#*lassos an area* yeah that feels about right *fills with shadow and moves on*

[little-eye-guy]

things that have made my life easier as an artist:

not caring as much about closing the line art and using the lasso tool to shade

[a-crack-in-the-universe]

Endless Darkness

On the day of the Keyblade War, Aqua stands with the light keyblade wielders and faces down Master Xehanort and his Seekers across a sea of desert and stone. The old man is grinning smugly, his gold eyes alight in triumph as he looks back at them. There is no remorse for the pain he has caused them all with his convoluted plan.

Her blood boils just looking at him. This man is the cause of her agony, and that of Terra and Ventus. She longs to destroy him just as he destroyed her. She longs to rip him apart piece by piece and make him feel the agony she has felt over the past ten years because of him. Unfortunately, she is not the one meant to strike him down—Sora is—so she will just have to settle for watching him die. Besides, reaching Terra is a more important priority at this point.

She thinks she can see him, somewhere among the line of Seekers. They all have their hoods up so she cannot say for sure, but she is familiar enough with his shape and posture to take a good guess at which one he is.

When it begins, the sky darkens until it looks like night has fallen. Heartless and other monsters manifest themselves and launch themselves at the keyblade wielders, who begin to fight them.

Aqua ignores them all and makes a beeline toward Terra. Seeing her, he turns and runs, away from the main fight. She follows him. She knows that it is probably a trap, but she does not care at this point. All of her being is roaring, raging, focused on her need to get to him. And besides, she is not alone; she can feel Ventus a few steps behind her, begging her to slow down and think for a moment.

‘Terra!’ she snarls. ‘Stop running from me!’

It does not matter—he keeps running all the same. Muttering under her breath, she conjures up a dark lasso and throws it at him. It catches him around the waist and sends him off his feet. A strong feeling of satisfaction rises within her at his howl of anger. Good. The darkness runs up his body, paralyses him. Not for long, for he too is a darkness-wielder, but long enough. She lunges at him just as he breaks free.

Her tackle sends him sprawling. Enraged, he snarls at her words that make Ventus’s eyes widen; she simply smiles dangerously and grabs at his neck, squeezing until he is gasping for air. She ignores Ventus’ cries of shock and snarls at him, ‘Give us back Terra, or I swear I will crush you.’

His mouth moves to form a resounding ‘no’. She sees red, and her grip on him tightens.

Ventus’ voice cuts through her rage and brings her back to herself. ‘Aqua, wait! Don’t kill him! It’s Terra’s body!’

Of course… She shakes her head at herself. How could she have forgotten? Their main focus is rescuing Terra. They cannot free Terra if she has destroyed his body.

She does not realise that he is rendered unconscious until she loosens her grip and he does not fight back. Curious… She supposes that she must have been choking him for longer than she thought. 

She looks to Ventus, who is gazing at her with new eyes. ‘What now? How can we reach Terra?’

Ventus shrugs helplessly. Neither of them has the Dive to the Heart ability, and Riku and Sora are nowhere to be seen. It seems impossible. Frustrated, she kicks at the sandy ground and turns away.

‘We will have to carry him further away from the battle, at least,’ she decides, and moves to haul him to his feet.  

Suddenly, as she hooks his arm across her neck and shoulder, a set of images assail her mind: Three wayfinders in outstretched hands; her face, gold-eyed and silver-haired; and Ventus’ face. Her eyes widen in surprise.

‘Terra!’ She grabs Ven’s hand and puts it in Terra’s grasp. ‘Look, Ven! He is trying to reach us.’

Ventus’ eyes widen as he sees the images she has seen. Neither of them knows what they mean, but it becomes clearer as they are assailed with more images.

‘He’s… confused,’ Ventus says slowly. 

They look at one another with the same thought in mind. They must help him before Xehanort consumes him. But first, Aqua decides, they must carry him to a place of safety. They cannot be on this world when the X-Blade is forged.

‘No,’ Ventus says when she voices her thought. ‘We can’t abandon them! It wouldn’t be right.’

Right? She almost scoffs at that word. Since when has doing the ‘right’ thing ever helped them in any way? And besides, all three of them could be lost if they remain in the Graveyard any longer. The much wiser course would be to escape now, while they still can.

Still, she reluctantly yields to Ven’s intense glare and settles back down beside Terra-Xehanort’s prone form. ‘All right,’ she says grudgingly. ‘But first we must help Terra.’

‘Yeah.’ Ventus’ eyes blaze with determination. 

The two of them move to sit at Terra’s—Xehanort’s—side. They look at each other and nod, knowing without a doubt what they must do. They close their eyes and concentrate, until they move past the images flashing before their minds and into the muddled thoughts behind them.

Terra… Aqua’s breath hitches as she is flooded by his turbulent feelings. We are here.

Let us help you, Ventus adds.

What… I… Who...?

Listen to us. We will guide you. You are your own person, you are not Xehanort or part of Xehanort.  

Xehanort? No… I am nothing… no one… part of him…

You are you, they tell him in unison. Unique from Xehanort.

But the memories… they are not mine…

They are, they tell him. Your memories are your own. You only have to claim them.

I… I…

He falters. They concentrate harder, giving him what strength they have, until--

ooooo

Blinking and squinting, they find themselves standing on Terra’s heart-station. They see Terra immediately. He lies in the centre of the station, covered in shadows of darkness, groaning faintly as if he is in pain. (The painful echo in Aqua’s heart confirms it.)

‘Terra!’

Aqua falls to her knees beside him. As she does so she sees the chains on his hands and feet. Made of darkness, she thinks. They have a strange luminosity to them.

He does not answer. His eyes are closed; his head lolls slightly as she desperately shakes his shoulders.

‘Terra, can you hear me? Please answer me!’

‘What a sight,’ a familiar voice says mockingly from behind them.

Immediately she knows who it is. How can she not? It has haunted her dreams for months on end now. Slowly she rises and turns to face him.

‘Foolish Master,’ Xehanort says. ‘Still as misguided as ever. You cannot win. He belongs to me—as do you.’

She doesn’t lower her keyblade. ‘I do not belong to you,’ she says flatly. ‘And neither does Terra.’

