Remaking Lord of the Rings MONSTERS based ONLY on the books...

[@edwardwestmoreland-caunter6128]

While all of these drawing are fantastic, I especially love your interpretation of Shelob. Not only does your drawing give an idea of "Kinda like a spider, but also ABSOLUTELY NOT a spider." Not only does that make her look more threatening and otherworldly, but you can also tell that this is not just a beast. This is a highly intelligent, evil being who comes from unknown places and has motivations beyond our understanding. The alien vibe works so well for the deep creatures of middle earth

[@MusicalJackknife]

I can't wait. Just the other day I was about to search for artist renderings of Shelob, after reading the description again and realizing wait, she's not a spider!

[@TheFishNerd]

Agreed. My only criticism is that the book describes her raising up her heavy body over Sam with the intent of falling on him to crush him. So she does need legs long enough to raise up her body a few feet above the ground.

[@MaxSoininen]

We know where shelob comes from. Ungoliants offspring in the valley of the dreadful death. Correct me if im wrong.

[@bobbytables4305]

agreed this is 100% the closest to the otherworldly thing Tolken envisioned.

[@tnecniw]

And for some reason WB wanted that THING to be a sexy woman in Shadow of War... Because... I dunno. Sex sells. Imagine if we had gotten advice from that thing instead? XD

[@infinitivez]

Your rendition of Shelob has blown me AWAY! Everything I feared as a child, reading the books came skittering out of my screen right at me, in that very reveal! Spine tingling!

[@davbooms]

You felt your spider-sense tingling

[@Free2LoveDorks]

@@davbooms*Slow clap*

[@JamesSmith-zk8gl]

Natter cob

[@bromodragone8405]

Fun fact: Sauron's armored look is actually based on descriptions of Morgoth.

[@ruthlesstony2133]

From what I understand, he was a werewolf under Morgoth. Then after the creation of the ring, he remade himself in the image of Morgoth

[@bromodragone8405]

@@ruthlesstony2133 No. He could become a werewolf. Sauron is a Maiar, like Gandalf and the Balrogs.

[@ithomas7788]

​​@@bromodragone8405he is yea, but he's pretty different compared to them in a way. He seems to have an ability to shift his form on a whim that they lack and seems to dwell more in the spiritual world than the physical. Like you don't see gandalf shapeshift on a whim and the balrogs seem entirely incapable of it. I mean end of the day their all basically minor gods so it's inconsequential and you are right.

[@Grrimhildr]

@@ithomas7788 gandalf actually can shift his appearance though not sure if by his own choice, He was known to approach elves as a young looking elf before his time as the grey wizard, And he seemingly made himself grow in size to frighten bilbo. But youre right in that Sauron seems to be the one to make use of this ability the most. Balrogs however seemingly literally cannot shapeshift anymore possibly due to their corruption at the hands of morgoth

[@sugma42069]

​@@bromodragone8405Isn't that what a werewolf is though? A being that can become a big dog guy

[@pampamtamtam4001]

The touch of having the ideation phase in an aged sketchbook is amazing. I love that so much. Gets the atmosphere perfect.

[@Barrsie]

I was thinking exactly the same thing. Having the sketchbook as some huge, mystical tome of knowledge is fantastic

[@sonicfreak04]

I wish jazza mentioned how john howe and alan lee ended up being concept artists for peter jackson's trilogy

[@thespankmyfrank]

Yeah! That's why their artwork look similar to the movie, because they designed it. John Howe especially worked on creatures.

[@mmessi72]

Very neat fun fact

[@redcrow4533]

I doubt he has even read the book.

[@awAtercoLorstaIn.]

@@redcrow4533Which book? And who cares? Reading requires no talent, but don’t worry - you’re very skilled at being insufferable.

[@redcrow4533]

@@awAtercoLorstaIn. If you can’t figure out which book, I don’t know what to tell you, and I’m sure you’ll get over me being "insufferable.”.

[@sheert]

To answer "what did Sauron look like" probably should acknowledge he is a shape shifter. He transforms into a wolf, then a serpent when fighting Huan, and then a vampire to flee. He lost the ability to take a fair form after the destruction of Numenor.

[@JohnEaton-w8g]

that was before the ring was made ( investing much of his power in it . ) He didn have the ring in the third age ... PLUS his ability to look nice was taken once heis body was detsroyed when Numenor sunk

[@JustAnotherAccount8]

Sounds a lot like Satan in the Bible. I guess that's where Tolkien got his inspiration from.

[@Nikelaos_Khristianos]

@@JustAnotherAccount8 That would be Morgoth, he is a fallen god - Sauron is his high priest and himself a lesser spirit born from the void.

[@michaelchude7742]

He lost the ability to shape-shift after his body was destroyed during the fall of Numenor. When he could finally gather enough strength at Dol Guldor, he could only take dark a dark form of hate and malice

[@criert135]

What counts as a “fair form”? Like, could he transform into an only-fans girl?

[@c.m.9369]

I‘m so glad that you‘re doing this and also highlight other artist‘s interpretations! If there is one thing about Jackson‘s LotR-movies that bothers me (to no fault of the movies) is the fact that it essentially now „defined“ middle earth in a very specific, visual way and people struggle to step away from that. So, sometimes it‘s nice to remember how much room for interpretation Tolkien‘s world actually leaves!

[@alie0330]

its worth noting of course that the movies were highly inspired by the various artistic depiction of previous artists, with Howe and Lee directly working on the film. I think in this sense the film has a lot of justification in being the definitive look because it pays a lot of homage to previous depictions (with the exception of the many changes they made).

[@zztopz7090]

Youd be surprised how many people around the world read the books before seeing the movies. Theres a solid amount of people that wanted to see Tom Bombadil.

[@JonathanJONeill]

It still frustrates me that Hobbits are depicted with huge feet. I know that was a thing in the Rankin-Bass film but nowhere did Tolkien ever say Hobbits had large feet, aside from Proudfoot having abnormally large feet.

[@gregoryl.levitre9759]

@@JonathanJONeill yes, Tolkien would have hated the movie adaptations, especially how the Hobbits and Dwarves were adapted in the movies.

[@PopeRocket]

Joan Wyatt's Shelob is.. muppet-like. And now I can't stop imagining a "Muppets: Lord of the Rings" with Gonzo as Sauron and the orc hordes as chickens.

