John Howe

John Howe, born in Vancouver, Canada, in 1957, is a Canadian illustrator, painter, and children’s author. He studied at the École des Arts Décoratifs in Strasbourg. He is particularly known for his illustrations of J. R. R. Tolkien’s works, including The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, and The Silmarillion. Together with Alan Lee, Howe played a major role in the artistic conception of Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit film trilogies. Medieval armor, weapons, and combat styles are a recurring focus of his work; he also developed practical knowledge of these subjects through living history and reenactment.