Literary Inspiration - Dragons

Last week literary inspiration was an artist's work as referenced in the novel The Calder game. 

This week it is a favourite mythical creature, the dragon. Dragons are a part of many cultures around the world and are featured in a variety of great fantasy novels.

Christopher Paolini has a quartet of books about dragons and their riders. In the first book we meet Saphira, a blue dragon.

Cover of Eragon, showing Saphira

Using some dichroic, and metallic blue beads I created this version of Julia Pretl's dragon box to represent Saphira.

Saphira Box

Having completed Saphira, I decided to create a box inspired by another favourite dragon, Smaug, from The Hobbit. Smaug is described as being crusted with gems and fragments of gold from his hoard.

Smaug as illustrated by J.R.R. Tolkien

To bring the luster of the gold I used gold plated delicas. The finial on the top of the box represent the Arkenstone, a treasured jewel of the Dwarf Kingdom stolen by Smaug.

Smaug box

In total I have completed three dragon boxes. I hope to do more in the future including Glaedr, a golden dragon, Thorn, a red dragon and Fírnen, a green dragon.
 

Show and Tell night @ Toronto Bead Society

Last night was the first Toronto Bead Society meeting of 2011. We had a show and tell night. I took in my collection of boxes inspired by various things. Here is my display of boxes and inspiration sources.

My sources of inspirations included to following -

Margie Deeb's book The Beader's color palette for the Sea Anenome Boxes.

The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien and Eargon by Christopher Paolini for two of my dragon boxes.

Lampwork beads from glass artist Elly Peters.

Lampwork beads from glass artist Amy Waldman Smith. Watch for a complete post about this series soon.

 

Of course the starting inspiration for all of my boxes is Julia Pretl's book Little bead boxes.

Thanks to fellow members who also shared their beadwork. Also for all those who admired the work on display I hope that you were as inspired and amazed as I was.

Smaug box - Completed!

It is finally finished. It almost didn't get done as I broke multiple beads and needles just trying to get the lid done.

The large faceted bead on top is represents the Arkenston. The silver background represents mithril.

Here are all three dragon boxes. I hope to do more in the series, but I am going to go back to work on other works in progress.

Smaug progress report

Over a year ago I was rereading The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien and was inspired to make a Smaug dragon box. By the fall I had finally decided on the colours I would use to represent Smaug and mithril,

I started the box. It got put aside to as I worked on other projects. I picked it back up to finish it so that I could enter it to be in the next TBS calendar.

I have finished the body of the box and only need to do the lid. I hope to have the lid finished by the weekend.

Beadwork - Smaug progress

I have finished the bottom of my Smaug dragon box. I am really pleased with the colours that I have finally selected. I have photographed the bottom on the original Tolkien illustration for comparison.

Now it is on to the sides to see the dragon really take shape.

Beadwork - Inspiration

I am rereading The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien (it was just issued in ebook format). On the bus this morning I read the passage where Bilbo sees Smaug for the very first time. He describes him as "a vast red-golden dragon".

I am inspired to make a third dragon box using reds and golds on a black, grey or stone coloured background.

My first dragon box was using colours similar to the ones used in the Julia Pretl's book. My second was inspired by Saphira, the dragon in Eragon by Christopher Paolini.

I will look at my delicas tonight to chose the colours. I know that I have a 24 kt gold plated delica that I can use.

Beadwork - Dragon Box

I finished my dragon box. I have decided not to put feet on this box. I have added a small square lampwork bead on the lid as a finial. I am pleased with the way it turned out.

I did some other beadwork this weekend. One is a piece for a kit cover for Rypan Designs, the other two were colour samples for display in the booth at shows.

Beadwork - Dragon Box in progress

It's official I am hooked on making these amazing boxes. I have started the dragon box from Julia Pretl's Little Bead Boxes. I have chosen a few different colours based on what I had in my delica drawer.

Here is the bottom.

I spent a good part of Tuesday finishing the bottom and getting half way up the sides.

I am planning to make another dragon box in blues in honour of my favourite dragon character, Saphira in Eragon. I have some beautiful dichronic blue Aikos that will look amazing.