What a day!

[hrymfaxe]

Two of my favourite flisters have their birthday today! mrstater, who is the heart and soul of the R/T community, and like our own private Molly Weasley makes sure that we are all comfortable and well fed (with fic instead of cake, but still ;)) and dawn_felagund who opened her home to me this summer and is a constant source of inspiration to me. I come bearing a gift that I threathened Dawn with while I was there. It is a two-page comic inspired by her story Sudden Flame. I have taken the liberty of using her own words in the comic, hoping that she won't mind. It enriched the story in an interplay between words and images that I just couldn't resist.

Dawn's AN:
"The sons of Finarfin bore most heavily the brunt of the assault, and Angrod and Aegnor were slain; beside them fell Bregolas lord of the house of Bëor, and a great part of the warriors of that people.
"Of the Ruin of Beleriand and the Fall of Fingolfin"

After his rescue from Dagor Bragollach, Finrod receives a vision of his brothers' fate.






You will probably need to click quite a few times to get the right size as I needed to leave them rather large for the text to make sense. :D

My gift for mrstater will reveal itself at a later point as it is not quite ready to see the light of day at this moment.

Comments

[yourlovingfeta.livejournal.com]

Oh, those are gorgeous! :)

[hrymfaxe.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much!

[heartofoshun.livejournal.com]

Those are absolutely beautiful. Wonderful, wonderful job. Wow!

[hrymfaxe.livejournal.com]

Thank you very much - I distinctly remember reading Dawn's story and feeling sure it would do well as a short graphic story. I'm glad you think it works.

[heartofoshun.livejournal.com]

It was just perfect! (I'd love to collaborate with with you sometime on a graphic story--I am not so great at shorts, but would be willing to try for such a end-product.)

[hrymfaxe.livejournal.com]

Oh - that is a really interesting idea! :D I would love to do that as well. Your elves area always begging to be illustrated.

[train-lindz.livejournal.com]

Oh, these are pretty. Well done!

I really need to read the Similarion. It's on the shelf and I haven't managed to read it through osmosis yet.

[duck-or-rabbit.livejournal.com]

You really should; I need to as well. Love the elves more than ever now after fangirling over them with hrymfaxe and binkaslibrary.

[train-lindz.livejournal.com]

My book shelf is rather scary. Far too many books on my to read list, and then some one always mentions something else that I have to add on :)

[hrymfaxe.livejournal.com]

Wheeeeeeee spreading the elf love!!! :D:D:D:D:D If a few days with Binks and I won't do it, then nothing will. ;)

[hrymfaxe.livejournal.com]

Oh I know about the surprise that owning a book still requires that you read it to know what it says. I'm working hard on my osmosis skills. ;)

And thank you - I'm happy you like these pages. :D

[mrstater.livejournal.com]

Aw, thanks so much, sweetie! I'm a lucky girl to have LJ pals like you. *is misty*

[hrymfaxe.livejournal.com]

Right back at you! ((hugs))

[duck-or-rabbit.livejournal.com]

Guh, I cannot even properly express how much I love this. Knowing the journey of this comic is really touching to me, as I saw it when it was no more than two white drawing sheets. Seeing how far it came from the beginning to it's completed form boggles the mind. One thing is clear: you're more artistically productive when I'm not around, lol.

Together, the two pages tell a whole story, summing up Dawns ficlet aptly. The obvious transition from optimistic brotherhood to despair is marked so clearly by comparing the elves' expressions on the bottom panel on both pages.

The overall sense of motion you're evoking is supremely well done. I realize it's not one giant windy moment, lol, but distinct moments in time; although, as a whole, there's a rhythmic back and forth tone that I'm really loving. The swaying, moonlight trees (and that rock's edge is perfect) represent space well and help to coherently tie the story to space, a battlefield with fallen soldiers. The armored elves compliment the piece, too. Hadn't seen them before on the sketches. Their armor is all round and shapely, which I like very much.

Though I love all the panels, the arm and surgeon's needle is perhaps my favorite, as is the hands on the chest. These images suggest conflict, danger befalling Finrod, and yet we don't see him fully defined and fleshed out here. Those panels are filled with implication. That's an exciting way to visually tell a story.

Really, really fabulous. You should be proud of this. xo

[hrymfaxe.livejournal.com]

Hehehe, yes you have seen the awful truth that is me procrastinating! Though I may have been worse than usual, because the company was such a good one. ;)

Thank you so much for your wonderful review! I'm glad you think the opposition between the pages works, because I was feeling that I was rather hitting the reader over the head with it. :D

I'm also happy that you are seeing motion and movement, and a rythm to the drawings - it means that I have made these moments in time into a whole, which was certainly a challenge. (and I like the armour for the elves too - you can thank my long hours at the Met for that one - reference pictures rule!)

