10/05/2013

Northern Lights




"The aurora was one of the last unsolved mysteries of the natural world, puzzled over, feared or worshiped. In an audacious plan, Birkeland intended to spend a whole winter on the mountaintop to study the Lights, which were known to appear in this region more frequently than anywhere else in the country. It was not only their beauty that compelled him and his fellow scientists to make this dangerous trip, but their challenge. He had a theory that, if he could prove it, would solve the riddle of the lights and overturn conventional wisdom about the solar system and the earth's place within it. For him, the Lights marked the threshold between the visible and invisible worlds; they were the link between the planet and the vast, uncontrollable and unseen forces that shaped the universe." Lucy Jago - 'The Northern Lights'

After reading Birkeland's biography I felt inspired to have a go at illustrating its first chapter, and in particular the scene of the expedition's arrival at the observatory, where they encountered the aurora for the first time. I've mocked up the rest of the chapter as a short comic, but I have a few other things on the go at the moment and I don't know when I'll have a chance to finish it. Anyway, I hope you like the preview!

2 comments:

Unknown said...

I really like this illustration, and its good to see your inspiration behind the idea.

Finn Clark said...

Thanks Jake