Greg Hildebrandt, 85, influential artist for Star Wars

[Mig.Rhodes]

Greg Hildebrandt, influential artist for Star Wars, Lord of the Rings,
and Magic: The Gathering, has died aged 85.

As "the Brothers Hildebrandt", Greg Hildebrandt and his twin Tim were
legends of fantasy and science-fiction art. They became famous with
their work on the official 1976 J.R.R. Tolkien Calendar, at the time the
best-selling calendar ever released, and the warm light of their vision
of Middle-earth accompanied many subsequent Tolkien calendars and books.
That vision influenced other artists, and their depiction of hobbits
having extra-large feet—something not mentioned in the books—became the
default even in Peter Jackson's movies decades later.

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/health/other/greg-hildebrandt-iconic-star-wars-artist-dies-at-85/ar-AA1to09I?ocid=BingNewsSerp

The Brothers Hildebrandt were chosen to illustrate Star Wars based on
the popularity of their calendar work, hired at the last minute to
replace a pre-release poster for the movie's 1977 release the studio
were unhappy with. Given only 36 hours and reference images that did not
include stills of Mark Hamill or Carrie Fisher, they nonetheless managed
to create an image that continues being used to promote Star Wars today.

[Louis Epstein]

Post by Mig.Rhodes
Greg Hildebrandt, influential artist for Star Wars, Lord of the Rings,
and Magic: The Gathering, has died aged 85.
As "the Brothers Hildebrandt", Greg Hildebrandt and his twin Tim were
legends of fantasy and science-fiction art. They became famous with
their work on the official 1976 J.R.R. Tolkien Calendar, at the time the
best-selling calendar ever released, and the warm light of their vision
of Middle-earth accompanied many subsequent Tolkien calendars and books.

I never forgave Ballantine for their departing from Tolkien's own
artwork,and my letter of protest actually found its way through Rayner
Unwin to Christopher Tolkien,who sent me a letter of support.
That related to Tim Kirk's 1975 calendar,he gave way to the Hildebrandts
for 1976 and 1977,whose art was wrong in other ways...it's been called
"Middle-Earth Wax Museum".

In 1979 I actually met Greg Hildebrandt,and he was quite polite,
when I mentioned how their illustration of Isengard showed it
having only pointed tops with no place from which Gwaihir could
possibly have rescued Gandalf,he indicated that Lester Del Rey had
insisted on this depiction.

Post by Mig.Rhodes
That vision influenced other artists, and their depiction of hobbits
having extra-large feet—something not mentioned in the books—became the
default even in Peter Jackson's movies decades later.

Also a vision of Lester Abrams and again...ALWAYS DEFER TO THE BOOKS!
What's not mentioned there (e.g. pointed ears) should not be assumed.

Post by Mig.Rhodes
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/health/other/greg-hildebrandt-iconic-star-wars-artist-dies-at-85/ar-AA1to09I?ocid=BingNewsSerp
The Brothers Hildebrandt were chosen to illustrate Star Wars based on
the popularity of their calendar work, hired at the last minute to
replace a pre-release poster for the movie's 1977 release the studio
were unhappy with. Given only 36 hours and reference images that did not
include stills of Mark Hamill or Carrie Fisher, they nonetheless managed
to create an image that continues being used to promote Star Wars today.

-=-=-
The World Trade Center towers MUST rise again,
at least as tall as before...or terror has triumphed.

[Lenona]

Long birthday tribute from 2019, with booklist, book covers and video
interviews.

https://groups.google.com/g/rec.arts.books.childrens/c/xlQ1O4tHIn4/m/06_-mnrDEAAJ?hl=en

If you can't see the bottom, I said that he was possibly living in
Hopatcong, NJ.

Amazingly, all but one of the URLs still work! The one that doesn't is
from Worldcat. (Librarians use that website a lot.) So here's another
one:

https://search.worldcat.org/search?q=greg+hildebrandt&author=Hildebrandt%2C+Greg

[Lenona]

https://www.nj.com/entertainment/2024/11/njs-greg-hildebrandt-star-wars-lord-of-the-rings-and-marveldc-artist-dead-at-85.html

https://www.legacy.com/news/celebrity-deaths/greg-hildebrandt-1939-2024-iconic-fantasy-artist/
(this has 9 short tributes)