Bonus Round 6

[hso_mods]

Bonus Round 6

Recs

Hey, shippers! This is the last bonus round, which we’re all very sad about. So let’s talk about some of the awesome stuff created throughout the HSO!

Rules

1. Rec at least three fanworks from the main or bonus rounds! They do not have to be connected to each other in any way.


2. You may not recommend material created by members of your own team.


3. Each recommendation must include at least three full sentences about why it’s awesome. Please use the format specified below.


4. You may recommend as many sets as you like, so long as each set has at least three recs in it.

Title & Rec Format
If you are doing a fill, use this format in your title.
FILL: TEAM [YOUR SHIP]
Replace [YOUR SHIP] with the name of the team YOU belong to; please use the characters and quadrant, not whatever portmanteau or nickname you've come up with.
If your team name is not in this format and in the title we cannot guarantee that it will be counted.

The content of the post should be in this format (extend as necessary):
<b>Rec 1:</b> (title) <b>Team:</b> (the team the creator belongs to) <b>Creator:</b> <b>Why I’m recommending it:</b> (please be as specific and descriptive as possible!) <b>Rec 2:</b> (Title) <b>Team:</b> (the team the creator belongs to) <b>Creator:</b> <b>Why I’m recommending it:</b> (please be as specific and descriptive as possible!) <b>Rec 3:</b> (Title) <b>Team:</b> (the team the creator belongs to) <b>Creator:</b> <b>Why I’m recommending it:</b> (please be as specific and descriptive as possible!)

Posts not using this format in the title will be understood to be unofficial discussion posts, no matter what they contain. They, like all comments on the comm, are subject to the Wank Policy.

Scoring
For fills (as stated here):
First 5 entries in each post: 30 (per entry)
Entries 6-10 in each post: 20 (per entry)
Entries 11-15 in each post: 10 (per entry)
Entries 16+ in each post: 5 (per entry)

If you have any questions, please ask them at the FAQ post here, or email them to us (homestuck.shipping at gmail). Otherwise, we cannot guarantee that we will see them in a timely fashion!

Comments

FILL: TEAM KARKAT<>SOLLUX

[grausam]

THANKS FOR YOUR FILLS - LOVE EDITION
Bonus round 5 THANK YOU!

Rec 1: Helmsman and Sufferer
Team: Eridan<3Sollux
Creator:evapples
Why I’m recommending it: It's my pleasure to rec it here, because it couldn't get posted in the bonus round itself in time. And she still finished it and made sure that I saw it!! And it's so lovely,!!! There can't be enough comforting Sufferer&Helsman quality pictures. This one gives it an interesting twist with the Signless as a reaper, or maybe an illusion...?

Rec 2: Did somebody say sky
Team: EQUIUS<3GAMZEE
Creator: brightgray
Why I’m recommending it: Aradia and Tavros skydiving :D I get in a good mood when I look at this, they look so happy! The poses and colours are great and you'll notice that the sky and the horizon are masterfully done. It's not just some slapped on blue background, it really uses the space of the picture and different colour nuances.

Rec 3: C4N 1 K33P H1M?
Team: DIRK<3EQUIUS
Creator: manisoke
Why I’m recommending it: I love the drawing style and its use of marker here, it makes the drawing somehow livelier and more organic! I will admit that I laughed at Karkat's face, poor guy. Terezi would totally tame a dragon, because dragons, duh -and also to mess with Karkat.

Rec 4: CH3CK OUT MY SW33T R1D3
Team: ARADIA<>SOLLUX
Creator: orm
Why I’m recommending it: I'm sure words have spread about this one. The lovely expressions, the dragons. But did you also notice that. Their horns. Are depicted on their viking helmets???! Brilliance!

Re: FILL: TEAM DAVE<3ROSE<3TEREZI

[megaparsecs]

yes. yes. terezi would wear like, suspenders and be 4 SC4ND4L and there'd be lots of stink bombs and jets-sharks'ing. sighs . . . a beautiful dream.

