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...It is a long tale...
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| Ted Nasmith | |
|---|---|
| Biographical Information | |
| Born | 1956, Goderich, Ontario, Canada |
| Style | Luminism, Victorian neoclassical |
| Images | Images by Ted Nasmith |
| Location | Toronto, Canada |
| Website | tednasmith.com |
Ted Nasmith is a Canadian artist, illustrator, and musician most known for illustrating many works by J.R.R. Tolkien.
Early life
In his childhood and teens, Nasmith was introduced to The Lord of the Rings by his sister and was absorbed. In 1972 he mailed to Tolkien photographs of his work. Tolkien replied with praise, but also with criticism, saying that his rendition of Bilbo in the painting The Unexpected Party was "too childlike".[1][2]
Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings
Many fans of Ted Nasmith have expressed disappointment in his lack of involvement in The Lord of the Rings (film series).
”
I was contacted by a producer in early '99. They invited me to be there with the others in New Zealand to help with conceptual art, and made me a nice offer. However, I was going through a personal crisis unrelated to my art, and in the end, being that it would also force me to abandon my freelance obligations and be away indefinitely, I reluctantly declined, settling the question in my mind after very careful deliberation. It was a difficult decision.
One fan has created a website known as Ted Nasmith: The Uncredited Lord of the Rings Films Concept Artist. The website displays side-by-side illustrations by Nasmith with later scenes in The Lord of the Rings films. Peter Jackson was inspired by Nasmith - as Alan Lee described:
”
"[T]here were certain pictures of Ted's that Peter quite liked. He actually bought one of Nasmith's originals --- a very striking picture of Mordor"
Bibliography
As illustrator
Books
- 1992: Tolkien's World: Paintings of Middle-earth (with various artists)
- 1993: Tolkien's Dragons and Monsters (postcard book)
- 1996: Realms of Tolkien (with various artists)
- 1997: Tolkien's Hobbit (postcard book, one postcard)
- 1998: The Silmarillion (hardback illustrated edition)
- 1998: The Silmarillion Poster Collection
- 1999: Tolkien Diary 2000
- 1999: Tolkien's Middle-earth (postcard book)
- 1999: Tolkien's Dragons and Monsters (postcard book, reiusse)
- 2000: The Lord of the Rings (postcard book)
- 2001: Tolkien Diary 2002
- 2002: Tolkien's Middle-earth and Monsters (postcard book)
- 2002: Tolkien Diary 2003
- 2003: Tolkien Diary 2004
- 2003: The Complete Guide to Middle-earth
- 2004: The Silmarillion (second hardback illustrated edition)
- 2008: Tolkien Diary 2009
- 2009: Tolkien Diary 2010
- 2012: Hobbit to Hero
- 2020: Unfinished Tales (with John Howe and Alan Lee)
Calendars
- 1986: The Tolkien Calendar 1987 (with Roger Garland, John Howe and Alan Lee)
- 1987: The Tolkien Calendar 1988 (with Roger Garland and John Howe)
- 1989: Tolkien Calendar 1990
- 1991: Tolkien - The Centenary Calendar 1992
- 1995: J.R.R. Tolkien Calendar 1996
- 1999: Tolkien Calendar 2000
- 2001: Tolkien Calendar 2002
- 2002: Tolkien Calendar 2003
- 2003: Tolkien Calendar 2004
- 2007: Heren Istarion 2008 The Northeast Tolkien Society (with Jef Murray and Catherine Sparsidis)
- 2008: Tolkien Calendar 2009
- 2009: Beyond Bree Calendar 2010 (with various artists)
- 2009: Tolkien Calendar 2010
- 2010: 2011 Beyond Bree 30th Anniversary Calendar (with various artists)
- 2011: Beyond Bree 2012 Calendar (with various artists)
- 2012: Beyond Bree 2013 Calendar (with various artists)
- 2020: Tolkien Calendar 2021 (with John Howe and Alan Lee)
- 2021: Tolkien Calendar 2022
- 2026: Tolkien Calcar 2027
Miscellaneous
- 1983: Amon Hen 64 (internal art)
- 1985: Amon Hen 75 (cover art)
- 1986: Amon Hen 85 (cover art)
- 1995: Middle-earth Collectible Card Game (various cards)
- 1997: A Long-Expected Party: MECCG Sites and Scenarios (cover art)
- 1997: Arwen's Choice (jigsaw)
- 1997: The Way is Shut (jigsaw)
- 2002: ...Where the Shadows Lie (album cover art)
- 2003: Lord of the Rings Trivia Game (board game)
- 2003: Sword's Song (album cover art)
