A sketch experiment to find the right sort of face for Melkor. A face that could be attractive, but horrible, human and inhuman at the same time.
A character from Tolkien's Silmarillion. As an idea of how important (and scary) he was, Melkor, later known as 'Morgoth', was Sauron's master.
'The Seduction of Sauron'
From the Silmarillion by JRR Tolkien
Long before Sauron was lord of Mordor, before he was even evil, he was 'Mairon', a gifted metalsmith among the Maiar.
He grew impatient with the slow unfolding on the flawed world and desired to create things
to his own plan instead. Melkor promised to show how this could be achieved, and so step by step,
Mairon followed Melkor down into darkness until he became 'Sauron'.
Created especially for the Tolkien art show 'Evil in the Shining Light', curated by artist John Cockshaw
Acrylics on paper, digital colouring, 11.5 x 8" Frame element by Stephen Clulow on Flickr.
Melkor (or Morgoth as he was by then) and his most powerful servant: Sauron.
Another preparatory sketch for the series on Sauron (his fall from grace to Dark Lord) and attempt to 'find' the right faces for him and Melkor. The details are still a work in progress but the basics are there:
Melkor / Morgoth, an insidious vulture-esque thing of smoke, shadow and smouldering horribleness; and #Sauron, all golden and fiery but following in his master's footsteps.
From the Silmarillion by J. R. R. Tolkien
Pencil and acrylics, 8.5x11 inches