#Latest Image Processing Project Ideas

[technology-123s-blog]

Image Processing Project Ideas for Engineering Students

Are you looking for some innovative image processing project ideas? Look no further Takeoff Edu Group! We have compiled a comprehensive list of the best project ideas to get you started.

Image processing is an exciting field that involves transforming images into digital form and then performing various operations to enhance or extract meaningful information from them. It's a vast area that covers diverse applications like computer vision, pattern recognition, computer graphics, and more. As a student, you have a fantastic opportunity to explore and experiment with cutting-edge technologies and create innovative image-processing project ideas that can make a real impact.

Facial and Voice Recognition-Based Security and Safety System in Car

LiFi Communication of Text Audio and Image

Fruit Grading Using CNN

Traffic Monitoring Management System Using Deep Learning

Vehicle Detection Using MATLAB

Text Recognition for Speed Controlling in Vehicle

Real-Time Monitoring of Muscle Fatigue

Face Recognition-Based Voting System

At Takeoff Edu Group, we believe that students have the potential to drive innovation and push the boundaries of what's possible. That's why we offer a wide range of resources and support to help you bring your image processing projects to life. Our team of experts is always on hand to provide guidance and advice, and we offer access to the latest tools and technologies to help you achieve your goals. So why wait? Start exploring these exciting image processing project ideas today and unleash your creativity! Visit more information :- https://takeoffprojects.com/image-processing-project-ideas

[empty-movement]

Chiho Saito’s 1999 Revolutionary Girl Utena Original Illustration Collection

IT’S HERE. IT’S DONE. IT’S FINISHED. NOW…IT’S YOURS. Happy Holidays, my friends.

Vanna here! I have posted some already about this project, and the responses I got, public and otherwise, have been absolutely incredible. Y’all have been reblogging and hyping this before it even finished…I haven’t felt so encouraged about an Utena project since the musicals! (Yes, streams soon, I promise.) You can read the other post to get more details, and catch my post here with more details about the process if you’re interested. The long and short of it?

This is the first artbook I ever scanned. I did it in 2001. In Photoshop, using multiple scans per page that took hours to process. But it was 2001. A half megabyte file that was 1250px wide was considered extremely hardcore and impressive. That’s just always been the business I’m in when it comes to Utena art, you know? 

It’s now the latest artbook I’ve scanned, and so much of the process, and effort involved, is unchanged. What has changed, is the result. Welcome to your new desktop background. Your new phone background. Your new poster print. 

What I’ve done here is attempt to create definitive digitized images of Chiho Saito’s work as offered by this book--I have removed the print moiré of the original scans, and used my literal decades of experience to try and tease out as much information from them as possible. Without being physically in front of the original artwork (which is a thing I’ve had the great fortune to get to do) this is The Most Chiho Saito you are ever going to get. I’ve tried my best to make sure there is a way to get it that works for everyone:

Do you just wanna scope 'em out? Look at some disaster gays? Grab your favorite one or two? This is the path for you! Check out the ‘compressed’ (not very) 10k ‘web friendly’ (not really) copy at the Bibliothèque, the media archiving wing of the Something Eternal forums at Empty Movement*. All the following links are also available from here. Do you want these copies? All of them? Don't just grab them individually, friend. This batch is 375MB and can be downloaded as a zip of the individual files here on our Google Drive.

Do you like digital archiving? Are you looking for a copy that preserves the archival quality of the effort but sits nice and comfy in a single file? This is for you. A minimally compressed 10k, 513MB version worked into a PDF is now up, shiny and chrome, on the Internet Archive. Do you like the idea of the minimal compression, but want the individual files in a zip? Yep I did that too, here's the drive link.

Are you looking to print these in a larger size? This is probably the only reason on Earth you’d ever want them, and yet a bunch of you are going to go straight for these. Here are the zero-compression JPG full size copies, most of them are 15k across, like simply a ridiculous size. Pick your fave and download it from our Google Drive! 

I am genuinely really proud of this work.** I was able to tease out so much new detail from these…her incredible layering techniques, the faintest brush of her highlights, and the full range of her delicate hand at whites and blacks… details commonly lost in digitization. I sincerely hope you find something here that you’re looking for, as an artist looking for inspiration, as a weeb looking for a desktop, as an archiver excited to see incredible 90s manga artwork saved forever in the digital realm. I feel like I have already said so much about them, and could keep going, but you know what? This work speaks for itself. Enjoy, use, explore, and definitely tell us what you think!

We love y’all. ~ Vanna & Yasha

* AHEM ASTERISK AHEM

You might be wondering what any of that is. Something Eternal? Biblewhatawhat??? EmptyMovement.com? You might even have done a double take at the word ‘forum.’ And you should!!!

I have a confession. This artbook was my ‘side project’ as I worked on this, *the main project.* For a couple years I’ve been banging around with a new domain, and originally I had other plans for it, but Elon Musk ruined my Twitter and Discord is well along on its way to enshittification, and well….we joke on the Discord a lot about ‘reject modernity, embrace forums’ and you know what? We’re right. So Yasha and I are putting our money where our mouths are once again, and doing something insane. We are launching, in 2023, a website forum. Obviously, this is not the official ‘launch’ per se, but I cannot announce the artbook without directing you to the forum, since it sits on the attached very cool gallery system. Oops! Told on myself. Another post more focused on the forum will be forthcoming, but if you are just that motivated to get in right away, you absolutely can! (This will help stagger new arrivals anyway, which is good for us!) If you would rather wait for the ‘official’ launch, by all means that’s coming, including a lengthy screed about how and why we’re doing this. In either case, remember: this is a couple weebs trying to make internet magic happen, we are not website developers by trade. Give us grace as we iron things out and grow into this cool new website thingie…hopefully along with some of you! :D

If you do join up, naturally, there is a thread about this project!

** If you like this kind of content, consider helping us pay for it! We do have a Patreon! If you’re wanting to use these in some public-facing distributive way, all we ask is for credit back to Empty Movement (ohtori.nu or emptymovement.com, either will work.) 

I would like to say ‘don’t just slap these files on RedBubble to get easy money’ but I know that saying this won’t effectively prevent it. Y’all that do that suck, but you’re not worth letting it rain on the rest of this parade. :)

[oofmybad]

I loved your GOAT Talk imagine! Could you do one where Billie and reader are on Hot Ones Versus?

HOT ONES Versus

i love this request!!! it’s so nice writing out videos she’s done - just takes so long lol. but it’s a good excuse to watch the videos back teehee :P

