#so i drew her with a rococo style

[tvboxi]

plus two lil doodles because i thought they were goofy

[justafairytailofinnocence]

Entangled sombres🎭🧛‍♀️

Edward x fem reader

Synopsis: Twas the night of the Venetian carnival at the palace of Versialles, y/n's encounter with the infamous Edward Cullen leads to a strange phenomenon of events.

Warning: none

A/n: If possible, please feel free to comment and reblog as it always helps me as a writer to improve and get inspired.

The annual Venetian masquerade ball at the Palace of Versailles was a grand affair attended by both ladies and gentlemen. The halls and gardens echoed with the sounds of laughter and lively conversation. The ladies wore exquisite robe a la Francaises and elegant robe a l’anglaises, made of fine silks in floral, royal, and regal colours. Men wore rich, extravagant, full-skirted knee-length coats adorned with frills and buckled shoes. Elaborate wigs adorned their heads, styled in a variety of fashions. The gentlemen sported cavalier-style powdered wigs with lovelocks decorated with ribbons and bows, while some opted for simpler styles with a single ribbon tied at the back. The ladies' hair was styled in various ways, including la pouffes, beignets, coiffures, and chenilles. They wore extravagant and prodigious Venetian masks adorned with feathers and ribbons. The identity of who one was was a mystery among the crowd. The Venetian masquerade’s purpose was for one to indulge themselves in desire and greed without exposure. Within the group, masses gathered to dance and participate in alcohol. Amidst the jovial laughter of the gathering, a lone figure stood in the corner, garbed in a full-skirted coat of sombre black. Though his attire was not as finely crafted as his male counterparts, he maintained a stoic composure, observing the scene with a quiet intensity. He wore a simple, laced Venetian mask that only partially covered his eyes. The man's eyes, visible through his mask, were an unusual golden colour instead of the typical hue.

Staring at the crowd of drunken, jovial attendants, he heard their voices, their thoughts.

“I shall have a rendezvous evening with that mistress.”

“Such a fetching gent”.

The ominous man took off without a word; he couldn’t stand the whole façade of the alluring illusion of wicked cravings and sinful desires surrounding him. He trailed up the stairs, his hand touching the rail decorated in gold. With each step he took, his mind felt more at ease as the crowd’s thoughts had finally ceased. Peace at last. He stopped at the foot of a marble golden-coated rococo door painted with cherubs. Curiously, he placed his ear to the door, wondering if anyone was inside. With no answer, he entered—unassuming to the lady he was greeted with. The room was covered in paintings and finely rich furniture. In the middle of the room was a platter of Turkish delights and cakes with chocolate. His eyes were met with a young lady lying on the couch, holding a hand fan holding it to her plump lips. She drew the hand fan to her lips, curious at the gent who intruded on her. The attire she donned was a graceful sack-back gown adorned with a delightful blue floral pattern. To complete the ensemble, she wore a petticoat waistcoat, adding a touch of elegance to her overall appearance. Her hair was done in a bun style, with a single curled lock touching her shoulder. A Colombina mask in the design of a swan adorned with ribbons covered her face.

The man who barged in by mistake shook his head in embarrassment. “I’m sorry—forgive me, I’m new here. Are you here for the Venetian carnival?”.

The young woman lowered her fan so the dorsal point touched the upper tip of her lips. “Y/n, Tis y/n.” She smiled in a flirtatious manner.

“Since you—oh so—unkindly barged into my accommodation, you must pry me on your name and business,” Y/n spoke with pursed lips.

“Edward, Edward Cullen." He spoke politely but with a hint of humility.

“Edward, you’re quite an unusual gent.” She sat up while lifting her legs in the air, revealing her silk stockings and patterned heels. “For I’m doting upon your eyes of unusual colour, quite a golden hue”.

 Y/n’s compliment took Edward aback. He didn’t smile at her gracious words but kept his cold gaze. “No, don't ever consider me stunning; I’m not the kind of guy you should be…going for”.

“You don’t know a thing about me; I’m not a good person, y/n.” Edward’s voice showed a genuine tone of guilt.

“If the world were full of good, then we wouldn’t have things such as this,” Y/n mischievously smiled.

Edward felt reassured, but the young woman didn't understand. He harboured a dark secret. He wasn’t like the rest surrounding the streets going about their daily lives. His family had lived differently; they only went out on rainy or dark days. The Cullen family was notorious, with rumours circulating in courts and towns in France and England. It was said that the Cullens hailed from a small plot of land in Forks purchased by their patriarch, Carlisle Cullen. Lord Carlisle's origins are little known, but he may have come from Italy. He married a woman who was known for her beauty, Lady Esme Cullen.

The pair had decided to adopt only, not children, teenagers. At the tender age of eighteen, the first was a daughter with a remarkable beauty that charmed suitors from distant lands. Her grace and elegance were unparalleled, and many hopefuls sought her hand in marriage. Despite the numerous proposals, she steadfastly refused them, holding out for a love that would surpass all others. Legend has it that her hair was as radiant as the golden hue of honey, and her complexion was as pure and fair as freshly fallen snow. Her eyes, which shone with an unusual and alluring golden tint, made her even more captivating. Not long before, she discovered love with a man who hailed from a noble family in Gatlinburg, Tennessee; the two of them grew inseparable, and eventually, she took on her spouse's family name, Cullen. Her husband, Emmett, was a strapping and dashing young man who was just twenty-two years old. He was known for prowess in clandestine fighting circles, where he always emerged victorious.

The couple's second adopted daughter, Alice Cullen, was a young adult of nineteen years who was renowned for her peculiar persona. With her vast, feline-like gaze and ever-changing, avant-garde hairstyles, she exuded a certain enigmatic allure that captivated those around her. Her fashion sense was equally impressive, as she effortlessly donned the most fashionable attire. Regrettably, some individuals perceived her as odd and wrongly accused her of dabbling in witchcraft and sorcery. However, Alice's abilities were exceptional, as she possessed the gift of foresight, enabling her to predict one's future accurately. She wedded a naval officer named Jasper Hale, who was in the front. Those who met him personally aren’t fond of him; he was a relatively quiet young man who spoke only when needed. He had blond hair tied back with a delicate silk ribbon, whilst his skin was similar to Rosalie's. According to the accounts of those who knew him, Jasper was reputed to be a man of high moral principles and integrity in his earlier years. He was known to have had a relatively brief romantic relationship with Maria before his involvement with Alice. However, rumours at the time suggested that Maria was somewhat dubious and may have been involved in certain occult practices or dark magic. Given Jasper's eventual transformation, there was speculation about the potential implications of his change in character. When around Alice, his old self would come to light. They attended many galas and balls, waltzing in the moonlight instead of entering the building.

