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

[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