A Deliberate Life, for Oh Sam

[quickreaver]

Okay, this started as a simple little OhSam fill for the birthday meme, prompted by de_nugis: "Mentally or emotionally distressed Sam (I prefer current era, or at any rate later seasons) finds a pond with a heron. Watching the heron is soothing for him. He goes back every day. Just him and the heron and the weather..."

Was very much reminded of Walden.

I went

Comments

[indiachick]

OOOH, pretty. I was, secretly, hoping that you'd fill this prompt the moment I saw it. That heron is lovely. The whole shadow-and-silhouette thing is lovely. The 'live deep and suck out all the marrow of life' is one of my favorite quotes, and the correlation does pack a punch. This is beautiful, as the tiny moon up there with the clouds is beautiful. Happy birthday indeed. ♥

[quickreaver]

Aw, thank you, lovely! The more I got reading Walden (and Thoreau), the more sense it made when considering Sam. :D

[de_nugis]

That is so utterly gorgeous. I had no idea I would get such amazing responses to my strange desire to have Sam contemplate wading birds. I just want to stare at them, the way Sam stares at herons.

[quickreaver]

I find that sometimes the simplest, most innocuous prompts are the tastiest. Bigger isn't always better. And this was so original, so quietly sad of an idea, it sang to me. Glad you like!

[de_nugis]

Were you to be moved to put this one at Society 6, I would be moved to add it to my Great Wall of Sam.

[quickreaver]

Oooh, I'm not sure I created it at a high-enough resolution! Let me fiddle, and I'll let you know....

[cassiopeia7]

Wow, I dig the peaceful clarity of this scene. you can almost hear the waves washing against the shore. And the elements are just perfect: Sam's silhouette; the heron's reflection on the water; the mist further out; the golden sunset sky; and . . . is that Venus up there? :) Magnificent!

[quickreaver]

YES! Venus! It was originally lower on the horizon but it wasn't showing up as brightly as I wanted, so I bent the universe to my whims. :D

I loved this prompt. It was so gentle and evocative. I didn't want to do something blame-y or too contentious, what with Season Nine and all. *cough*

Annnnyways, thank you!

[amberdreams]

Perfick!
I started trying to paint this but ick. I wanted a watercolour but have no idea where to start digitally so I gave up. Strangely, my composition had Sam and the heron in very similar positions. I'd show you but I've lost the file!

[quickreaver]

Salty would've totally ROCKED this but alas, she has left us. So I threw a watercolor texture over the whole shebang and called it a day! :)

[amberdreams]

Alas indeed, the wastelands of tumblr are a long long way away from home...sniffle. But I love your version anyway, it's more vibrant than I image a salty one would have been, and just as beautiful.

[dear_tiger]

Aw, damn, this is beautiful ♥

[quickreaver]

It came out a little darker than I'd intended, contrast-wise, but I think it's because I started it last night when it was dark outside and finished this morning in the blinding sun! But thank ya, bb. :D