The Art of The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien

Hammond and Christina Scull continue their championing of Tolkien’s artistry, launched with J. R. Tolkien: Artist & Illustrator (1995), with this handsome and informative showcase for the sketches, plans, drawings, maps, and paintings—many never before published or reproduced in color—that Tolkien created as he refined his vision and readied his manuscript for publication. Readers can see Tolkien clarifying his layout of the village of Hobbiton, based on prehistoric European lake settlements, and creating the dramatic landscapes his characters traverse based on his walking tour through the Swiss Al

"Both subject and treatment are outstanding." according to B. Marold. I confess that a large part of the charm of The Hobbit was Tolkien's own pen and ink or water color illustrations he did for the book. The value of this volume is that it takes us through many of the early drafts, sometimes as many as four full page illustrations, before reaching the final version. This is especially valuable with the many versions of the two key maps Tolkien did for the final printed edition of the book.Many of the pictures are an antidote to the picture we have been given of key scenes by Peter Jackson's LOTR and The Hobbit films. Perhaps the biggest difference we find is in the depiction of "The La. "A New Look At Old Favorites (With Variations!)" according to John D. Cofield. J.R.R. Tolkien's prowess as a creative writer is now well known, but there may be some who do not yet realize that he was a gifted artist as well. In The Art of the Hobbit pre-eminent Tolkien scholars Wayne G. Hammond and Christina Scull have collected every known drawing and sketch made by Tolkien to illustrate The Hobbit and analyzed them with love and scholarly rigor. The result is a fascinating and beautiful book.Tolkien was painstaking both in his writings and in his artworks. Often there are several versions of a planned painting, meticulously covered with Tolkien's notes to himself about improvements and adjust. A Gift This book is a wonderful gift to all fans of Tolkien. The production quality of the book is excellent, the content is beautiful.My wife has one of the early Unwin and Allen printings of the Hobbit, which features many of the illustrations in this book. To see the complete art and process of creation of it is a great treat indeed.Highly recommended. 5 stars doesn't come close to a fair rating for this gem.

The Hobbit as first printed had ten black-and-white pictures, two maps, and binding and dust jacket designs by its author. Tolkien showcases the complete artwork created by the author for his story—including related pictures, more than one hundred sketches, drawings, paintings, maps, and plans. Hammond and Christina Scull, The Art of The Hobbitby J.R.R. Later, Tolkien also painted five scenes for color plates, which comprise some of his best work. His illustrations for The Hobbit add an extra dimension to that remarkable book, and have long influenced how readers imagine Bilbo Baggins and his world. J.R.R. Some of these images are published here for the first time, others for the first time in color, allowing Tolkien’s Hobbit pictures to be seen completely and more vi