Elven King's Halls - Mirkwood : The Hobbit

Long story short, here is a graphite page from my sketchbook featuring my visualization of J.R.R. Tolkien's well-described Gates to the Elven King's Halls in Mirkwood.

Second 'Stage', Value, 'Gates to the Elven King's Halls', Graphite, Sketchbook, 2012.

Process:

Facing Page Thumbnail and Notes, Sketchbook, 2012.

First Draft, Line Work, Graphite, Sketchbook, 2012.

More to come! Please return.
Cheers,
Mairin-Taj

'Wheel of Time' Character Portraits - Sketchbook 2012

Lan & Nynaeve, 2012

I only recently picked up the 'Wheel of Time' series, having known about it for some time, but with an endless list of reading, not chosen it until now.

Amongst other projects, bits of research, and certain themes, I read, and by the fourth book could no further ignore the itch to sketch down the characters.

So, here follows a bit of indulgent doodling from my head; no reference, just grabbing faces out of the white void via the means of a graphite pencil. In no way do I wish to impose my imaginings on fans of the series, but this is what I see when I read Jordan.

And of course, I'm still reading them. I'm on...'Lord of Chaos', now!

Rand & His Three Women, Sketchbook Page, 2012

*Note on the approach: I drew them nude because frankly I was not concerned with costume aesthetic at the time. They are also really just portraits. The focus is structure, features, the physical posture, at most. I love the human body, and I wanted to show when the shape and stance of the shoulders or torso was imperative to character. Example: Perrin's well-developed smith's shoulders, chest and arms.Working these things out was a part of the character portraits, for me.

Moiraine Sedai, 2012

Lan, 2012

Nynaeve, 2012

Egwene, 2012

Mat, 2012

Perrin, 2012

Faile, 2012

Elayne, 2012

Min, 2012

Aviendha, 2012

Rand, 2012

Loial, 2012

Thom, 2012

That is it for now, though as I am continuing on with the reading, I may want to put down other certain characters as well.

Up next, the Renaissance Faire experience with photography and doodles. More besides...

On Petar Meseldzija’s Blog - 7th September 2012

Petar’s post on 'Nature in Contemporary Fantastic Art' struck a few cords with me. I found, a little ways in, he was pointing out that artists could and should depict more intentionally. He was talking about what I call ‘creative responsibility’.

The presence of Nature in the bulk of work today was a major point of concern in his article – for my part, I appreciate this – and he went on to explore the reasons for why it seemed increasingly absent.

One of his reasons was that maybe we are simply “following the current trends and hypes…In other words – our unscrupulous professionalism” is the driving force?
He observed that in the increasing absence of nature, “violence, destruction, deviance, weirdness and ugliness” is the popular “state of mind” being reflected back onto the world.

I have considered versions of this subject, noticing the trends with writers and entertainment at large, and of course art is an irrevocable link in that chain. But art should not be without its creator’s values. If we are visualizing the trends of philosophy, what we are visualizing is just as important a consideration as how and for whom.
But it isn’t a one-time consideration. Being conscious of the value of the stories we depict along with concern for the value of the depiction itself would build artistic integrity. The work grows in proportion to the mind behind it, no?

Being highly imaginative as we are, there is power in our imagery – and to take a nerdy moment – ‘with great power comes great responsibility’. Even though, being artists, we keep largely away from public reception, our work goes places, the concepts and stories they represent go places, so let’s be aware of what we take on to illuminate and put forth.
To use Petar’s proposed term, “unscrupulous professionalism” shouldn’t need to be the mental state of a creative individual. Perhaps those veterans in the business would consider my thoughts naïve and idealistic, but I do not hold that we need anything prefacing “professionalism” in order to have both employment and principled work.

And if I can assume as such, it is comforting to think some of what Petar has proposed is of similar philosophy.

To view some of Petar's work, check out his website here.

Follow Up to 'The Process In Progress...' - The Final

No nonsense; I indulged my ramblings last post. Here is the completed work of 'Brigit' for Spring. To see the first installment with 'Cailleach' for Winter, follow here.

As you might have guessed, Summer and Autumn will be following, but in amongst other projects, as the first two were.

'Brigit', Spring/ Imbolc Greeting, Watercolor, 2012. *Greeting cards available on the shop site soon!

In Celtic cultures, the 'Clootie Well' is a sacred spring or well, often noted with a particular tree, which is decorated with strips of colorful cloth, or 'clootie'.

The most common times of year to visit such wells are the festivals of the seasons, the spring festival being Imbolc, often represented by Brigit.
In Irish mythology, Cailleach - personifying winter - would shed her age in spring waters and become the maiden aspect again, Brigit of craft and healing.

'Brigit', Detail One, 2012.

'Brigit', Hand Detail Two, 2012.

Thoughts are welcome, as always.
As I mentioned in my previous post about the process, 'creative camaraderie' is a good thing, and hard to come by.

'Wheel of Time' character sketches and more, to follow.

The Process in Progress...

Towards the End!, Studio shot, 2012.

Initial Painting, Detail Shots, 2012.

 As a follow-up on recent posts with regards to a piece called 'Brigit', I've had it finished for a little time now. Only, I had a bit of a hiccough with the scanning.

It is my first dissatisfaction with the place I go to, but whomever was scanning for the day decided a scan meant scanning the original and then playing about with it in Photoshop, instead of just giving me the untouched scan. Well, taking it home to edit, I opened a black and yellow file. Not fun.

Corrections are under way, but until then, if it isn't too disjointed a system, I'm going to put up the PROCESS images of the work now, with concerns and commentary, and then in a post or two the full FINISH will be displayed for any discussion or critique. And now for the bad news...

Third Attempt Stage, Painting Process Detail One, 2012.

I had several tiers of challenge with getting this idea out. Throughout it's conception and execution I've had loads of second-guessing (more than usual), plenty of putting it on hold for the sake of other, more 'sea-worthy' pieces, interjections for a client or two with a quick job, and weeks of seeming defeat! It was horrible. I couldn't even look at the bloody thing on it's board, spotty with layers of color and exposed pencil, oozing mockery.

Anyways, I found my way slowly, here and there, one rock turned a-right this day and another down the road a bit that day. The last push through to clarity was actually my weekend visit to the Allentown Art Musuem in August for their much anticipated 'At the Edge: Art of the Fantastic' exhibit.
I talk a little bit about it in my previous post here, but visiting numerous originals in a wide array of media from such a grouping of admirable artists helped my mental and emotional preparation for re-attacking 'Brigit'.

I think when an artist - at any level - is divorced from examining the work of their inspirations by the reproduction barrier (not to say reproductions are useless), much is lost. I haven't had many experiences with studying a living painting face to vivid face, and less experience doing so with the creations of those I consider my un-consenting teachers. So the 'hand-made' quality palpable in the rooms of 'At the Edge' was just one component of the experience that gave me a creative pat on the shoulder. I came away with ease, with eagerness, with my particular inner-battles won. (To mention nothing of the war).

Third Attempt Stage, Painting Process Two, 2012.

Now, a few of the photos I took while working are up, and as I mentioned first, the finished scan will be up in a following post, yellow-and-black-theme free.

Creative camaraderie is proving difficult to build, even so soon after the college years. I was warned of this stark awareness by instructors and mentors while in school, as we all were, and I could understand why. While there is some beautiful relief in finally being alone in one's process, having even a small circle of colleagues to springboard with, to judge with, to analyze and improve with, is much needed.

Third Attempt Stage, Painting Process Three, 2012.

 
Next up, the completed piece!
Please stop back for more.

Mairin-Taj