Then, the final child was Edward Cullen, a seventeen-year-old gent who was distant and cold. He never formed relationships or friendships with anyone who wasn’t his family. Many ladies fancied Edward but were intimidated by his mysterious demeanour. He never stepped outside in the sunlight; many theorised it was a rare condition or a disease. They never dared ask, fearing he might lash out.

He found the young woman to be a mystery. He possessed a unique ability to hear the thoughts of those around him, which can be helpful but also annoying when he wants to focus on his thoughts. He attempted to listen for any words or sentences coming from her impure mind, but to his surprise, he heard nothing.

The young woman grinned excitedly and asked, “Well, Sir Cullen, the hour passes swiftly; tis rather rude not to ask a lady for a dance”.

Feeling timid, Edward complied with her inquisitive demeanour and gracefully inclined his body, extending a hand towards her. "I humbly request the honour of this dance, Y/n," he uttered softly. Y/n curtsied gracefully, holding a fan to the left side of her face. Her fingers delicately intertwined with his hand. As she grasped lightly, a slight shiver went down y/n’s spine. It felt like she had dipped her fingers in the Icey waters of a frozen lake. Y/n and Edward held one hand in the air, moving fluently in a circle. Suddenly, the classical music playing down below changed its tune. Y/n and Edward switched arms as soon as they heard the first note.

They only repeated the same movement, moving in a circle, and y/n slightly skipped. They repeated the same direction, but this time, Y/n had a mischievous grin when they switched arms. Y/n skipped in circles, flicking her skirt with one hand out to the side. She added an extra clap to the rhythm during the song's sudden pauses in beats. She skipped in a circle as the violin's rhythm picked up. Edward followed, adding his steps and skips. When the two came to the middle once more and stopped, they stepped to the side out and came in with a twirl, switching sides. Once more, they repeated this move. She delicately took hold of Edward's hand with a gentle touch, gracefully spinning away from him.

As she twirled, she kicked one foot elegantly to the left, adding a touch of flair to her movements. Edward looped to the opposite side and clapped. The two then spun back into the middle as they returned to their first position. As Y/n and Edward danced, the violin's sound filled the room. Y/n's hand tapped against her skirt in time with the music, adding to the rhythm of their steps. As they moved in a circle, Edward couldn't help but steal a glance at Y/n. Her eyes were full of playful amusement yet still held an air of mystery, making him wonder what thoughts were swirling through her mind. Edward stopped coming in close to y/n, and he spun her around.

Y/n was in an utter fantasy; never had she met any gent this fascinating. Many suitors had courted her, yet none could catch her attention. Edward was far more entrancing than any duke, lord or aristocrat who had tried to woo her.

Alas, all good things do come to an end. As y/n twirled she glanced deeper into Edwards's alluring eyes and what she saw caught her off guard. She screamed when she saw his eyes turning from a beautiful aureate hue into a void of darkness. She covered her hands over her mouth in panic. “Good god your eyes, they changed into the black of night” she panicked slightly. Edward, baffled, retreated, and lost all sense of comfort. He moved in a way that appeared to be beyond human capability to the door. She acted impulsively and reached out to grasp Edward's hand in a fleeting moment of connection. Though he paused briefly in response, he ultimately opted to depart silently to avoid attracting undue attention to their interaction. “Edward, what are you” she muttered.

With two words he coldly said, “a monster”.

And with that, he left without any fuss, he fastened the pace leaving y/n in a bewildered state. She stood at the entrance with the rococo-decored door opened widely. As she contemplated the gravity of the situation, a thought occurred to her - why didn't he just kill her straight away? Nevertheless, she observed a genuine expression on his face and discerned that he was experiencing warmth and tenderness towards someone for the first time. A sense of serenity seemed to envelop him. Y/n inched closer to the door and scanned the dancing crowd below, but she couldn't discern the presence of Edward Cullen. She struggled to reconcile the bizarre events that had just transpired and couldn't shake off the feeling that it was all an elaborate dream. She picked up the skirtings of her gown slowly trailing down the stairs as her heels reached each step. Further, she trailed to the entrance, ignoring all the ladies chattering and gents asking for a dance. Upon leaving the Palace of Versailles, she found the gardens deserted except for the rustling of leaves in the wind.

As she lifted her gaze towards the vast expanse of the moonlit sky, her heart filled with a sense of longing, as she pondered whether fate would ever bring her back in the company of Edward.

Anyways that's all I have for now:

Ta Ta ✨

[howl-at--the-sun]

Things I love about @bllaaaaarrgh’s art

1. The clothing style

This is best emphasized in that drawing of Wild and Sky that she did, it’s very geometric and angular and looks badass af

2. The eyes

As someone who has always struggled with eyes, I adore hers. They are so expressive and pretty and I know if i tried to draw them they would look awful

3. The shading

It’s such a unique style of shading and it works so well to bring depth to the art piece. That’s one of the things I struggle with the most, and so I am really impressed with her ability

4. The concepts

Legend as Alice in Wonderland. Rococo Angel Wild. All of the designs for their links meeting AU. It’s all amazing and blows me away every time

5. The hands

SHE CAN DRAW HANDS

That’s amazing and insane and I am so jealous

6. The colors

The colors on each piece are amazing. The art of BOTW link in the Guardian set and the art of BOTW 2 link are great examples of that. It is amazing and I am so so jealous

7. Her animations!!!

She did an animation of Sky and it was so so good! It was so smooth and clean and the style was amazing and the way the eyes changed fjejanjjsiskaisiissw

8. FULL BODY FULL BODY

she can draw full body and have it looks amazing and that is how I know that she is way better than me because I COULD NOT DO THAT. A lot of people I know CANNOT DO THAT. she is so talented it is insane

9. Everything looks so full of life

This is another thing I struggle with so her art just impresses me so much more, everyone looks so alive and full of life and it’s so amazing and requires so much skill

10. The signature

Her art is a very signature style, so whenever I look at it, I know exactly who drew it, and that is a lifelong goal for me so I am so impressed that she can

[honorhearted]

--

The clouds in the sky were fittingly bleak once they approached the manor steps. Ben exhaled, his stomach roiling and acidic. Even though Rebekah was directly beside him, he couldn't look at her -- not just because of his nerves, but due to the fact she was bedecked in a charming, zone front gown with hand-painted posies, lacy three-quarter sleeves, and a neckline that simultaneously drew and repelled his attentions. Good God, this had been a mistake. Why did he ever think he could go through with this?

