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nellmckellar β€” Groke in the Forest

Published: 2004-05-19 11:37:52 +0000 UTC; Views: 13290; Favourites: 201; Downloads: 1132
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Description Well I don't often do fanart, in fact, I never do fanart. But this is the exception.
I've been a fan of Tove Jansson's Moomin land ever since I was a little kid, after discovering the aged books in my school library.
The character of the Groke long haunted me as a child, with the imagery of her gliding under the moonlight, leaving a path of ice behind her, as she hunted for her prey firmly ingrained in my mind.
Well, here is my homage to the Groke. I tried to stick to Jansson's pen style, I hope I was successful. Anyway, it's just a bit of fun regardless.
By the end of this, I was so sick of drawing all those little lines!
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Comments: 115

cuarenta-y-ocho [2004-09-18 20:02:46 +0000 UTC]

incredible!!! awsome work... definetly a fav
the groke was so creepy... but it made me feel sorry for her/him/it (?)

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johanna [2004-09-13 20:01:10 +0000 UTC]

Fantastic! This is even better than Tove's own pictures. The Groke (MΓ₯rran where I live) is one of the few things in fiction that has really scared me (although I was mostly scared of her in the cartoons), and I still love her so very much and feel sad for her. I love the Moomin books a terrible lot and this really captures the perfect mood in them.

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nellmckellar In reply to johanna [2004-09-14 12:12:21 +0000 UTC]

Even better?! That's high praise indeed!
Thanks heaps for the smashing comment.

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moomins [2004-09-10 18:26:51 +0000 UTC]

This is so gorgeous x.x You really kept to Tove's style nicely, its nice to see some fanart based on the books rather than the TV series too!

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zero-metallix [2004-08-25 23:35:33 +0000 UTC]

incredably cool

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anatomista [2004-08-18 15:13:35 +0000 UTC]

I dont know Groke, but the picture is really beautiful. Good work on the grass!

Note: I like your signature.

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nellmckellar In reply to anatomista [2004-08-26 11:12:49 +0000 UTC]

Thank you and thank you very much.

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AzaK [2004-07-29 11:49:38 +0000 UTC]

What a psychotic draw!!!
It's look like a splendid lythography!
Another good style.
You must make others drawing like this!!!

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nellmckellar In reply to AzaK [2004-07-30 11:56:27 +0000 UTC]

Thank you very much! I think I'll have to!

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Arechan In reply to ??? [2004-07-13 18:18:44 +0000 UTC]

The Groke !! O . O It scared me a lot too...!! o .o

I remember when Little My made a Groke sand sculpture... and then it turned into the real Groke! o_o (at least I remember that from the old animated series... ' x ')

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amimono [2004-07-04 21:19:36 +0000 UTC]

This is really brilliant I think the Groke is a fascinating (and misunderstood!) creature

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nellmckellar In reply to amimono [2004-07-05 06:11:40 +0000 UTC]

Oh thank you! I happen to agree.

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twosilverstars [2004-06-02 01:37:26 +0000 UTC]

Wow, this must have taken ages! Very nice pen work Someone at elfwood told me that my mushroom rats reminded them of the moomins...at least i think that's the picture they said it about. Anyway, i'm not sure if i have ever read these books, but the names sound so darn familiar.

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nellmckellar In reply to twosilverstars [2004-06-02 09:04:02 +0000 UTC]

Thanks Rachel! Yeah, this took a fair while, though not as long as most of my work!

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Ravenhearted [2004-05-31 01:04:03 +0000 UTC]

Amazing!
I love moomin!
She's called 'Hufsa' in norwegian btw ^^

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nellmckellar In reply to Ravenhearted [2004-05-31 01:14:41 +0000 UTC]

Thank you. Yeah, everyone's been telling me the word for "Groke" in all their languages.

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Limber [2004-05-27 14:57:35 +0000 UTC]

Beautiful! Morran ( I THINK in Swedish, unless I'm completely wrong)! MΓΆrkΓΆ in Finnish.
I'd say you've replicated the style perfectly! I think it looks like fun.. and ... after I've finally eaten, I'll go try something like this myself. Fabulous. Thanks for reminding me of something good.

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nellmckellar In reply to Limber [2004-05-29 14:15:00 +0000 UTC]

Thank you very much! I hope you've tried out the style!
Thanks for the fave and kind words.

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ch-peralta In reply to ??? [2004-05-27 10:19:35 +0000 UTC]

Hhmmmm lost of work on this ink drawing.....I like the technique you employed on this particular piece it must of taken ya for ever...FAV!!!

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ch-peralta In reply to ch-peralta [2004-05-27 10:34:42 +0000 UTC]

FAR OUT!!! 2 days!!! thats too much ...

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nellmckellar In reply to ch-peralta [2004-05-27 10:28:11 +0000 UTC]

Yes, there was a damn lot of work in this piece, though it only took me two days on and off to do it.
OMG another FAV from Charley!

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art-o [2004-05-26 12:43:30 +0000 UTC]

Oh what I see...your own Mooning char
As a Finish I have to take this on my fav...thank you and thank you for visiting on my page and

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nellmckellar In reply to art-o [2004-05-27 10:56:53 +0000 UTC]

Oh, yes, I did visit your page this morning.
Thanks for your kind words, but I don't think you added it as a fave!

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Viika [2004-05-25 20:03:32 +0000 UTC]

i love Moomins (Muumit in Finnish)
your fan art pieces are a great tribute to Tove

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nellmckellar In reply to Viika [2004-05-26 01:46:28 +0000 UTC]

Oh, thank you very much!

