through whom is splintered from a single White
to many hues, and endlessly combined
in living shapes that move from mind to mind.
- J.R.R.Tolkien: Mythopoeia
The fields are turning gold with corn, and meadows are colourful with flowers.
Soon the trees will turn their leaves gold and red and brown as well, so what
would be a better theme for September than the Colours of Middle-earth? Thanks
to Chen for the suggestion!
Red is the colour of blood, green are the forests, blue is the Sea. Every colour
has a symbolic meaning, and can evoke a feeling as well. Red is connected with
passion, green with calm. Blue is the symbolic colour of fidelity. Then there
are the opposite ends of the spectrum - the black and the white, darkness and
light. The contrast between these two is the moving force of tales, and the
deeper the darkness, the more clearly the light shines. White light can be
refracted to all hues of the rainbow, like the reflection of one Creation, of
the Music of Ainur, maybe, as it was intended to be without Melkor's discord.
But colours bring also diversity into the world and its tales.
White City, Greenwood, Black Gate, Brown Lands, Grey Havens... The goegraphy of
Middle-earth is colourful as well, just like the ranks of the Istari: Saruman
the White, Gandalf the Grey, Radagast the Brown and two Blue wizards. But White
loses its power when shattered into many colours, and Grey sent back from death
becomes White.
And so for this month, we ask you to write a story about colours. It can be a
story with one dominant colour, or with the entire spectrum. You can also use
the theory of colours, and create different relationships of colours in your
story: contrast, or harmony, you can mix two colours to create the third one, or
use different hues of one colour.
Or just ask a simple question - what's the favourite colour of our favourite
characters? With a name "Greenleaf", it probably isn't a difficult question, but
still Aragorn or Legolas can prepare us some surprises. A pink nightshirt,
maybe? ;)
There are no borders to your imagination. Just prepare your brushes and
pallette, and show us what picture you can paint with words!
The deadline for this challenge is September 25th. Please send your stories and
questions to: <teitho.contest@...>
More information at
http://teitho.waking-vision.com/modules.php?name=Intern&file=challenge80
Happy writing!
Your Teitho-moderators,
Marethiel, nautika, StarLight, and Mirach