Thread: Tolkien Artwork

Since this came up in another thread, I was curious to know if the people here have favourite Tolkien artists or artwork, or if there are illustrations they absolutely can't stand?

I forgot who this artist was, but she (I believe it's a she) has some of the /worst/ Tolkien illustrations I have ever seen.

Just take a look at her Luthien: http://home.comcast.net/~mithrandirc...en_Luthien.jpg

That Luthien wouldnt be out of place on the side of a flying fortress, an interesting interpretation.

Ted Nasmith has done some stuff I really like. He's done a lot of stuff I really don't like as well, but I'll whack some of my favourites (that I can find on his website) here.

Gandalf Escapes Upon Gwaihir

The Argonath

Elf Woods

The Willow Man is Tamed - I had this one on my wall at one point, not sure where it's gone now.

Fangorn Forest

The Tree Shepherds - not sure I entirely agree with his depiction of the Ents, but I do like the painting

Ithilien

Through the Marshes

Minas Tirith at Dawn

The Blue Wizards Journeying East

The End of the Age

Fingolfin's Wrath

Luthien

Tuor Reaches the Hidden City

The Eagles of Manwe

Luthien Escapes upon Huan

Fingolfin Leads His Host Across the Helcaraxe

The Barrel Rider

Gandalf and Thorin in Bree

That was quite the list, I apologise. He's very inconsistent imo, some of his work is very, very good and some almost rushed. Also, completely subjectively, some of his paintings almost perfectly capture how I imagined the places or people. Again others, not so much. One of his paintings (I won't include the link out of principle :P) was, I fear, the inspiration for the infamous "physical eye" atop Barad-Dur in PJ's films.

I also really like these two, although I can't find their creators to credit them:

Fingolfin and Morgoth

Fingolfin crossing the Helcaraxe, again

Im pretty sure your Fingolfin and Morgoth is by John Howe, the Luthien picture remined me of Frank Frazettas' black and white of Eowyn,

http://img-fan.theonering.net/~roloz...a/pelennor.jpg

he showed great restraint in alowing her to keep some clothes on which is sort of pertinant considering the continued discussion of the film adapation, no one would dream of telling Frazetta on how to interpret somehing he was illustrating, yet we all feel happy to critisize Peter ackson (me included).

Not to be droll, but Tolkien is the source of much of my favorite Tolkien artwork. For instance, http://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/File:...s_%28II%29.jpg

Originally Posted by Curandhras

Fingolfin and Morgoth

Fingolfin crossing the Helcaraxe, again

The first one is John Howe who has also been a loyal concept artist to Lotr and Hobbit movies of PJ. Their other concept artist is Alan Lee, also a very good choice. The second picture is from Jenny Dolfen, a.k.a. "Gold-Seven" which is her alias in the Internet.

I also like Nasmith, though I must confess that I usually prefer his scenery adaptations than his character adaptations.

Jenny Dolfen is an active artist in DeviantArt, here.

DeviantArt has a lot of promising or well known Tolkien artists which I have subscribed to, but I have to give you a fair warning: you will see shipping there among the searches in some point. Dolfen has none of that, which I appreciate.

Some of my other favorites from there are:

Maureval (Digital)
Liga-Marta (Storybook)
Righon (Storybook)
Jankolas (Storybook)
Ullakko (Storybook)
A.Autio (Sketch)
Tuuliky (Sketch)
Ilxwing (Misc)

Originally Posted by Laire

I forgot who this artist was, but she (I believe it's a she) has some of the /worst/ Tolkien illustrations I have ever seen.

Just take a look at her Luthien: http://home.comcast.net/~mithrandirc...en_Luthien.jpg

The artist name is Rowena Morrill.
you should check her other works on her page. Her drawings and style kinda remind me the pin-up artists
I think, she did a pretty good job on Luthien...

Originally Posted by Curandhras

Ted Nasmith has done some stuff I really like. He's done a lot of stuff I really don't like as well, but I'll whack some of my favourites (that I can find on his website) here.

Gandalf Escapes Upon Gwaihir

The Argonath

Elf Woods

The Willow Man is Tamed - I had this one on my wall at one point, not sure where it's gone now.

