Carly
WHAT'S REV DOING HERE
Shirley
They just pulled up wanna watch us ig ONDFJNV
Elena
Ametrine slithered through the halls of the 'Great Red Ruby' of the Sky Kingdom - his glittering scales immediately catching the eye of palace residents and staff alike within the stone halls that smelled like smoke and soot - a myriad of scents Ametrine was all *Too* Familiar with thanks to their... Habits. Besides hissing at the occasional passerby that came too close or looked at him to long - the artist was relatively subdued... He *Had* To be. To his knowledge today was the day he was set to start assisting some promising new brat... Of course he was being *Paid* Handsomely for it. There wasn't a chance in the bowels of the skywing refineries that he'd do such a thing for the sake of charity. He had too little time to be spending playing arts and crafts with pompous dragonets... Whatever ego his student had, he was set and determined to destroy in a... Constructive way- yes, a constructive way, that definitely made him sound much more professional - at least in his mind.

He sauntered into the studio and cleared a set of tools depending on the dragonet's preferences... Crest or something- that was their name. Ametrine hadn't hardly cared to remember anything about them besides the scales he was getting for playing the part of a schoolteacher. He grabbed an easel - essentially ripped a potter's wheel from a dragon that had just gotten started on their next creation, took advantage of the palace's free to use supplies- and set up their little gauntlet in a semi-circular, pushing some more dragons out of the way of the grand central window in the studio - when he worked here he *Always* Worked in front of the window - especially this time of day as the sun was beginning to set and the warm, golden, amber, and red sunlight warmed his scales through the glass barrier that kept the natural coolness of the mountain climate at bay. He figured his new *Student* Would like this spot too... Not that he cared of course- he was doing this for himself after all, so it was on

Ly natural anyone in te way of his favorite spot was literally chased from it.

Being perhaps the best artist in the Sky Kingdom (hit thoughts not mine) - came with the extended perks of pushing others around and *Out of his way* - mainly because he was preparing the portrait for the queen - something he was exceedingly late on completing because he burned every previous attempt he made due to being disatisfied with it- even when the queen's advisors said it looked 'absolutely stunning'... Pft, what would some prissy palace dragons know about *Real* Art besides hoarding it in their vast piles of treasure? He snorted at the thought - his talons working to get everything in place as he occasionally shot a glance to the sun dial outside the window and within the courtyard below... Late... Chest was *Late* (yes, I'm getting their name wrong on purpose). Eugh... How was he expected to teach a student that *Didn't* Have the discipline to even show up on time. Ametrine was going to give him *Fifteen* Minutes to get there - if they were even a second late, he was going to immediately walk out without so much as leaving a clue as to where he'd gone... That would show *Them* For wasting even a drop of his time- which was of *Course* The most valuable commodity under the three moons. 

In the meantime he envisioned what they'd even be like - yes, he had seen them *Once* - but they were hardly memorable... They were purple and... He squinted, losing himself in thought as he sat lazily with his arms resting on a table and his snout resting in his talons. They were kind of *Stupid* He thought... Not that it was an uncommon trait with the dragons he worked with, but he could hardly pick up on a social cue and appeared to be more preoccupied looking at a line of ants scuttling across the cobblestone sidewalk in the plaza he had the dissatisfaction of talking to Crescent's parents in... How he let himself get talked into this was completely lost on him at this point in time.
Nick
Cress was in their home, sitting at their desk which had many pieces of paper strewn about and the sun shining on them. He looked out at the sun curiously, thinking of the colors as strokes from a paintbrush. He fiddled with his talons before folding them neatly underneath him as he still stared at the skyline. His thoughts were filled with worry, thinking about what he had to do today. He *Knew* Something important was happening but he couldn't quite remember what, even though it was on the tip of his tongue. A bird flew by in the way of his view which snapped him into focus, a red tailed hawk to be specific, chimed in his head. *I wonder if you could make quills with those as well- I tried using an owl before and that worked just fine. I think I remember someone saying hawks worked just as well. Maybe thats something to try-*

He tilted his head at a paper that was on top of the rest, it has his schedule for today and he saw in big bold words ***Lesson with Ametrine***. With a yelp he quickly stood up, knocking over the chair and tripping over it in the same wing beat. He huffed in mild annoyance at his own mistake before feeling his chest tighten from anxiety at the fact he might end up late given the time as of right now. He had waited so long for this, knowing the habits of the well known artist. Ametrine personally had knowledge in almost all forms of art. Calligraphy? First thing he learned. Wood Carving? More like *Ice* Carving he tried in the Ice Kingdom. Sculpting? One of his favorite things to do in the Mud Kingdom. He would have went to the Rainforest for the painting, or maybe even the Nightwings, but he wanted to study at home and visit his parents. He owed almost everything to them. 

