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WonderBroad
Lorien
Mar 4 2007, 2:39am
Post #1 of 18
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Only Elrond Knew Fully What This Hour Meant to Him
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"Their farewells had been said in the great hall by the fire, and they were only waiting now for Gandalf, who had not yet come out of the house. ...
Aragorn sat with his head bowed to his knees; only Elrond knew fully what this hour meant to him."
The Fellowship of the Ring
This was the companion piece to Elrond Harbors the Heir of Isildur. It was a column illustration, also for Mythlore, that appeared with the above-mentioned illustration.
Pen and ink.
(This post was edited by WonderBroad on Mar 4 2007, 2:42am)
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Beren IV
Gondor
Mar 4 2007, 3:27am
Post #2 of 18
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This is comparable to its mate and
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to the Ar-Pharazôn drawing - which means that it is very good! I like the characters, their positions, and the emotion, as well as the level of detail on their clothes. Elrond looks quite anxious, and understandably so, since he knows full well the gravity of this moment, both in terms of what it means for his family as well as what it means for the whole world. His eyes look like he's looking at something outside of the frame, though, rather than straight at Aragorn.
Aragorn looks well-composed: I like the folds on his clothing, which give a very clear image of the thickness of his winter outfit. The expression on his face is also very evocative: it is clear that he is meditating on the journey ahead and what is to come, especially if he succeeds, but also if he fails. This is it, the make-or-break for prettymuch everybody, and you manage to portray that in his face very effectively.
There are a few more technical comments I can add that detract from the drawing:
-Anduril is too short. If we presume that Aragorn is in height equivalent to a tall Dúnedain, then his sword looks like it is about the length of his leg below the knee - which would be two feet or so, which is a very short sword. I would expect Anduril to be more in keeping with being a symbol of courage, kingship, and victory, and as such it would be longer - four feet is more reasonable, or even five, given how big a man Aragorn is.
-Aragorn's hair in that posture would slump forward a little bit and probably cover his ears completely. My hair is about the same length as his in that drawing, and mine falls forward when I bow my head like that, so I would assume that his would also, unless it's tied in the back in the hood of his cloak or something.
-Aragorn's tunic is of a familiar medieval design, and as such makes me think of Mannish culture. Aragorn is a Man, of course, but the point of this image, together with its mate, is that he was raised by Elves. Wearing Mannish clothes is making a statement about Aragorn's journey. It could mean that he doesn't want it obvious that he is coming from Imladris if anybody sees him, but it could also be a statement that he is now forsaking his Elvish upbringing and coming to the world of Men as one of them, and not as an outsider. This is entirely plausible, but I just want to point out what it would signify. Is this what you intend?
*
Anyhow, like I said - good, and getting better! 
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WonderBroad
Lorien
Mar 4 2007, 4:17am
Post #4 of 18
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>>Anduril is too short.
What you don't know is that the original concept sketch showed Aragorn seated on a ledge, with a drop-off of steps, which lead up to the door. The point of the sword was several steps down. But again, the constraints of a column illo made it impossible to show the whole thing. I had to re-adjust the composition, and cut off the lower portion. It otherwise would not have fit the column dimensions.
>>Aragorn's hair in that posture would slump forward a little bit and probably cover his ears completely. My hair is about the same length as his in that drawing, and mine falls forward when I bow my head like that, so I would assume that his would also, unless it's tied in the back in the hood of his cloak or something.
Assume it's caught up by the cloak thrown over his shoulders, then. If I'd had it fall forward, it would have interfered too much with his face. And then there would have been no point in drawing the picture!
>>-Aragorn's tunic is of a familiar medieval design, and as such makes me think of Mannish culture.
We simply are going to have to agree to disagree on Middle-earth costuming, as clearly your conception of it is completely different from mine!
Cloaks, chain mail, helmets, swords, scabbards, vambraces, iron collars, robes, tunics, gold circlets, crowns, scepters, spears, axes, daggers, tapestries, wall hangings--Tolkien references all of these things in his work, and they are all quite medieval-like, from his descriptions. So I don't know what to tell you--except that the images in your head obviously don't match the ones in mine.
