Drawings of the Day
So I recently decided I was going to try to do a drawing a day. Not necessarily a complicated drawing, but just a drawing of some kind. The first day, I did a quick sketch inspired by a post by topum, about having to run to escape attack by geese. I have no idea what topum looks like so this is very much a quick artistic representation of the whole
( Read more... )
In the pastel one, the contrast between the silver and blue and the warm tones on the right you aimed at does come across. And I really like how you positioned Rian with her harp in the entrance and Turin down by the stream. I cannot see the riders on the bridge very clearly, admittedly, but I do get a vivid impression of forward movement and waving banners!
In the more detailed pencil drawing, Fingon seems to be riding more slowly and also is probably looking more solemn than he did in the pastels. I can see how it might be Turin's perspective--looking up, he first sees the horse looming and looking at him and Fingon looming above that....
I like the others, too--the geese are fun, and Marion's hair is good and the sails of the ship.
Reply
Yes, with pencil Fingon I was aiming for remote dignity. I think perhaps I should have given him more bling. He'd probably be wearing some sort of crown, don't you think? Not sure if there was an official High King of the Noldor crown.
Maybe his horse would have a decorative headstall like Glorfindel's in Lotr, too.
Reply
A lot of fan fiction (including mine) assumes there was some sort of crown, though--although it would be less likely to be an heirloom, under the circumstances and so perhaps have fewer associations.
Early medieval kings used to wear their crowns officially at Easter, Pentecost and Christmas, I believe--suggesting that, in between, maybe not so much. This is of limited relevance, of course.
Reply
Medieval crowns look terribly uncomfortable, I always think.
Reply
(In my own 'verse, Noldor don't really conform to Legolas's rules about elvish horsemanship--I guess I suspect Legolas of going a bit hyper-Silvan on the journey to Rohan. And I confess I wish, just a bit, that Tolkien hadn't caved in and inflicted that headstall on Asfaloth, just for the sake of consistency, pretty as it is.)
Reply
Reply
Of course, Glorfindel seems to have his limits as a helicopter gunship--otherwise we wouldn't end up with Frodo's desperate ride across the Ford. But as he is capable of chasing away individual Nazgul, when not all Nine of them are together, maybe the Black Horses have learned how to recognize those bells...
To be honest, I wrong-footed myself into my position when I myself needed a jingle of a bridle--and realized afterwards that in my case, at least, substituting bells would definitely not do. If it is possible to have bit-less bridles that is good news as far as I'm concerned.
But I also feel that, when the weight of armour and the distractions of battle come into play, both horse and rider might appreciate a bit more help--not all First Age horses can be like Shadowfax, surely.
Reply
Bitless bridles are definitely a thing, I have a friend who rides who is a big fan. People who ride entirely without a bridle usually seem to use a neckrope, which might have a ring on it? Or there are halters, which might have jingly metal rings without implying the bling of 'headstall'...?
I don't know. I am not a rider. But I don't really like all the fiddly tack they sell for dogs, I would prefer ideally to have the relationship with the animal at the point where you don't need to pull and tug. Asking a lot for us mortal humans, but with a thousand years of time, you could get your timing and your body language comprehension skills to be *really* *REALLY* good!
Aaaaargh elf envy. The curse of Numenor!
Reply
You seem to be much better at dog-whispering than I ever was!
But I do get the elf-envy.
Reply
Reply
Leave a comment