Happy 11/22 - Knight Of Wands

Hello and thank you for reading! I woke up feeling rested, and honestly pretty recharged. I've been taking more walks in the sunlight, and trying to be active again. I became a bit of a hermit, as did most of us!

Are you going through a similar journey, or are you miles ahead?

I also took my time on Kim See's edits, and I think the quality shows!  Was tempted to try and push this out at 4am, but I decided to break it up into two parts and get some sleep. Look at me adulting!

Though honestly as you may have saw on my Snapchat (Photoreceptor), most of these looked ready great direct from the camera. Though to be fair, Kim and I are also really good friends, so it's hard not to make good art together!

So what is the Knight of Wands? If you pull this card in a reading, it could mean that you have a clear vision of what you want to achieve, and you should go for it! Be bold, brave, and charge into the unknown. 

Could there be danger? Of course!

That's the best part. As the Knight of Wands, Kim adapts to the challenges ahead. Armed with the best secret weapon... a CHA +10 skill! Taverns beware! Because if you're not here for the adventure, why are you here at all?

I decided to try some color grading experiments with some of these edits.  I'll be honest, I really really really love messing around with that stuff. Kim looks incredible in this next shot:

The Knight of Wands and the King of Wands are both amazing leaders. Seth will make his card debut soon as the King!  This next photo was one of the original photos that came out for the Knight of Wands.

Kim and I just had tea the other day at ChaCha's. We even made tea together (they let you create your own custom blends). Honestly one of my favorite Tea Shops (beat only by Songbird). 

Let's talk about the original debut versus the card choice. I had done a handful of photos with the helmet on, much like the Knight in the Rider-Waite version. For some reason though, I just wasn't in love. It's a pretty photo, but for a card about passionately moving ahead in life, I needed a more energetic choice.  

If you've followed my work for awhile, you might recognize the helmet from my Gods and Monsters series... on Aries I think? Eddie Broadway was the model! It's honestly not the most flattering helmet, so I wasn't heartbroken when I decided to not use it in the shot.  

Instead I went with a more commanding pose, added some ambiance, and gave her some Mako energy. She's now in the Knights of the Round! :P

https://finalfantasy.fandom.com/wiki/Knights_of_the_Round_(summon)

I almost went with orange for the font, but ended up picking this vibrant shade, which goes nicely with the border. 

So what did you think? Did you enjoy this artful post? Have a beautiful day, my friend!

Love,

Brandon