Sith Do It Better

...but if I choose the darkness instead?

[reizen-art]

Feanor. after Battle under Stars.

[palindroned]

[lenoreamidala]

the viscount is home now, is he not? indeed. with my new sister.

[selinay017]

[bookshelfdreams]

something about victor standing under the gallows, evaluating the men about to be hanged for their usefulness in his experiments. something about his disgust at their poor health, likely caused by the same conditions that led them to this very moment. disappointed that he will not be able to strip them for parts. something about him digging through the piles of corpses on a battlefield, and being annoyed that the brutality with which they were killed limits the usefulness of the bodies. something about his experiments being funded by war money. something about piles of bones in a landfill, body parts flushed down the drain. something about the casual disregard for life and personhood not just in how he treats the creature, but in everything he does to make him, too.

[sentrysvoid]

Frankenstein dir. Guillermo del Toro | 2025

[gratuacuunart]

"The Seven gathered again" for TRSB 2025

Inspired by the passage:

[...] but now hearing of the renewal of Doriath and of Dior's pride the seven gathered again from wandering, and they sent to him to claim their own. – The Silmarillion, Chapter 22, Of the Ruin of Doriath

This moment always hits me hard. It's the last time they meet, and it just gives me feels!

All of that and more is captured in the story to all things housed in silence by queerofthedagger! The depth of the story was so inspiring for me! Go read it!

To the process:

For this one, I mainly focused on color palette, design, and most importantly, the composition.

They're one family, so I imagine they all come in their family colors. However, a sea of red would look boring. Luckily, the family also wears a lot of gold! Mixing some green into it, we now have at least three colors we can use.

For the design, I wanted to play into their personalities: Maedhros always prepared for battle, Caranthir with extra jewels since he's rich, and the twins being hunters, wearing more simple and practical clothing.

And then there's composition. I wanted to make sure there's still a lot going on and the tension is high, with just them sitting around a table, talking.

Once all of this was decided, it's just painstakingly rendering all of it. :)

[gratuacuunart]

"Put a shirt on!" for TRSB 2025

Glorfinde's continued state of undress is becoming difficult to deal with for Erestor. Who can blame him?

This years TRSB has been a blast! The collab with quothhh was absolutely wonderful! They're the best partner I could have wished for! The tone of their writing is exactly what I had imagined! Our talks were always filled with joy and laughter! (Okay, mostly squeaking on my part about their writing!)

I can't wait to read the whole thing! Go and read it here! (link coming soon)

Here more to the art process: I've wanted to draw Glorf shirtless basically every day. Because why not?

This one mostly focuses on composition and lighting, keeping the details simple. Their body language is more important to me than design this time.

Once I had the outline, it was just carefully shading and rendering everything.

[curiouselleth]

Ruin of Barad Nimras

Art #160, for Tolkien Reverse Summer Bang 2025 - @tolkienrsb

I cannot wait for everyone to read the amazing fanfic that goes with this piece by @oopsbirdficced when the collection goes live!!!

Sculpture with craft wood, hot glue, wood glue, acrylic paint, metal, glass, found rocks, dried plants, and water.

[halethleia]

Mereth Aderthad an artwork for this year's @tolkienrsb, in collaboration with @sweetteaanddragons !

[silmalope]

Gil-Galad, Celebrían, who was she in true? for @tolkienrsb

Art by @silmalope (silmalope on AO3)

Fic by @aprilertuile (Aprilertuile on AO3)

Ratings: Rated G, Gen, No Archive Warnings Apply

Relationships: Celebrían/Elrond Peredhel

Characters: Elrond Peredhel, Bilbo Baggins, Erestor, Glorfindel, Celebrían

Word Count: 7,340

Summary: Bilbo in Rivendell has time to study history to his heart content. But something doesn't make sense. High-King Gil Galad. Legitimate high-king Gil Galad ... With no known parents written anywhere. So who was Gil Galad?

[silmalope]

The Holy & the Broken for @tolkienrsb

Art by @silmalope (silmalope on AO3)

Fic by @grundyscribbling (Grundy on AO3)

Ratings: Gen, Rated T, No Archive Warnings Apply

Relationships: Eärendil/Elwing, Dior Eluchíl & Elwing, Elwing & Melian, Elwing & the Silmaril

Characters: Elwing, Eärendil, Dior, Melian, Celeborn, Galadriel

Word Count: 6,312

Summary: The Silmaril has always been there. Elwing has never known life without it.

[vinyatar]

GOLD-CLEAVER (#162) Tolkien Reverse Summer Bang 2025 - @tolkienrsb

featuring a darker impression of Maglor, in collaboration with @ettelene, who masterfully portrays a harrowing journey through the First Age in the context of his perception of the Great Music (fic available now and linked below):

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

Summary by the author:

Maglor has always felt the pull of the Great Music more than most. When the Song changes, he struggles to follow its pace.

[darthrevaan]

"For suddenly above her far and faint her song was taken up, and a voice answering called to her. Maedhros it was that sang amid her torment. But Fingon climbed to the foot of the precipice where her kinswoman hung; and then she could go no farther, and she wept when she saw the cruel device of Morgoth..."

My fem!Russingon piece for Tolkien Summer Reverse Bang/ @tolkienrsb!

Soon to have a wonderful accompanying fic from @thatonetimetraveller - coming September 6th! Watch out for my reblog of this post with the link!

[darthrevaan]

And here is the link to the fabulous story by thatonetimetraveller! Please go check it out!!

[darthrevaan]

My second piece for Tolkien Reverse Summer Bang / @tolkienrsb - my imagining of a portrait of a crowned High Queen Celebrían!

Soon to have an accompanying fic from the wonderful kitkatkaylie! Watch out for my reblog with the link on September 6th!

[darthrevaan]

And here is the promised link to kitkatkaylie's amazing story!! Please go check it out!

[fiammagalathon]

The Blackglass Child

On the shores of Lake Helevorn during the days of the First Age, the love story of Haleth and Caranthir ends in tragedy with the death of their infant daughter. In the faraway future of the Seventh Age, an expedition led by Professor Haedi Thamas of Anor University uncovers the grave of the Blackglass Child, the first confirmed elven/human hybrid ever found.

This story by the wonderful @darthrevaan that broke my heart in the best way. If you enjoy archeology, tragic love stories, and Halentir, this one is for you.

A delightful, heartbreaking read.

27k words, MCD, rating M.

[lyragoth]

Melian, the Maia

"It is said that the nightingales learned their song from her. She walked in the twilight under the stars, and in Valinor she dwelt, filling the silence of the world before the dawn with her voice and the voices of her birds."

An honor to paint Melian for dear @micelilies. I was asked to depict her with long flowing hair, ethereal grace, and clad in blue or green. I hope I did justice to your vision. Looking forward to more art trades in the future!