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Celebrimbor
Celebrimbor experimenting with rings of power. Not the rings of power, yet, but clearly involving the light of Eärendil. Gwaith-i-Mírdain, Eregion, II Age of Arda. Inspired by LotR & The Silmarillion (Photoshop, 2024). T.b.c.
Celegorm of The Silmarillion by J.R.R. Tolkien, painted with dark hair for Rhapsody the Bard (Painter 9.5, 2009).
The original monochromatic variant above and in rusty hues below (2014):
In The History of Middle-earth (HoME) J.R.R. Tolkien describes Celegorm as having long, golden or gleaming hair and calls him fair-haired in Old English. This information is missing from The Silmarillion, edited and published by Christopher Tolkien after J.R.R. Tolkien's death. The 'gleaming hair' reappear in the book Beren and Lúthien, again edited and published by Christopher Tolkien (2017). It seems it was the editor's choice to omit this information, not the final idea of JRRT himself, but it leaves room for interpretation. I follow the original blond hair description, but in this portrait I gave him dark hair for a friend who imagines him this way.
The quotation from The History of Middle-earth vol.5:
Then Celegorm arose amid the throng (p. 169). In QS this is followed by 'golden was his long hair'. In the Lay at this point (line 1844) Celegorm has 'gleaming hair'; his Old English name was Cynegrim Faegerfeax ('Fair-hair'), IV. 213. The phrase was removed in The Silmarillion text on account of the dark hair of the Noldorin princes other than in 'the golden house of Finarfin' (see I. 44); but he remains 'Celegorm the fair' in The Silmarillion p. 60.
J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Lost Road and Other Writings: the Commentary to “On Beren and Tinúviel”
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Wild Elf hunter Cyan (2008/2009)
Alternative color version is in the collor gallery.
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Leaving mortal shores Inspired by The Silmarillion (Painter 9.5, 2008)
The Age of Stars, Sun yet has to be made. Olwë in Beleriand is looking across the sea towards the Undying Lands. Soon he will lead his people West, leaving his lost brother behind:
Two lords they had, for their numbers were very great: Elwë Singollo, which signifies Greymantle, and Olwë his brother. The hair of Olwë was long and white, and his eyes were blue; (...).
J. R. R. Tolkien, Morgoth's Ring, The Later Quenta Silmarillion: "Of the Coming of the Elves", p. 163
Leaving mortal shores (2008/2022)
Morgoth with Silmarilli
Morgoth of The Silmarillion concept.See an earlier color variant in the color gallery.
Another idea for Melkor "clad in ice and crowned with smoke and fire", as he appears over Arda for the first time. Photoshop over a pencil drawing on paper, 2017.
Liar vs Aliens
Alternative version of the Liar, Nordic Loki in modern times, done for a friend who is avid fan of the Aliens. Aunties in the back, as I renamed the xenomorphs in this image, close-up is at deviantART.
The original Liar version is in the color gallery. (Painter 9.5, 2012)
Lost in Helcaraxë - Freezing Unknown Noldo lost in the Grinding Ice of Helcaraxë. Inspired by The Silmarillion.
Alternative version of the Lost in Helcaraxë illustration in the color gallery. (Photoshop, 2012)
The First Snow - Pierwszy Śnieg (Painter 9.5, 2008)
"Snowflakes were lazily drifting before his eyes. He wanted to reach out, to catch them, to hold them in his hand, but... He had only one hand. The attempts to hold his shawl with the stump nearly ended with the garment falling. All he could do was to reach out with the stump or...
"Płatki śniegu leniwie przepływały przed oczami. Chciał wyciągnąć rękę, złapać je, trzymać w dłoni, ale... Miał tylko jedną dłoń. Próby podtrzymania szala kikutem omal nie skończyły się upadkiem szaty na śnieg. Cóż, pozostało wyciągnąć kikut, lub...
