How many of you knew Tolkien was an artist as well as a writer, poet, and scholar? He actually composed illustration, including the cover art, for the first editions of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings.
Even though I often list medieval woodcuts, nineteenth century illustrators, and the illustrators of Dungeons & Dragons as inspiration for my own art, Tolklien has also had an influence on me artistically. Some of the images he created helped draw me into his works. I remember that the cover illustration of the particular edition of The Hobbit that started me reading Tolkien had a certain "fairy-tale" feel to it that perfectly matched the feel of the text.
Now, Tolkien's art may be simplistic at times, and might not appeal to everyone (just like his books, apparently), but I find that they are suitable images for his stories. They evoke in me a wondrous charm, a feeling of a different time and place, images of a mythic land of long ago.
Here are links to some of Tolkien's artwork found on-line:
Thubmnails for the Aumania site's section on Tolkien:
The image of "Bilbo Comes to the Huts of the Raft-Elves" that adorned the cover of the edition of The Hobbit that got me reading Tolkien in the first place:
Tolkien's depiction of "The Hill: Hobbiton-Across-the-Water" that is such a pleasant image of Hobbtiton:
"Rivendell":
One of Tolkien's forests that is very "Rachkam-ish":
And Tolkien's original design for the cover-art for The Hobbit:
"I'm going to do what the warriors of old did. I'm going to recite poetry!"
Richard H. Fay - Azure Lion Productions
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