HOME | DD
peet — Beren leaves Menegroth
#beren #doriath #elves #grey #luthien #man #melian #menegroth #silmarillion #sindar #thingol #tolkien #watercolour #greyelves #tolkiensilmarillion #mangrey #berenluthien
Published: 2005-07-03 23:58:05 +0000 UTC; Views: 6910; Favourites: 83; Downloads: 209
Redirect to original
Description
‘But Beren laughed. ‘For little price,’ he said, ‘do Elven-kings sell their daughters: for gems, and things made by craft. But if this be your will, Thingol, I will perform it. And when we meet again my hand shall hold a Silmaril from the Iron Crown; for you have not looked the last upon Beren son of Barahir.’Then he looked in the eyes of Melian, who spoke not; and he bade farewell to Lúthien Tinúviel, and bowing before Thingol and Melian he put aside the guards about him and departed from Menegroth alone.’
JRR Tolkien: The Silmarillion : Chapter 19: Of Beren and Lúthien
Previous: Next:
See the rest of the Lay of Leithian series here .
Painted in watercolour.
If you appreciate my artwork, please show your support by taking a few short moments to 'Like' my Facebook Page, at Peter Xavier Price - Illustrator . Many thanks!
Related content
Comments: 68
Its the ultimate love story really, in which neither can give each other up, and neither can fulfil the quest without each others' aid (it might even be argued that Beren was the more dependent of the two, in fact, which speaks volumes of Tolkien's progressive views of the strength and importance of women etc.).
I think the idea of the Silmaril being 'a little price' has a lot of connotations: 1) again, that one cannot put a price on love; 2) that, considering how much others fought over/coveted it both before and after the quest, indicates that Beren's intentions are pure; and 3) this therefore accentuates the reasons why Dior and Elwing are not willing to give it up (Elwing over the sea is my next update 
That union is so important, as well we know, for the whole unfolding history of Arda. I really do think it was the Professor's central one, in his own estimation.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
I really like this picture The coloring is for me exellent and also the design of the armours and clothes are very nice.
And the facial expressions are also good.
I am a bad commenter most of the time not very good at giving criticism.
I just try to say what comes to heart.
Take care.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
I absolutely love your Beren. I imagine Aragorn looking more like that, but still, I love your Beren. This is a very nice picture.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
For me, this isn't the right look for Aragorn, for reasons I've cited elsewhere 
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
You are a genious!!
I really like this piece, the attitude on his face, very expressive...
Congrats!
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Thank you very much indeed! Though a genious I am not...
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Haha, well thank you. I'm flattered that you think so, even though I feel I've still a lot left to learn
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
We all can learn more everyday, but not everyone has a skill like you do have!
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
This is just so amazing! Fantasy artists that are as wonderful as you are a rare commodity, it would seem. Anyways, I adore this piece. Your painting skills are just fantastic. I really love all of the earthy colors you used. You seem to use them in a lot of your work, which is really cool. I really love how you rendered all of the different people's facial features as well. They all have their own unique look to them. The coloring itself if beautiful as well. I'm guessing you used watercolors, right? Well regardless, I love all the different values you managed to get. It gives the drawing a real sense of dimension.
This piece is just so lovely overall, and you did an awesome job on it. Your work is so captivating!
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Thank you so much for the comment, and my apologies for the slightly delayed reply. My comment list has been inundated as of late
Oh, and I indeed use watercolours
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
He's so very solemn, as befits the mood of the event.
If you want to change anything, the only thing I can think of is to lighten everything behind Beren, including the people, just slightly, to make him stand out a little more. Or maybe making them just a little greyer. Luthien, though, should stay saturated, as she is. I really don't see much need for changing this image, however.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Thanks for the suggestion. I wouldn't really know how to do that now though, except to go over Beren with another layer of watercolour. But somehow I think that will over-saturate it. Still, I definitely get what you mean. Shame I didn't think of that earlier!
👍: 0 ⏩: 3
Don't stress about it. I really like it how it is, but you said you were dissatisfied, and that was really the only thing I could think of to improve it.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Oh no, that's okay. Thanks for the suggestions, I will note them for next time I do something similar. When I'm a little dissatisfied with a piece, I tend to draw a line under it anyway
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
If you really want to change it do it in PC, don't risk ruining the painting.
IMHO - it's really good without any changes 
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
If you really want to change it do it in PC, don't risk ruining the painting.
IMHO - it's really good without any changes
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Thanks a lot!