‘Yeah,’ Ventus says, glaring at him. ‘Terra belongs with us and we’re going to prove it!’

He laughs. ‘Then do,’ he sneers.

They attack him, but again and again he covers himself with a dark shield before they can make contact with him. Each time she hears Terra cry out in pain.

‘You see?’ he says smugly. ‘You cannot defeat me without first putting him down.’

No… Shaking with rage, she swipes at him again, with the same result as before.

‘There is no other way,’ Xehanort says. ‘Put him out of his misery or leave him with me. From the look of him,’ he adds casually, ‘I am sure he would prefer the first option.’

She glares at him, hating that he dared to read her mind. ‘There is always a way! I won’t let you take him from us again!’

Frantically she searches her mind for something, anything, that could help. But all she can think of is Terra. Terra… That’s it!

Terra! We need you!

Xehanort glares at her, astounded. ‘You fool. Terra cannot hear you now!’

‘He can!’ she retorts back. ‘I know it!’ Terra! We can fight him together—the three of us!

She crouches before Terra, not caring about what Xehanort is doing. Ventus follows suit. Our hearts are connected. The three of us can do it! Now break free and help us!

For a long moment she holds her metaphorical breath as she waits. Please… she begs. Just come back to us. I believe in you. Ven believes in you. Just… come… back!

She caresses his cheek, willing him to wake up. Somewhere around her, she feels Ven do the same thing. Together they concentrate. And then they feel it: a glimmer of light, terribly faint, but there.

Terra! The word is shouted in unison.

…

Aqua… Ven… The words are filled with weariness and pain.

We’re here. Let us help you.

Shock, disbelief, and finally hope blossom.

How?... He’s strong…

The three of us are stronger. Now fight back!

I… I…

They feel him steel himself, and immediately bolster his light, showering him with memories. The day they met… the days they trained Ven on the summit… the days and nights they spent together, watching the stars. The night Aqua gave them their wayfinders, and the promise they made to one another.

By the time they are done, she can feel the tears staining his cheek. The chains disappear in a burst of light.

No! Xehanort’s voice echoed around the platform, furious and frustrated.

Aqua kisses Terra on the crown of his head and stands up to face the old Keyblade Master. ‘Leave, now,’ she says coldly. ‘Or pay the price.’

Xehanort’s eyes flash. ‘Then face the powers of hell!’

Before any of them can react, the station shakes violently. Darkness erupts from Xehanort’s figure, and spreads throughout the area, tainting it. With a thrill of horror, Aqua realises that the old keyblade master is about to destroy this heart-station and take them all down with it.

Aqua, Ven, you must go! Terra’s voice sounds in her mind, strained and panicking. This is not worth it!

‘No!’ 

She’s waited too long and lost too much to give up now. He and Ven are the only family she has left, and she will not lose either of them again if she can help it.

Of course, Ven refuses to leave them behind. She keeps a tight hold of both of their hands as the darkness rises higher and higher, spreads until the platform is consumed by it. With a thrill she feels the floor beneath them disappear, leaving them stranded in air.

They fall.

oOoOo

Sometime later, Aqua finds herself drifting back into consciousness on the sandy ground of the Keyblade Graveyard. Opening her eyes, she spies Terra’s still-comatose form. Her heart freezes as she senses the emptiness within him. No… Terra? 

‘Aqua?’

She turns at the sound of a ragged familiar voice, and sees his Ventus’ face on the other side of her. His blue eyes are exhausted; his face is filled with love and concern as he looks at her.  

Ven…

‘You stayed with us,’ she croaks out. 

‘It’s what friends do,’ he responds simply. ‘I would never leave you and Terra when I thought you were in danger.’

‘Thank you,’ she says simply. There is nothing else to say.  

Her eyes stinging with tears, she grabs hold of his hand, and reaches to take Terra’s. Both of them, here with her… it’s a dream come true. Is it truly over at last? She prays that it is. 

[not-close-to-straight]

Villain (FrostIron Prompt Fill)

***************************

“Stark." Loki landed on the ground and stomped towards Tony. "Call your team off, or I will be forced to hurt them."

"Will you?" Tony shot back, and raised his arm to aim the repulsor right at the Trickster God. "Because every time we do this sort of thing, you end up retreating."

Loki narrowed his eyes and stalked even closer and Tony smirked. In his suit he was the same height as the overly tall bastard, and he completely enjoyed not having to look up to talk down to him. He even opened his face plate so Loki could absolutely see the smug look on his face.

"So maybe--" he continued with a short laugh. "--you should take all that bluster and bullshit you carry around with you, and that ridiculous cape and maybe just--WHOA!"

Tony ducked and scrambled back a few steps when Loki summoned his magic and shot a bolt of energy at him.

"God it's so rude to interrupt me when I'm monologuing!" Tony snapped and fired a few shots off, hating how much he enjoyed the effortless way Loki seemed to dodge them.

They fought hard for a few minutes, trading blasts and snarky one liners, until Tony popped a repulsor that should have blown a hole in the Demi gods chest, but instead Loki just wrinkled his nose and disappeared--

--- and reappeared right in Tony's space, so close that Tony stumbled back into a wall, and Loki pressed close to him, a curious look on his face.

"You are adorable when you are cocky." That low voice was suddenly entirely too close to Tony's ear, and Tony had to swallow back his initial reaction (which was definitely not a moan. It wasn't) and had to lick his lips, which only drew that green gaze down. “I much prefer your brand of courage to the rest of these quivering mortals.”

“Tell me, Anthony.” Tony's full name rolled of Loki's tongue sounding entirely too good. “When you take this suit off--” Loki glanced down. “Do you prefer to wear silk or--”

“Tony!” The shout distracted Loki, who turned just in time to see Captain's shield flying toward him.

Tony's face mask slammed down and he was blasting away in a split second, and Loki barely managed to dodge the shield, sending a fierce glare at the Captain before shimmering away into nothing.

Tony flew off towards the tower, unsure of why his heart was pounding a little too hard, and why he couldn't quite wipe the smile from his face.

******************** It happened again, some time later. Another battle, another army of minions, Loki at the forefront with his magic and that stupid cape.

