My Character Design Process ft. The Song of Achilles

[@user-cq2iy9iu5o]

',,, and most importantly they were soulmates, so it made sense to draw them together' *proceeds to cry for half an hour*

[@cymi3270]

Exactly ... (╥﹏╥)

[@jerebear4312]

And they were roommates

[@haoqw]

@@jerebear4312 *oh my god they were roommates*

[@ardiloki_]

@@haoqw **gasp**

[@emmapleguezuelosjimenez8320]

idk why, but my tears came when she started drawing hector... they came nonetheless

[@AXing1]

i am gayer for these beautiful artistic insights than achilles was for patroclus

[@jadedmist]

A fellow gay i see

[@statichours]

Impossible-

[@ello-olle]

Yes

[@chris.sketch3592]

Bahhahaha

[@ohnoitsthetrash128]

W h e e z e

[@neriumprotostar]

“These two are friends, romantic partners, but more than anything- soulmates” *YES!*

[@cookiemilly13]

I choked up when I heard that

[@rattenusrattoonus1880]

stop using hyphens when you should be using em dashes. Thanks

[@SVC.11]

@@rattenusrattoonus1880 i think youtube loads only hyphens and cant do em dashes but that might be just me

[@_prelude]

This is probably a weird thing to say but, this video has made me want to read a book more than anything else has this entire year. You showing how the characters link to the story both audibly and visually really makes me want to see it in action!

[@lemoncholy]

This is the best thing you could have said - I'm so glad, genuinely

[@supremeoverlord0]

Same! I've never heard of this book, and I still haven't gotten to reading the original Iliad, but I'd really like to at the point. :)

[@birdeynamnam]

@@supremeoverlord0 I recommend reading TSoA before the Illiad, because it will make for an easier access into the story, and the Illiad feels more meaningful when you already relate to the characters

[@quagsirelover7935]

this describes it perfectly! i’ve been so unmotivated to read lately but this has given me motivation

[@user-jw4bd5id3k]

I hope you all ended up reading it

[@tofuuvi1566]

I have LITERALLY never seen so much care and thought put into character designs before,,, I LOVE the song of achilles and the Iliad so watching this was so fun!!! I think I added like 60 views to this by myself

[@lemoncholy]

no wonder i saw a spike in views! ty for your kind words :)

[@Meppity]

Still in awe that I’m classmates with you! I admire how much thought and care goes into your work - even on a subconscious level

[@lemoncholy]

Anya!! I am so glad I get to be classmates with you (peeking over your shoulder at your lightbulb man has always been a pleasure). The same goes for you - you always find a way to put a clever spin on your designs :)

[@sosolis2123]

the fact that you two are classmates makes a LOT of sense

[@noxamonster]

>:0 y’all are classmates?

[@4ssh4t]

That’s so cool 0.o

[@sarahsapien2457]

And they were classmates!

[@hesper669]

3:40 “unexpected, thus more interesting” reminds me of the reasoning Achilles used when Peleus asked him why he chose Patroclus to be his therapon (“skops”) He stated it was because Patroclus was surprising lmao.

[@GoblinLord]

what's a skops

[@ariooreo2294]

it's a nickname patroclus was given :) i don't fully remember what it means but i believe it has something to do with owls?

[@jade728]

Sean Treadway it means owl, Achilles’ father gave Patroclus the nickname because of his big eyes like an owl :)

[@eirianstarlesschild521]

just a quick correction: achilles chose patroclus to be his therapon, a sorta of war general and his personal advisor. skops (owl) is the nickname king pelleus gave patroclus because he had big eyes that looked at everything with curiosity and awe (and i personally think because he was smarter than he looked or anyone gave him credit for)

[@lumauve7807]

@@eirianstarlesschild521 yeah in The Song of Achilles Therapon is kind of brother in arms, advisor until death- :') really love their relationship especially when they were just kids who barely knew the cruelty of the outside world

[@toocoldforyouhere8353]

While Achilles was top heavy, Patroclus was bottom heavy. Me: (chockes)

[@kayla4551]

I didn't even think of that.... I-

[@falkerwyscray9067]

😏😏😏😏

[@TheXIIWizard]

I don’t understand-

[@toocoldforyouhere8353]

@@TheXIIWizard it’s a sex joke

[@TheXIIWizard]

@@toocoldforyouhere8353 wut-

[@cole_r]

No one seems to commenting about your video style. It’s fantastic! Can really tell that you put a lot of care and effort into things as a designer from the video style alone. And the jean waves bit was awesome too. I’m adding you to my list of senseis :D

[@caelanlachance8610]

The jean waves!!!! So hecking good!!!

