I did some illustrations for an article about Iliana Regan, a chef who prepares fandom inspired dinners. This is Bilbo Baggins and the impromptu feast he prepares for a party of dwarves and Gandalf the wizard.
And this is Sam Gamgee preparing a rabbit stew for Frodo Baggins in Ithilien while Gollum looks on, upset because he prefers his meat uncooked.
Food is such an important part of these books, so I was really delighted to do these pieces! It’s a way for the narrative to shift from high fantasy to more grounded, prosaic matters. It puts the reader inside the mind of the characters - hobbits, of course, are always thinking about food, and Tolkien is very specific about what they’re eating and how they feel about it.
Food scenes are also a respite from the grind of the journey. Films are like a roller coaster ride - they’re all about escalating and maintaining tension, keeping you engaged and excited. The rabbit stew scene is in the films, but the hobbits are captured before they get to enjoy it - the forward motion of the plot can’t be allowed to stall for too long. Whereas novels are like a long journey. They have so much more narrative space to fill. It’s such a relief to read the chapters where the characters escape their troubles for a few minutes or hours to prepare and eat a meal.
Here’s my process for these illustrations! It’s not the kind of work I do very often - comics and illustrations are parallel art forms but different in so many ways - and I really enjoyed this project.
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(did anyone watch the Rings of Power? Thoughts??? I have been avoiding all reviews and hot takes but I was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked it! Disa, Poppy, and Nori have my entire heart, and the depiction of sailing to Valinor really got me.)
These drawings are so lovely. I've enjoyed Rings of Power more than I expected too! We had a chance to speak to some of the actors and creators in London ahead of the premiere and you could see how much fun they had exploring a new age in this world and bringing it to life.
I feel you too - meals and moments to sit down and rest with characters we love away from the drama and consequence always struck me as wonderfully intimate. Even more so when so many details can be drawn from the dishes being made and the fictional cultures that came to cement them.
In my head I always picture Sam making sure Frodo is eating enough in spite of the journey he has ahead of him.
Sam preparing a stew for Frodo except Gollum is upset bc he’s homophobic. he knows these bitches gay