#kiss my ass pinkie lott

[paulinegrintt]

@colinmorgay

replied to your post

“i’m trying to come up with a new url that will sound real good but no...”

PAULINEGRINT!!!!!

can’t believe you still remember my old url :D sadly, it’s not available :-/

[hanasaku-shijin]

Okay I’ve been wanting to make a post like this for a while now but I finally kicked my own ass into gear so here it is. Took me several days to compile it all and finish, but Neon deserves it.

For @theneonflower and all of their incredible art ♥

I know Neon does plenty more art other than Dianakko but that is my otp and usually the ones I look at and obsess over the most. Nearly every night before bed for the past 5 months since LWA came out and since I met Neon, I’ve been looking at their art to help myself fall asleep. I always end up spending like 10-20 minutes just looking through it because it makes me feel so soft and happy inside ;w; 

Something I’ve always done with art is I’ll stare at a single piece for like 5 minutes straight just tracing it with my eyes, trying to absorb every piece of it, trying to appreciate it as much as humanly possible. Because I know someone spent time and energy on this and stressed about it for probably hours and I don’t just wanna glance at it for 20 seconds and be done. I wanna try to put some time into appreciating it for all the trouble the artist went through.

Neon’s is probably the only art I’ve done this for with every single piece. It probably sounds weird that I just stare at art, but I love it. I feel it’s all I can really do to appreciate the pieces. Well, that, and I can scream in the tags and make posts like these!

So I’m gonna be going back through my Neon_art tag from the beginning, linking and sharing every Dianakko piece and explaining just why I love it so much. Other people should totally follow the links and reblog pieces they haven’t seen before. And even if you have seen/reblogged it before it is not a crime to reblog something more than twice, give it some extra exposure and notes. Don’t be scared to reblog the same post/artwork twice if you want to!

All righty here we go!

This one the first Dianakko piece I reblogged from Neon ever! Diana and Akko on a secret date. I love this one because it’s so simple but yet still so beautiful. It really shows that art can be lovely whether its got 8 million details and colors and shadings or just done with the right amount of everything - just what’s necessary, nothing extravagant. I’m a sucker for my girls in casual clothes but I especially love their expressions in this piece - Akko’s YOURE REALLY PRETTY excited face to Diana’s bashful face. And then the humor with the reactions of their nerd friends disguised and reacting to it all. And the hand touch. Starting with a small small pinky brushing, and then full-on hand-holding. So soft. So gentle. So nice. And Akko’s just so goddamn happy. UGH.

Next is Part 1 of the Sorcerer comic. Ho damn. This was before I really even knew Neon well, but I saw a badass dragon with Dianakko and I was hooked. It’s just done so well, the shading, the glowing of his eyes, and just his creepy, bony inky design in general. And Diana not even flinching in front of him. It captures her character perfectly, her confidence. Neon’s a pro at doing suspense in drawing form. The way Akko hurries in and Diana isn’t looking at her at first but then turns. You can just TELL something is going to happen and it does. That dribble of blood on her lips is all we need. And god the look in her eyes. It isn’t excessive terror, no, it’s just that dazed kind of shock, confusion. Like, she hasn’t even felt the blow yet, it just sort of happened and now there’s blood in her lungs. And the last panel just leaves you screaming like how fucking masterful is this.

Part 2 now god GOD when I say you can feel her being impaled I mean you can FEEL IT. You can tell his tail is sort of locked in place in her chest, that he’s keeping it there for a little longer than he has to just because he’s a giant asshole. And when he yanks it out you can feel that too. The way the blood spurts out and follows the direction of his tail really shows the force of it. And even despite all of this, Diana is STILL trying to put up a front/show a strong face. You can see the desperation in Akko’s eyes, you can almost hear her crying, and Diana’s just so numb with pain she’s beyond feeling. We don’t even need dialogue - we know exactly what they’re saying to one another. I’ve never seen art accomplish that feat quite so effectively before. And the ending panel, reflecting the one before it with Akko’s name and the seven stars. Do half the people looking at this art even appreciate those small details/shoutouts to the canon? I doubt it. And it’s a damn SHAME.

Next up was this request I never thought an art god like Neon would ever accept from lil old me, a person they didn’t even really KNOW at the time. Another fine example of how art doesn’t need tons of color to be beautiful. Neon is an expert with blue in particular. It’s such a cold color but not in Neon’s hands. It portrays darkness of night but not cold. I don’t feel chilly looking at this piece. I just feel so warm. Their embrace is so tight and intimate, you can just see the blushes on their faces. But even in a darker piece like this where some artists might use the lack of lighting as an excuse for lack of detail - not Neon. There’s still every wrinkle in their clothing, every shadow, every ruffled blanket and wave in their hair, the way Akko’s shirt crumples up a little at the small of her back and that small, secretive, admiring look she gives Diana. I might as well be dead.

This one more bedtime cuddles and kisses! But notice how none of these are ever the same with Neon. No matter how many kisses or cuddles they draw, each one is always different and just as beautiful as the one before it in different ways. Akko and Diana aren’t as closely-pressed as they are in the one before it. It’s just the bare minimum of contact in their hands, and where their legs touch, and then their lips. All very small but significant points of contact. And I just love how Diana curls her legs around Akko’s back. Just a bit of light coming in from a window we can’t see but know that’s there. It’s just the amount of light we need. Perfect.

