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The Orc Tower - a very preliminary pencil scetch, 2002
Apart from the "Harps of Middle Earth" series, this is, so far, the only Lord of the Rings - inspired work I have done since seeing the movies - although my current projects include a series of oil paintings of Frodo's and Sam's travel through Mordor, which if it ever gets done, will include a properly worked-out version of this scetch.
The scetch itself is obviously just a rough jotting-down of one of those mental images that refuse to go away until you ban them on paper - I rather like the way Frodo's face has turned out, but Sam obviously isn't very well executed at all - it's surprizingly hard, actually, to figure out just how he would have rested Frodo's head in his lap! Have you ever tried it, sitting on a bare floor?
I also rather like the architectural details - if you can call them that. Notice the shape of the window? Well, I don't think it's really described in the text, and obviously I hadn't seen "Return of the King" (or even "Two Towers") when I drew this in early 2002, but to my utter delight, I noticed that the Orc Tower in the movie has just such a window - the camera pans into it to rest on Frodo's face at the start of the scene. Funny how everyone's mental images of Middle Earth seem to coincide in these odd ways...
And here is one of my most beloved passages from Lord of the Rings:
"...Sam gave no more thought to it. He ran to the figure huddled on the floor. It was Frodo.
He was naked, lying as if in a swoon on a heap of filthy rags: his arm was flung up, shielding his head, and across his side there ran an ugly whip-weal.
"Frodo! Mr. Frodo, my dear!" cried Sam, tears almost blinding him. "It's Sam! I've come!" He half lifted his master and hugged him to his breast. Frodo opened his eyes.
"Am I still dreaming?" he muttered. "But the other dreams were horrible."
"You're not dreaming at all, Master," said Sam. "It's real. It's me. I've come."
"I can hardly believe it," said Frodo, clutching him. "There was an orc with a whip, and then it turns into Sam! Then I wasn't dreaming after all when I heard that singing down below, and I tried to answer? Was it you?"
"It was indeed, Mr. Frodo. I'd given up hope, almost. I couldn't find you.
"Well, you have now, Sam, dear Sam," said Frodo, and he lay back in Sam's gentle arms, closing his eyes, like a child at rest when nightfears are driven away by some loved voice or hand.
Sam felt that he could sit like that in endless happiness..."
From: J.R.R. Tolkien, "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King", book VI, chapter I "The Tower of Cirith Ungol"
© 2002, 2003, 2004 Asni
all artwork © Asni
last updated: 12 January, 2004