Ancalagon Rises

Ancalagon the Black, the mightiest dragon ever to live in middle-earth, Morgoth's greatest creation and champion in the field during the War of Wrath, slain by Earendil (just how Earendil managed to kill him is never made clear, though I highly doubt it involved pinning the beast underfoot, as seen in this late second age rendition of the scene, those numenorean sculptors always did have a flair for dramatic exaggeration)

I was so encouraged by all the positive feedback that my last attempt at the old 'Rushing Jaws' received that I thought I'd try a full reveal shot of him, above ground. Tolkien describes him as blotting out the sun with his wings, I imagine him here emerging upon the slopes of Thangorodrim, a moving mountain himself, wrapped about in the choking smoke and soot of his own fire, like a volcano erupting to life, before taking to the air.

this one started purely as a piece of concept art, but moved quicky into more 'illustrated scene' territory (that's been happening alot lately) I'd also intended to give Ancalagon a pair of front paws for this drawing, but once again, I found the wyvern-build to be just too naturalistic and compelling to pass up on.

Part of the Weekly Tolkien Sketchblog