A beautiful colorless comic next! Their poses match their dialogue so well and again with the DETAILS. You can tell how badly they’ve missed each other even when they aren’t looking at each other. And then when they DO, upside-down, hair touching so close they can feel each others’ breaths, so intimate so soft, so playful. And then the kiss, how Akko reaches up her arm to pull Diana down and the way Diana curls her arm around the side of her neck. The pose of Akko lying on top of Diana hugging her with her feet kicking happily in the air is probably one of my favorite things ever. She just looks like a happy little puppy. And Neon never fails to give Akko bedhead that adheres to her usual hair. There’s always a tuft where her ponytail is and I haven’t seen that in any other art for LWA that involve Akko in her pjs/with her hair down. It’s something totally unique to Neon in my book.

The wedding spell comic is so beautiful. Akko’s maids of honor trying to reassure her. Their expressions are all so cute (and then there’s Sucy being Sucy) but Akko’s nervous pose and Lotte’s reassuring hand on her shoulder is so cute. And then the blue team aspect with Hannah and Barbara with the little hand-wave motion they did in canon like how perfect is that little detail? I can really feel Akko’s nervousness in the next few panels and the darkness really helps that too. You feel like you’re the one about to cast this super emotional marriage spell that could potentially fall through and break your heart. And then when they finally get to look at each other and suddenly you can breathe a little easier like ‘okay at least they’re not alone in this at least they have each other’. Also just the slight differences in their wands is so nice. And then they’re holding hands so softly but also concentrating on this super difficult super stressful spell. They just both look so gorgeous in this shot oh my gosh I love it. And the lighting comes in again, I swear to god Neon with their lighting techniques. Super bright on super dark really gives it that lively magical feeling. And you can see the rings being linked and you can essentially hear the emotion in their voices when they say each other’s names like when was the last time a comic made you HEAR something?? But GOD when they hold hands and rests their foreheads together look at the lighting and the tears in their eyes look how soft and tender it is. This is even better than a wedding kiss at this point because they’re both just so relieved the spell succeeded (the kisses can come later) but I absolutely love the forehead touch.

The wedding pic holy shit. I still can’t believe there are only?? 4 colors in this? Peach brown blue and white and yet??? It’s more gorgeous than most other pieces of art that use 9000 colors. It’s the lighting, the glow, the contrast between light and dark. The way the magic swirls around them, bright and soft. It really flows. There’s so much motion in a still piece. You can FEEL the love between them even without the adorable magic hearts in the background. And god have you seen their dresses? They aren’t both wearing the same generic white wedding dress. Neon goes a step beyond and adds in swirls, thinner or thicker materials, gloves, but makes sure to keep them open-back, because GOD are Akko’s and Diana’s backs important in this Au. The fact that their matching scars are exposed on their wedding night just really says something to me. And holy hell the shine in their hair. You can see every strand. It’s beyond me how that is even POSSIBLE.

After their reunion  lord they’ve been apart for 3 goddamn YEARS and look at how they’re looking at each other, like they’re trying to make up for all those 3 years when they couldn’t. As if the tears and the smiles don’t say enough, look at how they hold one another. This is another thing I love about Neon’s romantic pieces. The characters always hold each other’s faces, cradle their heads, hold their hands, hug their backs and sides, but it’s rarely the same in any two pieces. And in this one they’re touching foreheads, and the way Akko’s bangs fluff up and overlap Diana’s is such an eye-catching detail for me. And then the lineart of the kiss. Again, the detail especially in their hair and especially Akko’s. The way their hair slips through the others’ fingers. Shoot me.

Oh my god this one. Okay I need to get my shit together. We get everything we need and nothing we don’t. Just bits and pieces of the memories and the nightmare. You can feel the impact of Akko getting hit in the back. But my favorite panel in terms of emotion is definitely the one of Diana waking up from it all. You just know exactly how that feels. Everyone knows exactly how that feels. The way she’s jolted up in bed, hunching forward, gasping, and the tiny detail of one knee bent higher than the other to show she’s curling in on herself. I love this shot so much. But of course my favorite are the final ones because Akko is there to help her. Neon always has their marital rings glowing so they stand out in darkness. Simply the shot of Akko’s hand on Diana’s shoulder is again, so simple but so, so telling. It’s gentle but firm. And the look on her face as she kisses Diana. She’s upset that Diana suffered that nightmare. You can tell Akko is sad that she couldn’t save Diana from that. But she’s so gentle, that kiss is so small, just enough to coax Diana back into reality. And of COURSE the happy hug to finish it off. You know Akko needs that just as badly as Diana does. 

The art for Pink Potion is next up aaaaaaah Neon drew for my fic out of pure enjoyment of it and I literally could not be happier. I still look back on this and just get so giddy. It’s so cute. Simple coloring to match the lighthearted tone of the fic. And bunny Akko is exactly as I’d imagined her. I didn’t mention the tips of her ears in my fic but Neon still somehow knew they were black and nailed that detail. The kiss is too adorable, the way Diana blushes and Akko scrunches her little bunny nose. And their faces when Akko turns back. Neon does suspense/angst/serious so well but I LOVE how they do cute/funny expressions like this. And their noses still touching aahh~

The dance dresses are just. So fucking gorgeous. Full color and all the right colors, so many details. This is literally a scene straight out of the show that we never got. I love the ruffles in Akko’s dress and the lack of them in Diana’s - kinda speaks to their personalities, though it’s more likely just the material. Neon has such a beautiful way of blending blushes with the skin ton and it really shows in a full-color piece like this one. I especially love how fluffy Diana’s hair is and how Akko’s hand is just gently resting there on the nape of her neck while their other hands are entwined. And god, the way Diana is looking at her. I know this scenario is part of the “We shouldn’t be doing this” idea, and that just makes you think twice about this happy colorful image. Akko’s wondering why she’s apologizing. But of course she soon realizes...