FILL: TEAM DIRK<>ROXY

[pyrokineticvampire]

Rec 1: Away From Keyboard
Team: Dave<3John
Creator: Entry for Main Round 3
Why I’m recommending it: What I especially loved about this entry was how it showed the passage of time. While it only takes a few minutes to read, you can practically feel the immense amount of time passing, three long years of growing up and missing each other. It's gradual and very well executed, not to mention the spot-on characterization.

Rec 2: turn left
Team: Dave<3Rose
Creator: Entry for Main Round 3
Why I'm recommending it: Ah, Strider-Lalonde feels; this entry did a lot of horrible, amazing things to my emotions particularly in the second half after you know how things could have been. I enjoyed this Alternate Universe and the unique way Rose and Dave got together and grew closer, how they seemed to understand each other and fit together right from the beginning. Also, the scratched disc gif was so perfect for this.

Rec 3: In the Middle
Team: Jade<3Kanaya<3Rose
Creator: Entry for Main Round 3
Why I'm Recommending it: What I enjoy about this entry is how Kanaya's perception of relationships is very different from Rose and Jade's. She has a difficult time settling into this polyamorous relationship because she's used to a system of quadrants and it's a whole new learning experience for her, which is especially neat for a troll who has quite a lot of romantic experience in the pale and ashen quadrants. It's interesting how one might think of human romance as constraining because there's only "one quadrant" yet here's Kanaya struggling to make sense of how Rose and Jade can argue so much and still be considered "red" for each other. This time, troll romance is the constraining one and Rose and Jade have to help their troll girlfriend grow accustomed to something she's unfamiliar with and basically stop being uptight about the technicalities and just enjoy herself!

FILL: TEAM BRO<3GRANDPA

[macca44552]

Rec 1: Vision of Giltine
Team: Dirk<3Jake<3Jane<3Roxy
Creator: Main Round 2 Entry
Why I’m recommending it: First of all, the art is magnificent. I love the design of the goddess, as well as the clever use of gifs. The main thing I love about this, though, is the characterization. Dirk is absolutely flawless. The goddess is Dirk's monster, Dirk is his own monster--living with his worries and his fears and his need to protect the only people who are close to him (or at least that's my interpretation .-.). This entry was deep, layered and gave me SO MANY DIRK FEELINGS. And those are the best feelings.

Rec 2: Untitled
Team: Equius<3Eridan
Creator: Main Round 2 Entry
Why I’m recommending it: I love this piece potentially more than I can explain. The characterization of Equius and Eridan is spot-on. I didn't feel like I was reading a play-by-numbers version of the characters, I thought I was for srs reading the real deal. The dialogue was great--hilarious and witty and them. Also the image of Equius as a centaur is hnnng and, oh gosh, poor Eridan just always seems to find himself in undesirable situations. Speaking of situations (wow what a bad segue), I really liked the fantastical atmosphere in this. I don't know--everything clicked with this piece.

Rec 3: Untitled
Team: Jade<3Kanaya<3Rose
Creator: Main Round 2 Entry
Why I’m recommending it: I always have immense respect for teams with an OT3 or an OT4 who manage to characterize everyone equally and deeply--and that's exactly what I got with this fic. It was phenomenal, the interaction between these three was intriguing and believable. The art was adorable and fitting, and the twist on the typical zombie theme was great. The writing is particularly wonderful, the words flow brilliantly and the pacing is excellent. I had such a great time reading this.

FILL: TEAM JADE<3KARKAT

[oxfordroulette]

thanks for the memories (--I mean fills) part 1 - bonus round 5

Rec 1: Untitled Aradia<>Sollux
Team: John<3Rose
Creator: para_normally
Why I’m recommending it: My absolute favorite part of this whole shebang is the characterisation. Sollux as a loser basement dweller who can only stomach cereal and energy drinks? Aradia shown as an adventuresome explorer of this brave new world? Yes please. The dialogue is spot on, the story is great, and the implications that Sollux learned to see by smelling... oh my gosh, fucking brilliant.