[@masonharris9166]

I would give so much money to see this. Kermit as Aragorn. Fozzy as gimli. Mrs Piggy as Gadrielle.

[@mewsli]

This has to be made !

[@peepee5152]

The dark crystal is the closest thing to that which I’m sure Jim Henson was involved

[@storminggale]

Oh my goodness yes!

[@KristenRowenPliske]

I would watch the heck out of that.

[@GhulamMurtaza-qt8xj]

Treebeard looks so good, probably my favorite! I love how well you depicted the scale of the Fellbeast. I'd forgotten Shelob's description, wow! Interesting take on Sauron too!

[@Goofy_Geek]

Shelob looks so alien, captured the "sci-fi/fantasy" monster look very well!

[@Glimmlampe1982]

I think she's my favorite from these. The only 'critique' are the eyes. I think having them more spaced out like a spiders, instead of those two clusters would make it even better.

[@BananaMike780]

okay that ones not even fantasy pim, thats just an alien!

[@Gwenx]

As a Dane I love that you mentions our Queens work and love of the books, she is such an amazing and creative person

[@nicolaikaare-skau7138]

As a Norwegian, thats actually cool.

[@tobiaslundqvist3209]

As a swede.... you have a really cool queen or whatever... maybe we should bury this centuries old hatchet :p

[@zammiejones]

Ohhh nice, never knew that!

[@Hafragrautur1]

As an Icelander, imagine having Royalty.

[@tobiaslundqvist3209]

@@Hafragrautur1 well you officially won this comment thread! 🤣

[@midnitest0rm]

“Sauron has a body and this isn’t alluded to in the movie.” Actually, it is. In literally the very first scene of Fellowship.

[@BennyAscent]

Pretty sure he means he has a body following his loss of the one ring

[@studiedturtle4139]

He means his actual body, without the armor.

[@BennyAscent]

@@studiedturtle4139 I don't think that's what he means, and he'd be wrong again as you see that there is some kind of body underneath when the finger is cut off

[@Doctor_Straing_Strange]

Pretty sure he means after that, like, when the movies take place, and not the past. That first scene was set in the past

[@pakkazull8370]

If you watch the behind the scenes, Sauron was also supposed to make an appearance in the flesh at the end of Return of the King to fight Aragorn, but was replaced by a troll instead.

[@nataliegray8019]

It's so funny that he compares John Howe's fell beast to the ones in the movies. John Howe and Alan Lee both supplied concept sketches to Peter Jackson, helping come up with the designs for the movie versions of the monsters, as well as the designs for Rivendell, Gondor, Isengard, etc.

[@Vulpie28]

I would like to clarify, the void is empty, it is nothing. It is not hell, not space, and Ungoliant did not come from it. She was a Maiar, like Sauron and the Balrogs. However, she took on a Spider like form. The void was the the absence of anything, and therefore, she did not come from it. To add to this, she then in mated with actual spiders, meaning Shelob is more spider like than Ungoliant. The world Tolkien is incomparable with any other.

[@randomnerd9088]

​@@Vulpie28 It is not clear that Ungoliant is a maiar.

[@MELol-n4h]

​@Vulpie28 Ungoliant wasn't maiar..she wasn't given a race.

[@bellethilrancthalion1109]

Fun fact, in the Return of the King they shot an alternate final fight at the black gates while Frodo was destroying the ring. Sauron comes out from his tower (with his body, the concept was the exact same as the one from the War of the Last Alliance) and fought with Aragorn before the gates. They decided in the end to cut it out, and they CGId a troll into the frames instead. So the troll you see Aragorn fighting before Frodo destroys the ring? That was supposed to be Sauron. 😂 Regardless, I love these sketches, especially Treebeard, and I hope to see you do more LoTR characters in the future!

[@19TheFallen]

Yeah....I remember seeing a cut of that scene on KZbin that had been de-CGId and showed the Sauron vs Aragorn fight. I kind of preferred that version, as it would further establish the stakes and show that the eye on the tower was what it had been in the books: Little more than a magical searchlight, and a symbol of Sauron's ever watchful gaze and presence in the land.

[@ImInLoveWithBulla]

These movies were long, and a lot of stuff had to be left on the cutting room floor. But of all the scenes to cut… THAT ONE?!

[@LordKamos777]

It felt a bit ridiculous for Sauron to show up in full-form all of a sudden at the end of the movie, they wanted him to continue being an overarching behind the scenes villains rather than showing him throwing hands with Aragorn.@@ImInLoveWithBulla

[@tubetorpedo]

​@@LordKamos777 That was a better decision than put the actual evil lord on the battlefield. Especially when he still was not yet acquired his Ring so he obviously had not regained his full power either. Why would he endanger himself in weakened state when he had plenty or troops and e.g. ring wraiths to use? There was quite a few unnecessary/stupid details in those movies already, at least they left that one out. Sauron in general was not the frontline type, even when alliance defeated Sauron in end of the second age when the Ring was taken from him, it was more that he had come out to fight out of pure necessity at that point, not because he enjoyed being in melee.

[@garrisonholiday328]

the cut scene in return of the king shows the Mouth of Sauron, not Sauron himself, and he didn't fight he offered terms for peace, it's actually a scene from the books

[@turnbolt11]

Sauron was shown in the movies as a large humanoid figure in a spikey suit of armor, not just a big eyeball at the top of a tower.

[@michaelportaloo1981]

Wearing his nice ring too.

[@marshawargo7238]

I thought Jazz eye looks so realistic with the colors & shading it could turn in the socket and spear into you a fear so great that to move or cry would be rendered impossible! Such a talent to render words unto pictorial vision !

[@ErimlRGG]

I think he just meant as shown as the eye during the War of the Ring (what we see in the films besides the introduction)

[@kumo2206]

​@@Lilhaggis747 he's literally in the intro of the original cut, when he gets his arm cut off by Isildur

[@Jack-xk2ey]

Also it’s not an eye it’s his body and armor in shadow black surrounded by flame

[@nightdragon9375]

I loved the Fell Beast design. That would truly be horrific to see IRL. What i think is neat about the backstory of Tolkien's description is he mentioned dinosaurs and birds. In our more modern times we know birds evolved from dinos, but back then dinos were still a relatively new discovery.

[@SleepySloth2705]

The Fell Beasts are essentially the pterosaurs of the Tolkien universe

[@Peatingtune]

Birds technically are still dinosaurs.

