Ariel - Crossplay 2018

[Arking]

Well I'm going to formalize this and give it it's own thread so I can update and not spam other areas of the site with progress updates.
https://scontent.fyvr3-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/35941774_10160907925915221_6466969482068754432_n.j pg?_nc_cat=0&oh=568baea7e6e85847543446cf0c15f90d&oe=5BE7EE13&efg=eyJhZG1pc3Npb25fY29udHJvbCI6MSwidXBsb2FkZXJfaW QiOiI1Nzk3MjAyMjAifQ%3D%3Dhttps://scontent.fyvr3-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/36063603_10160907925945221_8246921710419312640_n.j pg?_nc_cat=0&oh=75263289fd1296ec04a38ffa2debcecd&oe=5BB9556B&efg=eyJhZG1pc3Npb25fY29udHJvbCI6MSwidXBsb2FkZXJfaW QiOiI1Nzk3MjAyMjAifQ%3D%3D

I'm going to try and crossplay Ariel this year doing a photoshoot using some props and various costumes.

My Proof of concept:

https://78.media.tumblr.com/c3c8ab1ea9b62440b0d96854c4ee0e1b/tumblr_p4ti47jYpw1qebavmo1_400.jpg

Moved from a different thread:

What you can expect: The same dude who's going to be Eric (pictured on the right) will be doing Tom Riddle in my Harry Potter set of photos, and then I've got Game of Thrones to finish. @_@ I'm notorious for starting projects and then getting swept up in a current of something new. But my Tumblr (http://arkingarts.tumblr.com/) has been active lately catching all the activity as I touch up and do all the detailing and embroidery on some of the costumes. While that is going I can focus on adding scales to the new tail which I think will just have the waist fins like in the animation so I don't need to concern myself with a flesh-tone blend. ^-^

The four major scenes I'd like to recreate in costume are:

Jig & The Storm (A Curious Encounter) - Ariel peaking over the deck with Flounder watching the dancing. Green screen using a wooden table I just built and lots of stock photography

The Grotto - Using green screen again and hand sculpted and painted styrofoam with a combination of underwater photography and I finally get to use my DJ H20 Led Light for this one!

The Rescue - Eric on the Beach with the palace in the background using scene replacement. Lighthouse Park, BC pictured on the right will be the staging area and Chateau de Chillon will substitute for Eric's seaside palace overlaying where the lighthouse is in that scene. With the scene/image reversed to give the illusion of looking at it from the other direction (to match the Chateau and animation) and modifications to the architecture to better fit the animated depiction including the lighted pier.

Kiss the Girl Lagoon - Sunset pond scene with fireflies possibly the hardest to accomplish but using the Lost Lagoon in Stanley Park, BC as the primary backdrop with photos taken elsewhere (likely on land) and green screened back in for the final image.

I intend to try and make use of my film skills with this so each one will actually be a gif file when I'm finally finished, which should also explain why both props for Sebastian and Flounder are mentioned to be animatronic. I just need to re-skin and repaint them so that they better fit. Small scenes I can do on my own will be The Dinner Scene, Bedtime, and the Wedding Announcement all land based ones with simple costumes that would feature the small animatronics more than costumes.

[Arking]

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https://pre00.deviantart.net/a40e/th/pre/i/2014/071/c/4/out_of_water_by_sakimichan-d79ulj8.jpg
Art by Sakimi-Chan (https://sakimichan.deviantart.com/gallery/)
I've had no luck finding the little wind up crustacean that I wanted to use for Sebastian which is unfortunate but not the end of the world. On the upside the toss and swim fish I intend to use as the under structure for flounder is relatively easy to get.

I'm considering investing in a copper red wig from Arda wigs $55 (USD), the Marty (https://www.arda-wigs.com/products/marty-classic) lace front is currently my choice option but I need to budget for it. My hair is already red but it's naturally a silvery blonde and I've been growing it out to cut it to the length I regularly enjoy, a wig would allow me the colour I like without the obligation of holding onto the red for months on end. For whatever reason red hair doesn't fade in my case and doesn't need to be reapplied again and again but it means theres a noticeable difference in my natural lighter colour and the vibrant red I choose.

I'd also like to do a few costumes for the shoot, the casual land blue vest and white undershirt, as well as a formal sea-foam coloured suit-jacket embellished with coral and shell embroidery.

