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A review by easolinas
The Art of The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien by Wayne G. Hammond
4.0
When J.R.R. Tolkien wrote his classic book "The Hobbit," he also made several illustrations for it. "The Art of The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien" explores all the artwork that Tolkien produced for that book -- every sketch and version of the illustrations, and how they related to the text. It's not a read for casual fans, but for Tolkien aficionados.
Wayne G. Hammond and Christina Scull carefully study all the pictures Tolkien drew -- the trolls, the interior of Beorn's hall, the entrance to the Elf-King's home, Rivendell from different angles, Bag End and the surrounding Hobbiton, Lonely Mountain, and so on. Each picture is shown in large, clear formats (sometimes with fold-out pages).
But they don't just study the final product. Just about every piece of art Tolkien made for "The Hobbit" is in here, from rough pencil sketches to detailed maps and watercolors. Even the scribbles in the margins are preserved.
And there's a lot of analysis of how these pictures came to be. Scull and Hammond explore Tolkien's "Hobbit" art, artistic influences and the evolution of Tolkien's artwork, as well as some of the changes he made along the way (the Elf-King's gate abruptly changes shape). And they answer some important questions in their analyses, such as... why is Bilbo wearing boots in some of the pictures?
As an artist, Tolkien comes across as possessing real talent, but technically untutored. His art ranges from pencil sketches showing the basic outlines to delicate pen-and-ink work, and even color work in deep earth tones of brown and grey.
He wasn't a great artist -- Scull and Hammond note that he had some artistic issues, such as the scale of furniture in Bag End. But his artwork does have a raw, almost primal power that really draw you in, and his careful attention to detail (EVERY tree in Mirkwood is on the map!) shows the level of passion he had for this project.
"The Art of The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien" will seem a bit dry to casual readers, but Tolkien aficionados will not want to miss the insights that are unveiled about Tolkien's "Hobbit" art.
Wayne G. Hammond and Christina Scull carefully study all the pictures Tolkien drew -- the trolls, the interior of Beorn's hall, the entrance to the Elf-King's home, Rivendell from different angles, Bag End and the surrounding Hobbiton, Lonely Mountain, and so on. Each picture is shown in large, clear formats (sometimes with fold-out pages).
But they don't just study the final product. Just about every piece of art Tolkien made for "The Hobbit" is in here, from rough pencil sketches to detailed maps and watercolors. Even the scribbles in the margins are preserved.
And there's a lot of analysis of how these pictures came to be. Scull and Hammond explore Tolkien's "Hobbit" art, artistic influences and the evolution of Tolkien's artwork, as well as some of the changes he made along the way (the Elf-King's gate abruptly changes shape). And they answer some important questions in their analyses, such as... why is Bilbo wearing boots in some of the pictures?
As an artist, Tolkien comes across as possessing real talent, but technically untutored. His art ranges from pencil sketches showing the basic outlines to delicate pen-and-ink work, and even color work in deep earth tones of brown and grey.
He wasn't a great artist -- Scull and Hammond note that he had some artistic issues, such as the scale of furniture in Bag End. But his artwork does have a raw, almost primal power that really draw you in, and his careful attention to detail (EVERY tree in Mirkwood is on the map!) shows the level of passion he had for this project.
"The Art of The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien" will seem a bit dry to casual readers, but Tolkien aficionados will not want to miss the insights that are unveiled about Tolkien's "Hobbit" art.