Frazetta LOTR Images and Fantasy art beyond Tolkien
- Primula Baggins
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Fantasy art beyond Tolkien
This discussion was moved from the thread "Frank Frazetta Lord of the Rings Images" in the Shibboleth forum, because the topic had moved on from Tolkien illustrations.
Frazetta does garden-gnome hobbits, too, with feet bigger than their heads.
But nobody beats him for Barsoom. This is probably the iconic image:
A less static one:
I am not an artist, but I like these. They have color and energy and are faithful to the dear, pulpy spirit of the text. And he does pretty bodies so very well. The women are babes, of course, but muscular babes who know how to fight (just as they are in the books).
Frazetta does garden-gnome hobbits, too, with feet bigger than their heads.
But nobody beats him for Barsoom. This is probably the iconic image:
A less static one:
I am not an artist, but I like these. They have color and energy and are faithful to the dear, pulpy spirit of the text. And he does pretty bodies so very well. The women are babes, of course, but muscular babes who know how to fight (just as they are in the books).
Last edited by Primula Baggins on Fri Apr 20, 2007 12:22 am, edited 1 time in total.
“There, peeping among the cloud-wrack above a dark tor high up in the mountains, Sam saw a white star twinkle for a while. The beauty of it smote his heart, as he looked up out of the forsaken land, and hope returned to him. For like a shaft, clear and cold, the thought pierced him that in the end the Shadow was only a small and passing thing: there was light and high beauty for ever beyond its reach.”
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Return of the King
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Return of the King
- Primula Baggins
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Yes, though my favorite Barsoomian heroine is Tavia the slave girl, who passes as a boy for a good part of her book . . . dressed like that. Granted, the noble narrator-hero is a bit thick, but still, she could not have been "well-padded."
“There, peeping among the cloud-wrack above a dark tor high up in the mountains, Sam saw a white star twinkle for a while. The beauty of it smote his heart, as he looked up out of the forsaken land, and hope returned to him. For like a shaft, clear and cold, the thought pierced him that in the end the Shadow was only a small and passing thing: there was light and high beauty for ever beyond its reach.”
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Return of the King
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Return of the King
Those remind very very much of Boris Vallejo and Julie Bell's work. I used to adore Vallejo's style, and through him discovered his wife's work. I love his use of almost photorealistic images in fantasy. I wonder if Frazetta was much of an influence on them.
Here's a famous piece called "The Vampire's Kiss"
Gallery is here
Here's a famous piece called "The Vampire's Kiss"
Gallery is here
The Vinyamars on Stage! This time at Bag End
- truehobbit
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- Primula Baggins
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Awww, nowwwww. . . . .
They did get married later, if that helps.
Alatar, that is a creepy painting. I would have to say either there's some influence, or what they've been asked to paint (on a book cover, say) is so similar that their work can't help but be similar as well.
I've seen his work elsewhere, of course. I did look at part of the gallery as well. Some of it looked a little too sweet for me, but then a lot of it must be book covers.
“There, peeping among the cloud-wrack above a dark tor high up in the mountains, Sam saw a white star twinkle for a while. The beauty of it smote his heart, as he looked up out of the forsaken land, and hope returned to him. For like a shaft, clear and cold, the thought pierced him that in the end the Shadow was only a small and passing thing: there was light and high beauty for ever beyond its reach.”
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Return of the King
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Return of the King
- Primula Baggins
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I was looking at some mermaidish stuff that definitely looked sweet, but perhaps they were covers for light fantasies.
That image is not sweet at all, of course. I have to admit that despite the "fantasy" element of the tattoo coming to life, I don't care for it much. It doesn't seem like a story I would enjoy reading.
And, er, he's too muscly, too.
It's rather odd, because I do read edgy science fiction—but I don't care for edgy fantasy. Tolkien's perfect; Burroughs is a fun escape.
That image is not sweet at all, of course. I have to admit that despite the "fantasy" element of the tattoo coming to life, I don't care for it much. It doesn't seem like a story I would enjoy reading.
And, er, he's too muscly, too.
It's rather odd, because I do read edgy science fiction—but I don't care for edgy fantasy. Tolkien's perfect; Burroughs is a fun escape.
“There, peeping among the cloud-wrack above a dark tor high up in the mountains, Sam saw a white star twinkle for a while. The beauty of it smote his heart, as he looked up out of the forsaken land, and hope returned to him. For like a shaft, clear and cold, the thought pierced him that in the end the Shadow was only a small and passing thing: there was light and high beauty for ever beyond its reach.”
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Return of the King
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Return of the King
- Primula Baggins
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The discussion of Frazetta's non-Tolkien art and of other fantasy artists has been moved here. (link to come)
“There, peeping among the cloud-wrack above a dark tor high up in the mountains, Sam saw a white star twinkle for a while. The beauty of it smote his heart, as he looked up out of the forsaken land, and hope returned to him. For like a shaft, clear and cold, the thought pierced him that in the end the Shadow was only a small and passing thing: there was light and high beauty for ever beyond its reach.”
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Return of the King
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Return of the King
- Old_Tom_Bombadil
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There's a Frazetta painting known as "Deathdealer", a black figure on horseback with red glowing eyes, that always makes me think of Tolkien's black riders.
Of course he did a lot of Conan the Barbarian, like this "The Snow Giants", as well as Tarzan.
The Frazetta that most captured my fancy was "Escape from Venus" which pictured a woman with a dagger standing in a swampy pool in the foreground and a ravenous tiger in the background. The colors, particularly the blue, are fantastic! (The poster was much more captivating than this small image.)
Here's a link to FrankFrazetta.com. If you're near East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania you can visit the Frank Frazetta Museum.
Of course he did a lot of Conan the Barbarian, like this "The Snow Giants", as well as Tarzan.
The Frazetta that most captured my fancy was "Escape from Venus" which pictured a woman with a dagger standing in a swampy pool in the foreground and a ravenous tiger in the background. The colors, particularly the blue, are fantastic! (The poster was much more captivating than this small image.)
Here's a link to FrankFrazetta.com. If you're near East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania you can visit the Frank Frazetta Museum.
Re: Frazetta LOTR Images and Fantasy art beyond Tolkien
Best Frazetta theory so far.
Although looking at his other art, such as the orca and the dwarves following Gandalf, it seems he a. really hated drawing pants and therefore b. In the Frazetta verse everyone does dress that way.If there was anything that depressed him more than his own cynicism, it was that quite often it still wasn't as cynical as real life.
Terry Pratchett, Guards! Guards!
Terry Pratchett, Guards! Guards!
Re: Frazetta LOTR Images and Fantasy art beyond Tolkien
lol.
'You just said "your getting shorter": you've obviously been drinking too much ent-draught and not enough Prim's.' - Jude