Ted Nasmith

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ted Nasmith, 2005

Ted Nasmith (* 1956 in Goderich ( Canada )) is a Canadian illustrator and artist. Along with John Howe and Alan Lee, he is considered one of the most important illustrators of the works of JRR Tolkien .

Life

Ted Nasmith was born in Goderich, Canada. His father was in the Royal Canadian Air Force . As with most Canadians, his childhood was marked by constant changes of location. He lived for three years in Longuyon in France , near the German border, as a result of his father's stationing there. In the mid-1960s, he then moved to Don Mills , a suburb of Toronto .

Upon entering high school, he was advised to enroll in a commercial arts program. Before that, he saw his habit of constantly drawing pictures as just a hobby. The excellent learning environment at the high school gave him the opportunity to work in many artistic fields. This ultimately gave him more confidence in his artistic abilities.

In 1971, during his third year of high school, he read The Lord of the Rings for the first time on the recommendation of his sister JRR Tolkien . From now on, this book has a new focus in his life. After his high school graduation, he soon began training as a draftsman (architectural renderer). He got this job because he had a certain talent for this kind of illustration.

He was now beginning to see how Tolkien's work had profoundly influenced him and led to many things that were important to him today. It awakened in him a sleeping love of forgotten times, myths and legends. Since childhood he had not felt that feeling of homesickness, which he had unconsciously suppressed through the events of the intervening years. He immediately began painting scenes inspired by the magical and mystical flair of these realms, which he was drawn into for hours. Tolkien and the drawings had a huge impact on him. His enthusiasm for painting scenes from the Tolkien universe never seemed to end.

With the support of friends and family for his drawings of The Lord of the Rings , he eventually dreamed of his work being published, especially in one of the Tolkien calendars that appear annually. But this idea seemed unrealistic and almost impossible to him. Small attempts ended in friendly rejections. The publication of the Tolkien calendars from 1976, 1977 and 1978 by the Hildebrandt brothers, however, spurred him on again to work seriously towards publication, because their work was realistic and detailed. However, he felt that he could outdo their work with his own. Their work then helped him to find his own style and interpretations.

At that time, in the mid-1980s, he became a member of the Tolkien Society. With their encouragement behind him, he tried Tolkien's publishers again. This time he got a positive answer and they offered him to reprint four of his works on the 1987 calendar. This was the long-awaited breakthrough. To get from this calendar to other calendars was now much easier. Four more publications followed in the 1988 calendar. In 1990, his dream of a calendar completely illustrated by him became a reality. Other calendars followed in 1992 and 1996. In addition, his work was used for the covers of the paperback editions of The Hobbit as well as for The Lord of the Rings . In 1996, shortly after his return from England, he received a request from Tolkien's publishers whether he would be interested in the illustration of the Silmarillion . The publication of the completely re-illustrated edition of the Silmarillion in 1998 proved to be another important step towards recognition as a Tolkien artist. The Lord of the Rings remains his first love, on the basis of which he illustrated the 3 consecutive Tolkien calendars for 2002 ( The Companions ), 2003 ( The Two Towers ) and 2004 ( The Return of the King ).

Ted Nasmith works today as a freelance architectural draftsman and illustrator for Tolkien's books and other works. He lives in Toronto, Canada with his wife and three children.

Quote on Tolkien's work

" It's difficult to describe exactly what informs my interest in Tolkien, but suffice it to say quite simply that I have a powerful affinity with his writing, so full of vast, lost, misty expanses and its unique mixture of the familiar and strange. "

Memberships

  • Member of the Tolkien Society
  • Member of the Mythopoeic Society

Works

Books, sole illustrator

Books, participating illustrator

  • Realms of Tolkien: Images of Middle-earth, 1996, USA, ( ISBN 0061055328 )
  • Tolkien's World: Paintings of Middle-earth 1998, ( ISBN 1567312489 ), 10 pictures
  • The Silmarillion Poster Collection, 1998, UK, ( ISBN 0261103768 ), 6 posters
  • Tolkien's Middle-Earth and Monsters Postcard Book, 2002, USA, ( ISBN 0007142595 )

Tolkien Calendar

  • Tolkien Calendar 1987, USA, 4 images
  • Tolkien Calendar 1988, USA, 4 images
  • Tolkien Calendar 1990, USA, 12 images
  • Tolkien Calendar 1992, USA, 12 images
  • Tolkien Calendar 1996, USA, 12 images
  • Tolkien Calendar 2000, USA, 12 images
  • Tolkien Calendar 2002 (The Fellowship), USA, ( ISBN 0066211549 ), 12 images
  • Tolkien Diary 2002 (The Fellowship), USA, ( ISBN 0066211530 ), 12 images
  • Tolkien Calendar 2003 (The Two Towers), USA, ( ISBN 0060086564 ), 12 images
  • Tolkien Diary 2003 (The Two Towers), USA, ( ISBN 0060086556 ), 12 images
  • Tolkien Calendar 2004 (The Return Of The King), USA, ( ISBN 0060554193 ), 12 images
  • Tolkien Diary 2004 (The Return Of The King), USA, ( ISBN 0060554215 ), 12 images

music

  • The Hidden Door: Songs in the Key of Enchantment, 2012, 11 tracks

Other works

  • Puzzle: Arwen's Choice, 1997
  • The Way is Shut (# 30501), 1997
  • The Hobbit Board Game: The Defeat of the Evil Dragon Smaug
  • The Lord of the Rings Collectible Plates
  • The Lord of the Rings Trivia Game, 2003

Web links

personal data
SURNAME Nasmith, Ted
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Canadian illustrator and artist
DATE OF BIRTH 1956
PLACE OF BIRTH Goderich , Canada