Wow, Bilbo's images are so close... and also reflect what a great illustrator was McBride (specially side to side with poor Mark Poole).
We can also spot reused art in Bilbo's illustration: the card back of site cards, centered in Mirkwood. It's an interesting case, those of the characters (and Goldberry and Gollum) from McBride were originally B/W images (you can see them in MERP), they were coloured and added some background; sometimes site card back, like Bilbo and Frodo, sometimes a pattern, as in Aragorn or Galadriel...
Reused art
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These sceneries are somewhat similar, especially the appearance of the smith. Coincidence?
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And this one -- no coincidence!Khamul the Easterling wrote: ↑Thu Nov 05, 2020 8:14 pm These sceneries are somewhat similar, especially the appearance of the smith. Coincidence?
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This is an easy one: Two versions of Isengard by Ted Nasmith. Isengard is so clearly described in the books there's few ambiguity on how it looked like (so it's not a "reused" art if you compare it to other artists' Isengard versions). However, Ted's versions are still strikingly similar.
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This is more interesting: The Wizard's ring is not an element in the books. So Rousselle's first in presenting an idea on how it might look like. Freeman clearly takes up the design of the ring.
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Good catch on the Wizard's Ring art being re-used. From what I can tell there is no description of the "Wizard's Ring" being a hand holding the band. This is all that I remember:Khamul the Easterling wrote: ↑Thu Nov 19, 2020 6:56 pm The Wizard's ring is not an element in the books. So Rousselle's first in presenting an idea on how it might look like.
But I rode to the foot of Orthanc, and came to the stair of Saruman; and there he met me and led me up to his high chamber. He wore a ring on his finger.
...
And here you will stay, Gandalf the Grey, and rest from journeys. For I am Saruman the Wise, Saruman Ring-maker, Saruman of Many Colours.
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Entrances and stairs seem quite similar to me, mind the pillars at the stairs, too. Not sure if Ted took Douglas' painting as a model, perhaps they both had the same reference object?
One possible common source of inspiration for some of these cards could simply be Tolkien’s original drawings.
For example for Thranduil’s Halls featured on no escape and Nimloth:
https://www.pinterest.fr/pin/298152437815881434/
I was fortunate enough to visit the Tolkien exhibition in Paris and buy the exhibition art book. The exhibition featured a lot of Tolkien’s original drawings on loan from the Bodleian libray, some of them have definitely shaped the vision of Middle Earth artists.
For example for Thranduil’s Halls featured on no escape and Nimloth:
https://www.pinterest.fr/pin/298152437815881434/
I was fortunate enough to visit the Tolkien exhibition in Paris and buy the exhibition art book. The exhibition featured a lot of Tolkien’s original drawings on loan from the Bodleian libray, some of them have definitely shaped the vision of Middle Earth artists.
Looks like, here Saruman also has the same ring. Or at any rate something similar.Khamul the Easterling wrote: ↑Thu Nov 19, 2020 6:56 pm This is more interesting: The Wizard's ring is not an element in the books. So Rousselle's first in presenting an idea on how it might look like. Freeman clearly takes up the design of the ring.
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Yes, well observed, thanks!
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difficult not to see a relationship between these two...
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And, a bit off topic, but following the previous post, below are all the other Wizards.
Check out the text on Gandalf and Alatar.
Check out the text on Gandalf and Alatar.
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Nice thread.
Just some thoughts on the depiction of Luthien in the game. I believe there are two images of her - 'Choice of Luthien' and 'And forth he hastened'.
'Choice of Luthien' (really an iconic painting) was done before 1990 by Ted Nasmith. 'And forth he hastened' was scompleted in 1996. Was Donato influenced by the Nasmith earlier work? I think so - although no blue dress.
Just some thoughts on the depiction of Luthien in the game. I believe there are two images of her - 'Choice of Luthien' and 'And forth he hastened'.
'Choice of Luthien' (really an iconic painting) was done before 1990 by Ted Nasmith. 'And forth he hastened' was scompleted in 1996. Was Donato influenced by the Nasmith earlier work? I think so - although no blue dress.
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