#leonardo da vinci you geniu\s

[woahrarepairsagemare]

the last supper

[f2e5b1]

blue lock: endgame | prologue

in a country where tradition is of utmost reverence, [Surname] [Name] aims to set her own path and follow it, even if it means leaving behind everything she has ever known in her quaint city of kamakura.

pairing(s). itoshi sae x fem. reader, itoshi rin x fem. reader, nagi seishiro x fem. reader, mikage reo x fem. reader, isagi yoichi x fem. reader, hiori yo x fem. reader, karasu tabito x fem. reader, michael kaiser x fem. reader, chigiri hyoma x fem. reader

genres + tags. childhood friends au, reverse harem, coming-of-age, romance, slight angst, canon compliant + profanity, mentions of bullying/ostracization, slow updates, reader is a chess player in jpn (wow crazy i know), implied gyaru!reader

wordcount. 404 words

Geniuses are born, and recognized too quickly. 

Take the most famous genius for example, Leonardo da Vinci, an artist and a pioneer for many advancements said to be well-ahead of his time, and subsequently  became so famous during his time in the Renaissance. Or maybe Albert Einstein, who was a child prodigy well-versed in high-level physics before he was even eleven years old, becoming the most famous physicist of all time for his theory of relativity and his contributions to quantum mechanics. Or Mozart, the musical genius who began composing music at the mere age of five, then became widely regarded as the greatest composer of all time during his time and now—his compositions having stood through the test of time, constantly being repeated by those who wish to perfect his craft.

Going local would be towards the genius Samurai, Oda Nobunaga, who was praised for his excellent military skill which allowed him to overthrow the Ashikaga bakufu, ending the long-standing feudal wars and unifying half of Japan. Or maybe Dazai Osamu, the literary genius praised for his influential work in and out of Japan during the 20th century. Even Oda Eiichirō, the creator of the hit series One Piece, is widely accredited for his incredible work and influence in the manga and anime scene—a genius of his own right. 

The world has its geniuses, the best of the best, the cream of the crop, and it knows them. It recognizes them. It will always recognize them. 

Which is how you know that the world will one day recognize your childhood best friends Itoshi Sae and Itoshi Rin, two geniuses at football in their own right, long after you have recognized them first. 

But, you often wonder: will the world recognize—you? 

…Will it recognize the genius born between Fujisawa and Zushi in the peaceful city of Kamakura? The genius who chooses to claw her way out of Japan and its islands to one day show the world what she is made of? The genius so incredibly full of passion it would be unwise to derail her of her goal, to not recognize that she, just like all the other geniuses in this world, the da Vincis and the Einsteins and the Nobunagas and even the Itoshis, is deserving of that title as well? 

Genius—that is what you are. 

And you will be recognized, too. You will make sure of it. 

story by f2e5b1. do not steal.

[danganronpasurvivoraskblog]

Credit: https://www.pixiv.net/en/artworks/67875227#big_0

Guess I have to do all of them now.

//And I will walk through it as you ramble.

Shuichi is Ritsuka Fugimaru, male protagonist of Fgo. There's also an alternative of him of course being Sherlock Holmes. Not sure why he's the simple harem protagonist but ok. Sherlock is obvious tho.

//I mean, all of the protags have incredible harem energy, Makoto especially, but Shuichi too. It's not THAT weird to me.

Kaede is Nero Claudius (damn this would put her at really bad terms with Mahiru Boudica then). Not sure why Genderbent Nero Claudius is Kaede but I guess they are both busty blonde happy proud girls that are not actually so happy and proud deep down. Tho, I need to point out this is actually super ironic cuz Nero Claudius was historically tone deaf.

//That's funny.

Kokichi is James Moriarty, the Napoleon of Crime. This fits so well. Both of them are basically asshole yet charismatic crimelords/troublemakers and are usually the cause of everyone's problems behind the scenes. Also, going with the alternative one for Shuichi as Holmes, this fits well cuz Moriarty and Holmes are actually canon rivals. Tho double suicide is obviously off the chart.

//Yeah, that fits a little too well actually.

Ryoma is Emiya Alter. Edgelord badasses with a death wish and a dark sense of justice and always suffer cuz of it. Fits the bill.

//Makes sense.

Kurumi is Emiya. Idk why at all. The non-alter version of Ryoma's. Hero of Justice who ended up hating his own dream cuz it made him constantly kill and kill and kill as the world's personal hitman. Made him question what it means to be a Hero. How the fuck does this fit Kurumi? And how does this parallel with Ryoma by Kurumi's side over there?

//That is strange to make KIRUMI of all characters Emiya. Isn't Emiya like, a big deal in this franchise? Surely that role should go to one of the protags.

Miu is Leonardo Da Vinci. Proud beauty super eccentric inventors. Makes perfect sense.

//Miu gives off big "DA VINKY!?" energy.

Gonta is Asterius/The Minotaur. Big animalistic muscular wild men with actual soft hearts and lovable personalities. Fits the bill.

//He looks cute too.

Tsumugi is Cleopatra (oh damn this would mean Twogami Julius Caesar and her are a thing). This is solely due to the meme of them looking like each other. Tsumugi is not that fabulous and proud beauty of herself. No way Tsumugi can weaponize her own beauty sparkles and glittering to make explosions.

//I disagree with this in the case of Survivor. Zetsubou Tsumugi is SO damn full of herself, it's painful. And while I wouldn't call it "weaponizing her own beauty," Tsumugi's own powers ARE related to her appearance too.

Keebo is Charles Babbage. Two robot men. Nuff said. Tho I need to ask how well Keebo is at programming compared to the actual Father of Computer Programming.

//I misread that as Charles Cabbage. Also, to answer this, the whole point of Keebo is that he's an advanced AI and fully functioning robot that's beyond the technological advancements of the state that V3's world is in. But him not being able to do anything like shoot lasers, fly around, and do super cool comic robot stuff; therefore leaving everyone disappointed despite how actually incredible he is as a creation, is the joke.

Kaito is Thomas Edison (damn this must mean Kazuichi and Kaito argue a lot). Idk why. What does Kaito have in common with a guy who invented the common lightbulb (he actually submitted it first. Someone in Russia invented the same exact lightbulb type at the same exact time as Edison but he turned in his papers the day later compared to Edison who rushed immediately to the offices) and, do not ask me why, fused with every American President from past, present, and future and with the Warner brothers Lion to be a Super President? Kaito got the short end of the draw.

//Miu said that Thomas Edison said genius is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration, and Kaito sure does perspire a lot.

Maki is Jack the Ripper. Loli Jack the Ripper. One of the possible Jack the Ripper's. Not really Jack the Ripper, is actually the spiritual incarnation/accumulation of all of the dead orphans/aborted children left for dead by the millions of prostitutes in London at the time. Maki is a damn good assassin and does have a strong love/hate relationship with kids, especially orphans, but this is a bit much.

//I mean, Maki being Jack The Ripper is what I expected, if we're likening her to any historical figure, but THIS iteration? The spirit of orphans stuff makes sense, but Jesussss!?

Tenko is Ushiwakamaru/Yoshitsune. Idk about this. Both of them may be dark hair sporty types but Tenko is definitely no military general and badass master swordsman (genderbent now) known for jumping across 8 ships in a row cutting everyone down. Doesn't seem to fit the bill here.

//Makes more sense than something like L'ouvature or whatever?

Himiko is Abigail Williams. Why the fuck would Himiko be the girl who essentially started the Salem Witch Trials by blaming everyone? Himiko would been murdered on the spot if she met historical Abigail. Sure, Fgo's version of Abigail is an absolutely precious little girl who'd you so want to protect as your daughter but also has very dark personality switch cuz she's actually connected to the actual Lovecraftian Elder God Yog Sothoth, but I need more than both of them being magical witch aesthetic little girls.

//There were many speculations going around after the end of the witch trials that Abigail Williams herself was a witch all along. So Himiko COULD fit into her shoes if she was a much nastier character.

Rantaro is motherfucking Merlin. No offense but Rantaro is not deserving of the meme king dick wizard who broke the meta more than any top tier waifu. I could explain why he's nicknamed the Dick Wizard but that's a hilarious other story.

//Yes he is. Yes. He. Is.

Korekiyo is Phantom of the Opera. Sociopath Serial Killers with obsessive behaviours towards a certain girl in their lives. Makes sense.

//Makes TOO MUCH sense.

And Angie is Xuanzang. This calls into question whether Angie has a pet horse, monkey, pig, and whatever animal that "sand demon" with a (trident?) spear was. (I'm Asian American and idolized Journey to the West and even I don't know). Regardless, both are super religious and I guess get into trouble all the damn time. I can kinda see it but it could be better.

//Yeah, kind of like what I said with Tenko. It doesn't make complete sense, but it makes more sense than most stuff.

-Mod

[quillomens]

Book Omens Day Five: Human Connections

Manipulating Leo da Vinci to give you a wedding portrait - Go!

Here on Ao3

@book-omens-week

--*--*--*--*--*-- 

BOOK OMENS DAY FIVE: HUMAN CONNECTION 

Da Vinci 

Crowley was sent to Italy in the 1450’s to whisper in the ear of Cosimo de Medici but, finding the de Medecis more than capable of being terrible without his assistance, spent the next century puttering around and enjoying the rise in naughty art and literature. It was in Florence that he first met Leonardo, whose supposedly heretical interests and homoerotic relationships first drew Hell’s attention, but it was his artistic genius and thirst for knowledge that held Crowley’s. Over the millennia, Crowley had formed perhaps a dozen relationships with humans which could be described as “close.” He liked humans as a group, but getting individually involved led to a mess of heartbreak (he still remembered the strange sound as Abel fell to the earth, never heard before, and the keening, panicked wail as Cain realized his brother was well and truly gone-).  

But Leo was different. So hungry for knowledge, so foolish about love. His notebooks were a treasure trove of ideas – some of them absolute nonsense, but the imagination was there – and he minded neither yellow eyes nor dark glasses as long as you were an intriguing conversationist.  

They became something very like friends. 

(Leonardo’s survival of the plague in 1485 might have included some demonic interference – the sort only possible because Crowley and Aziraphale had figured out they could easily do each other’s jobs. If Aziraphale could protect folk from illness, so could Crowley – and with the controversy surrounding Leo at the time, Crowley wasn’t even tortured for keeping him alive. Besides, Leo was left-handed, and the humans were big on “left handed people are of the deeevilllll” at the time.) 

The one problem, as far as Crowley was concerned, was that Leo was a man who held on to his stuff. All that gorgeous art and scientific ideas and backward handwriting kept in his notebooks, and so much of his art stuck on walls! How was a demon to get his own commemorative piece?  

As a gift, he decided. 

And, because of the tried-and-true nature of similar plans, why not involve the angel (he knew Aziraphale desperately wanted a look at those notebooks – Crowley had been cheerfully playing them on in letters for the last decade) and get himself a wedding gift? 

