Terry Brooks Fan Art Project: Inked Unicorns 'Books of Magic' via 'The Black Unicorn' novel [Magical Kingdom]

 FINALLY!!! 

I'm MAKING THIS PROJECT HAPPEN!

 In the 1987 novel "The Black Unicorn" (remember the "The" so as to distinguish it from "Black Unicorn" [no "The"] by Tanith Lee in the 1990s, which is ALSO GOOD.) Brooks writes about "The Books of Magic" which were a crucial plot point in the narrative of this specific novel, which comes from his "Magical Kingdom" series of Fantasy Novels from the 1980s. 

 You can READ the excerpts from the novel which I posted HERE that describe The Unicorns in the Books of Magic.

@blackunigryphon #FanArt #inkdrawing #unicorns #TerryBrooks #FanArt #book #sketchbook #BooksOfMagic #MagicalKingdomOfLandover #FantasyArt #Fantasy #FantasyNovel #WIP ♬ original sound BlackUniGryphon

I am SO IRKED that I misplaced my original vintage copy of the novel. I literally had the dang thing, highlights withe notes & ALL in my hands in early December, but our Condo had a new electrical system installed in December, which means the entire place was topsy-tervy, and everything moved around. So, even tho I found ALL of my other novels from my teenagehood that were always kept together I CANNOT FIND THAT ONE! 

So, I had to find a digital copy online, and THANK YOU SO MUCH TO FANTASY NOVEL FANS ON THE INTERNET!!!!

I've actually made a number of art pieces since I was a teenager in the 1990s depicting a number scenes from this novel. This novel really showcased a lot of the sweetness of Brooks' heart, and sentimental side. His also uses interesting narrative devices which for its time (1980s) were refreshing, altho today might seem cliche. It reminds me of an Classical Ancient Greek style which involves the mind of the audience (or reader) like in Peter Pan, you need to BELIEVE IN FAIRIES & clap your hands otherwise Tinkerbell will die,  or if you believe in Jesus you become Deliverance & Salvation so you can go to Heaven in the Gospels. These are things the audience that hears or reads the story does INSIDE THEIR MIND by thinking and also FEELING which works very effectively, especially in a play or fairy-tales. 

In Brooks' story, he uses this concept of "The Books of Magic" in a similar manner. So without giving out too many spoilers, these Unicorns which appear to be inked drawing on white parchment paper are actually trapped unicorns. They need to be set free so that the people in other realms (like our own) can "believe in magic" which also gives Magic it's own power. This is a very ancient classical narrative style that was perfected in Ancient Greece. 

I don't want to SPOIL the story, but its connected to The Black Unicorn, which turns out to be NOT WHAT YOU THINK. 

Let's just say, The Black Unicorn IS NOT EVIL, and IS NOT A DEMON. 

YOU NEED TO LOOK PAST it's DARKER EXTERIOR AND SEE THE BEAUTY OF WHOM THEY TRULY ARE. 

The Black Unicorn is INNOCENT. 

Imagine being misjudge JUST BY HOW YOU LOOKED ON THE OUTSIDE! 

But INSIDE there is SO MUCH MORE!

This is ALSO why THOSE 2 BOOKS OF MAGIC MATTER SO MUCH IN THE PLOT! 

Actually, when I was a teenager in the 1990s I made my own makeshift, hand made, version of the 2nd Book of magic with the Inked Unicorn Drawings! But, after I graduated college in 2001, I was snobby at my old high school art work, AND I THREW IT AWAY! 

OH, HOW I REGRET THAT I DID THIS!!!!! SO STUPID! Me & my STUPID EGO! WHAT WAS I THINKING??? 

I'd made a Painting that had depicted a scene from the book with the fairies Dancing over a Lake at night to summon the Black Unicorn, which I was in high school. I didn't think much of it, but my family found that painting and framed it. I was honestly shocked since they never seemed to give a care about my art, ever. Also, no matter which house they lived in, they ALWAYS took THAT painting with them and HUNG in a room that ALL PEOPLE COULD SEE IT usually when they entered the house. 

The kinds of things people would say to me about that painting were so sweet. So many people would tell me just how much they LOVED that painting! So, I guess I must've tapped into whatever Brooks wrote, because I LOVED that scene in the novel SO MUCH that I went out of my way to make a painting depicting it. I thought I wasn't any good when I made the painting, and felt disappointed that it wasn't better. But, when so many people kept telling me how much they LOVED it, I guess I did it right after all. I guess that's the problem with ego, huh? 

So, by the Pandemic Quarantine Lockdown of 2020, I actually found my novel. Then I thought about "The Books of Magic" with the Inked Unicorns. 

Then I thought: 

Hey that would be a good project! (Then I remembered, I DID do that project as a kid, BUT THREW IT AWAY! DOH!)

So, I'd been meaning to re-create it myself.

I wasn't sure if there was still a Fandom for Terry Brooks. So, I checked! 

Oh! THERE IS!

