The Great Goblin: Watercolor

The Great Goblin: Sketches

"We were on a journey to visit our relatives, our nephews and nieces, and first, second, third cousins and other descendants of our grandfathers, who live on the East side of these truly hospitable mountains," said Thorin, not quite knowing what to say all at once in a moment, when obviously the exact truth would not do at all.
"He is a liar, O truly tremendous one!" said one of the guards. "Several of our people were struck by lightning in the cave, when we invited these creatures to come below; and they are dead as stones. Also he has not explained this!" He held out the sword which Thorin had worn, Goblin-cleaver.
"Murderers and elf-friends!" The Great Goblin shouted. "Slash them! Bite them! Gnash them! Take them away to dark holes full of snakes, and never let them see the light again!"

Bilbo and the Trolls: Final Digital Treatment

"You're a fat fool, William," said Burt, "as I've said afor this evening.
"And you're a lout!" said William.
"And I won't take that from you, Bill Huggins!" and Burt put his fist in William's eye.

Next up: The Great Goblin!

The Hobbit: The Blood of Numenor

We take a break from your regularly scheduled hobbit posts to bring you another paper test. This time we are working on Rives BFK 400.  

Bilbo and the Trolls: Reference Hunting

This is the Alpine Lakes, in the Cascades region of Washington State. I spent a week here with friends in 2007. There was a particular stretch of trails that we were on that keep coming to mind when I imagine this scene from the Hobbit.

I am certain that trolls have met here.  North American trolls at that. 

Tolkien's story ends with the Trolls being turned to stone. It made sense to use rocks for the main reference for the trolls.

"And there they stand to this day, for trolls as you probably know, must be underground before dawn, or they go back to the stuff of the mountains they are made of and never move again."

I had considered making the trolls more organic, and more inspired by moss covered rocks. Moss-covered rocks are wonderful. They conjure the feelings of places that are either remote, and undisturbed by man or secluded and well-tended by man. In the end, adding the moss to the trolls stony skin seemed too tranquil a covering for a set of characters who are about to cook our hero and a dozen dwarves.
At some point I think I may go back and do a piece of the 3 trolls as the giant stones, from when Frodo and Sam camp amongst them. Alan Lee has done what could be considered the definitive version of this scene, and it is marvelous. But I would still like to illustrate it, with these trolls, covered in moss and sticks and over-run by woodland creatures.

Bilbo and the Trolls: Early Digital Process

Bilbo and the Trolls: Watercolor

Bilbo and the Trolls: Sketches

"What did i say?" said Bilbo, "and please dont cook me kind sirs! I'm a good cook, and i'll cook a perfectly beautiful breakfast for you if only you wont have me for supper!"
"Poor little blighter," said william. "Poor little blighter! Let him go!"

"Not till he says what he means by 'lots and none at all.' I don't want to have me throat cut in me sleep. Hold his toes in the fire, 'til he talks."

Bilbo and the Trolls: Burrahobbit Sketches

The Hobbit: Bilbo and the Trolls

"Blimey Burt. Look what I've caught," said William.

This is one of my favorite scenes in literature. 

The most enjoyable performance of this scene is from the 1974 Argo Records Vinyl LP audio version of The Hobbit, performed by Nicol Williamson.

The whole reading is wonderful and this scene is particularly excellent. Williamson's performance of the characters is perfect. If you get an audiobook version of The Hobbit, do not get any other version, especially any of those bungling, full-cast performance versions.
The 1974 Nicol Williamson reading is the definitive reading of The Hobbit. Sadly, it is almost impossible to find now. I have found that it occasionally pops up on Youtube. Look up "The Hobbit 1974 Argo Records"

"You can't expect people to stop here forever just to be et by you and Burt. You've had a village and a half between you since we came down from the mountains."

Bilbo should have gone back quietly and warned his friends, but he decided to do a bit of good, quick burglaring. He could not go straight back to Thorin and company empty handed. So at last he crept behind a tree just behind William, plucked up courage and put his little hand in William's enormous pocket. There was a purse in it, as big as a bag to Bilbo.
"Ah, This is a beginning!"
It was!
William turned round at once and grabbed Bilbo by the neck, before he could duck behind the tree.
"Blimey Burt, look what I've caught," said William.
"What is it?" said the others coming up.
"Lumey if I knows. What are ya?"

"Bilbo Baggins, a bur- ..uh hobbit."
"A burrahobbit?" said they, a bit startled.
"What's a burrahobbit got to do with my pockets anyway?" said William.
"And can ya cook em?" said Tom.

The Hobbit: Shade of Dunharrow

I depart for a moment from The Hobbit and steal a page from The Return of the King. I am testing out some Arches papers for use in the rest of the series.  This is on their Moulin Du Gue series.

The way is shut.

It was made by those who are Dead.

And the Dead keep it.

The way is shut.

A Map of the Mountain: Final Digital Steps

Next Up: Bilbo and the Three Trolls