Big Bang post 3

[dzioo]

another, and not final post for my this year's story at fmabigbang, [Arcanum Paterfamilias]
PLEASE, LEAVE THE AUTHORS SOME FEEDBACK!! their story is really awesome and it pains me that they get almost no comments! I know it's technically about a secondary character and there are a lot of OCs and difficult and unfamiliar vocabulary but please! give it a try!




"Shit!" Edward curled up and the panther coiled, leaping at the horse. Akilah danced aside, swinging his barrel around the central tent pole, then reared with the squeal of an enraged stallion. The horse plunged down with both front hooves as Edward rolled under the loose edge of the tent. The panther screamed, and Edward knew the blow had struck home.

it's a fanfiction in an FMA universe. and I'd be seriously ill if I didn't put Ed in at least one illustration.
a night picture taking place during an assault. the background was rather difficult to draw, because there are big contrasts between light in the tent and night around it, but also very small contrasts between the sky and faraway land. also, this was the first picture in which I truly used digital lineart, and used it to emphasis light from different sources. I hope it works.

Comments

[whips-n-dozers.livejournal.com]

And I still love this! From the determined (and pissed) look on Ed's face, to the little contrails of bullets and the star-spattered sky, and the feel of mayhem. This is such a wonderful piece of artwork dear. We were so blessed to be paired up with such an awesome artist.

I like the lighting! And Akilah!

[mfelizandy.livejournal.com]

I think the lighting on the humans sets up the fires in the night and adds to the "action" feel of the picture. My favorite part, though, is Akilah. I just love his rearing pose and the way you've shaded the light on him--he looks like a copper-coated horse in firelight.

Did that knife-wielding fellow in the foreground lose his eye? My work monitor's contrast isn't too good, so I can't tell...but fractured_chaos and I have already noodled around with the possibility of adding that as a detail into later scenes.

Again, lovely work! It's such a joy to have you working with us!

[duokai.livejournal.com]

Oh, don't worry. I still plan to read it. How could I not? ^^ But one of the benefits you drawers have over us authors is that your work are easier and faster to take in ^^; And in this case gorgeous too. As usual.

[ladynorbert.livejournal.com]

I am so incredibly impressed by your artwork for this story! (I haven't read it yet because I try to avoid reading much fic when I'm in the midst of writing my own - I have a tendency to accidentally pilfer ideas.) You are an incredibly gifted artist, easily one of the best I've seen in the FMA fandom. This is beautiful.

I was just wondering...do you take commissions?

We don't mind pilfering!

[mfelizandy.livejournal.com]

I know the feeling of finding oneself accidentally "borrowing" story elements from whatever I happen to be reading. Neither I nor fractured_chaos would mind, so long as we got credited! We've already told multiple people they're free to use the Ishvaran Glossary we've come up with for Arcanum and my solo fic Estvarya. We just crave commentary, as most writers and artists do!

Dzioo is breathtaking, isn't she? Even her sketches make me squee!

Re: We don't mind pilfering!

[ladynorbert.livejournal.com]

Hee! I know what you mean about craving commentary. I definitely plan on checking them both out when the Elemental Chess Trilogy is finished, which it will be by next week, so you can anticipate some serious commentary from me because I love to give it!

[evil-little-dog.livejournal.com]

Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay! I think I recognize this scene from my editing. :D

I love how you did your lighting highlights - and the angle of the piece. Both give an immediacy to the art, as well as specifically gathering attention to certain things with the limning.

Being the kind of person I am, I particularly love the blood running down the blade and also Ed's arm.

Re: We don't mind pilfering!

[whips-n-dozers.livejournal.com]

Oh yes, I remember your Flowers of Antimony, and loved that. I need to get caught up, now. XD

--fractured_chaos

Re: We don't mind pilfering!

[ladynorbert.livejournal.com]

Oh, yay! (Name recognition always surprises me a little.) Yeah, it's got two sequels, the second of which is still being written. I'm so glad you enjoyed FoA, I hope you enjoy the other two as well!