[@cole_r]

Woah this video blew up. Was prbly 1-10k views when I posted. Never had so many likes before :)

[@bookeater1599]

I know! I commented but I forgot to mention that. The video itself was really amazing. (And sensei she is to me too)

[@miieesch]

literally my favorite video on KZbin. the way you designed them contained so much insight and thought! this was the video that really pushed me to buy and read the book. whenever I’m in an art block, in a horrible mood, or just looking for inspiration I always come back to this video. this was spectacularly well done and I loved everything about this video!

[@freshbread4039]

omg hiiiiii

[@zeyneppoyrazl253]

Wow hello

[@bobatea7608]

woah didn’t expect to see u here :0 tis a good thing tho

[@christinali3614]

HELLO MIIEESCH!!

[@jennetteperdomo6046]

It’s 1 in the morning and I just finished the book in a mess of tears. I decided to look for videos of people talking about it and found this and I have no complaints. I’m an aspiring artist and I’ve had art block for the past weeks and I feel like I was meant to see this video. I absolutely loved it and instantly subscribed. Thank you for sharing so much insight, your art is beautiful.

[@lemoncholy]

everybody I know who's read the book talks about it fondly. it's no wonder the iliad stood the test of time, and it's kind of amazing to imagine that we're one of the hundreds of thousands of people to be touched by their tragedy throughout history. (thanks for taking the the time to write this, it made my day! all the best with your art)

[@kai.965]

this resonates sm with me. it's 1 in the morning here and i've finished the book half an hour ago, now melting into a puddle of thick tears. :) i'm watching all these beautiful videos for solace for this book devastated me beyond words, beyond measure.

[@froggyfun1830]

same here, it’s 2:30 am I finished an hour ago and I love this book to pieces. seeing the character designs just makes me adore them and the story even more.

[@somerandomperson8098]

oh yeah i remember the mess of raw emotions I had when I read the book yesterday, it hurts man but I love it

[@lumauve7807]

Love the book, still brings tears to my eye to this day 🙁

[@dothedandy]

I'm not sure if you're exactly aware but there is a moment in The Iliad where Hector's infant son doesn't recognise him with his helmet on so I love that you have his character so spot on since TSoA doesn't provide his perspective the way The Iliad does, we only see his character with the helmet on so to say.

[@isharegmi5995]

"they were soulmates" I - Anyways I'm crying again I will never get over Achilles and Patroclus and your art is beautiful 🥺🥺😍

[@karenquintanilla3070]

My eyes are swollen. i don't thin i'll ever recover....

[@inbetween1035]

Oh my gosh they were soulmates

[@長谷川恒男]

@@inbetween1035 They were literally first cousins

[@inbetween1035]

@@長谷川恒男 source: jUsT tRuSt mE bRo

[@長谷川恒男]

@@inbetween1035 I forgot exactly where I read this, but i've seen a family tree showing that patroclus and achilles were literally first cousins

[@jwlez2814]

"... achilles is top heavy, patroclus is bottom heavy..." *Hmm*

[@ameliamartinez5669]

Lmao

[@stonecat676]

and yet...

[@morinette8162]

@@stonecat676 we know what you know

[@simranbhatla6030]

@@morinette8162 bestie we all know 😭😭

[@veryverybisexual4963]

No, I *CANNOT* make 50 innuendos about this. I repeat, *CANNOT*

[@yuno0_]

the two colors of yarn intertwined together when you mentioned that they were soulmates was pure beauty in itself.

[@user-ll2pp2jc4h]

I finished this book in under three hours and am still reeling two hours later. These character designs are so perfect, thank you so much for making them

[@lemoncholy]

under 3 hours?? that's way too little time to go through so many emotions lmao. have you read circe by the same author? it'll patch you back up ^^

[@user-ll2pp2jc4h]

lemoncholy i am a very fast reader! I was going to buy circe actually but I have to spend my money on books for uni haha

[@libertylibertylibertyliber1520]

What!! It literally took me 8 hours! But I am an exceptionally slow reader 😂

[@Goobby]

It took me three days whattt

[@sebastyann123]

Imagine an animated tv show or a movie of the song of Achilles with this designs man it will be freaking perfect. ps, your voice is really relaxing (?

