ArcaneGunPowder

She/her - Belgian - Simp ! Hi! I’m a tall, curious, overly empathetic queer graphic designer with ADD. Here to discuss Arcane and worship Caitlyn Kiramman, who permanently fried the last 10% of my brain cells the second she graced the screen. I draw her like it’s a full-time job mostly to cope.

[hexguardheart]

I didn’t know if I was gonna be able to make it! But I did it! Just in time 😮‍💨

Here’s my contribution for Lesbian Visibility Week 👩‍❤️‍💋‍👩

Full Timelapse and close-ups below as usual for anyone interested 🫠

The mug was actually made by Vi, it’s a gift for Cait in her favorite color, with the “stating the obvious” quote on it. It made her chuckle and blush when she got it 😊

[undetaqted]

it's not that caitlyn's s1 outfit wasn't dress-like. it's that the moment she had ultimate freedom to choose, no expectations on her whatsoever, no one above her, no one to tell her what to do, no one who would judge her for it, she went straight to the turtleneck and the pants and then continued to stick with them after everything was over.

that's what we mean by her making the choice and that's why whenever people fall back on that s1 enforcer outfit to argue that she would be ultra feminine that it feels strange.

I don't think she'll never wear a dress. I do think she is capable of femininity, of course. and I think she'd look really hot in a dress.

but claiming from her initial enforcer outfit that that's the pattern of what her heart desires? c'mon now, the whole thing with s1 caitlyn was that she didn't have what she truly desired, which was to be seen and taken seriously for her skills and not just what people saw or recognized at first glance.

[hexguardheart]

Yesss, I completely agree with this.

One of Caitlyn’s defining characteristics is that she rarely is what she first appears to be. For most of her life she’s confined by uniforms, expectations, her family’s legacy and especially the weight of her mother’s scrutiny. She was raised with a role already written for her before she ever had the chance to decide who she wanted to be.

That’s why I think it’s so important to separate nurture from nature. The polished, elegant image we first meet isn’t fake but it’s only a part of her. When she finally gets to make choices for herself, she consistently chooses practicality, comfort and freedom of movement. Not because she’s rejecting femininity, but because she’s finally dressing for herself instead of for everyone else’s expectations.

The turtleneck is a perfect example. If I had to guess, it´s not about looking less feminine. It’s about looking competent. It commands authority, lets her move freely, and doesn’t invite people to focus on her appearance before they notice her abilities. That’s something Caitlyn struggles with since season one.

And the funny thing is… Caitlyn isn’t “sexy” because she’s trying to be. She just is. Obviously she’s beautiful, but that’s not what makes people drawn to her. It’s her intelligence, her quiet confidence, her kindness, her sense of justice, her wit and the way she carries herself. She’s graceful without trying to be graceful and authoritative without trying to intimidate anyone. She’s incredibly layered, and I could honestly talk about her for hours.

Do I think she’d wear a dress? Absolutely. I can easily picture her wearing one to a gala, on a warm summer evening, or even just a simple dress for a day by the lake. I actually think she’d have a very versatile wardrobe. But I don’t think clothes define who she is. Whether she’s wearing trousers, a dress, a turtleneck or shooting gear, she’s still Caitlyn. It’s not about gender.

One thing that always disappointed me is that we never really got to see her wardrobe after the war. I know animation budgets are real and reusing character models is common, but I wish we’d seen both Caitlyn and Vi in clothes that weren’t tied to duty or survival. By the final scene, enough time could have passed for them to finally exist as themselves. New clothes wouldn’t just have been a cosmetic change, it would have been visual storytelling. They could have shown us who these women are when they’re no longer soldiers, enforcers, or people simply trying to survive. It would’ve been a glimpse of the lives they were finally allowed to build.

That’s also why I think reducing Caitlyn to simply “ultra feminine” misses so much of what makes her compelling. She absolutely is feminine, but she also has a certain handsomeness about her. It’s in her presence, her posture, her quiet authority, the way she moves through the world. Even as a child, whenever she’s away from formal clothes, she’s running through the woods in practical gear. There’s a little tomboy in there, just like there’s always been a little adventurer. I actually love the parallel with young Vi, who’s constantly running across rooftops. They both had that same instinct to explore the world instead of watching it from a window.

At the end of the day, I genuinely don’t mind people’s headcanons. They’re part of what makes fandom fun. I have my own too. But I do think it’s important to separate headcanon from canon. What breaks my heart isn’t seeing different interpretations. It’s seeing Caitlyn flattened into one thing when she’s one of Arcane’s most nuanced characters. She’s elegant and practical, gentle and stubborn, feminine and undeniably handsome all at once. That’s exactly what makes her so fascinating.

