Re: TOKoR Artbook

[Tartra]

I am happy again.

[Guest]

★ Xander Spears

Alright, I was gonna do more with this, but after I drew this pose, none of the other positions were coming out right and I was already laughing too hard to continue.

This is just silly. And hawt. But mostly silly. Based on a dream I had this afternoon wherein Xander danced to Britney Spears' song "Im A Slave 4 U". Shirtless. In tight jeans. Upon revealing this to Tartra, she insisted this be depicted in art form, and I could not deny that the image was calling to me as well(grrrrooooaaaawwwr! ).

So, there you go. Not much more to say about it.

Reference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3PF-8Fpf6Dg

[Tartra]

TIME, YOU MAGNIFICENT BEAST.

I love this. I love your dreams. This is inspiration at its finest and I LOVE IT.

Xander has waaaaayyyy too much fun in his life. I can totally see him making Alex do this just to screw with him - or honestly, just for the hell of it. Everything is always in-character.

[Guest]

Heehee! It was so much fun to do too! And it definitely put me in a good mood to put out some art again. And why shouldn't he have fun? He's badass awesome!

[Tartra]

Ahahahahahahaha! Glad it put a smile on your face too, but - damn! I love this picture so my attention's on how awesome it was to me. Awwwwwwww, but it does makes me feel worse about all the stuff coming up for him.

Which you didn't read and don't know is coming.

... And which'll be epically epic.

[Guest]

>8U Bwaaah! Why you gotta tease me! *gnaws on Tartra's ankles*

[Tartra]

:3 It's literally the most entertaining thing I can get from you outside of your posts and your art.

HUGZZZ!!!

[Guest]

You just know I'm going crazy here, wanting more answers and more "Xander" stuff and you dangle that in front of me getting me excited about it all. <3 TOKoR.

[Tartra]

You're totally welcome to ask IC so long as it's - y'know - in character and everything, but otherwise NO INFORMATION FOR TIME UNTIL IT HAPPENS. MWUAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!

[Guest]

★ "Bitte..."

Alright...this has an explanation... See... *touches fingers together nervously* When Eric said he wanted Benoit to **** Madeline, I thought... well, THIS ^^^ as soon as she wandered off with him. ^^; There. I've explained it.

Okay, okay, so as much as Benoit's resistance and Madeline's perceived...err...exuberance, we'll call it; as much as the current situation amuses me, I'm a bit fond of a more...tender/sensual pairing between them. In addition to the fact that Lambert Wilson(the Merovingian) is incredibly sexy, period. So, I illustrated my Benoit + Madeline fantasy. ^^; Your lucky. The early version of this had her straddling his lap...

*clears throat*

Moving on! =D I did a bit of research for this - found some nice people on my old adult role-playing site who live in Ottawa and Montreal who are willing to translate for me. Anyways, he's saying:

"T'en veux? J'veux t'entendre me supplier!"
(Do you want it? Let me hear you beg!)

And she's saying:

"Bitte... uhn... Beißen Sie mich... verwunden mich...bitte..."
(Please... uhn... Bite me... wound me...please...)
*uhn is that sound you make when you bite your lip and moan a little bit ^^;

Okay! I think I should just stop talking now...

[Tartra]

I think it's unfair that I put my initial reaction in a PM to you rather than added it to this thread, so I'll recap exactly what happened for everyone else's convenience:

1) Email notification of Artbook update arrived. Phone rang to alert me of this.

2) Clear notice on phone to make sure I'd continue to be alerted to anything else that happened. Went back to laptop.

3) Checked PMs quickly because Time had sent me a message I needed to re-read to make sure my next post would make sense.

4) Clicked on Artbook.

5) Scrolled.

6) Scrolled.

7) Scrolled.

8 ) ScrolWHATTHEFUCKISHAPPENING?! BRAIN OVERLOAD! BRAIN OVERLOAD!

9) STOP SQUEALING! SHUT UP, TARTRA! YOU SHUT YOUR MOUTH RIGHT NOW!