“Again?” Aziraphale asked, but they’d only been arguing for about ten minutes and Crowley could already tell it was a done deal. It had been a done deal as soon as Crowley pointed out that Aziraphale could be in Leonardo’s studio, where the notebooks and sketches and ideas were stored, if he agreed to this latest marriage scheme. He’d shown up in a conveniently female corporation, complete with a pale blue gamurra accented with lace and pearly feathers. He looked quite fetching, and Crowley told him so. 

“Thank you, my dear,” he’d demurred with a bit of a blush. “I’m meant to be inspiring chivalry. Not my usual line, but it seems to be going well enough.”  

Crowley pulled a face. “You mean you have to . . .” He moved his fingers in an extremely suggestive gesture. 

“Heavens no!” Aziraphale lifted his hand to his chest, literally over a string of pearls. “It’s all very chaste, you know. Courtly.” 

Crowley thought back to the handful of Evil Castles he’d served. Turning corners could be an absolute crapshoot. “Not from what I’ve seen.” Wasn’t courtly love passe these days anyway? Probably not to Aziraphale or heaven. They always were behind the times. 

Aziraphale stuck his nose in the air. “Well, I am not a common kitchen wench. I am a lady.” 

“True enough. Maybe too much a lady.” Crowley looked him over. “Could you tone down the accessories a bit? You’re meant to be someone who’d marry me.” 

“As you love to point out, I am married to you,” Aziraphale said slyly.  

Crowley hissed under his breath. “You know what I mean. Leo’s not going to think a woman dressed like that is going to marry a merchant.” 

(Being a merchant was terribly entertaining. He got to ride on ships and cause trouble, break hearts, screw up the economy, destroy family fortunes, and perhaps secretly kill off a lot of infected fleas before they came on land. He was a wealthy merchant of course – Crowley did enjoy appearing affluent – but Aziraphale’s pearls and lace were still a bit much.) 

The angel waved a hand. The pearls and most of the lace disappeared, leaving a simpler dress with only a few well-placed feathers. Farbeit for Aziraphale to drop the feather motif.  

(Crowley had a jaunty white-blue feather in his hat, but that was different.) 

“Much better. You have the certificate?” 

“Naturally.” Aziraphale half-pulled a rolled document from his skirt. “We had a simple wedding.”  

Crowley laughed. “Don’t we always?” He offered his arm with a gallant bow. Aziraphale’s satin flats and Crowley’s wooden soles made them of a height. The angel took his arm primly and Crowley swept them into the ever-moving sea of humanity.  

“You know,” he murmured in Aziraphale’s ear, nose tickled by a pale curl, “since we’re married now-” 

“On paper.” 

“-On paper, absolutely everything you own belongs to me by law? Guess it’s time to raid all your little hidden spots.” 

The eyes that cut to him were very blue. “I would like,” Aziraphale said in a voice more suited for Russian steppes than a warm day in Venice, “to see you try, my dear.” 

Crowley decided he’d rather not, really. 

Leo was charmed to meet Aziraphale, of course, if somewhat nonplussed to learn Crowley had not only legally married, but legally married a woman. “Not really,” Crowley corrected him, but Leo, like all those mortals who dealt regularly with the immortal, had learned to move past Crowley’s more enigmatic statements.  

Aziraphale could charm when he wanted – humans were drawn to him whether he liked it or not, naturally comfortable in his angelic presence. And he was smart and witty, two traits Leonardo admired and shared. When he showed the same polite grace and interest to Leo’s Salai, Crowley knew the wedding portrait was a cinch. Leo was a pushover if you treated his mercurial young lover with respect. 

It was a beautiful piece, if not the sort of high-brow, religious perfection that Leonardo was known for. Sketched and lightly colored, it showed a sharp-edged man in dark, perfectly tailored clothing and a broad-featured woman in soft blues. They stood facing each other, two wooden panels that could be hung together or separately (would have to be separate, too dangerous any other way, at least for another five centuries, when they were be brought from hiding to hang in a small upper room in a Soho bookshop). His smile was a little too broad, her smile a touch too mischievous for a proper lady – which was fine, she was a merchant’s wife, after all, hardly a member of the upright noblesse. Against custom, she looked boldy into his eyes (strange eyes, serpent like – a birth defect, Crowley explained when he took off the smoked glasses), and he into hers, like equals.   

On the edges, the fall of soft feathers, silvery-blue.  

(The Mona Lisa cartoon he scampered off with a few years later was worth a great deal more money in the long run, but Crowley was terribly fond of the picture of himself in the great artist’s hand. When it was hanging properly with its twin in a cottage after the end of the world, hidden away in a safe room with other portraits and works of art through the years, he quietly declared it his favorite. An angel took his hand and agreed.) 

[starfriday]

Teamwork Arts presents Mumbai Preview of Jaipur Literature Festival 2024 at The Quorum, Mumbai

Unveiled key themes and highlight sessions for the upcoming Festival

14th December 2023 – Anticipation is building for the 17th edition of the iconic Jaipur Literature Festival, scheduled to take place from 1st to 5th of February 2024 at Hotel Clarks Amer in the vibrant Pink City of Jaipur. Teamwork Arts, the producer of the iconic Festival, hosted a celebratory evening at The Quorum, Mumbai yesterday and brought together the city’s dignitaries, Festival speakers and audiences. The Festival also announced the official bookstore for the 2024 edition – Crossword Bookstores.

Apart from talking about the much-awaited Festival programme and offerings, the evening featured a dialogue between Amish, bestselling author, diplomat and Director of the Nehru Centre in London, and Sanjoy K. Roy, Festival Producer and Managing Director at Teamwork Arts. They delved into the significant role that myth plays as a mediator of memory. There was also an exciting jazz performance by percussionist Vladimir Taravos and saxophonist Liudas Mockuinas at the event.

William Dalrymple, writer, historian, and Festival Co-director, said, "Every year we try and raise the bar at the Jaipur Literature Festival, but 2024 will be our finest festival yet. It is going to be utterly extraordinary and should on no account be missed!"

Sanjoy K. Roy, Managing Director of Teamwork Arts, producer of the Jaipur Literature Festival, said, “At the Jaipur Literature Festival, we inspire people through the power of stories. It is an opportunity to be engage with a cross section of the arts, knowledge and innovation An experience you definitely do not want to miss – a celebration of the joy of literature.”

Aakash Gupta, CEO, Crossword Bookstores, said, “Crossword is very proud to be the bookstore partner at JLF. We are on a mission to grow the readership in India. The Festival is at a pinnacle of celebrating the joy and importance of good books. This partnership between the Festival & Crossword is a perfect match and aligns with our shared visions. Watch out for an exciting bookstore experience at JLF 2024!”

Saloni Puri, Director of Programming at The Quorum, “I am a Jaipur Literature Festival patron from 2006 - since it was founded. Their highly versatile programming has been instrumental in adding to the cultural conversation in the country. Quorum and the Jaipur Literature Festival share a DNA - curiosity and passion for ideas and imagination, thought leadership and conversation. It gives us great pleasure to partner with them for the Mumbai Preview of the 2024 edition.”

The evening also revealed some of the key themes for the 17th edition of the ‘Kumbh’ of literature. Art & culture are key themes and will have interesting sessions such as one exploring the artistic genius of our country’s foremost modern artist, Raja Ravi Varma with Ganesh V. Shivaswamy, two of whose six-volume series, Raja Ravi Varma: An Everlasting Imprint, navigates the life, artistic style, and everlasting impact of Raja Ravi Varma's creative journey. In another session, museum curator, art historian and Director of the Fitzwilliam Museum at the University of Cambridge, Luke Syson, will talk of Leonardo da Vinci's reputation as an inventor and scientist, and the complexity of his creativity and personality that have sometimes almost overshadowed the importance of his aims and techniques as a painter. Syson’s highly acclaimed Leonardo da Vinci – Painter at the Court of Milan exhibit attempts to understand the complex nature of one of the most sought-after artists of the Renaissance period.

The biographies theme includes a session on the book Irrfan: A Life in Movies by film critic and writer Shubhra Gupta. The book is a collection of conversations with the late actor’s contemporaries and their memories of their time with the legend. In conversation with Irrfan Khan’s beloved wife and theatre actor Sutapa Sikdar and filmmaker Vishal Bhardwaj, the session will dive into the art, craft, and life of Irrfan.

Pulitzer Prize winning writer Kai Bird will speak at another session on his writing life and literary journey. Famously co-authored with the late Martin J. Sherwin, Bird wrote, American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer, which acted as the inspiration for the Chirstopher Nolan film, Oppenheimer.

Sharmistha Mukherjee’s remarkable biography Pranab My Father: A Daughter Remembers offers a fascinating glimpse into the illustrious life of Pranab Mukherjee, former politician and the thirteenth President of India. In this session, Sharmistha will talk about her workaholic and devoutly religious Baba who narrated events in the spirit of adda at the dinner-table and who never tried to impose his faith or beliefs on her.

The poet who wins every heart - Gulzar Saab - continues to create magic with each new poetry collection, interweaving the allure of old favourites through verse. Translated by award-winning translator and writer, Rakhshanda Jalil, Baal O-Par is a definitive collection of Gulzar Saab's poetry comprising the complete text of six volumes of poems. Together they will take us through this masterpiece, offering a kaleidoscopic view of history, human experience, and poetic expression.

The Festival will also feature Fashion Designer Tarun Tahiliani. His creations navigate sartorial histories, from the lens of the impact of globalisation and colonisation on attire to the revival of long-forgotten techniques. His book, Journey to India Modern, written with investigative journalist Alia Allana, reveals the paths he takes for his craft, and the significance of his luxury design studio in today's world. In conversation with television anchor and fashion consultant Ambika Anand, Tahiliani will share insights into his explorations in fashion around the globe, his efforts to merge stories across time and space, and the questions he seeks to pose through his designs.

The Festival will also delve into spiritual histories. The sacred terrain of the high Himalaya has a timeless tradition of spiritual and mystic quests. How do enlightened masters become an enduring and living presence for religious and spiritual communities? Celebrated academic and writer Andrew Quintman has written extensively on the Tibetan master and spiritual poet, Milarepa. Actor and writer Kelly Dorji is a practising Buddhist. His book, The Hidden Rainbow, makes an attempt to take us on a spiritual journey through Buddhist symbolism in the quest for inner peace and acceptance. Together, they will discuss the literary representations of Milarepa's life and consider the manifold ways in which these life stories move beyond the written page into artistic, ritual and lived dimensions. This session will also include the launch of the Hindi edition of Mystics and Sceptics: In Search of Himalayan Masters.

Leading classicist and cultural commentator Mary Beard’s recent book, Twelve Caesars: Images of Power from the Ancient World to the Modern, explores how Roman art has shaped the Western world’s understanding of power for over two millennia. Examining the relationship between ancient imperial imagery and the modern visual imagination, Beard will take us through the images of Roman emperors, especially the ‘Twelve Caesars’, from the ruthless Julius Caesar to the fly-torturing Domitian, to understand their modern significance. In conversation with historian, writer and podcaster Tom Holland, she will discuss changing identities, deliberate misidentifications and the often-uncertain representations of authority.

