7/11/09

IF - Hollow


Found in fairy stories throughout Scandinavia, she is also known as skogsrå and holda, among other names. She is a beautiful woman in front but her backside looks like a hollow tree. Some Huldra also have tails, often either cow or fox. Should you encounter a huldra, it is considered dangerous to comment on her tail, unless it is done with the utmost delicacy. For instance, if you politely tell her her "garter" or "slip" is showing she may grant you healthy cattle or good fishing according to legend. It is also said that if she blows on a hunter's rifle, he will never miss a shot.

The huldra is often considered a protector of woods and woodland critters. A seductive creature, she is famous for collecting human lovers as well as for her mercurial nature. She can be just as easily pleased as offended. And you do NOT want to offend her.

She also has a reputation for stealing children & leaving changelings.You can find out more about this lovely lady by clicking on the above links. There are also some entertaining folktales around the web.

As soon as I saw that the Illustration Friday prompt was Hollow, I remembered this creature - of all the faeries I read about as a kid, for some reason she really gave me the willies. Couldn't recall her name, but google settled that while distracting me with some wonderful tales. Originally I was going to make a little clay sculpture, but then I remembered this cool fern-patterned paper I've had for ages. I also checked DeviantArt for some models & found that the stock photos of Tw1sted Truth & WakenTheDead Stock fit the bill

If you get a chance CLICK HERE & see what other fun pieces have been submitted to Illustration Friday this week. Or even better, submit your own!

I've decided I'd better start paying more attention to my neglected Etsy Shops, so this piece is now available. Just click HERE for info & detailed pics of The Huldra. Hopefully I'll get some more pieces listed this week.

Final note: New giveaway this week. 1 random winner to be drawn on 7/16. Prize is 250 customized stamps from UPrinting.com. What would you do with 250 free stickers, designed by You? Just leave an answer in comments to be entered in drawing. The prize sponsor, Uprinting.com does have a couple of disclaimers. CLICK HERE for details

33 comments:

  1. Ett skogsrå!!!
    I really like the layer effect with the fern leaves and how she's sort of hidden in plain sight..

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  2. What a wonderful story and she is fab!! I will try not to piss her off if I come in contact with her!! Great idea about the stickers!!
    Hugs
    SueAnn

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  3. What a wonderful illustration you have created. The Huldra could be the basis of many stories. Your image is captivating and intriguing.

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  4. stacey, thank you so much for teaching me about an old/new, saucy creature! i love incorporating those beguilers into my work too. cool illustration...

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  5. thank you so much! I really like your piece for hollow :)

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  6. Hi, thanks for dropping by my blog.
    As chance would have it, I also posted a drawing of a hulder.(http://sonofincog.blogspot.com/2009/06/if-craving-pen-and-ink-on-paper.html), which I submitted for IF a couple of weeks ago. Fancy that. I think the prompt was ‘craving’.

    I like your drawing. I never heard about the hollow part, just the tails. Learn something new every day!

    Cheers!
    Son

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  7. thanks for your comment!!! this illustration is so nice too!

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  8. Great illustration!!! I really like the fern paper you have used it goes so well with your drawing. I've never heard of this faerie story before and she would have given me the willies too if I'd heard this as a kid. Wonderful work!!

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  9. oh how wonderful!!! great story

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  10. This is the second illustration of this ..ack..I can't remember how it's spelled or what the keyboard shortcuts are to get the funny letters. Way cool. I knew about huldra, but not the other ones (the hollow ones). I play scandinavian folk music, and many of the programs we end up going to include some great story-telling.

    Nice picture!

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  11. wow cool story and rendering..Stickers !! what fun now I can stick them all over my bed like the rest of my kids hahahahaha

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  12. This is wonderful and I love the story. The fern layer really makes this image, well done!

    robin

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  13. Beautiful artwork and a great story. Very unusual.
    Thank you for visiting my blog. Hugs. x

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  14. Great style! love your idea and the girl!

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  15. What a fabulous post!!! I love the wonderful story too. This is great. Great characters and you've done a fabulous job on the illustration. Great detail and line work.

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  16. Wonderful character and great background history! You should do a children's story on this!

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  17. I was sort of warming up to her until I read about her child-stealing ways.

    I love your illustration though. And for posting such an interesting story, something I had never read or heard about before.

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  18. Okay, so don't comment on her tail. Comment on her rack instead.

    Got it ;)

    Sorry, couldn't resist, Stacey.

    Fantastic piece of work1

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  19. Awesome layered effect with the leaves. I've never heard of this story before. It's very interesting.

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  20. Great piece, what a sultry fairie and interesting story.
    :-)
    Shelly

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  21. great post and what a beautiful illustration.

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  22. Outstanding! Beautiful, ethereal....and a wonderful back-story, too.

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  23. this image is amazing, she is gorgeous! the setting is enchanting! x

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  24. Thank you for this amazing and informative submission! I never heard of this amazing creature and I love your image, very seductive and the combination of the backgrounds is super-cool!

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  25. This is a great illustration, and I really enjoyed the quick lesson on the huldra. I'm glad I didn't hear about her as a kid, or I would've been freaked out.

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  26. Hi!
    Great post! I love old legends and myths from all over the world. Didn't know this one though...
    Great drawing as well!

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  27. nice way to keep things informative and entertaining! love hearing tales of old folklore like this. thanks for posting...

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  28. WOW, what a fab composition, I love how you've made her the abslute center of that world - and the hunter the intruder... Great idea using the ferns, too.

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  29. Thanks for stopping by my blog! I really like your interpretation of the prompt!

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  30. Fantastic! I'd never heard of her before, what an intriguing subject.

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  31. Yes, Huldra is both whimsical and capricious. Didn't know she kept her name out side Scandinavia. There sure is a lot of story's and folk lores about her.

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