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Product Description
Product Description
This title has J. R. R. Tolkien's fantastic "Middle-Earth" illustrated by the award winning fantasy artist. From the brush of Donato Giancola, one of the world's most recognised and awarded fantasy artists, comes a book filled with new illustrations that apply his legendary Renaissance craftsmanship to J.R.R. Tolkein's visionary "Middle-Earth". Dramatic lighting and deft draughtsmanship from the tableaux of great Master painters like Caravaggio, Rembrandt and Vermeer explain Donato's popularity with millions of fans and the numerous Hugo and Chesley Awards for his oil paintings. This long-awaited moving and beautiful voyage through Middle-Earth - a wealth of emotional paintings and intriguing drawings - from a modern master of the arts will be a must-have for eager genre readers everywhere. "Middle-Earth" is a refreshingly new exploration of literature's most beloved fantasy realm by one of the most honoured American artists working today - by Donato Giancola, winner of the Hugo Award, the Hamilton King Award, and multiple medals from Spectrum: The Best in Contemporary Fantastic Art. From Helm's "Deep" to "Mount Doom", Donato takes readers on a colourful tour filled with warriors, wizards, dragons and dwarfs, exhibiting his astonishing technical virtuosity in every scene brought vividly to life.
About the Author
Since beginning his professional career in 1993, Donato Giancola's list of clients has grown to include major book publishers in New York to concept design firms on the West Coast: notables include National Geographic, Scholastic, Simon&Schuster, and Time/Warner. Merits range from the Hamilton King Award from the Society of Illustrators in 2008 to eighteen Chesley Awards from the Association of Science Fiction and Fantasy Artists, three Artist Hugo Awards for outstanding professional work from the World Science Fiction Society, notable awards from the Art Renewal Center, and multiple silver and gold medals from the juried annual Spectrum: The Best of Contemporary Fantastic Art. He lives with his wife and two daughters in Brooklyn, New York.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
I had only briefly encountered Donato Giancola's work before this, and do not usually buy illustrations of other books. But I had seen enough to want to see more. I was not disappointed. The quality of reproduction here is easily up to art-book quality, and includes some close-up detail (not enough, given the art itself), and the book is very well-produced. But the art itself is stunning, eye-openingly so. The portraits of Boromir, Frodo and Gandalf, in particular, give a whole range of insights into their characters. And a couple of pieces ('Expulsion' and 'The Taming of Sméagol' especially) open up new understanding of the text. Every face is a convincing portrait of a unique individual whom you can recognise and with whom you can immediately interact; none of them are caricatures. The unnerving tenderness of 'Taming' shows a whole new relationship between Frodo and Gollum, one that adds depth and meaning to its subject, while remaining entirely true to the text. Giancola's 'Old Master' style works admirably with a text that itself deals with the mythic past. Not all the paintings are equally successful: that of Galadriel's mirror, for instance, makes the Elven-queen look like a fashion-model, and there are just a few cases where the anatomy of the figures doesn't quite seem to work. Some of the charcoal-and-chalk drawings really imply and deserve full paintings: 'The Choices of Saruman', for instance, even though it is very much based upon Christopher Lee's visual presentation (and is none the worse for that).
I am very much impressed, and am glad I bought this book: I treasure it.
I am very much impressed, and am glad I bought this book: I treasure it.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
5 reviews
16 of 16 people found the following review helpful
An essential addition to any Tolkien fan's bookshelf
1 Oct 2010
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
I was in a Barnes & Noble bookstore with Tim Kirk, a Tolkien calendar artist, when he showed me the graphic novel adaptation of THE HOBBIT with Donato's cover. Tim asked, "Have you seen this artist?"
I hadn't but I sat down and visually drank in the cover, a panoramic painting of Gandalf, the dwarves, and Bilbo Baggins in the mountains. The cover was by Donato Giancola, a new name to me.
With that cover alone, Donato assumed his rightful position in the first rank of Tolkien illustrators, which includes (in no particular order) Alan Lee, Ted Naismith, John Howe, Tim Kirk, Michael Whelan, Kinuko Craft, Michael Kaluta, Steve Hickman, Michael Hague, and many others.
What Donato brings to his visual interpretation of Middle-earth is a rich imagination, a gorgeous color palette, and a keen artist's eye in choosing scenes that resonate.
Not surprisingly, Donato prefers portraits, which is one of his many strengths: His art inspiration is from the old masters, and this book certainly shows that. The oil paintings show a mastery by an artist who is only in his forties; I can only imagine, with delight, what else we have to look forward to from his talented pen and brush in the future!
The color paintings are gorgeous, and the toned pieces (graphite on brown paper) are exquisite studies; together, you get to see the visual story behind many of the finished pieces. (I own the original art to the toned illustration on page 9, and can attest that the reproduction in this book is exceptionally close to the original--the printing is THAT good.)
If you ever get a chance to see Donato's originals, do so. He was at the Comicon and had many of these pieces on display. And, as good as the reproduction is in this book, you haven't really seen a Donato until you've seen it in person, in the scale the artist intended. (The painting for THE HOBBIT, for instance, measures 38 x 68 inches; and the painting for THE LORD OF THE RINGS measures 33 x 55 inches.)
When I edited THE ESSENTIAL JRR TOLKIEN SOURCEBOOK, I interviewed Donato (among others: Tim Kirk, Michael Whelan, Michael Kaluta, and Tim Kirk--all calendar or book artists), and he spoke long and lovingly about his great enthusiasm for Tolkien's masterwork.
Donato's passion for art and Middle-earth combine in this wonderful, full color book that will delight, amaze, enchant, and mesmerize any Tolkien fan.
