Drawing SRG's drawings

[Server Room Gremlin]

I've done a few Tolkien-related drawings lately, and I foresee I will probably make more. I'll post them all in this thread.

Here are the ones I've done so far:

Drawing - The Works of Curufinwë Illustrations

Curufin and Fëanor Fëanor talking to a 'six' year old Curufin (stage of development rather than actual age in years). The scene is from a story I'm writing, which will probably take a while, since my imagination thinks in pictures (a bit like a silent film, mostly events, interactions, action...

thetolkien.forum

Drawing - The fates of Arda (Maedhros and Eärendil)

And Varda hallowed the Silmarils, so that thereafter no mortal flesh, nor hands unclean, nor anything of evil will might touch them, but it was scorched and withered; and Mandos foretold that the fates of Arda, earth, sea and air, lay locked within them. - The Silmarillion, Chapter 7, 'Of the...

thetolkien.forum

I've also made some character GIFs:

Drawing - Character GIFs

But when they were landed, Maedhros the eldest of his sons, and on a time the friend of Fingon ere Morgoth's lies came between, spoke to Fëanor, saying: 'Now what ships and rowers will you spare to return, and whom shall they bear hither first? Fingon the valiant?' - The Silmarillion, Chapter 9...

thetolkien.forum

Future drawings will be posted in this thread, unless I have a reason to separate them.

 

[Server Room Gremlin]

To @Maedhros_Nelyafinwë,

May I present your Maitimo and my Curufin in my comic style. The portrait was taken in the brief confused moments before Nelyo cracks a big smile. 😁
It’s a reference to this post in the Chaotic thread (hence the Laurinalótë photobomb):

Hair Dye, Cloning and General Epic Chaoticness

Welcome to the Chaotic RP of TTF! This is a fun, spontaneous, lighthearted, and most importantly, chaotic RP which is available to anyone who wishes to join. While our primary goal is to have fun, we have a few rules in order to keep some method to the madness. Firstly, each character belongs...

thetolkien.forum

The clothing is similar to a Celtic or early medieval style. While reading, I don’t usually have a very clear mental picture of people’s clothing, apart from colour and the way it sits on their body (e.g. the length of the clothing and where fastenings are). So I do have to consciously invent things a bit when drawing from my imagination.

(And yes, Curufin’s casual clothes are often off-white and red in colour. He saves black for when he wants to look neat. …The smudges don’t show up on black, you see.)

 

[Tyelkormo the Fair]

THIS IS PERFECTION!!!

 

[Tyelkormo the Fair]

Srsly...I appreciate Curvo looking as pale as a ghost.😂

 

[Server Room Gremlin]

Srsly...I appreciate Curvo looking as pale as a ghost.😂

...would I draw him any other way?
Even his eyes are a lighter shade of grey than Maedhros', lol.

 

[Maedhros_Nelyafinwë]

To @Maedhros_Nelyafinwë,

May I present your Maitimo and my Curufin in my comic style. The portrait was taken in the brief confused moments before Nelyo cracks a big smile. 😁
It’s a reference to this post in the Chaotic thread (hence the Laurinalótë photobomb):

Hair Dye, Cloning and General Epic Chaoticness

Welcome to the Chaotic RP of TTF! This is a fun, spontaneous, lighthearted, and most importantly, chaotic RP which is available to anyone who wishes to join. While our primary goal is to have fun, we have a few rules in order to keep some method to the madness. Firstly, each character belongs...

thetolkien.forum

View attachment 33976


The clothing is similar to a Celtic or early medieval style. While reading, I don’t usually have a very clear mental picture of people’s clothing, apart from colour and the way it sits on their body (e.g. the length of the clothing and where fastenings are). So I do have to consciously invent things a bit when drawing from my imagination.

(And yes, Curufin’s casual clothes are often off-white and red in colour. He saves black for when he wants to look neat. …The smudges don’t show up on black, you see.)

Aww, I love this!! 🥺

You got all my Maitimo details right, from the scars to the curly hair to Laurinalotë in his hair. I really like the clothing design too, and I might just have to steal it, especially since it's historically inspired. As for Curvo, I love his expression. Even though he's doing something very nice and thoughtful, he still almost looks like he's making an Evil Plot™️ in his head.

Thank you so much, my friend! I will treasure this always!

 

[Server Room Gremlin]

Even though he's doing something very nice and thoughtful, he still almost looks like he's making an Evil Plot™️ in his head.

