Help from the Master Illustrator

Writers: Emma, Vanessa T Sommerfeld
Date Posted: 7th January 2008

Characters: Benar, Thanja
Description: Benar gets some advice from his Hallsecond
Location: Harper Hall
Date: month 7, day 24 of Turn 4

"Journeyman," began the Hallsecond as she stopped by the table at which the man was sketching something. Benar jumped and looked up. "Hallsecond?" Suddenly he was a bit self-conscious of his work. "That's an interesting sketch," commented the Hallsecond.

He cleared his throat. "Thank you." Although he wasn't sure it was a compliment. "It's still pretty rough at the moment." Hoping that any flaws that her trained eye would see could be chalked up to it being a rough draft. "Of course, I'd welcome a critique from a master illustrator such as yourself." "This isn't the finished work I take it?" asked Thanja as she studied the technique he'd used. He couldn't help but blush. "Oh, no. Far from it. I have the earlier drafts here." He dug for them and placed them above the draft she was examining.
"But I still have a way to go before it's finished."

The development of the image was very clear, the first sketch lacked something about the definition, but on it's journey to becoming an illustration it was clear that backdrops were being filled in, the use of light and shading improved as well. "You've caught that well," she said pointing to the dragon's wing. "It can be hard to show sometimes." He nodded. "Thank you." He sighed, relieved that she had found something positive in the drawing. However, he knew where his weakness lay and decided to say it himself so that she would know he was aware of it and working on it. "I'm still not happy with the talons." He frowned. "I've never been close enough to get a good look at them."

"Hmmm," she looked at it closer. They weren't quite right, but then an idea came to her. "They can be difficult to sketch, if you can't see them properly, but I have an idea that might help." She closed her eyes for a minute, feeling with her mind to call her little blue flit. A moment later, and Plumage was there, chittering at her. He eventually settled on her shoulder. "Go sit on that desk," she told him. "This is Plumage," said the Hallsecond with a smile. "His talons are very similar, and he might let you look at them." Benar grinned. "Brilliant! Thank you." He feverishly set to reworking the angles and curves to more accurately depict the creature's talons. When he finished, he looked to his superior. "How's that?"

"Much better, although you might want to consider adding some shading here," and she pointed to where she meant, "To indicate the play of light on your original subject."

"Of course," Benar added some shading to the indicated area. "Thank you.
You know, you are one of the reasons I wanted to be assigned here. I've admired your illustrations for a long time, especially the ones on dragonhealing techniques. I would really like to work with the dragonhealers some day to help pass on the vital information they are learning about how to heal Threadscore and burns."

"You might want to ask at the Dragonhealer's Infirmary at the Weyr itself if any of them will let you observe them treating routine injuries,"
suggested Thanja. "I'm sure they'll be most obliging." "I'll do that. Thank you. Are you still doing any work in the field?"

"Very little these days, butI try to keep a few candlemarks a sevenday for something other than hidework." "That's a shame. Don't you miss it?" Benar couldn't imagine only spending a limited time drawing.

"There are other things that will fill your time if you ever reach your Mastery," explained Thanja. "Teaching, supervising projects, class administration for starters."

"Right, of course." Benar silently questioned his quest for his Master's knots. His personal pride drove him to pursue his craft to its ultimate level. But, the more he saw of a Master's job, the less he was sure he wanted it. He wanted to be an artist, not a teacher/supervisor/administrator.

"Other Masters choose to specialise in producing very specific works,"
continued Thanja. "You'll make your own niche in the Hall as and when that time comes." He grinned, appreciating that she had read his thoughts so accurately.
"Thank you, Hallsecond Thanja. I'll keep that in mind." "I'd like to see that when it's finished," she said. "Drop by my office and show me." "Yes ma'am." Benar silently vowed to make sure it was perfect before showing it to Master Thanja again.

Last updated on the January 12th 2008

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