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Ludi-Price [2004-05-22 11:37:17 +0000 UTC]

OMG, this is awesome! Seriously! This goes to show what talent you have - you can turn your hand to anything. Your inking is amazingly detailed. I can imagine that your hand must've hurt after drawing all those lines. And you've replicated the style really well. I don't remember much about these stories, although they are very familiar from childhood. And this I'd say was equal to an illustration from a book. You've got the depth and the detail just right. Amazing stuff, I'm impressed.

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nellmckellar In reply to Ludi-Price [2004-05-22 13:06:19 +0000 UTC]

Oh goodness me, thank you, thank you!
There are a lot of aspects of this that bother me, but once the ink is there, there's no going back!
Once again, I feel really humbled by your words!

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Ludi-Price In reply to nellmckellar [2004-05-23 13:46:16 +0000 UTC]

I know... That's why I hate using ink most of the time. But I think you did a good job. I didn't see anything that looked out of place, but the detail is really overwhelming anyhow... Kinda stuns you into 'wow-ness'. I couldn't be bothered to do that much detail... But then, I've always been known for my laziness.

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kurokumo [2004-05-22 01:20:17 +0000 UTC]

Wow that is awesome~!! The detail is really amazing, love how you kep the original Tove Jansson style, this looks like official art! o_o
How long did this take you to draw? Oh, and I love the Moomins too :3

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nellmckellar In reply to kurokumo [2004-05-22 03:09:19 +0000 UTC]

Thank you! I'm glad you think it's similar to her style. It's what I was striving for!
I drew this over two days, on and off. It probably took a few hours, but I'm not sure. It's all a blur after drawing all those lines!

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nyctopterus In reply to ??? [2004-05-21 19:25:27 +0000 UTC]

The silhouetting is TEH AWESOME. I hope you didn't break yourr pretty brain doing all those little fecken lines.

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nellmckellar In reply to nyctopterus [2004-05-21 22:23:36 +0000 UTC]

Thanks teh John!
The lines only made me stronger.

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Prettyclouds [2004-05-21 15:32:55 +0000 UTC]

awsome! ^^

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mylaloquelle [2004-05-20 14:22:59 +0000 UTC]

MOOMIN!!!!! I had that book, AND I watched the cartoon. Still do occasionally
Love the pen style and the contrast, it's beautiful and another worthy

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nellmckellar In reply to mylaloquelle [2004-05-21 00:19:37 +0000 UTC]

I've never seen the cartoon, but I suspect I saw a 5-minute one when I was really young, like 6 or something, which really caught my attention.
Thanks for the kind words and fave!

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mylaloquelle In reply to nellmckellar [2004-05-21 15:43:30 +0000 UTC]

No, thank you for bringing back so many sweet childhood memories of mine! I loved the cartoon, but I was actually really scared of the Groke, so my parents banned me from watching Moomin for about two months I was about five.

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nellmckellar In reply to mylaloquelle [2004-05-21 21:56:28 +0000 UTC]

Haha! That's classic!
I still find the Groke rather creepy, I don't know why!

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zachlost [2004-05-20 11:26:18 +0000 UTC]

good lord, i think i used to have that book as a kid ....

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toeknuckles [2004-05-20 07:15:21 +0000 UTC]

it's wonderful!
i remember these books! well, i remember one of them..
you've done an amazing job..all those tiny little pen strokes. argh! they must have driven you to distraction!!
i love the illustrative style of the 60s and 70s, so combine that with how well you've done this, and naturally i thoroughly enjoy this picture.

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nellmckellar In reply to toeknuckles [2004-05-20 09:42:02 +0000 UTC]

Thanks heaps Amy!
Yes, I got a really sore wrist, and a sore pinky finger whilst working on this, something I don't get when I paint!
Yeah, I too love the illustration style of the 60's and 70's...I really should explore that in my art...retro rocks!
Thanks for the fave too!

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toeknuckles In reply to nellmckellar [2004-05-20 09:44:12 +0000 UTC]

it does indeed!

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qmab [2004-05-20 01:43:24 +0000 UTC]

Nell..... that is fantastic! Got me curious about the book too
Yeesh, such detail! I love the landscape, tis very well done.

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nellmckellar In reply to qmab [2004-05-20 06:16:12 +0000 UTC]

Thank you indeedy, Mab!

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LinkD3 [2004-05-19 23:08:39 +0000 UTC]

!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! crazzy awesome stuff nel !!!!!!!!!!! GREAT work!!!!!!!!! the style looks almost retro to me, i love it. little lines can make up so much! this is awesome!! amazing work as always keep at it!

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nellmckellar In reply to LinkD3 [2004-05-20 06:19:13 +0000 UTC]

Wow, thank you very much!
Retro? Excellent! The books are from the 50's, so I must have done something right! Thanks for the fave too!

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demon-llama In reply to ??? [2004-05-19 22:55:30 +0000 UTC]

awesome!

it's a wonder what a bunch of small tiny lines can do to make!
great work!

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nellmckellar In reply to demon-llama [2004-05-20 06:19:54 +0000 UTC]

Hehe, yeah. Thanks heaps!

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demon-llama In reply to nellmckellar [2004-05-20 08:05:51 +0000 UTC]

I just love the way how much the 2d objects are placed in a seemingly 3d environment...........
truly awesome!

and yer welcome hon!

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Aoede [2004-05-19 21:49:48 +0000 UTC]

That is so good Nell! You should submit to Epilogue...I doubt they'd notice it was fan art...........It's based on a book anyway so it's ok isnt it?
Those lines....you have so much patience and an eye for detail. Im jealous *dies*.

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nellmckellar In reply to Aoede [2004-05-20 06:24:02 +0000 UTC]

Thanks!
I don't think I'd be able to. Even if they accepted it, it would probably eventually get taken down, which would be embarrassing!
This is based on a book, except the author also illustrated it with pen drawings! So yeah this one will have to stay here.

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