Favorite Tolkien artist.

For all of the Talk that doesn't fit elsewhere.

Moderators: caedmon, Greg

Post Reply
User avatar
robinhoodsghost
Silent Watcher over the Peaceful Lands
Posts: 337
Joined: Sun Jun 03, 2012 2:04 pm
Location: Kentucky

Favorite Tolkien artist.

Post by robinhoodsghost »

I was looking over some old Lord of the Rings calendars, I kept for the art....They were done by Greg & Tim Hildebrandt. Those brothers really captured what my minds eye saw, when I read the books. Who is your favorite Tolkien artist and why?
hildebrant.jpg
hildebrant.jpg (63.97 KiB) Viewed 15409 times
In the darkest part of Sherwoods glade, in the thickest part of the wood, there are those who say, can still be seen, the ghost of Robin Hood.
User avatar
Greg
Urush bithî 'nKi ya-nam bawâb
Posts: 4496
Joined: Tue Dec 02, 2008 8:50 pm
Location: Eriador; Central Indiana

Re: Favorite Tolkien artist.

Post by Greg »

I like John Howe and Alan Lee for obvious reasons, though I feel like Lee has maintained better book influence than Howe has. John seems to have followed PJs design cues a bit, even with his own personal attachment to historical convention.

My favorite, these days, would have to be some (but not all) of Turner Mohan's work. He has most aggressively pursued book accuracy, and brought much to life I normally struggle to view outside the film's contexts. See below, the image on which I rest my case.
IMG_0223.JPG
IMG_0223.JPG (73.24 KiB) Viewed 15405 times
Now the sword shall come from under the cloak.
User avatar
caedmon
Balku'npâ
Posts: 962
Joined: Sat Feb 16, 2008 4:30 am
Location: Palmer Alaska

Re: Favorite Tolkien artist.

Post by caedmon »

I'm going to say my top 4 are (in reverse order):

4. Pauline Baynes
3. Turner Mohan
2. John Howe
1. J.R.R. Tolkien


4. Pauline Baynes: Did much of the original illustrations in the books, and still informs my deepest memories of the text. Although it's her non-LOTR work that does so... Her black & white work on Tom Bombadil, Smith of Wooton Major, Farmer Giles of Ham, and Narnia are much more deep in my psyche than here LOTR stuff...
Image

Image

3. Turner Mohan: Much as Greg has said, Turner brings a freshness and faith to the books that is awe inspiring.

Image

2. John Howe: I'm a medieval reenaactor, Howe's commitment to real world examples inspires me. More his design work than his paintings...

Image



But my #1 is...

The Professor himself. Tolkien's art is often rough, and can be cartoonish, but it's so well informed by Art Nouveau and the Golden Age of Illustration. I consider his doodles to be primary source material.

Image
-Jack Horner

----------------------------
Impression: Cædmon Reedmace | bronze founder living in Archet, Breeland. c. 3017
User avatar
Udwin
Vendor
Posts: 794
Joined: Mon Apr 01, 2013 11:00 pm
Location: central Kain-tuc-kee
Contact:

Re: Favorite Tolkien artist.

Post by Udwin »

To echo what has been said above (in descending order this time!): Tolkien himself, Pauline Baynes, Turner Mohan, Ted Nasmith.
I picked up a copy of Baynes' Bilbo's Last Song the other day, which was published the year after Tolkien's death, and I really really want to know if he 'signed off' on it. Definitely worth checking out, as it includes (in addition to the main End-of-the-Third-Age illustrations) a delightful series of thumbnail vignettes of the episodes of Bilbo's first adventure.

Some of Nasmith's work is more book-accurate than others, but he tends to return to subjects and reworks them with varying results. Compare this Argonath (which I consider the most book-accurate interpretation, if you're into fully-carved statues) with this one.

Honorable mention goes to Michael Hauge's illustrations for The Hobbit, which was my introduction to Tolkien.

