Círdan Falben by Anérea

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Fanwork Notes

I might be stretching my Opposites Attract prompt a little (renowned-nameless):

Círdan was renowned for his dignified demeanour, gentle speech, and reserved manner. But it was little known that he indulged in a nameless wild sport that entailed riding huge waves on a small piece of shaped wood...

Fanwork Information

Description:

After living for hundreds, never mind thousands, of years by the sea there's no way that Círdan wasn't a) as brown as a berry, and b) didn't invent surfing.

Major Characters: Círdan, Elves, Falathrim

Major Relationships:

Genre: Adventure

Type: Character/Portrait, Drawing/Painting

Challenges: Opposites Attract

Rating: General

Warnings:

Posted on 18 February 2022 Updated on 22 May 2023

Círdan Falben

...in the buff, of course, because no self-respecting Teler would dream up something so absurd as swimming in clothes! And no fîn-fussiness for this ancient one either: I see Círdan with a gorgeous head of silver dreads. He's probably a few millennia younger here as his beard is not all that long.

Check out Raiyana's lovely sensual fic featuring Círdan Falben: Starlit Waves.

(Falben is my Sindarin for wave-rider.)

(This concept of Círdan was triggered by a comment by Gabriel (Gabriel_Seven) over at the Tolkien Short Fanworks, so thank you!)

click image to fit to screen

Cirdan Surfing

Thought this one might need a close up:

Cirdan Surfing Closeup

Comments

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Anérea has requested the following types of constructive criticism on this fanwork: Anatomy, Background, Color/Tone, Composition, Flow, Proportion, Shape/Line, Style, Technique, Texture. All constructive criticism must follow our diplomacy guidelines.

This is just stunning: the light on the water, the sense of motion in the figure and in the sea, and the wildness of that wave that you convey. My jaw is on the floor!

What a delightful comment, thank you! I'm glad you like his expression, I was wondering whether it was a bit intense. (His anatomy could do with a bit of work, but since this is the oddest pose I've painted yet by far, I've decided to just enjoy the rest!) 

Hmm, Ossë could well be watching, especially if it's it the Ossë from Ignoble Bard's fic I've linked to in my reply to Himring above... (A lovely story that I now I think about it went some way to inspiring this.)

Thank you! It was very fun to paint. (Definitely the oddest pose I've ever attempted and, despite having a photo reference, I owe huge thanks to my mom for her artistic sight and correcting my initial attempts.) Painting this wasn't quite as good as actually surfing, but since I was never able to surf such gnarley waves anyway, (naked or otherwise!) it was definitely the next best thing!

I have this scene in my head of Cirdan acting as everyone expects, being old and the lord of the Falas and yet in secret he surfs under the light of the full moon.

Yes, I'm starting to believe there are pieces to Cirdan's life we can't even begin to imagine. 

 

Oh yes! I love this idea. Making people think he's too old and noble (and dull!) so they don't invite him in the first place is so much easier than making excuses all the time to avoid all the boring events someone in his position would otherwise be expected to take part in. I'm falling in love with him more and more!

(ETA: Oh! To surf under the full moon! I'd be there with him in a shot. In the buff, of course; got to follow protocol.)

I love the movement and the light-struck water, and how intense Cirdan is, while also obviously in his element.