Rating: 
Summary: Good collection of concept art
Review: "Art of Fellowship of the Ring" seems somehow to be a bad title for this book: It implies that this is about art, but it's actually concept art. To be precise, concept drawings and sketches of costumes, places, and bizarre inhuman creatures all through the stages of their creation.We're given in-depth studies of places like Rivendell, Lothlorien, Bag End, Bree, and the various sketches of what worked and what didn't (such as a tree-dwelling in Lothlorien that looks like a hatrack with lanterns on it). The costumes: the simplicity of the little hobbit outfits, the Byzantine splendor of Boromir's garb, the ultra-elaborate Elven costumes of Arwen and Elrond, and the spiky armor of Sauron from the beginning of the film. There's a section on weaponry, on the various incarnations of Narsil, Sting, and Legolas's quiver. There are glimpses of the various orcs, how they evolved from almost ratlike creatures to steel-jawed monstrosities to the ugly things in the movie; of the evolving appearance of the Ringwraiths (one of whom looked eerily like Emperor Palpatine); of the Balrog and the tentacled Watcher (who is shown in his various states). And captioning nearly every photograph is an insightful comment from the appropriate person who worked on that, be it costuming, weapons, or CGI. There are all sorts of goodies for people who liked the visual richness of "Fellowship of the Ring." Concept art is always great to look at, and seeing all sorts of subtle variations on stuff in the movie -- like the floorplan of Bag End -- is absolutely wonderful. Sometimes there are several, even dozens of concept sketches, like the various incarnations of the Watcher (a really gross squidlike thing that looks almost spiderlike at times), weapons, and even dozens of pipes! Perhaps the main drawback of this book is that the costume part is a little (pardon the pun) sketchy. Each character (with the exception of Arwen and Galadriel) gets a page at best, half a page at worst. There are usually only a couple of sketches of clothing, and we never get to see how, for example, Aragorn's outfit evolved. But this is somewhat made up for by the glimpses of Sauron's various armor types. "Art" is a fantastic book of concept sketches. Though it sags a little in that one area, it's enormous fun for the Lord of the Rings fans.
Rating: 
Summary: The beginning of the dream
Review: As a worker in the art world, I would have to say that this is a very well put together book. The illustrations show the conception from thought to hand to paper of art creation. These type of books really show the talent behind the creation of such a masterpiece of film, taking the eye slightly off the director and putting it on the individuals who show themselves in the caracters now immortilised on screen. The only problem I have with such a great book is it would have been good to see some of the computer illustration work recognised more with info on what software were used and how they were applied. It is however, a must buy, with the next version "The Art of The Two Towers", expected to be just as great.
Rating:
Summary: one of the prettiest arkbooks i've seen....
Review: Bringing Tolkien's Middle Earth to life is a monumental task. The locations, creatures and monsters have to be conceptualized, designed, and created from the ground up. Capturing the spirit of Tolkien's work is an even more daunting challenge because of its tremendous scope, complexity and beauty. Furthermore, its legions of fans are staunch in their visions of Tolkien's universe, and satisfying all of them is impossible. That the movie has been a phenomenal success and, more importantly, an incredible realization of Tolkien's visions is a testament to the skills and dedication of Peter Jackson and his team. The most visible aspect of the movie is the artistry underlying the costumes, weapons, architecture, and scenics. Jackson's most far-reaching impact was perhaps his decision to bring in two of the most influential Tolkien artists, Alan Lee and John Howe, as art directors. Both have illustrated Tolkien for a long time and in many cases their works have become widely accepted if not standard interpretations of Tolkien. The artists and their talented teams are responsible for virtually every element of the movie. Indeed, the production designs have the look and feel of works of art. The most direct result is the movie's breathtaking beauty, which exceeds even the most fertile imagination among Tolkien fans. A secondary result is the harmony and consistency of artistic elements and designs from beginning to end. The book is a comprehensive chronicle of the art of