[Keiris]

That formal sea-foam colored jacket with embellishments sounds gorgeous!

[Arking]

That formal sea-foam colored jacket with embellishments sounds gorgeous!
Thanks I'm going to be basing the intricacy off of the Prince in Beauty in the Beast.
https://movieplayer.net-cdn.it/images/2017/01/26/beauty-12.jpg
42990
I've wanted one since I saw the movie last summer. It is a Georgian patterned jacket but I would do a similar cut done in seafoam.

The ornate rococo leaves replaced by kelp intertwining up the jacket towards the collar with pearls and glass gems of various sizes interwoven like bubbles rising up the embroidery, carved mother of pearl or abalone buttons replacing the silver rose ones in the photo above. The inner portion of the chest lining has organza with crosshatched embroidery beneath it, I'd keep that the same but interwork embroidery of shells, crustaceans, schools of fish and as the lining rises up the body, birds. As if to evoke the idea of leaving the sea the embroidery changes as it moves up the form of the jacket.

The body of the jacket is covered in damask roses cut out of velveteen and stitched delicately onto the satin body this I would have replaced with stylized sea anemone. The lattice work located on the sleeve and beneath the rib of the jacket I would change to resemble fan coral, and work in more coral styles throughout the lower portion. Lastly I'd sneak in embroideries on the cuffs of the jacket of the marguerite daisy, the national flower of Denmark and a nod to Hans Christian Anderson.

[Arking]

My colour scheme here will be similar to the redesign which uses seafoam and a variation of Ariel Green. My natural inclination is to do an ombre dye from one to the other but instead I think I'll do a primary seafoam satin base with a velveteen ariel green accent and silver/white pearl embroidery thread. The liner will be ariel green if I can find a good satin or silk in that colour. Come to think of it if I can get Abalone shells I might carve starfish onto them.

For accent gems and embellishments I can take teardrop glass gems and arrange them into clam shapes using 3-5 gems in a fan pattern, it would be nice to have a few of these in a lilac colour on the seafoam to represent the clamshell bodice. I can also use teardrop gems arranged wide end in around a single small purple or seagreen gem to make crystal glass starfish.

These are also rather nice in case the abalone or mother of pearl button idea falls through...
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[Arking]

Today was embroidery day. That is, I spent three hours designing kelp and other sea creatures to later be printed out by my machine. If I do this once every two days I can get pretty far on this single costume, but I've got a lot of other projects under way so I'm not really seeing this going much faster than this.

[Keiris]

You definitely have your work cut out for you young man. At least it will keep you off the streets at night. ;)

[Arking]

Haha the streets are my place to be at night, that being I walk 10km home every night I have work. It's what's helped me slim down and tone up recently. :)

[Arking]

I'm at a crossroads. I have another tail I can make and I'm considering piping paintable silicone onto neoprene while it's flat rather than doing it spit roast style. Thing is I'm definitely wary of the silicone cracking but am aware that thinner coats tend not to do this so if I'm gentle and patient with it and only use the silicone to give it a very lightly scaled appearance all will probably be fine.

But then there is the issue of fins...I intend to add side fins to my new tail, as well as doing a split fin rather than a big solid one like my previous design. Thing is my monofin is so big that at the very least a mostly solid fin is necessary. I'd also like this to be a "Little Mermaid" styled tail and don't want to deviate too far from the animation for the purpose of using it in photoshoots. I'm aware and capable of photoediting the heck out of the tail to remove bells and whistles (more fins) to make it line up with the animation but I'm wondering if it'd just be easier to pull another prop tail out of my pocket rather than design a functioning one and potentially use some some expensive neoprene in the process.

My heart is set on using silicone to adhere scales this time rather than any other material. Doing another prop one before doing a proper neoprene is only attractive in that I might get more practice making a dummy tail made with swimmable spandex. If I go that route I'll probably be cutting up some foam to help pad material and even out the shape so it appears more uniform and tail-like. If I stick with neoprene it's got enough body I won't have to do that.


As an update to actual costume development. I've settled on buying a wig for this - Hansel by Arda wigs (https://www.arda-wigs.com/collections/classic-short/products/hansel-classic?variant=27836265350) in Crimson to match up with the bulk of animated interpretations of how a genderbent Ariel would look.

