"Sons of Nerdanel", sketchbook painting
Added 2019-02-15 15:12:59 +0000 UTCSo here's the scene that had us talking earlier this week! In case you can't read my scrawl, the text says, "If Fëanor will not be swayed from this folly, then go with him you must, for you are the sons of Fëanor. But I pray that, before the end, some of you may remember that you are the sons of Nerdanel also."
I painted this with the Kwarts watercolours I told you about. the assortment she sent is a great one, allowing me to get every shade I needed without having to resort to any others than the ones in the set. Most prominent is Maglor's Prussian Blue and Nerdanel's Cyprus Green Earth (though it was too light to do any shadows in, so for those, I resorted to Prussian Blue with Yellow Ochre).
The piece turned out a bit rougher than I intended, as the water brush I was using wasn't totally up to the detail, and I painted most of this at school again and remembered to late that I did indeed have a magnifying glass with me. ;)
We had this really interesting discussion about Nerdanel's hair colour, and you may note I toned it down just a little from the stronger red I used to use on her, but I've decided that the quote that gives her hair as brown is so incredibly obscure that I'd be in for years of hair colour debates if I adopted it. I may settle for a compromise that'll make most people happy, similar to what I did with Celegorm.
Welcome to two new supporters: Rachel and Michelle! <3
Comments
This is a very good choice for Nerdanel's hair colour. I strongly approve!
Litsen
2019-02-20 12:08:31 +0000 UTCI.Love.This.So.Much. 💕
Laura Michel
2019-02-18 00:44:34 +0000 UTCI agree, the twins would have been the more logical choice for a farewell scene! But maybe Fëanor knew that too, and purposely kept them from seeing her again?
Jenny Dolfen
2019-02-16 06:14:12 +0000 UTCI always thought the two oldest or the two youngest as they are the gentlest of them all. But Caranthir - that's a really interesting thought! His true character is difficult to grasp. That is what makes him so fascinating.
Anjuschka
2019-02-16 05:06:47 +0000 UTCThis is beautiful! I love Nerdanel’s hair. And it’s amazing that something that I say may actually influence the way you draw characters. Thank you for that. It means a lot. It’s funny, I always imagined that it would be the twins who came to say good buy to Nerdanel. They were the youngest and probably closest to her. But maybe if they would have come see her, Amrod may have just stayed.
Tanya
2019-02-16 03:55:58 +0000 UTCAnja--I think Maedhros for certain. I think he was very close to Nerdanel. Being the oldest, having those years as her only child. And I think he felt a deep sense of responsibility for his brothers and their welfare. I also think the twins thought of her too-especially at the thought of how she wanted them at least to stay behind. And I also think Caranthir. I see him as a bit of the odd man out among the brothers but that Nerdanel understood him better than Fëanor did.
PL
2019-02-16 00:44:48 +0000 UTCWho do you think thought most often of her?
Anjuschka
2019-02-15 20:13:48 +0000 UTCI didn't know the reference either; Tanya pointed me to it, the following is what she wrote: Jenny, it took me a while to find it. I thought that it was mentioned in the Shibboleth of Feanor, the HoMe itself, since it’s found in the notes to that essay. But it’s not. It actually shows up in the Number 41 of Tolkien linguistic journal Vinar Tengwar in the article that discusses notes from the Shibboleth of Feanor that CT excluded from HoMe. Here’s a quote: ‘The following etymological note pertains to the name Russandol in the discussion of the name Maitimo in the numbered list of the names of the seven sons of Feanor (XII:352-53). A marginal note against that discussion provides the detail that Nerdanel "herself had brown hair and a ruddy complexion".’ Since the source of this piece of trivia is very obscure, I can see why it’s not known more widely. However, Sauron’s “true” name Mairon came from the similarly obscure source, but somehow became ubiquitous in the Tolkien fandom.
Jenny Dolfen
2019-02-15 15:22:49 +0000 UTCLove this, Jenny! The richness of the colors, the facial expressions. Such a devastating moment for her (and them) and I've often wondered when and how often her sons' thoughts turned back to her during their exile.
PL
2019-02-15 15:22:08 +0000 UTCWhat a beautiful painting! I guess you won't be able to offer this as a print (including the text) either? ... As for the hair colour - I think it's perfect. Not really copper, but not pure brown either. I adored your Nerdanel with copper hair anyway. Even if it might not be true to what Tolkien has written (or people interpret into his text?)
Anjuschka
2019-02-15 15:20:53 +0000 UTC
