iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Joel Merriner @joelmerriner.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

Really enjoyed chatting all things Tolkien illustration with the most excellent Alan Lee. Thanks to the brilliant folks at @tolkienguide.com for inviting me on!

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Joel Merriner @joelmerriner.bsky.social · 23/08/2026

Available to read on my Substack Release The Wargs now...From An Antiquarian's Casebook: The Blackthorn Tree. A short tale of Cornish folk horror 💀 joelmerriner.substack.com/p/from-an-an...

joelmerriner.substack.com

From An Antiquarian’s Casebook: The Blackthorn Tree

Folk Magic and Murder on Cornwall’s Wild Moor

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Joel Merriner @joelmerriner.bsky.social · 20/08/2026

Current work in progress…Hedgerow Adventurer with flaming torch and weasel-forged, wavy dagger. Acrylic on paper. Lots more detail and shading to be applied here but he’s starting to take shape.

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Joel Merriner @joelmerriner.bsky.social · 13/08/2026

The Witch-king wishes he'd picked a bigger winged steed... No, wait this is the Arthurian Knight Morien (1901) by Caroline Watts #Tolkien #fantasy

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Joel Merriner @joelmerriner.bsky.social · 09/08/2026

Weekend Wyvern sketch - pencil with some blue lines. He's a little, raggedy one, but mean with it 🔥

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Joel Merriner @joelmerriner.bsky.social · 04/08/2026

From the early days of #Tolkien illustration the innovative, colourful images of Hugo awarding winning fantasy/sci fi elder Tim Kirk shine out like Gondorian beacons. Here's one of my favourites, Frodo, Sam and Gimli peering into the starry depths of Mirrormere (c.1974).

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Joel Merriner @joelmerriner.bsky.social · 29/07/2026

Hitting the alcohol markers again...Mordor Orc Archer, quick and blocky colour sketch 💀 👁️#Tolkien

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Joel Merriner @joelmerriner.bsky.social · 27/07/2026

Saruman in Orthanc as Treebeard and Quickbeam look on. No wait, this is pole-dwelling Luke the Stylite from the c. 11th century book Menologion of Basil II. #Tolkien

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Joel Merriner @joelmerriner.bsky.social · 23/07/2026

Bored Éowyn waits for Théoden to snap out of it. No wait, this is the King and Queen from the 12th century Lewis chess set. #Tolkien

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Joel Merriner @joelmerriner.bsky.social · 21/07/2026

Available to read now on my Substack Release the Wargs - The Power of Mordor? Reading Roger Garland’s Battle of Pelennor Fields. It's an oldie, but a goodie 😉 #Tolkien open.substack.com/pub/joelmerr...

open.substack.com

The Power of Mordor?

Reading Roger Garland’s Battle of Pelennor Fields.

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Joel Merriner @joelmerriner.bsky.social · 18/07/2026

The Black Riders party post-Weathertop. No wait, it's Dance of Death by Michael Wolgemut (1493). #Tolkien

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Joel Merriner @joelmerriner.bsky.social · 16/07/2026

Quick alcohol marker sketch for an upcoming painting - Hedgerow Mage with Spider Accomplice🕷️🕸️

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Joel Merriner @joelmerriner.bsky.social · 15/07/2026

And the award for Creepiest Dragon of the Day goes to... Glaurung (1981) by the late, great Roger Garland. If you're old enough you'll remember this one from the cover of the 1982 Unfinished Tales paperback by Unwin. A truly weird and icky Great Worm emerges from a sphincter-like gate #Tolkien 😱

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Joel Merriner @joelmerriner.bsky.social · 13/07/2026

Besides fantasy I used to paint a lot of wildlife, and this is a subject I'm hoping to return to now that I've got a bit more time to flex the old paintbrushes. Here's one I did for a commission, a Bengal Tiger (oils on canvas) with a particularly intense, Derren Brown-like gaze. Look into my eyes 😵‍💫

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Joel Merriner @joelmerriner.bsky.social · 11/07/2026

Read about Sergei Iukhimov's weird and wonderful faux-art history of Middle-earth on my Substack now. In a quick excerpt from my book we discuss The Bilbo Book, the Dushanchik family of Tower Hills and the Sauron-loving Murderers (among others!). joelmerriner.substack.com/p/the-bilbo-...

