Drawing SRG's drawings

[Server Room Gremlin]

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.

Great analysis there, picking up all the little details. ☺️

When drawing, I do like to create something that I've never seen done before. It's like exploring uncharted territory.

 

[Server Room Gremlin]

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.

I did in fact draw seven wounds on Morgoth, too. They're just hard to see because his blood is a similar colour to his clothing/armour. But you can see some blood trails running down the armour on his shins, since the wounds are on his thighs.

 

[Fingon_Findekáno]

I did in fact draw seven wounds on Morgoth, too. They're just hard to see because his blood is a similar colour to his clothing/armour. But you can see some blood trails running down the armour on his shins, since the wounds are on his thighs.

Ah, now I see them upon a much closer examination. I could only distinctly pick out three wounds so far, but I see the black blood dripping from them. Nice touches to include the wounds Fingolfin dealt him! Also not a detail I see often, or at all.

 

[Maedhros_Nelyafinwë]

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

I really love this!

First of all, I'm a little curious about Morgoth's eyes. I seem to remember in a progress picture you showed us a while back, his eyes were more framed in red around the lids, which definitely made them look unsettling and kind of grotesque. Here, I'm seeing the lids as more grey. Did you change that, or did TTF strip the picture of its saturation during upload? It often does that to my art. But regardless, the eyes still look unsettling given how wide and expressionless they are.

Poor Fingolfin... you can clearly tell he's dead. That unnaturally angled, limp rag doll sort of position of his upper body just says ouch!

Also, I like Fingolfin's shoes. I saw a lot of those lace-up leather shoes when I was researching ancient and early medieval Celtic clothing recently (which I know you're way more knowledgeable about than I am!)

But I think what I like most of all is the lighting and composition. It takes lots of skill and quite an eye to plan out the elements of the foreground, midground and background, and how to give the eye a place to focus. I think the eye lands first on Morgoth and Fingolfin, but then it's obviously drawn towards the bright light and the striking silhouette of the eagle. And the rocks and stuff have the perfect amount of detail. They're vaguely drawn, so they create a mood but don't distract from the subject.

 

[Server Room Gremlin]

First of all, I'm a little curious about Morgoth's eyes. I seem to remember in a progress picture you showed us a while back, his eyes were more framed in red around the lids, which definitely made them look unsettling and kind of grotesque. Here, I'm seeing the lids as more grey. Did you change that, or did TTF strip the picture of its saturation during upload? It often does that to my art. But regardless, the eyes still look unsettling given how wide and expressionless they are.

They still look red to me. 🤔 Anyway, I also posted it on the TTF Discord, and the resolution is better there too if you open the image.

But I think what I like most of all is the lighting and composition. It takes lots of skill and quite an eye to plan out the elements of the foreground, midground and background, and how to give the eye a place to focus. I think the eye lands first on Morgoth and Fingolfin, but then it's obviously drawn towards the bright light and the striking silhouette of the eagle. And the rocks and stuff have the perfect amount of detail. They're vaguely drawn, so they create a mood but don't distract from the subject.

The mental image I had for this drawing was more 'zoomed out', so those were the first things I had in mind. And thus I had more trouble with figuring out the small details like Morgoth's face:

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.

 

[Server Room Gremlin]

I really love this!

Lol. I spent way too long staring at my drawing after completing it. I was like: 'woa, I actually did it' 😦

It takes lots of skill and quite an eye to plan out the elements of the foreground, midground and background, and how to give the eye a place to focus.

I think that's the part I put the least conscious effort into. I just think about the image in my mind and let my hand do its thing. 😂
So something in my brain must know how to make pictures look good. It seems to combine things I've observed in the real world (like how light falls on things, and how light looks weird and yellow through clouds of ash/smoke), and puts them together in the right way to produce a particular effect.

Perhaps it's more akin to how shots are put together in a film than it is to something from the real world (where the things in your field of view are not so neat and isolated).

 

[Ent]

As noted in other thread - skills, skills, skills.

 

[Server Room Gremlin]

@Maedhros_Nelyafinwë, @Fingon_Findekáno, some baby Tyelpë sketches for you as well.

Little Tyelperinquar needs a vantage point. Maybe he's lost his parents at a large family gathering, or maybe he just wants to see what things look like from such a height.

Maitimo: *obliges*
Tyelpë: *looks around with the utmost seriousness*
Maitimo: lol

Tyelpë: *locates his parents and thanks Nelyo with a hug before toddling off in their direction*
Maitimo: *tries not to completely melt into a puddle*

Tyelpë: *points at Finno's gold-striped braid* You seein' this, Ammë...?? O_O
Findekáno: Ehehe
Tancaquárë: *amused*

 

[Fingon_Findekáno]

AWWWW!!! THIS IS SO ADORABLE!!! 🥺❤️

Even as a little toddler Tyelpë was curiously exploring the world and his family. 😂☺️

 

[Server Room Gremlin]

Even as a little toddler Tyelpë was curiously exploring the world and his family. 😂☺️

Of course. A curious and scientific babe, just like his father. But much more cuddly and less suspicious. 😂

 

[Fingon_Findekáno]

Of course. A curious and scientific babe, just like his father. But much more cuddly and less suspicious. 😂

Indeed! His little searching pose in Maitimo’s arms is so cute, especially with his serious expression. “Now where are Atya and Ammë…?” His manners are on-point at such a young age too, giving Maitimo a hug of thanks before toddling off.

I also love the expressions for Maitimo, Finno, and Anca, and your captions for the pictures!

Tyelpë: *points at Finno's gold-striped braid* You seein' this, Ammë...?? O_O

🤣

 

[Tyelkormo the Fair]

*puts Tyelpë in his pocket and runs away to Oromë's halls*

Sike, losers!!!

 

[Fingon_Findekáno]

*puts Tyelpë in his pocket and runs away to Oromë's halls*

Sike, losers!!!

Finno: —OW, OW, Get back here!! He’s still clinging to my braid!!!

 

[Maedhros_Nelyafinwë]

THIS MADE ME AWW SO HARD!! 🥺🥺🥺

 

[Maedhros_Nelyafinwë]

I think my favorite is the one where Tyelpë is hugging Maitimo and his eyes are all teary and 🥺!

 

[Server Room Gremlin]

I think my favorite is the one where Tyelpë is hugging Maitimo and his eyes are all teary and 🥺!

🤔

THIS MADE ME AWW SO HARD!! 🥺🥺🥺

Tyelpë: *locates his parents and thanks Nelyo with a hug before toddling off in their direction*
Maitimo: *tries not to completely melt into a puddle*

...Checks out. 😁

 

[Server Room Gremlin]

A new addition to the chaotic Angband mob. Gothmog drinking garlic tea. Unreasonably adorable for a Balrog who has not long ago killed Fëanor with that very axe.

 

[Maedhros_Nelyafinwë]

A new addition to the chaotic Angband mob. Gothmog drinking garlic tea. Unreasonably adorable for a Balrog who has not long ago killed Fëanor with that very axe.

View attachment 38126

NOT THE GARLIC!!!

I love how even his expression is deadpan!

 

[Server Room Gremlin]

I love how even his expression is deadpan!

Balrogs are pretty chill, for fiery spirits.

He also tips the sugar into the cup right from the jar, because it risks turning into caramel if he brings his hand with a spoon too close to it.

 

[Fingon_Findekáno]

…

*Thuringwethil comes over and holds a marshmallow on a stick over his head to roast it. Nothing like that burnt flavor!* 🤣