First let me post a larger 'Frodo Greeting Gandalf - FOTR' card for Chris that has recently been mentioned here...it's a really 'warm' sketch that is such a seminal moment in The Fellowship as it really sets the stage for the close bond and genuine friendship between Frodo and Gandalf...that first film is my personal favorite as it is here you really get a flavor for this new and unique universe that Tolkien (and Jackson) have created...and...you are introduced to, and fall immediately in love with...the Shire and Hobbits and gardening and pipeweed and the magic of this entire good vs. evil epic...and a scene like this is such an innocent one...just before EVIL enters the fray.
Next...Jackie and Kelly...glad to see Jake Myler get the credit he deserves for such beautiful and daring work in this Masterpieces set...
Kelly, your Gandalf especially is really hauntingly beautiful...(and I love your entire color thrust in LOTRM collecting...some truly great cards!)
...and Jackie...wow, the Gandalf capturing the Moth and the wispy Raith (top right) are riviting pieces and Jake's aftermarket work in Evolution is the best you can get!
In Evolution, I was able to pick up 45 Myler sketch cards (there was a time when these were going for under $15 each, in fact I got at least a half a dozen for under $10 way back when/then) and had 23 of them aftermarket colored...and each and every one was really carefully worked and absolutely stunning (check them out on the Scoundrel forums which you can get to via
www.lotrsketchcards.com...find the Scoundrel link in the opening written intro...then once on the Scoundrel boards scroll to LOTR Evolution...and find the Jake Myler Aftermarket Topic that I posted...all the AM's I had him do are up there)...I've only got 5 this time around, am always looking for more and will post pics soon.
And last but not least...I love these sketch cards...I've posted this here on the Yak Shack when Evolution first came out...I loved the simple line drawings (even rushed to the defense of the infamous Gutz Uruk-Hai sketch), loved the pencil toned portraits and obviously loved the full color minature mini-masterworks...and was able to acquire at least one sketch card from each of the 47 artists in the Evolution set.
As I was part of this new Masterpieces set, this was truly a special set for me...I sent submissions to Topps when I first heard that this Masterpieces set was going to be produced and still can't really believe that they responded so positively to those submissions by allowing me the opportunity to actually do 156 (and then 162) sketch cards for what has turned out to be...in my opinion...one outstanding sketch card set, with every one of the 67 artists (plus #68...Kayanan) producing really interesting and idiosyncratic work...each with their own individualistic approach to either great classic portrature, satirically hilarious and sublime caricature, and/or personal scene-oriented epic imagery...all of it rather breathtaking considering most of these sketch cards had to be completed in either the original 20 day barrage (that's what I had to do) or the added few weeks for additional sketches. The artists that put their all into this set...did so...because they genuinely love The Lord of the Rings...both the written words of Tolkien's grand epic and the cinematic universe that Peter Jackson has created in his Trilogy...and, as a collector...I really am indebted to each and every artist in this Masterpieces set for allowing me the opportunity to put together such a great collection of mini-artworks that I will look at...at look after..."until my dying day."
And it is also special because, as of Friday 12/01, I've completed the 67 artist Masterpieces set also...and this was no small feat as quite a few artists did relatively low numbers of sketches...Walks could only create 21 beautiful portraits, Justin Chung, 56...McCrae, 56...Hodgkins, 56...DeLiz, 80...etc.
I wasn't lucky enough to pull one of those 6 Kayanans from my cases and don't think I'll ever be able to afford prying one away from the SUPER COLLECTORS that have managed to collect all 68 artists...the MASTER Sketch card collection ...but this is as good as you can get...especially on an educator/artists salary (thank god I can sell some of my baseball cards to fund this obsessive compulsive beautiful art inspired addiction!)
So I'm happy and broke...and am really thrilled to be a part of my own collection (hehehe)...
Hope everyone has a great buildup to a wonderful Holiday season...and that you all remain in good heath and spirits...
