Middle Earth Ranger Forum

Calling all Elves!

I’m going to make a belt pouch for a friend who sadly had to deliver her stillborn son. He was laid to rest two months back and her husband said that she’s thinking of dressing as an Elven Huntress for the Renfest. Since PJ didn’t have many pouches in the movies I find myself in need of aid in giving it an elvish flare and maybe an idea or two on the pouch itself.

Laothain wrote:Calling all Elves!

I’m going to make a belt pouch for a friend who sadly had to deliver her stillborn son. He was laid to rest two months back and her husband said that she’s thinking of dressing as an Elven Huntress for the Renfest. Since PJ didn’t have many pouches in the movies I find myself in need of aid in giving it an elvish flare and maybe an idea or two on the pouch itself.

I did a Google image search for 'Elvish pouch' and found a few cool designs:

https://i.pinimg.com/736x/6c/78/9b/6c78 ... ration.jpg

https://i.pinimg.com/736x/d6/fa/f3/d6fa ... -pouch.jpg

https://i.pinimg.com/736x/a9/e9/19/a9e9 ... l-gown.jpg

That's tragic, I'm so sorry! But it's a beautiful idea! Here are some examples that have always stuck out to me:

https://fantasy-craft.deviantart.com/ar ... -133696193

https://fantasy-craft.deviantart.com/ar ... -120546124

https://fantasy-craft.deviantart.com/ar ... -116888699

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/71/8a/ff ... 0d4139.jpg

https://noir-azur.deviantart.com/art/Pa ... -314308777

https://noir-azur.deviantart.com/art/Pa ... -473949095

https://shendorion.deviantart.com/art/K ... -209589992

Looks like Straelbora beat me to a couple of those!

Oh no.. I'm so terribly sorry for her.

I think WETA did a pretty darned good job for the elven aesthetic, at least in the first trilogy (thank you Lee and Howe!). Anyhow, a huge part of why their work holds up I think is that is not overly representational. You see the curve of a leaf in a sleeve for instance, but there are no fully-detailed veins and ridges embroidered in. The closer you get to picturing a "real" leaf I think, the more cartoonish your end result can look. Likewise the tracery you see burned into their robes tends to be fairly spare in line, and doesn't tend to contrast greatly with the background color. Subtlety is the watchword - as I think fits a people who've developed their aesthetic sense over thousands of years.

Of those linked to, I think one of the "pagan" bags gets closest. I'll also see if I can find anything in my notes if you like.



Finally.. if she doesn't already have one, you might consider a small birthstone for the child's birthmonth.
(That might be a personal enough gift it'd be better coming from her husband though)

Manveruon wrote:Looks like Straelbora beat me to a couple of those!

Great minds, etc.

I have never tryed to design anything elvish before but it was on my mind at lunchtime at work, and is for a good cause, so I came with a few ideas for you: The paturns are loosely based on some of the elvish stuff from the WETA books. Hope its useful

Thank you my friends! Now it’s sketching out to work in the babies initials and make the pattern. You’re right Elleth they did a marvelous job only in the films there was so little use of pouches and packs.

Very cool!

I like yours Iodo!

Here's another - Aaaaages ago I was really digging into the costumes and background art WETA used for the elves. Here's another real-quick sketch of a pouch design somewhat inspired by that aesthetic - I'm imagining subtle tooling on the top panel, the bottom still pliable but not so purse-like as yours. An inner panel would be easy enough along the back. The clasp would be the trickiest part, but I think a simple stud might suffice, with perhaps a file-worked collar of patina'd sheet brass around the hole in the panel? I'm imagining the flap and body with slightly different shades of the same color - a slightly darker mud-brown flap with slightly greener body? Or two shades of a dusky blue?

Great design Elleth, the tooling really works, simple but efective

Thanks Iodo and Elleth very cool designs! I really appreciate everyone’s help! Tonight it’s time to start looking through my leather and start pattern making! I’ll keep you all updated on my progress.