What makes Tolkien such a challenge to illustrate?
Creating a painting from the worlds of Middle-Earth means you will be placed under the most intense scrutiny when it comes to details and accuracy. The admirers of Tolkien know no mercy when it comes to deviations and inaccuracies, myself included! I know those books inside and out, but still found myself making a few mistakes. I now run my sketches past my friends as a double check to catch any errors. Luckily Tolkien provided artists with a large loop hole for illustrating his novels: very little physical descriptions of either characters or places. His descriptions are generally emotional and for that reason resonate with the reader more than the offerings of other authors. This is what I love regarding the works, a strong emotional foundation upon which to build a very broad range of ‘physical’ interpretations.
You make it a challenge! The admirers of Tolkien know no mercy when it comes to deviations and inaccuracies, myself included! While I know those books inside and out, mistakes creep in. I now run my sketches past fellow fans to catch any errors. Luckily Tolkien provided artists with a large loophole for illustrating his novels: very little physical descriptions of either characters or places. His descriptions are more emotional and for that reason resonate with the reader more than the offerings of other authors. This is what I love about illustrating these works: a strong emotional foundation upon which to build a very broad range of physical interpretations.
