WHAT WOULD BLAIR WALDORF DO? PENCILS Gossip Girl stationery Meester collectible
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WHAT WOULD BLAIR WALDORF DO? PENCILS Gossip Girl stationery Meester collectible. Check out my other new & used items>>>>>>HERE! (click me) FOR SALE: A Gossip Girl -themed set of writing instruments "WHAT WOULD BLAIR WALDORF DO?" PENCIL SET BY THE CARBON CRUSADER DETAILS: Write with style with Gossip Girl -themed pencils! These charming pencils have a Gossip Girl mantra stamped into one side - a reminder to remember to ask yourself , when contemplating life predicaments, "What Would Blair Waldorf Do?". The pencil body is pale robin egg in color while the letters appear to not be colored and instead show the bare wood tone. The pack includes 6 - #2 (HB) lead pencils. Hand-stamped by The Carbon Crusader. Makes a great gift for the Gossip Girl fanatic! This fun Gossip Girl product is the perfect novelty gift for the Gossip Girl fan in your life, especially if they enjoy writing. CONDITION: New in package. Please see photos. *To ensure safe delivery all items are carefully packaged before shipping out.* THANK YOU FOR LOOKING. QUESTIONS? JUST ASK. *ALL PHOTOS AND TEXT ARE INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY OF SIDEWAYS STAIRS CO. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.* "Blair Cornelia Waldorf (married name Bass)[1] is one of the main characters of Gossip Girl,[2] introduced in the original series of novels and also appearing as the lead in the television adaptation; she also appears in the comic adaptation. Described as "a girl of extremes" by creator Cecily von Ziegesar,[3] she is a New York City socialite and a comical overachiever who possesses both snobbish and sensitive sides. Due to her position as queen bee of Manhattan's social scene, Blair's actions and relations are under constant scrutiny from the mysterious Gossip Girl, a popular blogger. Leighton Meester, who portrayed the character in the television drama, has described Blair as being insecure about her social status.[4] At times, this anxiety creates flaws and complexities which contribute to character development. In Meester's view, the true Blair is ultimately a good girl at heart.[5] Blair has been compared to vintage film and literary figures, including Becky Sharp and Lizzie Eustace. She is commonly likened to Lila Fowler of Francine Pascal's Sweet Valley High series.[6][7] Meester's portrayal has also drawn comparisons to roles played by Joan Collins and Audrey Hepburn. She is the most critically acclaimed character of the franchise, while the television character has drawn real-life attention surrounding fashion and her love life.... Character in print Gossip Girl is a series of novels about socially prominent young adults in New York City. The story primarily follows Blair Waldorf and her best friend Serena van der Woodsen during their years in high school and college. Due to her fame on the Upper East Side, Blair is featured on the website of "Gossip Girl," an anonymous gossip blogger whose posts appear occasionally throughout the story. Novel series In the first book, Blair is introduced as a privileged, comically vain overachiever.[8] She is described as an alluring brunette,[9] and occasionally models her appearance and demeanor after famous actresses, including Marilyn Monroe and, most often, Audrey Hepburn.[10] In early novels, the character is also written as bulimic. Blair is largely motivated by matters surrounding family, romance, and ambition. However, her tendency to overachieve can lead to feelings of paranoia, with dramatic or comical results. In a review for The New Yorker, Janet Malcolm remarked that Blair's issues made her "both a broader caricature and a more real person" than the other Gossip Girl characters.[8] In a 2009 interview, Gossip Girl creator Cecily von Ziegesar claimed to identify with Blair the most, stating, "She is so unpredictable and dramatic. Such a bitch, but we understand why she is a bitch and we like her anyway".[11] Story lines Throughout most of the series' run, Blair grapples with a number of changes within her family. One year prior to the opening novel, Blair's parents divorced after her father ran off with another man. When her mother remarries, and her father leaves the country, Blair has difficulty accepting her stepfather, Cyrus Rose. In addition, her stress over these matters occasionally affects her other relationships.[12] However, Blair ultimately remains close to her father Harold, who she often turns to for comfort.[13] By contrast, she maintains a somewhat tenser relationship with her mother Eleanor. It is also revealed that Blair has struggled with bulimia.[14] In the opening novel, Blair learns of an affair between her friend Serena van der Woodsen and her boyfriend Nate. This marks the beginning of the story's primary love triangle, which recurs throughout the series.[15] Blair's romantic life has various effects on her character development. After Nate repeatedly hurts her, she eventually refuses to take him back until she believes in his ability to commit to her.[16] In pursuing Nate, however, Blair herself cheats on her new boyfriend Pete, which results in her losing both of them.[17] She eventually begins to acknowledge her mistakes, with her father's help.[18] She later grows closer to Chuck Bass (which initially occurred in the series' television adaptation), who she'd previously known for years, which leads them to briefly date one another.[18] Blair is noted for an over-achieving nature, which often appears in humorous scenes. In a review for New York magazine, Emily Nussbaum lauded one of Blair's fantasies, which involves "joining the Peace Corps, getting a killer tan, winning the Nobel Peace Prize, and having dinner with the president, 'who would then write her a recommendation to Yale, and then Yale would fall all over themselves to accept her.' "[19] The New Yorker's Janet Malcolm remarked that unlike some of her forerunners in film and literature, "Blair already has all the money and position anyone could want. She is pure naked striving, restlessly seeking an object, any object, and never knowing when enough is enough."[8] Blair encounters a setback during her interview at Yale by revealing the recent stress in her life, and then kissing her interviewer on the cheek upon dismissal. Her father then makes a donation to the school, though Blair is still wait-listed.[20] In the twelfth book, I Will Always Love You, it is revealed that she has been admitted to the university.[21] In addition to her feelings for Nate, Blair is sometimes said to feel competitive with Serena in other areas, including matters of beauty and popularity.[22] This also leads to an occasional envy on Blair's part.[19] It is unclear how much of Blair's perception of Serena is in line with reality; the narrative describes both characters as "hands down the two hottest girls on the Upper East Side, and maybe all of Manhattan, or even the whole world."[9] Manga series A manga drawing of Blair Waldorf Blair as she appears in the manga. In 2010, Yen Press began publishing a manga adaptation titled Gossip Girl: For Your Eyes Only, written and illustrated by HyeKyung Baek. This series adapts notable scenarios from the novel—including the triangle with Nate and Serena—but also features new material. After losing her position as queen bee, Blair attempts to regain her former status while adjusting to a less privileged lifestyle.[23] In addition to this series, Blair also appears in a manga adaptation of the novel Gossip Girl: Psycho Killer, a parody of horror stories.[24] Television series In 2007, Gossip Girl was adapted for television. According to Cecily von Ziegesar, the television character is largely faithful to the original.[11] Among the aspects to be maintained are her admiration for Audrey Hepburn and her interest in Yale University. However, the series is also noted for its deviations from the source material,[8] including the exclusion of Blair's brother Tyler. The show also explores romances between Blair and multiple male leads, resulting in occasional love triangles. In the fifth season, Blair is revealed to be pregnant with Prince of Monaco, Louis Grimaldi's child. However the child later dies before birth after a car crash Blair and Chuck were in.[25] Among fans and the media, Blair's bond with Chuck Bass was commonly known by the portmanteau "Chair", while her relationship with Dan Humphrey was referred to as “Dair”. The nicknames and viewer interest in these relationships were recognized by the show's producers.[26] Casting They were like, 'Be bitchy and nice, ugly and pretty, young and old, stupid and smart, innocent and slutty, blond and brunette. Can you be all those things?' — Leighton Meester [27] To prepare for the part of Blair, actress Leighton Meester, a natural blonde, dyed her hair brown before auditioning, and also studied the first novel.[28][29] She has described the character as multi-faceted, labeling her "a little bit of everything which is pretty amazing."[29] Like von Ziegesar, Meester has also claimed to relate to Blair on certain levels. Prior to the show's debut in 2007, the actress stated that, "The only way to play Blair, or any character, and make her human, is to find what she is inside me. And I know I have my insecurities, too." She went on to say that, "The way Blair and I are not alike when it comes to insecurities is: She pays so much attention to hers!"[30] Meester's casting was described by Yahoo! as a star-making role which moved her "into the pop culture vanguard,"[31] while Cecily von Ziegesar has called her a perfect choice.[32] In December 2010, Meester revealed plans to leave the show in 2012. E! Online and other outlets speculated that her departure would possibly mark the end of the series.[33] Season 1 Main article: List of Gossip Girl episodes Screenshot of Leighton Meester in 'Gossip Girl' Blair as she appears in the TV adaptation, portrayed by Leighton Meester. In Season 1 of Gossip Girl, Blair is introduced as the Upper East Side's beautiful and popular queen bee. She is the daughter of Eleanor Waldorf, a famous fashion designer. She is dating Nate Archibald, and is best friends with Serena van der Woodsen. She also finds a close companion in Nate's best friend and her childhood friend Chuck Bass, who becomes a partner for her schemes. When Serena returns home from boarding school, Blair learns from Nate that he lost his virginity to a drunken Serena over a year ago.[34] Blair retaliates by publicly revealing Serena's connection to a rehab hospital. She then learns that the actual patient is Serena's younger brother, Eric, who had been committed after a suicide attempt. Afterward, a remorseful Blair reconciles with Serena.[35][36] After learning that Nate no longer loves her, Blair sleeps with Chuck, eventually falling for him. This leads to a heated affair and an eventual love triangle. Her inability to choose creates much of the first season's story line.[37] There are brief mentions of Blair's past struggle with anorexia-bulimia that are never mentioned again past the first season. She also begins a brief power struggle with freshman Jenny Humphrey. After she unites with Chuck and Nate in order to save Serena from the scheming Georgina Sparks, Chuck realizes that his feelings for Blair are real and suggests that they spend the summer together in Tuscany. However, he is discouraged by his father at the last minute, and stands Blair up.[38] Season 2 At the launch of the second season, Blair was described by creators as the queen at the center of the Gossip Girl chess game.[39] A large portion of her story line in Season 2 revolves around her love-hate relationship with Chuck Bass, which was labeled "the heart of GG" by People magazine.[28] While competing with Serena, Blair forms an unexpected friendship with Jenny, who states that they each work for everything they achieve, while Serena often glides through life. During their interviews at Yale University, Blair and Serena apologize for their ill feelings and resume their friendship.[40] In the episode "O Brother, Where Bart Thou?", Chuck is devastated by news of his father's death, prompting Blair to offer her support while telling Chuck that she loves him. He initially shuns her advances, but later turns to her for comfort.[41] However, the two stop seeing each other due to Chuck's uncle, Jack Bass, convincing him he has an inability to commit to a relationship.[42] After being rejected by Yale, Blair finds unexpected encouragement from Nate.