It's an evil plot to cheer his brother up, come hell or high water. 😼

 

[Server Room Gremlin]

Persuaded

But even in the hour of the death of Fëanor an embassy came to his sons from Morgoth, acknowledging defeat, and offering terms, even to the surrender of a Silmaril. Then Maedhros the tall, the eldest son, persuaded his brothers to feign to treat with Morgoth, and to meet his emissaries at the place appointed; but the Noldor had as little thought of faith as had he. Wherefore each embassy came with greater force than was agreed; but Morgoth sent the more, and there were Balrogs. Maedhros was ambushed, and all his company were slain; but he himself was taken alive by the command of Morgoth, and brought to Angband.
- The Silmarillion, Chapter 13, 'Of the Return of the Noldor'

From left to right: Maglor, Amrod, Amras, Celegorm, Curufin, Maedhros, Caranthir.

Maedhros, filled with rage and grief after the death of Fëanor, persuades his brothers to feign acceptance of Morgoth's terms, in order to win back a Silmaril by force.


I've had this image in my head for a long time now, and the drawing was a vague sketch for a good while, before I really started working on it. However, I made a change I did not originally intend today, just as I was working on the background.

I had always intended it to be a plain background: the walls of a tent with an opening behind Maedhros. But as I was adding the shadows in the tent fabric on the right, I thought the S-shaped one above the entrance looked like a flame. So I just kept drawing 'flames' on the right, instead of realistic shadows, to represent Fëanor's death (his fiery spirit departing) and the Oath.
And then I noticed the straight, triangular shadows on the left side looked like spikes. Similar to the Iron Crown of Morgoth, or the peaks of Thangorodrim, where Maedhros will soon be trapped. The spiked shadows also happen to have the light of a Fëanorian lamp above them, reminiscent of the light of the Silmarils.

So there you go: an accidental realisation at the last minute led to a more symbolic drawing than I had originally planned. Maedhros has the Oath and his father's death spurring him onwards, towards the Silmarils... and Thangorodrim.

 

[Maedhros_Nelyafinwë]

Ooh, the ominous mood of this picture really struck me as soon as I saw it!

As always, I love everybody's expressions. For some reason to me, those whose faces are visible (not counting Maedhros) look kind of awkward. Maybe it's the way they're avoiding his gaze or regarding him with uncertainty. Maybe they want to speak their mind, but don't for whatever reasons.

How come Maglor has a little bloodied bandage around his head? Is it just an incidental thing from the fight at Alqualondë?

I also find it interesting that you drew Curufin with his back turned.

 

[Server Room Gremlin]

As always, I love everybody's expressions. For some reason to me, those whose faces are visible (not counting Maedhros) look kind of awkward. Maybe it's the way they're avoiding his gaze or regarding him with uncertainty. Maybe they want to speak their mind, but don't for whatever reasons.

Yeah, they're all pretty hesitant to act at the moment, following the shock of Fëanor's death. Maedhros is the only one who feels like acting at once, since his grief is coming out as anger. It's a strange reversal of roles, where usually the younger brothers are more impulsive.

How come Maglor has a little bloodied bandage around his head? Is it just an incidental thing from the fight at Alqualondë?

No doubt they suffered some injuries during the Dagor-nuin-Giliath, which has only just ended, even though they were victorious. Curufin has a bit of a wound on his leg too, but that's less obvious due to the shadow.
That wound went through Maglor's helmet (though it didn't break the helmet, only dented it). It would have killed him had he not been wearing one.

I also find it interesting that you drew Curufin with his back turned.

Since the brothers are in a circle, facing each other, one or two of them would have their backs turned to us.
And I think I imagined it from 'behind Curufin', because I write from his perspective in The Works of Curufinwë, and so we're facing the brothers he's seeing.

It also shows his grief. He becomes very closed-off after Fëanor's death, similar to Túrin after Beleg's death, actually. So he doesn't speak and spends a lot of his time seemingly 'asleep'. He does turn his back on the world, in a sense.
And it makes sense for Curufin. His emotions are not often obvious, and only those who know him will know what's wrong. The casual viewer will not have their eyes drawn to Curufin, or wonder what he's thinking. However, those who know the story, and know Curufin's personality, will know that he's probably feeling really terrible right now, given what has just happened. And of course, Celegorm knows this, and has his arm around him.

 

[Server Room Gremlin]

@Tyelkormo the Fair, here's a sketch for you.

Celegorm is watching baby Celebrimbor while Curufin takes a nap on the couch. ...Literally just sitting and watching him. And Tyelko and Tyelpë are making 🥺 faces at each other.

 

[Tyelkormo the Fair]

THIS IS THE MOST ADORABLE THING EVERRRR!!!

 

[Server Room Gremlin]

THIS IS THE MOST ADORABLE THING EVERRRR!!!

I know lol. The image wouldn't leave my mind, and so I had to draw it.

 

[Maedhros_Nelyafinwë]

Baby Tyelpe's eyes though!! That's my favorite part!

 

[Server Room Gremlin]

Baby Tyelpe's eyes though!! That's my favorite part!