Are there Tolkien artists out there whose costuming you prefer? I'd be curious to know which ones. I'd like to Google their work and take a look.
>>Aragorn is a Man, of course, but the point of this image, together with its mate, is that he was raised by Elves. Wearing Mannish clothes is making a statement about Aragorn's journey. It could mean that he doesn't want it obvious that he is coming from Imladris if anybody sees him, but it could also be a statement that he is now forsaking his Elvish upbringing and coming to the world of Men as one of them, and not as an outsider. This is entirely plausible, but I just want to point out what it would signify. Is this what you intend?
You're reading too much into this! Aragorn's Ranger clothes were pretty simple. He's dressed the way he's always been dressed as Strider, at least at this part of the story.
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Beren IV
Gondor
Mar 4 2007, 4:53am
Post #5 of 18
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I figured it was something like that-
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-another "close up" with the steps disappearing.
Cloaks, chain mail, helmets, swords, scabbards, vambraces, iron collars, robes, tunics, gold circlets, crowns, scepters, spears, axes, daggers, tapestries, wall hangings--Tolkien references all of these things in his work, and they are all quite medieval-like, from his descriptions. So I don't know what to tell you--except that the images in your head obviously don't match the ones in mine.
It's the style more than anything. Aragorn's tunic in the drawing has a slit that comes down to the middle of his chest and then stops, with lacing between the sides of the slit. I just thought that might be a statement.
The thing that I am referring to with the tapestries has to do with heraldry. The symbols that the Elves use for their cultures are utterly unlike medieval symbols. The Elves certainly would have tapestries, lots of them, but I just imagine their tapestries having different things on them than the tapestries of kings in medieval Europe. In particular, I picture the Elves' tapestries to be much more like what medieval tapestries were like in the Orient: covered in designs, many of them geometric, but not plain, and not with the traditionally Gothic style of art. For instance, the symbol of the Noldor is a detailed eight-pointed star, not some stylized beast as was the staple for historical medieval heraldy.
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Patty
Immortal
Mar 4 2007, 5:05am
Post #6 of 18
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I just saw your "Ar Pharazon Defies the ban of the Valar"
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it's magnificent.
Welcome to Rivendell, Patty Baggins
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linkin-artelf
Lorien
Mar 4 2007, 7:07pm
Post #8 of 18
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Not an easy moment to illustrate
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the expressions on both faces are very true and I like their positioning.
There's something about Aragorn's body proportions that looks a little off, like his arms and hands are too big or his torso is twisted somehow. I also find him a little young looking, younger than your Strider illustration, thogh the features are similar. And now I see that he has a mullet. Wondeful light on his face and texture in the clothing.
"I walk along the shore and I gaze
At the light that radiates down
Will it travel forth to you
Far across this shimmering sea?"
formerly linkinparkelf
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FingonOfPittsburgh
Lorien
Mar 4 2007, 7:10pm
Post #9 of 18
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There are a few more technical comments I can add that detract from the drawing:
Why do you insist on doing this on every single one of her drawings? Why don't you just enjoy them and take off the pseudo-critic hat? Do you have any artwork of your own for us to pick apart? I'd love to see your work. Please post it.
Out of the darkness of my life, so much frustrated, I put before you the one great thing to love on earth: the Blessed Sacrament... There you will find romance, glory, honour, fidelity, and the true way of all your loves on earth, and more than that: Death: by the divine paradox, that which ends life, and demands the surrender of all, and yet by the taste (or foretaste) of which alone can what you seek in your earthly relationships (love, faithfulness, joy) be maintained, or take on that complexion of reality, of eternal endurance, which every man's heart desires.
--J.R.R. Tolkien, Letter #43, to his son Michael
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WonderBroad
Lorien
Mar 4 2007, 8:51pm
Post #10 of 18
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And now I see that he has a mullet.
It's not a mullet.
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Morwen
Rohan
Mar 5 2007, 1:45am
Post #11 of 18
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This may be my favorite of your work so far
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I'm no art critic, but this is one of my favorite moments in the book, and for me you captured it perfectly.
