Glinda sketches
Glinda sketch by Tarl Telford
I have been brainstorming Oz stories for about five years now. This includes visual brainstorms and concept art for the eventual graphic novels of some Hidden History of Oz stories. To give an idea of some of the character development over the last two years, I thought I would start with the hero – Glinda.
Glinda is the teenage daughter of the most powerful sorceress in Oz. Through a series of tantrum-inspired events, Glinda becomes an orphan on the run from the Wicked Witches. (See The Witch Queens novel for full details.)
Glinda with princess dress, by Tarl Telford
Glinda face and hair concepts, by Tarl Telford
These are the first sketches in the concept art category. There will doubtless be many more. For more of my artwork, you can visit my deviantart gallery. I am beginning to share some of my artwork again.
For reference purposes, here is a public domain illustration of Glinda from one of Baum’s books, Glinda of Oz. This is Glinda approximately 60 years after HH1: The Witch Queens. She learned the secret to aging well. You’ll just have to read the book and find out what it is.
The portrait of Glinda the Good appearing in Glinda of Oz, by L. Frank Baum. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Do you want to see more concept art for The Hidden History of Oz characters and places? Let me know in the comments below.
New Category: The Man Behind the Curtain
Do you like behind the scenes commentary, concept art, and witty anecdotes from your favorite stories? I do. My shelves are lined with concept art books from movies – from Star Wars, to Pixar’s The Incredibles, to The Dark Crystal. My favorite part of the movies and the stories is all of the imagination that goes in to making it. When the sketches are rough, the final product can be anything – at that moment, the rough sketch is completely powered by imagination.
It is for this purpose that I am introducing a new category to this blog: The Man Behind the Curtain. Of course you understand the reference. The Wizard was controlling the various disguises from behind the curtain. He was revealed as a humbug in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz novel.
Humbug is not my aspiration, rather, I want you to see what I see. Ideas come, sketches are scribbled, and drafts are written. Only at the end does it look inevitable. Of course it was meant to be that way.
So when you see the category: The Man Behind the Curtain, just know that it is a behind the scenes glimpse of my creative process.
What are some of your favorite movies or books to glimpse behind the curtain?
The Hidden History of Oz 