[@angelsharma7650]

I absolutely adore the video and designs and I might just be a little in love with your voice oof

[@lemoncholy]

i'm totally not blushing

[@caelanlachance8610]

Ayyyyyy I was wondering if someone else mentioned it- * swoon *

[@arthurvieira8115]

3:48 "ACHILLES IS A TOP, PATROCLUS IS A BOTTOM."

[@somelove9872]

( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

[@falkerwyscray9067]

😏😏😏

[@breaksnakereel402]

Plato says: nuh

[@t.thomas8919]

I too have selective hearing on dumb stuff. And I'm okay with that. XD

[@junejun8]

😂😂😂 stawwppppp

[@smeraldoremi]

If The Song of Achilles were to be adapted into an animated series I’d want your character designs to be used bc this is SO GOOD! Love this video so much, thank you!

[@audreytakada4235]

there's something about your videos that brings me back to them every so often and ive just realized thats because all your videos have become comfort videos for me. like how we all have our comfort movies, comfort shows, that we like to revisit-- thats how i feel about your videos and i think that's such a special quality to the way you organize/edit/present your work! everything feels down-to-earth in a whimsical way and its so inspiring!

[@oliver162]

i can t believe that my character design is just: bing bong this one will be a ball.

[@ameliamartinez5669]

I love this

[@adeleaslan8182]

This book is my favorite because of how alive it makes the story feel. Ancient Greek myths and classics like the Iliad are meant to tell the story. The characters represent qualities or characteristics that were desirable for heroes at the time and are there to carry out the tale. How they felt and who they were wasn’t as important, but in these rewrites, you get to see the people in this story as people and understand how they felt. You see the effects war has on Achilles, understand his behavior with more depth in him and his mother’s relationship and you sobbed your heart out when Patroclus died because this was someone we got to know. you see them as people rather than just Achilles rage or Patroclus being the inciting incident for the bloody end, Briseis being someone outside of Achilles’ slave. You see these names come to life and matter more than just what they did

[@becca9907]

Everything about this video gives me joy. The character designs turned out beautifully, and I loved to hear your thought process behind them. It was nice to see the variety of methods you used, and what you focused on for each. You did a great job!

[@nath7557]

Good god... I can't fathom how people do that. Just see something, get inspired, sit down and create art like this. I can't visualize (aphantasia) what characters might look like, let alone bring it onto paper. I am not artistically inclined. Seeing this, I wish I could. It's so beautiful. I truly envy you.

[@bottledmoss]

This is so heckin random but my friend and I are writing a musical about patrocles and achilles (inspired by the song of achilles) 👀 we have 3 songs so far so it’s going well 👍

[@lya1592]

Good luck :)

[@alejandrapedroza14]

👁️👁️👁️ I'm all ears

[@matilde_5]

Oooo I wanna know more!

[@ariatheanalbanian]

DROP THEM i need them.

[@seineevee]

Ooh that seems interesting

[@carinaaugust643]

The characters turned out so beautiful! I wish you talked about the other designs in the same detail as you did for Thetis, Achilles and Patroclus but the video was really interesting nonetheless 💜

[@SinOfAugust]

"Beautiful, but dreadful" - having studied Ancient Greek language, the word "δεινός" was my favorite. To Ancient Greeks, there was a strong link between beings wondrous, exceptional and dreadful. The word means both at the same time. I always found this to be fascinating. Classical Greek texts abound with this term.

[@obi1kenobyebye965]

These are so incredibly beautiful, if they were from an illustrated edition of the song of Achilles I’d buy it again in a heartbeat

[@sapphudraws6997]

this whole video was A E S T H E T I C love it. I'm a sucker for simple but dynamic and readable shapes in character design. Absolutely beautiful video production too - I can tell you're a storyteller at heart. Subbed and looking forward to going through all your videos now!

[@ginavallefuoco4428]

why is this video so short? The amount of thoughts, the fluidity of the process stream, the logic and development behind every character is incredible. And that explains the amazing results!

[@03zekiel09]

Honestly this has inspired me to get my ass moving for designing the characters for my comics so thanks lol (Also I now want to read The Song of Achilles)

[@sola0690]

have you read it?

[@strawberrymilk6666]

_Have you read it?_

[@kristhedumbass6281]

Have fun crying. No seriously, this made me cry for three hours gay.

