Artist Spotlight: Elaine Ryan

We have been looking forward to this interview for MONTHS! The Fellowship of the Ring: Trick-Taking Game is such an homage to classic literary tale, and Elain Ryan’s stunning stained-glass illustrations bring the story to the table in an authentic and inspired way. Join us as we dive into the illustrative history of Elaine Ryan, and her relationship with Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings.

Q: Let’s start with some Elaine lore! Tell us about where you are from and how your artist journey began!

A: I had the idyllic pleasure of growing up on a small horse farm in Middleton, Wisconsin. Chasing fireflies, kitten races thanks to a pregnant stray barn cat that moved in, tending to the critters and helping in the garden really fostered a deep love and respect for nature and animals. While I’ve always been prone to daydreaming, all of those chores and slower tasks lent themselves to internal storytelling– And I chose pencils and a plethora of printer paper to get them out of my system. Thankfully, I was lucky enough to have a mother who supported my whimsy, so eventually the printer paper was upgraded to sketchbooks, watercolor, oils, and eventually a tablet that let me embrace digital artwork.

Q: This stained-glass art style is really striking. What originally inspired this illustration style for you?

A: I am so happy with the creative decision to go with stained glass as the style for this card game. I was not the originator of the stain glass theme, but I have loved painting in this style. If I had to pick a specific moment of inspiration, I would look back on a trip I had taken to the Art Institute of Chicago. There was a 26ft tall wall of a Tiffany glass landscape that made me realize how versatile stain glass shapes can be. There were also portraits painted on other glass displays that really inspired the “Hands and Faces will be painted” style choice that runs through all of the cards with people in them. Stained glass lends itself to symbolic and simplified visuals– Which ended up really singing in a small card size.

Q: Were you a Tolkien fan before starting this project, and how has depicting these iconic literary characters changed your perspective or appreciation for his work?

A: I was and remain a huge Tolkien fan. Tolkien’s sweeping fantasy has been instrumental in how I developed my art style growing up. I feel grateful to have the privilege of saying that my work on this Tolkien project will continue to inspire how I make my art in the future, too. It’s been an inspiration in my life for over twenty years, so it’s hard to say if I am appreciating it more or not, but I definitely loved getting to really dive into it.

Q: Is there any one piece from the game you are most proud of?

A: Oh, this is a hard one. I think I am proudest of “Black Rider”, but that may just be because it was one of the harder cards to resolve into something that worked for the project. However, I may argue that my favorite piece is when they are all laid out in tidy rows to look at them together as a whole project.

Q: Did you include any “easter eggs” in the artwork that fans should be looking for?

A: I’ve added so many that I’ll just include a few to give hints at where others lie in the cards! Some are as simple as giving a suite’s color palette based on their actions or personalities in the books. Merry is painted in hills and river because of his family. Aragorn and Arwen have the same color pallets, and the same tree in their paintings meant to allude to the proposal at Cerin Amroth. Borimir’s color palette is exclusively shadow to represent the oppressive responsibility placed on him to save Gondor and how the hope of success led him to fall prey to the call of the ring. Galadriel is the only card that squarely faces the viewer and engages with them, hinting at her magical telepathy and clairvoyance. She also has the light of the Trees of Valinor glimmering in her eyes while the lights behind her are distorted into stars as an homage to her ring, Nenya. The One Ring card has the gemstones of the rings of power in the anvil, with the smoke from Mt Doom obfuscating the One Ring from them. The Balrog has wings made of smoke– Or he doesn’t, depending on how you choose to look at the card! I promise, there are many more.

Q: Which character from The Fellowship do you most identify with?

A: This is another difficult question for me! I relate to them more as an outsider than as a mirror to myself but if I had to pick someone I relate to or want to resonate with I would probably say Frodo. He is the every man without anything exceptional to set him aside as a person, except that he takes action. His compassion and sense of duty set him up to succeed. In the overall storytelling, he did not succeed in his quest to destroy the ring. He accepted help from friends and strangers to get him there, but in the end it was his burden to carry. And at that pinnacle where the Rings song was at its strongest, he failed to throw the ring into the fires– but his previously laid compassion, understanding, and pity towards Gollum saved middle earth with a missing finger. If I was ever tempted by something that great, I can only hope that the love I have placed out into the world would let me too, come out as unscathed.

Q: Last question… second breakfast, or no?

A: I shamefully tend to skip breakfast, but I do like to have a Brunch! So absolutely, breakfast foods can be had at any time!

Q: Thanks so much for sharing with us! Is there anything else you’d like to share with our audience? (upcoming projects, event appearances, wise words for artists trying to make their way into the tabletop or fantasy illustration world, etc.?

A: My piece of advice to aspiring illustrators is two quotes: “Inspiration Exists, But It Has to Find You Working” by Picasso, which blends smoothing into the truth that: “Luck is when preparation meets opportunity” by Seneca. Be persistent and put in your hours, and in a moment’s notice, a whole world of opportunity can open up at the end of your pen. Also, if you have the time: take a project management course. I promise it helps with your time management and discipline and really helps understand the full scope of a project and where you live in the pipeline when it comes to creating a game. Being a team player is a must, because we do not create these wonderful games alone.

As for future projects I’m working on, I am using some of the knowledge I acquired on this project to make a collectable poker style playing card deck! It’s based on my love for astronomy and some of my own writing! I am hoping to have it ready to go by next year, and I am having a very fun time working on it. I post updates on my Patreon and on my website.