Illustrating LOTR with LOTRO

[Boraxxe]

Marvelous!

/subscribed

I quote myself in order to repeat; Marvelous...love the fog...

[Elebraen]

I quote myself in order to repeat; Marvelous...love the fog...

Thanks I wasn't sure how well that fog effect would go over, but I like it, too. Makes the story make more visual sense.

If you would like to see how the videos turned out (narration included), you can visit the shared folder Illustrating LOTR with LOTRO

I'm putting up the Chapter 4 videos now.

[Boraxxe]

Thanks I wasn't sure how well that fog effect would go over, but I like it, too. Makes the story make more visual sense.

If you would like to see how the videos turned out (narration included), you can visit the shared folder Illustrating LOTR with LOTRO

I'm putting up the Chapter 4 videos now.

Thanks very much for that link. I just watched the first one and was enchanted....the chatting hobbit in the corner of the tavern is a nice touch.
I plan to watch these...one each day or so.

Very nice.

[Elebraen]

Thanks very much for that link. I just watched the first one and was enchanted....the chatting hobbit in the corner of the tavern is a nice touch.
I plan to watch these...one each day or so.

Very nice.

Oh, thanks for letting me know the link worked, Boraxxe That's been on my mind. Personally, I love the videos, but sitting for an hour or more per chapter is too much information for me to digest. I like the "YouTube Free" version of 15 minutes or less, and I can go right to the chapter section that interests me most. I'm currently working on the Crickhollow scenes, and I've been laughing to myself because of how much has already occurred in the plotline, and I'm only on Chapter 5 in the illustrations. It was a LONG walk to get to Crickhollow.

[Elebraen]

Some Illustrations from Chapter 5: The Conspiracy Unmasked
Section 1.5.1 Buckland



The origins of Buckland.

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The ferryboat moved slowly across the water.

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Looking back, they could just make out a black figure.

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It was some distance from the Brandywine to Frodo's new house at Crickhollow.

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Frodo knocked on the door, and Fatty Bolger opened it.

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Three tubs

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[Elebraen]

The bath song

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There was a terrific splash. "Whoa!" said Frodo.

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The stone floor was swimming with water.

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Lawks!

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[Elebraen]

Section 1.5.2 The Conspirators



Hobbits have a passion for mushrooms.

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Merry saw Bilbo use the ring.

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Merry confessed to spying.

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Sam is revealed as being the chief investigator.

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We're your friends, Frodo! And we're coming with you.

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[Elebraen]

Section 1.5.3 Fatty's Fears



The Old Forest? You'll get lost.

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You just wait until you're deep inside the Old Forest. You'll wish you were back here with me.

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Frodo eventually fell asleep.

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Frodo's dream: Looking out from a high window over a dark sea of tangled trees.

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Frodo's dream: A tall white tower, standing alone.

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After discovering how to zoom in and center on the videos, and after receiving the 3 year old's Limited Attention Span of Approval last week , I decided to post these videos on YouTube after all for my grandson to watch. So instead of my Google drive, here's the link to LOTR fan, where you can find the playlist Illustrating LOTR with LOTRO - Book 1.

I debated on whether or not to post Frodo's Dream, but since this foreshadowing section doesn't have an author's official relationship purpose, Tolkien having rejected his original idea for it but still wanting to include it, I decided to give it a new relationship purpose. The forest view is a high window screenshot of the Old Forest from Tom Bombadil's house, coming up in chapter 7 for that prescient sense of deja vu as well as for anchoring to the sniffing Black Rider and Old Forest worries that Frodo fell asleep on. Sensible enough. And the white tower is located on an island in the sea beyond Dol Amroth in Gondor, a nod to the seafaring Numenoreans (who most likely built it) and most specifically to Aragorn, a descendent of the Numenoreans, who will become a central figure in many upcoming thunderous storms, but who is currently standing alone.

[Elebraen]

Some Illustrations from Chapter 6: The Old Forest
Section 1.6.1 Bonfire Glade



Soon after six the next morning, the hobbits were ready to start.

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In the shed, they found the ponies.

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Soon they were riding off.

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How are you going to get through this?

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Goodbye, Frodo. I only hope you won't need rescuing before the day is out.

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Merry shut and locked the gate. The sound was ominous.

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[Elebraen]

Merry tells stories about the Old Forest.

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Looking back, they could see the dark line of the hedge.

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Looking ahead, they could only see tree trunks of innumerable sizes and shapes.

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Oi! Oi! Just let me pass through, will you!

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Merry searched for Bonfire Glade. "Well, well! These trees do shift."

