never laugh at live dragons

The beautiful appearance of the Giver of Gifts, Melkor. The prototype of Annatar

Then one appeared among us, in our own form visible, but greater and more beautiful; and he said that he had come out of pity. [...]

Then we looked and lo! he was clad in raiment that shone like silver and gold, and he had a crown on his head, and gems in his hair. ‘If ye wish to be like me,’ he said, ‘I will teach you.’ Then we took him as teacher.

– Morgoth's Ring, The Tale of Adanel

The background was fun doing, and I think the roses turned out pretty well - I wish I had her necklace, it´s supposed to be small animals in the smallest ring.

CELEBORN OF DORIATH

Delighted to share one of the two Celeborn commissions I’ve been working on this batch! The commissioner for this one wanted me to show him as young-ish, definitely whilst he was still living in Doriath, and I quote ‘the kind of elf that would make a Noldo princess’ jaw hit the floor’, and I was only too happy to oblige.

Anyway, if I was walking around in Lothlorien and this guy turns up and goes ‘where is Gandalf for I would much like to speak with him’, I would be telling him to hold on for five minutes, before hopping onto ebay and typing in ‘fake beard’, ‘pointy wizard hat’ and ‘morning after pill’.

"Stealing a Silmaril" and "The Defeat of Sauron" - the first two illustrations in my trio of Lúthien art. The third, The Halls of Mandos, is currently stuck on one (1) paint layer as I finish commissions...