[@IceBen4444]

Relatively new, yes, but dinosaurs being the ancestors of modern birds was already an idea 60+ years before the book.

[@jessejive117]

@@Peatingtune no. Dinosaurs are reptiles, they aren’t birds. They just have similarities. Not more a bird.

[@jessejive117]

@@Peatingtunewait, I just read your comment again. What you said is actually completely untrue.

[@ms-ht1cj]

I was surprised by Shelob's design. I thought she was indeed a spider (I've read LOTR but it was ages ago and I don't remember much). Wow.

[@Eskalante]

For me the Arach from Diablo 2 was more likely to the description. As she had her legs from top of the body and not the cephalothorax, like spider.

[@joenagl]

Yes i also thougt she was just a big spider with horns big eyes and claws. Just the way she was described in the book

[@atimidbirb]

I believe she is half a regular giant spider, but her other half.... is basically and eldritch monster from outside reality that eats light and spins webs of tangible darkness. That was her mother. So she definitely has arachnid traits, but... my god. Much more horrifying than a realistic spider.

[@Queenaxolotl777]

What else is she, if not a spooder?

[@Nikelaos_Khristianos]

Well, she is a spawn of Ungoliant - who is an even greater primordial entity that is indeed a massive spider within the lore. Ergo Shelob would be very spider-like.

[@Spoon80085]

In regards to Sauron's appearance, I think it's important to note *how* he stopped being the "Lord of Gifts" He had tricked the Numenoreans, a seafaring, powerful nation of humans that had defeated him prior, into rebellion against the Gods. Their island was sunk by the Gods as revenge for that act, with Sauron in it. He was able to escape as a spirit, and regain his form, but was permanently damaged by the experience (He could no longer shape-shift). So, Sauron, as a physical form, is one that was molded in countless years from a weak, angry spirit. He has given up deception an guile for secrecy and strength (Especially so after his defeat in the Last Alliance). He is not only an eye in name, but in form. What else is more important than an eye, and a mouth to speak from? Your depiction is great, but I always pictured him as frail and bitter. He is literally lacking a large part of himself in the One Ring, and has poured whatever he had left into this body. He is so frail, in fact, that the destruction of the Ring, and whatever part of himself it held, scattered his spirit forever; lacking power to walk the Earth ever again.

[@BrentDelong1253]

I've been a Tolkien fan for forty years. That is the best depiction of Treebeard I have ever seen. Thank you.

[@adave3267]

I agree! My dad read these to us as bedtime stories 50 years ago, and Treebeard was one of his absolute favorite characters (Don't be hasty!) - your illustration is so close to what that introductory passage conjured in my mind as a kid. Thank you!

[@LeeB442]

that's not how I remember treebeard decribed, I remember smooth arms, no bend at all in the legs, no leaves.. But it's been a while since I read them

[@BigBrotherMateyka]

Hear, hear. I love how it's a mirror opposite of the trolls corrupted by Morgoth as an ages-old, noble creature.

[@slaapliedje]

​@@LeeB442Yeah, I want to say the description was close to the old cartoon. "They found they were looking at a most extraordinary face. It belonged to a Man-like, almost Troll-like, figure, at least fourteen foot high, very sturdy, with a tall head, and hardly any neck. Whether it was clad in stuff like green and grey bark, or whether that was its hide, was difficult to say. At any rate, the arms, at a short distance from the trunk, were not wrinkled, but covered with a brown smooth skin. The large feet had seven toes each."

[@deadbeefmonster]

agreed, I want a print of the drawing so much!

[@bencheevers6693]

Smaug was small enough to be felled by an arrow, which means it's heart was less than an arrow's distance from his scales so he wasn't huge like you're thinking. I think your winged beast was too big to be beheaded by Eowyn but I think you nailed the look.

[@khalil8043]

Smaug was massive, read the book, also he was the smallest dragon, regarding the arrow thing, it was never mentioned how big the arrow was, also it wasn't a normal arrow.

[@davidefivi.1361]

Bruh the arrow is launched at full speed so it literally pierces flesh?!

[@bencheevers6693]

@@davidefivi.1361 Even humans who have skin much weaker than a dragons that get hit by an arrow fired from a war bows don't have the arrow go through, in fact layers of cloth made into a gambison is some of the best protection against arrows, an arrow is huge and has so much surface area, it's not penetrating like a bullet.

[@bencheevers6693]

@@khalil8043 It wasn't a normal arrow, it was a black arrow but it was loosed from a normal war bow, it couldn't have been bigger than you're thinking or it couldn't be drawn by a man. He's shooting it from the same bow he used to shoot all his other arrows and he's used it to hunt in the past and always recovered it

[@sakurasfish2115]

Parts of lotr or the hobbit are written in a more 'mythical' or 'legendary' style instead of a 'rational' novel. I think this is one example when he goes with a huge dragon with scales so strong they couldn't be pierced dies from a single arrow shot by the hero. No matter how special that arrow is, it's just nonsense and only meant to be taken as it is like in epic old stories, I wouldn't imagine Smaug based on that because then he would have to be the size of a goat for an arrow to pierce his heart to death. Smaug is huge as it was described in the book and depicted in films it's just that this arrow had plot anime superpowers and that's ok.

[@PsychMeds_Cjayy]

9:31 I think it would’ve been cool (and somewhat explained with the smell) if some of it were rotting - somewhere subtle like the wings or the talons

[@lordtelion]

There is one reference in the movie to Sauron having a body and that is when Aragon has the Palantir. We see Sauron in all his armour holding his Palantir with his great eye behind him, distinguishing him from the great eye which he uses to look out soon his domain. It unclear if this was intended to be a representation of his physical form or just a mental project but there it is.

[@lux0rd01]

Not to mention at the start. There's actually several times we see him whole. It's only after he loses the ring that he becomes the eye. Also in the hobbit films we also see him as another man shaped figure that's different to him when he's in the fights in LOTR

[@Someone_234]

Yeah, one of Sauron's physical forms is shown a few times in the movies, how could anyone forget the scene where his finger gets cut off smh

[@lordtelion]

Yes obviously, before the ring is cut off, we see his physical form. The point is, as Jazza demonstrated, that many people believe Sauron is the big floating eye in the films, where as in the books he is just a man and the "Eye of Sauron" is metaphoric language (as with much of Tolkien's writing), describing his constant spying on the land through the Palantir. What I was pointing out is that, country to popular belief, we do see Sauron post de-ringing in a physical form, all be it clad in armour and very briefly. And yes sadly in the hobbit he is turned into a ghost of shadow farts that forms the eye, reinforcing the notion he is the eye, rather than it being a magical tool he uses. It's a cool sequence but does contradict the books even more (but that's something the hobbit movies excelled at). Interestingly we almost saw Sauron again in the final battle of the black gates, but they replaced him in post with that troll Aragon is fighting. This was to keep the focus on Frodo and Sam, which I feel was the right choice.

