Art, Audio, and Au Revoirs

Ladies and Gentlemen,

If there was ever a scene I wanted to see from The Journey of Graves, it would be the the Gala evening where Graves and Rarity, after so many twisted turns and tangles, finally share their first kiss. Thanks to The Reanimator, the world can see why.

The Art

I love this scene. Absolutely, positively adore it, and this masterpiece captures the moment more brilliantly than I could ever have imagined. I mean, the two look exactly like they should. Graves, with his broad shoulders and impeccable posture, looks every inch the military man, a fact only accented by the minimalist designs of his very stylish coat. Rarity, on the other hand, is absolutely gorgeous. Her hair is silky and shimmery and styled to perfection, her gown gives the flowing impression of fluid grace, and she's got curves that could fell an ox at ten paces. There's a reason everyone thinks Rarity's beautiful and the artist here shows us exactly why.

However, those are just the individual components. When you put them together as the artist did, it gets even better because then, we get to see all the minute dynamics that make them such a wonderful couple. Graves is completely confused and with arms held to the sides, it looks almost as if his defenses have been breached in a frontal assault. In a way, that's exactly what happened as Rarity sashays in, gently pushes his arms aside through the guise of dance, and steals her very first kiss. Graves may have no idea what's going on, but from the young lady's expression and floating heel, you can bet that she knows and is enjoying every precious moment.

I could keep going on about the two of them, but let's also take a moment to appreciate the setting. The lighting and shadows of this scene are absolutely spectacular and almost serve as subtle spotlights to accent the impact of the scene Not only that, but the rough, stony architecture gives the exact kind of impression the tower should have. It has the lonely, austere feel that would certainly have attracted a younger Graves seeking peace and quiet, but it also has the elegant qualities of a castle that remind you you're still in the magnificent capital of Equestria on the most fabulous night of the year. It's true to the characters while being aesthetically lovely as well.

Finally, we look to the outside. The best kisses send of fireworks, literally. With a few choice blooms of color, we get just enough accent for the moment without detracting any attention from the young lovers in center. But for me, it wasn't the lights themselves I loved, but what sat behind. In the distances, we see dark clouds and somber skies in a dreary, starless sky. Artistically, it's brilliant because it doesn't distract but still provides character with the bold brushstrokes and flawless color scheme. Thematically though, it's even more brilliant because it also serves as a subtle reminder of what's looming on the horizon.

In a mere matter of hours, Graves will be fighting for his life and Rarity will be praying for the fate of her newly found love. However, in this moment, in this precise instant, it doesn't matter because what we have here is pure, simple perfection. To the Reanimator: thank you. You've taken a cornerstone of The Journey and brought it to full, glorious life.

The Audio
In another round of delicious news, Intrapulation's Youtube reading of The Journey of Graves continues! Currently working on When the Man Comes Around, you can listen to Chapter 2 here as he works to bring the characters to life in a whole new way. Seriously, check it out. The guy's a hoot and his Apple Bloom list is just plain adorable.

Also, I'm told that the recruiting process has been successful and that he will soon have a lovely female voice actress aiding in his works. You can hear a sample of her skills here and let me tell you, if she's even half as good as she is here, I'll be seven shades of happy to hear her in The Journey.

The Au Revoir
Finally, we come to the sad point of this little message.

In order to get my current project finished up, there will be no new posts for the next few months. I know, stuff has been pretty slow recently and vague allusions to "something big" aren't any more helpful than a politician's campaign promises. I really am sorry for the delay, but I just can't start posting until I've got everything nailed in place and can actually make the stories something worth reading. Rest assured that I'm working as fast as I can and that nothing short of two deaths will keep me from finishing. Obviously, it'd be two because if I happen to die once, I'll just pull a Graves to come back and finish anyway, 'cause that's how I roll. Woop!.

When I do get back to posting, I'll try to make announcements a week or so in advance so nobody misses out when the new posts arrive. Thank you so much for for your patience, and I'm hoping that before the summer ends, I'll be able to see you all back here as The Journey continues.

With all the best regards,
GentlemanJ

Comments

[CaliPackFan]

The character of Graves always reminded me a bit of Booker Dewitt, and I got that same vibe from his interpretation in the art piece, which I enjoyed.