[@carmyne00]

@@kristhedumbass6281 three hours gay 💀

[@adeleaslan8182]

@@carmyne00 well we all know it wasn’t straight lol

[@AreFlamingosPink]

My favourite youtuber designing characters from my favourite book, it turned out so well and it really shows that you know both the book and character design so well!

[@lemoncholy]

😳 i'm so flattered! the depth of descriptions put into the characters of tsoa made it such good reference material. i'm definitely hungry for more of her books!

[@Lena-vm9oo]

I have been stuck designing my character today and ended up playing sims for quite a few hours. Now I feel inspired to tackle it again. I'll definitely try to draw some attention from the animal kingdom. Your designs are absolutely lovely.

[@pinomarco0394]

"it only makes sense that they be designed together" idk something about that line is so beutiful, its def the way they view their own relationship I don't think either of them ever imagined life (or death) without the other

[@Scatterbrained_Watching]

This is my favourite character design video ever. I find myself coming back to rewatch it a lot when I struggle or feel like I need inspiration (or inspiration for where to get inspiration from) but don’t know where from. Thank you so much for creating it!

[@farhanaferdouszaman]

the designs are too beautiful wtf. it perfectly encapsulates each character and is so well thought, im in love

[@mal1529]

The crazy thing is, this is exactly how I visualized the characters while reading the book.

[@Diarunas]

I absolutely adore your channel and so when I watched this video (and also the Circe cover redesign video) I immediately wanted to read The Song of Achilles (and Circe) and it's most definitely my favourite book now. I'm in love with your designs as well

[@quinnreverance611]

Just finished the book! Probably among my favorites. If you liked this book, you might like Mary Renault's books if you have'nt heard of them already. I love your style!!

[@lemoncholy]

haven't heard of her actually, but thanks for the suggestion! it's easy to forget that books about ancient greece / greek mythology exist outside of percy jackson :)

[@bella_color]

i’m taking greek myth right now and this popped up in my recommendations - instant terror. so much reading, many lectures to catch up on. but i’m glad i clicked because i love hearing your thought process and seeing you develop these beautiful character designs!!

[@rand0md00d3]

Now I want an animated movie of Song of Achilles with your character designs!! They're soooo good! This video helps me out a lot with character design! Thank you so much! Also your artstyle is amazing and gorgeous! :)

[@oct5186]

firstly, i would like to say i love your process, your care, your interest and your determination. it's honestly inspiring, and admirable that you don't just look at something from one perspective but, you take in numerous resources for example, relating it to pottery, animals and even the lyre. you can see emotion within your characters, not just from their face but, from all the colours and body dynamics. for constructive criticism, i would say to show the different sides of a character. achilles, in my eyes has been drawn to be glorious and caring which is true to his character but, he is also someone who is extremely stubborn and sometimes egotistical. i think presenting this ambiguity and contrasting ideas in your art will evoke more. overall, it is incredible. thank you

[@jmalheiros1587]

I want a comic with these characters design, I want it so bad

[@farhanaferdouszaman]

i love this video beyond words! the way the characters are exactly how i envisioned them is astonishing. love the editing and production of this video, like i can see the amount of detail put into every shot. would kill to see a illustrated/animated version of the song of Achilles with your designs!

[@paulinaskowronska6961]

I had this video saved on my "to watch" playlist for so long because TSOA is my fav book. And anyone that says that TSOA is their fav book will admit that fav does not mean "deeply liked" for this one, it means "i would request on my deathbed to be buried with this book which pages i have soaked with tears through the years". Your video was a masterpiece. The design process was very interesting but I absolutely fell in love with how aesthetically pleasing the whole video was. You put a lot of thought and effort into it and it truly paid of. It was a pleasure to watch.

[@tifftom2132]

i can't put into words how well done this video is, the meaning behind the designs, the actual designs, the editing, everything, i love it so much!! and thank you for your generosity in donating to The Okra Project, you had me from the beginning tbh lol

[@nicolearriaga9887]

Your designs are very considerate to your source material, even the consideration to the principles of character designs are wonderfully achieved. "keep it simple" is what I kept thinking as I was looking at your designs, the details drawn on each character are just enough to visually tell their story. I have been de-stressing by reading Song of Achilles as I approach my Senior Exhibition. Your video in discussing your approach to designing the characters is truly inspiring. Thank you for sharing your insight to your creative process.

