h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Getting an artist who hasn't read the book, especially one with the kind of following Lord of the Rings has, and one which paints such strong pictures of the world it's set in and the characters involved in the story, seems like a strange way to go about things, if that is indeed what happened, but someone must have at least given her a few descriptions of settings in the book because the Stone of Erech was round, and Minas Tirith is passably identifiable.

Perhaps they thought someone familiar with the book would have over-egged the pudding. How do you fit the essence of a story like LOTR on a 12" x 12" record sleeve?

Earlier today I picked up courage to ask her as politely as possible:

"You may want to know that some of my friends find it strange that the details of your cover do not seem to be related to the content of Tolkien's books - except maybe for the ring.

I have of course pointed out that you refer to yourself as artist and not a mere illustrator. Plus I have mentioned the expression "artistic freedom". But I am curious: Had you read the books before you designed the cover - or were you even informed about the contents of the books beforehand?"

I just returned home to find this answer:

"Yes, you are correct I had not read Tolkeins book when I got the commission and there was not enough time to read the book properly so I just picked up on certain passages by skim reading. I got the jist of the theme, ie search for the ring . the figure in the mountains is supposed to represent the Lord, the various small figures fighting or running away or knights battling I thought would represent the adventure side of things. The woman Spider I can no longer recollect why I put that in except that I was interested myself in Insects then. I suppose I just wanted to express a strange imaginative world."