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EmpressIllyria — Arwen and Asfaloth redeaux
Published: 2009-08-11 13:14:20 +0000 UTC; Views: 2341; Favourites: 24; Downloads: 94
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So its been many years since I did the piece I put up here before, which was just a quick sketch, and there was much about it that irritated me... I decided to have a go at her again.Actually I decided on doing a series based on the concept of "FEARLESS" ness... among my many subjects which come to my mind when I think of this is Arwen and bravehearted Asfaloth from Peter Jacksons film version of the Lord of the Rings.
This brave white horse, and fearless woman defiantly standing against the devils... more than simply the image itself, it was the entire concept of Arwen from those films, her FAITH and unwavering belief in what she had in her heart. Most of what she went through was this calm and quiet inner struggle, and her strength through it was magical, but of course as a horsewoman, I am most moved by both the filmic and litterary form of this horse... Asfaloth, this white horse who knew no fear...
It speaks to something inside of me, and holds a very special place in my heart, the way we all seem to have this place of reverance and admiration reserved only for the very brave.
Conceptual WIP... sketched for eventual painting
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Comments: 15
This is.... superb. Wonderfully fluid lineart. I'd love to see this completed
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Have you seen my feAture on my main page... Same piece more developed
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I love the way you drew that horse... come see the horses I have drawn and photographed!
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thank you, did check out your gallery, very cool. Welcome to DA!
be sure to check out the latest update on this piece:
[link]
they still have a lil ways to go, but starting to shape up I think
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See, the problem I had with that scene is it set the stage for Frodo to go on and be a weak and somewhat whiney character for the rest of the films, whereas in the book his solitary ride to the Ford is one of his strongest moments...
I think if it had been written in this way or in some other way promoting what you stated above I'd not have a bad taste in my mouth about it. Besides... it was -Eowyn- who was the fearless horsewoman... Arwen was simply a beautiful and wise elf maiden, like her grandmother, Galadriel.
On contrast... I like the sketch as it's coming, hehe. I think your Arwen is ten times better than Liv Tyler. 
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See I hated Arwens place in the book, she was just this afterthought. The appendics telling the story of Behren and Luthien was supposed to echoed in the story of Arwen, but it never fully exicuted.
The Film version I liked, in that Arwen was PRESENT and as they had intended, you actually got to see and feel her PRESENCE and you sort of GOT that Aragorn was going to end up with her... so that in the end you are not as embittered as I was in the books, when Eowyn didnt end up with him. I get that it was different, but I liked the change, I liked her expanded so you could get a sense of her, and they really DID show this strong woman with this very solid belief in herself and her heart. Strong enough to show no fear in the face of the Nazgul, and strong enough to defy her father and this terrible prophecy of her death... all for the love in her heart. It was beautifully done.
If you approach them as seperate, it was well exicuted. You just have to remove yourself from the source and appriciate it for what it is.
The books on the other hand were somewhat convoluted I felt, and really had soo very much going on all the time, that I liked the streamlining of the movies better. But I do see where you are comming from also, and I get that there is this fanatical obsession with the books, but I see how they can exist as seperate from the films, it is a different experience.
I also have a piece I am working on featuring Eowyn, but in what I felt was HER defining moment, the slaying of the witchking. When she pulls off her helmet and tells him "I am NO MAN!" I feel that moment showcased her strength at its best.
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Well with the books you have to remember that they're written in a totally different time period and by a guy who wasn't, in the traditional sense, a writer.
I thought they kinda screwed Arwen up, really. Not with the ride to the Ford... but after with this whole "her fate is tied to the Ring" crap. She was this strong person and now suddenly she's a weakling? Also doesn't help I thought Liv Tyler, while in earlier days would have made a good Arwen, she started doing this breathy voice thing and through the making of the movies had clearly gained weight and looked more human than elven.
And yes, that would be Eowyn's defining moment. I always was bummed in the books that there wasn't much horsey focus with her. But I guess ultimately I was happy there was any when so few books bother to tell you what the horses are doing... tho I have to say... Tolkien really didn't seem to note how awfully uncomfortable and sticky Gandalf would have ended up those times he comes galloping up on a steaming sweating Shadowfax bareback, lol.