the movie. Its 192 pages are lavishly illustrated with lush color photographs and gorgeous drawings and paintings. The book is divided into four main chapters: Locations, Costumes, Armory, and Creatures. The Locations chapter is further divided into sections that correspond to major locations. These are Bag End, Bree, Weathertop, Isengard, Rivendell, The Misty Mountains, Lothlorien, Anduin, and Amon Hen. I couldn't help but stare in stupefied silence at the paradise-like beauty of Rivendell or the alien grace and intricacy of Lothlorien. This section alone is worth the price of the book. The architectural pencil drawings are outstanding. Many excellent designs were created even though only a few eventually made it into the movie. If, like me, you get goose bumps when the camera sweeps through the hall of Dwarrowdelf, know that it's no coincidence. The costume and armory designs are most conspicuous for their painstaking details. Each costume is unique and manages to evoke the characteristics of each race. Thus hobbits look like townspeople out for a stroll, human tunics are rugged and martial, dwarven armor exudes fine craftsmanship, and the flowing robes of the elves accentuate their delicate features and natural grace. The weapon designs follow the same line, and display remarkable details. Sauron's various armor designs are my favorite. The Creatures chapter shows drawings, composites, maquettes and sculptures of the various Orc races, the Uruk-Hais, the troll, the Watcher, the Ringwraiths, and the Balrog. The design of the Watcher illustrates the high artistic standard of the designers. Tolkien never described the Watcher in details, so many outstanding designs were considered and rejected before one was finally selected. Of all the creatures that stalk, crawl and fly in the movie, perhaps the Balrog is the most awe-inspiring. The Balrog is another creature that Tolkien only briefly described. It's fascinating to see the various interpretations, from reptilian to winged humanoids to centaur-like. The end result of all this is one of the most awesome monsters on the silver screen. This treasure trove of artwork is a must-have not only for Tolkien lovers and fans of the movie but also for those who appreciate great fantasy art.
Rating:
Summary: Fantastic visions of Middle Earth
Review: Bringing Tolkien's Middle Earth to life is a monumental task. The locations, creatures and monsters have to be conceptualized, designed, and created from the ground up. Capturing the spirit of Tolkien's work is an even more daunting challenge because of its tremendous scope, complexity and beauty. Furthermore, its legions of fans are staunch in their visions of Tolkien's universe, and satisfying all of them is impossible. That the movie has been a phenomenal success and, more importantly, an incredible realization of Tolkien's visions is a testament to the skills and dedication of Peter Jackson and his team. The most visible aspect of the movie is the artistry underlying the costumes, weapons, architecture, and scenics. Jackson's most far-reaching impact was perhaps his decision to bring in two of the most influential Tolkien artists, Alan Lee and John Howe, as art directors. Both have illustrated Tolkien for a long time and in many cases their works have become widely accepted if not standard interpretations of Tolkien. The artists and their talented teams are responsible for virtually every element of the movie. Indeed, the production designs have the look and feel of works of art. The most direct result is the movie's breathtaking beauty, which exceeds even the most fertile imagination among Tolkien fans. A secondary result is the harmony and consistency of artistic elements and designs from beginning to end. The book is a comprehensive chronicle of the art of the movie. Its 192 pages are lavishly illustrated with lush color photographs and gorgeous drawings and paintings. The book is divided into four main chapters: Locations, Costumes, Armory, and Creatures. The Locations chapter is further divided into sections that correspond to major locations. These are Bag End, Bree, Weathertop, Isengard, Rivendell, The Misty Mountains, Lothlorien, Anduin, and Amon Hen. I couldn't help but stare in stupefied silence at the paradise-like beauty of Rivendell or the alien grace and intricacy of Lothlorien. This section alone is worth the price of the book. The architectural pencil drawings are outstanding. Many excellent designs were created even though only a few eventually made it into the movie. If, like me, you get goose bumps when the camera sweeps through the hall of Dwarrowdelf, know that it's no coincidence. The costume and armory designs are most