John Howe--I can take him or leave him; Alan Lee--works fine for Elvish and Elvish-adjacent stuff but for earthy hobbits and Northmen I feel he's too ethereal; and the Hildebrandts are way too '70s for me, and their hobbit proportions are just freakish.
Personae: Aistan son of Ansteig, common Beorning of Wilderland; Tungo Brandybuck, Eastfarthing Bounder, 3018 TA; a native Man of the Greyflood, c.850 SA
User avatar
Elleth
êphal ki-*raznahê
Posts: 2932
Joined: Wed Nov 03, 2010 5:26 am
Location: in the Angle; New England

Re: Favorite Tolkien artist.

Post by Elleth »

I came back to Tolkien about the time of the films, so my impression is somewhat colored by that I'm sure. Moreover, when I first read the books so many years ago, they were in trade paperback form with no illustrations I can recall. (And the covers were those horrible '60's pop art travesties: if Mom hadn't insisted they were by the same man who wrote "The Hobbit" I'm sure I would never have gone near them. ) And lastly... yes, I never took to most of the '70's-80's impressions. I enjoy some of the charm of Tolkien's drawings of the Shire, but I confess it doesn't generally rise to "canon" in my head.

So all that said, Alan Lee is far and away my favorite - my mental image of Middle earth is largely colored by his work. It's no surprise then I also adore most of Turner Mohan's pieces, especially where he "fills in the gaps" Mr. Lee hasn't touched.
I like much of Ted Nasmith's work, most especially his paintings from the Silmarillion. I'm less entranced with John Howe, but still enjoy a great deal of what he's created.

Michael Hague doesn't fit my mental image of Middle earth nearly so well, but his style is such a lovely match for the early 20th c. romantic illustrations that I love them anyway.
Finally, there's one or two people I keep seeing pop up on DeviantArt or pinterest with a similar early-romantic that's just lovely, but I can't seem to find their names at the moment.
Persona: Aerlinneth, Dúnedain of Amon Lendel c. TA 3010.
User avatar
Greg
Urush bithî 'nKi ya-nam bawâb
Posts: 4496
Joined: Tue Dec 02, 2008 8:50 pm
Location: Eriador; Central Indiana

Re: Favorite Tolkien artist.

Post by Greg »

As an aside, the one biggest thing that has always irked me about the original post's Hildebrandt is Faramir's bow. Does anyone else see a 70's fiberglass recurve with a rubber handle stringed backwards?
Now the sword shall come from under the cloak.
User avatar
caedmon
Balku'npâ
Posts: 962
Joined: Sat Feb 16, 2008 4:30 am
Location: Palmer Alaska

Re: Favorite Tolkien artist.

Post by caedmon »

Greg wrote:As an aside, the one biggest thing that has always irked me about the original post's Hildebrandt is Faramir's bow. Does anyone else see a 70's fiberglass recurve with a rubber handle stringed backwards?
Now I do.
-Jack Horner

----------------------------
Impression: Cædmon Reedmace | bronze founder living in Archet, Breeland. c. 3017
User avatar
Elleth
êphal ki-*raznahê
Posts: 2932
Joined: Wed Nov 03, 2010 5:26 am
Location: in the Angle; New England

Re: Favorite Tolkien artist.

Post by Elleth »

Hunh... I never had, but now that you mention it, looking at the limb tips I see what you're getting at. Personally, I simply find the garb itself looks... off. Too clunky. Too costumey.

Once upon a time, I used to steal my brother's "art of dungeons and dragons" books - I remember a couple artists from that era that stood out were... checking... Larry Elmore and Keith Parkinson, especially the former. Even at the time, it seemed to me that the people they painted always stood out to me as people-that-might-have-been, arrayed with clothes and tools and weapons that (mostly) looked real - things that would have really been worn and carried.

It was my favorite approach then, and still is.

