Last year, I chose the theme of ‘Me and Middle Earth’ for my coursework, since i was really crazy about LoTR then. (still is now, but not so much XD)
Anw, i decided to illustrate (using colour pencil) the various major places of Middle Earth as described by Tolkien in LoTR, and you can say that my sources of inspiration were totally from Tolkien’s genius – his beautiful lines 
Cover page:
The Shire – Bag End:
‘Their houses were usually long, low and comfortable… thatched with dry grass or straw, or roofed with turves, and having walls somewhat bulged… A preference for round windows, and even round doors, was the chief peculiarity of hobbit-architecture.’
I feel that I have captured the simplicity and peacefulness of country life in this drawing. However, one of the things i can improve on is to make the colours more vibrant and add more contrast in the colouring.
Rivendell:
‘terraces above the loud-flowing Bruinen’
‘the pale, cool sun rose above the far mountains, and shone down, slanting through the thin silver mist; the dew upon the yellow leaves was glittering, and the woven nets of gossamer twinkled on every bush… The snow was white upon their peaks (the great heights in the East)’
‘A wholesome peace lay on the land.’
I have improved here, as my colours are more contrasting and more intense. This is one of the works which i am most satisfied with. (:
Moria:
‘dolven halls and endlessly branching stairs and passages’
‘towering pillars… Their stems were smooth and black, but a red glow was darkly mirrored in their sides’
‘At the end of the hall the floor vanished and fell to an unknown depth. The outer door could only be reached by a slender bridge of stone, without kerb or rail, that spanned the chasm with one curving spring of fifty feet.’
‘The Bridge cracked… and the stone upon which it stood crashed into the gulf, while the rest remained, poised, quivering like a tongue of rock thrust out into emptiness.’
For this piece, i coloured on rougher paper, so as to emphasize the rough texture of rock. This piece is the one which underwent the most transformations in composition, and i decided on this finally (: Perhaps i can improve by making it look darker and more gloomy. the red should also be more ominous and fiery-looking.
Lothlorien:
‘mallorn-trees of great height, still arrayed in pale gold. High amid the branches of a toweing tree that stood in the centre of all there gleamed a white flet…’
‘Night came beneath the trees… and the Elves uncovered their silver lamps… In their (the mallorn trees) many-tiered branches and amid their ever-moving leaves countless lights were gleaming, green and gold and silver.’
Although this piece is quite a rough colouring, i think the overall drawing has the effect i wanted – magical, peaceful night in Lothlorien. I also like the way i left areas lighter so as to illustrate the moonlight filtering through the mallorn trees.
Falls of Rauros:
‘At the far southern end rose three peaks. The midmost stood somewhat forward from the others and sundered from them, an island in the waters, about which the flowing River flung pale and shimmering arms.’
‘The summit of Tol Brandir was tipped with gold… Its sides sprang sheer out of running water. High up above the tall cliffs were steep slopes upon with trees climbed, mounting one head above the other; and above them again were grey faces of inaccessible rock, crowned by a great spire of stone…’
‘the fume of Rauros rose and shimmered before them, a haze of gold.’
This is also one of my favourite pieces, as it portrays a sense of natural beauty. I added in many colours when colouring the waterfalls, as I wanted to try out the effect of some reflections on the smooth water surface. I am also quite satisfied with Tol Brandir (centre peak), as i have used colours and shading appropriately to create the picture of a rocky outcrop.
Fangorn Forest:
‘Great trailing beards of lichen hung from them… trees that stood silently about them, rank upon rank, until they faded away into the grey twilight in every direction.’
‘Most of the trees seem to be half covered with ragged dry leaves that have never fallen.’
’suddenly the dark and unknown forest… made itself felt as a great brooding presence’
‘dark and tangled forest’
‘musty and shabby’
I think the forest is not dense and messy and dreary enough – i like only the foremost tree but it is not obvious enough. The tree trunks should be more twisted and i should have added more vines/creepers/fallen logs etc to make the forest look more forlorn and messy.
Edoras:
‘Before them stood the mountains of the South: white-tipped and streaked with black. The grass-lands rolled against the hills that clustered at their feet’
‘a white stream that comes down from the snows.. where it issues from the shadow of the vale a green hill rises upon the east. A dike and mighty wall and thorny fence encircle it. Within there rises the roofs of houses; and in the midst, set upon a green terrace, there stands aloft a great hall of Men. And it seems to my eyes that it is thatched with gold… Golden, too, are the posts of its doors.’
‘in the wet meads and along the grassy borders of the stream grew many willow-trees.’
‘At the foot of the walled hill the way ran under the shadow of many mounds, high and green. Upon their western sides the grass was white as with a drifted snow: small flowers sprang there like countless stars amid the turf… Seven mounds upon the left, and nine upon the right…’
I am most dissatisfied with this colouring, as i think the colours are too light that they look bleached, instead of the ‘golden’ and ‘green’. There is also not enough contrast in this drawing. The composition is also bad, and i should have either left more space for the sky, or have the whole background of mountains with no sky. The foreground looks very empty and boring too.
Minas Tirith, the White City:
‘… the dark mass of Mount Mindolluin, the deep purple shadows of its high glens, and its tall face whitening in the rising day. And upon its out-thrust knee was the Guarded City, with its seven walls of stone so strong and old that it seemed to have been not built but carven by giants out of the bones of the earth.’
‘… the walls passed from looming grey to white, blushing faintly in the dawn; and suddenly the sun climbed over the eastern shadow and sent forth a shaft that smote the face of the City… the Tower of Ecthelion, standing high within the topmost wall, shone out against the sky, glimmering like a spike of pearl and silver, tall and fair and shapely, and its pinnacle glittered as if it were wrought of crystals, and white banners broke and fluttered from the battlements in the morning breeze…’
I find that the foreground, once again, is too empty and boring. Perhaps i should have added in more shading and contrast into the rolling hills in the foreground. The mountains in the background are not dark enough too, as the city should stand out more. only the peaks of the mountains should be lighter and tainted pink, as this is during sunrise. The lower parts should be much darker. I should also add more highlights to the Tower of Ecthelion (spire at the top of the city), or add more contrast to the mountains behind it. However, I am happy that i have dared to experiment with a different colour – one which is ‘not-so-normal’ for shadows of a mountain – purple. Just another thing – i like the little far-away mountain to the left, as it looks nice and impressionistic! haha.
All in all, this whole coursework has been an enriching experience for me! (:
Medium used: Colour pencil
Size of works: A5
Comments please!
Hence the colours are bluish-tinged.. with some reflections and polarisation due to the glass windows of the semi-sub.
