ART: Gold and Glory, Heart and Home

[amphigoury]

Title: Gold and Glory, Heart and Home
Fandom: Merlin, for the merlinreversebb
Pairing: Arthur/Merlin
Rating: G
Media: Photoshop
Warnings: None




Story by: loaded_march /Footloose (on AO3) HERE IS THE STORY LINK! GO READ!
Story Summary: Some men went West for gold and glory. Other men went West to run from their ghosts. Other men... simply ran. They ran West seeking new lives that were better than the ones they'd left behind, always afraid that someone or something would drag them back to their pasts. And Arthur... Arthur had gone West, and he didn't stop until he found his heart and home.



Notes: Thanks to altocello and alby_mangroves for the beta work, and to the Drunk Artist's chat and GSD chat for all the cheerleading! A big thank you to loaded_march for choosing my art prompt and incorporating my crazy ideas!

Also on Tumblr!











Also, some header art:





So Footloose wanted to know if there were any scenes that I had in mind, that I wanted to include. Hurrah for collaboration! Unfortunately, I'm a "visual" person and have troubles writing ideas down... people who have collaborated with me before (and currently) can attest to this phenomenon where I will storyboard out scenes.






Here is the one for the attack on the Emerson homestead - the catalyst for Merlin's vengeance:



I knew that Footloose wanted to tell the story from Arthur's POV and that this scene wouldn't make it into the story as-is, but I like to think that it helped to know what DID happen, to write everything else. (have to ask Footloose on that one... did it help? LOL!) And it WAS hinted to in the story too!


And here is the one for the Barkeep telling Arthur about the incident with Emrys and Kanen's gang:



I DO love that second panel with Arthur lighting his pipe. That didn't make the cut though, lol.

Comments

[loaded-march.livejournal.com]

*MASSIVE HUGS*

This was awesome to do and to write. Your art always inspires. I loved your ideas and they were easy to incorporate -- storyboarding? I'm on board.

The storyboarding DID help, especially from Merlin's POV; Arthur sussed out what happened from the fine details...

You forgot to mention the bit where you told me about the square dancing out West in that era... I would never have known about that detail if you hadn't found it!

[amphigoury.livejournal.com]

Oh yeah! I forgot all about that! The historical fact that the low men to woman ratio led to men dancing with men! Ha ha, THANK YOU WIKIPEDIA!

You done good, LM! Thanks for picking my prompt!!! ***HUGS***

[fuckyeah.livejournal.com]

Ahhhh, I love this art the first time I saw it, and I still think it's the coolest! And I adore those storyboards! *A*

[amphigoury.livejournal.com]

AWW FUCK YEAH!!! THANKS FUCKYEAH!!!!!!! ***HUGS***

[inheritedjeans.livejournal.com]

Fab art and fab fic--it's like Christmas. Love that image of the burning eyes over the red handkerchief. And the storyboards scratched the itch of not quite knowing how the attack on Merlin's home went, which is very satisfying. Awesome!

[amphigoury.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much! I'm glad you enjoyed it!

[archaeologist-d.livejournal.com]

Gorgeous artwork! Loved the coloring in this.

[amphigoury.livejournal.com]

Thank you very much! It was fun to make!!

[alby-mangroves.livejournal.com]

YAY you posted!! I loved this art from the get-go. Loved this idea! The visual of Merlin's gold eyes above, looming over them both, it's so eerie cool, I love it. Love the all-business looks on their faces, the awesome gloves and fantastic pistols.

The storyboards are fantastic- thanks for including those! I love seeing the process, the thoughts behind how things like this evolve. It's great to see your mind in action!

This is such cool art, I can't wait to read the story!

'Grats, dude, what a collab! <333

[amphigoury.livejournal.com]

Thanks Alby! And thanks again for the beta work! ***HUGS***

[viennajones.livejournal.com]

As always, your work is absolutely gorgeous ♥ And I'm a huge fan of those storyboards!

[amphigoury.livejournal.com]

Awwww I'm blushing! Thanks for commenting!!!!!