The continuation comic is probably one of my favorites (I... might be saying that about like 90% of these though...oops) Okay but the colors for this one, especially right after that full-color piece. It works so well. Their illusion of perfection is shattered by reality and the fact that people are in fact watching them disapprovingly. Before they realize that, they’re just so infatuated with each other, so happy to forget the rest of the world. The softness of that kiss followed so abruptly by the shock and dismay in their faces. And god the way Akko looks to the others and they just look back at her not really knowing what to do or say. Lotte and Sucy give her looks that just say “I’m so sorry, I don’t know what to do for you, I wish I could do something but I don’t know what” because Akko did just blow hers and Diana’s ‘cover’. And then the crying over the forced smile right before she runs. Neon doesn’t put the dialogue for suspenseful comics in the same image as the pictures like they do with cuter simpler lighthearted pieces. They make a whole new panel with nothing else to focus on, just that despair in those words. And this next part out in the rain. This might be the only time Neon makes blue feel cold because god poor Akko is out there alone and waterlogged and she doesn’t even care. Her tears are highlighted on her hands which I really like. The shot of Diana finally reaching her and just gently reaching her hand out. She doesn’t even touch her right away so she doesn’t scare her. And the hug. One of my favorite Dianakko hugs to-date. Diana even casts a barrier from the rain. That’s just such a good detail I feel, again, other artists might not think/bother to add in. As if the hug itself isn’t perfect enough in its desperation and earnestness, there are just tiny little details Neon puts in. How Akko lifts her arm but doesn’t exactly hug back, how there’s a drop of rain coming off her ponytail, how her hair fluffs up after Diana’s arms press down on it higher up, and the way Diana’s arms lock around her. Hugs are risky because we often will only see one character’s face/expression in a single panel, so the artist has to chose who to show. Neon always chooses the most poignant option - the person we need to see. We can tell by Diana’s calm manner of standing and reaching out what her expression looks like without needing to be shown explicitly. It’s Akko we need to see in that hug. And then for her to return the hug, to accept Diana, to bury her face in her shoulder... I love this so so much. For them to go from scared and separate to comfortable and close. From darkness and loneliness to having a bit of light and hope. And somehow once again making blue feel warm, even though it was just cold 3 panels earlier. How?? I don’t know, but somehow Neon does it.

Next is a marriage proposal one aaaah gosh how cute. This is one of those where they’re still students but a bit older than they are in canon. Especially in the first panel their expressions are so perfect, blushy cute nervous Akko and calm confident Diana. The colors are so warm and pleasant and the way Diana cups Akko’s face when she answers is so sweet, making sure Akko’s looking her in the eyes. But gosh that kiss how Akko literally just wraps her arms around Diana like with the one cradling the back of her head and the other just draped out over her shoulder and Diana holding her face GOSH I love this pose. It really encompasses the desperation they’ve been suffering from all this time to be together, and the relief that they finally can be. And just the way their bodies are pressed so close together is so nice because you know they’ve been kinda holding back until now but they don’t have to anymore.

Okay this. This is a biased personal fav.  Oh god. There’s a reason this was my phone background for several months cause it’s just so goddamn beautiful. Neon draws any and every outfit so perfectly but these dresses I swear to god. This piece in particular looks so clean and simple with a lack of color, which makes you focus more on the girls and what they’re wearing and what they’re doing. I’m in love with Akko’s dress in the first part, the ruffles of her sleeve and the loose way it falls down her back, and how Diana’s cupping her cheek really softly. And just the very subtle, very soft blushes fanning out across their faces and shoulders. Just the perfect touch of the perfect color. And then we get even more angles of it from behind Akko where we get to see her gorgeous flowy hair with the ribbon and cute accessories, and Diana gently holding to both of her shoulders. Then how they just very slowly, very slightly open their eyes to look at each other and you can tell they’re both just a little bit breathless but not enough to stop them from doing it again. And another kiss to finish things (and me) off. God I love these so much. They’re so simply but so easy and nice to look at.

Next is cuddles  and oh my god just that first one of Diana hugging Akko and resting her head on her chest to listen to her heartbeat look at how happy she is. Just hugging Akko around the back and nestling so close to her, as close as possible. And Akko’s just in heaven getting to hold her wife and rest her chin on her head. Another example of Neon’s amazing usage of blue and shades. Their hair is so soft and fluffy and bed-heady-ish. And the next part would you look at how Diana looks at Akko. I love Neon’s technique of just putting a bit of light in their eyes whenever they’re in a dark scene. Just the eyes and the rings cuz that’s all we need. There’s so much emotion in their faces and in how they touch each other. Diana’s so happy she looks like she’s about to cry. They look at each other like they’re the most precious thing in the world (because they are, to each other). Look at that kiss, very soft but firm, and just a faint glow in Akko’s ring to remind us they are married, putting her hand around Diana’s head to bring her closer. And god the breathless last panel when they’re just all over each other, Diana’s sprawled out on top of her and Akko’s never been warmer in her life. Again with that half-lidded look they give one another. Neon even put a glow for right where Diana’s ring is, even though it’s not shown. The attention to detail again.