[Arking]

No updates on this costume tonight sadly. I did finish my Medieval doublet for a Game of Thrones cosplay, and then immediately cut and prepared a second. Freeing up space in my fabric trunk has never been so easy.

[Arking]

So I finished prepping my second pattern for a doublet, that is cutting minimal interfacing, and adding darts to the vest front and back. I'm bringing this up because it's sort of related to the idea of getting comfortable with period patterns. I still need to find a good Georgian Suit Jacket pattern that I like but for now this medieval style is very close to the shape it'll eventually take.

Aside from that I ended up running out of some alligator skin patterned vinyl. The remainder of my afternoon was spent tearing apart two of my steamer trunks (what mer person doesn't have a few of those lying around eh?) looking through yards of material. In the end I managed to make it work to my advantage sorting out one bin for costume fabrics, and one for practical garments where before they were intermixed. To add insult to injury though after sorting my entire collection I was at a loss as to where it may have been and ended up finding it in the bottom of my mechanical props bin where it really shouldn't have been. The remainder of my evening was spent cutting out more scales for some scalemail underpants.

It's disappointing that there wasn't more time to be more physical and workout today with all the mess that ended up being made in the search, but there is some relief now that I may breeze through many projects with everything sorted the way it is.

[Arking]

Whilst on my 10km walk in to work today I settled on a tail redesign that will meet my Ariel needs and my desire for a more exquisite design. I'm going to admit up front my solution came when reflecting on the work of Merbella Tails and will in my part try to mimic a design close to one of their fin patterns. I'm not great at making tails and probably going to look nothing like their masterful craftsmanship, but as an artist I feel something needs to be said when someone gets inspiration from another person, even more so when the plan is to copy that persons work even if it's for non-commercial purposes.

Now onto some details, I'm copying a look but modifying the design to go from an aesthetic choice to a necessary and functional part of my own design that will allow me to hide my monofin and get the split tail shape I want for this look. I've also just resigned to the idea of adding extra fins because I can remove those in post processing if I need to, and I'd really like to have them on this tail anyway.

[Arking]

What a long week. Took some time to finish two doublets a pair of scale briefs (for a Robin costume), and am medieval shirt. Slowly working my way through back projects with the intention to start working on the new tail near the end of the month. I need to focus more on hitting up the gym to help me meet my goals.

[Keiris]

It's always hard to fit the gym in when you're trying to cram in so many creative projects, I know. When will we see pics of your creations?

[Mermaid Whisper]

I'm curious to see as well as it sounds amazing, and I can barely sew a rectangle anymore:P

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[Arking]

I guess today is as good a day as any to do a photoshoot of my costumes :)

[Keiris]

You GO boy! We want to see them!

[Mermaid Whisper]

This is AMAZING

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[Arking]

That's all for today :) I need to take my pup for a walk and hit the gym!

[Arking]

Also just to follow up, the first three pictures are the medieval shirt and two doublets (one brown the other copper). These are unfinished as the shirt needs grommets and lacing, the doublets need clasps and embroidery one is getting lions and the other dragons. These outfits both need a pair of lace up pants in either vinyl or heavy cotton and long black boots.

The next set is the scale briefs I was talking about for my Boy Wonder Robin costume. The shirt on this costume needs to be taken in and probably reduced in length. I want to remake the belt instead of using this rubber one, and I need an undershirt for it. Oh and the red shirt/vest needs yellow clasps.

Last is my Link costume which is also needing some repair work. It doesn't fit right so I'm remaking the tunic and chugging out hylian embroidery to decorate it. The gauntlets need rolled leather instead of threading, and theres a detail pattern I need to sew onto them. I also have a chainmail shirt that is unfinished that goes underneath it. It needs a new belt with pouches for holding things, and various lacing. A pair of pants and shirt are currently in my "to sew" pile as the original matching shirt and pants along with the wig were all stolen in a theft that happened a while back.

[Keiris]

WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You have been a very busy lad!!! That's a lot of work and you look GREAT in all those guises.

[Arking]

Thanks I wish I had my wigs for all these looks but :) I'm happy I did this today it was actually on my to-do list this week.

