath you. You relished in the feeling of fullness of his cock growing harder and slippery in your fingers as they fluttered around him, the sensitivity of the head when your pads scanned its outline or the vein across the underside visibly swollen; all ways of his body responding when you loved him like this, knowing that every expression and reaction was for you.

You crawled down across his body to the foot of the bed to reach him where his needs were leading you. You smooched the red tip sweetly before you buried your face in the private nook on the underside of his cock, nudging with your nose the crease found at the base. You lapped the drooping skin of his most sensitive area below it, playing with swipes of your tongue and the grazing of your teeth while your hand continued to caress along his shaft. The salty taste of his skin was addicting. His unrestrained moans triggered yor hunger, hard to contain when every intimate part of him was beneath your ministrations and throughoutly cared for. You evoked a sudden twitch when your mouth wrapped yet again around the velvety area and pulled away with a sucked-in pop. You’ve never met someone who made you want to love like this, so down to the flesh without shying away, open to feel any carnal desire he made you feel, giving in to any taste and any impulse never had before.

You stopped before you would feel the familiar evidence that he was coming undone and moved back up to him again. You laid a gentle caress on one of his cheek and let your arms drift down to brush across the dark hairs on his chest as your eyes met. You stared into each other’s eyes while you sunk down on him with ease and a broken whimper as he gasped in delight. Your hands latched the top of his shoulders for grounding before your hips started rolling around him, then up and down along him, to make him feel good from any angle and any pace you managed to keep.

A symphony of moans filled the bedroom as you made love to him in the night, intertwining each other through arches of your back and the continuous seeking of his hands across your sides and over your back. Its notes where at the highest pitch when Arthur grabbed your hips, making you roll over to land on the soft mattress so that he could lay atop you.

You smiled at each other when his face appeared above you, all around you. You loved the way he looked whenever he was on top of you. His silhouette was darkened by semidarkness but its outline standing out from the background was neatly recognizable, being revealed to you openly only whenever a firework burst from the window and enlightened his features through splashes of light. But you didn’t need light to recognize them – to recognize him. Your hands would’ve always recognized him in the dark, would’ve always know where to go to touch him. Even in the dark, you would know how he laid next to you.

You hoped to tell him the extent of how much he ignited you into fireworks when you felt him seathe and unsheathe himself in and out of you. You pulled his face close and kissed his sweaty forehead, nestling his face as a white-hot throb took over, turning everything into a distant blur while his face guided the path for you to come back on earth but always without leaving his embrace.

Fireworks were still darting in the night when his orgasm sprung into melody from his throath. You wondered if rather than cushioning them, your melodies of pleasure were enriching them in to a song made of sparks and craving; all things of what it felt like to love him.

You stayed in this cosy shelter made of sweat and warmth through the night, protecting each other’s pleasures long after you came down back on earth together, never pulling away.

Late at night had gone by when fireworks gradually ended. When they left, on their way to go they encountered Arthur’s back laying on the mattress as he held you close to his heartbeat. Your fingertips were tracing patterns of affection on his chest as he stroked your hair and his heartbeat lulled you. You enjoyed the last fireworks beyond the windows holding each other close in warmth and joy, already missing their lightning and looking forward to see more of them on the next new year’ eve as soon as the last one broke through, ending this dance of colors and flames with a majestic roar and a loud sound of farewell. A kind of festive silence coating your apartment marked the thrilling unexpectdeness of a new beginning. There had been a time when you would’ve been nervous about it, but now with Arthur by your side and his heartbeat under your skin, it was impossible to be.

It made sense to celebrate the arrival of a new year with Arthur. Time for you didn’t exist the same way it did for others. Things with Arthur had a beginning, but never an end. You managed to go beyond it together. Arthur would always be the beginning of everything, even the finite realities.

No matter what the year had in store for you, you knew you’d experience anything always together. No matter what kind of spotlight Arthur would have found out to desire, you would have supported his dream and continued to illuminate him with the spotlight of your love, casting a light of healing and self acceptance from any corner of your soul to any part of his own, a stage where he was going to shine forevermore just like he shone at the center of your heart.

•••••

tag list: @arthurflecksgirl​​​​ ​ @arthur-flecks-lovely-smile @sweet-nothings04​​​​​​ @flowerglitterwoman​​​​​ ​ @forever-fleck​​​​​ @ajokeformur-ray​​​​​

[reyofluke-ocs]

Can I ask for questions thirty through forty for Rosla, maybe? Hope you’re doing well!! 💚

send me asks for my bg3 ocs!

