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immortalarizona · 9 months

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“This is chaos magic, Wanda. And that makes you the Scarlet Witch.”

— Agatha Harkness

a sketch showcasing my Wanda design!! credit to @adorkastock for the pose reference used :)

below the cut is a full breakdown of my design, including its evolution, my thought process, and other unposted drawings relating to this project, so read on if you’re interested!!

okay, so real talk, I first decided I wanted to make my own Wanda design because I Could Not be bothered to keep looking up refs for whatever tf is going on with her mcu costume bodice. I mean, look at this:

I mean, maybe it looks okay onscreen, but there’s so many fiddly little details, especially around the collar, and it was just a pain to draw whenever I would draw my Wanda. and okay I’ll be real I also wanted to distance my Wanda from the whitewashed Wendy version of her, because I Do What I Want. and also, the dullness of the reds did not spark joy within my heart. she’s the Scarlet Witch, people, not the Vaguely Maroon Witch!!

and I fell in love with the Kevin Wada design when I first saw it. it’s gorgeous, it’s sleek, it’s witchy, and it’s significantly less frustrating to draw!!

so for a while, I drew my Wanda in a variation of this fit, blended with some of my own touches (a high ponytail + an occasional choker) and a few of the things I did like from her mcu fit (the crown + the half skirt thingamabob + the long cape). but I was still feeling :/ about it, mainly because while the off-the-shoulder design looks lovely, I found it tricky to draw whenever Wanda would raise her hands above her head. exhibit a below:

behold, the sketch for an old drawing I never finished!! and I know artists smarter than me have figured out How The Sleeves, because some comics even today still use this design, but I only have so many brain cells to spend, and I felt like simplifying things for myself even further.

that was when Russell Dauterman’s design for the 2022 Hellfire Gala dropped. and I went FERAL.

it’s gorgeous!! it’s stunning!! high collars my beloved!! so I took the collar design and ran with it for my own design.

behold, a janky rendition of my costume design in the crappy colored pencils provided to us during my fashion design class!! I know, I know, the coloring looks atrocious, but I was working with what I had. now, you may have already noticed some elements not present in any of the designs I cited as my influences. let’s talk about those!!

the sleeves are split from the main bodice as gloves: this was for my own sanity, haha. it was a construction my smol lizard brain could comprehend and work with much better than Whatever is going on with the comics designs.

the red portion of the gloves tapers in kind of a V design rather than cutting off at the fingers: personally, I felt like this accentuated the elegant flow of all the hand gestures Wanda makes when using her powers better than the classic fingerless design, or whatever thumb strap thingy was going on with her MoM costume.

where’d the design for her cloak clasp come from?: now we all know that tumblr’s pixel budget is next to nil, but if you zoom in, you’ll notice that the clasp of Wanda’s cloak is not her M crown design, but rather a golden kinda coffin-shaped thingy. see, I saw this one theory that this hex shape in Wanda’s mcu bodice was an homage to Vision and the Mind Stone, and I liked that theory, so I referenced it with a hex-shaped clasp.

and the runes on her bodice and skirt?: I actually referenced the Enochian font for those!! according to wikipedia, it’s said to be the language of angels, which feels appropriate for a character as tied to cosmic powers as Wanda. also, real talk, it just looks cool. the script on her bodice originally said “not born, forged,” in reference to the Darkhold’s Scarlet Witch prophecy, but it’s become truncated as the bodice has become shorter to accommodate a more high-waisted structure, which I personally believe to be more flattering in general. I added the runes pretty late in the design process to her skirt to tie the whole fit together visually. from an in-universe perspective, I like to think of the writing as Chthon visually marking Wanda as his creation. his witch.

why does Wanda have a high ponytail when she’s never had one in her most recognizable incarnations?: because a) I do what I want, and b) Alba Flores looks STUNNING in a high ponytail.

and let it never be said that I am not fruity as all heck about Wanda Maximoff <3

so there you have it, a Wanda design that I think is as beautiful, regal, and magical as she is, not to mention one that I can draw repeatedly without having to immediately reach for my phone to Yet Again look up references for how the heck the bodice works.

(and really, it only seemed fitting that the Scarlet Witch of Earth-19384 should receive her own unique design.)

#ari does art #long post #mcu #scarlet witch #wanda maximoff #alba flores as wanda maximoff #costume design #earth-19384 #marvel #artists on tumblr

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lovejustforaday · 4 months

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2023 Year End List - #11

El Diablo En El Cuerpo - Álex Anwandter

Main Genres: Synth Pop, Dance Pop

A decent sampling of: Electro-Disco, Synth Funk, Electro Pop

Yet another entry on the list that I discovered this year while looking for records from outside the Anglosphere. And again, it's another artist from Latino-America.

I already said this in an old review, so I'm just gonna reiterate my stance briefly again - the 21st century 80s synth pop revivalism wave has been very hit or miss. And I'm mostly talking about the stuff that very clearly is actually paying homage to 80s music, not just any artist who happens to make bleeps and bloops.

But yeah, hit or miss. Some of it is frankly very dull and uninspired, and makes me wanna just put on some classic Depeche Mode or Strawberry Switchblade instead.

But when it hits, it hits hard, somehow managing to justify this ""trend"" that's been going on far too long to even be considered a trend anymore. Let's face it - the whole 80s synth pop / synth funk / sophistopop sound is here to stay forever, and I think that's for the best, even if occasionally I get a little exhausted from the over-saturation.

Anyways, moving on to the artist.

Álex Andwandter is a queer Chilean alternative pop artist and director based out of Santiago. He's collaborated with one of my own favourites, fellow Chilean indie/alt pop artist Javiera Mena (who makes a guest appearance on this record!). The dude has been active for over a decade now, so again, I'm a bit late to the party. Cut me some slack; I'm a gringo.

Álex himself sings in a bright, chipper, falsetto-y tenor full of sunshine and rainbows, sounding every bit as colourful as the classic synthesizer sounds that he incorporates into his music, though he also has a more dark and seductive register that he often injects into his steamier dance songs.

El Diablo En El Cuerpo ("The Devil in the Body"), his latest offering and my first introduction to his discography, is classic dancey, funky synth pop with a lot of sincerity and a few pinches of homoerotic mystique sprinkled in here and there. A very indulgent record for you to just lose yourself in the glitter and glam of it all. Basically, this is some utopian gay space shit (shout out to those who get the meme) and I am here for it.

Nothing could prepare me for the tantalizing and straight-up badass electro-disco thunderstorm that is "Qué piensas hacer sin mi amor?" ("What do you think you will do without my love?"). Anwandter channels Depeche Mode, Soft Cell, and Donna Summer all at once on this fierce juggernaut that's absolutely soaking with erotic tension. Puts me right in the middle of the dimmest, sweatiest fucking over-crowded dancefloor in some sleazy ass gay bar on a goth night at 1:00 am, and I'm too drunk to feel anything except the pounding pulse of the rhythm and the arousal of strangers rubbing up against me....ahem, is it hot in here? Anyways, eat your heart out Troye Sivan ("Rush" is great too, I'm mostly just memeing).

In contrast, the following track "Precipicio" ("Precipice") gives off a very 'classy' vibe - more cocktail dresses and glowing white LED dancefloors, less BDSM goth fetish gear and sweaty dankness. Some nice, sexy funky horns on this one that really brings the whole thing together. I also LIVE for Álex's sassy twink diva vibes all over this track; gets me almost as h-word as the previous track.

"Toda la noche" ("All Night") is anthemic synth funk that's giving a little bit of INXS. Groovy and life-affirming feel good shit that I would snort if I could. I want this to be the soundtrack of my own silly little 80s romance that's all about being young in the big city.

"Vamos de nuevo" ("Let's Go Again") is less of a nocturnal dancefloor number, and more something you might skip along to down the sidewalk on a sun shower summer's day with your hot pink Sony Walkman. Gorgeous upbeat vibraphone and detuned synth keys providing a backdrop for foolishly lovesick lyrics. My other favourite cut off the album, after the obvious one.

At the end of the day, the record is definitely a bit frontloaded, and it wears me out a little bit with its sixteen tracks in total. I understand this is probably meant to be the kind of record you play late at night when you're ready to get wasted and dance your heart out until you pass out; I just think it could be sequenced to have more of the outright bangers towards the end. But putting that aside, this was my second favourite dance record in a very stacked year for dance records, and it's certainly my favourite on the more disco/house/funky/electro-y end of the spectrum. El Diablo En El Cuerpo is simple, hot, memorable fun with a lot of exquisite taste. I can't imagine anyone in my own life that I couldn't successfully recommend this album to. So go on, embrace your inner gay synth pop twink.

8/10

Highlights: "Qué piensas hacer sin mi amor?", "Vamos de nuevo", "Precipicio", "Toda la noche", "Tienes una idea muy antigua del amor", "prediciendo la runa", "Unx de nosotrxs (feat. Javiera Mena)"

#Alex Anwandter #Spanish Music #El Diablo En El Cuerpo #synth pop #electronic #dance pop #2023 #year end list #aoty #aoty2023 #queer music #album review #music review

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marzipanandminutiae · 2 years

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Did you see Vanessa Hudgens' gown yet? The silhouette is kind of close ... Thoughts?