[43] She is later accepted into New York University, and her competitive relationship with Georgina is eventually renewed. As the season ends, Blair crowns Jenny the new queen of Constance Billard School. In the season finale, it is discovered that Blair slept with Chuck's uncle Jack and that Chuck had slept with Vanessa Abrams. Chuck then departs for Europe. He later returns to New York and reconciles with Blair while declaring his love for her, and the two finally begin a committed relationship.[44] Season 3 In the third season, Blair joins Vanessa, Georgina, and Jenny's brother Dan at NYU.[45] Much of her storyline concerns her inability to attain her previous status at her new school. She finds emotional support from her mother, as well as Chuck. However, she and Chuck separate once again when Blair feels that he manipulated her while competing with his uncle (Chuck made a deal with Jack that Blair could sleep with him and in exchange, Chuck gets his hotel back that Jack initially stole to 'destroy Chuck'). She later transfers to Columbia University, and learns that an emotionally reformed Chuck was responsible for her enrollment.[46] They later team up as part of a role-playing scheme to help Serena's mother and Chuck's adopted mother, Lily. In the season finale, Chuck attempts to propose to Blair, but is interrupted by Dan, who reveals that Chuck had slept with Jenny. Two weeks later, Blair and Serena depart for Paris intending to spend the summer together.[47] Season 4 In Season 4, Blair and Chuck become competitive once again, but eventually resume their sexual relations before recognizing their love for one another. When the relationship interferes with their business interests, she and Chuck break up once more. Chuck promises he'll wait for her, and both affirm their belief that their love will reunite them in the end.[48] Blair then teams up with Dan when the two share common goals. They also end up working together at W. magazine, where friction develops between the two.[49] On Valentine's Day, she discovers that Chuck has romantic feelings for Raina Thorpe, the daughter of his business rival. Later, she and Dan spend the evening talking on their cell phones while watching Rosemary's Baby.[50] Blair later quits W. and is shown asleep with Dan in his Brooklyn flat. Later, upon growing curious of their feelings for one another, Blair and Dan share a kiss before the mid-season hiatus. Blair eventually decides that she wants to be with Chuck, but shuns him once again after he tries to humiliate Dan.[51] She is later courted by a prince from Monaco named Louis. During a private confrontation, a drunken Chuck punches a window after he finds out Prince Louis has proposed to Blair, which cuts Blair's face as it shatters. Afterward, Blair chooses to accept a proposal from Louis.[52] Blair later attempts to warn Chuck about potential trouble in his family. She is then abducted by an enemy of the Basses, Raina's father Russell Thorpe. Chuck later rescues Blair and apologizes for his violent actions. Following a night out together, the two have sex before Chuck advises Blair to return to Louis, believing that she will be happier with him. However, the season ends with the revelation that Blair may be pregnant.[53] Reaction to triangle Chuck and Blair are always going to be connected in their way, and Dan and Serena are always going to be connected in their way. But that doesn't mean that there won't be new roads to go down that might be different than what we initially anticipated. —Joshua Safran, producer[54] Amidst the fourth season, the romance between Dan and Blair became a polarizing topic among viewers[49] which also drew significant media interest. Jarett Wieselman of the New York Post applauded the development, feeling that Blair had "more chemistry" with Dan than with Chuck.[55] New York magazine's Chris Rovzar called Blair and Dan's story line "believable", citing their common ground in education and taste. Rovzar further stated, "Since they live in a world where both only seem to have half a dozen real friends (if that), is it so crazy they'd end up together?"[56] An article from The Huffington Post declared that "Dan and Blair together are like Harry Burns and Sally Albright reincarnated — the couple was obviously inspired by When Harry Met Sally...." It further commented that the couple paralleled Pacey and Joey's relationship from Dawson's Creek and concluded that Dan and Blair were "the most inspired storyline and couple of the show".[57] Entertainment Weekly stated that Dan and Blair were like stars in an "updated version of You've Got Mail".[58] Tierney Bricker of E! ranked all 25 Gossip Girl couples placing 'Dair' as the third best couple after Blair and Serena (#1) and 'Chair' (#2). Dawn Fallik of The Wall Street Journal was less positive, asserting that "both characters have been so Blandified that there's no fun left in the show."[59] A writer for E! Online's Team WWK labeled the Dan/Blair relationship "nomance nonsense".[60] With regard to Chuck and Blair, Meester stated, "I can really relate to it—not necessarily because it's this dramatic, tumultuous relationship, but because the way they love each other is very real, and not for the sake of being dramatic. It's actual love. There's nobody for each other but them."[61] Meester also expressed fondness for Dan and Blair, however, stating, "I think they're good for each other in a lot of ways, in a way that Chuck and Blair aren't."[49] Badgley claimed that he thought "Blair [was] Dan's soul mate"[62] but that Blair's soulmate was Chuck “because Blair and Chuck belong with each other, obviously.” He further stated that he thought the Blair and Dan storyline was "the most exciting for Dan as a person".[63] Producers initially noticed chemistry between Blair and Dan in the Season 1 episode "Bad News Blair". According to producer Joshua Safran, the creators planned to revisit their relationship once the timing was right. Safran also stated that the outcome wasn't necessarily decided ahead of time. "One thing we are very conscious of—and I know some fans get upset about this—is we really try to treat the characters as living, breathing, well-rounded individuals. And we're often surprised by where their journeys take them; they open new doors for us all the time," he said.[54] Controversy Following the twentieth episode of Season 4, Safran spoke on behalf of the series regarding the scene in which Chuck became violent with Blair.[64] The way we viewed it, I think it's very clear that Blair is not afraid in those moments, for herself. They have a volatile relationship, they always have, but I do not believe—or I should say we do not believe—that it is abuse when it's the two of them. Chuck does not try to hurt Blair. He punches the glass because he has rage, but he has never, and will never, hurt Blair. He knows it and she knows it, and I feel it's very important to know that she is not scared—if anything, she is scared for Chuck—and what he might do to himself, but she is never afraid of what he might do to her. Leighton and I were very clear about that. In response to these comments, Carina MacKenzie of Zap2it stated, "We're left wondering if Safran missed the part where she went home bleeding because Chuck was using physical intimidation to release his own emotions."[65] While reviewing the episode, Tierney Bricker of Zap2it felt that there were "really no excuses for Chuck Bass anymore."[66] MacKenzie also called the show's explanation "disturbing, particularly given the young, female target demographic of Gossip Girl and The CW."[65] In a review for the Los Angeles Times, Judy Berman addressed Safran's description of Blair during the scene. "Considering how terrified Blair looked at the end of their encounter, and how quickly she got out of there, the show is sending a mixed message at best." She went on to state, "We have no right to expect Gossip Girl to be a paragon of morality, or even realism, but the idea that true love requires taking a shard of glass to the face is disturbing even in this alternate, soap-opera dimension."[67] Season 5 In the fifth-season premiere, Blair continues to plan her wedding, but begins to encounter problems in her relationship with Louis. It is later revealed that she is pregnant.[25] Blair tells Chuck that the child is Louis', and states that part of her wanted Chuck to be the father.[68] Dan becomes Blair's confidante and is shown to be in love with her, though she remains oblivious to his feelings and states that there is nothing more than friendship between them. Though she insists that she is in love with Louis, Blair begins to seek Chuck out as the season progresses. The two eventually declare their love for each other prior to a car accident in her limousine while being chased by paparazzi. Though both recover, Blair suffers a miscarriage from the crash. After the crash Blair decides that she must commit herself to Louis, converting to Catholicism and cutting off any connection with Chuck. At the wedding, Gossip Girl releases a recording of Blair confessing her love for Chuck. Nevertheless, Louis and Blair get married, making Blair a Princess of Monaco, though Louis informs her that they will have a loveless marriage of convenience.[69] She then receives support from Dan, leading them to share a kiss on Valentine's Day. Amidst these developments, Blair grows conflicted between her feelings for Dan and Chuck.[70] After taking steps to end her marriage, she chooses to pursue a relationship with Dan.[71] By the end of the season, however, after a debate about which love is the best, Blair declares that she is still in love with Chuck, and chooses to pursue him.[72] Season 6 In the final season, Blair resumes her romantic relationship with Chuck, while Chuck and his father Bart—who is revealed to be alive in the previous season—become bitter rivals. Blair pursues her career as head of Waldorf Designs, with several mishaps, before staging a successful line.[73] In the penultimate episode, Bart falls to his death while trying to attack Chuck atop a building. Afterward, Blair and Chuck depart together. In the series finale, Blair marries Chuck which results in her not having to testify against him in his father's murder case. Five years later, Blair is shown to be running her mother's successful fashion line and she works with Jenny in a line called "J for Waldorf", and she and Chuck are shown to have a son named Henry.[74] Reception In print While covering the book series, Janet Malcolm of The New Yorker labeled the character "an antiheroine of the first rank," and asserted that "the series belongs to awful Blair, who inspires von Ziegesar's highest flights of comic fancy." She also compared Blair to vintage film and literary figures such as Becky Sharp of Vanity Fair, and Lizzie Eustace of The Eustace Diamonds.[8] In addition, several critics have likened Blair to the character Lila Fowler of the earlier Sweet Valley High series.[6][7][75] In the 2007 book Children's Literature and Culture, writer Harry Edwin Eiss chastised the depiction of Blair's bulimia. "If handled properly, the inclusion of her illness could have provided a powerful lesson for young adult readers who worry about their weight and food consumption. Unfortunately, Cecily von Ziegesar, the author of the series, presents a seriously flawed treatment of the problem. In a failed attempt at humor, the writer regards Blair's sickness as just another source of gossip," he said.[76] Emily Nussbaum of New York magazine had similar comments, calling the bulimia "more of an icky weakness than a full-fledged pathology." However, she went on to commend Blair as "hilariously self-centered".[19] Julie Opipari of Manga Maniac Cafe gave the initial Gossip Girl manga a negative review, citing displeasure with the characters and plot. However, she acknowledged that this gave her a greater appreciation for Blair in the second volume, noting that Blair "really had to learn how to rough it" after losing her privileged lifestyle. She went on to state that "Blair is one character that is fun to hate on. So imagine my surprise when I actually started to like her by the end of the book".[77] On screen Leighton Meester in a black dress Meester's portrayal of Blair has been met with critical acclaim. The actress prepared by reading Gossip Girl.[29] The show's breakout character,[78] Blair Waldorf has garnered much media recognition. Yahoo! proclaims Blair a member of "television's pantheon of razor-witted, solipsistic high school Alpha females."[31] While commenting on Meester, New York magazine's 2008 cover story of the series states, "Her villain-you-want-to-root-for is the most sophisticated performance on the show."[79] In another 2008 article, People magazine commented that "Meester has burst out of this ensemble to stardom."