#magnificient seven

[skull-designs]

Always and forever (1)

West Norwood Cemetery, London Borough of Lambeth.

[ducklooney]

They look awesome and I love historical accuracy like this. Great drawings as always. :D

Thought I’d do a little art throwback with my own historically accurate (well mostly) takes on Disney princesses and heroines, which I did from 2021 to 2022! Included in this series are:

Snow White - early 16th century Germany (then part of the Holy Roman Empire)

Cinderella - late 1860s-early 1870s France

Aurora - mid 15th century France

Eilonwy - 8th-10th century (present day) Wales

Ariel - 1830s Mediterranean Europe (maybe Italy)

Belle - 1760s-1770s France

Jasmine - 16th century Arabian Peninsula during the Ottoman Empire

Pocahontas - 1607 Virginia, (present day) United States of America

Esmeralda - 1480s France (Romani garb)

Megara - Classical period of Ancient Greece (c. 5th-4th centuries BCE)

Mulan - Wei Dynasty China (386-535 AD)

Jane - 1900s England

Tiana - late 1920s New Orleans, Louisiana, USA

Rapunzel - 1790s-1800s Germany

Merida - 10th-11th century (present day) Scotland

Elsa - late 1830s-early 1840s Norway

Anna - same period as Elsa (duh)

Moana - ancient Polynesian Islands (c. 1st century BCE)

I had so much fun drawing these, as well as doing the research for each one! I actually drew most of the outfits each one wears (in their first movies) but they're waaaaay down further in my blog.

I'm planning to do a digital redo of these someday, as well as do my own historical spins on other characters I haven't done yet.

Which one is your favorite?

Commissions info

[txttletale]

Doesn't cowboy fiction steal most, if not all its imagery from samurai fiction? Characters (the ronin Yojimbo was the archetype for Clint Eastwood), and even whole movies were ripped off from japanese directors (seven samurai = the magnificient seven).

In samurai fiction, the lawless/corrupt town is due to postwar conditions and the clash between the old cruel feudal order and the new cruel modern era. In cowboy fiction those conditions have been transmuted into the "frontier" for western audiences.

Would going back to these roots make for a less troublesome premise? Instead of the untamed wilderness, the postwar calamity; instead of the lone ranger, the traumatized samurai, etc.

in the absolute most gentle terms possible because you're clearly asking in good faith--it is really, really funny to say 'what if we replaced the western with a less reactionary genre, like the samurai film,'

[fellow-traveller]

So I just bought the latest JoJo magazine. Haven't read it thoroughly yet but there's a lot of stuff on Part 3-6 which is kinda cool. But I'm kinda reminded from the book that Polnareff was born in 1964. Should he be alive in 2024, he'd be 60 years old.

But it makes me wonder how old Hol Horse actually is.

He never had an official birth year, like the main characters in SDC, so we can only assume by his background, which, unfortunately, we don't have that either.

(whatever past this point is just what I got from a few hours of reading, so apologies dear curators of history and translators of CDDH if they are not accurate...)

While I haven't finished the Crazy Heartbreakers novel yet, I'm just gonna use that as the basis for Hol Horse's background, canon or not. So we go with the fan translation that Hol Horse originated from an "Eastern European country that had ceased to exist in 1999". Meaning, he was most likely born in Czechslovakia, Yugoslavia or East Germany of the Eastern Bloc, between 1950-1970.

What's interesting about these three no-longer-existed nations is that they were famous for Osterns i.e. Eastern European Western cowboy films. Osterns that were exact replicas of Spaghetti Westerns most likely started with Yugoslavia's Winnetou (1963), and Czechslovakia's Lemonade Joe (1964). Additionally, two famous non-Soviet cowboy films that were allowed screening in the Eastern Bloc were Magnificient Seven (1960) and Gold (1969). I'm omitting East Germany cowboy films at this point since most of them tell the Western stories from the Red Indian's perspective.

So it's safe to say that Hol Horse, who stole time to watch a cowboy film in the cinema that inspired his cowboy persona, must have been a child between 1960 and 1969. Assuming that movies at that time had no age ratings, and that age 4 is the average minimum for one to be allowed to enter a cinema, Hol Horse could have been born anytime between 1956 and 1965.