So, here were grounds on which I would accept Met Gala outfits as valid:

Matches the theme. Does it look Gilded Age-inspired? Perfect. And my definition of "inspired" is VERY loose in this case, even besides the fact that the Gilded Age is arguably a 40-year period. 35 at minimum (~1870-1905).

Highlights or draws inspiration from some element of Gilded Age decorative arts or fashion. This is wear Ms. Hudgens' gown comes in

It looks inspired by Chantilly lace. Plus, little puffed sleeves and a train. So yeah, I'll give her this one.

(That guy in the cloisonné-looking jacket, too. Who was he? I can't find photos without his name, and I didn't register it when I saw a photo briefly. But, you know...paying homage to 19th-century obsessions with chinoiserie and Asian-export porcelain. Love it.)

3. Gilded/glittery in an over-the-top and artistic manner. Okay, I'm prepared to admit that the theme "Gilded Glamour" doesn't specifically reference the time period (even though it looks like the Met gave out a brief about the theme that did mention it as a historical thing). So Gemma Chan's gorgeous black-and-silver 1920s robe de style gets a pass from me.

Though I do still lightly question the Historical But Not Gilded Age outfits along those lines. You couldn't have looked it up...? Well, whatever. If you at least committed to whatever blinged-out look you picked, I'll let it slide.

Ergo, as I said, I liked Vanessa Hudgens' ensemble!

#met gala

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rockislandadultreads · 1 year

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Mythology Picks to Check Out

Legendary Ladies: 50 Goddesses to Empower and Inspire You by Ann Shen

From the beloved author and artist behind Bad Girls Throughout History comes this lushly illustrated book of goddesses from around the world. Aphrodite, the Greek goddess whose love overcame mortality. Mazu, the Chinese deity who safely guides travelers home. Lakshmi, the Hindu provider of fortune and prosperity. These powerful deities and many more are celebrated in gorgeous artwork and enlightening essays that explore the feminine divine and encourage readers to empower themselves. Ann Shen's signature watercolors make Legendary Ladies a unique, gift-worthy homage to the mighty women within.

Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes by Edith Hamilton

Since its original publication by Little, Brown and Company in 1942, Edith Hamilton's Mythology has sold millions of copies throughout the world and established itself as a perennial bestseller. For more than seven decades readers have chosen this book above all others to discover the enchanting world of mythology -- from Odysseus's adventure-filled journey to the Norse god Odin's effort to postpone the final day of doom. This deluxe, hardcover edition is fully-illustrated throughout with all-new, specially commissioned art, making it a true collector's item.

Pandora's Jar: Women in the Greek Myths by Natalie Haynes

The tellers of Greek myths--historically men--have routinely sidelined the female characters. When they do take a larger role, women are often portrayed as monstrous, vengeful or just plain evil--like Pandora, the woman of eternal scorn and damnation whose curiosity is tasked with causing all the world's suffering and wickedness when she opened that forbidden box. But, as Natalie Haynes reveals, in ancient Greek myths there was no box. It was a jar . . . which is far more likely to tip over. In Pandora's Jar, the broadcaster, writer, stand-up comedian, and passionate classicist turns the tables, putting the women of the Greek myths on an equal footing with the men. With wit, humor, and savvy, Haynes revolutionizes our understanding of epic poems, stories, and plays, resurrecting them from a woman's perspective and tracing the origins of their mythic female characters.

The Book of Yokai: Mysterious Creatures of Japanese Folklore by Michael Dylan Foster, Shinonome Kijin (Illustrator)

Monsters, ghosts, fantastic beings, and supernatural phenomena of all sorts haunt the folklore and popular culture of Japan. Broadly labeled yokai, these creatures come in infinite shapes and sizes, from tengu mountain goblins and kappa water spirits to shape-shifting foxes and long-tongued ceiling-lickers. Currently popular in anime, manga, film, and computer games, many yokai originated in local legends, folktales, and regional ghost stories. Drawing on years of research in Japan, Michael Dylan Foster unpacks the history and cultural context of yokai, tracing their roots, interpreting their meanings, and introducing people who have hunted them through the ages. In this delightful and accessible narrative, readers will explore the roles played by these mysterious beings within Japanese culture and will also learn of their abundance and variety through detailed entries, some with original illustrations, on more than fifty individual creatures. The Book of Yokai provides a lively excursion into Japanese folklore and its ever-expanding influence on global popular culture. It also invites readers to examine how people create, transmit, and collect folklore, and how they make sense of the mysteries in the world around them. By exploring yokai as a concept, we can better understand broader processes of tradition, innovation, storytelling, and individual and communal creativity.

#mythology #nonfiction #non fiction #history #booklr #book blog #booktok #reading recommendations #Book Recommendations #library books

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oasis-nadrama · 1 year

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‘The Cerulean Motley Crew’, by Cerulean Snake - All aboard, mateys!

Review by Oasis Nadrama, 04/12/2023 (up to page 255)

[Drawing by CeruleanSnake] When they were a young troll, Chever always wanted to become a pirate... but ended up at the opposite end of life, as a prison guard, when the hard rules of the Alternian Empire took their toll on their dreams of liberty. One day, in the orbital penitentiary, they are tasked with welcoming a particularly dangerous prisoner, and this encounter will uncover the secrets to their past, future and present life. Can the call of the sea be heard amongst the stars?

[Drawing by CeruleanSnake] The large fictional universe engendered by Homestuck opens on many worlds, eras and sapient species, and opens even more doors for inventive storytellers. But rare are the fanworks to make full use of this potential, and in this area as in many others, the stunning fan aventure The Cerulean Motley Crew excels. It proposes a rarely explored political context, the period of the Summoner who challenged imperial tyranny, and an even rarer genre in this general setting: PIRATES! Chever, our nonbinary protagonist, improvized buccaneer and self-proclaimed pirate captain, organically assemble a colorful crew along their quest, and the cast is, again, one of this adventure's strengths. Flintlock, an uncontrollable anarchist, fights against slavery and general political power with reckless abandon (not to mention a certain thirst for gratuitous bloodbath). Rat escaped a futureless life in a nightmarish complex and is now along for the ride, despite her general consternation towards the chaotic, childish and sex-obsessed nature of her two comrades The efficient yet comical trio will cross the path of many more memorable figures, some of them friends, some of them neutral, some of them enemies, all of them enjoyable, up to and including the apparent main antagonist, as despicable as they go, all united in a dynamic, fluid, rhythmic dance, events intertwined for maximum impact, drama and suspense but never forgetting to remain entertaining. The structure and pacing are flawless, the tone perfectly mastered, the lore absorbing, the dialogues lively... What's not to love here?

[Drawing by CeruleanSnake] The drawings are on par with the writing: intense, refreshing color palettes are a feast for sore eyes. Character designs are extremely distinct with various morphologies and clothing styles; the different body types really shine in both action scenes and dynamic dialogues. There may be some errors in proportions or simplistic environments, but these little flaws pale in comparison to the overall visual quality. Perspectives are good and dynamic, action poses effective... But the really exceptional thing is the faces: they are all different, flexible, and incredibly expressive! The author makes good use of the media with gorgeous animated backgrounds which adapt to the various scenes: at dusk, the waves of the decor will meet darkened sand bathed in the red light of the alien sunset; by midnight, the foliage on the shore will be lightened only by the shining firmament. This work on the interface does wonder for the general immersion. Other uses of the form include short panel animations and ondulating, shaking, distorted lines in the conversation. CeruleanSnake's maestria culminates in the insult-off minigame. This stunning moment of interactivity, frontal homage to Monkey Island, is funny, balanced, brimming with details! It represents full days of work by the artist and it shows.

[Drawing by CeruleanSnake] The Cerulean Motley Crew is a work of love and a beautiful story, full of life and surprises. Looking forward to the next episodes of this big adventure!

#homestuck #webcomic #mspfa #the cerulean motley crew #pirates #fan comic #mspfanventures #various articles

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sinister-faye · 10 months

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Gamedev Blog #1: Playstation 1 aesthetics and the unreal engine. + Game tease

Unreal engine 5 has been pushing the limits of real-time rendering. But some of us, myself included, have gone WAY back to rendering chunky, blocky PS1(PSX) styled graphics.

The tip of this spear is the Gorgeous Goth Goddess @b0tster with their twofold Bloodborne PSX and Bloodborne Kart projects respectively.

The reasons we choose the style are simple. Firstly those of us who are leaning hard on this aesthetic were in our formative years during the fifth console generation, so we have fond memories of playing games that look CHUNKY. And secondly, perhaps most importantly, it is the easiest (kinda) 3D content pipeline to do as a solo developer.

No need to bake meshes, no polygon budget, no texture streaming budget, Installs that won't even approach 100 gigs(let alone 10g), and guaranteed 60fps is a minimum. Low poly art style has a lot going for it.

