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!!!!

 

Nightmare Moon Carved Pumpkin Jack-O'-Lantern

Here she is!

My hand carved Nightmare Moon pumpkin Jack-O'-Lantern!


Klick the Deviant Art one for the HDR version.

You know me! I LOVE My Little Pony, and I especially love BLACK UNICORNS!


This is no exception! Here is Nightmare Moon AKA Princess Luna. As with the typical theme os Black Unicorns, she is also a misunderstood, deeply wounded personality, and not truly bad.

But, we still like her to dress up and scare the crap out of us!

I carved this by hand using my old vintage X-ACTO knife from 1994. Seriously!
I worked on this from about 4pm-8pm. So, about 4 hours, including: washing, gutting the pulp & seeds, pre-production marker sketching layout, layered carving, rewashing, candle prep, lighting, photography, photo importing, HDR tone mapping, photoshop editing, etc.

My Little Pony Friendship Is Magic is an animated series by Hasbro.


Nightmare Moon Carved pumpkin Jack O Lantern HDR by ~BlackUniGryphon on deviantART 

Black UniGryphon Kandice Kathleen Zimbleman-Wang 2013