This revised edition of Tolkien's famous illustrated letters from 'Father Christmas' includes extracts and pictures not included in the original publication 25 years ago. Every December an envelope bearing a stamp from the North Pole would arrive for J.R.R.Tolkien's children. Inside would be a letter in strange spidery handwriting and a beautiful coloured drawing or some sketches. The letters were from Father Christmas. They told wonderful tales of life at the North Pole: how all the reindeer got loose and scattered presents all over the place; how the accident-prone Polar Bear climbed the North Pole and fell through the roof of Father Christmas's house into the dining-room; how he broke the Moon into four pieces and made the Man in it fall into the back garden; how there were wars with the troublesome horde of goblins who lived in the caves beneath the house! Sometimes the Polar Bear would scrawl a note, and sometimes Ilbereth the Elf would write in his elegant flowing script, adding yet more life and humour to the stories. No reader, young or old, can fail to be charmed by the inventiveness and 'authenticity' of Tolkien's Letters from Father Christmas. To coincide with the 25th anniversary of its first publication, Letters from Father Christmas has been reformatted into an attractive and affordable new format, with the inclusion of every one of the delightful letters and pictures that Tolkien sent to his children.

Howard Shore's Academy Award-winning score for The Lord of the Rings has been hailed as among the greatest film music ever written. Sweeping in scope, it is an interpretation of J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle-earth as music --- an operatic tapestry of cultures, histories, languages, and principles. The Music of the Lord of the Rings Films takes the reader on an unprecedented journey into the heart of this history-making opus with extensive music examples, original manuscript scores, a rarities CD, and fascinating glimpses into the creative process from the composer himself. Includes: Foreword by Howard Shore Introduction by Fran Walsh Sketches by John Howe and Alan Lee Includes Exclusive Rarities CD of unreleased LOTR music Color stills from the films

Best-selling Tolkien expert Brian Sibley (The Lord of the Rings: The Making of the Movie Trilogy and The Lord of the Rings Official Movie Guide) presents a slipcased collection of four full-color, large-format maps of Tolkien's imaginary realm illustrated by John Howe, a conceptual designer for the blockbuster films directed by Peter Jackson. The set includes a hardcover book describing in detail the importance and evolution of geography within Tolkien's epic fiction and four color maps presented with minimal folds, including two (Beleriand and Numenor) never before published in this country.

Alan Lee, the Oscar-winning conceptual designer for the Lord of the Rings movie trilogy, discusses his approach to depicting Tolkien's imaginary world. The book presents more than 150 of Lee's celebrated illustrations to show how his imagery for both the illustrated Lord of the Rings and the films progressed from concept to finished art. In addition, the book contains 20 full-color plates and numerous examples of the conceptual art produced for Peter Jackson's film adaptation. The Lord of the Rings Sketchbook provides a wealth of background information and will be of interest to those who know and love Tolkien's work, from books to films to DVDs, as well as to budding artists and illustrators interested in how to approach book illustration.

From the Publisher Artists the world over have endeavored to capture the essence of J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle–earth: the passion and heroism of the characters, the heart–stopping drama of the action, the mythic grandeur of Middle–earth itself. Few have succeeded. Pre–eminent among those who have is John Howe. Now, inMyth and Magic,which features 250 of his paintings and sketches, we are offered a splendid gallery of his work, including all the Tolkien pieces as well as a selection of his other fantasy paintings. From the beloved picture of “Smaug” that adornsThe Hobbitto the spectacular images that appear on best–selling novels, this collection will delight both Tolkien fans and all who have been captivated by one of the finest fantasy artists in the world.

From the world of Aratta and Mohenjo-Daro to Atlantis and Camelot, this visually stunning book is a window with a view that takes readers on an historical, archaeological, and mythological journey through lost worlds, those abandoned in time, buried and forgotten, and the ones that live in the imagination. Attempting to put the most plausible pieces of history together, John Howe, concept artist for "The Lord of the Rings" film trilogy, begins the journey that will move readers to explore these lost worlds even further.

