Two Frodos - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Birdland · 06-14-2002, 06:04 AM

I've been reading this thread with interest, since I've never seemed to be able to "see" characters in my mind's eye, and usually will select an illustration in a book that appeals to me, if I feel the need to put an image to the words being spoken by the characters. (I've never been good at drawing people, either on paper or my mind's eye.)

Thing is, I've never seen a illustration of Tolkien's hobbits that appealed to me visually. The Hildebrandts tend to make the halflings rather "big headed". And even Alan Lee's illustrations have an unfinished quality to them, as if even he is not really sure what a Frodo face would look like, either.

So I went to Google's "Image" search. There is an amazing amount of Tolkien illustration art out there, both by professionals an amateurs. I saw many Frodo pictures, some interesting, some downright scary. But none of those appealed to me either.

Elijah Wood's face is very appealing, and he is a wonderful, expressive actor, so I have no problem seeing him in the role of Frodo. But no...his face just doesn't seem to be the right image either. (He is VERY young.) Oddly, the other actors in the film suit me to a T. I'm very comfortable using their images when picturing characters.

I guess if pressed, I would actually choose an older version of Billy Boyd's face as a good image of Frodo. That's getting nearer the mark for me. But not quite.

(Sigh) Maybe I should just give up, and leave Frodo's face a cipher.

[ June 14, 2002: Message edited by: Birdland ]

06-14-2002, 06:04 AM	#11
Birdland Ghastly Neekerbreeker Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: the banks of the mighty Scioto Posts: 1,751	I've been reading this thread with interest, since I've never seemed to be able to "see" characters in my mind's eye, and usually will select an illustration in a book that appeals to me, if I feel the need to put an image to the words being spoken by the characters. (I've never been good at drawing people, either on paper or my mind's eye.) Thing is, I've never seen a illustration of Tolkien's hobbits that appealed to me visually. The Hildebrandts tend to make the halflings rather "big headed". And even Alan Lee's illustrations have an unfinished quality to them, as if even he is not really sure what a Frodo face would look like, either. So I went to Google's "Image" search. There is an amazing amount of Tolkien illustration art out there, both by professionals an amateurs. I saw many Frodo pictures, some interesting, some downright scary. But none of those appealed to me either. Elijah Wood's face is very appealing, and he is a wonderful, expressive actor, so I have no problem seeing him in the role of Frodo. But no...his face just doesn't seem to be the right image either. (He is VERY young.) Oddly, the other actors in the film suit me to a T. I'm very comfortable using their images when picturing characters. I guess if pressed, I would actually choose an older version of Billy Boyd's face as a good image of Frodo. That's getting nearer the mark for me. But not quite. (Sigh) Maybe I should just give up, and leave Frodo's face a cipher. [ June 14, 2002: Message edited by: Birdland ]