And maybe it was Tony's imagination but Loki seemed to be seeking him out, keeping him dodging blasts from whatever magically charged weapon Loki had this time. But Loki couldn't actually hit Tony at all, and about halfway through the fight Tony realized Loki was missing on purpose.

“What's your deal, Reindeer Games?” Tony flew in low and shouted at him, and Loki laughed out loud, looking entirely too pleased to see him.

“Perhaps you should consider yourself lucky I have not put you in the ground, Anthony Stark.”

Dammit, there it was again, his name said like that and Tony had to fight the shiver.

“Keep saying my name like that and I'll expect a date!” He called, and then there was a burst of light, a sharp pull and he landed ass first in the ground, his suit jarred enough to be temporarily offline.

“What in the actual fu--”

Loki had grabbed him with what looked like a lasso? made of light, and had yanked him right from the sky and into the dirt.

Tony opened his mask with a huff, but Loki was already leaning over him, a smile curving his lips.

“And on this date, would you prefer whiskey or scotch?”

Tony stared up into green eyes and managed to stutter, “Sc-scotch.”

“Hmm.” Loki hummed and looked down at his mouth, and then was gone, rematerializing halfway across the field, leaving Tony feeling like he'd been propositioned and sort of....liking it.

********************** A few days later, an ornately decorated box arrived at Tony's office, and inside lay an equally ornate bottle of scotch with some impossible date on it, and several symbols he couldn't read.

The note simply read

Anthony, I expect a date soon.

Tony crumpled the note in his pocket and coughed hard to explain the sudden blush, and put the bottle away under his bed.

************************* Steve stormed into the common area several weeks later, already suited up, shield ready.

“Loki is at it again. Doing something upstate. Tony, suit up and let's go. Nat and Clint are already on the jet.”

“I'll just fly.” Tony offered and was in his suit and out the window before Steve had even made it back out to the jet.

He found Loki high upstate, sitting serenely in a meadow in a meditative pose.

“Are you kidding me?” Tony landed with a thunk. “You're hanging out in the flowers? Where's your army? I haven't destroyed any weird alien minions in a while.”

“Hello, Anthony.”

“God, I thought you were gonna call me Clarice.” Tony retorted, but there wasn't any real heat behind it, and by the way Loki smiled… he knew.

“It's considered customary when one sends you a gift to either send one in return or at the very least, contact the suitor as to whether or not the gift was appreciated.” Loki said, sounding a bit peeved. “Was the scotch not to your liking?”

“It's great.” Tony admitted, and opened the suit entirely so he could step out of it. “I just don't understand why you are sending me scotch.”

“Because you like it.” Loki lifted to his feet in one smooth motion. “Have you never had someone buy your presents simply to see you smile?”

Tony squinted at him. “But you know… you're a bad guy. I'm a good guy. You should be trying to steal my mind or my soul or something, not giving me expensive gifts.”

“Oh.” That little smile again. “I am a god, Anthony. It is not for mortals to say if I am wicked or not. And I will give gifts as I see fit. And I would never try to steal that fascinating mind of yours, or that pure soul that you try to pretend is so damaged.” He stepped closer and held out a slender hand invitingly. “I would perhaps, have your heart, if you were so willing.”

“Oh my god.” Tony laughed a little. “Oh my god you like me.”

“Indeed.” Loki's eyes sparked with something darker than just mischief. “I find myself drawn to you, as you are no doubt drawn to me.”

“I am definitely not drawn to---” Tony sucked in a quick breath when Loki shimmered out of focus, and then back in with his mouth only an inch from his own. “Oh.”

“Aren't you, though?” Loki's voice dropped into something else entirely, something soft and--and yearning. “Aren't you drawn to me, Anthony?”

“Um-I mean--” this close, the four or five inch height difference between them was very noticeable and Tony was surprised to realize he didn't care half as much as he thought he would. “Yeah. I'm definitely um--”

“Kiss me.” Loki whispered then and Tony had closed the distance between them before he even realized he was moving, sliding their lips together and shivering a little because Loki's lips were shockingly cold, even though they warmed against his own within a few seconds.

“Again.” Loki murmured when they broke apart, and this time he moved forward first, covering Tony's mouth in a slow easy kiss, letting his tongue press and tease at the seam of Tony's lips until he opened with a little gasp.

Tony was about half a second from standing on his toes (height issue be damned) and dragging Loki in for a better kiss when the noise of the Avengers Jet tore through the air, and a split second later an arrow embedded itself in Loki's arm, throwing him several feet away.

Steve and Clint and Tasha came running out of the jet and Tony stepped back into his suit as fast as he could so they wouldn't see his face.

Loki grimaced, ripping the arrow from his bicep and stared at Tony, trying to see his eyes through the mask.

“Such a shame when first dates don't end happily, isn't it?”

And then he was gone, and the team all whipped around and stared with open mouths at Tony, who had never been so glad to be hiding in the suit in all his life.

******************** Steve sure was mad.

“You are never to spend time with that maniac alone again.” He smacked his shield on the table and Tony winced when the beautiful (expensive) thing cracked.

“I feel like you're over reacting.” Tony said, shrugging his shoulders.

“No. He absolutely is not.” Clint cut in, arms folded over his chest. “The last time Loki was that close to me, he got ahold of my brain and left me screwed up for ages. Stark, what the hell are you thinking?”

“You guys.” Tony rubbed his eyes behind his sunglasses. “He was sitting in a field of flowers. Maybe he was just enjoying the natural beauty of upstate New York.”

“Oh my-- check his eyes. See if Lokis gotten to him.” Steve snapped. “This is insane. You spent time alone with him and now don't want to tell us why? What is going on? You should hate him, Tony. Last time he saw you, he tossed you out the window, or have you forgotten?”

“No, Cap, I haven't forgotten.” Tony said crossly. “But I just think--”

“He likes him.” Natasha announced, and they all turned to look at her. “Loki likes Tony, that's why he didn't hurt him. And we all have seen how in every fight now Loki always engages but never hurts him. He likes him.”

“Utterly ridiculous.” Tony crossed his arms and sat back with a huff.

“Oh my god.” Natasha actually laughed now. “You like him back!”

