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peet — 'I go to find the Sun!'
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Published: 2015-09-28 21:11:47 +0000 UTC; Views: 17152; Favourites: 461; Downloads: 72
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'Legolas watched them for a while with a smile upon his lips, and then he turned to the others. `The strongest must seek a way, say you? But I say: let a ploughman plough, but choose an otter for swimming, and for running light over grass and leaf or over snow-an Elf.'With that he sprang forth nimbly, and then Frodo noticed as if for the first time, though he had long known it, that the Elf had no boots, but wore only light shoes, as he always did, and his feet made little imprint in the snow. 'Farewell!' he said to Gandalf. `I go to find the Sun!''
JRR Tolkien: The Lord of the Rings : The Fellowship of the Ring: Book II , Chapter 3: The Ring Goes South
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Painted in watercolour.
This was created on behalf of The Tolkien Society for their 2015 Christmas Card.
If you appreciate my artwork, please show your support by taking a few short moments to 'Like' my
Facebook Page at Peter Xavier Price - Illustrator . Many thanks!Related content
Comments: 106
I love this scene and have thought about that quote a lot, I'm really excited that you illustrated it 
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Amazing work! This is excellent. The detail of the mountains is magnificent! I love this scene from the book! It was so funny when he runs on top of the snow. It was nice to see Legolas making a joke.
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Thanks for the kind words! Legolas was indeed a far more jolly character in the books (as in the case of the Elves in general I found, who, though ethereal and 'distant', were still quite a bit more humorous and nonchalant in their own ways).
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You're welcome! I agree. The elves' nonchalance made me laugh quite a few times
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It's slightly better than stuck up sombreness a la PJ at least
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I'm looking at this painting for the 100th time, my heard pleased by wonderful details of the mountains and suddenly I start laughing. This situation, the Greenleaf holding his chest, light as a feather, and then there is the rest of the Fellowship, deep in the snow
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Haha! Thanks again! It was really fun to paint this sweeping landscape, but to try and fit in the Fellowship's individual personalities from far away. And yes of course, Legolas' was most important in this respect at this particular moment. He's so much more carefree and, let's be honest, cocky at this stage of the journey. And therefore all the more interesting. I really wanted to get that across. It's a lovely little scene, in my view
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Fourthed! Oh wait, I already said that ...
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Ah, that mountain view makes the picture! I also love how you did the rest of the fellowship. My one quibble with this is the lighting seems a bit off. The sun appears to be coming from the south, and that implies it's about noontime and the clouds are clearing up. This in turn give the impression that while Legolas is "going to find the sun", he is going away from it towards the darker areas. Thoughts?
EDIT:Just realized I've already commented on this, but have been rereading the books and trying my hand at a few small illustrations myself and wanted to look through yours again.
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No problem commenting again - you could comment 100 times and I'd hardly complain
But yes, your qualms are certainly well-founded. I've now been staring at this piece for a long time trying to make sense of what I was doing here, and I think you've presented me with a bit of a problem! Or rather both you and Tolkien.
Firstly I'd say that we're looking SW rather than full-South in this piece. Nevertheless, the scene takes place in the morning so in actual fact the sun SHOULD be more or less positioned on the left side of the canvas, which means I've placed the shadows wrongly here (from W to E, i.e., late afternoon-evening). In turn, this begs other questions. If the Fellowship are trying to go back Westward (i.e., rightwards in the direction that Boromir and Aragorn are 'shovelling', and which Legolas will turn to shortly), how can can the Elf be 'going to find the Sun' in the morning? I guess the answer is that this was just a jesting 'figure of speech' between he and Gandalf.
In my mind, the storm clouds would be covering the morning Sun/approaching from the East, hence why I chose to make the right side of this piece brighter. The question then becomes, would the light in the West be strong enough - given that the Sun is hidden in the East - to create the shadows I've placed here? I guess the answer is probably a 'NO'. But oh well! I wanted to make the storm seem dark and ominous, and this was the only ay I could do it, I think!
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Very, very well drawn! The landscape looks really beautiful and realistic!
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Oh thank you! Really glad you enjoy this piece - the mountains took a long time, but were fun to paint I have to say
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anytime XD I can see that - it takes some time to draw such beautiful Mountains
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It's worth it to receive praise from the likes of yourself though
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aww hehe, so nice said of you! ^_^ I like your style, of course!
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This is a case of mutual admiration then 
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Oh, thank you! I have a few landscapes in the gallery, and I'll continue with them when I feel inspired (of if I'm commissioned 
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Thanks a lot! This one took far longer than the Boat House
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he mountains are beautiful, they can look for a long time.
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Very glad you like my friend, it's always a pleasure to read such praise from your fine self
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Glad you approve, many thanks!
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i wish there was more sun-searching legolas than cool legolas in the movies
but the first thing that stroke me on your picture are the mountains! they are absolutely amazing, detailed, amazing, the contrasts on them - dramatic, the colors and details - middle earthy.
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Likewise, in terms of characterisation Legolas was a non-entity in the movies - in my view. Can I ask what you mean in terms of the strangeness - both in terms of the original passage and this painting? Just purely out of interest!
Thank you so much for leaving a few words - I'm thrilled you detect that Middle-earth atmosphere here; this is what all Tolkien illustrators strive for, I think!
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i wanted to describe the strangeness more in the first comment, but i can't find words for this abstract feeling.
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Ah well, Tolkien can get a little bit abstract sometimes. All good!
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Ooohh... those mountains and the sky are just fabulous!! And you know what I really like? That this is the book Legolas whom I fell in love with years before the LOTR movies. Even though I rather liked Orlando Bloom's Legolas, a zillion fangirls have spoiled it for me. You captured that playfulness and touch of conceit in the Mirkwood elf that I've always loved this moment for.
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Thank you, as ever, the lovely comment
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Yes! I agree with you that Legolas does mature as the quest progresses. I like this essay which argues for him being a relatively youthful elf (tinw.hubpages.com/hub/legolas-… ). I guess his achieving the "least" of the Nine is also in keeping with Tolkien's presenting of the Third Age as the time when the elves are fading from ME. Sad, for I love elves 
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I think you're right about Legolas here, as well as Tolkien's reasons for his treatment in LotR. The other clue is that none of the 'nobler' Elves take an active part in the main events of the ending of the Third Age (relatively speaking, they had their own issues to deal with on their borders), indicating that so far as was possible, it was the job of the 'lesser' races (Elves who had never seen the Blessed Realm included) to finalise M-e's problems once and for all - for good or (potentially) ill.
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I love Legolas' expression, and those mountains are very well done!
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Thanks very much indeed! Due to the scale here, it was hard to put personality into Legolas' face - but I'm thrilled you feel I've succeeded
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I think it comes through in the pose, most of all.
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Oh I see, well I'm pleased by that and appreciate it a lot. I posed for this deliberately, making sure he looked a bit cocksure and, well ... arrogant
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