- 2007: Evernight (album)
- 2010: Middle-earth and Beyond (cover art)
- 2010: Beyond the Western Seas (album cover art)
- 2011: Mallorn 52 (cover art)
- 2012: Green Suns and Faërie (cover art)
- 2012: Mallorn 53 (cover art)
- 2013: Mallorn 54 (cover art)
Articles
- 1984: Amon Hen 69
- "Of the Land of Shadow"
- 1985: Amon Hen 76
- "Oxonmoot Report"
- 1989: Mallorn 26
- "On Illustrating Tolkien"
- 2000: Amon Hen 161
- "A Trip to Roanne"
- 2005: Amon Hen 195
- "Review: The Forsaken Realm of Tolkien"
- 2005: Tolkien's Modern Middle Ages (edited by Jane Chance and Alfred K. Siewers)
- "Similar but not Similar"
- 2007: Silver Leaves 1
- "Remembering Professor Daniel Timmons" (with Sunny Timmons)
- 2015: Amon Hen 256
Discography
Awards
- 2019: Tolkien Society Award: Best artwork, Durin's Crown and the Mirrormere
- 2021: Tolkien Society Award: Best artwork, He Beheld a Vision of Gondolin Amid the Snow
- 2025: Tolkien Society Award: Best artwork, Arrival in the Shire
See also
External links
Interviews
- Illustrating Tolkien: Ted Nasmith Interview with Randy Hoyt (2009)
- Ted Nasmith, an interview with Radio Rivendell (2012)
- Interview de Ted Nasmith at Trolls et Légendes (2013)
- Kevin Richards' VIPs Ted Nasmith (2021)
- Never Enough Tolkien: An Interview with Ted Nasmith on The Prancing Pony Podcast (2021)
- Interview with Ted Nasmith | TT 535, with TolkienTalk (2021)
- Ted Nasmith, Tolkien Illustrator & Artist Interview with Nerd of the Rings (2022)
- The Joy of Painting Middle-earth With Ted Nasmith with Jeff LaSala (2022)
- Episode 44 of The Tolkien Experience Podcast (2022)
Talks
References
- ↑ . "Radio Rivendell interviews Ted Nasmith", archived from the original on 5 May 2012. Radio Rivendell. Retrieved 3 February 2021
- ↑ "The Unexpected Party". tednasmith.com. Retrieved 24 July 2024
- ↑ http://www.dreamish.com/artist/tednasmith.shtml[former link]
- ↑ http://einsiders.com/features/interviews/alanlee.php[former link]
| Illustrators of The Hobbit | |
|---|---|
| Internal art | J.R.R. Tolkien (1937-present) · Eric Fraser (The Folio Society: 1979, 1992-present) · Michael Hague (1984-1992) · David T. Wenzel (graphic novel: 1989-present) · Denis Gordeev (1993-present) · Alan Lee (1997-present) · David Wyatt (1998-2001, 2012-2013) · John Howe (pop-up: 1999) · Jemima Catlin (2013-present) |
| Cover art only | J.R.R. Tolkien (1937-present) · Pauline Baynes (1961) · Roger Garland (1987-1989) · John Howe (1991-present) · Ted Nasmith (1989-1991) · Barbara Remington (1965 US) |
| Illustrators of The Lord of the Rings | |
|---|---|
| Internal art | J.R.R. Tolkien (1937-present) · Eric Fraser/Ingahild Grathmer (The Folio Society: 1979, 1992-present) · Denis Gordeev (1992-present) · Alan Lee (1997-present) |
| Cover art only | J.R.R. Tolkien (1937-present) · Pauline Baynes (1970-1989) · Roger Garland (1983-1991) · John Howe (1991-present) · Ted Nasmith (1990) · Geoff Taylor (1999) |
| Illustrators of The Silmarillion | |
|---|---|
| Internal art | Denis Gordeev (1993-present) · Francis Mosley (The Folio Society: 1997-present) · Ted Nasmith (1998-present) |
| Cover art only | J.R.R. Tolkien (1937-present) · Roger Garland (1983-1991) · John Howe (1992-1995) |
| Illustrators of official Tolkien calendars |
|---|
| Emily Austin (2023) · Pauline Baynes (1973, 1974, 2027) · Cor Blok (2011, 2012, 2027) · Jemima Catlin (2014) · Jenny Dolfen (2023) · Inger Edelfeldt (1985) · Mary Fairburn (2015) · Eric Fraser (2027) · Roger Garland (1984, 1987, 1988, 1989, 2027) · Spiros Gelekas (2023) · Justin Gerard (2023) · Donato Giancola (2023) · Michael Hague (1986) · The Brothers Hildebrandt (1976 US, 1977 US, 1978 US) · John Howe (1987, 1988, 1991, 1995, 1997, 2001, 2013, 2021, 2025, 2027) · Tove Jansson (2016, 2027) · Michael Kaluta (1994) · Tim Kirk (1975) · Alan Lee (1987, 1993, 1999, 2007, 2008, 2013, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2024, 2026, 2027) · Ted Nasmith (1987, 1988, 1990, 1992, 1996, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2009, 2010, 2021, 2022, 2027) · Kip Rasmussen (2023) · Darrell Sweet (1982) · J.R.R. Tolkien (1973, 1974, 1976 UK, 1977 UK, 1978 UK, 1979, 2005, 2006, 2017, 2027) |