Hi everyone! This week’s post is a continuation of last week’s. This is a more dynamic illustration of the Japanese Water Goddess. It’s not quite finished yet because I hate drawing hands. Also, I drew her a cute turtle friend to follow her around because who doesn’t love cute animal sidekicks? Hopefully, I’ll muster up some good reference images to finish her hands.
These are old photos I created around Valentine’s Day. At the time, the first photo reminded me of the sixties or eighties. (I’m still not sure which.) I’ve never been able to recreate the hairstyle, but I’m glad I captured it! I hope you had a fantastic Valentine’s Day full of whatever makes you happy!
What if Viv, from a previous post, got possessed by the fae-dragon she made a pact with? I gave her a forehead eye because it fits a dream and abstract-concept-based character like her. So would her new, messy hairstyle. I also included concepts for the main fae-dragon body in the upper right corner. I like the concept of only the middle forehead eye having a pupil, and that the new Vivian doesn’t use her old eyes. Even though she keeps old Vivian’s professional wardrobe. I added a possible disguise for her in the bottom left corner. I have no clue how the guild would react to this. Probably badly.
After Breakfast—Must find Kazhen and discuss matters of Markoren with him. (Is Markoren intentionally evading me, or is he forgetting? Should I discuss Markoren with him over breakfast? But what if Markoren is within hearing distance?)
9 o’clock—Complete morning duties.
11 o’clock—Daily walk in the garden.
Luncheon with Ambassador today. Must remember to remain silent and not fidget this time. Kiryan and one of the Tokavskans have started looking at me strangely. If I act normal and remember Tomon is my priority, I will not make myself the fool again. (Am I the fool? Markoren will say something to me if he sees me writing this. He thinks I cannot keep track of things because I do not have brains, but he is not the one who can write. Oh, to have been the first son in my family.) And I will ensure Tomon is well taken care of and his needs are met. The Tokavskan servants insist I not help, but I worry that by not attending to Tomon personally during luncheon I am not being an adequate attendant. (I never would have met Tomon if my father had left me a decent sum in his will. I will do what I must to please Tomon because I rely on him to stay afloat. I should have respected our family servant more when I was younger. She did far more for us than I in my youth imagined.)
After Luncheon—I am to accompany Tomon to his meetings. I must remember Tokavskan procedure and stay still. I will not fidget excessively this time. Kazhen understands me and says I do my job well, and he says being in a new land requires some getting used to. (He and I became attendants at the same time, but I know Tomon favors him.) I wish I could remember all the procedures as easily as he, but I am so absentminded I must write down this schedule.
Tidy My Quarters. I must do this today. I will do it today because I will not have time tomorrow. My section is so messy that Kiryan and even Kazhen are annoyed with me. There is no Tokavskan procedure that dictates how you keep your things. The servants expect us to tidy our own spaces. One of them said something about the state of my quarters the other day, but I do not understand enough Zheren to know what it was.
Be Nicer to Markoren. After all, maybe he despises me because of how I am.
I’ve split these lyrics into two posts, the part 2 will be out next week! The lyrics I used are from the song “Obsession” by The Cairos. The full verse is: “For no reason at all/ I moved through all I could/ unsuspected at all/ I spied but found no haunt/ well it’s just as complex as I thought/ and I’m so unsatisfied” I interpreted this song as an ambitious person trying to understand what it is they’re actually chasing, and what the point of their obsession is. Visualizing this verse, I wanted to show the character climbing higher and higher in a forest for seemingly no reason. They just believe it’s what they should be doing. They decide to watch others as they make their way through the same forest. In comparison, their path looks easier. In the next part I’ll be showing that the other path is just as complex as the climb, with no reason behind their trek either. The last line will show the character’s confusion with all that’s going on, unable to see the end of any of it, “and I’m so unsatisfied.”
The 10 of cups – family
Death – closure, change
The 7 of cups – “illusionary fears,” revelation
There he comes / the hunter / come to butcher / my flock / one down / two / three / all family gone to bleed / That hunter / he comes / mounted / on a horse skinned of its / skin / there’s no skin / and soon the skin of my flock / will rot / six feet under dirt / The skulled hunter / his skulled mount / they’re both so much like / our skulled flock / How many more birds / should be shot with stones / until we turn the stones / Seasons go / some birds don’t go / beyond their youth / This is the phantom / crow / that haunts me / its bad omens / burden me / like the weight of my fallen flock.
