#ornamentalist

[thoughtfulbelieverstrawberry]

by any chance do you still write for the dark crystal?? and if so will u be taking any.. requests for it?

Hello, I'm sorry to see your message so far, university is keeping me busy but I will gladly accept your request, I may abandon my stories but I love writing unique things, so you are free to request it again in my inbox or in private message at least What do you want me to do, I'm sorry if my English sucks but I use a translator anyway, thank you for this opportunity ♥️✨

[winterburn]

The Ornamentalist

In the depths of the forest there is a trickster clad in black and red. They are bejewelled with crimson gems and golden adornments, a wolfish smile forever etched onto their youthful face.

Their grove is a place that glints and glitters, holding their dozens of collections, the brutal ones hidden under the jewels and roots. Many who travel within the forest search for them. they know the forest better than most. though all should be wary of their words.

Be warned travellers, vanity and greed is their king. They will offer aide, they will offer trades, but their purpose is to take away all of you and that you have that hold value. Daintily they hide behind their golden fan, demurely they ask you their question, mercilessly do they guide you to your fate.

Fae, Demon, God. they have many names, many faces, many terrible secrets. a monster hidden behind a pleasing form.

Beware.

[thirstyokapi]

Drawing skeksis in maid dresses part 5. Ekt is trying to hype her up.

[sifanjewel]

Allow me to explain why these 5 in particular are in a zoom call together:

skekOk is in charge of rounding up the outsider Skeksis to fight the Gelfling Resistance. He was not prepared to be so easily roasted like the expired Thanksgiving turkey he is.

skekEkt was there because he knew this would result in drama but he didn’t expect the argument to take such a dark turn.

skekLi doesn’t want anything to do with these assholes but answered the call anyway because he also knew there would be a fight and he needed some form of entertainment after sulking alone in the Wilderness for so long.

Despite being blocked skekGra managed to hack into the call to spy on Skeksis conversations for the Gelfling. Everyone but the Mariner was too stupid to realize the random icon wasn’t a glitch until he blew his cover by laughing hysterically because of course he did.

skekSa also answered just to see what would happen and since this is before she turned on the Gelfling herself she doesn’t give a flying fuck about the Emperor’s orders and knows exactly how to get these castle-dwelling bastards to leave her alone.

[viviseconds]

Steven Shearer Works from A Collection of 27 Drawings and artist sketches and reference material, 2009-16

From left: Study for The Ornamentalist and Apprentice, ca. 2009 crayon on paper 12 in x 9 in Bust, 2016 Ink on paper 4 1/2 x 3 1/2 in Study for the Young Symbolist II, 2012 Ink on paper 6 3/4 x 4 in Plopper, 2014 Ink on paper 3 1/4 x 4 1/8 in Night Studio, 2015 Oil pastel and ink on paper 10 7/8 x 8 1/2 in Study for 1900, ca. 2005 Oil and ink on paper 4 1/4 x 5 7/8 in Untitled drawing, undated Ink on paper 2 3/8 x 2 3/8 in From Steven Shearer, The Brant Foundation Art Study Center’s exhibition catalogue, 2018

[scientistservant]

I have never heard of the Dark Crystal until I saw your posts. What is it about, and what do you like about it?

Oh ho?

Sit down, anon, and let me tell you the tale of... The Dark Crystal.

*theme music plays*

In a world called Thra, there exists a powerful gem called the Crystal of Truth. It is in tune to all of Thra, including the planet's most civilized race, the Gelfling.

A thousand years ago, new beings came to Thra: the Skeksis. The Skeksis, wise, hedonistic and benevolent, were tasked with protecting the Crystal of Truth by Thra's avatar/mother-nature of sorts, Mother Aughra. Because of their wisdom the Skeksis also ruled over the Gelfling and their seven Clans, while Aughra journeyed the stars and space.

But one day, the Crystal cracked, causing the Crystal to become corrupted, and a miasma, the Darkening, to spread throughout Thra. In an attempt to fix the Crystal, the Skeksis discovered Essence - the soul or life-force of every creature on Thra. Instead of taking life from the Crystal, they decided to take life from something else - the Gelfling. Because the Gelfling are the closest creatures to Thra, their Essence is pure, more potent.

The Skeksis became obsessed with Essence, and obsessed with draining Gelfling, killing them and drinking their Essence to obtain eternal life and youthfulness. All Skeksis, but the Emperor especially, were terrified of death. For when Skeksis die they do not return to Thra.