I like those panels too for the interaction that goes on between the caracters, while the rest show the persons isolated... I was trying to give you only brief looks at what was happening to Finrod as I feel that he is not able either to see a whole picture, confused as he is by wounds and dreams.

Thank you so so much! :D

[rhapsody11.livejournal.com]

It is gorgeous honey, so much emotion and pain...

[hrymfaxe.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much, Rhapsy! :D I'm glad the piece speaks to you.

[noliel.livejournal.com]

Oh. These are so lovely! I adore the "sepia" effect (though the word hardly does this justice) and the layout of the comic (the trees overlapped with the horse hooves, the contrasting panels at the bottom of both pages, etc.) is nothing short of poetic. Beautiful!

[hrymfaxe.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I'm so pleased that you find this poetic, as that is certainly a word I would use for Dawn's writing, and it is fitting that this should echo that. :D The layout took some wrestling in my mind, so I'm also happy that you find it interesting to look at.

The sepia effect came from scanning the pencil pages on my A3 scanner, that refuses to scan in black and white. I really liked the look and so I kept it. It seemed fitting for the story.

[pandemonium-213.livejournal.com]

Hrym, these are excellent! Your style is so distinctive and appealing. Your ability to convey movement and expression just blazes forth.

Now I'll settle back to wait for Dawn to find and open her present from you. :^)

[hrymfaxe.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I wasn't really aware that I had a style until it was pointed out to me when meeting you all in NY. :D And I'm really happy you are remarking on movement and expression, which are the areas that I really wanted to highlight for this.

[javidan.livejournal.com]

Beautiful!
noliel mentioned the sepia effect and I agree, it's perfect for this. How are you adding color here? I'm curious...

[hrymfaxe.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

Oh the sepia effect was actually an accident, as my A3 scanner point blank refuses to scan properly in B/W or grayscale... This was the colour it chose to do it in, and when I saw it, I rather liked it. So just get a temperemental scanner, and you are good to go. ;)

[shimotsuki.livejournal.com]

Wow, this is phenomenal! Dawn's words are stark, and the artwork captures just that feeling.

I really like the parallel structure between the two pages, especially the facial expressions in the bottom panels -- so proud (haughty?) on the first page, and then such a change for the second page...

[hrymfaxe.livejournal.com]

Dawn's stories are often begging me to illustrate them, I love the way she writes. So I'm very happy you think the artwork follows her words. Thank you!

I was a little nervous about the layout, as I felt I was beating you around the head with my point, so it's really great that you like it and that it illustrated the transition as Finrod realises how his dream ends... They did start out proud (and quite possibly haughty) surely not thinking they would meet such an end.

[binkaslibrary.livejournal.com]

Oh. Wow. OH. WOW!!! (fangirly me)

Now, this is absolutely wonderful. Beautiful illustrations for a memorable story. BRAVO!

:D


PS. I got inspired to start on the cross over comic.

[hrymfaxe.livejournal.com]

Yay! Thank you so much! :D I'm so happy you think they work well together, and you see? It was still here in the morning when you woke up. ;)

Go go go!!! We could make it short stories like this one, so it won't take forever to finish. ;)

[binkaslibrary.livejournal.com]

Precisely! I was very glad it still was here when I woke up. But hey, I've got the first page -- I mean the script of the first page of the comic, done. It only required shoving my Turin muse aside, lol. Will be sending it your way soonish.

[hrymfaxe.livejournal.com]

I'm glad it was here too! :D Otherwise I would have been very surprised...

And yay! for first pages! I can't wait to see it!! :D:D:D And how on earth did you shove Túrin aside? With a wounded toe no less!!

[binkaslibrary.livejournal.com]

Trust me. I didn't need my toe, only my hands. I can be very persuasive if need be. ;) Besides, I promised him something...

Page 1 is on its way. :)

[hrymfaxe.livejournal.com]

Hmmmm, now I wonder what you could possibly have promised him.... ;)

*stares hard at inbox*

[binkaslibrary.livejournal.com]

*sly grin*

[whitewave16.livejournal.com]

Thanks for sharing. Now I wish I paid more attention during art class when I was still studying. What I'd give to draw something. :-)

[hrymfaxe.livejournal.com]

Thanks for looking! :D I'm sure you could learn to draw again - I once had a teacher who said: "if you can write, you can draw!" ;)

[vladazhael.livejournal.com]

Simply gorgeous, my dear!

