we really devolved as a society when we stopped using fully painted pictures on romance novels and started using cheap photoshop instead
case in point
this is a Hell of a downgrade
worst crime capitalism ever committed was eliminating Horny Oil Painter as a viable career option.
I went down a rabbit hole this summer researching romance novel covers and painting fanart in this style and
this is an EXTREMELY fun style to work in, and also
many of the most iconic romance novel covers you’re probably picturing when you think “classic painted romance novel cover” were produced by one prolific, masterful artist
Her name was Elaine Duillo, and she had a long and extremely productive career spanning from the mid 60’s to her retirement in 2003. She worked mainly in acrylics.
She did illustration work in other genres as well, but she really found her niche in romance novels. She pretty much redefined the aesthetic conventions of the genre, popularizing male models and male nudity and sexualizing men to cater to the female gaze in a way that simply wasn’t the norm before her work. You know Fabio? she’s the one who started using him as a model, and essentially launched his career. And honestly, just look at her work:
magnificent
Wait shit, she retired in 2003? I think that’s exactly when I started seeing shitty photoshops on all the new romance novel covers.
She was literally carrying the entire industry single-handed and then they just did not replace her.
as we approach the one year anniversary of nov 5, 2020, i just wanna remind everyone real quick that “destiel won the us presidential election” is the funniest goddamn string of words ever put together and i am so glad i was alive to experience it in real time
how could you forget the second part of the sentence “and as a result, putin resigns”
Oh man… This is no longer my lane but I can’t leave this at “1000 year old sword”.
This is Mikazuki. The Crescent Moon blade.
This sword was crafted by Sanj(y)o Munechika and is older than 1000 years. (The Smith’s oldest signed work is from 987).
There are only 5 of the smith’s pieces remaining and this one exhibits one of the first times in history that the Japanese sword takes on it’s utilitarian curved shape.
This sword was owned by a laundry list of important historical figures including Oda Nobunaga’s general Toyotomi Hideyoshi who unified Japan.
You are essentially looking at a Japanese Excalibur.
I am humbled to even be able to see a picture of this sword.
If I could ever see this blade in person I might just die there on the spot.
This blade is one of the finest examples of the blacksmith’s art ever created. Ever. Anywhere. Period.
being trans level 2 involves having a gender you reserve specifically for cis people and then breaking out the good actual gender around other trans people like it’s fine chine