#like pictures will get the intricacies and depth of the colours

[cherishedpartners]

people who havent seen the northern lights cannot understand how powerful it is to see. like me and my family were sat at two in the morning, on the steps to the sea, just. looking up. at some point i started crying because oh my god its fucking beautiful

[pharawee]

As it turns out, I unfortunately don't have the time to both gif I Feel You Linger in the Air and write commentary (also, it kind of feels like cheating since I've read the novel and know what's going to happen. I've read some of my mutuals' theories but joining in on the conversation kind of feels like ruining people's fun 😔).

That being said, I love the novel not just as a BL novel but as a beautifully written and crafted (and translated - it comes with so many footnotes!) story in general. Definitely check out the official translation if you like IFYLITA and want to support its writer. It's well worth the money.

I've written before that I was very curious about how the series would approach the way the novel almost treats the past as its own character. Descriptions of history and culture and architecture (and language but unfortunately some of that gets lost in translation by necessity) are so vivid and colourful, and it's such a big part of why I love the novel so much.

You'd need a huge budget (and lots of cgi) to translate this attention to detail into visual form - to the point where it would probably detract from the story itself - but IFYLITA found such an amazing workaround that adds so much depth and colour to the narrative: instead of relying on the environment to tell a story about the past it concentrates on the characters itself.

And tbh at first I was a bit irritated by the large cast of secondary characters (most of which exist only at the very fringes of the story in the novel) because I thought it would take away from Jom and Yai's story. There's an episode early on where 20+ minutes pass without either of them appearing or being talked about.

Only, the story as it exists in the series would simply not have the same impact without Ming and his aging mother, or Fongkaew's tragic backstory, or Prik's family background, or Ueangphhueng and Mei's quiet love story, or the sympathy the series extends towards characters like Khamsaen and James (Robert can get f'ed in both the novel and the series though). It's the intricacy of their relationships and social standing that paints a picture that's just as vivid and vital as Jom's observations of the past in the novel - and I love that. It's such a natural, visual way of storytelling and it complements the novel incredibly well. It's like the novel offers an inside look through Jom's perspective, and the series provides an outside look through showing the characters and their lives.

There's so many other things I'd love to write about eventually (like how the series portraits Yai when in the book we almost always view him through Jom's eyes, or how the series visualises the mystery and horror of Jom's time travel, or how both novel and series treat karma) but giffing comes first because silly moving images is what I'm here for. 🙏

[sushistyless]

mist.

Rain can be a hassle to Harry especially because he’s always late. But when dark and stormy nights lead to finding someone a bit special, he has to admit, he’s forever grateful for the dark clouds.

(writer harry, fluffy & rainy stuff, 6k+)

my masterlist.

————

Harry always had a bit of a problem with being on time.

Usually, it was his day dreaming tendencies that conveniently forced the clock to tick out of his head, drowning the noise of the outside world and opting for the vivid, lively & observant fashion he lived with in books. The entirety of each minute spent in those worlds, being in some way or another -- a moment he would dream about later.

Most of his life was filled within his own thoughts & feelings, a curiosity stemming in the depths of his mind. And ever since he could remember, he'd been this way.

Much of his teenage life and childhood was spent in the city, the daily ways of hustle bustle following each moment. He loved staying there and is grateful for the opportunities he got — don't get him wrong! — but... he craved to have a life where things weren't as overwhelming. He wouldn't say he's shy, but he liked being in his own company, an affinity to observe the intricacies of the world and the different realms of literature rather than soaking up the role of the main character on centre stage.

He always preferred the quiet, and leaned towards the introverted, solitary life. And his job as a writer suited him pretty well, he'd say. Working from home, he didn't really have any events he could formally be late to, which is why it wasn't the biggest concern to him. With a ton of pent up creativity, he found writing (and painting too, sometimes) to be a wonderful medium for him to pour out all that jazz.

His first 'inspiration' for a lifestyle that 'called out' to him was when he was quite young. He remembers his mum taking him to a small village near the hills, and how his seven year old self was utterly enthralled by the beauty and charm of the place.

"Mum! Look!" he had said, scampering around in the fields while running behind a yellow butterfly, committing each curve of its wings to his memory, with pure ecstasy fluttering through the soreness of his cheeks as a result of a smile grown so wide. His mum was amused to see the joy that radiated off him– an amount she'd never seen before.

Later that night, after he'd finally (and very reluctantly) agreed to leave the fields, she'd tucked him into bed, warmth coursing through his veins under the cuddly comforter. She whispered, telling him to never lose that spark in him. He merely responded in a soft, dreamy tone, giving her a lazy smile when met with a kiss on his forehead, "I-it's just, everything's so pretty here! Don't y'think? Jus' wanna stay here forever.''

"Yes, Harry," she laughed, in awe of her son with a gleaming sparkle in his eyes, "And maybe one day you can live some place like this, alright? But for now, sleep, sweetheart."

And he had eagerly nodded his head.

Now, it was only fitting that Harry had bought a cottage in the countryside near the foothills of a little town a few miles away from the city. And suffice to say, he lived a happy life, with inspiration seeping into each flower that grew out in the garden in front of his little cottage, blooming with vibrantly coloured flowers, and in the sunset that came each evening. Dusk, in-fact, was the most pretty sight he'd seen in his entire life he thinks. No complaints, he said when having literal cumulus clouds floating around with rays of sunshine peeking through them, almost making the scene seem scrapped right out of a renaissance painting — the only lost elements being the angels hiding behind them (and, yes, he had actually painted that too).

Love also manifested from his creative side often resulting in tons of hand drawn pictures of different varieties of butterflies and plants pinned to the walls inside his home.

Harry's life was his muse, so each time he sat to write, the words just spilled right out his heart onto the parchment, staining it in perfect handwriting.

(—Or, in a less 'aesthetic' way, mostly his hands typing away rather fast on the keys of his laptop, periodically pushing his glasses from sliding down his nose, but hey, same effect!—.)

He eventually did start writing books and many collections of poetry, so he did struggle with deadlines from time to time, but it wasn't that bad. It wasn't very bad because it didn't require his presence, he thinks, but it still required some time management. And he promises he's getting better at it.

But... we can still say that Harry had a bit of a problem with being on time.

He'd been standing in a little library located farther down the trail from his house (he still grins like an idiot at the thought of having his very own house), that stood on a street lined with shops and cafés. The scent of old books swilled in the air, vintage posters and dark rows of shelves matching the aesthetic of wooden floors and rustic trinkets hung up on the dusky-coloured walls. His fingers picked at the edges of the pages of the book, his third time reading magic through the eyes of The Little Prince.

He'd gotten only a little bit lost in it, his ring clad hand absently lifting the cup of matcha he had previously ordered on-the-go, bringing it to his lips and titling it forward, only to taste just a single drop of flavoured residue and realise that it was empty from the periodic sips he had taken with each flick and turn of a page.

Oh, he thought to himself and frowned. He hadn't realised that he finished it that fast. With a finger wedged between the closed book so as to not lose the page and cup squashed in the same arm, he fiddled to reach out to the vintage field bag slinging over his shoulder.

Finally, through the dishevelled strands of hair obstructing his vision, he managed to open the bag and get a hold of his phone from inside it. Switching it on, he pondered. It couldn't have been that long. Alas, when the screen lit up showing highlighted numbers of 7:28 pm, well, he was shocked (and glad there wasn't any matcha in his mouth, for he would have most definitely spit it out).

And, it hit him that he was late.

It wasn't much of a surprise that he would overstay past his intended time here in the library. But today was an important day.

He had ordered a record player a few months back and he was fluttering on the inside with a little spark. He'd counted down the days until it would arrive, smiling wide as he crossed down each day approaching it, and promised himself early this morning that he'd come and read only for a little bit, then easily go home before 7 pm so he would be there when the precious package was delivered.

Music was a big part of his life, of course. It helped him write, helped him imagine. Helped to dream a little more. And maybe he could even go as far as to say it was like fuel to him. The idea of his suited songs played on the vinyl was enough to excite him.

With widened eyes, he quickly shoved the phone back in, then flustered, taking steps towards the door. He was excited– sure, but he couldn't help and felt a little more doubtful and wary of the delicate player being properly delivered than gently held in his safe arms. It was expensive to say the least (top of the line and yada yada) and although it wasn't his yet, he already deemed it to be his precious possession.

On a normal day, warm, slanted rays of the sun would reflect on his face through the glass windows as he stepped from behind the cover of the thick shelves– but today was gloomy. A thick, dark blanket of clouds was spread across the sky, leaving no place for sunlight to pass through.

With having completed the satisfaction of saying a goodbye! to the store owner — Miss Akane, a kind and eccentric old woman who Harry had gotten quite close to after tasting a lot of her homemade sweets — he strode towards the door, skillfully pushing it open against the windy, mildly chilly air.

And that was when Harry realised that he really needed to hurry.

It was true when he thought today was going to be a rainy day. It'd be only a matter of a few seconds before the scent of wet mud would linger in the air. He walked quickly on the trail towards the mountain side, relaying one last glance to the line of shops. Harry usually caught sight of a few people walking down the street but it seems as though everyone knows that the weather is going to be stormy. He'd grown accustomed to the view by now, having moved to the countryside just a few years prior.

The fitted burgundy coloured chequered pants covering his legs, flared and shifted tightly against his calves, while his torso carried a very lovely sage-green vest, all bundled along with his bookbag tucked underneath his overcoat, effectively shielding him and his possessions from the heavy breeze and potential rain.

As he saw the soil being gradually dotted with raindrops and the plants around him weighing down with the trickling water, he knew it was even more important to reach home fast.

——-

Harry's footsteps become more sunken, the trail having become mucky and threateningly prone to little puddles as he nears his cottage. The rain races with increased velocity, the sound of it hitting the ground and rumbles of thunder providing a soundtrack to the activities and errands of his current life.

Harry reaches close to home, and he had initially thought he would rush in and worry himself, examining the much awaited wet box, because the past few deliveries he had got weren't very considerately delivered. He thought it would be sitting out, left in the harsh rain.

But really, he's confused.

He brings up his hand, the tip of his finger swiping out a drop of rain that clung to his eyelash, already squinted eyes straining even more as if to make sure what he saw through the rain was reality.

Instead of seeing a drenched parcel, he finds someone sitting on his partially covered porch, her hazy gaze fixed on the entwined hands in her lap. The light, pastel amethyst coloured shirt she's wearing grows the slightest bit transparent — not entirely soaking through, but sleeves wet enough to loosely cling onto her body — the expanse covering her torso accentuating her collarbone region. Her hair sticks to the side of her forehead, cheekbones glistening under the influence of the rain. Eyelashes frame her profile from the view he's provided with, cheeks seeming hollow like she bites down on them. A coat is draped over some large box on the right, evidently wanting to keep whatever it was dry.

She certainly doesn't seem like a delivery person, the lack of a uniform making it clear that a courier was not what she was, only adding to Harry's confusion.

Hm?

