View source for Alan Lee

{{short description|Illustrator and concept artist}}
{{artist infobox
| image=Alan Lee.jpg
| name=Alan Lee
| born=[[20 August]], [[1947]]
| died=
| style=Realistic/Romantic
| images=[[:Category:Images by Alan Lee|Images by Alan Lee]]
| location=Dartmoor, Devon, UK
| website=
}}
'''Alan Lee''' is a renowned British artist. He has illustrated numerous [[J.R.R. Tolkien|Tolkien]] books and calendars. Together with [[John Howe]], Lee was a concept artist for both [[The Lord of the Rings (film series)|''The Lord of the Rings'']] and [[The Hobbit (film series)|''The Hobbit'' film series]].
==History==
Alan Lee was born in London, and attended the [[Wikipedia:Ealing|Ealing]] School of Art.<ref>[http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0496769/bio IMDb biography]</ref> At the advice of a friend, he read ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'' when he was 17, and it greatly influenced his professional work. He had at that time never heard of [[J.R.R. Tolkien]] or ''[[The Hobbit]]''.<ref>[http://einsiders.com/features/interviews/alanlee.php Interview], EInsiders.com.</ref> He moved to Dartmoor and married Marja Kruÿt. They have one daughter together, Virginia.<ref>[http://www.visionary-artist.co.uk/index.html Biography] of Marja Lee Kruÿt.</ref><ref>[http://www.herenistarion.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=37&Itemid=33 Interview], [[North East Tolkien Society|HerenIstarion.org]].</ref>

Alan has suffered many deaths in his lifetime, including his father's when he was only 13 years of age.

In his paintings, Lee uses watercolour. He describes his style as a combination of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Realism_(visual_arts) Realistic] and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romanticism Romantic].<ref>"Designing Middle-earth", [[The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring]], Extended Edition.</ref>

Through the publishers, Lee has communicated with [[Christopher Tolkien]] in an effort to ensure he is happy with his illustrations. Lee sent through drafts and had discussions with him about what subjects he did and did not wish to see depicted by Lee. For ''[[Beren and Lúthien]]'', Christopher asked Lee to refrain from depicting [[Morgoth]], as he believed a figure as powerful as the first Dark Lord is better left described or hinted towards in the text.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qabSVGRBkB8 Interview d'Alan Lee à l'occasion de la sortie française de Beren et Lúthien de J.R.R. Tolkien] by Association Tolkiendil, Nov 13, 2017</ref> Christopher once told Lee that his illustrations "didn’t change [my] father’s vision of Middle-earth, they just made it feel larger."<ref>{{webcite|author=Urulókë|articleurl=https://www.tolkienguide.com/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?post_id=27164|articlename=Illustrating Tolkien's Unfinished Tales - a chat with the artists|dated=30 Sep, 2020|website=TolkienGuide|accessed=1 December, 2025|archiveurl=|archivename=|archivedate=}}</ref>

===Peter Jackson's Middle-earth film series===
On [[13 November|November 13]], [[1997]], New Zealand filmmaker [[Peter Jackson]] sent a parcel containing [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0116344/ "Forgotten Silver"] and [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0110005/  "Heavenly Creatures"], and a letter explaining an upcoming movie project, then still for Miramax. Jackson was greatly inspired by Lee, and wanted him to be part of the crew. Lee watched the movies, and phoned back 3,5 hours later to say yes.<ref name="Lord of the Drawings">[http://www.bbc.co.uk/devon/content/articles/2006/01/23/alan_lee_feature.shtml "Lord of the Drawings"], BBC Interview.</ref> Three weeks later he flew to New Zealand, where he and [[John Howe]] joined the [[Weta Workshop]]. He would live in New Zealand for six years, before returning to Dartmoor.<ref name="designing">"Designing Middle-earth", [[The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers]], Extended Edition.</ref> His daughter Virginia also worked on the movie; one of her contributions was woodwork for the throne of [[Théoden]].<ref name="designing"/>

Lee has two cameos in ''The Lord of the Rings'' movies by Peter Jackson: he appears as the second from the right of the nine [[Nazgûl|Kings of Men]] in ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring|The Fellowship of the Ring]]'', along with John Howe, and as a man of [[Rohan]] at the armoury of the [[Hornburg]] in ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers|The Two Towers]]'', along with [[Dan Hennah]].