Taking the samples of the famous Osterns and Westerns listed that tell a tale of a skilled gunslinger in a typical spaghetti cowboy setting who became an unexpected hero and saved the fair maiden by the end of the film, only one truly stood out: Lemonade Joe.

Lemonade Joe is a satirical cowboy film that tells the story of a lone cowboy and skilled gunslinger named Lemonade Joe, who loves a non-alcoholic soda called Kolaloka (sounds almost like Locacaca, doesn't it?). Using his gunfighting skills, he convinced a town to embrace the soda and stop consuming alcohol, while also courting the daughter of a missionary.

What I found most interesting is that another name for this film is "The Horse Opera."

Now, I don't know if Araki or Kadono (the writer of CDDH) ever found inspiration from this film. This is purely on the assumption that our beloved Hol is just a goofy yet capable cowboy that suits the satire genre so well.

So! Assuming that this was probably one of the many films that inspired our Hol to be the cowboy he was meant to be (and also inspired his Stand), since Lemonade Joe was screened in 1964, we can then assume that Hol most likely was born in 1960. Which makes him the same age as Avdol. And also makes him at the ripe age of 39 during the CDDH's run.

He's definitely old. But still the best cowboy in JoJo ♥

[krokusplays]

There is a surprising lack of Boothill edits with old western movie soundtracks. The Magnificient Seven(1960) theme song, Man with a Harmonica from Once Upon a Time in the West, The Good, the Bad and the Ugly theme... like come on.

Don't tell me I need to learn how to make edits myself asdfghjkl

On that note, also haven't seen any Cotton Eye Joe edits for him yet but I think those would be hilarious lmao

[035ashu]

KING MAEGOR TARGARYEN THE MAGNIFICIENT

Maegor Targaryen birth, a momentous event etched within the annals of Targaryen history, symbolized the the union of King Viserys Targaryen and Queen Alicent Hightower. As Maegor made his debut into the world, he did so bearing the unmistakable Valyrian features that bespoke his storied lineage. This birth was no mere isolated occurrence; it served as a herald, ushering in an extraordinary era poised to redefine the trajectory of the Targaryen dynasty, and by extension, the very fate of Westeros itself.

With his silver hair, reminiscent of liquid moonlight, and his violet eyes, as profound as the most precious amethysts, Maegor was nothing less than a living embodiment of Targaryen legacy. His arrival resonated far beyond the hallowed confines of the Red Keep; its reverberations extended throughout the Seven Kingdoms. It ignited a spark of hope and anticipation that transcended the confines of social strata, uniting the hearts of nobles and commoners alike. Maegor, with his Valyrian lineage, became the symbol of continuity, a harbinger of a future steeped in Targaryen grandeur, casting a long shadow over the realm.

In physique, he was a sight to behold. Tall and broad-shouldered, King Maegor possessed a commanding presence that brooked no doubt about his authority. His chiseled jaw framed a countenance that was undeniably handsome, though often tempered by the icy, calculating gleam in his steely amethyst eyes. His silver locks cascaded in luxuriant waves, forming a regal crown around his visage, adding to his aura of irresistible regal allure.

Yet, it was not merely his appearance that lent him an aura of formidable might. His prowess in the art of swordsmanship stood unrivaled, earning him the reputation of a warrior-king. From a tender age, he had honed his skills with a blade, and his swift, precise strikes left adversaries trembling in their boots. In the arena of combat, his movements were a lethal dance, an exquisite fusion of grace and deadly precision that struck terror into the hearts of those who dared to challenge him.His presence alone demanded respect and unwavering obedience.

Yet, it was on the battlefield that he truly shone as an indomitable warrior. Fearless and unwavering, he engaged in sword fights that would become the stuff of legends. His combat skills were unparalleled, his swordsmanship a symphony of precision and strength that inspired awe in the hearts of his foes. Throughout his reign, he remained undefeated, a symbol of invincibility that bolstered the morale of his troops and struck terror into the hearts of those who dared to challenge him.

But his might extended beyond the battlefield. His political acumen was a force to be reckoned with, a cunning intellect that manipulated the intricate web of alliances and rivalries to his advantage. His diplomatic finesse was as ruthless as it was effective, leaving adversaries bewildered and outmaneuvered in their attempts to thwart his ambitions. He was a master strategist, a puppeteer of nations who orchestrated the grand theater of politics with unparalleled brilliance.

