Cyn-fyfyriwr a'i gwaith ar House of The Dragon

Pan dderbyniodd Beth Elen Roberts alwad i fynd i weithio ar raglen, House of the Dragon, doedd hi ddim yn disgwyl i'w gwaith fod yn rhan o rywbeth mor eiconig.

Gweithiodd Beth fel artist cysyniad iau ar y gyfres sydd wedi'i gosod yn y cyfnod cyn Game of Thrones. Gweithiodd gyda'r dylunydd cynhyrchu Jim Clay i ddylunio'r model o Old Valyria a welwyd yn siambr King Viserys trwy gydol y gyfres boblogaidd.

Mae'r model yn chwarae rhan annatod yn y sioe ffantasi, a gwelir y Brenin, a chwaraeir gan Paddy Considine, yn adeiladu'r ddinas chwedlonol, wrth i orsedd Westeros lithro o'i afael.

Cyflogwyd Beth, sy'n dod o Benmon ar Ynys Môn i weithio dan arweiniad Jim Clay ar y prop cymhleth, oedd yn cynnwys dros 200 o adeiladau bach iawn.

"Mi ddaeth yr e-bost annisgwyl yn dweud bod un o fy nhiwtoriaid o'r RCA wedi rhoi fy enw ymlaen," meddai Beth, a ddilynodd gwrs sylfaen celf yng ngholeg Menai cyn mynd ymlaen i The Royal College of Art i gwblhau cwrs meistr mewn Pensaernïaeth Fewnol.

When former Coleg Menai student Beth Elen Roberts answered a call to work on House of the Dragon, she couldn’t have anticipated how iconic her work would become.

Beth worked as a junior concept artist on the Game of Thrones prequel, working with production designer Jim Clay to design the model of Old Valyria seen in King Viserys’ chamber throughout the hit series.

The model plays an integral part in the fantasy show, with the King, played by Paddy Considine, frequently seen building his recreation of the fabled city, while his grip on the throne of Westeros gradually loosens.

Beth, from Penmon on Anglesey, was hired to work under production designer Jim Clay on the intricate prop, which consists of more than 200 separate miniature buildings.

“I had an email out of the blue saying one of my tutors at RCA had recommended me,” said Beth, who studied the art foundation course at Coleg Menai before going on to the Royal College of Art to complete a Masters in Interior Architecture.

When former Coleg Menai student Beth Elen Roberts answered a call to work on House of the Dragon, she couldn’t have anticipated how iconic her work would become.

Beth worked as a junior concept artist on the Game of Thrones prequel, working with production designer Jim Clay to design the model of Old Valyria seen in King Viserys’ chamber throughout the hit series.

The model plays an integral part in the fantasy show, with the King, played by Paddy Considine, frequently seen building his recreation of the fabled city, while his grip on the throne of Westeros gradually loosens.

Beth, from Penmon on Anglesey, was hired to work under production designer Jim Clay on the intricate prop, which consists of more than 200 separate miniature buildings.

“I had an email out of the blue saying one of my tutors at RCA had recommended me,” said Beth, who studied the art foundation course at Coleg Menai before going on to the Royal College of Art to complete a Masters in Interior Architecture.

"Daeth yr e-bost gan Jim Clay oedd yn chwilio am rywun i gydweithio ag o ar fodel o ddinas ar gyfer rhaglen House of the Dragon. Mi fachais ar y cyfle yn syth.

"Roeddwn i wedi gwylio Game of Thrones dair neu bedair gwaith. Mae gen i ddiddordeb ers tro byd yn yr hun sy'n digwydd y tu ôl i'r camera yn y byd ffilm a theledu, ers pan oeddwn i'n ifanc. ⁠Mae fy mrawd yn gweithio ym maes animeiddio felly roeddwn i'n arfer gwylio llawer o ffilmiau Aardman!

"Yn ystod cyfres gyntaf House of the Dragon, roedd fy ngwaith yn canolbwyntio ar ddylunio model King Valyrian a oedd yn ymddangos trwy gydol y gyfres. Mae gweithio fel hyn ar un darn o waith yn unig yn beth eithaf prin.

"Mi dreuliais chwe mis yn gwneud gwaith ymchwil trylwyr, yn lluniadau a chreu modelau 3D gan ystyried dyluniad y ddinas yn fanwl, yn edrych ar berthynas y ddinas a'r dirwedd o'i hamgylch a datblygiad arddull bensaernïol y ddinas.

"Roedd Jim yn fentor arbennig iawn drwy gydol y broses. Roedd hi'n brofiad arbennig gweld y ddinas yn dod yn fyw ar y sgrin yn Red Keep ac yn narnau agoriadol y sioe.”