-Getting the style

The Unreal engine 5 does have to be modified a little bit. Since it has features that were not even dreamed of in 1998 set as default, We actually have to use a shader to emulate the lower fidelity colors, resolution, and lighting effects. Starting the project means turning off things like: anti aliasing, motion blur, HDR lighting, ETC.

My current post processing effect.

Since most people aren't playing on old Sony CRT tv's and have modern 16:9 monitors, we have to just divide the HELL out of the resolution and color space. This shader (shown above) is very adjustable, and is just the first step on the PSX-esque look.

The next step is modeling and texturing. I'm used to 3d modeling in high resolution, so I had to learn to think like a 90's developer and get as much detail as I can squeeze out of as little polygons as possible.

A WIP of a character in my upcoming project

High polycounts give artists the freedom to make their characters as realistic as possible, BUT making them look exactly right, and more importantly animate in a way that looks real is hard to pull off. Low poly models require much more precise and EXACT modeling and texturing, but allows for a more artistic interpretation of how characters look and move. The human eye is more forgiving of caricatures of people.

youtube

Another popular effect for most PSX throwback games is the model "jitter" where models would not place vertices in their EXACT location on the screen(check out the video above!). So it looked like the character was shaky until the camera got right next to the character, to save on memory. I am currently debating using this effect in my game.

The game

So the game I'm working on is: Codename Cardboard Box. (the title is pending some stuff)

As you can probably surmise from the codename it is a metal gear solid homage. I will be taking the Tactical Espionage Action gameplay, and long stylized cutscenes of the serries and putting my own spin on it.

I have been playing through the whole serries recently(again lol), and have noticed so many Queer pieces of subtext than I did as a teen. But it seems like there was a heavy censoring hand on the story creators to push that aside, for example in MGS 2 there was cut dialogue in the script where Otacon would have mistakenly called Snake "David". Implying a much more familiar relationship. MGS4 showcased a lot more "for the male gaze" designs, and camera angles. (I swear to god Naomi's boobs have more screentime than Meryl in total) and the whole serries seemed to have every woman who talked reinforce gender stereotypes, or was just a non stop flirting machine for snake to banter with. The only one who sort of escaped this fate was Emma Emmerich, but even then there were a few lines that made my eyes roll.

Originally I thought of a mod that would change the genders of all the main characters of the MGS serries, to make it way gayer. But then I thought, firstly, Konami is quite litigious, and that I don't think that changing the voices and character models would do much to the overall queer representation and messages of the story.

So Codename Cardboard box (CCB) is going to be an original new story to represent what it is to be queer in the world right now.

The style I am going for is pretty specific, not quite 1:1 PSX or N64 in graphical fidelity. More like a step between Metal gear solid 1 and 2 as a port to the PC in 1999.

Hopefully I can capture the exact aesthetic, I'm still experimenting between MGS 1 style and MGS 2. I don't fully want to commit to one or the other. So I'm toying around between super low textures (64x64-128x128 max) of MGS1, and the medium detail models of MGS2 (with eyes and a single mesh). This is what I have landed on so far, but things may change in the near future.

I also will be using more modern real time lighting solutions, as I think there can be some gameplay choices that can be effected by this (darkness being a great asset).

As far as gameplay goes I'm going for a patchwork of mechanics from across the serries. So here is a small list to represent how it will feel to move and attack with the character:

The over the shoulder / top down view toggling options from MGS3.

The 3 stance options (stand, crouch, prone) of movement from MGS4.

The auto aiming from MGS2, with the over the shoulder toggle aim from MGS4. (no first person view, for now)

The ledge climbing from MGS 2.

No Stamina bar like in MGS1.

And surprisingly enough a hybrid of the MGS 1 item selection (where you just have all of your weapons available to select at any time, rather than using a backpack)

And of course some other cheeky mechanics that I can't spoil just yet.

But of course all of these screenshots, mechanics, and ideas are works in progress. While they fit the game now, they may be changed to fit the vision of the game better in the future.

So that is it for blog post #1! I will tease the next update just below, but after that I am going to continue my personal gamedev history below that!

Next time:

Blog 2- animation, scripts, and themes.

So Personal gamedev journey. The most vivid memory I have of making a choice to be a game developer was in the year 2002. I was playing Diablo 2, after completing a multiplayer halo 1 campaign . My friends and I were just in awe of games as a storytelling medium. We had been playing on a LAN connection and were thinking about making our own diablo 2 mod or even whole separate homage game. We all chose roles of what we could do to make the game. And none of them really did anything beyond a conversation. I was enthralled thought.

I dabbled in halo moding (I never released anything, so don't bother looking it up.) and thought about making games through the rest of high school.

After graduation I kind of dropped it while I just kind of goofed off for like 3 years. So in 2007 I took some 3d modeling classes and learned how to use 3ds max at my local community college.

I made a few cool looking mechs, but I remember just not being able to do much with the software. If you don't know 3ds max is not a very good 3d software.

So from 2008 to about 2014 I was a bit of a mess. I didn't really do much with my life as I was a disassociated mess ( see blog post 0 for more info) I just was kind of drifting from one job and activity to the next. Those friends I mentioned earlier started a video production company, we made a few short videos for youtube, never got over 40 views. And we just kind of fizzled out. I was the 3d artist of the team. But nothing really clicked.

I felt trapped, cuz I lived in a super expensive area and with my parents. So of all things I moved to Utah to strike out on my own, where I tried to kickstart a 3d printed miniatures company. (I beat hero forge by a little bit, but they had the more solid everything)

After that the unreal engine 4 came out. I poured more and more time into it. I had 0 programming knowledge and had seen games like braid, and fez become popular. So I started just making stuff. When I found a dead-end due to a lack of knowledge I would then try to educate myself on that blind spot. Slowly I learned, UV unwrapping, animation, sprite art, rigging, and more!

That took all of 6 years off and on. Then one day I decided that I had not gotten my shit together. So I looked inward (once again read post 0) and found that I had ADHD and other hang ups that were causing me to not commit to any one project. So I got medicated, and therapated, and learned how to properly learn. So After about 50 false starts. I'm throwing my hat into the ring again. This time doing it for myself. I'm not going to use this blog as a method of checking in, I'm using it to document my journey. No matter where it takes me.

The goal is to release a game on itch.io and steam. I don't care how many units it sells. I want to release something to have fun, and to see where I can take myself.

I will do some attempts at the social media game, if it finds an audience, awesome. If not. K. My only hope is that a queer person somewhere plays my gay ass game and has a gay ass time.

-thanks for reading this loooong poooooost!.

#unreal engine #ue5 #transgender #game development #metal gear solid #MGS #low poly #pixel art

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childishzombiejellyfish · 2 years

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the thing about singin’ in the rain is that you could argue this or that about it (you could argue that the second half is rushed compared to the first, or that lina lamont isn’t as powerful a villain as one could put in a film like this, or that the broadway ballet is too long, etc...) -- but the thing about singin’ in the rain is that it’s not just a love letter to movies, it’s a love letter to artistry: the artistry of making a movie and the artists who make them work, so really the plot is mainly there to serve that idea, while giving us a lovely debbie reynolds in her breakout role!

which is also why all of these later nostalgia films don’t quite work, because singin’ in the rain isn’t really about the nostalgia of silent film - it pays some homage to it, but it’s excited about the future throughout

and it’s not really about hollywood, although there is by necessity a lot of hollywood in it, because so much of it is actually about art and artisans

and it’s not really about the supremacy of film storytelling, so much as it is showcasing how fucking cool it can look and sound and be (again through the lens of some of the best artists in the business + gorgeous sets and costumes + wonderful catchy songs -- and that colour! it’s so gorgeous is the point!) by breaking it down and building it back up again (look at how this stunt is done! look at this neurotic director! look at this matte painting and fog and ladder which creates a tableaux! look at sound design and microphones and syncing! and again, colour!)

it’s a little, fun insight into how “movie magic” gets made, and in revealing these tricks it actually reveals that they still work, even though we know that set is cardboard and she’s standing on a ladder and there’s a microphone hidden somewhere

and so when you make anything about the glory days of hollywood, using artists who aren’t the best at the thing you’re ostensibly highlighting, and proclaiming the Ultimate Power Of Hollywood Film As Superior Storytelling Device in particular, and making it into this unknowable mythic force (sometimes one that’s ostensibly “lost” in modern films, sometimes brought back by the nostalgia itself) you’re doing exactly what broadway ballet is pointing out is a potential pitfall of making it big -- you’re focusing on the wrong thing to the point of selling out, because you’re really perpetuating self-aggrandizement at your own brilliance

you’re not pulling back the curtains. you’re not showing a bunch of incredibly talented, hard-working people doing what they do best. you’re not having a bit of a laugh at the seriousness at the structure of film in a way that also blows a kiss to that structure. you’re not making it about the people

but of course, really singin’ in the rain is about a polyamorous triad who stick up for one another and that’s why it works, because you want these three crazy kids to be happy and you know what? they are