Whatever this even was...

Clearing his throat, Ben reminded her, "You need to be sufficiently adoring. Laugh at my jokes, nod along with anything sage I have to say, and of course, be appropriately silent. Only speak whenever spoken to. However, if Mrs. Wolsey engages you or if she seems allowed to entertain the menfolk with her thoughts, feel free to do the same." He chewed his lip. "The idea is to mirror this couple so that they feel both disarmed and desirous of our company. And as Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Barrington, I'm hoping we can do precisely that."

Rebekah had chosen Mariam as her alias -- after her dearly departed mother -- and Ben knew he had to honor his brother in the same manner. This fight was Samuel's just as much as his own, and he owed it to his brother to give him a part in their victory.

Drawing a deep breath, Ben steeled himself a moment, then took the brass door knocker and rapped against the wooden surface. He heard the sound of footsteps, and fumblingly, he grabbed Rebekah's hand and tucked it into the crook of his elbow.

The door swung open a moment after, revealing a sharp-nosed, supercilious manservant. "Yes?" he asked, looking them over skeptically.

"Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Barrington," Ben greeted, inclining his head. "We're here to see Mr. Wolsey. He is expecting us."

The manservant almost seemed disappointed. "Yes, so you are," he agreed, sounding bored. "This way, if you please."

Glancing down at Rebekah, Ben offered her a feeble smile of relief, then crossed the threshold and into the grand foyer. The ceilings were tall and made of finely carved mahogany, and all around them was Rococo-styled furniture, rich parquet flooring, and far, far too much glassware to feel comfortable.

Good Lord, Ben thought. How was he even supposed to breathe without potentially breaking something?

The manservant led them through a pair of double doors, and then he cleared his throat. "A Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Barrington to see you, sir."

"Ah! Yes, thank you, Harrelson." With a pipe clenched between his teeth, John rose with a grin, a glass of sherry in hand and a look of mischief shining across his dark, twinkling eyes. "Is this your wife, Barrington? I can see why you didn't wish to be apart."

All at once, Ben felt his stomach sink. Wolsey was not only young, but handsome -- surely, Rebekah wouldn't fall prey to such flattery?

"I...yes," he stammered, fighting off the heat in his cheeks. "We've been married about a year now. And your wife, sir? Is she to be joining us?"

John winked. "Oh, all in due time, sir," he agreed. "My Lenora always ensures the visual feast is worth it. Won't you two have a seat?"

Awkwardly, Ben hesitated, then guided Rebekah towards the settee. As they seated themselves, he said, "I was thrilled to receive your invitation on such short notice, sir. Thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule."

After pouring a couple additional glasses of sherry, John chuckled and handed both Ben and Rebekah the wine. "Truth be told, I was mostly intrigued by the idea of another young couple in town," he said. "Lenora and I are stuck around a bunch of boring old stiffs, for the most part -- I'm sure you can relate, seeing how the most influential loyalists are all a bit long in the tooth." He looked toward Rebekah with a wink. "Fortunately, that's far from the case here. Why don't you tell me about yourself, darling? I'm dying to know more -- because surely, a creature with such stunning eyes has an equally stunning life story?"

Once more, Ben was struck by a sharp pang in his chest, tart and bilious. Even if she were not his faux wife, how could this man be so self-assured, so arrogant as to actively flirt with her right in front of him?

Abe? Abe was wrapped up in all this? Back in Setauket, she'd heard he had taken an oath swearing his fealty to King George. Nothing she'd noticed in her short time home before all had gone to utter shite seemed as though Abe could be anything other than a loyalist, though she supposed that was the point.

Even his apparent loyalty during the battle prior to evacuation had appeared flawless. For someone to have found proof of his involvement, well, it wasn't something that could be ignored.

If this John Wolsey was a threat to the cause, then Rebekah was willing to do whatever it took to stop him. She wouldn't let Levi, Samuel, or anyone else's sacrifice be in vain, and if that meant she had to play the part of a dutiful loyalist wife, then so be it.

That's when his hand took hold of hers and for a moment, her chest fluttered and her face flushed an embarrassing shade of pink.

"If you don't think you can follow through with this, I need to know now. There can be no mistakes. It's the only way I can protect you."

"I can do this, Ben. I'll do whatever I have to," she answered, lightly squeezing his hand in turn, "You can count on me."

[tkc-info]

Prologue

OCtober 2021 day 31 - home

2000

Dahlia’s house was the perfect combination of Matthias and her. And of course, it was right next to Lei and Xuegang’s house, as obviously her house had to be. It was perfect.

Matthias had only wanted to have a house similar to the one the Mochizukis had lived in in Mirror Osaka. So Dahlia had had a Japanese-style house made, and then taken her time to shape her home into the Rococo mansion her heart had always desired.

The floors looked like polished white marble, the doors as if carved out of gold and dumortierite. And the ceilings —oh, the ceilings— represented some of Dahlia’s favourite drawings: The Swing, Portrait of the Marquise de Pompadour (what a woman!), Blind Man’s Bluff…

Xuegang had asked why Dahlia didn’t nail the portraits to the walls, like ‘sane people did’ but Dahlia had been completely against the idea.

“The walls can only display pictures of ourselves, Lei, Matthias, and our families.” she’d reasoned.

Xuegang had hummed contentedly, and that had been the end of their conversation.

