J. R. R. Tolkien's influences J. R. R. Tolkien's influences While highly creative, the fiction of J. R. R. Tolkien was influenced by a number of sources. Tolkien was inspired by his academic fields of philology and early Germanic literature, especially poetry and mythology, as well as a wide range of other beliefs, culture, and experiences. "The Lord of the Rings" is a sequel to "The Hobbit" and so shares influences with it. At the same time, it is a novel which is much greater in scale and scope and so encompasses many other influences as well. Tolkien once described "The Lord of the Rings"
J. R. R. Tolkien: Artist and Illustrator was natural and keen. Portraits are conspicuously absent from his work. The book explores Tolkien's art at length, from his childhood paintings and drawings to his final sketches. It reproduces 200 examples of his artwork. At its heart are his illustrations for his books, especially his tales of Middle-earth. Also examined are the pictures Tolkien made for his children (notably in his "The Father Christmas Letters" and "Mr. Bliss"), his expressive calligraphy, his love of decoration, and his contributions to the typography and design of his books. "J. R. R. Tolkien: Artist and Illustrator" won the 1996 Mythopoeic Scholarship Award