#noirproject

[319tattoohouse]

🖤 Full Black Tattoo Project 🖤 🔥infos/contact: www.davidroduit.com🔥 #fullblacktattooproject #tattooproject #tattooidea #blacktattooart #fullblacktattoo #fullblacktattoos #fullblacksleeve #noirproject #blackink #blackarm #sleevetattoo #inkedblack #tattoonoir #noirtattoos #valais #suisse #suissetattoo #sport #tatoueursuisse #valaisanne #valaisan #suisseromande #swissink #swisstattoo #swisstattooartist #tattooartist #funlife #swissalps #verbier #suisseromande #tatouages (à Valais) https://www.instagram.com/p/Caz7SSOAWwY/?utm_medium=tumblr

[daveslifestylephotography]

Night moves #noirproject #blackandwhite #blackandwhitedrama #dramaticlandscape #longexposure #night #blackandwhitephotography #blackandwhitenight #noir (at Dave's LifeStyle Photography) https://www.instagram.com/p/BqVHNFwBClt/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=13tore2zas7ux

[johnskylar]

Noir Project Masterpost

About six months ago, I did a week or two of writing what I called "noir vignettes" for anyone who left a request in my ask inbox.  It was a fun, creativity-straining project that I really enjoyed.

(Original post on this lives here)

I also never finished it.  Writing a scientific paper and then my thesis got in the way.  I've still got about twenty requests that I never answered, and I'd like to get to them soon.  Before I do that, though, I wanted to collate all of the ones I'd already done into a single post, organized by the "type" of character I'd assigned to each requester.

This is that post.

Where possible, I've @mentioned the user who requested the vignette.  I've also put asterisks and notes on ones I'm especially proud of, but that's my vanity--it's not a commentary on the user I wrote it for.  They're ALL fun.

obsessivepuzzles: http://www.johnskylar.com/post/83857278846/oh-yeah-she-pronouns-are-fine

@katzedecimal: http://www.johnskylar.com/post/83615468931/if-youre-still-doing-the-noirs-then-sure-im-curious

@spoopyalienemoji: http://www.johnskylar.com/post/83820094073/whoops-im-a-girl-sorry-about-that-write-away

willieleeroyjones: http://www.johnskylar.com/post/83033998081/im-not-sure-if-this-is-something-you-can-work-with-but

greywalkermods: http://www.johnskylar.com/post/83027436940/noir-vignette

Clients (people who hired my viewpoint character)

@towitistowoo: http://www.johnskylar.com/post/83836651253/thanks-for-checking-please-use-she-her-also-not

wildborscht: http://www.johnskylar.com/post/83713344219/lets-do-the-thing

ironandbloods: http://www.johnskylar.com/post/83555204597/whoops-sure-thing-her-she-will-do-for-now-thanks

sursumursa: http://www.johnskylar.com/post/83343920297/endearing-face-wait-they-dont-do-endearing-faces-in

the-oxford-english-fangeek: http://www.johnskylar.com/post/83036738563/sign-me-up-for-a-noir-vignette-xd ***This was a Pacific Rim crossover and I had a blast doing that.

@trulyamindlost: http://www.johnskylar.com/post/83098685945/hello-noir-vignette-please ***When I was writing these, it was shortly after I'd had cause to write "When People Die on Purpose," an article about my personal experiences with suicide.  trulyamindlost was kind enough to say yes to letting my touch on that in the vignette I wrote, and I'm grateful.

allandaros: http://www.johnskylar.com/post/83272621819/but-down-these-mean-streets-a-man-must-go-who-is-not

floweramon: http://www.johnskylar.com/post/83144905301/hello-sir-i-asked-for-a-noir-vignette-earlier-but

nonsensicallyrics: http://www.johnskylar.com/post/83009232054/noir-vignette-thing

@tellthemthatiamgod: http://www.johnskylar.com/post/83002720617/noir-vignette-please

elisaintime: http://www.johnskylar.com/post/82997530341/noir-character-vignette-yes-please  ***this is the first one I wrote!