And so, a genocide occurred, and all Gelfling perished.

All but one. For there was a prophecy, told of a young Gelfling named Jen, who is destined to heal the Crystal and bring the Skeksis reign to an end!

What I love about The Dark Crystal is its world-building and characters. Its cast isn't just black and white in morality, it's more than that. The protagonists can make mistakes, and so can the antagonists. The Skeksis were good once upon a time, they once cared about the Gelfling, but their greed and fear of death overtook them. Thra is beautiful with many different settings and wildlife, even the Castle of the Crystal is gorgeous with it's fantastical and alien gothic architecture.

I'm mainly talking about the prequel series, Age of Resistance, here. It was made almost 40 years after the original 1982 film, but unlike many modern sequels and prequels it's not a cash grab at all; it was made with love and respect to the original, expanding on the world of Thra. Not saying the original film was bad, it's a wonderful piece of media! I just think it's lacking a bit in world-building and context, and Age of Resistance helps immensely.

As for characters, I'll be talking about the Skeksis, Gelfling, and Mother Aughra. There are other characters and creatures too, but I don't want to venture into spoiler territory!

The Skeksis

As I said above, the Skeksis are not from Thra. They are reptile-like alien vultures with a very hedonistic lifestyle. They adore food, various forms of entertainment, the most lavish of robes, and being praised for their wisdom and status as Lords of the Crystal.

Each Skeksis has a title and role they must uphold. For example, the Ornamentalist makes his fellow Lords' robes and decor for the Castle, while the Scroll-Keeper is in charge of the Castle library and keeps records of tomes and scrolls going back a thousand years of Skeksis rule.

All the Skeksis are important and unique, but the most popular and well-known by far is the Chamberlain. He has a "whimper" as a tic and speaks in slight broken English, yet is the craftiest, manipulative, and cunning of the Skeksis. A very Starscream/Littlefinger-type character, he's fantastic to watch. (He's one of my favourite characters, but not my top favourite, that honour goes to the Scroll-Keeper.)

The Gelfling

The Gelfling are small, elf-like humanoids that vary in looks, culture and skill between their seven different species/Clans. There is the Stonewood, Vapran, Drenchen, Spriton, Dousan, Sifan, and Grottan. Unfortunately, many Gelfling tend to be xenophobic and untrustworthy towards other Clans, though some do manage to become friends despite their differences. Most Gelfling are also illiterate, but there are a very small few that can read and write.

Gelfling are the closest beings to Thra, and have the special ability to Dreamfast with one another - a rather intimate gesture that allows them to share their memories and thoughts by touching hands.

They also differ between genders; female Gelfling have wings, while male Gelfling do not.

Because of their small noses and large eyes and ears, some of the fandom tend to call Gelfling "fairy mice", even giving them whiskers and tails!

Mother Aughra

Mother Aughra is Thra, and Thra is Mother Aughra. She is as old as the planet itself, and perhaps as old as the Crystal of Truth, too. She is connected to the Crystal, able to tell when it is healthy and when it is not.

She and the Skeksis used to be friends, admiring their wisdom and beauty, yet that all ended when she discovered what they had done to the Crystal of Truth.

Aughra is sassy and somewhat grumpy, yet she loves and cares for all the creatures of Thra, especially the Gelfling, who see her as a mother-figure. She has the ability to remove her one eye and use it to spy on others or to see things up close, even from far away.

If you enjoy the fantasy genre, puppets, practical effects, and alien worlds, I highly, highly recommend The Dark Crystal and The Dark Crystal Age of Resistance! There are also graphic novels, and YA novels by J.M Lee.

The world of Thra must never die!

[blueikeproductions]

Some more Pecharunt epilogue shenanigans. A friend came up with the Tamato bit, and it was great. Fezandipiti is the one able to talk mostly to give him more to do. Voice wise I saw him close to the Ornamentalist Skeksis from Dark Crystal, specifically its prequel.

[rogerriddle]

Albert Racinet's "Polychrome Ornament," 1869 PLATE X. CHINESE ART. MEANDERS AND SCALLOPS.