10) OH GOD OH GOD EVERYONE IS SLEEPING!! SHUT UP, SHUT UP, SHUT UP!!

11) PMed Time. Alerted her of the fact that my brain exploded upon initial half-glimpse of ridiculously, unfairly, supernaturally, created-through-witchcraft-and-wizardry-because-that's-literally-the-only-reasonable-explanation epic new piece nearly woke my house up and got me pulerized by my parents.

12) Squealled for two solid minutes - with very, very tiny gasps of breath in-between - through hands.

13) Scared cat. Cat took off. Bye-bye, cat.

14) PMed Time again.

15) Finally calmed down enough to work up the sense to fully look at the new addition.

16 - 27) Squealled.

28) In awe.

And number 28's still going on. Does that capture my opinion on what I think about this? Is that clear enough? Does everyone understand that I adore this right now? I can say it again if you're not getting it.

[Guest]

EHEHEHEHEHEHE! *witchy laugh, btw*

That absolutely cracked me up! I love it when I can get you to spazz.

[Tartra]

I'm ecstatically ecstatic right now. ECSTATICALLY ECSTATIC.

Say that outloud forty times and you'll know what I'm talking about.

Dammit! Now I have to write my next post with this in my brain... Benoit + Madeline in the current post of this roleplay = . I have never once needed to use that emoticon - I doubt anyone has - but there ya go. Found a use.

BAD AGENTS. BAD. YOU ARE RUINING THE PICTURE I AM PAINTING OF YOU TWO.

[Guest]

I'm sorry! But I've had these two dancing in MY head for the past few weeks and they were determined to leave. ^^

[Tartra]

I completely understand. I've done it a hundred times. Freedom to giggle about this for forever? It's officially added to my list of things I get to do.

[Guest]

★ Agency Christmas Party part 1

Alright, this is the first part of something I planned a few days ago. The "Agency Christmas Party". I was gonna put them all on the same page, but that would have forced me to make everyone else smaller than these guys because they'd've been in the background doing other things. Since I don't enjoy drawing small and didn't want to sacrifice precious details for the scene, I'm doing this in pieces. So, here's the first one!

Ah, Madeline and Eric would enjoy the holidays, if it weren't for eachother. And poor Benoit gets stuck in the middle - "My torture buddy!" he says tugging an arm. "MINE!" she shrieks. Benoit quietly plans murder...

Madeline is a doll! I absolutely adore drawing her! Maybe even more than I enjoy drawing Xander!

...

Alright, maybe not MORE, but about equal. Let's not go crazy or nothin'. >_> (Xander = <3!!!) Anyways, lol, Madeline was so much fun to draw this time with that delightful expression on her face! Her nose is more pronounced and sharper than in the other pictures I've done of her, but it's the angle of her face turned more to the side. Straight on, her nose is just a small "dip" or "comma" shape.

I had a bit of a fashion dilemma when deciding what to do with her outfit. I knew I wanted the Christmasy "Santa" fringe, and that the rest would be a dark, blood red, but the main color of the outfit was kinda hard to decide. In my mind there were three options. 1. color the main part black like it normally is and then color the shiny stripe the dark red. 2. Color the main part of it the dark red and then leave the shiny stripe white. Or 3. The way it is up there. Finally decided that the black would be too much black even for her and that leaving the stripe white might get some confusion with the fringe because they'd be positioned so close together.

I originally had Benoit wearing the Santa hat - and he looked so cute with it dangling down one side! ^.^ - but then Eric looked kinda bare but I didn't want to give him another hat and the antlers looked weird. Then I remembered I drew Tartra's Christmas Eric-cupcake with a Santa hat and decided if anyone should have the hat, it should be him. ^^ So, Benoit got stuck with antlers, hehehe. I was gonna put a bow or something on Madeline but it looked really odd on her, so I just took it off and left her hair normal.