Now Dahlia sat against one of her ornamented walls with Matthias at her side. He was blinking in awe at the grandness of their new home; Dahlia thought he looked a tad too awed.

“Well?” she asked, ducking down to kiss his neck and drawing him out of his shock.

“This—” Matt swallowed “This is nothing like the Mochizuki’s. It’s all very, uh— how did you manage to make wood look like marble?”

Dahlia remembered bursting into Leora and Linette’s house in the middle of the night two months ago, thus putting an end to her sister’s fun to demand Linette come to China with her immediately.

“My dearest sister-in-law has a superb taste in painters.” Dahlia said “Isn’t it lovely what her apparitions achieved?”

Matthias took a moment to recover and return to his usual cheeky self. “I’d hardly call this lovely, Princess. Opulent? Perhaps. Over-the-top? Definitely.” he quirked an eyebrow at her “You know I told Juro and Claude our house wouldn’t be dissimilar from the one they grew up in, right? I don’t know how I’m going to explain this.”

Dahlia rolled her eyes and lightly slapped his arm. Her house was beautiful, matched ninety percent of her wardrobe, and was a few meters from Lei and Xuegang’s. There couldn’t be a more ideal home.

“We needn’t be like the Mochizukis.” she ended up saying “You wanted something inspired on their house. Well, this is inspired on it. You should just have known that I can make everything Rococo-esque.”

Matthias snorted. His red hair wasn’t gathered in one of his adorable (and hot), small ponytails today, and so he had to brush it back to properly look at Dahlia. “You’re always right, Princess.” then, he hooked an arm around her shoulders and drew her to himself, even if it was Dahlia who began the following kiss.

As their lips met, Dahlia couldn’t help but think about their future with immense happiness. Sure, there was that to worry about. But Matthias and her would marry in a few months, Lei was pregnant with a beautiful child, Dahlia and Xuegang were on their way to becoming the leaders of their respective Emblems, and Dahlia’s life had never been better.

She had a home —both in her friends and their small pocket of bliss— where she would build a future. Matthias and her would have children who’d grow up alongside Lei and Xuegang’s; just like the Beardsleys had done with the Mochizukis. And maybe Dahlia would be able to convince her dearest sister and soon-to-be brothers-in-law to adopt a child and join them in their happiness.

When Matthias drew back from their kiss, his pupils were blown wide, and he was breathing unevenly. “Do you want to test out our new—” his eyes slipped somewhere above Dahlia, and his face turned immensely fond “Weren’t you going to stop us?”

Dahlia smiled as well. She sat up from where she’d been laying under Matthias, and wiggled her fingers at Lei and Xuegang. “How are three of my favourite people doing?” she asked.

Lei was in one of her usual hanfus, one hand on her still-flat stomach. Xuegang was right behind his wife, looking as strong as always. He was, after all, Dahlia’s sparring partner.

“I’m surprisingly good.” Lei said “It’s been a couple months, and still I have barely got sick.”

“Of course. Little Hao is behaving with their momma, right buddy?” Matthias said, looking at Lei’s stomach. Then, he turned to Lei herself and his face turned slightly more serious “Have you come because of…?”

Lei nodded. “There’s a few things I have to consult with you. I can wait, though,” she added teasingly, looking between Matt and Dahlia “if you two are busy.”

Matthias snorted, and Dahlia nudged him to his feet. She watched contentedly as Lei left Xuegang —who began walking towards Dahlia— to then follow Matt out of his house.

The front door closed just as Xuegang joined Dahlia on the floor. He grinned at her and her slightly out of place attire, and slid down to rest his head on her lap.

“So you’ve finally finished this place.” Xuegang commented, eyes focused on a ceiling-painting.

“Lovely, isn’t it?”

“Well,” Xuegang began, grinning “I don’t know if I’d call it lovely. But it is home, right?”

Dahlia smiled. “Of course it is.”

@oc-growth-and-development @wagnerthedragon @iloveallmyocs @littleturtle95 @goodknightfriends

[artist-ellen]

Bo Peep’s second redesign!

This design is based on a 1780s gown/outfit.

I couldn’t find hard evidence for Bo Peep’s bonnet style? It doesn’t really seem to exist before the 1830s? So I’ve gone for a more time - accurate cap with a cute matching bow. What drew me to this fashion moment was the combination of rococo with “peasant” styles? Which might only make sense in my head... but I enjoyed the hold-overs from previous fashions & the extra adornments that add some lovely flourishes.

This look was partially inspired by a historical recreation by @modernmantuamaker on Instagram! Be sure to head over there and show her some love!!

I am the artist!!! Don’t repost without permission & credit! Thank you!

Come find me over on: Instagram , Patreon

[darkmindsotome]

Risque Rouge pt2

Tagging: @umbralaperture​ @otome-smut-queen @silver-fox-of-azuchi @tsundere-mitsuhide @jennacat84

General warnings for the whole fic: Angst, some fluff, Mental health issues, emotional things, trauma, blood, death and possible triggers. Please read responsibly. 

Darkmindsotome Masterlist

---

Chapter 2

They had travelled to the far end of the building through what felt like a rat’s nest of debris and stopped in an area where the air felt cleaner than in the rest of this backstage world. A thick curtain stood in their path and the owner called out cheerily to its apparent occupant.

A reply came sounding hesitant but he could feel that same tugging sensation he had experienced seeing her on stage. It was something that spoke in a beguiling voice to him beckoning him to come closer. It was like a whisper in the darkness, promise in the moonlight. A forgotten spell still casting its magic. She was certainly a talented force, whether she was aware of it or not.

Receiving permission, the owner pulled the curtain and a weighty jingle came from it. It was commonplace for curtains in large houses to have weights sewn into them to keep them from moving. There were several in his mansion alone. He had even heard tales of people hiding coins in them protecting fortunes from thieves and treasure hunters. That seemed unlikely to be the case here and he suspected that it was more likely the weights here were little more than old loose bolts.

Ducking slightly to enter the space he was greeted by the pleasant surprise of it being a light and airy place. Delicate laces and brightly patterned fabrics softened the edges of the harsh reality that this space had been built from the discarded fragments of the building. There was no dark coloured furniture here and if there was it had been draped with light coloured fabrics.

