In Each Other All Along

A mighty big commission for Azadeh-Khanoom on Furaffinity as a gift to SmithyShark for the Persian New Year! Oz the Tiger-Cat and Jordan the Shark are both sitting in an Iranian restaurant, and Jordan's first try at smoking a hookah results in the smoke coming out his gills!

I really enjoyed illustrating this creative idea and seeing how my first full background in a long time would turn out. I think all the things I'm learning from Digital Production Arts studio classes at Clemson University are really showing here. Also, smoke becomes really hard to draw in 2-D after seeing how it's supposed to look properly in 3-D. Oz was also kind enough to let me weave a masterpiece rug by Saber ( commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Fil… ) into the image.

Also a big thank-you to Oz for working with me to give this image as authentic of an ancient Iranian feel as possible. (It's not 100% accurate since we're working with an alternate universe instead of modern-day Iran, but I really had no idea where to start.)  I know nothing of the culture but Oz has been there several times, and helped me out with describing the landscapes, foods, clothes, and well...everything else, lol! Thank you so much again for letting me try out so many new things in your commission, and I really hope you like it! ^__^

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Oz named this image herself. Title inspired by this poem:

When I am with you, we stay up all night.
When you’re not here, I can’t go to sleep.

Praise God for these two insomnias!
And the difference between them.

The minute I heard my first love story
I started looking for you, not knowing
how blind that was.

Lovers don’t finally meet somewhere.
They’re in each other all along.

We are the mirror as well as the face in it.
We are tasting the taste this minute
of eternity. We are pain
and what cures pain, both. We are
the sweet cold water and the jar that pours.

I want to hold you close like a lute,
so we can cry out with loving.

You would rather throw stones at a mirror?
I am your mirror, and here are the stones.

-Rumi