The little shade up front does little to barricade the rain as it slants towards her, the entire scene looking like her mere presence was magnetic to the forces of nature.

The ideas of why she was here and what his reply would be start noting through his head like pieces of paper being crumpled with each possibility that came up, clearly hesitant in the conversation that he already started in his head. Licking his lips, he readies himself to speak. What should he say?— the lack of socialising with new people peeking through the flurry of jumbled words projecting in his mind.

He gulps, moving closer until he's at a good distance from her, pace slowing down distinctively as his heels dig into the soft ground below. Finally, he musters up the courage to speak, inhaling and exhaling before flicking off a chocolate coloured curl that weighed onto his face, curtaining his vision. "H-hi."

The girl's figure immediately perks up, a sharp intake of breath drawn past her lips, clearly taken by surprise as her face snaps up to him. Her irises have a wild essence in them, widening as they meet his own & flickering around, taking in his features before spewing words of her own, "Oh! Hi."

She clears her throat, posture now becoming straighter, her right hand comes up to toy with a crystal pendant adorning her neck. "Uh," she flustered innocently, confused while forming her question, "Do you live here?" Her body turns completely towards her right, eyes effectively focused on the door of the cottage, giving Harry an obvious reference. Her voice is low & fragile, with woven delicacy as if she's afraid that if she gets louder, it might break glass. Harry's sure that if it was any softer, it would've been completely muted out by the echoing roars of the colliding clouds.

Harry's eyes follow her line of sight, nodding his head at her questioning, "I... I do, yes. Can I help y'with something?" He adds on in the end with sincerity & curiosity edging his tone, still comprehending her sweet voice and sudden presence. He hardly got guests, and if he did, they were mostly his family flying out on occasions to see him. But they too dropped in once in a blue moon. He was, let's just say, deep within an area of solitude. So he was more than shocked when he found someone he'd never known quite literally sitting at his doorstep.

There's a moment of silence in their conversation, giving Harry's gaze enough time to wander off & examine the object placed beside her. The jacket had ridden up at the side, a tiny sliver of the picture plastered over the box making his eyebrows knit the slightest bit.

The girl, whose eyes are mostly just fixated on Harry, immediately notices and clicks out of the dazed dream as she fumbles through the blurry rain, "Oh, right!"

Harry observes as she peeps out, standing to her height, hands already beginning to unveil the surprise under the full of her jacket, which's outer surface is glistening with the water, while the inner remains dry.

"I think... this is yours?" Her voice tilts in pitch nearing the end of her sentence, questioning him with unknown facts once Harry's eyes land on a package with a familiar picture stamped on.

He remembers the same photograph that was displayed on the online site he ordered his turntable from, a light beige colour coating the artistic marvel. With the stickered details of his address pinned up top, the edges of the box had become a little moist and worn out, but overall in good condition.

His features contort to realisation, "Oh— oh, yeah! Thank you s'much." He says with a heart full of gratitude & sudden confusion, stepping closer to finally land on the wooden shaft of the porch and scurry beside her.

She sheepishly nods at the acknowledgement, busying herself to pick it up, the box seeming entirely too large for her arms to hold. Harry quickly swoops in while giving her a soft, grateful look, enough to not evade her personal bubble, but assist her as he quickly supports it from the other side. Her lips tug slightly at the edges, the moment giving her time to take in the ringlets of hair that stick to his forehead and making her smile subconsciously grow the tiniest bit wider as he retrieves it completely.

"I was actually just passing by here when the delivery guy happened to catch me, and assumed that I lived here. I tried to tell him— really — but he was in a rush and he... just kept it and left," she rambles, managing to sneak a quiet smile in there, the cold shaft of wind making her shudder for a moment.

There's a moment of hesitancy, the slightest second of silence wallowing in the air as she collects her words and gathers to deliver him information that might ease his apparent confusion.

"I didn't want to leave it like that 'cause it seemed pretty important. I knocked again but nobody answered, so I only stayed to make sure it was alright until someone came by." Her voice decreases in amplitude as her sentence progresses, speaking shyly as her irises stutter on Harry's frame for a second too long. Explaining the entire situation to the best of her abilities while still tripping over her sentences, Harry offers no response because, well...

What the fuck?

Harry is... at a loss for words, to put it simply.

She did all that? For a simple parcel? For him?

Initially, he'd thought she was waiting there for some help she might need. Then again, everything that had happened was all a jumbled mess in his head — the thoughts in his mind unclear to himself. He didn't know what he was expecting when he arrived and saw her in the first place.

But, she was just so sweet. The entire thought was so incredibly kind, and— it just swelled his heart with so much joy and gratitude. A lot of people have helped him throughout his life, but nobody has ever been this sweet or innocently considerate. He's just on cloud nine with the idea of being worthy of all that, with no part of his brain telling him how to react.

He thinks that among the pouring rain and rumbling chaos, he had the honour of encountering a literal angel.

When he doesn't respond immediately, worry quickly fills her eyes, "I-I'm sorry if it's not what I should've done, I just thought..."

"No, no! Not at all! I jus—" He takes a moment to gather his thoughts, dissipating her worries as she visibly releases a breath. Adoration swimming through his irises, a butterfly induced feeling fills his tummy when he catches her wistful gaze drifting into the window of his soul.

The rain danced like spray, buzzing off the wooden roof & echoing through his ears, the sound of some drops sharper than the other- growing clearer and heavier by the second like the rhythm of his heart. The wind murmured to the trees, a whirring accompanying the puddles that began to plink with the hammering intensity of the rain, almost pleading him to say something— anything.

"That's just s'sweet of you. Thank you so much. You didn't have to do that, but y'did. And 'm so, so sorry I made y'wait out here..."

He is filled with gratitude but he also feels terribly guilty. It was because of him that she had to wait out for so long. It was chilly out and to be sitting out for that long under the icy weather, a sniffle would surely rift into a full blown cold. It's now that he notices the goosebumps trailed along her skin as she crosses both her arms in front of her chest in an effort to keep warm.

"No, don't worry! It's– it's okay. Really." She spares maybe a second of full eye contact with him, giving him a soft smile on catching the praises before casting off her gaze, focusing on the mucky shoes covering her feet as the droplets trickling off it caught the light. "The rain's quite pretty anyway."

Harry offers her an easy (but still regretful) smile at that. It was nice of her to try and console him even through small sentences.

"And... you like vinyls?" she converses curiously once her hands are free again, standing still with her fingers intertwined in her front once again. Harry can't help but wonder if it's a nervous tick she has, and he also can't help but smile a little at the thought, cherishing how he does the same sometimes.

"Yeah, jus' have some kind of charm, y'know?" The words just slip through his mouth like he's talking to himself, stifling his beam as his face drops to face the ground for a second, the faintest dimples indenting the apple of his cheeks and a simmer of warmth reaching them as he gives it his best to not crack into a fit of smiles. "Do y'like 'em?" He looks back at her.

The attempt at making his excitement subdued instils a kind of joy across her face, a honey swept tone coating her words as she replies, "Oh, yeah! Been wanting to get one for myself actually, but they're pretty expensive. Promise I wasn't stealing yours though." She chuckles a little easier now, knuckling at her eyes as a drop of water seems to latch onto her eyelid.

"I believe you. And trus' me, I've been saving up for it for months now, so y'not alone." He reciprocates her laugh, keeping it casual, but his mind internally goes through a shot of excitement.

"It's no–" she starts, a loud streak of thunder rumbling much too loud, cutting off the conversation as her widened eyes flit off to wander in the distance. Harry mimics her actions, the noise enough to demand anyone's attention. Her lips part at the loud sound, teeth digging into the plushy lower one, while the thinnest crease of worry lines her forehead. "But, um, I think I should probably head back now. The rain is only getting worse..."

It's now Harry's turn to worry, concerned because the last thing he could ever want for anyone is to walk back during a growling, full-blown thunderstorm. "Are y'sure? You're most welcome to come in..." he trails off, feet trudging against the cold floorboard as he shuffles towards the door, "It looks pretty bad out there. Y'can wait here until it calms down— only if you're comfortable, of course." He adds the last part quickly, speaks with sincerity- a genuine request on his part. And honestly, it's the least he can do. He knows that it was after all, her choice to wait here, but he still feels shitty knowing that he could have reached earlier and avoided her from all this trouble.

Her gaze is still downcast, an expression emulating the ghost of a smile, seeming like she's mulling over the options in her head, while her hands work to wriggle the coat back on her shoulders. "Oh no, it's fine! I love looking at the interior of houses —" she looks back at him with a breathy smile and a bit of hope arises in Harry, wishing she'd say yes so he would have some company- even if it was only for some time. She continues, "— But I really don't mean to intrude. Thank you though," she continues with a soft gaze, an apologetic undertone lacing her words.

His heart deflates when she declines his offer, the slight tug of his lips dulling only the slightest bit, yet understanding that it was her choice based on what she felt would be safe for her, but he hates to think that she'd feel like a burden if she were to stay.

"Please, you won't be intruding in the slightest. Honestly, s'the least I can do. Please feel free to come in, it's no trouble at all. Again, I'm so, so sorry." All he really hoped was that he could spend even a little time with her because he knew there was a possibility that he would likely never meet her again. But, if she felt it was safer to go her own way, he would respect that, of course, and just continue to think back to the small conversation they once had.

She laughs a little louder now, surprisingly to Harry as if enthralled by the amount of gratefulness and (un)necessary apologies he smothers her with, "Hey," she whispers, "I waited here voluntarily, so you really don't need to apologise."

His internal sorrow evades a bit when she makes an effort to lighten his mood, the tiniest blush threatening to creep up his cheeks.

"I know, 'm sorry—"

"Oops, there you go again."

"—Shit. I promise, I didn't mean to. I'm so so—"

"Sorry?" She completes for him, grinning like Harry's done the cutest thing and in fact– giggles. Proper giggles.

Can you believe that?

And if Harry couldn't take his mind off her presence, he surely can't now, wondering what he's done to have the honour of hearing the sound bless his ears. It's pouring, raining like cats and dogs, but this conversation takes him to a place of happiness where he imagines the sun would shine with the warmest, most yellow & buttery orange tinged glow. He just met her for stars' sake— he doesn't even know her name! But... he knows that he likes being the reason she laughs. He likes making people laugh in general, some kind of satisfaction hiding deep in his own smile when they break into laughter, but he reckons she was just much sweeter to witness.

Agh. He's such a sap, he knows... but he still means every word. Besides, it's in the safety of his mind, it's okay.

"Yeah... that." He bites his lip, hoping she wouldn't catch him avoiding her gaze. "Y'sure you'll be okay?"

"I'll be okay," she hums low, words drowning in the sound of the thunder as it penetrates through the grey clouds once again. Buttoning up the most part of her coat and descending down the porch, she shoots him a smile, a small 'bye!' accompanying her actions of waving at him.

"Bye! Please be careful!" he adds on. It felt strange. He didn't want to say goodbye. The conversation hadn't for a minute felt forced and it's... something he hasn't experienced in a long time. He wished it would last longer.

