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OtakuNeko2499 — White Blank Page Tribute
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#acceptance #blank #blood #care #comic #demon #embrace #emotion #journey #listen #love #meaning #page #scars #song #white #mumfordandsons
Published: 2016-09-22 10:03:51 +0000 UTC; Views: 584; Favourites: 18; Downloads: 0
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EDIT: I never submitted this into the Art contest. And I still regret it. But I still love this piece. Also changed the main image file. Whoops. How do I change the cover image to be something different than the actual image?Okay, before I start the explaining the background behind this, it is important that you listen to the song as you scroll down the picture for the full effect. Link:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sw-ko6…
Have you listened to it?
Did you like the pictures?
Good! Now here's the explanation:
....
There isn't really much of one.
I came up with this on a whim of inspiration. Failing at trying to animate, I thought of doing a story as one long strip of movement. And on a very late night riddled with insomnia while lying in bed, this idea came to me.
I had listened to Mumford and Sons' "White Blank Page" just a day or two before after finding the song through this picture: fav.me/d7sk91q
I loved the song and felt it somehow fit with Leef. And huzzah, this was born.
This project was started 2 years ago. I have had ons and offs with this, and it's actually very visible the different styles that appear in this work after all the breaks. The longer the break, the more my artwork changed.
I decided not to go back and edit the original work. I had worked very hard on it, and I kind of like the effect it gave.
I tried to shove a lot of meanings, metaphors, emotions, representation and messages into this, and I think the harder you think about this piece, the more you see and learn about Leef.
I wanted the end to end how the beginning began with the couple together under a blanket. I don't think it comes across as that, but I wanted to mention it. Since the piece is supposed to be some sort of acceptance journey. Ending in the same place, but an obvious change has occurred.
I'm sorry for not mentioning this piece too much over the years. . . .I might have before actually, but I never thought I'd actually finish it, so I never spoke too much on the details!
And now that I've finished, I think I want to submit it. . . . My new job is having an upcoming art exhibit, and I think I'd like to submit this. . . . I'm just wondering if it might be too graphic.
Thank you to everyone, just for being patient with me during all those breaks. But I think I grew as much as the meaning behind this picture did. . . . So I'm happy I can finally say:
I FINISHED! POSTING TIME!
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Song, Lyrics (c) Mumford and Sons
Characters, Art, Artistic Concept (c) OtakuNeko2499
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Comments: 28
This is so sad.. very sad. Q^Q
The art is scary, but also beautifully done with the lyrics! (I did turn on the vid in the background) was amazing! <3
also so cool to see the improvements in your art from the top to the bottom.
I know this is pretty old by now. But just got the energy to read it. (I know. I'm kinda lazy.. 
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Thank you for watching it anyways though ;v;
I'm so glad you listened with the music!! I think it really adds to the story. . . . (if they're is a story at all? XD)
As I mentioned, I wondered if I should go back and change it. . . but I'm glad I didn't. It was very fun, and those pictures still were difficult at the time, despite being pretty bad XD
Not a problem. . . . I bet I can beat you in the lazy department
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Yeah the music really does add alot to the hole thing! 
Glad you didn't as well. adds to the hole thing really. like progress. that everything will get better. xD
You deffinately improved alot the right way! =]
Maaaaaaybe. We could argue about that. But it's possible. ;3
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OH GOSH thanks so much ;v;
I made YOU sad?? The Joke MASTER can be SAD?? Impossible. . . . (wassap, how you been?)
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*sniffle* making impossible things possible I'd good right
Nothing much, addicted to a new game,broke me foot,that's all
You?
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Ooooh what game?
YOU BROKE YOUR FOOT? HOW?? I HAVEN'T GOTTEN TO SEE ANY OF YOUR NEWER STUFF, DID I MISS THIS?? OAO
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Dragon age Inquisition!
YA TOTALLY MISSED IT! 
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Whoooooaaaaaaa sounds EPIC *A*
i will look for it then!! OAO Are you okay now, at least?
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It is! Bright side on breaking ya foot is that I had time enough to play it
I can walk better now
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Truueee that must have been fun XD What's the game about?
I'm so glad to hear that! ;o;
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About the same as pretty much any fantasy game,saving the world
This time from a huge archdemon without any sense of humor and fashion
Me too! It was seriously awfull,the first 2 weeks I had horrible pain and couldn't move at all, Wich is fine but I was alone fer 3 weeks
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[FINALLY THE IMAGE UPLOADED]
First of all: Congratulations on finishing this piece! I can imagine how hard it had been... T_T but congratulations!
