Obligated to rewatch RotG every winter ❄️ 

Artist Spotlights!

🎤 J.Kim 🥁 Jack Jones-Tella 🎷 Jackal

🎺 jenny peng 🎸 Kamon 🎻 Karen

Interview below the cut!

Introduce yourself

🎤 Hi! I'm an animation/illustration major with an interest in LGBT asian history/ historical fiction ^^  I'm @jkimdraws on instagram, twitter, and tumblr! 🥁 I'm a 21-year-old agender artist from Nigeria. I like rugby, horror and playing fun survival games. I can wiggle both my ears by just thinking about it. I make both digital and traditional art, but I prefer traditional because of the feeling in my hand.My twitter: https://twitter.com/bi_jackass My insta: https://www.instagram.com/abami.eda/ My tumblr: https://jack-of-all-bullshit.tumblr.com/ My website: https://sites.google.com/view/jackjonesnga/home 🎷 I’m an animation major based in Australia, focusing more on illustration, character design, storyboarding, and animatics! I’m super into cryptids, paranormal events, and ethereal entities, as well as the joys of space and the great beyond. I’m currently super into a few musicals, as well as Good Omens, Pokemon, Animal Crossing, and Dungeons and Dragons, and like to dabble in writing in the wee hours of the morning when I should be asleep.I’m also on pretty much every social media so there’s no escaping! JK, but you can find my usernames below Instagram: paranormaljackal Twitter: paranrmljackal Tumblr: paranormaljackal 🎺 Jenny Peng is a New York City based designer and illustrator. Graduated from Fashion Institute of Technology in Illustration, she spends her time designing characters and the worlds that they live in. 🎻 Hello! My name's Karen and I'm a mexican concept art student that loves CCS and Naruto.

Do you do commissions post? Where can we find the info?

🎤 https://www.instagram.com/p/B4-decoAyp_/ 🎷 https://sites.google.com/view/paranormal-jackal/commission-info

Do you listen to music (or tv shows/films/anything else) when drawing?

🥁 I watch Game Grumps videos sometimes and listen to horror podcasts like The Magnus Archives. For music choices, I bounce around between Owl City, Fela Kuti, Dead Kennedys, Asha, Queen, Green Day,  P!ATD, Brockhampton and Fall Out boy. So a majority of rock/rap/electronic stuff 🎷 I have about fifty different character playlists that I cycle through, as well as Game Grumps compilations as background noise. 🎺 I'm always listening to music when I'm working on a creative piece. I find it motivating and helps me put more "soul" in my pictures. 🎻 Yes! I've been listening to the Black Eyed Peas latest record a lot as well as my favorite telenovela, Bety La Fea. I also listen to one of my favorite movies, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, a lot and Arrested Development.

What’s your favorite music artist/band? If you could ask your favorite band/music artist one question, what would it be?

🎤 Probably Tatsuro Yamashita! 🥁 My current favorite is Jello Biafra of the Dead Kennedys/Guantanomo School of Medicine and if I could ask him one question it would be  "How do you write your songs in such a simple but powerful way?" 🎷 I really love Queen, especially since the CD would always be on repeat when I was a kid growing up. I think if I could ever ask them a question, I think it would be where the inspiration from their songs all sparked from, what the underlying backstory or meaning behind them were. 🎺 It's always changing so its hard to say. Currently it's Brockbeats 🎻 My favorite band would be Last Dinosaurs, I really like the soft and dance sound they've got. I'm not much of a music fangirl so I wouldn't know what to ask lol

Do you play an instrument? If not would you like to play one? Which one?

🎤 Nope! 🥁 I can play the guitar and currently trying to figure out playing the drums 🎷 Like a lot of folks, I was forced to learn the infernal recorder that parents always regret. However, I would love to learn how to play the piano! 🎺 I don't anymore but I used to play the piano and would love to pick it up again. 🎻 No ): I've always wanted to play the violin but never got to take classes.

Which song(s) are you going to draw?

🎤 159cm by Tenny 🥁 "Bullet With Butterfly Wings - Smashing Pumpkins Coming Clean - Green Day" 🎷 I’m going to be drawing Angel of Small Death and the Codeine Scene by Hozier, as well as Spring and a Storm (Demo) by Tally Hall 🎺 I'm mostly into Alternative. 🎻 Running Up that Hill- Kate Bush

What do you expect from this zine?

