ferrumaeternum | The fate of Norns awaits us all

While it still is Odin’s day, here’s the drypoint intaglio print on PVC board (10" x 12'') I finished last night:

The theme was time. I originally wanted to do something Tolkien-inspired, and after thinking about Galadriel’s mirror for a while, I thought what could possibly be better to illustrate the past, present, and future than the Norns. I also figured if no one knows what the text means, they’ll at least recognize the figures as the three fates from Greek mythology. The text, by the way, is translated directly from Voluspa from the Poetic Edda.

For those of you who don’t know anything about Norse mythology, the names of the Norns mean 'that which was', 'that which is', and 'that which will be'. They are giantesses that ended the golden age of the gods when they arrived in Asgard from Jotunheim. Although these are the three main norns, there are also many other norns of different races that determine the fate of every man, elf, and dwarf at birth. Not all norns are good, which is why some people have bad luck in life. Skuld, the youngest and representing the future, is also a Valkyrie, which is why she is wearing the winged helmet, chain mail corset, and has the swans near her. All swans in Midgard (where mankind lives) are said to have descended from these two birds. Valkyries can also transform into swans when they put on feathered cloaks like Freyja becomes a falcon with her falcon cloak. The tree is the mighty ash, Yggdrasil, which encompasses all nine worlds. It is kept alive by Norns, using water from the Well of Urd. This is a basic breakdown in order to understand the significance and symbolism of the piece, but if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask. You know I love talking about this stuff! ;)

A few notes on the print itself: all the lines are straight; they just don’t photograph that way from above. The stylized ripples are also intentional, since I wanted the well to be emphasized while adding movement to the otherwise static scene. The background is also more minimal so the attention is focused on the Norns.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

This is seriously an awesome picture, and the fact that you had to engrave this into a metal plate makes it even more impressive. How long did it take altogether?

Also, any recommendations about where to read more about Norse mythology, or any particular translations that stand above the others?

I'll end this by saying again, this is totally sweet. :D Great job!

Thank you so much! No idea how long it took. I think if I counted the hours I spend on all homework pieces outside of class, I'd want to kill myself. XD All I know is that I should have started it much earlier than two days before it was due! Glad you like it, though. Hopefully I'll be able to do some more mythology-inspired pieces in the near future.

Out of everything I've read so far, I have to first recommend The Norse Myths by Kevin Crossley-Holland. He retells them so they read like any other modern English narrative. At first, reading some of the Eddas directly translated in poetic form can be tedious and confusing. You can get this book for less than 10 dollars on Amazon and covers the basics from the creation story through what happens after Ragnaroek. It really is a must for any story-lover, since a lot of high fantasy is based off Norse mythology, particularly Tolkien's works. Each story is around 5-10 pages long, so if you only have time for one a day, you can still get through them pretty quickly. Havamal (meaning 'song of the high one', referring to Odin) is definitely a must-read from the Poetic Edda, which I'm sure you can find in .pdf form from a quick Google search. It basically outlines the entire heathen ethical system and lifestyle and is where Odin explains how he obtained knowledge from the runes. Voluspa is also very important from the Poetic Edda. It's about a volva (seeress/prophet) that is probably Hel herself telling Odin about the creation and ending of the world. If you want to learn more, Hilda Ellis-Davidson did an incredible amount of reseach in her life on ancient Norse religion and culture. I really liked her book Gods and Myths of Northern Europe (which can probably also be found inexpensively on Amazon) since it briefly summarizes the myths and explains how they relate to Viking society and psychology. There's a paragraph in there about how the dragon relates to the dead that unintentionally summarizes the entire story of The Hobbit in about four sentences. XD

Sorry for the novel, but I think those are pretty good places to start.

no worries about the novel, i really appreciate the info actually :D

just ordered the norse myths by kevin crossley-holland on bn.com (which is more expensive, i know, but i've got some beef with amazon... :P )
and i'll probably be able to find a .pdf of the poetic eddas on the wikimedia project somewhere. thanks again!

Awesome! :D I think you'll like them, although I must warn you the creation myth is pretty weird. I know it can also get a bit confusing with all the gods and who's related to who, but all their basic info is on Wikipedia, so you should be fine. At least it's not Celtic mythology where you have to deal with hundreds of deities!

christ al-fucking-mighty, you're getting old-world about stuff.

engraving is tedium bordering on hell---the winged helmet on the girl to the right is all the more impressive for that. i like the lettering a lot, by the way.

Yeah, I'm not sure if that's a good thing or not, but it's something I might continue to explore. I think people nowadays can learn a thing or two from stories that have been forgotten by most.

I really don't mind it! I started to get a bit bored during the border and lettering, but it probably didn't help I did them all in one sitting. This is the second intaglio print I've done and I'm planning on taking the class dedicated to that technique once I finish this intro class. Thanks for the compliment on the text! I wish it was a bit neater, but that's what I get for starting the etching less than two days before it's due. ;)

amon amarth fits this post.

Indeed! :D

That's amazing! =) I really like your choice, too!

Thank you! :D

Nice use of the Beowulf icon. ;) I love the whole concept of wyrd. It's a good explanation for the uncontrollable coincidences that happen throughout life and beyond.

I know right? =) I like the idea of a web, and everything and everyone being connected somehow. I think free will is still important as well of course, but sometimes you should just let yourself be carried by the tides you know, and just see what happens and trust that it's gonna be for the best. Man, look at me getting all lyrical ;)
I might actually have that line tattood someday, if I find the courage that is =P Speaking of tattoos, I meant to comment on your latest backpiece pic, it's really lovely!

That's actually a really cool idea for a tattoo! It wouldn't be something you could regret either, since fate just is. I hope finding the courage doesn't mean worrying about the pain because it's really not that bad! I just complain a lot on LJ about it because after a session that lasts for hours, it starts to get to you, but a line of text would take less than half an hour.

Thanks! I started it almost three years ago after I turned 18, so I'm getting a bit impatient about getting it finished.

Nah, it's mostly because both my parents and Rik are "against" tattoos, y'know, even it's something as small as that line.. I mean they wouldn't be mad if I had it done I guess, but disappointed rather, you know how that can be worse than mad =P My parents just wouldn't understand, and Rik would think it's a pity but it's okay if it's what I want. So I need to think it through, lol. But of course, it's still my body and not theirs.

And wow, that's a long time! How much longer do you think it'll take? I can totally imagine the impatience ;)

Really, even Rik? I'm kind of surprised, since I know he's into metal, and tattoos and any kind of rock music go hand in hand. Are tattoos still a bit taboo in Belgium? Here in the States, only old people and the conservative and religious frown upon them, so I forget it's different in other places.

Hopefully it will be done sometime in 2010, but who knows. ;)

The fate of Norns awaits us all

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject