Christopher Pickman - MEC Artist of the Month - May 2024

Welcome to the latest Artist Spotlight, featuring the extraordinary talent of Christopher "Pickman," a Chilean artist known for his hand-drawn, pencil-colored illustrations that transport us to the heart of Middle-earth. Christopher's unique style seamlessly integrates Tengwar scripts, giving his work an enchanting, book-like quality reminiscent of elvish lore. From his early fascination with Tolkien's world, sparked by his mother's reading of The Hobbit, to his upcoming project, "Lore of the Eldar" Christopher's art captures the essence of Tolkien's characters and landscapes with remarkable detail and authenticity.

Join me as I share more of Christopher’s story and showcase some of his extraordinary interpretations of Tolkien’s works. In this interview, he tells us a bit about his creative process, the inspiration behind his art, and his favorite Middle Earth characters. So let's dive in and get to know the talented artist behind these awesome creations!

Chris: My name is Christopher, Pickman is a nickname last name. I am a Chilean artist. I mainly illustrate the Work of JRR Tolkien.

Do you remember your first encounter with Middle Earth?

Chris: Of course, it is one of those things that changed my life. I remember coming from my room, when I was only eight years old, and finding my mother reading this curious book in the living room. It was The Hobbit, Minotauro Publishing. the one with the beautiful illustration of John Howe's Smaug on the cover. The look of the book blew my mind. It was full of runes, and strange words, and a map.

At that time my mother began by reading half of the book for me, then I continued alone: ​​I couldn't wait to find out what happened with the adventure. When I discovered The Lord of the Rings it was a journey of no return, it fascinated me, it filled my heart. I read the Silmarillion when I was thirteen and it was the most beautiful thing I had ever read.

How did you first get into creating Middle Earth-inspired art?

Chris: My first drawings were childhood sketches of how I imagined, for example, Gandalf or Aragorn. At a certain point in my life, it seemed to me that I needed to see more of Middle-earth, that there were places I needed to illustrate, or characters I wanted to see, and I embarked on the project of making a Silmarillion illustrated and written in Tengwar #LoreOfTheEldar is the name of the project. Somehow, too, drawing and painting this makes me feel closer to Middle Earth.

What aspects of Tolkien's works inspire your creations the most?

Chris: There is in Tolkien a very clear love for the earth, the natural world, the primary world. I think it reflects a love that I also feel for the primary world and its nature. the beauty of its characters. I always wanted to try to capture elven beauty in more or less realistic faces.

Can you describe your typical creative process from ideation to completion?

Chris: I usually imagine a more or less variable composition. This happens almost every time I read one of the books or a fragment of the work. I am usually very clear about what type of illustration it will be and everything that will be in it. so I first sketch most of the composition in graphite. I usually use anatomy or posture references (usually photos of my friends or me in role play) and some faces of friends or artists. Sometimes I start coloring before the pencil sketch is ready. There are times when the composition isn't completely clear, and it can take me a while to figure out how to finish it, but it's an entertaining process that keeps me wandering in Middle Earth.

Do you have any favorite tools, techniques, or materials you use in your creations?

Chris: I am a traditional artist. I work with graphite to sketch and polychrome pencils to color. Sometimes I complement with ink and watercolors. There is always music, and the books are nearby.

What is the most challenging piece you've created so far?

Chris:  I'm not sure. There are many works that have spanned a long time. There is one in particular, Luthien in Menegroth, which is not yet finished and the composition has not yet been fully revealed to me. I think the biggest difficulty I can experience is that. On the other hand, there are reproductions of the films that have been challenging.

Are there any other artists or creators who inspire your work?

Chris:  The works of John Howe and Alan Lee have accompanied me since my childhood, I think the work of Angus McBride and Katsushika Hokusai greatly influenced my style.

Any upcoming projects or collaborations related to Middle Earth?

Chris:  I am currently developing some rohan and bookmark works with characters from The Lord of the Rings. I've also been working on Lore of the Eldar for a few years: an illustrated Tengwar version of The Silmarillion.

Share a fun fact or something interesting about yourself that your followers might not know.

They probably know it. I play live role-playing and my alter ego is a Dunadan ranger captain from Gondor.

Favorite character(s) from Tolkien's legendarium?

Chris:  Fingolfin, Finrod, Túrin, Sam, Faramir.

Favorite Tolkien's book and movie adaptation?

Chris:  The Silmarillion, and the Extended Edition of the Lord of the Rings.

If you could visit any location in Middle Earth, where would it be and why?

Chris:  Beyond the wide seas of water and time to Tirion the Fair, and see the unimaginable hand and mind of Fëanor at work, when the White Tree and the Golden Tree yet flourished! -Gandalf sighed and remained silent." ~Tolkien

If you were to belong to any race in Middle Earth, which one would it be and why?

Chris:  I'm a dúnadan.

Would you be willing to take the ring to Mordor?

Chris: I don't think I'm strong enough to carry the Ring. I wouldn't take it.

I hope you enjoyed this short interview as much as I did. If you want to see more of Christopher's incredible artwork, click the links below. Trust me, you won't regret it.

👉 IG: 
https://www.instagram.com/pickmanarts/