If you did something useful and constructive today....

[red_satin_doll]

Such as, posted your Spike icons for Round 3 of btvsats20in20 like rua1412 did and made the rest of us (read: me) look like slackers, put together your entries for slayerstillness, otherworldlyric and/or btvs_hush; posted the lasted chaper of your newest masterpiece in fanfiction (such as velvetwhip's Blindfold; completed various and sundry errands while making it all look easy or just been generally useful and constructive in your use of time.....instead of putzing around making Buffy Summers fanart out of cloudscapes you shot out of the car window in Vermont....

                                                          Trailing Clouds of Glory Series  1-9 - Click on all images for fuill-size versions

# 1

# 1.5  - the icon version

...then clearly you are not me. Congratulations for your wise and sensible choices!

Yes of course I have variations; I can't decide what I like best. Are you mad? I can't even decide what I want to do for Round 3 of btvsats20in20 and am this close to putting it up a poll.(I could have used the icon above as my starting point - and then decided that I really wanted it for me, right NOW.)






I've been wanting to put together this image of Buffy from the Gift with a cloudscape ever since I worked on "Scroll Fragment 1" a couple of weeks ago, and started really playing with layers, textures and filtes. I did the layers and major grunge or bloom textures in ipiccy, then finished off with my signature, text, San Carmen filter (see #2), frames and minor adjustments etc in Photobucket.

Trailing Clouds of Glory Series -  Click on all images for full-size  versions.  

# 2




# 3


I love the way the clouds look like a classical wreath or tiara around her head. Willow gets the title "goddess" in canon but Buffy's my queen (kikimay will understand) and I loved the feeling in these images of Buffy as a benvolent sky goddess - perhaps a more upbeat interpretation of the events of "The Gift". (The irony of my use of the word "glory" in the title did not escape my notice.) Granted, a goddess who will come down and get medieval on your ass if you cross Mama.

# 4


# 5

Her expression is the epitome of what we call a "Mona Lisa smile" - caught halfway between a smile and a frown (it could go either way when I played with the image, depending on the level of contrast), tinged with irony, poignancy and a certain resignation.

# 6

# 7-9

Click on images for full-sized versions.
ETA: A couple more variations at my Scrapbook here (f'riends only) .

And yes I really did take the cloudscape out the car window - whilst my sweetie was driving - on macro/food setting. Proof-positive that my Nikon digital camera is absolutely idiot-proof.

Click image for full-size (it's reallly pretty! If I do say so myself. This reminds me of a cloud study by Constable or Corot, which only prooves what great artists they were.) Cropped and sharpened ever-so-slightly in Photobucket or ipiccy. I can't remember which.


On the upside, I completed a job application to a big box retailer today.  Cheese on a cracker but those online personality tests are insane.


Now to figure out what to do for the 20in20. (Amends? Sleeper? Tara? Willow/Tara? Joyce? The Summers women? *ponders*)

Comments

[red-satin-doll.livejournal.com]

Of course thinking about your preferences doesn't mean I'll accurately predict them but you're one of my Icon Muses (Fairies?)

The new Gift icon does look very pretty against the blue-grey. It also reminds me of a mural of a sky in a beautiful old cathedral! I just wish she was smiling a little more - it's weird, I so loved that cheerful image of Buffy smiling that I snagged from Spikesredqueen that I feel anxious without it - like the loss of my teddy bear!

Speaking of the color blue I made a pale blue variant of The Chain icon for round 1 of 20in20 and I - apparently deleted it. Idiot me. And I can't recreate that exact shade for the life of me. (Which is was separates the true artist from the dabbler, I think.)

Interesting that you like orange. Orange is my least favorite color but I love peach tones (to look at not to wear) I used to subscribe to bead and button magazine and they did a color poll - orange was their reader's least favorite color! It's a challenging color to get right. I think also it can imply aggression and energy (and youth) so "kick-ass" as you say is appropriate.

the Becoming moment you choose it's simply perfection

I should make a list of what I consider the truly sublime Buffy-centric (and buffyverse) moments:
"Me."
"I'm Buffy, the Vampire Slayer. And you are?"
are the top two, no question. (And that wordless exchange of looks in Showtime, of course.)

[kikimay]

Of course thinking about your preferences doesn't mean I'll accurately predict them but you're one of my Icon Muses (Fairies?)

Thanks! *violently blushes*

I painted my room in orange XD Which is funny because the only fruits I don't like are oranges and tangerines. But orange is the color of the rising sun and generally it has this energy and creativity meaning without being aggressive and destructive like red. (The color of the blood) And it feels so perfect for your icon because in that particular moment, when Buffy lost everything, she affirmed her life and herself and found the energy to kick Angelus' ass. It's such a "rising" moment for her and your icon perfectly captures it. I'm waiting to be that strong to wear it as avatar. :)

[red-satin-doll.livejournal.com]

when Buffy lost everything, she affirmed her life and herself and found the energy to kick Angelus' ass. It's such a "rising" moment for her and your icon perfectly captures it.

I LOVE THIS. I love how you've summed it up in words so poetically and got to the heart of the matter - and I really wasn't thinking of any of this consciously at the time i confess. (people think i put a lot of thought into my icons but sometimes the thought is just "ooh, nifty effect!")

I'm waiting to be that strong to wear it as avatar. :)

DON'T WAIT, KIKI. You're stronger than you think, What does "that strong" even mean? It's meaningless. Celebrate the strength you have that gets you through the tough semester, that gets you out of bed despite the crushing anxiety. That IS strong. You're strong.

Claim the icon, claim the moment as your own, because it is.

[kikimay]

Thanks! I don't know, at this point I feel very much like Buffy in my default icon. XD But I saved your orange icon. It's really an amazing one, one of your best, and I believe that most of the best works come from those moments where you don't think about it too much. It's all already bottle up in your mind.

[red-satin-doll.livejournal.com]

I believe that most of the best works come from those moments where you don't think about it too much. It's all already bottle up in your mind.

I was having the same conversation on that point just before I read your comment!

And thank you very much for the compliment to my icon - its one of my favorites as well.

I had never thought to make a larger version but now I realize, why not? Of course, being able to "reproduce" the magic is another story, but it made lead to something else entirely.