[80] Variety described her performance as similar to that of "a predatory junior Joan Collins who practically breathes fire out of her pinched, perfectly WASP-ish nostrils."[80] FHM Online ranked the actress the "Hottest TV Star" of autumn 2008, stating that as Blair Waldorf, "Leighton Meester has stolen the spotlight with her mind-blowing good looks and amazing performance."[81] OK! magazine likened her character to Audrey Hepburn's portrayal of Holly Golightly.[82] The physical similarity was also noted by USA Today.[83] In its 2009 "Hot List", Rolling Stone cited Blair as "the reason we love the back-stabby soap most."[84] Regarding the fictional fame of Blair's friend Serena, Tim Stack of Entertainment Weekly asserted that "Serena may be the star of the media but Blair is quickly becoming the star of this show."[85] While citing Serena's long-revered allure, Glamour and its readers compared the two characters in 2008, with Blair being recognized as more beautiful than Serena.[86] In a review from The Atlantic, Blair and Serena's friendship was praised as "it offered a relationship whose depth and complexity approached Rory and Paris' [from Gilmore Girls]."[87] In May 2009, Blair received attention from Forbes, which interviewed her via the series' writers.[88] Television Without Pity listed Meester in their "Golden Globes 2009: Overlooked TV Shows and Performances" article, labeling Blair "so multi-faceted, well-dressed and beautifully played that she elevates this teen soap to something we don't even feel guilty about admitting we love."[89] Meester won the Teen Choice Award for "Choice TV Actress Drama" in 2009,[90] and again in 2010.[91] In 2009, she was voted the "Best Mean Girl" in Zap2it's first poll of the best television characters in the 2000s.[92] In February 2012, Zap2it held another poll to determine TV's Most Crushworthy. Blair was elected TV's Most Crushworthy 1% Female over Temperance "Bones" Brennan.[93] The 1 percenters are people that "have everything going for them with their fantastic good looks and their opulent lifestyle".[94] Her relationship with Chuck Bass was included in TV Guide's list of "The Best TV Couples of All Time"[95] as well as Entertainment Weekly's "30 Best 'Will They/Won't They?' TV Couples".[96] The character's wardrobe—credited to designers Abigail Lorick and Eric Daman[97][98]—was popular, earning mentions from periodicals such as InStyle[99] and New York,[100] along with recognition from websites.[101] TV Guide listed Blair among its "Best Dressed TV Characters of 2007".[102] Entertainment Weekly named Blair Waldorf and Chuck Bass the "Most Stylish" characters of 2008.[103] Lifetime television ranks Blair first in its listing of "The Top 10 Best-Dressed TV Characters",[104] while Glamour has named her among its best-dressed TV characters of all time.[105] In a Vanity Fair interview, costume designers Eric Daman and Meredith Markworth-Pollack named Audrey Hepburn and Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour as their inspirations when dressing Meester as Blair. The designers also cited New York socialites Tinsley Mortimer and Arden Wohl as influences.[106] TV Guide named her the sixth most fashionable TV character." (wikipedia.org) "Gossip Girl is an American young adult novel series written by Cecily von Ziegesar and published by Little, Brown and Company, a subsidiary of the Hachette Group. The series revolves around the lives and romances of the privileged socialite teenagers at the Constance Billard School for Girls, an elite private school in New York City's Upper East Side. The books primarily focus on best friends Blair Waldorf and Serena van der Woodsen, whose experiences are among those chronicled by the eponymous gossip blogger. The novel series is based on the author's experiences at Nightingale-Bamford School and on what she heard from friends.... Publication The first novel, Gossip Girl, was released in April 2002; the eleventh novel of the series was released in May 2007, with a prequel novel following in October 2007. Another follow-up novel, in which the characters return home from college for the holidays, was released in hardback format in November 2009. The original novel became the inspiration for the Gossip Girl teen drama television series, created by Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage, which premiered on The CW on September 19, 2007. There are now 13 novels. In May 2008, a follow-up series, Gossip Girl: The Carlyles, began publication, following the Carlyle triplets as they begin moving to the Upper East Side. As of October 2009, four novels have been released in this series. Ziegesar created a spin-off series, The It Girl, which began publication in 2005, and Yen Press has adapted the series into a manga series titled Gossip Girl: For Your Eyes Only. History The novel that started the series, Gossip Girl, was published in paperback format in April 2002.[2] Two new novels were released annually until the final novel, Don't You Forget About Me, was released in May 2007, showing the main characters graduating from high school and moving on to college and other pursuits.[3] A prequel novel, It Had To Be You, was released in October 2007 in hardcover and electronic book format. It detailed the events that occurred a year before the first novel.[4] A box set containing the eleven novels of the series and the prequel novel, in paperback format, was released November 1, 2009.[5] Two days later, a sequel novel, I Will Always Love You was released. The hardcover book tells the story of the main characters returning home from college for the holidays.[6] Hachette Group re-released all of the original novels in electronic book format between 2008 and 2009.[7] Books nine, ten and eleven of the main series were ghostwritten.[8][9] In December 2009, Yen Press announced that it was working with Korean artist Hyekyung Baek to create a manga adaptation of the series titled Gossip Girl: For Your Eyes Only. Rather than adapting the original novels, however, the graphic novels feature original stories with the same characters. It was serialized in the company's anthology magazine Yen Plus, from August 2010 to December 2013.[10] In October 2011, a parody of the series Gossip Girl: Psycho Killer was released. It is written by Cecily von Zeigesar. The identity of Gossip Girl has not been released to the public. Characters This section needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (September 2009) (Learn how and when to remove this template message) Blair Waldorf - a beautiful and active student of her elite high school. Blair uses money and scheming to get what she wants. Blair attends Yale University, the school of her dreams, after graduating from high school.[11] Throughout the series, she has an on-off relationship with Nate Archibald, whom she always imagined marrying. At the end of the series, Nate admits he loves her, and always will. Gossip Girl herself says that the two are just meant to be together. Blair's style and attitude portrays her as being quite preppy. Serena van der Woodsen - an angelically attractive and charming it-girl who returns to the Upper East Side after getting expelled from boarding school.[12] Nate's interest in Serena causes conflict between her and her frenemy, Blair, who is also Nate's girlfriend. In the end, Serena settles in New York City. She is an heiress to a Dutch shipping multimillionaire empire and a socialite who later becomes a successful Hollywood actress.[13] Nate Archibald is a wealthy, good-looking lacrosse player from St. Jude's School for Boys. He has dated a number of girls in the series, but his only serious relationships have been with his on-again/off-again girlfriend, Blair Waldorf and her close friend Serena. After stealing his lacrosse coach's Viagra, he relied on Blair and her alumnus father's connections to get accepted into Yale. Nate eventually left to sail around the world with his father's Navy mentor because he is unable to choose between Blair and Serena. In the sequel, he attends Deep Springs recommended by Chuck Bass, and then Brown University. Eventually, he professes his love for Blair over Serena, which leaves Serena heartbroken and Blair overjoyed. He and Serena got into every college that they entered for. Dan Humphrey is a sexy, skinny, sensitive, caffeine-addicted poet who often sees the darker side of things. A romantic whose imagination runs off wildly at the worst times, he is also over-analytical and easily frustrated. Dan was in love with Serena for years before they met and briefly dated. Dan also experimented with homosexuality, before he began dating Vanessa Abrams. He is a published writer of poetry and songs. At the end of the series, he is attending Evergreen State College in Washington. In the sequel, he transfers to Columbia University. He has had a variety of girlfriends, Serena van der Woodsen and Mystery Craze before settling down with Vanessa Abrams. Jenny Humphrey - the younger sister of Dan, a fan of Serena but has major insecurities with her huge chest.[14] She later gets her own spinoff series, The It Girl. Vanessa Abrams is a budding filmmaker and the total opposite of most of her classmates, sporting a shaved head and always wears black. She has a shaky relationship with Dan Humphrey, particularly after she ends up living with the Humphrey family for a short time. At the end of the series, she is attending New York University. In the prequel, it is revealed she shaved her head in front of Blair. Chuck Bass is the series' handsome, lust-driven antagonist who tries to take advantage of several girls, though it is eventually revealed that he is quite possibly bisexual. He is largely despised by other characters, but due to his wealth and power, he is tolerated. Notes for a planned prequel to the series revealed that Chuck was originally called "Chip Wiskers", but the name was later scrapped in favor of the more substantial sounding variation of the "wood word + animal name" themed moniker applied in the final draft. Plans to depict "Chip" as a Rhythm Gymnast were also cut, due to the overtly feminine nature of the sport. At the end of the series, he is not accepted into any college that he applied to and claims he is going to military college. However, he never arrives at the school and his whereabouts remain unknown. He later returns to New York as a changed, respectable man, albeit somewhat dependent on his wealth. In the books, Chuck is a secondary character.[15] However, he is elevated to a primary role in its television adaptation, in which he holds an intense relationship with Blair, and is best friends with Nate and Serena. List of novels Gossip Girl Title Publication date Length (first edition) ISBN Gossip Girl April 1, 2002[2] 224 pp ISBN 978-0-316-91033-0 Teenager Blair Waldorf sneaks away from a party to have sex with her boyfriend Nate Archibald, however they are interrupted by the return of Blair's old friend Serena van der Woodsen, who was away at boarding school. When Serena was around, Blair felt as if she were lost in Serena's shadow, so she is not thrilled that Serena has returned. She is also unhappy to find out that Nate and Serena had sex the summer before Serena left. She tries to keep Serena out of the loop and encourages others to ignore her. Not understanding why she is getting the cold shoulder, Serena decides to try new activities and tries out for the school play, but is rejected. Later she tries out for Vanessa Abrams' short film, War and Peace, in Central Park. However, Vanessa grows jealous when her best friend and secret crush, Dan Humphrey, who is in love with Serena, seems infatuated with her. Vanessa chooses another girl for the part. Undeterred, Serena decides to make her own film and enlists the help of Jenny Humphrey, Dan's younger sister. Throughout the story, the various characters regularly visit "Gossip Girl," a popular, anonymous blog that spreads rumors and gossip about them. During a benefit organized by Blair, which Jenny has been trying to get into, Chuck Bass attacks Jenny, but Dan Humphrey and Serena rescue her. You Know You Love Me September 1, 2002[16] 256 pp ISBN 978-0-316-91148-1 Eleanor Waldorf's upcoming wedding with Cyrus Rose threatens to overshadow Blair's birthday. College interviews bring out the best and worst in the seniors, as Blair hangs out with her new stepbrother-to-be Aaron Rose, and Dan finds out how just not into him Serena is. Nate starts hanging out with Jenny, and Jenny falls madly in love with him. Serena and Blair reunite as best friends again. Nate eventually two times Blair with Jenny at Eleanor's wedding, bringing Serena and Blair closer. All I Want Is Everything May 7, 2003[17] 240 pp ISBN 978-0-316-91212-9 Christmas time in New York City has arrived and Serena moves from dating superstar