This year too, the Festival offers an exclusive Friend of the Festival (FOF) package which promises an unparalleled experience. FOFs gain access to a private Festival Lounge, where they can unwind and network, occasionally mingling with Festival speakers. The package includes lunches and dinners on Festival days, priority access at select sessions, and entry to the live music performances at the Jaipur Music Stage. In addition, FOFs will be invited to a cultural evening at the majestic Amer Fort as well as an evening of cocktails at the Festival Lounge. They will also get access to the coveted Writers’ Ball that concludes the spectacular literary show.

‘Friend of the Festival’ packages can be booked using this link: https://jaipurliteraturefestival.org/friendsofthefestival-registration.

For further information on the Festival, please visit:

https://jaipurliteraturefestival.org/

[sowingseedsandshootinghoops]

Being Great: Leonardo Da Vinci

Note on the text: I used Walter Isaacson’s Leonardo Da Vinci as published by Simon and Schuster in 2017

Leonardo Da Vinci was a genius. Reading about just the way in which his mind worked was amazing and what I loved most about him was the way in which he gave himself permission to explore everything he wanted to explore in his life, and how he gave himself permission to be everything that he was. 

No one is one thing and what amazed me about reading this book was just how varied Da Vinci’s interests were. Although he is known mostly as a painter he was also interested in learning about hydraulics, engineering, and how the human body worked. He even dissected multiple bodies (both human and animal) to see how the various bones, muscles, ligaments etc worked just because he wanted to know. Yes he also wanted to create realistic paintings with characters that conveyed a full range of emotions, but that was also something he just wanted to know about. He designed war machines, flying machines, and did various science experiments. He was a true lifelong learner who was more than willing to let life lead him wherever it wanted to him to go, even if it didn’t exactly make sense. 

He had the courage to go wherever life would take him no matter what anyone said. There’s a story that he tells of a time where he stumbled upon a dark cave while hiking around Florence. Upon seeing the cave there arose in him “two contrary emotions, fear and desire- fear of the dark threatening cave, desire to see if there were any marvelous thing[s] within it” (28). On that day desire won out and he went into the cave to discover that there was the fossil of a whale. That one incident taught him to never let his fear of the unknown keep him from doing anything. Now it wasn’t all peaches and cream, and not every one of his adventures resulted in success. He was a human just like the rest of us. He “was not always a [genius]. He made mistakes. He went on tangents, literally pursuing math problems that became time sucking diversions. Notoriously he left many of his paintings unfinished. . .  As a result there exists now at most fifteen paintings [that are] fully or mainly attributable to him” (8). 

It’s also worth noting that he was born at a time where “the mixing of ideas from different disciplines [had become] the norm” (26). This is important when talking about Da Vinci’s abilities to cater all the different sides of himself- he grew up in a society where he was encouraged to do so. No one is just one thing. We are all made up of many different interests and passions. The problem is that most of, especially when we become adults, fall into the trap of assuming that everything has to have a practical purpose. The idea of learning how to do something just because you want to, even if it has no practical purpose, is certainly not in vogue now. Da Vinci however never allowed something as trivial as practicality to get in his way. He took full advantage of everything that life had to offer him. Sometimes he wanted to learn things that had a practical application for his life, like when he would dissect human bodies so that he could study their muscles and skeletal structure so that he could paint human figures that are more realistic and emotive. Other times he just wanted to know how the beak of a woodpecker worked just because he was curious. These various endeavors, as myriad as they were, served to greatly enrich his life, and, for Da Vinci, that was the point. Life was something to savored and explored in every way possible.

That’s how you’re supposed to live. That’s how one becomes a genius. Leonardo was always stretching himself, pushing himself to try new things, to get better. Don’t limit yourself to one thing. You are more than just one thing and deserve to live a life that is worthy of the unique and beautiful human being that you are

[sastrology]

GENIUS INDICATORS IN ASTROLOGY: Similarities between geniuses in history

“We must believe that we are gifted for something and that this thing must be attained.” - Marie Curie

These are the chart similarities I have noted between some of times most well known geniuses. Albert Einstein, Nikola Tesla, Isaac Newton, etc.

Please note, these similarities in no way shape or form should put limitations on your own chart. I am also at the hands of the internet with obtaining birth times, so take that as you will.

MERCURY ASPECTING SATURN: Charles Darwin, Albert Einstein, Isaac Newton, Leonardo DaVinci, Nikola Tesla, Ben Franklin, Wilhelm Ostwald

This was common in about 90 percent of the charts, specifically the square/conjunct but trines were also noted. When we look at Mercury the planet of communication mingling with Saturn, who we associate more with stability, karma, and restriction, it can create curious individuals. Typically this results in people who are mentally disciplined, even structured thinkers. Notably disciplined in most things they do, they’re tedious in mental endeavors and fine detailing. These individuals can spend years crafting, cultivating, and nurturing their specific tool of choice.

PLANET(S) IN THE 3RD HOUSE: Nikola Tesla (stellium), Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe, Charles Darwin (stellium), Leonardo da Vinci, Isaac Newton, Charles Dickens, Thomas Edison (stellium), Marie Curie

Another noteworthy observation was that almost all of them had at least one planet in the 3rd house, typically 2-3 in that house. How does the 3rd house relate to intelligence? It’s less surprising when we keep in mind the 3rd is ruled by Gemini (Mercury) and looking closer at the 3rd house in Astrology we are dealing with the realms of communication, travel, and early education in a general sense.. People with a planet, but more indicative in people with 2-3 planets in this house, we see individuals who almost have a leg up in the departments of learning at a young age. Even if people with 3rd house placements are not “geniuses” most will relay that they had a high potential of intelligence young even if that potential does not carry on into adulthood

A GRAND TRINE IN THE NATAL CHART: Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe, Stephen Hawking (allegedly), Ben Franklin, Marie Curie

A grand trine in astrology represents a rare, smooth flowing energy of 3 planets that pass information between each other in a seamless way, 3 perfect best friends if you will. People blessed with a grand trine in astrology have natural talent that is pronounced . The energy of a trine can be so effortless it can almost become latent if not harnessed. They could be suspiciously lucky, especially in the houses involved. It can be difficult for these individuals to relate to others in the matters they excel in, they can have trouble understanding why something that’s as natural as sticking out their arm isn’t as easy for everyone else.

PLANET(S) IN THE 10TH HOUSE: Albert Einstein (stellium), Leonardo da Vinci, Charles Darwin, Marie Curie (stellium), Benjamin Franklin, Charles Dickens, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Wilhelm Ostwald

The 10th house in astrology is associated with public image, career achievements, and your life’s work. It can be looked at like Mercurys more serious brother. Putting that in mind, most of the charts I compared did not have an empty 10th house. People with planet(s) in the 10th house leave their mark on the world one way or another, they are downright tenacious in their ambitions.

Interesting side notes:

In ALL of the charts, Venus was either in the 10th house, or aspecting Midheaven.

Mercury was most commonly found in the 3rd or 10th house

Most common chart shapes were splash and bucket, followed by bowl.

Empty 7th house, primarily. If occupied, with no more than 1 planet.

Isaac Newton, Albert Einstein, and Nikola Tesla all had the sign of Cancer somewhere in the big 3

The signs of Sagittarius, Aquarius, and Capricorn somewhere in the big 3

I am not a genius, nor an astrologer. The phrase genius can be applied to a lot of intelligent, creative, successful people. This isn’t a complete list, as I’m sure if I spent more hours I would have uncovered more so please take this post with a grain of salt! and be mindful that some of this information may not be completely accurate as I am going off of the internet’s knowledge of birth times. If you notice any inaccuracies, please DM me or send me an ask, we’re here to learn from each other.

[imagineimagineimagine]

Your writing is sooo good, it brings me joy! If I may make a request, could you do headcanons of master comforting their bond level 10 servants when they're extremely upset&close to breaking down? Servants being Enkidu, Andersen, Da Vinci Caster and Da Vinci Rider. Whatever the reason is (it's just too much of everything or they had a nightmare/nasty memory resurfacing, literally anything that brought them into that state) master is always there for them

Andersen, Enkidu, and Da Vinci (Caster & Rider) Being Comforted By Their Master

Hans Christian Andersen:

Despite the sheer magnitude of complainants he will make and his rather pessimistic outlook on life, Hans Christian Andersen truly understands and values those who attempt to live their life with everything they have; even if he himself will claim to only want you around as a source of inspiration for his next novel (Interlude). But despite his many harsh words to the contrary, even a man as blunt and arrogant as him, couldn't help but begrudging come to care about you as you're bond with one another continued to grow stronger (Bond 4+5).

There aren't many things which can cause Andersen to breakdown. Always ready with a least one sarcastic quip and absolute zero sense of shame (London Singularity), a man like him is far too proud to ever breakdown in front of others. That is however until you nearly die while attempting resolve one of the many singularities. While the mission itself was a success, and your servants managed to bring you back to Chaldea, you sustained a lot of injuries which put you out of commission for a while.

When you do eventually wake up, Andersen will ask you one time if you're alright before giving you the most savage verbal beating you have ever received. He won't yell, he won't scream, he won't even exaggerate his insults. Every insult he utters will be cold and harshly accurately. But dispute all that, its pretty easy to tell he was just worried. So the best way to comfort him in times like these is just to listen, and let him get everything out. And when he's done and angrily awaits your retort so he can yell at you some more, tell him you're grateful for how much he cares, and you're sorry for having worried him. He'll insult you some more, but they won't have nearly as much bit to them.

Enkidu:

Both the game and the character refer to Enkidu as being neither male nor female. Therefore I used the pronouns they/their/them

Sorry Anon, but Enkidu is not a servant who will ever need comforting or have a breakdown.

One important thing that needs to be understood, is that the Enkidu summoned to Chaldea is not the same Enkidu who eventually gained emotions as a result of meeting King Gilgamesh. When the gods of ancient Mesopotamia created Enkidu, Enkidu was in essence, a container with no personality. Enkidu's existence for example was similar to that of a computer which has all its hardware components but no software installed (Interlude 1). Because of that, it was simply Enkidu's initial state that was recorded to Throne of Heroes and not his later "self" which eventually did gain emotions.

The polite and agreeable personality of Chaldea's Enkidu is simply software optimized for Mater's ease of use with interacting with them (Interlude 1). And because Enkidu has no emotions (at least none which they are willing to admit), they will never be in a position in which they request comfort.

If for some reason they did have a breakdown, then more than likely either Gil Archer or Gil Caster would step in, or Enkidu themselves would go to one of them (Something you like).

The headcanons for Da Vinci Caster & RIder contain major spoilers for Solomon and the Lostbelts respectively. You have been warned.

