Every long journey has a beginning, and for me, the road into The Hobbit began when I was about eight years old, listening as my dad read it aloud to me.
I think the balance between text commentary and illustration notes is right on. I enjoyed this glimpse into your illustrative process, and especially the comparisons with other artists' takes. Your ability to distill the essence of each chapter in high fidelity is awesome!
There was something so special about reading this chapter. I was very new to fantasy and didn't know I would like it so much, but the story swept me away just like the music swept Bilbo. Lovely art and writing!
Thank you so much! Yes, there is a lot in this chapter. From the seemingly ordinary morning of an ordinary Mr. Baggins to the whole new world opening with the story of the dwarves and their lost kingdom.
I had never connected the dwarves arriving in small groups to the same happening at Beorn's. Thank you for that insight.
Something that made me think: you transliterated the dwarves' names with the runes in the Hobbit. That made me think about how the names we know the dwarves as are just their public names and that they have names that they don't share outside of their own people.
That also then made me think (ADHD thought train) about the fact that Tolkien has said that the names we know the Hobbits by are only the Anglicized or translated names, and that their true names are something entirely different.
Yes! it is fascinating and as you said there are several layers of it. Even inside the world there are different names that the dwarves use than they actual secret names, and then there is the question of “translation” from Westron to English (in the Appendices to the LotR there are a few examples of what the “actual” Hobbit names are). And then also the use of Anglo-Saxon runes in The Hobbit instead of the actual Cirth runes that Tolkien invented for Middle-earth.
And it is funny how these layers are combined in various ways, for example on Balin’s tomb there is an inscription in the Cirth runes but in English.
I thoroughly enjoyed your commentary and explanations I read all the way to the end and I love the illustrations…Well done! I look forward to more from you…
Haha, I thought someone might want to see both. It seems that Thorin is winning, we'll see what I can put together, but I will definitely touch Bilbo too.
I think the balance between text commentary and illustration notes is right on. I enjoyed this glimpse into your illustrative process, and especially the comparisons with other artists' takes. Your ability to distill the essence of each chapter in high fidelity is awesome!
Thank you so much, I am glad you like my approach.
And thanks for your support as a paid subscriber.
There was something so special about reading this chapter. I was very new to fantasy and didn't know I would like it so much, but the story swept me away just like the music swept Bilbo. Lovely art and writing!
Thank you so much! Yes, there is a lot in this chapter. From the seemingly ordinary morning of an ordinary Mr. Baggins to the whole new world opening with the story of the dwarves and their lost kingdom.
Make this into a book! I want one!
I would like to make an art book once I have all the chapter illustrations.
I had never connected the dwarves arriving in small groups to the same happening at Beorn's. Thank you for that insight.
Something that made me think: you transliterated the dwarves' names with the runes in the Hobbit. That made me think about how the names we know the dwarves as are just their public names and that they have names that they don't share outside of their own people.
That also then made me think (ADHD thought train) about the fact that Tolkien has said that the names we know the Hobbits by are only the Anglicized or translated names, and that their true names are something entirely different.
Yes! it is fascinating and as you said there are several layers of it. Even inside the world there are different names that the dwarves use than they actual secret names, and then there is the question of “translation” from Westron to English (in the Appendices to the LotR there are a few examples of what the “actual” Hobbit names are). And then also the use of Anglo-Saxon runes in The Hobbit instead of the actual Cirth runes that Tolkien invented for Middle-earth.
And it is funny how these layers are combined in various ways, for example on Balin’s tomb there is an inscription in the Cirth runes but in English.
I thoroughly enjoyed your commentary and explanations I read all the way to the end and I love the illustrations…Well done! I look forward to more from you…
Thank you so much, I am glad you enjoyed it.
I voted for Gandalf and Bilbo in the poll, but I wanted to say "both"!
Haha, I thought someone might want to see both. It seems that Thorin is winning, we'll see what I can put together, but I will definitely touch Bilbo too.
Excellent stuff!!
Thank you!
You have some truly beautiful work: “The Hall at Bag End” was just how I’ve imagined that scene in my mind!