maleficarum:

has this been done yet or


poupon:

SD Isabela model because I like texturing, and I like acronyms that look okay until you remember they mean “super deformed”

could do with bigger breasts… but I say that about everything I draw. or you draw. or what we’ve yet to draw.


subitoallegra:

This Is An Isabela Appreciation Post

I’ve been selfishly trying to ignore the “boo hiss Izzy pantslessness” dialogue out of sheer frustration with the fact that I’m sick of the damn debate. I’m also sick of the “she was white with red hair in DA:O” because oh my god shut up. I’m sick of her subversiveness, her confident dismissal of people’s judgment, and her comfort with her sexuality and identity being belittled and degraded because she likes sex and isn’t afraid to show her body. Because while I’m sure she gets cold in winter, it’s not about the practicality. It’s a statement. It’s self-expression. It’s awesome. Isabela is awesome.

So let me tell you a story.

In December 2010, I was an emotional wreck. I was spending days in the hospital with my grandfather who had just nearly escaped death, trying to figure out how to take control of my life when I was unemployed and loafing, see-sawing in weight, etc. I felt like I had lost myself, as if my future were completely out of my control. I was six months out of college, but felt weaker and more uncertain than I had been as a bullied high school student, because at least in high school I had hope and purpose, and something to fight for.

During all of that, I saw Isabela’s first render. (The whitewashed one) I remember looking at her face for the first time, her broader jaw and dark, strong eyes, and thinking: “A- She’s not traditionally pretty. Her broad jaw and strong features aren’t media-pretty.”

“B- She kind of looks like me.”

I thought back on Isabela—the sassy, sexy Isabela of DA:O, the one who was strong and self-confident, who challenged people who talked down to her and judged her. I hadn’t even played DA2 at that point, obviously, but even before I got to see more of her and properly fall in love with how awesome and imperfect Isabela is, I knew that Isabela was someone I aspired to be more like.

Curled up in bed at my grandfather’s house during a blizzard, my grandfather experiencing some complications with his stitches, I asked myself if I could be as strong as Isabela. But of course I couldn’t, I said. I was a cry-baby, untalented, not terribly sexy, guarded in my romantic and sexual interactions, and still couldn’t stand up for myself after years of being kicked back down to the floor.

So I picked the second-best solution: I would just dress up as her.

It wasn’t easy. I had to confront a lot of my own self-consciousness while Jennifer and I worked on the costume—people would hate me because I was ugly, mock me for my stretch marks, my flaws, my boobs had to look perfect or my costume would be worthless, I wasn’t curvy enough, didn’t have wide enough hips, I would look stupid without the pants, my butt had to be covered because people would hate it, everything needed to be perfect so people wouldn’t notice what I looked like…. I’ve seen some of those fears realized in my year and a half of cosplaying Izzy, but it seems trivial compared to how much the process grounded me, helped me move forward, allowed me to collaborate artistically with one of my friends (pounding brass rings in Central Park, thinning leather, edging belts, getting yelled at for losing weight when I started dancing again), and do something I thought I’d never do: not wear pants in public.

Cosplaying Isabela ended up being the best decision of my life. The people I’ve met, the places I’ve been, the opportunities I’ve had—they have, are, and will continue to shape the direction of my life just because I had the courage to say: “You know what? Hell yeah I’m going to cosplay Isabela, even if I’m terrified of being pantsless at a convention.” Through it all, I felt a bit of Izzy seeping into me. Her strength. Her self-confidence. Her sassy walk and “I could give fewer shits what you think about me” attitude. When I wore the costume, I thought I was stronger. I wished I could be more her when I wasn’t wearing the bandana and the boots.

I can only imagine what some people (incorrectly) think about me when they see my Isabela (or any of my sexier costumes). I’m sure people make assumptions about who I am, how much sex I have—and, to be honest, I wouldn’t be surprised if people have, or will as time goes on, make accusations of me performing sexual favors to get ahead. In fact, let this be the moment where I call that shit before it happens, if it hasn’t already.

Spoiler: I don’t care. I remember stepping onto the stage at the BioWare Costume Contest at SDCC 2011 and talking about how awesome Isabela was, how her message, her self-confidence, her “haters gonna hate” attitude was empowering for me. That’s why I do it, why I cosplay Isabela, why I cosplay in general, and why, though I’m not perfect and can still crumble at the hate and not be the best person in the world, I’m still grateful for what Isabela, as a character and a costume, has done for me.

