Art: Agora

[dancing_adrift]

Title: Artwork for Agora
Author: excoyote (also on AO3 as brokenlittleboy)
Pairing: Jared/Jensen
Rating: PG-13 (with R? (shirtless boys) under a cut)
Medium: primarily GIMP 2, with a little help from Corel Painter Essentials 5 and Picasa 3

Artist Notes: My second claim for Round 1 of quicky_bang.

As always, first and foremost, if you haven't read the story, go read that first!


BANNER



Excoyote's story had so many lovely visuals, especially when describing 'Jay's Books'; I wish I could have created even more art, but a month just didn't turn out to be enough time this time around. So I stuck with my main piece (coming up below!) and the banner above. I designed the banner after the sign for Jared's bookstore:

"an old forest green sign quietly advertising “Jay’s Books” in a gold cursive script."

KISSING IN THE RAIN

I just *LOVED* the end scene of this fic. Jared's line just slayed me:

"If it meant kissing you,” Jared gasps, “I’d stay outside forever.”

So perfect.

So, based off that, have some J2 kissing in the rain <3



I am quite proud to say that, with the help of my new drawing tablet, I drew this without any tracing of original images! I used references to sketch a basic mock-up in Corel, and then traced my own drawing in GIMP, but I didn't trace any photos, and I'm just... really pleased with myself, lol. *ahem* ANYhoo...

MISCELLANEOUS FUN STUFF

Of course, once I enter the realm of digital art, I just can't help but play around. I always like to play in Picasa especially. So here, have a vintage version of J2 kissing in the rain, because, why not? ;)



Also, I would be pretty lost without layers when arting - not only are they EXTREMELY helpful in general, they also lead to fun opportunities, like the chance to have *shirtless* J2 kissing (and without the rain! XP). As I promised in my last journal entry, I present to you, NSFW J2 art, after the cut XD



I have a ton of WIP pics too, but I'll keep those out of this post - this is a *Quicky* Bang, after all ;). Thanks as ever to non_tiembo_mala and gluedwithgold for their feedback and encouragement :) And thank you, so much, to excoyote for sharing your lovely, inspiring, beautiful fic! <3

Comments

[ash48.livejournal.com]

Lovely!! <3

[dancing-adrift.livejournal.com]

Thank you! ^_^

[madebyme-x.livejournal.com]

Lovely images! It's great to see some variants with the vintage version too.

Thank you for sharing :)

[dancing-adrift.livejournal.com]

Thanks, I'm glad you like it :) I made a few more variants for kicks and giggles, just simple Picasa filters and such, but that one was my favorite :)

[alyndra]

Super cool and sweet! I love how you did the rain and atmosphere; weather can be so hard to get right!

[dancing-adrift.livejournal.com]

Thanks!! I did have a completely different style of rain up until last night. It was a lot more... sperm-like, lol. And I went through two cloud variations (and settled on the ones you see, after some feedback from my fiancé and one of my 'art beta's :)). I'm glad you think it works! :)

[emmatheslayer.livejournal.com]

amazing work wow so pretty

[dancing-adrift.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much! I'm happy you like it <3

[amberdreams.livejournal.com]

People keep telling me tracing is perfectly legit, but I still can't shake the feeling that it's cheating somehow. Nice work being brave and going freehand!

[dancing-adrift.livejournal.com]

Right??? I've seen nothing but people being totally cool about tracing since I joined LJ, but I can't shake that feeling either. Like, I won't judge other people if they do it, but boy oh boy will I judge myself if I do it. I feel like this is an art stigma that somehow snuck its way into my psyche? and I don't know when or how? lol. I definitely feel a higher sense of accomplishment when I freehand it, but either way I usually end up learning something, and it's nice to always be able to make improvements :)

[amberdreams.livejournal.com]

I've been tracing some and freehanding others and I think the tracing has actually helped - something about the hand eye coordination/ muscle-memory maybe? Anyhow, I fight against my own prejudice every time I do it. LOL

[dancing-adrift.livejournal.com]

Yes. This. All of this. It's only our own minds telling us it's not okay, not a useful tool, not a perfectly acceptable method. Blah! *shakes unhelpful prejudices from brain* You do you, however that is, and just keep on making beautiful art! <3

[amberdreams.livejournal.com]

Thank you - and you too! :D

[somer.livejournal.com]

Nipples and FRECKLES :D I really like all of these pieces!! :D So damn awesome!