The vanity table looked to be a rococo design but it had clearly seen much better days. Some of the scrollwork to the mirror had been broken and there was repair work done in an amateurish style to reattach a leg to the base. Any gilding has long since worn away either with cleaning or simple age.

What struck him the most was the sense that this room could be very bright in daylight. Not only were there a set of three sash windows to one wall but there was also a large skylight. There were several gas and oil lamps dotted around the space in order to replace the absent daylight, reflecting shards of colour around the room through the cut-glass decorations near them. It was truly a space full of charm and he could sense the care placed in its design for the girl it was gifted too.

Comte looked to the man standing beside him seeing the truth to his words when he said he felt like the girl’s guardian in a sense. This would be a perfect fairytale ivory tower, if only it were not built out of precariously balanced junk.

“I brought a visitor Evie. This fine gentleman here would like to sponsor you.” The owner walked over to a green velvet chaise as he spoke.

“Sponsor?” Dressed in nothing more than a robe the one they call a Nightingale tilted her head in response to the word. Her deep green eyes that resembled his drink from earlier looked in his direction full of the innocence of youth. She genuinely did seem to be a very rare flower to be growing in such a location.

“That is right. I have come here several times and each time I have had the pleasure of seeing you perform. I should like to offer you my sponsorship.” Comte gave a bow with a smile.

“Pardon Monsieur but what would that entail exactly? I cannot imagine you would have been guided here so willingly if you had dubious intent.” She spoke with curiosity but also a healthy level of suspicion which made him feel happier in a way. For all her apparent youthful naivety it seemed she had keen intuition.

“That would be correct. You are a very smart girl and you have a very capable guard. I assure you I have no desire other than to see you settled comfortably in a lifestyle of your choosing and would like to support you in your endeavours so as to ease whatever burdens you might have.” Something in his words seemed to give the girl cause to falter. He had been sure she had every intention to refuse him politely up to this point, be it from pride or for some other reason, but now he was not as sure.

“Uncle, could you leave us for a moment?” She turned to the owner who looked as if he had just been doused in ice water.

“Evie, I really don’t think that would be appropriate.” Even as he spoke, he shook his head and looked with pleading eyes at the young woman.

“You brought the gentleman here If it bothers you so much then please stay close to the door. I will call you if need be.” Her firm words were matched with a flash of light in her eyes. The green became even more faceted as if unseen light had become refracted and caused them to hold a stronger power than before.

Le Comte said nothing and remained in silent observation. The feeling he had earlier that was little more than a whisper of a possibility was starting to become a clear certainty as he watched the young woman. She had a power to charm and disarm that was telling. He had met several performers that really were exceptional but this was different.

“When did you grow up this much?” The owner slumped his shoulders in resignation apparently powerless against the request.

“In the moments you weren’t looking. Trust me please.” Evie patted the owner’s hand that had been resting on the high side of the chaise and gave a sweet smile. Sighing he patted her hand with his free one before walking back to exit the room, pausing briefly to make sure his point was made in the process.

“Monsieur. I trust you are an honourable individual but should any harm come to this child I shall be sure to seek recompense from you, even if I must cleaver flesh from bone to do so.”

If it had been possible to slam a door that was nothing but a curtain Le Comte was positive that man would have achieved it. He knew what it was like wishing to protect something you felt responsible for. It was a constant walk on a knives edge between rage and resistance. You wanted to give as much space as you could to let the people you care for be free to do as desired but you also hated it. You found yourself almost preferring the idea of protecting them so much that you would even fight the sun itself for daring to touch them.

“I am sorry about him. He means well even if he can be slightly overbearing at times.” Evie spoke drawing his attention away from the curtain and back to her. Her pose didn’t seem to falter and she seemed to be completely out of place, more suited to a country estate than here.

“Not at all I can only imagine how hard guardianship of such a talented and beautiful young lady could be. I could hardly hold a grudge towards the man when I am not completely certain I would not go as far as him myself to protect what I cherish.” Le Comte quickly dismissed the concerns and was happy enough to hear the shuffling of the man waiting outside move a little further away from the door.

“Fine words Sir. You really are a member of the Aristo in Paris.” Evie nodded her bright smile warming him as she rose and recovered a chair from under a pile of books and linen. “Please I cannot offer more than a seat but I would be happy to have you take it.”

“Merci.”

 ---

 Le Comte visited several more times and had become something of a familiar face as he moved through the backstage passages to see his little investment. He found himself looking forward to what was rapidly becoming a something of a favourite habit of his. Wandering in the night was so much nicer when you had a destination, not to mention, a charming companion to talk to at the end of it.

It was on this particular visit however that he had been met with a problem. Performers all seemed to be in a heightened sense of emotion and the air was heavy. Small groups were huddled together their whispers catching his attention as them mentions the little princess and something about a doctor. The closer he got to the girl’s room the worse the feeling became and he felt a knot in his stomach as his gut instinctively told him something was wrong.

He was about to announce himself when the curtain opened in a flourish and someone from the other side barrelled into his chest.

“Out of the damn way! Can’t you see we’re in a hurry ‘ere?” The smell of pomade filled le Comte’s senses before he could register the flustered mess that was the owner. The shorter man had taken on a flush of colour that had turned him into a ripe strawberry. His shirt sleeves were rolled up high and the cloth that was usually around his neck was missing. His dark beady eyes looked up to see who had blocked his path and he took on the appearance of a rat-faced with a cat as he backed away to a more suitable distance. “AH! Monsieur I—sorry but now might not be the best time for a visit.”

“What has happened?” Comte enquired somehow managing to hide a little of his growing concern.

“Oh! Nothing unusual Sir she has merely taken one of her “turns”. Charlotte! Char— Oh where is that girl? CHARLOTTE!” The Owner cupped his hands around his mouth and bellowed through the hall. A small woman similar in build to Evie appeared looking a little sullen at the way she had been summoned.

“I’m here! No need to shout so you could raise the dearly departed in Père Lachaise.” Her voice sounded coarse and there was a smell of stale tobacco as she drew nearer. She gave a brief glance towards Le Comte before looking at the man who had summoned her.

“You shall have to go on tonight and see if you can get the kitchen to send up some clear soup. Oh, never mind I’ll go myself. You just go get ready.” The agitated man issued orders and as if double guessing himself changed them just as quickly.