The Skywing grabbed a satchel filled with extra supplied that might not be in the studio, securing it around his neck before waving goodbye to his parents. He took a deep breath before flying over to the art studio. His wings beat swiftly, carrying him closer and closer

To his destination which was not that far surprisingly. Even then he couldn't get over the fact that he was about to meet *The* Ametrine. He could only imagine the cost of a class from someone as amazing as him. Cress wasn't able to see many paintings from him, but the ones he was able to look at had him stunned, admiring every brush stroke, every smudge and detail. He felt he could get lost in it. Although, that wasn't saying too much he would assume, his mind seemed to wander a lot, but still somehow retained a lot of information given to him. 

If he had a choice he wouldn't have talked to someone high up, it just made his wings shiver. He didn't want to make a bad first impression of course, but he also definitely didn't want to make him mad. It was almost guaranteed he would, given the fact he was nearing the time for their meeting. He wondered if it would just be better to leave, to save himself the embarrassment. However, as soon as the thought entered his head the Studio was in view. The building held a lot of memories for Cress, even though he hadn't frequented there often at all. He mostly enjoyed seeing the dragonets trying to attempt to learn new things. It was something lovely to watch in his mind, having a public area where anyone could pick up a brush or piece of clay and try to learn and master art, the ultimate form of self expression. Cress just had not exactly found what kind of art expressed who *He* Was.

He hoped this would change as he landed at the door, quickly tucking his wings close to his body and lowering his head, trying to not attract any unwanted attention. The way his scales resembled small flowers made him appear harmless of course, but it was too unique in his opinion. Didn't help he was named after the flower that seemed to appear on his scales. He pushed the door open and looked around, noticing the dial he was only a few minutes late, but still late nevertheless. He approached Ametrine who stood out from the crowd and bowed his head
"Hello sir, I'm so sorry I'm late... I- um, I know you're probably very busy and I appreciate you taking the time to come out here-"
He tried to be polite as possible but his voice only got softer and softer the more he spoke.
Carly
***(its my goal to out rp you.***

***(Come at me Lucid. Go ham and I'll go beef***
Elena
*Finally* The horrendously *Late* Dragonet stepped into the studio - their talons clacking against the cold, grey stone floor that was littered with tiny puddles of pain, cracked- dried pieces of clay, and shavings from wood that could only be found in Pantala. Despite the public nature of the space - it's tools and materials were some of the finest. Nothing rusted, dull or dried beyond use - everything was *Perfect*. The scent of paint wafted through the air like the smell of an apple pie on a windowsill for any seasoned painter, and the back wall held painting, sculptures, pots, vases that held the personality of their creators - some more experienced than others, but all were equally beautiful in their own regard.

As Crisp walked over to them - Ametrine was staring daggers, at *Least* Giving them the courtesy of letting them finish their little tangent about how sorry they were and how *Thankful* They were to be given this opportunity- but once the words finished falling out of the violet skywing's lips, Ametrine hissed harshly. "*Two*. Minutes. Late... *Don't* Let it happen again, Cross." He snorted - a jet of black smoke billowing from their nose before they turned away from him and towards the gymnasium of an artist's design. "Pick your medium. This week, we're going to focus on *Each* Available medium in the studio. Each day will hold a different challenge until I can categorize your skill level in each and provide lessons curated to your... *Weaknesses*." He scowled - gesturing to each as he spoke its name. "Pottery... We have a variety of clays to choose from. Earthenware, I chose terracotta for this one, porcelain and stoneware. Next, painting... Oil, tempera, encaustic... Pick your poison. Then, wood carving - walnut, oak, cherry... Sculpting - marble... Just marble, the way the rock cleaves makes it better than any other for the task... I won't test you on your calligraphy skills- even if you prove to be an otherwise talentless whelp - you at least have

Vague promise in writing fancy letters for the queen someday." He snorted - walking to the center of the various tools and medium provided - squinting at Crown curiously to see what decision he'd make. 

