#sketch only til i figure out how to render again...

[arolegos]

dump :p

are people still into black clover...

[k00299539]

Movement Project Week 5 - Fired up like Clay

Above: The finished product?

With everything fired and finished I thought I was done. I've always preferred the look of a rough sketch to a finely rendered portrait and that carries over for me into ceramics. The simple, elegant look of the white bisque is what I love.

But all the same I was in a workshop and if you don't step outside your comfort zone you'll learn nothing.

Above: Tres Amigos

These photos have nothing to do with anything, I just did a photoshoot on black paper to look like I was doing something productive. That kind of segues into my next problem, I didn't take many photos of the process... and I don't have the time limit excuse this time either.

Above: The cosmos

Basically I spent the day painting underglaze onto my bisque ceramics. And since I have a knack for making more work for myself, I first used liquid latex to paint on a mask.

The process went as such:

Step 01: Retrieve ceramics from the kiln.

This was harder than it might seem as it was raining and LSAD made the wise decision of locating the kiln room as far away as possible from the first year ceramics room. Luckily I avoided drowning and made it back in one piece.

Step 02: Mask the ceramic with liquid latex.

I actually thought at first I might be able to get away with using masking tape. That was until I learned we had to hydrate the bisque before painting and as every good scienceman knows; water and tape don't mix well. The latex was surprisingly easy to work with and dried fast. The downside is it completely destroys paintbrushes.

Step 03: Hydrate the bisque.

This was the easiest step, just run it under the tap. Hard to mess up...

Step 04: Paint the damn thing.

As I mentioned above, we used underglaze to paint with. I was pretty rusty at painting in general so I wasn't exactly looking forward to this. I wanted to create a kind of night sky atmosphere along the indented portion of the ceramics. I used purples, blues and a bit of red to paint a gradient into either piece. Getting them to match was difficult but I figured as long as they met well in the middle it'd look good once attached.

Above: My inspiration

I wanted to match the colour palette of The Simpsons, particularly the scene in Mother Simpson where homer looks up at the stars. Simpsons often had pretty abstract colour design in general and I love the bold decision to make the night scene such a vibrant purple.

Unfortunately I am once again an idiot and forgot to take photos of the painted underglaze before dunking the piece in a bath of regular glaze, so you're gonna have to wait til it's fired again before knowing if it turned out any good.

Above: Post-dunkening

After the underglaze was dry it was time to use regular old clear glaze to exchange the matte finish for something shiny. In the past I'd only ever painted glaze on, so the thought of dunking it straight into an industrial sized bucket of goop wasn't the most appealing. But it was a lot quicker. Just hold it under for a count of six and you're done. Come to think of it, this is the second time during this process I've waterboarded my poor ceramic piece...

I feel I should also mention for health and safety purposes that we had to wear gloves for this whole glazing process.

Above: Delatexing

I chose to leave the latex on for the glazing, to create a contrast between the glossy finish of the glazed areas and the matte finish along the borders. I'll let you know how it turned out when I see it myself.

[bigsquinky]

quick sketches from a shapiro and mulligan alien au ::3c i wrote something too for this scene. I dont write stuff very often so its rough but i will put it under the cut here

the storage corridor was dimly lit, sparks from exposed wires lighting the way down the destroyed passage. the alamanium steel doors were crushed, thrust open unnaturally with an inhuman force that rendered them useless. all the  way down to the end, large dents and ruptures could be seen along the walls, identical to the ones leading back down the main hall. 

 Shapiro was not happy. Not happy at all 

 she had been away for just a moment, something to do with confirmation for a shipment or going over some trivial documents, nothing out of the ordinary of what usually happened during the day. a lot was expected of her, but there was no way she could supervise training cadets, overseeing daily maintenance, and everything else in their quadrant of the ship. she was only gone for the smallest moment, but thats all that was needed for everything to go wrong. a large crash echoed from the training bay, followed by the audible screaming of a few cadets, as well as, oddly enough, the odd roars of cheering. 

whatever ruckus had occurred while she was gone left the bay in shambles, large craters on the ceiling and the walls, lights and equipment broken, everything would have to be replaced, everything brought back to code. it was going to be a bureaucratic nightmare. oh, and that one cadet would have to be taken to the emergency wing. but he was the least of Shapiros worries at the moment, he would be fine anyways, Grutians were known to be virtually indestructible, if anything, only his pride was wounded. 