Fangorn Forest

The Tree Shepherds - not sure I entirely agree with his depiction of the Ents, but I do like the painting

Ithilien

Through the Marshes

Minas Tirith at Dawn

The Blue Wizards Journeying East

The End of the Age

Fingolfin's Wrath

Luthien

Tuor Reaches the Hidden City

The Eagles of Manwe

Luthien Escapes upon Huan

Fingolfin Leads His Host Across the Helcaraxe

The Barrel Rider

Gandalf and Thorin in Bree

That was quite the list, I apologise. He's very inconsistent imo, some of his work is very, very good and some almost rushed. Also, completely subjectively, some of his paintings almost perfectly capture how I imagined the places or people. Again others, not so much. One of his paintings (I won't include the link out of principle :P) was, I fear, the inspiration for the infamous "physical eye" atop Barad-Dur in PJ's films.

I also really like these two, although I can't find their creators to credit them:

Fingolfin and Morgoth

Fingolfin crossing the Helcaraxe, again

I love almost all of these images! Thanks for the links
I think that first Fingolfin crossing the Helcaraxe is included in my edition of the Silmarillion. I'll have to check that now
My favourites out of the ones you linked there.... I have to say Minas Tirith at Dawn, Manwe's Eagles and.... by far my favourite was Ithilien
Least favourites there were Gandalf and Thorin at Bree, and Huan. Thanks again

I don't have a link readily available but Angus McBride is one of my favorites. He was the main illustrator for the old Middle-Earth Role Play and Rolemaster games. He is also well know for his work for the Osprey Military History books.

Originally Posted by BIGeyedBUG

Not to be droll, but Tolkien is the source of much of my favorite Tolkien artwork. For instance, http://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/File:...s_%28II%29.jpg

Tolkien has done some brilliant drawings, his style is really quite unique. I have a very old version of the Hobbit (the price is in shillings...) with his illustrations and they're all excellent. He draws a mean dragon.

Originally Posted by Ironcrown

I don't have a link readily available but Angus McBride is one of my favorites. He was the main illustrator for the old Middle-Earth Role Play and Rolemaster games. He is also well know for his work for the Osprey Military History books.

I second your reccomendation, McBrides MERP Module covers give a refreshing viewpoint to the Howe/Lee hegemonic view of middle earth, my favourite cover was "the Thieves of Tharbad".

Thanks for sharing your impressions and links so far! Very interesting to see who and what is succeeding with the fans, and who isn't.

I love Tolkien's art myself, J.R.R. Tolkien: Artist and Illustrator is a real treasure to have, for more than just the illustrations of his works.

Angus McBride I wasn't familiar with so far, although I really love his character concepts - the other pictures are not quite mine (why always such a red glare?), but to each their own. Some of it is here: http://fan.theonering.net/~rolozo/cg...ride?offset=24

Has anyone heard of Jef Murray? His oil paintings and use of colour are fabulous, imho. http://userwww.service.emory.edu/~jm...murraystudios/

Originally Posted by EllisIstarnie

Has anyone heard of Jef Murray? His oil paintings and use of colour are fabulous, imho. http://userwww.service.emory.edu/~jm...murraystudios/

My dad used to do oil "copies" of Jef Murray's work, with various degrees of success.

We share his surname too! No relation though.. I don't think.

Originally Posted by EllisIstarnie

Angus McBride I wasn't familiar with so far, although I really love his character concepts - the other pictures are not quite mine (why always such a red glare?), but to each their own. Some of it is here: http://fan.theonering.net/~rolozo/cg...ride?offset=24

I fell in love with his art with MERP; of all the visual depictions of the characters from Tolkien's works, his have gotten the closest to my own views. Especially far as Galadriel is concerned. In his work, Galadriel appears as she should, imo: one of the Noldor, mighty even among the Firstborn.

Another whom I adore is Jenny Dolfen, already mentioned here. I don't agree with her on everything, but she's one of the best Silmarillion illustrators around.

Here is another name Pierre Carles... His artworks are pretty neat too. He is not that well known artist but I really liked his drawings...You can search his name and artwork...

I actually prefer the realistic style over anything what it comes to art about Arda. The storybook style comes next. I'm not much into anime or another cartoon style in the topic, unless it's humor - that's when it works mainly.

Originally Posted by BIGeyedBUG

Not to be droll, but Tolkien is the source of much of my favorite Tolkien artwork. For instance, http://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/File:...elves_(II).jpg

Hear hear!

I just picked up a hardcover edition of the Hobbit (before all the lousy movie edition ones crowd the market) with many illustrations by Tolien himself.