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Published: 2007-04-22 02:50:18 +0000 UTC; Views: 11717; Favourites: 153; Downloads: 1747
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Description
"Thus unlamented let me die"Subject(s) / Character(s):
Alastare Valentine
Size:
8&1/2" by 11"
Medium / Tools:
-pencil (H2-8B)
Explanation:
-
Analysis:
“Thus unlamented let me die” is the conclusion of one’s philosophy on death, where as the title was derived from Alexander Pope’s “Ode on Solitude”. The conclusion of this poem is:
“Thus let me live, unseen, unknown;
Thus unlamented let me die;
Steal from the world, and not a stone
Tell where I lye.”
Perspective was a key element in this piece since I started with the face before adding the hand and glass as an afterthought. The face proved monumentally successful considering I had challenged my rendering abilities by utilizing such graphite as 3B and 4B. When shading such delicate features such as those in the face: the nostrils, eyes, and mouth, using such dark pencils is a great risk because of the detrimental effects they produce on the paper. Originally the windows were placed horizontally, which then caused the subject to seem off-balance. I had an associate help explain the dimensions of the background using a plum line to better place the windows in perspective with the already existing figure.
It wasn’t until the foreground was nearly complete that the lily was added. This was because, without the lily, the left bottom corner would have been an abysmal black, weighing down the viewer’s attention.
The single lily was a reference to a previous piece of mine: “We’re keeping him company” where several lilies crowded around the lone male figure tentatively. (The male figure had been sewing his face beneath an abstract entity that was an umbrella while a vigil was held by the surrounding flowers) and while that piece had the essence of loneliness, since he was accompanied by inanimate objects, this particular artwork was meant as an ode to loneliness: an utter acquiescence to the inevitable and despairing acceptance to it. The lone white flower against the dark background draws attention to the subject of solitary: “Thus unlamented let me die”. There will be none to mourn his passing and none will visit his unmarked grave and in his final hours he has but a lily for company.
Such as Giotto used a technique to draw the viewer’s attention from drifting outwards, into the landscape of the background and back towards the subject, I attempted to draw my viewer’s attention from the hand and glass back into the windows. From Rembrandt I maintained his technique of emerging figures from the areas of deep shadow and his sometimes extreme highlights (this is particularly noticeable in my subject’s face).
The last intentional detail I included was the clouds around the subject’s head. They form a halo.
“Thus unlamented let me die” was recognized for artistic excellence at the 2007 Middlesex County Teen Arts Festival and has toured New Jersey. On June 2nd, 2008 “Thus unlamented let me die” returned to my possession.
Related content
Comments: 200
PhoenixSpine In reply to ??? [2007-10-09 04:40:37 +0000 UTC]
simply amazing. I'm austounded at the sheer volume of emotion and mood and connotation you were able to convey in this piece. Well deserving of much more favs than around 50, in my opinion.
very well done! ^_^
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
AbstractDoctrine In reply to PhoenixSpine [2007-10-09 18:49:19 +0000 UTC]
Aww!! Thank you!!
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
purple-umbrella In reply to ??? [2007-10-07 15:17:00 +0000 UTC]
OMFG!!!!!! *faints from awesomeness* ~
*swooon*
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
purple-umbrella In reply to AbstractDoctrine [2007-10-07 15:48:24 +0000 UTC]
and your saying ive got a good gallery, your god-like! ~
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
AbstractDoctrine In reply to purple-umbrella [2007-10-07 15:57:59 +0000 UTC]
Thank you, sweetie.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
purple-umbrella In reply to AbstractDoctrine [2007-10-07 16:02:18 +0000 UTC]
inner claire; omg he called me sweetie!
lolness! nah really you rock!
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
AbstractDoctrine In reply to purple-umbrella [2007-10-07 16:10:31 +0000 UTC]
Haha, thank you!
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
xAquax In reply to ??? [2007-10-02 19:57:11 +0000 UTC]
That is amazing!!
