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gyrfalconthegray — -noone-hears-me-cry-

Published: 2004-08-03 04:44:08 +0000 UTC; Views: 1286; Favourites: 22; Downloads: 74
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Description This is a bit of a different thing for me... it was done by commission through the Portrait Adoption site I am a member of. The character description was for a little girl of 12 who is small and painfully thin, and appears more like a child of 6. She has long tangled black hair, and large dark eyes that are fearful yet curious. Her background is that she is the unwanted child of an evil wizard. He keeps her imprisoned, dressed in rags, and not shown any normal human contact. It is a terribly sad situation, though I am told by the author that she does, in fact, escape this situation in the end, and gets vengeance on the father who treated her this way.

Anyway, I don't normally draw children or darker themes, but I just got such a picture of this girl in my head I *had* to draw her. Pencil on my sketch pad... main figure and basic background about 3-4 hours, the rest of the background took a bit more time to get all the shading right.
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Comments: 18

twosilverstars [2004-08-05 15:15:48 +0000 UTC]

Interesting idea, and a difficult pose too. I think you did a good job of it, even though you say it isn't your usual subject matter. I like that arch in the background, the light shining through gives the impression that there is hope for her

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gyrfalconthegray In reply to twosilverstars [2004-08-08 19:41:08 +0000 UTC]

Thanks Rachel! Actually for some reason I like folded up poses... I think maybe it's because I sit that way a lot... lol (see my ID drawing... which I need to update ) It's funny... I was debating at the time whether or not I should do that doorway... but everyone seems to really like it.

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Mistresselysia [2004-08-05 06:44:13 +0000 UTC]

Such a sad piece - but beautiful, too. It fits the description just right. Poor thing - makes you want to take her home, give her a good meal and shelter her from all the evils in this world!

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gyrfalconthegray In reply to Mistresselysia [2004-08-08 02:31:34 +0000 UTC]

Thanks! I really hope the client likes it... Since it is through the portrait adoption site, other artists can also choose to create a portrait from the description and the client can choose which one they would like to buy. So.... crossing my fingers and toes!

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PensieveScholar [2004-08-05 01:49:11 +0000 UTC]

LOVE IT. I'm sure the person you drew it for will adore you for drawing it. <3

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gyrfalconthegray In reply to PensieveScholar [2004-08-05 20:23:52 +0000 UTC]

Thank you so much! I hope so! I think there is another person who is also drawing an interpretation of this character, so we will see which pic the client likes (could like both I suppose!)

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Cavale [2004-08-04 12:15:25 +0000 UTC]

You did a good job on the atmosphere in this drawing... you can feel her misery, poor thing!

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Cavale In reply to Cavale [2004-08-05 22:00:37 +0000 UTC]

yep... i know that fear...
pen are irreversible....one mistake and you have to start all over again!!! I hate them!!!!

Yep yep... you did well, nice alternative!

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gyrfalconthegray In reply to Cavale [2004-08-05 18:40:48 +0000 UTC]

Thanks! It was itneresting... I did this entirely with my mechanical pencil... I wanted to try to get the feel of a pen and ink... without actually having to use pen and ink (which scare me to death!) I can never tell if my textures are doing what they are supposed to be doing--or just lokoing messy, since I am more fond of soft shading with graphite. lol... but anyway, I think it turned out pretty good.

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Cavale In reply to gyrfalconthegray [2004-08-05 22:01:59 +0000 UTC]

Arrrg I know!!!!... I soooo know that fear...
pen are irreversible....one mistake and you have to start all over again!!! I hate them!!!!

Yep yep... you did well, nice alternative!

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demonskittle [2004-08-03 15:23:09 +0000 UTC]

Flagged as Spam

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gyrfalconthegray In reply to demonskittle [2004-08-05 18:36:12 +0000 UTC]

Yeah... its real sad... heh.. people are seeing so many different things in that doorway... kinda glad I did it. I primarily put it there for contrast (to get the sharp distinction of light and dark around her) but it is gathering all kinds of symbolism to itself. One thing I did deliberately do with it was gave it sort of a lotus design, the symbol of rebirth. But there are probably lots of other ways to read it too.

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Ciele [2004-08-03 12:42:32 +0000 UTC]

nice, I think you got the expression in her eyes just right.

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gyrfalconthegray In reply to Ciele [2004-08-05 18:27:35 +0000 UTC]

Thanks... it was the eyes that came to me first.. just this image of these large dark eyes in this pale face... hopefully I've managed to bring those as the focal point of the image.

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AViCo [2004-08-03 12:14:34 +0000 UTC]

Hm.... this story sounds so familliar.... *ponders*.... damn, can't remember.

Cute girl, but I think while her body fits the description perfectly, her face looks to normal and well nourished. Somebody that skinny probably would have hollow cheeks and sunken eyes, too. Also a kid who is not cared for surely wouldn't care to wash himself often.

Ha, now I remember: "The Daughter of the Magician" by Tanith Lee?

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gyrfalconthegray In reply to AViCo [2004-08-03 15:30:54 +0000 UTC]

Heh... you are quite right on both counts. However, there were some other considerations I had to take in. Oddly enough, the description said that her face was rounded like a child's, not sunken. So, that's how I drew it. As for dirtiness... the client also wanted to show a strong contrast of her pale skin with darkness around her. So I decided to let the rags and thin limbs speak to her condition. This is a pretty small drawing, so putting in lots of dirty smudges I think would confuse things more than enhance them.

Huh... I've heard of "Daughter of the Magician" but I've never read it. So I don't know if this client's story is basically a retelling of that one or not.

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AViCo In reply to gyrfalconthegray [2004-08-03 15:54:48 +0000 UTC]

Ah, sorry, didn't know about those conditions.

The story I mentioned was in a short story anthology by a german publisher, so I don't know where to find the original... I looked it up again and in Miss Lee's story the girl is feeble-minded like a wolf's child and is horribly ugly, save for her silken golden hair and her unearthly shining soul and that story only begins after she leaves her evil creator's tower. So the resemblaces are only on the surface, I suppose.

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gyrfalconthegray In reply to AViCo [2004-08-03 16:01:37 +0000 UTC]

heh... no prob! The full description I got was quite long, so I only posted the most pertinent bits. Who knows! Perhaps the author was inspired by Tanith Lee's story. I know I get ideas from stories and artwork all the time. Thanks for the comments!

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AViCo In reply to gyrfalconthegray [2004-08-03 16:05:50 +0000 UTC]

Me too, me too.

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