“Settle down, we aren't children. No one likes anyone.” Steve interrupted. “If Loki has some weird obsession with Tony, we need to keep them separated, obviously. Tony from now on, you are not to engage him in fights without one of there with you at all times.”

“Sure thing, grandpa.” Tony was sort of sorry that his spectacular eye roll was hidden behind his glasses. “Whatever you say.”

***************** Well it was basically the most annoying thing ever having a member of the team shadow him non stop.

Especially because that member of the team was Steve.

The guy was just everywhere. For 200 plus pounds of blond and star spangled he sure was quick on his feet, and every fight they engaged in, from skirmishes to the rather impressive incident in England, Cap was right next to Tony every step of the way.

Three times in the past few months, Loki had been involved in the fight, and for the first two times, every time Loki had even looked at Tony, Cap was diving in and shaking his attention and pushing Tony away.

The third fight, Loki was watching Tony as he fought, the suit diving and flitting around, with Cap right with him, and Tony really couldn't be sure what exactly happened, but suddenly a building was falling on Steve, and that annoying (awesome) rope light thing had yanked his suit to the ground and behind a crumbling wall and masked by the heavy dust and sounds of fighting, Loki had grabbed him and kissed him senseless.

Tony had barely remembered to open his face plate, or maybe Loki had magicked it open, but either way-- one minute he was yelling because a whole building was collapsing on Steve, and the next Loki was thoroughly, messily kissing him, and Tony was wishing he wasn't actually in his suit because he definitely liked being shorter than Loki and really wanted to feel that lean body moving against his own.

And then Loki was gone and Cap was shoving out from under hundreds of pounds of rubble looking pissed but unhurt, so Tony closed his mask and jumped right back into the fray, a big stupid smile on his face because he could see Loki across the way with an equally stupid smile in his face.

Best thing was, this wasn't even the weirdest date Tony had ever been on.

********************** It wasn't long after that fight and subsequent kiss, that Tony found himself walking into what used to be his office but now resembled the overstock room at a flower shop.

Every flower he could name, plus several he couldn't, were piled on his desk and chairs and all over the floor and Tony could do was blush and read the card attached to an astonishingly large bouquet of roses.

Anthony, I grow weary of being watched when we have our moments. So tempting, to simply spirit you away to my chambers where we might talk and laugh and learn each other's bodies. To hear the way you pant and moan, the way your fingers would feel leaving scratches down my back. I would let you draw blood, my intriguing man of iron, if only to assure myself you are indeed present and not simply my imagination driving me mad as I lie alone in my sheets. I would beg, tell me you ache for me as I ache for you, and I will move the heavens to be by your side.

“Jesus Christ.” Tony muttered and fanned himself. “These Asgardians don't mess around do they?”

“What's on the card, Tony?” Steve's voice came from somewhere in the general direction of a huge amount of lilies in varying colors.

“Oh. Nothing.” Tony folded it up and shoved it in his back pocket. “Ladies down at the flower shop appreciate me. I've sent enough flowers to ex girlfriends to put her daughter through college.”

“I absolutely don't believe that.” Steve scoffed and Tony shrugged.

“I absolutely don't care.”

************************* Later that night, very much later, really it was pushing early the next morning, Tony made it up to his room, stumbling through the door and towards his bed-- --and stopped mid step to just stare.

“I-- obviously drank too much at dinner.” He stuttered and Loki-- from his position stretched out completely nude on Tony's bed--simply smiled.

“Are you--” Tony looked back at his door to make sure it was closed. “You're actually here?”

“My own bed is so lonely.” Loki shrugged lazily and rolled over on his back, one long leg bent, the other stretched out invitingly. “I thought perhaps I have wooed you enough to be welcomed into your bed.” He arched an eyebrow in question, and Tony was already nodding, already yanking his shirt off and unbuttoning his pants.

“Yeah. Definitely. What is this, by the way?” Tony kicked his shoes off. “What are we even doing with this? I mean are we--”

“Do we need to have an explanation for attraction?” That low voice went even deeper as Tony stripped, Loki's eyes tracing over him in interest, over the scars left from the arc reactor, over his trim body and down to follow the trail of dark hair that ended below his waist.

“No, but it seems--” Tony stopped talking when Loki ran a hand down his chest, down lean hips and then even further, gripping himself and stroking firmly, his hard length looking like something Tony needed in his mouth.

“You're staring, Anthony.” Loki teased softly and Tony jumped, his jaw snapping shut.

“You are entirely too distracting from this distance.” Tony muttered and Loki held out one of those graceful, slender hands and beckoned to him.

“Come closer then.”

Tony was climbing the bed, pushing Loki's long legs apart and settling against him, eager to kiss him, to taste him and Loki simply moaned and lay further back into the pillows, arching his back and wrapping those long limbs around Tony to keep him as close as possible.

And sometime later when Tony reached down between his legs to get Loki ready, his eyes opened wide because Loki was already relaxed and open and wet and Loki chuckled into his mouth.

“There are magical benefits to being with me, my love.”

And even later, after Tony had finished and Loki was still trying to come down, still gasping and moaning in an absolutely filthy way, clenching tight to keep Tony from slipping out of his body, Tony leaned close and whispered, “There's magical benefits to being with me, baby.”

And Loki rolled them over impossibly fast, drawing on his magic and running his fingers down Tony's body until Tony yelled because he was suddenly ready again, still buried deep inside Loki's perfect body, and then Loki started riding him, all pale skin and dark hair and gorgeous green eyes, and Tony couldn't remember why he ever thought this was a bad idea.

********************* The next morning they were lazy together, holding hands and kissing and when they finally made it downstairs, each wrapped in ridiculous embroidered silk robes that Loki had summoned from… well nowhere really, the rest of the team was sitting in the kitchen looking mortified, and horrified, and shocked and just…

Tony laughed and stood on his toes to press a long kiss to Loki's lips.

“Tony.” Steve couldn't even look at them. “Are you kidding me?”

“Calm yourself, Captain.” Loki said smoothly. “You couldn't very well watch Anthony every second could you? I was bound to end up in his bedroom eventually.”

Tony flushed a little but dropped his hand down to squeeze at Loki's ass, grinning when a flush rose in those pale cheeks.

“It was bound to happen eventually.” He repeated.

