First Impressions

This US artist got his first break illustrating Tolkien’s Middle-earth

Where did you grow up and how did this influence your art?

I grew up in Harvard, Massachusetts, which back then was a small country town with rolling hills and bucolic vistas. It absolutely contributed to my interpretations of the Shire when I painted its landscapes.

Where do you create your art?

I create almost all of my finished art traditionally from a studio in my home. Additionally I utilise a computer where I do digital preliminary development, scanning and enhancement.

What was your first paid commission, and does it stand as a representation of your talent?

I think many artists have early commissions from friends and schoolmates, but the first commission one gets from a publisher is very memorable. Mine was a commission by Centaur Books to create Middle Earth: The World of Tolkien Illustrated, as a enabling me to explore more sophisticated compositional options. In my early illustrations I didn’t understand the integration of value and shape, which is now a cornerstone of my creative process. In addition, my drawing abilities are just better because I’ve spent those classic 10,000 hours drawing.

Is your artwork evolving?

I’ve just completed a piece called Boredom, in which an apprentice sorceress sits on an ancient tree with gnarled roots. Her boredom is being taken out on her cat familiar, which she’s levitating for her amusement. This piece differs from previous pieces in that for the finishing layer I used acrylic gouache over the watercolour. I’ve used gouache before for making touch-ups, but here I utilised it to complete passages in the manner of an opaque painting, so that the watercolour served more as an underpainting.

What’s the most important thing you’ve taught someone?