"I will, thank you! It was really nice meeting you!" He watches as her figure teeters down the clearing that led to his house, looking back at him from over her shoulders.

"You too," Harry mutters, a smile taunting his lips at the sight of her doing the same all while prancing about in the rain. But as she leaves his line of sight, he wonders. Would they ever even meet again? A sigh escapes through his mouth, the slopes of his shoulders softening with a pout that stretches across his face. And oh, he even forgot to ask her her name. It was too late to do that now. It'd just be plain weird if he ran out in the rain and startled her for a silly question.

So he's a bit bummed. Still, he's glad that he even had the chance to encounter her.

Turning around with bitten lips after successfully manoeuvring the package so he could hold it comfortably in one arm, he shuffled to reach for his key, pulling it out and swiftly unlocking the door. As soon as he steps in, his senses are waded through by the pillowy warmth of his house, lofting with the homely smell of cinnamon and vanilla. It's nice to be able to come to such a lovely home everyday, and he's so grateful for that. Water drops drip down his clothes, pit-pattering against the wooden floors. A thud noise resonates through the room as he shuts the door, the cold ruffles of wind effectively shut out while keeping the toasty atmosphere inside undisturbed. A little fireplace decorates the corner of the generously sized living room, green plants sitting across the window panes that are curated with occasional flowers here and there. The sheer curtains don't do much to cover the view of the rustic French windows, earthly tears trickling down the glass as he gazes through the fluid stillness upon the field outside– the one that's usually bright and green but now runs dark & deep with water, the attire of raindrops looking like serrations of lines cutting through the wind.

He's quick to discard his drenched coat, opting to hang it on the hook beside the dark ocher coloured console that stands in the foyer-like entryway, carefully placing the box on the cabinet. Littered throughout the pastel coloured walls were various delicately framed paintings– most of which he had made, and some being his versions of the works of Van Gogh (big fan he was)-- all very special, having given him some kind of inspiration to write in the past.

Running a heavy hand through his hair, he shook his head, the rebellious drops of water splattering into the air. Stumbling to the middle of the room, he all but threw himself on the feathery hold of his couch. Melting into the softness instantly, his posture relaxes, as the brown of his bag- a stark contrast to the beige of the couch lands with a splat beside him. Eyes closing ceremoniously once his head rests on the top of the couch, the pad of his fingers rub the inner corners of his eyelids. Realising he has contacts on, he frowns and stops, also thanking his past self for wearing contacts– the rain would've just fogged up his glasses and he preferred to know where he was walking. Plus, he would've not seen her very properly and that indeed would've been a pity.

Deciding that the itchiness was probably a sign for him to remove his contacts, he lifts himself off the couch and makes his way towards the bathroom.

It's just as Harry's removed his first lens that he jolts at the sound of the doorbell. With half blurry vision, all the more confusion sparkling through his veins and messier-than-ever-hair, his lips part. A second later he scurries to the front door. Opening it up the slightest, he swears his heart drops to his stomach. He can't see all that well but when the familiar voice calls out to him again, he can't help but smile at the knowledge of who it is.

"Is that offer of yours still up?"

Harry's never been happier for having a problem with time, and greeting a kind girl at his front door through blurry vision and unruly hair.

————

"Have you really made all of these paintings? They're... beautiful." It makes Harry's heart hurt at the enthusiasm Y/N shows for something he does. That's another he's learned, the sweet girl's name is Y/N. It suits her really well, he realises.

"Yeah, s'all me," he shyly smiles, setting the mug of chamomile tea down on the centre table in front of her. She's sat on his couch, a blanket wrapped around her form to keep extra toasty although she'd declined the offer in favour of the room already being warm enough. But Harry had insisted and pulled out his favourite, fluffiest blanket.

"More than beautiful actually, they're just— you're really talented." She gushes, shifting her gaze from the acrylic pieces hung on the wall to the tea now placed in front of her, accompanied with a soft whisper of an oh, thank you.

"'M glad you think so." His stifled smile stretches wider on his cheeks, little indents beginning to form a dip in them, "I think, art is just so fun to do. Being able to express yourself in paintings, music, film, and of course, writing. Words are so incredible." His voice considerably lowers as he progresses, realising how he's started to rant a bit.

"Oh," Y/N gazed at him fondly, amusement tinting her eyes, "So, I've somehow managed to stumble in the home of a young, mysterious artist - in the middle of the fields - while there's a beautiful storm raging outside, then?"

"You make me sound way cooler than I am," he  laughs silently, fiddling with his rings, "that is a cute idea for a novel though."

"It is cool. Maybe I'll become a writer one day just to write about this."

"I'll join you. Co-writers we'll be," he gleamed at her, the hidden knowledge that he could very well begin plotting a novel at this very moment shucked to the back of his head.

"That would be perfect."

—————

The storm brewed the entire night but eased off by early morning, the night spent with soft words exchanged, and conversations that flowed like the streams of rivers outside. Harry swears he felt genuinely the happiest he had felt in a while.

He also would admit that he quite enjoyed when just before Y/N left, he revealed he was a writer himself. She blushed, jaw dropped because she had been prattling on and expanding on the 'Mysterious Artist in The Mountains' arc, in a pretty... amateur way she had said.

"Well," she giggled, trying to hold a serious face, "Mr. Styles, I shall take your leave. Now that I am presented with the information that you are a wonderful writer by profession, I expect thy to write some poetry about me the next time we meet."

"You should certainly expect it," he played along, bowing to her slightly.

"God, no, I'm joking," she laughed back, "but it really was nice to meet you, Harry. Thank you for everything." Gathering her belongings in one arm, she moved to stand at the threshold of the front door, Harry's presence following behind her.

She was just so sweet, Harry thought. Her smile bought with it something so honey like, a warm ray of light engulfing the room— and the sparkle in her eyes, kindness. She was beautiful too. The kind of beauty that wasn’t so conventional, more so the beauty that came with love that you simply had to have grown in with each second spent together.

"T'was a pleasure meeting you too, m'lady." He continued, a sweet smile still coating his face as he guided her out. (And although she was joking about the poetry, Harry had begun thinking of the same idea before she even proposed it.) Y/N simply reciprocated his expression, silence between them while the birds chirped in the back now that the rain had cleared out.

"Hope to meet you again… soon." She added quickly in the end and looked up to him with a glee in her eyes, speaking softly, “Bye, Harry."

A sense of déjà vu took over as he remembered the scene similar to the one he experienced a few hours back.

"Take care, love," he said, beaming when he saw her walk down the porch and look over her shoulder, excited for when they’d plan to spend more time together.

Except this time, he would happily declare that he knew her name too.

————

SOO, here is writer harry!! honestly, I started out with this piece like months ago and only finished it recently lmsiehdsjhs and I wasn’t sure if I should post it, but here we gooo :(( very soft vibes, I think. writer h is just like that.

thank you ever so much for reading :(( I really really hope you enjoyed!! <333

read more of my work on my masterlist! see you on the other side ;)

[nextwarden]

Webtoons are good for the soul [Long post] [but worth it] [hopefully]

Bit of a long one (for a change...), sorry.

I haven’t read that many that’s a lie but here are my favs!

Lore Olympus by Rachel Smythe [ongoing - every Sunday]

or when Hades met Persephone. It’s a love story, fluffy yet deep and sad at times. Very well told and with incredible art (as you can see from the cover ci-dessus), in a pastel/watercolour fluid style, as is the storytelling. It has compelling characters, character growth, love, funny moments, and basically the best you could ask from a romantic story. And it had enough material to get you through good number of hours of reading before you have to break down every sunday in wait of the following week like the rest of us.

mah-hart-mah-sole/10

Love Advice From the Great Duke of Hell by unfins [ongoing - every Friday]

Paul is in love with a cute girl who works in a café nearby. But Paul is shy and can’t work out how to go ask her out. So Paul does what anyone would do and summons one of the Great Dukes of Hell in order to get better at fumbling his sentences and blushing at beautiful maidens. It’s about discovery of one’s true self and how getting deep into shenanigans will lead you to find so much more. Also, sister. (You’ll understand when you get there.)

It’s funny but also compelling and serious but still incredibly funny. I don’t think I’ve laughed as much reading any other webtoon and yet the story is also really cool. It strikes a perfect balance, or near perfect. The expressions and the action scenes are just incredible too.

chenandeler bong/10

Suitor Armor by Purpah [ongoing - every Friday]

In a land with magic and war between humans and fairies, Lucia is the princess’s lady in waiting and her only goal in life at the moment is to get her Lady to have the wedding she wishes for and deserves. But then she gets a flower from a magic armor and everything changes. Also, she’s a fairy.

It’s well drawn, characters all seem unique, varied and personnality-driven. The art style is beautiful. It’s also deeper than what I expected, with inklings of different types and levels of drama.

Alright, I’ll say it, it feels like a ‘promising new Lore Olympus’. By which I mean not to compare but simply to say I felt as taken by the story as I did with L.O.

Modeus/10

Facing the Sun by ArtbyTesslyn [ongoing]

Aarya reaserches the intricacies of dobotics and artificial intelligence with her companion robot Liza who's expiration is long everdue. Things change with a hardware update. One can’t live without the other, and neither can the other.

It’s dark but beautiful, both in the art and in the story. The sci-fi elements aren’t overwhelming and pieces of lore bring begin to pain a picture over time. It’s a slow burn but oh lord! if it isn’t going to be blazing hot...

I Robot/10

Spellbound by Ronce [ongoing]

Eglantine joins a new highschool midyear and finds herself paired with a refractarian roommate. She does her best to fit in to her new school despite not conforming to all the expectations that others might have of her. Or of her strange but likeable roommate.

It’s a cute and queer little romance, very underrated in my opinion. The art is wonderful, it’s black and white in the beginning and starts having touches of colour here and there before going full blown coloured, and I didn’t even realize it had until many chapters into it... The characters all all diverse and interesting. Also did I forget to say it’s set in France and it’s a wizarding school? Because it is!

conseiller principal d’éducation/10

180 Angel by King Katbird [ongoing]

Chloe is an angel, she lives in Heaven and goes to school in the hopes of becoming a delivery angel one day! However her plan are compromised by her inability to do anything well except halo manipulation. Even flying is not easy for her. But a fateful meeting with a reaper sends her on a trip to Hell and back which changes her. Or is it that she had always been different?

It may not seem much from the banner but I tried it and I got hooke. The art is great and still improves over time, the plot takes a bit of time to set in - I’m still not sure it’s fully set in yet - but it’s worth it, and the characters are visually deep. It sometimes jumps weirdly between scenes or sequences but not so much it completely loses you.

LAMP/10

Letters on the Wall by JaelynGs [ongoing]

Tara comes back fom spain after a five years abroad to find things have changed and others haven’t, to her equal pleasure and dismay. This is how she and her friends deal with these old relatioships that they are now reviving.

Everything doesn’t go smoothly despite each and every character deserving them to. The art is good to begin with and manages to improve over time, as well as the storytelling. Where it might have been a bit hectic before, it smoothes over time. It was for the longest time the only reason I would stalk Webtoons everyday to see if there was any updates. Also each chapter has a colour in the name and that’s just cool!

