APRIL FOOLS

From Weta Digital, comes this exciting press release about a certain something all fans of Sir Peter Jackson have missed…

Wellington, NZ (April 1st, 2013)–

In response to the lukewarm critical reception of “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey”, Peter Jackson has announced that he will begin wearing his eyeglasses again.

“It was a public image decision,” Jackson says. “Fran and Philippa and I sat down and brainstormed, trying to figure out why the critics had panned the first ‘Hobbit’ film, despite its commercial success. And then we suddenly realized it wasn’t the film at all! The critics weren’t saying it out loud, but subconsciously they missed the ‘old’ Peter Jackson. And that means they wanted to see the eyeglasses.”

While Jackson hasn’t worn glasses for years and no longer uses his old prescription, he has planned a workaround to the problem. “I can simply pop the lenses out of my old frames, and we’ll be good to go– that is, if I can find them!” he laughs.

But putting the glasses back on is only the first step. Plans are also underway to add glasses back on to all of the behind-the-scenes footage of Peter that has been shot for the Extended Edition DVDs.

Since Weta Digital is already too busy working on effects shots for films two and three, Richard Taylor and Weta Workshop have been placed in charge of the eyeglass project.

“We want fans to feel like they’ve returned to the film-making world they have become acquainted with,” Taylor says. “Realistically inserting eyeglasses into Peter’s interview shots and B-roll footage will add that final crucial element of familiarity that will make this a truly nostalgic behind-the-scenes experience for the extended DVDs.”

Using a recently perfected technique combining advanced facial-recognition software with a slave-motion camera rig, the glasses will be added to Peter’s face using green screens and carefully crafted models.

Taylor has already commissioned a special 18-inch wide “bigature” of Peter’s glasses to be used in the project. “The miniatures department had felt a bit neglected lately, and they were overjoyed to take this on. One has to appreciate the exquisite craftsmanship that is going into this model. Every screw and hinge, every curve of the frame is faithfully reproduced in larger-than-life detail.”

Weta Limited Edition replicas of the glasses will be available as a Comic Con Exclusive in July 2013.

Early fan reaction to the news so far has been positive, and representatives from Warner Bros. were optimistic as well, and in a statement have expressed confidence that the reintroduction of spectacles to Jackson’s image is the right way to go towards making up for the box office disappointment of “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey”.

Will the glasses really make a difference? What do you think? Sound off!

A long time friend of the site, Tim Kirk earned his Master’s Degree in Illustration from CSU Long Beach. His thesis project consisted of a serious of illustrations based on The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. 13 of these illustrations were later published by Ballantine Books as a calendar in 1975, the first by an illustrator other than Professor Tolkien. Tim has gone on to illustrate numerous children’s books, science fiction books, and magazines. He has won five prestigious Hugo awards and has worked as an Imagineer for Walt Disney.

Tim will be on hand to do quick sketches for anyone who brings books or calendars to be signed. He will also be offering signed and remarqued (with a sketch) prints of some of his Tolkien work for sale. As well, some of his original oil paintings in beautiful custom frames will be on display for all to admire.

Join us for ‘An Unexpected Art Show’ in Los Angeles, California on Friday, February 22, from 7 PM to 1 AM. All ages are welcome to attend. Children 12 and under get in free. A limited number of tickets are available for $15 online and $20 at the door. ‘An Unexpected Art Show’ will be held at Lot 613, a blank-canvas special events space in the Historic Arts District of Downtown Los Angeles, located at 613 Imperial Street. It’s all part of our Middle-earth Celebration weekend culminating with ‘The One Expected Party‘!

Purchase art show tickets today! –  Party tickets are also still available!

All ages are welcome to attend. Children 12 and under get in free. There is plenty of free street parking and an adjacent lot offers parking for $10. A limited number of tickets are available for $15 online and $20 at the door. Print and bring the above flyer for a $10 discount. There will be food and drinks for sale as well as a DJ set later in the evening.

Among the over 30 artists contributing work and attending in person are Tim Kirk, who illustrated the 1975 Tolkien Calendar — the first by an illustrator other than Professor Tolkien, and Jerry VanderStelt, an artist producing licensed reproductions for The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings films. Additional artists include Donato Giancola, Stephen Hickman, and Jay Johnstone. Purchase tickets today!

It’s all part of our Middle-earth Celebration weekend culminating with ‘The One Expected Party‘ on February 24th. Party tickets are still available!

