Your favourite Tolkien artistes

[Voronwë the Faithful]

I love everything about that painting ... except Galadriel. There is something about that presentation of her that just doesn't work for me.

[Alatar]

Yeah, she seems somehow... suburban?

[Morwenna]

I think I know what you mean. In any case it's hard to portray Elven beauty, and I doubt that any two people will agree on what that is.

But that setting!! Can I have a home like that?

[Elentári]

Yes, I agree definitely not ethereal enough...and too much shadow across her face in particular; I always picture her with an inner light, or as Tolkien described her, "as the Moon shining through a veil of clouds..."

[Passdagas the Brown]

Has anyone come across work by Raoul Vitale before?

I've just stumbled across this incredibly detailed painting of Galadriel...
http://cdn.infectedbyart.com/Images/Cat ... 031151.jpg

Looks like an imitation of a Brothers Hildebrandt painting, actually. I really don't like it. IMO, detail does not equal quality.

[Elentári]

I would say more like Nasmith, actually, although the figure is better...

[Passdagas the Brown]

Good call. Sort of a cross between Hildebrandt and Nasmith...The staging is like the former, and the character like the latter...

[Inanna]

She looks like a woman watering her plant. That's it.


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Sent with elvish telepathic powers with a dashed line above to make Jude happy.

[Passdagas the Brown]

She looks like a woman watering her plant. That's it.


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Sent with elvish telepathic powers with a dashed line above to make Jude happy.

That's a bingo!

[Primula Baggins]

I don't know. It's pretty. The light and color are one of the things I find attractive about Hildebrandt images. (Not the tubby hobbits, or the strange static poses of people who are supposed to be in motion—they often painted from human models posing motionless, and it shows.) But I agree about the plant watering.

[Passdagas the Brown]

Funny. It's the static element of the Hildebrandt paintings that I find most appealing (while I'm less of a fan of both the lighting and the details). For me, the Tolkien artists that replicate the static element of dark age and medieval art tend to be my favorites (though the Brothers Hildebrandt are pretty low on my list).

Takes all kinds!

[Primula Baggins]

That's an interesting take on the Hildebrandts, but a rather esoteric link to medieval art. I don't see dignity in many Hildebrandt images—their hobbits don't look like my inner vision of hobbits, who can suffer and grieve and sacrifice.

It does indeed take all kinds! Thank goodness.

[Passdagas the Brown]

I agree that the link is tenuous. I'm not a fan of Hildebrant's work, and find it to be mostly nothing like medieval art. The only quality they share, IMO, is that static element. And it's the only element I appreciate.

[Helm Hammerhand]

Bought christmas presents today and my 8 year old cousin will get his first Tolkien book. It is of course The Hobbit and I found this beautiful hardcover edition with illustrations by Alan Lee. Hopefully, he'll love it.

[Elentári]

How wonderful! - and a present that will be treasured over the years, I'm sure (the gift that keeps on giving, as they say... )

Oh, and I should add that I love how Alan's Smaug is reminiscent of Tolkien's own wyrm illustrations...

[Alatar]

Beautiful. Also contains my favourite Gollum illustration:

[Passdagas the Brown]

Alan Lee's Smaug is my favorite Smaug depiction ever.

[Inanna]

I got goosebumps when I saw that image, Al.

[Elentári]

New illustration of Voronwë, by Maria Filatova

[Voronwë the Faithful]

Oh my! I really love that!