No, Shapiro's worries were down that busted up supply hall, and as the appointed quadrant manager, she needed to bring everything back to efficiency quickly, before more reports would be required. A large group of cadets and employees gathered behind her in the hall, all murmuring in fright and surprise at what was happening. Shapiro clicked at her belt and put a regulatory protection field between her and the crowd, preventing them from moving any closer into the supply hall. the frantic chattering of a cockroach in a labcoat was heard coming closer to the scene of the mess, as O'Reilly banged on the field, his muffled pleas to Shapiro to wait for an armoured squad fell on deaf ears. It was her responsibility, and this mess was going to be fixed, even if she had to make another one.

She made her way down that hall, mentally preparing herself for the struggle that could happen. From day one, that cadet only got in trouble, and caused her trouble. She thought that keeping him on probation would solve at least some of her problems. its not like he was doing any of this on purpose, but this Cadet Mulligan seemed to attract trouble wherever he went. It was everyone else that seemed to have problems with him, stemming from eons old beliefs in superstitions that beings like him were considered cursed, or biological mistakes. she at least knew how it felt to be looked down upon, being Atharian meant that from birth she had to work harder than most to even get to where she was now, but she still had more of a privilege than the cadet did, even if he was half Arachnian. But because Shapiro worked so hard and gave up so much to get where she was, it jsut meant it could be torn away from her so much easier, her higher ups were just waiting for her to fail, giving her all of this work knowing full well not even the most able of commanders could not  complete what she managed to in a day, and she knew it. Despite all her successes, all she needed was one slip up, and it could come crumbling down beneath her. She could not afford to show weakness in a time like this, not again. not ever. she reached the end of the hall, and pushed the big storage room door open

to say it was a mess was an understatement. Shapiro could barely creak the door open enough to squeeze through with the large shelf of various supplies toppled over in disarray. the only light in the room from the working emergency lights lit the clutter in a dim, cold blue light. She quietly navigated the maze of toppled over supplies and stock, taking expert caution to make her presence in the room unknown. if one did not know about the events leading up to this mess, one would assume the ship had made course through an asteroid belt. Shapiro's pointed ears perked up as she finally heard the source of her troubles. Mulligan was there

Shrouded in the darkness, he was hard to make out. Shapiro squinted, as hard as the emergency lights tried to do their job, they were beyond overdue for repair after the beating they took today. What she could make out of his figure however, broke Shapiro into a cold sweat. Finally, she clued into the seriousness of the situation she put herself into, wishing in the back of her mind that she did listen to O'Reilly, although she would never admit he was right if she ever got out of here

Even though he was sitting, he towered over her, his head short of hitting the ceiling. the once recognizable Atharian frame that he had donned was gone, instead a colossal figure grunted and snarled, writhing in confusion as his he tried in vain to reconstruct himself. he panted heavily, clutching his head with two large arms, while four other appendages scratched at his body and braced himself to the steel storage case. Mulligan twisted and contorted but to no avail, a large fist slammed into the wall behind him, leaving a large dent. Shapiro silently stared petrified, her breath ragged. She attempted to shuffle herself backwards and out of there without being noticed, a hand moving slowly to her belt for a plasma taser, in case she needed to defend herself, but instead she misstepped, her foot knocking a small provisions can into a panel, causing the latter to reverberate, and her presence to be known