Under his reign, the kingdom's borders expanded to encompass vast territories, extending its dominion far and wide. It boasted the largest army in the known world, a formidable force that secured his rule and ensured the subjugation of rival realms. His very presence was a source of fear and awe, his rule characterized by unwavering authority and ruthless efficiency.

He ruled with an emotionless demeanor, having long shed the trappings of sentimentality in his relentless pursuit of power. To him, the kingdom was a grand puzzle, and he was the mastermind manipulating its pieces with unforgiving precision. His cruelty became the stuff of legend, and his mercilessness served as a stark reminder of the consequences of opposing his will.

As the years passed, King Maegor's name became synonymous with power and dominance. His kingdom stood as a beacon of prosperity, and his reign as one of the most powerful rulers in history. His subjects, while in awe of his might, also held a deep reverence for their king, acknowledging that it was under his rule that their kingdom had reached unprecedented heights. King Maegor, the fearless and unyielding warrior, the brilliant and ruthless diplomat, was indeed a legendary figure, forever etched into the annals of history as the architect of the most powerful empire the world had ever seen.

Maegor's striking appearance rendered him the most handsome man in the realm, a figure of legend, and, to some, a godlike presence. He was both feared and respected in equal measure, with stories of his valor and power extending far beyond the shores of Westeros.Maegor's allure transcended the realm; he was hailed as the most handsome man, a living legend, and some even likened him to a god. Among those who revered and feared him, his tales of valor and might echoed far beyond Westeros's shores. His crowning achievement lay in the annexation of Dorne, an unprecedented feat eluding previous monarchs. He stood as the fearless rider of three colossal dragons: Cannibal the Beast, Balerion the Dread, and Drogon the Red. The bond he shared with these majestic creatures was nothing short of extraordinary, a connection unparalleled in its depth and power.

Yet, beneath the splendor of his accomplishments lay a profound enmity towards his father, a sentiment that took root from his early years. Regardless of his elder half-sister Rhaenyra's status as her father's heir, Maegor fashioned himself as the rightful successor to the throne. His political acumen manifested early, as he meticulously laid the groundwork for his eventual ascent. Maegor's demeanor was often described as devoid of emotion, marked by a cold and calculating nature. Observers claimed to have never witnessed him smile, a testament to his stoicism. Paradoxically, he harbored a fiercely protective instinct towards his younger brothers, Aemond, Aegon, and Daeron, their fraternal bond unwavering.

Maegor blazed like the sun, his radiance so blinding that it rendered others invisible in comparison. When his younger brother Aemond lost an eye, Maegor shouldered the blame and launched a barrage of insults at Rhaenyra and her children, branding her a harlot and her offspring as illegitimate. In response, King Viserys, upon learning of this affront to his cherished daughter, ordered Maegor's public flogging on Driftmark Island.

The grim spectacle unfolded before horrified onlookers, exposing King Viserys's merciless treatment of his own flesh and blood. Maegor bore the lashes of the whip with grim resolve, his body becoming a canvas of torment, yet he did not utter a cry of pain. People were simultaneously awestruck and repulsed by his unyielding spirit and indomitable courage. None dared to meet his fiery, hate-filled gaze. On that fateful day, Maegor made a solemn vow, pledging to unleash fire and blood upon his father and those close to him. Observers understood that King Viserys would soon rue this day, for it marked a pivotal turning point in the Targaryen dynasty. Maegor transformed from a prince into Maegor the Cruel, becoming the most dreaded figure in the realm.

The events that unfolded after that pivotal day remain shrouded in mystery. Prince Maegor departed King's Landing the very next day, signaling only the commencement of his transformation into the ruthless and merciless King Maegor, infamous as the Kingslayer. His reign, destined to be marked by darkness and cruelty, was about to commence, leaving an indelible mark on the annals of Westeros.Weaves an indelible mark on the world he governs, a legacy that cannot be ignored or forgotten. His name becomes synonymous with power and dominance, his story forever etched in the annals of history as a ruler who seamlessly blended physical might, martial prowess, and political cunning to forge an unassailable grip on the throne.

I hope you like these

[poetry-with-alisha]

Today, I welcomed a blessing with a heart full of love.