Rec 2: Untitled Kanaya<3Rose
Team: Dave<3Rose
Creator: psonu
Why I’m recommending it: Oh Kanaya. She did not expect to be manhandled by Bonhomme. What kind of weird human mascot is thing, she says to herself, as Rose smiles knowingly. I really love the story behind this picture. The colors are well chosen and I just love the outfits! Cold winter fashion, hell yeah.

Rec 3: Untitled Kanaya<3Rose
Team: Dave<3Terezi
Creator: soashamed
Why I’m recommending it: I was blessed with two fills for my Kanaya<3Rose prompt, and they both happen to feature the Winter Carnival. It's like... they work together!!! whoa. But this story is fantastic, it has to be one of my favourite Kanaya<3Rose fics of all time. I laughed so, so hard. There are so many choice lines in this bitch, so many points where Kanaya is dealing with life on Earth, and its such a joy to read. I really want to know more about the rest of their roadtrip!!!

FILL: TEAM JADE<3KARKAT

[oxfordroulette]

thanks for the memories (--I mean fills) part 2 - bonus round 5

Rec 1: Untitled John<3Karkat
Team: Karkat<>Sollux
Creator: grausam
Why I’m recommending it: I was not expecting this to get filled. I mean, best case scenario, I was expecting some sort of awful "All the Pretty Horses" parody. But lo! I got a wonderful picture instead! Karkat as the cranky, native, worker boy... John as the tourist who is either hopelessly lost or has a misguided conception of roughing it out... the whole thing weaves an excellent tale!

Rec 2: Untitled Dirk<3Jake
Team: Dave<3Jade
Creator: asherdashery
Why I’m recommending it: Jake is just so, so in character. It's rare to see someone pull off Jake's POV like asherdashery does. I love the story, it just makes me want more!!! I want to see Jake fail at being an outlaw and I want to see Dirk be there for him the whole way. The pictures are just a super bonus on top of the Dirk/Jake cake.

Rec 3: Untitled Beta Kids
Team: Rose<3Roxy
Creator: adaorardor
Why I’m recommending it: The costumes. Oh my gosh, Everybody's costumes are beautiful, especially the girls' costumes, which we get full body shots of. I love the little details here, Rose's skull necklace, Jade pouring Rose a cup o' somethin'... It's such a good picture to look at and absorb.

Re: FILL: Team Dirk<3Jake<3Jane<3Roxy

[psonu]

wow thank you for the recs!! i'm glad you liked the fill i did for you! it was one of my favorites to do :)

Re: FILL: TEAM JADE<3KARKAT

[psonu]

ah thank you for the rec!!! that fill was a lot of fun to do and i'm glad you like the outfits! (ftr rose's sweater under her coat says "HOT MAMA")

FILL: TEAM JADE<3KARKAT

[oxfordroulette]

Rec 1: Untitled Eridan<3<Feferi
Team: Nepeta<3Terezi
Creator: vulturer
Why I’m recommending it: The descriptions of a dilapidated Venice are haunting as hell. The fic doesn't reveal too much about why the city is this way or why Eridan and Feferi are there, but the characters and their relationship somehow seem to just fit in that place. It's mysterious, lovely, and so well written. Also it's nice to see an accurate description of how the canals in Venice actually are... those things are gross.

Rec 2: Untitled Karkat<>Gamzee
Team: Dave<3Rose<3Terezi
Creator: megaparsecs
Why I’m recommending it: I am such a sucker for a good Dave. One that rambles and is hilarious as fuck, and here is a shining example of a perfect Dave Strider. His interactions with Karkat are just straight up funny, and the plot... What happened to Karkat at the end of this story!

Rec 3: Untitled Bro Dave Gen
Team: Bro<3Dave
Creator: redhotironypistol
Why I’m recommending it: Okay this is the best interpretation of the "road trip" theme I have seen so far. I laughed for like, 5 minutes straight looking at this picture. Just look at the shitty things they buy. Doritos, Ramen, apple juice, a SINGLE BANANA. JUST ONE. This is so fucking funny. Look at it. Now.

