Ben Wootten (born Benjamin Charles Wootten on March 28, 1969 in Essex, U.K.) is an illustrator and graphic designer who served as a concept artist and sculptor for The Lord of the Rings film trilogy (2001 - 2003) as part of Wētā Workshop.
Wootten, Daniel Falconer, Warren Mahy, John Howe, and Alan Lee, conceived of many armor and weapon designs seen in The Fellowship of the Ring (2001). The final armor and costume of Elendil, in the film's prologue, the Guard of the Citadel at Minas Tirith, and the Olog-hai troll at the Morannon in The Return of the King were primarily taken from Wootten's designs. He also drew concept sketches or made maquette models of Moria-orcs, Isengard Uruk-hai, Moria's cave-troll, the Watcher in the Water, the Ringwraiths' horses, Easterlings, Durin's Bane, and Shelob.[1][2] He is featured in the documentary The Taming of Sméagol, found in disc three of the extended edition of The Two Towers film.
Wootten also worked with Peter Jackson on King Kong (2005).
Along with Lucas Graciano and Jon Hodgson, he joined the artist team behind The Battle of Five Armies board game, released by Ares Games in 2014.
He is currently based in Wellington, New Zealand.
External links
Ben Wootten at the Internet Movie Database- Artstation page
Ben Wootten at BoardGameGeek- Ben Wootten at Forgotten Realms Wiki
References
- ↑ Gary Russell, The Art of The Fellowship of the Ring, pgs. 125, 141, 161, 163, 173, 185
- ↑ Gary Russell, The Art of The Return of the King, pgs. 17, 27, 40-1, 43, 53, 113, 115, 157, 159, 179, 180