ARTpost!

[beelikej]

It's been a while since I collaborated with an author. In between my personal projects and challenges I found out dugindeep was looking for someone to make fanart for a threesome story. I was honoured my offer was accepted and thrilled when I got to read the first draft. Jensen, Jared and Danneel? Yes please!
Here's the banner I created. Of course I'm also adding a behind the scenes tour of how it was made.



Title: Dear Neighbors
Author: dugindeep
Artist: beelikej
Medium: markers, coloured pencils, papercutting, animation (PS Image Ready)
Pairing: Jared/Danneel/Jensen
Genre: College AU
Story Rating: NC17
ART Rating: R
Wordcount: 9300
Summary: As a law student, Jensen's used to long, sleepless nights. What he's not used to is all the headboard banging and cries for Big Daddy happening in the apartment next door that keep him up all night.

Additional artwork
Besides the banner I also made dividers:



These were sketched in pencil, traced with black marker and coloured with pencils.

The real note that inspired it all was recreated digitally in the style of the banner:



Making of the banner
Below are lots of pictures about the work in progress. Feel free to ignore the babbling, the photos are pretty much self-explanatory, I just love words :-p (alternatively you can go right to the credits:) Click to zoom!


First pen and pencil sketches

As I explain in the source section; the idea for the two rooms with a bird's eye view came to mind right away. With the way I art, I couldn't help but make an actual set up of that. At the time I thought it would just be a visual aid for further fiddling, but the wall ended up almost exactly as it started.

To not freak out dugindeep with my weird pencil/paper set up, I made a digital impression of my banner-idea:



First marker versions (different position for Jared;)


Papercutting test (yet another position for Jared;)

The first pencil sketch of Jensen wasn't altered much, except for the position of his arm. I did spent a lot of time figuring out what Jared and Danneel were doing exactly *grins* I didn't want to completely cover them up, but I also didn't want to go so porny that the story banner had to be hidden. Plus it had to be obvious that the sound was bothering Jensen. That's how the idea of the animated bed banging against the wall was born.


Photocollage fiddling


Building the bed


Final papersketch and outline (with animation marks)

I used the pencil versions as bases for the illustration: I made several lineversions with black marker until I was satisfied with the details. After that the bodies were partially cut to create a 3D effect.
Even after the failed duvet experiment (see the source section) I tried coloring with markers first, but I ended up very frustrated with the result before turning to good old colouring pencils. That was fun!


My workspace and detail of papercut Jensen


Making the beds:)


First full bannerset up


Experimenting with moving the bed and wall.

Initially I had meant to make the movement by taking stop-motion shots. That didn't work out, so I ended up digitally combining photo's for the bed to wobble and Jensen's arm to move:)


Colour tests and sticking it all together


Colouring:)


Final touch ups and wobble test for animation


Tadaah! (still version;)

Some sources and discarded ideas
(Alternatively you can go right to the credits:)
Besides from the story itself, I found inspiration from a couple of visuals. When I was reading about Jensen's ordeal, I immediately remembered the bird's eye point of view from the marvelous BBC series Fresh Meat in which six first year students share a home. One of the spaces is divided into two tiny rooms by a thin wall and what happens to Jensen also happens there;) I got a screencap from my DVD-set to figure out bedsizes.

When I was looking for more references I found two impressive photo-projects:
Waiting by Jana Romanova, a photo-series of sleeping parents-to-be &
Trapped by Benny Lam for SoCo, a heartbreaking exhibition showing tiny living spaces in Hong Kong.

Before I borrowed those people's duvets and pillows, I had tried a different technique for bedcovers, based on this neat 3D drawing trick. Unfortunately I struggled with markers and my version looked terribly wonky:

*covers face in shame* I didn't even save the legs-under-the-covers versions long enough to take a photo, that's how embarrassing they looked. So I discarded that method.