[Keiris]

4309643097

You remind me of the guy playing Romeo in the original Romeo & Juliet in that first group of pics.

[Mermaid Whisper]

And that actor reminds me of Zac Efron's teenage years [emoji14]

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[Arking]

Oh he's pretty I'll take that compliment!

I should really praise my ancestors more for good genetics. That and photoshop filters. :P

[Mermaid Whisper]

You do look fantastic! I'm jealous of your costuming skills tbh.

I was awful looking as a child and turned out to be somewhat decent [emoji23]

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[Arking]

Same, I oddly look younger than I did when I was in my early 20's now that I'm nearing my mid my 30's. It probably has to do with my oily skin growing up but it took 15 years for me to finally grow out of acne so I'm conflicted if that has anything to do with it.

Edit: Yes I'm a grown man running around in superhero costumes...it keeps me young.:fallover:

[Mermaid Whisper]

I'd rather see grown men in superhero costumes having fun than men spending their lives in an office wishing they could do so.

If it keeps the passion alive, by all means!

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[Arking]

I should mention I only really learned to sew two years ago. I got my first sewing machine in 2014 but the TSA broke it in transit rendering it unusable. Thankfully I saved up enough money to buy a new machine which can do embroidery as well as automatic stitching (which I never use). This newer machine has been a gift from the gods and with it I've slowly built up confidence to work on larger projects. Truth be told this doublet is really the first costume I have completed, the Link and Robin costumes were done years back (almost 10 years ago now) and all I did was cut out the pattern the actual sewing was done by someone else. I did learn through watching though and the most important thing I've picked up is that pattern making and modification is key to pulling off convincing costumes.

With the brown doublet I tried following instructions to complete the task, but quickly found myself unable to understand the directions. It took me three months to finally pull myself together and just finish it without caring for how the lining came together (the lining is by far the hardest portion). That said I completed the second doublet in two days from cut to completion it was much faster because I got more confident in my ability and had learned where I'd gone wrong with the first (so many bloody mistakes). My strength is in accessories though and that's how I really taught myself to manage my machine to the best of my abilities by making small bags, embroidery patches, belts, harnesses, swimsuits etc.

In my cosplay experience you can never have enough accessories on hand to mix and match with your costumes. On my Tumblr I frequently talk about how key this is and one such accessories has been in use since 2005, that belt you see in the doublet and Link photos. Granted I'm replacing it for both of those costumes, but for getting started something small like that can go a long way. :)

[Keiris]

Same, I oddly look younger than I did when I was in my early 20's now that I'm nearing my mid my 30's. It probably has to do with my oily skin growing up but it took 15 years for me to finally grow out of acne so I'm conflicted if that has anything to do with it.

Edit: Yes I'm a grown man running around in superhero costumes...it keeps me young.:fallover:

Thank goodness! Wish more did.

[Arking]

Love that Mermaid handbook you posted to FB the other day. :) I'm very interested in the recipe portion!

[Arking]

Did some research this morning on pattern making and getting down the correct terminology for the future costume I want to do.

Basically in order to make a Georgian mens formal wear costume I'm going to need to make the following:
Breeches 18th Century (1750's+) - Satin
Shirt Rococo 18th Century - Silk
Frock Coat 18th Century (1760-1770) - Satin
Waistcoat 18th Century (1740-1760) - Satin

Which thankfully is fairly narrow and puts me at around the early 1760's for the fashion and patterning.

To remake my Legend of Zelda costume I'm going to need to look at the Medieval Period
Long Braies - 15th Century - Linen
Hosiery - 14th Century - Wool
Renaissance Shirt - 14th-17th Century - Linen

The Tunic and hat are somewhat unique but the style is similar to early 14th Century designs and will be made in either Moleskin, Cotton, Velveteen, or Velvet. The current iteration is heavy weight Moleskin.

[Keiris]

Love that Mermaid handbook you posted to FB the other day. :) I'm very interested in the recipe portion!

Thanks! The book comes out May 15th through HarperCollins to the public. It's packed with gorgeous pics and illustrations too!

[Arking]

Love it, I'm a bit of a cook so I enjoy entertaining and that'd be a fun theme to do if I get a better look at it.

