Surely there are some Alan Lee fans out there?

I am one. I might have noted this before, but I think his pencils to the new Children of Húrin are wonderful. His website has been in the making for some time now (it appears)... but I think it's on the way still.

I googled the name... some nice stuff! thanks Virumor. And anyone with a liking for depicting Maedros has got my vote.

About her Maedhros, Armrod and Amras for example: though it's tough to capture that 'flame-eyed' quality I think she did very well with the eyes -- I don't picture the hair quite so red maybe, but the grey eyes are handled quite nicely there.

Tolkien ahd some wonderful designs of the hobbit holes, but I really wasn't satisfied with his design of Finrod Felagund's house emblem, you know, the one with the quiver of arrows and a bow?

I think that was rather a depiction of Maedhros being captured by a Balrog.

Nice bit of info on the house emblems, Galin!
I had never really noticed that whole vertical/horizontal axes stuff about the emblems of Men, but the circular patterns of the Eldar are definitely obvious, esp. in those of the Finwe and his sons'.

I think her illustrations of Garm in Farmer Giles of Ham truly represent my idea that lazy, cowardly mutt.

Hey All!
I am unsure if you guys might be able to answer my question but I've been searching the internet and unable to come across the information.
The Tree of Amalion, that Tolkien drew. I love the picture and the alternate one on the book Tree and Leafs. I was just wondering if anyone knew information about the drawing, what it meant, where it came from, what it represented?
Thanks
aistriana

Hello and welcome!

In Pictures there are four depictions of Tolkien-made trees (no. 41 in the book), including three similar drawings of the Tree of Amalion -- one of these being the one made for Tree and Leaf. By comparison two have flowers, but the T&L version bears leaves, no flowers. Christopher Tolkien notes that an earlier version of the design for the book was entitled: 'The Tree of Amalion. First draft for the cover of Tree and Leaf'

Christopher adds that he can cast no light on the name Amalion itself, but based on a manuscript fragment, Carl Hostetter notes that Amalion may derive from Quenya amalya 'rich, blessed', from amal 'riches, blessing, bliss, good fortune' related to a later form alam with the same meaning, and also alam 'elm-tree' as in Etymologies. Mr. Hostetter is quoted on this in Hammond and Scull's JRRT: Artist and Illustrator (A&I).

The version reproduced in A&I is that of the Tree of Amalion dated August 1928. Hammond and Scull note that in On Fairy-stories Tolkien refers to the Tree of Tales: 'which the tree of Amalion surely represents. It is undoubtedly related to the tree in Leaf by Niggle.'

In 1963 Tolkien wrote to Raynor Unwin regarding the cover for Tree and Leaf, and said that he had among his papers more than one version of a: '... mythical 'tree', which crops up regularly at those times when I feel driven to pattern designing. They are elaborated and coloured and more suitable for embroidery than printing; and the tree bears besides various shapes of leaves many flowers small and large signifying poems and major legends...'

Tolkien's quote here can be found in The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien

According to Hammond and Scull, along with his reply of 23 December 1963, JRRT sent: 'a hasty reduction of this pattern into leafy terms' (these appear to be Tolkien's own words, though not recorded in the book Letters itself). And when that proved inadequate Tolkien made a new drawing, double the earlier size and more elongated.

You might want to check out The Children of Húrin Paperback Release Party where on 14 October 2008, there will be an online chat with Alan Lee as well as an online contest where his signed copies, some with a sketch will be given away. For entry blank see Contest.

As loss pointed out below, I was only off by a thousand years and have since corrected it.

Hey Loss! I have not been on the same thread as you for.....ever.

Thankyou for the information dear Grondy. That is splendid. It gives me butterflies of excitement in my belly(is that rude, should I say stomach, gut, midsection, what?)

Where can you obtain such a calendar Grondy?

Now that our home is back to normal, well new that is, nothing is the same as before but pretty;and since I feel too exhausted to go down to the storage room and go through the boxes to find more art than I have so far found to put on the walls, I shall get some enormous canvasses and do my own representation of Samwise and dear Frodo , minus a finger, thinking it is all over for them and watching the destruction all around. I love when "Frodo says to him that he is glad to be with him(paraphrasing) at the end of all things.

i have been collecting what I feel are true representations of Imladris carvings (candle holders and picture frames of olive wood,etc.)and some Hobbity things as well.

They shall go in my dining room with the painting. I hope I have time to get it done in a small amount of time, no fooling about.

I have been thinking of Christopher Tolkien a lot lately. I do so wish he was truly part Elvish and could live at least one hundred more years to bless another generation or two with all his hard work.

Three sources for Tolkien Calendars:

UK Tolkien Calendars from Amazon.co.uk

US Tolkien Calendars from Amazon.com

The 2009 Heren Istarion Calendar

'Glad to be of service.'

When we had fan art in the Gallery, there were a bunch of pictures that were not movie related as well as one series by a French preteen that were and were quite good.

Fan Art was in our Gallery, where various fans had contributed their art work, which has now been replaced for some reason by a movie slideshow; Leelee was probably thinking of our Fan Fiction section, which happily remains intact.