Players:
Summary: Robyn asks for Shane's assistance in an art project.
Date: June 2, 2011
Log Title: Asking For Creative Assistance
Rating: PG
Xavier Mansion - Recreation Room
What was once the Parlor has been turned into a Recreation Room for the students. A nice plush carpet meets the light blue walls giving it a homey feel. A pool table at one end, a foos ball table at the other, and entertainment center with video game systems, movies, and of course, cable TV. Big comfy chairs and couches surround a coffee table for comfortable loafing. Long glass windows with a pair of French doors line one side of the room bringing in plenty of light during the day. The main rule in here is to clean up after yourself.
Mid-evening, and the big TV in the rec room is filled with ridiculously stylish characters staging an aerial ballet with guns. The sound is muted, and Shane is curled up on one end of the couch, controller in hand, enjoying her new, high-tech, armored headphones the way they're meant to be enjoyed; cranked up to eleven with the most grindy shouty music she owns. Life is acceptable.
Clutching a few books to his chest, Robyn has been looking from room to room to see if he could fine a certain someone. As soon as he spots the headphone clad girl in the rec room he breaks out into a smile and walks over so he can sit down on the same couch that she's on. He doesn't say anything at first having learned that she can't hear anything when she has the noise cancellers on but instead looks at her with a bit of an excited grin on his face as he waits for Shane to acknowledge someone else is there.
It starts with a sidelong glance and a slight frown, as Robyn plunks down on the couch. The game is paused, and after a moment of intense self-questioning, the girl gives up, tugs off the headphones, loosing a brief blast of Needlework the way! Never you betray! Chop your breakfast on a mirror!! and pauses her new player. "…Sup?"
"Okay, sorry to bother you but I really need your help with something." Robyn begins. "I had an idea for a sculpture and I want to use real fabric for it but I know nothing about fabrics and you're the only person I know that does. And….well..I need your help."
Shane's eyebrows pull together for a moment, the headphones adjusted to settle around her neck. Shifting slightly, she pulls her knees up to her chest, the massive, buckly clubstompers dug in toe-first between the couch cushions, arms resting on her knees. "…Okay?"
Robyn looks at the boots for a few seconds. "Did you get new boots?" He asks before opening one of the books he has showing the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. "Okay so I want to do the Four Horsemen. I know it's a common theme but I want sculpt them as four skeletons on horseback, how I want them to be different is by using fabrics as cloaks. Kinda Ring Wraithy in some ways but I need to figure out what fabrics are better for this kind of thing and will be easy to use. Well not easy to use but easy to get the sort of feel I'm looking for. Like with Famine for instant, I want a thin material that you can see through that will hang off of him without looking like I just threw a piece of fabric and wrapped it around him."
"Mmmn," Shane grunts, leaning forward and peering at the illustration. "…Doable. Wouldn't take much. More if you wanna pose em. Looks stupid otherwise." The girl closes her eyes for a moment, a muscle flexing on her jaw as she considers. "…Twenty-five. Forty if you want it posable."
"Posable fabric?" Robyn asks not really sure what she is asking at first and then he raises his eyebrows at her in even more confusion. "Wait…are you telling me I have to pay you for your help?"
Shane raises an eyebrow. "Fair trade. You want help. Better I just do it. Fabric I don't have, maybe wires I'll need to weave in and make it look right. Cheap work, but it takes time."
"Well I wasn't going to ask you to buy fabric or any other materials since this is my thing but… I can see how much money I have to offer you. I really don't have a lot of money." Robyn says as he's not exactly keen on the idea of paying someone for what he thought was just advice but right now he has the idea in his head and he has to do it. "I don't want you to just do it though, I need to learn how to do this also."
Shane lifts a shoulder. "S'fine. Don't have to pay me if you don't want me to do it. Just saying. Teach yourself how to sew, maybe take a month or two 'n never really like it. Or, have me do it. Get it right the first time. Long time since I made doll clothes, but whatever. Not hard. Could still tell you what you want."
Robyn looks down at his books for a bit and lets out a breath. "I don't want to pay someone to do my art for me." He says as his eyes don't the book in his lap. "I was just hoping that you'd tell me a bit about fabrics and stuff cause I don't know which fabrics are better for this kind of stuff. I was just hoping for this to be my final project here."
Shane nods, once. "Fair enough. Four Horsemen, right? Got ideas for all of them?"
"For most of them. For War I want something that is firey and that I could give kind of a wild uncontrolled look. Like I said for famine something see through and thin so you can see the skeleton underneath the fabric. For Death..I'm still kind of debating cause I could go the classic black cloak look but it's over done. Maybe if I get it so it's tattered and almost rotted looking." Robyn mulls out loud. "And for Pestilence maybe something that just hangs, I'm trying to think of a good sickly look."
"Scab-colored burlap, ivory muslin, faded black satin, 'n maybe something like bandages," Shane rattles off after a moment's thought. "Probably wanna take some sandpaper or something to 'em, 'n go over it with some watered down paint."