And lol, put Eric in a sweater... heh. And that's suppose to be a smile on one side and an angry face on the other. Hubby said it looks like he's grimacing. =/

[Tartra]

It's things like these that make me realize everything I've written about these three has paid off. I feel so festive looking at it, and although the wonderful "LET GO OF HIM, DAMMIT!" tug-of-war is completely hilarious, Benoit wins because I can't decide if he wants to kill himself or kill those two more. I think he's just gonna snap, to be honest.

[Guest]

I totally know what you mean about Benoit! He's kinda turned into that(how I depicted him) in my head with being in the middle of Eric and Madeline, even in the role-play. I can't help but feel like everyone picks on him, but it's so much different than how Jason gets picked on all the time. Like, he's the guy you wouldn't expect to get frazzled or be scared of a woman - even a crazy, German one. And even while running or flipping Eric the bird, he's still got that kinda...sophisticated/arrogant air that I've always pictured him with. But it's just that much more amusing because of that contrast. i.e. snobby Frenchman annoyed and running.

[Tartra]

In his defence, Agency women are apparently insane.

[Guest]

★ Agency Christmas Party pt. 2 WIP

Alright, this was suppose to be a surprise I was gonna "leave under the tree" for Tartra. But it doesn't look like I'm gonna make it tonight. Too tired to finish right now but I'll put up what I have so far with promises to finish tomorrow.

It's part 2 of the "Agency Christmas Party". Gary and Rudy singing Christmas carols wrong and drinking cocoa. I was going to have them singing Adam Sandlers' Chanukah song because 1. I like that song and 2. I think Adam Sandler is a little obnoxious when he sings it. And it's no surprise but anything that I perceive as being obnoxious, annoying, geeky, etc. I will probably always depict Rudy as doing them. It amused me to imagine Rudy(in particular, but possibly Gary too) attempting to sing it either AS obnoxiously or even MORE obnoxiously than Sandler - and possibly making up his own lyrics, lol. And no, he's not Jewish, lol. These two haven't met yet, but I imagine them being fond of each other. *shrugs*

Rudy's wearing a sweater that is too big, lol and some subtle suggestions/symbols in it's design... *exaggerated wink*Just tell me I'm a genius and I'll stop poking you with my elbow about it.

And Gary's sweater has snowman representations of himself and his wife. Because for some reason, the fact that he's married tickles me and I think it's sweet. Nothing about it in particular. Just that HE'S married and has been for 12 years(I think...). I get sentimental about weird things...

Alright! Goodnight and Merry Christmas!

[Tartra]

I was staring at Rudy's sweater for a while trying to figure out what it was! Rudy, Rudolph, OHHHHHHHHHHH! That's a legitimate 'Time is clever!' moment.

Gary's snowman and snowwoman sweater is too adorable. That's a couples' Christmas sweater at its finest, and now I can't stop imagining his wife havong one back home they wear on Christmas Eve in front of a fire with little matching Christmas socks and hot chocolate... And he's definitely the kind of guy to think it's great enough to wear even when he's on his own.

I see this as a scene where Rudy just started singing to be noisy and Gary kicked in with a gigantic "SOMEBODY ELSE HAS CHRISTMAS FEVER, TOO!" And I also see it happening at the exact same time as Madeline and Eric fighting over Benoit and them just ignoring it. There's something magic in their cups and I don't think it's just eggnog.

This is such a great Christmas already. I don't know how it is at home for you, but here it's simple, quiet, Christmas-tree-glow covered... I'm so relaxed - and the Jingle Bells song just came on, so great timing!

WHOOOOOOOOOOO CHRISTMAS!

[Guest]

Rudy's full name is actually Rudolph Quin, so you can imagine my own "lightbulb" moment at the opportunity to make the connection. I was gonna give him a bulbous/clown nose, but figured that'd be too overt, like shoving it in your face. So, I went more subtle with the symbol/connection.

And your description of Gary and his wife just got me to go "Aaaawwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww!!!" out loud. ^.^ I absolutely love that! Makes me all warm and gooey inside to think of those two even though she's only been mentioned and hasn't been IC.

