The Lord Of The Rings is often cited as J.R.R Tolkien's magnum opus. Filled with amazing characters and a lush fantasy world, the world of Middle-Earth has easily captivated many fans and have created many works influenced or inspired by it. Many artists had their own interpretations of the series, however, it has only been through recent media that the world seemed to have a more defined look. Nonetheless, a lot of this came from the hard work of many concept arts over the years.
Here is a selection of gorgeous concept arts over the years for the Lord Of The Rings franchise, concept art from movies as well as video games.
Ralph Bakshi's Classic
Before the movie trilogy created by Peter Jackson hit the big screen, many people knew about the Lord Of The Rings series either through the books or the Ralph Bakshi animated film. The animated film, in particular, was memorable for the gothic art style.
This concept of art was also used as the poster for the movie and was drawn by Tom Jung, and it's nothing short of breathtaking. From the powerful pose of Gandalf to the two hobbits standing before him, it really feels like a grand journey.
The Siege Of Minas Tirith
The siege of Minas Tirith is easily one of the most bone-shaking and intense fights in the trilogy. Taking place during the events of Return Of The King, this is where the city of Gondor was.
As the battle was heavy and filled with a ton of soldiers dying on both sides, it had been drawn beautifully by the works of John Howe, who not only illustrated the world to look ravaged, but also dark and destroyed by war.
The Balrog
The Balrog is one of the most terrifying monsters the world of Middle-Earth has ever seen. It is the creature that famously had its standoff against the greatest wizard in the series, Gandalf The Grey. With a monster like the Balrog, it's only fair that the design would fit its appearance well.
The end result by Alan Lee is one of the coolest and recognizable monsters to ever be seen in fiction, with an establishing a moment that will forever be memorable.
Witch King versus Eowyn
During the climactic battle with Minas Tirith, one of the most pivotal moments was when Eowyn fought against the Witch king. It was an incredibly impactful moment, as it established Eowyn from Rohan as one of the bravest characters in the entire franchise.
The art by John Howe is easily one of the coolest and dynamic pieces ever drawn. It is almost too good, as it makes the actual film adaptation look weaker in comparison.
Ralph Bakshi Mine's Of Moria
Similar to the rest of the animated film, Ralph Bakshi's interpretation of the mines of Moria is one of the most distinct variations of the scene.
In the concept art pieces of the mines, it follows the gothic style that the rest of the film follows, all of which is filled with dull browns and whites. However, what's most defining is the acrylic paint, which really gives the artwork more texture than what it is typically seen.
Treebeard
Treebeard is one of the unique creatures in The Lord Of The Rings universe. As an Ent, they are wise thanks to their long life. However, they are also incredibly slow in addition to being incredibly wise.
But they were truly brought to life in the movies. This is thanks to concept artists like Alan Lee, who drew Treebeard to be deeply detailed and filled with strong blacks and greys from the pencil alone.
The Forest
Drawn as concept art for Ralph Bakshi's interpretation of Middle-Earth, this beautiful sketch depicts Gandalf and the other hobbits as they are walking through the lands of the Shire.
Although it isn't fully colored like most of Ralph Bakshi's works, it still maintains the style that he wants. There is plenty to enjoy from this concept art drawn by Mentor Huebner, and the same level of quality can be seen in all of his drawings.
The Orcs March By Ilya Nazarov
This beautiful art piece was created by Ilya Nazarov, who created a variety of concept arts for the game The Lord of The Rings: War In The North.
In this art piece, it can be seen that there are plenty of Orcs that are travelling through the mountains. There are virtually over two dozen men that are circulating across the landscape, really showing the volume and power of the army as they attempt to siege and pillage across Middle Earth.
Rivendell
Rivendell is the land where Arwen is from, and is also where Aragorn was raised by Elrond. The design and beauty of Rivendell has been highlighted thanks to the paintings of Alan Lee. The scenery is gorgeously muted while maintaining a strong earthy feel to it.
These elements are one of the many reasons why Alan Lee ended up working along with John Howe on the Lord Of The Rings trilogy, as their work together really cements the series as a whole, especially Alan Lee's gorgeous designs.
Sam vs Spider By John Howe
This climactic piece is drawn by John Howe and is easily one of the finest concept illustrations. If Alan Lee is known for his meticulous detail and gorgeous landscapes, then John Howe is known for his energy in battles.
In this art piece, he depicts Sam as he is facing off against the evil spider Shelob. Frodo is entangled in the web as he is hit by poison. All of this is combined with the energy and dynamic power that only John Howe can produce in his work.