#arda an illustrated journey

[khorazir]

Arda – An Illustrated Journey in Middle-Earth and the Realms of Tolkien

Earlier this year, I created eleven new watercolours for a book about places in Middle-earth. The book has been released now as a bilingual edition (Spanish/English) by Legendaria Ediciones. Apart from the new paintings, the book contains several of my older Tolkien inspired works as well as illustrations and photographs by other artists. More info here:

Previously, Legendaria published other books containing my art:

[outofangband]

Three folkloric creatures + Vanyar?

Prompt: Send me a culture or people or place throughout Arda and I’ll tell either Three folkloric creatures, What gardens are like there or what animals are most commonly domesticated

Part of a series on folklore throughout Arda

Most folkloric creatures of the Vanyar are from the stories they tell of their time before Valinor or of the wild woods of Oromë and thus their truth is often a matter of debate

Some of their tales could also be attributed to various Ainur in less common forms as Ainur can appear as lights, colors, sounds, smells or even emotions

1. Always a tale that occurred before the time of the speaker, one gruesome tale among Vanyarin children tells of deer or sometimes horses who roam the open plains. Where these plains are differs. Sometimes they are pre even Beleriand, sometimes they are montane grasslands far from Taniquetil that the Maiar in the city caution against visiting. Regardless these creatures are typically described with similar behavior. That is, they act as normal deer or horses until they spot a lone traveler after which, they run them down, seemingly delighted in the chase as much as the inevitable feast

Whether these were corrupted creations of Oromë or Nessa, a diseased or tainted herd or something else entirely is unknown

2. More of a phenomenon than a creature as there have never been claims of sentience, a common Vanyar tale speaks of mirages created by the light of the two trees but lingering far longer than typical tricks of the light.

Sometimes they are elven forms, sometimes animals

These tales take on a different turn after the Darkening and occasionally, stories of encounters with mirages made from Unlight, appearing as the absence of a figure, are also told

3. The monsters that accompany the dark rider are still spoken of by many of the Caliquendi including the Vanyar. These stories are often solemn, hushed and traded with other survivors of the Great Journey

These monsters are countless and often differ by recollection and indeed some can appear differently depending on the witness.

How many were in the service of the Dark One and how many were victims, prey or merely curious is also unknown

Reptilian deer who cry like foxes, elven like bodies that travel on all fours and consume flesh (I have an upcoming post about this :) ), twisting vines that creep slowly, sapping liquid from trees and life from the ground, and more are among the tales

The Dark Rider himself still appears as motifs in some schools of art and illustration, rarely spoken of or written about and never directly referenced

[onlinesikhstore]

My Little Sikh Handbook Ardas Artika Aurora Bakshi Activities Book English MC

My Little Sikh Handbook for Kids - Ardas with Lot of Activities inside - English 

Book Reference: MC

Size approx 23.5 x16.5cm, Pages: 42 Paperback

Author: Artika Aurora Bakshi

Illustrator: Priyankar Gupta

Language: English

Description: 

My Little Sikh Handbook II

You don’t have to be a scholar or a priest to teach religion to children. Rather what works is simple, clean storytelling, that can help children (and adults) learn the meaning of rituals and the history of the people that follow the religion.

Artika Aurora Bakshi’s debut My Little Sikh Handbook was a delightful interactive book that introduced the origin and the tenets on which Sikhism is based. And her second book  My Little Sikh Handbook II continues the journey of teaching Sikh culture and the history behind some of its unique rituals.



Spoiler alert: I loved this book even more than the previous one.

In it, Artika deconstructs the Ardas, the prayer Sikhs recite before and/or after any auspicious event. She explains the various components of the Ardas, and how it is not a static prayer, but one that has evolved with the history of Sikhs.

My Little Sikh Handbook II explains why the Guru Granth Sahib is sacred to the Sikhs and how it came to be the eternal guru for the Sikhs after the 10th Guru Gobind Singh passed on.

Most delightfully, the book has a little surprise: the recipe of the karah parshad – that yummy, ghee-laden parshad that is loved by all (and considered non-fattening because it is blessed by the Waheguru:-))

As with the first one, the book is chock-a-block full of patterns, quizzes, crossword puzzles and more to engage children as they learn about the incredible Sikh history.

Why a book on Ardas?

Artika says the Ardas had a special meaning for her when she was growing up. It was something her family bonded over, and where she made her desires known to God so he might fulfil them – for instance, to help her get a better grade. And when she became a mother herself, the Ardas became a focal point in bonding with her two boys.

Includes lots of fun facts, history and maps.