Re: FILL: TEAM DAVE<3ROSE

[psonu]

wow haha thanks back! your team's main round stuff has been awesome too!! i don't think i've ever not voted for you :B high fives all around

Re: FILL: Team Dirk<3Jake<3Jane<3Roxy

[playerprophet]

I'm glad you had fun with it! ;w; It's so lovely!

FILL: TEAM DIRK<3JAKE<3JANE<3ROXY

[nextian]

Excellent Use of Theme (Coincidentally None Of These End Remotely Well For Any Of The Characters)

Spoilers for all these fics.

Rec 1: I Can Barely Sleep In This Casino
Team: John/Rose
Creator: Round 1 entry
Why I'm recommending it: The flash animation was really well done for something so short--way to work within the limitations. But I love that they took gambling and got past the trappings or even the first metaphorical use of gambling (take a chance!) and actually got into what happens when two people start taking chances with each other's emotions and secrets and then, of course, LIVES. Also this was fucking heartbreaking and it destroyed me, etc.

Rec 2: The Princess, the Prince and the Beekeeper
Team: Eridan♥Feferi♥Sollux♠Eridan
Creator: Round 2 entry
Why I'm recommending it: This has been recced already (on this page!!) but I'm singling it out not just for its art, which is superb, or its writing, which is satisfyingly unreal, but the way it is genuinely monstrous. Not only is Feferi a horrible tentacle beast who devours the guilty, but she's a horrible tentacle beast in a way that's almost canon-compliant. I am probably most impressed by the fact that this remains convincingly red towards both Eridan and Sollux.

Rec 3: Never or Later
Team: Bro<3Grandpa
Creator: Round 3 entry
Why I'm recommending it: This is a GREAT use of the splitscreen format, both contrasting two very different stories and telling a single time-loopy one. Taking the "same relationship from two points of view" idea and making it so that the observer changes not just the emotional content of that relationship, but also the progress and facts of that relationship was very smart. Also Jade and Dave are just cute as the dickens in the pictures.

Rec 4: Gather Up Its Harm And Gods
Team: Rose<3Roxy
Creator: Collab round entry
Why I'm recommending it: Again this wins because the whole thing is about aberration, from the aberrations between various attempts at this dreambubble, from the vivid wrongness in all the pictures (look at Roxy's shadow in the first one!!) to the overarching Very Very Wrongness of the premise. My favorite use of aberration is probably the way small things change to get through to Roxy, the stuff she ignores on the way to the plot-- the "no lamb," and then she gets handed a lamb anyway, that kind of thing. Team Rose<3Roxy has owned at conveying the potential desperate fucked-up wrongness of the pairing throughout the Olympics and this is one more excellent example of that.

FILL: TEAM DIRK<3JAKE<3JANE<3ROXY

[fayharley]

Rec 1: Untitled John <3 Jade fill
Team: Bro <3 John
Creator: ivori
Why I’m recommending it: The prompt here was to combine Bollywood with Steampunk. Steampunk, while a wonderful genre with lots of visual interest, often gets bogged down recycling Victorian clothing aesthetics. By bringing in some Bollywood not only do you get a different set of silhouettes to play with, you also get some colors that really pop off the page. And Jade's hips. Dang, just dang. What a lady.

Rec 3: Untitled Nepeta <3 Terezi Fill
Team: Autoresponder <3 Roxy
Creator: teakei
Why I’m recommending it: Chinese mythology is a rich source of images and stories to draw from that's often overlooked. We know Homestuck itself uses Greek and Judeo-Christian references mainly, but that's no reason to limit the fan work! This work casts Nepeta as a tiger and Terezi as a dragon locked in a forbidden romance. What really makes it shine is the colors, so bright! Terezi would positively love it.