THE specimens contained in the accompanying plate are taken from vases in bronze, incrusted with tin, silver, or gold, in the possession of the Baroness de Rothschild and Messrs. Burty, Evans, Laurens, and Mentzer; some are modern, others of the highest antiquity. All were exhibited at the Exposition Orientale, organised by the Union centrale des arts appliques a l'industrie in 1869. The greater number are described in the illustrated catalogue, in 42 folio volumes (Bibl. Nat.), of all the vases formerly contained in the Imperial Museum of Pekin, the majority of which were unfortunately destroyed at the sack of the Summer Palace. This loss is to be regretted from an historical as well as from an artistic point of view, as many of the vases were manufactured in commemoration of historical events, and thus served as memorials of facts and dates, as proved by the researches of M. Stanislas Julien. This great Chinese scholar, when exhibiting a sketch of one of these vases, the inscription on which proved that it was presented to the emperor Wen Wang, 1200 years before our era, i. e. about the time of the siege of Troy, asserted that there were others more ancient still. From the ornamentalist's point of view few studies are so interesting as that of these spirited meanders, so different, notwithstanding their similarity of class, from the lineal rigidity of their Greek successors. These ornamental designs, the symmetry of which is so ingeniously varied, give a high idea of the decorative art of the ancient Chinese, and are capable of numerous applications to modern decoration

[grouper]

his fuck ass ponytail . i hated him so bad but knowing that shes a they is like a beautiful thing . her and skeklach ... like yes. i get it now. the ornamentalist and the collector. of course theyre girlmen

[mixterglacia]

TDC/SU AU: The Skeksis and Gelfling

(Note, this is not hyper accurate to SU lore. Just vibe with it y’all.)

Thra is a planet under the rule of Algodonite, the Empress of the Metamorphic Court. 

A result of failed experimentation by Homeworld. The original goal was to split a group of lesser Diamonds to clone them. However, this resulted in the loss of 18 natural Diamonds. They each split into two distinct Gems, none of which mirrored their former glory. Fusion is required to return to their previous state, but the Metamorphic Gems stubbornly refuse. They believe they are the stronger half, fooling themselves into thinking they can become Diamonds without Fusion.

Their counterparts are the Prism Gems. Lead by Shell Agate the Mistress.

While most are still withdrawn, a few of the Prism Gems have reached out to work with the humans that have broken away from the rule of the Metamorphic Court. While they cannot change what their species has done, they feel they need to help save the planet they had a hand in destroying.

Currently, three humans are also considered honorary Prisms.

Rian was born into a long line of guards that served the Metamorphic Court. He accidentally witnessed the Court he protected as they carried out an experiment on his beloved Mira. They were trying to see if a human soul could fill the void left by the Division. While it seems to work temporarily, it doesn’t last forever and kills the human in the process. While this fact doesn’t deter the Court, it sets Rian on his quest to save his planet.

Brea is from a royal bloodline, appointed by the Court to govern the other humans in their stead. She’s deeply curious by nature, and has a thirst for knowledge. This is what leads her to question the Court’s intentions. After seeing a horrible event where members of her people were forced to hand over family heirlooms, she sought the truth. What use are human artifacts to a Gem? These thoughts lead her to a strange, semi-sentient creature by the name of Dolerite. With their help, she joins the Prism’s in their quest to save Thra.

Deethra, also known as Deet, is from a small group of humans that live in a former Kindergarten. She’s deeply in tune with the natural world, often tasked with feeding the farm animals that sustain her remote village. After being attacked by a rampaging bull, Deet woke at the base of the Sanctuary Tree. A living database of Homeworld history, with full sentience. It’s unclear why the Great Trees are aiding the Prism Rebellion. Some think the Trees know they will die along with Thra if the Court is allowed to continue. The Sanctuary Tree gifts Deet with a vision of the future, and sets her on her path to join the Rebellion. Along the way, she befriends a Pebble that goes by Hup. While technically a Gem, Pebbles are treated like slaves. Hup escaped, and she intends to do whatever it takes to help save Thra.

A being by the name of Aughra is now organizing the Rebellion…in her own strange way. She seems to be a physical representation of Thra itself.