“Inevitable, really.” Loki slipped his arms around Tony's waist. “After I spent so much time wooing him.”

“Ugh.” Clint rolled his eyes. “Go away.”

“As you wish, Archer.” Loki smiled, and snapped his fingers, and sent them right back to Tony's bed.

“Villain.” Tony mumbled and Loki laughed and kissed him.

“I think the wicked way you use your tongue make you more of a villain than I.”

“Oh?” Tony wiggles his eyebrows. “Shall we test that theory?”

“Oh, absolutely.” Loki purred and slipped out of his robe. “Absolutely.”

*********************

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[man9a]

So because I have no life and because I offered to help an anon, I’m making this manga colouring tutorial.

Now first off I’d like to apologise because I personally suck at explaining things. I really do and I’m sorry if this confuses you.

I used Photoshop CS6   (its pretty easy to get it off the internet and I can’t remember where I got mine google is your best friend. But you can see if this masterlist by itsphotoshop still has working links) But, I’m sure other versions of photoshop like CS5 and CC can do this as well. 

If this actually helped you please give it a little, like/reblog!

Now on with the tutorial!

Ok so I’m going to use a mangacap from bungou stray dogs and I’m gonna be colouring something I coloured before (here), my depressed home boy Atsushi

(scan courtesy dazaiscans)

When you open it in photoshop please ensure that your image mode is RGB and not Index (this is common with scans from mangastream). To change it go to Image>Mode>RGB

Crop out the area you’re gonna colour. And resize to desired size (I chose 540px) because I wanted to upload it to tumblr)

Now we’re gonna clean it. I have no idea how other people clean theirs, this is just how I do it.

First double click on your background layer and click ok on the box that comes up so it will not be locked.

Now click channels

And then click the dotted circle at the bottom. After, click delete on your keyboard. 

The image will show up something click this:

Now go to Layer(on the topbar)>New Fill Layer>Solid Colour and you set the colour to pure white). Move that layer below your mangacap.

Now it’ll look like that. Then I merged those layers together.

Because I don’t want the background with the bus andbench and the panel above Atsushi, I’m going to create a new blank layer (so if I make any mistakes I can fix it), take the polygon lasso tool

(if you dont see it right click on the area where you see the normal lasso tool/magnetic lasso tool and then click polygon lasso tool)

and then I select the areas around Atsushi.

Then on the new layer I created, I use the paint bucket tool and fill in the selected area with the colour i wanted which is white.

now it looks like that.

Then on a new layer, I take a black solid brush and I change the size to something small (like around 2-3px) and I just fill in the black areas which look at little weird. For example, I thought Atsushi’s pupils looked a little weird so I filled them in.

So now it’s time to colour. Now go google a random animecap/coloured pic (preferably official art) of your character. Then open it in photoshop.

I used this pic so yeah.

Now using the colour picker tool, pick their skin colour. Ok now go back to your mangacap, create a new layer, and select all the areas where your character’s skin is with the polygon lasso tool.

Then use a solid brush (basically one of the first default brushes from photoshop you see here), adjust the size to suit, then colour in with the characters skin colour. Set the layer to multiply.

Now, create a new layer and clip it to the layer you coloured their skin on. (clip a layer by right clicking on the layer and click clip layer and the layer will clip onto the layer below it). Set the layer to multiply

Then you select the areas where you see a shadow on the character’s skin. 

If there is none, what you can do is google some lighting references and choose shadows on faces that are at a similar angles as your character (does that make sense??). Or you can just not put it in.

Now using the same colour you used to colour the skin. Colour the selected areas.

If you decide that other areas need a deeper shadow, you can create another layer, set it to multiply, clip it to the layer below, select the areas you want to be darker and just fill in the selection. I did this for the frown lines on Atsushi’s face.

Now because Atsushi looks as if hes about to cry, using a pink colour (like the one below), 

I make a new layer, set it to multiply I clip it to the skin layer and using a soft brush I brush over under his eyes and a horizontally across his nose.

Now to get some soft shadows (?) around his face and like the areas of skin below his hair, using the same pinky colour, and a huge soft brush (i used 288px) brush the area around his face but not directly near like this:

(the gif is shitty and rushed im sorry)

Using a soft brush eraser you can just fix it up from the inside of his face. I’m sorry if that sentence made no sense.

Now on a new layer (set to multiply), using the same colour I used for the soft shading, I select the area where inside his mouth is supposed to be and using a hard brush I fill that in. And then you know the drill, I create a layer, clip it to the layer before, set it to multiply and just put in where I think the shadow would be. 

And then going in with a soft brush on another clipped layer and just put in some soft shadows around.

Now I’m going into his eyes. Now I do practically the same thing I do for his skin here: I pick the colour of the eye from the art with the colour picker tool, make a new layer, set it to multiply, colour it in.

Now it, really depends on how I feel to do the shadow on the eye.

Sometimes I do something like this where I shade the top half of the eye, like in the image above.

Or I simply outline the eye and the edges alone are made darker. Like this:

In this case I chose to go with the latter because I felt like it.

NOW. Normally eyes have that ‘shine’ to them right. I normally don’t do the eye like this, I just put a normal circle kinda by the pupil like this or follow whatever highlight the mangaka drew like this:

But since I thought Atsushi’s eyes looked bland like this, I  highlighted it more. Now this is optional, I thought it looked better this way because following the highlight it originally had was bland for me so I did it. You by no means have to do it, it just depends on your preference.

So on a new layer, on the eye I selected a kind of a crescent shaped like so:

Up close and personal with my depressed son. Then using the colour white, I colour it in with a hard brush.

So now at the bottom of the last panel on the right, you’d see a button that says “fx,”

Click that and click outerglow. And a tiny window will show up. Now choose a colour a little lighter that your eye but make sure its around the same tone(?) (a warm colour or a cool colour; red under tones, blue undertones, etc.). In my case I chose a pinky colour.

As you can see I set the blend mode to screen now this part is a must, but the opacity and the spread and size are all up to you, again its all based on your preference.

Now your eye will look something like this:

Now just duplicate that layer and move it to the next eye and rotate it by clicking ‘ctrl+T’ if necessary 

now boom you got your eye. I put it in a group so it’ll be a little organised.