Rec 3: Untitled Rose/Terezi fill
Team: Autoresponder <3 Roxy
Creator: teakei
Why I’m recommending it: Mongolian clothing! Gosh, I just love Mongolian clothing. The colors, the cuts, the bead work, the embroidery, the hats. All of it. Just marvelous stuff. And this art brings all those great, great details together without being heavy handed. Really, I have nothing more intelligent to say. I just freaking love this. Teakai, you do a great Terezi.

FILL: TEAM ARADIA<3FEFERI

[rochisama]

(This is a list of my favourite mr1 entries.)

Rec 1: Gambling: A Powerpoint (AR <3 PM <3 WV Main Round 1 Entry)
Team: AR <3 PM <3 WV
Creator: exiletown (I don't know who actually did it, but whoever you are, you're awesome.)
Why I’m recommending it: This is just a really adorable entry. The idea of making a powerpoint on the topic of gambling was really neat, and I can imagine AR actually doing something like that. In particular, I loved the last panel of WV and PM - they look so happy, despite the fact the powerpoint is ridiculously tacky.

Rec 2: Bend Around the Blades (Dirk <3 Jake <3 Jane <3 Roxy Main Round 1 Entry)
Team: Dirk <3 Jake <3 Jane <3 Roxy
Creator: alphachronism (I don't know who wrote the story, but ferrrox did the art.)
Why I’m recommending it: This entry was just amazing. The pesterlogs (along with the rest of the text) were perfectly in character, and the art fit well with the dark tone of the fic. This entry came second in the round for a reason, so if you haven't read it yet, I strongly recommend it.

Rec 3: How Karkat Vantas Learned to Stop Worrying and Be the Bomb (Gamzee <> Karkat Main Round 1 Entry)
Team: Gamzee <> Karkat
Creator: miracrails (Again, I don't know who actually did it.)
Why I’m recommending it: This entry was just hilarious. Believable pesterlogs, a really funny idea, and good art to match. I laughed a bit too much at the idea of Rose holding Kanaya back by putting her arm through her middle, and at the repeated misreading of upside-down emoticons.

Rec 4: Untitled (Sollux <> Terezi Main Round 1 Entry)
Team: Sollux <> Terezi
Creator: 801ch
Why I’m recommending it: This art is amazing. Sollux and Terezi both look so suave in their bar tender style outfits, and the perspective is really good. I like how the roulette wheel has all the quadrant symbols, and that it's landed in diamonds.

FILL: TEAM Eridan<3<Vriska

[mafiahahaha]

Rec 1: Speak Easy
Team: Nepeta<3Karkat
Creator: Main Round 1 entry
Why I’m recommending it: Gosh, this is really pretty, I very much enjoy this piece. I really love the shading and the colours that were used. Also I really like the outfits and the little designs on Nepetas horns.

Rec 2: untitled
Team: BRO<3DAVE
Creator: sugoiprincess
Why I’m recommending it: Ahhh I like they way John, Dave, and Bro a depicted as Sonic, Knuckles and Tails, respectively. Its pretty silly and cute. Even though doesn't look very complicated, its very nice. They're such cuties. u wu

Rec 3: untitled
Team: Bro<3Dave
Creator: flarefyre
Why I’m recommending it: Wow this is really great oh gosh. Gosh this so cute and lovely, down to the outfits, wings and background. This is just fantastic, especially the lovely ladies kisses.

Re: FILL: TEAM ARADIA<3FEFERI

[rex]

Haha, the Gamzee<>Karkat silliness was mine. I'm glad you liked it! :B

FILL: TEAM John<3Rose

[astrologicallydubious]

BR3 Recs Part 2: Marioverse

Rec 1: Super Terezi World
Team: Karkat<3Terezi
Creator: redquidam
Why I’m recommending it: A good edit and a cool idea. Terezi is not the first character that comes to mind when I think Mario, but this works really well. Imps as enemies, and C4NDY R3D CH3RR13S as power-ups, and especially Pyralspite as Yoshi.