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The hobbits reached Bonfire Glade.

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[Elebraen]

Frodo sang a song to encourage them.

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"All woods must fail..." A large branch crashed onto the path behind them.

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They saw a green hilltop, treeless, rising like a bald head.

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[hobbit1968]

Awesome!!

[Nakah]

Very well done. Would be awesome if you could also recreate the Hobbit scene where the dwarfs first visited Bilbo's house, perhaps in another thread. But for the continuation of this one, will you continue this story to Mordor in Screenshots? I hope so, as this was very well done.

[Elebraen]

I would love to take these illustrations all the way to Mordor. But in composing the videos, I get maybe 5 to 10 minutes a week done out of some 30+ hours of audiobooks depending on how complex the scene composite is. Hobbits on horses takes me awhile. Just including the horses doubles the number of characters in the scene that turns them all into character party scenes, lol.


Section 1.6.2 The Withywindle



To the top of Bald Hill.

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They were on an island in a sea of trees.

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The hobbits set off northwards, but the path kept turning to the right towards the Withywindle valley.

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The deep folds that cut across their path would only give way when they turned to the right.

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They came to a river that was bordered with ancient willows and flecked with thousands of willow leaves.

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"This is the river Withywindle," Merry said.

[Elebraen]

They followed the path along the Withywindle.

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Great gray branches reached across the path.

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Frodo saw looming over him a huge willow tree.

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Pippin and Merry fell asleep with their backs against the tree. Frodo sat on a root and paddled his feet in the water.

[Elebraen]

Section 1.6.3 Old Man Willow



Sam heard the sound of something heavy falling into the water.

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Frodo was in the water. A great tree root seemed to be holding him down.

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Sam gripped Frodo by the jacket and pulled him onto the bank.

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Pippin had vanished. Merry was trapped.

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Frodo and Sam struggled to pull open the jaws of the crack.

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Frodo and Sam built a fire. "Put it out! Put it out!" cried Merry.

[Elebraen]

Frodo and Sam ran for help. They stopped and listened when they heard someone singing.

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"Help!" cried Frodo and Sam.

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Tom put his mouth to the crack and began singing into it.

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Drink water. Go to sleep.

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Tom seized Merry's feet and pulled him out of the widening crack.

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Pippin sprang out of the other crack as if he had been kicked.

[Elebraen]

You shall come home with me.

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It became difficult to follow the path, and they were very tired.

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There was Tom Bombadil's house.

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The hobbits stood upon the threshold, and a golden light was all about them.

[Elebraen]

Some Illustrations from Chapter 7: In the House of Tom Bombadil
Section 1.7.1 Goldberry



The four hobbits stepped over the wide stone threshold.

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"Enter, good guests," Goldberry said.

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"Let us shut out the night," she said, "For you are still afraid perhaps of mists and tree shadows and deep water."

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"Fair lady Goldberry!" said Frodo, feeling his heart moved with a joy that he did not understand.

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The four hobbits sat at the table to wait for Tom.

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"Who is Tom Bombadil?" asked Frodo. "He is the Master of the wood, water and hill," Goldberry replied.

[Elebraen]

"Here's my pretty lady," Tom said. "Is the table laden?"

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The four hobbits followed Tom down a short passage and round a sharp turn.

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There were four mattresses laid on the floor along one side and basins where they could wash up before dinner.

[Elebraen]

Section 1.7.2 Heed No Nightly Noises



It was a long and merry meal.

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Goldberry wished them all a good night and deep sleep. "Heed no nightly noises."

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Frodo asks Tom about the Willow-man. "No, don't!" said Merry and Pippin together.

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They had hardly laid themselves upon the beds before they were asleep.

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Frodo's dream: In the midst of a plain stood a pinnacle of stone.

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Frodo's dream: At the top of the tower stood the figure of a man.

[Elebraen]

Frodo's dream: A shadow like the shape of great wings passed across the moon.

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Frodo's dream: A light flashed from the staff that he wielded.

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Frodo's dream: A mighty eagle swept down and bore him away.

[auximenes]

Nice work as usual.

[Elebraen]

Section 1.7.3 Tom's Tales



The next morning, Pippin looked out of the western window.

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The valley of the Withywindle.

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'Good morning!' cried Tom.

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A good day for long tales told by the fire.

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Tom told them many stories.

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Tom told them what trees hate: gnawing, biting, breaking, hacking and burning.

[Elebraen]

The Great Willow: The father of the fathers of trees, remembering times when they were the lords.

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Tom told them that gold was piled on the biers of dead queens and kings.

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Supper is ready.