Leonardo Da Vinci (Caster):

Ever since the beginning your crazy little adventure, the Universal Genius known as Leonardo Da Vinci has always been by your side. Whether in the command room, her workshop, or on the battlefield, her ever confident attitude and unparalleled intelligence have always made even the most impossible of situations seem winnable. And it is precisely because of those many great qualities that have resulting in her always being the one to provide you with comfort and not the other way around.

That was however until the sacrifice of Romani during the Solomon Singularity.

Da Vinci has never been someone who liked to cry. As she said herself,

(Da Vinci): I'm sure you've heard the saying, "No use crying over spilled milk"? Me, I've always had a different take on it: "You can't put spilled water back in the pot." I think that's about the perfect summary of human life. (Interlude 2).

After Romani died, it fell to her to be the commander of Chaldea. And to do her job effective she needed to be strong and project the image of having it all together; even if to you it was obvious just how much she was hurting inside.

So the best way to comfort her would be to go into her workshop at night and ask her to take you flying in her ornithopter (Bond 4). High above the clouds and away from the staff of Chaldea, ask Da Vinci to tell you story after story about her time with Romani. You'll notice the next day just how much happier she seems, having had remembered all those wonderfully happy memories.

Leonardo Da Vinci (Rider):

You wanna know how to comfort this wonderful Da Vinci-chan? Here's how:

Read the comic "Sleepy Da Vinci" on Reddit (Click me)

Read the comic "Spoiling Da Vinci-Chan" on Imgur (Click me)

Unlike her predecessor, Da Vinci Rider is much more likely to feel and express how overwhelmed she is. After all, it wouldn't be an overstatement to say that a lot of things are riding solely on her tiny little shoulders. As best as she tries to hide it, its rather apparent to everyone just how hard she is pushing herself in order to make sure that humanity survives. So what can you do to comfort this wonderful genius? Why praise her course! For everything she does she deserves to be praised. Tell her how amazing she is, how much you appreciate everything she does, and how she of all people deserves a nice long rest. You'll have her feeling better in no time.

[vaguely-concerned]

today is the day art history, queer history and jigen/lupin came together in my brain to have one hell of a party

thank you gay icon leonardo da vinci for putting jigen directly to lupin's right here, making him not only his literal right hand man (partnership :') ) but also putting him in the place of John the Apostle from the original painting -- the apostle most frequently identified as 'The Disciple Whom Jesus Loved' (and yes, indeed, it has a long long history of being read as queer -- King James justified his own long term relationship to George Villiers essentially with 'well Jesus did it first so how can it be wrong' fasdfka. actually let me get part of the quote for you because it's so sweet: "You may be sure that I love the Earl of Buckingham more than anyone else, and more than you who are here, assembled. I wish to speak in my own behalf and not to have it thought to be a defect, for Jesus Christ did the same, and therefore I cannot be blamed. Christ had John, and I have George." King James' personal relationships are interesting in their own right in terms of queer history honestly, so here have the link to that part of his article as well.)

I know they probably didn't intend this, especially since it's the wrong number of characters to be a perfect 1:1 with the painting, but S T I L L OMG my gay lil brain will take it and run with it, thank you clone of renaissance artist and renaissance man (ahaha) Leonardo da Vinci running around in modern day Italy (yeah part 4 goes some weird places)

in a less thoughtful vein: I do love that not only is Jigen the only character with his elbows on the table looking bored by the whole thing, da Vinci also predicted that he would be the only one with his elbows on the table looking bored by the whole thing <3 keep putting your genius to work in the ways that truly matter, like correctly predicting that this boy has no table manners, Leo. (...oh no some unholy ideas surfacing in my brain here -- someone please do a fanart of Jigen in the style of da Vinci's sexy gay John the Baptist? Different John but same da Vinci haha, I think it could be very funny to do that image but with Jigen flipping someone (*cough* probably Lupin) off instead of pointing. in general doing spoofs of da Vinci paintings with the Lupin characters sounds hilarious and also scarily plausible to be canon)

[dreamscapesin1582]

Vampires + Model MC

SCENARIO:

MC used to model for the ads of their travel agency. It escalated there and somewhat she received a few offers of modelling for catalogs and women’s magazines.

For some reason, she had a few of those with her when she got teleported to 19th century France and she fell in love and blahblahblah.

One day, she was shopping for groceries when her lover entered her room and found some interesting books peeking out of her purse.

Let’s say it’s the summer edition… aka swimsuits :))))

IKESEN VERSION: Oda Forces  ||  Uesugi-Takeda Alliance

NAPOLEON BONAPARTE

*eyes emoji*

“oh shit”

what did i just stumble upon

he backs away, then thinks that it must be a future thing

“so we’re good” then he takes it again

“she never told me she used to model”

browses through every page with a furrow in his brow

like yall really be telling me that ppl see this for free?

where was this when i was cold and alone in my throne

the future is w i l d,,,

he’s not that fond of books but he will definitely keep this one

f o r   s u r e

when mc gets back, napo will def ask her abt it

WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART

“all these years in solitude and i still get blessed by the world”

why do i even go outside, i wonder

anyways mozart tries to put it back

mozart really tried to put it back

narrator: mozart could not put it back

makes sure no one is around before opening it again

“will this be the reason why jean will finally disown me”

nah lets just call it…….. m o t i v a t i o n

whenever he is in the music room, there are two (2) things in front of him

sheet music and the magazine

conclusion: he has no shame

“ITS FOR THE GLORY OF MY MUSIC MC”

LEONARDO DA VINCI

this one is up for any adventure amirite

so when he saw the magazines?

he just found the fucking treasure

yeah thats right im talking bout u

love yourself my hoes

a n y w a y s

after all those centuries, leonardo da vinci has never been this interested in anything

i mean being dead inside and all

he will examine the shit out of that magazine

the p e r f e c t i o n

he would admire how accurate the pictures are,,,,, and how s e x y

smirksmirksmirksmirk

ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE

…………..what do u even expect lmao

jk guess what

contrary to common belief, the moment arthur witnessed the sheer power that is your body dressed in full glory

is the moment all his blood evacuated to his face

and ejected itself through the orifice that is his nose

b o l l o c k s

bless the gods that created the female sex

bless your mother

“oh fuck it bless everyone”

and he meant it

he blessed everyone with the collection of your pictures

imagine theo snapping his neck once it reached vincent lol

VINCENT VAN GOGH

he was just innocently killing time in your room, waiting for u

and then the devil inside him presented itself through a magazine

just poppin out of nowhere like “sURpRiSE moThERfUcKEr”

anyways he was like “oh!”

oh my go od ne s s g ra cio u s

anyone can see the sun in sunshine boi

considering how hot his face feels

it doesnt help that the pictures were clear and pretty

accurately taking every curve–

“broer i was wondering if that next painting is done—BROER?!”

that’s theo finding him passed out with the evidence lmao

ISAAC NEWTON

HAHAHAHAHHAHAHA he’s gone bro

the brain of the genius is now dysfunctional

“iS tHiS LegAL???????”

he looks at the pictures with both horror and sexual frustration lol

nervously takes it away

for science part 2

cue mc coming back later in the day

“isaac have you seen the magazine in my purse?”

spits tea

“huh w-what magazine no i didnt see a magazine idk any magazine what is a magazine even”

mc is partly amused at how he said that in a second

“god pls take me away”

here it is,,,, i couldnt help myself since i keep seeing my model mc hcs blowing up my notifs lolololol

[satorihub]

hey bestie 😌💅🏻 i was wondering if u could do some hcs for tsukishima, kuroo and asahi where they have a gf who is very artsy and good w paintings ??? thank u ily

𝖆𝖗𝖎'𝖘 𝖓𝖔𝖙𝖊: hi bestie ✨✨😼 omg this is my first request so I hope it isn't bad 😔

𝖈𝖍𝖆𝖗𝖆𝖈𝖙𝖊𝖗𝖘: tetsurou kuroo, kei tsukishima, azumane asahi

𝖜𝖔𝖗𝖉 𝖈𝖔𝖚𝖓𝖙: 1192

𝖜𝖆𝖗𝖓𝖎𝖓𝖌𝖘: fem!reader, fluff

KUROO, TSUKISHIMA & ASAHI WITH A PAINTER S/O

𝖙𝖊𝖙𝖘𝖚𝖗𝖔𝖚 𝖐𝖚𝖗𝖔𝖔 ⋆

─ ok so he doesn't know at first

─ but don't think he doesn't cares! he does, really, but yk, he's almost finishing high school and finals are tougher 😔😔

─ so I hc that kuroo really likes study dates, bc: 1. he's studying (probably chemistry, ew) what is something he likes; 2. he's with u!! that is someone he likes. so boom! win-win for tetsu 😌

─ so one day u had a really hard chemistry homework, but u reminded of your chemistry genius bf, tetsurou kuroo himself

─ so u decided to text him:

"hey babe, I got a big chemistry hw today. can u come over?"

─ but that day u were feeling inspired and decided painting meanwhile kuroo wasn't there

─ when he saw the message u sent him, he was happy! he likes helping u and kenma with school stuff, and he also likes challenging things yk. so hard homework? kuroo will NOT hesitate 😼😼

─ so the practice finished and he went to your house, he decided to take a shower on your place as well

─ he rang the bell and waited some seconds until he saw, you, with some paint in your cheeks

⋆

"what's this?", he asked pointing to your left cheek.

"what's what?", you replied, confused.

he used his thumb to swipe the paint and some of it stayed on his finger.

"this", he spoke, showing you his finger with a little bit of paint on it. "why is your face covered with paint?"

"oh", you finally realized what was happening. "I was inspired today, so I decided to paint", you explained. "wanna see it?", you asked.

⋆

─ if he wants to see it?? OF COURSE HE DOES! 🤩

─ and once he sees your paintings, bruh, he feels like he fell in love with u again

─ he thinks is so cool! he asks things like "when did u start painting?", "do u think is hard?", "can i buy one of these??"

─ like, kuroo, chill 💀💀

─ he probably says something like "i want u to paint me like one of your french girls ✨" and u are like "WHY are u such a DORK? but yea, sure babe"

─ he 👏🏼 brags 👏🏼 about 👏🏼 it 👏🏼 to 👏🏼 the 👏🏼 team 👏🏼

─ kuroo: DID YOU GUYS KNOW THAT-- kenma: kuroo, if you're going to talk about the fact that your s/o is an artist, yes, we do know. kuroo: b-but, guys- 😿

─ coach nekomata is also full of kuroo simping for u lmao

─ he just can't help it!! he loves u

─ anyways, kuroo is your number 1 simp AND supporter ✨✨💅🏼

𝖐𝖊𝖎 𝖙𝖘𝖚𝖐𝖎𝖘𝖍𝖎𝖒𝖆 ⋆

─ kei knows about it already, but he doesn't do anything about it lol

─ he's a very observant guy, so even before you two started dating he knew that you were into artistic stuff

─ he first noticed it when u guys went on a date and you had a paint brush behind your ear and didn't even realize it was there ??? like bruh

─ he's going to pretend like he doesn't care or something, but he just want to keep his salty boy reputation even if u both are dating

─ but once u decide to give him a little painting with some dinosaurs (on his bday or valentines day), u can slightly see him blushing

─ he'll pretend he didn't blush and will compliment u in a ✨ tsukki way ✨

⋆

"you know", he said as he slid his slender fingers though the details of one of the dinosaurs. "you could tell me where you brought this because-"

"tsukki!", you exclaimed.