This week's been rough seas so far, no costume developments as some personal complications arose with my family (I'm estranged from them) reentered my life in a grand fashion. I've a long list of goals this week though so hopefully by Thursday I'm able to recover some lost ground and get going on practicing some sculpt and finishing some more sewing.

On a happier note I'm getting smaller with little to no effort, I'm officially at 138lbs just 3lbs from my goal! Wasting away am I, but I'm happy for it my tummy is looking leaner and less like a grouper :p

[Arking]

i am so not meeting my goals this week. just got home from the er . feeling properly sick thanks to a rogue kidney stone, on the upside ive lost a ton of weight

[Keiris]

Oh no!!! Hope you feel better! Not sure how tall you are but 135 seems really slim for a man of average height. I weigh 155!

[Mermaid Oona]

Rest a ton please !! Get well soon !

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[Ransom]

Sounds painful, please rest well and return when you're ready.

[Arking]

Been awhile but I'm lurking again as of today.

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[Keiris]

About damn time, merman...….

[inanna]

welcome back!

[Arking]

About damn time, merman...….

It's odd for some reason I thought I was always around and had replied lol. I kept looking to see if anyone was replying to threads I frequent on here and got none in the past few months. :P Turns out when I finally checked I hadn't posted last afterall so there was nothing for anyone to respond too!

[Keiris]

What are you working on young man?

[Arking]

Being cute, getting fit.

In reality I finally started a Instagram last week and was always somewhat active on Tumblr. After my Kidney Stone I got really sick, with what ended up being a gram-negative bacterial infection caused by Yersinia which is that same little bugger that causes plague. I'm technically still under some form of watch/quarantine which is kinda crummy lol but not too serious as I'm perfectly fit and able to function/work.

As for "work" work I'm doing some commissions for friends, mostly shorts and various other pieces of clothing to get by. Someone wants 7 pairs of shorts for summer and another wanted a thong that made his bum look rounder so it's been me mostly making custom patterns and experimenting instead of doing the things I wanted to do.

My Ariel Cosplay got put on hold, throughout April I was depressed and struggled to stay motivated/feel anything. Thankfully though I'm coming out of it and all of the work I did ahead of time was still waiting for me. So I'm ready to grab a caulk and get pumping out some scales.

[Arking]

https://78.media.tumblr.com/2d3c2937c09d4d23c90e11574db5f14c/tumblr_p9pm63xYqn1qebavmo1_1280.jpg
https://78.media.tumblr.com/03a7e094984783e2455d0b6fcd6e8cae/tumblr_p9mqy3yNTU1qebavmo1_1280.jpg
https://78.media.tumblr.com/a8277cb1d3e7bca46bc6e989ad15fc7a/tumblr_p9mqwjHXfq1qebavmo1_1280.jpg
https://78.media.tumblr.com/c94a10320b21affb77f8055ca4412904/tumblr_p9mqqnZc0n1qebavmo1_1280.jpg
https://78.media.tumblr.com/c8fe77923b0153eeb1ec2d694d4da4cd/tumblr_p9yp1vkGBm1qebavmo1_1280.jpg
https://78.media.tumblr.com/bebc4571593d755a44543544bee8bdba/tumblr_p9pma5JD8c1qebavmo1_1280.jpg


I did do a photoshoot for the end of May last night. Trying on the old fishy tail before I replace it with a much sleeker model with additional fins and a brighter ariel green colour.

[Keiris]

Ugh. Sorry to hear you were feeling so poorly but glad you're getting better. On the upside, those pics are great! "Being cute and getting fit" indeed!!!!!;)

[Arking]

Ugh. Sorry to hear you were feeling so poorly but glad you're getting better. On the upside, those pics are great! "Being cute and getting fit" indeed!!!!!;)

Haha yeah I was totally hoping to have a new tail by the end of April but that's life. I've been surprised that there's quite a few merpeople in my area now, lots of fabric tails really taking off and it's not so uncommon. Even still I had to trek pretty far out to find a nice beach to take some shots. :)

[Arking]

Added two new photos to my tumblr to check out. Might sneak some onto my Instagram later. :) This photoshoot proved fruitful.

[Keiris]

So where are they??