Comte knew enough to see that whatever was happening whilst apparently common still had shaken the man to his core. What did he mean by one of her turns? He had not noticed that the young lady had been ill before on any of his visits. Had he missed something? That instinctual premonition he felt on his arrival only grew as he watched the interaction in front of him.

“Got it.” The one called Charlotte gave a concerned look towards Evie’s room before scurrying off. It was an expression that had mirrored everyone that he had passed on his journey here. It was also the last straw that seemed to break his patience.

“What happened to the Princess?” Le Comte’s voice was more forceful now trying to gain control over the frazzled nerves and scattered mind of the other man. It was effective and it seemed the owner had managed to locate some control and plastered on a rather fake smile.

“No need to worry Sir the doctor is with her and she shall be herself again in no time. A little exhaustion and a touch of a malady de femme.” The owner’s insincere smile and sing-song tone was one that was designed to lie as much to himself as the person they were addressing. There was no denying that it was a performance worthy of any stage but it was not one that Le Comte had a mind to praise.

Comte brushed past the owner and entered the room ignoring the protests. A man sat on the edge of a bed holding the hand of his patient. At the sound of more interruptions, he glanced up and reluctantly let go of the girl’s hand. Comte watched as the dainty hand of the girl was placed reverently on her duvet, attempting not to read too much into the apparent fondness that boarder on unprofessional. The man didn’t attempt to greet Le Comte and continued to make a few notes on some paper after checking his watch once more.

“Are you the doctor?” Comte asked as politely as he could but after seeing the man move to close his travelling medical case decided to change his question to one a little less inane. “How is she?”

“Stable for now if more than a little tired. I have given her some more of her medicine and she has settled.” The doctor snapped the clips on his bag shut and gave a questioning look towards Le Comte. “Who might you be Sir?”

“I am her sponsor.”

“Sponsor? I see…” For the briefest of moments, it looked as if there was an incensed look that marred the doctor’s otherwise gentle appearance. In the blink of an eye, it had gone and his eyes reverted to a comforting warm brown colour. “Well, there is little more that I can do tonight I have other patients to tend too. Be sure to call me if anything further happens.” He picked up his bag putting his jacket over his arm and made sure to give his patient a soft reassuring smile before leaving. As if suddenly remembering something he spun on his heel revealing once more a less than friendly appearance towards Le Comte. “Oh and Monsieur sponsor? Do take care and not exhaust le petite femme.”

Comte remained where he was wondering exactly how many times, he might see someone acting that way towards him for his philanthropic pursuits. He knew he couldn’t deny that all his endeavours came off the back of his own selfish desires but a small part of him hoped to avoid such hatred when at the root of all he did was an effort to provide comfort in a world lacking in so much of it.

“I think he may have the wrong idea.” Her voice came out faint and haggard pulling him back from his thoughts. She was laying in her bed slightly propped up on a mountain of pillows at her head but otherwise looking just as white as frail as a piece of delicate frosted glass.

“How are you?” Comte drew closer taking his cue as to how far he would be permitted from the female herself. Even though his actions were out of genuine concern for the young woman it was still ungentlemanly to barge into a lady’s private room.

“I’m fine. I’m used to it although I cannot deny that it frustrates me beyond measure. I feel so useless when I am like this.” She averted her eyes so they looked out through the window. The sky had long since turned from the warming shades of sunset and there was something in that look of melancholia that reminded him of himself.

He had made the offer to dozens of people before, calling it a taste of eternity. A poetic turn of phrase for the reality of what it was. Accepting a life where you watch those you care for grow old and leave you. The loneliness of eternal night where the only constant was the moon and even then, that cruel Goddess herself vanished marking time by her absence. His invitations were not much more than selfish offerings to fill that void for a little longer. A choice made by a lonely creature wanting more than a few moments and a chance to feel a little comfort in the long night.

It was true they had at the very least been given a choice. Scared of death and what lay beyond. The idea of unfinished dreams clouding their final judgement and urging their choice. But what of the creatures that had no choice? The ones born differently and forever cursed from birth?

Drawn to that look of unfathomable sadness he moved closer to take her hand and perch on the edge of her bed barely putting enough weight on her bedding to move the sheets. He tenderly stroked his hand on her head, his fingers combing the raven coloured locks slowly as he held her hand in his.

“Don’t make such a face ma petite fleur. You are not alone.”

“Thank you.” Her voice was little more than a whisper. Her breathing was shallow and her eyes were hooded with sleep. With her smile returning to her Evie closed her eyes the warmth of the kind gentleman’s hand in hers guiding her to slumber as his fingers brushed her hair pacifying her fears and worries.

As the Princess slept, he continued to fawn over her until he was certain she was completely dead to the world. His hands left her and instantly lamented their loss as he tried to convince himself it was time to leave. He dimmed the lamp on her dresser and noticed the draw half-open. Rows of glass vials sealed with corks and black wax filled it. Curiosity got the better of him and he removed one holding it high to check its contents.

“Well now… that is curious. Where ever did you get such medicine?” Le Comte glanced back at the bed and slipped the object into his jacket pocket. “Pardon but I have need of answers and hope this could assist me in finding them. Bonne Nuit, ma chèrie.”

Slipping out of the room he moved quickly to make his way into the city. He had a mind as to where to start his enquiries and seriously hoped he would be proved wrong.