🎤 I hope to be able to find some new tunes to listen to and follow some more cool artists! 🥁 To make some friends, make good art and have fun 🎷 I expect to push myself into finishing a larger piece than I have in the past, whilst also challenging myself to try new methods and improve in areas. 🎺 I'm usually creating artwork with music in the background. It's a good change of pace to draw music, one of my muses, actually paying attention to the sounds and lyrics and making something out of it. The background becomes the foreground, and I'm excited to see what I'll create with that in my mind. 🎻 I'm really excited to see the different interpretations of songs. I tend to be very literal so abstract interpretations baffle me!

Anything else you want to add?

🎷 Have fun out there, and stay hydrated!!

Peculiarity

Chapter 1 Jack's art has always been more than just art. From the time he excitedly called his mother over to see the butterfly he'd drawn only to helplessly watch it fly away, paper wings with crayon lines disappearing into the sky before she could see it, to the time the fearful picture of his father, drawn in terror and hopelessness, had flipped off the page and nearly killed the man it shared a face with, his art had a tendency to come alive, acting with the emotion behind it. The first time he'd read the Harry Potter books, or rather, listened to the CDs in a library to look like he belonged there, he'd hoped just for a little while that his eleventh birthday, coming up, would also bring a letter, and a place to belong other than the groups of similarly lost, hungry boys he'd found. But the pictures and portraits in the wizarding world didn't come off the page, didn't float away, didn't have three dimensions, didn't try to hurt or kill people. The art in the wizarding world didn't act in the fear behind it, or the hope or joy or love, it simply moved and reflected the things it portrayed. And when Jack's eleventh birthday passed with no letter delivered by an owl, he wasn't surprised as much as he was disappointed. As he grew up, always moving, avoiding places he knew people would be able to tell he was alone in, finally settling in a suburb or New York with a nice park and several fast food restaurants and a nice library, he learned, slowly, to leave bits and pieces out when he drew, to not add the last eyelashes, leave out a few curls, avoid shading in the last shadows, because as long as he knew it was unfinished, it stayed on the paper, stayed where it belonged. People payed him to draw them on good days, to exaggerate their eyes and mouths, people walking through the park who walked home with a barely unfinished picture of them, never to quite notice the missing fingernail, eyelash, birthmark. In the summer, he moved to the city, finding his refuge in the bigger Central Park, where more people came and stopped, but less people noticed him. Except for the men who have him a feeling he could never quite shake, either wearing dark glasses but looking straight at him like they weren't blind, or who's eye color didn't quite match their faces, the people who sometimes slipped and smiled at him, or who showed their eyes that were white but obviously could see him. And sometimes, the shadows that didn't match anything around him but wouldn't disappear, the rustles in the trees late at night that didn't go away until he yelled, that terrified him but he couldn't place. And then, the boys. A group of them, coming through the park like tourists but at the same time like they knew their way around better than anyone. "Wanna draw me?" One of them, younger than the rest, sat down at Jack's feet eagerly. "My name's Les and that's my brother Davey and all my friends-" "Les. We're in a hurry, don't bother the guy." One of his friends spoke quickly and quietly, with a Brooklyn accent thicker than any Jack had ever heard in real life. Les looked disappointed. "I could draw you and then you could come back later and see?" His friend looked skeptical, examining his setup of old drawings rather than making eye contact. "You don't have to pay if you don't like it." He offered. "I'll just add it to the board." "Fine." The guy finally made eye contact, and something about his ice blue eyes sent a shiver down Jack's spine. Not the same as the men who's eyes didn't match them, more like by simply making eye contact the boy knew Jack better than he knew himself. "Les we have to go. We'll be back in an hour or so, I suppose." As they walked away, Jack started to draw, losing himself in recreating the waves of the little boy's hair, the creases in his worn shirt. As always, he wasn't quite sure he was imagining the face adjust its smile into something more lifelike, blink once or twice, even the chest move like it was breathing before settling into peacock like pride. "I love it! Spot please can I keep it?" Spot arrived