This is a breathtaking new practical art course that completely demystifies the drawing and sketching techniques of master fantasy artist John Howe. Learn the basics of drawing as John reveals the secrets behind choosing the best materials and the correct methods for holding and using pencils to successfully planning, developing and completing your own work. Presented as a practical art course, the book progresses from basic linear and energy drawing to more advanced drawing and colouring techniques - ideal for both aspiring and experienced artists. Inside John Howe's fantasy Drawing Workshop: Drawing Kit - Details the various drawing materials that you will need to produce the art in this book, they are all very limited and easy to acquire. Graphite pencils, pastel pencils, sketchbooks, papers, putty erasers, craft knife, and you are on your way. Locations for Drawing - As long as your have paper and pencils, you can draw anywhere, though Howe shows you the importance of having a dedicated work space if you intend to draw regularly, and the value of drawing on location to bring fresh ideas and inspiration. Working with the Pencil - Useful tips for holding the pencil depending on your needs, from sketching and establishing line to shading and working on details. Drawing Techniques - How provides you with five easy steps to release your drawing hand from your writing one, as well as shortcut pencil techniques such as hatching, scribbling and drawing with a putty eraser. Drawing a Face - Faces, like hands are hardest, because we know them so well. Mastering even simple proportions can be an incredibly important step to creating convincing fantasy characters. With Howe's step-by-step techniques you will! Pages from My Sketchbook - A varied selection of pages from John Howe's sketchbooks. Keeping filled-up sketchbooks can be a treasure-trove of forgotten ideas that can later be rediscovered. The Projects - Step-by-step explanations with running commentary on ten sketches or drawings, designed as a course that will advance your ability and skills as you progress through them. The commentary is clear and helpful, and if you follow each step, you will end up with ten drawings but most importantly you will gain the confidence to develop your own drawings. The ten sketches or drawings included in this chapter are: Merlin, Drawf, Dragon, Thor and the Giant, Lancelot, Centaur, Orc, Arwen, Balrog, and Mermaid. Noble warriors and mystical elves stand side-by-side with savage orcs, dragons and other iconic fantasy characters in this highly practical, must-have guide for all aspiring and improving fantasy artists.

This is a breathtaking new practical art course that completely demystifies the drawing and sketching techniques of master fantasy artist John Howe. Learn the basics of drawing as John reveals the secrets behind choosing the best materials and the correct methods for holding and using pencils. Presented as a practical art course, the book progresses from basic linear and energy drawing to more advanced drawing and colouring techniques - ideal for both aspiring and experienced artists. Noble warriors and mystical elves stand side-by-side with savage orcs, dragons and other iconic fantasy characters in this highly practical, must-have guide for all aspiring and improving fantasy artists

The entire collection of John Howe's dragon art, created over his 30-year career, is presented in one breathtaking volume. This book offers a personal exploration by John of the inspirations and techniques he uses to render these amazing beasts. Each dragon is gloriously presented on a double page spread; accompanying this is a series of pages where John reveals how he forged each one through working sketches and reference material. From fire dragons erupting from molten depths, through sea dragons churning stormy seas, every medieval, celtic, gothic and sci-fi icon is represented. Fascinating text reveals the myths behind each dragon, as well as an exploration on its render, with full captions, annotations, highlighted details and design elements.

A lavishly-illustrated study of Tolkien's paintings and drawings, set in the context of his writings. J.R.R. Tolkien (1892--1973), renowned author of The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings and The Silmarillion was an artist in pictures as well as in words. In fact, for him the two were closely linked, and in his paintings and drawings he displayed remarkable powers of invention that equalled his gift for words. His books have been read by many thousands; most of his art, however, has only been seen by a few. This book explores Tolkien's art at length, from his childhood paintings and drawings to his final sketches. At its heart are his illustrations for his books, especially his tales of Middle-earth. Also examined are the pictures Tolkien made for his children (notably in his 'Father Christmas' letters and for the story Mr. Bliss), his expressive calligraphy, his love of decoration, and his contributions to the typography and design of his books. J.R.R. Tolkien, Artist and Illustrator contains 200 reproductions, over half of which are in colour and many published for the first time.

A dual-edition full-color book for the millions of fans who have taken The Lord of the Rings to heart through the celebrated film trilogy. Many of the images included in this volume, depicting pivotal scenes and characters, were previously embargoed and have never appeared in book form. The work of Alan Lee and John Howe — the two artists most closely associated with Tolkien"s world — is featured, along with that of many other talented artists and designers. The artists" own descriptions of the design process used in creating the look of the films both enlighten and enliven this essential book.

A companion to The Art of The Fellowship of the Ring, this authoritative and insightful book is packed with more than five hundred full-color images — many exclusive to this volume — and shows the development of the imagery in The Two Towers from concept drawings to wide-screen glory. With illuminating captions telling the story of the images in the words of the artists and designers responsible for the look of the film, including the renowned artists Alan Lee and John Howe, and contributions from Peter Jackson, Richard Taylor, Grant Major, Ngila Dickson, Paul Lasaine, and others, this book is a must for all fans of The Lord of the Rings. In this essential reference to the architecture and costumes of Jackson"s onscreen Middle-earth, the stunning large-format art, from sketches to paintings to three-dimensional maquettes and digital art, is lovingly reproduced with lavish production values to create a spectacular keepsake for the film"s millions of fans.