Rec 2: Donkey Kong [Nepeta, Karkat, Equius]
Team: Nepeta<3Terezi
Creator: fraymotif
Why I’m recommending it: Because Karkat is Peach. Equius as Donkey Kong makes sense but you know he's not going to be able to stop Nepeta from saving the day and rescuing the princess. The art and concept both are cute and I like their expressions.

Rec 3: Stickerbrush Rapture
Team: Bro<3Grandpa
Creator: gjarble
Why I’m recommending it: I'm really glad this exists because I love mash-ups, especially with Homestuck songs. I first listened to this knowing Pale Rapture but not Stickerbrush Symphony and it sounds seamless. The songs go together very well, both in terms of the original compositions and how they've been combined.

Re: FILL: TEAM Karkat♥Sollux

[nextian]

Pssst--you won't be able to edit this after I respond to it, so this is just for future reference, but it looks like you're spelling it "a herf"? It's "a href". I think that's why the links aren't working!

FILL: TEAM DIRK<3JAKE<3JANE<3ROXY

[nextian]

Bonus Round 5 Recs (pt 1)

Rec 1: White Queen + Dirk gen, Prospit
Team: Dave<3Jade
Creator: asherdashery
Why I’m recommending it: You do things like the Olympics to discover amazing new creators you otherwise wouldn't encounter and dashery has been majorly one of them for me. This is fabulous, sweet and sad and cool, with a seven year old Dirk who feels both seven and still convincingly Dirk. The hints of Dirk's future relationship with the other kids are lovely, and I just adore how well this fic explores the reasons Dirk might feel so totally Your Shit Is Wrecked about Derse.

Rec 2: Stonehenge (Aradia<3Sollux)
Team: Bro<3Grandpa
Creator: gjarble
Why I’m recommending it: Because this is hilarious. Great sprite edit, great concept, very funny. I am using my third sentence for a flashing colors/gif warning and a warning that you may say "awww" out loud if you look at it in public like I did.

Rec 3: Tavros & Aradia, sky
Team: Equius<3Gamzee
Creator: brightgray
Why I’m recommending it: Great use of, uh, sky. I like these humanstuck designs a lot--Aradia's hair especially. Tavros looks so stoked to be flying and Aradia looks so stoked to be making him happy, it's very paleromantic!

Recs 4 & 5: Vriska/Terezi Sengoku Era, two entries (scroll)
Teams: Gamzee<>Karkat and Jade<3Karkat
Creators: rex and oxfordroulette
Why I'm recommending them: I couldn't pick!! These were both two great. The first one has all of the brashness and douchebaggery I love about the Scourge Sisters. The black-on-brown works very well, and so does the wheat field. I don't know what that is that Terezi's wielding (is that a bisento?) but it's totally bitchin'. As for the second, I MEAN, LOOK AT IT. Vriska's TOPKNOT. The sassy HORSE. The strong INKING TECHNIQUE. Way to go.

FILL: Team Dave<3Karkat

[lacertae_dreamscape]

Rec 1: Mist (http://hso2012-r2s1.dreamwidth.org/4703.html)
Team: Aradia<3Feferi
Creator: Round2 Team Entry
Why I’m recommending it: The animated drawings depicted well the two sides, Fef and Aradia, and the plot, while moving slowly, really gave off well the feeling of confusion and desire to know of Fef as she struggled with the 'ghost' she kept seeing, whom she could only remember vaguely. The story itself kind of hurts, in a way, because of what they were and why they are trapped in a loop, but it is also rather sweet, because they are still trapped in a way that keeps them together, even though they cannot touch or interact. it's beautiful even though sad, and the writing itself merges well with the soft drawings, it's a pleasure to read and watch :D

Rec 2: The Puppet and the Brute (http://hso2012-r2s1.dreamwidth.org/1851.html)
Team: Bro<3Dad
Creator: Round2 Team Entry
Why I’m recommending it: seriously, it's quite heart breaking, because it narrates the story of two who couldn't be more different from each other, one with the longing to touch without destroy, the other with the lack of emotions to really feel, but it's beautiful how they dance around each other, interacting and getting progressively closer, how there is no successful deus ex machina to solve immediately all their problems but they are still willing to continue, because they want to keep on trying to find their happy place.