"ok, ok, I was just messing with you" he spoke as he laughed softly. "thank you, brat. it means a lot", then he looked at you with a genuine smile on his face.

⋆

─ the painting is now on his room, in a place where he can easily see it, doesn't matter the angle

─ once akiteru sees it in his room, he's like "👀 what is this kei?"

─ tsukki will probably just murmur a 'tch' and ignore him LMAOAOAO 😭😭💀

─ yamaguchi also sees it, but instead of asking anything he grabs it and says "did y/n do this?? that's amazing, tsukki!"

─ he'll just reply with "shut up, yamaguchi", and yams reply with "GOMEN TSUKKI !!✨" (yes this is a yamaguchi tadashi lovebot)

─ but, he won't tell, but his ego boosts when someone says that you're talented

─ bc he thinks "hey, that's my s/o. I have an talented and amazing girlfriend, I'm so lucky"

─ he also loves rating your art!! if he could he would give all them a 10/10, but he needs to be realistic for u to improve

─ when he's at your place and u are painting or just sketching, he will make u listen to lo-fi, bc he thinks that it will make your art look prettier (even if he thinks your paintings are the prettiest thing that he ever saw)

𝖆𝖟𝖚𝖒𝖆𝖓𝖊 𝖆𝖘𝖆𝖍𝖎 ⋆

─ babyboy asahi knows it bc u slipped about it once before u two started dating

─ u two had a project for school and decided to meet in the library

─ so asahi waited for u for 30 minutes and then he sees u opening the door with clothes with a little bit of white paint

⋆

"sorry, asahi-san!", you apologized. "I was so focused on my painting that I forgot about our meeting"

"oh...", he doesn't really know what to say. actually, you're not that late, and you both still have time to do the project.

"don't worry, y/n, is not a big deal", he tries calming you.

⋆

─ he doesn't bring up that until later bc there was a ✨ silence ✨ between u two and he decided to say someting

⋆

"so, y/n", he starts, nervous. "I didn't knew that you were into arts."

"oh yeah, I am!", you answered happily. "I mean, I know I'm not the best painter in the world but, it still makes me happy, you know?"

"yeah, I know", he says while he admires your excited expression. maybe it was in that moment that he fell in love with you.

⋆

─ after y'all started dating, he will always but you new materials and other stuff

─ he can't help it, u seem so happy with what you're doing and he loves to see your smile (and your works, ofc)

─ if u want to kill him make him flustered, ask him stuff like "hey, asahi, would you mind being my inspiration for a new work?" PLSS I CAN SEE HIM DYING RN 😭😭

─ asahi isn't that impressed with your works, and it isn't because he thinks it's bad or simple, no, it's because he knows you're amazing and talented 😌😌

─ if u start selling your art, well too bad for asahi, bc he will buy everying

─ you: asahi u don't have to- asahi: YES I DO !! u can have all my money just take it 😭

─ in asahi's pov, you = leonardo da vinci

[ark3750]

Will you under - perform if you are left-handed?

Apr 05, 2022

Experts say at least 10 per cent of the people in the world are left-handed, and that’s not a small number. However, despite this, lefties often struggle to perform basic daily tasks in a world designed for right-handers, and until not so long ago, faced widespread social stigma too….

In Christianity, the right hand of God is the favored hand. Centuries ago, the Catholic church denounced left-handed people as servants of the devil. For generations, left-handed Catholic children were forced against their will to become right-handed.

Just a few short decades ago in Japan, the fact that your wife was left-handed could be cited as grounds for divorce!

In India, left-handedness is still considered a very bad omen among the Hindus. People who are left-handed are often not welcome to perform puja ceremonies, and a lefty is often referred to as someone who uses the ‘wrong hand’ — 'ulta' (opposite) as opposed to 'seedha' (straight and right). Naturally left handed kids are forcibly converted to right handed since it’s considered highly inauspicious to eat, write n even worship with the left-hand. The left hand is considered 'unclean' since it is the hand people generally use for washing themselves.

You will never succeed in life, one is warned if one doesn’t give up the bad habit of being a left-hander.

In Islam, the prophet forbade his followers to eat with their left hand because eating with ones’ left hand makes one EVIL like Satan. Really….!! The holy seer, Osama-bin-Laden was left-handed.

The International Left-Handers Day was observed for the first time in 1976. Ever since, it continues to be observed annually on the 'unluckiest of days',- August 13.

What’s common between,-

A) Iconic n historical leaders:

Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar, Napolean Bonaparte, Thomas Jeffersson, Benjamin Franklin, Queen Victoria, Rani Lakshmi Bai, Mahatma Gandhi, Mother Teresa n Narendra Modi

B) American Presidents:

James A. Garfield, Herbert Hoover, Harry S Truman, Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and Barack Obama

C) Hugely successful Industrialists:

Henry Ford, Amar Bose, Dhirubhai Ambani, Ratan Tata, L.N. Mittal, Rahul Bajaj, Bill Gates, Steve Jobs n Mark Zuckerberg

D) Iconic Sportspersons:

a) Tennis Legends:

Rod Laver, Jimmy Connors, John McEnroe, Martina Navratilova, Monica Seles, Goran Ivanisevic, n Rafael Nadal (Won 21 Grand Slams,- most by any player n is not done yet!)

b) Football Legends:

Pele, Johan Cruyff, Diego Maradona n Marco Van Basten

c) Chess Greats:

Gary Kasparov n Vladimir Kramnik

d) Formula 1 Champion:

Ayrton Senna

e) Cricketers:

Sir Garfield Sobers, David Gower, Allan Border, Sanath Jayasuriya, Wasim Akram, Adam Gilchrist, Kumara Sangakkara, Sourav Ganguly, Yuvraj Singh, Chris Gayle, Brian Lara n Sachin Tendulkar (Bowls, eats n writes with his left hand)

E) Rarest of the Rare, Genius Scientists n Inventors:

Aristotle, Sir Issac Newton, Alan Turing (father of AI) n Nicola Tesla

F) Nobel laureates:

Marie Curie (twice), Pierre Curie n Albert Einstein

G) Creative Geniuses who kept raising the bar:

Mozart, Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Pablo Picasso, Hans Christian Andersen, Mark Twain, Leo Tolstoy, Hellen Keller, Walt Disney, Charles Chaplin, Pt. Hariprasad Chaurasia, Morgan Freeman, Michael Jackson, Rajnikanth, Asha Bhonsle n Amitabh Bachchan (is ambidextrous - writes with both hands n fights, shoots n eats with his dominating left hand)

They are all under-performers in life. Why…. b’cos they were cursed to be natural left-handers. Imagine what more all of these 'under-performers' might have accomplished had they not irresponsibly n stubbornly decided to stay left-handed/left-footed!!!!

[grailfinders]

Fate and Phantasms #127: Leonardo Da Vinci

Today on Fate and Phantasms, we’re making the one person with enough free time to be both a universal genius and the best ninja turtle, Leonardo Da Vinci! Like many casters you’re super power is Being Adaptable, so just imagine every level summary ends with “Adjust your spell list to fit what your party needs” a lot.

Check out her build breakdown below the cut, or her character sheet over here!

Next up: Tamamo... 3!

Race and Background

Like a couple other servants you’re technically a homunculus, but we need that feat bonus, so we’re making you a Variant Human. This nets you perception proficiency, +1 Intelligence and Dexterity, and the War Caster feat. This gives you advantage on concentration checks, the ability to use cantrips for your attacks of opportunity, and the ability to use somatic components with full hands. That glove’s cool, but it’s probably hard to flash gang signs in that thing.

You’re Chaldea’s resident Izzet Engineer, giving you proficiency with Arcana and Investigation. You also get the ability to look up public building’s schematics to look for secret entrances and the like (it definitely would make the opening to Descent into Avernus a lot easier...) You also get enough background-based spells to make your first level spell list look downright silly. We’ll get into those at the levels section though.

You should probably try and keep that “Izzet” part under wraps. Mixing servants and mizzium could only end in disaster.

Ability Score Improvements

As the poster child of the Renaissance Woman, your Intelligence and Wisdom should be pretty goddamn high. After that is Dexterity- you literally made your body, and your craftsmanship is impeccable. Your Charisma isn’t amazing, because despite your body being a literal work of art you get a demerit due to the writing team’s transphobia, and also the standard array’s inability to give you all 20s. Your Constitution isn’t great for the latter reason as well, but we’re dumping Strength. Once again, the caster class’s 90% damage modifier is not going to help you get buff.

Class Levels

1. Wizard 1: You’re smart and magic, that’s a wizard. You get proficiency with Intelligence and Wisdom saves, as well as two wizard skills. History and Insight would be my pick, but you’re good at everything, so pick your poison.

You also get an Arcane Recovery once per long rest, allowing you to regain a couple spell slots on a short rest as a freebie, but their total level has to be half your wizard level rounded up. Oh yeah, you get spells too. They use your Intelligence to cast.

As the Universal Genius, your entire schtick is about being adaptable, so I’m not going to list spells in the breakdown this time around. If you want them, my personal picks are in the character sheet. 

That being said, you do get some guaranteed spells from your background. Thanks to being an Engineer, you get Produce Flame and Shocking Grasp as cantrips, and Chaos Bolt, Create or Destroy Water, and Unseen Servant at first level.

2. Wizard 2: Another problem with being a renaissance woman is that there’s no “everything” specialty for you to grab. That being said, the Transmutation school will help make your body a bit stronger on a more permanent basis than bladesinging would. You become a Transmutation Savant, meaning it takes half the time and cost to transcribe transmutation spells into your spell book. You also learn some Minor Alchemy, spending ten minutes per cubic foot of your target object, turning a nonmagical item made of wood, stone, iron, copper, or silver into one of the other materials on that list. This lasts for an hour, or until you drop concentration. I’m sure you can come up with fun ways to abuse this.

3. Wizard 3: Third level wizards get second level spells, including your background spells Heat Metal and Rope Trick. Everyone needs a bit of alone time. And also to slowly set people on fire. Also, you should probably grab Enlarge/Reduce. It’s a secret tool that will help us later.

4. Wizard 4: Your Ability Score Improvements are all going to intelligence, but we can be smart about it. Your Keen Mind gives you a small boost to Intelligence, but it also helps you navigate, tell time, and be a jerk to your DM by forcing them to keep notes on literally everything. Use this power wisely.