[@raythegardener]

Never thought of that. The great eye of Sauron is just a spy cam.

[@lordtelion]

@@raythegardener Ahahaha 😂

[@Christian-sz5bm]

I like how the ents are far nire rooted and connected to the forest world. You show pretty well the growing sleepiness, how the older ents just get more and more im-mobile trees and how it's more and more harder for them (physically and by their motivation) to move and do things. I also like the really big, dark background wings of the flying things. This is for me the aspect that makes them the most endangering and dark, like a shadow small beeings can't overcome. Sauron is great. A bitter and dark beeing, so used to all his power plays and the lust for it, he has forgetten *why* long long ago. A self-forgotten power addict.

[@adamdriskelldriskellmusic]

Your take of Sauron gives my imagination a more interesting way to think about the scene where Aragorn looks into the palentir and has his "battle of wills" with Sauron. The idea that he wasn't seeing just the eye, but the whole face and maybe even his body is a new perspective I have never considered before and I am a huge LOTR geek. Haha.

[@AllisonRutherford-vs4dt]

He wouldn't have seen any more than the eye or he'd have died from the very sight of him

[@admirable_kon5083]

​@@AllisonRutherford-vs4dtNot true... Both Humans and Elves had fought Sauron before...

[@AllisonRutherford-vs4dt]

@admirable_kon5083 when did I ever once say otherwise? And not any men that were alive during the events in discussion, nor most elves

[@admirable_kon5083]

@@AllisonRutherford-vs4dt True... That being said, Aragorn was no normal man too... He also did actually win the stare down battle with Sauron. Aragorn was good in that stuff! XD

[@AllisonRutherford-vs4dt]

@admirable_kon5083 and??? Soon as you said true anything after that is a waste of time and completely irrelevant to anything I said

[@markpolo97]

Treebeard hypothesizes that the Trolls were made in mockery of the Ents, so it is fitting that we get something a little "trollish".

[@markhynes1940]

This would imply that the appropriate descriptor would be to refer to trolls as appearing "Entish"

[@tiredteen8906]

I love your beautiful Art! Now we need big chicken Ancaladon, our beloved queen Ungoliant, "the menace" Melkor and Sauron when he was still hot, I mean still working for Aulë as a black smith, sorry auto correct Edit: I recomment checking out artist Phobs/Phobso(they have drawn multiple comics for the russian company 'Bubble'), their design of Melkor and Sauron is awesome!

[@MrManatee101]

Yeah… I doubt Tolkien considered Sauron to be “hot”… you’re really weird

[@ryttyr14]

Whilst you're correct in that Treebeard is one of the oldest living creatures in Middle-Earth he's not "probably millions of years old". You have to remember that Middle-Earth in itself isn't that old. It was created at the start of the First Age and Treebeard was born sometime during the Years of the Trees, making him somewhere around 17,000 to 25,000 years old.

[@dandiehm8414]

No - that is not correct. Arda could easily have been around for millions or billions of years. The First Age only began with the making of the two trees, before that EONS passed while the Valar formed the world. Thw whole business with the creation of the Earth once the Valar descended into it, their first struggles with Melkor, the arrival of Tulkas, the making of the great lamps, the Valars residence in Almarin, and the throwing down of the mighty lamps all happened BEFORE the First age began.

[@ryttyr14]

@@dandiehm8414 Yes, but Treebeard wasn't born until after all of that, during the age of the trees.

[@connorstringfield7343]

@@ryttyr14treebeard was the first of the ents made by Yavanna in response to Aule’s creation of the dwarves. This was well before the time of trees. The dwarves weren’t given life until the age of the trees but the tree Shepard were likely around for quite a while before the elves, dwarves, and men.

[@ryttyr14]

@@connorstringfield7343 They were made in response to the dwarves cutting down trees with their axes so they were created after the awakening of the dwarves.

[@WhyneedanAlias]

The chapter where Aule creates the dwarfes and Yavanna talks to Manwe about Ents and Eagles is when they are already in Valinor and the two trees are already standing. So definitely after the unspecified time before. That being said the time before the first sunrise is only given in Valian years which we have no consitent way to convert ro solar years as far as I'm aware.

[@thestraydog]

You can feel the hatred and malice emanating off of that depiction of Sauron, the way his face is twisted into a snarling grimace. These are some amazing pieces! This is the first time Ive seen this channel but you earned a subscriber from me! Keep it up, man!

[@Silver_wind_1987_]

Hes giving me toasted cursed ice king vibes...like he was once compassionate but darkness broke him into evil

[@Mostirrelevant]

I don't think the hatred and malice are the right words, but everybody has right to their opinion and impressions

[@YuVen3487]

It needs a background. He can emphasise both the dark aesthetic that he's going for and the piercing gaze of Sauron's eye with backing shadows and either a lense effect or some kind of yellowish rays. Wonderful depiction but unfinished imho

[@Silver_wind_1987_]

@YuVen3487 hmmm....he should have depicted him sitting on a chair with a table in front of the eye on the table. It would add more depth and scenery. And having the eye glowing eerie yellows and oranges shadowing saurons face with his eyes genaully glowing...say a dark golden colour would be perfect.

[@asgothtbg]

Hatred and malice- this describes Morgoth, not Sauron. Sauron was more of order.

[@EmeraldVideosNL]

I distinctly recall the book described Treebeard sleeping standing up with his arms raised in the air, so his arms being roots going down wasn't what I expected.

[@samuelmellars7855]

Absolutely, "only two branches remaining" is quite obviously (to me) refering to Treebeards arms, sticking up (or out) like branches

[@laufert7100]

The Fellbeast looks exactly as I imagined the Lethrblaka from the Eragon series! I can definitely see the inspiration there

[@brisingrprotogen5438]

Yeah as much as I hate it when people barely give the inheritance cycle credit for stuff it did well, I do have to acknowledge that therea definite heavy inspiration, especially in like the first 2 books

[@gudmundur-heimisson]

I’ve never read Eragon but it’s funny to me there is a monster called lethrblaka since in Icelandic leðurblaka just means bat.

