I drew this in 2003. |
I just finished reading The Silmarillion for the first time and I want to draw a bushel of illustrations. The condensed form of it, as opposed to the novel form of The Lord of the Rings, really spurs one to want to fill in what isn't described in great detail with what one imagines.
And I want to use a style that's very different from how people usually draw Tolkien characters. Almost everybody these days is influenced by the look of Alan Lee's work and the Peter Jackson films. Now I have no problem with that, but it's not at all what I want to do. Since The Silmarillion really surprised and delighted me with how much it wasn't just noble high fantasy, it had many parts that were very fairy tale, even whimsical, I want to go for the look of a fairy tale storybook for children; plus influence from 1980s illustrations of toys for girls, like Lady Lovelylocks and Peppermint Rose; and just a touch of 1970s psychedelic graphic design. I don't know whether Tolkien would approve, but it's what I want to do.
Finally, I really do NOT want anyone to think that this in any way has to do with or is any kind of positive response to a certain marketplace website's streaming series claiming to have some correspondence with Tolkien's work. I am not going to watch that crap and I hope nobody else does either, not even to hate on it.
Of course however, I don't know when I'll have time for this. I'm currently very busy with family-related matters, and have the following art and comics projects ongoing or planned:
Professional:
Bovodar and the Bears by Jack Mikkelson
Clockwork Dancer by Jon Del Arroz
Paper Doll Veronika by me
a planned religious project
For fun:
Sherlock Holmes illustrations using Great Ace Attorney versions of characters
Batman: Decadence
Mary's Mazes
and various fanart.
But still, I really want to do this! Beware the Prince of the Cats!