#singin in the rain #movies #cinema #film #of course REALLY the thing is that singin in the rain is so fucking delightful #but that delight is created by the people involved being So Fucking Good At Their Job #yes i love the broadway ballet it's essential to the whole darn ethos #and it's also very very good #it's a 13min movie inside a movie about making movies

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evermore-fashion · 3 years

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Met Gala 2021 Thoughts

After talking about the Met Gala yesterday I was inundated with messages asking for my thoughts on what certain celebrities wore to this year’s Met Gala. I thought about answering them individually but then realised I would be replying for ages and I didn’t want to flood the dashboard with my posts. So instead I thought I’d make a master post answering everyone in one fellow swoop. Please remember that my thoughts and opinions are my own so don’t take offence if you disagree with me. Dan Levy I had no idea what message was trying to convey at first when I first saw his outfit and to be honest I thought it was a bit too casual for the Met Gala. However reading upon the meaning behind his outfit it now all makes sense and I respect him for showing up and representing the LGBTQIA+ community as well as the late America artist David Wojnarowicz. He nailed the theme in his own unique way and I respect him for that. Emma Randucanu Just like Dan Levy’s outfit I thought Emma’s was a little too casual for the Met Gala when I first saw it as well as recognise it as being a Chanel piece. I must admit looking at the outfit further and in more detail it’s actually really pretty and has a Hawaiian vibe to it which suits her perfectly. Hailee Stenfeld As soon as I saw her dress (which she looked gorgeous in) I instantly recognised it from Iris van Herpen’s latest Fall 2022 couture collection. However I have no idea how it correlated with the Met Gala theme which seems to have been a running theme with celebrities this year. In other words show up in whatever and ignore the theme, it’s okay no one will notice... well we all do and it’s annoying. Gemma Chan One word. Flawless. Gemma Chan has once again proven she can look amazing in just about anything. Not only did she pay homage to the Chinese-American actress Anna May Wong her gown was designed by the Nepalese-American designer Prabal Gurung. Gemma Chan understood the assignment and stayed true to herself. Enough said. Grimes Just like Hailee Steinfeld I instantly recognised her gown as it was designed by Iris van Herpen and looked amazing on her. However I didn’t understand how that correlated with this years Met Gala theme as she looked like an anime character rather than someone celebrating American culture and fashion. Then again Grimes has always marched to the beat of her own drum so I can’t say I’m surprised by her look either. Kendall Jenner The Givenchy gown is absolutely stunning and looks gorgeous Kendall however I’m just not in to sheer clothing of any kind especially when it highlights your underwear. It may look great on the runway to show off the designer’s true vision and make it stand out against the rest of the garments in the collection but not on a red carpet... regardless of who’s wearing it. Personally I think if the gown had been fully lined in a nude colour it would’ve made all the rhinestones truly standout and elevating the gown even more.

#Personal #Met Gala 2021

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harrydracobang · 3 years

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Harry/Draco Big Bang Week #1 Round-Up

Below you'll find a round-up of all of our amazing submissions that have posted during our first week of @harrydracobang!

We hope you’ve been enjoying all the novel-length Drarry and amazing art so far, and we want to thank everybody who has been following the fest and supporting our participants with comments, kudos and recs! You are amazing and we know for certain our fantastic artists and writers appreciate all your support! <3

The next fic will go up tomorrow, and we still have one more week of amazing fic and art, but for now, check our first week below to make sure you didn’t miss anything. Don’t forget to leave some love for our participants as you make your way through the submissions!

Make Yourself written by @anyaelizabethfic with art by @zigster-ao3 [Explicit, 103k] Summary : Harry just wants to be safe within the freshly painted walls of Grimmauld Place, with his friends around him. But when he hears Draco Malfoy has been spotted at the local soup kitchen, he can't help but encourage a different type of stray to come under his roof. -Zigster's Tumblr Art Post 1 -Zigster’s Tumblr Art Post 2

sweeten to taste written by @bigblackdogfic with art by @babooshkart [Explicit, 51k] Summary: It starts with Draco's buckwheat crepes with honeyed oranges. Or maybe it starts with his porridge with toasted walnuts and homemade apple butter. Or perhaps it starts with the cinnamon buns Draco made from scratch with mascarpone icing. Harry just knows he's hungry for more. -Babooshkart’s Tumblr Art Post

Graceless Heart written by @orange-peony with art by @chuckalart and @secretartlair [Explicit, 132k] Summary: Harry is lost and broken after the war. He has gone to countless funerals, broken up with Ginny, moved back into Grimmauld Place—which feels darker and dirtier than ever before despite how much he tries to fix it. He feels lonely and desperate, but he won’t ask for help, and he still can’t cry.

When he agreed to help the Aurors at Malfoy Manor over the summer, he thought that he would be breaking dark curses. Harry never thought that he would actually spend his days sorting out dusty books with Draco Malfoy, or teaching him how to cook.

Little by little, as they begin to navigate their life post-war, Harry and Draco become intimate…in more ways than Harry could have ever expected.

See How They Run written by @harryromper with art by @inveigler81 [Mature, 51k] Summary: Harry’s living above the shop in Knockturn Alley, working as a private detective after a failed stint as an Auror, when he gets an invitation from Luna Lovegood to the last place he could have imagined: Malfoy Manor.

As Luna and Draco’s friends gather for the weekend, it isn’t only memories of wartime violence that surface. It seems that a lot of the guests have things they want to hide, including murder.

It falls to Harry to solve the mystery, and while he’s at it, to untangle his feelings for Draco Malfoy once and for all. -Inveigler81′s Tumblr Art Post 1 -Inveigler81′s Tumblr Art Post 2

Brave Though The Stars They Make Me written by @dwell-the-brave with art by @puncertainty [Mature, 108k] Summary: After the events at the end of his Sixth Year, Draco Malfoy has been kept all but prisoner in his childhood home, Malfoy Manor. Alone, terrified, and desperate for some way out, he begins to have strange dreams - dreams of Harry Potter. Are they a trick of his mind? Or are they a way to change his fate, and a chance at redemption? -Puncertainty's AO3 Art Post -Puncertainty's Tumblr Art Post

Nor All That Glisters written by @sweet-s0rr0w with art by @deancebra-art and @fantalf [Explicit, 110k] Summary: Lonely and frustrated on house arrest, with no prospects for the future, Draco begins brewing Felix Felicis in an attempt to improve his lot. Just in the short term, of course. He isn’t a total idiot.

But before long he finds himself with a thriving business, a nice flat, some actual (albeit irritatingly Gryffindor) friends, and a very satisfying sex life. What’s more, no-one is hexing him in the street. And Harry Potter is single, and gorgeous, and giving Draco decidedly interested looks.

Stop taking the Felix? You must be joking… -Fantalf’s Tumblr Art Post

spins madly on written by asofthaven with art by @iaooa and Monotremata [Teen, 56k] Summary: As part of his probation, Draco Malfoy returns to Hogwarts to complete his N.E.W.T.s. Gobstones, the political machinations of the Hogwarts student body, and one Harry James Potter captures Draco’s attention instead. -Iaooa’s Tumblr Art Post

Chasing Shadows written by @manixzen with art by @avaeryn [Explicit, 93k] Summary: The murder of Lucius Malfoy seems impossible—no cause of death, no traces of spell-work, no potions in his system. The only leads Harry and his partner have are the trail of missing wizards the deeper they go. That and the help of the victim’s estranged son who now spends his time bartending at a queer-friendly Muggle pub.

A case fic featuring a closeted Harry Potter, an out-and-proud, tattooed Draco Malfoy, and a murder mystery that seems to lead to more questions than answers.

Home Truths written by @skeptiquewrites with art by @fantalf [Explicit, 67k] Summary: In the off-season Harry decided to fix up Grimmauld Place and found that Draco Malfoy was the only person who could help him. A demanding career and unrelenting press scrutiny were enough to deal with before Harry added a house with a mind of its own, family history, and a tense, flirty, complicated relationship with his childhood nemesis to the mix.

On professional Quidditch, magical houses, hard choices, Life Debts, and inconvenient truths. -Fantalf’s Tumblr Art Post

The Lost Art of Keeping Secrets written by @iero0 & @ladderofyears with art by @egggnoodles and @faevorite-main-blog [Explicit, 287k] Summary: Hogwarts is the very last place that Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy want to return to after the war. The Castle feels claustrophobic and stifling. Both feel trapped within its walls.

Harry is traumatised by the war, by his sudden breakup from Ginny, and by the knowledge that his friends all know what they want to do with their life.

Meanwhile Draco is reeling. He has narrowly escaped an Azkaban prison sentence and is struggling under the strict rules of his probation. He doesn't know where his mother is, and finds himself a pariah among the other students.

The last thing that either student wants is mandatory Mind Healing. What has happened to them feels so big and devastating, that writing to a stranger feels farcical.

Even so, they are not given a choice.

Harry and Draco are both given a shared magical diary, and soon they begin writing letters to an anonymous fellow student.

Their letters, terse at first, grow longer as the days pass. Before long, each wizard confesses their secrets and their fantasies, their wishes and their dreams.

