Work Text:
My second prompt for this year's SPN Reverse Bang. I was delighted when my original cover, "SPACE," was claimed by the fabulous casey679. She wrote a turbulent science fiction adventure with interstellar romance and lots of action to go with it. The title "Ad Astra" is Latin and means "To the Stars" and fits perfectly. Creating futuristic artwork for this story was a lot of fun.
Warning: spoilers in the art!
LiveJournal: Art | Künstler | Masterpost | Fic | Author
Supernatural Reverse Bang 2021 #2 - Original prompt - R1006
Short description of art: Jensen is abducted on a space mission by alien prince Jared. He manages to escape and hide on Earth. Jared wants his husband back and gives Earth an ultimatum. Now aliens and humans are after Jensen. Will he manage to escape Jared?
Space. Infinite expanses ... no, infinite possibilities with GIMP. I have always been fascinated by space. Stars, galaxies, black holes, nebulae, and beyond them, infinity. For this year's challenge, I really wanted to do something with outer space. I had already come up with the story as one of five possibilities a year earlier for the Christmas Challenge, only back then Jensen was the alien prince. But Jared embodied the alien prince on the banner better. So I switched the roles. Dark space with white, yellow or colored stars didn't work. I wanted to create a mysterious and alien world. The color green suited Jared best. So I started to design the background. Suns, stars, moons, supernovas, planets, meteorites and Jensen's spaceship - everything got a green color cast. Even Jared was given a green patina so his hair and skin tone matched the background. For the alien look, I created special jewelry and added the crown as a small reverence to Supernatural with the J2s.
Then I designed planets similar to Earth, only with more forest and less water area. Then added shadows and an implied meteor belt. The spaceship is slim and sleek with a metallic look, flying straight away from the triplet planets. For the font, I chose a very futuristic typeface filled with a black starry sky. It reminds in its angular angularity with green glowing border of old science fiction movies, laser beams, on-board computers or lighting and lettering in spaceships.
I wanted to show Jensen in a space suit and thus emphasize the contrasts of the characters. Jared with naked torso, wild mane of hair and exotic jewelry looks alien - extraterrestrial. Jensen in his suit with helmet looks human - normal. Opposites attract, as we all know.
For the chapter headings, I picked up the outer space theme again. To emphasize the otherness, I chose asymmetrical shapes that are abstractly reminiscent of the construction of spaceships through their corners and edges and of the rays of stars through their long jags.
The green strokes are meant to represent laser beams or signposts like light-emitting diodes in the corridors of spaceships and space stations. The word "laser" is short for "Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation," but I wanted to convey here, quite unscientifically, the image of a utopian world. The background as well as the font and its design form a unit with the cover and banner.
For the dividers, I again used the space background, which green laser beams cut through. Alternately, the sun of Jared arm or forehead ornament can be seen.
I created or edited the works of art with GIMP.
I hope you enjoyed my art post.