5. Artificer 1: You’re not just a mage, you’re also an inventor. And an artist, but we’re sticking with int casters today. Maybe for rider. With your Magical Tinkering, you can add minor effects to tiny items, because it’s not like you’ve already got prestidigitation or anything. Speaking of, you get another Spell list, which also uses your Intelligence to cast and prepare. Again, you’re a caster-almost literally any spell is canon for you, aside from maybe the divination ones. Specifically the futury spells.

6. Artificer 2: Second level artificers can Infuse Items, allowing you to create magical items for your party. Again, you can make almost anything, so take some liberties. Or check the character sheet. Either or.

7. Artificer 3: As an inventor who’s specialty is “inventing”, you’d think picking a subclass here would be hard. Normally you’d be right, but I want to make the Bastenyan X, so we’re going Battle Smith. This gives you some specialty spells, like Heroism and Shield, as well as making you Battle Ready. This gives you proficiency with more weapons, and you can use your intelligence instead of strength when using magical weapons. You also get a Steel Defender, a construct to help you in battle. You have to use your bonus action to command it, but you weren’t using it for anything else, so that’s fine.

You can also make the Right Tool for the Job after rests, creating a set of artisan’s tools until you make another.

8. Artificer 4: Another ASI, and another half feat. The Observant feat rounds out your Intelligence, allows you to read lips, and gives you a +5 bonus to perception and investigation checks.

9. Artificer 5: Fifth level battle smiths get an Extra Attack with each attack action, for when you really want to slap someone with your giant hand. You also get second level spells, like Branding Smite and Warding Bond. 

10. Wizard 5: Third level spell time! You also get your background spells, Call Lighting, Elemental Weapon, and Glyph of Warding. And that’s not even counting your normal spells.

11. Wizard 6: Sixth level transmuters can make a Transmuter’s Stone over the course of eight hours, and a creature holding possessing the stone gets one of several benefits. These include darkvision, and extra 10 feet of speed, proficiency in constitution saves, and resistance to acid, cold, fire, lightning, or thunder damage. If you’re holding onto the stone, you can even switch up the effect every time you cast a leveled transmutation spell.

12. Artificer 6: Hopping back into artificer gives you Tool Expertise, giving you doubled proficiency with any tool. I’m not sure if I was explicit enough here, but you’re very smart.

13. Artificer 7: So smart, in fact, that you can use your Flash of Genius to add your intelligence modifier to a nearby ability check or save, a number of times per long rest equal to your intelligence modifier. You might not be great at athletics, but you do know a lot about the technique!

14. Artificer 8: Nope, we’re not maxing out intelligence yet. Use this ASI to become a bit Tougher. No real reason for it, but you’re kind of a melee fighter with less than 100 hp at the end, which isn’t good. This gives you +2 hp every time you level up, and a nice +28 hp immediately.

15. Artificer 9: You get third level spells again, including your specialty spells Aura of Vitality and Conjure Barrage. You also learn how to add an Arcane Jolt to your magical weapon attacks, either dealing extra damage or healing a nearby creature. You can use this once per turn, and a number of times per long rest equal to your intelligence modifier.

16. Artificer 10: Tenth level artificers see a lot of their infusions become a bit stronger, and they become a Magic Item Adept, which gives them an extra attunement slot and makes building magic items from scratch much easier.

17. Artificer 11: Eleventh level artificers can make Spell Storing Items at the end of long rests, allowing you to give your Bastenyan a Knife of Enlarging so you can ride in style by hasting and growing it at the same time. Despite the name, these items have to be weapons or focii, you can only have one item at once, and they only hold a number of charges equal to your intelligence modifier.

18. Artificer 12: With our final ASI, we can finally max out our Intelligence score for the best spells, the strongest hits, and the most effective magic items.

19. Artificer 13: With your fourth level spells, you get specialty and background spells at once, netting you Aura of Purity, Fire Shield, Conjure Minor Elementals, Divination, and Otiluke’s Resilient Sphere. And again, these are all spells that don’t count for your prep.

20. Artificer 14: Your capstone level makes you a Magic Item Savant, allowing you to attune to five items at once and ignore all requirements for using magic items. True genius knows no limits, after all.

Pros:

By mixing some wizard levels in with your artificer, you can learn a frankly silly number of spells by default, allowing for a lot of magical versatility. Multiclassing also lets you steal higher level spells from other spellbooks, negating some of the weaknesses you’d normally get from multiclassing. By the end, you can still copy over seventh level spells! Not bad for someone who just got fourth level spells on paper.

With pseudoproficiency and advantage in concentration saves, you’re pretty good at holding onto spells even with your lackluster Constitution score.

Your DM’s going to have a really hard time keeping secrets from you with a maxed out Investigation checks, plus good insight and perception, plus the ability to perfectly remember everything that happened in the last month. Proficiency is +6, intelligence is +5, Observant is another +5, Flash of Genius is another +5... That’s a base of 22, even if you roll a one. Rogues aren’t that good at investigation. Okay, maybe rogues are, but still. 

Cons:

Multiclassing still has downsides. You don’t get ninth level spells, which is a bummer, and you also don’t get the capstone ability of Artificer, which is downright broken. That being said, it’s not like most games get to level 17-20 anyway, so it’s probably not that big a deal.

I don’t like making builds that rely on DM fiat, and this build kinda does. In a low magic setting, or against a DM who just doesn’t like you, you’re stuck with, at max, fourth level spells. A situational weakness, but one you should be aware of.

Despite having tons of abilities to join in the melee with your other party members, you’re actually pretty bad at surviving there. You have an AC of 15 with mage armor (the in-character option), and your HP is probably somewhere in the 130s without a magic item we get at level 20. That’s not to say you can’t get in a fight, you just really don’t want to stand out.

[mangolover]

“Go. Just Go.” - Ikevamp Leonardo angst fanfiction

Title: "Go. Just Go.”

Prompt: “Go. Just go.”

Fandom: Ikemen Vampire  / Ikevamp

Pairing: Leonardo X F!MC

Genre: Angst

Warnings: heartbreak

Spoilers: Major spoilers for Leo’s route. I suggest you skip this one if you want to be surprised when and if you read this adorable genius’ main story.

Word Count: 2000+

Description: F!MC wanted Leo to turn her to vampire, but that breaks him because of his beliefs resuting in him telling her to go back to her own time.

Enjoy!

I’ve struggled witht his one for a few days. I’m glad I gave it a little break, I like it s lot more now.

Full moon was approaching them with every passing day she spent at this mansion. She had gotten used to living here and acting like the girlfriend of an Italian genius Leonarda Da Vinci, the famous inventor, pureblooded vampire and Comte de Saint-Germain’s good friend and housemate. The thought of falling in love with that messy and frightening creature she thought was just a folk’s tale was unbelievable at the beginning, but the more time she spent with him, the more she had fallen for him. He was a man with many talents and many centuries behind him, leaving him with no desire to get romantically interested with anyone so he doesn’t have to bear the burden when all the sand from their mortal hourglass would finally fall and they would leave him just like everyone that was dear to him eventually did.

But he was falling for her, even if that was never part of the plan. The plan was to put them together for her protection since Leo would say goodbye with no regrets, but also because of his heart that was locked away just like the door she had once walked through. In his heart there was just one promise, he will be there at the end to say goodbye as she safely walks back to her time. Even if he knew that was what would break them both, just as Comte has said.

She had practiced countless times in the mirror already how to tell him what she’s feeling before she was supposed to go back to her time and this love tale in 19th century France would end. But she never found the courage to tell him… The so called “Jack of All Trades” was hard one to read. She made a deal with her reflection that she will tell him on the day when she’s supposed to go, so if he doesn’t accept her, she can just walk away and never look back.

So much happened between them, it was clear that he cared deeply about her which made her both incredibly happy and unbearably sad. It was a sign that their feelings were mutual, but the pain she felt in her chest was telling her just how this story will end, no matter what. Their fears kept them apart…

Every day since her arrival in the past, he protected her and kept her happy with no complaint, all by himself. He gave her everything, he gave her Nwt with all the stars on her body, concert with Mozart, portrait by van Gogh, and the one thing she would cherish the most, a hand watch that kept on tickling as she kept on moving and living, showing her that time is limited and that she should do what makes her happy, and what made her happy all the way until now was her job and old life she led until this incident. But now…

Now that was changed. She no longer had any desire to go. She wished to spend all her years of living with him. She didn’t care if she was a mortal as long as she could be with him. But he was immortal, there was no way she could live with him for too long. Turning her into a vampire would give them so much more time to share, to make each other happy…

She was ready to surrender to this beautiful storm that was called Leonardo Da Vinci, she was ready to ask him. Just as the moon was closing in on them, leaving them one more night together. She was ready to ask even before she had originally planned, she couldn’t stick to the deal she made with herself, she had to tell him just how she felt before she burst. Everyone could see just how in love they were, so why keep on pretending anymore?

She ran down the hallway, straight to Leo’s room, confidently knocking on his door. He opened them and started at the smile on her face and her glistering eyes with unshed tears in surprise.

“Leo, can we talk?”

“Sure, come in cara mia” he fully opened the door letting her in and she became self-conscious. Now what to do? How was she supposed to tell him she loves him with her whole being and that she wants to spend all her time with him and then ask him if he could turn her to vampire just to be with him a bit longer then her mortal time would originally allow them?

“What’s bothering you so much? Keep frowning like that and you’ll end up with frown lines” he said with an uneasy smile to try and make this awkward situation a bit more relaxed. He already had a felling where this was going. It was clear to him that they were in love, but his heart was already locked away and he didn’t plan on unlocking it, for the sake of her smile.

The awkward silence carried on for several minutes until he finally spoke:

“Listen cara mia. I know what you’re going to say. I know you have feelings for me, which makes me really happy as I feel the same.”

This made her heart dance and butterflies fly all around in her belly. This is what she wanted.

“But…” What’s wrong? What could be the problem here?

“It’s never going to work. This love tale was over before it even began. Your mortal life will equal nothing to mine and I can’t bear to see you pass and not do anything to stop that, but it’s inevitable.”

“But you can turn me into a vampire! I can live longer! Please let me live by your side Leo! Why is it so hard for you to just let me in?”

That was like a punch to his gut. She was ready to throw away her life and the purpose that her passing time gave her. He believed that knowing your life will end at one point gives it purpose and motivation to keep going, so why did she want to throw that away? She was happy before she came here? Why did she have such a change of heart so suddenly? And most importantly, why did she want of him to go against his own beliefs? He has tried and failed so many times already, why would she ask him to commit such a sin in his eyes?

“I refuse to turn you or anyone else into a vampire. There is no way to make someone immortal so get that idea out of your head!” Leo raised his voice for the first time, losing his composure. She was taken back by that and decided to give up on him turning her. If he wasn’t going to do that, then Comte will. For Leo’s sake.

“I- I got to go!” she rushed out his room leaving the door open behind her.