Supporting Characters (people who are regularly involved, somehow, in the viewpoint character's investigation of crimes)

she-is-clothed-in-strength: http://www.johnskylar.com/post/83781415714/hello-a-little-story-please-once-youve-had-your-day

tricksterbelle: http://www.johnskylar.com/post/83306718701/these-noir-vignettes-sound-fun-if-youre-still-doing

belphegor1982: http://www.johnskylar.com/post/83526652262/hi-i-would-love-a-noir-vignette-based-on-my-blog-if ***I really enjoyed making the imagery on this one.

limenmint: http://www.johnskylar.com/post/83341128688/if-you-have-the-time-would-you-write-me-up-too-m-a ***This one was totally inspired by Uncle Iroh from Avatar: The Last Airbender and I have ZERO regrets.

lalitrus: http://www.johnskylar.com/post/83273265905/can-you-do-the-noir-vignette-thing-for-people-with-very ***Goats are involved.  That is all.

pandifreyan: http://www.johnskylar.com/post/83143930371/do-the-thing-i-guess

carmulicious: http://www.johnskylar.com/post/83103842734/oh-my-im-curious-to-see-what-you-piece-together-from

bluewolftwilight: http://www.johnskylar.com/post/83131762988/noir-perhaps-im-very-sorry-if-i-dont-have-much  ***in the process of researching this one I kind of accidentally did (she'd already done it) the requester's math homework...so that happened.

johnskylar: http://www.johnskylar.com/post/83129011644/another-little-noir-vignette  ***this one was written about me, from the perspective of my viewpoint character, by the-oxford-english-fangeek...and it absolutely made my day.

mewbladexxx: http://www.johnskylar.com/post/83124595563/this-sounds-exciting-characters-vignettes-count-me

hemipelagicdredger: http://www.johnskylar.com/post/83025025454/oh-sure-this-sounds-like-fun-and-im-just-vain-enough

kappa773: http://www.johnskylar.com/post/83023233956/noir-please

thehumanarkle: http://www.johnskylar.com/post/83022200010/an-arkle-noir-character-vignette-good-luck-with-that

derkork: http://www.johnskylar.com/post/83019454898/it-was-21-past-6-in-my-time-zone-as-i-typed-up

mermaidskey: http://www.johnskylar.com/post/83016711213/ok-im-curious-write-me-up

truxillogical: http://www.johnskylar.com/post/83006457349/oh-please-do

wornoldhat: http://www.johnskylar.com/post/83004941799/im-game

mumpitzen: http://www.johnskylar.com/post/83003988563/noir-character-vignette-yes-please-might-be-the

buriedwings: http://www.johnskylar.com/post/83001489546/beep-boop

theoneandonlybounce: http://www.johnskylar.com/post/82998932672/okay-this-sounds-fun-write-me

"Encounter" Characters (i.e. people who my viewpoint character meets, but who aren't directly related to that character's job as a PI)

@thatopinionatedfemme: http://www.johnskylar.com/post/84036291125/are-you-still-doing-noir-vignettes-d

mybodymystory: http://www.johnskylar.com/post/83516371184/im-curious-what-type-of-vignette-id-get-also-i  ***This one still makes me emotional when I read it.

teal-deer: http://www.johnskylar.com/post/83139267626/noir-character-please

@notebookspirit: http://www.johnskylar.com/post/83102434514/handsome-man-sorry-for-the-ask-y-fanmail-y-mix-up  ***I got to out my viewpoint character as bisexual in this one, which was pretty fun.

[319tattoohouse]

🖤 Full Black Tattoo Project 🖤 🔥infos/contact: www.davidroduit.com🔥 #fullblacktattooproject #tattooproject #tattooidea #blacktattooart #fullblacktattoo #fullblacktattoos #fullblacksleeve #noirproject #blackink #blackarm #sleevetattoo #inkedblack #tattoonoir #noirtattoos #valais #suisse #suissetattoo #sport #tatoueursuisse #valaisanne #valaisan #suisseromande #swissink #swisstattoo #swisstattooartist #tattooartist #funlife #swissalps #verbier #suisseromande #tatouages (à Valais) https://www.instagram.com/p/CaytVAoAsz5/?utm_medium=tumblr

[319tattoohouse]

🖤 Full Black Tattoo Project 🖤 🔥infos/contact: www.davidroduit.com🔥 #fullblacktattooproject #tattooproject #tattooidea #blacktattooart #fullblacktattoo #fullblacktattoos #fullblacksleeve #noirproject #blackink #blackarm #sleevetattoo #inkedblack #tattoonoir #noirtattoos #valais #suisse #suissetattoo #tatoueur #tatoueursuisse #valaisanne #valaisan #suisseromande #swissink #swisstattoo #swisstattooartist #tattooartist #swissmountains #mountaintattoo #martigny #suisseromande #tatouages (à Switzerland) https://www.instagram.com/p/CaxPTPTgvGN/?utm_medium=tumblr