Flow to vegan Aaron when they all end up on a Caribbean vacation with the Waldorfs. Jenny gets stalkerish with Nate, while Nate realizes who he truly loves. Blair learns that her mother is pregnant and decides that Nate isn't worthy of being her leading man. Jenny paints a number of portraits of Nate. Because I'm Worth It October 1, 2003[18] 256 pp ISBN 978-0-316-90968-6 Vanessa and Dan's romance comes to a halt when he turns into an overnight literary superstar with her help. Serena makes her modeling debut during Fashion Week, inadvertently pushing away her boyfriend Aaron. Nate is sent to rehab where he meets Georgina Spark. Dan two times Vanessa with Mystery Craze while Vanessa watches crying silently. I Like It Like That May 5, 2004[19] 224 pp ISBN 978-0-316-73518-6 Spring break arrives. Serena, Blair, Nate and Georgina are off to ski in Sun Valley where Blair nearly sleeps with Serena's brother Erik. Jenny finds out her boyfriend is keeping a secret from her. Dan interns at a pretentious literary magazine, while Nate realizes just how crazy Georgina Spark can be. Serena and Georgina become friends before Chuck and Georgina send Serena snow boarding in close to nothing. The board capsizes and Serena falls in a ditch. You're the One That I Want October 6, 2004[20] 256 pp ISBN 978-0-316-73516-2 College acceptance letters are arriving and Serena and Nate get in everywhere she applied while Blair is waitlisted for her dream school, Yale. Jenny becomes a model with S's help and realizes she wants to be more like Serena. Dan and Vanessa decide to live together – briefly. Dan becomes irritated with Vanessa's new friend Tiphany and her ferret. Nobody Does It Better May 11, 2005[21] 256 pp ISBN 978-0-316-73512-4 After briefly living at the Plaza, Blair unexpectedly decides to move in with – Vanessa. Racy pictures of Jenny surface, landing her in trouble at Constance, which she loves. Jenny wants to go to boarding school. Nothing Can Keep Us Together October 5, 2005[22] 240 pp ISBN 978-0-316-73509-4 As graduation approaches, Blair moves out of V's apartment and into the Yale club where she meets Lord Marcus. A filmmaker is casting talent for a remake of Breakfast at Tiffany's. Jenny scouts boarding schools setting up her exit from the series for her spin-off series, The It Girl. B and S audition for the lead in Breakfast at Fred's but Serena lands the role tearing her and Blair's friendship again. Only in Your Dreams written by ghost-writer May 10, 2006[23] 256 pp ISBN 978-0-316-01182-2 Nate dates a Hamptons townie named Tawny and Dan two-times Vanessa with yoga-loving Bree. Blair returns from London and lives with Serena. Not surprisingly when Nate and Tawny meet Blair and Serena, the two girls reaction is not impressed. Would I Lie to You? written by ghost-writer October 4, 2006[24] 224 pp ISBN 978-0-316-01183-9 Blair and Nate reunite just as Serena realizes she's in love with him. Dan starts an experimental literary salon and thinks he's gay after making out with his male co-worker. Don't You Forget About Me written by ghost-writer May 1, 2007[3] 304 pp ISBN 978-0-316-01184-6 As summer winds down, Blair learns that her family is relocating to California. Dan finally figures out whom his heart really belongs to. Nate is forced to choose between Blair and Serena. Dan's mother returns and gives him presents for being gay. It Had to Be You October 2, 2007[4] 417 pp ISBN 978-0-316-01768-8 This prequel to the Gossip Girl series reveals how Serena left Constance Billard School for Girls after falling in love with Nate. The story also explores Blair's obsession with Audrey Hepburn, and how Nate came between best friends Serena and Blair. I Will Always Love You November 3, 2009[6] 400 pp ISBN 978-0-316-04361-8 The original cast returns to New York. Blair is studying law at Yale and has a boyfriend there. However, Blair and Nate have a whirlwind romance for several days and Nate realizes Blair is the one he was meant to be with. That is, until he lays eyes on Serena, who is now an A-list movie star, and is more confused than ever. Dan leaves Evergreen and transfers to Columbia so he can be close to Vanessa. Vanessa is overwhelmed with all of Dan's ideas of living together and starting a life causing her to cheat on him with Hollis, her TA. Dan is overwhelmed with sorrow until Serena reads one of his poems and they start dating again. Chuck returns straight, penniless, and full of wisdom. Vanessa leaves Hollis angrily. Psycho Killer October 3, 2011[25] 320 pp ISBN 978-0-316-18509-7 A slasher parody reworking of the first book of the series, turning Blair and Serena into serial killers. Gossip Girl: The Carlyles Title Publication date Length (first edition) ISBN Gossip Girl: The Carlyles written by Baby Annabelle May 6, 2008[26] 256 pp ISBN 978-0-316-02064-0 Get out your Montblanc pens, Chloe satchels, and cashmere cardigans: it's a brand-new season on the Upper East Side, and the irresistible Carlyle triplets are taking Manhattan by storm. You know it's going to be another wild and wicked year, and I'll be here to whisper all the juicy secrets. You Just Can't Get Enough written by Annabelle Vestry October 7, 2008[27] 240 pp ISBN 978-0-316-02065-7 It's September – time to put away your white eyelet sundresses and platform espadrilles and say goodbye to the East End. But say hello to Manhattan's newest residents, the scene-stealing, heart-stealing Carlyle triplets. Lock up your boyfriends and throw away the key, because B and A are hotter than NYC during a sultry Indian summer. Take a Chance on Me written by Annabelle Vestry May 12, 2009[28] 256 pp ISBN 978-0-316-02066-4 Baby Carlyle breaks up with J.P., Avery and Jack become good friends, and Owen dates Kelsey for a while and then dumps her, as he realizes that they don't really know each other and their only attraction is lust. Rhys is heartbroken over Kelsey, but gets over her and forgives Owen. Love the One You're With written by Annabelle Vestry October 1, 2009[29] 240 pp ISBN 978-0-316-02067-1 The Carlyles go on Vacation to the Bahamas with Remington, their mom's fiancé, his daughter, Layla, and her boyfriend, Riley. They are joined by Rhys, Owen's friend, and Jack. Baby feels alone, until she realizes that she and Riley have a real connection. But she and Layla make a great team too... Rhys is being pressured by Hugh and the swim team to hook up with a girl, so Owen decides to set him up with an aggressive British girl. But the only girl Rhys has eyes for is Avery... Owen's sister. Jack realizes that her feelings for Owen run much deeper than she thought, but she can't bring herself to tell Avery. Amidst all of the secret drama, Remington and Edie Carlyle decide to get married. Reception The Gossip Girl series has received positive and negative attention. The American Library Association selected the Gossip Girl series as Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers in 2003.[30] In 2008, it was also named Booklist Editors' Choice: Adult Books for Young Adults.[31] Despite the above, the Gossip Girl series has frequently been the center of controversy due to homosexuality, offensive language, drugs, being sexually explicit, and being unsuited to age group.[32] The series appears on the American Library Association's list of the one hundred most banned and challenged books from 2000 to 2009,[33] and 2010 to 2019 (56).[34] The series also appeared in the top ten list in 2006 (2), 2008 (7), and 2011 (9).[32] The criticism of the Gossip Girl series primarily revolves around whether the events depicted in the story are appropriate for the teenage audience the books attract.[35] American author and feminist Naomi Wolf in 2006 called the books "corruption with a cute overlay." Wolf also claims that "sex saturates the Gossip Girl books.... This is not the frank sexual exploration found in a Judy Blume novel, but teenage sexuality via Juicy Couture, blasé and entirely commodified."[36] Pam Spencer Holley, former YALSA President with the American Library Association (ALA), presents a different point of view, claiming simply to be "happy to see teen girls reading."[37] Confident that young girls will move onto more respected literature, Holley points out, "Unless you read stuff that's perhaps not the most literary, you'll never understand what good works are." She went on to say, "Nobody complains about the adult women who read Harlequin romances."[37] Holley created a new ALA book list to encourage teens to consult a list of recommendations for "both avid and reluctant readers, who are looking for books like Cecily von Ziegesar's Gossip Girl series. 'The books on this list are perfect for when your readers have finished with every Gossip Girl title in your library and are clamoring for another book like the Gossip Girl.'"[38] Television adaptation Main article: Gossip Girl The television adaptation of the novel series, also titled Gossip Girl, was picked up by The CW.[39] Josh Schwartz, the creator of The O.C., is executive producer for the project.[40] In the show, Blake Lively plays Serena, Leighton Meester plays Blair, Chace Crawford plays Nate, Penn Badgley plays Dan, Ed Westwick plays Chuck, Taylor Momsen plays Jenny and Jessica Szohr plays Vanessa. The show is loosely based on the books and does not follow the same story line.[41] Some key characters from the books, such as Aaron Rose or the Lord, are introduced into the show with different storylines, and some characters undergo changes to their personality and characteristics. For example, Serena's older brother in the books, Erik van der Woodsen, is two years younger than her instead of older, and the characters of Serena, Blair, Chuck and Nate have been best friends since childhood compared to the novel series where the story's main friendship was only between Serena, Blair and Nate; with Chuck not being one of the main characters. " (wikipedia.org) "A pencil (/ˈpɛnsəl/ (audio speaker iconlisten)) is a writing or drawing implement with a solid pigment core encased in a sleeve, barrel, or shaft that prevents breaking the core or marking a user's hand. Pencils create marks by physical abrasion, leaving a trail of solid core material that adheres to a sheet of paper or other surface. They are distinct from pens, which dispense liquid or gel ink onto the marked surface. Most pencil cores are made of graphite powder mixed with a clay binder. Graphite pencils (traditionally known as "lead pencils") produce grey or black marks that are easily erased, but otherwise resistant to moisture, most chemicals, ultraviolet radiation and natural aging. Other types of pencil cores, such as those of charcoal, are mainly used for drawing and sketching. Coloured pencils are sometimes used by teachers or editors to correct submitted texts, but are typically regarded as art supplies, especially those with cores made from wax-based binders that tend to smear when erasers are applied to them. Grease pencils have a softer, oily core that can leave marks on smooth surfaces such as glass or porcelain. The most common pencil casing is thin wood, usually hexagonal in section but sometimes cylindrical or triangular, permanently bonded to the core. Casings may be of other materials, such as plastic or paper. To use the pencil, the casing must be carved or peeled off to expose the working end of the core as a sharp point. Mechanical pencils have more elaborate casings which are not bonded to the core; instead, they support separate, mobile pigment cores that can be extended or retracted (usually through the casing's tip) as needed. These casings can be reloaded with new cores (usually graphite) as the previous ones are exhausted. ... History Old Soviet colored pencils with box (circa 1959) Camel's hair Pencil, from Old French pincel, from Latin penicillus a "little tail" (see penis; pincellus is Latin from the post-classical period[1]) originally referred to an artist's fine brush of camel hair, also used for writing before modern lead or chalk pencils.[2] Though the archetypal pencil was an artist's brush, the stylus, a thin metal stick used for scratching in papyrus or wax tablets, was used extensively by the Romans[3] and for palm-leaf manuscripts. Graphite deposit discoveries As a technique for drawing, the closest predecessor to the pencil was silverpoint or leadpoint until in 1565 (some sources say as early as 1500), a large deposit of graphite was discovered on the approach to Grey Knotts from the hamlet of Seathwaite in Borrowdale parish, Cumbria, England.[4][5][6][7] This particular deposit of graphite was extremely pure and solid, and it could easily be sawn into sticks. It remains the only large-scale deposit of graphite ever found in this solid form.