Making of the ‘Erlkönig’ piece

The past month I decided to finish once for all the commissioned piece I received since the first months of the year, as things this year has been really busy I just dedicated few days in the week in this commissioned one, and I really wanted to focus and enjoy it.

A couple of days ago I finally finish it! and today I’m very happy to share some progress pictures, and a video of the making of this piece.

The task really caught my attention since the first time I heard about it: to reinterpret in a personal and unique way Goethe’s poem ‘Der Erlkönig’. Which has undoubtedly has inspired many musicians through time, being Schubert the most remarkable with his op.1 carrying the same name as the poem.

The poem tell us the story of an agonizing child being chased by supernatural beings:

Who rides, so late, through night and wind?
It is the father with his child.
He has the boy well in his arm
He holds him safely, he keeps him warm.

“My son, why do you hide your face in fear?”
“Father, do you not see the Elfking?
The Elfking with crown and cape?”
“My son, it’s a streak of fog.”

“You dear child, come, go with me!
(Very) beautiful games I play with you;
many a colourful flower is on the beach,
My mother has many a golden robe.”

“My father, my father, and hearest you not,
What the Elfking quietly promises me?”
“Be calm, stay calm, my child;
Through scrawny leaves the wind is sighing.”

“Do you, fine boy, want to go with me?
My daughters shall wait on you finely;
My daughters lead the nightly dance,
And rock and dance and sing to bring you in.”

“My father, my father, and don’t you see there
The Elfking’s daughters in the gloomy place?”
“My son, my son, I see it clearly:
There shimmer the old willows so grey.”

“I love you, your beautiful form entices me;
And if you’re not willing, then I will use force.”
“My father, my father, he’s touching me now!
The Elfking has done me harm!”

It horrifies the father; he swiftly rides on,
He holds the moaning child in his arms,
Reaches the farm with great difficulty;
In his arms, the child was dead.

The process of the graphic artwork it’s always divided in four stages: The Planning, the pencil tracing, the watercolors, and the final ink and graphite details and volume.

The video quite explains it in a good way, so please check it out if you’ve ever wondering about the whole process of my work, and let me know your thoughts! 🙂

Some large images from the process (the real scale is about 10- 15 cm)

Have a nice day and thank you for reading!