And here, Christmas hasn't caught up with us yet. Going to bed with Abram last night, he commented that it didn't feel like Christmas and I told him it was because we don't have any decorations up. It wasn't a lamenting moment just a kinda "Hm, this isn't how it usually is..." type thing. Christmas will probably "start" for us when we visit my parents' this afternoon/evening because they'll have bunches of decorations up, the kids will be rolling around in Christmas fits/passed out and frothing amidst a pile of new gifts and toys, and we'll most likely eat something warm and home cooked by my mother for dinner.

[Tartra]

Tell him he isn't alone. There isn't a huge Christmas feeling here, either. probably because we have no snow. It really makes a difference.

Oh, the Christmas froth... I remember that great feeling. Yeah, they'll definitely have passed out before long. That's Santa's more subtle gift to everyone: nap time juuuuuust before they get too crazy.

[Guest]

★ Agency Christmas Party pt. 2

Finished. 2 days later. Anyways, it's done. Gave Rudy a hot pink sweater and a red nose. The shading on the snow on Gary's sweater kinda looks like cartoon ice, but it still looks okay. Bedtime.

[Guest]

(click picture for larger version)

Agency Christmas Party pt. 3 WIP

Alright, I've been working on this for the past few days while on and off coloring the picture of Rudy and Gary. It's suppose to be the third part of The Agency Christmas Party. Stephanie kissing Jason under the mistletoe.

I've tried and retried drawing this and I'm frustrated with it so I'm going to put this away for now. This is the best one out of the bunch of sketches and still, I dislike it. But I wanted to post it and show you just in case "setting it aside" turns into "never going back to it" and the piece never gets finished. I try and stay positive, but with how I'm feeling towards it, the odds are not good that this will get any more finished than it is right now.

[Tartra]

on the phone so I can't leave a full comment, but Stephanie looks fantastic. that sketch is probably the best you've done.

[Guest]

Heh, thankya. Maybe I'll finish it later. But for now! Something else! =D

(click picture for larger version)

Jobless 1

Alright...I have an explanation for this. The other night I had a dream about Xander in his real form and this is sorta what he looked like. So, yay! You get to see cartoon Marshall! Which...he looks almost exactly the same because I used Xander's eyes still. One of them is buggy in this picture because he's REALLY mad, lol.

But that doesn't really explain the rest of the picture. Kinda inspired by something Eric said earlier about what he'd be doing if he wasn't an Agent. Tried to think of the hypothetical answer to that question for the rest of them. Please note: this is just a bunch of quick and silly sketches. A kind of "What would they be doing with their lives if the Agency never existed/disbanded?"

For some reason, I put Xander/Marshall in the service industry, lol. I originally wanted to include the customer but decided not to. Doesn't really need a person cowering and looking freaked out to get the full feeling across, does it?

Joe the manager is resigned to the task of writing Marshall up once again for screaming indoors, badgering the customers and making them cry. He really doesn't want to know about the other stuff Marshall has done when he hasn't been there to catch him...

Xander/Marshall would probably never stand for this kind of thing - you'd think - but this is if he'd never had any Agency training - although part of me wants to believe he'd ALWAYS be able to beat the crap outta everybody with both hands tied behind his back, lol. And not to say that he'd pick a job like this - minimum wage and all that - I made it the "least" appropriate thing for him because I couldn't think of it seriously and this was the first thing that came to mind. I know he said at some point what job he'd have IC but I forgot what it was.

(click picture for larger version)

Jobless 2

This probably makes no sense...because the idea I had was inspired by something my mother showed me this Christmas(that recent Geico commercial with the old, crazy drill sergeant from Full Metal Jacket) and Madeline is...German...but whatever, lol. I think she'd make an excellent Marine drill sergeant, lol. *shakes head and shrugs helplessly*

(click picture for larger version)

Jobless 3

Rudy was an afterthought. But I entertained the thought that if the Agency never existed/suddenly disbanded, his family would force him to advertise in the lower levels of their fast food/snack food franchise.