[8] Chemistry was in its infancy and the substance was thought to be a form of lead. Consequently, it was called plumbago (Latin for "lead ore").[9][10] Because the pencil core is still referred to as "lead", or "a lead", many people have the misconception that the graphite in the pencil is lead,[11] and the black core of pencils is still referred to as lead, even though it never contained the element lead.[12][13][14][15][16][17] The words for pencil in German (Bleistift), Irish (peann luaidhe), Arabic (قلم رصاص qalam raṣāṣ), and some other languages literally mean lead pen. The value of graphite would soon be realised to be enormous, mainly because it could be used to line the moulds for cannonballs; the mines were taken over by the Crown and were guarded. When sufficient stores of graphite had been accumulated, the mines were flooded to prevent theft until more was required. The usefulness of graphite for pencils was discovered as well, but graphite for pencils had to be smuggled. Because graphite is soft, it requires some form of encasement. Graphite sticks were initially wrapped in string or sheepskin for stability. England would enjoy a monopoly on the production of pencils until a method of reconstituting the graphite powder was found in 1662 in Italy. However, the distinctively square English pencils continued to be made with sticks cut from natural graphite into the 1860s. The town of Keswick, near the original findings of block graphite, still manufactures pencils, the factory also being the location of the Derwent Pencil Museum.[18] The meaning of "graphite writing implement" apparently evolved late in the 16th century.[19] Wood encasement Palomino Blackwing 602 pencils Around 1560,[20] an Italian couple named Simonio and Lyndiana Bernacotti made what are likely the first blueprints for the modern, wood-encased carpentry pencil. Their version was a flat, oval, more compact type of pencil. Their concept involved the hollowing out of a stick of juniper wood. Shortly thereafter, a superior technique was discovered: two wooden halves were carved, a graphite stick inserted, and the halves then glued together—essentially the same method in use to this day.[21] Graphite powder and clay The first attempt to manufacture graphite sticks from powdered graphite was in Nuremberg, Germany, in 1662. It used a mixture of graphite, sulphur, and antimony.[22][23][24] English and German pencils were not available to the French during the Napoleonic Wars; France, under naval blockade imposed by Great Britain, was unable to import the pure graphite sticks from the British Grey Knotts mines – the only known source in the world. France was also unable to import the inferior German graphite pencil substitute. It took the efforts of an officer in Napoleon's army to change this. In 1795, Nicolas-Jacques Conté discovered a method of mixing powdered graphite with clay and forming the mixture into rods that were then fired in a kiln. By varying the ratio of graphite to clay, the hardness of the graphite rod could also be varied. This method of manufacture, which had been earlier discovered by the Austrian Joseph Hardtmuth, the founder of the Koh-I-Noor in 1790, remains in use.[25] In 1802, the production of graphite leads from graphite and clay was patented by the Koh-I-Noor company in Vienna.[26] In England, pencils continued to be made from whole sawn graphite. Henry Bessemer's first successful invention (1838) was a method of compressing graphite powder into solid graphite thus allowing the waste from sawing to be reused.[27] United States Pencil, perhaps made by Henry David Thoreau, in the Concord Museum Pencil manufacturing. The top sequence shows the old method that required pieces of graphite to be cut to size; the lower sequence is the new, current method using rods of graphite and clay. American colonists imported pencils from Europe until after the American Revolution. Benjamin Franklin advertised pencils for sale in his Pennsylvania Gazette in 1729, and George Washington used a three-inch pencil when he surveyed the Ohio Country in 1762.[28][better source needed] William Munroe, a cabinetmaker in Concord, Massachusetts, made the first American wood pencils in 1812. This was not the only pencil-making occurring in Concord. According to Henry Petroski, transcendentalist philosopher Henry David Thoreau discovered how to make a good pencil out of inferior graphite using clay as the binder; this invention was prompted by his father's pencil factory in Concord, which employed graphite found in New Hampshire in 1821 by Charles Dunbar.[7] Munroe's method of making pencils was painstakingly slow, and in the neighbouring town of Acton, a pencil mill owner named Ebenezer Wood set out to automate the process at his own pencil mill located at Nashoba Brook. He used the first circular saw in pencil production. He constructed the first of the hexagon- and octagon-shaped wooden casings. Ebenezer did not patent his invention and shared his techniques with anyone. One of those was Eberhard Faber, which built a factory in New York and became the leader in pencil production.[29] Joseph Dixon, an inventor and entrepreneur involved with the Tantiusques graphite mine in Sturbridge, Massachusetts, developed a means to mass-produce pencils. By 1870, The Joseph Dixon Crucible Company was the world's largest dealer and consumer of graphite and later became the contemporary Dixon Ticonderoga pencil and art supplies company.[30][31] By the end of the 19th century, over 240,000 pencils were used each day in the US. The favoured timber for pencils was Red Cedar as it was aromatic and did not splinter when sharpened. In the early 20th century supplies of Red Cedar were dwindling so that pencil manufacturers were forced to recycle the wood from cedar fences and barns to maintain supply. One effect of this was that "during World War II rotary pencil sharpeners were outlawed in Britain because they wasted so much scarce lead and wood, and pencils had to be sharpened in the more conservative manner – with knives."[32] It was soon discovered that Incense cedar, when dyed and perfumed to resemble Red Cedar, was a suitable alternative. Most pencils today are made from this timber, which is grown in managed forests. Over 14 billion pencils are manufactured worldwide annually.[33] Less popular alternatives to cedar include basswood and alder.[32] In Southeast Asia, the wood Jelutong may be used to create pencils (though the use of this rainforest species is controversial).[34] Environmentalists prefer the use of Pulai – another wood native to the region in pencil manufacturing.[35][36] Eraser attachment Attached eraser on the left; Pencil lead on the right On March 30, 1858, Hymen Lipman received the first patent for attaching an eraser to the end of a pencil.[37] In 1862, Lipman sold his patent to Joseph Reckendorfer for $100,000, who went on to sue pencil manufacturer Faber-Castell for infringement.[38] In 1875, the Supreme Court of the US ruled against Reckendorfer declaring the patent invalid.[39] Extenders Main article: Pencil extender Historian Henry Petroski notes that while ever more efficient means of mass production of pencils has driven the replacement cost of a pencil down, before this people would continue to use even the stub of a pencil. For those who did not feel comfortable using a stub, pencil extenders were sold. These devices function something like a porte-crayon...the pencil stub can be inserted into the end of a shaft...Extenders were especially common among engineers and draftsmen, whose favorite pencils were priced dearly. The use of an extender also has the advantage that the pencil does not appreciably change its heft as it wears down."[32] Artists currently use extenders to maximize the use of their colored pencils. Types By marking material Coloured pencils Promotional pencils Graphite Graphite pencils are the most common types of pencil, and are encased in wood. They are made of a mixture of clay and graphite and their darkness varies from light grey to black. Their composition allows for the smoothest strokes. Solid Solid graphite pencils are solid sticks of graphite and clay composite (as found in a 'graphite pencil'), about the diameter of a common pencil, which have no casing other than a wrapper or label. They are often called "woodless" pencils. They are used primarily for art purposes as the lack of casing allows for covering larger spaces more easily, creating different effects, and providing greater economy as the entirety of the pencil is used. They are available in the same darkness range as wood-encased graphite pencils. Liquid Liquid graphite pencils are pencils that write like pens. The technology was first invented in 1955 by Scripto and Parker Pens. Scripto's liquid graphite formula came out about three months before Parker's liquid lead formula. To avoid a lengthy patent fight the two companies agreed to share their formulas.[40] Charcoal Charcoal pencils are made of charcoal and provide fuller blacks than graphite pencils, but tend to smudge easily and are more abrasive than graphite. Sepia-toned and white pencils are also available for duotone techniques. Carbon pencils Carbon pencils are generally made of a mixture of clay and lamp black, but are sometimes blended with charcoal or graphite depending on the darkness and manufacturer. They produce a fuller black than graphite pencils, are smoother than charcoal, and have minimal dust and smudging. They also blend very well, much like charcoal. Colored Colored pencils, or pencil crayons, have wax-like cores with pigment and other fillers. Several colors are often blended together.[41] Grease Grease pencils can write on virtually any surface (including glass, plastic, metal and photographs). The most commonly found grease pencils are encased in paper (Berol and Sanford Peel-off), but they can also be encased in wood (Staedtler Omnichrom).[41] Watercolor Watercolor pencils are designed for use with watercolor techniques. Their cores can be diluted by water. The pencils can be used by themselves for sharp, bold lines. Strokes made by the pencil can also be saturated with water and spread with brushes.[41] By use Two "woodless" graphite pencils, two charcoal pencils, and two grease pencils Carpentry Carpenter's pencils are pencils that have two main properties: their shape prevents them from rolling, and their graphite is strong.[42] The oldest surviving pencil is a German carpenter's pencil dating from the 17th Century and now in the Faber-Castell collection.[43][44] Obliteration by indelible pencil to censor mail in 1943 Copying Copying pencils (or indelible pencils) are graphite pencils with an added dye that creates an indelible mark. They were invented in the late 19th century for press copying and as a practical substitute for fountain pens. Their markings are often visually indistinguishable from those of standard graphite pencils, but when moistened their markings dissolve into a coloured ink, which is then pressed into another piece of paper. They were widely used until the mid-20th century when ball pens slowly replaced them. In Italy their use is still mandated by law for voting paper ballots in elections and referendums.[45] Eyeliner Eyeliner pencils are used for make-up. Unlike traditional copying pencils, eyeliner pencils usually contain non-toxic dyes.[46] Erasable coloring Unlike wax-based colored pencils, the erasable variants can be easily erased. Their main use is in sketching, where the objective is to create an outline using the same color that other media (such as wax pencils, or watercolor paints) would fill[47] or when the objective is to scan the color sketch.[48] Some animators prefer erasable color pencils as opposed to graphite pencils because they do not smudge as easily, and the different colors allow for better separation of objects in the sketch.[49] Copy-editors find them useful too as markings stand out more than those of graphite, but can be erased. Non-reproduction Also known as non-photo blue pencils, the non-reproducing types make marks that are not reproducible by photocopiers[50] (examples include "Copy-not" by Sanford and "Mars Non-photo" by Staedtler) or by whiteprint copiers (such as "Mars Non-Print" by Staedtler). Stenography Stenographer's pencils, also known as a steno pencil, are expected to be very reliable, and their lead is break-proof. Nevertheless, steno pencils are sometimes sharpened at both ends to enhance reliability. They are round to avoid pressure pain during long texts.