What will happen when their true identities are exposed? Will their vulnerable new relationship be destroyed before it has even begun? -Egggnoodles Tumblr Art Post

A Sense of Scale written by @fantalf with art by @dragontamerdame [Mature, 71k] Summary: Potter merely shrugged, as if it was nothing. After all, it wasn’t his life’s work. “You can try to win it over.” Draco snapped, “What?!” “The school. Win it over.” “How the fuck do I win a school over, Potter?! It’s a bloody school, not a person!” And he didn’t win people over that easily, overall. “I don’t know. Use your charms. I know you to be very inventive.” —— In which Draco spends an obscene amount of time thinking of new nicknames for The Living Git, lying to himself and using his charms to seduce an extremely uncooperative sentient school.

Independent Art: Homage by @cambiodipolvere [General] Summary: A space between dangling feet, less than a foot.

#drarry #drarry fests #drarry fest #draco x harry #harry x draco #drarry fic #drarry art #harrydracobang #2021 fest #weekly roundup #mod post

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watusichris · 2 years

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Betty Davis Was a Big Freak

Written for the late lamented Music Aficionado in 2016, and republished on the day of Ms. Davis’ death, 2/9/22. ********** To this day, the name Betty Davis – Betty with a “y,” that is – remains best known to connoisseurs of Miles Davis minutiae and ‘70s funk obsessives. While it’s true that Betty played an important off-stage role in the career of the jazz trumpeter, to whom she was married for just a year, and she undoubtedly made some of the best hardcore funk records of her era, she deserves to be recognized beyond the relatively narrow provinces of the jazzbo and the crate-digger.

Uncompromising, intelligent, brazen, aggressive, and not incidentally gorgeous, sexually provocative, and a fashion plate always ahead of the curve, Betty was a prophetic figure. Spawned by the explosion of music, fashion, and alternative culture of the late ‘60s, and by concurrent leaps in black consciousness and feminism, she was a take-no-prisoners singer and writer who presented herself as something new, rich, and strange with her self-titled debut album in 1973.

There were some badass contemporaries working the soul and funk trenches– gutter-tongued diva Millie Jackson and one-time James Brown paramour Yvonne Fair leap to mind immediately – but they seemed to be adapting tropes previously worked by male singers in the genres. Betty still sounds like something new: a tough, smart, demanding woman who reveled in pleasure and insisted on satisfaction, unafraid to claim what she wanted.

Despite the fact that she was associated with some high-profile male musician friends and lovers – beyond Davis, the roll call included Hugh Masekela, Jimi Hendrix, Sly Stone, Mike Carabello, Eric Clapton, and Robert Palmer – she was no groupie or bed-hopping climber. Possessed of her own self-defining vision, she was producing her own records and leading a tight, flexible little band by the end of her brief run.

In 1976, after completing four splendid albums (only three of which were released at the time), she disappeared, not only from the music business but from the public eye entirely. What happened? It’s an old story that many women in the industry will recognize: Her record company didn’t know what to do with her, and wanted her to tone down her act. Betty Davis wasn’t having any of that, thank you, and she hit the damn road.

She was born Betty Mabry in Durham, NC, in 1945. She grew up country, and was exposed to down-home, get-down music early. On the title track of her second album, They Say I’m Different, she runs down the artists who served as inspirations: Big Mama Thornton, John Lee Hooker, Lightnin’ Hopkins, Howlin’ Wolf, Albert King, Chuck Berry. The blues, in one form or another, is the backbone of her style.

Her family relocated to Pittsburgh when she was young, but at 16 she left home for the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York. There she was hurtled into the roiling cultural vortex of the Village. She took up modeling, working for the toney Wilhelmina agency, and began running with a posse of similarly disposed, equally beautiful women who called themselves the “Electric Ladies.” Sound familiar? One of her closest cohorts was Devon Wilson, for many years a notorious consort of Jimi Hendrix known for her freewheeling, outré sex- and drug-saturated lifestyle.

Mabry began to try her hand at singing, and cut a few self-penned singles. They were in an old-school mold in terms of structure, but her very first 45 hints at things to come. “Get Ready For Betty,” a 1964 track released by Don Costa (discoverer of Paul Anka and Trini Lopez and a key arranger for Frank Sinatra), is stodgy early-‘60s NYC R&B to its core, but its message is pointed: “Get out my way, girl, ‘cause I’m comin’ to take your man.”

She also made a stolid romantic duet ballad with singer Roy Arlington and, produced by cult soul man Lou Courtney, a homage to the Cellar, the New York club where she DJed. But she didn’t start reaching the upper echelon of the music biz until one of her songs, a hymn to Harlem called “Uptown,” was cut by the Chambers Brothers for their smash 1968 album The Time Has Come, which also included the psychedelic soul workout “Time Has Come Today.”

The Chambers association probably secured a singles deal for her at Columbia Records, and her first session for the major label was produced by her former live-in boyfriend, South African trumpeter Masekela, in October 1968. By that time, she had split with him: A month earlier, she had married a far more famous horn player, Miles Davis, whom she had met in 1967. Davis and his regular producer Teo Macero would head her second session for Columbia in May 1969.

Those two dates were released for the first time as The Columbia Years 1968-1969 earlier this month by Light in the Attic, the independent label that has restored Betty’s entire catalog to print over the last decade. While devoted fans can be grateful that the work is finally seeing the light of day, it does not make for easy listening, for it was clearly made by people groping in the dark.

Betty’s artistic persona was at that point completely unformed, and so her male Svengalis did their best to mold the clay in their hands, with feeble results. Masekela evidently completed just three tracks, two of which, “It’s My Life” and “Live, Love, Learn,” were issued as a flop single. The homiletic song titles give the game away; the music, straight-up commercial soul backed by a large group (which included Wilton Felder and Wayne Henderson of the Jazz Crusaders and Masekela), has nothing original to say.

The date with Miles is a bigger waste, if a more spectacular one. The personnel couldn’t have been more glittering: Hendrix sidemen Billy Cox and Mitch Mitchell; ex-Detroit Wheels guitarist Jim McCarty; bassist Harvey Brooks, studio familiar of Bob Dylan and former member of the Electric Flag; and Davis’ then-current or future band mates Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, John McLaughlin, and Larry Young.

But nothing jells. The material is either weak (Betty’s directionless original “Hangin’ Out” is the best of a bad lot) or incongruous (lumbering covers of Cream’s “Politician” and Creedence’s “Born On the Bayou”). Worse, the jazzers are unable to lay down anything resembling a solid soul-rock foundation, and even reliable timekeeper Mitchell blows the groove on more than one occasion. Miles gets impatient with his spouse at one point, rasping over the talk-back, “Sing it just like that, with the gum in your mouth and all, bitch.”

Apparently intended as demos, the failed tracks were consigned to the tape library. By late ’69, Miles and Betty’s marriage was history. She left her mark on his music: She appeared on the cover of his cover of his 1968 album Filles de Kilimanjaro and inspired its extended track “Mademoiselle Mabry” (based on the chords that opens Hendrix’s “The Wind Cries Mary”) and “Back Seat Betty” from his 1981 comeback album The Man With the Horn.

Moreover, she moved him toward the flash style that would dominate his music through the mid-‘70s, by exposing him to the slamming music of Hendrix and Sly and exchanging his continental suits for psychedelic pimp togs. Would we know Bitches Brew, On the Corner, and Agharta without Betty Davis? Maybe, maybe not.

For her part, Betty remained in the wings for a while. She collaborated on demos for the Commodores; in London, she modeled, worked on songs for Marc Bolan of T. Rex, and declined a production offer from her then-paramour Clapton. Drifting back to New York, she met Santana percussionist Carabello. They became involved romantically, and in 1972 she relocated to the San Francisco Bay area, where Carabello’s local connections led to the formation of a stellar band to back her on a debut album.

One reads the credits for Betty Davis in awe. The rhythm section was the Family Stone’s dissident, puissant rhythm section, bassist Larry Graham and drummer Greg Errico (who also produced). Original Santana guitarist Neal Schon, future Mandrill axe man Doug Rodrigues, founding Graham Central Station organist Hershall Kennedy, and keyboardist and ace Jerry Garcia collaborator Merl Saunders filled out the instrumentation. The Pointer Sisters, Sylvester, and Kathi McDonald were among a large platoon of backup vocalists.

Issued in 1973 by Just Sunshine Records, an independent label owned by Woodstock Festival promoter Michael Lang (who also released a set by another unique woman, folk singer-guitarist Karen Dalton), Betty Davis was one hell of a coming-out party. Since her abortive Columbia dates, she had developed a unique vocal attack that could leap from a velvety croon to a Tina Turner-like shriek in a nanosecond. The stomping funk of the studio band backed her up to the hilt.

Like Turner, she was one Bold Soul Sister. The lust-filled opening invitation “If I’m in Luck I Might Get Picked Up” announces that a new game was afoot. The statement of romantic/sexual independence “Anti Love Song,” the lovers’ chess match “Your Man My Man,” and the self-explanatory “Game is My Middle Name” offer up a startling, hard-edged new model of a hard-funking female vocalist.