“Dammit!” Spilled out of his mouth as he kicked a stack of books and fell on the bed. “Why are you doing this to me cara mia? Why are you torturing me? Can’t you see I’m trying to protect that smile from myself?” A stray tear rolled down his cheek. He couldn’t believe it! He hasn’t cried for decades, so why is he doing that now. He quickly wiped it away and took a deep breath, trying to ignore the pain he felt from both the bloodlust and his aching heart.

She ran until she reached her next destination. She knocked and entered Comte’s room, closing the door slowly behind her.

She poured out her heart to him and begged him to turn her. Just to let her spend her time with Leo and be truly happy. She told him she never truly knew what happiness was until she fell in love with him, so why not rewrite this love tale and make it have a different, happy ending?

But Leonardo’s dear friend didn’t want to go behind his back. It would just break them more and make some irreversible changes that will be regretted. And he proposed the idea of turning her only when the time or that will be necessary, not now when she had a long life ahead of her still,

So, with no more options left, she decided to retreat to her room and cry her heart out, hoping it would just stop so she didn’t need to feel this pain. Leo didn’t want to ever turn her and Comte wants her to be sure and not now when everything around was falling apart just when she was a few steps away from the finish line. The climax was here and it was slowly starting to fade, signaling the end of this sad tale of heartache. She closed and locked the door behind her, sliding to the floor and hugging her knees to her chest, letting the tears roll down her cheeks and fall to the hard wooden floor.

This love story was never meant to have a happy ending, just like Romeo and Juliet, they were kept apart by the destiny. That cruel lady Destiny screwed them over and there was nothing left she could do, but try to resist it one more time. For the sake of her sanity, she had to try and beg him to give this a chance one more time. He didn’t need to turn her just yet, he just needed to take a leap of faith with her and rewrite the last pages.

The night of full moon rolled around and she had said her goodbyes to others with no regrets, they were all dear to her, but not like a certain someone. She had a smile on her face until she saw Leo. He was late and he looked like a mess, he was probably just awoken by Comte to come and tell his goodbyes with a smile, just like he promised. But deep down she knew she needed to fight back against the destiny if she ever wanted to have peace in her soul and a happy ending.

“I- “

“Don’t.” He cut her off, quite harshly. It was clear, this story has ended. He was still hurting because of her request the other night. Deep down he wanted to give it a shot, to try and imagine just a bit of his future with her, but he couldn’t. He was bound by a deal and by a promise that he can’t even keep that he will let her go. It was for her own good. It was so she can find a lover in her time and choose to live and die with him when the time comes for that and not turn into a vampire trying to catch up to his life span.

But he couldn’t use gentle words, he couldn’t find them at least. He was deeply hurt and he thought that it’s better if he was seen as a monster in her eyes, as a someone who should be forgotten. So, he told her just what first came to his mind.

“Go. Just go.” Were the last words she heard from the man she loved. She couldn’t believe her ears for a moment. Everyone was gone already, giving them a bit of privacy before the undestined lovers had to say their goodbyes. She felt tears well up in her eyes before she ran through the door with an unexplainable pain in her chest mocking her and telling her that it was over. Destiny won and the tale was officially over.

He fell to his knees and finally cried, after so long, his heart was now open just like the time travelling door was, but he closed them both off, just awaiting his end with soft sobbing like both him and Comte have predicted. He was finally a broken man and he had no knowledge how to fix himself. He didn’t even realize that he never said goodbye with a smile as he promised he would a month ago.

She came back to her hotel room in 21st century Paris and took off the watch from her hand. She felt like her heart had stopped beating that day and so has the watch…

  The end.

[not-xpr-art]

Art Deep Dives #2 - The History of Fanart

Hi everyone!

This post is part of my Art Deep Dives tag, where I ramble about art-y things, often with some relation to art history in some way. 

just so you know, these essays aren’t formal in anyway lol! I just do them for fun & to hopefully be interesting in some way to someone!

This week I’ll be talking about the history and importance of fanart! It’s not the entire history of fanart, just some key moments and points in it that I feel are important!

(this essay is about 2500 words long btw!)

Part 1 - What even is fanart?

I think when a lot of people hear about ‘fanart’, they often think of it as a new thing, something that came along at some point in the last century when media begun to be mass circulated around the world.

But, of course, fanart has existed long before media like Star Wars or Doctor Who were created, and even long before photography was invented, even if it wasn’t necessarily referred to as ‘fanart’ at that time since the concept of ‘intellectual property’ hadn’t been introduced at that point. 

So I think at first we need to define what we even mean when we refer to ‘fanart’... 

Put simply, it’s artwork made by people who are interested in something created by someone else, such as a TV show, film, book, podcast, video game etc. However, by this definition, where do original characters created by the fans as part of franchises fit into the picture? Or celebrity fanart? Or artists who use famous people’s appearances as the base for their own characters? Or what of artworks of media that have long since passed copyright laws (such as Shakespeare works, Austen works, etc)? And where do illustrations of books fit into this?

So perhaps a wider description would be, artworks made by fans of and inspired by something “belonging” to someone else (either a piece of media or... themselves). The issue of this description is that most portraiture would fit into this. So... are we about to call Thomas Gainsborough or Joshua Reynolds, two of the most famous British portrait painters of the 18th century, fanartists? 

I think a lot of people in the art world would scoff at this concept, because even now the feelings surrounding fanart are pretty negative. They see it as less of a valid form of art and instead as ‘derivative’ and ‘unoriginal’. I’ve heard both non-artists and artists alike talk about fanart as ‘not real art’, and then in the next breath they’re praising portraits made by Leonardo da Vinci or Vincent Van Gogh. 

I also think it’s important to note that fanart isn’t exclusively portraiture too. Often artists will draw landscapes, still life works or even abstract pieces based on their favourite media. And as previously mention, a lot of artists and writers create their own characters within a world created by another person. So, for all intents and purposes, that is a form of original art, but it is often still put down in comparison to people who make up an entirely new story and world for their characters. 

Part 2 - Renaissance artists and Bible fanart!?

One of the most common defences I’ve seen for fanart is that Renaissance artists’ basically did Bible and Mythology fanart, and their artwork is considered ‘masterpieces’ so... that’s that!

Right?

Well, if we’re sticking with the definition of fanart being something based on a series of characters or concepts owned by someone else, then Religious or Mythological based art would definitely fit into this. 

(Leonardo da Vinci’s ‘Virgin of the Rocks’, currently being held in the National Gallery in London).

But I think it’s important to note that the art world was a very different place in Renaissance Europe. Concepts and characters didn’t belong to any one person or group of people, instead everything was a lot more homogenised. There’s a reason why when we think of figures like Jesus or the Virgin Mary, we have a very particular idea of what they look like (a very white-washed idea, I might add). The same thing goes for portrayals of figures from Greek or Roman mythology. There were often motifs associated with these deities that dated back to Antiquity, and Renaissance artists looked back to this for their inspiration. But there was no one specific point of reference for these ‘characters’ other than the Bible, which didn’t actually ‘belong’ to anyone, not even the church.  

So, I think it’s valid to bring up Renaissance artists and how the modern concept of ‘originality’ in art was less important to artists or patrons, and much of the art they did was exclusively works based on something the artist did not come up with. In my first Art Deep Dive, I talked about how History paintings (which were often Religious or Mythology based) were valued for being the product of an ‘artistic genius’ and their connection to spirituality in comparison to portraits or landscapes that depicted the real contemporary world. 

But do I think it was actually fanart? 

... Probably not... Although I wouldn’t begrudge anyone believing it is, because in a way it does somewhat fit into the definition of fanart. Instead this was to look at how society’s relationship to art has changed drastically in the hundreds of years since that era, as has the purpose of art itself.

And I think it does bring up some interesting discussions of why we are so obsessed with ‘originality’ in art at the moment when it’s not something that was really important before, though! 

Part 3 - What about portraiture? 

So... What about portraiture huh? 

Now, portraiture has existed for as long as art has, essentially, but it took until the Renaissance era and beyond for it to be associated with patrons. Portraiture was more than just ‘old-timey photography’, since it was linked distinctively to a sign of wealth. I mentioned Thomas Gainsborough and Joshua Reynolds earlier, who were two very influential portrait artists of the 18th century, who both fed into a market of middle and upper class patrons wanting their portraits done in this era. 

(This is a piece by Reynolds of the Actress Mrs Siddons as the Tragic Muse).

And in a way this makes portraiture probably the earliest example of fanart as we see it today. 

Except, a part of fanart that people who do it (including myself) often bring up is how it’s connected to a sense of passion and love for something. In a way, portraits done purely as commissions for an aristocrat for profit doesn’t necessarily fit into our modern notion of fanart. 

This brings us back to that darn description of fanart again. Because in our current world fanart can be defined as work of celebrities done as commissions. Except, perhaps, if you’re a known portrait painter (no one says the designer of the postage stamp did fanart of Queen Elizabeth, despite the fact that it... kind of is?). 

So, why is it that a portrait of the Queen is simply a portrait, but one of Billie Eilish is ‘fanart’? Who decides these parameters? And also who decides which one is more ‘worthy’ or ‘valuable’?

Places like the National Portrait Gallery are filled with portraits of famous people from history. But it’s never referred to as the ‘National Fanart Gallery’. I think in a way this boils down to who is doing the art, who the art is of and why they’re painting it. It is funny, though, that the distinction between fanart and portraiture of famous people is so similar that it requires such detailed specifications as to which is which.  

So, I think it’s clear to see that where portraiture fits in the history of fanart is a contentious one... 

Part 4 - Shakespeare, Fairy Paintings and other 18th/19th Century Curiosities...

From the late 18th until the late 19th century essentially saw the birth to what we now know as ‘fanart’, in a way. The growth of middle-class audiences in the early part of the 1800′s meant that there was a new found desire for landscape, genre and portrait art. And coupled with the growth of secularism, history paintings in their traditional sense had lost appeal. 

There was also the small matter of media being so much more accessible and wide spread to bigger audiences due to the industrial revolution. Books were being printed more easily and sold and a reasonable price, not to mention that a significant portion of the population could now actually read, or at the very least were given some form of education. More travel and trade (and also colonialism) also lead to an increase of new kinds of media being explored. Birth of the Gothic genre, Science Fiction, Fantasy, etc, all forms of fiction that we’re very familiar with now were only just entering the public’s consciousness at this point.

Much like now, technological advances were both a blessing and curse to the people of this era. And also like now, art was used as a way to express what was happening in the world. A great example of this is JMW Turner’s Flying ,,, which shows an old ship being transported into harbour by a steamboat, something that was very new to this era. It spoke of the new technologies overpowering the old, and the fears a lot of people had because of this.

This lead to the development of Fairy Paintings, to move to a new time of history painting that was more based on folktales and works of fiction by writers like Shakespeare, and were often used as a form of escapism. William Blake is a prominent figure in this type of painting, along with some Pre-Raphaelite painters. 

This is a piece directly based on Shakespeare’s Macbeth by Henry Fuseli and is completely undoubtedly fanart in essentially every way. Many of his works, and the works of his contemporaries, were based on the works of writers like Shakespeare. 