Love the details and the way you shade it. Your so talented.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
AbstractDoctrine In reply to xAquax [2007-10-03 15:08:42 +0000 UTC]
Thank you, thank you. I enjoyed every minute of it.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
JFaith In reply to ??? [2007-09-23 02:07:45 +0000 UTC]
I so rarely leave any comments anymore since {I'm lazy and} not too many pieces strike me anymore. Haha, what a poor excuse. *facefaults*
Anyways, this stunned me more than any other drawing in your gallery. Really, really amazing work. :] Seems like you really put a lot of time and effort in the drawing, and... I dunno. It's awesome. XD Haha, I'm not good with words. But the wineglass and expression are my favorite parts. The window glass and the trees too. And you paid so much attention to the littlest details, from the eyelashes to the lines on the hand. The shading looks so smooth.
Just gotta say, much props. X3 Keep up the awesome~ work!!
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
AbstractDoctrine In reply to JFaith [2007-09-23 21:34:35 +0000 UTC]
Haha, I'm pretty lazy myself. I should be working on some petals right now.
Thanks for all your kind words.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
TimKai In reply to ??? [2007-09-16 23:18:36 +0000 UTC]
I'm speechless. I like this a great deal. Every time I see something like this, I just get all flabbergasted and don't really know what to say other than "Wow".
So, "wow!"
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
AbstractDoctrine In reply to TimKai [2007-09-16 23:46:17 +0000 UTC]
Ha ha, thank you very much.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
lordogreus In reply to ??? [2007-09-16 04:00:54 +0000 UTC]
Jesus fucking Christ, dude (in a complimentary way).
I don't think you explained what tools were used. It's so sharp and clean.
I came across your username on atheistsclub. I am really impressed by your works.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
AbstractDoctrine In reply to lordogreus [2007-09-16 20:12:03 +0000 UTC]
Oh, cool. Athiests are awesome, I was considering asking about membership.
I explained the tools in the tutorial next to it but it's all pencil but specifically 2H, 2B, 3B, 4B, 5B, 6B, 7B, 8B. No charcoal, no photo shop.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
lordogreus In reply to AbstractDoctrine [2007-09-16 20:38:26 +0000 UTC]
Ahh, I should have figured. I was looking around on this page for that information; I suppose I should have been more thorough. Absolutely amazing.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
nutmeg-42 In reply to ??? [2007-09-16 00:20:51 +0000 UTC]
I found this after seeing a link on Amysad's journal. I wasn't going to leave a comment as I know nothing of drawing, but then thought just leaving a fav wasn't enough either. All I can do is say why I faved it and it is probably quite silly considering the amount detail in it. And it is the detail and accuracy (I love realism), especially of the emotion that caught my attention, but what has really got me entranced is the detail and accuracy of the glass. I mean, how does one draw something that essentially can be seen through. It just makes my head spin. So for me the glass was the clincher. Sorry I babbled on so long.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
AbstractDoctrine In reply to nutmeg-42 [2007-09-16 01:12:09 +0000 UTC]
I appreciate the fave that you did take the time to comment after your own admission about knowing "nothing of drawing". Thank you so very much for explaining why you liked it instead of just leaving "pretty" or "nice".
Again, appreciate all your words ^^
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
A-N-A-S-T-A-S-I-A In reply to ??? [2007-09-09 21:40:53 +0000 UTC]
Amazing piece. The shading is unbelievable and the detail in the trees is just surreal.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
AbstractDoctrine In reply to A-N-A-S-T-A-S-I-A [2007-09-09 22:23:02 +0000 UTC]
I am so glad you think so. This has been one of my most rewarding pieces I've ever done.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
Triluna In reply to ??? [2007-06-21 10:26:06 +0000 UTC]
Oh yeah.... I just wanna ask, since I read your add comments. What did you felt precisely with making this drawing?
