I Introduce My Muse + My Oldest Drawings of Snape
The more I search through the folders I have, the more I realize how many sketches are missing. While I'm still attempting to locate the lost folders, I've also been uncovering a horde of childhood drawings.
I thought I'd first share the two Severus Snape sketches I found. The oldest of which I think I drew around the age of 12.
And because I desperately needed one, I've roped me a muse. . .
An obvious choice for those who know me, but this is actually something of a homage. The very first time I ever clapped eyes on Ben Whishaw was within a Snape/Lily fanvid. The vidder had used footage from "Perfume". The main character's obsession with redheaded girls coming in rather handy. . .
Warning: Image Heavy.
Behold! Severus Snape's eyebrow.
This was probably drawn when I was 12 or so, but I can't be absolutely certain. It could have been later, especially given that I wrote, "And if I die, so soul shall pity me. . ." into the lefthand corner. A bit of terrible foreshadowing there. There's nothing worse than a twelve-year-old quoting Richard III.
Below in a full-bodied Snape that I may have sketched at around 14. I seem to have always preferred my Snapes with a bit of beard. ; )
It seems almost too private a subject to share my feelings on Ben Whishaw. I don't think I've ever said anything on LJ before, except perhaps a casual mention of wishing I could have tea with him. There's no silly fangirling, there's no drooling infatuation. . . I just have the deepest admiration for his skill and the gentle way he holds himself off stage/camera. His performances for me were something of a catharsis during the worst of 2012. When I needed something to hold on to, I would watch him bring a character to life. He's been very important to me.
Jean-Baptiste Grenouille in "Perfume", John Keats in "Bright Star", Sabastian in "Brideshead Revisited", Freddie Lyon in "The Hour" TV series and of course Shakespeare's "Richard II". . . easily one of the most unique young actors I've seen.
Though he's probably more widely known now for being the new Q. Sam Mendes casted him in "Skyfall" after they'd finished Richard II (which Mendes produced). I do plan on seeing it at some point. I'm not really a Bond fan, nor do I watch mainstream movies, but his Q looks geekily adorable. There's also supposedly a homoerotic interrogation scene with Bond and the main villian. *steeples fingers* I look forward to that.
Sidesteping the intro, let's get back to Whishaw as muse. Since the majority of the art commissions call for Snape, I needed someone who would both inspire and also have something of Snape's body type. . .
Whishaw's long fingers are actually double-jointed, so they'll sometimes bend at rather harsh angles. It's not demonstrated in the photos above, so you'll have to trust me on this. Though I do think you can see a bit of it in the bottom photo. The ring finger on his left hand. . . it looks like a magic trick.
Fourth & Main did a fantastic photoshoot last year. They allowed for Whishaw's own creativity and improvisation to take center stage. It was a rare treat to see.
The stark black & white photography also made me wish to experiment with light/dark more. I'm still utterly inexperienced, it's not as if I ever taken an art class, nor do I practice, but I wanted to try something bolder with some of my sketches.
If you're lucky enough to see it, Judi Dench and Ben Whishaw are currently preforming in a new play together. It's called "Peter and Alice" and reimagines the meeting (this actually did occur) between Peter Llewelyn Davies and Alice Liddell, the two who inspired Lewis Carroll and JM Barrie as children. You can read more about the production (and more photos!) here.
Also, a very special "something" happened for me at the beginning of March. It's my secret for now, but just the memory of it makes me want to find Ben Whishaw and cry my heart out into his tiny chest. The most gentle being. My actor soul mate.
Sorry! Sorry. This was not supposed to be a Whishaw post. We are not having this discussion. Do not get sentimental. . . too much vulnerability. Too private.
So veering away from the sweetly shy Hufflepuff man, and back to our snarky bastard. I prefer not to use any facial references for Snape, so that's all well and good here. I want my Snape of a thousand faces, and since I've obviously got no concept of continuity, I might as well run with it. . . see what I did just there? I turned a major debility into an "artistic choice". Ha! It's all in the wording.
I hope you all enjoyed my childhood Snapes. Tell me what you think of them? : )
~ Cóz