joelmerriner.substack.com

The Bilbo Book and Other Stories

Sergei Iukhimov's Art History of Middle-earth

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Joel Merriner @joelmerriner.bsky.social · 09/07/2026

On the subject of new projects I'll be kicking off my Substack Release the Wargs! shortly where I'll be combining my customary #Tolkien art history rambles with snippets of fiction, book updates and random fantasy art stuff. First post should be up soon, subscribe if you can stand the howling 🐺🤪

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Joel Merriner @joelmerriner.bsky.social · 08/07/2026

So, after nearly ten years I've officially left HE teaching. It's been good, but it's time for a change. Luckily I've got some exciting new projects to throw myself into. Firstly, I'm writing a new book, a (🤞) funny tale about '80s fantasy fandom called Chaotic Good Guy...1/2 (Art: John Blanche)

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Joel Merriner @joelmerriner.bsky.social · 21/05/2026

It's Angus McBride #Tolkien time again and as always our man creates a killer MERP cover image. From Mount Gundabad (1989) we have this awesome Big Boss Guy complete with ravening orc hordes and💀face horse. Loving the jaunty pose btw, plus this season's must-have helm & sunglasses combo 🕶️ #Tolkien

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Joel Merriner @joelmerriner.bsky.social · 19/05/2026

The paperback version of my book Illustrating The Lord of the Rings in the Soviet Bloc is available to pre-order on Amazon now www.amazon.co.uk/Illustrating... Sadly the PB release date isn't until 18th March 2027 (🤪) but in the meantime here's some Yassen Panov to get you in the mood #Tolkien

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Joel Merriner @joelmerriner.bsky.social · 17/04/2026

For Friday, a question... Which Nazgûl are you? (I'm top right at the back, if you're asking 😜💀) Art by the awesome Allan Curless (c.1979)

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Joel Merriner @joelmerriner.bsky.social · 03/04/2026

Thrilled to have been shortlisted for best book category for my book Illustrating The Lord of the Rings in the Soviet Bloc 😄

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Joel Merriner @joelmerriner.bsky.social · 24/03/2026

One for Tuesday - Thingol presents the Dragon-helm of Dor-lómin to sulky kid Túrin by Denis Gordeev (c. 2010). In a typically rich Gordeev composition, it's the fabrics, surfaces and gilded metals that really shine. Some great facial expressions too, but watch that slippery floor folks! #Tolkien

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Joel Merriner @joelmerriner.bsky.social · 12/03/2026

For my new book project I've been revisiting my first encounter with #Tolkien art. It came via his own Death of Smaug (c. 1936), as seen on a 1967 Hobbit bought at my school jumble in 1981. No blurb on this cover, just a list of epic Unwin titles such as D.H. Fink Release from Nervous Tension 😁 📚💙

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Joel Merriner @joelmerriner.bsky.social · 08/03/2026

A bit of Sunday Nerdery for you - recurring medieval motif I-IV Notre-Dame - rose window pattern accents (c. 1250) Edward Johnston - decorative page border (1906) #Tolkien - Glorund sets forth to seek Túrin border (1927) Moe Szyslak - Icelandic jumper in The Saga of Carl (2013)

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Joel Merriner @joelmerriner.bsky.social · 26/02/2026

Every now and again I feel obliged to repost David E. Alter Jr's brilliant 1982 pic Bilbo's Great Adventure. Like a cross between a Victorian neo-medieval tapestry and an 8-bit platform game it condenses the whole story of The Hobbit into one image. My fave #Tolkien detail...that awesome little Bard

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Joel Merriner @joelmerriner.bsky.social · 31/01/2026

Here's one I've been writing about this week, from the heady fantasy days of 1986 it's John Sibbick's iconic old school cover pic for #Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 1st edition. Depicting a gang of adventurers storming the Temple of Khorne it's chock full of in-jokes, including Sibbick's severed head 💀

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Joel Merriner @joelmerriner.bsky.social · 30/01/2026

Honoured to be asked to co-write a chapter for this with the brilliant @mariebreta.bsky.social. 😄