warnings: fluff, suggestive jokes, not proofread

a/n: hi gang! i had my tattoo today, it was only five hours long so not too bad. i had planned to write a ton of requests while i was there but i ended up getting my right arm tattooed so no can do, whoopsie!

~~~~~~~

“you spin first baby, you wanted to” billie points to you across the table.

you take the hot sauce wheel between your fingers and spin it. after many turns it lands facing billie.

“you go first!” “my turn” you and billie say at the same time.

to your left, there is a stack of cue cards placed face down. you pick one up and begin to read out the question.

“as a songwriter, there’s a constant need to document your inner-most thoughts and feelings.” you pause to tsk, “read your last notes app entry out loud” you wince at billie.

“ruh rohhhh” billie sings, clearly unable to remember the last thing she wrote in there. she fishes her phone out of her back pocket and brings it up to read from.

her leg bounces in anticipation as she makes her way to the app.

suddenly, out of nowhere, billie lets out her signature loud cackle, throwing her head back in the process.

“yall! it’s a quoute from my dad” billie goes on to explain the context of the note before revealing what it actually says:

“your mom says i have bird eyes” she laughs, making you laugh with her.

she continues, “and that i look like a baby dinosaur”

“what the fuck, maggie?!” you chime in, “way to woo him” you joke.

“look at mom!” billie point over to maggie behind the cameras while laughing, “she’s like, ‘yep!’”

you notice that maggie is also filming the scene, so you decide to tease her about it, “she’s also filming as though there aren’t a hundred cameras in here. you know, just to get that magic shot” you quip.

billie laughs with you, before going on to read out the next question for you. “i just released my latest project, hit me hard and soft, were there any arguments while i was working on the record?” she reads out, looking to you once she’s completed the question. she takes off her glasses now, hoping to get a better look at you.

“ummm” you think, “yes” you say plainly.

billie laughs at your short sentence, “you gonna give any context to that, or?”

“i would come in the room a lot while you were recording a take and mess it up. that would piss you off” you say. billie laughs heavily in agreement.

“let me defend myself, though” you put a hand up, “i cant knock ‘cause that makes a noise, but i can’t just come in ‘cause that distracts you. so what exactly am i meant to do?”

“um, not come in” billie says as though it’s the most obvious thing in the world.

“bil, you were recording for like two years. sometimes i needed you” you explain, making eye contact with the cameras, looking for comradery.

“hell yeah you did” billie says like a twelve year old boy, turning your sentence dirty.

“shut UP! i did not!… well-” you trail off.

“sorry mom” billie giggles. you just grit your teeth in maggies direction, making an ‘eek’ face.

“ok next question pleaseeeee” you sing out, trying to move on from the now awkward conversation.

you pick up another cue card and read it out to billie.

“in addition to being a grammy award winning singer, you’re also a style icon. rate these classic billie fits on a scale from 1-10.”

“jesus christ” billie huffs.

you pull up the first image of her in a camo vest and grey sweatpants, already giggling at her.

billie deliberates, “one to ten? we’re gonna give that like a… three.” she goes on, “i had the idea, the idea was there, but the execution was off. it really doesn’t look good on, though.”

“was that at laneway?” you ask.

“mhm, in perthhhhhhh” she says questioningly, causing you to make fun of her cadense.

“p-u-r-r-r-r-r-th?” you spell out before picking up the next image.

“aw this was cute” you comment.

“that was cute. that’s like a 7/8. anything anime is like the coolest shit ever.” billie answers, “anytime i have a shirt with an anime character on it, it’s the coolest shirt i own.”

holding out the next image billie jumps in, “oof. this was a person who’s shit did not stink.”

“uhhhhh” you disagree, “she was, in a word: mean”

“hahahahaHAHA” billie laughs in her baby voice, “that’s not true!“

“don’t even, bil. you hated me back then” you mock pout.

“no i didn’t, i could never hate you” billie attempts to defend herself but you cut her off regardless, “you can and you have, bil.”

the two of you continue to score fit pictures, before billie gets too embarassed to continue.

she reads out the next question.

“as a fellow producer and songwriter, you’ve worked with everyone form justin bieber to kid cudi. name one person you’d never want to be in the studio with again” billie laughs out at the end of the question, a mischevious look on her face.

“hehehe” she devilishly chuckles.

“oh no” you hesitate to answer, already having someone in mind.

“yeah! YEAHHH!” billie screams in triumph, happy you’re gonna have to eat a death wing.

“um… um….” you blow a big puff of air out, “i don’t wanna punch down.”

“savage, y/n” billie quips.

“well?! i could punch WAY down” you laugh. “…sure, sure, i’ll eat a wing.”

you go to take a nibble out of the soy meat, the heat already hitting you like a cloud of smoke.

“woah! that was a fat bite, baby” billie exclaims.

“i’m hungry” you mumble back as you chew, but make sure to cover your mouth.

“careful with your eyes, pretty girl” billie warns you. you’re sat their with your hands out, palms to the sky, consciously putting them nowhere near your face.

“mmm, that’s yummy!” you shimmy your shoulders as you eat and go to pick up the next card.

“couple test! i’m going to write down my answer, and you have to guess my response. guess wrong and eat a death wing” you say the final part in a faux suspenseful voice.

billie chuckles at that.

“what is my favorite billie eilish song?” you ask.

the two of you both pick up ypur white boards as you ponder on your answers.

“i have no idea-“ billie beginds to say.

“dont over think it” you butt in.

“new or old?”

“new-ish” you reply, tryna help her out.

billie’s face shows utter confusion as she answers, “you like so many of my songs though”

“of course!”

“i mean, maybe skinny?” billie confirms her guess.

“good guess! it’s what was i made for”

“awww, you cutiepatootie” bille coos at you, “i literally forgot that song existed” she laughs.

“how?!” you question her, “i literally play it everyday.”

“i wanna eat a wing!” billie interrupts you, whining in her baby voice. the two of you really should have eaten before you go here.

“well you got it wrong so go ahead, baby” you laugh at her childish behavior.

“oooo, yum dude” billie comments once she’s taken a bite.

the director speaks to you from behind the cameras, “y/n, why did you pick what was i made for?”

“well,” you think on it, “i got to tag along with billie. we became part of the barbie entourage which was such a fun group to be part of. i just liked leeching” you joke.

“how’s the spice hitting?” the director goes on to ask billie.

“it’s great. just a little hard to think” she smiles at the camera.

now her turn to read a carsd, billie reads aloud, “couple test!” in a voice of mockery.

“what is my biggest fear?”

“surely it has to be something being under your bed. or furniture in general. you still jump up into bed from three feet out.”

“close! good answer. but nope. it is the salt monster” billie corrects you.

“oh yeah!” you laugh, clapping your hands in enjoyment.

“ok. fuck” you huff, preparing to eat another wing.

“i thought you were gonna get that one” she says

“sorry” you mumble as you take a bite.

“dont say sorry, my love. i just feel bad you have to eat another wing” billie reaches her hand out across the table for yours.

you smile at her kind ways.

“that one wasn’t so bad. the first one just lingers for so long. at least it’s yummy soy” you ramble on with your mouth full.

while you read out the next card, billie sits across from you, watching your mouth as you read. her own mouth is slightly swollen from the hot sauce. she looks how she looks in the bedroom… you shoudn’t be thinking of this right now.

“rank these artists form most to least tanented” you furrow your eyebrows as you speak, knowing this will be a tough one for billie.

“woah! who?!” she asks you, looking frightened already.

“tyler the creator, lana del rey, childish gambino, and justin bieber”

“i dont know if i can do it” billie shakes her head.

you nod understandingly, “ok, well, eat a death wing then.”

billie picks up a wing, bringing it to her face to smell it before she takes a bite. she hesitates and says, “it’s the lips that are a problem. the mouth is fine.”

“really? yeah, they do look a little red my love” you tease her.

billie goes ahead and takes a bite, doing her best to avoid her lips.

“you eat like a horse” you casually observe her, just saying what’s on your mind.

“hey! rude!” billie shouts back.

“not normally, just, with your lips all curled up like that” you scoff.

“mmm, yum!” billie expresses with her hand. “what’s awesome about hot ones is when the interview is over, we get to KEEP suffering.”

“true, true” you nod.

“alright,” billie says, “wildcard.”

as she says it, horns start to blare around the room, startling you both. you look utterly exhausted by the commotion whereas billie looks like a deer in headlights. she turns her head to the direction of the noise, her whole body jumping in a fright.

“what the fuck, dude” you say to the director, tired of their antics.

billie begins to read out another card, “it’s trajish- it’s a trajish- WOAH!” but her words come put as complete jibberish. clearly the spice is getting to her head.

you tease her blunder, “purrrr, exactly what i was thinking, bil!”

“shut up” she glares at you, “it’s tradition around here to put a little extra on the last wing. you and your opponent can add an extra dab to your final wings now.”

you simply let out a long sigh at the suggestion and take a sip of water whilst billie takes off her flannel.

“what’s the question?” you interrogate billie.

“give me a second, mama” she glares at you again. “don’t smile at me… challenge your other half to a compliement battle. first person to smile must eat a death wing.”

taking another chug of water, you say nothing, but silently hope for the pain in your mouth to ease. you just stare in front of you blankly.

“dude this is so sad” billie says, “i don’t like seeing you in pain.”

“that’s sweet, but not true” you side eye her.

billie’s mouth falls wide open and she kicks your leg under the table in annoyance at your innuendo.

“see! she’s even kicking me now” you make eye contact with the cameras.

the director steps in, counting you two down to your compliement battle.

“1… 2… 3… go!” he says.

billie goes first, “you’re the most talented person i know.”

no smile from you, the game continues.

“you’re a fast driver” you scoff, your face still neutral, “you’ve never been in a car accident, right?”

billie looks up and to the side, “um, nope. but is that even a compliment?”

she continues, “you’re the smartest person i know.”

“bil, i feel like you already said that.”

suddenly, all of your hearing goes black, all you can hear is a high-pitched ringing in your left ear. “i’ve gone deaf in one ear!” you cackle.

billie’s head shoots up like a meercat, she peers around the room looking for reassurance that you’re ok. her eyes fall on you now, her eyebrows furrowed in worry.

you giggle the pain away, playing it off with a blasé “that’s crazy.”

billie begins to giggle alongside you, no longer worrying for her baby, but finding it funny now. she proceeds to put an extra dab of hot sauce on your wing, no regard for your recent injury.

“holy shit, billie. that’s so much” you take the wing and wipe some of the sauce off onto billie’s wing.

maggie cackles from behing the camera.

“uhm…” you think, “you look good in the DUMBEST fucking clothing” you ‘compliment’ her.

at this, billie lets out the loudest cackle, your favorite laugh of hers echoing around the room.

knowing she’s just lost, billie goes ahead and picks up the final wing.

“i laughed too, though” you pick up a wing as well, in solidarity.

“are you good, though?” billie checks in with you.

“it cant get worse” you shrug.

billie raises her eyebrows in a ‘for real?!’ look, “it can! it totally can.”

“well, bone apple teeth” you cheers your wings together

“love you” billie says before she takes a bite. as soon as she does, “ugh! that’s disgusting!”

“it’s a tie!” the producer calls out.

“a tie?! i didn’t take one sip of drink the whole time!” billie tries to bargain her way into a win.

“you’re so competetive” you roll your eyes, “billie, who doesn’t have enough trophies…” you joke, “congratulations, this is yours” you hand her the trophy.

billie holds up the plastic chicken wing triumphantly and makes a speech, “thank you so much for having me on the show…”

her sentence trails off and she just looks around the room for a long pregnant pause. the room fills with laughter at her comedic timing.

“stream hit me hard and soft… i’m like feeling the need to tell you all the people i’ve ever hooked up with for some reason” she rambles on.

“ahahaha” you burst out laughing.

billie goes to take a bit of the trophy but to no avail, “oh my god! you didn’t even make that a little bit edible.”

at his, the room erupts into applause and you two have finished the interview.

“good job, baby” you congratulate billie on her win.

“thanks, love” billie stands up and walks over to you. “are you ok?” she asks.

“i think i have hot sauce in my eye” you laugh while rubbing your eyes.

“come here” billie commands as she dips a clean serviette into her ice water. she goes to wipe your eyes and clean them out.

“better?” billie questions you, your face cupped in her hand.

“much” you cheese before leaning in for a kiss.

billie steps back and goes back towards her seat before yelling in a silly voice, “should i eat the last one… or nah?!”

you laugh at her, stopped by her hurling her chair into the distance.

“steve from blues clues throws a chair into the liminal space” you joke, causing billie to keel over in laughter.

[ai-satin-chic]

About Me and My Art