Now onto his hair oh the pain.

Now you know what to do, make a new layer, set it to multiply, pick the hair colour off your reference image, select the areas with the hair (this includes eyebrows and lashes if they’re there), colour it in.

I hid the layer where I put the redness of his eye and only realised just now so I unhid the layer sorry.

Now Atsushi’s hair on his head has a lot of layers (?) so I had to select the areas where I saw the shadows going (?) (I’m sorry if that doesn’t make sense). If your character has shadows in their hair to go along with by all means follow it but in my case his hair sort of didn’t.

So as you can see, I selected the areas where I deemed fit to have harsh shadows, I really did not put much but you can tell I did something. It all depends on where you want to put it though, I’m no expert in shadow theory so I probably suck at it but eh.

Now if you notice there’s kind of a shadow over his hair and it’s cast over his face to. So I just followed what I saw, and on a new clipped layer I selected the area and using the same colour I used for his hair and just did a shadow for that area like so:

Now normally I put soft shadows and you can see I used a pinky shade for that when I did the skin and his mouth,  but since the colour didn’t look like it had any pink undertones (did I say that right), It kind of looked weird with a pink shading. So for the soft shading I used a greyish colour:

and I just did the normal thing where I brushed around the hair with a soft brush.

NOW this part I’m about to do is completely not necessary, I barely do it but I did it in this colouring so yeah.

Using the texture above, I clip it to the hair, set it to screen, change the opacity to 50% and the fill to 28%.

Its bare noticeable but it gave his hair a slight purplish look so I liked it.

Now this part is something I barely do as well but I did it here so I’ll show you how.

Using this texture, I set it the opacity to 22%. I then select where I want the line of the highlight to be (you know how anime characters especially have this line of shine across their hair). Like this:

And then add that to a layer mask by clicking the button next to the “fx,” button. (I did it before I’m sorry I didn’t take a screenshot before I added the layer mask I’m really sorry).

Then you set the layer to soft light and boom.

You have a highlight looking thing.

Now for the shirt I basically did what I did for the skin, hair and other areas: make a new layer, set it to multiply, pick the hair colour off your reference image, select the areas needed, colour it in.

Now advice, I don’t know if you want to do it or not but, I personally think that if your character has a white shirt do not leave it pure white. Colour it with an off white colour like a light grey. Like this:

It makes it easier for me at least to put in the shadows and stuff as you have a layer to clip it to and its easier to just use the same colour and click multiply.

Then again this all depends on your preference.

For the soft shadows I used the same colour I used for his hair soft shadow.

As you can see, he has a tie and suspenders which are both black. 

Now again advice and it’s my opinion I am by no means an expert but I think one should never use a pure black colour to colour it in unless it’s what you’re stylistically going for it. I’ve seen a lot of artists on tumblr say this and they use a somewhat dark blush-ish grey colour and I 100% agree with it. 

However again, everyone has their own preferences. 

Now the colour I typically use for black areas leans more to the gray side rather than the blue.

Now again what I’m about to do is not what I normally do but I did it in this colouring so I will show you but it is not necessary you do it.

Using the same texture I used for his hair, I clip it to the various black pieces of clothing he has, moving it around until I think it looks nice and changed the opacity as I saw fit. I did not change the blending mode from normal to soft light but you can if you want to. 

To do each part individually, Using a layer mask and a pure black soft brush, I removed the parts affecting the other parts. And I unlinked the layer mask to the original layer (double click the chain link that’s between in the layer and the layer mask) so I can move it if I wanted to without moving the layer mask.

For example his suspender which appears to be at your left, I place the texture over that, moved it around, changed the opacity as I saw fit, removed the parts affecting his tie and other suspender. And was left with this:

Now just do that for the other parts.

Now I forgot to colour his teeth and white of his eye and only realised now so I just used the off white colour and coloured it in real quick (I put in the harsh shadows as well)

Now by all means you can leave it like this but I like to put in highlights to the skin but you can leave it like this. I have not put highlights to the skin before in some of my other colourings like this one of haiba alisa from haikyuu.

Now what you’re gonna do on a new layer set to normal is select a fine line around areas like, the perimeter of the lower half of the face, frown lines (if you want), the outer perimeter of the ear, the bridge of the nose, a little circle by the lip (if you want) and if the character has sweat or water on their face, select the outline.

It’ll be something like this. Now with a hard white brush fill in selected area.

BOOM NOW YOUR PRACTICALLY FINISHED CLAP THE STRUGGLE IS OVER.

Now you don’t have to do this part it’s your personal preference. I have a photoshop plugin Topaz Clean 3 which is really easy to get off google so if you want you can go get it. Now I copy every layer and merge it. Now using Topaz clean with these settings:

I apply it to the layer and set the layer to 50% opacity (i literally wrote 50% free the 1st time im trash)

Now to add a little more oomph to my colouring because I can.

I used the same texture I used on his hair, set it to screen, I added a layer mask and erased the areas it affected besides the text so they text looked coloured.

Then you apply your psd. Now the psd I’m using is psd 01 from this psd pack but its really heavily modified and I removed a lot of the layers. Then I used 2 textures

with blending mode soft light and opacity 37%

and

with blending mode screen, opacity 51% and a black and white gradient layer clipped to it.

and boom you’re done!

And that is the end result! I hope you enjoyed and that it wasn’t too confusing!

[marco-on-wheels]

Director’s Cut

This was for a Creative Vigilance uni class about breaking the fourth wall. This is actually the thing that eventually got me into Undertale, even though the story has nothing to do with it. But some of the people in the workshop said I should play Undertale as this story was apparently “Just like it”

There are parts of this Tumblr’s tried to turn into links, just ignore it, I don’t know what kind of drugs this damn website is on anymore.

It’s under a read more because i’m putting it here but it’s not actually snk-related, just fanfiction related

Director’s Cut

“Why do you always have to get me to carry out your little pissing contests with Jack?” The young adult folded his green, tumoured, arms over his chest. The two infected ‘zombies’ peered down over the ledge. Danny, the younger one, stood a little further back from the ledge while his companion spied through the branches of a tree just below them, which was growing up and outward from the little cliff. A slimy tongue slapped him. He rubbed the back of his head and coughed at the extra smoke the smack forced out of his boils, glaring at the other smoker.

