Study of a Figure in the Court of Queen Mab (5)

A little explanation from the related blog post: More Studies from the Court of Queen Mab:

I did some early sketches back in September and October. In the set from September the slave figure was wearing a white ruff (just as the courtiers and queen do in the pastel drawings), and the figure was only differentiated by their pose and lack of horns/antlers.

My friend Tash who was life-modelling for the second set of sketches suggested instead that bells might be more suitable as there are folktales of bells being associated with faeries - either heralding their appearance or being a defence against them.

And so I strung some small brass-like cowbells on a rope, and it became a prisoner’s collar. Interestingly to me, someone on social media commented on it looking a bit like a Celtic torc, which is probably exaggerated by the ashen-grey body paint and green body markings. I am very pleased with this serendipitous resemblance.

Model’s pronouns: they/them.