Tolkien illustrators

[Aganzir]

The reason I am up at 4.30 is because I was searching for this thread (and if there's a newer/longer one please link it to me - I simply couldn't find one), and the reason I did is because I want to share Elena Kukanova's works with you. She's an amazing Russian artist whose vision of Middle-earth is one of the closest to mine that I've seen. You will find her Children of Húrin themed pictures here.

Unlike many others here, I've never particularly liked Ted Nasmith's style. His landscapes are okay but his characters... no. They look wooden.

[Galadriel55]

Originally Posted by Aganzir

The reason I am up at 4.30 is because I was searching for this thread (and if there's a newer/longer one please link it to me - I simply couldn't find one), and the reason I did is because I want to share Elena Kukanova's works with you. She's an amazing Russian artist whose vision of Middle-earth is one of the closest to mine that I've seen. You will find her Children of Húrin themed pictures here.

Agan, I love this! I agree wholeheartedly with you that this art is amazing and surprisingly ME-real!

[Bêthberry]

Originally Posted by Aganzir

The reason I am up at 4.30 is because I was searching for this thread (and if there's a newer/longer one please link it to me - I simply couldn't find one), and the reason I did is because I want to share Elena Kukanova's works with you. She's an amazing Russian artist whose vision of Middle-earth is one of the closest to mine that I've seen. You will find her Children of Húrin themed pictures here.

Originally Posted by Galadriel55

Agan, I love this! I agree wholeheartedly with you that this art is amazing and surprisingly ME-real!

Yes, they are amazing. I really like that dragon railing in the self-portrait in Moscow.

[Rune Son of Bjarne]

Hmmm I quite like her work, though there are probably other illustrators that suit my own vision better (or maybe my vision of ME has been shaped by them).

However I do really like her work, my only "complaint" is that there is something about the color scheme that doesn't quite sit right with me.

[Thinlómien]

Originally Posted by Rune Son of Bjarne

Hmmm I quite like her work, though there are probably other illustrators that suit my own vision better (or maybe my vision of ME has been shaped by them).

However I do really like her work, my only "complaint" is that there is something about the color scheme that doesn't quite sit right with me.

My feelings exactly!

My own favourites are Alan Lee (really he's just a genius) and Katarzyna Karina Chmiel-Gugulska. Thanks to Esty and Britainmoot last summer I was acquainted with Jenny Dolfen whose work I also really like and who seems to share my love of the Noldor.

Apart from that, I really like several artists I know from different game illustrations. Among the best are Quinton Hoover, Liz Danforth, Rebecca Guay and Omar Rayyan.


PS. For anyone interested in Tolkien Art, this is an awesome place.

[Galadriel55]

Originally Posted by Thinlómien

My own favourites are Alan Lee (really he's just a genius) and Katarzyna Karina Chmiel-Gugulska.

OMG! That's your avvie!

This artwork is amazing as well. The Elves are so real! Except that something doesn't sit right with me about Feanor chewing a straw. Other than these minor nitpicky details, though, I find it very beautiful and true. However, I still think that Elena Kukanova (Agan's link) did the Turin and Morwen illustrations better (though K.K.C-G wins hands down when it comes to Elves!).

[Aganzir]

Originally Posted by Rune Son of Bjarne

However I do really like her work, my only "complaint" is that there is something about the color scheme that doesn't quite sit right with me.

I suspect it might be at least partly due to her use of gouache which isn't the most rewarding medium when it comes to colour intensity.

Another artist I've discovered lately goes by the name jankolas, and while I don't take that much to Peter Jackson inspired works, she's also got some First Age stuff, and her Éowyn and Faramir are among the best I've seen.

And my most recent deviantart find is the Latvian Līga Kļaviņa. She does beautiful dreamy watercolours, and her Legolas was already at first glance more real to me than Orlando Bloom ever.

I like some of Alan Lee's and John Howe's works, but to my mind they're both overrated. Howe does beautiful landscapes and big scenes, but he's poor at portraying people. I like Alan Lee's style, but only a few of his pictures strike me in any way personally.

[Lalwendë]

Originally Posted by Thinlómien

My feelings exactly!

My own favourites are Alan Lee (really he's just a genius) and Katarzyna Karina Chmiel-Gugulska.

There was a link to her work on here years back and I still love those illustrations of Finduilas with the young Boromir and Faramir.

I've not seen that Jenny Dolfen one of Beren before and I was impressed with the use of tartan, I'm sure I've not seen any other illustrators go for that style of clothing on a character before.

[Aganzir]

Originally Posted by Thinlómien

PS. For anyone interested in Tolkien Art, this is an awesome place.

Thank you, as in "thank you, how can I ever go to bed now?" I clicked randomly on a Finnish name and he turned out to be drawing mainly DWARVES. Swoon.

Originally Posted by Lalwendë

I've not seen that Jenny Dolfen one of Beren before and I was impressed with the use of tartan, I'm sure I've not seen any other illustrators go for that style of clothing on a character before.

Me too! I like her art anyway, it's not like it was always my perfect Middle-earth but they're still very good, plus she's awesome with watercolours. She ran drawing and watercolour workshops last year at the Return of the Ring, and I had to skip Bêthberry's lecture in order to attend the latter. It was worth it though.

My adventures on deviantart have led me to the proximity of yet another Russian - zdrava makes beautiful text-based pictures (which is not a technique I've encountered often before). At least her Varda, Gondolin and Helcaraxë are worth checking out.

One of these days I am planning to draw Azaghâl's funeral procession. It's the coolest thing ever.

[Faramir Jones]

I was also at the convention in Loughborough last August; and among the great experiences I had there was the very comprehensive art show, which shared the same large space as the dealers. Among the artists were a wide range of people, including two new (to me) people: Jenny Dolfen and Jay Johnstone.

While Jenny has already been mentioned earlier in this thread, for people who would like to get a glimpse of what her work looked like, and her take on the convention, her blog is here:

http://goldseven.wordpress.com/2012/...ough-pictures/

Jay Johnstone was exhibiting there for the first time; and I had a very nice talk with him one night, in which he spoke about how he came to start his Tolkien illustrations. Some can be seen on his website here:

http://www.jaystolkien.com/