As it turned out the photo-collage of the duvets added a great depth to my drawings and papercuttings, so I'm glad I was forced to find another solution:)

Another idea I had to let go because of limited time was an additional scene between Jared, Jensen and Danneel. Even though I didn't get to fiddle with positions, I do want to give credit for my basic drawingstyle to this illustrated threesome guide from Cosmopolitan \o/

Credits
Thank you, sillie82 for encouraging me when I showed you my pencil sketches. And of course credit to dugindeep for taking a chance with me as an artist and letting me play with this trio.



Now go read the story! (After you give me your opinion on the art, of course;)

J.

My masterpost of artsy fiddling (For more papercutting, check the tag below;)

Comments

[thursdaysisters.livejournal.com]

This banner is awesome, I love seeing different mediums of fan art :D

[sillie]

Omg, it turned out so awesome! I love how you combined all the different methods to make one amazing image. I still adore Jensen's grumpy face. <3 And the anomation! So great! :D

[dugindeep.livejournal.com]

So fabulous! I was so delighted when you offered to give it a try, and even more delighted as you shared all the drafts! I now feel like no one could have so perfectly done art for this story - the gif and the papercutting fits this all perfectly! It still makes me giggle to see the gif and imagine Jensen's annoyance with it all HEE! And of course your creation of the letter helped determine the title :D

As always, I loooooove seeing/reading/watching your process! It's like an extra surprise for the art to read how you did it all and why. Very awesome and interesting!

Thank you again darling! I would be happy to work together again in the future ♥

[marciaelena.livejournal.com]

Omg! This art is so fabulous and brilliant I can't even. *You* are fabulous and brilliant, bb. <3

[bflyw.livejournal.com]

AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You have yet again gone up and beyond.

This is PERFECT. I don't think this could have been made any better. I am kind of envious - I wish I was the one coming up with such an idea and finished it as well as you did.

OMG girl - you are going to kill me one day.

[fireheart13.livejournal.com]

This is absolutely inspired and fantastic!!! OMG love the headboard hitting the wall LOL!!!! Off to read, but so many kudos to you, darling!!!!

[cleflink.livejournal.com]

That title gif is utterly majestic. :D

I love how creative your art always is!

[emmatheslayer.livejournal.com]

You have so much talent wow I love how your art tells us so much wonderful job

No title

[livejournal.livejournal.com]

User marciaelena referenced to your post from No title (http://marciaelena.livejournal.com/377412.html) saying: [...] Fabulous art by the equally fabulous , made for a Jared/Jensen/Danneel story: Dear Neighbors [...]

[skeletncloset.livejournal.com]

this is so awesome I don't know what to say. Like for real. OMG. I can't stop laughing and fangirling over it. This is perfect.

[herminekurotowa.livejournal.com]

This is brilliant! BRILL-EEE-ANT!

*loves*

[jimbobjoe.livejournal.com]

Oh, I love it! I laughed out loud when I saw the headboard banging the wall. Must read the fic now...

[fiercelynormal.livejournal.com]

That banner is absolutely BRILLIANT! And such an involved process, I'm terribly impressed. The rest of the artwork worked perfectly with the story as well. Fantastic job!

[cherie-morte.livejournal.com]

This art is such a trip, omg. I snorted when I saw the little bed banging against the wall and poor Jensen his life. This is the most perfect incorporation of 3D art to tell a story I've seen.

Jared's little butt and Jensen's >:((((( is giving me life.

[roxymissrose.livejournal.com]

You are just incredible! The things you do! *marvels at you*

[zubeneschamali.livejournal.com]

I love it! The bed banging against the wall and Jensen's reaction are just priceless.

[meesasometimes.livejournal.com]

this is my favorite thing you've ever done!!!!!! I'm fucking in LOVE WITH IT!!! even without the genius animation that pushes it over the top and into the stratosphere of *squeeeel* I adored it. I guess I love a diorama, what can I say, but the bird's eye view YAY!!!! the collaged covers, more YAY!!!!!! all the little cut out strewn details, most YAY!!!!! the animation with Jensen's little arm moving, ALL THE YAY THAT'S LEFT!!!!!!!

[ullman79.livejournal.com]

Hee! That's just all kinds of awesome right there. Great work!