[@brisingrprotogen5438]

@@gudmundur-heimisson yeah a lot of words from the ancient language (that series magical language) are basically slightly modified words from actual real life languages. Which makes since as the author was 16 when he wrote the first book

[@gudmundur-heimisson]

@@brisingrprotogen5438to be fair this does happen in real life as well. Minotaur just means bull of Minos in Greek, for instance.

[@brisingrprotogen5438]

@@gudmundur-heimisson yeah, because the minotaur is a Greek monster?

[@eurisko3676]

Frodo didn’t look into the Palantir, Pippin did.

[@Manuel73618]

He saw the eye in the mirror of Galadriel

[@nzlemming]

@@Manuel73618 Also from the seat of Amon Hen, but I can't remember if that was in the movie.

[@boardgamewoodsman8378]

Does Frodo see the eye in Galadriels mirror?

[@Xerxes2005]

@@boardgamewoodsman8378 Yes, he does.

[@nzlemming]

@@boardgamewoodsman8378 Yes, but it couldn't see him.

[@jjaapp18]

Sauron was a Maiar (demigod), like the wizards. He used to be able to change his form at will, but lost that after he lost the ring when Isildur cut it off. His physical body was destroyed. I don't believe that Sauron every had a fully physical body after that. The hand may have been all there was, and was all that was needed to interact with the palantir.

[@bromodragone8405]

Actually he lost the ability to shapeshift when his body was destroyed in the Sinking of Numenor. His spirit then traveled back to Mordor and he used the Ring to essentially rebuild his physical form and he could no longer assume his fair guise as the Lord of Gifts.

[@ThisIsTheRenegade]

I love the format for this, talking about the original depiction from the author, the interpretation in the movies and especially showing how other artists have interpreted it in different styles! Top job Jazza!

[@williamaldred335]

If I remember correctly, when you drew comparison from John Howe's art of the Fellbeast looking very similar to Peter Jackson silver screen version, that reason being is Peter Jackson used Howes art as reference and inspiration. John Howe has done art for many of the middle earth books, his probably most well known piece being of smaug in deep slumber on his gold that was used from 80's-90's onwards as the cover for the Hobbit. Matter of fact, Howe's art book even has a Foreword from Peter Jackson.

[@StormhavenGaming]

Jackson didn't just use Howe's art as inspiration. He flew Both John Howe and Alan Lee out to NZ during pre-production, taking them to the shooting locations and just letting them draw, fitting their designs around the actual landscapes. Those drawings became concept art for the movies and were followed pretty closely by WETA and the other design teams.

[@thespankmyfrank]

They both have books on the work they did for the movies! Alan Lee's is great, he goes over exactly how he started drawing for LOTR books in the first place, and then how Jackson contacted him and how he worked on it every day for years. John Howe has a similar book about the designs for the movies. Super interesting reads for anyone interested in pre-production and art for movies.

[@rosemarine_biology]

If I remember correctly Peter Jackson didn't want to ruin this terrifying character by accidentally giving it the 'wrong' face, so he made Sauron into this vague character as to not ruin the feeling of scary Sauron for the readers of the books

[@Axoguy13]

1:08 in fact, the trolls are imitations of the ents, the same way orcs are to elves

[@raven556]

Now you're going to have to do all the characters and how they were to look. This tickles my artist side so much! I love it!

[@littledrummergirl_19]

YES PLEASE!!

[@ThePineApplePioneer]

I'd totally buy that coffee table book.

[@tdubya75]

Like how Aragorn is actually 6 feet 6 inches tall and the most frightening good guy ever.

[@womble901]

You've left me amazed again. The ability you have to create these images in your mind and make them real in your artwork... It blows me away. Such creativity and skill!

[@RobbHeath]

Excellent artwork! Very talented and good to see someone stick to the lore and get to experience it put on paper.

[@Erikjust]

I would love it for you to go over Silmarillion and perhaps paint a few characters and monsters from there. Maybe some of the Valar? Also while you have drawn A balrog you haven´t drawn Gothmog the Lord of the Balrogs or Morgoth the original big bad.

[@aineyates2736]

That would be so awesome!

[@Heatherisfire77]

Yes! I'm honestly dying to see some Valar interpretations that are far less anthropromorphic. Like, I want to see someone interpret Ulmo as, like, the sea embodied.

[@MusicalJackknife]

Huan might be fun, or Carcharoth, or maybe Glaurung

[@thevalarauka101]

Ungoliant fighting the Balrogs? also the Ainulindale?

[@Sketchbearsart]

'Saurons only seen as an eye' Literally shows him at the start of the fellowship of the ring 😅

[@djtazzyjeff]

came down here to say this exact thing!

[@greendalf123]

Like bruh did you see the movies?

[@theunpretentiousvegan8593]

Exactly!

[@russellknight6578]

I came to say the same thing

[@maaderllin]

The point is that the movie tells us that Sauron needs the ring to regain physical form, and is until then just a big fiery eye, while in the book, he is already in his physical form, only his power is diminished without the Ring.

[@al_temuri]

When I clicked i didn't knew what epicness i stumbled into. Simply brilliant. Shelob one was the best imagine infusing xenamorphic gigeresque designes with yours. The fellbeast was great too, much more menacing and gave a feeling of corrupted darkened flesh.

[@VampirMary19]

It's just amazing how different artist interpret the descriptions. They are all very cool in their own right, though I really love your beautiful character desings!

[@TexMechsRobot]

This, "non-sensational", back to your roots, pure artistic ability, laid back, amazing skill on display, type of video is what I'm here for. I've found myself skipping through the more "KZbinry", clickbaity, sensationalized videos but I sink into these and wish they wouldn't end. Thanks for sharing your passions with us!

