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Description
2/4 of the coloured versions.

This is one of those things I had had in mind for years, and I finally got round to do it. I wanted the initials to resemble the Book of Kells (which doesn‘t contain as many celtic knots as you‘d think), and it took me hours… and hours… and hours… and more hours… At least I‘ve finally kept my promise to do something else based on medieval book illumination.

Summer gave me most trouble with the colour scheme. I generally associate summer with greens and yellows, and I wanted to have some green for leaves and looking vibrant and alive anyway, but there‘s also the association with heat, fire and the colour red, so that had to come in somewhere, too. And then there‘s the association with the sun, with light, virtue, and life, and I wanted to have white in there. This is the result of trying to squeeze it all into the colour scheme.
I vaguely remember that his companion animal was initially an eagle which has all sorts of nice connotations, until I figured that a red kite would be even better, even though I know of no literary traditions of red kites, so this is supposed to be a red kite. And because my elves always need some sorts of pseudo-celtic/Irish stuff on them, there‘s a ringsword (yep, I changed the lineart because I forgot the ring, I‘m a dork). And there are rowan tree branches, because those are so nicely Irish.

Today‘s music suggestion: Eluveitie in general and especially Luxtos:
[link]
(all their songs are about (war in) Gaul, but hey, close enough)
People who don't like Folk Metal could go for the Secret of Kells OST instead (I'm so original).

Watercolour, white acrylics, and some goldpaint, various VERY lose references used.

Detail shots:
[link]

All four paitings as a photoset:
[link]

I certainly forgot half of the symbolism choices I made here, but feel free to ask me anything!

Description
2/4 of the coloured versions.

This is one of those things I had had in mind for years, and I finally got round to do it. I wanted the initials to resemble the Book of Kells (which doesn‘t contain as many celtic knots as you‘d think), and it took me hours… and hours… and hours… and more hours… At least I‘ve finally kept my promise to do something else based on medieval book illumination.

Summer gave me most trouble with the colour scheme. I generally associate summer with greens and yellows, and I wanted to have some green for leaves and looking vibrant and alive anyway, but there‘s also the association with heat, fire and the colour red, so that had to come in somewhere, too. And then there‘s the association with the sun, with light, virtue, and life, and I wanted to have white in there. This is the result of trying to squeeze it all into the colour scheme.
I vaguely remember that his companion animal was initially an eagle which has all sorts of nice connotations, until I figured that a red kite would be even better, even though I know of no literary traditions of red kites, so this is supposed to be a red kite. And because my elves always need some sorts of pseudo-celtic/Irish stuff on them, there‘s a ringsword (yep, I changed the lineart because I forgot the ring, I‘m a dork). And there are rowan tree branches, because those are so nicely Irish.

Today‘s music suggestion: Eluveitie in general and especially Luxtos:
[link]
(all their songs are about (war in) Gaul, but hey, close enough)
People who don't like Folk Metal could go for the Secret of Kells OST instead (I'm so original).

Watercolour, white acrylics, and some goldpaint, various VERY lose references used.

Detail shots:
[link]

All four paitings as a photoset:
[link]

I certainly forgot half of the symbolism choices I made here, but feel free to ask me anything!