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Ill agree with you there, Liv at the stage of maturity when she filmed the movie had lost that willowy litheness of youth and was more full and womanly (I wont say she gained weight, because I think getting wider goes with MATURING... which is why MOST models stop modeling when they hit 25 and they start filling out, but I completely agree, it "HUMANIZED" her alot more, and as Elves are these symbols of eternal youth... well, I agree about the look. BUT playing devil's advocate here, Imagine they had cast some nubile teenager in that role, and suppose they found one who could generate enough gravitas to hold the screen with the big name actors there... wouldnt it look a little PEDOPHILIC -if thats even a word- to have an OLDER guy like Aragorn parading arround with a teenage nymph on his arm at the end? I mean yes that is what is written on the page in the book, but think about what it would ACTUALLY look like... its kinda creepy. 80 year old grandpa with this 19 year old nymph... works on the page, NOT in visual, unless your INTO that sort of thing) I also agree that the "fate was tied to the ring" stuff was a little overdone, but I ALSO tend to think alot more was made of it by the online fan base than it actually was. OF COURSE her fate was tied to the ring, ALL of theirs were! If Sauron HAD gotten his mits on it, the story would have ended a whole lot differently... not just for Arwen but for EVERYONE! So in the BROADER sense it works, but on the level it presented, I agree it was a little silly.
LOL I completely agree... even riding in a Bikini (Im from Hawaii) and doing the bareback thing... it may look all sexy and stop traffic... until you get off the horse and you have that filthy brown sweat and dirt ring on your bum and insides of your legs... not to mention the SMELL... I like horse smell, but YEAH, SWEAT and DIRT rarely make a pleasant aroma.
You notice in the film though, at least in the extended cut, you get to see Sam talk about how unpleasant Aragorn smells! THEN notice the decided lack of WASHROOMS and Hygene... imagine how... umm... PUTRID so much of that world had to smell! Weeks and weeks of sweating, crossing country in heavy filthy garments, no place to WASH... imagine how they ALL smelled, except of course the Elves, as they are a naturally hygenic race. LOL Sorry, it just strikes me as odd that no one ever really points THAT out.
It is kind of disappointing how many films and books tend to use horses as "VEHICLES" and dont really give them the personality they deserve. Which reminds me, I have to post the story of Abjer the horse of Antar up here.... as ABJER (the great black ARABIAN horse who destroyed an army after his master fell dead) was a great one which focused on this relationship between a horse and his master.
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You know, I heard a lot as I watched the extended stuff about things being pulled from an online fan base. Which, okay yeah, have fun, but know when to stop guys, ya know? Yeah all their fates were tied to it, but Elrond implied that she was weakened by Sauron's growing strength especially. All those weird cuts to her lying there all frail-like.
And I don't know, I think that was the challenge... finding someone who could portray that ethereal elvenness... or even enchancing it a little to do so. Cate was -almost- but not quite that. She still showed age (because she's human) but that was acceptable enough with Galadriel. I just... mm... wasn't pleased with Liv as a choice... and she was scared to ride... I actually know the horse that taught her to ride intially out in Cali before she went south. Laziest TB you'd ever meet... wouldn't hurt a fly. The owner said Liv was really terrified of him.
I guess all in all... I just think she was a bad choice for all the talent/fans/riders we have out there. But I guess that's always the way with movies. S'why I liked Narnia and Harry Potter so much on that stick... gave the British acting world a chance to present -their- stars and prove you don't have to be an American to do well on the International screen.
As for horse books, I give props to Lewis for attempting to write horses more in the forefront even if I don't like his writing style much, lol. My ex, still a good friend of mine, has been working on a fantasy saga of traditional scale that really incorporates the horses into it... Grew up training/breaking horses to be cutters. So hopefully we can get some more horsey stories out there, hehe.
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Give me some time... Im comming up with some myself.
I've been keeping it on the downlow for a while now, but am leaking more and more of it out there. Espeically as my project matures and is less vulnerable.
I also grew up doing Western (Rodeo mostly) but I was the odd girl who did both Rodeo and showing, and eventually went off to the famous Cavalry school in Samur and another boutique Equestrian Art school, before getting distracted by lifes many plot twists.
My lifes work involves creating a school, not dissimilar to the Spanish Riding School of Vienna, but like the French school with a wider scope and different narritive. To that end I am writing a book about Haute Ecole, as well as my own memoirs and some childrens books... sort of giving me the opportunity to explore new ground for Mythologies, which is fascinating and fun.
One project sort of has a LOTR esque sort of theme to it, but with some major twists. Private me on it, I'd love your input.
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I like this alot, Can't wait to see the finished Painting. Be sure to post it yeah?
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