[dreamer1789.livejournal.com]

♥ Another pearl of your work. ^_^ I just adore it: pose, movement, details, color! *.* It all makes you go back and take a second look, and a third, etc. ;)

[dzioo.livejournal.com]

I'm glad you do! I'm really proud of the works I did this year, but it's all thanks to your amazing story, it really spurs my imagination. that's why it hurts me knowing that it doesn't get enough feedback><

thank you very much! I'm really glad I got to work with you too^^ can't wait for further chapters so I can make you new drawings^^

Re: I like the lighting! And Akilah!

[dzioo.livejournal.com]

now that I look at this picture, it's still a little too still to my liking^^; need to work on making pictures more dynamic^^; but I'm glad the mood and colors fit^^
hehe I had to look up pictures of rearing horses to make it look realistic, I'm glad it works! and yes, I did use certain shades of orange and brown to make him look copper-colored, like he should be.

compression of the picture destroyed some details>< no, he didn't lose his eye. he got deeply cut on the forehead, just above his brow and blood is rushing over his eye, that's why he closed it. sorry for confusing you><

likewise! I can't wait for you to have more chapters available for reading^^

[dzioo.livejournal.com]

it'd be nice if you did. I bet it's frustrating and discouraging for a writer, who posted his work online, to not get any comments>< it's the same for us artists you know.

I know they are, but I hoped that my works would be some sort of advertising for the story ;_; it's really great ;_; always the charmer, huh?^^ thank you dear^^

[dzioo.livejournal.com]

I'm glad you are, thank you very much!
I understand your fear of copying ideas from various places. writing isn't my forte, so I won't be voicing any opinions whether your method is right or not. I just hoped that more people would read it, because the story does deserve attention.

wow, you're flattering me way too much! because I surely don't see myself as anyone special in the fandom, there are so many amazing artists out there, especially from Japan, that I wouldn't dare comparing myself to>< but still thank you very much!

I do actually^^; although if I accepted one right now, I wouldn't be able to start on it for 2 weeks>< but on my DA journal you will find links to all info regarding this

[dzioo.livejournal.com]

hahaha so the girls must've sent you all pictures I made XD damn, I wasn't able to surprise you^^;

thank you! this picture was kind of experimental (like most my pictures it seems...) so I'm glad the lineart, highlights and crooked view worked well^^

hahaha I knew you'd notice the blood XDD thank you! I don't draw blood all that often, so I'm happy to know it works well^^ my latest commission on DA was really bloody, I need to post it here too...

[dzioo.livejournal.com]

thank you very much! it's always nice when people enjoy my pictures, especially in such a big and old fandom as FMA^^

love your icon BTW^^ this picture is just too cute <3

[dreamer1789.livejournal.com]

Thanks! ^_^
Yup, it's such a happily-ever-after pic (not to mention Al finally really looks like he could kick Ed's ass and knows it) that it just had to become an icon.

[duokai.livejournal.com]

I'd say your works are the best possible form of advertising the story can ever get! And from the little I've read of the story back when you first started to promote it, I'd say the story more than deserves to be advertised too ^^
No, far from always. Only for the one who I want to and who I think deserve it ^^

[fractured-chaos.livejournal.com]

It is kinda frustrating that we're barely getting any feedback, but I figure after everyone reads the rest of the BB fics they'll read ours.

We're not very familiar names in the fandom, because neither of us does a lot of writing these days. And considering just how much fertilizer readers have to sift through to get to good fic, not knowing who you're reading, and the story being a longer work, kinda puts some people off. Add to that, no sex, a canon character being paired with an OC (and all that implies, thanks to bad!fic), and giving the impression that one of the most bad-assed characters ever, appears to have been de-fanged... It's actually not that surprising.

I just hope that soon, there will be those willing to take a chance, and happily discover that Scar is still as bad-assed as before... he's just bad-assed with a wife and kids. XD

[evil-little-dog.livejournal.com]

No, no, they didn't send me the art, I remember the scene from when I was editing it for them!

Of course I'd notice the blood. ^_^

Ooo, a commission? Ooo! Can't wait to see it.