This piece, along with most of his other works, was also exhibited in the Tate Gallery way back in the early 19th century. Fanart like this was openly welcomed into galleries in this era, something that’s a far cry from my art teachers in school and college actively discouraging us from doing any kind of fanart for our projects. 

The mass appeal of these kinds of art lasted well into the 20th century and even after the advent of photography, which created an entirely new kind of media to be consumed. 

I actually think that a lot of this animosity towards fanart stems from a lot of fanart being born from drawing from photos as references, which is why I think artworks that are fanart from an pre-photography era are valued above artworks done now.

Part 5 - The Beginnings of Intellectual Property and Copyright Hell... 

Earlier I mentioned how fanart could be defined as work done inspired by media belonging to someone else. However, this begs the question whether a single person or company can actually own such things as characters and story concepts.

Copyright as we know it today essentially originated in the 18th century. Now, I’m not going to go into all the history of copyright here (partly because it’s confusing af), but essentially throughout the 18th and 19th century all across the world, intellectual property laws were brought in for books & later extended to other media types. They basically prevented any other person or publisher being able to copy, distribute or adapt the piece of media. As many may know, copyright laws run out after a certain amount of time (I believe either between 70 or 100 years), by which time they enter the Public Domain and are free to be used in anyway by anyone. 

Copyright laws can be a real detriment to fanartists, however, particularly when large companies like Disney cracking down on any small hint of one of their characters in the last few years. This feels particularly insidious to me given how most Disney films are based on old fairy-tales and legends. But in using these centuries old stories and giving them the ‘Disney flavour’, they have been able to essentially repackage the original story for their own profit. Disney of course aren’t the only company to do this, but given how Disney own basically everything media-wise now, they are the biggest perpetrator of this at the moment. 

It’s important to note that to this day, copyright doesn’t extend to ideas or themes. As well as this, copyrighted media can be used by people who don’t own it either by asking for permission or via ‘fair use’. But as a lot of Youtubers would tell you, this is often something that is ignored by large companies in favour of holding monopoly over the entire thing. 

This is of course not to say that copyright can’t be a good thing. I believe that artists and creators deserve to have the rights to their individual works. The issue is surrounding big conglomerate companies using copyright not as a way of protecting and supporting their in-house artists, but as a way of boosting profits. 

My thoughts are that copyright laws should exist to prevent other people or companies from stealing or overtly copying/adapting a work made by someone else, not preventing a small freelance artist from selling a couple prints of a drawing from a film Disney made 20+ years ago based on a stories written hundreds of years ago. 

(I know it’s not as simple as this, but you get what I mean lol)

In a big way, copyright laws were what created our modern notion of fanart, since prior to that no-one really had ownership of their works in the same way that copyright allows you. So, even thought I’ve been quite pessimistic about it, fanart really wouldn’t exist without it so... it’s not all bad lol?

Part 6 - Why is any of this important??

I realise that this is a strange question to ask at the end of this essay, but I really wanted to leave my true personal thoughts until the end in order to keep at least a vague sense of being objective through this lol...

To me, fanart is something that made me fall in love with art in the first place, particularly digital art. I was able to find communities of like minded people and make some really good friends, all because of fanart. 

I’ve also spoken to other artists who say how fanart allows them to connect to their favourite shows or characters or celebrities, and a way of expressing their love for something! It’s also often a gateway for artists to get into art as children, and some have said how fanart has allowed them to be more creative in general! 

Fanart is something so intrinsic to fandom culture, so much so that it has existed for as long as people have loved things (even long before the internet). And I know that a lot of public figures who receive fanart, either of themselves or of works they’ve created, often express genuine happiness of being the inspiration for someone else... 

So, fanart is important to us because it’s escapism, it’s freedom, and it brings us together in such a genuine way! 

I wrote this essay because I wanted to truly explore where fanart actually came from, and what I ended up discovering is that the artworld has never been clean-cut separated into ‘original art’ and ‘fanart’! 

The history of fanart is messy, confusing, but one thing is very clear to me: it doesn’t just run parallel to the history of art as a lot of people assume, it is instead interwoven into the fabric of all art! 

So for my fellow fanartists, keep on doing what you’re doing, because your passion and love is palpable in your work, and really isn’t that what fanart is all about anyway??

~~~

Phew... Can you believe I actually did try and keep this short lol?

Anyway, thank you for reaching the end! And a special thank you to the people over at Artfolapp (my username is dangerliesbeforeyou over there btw!) who gave me their thoughts on fanart! 

As always, my ask box is open for anyone who’s interested in discussing this further, and I also have an Art Advice Tag if you need help on improving your art!

[hasspartacusdoneanythingwrong]

The Century War of Wyverns, Prologue, Part 2

Cris: We're actually getting into France this time, we swear.

Jeanne: I don't think there's anything CW worthy this time, though there are a few things that come up rather obliquely.

Kat: Anything in one of our colors is coming from us, and anything in the <pointy brackets> isn't being said out loud! Roll tape!

(The previous part's over here if you missed it.)

(Now the next part's here!)

I woke with a start, my sheets drenched in a cold sweat. Suddenly, there were three sharp knocks on our door. I peeled myself out from the covers and felt my way over to the door. It rose at the push of a button.

Mash: Senpai, please hurry up, we’re going to be late fo- um…

Agh, we’re gonna be late!? I rushed over to the dresser and threw on one of the uniforms. A little bit of hair brushie, and… done! I ran out the door, grabbing Mash’s hand as we went past.

Mash: S-Senpai? Woah!

April (Kat): Come on, Mash, let’s go! You’re gonna be late too if you just stand there!

-------------

Dr. Roman looks so professional right now! Wow, we’re getting our first mission already!

Cris: <Jeez we woke up early. Where’s the fire?>

Jeanne: <Literally the entire history of mankind, Cris. Now can we please pay attention?>

Romani: -Once you rayshift into the singularity, you will have two main objectives. Objective one: Locate and eliminate any alterations to history. You don’t have to worry about stepping on any butterflies, history is a lot stronger than that, but if you see anything like what happened in Fuyuki- rogue servants summoned, monsters that should not exist at that time, and so on- it will be your job to eliminate the problem, and in doing so, fix the singularity.

Romani: Objective two is more theoretical, but based on our current data it is the most likely solution.- You must find and either retrieve or destroy the source of the singularity. As far as we know, there is only one object powerful enough to cause a disturbance of this magnitude- a Holy Grail.

April (Kat): Isn’t the Holy Grail like, one thing? How is it in seven singularities?

Romani: That’s right, you’re unfamiliar with the larger world of magic, aren’t you, April? Generally, a “Holy Grail” is more of a classification than a single artifact. They are any kind of immense mana battery, granting their wielder enough energy to perform otherwise impossible miracles. But the only time a mage will ever see a Holy Grail outside of the Age of Gods is at the end of a Holy Grail War. If they were distributed freely, it would cause no end of chaos.

Romani: Getting back on topic, once you are in the singularity, you should set up base on a leyline. Then we’ll be able to send you supplies and contact you more easily. You’ll also have to find or summon servants while you’re in the singularity. Every body we rayshift increases the difficulty of maintaining connection, so your rayshift team will be April, Mash, and Spartacus.

April (Cris): Spartacus is coming with us? Why not Artoria?

Romani: Because the load his rayshift puts on the system is less than the danger of letting him run around here without his master. The coffin is a very delicate device and having a servant who takes “please don’t touch that” as a challenge would make it very hard to do my job.

April (Cris): That’s fair.

April (Cris): …Wait, how safe are these things, exactly?

Romani: Under normal circumstances, I’d say they’re perfectly safe, but “normal circumstances” would require about ten times the staff we currently have available. I am the only person here with enough training to confirm your existence, but I swear as long as I’m here you won’t have to worry about a mistake on this end of things.

???: Ahem?

A very pretty woman standing behind Dr. Romani cleared her throat. She had shoulder-length brown hair and wore a short brown and red dress with blue socks and gloves. Her whole outfit had gold decorations, and- is that a robot bird? That’s so cool!

Romani: Oh right, I’m sorry. I’m the only human here that can confirm your existence while rayshifted. This is Chaldea’s second experimental summoning, also kno-

???: I am the great inventor, Leonardo Da Vinci! You may just call me Leonardo though. It is a pleasure to meet you. I’m usually busy in my workshop, but I am perfectly capable of taking over for Romani for short periods of time. I hope we work well together.

April (Jeanne): I hope so as well, it is good to meet you, Leonardo.

Da Vinky looked almost… shocked? At that? Weird.

April (Jeanne): Is something wrong?

Da Vinci: I’m sorry, it’s just that I’ve almost gotten used to the first words out of the mouths of people to be “Da Vinci? Isn’t he a man?”, or something to that effect.

April (Cris): We’ve already seen all of history get turned to ash and watched two female King Arthurs beat the crap out of each other. Finding out Da Vinci is a girl isn’t too much of a shock at this point.

Leonardo suddenly got very smug.

Da Vinci: Ohohohoho! An entirely new mistake! Who said anything about me being a man or a woman? A universal genius knows no boundaries! I merely made my spirit origin into the most beautiful form possible. Of course, I mean I copied my greatest work, the Mona Lisa!

Leonardo leaned onto her left arm and smiled faintly.

Da Vinci: So, what do you think? Is it a good likeness?

Several seconds passed.

April (Cris): They were just waiting for us to screw up, right?

Roman: Yeah, Da Vinci was in here for the last hour practicing that speech.

Da Vinci: Oh please Roman, it was only the last 45 minutes! If I had been in here for an hour, my ornith- Ah! I must get back to my lab, I’ll talk to you all after you’ve rayshifted!

With that, Da Vinci rushed out of the room.

Roman: Ha ha, she’s quite the character, but you can trust her. She seems rather flighty, but she can be incredibly focused when she needs to be. Now then, let the first mission of this grand order begin!

---------

Three coffins were prepared for our departure. We corralled Spartacus into his with minimal difficulty, but when I tried to step into mine, I just… couldn’t. What happened in Fuyuki stuck with me. The fire. The dead. What if-

Mash: Senpai?

April (Jeanne): H- Oh, sorry, Mash. I’m just… worried. What if something goes wrong, if we get stuck in the past, if we rayshift into a rock, or-

Mash: Senpai, you don’t have to worry.

April (Jeanne): What makes you say that?

Mash: Because the worst is already over. You were there for me, and now I’ll be there for you.

Mash held out her hand, and I took it. It felt warm. I let out a breath I didn’t even know I was holding and sank into my coffin. We had to let go as the coffins closed, but I still felt calmer knowing she was next to us. And then a little bit worse knowing she hadn’t truly been saying that to me. And before I knew it, the coffin didn’t exist. We didn’t exist. An eternity passed in a single second, and then.

We were sitting in a field.

Humanity Foundation Value: C+

First Singularity: Hundred Years’ War of the Evil Dragons: Orleans