[51] Golf Golf pencils are usually short (a common length is 9 cm (3.5 in)) and very cheap. They are also known as library pencils, as many libraries offer them as disposable, leak-proof[52] writing instruments. By shape Triangular (more accurately a Reuleaux triangle) Hexagonal Round Bendable (flexible plastic) By size Typical A standard, hexagonal, "#2 pencil" is cut to a hexagonal height of 1⁄4-inch (6 mm), but the outer diameter is slightly larger (about 9⁄32-inch (7 mm)) A standard, #2, hexagonal pencil is 19 cm (7.5 in) long. Biggest On 3 September 2007, Ashrita Furman unveiled his giant US$20,000 pencil – 76 feet (23 m) long, 18,000 pounds (8,200 kg) (with over 4,500 pounds (2,000 kg) for the graphite centre) – after three weeks of creation in August 2007 as a birthday gift for teacher Sri Chinmoy. It is longer than the 65-foot (20 m) pencil outside the Malaysia HQ of stationers Faber-Castell.[53][54][55] By manufacture Mechanical Lead for mechanical pencils Flexible pencils Mechanical pencils use mechanical methods to push lead through a hole at the end. These can be divided into two groups: with propelling pencils an internal mechanism is employed to push the lead out from an internal compartment, while clutch pencils merely hold the lead in place (the lead is extended by releasing it and allowing some external force, usually gravity, to pull it out of the body). The erasers (sometimes replaced by a sharpener on pencils with larger lead sizes) are also removable (and thus replaceable), and usually cover a place to store replacement leads. Mechanical pencils are popular for their longevity and the fact that they may never need sharpening. Lead types are based on grade and size; with standard sizes being 2.00 mm (0.079 in), 1.40 mm (0.055 in), 1.00 mm (0.039 in), 0.70 mm (0.028 in), 0.50 mm (0.020 in), 0.35 mm (0.014 in), 0.25 mm (0.0098 in), 0.18 mm (0.0071 in), and 0.13 mm (0.0051 in) (ISO 9175-1)—the 0.90 mm (0.035 in) size is available, but is not considered a standard ISO size.[citation needed] Pop a Point Pioneered by Taiwanese stationery manufacturer Bensia Pioneer Industrial Corporation in the early 1970s, Pop a Point Pencils are also known as Bensia Pencils, stackable pencils or non-sharpening pencils. It is a type of pencil where many short pencil tips are housed in a cartridge-style plastic holder. A blunt tip is removed by pulling it from the writing end of the body and re-inserting it into the open-ended bottom of the body, thereby pushing a new tip to the top. Plastic Invented by Harold Grossman[56] for the Empire Pencil Company in 1967, plastic pencils were subsequently improved upon by Arthur D. Little for Empire from 1969 through the early 1970s; the plastic pencil was commercialised by Empire as the "EPCON" Pencil. These pencils were co-extruded, extruding a plasticised graphite mix within a wood-composite core.[57] Other aspects By factory state: sharpened, unsharpened. By casing material: wood, paper, plastic. Health Residual graphite from a pencil stick is not poisonous, and graphite is harmless if consumed. Although lead has not been used for writing since antiquity, such as in Roman styli, lead poisoning from pencils was not uncommon. Until the middle of the 20th century the paint used for the outer coating could contain high concentrations of lead, and this could be ingested when the pencil was sucked or chewed.[58][additional citation(s) needed] Manufacture The lead of the pencil is a mix of finely ground graphite and clay powders. Before the two substances are mixed, they are separately cleaned of foreign matter and dried in a manner that creates large square cakes. Once the cakes have fully dried, the graphite and the clay squares are mixed together using water. The amount of clay content added to the graphite depends on the intended pencil hardness (lower proportions of clay makes the core softer),[59] and the amount of time spent on grinding the mixture determines the quality of the lead. The mixture is then shaped into long spaghetti-like strings, straightened, dried, cut, and then tempered in a kiln. The resulting strings are dipped in oil or molten wax, which seeps into the tiny holes of the material and allows for the smooth writing ability of the pencil. A juniper or incense-cedar plank with several long parallel grooves is cut to fashion a "slat," and the graphite/clay strings are inserted into the grooves. Another grooved plank is glued on top, and the whole assembly is then cut into individual pencils, which are then varnished or painted. Many pencils feature an eraser on the top and so the process is usually still considered incomplete at this point. Each pencil has a shoulder cut on one end of the pencil to allow for a metal ferrule to be secured onto the wood. A rubber plug is then inserted into the ferrule for a functioning eraser on the end of the pencil.[60] Grading and classification Two graphite pencils. Both are labelled "HB", but the numeric label differs between "2" and "21⁄2" A grading chart ranging from 9B to 9H Graphite pencils are made of a mixture of clay and graphite and their darkness varies from light grey to black: the more clay the harder the pencil.[61][62][63] There is a wide range of grades available, mainly for artists who are interested in creating a full range of tones from light grey to black. Engineers prefer harder pencils which allow for a greater control in the shape of the lead. Manufacturers distinguish their pencils by grading them, but there is no common standard.[64] Two pencils of the same grade but different manufacturers will not necessarily make a mark of identical tone nor have the same hardness.[65] Most manufacturers, and almost all in Europe, designate their pencils with the letters H (commonly interpreted as "hardness") to B (commonly "blackness"), as well as F (usually taken to mean "fineness", although F pencils are no more fine or more easily sharpened than any other grade. Also known as "firm" in Japan[66]). The standard writing pencil is graded HB.[67][a] This designation was in use at least as early as 1844.[68] It used B for black and H for hard; a pencil's grade was described by a sequence or successive Hs or Bs such as BB and BBB for successively softer leads, and HH and HHH for successively harder ones.[69] The Koh-i-Noor Hardtmuth pencil manufacturers claim to have first used the HB designations, with H standing for Hardtmuth, B for the company's location of Budějovice, and F for Franz Hardtmuth, who was responsible for technological improvements in pencil manufacture.[70][71] As of 2021, a set of pencils ranging from a very soft, black-marking pencil to a very hard, light-marking pencil usually ranges from softest to hardest as follows: Graphite pencil hardness grading and typical applications Tone and grade designations Character Application examples Europe USA RUS 9B – – extremely soft, black for artistic purposes: sketches studies drafts 8B – – 7B – – 6B – – 5B – – 4B – – 3B – 3M soft freehand drawing writing (restricted) 2B #0 2М B #1 M HB #2 TM medium writing linear drawing F #2½* – H #3 T hard technical drawing mathematical drawing 2H #4 2T 3H – 3T very hard technical detailed plans graphical representations 4H – – 5H – – 6H – – extremely hard, light grey for special purposes: lithography cartography xylography 7H – – 8H – – 9H – – *Also seen as 22/4, 24/8, 2.5, 25/10 Koh-i-noor offers twenty grades from 10H to 8B for its 1500 series.[72] Mitsubishi Pencil offers twenty-two grades from 10H to 10B for its Hi-uni range.[73] Derwent produces twenty grades from 9H to 9B for its graphic pencils.[74] Staedtler produces 24 from 10H to 12B for its Mars Lumograph pencils.[75] Numbers as designation were first used by Conté and later by John Thoreau, father of Henry David Thoreau, in the 19th century.[76] Although Conté/Thoreau's equivalence table is widely accepted,[citation needed] not all manufacturers follow it; for example, Faber-Castell uses a different equivalence table in its Grip 2001 pencils: 1 = 2B, 2 = B, 2½ = HB, 3 = H, 4 = 2H. Hardness test Graded pencils can be used for a rapid test that provides relative ratings for a series of coated panels but can't be used to compare the pencil hardness of different coatings. This test defines a "pencil hardness" of a coating as the grade of the hardest pencil that does not permanently mark the coating when pressed firmly against it at a 45 degree angle.[77][78] For standardized measurements, there are Mohs hardness testing pencils on the market. External colour and shape A typical yellow no. 2 pencil The majority of pencils made in the US are painted yellow.[79] According to Henry Petroski,[80] this tradition began in 1890 when the L. & C. Hardtmuth Company of Austria-Hungary introduced their Koh-I-Noor brand, named after the famous diamond. It was intended to be the world's best and most expensive pencil, and at a time when most pencils were either painted in dark colours or not at all, the Koh-I-Noor was yellow. As well as simply being distinctive, the colour may have been inspired by the Austro-Hungarian flag; it was also suggestive of the Orient at a time when the best-quality graphite came from Siberia. Other companies then copied the yellow colour so that their pencils would be associated with this high-quality brand, and chose brand names with explicit Oriental references, such as Mikado (renamed Mirado)[81][82] and Mongol.[83][84] Not all countries use yellow pencils. German and Brazilian pencils, for example, are often green, blue or black, based on the trademark colours of Faber-Castell, a major German stationery company which has plants in those countries. In southern European countries, pencils tend to be dark red or black with yellow lines, while in Australia, they are red with black bands at one end.[85] In India, the most common pencil colour scheme was dark red with black lines, and pencils with a large number of colour schemes are produced.[citation needed] Pencils are commonly round, hexagonal, or sometimes triangular in section. Carpenters' pencils are typically oval or rectangular, so they cannot easily roll away during work. Notable users Thomas Edison had his pencils specially made by Eagle Pencil. Each pencil was three inches long, was thicker than standard pencils and had softer graphite than was normally available.[33] Charles Fraser-Smith During World War II, Fraser-Smith worked for the Ministry of Supply, fabricating equipment nicknamed "Q-devices" (after Q-ships) for SOE agents operating in occupied Europe. In 1942, Charles Fraser-Smith, who worked in MI9, arrived at the Cumberland pencil factory, he had an idea to create a secret map and compass pencil. These were given to Lancaster Bomber airmen and were made secretly under the Official Secrets Act, in Keswick.[86] Vladimir Nabokov rewrote everything he had ever published, usually several times, in pencil.[33] John Steinbeck was an obsessive pencil user and is said[by whom?] to have used as many as 60 a day. His novel East of Eden took more than 300 pencils to write.[33] Vincent van Gogh used only Faber pencils as they were "superior to Carpenters pencils, a capital black and most agreeable".[33][87] Johnny Carson regularly played with pencils at his Tonight Show desk. These pencils were specially made with erasers at both ends to avoid on-set accidents.[88] Roald Dahl used only pencils with yellow casing to write his books. He had 6 sharpened pencils ready at the beginning of each day and only when all 6 pencils became unusable did he resharpen them." (wikipedia.org) "Robin egg blue, also called eggshell blue, is a shade of cyan (greenish-blue color), approximating the shade of the eggs laid by the American robin. The first recorded use of robin egg blue as a color name in English was in 1873.... Variations Pale robin egg blue Robin egg blue (ISCC-NBS #162) About these coordinates Color coordinates Hex triplet #96DED1 sRGBB (r, g, b) (150, 222, 209) HSV (h, s, v) (169°, 32%, 87%) CIELChuv (L, C, h) (84, 35, 175°) Source ISCC-NBS ISCC–NBS descriptor Very light bluish green B: Normalized to [0–255] (byte) Pale robin egg blue is identical to the following tone of the color robin egg blue displayed on the ISCC-NBS color list: ISCC-NBS Dictionary of Color Names (1955)—Color sample of Robin Egg (color sample #162):. Tiffany Blue Main article: Tiffany Blue Tiffany Blue About these coordinates Color coordinates Hex triplet #81D8D0 sRGBB (r, g, b) (129, 216, 208) HSV (h, s, v) (174°, 40%, 85%) CIELChuv (L, C, h) (81, 40, 183°) Source [1]Tiffany.com[not specific enough to verify] ISCC–NBS descriptor Very light bluish green B: Normalized to [0–255] (byte) Tiffany Blue is the trademarked name for the light medium tone of robin egg blue associated with Tiffany & Co., the New York City jewelry company. Cultural associations In the United States, robin egg blue is often used as a haint blue for painting for the ceiling of exterior porches, especially in the South." (wikipedia.org) "Leighton Marissa Meester (born April 9, 1986)[1] is an American actress, singer, and model. She is best known for her starring role as the devious socialite Blair Waldorf on Gossip Girl on The CW (2007–2012). She has also appeared in films such as Killer Movie (2008), Country Strong (2010), The Roommate (2011), Monte Carlo (2011), The Oranges (2011) and The Judge (2014). Meester made her Broadway debut in Of Mice and Men (2014). She portrayed Angie D'Amato on the ABC sitcom Single Parents (2018–2020). In addition to acting, Meester has ventured into music. In 2009, she was featured on the Cobra Starship single "Good Girls Go Bad", which charted in the top ten on the Billboard Hot 100. She released solo singles "Somebody to Love" (2009) and "Your Love's a Drug" (2010) on the Universal Republic label. Meester has also recorded songs for various soundtracks. Her debut album, Heartstrings, was independently released in 2014. She has also modeled, having been the face of the Jimmy Choo, Herbal Essences, and Vera Wang brands.... Early life Meester was born in Fort Worth, Texas, to Douglas Jay Meester and Constance Lynn (née Haas).