It's a Long Long Road - spn_gen art posting!

[amberdreams]

Here's my artings for twisted_slinky's fic - Fic Masterpost is here
For spn_gen_bigbang - and another thank you goes to reapertownusa for setting this challenge up and letting folk both fic AND art.
Fic summary: Pre-series AU. Dean's sleeping off a hunt when he gets a call from a kid claiming to be his half brother. The weirdest part? It's true. He's already had one brother leave him, and Dean doesn't want to chance another rejection from his own blood, but for some reason, he can't simply forget Adam Milligan exists, even if he knows it would probably be safer for both of them.
First the banner:

Due to Slinky's hectic schedule, the fic came in bits and bobs so I've only got the two pieces - though I'm looking forward to reading the finished fic.  Adam is a rare character, and this AU fic is giving me something I kind of craved for the boy since he was introduced - a real chance to get to know his big brothers, and for them to get to know him.
Here's a scene (maybe a tad spoilery for the fic but I don't think so really - it's not a plot thing...)
Dean and Adam in Adam's bedroom, playing on his PSP


Art tech blurb:
The banner is a combination of a painting (Dean) done using a trial version of Photoshop and my Wacom tablet, and a photo treatment with various effects (the house) using GIMP.  Dean came out with a very weird chin.  Oh well.
The second picture was all done in GIMP. Both have background photos found via google image searches, the reference photo of Jensen was a convention pic I took at A6 and of Adam a promo shop of Jake Abel from a while ago, as Adam is only 14 in the fic.

Now you've seen the pics hopefully you will want to read this lovely story if you haven't already - so off you go then!

Comments

[cassiopeia7.livejournal.com]

The banner makes me sad -- Dean standing out in the shadows with the warm light of a home he's never really had beckoning from the window. And conversely, the second pic just makes me so happy. What a lovely feel you've put into it -- they really appear to be having fun. (And having watched my nephews play for hours, I must say, you've got their body language DOWN. Very nice work!

[amberdreams.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the affirmation re the gaming postures! I did find a great reference photo on google of two lads playing and used that, so I'm very glad that closeness and playfulness came across ok!

And you got everything I could have hoped for from the banner pic too - awesome!

[geckoholic]

Looks really great, good job!! :D

[amberdreams.livejournal.com]

Thanks Kat!

[soserendipity.livejournal.com]

This is gorgeous! I love the contrast of both pieces, how in the first one Dean looks so sad and defeated and in the second one he finally has some honest, unspoiled fun. Now I'm craving more of that in the show, too :).

I adore the overall dark purple-black-greenish mood of the banner and the treatment of the background in the second one is very interesting! I have to agree with cassiopeia7, their body language is spot on. Also, I somehow really like Dean's jeans and both their hair. Excellent work, all of it!

[amberdreams.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I'd tell you what I did to the background of the 2nd one but I can't actually remember exactly - I know I used GIMP's cartoon feature but it was several layers and overlaid effects combined. I usually just keep messing about with the settings until I find something I like the look of!

[soserendipity.livejournal.com]

Oh, no worries. I have perfected that process. I always try to do things the way I guess or hope they should work, but most of the time it's more like this: How about clicking here and... uh, maybe adjusting there, and- Oh my god, now it looks awful! Where can I reverse this? Damn, wrong button. But, huh. Now it looks kinda nice.

It's quite elaborate :).

[amberdreams.livejournal.com]

That sounds very familiar! LOL

[chomaisky.livejournal.com]

I love the second pic! Dean seems to be a big kid himself.. :D

[amberdreams.livejournal.com]

Yay, big kidness (not a real word, what am I doing??!) was what I was aiming for. The first pic didn't really come out how I wanted but time was tight so...

[soncnica.livejournal.com]

Ooooh the colors on the banner! Violet or is it purple or dark bluish, idk, I am a bit color blind, but its beautiful! It looks kinda like the sky before a huge thunderstorm, all creepy and weird and scary.
And the light in the house, so bright, comforting in contrast to Dean so sad, so dark ... he just feels so sad. And I like the open gate, its just screaming come in!

And the pic is just cute. Just some fun times. :-)

Really (another) awesome art, babe!

S.

[amberdreams.livejournal.com]

It did come out a bit violet, yes! And thank you for your support as always xx

[twisted-slinky.livejournal.com]

Once again, thank you sooooo much for these wonderful pieces to go with the story! I know time was tight but you really did go above and beyond, and you perfectly captured two moments from the story so well. These are fantastic!

[amberdreams.livejournal.com]

Sorry Dean's chin went a bit weird in the banner! It was fun doing something up-beat for a change and I'm glad you were happy with what you ended up with, that was the main thing.

[odysseaia.livejournal.com]

Whoa! This is wonderful! I have to agree with the others, the body language and the emotions in those pictures are incredible. My personal favorite, however, are the hands and arms (particularly the hands, though). They're really, really well-drawn. I'm impressed :)

[amberdreams.livejournal.com]

i had to double check to see if you were right - hands are not my forte...! So thanks very much!