This is something I get asked constantly: Why do I make the art I do? What influences me? How do I create it?

I've intentionally kept my personal life separate from this project, and I'm naturally wary about sharing too much about myself. But after countless messages asking these questions, I figure it's time to put this information somewhere I can point people to.

The Basics

I'm an English guy living in Wales - married, straight, unremarkable in most ways. I have no idea why anyone finds this relevant, but after 90+ messages asking, here we are.

My Influences

Honestly, I couldn't pinpoint exactly where my influences come from if I tried. I just have a deep appreciation for femininity - women dressing like women, embracing what makes them distinctly feminine. Satin, long hair, floral dresses - these elements speak to something timeless and beautiful. There's really nothing more complex to it than that. While I touch on fetish themes, most of my captions can be interpreted in multiple ways, depending on what the viewer brings to them.

The Nostalgia Factor

Much of my work reflects a longing for simpler times. I'm in my 40s, and I've watched the world transform rapidly around me. Sometimes it feels like we've lost something essential along the way. My art often captures what I see as a better time - a snapshot of when there was less chaos, more peace, and genuine beauty could capture attention instead of manufactured drama or performative controversy.

This all comes from a place of love and appreciation for an era when a beautiful dress could make headlines, not the latest reality TV elimination or social media stunt.

The Reality of Creation

My health presents significant challenges these days. I've been diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's, which makes everything increasingly difficult. My memory is unreliable, communication can be a struggle, and I expect to retire earlier than planned. If you've reached out and haven't heard back, this is likely why - please don't take it personally.

Creating my art takes considerable work, despite what some might assume about AI-generated content. The real craft lies in the prompts I develop. My background as a writer helps me push various AI tools to their creative limits, coaxing out exactly what I envision.

I work with multiple platforms - Bing, Leonardo, Mage, Reve, and Grok for images; Kling for animations; Suno for the music on my YouTube channel. Each piece requires extensive editing, optimisation, and careful refinement to meet my standards.

Final Thoughts

There you have it - hopefully enough to satisfy curiosity about my work and process. Though I still don't entirely understand why anyone would want to know these details, I'm glad to have them documented somewhere accessible.

The art speaks for itself, really. Everything else is just context.

[cuties-in-codices]

Congrats on the bachelor’s. Ang good manuscripts about justice, torture and execution? Its for my end of studies project lol

sure! it kind of depends on what you're actually looking for though. i could point you to hundreds of manuscripts that portray gory martyrdoms, torture in hell, fictional executions etc. in some shape or form (see my latest compilation of isaiah being sawn in half!). those aren't necessarily indicative of real-world practices/norms of justice though, if that's what you're interested in. anyways, here's some stuff i had to think of that might or might not be relevant to your question. keep in mind i'm not an expert on the contents of these manuscripts, i just collect images. :)

1.) the livre de la vigne nostre seigneur (france, 1450–70) is, imo, the place to go if you're looking for cool depictions of hell, demons torturing sinners etc... as for real-world methods of execution, scenes like the one on fol. 30r might be somewhat insightful (christians being persecuted and tortured by the antichrist in various ways):

Oxford, Boudleain Library, MS. Douce 134, fol. 30r

2.) as for justice, i had to think of the sachsenspiegel, which "is one of the most important law books and custumals compiled during the holy roman empire" (wikipedia). here are some impression from a 14th c. edition, one of the first/original ones. every page is composed of the legal text on one side, and matching illustrations on the other. so, for example: at the bottom of the first image here (12v), there's an illustration for the law that said that pregnant women should only be penalized/tortured in a relatively mild way (penalties "on the skin and hair"):

Heidelberg, UB, Cod. Pal. germ. 164, fol. 12v and 20r

3.) here's another manuscript that contains illustrations of henchmen of the antichrist getting creative with torturing people (bavaria, c. 1440):

Berlin, SBB, Ms. germ. fol. 733, fol. 6v and 7r

4.) now this one's niche, but i personally really really love this 15th century (bavarian) series of images depicting ways in which various sinners/sins receive different eternal punishments in hell. each miniature is dedicated to a different cardinal sin or violation of one of the ten commandments. to give you an impression, here's a selection of sins and their punishments:

unchastity and gluttony:

envy and wrath:

adultery and false testimony:

Nürnberg, STN, Cent. V, App. 34a, fol. 114r-123r

regarding medieval ideas of justice, i feel like this series illustrates the same concept that can be found in dante's divine comedy: "the punishment of souls by a process either resembling or contrasting with the sin itself" (see contrapasso).

so those were just some manuscripts that came to mind -- maybe some of this was useful to you, either way best wishes for your project. :)

[midasfm]

✩　restructuring update

hi idols! please check below the cut for the latest updates about the restructure. please like this post once read!

✩　current wips

these are current projects we're working on implementing in the roleplay. anything mentioned here is not 100% finalized and may still be subject to changes, but we have provided as much detail as we can below.

NEW ADMINS

we've selected three new admins to join our team — admin daisy, admin poppy, and admin maple! we're so excited to welcome them to the team and work alongside them to make the midas universe even better going forward. thank you to everyone who applied, and we'll be sure to keep your names in mind if we ever need an extra hand!

NEW MECHANICS

NEW MUSE GUIDE: to help new and current members, we'll be creating a "new muse guide" that will hopefully help creating new muses a much easier process. this will be a step-by-step guide that will walk through you the claims process, the application process, and offer a breakdown of all our pages to help you quickly find the information you need while creating a new muse.

CAREER PLANS FOR SOLOISTS: we're working on implementing several new mechanics that will make career-planning easier for our company-soloist muns. to make scheduling solo comebacks and schedules easier, we'll be implementing a "booking period". you'll submit a form that will detail your career plans for your muse for the future, and the admin team will contact you regarding the form and discuss the plans with you. this will also be an available option for group-based soloists during "free" months (months where they have no group comebacks or significant group schedules).

SOLO DISCOGRAPHIES ADDED TO GROUP TIMELINES: we're adding solo discographies to our group timeline to make planning group-based soloists an easier and smoother process. we hope this addition will help with avoid too many overlapping claims between group members and make it easier to understand the group's individual images.

CHANGES TO THE CLAIMS DOCUMENT: our new claims team members are busy reorganizing the claims masterlist to make it much more digestible and easier to search through, which we think will be super helpful for both our members and the admin team!

NEW MAIN & GRAPHICS: we are moving to a new main, which will be shared once the restructure is complete. until then, all updates will be shared on this blog. we'll also be getting a new set of beautiful graphics for admin violet, so we hope you enjoy the refresh to the main!

GROUP CHANGES

as mentioned previously, we're currently working on potential changes to a small number of groups and will reach out to affected muns once we're at a point where we can discuss concrete ideas. currently, the groups that may be impacted by changes are: phaze, remedy, nymth, and girl code. for remedy and nymth, these changes should be minor and should not impact your muse too significantly. for phaze and girl code, these changes aren't major changes but are significant enough that it could impact your muse, which we'll reach out to you to discuss sometime this week. most of these changes are minor timeline or image changes, but we do want to discuss them with each mun to ensure you're okay with them and work out a solution if it causes any conflicts for your muse. please keep an eye on your discord DMs as we'll reach out via discord to discuss these potential changes.

MARIONETTE: we are still working on marionette, but they are close to being completed. we'll be in touch with all muns interested in switching their company soloists to marionette shortly, to ensure their skeletons are suitable for their existing muses.

✩　completed projects

COMPANIES & GROUPS

firstly, we've cleaned up our companies page and made it clear that each company operates independently. we did notice some confusion and instances where it was assumed just because one sublabel does something, all sublabels do it — which isn't the case. so, we've fixed up the companies page to provide an overview of how the labels system works!

to make the differences between the companies even clearer, we're expanding on the "company practices" section in hopes that the additional information will help you understand the different rules and restrictions for each company. for instance, ninety9 creative don't care if their artists date, but ydh entertainment is very strict about their idols being in relationships. the different contract terms for each company have been clearly laid out on our new company pages.

we're also adding in specific contract terms to the individual group pages to make it easier to find out which specific rules apply to your muse's group. these are things such as living arrangements / dorms, social media use, dating scandals (if different than the company standard), and creative control. this will hopefully help you when planning scandals or trying to figure out what restrictions may impact potential career items, collaborations, etc.

MIDAS MUSIC & HAUTE PINK: we've finished the revamp for midas music and haute pink, and are now finalizing the changes for phaze and girl code. we'll be connecting with all midas music muses throughout the week to discuss these changes and how they may impact your muses.

YNG: will be ready when the revamp drops.

DAYBREAK: will be ready when the revamp drops.

✩　what's next?

activity may still resume as normal, if desired. if we approach you with significant changes that require reapplication, you may be asked to halt activity for the time being, but until you receive that message, you can continue activity as normal.

we still have members to speak to regarding skeleton or group changes, so please hang tight if you haven't heard back from us and your group is mentioned as one that may be going through some changes.

additionally, we will be slow with our responses as we are focusing on working as quickly as we can to complete this restructure. you may reach out to us if you have questions, but please be patient with us as we may be spotty on the tumblr main.

we don't yet have a date for when things will be finished, but we will update the main as soon as we have a date in mind. we are working as quickly as we can, but we're trying to make sure things are perfect so we don't run into any further hiccups in the future. we appreciate your patience.

once we have a date set, we'll share further information on our plans for the re-opening, but our current plan is to open up a "pre-reservation period" / "interest check" a week before the official re-opening, to make sure we're not reserving spots for muns who may have decided to part ways with us or muns who may have decided to drop or revamp a muse. we'll post an update with more details once we're closer to having things ready.

thank you all so much for your patience. i'll be back soon with another update!

[bludkin]

Perforated Heart Book Design by Faceout Books

Perforated Heart by Eric Bogosian Designed by Jason Heuer

About the Design: "I was very excited to be assigned Eric Bogosian’s latest novel. It comes on the heels of his two previous novels that were designed by Kevin Brainard (Mall) and Carin Goldberg (Wasted Beauty). As if that wasn’t intimidating enough, Mr. Bogosian’s wife Jo Bonney is, among other things, a cover designer herself. I felt all these factors combined would give me a chance to approach it with an expanded design sense.