It'd make a great Christmas gift for any Tolkien fan you know, or a great gift for yourself. Either way, get a copy and make someone happy.
Kudos to Tim Underwood (SPECTRUM publisher) for publishing this, and to Arnie Fenner for a classic design. This book, simply, is one for the ages, and I look forward to more compilations of Donato's classic art.
I hadn't but I sat down and visually drank in the cover, a panoramic painting of Gandalf, the dwarves, and Bilbo Baggins in the mountains. The cover was by Donato Giancola, a new name to me.
With that cover alone, Donato assumed his rightful position in the first rank of Tolkien illustrators, which includes (in no particular order) Alan Lee, Ted Naismith, John Howe, Tim Kirk, Michael Whelan, Kinuko Craft, Michael Kaluta, Steve Hickman, Michael Hague, and many others.
What Donato brings to his visual interpretation of Middle-earth is a rich imagination, a gorgeous color palette, and a keen artist's eye in choosing scenes that resonate.
Not surprisingly, Donato prefers portraits, which is one of his many strengths: His art inspiration is from the old masters, and this book certainly shows that. The oil paintings show a mastery by an artist who is only in his forties; I can only imagine, with delight, what else we have to look forward to from his talented pen and brush in the future!
The color paintings are gorgeous, and the toned pieces (graphite on brown paper) are exquisite studies; together, you get to see the visual story behind many of the finished pieces. (I own the original art to the toned illustration on page 9, and can attest that the reproduction in this book is exceptionally close to the original--the printing is THAT good.)
If you ever get a chance to see Donato's originals, do so. He was at the Comicon and had many of these pieces on display. And, as good as the reproduction is in this book, you haven't really seen a Donato until you've seen it in person, in the scale the artist intended. (The painting for THE HOBBIT, for instance, measures 38 x 68 inches; and the painting for THE LORD OF THE RINGS measures 33 x 55 inches.)
When I edited THE ESSENTIAL JRR TOLKIEN SOURCEBOOK, I interviewed Donato (among others: Tim Kirk, Michael Whelan, Michael Kaluta, and Tim Kirk--all calendar or book artists), and he spoke long and lovingly about his great enthusiasm for Tolkien's masterwork.
Donato's passion for art and Middle-earth combine in this wonderful, full color book that will delight, amaze, enchant, and mesmerize any Tolkien fan.
It'd make a great Christmas gift for any Tolkien fan you know, or a great gift for yourself. Either way, get a copy and make someone happy.
Kudos to Tim Underwood (SPECTRUM publisher) for publishing this, and to Arnie Fenner for a classic design. This book, simply, is one for the ages, and I look forward to more compilations of Donato's classic art.
5 of 6 people found the following review helpful
A delight (?) roaming about in Middle Earth... again
6 Oct 2010
Format:Hardcover
I have to say, I'm Middle Earthed out.
The only down point to this book is the subject. Despite that, this is a delightfully packaged and beautiful showcase for the fantastic work of an artist who deserves more attention. Donato Giancola is a painter like few others. The richness of his colors, the varying hues and use of ambient light to show the translucent quality of skin is so well done it's hard to believe this is a modern artist. Even better are the drawings showcasing his design and compositional processes.
Being an artist myself I've found one commonality among artists- we like to see how well other artists draw. We know it's the key to good design, composition and, for illustrators, good storytelling. Donato's drawings are solid, well rendered, balanced and richly detailed without being cluttered. This is why he's an artist's artist.
This book is how art books should be done with just enough text to explain the techniques, inspiration and drive of the artist but really allowing the art to speak for itself in the event that the viewer just wants to get lost in bold pageantry of a master storyteller through his work.
I almost resent that I'm drawn again into the works of J.R.R. Tolkien but this book is an excellent excuse to reinvest some time into this literary giant of an idea, fleshed out again by an artist with a unique and yet very respect take on this world.
This book should be in the hands of both Tolkien's fans and those fond of artists so well skilled in rendering these themes.
I can only hope this book paves the way for a larger collection of Donato Giancola's artwork.
The only down point to this book is the subject. Despite that, this is a delightfully packaged and beautiful showcase for the fantastic work of an artist who deserves more attention. Donato Giancola is a painter like few others. The richness of his colors, the varying hues and use of ambient light to show the translucent quality of skin is so well done it's hard to believe this is a modern artist. Even better are the drawings showcasing his design and compositional processes.
Being an artist myself I've found one commonality among artists- we like to see how well other artists draw. We know it's the key to good design, composition and, for illustrators, good storytelling. Donato's drawings are solid, well rendered, balanced and richly detailed without being cluttered. This is why he's an artist's artist.
This book is how art books should be done with just enough text to explain the techniques, inspiration and drive of the artist but really allowing the art to speak for itself in the event that the viewer just wants to get lost in bold pageantry of a master storyteller through his work.
I almost resent that I'm drawn again into the works of J.R.R. Tolkien but this book is an excellent excuse to reinvest some time into this literary giant of an idea, fleshed out again by an artist with a unique and yet very respect take on this world.
This book should be in the hands of both Tolkien's fans and those fond of artists so well skilled in rendering these themes.
I can only hope this book paves the way for a larger collection of Donato Giancola's artwork.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Better than I thought
14 Dec 2010
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
I have been a Donato fan for a while so I knew a book with his name stamped on it would be good. But I tell you, it turned out even better. I don't look at this book as a reintroduction to Lord of the Rings but a book that showcases Donato's impeccable talent. When critiques title him as a 20th Century old Master they are correct. Great art work that tells a story.
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