Jay Johnstone has spent many years as a professional artist, but has only recently joined the ranks of the fine artists specifically associated with the works of J.R.R. Tolkien. Inspired by the idea that The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings had been transcribed from ancient manuscripts appealed to Jay. Using techniques from religious manuscripts, icon and fresco illustrations from the medieval period, Jay’s artwork uses a variety of mediums — oils, watercolors, acrylics, egg tempera with gold powder and leaf. Striking detail and traditional techniques give the impression of artwork that could have been produced in the real Middle-earth!

Jay has been hailed by Cor Blok and Ted Nasmith as a creative force meant to be seen years to come. He has in his supporters other well-known characters such as Ian Brodie and Christopher Paolini, and is in residence in the collections of Bernd Greisinger (Greisinger Museum, Jenins, Switzerland), Sir Richard Taylor and others, worldwide.

Join us for a night of artwork celebrating the influence of J.R.R. Tolkien in Los Angeles, California on Friday, February 22, from 7 PM to 1 AM. Children 12 and under are free! A limited number of tickets are available for $15 online and $20 at the door. ‘An Unexpected Art Show’ will be held at Lot 613, a blank-canvas special events space in the Historic Arts District of Downtown Los Angeles, located at 613 Imperial Street. Skip the line and purchase art show tickets online.

It’s all part of our Middle-earth Celebration weekend culminating with ‘The One Expected Party‘! Party tickets are still available.

Today’s spotlight turns to Hogan McLaughlin. Originally from Chicago, Illinois, Hogan began drawing at an early age. He eventually was given the opportunity to produce fashion pieces based on his highly detailed illustrations. The pieces were later featured in the windows of Barneys New York department store and on exhibit at The Museum at F.I.T. In September 2011, he released his first fashion collection to wide acclaim. Hogan has gone on to create custom pieces for Lady Gaga’s “Born This Way Ball” promotional images and garnered interest from various actresses, musicians, and models.

While fashion is happily his priority, Hogan continues to illustrate and has gained a following for his original pieces, as well as conceptualized interpretations of beloved characters created by J.R.R. Tolkien, George R.R. Martin, and many others. The work of Tolkien continues to be a driving inspiration in McLaughlin’s own work, in both art and fashion. Original illustrations by Hogan will be on display at ‘An Unexpected Art Show’.

Join us for a night of artwork celebrating the influence of J.R.R. Tolkien in Los Angeles, California on Friday, February 22, from 7 PM to 1 AM. Children 12 and under are free! A limited number of tickets are available for $15 online and $20 at the door. ‘An Unexpected Art Show’ will be held at Lot 613, a blank-canvas special events space in the Historic Arts District of Downtown Los Angeles, located at 613 Imperial Street. Purchase art show tickets online.

It’s all part of our Middle-earth Celebration weekend culminating with ‘The One Expected Party‘! Party tickets are still available.

Today’s spotlight turns to Cat Mallard. Cat is an artist with a lifelong love of mythology and fairy tales. Tolkien’s work is especially dear to her and she has created numerous ethereal pieces inspired by Middle-earth. Her illustrations and mixed media work have been featured in several publications including Somerset Studios and Better Homes and Gardens. Cat will have prints and originals for sale at “An Unexpected Art Show”, including a new watercolor “Luthien”, created for the show.

Join us for ‘An Unexpected Art Show’ in Los Angeles, California on Friday, February 22, from 7 PM to 1 AM. Children 12 and under are free! A limited number of tickets are available for $15 online and $20 at the door. ‘An Unexpected Art Show’ will be held at Lot 613, a blank-canvas special events space in the Historic Arts District of Downtown Los Angeles, located at 613 Imperial Street. Purchase art show tickets online.

It’s all part of our Oscar Celebration weekend culminating with ‘The One Expected Party‘! Party tickets are still available.

‘The Last March of the Ents’ LEGO model recreates the epic storming of Saruman’s stronghold depicted in The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers and directly inspired by the artwork of Alan Lee. The base of the model contains many details familiar to fans of the movie including an ent on fire, water flooding Isengard, and Treebeard leading the charge with Merry and Pippin holding on tight.

This is likely to be the last time this creation will be on display publicly. There will also be some new original LEGO creations on display from the members of OneLug, in addition to ‘The Last March of the Ents’. If you don’t want to miss seeing this incredible work of art in person or any of the other wonderful artwork that will be on display, buy a ticket to the art show today!