[319tattoohouse]

🖤 Full Black Tattoo Project 🖤 🔥infos/contact: www.davidroduit.com🔥 #fullblacktattooproject #tattooproject #tattooidea #blacktattooart #fullblacktattoo #fullblacktattoos #fullblacksleeve #noirproject #blackink #blackarm #sleevetattoo #inkedblack #tattoonoir #noirtattoos #valais #suisse #suissetattoo #tatoueur #tatoueursuisse #valaisanne #valaisan #suisseromande #swissink #swisstattoo #swisstattooartist #tattooartist #swissmountains #mountaintattoo #martigny #suisseromande #tatouages (à Valais) https://www.instagram.com/p/CawmKbOgJqC/?utm_medium=tumblr

[319tattoohouse]

🖤 Full Black Tattoo Project 🖤 🔥infos/contact: www.davidroduit.com🔥 #fullblacktattooproject #tattooproject #tattooidea #blacktattooart #fullblacktattoo #fullblacktattoos #fullblacksleeve #noirproject #blackink #blackarm #sleevetattoo #inkedblack #tattoonoir #noirtattoos #valais #suisse #suissetattoo #tatoueur #tatoueursuisse #valaisanne #valaisan #suisseromande #swissink #swisstattoo #swisstattooartist #tattooartist #swissmountains #mountaintattoo #martigny #suisseromande #tatouages (à Netha Creation Tattoo) https://www.instagram.com/p/CawQLP1gI9N/?utm_medium=tumblr

[daveslifestylephotography]

Waiting #noirproject #prettywoman #prettylady #noir_shots #dramaticlighting #noir #dramatic #blackandwhite #blackandwhitephotography #waiting #waitingforyou #noirboudoir (at Dave's LifeStyle Photography) https://www.instagram.com/p/Brg8HmwhYkz/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=u2wuax5fbvcl

[daveslifestylephotography]

Teryn #noirproject #noir #noirvember #noir_shots #blackandwhitephotography #blackandwhite #blackandwhitedrama #prettylady #dramaticlighting #drama #dramaqueen #prettywoman (at Dave's LifeStyle Photography) https://www.instagram.com/p/BqyfFsuB7Uk/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1pes3s3p8haxu

[daveslifestylephotography]

Same old blues #stairway #abandoned #noirproject #noirlady #abandonedplaces #filmnoir #filmnoirphotography #filmnoirstyle #blackandwhite #blackandwhitephotography #blackandwhiteabandoned #prettylady #blonde #lady (at Dave's LifeStyle Photography) https://www.instagram.com/p/BpFIypKhjro/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1cjgpt1g8l5zh

[johnskylar]

Thank you for the short, of course I love it. So cute and kickass and awesome, thank you!

I’m so glad you liked it!  Thanks for inviting me to write one.

Everyone else: I’m super busy with science this week BUT noir asks will return soon, for those of you waiting on one.

[johnskylar]

Are you still doing noir vignettes? :D

Original post: http://www.johnskylar.com/post/82996706080/masochistic-writer-does-tumblr-ask-event. Tag for all posts: #noirproject.  This one’s for @thatopinionatedfemme, who’s already kind of a noir character in her own right.

These kids come in from all over the country, and all they have is idiotic cop shows to tell them what like’s like in the places where the money’s dried up unless it’s dripping out one end of a needle.

So the school wants me to scare ‘em of before they do something stupid.

I’ve got a canned lecture for it:

Always go out in groups, don’t go past the area that school security patrols, keep your wits about you, don’t advertise your expensive shit…you know, the kinds of advice you give to lily white kids.

So this past year, I’m about halfway through the usual spiel when this short-haired girl in the front row starts rolling her eyes.  She’d had her arms crossed the whole time, and now she clearly didn’t buy that you shouldn’t take rides in those vans that wander late-night Brooklyn.

They call ‘em dollar cabs, and for us locals they’re a hell of a way to get around.  Lot better than waiting on a street corner for somebody to come along and mug you.  But the school tells me to say they’re bad news, so I say it.  It’s some liability thing.

"That’s bullshit," the girl finally said.  "As long as you don’t act like some entitled prick, most people don’t bother you.  You know acting like entitled rich white kids isn’t gonna teach us anything about the world, right?"

