B2MeM sketch dump! Days 1-9

[hrymfaxe]

March is Back 2 Middle-earth Month and the silwritersguild is providing anyone willing with a prompt a day to inspire the Tolkien muses out of the woodwork. :D I have decided to use it as an opportunity to do a study of Mablung of Doriath, about whom "canon" has preciously little to say, so my imagination can run free for most of the time. And also, he met or could conceivably have met nearly every important character in Middle Earth until the fall of Doriath. So there are plenty of opportunities to widen the horizon. With so many prompts and so little time to complete them in, I can only offer you sketches, I'm afraid. But I think some of these are ideas are pretty cool, so I may convert them into proper drawings/paintings when time allows.


Day 1 prompt: Learning to make a fire

Mablung spent time with the Nandor in his youth, and from them learned the art of fire-breathing. He much appreciated using the higher quality lamp oil in Doriath, rather than the fairly explosive stuff of the Nandor. :D

Day 2 prompt: Facing a great danger

After having lost Morwen and Nienor near Nargothrond, Mablung was captured by the Dragon Glaurung, who mocked Mablung, but spared his life and set him free to return with the shameful news to his king.
(Note: Glaurung is greatly inspired by John Howe's creations)

Day 3 prompt: A happy moment

Mablung sharing a drink and a joke with his sister and Beleg.

Day 4 prompt: Role model

Young Mablung spying on Beleg. :D

Day 5 prompt: Regret

The death of Saeros. (Mablung carrying the body back to Menegroth) If this had been prevented, maybe many unhappy events would not have come to pass...

Day 6 prompt: "Music can name the unnamable and communicate the unknowable."

Daeron of Doriath, putting music to the first rising of the moon... (I'm greatly conflicted over this, because I love this imagery, but I find the whole idea of Middle Earth without Sun and Moon for millenias rather hard to explain. *spills can of worms*

Day 7 prompt: You are walking in the woods and sudden a tree whispers to you ...

The fall of the leaves are a constant reminder that time passes, even for an immortal. Mablung, in a quiet pensive moment.

Day 8 prompt: Beauty/ugliness and day 9 prompt: antihero

Mablung watching Thingol obsessing over the Silmaril. The brightest light casts the darkest shadows...

Comments

[heartofoshun.livejournal.com]

OMG! These are so terrific! I cannot even begin to chose a favorite. Maybe Days 2, 4, and 7?? But they are all terrific. Such tremendous storytelling in all of them.

[hrymfaxe.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much, Oshun! :D I don't like to post stuff in so unfinished a state, but there is nothing for it, since I'm trying to do one for every prompt. Day 2 is definitely one of my favourites too, as well as 7. And 4 could be really cute... Right, I'll never be able to decide which ones to elaborate on. :D

[heartofoshun.livejournal.com]

I always love your sketches. Is that Beleg leaning against the tree (#7)?

[hrymfaxe.livejournal.com]

Thank you for saying that! No - that is also supposed to be Mablung.. I'll go make it clear in the post. :D

[heartofoshun.livejournal.com]

I was torn. I thought it was Beleg, but I sort of wanted it to be Mablung (don't even ask, I couldn't explain that if I wanted to!).

[hrymfaxe.livejournal.com]

I'm glad you wanted it to be Mablung! So you are off the hook as to why you want it to be. ;)

[shimotsuki.livejournal.com]

I'm glad you posted these even if you didn't think they were "proper" drawings! They are lovely and expressive and definitely (as heartofoshun says) full of storytelling.

My favorite may be #3, with the range of expressions and emotions we see among the characters. But I also really like #2 (dragons are cool, and the effect of the spread-out hair looks fantastic), and the light and shadows in #1, and the complex dynamic in #8/9.

[hrymfaxe.livejournal.com]

See? I warned you there would be a dump today. :) And thank you for saying such nice things about them, it means a lot!

It's also really nice to hear which ones you like - and I'm so pleased that you find #3 interesting, because I quite like that one myself. And also the others, to be honest. *squints at sketches*... I'll really never be able to choose among them. And there are 22 more possible contenders. I'm just happy I have caught up, as of now. :D

[rhapsody11.livejournal.com]

Oh wow! It's like you tell the story of his life in a way :)

[hrymfaxe.livejournal.com]

Yay! That is precisely what I'm hoping to do. So thank you so much for telling me that that is the feeling you get.

[rhapsody11.livejournal.com]

Weee! :c)

[hrymfaxe.livejournal.com]

OMG Kermit wheee! :D It makes me excited that you are excited!

[rhapsody11.livejournal.com]

hehehe, well I saw your entry before I went to bed and I am so looking forward to what you'll do next. The last one where Mablung sees an obsessed Thingol brought me back to Written in the Starlight. That expression on his face, Thingol's composure.

[hrymfaxe.livejournal.com]

I'm having a bit of a hard time with today's prompt, mostly because it contradicts my own view of traveling, but I'm sure something will come to me all the same. I don't think Mablung will let me down, right here in the middle of the race. :D

And please to be thinking more on Written in the Starlight!! It is still one of my favourite stories out there. I think Thingol's obsession with the Silmaril must have been a very scary thing to experience for those who knew him, even if only a little..

[dawn_felagund]

Oh, these are beautiful! I'm with Oshun that it's impossible to pick a favorite, but here's some specifics of what I like ... :)

His sister's face in #3 ... she looks impish! It really captures the mood of the scene.

Saeros's shrouded body ... I know this sounds morbid, but I'm fascinated by how well his form is shown, despite the shroud. And the concept itself is fascinating: Saeros is rarely treated by fans, yet he is an intriguing character in his own right.