I exchanged laughter with children today, seven year olds. It felt as if God had surrounded me with so many tiny fragments of his huge heart, as a reward for I don't know what. I felt it in their gorgeous smiles, their really small hands, the tone they spoke in, the way they spoke to me, the childish aspect of their voices, the innocence that painted their faces, the love that pervaded their voices when they said, "Thank you didi" because I gave them flowers.

I had flowers I had plucked earlier from the side of the school's park, a small bouquet of wildflowers, actually, in yellow, light pink, dark pink, white, another yellow.

I planned on giving it to my mother if it stayed fresh till I got home. I couldn't :(

I asked a girl which flower she wanted.

"White!" she said.

Her eyes lit up as she eyed the white wildflower in my fingers.

I handed it over and the "Thank you didi!" she enthusiastically exclaimed with, melted me into a pool of lively happiness.

I sat with the kids for fifteen minutes and believe me when I say that I felt so alive, so surrounded by love, innocence and purity, after so long, i mean the worst thing they had ever done was having chewing gum, they said.

Their energies were so contagious. My heart was full of ectasy long after they went back to classes.

I sat in MY class, smiling.

Before we went our own ways, the kids bid me goodbye, not a mundane one, but a yell.

Standing a metre away, they saw me and my friends leaving and they waved their hands with an energy I didn't know I was worthy of.

It was absolutely golden- the life l lived in those fifteen minutes, gorgeously golden, and full of sunshiney little souls I love so much.

Me and my friends left, picking flowers on the way because yes, we're obsessed, and I walked around with a magnificient magenta wildflower in my long brown braided hair for the rest of the day.

[steddie-as-she-goes]

Sometimes I think life is good

Then I remember that Goodnight Robicheaux and Billy Rocks are dead and buried next to each other and my heart breaks into a trillion pieces

[cecillustrates]

"Seven Deadly Sins - Greed"

(Edited, Coloured, Lineart)

It's magic boi's turn! And the very first time I drew him without his manbun. Also the colours of his clothes remind me of those Jesus portraits...

*taps on shoulder* @therealjacksepticeye​

- Seven Deadly Sins series inspired by the edit of @easy-hard -

Pride - Jackie

[vhs-ninja]

[gliklofhameln]

Magnificient micrographic Omer calendar, Zevi Hirsch ben David, Amsterdam, 1830

Ink on paper (762 x 610 mm); written in Ashkenazic square and semi-cursive Hebrew scripts in brown ink

The scribal practice of employing micrography, or minuscule script, to create abstract shapes or figurative designs has been current among Jews for over a millennium. Much of the earliest micrography is found in biblical codices where scribes fashioned the Masorah (a detailed set of textual traditions) into floral and intricate geometric motifs. With the advent of printing and the ensuing decline in manuscript production, scribes continued to practice artistic micrography in other formats, including marriage contracts and decorative plaques.

This outstanding example of the micrographer’s art is a calendar created to help fulfill the commandment to enumerate each of the forty-nine days in the seven-week period between Passover and Shavuot, known as the Omer.

[hellaintcomplicated]

34: Season 3, Ep. 1-3 (aka Bela is so smart and pretty)

We're coming to you live from Virginia! This week Clare visits Beau irl and they, along with plastic Castiel, talk about The Magnificient Seven, The Kids Are Alright, and Bad Day at Black Rock.

Follow us at

@HellAintPodcast on Twitter

Hell Ain’t Complicated on Facebook

Community fanmix

Spotify

Discord

Email hellaintcomplicated@gmail.com for questions, comments, ideas, stories and experiences, etc.

Listen here or wherever you get your podcasts!

[melofanish]

Hold Us In Those Arms

@strandbuckley Day 4: “Look How Far You’ve Come” + Future

Summary: If Carlos could use one singular word to describe the day, it would be some mix of 'horrendous', 'terrible' and 'assfuckery'. Apparently, the entirety of Austin decided to lose their brain cells on the same day, doing a range of dumb shit. And he was done. He was tired, and exhausted, and hungry. The promise of home was the only thing that kept him going as the last few hours of the shift rolled by. He can't believe that once upon seven years ago, he'd told TK that "if it isn't meant to be it isn't meant to be."They've all come so far.