[2][3] Her father is a real estate broker; her mother is a writer.[4] She has two brothers: an older brother, Douglas Logan Meester (born 1983), and a younger brother, Alexander "Lex" Meester (born 1994). At the time of her birth, Meester's parents were serving time in a federal prison for their involvement in a drug ring that smuggled marijuana from Jamaica to the United States.[5] Constance was able to give birth to Leighton in a hospital and nurse her for three months in a halfway house, before returning to prison to complete her sentence.[2][3] Her paternal grandparents cared for Meester during this period. She has maintained that her parents gave her a normal upbringing and, despite their criminal past, has stated, "It made me realize that you can't judge anyone—especially your parents—for what they've done in their past, because people change."[6] She grew up in Marco Island, Florida, where she participated in productions at a local playhouse.[7] Her parents separated in 1992.[8] When she was 11 years old, Meester and her siblings moved with their mother to New York City. She attended the Professional Children's School and began working as a model with Wilhelmina, booking a Ralph Lauren campaign shot by Bruce Weber, and working with then-photographer Sofia Coppola.[3][7] Meester also booked commercials for Tamagotchi and Clearasil, and modeled for Limited Too alongside Amanda Seyfried.[9] At age 14, she relocated to Los Angeles and attended Hollywood and Beverly Hills High Schools.[3][10] Meester then transferred to a small private school and graduated a year earlier than normal.[11] Career Meester at the premiere of Killer Movie at Tribeca Film Festival in 2008. 1999–2007: Career beginnings Meester made her acting debut in 1999 as a murder victim's friend, Alyssa Turner, on an episode of Law & Order.[12] Following this, she made her film debut in Hangman's Curse (2003), based on the bestselling book by Frank Peretti. She had a series regular role in Tarzan, which aired for only eight episodes. A recurring role in Entourage as Justine Chapin and Veronica Mars as Carrie Bishop followed in 2004 and 2005. Meester booked guest roles in the series Crossing Jordan, 8 Simple Rules, 7th Heaven and 24.[7] She was cast as series regular in Surface as Savannah Barnett.[13] In 2006, Meester appeared in two films, Flourish and Inside. She also guest starred in an episode of Numbers and appeared in two episodes of House as Ali Johnson, a teenager who has a crush on Gregory House.[7] She then had guest roles on CSI: Miami[14] and Shark, and portrayed the female lead in the horror film Drive-Thru, for which she recorded the song "Inside the Black".[15] Meester was cast as identical twin sisters Kayla and Kelly Rhodes in the ABC crime-drama series Secrets of a Small Town,[16] but the network decided not to forward the series.[17] 2007–2012: Gossip Girl and music ventures Meester at The CW Upfront Presentation: Green Carpet Arrivals, Madison Square Garden, New York City on May 21, 2009. In 2007, Meester was cast in The CW's teen drama series Gossip Girl as Blair Waldorf, based on the book series of the same name by Cecily von Ziegesar. She first auditioned for the role of Serena van der Woodsen, but told the producers that she could better play Blair. However, it was important that Serena was blonde and Blair was brunette, so Meester dyed her hair brown for the role.[18] Her performance was the most critically acclaimed of the show, with Blair being cited as the series' breakout character. She also garnered media attention for her wardrobe on the show.[3][19] The series ended after six seasons and 120 episodes.[20] Meester later starred in the television film The Haunting of Sorority Row,[21] and had a role in the ensemble comedy-drama film Remember the Daze.[22] In 2008, she appeared in the horror-thriller film Killer Movie and reprised her role in Entourage singing with Tony Bennett in the episode.[23] Early in 2009, Meester partnered with Reebok to model their new Top Down sneakers.[24] Apart from Gossip Girl, Meester worked with co-star Ed Westwick in a Nikon Coolpix series camera advertisement, and both were the faces of the Korean clothing line ASK Enquired.[25] In April 2009, she released the song "Birthday" featuring duo Awesome New Republic.[26] A version without her vocals was included on their Rational Geographic Vol. I album.[27] Later that month, Meester signed a recording contract with Universal Republic.[23] Meester provided vocals on Cobra Starship's song "Good Girls Go Bad", which peaked at number seven on the Billboard Hot 100.[28] In July, "Body Control" surfaced on the internet.[29] Meester's first official single, "Somebody to Love", featuring R&B singer Robin Thicke, was released for airplay on October 13, 2009, and became available for digital download the following day.[30][31] She recorded a cover of the song "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)" for the compilation album A Very Special Christmas 7.[32] Her second single, "Your Love's a Drug", was digitally released on March 30, 2010,[33] and she is also featured on Stephen Jerzak's song "She Said".[34][35] Meester did a duet with DJ Clinton Sparks on "Front Cut", which appeared on the internet in February 2011.[36][37] Lil Wayne worked with her on an unreleased song titled "Make It Rain"[38] and Jesse McCartney wrote another song.[39] The album was produced by Polow Da Don, Harvey Mason Jr., and Spencer Nezey. Meester began working on it in March 2009 and the album was initially projected to be released in the fall of 2009,[23][40] but was later delayed to early 2010.[41] It was pushed back again to late 2010,[42] and was ultimately shelved. Meester had small roles in the comedies Date Night and Going the Distance.[43] She then starred with Gwyneth Paltrow and Garrett Hedlund in the country music drama Country Strong. Wesley Morris of The Boston Globe described Meester as the best part of the film, writing, "She's just doing Reese Witherspoon's June Carter Cash in Walk the Line with dabs of Miley Cyrus and Kellie Pickler. But it's not an impersonation; it's a performance with its own comedy and sweetness."[44] Claudia Puig of USA Today was also positive, stating "Meester shows she can do more than play one of Gossip Girl's privileged Manhattan socialites."[45] For the film, Meester recorded a cover of the song "Words I Couldn't Say" by Rascal Flatts as well as "A Little Bit Stronger" by Sara Evans featured on the film's soundtrack; a promotional single titled "Summer Girl"; and a duet with Garrett Hedlund titled "Give In To Me".[46] After wrapping, she received a guitar from Tim McGraw and decided to learn how to play it.[47] In October 2010, Meester said she had been working with a band called Check in the Dark and had been writing for the last six months after being inspired by Country Strong. She revealed her influences, "I love Neil Young and Joni Mitchell, that style of music, and as far as songwriting I think that's where my heart is."[48] Meester in September 2010 In 2010, Meester signed on to be the spokesperson for Herbal Essences hair products.[49][50] In the same year, she took part in Bulgari's humanitarian efforts for the Save the Children organization with Isabella Rossellini and Maribel Verdú.[51] She next fronted a beauty campaign for Korean brand eSpoir.[52] Vera Wang selected her to be the face of the fragrance Lovestruck in 2011, stating that Meester's "beauty, talent and spirit will inspire all the young women that I hope will enjoy this passionate, new young fragrance."[53] The next year, Meester shot a campaign for the follow-up fragrance, Lovestruck Floral Rush.[54] Italian fashion house Missoni named Meester the face of their spring/summer 2011 campaign.[55] Meester next starred in the thriller film The Roommate as Rebecca Evans, an obsessive, bipolar woman.[56] Though the film received mainly negative reviews, Meester's portrayal was praised. Entertainment Weekly found she was the only one to bring "the slightest trace of something fascinating to her role,"[57] while Los Angeles Times wrote, "[Meester's] performance often has the feeling of a sports car in neutral. When she punches it for quick changes of tone from manic to wounded or around the bend, she shows how much more she is capable of."[58] In the teen comedy film Monte Carlo, Meester portrayed Meg Kelly, Selena Gomez's stepsister and Katie Cassidy's friend.[59] Movieline noted, "As in Country Strong, Meester's crack timing and irresistible poignancy illuminate a part that would leave other actresses simpering themselves off the screen."[60] Her final film of the year, The Oranges, opposite Hugh Laurie and Adam Brody, premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival.[61] Meester's performance was again met with positive reviews, with the San Francisco Chronicle writing that she "succeeds in embodying all that is alluring and alarming about a 24-year-old woman."[62] In April 2012, Meester announced via Twitter a five-city tour with Check in the Dark, which started on May 29 and ended on June 4, 2012.[63] Reflecting on her past pop collaborations, she said she "loved" them, but that folk music was "a lot closer to [her] heart."[64] In May 2012, she endorsed the Philippine clothing brand Penshoppe's campaign All Stars.[65] In June, Meester said she and the band had recorded all the songs for an album that served as a demo.[66] She next starred in the comedy film That's My Boy, alongside Adam Sandler, Andy Samberg, and Milo Ventimiglia, which was released in June 2012.[67] The film received mainly negative reviews,[68] was nominated for eight Golden Raspberry Awards,[69] and was a box office failure, grossing less than $58 million, failing to recoup its production budget of $70 million.[70] In August 2012, Meester, Wilmer Valderrama and Vanessa Curry appeared in house music group The Nomads' music video for "Addicted to Love".[71] She was unavailable to reprise her role as Carrie Bishop in the film Veronica Mars due to scheduling issues, and was replaced by singer Andrea Estella of the band Twin Sister.[72] In October 2013, Biotherm, a French luxury skincare company, announced Meester as its new global ambassador.[73] 2014–present: Broadway debut and Heartstrings In April 2014, her comedy film Life Partners premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival. It follows the friendship between a lesbian (Meester) and a straight woman (Gillian Jacobs) who begin a new relationship.[74] Meester made her Broadway debut in the stage adaptation of John Steinbeck's novel Of Mice and Men, starring opposite James Franco and Chris O'Dowd.[75] The production filmed and broadcast in cinemas for one night through National Theatre Live, the first Broadway production to be selected by the program.[76] She then appeared opposite Robert Downey, Jr., Robert Duvall, and Vera Farmiga in the David Dobkin-directed comedy-drama film The Judge, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival and released in October 2014.[77] Meester next appeared in Like Sunday, Like Rain directed by Frank Whaley, playing the girlfriend of Green Day's singer Billie Joe Armstrong,[78] and By the Gun, alongside Ben Barnes.[79] She won the Best Actress Award for Like Sunday, Like Rain at the 2014 Williamsburg Independent Film Festival.[80] She was the face of French brand Naf Naf's autumn/winter 2014 collection.[81] On September 9, 2014, it was announced her debut album, Heartstrings, would be released independently through her own label, Hotly Wanting, on October 28. With its style compared to ethereal singer-songwriters such as Tori Amos and Joni Mitchell, the nine-song LP was written by Meester and produced by Jeff Trott.