These are the words of Benjamin Harff.
Created by Morconer
If you have a Tumblr account, you surely know his work. But maybe you don’t or you haven’t got to know much about him! Wel, after reading his interview I decided to spread the beauty of his fingers…the Edel-Silmarillion:
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And here some highlights of his interview:
Tolkien Library: How long did it take to make this book?
Benjamin Harff : The whole process took about half a year, plus about half a year where I dealed mainly with the illustrations but also collected knowledge and made sketches for calligraphy. That may appear long, but you have to note that I also had to work for the financing of my studium and do a lot of other things for my exam.
TL: What were the biggest problems you faced in making this book?
BH: I had a lot of problems, but the main problem was my strict limitation in time and money. Looking back I cannot understand how it worked! For my exam it would have been enough to do calligraphy for only one or two chapters. But I didn´t want to have a book with maybe twenty printed and 380 empty pages! That would not have been worthy for a Tolkien-work and I had better done a short story or so. But I thought: „This is your exam and maybe the last time that you can do what you want as an illustrator!“ So I did it, and couldn´t have done it with that fire, wouldn´t it have been a Tolkien-work. And although this was extremely hard, the fire did not cease.
TL: In the process of making this book did you learn more about calligraphy, manuscripts or the Silmarillion itself?
BH: Of course, yes! Although I had weekly calligraphy-lessons at the Academy of Arts for four years, I learned more than ever in these 12 months. I also learned how highly developed the designing and the techniques in the craftmanships of the middle-ages were. Finally, I realized how little respect is given to the written word in a world where you can gain any information with a few mouse-clicks. Maybe it is now the time to give the word an adequate garment.
That’s the way a true Tolkien fan talks! 
Check the whole interview here!