"I began the process by researching heart images. In the back of my mind, after looking at Carin Goldberg’s cover, I thought I might be able to do a cover without type. The literal interpretation of the title, die cutting or “perforating” a dotted line image, with a red foil case underneath immediately came to mind. Foregoing other ideas I ran down to the art shop and purchased a paper punch die set and went about creating the fully realized comp with the case beneath. I illustrated the case to represent the main character’s (Richard Morris) journal writing-younger self from 1970’s New York City. This also left enough room for the die cut to show only red. "With the exception of this book, I usually present 3 or more ideas for a cover design, with variations. I felt so strongly about this one that I chanced showing my art director, Jackie Seow, only this concept. She strongly supported the idea and brought it to the jacket meeting where everyone got behind the project. The only small objection was the image-only cover. I hand-drew the lettering based on the Compacta I was going to use on the spine. "Now we had to see if it could be produced, or at least produced within budget. After the early approval there was time for production experimentation. With the help of our printer representative, Paul Nardi, we found a machinist out of New Hampshire that could drill the holes, as the approximate 1000 were too many for a die cut to hold. They sent us a sample so we could see that it would keep its structural integrity without tearing, and it did. (see image below). But alas, it was way out of our budget range. I already had a secondary execution ready since there were early warnings the holes weren’t economically viable. With the red foil debossed dots we had press proofs printed with 3 finishes, the two not chosen were all gloss and all matte. I was able to keep the printed case because it was still within budget and part of the concept of duality from the novel. "At the end of this process I can appreciate the anomaly of presenting one idea and having the art director, editor, publisher, author, author’s wife, and sales people all consent on a concept. Really, the hardest part was the production and even that was a fun exploration."

It took some sleuthing to dig through the Wayback Machine to find this interesting defunct blog post about the design process of this book. Shoutout to The Book Design Review, which piqued my interest. So cool to know that Jo had input on this design! I wonder if she gives input for all of Eric's books as she's a book designer herself.

[aois-amaterasu-painting]

Rock&Read 051 (2013)

葵 the GazettE

The album "BEAUTIFUL DEFORMITY" was created with the most important focus being the band dynamic, so that the GazettE could truly embody the GazettE.

Because of this, from RUKI's interview in issue 49, I believe listeners could feel that the band was in the strongest state of unity it has ever had. Aoi, who until now has often projected a somewhat solitary presence, now proudly identifies as "the GazettE" and seems to be thoroughly enjoying that fact. Reflecting on the album's creation and the overseas tour, Aoi shared his thoughts on what the current "image of the GazettE" means to him.

"By changing myself, everything started to change for the better. Now, I believe we understand each other on a much deeper level."

Interviewer: When did the production of your latest album, BEAUTIFUL DEFORMITY, begin, and how did it start?

Aoi: The starting point, I’d say, was during the tour for DIVISION. That’s when we first started talking about the next album. It began with a conceptual idea—something like five animals coming together to form a new, unique creature. That was the basis for the decision to include songs from every member on this album.

Interviewer: So the idea was to showcase the individuality of each member?

Aoi: Well, when it comes to individuality, it's a bit different, I think. Since this is something being released as the GazettE, rather than focusing on individual colors, it's more of a feeling of each member’s vision of the GazettE. With that in mind, I began preparing for the production. When creating the songs, I tried not to get carried away with my own desires and focused on shaping what I could do for the GazettE. But when the songs were finished, they ended up turning out with quite a bit of my own color in them (laughs).

Interviewer: The balance between your personal style and the essence of the GazettE is remarkable. When all the members contribute to songwriting, I imagine there’s a risk of ending up with multiple songs of a similar type. However, BEAUTIFUL DEFORMITY achieves an ideal result—it has a sense of cohesion while showcasing a broad range of styles.

Aoi: At first, the styles of the songs everyone brought in were indeed quite similar. From there, we selected the best ones, and then filled in the gaps, so to speak. For example, if we already had enough of a certain type of song, we’d discuss creating something different. Then we’d choose the best from that batch as well. This approach sometimes led to members working on songs that weren’t their usual strong suits. But overcoming that was essential. Otherwise, we’d end up relying too much on RUKI or Uruha, who are the main composers for the band. That would stray from the concept of this album.

For example, each of us has to be able to survive even if we left the GazettE and became independent. Not that I’m saying it’s okay for the band to disappear. But the GazettE will become a stronger entity if all the members can survive on their own. That’s why we were strict about the songwriting process. It wasn’t just about including a song from each member for the sake of it—it was about packaging songs that everyone was satisfied with and that fit the album’s concept.

Interviewer: You really aimed high with this one. Another notable aspect of BEAUTIFUL DEFORMITY is how the digital elements, which stood out in TOXIC and DIVISION, have been toned down.

Aoi: I think that’s a natural progression. This time, the focus from the very beginning was on creating something “as a band.” RUKI mentioned that he had already done the things he personally wanted to do, so for this album, he wanted to emphasize the band dynamic more. It felt like a natural shift in that direction. That said, it’s not like we completely avoided using programmed elements. From our perspective, it doesn’t feel like a major change.

Interviewer: Really? Especially with the harder tracks, I feel like this album has a very raw quality to it.

Aoi: That’s true. I think our approach to recording has changed a bit. This time, there was a stronger focus on what each of us could bring to the band. We were very conscious of this throughout the process. In the past, certain members tended to handle specific styles or areas of music, and it became easy to rely on those who were better suited for certain tasks.

That wasn’t the way it started—it’s something that happened naturally over the years as the band continued. None of us really addressed it, myself included. If anything, we had this mindset that whoever enjoyed a particular approach should take the initiative. But ultimately, that isn’t the ideal way for a band to function. Even if nothing was said out loud, I think each of us had thoughts about the works we’ve created up until now.

This time, we were able to openly share our opinions without holding back. That was refreshing and felt really good, and I think that openness is reflected in the music itself.

Interviewer: When roles are divided in a bad way, it’s definitely not good for the band, right?

Aoi: Yes. If the way we create becomes too one-sided, even if we make new songs, they lose their freshness.

Interviewer: And did you realize that, surprisingly, it’s okay to express your opinions without holding back?

Aoi: I did (laughs). It even felt like everyone was waiting for that moment. We thought we were being considerate by not saying certain things, but for the other person, it was actually the opposite. It’s easier for them if you just say what you’re thinking. I had many moments where I realized that.

Interviewer: That sounds a bit like a romantic relationship dynamic.

Aoi: It really does (laughs).

"By each member being able to survive on their own, the GazettE will become a stronger entity."

Aoi: Within the band, there were times we thought, "They’ll understand even if I don’t say anything," but it didn’t actually get through. Or, we’d misinterpret the lack of communication and end up with a misunderstanding. It made me really appreciate the importance of clear communication.

And the interesting thing is, this shift happened naturally. It wasn’t like we sat down and decided, "From now on, let’s be more open." It just developed that way on its own.

Interviewer: When I spoke with the other members in a different interview, they mentioned that they found it easier to voice their opinions this time because the songs felt more familiar to them.

Aoi: I think that was part of it, too. The feeling that everyone was working together to create something was really strong, so this time the production process was a lot of fun. Normally, I’m the type of person who doesn’t want to go to the recording studio. In the past, I wouldn’t go unless it was my turn to record. When other members were recording, I felt like being in the studio was just a waste of time (laughs).

Well, honestly, that’s not really true. But depending on how you look at it, it feels like a waste of time, doesn’t it? Especially since there’s not much for me to do (laughs). But this time, I actually wanted to show up, and there were songs that required programming and other input. As I kept going, I started to think being in the studio wasn’t so bad. Plus, you can eat there (laughs).

Interviewer: ...That’s your motivation? (laughs)

Aoi: (laughs) Also, this time I felt like I had the best communication with Uruha that I’ve ever had. Every morning, I’d go to pick him up—though I wasn’t the one driving (laughs). The time between when we met up and heading to the studio became like a little meeting, and I think it worked out in a positive way. In the past, I felt that the distance between Uruha and me was the farthest in the band, but that’s no longer the case.

Interviewer: The dynamic between two guitarists in the same band is quite unique, isn’t it? It often falls into one of two patterns: either they’re very close, or it’s more of a “you do your thing, I’ll do mine” type of relationship.

Aoi: Right. Because we share the same position, there are parts where we really understand each other, but there are also areas where we don’t fully align. It’s not that we didn’t get along, but Uruha and I were definitely in the “you do your thing, I’ll do mine” pattern.

However, during the recording of BEAUTIFUL DEFORMITY, I felt like Uruha was my greatest ally. This time, unlike before, I wanted to use gear that was closer to what I play during live performances—especially for the guitar. I was set on making that change. But the guitars I had used for recording up until now had a completely different character, and it turned out to be harder than I expected.

The sound we’d created before was something everyone liked and had put a lot of effort into, so abandoning that now wasn’t easy. When I first tried using my live gear, the sound I produced made everyone go, “Huh?” (laughs). I especially thought it would be hard to get past RUKI’s wall.

In that situation, Uruha said to me, “Why not just do what feels right to you, Aoi? If you’ve refined the sound this much, it probably won’t make a huge difference which guitar you use.” Hearing that made me think, “Oh, I see.” After that, everything went smoothly.

Interviewer: Being a fellow guitarist, it seems Uruha understood how you felt. Also, the guitar sound on BEAUTIFUL DEFORMITY is incredibly cool.

Aoi: I think I managed to make it sound pretty good, at least. But that’s probably just how things turned out in the end. The guitar ESP made for me has a slightly tighter low end. In the past, both of us had fat guitar tones, but this time it’s different, so I think the separation between our sounds works well. Even regarding the guitar tones, I feel like I need to refine things further.

Interviewer: So you’re aiming even higher. I think the balance is amazing—your rhythm guitar, as well as the clarity of the solos with their defined edges and solid lows.

Aoi: Thank you. But to be honest, I wasn’t sure how to achieve that. I didn’t really know how to create a satisfying lead tone with a tube amp. At home, I use simulators, so I can shape the guitar sound however I want. But with live tube amps during recording, you can’t do that so easily.

That’s when I realized just how amazing Uruha is in that respect too. He’s reached his current sound through years of trial and error. For me, I haven’t recorded many guitar solos, and honestly, I’m not the type to be particularly passionate about solos. To put it bluntly, I used to feel like anything would work.

That’s why crafting the tone for my solos was so difficult. But as I struggled and experimented with the sound, I discovered a few things. In the end, even the process of creating the tone turned out to be enjoyable.

Interviewer: It’s great to have something you want to pursue, isn’t it?

Aoi: I really think so. Around last summer, I started seriously studying the guitar. Until then, I had been playing without really understanding the instrument. How should I put it… I loved playing the guitar, and before I knew it, I had come this far. While I think that’s not necessarily a good thing, but to be honest, I’m not the type to obsessively immerse myself like a perfectionist. So, in a way, I sort of stumbled my way here.

Interviewer: Was there something that triggered your desire to study the guitar more?

Aoi: It's because of *"Guitarist Meeting" (A drinking party for guitarists)

*SUGIZO's Super Guitarist Meeting 「ギタリスト会」

"Up until now, I feel like Uruha and I were the furthest apart in the band, but during this recording, I feel like he was my biggest ally."

Aoi: The first time I joined was about two years ago, and all the members were so impressive that I felt I needed to be able to talk properly about guitars; otherwise, it would be embarrassing (laughs).

We’d drink and talk, and the conversations often got deep. In those moments, I didn’t want people to think, “This guy’s boring.” That was when I realized I had to practice more seriously. As I started practicing, I became more attentive not just to my playing but also to how I perceived sound itself.

For a while, I spent time playing on my own in secret. Then, starting last summer, I decided to engage more with my custom model guitar made by ESP. Even though I had my own model, the specs were kind of unconventional—for instance, instead of the typical two humbuckers, I went for four single-coil-sized pickups just because I didn’t like the idea of simple coil-tapped humbuckers side by side.

It wasn’t necessarily that I needed those specs; I just chose them based on what I didn’t want. But this time, I started from scratch, searching for pickups that suited this unique setup. The sound was good, but it lacked the power you get from a humbucker. I spent a year figuring out how to achieve the tone I was imagining.

