Anger

[Seven]

I've been playing around with this idea in my head for a while, since I read it months and months back. *sheepish grin* Actually, I didn't really have to do any thinking for it at all. I am just the medium that translated Asila's beautiful words into visuals. Once again, it's just a rough little sketch (all I am really good for nowadays *tears*) that I did today in my break instead of studying! (Yah--wait a second....)
So here it is!


Now that I'm looking on it on the computer screen, I see a lot of faults. Like the shape of his face being a little off. And the eyes were just a bastard since the beginning (damn symmetry!) And I despise hands with a fiery passion....*rants on* But it was the best I could do with a dull pencil! (I lost my pencil sharpener *tear* and it's too cold outside for me to want to go out and buy a new one. And i'm out of sharp pencils! *emo tears*) But you forgive my artistic failings, right? *charming smile?*


Ok, I admit it. I'm guilty. Drawing it, I did start to muse a little. And then I found the much needed program on the internet to make my vision a reality. Though it too would have looked nicer with a real picture rather than a sketch...Anyways. So here's it is, in all of it's inglorious glory:


(Yes, before anyone asks, it's an ADS-related thing, ok?)

[Asila]

Whoa! Talk about a blast from the past! *grins* I was remembering what I'd written the moment I saw this picture. Whenever I think of Molly and his grand, dramatic gestures, I always think of that moment. I'm glad it impressed you as well! That makes me feel special. In a good way.

It might be a rough sketch, but I really like it. The expression is right on. It would look amazing in color...would you kill me if I printed this out and shaded it?

And yeah, hands are the worst. I'd rather stick with paws and talons any day.

Hmm, you know what you should do next time you have problems with symmetry? Find some tracing paper. That stuff is so incredibly useful for that kind of thing. In fact, when I drew the Evening/Xanthe picture, I used tracing paper to line up Evening's features a bit better, since they weren't lined up as well as I would have liked and it was driving me crazy. Really, though, you should get your hands on some of that stuff. Tracing paper is worth it's weight in gold. Just for the record, though, his eyes look really nice now. I wouldn't have known you'd struggled with them if you hadn't told me!

And the ANGER thing is funny. How'd you do that?

[Seven]

*grins* Are you kidding? That was one of my favorite posts of yours! How could I forget! I was hoping it looked dramatic enough, but I'm not sure it lives up to your written half. *curse you hands!!!* Steepled hands are hard....

I'm really glad you like it. And that the expression worked (his eyes nearly killed me! My poor bruised, middle finger...I should stop taking class notes! *doesn't even consider that getting a sharp pencil would do worlds of wonder*) Do feel free to print it out and color it. I tend to never get around to coloring things myself. You might need to trace it first, just to make it cleaner though...

well, I don't have SO many problems with symmetry. I just had a couple things going against me in this one. Like the lack of a sharpened pencil. *It made hitting the right places on the paper difficult.* That, and it was the first time drawing Malevolos from a full frontal view, as opposed to sides or 3-quarters. *grins and laughs* Oh Asila, I'm too lazy to even go buy a pencil sharpener--do you really think I'm going to get off my extremely frugal bottom and spend money on tracing paper? *shakes head* I know, I'm sad.

I googled "make motivational poster." It was pretty simple easy. It was an online converter. Glad you liked it.

[Asila]

Really, Seven, I never thought my posts were half as cool as you seemed to! I was just grateful when I could write posts half as elaborate as yours.

Anyway...I can't wait to start shading this picture! I'm going to try and take a page out of Caravaggio's book and use a dark background and deep shadows to make it look intense and brooding...then I can make his eyes look really bright...*continues to plot color scheme*

*shakes head* Fine. Don't buy tracing paper. You don't know what you're missing out on. *grins* Aw, I'll just bring some over when I visit. I'm such a spaz about using all the space on the current sheet before moving on to another that it would take me at least two years to get through what I have. Probably longer.

[Seven]

You don't seem to realize how much they mean to me. *grins* I anticipate watching what you're going to do next more than I would...than...*pauses to think* .......*sheepish grin* I can't actually think of anything I look forward to them that much! And it's not just what you do, Asila, it's how you write it! It's always so metaphorical, so vivid, so moving---I can't believe you're saying you were trying to measure up to me of all people! I always feel yours are so much better! In fact, whenever I re-read a thread of ours, I just end up glaring at my posts for being so horribly written! They're all long-winded and immaturely done! Yours on the other hand, are practically poetry!

Ooo--fun! I can't wait to see! I have to admit, I didn't give the shirt much detail because the way I originally imagined it as a final product was just in the simple style of black ink, like in manga pages. Therefore, his shirt would have been solid black and devoid of the details like ripples (since you can't see black ink on black ink.) *sheepish grin* But you saying you want to color it in makes me feel bad that I didn't put more time into making the shirt realistic....
I do like the idea of the really bright eyes! (I remember that too...) I can't wait to see whatever you do with it!

XD I know, I'm lazy and it's cold outside.
Aww, you don't have to do that! (I don't want to mooch off of you!) But thank you in any case, that's really sweet!