The art for Matters of the Heart ch1, our first big project together I still can’t believe Neon did this with me god. Akko’s crying so much and her cheeks are puffy and you can see that clearly. Look at the sheen in her hair and the shock on her face and her eyes. I always loved how Neon does Akko’s hair. It’s got a very slightly-messy feeling to it, just a little bit, but that’s perfect for her, because she’s Akko. No one else draws her hair like that. And speaking of hair, this piece is a perfect example of how Neon does Diana’s. Not only wavy and highlighted, but sometimes multiple shades. It literally looks like a flowing little stream of water. The blue of her eyes is so beautiful, and the tears god she just woke up and she’s already about to cry because you can feel how tired and in pain she is. She just looks so weak and I feel like I’m the one lying in bed when I look at this. Neon puts you in each character’s position every time and it’s incredible.

And older Shiny Dianakko holy moley look at this full-body full-color masterpiece. Not only is Neon a pro at drawing people and tools/items/wands but the backgrounds the stars holy crap. Several of their arts have galaxy/stars backgrounds and each is more beautiful than the last. There’s so much color and light in this one, so much to look at. I just stare at the little details from the shine in Akko’s hair to the fabric lining Diana’s boots. And again with their rings glowing just so slightly. Their arms around each other and their hands together. Every detail was nailed beautifully.

 Matters of the Heart ch2 I absolutely love the lighting in this one. You know exactly what time of day it is by the sunlight slanting in, and it’s bright and soft. Akko’s hair is ruffled cuz she’s been up for hours just worrying, and there’s the little tuft of her ponytail again, Neon’s little trademark. And the shine/shading all through Akko’s hair. I can feel the lump in Akko’s throat as she tries to talk past the tears. Her hand on Diana’s cheek and Diana weakly leaning into it and looking at her so longingly. She’s so so tired and everything hurts but you know she feels so much better just because Akko is there with her. Her hair is messy and unkempt, and Neon only draws her like that when it’s necessary. It’s not a careless swipe of the tablet pen, it’s intentional and it’s really expressive as to Diana’s state right now. All light, calming colors that set a really easy mood for this quiet tender moment.

A small kiss but still so beautiful. I love the (for lack of a better word) sketchier style. It looks so carefree just like the kiss. This is a kiss they can share just because they can, and I reel it’s something Neon drew just because they can, and thank god they did, cuz look at how cute. Still so many details, ruffled clothes and streaks in their hair. But like I said, no matter how many kisses Neon draws, they’re always different. Akko’s holding Diana’s shoulder and face and Diana is holding her firmly. It’s a quick messy kiss that you give your significant other just because you love them so much. More beauty in simplicity.

One of my favs like all the others are aahaHA Okay but this one gives us a view of how Neon draws other parts of the body like the back and shoulders more (and since it’s nakey we can see the muscles and scars and whatnot). More ‘warm’ blue colors at nighttime with these lovely cuddles. Look at how gently Diana strokes Akko’s back and we get CHIBIS I love Neon’s chibis. Cute little faces and expressions, which look especially great on Akko being tickled. And Diana’s just looking at her so longingly so lovingly. You can really see the love in her eyes and the adoration. And then you can feel Akko’s guilt. Neon just always chooses the best poses for everything. The way Akko hugs her pillow and gives Diana that nervous look (and her cute messy hair again ajksdhf) I REALLY Love the next part when Diana kisses her back. It’s so intimate, and I love their expressions. Diana is so certain about what she’s doing despite Akko’s clear misgivings and surprise. And the way Diana’s brushing Akko’s hair aside. I fucking love long flowy hair and this is the perfect opportunity for it and Neon does not disappoint. Such a sweet, tender kiss. I’ll never be over how well Neon nails emotions/expressions. And there’s often a variety of those in each comic. This one has guilt, nervousness, fondness, surprise, affection, joy. And the tiny little nose touch and how their bangs fluff up together. Look at how they look at each other. AND I fucking die when Akko gently touches Diana’s scar. Just that panel alone is so beautiful to me. The location of Diana’s scar being right over her heart, the way Akko’s ring glows just at the bottom of the panel, and the curls of Diana’s hair falling over her shoulders. God I love it. And another surprise little kiss for Akko. Have I said yet how much I love how Neon does kisses. And then adorable chibi cuddles as they just squish together look at how happy they aaaare.

Okay an angst comic  Neon’s so good with choosing colors for text. But before that, their handwriting is really nice too. The haunting black/red backgrounds and drops of blood. And just the choice of dialogue itself is so telling. You don’t need to see the knife in that first panel to know what Croix is doing to her. Croix is so calm, but you can see she’s also tired and she’s not happy about this at all. But goddamn the shock and dismay in Diana’s face, the shading, the lack of colors and then a splash of bright red. And then I like how the painful red panels turn green (which is kinda associated with magic and in this case Akko’s healing magics). When Diana wakes up you can see Akko’s hair off to the side, so you know she’s there hunched over her sobbing even before you see it for real. Neon does tears so well. And not only little happy tears or slow dribbling tears, but pouring heavy tears too. Just streaming down Akko’s face in 3 different places and dripping off her lip and chin. And then you get to see her hands bloodied with Diana’s blood so you know Akko was pressing down to cover her wound all this time Diana was unconscious. You can feel just how relieved Akko is, not only because of the tears and how her eyebrows furrow and the way she looks into her eyes, but her mouth too. It’s a tight but wobbly smile, like she’s crying so hard she can barely get it out there but somehow she manages. And then what a beautiful tight hug of relief and love and joy and just good lord. I love this hug. Akko needs it as much as Diana does. You can really feel their closeness. And I know I was mainly gonna focus on the Dianakko cuz I’m trash but this is my fav art of the Sorcerer so far I just. Love his design so much. So inky and drippy and bony and neat. But an ass.