I can’t remember if I said how deeply it all resonated with me. I don’t think it matters if I did or not. If you had asked me then, I would have told you that wearing the costume made me feel like I could be as strong as Isabela.

If you asked me now, I would tell you that it’s shown me that I already was.


vecchio-fastidioso replied to your post: Haha WOW I am literally in unholy amounts of pain…

Oh dear, I hope you feel better soon…How about some Dragon Age fandom?

And thank you for the well-wishing!


egadsy:

SO, sweet, thoughtful, gentle mu went ahead and got me a commish from kakimari for christmas!!!! because she is the best!!!!!!!!

she dropped this on me at like midnight on tuesday when i really wanted nothing more to do but die so i fell asleep again. then i checked my tweets the next day and lost my shit!!!!!!

i don’t know what to say anymore so have some more exclamation marks!!!!!!!!!

A picture of Isabela from Mari to Gadsy as ordered by Mu

There’s so many layers of friendship here that I’m gonna faint /)*u*(\

She looks absolutely lovely! Augh, I will love Mari’s art forever.


momochanners:

First Snow Series - Limited Edition Postcards - Available on Artfire

Before I elaborate on anything, a detail or two I should mention first:

  • Please don’t repost this outside of Tumblr or DeviantArt. This offer is a courtesy to my non-Malaysian followers and watchers. Thanks.
  • Handling and shipping is free worldwide, but I’m unable to ship to South America and the Middle East. Really sorry about this.

Okay! So Comic Fiesta 2011, Malaysia’s annual anime and manga convention, is happening this weekend. My friends and I will be having a table there under the doujin group YonGumi, and in addition to our flagship comic anthology, I will be selling this limited edition postcard set of DA2 companion characters.

Each USD$10 set contains 5 postcards digitally printed on 260gsm Matte Art Card, price including shipping and handling from Malaysia. These are in limited quantities and won’t be reprinted. I’m making these available in my Artfire store until midnight on Saturday for non-Malaysians who are unable to attend Comic Fiesta in Kuala Lumpur.

For Malaysians, you can get it at the YonGumi booth (No 3, Row C2) while stocks last! It’d be great if you can also pick up our newest comic anthology, YonGumix#7 as well ;)

Also, if you’re looking for single character art, the original hand-drawn art used for the postcards are also available! You can check them out here, including a bonus Sebastian that didn’t make the set:

Thanks for viewing!

…..WELP

DO WANT


tayloriusrex asked you: 
Aughghhg OMG your art is just so beautiful and real and even though I usually lurk in the shadows I am creeping out to humbly request a doodlebug of Isabela, and also, to tell you happy birthday!


Thank you <3


Masterlist


egadsy asked you: 

ELENA AND ISABELA MAKING THE FUCK OUT (jk idk maybe a bear)


Masterlist


skyelinepigeon replied to your post: has nobody really said aveline yet i mean,

would love to hear your thoughts on why you think Aveline’s writing is problematic, I’ve never thought about it before!

It’s mostly her interactions with Isabela, I guess? I mean, otherwise I think they have a great dynamic; the serious, law-abiding Aveline and the fun-loving, free-spirited Isabela—I love them both, and I appreciate that over the years they come to an agreement between them about how they function together. It’s a really interesting relationship, whether it applies to friendship or something more intimate. They’re always in some kind of conflict, but they make it work.

But almost every single conversation between them involves Aveline calling Isabela some kind of whore, or slattern, or pulling some crack about how she’s always on her back or bent over a railing…it just goes on and on. It doesn’t bother Isabela in the least and they don’t linger on it, and it’s clear that they’re both incredibly strong women who have their own kind of self-confidence, but every time Aveline springs that out, I’m just like…really? It always has to come back to that?

(I didn’t particularly like the ‘Lady Man-Hands’ comment Isabela makes either, but it happens—once, twice? Compared to the otherwise constant cracks…)

Favourite of the Dragon Age ladies otherwise, but that just makes me uncomfortable every time I hear it.


Sketch practise!

Merrill for Anon and because I never ever draw her;

Bethany to show Sunshine some love (and her outfit is amazing);

Isabela because ‘gadsy won’t talk to me if I don’t (and she is awesome);

and Aveline because she is my favourite of all the ladies. U u U