Alan Lee, the beloved illustrator of many of Houghton Mifflin"s Tolkien editions, and a talented team of other artists, including the renowned Tolkien illustrator John Howe, have spent more than three years creating the sets, props, creatures, and locations that truly bring Tolkien"s Middle-earth to life. Hobbiton, Rivendell, and Minas Tirith are no longer designations on the map. Literally hundreds of designers and craftspeople have been painstakingly adding authentic cultural details to each of more than 48,000 separate objects shown in The Fellowship of the Ring, from armor to props to architecture. All this and more is shown in Gary Russell"s lavishly illustrated book. Russell spent time on the set in New Zealand, conducting interviews with director Peter Jackson, special effects guru Richard Taylor, art directors Paul Lasainne, Dan Hennah, and Chris Hennah, costumer Ngila Dickson, and Alan Lee and John Howe. Featuring everything from pencil sketches to the finished objects, his book gives detailed descriptions of why and how this groundbreaking film looks as exciting as it does. The millions of fans dazzled by the results will find here everything they want to know about the genesis and evolution of the movie"s incredible look.

With Peter Jackson's Acadamy Award-winning epic motion picture trilogy drawing to a spectacular and triumphant close, Gary Russell's detailed research takes us back into the world of Middle-earth, to relive all the visual drama and excitement of The Return of the King. The Art of The Return of the King illustrates the creative development of the film from sketch to special effect and features 600 images, most appearing nowhere else. This fully authorized book includes pencil sketches by Alan Lee and John Howe, costume designes by Ngila Dickson, magnificent full-color paintings by Jeremy Bennett, and prop designs, concepts, sculptures and digital artwork from Weta Workshop and Weta Digital. From Minas Tirith to Mount Doom, from the Army of the Dead to Shelob the monstrous spider, all the spectacular landscapes, characters and creatures are covered in stunning detail, including concepts that did not make it into the final film. To accompany this wealth of imagery, detailed and informative commentaries appear by all the featured artists and designers, together with a special afterword by Peter Jackson. Their personal thoughts and explanations offer unique and fascinating insight into how The Return of the King was brought to life. An artistic journey begun in 1997 reaches its glorious conclusion within these pages, giving the reader a unique chance to witness the creative process that led to one of the most spectacular movies of all time.

As The Lord of the Rings draws to a triumphant and spectacular conclusion with The Return of the King, pitching armies of Men and their allies against the evil forces of darkness, this new book reconstructs the history and events surrounding the epic battles in Peter Jackson's awesome film trilogy. Treating the filmmakers' notes, designs and props as a true archive, The Lord of the Rings: Weapons and Warfare uses these records to present a full historical account of the War of the Ring. It assembles all the background information to outline the story behind each battle and examine the strategy used by the opposing forces. Each of the major conflicts depicted in the films - from The Last Alliance of Elves and Men to the climactic Battle of the Pelennor Fields - is illustrated with a unique diagram by the films' designers that reveals how each battle was fought. Lavishly illustrated with 1,000 photos, paintings, maps, sculptures and sketches, most appearing here for the first time, Weapons and Warfare is an indispensable chronicle of The Lord of the Rings' many creatures, warriors, armies and battlegrounds. From the graceful and proficient Elven soldiers to the horrendous war machines of the Dark Lord, each culture's approach to combat is explained - how they fought, why they were fighting, what armor they wore and what weapons they used against their enemies. Now you can get as close to a marauding Orc as you could ever wish, without suffering the consequences! Armed with a wealth of fascinating facts and unique imagery, and with an exclusive foreword by Christopher Lee and an introduction by the Academy Award winner Richard Taylor, Weapons and Warfare promises to be the most striking companion to The Lord of the Rings movie trilogy ever published.

The first ever illustrated paperback of part one of Tolkien's epic masterpiece, The Lord of the Rings, featuring 19 colour paintings by Alan Lee.

The first ever illustrated paperback of part two of Tolkien's epic masterpiece, The Lord of the Rings, featuring 16 colour paintings by Alan Lee.

The first ever illustrated paperback of the critically acclaimed and beloved children's classic, featuring 26 colour paintings and over 30 pencil drawings by Alan Lee.