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Description
*Because of the sheer size of this illustration I couldn't fit it into my scanner so I do apologize that the quality isn't as up to scratch as it would be with a scanner (I did take a number of photos and this certain one turned out to be the best of the lot, I will be uploading shortly a number of detail close-ups and other angles *

This is an illustration of the wild rabbit character Silverweed (from the warren of the shining wire) in "Watership down" the novel by Richard Adams. This illustration is based off when Silverweed visualizes his poem and his very weird suicidal thoughts that make Fiver highly terrified.

In order to get the image in my head I re-read the original watership down novel, watched the film about three times XD and I also looked into the series and other mediums where Watership down is included in order to inspire me to create this piece.

You can also see that I have used ink and just a stick to create the string like based rabbits that hover around in the background (most of these are cut off in this zoom-in however in the other detail version I will include separate photographs of them). These rabbits are mentioned within Silverweed's poem and they also represent Silverweed's own madness and wanted to drift away himself into death. (Death is shown as a black complex in this piece which is mixed into the ink rabbits all around).

Here is Silverweed's poem that goes with this illustration:

The wind is blowing, blowing over the grass.
It shakes the willow catkins; the leaves shine silver.
Where are you going, wind? Far, far away
Over the hills, over the edge of the world.
Take me with you, wind, high over the sky.
I will go with you, I will be rabbit-of-the-wind,
Into the sky, the feathery sky and the rabbit.

The stream is running, running over the gravel,
Through the brooklime, the kingcups, the blue and gold of spring.
Where are you going, stream? Far, far away
Beyond the heather, sliding away all night.
Take me with you, stream, away in the starlight.
I will go with you, I will be rabbit-of-the-stream,
Down through the water, the green water and the rabbit.

In autumn the leaves come blowing, yellow and brown.
They rustle in the ditches, they tug and hang on the hedge.
Where are you going, leaves? Far, far away
Into the earth we go, with the rain and the berries.
Take me, leaves, O take me on your dark journey.
I will go with you, I will be rabbit-of-the-leaves,
In the deep places of the earth, the earth and the rabbit.

Frith lies in the evening sky. The clouds are red about him.
I am here, Lord Frith, I am running through the long grass.
O take me with you, dropping behind the woods,
Far away, to the heart of light, the silence.
For I am ready to give you my breath, my life,
The shining circle of the sun, the sun and the rabbit.
~Richard Adams, Watership Down

-This illustration is of a mixed medias however it mainly consists of Ink,Indian water ink, Pastels, Graphite sticks, Pen and a mechanical pencil (which was my main medium to create the fur textures on Silverweed's body). I also decided that by taking a photo instead of scanning it has created the weird lighting that I feel adds into the picture even though this effect was unintended.

----
*Please DO NOT! use this piece for yourself without my expressive permission this includes no reproductions and edits to be used from this thank you .

Illustration and concept © myself, 2012
Watership down/Silverweed character © Richard Adams

Description
*Because of the sheer size of this illustration I couldn't fit it into my scanner so I do apologize that the quality isn't as up to scratch as it would be with a scanner (I did take a number of photos and this certain one turned out to be the best of the lot, I will be uploading shortly a number of detail close-ups and other angles *

This is an illustration of the wild rabbit character Silverweed (from the warren of the shining wire) in "Watership down" the novel by Richard Adams. This illustration is based off when Silverweed visualizes his poem and his very weird suicidal thoughts that make Fiver highly terrified.

In order to get the image in my head I re-read the original watership down novel, watched the film about three times XD and I also looked into the series and other mediums where Watership down is included in order to inspire me to create this piece.

You can also see that I have used ink and just a stick to create the string like based rabbits that hover around in the background (most of these are cut off in this zoom-in however in the other detail version I will include separate photographs of them). These rabbits are mentioned within Silverweed's poem and they also represent Silverweed's own madness and wanted to drift away himself into death. (Death is shown as a black complex in this piece which is mixed into the ink rabbits all around).

Here is Silverweed's poem that goes with this illustration:

The wind is blowing, blowing over the grass.
It shakes the willow catkins; the leaves shine silver.
Where are you going, wind? Far, far away
Over the hills, over the edge of the world.
Take me with you, wind, high over the sky.
I will go with you, I will be rabbit-of-the-wind,
Into the sky, the feathery sky and the rabbit.

The stream is running, running over the gravel,
Through the brooklime, the kingcups, the blue and gold of spring.
Where are you going, stream? Far, far away
Beyond the heather, sliding away all night.
Take me with you, stream, away in the starlight.
I will go with you, I will be rabbit-of-the-stream,
Down through the water, the green water and the rabbit.

In autumn the leaves come blowing, yellow and brown.
They rustle in the ditches, they tug and hang on the hedge.
Where are you going, leaves? Far, far away
Into the earth we go, with the rain and the berries.
Take me, leaves, O take me on your dark journey.
I will go with you, I will be rabbit-of-the-leaves,
In the deep places of the earth, the earth and the rabbit.

Frith lies in the evening sky. The clouds are red about him.
I am here, Lord Frith, I am running through the long grass.
O take me with you, dropping behind the woods,
Far away, to the heart of light, the silence.
For I am ready to give you my breath, my life,
The shining circle of the sun, the sun and the rabbit.
~Richard Adams, Watership Down

-This illustration is of a mixed medias however it mainly consists of Ink,Indian water ink, Pastels, Graphite sticks, Pen and a mechanical pencil (which was my main medium to create the fur textures on Silverweed's body). I also decided that by taking a photo instead of scanning it has created the weird lighting that I feel adds into the picture even though this effect was unintended.

----
*Please DO NOT! use this piece for yourself without my expressive permission this includes no reproductions and edits to be used from this thank you .

Illustration and concept © myself, 2012
Watership down/Silverweed character © Richard Adams