This, too - was a test - perhaps Crone wasn't aware, but he was seeing which he chose first - something he was strong with or something in which he struggled... Cromp's choice would determine how Ametrine approached them for the rest of... Well, however long these awful lessons would be going on for- he figured. He'd already deduced they were small - not just literally, but psychologically as well - immediately intimidated by Ametrine's presence, though that wasn't entirely uncommon given his... Destructive nature towards his own work. The artist worked a *Lot* With a myriad of mediums - but no matter how wonderful or gorgeous his creations were - only a talonful didn't get shattered or burned to a pathetic pile of ash in a fit of unkempt rage. 

Around them the eyes of the various dragons in the studio were glued to Crop and Ametrine - silent whispers passed round the studio. 'Is *That* The dragonet he's taking as his apprentice?', 'Ametrine *Does* Apprenticeships?', 'Poor dragon... He's not going to make it out of his first lesson without some killer burns'. Ametrine snapped his talons as Corn's focus was broken by the murmurs of their on-lookers. "Eyes on *Me* - you're not here to hear the opinions of prissy palace dragons, you're here to learn how to usurp their pathetic excuse for skill." He basically shouted the words as he sent a glare across the room that sent several dragons into a panic to make it look as though they weren't watching.

Once the metaphorical - and literal dust settled, Ametrine returned his amber gaze to Carp's expectedly. Well? Are they going to get to work or just stare at me like a stargazing nightwing? He thought - eugh... Dragonets... Why did mother and father wish for me to have one of these awful, airheaded creatures... It doesn't even know what it's doing here. Look at it... Well then, turn tail and go home little dragonet - save me the trouble of having to tutor - I'm more than satisfied with your parent's downpayment. I'd rather never see yo- He caught himself on a mental snag - no... No- you're being too harsh... What would *Romeo* Say if he saw you berating a dragon that was here and eager to learn... Calm down. He exhaled a sigh and stepped away from *Cress* - relinquishing themselves to lay in the sun, but still expecting them to make a choice before the sun had to set. Even if he *Had* All night, he wanted to get this done as fast as possible - like pulling out stitches after a bad fall - it wasn't that he *Hated* Cress... More like he *Hated* Dragons in general - he had given a chance to one, maybe this dragonet could be differet to... Maybe.
Carly
Hes not a dragonet dragonet tho-

This nitro limit icon is the bane of my existence

OMG HELP IT TRIED TO SEND AS A .TXT
Nick
Cress immediately snapped their jaw shut before continuing when he was close enough to see just how disappointed Ametrine looked. It would be an understatement to have said he messed up, he did about as well as a caterpillar trying to fly. He didn't even get a chance to go into a cocoon. He was busy shrinking before feeling the sunshine on his scales. His gaze briefly shifted to the set up before him and realized Ametrine took the time to pick just the right spot. 

His gaze was snapped back onto the Skywing as his ears folded back from being scolded. He nodded his head when he was told to not be late again, silently vowing to be 10 minutes early like he had *Originally* Planned. Cress blinked and held up his head more, so that he didn't appear completely pathetic in the face of a masterful artist such as Ametrine. Something told him he did anyways, however. When the smoke came up from his nostrils in large tendrils Cress wondered how many burn marks he would get from this lesson... He has heard about his temper, but he didn't expect to get caught on fire his *First* Lesson. Was he really that annoying? Or was he really that *Annoyed*? Maybe both answers could be true at once he supposed. He would have loved to help other artists learn the tools of the trade, but that didn't mean *Everyone* Did. 
Then the mediums were laid out beautifully in front of him, most he had some experience with and only a few he didn't. He did say that his calligraphy was done well. At least, he thought he was a little pleased with it. Cress didn't allow himself to be proud of that fact however, since he knew that was just one of many skills he had to learn. His mentor named the other materials off so quickly and harshly, it was almost as if he forgot all the beauty that came with each and every one of the materials. That couldn't be right though, he was wise and had much knowledge at his disposal. Surely, he didn't just think of these as just tools. He frowned ever so slightly due to h

Ow he was starting to become lost in his thoughts before hearing someone comment about him. 
*Why do they care so much- I'm not going to die- right? Did I do something wrong?*

