Christalen Dunami:'What first attracted you, as an artist to the world of Middle-Earth?'  -I like the depth of the narrative and appreciate the density of the world itself. Also, there's not ONE thing in the story that isn't a pleasure to draw.
There are few fantasy worlds that approach Tolkien for sheer depth.  Ander: 'How hard was it working for Peter Jackson knowing that his was the ultimate decision on whether or not a drawing or sketch of yours made it to the final product? Was it hard having him, at times say 'no, this will not do. I need something better'? -Yes, of course it is never fun to be asked to do something again, but Peter really had a unique way of stimulating his creative team. He would go over what he liked in great detail, and everyone would be waiting for the final approval - which wouldn't come - so all would head back to their drawing boards with a real will to find what he wanted. It was very stimulating, and I did a lot of work that I would have stopped short of otherwise.
He is a wonderful person to work for.  Ghaladir: 'Which artist do you think has most inspired your own work?' -I can't give you just one name, there are so many. Trey: 'I was wondering if you had a preference as to which Age of Middle-earth you most like to portray. I mean, do you prefer painting scenes from The Silmarillion or The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings?' -Definitely the Silmarillion. It is harder to grasp illustratively, because of the difference of focus between the grand world-moving events and the intensely person tragedies and episodes, but it is a fabulous book to illustrate. Mor Olnathron: 'As Tolkien was inspired and influenced by early mythology, for example, The Mabinogion and Beowulf; do you feel you share the same influences in your work when interpreting Tolkien's stories into art? Do the Pre-Raphaelites or the Classical artists who depicted legendary scenes in their paintings inspire you?' -Yes, Tolkien's influences are clear, and they are logical extensions of the text in visual terms. Yes, I have HUGE reference library of history books, museum catalogues and art books, as well as hundreds of reference folders on every subject from Green Men to sailing ships and hundreds of other subjects that interest me. I also take a LOT of photos whenever we go anywhere.v Naith: 'As a writer at heart, I am familiar with the term ' labour of love' and sometimes that relationship between a work and its creator can be love / hate. What would you say is your ' labour of love' - meaning which of your artwork would you determine has been the greatest frustration / devotion. Were you ultimately pleased with your finished piece?' -The things I love the most and hate the most are practically indistinguishable from each other. In the end, a piece that doesn't work out is a trip down the wrong path, so it's best to leave it there and go on to something else. Most pictures have a "barren" point in the middle of doing them, where you have (hopefully) done the initial layout and setting up well enough to warrant continuing, but have not yet reached the point where you can see how it will turn out. That's the toughest time, when it must not be rushed. Otherwise, I have learned to decide quite early when a piece is not going well, and start it again. Protoguy: Mr. Howe, it was a while ago that I had read about the theft of your wonderful piece, Gandalf the Grey. I can honestly say that it is my favorite of your work and that the image of Gandalf trudging through the drizzle, the Grey Pilgrim, personifies perfectly that portion of Gandalf's life and role in the stories. As an artist, I know how it feels to sell my work to others; like losing a piece of myself. How did it feel to have the piece taken from you that way and have there been any leads since then as to it's whereabouts? -I was of course very angry. I still am, actually, though I don't believe the pictures will ever turn up, (I'd have to purchase Gandalf back from the insurance company if it did appear!)It is very strange having someone steal your work, and I had all kinds of conflicting emotions about it. I'm pretty sure, though, they are gone for good.  Anka:'The writings of Mr. Tolkien seem greatly influenced by already or previously existing cultures in our world. Glimpses of Finnish, Anglo-Saxon and a wonderful array of other cultures appear to have influenced the creation of the characters, languages and peoples of Middle-Earth. I have often pondered the question: when illustrating Middle-Earth do you look to past cultures in our world for guidance as perhaps Tolkien did when writing his novels? For example: when depicting their armour, weaponry and costume?' -Yes, most definitely. A grasp of history is essential to the Lord of the Rings. To illustrate conscientiously ONLY the text without intuitively illustrating ALL the things between the lines wouldn't result in a very interesting picture.Pellakal Aglaeca: 'Mr Howe - as a fellow re-enactor, I was delighted with the comparative "authenticity" and functionality of the equipment and weapons in the LotR movies. Did the design team take quickly to the idea of function over fantasy, or did they have to be "leashed" often at first? What were the "steps" to figuring out the transition of "armour" from one age to the next, as exhibited with the scenes from the Last Alliance compared to the Pellanor and Helm's Deep armours?'  -The armour designs fell into place as natural extensions of each culture. And yes, some of the Weta team's early designs were pretty... exuberant to say the least. I have to say that they are a very skilled bunch and absorbed information at light speed. Most of the rest was a mix of intuition and finding a design path for each culture.
Tinw:'Mr. Howe, as a medieval re-enactor, how did you view the battle sequences and hand-to-hand melees? Were you enjoying or watching for things that the average movie viewer wouldn't notice? Did it add to your appreciation, or did it take away some of the wonder, that you've seen and participated in similar (although smaller-scale) scenarios?' -I thought the battle sequences were amazing for the most part. And yes, I am the sort of person who walks out of the theatre when I see knitted chain mail sprayed in aluminum paint... Cinema fights and battles are always far more extravagant than the "real" thing, I'm sure. It would be great to have an incredibly grim battle, but they are rarely spectacular enough for a cinema audience.  Moicalindale: 'Did you feel a lot of pressure to create something that other Tolkien fans were familiar with, or did you simply go with what you saw in your heart? Was drawing from the book restrictive on your artistic endeavors and creativity?' -From the heart, most definitely. And no, the book was the ultimate Bible for reference, and a huge help, not a restriction. The texts were like thresholds - things to let you enter the world where your imagination can wander freely. Tellurian: 'Mr. Howe, are you ever overwhelmed by how immense of a fan base you have, and how much your creations have shaped Middle-Earth for Tolkien fans all around the world?' -No, not really, I'm not so much in touch with all that, though I am flattered that people appreciate the work. |