Dammit sis why can't I notice where the art style changed, exactly! D8< I must be so blind. (Or that I can't zoom the picture correctly to make a comparison.)
Regarding the story:
The more I look at this, the more I don't understand. I guess Leef and Laurie have more problems that how you usually depict them. If I am correct, then Leef is not the happy demon I've come to know, that he has guilt and scars, and that there's still a wall between him and Laurie. Maybe it's their love that binds him; maybe it's what hurts him. But even so, he will choose her, and he will overcome it all, come what may, he will bear the pain.
Regarding the composition/rendering:
Your hands have evolved ! They look so much better now. 8D The characters also have more meat to their bodies. Wait I said that before, right?
I also liked the limited palette. It made things easier to look at.
I think I now understand why you wanted an animation. The pictures don't quite give the same slow and bitter song I listened to.
[Also tip: when you draw a person sinking to the bottom of the sea, the movement of their body and everything that dangles from their body should be upwards. The bubbles are supposed to surround the object that moves, and I think there are a bit too many bubbles here. But I guess for now it looks okay.]
Even if I can't see where exactly did the art style evolved, I think it helped compose your picture a lot better, like it complemented the message you wanted to bring across. Maybe that's why I can't see it. It changed like how Leef and Laurie's relationship changed.
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(YESSSS)
Thank you!! I won't bore you with the details of how much sizing and trimming was a problem from the beginning to the end. O_O (you already know a bit though!)
There's about 3 unique changes, but maybe 4-6 styles that are present. (One of the unique styles is actually just ONE 'panel'. While the first unique style is the first third of the entire strip. Breaks were very sporadic. XD)
I think you understand it very well.
Their love is mapped out like any other persons: no straight route to happiness, and the meanings of all their actions and sayings is riddled with the hidden emotions that they have.
This IS a confusing piece. Since understanding anyone's love is confusing.
Leef is not a happy little demon. He's scared, frightened. He is full of guilt and regret and the want to forget. And much of this piece isn't so much about their relationship, as much as it's about Leef's state of mind.
His scars are a metaphor, yet they actually do exist on his body. I have mentioned before and have drawn a few pictures with Leef's scars showing. And he hides them. In the same way he hides his more demonic features when he goes to work. Because it scares Laurie, it scares the others. And it scares himself.
His scars are that wall. Until he can accept them, he can't heal. But despite it, he clings to Laurie like a raft in a stormy Black Sea. She will always choose him and he will always choose her, despite his shackles.
I have been practicing my hands actually!! OvO I guess this was sorta like my final project with them... I think I've entered a new realm of anatomy skill!
You've mentioned Leef looks so thicker. XD I think I'm just learning that bone structure and muscles EXIST.
Thank you!! QAQ I made it easier to draw, but I did want it to be pleasing and have a different look to it!
It's true, it would have been much better if it was animated. And maybe one day I will redo this and make that animation! OvO or I'll just do another one...
I drew that part about a year and a half ago? So I was definitely bad at it.... I'll have to draw a drowning scene again so that I can use your tip! :3
I remember I used some sort of reference..... I think it had been an already dead body that had been floating back up to the surface?
Despite saying that I want to redo this some day, I'm glad that it happened the way it did!
Because you're right! They're relationship DID change while this was being made! They started out a very simple and basic couple, but as time went on, I managed to flesh them out into a more realistic and emotional couple. OvO
Thank you so much for your critique~! It means so much to mean that you've looked so closely at the meaning behind the image!!
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this was absolutely amazing I loved this! you can really see how much you've improved too, wonder ful job really!
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Oh gosh thank you so much...... This was a huge thing to check off my to-do list.
And hopefully I'll be accepted into the art exhibit with it!
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I know right! How awesome would that be?! You totally deserve it though! This is beautiful!
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Thank you...... QvQ I'm gonna try!! It'll be the first exhibit I've ever been in!
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Thank you!! QvQ
It caused me so much trouble though.... This is 900x10,000 PIXELS IN THE END!
I started the picture off with 900x3,500!
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Oh wow! Big picture and file!
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very cool! you can tell that so much effort must have gone into it
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Thank you for validating my efforts. qAq
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AAAAHHHHHHHHHH I CAN'T BELIEVE IT'S FINISHED!!!!!!!!!!!! IT LOOKS AMAZING!!!!!!!
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Thank you. . . . QAQ I'm really happy that it's finished. There's a lot I'd like to change, and a lot that couldn't fit into the final cut but. . . .OH WELL.
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