John Ronald Reuel Tolkien: an English writer, poet, philologist and university professor and general literary hero, Tolkien is most famously recognised for creating the founding fathers of fantasy writing: The Lord of The Rings, The Hobbit and Silimarillion, however Tolkien was a captivating artist, with skills in which he would use to illustrate his creative ideas and his novels.
Despite his high profile, Tolkien’s art and illustration work is much less known than that of his literary work. As while confident about his literary abilities, Tolkien didn’t hold his abilities as an illustrator in such high regard meaning he would constantly apologise for his artwork to his publishers.
As a child Tolkien enjoyed drawing landscapes and trees,progressing into working with his own imagination and using colour to represent various aspects within a piece. This became a crucial development in the illustration of his fantasy work, enabling him to enhance the story behind his work such as the various languages and people associated this these areas or lands. Holding clear visions and ideologies as to the way in which the places within his work looked, Tolkien wanted to portray a visual “truth” in his illustrations. Take for example the green, flowing fields of Hobbiton and the added depth of the greys of Rivendell. Along with aking much of his inspiration from Jennie Harbour in regards to the narrative illustration of his work enabling him to portray the menacing side of a character or place.
See : http://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/Pictures_by_J.R.R._Tolkien to view more of his work.
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