[Open Log] If I were a painting, captured on canvas

[thepull_mods]

Who: OPEN - for artists, portrait-sitters, and park spectators!
When: Noon-3pm, Monday April 23rd
Where: Versaid Lake Park
Summary: "The Charles Redcliff Art Museum is sponsoring a Portraits in the Park Art Contest, beginning today at noon. Artists and their Portrait Subjects will have 3 hours to complete their entries at the lakeside. Any drawing or painting medium & both amateur and professional skill levels welcome. Supplies will be provided. Three Winners will be featured at the Redcliff’s spring gallery, and receive store credit at Redcliff Photo Labs, for 500 high quality fine art prints of their work."
Warnings: Sitting still for 3 hours might be difficult for some of you...




It's a mild and sunny day, perfect for a spring outing. Down by the lakeside, contest sponsors have set up easels and a long table of different supplies to use, donated by the Redcliff museum and other affiliated art supply stores. Judges, ribbons pinned to their lapels, wander back and forth among the participants throughout the afternoon, appraising the works.

It's easy to sign up and join in, open for anyone to give their best try.

Comments

[rewritethesky]

"I think it's more one on one." She was pouting as she was starting to pick out some light colours. A light brown to start the base of the tree and a pale pink to mark where the blossom petals were. She doesn't mind this change in subject, but it made her wish she could understand sports a little more to help. "But, I think you could try to turn it into a team game. Somehow."

His question though made her glance up at him bashfully. Compared to him and even Roxas and others, she probably hasn't done enough new and fun things here. There was always something else to worry about. Holidays, the movements of the Organization, and Marluxia for a time. Or if not that, then there was school, and doing assignments, something that she was so awkward and confused about but now was part of her daily life.

"I guess... maybe not as much as I should. I-I did try skating once when the lake was frozen in the winter, but... that's about it."

A pathetic amount of new things she's done. But she wondered... is this a good time to mention those private lessons she's been having with Aqua?

"...Except for magic, though." It tumbled out of her in a mumble.

[madeinoblivion]

Team Struggle? Well- he'd talk to Roxas about it, and see what they could come up with. Even just for fooling around...

Namine looked almost guilty for not trying enough, and Joe watched her curiously from the corner of his eyes, wishing he knew what to do to make her smile. Clearly they should do more stuff.... go to the zoo or aquarium, maybe, or take her out to the fairgrounds, if the weather kept looking this nice.

"More memory magic, you mean?" He blinked, wondering why she seemed so shy about it. "Or another kind?"

[rewritethesky]

"No. Not... memory," It made her hesitate, almost a little hurt that it was the first kind he thought of. Hurt and guilty; it's been a long time, but sometimes it's easy to dig and find the memories from Castle Oblivion.

She bit her lip before continuing, hating herself in actually using the term. "Like... normal magic. Things like what Sora and Xion and Roxas can do."

[madeinoblivion]

"Oh..." He blinks, turning to look at her curiously for a longer moment before his face finally brightens. That's unexpected, but- "That's good!"

That meant he was the only one in the apartment who wasn't really applying himself with magic (well... besides the large boost of stamina that Kyubey's contract had given him.)....but he didn't have the patience for practicing it. Besides, he wasn't afraid to use Darkness to supplement his strength.

[rewritethesky]

She smiled, but didn't quite meet his eyes. The magic lessons were going okay, so far, but it was still something she was terribly nervous about.

"...Aqua offered private lessons a while ago. I... decided to ask her if I could do it." Her hand dropped and she hunched her shoulders, hiding behind the canvas again. "I thought... it might be nice to know how to do things, since everyone else has something they can do."

Or something they can protect themselves with.

[madeinoblivion]

"From Aqua?" He hadn't really trained at anything with her, not since they'd prepared to fight Master Xehanort...which was almost over a year ago now.

"That's pretty smart. I bet she's really good with magic." Namine seemed a bit shy about it, like she really needed the encouragement. Maybe it was tricky for her? This was the first time she'd even so much as mentioned wanting or trying to learn.

"What spells did she teach you?"

[rewritethesky]

She had opened her mouth to say something, that she knew she was good with magic, but decided against it. She's still not sure who knows what and what happened to the three past Keybearers, and refuses to look into memories to answer that question. To reveal something like that, even to Joe, might not be wise.

