Homecoming Art Masterpost
Homecoming Banner
I cannot even tell you how hard I've been chomping at the bit to share this art and link this story. PLEASE go read and love runedgirl 's glorious " Homecoming" - it is intelligent, unexpected, hot, beautiful. I loved the hell out of it, and she was lovely to work with. For the art and more story gushing, see below!
runedgirl 's story is set in an a/b/o universe, but it's not like any a/b/o story I've ever read. If you (like me) have had some uneasiness about a/b/o settings, this is an amazing way to explore it. I don't want to give too much away, but the thoughtfulness with which she dealt with the imbalances and injustices was amazing. And it being deliciously hot to read is not sacrificed for all that intelligence. This is absolutely a best of both worlds situation!
I will be 100% honest, the image of a young prostitute Dean in super cut-off cut-offs lounging against a wall with his boots undone.... nnnnngh absolutely what made me decide to make art for this fic. So that's here:
Hot young Dean being hot and delicious
It is incredibly gratifying that I can see my digital work getting better, and I'm so proud of this one. I have generally in this fandom so far worked by marking out edges of facial feature from photos so I can make sure they're recognizable as the actors, but I'm working in baby steps away from that now that my drawing legs are getting back under me after a lot of years of neglect. I drew his face here by hand. I couldn't get him spot on and did wind up throwing my reference under so I could see where I was going awry, but made the edits blind bit by bit until I got him to where I was happy with him. (I didn't do this with the second piece but I'll get to that.) The body and background are all freehand, and I think I'm making progress on getting closer to actually muscular masculine bodies, which have um... never been my strong suit. The color is feeling better, too, and I got to play around with texture throughout which is making a big difference, I think.
Intimate moment about to kiss
I claimed two fics in this bang and somehow wound up with the first and fourth posting dates, having already signed up for two writing challenges due at the end of the month, so um. Since I really wanted to get poor Sam involved and get a second piece in, I flat out traced their faces here. I can at least take credit for the composition and scaling and getting at least four images kind of melded together, and the neck down (including that damn fussy hand) are freehand. Even the just cheaply traced bits, though? I still love. Let's face it; these guys are gorgeous, and tipping them forehead to forehead a breath from a kiss is going to be pretty no matter what. I got a great suggestion for lighting from the incomparable Quickreaver, who also gave me so much fantastic feedback and encouragement while I was needily begging for both.
I did the shading "backwards" on this one, which was fun, by laying a partially transparent layer over the top, filling it with a dark slate color, and erasing the areas the light was hitting, and I'm really pleased with the effect. I'm adding the pre-shading one below, just because Dean's freckles were so pretty and I want to show them.
Shadowless kiss
I reiterate that I traced the faces - Dean's eyelashes really are that damn long.
Sigh. They're so pretty.
Anyway, go read and love on the fic, it is amazing.
I adore feedback, up to and including constructive criticism provided it's, y'know, actually constructive.