Around that same time, we began recording BEAUTIFUL DEFORMITY, so I got a lot of support from ESP. We experimented with various parts, and I even tried soldering myself. I really did a lot of different things.

Interviewer: It’s great that the first album you worked on after engaging with the guitar more deeply allowed you to pursue the direction you were aiming for.

Aoi: Yes. The timing was perfect. If the songs I had to play didn’t highlight my individuality as a guitarist, or if they didn’t call for the kind of sound I wanted to create, it would’ve been pretty disheartening. But because that wasn’t the case, I prepared seriously for the recordings.

I don’t usually play through tube amps except during live performances. Growing up, I always had a transistor amp at home. Transistor amps are easier to handle than tube amps and can produce powerful sounds even at lower volumes. So, around last summer, I thought about getting a small tube amp for home use.

I also started building and experimenting with my own effects pedals, trying different configurations, and that turned out to be really fascinating. It finally feels like the guitar has become more of a hobby for me.

In the past, my dream was to make a living playing guitar, but that dream somehow just turned into my job. There were also many non-guitar-related aspects to my work, so I gradually stopped wanting to play guitar all the time. That phase lasted far too long.

In Uruha’s case, his sense of responsibility as a guitarist kicked in much earlier. He was highly attuned to the idea that he needed to improve his skills and create better sounds. What he started doing years ago, I’m only now beginning to explore.

For instance, details like the type and placement of the microphone in front of the cabinet during live shows—now I understand their importance. But back then, I’d wonder if it was really necessary to spend rehearsal time worrying about things like mic placement.

It’s like the saying “leave it to the experts”—I thought that stuff should just be handled by the PA engineer. But I’ve realized that’s not the case, and now I pay attention to mic placement as well.

Interviewer: The fact that you started paying attention to those aspects later doesn’t mean you were negligent. A lot of guitarists are surprisingly indifferent to equipment. Besides, if both guitarists in the GazettE were the same type, things might not have worked out as well.

Aoi: That might be true (laughs). I think it is a good thing that our personalities are so different. Uruha and I are completely different in terms of personality. He’s an explorer —when it comes to playing, sound, or anything else, he’s always researching and experimenting.

I’ve started to pay attention to those things too, but I still don’t feel the need to dive as deeply as he does. If we were both explorers, I think it would probably stifle the other members.

Interviewer: I agree. Along with its depth and content, BEAUTIFUL DEFORMITY really turned out to be an excellent album in many ways. After finishing the album recordings, the GazettE performed at the KUBANA FESTIVAL in Russia and Japan’s SUMMER SONIC in August.

Aoi: Yes, we went to Russia. Getting to Russia felt like it took forever (laughs). Honestly, it took longer than going to Mexico.

Interviewer: Really?

Aoi: For some reason, we had to fly to Abu Dhabi first and then transfer to Russia. Since Abu Dhabi was just for transit, we couldn’t leave the airport, and the layover was super long. It made the trip even more exhausting (laughs).

But I thought that’s just how it is when traveling to Russia. I mean, crossing over Russia’s airspace doesn’t sound simple, right? Then on the way back from Helsinki, I realized, wait a second, we are flying directly over Russia! (laughs).

Apparently, the coordinator thought that taking a direct flight might be too tiring, so they intentionally planned a more roundabout route for the trip there.

Interviewer: Their consideration backfired, didn’t it? (laughs)

Aoi: Totally (laughs). Once we arrived in Russia, it didn’t really feel like we were in Russia at all. We got there the night before the festival, then on the day of the event, we took a bus to the venue, performed, and then left.

"I used to dream of making a living by playing guitar, but I don't feel the urge to play all the time anymore. Now, playing the guitar is so much fun."

Aoi: Speaking of Russia, the dinner we had there was awful (laughs). They gave us two styrofoam containers—one had chunks of meat, though I couldn’t tell if it was chicken or pork. It came with something like potatoes as a side dish.

The other container had a loaf of bread and a whole cucumber and tomato just thrown in there (laughs). I think the idea was to make your own sandwich, but the vegetables were just raw and unprepared (laughs). The bread was the only thing wrapped in plastic.

And there wasn’t any salt, mayonnaise, or anything for seasoning, so we were like, “How are we supposed to flavor this?” (laughs). But oddly enough, they did include coffee. The priorities were a bit confusing (laughs).

Interviewer: ...That was supposed to be dinner?

Aoi: Dinner, yes (laughs). I started wondering if Russians just don't care about food. But we arrived at the hotel at night, and none of the stores were open, so I thought, “Well, it’s fine, I guess.”

The next day, I mentioned that it would be a problem if dinner turned out to be like the previous night’s. The local staff reassured me, saying, “OK, we’ll take care of it.”

After the live show, when we returned, they said they had dinner ready for us. But I could tell right away it was the same type of container as the night before (laughs). Still, I thought maybe it could be something better, like yakiniku or something—they sometimes serve those in similar containers.

When I opened it, though, it turned out to be the same dish as the night before, just with different meat (laughs). And it was completely cold, too (laughs). Basically, there just aren’t any stores open late over there. Honestly, it left me feeling pretty exhausted (laughs).

Interviewer: Sounds intense (laughs). How was the festival itself?

Aoi: The live show was amazing. We’ve played at festivals before, but our set time was often during the day, or the venue was indoors, so it didn’t really feel like a proper festival. But Russia’s "KUBANA FESTIVAL" was exactly like the kind of festivals we’d see in the road movies of our favorite Western artists when we were kids. Around 20,000 people gathered, our set was at night, and the energy was just incredible.

Even though it’s technically prohibited, fans were taking photos during the show, and flashes were going off all across the crowd—it really added to the festival vibe. At one point, I thought, “Am I Metallica or what?” (laughs).

Also, there were people packed along the trusses beside the stage—other performers and staff all came to watch our set. In Japan, festival security is often very strict, and there’s this unspoken rule that you’re not supposed to be near the sides of the stage. But in Russia, the crowd filled the front of the stage, and there were people everywhere on the sides too. It felt like those stories I read about in magazines as a kid, like "We were drinking beer next to someone who was performing at a festival."

Playing in Russia made me think, “Oh, so this is what they were talking about.” I finally felt like I got a glimpse of the world I had always admired. And, more than anything, the audience’s enthusiasm was off the charts—especially the men. They were all forming this massive mosh pit, going wild with insane energy. At one point, I thought, “What hardcore band is this for?” (laughs).

Interviewer: That’s incredible. It’s likely that most of those people didn’t know about the GazettE, so they were purely reacting to the quality of the live performance.

Aoi: Yeah. Before the show, I heard people were saying things like, “Who are these guys from Japan, wearing makeup?” You could see comments like that on Twitter. But by the end of the show, it seemed like everyone really enjoyed it. I’ve heard that overseas audiences won’t react unless they genuinely think something is good, and if they don’t like it, they’ll show it without hesitation. So, I think the enthusiasm we got was real. Our fans in Russia were thrilled too. After the festival, we received so many messages saying, “It was amazing.”

Interviewer: It was a great decision to participate. How about the domestic "SUMMER SONIC"?

Aoi: "SUMMER SONIC" was fun too. We were invited to play again this year. That sense of being “out of place” that we felt the first time we participated wasn’t there anymore. But since it’s indoors, it felt more like an event live rather than a festival. Whether domestic or international, I’d love for us to keep participating in festivals if we’re invited. Each festival has its own atmosphere, but they’re always fun.

Recently, we’ve gotten better at understanding the atmosphere of each festival and adjusting our mindset accordingly. For example, when we played at "RISING SUN" last year, there were these charming little huts set up around the venue, creating a fantastic feel.

"SUMMER SONIC," on the other hand, has this chic, stylish feel to it. If we’re invited again, I’d like to explore more of the venue and enjoy it even further. That said, "SUMMER SONIC" has really strict security checks. We always have to carry our passes with us, even when going to the restroom, and we’re constantly asked to show them. I understand the need for tight security, so I’m not criticizing it. I just think, “Well, as long as I don’t let the strictness get to me, I’m fine” (laughs).

Interviewer: I hope you thoroughly enjoyed it. After participating in two festivals, you spent September on the month-long "the GazettE WORLD TOUR 13."

Aoi: I’d really wanted to do an overseas tour before the idea for this one came up. I was eager to perform wherever we could and also just wanted to visit other places—not to vacation, but to play music as the GazettE.

"In Russia, I actually thought, "Am I Metallica?" (laughs). I finally feel like I've discovered the world I had always admired."

Aoi: It wasn’t about building a track record overseas, making a name for ourselves, and leveraging that for festivals or anything like that. I just wanted to go with a lighthearted attitude. It had been a while since we’d been abroad. But back then, even when I talked with the staff, the vibe was kind of like, “There’s no real need to go.” The other members weren’t particularly enthusiastic either. So, I just let go of the idea of playing overseas.

Then out of nowhere, the conversation about wanting to go overseas came up. I was like, “Huh? You guys actually want to do this now?” (laughs). But by that point, my passion for it had already cooled down (laughs). And then they mentioned Latin America, and I thought, “You’ve got to be kidding me” (laughs).

The other members, when they initially talked about going abroad, seemed to have Europe in mind—just doing a quick round of shows there. So when Latin America was brought up, the air was a bit confused at first. But before I knew it, everyone had warmed up to the idea of going to South America too. From what I’d heard from seniors who had toured there, getting to South America takes an entire day. I hate long travel, so I was absolutely against the idea (laughs). Flying for 24 hours sounded insane to me—it’s just way too exhausting.

Interviewer: So, when the trip to Latin America was officially decided, were you feeling pretty down about it?

Aoi: At first, yeah. But my feelings gradually changed. After the tour was confirmed, we started receiving so many messages saying things like, “We’re waiting for you” or “We’re so excited.” Of course, we’d been receiving those kinds of messages for years, which was one reason I wanted to go overseas in the first place. But once it was actually happening and those voices reached us, it made me feel like I really wanted to respond to those feelings properly. That raised my motivation.

On top of that, there was the fun aspect of preparing the gear. When we decided to go, the question of how we’d handle the equipment came up. Naturally, we couldn’t take everything. When we went to Europe six years ago, we brought all of our equipment, but this time that wasn’t feasible. And since we couldn’t disassemble the system we’re using now, we needed to create a new setup.

So, I thought, why not take the opportunity to build the equipment myself? I wanted to choose everything based on my personal preferences. That made the whole process more exciting. I already had a basic, simple setup that I’d put together last summer, so I wondered if I could build off that foundation to create something new. After work, I’d grab a soldering iron and just dive into making cables and setups.

Interviewer: Seriously? I’m amazed you even made your own cables.

Aoi: Oh, I made a ton of them (laughs). Boxes of cables would arrive at my house, and it looked like I was running a business (laughs). As I refined my guitar tone, I figured out what kind of cables I liked. I ended up using Belden cables and Switchcraft jacks, tailored to my preferences.

Interviewer: You're particular about it. What was the centerpiece of your simplified setup?

Aoi: It was a multi-effects unit called the BOSS GT-100. Nuno (Bettencourt) uses the BOSS GT-8, so I thought I’d give it a try. He’s the kind of person who confidently says, “My sound comes from my right hand,” so it seems he’s not too particular about his gear.

At first, people around me were like, “Don’t use a multi-effects unit because it changes your tone the moment the signal goes through it.” And yeah, it does add some compression or a certain “processed” sound, but I didn’t dislike that. In fact, the sound was thicker compared to the setup I usually use in Japan. I was like, “What’s the problem? This is actually pretty good” (laughs).

Interviewer: Thank you Nuno. It was your first time visiting Mexico and South America—what were your impressions?