I wish you could have been there
When she opened up the door
And looked me in the face
Like she never did before
I felt about as welcome
As a Wal-Mart Superstore--John Prine
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WonderBroad
Lorien
Mar 5 2007, 3:20am
Post #12 of 18
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Thanks.
I love this little scene in the book--the weight of everything on Aragorn's shoulders. If he fails, and the Ring Quest falls into ruin, he will not become king of Gondor and Arnor. Without kingship, he cannot have his beloved, by her father's decree. Arwen will leave Middle-earth forever, and go somewhere he can never go. Without kingship, he has nothing, and yet, at that moment, the prospect of attaining it seems unbelievably remote. It's a heavy reality, but he must bear it. I therefore found it irresistible to draw this moment of the story.
(This post was edited by WonderBroad on Mar 5 2007, 3:21am)
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FingonOfPittsburgh
Lorien
Mar 5 2007, 11:48am
Post #13 of 18
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What I like about this work stands in stark contrast to the movie's failed portrayal of Aragorn: Here he is burdened by the realization of what lies ahead of him. He knows the path will be long and hard. He knows that there is a great chance of failure, and that many lives hang in the balance. He knows that essentially the weight of the world rests on his shoulders. Yet we can see, before he even raises his head, that he is confident, determined, and that he fully accepts his destiny. He knows who he is, who has gone before him, and what is expected of him. His answer to the challenge is beautifully portrayed in his strong hand, grasping Anduril -- here he is preparing to meet the challenge.
This is miles away from the wishy-washy, mostly unsure of himself, sensitive-modern-guy Aragorn we got in the film.
Out of the darkness of my life, so much frustrated, I put before you the one great thing to love on earth: the Blessed Sacrament... There you will find romance, glory, honour, fidelity, and the true way of all your loves on earth, and more than that: Death: by the divine paradox, that which ends life, and demands the surrender of all, and yet by the taste (or foretaste) of which alone can what you seek in your earthly relationships (love, faithfulness, joy) be maintained, or take on that complexion of reality, of eternal endurance, which every man's heart desires.
--J.R.R. Tolkien, Letter #43, to his son Michael
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diedye
Grey Havens
Mar 6 2007, 5:06am
Post #14 of 18
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I didn't like Book Aragorn for the most part...
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Too arrogant... I just felt like smacking him most of the time.
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FingonOfPittsburgh
Lorien
Mar 6 2007, 4:00pm
Post #15 of 18
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Too arrogant... I just felt like smacking him most of the time.
Out of the darkness of my life, so much frustrated, I put before you the one great thing to love on earth: the Blessed Sacrament... There you will find romance, glory, honour, fidelity, and the true way of all your loves on earth, and more than that: Death: by the divine paradox, that which ends life, and demands the surrender of all, and yet by the taste (or foretaste) of which alone can what you seek in your earthly relationships (love, faithfulness, joy) be maintained, or take on that complexion of reality, of eternal endurance, which every man's heart desires.
--J.R.R. Tolkien, Letter #43, to his son Michael
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WonderBroad
Lorien
Mar 6 2007, 6:02pm
Post #16 of 18
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To me the Aragorn of the books is the real Aragorn. Now that's a man's man! From my point of view, the less said about what they did to wuss-up his character in the films, the better. It was a phony character arc, and I hated it.
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Annael
Immortal
Mar 7 2007, 2:20am
Post #17 of 18
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I've really enjoyed seeing all of these. Do you have a gallery on a web site somewhere? You should!
“For the record, I am not a nut. I am an optimist. That’s exactly like a nut except with a better attitude.”
- Scott Adams
NARF and member of Deplorable Cultus since 1967
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WonderBroad
Lorien
Mar 7 2007, 4:25am
Post #18 of 18
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I've really enjoyed seeing all of these. Do you have a gallery on a web site somewhere? You should!
Thank you, Annael. No, I don't have an on-line gallery. The only website I have is a business-related one.
I've posted some pix on a couple of Tolkien sites, which I'll also list here, as I get around to it.
Thanks for looking!
WB
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