Mulligan stopped and jerked his head unnaturally towards the sound, breathing heavily, his face partially blocked by his arm. Shapiro froze, and their eyes locked. Mulligan's expression changed from a look of fury, to distress, as he let out a booming cry. he shifted back into the dark as far as he could go, his back against the wall. His breathing was rapid, with a look of horror on his face, it was like he was a scared animal backed into a corner. Crying out in a foreign tongue, what sounded like a plethora of backwards wailing to Shapiro, Mulligan's arms frantically moved into a defensive position, and attempted to cover his face. He continued to wail as Shapiro got off the floor and steadied herself, cautiously moving closer towards the creature. Mulligan tried in vain to move further back and away, but he could not move anymore, his large form made it impossible to break out of this corner. His breathing quickened, and his speech became broken and more unintelligible as he choked back tears. He violently flinched as Shapiro brought up her hand to her scouter, combing through old catalogues of alliance data to find translation as to what the cadet was saying. The scouter laboured for what seemed to be an eternity before it made a cheerful beep as it finally calculated a basic translation of the cacophony. Mulligan continued to cry out in panic as Shapiro finally read what he had been saying this whole time

" GO AWAY! AWAY FROM ME! MONSTER! AM MONSTER!"

the script had scrolled across the screen multiple times as Shapiro stood there in silence. Mulligan closed his eyes as he continued to shake and repeat the devastating message. His fingers dug deep into his face as all the sounds around him started turning into static, letting out one last painful cry before he quickly stifled himself in a swift jolt. His eyes shot open, his breathing ragged, as he looked down and saw a small purple hand lightly touching at his knee

Shapiro sat up tall, facing away from Mulligan with her hand on him, her three fingers slightly stroking and patting his thigh. He brought a quivering hand down, dwarfing her hand as he gently brought it into his. Shapiro continued to look straight forward, as Mulligan's breathing slowed and became controlled, his shoulders relaxed, and he slowly leaned forward away from the wall, and the two sat in silence

She waited a while, before she finally spoke. "Mulligan, what happened?" He sat there. Shapiro repeated herself in the same unwavering but quiet tone. "Mulligan, what happened?" Mulligan swallowed, his entire body still shivering. "It-It-It happened so fast, I couldn-couldn't stop- I just-" "Mulligan, what happened in the training bay while I was gone?" Shapiro didnt want to escalate things, but she had to get Mulligan to talk before a security squad busted through that temporary field. Mulligan stammered. "It-it-it was Giraldi. He came up to me, saying it was my fault he was taken off the scouting mission. He-he slammed me against the wall, I didnt do nothin', I just took it until-" He paused "-'til he brought up YOU." "Me?" Shapiro finally turned slowly to look up at mulligan, the faint blue glow partly illuminating his face. His expression darkened, his fangs were bared and a low growl escaped his lips. "He  said shit that was deplorable, about Atharians, about you, that it was beneath him as a Grutian to take orders from a bug. Disgusting shit about what he could do and no one would stop him, and he called you, he called you a-" Mulligan's grip on Shapiro's hand tightened. She let out a small yelp as Mulligan gasped and pulled his hand away "IM SORRY!! Im sorry-im so sorry i-". Shapiro grabbed his hand with both of hers this time. She looked at him intently, her spots glowing faintly revealed the makings of a pained expression, the first time she had bared any resemblance of feelings to anyone since that time. She took his hand and rested her forehead on it, as Mulligan's breathing calmed down. Mulligan exhaled. "Af-After that, I lost it. i lost control, i could only see red as i flung him around that room. When i remembered what was happening and where i was, I freaked out and ran off here. I got, so scared that what happened last time was gonna happen again, i had to calm down fast, but i couldnt! i was still so upset about everything, and then-" He stopped. He turned his head to look at Shapiro, his purple, polycoria eyes the only thing visible in the shadows. "Im so sorry, Lieutenant Commander"

Shapiro closed her eyes, and exhaled, still keeping her grip on Mulligan's hand. "Whats done is done, Cadet. We cant change that. I dont know what will be decided by the Commander, or if a higher council will be brought in but-" She smiled slightly "- i thank you for standing up for me, Mulligan" She felt Mulligan's hand shrink in her own, and felt the growth of another finger, until it finally slowed, and he locked his fingers with hers. She looked up at him, his form back to that of a fake Atharian, and a tired smile on his face. His two eyes, once four, while displaying no signs of his metamorph mutation, are slightly red. "Thank you Shapiro." She smiled back. "Dont thank me just yet, someone will have to clean up this entire mess!" Mulligan chuckled, and the both of them walked out of the storage hall, still holding each others hands.