conspicuous for their painstaking details. Each costume is unique and manages to evoke the characteristics of each race. Thus hobbits look like townspeople out for a stroll, human tunics are rugged and martial, dwarven armor exudes fine craftsmanship, and the flowing robes of the elves accentuate their delicate features and natural grace. The weapon designs follow the same line, and display remarkable details. Sauron's various armor designs are my favorite. The Creatures chapter shows drawings, composites, maquettes and sculptures of the various Orc races, the Uruk-Hais, the troll, the Watcher, the Ringwraiths, and the Balrog. The design of the Watcher illustrates the high artistic standard of the designers. Tolkien never described the Watcher in details, so many outstanding designs were considered and rejected before one was finally selected. Of all the creatures that stalk, crawl and fly in the movie, perhaps the Balrog is the most awe-inspiring. The Balrog is another creature that Tolkien only briefly described. It's fascinating to see the various interpretations, from reptilian to winged humanoids to centaur-like. The end result of all this is one of the most awesome monsters on the silver screen. This treasure trove of artwork is a must-have not only for Tolkien lovers and fans of the movie but also for those who appreciate great fantasy art.
Rating:
Summary: A more in-depth look at a wonderful movie...
Review: Definately worth the purchase if you are a lover of the film as so many are.
Rating:
Summary: AWESOME!!!
Review: I find this book extremely interesting, for it satisfys my craving for knowledge not only as an huge Tolkien fan but also as an artist. This book shows how the ideas in the minds of the people at WETA go from being ideas on paper to being the acadamy award-winning costumes and visuals you know and love in the movie. The pictures they show you are mostly new and when they're not new I've only found these same pictures on the Extended Edition DVD. It gives you a rare, detailed glimpse into the pre-production and post-production of The Fellowship of the Ring. It is so fascinating and well-done that I KNOW I will be buying The Art of The Two Towers. WARNING: This book will really make you want to move to New Zealand and work for WETA!!
Rating:
Summary: An Artist's Inspiration
Review: I found that the Art of the Fellowship of the Ring was extremely interesting. The sketches and composites were all very detailed and unique. Many of the drawings included, of course, never made it to the film, so it is brilliant to see some of the artists' original conceptions of Professor Tolkien's work. As a fan of both architectural and fashion design I found the sections on 'Locations' and 'Costumes' particularly fascinating. For instance, I never realized that the basic outline for the Elven clothing was taken from the shape of leaves, nor the intricacy of the detail put into places as seemingly simple as Bag End. Many of the sketches contained in this volume are of things that never made it to the film, not even to the extended version. In summary, The Art of the Fellowship of the Ring is an exhilerating insight to the LotR for both those interested in art...and I am sure for those who simply revere it, as well. ^^
Rating:
Summary: A Beautiful Book
Review: I got the The Art of The Lord of the Rings, because I loved the look of the Movie and wanted to see how the designers created the costumes and set. I recommend this book for anyone who wants to know more about it.
Rating: 
Summary: Eek! How Boring!
Review: I have many books covering the making of movies and I have quite a few Art of Books. This has to be one of the most boring I have seen. The book primarily focus on the concept art that made the cut( rather than the art that didn't, like in the Art of Star Wars series) which leaves you feeling a little empty. Why see the final product when you can buy one of the Official movie books with stunning colour pictures? Pencil drawings, final clay models, and costume designs make up the majority of this book. However, again, it is only the final designs that make the cut. Take my advice and put the money into the Art of Attack of the Clones; much more exciting and better value for money.
Rating:
Summary: Everything you ever wanted to know about building a world!
Review: I just got this book and it is great! I am a big fan of the movie and have been anticipating this book for some time. I was not disappointed. Very detailed drawings, paintings, and set photos really show the scope of the artistic achievement that "The Fellowship of the Ring" represents. Highly recommended.
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