Chibi cuddles  where you can see Akko’s pouty tired stubbornness look at her puffy cheeks and her tired eyes and her unrelenting grip on Diana. And Diana’s torn cuz she wants to stay in bed but she’s wired to get up and work. Their pose is really super cute, like how Diana has a hand on Akko’s head to half-pat half-push her away. And I love the lighting to show where the sunlight is coming in from this morning. Not too much color, but that’s perfect for an early-morning scene because at that time of day everything is still kinda pale and milky in color and not as bright yet so it really works perfectly here.

Study lesson sure okay right off the bat look at sweating gay baby Akko, meanwhile Diana is trying to be SERIOUS HERE but of course Akko is Akko. I love shocked Diana, how her eyes widen and her face turns pink. Then how they hold each other and close their eyes just as they kiss. Again, their hands are in different positions/spots than they are in any other kiss Neon has drawn. I like Akko putting both of hers on Diana’s shoulders/collar kinda to steady herself and keep her aim straight (lol). Followed by a cute little kiss and some of the cutest chibis ever. I’ll never be able to comprehend how simple circles and shapes like these chibis can instantly = people in my mind. All the work of an amazing artist.

Small kissu so simple and yet still so complex. I’ve always been as much of a sucker for the sketchy style as the clear lineart style. But this one is definitely more fun. Especially with Akko’s messy hair and ruffled bedhead, yet in contrast Diana’s hair is fluffy but not mess like Akko’s. I’m not sure HOW but it just is. And her fingertips just barely touching Akko’s face Akko’s chin and jaw, Akko’s hand on her shoulder firmly but comfortably. The way their hair kinda spills out over their shoulders and just that singular blush to keep our attention focused on the kiss itself. But don’t neglect to appreciate how Diana’s stroking Akko’s hair through her fingers. And then for her to move her hand onto Akko’s shoulder tells us she’s bringing her a little closer, kissing a little deeper. Such simply little subtleties but I want to appreciate them all cuz Neon needs to know someone really does just stare at these pieces for hours on end sometimes before bed.

Another that was my phone bg for a month or so. Such a cute, clumsy, totally-canon-possible situation. I like this simple, one-layer coloring technique a lot. Not too extravagant because the situation isn’t that serious, just cute and fun to look at. The side views are really cute, especially their mouths. Just the difference in the shapes of their mouths express their characters, how Akko’s goes wide/high and how Diana’s curves downward. But the follow-up image is just so precious, Akko worrying about Diana, but Diana reassuring her. I love Akko’s tiny little pout as she frets about hurting her, but Diana’s completely fine and just flattered Akko would even be that worried about her. And of course it’s a hug, and I’m a sucker for those, especially how Neon draws them. Always so close and cuddly. It makes perfect sense that Akko’s hands would be on top of Diana initiating the hug, pulling her in/worrying about her, while Diana would be returning it around her sides. Again, very small but important details that make the art all the more believable and enjoyable

Good please don’t ever stop cuz everything neon draws is fucking adorable. Another black-and-white piece, save for the blushes. And the sashes. I’ve said it a lot in art of other fandoms I used to be in, but I always love when artists do things like this, coloring only small parts of the art to kind of “highlight” it against the rest. In this one, they both have their hands on each others’ faces rather than shoulders or sides. A sketchier kind of piece for a quick, but intimate kiss works perfectly and really gives a feel for it.

A full color piece I really love. The highlights in Diana’s hair, the shine in Akko’s, and hell there are even shines in Diana’s too. For this one (as every Neon kiss is different), the both have both hands on the others’ back, and you can even see the motion in their hands (even though it’s clearly a still piece). You can tell their hands are roaming, rubbing, massaging gently, busying themselves in ways other than just kissing. And I love how Diana’s stroking through Akko’s hair. A super cute detail most pieces don’t bother to go above and beyond to depict, but if you are kissing someone with long hair, it tends to be something you do. It gives the piece a realistic feeling. Even more so with the second piece. By this point, both of them are a little breathless and giddy, their hair is messier (even the prestigious Diana Cavendish’s, and that detail in and of itself says loads about how busy they are with each other). I’m really in love with Akko’s hair on this one, the sketchy, shiny style for it, and the thin strands covering Diana’s fingertips. Tiny details that make it all the better and more enjoyable. And how Akko’s hand is kinda lazily lying over Diana’s shoulder, showing she’s at the point where she’s kinda stopped focusing on holding onto her shoulders and now she just wants to focus on her lips. These are also expressions we rarely get to see on these two, so it’s nice to see.

Matters of the Heart ch4. This one is simple (by which I mean simple to look at, though not to have created). Few colors, but again that highlight of the flowers in the background . Love it. But even more than that I just love Akko in this one. I love how she’s looking at Diana with such joy, such adoration, such fondness. No one has to read the fic or know what happened to know that Akko loves this girl with all her head. How she gently touches Diana’s shoulder and just gazes lovingly at her while she sleeps. Just gorgeous.