[@JTSnook]

I'm probably a bit late, but I wanted to share some thoughts on how I imagined these characters while reading, compared to your drawings (which are awesome, by the way): Treebeard: Great depiction! I just imagined him a bit more lanky and grey, kind of like trees in winter-tall, grey, and ancient-looking. Fell Beast: Again, I pictured it skinnier. When they said it was the largest flying beast, I assumed they meant wingspan. So, I imagined it as a mix between a hawk/eagle and a pterodactyl, with massive wings and a slender neck so Éowyn could actually cut its head off. The color and head are spot on, though! Shelob: Almost perfect! I just think the belly is a little too bloated. Sauron: This one was the least impressive for me (which doesn’t mean it’s bad). Not because of accuracy, since his actual form is barely described and he shapeshifts, but because his body just looks off, and he seems short? A bit disappointing. I'm not saying I could have done it any better, just wanted to share my thoughts.

[@acdcguy18]

"Sauron had a body and this isn't alluded to anywhere in the movie." Did you forget the opening scene in Fellowship of the Ring? That's quite a body he has there.

[@ethanemerson4862]

I think he meant his body post-ring-separation. I know he technically isn’t physical without the Ring, but his spiritual body can still do some damage if you are there in person.

[@acdcguy18]

@@ethanemerson4862 Oh? Did he have a "body" post-ring in the books? I bought the entire collection but have yet to finish The Silmarillion so I haven't read the trillogy yet.

[@MySerpentine]

@@acdcguy18 He did, yeah. "He has only four fingers on the Black Hand, but that is enough."

[@ethanemerson4862]

@@acdcguy18 I don’t think it says so specifically, but we can assume his spiritual form has a perceivable image based on the fact the Sauron was there in person when Gollum was being tortured. Meaning Gollum saw him. Gollum was even able to see his hand, specifically the hand that had a missing finger. This indicates that this was after he lost the ring, losing his physical form.

[@raptorxrise5386]

@@ethanemerson4862 Sauron still has his body in the movies. But its only shown in one scene in the extended edition. Its in the scene where aragorn talks to sauron through the palantir and they just used the same armorerd design as in the flashbacks at the beginning

[@kevinj2525]

Fell Beast and Shelob are my faves!! I now have a new mental image for both of them when I inevitably reread the series! Very well done my friend!

[@ikmor]

Listen to the audio books, recorded by Andy Serkis. Damn he's good.

[@mamadoritos]

Those were some AMAZING interpretations, and I appreciate you taking the time to make them! You did such a great job incorporating the details from the descriptions in the book, now you make me wish for more!

[@InVerum]

The Shelob one is funny because if you look back at the original designs, concept art and sculpts they were a lot closer to that original description, but it was Pete and his personal fear of spiders that ended up getting them in that more 'classic' spider direction.

[@CybershamanX]

(2:33) Such a literal interpretation, as well, with the different colored bowls of fluid that created the green and golden light in Treebeard's home.

[@RetroJack]

I love what you did with Sauron's features - that look of permanent, cold fury hit the mark so well! I doubt I'll be able to think of him again without seeing what you did with him!

[@clairealles8607]

Can we take moment to appreciate that Gollum impression!? that was awesome!

[@SofinkaBartošová]

Ma man that was not his impression

[@scottkramer7139]

@@SofinkaBartošováno shit do you know sarcasm

[@warningquasar5498]

15:49 you say that Sauron isn't mentioned to have a body in the movies but we literally see him with his body in the first movie in the prolouge

[@the_cringe_nerd]

He's meaning after the prologue, after the ring is cut off he explodes and never gets a body again... But the movies also allude that if he gets the ring he gets his body back

[@lux0rd01]

​@@the_cringe_nerdalso in the hobbit films he is seen as a manlike figure in the form of the necromancer

[@Herr_Schindler]

​@@the_cringe_nerdin the extended edition, when Aragorn looks into palantir, you can actually see Sauron lifting his own palantir up

[@hegga_nm]

@@the_cringe_nerd but that still means we get to see his body, unless he's going to get a random new body that looks completely different!? :D

[@the_cringe_nerd]

@@lux0rd01 more like an incomporial dark spirit that forms into a humanoid shape...

[@BillyMcMahon-b7m]

That is amazing art, I love the interpretation of each of these creatures in the grotesque of shelob, malevolence of sauron, wisdom of treebeard and the grandeur of the fell beast. This is a thing that deserves the world.

[@joepvanmoorsel4140]

Omg. These are some AMAZING designs. Shelob especially. You made here so much more dark and evil. I know how much you out into these episodes. But know that we love ever second of it! Draw with Jazza for ever!

[@Silver_wind_1987_]

Shelob needs to lay off the McDonald's it sounds like O_O

[@bio-exorcist9949]

I LOVE the idea that Ungoliant came from outerspace. It really broadens the scope of Tolkien's world, and that design of Shelob is amazing

[@PhantomKit157]

Tolkien's world is ENORMOUS!

[@Tilnaor]

This idea connects in a way the world of Tolkien with the world of Lovecraft in my head. And that results in something really epically bizarre...

[@_Hamler]

​@@TilnaorAtlach-Nacha?

[@scp170190]

I think she is actually said to have come from 'the void' - which certainly could be space, but I think Tolkien imeant this more to be an alternate/parallel dimension. Even Hell.

[@PhantomKit157]

@@scp170190 Yes, though the Darkness that lay about the world sure sounds like space. I believe it's theorised that Ungoliant was an Ainur

[@disasterbi8610]

these are all OUTSTANDING. your depictions of Treebeard is exactly what I saw in my head reading lotr as a kid!! And Shelob fits her description flawlessly; a spider, but also Definitely Not a Spider. The way you drew Sauron was unique, too - it made me think about what it would be like to actually stand before him in person. LOVE your art!! (edited for grammar)

[@spacecat_scribbles]

These are awesome!! I especially love your Treebeard! I do have one really pedantic annoying bit of critique for the Sauron one though... When Frodo looks into the mirror of Galadriel (not the palantír, he never encounters one of those) the eye is described thusly: "In the black abyss there appeared a single Eye that slowly grew, until it filled nearly all the Mirror. So terrible was it that Frodo stood rooted, unable to cry out or to withdraw his gaze. The Eye was rimmed with fire, but was itself glazed, yellow as a cat's, watchful and intent, and the *black slit of its pupil opened on a pit, a window into nothing."* Basically, the eye should have a slit pupil like a cat if you wanted the design to be following 100% of the descriptions in the book. :) Otherwise it's really cool though!! I love the idea of his color palette being coal-like -- blacks, ashy grays, and of course the fiery eyes

[@sheert]

Frodo also perceives Sauron as an eye when in Mordor "as from some great window immeasurably high there stabbed northward a flame of red, the flicker of a piercing Eye". I'd say Peter Jackson's version was fairly accurate. I think Sauron could take a physical form if needed but that was not required during LOTR (unlike the Peter Jackson's version).

