Trolls: Paintings and Portraits

About this book

From the visionary artist behind The Dark Crystal and Labyrinth comes a breathtaking journey into the hidden world of trolls. Beloved fantasy artist and New York Times bestselling creator Brian Froud invites readers into a richly imagined realm where trolls are more than creatures of legend. They are storytellers, wanderers, guardians, tricksters, and keepers of ancient wisdom. Inspired by Scandinavian folklore and brought vividly to life through stunning paintings, sketches, sculptures, and artifacts, Trolls presents an immersive mythology unlike any other. Created by Brian and Wendy Froud, this lavishly illustrated volume blends fantasy art, folklore, and visual storytelling into a world that feels both timeless and startlingly real. Through tales, traditions, archaeology, and firsthand observations, readers discover troll culture, history, family life, and the mysterious landscapes they inhabit. Along the way unfolds the story of a young troll on a quest to collect stories worth keeping, revealing a tapestry of legends that connect generations. Every page is filled with extraordinary artwork, from Brian Froud's iconic paintings and drawings to Wendy Froud's remarkable three-dimensional figures and sculptures. Together they create a fully realized universe populated by unforgettable characters, hidden wonders, and stories within stories. A treasure for fans of fantasy illustration, mythology, folklore, creature design, and imaginative worldbuilding, Trolls is both a stunning art book and a celebration of the enduring power of myth. Whether you are a longtime admirer of Brian Froud's work on The Dark Crystal and Labyrinth or discovering his visionary imagination for the first time, this beautifully produced collector's volume offers an unforgettable encounter with one of fantasy art's most enchanting worlds. Froud writes in his introduction, “Who sleeps under the silent hill and what huddles in the dank darkness under the bridge? In short, what sort of invisible spirits inhabit our visible world and what do they look like? My paintings of trolls answer some of these questions. . . . The last conversation Jim Henson and I had before his death was about collaborating on another film. It was to be about trolls. This book is, in essence, the film we never got to make.”

Details

Format

Hardcover

ISBN-13

9781419704383

Publisher

Abrams Books

Published

September 1, 2012

Pages

144

Weight

55.2 oz

Subject

Fiction