Bored with this trashy novel I'm reading at the moment. Think it's time for a return to the #MagicKingdomofLandover, not read those for ages

— Dan Jackson (@danj2k) March 18, 2016

Brainstorming for #PitMad. Have I found my comps? I read using #HarryPotter is pretentious, but it fits for my setting, tone & MC's arc. As does #MagicKingdomofLandover. Whaddya think? Too ballsy? Too dated? I've looked at the more current titles & nothing else fits. #amquerying pic.twitter.com/AGwK0WCEB6

— OJ Barré (Olivia) is writing Awen Tide🐉 (@ojbarreauthor) February 13, 2018

So, I went to Michael's Art Supplies & bought a new hardcover sketchbook for the project.

 

The 1st 2 Inked Unicorn Drawings/Pages are described in the novel as the first one is standing still, and the 2nd is in motion. 

So, I depicted it this way on the 1st 2 pages:

After that, in mentions the 3rd & 4th as all different, ans all of them after that. (you can read the excerpt here)

If you would like to see my ENTIRE Photography Gallery for this Project as it unfolds go HERE.

 

The 1st #unicorn 🦄 #InkedDrawing as depicted as standing still in the #TerryBooks #novel #TheBlackUnicorn 1987 #MagicKingdomOfLandover #Landover #inked #ink #Sketchbook #FanArt #Fantasy #FantasyArt @BlackUniGryphon #HandDrawn #HandInked #ArtistOnTwitter pic.twitter.com/8xrevfbdCe

— Black UniGryphon Arts 烏獨角獸 (@GryphonUni) December 30, 2021

1st #unicorn in the #TerryBrooks novel #BlackUnicorn mentions it's standing still in the 2nd of #BooksOfMagic #MagicKingdomOfLandover #Landover #Fantasy #graphite
I will ink it. @BlackUniGryphon pic.twitter.com/K2x6KVVnVf

— Black UniGryphon Arts 烏獨角獸 (@GryphonUni) December 30, 2021

1st #unicorn in the #TerryBrooks novel #BlackUnicorn mentions it's standing still in the 2nd of #BooksOfMagic #MagicKingdomOfLandover #Landover #Fantasy #graphite
I will ink it. @BlackUniGryphon pic.twitter.com/K2x6KVVnVf

— Black UniGryphon Arts 烏獨角獸 (@GryphonUni) December 30, 2021

 

2nd Page #inked #Unicorn 🦄 #Drawing #sketchbook #FanArt #TerryBrooks #TheBlackUnicorn #novel #MagicKingdomOfLandover #Landover #HandDrawn #cartoon @BlackUniGryphon #TheBooksOfMagic pic.twitter.com/b1w87u45t2

— Black UniGryphon Arts 烏獨角獸 (@GryphonUni) December 30, 2021

A project to make an entire sketchbook full of unicorns!
A project I actually did but in a smaller scale in high school in the 90s!
I'm hoping to film some of it n publish to YouTube. #TerryBrooks #FanArt #fantasyart #MagicKingdomOfLandover @BlackUniGryphon pic.twitter.com/EXLPKDYHJl

— Black UniGryphon Arts 烏獨角獸 (@GryphonUni) December 30, 2021

The 2nd #unicorn 🦄 on the page of #TheBooksOfMagic in #TerryBrooks #novel #TheBlackUnicorn describes it as being in motion.#WIP #sketchbook #FanArt #fantasy #FantasyArt #inking #handdrawn #penciler #inker @BlackUniGryphon #ArtistOnTwitter #cartoon pic.twitter.com/yUdpBLwIM9

— Black UniGryphon Arts 烏獨角獸 (@GryphonUni) December 30, 2021

Please leave your comments, suggestions, critiques, here on this Blog, or find me on Twitter!

Are YOU a Terry Brooks Fan???

TELL ME! SPILL THE BEANS!!!!

 

The Complete Portfolio of Belly Dancers Artwork (Digitally Colored) By "Black UniGryphon" 2003-2011

Here is the COMPLETE List/Portfolio of Black UniGryphon's Belly Dancers & Exotic Maidens
(The finished Digitally Colored Versions)
(All Colored in Adobe Photoshop 6.0) 

They are original hand drawn pencil sketches which are cleaned. these are ONLY the Digitally colored/finished works:

Artwork by
"Black UniGryphon" 烏獨角獸
Kandice Kathleen Zimbleman-Wang 任思麒












 Sketched in 2005-2006:
(Colored in 2006- 2008)

2008:

2009:

2010:

2011:

Misc. Other:

Drawn in 1996, Colored in 2000:

2003 Furry:

For larger resolution versions & prints of artwork by "Black UniGryphon" (Kandice K. Zimbleman) visit the gallery on Deviant Art.<----->

Original Belly Dancer Artwork by "Black UniGryphon" (Kandice K. Zimbleman)

Whoah!

I hadn't ever really realized that there was quite a number of closet fans of my artwork that were belly dancers! It just never really seemed that anyone ever noticed much, and I just did them because I not only LOVE belly dance, love TO belly dance, but I also LOVE drawing and depicting ethnic, and exotic dancers (as well as Ravers or Go-go dancing).