I agreed with her, but I wasn’t being paid to.  ”Yeah?  And you’d know about that?  You from the rough side of town, or something?”  she didn’t look it.

"No, I’m from Oregon.  But I’ve been here awhile already, and I know my shit.  You treat people with a little decency and you actually learn a thing or two."

I frowned.  I didn’t want to say, “But the rest of this room is a bunch of clueless classists so I’m paid to say the opposite.”  Instead, I said, “What’s your major?” I expected to hear “economics” or “minority studies,” or something.

"I’m a math/physics double majors."

Damn.  ”You got plans tonight, lady?”  I think I kinda forgot for a minute that I was in front of a lecture hall of 300 kids.

"For you?  Yes, I’ve got plans."

Ouch.

I think she saw that on my face.  ”You’re not really my type.”

"That’s fair.  I won’t ask again.  But I’ll ask this: you want a job?"

She smiled.  ”I’ll think about it.”

"Alright."  I handed her my card, then looked around at the rest of the lecture hall.

"Well?  What are the rest of you still doing here?  Go find a bar that doesn’t card, or something."

[johnskylar]

Oh! Yeah, she pronouns are fine :)

Original post: http://www.johnskylar.com/post/82996706080/masochistic-writer-does-tumblr-ask-event. Tag for all posts: #noirproject.This one is for @obsessivepuzzles, who I'm working with on a top secret project to be announced soon. Check out her blog! I'm on my iPad, so I'm having some issues with the formatting, but here's where it starts:

The spray paint cans littered the crime scene, emptied of their souls all over the brick alley-wall.

A 30 foot mural screamed across the neighborhood as the cops wandered the site looking for anything that might point to a suspect.

It was the fifth mural this week.

I stepped back to see the three-color monster in all its glory. This one read, “YOU ARE FREE TO BE YOU.” It showed people, real people from the neighborhood, painted with deep black lines, blue highlights, and some red accenting here and there. It showed hookers, bookies, cops, barflies, the works, all of them happily getting along. In the gutter, unconscious, was a mob enforcer.

That had been the theme of all the murals: take down the criminals.

"BE YOUR OWN MASTER," the second read.

"THE WICKED ARE JUST SCARED," said the first.

In the corner, on all three, the signature just said “KSB.”

And they were starting to change minds around town, it seemed. Some people were talking about a neighborhood watch. They even asked me if I’d consult.

The detective on the scene turned to me. “You want to help us catch this hooligan?”

I squinted at the mural again, which was starting to reflect some glare as the sun came out.

"No, not really," I said. I tossed my cigarette down and put it out with my heel, then walked off to find something worth doing.

[johnskylar]

Thanks for checking -- please use she/her. Also, not sure how I phantom-unfollowed you...

(Actually, PSA on this: check your following/followed lists.  Tumblr’s been exhibiting some weird behavior in terms of follower churn for the last month or so.  I’ve seen swings of 10+ in a given day, despite over the course of a week my trend generally being positive-as-usual.I think it’s a bug but I don’t know how I’d tell them.  BUG REPORT: I’m losing lots of followers and also gaining lots of followers.  ”Yeah, we’ll get right on that.”

Original post: http://www.johnskylar.com/post/82996706080/masochistic-writer-does-tumblr-ask-event. Tag for all posts: #noirproject.

Here’s one for @towitistowoo, who appears to have mentions turned off? I don’t know what it means when mentions don’t work.  Either way, Taf is a cool cat and you should check out her blog and photography)

It’s usually trouble when a camera gets mailed to me.  It usually comes with an ME report on how the camera’s owner died.

In between pictures of rolling hills and sun-drenched picnics, I found pictures of scared children in cages with IV drips.  The kind of thing that, at the pit of my stomach, reminds me that there’s evil in this world I haven’t numbed to.

The sender could’ve left an address.  Though, that told me something too.  Whoever it was, they were scared.  Scared people are usually isolated, powerless…and this one worked in a lab of some kind…

I flipped through the rest of the pictures.  Many of them were old, from years before.  They showed green hills going off for miles in the distance.  Nothing like that around here.  In some pictures, there were landscapes that looked like they came straight out of the Lord of the Rings.

Because they did.  It smacked me in the face.  This camera was owned by someone from New Zealand.  I was looking for a recent immigrant, with some science skills, working at one of the big pharmaceuticals factories in the old industrial district.  Something rotten was going on there.

