Gandalf returnes - Hildebrandt brothers Tolkien second calendar, my stories about illustrators:)

I made a pause in this post series, and now I want to resume it. After all there are not much illustrations left to talk about. And some interesting pieces are still to watch. So, a quick reminder - here we go throught Second Tolkien calendar created by two artists, Greg and Tim Hildebrandt, two brothers. All the illustration additional materials are taken from the Gred Hildebrandt Junior book "Years with Tolkien"... And my thoughts and comments, cause sharing Tolkien-related art is one of the things I do here:)

So, the next illustration in the calendar is "Gandalf returnes":

Here we have a nearly perfect composition. We (you and me:) are casual observers, we hide behind the trees, and accidently see the happening miracle. Gandalf appears in the rays of light, and we witness the effect he exerts on Legolas, Gimli and Aragorn (who still have mustage and looks more like D'Artagnan from the "Three musketeer". OMG.) By the way here Gimli lost his hood and how looks a bit strange too.

Why I called the composition"nearly" perfect? Cause the eye-leading lines from Gandalf are broken with the lines of heroes weapon. But may be it's an idea in it: Gandalf resists the atack, while friends had not yet recognized him.

By the way the other version of composition also deserves attention. Here is the sketch made by Greg Hildebrandt:

By theway it's also an interestion solution. Here we (you and me:) would be a part of fellowship that meets Gandalf in the forest. So it's all about point of view. Whiсh one do you like better?

And as always I affix a reference sheet. You noticed?:) It's still the same man, the friend of the family poses for Gandalf, like on all the other illustrations from the both calendars that include this character:

Thank you for watching:)

Love, Inber