[ishte.livejournal.com]

Don't worry I'm going to go and get this right now and put it on my Kindle so I can read it. It was already on my list. The artwork dzioo is doing for it is really phenomenal and definitely draws me in, but I wanted to read it anyway. I just hadn't gotten to it. Got a lot going on just now. hahaha. I'm way behind, and have my own fic I'm supposed to be writing too.

[ladynorbert.livejournal.com]

Fabulous. I found your dA account (I just sent you a llama, actually) and read the commission information. I don't mind waiting a few weeks to arrange the commission; I'll be in a better position financially then anyway. Thanks so much!

[ishte.livejournal.com]

Oh this is definitely on my read list. When will the posting be complete? I want to put it on my kindle in one piece so it can go in the bathtub with me. When I have it compiled into a Kindle file, would you like me to send it to you so you can share it that way too? If not, I'll just keep it for personal use.

[ishte.livejournal.com]

I've always really liked that icon too. Al very much looks like he's just letting his big brother get away with that to be nice. hahaha.

[dreamer1789.livejournal.com]

Thank you!
Lol, you know Al's just been letting Ed off the hook all those times and been (not always) secretly smug about it. It's just now we get to see some real smirking. ;)

[fractured-chaos.livejournal.com]

There were a lot of BB fics this year, and that's another reason for the lack of comments on Arcanum -- People would rather read a finished fic, than get caught up in a WIP that might not get finished (It will, but the readers don't know that). And that's understandable.

Says the woman who needs to get caught up in her own commenting.

Like I said, I understand why... it's just a little frustrating, is all. XD

We're looking forward to any comments... and we loveloveLOVE concrit! Find our "mistakes"! XD

[fractured-chaos.livejournal.com]

It's hard to say when it'll get completed. It's kind of hitting the big-middle of the story, and we're not sure how many chapters we'll actually need to complete it. mfelizandy and I have a nasty habit of writing by the seat of our pants. We know where we want to go, and how we want to end the story... but the journey is, more often than not, along the scenic route.

I suppose it would take less time if we didn't find different ways to tie the plot up into a Gordian Knot. XD

[isiteggs.livejournal.com]

Wow, that's a stunning piece of art *__*

[dzioo.livejournal.com]

there were quite many stories this year, that's true, and for some reason, they were all incredibly long O_o

why not familiar? I think I've seen at least your fics here and there. and you're among the best authors I've seen on FMA comms, at least writing genres I like^^;

well yes, you may be right. usually such fics turn out really badly>< ugh, I just wish I could make people believe that no, it is NOT one of those bad fics, but an amazing tale><

[dzioo.livejournal.com]

it still doesn't do its job ;_; very few people read this story, or at least that's what I'm assuming from number of comments it gets ;_;

[dzioo.livejournal.com]

yay, I sent you a llama too <3 hehehe it's always fun finding that people you know from LJ also have DA accounts^^;

I should be done with my current work this weekend so, if you want, I'd gladly take your commission^^

[dzioo.livejournal.com]

it is! I was so happy when Al returned to his body, and the moments they shared then were so adorable <333 (hahaha oh yes, I'm sure he will XDD Ed's going to be so pissed when Al starts beating him up again XD)

[dzioo.livejournal.com]

thank you!

[dzioo.livejournal.com]

glad to hear it! hmmm posting of the chapters? no idea^^; the girls seem to want to expand this story to something huge, so I'm not sure how many more chapters it'll have><

I don't mind you sharing the file, just.... what IS a Kindle file? O_o

[ishte.livejournal.com]

It's a file that can be read on the Amazon Kindle.

[whips-n-dozers.livejournal.com]

there were quite many stories this year, that's true, and for some reason, they were all incredibly long O_o

But that's good. It means the fandom is still going strong.

why not familiar? I think I've seen at least your fics here and there. and you're among the best authors I've seen on FMA comms, at least writing genres I like^^;

With Brotherhood, a lot of new fans came along. Most of them probably never heard of Crackbunny Syndrome, or Balance of Power, and due to real life interfering at every turn, any projects I'd started since BoP have been hanging. So, anyone who has seen those stories will probably be wondering if Arcanum will get finished. Understandable.

Fortunately, things will start to get settled soon, and all those unfinished projects will get... finished.