Maedhros and Fingon :: Archery Practice
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//“You might try to aim at the target this time.” Maedhros chuckled in mockery, as he watched his young cousin with judgement like that of an older brother. “Or would you want me to show you, yet again?”
Fingon snorted humourlessly through clenched teeth as he drew the arrow to his ear as taught, the exertion of the act making the muscles of his shoulder and arm vibrate in objection after many such motions. The last arrow he had imbedded but a hand-length from the mark, and the frustration was clear in his tightened jaw and narrowingeyes.
The young elf inhaled deeply, this time determined to shoot straight. He exhaled slowly, releasing the arrow to fly through the air as the last of his breath left his lunges. It hit the mark with a twack as the metal tip drove into the plate of straw with force. Fingon exclaimed in a cry of victory, and turned to his cousin with a smug grin stapled on his face. “What were you saying, cousin? Perhaps you should not be so swift to disregard my quickness in learning.”
Maedhros raised a brow unimpressed. “This is a testimate to my teachings, if anything. If I can teach you, then your baby sister will be next. It will not be so much harder a task, I should think.” He flashed Fingon a challenging grin.
The youngster grimaced mockingly in return and held out his hand. “Be quiet and give me another arrow, old man.”//
(I wrote the text now to go with the drawing and to underline my idea; it is rushed but I liked it.)
Idea
Do not ask me how this idea came into my mind, but I enjoyed drawing it thoroughly. I simply loved the idea of a fully matured Maedhros teaching his adolescent cousin to shoot with bow and arrow. My last time of reading the silmarillion I understood that at the time of Finwe’s remariage with Indis, Fëanor was already grown and married to Nerdanel, so he would get Maedhros at aprox the time that Indis would have Fingolfin, which would mean that Fingon is quite younger than Maedhros. I do not know in years, but I’d guess half a dozen decades at least. So, it is definitely a headcanon of mine that Mae would enjoy the tutoring of his younger cousin. He always seemed the most sympathetic of the Feanorians, especially in his friendship with Fingon.
Some of you may also know that I have a headcanon of the dress evolution of the elves through the ages. In early Valinor I imagine them wearing something like the ancient egyptians did, it being a land of beauty and comfort, I see it as sunny and warm, even before the rising of the sun. So that is the explanation for their attires. There is nothing sexual about it.
Technique
I drew this exclusively with an 8H pencil, and tuned the contrast some in photoshop after scanning–btw, if anyone has a good scanner to recommend, which is not too expensive, I would gladly hear it as mine is terrible. I used a smudge stick for the shading, and it was indeed my first attempt at using one, so I instantly fell in love with the technique, so the shading was a surprisingly easy process, even with the two months grace period–which is my way of categorising my terrible anxiety of finishing drawings I have used much too long time on. The anatomy obviously is not perfect, but this is still one of the best drawings I have made with two people in it–I even drew feet! YAY! And of course I managed to misplace them on the page so I could not finish the top of Fingon’s bow and the end of Maedhros’. But I could still stare at them both all day, as they turned out perfectly to my vision(!!).
Conclusion
It awes me whenever I don’t hate what I draw, and lately I have hated very little of my art. It is slightly unsettling, to be honest, and it makes me put a lot of pressure on my art, which in return makes me procrastinate. Its a bad circle, but I do love this drawing, with all its flaws, and I was very happy and excited to finish it. It is rather sketchy in style, but I like that as well, and I enjoyed drawing something completely different for once.
I hope you like it too, and let me know what you think, of the idea and the drawing!^^
Love, Iggy
PS. I cannot stress enough that I do not ship them romantically, and I would very much appreciate if you do not sexualize this drawing of mine. I respect that people have different impressions than me, but I also hope you will respect mine and focus on the art itself. Thank you! <3