Excellent gift item for loved ones on this Christmas and New Year. Ideal gift for any occasion.

Limited quantity available.

Beautiful Paperback Book Binding. Please see photos.

Premium quality paper. Excellent gift/memorabilia for someone for life.

[bonjour-rainycity]

Double Heart | Chapter One ~ Cosima

|previous part|

Pairing: Haldir x OFC

Rating: G

Word count: 2100

Warnings: None

**Read on Ao3 under the user “bonjour-rainycity” if you like!**

A/n Thanks for the love on the prologue <3 also, this is the first time I’ve scheduled a post, so please let me know if something looks weird!

Translations: Av-‘osto = Don’t be afraid // Odúlen le natho = I’m here to help you // Pedil edhellen = do you speak Elvish

I was right — the peace deserts me instantly.

A sharp pain pierces my chest, my lungs ache, and my brain throbs inside my skull. A man leans over me. His long, dark hair tickles my neck. He is beautiful and smiling, but I do not know him. Fear quickens my breath. I try to jerk away from him, but he keeps a firm pressure on my shoulders, holding me in place. He meets my wide, panicked eyes with calm, reassuring ones of forest brown.

“Av-‘osto. Odúlen le natho.”

What? I shake my head at him, fear temporarily making room for confusion. The words he speaks, which had proven so irresistible when I was under the weight of the water, now sound only strange and indecipherable.

I stare at him, uncomprehending and very much on my guard.

His brow furrows, and, when he speaks again, it is with a note of hesitation. “Pedil edhellen?”

“I don’t think she does.” Another voice—confident, commanding—comes from my right. I turn my head just in time to see a tall man in peculiar armor slide off his horse. He takes quick strides towards me, then crouches near my side. “What is your name?”

I find myself momentarily silenced by his proximity, as well as his eyes. They are a clear ice blue—beautiful, depthless—but cold and calculating. They hold none of the warmth the other man’s eyes do, only suspicion. As much as I don’t like behind held to the ground by him, I turn my head, searching for the deep, honest brown I met upon awaking.

He meets my gaze with a soft smile. “Do not feel fear, we are not here to harm you. We found you unconscious and alone near the river, and stopped to help.” His voice is light, unsure, and strangely accented, placing emphasis on the wrong part of the words, but I am pleased that I can understand him now. As if to illustrate his point, that I am not in danger from them, he releases his hold on my shoulders and allows me space to sit up.

“Slowly,” he cautions. “I worry you have hit your head.”

That would explain the pounding. I grimace, supporting myself on my forearms, and turn my head to observe my surroundings. It’s all very green and brown, I suppose, though vibrant, not at all like the waters I found myself trapped under. Tall grass, puddles of mud, a river behind me. I see no roads or signs to indicate where I am.

The man to my right answers my unspoken question. “You are near the Gladden Fields on the bank of the River Anduin.” I recoil. None of those words mean anything to me. I search my mind, trying to conjure up an image, a memory, anything that would give me context as to where I am.

But I come up blank.

“I will ask you again,” the man continues. His voice is hard, completely devoid of patience, and though I don’t exactly want to, I find myself turning my head to look him in the eye. “What is your name?”

Well, that answer, I know. “Cosima. What’s yours?” I raise an eyebrow, unable to stop myself from challenging him a little. I don’t like his attitude, how he acts like he doesn’t have the time to deal with me. He is the one who stopped, after all.

“So she does speak,” an amused voice remarks from over the shoulder of the brown-eyed man. I jump, not previously noticing the two others—blond like the man to my right—who sit high atop large horses.

Okay, that doesn’t seem right.

Fragments of memory come to me, brief flashes of tall buildings, busy sidewalks, and honking yellow cars.

America.

The name comes to me just as my own did—suddenly and detached from other clues. I piece together what I can, and am left with only the feeling that this is wrong. There should not be deserted, untouched land, nor men in armor who travel on horseback.

I should not be here, I realize. Wherever ‘here’ is….

The blond to my right stands, and I shrink back, intimidated by his height. The sword at his hip and the bow on his back make me even more wary.

“I am Haldir, Marchwarden of Lothlórien. The ellon to your left is Baranor, a healer respected by the Lady herself. The ellyn on horseback are Rumil and Orophin—my brothers, and wardens of our realm. Where do you come from? Were you traveling somewhere?”

I don’t recognize half the words he says. Their language and phrasing is unfamiliar to me, which gives me reason to believe that I am not in America. My limited worldview expands slightly, and I become aware of the existence of other countries, vast seas and expansive continents. A theory begins to take form. I must be in another country. Perhaps I was traveling, and hit my head, and now I’ve gotten separated from my group. Though, I don’t have any memory of a group…perhaps I will remember them in time. I did hit my head.

