Ents 

Alan Lee's pencil drawing of Ents presents a whimsical yet structurally intricate scene. Lee employs a monochromatic palette to create a world rich in texture and detail. The forms of the Ents and Hobbits are delicately rendered, emphasizing the organic nature of both beings. The composition guides our eye upwards, from the rooted Ents below to the elevated Hobbits in their hands. This verticality emphasizes the Ents' protective stance. Lee uses a semiotic system where size and placement denote power and safety. The Ents, as towering figures, symbolize nature's guardianship, contrasting with the smaller, vulnerable Hobbits. The shading and linework contribute to a sense of depth, immersing us in a fantastical forest where the boundaries between beings blur. The pencil medium itself lends to a feeling of fluidity, as though the Ents are not static figures but living, breathing parts of the landscape. The drawing challenges fixed notions of what is natural versus what is sentient, prompting us to reconsider the interconnectedness of life and landscape.