Aoi: When we landed in Mexico, I was surprised by how passionate the fans were. There was a massive crowd at the airport giving us such a warm welcome. But that was just the beginning of the excitement we’d experience during the South American tour.

The last stop in Brazil was absolutely incredible. It felt like the intensity built with each show, and by the time we got to Brazil, it just exploded. Also, I think it was great that we were able to do the tour while the band was in such a good place after creating BEAUTIFUL DEFORMITY. That album was a significant turning point for us. Throughout the tour, the atmosphere was consistently good. Our playing felt solid, and I was happy with the tones I was getting. It made the whole experience really fun.

Interviewer: What kind of venues did you perform in across South America?

Aoi: They were mostly large open event spaces or gymnasium-like places with temporary stages set up. In Argentina, we played in a proper hall, though. Speaking of Mexico, the speakers directed at the audience were shockingly small. I was like, “Is this a high school cultural festival?” (laughs). On top of that, there were strict volume restrictions. So once the live show started, all I could hear was the audience’s voices (laughs).

Interviewer: In a way, that shows how much the crowd was into it.

Aoi: Yeah, they were really into it. The audience was constantly making noise—screaming “Kyaaa!” or “Waaah!” the entire time (laughs). During the encore, it got even crazier, and at that point, I truly couldn’t hear anything.

Also, there were a lot of guys in the audience. The kind of guys who, just by looking at them, you’d think, “They’re probably way better at playing than we are” (laughs). Foreigners have this aura that they’re naturally great with instruments, don’t they? (laughs). Even if they’ve never touched an instrument, they just seem like they’d be amazing if they did (laughs). At first, I felt like those guys were critically watching and judging our playing and sound. But as the show went on, that feeling disappeared. Everyone looked like they were having fun, drinking and watching the show.

"I think it was really great that we were able to go on the tour in the good state we were in after making BEAUTIFUL DEFORMITY. That production was truly a turning point for us."

Interviewer: The atmosphere is completely different from live shows in Japan, isn’t it?

Aoi: It really is. Every show turned into such an intense experience, and I felt incredibly grateful. South America is probably the farthest region from Japan, right? Yet, there were so many people there waiting for the GazettE. It was far beyond our expectations. We were honestly wondering if venues with capacities of 2,000–3,000 people would fill up, but everyone was clearly eagerly awaiting us, and every venue ended up being packed. It was so much fun.

Interviewer: It sounds like it was well worth the trip. South America is also known for having safety concerns—did you experience anything like that?

Aoi: The safety concerns are real. Especially in Mexico, it seemed really dangerous... actually, it’s said to be quite risky. In Argentina, we did a photoshoot, and apparently, the location where Uruha and Reita shot was sketchy. I tagged along for Uruha’s shoot, and the local guide would say things like, “This area is fine, but don’t go over there.” There were some slightly shady-looking guys around. It definitely felt dangerous. But honestly, even that was kind of interesting. I just thought, if something were to happen to me, it would probably happen to a few others too, so at that point I thought there was nothing I could do (laughs).

Interviewer: Ah, um… I’m just really glad you made it back safely. Since it was your first visit, did you get a sense of what South America is like?

Aoi: The thing that stood out the most was how friendly and warm the people were. We’d only interacted with Europeans before, so we had this slightly intimidating image of South Americans. But honestly, everyone was incredibly nice. I think Mexico might’ve been my favorite. The people working in service industries there were especially kind. Also, Chile had this surprisingly European vibe, which was unexpected. While Brazil, Mexico, and Argentina felt distinctly South American, Chile was different—it had a stylish and polished atmosphere. There were slum-like areas that felt very South American, but the developed parts were exceptionally clean and beautiful. It wasn’t overtly European, but rather quiet, clean, full of greenery, and really serene.

Interviewer: Hearing that makes me want to visit Chile. After returning from Brazil, you only stayed in Japan for three days before heading off on a European tour, right?

Aoi: Yeah, the start of the European part was tough. I caught a cold on the way back from Brazil, and when I got home, I had a high fever. I was in bed for three days and it didn't get better. I was in a bad mood. I felt sick and I wanted to smoke. Some fans had come to see us off at the airport, but I ignored them completely (laughs). While we were touring South America, I’d been in a “Why not? Let’s sign for everyone who’s waiting!” kind of mood, but by the time we got to France, I was like a completely different person (laughs). Looking back now, I feel bad about it, but at the time, I just wasn’t in the right frame of mind because of how awful I felt physically.

Interviewer: If any of your European fans read this magazine, I hope they’ll understand your feelings. How were the concerts?

Aoi: Europe was great as well. The audience from six years ago has mostly changed. Back then, Japanese visual kei and anime were booming, so a lot of people came to see the GazettE just because it was trendy. This time, it felt like the people who came to the shows were genuinely fans of the GazettE or were curious about us.

Even in that context, we had a huge turnout. It was our first time performing in Munich, Germany, and the reaction there was fantastic. All the venues were lively, and I personally felt that we delivered great performances each time. Compared to the last time we toured Europe, I think I was better at accepting the unavoidable challenges as just part of the experience. That made a big difference. I didn’t feel stressed at all during the tour and was able to keep a good mindset.

Interviewer: It really shows how important it is to visit repeatedly. By the way, what kind of setlist did you perform during the world tour?

Aoi: We focused on songs released before FADELESS and mainly included tracks that had been featured in live DVDs. We wanted to bring the heat of Japan to our international audience, so I think we mostly picked more recent songs. In every country, “SHIVER” got an amazing reaction, so we played it at every show. But interestingly, the fans were also familiar with older songs. Outside the venues, I could hear people singing “Cassis” and “Wakaremichi.”

Interviewer: It’s clear that the GazettE’s overseas tours aren’t just trips abroad—they’re proper tours.

Aoi: I think that’s true. Experiencing this, I felt like we should’ve gone overseas much earlier. The fans who came to the shows looked genuinely happy, and that made me happy too. The tight schedule makes it hard to tour internationally, but I want to go back before too much time passes, so people don’t feel like they’ll never see us again. I’d love to perform in even more countries. Fans from places like Spain and Italy also came to see us, and of course, there was a huge crowd from Russia too. Realizing that there are GazettE fans all across Europe waiting for us made this tour feel like it was just the beginning of something bigger.

Interviewer: It seems likely that you’ll be heading there again in the near future. Can you share any memorable experiences from Europe?

Aoi: Hmm, I wonder? Europe was easier in the sense that we traveled by bus. I like traveling by bus, so that part was good. However, the hotels were always in the suburbs for some reason, and that was frustrating. For example, when we went to France, the hotel was in a quiet residential area about an hour away from Paris. Uruha went to see the Arc de Triomphe and such, but I didn’t even have the energy for that—it was such a peaceful place (laughs).

The last time we went to France, we stayed in a hotel in the city, and I thought the streets were stylish, and the people walking around were fashionable too. But this time, there wasn’t anything that lifted my spirits like that at all (laughs). In Germany, though, the hotel was in the center of Cologne, so that was fun. We used free time to go shopping, I went with Ruki when he wanted to buy clothes. Cologne was a lot of fun.

Interviewer: Hopefully, you’ll have more time for such experiences on your next visit. After returning from your international tour, you are currently (as of mid-November/January) in the midst of the domestic tour, the GazettE LIVE TOUR 13 [BEAUTIFUL DEFORMITY] MAGNIFICENT MALFORMED BOX, centered around BEAUTIFUL DEFORMITY.

Aoi: We didn’t perform any songs from BEAUTIFUL DEFORMITY at the summer festivals or during the overseas tour. For the domestic tour, the live performances are centered around the new songs, so we had to start from scratch in preparing for it. But we really didn’t have much time—just about a month or so. I thought that might be enough, but we were also busy with various photoshoots and recordings during that period, so it was difficult to set aside proper time for preparations. To go on tour while keeping the positive momentum from the overseas tour, we needed a lot of preparation, and we were really cutting it close.

When we started rehearsing in the studio, there were still so many parts that weren’t ready. In the past, that wouldn’t have been much of an issue for me. I would just think, “We’ll refine it as we go along on tour.” But this time, I didn’t feel the same way. I wanted to present my latest self during this latest tour. If we just went along as usual, I felt it would defeat the purpose of doing this. Because of that, it was quite challenging. Even starting with the equipment, I wasn’t satisfied. The sound of the gear I’d been using in Japan was completely different from the sound that gave me a good impression during the overseas tour.

Also, since I started using in-ear monitors, I realized that Ruki, who had always been hearing my sound through them, must have been bearing a significant burden. The sound I crafted to feel good from my standing position often ended up harsh and overly bright when picked up by the mic placed in front of the cabinet. The PA engineers would then adjust and process that sound before sending it out to the audience, but that didn’t feel quite right to me.

Understanding the flaws of my previous system, I decided to revamp everything. But with so little time, all I could really do was remove unnecessary elements and adjust the wiring. So, if you ask me whether I’m 100% satisfied with the sound I’m producing right now, I’d say not entirely. The current system is very convenient and easy to use, but there are still areas I see as challenges for the future.

"When I really face things, I realize that the members are all there to give me the right answers. Understanding that, I now feel a great sense of fulfillment."

Aoi: That said, I think the guitar sound has changed significantly, and my playing has evolved compared to the tours we did in Japan before going overseas. It feels much easier to perform now.

Interviewer: It sounds like your preparations paid off. Did the band have any particular themes or goals in mind for this tour?

Aoi: Not really, apart from wanting to clearly showcase the world of BEAUTIFUL DEFORMITY. For us, it feels like a continuation of the overseas tour. We talked a lot as a band while we were traveling internationally, so we already had a shared understanding of the kind of live shows we wanted to deliver. But we didn’t set any explicit concepts or themes.

Interviewer: Did you make any suggestions regarding the stage design or the setlist?

Aoi: No, I’m afraid not. I couldn’t think that far ahead this time. I was completely consumed with what I wanted to focus on—whether it was my playing or the sound. Right now, it’s more about correcting the things that bother me while touring.

Interviewer: Refining things over the course of a tour is one of its unique joys. How has the audience reacted to this tour?

Aoi: ...Well, it’s very much Japan, you know? (laughs)

Interviewer: Huh?

Aoi: I mean, Japanese audiences aren’t like the overseas crowds who are all "Waaah!" and super energetic. Especially at the first fan club-only show, in Yokosuka, it felt like both sides—the band and the audience—were cautiously feeling each other out. But from the next show onward, the audience started being more spirited. Japanese audiences are different from overseas crowds who are wild and energetic throughout the entire concert. You could say they’re more critical in a way. If a band doesn’t have enough strength or presence, there will be people in the audience who just won’t get into it. But I find that kind of challenge inspiring—it fires me up to perform for such audiences.

So far, the vibe at each show has been really good. During the early stages of the DIVISION tour, I sometimes felt like there was a disconnect between the band and the audience, but I haven’t felt that this time. There are still some areas that I’m keeping an eye on, but overall, we’ve been getting a lot of feedback from people saying they’re having fun. I think that shows we’re heading in a good direction. For instance, the softer, more melodic section of the setlist—what we call the “song block”—usually feels like a weak point in the live set. In the past, our attitude toward it was like, “Well, it’ll get better with more experience.” But this time, it feels like the level of completion is pretty high. Even when I think I’ve messed up, REITA tells me, “No, it sounded good.”

That said, we’re still operating on the edge—every performance feels incredibly tense (laughs). Honestly, I’m still completely consumed by trying to manage my own performance. I have a standard in my head for the quality I want people to hear and see, and I feel like my performances are just barely reaching that. We’ve done eight shows so far (as of this interview), and out of those, there’s only been one show where I thought, “Yeah, that was really good.” If I can consistently surpass that level, I think I’ll be able to focus on other aspects of the performance as well.