Haldir clears his throat impatiently.

“I…think I’m from America. Do you know if I’m close? Or at least which country I’m in?

For the first time, I see the irritation in his eyes break, giving way to something akin to concern. “You are in Arda.”  

I wrack my brain, searching for anything that even remotely sounds like Arda. Africa? Armenia? Nothing helpful comes to mind.

Baranor, still crouched at my side, brings a gentle hand to my temple, brushing his fingers lightly over the tender skin. He notices my wince, and turns back to Haldir. “She definitely hit her head. Her mind is not fully with us…I think that, as she heals, she will speak with more sense.”

“Excuse me,” I huff, annoyed at his assessment of me and them talking as if I weren’t here. “You’re not exactly making much sense, either.”

Haldir purses his lips but gives no other indication that he’s heard me. He turns to his brothers and the three of them engage in quick conversation in that language I do not know.

I keep the three of them in the corner of my eye—just because they haven’t hurt me yet doesn’t mean I should let my guard down—and catch Baranor’s attention. “I can’t remember much—anything, really.”

He nods, looking at me with clinical concern. “I guessed as much. You remember your name and seem to have some idea where you are from, even if I do not recognize the realm. It’s better than nothing—encouraging, even. I believe your memories will return to you with time.”

That’s something, at least.

The one called Rumil hops off his horse and swaggers up to me, crouching low like his brother did. “Are you human?”

I recoil. What kind of question is that? “Of course I’m human.”

He shakes his head, a coy smile on his face. “Do not say, ‘of course’. There are many races in this realm, some much more interesting than the race of men.”

I swallow, pieces of information that I’ve gathered since waking clicking into place.

I don’t want to ask.

Asking might mean confronting, and I’ve only just woken up. I’m not ready for that.

But I have to. Because I’ve woken up in an unfamiliar place with people who don’t speak my language, don’t seem to know anything about the existence of my country, travel on horses, wear armor and, Rumil has just tilted his head to the side, revealing an ear that comes to a point. I bring my hand up to my own ear, checking. Yep. Not pointed.

A sinking feeling settles in my gut. I gather what courage I can. Just ask. There’s probably a perfectly normal explanation. Maybe they’re playing a trick on me. “Are you…not human, then?”

His teasing smile never falters and he gives a sort of mocking bow. “No, my dear lady. You have the pleasure of encountering four of the eldar. We are elves from the realm of the Lady Galadriel. We have been here long before the time of man, and we will be here long after.”

This is ridiculous.

I push myself to stand, Baranor rushing to help. The world sways before me, and I wilt against the cool surface of his chest place. He holds me awkwardly—trying to keep as much distance between us as possible while still supporting my weight.

“I’ve hit my head,” I mutter, trying to fight through the fierce onset of dizziness and nausea. “I-I’ve been in some sort of accident, or had a strange reaction to medicine. Or maybe this is a bizarre dream, and I will wake up and laugh at myself and all this will have been in my imagination, or…or…” My breathing quickens, and I bring a hand to my forehead. My hand is so cold. Is it meant to be that cold?

I pitch forward, and Rumil darts a hand to grip my shoulder and keep me in place. His teasing smile disappears, and he turns to Haldir, looking alarmed. He calls out in that unknown language, and I can’t help but roll my eyes, though the motion makes me feel worse.

“Come on, you’re in my dream, so you can at least speak a language I understand!”

Baranor twists to study my face, his frown deepening. He joins the indecipherable conversation.

“Not you, too,” I whine, glaring accusingly at him. Stupidly, I had already come to see him as a sort of ally. All four of them ignore me which is quite rude, considering they’re obviously talking about me. Their discussion grows heated—they’re arguing.

Dark spots dance in my line of vision and I groan, wanting to lie down. Baranor tightens his grip around me, and his voice rises in volume. Does he have to be so loud?

Haldir barks out something that sounds very much like an order, and I focus long enough to see him mount his horse. Rumil releases my shoulder, sparing me the quickest of looks before returning to his own steed. Before I can process what’s happening, Baranor uses his grip on me to guide me towards the tall chestnut stallion.

I guess his intent.

“No!” I begin to fight against his hold. “I don’t want—”

“Hush now, it will be alright,” he soothes, his hands tightening on me as I try to get away. “We do not know of the realm you speak, but we are on a journey to a trusted friend—a wise friend—who may be able to help you. We will take you with us.”

I go stiff in his arms, weighing my options.