Rec 3: Untitled Gamzee<>Karkat(http://hs-olympics.dreamwidth.org/13513.html?thread=2530761#cmt2530761)
Team: Aradia<3Rose
Creator: galacticbishoujo (bonus round1)
Why I’m recommending it: while it's short, the descriptions are sweet and flowing, and the pace is gentle as it moves on, detailing Karkat while painting Gamzee's face. The closeness it's required to make this work is really felt despite the shortness, and the moirail-feel it gives... it's really sweet and adorable :D

FILL: TEAM DIRK<>ROXY

[dejup]

(main round art entries appreciation post!)
Rec 1: I'll be your mirror
Team: John<>Vriska
Creator: Main Round 3 Entry
Why I’m recommending it: This is a really lovely piece, wow! The colors blend really well into what I think could either be a day/night or Breath/Light combo, which looks really nice. I especially love John's windsock and Vriska's thieftails intertwining to lead off into their dreambubble selves. It's great to see those two all happy and holding hands after going through all that too, aaaah.

Rec 2: Two Alien Girls Making Out on a Pile of Zombie Corpses
Team: Nepeta<3Terezi
Creator: Main Round 2 Entry
Why I’m recommending it: First off, lots of kudos and thanks to this team for whipping up such cute art fills every round!! This one in particular's really adorable. I love how Nepeta and Terezi getting their mack on is just there in the middle of a pile of corpses, too. And Terezi, just, "hey there zombie sorry i'm kind of mixing tongues with my girlfriend you are sort of in the way." I especially like how the entire picture has a green tint as well.

Rec 3: Speak Easy
Team: Karkat<3Nepeta
Creator: Main Round 1 Entry
Why I’m recommending it: Golly, look at those /colors./ I love the amazing amount of detail put into this, just the little things such as Karkat's earring and Nepeta's horn decorations. The two are obviously working really well together with the gambling, with Karkat doing the main pushing and Nepeta staring the other guy down with her pretty amazing pokerface. This is one great picture, I especially like the shading and the way their hair is drawn.

Rec 4: The Prince and the Mage
Team: Eridan <3< Sollux
Creator: Main Round 3 Entry
Why I'm recommending it: This entry fits the prompt of "Balance" really, really well! The images are nearly mirror images of each other, if they weren't of different characters, and I'm really liking how the captions are reversed from each other, but still connect. Not only that, the images themselves show Eridan and Sollux in pretty somber humors, but still illustrate their personalities really well. Good job!

FILL: Team Dave<3Karkat

[lacertae_dreamscape]

Rec 1: untitled art Kanaya<3Rose (http://hs-olympics.dreamwidth.org/13513.html?thread=2523593#cmt2523593)
Team: Bro<3John
Creator: dadkidsclub (Bonus Round 1)
Why I’m recommending it: It's sketchy, but that's exactly the reason it looks so good. the sketchy feeling gives it a sense of urgency and action and makes it feel even creepy. the undetailed zombie-trolls in the background look menacing and threatening, but the focus is on the figures in white in the middle, Rose with her back turned on the viewer and Kanaya, with a splendid, vicious grimace on her face and her weapon out to strike. it's raw and very beautiful, and it conveys perfectly the feeling of ominous danger the two are facing (and the knowledge that it's the zombies who are going to be in danger in a couple of secs).

