Dickon
Summary: Having heard her Maid Martha speak fondling of him for so long and the boy becoming something of a hero to Mary she finally encounters Martha's brother, Dickon, the boy she has heard so many stories about.
Characters: Mary Lennox, Dickon.
Setting: Outside in the gardens.
Quote to work from: "He was a funny-looking boy about twelve. He looked very clean and his nose turned up and his cheeks were as red as poppies, and never had Mistress Mary seen such round and such blue eyes in any boy's face"
Research, references, inspiration: Having heard so much about the chapter title name chacter, Dickon, in previous chapters this was the most exciting chapter title to illustrate and character to design. In previous chapters we hear of how he tames and has a collection of wild animals, a crow that sits on his shoulder and a fox that loves him like a dog and his master.
For content research I need look into fashions for young boys typical of the era (late 1800's) and more importantly, farm boys, workers as Dickon was not from money like Mary and I wanted to show this contrast in the clothes they are wearing and how they look. Mary has been portrayed wearing rich fabrics, embroidered coats and sour looking and I want Dickon to look the opposite of this.
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| Two young boys, late 1800's. |
In terms of actual examples of boys clothing of that era there was in fact very little to find online or in books so I turned to film and looked at the clothing the film adaptation had the character Dickon wearing.
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| Dickon in the film adaptation of The Secret Garden (1993). |
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| Black Crow by Paul Strickland |
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| Terry Tungan, 2012, fox |
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| Lunablogs fox |
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| Leigh Hodgkinson's crow |
Roughs/sketches:
Final artwork:
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| Original drawing. |
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| Colour palette. |
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| Final artwork. |