behind Les, as Jack was brushing away the eraser crumbs and mentally checking off the things he'd left unfinished. The eyes were missing the blot of red that occupied half of the white of his left one. Of his freckles, the big ones symmetrical on either side of his nose had been left off. The writing on his shirt had been left an outline, not filled in with details. Just enough left off to keep the sketch from coming alive. Spot looked at him sharply, his ice blue eyes still seeming to read Jack's entire being as easily as he took in the sketch. "How much?" He asked, still speaking in that same quiet, fast tone. "It's only five dollars for a pencil sketch." Spot's eyes widened and he hissed through his teeth like Jack had just quoted the price for an original Monet, until Les cleared his throat and pulled a five dollar bill from Spot's pocket. "That's not a lot at all!" "Right." And with that, the pair walked away, Spot pulling another from the group aside as they walked, heads together and glancing back at him. Over the next few days, Jack started to notice Spot hanging around, watching him with those eyes, never talking, just staying close, watching. He never stayed for more than a few hours, but he kept showing up. And then one day, nobody was around and he approached. "I know." He said abruptly. "You know what? How to fake an accent from last century?" Jack was irritated by his constant, silent presence, and didn't feel like putting up with vagueness after putting up with that for a week and a half. "About your art. About how it comes alive and that's why you didn't finish Les's picture. And that's why you ran away from home. And that's why you're here, in the summer, here is better than the smaller park you normally call home." Everything he said was matter of fact and quiet, but his eyes didn't leave Jack's. "I don't know what you're talking about." Jack's mind raced through his lie, trying to figure out how this boy could possibly know. "The butterfly, your father, plants and animals and people, coming to life, sometimes scary and sometimes not. The shadows with tentacles for tongues that belong to nothing you can see, the men with white eyes who look at you and scare you." Jack inhaled sharply, but still insisted. "I have no idea what you're taking about, just leave me the fuck alone." "I'm like you, Jack, we're all like you. Strange. Odd. Peculiar." Spot was slightly too close for comfort. "Les can see the things that make the shadows. Race can make water do whatever he wants. Finch can fly. I can read people and minds. And you can bring art to life. And we know how to keep you safe from the things that scare you, but you need to come with me. Now." "Dude, I don't have time for some crazy fantasy, magic power bullshit." "I'll prove it. Think something entirely random, a number, a name, something nobody would guess, and I'll hear it." Jack thought carefully for a second, but settled on the one thing he'd never told anyone, ready to laugh in this boy's face and walk away. "When you were seven, you found a crawl space underneath a neighbors porch that nobody had ever touched and hid there when things got bad at home. The only thing underneath the porch besides you was a stone frog, and you named him Gregory." Spot didn't break eye contact. "Come with me." "How did you-" "I told you, I read minds." Spot glanced at the old fashioned watch he was holding. "And either you need to come with me now, or you need to choose to live out here, on the run, alone, and hunted." "Hunted?" Spot quirked an eyebrow. "The men with the white eyes, the shadows, they only leave you alone because they don't know for sure that you're one of us. If they ever saw you slip up, if they ever saw one of your drawings blink or breathe or fly away, they wouldn't just be watching anymore. You would be their target, and they'd do anything to get you. Come with me, and I can promise you'll be safe. Stay here, and I can promise you won't be." Spot stared at Jack for a second longer, not blinking, before turning and waking away. Part of Jack wanted nothing more than to turn away from the boy, ignore him and hope he never came back. But a larger part, the part that had been living on the streets and knew how to read people, and the part that felt cold and unexplainably terrified every time a man with white eyes leered at him, had a feeling that following him was the smart move, the right move. So he quickly swept his art supplies into the bag, folding his board and following behind Spot as he walked quickly towards the edge of the park. Something was telling Jack that Spot was telling the truth, and he followed that instinct.

hey pal,,, do u have any like,, specific music you listen to when you're doin art or just trying to focus on somethin? I'm trying to start that klance AU but ?? I have 0 inspiration and 0 motivation i need som Help