The album’s most affecting track may be “Steppin in Her I. Miller Shoes,” Davis’ level-headed elegy for her sybaritic friend Devon Wilson, who sailed out a window at the Chelsea Hotel in 1971. “She coulda been anything that she wanted…Instead she chose to be nothing,” Davis sings, implying that route wouldn’t be one she would take herself.

“If I’m in Luck” grazed the lower reaches of the R&B singles chart and the album failed to reach the LP rolls at all, but Davis was undaunted. For 1974’s They Say I’m Different, she took the producer’s reins, which she would hold for the rest of her career. While the backup lineup is less glitzy (though Saunders, Pete Escovedo, and Buddy Miles, on guitar no less, appear), the support is still sizzling; crackling drums and burbling clavinet put over a set of songs that may have been even stronger than those heard on her debut.

No one who hears “He Was a Big Freak” is likely to ever forget it; it’s a startling dissection of a masochistic relationship -- inspired by Jimi Hendrix, and not, as many have assumed, by Miles Davis (“Everyone knows that Miles is a sadist,” Betty remarked later). Almost as notable are “Don’t Call Her No Tramp,” a prescient condemnation of what we now call slut-shaming, and the autobiographical title track, with slicing slide guitar work by Cordell Dudley.

Different and its attendant singles tanked, but Betty managed to maintain her profile with live gigs noteworthy for their uninhibited bawdiness, on-stage abandon, and the star’s Egyptian-princess-from-outer-space wardrobe sense. By early 1974 she had assembled a hot, lean road band that included her cousins Nickey Neal and Larry Johnson on drums and bass, respectively, plus keyboardist Fred Mills and guitarist Carlos Morales. This lineup would back her on her last two albums.

The end of Just Sunshine’s distribution deal liberated Davis, who, at the suggestion of then-boyfriend Robert Palmer, inked with Palmer’s label Island Records. The company released Nasty Gal in 1975, and it may be Davis’ best-executed work. The pared-down backing lets the songs shine, and there are good ones here: The shameless title song, the vituperative blast at the critics “Dedicated to the Press,” and the out-front ultimatum for sexual satisfaction “Feelins” get right up in the listener’s face. The most surprising track is the ballad “You and I,” an unexpected songwriting reunion with Miles, orchestrated by the trumpeter’s famed arranger Gil Evans.

It’s a tremendous album, and Betty supported it with live shows that ate the funk competition alive. A bootleg of an especially out-there set recorded at a festival on the French Riviera in 1976 literally climaxes with Nasty Gal’s “The Lone Ranger,” an in-the-saddle heavy breather that Davis wraps up by feigning a loud orgasm.

One should remember that at this particular juncture, Madonna was studying dance at the University of Michigan.

But Nasty Gal faded with hardly a trace, and Davis’ relationship with Island swiftly became fractious. It’s easy to see why the label declined to issue her final album, originally called Crashin’ From Passion and ultimately released, after years as a bootleg, by Light in the Attic in 2009 as Is It Love or Desire. The collection, which leans heavily on songs about sex, doping, and heavy drinking, includes “Stars Starve, You Know,” an outright condemnation of the games record companies play:

They said if I wanted to make some money I’d have to change my style Put a paper bag over my face Sing soft and wear tight fitting gowns

They don’t like the way I’m lookin’ So it’s hard for my agent to get me bookin’s Unless I cover up my legs and drop my pen And commit one of those commercial sins…

Oh hey hey Island

And that was all she wrote. Until writers began to seek her out in the new millennium as her records became available again, Betty Davis was an invisible woman, one who had blazed a trail that other talents, such as Prince and Madonna, would blaze more profitably after her. She was definitively ahead of her time.

Asked by one writer what she had done since leaving music, Davis, who turns 71 on July 26, responded with the most tragic thing one can imagine any artist saying: “Nothing really.”

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taylorswiftstyle · 3 years

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TAYLOR SWIFT STYLE - AMA PREDICTIONS

Another awards show, another potential opportunity for Taylor to (likely not) make a rare public appearance. The AMAs are set to air live on Sunday, November 22 and Taylor is nominated for four awards. Winning one would officially push her into the 30 mark and cement her legacy as the most awarded artist in AMA history.

While my guess is that if Taylor wins she'll be accepting her awards via cellphone video, a girl can always dream of another red carpet appearance, particularly a rare one in support of folklore.

Historically (like a lot of award shows) Taylor has gone sparkly for the AMAs almost every single year she has attended. The one exception being her Michael Kors gree(eeeeeeeee)n gown in 2014.

This year, I wanted to equalize my choices between a classic Sequin Swift lewk as well as some more Elegant English Rose feels given that the vibe I get from folklore as of late leans rustic English Countryside-ish.

So, with that here we go.

Stella McCartney Resort 2021 At some point, I’m going to hit the nose on the head with a predicted Stella lewk. Mostly because obviously there’s a finite number of Stella lewks to choose from (unless of course Taylor opts to pull once again from the designer’s one-off sustainable 23 Old Bond collection as she did for her Rolling Stone cover). I made this select because she’s casual, free, and has a lot of vintage whimsy. The strips of mixed patterns looks like a carefully crafted gown made from leftovers of hand me down blankets you’d find in your grandmother’s attic - but in a charming, whimsical way that I feel pays homage to the rootsy vibes of folklore. Taylor would likely opt to finish this with brown platform heels like these and maybe a juicy glossy sheer plummy lip.

Balenciaga Fall 2020 Elegant, and timeless. A column gown like this has proven to look amazing on Taylor (see: 2014 Grammys in Gucci Première). But rendered in a beautiful, shimmering black it feels really mature and classy and appropriate for where she’s at now in her life. I especially love the mock neck and hope she’d accessorize with a sleek bun, her recently-favoured hoop earrings, a blue-red lip, and some gunmetal rings.

Oscar de la Renta Fall 2020 Quite easily my favourite of the bunch - though I know that’s blasphemous to say of your own predictions. In a post-Shamrock/Scooter Braun Round 2 world, this has “mad woman” vibes written all over it and alludes very neatly to the velvet Ralph Lauren dress she wears in the folklore album photoshoot. A low chignon, crawling gorgeous ear climbers, a stack of heavier statement rings, a dark berry lip, and sandals like those shown on the runway would be amazing. Thankyouverymuch.

Carolina Herrera Pre-Fall 2020 I wanted to choose something that felt like an English tea party. Not that I have any knowledge of what goes on at a tea party but the vibe I wanted was something a bit more proper and prim but that also had a touch of nature. I feel like in isolation, Taylor was drawn to and inspired by empty outdoor spaces and the roaming wilderness. Captivated by the loneliness but also the wonder that was there and the double-edged sword of that (How “exile” is exploring loneliness and “the lakes” symbolizing carving out a safe space to be with someone that you love). A gown dotted with delicate little blue flowers but also contrasted by dark tulle felt very much an encapsulation of those two opposing thoughts. I’d love to see a soft petal pink lip here and blush, shimmering light shadow, and minimal jewelry to just let the gown shine for itself.

What do you think Taylor would wear to the AMAs if she did indeed show up?

— Taylor accepted her AMAs via video conference wearing a black turtleneck in front of a Trippy Store zodiac tapestry.

#taylor swift #taylor swift style #tss predictions

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chocoluckchipz · 4 years

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The Other You - 1

Read it on A03, FF.net, WattPad

Chapter by @maerynn-blog

Gabriel Agreste’s death had been sudden, and unexpected.

Only a few months before the premiere of his first-ever women’s apparel collection, the famous fashion mogul had succumbed to a violent stroke at his home office in the early hours of the morning, apparently while busy reviewing the latest designs that had been submitted to him.

Few could state without lying that they would miss their boss. Gabriel had proven on more than one occasion to be solely driven by results and success, with no consideration whatsoever for his employees. Even fewer could say honestly that they would miss the man, for his late years had only cemented the cold and heartless facade he had forged throughout the years, setting the image of an implacable leader in stone despite himself.

Over the years, he had even alienated his very own son, with whom he had fallen out of touch as soon as Adrien had been old enough to stand up for himself and make his own decisions. Persistent rumours throughout the years suggested that Gabriel had disowned his son as a result of his desertion of the company, but seeing as Adrien found himself the sole owner of Gabriel following his father’s sudden passing, either those rumours were wrong or Gabriel had forgiven his only heir somewhere along the way.

Which could have been fine if the company had been left in capable hands, which, unfortunately, wasn’t the case. Gabriel Agreste had never entrusted anyone with his company’s well-being or any important decision regarding his brand. Even his almost lifelong personal assistant, Nathalie Sancoeur, had been merely blindly obeying orders without ever questioning them for most of her employment with Gabriel, and yet, she probably would’ve been the most qualified person to assure a smooth transition.

Coincidentally, Nathalie had gone into a well-deserved retirement only a few weeks before Gabriel’s ultimate demise, around the same time Gorilla hung up his luxury sedan keys and moved away to the seashore, admittedly to catch up with his growing-too-fast grandkids.