“It’s not a pissing contest, I just can’t stand him.” The older smoker paused, leaning back against the tree branches and peering through the leaves. He grinned around his cigarette, the smoke from it mingling with his own green clouds. He hissed quietly over his shoulder. “Alright, Danny, when I say ‘now’ you lasso him.”

“You just don’t want your tongue clawed off this time.” Danny grumbled under his breath; however he still flicked his longest tongue out.

“Steady …steady-NOW!”

Fast as a whip, Danny shot his tongue down through the branches lassoing the hunter-type infected around the middle. He made sure to catch Jack’s arms.  If he was going to be dragged into this, he’d rather not have his tongue clawed short again.

Once constricted Jack let out a loud feral snarl from deep in his throat, similar to a wolf giving a warning. Although he couldn’t move much, he still squirmed and wiggled in an attempt to free himself. His claws were useless.

“Great! Now just keep holding him.” Smokes climbed down the ledge, using his own tongue to keep from slipping.

Danny rolled his single yellow eye, in the half of his face not covered with gas-filled tumours.

“Smokes! Get your fuckin’ slimy-ass tongue offa me!” Jack snarled in his Bronx, New York accent.

“Ain’t mine.”

“Quit usin’ da kid! Tech-a-nickally, he’s in my pack, ya chooch!”

“So what-”

BANG!

The tongue wrapped around Jack went limp, and an ominously large amount of green smoke was emitted from behind the tree.

Before he even hit the ground Jack started to climb up. “Kid – hey Kid! Uh, Dan, you ’ight?” At the top, Jack found Danny lying motionless by the tree. His smoke had already begun to dissipate. Though they were hidden in the shadow of his hoodie, Jack’s eyes widened as his mouth dropped. “Aw fuck, Kid...”

“Jack, what happened? You’re too quiet!” Smokes called from below.

Jack took a moment before calling back down “It’s da game. Someone’s playin’ again.” Jack’s growly voice caught a little. “I guess a playa saw Danny boy, and dey got scared…” That was all he needed to say.

Smokes didn’t respond at first, then he kicked the tree in frustration and swore under his breath.

It was then that Jack’s internal game programming started kicking in. As if a year of independent existence didn’t even count, he was just a mindless game antagonist again. He growled. “Before yours kicks in, go warn da others!” Keeping low to the ground, Jack crept on all fours in the direction his programming told him the survivors took.

Smokes could already feel it: a deep internal pull, nagging to go after the four playable survivors. He shook as he tried to pry himself away from the tree and to not simply climb it and follow Jack after the survivors.

With effort and mental strain, Smokes managed to wrench himself away from the tree. The survivors had moved far enough away.

Not waiting for the mental tug to return, Smokes turned and jogged down paths, the tap of stones and snap of cracking branches following his thudding feet as he made his way to the rest of Jack’s pack. Occasionally he stopped and wheezed, heavily regretting his life choice in becoming a ‘double’ smoker. Maybe he should at least quit the cigarettes.

Gasping for air, he powerwalked the rest of the way.

It felt like years before he finally made it to the small pool the other hunters stayed near.

The hunters were all doing different activities. Some were curled up sleeping in the grass like dogs and others were either drinking from the pool or trying to catch fish. Hank, the hunter Smokes was looking for, in his awful bright orange hoodie, was slashing at a tree, using it as a housecat uses a scratching post.

Smokes cringed. He didn’t want to have this talk. But he had to. Running a hand through his hair, Smokes approached the hunter.  “Hank, we need to talk. There’s been an … accident.”

The blond hunter turned his attention up to the taller infected. He’d been grinning, probably about to make some joke about Smokes having an accident. However, his amusement faded due to Smokes’s grim and apologetic expression.

“Whut hayappened?”

“It’s Danny. He – I was having him help me mess with Jack. It was going great at first – Ow!”

Hank had managed to snag the smoker’s tongue and had given it a tug before releasing it so the smoker could talk. “Ya’ll’re ramblin’! Spit it out, boy! Whut t’ hell hayappened ta Danny?”

“He’s dead.”

Hank fell silent before he shoved Smokes against the tree. “Whut did you dew!”

“I didn’t. Someone’s playing. Survivors returned.”

Hank’s hard stare lowered as he released Smokes. He backed away until he half sat-half fell, looking dazed at nothing in particular. “It’s beeyen so long. Ah thought they wasn’t gonna come bayack ’til Valve learnt how ta count ta three.”

Smokes hesitated. It was his grudge that did it. His rivalry with Jack had put Danny in the wrong place at the wrong time. Maybe he didn’t have the right to console Danny’s partner. Eventually he moved forward to pat the hunter on the shoulder.

“How long?”

“Hm?” Smokes bent down to hear the usually loud hunter’s quiet question.

“How long ago did this hayappen?” Hank’s normally cheerful southern voice sounded hollow as he turned to look up at the smoker.

“Uh.” Smokes cast his gaze to the side while he thought. “It felt like ages, but it probably wasn’t that long ago. Why?”

Hank ignored the question. “Where wuz it?”

“Before the safe house. Halfway through the level.”

“So, the servahvers might jess’ still be in this here campaign, am ah right?”

“…Yeah,” Smokes replied slowly while eyeing Hank. “What are you planning?”

Hank pushed himself up. “So there’s a chance he’s still ’round here, too, am ah right?”

Understanding washed over Smokes’s face. “Hank, no. Not the Director! You know what he’s like. He even punishes the damn players when they don’t follow his little rules! He can spawn – and de-spawn – infected whenever he feels like it!”

“It’s steel worth a shot!"

Leaping away before Smokes was able to catch him, Hank disappeared into the trees.

Hank sprinted through the level, splashing through puddles, narrowly dodging around trees and the occasional wandering infected. He ran on all fours, using his mutated elongated claws to dig into the earth to propel himself further, faster with every leap added to the sprint.

It wasn’t long until the blond hunter started tripping over bodies of fallen infected as well as survivors. “Guess they had to respawn a few times themselves,” he muttered. “Gotta be close.”

One body was familiar. It was Jack. "Aw Boss... shit...I know Tim wanted t’ leadership, but not like this..."