"I think so too. Using magic... it suits her." She felt a little better, sitting up a little straighter and stealing a glance at Joe.

"Just a fire spell, so far. She said it was the easiest to learn..." And then she trailed off, the uncertainty coming back. "She told me I that it could come naturally to me-- using the same sort of magic everyone else does. But I'm not sure. It's... it's different."

[madeinoblivion]

"Well, fire's pretty intense to start with." He shrugged, trying to imagine Namine shooting off fireballs. Simple, but...a scary sort of power to start wielding straight off maybe, for her. "No offense, but you're not exactly Axel. But ...it'll be handy, if anything ever happens, and..."

Joe trailed of sheepishly "You know, if I'm not there right away."

"But you'll get the hang of it, I'm sure. Aqua believes in you. And I believe in you too."

[rewritethesky]

"I don't think you have much to worry about." She looked around to give him a bit of a reassuring smile. "It was Aqua's suggestion to learn it first, but... I probably won't turn into Axel. I... can barely make anything more than sparks..."

Little flickers of flame. She was getting close to making a complete fireball, but it was still taking a while for her to get used to the whole procedure and to fully create something like that from within herself.

"But, thank you. I hope... I can get better at it."

[madeinoblivion]

"It takes a lot of guts!" He nods emphatically, making a small fist at his side, as if the inspire her. "To make fire, you've got to show your spirit!"

Even a nobody could have passion. Axel making so much fire was proof of that, and the way that Roxas felt things strongly.

"If you want to practice...maybe I can help you too. Anytime!"

[rewritethesky]

Her smile was bright at him, an honest one, appreciating his own spirit and determination. "I can't say that I'll have as much spirit as you do, Joe, but I will try."

"I don't know if I could... 'go up against anybody' but advice or help, would be grateful." She just hoped that by helping, he doesn't mean sparring. She still had yet to light little things with fire, like candle wicks.

[madeinoblivion]

"Well, I think you do." He insists, tipping his chin boldly into the air, flashing her a grin. "Maybe you just have to wake it up!"

"Any practice makes perfect." Normally, he wasn't so optimistic. But he wanted to help her along, and something about Namine's presence made him want to think encouraging thoughts for her. "And everything starts with just a spark, right?"

[rewritethesky]

Her cheeks flushed, but her smile was quite genuine. It's gentle nudging. Gentle support and encouragement, and it made her... it made her believe. Maybe she can do it. Maybe she could be good at it.

Good at something normal and not have to be labelled as a witch. Maybe Aqua was right, and she could be naturally gifted at magic. She might not have enough spirit like Joe believes, but she could try. Namine could do it for him.

And maybe, just maybe and a little bit, for herself.

"R-right!" Her voice squeaked until she cleared it, sounding a little more confident. She's riding on Joe's positive words now, "I hope I can. Maybe it'll be enough."

[madeinoblivion]

It made him feel warm inside, to see hope growing right there in her eyes.

"...So how's the picture coming along?" He asked brightly, overly curious for her progress. "Do I look good?"

[rewritethesky]

Oh! Finally, a distraction and something to divert the attention away from herself. Although, that blush isn't leaving her face any time soon...

"I-it's in progress," she's too nervous to let people see the unfinished product most times, and sadly Joe's not an exception right now. "I'm just getting some of the base colours down right now. It'll still take a little while. Sorry."

[madeinoblivion]

"Okay." He nodded, a giddy sort of impatience- he hadn't been so conscious of posing for pictures before, but there's a sense of knowing that they'll be judged for it... and he really wants to see Namine win, so he desperately hopes it comes out good.

For her sake. He'll be the competitive one rooting for her sake, but it makes him terribly antsy when he can't see any of her progress.

"Do you get to practice like this at school art class? Drawing outside?"

[rewritethesky]

"We're only just starting to do that, a little." Secretly, she's hoping that he'll have enough patience for this, but so far, so good! She doesn't mind not winning, but is happy enough to spend the time with him and do something meaningful like this.

"It's been too cold to go outside to draw. And now there's... just exams, so... there's not a lot of chances to do something like this."

[madeinoblivion]

"Exams..." Inwardly, the replica winced. Ugh. This was why he just kept a job.

"Well.If you need any help studying..." He offers, glancing back at her hopefully. "I mean, I've never been to school, (outside of what Riku did in school, I guess...that carries over.) but you can do it with flash-cards or something, right? I could help you with something like that"