If Da Yomanville Gang [see below] got me to come to Webtoons, this sealed the deal for me to stay. [And then there was Lore Olympus.]/10

Not So Shoujo Love Story by Curryuku [ongoing - every Tuesday]

Rei Chan-chan loves Hansum, the chin chin chinny goodest looking student, more than she loves her shoujo manga. But gorgeous Hannah is in her way and won’t seem to let her get her way with him. Why is that? Well, gaybe there’s a secret hidden behind her motives? Read it to find out...

It’s funny, it’s cute, and it’s so, so stupid. I love them all. It’s dumb but so much fun to read. There aren’t that many chapters yet but enough to get into it. Also, sisters. (You’ll understand when you get there. Bis) So this is what the spring of youth feels like, huh...

chips/10

Always Human by walkingnorth [completed]

Sunati, a young engineer in training, fan of all those mods you can add to change your appearance, meets Austen, a beautiful yet modless girl who she’s been admiring from afar for a while now. She thinks the girl’s beautiful, but sdly she’s refused when she asks her out on a date, and for rather good reasons.

Now watch as they gravitate around each other and how it influences them both.

It’s a slow-burn quite realistic lesbian sci-fi story about finding love and accepting oneself and others in the midst of life and all it brings upon us. It’s cute, it’s fluffy, and it’s heartwarming despite broaching serious subjects - in a good way -, and it’s finished so you can read the whole thing! (It has enough chapters to give you a few hours of reading)

hay fever sucks/10

Da Yomanville Gang by Jason King [ongoing - every Tuesday]

Layla moved recently, to get away from a dose of angst she didn’t want to have to deal with. She meets new people, fun and friendly people, but it seems the angst can’t quite seem to leave her alone. Alone is what she’s not to deal with it anymore, however.

This is the one, long before Lore Olympus, which brought bme over to Webtoons. It’s not the best drawn, not the most compelling, but the strong point and what made me love it - beyond Layla’s chara design - is the depth of most of the characters, how not all good is good and all bad is bad, and reality often lies in the middle - and how they evolve over the course of the story. Definitely worth a read.

wheelbarrow/10

Love Bot by Chase Keels and Miranda Mundt [ongoing - every Sunday]

In the near future - the year is (Blade Runner) 2049 - technology has advanced enough to creat pseudo-artificial intelligence and thus lovebots. Xada mods and repairs those emotionnaly intelligent robots for a living. What brings this story about is him toying with a less-than-friendly client’s bot so much so that he finds himself in quite a pickle when the bot ‘wakes up’.

It seems to be BL. Let it be BL, please! The art is very nice, the story feels dark but the pitch give way to many interesting possibilities, and, well, the characters are quite nice to look at, I’ll admit... Also, angst. I don’t always enjoy it but when I do, I do.

Not many chapters but it’s getting there.

i’ll let you bot my love/10

Mage & Demon Queen by Color_LES [ongoing - every Thusday]

Malori is the best and the most promising mage student at her school. Aided by Cerik, her best friend and swordsman party member, she attempts to conquer the last floor of the demon tower, reigned over by the ferocious Velverosa, the demon queen, whose defeat will bring glory and richess to those who defeat her. But all is not quite as it seems and, what is that, might it be a crush I see over there? Oh, wait, no, that’s just our protagonist getting squished by the weight of her love...

Once again, it’s fun and stupid (a pattern? noooo) but it’s worth a read.

LES/10

Down to Earth by Pookie Senpai [ongoing - every Tuesday]

Kade live alone and depressed in spite of fleeting relatioships since his big breakup, content with simply going by life while he works in retail. One day, an alien crashes into his backyard. Zaida’s an alien but she’s cute, seems innocent, is unfamiliar with everything, so he agrees to help. Thus begins a slice of life story of them roommating in his appartment until, maybe, one of them crashes into the other’s heart?

It’s cute, heartwarming, and I sort f relate with the main character. Although I don’t know if’d prefer a cute alien, a dragon or a stalking neighbour... [that’s an inside joke, I’ll explain if I ever make a list of the good yamete onii-chan! I’ve been reading] It’s a slow burn with enough depth to hook you up. Some characters are still uncertain in my eyes but that makes me curious.

loner/10

The Remarried Empress by Alphatart / Sumpul [ongoing - every Wednesday and Sunday]

Navier Ellie Trovi is an empress. Perfect and perfectly content in every way with her life until the day a mistress enters her husband’s life. Things sort of go downhill from there. Or do they? For she also learns about herself and what she might actually want out of life to be happy. Breaking the status quo might be the way.

It feels like one of those poor quality isekai comics or manga in which the MC is brought back to a time where she has the power to change her life and decides for emancipation and revenge, but it’s not. It’s more ‘yolo’ and had interesting characters, especially the MC - no pushover - and a slow-burn plot. Don’t expect to see the flash-forward in the first chapter quite yet, but come to experience the whole affaire in detail and in the most satisfying of ways! Also the art is cool!

divorce/10

Muted by Miranda Mundt [ongoing - every Friday]

On her 21st birthday, Camille fails the ritual to become a full-fledged witch and is isolated from what remains of her old and successful family. This leads to her discovering truths about herself and her powers that will change her and those around her.

By the same author as Love Bot. I haven’t read the whole thing yet but the designs are good, the plot is interesting, the characters have depth and personnality, it has witches, magic, romance [I guess, still unsure of the details though], a bit of angst, and it’s set in Louisianna. All good points.

plant magic/10

Cursed Princess Club by LambCat [ongoing - every Monday]

Gwendolyn and her sisters, each a princess in their own right, are set to be betrothed to three princes of a neighbouring country after living all their lives happy and sheltered with their father and brother. Unfortunately, Gwendolyn is not like her sisters - and brother, for that matter - in that her beauty is... less than conventionnal. Devastated by what outsiders think of her she escapes into the forest and meets kindred spirits in the form of the Cursed Princess Club - non-gendered, they also have that one prince there! - and it might just help her grow into the confident woman she is destined to become.

I clicked for the funny hahas ‘because she’s ugly’ and cursed princess trope, I stayed for the genuine laughs and smiles and the heartwarming good nature of most of te characters. Also, haha, funny characters are funny. So, yeah, I started this with a bias - still haven’t caught up yet - and have been seduced by this lesser known webtoon. Don’t let the visuals fool you, it’s really good!

respect wahmen/10

Andy Bass by KenneDuck / Gia [ongoing - every Friday]

Andy Bass is our average highschool girl. Litterally. She’s half human, half fish, a real mermaid but vertically. That leads to less-than-friendly looks and reactions from others. However, the arrival of a new, and frankly very cute, transfer student might change all that.

Haven’t read it all yet, not that there are many chapters out, but it feel fun and promising. Also, physically imperfect characters are best characters. Down with the reign of beauty and up with 𝔠𝔬𝔪𝔪𝔲𝔫𝔦𝔰𝔪!

Chin Hansum 2.0/10

For the Sake of Sita by Haga [completed]

A medical student passionately falls in love with a fallen goddess during his volunteer abroad in Nepal, and he desperately tries to fight off destiny to save his love. [the actual summary]

Okay, I’ll be honest: I haven’t quite read that one yet. I’m guilty of only having looked at the beginning and the end to see if it seemed worth it and, oh my gorsh! it does. The art is beautiful, the story seems sad yet beautiful too (I had tears reading the last chapters without knowing much of the rest) and it’s short, so jump on it!

[I’ll probably come back to that later when I’ve actually read it completely]/10

Us Right Now by yurineseventeen [ongoing]

Rina's long-term girlfriend, Noa, decides to run away from home. Rina has limited time to find her.

Not much more to say other than it’s sweet and it feels real. I like the beginning, haven’t read the rest yet, but will definitely soon.

keep going/10

New Normal: Class 8 by Youngpaka [ongoing - every Sunday]

Dongwoon has a big head. It does not make life easy. But what if he wasn’t alone being so... different? He discovers it is the case when he joins his new school a special class full of people who are different. Things get weird fast but also better and fun.

I haven’t read this in a long time, it’s on my list though. But until the moment I stopped at least, it was fun, funny, and interesting. It’s slice-of-life comedy, often ligthearted and stupid, sometimes more serious, but globally a pleasure to read.

sensei/10

The Witch and The Bull by Moonsia [ongoing - every Thursday]

Tan's job as the King's royal advisor has nothing to do with his hatred for witches, but it does make him a prime target for a curse that turns him into a BULL! The only way to undo this hex is to rely on the beautiful witch, Aro. Can her kindness turn his feelings around, and break this spell? [the actual summary]

There are two bulls and they have to ask it questions to know which is the real bull? I dunno, I haven’t read this one... But it’s been recommnded by @berigolote​ so it’s worth a try I guess? She did recommend Lore Olympus to me, so it’s on my list anyway.

to try/10

The Right Knight and Our Days in Lumain by buttersphere [completed & ongoing]

A fun short comic about a play on the ‘knight comes to fight dragon to save princess in her tower’ trope and it’s sequel. The sequel is not finished yet (seems on hiatus) but they are worth the read for cute, funny, fluffy knight and dragon/witch romance and grumpy princesses.

need more/10

NetOL by Forever9Nine [completed]

A slice of life comic about a veeery shy cat-girl (not literally) falling in love with a warm-tempered bookshop employee ( and NOT her colleague), and all the shenanigans that ensue. It’s short, it’s fun, and it’s cute. What more to ask?

oh wow sports/10

Susuhara is a Demon by Soya S. Holm [ongoing]

The usual romance storyof perfectly perfect girl meets absolutely bazongers delinquent and reluctantly carries her unconscious ass to her appartment to help her after witnessing a gang fight between multiple idiots and her (future) idiot and saving her from a knife attack by bashing the last standing dude with a wooden shop sign. Legend says there’s a demon in K-city, I still am unsure of whom it might be.

fun/10

It Stems From Love by Soya S. Holm [competed]

A short story about a girl who loves flowers and finds herself unexpectedly coughing them up dramatically whenever she’s jealous of those around her crush. It’s short, it’s cute, a bit dark at times, but definitely worth a read!

bouquet final/10

Lesbiampires by fabarts [ongoing]

So, yeah, lesbian vampires. Nuffin’ ta add.

Well, anyway, it’s cute, it’s funny, it’s serious too, it makes me root for antihero type characters who actually murder people for fun (but in a fun and respectful way, I swear!) because, well, love./10

Perfect Harmony by bluebloodtanuki [ongoing]

An Overwatch fan-comic about Symmetra and her disaster roommates.

I don’t play Overatch but I like the lore and got dragged into fanfiction and shipping (by myself, mind you), so a fan-comic about similar dynamics AND it’s funny? Gimme.

Roadhog & Junkrat best duo/10

Love Doesn’t Talk by Ann [completed?]

A misunderstanding is fine. Two? Hmmm. Three? Surely that’s fate, no?