30. How does your Tav react when someone insults their friend/partner?

She immediately goes on the defensive, which while Shadowheart appreciates her being so defensive of her honor, she reminds Rosla that she can insult them just fine on her own. The rest of the group (by that I mean Astarion) find it hilarious to see her making someone MUCH taller and bigger than her cowering from her words - even without using Vicious Mockery. By defensive I mean insults and words but in more extreme cases I can definitely see her getting physical - after all, she is at a prime height for hitting extremely sensitive zones...

31. How does your Tav dress for different occasions, like very fancy situations?

Having been part of a fairly well-known bard duo, Rosla does have a few more fancy outfits for occasions where they would have performed at more upper-class functions. These usually consist of dresses in her preferred color palette - greens, blues, and earthly tones.

32. How did your Tav get their scars, if they have any?

She has some minor scars from accidents while cooking and I also imagine a few from wounds acquired during the journey when she isn't able to get a potion or help from Shadowheart in time.

33. What is your Tav’s relationship with their family?

Her entire biological family is dead and she was raised by a halfling family friend, who she had a falling out with when Rosla revealed she was planning to become a bard. She hasn't spoken to the older woman since then. Before his passing, her bard partner was a father figure for her that she was extremely close to.

34. What is your Tav’s opinion on nobility and authority?

I can see her mostly having a neutral opinion except for cases where it's clear the nobility or authority are corrupt. Then her view turns more negative.

35. How does your Tav react to wearing the Wavemother’s robe? How do they react to their partner wearing it?

She can't keep her eyes off Shadowheart when she sees her wearing it. It's bad enough that Gale full on throws something at her to get her to stop staring. Astarion and Karlach never let her live it down. Rosla would also totally 'accidentally' trip anyone who tries to leer at Shadowheart in the robe if they're out in public. If Rosla wears it, it's similar - Shadowheart stares at her. Only difference is I can see Shadowheart NOT liking others watching Rosla and tends to stick close by her and full on being ready to murder someone that tries anything.

36. What is your Tav’s favorite type of environment? Like in a tavern, a library, out in the wilderness, underground, etc.

Home. Cozy, fireplace, well-stocked kitchen. Her and Shadowheart run a farm after the events of the game and I can see her loving the atmosphere and being surrounded by so many animals (Scratch, Screech - the Owlbear cub - Us and ofc I totally see them adopting Yenna [+ Grub] and Arabella after the game).

37. What would your Tav’s Zodiac sign be?

I can see her being either Gemini or Cancer!

38. What is their favorite season?

Autumn or spring. Best time for growing and also in autumn there's many unique dishes that can only be found during the time.

39. Where in the world does your Tav want to visit the most?

While part of the duo, Rosla traveled up and down the Sword Coast. But I can see her being curious about the rest of Faerun and even wanting to explore areas like the Underdark or even if possible Avernus because one of the most defining characteristics of her is her curiosity.

40. What is the biggest mistake your Tav ever made?

I'll have to get back to you because honestly I have no idea, though I'm sure there's definitely one. In an AU setting I can see it being letting Shadowheart fulfill her desire to become a Dark Justiciar.

tagging bg3 enablers: @daughter-of-melpomene, @endless-oc-creations, @astarionbae

[witchesoz]

Fashion in Oz: The Good Witches (5)

After looking at the Wiz's take on the Good Witch of the North, we have to look at their interpretation of Glinda. Again, we will start with the original Baltimore/Broadway show. Here, Glinda has a quite specific contrast with Addapearl. Instead of various shades of blue, here we have warmer and softer colors - brown and pink mostly, what has been described as "earthly" by some people. The earthly palette is in fact complemented by different flowers spread out over the dress, reinforcing this "mother nature" feeling. And overall, we have to say that the dress has a much more "sexier" feel to it - from the dress being body-fitting (with only the sleeves and the train being truly big and flowing), to part of it actually being translucid, and allowing the audience to see the arms and thighs of the actress. And of course, the usual extravagant, spiky hairstyle common to all of the Wiz witches.

Second step in the Wiz Glinda study: the Live Wiz show from a few years ago. For Glinda's design, the show truly went in a very different direction than the original - by completely losing the earth palette and theme. Instead we have an entirely golden outfit, and a more... well a more "princessy" dress (I am mostly refering to the puffy skirt that evokes the "princess dress cut" seen previously for other incarnations of Glinda, such as the MGM) - alongside curly blond hair. And, oh yes... CAN WE TALK ABOUT THIS INSANE DRESS? I don't know with what material it was made, but this dress is just... insane to look at. It is... I have a hard time describing it. With all of its curves, curls and entangled puffiness, it looks like a literal cloud - but the shining golden color, with the white threads mixed in the several layers, gives it such an astral or magical aspect...