Join TheOneRing.net for ‘An Unexpected Art Show’ in Los Angeles, California on Friday, February 22, from 7 PM to 1 AM. All ages are welcome to attend. Celebrating The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings and J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth, ‘An Unexpected Art Show’ will feature inspired art pieces — from paintings, drawings, and illustrations to prints — from a variety of artists. A limited number of tickets are available for $15 online and $20 at the door. ‘An Unexpected Art Show’ will be held at Lot 613, a blank-canvas special events space in the Historic Arts District of Downtown Los Angeles, located at 613 Imperial Street.

It’s all part of our Oscar Celebration weekend culminating with ‘The One Expected Party’! Tickets to ‘The One Expected Party’ are still available!

Donato creates truly stunning oil paintings blending Renaissance craftsmanship with the inspiring world of J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth. As John Howe himself said in 2010,

“There’s more to Donato Giancola’s art than just a pretty face. Underneath the incredibly meticulous surface of his paintings is concealed a love of perspective and form, an intimate understanding of the human body, a historian’s knowledge of costume and armour, an infallible sense of implicit narrative, visual storytelling and mythical history. It’s just that you’re so rapt gazing at all the mind-blowingly pretty bits that you tend to miss it. Look again. There’s a lot more to see.”

Donato will be on hand with limited edition giclée prints available including his newest commission, an incredibly detailed portrait of J.R.R. Tolkien himself.

Join us for ‘An Unexpected Art Show’ in Los Angeles, California on Friday, February 22, from 7 PM to 1 AM. All ages are welcome to attend. A limited number of tickets are available for $15 online and $20 at the door. ‘An Unexpected Art Show’ will be held at Lot 613, a blank-canvas special events space in the Historic Arts District of Downtown Los Angeles, located at 613 Imperial Street. It’s all part of our Oscar Celebration weekend culminating with ‘The One Expected Party‘!

Purchase art show tickets today! –  Party tickets are also still available!

Jerry VanderStelt is an acclaimed artist who has done various licensed print work for The Lord of the Rings and other properties like Star Wars, Indiana Jones, and Star Trek. Jerry has also been teasing us for weeks now, finally revealing his incredible licensed print for The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (pending approval.) We will be auctioning off three limited edition lithographs from his The Lord of the Rings trilogy series. Jerry will also be on hand to sell his limited edition prints, giclées as well as canvas edition prints.

Join us for ‘An Unexpected Art Show’ in Los Angeles, California on Friday, February 22, from 7 PM to 1 AM. All ages are welcome to attend. A limited number of tickets are available for $15 online and $20 at the door. ‘An Unexpected Art Show’ will be held at Lot 613, a blank-canvas special events space in the Historic Arts District of Downtown Los Angeles, located at 613 Imperial Street. It’s all part of our Oscar Celebration weekend culminating with ‘The One Expected Party‘!

Purchase art show tickets today! –  Party tickets are also still available!

Among the over 20 artists contributing work and attending in person are Tim Kirk, who illustrated the 1975 Tolkien Calendar — the first by an illustrator other than Professor Tolkien, Jerry VanderStelt, who has been teasing us with his upcoming licensed print for The Hobbit, and Donato Giancola, known for his acclaimed Renaissance style paintings of Middle-earth. Also on display will be ‘The Last March of the Ents’ from OneLug. This epic LEGO® creation features an 8 ft. diameter base and the Tower of Orthanc standing 228 LEGO® Bricks (7ft. 2in.) tall depicting a battle scene featuring 23 Ents and 100+ Orcs.

All ages are welcome to attend. A limited number of tickets are available for $15 online and $20 at the door. ‘An Unexpected Art Show’ will be held at Lot 613, a blank-canvas special events space in the Historic Arts District of Downtown Los Angeles, located at 613 Imperial Street. Purchase tickets today!

TheOneRing.net presents An Unexpected Art Show to be held in Los Angeles, California on Friday, February 22, from 7pm to 1am. Live auction will be held at 9pm with selected artwork. The Art Show is being held at Lot 613, a blank-canvas special events space in the Arts District of Downtown Los Angeles. Lot 613 is located at 613 Imperial Street, Los Angeles.

All ages are welcome to enter the Art Show and to attend the event. There will be food and beverages available for a modest price. A limited number of tickets are available for $15 online in advance, and $20 at the door. Purchase art show tickets today!

Information and Rules for Artists

Please reserve your display space in advance. All material that is pre-registered and pre-paid will be displayed.

ART SHOW FEES: Space may be reserved by artists for a small reservation fee (see Registration Form). Free standing displays are allowed with prearrangement. There is a 15% commission charged on all sold artwork, including any artwork that is a print. All sales of artwork paid by credit card may be subject to an additional 2.75% processing fee.

