Your favourite Tolkien artistes

[Alatar]

I have disagree with you again Tom! Like the Hildebrants, I find Pauline Baynes drawings to be far too cutesy for my taste.

It's been a long held opinion of mine that, based on Tolkiens own preferences for music and illustration, I would probably have hated a movie of LotR that he approved of. Can you honestly imagine a movie with Pauline Bayne style art design and music like Donald Swanns? Yet those are the ones Tolkien himself publicly approved. Peculiar.

[Pearly Di]

Can you honestly imagine a movie with Pauline Bayne style art design and music like Donald Swann?

Well, of course Pauline Baynes IS Narnia. I just cannot imagine the Narnia books without her illustrations. The Royal Shakespeare Company based some of their set and costume design on Bayne's illustrations in their fabulous theatre production of The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, and trust me, it worked. Right down to the White Witch's icicle crown.

Yes, Pauline Baynes is Narnia, but she's not quite Middle-earth ... too cutesy, as you say, Al.

I do like that edition of 'Bilbo's Last Song' which includes her illustrations though, Tom. I just like the way it's presented although her visualisation of hobbits certainly isn't mine. And the Elves remind me too much of Narnians.

But it has a certain charm.

[Old_Tom_Bombadil]

Pauline Baynes gets added to the cutesy list, too?

I find her drawings for Farmer Giles to be reminiscent of a medieval style. I rather like them. I know that she is known for illustrating Narnia, but I have not seen them. I read Narnia for the first and only time back when I was in junior high school (age 13-14). It was okay but it did not capture my imagination like LOTR had a few years before.

Here's Baynes' rendering of Badger-brock and his family from The Adventures of Tom Bombadil:

[Pearly Di]

I shouldn't have agreed that Pauline was 'cutesy'.

'Medieval' nicely describes her style, Tom.

When I was working at HarperCollins, my then boss was in touch with Pauline. That was 10 years ago though.

Here's the Wiki on Pauline:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pauline_Baynes

And a fanlisting:
http://fani.nippu.net/baynes/links.php

And her world-famous Narnian book covers:
http://eq5.net/lewis/bkcovers.html

Another artist whom Tolkien approved of - Cor Blok!

Here's the Rolozo page on him:
http://fan.theonering.net/rolozo/collection/blok

Tolkien really did have wonderfully bizarre artistic tastes!

I just love him.

One reviewer on Amazon said: "Cor Blok's view of Tolkien's world resembles nothing so much as the Pink Panther cartoons ..."

[Parmamaite]

Tolkien approved of this Not that I don't trust you Pearl, but have you got a source for that?

I like Pauline Baynes works a lot, especially those she did for Farmer Giles. - As can be deduced from my Avatar.

[MithLuin]

I think Pauline Baynes' illustrations were appropriate for both Narnia and Farmer Giles - but just because JRRT was duly impressed (he practically gushes in his letter to his publisher) with these does not mean he would have thought that style appropriate for LotR!

He condemned the Ballantine covers, not because they were poor art, but because they had nothing to do with the books. Some of his 'approval' may just have been "nothing serious wrong here".... though I don't know about that.

[Parmamaite]

To be honest, I only know Pauline Baynes from my illustrated Farmer Giles, I've heard that her hobbits and elves are less than perfect, but I haven't seen for myself.

Maybe you're right about his approval Mith, I would like to see the relevant quote for myself though.

[ToshoftheWuffingas]

I think Cor Blok is wonderful, in particular the Amon Hen illustration and I wish PJ had used the idea in the film

[Rowanberry]

To be honest, I only know Pauline Baynes from my illustrated Farmer Giles, I've heard that her hobbits and elves are less than perfect, but I haven't seen for myself.

So, you didn't take a look at Wildwood's copy of Bilbo's Last Song with Baynes's illustrations at the Leeds moot?

Here are a few examples of her Tolkien illustrations. Not bad, but too fairytale-like to my taste.

[Parmamaite]

Thanks Rowan

I don't remember seeing that at the Moot, if I had known there would be questions, I'd have paid more attention.

I much prefer Baynes' black & white drawings in Farmer Giles, they got a medieval look that I quite enjoy.

[Erunáme]

I don't know if these have been mentioned but I had two paintings by Matt Stewart brought to my attention.

Arwen and Aragorn:
http://www.heavenandearthdesigns.com/Eternalpromise.jpg

Éowyn and Faramir:
http://www.heavenandearthdesigns.com/hopereturns.jpg

Pretty nice.

[Primula Baggins]

Interesting. They're based on the films, I take it?

They are nice. Arwen and Aragorn especially.

[Erunáme]

I wouldn't know if they are or not, but I would guess loosely based because of the way Éowyn's dress looks.

[Primula Baggins]

Faramir with brown hair was what made me think of the films. But you're right, the dress is, if not right from the films, very much in the spirit of their design.

Same for Arwen's, really.

[Old_Tom_Bombadil]

Tim Hildebrandt passed away Sunday at the age of 67 due to complications from diabetes.

As most of you probably know, Tim and his twin brother Greg produced some very popular calendars during the 1970s.

[Queen_Beruthiel]

I had the one volume LOTR with the Baynes front cover for many years - until it disintegrated.

I was always fond of it - but there are better Tolkien illustrators about.

[Old_Tom_Bombadil]

I just found a piece on Rolozo Tolkien by Maria Lombide Ezpeleta entitled

Faramir and Éowyn and the attack of the killer squirrels

Enjoy!

[TheTennisBallKid]

That's certainly....interesting.


Maybe Voronwë can tell us why Christopher Tolkien cut the part about the squirrels out.

ttbk

[Old_Tom_Bombadil]

Here's another delightful piece from the same artist inspired by a tale from The Silmarillion. It's a little known fact that prior to The Oath, Fëanor and his sons had formed a Glam Rock band called "SWORDZ".

[Primula Baggins]

At least she leaves it to us to imagine the leopard-print pants and the bejeweled platform boots. . . .