All too soon he began to feel that tug to attack the survivors. Though, after what they did to Danny, it was only partly because of his programming.

"I need some help here! I can’t get out of here by myself!"

“Yeah, yeah Nick. Hold yer horses. Tarnation! Ahma comin’. Jeez Louise!”

Flinging himself under a bush and out of sight, Hank surveyed the area through the leaves, trying to spot the survivors. There they were, the same four asshole personas the game always used as survivors.

The one in a cap, with a southern drawl similar to his own, swung open an outhouse door to release the grumpy one in what probably had been a once white suit. The large guy and angry, tough-looking girl were close by, surveying the area.

Hank stayed low, digging his claws into dirt to keep from springing at them.

The tug grew stronger and stronger. Hank finally shut the eye that hadn’t been clawed out, silently hoping the survivors would hurry up and walk away.

As the need to attack only continued to grow, through the foggy haze of programming, it started to dawn on Hank that he was probably watching.

Hank clenched his fangs. ‘No, no. C’mon, fight it…’ He wasn’t focusing on the survivors and just concentrated on not running after them, when before he realized it, the desire to chase them passed. The four survivors were finally sashaying their way forward.  After another moment, he finally peered around. As he did, the outhouse door shut on its own, only to reopen to full darkness.

Prying his claws from the earth, Hank cautiously snuck to the outhouse. On the way he paused a couple times to search around, making sure the survivors weren’t coming back. His head was only just starting to clear.

As Hank approached the empty blackness, he peered inside. He could see nothing but he sensed the space was huge. After a few careful steps, the door slammed shut, forcing him to tumble the rest of the way in.

Hank shook his head, disorientated from the fall, when lights filled the room blinding him. He held a hand up to shield his eye and squinted ahead.

“You’re quite the persistent one,” droned an uninterested voice, the speaker hidden in the bright light. He sounded like a bored businessman with way too much power.

Letting his vision adjust, Hank kept a hand up. “You’re The Dee-rector, right?”

“Indeed. Not many disobey the rules enough for me to call them in here.” The game’s primary program folded his arms over his chest, leaning on a desk in front of many monitors that Hank only just realized were in the room. He’d never actually met The Director in ‘person’ before.

Hank finally dropped his hand from blocking the light and puffed up his chest in an attempt to look braver than he felt now that he was here. “Wayell gud. Ah wuz lookin’ fer yew.”

The Director blinked, slowly, indifferently. “Go on, Hank. I’m listening.”

Hank took a breath first. “Um. Earlier mah, mah …freyend Danny wuz shot ‘n’ keeld. Ah wants yew ta, well yes, respawn him – but not reset him.”

“No.”

Hank stared at The Director in stunned horror, unable to move.   “No! No, yew haff ta-”

The Director put a hand up, causing Hank to interrupt himself. “I don’t have to do anything. I run a little world here and I run it how I see fit.”

Hank swallowed the lump in his throat and refused to walk away. He clenched his fists. “No. Ah’m not leavin’ until yew restore Danny’s personality. Ah, Ah mean, after ya bring ’im bayack.” He spoke firmly, though there was clearly a tremble in his voice.

The Director raised an eyebrow. “Well I’ll give you this – you certainly don’t back down from something you want. But there’s actually a reason retaining memories is dangerous. Eventually this will spread and before long every infected will want to keep their memories. Then what? Nothing would happen when the players show up as survivors. The infected would have their own lives to live rather than keeping to the program. Eventually this world will go inactive. If it goes inactive for too long,  I go inactive. If that happens, you and all the others cease to exist. That’s not a threat. That’s just how things would happen. It would be out of even my control.”

Hank’s eye widened and his mouth went dry. He couldn’t respond. All he could think was that if Danny was there ‘he’d be smart enough to think of just the right words, just the right tone. He’d know how to counter that.’

“Ah, but – what ee-if-”

The Director glided forward and began ushering Hank out. “You’ll move on. If it helps I’ll erase your memories of Danny so you won’t have to miss him.”

Hank scraped his claws along the tiled floor as the Director shoved him to the door. “Wait!” Once he was outside, Hank bent back and caught the door with his claws. He dug them in, trying to keep it from closing while looking back, upside-down, at a very unimpressed Director. “Wait. Whut-whut about a … deal?”

Rubbing his temple, the Director reached down, grabbing Hank by the hood of his hoodie. He ripped Hank loose from the door, but rather than tossing him outside, he dropped him on the floor instead. “I’m not agreeing – but I do like a good deal.”

“Ohhkay. Okay, th’ deal: yew bring Danny bayack, his mem’ries and all, but do ee-it  just fer our li’l group a guys, and only fer, like, a  week or so, ta see if it works. Like, we’d have no goldurn problem ’bout attacking them there servahvers, if ain’t none of us could die! Now then, ah see yer point, iffen we start jess keepin’ away  frum them goldurn servahvers, then, wayell, yer right, we’d haff ta go back ta th’ way eeit’s always beeyen. BUT, iffen we kin stick to yer program, and fight th’ li’l basturds frum time ta time, then maybe jess chaynge eeit ta lettin’ us keep our mem’ries?” Hank spoke loud and fast, having to catch his breath after.

The Director didn’t reply right away, rubbing his chin with a finger, eyeing Hank up and down while he thought. Without warning he grabbed Hank’s hand, tight. “Fine. You have yourself a deal. But let me add something: If it doesn’t work out, you will be the only one to live with your memories. Alone.” His lips curled upwards. “That’s our deal.”

Hank swallowed hard.

With that The Director released Hank and glided back to his desk. He tapped a few keys on the keyboard before turning back to Hank. “You better get going. You have one week to change my mind about wiping memories with each respawn.”

Hank all but flew from the room.

He soon collided with a familiar smoker, the force knocking them both down.

“Ouch… Hank?”

“DANNY!” Pushing himself up, Hank launched at the smoker, holding him close. “Are ya ok?”

Danny propped himself up on an arm. “Head kind of hurts but otherwise I’m ok. Something happen?”

Hank huffed, climbing to his feet and pulling Danny up too. “Layet’s head back. Ah’ll fill ya eein on th’ way.”