The Metamorphic Court:

-Algodonite the Empress

-Crocoite the Gourmand

-Lepidolite the Ornamentalist

-Howlite the Heretic (Banished)

-Yellow Goldstone the ??? (Shattered)

-Prehnite the Collector

-Mookite the Satirist (Banished)

-Bloodstone the Huntress

-Hematite the Slave Mistress

-Ulexite the Scroll Keeper

-Pectolite the Mariner

-Sonora Sunrise Cuprite the Treasurer

-Cinnabar the Chamberlain

-Jadite the Scientist

-Magnesite the Garthim Mistress/General/Empress

-Rutilated Quartz the General

-Scheelite the ??? (Shattered)

-Sunstone the Ritual Mistress

The Prism Gems:

-Shell Agate the Mistress

-Andalusite the Cook

-Coral the Weaver

-Linarite the Wanderer (Sort of Banished)

-Blue Goldstone the ??? (Shattered)

-Milarite the Nun

-Septarian the Storyteller (Self-Exile)

-Tigers Eye the Archer

-Plume Agate the Herbalist

-Sanskrit Jasper the Scribe

-Variscite the Swimmer

-Tektite the Numerologist

-Serandite the Chanter

-Realgar the Alchemist

-Moldavite the Healer

-Iolite the Peacemaker

-Feldspar the ??? (Shattered)

-Boulder Opal the Ritual Guardian

The Fractured Diamonds:

-Radiant Diamond

-Sun Diamond

-Peach Diamond

-Indigo Diamond

-Green Diamond (Shattered)

-Teal Diamond

-Fawn Diamond

-Red Diamond

-Black Diamond

-Umber Diamond

-Aqua Diamond

-Gold Diamond

-Maroon Diamond

-Peacock Diamond

-Gray Diamond

-Sage Diamond

-Fallow Diamond (Shattered)

-Scarlet Diamond

The future is…uncertain for our band of rebels. The outlook is bleak, but you never know. Stranger things have happened.

(Inspired by @sifanjewel / far.dreaming.maudra on tiktok)

[agendaculturaldelima]

#ProyeccionDeVida

📣 Kino Cat / Cine Tulipán, presenta:

🎬 “EL CRISTAL ENCANTANDO” [The Dark Crystal]

🔎 Género: Fantástico / Animación / Aventuras / Marionetas / Magia

⌛️ Duración: 93 minutos

✍️ Guion: David Odell

🎼 Música: Trevor Jones

📷 Fotografía: Oswald Morris

💥 Argumento: En otro mundo, en otro tiempo, en la era de la maravilla, hace mil años el Cristal Oscuro se quebró. El caos y la confusión se extendieron por todo el planeta Thra. Así empezó la profecía y aparecieron dos nuevas razas: los crueles skekses y los apacibles místicos. Si nadie repara el cristal, los skekses dominarán Thra hasta el fin de los tiempos. Será Jen, el último superviviente de los Gelfings, quien intente restaurar el cristal y acabar con el mal para siempre.

👥 Reparto en Voces: Fizzgig (Dave Goelz, Percy Edwards), Aughra (Frank Oz, Billie Whitelaw), Podling (Susan Westerby), Jen (Jim Henson, Stephen Garlick), Kira (Lisa Maxwell, Kathryn Mullen), Urskeks (Joseph O'Conor), Garthim (Ubanga Jones Okon), Chamberlain (Barry Dennen), Numerologist (Robbie Barnett), Ornamentalist (Brian Meehl) y SkekTek (Steve Whitmire).

📢 Dirección: Jim Henson y Frank Oz

© Productoras: Jim Henson Productions, Universal Pictures & ITC Entertainment

🌎 Países: Estados Unidos-Reino Unido

📅 Año: 1982

📽 Proyección:

📆 Martes 27 de Agosto

🕖 7:30pm. 

🐈‍ El Gato Tulipán (Bajada de Baños 350 – Barranco)

🚶‍♀️🚶‍♂️ Ingreso libre

[viviseconds]

Steven Shearer, Working from Life, featuring essay by Dieter Roelstraete, designed by Book Book, 13 3/8 x 9 11/16 in, clothbound hardcover, 380 pages in brilliant color and detail printed by DZA in Germany. Published by DCV books in conjunction with Galerie Eva Presenhuber and David Zwirner Gallery.

[chickenpantaloons]

Shameless inspirations include: Catherine of Aragon from SIX the musical and the Ornamentalist from the Dark Crystal

[nokingsonlyfooles]

Big Skeksis Librarian/Ornamentalist vibes with her.

....HER 💀✨

[neima-hound]

This is the thrilling season 2 content that Netflix denied us... it was funnier in my head. -_-'

Happy 2nd year anniversary of AoR everyone. :) For Thra! But really though, this would be very in character for Hup amirite? What I wouldn't give to see him throw fruit in SkekUng's face for real! I don't own the audio or even the scene staging. This comedic genius is all done by "Babar: The Movie." Original clip here! The only thing I own are the crude drawings. ^^'

[jewellapoole]

Some old skeksis art

Try to guess who they are