This is part two of last week's blog post. When I was on my last Disney trip I asked Mike to do both my first and last names on "nameplate" art- and I chose my two favorite movie genres for each one. My first name was "Star Wars" themed, and my last name "Lord of the Rings" themed!

   In case it hasn't become painfully obvious, I'm a huge "Lord of the Rings" fan. I started playing Dungeons and Dragons back in 1980 and "The Hobbit" and "Lord of the Rings" remind me of Dungeons and Dragons. 

   Anyways, back to the nameplate. I love it! Gandalf and the Balrog as the "B", Gimli and the Eye of Sauron as the "A", "Legolas" as the "K", and silhouettes of the Fellowship, a Nazgul, and the One Ring for the "E" and "R". Add in Frodo and Gollum hanging out on the fringe, and the chain for the ring weaving thru the picture and it's just one great piece of art. Mike definitely hit it out of the Park with both pieces!

   Well, that's all for today. Thanks for stopping by and reading!

#lordoftherings #michaelduron #Locoduck #locoduckduron #artistsketchcard #artistsketch #sketch #gandalf #gandalfthegrey #gandalfthewhite #balrog #gimli #gimlisonofgloin #eyeofsauron #legolas #fellowshipofthering #thetwotowers #returnoftheking #frodobaggins #frodo #gollum #smeagol #myprecious

@michaelduron @locoduckduron @michaelduronportfolio 

 

    I try to do a blog post every Wednesday, but I was under the weather part of last week and it completely slipped my mind until the next day. So if anyone did visit the page looking for a post last week, I'm sorry that I didn't have anything prepared.

   This week's blog is something a little different. This is a piece of personal art that Mike did for me on my last vacation to Disney World. Mike was working at the Festival of the Arts in Epcot when I got to Disney, and he was doing what I believe he calls "Nameplate art". He takes your name, and uses an art theme (of your choice) while drawing the letters. Being a big Star Wars fan, I asked him to use it as the theme. As usual, Mike blew me away! Chewbacca as the first letter "D", a Stormtrooper as the "A", crossed lightsabers as the "V", Darth Vader and the Death Star as the "i", Boba Fett as the second "D", and R2D2 and C-3PO just hanging out. I love it!

   Well, that's it for today so thanks to all for stopping by and reading. Be safe and be healthy.

#starwars #michaelduron #Locoduck #locoduckduron #artistsketch #sketch #chewbacca #chewy #stormtrooper #lightsabers #darthvader #vader #lordvader #sithapprentice #sithlord #deathstar #bobafett #r2d2 #c3po

@michaelduron @locoduckduron @michaelduronportfolio 

    The last member of the Fellowship, and personally one of my favorite characters: Meriadoc (Merry) Brandybuck. Merry was best friends with Pippin and also one of Frodo's closest friends, and was also Frodo's first cousin once removed. I think that the movies really shortchange Merry. In the Book, Merry is Frodo's protector after Bilbo's birthday party. He organized the Hobbits packs and ponies as they were fleeing the Shire. His shortcut thru the Old Forest put distance between them and the Nazgul. And he was seen in Rivendell studying maps and plotting their path. He even led the Hobbits revolt against Saruman in the Scouring of the Shire after the Hobbits returned to the Shire. These are just a few of the incidents that weren't included or emphasized in the movies.

   Merry was played masterfully by Dominic Monaghan in Peter Jackson's trilogy. For me, Monaghan acting shines in every scene he is in. I always joke about the final scene where Frodo is saying goodbye, how Merry looks totally heartbroken, and how Pippin has a look on his face that (to me) says "with Frodo gone that leaves more female hobbits for me" lol. I think Billy Boyd is a great actor too, but Monaghan just has a way of becoming totally engrossed in the character he plays like only the greatest actor can do. 

   So for me, I saved the best for last. Thanks to all for stopping by and reading! 

#lordoftherings #michaelduron #Locoduck #locoduckduron #artistsketchcard #artistsketch #sketch #meriadocbrandybuck #merry #dominicmonaghan #hobbit #fellowshipofthering #thetwotowers #returnoftheking #pippin #billyboyd #gandalf #aragorn #frodobaggins #samwisegamgee #aragorn #legolas #gimli #boromir #lordelrond #bilbobaggins 

@michaelduron @locoduckduron @michaelduronportfolio