A cute love story unfolding before your eyes with no dialogue, only pretty pictures. I’m not actually sure it’s completed but even if it isn’t, the ending doesn’t feel disappointing in the least.

no words/10

AntiSTALKER by VOKIVORMOK [ongoing - every Thursday]

Humans, vampires and werewolves all cohabitate in this freaky highschool, despite tensions between the three races. A bittersweet yet fun love story between a fake stalker and his amnesiac prey...

Eugene wants Kira’s heart, she wants his head.

who?/10

Kiss It Goodbye by Ticcytx [ongoing]

Two lesbians in love recount to their drunk friends the story of how they met. It’s fun and cute, both in story and in art.

delinquent x prim&proper/10

Avril and the Divine Being by Charlie Genmor [ongoing]

Avril is a waitress, Cat is a reccuring client. Feeling blossom before they even exchange words and when they finally do, embarassment ensues.

I got hooked by the art style for this one and I have yet to be disappointed. Not many chapters but keep it close.

sunny/10

Sunflower by EtoileKonijn [ongoing]

Wednesday, an art student, meets Sophie, a friend of a friend. Feelings ensue. It’s beginning to have a good number of chapters (even if they are short) and it feels like it’s actually the slowest burn of them all. Very much worth a read though, for the art style especially.

cute/10

It Takes Two by love_of_pi [ongoing]

Common art style: imperfect but improving. Classic story: normal girl meets famous girl by accident and leave a great first impression. Shenanigans and romance ensue. However the tints of drama, the fun interaction between characters, and the smooth plot make it worth it.

Honolulu latte/10

A Mild Flavor by Ru-rin [ongoing]

A slice of life of different couples. One with a compromised relationship and bittersweet reflections of the past, and the other which is hidden from plain sight, at different times if life. It is not perfect but it managed to worm its way into my heart nonetheless.

tasty/10

The Greenhouse by Viesallon [ongoing]

Another one I haven’t read, but from the extracts I’ve seen the art is compelling, the story seems worth it - definitely deserves the drama tag it seems - and I keep it on my shortlist until I have time to read it.

supernatural/10

My Masochistic Boss by Arisas_Art [ongoing]

Debuting goth writer meets hellish boss of editing company about her new book. Disagreement and tensions ensue. It starts with a slap and might very well end in bed, stay tuned!

This one rebooted recently and the art is soooo beautiful, moreso than before is I may say.

sexy/10

Still Alive by Comic Kat19 [ongoing]

Half-zombie girl meets emo boy, baby ensues.

After the zombie apocalypse, they have to survive, and despite their differences, maybe together is better?

This I classify in the ‘Yuuutsu-kun to Succubus-san‘ category: a somewhat rough art style that I have come to love and enjoy greatly. Also the story is fun.

cat creature/10

The Biggest of Treasures by Aixn [ongoing]

That smile, that damn smile. It’s what got me to try and it got me to stay. The art style is beautiful and the chara designs is too. The plot? Not much to say yet, but cuteness is enough.

bright/10

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

And there you go for now. These are my picks. I haven’t read everything on Webtoon, I haven’t even read everything I’ve subscribed to, but if I had to recommend anything I have tasted, here it is.

Sorry if I missed any you deem worthy; feel free to harass me and mock my lack of culture by flaunting your own.

Maybe more later, in the mean time: keep scrolling, scrub!

PART II

[oosteven-universe]

Dune House Atreides #9

Dune: House Atreides #9 BOOM! Studios 2020 Written by Kevin J. Anderson & Brian Herbert Illustrated by Dev Pramanik & Mariano Talbo Coloured by Alex Guimarães Lettered by Ed Dukeshire    Was foul play involved in Leto's father's untimely death? Follow the new Duke Atreides as he stops at nothing to find out. Power, lies, and corruption continue as Baron Harkonnen hatches a plan to frame Leto for an attack on the Tleilaxu even as Shaddam prepares to usurp the throne from his father once and for all.    Had this been my introduction to the franchise I might have actually enjoyed the first novel and possibly the dry film much more than I had.  As it stands thanks to this I think I am actually ready to tackle the novel again and for me to say this says a lot about how good this franchise truly is.  One of the things that I really like about this series is how frequently this changes from scene to scene so we don’t hang around too long at any one place and instead manage to get the fuller picture as we watch it all unfold.  It really is among the most intelligent and smartest written series that we’ve seen in comics in a very, very long time.      I love the way that this is being told.  The story & plot development that we see through how the sequence of events unfold as well as how the reader learns information is presented exquisitely.  The character development that we see through the narration, the dialogue, the character interaction as well as how they act and react to the situations and circumstances which they encounter.  This spotlights their personalities and how they keep changing, growing and evolving.  The pacing is excellent and as it takes us through the pages revealing more of the story and the twists & turns along the way we get so wrapped up in the drama of it all and it is absolutely delicious.    How we see this being structured and how the layers within the story continue to emerge, grow, evolve and strengthen we see some absolutely magnificent storytelling.  What I particularly love about this book and how we see the layers within the story add so much depth, dimension and complexity it’s enough to make the writers of Dynasty and Dallas jealous of the intricacies involved.  How everything works together to create the story’s ebb & flow as well as how it moves the story forward is impeccably achieved.      The interiors here are really very lovely.  The linework is exquisite and how we see the varying weights and techniques being utilised to create the detail work that we see throughout the issue is magnificently rendered.  The way that backgrounds are being utilised to enhance and expand the moments and really bring us what these worlds, cities and places look like is unparalleled.  How they also work within the composition of the panels to bring out the depth perception, sense of scale and the overall sense of size and scope to the story is utterly fabulous.  The utilisation of the page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels show a masters eye for storytelling.  The various hues and tones within the colours being utilised to create the shading, highlights and shadow work show a magnificent eye for how colour works and how to maximise its effects through how it is applied.   ​    This series is absolutely phenomenal!  This being told in the format that it is so that we don’t overstay our welcome at any one locale is smartly done.  How the story manages to flow through the pages and it engages the reader and invests you in what we’re seeing and reading is pretty spectacular to witness.  The writing is intelligent and the characterisation is sharp and witty that are surrounded by these sublime interiors really make this franchise come to life beautifully.  

[ctl-yuejie]

the sleuth of the ming dynasty: first thoughts

(mildest spoilers up to episode 6 / this got super long, who would’ve thought)

so far the story is very engaging: my excitement skyrocketed as soon as the first 10 people got introduced in episode 1 with name cards and titles and all. ahhhhhhhh, finally some good overload of my brain. what’s a good crdrama without you having to figure out who is who for 5 episodes straight.

what’s obvious very quickly is that this screams jacky chan. i knew he’s the director in advance but i think i could have come to that conclusion just by watching the series. to some degree it elevates the story by having this modern detective vibe, allowing more quick and exiting fighting scenes and giving leeway for characters to behave more freely in terms of etiquette and posture (the way Fu Meng Bo as Sui Zhou moves being the most obvious example).

on the other hand i am still struggling with the editing, the transition between the scenes being my biggest grief. so far there’s no natural flow to the shots, often scenes get tacked onto each other so that it makes sense storywise but doesn’t lend it self to good pacing (pretty much everything gets played out in full and there’s never just narration to create a picture). the style is a staccato of scenes which then weirdly get slowed down for what are supposed to be emotional highlights, which so far only focused on side characters so the weight that is lent to them is questionable e.g. the couple dying side by side: they were an important part of solving the case but i had really no emotional connection to them whatsover and didn’t really need the series to slow down that much as they also didn’t offer much character development to the main characters besides Tang Fan’s merciful heart and practical approach to things.

Speaking of Tang Fan and Suizhou: I really enjoy them! They are both layered and fun to watch and the actors really play well off each other. But tbh the series enters a bit of queer baiting territory for me. So far its very strongly hinted that there will be female love interests involved in the story so all the romantically coded moments didn’t feel very honest to me and just like fan service. If they already decided to go bromance I’d love them to do just that and not try and make it seem more than it is if the story directly negates any feelings they might have for each other in the novel.

It also lends itself to comedy but I find it hard to believe that men of their positions would be sooooo oblivious to how difficult and dangerous interactions with the court are.  There’s a tiny disbalance between how all other characters act faced with authority and they do, while there’s no narrative reason for it and just adds some comedy.

In regards to other characters: The empress dowager and consort wan are very delicious female characters. they are seasoned, intelligent and have their own goals to achieve. so far it is still up in the open if either one of them is an antagonist or simply playing the court games as everyone else. wang zhi is fabulously complicated and i was very happy that he doesn’t work in opposition with our main characters but walks between all sides to achieve his goals. really enjoy the complexity of him, however i don’t include him in the ship since it is established that he can be cruel beyond reason so that’s a no from me. i am also always happy to have a eunuch as a main character because there are just so much more interesting power struggles at play. 

pei huai is my secret favourite at the moment: chaotically competent with a flair for the dramatic is someone right up my ally. as for other female characters: i am sorry to say that i am super underwhelmed. i hope aha isn’t going to appear any more because her character is just pure nonsense. we got told the whole backstory of the prostitute (i am sorry, i forgot her name - first 5 episodes rule) but while it explained the reason for her actions it didn’t give me the emotional depth that was needed. i was very much annoyed at her and surprised at the lack of competence for someone who had worked as a prostitute which requires very high social skills and was the daughter of a merchant, so had to have enjoyed some sort of education. it just felt very underdeveloped and she came and went as was needed for the story - which would be fine, but then there’s no need for a tragic slo-mo death with violins playing in the background.

speaking of violins: it is a tragedy that a series with as much money doesn’t use real recordings - i know that that’s my petpeeve but please: nothing is less emotional than an artificially produced violin sound.

now: the brilliant exception is dong’er. i love her A LOT. she is intelligent and brave and has a good amount of comedic timing and wit. her character seems to be well-rounded and well crafted. i am enjoying her very much and am super happy that she’s now the baby of the dyfunctional sui zhou/tang fan household that holds all the brain cells.

overall the cases are super fun, i like the degree of intricacy that leaves room to mystery and character development and i am always a sucker for a show that features a whole working city and also food shots. the whole city comes across as very organic and lends itself as a fantastic playground for a detective series.

i was surprised by the found family trope coming into play, but it is one of my favourites so I am absolutely here for it.

sadly the colour scheme is very dark and brownish so this series will be the worst to gif.

The english title is also all kinds of fantastically absurd and i always misread it as “the sloth of ming dynasty” which i think gives the accurate picture of a fully fed tang fan and dong’er laying lazily around while suizhou exasperatedly stands over them in an apron.

a thank you to @stebeee and @florbexter for getting me into this series, i will definitely watch on

[taeglow-blog]

The Definitive Guide To how to learn how to draw

One more example is anatomy. You could possibly learn curves of the system in a single pose, but it surely doesn't inform you anything about just what the identical human body seems to be when managing/sitting/combating. They are able to aid Your kids learn tips on how to affiliate hues with selected products (for instance, green with grass, yellow with Solar, and so forth.). So, down load these drawing video games in order to give your children a fun nevertheless appealing way to invest their time on the Windows Personal computer. with Amy Wynne Discover the fundamentals of two-stage viewpoint drawing, which include asymmetrical and symmetrical Views, and learn to draw interior and exterior scenes additional correctly. On top of that, over 25 web pages could be scanned by means of a smartphone or tablet utilizing the new Design and style Studio Push app, which connection to movie tutorials for that segment with the e-book!