Tags: Carlos Reyes, TK Strand, Original Female Character, Established Carlos Reyes/TK Strand, Married Carlos Reyes/TK Strand, Soft Carlos Reyes/TK Strand, Carlos Reyes Needs a Hug, Good Significant Other TK Strand, Mentions of Past Emotional Child Abuse, Future Fic, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort

Warnings:  There is a minor mention of past emotional child abuse of an original charter, so tread lightly if that's not something you're okay with.

Beta: The magnificient and mejestic @lire-casander

Read on AO3.

---

If Carlos could use one singular word to describe the day, it would be some mix of 'horrendous', 'terrible' and 'assfuckery'. Apparently, the entirety of Austin decided to lose their brain cells on the same day, doing a range of dumb shit. And he was done. He was tired, and exhausted, and hungry. The promise of home was the only thing that kept him going as the last few hours of the shift rolled by.

He parks in the driveway, unwilling to open the garage and snake his car inside. It's turned into somewhat of storage for a number of items they need to get rid of. It still takes both of their cars, but it requires manoeuvring the car around and a level of concentration that he just doesn't possess at the moment. So he parks in the driveway instead, stretching back to grab his bag, and then he's jogging up the porch.

He stops just outside the door, hand on the handle, and takes a breath. His family is extremely sensitive to his moods. He may not have a mirror at hand, but he can imagine how he looks; wrinkles on his forehead, a glare in his eyes, and thin lips. He sighs slowly, willing some of the tension to leave with the exhale. He repeats it again and then decides to pull on his big boy pants and he opens the door.

He's greeted by the smell of something sour cooking, and picks up lime and chicken spices in the air almost immediately. He drops his bag, toes off his shoes, and then takes a moment to stretch. He wants to get inside, feel the love and safety and security, but he doesn't want to bring any troubles from the outside world in.

He passes across the living room, dodging through Legos and car toys, making a mental note to tidy up the haphazard toy boxes in the corner. The TV is on, playing "Moana" on mute. He turns it off, the sound of a cabinet opening, a pan being lifted, and the cabinet closing pulling him further in.

As he steps under the door frame, Carlos can't help but take a moment to appreciate the way his life has turned out. TK is wearing his favourite apron, a piece of light yellow fabric with small, animated elephants stamped all over. He has his back to Carlos, focusing on whisking something in a bowl, and then he stops and slides over to the stove, lifting the lid of a pot to add green peppers and then closing it again, before returning to the bowl.

Ella is sitting behind TK at the bar on a high stool, her back to Carlos as well, and what looks like the contents of her school bag thrown across the table. Carlos can see that she has a pencil in one hand, and she's using the other one to count on her fingers.

He approaches her, standing right behind her, and peeks over her head. Her textbook is open to a page with two colourful red circles and four blue circles joined by an '×' sign, followed by a '=' sign, and then an empty cloud. He identifies the multiplication equation, the current lesson they're doing at school. He can see that she has already drawn in six circles, and the seventh has been drawn and erased. Multiple times if the wear on the paper tells him anything.

He bends and presses a kiss to the unruly brown curls on the top of her head. She stops looking at her fingers and diverts her focus up, at him. Her grey eyes are blown wide, and they're lined by an unshed layer of tears. Carlos is about to ask her what's wrong when the quiet serenity of the house is broken by the loud, high-pitched "DAAADAAA" as she stands up on the stool and turns to hook her arms around Carlos' neck.

Carlos picks her up, holding her little, lithe body against his, trying to squeeze her into himself. He can feel the swell of her smiling cheek in the crook of his neck, and as he turns his head to press another kiss to her head, he feels her reciprocate and press tiny, small pecks to the underside of his jaw. He feels two arms wrap around his torso then, hugging them both, and a strong muscular chest attaching itself to his back. TK lifts up on his toes and rests his chin on Carlos' empty shoulder.

They stand there for a few minutes, their daughter wrapped in his arms, and his husband enveloping them both, holding all three of them together.

TK is the first to pull away, squealing as he runs to the oven when he hears the jumble of the lid lifting by the boiling steam underneath. Ella lets go of Carlos' neck, and he drops her back into her seat before he excuses himself to go upstairs to change. As much as he wants to stay wrapped up with them, both he and TK have made it a point to change as soon as they get home. Getting into comfortable clothes, they've found, helps them let go of the burden of their jobs. It takes them away from professional mode and puts them into home mode, into parents mode.

Into family mode.