I have no reason to trust his word. But they haven’t hurt me yet, and the fact remains that I have no idea where I am. I probably wouldn’t fare any better on the riverbank. I don’t have food, or supplies, or a map. And traveling with them would allow me to see more of the landscape. Maybe we’ll pass a city, and I can sneak away. And from there…

Well, that’s a problem for later.

So, resigned to my situation for the time being, I nod. Baranor gives me a look of relief—I imagine he has no desire to lift a kicking woman onto a horse—and releases my shoulders to kneel and lock his hands together. I don’t particularly like heights, and this animal is much too tall for my liking, but everything about this day has been absolutely insane. I may as well get on the unpredictable beast. Baranor pushes on my foot as I pull on the horses’s mane. A second later, I’m sat firmly on the animal, Baranor in front of me. I look down to see how high up I am—a clear mistake, especially given the dizziness that hasn’t quite receded—and immediately wrap my arms around Baranor’s stomach. It’s difficult, given the armor he wears, but I manage, seeing as it gives me extra insurance that I won’t go tumbling to the ground.

“Get my attention if you feel faint,” he murmurs, taking the reins in his hands. “There is a canteen of water near your right foot if you get thirsty.”

And, before I can contemplate if I have the core strength to reach for the water and stay on the horse, we’re off, racing along the riverbank and leaving behind any chance I have of turning back.

A/n Thanks for reading! As always, comments, likes, and reblogs are so appreciated. Let me know if you would like a tag! See you on Thursday with Chapter Two :)

|next part - to be posted|

|masterlist|

Tolkien tag list: @anangelwhodidntfall @eru-vande

Double Heart tag list: @lainphotography @fangirl-nonsense @themerriweathermage @thophil2941btw

**Strikethrough means Tumblr wouldn’t let me tag you -- check your settings! 

[eldamaranquendi]

SILMARILLION by  ArlenianChronicles (full project)

1.  I've started a new project, as you can see! I was inspired by my Beren and Luthien project to illustrate the whole Silmarillion XD It's going to be a heck of a while before it's done, but I hope you guys enjoy following along on the journey! So here we have part 1 of my Silmarillion project. First is the Ainulindale, featuring Eru Iluvatar, the Ainur, the creation of Arda, and the standoff between Manwe and Melkor for the dominion of Arda.

2.  The second part of my Silmarillion project, Valaquenta. Here are the top three Valar, Manwe, Ulmo, and Aule; the top three Valier, Varda, Yavanna, and Nienna; their Maiar, Eonwe, Ilmare, and Olorin; and the Enemies, Melkor and Sauron.

3.  The third part of my Silmarillion project, chapters 1 to 4! I'll be posting one part each instead of two at a time from now on XD This part features the Two Trees, Laurelin and Telperion; Aule and Yavanna creating the Dwarves and Ents; five of the first Elves, Elwe (Thingol), Olwe, Finwe, Ingwe, and Nowe (Cirdan); and the lovers, Thingol and Melian. Phew, lots of Elves to draw! Also, some Tolkien fans might notice that Elmo and Lenwe are missing from the drawing of the Elves that awoke at Cuivienen. That's because I forgot, and then there wasn't enough space!

4.  The fourth part of my Silmarillion project, chapters 5 to 8, featuring King Finwe of the Noldor, High King Ingwe of the Vanyar (and all Elves in Valinor, and King Olwe of the Teleri; Feanor and Melkor, representing two events of the chapter; Feanor and the Silmarils, and the destruction of the Two Trees by Ungoliant and Melkor.

5.  The fifth part of my Silmarillion project, chapters 9 to 12, featuring a bloody Fëanor after having fought the Teleri Elves; Melian creating the Girdle (magical barrier) around the realm of Doriath; the Maiar Arien and Tilion holding the last fruit and flower Laurelin and Telperion (all respectively lol); and a family of the first Edain (mortal men).

6.  MASSIVE CREDITS TO CHRISTOPHER TOLKIEN FOR THE ILLUSTRATION OF THE MAP OF BELERIAND. My copy of the Silmarillion has a map, which I scanned and traced over in Paint Tool SAI so that it'd be high res. Tracing all those words was what took me so long! The sixth part of my Silmarillion project, chapters 13 to 16, featuring Feanor fighting balrogs (not shown lol), and Fingolfin crossing the Grinding Ice; the Map of Beleriand; Melian attempting to learn more from Galadriel about why the Noldor left Aman; and Maeglin and Aredhel escaping Nan Elmoth (his birth home). On the map, the words in red are the names of the lands, and the pale words are the Elven lords (and lady) ruling over hose lands. So for example, Thingol and Melian are presiding over Doriath, and Caranthir is presiding over Thargelion.

