SPN Cinema - Shape of Water

[amberdreams]

Title: My bounty is as boundless as the sea
Artist: amberdreams
Movie Prompt: The Shape of Water
Pairing: J2
Rating: PG13
Word Count or Media: Traditional art - ink and watercolour. Some digital mashing.
Summary: Lonely janitor Jared Padalecki works at a top secret research facility where he forms a unique relationship with a mysterious amphibious creature that is being held in captivity against his will.
Notes: I originally imagined Jared as the creature, and Jensen as the janitor, but my concept consultants changed my mind. The title is from Juliet's speech to Romeo.

Teaser


The poster

This is a long post - I'm feeling rambly. LOL
The main Jensen pic without the writing, and minus Jared.

Jared the Janitor, about to meet Creature!Jensen


Process stuff.
This is where I might have gone a bit overboard.
The main poster picture was done by digitally mashing together my finished Jensen art with my then unpainted Jared ink drawing. It took me alot of fiddling to eventually fix on how it looks now - I tried a lot of different blending modes and layers, but I'm really happy with the end result.

Here's the sequence of development for Jensen.
Pencil outlines

followed by inking with a waterproof fineliner

I'd intended the coral pink to be covered and only have little bits showing through, but in the end I actually really liked it as the main background colour, so it stayed.
Jared went through a similar process without the pink!
Pencil

Inked

Before this I did try out some sketches in cheapo paper, to try and get Jared's position right, and to work out how Jensen was going to look, as I didn't want to copy the creature from the movie.
Here are some of these preparatory sketches

And this is actually the first drawing I did for this project because the deadline for drafts was looming and I had nothing to send in!

I actually really liked this, and as you can see, I was still thinking about making this moment my main picture when I was sketching. I think in many ways this would have been better, but the style I was thinking of going for was better suited to a more decorative, less intimate pose. If I'd managed my time better, I would have done both.

Comments

[amypond45.livejournal.com]

Oh wow, I love this! I love the detail — the scales under Jensen’s eyes, his gills, the alien look to him overall. And Jared is gorgeous! At first I thought he was standing up in a boat, maybe holding a spear or punting, but then I realized what I was seeing and I love him so much! His wee man bun! Also he’s seriously packed, isn’t he? (of course!) The colors are perfect, of course. And I love that final drawing — all the practice drawings with the two characters facing each other (since we know this is a love story lol!) The poster is just wonderful. Slightly terrifying!

Thank you for making this to share with all of us. We’re so lucky!

[amberdreams.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the lovely comment! I really enjoyed doing these and I'm so chuffed you think Jensen looks a bit scary too. I wanted him to be beautiful but alien. 😍

[cinema-mod.livejournal.com]

This is outstanding! Love the colors for each of the pieces and then how you blended it together. Love the swatches of water color over Jared in the main piece, too!

And all your pieces in the sketch phase are gorgeous as well! Thanks for participating again!

[amberdreams.livejournal.com]

Thank YOU for running the challenge - it's always such fun to do! 😘😘😘😘

[cassiopeia7.livejournal.com]

Wow, these are beautiful! Your coloring, linework, everything just fits together so well. Jared’s hair is lovely, and Jensen’s amphibian presence is stunning (and delightfully creepy.) I also love the sea-green and coral colors and seaweed-like shapes in the main poster — they add a fabulous feeling of being deep underwater. Fabulous!

(Out of curiosity, what type of waterproof fineliner do you use?)

[amberdreams.livejournal.com]

Aw thank you bunches!

At the moment I'm using a Tombow Fudenosuke Brush Pen (Hard nib) - they seem to be really cheap on Amazon and this one can get really fine lines but if you put a bit of pressure on you can get a thicker stroke.

[askellington.livejournal.com]

Amphibian Jensen is *amazing*!! I love the colors you used, and the way he looks, it's really beautiful! The lettering on the poster is perfect--to me, the whole thing has this lovely sort of pulp sci-fi mag feeling.

[amberdreams.livejournal.com]

Yay, that's cool you think that! Thank you!

[vatititech.livejournal.com]

Your art is gorgeous!!!! I love this. I love how you made it your own, that you put a lot of Jensen in the creature. And the other one you submitted for drafts is beautiful too! Loved seeing Jared's human hand next to Jensen's creature hand. Such amazing work 😍

[amberdreams.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much!

[phoenix1966]

These are stunning! I am in awe of your talent. Both images (maybe Jensen's is a wee bit more fantastic because of the detail and colors) are phenomenal and that sketch where they are touching is very emotionally evocative.

[amberdreams.livejournal.com]

I did spend more time on Jensen, and it shows - but I'm happy with all of these for a change, so it's extra nice that you like them too!

[2blueshoes.livejournal.com]

Fabulous ! I love the concept , the colour and the execution. Thank you for sharing the process as well. 🥰

[amberdreams.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I know some people like the process stuff so I usually include a bit even though it makes the posts a bit long. I figure folk can always scroll past it if they aren't interested. 😁

[tcs1121.livejournal.com]

Stunning!

[amberdreams.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

[equally-dour.livejournal.com]

gorgeous work!!!

[amberdreams.livejournal.com]

Ta very much!

[tsuki-no-bara.livejournal.com]

the poster has kind of a 60s/early 70s scifi feel that i really like. it's the colors (i love the colors!) and jensen's kind of stylized design. i think he looks more space alien than water creature, but in any case he looks great. i really dig the ear fins. it's overall a really fabulous design, altho i gotta say, that last drawing of jensen is kind of pensive and just gorgeous. also the hand just emerging out of the water behind janitor!jared is subtle and super cute. (i didn't mention jared! jared's adorable.)

[amberdreams.livejournal.com]

Alien is good, I wanted him otherworldly and kind of sacrificed the water a bit when I went for those colours. Glad you noticed the hand in the Jared pic! That was a last minute addition when I realised there ought to be some indication of Jensen's presence there.
Thanks xx

[merenwen76.livejournal.com]

It’s incredible. I am fascinated by your talent to bring your imagination to life. Thank you so much for sharing this beautiful pictures with us ❤️

[amberdreams.livejournal.com]

Aw thankee kindly!

[dizzojay.livejournal.com]

Beautiful!

[amberdreams.livejournal.com]

Ta muchly!

Amazing!

[mystifiedgal23.livejournal.com]

I love this so much!!!! Ahhhh!!!

RE: Amazing!

[amberdreams.livejournal.com]

Thanks very much!

[storyspinner70.livejournal.com]

Beautiful! I love the colors and the utter alienness but still recognizability to Jensen. (Yes they're words. Really. You don't have to look them up. Trust me. *side eye*) I love Jared's pointy nose and little man bun, too. It's all gorgeous. I adored the movie, and I can see it play out with J2 in my mind's eye. Amazing as always, Amber.

[amberdreams.livejournal.com]

Aw thank you! Mmm a J2 remake - I'm up for that, 100%!

[kirathehyrulian.livejournal.com]

Creature!Jensen is such a soft looking boy!💕💕💕 And, Jared looks like a very hard worker in need of fun companionship. His hair is so soft looking!♥ The hands touching each other through the glass💔 Let them touch!!! It's watercolors but you got the head fins to look metallic in the poster. Jensen's lips are so lush and shiny. So good, Amber.

[amberdreams.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much! Yes, they need to touch...