And of course, we need to stop the movie version of the Wiz before going any further, and their memorable Glinda incarnation. I talked about it before in my look at the movie's Miss One character, but in the movie they decided to unify the two Good Witches (unlike the original show), resulting in both of them sharing the motif of stars and both of them sharing the color blue (to oppose the Wicked Witches red). However while the star motif was subtle with Miss One, it is the very basis of Glinda here, who is the "star mother" living in the night sky above Oz, dressed with stars on her blue clothes, and surrounded by floating star babies. I can't talk about much here however beyond just "stars" and "blue", since her dress is covered in crystalline stars and sequins catching the light, and her hair is covered by a similar veil, ornated with a small crown of silver stars.

[guineasaurusrex]

"are you there god? it's me, jesus" for the ep ask game :3

★ Do I like this episode? Why or why not?

it’s fine! i’d place it pretty firmly in sp’s mid era. s1 started strong and 5-7 gave us some of the all-time classics, but the seasons in between often show the signs of behind-the scenes burnout that stop them from living up to their full potential. episodes from this period are also less visually interesting? the color palette feels muddier and the overall aesthetic is lacking both the polish we’ve come to expect from modern sp and the janky charm of the earliest episodes. this one probably falls somewhere on the higher end of s3, but it’s still an episode i’m unlikely to watch unless i’m binging the whole season.

★ Favorite moment?

“I’m here, goddess earthly delight.”

honorable mentions: stan saying randy never went through puberty, stan trying to sing over the credits, the boys tragically thinking craig is cool

for me, it’s definitely an episode where the individual moments shine brighter than the sum of their parts!

★ Least favorite moment?

jesus should really leave the moralizing speeches to kyle  😔

★ Do I have an unpopular opinion about this episode? What is it?

no idea! i never see this episode get much discussion so idk if there’s any kind of consensus on it

★ Something I would change?

you know, i think i’d leave this one as is. there’s something really fitting about sp’s big new millennium episode being just okay instead of some super memorable y2k spectacular

★ Rating out of 5?

2.7. solidly mid-tier

★ Anything else I want to say about this episode?

if 3 seconds of research on wikipedia is to be believed, rod stewart was 54 at the time this episode aired.

trey parker will turn 54 later this year.

[b-ja]

Alien Flowers: Because Earth’s Flora Wasn’t Enough.

Welcome to the cosmos, where even the flora has a better sense of adventure than the majority of us.

I've just unleashed a gallery of intergalactic flora onto this unsuspecting planet, and boy, do these alien flowers look like they belong in a sci-fi horror flick rather than a garden center.

Take a gander at these otherworldly blooms that are far too extravagant for mere Earthly taste. Forget daisies and roses—those are for the unimaginative masses who think a bouquet is the pinnacle of romance. These alien flowers are the kind of bouquet that would make a Martian think twice before even touching them. They’ve got all the subtleness of a neon sign and none of the charm.

You see, each petal on these extraterrestrial specimens looks like it was borrowed from a bad acid trip. Their colors are less “pastel” and more “violent hallucination,” because who needs soothing tones when you can have a color palette that screams, “I dare you to look away”?

And the shapes—oh, the shapes! They’re not just shapes; they’re defiant declarations of horticultural anarchy. They twist and curl like they’ve been drinking too much space wine. If you ever wondered what a black hole would look like if it had a garden party, these flowers are your answer.

Now, let’s talk about the scent—or should I say, the lack thereof. These blooms are not here to please your olfactory senses. If Earth flowers could be classified as soft, romantic whispers, these alien flowers are more like a full-on, in-your-face shout. If you’re lucky, the only thing they’ll do is give you an existential crisis.

But here’s the kicker: these alien flowers are a reminder that even in the vast, uncaring universe, someone—somewhere—has a sense of humor. So, if you’re tired of the same old, same old, step into the cosmic garden of my imagination. These are not your garden-variety flowers; these are the flowers that will make you question your sanity and maybe even your taste in floral arrangements.

So, go ahead—be bold. Embrace the bizarre. Because why settle for Earth when you can have a piece of the universe that’ll make you question everything you thought you knew about beauty?

Enjoy the show. Or don’t. It’s not like these flowers are here to win a popularity contest.