Lee expressed interest in working on ''The Hobbit'', and stated that "It would have to be a pretty special film to match the experience of working on The Lord of the Rings".<ref name="Lord of the Drawings"/> Lee was involved on work on [[The Hobbit (film series)|The Hobbit]], once again along with John Howe. 

Lee has one cameo too in ''The Hobbit'' movies by Peter Jackson: he appears as a man-musician of [[Lake-town|Laketown]] in ''[[The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug|The Desolation of Smaug]]'', along with John Howe.

Lee and Howe together drew the artwork of the cast at the end of ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King]]'' and ''[[The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies]]''. For ''The Battle of the Five Armies'', the sketching of the cast was split by nationality; John Howe drew [[Tauriel]] / [[Evangeline Lilly]], as they are both Canadian.{{fact}}

==Published artwork==
* [[1984]]: ''Castles'' (text by [[David Day]])
* [[1991]]: ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]''
* [[1992]]: ''[[Tolkien's World: Paintings of Middle-earth]]''
* [[1992]]: ''[[The Fellowship of the Ring]]''
* [[1992]]: ''[[The Two Towers]]''
* [[1992]]: ''[[The Return of the King]]''
* [[1993]]: ''[[The 1993 J.R.R. Tolkien Calendar|Tolkien Calendar]]
* [[1994]]: ''[[Tolkien's Ring]]''
* [[1994]]: ''[[Realms of Tolkien|Realms of Tolkien: Images of Middle-earth]]
* [[1997]]: ''[[The Hobbit]]''
* [[2005]]: ''[[The Lord of the Rings Sketchbook]]''
* [[2007]]: ''[[The Children of Húrin]]''
* [[2007]]: ''[[Tolkien Calendar 2007]]''
* [[2008]]: ''[[Tolkien Calendar 2008]]''
* [[2008]]: ''[[Tales from the Perilous Realm]]
* [[2017]]: ''[[Beren and Lúthien]]''
* [[2018]]: ''[[The Fall of Gondolin]]''
* [[2018]]: ''[[Tolkien Calendar 2019]]''
* [[2019]]: ''[[The Hobbit Sketchbook]]''
* [[2019]]: ''[[Tolkien Calendar 2020]]''
* [[2020]]: ''[[Tolkien Calendar 2021]]'' (with [[John Howe]] and [[Ted Nasmith]])
* [[2022]]: ''[[The Fall of Númenor (book)|The Fall of Númenor]]''
* [[2023]]: ''[[Tolkien Calendar 2024]]''
* [[2025]]: ''[[Tolkien Calendar 2026]]''
* [[2026]]: ''[[Tolkien Calendar 2027]]''

==Awards==
* [[1998]] - '''[http://www.worldfantasy.org/awards/1998.html World Fantasy Award]''', Best Artist. 
* [[2002]] - '''[http://www.nbrmp.org/ NBR Award]''', Best Production Design/Art Direction, ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring]]''
* [[2003]] - '''[http://www.vesawards.com/ VES Award]''', Best Effects Art Direction in a Motion Picture, ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers]]''
* [[2004]] - '''[http://www.oscars.org/ Academy Award]''', Best Art Direction-Set Decoration, ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King]]''
* [[2004]] -  '''[http://pressacademy.com/ Golden Satellite Award]''', Best Art Direction, ''Peter Jackson's The Return of the King''

==Bibliography, selected==
*[[2008]]: ''[[Tales from the Perilous Realm]]''
**"Afterword"
*[[2013]]: ''[[The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug: Chronicles: Art & Design]]''
**"Introduction"

==See also==
* [[:Category:Images by Alan Lee|Images by Alan Lee]]
* [[:Category:Images of Alan Lee|Images of Alan Lee]]

==External links==
*[http://www.tolkiensociety.org/2016/05/watch-alan-lee-discusses-his-artwork-at-the-tolkien-society-annual-dinner-2016/ Watch: Alan Lee discusses his artwork at the Tolkien Society Annual Dinner 2016] at [http://www.tolkiensociety.org/ Tolkiensociety.org]
* {{WP|Alan Lee (illustrator)|Alan Lee}}
* [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0496769/ Alan Lee] at [http://www.imdb.com IMDb]
{{references}}
{{IllustratorsHobbit}}
{{IllustratorsLOTR}}
{{IllustratorsCalendars}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lee, Alan}}
[[Category:Actors and actresses]]
[[Category:Artists]]
[[Category:British people]]
[[Category:People by name]]
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