2016 Tolkien Calendar Illustrated by Tove Jansson

According to The Tolkien Society, the Official Tolkien Calendar for 2016 will be released tomorrow, July 30, 2015. The calendar is illustrated by Tove Jansson, a Finnish visual artist and author.

Tolkien Calendar 2016. HarperCollins.
Tolkien Calendar 2016. HarperCollins.

Jansson (1914-2001) is best known as the creator of Moomins. However, she also illustrated Swedish translations of The Hobbit and Lewis Carroll’s The Hunting of the Snark and Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Some of these illustrations were later used in Finnish translations.

Jansson's illustrations for early Swedish and Finnish translations of The Hobbit. The estate of Tove Jansson, via Tolkien Library.
Jansson’s illustrations for early Swedish and Finnish translations of The Hobbit. The estate of Tove Jansson, via Tolkien Library.

The publisher’s description of the calendar reads:

“Jansson illustrated The Hobbit in 1961 for the Swedish and Finnish editions, creating a dozen enchanting full page drawings plus many smaller vignette pieces. Never before published in an English-language edition, the 2016 calendar contains all twelve of these illustrations, many of the vignettes, and a full-colour centrefold featuring her dramatic cover painting of Smaug attacking the Dwarves. The calendar is introduced by Tolkien expert and author Brian Sibley, who corresponded with the artist and provides insightful commentary regarding the genesis of the illustrations and Jansson’s tireless work continuing to build the world of The Moomins. The Official Tolkien Calendar has been an established publishing event for Tolkien fans and Hobbit collectors for the last four decades, and the 2016 edition will continue to delight and surprise.”

 

Subtle Dragon Street Art

Love this small, understated mural of a dragon descending the stairs by Spanish street artist Pejac:

Pejac Tagger
Pejac.

It is located in Hong Kong Central, on Hollywood Road 97. Plenty more to see on his website!

Out There is an occasional feature highlighting intriguing art, spaces, places, phenomena, flora, and fauna.

Painted Mechanized Fauna

Among other projects, Swiss artist, graphic designer, and illustrator Remo Lienhard (aka Wes21) produces large-scale public art and designs that combine natural elements with science fiction.

Remo Lienhard: Journey, 2014.
Remo Lienhard: Journey, 2014.
Remo Lienhard: Kolosskalmar, 2014.
Remo Lienhard: Kolosskalmar, 2014.

His style resembles 1980s sci-fi illustrations, but the joining of mechanical parts and buildings with humongous bugs and sea animals, for example, is new. (New to me, at least.)

The piece below gives quite a literal meaning to the old Finnish joke about our national air force consisting of mosquitoes:

Remo Lienhard: Mosquitoes Down, 2014.
Remo Lienhard: Mosquitoes Down, 2014.

I got a good chuckle out of that one. 🙂

I recommend having a look at Lienhard’s website. Apart from the works with sci-fi elements, there is so much to admire.

Found via Colossal.

Out There is an occasional feature highlighting intriguing art, spaces, places, phenomena, flora, and fauna.