The Parting

The Parting

The Parting
.
Incept Date: 26/07/2007 Completed: 08/11/2007
Scene creation, Posing & Lighting: 12 hours
Prep & Final Rendering: 9 hours
Digital art, editing & retouching: 8 hours
Output Resolution: 6000×3375 pixels
.
Background
Breaking up is never easy. But for a prince who was to marry the hottest little princess across three kingdoms, being turned into a troll by an angry old witch can really ruin one’s future prospects. The tale began with that infamous idea, “it seemed like a good idea at the time”. But of course karma has a way of teaching us that many of our “bright ideas” turn out to have unpalatable consequences, which we may have uncovered had we thought them through . . . just a little more.
.
His Story
It was just another early morning hunting trip with the “lads” (a few rowdy knaves from the castle). A chance to brag, boast, kill some time and avoid the rather sombre duties of daily castle life. The scene was set in one of the darker corners of an extensive forest that ran off from the south-west of his father’s castle. After encountering no game all morning, our prince was keen to once again show off his prowess with bow and shaft. A movement in the shadows caught his attention. In an instant a gilded shaft with bright blue feathers was loosed from his royal bow. The fatal shot struck what he thought was just another wolf in the woods.
.
Alas, the wolf was a witch’s familiar, and in retribution the witch transformed the prince into a somewhat loathsome creature of the night, ever to be fearful of the sun. Many a Wizard has since tried to remove the curse and failed. So our spell-bound prince now dwells in a mind state poised between hope and despair, unsure whether his humanity will ever be restored.
.
Her Story
Three years earlier, she was to be wed to a handsome, very wealthy and perhaps at times somewhat impetuous young prince. He would have been a good catch, as far as princes go. Then there was that unfortunate little incident in the woods. She had told him that morning that they needed to finish the invitations for the wedding, but oh no . . . “prince prowess” had to take his long sword and his big bow and go a-hunting with the lads!
.
In the years since, she has been patient, faithful, tolerant (his bad breath was, well, challenging) and then still more patient.
.
But now, she wanted desperately to get on with her life and preferably while she is still a desirable young princess. It was a tough call, but the time had come to say goodbye.
.
Detail 1 from The Parting

Detail 2 from The Parting