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My primary activity in fandom is drawing. As fanartists for a book fandom, we're really only bound by the descriptions in canon. Though that very freedom can be a little tricky, as we have to make sure that our characters are identifiable. Certain boxes are ticked for certain characters, and Snape is oh, so very one of those.
Severus Snape - black, lank hair, dark eyes, and a Nose. These are such strong physical characteristics that it's very difficult to deviate from them. Every artist has a different style, and these key features allow the viewer to identify the character easily - lighten Snape's eyes, and he could well be mistaken for Sirius, nose aside. Dark brown hair? I beg your pardon, who are you?
There'll be someone who considers Snape a possibility for prettiness, and won't see a conventionally attractive face as a mark in the "Not Snape" column. Likewise, there are artists whose style leans toward a degree of conventional beauty in all characters, and again, Snape needs to be identified with those keys. The reverse is obviously also true :).
So, then, those particular identifiers seem to become a rather significant part of the character, more so than purely physical characteristics. There's weight to them, and they're more symbols than just features. Remus' scars, Harry's glasses, Voldemort's red eyes.
Snape's hair is far more than just a thing to be made palatable enough for romance by explaining the canon grease. It seems to function as a shield - Snape the emo-kid, hiding behind his hair. It's part of the elusive character of Snape, and yet another wall - the robes, the Occlumency, the thoroughly dreadful interpersonal skills, the hauteur, and the hair. Dark eyes peering out from behind a wall of even darker hair.
So, then - Snape's hair is part of his self-protection.
I recently drew a picture with a bald Snape. There was a context to the picture that meant the hair made sense, but still - Severus Snape without hair? As a gift?
Nervewracking, I tell you. It was a pairing specific fest, so identifying him as Snape in the context of the fest wasn't going to be an issue - I just had nerves about taking away such a key part of the character's immediate identifiers.
Bald. Not a strong bald, either, like the Snape in Home Fries Nazi. Vulnerable, fragile, stripped and laid bare.
I was surprised, at the end of the colouring process, to find that he was no less Snape for the lack of his hair. Viewer feedback seemed to suggest something similar. I've considered Snape's hair as a near sacred characteristic for so long that it was quite startling :).
Either I got lucky... or the bloody great nose made it less of a shock... or there's something more about Snape that his fans go for, regardless of the state of his coiffure.
Severus Snape - black, lank hair, dark eyes, and a Nose. These are such strong physical characteristics that it's very difficult to deviate from them. Every artist has a different style, and these key features allow the viewer to identify the character easily - lighten Snape's eyes, and he could well be mistaken for Sirius, nose aside. Dark brown hair? I beg your pardon, who are you?
There'll be someone who considers Snape a possibility for prettiness, and won't see a conventionally attractive face as a mark in the "Not Snape" column. Likewise, there are artists whose style leans toward a degree of conventional beauty in all characters, and again, Snape needs to be identified with those keys. The reverse is obviously also true :).
So, then, those particular identifiers seem to become a rather significant part of the character, more so than purely physical characteristics. There's weight to them, and they're more symbols than just features. Remus' scars, Harry's glasses, Voldemort's red eyes.
Snape's hair is far more than just a thing to be made palatable enough for romance by explaining the canon grease. It seems to function as a shield - Snape the emo-kid, hiding behind his hair. It's part of the elusive character of Snape, and yet another wall - the robes, the Occlumency, the thoroughly dreadful interpersonal skills, the hauteur, and the hair. Dark eyes peering out from behind a wall of even darker hair.
So, then - Snape's hair is part of his self-protection.
I recently drew a picture with a bald Snape. There was a context to the picture that meant the hair made sense, but still - Severus Snape without hair? As a gift?
Nervewracking, I tell you. It was a pairing specific fest, so identifying him as Snape in the context of the fest wasn't going to be an issue - I just had nerves about taking away such a key part of the character's immediate identifiers.
Bald. Not a strong bald, either, like the Snape in Home Fries Nazi. Vulnerable, fragile, stripped and laid bare.
I was surprised, at the end of the colouring process, to find that he was no less Snape for the lack of his hair. Viewer feedback seemed to suggest something similar. I've considered Snape's hair as a near sacred characteristic for so long that it was quite startling :).
Either I got lucky... or the bloody great nose made it less of a shock... or there's something more about Snape that his fans go for, regardless of the state of his coiffure.
But the hair... he has the hair I've always wanted: a smooth and inky curtain, so perfect for hiding, and such beautiful flowing graphic lines!
It's true, I've recognized (and still loved!) Severus without his hair, although it always is shocking to see him, as you said, 'laid bare', exposed. Shorn of mystery, in a way.