And I thinks that a part of Rudy would resent it, but since he's such a pussy, he'd give into it and probably become overly dedicated to his "job". To the point of plotting revenge against the bigger company mascots for rivaling franchises, lol. If only he wasn't so short, he'd kick all of their asses.

The thought of him getting tortured by kids and teenagers also amuses me - probably always coming around, feigning interest in his "cause" and then set off firecrackers on his feet or throw a bunch of them into his drink suit and run away while he flips out about it. I also imagine he might get REALLY involved in small plots and side-quests of vengeance against the little brats. His dad or older brother who runs the company would come around and see him huddled behind a dumpster in nothing but his underdrawers, sweaty and beat up with a crazed look in his eyes, his drink suit set up as a dummy and filled with massive explosives on the corner, waiting for his "enemies" to show up for the daily torture, lol.

"Rudolph! What the f*** are you doing???"

*snaps out of his menacing/militaristic internal monologue and blinks sheepishly up at his elder brother*

"Oh, hey Drew! Uh...." *looks in the direction of his suit and tries to hide the bazooka in his hands behind his back* "Nuthin'..." 8[

And I just realized I spelled "Quin" wrong on his outfit. That's what sleep deprivation gets ya, lol.

[Tartra]

I'm not really sure what else there is to say about the Stephanie and Jason sketch. I did say I couldn't leave a full comment, but I think I hit the point anyway. She looks sensational, even if it's not finished. Her mouth and her eyes - especially her eyes, which somehow managed to be both delicate and detailed - are spectacular and I love the way her hair is braided and falls over her shoulder. It's got a lightness to it I haven't seen in your other sketches, so - kudos! You managed to get - impossibly! - even better.

AS FOR THE OTHER ONES: I can see every last one of these actually happening. Madeline is like a step away from doing it anyway, so you've reached plausibility in its finest essence. And Rudy? Hell yeah, I could see him doing that, but I could also see him finding the nearest female manager to seduce so he could get out of that mascot costume in a heartbeat if he didn't round up a little army of people taking over his work for him - and keeping the salaries for himself, of course.

Xaaaaaaaaaaandeeeeeeeeeeerrrr!!! I'm happy! I'm not sure if you'll have to make any changes when I - uh... well, when I let you in on who I based it on, which is pretty much just pandering to myself (I might as well! I made the guy, he owes me). If you do, they're probably not gonna be wildly different, and I think if there are any major changes to be made, it'd be in the character sketches rather than the cartoons. Also, that's some great progress. He's actually serving (used loosely) peppermint! I can only imagine he gave in after twenty separate occasions of him throwing the whole UNHOLY FLAVOUR in the trash and getting written up for it. I also can only imagine poor Joe doesn't have the death wish to fire him, possibly because Xander makes a psychotically delicious latte of the 'good' variety. And takes his payment in coffee.

[Guest]

You've seriously got me on pins and needles/antsy pants and humming excitedly to hear ANY more detail about his physical appearance from you - because at this moment, I have my regular cast-possibilities-list and...it's really long as far as "who could do well playing Xander". I'm almost scared to ask for any more details for fear that the response would be "What...what do you mean MORE description? That's it, Time..." because my "voodoo record" makes me feel a certain pressure to hit the bullseye on the first sling of a dart. So at this moment, I've got guys on the list who are even at an "eh....kinda, maybe, a little bit Xandery" and leaving the list broad at this point so I have lots of options still.

Still, I demand several opportunities to make guesses in the future and I will be severely sore with you if you give me the answer BEFORE I give up.

And you're most certainly right about Rudy. Sometimes I like to think of him as a master of manipulation, but other times I find myself recreating scenarios for him that are absolutely degrading and pathetic in the worst possible way. I REALLY like to torture him, but I suppose part of that fun comes from "putting him in a position of power and then for no reason, every bad thing I can think of, happens" lol.

[Tartra]

I'm so worried I'm gonna give you too much detail. I try to be lax with all my characters' descriptions because I like leaving it 'to the reader's imagination', but I feel like I've gotta make an extra special effort with him. Ah geez, let's hope nothing gets corny...

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