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Joel Merriner @joelmerriner.bsky.social · 18/12/2025

In the introduction to my book I talk a bit (well, quite a lot) about Balrog iconographies, comparing/contrasting examples of the winged and wingless varieties. Falling firmly into the latter camp is this one: Paul Raymond Gregory's two-and-a-half metre wide epic oil painting Khazad-dûm #Tolkien 🔥

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Joel Merriner @joelmerriner.bsky.social · 11/12/2025

Joan Wyatt's Hall of Edoras (c. 1979) has always intrigued me. Of course it has echoes of Beorn's Hall by #Tolkien, and that medieval hall prototype sketch from E.V. Gordon's book...but bloody hell if it doesn't look a lot like Hubert Robert's design for the Grand Galerie of the Louvre (1796) too😲😉

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Joel Merriner @joelmerriner.bsky.social · 28/11/2025

It's Friday! To celebrate that fact here's a classic piece of '80s #Tolkien awesomeness courtesy of Inger Edelfeldt - Scouring of the Shire (c. 1983). Also known as Don't F**k with Hobbits, it depicts a mangy, tattered Saruman in a doomed face-off with Frodo, Gríma and assorted Halfling hard-nuts.

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Joel Merriner @joelmerriner.bsky.social · 11/11/2025

Yes, I've posted it before (and before that) but I care not! Galloping full pelt from MERP Gorgoroth (1990) come Angus McBride's breakneck Nazgûl trio. Glimmering armour, billowing cloaks, malevolent red-eyed horses and a female Ringwraith about to hack off your head. "This - is - Mordor!" #Tolkien

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Joel Merriner @joelmerriner.bsky.social · 10/11/2025

A bit off-topic for me, but hey you know how it is, every now and again somebody asks you to paint them an albino lion. This is one I knocked out in oils a few years back when I did such things. Yes, I know his eyes aren't pink but I just got too wrapped up in his hair to give a damn about that...🦁🎨

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Joel Merriner @joelmerriner.bsky.social · 03/11/2025

Working on a new book proposal at the mo...a semi-perilous dungeon-crawl through ‘70s & ‘80s fantasy art in the unreliable company of a wide-eyed teenage wannabe-artist fanboy (me) and a wizened bearded academic (also me). To put you in mind of that era, here's Jimmy Cauty's 1976 classic #Tolkien

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Joel Merriner @joelmerriner.bsky.social · 01/11/2025

Angus McBride's 1997 pic An Unexpected Party (made for Iron Crown's Middle-earth Puzzles set), has the retro styling of an old Saturday matinee film. I feel like it shouldn't be my cup of tea, but then I get lost in the detail and the awesome McBride-ness and it's just too cool not to love #Tolkien

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Joel Merriner @joelmerriner.bsky.social · 24/10/2025

It's Friday and here's fantasy and sci fi art elder Rodney Matthews' 2014 pic The Thief (2014), aka Bilbo Risks a Scorching to Steal a Cup from a Massively Sinister and Spikey Smaug. Favourite details here: the dragon's slit eye and the faux-Tengwar jars which hint at the original 1937 #Tolkien pic

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Joel Merriner @joelmerriner.bsky.social · 22/10/2025

For Wednesday - savour this lovely Laima Eglïte watercolour of 153 year old raven Roäc delivering the stark message to haughty Thorin that "the treasure [of Smaug] is likely to be your death". Featured in the 1991 Latvian #Hobbit this pic includes my favourite little red-haired punk Bilbo #Tolkien

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Joel Merriner @joelmerriner.bsky.social · 20/10/2025

Today I present one of my favourite details from a #Tolkien illustration ever. Yes, as featured in John Blanche's riotous, head-thumping c. 1979 Battle of the Five Armies pic, it's the Warg who's lost his rider but doesn't give a shit because he's in the zone and running free in a leopard-skin 🐺🐺

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Joel Merriner @joelmerriner.bsky.social · 17/10/2025

For Friday - The King at the Cross-roads by Darrell Sweet (c. 1981). Although I'm not a big fan of Sweet's Hobbit depictions, this pic of Frodo, Sam and a weird and uncanny Gollum stood before the old king's hewn head is undeniably impressive. The red glow and hollow eyes magnify the drama #Tolkien

