Old Ships

[bunn]

Here is a thing I painted.

The boat at the top is based on the Sae Wylfing, a replica Anglo-Saxon ship, and the one at the bottom is based on the Draken Harald Harfagre, which is the world's biggest reconstruction viking ship. The decorations and patterns are mostly inspired by patterns from the Sutton Hoo treasure, although there is the odd thing - such as the sea-wyrm top left - that is from are from coins and other sources.  

All the shapes are either inspired by carvings or from metalwork: I didn't use any painted material as resources, because I was hoping to get a feeling of that simplified, 3-d feeling you get from carvings and jewellery.  Only in paint, because carving intertwined knots is such a headache.

Comments

[ningloreth.livejournal.com]

You've found the perfect subject! I love the way you've done the sea, and I love the glow surrounding lower ship and gilding the waves.

[bunn.livejournal.com]

Ways to avoid having to paint faces: 22, people in silhouette against a bright sky... :-D

[alitheapipkin.livejournal.com]

That's wonderful, I particularly love the sea in the middle section :)

[bunn.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

[ladyofastolat.livejournal.com]

Ooh, lovely! I love the creatures who appear all ghostly in the sea and the sky (though that fish-thing in the pale patch half way up on the right looks most worried to be there, poor thing.) I love the frame, too, which really suits it.

[bunn.livejournal.com]

Yeah, that thing was based on my vague memory of this figurehead, but I didn't look at the reference again, and he looks totally different with his mouth closed!

[puddleshark.livejournal.com]

Oh, I love that - the blend of sea and Viking motif... There's a real feel of sailing into adventure.

[puddleshark.livejournal.com]

And sorry - I seem to be posting all my comments twice at present. Not sure how I'm managing that...

[bunn.livejournal.com]

I put it down to LJ Is Being Weird Again...

[bunn.livejournal.com]

I think I was originally aiming for something a bit more menacing, and it's come out a tad jolly. Oh well!

[huinare.livejournal.com]

Ooh, very nice. I love the contrast of warm and steely colors.

[bunn.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

[seascribe.livejournal.com]

This is lovely! Would definitely hang it on my wall.

[sally_maria]

I love it - just the right combination of realistic and stylised designs. :-)

[bunn.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

[wellinghall.livejournal.com]

Wow. That's very good.

[bunn.livejournal.com]

I can pick 99999 holes in it if I look at it too hard, but I think that none of them overwhelm the overall effect. Part of me says that the patterns are too loose and imprecise, but then the other part says that it looks more spontaneous that way.

[timetiger.livejournal.com]

A magical adventure beckons. I could look at this for a long time.

[bunn.livejournal.com]

Oh good! I'm really pleased that you thought it had a depth of interest.