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Cirith Ninniach - coloured pencil scetch, 1985
This rather rough coloured pencil scetch is the first in a series of three drawings that are inspired by the tale of Tuor and his travel to Gondolin - a tale that I find particularly appealing and that offers a lot of very visual description. The three sketches really were done to get the story and the images and emotions it inspired out of my system, I think I probably did all three in one session, or at least they certainly were done shortly after each other. The Cirith Ninniach scetch obviously is to some extend a preliminary to the much more elaborate watercolour painting I've done on the subject, though the scetch does show Cirith Ninniach by day.
From the story of Tuor and his coming to Gondolin
"... And after a great while, as it seemed to him, when he was weary and yet unwilling to rest in the black tunnel, he saw far before him a light; and hastening on he came to a tall and narrow cleft, and followed the noisy stream between its leaning walls out into a golden evening. For he was come into a deep ravine with tall sheer sides, and it ran straight towards the West; and before him the setting sun, going down through a clear sky, shone into the ravine and kindled its walls with yellow fire, and the waters of the river glittered like gold as they broke and foamed upon many gleaming stones."
From: J.R.R.Tolkien / ed. Christopher Tolkien: "Unfinished Tales" Part One: The First Age, "Of Tuor and his coming to Gondolin"
© 2002, 2003, 2004 Asni
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last updated: 12 January, 2004