His brow furrowed before Ametrine snapped at him, which made Cress flick his ears foreword and slap any expressions of worry off of his snout. He took in what he said, thinking about what he meant and how he viewed these other dragons. Of course, he wouldn't care as much, he was the talented one. Cress, however, was not. Although, it made him wonder about how he could learn to focus on himself. There was already things he was starting to learn from this Skywing even without starting the lesson itself. That spoke volumes, showing how Ametrine was in a completely different league than Cress. 
He didn't want to risk making him irritated, well, *More* Irritated with him so he just nodded and looked back into his eyes. It was too intense for him as he quickly averted his gaze, instead looking back on the materials he had mentioned.

He named them off so quickly normal dragons would have their head whirling. However, he knew all of these by heart, he even went up and examined them, admiring the quality. It made him reminisce about the time when he learned them for the first time. Those memories were fun, mostly since he learned it without having to pay a mentor or anything of the such. He turned his head to the paints, not recognizing some but remembering the order in which Ametrine listed them out. He had *Some* Experience with the paints, but it was about as much as any other artist might know. A basic one that is. His mind wandered again, thinking about all the things he knew and could scrounge up about the paints. He knew this was his weakest area and wanted to get better, but would his ignorance make his mentor even more angry than he already was? What if this was some sort of test he would fail? Or maybe he already failed it the second his parents took it upon themselves to sign him up for a lesson with *The* Ametrine. 

He had to think carefully, about whether or not he could make it out of here alive. Maybe all the comments he got were warranted, especially since he was not the strongest dragon mentally. He shook that thought away however, remembering what the skywing had told him just a moment ago. He gave up on trying to please Ametrine however, knowing he already failed that task he went for a more straightforward route, the route he knew best: honesty. 

"I came here because I need to be better at painting... I at least can be *Decent* With the other mediums, but I just don't know what to do with paints. Is there anything you would recommend sir?"
He asked honestly, having the courage to look him in the eyes if only for a few moments while he awaited an answer form the older dragon. Meanwhile he slowly regretted his choice of words, did he sound stupid? Did that sound polite? He *Did* Come here to learn though. If Ametrine agreed, maybe he would actually be willing to share his va

St knowledge with a dragon like him.
Carly
OMG I'm gna edit this so hard later

If I hear 'he' one more time I'm going to lose it
Shirley
Gotcha gotcha  I really enjoyed reading it though, I'm excited to respond with Ametrine's reactions- external and internal >:3
Elena
Amatrine's eyes lit up for a moment - their cold, calloused scowl fading to a look of intrigue and surprise. Instead of scolding their student, they simply responded with a silent nod of approval. Well done... He expected Cress to pick the task that was easiest for them out of the delegated materials and techniques in the interest of *Impressing* Their teacher - but Cress had chosen the objectively correct option - diving headfirst into the most difficult for them to comprehend practice. Hm... Despite being late, the violet skywing was proving to already show promise... He didn't want to ruin this by praising them for their choice and simply looked at them with the same expression he gave with critiquing a piece of art. Cress' eye contact screamed they were desperate to please - too formal... Too rigid, *Try again* He thought with a snort as he got up from his sunning spot and stepped over beside them. "What you want to do with paint depends on what type of paint you want to use... Take this oil paint for example..." His voice turned from rigid and demanding - to intrigued and soft as he seemed to start warming up to the idea of teaching. He grabbed a tube of violet oil paint and rolled it in his talons. "Oil paint requires a canvas... Or a wooden panel, but for simplicity's sake the canvas is always the right choice when using oil paint. If you find yourself using a wooden panel for some *Ridiculous* Reason... You must prime it with gesso prepared with rabbit fat, chalk, and white pigment so the oil paint properly binds to the surface."

He glanced at Cress as if to make sure his new pupil was paying attention before continuing. "Oil paint also has a longer drying time- apply it generously and work in layers- if you want faster drying times, use oil paint that takes advantage of linseed oil... Poppy, walnut, and safflower takes much longer to dry - unfortunately the art supplies we're utilizing today is using poppy... Remember that Walnut dries faster than safflowe

R and poppy - and provides a more brilliant bright pigmentation though all semi-drying oils are admittedly paler once they dry..." He seemed to be getting into it as he listed off a bunch of different tips regarding just the oil paint alone, it was like he was losing himself in the thick of everything he knew... It was only when he finished *That* Sentence did he realize he should probably write a lot of this down for Cress if he wanted to provide a proper learning experience. "I'll write it all down later... Now... Remember to use hog hair bristlers and to clean with a mineral spirit - pallet knives are for mixing colors, and experiment with different laying techniques until you find something *You* Like."

