The Lost Franklin Expedition
Franklin's lost expedition was a British voyage of Arctic exploration led by Captain Sir John Franklin that departed from England in 1845 aboard two ships, HMS Erebus and HMS Terror. A Royal Navy officer and experienced explorer, Franklin had served on three previous Arctic expeditions, the latter two as commanding officer. His fourth and last, undertaken when he was 59, was meant to traverse the last unnavigated section of the Northwest Passage. After a few early fatalities, the two ships became icebound in Victoria Strait near King William Island in the Canadian Arctic, in what is today the territory of Nunavut. The entire expedition, comprising 129 men, including Franklin, was lost.
I'm going to be drawing these unlucky Victorian sailors for a while now.
Far from a Riddle
The Terror is weaving between bergs and lilly-pads of ice as it enters deeper into the arctic labyrinth.
Jopson Dressing Crozier
I based this picture on the introduction of Captain Crozier and his steward, Jopson in episode 1. This is where Crozier says 'Close? Be careful how you use that word, 'close...' Jopson kind of seems to struggle to get the shoulder piece onto his Captain's jacket in this scene but it cuts away pretty quickly and I just really like the way they look at each other.
Having dinner on HMS Terror,
Commander James Fitzjames is bragging about being shot by the Chinese during the Opium Wars. The younger officers are entertained but the older captains are very bored because they've heard the story at least fifty times already.
This is inspired by the officer's dinner scene in episode 1 of AMC's The Terror.
As I was composing I was wondering how many officers I should put on here and how flat to make the image. At one point the composition nearly went in the direction of the last supper. I have a 'Terror last supper' planned for the future now. But the center of attention in this is Fitzjames so I had to keep him in the middle. I found balance with six characters: Crozier and Franklin sat on the left and Little and Irving sat on the left. Jopson is stood up behind/between Little and Irving, and this balances out the composition because the men on the right are closer to the viewer and there for bigger. I considered putting Hodgson next to Irving but that would have made the composition uneven.
There is extra food on the table to emphasize how comfortable everyone feels and their confidence in the adventure ahead. The series uses food as a story telling device so I will be drawing scenes that feature food in my fan art too. The Terror almost uses food the same way as films like Ratatouille and the ones by Hayao Miasaki.
The actions in the scene are condensed. I watched it over an over to get it right. While Fitzjames is saying 'I was pierced by a single musket ball, the size of a cherry!' and doing this gesture, Jopson is pouring Irving a drink on the opposite side of the table, but I budged them up to be placed next to Lt Little instead. Little is saying 'Like the shot that killed lord nelson.' here but he doesn't actually say that till Fitzjames has gotten further into the story, but I liked the expressions and wanted to put them all together in the same shot. Irving is enjoying his meal the most. Jopson seems to just really like serving people and Irving is the only one that accepts a top up in this scene.
As I analysed this I noticed some weird things about the scene that may have been mistakes like how come everyone is drinking larger (In the previous scene Jopson said he was giving everyone Allsopps, which is a kind of lager), from what look like wine or whiskey glasses? And how come they don't have mats or cloths to keep that well varnished table neat? Do they just do everything backwards in the Navy? This doesn't look at all like lager in the series or here, looks like something stronger. Also considering the glass decanter Jopson is keeping it in. Lager would come from barrels in the store room, not a crystal decanter. Possibly Jopson is just offering everyone a shot of something stronger as the meal comes to an end.
Also, I'm just going to point out episode 1's dinner scene pays homage to the dinner scene in Alien, hello Riddle Scott, you sweet, kind man.
As I was composing I was wondering how many officers I should put on here and how flat to make the image. At one point the composition nearly went in the direction of the last supper. I have a 'Terror last supper' planned for the future now. But the center of attention in this is Fitzjames so I had to keep him in the middle. I found balance with six characters: Crozier and Franklin sat on the left and Little and Irving sat on the left. Jopson is stood up behind/between Little and Irving, and this balances out the composition because the men on the right are closer to the viewer and there for bigger. I considered putting Hodgson next to Irving but that would have made the composition uneven.
There is extra food on the table to emphasize how comfortable everyone feels and their confidence in the adventure ahead. The series uses food as a story telling device so I will be drawing scenes that feature food in my fan art too. The Terror almost uses food the same way as films like Ratatouille and the ones by Hayao Miasaki.
The actions in the scene are condensed. I watched it over an over to get it right. While Fitzjames is saying 'I was pierced by a single musket ball, the size of a cherry!' and doing this gesture, Jopson is pouring Irving a drink on the opposite side of the table, but I budged them up to be placed next to Lt Little instead. Little is saying 'Like the shot that killed lord nelson.' here but he doesn't actually say that till Fitzjames has gotten further into the story, but I liked the expressions and wanted to put them all together in the same shot. Irving is enjoying his meal the most. Jopson seems to just really like serving people and Irving is the only one that accepts a top up in this scene.
As I analysed this I noticed some weird things about the scene that may have been mistakes like how come everyone is drinking larger (In the previous scene Jopson said he was giving everyone Allsopps, which is a kind of lager), from what look like wine or whiskey glasses? And how come they don't have mats or cloths to keep that well varnished table neat? Do they just do everything backwards in the Navy? This doesn't look at all like lager in the series or here, looks like something stronger. Also considering the glass decanter Jopson is keeping it in. Lager would come from barrels in the store room, not a crystal decanter. Possibly Jopson is just offering everyone a shot of something stronger as the meal comes to an end.
Also, I'm just going to point out episode 1's dinner scene pays homage to the dinner scene in Alien, hello Riddle Scott, you sweet, kind man.
The First Attempt
Our fist attempt at braving the North West passage failed.
From left to right this is James Fitzjame (Commander/Captain of HMS Erebus), Francis Crozier (Captain of HMS Terror), Thomas Jopson (Steward promoted to Lieutenant) and Thomas Blankey (The Ice master of HMS Terror).
Camp Terror Clear
Inspired by Episode 8 of AMC's The Terror. Chaos is caused when the Tuunbaqu attacks in the fog. This is my first time drawing Lt Hodgson. He's totally clueless and I believe, unarmed in the actual scene. Jopson and Blankey are the least dazzled and pair off to go kill the monster while Crozier and Little chase after the mutineers who are trying to raid the camp's armory during the chaos. Hodgson wonders off into the fog and gets lost.
Gotta say at this point Little and Hodgson seem to be loosing their concentration as an effect of the lead poisoning but some how Blankey, Jopson and Crozier are totally on the ball like it isn't affecting them.
The idea came to me on a walk today to draw six officers stood in a circle. I was originally thinking of doing cozier with his back totally turned to the audience but this is better some how.
The idea came to me on a walk today to draw six officers stood in a circle. I was originally thinking of doing cozier with his back totally turned to the audience but this is better some how.
Thomas Jopson's dream.
"I dreampt we where at a banquet and you wouldn't look at me, Captain."
Jopson and Irving attend a flogging.
Jopson and Crozier
Have sailed from pole to pole together.
The Captain's pocket watch is broken.
Great recent work Vikki. You're really improving all the time. Keep it up !!
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