Watchful Peace: Normans in Middle-earth

[Rob_bresnen]

I got mine when I was about thirteen or fourteen. I am 40 this year.

They had a copy in the school library and I used to pour over it, amazed by the fantastic illustrations- some of the finest fantasy art I can ever remember seeing. I was so enthralled by the book, I asked for it for Christmas. I got it as my main Christmas present because it was so expensive (it cost £25, back when that was a LOT of money to spend on a book). My Mum and Dad thought it was a bit of a waste of money to spend that much on a book, but I still have it, and it is very much treasured, unlike all those other childhood Christmas presents I had over the years. I still read it and refer to it, especially when planning campaigns to LotR. The art still enthrals me.

I believe it was also republished when the films came out,  under the title Tolkien: An Illustrated Encyclopaedia. It's pretty much the same book, but to be fair the new title is a better description of the contents of the book. You will probably be able to pick this up a bit cheaper than the Bestiary, because it was printed more recently and it much larger print runs.

[Gutbukkit]

The Works in the UK sell the bestiary and the illustrated encyclopaedia for £5 each.  Available on their online store too.
http://www.theworks.co.uk/p/fantasy/tolkien-the-illustrated-encyclopedia/9780753724224

[Rob_bresnen]

Wow! £5! Some of the prices I saw 2nd hand on Amazon were silly £30-50 price range!

It's weird to think that it cost my parents £25 back in 1980s. I guess that's the influence of the films.

Good spot though.

[Vermis]

On a similar note, Ted Nasmith's maybe not my favourite Middle-Earth artist*, but his landscapes are eye-strokingly brilliant, and his illustrations for the Silmarillion put me onto mail-clad, dark-agey elves (let alone Gondorians) in one fell swoop.  Dunno what my image of them was before that.  Plate, I think, and something more like GW's or PJ's imagery.  Yes, despite one of Bilbo's last gifts to Frodo.

Big pics: 1 2 3 (You get where GW got the idea for White Lions from, in that last one)

Also: had no idea he did ASoIaF illos too.  

And I'm going to have to search a couple of branches of The Works for that bestiary/encyclopedia.  I've noticed it before... hope it hasn't been sold out.

(it cost £25, back when that was a LOT of money to spend on a book)

What do you mean, 'back when'? 

*That's probably John Howe, and The Works still has some copies of his excellent first art book too.  (Although The Works' decision about who the author is raises my hackles some.)

[Finarfin]

@Gutbukkit: 5£ is an unbeatable bargain... German prices are up to 100€!  

@Vermis: Ted Nasmith has never been my favourite, too but in retrospective I can't tell why. Especially the lnked painting of the Sindar Elves in Brethil is one of the greatest pieces of Tolkien art ever. They would even work together with the PJ High Elves. Started sculpting one of those once, but never finished it...

[Belgian]

Bought that illustrated book some years ago on a book fair called "boekenfestijn" it only was around €6 if I'm not mistaken can be even less than that. I love the old school artwork and backgrounds for every race you can imagine.

[Gibby]

I really like these illustrations and have bought the Encyclopedia. I have bookmarked the Bestiary to buy later but you say it's pretty much the same book? I think it's a shame that the films didn't follow the look of all these old pictures and went for the more "high fantasy" look. Given that GW have ruined their range with inconsistent scales and Finecast, I'd say it'd be a great thing to use these illustrations as inspiration and look about for useful minis. These Norman Gondorians are superb! I'd copy you if I thought I could sculpt a cloak nearly as well.

[sukhe_bator]

Glad to see the Tolkein Bestiary is still popular and inspiring others after all these year. I'm 48 this year and also got my copy in my mid teens. It has been a consistent source of inspiration ever since, and introduced me to some of the great names in fantasy art and illustration... You can see its influence most notably with my Mumakil.
Gibby - give the cloaks a go. I think you will be pleasantly surprised how straightforward they can be with a little perseverence...

[Rob_bresnen]

I would welcome tips on how to make capes. Mine looked terrible...like he was carrying a giant blob of chewing gum around on his back.

[sukhe_bator]

The way I do it is to start with a blob of greenstuff on the middle of the back and work it upwards to the shoulders, and downwards to the hem. I add a small sausage with tapered ends and fix the ends to where you'd want the cape/cloak fastened at the front then fix it onto the shoulders then around the back. Then I use a sculpting tool to add folds and create a hood/gathers of cloak behind the head. I find that by gradually stretching the greenstuff downwards in the folds I can recreate the flowing look of the material. I finish up by pressing upwards at the bottom edge sticking it to the body. This creates the billowing effect of the cloak flapping away from the body at the ends...

[Funghy-Fipps]

My first introduction to the Bestiary (the original, '79 edition) was with my uncles copy in the mid-eighties. He'd left home and it remained at my grandparents (an enormous house in Woking, Surrey), so whenever we went to stay I would spend hours leafing through it absorbing the illustrations. As I was quite young the picture of Gollum (p139, under 'Hobbits') gave me a few sleepless nights! Of course the colour illustrations and, in particular, the battle-scenes were what caught my eye, although I found - and continue to find - the whole work fascinating. It was my first introduction to fantasy and as such has shaped many of my ideas regarding the genre.  

[Finarfin]

sukhe_bator is pretty close to what I do!

In addition I use more of those sausages (tapered at the upper end) to define the basic shape of the drapery.
Working the GS downwards is perphaps the most important part. You don't want the cloaks to be too thick around the shoulders, you don't want it to just retrace the shape of the body, but you want it to have a vivid look. I use clay shapers for that pupose.
The bottom edge is a bit tricky, as well. If I have the feeling that the edge is a bit blurry and not fitting for a rectangular cloak, I let the GS set and use my hobby knife to clean the edges... You can always do some minor corrections later and even add new GS if you need to. It's much easier once the main structure is hard and won't cave in to the pressure of your sculpting tool.

[Hitman]

 

WOW!!!!! Excellent battle hardened looking veterans. They look absolutely stunning. Your painting is second to none. Thanks for sharing.
Regards,
Hitman
 

[Timotl]

Those are just excellent! I love the freehand on the shields. Well done.

[Doomsdave]

I've had the bestiary for years as well.  One of my favorite books. 

I love your Gondor Men conversions.  Great putty work on the winged helms and more in line with Tolkien I think.