Finally! Something gets finished.. :)

[hrymfaxe]

It has been a while, but I have been doing some exercises instead of finished drawings, and they wouldn't really stand for public wieving! ;) But tonight I have finished (more or less naturally) two drawings inspired by the word of the day.

This one was actually supposed to be based on the word "sere"... I was imagining that the Helcaraxe would be an extremely cold, but also dry place - the humidity in the air practically non-existant due to the low temperatures. I actually researched the whole thing a bit, and found descriptions of the Antarctica as being a very inhospitable place due to cold and, yes, extreme low humidity in the air. In the arctic it practically never snows, the snow already on the ground is not wet enough to stay stable, and so will be swirled around by the wind, making it seem as though it is snowing. Yadda, yadda, yadda. So my idea was all right - except I suddenly remebered there would be no light when the elves crossed the ice! *facepalm* and so it would be impossible to see the sere landscape I had planned. I could of course claim artistic license, but by then the image that you see above had already grown on me, and so I kept it. Oh well, scratch sere from to-do-list... 

Sere \SEER\, adjective:
Dry; withered.


This one, on the other hand, did as it was told (except for turning far more elaborate than I had first thought...) It is based on the word "Acclimate" and is depicting a Doriath warden experiencing his first sunrise.. 

acclimate \uh-KLY-mit; AK-luh-mayt\, transitive and intransitive verb:
To accustom or become accustomed to a new climate, environment, or situation.

They also both turned out to be great exercises in light and shadow! Who knew?

Comments

[rhapsody11.livejournal.com]

I really like the dynamics in the first piece, I think you captured a lot there: the bitter cold, but also the drive to go onwards. Eyes squinted, a small lantern clutched in the elf hand...

[hrymfaxe.livejournal.com]

Oh, thank you :) It must have been a terrible journey, cold and tiredness contributing with the treacherous ice to a near-blind stumble, otherwise I have a hard time imagining graceful elves falling into the water or failing in other ways..

[binkaslibrary.livejournal.com]

Found it! :D

These two are really great, and I like the first drawing as well. Well done!

[hrymfaxe.livejournal.com]

I thought you would know where to go! ;)
Thank you - they were kind to me and did as they were supposed to, for a change.. And I did the sun and the lantern last on both and pretty much simultaneously (bcs I like to do more than one drawing at a time, so I can go back and forth) and it was a fun exercise to make them both shine, but in very different ways.

Ah Marcus - the inspiration rolls of his skin like drops of water. Humour me, indeed..

[binkaslibrary.livejournal.com]

So :D both you and I have been busy :) (Pssst, don't tell anyone, my Glorfindel muse has returned, yay!).

[hrymfaxe.livejournal.com]

*whispers* Yay. Treat him really well, perhaps you should ply him with milk and honey, so he sticks around. He seems the sort to enjoy that! :)

[binkaslibrary.livejournal.com]

He arrived with a supply of wine not so long ago, sat me on the sofa (carefully due to my leg ;)), handed me my laptop and said, "Well, Binka, I've got this idea... You're gonna write." You should see his roguish wink. LOL.

Care to see an excerpt?

[hrymfaxe.livejournal.com]

*splutches* Yes, please! :D

Oh rougish (yet considerate) Glorfindel! You lucky girl.. I really must get to know him better!

[binkaslibrary.livejournal.com]

Okay, a bit from chapter 1. of an AU/post RotK/drama/suspense story, tentatively titled "Eclipse". Here I go:

The chilly air engulfed Glorfindel as he stood several steps away from the hut the twins and he had built of branches, leaves and sod, crossing his arms on his chest. With his head raised he observed the dark sky and thousands of stars obscured only by a few clouds. The night was peaceful; the glittering stars mirrored the moonlight with uncounted sparks. The light breathing of the wind caressed Glorfindel’s face and hair as he remained motionless, resembling a statue; only the small whiffs of air he was exhaling proved that he was a living creature.

They were now castaways. Elladan, Elrohir, Glorfindel himself, and the few others that still lingered here. They were following the road to unknown, especially the twins, and Glorfindel had once sworn he would do his utmost to support them until the very end. He had realized some time ago that the world didn’t care about them anymore. What he found really ironic was that they still cared about the world, but it was a love unrequited. Though they were now but shadows of Arda’s mighty protectors they had once been, Glorfindel could feel the beating of its heart in every step he was taking upon the path of his life. For that, it would have been unseemly if he had backed away and retired from the world.

:)

[hrymfaxe.livejournal.com]

Uuuhh, interesting! And the twins too! Did he bring them to your wine-party? :)

Now I want to know what happened before, after and in-between! ;) it was a love unrequited. Beautiful, how they are still in touch with a world that doesn't care anymore. I hope Glorfindel stays with you for a long, long time.

[hrymfaxe.livejournal.com]

Oh and I forgot to mention that I really like the description of a quiet, still evening with a soft breeze and thousands of stars, yet still underneath he can feel the beating heart! Mmmmmmm.

[binkaslibrary.livejournal.com]

I hope Glorfindel stays with you for a long, long time.