*blows the dust off my stupid sappy love songs playlist for otps and daydreams* *claps my grubby hands and starts rubbing them together* boi have i got some music for u

this playlist is now titled specifically “for cass” but if anyone else wants to make fun of my music taste, go right ahead. i’m exposing myself

in alphabetical order bc that’s how my ipod sorts it:

all about your heart - mindy gledhill (super fluffy love song!)

as long as you’re mine - idina menzel & leo norbert butz (i just rly love wicked ok)

banana pancakes - jack johnson (really calm established relationship song)

bloom - the paper kites (soooo soothing and good for pining)

camera shy - school boy humor (two words: celebrity au)

can i have this dance - vanessa hudgens & zac efron (yeah it’s hsm but i’ve always loved music in 3/4 time plus imagine lance teaching keith how to dance aaaaaa)

can’t sleep love - pentatonix (my jaaaammm)

clarity (cover) - andrew garcia & andy lange (this cover is soft and i discovered it bc of an ereri cmv where they kiss a lot. sue me.)

climbing the walls - backstreet boys (THE PINING!!!!!!!)

crazier - taylor swift (she actually has some rly good otp songs i have to admit...)

do i love you because you’re beautiful - brandy & paolo montalban (i loooove cinderella 1997 and this song is sooooo good just trust me on this. also watch the movie!!)

do you know me - john mayer (dreamy feelings)

dressed to kill - landon pigg (mmm yes good. ballroom dance au where they see each other in fancy clothes for the first time and are hit in the kokoro with the doki dokis)

enchanted - owl city or taylor swift (either is fine but i do like owl city. imagine the masquerade!!!!!)

falling in love at a coffee shop - landon pigg (the title is self explanatory)

falling slowly - the swell season (soft!!!!!!!)

for the dancing and the dreaming - httyd cast (a rly cute song,,)

girls like girls - hayley kiyoko (every song she drops the gayer i become. i rise.)

hazy - rosy golan feat. willian fitzsimmons (extreeemmeely soft and cute!)

hello, i’m in delaware - city and colour (relaxing and more dreamy feelings)

house by the sea - moddi (recently discovered this song bc @sniperlance posted about it saying “homesick lance” and i cry bc it rly is homesick lance,,)

i knew i loved you - savage garden (gives me that 90s teen romance vibe and i like it)

i’d lie - taylor swift (GOD THE PININGGGGGG!!!)

i’m yours - jason mraz (cute cute cute cute cute)

if i’m saying nothing - landon pigg (more pining bc i can’t control myself apparently)

jenny - studio killers (surprise bitch! bet you thought you’d seen the last of pining)

love story - taylor swift (this is where my altean prince lance and assassing galra keith au comes from lol)

missing you - all time low (klangst hurt/comfort)

one and only (cover) - samantha palileo (her voice is so smooth i get chills every time)

one day - kodaline (more klangst hurt/comfort)

paper tigers - owl city (idk i just imagine klance so hard to this man u gotta give it a try)

pretty girl - hayley kiyoko (gay gay gay gay gay gay gay gay)

rhythm of love - plain white t’s (it’s old but it’s cute!)

siren - the honey trees (i love the instrumentals)

something just like this - the chainsmokers & coldplay (the music video is so cute,, pls imagine tiny boy lance growing up wanting to be a superhero and pining keith who just wants to smooch him and hug him)

so she dances - josh groban (his voice is like smooth molasses. plus dance au with extra pining)

suerte - jason mraz & ximena sariñana (all i care about is the spanish bc spanish speaking lance)

te amo y más - diego luna (more spanish speaking lance!!!!!)

tee shirt - birdy (her alto voice cures my depression)

ten minutes ago - brandy & paolo montalban (ballroom/masquerade au!! the possibilities are endless!!!!!)

when can i see you again - owl city (all the xylophone sounds like stars and it’s so happy)

wherever you are - barry coffing & vonda shepard (yeah it’s originally from a winnie the pooh movie but come on. i’m cliche af so might as well)

willow weeping - priscilla ahn (mmmmmm the pining)

world falls apart - dash berlin feat. john mendelsohn (saving each other and always being there for each other aaaaaa)

world spins madly on - the weepies (this is what inspired one of my langst drawings lol)

whew all done! enjoy my dumb music