7.  The seventh part of my Silmarillion project, chapters 17 to 20, featuring Finrod's meeting with the Edain; Fingolfin and Morgoth during the Dagor Bragollach; Beren, Luthien, and Huan, with Beren's severed hand holding a Silmaril; and Fingon surrounded by balrog whips during the Fifth Battle. Originally, the Silmaril in Beren and Luthien's illustration was supposed to have a horizontal line to complete the geometric effect, but since it cut across their faces, I had to take it out. Also, I know that Finrod's meeting with the Edain technically took place in the middle of the night, but I have a lot of nighttime backgrounds in these illustrations already, so I wanted to do a dawn-like background!

8.  The eighth part of my Silmarillion project, chapters 21 to 24, featuring Turin, Nienor, and Beleg, with the sword Anglachel; Melian and the death of Thingol, along with the Feanorian banner (to represent the Second Kinslaying); Tuor, Idril, and Earendil, along with a dragon climbing the King's Tower in Gondolin; and Earendil and Elwing with the Silmaril, while their sons Elrond and Elros are taken by Maedhros and Maglor in the Third Kinslaying. The stories of Turin Turambar and the Fall of Gondolin are large stories, so I decided to go with portraits of the main characters, especially with Turin's chapter. I feel like I could've done something a bit more creative with the Fall of Gondolin, but I'm pleased with this one nevertheless XD Also, I'm really happy I managed to squeeze in my favourite Tolkien family -- Maedhros and Maglor with Elrond and Elros hahahahaa (If only showing their hands lol) This part concludes the Quenta Silmarillion, which I forgot to mention began at chapter 1. There are now two parts left in the Silmarillion to illustrate!

9.  The ninth part of my Silmarillion project, Akallabeth, featuring the Door of Night through which Morgoth is banished; Elrond Halfelven, his twin Elros Tar-Minyatur -- who is crowned the first king of Numenor -- and Nimloth, the White Tree of Numenor; Sauron in the guise of Tar-Mairon, councillor to the last king of Numenor, Ar-Pharazon; and Manwe with Iluvatar, the latter of which sends great waves to destroy Numenor. So I was looking back at part 8 of my project, and I have to say that the illustrations for Turin Turambar and the Fall of Gondolin are the ones that I am least satisfied with. I mean, I wish I had added a few more beakers around the King's Chemistry Beaker of Gondolin (cuz it looks like one, the way I drew it lol), to make it look more like a city XD So I hope this part makes up for that, at least with regards to visual interest Just one more part left to go!!

10.  The tenth and final part of my Silmarillion project, Of the Rings of Power and the Third Age, featuring Celebrimbor and Annatar (another of Sauron's forms) crafting the rings of power; two of the Istari, Saruman and Gandalf (there are three others, not just these two lol), and the Eye of Sauron; Samwise Gamgee carrying Frodo Baggins up Mt. Doom to destroy the One Ring; and the last (but not really the last XD) white ship sailing into the West. So we've finally come to the end! I want to thank all of you for sticking with me and supporting me through this big project! It took two months -- from June 10 to August 12 -- to finish! I'm very proud of my work, and also relieved that I was able to finish it, in a way XD I'm so happy that I was able to share this project with you all! I learned quite a bit about composition and lightning and shading in this project. For any who were wondering, I think my favourite illustrations out of them all are parts 4 and 7. I especially like how I drew the light of the Silmarils in those ones XD I feel like I could've done better on part 8, but I still like that one  If you like, let me know which ones you liked the most! I would love to hear your feedback!   Now is the time for a little break, in which I will finish up some other things. Then I can announce the next project that I've planned (which will hopefully be soon lol)!

[eldamaranquendi]

Ainulindale by  ArlenianChronicles

“I've started a new project, as you can see! I was inspired by my Beren and Luthien project to illustrate the whole Silmarillion XD It's going to be a heck of a while before it's done, but I hope you guys enjoy following along on the journey! So here we have part 1 of my Silmarillion project. First is the Ainulindale, featuring Eru Iluvatar, the Ainur, the creation of Arda, and the standoff between Manwe and Melkor for the dominion of Arda.”

“ The second part of my Silmarillion project, Valaquenta. Here are the top three Valar, Manwe, Ulmo, and Aule; the top three Valier, Varda, Yavanna, and Nienna; their Maiar, Eonwe, Ilmare, and Olorin; and the Enemies, Melkor and Sauron. “