So following this eventful journey, It truly is now time to wait and Have a look at the picture beneath, It can be of a gorgeous lady. She’s without a doubt on the lookout pretty beautiful, is just not she? So essentially, at this time, you would surround oneself with these intricacies continuously to move forward and never for getting caught at this rather primordial to intermediate degree, that's down below par. The Allows Draw course is generally aimed toward newcomers, so should you've under no circumstances drawn in advance of – this training course is for you personally! Actually, ninety three% of your people that obtain the Allows Draw study course haven't drawn prior to. No prior art knowledge or drawing experience is essential.

You’ll learn that it’s a great deal much easier to see the designs before you once you’re not specializing in the notion of a cup, or possibly a nose. As you progress, you’ll notice that you Practically by no means examine a watch, or an apple leaf. ​​And if you ask you, would you be confident enough to draw her, just as she's? Most in all probability the answer would be a big 'No', suitable? In that case, This suggests you continue to Have a very scope for enhancement! with Kristin Ellison Learn the abilities and instruments You'll have to pursue a profession in artwork and illustration, and the roles you could get with them. This shear simple fact divided them with the rest, and that's the only purpose why they were being effective in honing their ability to achieve where they reached in a while inside their respective life.

(While the drawings which look like a photograph are hallmarks of amazing artists and perfectionists that have put in lots of labor, you will discover equivalent samples of awesome artists with outstanding drawings that are not be equatable to a photograph. Why can it be that the Mate is "inventive" and You're not? It might be since your friend is applying a unique Element of the Mind than you might be. Your Good friend can "see" points differently than you are able to given that they are interpreting the things they see in a distinct way than you are. They're taking a look at the globe with regard to styles, lines, colours, as well as the associations concerning these things. With this particular Web site, what we'll be undertaking below is attempting for getting you to determine items in this manner. the in depth classes and curso de desenho realista com Alexandre Porto offer you the know-how and skills to confidently draw anything at all you wish.

[inter-se-solus-blog]

little drabble idea for @incinerous ♡~

     ◆ Twirling air - so suddenly stilled securely around them. A picture perfect moment of mindless, aching tranquillity: could have asked. Could have questioned. Could have made a single sound of surprise when a grasp eligible to kill { the strength and power whirling at the tips of fingers } had made to reach for him and lift up head to direct gaze so certainly placed elsewhere. Mind having wandered, having pursued those little flittering daydreams of times long gone - yet settled formerly upon materials flowing through cracks of fingers. The very silken feel that was meant to create a new mask { another adjustment to be made, a ‘client’ to please }. So the shop owner is stopped in tracks easily. Eyes blinking once as if to question the need. The severity of these actions - contact of eyes pulled upon one each other, blue { with a near icy chill } to clash with the red of fire.

    ◆ It was easy enough to smile about it. About the swallowed words sifting through gaze, enkindling themselves to be spoken, but never being announced. It’s interesting { so he thinks when this back and forth has been set to a start } that one could be so captivated - while the other had not being quite at all.

    ◆ Who was it just, that had been spun into the fine strings of a puppeteer’s silver threads? Captivated? Incarcerated? { So he wonders? }

    ◆ It’s enough to expose his neck, slanting, arching. The dalliance of black ink upon pale skin all the more captivating { he had been asked before to explain the intricacies of designs, being on the end of having them traced near tentatively }. It was different. Something else. He had been stopped for reasons unknown for dwelling instances longer, for decisions to be made { how hilarious, this whole engagement finds itself as a whirling amusement }. Slowly. Ever so slowly - as if the curve of lips edged upon visage would tell a thousand tales. So the game was on - and he was quite a skilful player to engage with him.

    ◆ Thus as no words do fall between them, the artist’s hand would be lifted from the few pieces of clothing still securely held now in single grasp. Would find itself circling along the hem of his comrade’s sleeve, never making contact upon darkened, marred skin { how curious was the creator not about that still? had asked to touch, to feel just weeks prior }. One could look upon it from the outside and see a mutual back and forth { but how much mutual was it really? } when long fingers encircle exposed parts of skin. Do threaten to touch - and yet make no contact sure at all.

    ◆ He knows that attention is poised on him wholly, on those eyes that blinked once, still making Dabi want and desire to tear gaze away and follow a path unknown. Tingling skin all the more alert - while in any breath taken, in any heartbeat felt by his 'guest's' exploring fingertips, trailing down { fourth finger and pointer only, half an inch only poised } he would be permit by the ghoul to find that even pulse, off-setting thoughts for their dangerous tragedy.

    ◆ The Vanguard's hand could close down. Could try and latch onto him. Crush in powerful palm what seemed so deceivingly, temptingly fragile { and sure this sort of temptation was the very thing that would have Uta laugh about it all }. Despite these thoughts - so surprisingly careful were these chasing explorations. Perhaps, a picture perfect mirror image of an approach similar to his very own, for none the like, the warmth of palm had yet to be still placed upon scarred tissue, had yet to wander, what had been done prior in tender graces settled upon Dabi’s face.

    ◆ It's an anticipation that rises beyond imagination { something casual. something aimless. no second thought, he just wanted to play }. Knowing fully well that there had been no comprehension upon the cause, and still - still just - alertness high, near tensing upon the whisp of a grace, travelling higher and higher and burning like the depths of hellfires. It was all enough to be an engagement of unfortunate determination { tempting in tones unpredictable to be played. a discordant tune, shattering ears and mind like an untuned violin's play }. Not to be meant that one of them were to ever wane { and the creator himself had the upper hand, doing nought else but simply being there }.

    ◆ The tilt of his head came a mere instance later, angling himself slowly out of that grasp of index finger hooked beneath point of chin, thumb itself of that company of his to caress and touch silken skin. He looked like a picture perfect object of some tainted purity { with the black ink edged everywhere into his skin }. Tauntingly pulling away, as if asking a question and lips never part to even announce after a single breath taken. Would the warrior not - in the end - want to wipe that smile so surely off his face? How ridiculing of a behaviour?

    ◆ It's just then---

    ◆ { In that moment's notice of a mind being caught in an endless spiralling whirlwind }.

    ◆ ---chasing out each and every sleek cut of muscle to be felt settling in skin that would aggravate - maybe repel? - others and make them reject him. And push him away. So tenderly nearly. Delicately placed upon patches of torn tissue one would want to assume could hurt and ache and still, his hand travels all the higher. Encompasses with palm to never really make any contact, playing a song with fingertips, lightly tapping here and there. The Mask Maker knows - and still does wonder sometimes. If there was any pain to be found { and there was, laughably enough, none that he wanted to apply }.

    ◆ "Now~---"

    ◆ Finally. As if breaking a spell that had been placed over attentive mind, those eyes watching vigilantly each movement fulfilled, needing and aching to tear themselves away from face already out of reach. He couldn't hold him. Couldn't keep him { the ghoul was so far gone and beyond from all that the villain may sure know and be able to comprehend }. He feels it the second dark coloured flesh does cut out within the unscathed light. Within those seconds and inhales, the tension rising within the moment Uta would near be robbed of that momentary sensation and stalls and halts the other in his tracks.

    ◆ An eye for an eye - so they say. And he still smiles so surely amicably { holds it as a perfectly crafted mask before pretty visage }. "---speak out." Again, again, again to turn back and forth { and mingle about with his hands to get a good look at all angles and folds } with a single inching last 'step', the feel of metal clasps beneath his fingertips.

    ◆ How little does it truly take? To keep one of untameable power - pliant beneath his hold?

    ◆ "What is it, that you want to say?~" And they could have so easily damaged one another - and yet never did. 

[lbbounaries]

Summer Research

Fabien Claude:

Fabien Claude is a French artist known for his work to be incredibly dark. His pieces have a running theme of distorted faces  and a range of blacks and dark colors, creating an eerie feel. His works include silhouettes, disturbing creatures and textures. These abstract figures are gruesome, and can be interpreted in different ways.

When looking at his work, I get a sense of loneliness and sorrow; you can feel the emotions through his work, the internal pain he felt. Personally, I see his work as a representation of how he saw himself and the people around him, and their darkest, deepest emotions manipulating their outside appearance.

Fabien Claude’s art can be looked at in different ways; at first glance you see a figure with a matchstick like head, but when you really look closely, you are able to see the twisted features of the trapped creature. The texture within each piece adds to the detail and depth,  creating a realism to the abstract piece.

His work has a simplistic look, but is made up of incredible detail. By keeping to a colour palette, his work is linked together by the sombre colours. It also means that his work isn’t overwhelmed with colour and allows the figure  to stand out against the darkness.

Claude achieves the uncomfortable and unpleasant feel; a piece that people want to look away from but are captured by it. By using a portrait composition, it adds to the loneliness of the creature, expressing the pain and internal torture from within.

Jim McKenzie:

Jim is an American, New York based artist, proficient in many areas, drawing, digital art, painting and sculpture, as well as a director, a former teacher at The School of Visual Arts and an animator at Aardman Nathan Love.

Jim Mckenzie also created his own web series teaching first-timers the basics behind creating, called Makin’ Things with Jim Mckenzie.

A surrealist sculptor known for his fantastical clay works, his sculptures and paintings often depict surrealist wonderlands occupied by highly saturated characters. Jim Mckenzie can often be seen within his works, and created a self-portrait sculptor.

Ben Ashton:

Ben Ashton is a London-based visual artist specialising in hyper-realist portraiture and ambitious, immersive installation works. He explores the intricacies of living in modern times and experiencing the political and social weight of the past. Mystical and otherworldly, the powerful set of works by the contemporary mastermind enchants the viewers and immediately pulls them into the stories portrayed.

Ben would stand in front of paintings in museums for hours to figure out the layering techniques. He used books to learn techniques, and through trial and error, he came up with his own style and way of working.

As Ben Ashton was into performance art, he uses his body as an actor uses theirs, by playing different roles, as a result he features in many of his pieces. He uses throwaway materials like plastic bags and scraps of fabric to create basic costumes.

Crying Boy and Crying Girl:

Giovanni Bragolin (real name: Bruno Amadio) was a Spanish painter of no real succes. He was often told his paintings lacked 'spirit'. He wanted to draw more lifelike paintings, but nobody would model for Bragolin. That's why he took several children in pairs of two: one boy and one girl from local orphanages and kept them 'hostage' for their value as painting-models. After a child would die , he would just 'get a new one'. He could cremate the dead children in his backyard.

People believed the paintings were cursed, and cursed whoever owned them. Yorkshire family whose home of 27 years had been gutted by a mysterious fire. Bizarrely, the victims were blaming the incident on a ‘cursed’ portrait of a crying boy. The cheap mass-market print which had been hanging on the Hall family’s Rotherham living room wall had survived the blaze unscathed.