“The email was from Jim Clay, who was looking for someone to collaborate on a model of a city for a Game of Thrones prequel, and I jumped at it.

“I’d watched Game of Thrones three or four times. I’ve always been really interested in a lot of the behind-the-scenes of film and television, even since I was young. My brother works in animation, so I used to have to watch the Aardman films a lot!

“My role in the first series of House of the Dragon was solely focused on the design of the King's Valyrian model featured throughout the series. It’s quite rare to be given just one thing to work on in that way.

“It was an intensive six-month process of research, drawing and 3D modelling, considering in detail the city's planning, its critical relationship to the surrounding landscape and the development of its architectural style.

“Jim was an amazing mentor to me throughout the process. It was amazing to see how it was then realised on screen in the Red Keep, and in the opening credits of the show.”

“The email was from Jim Clay, who was looking for someone to collaborate on a model of a city for a Game of Thrones prequel, and I jumped at it.

“I’d watched Game of Thrones three or four times. I’ve always been really interested in a lot of the behind-the-scenes of film and television, even since I was young. My brother works in animation, so I used to have to watch the Aardman films a lot!

“My role in the first series of House of the Dragon was solely focused on the design of the King's Valyrian model featured throughout the series. It’s quite rare to be given just one thing to work on in that way.

“It was an intensive six-month process of research, drawing and 3D modelling, considering in detail the city's planning, its critical relationship to the surrounding landscape and the development of its architectural style.

“Jim was an amazing mentor to me throughout the process. It was amazing to see how it was then realised on screen in the Red Keep, and in the opening credits of the show.”

Mae enwogion fel Matt Smith, Rhys Ifans ac Olivia Cooke yn serennu yn House of the Dragon, ac mae wedi'i osod yn y cyfnod tua 170 o flynyddoedd cyn digwyddiadau Game of Thrones, y gyfres hynod boblogaidd a addaswyd o nofelau George RR Martin.

Mae defnyddio delweddau a gynhyrchir gyda chyfrifiadur neu ddelweddau AI, ar gynnydd ym maes teledu a ffilm, ac roedd cynhyrchwyr sioe House of The Dragon yn awyddus i ddefnyddio set 'go iawn' cymaint â phosib.

Roedd gofyn bod model Old Valyria yn cadw at y gofynion hynny hefyd, ac meddai Beth: "Roedden nhw eisiau i'r dyluniad deimlo ac edrych fel dinas go iawn.

"Roeddwn i'n cwrdd â Miguel Sapochnik a Ryan Condal i drafod sut roedd y ddinas yn edrych, ac i edrych ar gynlluniau dinasoedd Aztec neu o gyfnod Canoloesol. Mi wnaethon ni hyd yn oed edrych ar y system blymio i weld sut y buasai'n gweithio."

Cafodd Beth waith ar yr ail gyfres hefyd, y tro hwn yn gweithio gydag addurnwr y set, Claire Richards, yn dylunio propiau a dodrefn.

Bydd ei gwaith hefyd i'w weld ar y gyfres "3 Body Problem" fydd yn ymddangos ar Netflix ym mis Ionawr. Mae'r gyfres hon yn seiliedig ar waith Liu Cixin, awdur ffuglen wyddonol.

Mae'r hyn ddysgodd hi yn y coleg yn dal i ysbrydoli Beth, ac meddai: "Roedd y profiadau ges i ar y cwrs celf sylfaen yng Ngholeg Menai yn hynod werthfawr. Mi ges i amser gwych, hyd yn oed o'i gymharu â fy mhrofiad yn y brifysgol.

Mae'r cyfnod ymgeisio am le ar gwrs Celf Sylfaen y flwyddyn nesaf yng Ngholeg Menai yn agor ym mis Tachwedd. I gael rhagor o wybodaeth am y cwrs, cliciwch yma.

"Roedd y tiwtoriaid yn gefnogol iawn, roedden nhw'n ein hannog i chwarae, arbrofi a lluniadu wrth gwrs.

"Roedd eu dealltwriaeth o luniadu yn hyblyg ac yn ein hannog i archwilio - nid gyda phensil bob tro, gwneud marciau drwy gyfrwng goddrychau gwahanol, printio neu gerflunio.

"Dw i'n dal i ddefnyddio'r hyn ddysgais i bryd hynny yn fy ngwaith heddiw. ⁠Er ein bod ni'n gweithio i amserlen dynn a briffiau pendant, mae canfod cyfleoedd i chwarae, arbrofi drwy luniadu yn arwain at y syniadau gorau."

