Thursday, November 22, 2012

Menolly

Menolly













Just in time to close out this Year of the Dragon, I've completed this illustration of one of my favorite childhood heroines: Menolly.

I have the fondest memories of Anne McCaffery's Dragon Rider's of Pern novels. I remember reading and rereading my father's yellowing dog-eared copies of the Harper Hall trilogy; the ones with the fantastic psychedelic covers by Elizabeth Malczynski. Elizabeth's artwork alone successfully imprinted on me how fire lizards should be depicted forever and ever ad infinitum, and is no small part of my inspiration for drawing this. Hell, it was my inspiration for drawing to begin with! Between the ages 10 and 16, I'm not sure I drew anything OTHER then elegant, cow-eyed fire lizards. 

As far as the story goes let's just say, the first time I read Dragonsong when I was a little girl, I wanted to BE Menolly. (Go ahead and read that Doc Brown Back-to-the-Future-3 style.) After the initial introduction to the Harper Hall trilogy, I pretty much devoured any novel with a dragon on the cover. 

Historical reenactment of me listening to my father read Dragonsong, age 10.
I can't say how the novels would hold up these days... but as a young kid who desperately wanted a blue fire lizard of her own, it sure meant something to me. In any case, I'm fairly certain that a story about an exceptional yet wildly under appreciated teen finding independence and hanging out with 9 tiny dragons will appeal to most kids.

4 comments:

  1. Beautiful Menolly - I recognized her right away. Yup, definitely wanted to be her, too - except perhaps the "well-meaning" abuse and denial of her talents... Once every couple years I find myself opening those three slim books and reading them all the way through without stopping. (They hold up just fine!) Really amazing style, wow.

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    1. Thank you for both your comments Cindy. That makes my day that you recognized her right away! and you're right... I didn't envy her her family in the least. :)

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  2. Outstanding picture; it's the wall-paper on my iPhone. Dragonsong is one of my favorite books from childhood; read it this year to my 8 year old daughter, and she loved it too.

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    1. That's awesome, Rob! You have a young Dragonrider on your hands. :)

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