[@HagothVoyage]

I'm a big fan of Madeline Miller's books too. I'm eager to see what you do with the charactors from Cerce. One of my favorite books from my childhood is The Iliad and the Odyssey by A&M Provensen (Giant Golden Book De Luxe Edition 1956) It is hard to find, but worth the effort. The artwork is by Alice Provensen and Martin Provensen. It is amazing and the paper for the pages is like fine quality watercolor paper. My mother was an artist and gave it to my sister and I. I treasure it still. I love your artwork and would like to see more. I think you nailed Thetis! Miller's descriptions of her are my favorite parts of the book.

[@laraschroeder5195]

I love your designs! I haven’t read the Song of Achilles but I know the story. When you said that you didn’t want people to relate to Achilles I was very intrigued about how much he must have changed. And I love how you drew Achilles and Patroclus together. They look so young and full of life and love. Making character designs look young compared to their future counterpart is difficult to get right! I adore the story of Troy and Achilles and Patroclus. But I’ve never quite known them to a deep level, like in a proper book from their perspective. These designs make me truly understand how deep and serious this story gets and you describe it fantastically!

[@lemoncholy]

Thank you Lara for the kind words! Part of what made this book special to me was because it was written in a deeply personal perspective; it allowed me to relate to the characters in a way that I couldn't with translations of the Iliad. I'm glad that these designs have intrigued you in this way, it means a lot to hear as their designer 💛

[@kenna.brooke]

as a person who wants to do more character designing, i am in awe of how you used references and their personalities to make the characters. This will help me be more insightful in my designing!

[@lemoncholy]

i'm so glad, and all the best with your art! i feel like combining references has really helped me push the originality in my designs :)

[@bilnik6593]

Your designs literally sold me on this book. I'd never heard of it (though I'm a geek for Greek mythology) but one look at your Thetis and I paused the video to order a copy before resuming! Your interpretation of the characters is stunning and to the point!

[@marycasey7]

"Where for instance Achilles was top-heavy, I made Patroclus bottom-heavy" should've been switched ;) All jokes aside, these are gorgeous character designs that really emphasized the different themes and major plots of the book like childhood, war, wrath, longing, and love.

[@asiangf1384]

achilles is definitely a bottom, if not i will buy a hat just for the purpose of eating it

[@asiangf1384]

@Muna Iza i refuse to believe that unless the author says so, that being said, their 1st sexual interaction in chiron's cave led me to believe that Achilles is, in fact, a bottom.

[@asiangf1384]

@Muna Iza it's in chapter 10

[@karenquintanilla3070]

@Muna Iza Me too xD Though I can see him as a bottom ocasionally.

[@falkerwyscray9067]

@@asiangf1384 no penetration

[@OniyunYun]

omg the CIMETOGRAPHY of this tho- i can't believe the reccomendation gods have gifted me this i dont deserve u ;-; u got a new subscriber :)))

[@aitanalawlor]

This was so beautiful to watch, i'm a humanities student and since I was little and started to get interested in greek mythology, Achilles and Patroclus were my favourites. As a kid, I loved their friendship and just like you said, they seemed to complement each other like puzzle pieces. Now I see their relationship more deeply and I'm still in awe. I haven't yet read the book though! I'm pretty busy with exams as the university entrance exam is in a few months BUT I cannot wait for it to be summer and devour this book under the sunlight. i found this video by chance but it reminded me of my love for them and what can I say, you're extremely talented and thank you so much for this outstanding video, i'm a new fan!

[@MariaCosa-tg7nl]

I always come back to this video, I watch it every three months or so and I feel like I always learn or understand something new. Thank you for making it❤

[@biff4847]

This video actually inspired me to read The Song of Achilles, and as I read I imagined your designs acting out the scenes. Your designs are utterly flawless and I feel like each character you've designed truly holds the personality and figure as described in the book. I just finished today! Thank you for taking me on this adventure.

