"Advisor" by Sara Melissa Bean

She looks a little bit like one of the Bronte sisters.

Sara Melissa Bean replies: "Heh, really? I don't believe I've ever seen an image of those ladies."

Ah yes, one of those sweet and pretty Grimm Brothers fairy tales, a wronged princess' talking to her dead horse's head. The head talks back, of course. Macabre, but that's what I love about the Grimm Brothers fairy tales

Wonderful composition and the drawing is masterful. The girls' features and her dress, and the black border... the picture looks soooo gothic. Great.

Oh, and I love another of your ink artwork, the Princes Bride birthday card I have seen in your deviant gallery! I love this movie; I was thinking of doing the Princes Bride picture (which unfortunately never happened for the lack of time, and I had in ind almost the same scene (including the ROUS in the corner)

Sara Melissa Bean replies: "Thank you, Anya! I'm glad you like it!
I think I still have my childhood copy of Grimm's Fairy Tales tucked away somewhere -- I'll have to find it so I can re-read this story.

Glad you liked the Princess Bride art too! My fan art gallery here is completely full, so I always have a tough time decided what old picture to remove and what new one to put in its place...the Princess Bride art never made it here at all! :/"

oo I love your inks this is kinda weird though- I just read a retelling of that fairytale last week- it's called "Goose Girl" and it's by Shannon Hale and very well written...

Sara Melissa Bean replies: "
Thank you, Noelle! & thanks for mentioning the author -- one of the previous commenters had said there was a book based on the tale but didn't know the writer's name. "

Beautifully dark and gothic... It's perfect in black and white.

Sara Melissa Bean replies: "Thanks very much. "

Very nicely done. I especially like the tree and the skull. By the way, I definitely recommend Shannon Hale's book.

Sara Melissa Bean replies: "Thanks very much; I'll be keeping my eye out for that book. "

I love this picture! It really fits the story. Probably the only reason why I even remember Goose Girl is because I just read Shannon Hale's retelling of it (which is quite good, by the way, if you were looking for the story). Anyway, I think this is one of your best drawings!
Now, back to browsing your gallery!

Sara Melissa Bean replies: "Thank you very much; I'm glad you like it. "

hmmm, I really like the composition on this one, and the style. It reminds me of the illustration that go by chapter in classic novels.

Sara Melissa Bean replies: "Thanks very much; I'm glad you like it. "

Ah, I'm finally able to comment again (been getting an error "spike" something etc, whatever).

Anyway, of course you'd know Sara that I'd have a fondness for this picture of yours (wink) being in ink.

It reminds me a little bit of Edward Gorey (compliment, I guess because of the subject matter) albeit without the use of crosshatching, of whom I might add I'm creating a homage illustration to at the present.


I noticed also your "bone fetish" (I just happen to have 206 of them just to let you know ) with regards to the skull.
All in a all a rather nice piece, do more (on 2nd thought), but be careful when treading on "my turf" Missy!


Sara Melissa Bean replies: "Ha! Thanks, Victor. I actually do have a sizable bone collection -- and not just those in my own body.
I enjoy working with ink, but don't do it often...and effective cross-hatching has always eluded me!"

Love how you didn’t color it.

Sara Melissa Bean replies: "Thanks; I like working in black and white. "

As I remember the story, it was a whole horse’s head, not a skull, put up over the gate through which she entered each day. The horse’s name was Falada.

Sara Melissa Bean replies: "Yes, thank you. Previous commenters have already told me this. This drawing was done a few years ago now, based only on my very dim memory of the tale. "