What should have happened in ep13. Beautiful coloring, and even more beautiful poses. Akko’s even crying because she’s so happy, Diana is just shocked at first. I love this hug (I keep saying that I KNOW) but I mean it shows Akko’s joy, to hug Diana around her back with both arms, happy enough to cry, while Diana’s hand is in midair, hesitant. But then she gets comfortable right away and hugs Akko back, and even Diana has tears in her eyes. I wrote an entire page describing this scene and yet Neon can express every emotion in two images. It just astounds me.

Okay this one. The One. It literally took me 20 minutes to look it over the first time cuz I liveblogged my reaction to it for Neon. I’m not gonna redo it on this post because nothing will ever be able to top the raw emotions I was feeling looking at it the first time. But I DO go back to it at least once a week (usually more than that) just to look at it. Just to stare. It is one of my favorites of any art ever.

Then there’s this one boy oh boy. Single image, different coloring technique, absolutely beautiful. The way Akko hugs her, holds her. It’s tight but not too tight. I’ve always liked hugs from behind where the person being hugged reaches up to put their hands over the other person’s (I know that is SUPER specific but it’s true). There’s just something about that kind of pose. The hugger having their arms/hands directly on the other person’s body, and the one being hugged just put their hands over the former’s just to hold onto them somehow too. It makes them both feel safe. It’s just so cute. And nothing’s cuter than Akko nuzzling into Diana’s shoulder/cheek. They’re both so relaxed, resting against each other. I haven’t mentioned yet how I love how Neon does eyelashes, so here’s a great time. They just look so pretty, especially against their blushy cheeks.

How the anime should’ve ended. New outfits for both of them, plenty of color, and all the most beautiful colors. The colors, shading, the background (again with the galaxy stuff!) And the magic and the light, sparkling exactly like the Seven Stars do. And of course in the shape of a heart. I can’t even imagine how much effort a piece like this takes. I also really appreciate the red and blue embroidery on their hats to match their sashes.teams. And the outfits overall are red/blue in reflection of them. It’s such a gorgeous blend of colors. And the Shiny Rod looks straight out of the anime. I had this as my laptop bg for a while cuz I just love looking at it.

Art for one of my fics ;w; Which absolutely kills me. Knowing that my writing could inspire someone to draw/create something out of just images spawned from words I jotted down will never cease to astound and flatter me. Especially when it’s a scene like this. The climax of the story, the most desperate/intimate/important part. Akko’s crying so hard, clinging to Diana, her ring glowing again to remind us of their relationship at his point. And Diana’s unresponsiveness and lack of reciprocation. Again, you don’t need to read the fic or know exactly what’s going on in order to feel the raw emotion and understand how Akko is feeling as opposed to how Diana is feeling at this moment. And I have to mention I love Neon’s choice of their Years Later sleepwear. Akko’s basically the same as her younger canon pjs (because she’ll always be a kid at heart), and Diana in a nightgown, which is the only kind of pjs I can see her in. The smaller final panel reassures us of the happy ending. Because the first image might scare you a little, wondering if Diana is all right, so leaving just that would’ve been a little worrisome. But Neon reassures us with that little bit at the end, and knowing it ends well makes looking at the first image not as worrisome the second and third time around - we can enjoy that more in knowing it ends happily. 

Red and blue. Okay. Anyone who’s been with me since RWBY (where my main otp of gals also have blue and red colors) KNOWS I am the ultimate sucker for color scheme things like this. Akko being red, Diana being blue, but the best part is the purple blending them together. Dash does this in her art a lot and I tell her all the time how much I love it. Neon does it even more beautifully and very smoothly. The blend is in such a small part, only their bangs and chests. It’s hardly noticeable, because it’s so subtly well-done. This pieces is like watercolor and gives off a hydrangea kind of feeling. Usually for Years Later pics, Diana’s hair is loose (for bedtime scenes) or over her shoulder in its ponytail. So I really enjoy seeing it in this new style, still in a ponytail but all down her back. And Diana’s threading Akko’s hair again. Though all kisses Neon draws are unique, some elements reappear more than others, like how Diana threads Akko’s hair and how Akko cradles the back of Diana’s head. Reoccuring small things like that in the art gives them a sense of normalcy, so we can establish and understand these two girls kiss a lot, and they have come to realize what things they like to do best when engaged in a kiss. Those things each of them do more often than others are things you’ll only notice if you look at all of Neon’s art. We kinda start to accept them as ‘headcanons’ of how Dianakko kiss when Neon draws them.

The Kimono piece is lovely. Seeing them both with new hairstyles, the jewelry, the hair accessories. As if the colors aren’t gorgeous enough, there’s the patterns of the clothing. I didn’t notice my first time looking at it that Akko’s actually tying Diana’s bow for her, implying she helped her put the whole thing on, or at least helped with finishing touches, which implies a bit of closeness right there. You know Akko is a pro at kimonos since she’s from Japan and Diana has no clue what to do with them, so having Akko tie it for her was a perfect touch.