--- 

[gothelsflower]

okay i know op is anti-tangled and posts tangled critical content, and i am very obviously not an anti-tangled blog so i hope im not overstepping here (though i have no opposition to tangled criticism; or criticism of any disney film in general! in fact i’m probably one of disneys biggest critics as a whole lol) BUT this triggered one of my special interests which is lore behind disney animation and specifically unused concepts such as rapunzel unbraided! if you already knew all this, my apologies in advance and feel free to ignore the rest of what i’m about to say. just in case:

tldr: tangled’s art style originally drew heavy inspiration from the french rococo era but became more simplified once the film transitioned hands and to a computer animated format, and the original concept for a rapunzel film which was extremely different from tangled (2010) was eventually recycled into what we now know as enchanted, which is why giselle is so similar to rapunzel yet also seems to flesh out those intended concepts better given the film’s satirical genre and self aware storyline

in more detail, though other blogs have gone into better detail than i probably will… maybe neither of you were aware, tangled’s original development actually began in the late 90s as a hand drawn film and went through around three(ish) “actualized” versions before the tangled (2010) we eventually got. in 2005 there was a concept involving real world teens getting transported to a fairy tale realm and having to deal with all the fairy tale tropes and magical fantasy while learning to get along. the modern era bits were set in san francisco, and the film set out to unpack and satirize classic disney princess tropes in response to the success of dreamworks shrek (which allegedly, disney ceos did not get was satire of disney? or just thought was a good idea to do themselves if they did? yanno.. for profit) while also retelling (or sort of just propping up) the original rapunzel tale as a structure for this new narrative which included original versions of rapunzel and her prince (named beau) as well as the witch/mother gothel (named lucretia iirc) and original characters claire and vince. for many reasons, ultimately this idea was scrapped and the film returned to just reimagining the fairy tale as is like most other disney princess classics rather than completely reinventing the narrative. this version of rapunzel/tangled was a lot dark and edgier, similar to the hunchback of notre dame, and had alan menken and glen keane at the forefront. the art style was also predominantly inspired by french rococo and revolutionary era works, with rapunzels own personal artistic style coming from glen’s daughter and disney animator claire keane.

due to health issues, glen left the project for a bit, and during that time production teams changed hands, the film got a lot brighter and happier in tone, rapunzel, beau/bastion/flynn and gothels designs changed, pascal became a chameleon instead of rapunzel/claire’s squirrel companion, beau the dog is now maximus the horse, new music got written, the storyline was adapted to what we know now, the overall style was simplified and less historically accurate or tied to one period, etc etc etc. keane returned to the project as either an executive producer or supervisor (?) but not director, and his og vision ultimately had changed a lot to a more basic adaptation of the rapunzel story (which, truly, is not without its flaws). however disney still really loved the idea of breaking down and also making fun of in a way their own established tropes for princesses, but decided instead to do it in a live action/2D animation hybrid format which focused more on the modern setting rather than the fairy tale world. and with new characters. all that is to say, in some ways it did have a definitive art style and also this is why giselle is so inherently similar to rapunzel… because she originally was her, sort of. and enchanted’s success likely did influence the final version of tangled, since they had been closely intertwined from their inceptions and because a lot of the same people likely worked on them, even at the same time!

if i have any inaccuracies, feel free to correct them! i’m saying this all off the top of my head and didn’t go back to cite sources and concretely verify the things i couldn’t expressly recall bc it’s very late at night here

I found a gif of giselle from enchanted and just realised she is literally like Rapunzel but much more fleshed out? Crazy how tangled said "here is rapunzel" but we already had a maiden trapped in a tower! I know that Giselle becomes real and finds herself in the real world, so she isn't really rapunzel from tangled, but still, it's wild!

I never really thought of it that way, that's pretty interesting! I think that it's not too out there to say that Giselle may have influenced Rapunzel, in a sort of way that the other disney princesses did. She most likely laid down the foundation of what kind of rincess they wanted to do next.

Ironically, Giselle was meant to be a parody with a little bit more sincerity mixed in so she could develop, while Rapunzel basically played all the disney princess tropes straight while making is seem like she was defying them on a surface level. The parody princess is more developed than the actual factual one.

Interesting note, the visual style of Giselle was influenced by art nouveau and Mucha, which is pretty distinctive. I kinda wish Rapunzel had a distinct style like that, or had a heavy inspiration from some art style that was more recognizable like Giselle.

[rosybumpsnbruise]

Due to my ranting last night, I drew Suzette in a more rococo lolita style. I might actually finish her later but I started her at 11 am so yeah.

[jer-tan]

I was quite salty that Rosalie did not become Oscar Jr. So I drew her as a duelist of Revolutionary Girl Utena inspiration. I wanted the outfit to have more of a femine rococo style that would still be functional as a duelist. She wants to bring the World... er France... Revolution to avenage her foster mother against the likes of her real mother and reunite her family.

[urban-photographers]

Princesses

Eilley, Carrie, Serene, Rachelle These 4 are characters I made up when I was like... a child child (8 maybe?) and this is the first time ever I have had all 4 drawn! I drew them all individually for little profile/bio sheet things.  Let's ignore how they are not in proportion to each other at all (that's what I get for basically waiting a month between each drawing)  They're very basic, unoriginal elementals (yes the pink one is love, essentially) and they always set off a sort of cringe/embarrassment inside of me anytime I share things of them. BUT I still love ALL my elementals (not just these 4,) despite the embarrassment. FWIW they've all gone through both physical and personality overhauls multiple times. Babby me was not strong enough to make outfits as ugly as the ones they get current day LOL. extra boring rambles about the actual drawings: Eilley: I'm going back and forth constantly on if the branch corset is tacky or cute lmao.  I'm also ehhh on this outfit being her "reference" photo because usually her hair is much different (down with bangs)  But also maybe I should take this as a sign to change her hair because every single girl character I have has just below shoulder length hair, 95% of the time with bangs.  I just noticed this while I was drawing her and its bothering me so much now. I made that flower brush literally just for this and I'm a little bummed that I'll probably never have a use for it again OTL Carrie: It was like a month ago but I remember I just hated working on this for some reason.  I didn't like the dress or the pose.  I'm... okay with it now, I think I'm just used to her in fluffy rococo-ish dresses. Usually my approach to hair, even when painting, is very line-based; and this time I went for blockier shapes and honestly really like how it turned out. I want to try to get better about using shapes when painting but old habits die hard 

  Serene: The sleeves and cape thing was a last minute add-on because, while Serene is fairly plain, the dress was just TOO nothing.  Plus for no specific reason I have decided that the current trend in their world is high necklines (note Carrie not being in style.) I don't like this dress, it's not the direction I wanted to go with her design, I don't know why I put her in it. I like the expression but the pose is a TAD too reserved, as opposed to aloof. Rachelle: Was the first one drawn and honestly I think she came out the best.  I love drawing her hair so much.  The pantsuit is weird but I fuck with it. Rachelle's my go to for ugly outfits in this world, and this is far from her worst LOL. Fun fact: This was going to be a finished actual drawing where someone interrupted her hanging out with her birds, so there's supposed to be finches on her hand, armor, and gold dangling things

from DeviantArt: CityPhotography/51986387's gallery https://ift.tt/3fpJbwc via IFTTT

[askasnariaisland-blog]

maybe "👑- as royalty" if you want! : >

((I drew her as a princess a while ago- so I drew her in a french Rococo dress bc I love that style!))

