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AbePapakhian β The Passing of Thorin Oakenshield
Published: 2013-03-22 12:48:39 +0000 UTC; Views: 12938; Favourites: 307; Downloads: 0
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Pencil Illustration of Thorin's deathRelated content
Comments: 48
When illustrating scenes that are pretty well-known, I think it's easy to have your work become lost among depictions created by others. Despite that, this drawing completely captured my attention in several ways.
The level of detail is enough to keep any fan's eye lingering on the page. From the minute ringlets of Frodo's chainmail, to the clothing of the characters who are far in the background, to the softer etched details of the hall - there's a lot to discover, and the attention to detail makes the story come that much more to life.
I'm a big sap when it comes to Thorin's death, and the expressions and poses of the characters make me feel as if I'm reading this scene all over again. Thorin may be at peace but his face is still pained, remorseful of what he has to leave behind and the needless losses that occurred. The layout of the illustration adds to the weight of his death. You've placed what's left of the original group close together and at the forefront, keeping the viewer in the thick of the action and emotions, but by taking the time to flesh out what's behind them, you show how small they are in light of the immense adventure they've created. And the fact that Frodo and Thorin are darker than the rest is also a nice touch, seeing as how Thorin's last words were to the hobbit.
Or maybe I'm reading entirely too much into this, but I like it! e.deviantart.net/emoticons/w/w⦠" width="15" height="15" alt="
I'm an amateur so I'm not sure what I can say in regard to technique. The only thing that struck me was the lack of depth in certain parts thanks to a flat style of shading (ie, the pillow's design looks like a smooth, modern day print rather than cloth which has been embroidered). This may have been intentional on your part, though, so I'm not sure if it's even worth pointing out.
Overall, wonderful tribute to one of my favorite fictional moments!
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This is heartrending. The sorrow in their faces... well done. I think that the proportions of some of the dwarves' heads look a little off, but then, I am not one to talk! Excellent job anyways!
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Hi! This is really one of the most touching scenes of the Tolkien universe and you captured it very good. First I like how you give the viewer a sense of deepness by dividing the scene in three layers. The front layer with Thorin, Bilbo an the other two dwarves (can't remember their names) standing right at the bed. The second layer which consists of the dwarf left to Bilbo and the one dwarf holding up his hand against his face. The third layer which is all in the back including Gandalf. The more you get in the background the more the lines are fading. I have always problems with doing this myself, thinking, a light line is not a finished line. Which is certainly not true as we can see here. Sedondly I like all the emotions and last but not least the amount of detail you put into this.
But I have criticism as well 
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try using harder graphite for the background objects. 4h, 3h, 2h. Go to softer and darker leads as you come to the foreground. The rest is practice.
I do put a lot of effort into my pencil illustrations, but I do allow for mistakes as well. You're right, the proportions are off but it would be the other way around. Thorin's head should have been bigger than it is, the others are proportionately right for dwarves. I don't find it disturbing, however. It's just something I'd have to rethink if I decide to turn this into a painting.
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Literally not even joking. I am crying.
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I love the way you have drawn the battle armour! The whole image is beautiful, and I think I shall go off and cry now... Stunning!
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I just wanted to let you know that I put this in an art feature in my group , in the article "Realms of Fantasy and Myth: Finale - Tokien's Legacy".  You can find it here: realmsoffantasy-myth.deviantar⦠ ^_^
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I got to this part today...I was in the car with my mom and little cousins (all girls) and I didn't ever realize I was crying until the middle girl, Jamie, said.
"Buffbuff? Why are you crying?"
This is a simply beautiful picture.
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i am so not looking forward to watching this in the movie. It was hard enough to read in the book....
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As long as they don't make it too melodramatic, I'll be good with it. He's proven himself to be a very good storyteller.
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I can't wait to see this scene in the movie! I hope it will be as great as your drawing^^
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I always love your visions of Middle-earth, and also your fantastic pencil work! Thank you so much for giving the world a bit of Tolkien back, when everybody else is just on about Peter Jackson at the moment.
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Thank you very much. I've really enjoyed your work as well. There are some really talented people here who have shown a unique view of Tolkien's writings.