Soft As Cotton art absolutely murders me. Another draw from one of my fics like holy shit I absolutely fucking died. This one is just pure adorableness. I love Akko’s disbelieving face and Diana’s twitchy tail but even though she’s annoyed she’s still blushing this gay nerd. And the chibis again AHH so cute. I love how Diana’s tail poofs up and Akko gets that look in her eyes like “I gotta... do it again...” My fav might be the one of Diana leaning into Akko’s hand and purring she just looks so damn happy. It’s just such a soft moment and such a soft picture with soft colors.  But no wait I think my favorite is the big bonus image cuz I had that as my phone bg for a long time. Diana’s annoyed at getting hit in the face with ears, but Akko is just. So content. So damn happy. I love the closeness, how Akko’s pressed right up there against her chest, and god her little nose ugh. And her arms are underneath Diana’s in this hug, which is a detail I love that I haven’t even been able to recognize for YEARS until very recently. When my fav gets hugged with the other person’s arms under theirs, because the person in Akko’s position is as close to Diana as physically possible, without her arms obstructing her grip. Again, a small detail, but one that makes it for me. I might be biased but I love this comic so much. It’s just so soft, as the title of the fic says, soft in every possible way. Soft and lovely.

Comfort kiss. Oh my gosh I was looking through Neon’s art tag the other week and spotted this one and I just stopped and gushed about it all over again. You can tell by my fics being 90% hurt/comfort that I love this sort of thing and this art fucking slew me. Diana’s just breaking down after all this time and you can tell how much pain she’s in, but that it’s emotional, not physical. Because Akko is level-headed for a change, taking on the role of the comforter. Her hands gently cupping Diana’s face, not her shoulders or sides where the clothes would skew her touch. She touches Diana’s skin directly to let her know she’s here and this is real. And she’s kissing Diana’s cheek, not her lips. I’ve seen comfort/crying art before of other fandoms/ships where they kiss lips but like... would you really wanna do that? I think cheek is the best. Not only does Akko get to brush away Diana’s tears but she’s allowing her to breathe freely as she cries. And look at how Diana’s hands are just loosely holding onto Akko, like she’s not even sure how hard she should be holding her back and she’s shaking too hard to tell anyway. But fuck me the final panel of Akko cupping her face and touching her lip so gently and shushing her... it fucking ruins me. AKKO being the one to take control of such a delicate situation. AKKO being the one to comfort/hush her. It’s a major role-reversal from their canon personalities and it’s so beautiful to see Diana being taken care of for once. I could stare at this one for hours (and sometimes I do I swear to god). And the colors are kinda dull/sad to match the tone of what’s happening, but it’s still oddly calming in a way.

Casual date okay if we don’t all already know by now that I love seeing my fav characters in different clothes and with different hairstyles so hello. Have a look at this gorgeous piece. If I’m a sucker for small details being colored in a colorless piece, where is nothing that gets me more than color-reversal things. Like ask Dash and Leo I always freak out whenever why do it in their art and here goes Neon. Akko’s got the bluish clothes and Diana’s got the reddish and they both look so GOOD. Even their shoes are different but still so cute. And for Akko to be having mint/vanilla and Diana to be having a chocolatey thing which is also a general color contrast for them is really nice. I love Akko’s smooth, stylish hair and Diana’s messier ponytail, again a little contrast from what we might typically expect from these two. And the colors are just so... summery. This entire piece screams summer to me, so bright and sparkly and it just kinda looks like marble soda in and of itself. The colors are so gorgeous and light and pleasant, like sherbet ice cream.

Another beautiful kiss. I just love how Akko is all but lying herself onto Diana, lazily wrapping her arms around her shoulders in a loose kinda hug. Looks like she’s about to just fall on top of her and take a lazy kissy nap, which is definitely something Akko would do. It’s such an ‘Akko’ kind of pose too. In contrast Diana is hugging her more tightly, a little more responsibly, probably trying to keep them from actually toppling over lol. Neon’s really good with not making the kisses too obvious. I mean the actual drawing of their lips. It’s done in such a simple little line or two, but the curve/angle of those tiny lines are so important to show whose mouth is where. I feel profile kisses are such a difficult thing to get right but Neon nails it every time. This is another piece where I love to look at their hair, but I think Akko’s lazy huggy pose is my favorite part. Their arms being lifted up lets them press chest-to-chest and man that closeness is so nice.

Surprise blue kiss agh so cute. There’s black-and-white pieces with just a bit of color, and then there are pieces that are all one color, like blue, and then just the red/pink blushy highlights. Akko’s got a little smirk on her lips and you know she probably got Diana to look up from her work by saying something dumb or saying her name in a sing-songy way and Diana was kinda focused on her work and she just looked up with a neutral/tired expression and then suddenly Akko’s kissing her and Diana’s heart is skipping a beat. Like we didn’t even see what was going on before this, but we just know that’s exactly what happened. It’s such a perfect pose too, with Akko leaning slightly down over her, taking prestigious Diana Cavendish by surprise, which probably nothing/no one else in the would could ever do. Even in the show, Diana’s eyes rarely ever go so wide, only in ep20 when Akko got right up in her face. So it’s always cute to see her shocked into an expression she doesn’t usually show. I like that this is just a simplistic, school setting kind of thing, cuz we need those too.

