Galadriel sketch, newsletter, artbook, and pin updates
Added 2019-05-15 14:23:30 +0000 UTCTwo new Patrons - welcome, Erik and Marie!
I finally managed to do the sketch for Nichole's commission! >3 Really looking forward to painting this one.
I nudged the pin company who should have delivered the Maedhros pins by yesterday, and they finally answered that the pins would arrive next week. Sigh. Keep your fingers crossed that they're a lovely as they deserve this time! I had hoped to have them this week, to have an actual comparison between them and the company that has done all the other pins. The next convention - Tolkien Tage in Geldern - is in four weeks, and I want to have the new designs made by then - but with this first company, that's never going to work in time, even if the results are good. And since the other has been totally fine, I ordered the next batch with them today - Fingon, Finrod, Maglor, the Eagles, and Glorfindel. :)
The pins have been a lot of work, but also incredibly popular! My Etsy sales basically exploded, and I can actually pay for the new batch with the earnings of the old. But then there's probably going to be a bit of a pin pause. The next project is going to be the artbook!
Question: When you read an artbook, obviously you're not expecting hour-long reads - but what sort of reads do you like to see? More in-story things, or something about the creation of the piece, and the artist's point of view?
I've also made a newsletter! Or rather, I'm going to. If you'd like to subscribe, you can do that here: https://tinyletter.com/JennyDolfen
Comments
Jenny, so glad that an artbook is going! I'm fond of the previous one. Long hours of admiring, really, and reading too! Speaking about text in new one, it would be nice to see in-story things, your point of view concerning the illustrated events and characters, it's meaning for you.. as well as stories about the creation ^_^
Kate Astat
2019-05-16 07:47:25 +0000 UTCThis is so incredibly beautiful! I love seeing your sketches, it's amazing to get that sneak peek!
JJ
2019-05-15 19:14:10 +0000 UTCDefinitely more interested in the artist's POV than just plain quotes from the stories or a brief summary of the scene. I love to find out why you chose to depict a particular character or place in a particular way, or what inspired you to paint the piece in question, or your thoughts on the different variations of a story in the Legendarium, or your thoughts about popular fanon (if applicable) - that sort of thing. I just love glimpsing behind the scenes!
Lyra
2019-05-15 17:18:02 +0000 UTCYes, I second this!
Augusta Vae
2019-05-15 16:45:51 +0000 UTCEchoing others who commented, I’d also be interested in your creative process. Since most of your art is based on Tolkien’s works and I know those fairly well, I can recognize a scene without being told what it is. But to know what went into creating any particular scene is very interesting. Also, for the “missing scenes” that you love so much, insights into depicted characters’ current thoughts and feelings would be great.
Tanya
2019-05-15 16:29:08 +0000 UTCProbably not much more than three weeks! The company is always very quick to respond, and the last two times, the pins arrived a day or two earlier than anticipated (instead of a week later, as with the first company).
Jenny Dolfen
2019-05-15 16:21:22 +0000 UTCOoh, when do you think the new pins will be in stock on Etsy? As for the artbook, I've actually never read one... So I guess just some sketches along with some of the thought/design process? Or something about the picture itself, like the extracts you use from The Silmarillion.
Sophie JC
2019-05-15 16:15:55 +0000 UTCThat's great! I'm already so glad I asked and feel much less hesitant about starting on the texts! :)
Jenny Dolfen
2019-05-15 15:11:40 +0000 UTCI'm always interested to hear about your thought process as you design a piece's layout, colors, themes, etc. I'm not an artist and I'm not as conversant with the Silmarillion as many of your fans, but hearing about the ideas that inform your work helps me appreciate the text a little better, if that makes any sense.
Maura Burns
2019-05-15 15:08:41 +0000 UTCSadly, there aren't many! Most of what I do is digital sketches like the one above (but usually less good-looking). I'm probably going to include small character sketches in the artbook, but will actually do them after the fact! ;) I'm not a great sketcher. But that bit alone might be worth an entry or two. :)
Jenny Dolfen
2019-05-15 14:38:42 +0000 UTCAnother Artbook! I'm really excited to hear the news! I love your first one so I'll be happy to see the new addition. I like to see the excerpt of writing that inspired the artwork and a little about the materials that went into the creation. Love everything you do :)
Shade
2019-05-15 14:35:57 +0000 UTCPersonally, I'd like to read more about your references, especially on cultural details like the clothing. :D And it would be fun to see the little test sketches you do along the way.
Miranda Metheny
2019-05-15 14:26:00 +0000 UTC