Rec 2: Untitled Dave<3John(http://hs-olympics.dreamwidth.org/13513.html?thread=2508233#cmt2508233)
Team: Bro<3John
Creator: brodacious (bonus round 1)
Why I’m recommending it: it's hilarious. The way drunk!Dave just sort of lets his feels go in a very cute, very drunken way, messing around with his cellphone, it's adorable, and John sort of ignores him because hey, drunk friend at 1am funny but let's cut this short, and leaves Dave hanging to go back to sleep... it's adorable, fun and sort of sad, too. It's a short fill but really cute and well executed, so kudos to the author for it :D

Rec 3: Untitled Dave<>Terezi(http://hs-olympics.dreamwidth.org/13513.html?thread=2075337#cmt2075337)
Team: Rose<3Sollux
Creator: bleedsblue (bonus round 1)
Why I’m recommending it: once again a short fill, but it manages to catch both the prompt (surreal roadtrip) and the characterization of Dave and Terezi, with her enthusiastic desire to taste and feel every single thing, and his amused reactions to her, his attempts to get her to calm down but not fully heartfelt. the closeness is very sweet and doesn't need to be pointed out to be there, like a cozy background feeling as they keep on moving across california. short but very sweet :)

FILL: TEAM ARADIA<3FEFERI

[rochisama]

(I could literally make dozens of entries in this round, because everything in this competition is so quality. Everyone who's taken part in it is so quality. Including you, whoever is reading this.)

Rec 1: Gamzee ==> Be The Hero Of Myth (Gamzee <3 Roxy Main Round 2 Entry)
Team: Gamzee <3 Roxy
Creator: wonkhonk (I don't know who actually did it, but whoever you are, you're awesome.)
Why I’m recommending it: I really liked that this entry had Gamzee as a narrator - it was hilarious as well as believable. I also found it hilarious how well the team pulled off the "it was all just a dream" ending, which usually just seems tacky. Bonus points for having a story based on ancient Greek mythology.

Rec 2: Away From Keyboard (Dave <3 John Main Round 3 Entry)
Team: Dave <3 John
Creator: brolympics (I don't know who did this one, either.)
Why I’m recommending it: I thought all of the characters and their interactions with each other were portrayed perfectly in this entry. I loved how the whole thing was set up as two one-way conversations - it was a really good way of filling the prompt. The picture at the end was really cute, too.

Rec 3: RED GOES GOOD WITH GREY (Dave <3 Karkat Main Round 3 Entry)
Team: Dave <3 Karkat
Creator: redknightdistrict (Actually, I don't know who made any of these. I'll look forward to finding out once the voting for this round is over.)
Why I’m recommending it: I really like the musical Wicked, so I automatically loved this entry just because it IS a Wicked parody. However, on top of that, the art used is really cute, and the song is well-sung and has nice rewritten lyrics. I really like how this is obviously (from the different art styles) a collaborative effort from the team.

FILL: TEAM GAMZEE<>KARKAT

[rex]

Rec 1: Jade<3Karkat, pirates + film noir
Team: Terezi<3<Vriska
Creator: cest_what
Why I’m recommending it: I have no idea how someone could combine pirates and film noir so flawlessly, but they did. Straight from the opening line it's pure noir gold, despite the classy dame in this instance being played by a half-drowned Karkat. Captain Harley is the best hardbitten pirate.

Rec 2: Karkat<3Terezi<3<Gamzee, ontological mystery + exploitation flick
Team: Karkat<3Nepeta
Creator: slippy
Why I’m recommending it: Karkat, Terezi, and Gamzee wake up in a strange room with no memories, no shirts, and no idea how they got there. Their interactions as they try to figure it out are really well-done and interesting, and I think this could have done quite well as a round 1 entry! Also: what a good Terezi, oh my god. "Kanaya, not now!" Terezi made an expressive face at her. "I am doing big pimping."

Rec 3: Gamzee<3Roxy, drug addiction + hurt/comfort
Team: Team English
Creator: cloelia
Why I’m recommending it: Short but sweet! This has a fantastic Roxy narration, peppered with fun turns of phrase and little details (little freaked-out Dirk!). This is manages to be fun and kind of cute despite the subject matter.

Re: FILL: TEAM DIRK<3JAKE<3JANE<3ROXY

[rex]

Cheers for the rec! It was supposed to be a naginata, but I'm no good at drawing weapons, so it kind of looks like a naginata and a nagamaki got drunk and had a weirdo baby, haha.