He can see TK giving him a look from the corner of his eye. But under Ella's watchful gaze, and behind the disguise of changing, TK doesn't say anything. He knows TK won't be expecting him back for a few more minutes, as he does his usual decompression coping mechanism of sitting on the sofa and trying to drown his own misery in the happiness around him.

He jogs up the stairs two at a time, and crosses the hallway to their bedroom in long, purposeful strides. He opens their closet and pulls out the first pair of sweatpants and t-shirt he spots, laying them both on the bed as he begins to remove his clothes. He hurries through the process, getting his pants and socks off in one move, and then unbuttoning the top three buttons of his shirt and removing it through his head. He gets into his home attire just as fast, and then he's out the door. He stops at the last moment, turning back to grab his clothing off the floor and throwing them in the general direction of the hamper, and then he's out.

He's right about halfway down the stairs when he hears a faint echo of a whimper. He pauses, trying to focus on the source of the noise, when he hears the clearer, unmistakably Ella's sniffles.

"What's wrong, baby?" He hears TK asks, the concern and the worry apparent in his voice alone.

"I don't- I don't know how to do it, Papa, I can't d-do it, it's so hard!" comes Ella's crying response. Carlos doesn't need to have them in his visual field to know that TK is wearing a sympathetic, heart-broken look and that Ella's looking up at her dad, seeking comfort and solace.

He isn't sure what it is, but something compels Carlos to sit on the stairs and listen, rather than walk in and act. Just as his butt touches the rising, he hears the scratch of a chair on the flooring, and then TK's "come up here," and he knows Ella has been picked up.

Carlos hugs his knees, knowing that down the hall, Ella is held in TK's arms. He's been in those arms many-a-times, and he's very aware of the safety and security and love that they radiate. He knows Ella is in the most comfortable place she could possibly be.

The few next moments are spent in silence on both ends. Carlos is solely focused on the soft taps on TK's feet as he undoubtedly sways from one side to the side, and Ella's slowly diminishing gasps until both sounds stop.

"You're doing so well, honey. Why are you saying that you can't do it?" TK breaks the silence, voice full of love and concern.

"It's hard, I don't know how-" Ella’s voice wavers for a moment before she takes a breath and continues, "I don't know if I can."

TK lets out a sad whine, and Carlos' heart does the same. He can hear the insecurities seeping into Ella again, her seven-year-old mind still not over the three years she spent with a family that called her 'stupid' and 'idiot' for not being able to do things that she shouldn't have been able to do in the first place.

"Yes, you can, love. Just because it's hard doesn't mean you can't do it!" TK tries to reason with her. Carlos can tell Ella doesn't believe him by the violent whimpers she lets out before TK follows up, "No, no, listen, remember last year? When you said you couldn't do addition?"

There's no reply for a moment, and then Ella is humming a small "yeah?"

"Yeah, remember? You can do it now! You learned! You do addition so fast now! You've come so far!"

There's another beat of silence that leaves Carlos straining to listen for the smallest of noises, anything so he can know what's going on in their kitchen.

"Oh," Ella grumbles eventually. "So, I just need to work like I did with adding?"

"Yes!" TK exclaims, and Carlos can't help but smile at the excited tone coming from his husband. His smile widens even further when Ella huffs a quiet "okay" in response.

He hears a thump that he thinks is Ella being put down onto the stool, and then the rustle of pages being turned. The soft padding of feet drag away from him, and then there's the sizzle of oil as something is dropped on it. He knows that they're back to normal.

Carlos takes another moment, just sitting there on the stairs, hugging his own legs. There's something about being there with them - but not - that gives him a weird sense of peace. It's witnessing them alive, hearing the sounds of their voices and movements, knowing that their personal tiny bubble is untouched, undisturbed, untroubled by whatever dangers are in the outside world. It's knowing that his family is safe and sound within the walls of their home.

He takes a deep breath and gets up. Whatever peace he feels hearing them, he knows it'll be multiplied when he's around them. He continues his descent down the stairs, walking the length of the hall, but when he gets to the living room he pauses. His plan was to just plop on the sofa for a few minutes, get his psyche and emotions under control. Instead, he finds himself drawn to the kitchen.

He heads to Ella first, dropping a kiss on her head again. He's pulling away when realises that she has eight circles drawn now, and is on to the next problem, and he finds himself bending for another kiss. She looks up at him with the second one and smiles, her bunny teeth piercing through his very soul.