That meant that the week following Gabriel Agreste’s passing was pure chaos as far as Gabriel’s remaining staff and stockholders were concerned.

The artistic team was left without a leader to guide them, ideas and designs going nuts and wild without anyone to organize them and separate the wheat from the chaff.

The accounting team was going crazy dealing with the sudden and massive increase in resignations, the suppliers’ incessant calls wondering if they’d ever get paid, and the stockholders demanding answers about the uncertain future of the company.

The company’s lawyers were for the most part completely unreachable, busy as they were trying to figure out what exactly were the ramifications of their CEO’s sudden death. Who would take over the company if Adrien Agreste chose to surrender his notoriously unwanted position? Would he choose to sell the company to a third-party? And if he did, what would that entail? What would happen to the collections already out? The works-in-progress?

Above all, as the head designer of the upcoming brand new women’s line, Marinette Dupain-Cheng was probably the most sleep-deprived, stressed-out, and overall most exhausted employee amongst the entirety of Gabriel’s staff. The young woman had spent the better part of the past week trying to coax any ideas out of the designers working under her with mixed success, only to discover that by Friday night, all but her and her assistant either quit or transferred to the men’s department, leaving Marinette to work on her collection alone.

The rational part of her brain wanted to leave as well, bury herself beneath a pile of luxury fabric and only come back up once everything had been cleared out and dealt with because as things currently were, everything in her life was going to shambles.

At twenty-five, a rising star yet a dropout from ESMOD due to an unexpected exclusive apprenticeship under Gabriel Agreste himself, she was sharing a pitiful two-bedroom apartment with Alya and Nino, desperately trying to gather enough savings to get a place of her own. Her salary as Gabriel’s head designer of the upcoming women’s department was more than decent, but it still wasn’t enough to live on her own in the centre of Paris close to work. Mostly because the line she was heading was experimental and any salary raises were dependent on its success at Fashion Week at the end of summer that year.

Going back to her parents wasn’t an option Marinette entertained, and so she had no choice but to put up with the ups and downs of living with a very in-love young couple, whereas she had yet to go on a second date, let alone have a boyfriend. Alya was relentlessly picking on her about that, pointing out mercilessly how she was married to her job, and wondering how in the world “fashion” would give her children. Usually, Marinette would shrug and effortlessly shift the conversation to another topic, but lately, the dangerous cocktail of exhaustion and anxiety for her future in the industry brewing up within her, coupled with Alya’s growing irritation toward her friend’s numerous disappearances and secrets, had sparked more than one nasty argument between the pair of best friends.

As a result, Marinette was carefully avoiding going home as much as she could.

She had spent the week running up and down every corridor, making sure the collection would come out without a hitch despite being carried over by a boat without a captain. She worked herself to the bone, overcompensating for the huge loss the team had just suffered. Marinette spent her days putting out fires, avoiding catastrophe after catastrophe, and devoted her evenings to working on designs, bringing them to completion, going home way past any decent hour every single day, making sure every design was on point, that every garment was sewn up to par.

It had truly been a week from hell as far as she was concerned.

Even without her less than ideal housing situation, she still would’ve stayed late every day. Her mentor, her boss, was six-feet-under, but Marinette couldn’t envision letting him down. Even if Gabriel definitely lacked warmth in his social interactions, he had taught her so much over the last few years, she felt that the least she could do was to hold down the fort for him. He had given her an unexpected opportunity by putting her in the head designer’s shoes, had believed in her against all odds, and the very idea of betraying his trust, even if he wasn’t there to witness it anymore, was making her sick to her stomach.

Even if staying instead of leaving the boat meant encountering Adrien Agreste in some corridor sooner or later.

Pushing that idea as far away as she could, Marinette knelt in front of her dress form, carefully hemming one of the designs she and Gabriel had been working on last. They had talked about this dress only a few hours before his unexpected death, and she wanted the final result to live up to his expectations; an homage of some sort.

Refusing to look at the clock, knowing it was already way later than what would be deemed reasonable, Marinette took a step back, admiring her work. The dress was gorgeous, flowing nicely around the dress form, but it was lacking that little playful flair Gabriel had been envisioning for it.

Struck with a sudden idea, she promptly rose from her work station and marched to Gabriel’s office, as she had done countless times before. She knew for a fact that he kept a nice assortment of satin ribbons in there, specifically a pretty pink velvet one that would add just the perfect touch to the garment.

What she hadn’t expected, though, was to find another living being in Gabriel’s office.

A familiar mop of blond hair was sprawled out on her late boss’ desk, broad, muscular shoulders slumped, accompanied by a loud and desperate groan.

Marinette paused on the threshold for a second, her heart caught in her throat, wondering if she could get away with picking up the ribbon she needed without being seen. That brief hesitation was her demise. As if feeling her presence in the room, the man looked up, and green eyes bore into hers, widening in surprise.

Marinette couldn’t hold back a gasp at the sight of the man that had haunted her dreams for so many years. Sure enough, he had aged a bit since the last time their paths had crossed, but the years had been kind to him. His face had shed the roundness of his youth, bringing out a sharper, more angular jaw. His hair was a bit darker than it used to be, with a low fade haircut that accentuated his older, more mature appearance.

A single word kept replaying in Marinette’s mind at the handsome sight in front of her: danger.

Realizing she was gaping at him, Marinette mentally slapped herself across the face and promptly slipped back into her professional shoes. “Oh, I’m really sorry, Monsieur Agreste,” she said, hoping her voice wasn’t shaking as much as she heard. “I hadn’t realized I wasn’t alone in the building, otherwise I would’ve never barged in like that. I just need some supplies and then I’ll show myself out.”

With a quirk of an eyebrow, Adrien silently watched Marinette tiptoeing through the room with the ease of someone who was more than accustomed to her surroundings. She opened a nearby cabinet without hesitating and foraged within, her entire torso disappearing into the apparent mess of fabrics and various sewing furniture. Less than thirty seconds later, she emerged victorious, holding a roll of the needed ribbon.

She looked at him again. His face was glazed over with a mix of sleepy confusion and disorientation.

“I—Sorry for disturbing you, Monsieur,” Marinette whispered. “Goodnight.”

Turning her back on him, she walked toward the door, failing to escape before he called.

“Marinette? Marinette Dupain-Cheng?”

With a sharp intake of breath, she spun on her heels, facing him again with widening eyes. “I’m sorry?”

Adrien rose from his seat, rounding the heavy desk promptly to close the distance between them. “You’re Marinette, aren’t you? We went to school together, back in Mlle Bustier’s class, with Nino and Al-”

“I remember you perfectly well, Monsieur Agreste.”

He stared at her in silence, matching her guarded expression. “So you ended up here after all?”

She sustained his gaze, her voice cold and professional, “Yes. Despite you, Monsieur Agreste, being a major ass toward me. Can I, please, get back to work now?”

His whole expression tensed as he carefully eyed her. For a moment, he looked like he was trying to figure out what to say, but then he deflated, sighing pitifully. “Very well. I still have these fabrics to pick anyway, and not a single clue about what I’m doing. Have a nice evening, Marinette.”

Marinette froze, her heart stilling in her chest.

Deep down, she knew she shouldn’t care.

Adrien’s problems weren’t in any way her own, and if someone had seen fit to put a physics teacher in charge of an entire fashion house, well, so be it. She had no say in the matter. Someone probably had decided to give him that menial task to keep his sheer incompetence away from what really mattered, an initiative she could only applaud.

But on the other hand, Gabriel had always been a man she admired greatly despite his cold facade, and the years she had spent working by his side hadn’t changed that. He was a brilliant designer and had literally dedicated up to his very last day to his art. She couldn’t stand the thought of letting Adrien ruin his father’s hard work—even if it was only ordering lousy fabric—not if she could help it. She had worked too hard to let him get in the way, and if she had to help him to earn herself the freedom of running her line like she wanted to, then she’d do it.

She glanced at the papers scattered on the desk behind him and frowned. “Don’t buy anything from Cosetti; he holds the weirdest grudge against your father for refusing to incorporate chiffon in the 2015 winter line. There’s a good chance he’ll try to scam you. Berkley’s might be more expensive, but I’ve seen swatches of the silk and it's severely lacking in quality. Zinya’s cheaper, better, and their seller is a real sweetheart.”

Adrien stared at her, dumbfounded, and it took him almost a full minute to find his voice again. “But—but, why would you help me? After—”

Marinette walked past him, shoulders tensed and a determined spark in her eyes. “Believe it or not, some of us actually rely on this company for a living, and I’m not letting it sink without putting up a fight. What else do you need to make a decision on?”

The young man blinked, and his professional persona kicked in. He joined her on the other side of the desk to show her the supplier submissions, tentatively pointing out what little progress he had made. Her tone toward him was cold yet polite as she effortlessly picked up where he had left off, giving him cues on their current relationships with various suppliers and broadly showing him the ropes of managing a fashion empire. Soon enough, Marinette pushed the last submission toward Adrien for a signature, got up, and grabbed her spool of ribbon.