Trouble is, I'm not very good at PS or any computer programmes, apart from the basics for scanning and putting things tidily together for submission. And I don't usually tamper with finished images once they're done, as I like to 'move on'. I guess I'd need to get my sister's help if I wanted to change anything
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Or mine if you want
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Ah, yes. Now that you're using the terminology, I definitely understand how I'd go about this. But to be honest, I don't feel I want to... 
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
I agree - I opened full view again and I don't see the need of changes. I just gave you the advice if you really wanted to change it. But why should he be more saturated and the rest less? Hmm, I don't see the reason, they're not in the strong light or shadow, I guess the light is the same everywhere. They are also not memories, but living creatures standing behind him...
Other words - just let it be as it is
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Opinions, opinions. You've gotta respect them
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
Good but Lacks some thing. cann't put my finger on it.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
You know what, I actually really agree with you here. Compared to some of my other paintings, I'm really not that happy with this. Can't quite put my finger on it either. Ah well.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Well, I'm not sure I agree with you two. I think it works. The people in the background are a bit less detailed than Beren himself, but I think it makes him, even more firmly, the centerpiece of the painting. He is the most important character here. I also think the stiffness of some of the backgroundpeople acts to enhance the tension. I especially like Beren's eyes, very well executed. Your control of the paintbrush is really amazing.
I also like your take on Melian, why not do a painting with Melian as the main character?
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Thank you very much. I've sketched a piece which has Melian as one of the main subjects, but I'm not sure that I'm happy with it. I'm sure one day I'll get round to portraying her more specifically though
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
You're welcome. I'm looking forward to seeing Melian.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Ah, don't expect her to appear too soon or anything...
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
i believe that right now you're going through some sorth of BEREN AND LUTHIEN stage because you keep illustrating scenes that involve them.
one thing bothers me: most of the times you don't seem to manage to make your female characters pretty.most of them look quite... bad.i told you this before,i guess,and i believe you know it as well,but Luthien was the fairest of all Illuvatar's beings and you always make her look like an upset servant.
Beren looks nice,although.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Erm, this is the first 'Ley of Leithian' piece that I've painted since 2003.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
He looks like someone I know ...
This is a beautiful full face painting - and I love all the background characters, Luthien especially because she looks so sad (well, rightfully so)
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Again, thank you. Well, suggested he looks like Tim Curry. It isn't him is it
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
... Oh yeah, he does look a little like Tim Curry 
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Hehe, I used to know a Webb too, though I think he was a John, not Jon 
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
They're popular little buggers, aren't they? Jon should really be a John, but he's an ass. He says that because his full name is Jonathan, why should he have to add an "h" when shortening it to Jon? 
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Well, when I say I knew him, I mean just that -- I 'knew' him. We weren't friends in particular or anything... probably because he did have a bit of a daft air about him...
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
... yeah, that sounds like most of the Johns I know. With or without an "h"
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
I really like the sense of foreboding in this picture - Beren, his face determined and set, and Lúthien containing her grief at her father's decree... I agree witht he other commenters that his eyes are fantastic, very rich and deep. (Sorry, but I can't help but ask - does he remind anyone else of Tim Curry?)
I think the poses are a mite too static for my taste, even peple just standing there shift their feet at times - the stiffness makes sense for most of them makes perfect sense, mind, but I think I'd have broken up all the vertical lines by the guards leaning back or shuffling their feet
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Tim Curry!?
Let's see, well, here's a slightly happier (and hairier) Beren, no? [link]
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
So...Beren. Yeah, I got him mixed up with turin...But seriously, he looks like some of your Turin pics. Apart from the brown hair, that is. Oh well. I guess it's always because I imagined Beren with a bit more beard, but there you go.
Do you know what i like best about this? The fact that you get to see Luthien in the background. And even better - Thingol and Melian. I've been hankering to see your rendition of those two. I really can't wait to see your portrayal of them sleeping in the forests... I think that would make a really beautiful picture.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Again, thanks Ludi. Well, that's fair enough that you got him mixed up with Beren. I mean, Nellas does say that Turin reminds her of him when she talks before Thingol, and they are fairly close kin, so you know. Anyway, I appreciate the comment, as ever
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
I really do admire the way you're using those watercolours; you manage to give it a textured look that can often be a hard thing to accomplish with them! All the details are great too (must require a lot of patience) I especially like the shading around the lids of his eyes and mouth; lovely.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Thank you very much! Must have missed this comment in my list, so sorry for the slightly delayed reply. I'm glad you like this piece, and that you like my watercolours. You're right that textures can be quite hard to get right with this medium, but after a while you get to learn the techniques and things associated with its properties to make things work. I guess it's the same with any medium
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
That's ok! I can imagine your message list gets rather clogged up.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
| Next =>