[@lemoncholy]

Thank you for taking the time to write this - it means everything to me that you were inspired to read the book 💛

[@ginay24]

if this book were to ever get an animation produced, i would nominate u first and foremost. so beautiful and thoughtful, i love this sosososo much :')

[@beanish2014]

im absolutely baffled . the video presentation / cinematography is a piece of art . it’s so aesthetically pleasing and clear and smooth . your art is so beautiful and fluid and i am in love with your interpretations / representations of each of the characters ( i particularly favour achilles and patroclus ! and when you talked about them being soulmates = they should be designed together , that absolutely melted my heart . ) this video persuaded me to read the book and needless to say , i am really grateful for accidentally clicking on this video . when reading a book , i usually like to create the character myself but this video was so beautiful and it really helped paint a picture for each of their personalities so i could not even be mad . this video was also super helpful and retrospective in terms of how to symbolise characters and their traits , and it helped me look at visuals in a different way . the way you represented patroclus and achilles as a pair with differences that linked together was , in my opinion , really clever . also , your voice is super soothing and i’ve watched this video so many times that i’ve forgotten . i’ve really enjoyed watching your animations and have subscribed :) also thank u once again for , unknowingly , bringing me to read this book - i will never forget and it’s beautiful writing . much love

[@Dem1891]

I just finished The Song of Achilles and I was looking for an analysis of the characters when I stumbled upon your channel. Your art is beautiful and the way your voice accompanies the video is just amazing!

[@J-Psilas]

The design of Hector's helmet is fantastic. In the Aeneid, which takes a Trojan perspective, there's a scene in which Hector inadvertently frightens his little son because he's wearing his helmet-at which point he immediately takes it off and shows his son that it's actually his papa underneath. I know this particular text wasn't in your mind during the design process, but the fact that it harmonizes so nicely with a different Classical text makes me happy~

[@PogiAmiga]

This is two years late so probably not necessary, but this actually took place in the Iliad, not the Aeneid.

[@hkskh70040]

@@PogiAmiga The Aeneid is a Roman take (propaganda? It's trying to show how the Caesars are actually children of Venus) on the Trojan Horse and after, with it centering on Aeneas, son of Venus (Hence, Aeneid).

[@sarahhavillamelooliveira5825]

The little girl(?) in white robes is beautifully done. Never read song of achilles, but the caracters design impressed me.

[@istaaraamjad3067]

I was so so heartbroken by this book, it's simply beautiful. And I'm in awe at your art, because you've really translated the written beauty into art! You also put in so much effort into designing them, wow. thank you so much

[@multiversecatastrophe]

Your take on character design helped me so much without extending the video length too long and it’s much appreciated! Also you sound like Lightning from BFB, look it up hehe

[@wackyswacky1374]

The armor you gave the characters is actually anachronistic to the Trojan war period, and during the (likely real) conflict the soldiers wore armor similar to what you would see in the Dendra Panoply (do an image search for that). Hollywood tended to give them hoplite armor because that was the popular armor worn and depicted during Homer's time period. Homer himself lived some 500 years after the Trojan War supposedly took place. In reality the Trojans and Greeks would have looked more like bronze-clad medieval knights than Greek hoplites.

[@NiveditaSekhar]

Lately whenever I feel a little lost about art I come visit your videos to feel excited about creating again. Thank you for these beautiful, well crafted and soothing videos!

[@action16x2]

6:02 in Hindi (an indian language (India is in south asia by d way)) you can use owl sarcastically to call someone stupid उल्लू का पट्ठा

[@princenoodles]

That’s actually so interesting

[@amityjane9802]

I just finished reading the book and even though I cried for the majority of the ending I was really happy when Thetis put Patroclus's name on the grave with Achilles. It somewhat redeemed her in my eyes because even though she didn't want them together in life she respected her son's wish of them being together in death. She was a really complicated character and I believe you drew her amazingly.

[@vanessaajohn]

I've been meaning to check out this book for awhile, I even have the audiobook but I'm hesitant because I bet it will destroy me. However I didn't know there was a brown female in the story. Now that I know I am honestly excited to start and if there is even a film adaptation I would love to play her. Also I know nothing of art but you are so talented and I absolutely love your style.

[@nicomoist5336]

Also, I think patroclus (or Achilles can't remember) can be seen as brown as well!

[@big_sad_wolf]

just found out about you a couple of days back, and i’m already in LOVE with your art. not only do you have the most gorgeous, aesthetically pleasing art style i’ve ever come across, but the care and background you put into even the smallest of details has me in awe. you, my friend, are my maximum art inspiration in every way possible. keep up the amazing work!