It looks like :) So far, I've written chap 1, and two pages of chap 2. But I still wonder whether to get it beta'ed and posted anywhere.

Thanks :D Glad you like it. It's so much fun to write :)

[noliel.livejournal.com]

They look beautiful, especially the shading (which I am in awe of seeing as I'm terrible at it myself)! I love the bow in the second one and the gauntlet type thing; the first one is simple yet so moving.

[hrymfaxe.livejournal.com]

Wow, thank you for commenting. I love shading, it's my favourite thing to play around with - though it's more of a lucky guess if it ends up right on the first or even second time! :)

Glad you liked the details. I suddenly find myself with a complete folder in my favourites with pictures of helmets, swords, gauntlets, jackets, boots etc etc... And it's fun to try and imagine how it would look in Middle Earth.

How is your holiday coming along?

[noliel.livejournal.com]

With me, correct shading usually turns out by accident, to my bewildered delight. >_< I'm working on it, though!

And clothing in Middle earth is fun to imagine, definitely. Only problem is I can't seem to decide on a set style when I'm drawing...

Holiday's getting better- forced myself up earlier than usual today (had to go to school to get my report card...why they can't send it themselves is a mystery *grumbles*). How's your summer so far?

[hrymfaxe.livejournal.com]

Oh, a style, no that would probably be beyond me! I mainly just go with what I feel like. :)

What is it with schools? Honestly... My summer is great, but only bcs I get to do a lot of drawing. The summer started out great with fantastic weather, but now it just rains all the time... *sigh*. I'm almost done with my master degree in French, I'm just waiting for a final approval of some courses I wanted to transfer. And then it's on to live in the Real World.. Uhhh, I'm not too keen to start that, so I'm putting off applying for jobs and such, though I really should get started and soon!
:-S No great plans for travelling, though I will go to Scotland with my boyfriend in August. Ah, I can't wait!

[noliel.livejournal.com]

Oh wow, you're doing your masters in French?! Wowowowow x100...I just *love* the French language. I've adored it since I first learned that vert meant green but verte meant green as well (I'm talking Grade Three here ^-^). Most people my age don't like French. It's more of a chore for them. Hence I got/get stuck with the more 'career-minded people' in my French class- sort of the 'perfect' people. I dunno. It's very disconcerting. (And annoying- some don't even care about the language, they're just taking the course 'cause "they have to". *glowers*) But excuse my linguistic-geekery.

Scotland! Cool! I've only been there once and that too for three hours because the silly plane needed to refuel or something in between the flight. Have you been there before?

[hrymfaxe.livejournal.com]

Haha, linguistic geekery is more than welcome here - I have to be a bit of a geek myself since I survived 7 years of French in the university... :) I love French too, though my interest in the language is now turned more towards is usefulness in Western Africa, where I have been two times and hope to return and work again. I know how frustrating it is taking classes with people who have no love or interest in the subject (I know I must have irritated a lot of people when I was forced to take a course in commercial law.. *huge yawn!* heh) But at least the further you get in levels, the less of those uninterested people hang on, it is just not possible without some love!

No, I have never been to Scotland before - my family went there while I was in Africa (and they have never been embarassed by going there without me, understand it who can! ;)) I'm looking forward to it - we will probably go to the highlands and trek a bit, I hope the weather there is better than rumour says! :)

[duck-or-rabbit.livejournal.com]

I am absolutely loving these. Tolkien's elves, the little I know of them, are roughly handled by the environment but wear its harshness with grace. Beautiful.

Let me ask you, do you read RA Salvatore? If you do, are the Middle Earth elves Drizzt Do'Urden's ancestors?

ps I browsed through the comment thread and did you make it to Scotland? Where did your journey take you? I spent time in Inverness. Adored it.

[hrymfaxe.livejournal.com]

I'm glad you like them - I had actually forgotten how much fun I had doing drawings based on the Word of the Day. :) I'm really pleased their grace was clear to you.

I haven't read Salvatore - but I just did a search on Drizzt to see if I could answer your question even a little. I don't think he is much related to the Tolkien version of elves - these are very similar to humans only have enhanced senses and beauty, plus the wisdom from being immortal. Tolkien made them to personify all that is good and beautiful in the world. There were those among them who voluntarily turned to "evil" ways, but mostly those who were evil had been perverted by an über-evil semigod and their appearance had also changed. (If you saw the film, the orcs are the descendents from these perverted elves).. I take it you have read Salvatore? Can you recommend his books? I'm always on
the lookout for good fantasy. :)

I did go to Scotland - and I loved it. We rented a car and drove around. We didn't make it to Inverness, but we saw Loch Ness (of course), Ullapool, Isle of Skye and Glasgow. It was a great holiday. :D

[duck-or-rabbit.livejournal.com]

Oh, I know what you mean about being "on the lookout for a good fantasy!" I recommend Salvatore wholeheartedly. I have read the Dark Elf Trilogy and The Legacy of the Drow series through the book "Siege of Darkness"

Salavatore writes extremely vivid combat scenes (which is rare), and he depicts Drizzt Do'Urden as the most wonderful rebel.