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©2008-2009 *Himmapaan
:iconhimmapaan:

Artist's Comments

Long explanatory notes, I'm afraid - but I think they may be worth your interest.

Unfinished (and will remain so, but will be no less well-loved) illustration for a Christmas card, 2003.

Kindly 'Stitched' together for me from two scanned halves by *slightlytriangle.

{Also, merely in case anyone is curious: I'm not Christian. :) I didn't think this information was necessary at first, but dA can be a strange place and - if you'll forgive me - some people are apt to be rather short sighted, and I can imagine a number of scenarios may ensue: assumptions, dismissions based on sheer subject matter, etc, etc. :)}

This was to have been a full-colour illustration for a christmas card. I remember very clearly that it was begun in the summer of 2003, the year of my graduation. I was about to have some time on my hands, so I thought I'd do something fairly ambitious in scale by my usual standards. The whole piece measures 35.5 x 51 cm - considerably larger than what I usually attempt for an illustration (as opposed to observational drawing, which have sometimes been much larger). In the event, Walker Books contacted me that summer, I got to retell and illustrate my first book and thus my yet sapling illustration career began. I've been kept fairly busy ever since and this remained unfinished. I thought at the time that I'd go back to it eventually and never did. I don't think I shall now. I think (I certainly hope) I've improved since, and after all, it's attained its own quiet nostalgia for being in the state it is.
___________________________

Details, clockwise from centre:

~Mary was inspired in large part by one of my favourite depictions of the Madonna (quite possibly my most favourite ever, in fact), Sassoferrato's Virgin In Prayer [link] . I was going to paint the bauble the cherub is dangling above the Christ Child as the globe.

~Upper right: two visiting deities from the far East I wanted to include. On the left is the bodhisattva Guan Yin [link] of Mahayana Buddhism. She is a bodhisattva of compassion - a goddess of mercy, if you will. Less to do with Theravada Buddhism (although she does appear in the Buddhist tale of the Mahajanaka) and more to do with Thai mythology, is the Goddess Manee Mekhalaa (or simply Mekhalaa for short) on the right.

~Just beyound the kings in the stable are pencil ghosts of the ass and ox. Typically, I wanted to draw a Brahma bull...

~Just left of the Holy Family, a white hart, so frequently seen in paintings of the Virgin and Child from English and French schools of the early Renaissance.

~On the left, a choir of angels sings Handel's Messiah, with Handel himself conducting. I think they're just singing 'For unto us a child is born' (no, not the Alleluiah chorus :D). The soprano angel at the front will sing 'I know that my redeemer liveth' later in part three of the oratorio...

~Just above and slightly to the left of the family, Gabriel, inspired directly by Lippi's Annunciation [link] .

This was five years ago now...

Happy Christmas, everyone, and thank you.

Comments


love 3 3 joy 1 1 wow 3 3 mad 0 0 sad 0 0 fear 0 0 neutral 0 0
:iconk-car:
i'm glad you included more people than in just the traditional christian story. it's nice, promoting peace between everyone.

--
"Never go in against a Sicilian when death is on the line."
:iconmeihua:
wow what a wonderful interpretation of the story :)

--
Check out my stock account for pictures of animals, plants, and exotic locations! ~meihua-stock
:iconalmalphia:
This has got to be one of the most amazing pieces of art I have ever seen, truly breathtaking!

--
We are not primarily put upon this earth to see through one another, but to see one another through!
:iconrose-colligan:
you really are just magnificent!

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member of *childrensillustrator
:iconirethkalt:
Wonderful. It reminds me of all those altar pieces from Northern Renn. Art history class. I think it's interesting how you've included eastern religeon into it. I'm a Christian and I think it's a good sign...I just got back from midnight mass (sooo tired!) and our priest was telling us that Jesus came for all of the people of the earth, not just for a few. Your card is very insightful. Merry Christmas! :heart:

--
Dignitas Personae M. Todd Fine Arts Art With The Spark
:iconrift-warden:
dear - thanks! both for the magnificent design you shared with us, and for the explanation :)

:hug:

have a nice day deara!

--
obedire est vivere, vivere est obedire.
:iconileana-s:
Absolutely love the concept behind this and the complexity, but the best bit for me is baby Jesus playing with the angel - so funny! :rofl:

I'm personally not very keen on interpretations where the baby is a very solemn, omniscient little creature.... What you've done with this emanates joy, very sweet :aww:

--
"Life is far too important a thing ever to talk seriously about." Oscar Wilde
:iconaaronpocock:
this is great.What a fantastic drawing. I love it's unfinished state too.

--
Feel free to stop by my new website:
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Blog:
[link]
:iconshatteredswords:
Oh this is just beautiful! The forms and characters are so definitive and yet so lovely, the really do portray the essence of Christmas! I love the unfinished nature of the people and manger as well, your composition makes it really work!

I did wonder whether I might be allowed to attempt colouring this piece as practice? I probably wouldn't submit it here but it'd be so cool to practice my photoshop skills with a drawing such as this? I understand if it's a no but I just thought I'd ask ^_^
:iconlunarie:
That's so amazingly beautiful :) Only. why didn't you finish Brahma bull...? :(
Ah, I just can't stop looking at it- those figures are just as alive, you can see the whole story, taking place in the picture, imagine every little part in real! :heart:

you see, there are many good artists. Technically, manually good, even- wonderful. But what makes you special, out of them, is that your works have a kind of their own magic, they seem to live their own life. And I think, it's the most important thing in art. To make your pictures alive. :)

--
रघुपति राघव राजाराम , पतित पावन सीताराम

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December 24, 2008
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