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
AbstractDoctrine In reply to Triluna [2007-06-21 12:46:20 +0000 UTC]
I felt rather sad while I was drawing him. It's usual I start feeling the essence of what I'm drawing and with him it just happened to be the understanding of the eventual oblivion. I tend to listen to music as I work and for some odd reason I was on a "My Humps" high. It was hardto really focus on how I felt by him when I was jamming to Fergie describing her lumps >>
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Triluna In reply to AbstractDoctrine [2007-06-21 15:42:34 +0000 UTC]
That is what I figured a bit; that is why I asked. I do channelize in music rather hard sometimes. It is sad that you felt sad, but it certainly gives that extra kick as sadness is a strong speaking emotinon aswell and you really carried over that message. I had this in my latest drawing aswell. The backlying story you told behind it about he is all alone, with only a beautiful flower keeping him company as a last symbolic grip, adds only more power to understand and feel this drawing.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
AbstractDoctrine In reply to Triluna [2007-06-21 17:39:24 +0000 UTC]
I'm glad you were able to understand it so deeply. Thank you.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
Triluna In reply to ??? [2007-06-21 10:19:00 +0000 UTC]
This is a really awesome piece (but you already knew that now don't you ). I love the background very much, that make that classical dark scene (like a ghostmansion). The glass is phenominal, especially the steel. Finally, I like the withered look "just let me die here". Superb artwork and unfortunately underestimated...And I know that all too well...but...then again, I'm crap at drawing
. I'm just practising models to eventually produce free imagination
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
TheGreatNinjaRikku In reply to ??? [2007-05-31 20:23:20 +0000 UTC]
oh wow. when i first looked i thought this was a photo...you're REALLY talented , i saw that you shaded my friends picture and decided to pop up here.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
AbstractDoctrine In reply to TheGreatNinjaRikku [2007-05-31 21:05:43 +0000 UTC]
Yeah, I just helped her on the shading. Needs to go a bit darker for depth's sake.
Thanks a lot.
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CodeOfVulgar04 In reply to ??? [2007-05-26 20:09:19 +0000 UTC]
if you look closely ._. theres people danceing in the shadow of his neck XP gotta love the things that just show up in your pics XP
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
AbstractDoctrine In reply to CodeOfVulgar04 [2007-05-26 21:33:26 +0000 UTC]
Yeah..wtf? Who sees stuff like that.
I mean..people dancing in the neck is just..weird.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
AbstractDoctrine In reply to ??? [2007-05-26 19:32:57 +0000 UTC]
Who's the sexiness? You are.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
AbstractDoctrine In reply to AbstractDoctrine [2007-05-26 19:33:42 +0000 UTC]
Thanks baby, I know. Guess what? You are too.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
AbstractDoctrine In reply to AbstractDoctrine [2007-05-26 19:34:13 +0000 UTC]
Awww, sweetie.
I love me.
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Sophquest In reply to ??? [2007-05-24 03:00:53 +0000 UTC]
This fantastic piece of Artwork is being featured
in this week's ~ 'Wednesday's Wall of Wow's!'
[link]
Way to go~ This artwork ROCKS!
Sophquest
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
AbstractDoctrine In reply to Sophquest [2007-05-24 10:58:16 +0000 UTC]
I had read the category and although I am thankful is that only for digital art..or traditional as well?
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eiyphik In reply to ??? [2007-05-19 14:32:06 +0000 UTC]
man this is an insane peice, i haven't checked out your user yet but i think I'm going to have to, i could stare at this for a solid day and not finnish looking at all the intracate workings of it, this truly is briliant, i just don't know what to say
this has to be my favourite picture
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AbstractDoctrine In reply to eiyphik [2007-05-19 16:46:39 +0000 UTC]
It's my favorite too. Thanks for coming by!
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ZellDincht8200 In reply to ??? [2007-05-15 21:13:16 +0000 UTC]
The bodily features are epic. You seem to capture every shape and contour of the skin. Your art is truly magnificent and i hope to see a lot more in the future.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
AbstractDoctrine In reply to ZellDincht8200 [2007-05-15 21:52:34 +0000 UTC]
Thanks, I'm sure you will if you keep tuning in.
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Nefyr In reply to ??? [2007-05-09 23:27:50 +0000 UTC]
It amazes me even more that you're able to create this kind of detail on an 8.5x11 while not disregarding the composition as a whole...brilliant.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
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