[82][83] The music video for the eponymous title track "Heartstrings" was released on October 29.[84] In 2015, Meester embarked on a tour to support the album, which began on January 6 in Los Angeles, California and ended on March 2 in San Francisco, California.[85] Later that year, she appeared in advertisements for the Malaysian fashion brand Jimmy Choo.[86] Meester was one of the 100 celebrity narrators featured in the documentary Unity, which had a limited theatrical release.[87] In March 2016, she was cast in Fox's comedy series Making History as Deborah Revere, a colonial woman from 1775 and the daughter of American artisan Paul Revere.[88] The series was cancelled after one season of nine episodes.[89] Meester had a guest role on The Last Man on Earth.[90] In January 2018, Meester joined the cast of Semper Fi, starring alongside Jai Courtney, Nat Wolff and Finn Wittrock,[91] which was released in October 2019.[92] Meester starred in ABC's Single Parents alongside Taran Killam,[93] which premiered in September 2018[94] and was cancelled after two seasons.[95] In 2019, Meester was a guest star in an episode of The Orville titled "Lasting Impressions" as Laura Huggins.[96][97] In 2022, she appeared in a recurring role of Meredith in How I Met Your Father. Philanthropy Meester for DKMS in 2013 Meester has participated in several charitable campaigns. In 2008, she was a spokesperson for Sunsilk's "Life Can't Wait" campaign, which aimed at motivating women to pursue their dreams.[98] She also collaborated with Safe Horizon in 2009 to raise awareness about domestic violence.[99] In 2015, Meester auctioned off fashion and accessories in a charity auction on eBay. The proceeds benefited Many Hopes, a charity organization that builds schools and homes for children in Kenya.[100] Meester has been volunteering with the non-profit organization Feeding America since 2017.[101] During her first two years working with Feeding America, she has volunteered at Los Angeles' Downtown Women's Center and assisted with relief efforts in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria in 2017.[102] Meester and Adam Brody also worked with children at Para Los Niños Charter School in Los Angeles, where they helped the organization serve lunches to children.[103] In January 2019, she participated in Feeding America's campaign with Subway and Shamrock Farms. For every child's meal with milk purchased on January 11, 2019, at Subway, $1 will be donated to Feeding America to fight hunger and homelessness.[102] In May 2019, Meester worked together with Feeding America and Los Angeles Food Bank to help families in need. "Together, we helped fill grocery baskets for families who lined up to receive important staples, like fruit, rice and cereal," Meester wrote in an Instagram post.[104] In 2021, to encourage donations to help people with Congenital Central Hypoventilation Syndrome, Leighton Meester started promoting meetings on the Omaze network ("Win a Coffee Date with Leighton Meester").[105][106] Public image Meester has been included in magazine lists of the world's most beautiful women. Meester was named one of People magazine's "100 Most Beautiful" in 2008.[107] She was ranked No. 48 on Maxim magazine's "Hot 100 of 2008" list and #12 on "Hot 100 of 2009" list. FHM magazine's ranked her #1 on their list of "Fall TV's Hottest Stars" in 2008. Meester has been included on The Independent Critics' list of "100 Most Beautiful Famous Faces". She ranked No. 21 in 2008, #14 in 2009, #4 in 2010, #36 in 2011, and #76 in 2012.[108] Meester has graced the cover of numerous international fashion magazines, including US' Lucky, Flaunt, Shape, Nylon, Allure, Teen Vogue, Harper's Bazaar and Rolling Stone; Indonesia's Elle, Marie Claire, Cosmopolitan and CosmoGirl; UK's Company and InStyle; Morocco's L'Officiel; Australia's Cleo; Mexico's GQ and Seventeen; Russia's Elle Girl and Joy and Italy's Glamour.[107][109] She has appeared in commercials and print ads throughout her career. She has appeared in print ads for Missoni, Reebok, Herbal Essences, Vera Wang and Jimmy Choo. In 2013, she worked as a global brand ambassador for skin care company Biotherm. Meester is popular on social media and endorses products such as beauty and wellness products on Instagram. She has 6.2million followers on Instagram, and 1.6 million followers on Twitter as of November 2020.[110][111] She has partnered with several brands, including Shamrock Farms,[112] Nexxus New York Salon[113] and Sunglass Hut.[114] Personal life Residence and family Meester resides in Los Angeles.[115] In November 2013, she became engaged to actor Adam Brody, whom she met while filming The Oranges in March 2010.[116] The couple were married in a private ceremony on February 15, 2014.[117] Their first child, daughter Arlo Day Brody, was born on August 4, 2015.[118] In April 2020, it was revealed that the couple were expecting their second child.[119] In September 2020, Brody confirmed their second child, a son, was born.[120] Legal issues In July 2011, Meester and her mother, Constance, filed lawsuits against each other over Meester's financial support of her younger brother, Alexander, who has multiple health problems.[121] Meester's suit claimed that her mother used the money she sent for "cosmetic procedures", such as botox and hair extensions. Her mother's suit made a counterclaim alleging breach of contract and physical abuse. Constance claimed that a verbal contract was in place where Meester had promised US$10,000 a month, instead of the US$7,500 she received. Her mother also claimed that she was due a larger sum in return for "sacrificing her own happiness" when she moved Meester to Los Angeles as a child to pursue acting. In court, the judge dismissed this claim. Constance accused her daughter of calling social services and fabricating a claim that she was abusing Alexander; investigators interviewed Meester and found no merit in the complaint. In November 2011, Constance dropped the US$3 million claim for damages against her daughter. Meester said that she would be willing to pay for her brother's medical expenses as well as his school tuition, but denied that she agreed to pay US$10,000 each month, which she stated was a "ridiculous" claim.[122] Meester obtained a default judgment on December 7, 2011.[123] In June 2012, Meester won the lawsuit, with the judge rejecting the claims in her mother's counter-suit.[124] Filmography Meester at New York Fashion Week in September 2008 Leighton Meester film work Year Title Role Notes 2003 The Jackalope Lorraine Short film 2003 Hangman's Curse Elisha Springfield 2006 Flourish Lucy Covner 2006 Inside Josie 2007 Drive-Thru Mackenzie Carpenter 2007 Remember the Daze Tori 2008 Killer Movie Jaynie Hansen 2010 Date Night Katy 2010 Going the Distance Amy 2010 Country Strong Chiles Stanton 2011 The Roommate Rebecca Evans Nominated — Teen Choice Award for Choice Movie Villain Nominated — MTV Movie Award for Best Villain 2011 Monte Carlo Meg Kelly 2011 The Oranges Nina Ostroff 2012 That's My Boy Jamie Martin 2014 Life Partners Sasha Weiss 2014 The Judge Carla Powell 2014 Like Sunday, Like Rain Eleanor Logan 2014 By the Gun Ali Matazano 2015 Unity Narrator (voice) Documentary film 2018 The North Winds Gift The Mother Short film 2019 Semper Fi Clara 2022 The Weekend Away[125] Orla Leighton Meester television work Year Title Role Notes 1999 Law & Order Alyssa Turner Episode: "Disciple" 2001 Boston Public Sarah Breen Episode: "Chapter Twenty-Eight" 2002 Once and Again Amanda Episode: "Gardenia" 2002 Family Affair Irene Episode: "No Small Parts" 2003 Hollywood Division Michelle Nichols Unsold pilot 2003 Tarzan Nicki Porter 5 episodes 2003 The Big Wide World of Carl Laemke Tanni Laemke Unsold pilot 2004 Crossing Jordan Marie Strand Episode: "Missing Pieces" 2004 7th Heaven Kendall 2 episodes 2004 North Shore Veronica Farrell Episode: "Pilot" 2004–2008 Entourage Justine Chapin 3 episodes 2005 24 Debbie Pendleton 4 episodes 2005 Veronica Mars Carrie Bishop 2 episodes 2005 8 Simple Rules Nikki Alcott Episode: "The After Party" 2005–2006 Surface Savannah Barnett 12 episodes 2006 Monster Allergy Poppy (voice) Episode: "House of Monsters" 2006 Numbers Karen Camden Episode: "Dark Matter" 2006 House Ali Johnson 2 episodes 2006 Secrets of a Small Town Kayla Rhodes / Kelly Rhodes Unsold television pilot 2007 CSI: Miami Heather Crowley Episode: "Broken Home" 2007 Shark Megan 3 episodes 2007–2012 Gossip Girl Blair Waldorf Main role; 121 Episodes 2007 The Haunting of Sorority Row Samantha "Sam" Willows Television film 2010 The City Herself Episode: "The Belle of Elle" 2016 Zoolander: Super Model Herself Television film 2017 Making History Deborah Revere Main role; 9 Episodes 2018 The Last Man on Earth Zoe Episode: "Karl" 2018–2020 Single Parents Angie D'Amato Main role; 45 Episodes 2019 The Orville Laura Huggins Episode: "Lasting Impressions" 2022 How I Met Your Father Meredith Recurring role[126] Stage Leighton Meester stage work Year Title Role Notes 2014 Of Mice and Men Curley's Wife Longacre Theatre Discography Leighton Meester studio albums Title Album details Peak positions US [127] US Heat. [128] Heartstrings Released: October 28, 2014[83] Label: Hotly Wanting Formats: Digital download 139 1 Leighton Meester singles Title Year Peak chart positions Album US [129] US Heat. [130] "Somebody to Love" (featuring Robin Thicke) 2009 111[129] 13 Non-album singles "Your Love's a Drug" 2011 119[129] 14 "Heartstrings" 2014 — — Heartstrings "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. Singles with Leighton Meester as a featured artist Title Year Peak chart positions Certifications Album US [28] AUS [131] AUT [132] BEL [133] CAN [134] FIN [135] NL [136] NZ [137] UK [138] "Good Girls Go Bad" (Cobra Starship featuring Leighton Meester) 2009 7 5 37 4 7 13 19 2 17 RIAA: 2x Platinum[139] ARIA: Platinum[140] MC: Platinum[141] RIANZ: Platinum[142] Hot Mess "She Said" (Stephen Jerzak featuring Leighton Meester) 2010 — — — — — — — — — Miles and Miles "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory. Leighton Meester promotional singles Title Year Album "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)"[143] 2009 A Very Special Christmas 7 Other charted songs by Leighton Meester Title Year Peak chart positions Certifications Album US [144] US Heat. [130] US Country Digital [145] CAN [146] "Give In to Me" (with Garrett Hedlund) 2011 79 5 7 94 RIAA: Gold[147] Country Strong "Summer Girl" — 15 17 — "Words I Couldn't Say" — 25 24 — "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory. Guest appearances on recordings by Leighton Meester Title Year Other artist(s) Album "Inside the Black" 2007 N/A Drive-Thru "Birthday" 2009 Awesome New Republic Rational Geographic Vol. I "A Little Bit Stronger" 2010 N/A Country Strong "The Stand In" 2012 Check in the Dark The Game Leighton Meester music videos Year Title Director(s) 2009 "Somebody to Love" (featuring Robin Thicke) Zoe Cassavetes[148] 2014 "Heartstrings" Stephen Ringer[149] Music videos with Leighton Meester as a guest artist Title Year Director(s) "Good Girls Go Bad" (Cobra Starship featuring Leighton Meester) 2009 Kai Regan[150] Guest appearances in music videos by Leighton Meester Year Title Artist Director(s) 2012 "Addicted to Love" Nomads featuring Vanessa Curry Andrew Sandler and Wilmer Valderrama[71] Tours Leighton Meester + Check in the Dark Summer Tour (2012) Heartstrings Tour (2015) Awards and nominations Award nominations for Leighton Meester Year Award Category Work Result Ref. 2008 Teen Choice Awards Choice TV Actress: Drama Gossip Girl Nominated [151] Choice TV Breakout Star: Female Nominated 2009 Choice TV Actress: Drama Won [152] MTV Video Music Awards Best Pop Video "Good Girls Go Bad" (with Cobra Starship) Nominated [153] 2010 Teen Choice Awards Choice TV Actress: Drama Gossip Girl Won [154] Hollywood Film Awards Spotlight Award Country Strong Won [155] 2011 MTV Movie Awards Best Villain The Roommate Nominated [156] Teen Choice Awards Choice Movie Actress: Drama Country Strong Nominated [157] Choice Movie: Villain The Roommate Nominated 2012 Choice TV Actress: Drama Gossip Girl Nominated [158] Choice Summer Movie Star: Female That's My Boy Nominated [159] 2013 Golden Raspberry Awards Worst Screen Couple Nominated [160] Worst Screen Ensemble Nominated 2014 Broadway.com Audience Awards Favorite Featured Actress in a Play Of Mice and Men Nominated [161]" (wikipedia.org)
- Condition: New
- Handmade: Yes
- Color: Pale Robin Egg Blue
- Country/Region of Manufacture: United States
- Material: Wood
- Lead Grade: HB
- Vintage: No
- Brand: The Carbon Crusader
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