"Onto tempera..." He said the violet oil paint tube down and picked up a yellow tube of tempera. "Works better on wooden panels compared to oil paints - dries faster too, but you want to use sable brushes- not hog hair for this type of paint. You can layer like you can with oil paint, but layering with tempera means the paint must be absolutely dry or the colors will blend into brown or black - if you layer, apply conservatively or it'll crack... Moons let me just..."

From there, he cut his droning lecture short, seemingly to get frustrated and bored with it himself as he gently nudged Cress to sit next to them as he provided a demonstration for proper use regarding each and every type of paint he had chosen - he went into detail about what made each special and different - what their strengths and weaknesses were- and what paint he personally preferred over the three- which was of course oil paint. Ametrine even went out of his way to show how *He* Layered his paint - speeding up the process by blowing a controlled current of hot air over the drying paint so it didn't take ages to show him anything. "No no, you're holding your brush *Wrong* When you're doing that - you want to hold it like..." He showed Cress - a hint of a smile forming in the corners of his snout - it was becoming clear the older artist was starting to enjoy this in little ways... Ametrine never cared for art - he did it because his parents *Made* Him do it... But this was different, something about teaching Cress made the act of using the various tools... Enjoyable... More than he had enjoyed it in his years of solitude. "See! Like that- exactly like that - now hold your wrist still and flick your hand like this." He nodded in solemn approval.

Every time Ametrine did something - he made sure Cress was on the same page, every tiny skill or movement he seemed to put little more than an ounce of thought into before doing - he made sure the violet skywing could do several times in succession before moving on - about 1/4 through his class he grabbed an empty scroll and made illustrations for each movement that practiced and included notes about the paints, primers, and how to clean the different equipment. Despite having a rough start - and the threat of getting burned - Ametrine didn't puff another cloud of smoke once. Despite seeming to be regretful of having to teach, it was something he excelled in - no - he wasn't kind - and he definitely didn't coddle Cress

, but every time he spoke or hissed his concerns, it had a purpose - and he worked with his student till Cress' talons were sore to ensure they were absorbing the information.

The dragons around them that had a taunting air of concerns looked like they had seen a ghost when Ametrine didn't roll into his usual fit of rage within the first 40 minutes of being there - some staying just to watch him teach even as the sun finished setting and two of the moons hung bright in the sky. As silver light poured in through the windows - he was busy letting Cress get to work on their first *Actual* Painting - with the colors and paint of their choice. He was simply standing back and observing - stating feedback would be provided *After* Cress was done and so the Amber eyes that once held disdain, now watched carefully and quietly down at his new apprentice's work with the most startling poker face imaginable, the temperamental artist looked like a stone carving - well - if it hadn't been for his colors that is.
Shirley
So obviously I lied I read and replied tonight JNJDFNVJNGDJKVN
Carly
I LOVE THIS STUPID FART FACE
Nick
Cress noticed the change of expression from the older dragon, blinking in surprise at *Not* Being immediately burnt to a crisp. At least he had done something right, of course, he didn't expect praise by any means. In fact, he knew he didn't deserve any. Cress predicted this lesson to end with a disappointed look from the artist, which was only to be expected given the skill level difference. Anything Cress did was bound to seem inexperienced, so it was ok. Knowledge was what he was after. The dragons that seemed to be the embodiment of sunshine gave him a simple nod before going to speak again. 

The dull, violet, dragon in comparison, perked his ears up and had a sparkle in his eyes hearing him speak. The words rolled off his tongue as if he was reading it off. If only he could pick apart his brain and search through the many scrolls of knowledge in his library. The idea fascinated him and made the younger dragon respect the artist, even though he seemed to drone on and on, Cress didn't mind one bit and nodded to let Ametrine know he was still listening attentively. In fact, he didn't want to ask any questions right now in case he messed up the skywing's rhythm. With only a moment of hesitation, Cress picked up the oil paint he was talking about, looking at the labeling and associating the words with the item itself. He did this when hog hair bristles were mentioned as well, holding the two side by side and nodding. There was a tilt on his head as he looked towards the mineral spirit and pallet knives, having completely forgotten they existed, much less how to use them properly. 

