12 Labours of Hercules/Heracles

One of the most popular stories from Greek mythology is the saga of Hercules/Heracles 12 labours, I used this to my advantage and illustrated them in different mediums, some painted, ink work, sketches and water soluble pens and others.

Some I am more pleased with than others, either because I thought the visual work was better or worse or that the image had not turned out the way I had planned. Some of the images don’t illustrate the story precisely, but show certain aspects of the tale.

To get a better understanding of the story and to save having to write it i will add a link to each aspect of the story for you to read yourself.

Nemean Lion

http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/Herakles/lion.html

I used a mixture of different mediums to illustrate this feature, conte crayons on sugar paper and acrylic paint.

I chose to blend the colours of the sugar paper and cartridge paper to give the image some depth, and by not putting too much detail in the drawing of Hercules and the lion and leaving a space in the top left corner, I have avoided cluttering the image.

Although I like the lion it took some work to get it to the way I had imaged it, I had to redo the nose of the lion and found it challenging to get it to the size and shape to make it look accurate, but even now I feel the nose is slightly off.

The Lernean Hydra

http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/Herakles/hydra.html

I thought I might try to recreate this story and give it the same effect as the old vases, unfortunately, the image didn't come out as I had hoped. The composition of the image isn't quite right, there isn't any spatial awareness, if I was to redo the image, I would maybe avoid doing it in the style I have done, as it doesn't look aesthetically pleasing, and I would definitely change the placement 

The Hind of Ceryneia Diana's Pet Deer

                                                                                 http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/Herakles/hind.html

I used an image of two deer rutting, I then removed one of the deer and replaced it with a drawing of Hercules, painting in acrylics.

The Erymanthian Boar 

                                      http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/Herakles/boar.html      

  

I used an image from a vase and changed it slightly drawing in pencil to recreate this feature, I used a stronger line to define the space between the shoulders of Hercules and the boars back, and I have also subtly added the king hiding from the boar in a vase in the background.
  

The Augean Stables

http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/Herakles/stables.html

Using an image of Arnold Schwarzenegger, I have drawn Hercules stood in front of the water as he directs water to the stables below, using the water soluble pens I tried to give the effect of water splashing off of the body and wrapping around him as he stands strong in the current. I chose Arnold Schwarzenegger as basic structure to the drawing not only because of his physique, but he also played the role of Hercules in, ‘Hercules in New York’ 1969 

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0065832/?ref_=sr_5

The Stymphalian Birds

    
I used an image of a statue dedicated to the tale of Hercules, I like the way that the light and dark spaces of the statue were accentuated by the sun and chose to do it in conte crayons and sugar paper to emphasize it.

http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/Herakles/birds.html

 The Creten Bull

http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/Herakles/bull.html

I chose to do a less detailed image of the Cretan bull, as I like the images that are used to advertise or to be used as a logo for football teams I used an image I found similar to a team and remade it in my own style, using ink, I the added the Greek patterns through ought the piece to make it more interesting

The Man-Eating Horses of Diomedes

http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/Herakles/horses.html

I found it quite difficult to portray this story, and as I struggle to draw horses it proved challenging. I tried my best to find an image I thought best represent a man eating horse, eventually I decided to use a normal horses face and drew it in pencil,

I would like to redo this image if I have time as I am not entirely happy with it.

Hippolyte's Belt

http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/Herakles/amazon.html

I used inks to do this image, I thought it would give it an eerie look to it.

The Cattle of Geryon

http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/Herakles/cattle.html

I used three images of Greek helmets to do this image to represent the three headed attacker in the story

The Apples of the Hesperides

I am very happy with the way this image turned out, i tried to show the stress of heracles when he was forced to hold the skies, using a selection of different mediums, such as charcoal, pencil, ink and paint

http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/Herakles/apples.html

Cerberus

http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/Herakles/cerberus.html

i used three seperate images of dogs to do this piece, by getting the images and blending them together i think i have created a successful portrayal of the cerabus.