Balrog

But it was not the trolls that had filled the Elf with terror. The ranks of the orcs had opened, and they crowded away, as if they themselves were afraid. Something was coming up behind them. What it was could not be seen: it was like a great shadow, in the middle of which was a dark form, of man-shape maybe, yet greater; and a power and terror seemed to be in it and to go before it.

It came to the edge of the fire and light faded as if a cloud had bent over it. Then with a rush it leaped across the fissure. The flames roared up to greet it, and wreathed about it; and a black smoke swirled in the air. Its streaming mane kindled, and blazed behind it. In its right hand was a blade like a stabbing tongue of fire; in its left it held a whip of many thongs.

Tolkien, J.R.R. The Lord of the Rings, page 344. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1987.

The Lord of the Rings was my favorite book for a long time, and the confrontation with the Balrog of Morgoth is my favorite scene from that book (for the record, I do not like the movies at all). Since I based my design on the quoted passage, along with a later mention of wings, I have posted a second picture of my model that depicts the flaming mane streaming behind. This is one of my favorite parts of this model, and its detail cannot be seen from the front.

Design date: June, 2012

Paper used: A single un-cut square of back-coated mulberry tissue paper treated with methyl cellulose.