[Arking]

On my instagram! https://www.instagram.com/ouijiarking/

[Keiris]

:D

[Arking]

You'll be able to keep up with a lot of my progress day to day on there as I make sure to post twice daily to that account. Keeps me motivated to know people are watching and looking for updates. :)

[Arking]

Whelp, finished all my side projects for now. I'm exhausted but I really want to have a new tail by the months end so tomorrow I'm measuring and cutting the new pattern. My biggest hurdle is deciding whether I want to use the same monofin as before which is HUUUUUGE. Almost unrealistically big to scale up to again since I'm looking at doing a split tail design that's a bit more demure. Aside from that I'm doing lots of careful detail work and hand application so I expect it'll be some time before it's complete, weeks to say the least.

[Arking]

https://78.media.tumblr.com/c62001efd61136cab132b038743fd90b/tumblr_pa485fVDv11qebavmo1_1280.jpg
Thoughts on which wig I should get?

[Mermaid Whisper]

I'd say if you're sticking to the brighter green, the cartoon color might be best. I really like the Disney Parks red, but I'd pair it with the natural green you've got in your most recent "old fishy tail" pics.

In any case, you'll look fintastic! :)

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[Arking]

I'd say if you're sticking to the brighter green, the cartoon color might be best. I really like the Disney Parks red, but I'd pair it with the natural green you've got in your most recent "old fishy tail" pics.

In any case, you'll look fintastic! :)

Sent from my [device_name] using MerNetwork mobile app (http://MerNetwork mobile app)

I really like Disney Parks Red myself, and was leaning towards it considering my affinity for the more natural greens. I do have a really bright ariel green that was going to be mixed with some other pigments (dry brushing the scales so the raised parts are ariel green and deeper parts are a darker green) and was going to fade the fins out with a lighter teal/seafoam. The green won't be too different than the one I've got, but it will be coated with a green/purple iridescent and applied after a silver base coat. :) Still need to try this out and see what mixture looks best

[Arking]

Well updates, finally got to working on the new tail this morning. Basically doing tests with the silicon combs I made to work on textures etc. I'm also making a few molds for the additional fins I was going to do to see if I can get the caulk out of the mold and have it adhere to neoprene sandwiched between it for ease of attachment (sewn) and durability.

[Arking]

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#Goals.

So this is the new tail I'm hooooping to put together. It's a larger fin portion with hidden pocket for the monofin I have. Probably all together 6-12" longer than the previous fin and 8" wider. Doing some fancy fins down the front, and sides but not on the back going down the spinal column. Its a neoprene with silicone caulk tail with the scales individually piped and pulled then textured with a scallop texture using needle tools. The fins will be a mixture of the pulled caulk using the fin combs I've designed and some molds. Base layer of paint is a silver/gunmetal black with a olivine green second coat. Each scale will then be dry brushed with ariel green and a final light coat will be applied with dichroic paint in the purple/green spectrum. Light areas near the top will fade into fleshtone, and fins will fade into a seafoam green.

[Arking]

So I woke up Monday with my tonsils infected. I think this is partially why I'm giving up lately. I'm just constantly sick and under some kind of miasma cloud thats choking out any energy and happiness I can muster. Seriously missing the pristine salty ocean spray that made me feel healthy 100% of the time. I'm medicating with 400mg ibuprofen and orajel to numb the area and it seems to be working well enough that I'm just suffering from a fever and slight vertigo at times.

Updates on the tail. So the molds didn't work. I think my release agent was crap but at the same time I'm just going to have to sculpt it by hand again this time with more detailed utensils that I've made myself. I feel like putting myself to work like this will help me clear my mind after I get better in the next day or so.

[Keiris]

Arking, sorry to see that you're feeling so poorly! Uhhhgghh, it's so hard to stay motivated to do ANYTHING when you don't feel well. Take care of yourself! The tail can wait.

[Arking]

Arking, sorry to see that you're feeling so poorly! Uhhhgghh, it's so hard to stay motivated to do ANYTHING when you don't feel well. Take care of yourself! The tail can wait.

Awe thanks!

I'm motivating myself by planning the Florida trip next year. My roomy is getting a camper and it looks like we're shooting for Key West. :) I'm a bit sleepy, drugs kicking in, but my throat no longer hurts as of a few minutes ago. Some oatmeal and honey seems to have done some wonders on soothing the swelling.

[Arking]

Whelp updates.

