#challenge 125

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Challenge 125: European Folklore: Rhiannon

This is my interpretation of the goddess/queen Rhiannon from Welsh mythology. According to legend she appeared to the man she wished to marry wearing a golden robe and riding a white horse. When he tried to follow her he found he couldn’t catch her; despite her horse never moving faster than a trot, she remained unattainable...until he thought to ask her to stop.

I wanted to challenge myself with subject matter I never paint (horses, people), and also to try a traditional (mostly) watercolor painting for the first time since undergrad. My stylistic approach to this illustration was inspired greatly by Alan Lee, with a little appearance by Klimt.

James

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Challenge 125: European Folklore: Samhain I learned about the Gaelic precursor to Halloween, Samhain, this week, and was inspired to do an illustration relating to that. Samhain did begin the tradition of bonfires, door-to-door costume visits and offerings to the dead, but it was also about harvest, and entering the “darker half” of the year. The offerings were often of apples and nuts, and were meant to ensure healthy livestock through the winter.

I also read about the Aos Sí (fairies) who caused hardship if they weren’t appeased, and that led me to the Cat sìth. The people in the Scottish Highlands believed the Cat sìth would steal a person’s soul before it reached the gods. On Samhain, people would leave out a saucer of milk for it, and if they didn’t their cows’ milk would dry up. This “Cat Fairy” is black with a white spot on it’s chest.

I know we’re past Halloween now, but I just loved the fall imagery and by coincidence, ran into that amazing cat story along the way.  Caitlin

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Challenge 125: European Folklore: The Three Hare Trinity

The three hares (or three rabbits) is a circular motif appearing in sacred sites from the Middle and Far East to the churches of Devon, England (as the "Tinners' Rabbits"),and historical synagogues in Europe. The symbol features three hares or rabbits chasing each other in a circle. Like the triskelion, the triquetra, and their antecedents (ex. the triple spiral), the symbol of the three hares has a threefold rotational symmetry. Each of the ears is shared by two hares, so that only three ears are shown. Although its meaning is apparently not explained in contemporary written sources from any of the medieval cultures where it is found, it is thought to have a range of symbolic or mystical associations with fertility, prosperous luck, and the lunar cycle. It is also a used as the symbol of the Holy Trinity. I chose this symbolism since it evidently appears in many different cultures and I love how designs like these unify so many of them. I’m also a crazy bunny lady and 1/2 Scottish!  

i decided to do a wood burning piece for this challenge. It's the first time I’m wood burning digitally after doing it so many years in high school traditionally. I miss this medium soooo much, and I wanted to honor it and the history of this subject with this technique for the last post of 2019! See you next year folks!! 

<3 

-Tina

Tina’s Etsy Shop

Tina’s Website

Tina’s Instagram

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Challenge 125: European Folklore : Samodivas

Samodivas are the ladies of the woods, preying on the weakness of men. Among the Pirin Mountains of Bulgaria this particular Samodiva is enjoying her latest victim. I’m so happy with how this piece evolved! It’s one of the biggest pieces I’ve done in a while, over 2 feet on a watercolor panel. Brush pen and microns. While I love the lady, my favorite part is actually her stag and myconid friends.

- Natasha 

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Challenge 125: European Folklore: Hippocampus The hippocampus is sea beast from ancient Greek, Phoenician, Roman and Pictish mythology, whose front half resembles a horse and back half resembles a fish. They are said to have pulled Poseidon’s chariots, and they show up in sculptures and mosaics. Here’s my interpretation- essentially a mer-horse! -Sayada

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Challenge 125: European Folklore: Alsvinder Moonlight Tea

For my piece I decided to do a logo design for a sleepy tea brand.  In Norse mythology, Alsvinder is the name of one of the horses that pulls the moon’s chariot, so therefore he also brings the sleepy times.  I had so much fun researching norse mythology for this one!

Stephanie Crane Illustration facebook tumblr insta

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Challenge 125: European Folklore : The Princess and the Pea

The classic Hans Christian Andersen tale from Denmark, The Princess and the Pea. A tale about a woman who’s royal status is determined by her sensitive to a mere pea amongst many a mattress. Giving it a more modernized feel to a sleepless night, with hair curlers and bags under her eyes. Thank goodness we have coffee nowadays.

Emily McA

Instagram

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Challenge 125: European Folklore: Garden Gnome

I had a bit of option paralysis with this challenge. So many cool ideas and stories to illustrate. I ended up going with something more simple. I decided this would be a good piece to try out the “wiggle gif” as I like to call it.

-S.E. Bloom (Instagram)