[Asila]

I'd argue with you, but I'd rather take compliments where I can get them right now. They keep me going. And I do write a pretty metaphor. *grins*

Really, though, I never feel as though my posts flow as well as yours do. They're more abstract and sometimes difficult to understand. Which is fine, I suppose, but I can't stop myself from thinking that any person on either side of my family that would read them would fail to understand. Hell, my grandma looks at me funny whenever I sing the Phantom's part in POTO. I think I'm too good at it, but I'm an alto. Of course I can sing the lower notes easier. I can only hit the high notes when I put more power behind my voice, and I'm reluctant to do so when I'm surrounded by people who I think are judging me. But sometimes, when I'm alone, I can sing Christine's part so beautifully.*sighs* But when I'm by myself, I don't care if I hit the occasional note wrong.

Oh brother, I'm such a rambler. Now, back to the subject at hand!

Don't worry about Molly's shirt, it's going to be black and so it's going to blend into the dark background. I'm going to highlight his shoulders and his sleeves, so that they have some definition. I'm going to do the same thing with his hair. In fact, I think the only source of light is going to be the brightly burning glow of his eyes. So, when I'm done, it's going to look as though his eyes are blazing through the darkness, with his face and hands almost floating, disembodied, within it. Because, for some reason, when I started thinking of how much more dramatic the picture would look with color that is exactly what I saw in my head.

I'm going to slaughter my black colored pencils, but if I can shade this picture into the vision I see now it will be worth it. Besides, I can probably color everything that's going to be black with black marker before I go over it in colored pencil, which would spare them a great deal of abuse.

This is random, but I really love YellowCard, I'm listening to them right now, and this stanza from their song, "Empty Apartment" speaks to me.

It's okay to be angry and never let go
It only gets harder the more that you know
When you get lonely if no one's around
You know that I'll catch you when you're falling down
We came together but you left alone
And I know how it feels to walk out on your own
Maybe someday I will see you again
And you'll look me in my eyes and call me your friend

God, I love this band so much. I'll have to burn you a copy of their cd, because almost every song is so sweet and sentimental. It just gets me going.

[Seven]

Once again, are you kidding? I'd love to be able to write metaphorically like you! No offense, but from my impression of your family, they don't sound exactly like group of intellectuals or refined literary critics, so it's unfair to try to gauge how good your work is by their means of appreciation. First of all, they're not difficult to understand (I've never had a problem with it), and second of all, your kind of writing is of the style that is always most hailed as literary artwork! I mean, haven't you ever seen that the greatest and pieces that we're told to read in classes are always the most metaphorical to the point it is difficult to understand what the hell is going on? (*Remembers reading "Heart of Darkness"* Do you realize how often Conrad uses dead things as analogies for living ones? 'they played the bones' = dominos, 'the polished coffin in her dining room,' = a piano, 'the white sepulcher' = city, etc.) You really need to have more faith in what you write. Especially considering that it's excellent. And if they don't like it, well...then you should follow your quote's (the one beneath your avatar) advice.

*grins* That's nothing strange. I'm a soprano, but I still love sining the Phantom's role---I usually do a duet with myself.

Of course it would. Color usually adds life to things! I like your idea too, so I can't wait to see it. When do you think it'll be done?

I have a random question, because you mentioned tracing paper earlier. Well...erm...*sheepish* how do you actually use it? I've always been a little confused about it.
Ok, I'm not so daft. I get that you place the tracing paper on the original and trace it. But then, how do you get the image you traced on the tracing paper back onto a regular sheet? The only think I can imagine is that you'd have to layer the regular paper on top of the tracing paper and trace again. But isn't that a little self-defeating? Especially since regular paper isn't made for tracing?

I'll have to look them up sometime...when I have time. *bleh.*

[Asila]

My family definitely doesn't boast intellectuals. That's one of my grandma's favorite jokes, actually. She likes to say that I got all of my artistic talent from her. Since she wasn't gifted with such abilities, they must have passed through her to me. *grins* They mean well, and my grandparents have been happy with me lately because I've expressed desire to participate in things again, like choir and orchestra. So they aren't all bad. I just wish that I did have an intellectual in the family whose advice and encouragement I could rely on. But everything I do just goes over my grandparents head. My grandma only appreciates landscapes in art, and romance novels in literature. So everything I do is a bit far out for her tastes. And people who actually read more than the occasional chapter here and there are so rare that my aunt told me I couldn't possibly have ADD because I read all the time. As though reading in and of itself makes me a genius, and as though a genius couldn't have that kind of disorder. Yeah, ignorance reigns in the family. It's frustrating. Being the exception to the rule is a pain, but I am what I am. There's no changing it now. *shrugs*

Heh heh, I like to sing duets by myself, too. It's fun. But, more often than not, I'll start giggling before the song ends. It just cracks me up, to go from the deeper, masculine voice, to the higher, feminine one. I always feel as though I have a multiple-personality disorder. *grins*

Hmm, I'm hoping to have the Molly picture done tomorrow night. I've already put over three hours into it. I've got all of the marker stuff done now, so I get to move on to the color pencil detail work, which will be less tedious. I can't wait to see this finished, I've been getting really excited over it. What will it be like to see Molly in color? *dreams*