Interviewer: In a way, it sounds like you’re in a state of constant unease.

Aoi: Yes. Up until now, I didn’t really experience this. I used to just sort of coast through things without much thought (laughs).

Interviewer: No way (laughs). So for this tour, you’re being more critical of yourself after each performance?

Aoi: I am. But since I’ve been doing this for a long time, a lot of those assessments come instinctively during the performance itself. Even when I review footage afterward, I don’t see huge differences from one day to the next. Sometimes, when I think a performance was off, the footage shows it wasn’t all that different from a day I thought was great. The thing is, only I, as the one actually playing, can perceive those subtle shifts in timing or feel. The audience wouldn’t pick up on those minor imperfections. That’s why I’ve decided to be my own harshest critic.

That said, reviewing footage has also helped me notice some positives. For instance, I’ve realized that my moments of anxiety or urgency don’t seem to be apparent to the fans anymore. In the past, when I felt that way, it would show quite obviously, and I’d get a lot of comments like, “You didn’t seem very energetic today.” Letting fans sense whether I’m having a good or bad day isn’t ideal, so I think I’ve improved in that respect. At least now, I’m better at keeping that internal struggle to myself.

Interviewer: It sounds like your level as a guitarist has improved.

Aoi: I feel that way, and that has definitely boosted my confidence. Now, I can see things clearly, and even when I’m not playing my best or make a mistake, I can stay composed. In the past, if I made one mistake, I’d dwell on it, which would lead to another mistake, and things would just spiral downward. But now, that doesn’t happen anymore.

Interviewer: It seems like, even with all the little details you notice, you’re enjoying playing the guitar during live performances more than before.

Aoi: Absolutely, it’s so much fun. That’s why I find myself wishing the sound could be even better. When playing the GazettE’s songs, I have to rely on a lot of effects, which can thin out the sound. But I’ve already figured out what needs to be improved, so I’m working on that.

Interviewer: It sounds like you’re enjoying the process of moving things in a better direction.

Aoi: Yeah. I don’t find the process of making improvements burdensome at all. Compared to before, my desire to create music that resonates with people is so much stronger, and having specific things to work on to achieve that feels exciting. Coasting along without any challenges might be easier, but it often leads to complacency. This time, I don’t feel that way at all.

Interviewer: That’s great to hear. What’s your impression of performing songs from BEAUTIFUL DEFORMITY live?

Aoi: For the new songs, it really comes down to the opening track, "INSIDE BEAST." Starting the live show with a song like that feels fantastic. It sets a high-energy tone, and it also tells me everything about my condition for the day. I can see how light my body feels, how much I can move, and adjust my performance accordingly. If something feels off, it helps me know what to be mindful of during that day’s live performance. That’s why I always concentrate when playing "INSIDE BEAST." If I get a good feeling from it, I can ride that momentum through the rest of the show.

Interviewer: It sounds like the perfect way to kick off a live show. The tour finale on January 1st at Yokohama Arena seems poised to be an unmissable performance.

Aoi: Honestly, I can’t see it at all yet (laughs). But as we go through the tour, I want to properly do what needs to be done at each moment, raise the quality of our performances, and connect it all to the final show. At this stage, I think each member is still at the point of just barely reaching or not quite reaching their own personal limits. To go beyond that, I think the only way is to keep doing it over and over again.

We all practiced like crazy before going on this tour, so the foundation for the live shows is solid. From here, it’s about each of us refining ourselves and working on closing the gap with the fans. I’m confident that by doing more shows, the content will keep getting better.

Interviewer: I’m really looking forward to it. Listening to you, I really feel that everything you've been doing since you began facing the guitar more seriously has come together in a positive way this year.

Aoi: Yeah, I think so. But honestly, it’s actually a pretty simple matter. If you really face something properly, it’ll respond to you properly as well. Until now, there were so many times when I would just draw conclusions on my own and think, “That’s just how it is,” and leave it at that. But when I truly faced things, I realized that I was surrounded by members who would give proper answers in return. Understanding that made me feel incredibly motivated.

In the past, I wasn’t very good at communicating. I’d often just say something like, “I don’t get it,” and brush things off right away. But that doesn’t work. Once I realized that, and once I started changing myself, everything began rolling in a better direction.

So now, performing live is genuinely fun. Of course, it was fun before too, but back then it was more about laughing because of excitement on stage. Now, I feel like we understand each other on a deeper level, and in a really good way, we’re able to compete with one another. At this point, I truly feel that the sense of band unity within the GazettE has grown even stronger.

[silent-as-the-grave]

Potion of Glittering Radiance

Fandom: Baldur's Gate 3 Pairing: Astarion/Gale Content Warnings: None, unless you're offended by sparkly vampires Prompt: Written for the Bloodweave Inn's New Years Challenge event- "Wizard"

Gale's latest alchemical experiment goes awry, and Astarion happens to be in the crossfire. Whoops.

-

Gale stood hunched over his makeshift alchemy station, carefully stirring a bubbling concoction that reeked of moss and candle smoke mixed with something unpleasantly bitter.  Various ingredients lay scattered across the table, fresh, dried, and oozing, each more obscure than the last. His voice rambled on at a low murmur to no one in particular, as to be expected from the party's resident wizard.  

"A little bit of this… then the essence of—ah, no, not that one." Gale sighed and ran a hand through his already tousled hair, wholly focused on the task at hand. "It's meant to be a Potion of See Invisibility, not something that turns one's skin puce. Come on, Gale, you know better than that."

On the other side of the table stood Astarion, leaning against a tree with his arms crossed while watching the process with mild amusement.  He was quite accustomed to Gale's eccentricities, and he usually wouldn't bother supervising while the man tested and brewed whatever strange elixirs struck his fancy, but tonight? Tonight, Gale had promised something actually useful—a potion that would allow him to see invisible enemies, a priceless tool for a rogue like him.

"Well, darling," Astarion drawled, glancing at the mess foaming in Gale's cauldron. "I do hope this potion works better than your last experiment. While that little 'Potion of Increased Perception' technically worked, none of us could look Shadowheart in the face for hours.  Without laughing, at least."

"I assure you, I had no idea that my Beholder's Oil had gone rancid," Gale muttered, a flush creeping up his neck and coloring his cheeks at the reminder of his inadvertent failure.  His talent with the Weave did not, unfortunately, bleed into innate alchemical ability.  Still, he'd been trying to make up for his lack of knowledge through brute force and sheer stubbornness since escaping the nautiloid.  Anything to give them a leg up in the struggles to come.  "At least it only gave her one extra eye."

"Yes, right in the center of her forehead."  Astarion flashed the wizard a wide, fanged grin and leaned closer to the table.  "It was glorious."

They both know that Astarion's words were one of many tools the vampire used to mask what's really going on inside of his pretty head.  There's often more left unsaid in the background– tucked carefully away after a lifetime of clawing for his very survival.  Astarion might appear bored, and his words might seem mocking, but he's also keeping Gale company when he could be elsewhere doing any number of things.  

In moments like this, the wizard can't help but compare him to a semi-feral cat: fearful and dangerous, yet creeping closer in search of affection despite it all.  

Huffing in something akin to fond exasperation as his mind conjured the image of a tiny hissing kitten with Astarion's eyes, Gale shook his head and pulled his attention back to his project.  "This one will work, I'm sure of it. It's just a matter of... skill.  And precision.  Then you'll all be thanking me for making such a valuable contribution to the group."

With a flourish, he added a final drop of some clear, viscous fluid to the cauldron.  The potion fizzed and frothed, turning an unsettling shade of fuchsia before it began to boil over.  Gale's eyes widened.

"Oh no."

Before either of them could react, the potion hit the brazier's glowing coals and exploded in a flash of sparkling, radiant light.  Gale cursed as the bright light momentarily filled the space around them with a blinding glow before settling into a soft, twinkling sparkle that hung in the air like a thousand fireflies.

"What the hell was that?" Astarion snarled, as if Gale could possibly see enough to tell what he was talking about.

Moments passed, and the overwhelming luminosity that had temporarily overwhelmed his sight finally began to fade.  Blinking his stinging, watery eyes, Gale found himself squinting down at the cauldron that had once held his carefully concocted elixir, horrified to find it tipped on its side and nearly empty while motes of light continued drifting lazily in the air.  

"Well, that wasn't supposed to happen," Gale admitted, his voice strained.  He had no idea what had gone wrong this time.  "What in the hells–?"

Then he looked up at Astarion, and promptly froze in shock.

Astarion's skin—his flawless, pale skin—now glittered like a thousand tiny stars had been embedded into his very pores. Every light caught on him, from the miniature alchemical brazier to Gale's conjured candles to the moon's glow filtering down from the sky.  With every movement, the vampire's skin shimmered brightly, as though he were a creature composed of pure magic.

Rather than create a Potion of See Invisibility, the wizard seemed to have turned his lover into a walking disco ball.  

"Oh, this is just perfect. I may seem like I always want to be the center of attention, but this is over the fucking top."  Astarion scowled at Gale, brow furrowed and voice dripping with sarcasm, though it was hard to take his ire seriously as he fluttered his shiny hands around.  His skin sparkled in every direction, reflecting the light in a way that made him seem less like a feared creature of the night and more like an eccentric showgirl from a forgotten circus.  "Do you have any idea how impossible it will be for me to do anything vaguely rogue-like in this state?"

The wizard wilted, unable to look the other man in the eye. "I—I didn't mean for this to happen, Astarion! I must have made a minor miscalculation with the formula, but it should fade within an hour or two.  Hopefully.  You'll be fine!"

Astarion raised a pale eyebrow, his eyes glinting with the reflected light of the brazier.  And the rest of him, honestly. "Minor, you say? What happens if it doesn't?  How am I supposed to walk around without attracting every inquisitive or predatory gaze in a ten-mile radius?  I have the subtlety of a comet!"

Gods above and below, what a mess.  Gale's shoulders slumped as he took a step closer, trying to apologize again. "I am sorry, love.  I was sure I had the recipe figured out."  

Hands stained with oil and ink brushed soothingly over the vampire's bare forearms.  As his fingers lightly skimmed the surface of Astarion's skin, each touch made the glitter seem to dance and shimmer even more intensely.  Gale couldn't help but admire the beauty of it.  "But now, well... maybe we can use it to our advantage? Think of it—your newfound radiance could light up the darkest dungeons. You're a beacon of power and beauty."

"Don't you dare try to flatter me after that ridiculous blunder of yours, Wizard," Astarion scoffed, though his words held very little heat.  He crossed his arms over his chest, every movement making his skin catch the light like a glittering beacon. "I wouldn't even make it to a dungeon in this state.  I'm more likely to be abducted by enraptured villagers who think I'm some sort of celestial being come to bless them with... fashion advice."

Gale couldn't bite back the snicker that such a mental picture brought to his lips.  "May the gods deliver us from such a tragic fate."  His hands came to rest on the elf's narrow hips, giving them a gentle squeeze as he leaned in to bump their noses together.  "I'll make it up to you, Astarion. I swear it."

His lover's expression finally softened, and Gale nearly breathed a sigh of relief.  "You'd better," Astarion replied. "Because as much as I might appreciate the glitter of gold and jewels, vampires are not supposed to sparkle."

"No, I suppose not."  Gale couldn't help but laugh despite himself and the absurdity of the situation.  It really was a ridiculous notion. "Though I must say, if anyone could pull off the whole 'celestial glitter bomb' look, it's you."  

"Hush, you menace."  Something about Astarion's gaze seemed to darken after another moment spent in thought, his pale lashes drooping.  "Darling?"

"Hmm?"