Robyn grins at Shane and looks like he almost wants to hug or kiss her or maybe both. "This is why I came to you, cause you know this stuff. Thank you so so so much. Really, I can offer you some money for your help it's not a lot but I can offer you what I can. I really do appreciate this Shane."
Shane waves a hand negligently. "No reason to charge money for just talking. We'll see when you sit down at the machine how much of a pain in the ass it is to teach you. Maybe charge then."
"I can treat you for dinner or something if you wanna go fabric shopping with me sometime. I'd like to go this weekend if you're not busy." Robyn says as he leans back in the couch. "I sometimes get these ideas and I find it next to impossible to sleep or think of anything else until I'm done."
Shane looses another grunt, this one probably agreeable. "Need to build my stock back up anyway. Good thing I haven't spent anything I've gotten. Probably gonna need to drop a couple hundred dollars," she murmurs, tossing a lock of hair away from her face. "…Easier for sewing. Once the pattern's done anyway. … Reminds me. Gonna have to learn how to read patterns."
"I'll try to learn what I can while I'm still here." Robyn says raising his eyebrows. "I know my parents want me to spend most the summer at home but it's not like I have much other then job and apartment hunting planned till college starts. I really do appreciate this Shane, it means a lot to me."
Shane's lips purse at the comment, arms dropping to encircle her knees. "….No problem," she says after a moment. "Should go with your family though. Get a wood box 'n some wet washcloths for the project."
"They live in Brooklyn so it's not like I'll be that far away from them here. I'll be even closer when I go to Parsons next year." Robyn says. "A wood box and some wet washcloths…what would those be used for?"
Shane blinks, both eyebrows rising. "…Wet clay, right? Take it home and keep it from drying out?"
"Oh! Actually I use ziplock bags since they can get air tight and I put something wet in there to keep it moist. Though honestly with how big they are they're going to be hard to travel. I am planning on each one standing at least a foot tall." Robyn says as he thinks about it. "Though usually what I'm transporting is smaller so the bags are fine but if I transport something this big…I might have to find a wooden box or a giant plastic tote."
"Box is probably better. Harder to smoosh. Wrap'm in washcloths 'n you could probably fix whatever gets bent after," Shane mumbles, shrugging idly. "…Probably gonna want my help anyway. Sanding 'n painting are a bitch to do right the first time if you've never worked fabric. 'Specially the muslin 'n gauze. Wires're tough too, but there's tricks."
"The wire I'm not as afraid of cause I've used wire in sculptures before like this weird planter I made using some wire and plexy glass to make it seem like it was being torn apart by a monster battle." Robyn says. "I really don't mind your help just as long as you're not doing it all for me. I'm..I'm not used to working with people on stuff. I've always been more of a solo type when it comes to art."
Shane lifts a shoulder. "Me either. But you're an artsy type. 'F you couldn't make it look good, you'd hate it forever. 'N wiring cloth's a little different, specially if you're treating it. 'S why I'm offering. 'F you don't want me to do it?" The girl shrugs. "Then I'll do it on my own, 'n you learn watching. Four of my animals get new clothes, you get your stuff."
"I really do want your help Shane. I know you know what you're doing and that you're good at it." Robyn says. "Four of your animals? Do you have a lot of pets?" He asks curiously. "And I know what you mean, there have been so many project I hated half way through I either just threw away cause they were already hardened and baked or I just smooshed into a new project."
Shane snorts. "Stuffies," she says by way of explanation. "Bad idea to keep pets. Mom's got a cat now, but Dad's never been big on animals."
"Ah okay. We never had pets growing up, our apartment was never big enough." Robyn says. "It's barely big enough for three people but…it's home." And he wouldn't have it any other way. "I've always wanted a cat or a hedgehog or chinchilla."
Shane shakes her head. "Couldn't live in New York. Too crowded. LA's huge, but it's all out. That place is all up. 'S like the lizard section of a pet store."
"Williamsburg isn't too bad. It's a really artsy area of Brooklyn. And thank god I don't have the Brooklyn accent." Robyn says. "Our apartment is on the fourth floor of a six floor building. It's just, it's what we can afford. My parents never really had a ton of money." He isn't bothered by that fact though. "I'm used to New York I guess, it's home."
Shane shrugs. "Guess so. S'way too crowded there. 'S almost nice coming back here after. Quiet. LA's busy, but mostly just cars."
"I've never been to LA. I've never really been outside of New York State." Robyn confesses. "Just the one time a bunch of us stole the Blackbird when everyone's powers were switched around. That was so long ago though." He says trailing off. "Anyway, thank you so much Shane. You really are my hero right now. I gotta head upstairs for a bit so I'll let you get back to your video game. I owe you."
Shane nods. "S'fine. Weekend, then. Hit the fabric district. Probably gonna be a few hours, hope you don't tire easy."
Robyn shakes his head. "Nope, and if I start to get physically tired I'll just possess someone and use their body for a bit while I recharge." He jokes. "I owe you dinner this weekend then, your choice." He says standing up hoping that he didn't just bankrupt himself saying that. "Thanks again Shane and have a good night!" He says as he heads out of the rec room and upstairs.