The ep 19/20 kiss that definitely happened off-screen. The face touching/holding fits really nicely here because this is a reunion scene (even though they’ve only been separated for like 12 hours, these gay babies). I know I’m repeating myself at this point but just. Look how soft this is. The tender caressing of Akko’s face and Diana’s hair, Akko holding the back of her head again. I don’t know why but this one always gives me a “christmas” kind of vibe. Probably because of Diana’s green shirt underneath and reddish warmer colors on the top, but also the lighting sort of makes it look like sunlight/snowfall, and that they’re beneath mistletoe or something. That’s just me I know, but I love it. It makes this piece really unique, and I plan to make it my phone bg soon over the summer to give me a cool/christmasy feeling in the heat of July. I love how the colors are all within the same palette/range (Idk terms but) they’re all very close to each other, browns and reds and purples and peachy colors. It all seems to almost blend and it’s just beautiful. I love seeing them in different outfits, but there’s a really cute charm of seeing one girl in normal clothes and the other in different clothes. Kinda tells the story right there that Diana wasn’t where she was meant to be because she has different clothes than usual. 

Boop. A nose bump piece and it’s so cute and sketchy and light and fun. I love how Neon always matches the emotional tone of a piece to the literal color tone. Their noses pushing up together is so cute, and their little miles are to die for. This one isn’t as intimate/tight as some of the others, but it still portrays its own level of closeness between them. I love how Neon does blushes, not just as little lines usually, but with smudgey sort of brushes. It’s much easier to look at quite frankly, I think it looks fucking adorable. This is another one of those things, even non-romantic, that Diana would never do with anyone else. Even in canon, it only happened with Akko.

Fake marriage AU is the most precious thing. In all of the Years Later art, Neon has them both look a bit older and dress/look different than usual. But they also just fucking nail the canon Akko and Diana. This comic shocked me from day one because it just looks... exactly like canon Diana and Akko, just without color. It’s exactly them in this scene - DIana’s shock and hesitance, Akko’s tearful joy and excitement, the way she’s holding Diana’s hands so earnestly. And here, the blushes are a combo of the smudgey pink and the little lines. And how adorable is that. I love their robes and cloaks/shawls and how they’re different yet similar, revealing the same amount of each of their arms. I also really like Diana’s hair in this one, with the shading of grey on white. And Akko this sly cutie pie slipping her fingers between Diana’s as the images go on, instead of just holding around Diana’s hands. She interlocks them by the end, and I KNOW people overlooked this detail but I fucking drink it in like a crusty old sponge. And the kiss, Diana being shocked again while Akko is almost puffing her cheeks up with the effort to just “do it! kiss her now! prove to the world you’re the best fake fiancee ever!” cuz Akko is Akko and she doesn’t always THINk she just Does the Thing. There’s a cute contrast to Akko’s earnestness and Diana’s surprise. And Diana’s mostly composed after it all, but you can tell she’s realizing she liked it. I also love how in chibi form at the end, their hands kinda turn to little paws and Akko’s ponytail sticks up in embarrassment.

Tummy rubs ;w; this one is probably the darkest (literally the colors, but emotionally, neon has done MUCH darker stuff haha) but visually this one is very dark, all/most of the light coming from Akko’s ring. It matches the scenario so well - being stabbed through the heart and poisoned into being infertile is about as dark and devastating as you can get. But Akko’s ring (their marriage/love) is a glow in that darkness, small but constant. Just the bit of sweat on Diana demonstrates how she’s suffering (maybe not as badly as other times, but you can tell it’s that kind of awful discomfort where you can’t eve find a comfortable position to lie in for bed, sweating and in pain all night). You can see it in Diana’s eyes how tired she is. But Akko is diligently taking care of her however she can. And so Diana looking back at her also portrays how grateful she is for Akko’s help.

The ep23 kiss oh lord. It’s such a difficult thing to choose only one phone bg image and one lock screen. I literally have to flip coins because I can’t choose. But god I love this one. Warm colors in contrast to the snow you know they were just in, fending off the cold. And the color palette is barely different colors, so similar they blend in so easily and pleasantly. It’s just so nice to look at, so cute, so easy o the eyes. It’s all sort of shaded/darker colors but ranging from orange to purple, their clothes their blushes, everything is just so smooth. I like that Akko’s cupping Diana’s cheek again, playing with her hair like Diana plays with hers in some of the other art. And Diana’s got a hand on Akko’s collar kind of just pulling her in closer, keeping her there, making sure she doesn’t run away again. There’s just love and warmth radiating from this picture, and I don’t know how but Neon pulls it off beautifully as always. I’m definitely making this my next bg or phone lock screen for the summer.

I scrolled through the rest of my Neon art tag and was a lil sad to see that it’s ended there FOR NOW but aahhh how nice it was to go back and look through it all again for a long time and write up some reactions/notes.

I know a lot of things I said here are probably just... explaining what’s obviously happening in the image. But I just wanted to show how like... Neon makes it so clear what’s happening, can express the emotions so expertly. 

It just astounds me. Even more than the idea of someone creating a drawing from something they read, making an image painted with words into one painted with brushes, more than that I am astounded by how artists like Neon can just think of pieces without prompts/writing. Just. Out of nothing. And they make it into a thing that never existed before and will never exist again. Something only they could have made. 

I am just blown away. I love all my artist friends but Neon’s art strikes something within me that the others don’t. And I can’t really explain it, but I wanted to do this and make this post for Neon anyway, to show them how much I love and appreciate their hard work. When I say I spend minutes to hours just looking at these pieces before bed at night, I’m not joking.

So thank you, Neon, for sharing these beautiful pieces with us! I wish I could write about EVERY single piece you’ve done, not only Dianakko, but I hope you get the gist of my feelings from this post!!