[beepbeep-losers]

IT Secret Santa

this is a one shot for @greywatertrashmouth for the @itsecretsanta !!! I hope you enjoy it! happy holidays, and I hope the holiday season and the new year treats you well ❤❤❤ 

First Date

ship: Reddie

length: 1,578 words

“Richie, you’ve gone to the movies alone with Eddie before. I don’t understand why you’re freaking out,” Stan said, trying to focus on his comic book. The villains bothering Batman were far more pressing than Richie’s panic over his first official date with Eddie.

“That was when I thought I was straight, Stan!” Richie snapped, throwing clothes out of his dresser drawer in an attempt to find jeans that looked good with his shirt.

Stan snorted. “You were the only one to ever think you were straight,” he muttered.

They were in Richie’s room, where he had dragged Stan after school. It was a Friday afternoon, and Richie was supposed to pick Eddie up in an hour. He had been frantic all day, and Stan had come to be a slightly unwilling but supportive friend.

Richie threw a tshirt at him, and Stan wrinkled his nose and tossed it aside when it landed on him. “Gross, Richie, I don’t know where that’s been,” he complained.

“That’s what you get for not being helpful, Stanley!” Richie whined. “How am I supposed to act around him? This is so…different.”

Stan rolled his eyes and shut his comic book. “Can you quit being a dumbass, Richie? It isn’t any different. The only thing you should do differently is talk about his mom less, compliment him, and maybe hold his hand at the movie.”

Richie looked at him for a few moments, before a grin burst out on his face. “Lookie there, Stan the Man, you can be useful!”

Stan glared.

-

Eddie had changed at least seven times in the past half hour. He kept running out of his bathroom and into his bedroom, showing Bill, and then running back before Bill could even finish whatever compliment was leaving his tongue. Bill sighed each time, and went back to sketching to wait until he heard Eddie enter the room again. He was checking his watch and letting Eddie know what time it was every five minutes, just like he’d asked.

“It’s f-f-fifteen til s-six, Eddie,” Bill called, and Eddie darted out of the bathroom.

“Okay, I think this is the one for real this time!”

He was wearing khaki pants that clung tight around the ankles and a cranberry-colored sweater. It must have been a size or two too big, because it hung low and the sleeves threatened to cover his hands even though they’d been rolled up at the ends. His hair was styled perfectly, as always, and his eyelashes looked longer and blacker than usual.

“You l-look great,” Bill praised, grinning at how Eddie was bouncing in place excitedly.

“Am I supposed to pay for him?” Eddie asked suddenly, eyes widening. “Or is he paying for me? Are we paying separately? Fucking shit, I should text him and ask –“

“Eddie,” Bill said, “calm down. It’s only Richie. You guys will figure it out on the way. It isn’t a big deal. Just take some money just in case.”

Eddie nodded, but still looked fretful. He made sure that he had two twenties in his wallet and slipped on some of his favorite chocolate brown leather shoes. He’d just put them on when he heard the familiar, ragged beep of Richie’s truck. His heart jumped in his chest and he gave Bill a panicked look.

Bill closed his sketchbook and stood, reaching out to put a hand on each of Eddie’s shoulders. He looked his long-time friend in the face. “Breathe. It’s f-f-fine. You’re going on a d-date with the t-tr-trashmouth, Eddie. If it goes badly, how m-much of a loss is it?” he grinned.

Eddie laughed, playfully shoving Bill away. “Yeah, I guess.”

They left Eddie’s room together, Bill’s sketchbook and pencils tucked safely into the backpack on his shoulders. When they left the house – after a hasty goodbye to Mrs. Kaspbrak – Bill went to his car with a wave “goodbye” to Eddie and Richie, and Eddie walked as calmly as he could manage to Richie’s truck.

-

Richie’s truck smelled like a mix of cigarettes and the evergreen car freshener that hung on his rear view mirror. The smell of smoke wasn’t strong enough to bother Eddie’s lungs, but he always playfully complained about it and Richie always rolled down the windows whenever Eddie was in his truck. Eddie would never admit it, but he actually loved the smell of Richie’s truck. It smelled like…Richie. But he would never tell him that.