He moves on from her, entering the 'U' of the kitchen and hugging TK around the waist, laying his chin on his shoulder. TK turns his head and plants a kiss on his cheek, eyes quickly darting away to rack over Carlos before he fixes his gaze on the pot again. Carlos hears the unspoken question all the same. He isn't usually back with them so soon. But hearing Ella cry and TK comforting her must have healed some part of his own sad soul. And now he's onto the next part; he wants to be in their arms as well.

Carlos smiles, hoping it carries as much peace as his heart is starting to feel, and he plants a kiss at the edge of TK's jaw. He trails a few up, and then whispers in his ear, "Wow! I can't believe you used to burn toast! You've come so far!"

TK freezes under his arms, head fully twisting this time as he turns to glare at Carlos in recognition of the very same phrase TK just used.

There was a time, when they first adopted Ella, when TK would feel attacked at being listened to while he deals with her. But they've talked about it. TK understands now that Carlos' need to stay close to the moment - but not in it - has nothing to do with his ability to parent. It just calms Carlos down, and his view on it has since shifted. He now sees it as proof of his skills. If Carlos didn't think he was doing something right, he wouldn't just sit there and watch and listen from afar.

Carlos doesn't react to the glare and pursed lips. He just laughs, steals a kiss off the puckered mouth, and then moves to sit by Ella.

As he plops down next to her, she turns to him and asks about the next equation she's solving.

He can't believe that once upon seven years ago, he'd told TK that "if it isn't meant to be it isn't meant to be."

They've all come so far.

[pascalstar]

Surrey, 2014, 7 years ago

These photos are taking well, lets see, seven years ago already. We were living in a dump of an apartment with a HUGE yard with a view on mountains (magnificient). The only apartment where they accepted us with our three big dogs and a cat. We were rather active back then, going on steep hills every day to walk the dogs. And we lived poorly, modestly. We were always in nature and i did not spend so much time on the computer every day. Three dogs kept us active. Whiskey was 6 years old, Apollo was 8 and Mkwaa was 14. I was still in my thirties and roomate was in his forties. I walked a lot back then, like I always did before. Now my foot is ailing but I can still walk more than I do. Can’t wait to get our second dog, that little rottie puppy below. He is still in Mexico. Hurry up and catch the next flight, Lil’ bro (his current name). I am thinking of renaming him Bruno.

[animatewarriorcats]

Do you have any tips for making animation-friendly designs? My designs are intentionally accurate to real-life cats, and I love them, but I know they would be super tedious to animate, or even use in a comic! How do you make such simple designs that are still so amazing and beautiful?

Well, it just takes practice and iterations I think! Mostly. But I have a few tips that I fall back on frequently I could share so Here’s my quick hot take on making animation designs:

Simplicity is your friend. I had a professor that used a term “simplexity” to describe the balance needed in order to make a character unique and easily recognizable, but also not hell to render out in a full animation. This is going to mean different things for different productions, for example something on the scale of Disney can have a character like John silver with a multi faceted robot arm whereas if we’re trying to do something low budget (*COUGHforfreeCOUGH*) you’re going to want to minimize the headache people have when drawing your character by leaning into the simple side of this term, so that they don’t want to murder you and will still be your friend after the project is over. (more under the cut!)

So what does this mean exactly? You’ll want to keep the line mileage to a minimum. For cats, this means limit the amount of detail and rendering you give the fur in your linework. I’ve seen Artists who break this rule magnificiently (like Raevi goddaMN GIRL) but for a design it is much easier on artists to streamline down to core body shapes and key character Accents in the fur (like tail shapes, cheek floofs ect). This can be pretty diverse, but I’d minimize it as much as possible (if possible down to three accents, more on this later).

For examples, On lionblazes design (line art only at this point) his Character traits are his tail shape, Mane, and Scribbly eyebrows, all aspects that mean more strokes are being taken and work done, but that are easily recognizable between frames, and artists. I also have brought up Dovewing’s design because it’s more complex in it’s line art, but I could simplify it down even more to just her butt shoulder and ear floofs and still recognize her character silhouette. In fact, paring it down even further would strengthen her recognizability.

The amount of strokes you have people draw in cleanup will drastically change the amount of time it takes to render a character. Between Firestar and Bramblepaw in this shot Bramble easily took twice as long to line (or more!) thanks to his beautiful luscious curls.

