"Beowulf III : Beowulf wrestles Grendel" by Magnus Pharao Hansen

If one of your Beowulf pictures doesn't get Moderators choice, I'll be extremely unhappy.

Excellent use of colour and exceptional shading. In your 2nd piece, you can really see the brush strokes, which isn't a bad thing, but you may want to tone it down so that the viewer isn't completely drawn out of the story (painterly is the technical term. Used to make people realize that it's not supposed to be real, it's just a painting).

This piece, however, is my second favorite of the three and a close tie with first, that being the house (I can't help but love the Grendel slowly lurking up behind the hapless victims). Your anatomy is awesome as well. This fight between Beowulf and Grendel really gives the sense that they're grappling in the middle of the night!

I don't know if you're going to continue this series by painting the celebratory feast and other fights of Beowulf but, if you have the time and inspiration, I think it'd be awesome.

Magnus Pharao Hansen replies: "Thank you very much. I agree with you comment on the second picture. It was a case of premature upload, I am in fact still working on it and when it is done I will replace this version. I will do the rest of the Beowulf story and I have already begun doing the next two as well. I can't wait till I get to the Dragon."

*first comment dance* Heh heh heh...we likes the creatures...( in other words, awesome pic )

I like the picture enough, but I want to point out something with the phrasing of your description. Beowulf wasn't forced to wrestle Grendel. He wanted bare hand combat because Grendel had no arms (weapons) and he wanted to prove how tough he was to his cousin. It's in the poem...

Magnus Pharao Hansen replies: "Now I don't know what poem you have been reading. But in my Beowulf (Seamus Heaney translation)there is no mention of Beowulf having a cousin or him wanting to impress him. Rather Grendel attacks Beowulf in his sleeps and as he was sleeping he was unarmed and so forced to wrestle him. When Beowulf thanes rush to defend him with their swords they find out that "no blade on earth, no blacksmiths art, could ever damage their demon opponent" However Grendls powers failed him and Beowulf ripped off his arm causing him to flee in to the marshes once more."

Very nice work of art. This is just my opinion, but if you look carefully, you can see the symbolysm of good vs. evil going on there... Beowulf kind of resembles Jesus Christ, and Grendel cuts a devilish figure into the night. Did you draw them like that for the symbolism, or did it turn out like that in the end?

By the way, great job.

Magnus Pharao Hansen replies: "Of course there is symbolism of good and evil in the picture, but since I am not my self a christian I have not tried to make any resemblances to biblical figures. I realise that the Beowulf poem does contain such references (stating that Grendel is of the kin of Cain) but I would rather try to eradicate christian influences form the poem and take it back to the prechristian form that is undoubtedly the original source of the story. "

I thought grendel was a DRAGON???????????

Magnus Pharao Hansen replies: "You thought wrong. Grendel is a kind of Trollish hellfiend monster that lives on the bottom of a lake with his mother. Beowulf does fight a dragon later in his life though and the picture of this fight is coming up soon."

All your Beowulf pix are beautiful. This one is no exception. I see you're very good at doing rather monochromatic drawings (well, not exactly monochromatic, but I think you get what I mean), especially with blue. I like Grendel's eyes a lot. Hmm, I found it curious that Beowulf's face isn't facing Grendel's. He looks as if he's looking to the side and avoiding Grendel's face on purpose. Was this done intentionally? Great job with the anatomy of the characters... and their muscles too. The lighting has been done masterfully. It really does look like pale moonlight shining into an otherwise dark room. Just one thing... maybe you should scan this picture again, because there is something that appears to be a fold line around the level of Grendel's chest. You would do more justice to the excellent picture, I feel, to try scanning it again to make the fold line less visible. And it also looks like you placed the picture in your scanner slightly more to the right because there is a thick black line visible along the left border of your picture. Excellent job overall. One of my favourite pix that you've drawn.

Oh yes...and Beowulf's strength is such that he prefers to fight without weapons as his blows are too strong for them...hence his shattered blade when he fights the dragon.
I also like the ble tinting...really seems as though moonlight is shining upon them. Very ominous!

Hi, just to give everyone some clarification, I am a 3rd year English lit student doing an intensive Beowulf course and I like this version very much. Perhaps Grendel could have been a little larger, but that would be my only criticism...I like the darkness of the picture as we never truely know what Grendel looks like. Very well done.

nice

wow I like. We just go done with Beowulf for my English class and now reading Grendal. It's basically Grendel teling his side of the story. Interesting I have to say but boring. love the art. Beowulf is a good story. Bye