No progress on anything what so ever. I've had to work the past week almost every day and never with enough time off to really heal or get better. This has caused a bit of a problem as I never had the time to make it to the clinic to find out what was wrong. Sometime over the weekend my tonsils got so swollen they pushed towards the center of my throat preventing me from opening my jaw without excessive force, and causing me discomfort swallowing and sometimes breathing. Doctor said it was probably strep and sent me to get some meds that he said could clear it up. I'm on day 3 of the meds I started Monday afternoon and there's been little progress in that department. There's some talk about having to do surgery which would be crap, to both drain a possible infection in the jaw and behind the tonsils and potentially to remove the tonsils themselves.

I've been mostly positive during the whole thing but did have a bit of a breakdown earlier this week when trying to eat a sandwich and my jaw couldnt open enough to manage without stabbing pains down my neck which prevented me from swallowing. It's just a hurdle, I'll get past it.

[Arking]

Oh I lied I do have one update....


https://scontent.fyvr3-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/36063603_10160907925945221_8246921710419312640_n.j pg?_nc_cat=0&oh=75263289fd1296ec04a38ffa2debcecd&oe=5BB9556B&efg=eyJhZG1pc3Npb25fY29udHJvbCI6MSwidXBsb2FkZXJfaW QiOiI1Nzk3MjAyMjAifQ%3D%3D

[Keiris]

You got your male Ariel "DO!" Nice. When you wear that with your full costume for pictures, You might consider brushing some comparable pigment through your eyebrows and sideburns since that color is so saturated. It will be nice to offset those big baby blues. And for Pete's Sake take care of that throat young man!!!

[Arking]

You got your male Ariel "DO!" Nice. When you wear that with your full costume for pictures, You might consider brushing some comparable pigment through your eyebrows and sideburns since that color is so saturated. It will be nice to offset those big baby blues. And for Pete's Sake take care of that throat young man!!!

Lol yes normally I temporarily dye my burns and brows. The wig isnt even styled but it looks good out of the bag. I had a fever and was sweating through taking this photo which is why it's touched up to hell and back. I've been unable to stay focused for very long because of my energy levels plunging. Doesnt help the weather here is varying by over 20 degrees high and lows lately.

https://scontent.fyvr3-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/35941774_10160907925915221_6466969482068754432_n.j pg?_nc_cat=0&oh=568baea7e6e85847543446cf0c15f90d&oe=5BE7EE13&efg=eyJhZG1pc3Npb25fY29udHJvbCI6MSwidXBsb2FkZXJfaW QiOiI1Nzk3MjAyMjAifQ%3D%3D
My eyes look unnaturally big. I had to check the filters vs the real photos several times to be sure it wasn't enlarging them...kinda freaks me out.

[Keiris]

They look big like HER eyes! That will be a pretty good gender swap. If your hair is still blonde when you do the whole look, you can always just use a red brow pencil or red/burgundy eyeshadow to tweek your brows/burns. Sorry, the old Hollywood makeup artist in me came oozing out. :p

[Arking]

Well now I know who to talk to about getting makeup for myself. Its the one thing I havent had the courage to do :S

[Arking]

Surgery in the next few days if things dont improve, was in the ER today but sadly the hospital didnt have the proper equipment to instantly relieve the problem. Basically my airway is slowly constricting, very slowly im suffocating rather than getting better. The hope is that the meds I'm on will eventually solve the problem but that doesnt appear to be happening just yet. The ER doc said I should be at another nearby hospital where they could have readily performed the surgery and instantly solved the issue without pause for medication hoping my body will reverse course.

I'm hoping for cost savings that the meds work, I unfortunately havent taken time off at all during this and this is partially why I'm not getting any better. But money is tight and my work is already asking me to consider whether I still need the time that i scheduled off next month three months ago. It's been a hellish past few months and even the doctors are concerned about how things have developed right around the time I should be getting better again.

[Ransom]

That sounds awful, Arking. Best wishes for your health and finances! My wife and I are in a different situation, but we know what it's like for loads of bad stuff to happen one after another.

Take care and all the best for your cosplay!