#AlienFlowers #IntergalacticBotany #DareToBeDifferent

[aangussca]

Gallery visit: MOMA (6.7.24) - PART 4

Exhibition description (found in all other exhibition locations for 24th Sydney Biennale): "Change - or mudança in Tadaskía's native language of Brazilian Portuguese - lies at the center of the multidisciplinary artist's practice. In her work across drawing, sculpture, and other media, Tadáskía employs an improvisational approach, conveying a sense of fluidity through her dynamic mark-making, nuanced imagery, and kaleidoscopic palette. Rather than pursue a complete or final image, the artist has explained: "I'm interested in the passage from one thing to another." Tadaskia's unbound book ave preta mística mystical black bird (2022) forms the centerpiece of this presentation. The work recounts a fantastical tale of "winged transformation," and pairs the artist's freeform drawings alongside her poetic, bilingual text. The images depicted in her colorful compositions, which she often initiates with closed eyes, vary and morph from one sheet to the next. They might appear as crescent moons and brilliant suns, or as ambiguous abstract shapes. Through the story, we are invited to follow its titular ave preta, or black bird, on her flight across earthly and divine realms, "towards a journey of freedom," informed by the artist's lived experience as a Black trans woman. For Projects: Tadáskía, the artist has produced an expansive wall drawing and a set of sculptures in response to this exhibition space. While her vigorous mark-making encourages us to trace her coursing and shifting lines, the organic materials used in her sculptures evoke the ephemeral life cycles of nature. Alongside the central role of change, as Tadáskia herself asserts, "the main character in the work is time.""

ave preta mística mystical black bird (2022, unbound illustrated book (pencil, colored pencil, oil pastel, and spray paint on torn paper, 61 sheets) - excerpt below)

Description: "While briefly hospitalized as a child, Tadáskía discovered reading, writing, and drawing as ways to imagine community. This work was inspired in part by a storybook she received during her hospital stay, and in the artist's words, serves as "a fable, but without the moral." The hopeful tale is also influenced by the writings of Black feminist thinkers like Audre Lorde. It begins with a dedication to her "Black sisters and Black brothers," to "Black women and Black trans people," as well as to "people who care about children and to people who are equally children at heart.""

Row 1: animated play Ill (brincando animada lIl) (2023/2024, mural - charcoal and dry pastel on wall)

Row 2: arrangement (arranjo) (2019/2024, diptych sculptural installation - bamboo, beachgrass, willow branches, wire, beads, eggshells sewn with gold thread, face powder, black liquid, clear liquid, plates, fruits, and vegetables on platforms with charcoal and dry pastel)

Description for animated play Ill (brincando animada lIl) (2023/2024): ""When I was drawing, my mother, Elenice Guarani, and my aunt, Gracilene Guarani, who are both Black, Afro-Indigenous women, told me to add more color because color is life," the artist has said. From her earliest art-making experiences as a child, collaboration has been a central aspect of Tadáskia's practice. To produce this large wall drawing, she worked with a team of assistants over several weeks as they built up its prismatic palette."

Description for arrangement (arranjo) (2019/2024): "In keeping with her improvisational approach, Tadáskia's sculptures are made in response to the exhibition site. She approaches their creation with an openness to materials - often organic - that will continue to change over time. Raised in the Pentecostal church, the artist sometimes incorporates objects, including cattails, beads, or stones, that are significant within various Afro-Brazilian religions like Candomblé. Her choice of materials derives from the relative magnetism of certain elements: "There is a vibration in things and people we meet, which sometimes pulls together, sometimes pulls apart.""

[persistentprobings]

a week after non-stop stimulation

the day progresses on behalf of the morning with looming dark clouds, no wind, and a stickiness that lotus-sits on one’s skin. i’ve changed my clothes for the third time already and thank god there lies a cotton-felt peace. three mornings since the beginning of the week that i’ve been lurking in the closet like a kid’s pet/monster, trying out human clothes as a way to adapt my languid form in this very solid existence. very well aware of my indecisiveness, my non-commitment to my morning’s choice of clothing which i will change later on in the day. my palette lately: cotton, silk, denim. white, black, blue. in my head, some marcus aurelius’ line that have this sentiment: the color of your mind determines your life. and i agree. i agree more when i catch myself ruminating on clothes so hard and concrete and demanding. my thoughts raided by the uncomfortable gap between my clothes and the weather, my feelings, my whims, my ever-changing moods. and what kind of life would those colors paint for me? makes me knot my eyebrows when i’m too ego-centered, thinking about my appearance.. or is it truly just appearance? clothes have been my way to express and surrender myself to the large opening of the world that we regard simply as “today” and this three doors into the week have me feeling unlike myself. i think of last week and of course, comparisons arise. how high it had been last week, so dopamine-enhanced, so serotonin-embraced to how surface level bottom this week is today. anyway, a customer earlier thought he needed to arm himself with a rigid closed off visage for whatever reason and i broke it off by smiling with my eyes and mouth as if i’ve just dug an interesting sleeveless top on the thrift store. he called me “anak” by the end of our transcation. i continued grinning inside for the next five seconds. it was sweet and it did cracked me open, pulled out some earthly contentment. probably the highlight of my three non-breeze, indolent, pale days.

[ken-branagh]

Kenneth Branagh costumes [6/?] → Iago's leather outfit in Othello (1995)