[dancing-adrift.livejournal.com]

*huge f*cking grin* Thank you so much! <3 <3

[sillie]

Aww, this is lovely. Also, freckles! :D :D :D

[dancing-adrift.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I'm glad you like it ^_^ <3

[excoyote.livejournal.com]

This is all so fucking CUTE AND ROMANTIC AND LOVELY that I'm going to DIE. Gah. [hands flailing] Can I just say that I LOVE the sepia addition, too? I never would have thought of that!! It fits the fic so well. And their little hipbones, mmmmmmmmmmmm :) You are a fantabulous artist. Thank you again. That fic was incomplete until you came along <3

[dancing-adrift.livejournal.com]

I'm so happy you love it!! ^_^ Yeah, the sepia does kind of fit... there's sort of an old-time feel to the shop, and therefore to the fic, what with the physical books, and the records, and the old typewriters and tin soldiers and such... I've said it before, I'll say it again - I wanted to make more art and I just ran out of time. Who knows - maybe someday I'll make more and surprise you ;) No promises, but you never know! ;) So happy you're happy with the art <3

[dancing-adrift.livejournal.com]

Oh, and feel free to let me know if you'd like anything done differently for when you add the art to the fic. Once I'm done with this year's spn_j2_bigbang (so, around June 9th) I'll have more time and I'd be happy to collaborate more on the art to fit your fic, if you want. You've got my email! :)

[ladygreytowers.livejournal.com]

Loved the story and I love the art! Thanks for sharing.

[dancing-adrift.livejournal.com]

Right? Isn't it just the sweetest? I couldn't stop thinking about it and its lovely imagery after I read it, so I was so happy for the chance to make some art for it, which I'm glad to hear you love too! Thank you! ^_^

[akintay.livejournal.com]

So pretty! I love that there are different versions of the same art -- the mood is so different in all three of them and it really changes things :D Lovely (that being said, I'm slightly distracted by Jared's crotch *coughs*). I really like the colors too!

<333

[dancing-adrift.livejournal.com]

A) Thank you!! ^_^ <3 <3 <3
B) Whenever I use GIMP as my primary art-creating software, I almost always end up editing it in Picasa somehow once it's finished (usually for cropping purposes, because it's just so much easier there, lol); once I'm inside the program, I just can't help myself from playing around with some of its filters and special effects - it's just so much fun! I'm glad you like the variations :)
C) I'm amused that you say that about Jared's crotch... non_tiembo_mala had some similar... 'issues' when I asked for her feedback on the WIP, and this finished edit is actually... less conspicuous? I can only assume it's a *good* distraction, regardless ;) lol
D) So glad you like it all! Thanks again! <3

[beelikej.livejournal.com]

LOVE the sign, it definitely feels vintage bookshoppy;)

Wahey for not tracing, but actually using a reference for playing with the guys, go you!
I like how you coloured Jensen's hair and that faint blush on his cheeks. I love that little dent on top of Jared's chest and - hello, perky nipple! Hehehehe, of course you used the layers to take off their clothes, of course you did \o/

It's such fun to see your progress with the tablet; I'm so happy you joined the quicky_bang:)

[dancing-adrift.livejournal.com]

Thank you for such a lovely comment! It makes me so incredibly happy to have all those details pointed out and appreciated (including the sign - yay! :D). Of course, given your own detailed art, I'm not in the least surprised that you have an eye for it! <3 And, well, yeah, what *else* would I use layers for?? XP ;)

I'm so very happy I joined the quicky_bang too, it's been so much fun! Thanks for having me! :)