[beelikej.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I never know how many different types of media I'm gonna end up with, I'm glad it came together in the end;)

[beelikej.livejournal.com]

*beams* Thank you:) I'm so very happy you prevented me from messing with that expression on Jensen's face;)I wish we lived closer so we could consult each other more often.

[beelikej.livejournal.com]

\o/ The feeling is mutual, bb: I was thrilled you accepted my offer and let me play. There is not enough of this threesome in fandom and it was such a joy to imagine them getting together <3

Taking photos of the process first simply was a way for me to keep track of what I'd done, in case I had to start over. It's great that others like the peek behind the scenes and my extensive babbling;)

Thank YOU and dito!

[beelikej.livejournal.com]

*blushes fiercely* Thank you very much:)

[beelikej.livejournal.com]

*grins big* I live to surprise you, I really do. This was fun and not too complicated (compared to some other projects that is;) It took a while to put everything together, but all the techniques are tempting me to explore them further. Hands on arts & crafts is the best thing to lose oneself in.

[beelikej.livejournal.com]

:-) Thank you! *smishes all the kudos to chest*

[beelikej.livejournal.com]

:-) Thank you very much!

[beelikej.livejournal.com]

<3 Thank you:) I guess this banner pretty much tells the story all by itself;) (There are more fun scenes in the fic though, go read it if you haven't already!)

[beelikej.livejournal.com]

:) I love speechless comments *smishes* Thank you!

[beelikej.livejournal.com]

Heehee, thank you. All caps squee is the BEST:)

[beelikej.livejournal.com]

:) Thank you, laughter is what I was aiming for *grins*. The fic is fun too!

[beelikej.livejournal.com]

I identified with this grumpy Jensen a LOT. Thanks for your wonderful comment, especially for mentioning Jared's butt *giggles*

[beelikej.livejournal.com]

<3 Thank you! It's great to hear the artwork goes well with (the feel of) the story, as one of my main goals is to make it all work together:)

[beelikej.livejournal.com]

Ahw, thank you. *beams*

[beelikej.livejournal.com]

:-) Thank you very much!

[beelikej.livejournal.com]

*rolls around in your comment* Thank you so much:) The animation just sort of grew out of the scene and the process. Once I got the bed moving, Jensen just had to respond;)

[beelikej.livejournal.com]

:-) Thank you!

[emmatheslayer.livejournal.com]

its in my books marks to read I am a bit behind

[tmn1966.livejournal.com]

Wow, wow, wow, W-O-W!!!!! This piece is so much fun!!!!

And once again thank you for taking us 'behind the scenes' and also putting in links to your references. That was fascinating and cute and also sad (about the teeny living spaces in Hong Kong). I really liked getting to see how the 3D stuff was made. And hee hee on experimenting with the different positions. :P

But back to your art. I love how you captured Jensen's frustration/irritation with showing the different positions of his hand. And Jared and Danneel just oblivious while they have their fun. I love all the details you put in there as well: the night stands and the clothes scattered about on Jared and Danneel's floor. And the covers are the beds are fantastic!!

So amazing, bb!!! ♥

[beelikej.livejournal.com]

:-D Thank you! It makes me very happy you noticed the silly details:)

Yay for checking out the references; I always hope others will get something out of those links and I was stunned by those photographs. It's incredible to see how people can make a life in such tiny areas.

[sillie]

I wish we lived closer so we could consult each other more often.

I know right? Also, how cool would it be if we could art together sometimes? Anyway... just so you know; my inbox is always open if you want a second pair of eyes to look at your art. :)

[twinsarein.livejournal.com]

Ha! That is hysterical. Poor Jensen. That banging bed was marvelous. I imagine a man like Jared could get some pretty powerful thrusts going, and it the bed wasn't the sturdiest... Yeah, you really make me feel for Jensen in this one. But, you also made me laugh.

[beelikej.livejournal.com]

Jensen is so done;) I was thrilled when I got the opportunity to visualize this story and to have some fun at his expense *grins* It's an added bonus it makes other people laugh too :-)
Thank you for letting me know!