{art} Pretty Knave's Nuncle, for untold_legends

[altocello]

Title: Pretty Knave's Nuncle
Creator: altocello
Type: fanart
Pairing: Gen or Colin/Richard depending on how you want to interpret it
Rating: G
Warnings/Content: Half naked Colin probably deserves a warning, otherwise there's not much to say.
Summary: Colin and Richard are starring as the Fool and Lear in King Lear; the intense relationship between the characters spills over into real life.
Notes: I owe so much to the amazing beta work by amphigoury and alby_mangroves, without whom this would be so much the poorer. Thanks are also due to my cheerleaders in the faithful #gsd_merlin chat, with a special shout out to k_nightfox and rocknvaughn, for always being enthusiastic about this piece, even when things were really not right with it. Thanks guys, you win all the things for always being so awesome! *hugs*

In doing my research I managed to find a recording of Ian McKellan as King Lear and Sylvester McCoy as the Fool, and what struck me was how very physically close they played the characters. They kiss, they touch, they are completely open to each other. Of course, Shakespeare wrote the Fool as being the one person who can call Lear out when he lies to himself, so the effect of the emotional honesty when coupled with the physical intimacy was astonishing. I know Richard and Colin would make their own choices as actors, but I have to think that neither one of them would shy away from portraying that connection. As soon as I saw the prompt, I knew that I wanted to draw that bleeding into real life between Colin and Richard. You can read as near or far into that as you wish, be it that they are merely very close friends or lovers.

The title is based on the manner in which King Lear and the Fool address each other when they see each other in Act I Scene IV; Lear refers to the Fool as "my pretty knave," and the Fool calls Lear "nuncle."

Drawn with GIMP on a Mac.

Disclaimer: This is a non-profit fanwork; no harm intended, no money made.



Links: AO3 | LJ | DA

**DO NOT REPOST WITHOUT MY EXPLICIT PERMISSION**
Recs pointing to this post, kudos, and comments are all adored, thank you!

Comments

[amphigoury.livejournal.com]

Well done, Cello!!! I love the outfits! I'm still amazed how you get the clothing textures in there! I can FEEL THE FUZZ!

AWESOME!!!

[altocello.livejournal.com]

Thanks, Amph! I wouldn't be nearly as good without you and Alby poking at me when I go astray. <3 The soft texture is all about using those soft edged brushes with the airbrush tool and the smudger. I love the smudger! :D

[zairaalbereo.livejournal.com]

I love your Richard/Gaius, how you get his face with all its layers of a life lived. The pose is *beautiful* and omg I might start drooling looking at Colin's naked torso! Just AMAZING, bb!! <3

[mrs-leary.livejournal.com]

You utterly amaze me, my darling. I adore you! ♥

[bunnysworld.livejournal.com]

OMG, I love this! *flails in 27 different directions*
Where do I even start? *flails some more* Their expressions! Richard's beautiful face! Colin's torso and...hair on his forearm!!!!! *goes to the corner and flails quietly* (does that even work?)

[rocknvaughn.livejournal.com]

It came out amazing! *flails*

The sharpness and life in Richard's eyes is fantastic. I'm always amazed when people can do that in a painting.

And you did an amazing job with Colin's sculpted face and torso, but I especially love the tender look on Colin's face and the comforting hand on Richard's head.... *sighs with pleasure*

Oh, and I forgot to mention the HAIR! *Kermit flails* God, I want to run my hand through that, it looks so real.

And can you tell I thought this art was amazing cuz I only used that word like seventeen times? *blush*

[k-nightfox.livejournal.com]

Cello my dear, this was exquisitely done! I remember when this was literally two small ovals on top of a couple of larger ovals-and I already loved it because I adore the pose you've imagined for Richard and Colin.

If I've said it once, or a thousand times, it bears repeating-NO ONE does MUSCLES like you!! Gorgeous! Your Colin-I still want to reach into the screen and molest him! Skin and hair and the intensely tender expression on his face. Fingers! Cheekbone! Eyebrow! Jawline and Ear! It's all amazingly beautiful and all so very Colin!

Richard-what can I say-you got him down perfectly! The light in his eyes and every wrinkle on his distinctive face-perfect. Also going to agree with Amph about the way you draw clothing & fabric. Looks like you could stroke the screen and feel the softness of Richard's sweater and the worn fabric of Colin's jeans.

Also, the way you've transferred so effortlessly to a new medium is more than amazing-it seems there is no medium you cannot master! Thank you so much for letting me watch this being created pretty much from the beginning, right through to the end. Both an honor and a privilege for me!

[digthewriter]

That's amazing.

I love your talent. Love this image. <3

[altocello.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much, Z! I love your way of describing the character in Richard's face, "all it's layers of a life lived," because that's exactly it, that's what I see when I'm drawing him-- all those adventures and joys and sorrows, etched into his face. Half naked Colin is also fun to draw, but for entirely different reasons. It's been pointed out a few times recently that there simply is not enough bare chested Colin out there; maybe I'm subconsciously trying to correct that, lol. :D

[altocello.livejournal.com]

Thank you! {{hugs}} The feeling is entirely mutual! <3

[altocello.livejournal.com]

Thanks so much, Bunny! Don't hit any sharp corners, but I'm glad to know this made you flail! <3

[altocello.livejournal.com]

{{HUGS}} Thank you, Rockn! Eyes can tell so many stories, I'm glad you like the way I drew Richard's! I *almost* put Colin in a shirt, but figured that 1) there's not enough shirtless!Colin in the world, and 2) it adds a whole 'nother layer to have him shirtless while Richard is dressed (interpret to your heart's content, or not, lol, as you wish :D). And I'm learning to love drawing hair in GIMP. It's so much easier with the tablet! *hugs*

[altocello.livejournal.com]

{{hugs you}} Thank you so much for letting me spam you with the ovals on top of ovals; I was so excited to finally have a sketch of the pose! And thank you so much for sharing all the things that caught your eye, I LOVE the virtual tour I get of how your eye travels around the page! You know how much I adore these two men, so I'm tickled pink to hear that the likenesses work so well. And I will confess to being *that* person who walks through the clothing store petting all the clothes to enjoy their textures. :D

And d'awww, you're too kind. I wouldn't say I've mastered it, but it's a good start! I had done a few digital pieces before these, but only had a mouse (or, shudder, a trackpad, man that's hard on the hands!); having the digital drawing tablet and an actual stylus is like being able to paint with a brush again after fingerpainting, lol, it's SO MUCH EASIER. Plus all the digital voodoo I've picked up from Amph over time has helped too. :D

Thank you so much for being there for me to share this with at odd hours and through all of it's odd ugly duckling phases! If it's turned into a swan, you were definitely part of the reason it did so! <3

[altocello.livejournal.com]

Thank you very much! <3

[thalialunacy.livejournal.com]

holy cats that's gorgeous. well played <3

[disco-mouse.livejournal.com]

Lovely work 'Cello.

[altocello.livejournal.com]

Thanks so much, Thalia, glad you liked it! <3

[altocello.livejournal.com]

Thank you very much, Mice! *hugs*