He set them down after they moved onto tempera and nodded at what Ametrine had to say about them as well, but kept in mind that oil was his favorite. The older artist had talked about the oils longer than the other ones, he noticed. He looked at the sable brushes and scrunched his snout, not liking how they felt in his talons. Maybe it was a matter of just the dragon who made the brush

But he tried to grab another and encountered the same issue. He didn't interrupt however and politely set the brush down, turning to listen again before Ametrine got tired of his lecture and motioned for him to sit next to himself. Cress didn't hesitate at all, excitement bubbling up inside from wondering what else his mentor would teach. There was a great amount of effort put into making sure his face didn't give him away, especially since he didn't want to appear to be an overjoyed fool. Although, the more information was thrown into his brain, the more he felt the corners of his lips curl upwards in excited anticipation. Even just *Watching* The artist expertly heat up the paint to dry faster fascinated him. The skill and dedication he could witness up close made him eager to try it out for himself. However, when he went to try himself he was almost immediately corrected which caused him to remember to contain himself and not become too much. He tried to concentrate deeply, his brow furrowed as he tried to perfect the movements Ametrine showed him. He learned quickly, being able to recall information that had just been thrown at him almost perfectly. He got so lost in the lesson, maneuvering and manipulating the paint to do his bidding, that he forgot that his mentor was still watching and got a little startled when he was given approval. He merely let out a small nervous laugh in response.

Cress was like a small little duckling, following along with whatever Ametrine threw at him. The Skywing was so focused, determined to learn all he could in the time he had. He did mess up a few times here and there, scowling very lightly at himself before diving right back into it before perfecting it and moving on swiftly. Even then, when the scroll was brought out Cress leaned over, nodding thoughtfully over the information that was shown and used what he was taught. His tail thumped excitedly when he read it over, making sure to drill the tid bits of information. Information, information, information, there was so much- it made him rub his temples. However, other than that he refused to voice his momentary pain and trekked on, determined. This wasn't something he was doing to impress Ametrine either, it was more of him basking in the idea of working for his new skills. Something he was all too familiar with. Art always had times for hardship, frustration and even tears. Art also always had times for growth, self improvement and achievement. 

Cress was so focused on perfecting his movements that he hadn't realized the older artist didn't seem as agitated, only seeing his emotions through critique in the form of mostly hisses. It was something Cress appreciated if he had to be honest with himself. It was apparent that neither of their time was being wasted through the communication and meaningful silence between the two. After a while Cress could feel himself slipping into the zone, not even bothering to think about the thoughts of the other dragons in the studio. The brush upon canvas and paper was the only thing he allowed himself to think about, his form needed to be perfect. Or, at least as close to perfect he could get. He did just learn all of this new information after all, but he still didn't want to cut himself too much slack. After staying in almost the same upright posture for so long, the weight on his limbs seemed to get heavier and heavier. There w

Ere moments he had to snap his wings back up to maintain. Proper balance while he analyzed the paint that was being poured upon the canvas. 

Even then, with all of the setbacks and sore muscles he didn't once complain, knowing the experience he was getting was rare. It was something he needed to take advantage of for as long as he could, but not long to the point of wasting his mentors time. That was the last thing he wanted to do. Cress remained quiet for the majority of the session, only speaking to ask for critique or make sure he was doing something right. Otherwise, he didn't ask much about Ametrine himself, knowing a dragon like him would only get bored or irritated with such questions. Especially since he probably got asked a lot of things on the daily basis. Moons, he started to even wonder how he got lucky enough to be given a lesson.

