I realize I never start those updates/journal entries with greetings, because I see them as a continuous conversation. As if a part of my mind and maybe a bit of yours was remaining here, in-between words and occasional illustrations, waiting.
The waiting aspect of any writer’s career (and, in general, artist), the hoping and wishing, is almost as painful as it is invigorating. It’s a constant battle between doubts and excitement over what you made and how it’ll be received. Thankfully, the excitement almost always wins that duel, I’m too used to gaslight myself into making things happen for doubts to take it over. And things might not always be perfect, but if they exist, and if I did the best I could at that moment, that’s all that matters. In that spirit, I tried my hand at animation:
Blanche and The Fool’s first dance is nothing of the sort. In the book, it’s a really chaotic and tense scene, so, as a gift to myself, to them and to you, I decided to offer them a bit of peace (they do need it).
As for references: the main ref was from the YouTube channel Wedding Dance Online and is inspired by the Ballroom Dance from the Cinderella live action.
I also took inspiration from Don Bluth’s Thumbelina and Anastasia, Disney’s Sleeping Beauty, The Black Cauldron, The Sword in the Stone (and a bit of Peter Pan for The Fool’s outfit), Beauty and the Beast, and while I didn’t look them up specifically, I always have in mind the dance and transformation scenes of Mikhaïl Tsekhanovski’s Tsarevna Lyagushka and Richard Rich’s Swan Princess.
I hope you’ll get lots of peace, love, rest, fun, food, for this last week of 2023, and I’m wishing you the best in 2024!
Love (but no goodbyes!),
Aude