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Joel Merriner @joelmerriner.bsky.social · 14/10/2025

#TolkienTrewsday "Colours" and Roger Garland flexes his polychromatic muscles in Bridge of Khazad-dûm (c. 1983). Here the reds, browns, purples and blues denote the evils of Moria, while the green glow signals freedom. Poor old Gandalf the Grey (+ blue and red) is going nowhere but down 😔 #Tolkien

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Joel Merriner @joelmerriner.bsky.social · 08/10/2025

"I'm going to make him an offer he can't refuse," In 1989 Èduard Zarjanskij channelled several famous #Tolkien photos to create this super-cool but distinctly Sicilian pic for the back of Raduga's Russian translation of The Fellowship of the Ring. The forged signature adds an extra little thrill

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Reposted by Joel Merriner

Miriam Ellis @miriamellis.bsky.social · 30/09/2025

Thanks to everyone for celebrating #Tolkien #HobbitMonth with me! This was fun and I enjoyed your lovely comments each day. If you enjoyed my paintings, perhaps you'd like to add my book to your honored Tolkien shelves. Happy Hobbit Month, my friends, and keep sharing the good lore!

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Joel Merriner @joelmerriner.bsky.social · 30/09/2025

If you've just followed me, or have been tracking my #Tolkien art adventures for a while, I'd like to thank you all! Keep checking back regularly if you want art historical chat, punk orc sketches, book talk and classic pics like this: Angus McBride's Denizens of the Dark Wood MERP cover (1989) 💀

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Joel Merriner @joelmerriner.bsky.social · 24/09/2025

Nicholas Bayrachny created some evocative imagery for the 1996 Belarusian #Hobbit translation. Here's four great examples: blond, bearded Elrond ponders the moon letters, Brezhnev-eyebrowed Smaug loses his cool, Bard, Gandalf and Thranduil keep the Arkenstone, little Bilbo post-battle #Tolkien

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Joel Merriner @joelmerriner.bsky.social · 18/09/2025

My book Illustrating The Lord of the Rings in the Soviet Bloc is released into the wild today! Here's a quick peek at a few more pages, artwork here by Győző Vida, Yassen Panov, Alexander Korotich and Sergei Iukhimov #Tolkien www.bloomsbury.com/uk/illustrat...

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Joel Merriner @joelmerriner.bsky.social · 17/09/2025

"Are there no leeches among you?" Imrahil spots that Éowyn isn't dead, as embarrassed Rohirrim look on. No, sorry this is Valkyrie's Death (1880) by Norwegian historical/mythological painter Peter Nicolai Arbo (1831-1892). Note late-to-the-battle Radagast pinching back his brown cloak 😆 #Tolkien

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Joel Merriner @joelmerriner.bsky.social · 16/09/2025

Today's doodle drawn whilst engaged in a L-O-N-G and convoluted phone call to HMRC...Misty Mountains Goblin Spear-Lad Chanter of the Severed Hand-Stump Clan, complete with tax code top right 🤪💀 #Tolkien

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Joel Merriner @joelmerriner.bsky.social · 16/09/2025

It's #TolkienTrewsday Pirates! Here's a whole gang of them being overrun by the advancing Dead in Alexander Korotich's c. 1985 scraperboard pic The Corsairs. Drawn on the back of chopped up Politburo propaganda posters his work is a revelation and you can read more about it in my book #Tolkien

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Joel Merriner @joelmerriner.bsky.social · 01/09/2025

Gandalf the Grey regrets downing that last pint at The Prancing Pony...no, sorry this just your average bearded medieval guy losing his lunch. Rendered in sumptuous gold-leaf bordered technicolour by the famous Bute Painter, this pic adorns a 1285 edition of Aldobrandino of Siena's Régime du corps 🤮

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Joel Merriner @joelmerriner.bsky.social · 29/08/2025

It lives! Copies of my book Illustrating The Lord of the Rings in the Soviet Bloc have arrived! So happy to finally see it in print after all this time. Artwork here by Yassen Panov, Jerzy Czerniawski, Alexander Korotich and Sergei Iukhimov. Available from 18 Sept www.bloomsbury.com/uk/illustrat...

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