[hrymfaxe.livejournal.com]

Thank you very much!

[greenknight33.livejournal.com]

Wow Marie! Those are outstanding! Dawn showed them to me and the first thought that popped into my head is that your drawing style reminds me of Da Vinci. We saw a traveling exhibit of Da Vinci drawings at the Smith Museum while we were in Stirling, Scotland and your work totally reminds me of his.

Dawn and I were thinking of you when we were in that exhibit, and also when we visited the Kelvingrove in Glasgow. All I have to say is, serious armor pr0n!

[hrymfaxe.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much, Bobby! :D I'm not sure there is a greater compliment for any figure-drawing artist than to remind someone of Da Vinci. I'm SO jealous you got to see some of his drawings in real life. At some point I want to do some serious studying of the masters and he is certainly on the top of that list.

Also, colour me with envy at the armour pr0n!! I might get Thim to look at art, but armour is not an option, I'm afraid... ;) Did you take good pictures?

Oh, and btw, I saw your discussion with Dawn's sister about why old castles have such small doors and windows. That was really interesting! I'm always trying to collect knowledge like this against the day when I'll finally start drawing backgrounds, since I want them to be as realistic as possible.

[greenknight33.livejournal.com]

Yeah, the whole time we were in the Da Vinci exhibit we both kept saying how much you would have loved it. Maybe at some point the exhibit will move a little closer to Denmark?

The armor pr0m was pretty awesome. I got some really good pictures and I would love to send them to you as soon as I get them properly sorted and organized.

The debate over height in the Middle Ages is very interesting. If you ever need any information on castle structure/design for your drawing please let me know because I have a ton of information on construction/angles/architecture and that sort of thing that I would love to share with you.

[hrymfaxe.livejournal.com]

I'll certainly have to keep a look out for that exhibit! :D I'm actually terrible at keeping track of interesting art exhibitions when I'm at home, which is really silly.

Oh yes - I would love to see those pictures! I had the ones I took at the Met printed so I could get a start on a reference folder... I'll also see if I can find time to upload them to photobucket or something clever so you can get at them too.

And be careful what you let yourself into!! :D I'm certainly going to take you up on your offer to pick your brain about castles (and cities too?)! Thanks for the offer!

Btw, I send a file to Dawn on the weapon and armour project, but I had to export it from iWork on my mac to a word doc, and I'm not sure if it worked as it was supposed to... Please let me know if there are any troubles and I'll think of a different solution..

[(Anonymous)]

Sorry it took me a while to reply back. I must admit that I am pretty terrible when it comes to that sort of thing!

We are also horrible when it comes to keeping track of traveling art exhibits in the area. The Walter's Art Museum in Baltimore recently had a really neat exhibit on maps (including one created by Tolkein), but when we finally picked a weekend to go see it, the exhibit had moved on!

I haven't forgotten about you as far as the armor pictures are concerned. We are still in the process of sorting the photos and naming them. It has been quite the task as we took over 1,000 shots!

Thanks so much for your help with the weapons and armor research. Dawn sent me what you forwarded to her and everything worked great so no worries there!

Btw...please feel free to pick my brain on any medieval-type topic that you need information on at any time. If I don't know the answer, then I surely know where to find it!

[greenknight33.livejournal.com]

The above comment was from me Marie. You probably figured that out but see, I told you I was horrible at this!

[gilpin25.livejournal.com]

These are really impressive and wow-worthy - they certainly compliment and bring to life Dawn's words. I love the parallel structure with the opposition between the two panels.

As everyone has said, you've captured emotion and movement here, as well as a sense of starkness and hope changing to desolation. I like the fragments of pictures - the close up on the arm - which is exactly how a dream seems to pass through your head when you're trying to make sense of it.

And, to end on a completely trivial (but absolutely essential;)) note - they have great hair!:D

[hrymfaxe.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much! :D I'm glad I didn't tell you to come here, only to have you disappointed. ;) I'm really happy that the structure is carrying the message across well - I was very enthousiastic when I thought of it, but you know how it is when you have looked at something for a long time; you start to question your judgement..

Dreams are indeed often in fragments and I'm glad this seems dreamlike to you - I was very concerned that it should not be to direct and yet still show the story Dawn's words were telling.

And I'll never be able to draw hair anymore without thinking of you! :D