[Arking]

Thanks :)

I'm just a little depressed is all, the doctors say its actually the meds and the illness causing the depression and that with time (hopefully a few days) it'll go away and I'll be in tip top shape again. So to be specific what I have is called a peritonsillar abscess which has caused secondary issues the biggest being something called trismus or more commonly known as lockjaw. I can talk and open my mouth but only wide enough to fit a finger between my teeth. As most people can talk even with their jaw clenched I do not look or sound ill, which is why I'm able to go to work rather than rest up.

I'm on stronger medication now, which apparently is great for my skin. It's been less than 24 hours but the hope is by tomorrow morning the new meds will have worked through my system and begun fighting the effects of the infection in the lining of my throat and tonsils. It'll be a few days after probably Wed or Thurs before I can fully move my jaw again and the swelling is completely gone if everything goes smoothly.

I'm irritated because a week ago I presented these symptoms and vocalized my concern but my doctor didn't feel concerned and prescribed me medication that even the pharmacist said was an unusually low dosage. To that end I paid for a medication that served to do me no good while my symptoms worsened to a state where they became (without anti-inflammatory medication I bought for myself) potentially life threatening. Saturday was crummy because in a reclining position I began to choke on my own saliva which is gross I know, but this led to the eventual evening visit to the ER doc who said surgery was recommended but higher dosage medication was all he could manage without the ENT present. So it's another week of feeling funky and drinking from a metal straw.

If I do not show signs of improvement by tomorrow afternoon I'll likely be in the ER again and they'll just do the surgery to remove the infection and instantly relieve the problem. As it is though Strep was a shot in the dark the first doctor took and I still have no idea why this is happening. I got a call that my results were available on Saturday but I had to schedule an appointment with a doctor 4 days later (Tomorrow) to get them.

[Keiris]

OMG You really are having a time of it! What a nightmare! How are you even sleeping at night?

[Arking]

OMG You really are having a time of it! What a nightmare! How are you even sleeping at night?
Lol, I wasn't! That was part of the problem for two weeks. I'd be waking up at 4am with a strange choking sensation and then not being able to get back to sleep. The cocktail I'm on now has been helping but the doctors were concerned at one point I'd be so doped up I'd just suffocate which is funny in a terrifying "WHAT!?" kind of way.

[Arking]

You know you're in hell when those tiny canned mushrooms give you difficulty when you're eating...

[Arking]

Its over. I had surgery. I'm going to rest for a day tomorrow but the doctor said I should recover. Still no solid foods for awhile but I just had blueberry cheesecake ice cream and ill have probably chowder later tonight.

[Keiris]

Tonsillectomy?

[Arking]

Nope, just several deep stabs to the lining of my throat behind the tonsils and then a flooding of the infected area. Gross as it sounds they removed about 8oz of infection

[inanna]

daaaaaaang :jawdrop: are you gonna be okay?

[Arking]

should be. I feel a lot better this morning than I have in a long time. I guess the infection really dragged down my energy levels more than I gave it credit for. I still can't open my jaw but because its a secondary complication it'll take longer to heal than my throat did. I mean I guess I still have a huge cut (no stitches my jaw is too closed) in the back of my throat but I'm no longer choking and it appears every thing has gone back to normal in that regard. They say it'll take a week and it'll be like it never happened :)

[Keiris]

That's great news! I wonder how they opened your jaw wide enough for the instruments....Glad you're on the mend!!

[Arking]

They didn't sadly. My jaw was open enough that they had a small camera and very long stabby tools. It wasn't a slice and go operation very much carving like a pumpkin to get through the thick throat lining. I wasnt on much if any anesthetic the whole time because of that and got to feel the whole thing :(

[Mermaid Oona]

They didn't sadly. My jaw was open enough that they had a small camera and very long stabby tools. It wasn't a slice and go operation very much carving like a pumpkin to get through the thick throat lining. I wasnt on much if any anesthetic the whole time because of that and got to feel the whole thing :(Omg.....I hope you get better! I will send prayers yours way and fins crossed for a fast recovery and a wonderful success on your crossplay ( which I love so far!)

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[Bathtub_Octomaid]

Its over. I had surgery. I'm going to rest for a day tomorrow but the doctor said I should recover. Still no solid foods for awhile but I just had blueberry cheesecake ice cream and ill have probably chowder later tonight.I wish you a fast recovery and hope you will be fine soon [emoji5]

Also I wanted to tell you how awesome I think your crossplay is. It suits you very well [emoji223]

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