There was a weird silence that settled over them after their initial hellos, and it lasted all the way until Richie parked his car at the Aladdin. Eddie felt like he was completely incapable of producing words. Richie couldn’t stop his fingers from tapping nervously on the steering wheel. He’d nearly had a heart attack the second he’s seen Eddie wearing what Richie knew was his favorite sweater for him. Eddie only wore that sweater to things he was really excited about. What if Richie didn’t live up to the sweater’s hype?

When Richie parked the truck, they sat in silence. They were early, for once in their lives. Their movie didn’t start for fifteen minutes. Richie ran a hand through his hair anxiously. What if this had all been a bad idea? What if he and Eddie weren’t meant to be? Were they fucking up a perfectly good friendship because of some stupid hormones?

But….well, Richie liked Eddie. He didn’t just want to get in his pants or something. But the silence around the two of them was enough to make him begin to doubt all the convincing he’d done to get himself to try and get a date with Eddie in the first place.

When it was apparent Eddie wasn’t going to say anything, and Richie felt like he was going to burst if he didn’t talk, he finally broke the silence.

“Well, Eddie Spaghetti, I didn’t expect to render you speechless so soon into our date –“

“Is that a new shirt?” Eddie said suddenly. When Richie looked over at him, the smaller boy was looking at him with large doe eyes.

It totally was a new shirt. Richie had forced Stan and Ben to go shopping with him a week ago to find something that wasn’t a Hawaiian shirt or a band tee to wear on this date. They had found a nice, dark plum sweater that he was wearing with light, ripped jeans and black converse. Out of habit and knee-jerk reaction, Richie denied the effort he’d put in.

“Uh – what – no! This old thing?”

Eddie knew he was lying – he’d seen every piece of clothing Richie owned and he’d never seen that one before. It was also a far leap from his usual outfit. It seemed – Eddie was almost sure, in fact – that Richie had gone to buy a shirt just for their date. For him. He grinned smugly.

“You’re a sap, Richie.”

Richie gaped at him, and opened his mouth to deny it, but then smirked. “Only for you, Eds.”

Eddie beamed, and threw open the door to Richie’s truck. “Come on, before we’re late. I want sour punch straws.”

“Anything for you, Spaghetti Man,” Richie cooed, scrambling to follow him out of the truck. They started walking toward the theater, and Eddie shoved Richie lightly.

“Don’t call me that. You know I hate that.”

Richie looked at him fondly as he got out money for their tickets. “And you know I don’t believe you.” He waved some bills in front of Eddie’s face. “I pay for tickets, you pay for snacks?”

Eddie nodded, heart fluttering for what felt like no reason at all. “Yeah, sounds great.”

Once their silence had broken, it was almost like they were going to the movies as friends like always. They got their usual snacks – sour punch straws and a lemonade for Eddie, popcorn and twizzlers and a coke for Richie – and sat in their favorite spot – the exact middle of the theater. They were laughing and talking and everything was almost the same as usual.

But there was something underlying that they both felt. Like they were on the brink of something completely unlike all of the times they’d been to the movies together before. It provided an exciting tension, the feeling that everything was new and strange. Neither of them could tell what it was, or why it was, until about halfway through the movie.

Richie’s fingers were tapping against the armrest between them. He’d been bouncing excitedly all throughout the movie, and Eddie was pretty sure it wasn’t because of the film, and instead for the same reason that his heart wouldn’t stop beating too quickly. Eddie had watched him tap his fingers for a few minutes, and suddenly he got the overwhelming urge to do something to break the tension. So he reached out and slipped his hand under Richie’s, intertwining their fingers.

The tension broke at once. It felt like a flood of warmth washing over the both of them. Richie stopped bouncing, Eddie’s heart skipped a beat in his chest (and if he wasn’t so happy he would have panicked). They looked at each other, Eddie blushing a deep red and Richie’s lips parted in surprise. At the same time, a grin burst out over their faces. They turned back to the movie, squeezing their hands together, and Eddie laid his head on Richie’s shoulder.

This was definitely not a mistake.

This was the exact opposite.

hope you enjoyed!!!! 

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