#aa2015

[helloxalyssia]

there aren't enough words for me to explain how much I miss you and I can't wait to be in those loving arms again.

[kuraness]

Finally, after many weeks of me being lazy waiting, my best photos from Auto Assembly!

- Cosplay breakfast with fallyn-r2m, zychel, and violetstatic!

- engine-red and mighty-grifo (who I apparently can’t tag), as Miko and Bulkhead!  I also got a super-amaaaaaaazing commission from Red, which I will post a picture of soon!

- The most awesome Nautica, who was nice enough to let me take her picture even though I’m pretty sure she was going somewhere at the time.  I’m sorry I didn’t find out if you have tumblr!  If she does, can someone else tag her please?

- Triple Rungs!  Who I also forgot to ask for tumblr addresses for.  Please help me out!  I want to make sure everyone can see their photos, if they’re here.

[chrismcfeely]

I forgot to post these on Tumblr! Just a few silly little SD versions of some of the cosplayers from Auto Assembly I drew this year - a part of my “getting over the post-con blues” process! We’ve got annicron as Minimus Ambus, goingloco as Arcee, and evilcleverdog as Nautica.

[heart-sprout]

just bought my auckland armageddon tickets!

[asveri]

aaand some more cosplay from AA, which is mostly just goofing around, tbqh.

with the ever-changing :D @apolloniangasket as Soundwave, ??? as Slipstream (please tell me the name!), eabevella as Cyclonus, plastic-knives-and-forks as his royal highness aaaand foxyturttle as Sky-Byte.

this is the weirdest company ever, I think. I would watch that sitcom though.

[asveri]

AA cosplay, part... seven?? I think????

This time, feat. eabevella as Cyclonus, uniformshark as Tailgate aaand the versatile chaozrael as Tyrest! :D

[doomface]

Sumalee Montano and James Horan were so nice and approachable like.... i might’ve touched on this story a bit when i was still jetlagged after having just gotten home from AA. But as it so turns out on the plane home from Birmingham both James and Sumalee were on the same plane as me and I happened to bump into them again at the baggage claim. I think our plane got there a bit early or smth to that effect so the conveyor belt thing with all our baggage on it hadn’t started and we were going to be waiting there for a while for it to start up. 

My dad and I were standing on one side of the thing and Sumalee and James were on the other. I spotted them and poked my dad like “holy shit” because I hadn’t gotten to meet them at AA. Of course I was like -- I don’t want to bother them this isn’t the convention anymore they’re just chillin like me so I will just play it cool and not stare but peek every once in a while like an awkward bean. 

BUT THEN.

Then I heard someone shout like a “hey!” and I looked up and it was Sumalee who was waving at me and greeted me first. She pointed to my Decepticon jacket and complimented it then opened up her jacket to reveal an autobot shirt underneath. She kept complimenting my jacket and was talking abt how nice the convention was and stuff i think (i was so starstruck tbh I’ve probably forgotten a lot of it) and James was asking if I was from around the area and they were just so so nice like.... they didn’t have to do that omg... I was so worried about bothering them and they were the one initiating conversation with me.

Finally the conveyor belt thing started and we got our baggage and said our goodbyes but it was such a nice little moment.... One of my fave AA moments even though I was miles away from AA when it happened hahaha

[engine-red]

Story time (this might get sappy)!

Sumalee Montano was a guest at autoassembly this year and being the fan that I am I couldn’t pass the opportunity of gifting her with artwork, so I drew this illustration in her honour.

I was just walking around the convention’s main hall with mighty-grifo, and out of nowhere goingloco, arctg and scarecrowcoffee come towards me, looking super excited and kinda suspicious (so much I asked them “what did I do?” lol) and proceed to tell me they went to Sumalee’s table with one of my prints and THEN AMAZING THINGS ENSUED:

Loco told me that Sumalee, upon looking at the print, told her something along the lines of “people keep coming here with this for me to sign, who did it?” and Loco, (bless your heart) told her something like "I know her, she is at the convention”. Sumalle then got super excited and actually went “SHE IS HERE??” and Loco told her I was wearing my Miko cosplay so I shouldn’t be hard to find (again, bless your heart... I’m sorry if I got some of the things wrong, feel free to correct me).

Me and mighty-grifo then go straight to her table but unfortunately the queue for the autographs was “closed” and the staff informed us Sumalee was going to her room to rest for a bit. I got a bit sad but then meatfart was there so she, Bruno and a couple of other friends kept me company while I stuck around trying to at least wave at Sumalee or something...

Except you guys should’ve seen my face when SHE was the one who waved at me. She immediately recognized my cosplay and just... CAME TO ME also looking super excited, I thought I was going to die!! Oh my gosh, I can’t even remember what she told me during the first 10 seconds of our conversation because I was SO starstruck, but I know she complimented my artwork and called it “amazing” and “incredible” and I finally got the chance to tell her “I made it for you, I actually brought a big print to offer you.” She gasped and looked so happy, oh my god!! 

I felt a little bad for interrupting her break, so I actually apologised for it but she told me it was no problem so I got to offer her the Arcee print and get one for myself signed. She dedicated one of my most favourite Arcee quotes to me (written on the print above), and that is just so unbelievably awesome I’m STILL having a hard time believing it happened!! As an artist, having my artwork appreciated and acknowledged is the best thing I can experience, especially when the person I made it for likes it...

HUGS HAPPENED!! AAAH!! SO MANY HUGS!!

She even quoted me during her panel, she told the public something we talked about which was the fact that Arcee is a warrior, first and foremost, and that is such an important quality to keep in mind.

Then we took a million pictures and selfies and she even told us she’d send a picture to Tania and Kevin (of me as Miko and mighty-grifo as Bulkhead), so that was actually the cherry on top of the cake! I’M SO HAPPY!

Later in the evening, after the cosplay contest was over, she came running to us and told us we were amazing. I mean, we should’ve been the ones seeking her out, but this only shows how humble and amazingly nice Sumalee is. She’s SO cool and extremely approachable and don’t get me started on her positive energy, it’s just so contagious!! Truly a wonderful, inspirational human being...!! I’m SO happy I got to meet her! 

Oh, and then we took more pictures together!!! I’m so happy for that because with all the excitement I forgot to bring out my own camera and snap a few shots myself... but I don’t regret it because I know other people did so all is cool.

This Auto Assembly was an unforgettable life experience and I know I’ll be inspired by it for years and years to come.

Sumalee, if you’re reading this, please know how inspirational you are and never, ever stop being yourself...! I hope that you had a blast during the convention and that if one day you’re feeling down, please remember how many lives you touched with your work and that the thought alone will inspire you to keep going.

Thank you!