[hexguardheart]

I just wrapped up a second fanart inspired by my fic… which was actually inspired by a fanart to begin with 🥴

I chose to illustrate a particularly blazing-hot tango scene from Chapter 6, "Two to Tango". While working on it, I realized it could actually mirror the very first piece that started this whole story.

The first one has colder tones, while this one is all warmth and fire. Blending them together felt like the perfect way to symbolize the changing "temperature" between Cait and Vi throughout the whole slow-burn journey.

So… I’ll leave you with the new piece, the original artwork as it was first created, the reworked one so it matches with the new one’s rendering, and the blended version with the title in the center, which could honestly work as the cover for the entire fic I think 🙃

I really enjoy coming back to my old sketchy style. I think it feels more like me. Not so polished, a bit chaotic… but honest and raw.

I think it’s also the way my neurodivergent brain works. I get inspired by so many incredible artists that I constantly want to experiment, learn new techniques, and try completely different styles. It’s almost like if I don’t, I’ll eventually get bored and stop creating altogether. I need to keep things exciting.

But no matter how much I experiment, I always seem to find my way back to my roots. The style that comes from years of painting semi-abstract pieces with acrylics, charcoal, and pretty much anything I could get my hands on.

So yeah… I feel good about this. It feels like coming home ❤️

You can read the whole story of Evidence of You here

A few close-ups 👇

[hexguardheart]

GTA 6 x Caitlyn Kiramman 🌴☀️

Look at her healthy tan 😎

[hexguardheart]

That’s it… over 100,000 words for "Evidence of You" 🥹

I honestly can’t believe it.

There was a point where I thought I’d lost the spark that made me start this story in the first place. After months of research, outlining, plotting, and trying to make every twist earn its place, I wasn’t sure I’d ever find that feeling again.

But I did.

And now it feels like I’m writing with my heart again. Like I can finally breathe.

I’m so incredibly proud of this story, and I honestly can’t wait to share the rest of it with you ❤️

🔗 Evidence of You

[heydinodraws]

Blood and water

[hexguardheart]

This is fucking gorgeous 🙌

[hexguardheart]

Finally! Chapter 26 is out 🥳

Read the whole story here

[hexguardheart]

Back to my old sketchy style 🫠

[hexguardheart]

My Arcane version of the new 2XKO Caitlyn pool skin ☺️

Vi insisted on getting a skin too. Caitlyn got all the dashing, elegant hotness, while Vi got a unicorn floatie and absolutely zero dignity… but she couldn’t be happier 😅🦄💕

[hexguardheart]

If I were in that pool and spotted her… the water level would instantly rise by two inches.

Damn. 😱

[hexguardheart]

Old Caitlyn’s back appreciation piece 🙌

[hexguardheart]

Arcane Tribute – Caitlyn & Vi

Created as companion pieces designed to reflect the contrast that makes their dynamic so compelling: discipline and instinct, precision and power, duty and defiance.

The set is available as digital HD files as a bundle with a 10$ discount on my Ko-fi here

[hexguardheart]

I was asked a few times to make a Vi tribute to go with the Caitlyn one, so here she is. ☺️

Available on my Ko-fi here

[hexguardheart]

Happy Pride Month, CaitVi Nation! 🏳️‍🌈💙❤️

May every member of our community find peace in their love, confidence in who they are, and joy in expressing it.

This month is a celebration of our differences, our uniqueness, and everything that makes us beautiful.

Stay you. Stay loud. Stay proud. 🌈✨

Full process and close-ups below 👇

I had an absolute blast working on this one, and I think it might be my new favorite piece of mine 🌈

[hexguardheart]

I love this to the bone but I can’t help picturing what’s happening outside the frame 🫣😅

[hexguardheart]

Well… Happy Pride Month to me 🫠💙

And of course, Happy Pride Month to all my fellow Caitlyn fans out there 🏳️‍🌈

As a completely normal person with a very healthy relationship to Caitlyn Kiramman, here’s my latest tribute to one of Arcane’s most fascinating and multifaceted characters ❤️

I also posted a video of part of the drawing process on TikTok if you’re curious to see the chaos behind it 🫣😂 👉 here

[qvert]

#ally ✊🏻 :D

Happy pride month and such!

[hexguardheart]

#the tenderness #this is so beautiful #qvert is the caitvi goat #LOOK AT THEM 🫠🫠🫠