{"title":"Books by John Howe","description":null,"products":[{"product_id":"9780008226770","title":"A Middle-earth Traveller","description":"\u003cp\u003eLet acclaimed Tolkien artist John Howe take you on an unforgettable journey across Middle-earth, from Bag End to Mordor, in this richly illustrated sketchbook fully of previously unseen artwork, anecdotes and meditations on Middle-earth.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMiddle-earth has been mapped, Bilbo’s and Frodo’s journeys plotted and measured, but it remains a wilderland for all that. The roads as yet untravelled far outnumber those down which J.R.R. Tolkien led us in his writings. A Middle-earth Traveller presents a walking tour of Tolkien’s Middle-earth, visiting not only places central to his stories, but also those just over the hill or beyond the horizon.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eEvents from Tolkien’s books are explored – battles of the different ages that are almost legend by the time of The Lord of the Rings; lost kingdoms and ancient myths, as well as those places only hinted at: kingdoms of the far North and lands beyond the seas.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSketches that have an ‘on-the-spot’ feel to them are interwoven with the artist’s observations gleaned from Tolkien’s books as he paints pictures with his words as well as his pencil. He also recollects his time spent working alongside Peter Jackson on the Lord of the Rings and Hobbit film trilogies. Combining concept work produced for films, existing Middle-earth art and dozens of new paintings and sketches exclusive to this book, A Middle-earth Traveller will take the reader on a unique and unforgettable journey across Tolkien’s magical landscape.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43201224736946,"sku":"9780008226770","price":20.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9780008226770.jpg?v=1785658657"},{"product_id":"9781446308929","title":"John Howe's Ultimate Fantasy Art Academy","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDiscover the creative processes and intriguing inspirations behind the work of leading fantasy artist John Howe – conceptual designer on \u003cem\u003eThe Lord of the Rings\u003c\/em\u003e movie trilogy – in this comprehensive practical art book.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBrings together \u003cem\u003eFantasy Art Workshop\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eFantasy Drawing Workshop\u003c\/em\u003e into a combined volume, fully updated and with new art.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eExamines in fascinating detail over 150 of the artist's outstanding sketches, drawings and paintings, plus the techniques and stories behind each.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLeads you step-by-step through a range of specially commissioned drawing and painting demonstrations that reveal John's renowned artistic approach in action.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDiscusses the rewarding journey into fantasy art, from the first steps of building a compelling portfolio to book illustration, graphic novels and the big screen.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis book will appeal to artists and fans of John Howe's work by leading you step-by-step through a range of specially commissioned demonstrations, sketches and finished paintings, some designed specifically for this book, that reveal John’s renowned artistic approach in action, plus the techniques and stories behind each.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIt covers a wide range of subjects, beginning with the creative process, exploring where inspiration comes from, looking at narratives and themes, gathering reference materials, organizing your working environment, and protecting and storing artwork.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHowe covers drawing materials and explores drawing and painting fantasy beings from initial inspiration and approaches to characters, symbolism and accoutrements. He begins by showing how to create different types of male and female archetypes, humans in action, armour and weapons, faces, expressions and hands, hair and costumes, and goes on to explain how to create different types of fantasy beasts: talons, wings, fangs and fire, and noble animals, interspersed throughout with exciting case studies.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe book also explores fantasy landscapes and architecture and balancing light and dark atmospheres. The final section of the book provides further inspiration and guidance on presenting work in various forms, including film work, book covers and advertising, all areas John Howe has vast experience in.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe foreword is written by groundbreaking film director Terry Gilliam, with an afterword by Alan Lee, John's partner on the conceptual design for \u003cem\u003eThe Lord of the Rings\u003c\/em\u003e movie trilogy and Oscar-winning illustrator.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56300040651125,"sku":"9781446308929","price":19.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781446308929_26f7f84f-dd1e-4cba-ad58-2aff7f927586.jpg?v=1786021002"},{"product_id":"a-professor-in-the-wilderness","title":"A Professor in the Wilderness","description":"In the eleventh century a small group of clerical reformers based in Rome launched a fight for the liberty of the Church. The consequences ultimately included a politically powerful papacy and stronger kingdoms with their own more secular laws and bureaucracies. One way to understand what happened is to examine the life of Peter Damian, the most prolific Latin writer of the mid eleventh century and a pioneer in the reform movement. He has never before received a comprehensive critical historical biography.    Peter was an orphan boy from Ravenna who became a successful professor of rhetoric. Then he abandoned that career to join a community of penitent hermits living in the high Apennines at Fonte Avellana. He did not actually manage to leave the world behind because he was chosen as prior of his hermit community and had to employ his rhetorical and legal skills to protect it from predatory local lords and \"bad bishops and abbots.\" He cultivated contacts with the emperor and the pope. In 1057 he was named bishop of Ostia, the leader of the cardinal bishops. As a high official in the Roman Church, aided by his prolific writings, he promoted a reforming agenda. He proved to be a formidable papal legate. At the end of his career, he retired to Fonte Avellana where he remained active until he died on a final legatine mission, probably in 1073.    Peter advanced the movement known today as the \"Gregorian Reform\" not only by strengthening papal power and canon law but also by helping to develop a powerful curial bureaucracy with new means of communication that gave the Roman curia more control over local churches. His successes, failures, and misadventures illuminate a major turning point in Western civilization.","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57680279732597,"sku":"9780813241463","price":31.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}]}],"url":"https:\/\/backstory.london\/collections\/author-john-howe.oembed","provider":"Backstory","version":"1.0","type":"link"}