Ron Hall, a 59-year-old redundant miner, told the reporter he regretted ignoring the advice of his firefighter brother who had warned them to get rid of the picture and told them it had been hanging on the wall of every house fire he’d ever been called to.

Ruben Orozco Loza:

Ruben Orozco Loza is a Mexican Hyperrealist Sculptor. He creates realistic depictions of human beings, through sculpture, using silicone, wood, resin, marble and real hair. He learnt the technique himself through research, as there were no classes to guide him in Mexico.

He focuses on the imperfections that identify each human being. Each piece starts with modelling clay, sculpting out the features of each face. He then creates texture on the skin. After it’s moulded, he starts the process of the silicone casting. It gets painted to a high standard, as the eyes are being made. Ruben makes garments for each of his sculptures, going into great detail and care.

[forsythe-pendleton-jones-iv-blog]

Atomic Man -Stalker!Jughead AU

A/N; hey guys! I’ve been having this one itch at me for a while and finally decided to post it. If you want on the tag list just ask and if you have any requests, my ask is currently open!

Credit to @thekillingquill for seriously helping move this along! Promise the next parts gonna be moving along much quicker :)

Words: 903 THIS IS NOT PROOFREAD AND A PROLOGUE. (As this is formatted on mobile I can’t currently add a read more, but I will at a later date)

————–

It started as a complete accident. He was documenting the discovery of Jason Blossom’s body for his novel and she ended up in the background of one of the pictures. Facing away from the river, in the arms of her mother, her teeth gritted and tears frozen to her cheeks as he immortalized the moment when everything changed. The moment they would look back on and notice the intricacies of Jughead Jones the III and Elizabeth Greenwood.

He found his eyes were constantly drawn to her in that picture. Like a pendulum swinging back in forth, he found no matter what he did he always returned to it. He didn’t understand. First, his hands would begin to jitter, bones filling with a molten excitement he had never experienced before. Then, the itch started.

It was insatiable, gnawing at his bones and slowly weaving its way through his veins, hooking its way into his mind, his being. It started innocently looking in his old yearbooks, trying to put a name to the face. Never before had he seen a face quite like it before. Long, blonde hair framing it in an indescribable sense, features too perfect to exist in this marred world.

His freshman yearbook was a bust, but he found her in the eighth grade yearbook. At 15, it was younger than he would’ve liked, but it would do. He kept it in his wallet, obsessively looking at her class photo, admiring how the lights reflected her eyes and the tiny smile she held upon her features. The class photo was devoid of colour, but he had studied his picture enough to know the exact blonde shade of her hair and the precise hue of her eyes.

His heart pounded in his chest as he traced a finger over her face. Even the idea of touching the photo made him nervous. She was perfection, she was his muse. He couldn’t bare to see her beauty marred by a fingerprint. She was untouchable.

Then, he started to put sticky notes on each page of the yearbook where a picture of her appeared. One where she was at badminton practice. One in her home economics class.

He looked through his seventh grade yearbook and did the same, noting the differences a year makes upon her soft features.

He carried his camera all summer telling himself it was for the book, but the truth of it was that he was hoping to see her again. Hung around his neck like a personal noose, his mind was filled with nothing but the fated day when they would meet. Would it be in Pop’s? With the neon lights illuminating her form in a idyllic photograph? Or would it take place by Sweetwater River, sunlight floating through the trees, helping him in his quest to capture a clearer image of her? He imagined that by July her skin would be sun kissed and her hair would be lighter.

On the first day of school he debated leaving his camera at the drive-in where he lived. He had always known he was often targeted in the halls. He had visions of Reggie Mantle smacking the camera out of his hands. Calling him out, expose him as being too busy writing his manifestos to get laid, but the possibility of seeing her overrode his logic.

-

Halfway through the day he spotted her down the hall from his locker. She had a soft smile on her face as she stood on the tips of her toes, reaching into the depths of the top shelf for something. One of her friends was gesturing wildly as they relayed a story.

It was a moment he captured for eternity in his first of many candid photos of her that year. Perhaps, had he been looking where he was going, he could’ve avoided what happened next.

“Watch it, Wednesday Addams.” Reggie’s sardonic voice ripped its way through his ears, a harsh shove destroying his view of the girl. His camera jostled roughly against his chest and the wall. Rage clouded over his mind, quietly taking in every fibre of his being.

Before he could respond, a soft, melodic voice wrapped around him.

“Piss off, Reggie.” She stood in front of him, bright eyes framed with dark lashes and that blonde hair that cascaded perfectly. A small smile was held upon her features.

That smile changed everything. It could build towers, crush empires. It was a quiet secret shared between two lovers in the early morning. It was the soft breeze, telling you everything would be alright. Hidden within the curvature of her lips lay a darkness, a slight twisting of the mind. Try as she might to hide it with her baby pink lip gloss and bright coloured dress, he knew. Blonde hair in waves to her hips swayed around her body as a shield. He saw the way she interacted with people, a slight hesitation used to distract from her reality. He spent every waking moment thinking about her words. They lingered in his mind and sew themselves into his soul.

And when everything came crashing down around him, that’s when he knew. He would spend the rest of his life with her, or die trying.

————–

Tags; @thatsadbreakfastclub @tinytephrite @thekillingquill

[steampunktietime]

Some art tips!

That I wish people told me because it would have saved me soooo much time. I mentioned these to someone yesterday who kind of proceeded to insult me then post about me on their dA but... I hope this will be useful to someone out there!;;;

Undertale edition because I’ve been drawing a lot of undertale lately.

1. When shading, use both hard and soft edged brushes! A mistake a see with a lot of starting artists is they use only a soft edged brush and it gives the picture a very strange feel.

Hard vs. soft

Shadows work in an interesting way, when I’m shading I think about how things curve, if it’s a more sharp curve I will use a harder brush.

On  the trousers here, the creases have a harder brush setting, which creates convincing folds in the fabric.

2. Don’t be afraid to experiment with colours when shading!! I see so often, people will just pick a darker shade of the same colour when shading, but this creates a dull picture visually.

Don’t be afraid to pick another colour of a darker or lighter tone to create contrast!

Here I used a purple instead of a dark grey for the shadows, and a light blue for the highlights!

I still play somewhat safe compared to others, so don’t be afraid to push how far you can take this, it can have dramatic effects on the entire feeling of the image!

3. Use differences in line thickness to your advantage. This is something I didn’t know for so long but a very good method to create more depth in your picture. 

When lining something, think carefully about how thick a line should be. My general rule is if it’s just a crease or perhaps a strand of hair, something that isn’t really important to the picture as a whole, it’s still good to line them in, and to use a small pen size when doing so.

For example here, I drew creases, and hair with a small line, and as a stylistic choice, I chose to create a lot of shadows in my lineart. This created even more depth and a sense of the character not entirely being 2D. This image also brings me onto my next point.

4. It’s not the end of the world if a sketch doesn’t turn out right! Don’t!! Even!! Worry!! About it!!! Take a breathe, and make another one. With the progression image I posted in my last tip, I was so unhappy with that initial sketch. It looks super wonky right? I tried again and got closer to what I wanted to draw, and tried again until I got what I wanted exactly, I went through about 5 iterations of the image all up actually;;;

Did you know, some of the great artists like Van Gogh would paint the same picture up to 100 times before they were even remotely happy with the final product, or at least decided the quality was at a high enough standard. It’s good advice to take on board.

5. Don’t draw stick figures. Or at least, don’t rely on line tools when drawing. The human body isn’t a mix of incredibly sharp corners and straight lines, it curves a lot.If for say, when you’re drawing a pair of trousers and they just go straight down in a perfect line, it’s unrealistic or at least, very boring to look at. It can really depend on your style but even the straightest of trouser legs still have creases in them.

Look at these legs, note they’re at the widest at the thighs, become thinner around the knees, then bump outwards below the knees at the calves and finally are thin again at the ankles.

Getting anatomy correct can take years of practice, but don’t be afraid to look up reference pictures! These can be so helpful especially with hands and feet. Plus, the more you draw these sorts of things, it’s easier to remember the intricacies of the human body.

6. Watch other people drawing. WATCH OTHER PEOPLE DRAWING. Go into live streams, watch speedpaints, whatever! Look at how they go through creating a picture. Look at what techniques they use and even their brushes. I’ve picked up so many ideas from watching others and it’s really helped me improved my own art.

One of my favourite things to do lately, which is something I picked up from @wilyart was using white lines on intense highlights over the line art.

So here for example Iook at the sides of the heads towards the light source, the line art is completely white here. 

7. No one can draw. Not even your favourites can draw. We all have a lot of failures before we come across even one good picture.

8. Don’t use bases. Please just don’t do it, if you want to be taken seriously at least. Even if it’s just practice, don’t do it. You will not learn anything. you are literally tracing over lines, not taking in any information. Just. don’t do it. Okay? For me?

9. Finally, push yourself as far as you can go. Do things you’re not normally comfortable with.

I summoned the courage to attempt drawing a picture that focused more on the background rather than the characters in it. I didn’t do great, but I learnt a lot while doing it.

I think number 6 is what I want to stress the most, I’ve learnt so much just by looking at how other people draw and paint. There’s only so much art tips and tutorials like this can teach you. Take inspiration from others!

Don’t worry if you’re bad it now, you’ll improve! If you don’t believe me here’s something I drew probably about 5 years ago now.

[oosteven-universe]

The Last Mundane #1

The Last Mundane #1 Markosia 2021 By Jorge Perez Bucheli    Armageddon is finally upon us! And life will never be the same for Adam and his loyal friends. However, life must go on, and they must emerge from the safety of their bunker to face the challenges of a desolate world plagued by malicious scavengers, catastrophe and a multitude of strange events to discover if there is still hope remaining for humanity.    We all know I am a firm believer in small press publishing houses and Markosia is one of those that continues to impress me with their wide range of titles.  This one caught my eye and I just knew that I had to read and review it.  I am a sucker for a post apocalyptic story and this one is unlike anything you’ve ever seen or read before.  The originality and uniqueness of the characters and the events that we see already in this first issue are sure to make this one of those absolute standout gems.  This is nothing like I was expecting and now I have to wonder why it is I’ve never seen anything close to is as of yet?    I am a huge fan of the way that this is being told.  The story & plot development that we see through the way that the sequence of events unfold as well as how the reader learns information is presented exceptionally well.  I really like how this starts off and how we are kind of in the middle of things and as the story moves forward it we are treated to the full story, bits and pieces at a time.  The character development that we see is fantastic!  While there are still unanswered questions and those have this habit of engaging the reader into the story in some wonderful ways.  We are constantly looking, seeing and thinking and that’s the tell-tale sign that the writer has some serious chops.  The pacing here is superb and as it takes us through the pages revealing the twists and turns along the way we are treated to quite the interesting life of young Adam.    I like how we see this being structured as well as how we see the layers within the story beginning to emerge and take shape.  This really manages to make us feel like we are seeing the natural progression of the story.  Of course seeing how everything works together to create the story’s ebb & flow contributes to that greatly as well.    The interiors here are really rather sharp.  The way that we see the linework and how it’s varying weights are being utilised to bring out the detail work that we’re seeing is wonderfully rendered.  From the intricacy of the picture frame to the way we see the brickwork as well as how backgrounds are seen within the composition within the panels playing such important roles in the way we see the depth perception, sense of scale and the overall sense of size and scope to the book is utterly marvellous.  The utilisation of the page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels show a solid, interesting and very talented eye for storytelling.  The creativity and imagination we see is great as well.  The colour work is beautifully rendered as well and how we see the various hues and tones within the colours being utilised to create the shading, highlights and shadow work show some sensational understanding of how colour works. ​    I in like flynn as Jorge has caught me hook, line and sinker as I am invested in the story and the characters we are meeting.  Markosia is an amazing little publishing house and if your local shop or subscription service isn’t offering this then you need to speak up and make sure they get it in for you.  You aren’t going to be sorry once you read the book and see exactly what it is I’ve been talking about!