One line did catch me, though, in your comment about Remus' scars. Remus' scars are what I refer to in my head as "movie contamination". In canon, Remus is never, ever, ONCE mentioned to have any visible scars.
Nor does canon ever mention the creepy, pedophile-type moustache that David Thewlis sports in the films. *shudder*
I have a ridiculous anti-film bias on a wide number of points, but the wimpy, scarred, bewhiskered, naked-wolf Lupin that PoA the Film gave us is one of my huge 'issues'.
Alas. Hence the reason why my children fight over who "must" sit by mum in the theater when the film comes out. I sit through the whole thing grousing about all the points they got 'wrong'.
Thank-you, very much, for your thoughtful and well written essay on Severus' hair. :)
Sorry, just had to comment on this. ;-) YES! The wimpiness (to me) is book canon, but not the rest of it. I still cannot understand how Rowling could have passed on the naked-wolf, given the SWM scene in which the Marauders were discussing a tufted tail being one of the things that distinguished werewoves from wolves without mentioning a complete lack of hair!.
Dark eyes peering out from behind a wall of even darker hair.
Mmm... tasty. :)
I will continue to think about this! Thank you!
And I'm just in the process of writing 'short-grey-haired older Snape' for whom I have a very clear mental picture.
Now Harry without his scar/glasses, that would be difficult...
You know, for me that is not Snape. Don't get me wrong, the picture is wonderful and admire you greatly, but, for me, the triggers are missing. And I think this may be a shipping thing.
Most people here come from the slash side, I'm a SSHG shipper, on the other hand. Clues that maybe obvious for others here are missing for me. His posture, Lupin, that fur... that may flash 'Severus' at you, but it doesn't for me. Know what I mean?
I'd like to know if I'm the only one or if other people who aren's Snupin shippers see this similarly.
That could, in fact, be a new challenge...
When I first started getting into drawing Snupin I remember having trouble working out what Lupin should look like. I had to do that when drawing my Snusa, actually, to get Draco and Ron to look right (and individual). Draco = pointed, Ron = freckles (though someone actually tried to pick me up on that and told me I should have drawn Ron with freckles to distinguish him from Draco. I was bemused; I did always draw him with them /grumble).
Anyhoo, I'm drifting. Got distracted by ticky-box features.
Hair. I love Snape's hair. I think the LOTR films were an influence on my growing mind 'cause I have one hell of a thing for blokes with long hair. I was entertained when my mum actually said, after she saw the first film, that she didn't think Snape's hair was long enough (mind you, that was also one of those moments growing up when you realise that your mum might potentially look at men in that sort of way - quite a shocker). It's true, though. I like my Snape with longer hair than the Rickman wig. In fact, the hair is definitely one of his characteristics that I find attractive. JKR might frequently describe him as ugly but that hair? Phwoar!
You can show mood and feeling a lot with the hair too. I don't think it's something I've particularly explored personally, hmm. Hair across the face, flying artfully in the wind, framing the face ... hiding behind it is the first thing that springs to mind, of course.
I do like your bald Snape. 'Like' actually feels like an odd word to use because what I like is the success of what you did with it. It's unsettling and almost upsetting (in a good way, if that makes sense). I think it's partly because it's not something that I've seen done before. Being original in fandom is difficult. And Snape's hair - well, a lot of fics have short hair or grey hair or whatever, but as far as fanart goes it's always long and black (length varies but it's always describable as longer-than-average-male-style). I'm drifting again but what I'm working towards is good job on creating a piece of fanart that manages to shock and surprise.
Finally (because bloody hell, sometimes I need to learn when to shut up), the prettiness thing amuses me. I posted a bunch of sketches at some point with a Snape one that I described as "far too pretty to be canon!Snape". Got an absolute bitchslap of a comment:
Why do people always say that? Even Snape fans say it, and it's...well, a peeve. There is not ONE thing in that (lovely!) little sketch that is not Canon!Snape. He's got the long black greasy/straggly hair, the prominent hooked nose, dark eyes and a thin face. Total. Canon. And just because Harry sees that combination as ugly doesn't mean we have to. Especially as Harry is a clueless little dork most of the time, you know? So...
ENOUGH WITH THE CULT OF THE UGLY!SNAPE. If he fits the description, he fits. Don't sweat it.
It's quite sweet really, though I was a little annoyed at the time. I do get kind of annoyed at incredibly bishie!Snape. As much as manga style is a perfectly respectable style (though not always my thing) it annoys me when he has a cute little manga nose.
Blargh. I've ranted and rambled for far too long. Shutting up now.