Arthurian sketch dump

So I should've known it would've come to this eventually: an Arthurian legend retelling. Basically, this is the very beginning of this project, which I decided that I could totally do at the end of my Arthurian course this past Fall. Now I just need to look up period clothes and make them look less like they just tripped out of a Fire Emblem game. though I won't be making them look stereotypically High Middle Ages, either; I'm thinking that this will take place more near the end of the Dark Ages. But not completely sure yet; I've still got loads and loads of research to do.

My hand is unhappy about this, though not as much as it would be if I had been typing, especially since I recently found out that I have been holding my pencil very wrong all my life and holding it correctly makes simple sketches like this relatively painless.

Though don't expect a ton more like this anytime soon, probably.

Starting at the top left corner, going left to right:
A quick sketch of Galahad's head to try to get a sense of how to use the tablet pen after quite a while.

Galahad and his daddy, Lancelot:
Galahad: Oh my gosh Dad, it's been forev---
Lancelot: NOPE sorry I have no son
Galahad: ...

Here are Morgan le Fay, rowing, and Guinevere, sitting down. It always annoys me how all the Arthurian women are always at each other's throats, yet in the earlier stuff Morgan le Fay was Arthur's ally and didn't hate Guinevere's guts. So I decided take that a step further and make them pals, who sometimes do go on their own "ladylike" quests together.
In several scenes in my mind, Morgan is standing and rowing like a gondolier as she is here, with the help of water fairies or whatnot, of course. But just because one is good at rowing like a gondolier does not mean that one is fit to sing a barcarole.

Next are Merlin (hood up version) and an owl who may or may not be Archimedes, depending on how the copyright works for such a relatively recent character. And I think that "Bosom Friends/Bros" (whoops I misspelled it) is basically an old-fashioned way to say "BFFs"? Yes? No?

Arthur and a young Mordred:
Arthur: So he played with my crown, but he's giving it back when I ask...this can only be a good sign.
Mordred: Someday I'll pry it from your cold dead hands.
Such a charming father-son relationship.

Back over on the left side, we have Lancelot with one of the many many Elaines of Arthurian legend. This is the one that becomes pregnant with Galahad by Lancelot because she basically drugged Lancelot's drink. And even though he lets her live she just can't let it go and has to go into Arthur's court and drug and go to bed with Lancelot again apparently mostly to spite Guinevere or something (and to send Lancelot into a state of madness for a few years.)
And I did not make any of that up. That was all in Malory. I think I'll be changing it to be less "rape is funny."

Next is a young Arthur being carried by a young Lancelot, going on quests together before people got married and had bastard nephew-sons or get their drinks drugged by crazy ladies.
Arthur: Onward, for Camelot!
Lancelot: "For Camelot" my foot, you just didn't want to stink of half-baked bog...and they call me the wuss just 'cuz French...

Next, the two guys are Mordred and Galahad. I'm thinking of having them be bosom bros and it will be very tragic and sad and hilarious and pitiful and angsty. This here is around the time when they first meet:
Mordred: So...growing up near the coast, I bet you had fresh fish a lot?
Galahad: Hmm I guess so!
Mordred: It's hard to get fresh fish at the castle... I bet it was good?
Galahad: Yeah, I guess it was really good!
Mordred: Oh, yeah? I bet you liked that, didn't you? You dastard!
Galahad: wut

And beneath them, Arthur meets the Lady of the Lake (who depending on which version you're going with may be yet another Elaine):
Arthur: ...Woah. Some lady in this lake is offering me a magic sword! I've been staring at it for near 5 min. and it still doesn't seem enough to grasp the gravity of this moment---
Lady: Oh take the bloody thing already! My arm is seriously cramping!
Arthur: s-sorry

I have other ideas, but they didn't make it because I haven't designed all the characters yet and because I really didn't think I should push my hand any further.

But yeah! This was fun.


Art copyright Mahira-chan (and character interpretations/designs...sorta)
Arthurian legend and characters copyright Western civilization
If you see this anywhere else, in part or whole, other than on my tumblr or blog, its stolen