Tolkien’s own watercolor sketches (e.g., The Hill: Hobbiton-across-the-Water ). Emphasis on "light and distance" rather than hyper-realism.

Should I focus on a (like Alan Lee vs. John Howe)?

The role of heraldry and runes in his personal visual language.

How paintings of the Misty Mountains or Mordor evoke "The Sublime" (terror mixed with beauty).

To help you flesh this out into a full essay or presentation:

💡 Tolkien believed art should be "sub-creative," meaning it must feel like it belongs to a world with its own history and internal logic, rather than just being a literal depiction of text.

The direct influence of these paintings on Peter Jackson’s production design.

Master of the "watercolor wash" and architectural realism; focused on the ancient, weathered feel of stone and forest.