Next! Principle I use in simplexity is the rule of three. For whatever reason, the number three is your best friend.  It’s not as weirdly symmetrical as two or four, and maintains a unique organic-ness to it without getting carried away by five or seven. Now what am I even talking about? Pretty much everything. This is the secret of markings. This is the secret of character accents. This is the secret of color picking. The Rule of three is your best friend.  

Take Brambleclaw for example.  I gave him three stripes/markings on his face, and three on his side. It feels nice and natural and organic, without being overwhelming. I also gave him three specific fur accents in his line art, his ear tips/eyebrows, Belly floof, and shoulder puff. I used the rule of three in picking his colors, three main pelt colors, and three accent colors (eyes are always gonna be more complex if desired, people love rendering the shit out of eyes) and even so, three colors for the eyes. I used his lightest pelt color in only three places, and his Pink color in only three places, and his darkest color in only three places (eyebrows, Tail tip, and if I had thought to write it down, his paw pads). Even his forehead marking has three parts to it. You do it enough and it becomes really natural and subconscious. Of course, like all rules, you can still break it if you need to, but It has been one of my best friends.

Alright last thing to think about for now, (see what I did there? There are more things, but it helps people remember better to learn Three at a Time), are Shapes. Specifically using Simple identifiable shapes when constructing the body or face of your character. This is going to sound similar to the line mileage point, because they are related, but they are different. This is focusing on the macro details of a silhouette whereas Accents are about Micro details. This point also has the added benefit of helping characters look and feel related to each other if you use it potently!

Let’s take Hawkfrost and Mothwing for example. Specifically their faces. Hawk I designed first, and I wanted him to feel dangerous, and maybe a little twisted. So I decided to integrate a lot of triangles into his design because, a triangle’s shape language reads as dangerous. They’re pointy, and sharp, like teeth claws, and knives. We can’t in good conscious put an especially triangular object next to a baby because it inherently feels dangerous. They’ll poke their eye out with that tall prism. Other shapes have their meanings as well, Rectangles (cubes) are sturdy, and circular objects are the opposite of triangles, they’re the shape of eggs, fluffy pillowy things, and babies. They’re inherently safe, and soft.

Pull back from digression. Look at hawkfrost and his triangles. They have sharp claw like tips, which are emphasized even with a noticeable downward curving to their points. This motif is repeated multiple times, in his cheeks, his ears, his eyes, his chin, his nose. This becomes unifying, and inherently feels dangerous and curved, or twisted.

Now look at moth. She has triangles too, but I deliberately went through the effort to make them rounder, softer, inverting the angles of her eyes to feel sad and not cruel. Yet she remains similar in enough ways that she feels related. Her nose curves in a similar downward manner, her ears retain the out down curve without the dangerous point to them. The fur accents of her cheeks add to the roundness, making her feel softer while sharing hawks cheekwings.

Let’s take another example, Bluestar and Snowfur.  They are proof that similarities do not have to be reserved to face shapes alone to give that strong feeling of relatedness. In some ways I think theirs is the strongest sibling bond I’ve read in the books, and that obviously translated to how I designed them haha! The idea behind their design was ‘curvy sturdy’ which is reflected in their circular based hourglass figures emphasizing Bluestar’s ‘broad shoulders’. I tried to make their heads more of a squashed circular shape, to give it more sturdy strength while feeling soft and maternal. Her ears are very rounded at the tips, and the particular downward turn is easy to identify and reflect in both cats. Lastly, their square “pants” because let’s be honest, both these she cats wore the pants in their families. There are also enough differences that in pure silhouette you would still be able to tell Snowfurs bushy tail apart from Bluestar’s thinning fur, and snows’ cheekfluffs from blues wide round jaws.

Of course I am not perfect at all of these elements, and there are even more things I could say that make designs unique and easily animatable while also identifiable.  If you are looking for more or different suggestions, I liked Tenielle Flowers’ Video she released on the subject: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lO-kNlyHn8A .

And good luck!

[ratscabies]

hi, wifey c:

The Clash, “The Magnificient Seven”

“shdhdjsjshdhsj CHEESEBOIGA”

—

send me “hi” and I’ll shuffle my music and give you my favorite line(s) of the song