He is the cutest. 🙂

 

[Fingon_Findekáno]

It’s like they’re silently forging that unbreakable bond they’ll have for the rest of their lives. 🥺

Tyelko: My brother makes the cutest babies…

Tyelpë: *continues staring at Tyelko*

 

[Server Room Gremlin]

The Fall of Fingolfin

It's the spooky month, so time for something a bit more horror-themed...
An atypical take on the Fall of Fingolfin.

Thus died Fingolfin, High King of the Noldor, most proud and valiant of the Elven-kings of old. The Orcs made no boast of that duel at the gate; neither do the Elves sing of it, for their sorrow is too deep. Yet the tale of it is remembered still, for Thorondor King of Eagles brought the tidings to Gondolin, and to Hithlum afar off. And Morgoth took the body of the Elven-king and broke it, and would cast it to his wolves; but Thorondor came hasting from his eyrie among the peaks of the Crissaegrim, and he stooped upon Morgoth and marred his face. The rushing of the wings of Thorondor was like the noise of the winds of Manwë, and he seized the body in his mighty talons, and soaring suddenly over the darts of the Orcs he bore the King away.
- The Silmarillion, Chapter 18, 'Of the Ruin of Beleriand and the Fall of Fingolfin'

 

[Tyelkormo the Fair]

This is hauntingly beautiful. The dead yet living face of Fingolfin, showing emotions with any living force left, and Morgoth's dead eyes, too rotten from the inside you can't see anything humane from his eyes. Love it.

 

[Server Room Gremlin]

The dead yet living face of Fingolfin, showing emotions with any living force left, and Morgoth's dead eyes, too rotten from the inside you can't see anything humane from his eyes.

Yes, it is a rather strange contrast. When I first decided to draw this, the lighting contrast was most prominent in my mind, as well as the position of the two characters. This other contrast of their faces only came about later, as I was filling in the details.

 

[Fingon_Findekáno]

The Fall of Fingolfin

It's the spooky month, so time for something a bit more horror-themed...
An atypical take on the Fall of Fingolfin.

Thus died Fingolfin, High King of the Noldor, most proud and valiant of the Elven-kings of old. The Orcs made no boast of that duel at the gate; neither do the Elves sing of it, for their sorrow is too deep. Yet the tale of it is remembered still, for Thorondor King of Eagles brought the tidings to Gondolin, and to Hithlum afar off. And Morgoth took the body of the Elven-king and broke it, and would cast it to his wolves; but Thorondor came hasting from his eyrie among the peaks of the Crissaegrim, and he stooped upon Morgoth and marred his face. The rushing of the wings of Thorondor was like the noise of the winds of Manwë, and he seized the body in his mighty talons, and soaring suddenly over the darts of the Orcs he bore the King away.
- The Silmarillion, Chapter 18, 'Of the Ruin of Beleriand and the Fall of Fingolfin'

View attachment 37051

Atar… 🥺😭

Such a devastating moment, wonderfully captured here. So many details to appreciate, where to start?

With the arrangement of this piece, I like the moment you chose, after Fingolfin has been slain. Most pictures I see are of him challenging Morgoth or actively fighting with him, but few have I seen showing what Morgoth did to his body afterwards. So this is unique here. By examining the scene, a person can tell bits and pieces of what happened; you included the pits rent into the ground by Grond, Fingolfin’s broken shield lying there, the oozy black blood on Fingolfin’s sword, Ringil, which came from the seven wounds he dealt Morgoth, plus the final one on his foot, and much more.

Seeing how Morgoth is holding Fingolfin’s body, which is bent at a broken angle and hanging there limply, dripping with blood… my heart breaks. Even his lifeless eyes are still open, unseeing and frozen from the moment Morgoth dealt his killing blow. I keep thinking there is a pool of shiny blood beneath him, but it’s just Ringil still glittering. His clothing, particularly the helmet, is different from what I traditionally see Elves wearing, but it still works.

Morgoth’s design is good too. I like the scale proportion of how big he is compared to Fingolfin. He feels menacing with his armor, crown, and face. Looking closer, I almost get the sense he picked up Fingolfin’s body and crushed it in his fist to break it, creating the fallen king’s odd angle in his grasp. 😣 And of course, the Silmarils are ever shining in his crown.

As Morgoth decides he will feed the body of the High King of the Noldor to his wolves, off in the distance, surrounded in brilliant light, do we see Thorondor hastening to intercept this fate. (If only he had done so sooner!!)

I read in a short fanfic once, where while Thorondor may have given Fingolfin’s body to Turgon in Gondolin, he returned his sword Ringil to Fingon in Hithlum. In receiving only the sword, it was tidings enough to know his father was dead, but there was more. The sword was covered in Morgoth’s black blood, meaning Fingolfin had not died in vain. He had managed to deal some injuries to the Dark Lord as well, which was heartening to Fingon a little. I could see this in your drawing too, because you have Ringil’s blade covered here as well.

Overall, hauntingly beautiful and tragic, and well-done with the color choices here.