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SandraHultsved — The ghost of Ofelia

Published: 2012-11-29 22:18:54 +0000 UTC; Views: 1364; Favourites: 45; Downloads: 0
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Description Oils on canvas
Closeups can be seen here: fav.me/d5qj1mu

Inspired by Ophelia in Hamlet by Shakespeare, but as always with my own interpretation. She first came to me in a dream where I saw her with a pendant in her hand, saying "I'm Ofelia", then I woke up. Now several years later I finally completed the idea and with a story to it, please read it below.


Here's her story:
She came towards me up from the water, as I stood under the willow tree near the broke. The branches were heavy with leaves that blew in the wind and they veiled my sight from her. It was not until she had come closer under the willows branches, that I could see her face and eyes. I shivered as I met her stare, because her eyes was doll like and cold, yet with a fragile and melancholy look. I was immediately captured by her look and although she frightened me, I was fond of her beauty. Her skin was pale and her red hair was wet and tangled, but with natural waves. On her head she had a garland of flowers and the colors of the flowers looked vibrant towards her otherwise so pale look and long white dress.
–"I'm Ofelia", she said with a delicate voice, when she stood right in front of me. Then she lift up her hand towards the neck and showed me the pendant that she carried around her neck. There was an image in the middle that portrayed a man.
–"This is my love", she said looking down at the pendant sorrowfully.
–"Although he was the one putting me down here...", she paused. I stood there silently waiting for her to continue. Then she looked up at me again, with a gaze so deep and dark, I could not move or say a word. It was like my whole body had numbed. But I could feel her pain through her eyes.
–"Please help me", she said with an even more fragile voice than before. Then it was like she was drawn back to the broke, into the water again. I followed to the edge of the bank and saw as her white dress disappeared drowning into the dark muddy water.

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Comments: 28

HelevornArt [2016-02-28 11:38:26 +0000 UTC]

Beautiful, both the story and the portrait! "I could feel her pain through her eyes" - you managed to show that in the painting so well! Also, her hair and the flowers look very real.

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SandraHultsved In reply to HelevornArt [2016-02-29 09:20:35 +0000 UTC]

Thank you so much, that's very kind!

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Idontknowwhoyouknow [2013-11-21 15:42:20 +0000 UTC]

Ah, so sad!

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SandraHultsved In reply to Idontknowwhoyouknow [2013-11-22 21:13:45 +0000 UTC]

Thanks  I first saw her like this in a dream many years ago, and now when I finally come down to painting her, I interpret this story to it.

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Idontknowwhoyouknow In reply to SandraHultsved [2013-11-23 14:52:07 +0000 UTC]

It's really pretty, too.

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Ametystical [2013-01-05 22:01:09 +0000 UTC]

I love the flowers over her head and the way you did her hair <3

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SandraHultsved In reply to Ametystical [2013-01-06 21:28:00 +0000 UTC]

Thank you so much

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MickeyMousMnstr [2012-12-25 07:09:25 +0000 UTC]

The sorrow in her face is tragic yet gorgeous.

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SandraHultsved In reply to MickeyMousMnstr [2012-12-25 10:03:10 +0000 UTC]

Thank you so much
I worked a lot on her eyes to capture that look.

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Dream-SweetDreams [2012-12-01 15:33:55 +0000 UTC]

Beautiful

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SandraHultsved In reply to Dream-SweetDreams [2012-12-01 15:58:48 +0000 UTC]

Thank you so much

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Dream-SweetDreams In reply to SandraHultsved [2012-12-01 16:05:00 +0000 UTC]

Very welcome dear

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Katerina-Art [2012-11-30 19:58:38 +0000 UTC]

gorgeous painting reminds me of classical renaissance paintings beautiful work!

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SandraHultsved In reply to Katerina-Art [2012-12-01 16:00:18 +0000 UTC]

I love that kind of style and especially in portraits.

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Katerina-Art In reply to SandraHultsved [2012-12-01 21:49:29 +0000 UTC]

me too they have a classy feeling antique feeling

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SandraHultsved In reply to Katerina-Art [2012-12-02 12:17:47 +0000 UTC]

Yes, and I like making them all about expression, so you can see what the person is feeling. In the old days the portraits were very strict and didn't show emotions like that. But I can imagine they weren't so happy as the portraits picture them to be.

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Katerina-Art In reply to SandraHultsved [2012-12-02 13:50:59 +0000 UTC]

thats so true sandra glad you brought that up i noticed that too with their facial expressions, i always thought back then people had more hardships, more to go through, young people matured very quickly had to grow up fast even the mona lisa painting to me looks sad, i know she's kinda smiling , but i never thought it was a very "happy" smile

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SandraHultsved In reply to Katerina-Art [2012-12-02 19:36:22 +0000 UTC]

Yes, that's the thing, and that really fascinates me. How the mouth can be smiling, but when you look at the eyes they look sad.

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mistertrece [2012-11-29 22:27:22 +0000 UTC]

The word, again my friend, is GENIUS.

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SandraHultsved In reply to mistertrece [2012-11-30 09:41:15 +0000 UTC]

Naw, you're too kind!

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mistertrece In reply to SandraHultsved [2012-11-30 10:27:33 +0000 UTC]

[link]

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SandraHultsved In reply to mistertrece [2012-11-30 11:32:59 +0000 UTC]

Thank you!

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Azalane [2012-11-29 22:22:15 +0000 UTC]

that's beautiful! I love the expression and details of her eyes!

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SandraHultsved In reply to Azalane [2012-11-29 22:30:28 +0000 UTC]

Oh so you can see the details of her eyes, I didn't think it showed so well in this photo, but that's good then. It was that expression that I worked the hardest on to capture.

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Azalane In reply to SandraHultsved [2012-11-29 22:36:45 +0000 UTC]

It's sure we can't see very close but they are so beautiful that it's the first thing I saw on the painting.

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SandraHultsved In reply to Azalane [2012-11-30 09:37:06 +0000 UTC]

I will try to get a better photo later, but it's so difficult with paintings

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Azalane In reply to SandraHultsved [2012-11-30 13:44:34 +0000 UTC]

I know that some artists take more than one shot to be able to have a great picture of their artwork. They arrange the painting after in Photoshop. It's a long work but it worth it when it's a great piece of art.

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SandraHultsved In reply to Azalane [2012-11-30 13:58:24 +0000 UTC]

Well this one is at least lot that large. Hopefully I will capture a better one.

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