Dydy cyn-diwtor Beth, Owein Prendergast ddim yn synnu ei bod hi'n gwneud cystal yn ei gyrfa: “Roedd Beth yn fyfyriwr bywiog, uchelgeisiol a thalentog. Roedd hi'n gallu gweithio mewn dau neu dri dimensiwn.

Mae'r darn gynhyrchodd hi ar gyfer ei harddangosfa olaf, cerflun anferth, yn dal i fod yn un o'r darnau mwyaf uchelgeisiol mae unrhyw un o'n myfyrwyr wedi'i gynhyrchu. Dydy hi ddim yn syndod a dweud y gwir ei bod hi wedi mynd ymlaen i gael gyrfa mor llwyddiannus."

House of the Dragon stars the likes of Matt Smith, Rhys Ifans and Olivia Cooke and is set around 170 years before the events of Game of Thrones, the epic TV phenomenon adapted from George RR Martin’s novels.

With computer-generated imagery and AI becoming ever more prevalent in film and television, the House of the Dragon showrunners were keen that as much as possible of the set was actually made by humans.

That level of authenticity was also expected of the model of Old Valyria, with Beth saying: “They wanted the design to feel accurate as a real city.

“I’d sit in meetings with the showrunners Miguel Sapochnik and Ryan Condal, and we’d discuss the look of the city, looking at plans from Aztec and Mediaeval cities. We were even looking at details such as how the plumbing would work.”

Beth was again hired for series two, this time working for set decorator Claire Richards on the design of props and furniture for the show.

Her work will also be seen on forthcoming Netflix drama 3 Body Problem, based on a trilogy by Chinese sci-fi writer Liu Cixin, which is set to be screened in January.

Beth still takes inspiration from the lessons she learned at college, saying: “The art foundation course at Coleg Menai was an invaluable experience. I had an amazing time, even compared to my experience in university.

Applications open in November for next year’s Art Foundation course at Coleg Menai. For more information about the course, click here.

“The tutors were incredibly supportive and at the core of their teaching was an encouragement of play, experimentation and above all, drawing.

“Their understanding of drawing was fluid and investigative - not always pencil on paper, but mark-making through different mediums such as found objects, print or sculpture.

“I still draw upon these lessons in my work as a concept artist in TV and film. Despite tight deadlines and briefs, finding opportunities to play and experiment through drawing, brings about the best ideas.”

Beth’s former tutor Owein Prendergast is not surprised to see her doing so well in her career, saying: “Beth was always a lively, ambitious and talented student. She was capable of working both two- and three-dimensionally.

“Her final exhibition piece - a huge hanging sculpture - is still one of the most ambitious final exhibitions one of our students has ever produced. It's no surprise really that she has gone on to have such a successful career."

House of the Dragon stars the likes of Matt Smith, Rhys Ifans and Olivia Cooke and is set around 170 years before the events of Game of Thrones, the epic TV phenomenon adapted from George RR Martin’s novels.

With computer-generated imagery and AI becoming ever more prevalent in film and television, the House of the Dragon showrunners were keen that as much as possible of the set was actually made by humans.

That level of authenticity was also expected of the model of Old Valyria, with Beth saying: “They wanted the design to feel accurate as a real city.

“I’d sit in meetings with the showrunners Miguel Sapochnik and Ryan Condal, and we’d discuss the look of the city, looking at plans from Aztec and Mediaeval cities. We were even looking at details such as how the plumbing would work.”

Beth was again hired for series two, this time working for set decorator Claire Richards on the design of props and furniture for the show.

Her work will also be seen on forthcoming Netflix drama 3 Body Problem, based on a trilogy by Chinese sci-fi writer Liu Cixin, which is set to be screened in January.

Beth still takes inspiration from the lessons she learned at college, saying: “The art foundation course at Coleg Menai was an invaluable experience. I had an amazing time, even compared to my experience in university.

Applications open in November for next year’s Art Foundation course at Coleg Menai. For more information about the course, click here.

“The tutors were incredibly supportive and at the core of their teaching was an encouragement of play, experimentation and above all, drawing.

“Their understanding of drawing was fluid and investigative - not always pencil on paper, but mark-making through different mediums such as found objects, print or sculpture.

“I still draw upon these lessons in my work as a concept artist in TV and film. Despite tight deadlines and briefs, finding opportunities to play and experiment through drawing, brings about the best ideas.”

Beth’s former tutor Owein Prendergast is not surprised to see her doing so well in her career, saying: “Beth was always a lively, ambitious and talented student. She was capable of working both two- and three-dimensionally.

“Her final exhibition piece - a huge hanging sculpture - is still one of the most ambitious final exhibitions one of our students has ever produced. It's no surprise really that she has gone on to have such a successful career."