Tolkien Etchings

The graphic image for this web site of etchings inspired by Professor J.R.R.Tolkien is itself an original etching created solely for this purpose. I felt this would best relate to,
and exemplify the rest of the work. Also, rather than focus on a single episode like Eowyn battling the Lord of the Nazguls, or Gandalf and the Balrog on the Bridge of Khazad-dum, I tried to find an image that would come close, at least, to the heart of the Lord of the Rings. Although this is probably an impossible task given the extreme complexity of the tale, Sauron grasping for the Ring, comes as close as anything I can think of. I printed the copper plate in various ways, lighter, darker, and then had the proofs scanned. After trying various versions on mock-ups of my site, I decided to go with a lighter version as it did not compete with the primary images being displayed. I find the result to work quite well, and I’m glad now that I spent the extra time to do the etching.

In my etchings based on The Silmarillion, The Lord of the Rings, and other works of professor J.R.R.Tolkien I have attempted to be as true to his words as humanly possible, however one will always make mistakes. Eowyn confronting the Lord of the Nazgul on the Pelinor Field is a scene I have read probably dozens of times, yet, in my etching of it, I still missed an important element. Perhaps seduced into forgetting what I had read by a sketch I did in my twenties, I gave the Winged Beast a sort of dragonish face. However, the text clearly states, “Again it leaped into the air, and then swiftly fell down upon Eowyn, shrieking, striking with beak (italics my own) and claw.” To my chagrin, I realized I had to alter this print. Chagrin, because with an etching this involves a fair amount of work — you must essentially carve into the copper plate, removing old lines with various tools as if it were a sculpture, and then re-etch it.

I have seen this scene depicted by many artists, and, surprisingly, only a very few of these works get this aspect right. My intention is to be more careful with regard to accuracy to the text in my future work. I have frequently practiced artistic license in my other art, and have no problem with this. However, professor Tolkien’s imagery is so vivid and powerful, I really don’t believe there is any need to alter the essential features of the text. Also, I feel the LOTR is a masterpiece, deserving the same care and respect as the work of Shakespeare, or Chaucer.

Anyway, here are the before and after.This piece is still in progress, and, as you can tell. Many other changes have been made beside that mentioned above, with others to follow. One detail that may be of interest is Eowyn’s expression. The text said she had a fell expression, and my altered version shows this. I may have been influenced by the movies in giving her a terrified look, initially.

I would like to give a very big thanks (unfortunately belated, as my computer was on the fritz) to Pieter Collier for publishing some of my etchings, devoted to the work of J.R.R.Tolkien, on his excellent web site The Tolkien Library. There is also an interview he did with me, in which I now feel I was too long winded, but which does contain some worthwhile bits here and there.When I first went to The Tolkien Library I had no idea of the amount of work that has been published by Tolkien. There are numerous books other than the ones we are all familiar with, many poems, articles, as well as many scholarly works one can obtain, and this web site has a very extensive list of the Professor’s work. I found the info on his children’s books, and books with the author’s own illustrations particularly interesting. There’s a new edition of “Mr. Bliss”, the history of which is given by Mr.Collier, that looks really delightful.Another thing that seems very interesting, I would think especially to Tolkien scholars, is The Tolkien Library’s section on scarce and rare Tolkien books. It’s very interesting to see and read about these old editions.

The etching, “The Courage of Samwise”, my depiction of Sam stabbing Shelob, deals with the ultimate example in The Lord of the Rings, of the slow developing, but great courage of hobbits that Tolkien, through Gandalf, always talked about. This scene expresses a kind of every-person as hero. Shelob had never before been scathed by even the most powerful elf-warrior or man. Yet Samwise Gamgee, the Gaffer’s son, uncomplicated gardener of Hobbiton, because of his great love for his master Frodo, was able to vanquish her.

Aesthetically, I was interested in how dark physically and emotionally it was in Mordor, while also capturing the excitement of the action.

I’ve been thinking about capturing this exciting and powerful moment for a very long time, back almost to my college years. It makes us all think that we might possess greatness, given the right circumstance.

My project, to which this web site is dedicated, of creating a very large suite of original etchings based on the work of J.R.R.Tolkien, is greatly supported by the knowledge I have gained viewing the wonderful web site, The Encyclopedia of Arda. I told a friend of mine, “Anything you want to know about Tolkien , it’s on this site”. Of course, this is an exaggeration, as there is always more to learn about Tolkien’s universe, but the Encyclopedia of Arda is certainly one of the best resources.

LINKS:

Encyclopedia of Arda

The Balrog has always been to me the most powerful creation of J.R.R.Tolkien, author of the Lord of the Rings and the Silmarillion, and his introduction, (in a tie with Eowyn battling the Lord of the Nazgul), the most powerful scene. I have, through the years, made many sketches of how I envisioned him. Above are a few of these. The bottom one drawing is the one I eventually made the final etching off. It is drawn in reverse, with the sword in his left hand, and the whip in his right. This is because an etching prints the reverse of how it was drawn on to the plate, so the sketches must be backwards to come out the right way in the print.

