The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, Chronicles: Art & Design

Hobbit fans, some exciting news coming out of New Zealand this week, the announcement of the latest The Hobbit Chronicles book for the upcoming installment, the Desolation of Smaug. The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, Chronicles: Art & Design explores and celebrates the creative vision of the second film in Academy Award®-winning filmmaker Peter Jackson’s trilogy adaptation of J.R.R Tolkien’s The Hobbit. This lavish volume follows Bilbo, Gandalf and Thorin’s Company of Dwarves eastward, through hitherto unseen regions of Middle-earth, on their quest to reclaim the lost realm of Erebor from the Dragon Smaug. Exploring the design and development of the environments, cultures, creatures and artefacts encountered by the characters, its 224 pages are filled with more than 1,000 stunning images of conceptual art, supplementary photographs and detailed commentary provided by the film’s cast and crew. Click ahead to read about the details of the book, plus learn how you can get autographed copies and even win some cool prizes from WETA!

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, Chronicles: Art & Design

The book showcases art by the film’s concept art directors Alan Lee and John Howe, alongside work by other artists from:

• Weta Workshop
• Weta Digital
• 3 Foot 7 Art Department
• 3 Foot 7 Costume Department
• 3 Foot 7 Make-up Department

It truly is a unique opportunity to see artwork by a wide range of artists across a multitude of disciplines in the film-making community of Wellington, New Zealand and to hear directly from them about the inspiration behind their work.

In addition to artist quotes, cast members reflect on the work and share insights into their involvement in the design process.

The book includes an introduction by The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug’s concept art director Alan Lee and a foreword by the film’s set decorator Ra Vincent.

As a bonus feature, unique to this book, there is a special fold-out replica of the portrait of the Master of Lake-town, played by Stephen Fry, exactly as it appears in the film.

Compiled by Weta Workshop senior concept designer Daniel Falconer, this is the third book inThe Hobbit Chronicles series and it has been created in full collaboration with key members of the production’s creative team to ensure the most comprehensive and authentic film companion possible.

The new book follows hot on the heels of the previous two books in Weta’s series:

• The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, Chronicles: Art and Design
• The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, Chronicles: Creatures and Characters

As the previous volumes, the book will be published as an embossed hardcover edition without dustjacket.

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, Chronicles: Art & Design

Every order for The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, Chronicles: Art and Design from wetaNZ.com receives a reward worth US$10, US$15 or US$50. They are randomly allocated to each order like this:

• 1 in 3 chance to receive US$10 off a
  1 Bagshot Row Hobbit Hole
• 1 in 3 chance to receive US$15 off a
  Bombur the Dwarf Barrel Rider
• 1 in 3 chance to receive US$50 off a
  Kili the Dwarf 1/6 scale statue

PLUS: Thirteen Prizes

Among the Dragon’s Gold lurks a number of prizes! When they receive their email and check their code, thirteen lucky customers will instead discover they have won one of the following prizes:

• In a hole in the ground… T-shirt – 10 available (value US$29.99 ea)
• Tauriel’s Daggers Limited Edition – launches in October – 1 available (value US$149)
• Ring of Thorin Oakenshield – 1 available (value US$189)
• Bofur the Dwarf 1/6 scale statue – 1 available (value US$249)

Please Note:

Prizes are allocated randomly and Weta cannot swap one prize for another.

One prize is allocated per order.

All codes are unique and can only be redeemed once.

All offers are subject to availability.

All offers and prizes must be claimed before 28 Feb 2014.

 

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, Chronicles: Art & Design