"Palantir" by Danny Staten

Nice job! I love how you've depicted the Hobbit's expression... it's perfect!!! ^_^ SO much emotion there... And I like how you've maintained unique pictures of the characters in your mind, and have not been completely won over by the movie versions. One thing I think you could have done a little different... I'd imagine that Sauron's eyes would be more evil looking. As they are, they remind me more of Gollum than they do of the Dark Lord. Ah well, but it's good! The sphere is very believeable, with the minute exception of the upturning around the edges that someone else mentioned before me. (A very minor detail, don't worry about it. Doesn't detract at all from the image, and in fact, makes it somewhat clearer!) The pose and reflection are perfect! Excellent work! ^_^

~ Jamberry ~
(Woah! lol, sorry about the essay there... ;D )

Danny Staten replies: "Thanks for the comment. Glad you like the piece. I agree with you on the eyes. Were I to redo this painting (which I may do some day) I would do Sauron's form quite differently, but it was a fun excercise when I did it."

Great pic but I have to say that Sauron doesn't quite look evil enough to me. The eyes are too rounded, he looks like a cute little puppy dog. I can't believe I feel like patting Sauron! But anyways great work.

Danny Staten replies: "Thanks for the comment. I agree on the eyes, but that is one of the things about art. Hindsight sees what you don't at the moment you finish. "

leaves me speechless........... I luv the detail in the eyes.

Danny Staten replies: "Thanks for another comment. Glad you like the painting."

This is an absolutely awesome pic- I stared at it for some time and it actually seemed that the eyes moved and that the reflections in the Palantir changed- weird. Anyway- great job- I am really enjoying all your art.

Danny Staten replies: "Thanks for the comment. What you didn't know is that this is really a very slowly animated gif. Just kidding. Glad you like it though."

This is a cool picture.Pippin looks exactly like his personality,but dont they always say the EYE of sauron?

Danny Staten replies: "Glad you likeit. I actually beleive that this is a different event than the eye. Pippin says "then he came." I have always beleived that the Eye of Sauron is something that Sauron conjures and has become the most dreadful symbol of his power. However it is well within the realm of valid interpetations to say that Sauron was not actually embodied in the eye. Pippin says he saw Sauron, not his eye. Gollum mentions Sauron's nine terrible fingers. That could be an allusion to the wraiths or it could be considered to mean that Sauron personally interrogated Gollum. That doesn't seem like too much of a stretch seeing how important it would be to Sauron to get all he could out of the one who discovered and bore his ring for centuries."

The pic is very good but I've got a bit of a different take and the nine fingers thing. I think he's got nine fingers because Isildur chopped one off along with The Ring.(I've got the One Ring on my finger now!) But it's true that he could have nin fingers representing the Ringwraiths. . .

Danny Staten replies: "Actually I must have miscommunicated because I meant to use Gollumns talking of the nine fingers as evidence that Sauron had somewhat of a human form and that the eye was a creation of his power and a symbol of his pervasive vision. So I think we are on a similar view on that. Thanks for the comment."

Ooeerr... cool! Reminds me of Jupiter in his glass ball thingy from the Deptford Mice (now WHY hasn't anybody read those books?)

Danny Staten replies: "Sorry I haven't read those books either so I don't know what you are refering too."

I always imagined Sauron as a disembodied spirit (no physical form that is), and that the "thing" that fought on the battlefield was only his incorporation. A human-like creature out of pure darkness, and caotic, drownig, burning smoke-like substance.

Danny Staten replies: "Nice to hear your different ideas. This isn't how I imagined Sauron actually, it is just how it happened for this piece. "

I love this part of the book because I think Pippin really grows after his encounter with the Palantir. It gave him a real look at the reality of the situation. That Sauron is real and could hurt someone really badly. He then fights with all his hobbit might to protect those he cares about. thank you for doing this picture.

Danny Staten replies: "Thanks for the comment. I think that before the movies, this part is often forgotten about but it is very significant. I like the idea, but Sauron came off very different than I would have liked, and the picture suffers from excessive airbrush tool. It is a fun one and was a very good learning and growing experience for me when I did it."

Running out of time, so all I'll say is "Sweet!". Excellent expression on Pippin's face and the eyes (not eye) are truly scary!