The final test was now given to him as Cress looked upon the empty canvas. There wasn't much he *Wanted* To do. Especially since he was so focused on learning the maneuvers he didn't quite think about how to apply them just yet. He sat there for a good few moments, feeling the gaze of his mentor beside him. A painting of himself of Ametrine would be the most stupid idea in his opinion. Cress wasn't self absorbed, and Ametrine would probably burn any painting he made regarding him to a crisp. He did want to show all he had learned, however. There had to be a way for him to demonstrate all the skills he had been taught. Then an idea occurred to him, with a spark in his dark ruby eyes, the Skywing picked up the different brushes, even the ones that felt awkward to him, and set them beside his canvas. He split the canvas into different sections, each section having its own type of paint in it. He started with the slowest drying paint, testing out the skill he observed Ametrine doing by carefully blowing a warm stream of air onto the canvas. He did similar things to the other areas using the correct brushes and movements. He was so lost in his movements that the weight in his limbs almost seemed to be lifted. When he lifted the brush for the last time Cress took a deep breath and leaned back to admire the painting. It was a shard of glass, broken into separate pieces that had their own portion of paint. The background was a type of oil black that has deep depth to it, an impure black of red and green that made the blue and green shards of glass stand out. The textures were also different for each portion and showcased the strengths each type of paint had to give. It was definitely something Cress wouldn't have done without his mentor's help. He looked over his shoulder to see what Ametrine would think of it, not caught off guard by his poker face. 
"I know it's not as good as yours- I just wanted to show all the things you taught me." 
He explained carefully, feeling ne

Rvous as he stepped away from the painting to let him inspect it closer.
Carly
Pulling up my word count on this

More like, getting back into the groove. Like i said i used to rp like this and im glad i have someone like who does it so well to rp with ^^
Elena
By the time the two of them were reaching the apex of their evening together - Ametrine's little lesson had run over the 'allotted time' *Ages* Ago. The moons were full and so too were the heads of the two artists. Night slithered into morning in what felt like a blink of an eye. The glittering set of scales that set next to the gentle violet dragon fed off of their quiet enthusiasm - each brush stroke as they practiced techniques and movements was commented on thoroughly and with firm care and consideration for Cress' individual needs as a student. 'Try doing it like this', 'Oh- that was excellent', '*Focus*', 'You're applying too much pressure', 'You'll ruin a brush if you use it like that', 'You don't seriously think a pallet knife is held like that, right?', 'Careful blending those colors...', 'That layer isn't dry enough yet - just a second longer'. Soon, the two had the studio all to themselves. The soft glow of lanterns and candles strewn about and lit by Ametrine in between his words of wisdom flickered softly - illuminating the grey stone walls and giving it a warmth that heated the soul. Outside the window the stars hung in the sky like specks of silver paint - the two brilliant shining moons peering in through the window as if watching the two intently like a pair of eyes. 

Cress was growing on Ametrine like lichen on an old bolder - a practice he once quietly despised despite taking part in - he learned to love through teaching someone who *Was* Passionate about what they were doing... Or perhaps the artist had been passionate the whole time as well - but remained bitter due to past sentiments and regrets. Truly - this little purple dragon was... Well, worth giving this chance. He figured they were going to be prideful, ego-driven, and self-centered - but instead Cress was humble, quiet and anxious. All that anxiety blended like pigment upon a canvas as they worked though - it was charming. Despite his student's best efforts to contain their excitement

And their enthusiasm, Ametrine was more than perceptive to pick up on the little details. They movement of their tail, the sparkle in their eyes, the way they'd correct themself on their tone mid-sentence when they spoke. Yes- the dragon he'd berated, scolded, and threatened to walk out on before their arrival - had more than enough potential to make their dreams come true. Not in a million moons was he going to say that in the *First* Lesson... But one day, he wanted to work up the courage and conviction to tell him that, when Cress was *Ready* To hear it of course. For now - they still needed to focus on coming in on time - and they needed to be consistent too. If they were like this *Every* Lesson he knew he was going to enjoy every second of teaching this dragonet.

Ametrine sat next to Cress as they worked - putting the finishing touches on the scroll he wanted them to study, along with a practice plan they'd follow up on at some point once the two had worked through the other mediums in their next lessons. His talon stretched across the parchment - illustrating and writing - but mostly illustrating the different talon-movements down to actually drawing talons holding the different tools with correct form and motion lines that came along with another sketch of where one's talon would be once the motion was completed. He added advice on where to find quality tools and how to identify them - even instructions on how to *Make* Them.