Reaching for the collar of his shirt, Astarion pulled it back just enough to expose a sliver of his gleaming chest to view.  With his hips cocking, lips parting, and a fall of near-perfect silver hair curling around his sharp cheeks, the vampire struck a playful pose that left no question as to his intentions.  "Do you think that little potion of yours affected my entire body?"

"I… I have no idea." Oh dear. Gale could feel his eyes glaze over as his mind immediately started racing through the possibilities. "Perhaps it would be prudent to conduct a, ah, thorough examination?  Just to fully assess the results?  For the sake of my research notes and future experiments, of course."

"Of course.  I expect nothing less than a proper inspection after what you've done to me," Astarion purred, his voice silky smooth and full of promise.  The elf turned slowly and cast Gale a sultry look over his shoulder, as if daring him to imagine the length of his lean form bare and shimmering.  "I'll be in your tent.  Don't keep me waiting."

"By the gods," Gale muttered under his breath, only sparing the mess on his alchemy table a cursory glance before spinning on his heel to hurry after the other man, purple robes billowing behind him.   

He couldn't remember the last time he wanted to face the consequences of a failed experiment quite as badly as he did right now.

-

AO3

[mayfairbee]

"PR nightmare" or lack of a plan?

As the fandom struggles to process the latest Italy videos, I keep wondering why Luke's PR agency is not doing anything to craft his public image. Does he even have an agency? What have they done in the past couple months? Besides the Fallon interview (?). Are we to believe that Luke would have said "no" if they had found a nice gaming or dyslexia related charity for him to champion and fundraise for? Obviously Nicola is the PR queen with her advocacy for the Palestinian refugees and LGBTQ+ causes (which I do believe are issues close to her heart! But also a good PR move). But not everyone needs to fight for world peace, there are plenty of great & worthy charities that align with Luke's personality and/or hobbies. Sam Phillips advocates for a charity that fights homelessness in the UK. Luke loves Fortnite, which has 640 million registered users. There are ~780 million dyslexic people, and ~366 million people dealing with adhd worldwide. Hello?! What if they organized magazine articles where he could talk about how he succeeded as an actor while dealing with adhd and dyslexia? How he trained himself to learn scripts he probably struggles to read? Wouldn't these themes be super relatable to people who also struggle with that? I'm adhd myself and I see my own behaviors in a lot of his. I'd love to hear more about how he copes. It hurts to read posts about how he is "letting life happen" and "not making decisions" or not taking on multiple projects at once ... when to my adhd brain that just looks like typical adhd behavior. I'm just a fan on the sidelines, with no experience in the industry. Is that not the kind of stuff a PR agency would think of and organize? Do they need more ideas? I have plenty! (adding a pic just because it's one of my favorites 💕)

[manic-maniac-man]

HUgE Oct 2011

Regeneration

Urban Mobility to PUMA by hussein chalayan

An innovative solution that bridges the gap between fashion and performance. Hussein Chalayan's latest collection, "PUMA by Hussein Chalayan", was held in London, where he is based, and we sneaked into the collection preview, which marked the start of the label's launch.

Chalayan's latest Puma design combines minimalist strength with functional beauty.

On a certain day in June, a preview of the upcoming 2012 S/S collection of PUMA by Hussein Chalayan was held at the Vinyl Factory near Oxford Circus in central London. Alongside the eagerly awaited new products on display at the venue, creative director Hussein Chalayan presented his own collection. As this was his first public presentation, press members from all over the world gathered to listen to Chalayan's passionate thoughts on fashion and sports.

At this venue, Chalayan spoke to HUGE about the image he envisions for “PUMA by Hussein Chalayan” and its deeper meanings.

—————Compared to your own brands CHALAYAN and GRAY LABEL, which will be launched in Spring/Summer 2012, and the artworks you exhibit in museums, what is the position of PUMA by Hussein Chalayan?

"This collaboration with PUMA is a collection with a sports lifestyle theme. It is completely different from the brands I usually work with. This PUMA collection puts performance first. With that in mind, the target audience naturally changes. It is easy to access and relatively affordable.

Not only have we become more sophisticated, but we have also been able to incorporate cutting-edge technology. To be honest, sports brands are now in a position where they can experiment more than fashion brands. I was attracted to the breadth of expression that only a sports brand can offer, and the technical aspects of PUMA, so I decided to take on this project. It's a collection that excites me, as I wonder what will happen if I express my creativity in this field."

--Your creativity seems to have a lot of minimalist and striking elements, but was there any feedback from other original collections for this PUMA project?

"For example, these shoes (Urban Swift) were created by extracting elements from my past collections. I express the other items using my own language. The prints have to be powerful, as if they are alive, and go beyond just prints. My designs are not complete with just clothes or objects; I have to breathe life into them. They can be designs born from a certain action, designs born out of the movement of people, or designs with a sense of speed like an aircraft. My designs have a strong connection to the things around us."

Do you ever wear sneakers?

"I do wear them depending on the time and situation, but I don't wear them very often (laughs)."

--So, do you ever wear nylon sportswear?

"I usually wear a lot of classic clothes, but of course I also have jackets that can be stored compactly like the one I made this season. They are useful as functional outerwear in the cold season. One of the themes of this label is 'urban travel', so items that can be easily carried and functionality are important elements. So there is no contradiction with that theme. It's like my own version of 'Prada Sport' (laughs)."

--In Japan, there is a trend among some men to move away from sneakers. If you were to recommend your sneakers to such men, what kind of styling would you recommend?

"It's classic clothing. I think the contrast between sporty and classic is very appealing."

--Finally, what is interesting about creating your own sports brand?

"The concept is 'sports lifestyle.' It's not just another sports brand. The DNA of CHALAYAN is firmly embedded in the PUMA collection. It is urban, sporty, and offers a relaxed style in its entirety. In creating these products, the most interesting thing is thinking about the process of how to turn the ideas I have in my mind into reality. When one project is finished, the next thing I want to do comes to mind, and they are connected and spread out like a rosary."

"There is always sense of the clothe, and sense of life in my design."

"It's not just about clothes or objects, you have to breathe life into them." (Hussein Chalayan)

01/ Many apparel items feature graphics based on the theme of this season's "double exposure"

02/ The label's iconic item is the "Urban Swift." It is a masterpiece that combines the iconic "Clyde" shoe from PUMA with the design symbolized by Chalayan's own "Inertia" shoe from his 2009 S/S collection

03/ At the preview venue, Chalayan himself presented the label concept of PUMA by Hussein Chalayan

04/ In addition to the "Urban Swift" footwear, desert boots and low-cut sneakers were also on display

05/ Many press representatives from around the world were in attendance at the venue

06/ The bag is made of thick leather, and the inside is equipped with functions such as a laptop protector All items in the photo are from the PUMA Urban Mobility 2011 A/W collection. For inquiries, please contact PUMA customer service.

[bestaiimagegenerator]

SmartBot Strategies: Making Sense of AI Image Generators

SmartBot Strategies: Making Sense of AI Image Generators

The world of AI is evolving fast—and for creators, marketers, and small business owners, one of the most exciting tools right now is the AI image generator. These powerful programs take simple text and turn it into stunning visuals in seconds. But with so many tools out there, finding the right one can feel like guesswork.

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[halotica]

what's your starting process for creation? do you get an idea and instantly try to put it onto paper, or do you try multiple iterations of it until youre satisfied with the result? what are your favorite techniques, brushes, and finished/wip pieces? (totes dont have to answer all at once if this is overwhelming!)

depends on what im making, with writing it can take a reaally long time before something pops onto my head. usually ill read something and want to try a technique it succeeded in and that'll spur me on. i tend to write a lot of beginning paragraphs that end up being twisted into something entirely different. but honestly yeah usually i just write out an idea, proofread and edit, and send it off. ive been working on nurturing that urge to write even more and ive been doing that with my latest project eroterror, using absence of linear flow to redesign and try new ideas, under the diagetic idea of the characters changing, also just feeling free to put on new ideas. experimenting sith different techniques is one of my favourite parts of writing. i do that a lot with pov, pacing, style change etc etc. if we're talking VISUAL stuff i usually mix images in many different ways before i even start. i have to find which mesh well with the right filters, each of the Halotics have like, 3 different versions each usually lol, because they give off an emotion i enjoy but not the one in trying to convey n such n such. i dont really use brushes bc i havent gotten much into drawing >< my pencil irl but, i really need someone to explain to me how digital drawing software works n how to find brushes n stuff lmao. favourite technique is probably using images on top to create texture like, subtle rippling and shadows are very easy to get without much effort n it gives it a much more dreamscapesque feel, which is what im usually going for.

for the WIP question, rn they are mostly just that im adding onto Eroterror, a story ive half-launched as a part one purely for ppl who ask about it about some really fucked up psychic/magical toxic yuri in metro-hellworld, turning that into a much larger idea. i have a novel wip at 30k words rn thats been sort of stunted because ive entered a different headspace since but its waiting for me! rn im writing a story about a boy convincing his little brother to suicide bomb a crowded event so he can become something (as a prank, it doesnt work n tortures him) and im excited about that!!! ty for the questions xoxo

[blonndiec]

Fandom, creative/art process, design and more...

I was writing the copy for a post that I'm going to share and it went longer than expected because of some details I thought worth exploring about these topics above. So I thought it would be better writing it down. Maybe this is only for me, maybe you'll read if you want...it's not necesary:

My latest illustration was abandoned on my Clip Studio for a long time (almost 6 months? Something like that), first because of my depression and after that, because of a draining situation.

I had no motivation because anything I would do would be ''targeted'' in a way (and I was, after all, targeted…and was so close to deleting everything in my accounts and leave...to be honest). Months prior I paused a lot of ideas I had out of being drained by a situation. But a month back, as I was finally releasing part of the ideas I stopped for months, I thought that I should go ahead and finish all the things I had on my backlog.

And regarding this (my ideas, art and what I do), I want to be completely transparent: it doesn't come as new to me, because I've been working on the art/design field for 16 years, first as a designer and after as an Art Director, but never created towards anime fandom content (yes for the Teen Wolf fandom but I lost access to that tumblr account so I guess it doesn't count, teheee). I don't mean to brag or anything of sorts, it's just how it is for me and why it comes natural creating this way. And yes, I've been on an art journey, taking on drawing/illustrating again, which wasn't new to me either and the reason why I've been progressively better is because I have approached it as I approach a design project: with a clear strategy and mostly, because I've done work related through all my professional career (a lot of layering and understanding how it works, art concepts, knowledge about color theory, effects, image definition, tools, rendering, cross-platform art/design apps, etc.)

Why do I do this? Firstly, for me. Secondly: To share my love for YoI, to squeal with the fandom, to make people happy. This is totally out of love for the content, the characters and to create a 360 experience to what I write.

I'm going to repeat this: Fandom is about sharing, not capitalism. People in the fandom are not your competition, nor less fans for enjoying/creating content differently, or their opinions less valid because they don't interpret content in a way you don't agree with.

We are collaborators freely joining forces to create for the love everyone has for something, and to keep on growing the stories we love.

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Denis Marketer (Copyright)

#Denis_Marketer

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[carmesine]

www.carmesine.com

3D Design: More Than Just Flashy Visuals

In a world where speed and precision are critical, 3D design is transforming fashion from concept to creation. It’s not just about eye catching renders; it’s the secret to streamlining the entire process.

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