[@patriciofernandez6500]

Bro! Great comment!

[@deniseseeley-navarre6819]

Glad someone caught that Frodo never gazed into a palantir.

[@LordBloodySoul]

Okay, the Trent / Ent looks really cool. Love the natural flow of the branches in Treebeards beard :D The Fellbeast - dear god. Put that in the Movie and I would've pissed my pants in the theater seeing that thing up close! Holy sheep! Shelob - my god. This is horrifying as hell! :D Great job! If they showed that Sauro...damn, the Movie could've been soo different and so much more tense :o

[@JohnDoe-jy7sv]

I think it would have been better without seeing Sauron tbh. That’s one of the benefits Tolkien gains from never showing him in the books. He feels like this oppressive force more than a physical person. It keeps him more mysterious and leaves things up to our imaginations

[@Sondreign]

I really love the idea of the more bird-like fell beasts. Rather than attempting to recreate the dragons, Sauron is attempting to create a bastardization of the great Eagles.

[@embee7434]

Absolutely love this series and seeing your illustration outcomes! The Sauron is so cool. I love hearing your discussion on the choices you make. Just delightful.

[@mr.jglokta191]

Bringing out the "Red book of Westmarch" in the beginning was brilliant 😂

[@Kikeichon]

15:37 Kinda surprised you didn't include any scene from the movies when we do see his body (with armor). Besides that, amazing talent man. I wish I could create art just like that on my own. Keep it up!

[@piplup10203854]

4:15 I was actually stunned at how that interpretation matches such a similar vision of how I would imagine most people would at that description and who read these books. I am just blown away! Imagine getting to integrate that into a hobbit home like at the core and the tree around the home and in the hill would be so cool to see in person.

[@cat3357]

your color work is so good it makes me want to cry. watch you color the winged beast made me tear up. thankyou for your work

[@jiminyspigotsskunkshack]

That version of sauron is SO COOL! Gives hella big vecna vibes and I LOVE IT.

[@HelpMe4545]

Shelob being a spider like creature from space gave me heavy Pennywise vibes. Especially his look from the ending of the 90's mini series.

[@dandiehm8414]

She is not a "outer space" creature any more than the Valar or Sauron or Gandalf was. They are immortal beings created bu Iluvatar before the Earth was even thought of.

[@MySerpentine]

@@dandiehm8414 Ungoliant had very outer space, almost Lovecraftian vibes. She came from the Outer Dark, beyond the Walls of the World, and her creation was never described.

[@LexiWhatWeGot]

​@@MySerpentine The origins of Ungoliant are shrouded in mystery. It was believed by some of the Eldar that she may have been among the Ainur whom Melkor had corrupted long ago in the beginning, yet she was not listed among the known Ainur.[1] It was later perceived by the Valar that she had come from "beyond Arda"[2] in the "darkness that" lay around it when Melkor first gazed upon the Kingdom of Manwë in envy.[1]

[@MySerpentine]

@@LexiWhatWeGot Exactly. She's possibly one of those Nameless Things, but what that would even mean is itself uncertain.

[@LexiWhatWeGot]

@@MySerpentine she could have been something akin to the Watcher in the Water, which a quick bit of research says could have also been a Nameless Thing. I've seen some people mention that the Nameless Things, Ungoliant, and the Watcher may have been a product of the Discord of Melkor during the Ainulindale, but none save Iluvatar know for certain

[@mirael96]

That is the coolest depiction of Sauron I've seen so far, nice job! 🔥

[@Evergreenoutsider10]

The Fellbeast blew my mind. Just the scale of it, I loved it. And Shelob being a spider was so firmly fixed in my mind I didn’t think it would be possible to have another image in mind. But your drawing turned out so good! No words

[@dyg1tf206]

It's quit hard to leave a comment while I watch because my screen is not big enough to watch and comment. Anyway, Jazza you're an amazing artist and I love your works and your channel has gotten me to start to drawing again. At 41 years old I had stopped any type of art for about 17 years and it has been hard getting back into it. I felt like I lost all I had taught myself and everything I learned from an amazing high school art teacher and one of the best artists I've ever seen who took her time to teach me as much as she could after school and weekends because I wanted to be nothing but a artist. But life got in the way after high school and I gave up what I loved so I could be a good husband and father and support them and art wasn't paying the bills, but content creators like Jazza have given me what I need to start again. Thank you so very much!

[@kailrush]

First off, these sketches are great. I always really enjoy watching these videos. That said, not only was Sauron's body "alluded to" in the movies, it was out right shown.

[@theursidaepugilist]

like one of the first scenes.

[@ninquelosille3349]

I mean... You can see his shape with armour on but you can't really see his body! I'm sure that's what he meant. Also, given the way P.J. decided to visually depict Sauron's 'death' right in the beginning, you kind of get the idea that there's no flesh underneath the armour, no actual body... just maybe a spirit or something like that

[@acoldhand]

An illustration of Sauron is rare. I love what you did with it!

[@ImNotLuthien]

It´s not rare at all. If you have read the books, you can know almost exactly how he looks trought the 3 ages. What this guy is doing is acting like the movies showed Sauron as an EYE, which is totally dishonest. The movies start showing Sauron with armour swinging like a madlad.

[@simonwalter7845]

really nice work, i think the results are very good. and i love watching your process

[@-Blackberry]

Great work, I especially like your unarmoured Sauron. I always imagined him more like a dark wizard in his dark tower. The armour design for the prologue of Lord of the Rings is closer to how Morgoth is described in the First Age.

[@oguzhanenescetin5702]

THIS. I am looking for such a comment for years. Shame to see PJ adaptations making look Sauron less Saurony- but more Morgothy and even Wİtch Kingy

[@Holborovv]

I think the reason why th films are so good and aged really well is that a lot of the designs were still very grounded in real life and not too over done, abstract or weird. Shelob being just like a normal spider instead of a weird looking spider and the felbeasts not looking like hairless birds. I think they made some great decisions in the films.

[@FlockofSmeagles]

David Finch does this thing where he invites illustrators of different disciplines throughout the comic book world to come on his podcast and do pieces with him. Wherein, he attempts to mimic their style. I think that would be an awesome format for your channel. To watch you learn from other artists would be really cool.

