Maybe you already know, I've started video series in which I read poetry. Last episode was dedicated to the great poet John Keats and one of his poems: La Belle Dame Sans Merci; a melancholy text that resonates profoundly with me.
I usually read all the poems in front of the camera but this time I decided to create an illustration esspecially for the case. Click to see the video.
Тhe poem can be divided into three parts. 1.Тhe protagonist is near a cold lake and he is feelling "alone and pale". 2. He falls in love with a beautiful woman with "wild, wild eyes" and there is intense feeling of deep affection between them. 3. The protagonist wakes up in the same cold place where "no birds sing" but now it's even worse - he feels in doubts and close to dead. In the center of the story is La Belle Dame Sans Merci (the beautiful lady without mercy). She is crying on his shoulders, singing for him, take him in her "elfin grot", feeding him with honey, helping him rest. * It surprises me how easy now is to retell the poem. A matter of fact – I was processing this information more than a week. It was like I`m peeling layers and layers of meaning. Let's start with my first step in the process of drawing.
Step 1: Composition
In the beginning, I was convinced that only through the interaction between the progonist and his beloved could be revealed a rich palette of human emotions like sadness, love, fear, loneliness, ecstasy, doubt, asmr. My early plan was to make a geometrical scheme that includes two ellipses attached to each other and all figures to be arranged on that platform - one elipse for the female character and one for the male character.
The first сombinaton of figures: On the bottom of the two circles, where they are crossing, I`ve painted a man who is sleeping blissfully in the arms of his beloved.
The second combination: In the center of the canvas (digital canvas in my case) - he puts wreath upon woman's head like sign of affection.
The third combination: placed on top of the previous figures.
They kiss each other.
The fourth combination: on the top of the two opposite corners.
The couple is separated.
This plan seemed to be fantastic before I realised that with so many figures on the stage - it would be confusing.
So everything untill now is useless? Yes...and no! Definitely - no! Do you remember the article about finding your style in art? It was about how making mistakes leads you to the right answer. And something more important, converting an idea into a reality makes you improve your skills dramatically! So here we are. Ready to start the essential part.
I will lead you in that journey in the next part of the article where you can see step by step developing the illustration about La Belle Dame Sans Merci.
See you next time!
Best,