It took three tries, before I got the etching the way I wanted it. This image is the second.

I must say that, although I like Peter Jackson’s movie — it is excellent in many ways, his Balrog, though powerful, bothers me in two respects. One of the most dominant elements in Tolkien’s description, fire coming from his nostrils, is completely absent. And, second, the fact that the sort of African buffalo horns, which are purely his own (through his artist’s) invention, are unquestionably the dominant element. I mean no offense, but I’m much more interested in Tolkien’s Balrog, than Jackson’s. And, though, of course there can be a great range of interpretation within the description, it is a matter of emphasis. Does one emphasize ones own additions to a description, or the element’s Tolkien emphasized.

And, certainly, I am not saying my version is definitive.

In this etching I deal with the introduction of the Balrog, one of the most memorable moments in J.R.R.Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings. Immortal Maiar, corrupted by Morgoth in the distant past, wreathed in shadow and flame, balrogs are like living embodiments of evil, and one of Tolkien’s most original creations. Mystery, combined with tremendous power and terror combine to make this scene riveting.

Surprisingly, since they capture the imagination of almost every Tolkien fan, there are only three sentences of actual description of balrogs in either The Silmarillion or The Lord of the Rings. Ironic then, that so few could have generated volumes of debate when it comes to the question of “wings”.

My approach in this etching was to treat the wings as shadows emanating from the Balrog’s body. Trying to be true to Tolkien’s description of a being burning internally and wreathed in shadow, and still give it enough delineation to have “man form”, was difficult, but I’m reasonably satisfied with the results. It took three separate etchings and numerous sketches to get it to this state.

My etching, “Gandalf the Mastermind”, depicts the deepest, most dynamic, most interesting character Tolkien created in The Lord of the Rings, and perhaps ever. He possessed many names: Olorin, Mithrandir, Incanus, Tharkun, The Grey, The White, Stormcrow, and as many facets. He was a profound scholar, and yet, though his work and mentality where of the utmost seriousness, he had great warmth, loved to laugh, and delighted in smoking pipeweed and other simple pleasures of the Hobbits. Although Elrond, Galadriel and others helped, it was Gandalf who was the chief nemesis of Sauron, constantly analyzing and anticipating his moves. Yet despite this paramount leadership role, he was also a front line soldier, single-handedly destroying the Balrog, and repelling the Ringwraiths on the Pelinor field. His evolution from the (apparently) stooped old man, to his revelation as Gandalf the White, Lord of Men, is one of the great under-currents of The Lord of the Rings.

Mithrandir also embodied a quality that fulfills extremely well, Tolkien’s preference for stories that have applicability — he has tremendous character. For over two thousand years he labored to defeat Sauron for no other reasons than duty to the West and and his great love for all things of worth in Middle Earth.

And, unlike the rulers of our world, he had no desire for power or wealth, and had the strength to resist the Ring (as did Galadriel) when Frodo willingly offered it to him. Though many stories feature them, to me Olorin is The Wizard.

This print is concerned with him in his role as the great mastermind of the West in their struggle with Sauron. I used a photo of Basil Rathbone playing Sherlock Holmes intensely pondering a case as the chief model for my Gandalf, along with Samuel Becket, and my late friend Steve Ware for details.

My focus in this etching, “Balin’s Tomb”, is the exact moment in Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings when the Company hears the drums begin to beat. Gandalf is just finishing reading from Balin’s record book, with Frodo and Gimli looking on. Aragorn, Legolas and Boromir look about startled by the sound of the drums. The way Tolkien weaves the final words of the long dead author of Balin’s book into the current narrative, as if he is trying to warn them of what is to come, is brilliant.

What I found interesting and challenging in drawing this scene was the way the Chamber of Mazarbul was lit only by one shaft of light. This along with the words of the book create a mysterious and oppressive mood. Though it is difficult to see, first the word “boom”, on the floor, and then the word “doom”, several times on the walls is woven throughout the crosshatching of this etching. This scene also represented an opportunity to create a piece, inspired by Rembrandt, where everything in a room gets progressively darker the farther it is from a single source of light.

In, “A Light From the Shadows Shall Spring”, my etching taken from J.R.R.Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings, the mystery of Strider and the profound potential he holds where the chief inspirations. My aim was to use the light from the fireplace as a means of telling the story of this scene. Aragorn in the dark corner is at this point an unknown quantity. Pipin is unaware and unlit in the foreground, as are the other Hobbits in the background. Only Frodo, face turned toward the fireplace and well lit, is both aware of and concerned about Strider.

Perhaps the most Rembrandtesque piece I’ve done, I even stole a couple of the background figures from a detail of one of his.This is another piece I thought about doing way back in college — even made a few drawings of it. It is a pleasure to finally get around to doing it.