[@CreatureCreator765]

The fell beast looked so damn cool! I wanna see you tackle a scene with multiple characters and monsters like a group of orks riding wargs

[@darksoulsss2618]

Yes. Almost like a demonic vulture. But to be honest I still strongly prefer the movie version. Just seems more like a true native to middle earth ironically.

[@LadyLuck363]

I love this series! I want to see jazza do Stephen king's the dark tower series. I really want to see shardic the bear!

[@MySerpentine]

Say true, say thankya! And poor mad Mordred, loved of none that live. And Andy the Messenger Robot, many other functions.

[@LadyLuck363]

@MySerpentine long days and pleasant nighs! To see the horrible wolves of thunderclap! Or the taheen would be amazing

[@MySerpentine]

@@LadyLuck363 Aye, and may you have twice the number! Lamla o' Galee, who fell down dead, or Trampas who came so close to Becoming . . .

[@coldasifneveraskedthemoon7401]

I find that sauron having a face makes him more human and less scary. A hood covering everything but his everwatching eye would fit perfectly to me.😱

[@visatuovinen5915]

This is great job dude, thanks for nerding out on these! And I will lore wise agree on your interpretations completely.

[@leogad669]

Amazing! Please continue this, there are so many cool monsters in the books! (I loved the design of the Witch-king’s flail, though I think he wielded a mace in the books, amazing anyway!)

[@theSheighani42]

I just like watching the lines come to life so cleanly, even for the idea sketches 🥰

[@fredforever71]

Fantastic Jazza! I actually felt fear on the last drawing, you had me hooked! Loved it!

[@maggiee3601]

I think my favorite was Treebeard. They all look amazing and will definitely be showing this video to my sister

[@Lucifronz]

We'll never be able to truly tell exactly what image Tolkien had in his head when he created these characters, but I always appreciate new interpretations of these characters as described in the books. Your Shelob is very modern (the horns and their shape give me that feeling most of all), but still very cool.

[@hieronymus9]

Fell beast: Remember that its neck was narrow enough for Éowyn to sever it with one stroke, after which she had the strength to deliver a lethal blow to the Witch-king's skull. Shelob: The "great knobbed joints high above her back" were those of her legs, so they need to be longer. Also the underside of her abdomen was luminous. Sauron: The stone that replaced the head of the king statue at the Cross-roads was "rudely painted by savage hands in the likeness of a grinning face with one large red eye in the midst of its forehead." Sauron lost his power to look handsome when he was discorporated in the downfall of Númenor, and would have lost even more of his ability to define his shape at the loss of the Ring, so he needn't have looked mroe than rudimentarily human.

[@Wiliraughshai]

"Sauron has a body and this isn't alluded to anywhere in the movie". Actually is is and there's very small hit and miss scene. When Aragorn confronts Sauron via the Palantiri in the third movie, Sauron communes with him and you can very briefly see the physical manifestation of Sauron holding his Palantiri.

[@TheNewestAvenger]

The artwork is absolutely amazing and I love it! It's fabulous and I'm glad that people actually paid attention to the book descriptions!

[@hraefn1821]

You should do a kickstarter project. A fully illustrated edition of Lord Of The Rings. Or in the face of possible copyright issues, just the illustrations as an artbook to accompany the novel. XD I'd love to see your FULL artistic vision of a book accurate middle earth.~

[@bambiraptor9]

I would love this too but idk about the Tolkien estate 🫤 They are very strict about copyright with anything lotr and merch, movies, etc. Jackson was lucky to have had the permission for the movies.

[@TheCanuckGamer]

I love all of theae but The Fell beast and Shelob blew me away! Love those designs so much more than anything else ice seen

[@tyslink]

I'm not a big LOTR nerd but I did watch the movies and I love these videos...really fun to see what you come up with

[@Jennie_Chbz]

These are amazing. Shelob is probably the one I imagined exactly when I read her description. I want more. Please do more.

[@Brute-the-Brutality]

I’m not at all disappointed to say: “I already knew Sauron had a body only because I played LEGO Dimensions!”

[@Visiorex]

Salron is Sauron's Italian cousin.

[@LordofMinasMorgul]

Salron is Sauron’s Italian cousin.

[@Brute-the-Brutality]

@@Visiorex How does autocorrect even do that? Didn’t even see that.

[@Visiorex]

@@Brute-the-Brutality Autocorrect lives in a world of Salron, Freddo and Sam the Wise Guy. 🤣😂

[@Brute-the-Brutality]

@@Visiorex I’m dead! 🤣

[@krankarvolund7771]

19:48 "When Frodo looked through the Palantir" That would be Pippin, or you mean when Frodo put the ring on ^^

[@thepoynt]

Great entry in a great series, really enjoying these. I really like how you're trying to break from the creature designs we all know from the movies and find unique interpretations of them. It's fun to see how close some of the movie representations were, and how much room for interpretation there still is for others. Side note, we definitely do see Sauron in his "human" form in the movies :)

[@GreySneakers]

Amazing interpretations!! I love how Shelob's head/face is so expressive 😍

[@Cosmic_Gorilla]

All of the works in this video are great, but your take on Shelob in particular is fantastic!

[@chrzanowychomik]

Art feedback: 1. Ent - I love the organic look and solid roots that gives old tree impression. Only thing I would like to see is that this tree is really old so more mushy, less vibrant colors would work better imo. 2. Beast - Silhouette is outstanding! I would add more greenish, rotten highlights on the flesh itself, because skin looks too clean to give that smelly vibe. 3. Shelob - The best art out of four. It's amazing. Nothing to add! 4. Sauron - guy has so much wrinkles that it looks like he's wearing a mask 🤣🤣 but maybe he is! I love the colors you've used! Great video overall, looking forward to interpretation from The Witcher books ❤

[@BBCTopgearfan]

"Millions of years old" muh dood... less than 50,000 years have passed in middle earth by the time Aragorn took the throne.

[@Novusod]

It is unclear how long the "Years of the Trees" and "Years of the Lamps" lasted. Then there was also the immeasurable time before the Lamps. Millions of years is possible though not likely.

[@michaelbwright24]

Wow !!!! I loved all of your interpretations. You are such a great artist. Keep up the great work. Can't wait to see more.

[@timrobinson513]

I imagined shelob as a common garden spider. Just bigger