[amphigoury.livejournal.com]

Scruff!?! Baby, that is a full-on beard!! AWWWWWWWW YISS!!!!!!

LOL!! Thanks for commenting!! **HUGS**

[xthursdaynextx.livejournal.com]

Really gorgeous artwork, I love masked!Merlin with his burning gold eyes.

[amphigoury.livejournal.com]

Thanks, lol! I thought he'd make a dashing outlaw!

[brunettepet.livejournal.com]

I love the strong, striking title piece and the header made me smile every time I saw it. The storyboards are great! Merlin bursting through the saloon doors is dramatic as all get out.

[amphigoury.livejournal.com]

Thanks! LOL, Merlin busting through the saloon doors is so cheesy, but it got my idea across!

Thanks for commenting!!! Glad you liked the piece!!!

[tiffosaurus.livejournal.com]

Heya, just want to drop by here and tell you that your artwork is drop-dead-AWESOME! Idol. :D

[amphigoury.livejournal.com]

Thank you very much for stopping by and commenting!!! ***HUGS***

[kianspo.livejournal.com]

So gorgeous. I wish I had something intelligent to say, but the truth is, there's nothing but admiration. LOVE. ♥

[amphigoury.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much!

[phoenixacid.livejournal.com]

Great composition and I just love how bamf they both look in this poster! Gorgeous!

[amphigoury.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I also love the BAMF'ness, LOL!

[k-nightfox.livejournal.com]

Gads! I loved this sooooo much when I saw it on the prompt list at RBB but I knew damn well I couldn't do it the justice it deserved so I didn't ask for it when I went to claim. I was thrilled when I saw loaded_march had snagged it because I KNEW it was in safe hands <3

I've finally finished re-writing my RBB and now I can finally (in the morning) settle in to read the story BUT I wanted to come gaze at the art some more first.

This is just AMAZING!! I love the story boards, they didn't spoil me, they just make me even more eager to read!

[amphigoury.livejournal.com]

Thank you! LOL, I'm sure someday we'll collaborate or some nice dark!fic, hee hee!

[k-nightfox.livejournal.com]

Oh man, I am dying to write something dark right now. My last two major projects were anything but dark. I even have a bunny that's been nibbling at me for a while but no damn time to write it! I gotta quit it with all the festivals...that is as soon as I finish remix, redux, perverse_bang, instinctivelust and paperlegends /o\

Hi, my name is Kat and I'm addicted to writing fests.

[amphigoury.livejournal.com]

LOL! I also have like, 3 dark!fic plot bunnies nibbling away. Sometimes I wish I could just write my own stuff instead of bugging writers all the time ha ha!

[k-nightfox.livejournal.com]

I have to be honest, I'd trade in the writing if I could draw or paint worth a damn. I have years of private art tuition under my belt, and all I can paint are friggin landscapes! Well, no, not really. If I was satisfied with producing impressionist works, I'd be a happy camper...but I'm not. I actually like details. (I still maintain the impressionists all just had really bad eyesight and then passed it off as a new style:)

I have so many images that get stuck in my mind, I go nuts with them sometimes! I cannot get them out of my head in any pleasing form *sigh*

Dark bunnies, eh? *perks* I do so love the dark side!

[shes-gone.livejournal.com]

This is so awesome!

[amphigoury.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much!!

[unbidden-truth.livejournal.com]

Just wanted to say this is amazing! Loved how you designed the piece and just the details (Arthur with a beard! The 'kerchief! the shading!)---this is really well thought out! I've been a fan since I saw your work for "We Are Stardust", which was also spectacularly awesome :)

[amphigoury.livejournal.com]

Thank you very much!!! I'm glad you like it! Thanks for all the recc'ing!! You make my day!

[matchboximpala.livejournal.com]

Absolutely gorgeous header and those storyboards were a nice bonus! Thanks for sharing them.

[amphigoury.livejournal.com]

thank you very much!!! It was a lot of work! :D