[merettapeterson-blog]

Week Four

The Baroque time period was a very controversial one. There were well known and incredibly important discoveries in science such as: William Harvey - system of blood circulation; Isaac Newton - laws of gravity; and Rene Descartes - philosophy on a method of systematic doubt (he avoided conflict with Church by acknowledging God was the source). Astronomy was no doubt the biggest “threat” to the Church and largest source of controversy. Nicolaus Copernicus, Johannes Kepler and Galileo Galilei were the most famous, challenging the idea of the earth was not actually the center of the universe and maybe the sun was. Along with these scientific discoveries and advances, religious fundamentalism was also on the rise. Superstition and fear of the Devil and Antichrist led to widespread witch hunts. 

When it comes to art, the Baroque style is very diverse. I always find that the origins and variants of the time period name are really interesting. They help explain the time period. Originally the word was a “pejorative” term which means a word expressing contempt or disapproval. It was a French variant of Portuguese barroco which means an irregular or imperfect pearl. Another influence on the name was the Italian barocco which described a “convoluted medieval style of academic logic.” The art was relatively unrestrained, full of emotion and more energetic than the past. Artists rejected some of the Mannerist ways of virtuosity and stylization but absorbed the Mannerists’ taste for theatrics and “chiaroscuro” which means the dramatic effect of contrasting areas of light and dark in pieces of artwork. I like how each time period has more differences than similarities although they may be only a year apart. It’s crazy how things could (and still can) change in so little time. Baroque artists and their new kind of naturalism reflected the scientific advances. They were quite dramatic in their artwork and enjoyed the action and violent narrative scenes. Emotion had been given a wide range of expression. The artwork itself was usually asymmetrical and lacked the appearance of the linear perspective with sharp diagonals replacing horizontal or vertical. 

The art/artwork I decided to focus on this week was Judith Slaying Holofernes by Artemisia Gentileschi. What drew me in was the gruesome detail of something so violent, of a woman killing this man, especially for being done by a female artist. (Not being sexist, just surprised for the time period) The fact that this was one of the first well known woman artist also drew me in. When I read the story of Artemisia and what she had been through, I understood why she did such harsh, violent pieces with female heroines. 

Artemisia had learned painting from her father, Orazio, and in 1611, her father hired a man, Agostino Tassi, to teach her drawing and perspective. This man raped her and refused to marry her (I’m assuming she fell pregnant). Orazio sued Tassi and Artemisia was tortured with thumbscrews to test her veracity before Tassi was convicted. 

That blows me away, both that she survived that terrible time and also that she became something more than what happened to her. The incredible detail and lighting in this painting are wonderful and I love how the women’s faces are serious and not fearful at all. Especially the woman cutting off the man’s head, she is completely done with this guy and his crap, she isn’t taking anymore of that, she is taking matters into her own hands...literally. 

I couldn’t really find anything to directly relate to but as a woman, I found this information to be intriguing and almost empowering because if a woman could survive what she survived and become a famous painter known for centuries after her death, I could do anything, granted things are different but still, the message is the same. 

As I read about the Rococo time period I was interested by the fact that scholars were divided over two questions about this time: was Rococo an independent style? or rather a refinement of Baroque? I liked that the term Rococo was from two French words: rocaille (rock) and coquille (shell) which were formations used to decorate Baroque gardens. The style of that time period was full of frivolity, wit, grace, fantasy and a taste for the exotic. But also contrary to that, even at its best, it had somber and satirical undercurrents. I loved the double or multiple meanings behind paintings. 

I was also surprised to find that this was 1700 - 1775. At the same time I wasn’t surprised. I was surprised because for some reason I had never really connected the action in the Americas to the happenings in Europe. I always thought the two at separate time periods because in class throughout the years, there wasn’t always a connection made with the art part of things. 

[jmeier15-blog]

week 5 chapters 19 and 20

This week we covered the Baroque style and the Rococo style of art. Per the book, the Baroque style “tended to be relatively unrestrained, overly emotional, and more energetic than earlier styles”. A great example of this would be Gianlorenzo Bernini's sculpture 'David'. This particular sculpture was done by several artists throughout the years. However, in Bernini's sculpture, we can really see the Baroque style. The sculpture shows David in action, stretching his sling while he looks over this shoulder at its intended target. This highlights the energetic and unrestrained aspects of the Baroque style compared to other sculptures of David which are more relaxed. Baroque painting was more inviting to the viewer and drew them in with touches of sensuality, pleasure and intensity. One example of this is Peter Paul Rubens painting 'Venus and Adonis'. In this painting a nude Venus clings to the arm of her beloved, Adonis. Its intensity is depicted by the way she is stretched out as if she is begging him not to leave her and her child as he prepares to leave.

The Rococo style is said to be a 'world of fantasy and grace with a taste for the exotic'. An example of this is Jeaen-Honore Fragonard's 'Swing'. This painting shows a young lady in a lacey and frilly dress swinging amongst the trees in an partially open garden. The exoticness of this painting is depicted in the young man on the ground in front of her looking up her dress. There is a sexual reference in the young man reaching his hat out and the young lady responding by reaching her foot towards him in return.

As I read more about the Baroque and Rococo styles, I feel like this is art that interest me more so than the styles of the past chapters. It's more visually exciting and entertaining. It's interesting to see how a change in character positions can change the overall mood and emotion of a painting.

I also like how these chapters focused a lot more on women artists than the past chapters. The introduction of women being in recognized in art is great to see. It's interesting to learn when this took place and how it has advanced since then. I am not an artist but as a child I wanted to be. I enjoy being creative and taking pictures and finding different subjects to capture. As a woman it makes me appreciate the women in the past who paved the way for us to succeed in a previously male dominated scene.