PRINTS: TheOneRing.net encourages the sale of originals and prints, priced accordingly. All prints sold are also subject to a 15% commission fee, and will be sold by TheOneRing.net and Art Show staff. Prints may be mounted in space reserved by artist and if sold, may be replaced with additional prints by Art Show staff.

MAIL-IN ART: We will be accepting a limited amount of mail-in art. Please make note upon registration if you need to mail-in your artwork. The shipping address will be sent out once space has been reserved. We will accept mail-in entries up to February 15, 2013. Please utilize reusable cartons and sufficient packing materials. Please specify which service (UPS, USPS, etc.) you wish used to return your art and the exact amount of insurance, if any. If no special instructions are given, art will be returned via UPS with no insurance. If art is sold, the return postage will be deducted on amount of artwork sold. If art is not sold or sales do not cover the cost of shipping, we will contact you with the postage amount which can be paid via PayPal.

PAYMENT AND DEADLINES: Payment for all fees must be made by PayPal in U.S. funds. All payments and the registration form must be received by February 1, 2013. If space fills, we will have a waiting list for available space in case of cancellations. Please let us know as soon as possible if your status (attending, mail-in, canceling, etc.) suddenly changes. Cancellations must be submitted by February 1, 2013 to receive a refund. If an artist that is pre-registered and pre-paid is not at the show by Friday 6pm, their space will be resold to the next person on the waiting list unless the artist has made prior arrangements with the Art Show Director.

GENERAL INFORMATION: Payments will be mailed to artists 3 to 12 weeks after the show. The time delay is necessary to allow for the processing of charge cards and for delivering and collecting on sold art that is abandoned at the show. Buyers will be allowed to pay with cash, credit card, or personal checks with sufficient identification. Be prepared for the Art Show staff to handle your sold artwork.

General Art Show Rules

1. Artwork should be your original interpretation of a Hobbit, Lord of the Rings, or Tolkien related theme. Subject matter must not violate existing copyrights or trademarks. This means no direct copies of any of the actors from the films in character, or the animated version of characters, or from any of the published artworks currently in existence. If you have a verified license with New Line and Warner Bros, please specify.

2. We reserve the right to refuse the exhibition of any piece for any reason. Works that are judged to be libelous, plagiaristic, obscene, or detrimental to the value of trademarked characters will not be permitted. If mailing in artwork, before submitting your registration please send photos of your artwork so that we can approve entries prior to shipping.

3. All two-dimensional artwork must be matted, mounted, or framed. Attending artists and agents can hang their own art. Framed, matted, or mounted artwork must be ready to hang. If you are mailing in art, please include a diagram of how you wish your art to be displayed in your space. Please include a price tag or allow enough room to attach a price tag to adequately display each item. See rule 5 below.

4. Small 3-D items like jewelry or miniatures should be securely fastened to a large display board or other secure means. Each artist presenting small items is responsible to provide the appropriate securing means. We are not responsible for theft or damage to pieces displayed.

5. All artwork must be clearly labeled.

a. Once an artist sends in their entry and reservation form and fee payment, they will be sent Price Tags and Control Sheets.
b. A Price Tag must be prepared for all pieces, whether for sale or not, that includes the title of the piece and the medium used (pastels, pencil, oil, acrylic, etc.)
c. The title and artist’s name and contact address must be on the back of each piece or print. This can be accomplished with a return address label or business card.

6. Prices of artwork may not be changed during the show without the express approval of the Art Show Director.

7. The Art Show staff will begin set up on Thursday, February 21 between the hours of 12pm-8pm. Artists may also arrive on Friday, the day of the show starting at 3pm. If you have prepaid and arrive during set up on Thursday and Friday to assist in Art Show setup, you will receive your preferred selection of space within certain restrictions. If you are unable to reclaim your artwork at the close of the Art Show, please make prior arrangements with the Art Show Director.

8. Artists should plan to pick up their unsold artwork at the close of the show, Friday 1am or between the hours of 8am-10am on Saturday, February 23.

9. We will charge a 15% sales commission on all pieces sold in the Art Show. Please allow for this when calculating your Sale Price.

10. A limited number of pieces will be selected by Art Show staff to be sold in a live auction at 9pm during the day of the Art Show. Bidding will start at the sale price set by each artist. If a piece of artwork remains unsold after the live auction, it will be placed back on display for regular sale for the remainder of the Art Show.

If you have any questions or need more information we can be reached at alyse@theonering.net (be sure to include as much information as possible). If you would like to make a reservation for space in the Art Show, please use the Registration Form. Thank you for your cooperation and interest in participating!