From Russia with Longing
Yes there really is art under here, but be forewarned, there is also a lot of me talking about shit you don't care about.
Dunno if it will be legible in any way, so you might want to click through to photobucket to full view it in it's grandness!
It's been quite awhile since I've drawn something that was story based. I think the last non-SOA narrative image I did was... Oh man it was the Watcher Dossier reference sheet. Does that even count? So before that it was... oh my god it was over a year ago. Which is a shame, because narrative images are sort of my specialty. I miss when I had the time to write up a little short story to go with EVERY picture I submitted. Actually, I just miss when I had time to write at all (working on it).
Explaining exactly WHAT it is I've created here is going to require a hint of backstory, so if you're interested in the insane ramblings that is my characters and their developments feel free to read on. If not, well you can scroll down until you see the "photograph" in color, which I've included at the bottom, since I tried something new with it.
Part of the problem of having characters with really long life spans is that you sort of need to figure out what they were DOING all those years. I've been working on Tsukiuta's timeline for awhile, and while the first couple hundred years were pretty easy to map, anything after 1900 has to get a little more detailed about where he was when. I had pretty much decided that he had served in WWI and WWII, and I knew I wanted him to serve in the Vietnam war as well (the boy may be trouble, but he's a patriot at heart) I just wasn't really sure what to do with him between 1946 and 1967.
I've sort of worked out what was supposed to happen to him during that time (but it's classified at the risk of confusing everyone), so I needed a place... a place that would be far away from all the other characters he knows, a place that was large enough to have vast expanses of uninhabited land, and a place that if he were to go missing... no one would notice.
"Fuck that sounds like Russia!"
So yeah, he spends a few years in Russia. So that's what the picture is. Also that's why he's got a beard, it's 1949 and Russia is fucking cold (but more on the photo later).
As far as the letter goes, I don't really want to talk about it all that much. Though I will highlight a few things that make it interesting to me, but probably not interesting to you.
I've written a few letters for Tsukiuta, but this one has always been one of my favorites. I think he really likes the idea of letters, but doesn't like the idea of people reading them... so they almost never get mailed. This one did, but he sent it to the wrong address. I've sort of romanticized this character a lot over the years, but there are two things about him I always try to keep straight: 1, he's a huge dick and 2, he's trying to be better. I think he's starting to recognize that he's hurt people over the years, and he's beginning to make changes to turn himself into a better person.
Though he's got a long way to go.
The other interesting thing is the date. No it's not a date that means anything to you guys. But here's the thing... when I write letters for him... I always use that date when he's writing to a particular person. A particular person that he's really hurt, and he last saw one cold December night... Ah, there I go romanticizing him again.
I'm actually legitimately worried that USSR is an anachronism for this time period. Was it called the USSR at that point, or was it Soviet Union? Or does it matter because Tsuki is an American, and he wouldn't know the difference? And why am I caring when no one else cares?
Onto the photograph.
I think I like Tsuki better with darker hair now, but I'm worried that if this ever makes it to DA (still on the fence on that one), someone is going to ask me if it's Ziggy. I spent like two years having to tell people that Ziggy and Tsuki are not the same person now I'm gonna have to do it all over again. I'm sorry, he's a BROWN wolf, it makes sense that he would have BROWN hair! Also, again, it's fucking cold in Russia, let the boy grow a beard!
Also I don't think people know or care anymore that most of my COTG gang have multiple forms... and definitely more forms then just their "furry" forms. I just draw them that way the most because it's the most fun for me, but in reality, they probably spend 79% of their time in their boring old human forms. Hell, I don't think most people on DA even remember these characters exist anyway.
Whoa hey that turned into a rant let's stop that right there.
Tried to paint this in Corel without any lines. Difficult for sure... but kinda rewarding as well. I mean, it's not excellent. But it's not terrible. Could definately be better, but could also be a helluva lot worse. Ah well. I was also a little rushed because I wanted to finish it before I got called away to class and lost all inspiration to work on it.
Talking too much, I know you guys just click through for the art ;) Someday I'll find the time to flesh all these characters out enough where everyone will be sick of them and I won't feel the need to draw them ever again. Until then... well, you've got this.