Art for Chrismm!

[yuletart-mods.livejournal.com]

Title: Jane and Emily Roland, of Excidium
Gift for: chrismm
Artist: xenakis_
Rating: G
Fandom: Temeraire
Warnings: none
Artist's Notes: Happy Yuletart dear chrismm! I hope you will enjoy my humble gift as much as I did drawing it!
Giants hugs and kisses to my wonderful betas, who shall remain nameless until the reveal :) Thank you for the hand holding and the occasional "OMG WHY ARE YOU DRAWING ALL THE SCALES YOU CRAZY PERSON?" I really have no idea, it seemed like a good idea at the time?
A note about the art: this is Jane Roland pre-scar. I choose to believe she got it at the Nile, which is the battle she is preparing to fly to in this piece.
Summary: Capitain Jane Roland and daughter Emily, of Excidium, on the night before their departure for Egypt to join the forces of Lord Nelson at the Nile.


Note from xenakis_:
ETA: Dear Chrismm, this snippet grew out of my attempt to write the summary for the art. I couldn't finish it in time for the deadline, so you get it for the reveal, instead. I hope you'll enjoy this little extra present!

Comments

[http://users.livejournal.com/xenakis_/]

:DDDDDDDD I am so very, very glad you like it! I wasn't sure if you would care for "supporting" characters, but really, THERE CAN NEVER BE TOO MUCH JANE ROLAND, RIGHT? Your comment made me really giggly so THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR TAKING THE TIME TO FLAIL AT ME *glee*

Ok so, a few things about the piece, because I like to babble :D Excidium and his scales were referenced off two or three lizards, I think, and then textured over with photographs of peeling paint and rusted metal, and splatter of yellow and er, maybe a few dozen other things? I went a bit crazy...

Jane's uniform and harness were really fun to draw, even if I am aware that those straps cannot be very comfortable! And yes, the trim of her coat matches the frame, because I am all about recycling references, or maybe it's also an Aries thing, because I like it when things echo each other.

Emily is wearing crumpled paper. Such a poor, neglected child!

And finally, the eye. I have to disappoint you all with the eye, I'm afraid. It's primarily a photograph. I tweaked the colours and the shape a bit, and added highlights and shadows, but yeah, there a cat somewhere out there demanding royalties for this :P (But hey, that cat is an awesome dragon now, so it shouldn't complain!)


Um, there's also one other thing. When I was getting ready to send this in (a few moments before deadline, of course...) I was trying to come up with a summary, and um, this snippet sort of grew out of it. It was really too raw for me to submit at the time, but it's up at the AOOO (http://archiveofourown.org/works/44579) now, as a kind of surprise addition to you gift. :D

I hope you enjoy it! Merry Yuletart again!

[chrismm.livejournal.com]

Excellent! Thank you for the story--I left feedback over there...

I love hearing the how-you-did-it stuff. :D I figured the eye was a tweaked photo, but it was an inspired choice and use, so it's all good.

I was showing it to co-workers, one of whom hadn't read the book. He thought Jane was a guy at first glance, and was relieved to hear she was a woman, noting that the straps were making him cringe in pained sympathy. Heh.

I was wondering--I really, really want to put this up in my living room. I was researching places I can send it to get it printed--do you have this bigger? I can totally work with this size if you don't, but I thought it might not hurt to ask.

And thank you again--what a lovely gift!!!

[http://users.livejournal.com/xenakis_/]

I based Jane on Kathy Bates, actually. I know she isn't meant to be so masculine in the books, but that's always kind of how I imagined her.

I'm glad you liked the ficlet! I always end up making up stories as I draw, and this was the result :)

The original file of this is GINORMOUS, and of course you can have it! Just private message me your email address, and I'll send it to you!