[@baizhuwaitingroom7057]

If the book got adapted into a graphic novel or an animated series featuring this style I'd watch it like a starved man eats

[@bonhommedeneige18]

I feel like drown into this video, it calms me, it interest me and the care you're putting many efforts. This is really heart warming to see how you're fitting your drawings to the mindset of the characters and the references. This video is really inspiring, sometimes I pass on this video to calm me and I never get enough of your explanations. I really do love the construction of the video with the music, the montage, the characters and we can see the efforts you've put into the creation of the video. I'm a fan

[@mickeyzeckendorf3886]

man i loved this book so so so much ... was so starved for more Song of Achilles content until this GORGEOUS AND INSIGHTFUL VIDEO. im in love with every design you made :)

[@jrdmgl6190]

the first time I finished this book i was inconsolable for about three days man.. AND I KNEW WHAT WAS GONNA HAPPEN?

[@cookiemilly13]

OMG! Same! I just kept crying and crying for days

[@kohagaki]

Your designs of the characters are so beautiful and I love how you interpreted the famous scene of Achilles healing Patroclus!

[@atlasmoreas]

the amount of detail and thought...wow. this is a major inspiration for me, since i love character design so much and am always trying to get better. ill definitely be taking some of these strategies into account, like animal qualities, the beady eyes for antagonists, and how to get the flow of movement right like you had with achilles. so well done, great video

[@eytche9066]

I feel so happy and honored-a close friend of mine recommended me to read this book a year ago. Best book I’ve read over the course of quarantine!

[@mothtransman]

sometimes you just find something that is so perfectly your niche that it feels like it was made just for you. this is one of those things. a video discussing the song of achilles and character design/art, in such a calm, laid-out, and visually pleasing way... this is perfection. thank you.

[@narrmuc8848]

I literally got the book, read the blurb and felt the pain before even opening the cover

[@glacity]

I don’t like to read because I have a hard time visualizing things. Stories and characters always feel shallow. Your designs make the characters feel so real and believable and interesting, and I REALLY wanna go read this book now. Edit: I ended up reading the book about a year later. I read ~1 book a year, so this video alone getting me to pick up SoA really speaks to how good these designs are.

[@avispetrie3102]

sfjksjskfd I love this art so much! I'm actually giving this book as a gift to my girlfriend this holiday season with all my little character notes in it because we're both giant book nerds, I'll be sure to also recommend this video!! It's so beautiful and I think she'll love it, both the book and your art!

[@lemoncholy]

aaa that sounds like such a cute gift! thank you for the kind words, they mean a lot ^^

[@dirkypoo]

This is a sort of old video, but I am STILL obsessed. I absolutely adore your coloring style and your use of shaping! You drew Thetis as I envisioned her, and I've never seen a more perfect representation of each description. I just finished watching your video about Robespierre (and the general French Revolution history revolving around him) and immediately fell in love with your channel. You draw characters in such an admirable way that just makes me even more drawn to The Song of Achilles as if I already wasn't obsessed enough! You use wordplay and artistic flow to really convey each design of a character or a person. I'm done paragraphing about how beautiful your art is LOL, but I am so, so incredibly inspired. The way you speak of character designs is making me reevaluate my own!

[@eiko999]

"...where for instance Achilles was *top* heavy, I made Patroclus *bottom* heavy..." i live for this insight. and honestly, nothing excites me more than seeing amazing artists render their own color in these historical works. great job! 💕

[@doriangrayapologist]

according to plato, in the words of missy elliot; 'put that thang down and reverse it'

[@olialoudarou4331]

I am still reading the song of archilles I am at pages 200 and something and I wanted to cry because of the fact that Patroclus will mention a million things about him that makes him attractive to he’s eyes (if you understood why I say him then you’re my favourite person ever)

[@dantierandbalogh]

Honestly, KZbin doesn't get much better than this👌 the quality and the work you put into these video essays are unmatched 🔥 Laz

[@Joshua-iq6qi]

This is the only book I've ever read that had me genuinely crying. I loved it with all my heart. I loved the characters and the real world conflicts that they, the the pacing of the story, and the overall plot. It is a genuine masterpiece.

