The Art of the Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien

Product Information

This limitation turned out to be a blessing; it was important for me that every illustration should relate immediately to the text on the opposite page to create a harmony between story and image, and it also relieved me of the obligation to represent all the dramatic high points of the tale.

A very deep dive into Tolkien's personal art and sketches of both the languages of LOTR and the world.Original sketches by Tolkien interleaved with thoughts and quotes describing how Tolkien came up with his creations in Middle Earth. I instinctively relate to the whole phenomenon that is Tolkien’s Middle-earth, for surely his work bears comparison with the most intricately plotted, most imaginative literature ever written.

Many artists and illustrators have created drawings, paintings, and book illustrations of Tolkien's Middle-earth. There is a shifting, unsettled and pro-visional quality in this transparent medium—closer to drawing than painting—which allows the viewer more room to complete the images in their own mind. I think those were the most informative, and they have way deeper meaning than I ever gave them credit for.Tolkien, and has designed a wide variety of books, exhibition catalogues, posters, and other printed materials. Leaving his comfortable hobbit hole Bilbo Baggins goes on a reluctant adventure to defeat a dragon, and along the way he encounters the vile, but pathetic Gollum, and his ‘Precious’ – a ring to rule them all. Hammond and Christina Scull, two of the worldãs leading Tolkien scholars, have edited the book and provide an expert introduction and comments. In addition to pictorial sketches, numerous maps follow the development of the Shire and the larger landscape of Middle-earth, while inscriptions in runes and Elvish script, and 'facsimile' leaves from the burned and blood-stained Book of Mazarbul, support Tolkien's pose as an 'editor' or 'translator' of ancient records.

The Art of The Lord of the Rings is a fine collection of concept art used for the production of the movies based on the trilogy.The original ‘fantasy’ series, and still the greatest, The Lord of the Rings has sold over 100 million copies, been translated into more than 40 languages, and has been voted the best book of the 20th century. Clearly, Tolkien's artwork for the Lord of the Rings was never meant to be included in any sort of publication (besides the map), since they aren't more than prepatory sketches. Normally I prefer these types of books to focus on one subject (one movie in this case), but since the story of the Lord of the Rings is one long epic it is actually more useful to see the full range of design work produced over the development of the three films. There is something about the alluring world of elves, dwarves and old magic which has proved exceptionally popular, working on the imagination both as an enthralling adventure story and, at a deeper level, as ’a comprehensive counter-myth to the story of the 20th century’ (Independent).