Assignment #3 SmART School

 While I'm waiting to set up a decent photo shoot of my finished "Bats" picture, I've moved on to my third assignment with SmART School.

WARNING: A plethora of geekiness is about to ensue. 

After Samwise Gamgee, two of my favorite characters from LOTR are Eowyn and Arwen. One of my all time favorite quotes from the books is from Eowyn, when she is asked by Aragorn, what she fears most.
 "A cage. To stay behind bars until use and old age accept them and all chance of valor has gone beyond recall or desire."   
 You go, horse-girl! Poor Arwen hardly gets any lines and yet, her story, which is even more minimal in the books than it is in Jackson's movies, encompasses a life of sacrifice, love and hope and powerful influence from afar. It was Arwen who would chose mortality over immortality to remain behind and support the cause of men. It was she who gave Frodo the Evenstar, a necklace with a white stone, which would aid him when the darkness of his injuries troubled him. But probably the saddest part of her story is her end which can be found in the Appendices of the final book. At Aragorn death, she leaves her son and daughters and travels to Lorien, to the place she and Aragorn first met, Cerin Amroth.

 "But Arwen went forth from the House, and the light of her eyes was quenched, and it seemed to her people that she had become cold and grey as nightfall in winter that comes without a star. Then she said farewell to Eldarion, and to her daughters, and to all whom she had loved; and she went out from the city of Minas Tirith and passed away to the land of Lorien, and dwelt there alone under the fading trees until winter came. Galadriel had passed away and Celeborn also was gone, and the land was silent.

"There at last when the mallorn-leaves were falling, but spring had not yet come, she laid herself to rest upon Cerin Amroth; and there is her green grave, until the world is changed, and all the days of the life are utterly forgotten by men that come after, and elanor and niphredil bloom no more east of the Sea."

It's like she simply fades away in the land that had once been so enchanted and protected by the power of Galadriel's ring, Nenya. Nothing to mark her grave but the falling golden mallorn leaves. So sad. To my knowledge, there isn't an illustration of this. I thought I'd give it a try.

Here are some thumbnails:

 

 This one (below), I developed a bit more and in the process had an interesting experience as I "stepped into the picture". It's a small thing but was quite significant for me. Wondering how Arwen would feel and what she would take, if anything with her, it came to me that she would take something that held personal significance for her and Aragorn. Leaping Legolas!! (light bulb moment)... She would take the banner of Elendil that she fashioned with her hands and sent with her brothers to give to Aragorn prior to him taking The Paths of the Dead. The banner of black cloth was unfurled at the Battle of the Pelennor Fields to reveal the emblem of Elendil figured in mithril, gems, and gold; this became the first triumphant public announcement of the King's return. It infused Aragorn with hope in a time of terrible despair. That's what she would take. I knew it.

Though I liked the one above, Rebecca felt like she had see something similar...not with Arwen, but with someone else. At first that bothered me and then it came to me that this was a similar composition to Sam Weber's WOT illustration . I can always return to that one but the point of this class is to take criticism and advise. Both she and Eric Fortune liked this one out of the bunch and I developed it further. 

 She felt I needed to extend the length slightly, which I did, plus I added the banner and changed her left hand, trying to make it look more delicate. 

Next I did a quick color comp in PS. I think I might need to add one more of the stone steps and change some of the background treatment. Waiting to hear back from Rebecca this week.

Okay, relax....geekiness concluded (until next post).

Lego-holics Anonymous

Hello. My name is Kim Kincaid and I am a Lego-holic. It all started with the grandchildren. It was innocent enough, opening that box of brightly colored, interlocking pieces in their organized, sequentially numbered bags for my grandson. But then, he was struggling with a part of the instructions and I...well, I began by reading the directions to him, helping him locate the corresponding shapes. I saw how they fit together...the logic of the design, the soft click when the wheels latch on to the little hubcaps. I was overcome. Soon, my grandson was relegated to assembling the little Lego people, while I finished putting together the buildings with their clever hinged doors and windows. Soon, the bags were empty (except for those few little extra pieces) and before my eyes stood a rescue truck and fire station. We both gazed at the Lego and then at each other and collectively exclaimed, "Cool"! Next, we were pouring over the ads on the back of the instructions, deciding which set Grandma should buy.

At first I waited for sales. But they were too few and far between. Soon, I was buying them regardless of cost. Harry Potter, Toy Story, Atlantis, Star Wars, City, Pirates.... But nothing can compare to discovering the Lego VIP point system. The more you buy, the more points you accumulate...and then you can buy more and then get more points which lead to more Legos and then.....well, you can see my addiction is out of control. That is why I'm here confessing.

But friends, I'm reaching out to you for help because....this June 2012,  Lego will come out with THESE!:

I am in so much trouble here folks. So far, I have Justified my Lego obsession because I share with my grandchildren (as long as they put them away in the "correct" baggie when they are done). But THESE....no way kiddies.

THESE ARE MINE....MY PRECIOUS LEGOS!!!!!!

The Road Goes Ever On

I didn't just read Lord of the Rings. I experienced it. Spiritual so. I discovered Tolkien's masterpiece later on in my life. Somehow Frodo and Sam managed to slip by me during the turbulent 60's and 70's. I wasn't much of a reader during my childhood. But my grandchildren are...at least those who are able to so far.

My oldest grandchild, Jakob devours books. He's even writing his own book. He's 11 and has read the Fellowship of the Ring, and The Hobbit. We've been talking about doing a marathon movie night with all three extended versions. But that would take about 12 hours and neither of us have had the time to do that. But, before he returned to school after the Christmas break, we scheduled the first installment. Prior to Jake's arrival, I had to create a bit of Middle Earth magic for the proper LOTR atmosphere.

For various and sundry reasons, I have acquired a few LOTR standees. I dusted off the boys and put them on the porch to greet Jake.

Next, I printed out the words that hovered over the entrance to the Mines of Moria (Speak Friend and Enter) and then left my cell phone outside for Jake to call me and give me the answer to the riddle, which he did with no problem. (Notice the "one ring" on his finger).

We then donned Elven cloaks and prepared for the movie. During intermission, we dined on Po-Ta-To soup and sausages, apples, and lembas bread. The soup was especially tasty.

I have to say that Fellowship is my favorite of the three movies. Though I regretted the decision to omit Tom Bombadil and his trusty pony, Fatty Lumpkin, it still delivers. No matter how many times I see it, I tear up at Boramir's "departure". And though I know Gandalf returns, my heart catches as he urges the Fellowship to "fly you fools" and that boy soprano starts singing the haunting lamentation.

But the best part was sharing this with my grandson.

The Road goes ever on and on

Down from the door where it began.

Now far ahead the Road has gone,

And I must follow, if I can,

Pursuing it with weary feet,

Until it joins some larger way,

Where many paths and errands meet.

And whither then? I cannot say.