It's funny, maybe a generational thing. Those who have come to Tolkien via Jackson naturally identify with his vision, so I stopped thinking about it so much, as long as they bring a new interpretation to the images.
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I knew about the existence of the books since teens, but I started to actually read them exactly the same time as I saw the Lotr trilogy in cinema. I became the fan of books and the movies the same time, but the more I read, the more I realized where the movies made mistakes besides doing it right.
And so far in The Hobbit there's even more mistakes I'm afraid. I always felt rather disconnected between Thorin and Armitage. They should've at least put more some more grey on him and been more loyal to his nature and storyline. They even changed some major events in dwarf history. Armitage's dwarf is someone else.
I really appreciate the original visions in DA - it's really refreshing to see all that. It doesn't matter if the movie makers take too much crazy freedoms - there's always artists that can patch all that, such as you two!
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Thanks for the compliments. I think the trick to watching the movies is to see them as interpretations of the books. It takes away any sense that things are not as they should be and it can be enjoyed for what it is. Don't get caught up in what was changed or left out and just enjoy the ride. I know there are some things that I visualize that contradicts Tolkien's words, but that simply as I see it. If I had a couple hundred million dollars, you would see a completely different movie and I'm sure there would be a lot of people who would not agree with my views.
I think the beauty of a site like this is to see a wide variety of interpretations. I would like to see more different views.
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Very true! Although I find it very hard to let go. And it's getting harder with every movie.
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I'd have made Thorin a bit more old and graybeard, but otherwise is great. The fact they look like dwarfs and not like those things in the film add an extra bonus.
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You know once you see the movie a couple of times these dwarves grow on you. I like that they use colourful personalities to replace the colour coded hoods and cloaks that Tolkien uses. Jackson fleshes them out a lot more than one sees in the book.
btw, I never saw Thorin as such a greybeard. He had to have been a robust dwarf to go through the journey than a more elderly dwarf would have been capable of.
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Β If Sir Sean Connery and Mr Liam Neeson have taught us anything, one need not be in the first flush of youth to be a convincing action star! (although I admit that depicting Thorin Oakenshield in the late evening of his prime makes his passing all the more tragic, which adds to the power in this scene).
Β Master Papakhian, of all your skills I most admire the way in which you can work an entire cast of characters into a scene so naturally that it does not even feel crowded:- Mithrandir, Thranduil King and Bard the Bowman, a sizeable stalwart in the middle-distance whom I suspect is Beorn - it's not hard to imagine them in attendance of the Last King Under the Mountain (of the first line) at his passing.
Β If I might be so bold as to venture a question, may I please ask if the dwarf just in front of Master Gandalf happens to be Gloin, son of Groin and father to Gimli of the Nine Walkers? (I notice that he seems to be wearing the same beard accoutrements as those seen in your own depictions of Gimli, hence my suspicions of a family connection).Β
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Ok, fair enough. I watched a quarter hour of the film and had to stop it, they're not my cup of tea
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Featured Here:
20 Ferocious Digital Illustrations of Thorin Oakenshield
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Sorry, 90% Illustrations of Richard Armitage. Abe Papakhian's & Jenny Dolfen's versions are Thorin.
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I thought the same! Plus, Abe's and mine are not digital. O_o
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I acknowledge the skills on a good portrait, but am sick to death of Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen or Orlando Bloom.
Always better your own image out of your imagination - if only for the sake of variety!
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*Misses the Like button*
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If you want to be an illustrator of Tolkien , then I'll be your canon critic ! 
But here I feel like it will ruin the drawings with all his characters :/ difficult to choose someone...
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Hope I didn't ruin it for you.
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you just did, hahahaa
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Wonderful illustration o_o it could illustrate the book very well!
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Thank you. That's my eventual goal.
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I'd buy it at once!!
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Lots of patience, but a great, great, great result! Amazing.
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The level of detail in your work is really mindblowing, especially when you consider it's done in traditional media and not so easily "corrected" as digital would be in the same circumstance. Your patience must be infinite. Stunning work!
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It really capture the sadness and grieving from every character. I find it represents the emotions very faithfully.
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