But, when I did a search of "BlackUniGryphon" or "Black UniGryphon" I found several dancers had made accounts on DeviantArt just to fav' my work, and ended up hooked on the art sharing site.


 So, just a lil' bit about me:

 Hi! I'm the artist alias "Black UniGryphon" (BlackUniGryphon).
My real name is:
Kandice Kathleen Zimbleman
My legal name is:
Kadice Kathleen Zimbleman-Wang








My Chinese name is:
任思麒 (Witten in mandarin Pinyin as: Ren Si-Qi)
(Sounds like: Run Szzz Tchee)




 


This is how you write "Black UniGryphon" in Chinese:
In Mainland People's Republic of China use Simplified Chinese like this: 乌独角兽
But, in other Chinese places on islands like Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Macao, it's written in the Traditional old script like this: 烏獨角獸
And I would also use the Traditional way if I were to do something dealing with Japan, because I don't think they can read modern simplified Chinese.

 I actually wrote the Chinese translation of "Black UniGryphon" to mean mean a type of magical or mythical unicorn, or 1-horned beast. It actually means "Darkish/Blackish Unicorn" because I didn't want to use the commonly used word for "Griffin" which is actually a VULTURE! I take offense to that. Griffins are pretty & graceful, as well as robust. Vultures are ugly & clumsy, and have bad taste in all things. I also didn't use the common word for "black", I used a more educated, and prettier & poetic sounding "wu" instead of "hei". "Wu" can also mean very dark, but not in a bad way.

Many people in Chinese will tell me that using 乌独角兽 sounds too manly, or masculine. But, I don't care. Even in Chinese culture they have a story of the Dragon Princess "Long Nü" which is a female character, even tho' "Long" (Dragon) is generally ONLY used for a man's name. In my culture, equines & unicorns have become more effeminate, even tho' they were originally masculine. (Look it up, it's true.)

 "Black UniGryphon" is my Fursona which comes from the  Furry Comunity.

NO, despite what rumors you MAY have heard from Vanity Fair, Episodes of X-Files, etc. I DO NOT GO TO SEX CLUBS DRESSED AS AN ANIMAL! That is TOTALLY FALSE! Most Furries don't do that! But, I did go to several conventions, namely Anthrocon. Often as a dealer, or as an artist, and was even published in their Convention book. And, yeah, I did wear either wings, or a tail. But, people bring kids, and there's no weird sex going on.


I have also been publishing my artwork online since 1999, under the aliases:
ZBlackUnicorn, BlackUnicorn, or EbonyUnicorn

Anyways, dance & music have always been an important part of my life. When I was a kid, I could've become a musical prodigy, but instead I chose visual art, and my music teacher was furious. I used to play violin as a kid, the recorder, and even had to take guitar class in middle school, plus I used to be in chorus, and even stared in several talent shows as a singer. I often times regret having not done more with music. But, instead I went crazy with arts & sciences. (That's a long story.)




Dance, however, has helped my life very much. It helped me to deal with depression, once I'd realized that my artistic dreams, after graduating college and trying in vain to go back to school were crushed by the 777 stock market crash that caused the Bailouts and the "great recession" which I actually call "the economic melt down". So, my dreams of going to CAL-ARTS were crushed. I was devastated, and I would stay in bed crying for years.

What pulled me out of that was an interest in belly dance, which also got me back into Yoga. But, I've taken a few lasses by Zoe Jakes, and also Taiji Chuan (tai chi), Taiji Gungfu Shanzi (Tai chi Kungfu fan style), Taiji Jianzi (sword Tai chi) and a lil' bit of Qigung (Chigong). I'm not an expert in either of them, but I can dance improvisational belly dance not too bad, and I'm not perfect with yoga, but I can do some advanced poses with my likes like butterfly & lotus stuff.

So, naturally, my artwork began to reflect my interests.


Generally, when you see my artwork, you will notice that the human figure of a woman, is usually my character "Lively".












But, I have noticed that many of the dancer fans whom like my work, also like my Chinese inspired work (much of which I'd created when I lived in China), or my fantasy work as well like Unicorns.








The easiest place to find my work is my gallery on Deviant Art: Here

If you like dancers, you will want to check my "Maidens" sub gallery.

My Chinese Inspired Art: Here

And, my Fantasy stuff is all over the place in there. It's mostly what I'm known for on the internet.

But, when I was a kid, I liked to draw American comics, and especially exotic beautiful ladies.

I still like those things. But, much of my Furry/Anthro audiance wasn't exactly happy with me when I switched back to drawing human figures again. But, I just CAN'T be stuck in being a Furries ONLY, or BEASTS/ANIMALS only artist. 

As for my interests in dance, I do have a Pyrate Cosplay character that I dress up as:

Marshall Kändiß (Or Marshal Kandice)
Which I've mostly dressed up as in Philadelphia, but a tiny bit in Boston.

But, enough of me, I'm sure you're more interested in my art than my dancing.
;-P



Anyways, here are a few examples of my artwork, if it's dancers that you are looking for:

Well I guess I ought to blog a complete list of my dancer pieces.
I have so many, and many different kinds.

I notice belly dancers tend to like many styles of dance as well.