I hung around the neighborhood for a week until I found Taf.  She pretended not to know who I was at first, but after a few minutes I was sure she was my sender.

I bought her a hot drink on her lunch break and we talked it over.  It seemed like her time since coming to town had been rough.  this place doesn’t handle strangers well, and vice versa.

She didn’t want to admit what she’d sent me.  She didn’t want to even be seen with me, really.  Normally, I’d’ve buzzed off, but there were kids at stake.  Sometimes my job is to break the rules for normal when the chips are down.  It’s damned hard line to walk.

Eventually, I asked her at point blank, “What are they doing to the kids?”

The question wafted on the steam from our drinks and hung in the air like pea soup fog.  She stared into me.

And then the dam broke, and she talked.  She told me about the cancer experiments gone wrong, the kids hidden in the factory, the lead scientist’s mad desire for fame that had led him to lie to his superiors and start human tests without approval.

And then she told me about his side drug operation, that gave it scary teeth.  She couldn’t fight him alone, not with his allies.

"You’re not alone," I said, and put my hand over hers. "And pretty soon, your scum boss is going to have a lot of company too."  I grinned.

She did too, though stress and tears were still on her face.

[johnskylar]

Whoops I'm a girl. Sorry about that. Write away

(Original post: http://www.johnskylar.com/post/82996706080/masochistic-writer-does-tumblr-ask-event. Tag for all posts: #noirproject.  swiminthemainstream has one to enjoy, now!)

"Who is this dude?" Jimmy the Shark asked me, as he played the video one more time.  

It was the weekly card game, over by Tommy Gale’s place, held for the members of Jeppe Phantome’s outfit.  I knew about the game.  I’d even been once.

I’m glad I wasn’t there that night.  The door burst open, and a black shadow flew through the room.  Whoever it was moved fast.  Jimmy was on the far side of the table, and when the shadow passed, he was the only one who wasn’t dead.

He’d fallen backwards over his chair, and I guess that got him out of the line of fire.

He replayed it for me in slowmo.

The shadow was a person, of course.  I tried to get a sense of how they moved, or something they were wearing—anything that would give me an idea of which gang they might be part of.

"Looks like you pissed the wrong people off."

“WE was the wrong people! Who’s this dude?” Jimmy asked again.

That’s when the door to my office flew open.  A black shadow entered, and before I knew it, Jimmy had a knife stuck in his chest, there was a check on my desk with the memo “for cleanup,” and the door was closed again.

I noticed there was a tag hanging from the knife.  As Jimmy choked and sputtered—I never liked the guy, let the scum hang for all I care—I read it.

"Who’s this DUDE?  Whoops—I’m a girl.”

The only kind of apology anyone should ever make for that: a sarcastic one.

Jimmy slumped over, and I called the cleaners.

[johnskylar]

Hello. A little story, please? Once you've had your day off, of course :)

(Original post: http://www.johnskylar.com/post/82996706080/masochistic-writer-does-tumblr-ask-event. Tag for all posts: #noirproject.  Here’s one for gingersnaplibrarian, a friend of a friend, whose blog is all about nerdery with a nice dose of her life as a librarian shaken in.)

You mighta guessed by now that I wasn’t one of the kids who spent all his time at the library.  You can’t learn to throw a punch there.  Not if you’re using it right.

But that doesn’t mean I don’t know how to use one, either.  I’m a private dick, and detecting takes at least half a brain.

I like the newspaper reading room.  And the reference room.  When I need something light to pass the time while I finish my coffee, there’s nothing like a fat stack of construction permits.

But not because of the permits.  Because of the lady who works the room.

"A $400K project to renovate 1860s brownstone" has nothing on her.

She’s hilarious.  Every time I come in, she sees me, puts down her comic book, and before my cup is dry we’re swapping dirty jokes.  At a whisper, of course.  Librarians are a hell of a crowd, and this one is one of those redheads I keep telling you about.

What is it about these redheads?  I swear my neighborhood attracts them.

In some way, she reminds me of the school nurse that used to patch me up when I scraped a knee as a kid.  In other ways, she reminds me of the burlesque dancer who used to patch me up when I’d first started out and scraped my brain against this neighborhood.

With this librarian, though, it’s an affair of the mind.  We’re intellectuals.  Aristocrats, you might say.

Yeah, Aristocrats.