“Marinette?” A little awkward but he looked at her as if she’d just saved him from a sinking boat in the middle of an ocean. “Thanks, I wouldn’t have made it without you, and—”

“Don’t,” Marinette cut him off. “I helped you only because my job is on the line. Good evening, Monsieur.”

She left Gabriel’s office in tense, stubborn silence, neither of them willing to acknowledge the elephant in the room.

***

Later that night, Ladybug landed atop the Eiffel Tower, sitting beside her partner on one of the higher beams with a soft sigh.

He peered at her, surprised. “I thought you said you were going to lay off on the patrols for a bit?”

She stared at the horizon for a minute, a comfortable silence falling between them. His question still hovered, unanswered, but he knew her well enough to figure she was trying to organize her thoughts. Nearly a decade of knowing each other meant that most things could go unsaid between the pair.

Eventually, she scooted closer to him on the beam, and he wrapped his arm around her shoulders, a comforting gesture that had become customary between them. She lay her head on his shoulder, sighing again.

“What’s wrong, Bug? Won’t your roommate be mad at you for disappearing again?”

She scoffed, reaching for his free hand and lacing her fingers through his. “I’ll get an earful once I get home for sure, but I needed this. I need a breather with my best friend, my safe haven.”

He tensed a bit, hearing those words, “That bad?”

“This last week has truly been hell, and I missed you like crazy.” Ladybug sighed softly.

Chat Noir groaned inwardly, his gaze fixed on the horizon. “This boss of yours is some special kind of a jerk if he left you guys with so much trouble upon quitting.”

Ladybug wasn’t sure if she was insulting Gabriel Agreste’s memory by letting her partner tarnish his reputation freely like this, but with news of his sudden passing all over Paris, and the fact that Chat Noir knew fairly well that his partner was working in fashion, there was no way she could set the record straight without giving away some compromising clues.

Instead, she settled on answering quietly, pressing a reassuring kiss on his cheek, “It’s not like he had a choice. He had urgent personal matters to attend to, and we’ll be alright… eventually.” She trailed off, her eyes following his to their very own private view of Paris. “How’s your relative?”

Chat Noir squirmed uncomfortably beside her, and she instantly regretted asking the question that had been burning on her lips for the past week. But ever since he had shown up unfashionably late to a patrol because of a mandatory trip to a hospital, she had been worried about that relative of his who was close enough to the superhero to warrant an immediate visit at the hospital, but in the meantime far enough that he was barely fazed by the whole ordeal.

“He…” Chat Noir began slowly, carefully avoiding her gaze, and in a sudden flash of clarity, she understood. The sick/injured relative wasn’t part of their world anymore, and her dear kitty was grieving in his own very personal way.

“I’m so sorry, Chaton. Can I do anything for you?” she cried, twisting in his embrace, so she sat in his lap instead of beside him.

He gave her a forlorn smile that looked every bit a fake on his handsome face. “Don’t worry about me, my Lady. I’ll manage. Get back to your roommate, things are bad enough between you two as it is. I’d like for you to survive the week, you know.”

She hated to admit it, but Ladybug knew he was right. If last week was any indication, they would probably get in an awful fight as soon as she set foot in their apartment.

But this?

Chat Noir’s unwavering support, his kind words, and reassuring presence over the last decade? The familiar warmth of his arms wrapped around her?

It was worth it, and a thousand times more.

Smiling softly, she eyed him playfully, “And when did you become the voice of reason between us two?”

“Ever since you started to believe working eighty hours a week was healthy. Go home, and get some sleep. You’re barely able to keep your eyes open.”

She leaned on him for a second, taking in his warmth. “Alright, silly cat. See you around?”

“Of course, my Lady. Now, go before she snaps at you again.”

Ladybug quickly pressed her lips against Chat’s cheek, and with one last small smile and an all-too-brief hug, she took off into the night, leaving her counterpart to his silent musings on the tower.

Next >

#miraculous ladybug #marichat #adrienette #aged up #enemies to friends to lovers #the other you #a collab with a friend #myart #my art

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hetahonda · 4 years

Text

hetalia film school AU headcanons

North Italy/Feliciano Vargas

Feliciano took like one acting class for fun and now he fills in for all his classmates’ projects whenever they’re short of an actor

Director. His style is making up extreme scenarios to get the emotions he wants out of his actors (“Picture your mom dying! PICTURE IT!”). Gets very into it, but hey, it reaps results.

Does not pay attention during lectures. His scripts are naturally good, and he usually just wings it during shoots (plus he usually gets put in the same crew as Ludwig, so he’s fine)

The one pro of having Feli in your team is that the catering for your cast and crew is pretty much settled - his family owns a restaurant and they’re very, very generous

Germany/Ludwig Beilschmidt

Very to the book about everything. Has all the techniques and principles and theories memorised by heart, even though the others (Alfred) tell him that “There’s no rules to art, dude!”

Producer. All his productions run like a well-oiled machine - he has production schedules, and backup schedules for bad case scenarios, and even more backup schedules for worst case scenarios

Not the best at writing dialogue. His scripts tend to come out very stiff, so he usually gets help from Feliciano on that.

Ludwig tends to push his crew for revisions and re-revisions of scripts, storyboards, rehearsals, etc. weeks before shoots even start, but there’s no denying that his stuff always comes out top of the class

Japan/Kiku Honda

Takes notes for everything. Wears the same hoodie to class every day. Also, his laptop is covered with anime stickers.

Director of Photography. Works the best with Alfred, because they both have big, bombastic ideas that could come out of an anime or an action movie. Will only shoot with his own personal camera.

Kiku’s scripts are okay. His storyboards are gorgeous, mostly from being the best artist in class (apart from Feliciano). Has a whole ass pencil case with pencils of different graphite darknesses for storyboarding, while people like Ludwig and Alfred only have like a single wooden Ikea pencil.

Doubles on editing. This is an issue because his laptop keeps jamming from the hundred and one tabs he has running in the background

America/Alfred F Jones

The one issue with Alfred’s scripts are that his main characters are always too overpowered. They’re hecka fun though

Director (and amateur fight scene choreographer). Marvel fanboy who likes doing ‘homage’ shots to his favourite action movies. Almost always chooses to work on comedic productions over dramatic ones

He used to be take Director of Photography roles, but he somehow manages to break/lose at least one equipment per project. He’s cost his teammates more than $3k. He’s not allowed on camera duty anymore.

Somehow has a bunch of super interesting friends to use as profiles for his documentary projects. He’s also got friends in the drama department (Gilbert, Mathias and Yong-soo) who help act for his scripted ones

England/Arthur Kirkland

Arguably the best writer in class. Arthur’s scripts always get chosen for shoots, without fail. He’s very proud of it.

Producer. He’s organised (enough) and is familiar with paper work to do the job decently well, but can be a little scatter brained at times. Tends to edit his own scripts on the spot in the middle of shoots

Other than that, he’s not great at hands on production. He’s ‘helped’ with camera and sound work before where the camera/boom mics weren’t even switched on for the entirety of the shoot

Always gets put in crews with Francis. Both will not stop complaining about it in public, even though deep down, they know they work well together - they both have a liking for the more artsy, dramatic stuff

France/Francis Bonnefoy

Francis’s scripts aren’t bad, just swings on unrealistic - yes, it’s very poetic and yes it’s very beautiful, but nobody talks like that in real life

Director of Photography. He watches the most obscure (and in Arthur’s words, pretentious) art house films that nobody else in class has ever heard of. Though, all his own projects come out insanely aesthetic

If he had it his way, all of the budget would be blown on set design and costumes alone. Luckily for everyone else, he doesn’t get assigned to producer roles

Tends to go for more artsy/dramatic projects with Arthur. Can’t work on comedic ones if his life depended on it

China/Yao Wang

Yao’s scripts are very high concept - historical stuff with hours of research behind each of his pitches. However, they are so high concept that they don’t usually get picked because the school has no budget

Producer. He’s not a visual person, so he can’t help much with directing. He does have crazy good connections though - locations, material releases, wardrobe - he handles pesky admin stuff like it’s nothing

Eats in class, like all the time. He’s doesn’t bother to hide it - he will have his lunch during pitch meetings, and during table reads. He doesn’t give a shit. Good for him.

Helps with sound during shoots, but he’s short and can barely hold the boom pole over the actors’ heads. Don’t mention this to him.

Russia/Ivan Braginsky

Goddamn is he good at suspense/horror stuff. Ivan can turn a meet cute into a thriller without meaning to

Director. He’s not as flashy as Alfred, or as melodramatic as Feliciano, but he’s definitely got his own style. Shoots with him are very interesting - he tends to go for more unorthodox methods (some rule breaking involved), but Ivan thrives in the risks and it usually pays off in the end

Tends to come off as intimidating but is actually a real softie. Gets legitimately emotional at his own actors’ performances

Has a little rivalry with Alfred that literally no one else in class (but Alfred) cares about. It doesn’t matter because they both usually get beaten by Feliciano’s team anyway

(no this is not self-indulgent. no i am not avoiding my coursework. no i am not typing this at 4 in the morning when i have school tomorrow. ssssh.)

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