... though I still love me some Froud fairies and goblins. :)
Persona: Aerlinneth, Dúnedain of Amon Lendel c. TA 3010.
User avatar
Greg
Urush bithî 'nKi ya-nam bawâb
Posts: 4496
Joined: Tue Dec 02, 2008 8:50 pm
Location: Eriador; Central Indiana

Re: Favorite Tolkien artist.

Post by Greg »

Elleth wrote:Hunh... I never had, but now that you mention it, looking at the limb tips I see what you're getting at. Personally, I simply find the garb itself looks... off. Too clunky. Too costumey.
If you look at the tiller curve around a 'foot' from the handle in either direction, you can see some stiffness, like the beginnings of a hinge in the curve...something that wouldn't be present if the bow was strung the other way. I am 100% certain that one was used as a model.
Now the sword shall come from under the cloak.
User avatar
Ringulf
Naugothrain
Posts: 2413
Joined: Sat Jul 09, 2011 1:50 pm
Location: Central Florida
Contact:

Re: Favorite Tolkien artist.

Post by Ringulf »

I am very partial to The Brothers Hildebrandt, as I have mentioned before, because these were the images that were first seen by me when I first started reading the books back in the early seventies. I have seen many little quirks that I just had to chalk up to the fact that these folks were recreating a genre that had greatly diminished and needed almost a hard restart. They used props, that I feel, they had no true understanding of (except the fact that they "looked correct") I think we are much more steeped in the practical realities of our fantasy nowadays and through book, game and film we are a much more savvy lot because of it. Someone I greatly admire for his Tolkien art work, but who originally set his hand to military art in the pages of Osprey Men at Arms series of books is Angus McBride. If you want realism, proportion and beleivability in a drawn concept, this man gets my vote. He did many cover pages and illustrations for the MERP games and again I fall to the familiarity of Art that inspired me during formative events, in this case the first runnings of my tabletop, Middle Earth Campaigns. Look into his work if you have not previously it is well worth your while.

Image

You will however, notice that Turner is still Ringulf's artist of choice for an Avatar and that has to say something! :mrgreen: :D
I am Ringulf the Dwarven Woodsman, I craft leather, wood, metal, and clay,
I throw axes, seaxes, and pointy sticks, And I fire my bow through the day.
Come be my ally, lift up your mead! We'll search out our foes and the Eagles we'll feed! :mrgreen:
User avatar
Greg
Urush bithî 'nKi ya-nam bawâb
Posts: 4496
Joined: Tue Dec 02, 2008 8:50 pm
Location: Eriador; Central Indiana

Re: Favorite Tolkien artist.

Post by Greg »

Ringulf wrote:I think we are much more steeped in the practical realities of our fantasy nowadays and through book, game and film we are a much more savvy lot because of it.
Very true. This group more than most, in that regard.
Now the sword shall come from under the cloak.
User avatar
Elleth
êphal ki-*raznahê
Posts: 2932
Joined: Wed Nov 03, 2010 5:26 am
Location: in the Angle; New England

Re: Favorite Tolkien artist.

Post by Elleth »

So true.

Hrmm - you know, an interesting thread might be posting favorite fantasy paintings generally, and pointing out bits of kit - good or bad - that were either particularly influential in our own journey, or that we tried with particularly good or bad results.

Maybe this evening I'll give one or two a go. :)
Persona: Aerlinneth, Dúnedain of Amon Lendel c. TA 3010.
User avatar
Ringulf
Naugothrain
Posts: 2413
Joined: Sat Jul 09, 2011 1:50 pm
Location: Central Florida
Contact:

Re: Favorite Tolkien artist.

Post by Ringulf »

That would be a very interesting thread! It would also be a wonderful way to swap pics. I have so many I have collected over the years. kinda like trading baseball cards! :mrgreen:
I am Ringulf the Dwarven Woodsman, I craft leather, wood, metal, and clay,
I throw axes, seaxes, and pointy sticks, And I fire my bow through the day.
Come be my ally, lift up your mead! We'll search out our foes and the Eagles we'll feed! :mrgreen:
Post Reply