An Unexpected Party 

Alan Lee made "An Unexpected Party" using watercolor, a medium well-suited to capturing the whimsical, dreamlike quality of Tolkien’s Middle-earth. Watercolor's transparency and fluidity allows for layering and blending of colors, creating depth and atmosphere. Lee uses washes to create soft, diffused effects, evoking a sense of nostalgia and wonder. Look closely, and you’ll see the way he captures light filtering through the round doorway of Bilbo’s hobbit hole, illuminating the pile of dwarves. The choice of watercolor lends itself to the fantastical, yet grounded, nature of the story. The labor-intensive process of layering thin washes demands precision, exemplifying a commitment to craft. It is a technique that requires a keen understanding of materials and their behavior. Far from mere illustration, Lee's artistic approach elevates the image, investing it with a sense of care and attention befitting the source material.