Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Oberon, King of Faery.


Well, I started working on Puck, but being the Trickster and Shapeshifter that he is, he refused to be pinned down.  So I left him alone to have a think about it (he AND I!) and went on with Oberon.  Hopefully he will be a little more contrite and co-operative now, and let me get on and finish his portrait, otherwise he won't get to hang in the gallery next to Titania.

So here is Oberon.  Looking a little alarming perhaps, but then, the King of Faery is no sweet little thing with glittery wings.  Faeries are not to be trifled with, and I've always thought Oberon had a bit of a dangerous streak (it's a pretty mean trick he plays on Titania) and he's always seemed to me to be the sort of faery you DON'T want to get on the wrong side of!  So here he is imagined as a kind of night faery, with crow feathers and skull, and eyes that can look right through you.  I THINK he's finished, but as with Titania, I'm still unsure whether or not to add some text down the side as I did for the Green Jack.  I rather like them as they are, so I might not.

Right, time to wrestle with Puck and try to get him to stand still so I can get a good look at him!
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9 comments:

  1. KimMarch 13, 2013 at 8:26 PM

    Your work is just...WOW. He looks amazing. Are you using paint and pen/marker on this? I'm just looking at the shaded parts and seeing dots, I was wondering what you made them with.

    I love this theme. I can't wait to see Puck.

    Kim

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  2. A mermaid in the atticMarch 13, 2013 at 8:31 PM

    Hi Kim, thank you for the complement! It's actually a combination of media, on canvas. I start with a graphite ('lead') pencil drawing straight onto the canvas, then I fix it with a light spray varnish, then paint over with acrylic. Then work back into it with coloured pencil. So it's a build up of layers. The dots you see are actually the texture of the canvas.

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  3. Ms.March 13, 2013 at 9:23 PM

    Bravo #2--and now for that trickster Puck--"What Fools these Mortals Be"
    http://youtu.be/P39Fh8JwqPw

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  4. MaggieMarch 13, 2013 at 11:02 PM

    This is beautiful. Do you paint from imagination, or do you have a model for these?
    Maggie

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  5. CharlotteMarch 13, 2013 at 11:13 PM

    He is quite wonderful, and definitely a cloud of something wicked this way coming.

    I love the direct stare with which he takes on us viewers.

    Do be careful if you are wrestling with Puck, he is a slippery fellow.

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  6. Nomi McLeodMarch 14, 2013 at 4:28 AM

    love this one, beautiful work :)

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  7. ValeriannaMarch 14, 2013 at 8:12 AM

    You've definitely captured something wild, somewhat unsettling and powerful with him... look forward to Puck!

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  8. Austin HackneyMarch 15, 2013 at 12:19 AM

    Beautiful. I love this and was going to say almost word for word what Valerianna has already said, so let me simply add my amen to
    I like Puck too. I love his wicked, happy and mischevious smile. Titania is exquisitely executed, a beautiful painting but perhaps lacks this wonderful threatening, regal quality of the Lordly Ones that the other two express so perfectly. Now I am very cheeky to say it, as I can't even render a stick person convincingly!

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  9. Oya's DaughterMarch 15, 2013 at 4:33 PM

    Amazing work - I am terrible with acrylic so I kept wondering how you get the depth and still retain canvas texture with your work. Coloured pencil?! Never thought of that...I'm still more a fan of water mixable oils personally, but I'm now inspired to experiment. Your work really glows!

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