Grr, how do I describe how to use tracing paper? It's one of those things that's easier to show to someone than it is to tell them about it. But here goes. Once you trace the image onto the tracing paper, you can do two things. If you want the reversed, mirror-image version, you can just flip the tracing paper over and trace over the lines you've already traced. That would transfer the image to the paper beneath. Or, to keep the image from being reversed, you would rub graphite onto the back of the tracing paper, which basically involves scribbling all over the back of the image you just traced. Then you would flip it over onto the paper, scribbled-graphite side down, and firmly re-trace the lines so that they show up on the paper. It's not the most exciting process on the planet, but every once in a while it comes in handy. Especially when you want features to match or to make them symmetrical. Or if you want to transfer an image out of you're sketchbook and onto another surface, like higher-quality paper or onto a canvas.

[Seven]

Well, if it's any consolation, my family doesn't either. My father had 6th grade education in a small, (equivalent to) hill-billy town in Greece (so you can imagine their level of 6th grade sucked anyways.) He's been completely illiterate (at least your family CAN

[Seven]

Well, if it's any consolation, my family doesn't either. My father had 6th grade education in a small, (equivalent to) hill-billy town in Greece (so you can imagine their level of 6th grade sucked anyways.) He's been completely illiterate (at least your family CAN read) and his English has never been that good. *grins* My mom is an interesting person. She has always loved learning, and actually had a pretty good education up until she met my father, who took her down the wrong path. So she never went to college, and at this point in her life, most things I try to talk to her about in my education tend to go over her head, but she at least knows its value and tries to understand. The only point we disagree on are novels. *frowns* She thinks fiction and literature is a big waste of time. She always says that there is so much knowledge to be learnt that reading fiction as compared to, lets say, nurtition books, is wasting time. But it's not like she really tries to stop me from reading of course. It's sort of like she knows reading literature is good, but doesn't quite understand why. And she would only really appreciate it if I ever made money out of it by being an author. (*shrugs* At least that works for me!) ...Though if things ever do progress between Molly and Serena, she's/I'm going to have that inner dilemma and fear that I'm making the same mistakes as my mom....

And what's wrong with MPD? *grins* I would have to say that out of all the mental disorders one can have, MPD is at least the most entertaining....

*squeals* Oh I can't wait to see it! It sounds so wonderful! Molly in color! *suddenly thought of technocolor and the 1950s, when advertising 'in color' was a big deal*
I now have something to look forward to for tomorrow! Yeah!

*nods* thanks for your description. it was actually pretty helpful in understanding how it'd work. I might have to look into some tracing paper now...

[Asila]

All right, here's the colored version. Please be charitable. I feel like I failed and I won't take constructive criticism very well.

[Seven]

Ok, I have to say, I still don't know what you're talking about. It looks great! I especially love how you did the eyes and hair! The hair is so fabulously colored---it looks 3d even! Somehow, my picture just didn't look as angry as it should have, but with your color, you really transformed it. I mean, he looks terrifying in all his anger! *hugs* Thank you for coloring it!

[Asila]

Well, I guess I should be happy that you liked it. Especially since I was convinced you would be disappointed with it and was afraid to show you. But it just frustrated me.

I think it would have been better if I knew how to layer oil paint the way Leonardo or Caravaggio could. It would have looked smoother, more radiant. Colored pencils were just the wrong tool for the job. But I don't know how to paint with oil paints! I don't really know how to paint with acrylic. I haven't been taught a single technique, and that's beginning to drive me crazy. I really need to take a painting course next semester.

And I still hate that picture. So much. I couldn't match the picture in my head at all. And now I'm afraid to shade in the Evening/Xanthe picture I've drawn months back because I think I'm going to mess that one up, too. *sighs*

[Seven]

Of course I like it, it looks so cool! And more so, your ideas are amazing. I love how the rest of the room and his clothes are so dark he looks almost like a set of floating hands with a face. And I still love how amazingly you did the hair. How the light reflects that same red as his eyes, and the further away the strands get, the more they become a part of the blackness that surrounds him. *grins* It's actually pretty symbolic, no? I wish you'd stop feeling so badly about it, and i'm personally surprised you want to part with it.

*nods* I know what you mean. You know, I actually have a video about how to pain oil landscapes. It's not exactly the direction either of us are heading in (I think), but it might be good to watch (or in my case, re-watch) to try and grasp at least some technique. Hell, we can buy 2 canvases and turn it into an educational oil painting get together!

You know, you could make a copy of the Evening/Xanthe picture first, then color the copy, if you're so afraid....

[Asila]

Yeah, the I really did like the hair. And I liked how almost everything faded into the background, leaving only his face and hands defined. And I guess I did well on everything except shading in his face and hands. But I really messed up when it came to shading his face and hands! And that was the part that I had wanted so badly to do well on.

Oh well. *sighs*

As for the oil painting thing, I'll give it a shot. I'll just have to make sure I don't care how the picture will turn out. That way, if I don't like it, it won't matter. And if I do, I'll be pleasantly surprised. It would be win win.