[@shreyachow]

This made me feel so many emotions! I'll try to phrase them - Firstly, your voiceover is incredibly calm and soothing, and you very clearly conveyed something that can be really abstract. I also loved the little elements you added to the video, such as the little paper boat! Secondly, your characters themselves. I'm in love, how could anyone create something so gorgeous?! The designs completely do justice to the book. Which brings us to the book itself. It is one of my favourites, and it just made me really happy to see that you'd chosen to illustrate these characters! Ah, thank you so much for sharing this process 🖤🖤

[@subzerocosmic]

this video made me ultimately buy thr book and i finished it just now and man, i could not help myself but imagine your designs while reading, you captured thr characters so well and it made imagining rhem a whole lot easier

[@daucreates]

Aside from these drawings being simply amazing, MAKE AN AUDIOBOOK, your voice is amazing!

[@diamondgoldsilver9899]

The cover was so beautiful I personally thought, somehow, that was a thumbnail of a TedEd video

[@coronaalonso5366]

I have a History Exam in two days but I am suddenly feeling the need to draw Achilles and Patroclus aaaasghdhdh this is so beautiful and inspiring

[@coronaalonso5366]

I finished my exam and I'm nervous wish me luck! ( I hope I get a good grade aaaaghdhdhdh)

[@cryptical1210]

@@coronaalonso5366 how did it went?

[@coronaalonso5366]

@@cryptical1210 I passed it!!! Barely haha,but it's fine because in the end I managed to not fail any subject so yay for me.Thanks for asking 🥺💕

[@crooklynbaby08]

Always a great day when you drop a video. I love hearing your thought process and work flow when designing characters 💕

[@15Curls]

This is beauty. The design, the video everything. Love it. Inspiring 🌠

[@linsharkie]

This is such a great exploration! I feel character design is my weakest skill, so hearing your process through multiple characters is super enlightening. One of the biggest areas I struggle with is what to use to inform the appearance of the character outside of physical description and basic character traits, your consideration of role, charting to help find the right expression of personality - really, really insightful!

[@ameliamartinez5669]

Now I NEED to read the song of Achilles. Edit: I'm getting it for Christmas, I'm crying sm Edit: I read the book, I'M NOT FINE but I loved it :)

[@matchamelon330]

Mood

[@luceroguillen7189]

Yeeees we are not fine but still alive xd

[@ameliamartinez5669]

Yeees almost 1 year after reading the book and it still hurts lmao

[@gizzmowalliss]

It such a beautiful and painful book to read I cried through most of it.

[@bleachedout805]

This is a gem of a channel for me. It's a very a beautiful and honest insight into your creative process. I think the designs are a very clearly Greek inspired as Hercules the animated Disney film followed the same guidelines. The colors chosen also have the marble and bronze aesthetic that also make the characters feel classical in design. I think a more diverse set of features for the two male lovers would have made them appear more distinct from each other. Overall beautiful work and thanks for sharing your process.

[@nadjalaufeyson]

This video is actually the reason I got the book and a book has never payed of more for me than this one. So thank you so much. (Also thanks to the algorithm.)

[@oldroomart]

This video is very wholesome! I'm currently finishing the book and this, gave to my imagination of the characters a whole new dimension. We studied 'Iliad' in school and the characters were hard to be visualized in that structured system. The book "The song of Achiles" gives so much dimension to the characters and you represented all them in the best way possible!

[@lemoncholy]

Thank you, I'm really glad! I remember studying a version of the Iliad in high school as well, but because characters were difficult to connect to it didn't stand out to me. Happy that this more intimate retelling exists :)

[@jamilla8588]

wow these designs are absolutely wonderful!! theyre so inspiring to me as someone interested in design and illustration, and it was so cool to hear your process, in thought and design. also the editing and shots are super lovely!!!

[@kaninekodiak]

i just got into greek mythology, i'd always been mildly interested but after hearing an abridged version of the iliad on the radio during a car journey, i had to know more. i learned about achilles and patroclus, about orpheus and eurydice, all these tales of love and heartbreak... and just a few days ago, i started playing Hades, and needless to say i am now head over heels in love with this rich, diverse, beautiful mythos. your designs really convey the ethereal, elegant qualities of the characters. im hoping to be a character designer for videogames and/or cartoons some day, so this video is going in my inspiration playlist. not only is it incredibly helpful and interesting, but your voice, editing, and art style make this video so calming that i might actually use it to fall asleep tonight... thank you!!!

[@lemoncholy]

I'm so happy to hear about your new interest, and I'm glad the video could inspire you! I agree completely that greek mythology is rich and diverse; it says a lot that these stories are centuries old but still live on. I haven't gotten the chance to play Hades yet but the trailers look amazing and I'm tempted. Best of luck with your future endeavors