In between finishing up the scroll - talons dripping with ichor, he looked up at Cress' work - quietly impressed by how they chose to go about the allotted task. Sectioning off different pieces of the canvas and using each paint to depict what appeared to be shattered glass - the oil they chose for the background was exquisite, and their ability to draw the viewers' attention to the paints and their different properties - exaggerating the strengths of each paint so that it was clear what type they used... It was... Brilliant. 

When Cress was done, Ametrine wiped the ink from his talons and took the canvas in his talons and looked it over with the eyes of a critic... He was no *Professional* Teacher... But by the moons... He ran his talons carefully across the surface - not just seeing but *Feeling* Every grove - every mountain, valley, peak, and trough. Even if for a moment, Cress could see the look of awe in Ametrine's eyes... There was a long, uncomfortable silence that filled the room. The sunset skywing was taking their time taking in every detail - every square centimeter of canvas assigned its own 15 seconds of fame until he sat the painting gently back on the easel. "Exquisite." He said- with a cold, disinterested voice that did little to hide his true feelings as he tapped his chin with a thoughtful talon- still squinting at the painting. "Your parents... Tell them to hold off on paying for your next lesson..." The tone of his voice carried like he wasn't interested in teaching Cress anymore, but before the skillful student could let a set of tears slip down their snout- he continued. "This will do fine for payment." He gestured to the canvas. "You may take it home to study it - but when the time comes for us to work together again, I humbly request that I get to have this one as a frame of reference for your future work. I need something to compare what you'll be making in the future to - and I don't hardly expect you to *Remember* Bringing it every time."

He rolled his eyes with a snort - recalling the fact their apprentice had almost forgotten to even show up today. 

Ametrine grabbed the scroll and handed it to Cress. "This is yours. I want you to study it *Diligently* - take these paints home, and work with them every day - I don't care if it's filling another canvas, or lines on a sketchbook - but you must wet your brushes before bed with no exceptions. That's your homework. No need to turn anything in because *I'll know* If you practiced your techniques or not." If the truth was told - he wasn't worried about Cress - well, not at much as he figured he'd be anyways... But he still said what he said to keep an air of professionalism - didn't want his student to think he was getting soft. "Your next lesson is next week on *Wednesday*. I look forward to seeing you then and *On time*. Before we wrap this up, do you have any questions or comments?" He tilted his head and raised an eyebrow at his pupil as he shifted his wings awaiting their response.

The temperamental artist's tail flicked quietly through the air as he gazed down at his *First* Apprentice. A soft snort echoing in his mind as their eyes met. Not once had he ever thought he'd *Enjoy* Teaching- nor did he think he'd *Ever* Take on an apprentice - but Cress' parents were so dreadfully persistent. First- the letters, the endless storm of letters that made their way to his secluded mountain cave in such a timely manner he wondered if the damn dragons writing them were living right outside in the forest below or something. When he finally *Caved* And met them for the first time he could tell *Immediately* They were nothing like his parents. Their excitement about their dragonet wasn't born from jealousy, expectations or greed - it was born of determined love, admiration for their son's work, and the notable ability to be a pain in the tail enough to get him to budge. He figured they were just overzealous and overselling their offspring's work and talents - but today, his initial thoughts and first impressions were proven wrong for the first time in the long time. He *Almost* Regretted going as hard as he did on Cress in the beginning... *Almost*. Moving forward he was going to work them even harder- if they continued putting as much heart and soul into their craft as they did that first painting - then these lessons were sure to pay for themselves every time.

It wasn't like Ametrine has somewhere to be or go - when he wasn't teaching, he was working on his own paintings, burning them - or lounging around angrily - sometimes all three. He could take as much time as he needed to spend on this - and he certainly enjoyed this *Much* More than working alone in his scorched studio- even if it was difficult to admit. Maybe being a teacher wasn't *So* Bad, so long as Cress kept being a good student and the frighteningly long list of letters from their parents stopped rolling in like an infinite scroll- though he expected that now that their son was officially

Enrolled with him that he'd be getting letters regarding their progress and if they're being a good student. Eugh - just the thought of it all sent his head spinning - and since he said yes, he felt obligated to read them all himself... It hadn't donned on him that maybe he should consider hiring a dragon to go through his mail for him.
Carly
When did this lovely piece of text grace my thread?

*It's like a trigger word help*

This is like two gods fighting
Shirley
I was having the same thought KJFDNKJVNJD
Carly
Ill need to find some time later, im jus doing class work