[cayly-chia-ib-art]

Languor, 100cm x 100cm x 250cm

Fri Jan 6, 2017

Black construction paper, hot glue, fishing wire, metal, and wood materials

Installation

Artist Statement

This is based on my previous piece “VASO”. The piece consists of over 30 laser-cut black paper using the same shapes however, they lack colour and detail within the shapes. After the previous project, I wanted to further explore the effect that these shapes have on the audience and their interpretation. I wanted to see how minor alterations could change the piece’s meaning. In “VASO”, it was about connections seen only by oneself in a relationship with another. This project reflected my own experience with depression and the transformation from interpersonal relationships to intrapersonal relationships, targeting mental illnesses in general. Since it’s black on both sides, people can see the overall shape of the “illness”, but they cannot see the different parts that make up the shape. Hence, my experimentation within the installation and close up of the different overlaps.

I started by making outlines of 15 the 30 original shapes on Illustrator. This was so that I could laser cut the papers several times over without having to hand draw each one. By having access to this I was able to make several of the same 15 shapes to create this upward spiral. I chose black paper because I wanted to represent depression and anxiety that traps a person with its ravelling atmosphere. In this project, I was able to get a mechanism that would open up the circle created by the paper. With this, I was also able to experiment with the effect of movement. Hence, the blurred pictures in my process shot. I imagined that these blurs would also represent the stigma that mental illnesses like depression may carry. In that, they show a perspective that generalises the uniqueness of each person’s experience with depression, including the different types of causes and solutions. Depression, like the pieces, is complicated. There is still more that needs to be discovered on depression. The points in which the pieces are connected with each other (the paper) show an overlap between different experiences of depression but also hide the intricacy of each.

In my original vision, I imagined the shapes to be the same once they were cut. However, the laser cutter wasn’t able to pick up some of the finer details in the original shapes and basically left an unfinished stub or burnt branch-like endings. Though unexpected, I realised that it worked very well with the transformation of the pieces from “VASO”. The burnt off branches reflected a sort of deterioration like how the brain would with debilitating mental illnesses. In Alzheimer’s disease, the connection between neurons start deteriorating as it gets more severe. I chose to make the installation swirl upward because of the tightening atmosphere that depression might inflict, unlike in “VASO” where there’s an opening in which one could easily go in and out of.

I think if I were to do this again, I would try to create a more cloud-like shape or something that looks heavier. When I searched up different descriptions of depression, a lot of experiences sounded like it was something heavy, something extra and unwanted lingering by one’s side. If I could cut out more pieces, I think I could’ve used them to create a piece with more depth like in some of Joris Kuipers’ paper installations.

[bongoflat02]

Figure Out How To Make The Most Out Of Picture taking

You will find a large amount of distinct elements to digital photography, which all must be acquired. Easy Tips Made Easy To Help You Determine Photography allow that to dissuade you against starting now, though. With this particular article now ingrained to your human brain, now you can truly feel more comfortable with the idea of photography and put into practice what you have discovered into the create. Be picky concerning the components that you simply include in your photo. Go on and remove everything from the photo that doesn't should be there or helps to make the structure seem unbalanced. Use panning maui engagement photos that keep your issue in emphasis but blur the background when you can't take away all undesirable disruptions from the photo. As a way to take excellent pictures, get even closer what you want to photograph. A lot of video cameras allow you to focus in on your object, but you will definitely get a better good quality image in the event you actually get better as opposed to relying on the focus characteristic. In addition to, you should take a good look at what you are having a picture of so as to get yourself a better sense of it. In digital photography, it is very important to differ the amount of angles which you use on your topic. Shoot images through the top, side, and rear, that will help to give you a sophisticated collection instead of just a single angle. Move as frequently as you can to improve your effects.

Framework your subject matter is really a move to make in taking photos. You need to focus in on your principal center point to reduce something that takes out of your principal subject matter. This enables for the easy, successful chance containing only a one focal point. Learn about composition guidelines. Process and test out these regulations to make distinctive photographs. For example, organizing a picture all around diagonal facial lines offers an impression of depth. You can also fiddle with colours and steady intricacies to give an impact of motion to some image. Do not follow the regulations blindly, but discover when you should use them. You are able to enjoy various hues and facets along with making use of the different functions the digital camera gives. Even if your topic of your image continues to be shot a million occasions before, it is possible to transform a number of factors to make your photo get noticed. Every time a excellent wedding photographer mixes their level of skill and creative eyesight, they are able to make including the most dull thing appearance fascinating. Play with it to find your personal style. An effective digital photography hint is to be early when you're intending on shooting a sundown or perhaps a sunrise. This will provide you with ample time to compose the right picture. Enhance Your Image Taking With This Suggestions! don't would like to get there and be forced to create a lousy chance simply because you're short promptly. An excellent photography tip that can help you is always to try consuming lots of different pictures of the identical topic. This is a wonderful way to make you much more innovative. You'll be forced to try out everything you can to get a fascinating, nevertheless distinctive photo each and every time. There is a lot of stuff that make up taking photos, and no matter if just for fun or career, you want to get every piece of information it is possible to, so you know that you are currently generating the right techniques. There are various methods and techniques that you ought to understand, if you truly desire to create a reputation for oneself, even though you aren't using it to a more impressive range.

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Inspirational Artworks

Apani (2011) by James Turrel

James Turrel is a contemporary American artist whose art explores the light and space. He manipulates the light as a clay sculptor. Each installation activates the sensory perception, which contributes to the discovery: what seemed, for example, a flat projection, in reality, is a light-filled room. Turrel’s work Apani (2011) for the 2011 Venice Biennale created an illusion, which at first made visitors perceive a flat projection, only to discover that the colourful wall was a light-filled room they could enter. The projection was not stable, programmed to shift from hue to hue bringing a sense of motion, and creating an experience of swimming in a sea of light.

The artwork provides a complete loss of depth perception, which builds a connection with the so-called ‘Ganzfeld effect’ discovered by a German psychologist in the 1930s.

* Ganzfeld effect is a phenomenon of perception caused by a person being in a homogeneous and structureless visual and auditory environment. The effect occurs when the brain uses white noise to supplement the visual picture of sensations when there is a lack of visual information.

The artist mimics the effect with the help of lights indicating a discrepancy between knowledge and perception. What Turrell shows to the audience is not an illusion or deception, it is an amazing reality of pure experience.

The artist himself constantly points out that his work is best described as ‘Perceptual Art’. Turrell made a huge step away from the expression of the artist's consciousness (Abstract Expressionism), towards the viewer's experience of the artwork, without predetermining the outcome. Thereby, his artwork became a part of a broader shift in art and made its contribution to contemporary art development.

Urban Nature (2009) by Naoko Ito

Naoko Ito is a Japanese contemporary artist who focuses on the relationship between human race and nature. 

The series of works called Urban Nature consists of photos, installations, but it is her sculptures that really stand out. The sculptures are nothing but the combination of natural elements, such as plants, with man-made glass jars. The artist kept an original intricacy of the branches. Carefully following the curve, Ito put the pieces of the branches to the jars, reconstructing the initial shape. 

At first glance, it seems that the branches are growing through the glass, yet at the same time they are captured within. Naoko's artwork shows how we try to tame nature in the twenty-first century. Undoubtedly, in prehistoric times, being in an endless struggle for survival, the man had a necessity to tame the obstinate nature. But centuries have gone by, predatory animals were caged, and dense impenetrable forests turned into city parks. Seemingly, the need to conquer nature has disappeared as such, but what moves us now? An ancient survival instinct? Naoko argues: ‘New York has a lot of parks but I feel like the park is fake nature. I started thinking about how, especially in the New York area, in urban areas, how people get along with nature. How they contain it.’

Nature is subdued, humiliated and put into a glass jar. Man can enjoy it on the safe distance looking right through the glass cage, just like watches the lion in the zoo. Naoko's Urban Nature is an environmental art piece which has evolved from earth as a sculptural material towards a deeper relationship to natural systems and processes.

One Hundred and Eight (2010) by Nils Völker

Nils Völker is a new media artist whose artistic practice embraces electronics and programming in combination with everyday objects. 

An interactive wall-mounted Installation One Hundred and Eight is a structure the main component of which is a simple rubbish bag. The bags inflated and deflated selectively in turn by two cooling fans which are controlled by microcontrollers. As soon the system detects the viewer, it reacts dynamically by deflating the bags. Although the body of the installation is motionless, it creates an impression that it isn’t just a cold metal system, but an alive creature with its own life, senses and fears. 

This creature expresses specific behaviour and habits, which are quite familiar to humans and may resemble the behaviour of some sea creature like Actinia. And like any other sea inhabitant, it is afraid of any foreign matter and reacts instantly by hiding away from external stimuli. Following the movements of the observer, his interactions continue until the observer remains in a specific area. As soon as the installation doesn't distinguish anyone around, it takes a while to reconstruct itself and switches to its ‘calm existence mode’. Noteworthy, that installation doesn't require any additional sound support as the plastic bags fill the environment with rustling.

A trash bag is quite an interesting choice of the material which ‘personifies’ the current ‘cultural nature’. Nils Völker turned an ordinary everyday object into a piece of art giving it a completely new meaning, breaking the cliche and forcing the audience to observe it from a different perspective.

The Installation constitutes a pseudo-living responsive body. Likewise, the ancient people who had personified natural phenomena, we, those ones who live in time of urban nature, surrounded by products of our natural consumerist culture, have the capacity to animate the ‘artificial’. Consumption is primarily associated with the waste products the greatest amount of which consists of packages. Packing is the first acquaintance with the product, the first thing that your fingers touch after the purchase; however, being deprived of any another function, the packaging becomes nothing but garbage. One may call the garbage bag something like ‘alpha packaging’, as it wraps up everything, we have already obtained. The fact, that there are just a few things in the modern world which cannot be wrapped in a garbage bag, endows the bag with an unusual connotation and makes it in a way a ‘shadow’ of consumption.