Monday 25 February 2008

Iconic Images 4


What have we here? A picture by an artist called Mike Hoffman. I don't know much about him, almost nothing, to be honest, besides what I can see, myself, that he is immensely influenced by the master of fantasy art, himself, Frank Frazetta.


I don't know anything about this picture, where it comes from or if it illustrates a story or anything. I just like it as it is.


When looking at a picture like this we know a lot about it. The man in the middle is the villain and the hero is lying at his feet and beside the villain is a damsel in distress. This one is a little more daring than the mainstream illustration of a story set in the Wild West. Nothing unusual about the villain or the hero. They look quite as you would expect them. No, it is the heroine that is a little less clothed than what you would expect.


Enough analysis. I like this image. I wonder what is going on, what will happen. Why is the heroine almost naked? Looks kind of deliberate to let her have some kind of skirt or cloth hanging on her hips but almost falling off. Another step and she will be naked. Hands behind her back. Could she be bound? I believe she is.


She is in peril, isn't she? Half naked, bound, in the hands of a vicious bandit and with her hero on the ground. Will the hero rise up and fight her captor or will he get himself killed? What will the evil man do to her if the hero is not up to it?


I don't want the hero to pull out a gun and shoot the villain and then ride off with the heroine into the sunset but after he has giver her his shirt or something. No, I kind of, fancy the hero to be a coward and run away or simply be shot and the pretty lady is left in the hands of the bandit. What will he do? What will happen to her? Will this thug be able to restrain himself when he knows he is in possession of a half naked (or now naked) heroine somewhere in the wilderness?


And who knows, maybe this rogue is a blessing after all. Maybe he knows what he wants and in the process makes the heroine happy. who could resist something like that? Isn't it like that in fantasy land?




11 comments:

Paul said...

Janice, isn't this the joy of pictures.
A picture like this can spark a hundred different scenarios.
I've always preferred radio to television and tend to dislike film versions of my favourite books.
This because radio and books allow me to produce my own visions.
Your writing provides a stage and characters and I bring it to life in my mind.
The thing that I see aren't necessarily what you expect, but that is, I believe, part of the joy of writing.
The author and reader cooperate to create worlds, thank you, it is appreciated.
Warm hugs,
Paul.

Anonymous said...

Janice, I think she is bound too and the look on her face, apart from the fact that she looks a bit like Deborah Harry, seems to be one of resignation. As if she is already accepting her lot.

An interesting picture and as Paul says it can spark so much. We will have to do a experiment some time and write a story using the same image, phrase or even words as a prompt.

Hugs
Mina

Anonymous said...

Janice, who is to say who is the villain and who the hero? The unshaven fellow may well be her knight in shining armor, who rescued her from...

OK, maybe not. And OK, maybe that's not the more promising (intriguing) plot line.

So ... she is the commandante's daughter -- she was kidnapped for ransom and revenge... she fought him, she scratched his face, but he easily overpowered and bound her, tossed her over his saddle and trotted away. He stopped in a clearing, and was in the process of exposing her charms as the hero tracked them ... but was shot in an ambush... then she was stripped, fondled, taken roughly, perhaps, in full view of her would-be rescuer.

She was told in no uncertain terms the fate that awaited her back at the banditos' palisade: a horse whipping for the scratch, being staked out in the hot sun... then an evening serving, in ways only fiendish imaginations can conjure or degenerate souls enjoy, the attentions and desires of a dozen desperate, dirty,sex-starved men...

Hmmm........

Janice said...

Dear Paul, I like that, 'the author and reader cooperate to create worlds.' It is a good way of putting it, in my humble opinion.

Dear Mina, I too think she looks like Deborah Harry, I thought it was just me...smiles. I think the idea of stories about a picture is a cracking idea.

Dear Wystan, to answer the first question, I am...smiles. I love your outline. I am awaiting that story from you.

Hugs

Janice

Anonymous said...

Hi Janice,

How are you?

I'm afraid my retirement from blogging has been rather short lived. To make it worse I deleted everything on 360. I could pick up where I left off but K wants me to start over again, but on blogger this time, a sort of penance for trashing the earlier efforts ...ho hum.

Anyway I've just been catching up with your blog,there is some wonderful stuff here which I've enjoyed immensely. I just finished the "talking" story - the conversation between the two redheads - the sort of twist I can relate to!

Anyway, hope to maybe hear from you, and if you are still in touch with Kirsten, tell her where I can be found now. I tried to leave a message for her on 360 but she's nuked Curtseygirl just as I did my blog...something in the water maybe.

Keep up the good writing.

R

Ollie said...

I agree with Paul, the images formed in our minds from words come straight from within, and say a different thing about each of us.

When you write you help us form and image, sometimes one we don't want to admit is ther inside, but the co-operation of writer and reader causes the original idea to have children.

Janice said...

Dear Recidavist, how good it is to hear from you. I have returned the favour and I am now linking to your blog. I gather you have got Kirsten's email by now. Welcome back or how I should put it.

Dear Ollie, '...the co-operation of writer and reader causes the original idea to have children.' I think that is very lovely. I used to try to tell everything, to include every little detail in what I wrote but I realised that it is both easier and better to leave some out...giggles.

Hugs

Janice

Ollie said...

I think you're right Janice, there is always the tension between describing, to give the reader a chance to see the same thing you are seeing, and leaving details out to let the reader fill them in and help in the creative process.

The old dictum that "I like radio because the pictures are better" is certainly true.

Janice said...

Dear Ollie, you are right, there is such power in words. Not sure it is always better but words are good, very good...smiles.

Hugs

Janice

TheMikeHoffman said...

Janice-- glad my drawing created some interest out there, I'd almost forgotten all about it!

Janice said...

Blimey! To hear from the very source. I am deeply honoured. Thank you for passing by.

Hugs

Janice