Daeron: his posture and the entire scene. I see you figured out the problem of drawing at night. ;) Even if none of us have figured out JRRT's wonky cosmogony! :D

I popped onto Google briefly this afternoon and saw that you had posted 9/9 B2MeM prompts, and I thought, "Noooo ... impossible!" I haven't even been able to write more than three (of course, the fact that the fourth insists on being illuminated doesn't help ;). Congrats and thank you--these were really a bright spot of the day. :)

[hrymfaxe.livejournal.com]

Well, a sketch hardly compares to an illumination, and you are also busy with putting up the prompts and keeping track of the entries. I'm so happy the month is of to such a great start!

And thank you so much for pointing out the images and details that stood out. Mablung's sister popped into my head and immediately made a lot of room for herself. I think there will be more of her, especially if I ever get to do those comics I have been threatening to do forever.

Saeros does intrigue me as well, and the implications of his death are so staggering that what went before practically begs to be explored. Also - I'm glad it doesn't just look like Mablung is carrying a bag of potatoes; folds and fabric are the bane of my artistic existence.

I see you figured out the problem of drawing at night. ;)
Yes, by ignoring the fact that it was night, and writing to let the viewer know they were looking at the moon. ;) lol! But I was pleased with how it turned out as well. :D

Thank you for stopping by with your thoughts!

[javidan.livejournal.com]

Wonderful! I think Day 1 is my favorite---the contrast and the look of the flames is just perfect.

I envy your ability to sketch these so flowingly; I'd be bogged down with nit-picky details and never finish, lol.

[hrymfaxe.livejournal.com]

Thank you for telling me which one you think work the best! Don't you think #1 would be great with black ink for the figure and watercolours for the flames?

I love sketching! It frees up the creative energy. Did I tell you about the great book I have found on linedrawing? It also has a good introduction on how to sketch out a figure. I admire your ability to be nit-picky with the details. My mind is too easily distracted for me to achieve the same level of gorgeous detail that you do. :D /mutual appreciation society.

[javidan.livejournal.com]

black ink for the figure and watercolours for the flames
Oh yes! I was thinking of the colours you used in your Icarus painting.

great book
What was the name of this one? I think you told me before but now I've forgotten...

[hrymfaxe.livejournal.com]

I was thinking of the colours you used in your Icarus painting

Yes exactly! :D And some golden light reflected on his face and torso... *stares into space*

And the book is called "Force: Dynamic Life Drawing for Animators", and is, IMO, much better for making your line more dynamic than for example Burne Hogarth and Loomis. Loose and expressive. And it's great for warm up exercises as well. :D

[watersandwilds.livejournal.com]

Beautiful art! I love Glaurung in particular -- but they're all fantastically rendered. :D

[hrymfaxe.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much! I quite like how Glaurung turned out as well - and I'm looking forward to elaborating more on some of these.

[whitewave16.livejournal.com]

Yay! They are all beautiful, luscious Sinda pictures. #1 is my fave (loved the shading) but the other ones are great in their own way--#8 was the most dramatic/heart-breaking.

[hrymfaxe.livejournal.com]

Yay! Thank you!! There needs to be more Sinda appreciation in the world. #1 is indeed very visually interesting, but I agree that there is a lot of sad story in #8/9. Thank you for looking.

[morethmusing.livejournal.com]

Really, really hard to choose a favourite! They are all gorgeous!

I think #1 - because I love the image of Mablung doing his fire-breathing trick :D

And I totally sympathise about the cosmology, but Eöl insists he wants stars, so... *Shrug*

[hrymfaxe.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much! It makes me happy that it is hard to choose. :D

And can you just imagine Mablung pulling this trick out every time he wants to impress the women at parties? LOL! I love that he can do fire breathing, and he was very eager for me to inform anyone who cared to hear of that fact.

I'm so conflicted about the cosmology, because it is indeed a pretty idea, but so so impractical! However, in your case I would also refrain from arguing. That is a pretty stubborn muse you have. ;)

[binkaslibrary.livejournal.com]

Mablung is such a good muse, isn't he? :)

All of them are excellent. I think the drink one can be a remedy for one's bad mood, no matter how bad. But I'd pick the last one as my favorite. It says a lot about what Mablung might think about Thingol's obsession, and Thingol's figure is plain creepy in this one. (I would love to shake some sense into him, btw).

Congrats on being so productive, and well, I'm looking forward to seeing more sketches :D

(((hugs)))

You're an amazing artist!

[hrymfaxe.livejournal.com]

He is! *squiches Mablung *

A drink with friends is indeed a remedy for many a bad thing, and I like to think they had moments like this to distract from the wear and tear of everyday life. And his sister knows how to make serious wardens loose up a little. :D

The last one is indeed telling quite a large story, and I think Mablung would be appaled at how far the great King and warrior of earlier times has fallen into the darker sides of his character. Thingol needs someone to shake him!

Thank you for shaking the pom-poms! :D:D *hugs*

[binkaslibrary.livejournal.com]

Thingol needs someone to shake him!

This drawing reminds me of both "Written in the Starlight" and "House of the Setting Sun". It can be a good "prequel" to the latter I think :)

[hrymfaxe.livejournal.com]

Oh I know! Both you and Rhapsy are great influences into how I see Doriath and its politics. :D

[lissas-elves.livejournal.com]

Lovely sketches!

Love No. 7! The lines of his body are just right, and the way he presses his back and his head against the tree, well, it looks almost as if it comforts him. Lovely!

I also think No. 8 is wonderfully done; Mablung's sad face and the slump of his shoulders vs. Thingol's bowed head as he focusses only on the jewel, his shoulders rounded protectively to shield it... It illustrates that tragic story so well.