Smaug

by Daniel Falconer

Published 1 April 2014
Chronicles the development of the dragon Smaug in the film "The Hobbit, the Desolation of Smaug," providing concept designs, computer renderings, scale textures, and sound effects included in the film.

Chronicles: Art & Design

by Daniel Falconer

Published 14 December 2012

The ultimate celebration of the second Hobbit movie reveals the full creative vision of the art and design teams with more than 1,000 exclusive images and photos, including designs and concepts that never made it to the big screen.

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug Chronicles – Art & Design explores and celebrates the creative vision of the second film in Academy Award-winning filmmaker Peter Jackson’s trilogy adaptation of The Hobbit by J.R.R Tolkien.

This lavish volume follows Bilbo, Gandalf and Thorin’s Company of Dwarves eastward, through hitherto unseen regions of Middle-earth, on their quest to reclaim the lost realm of Erebor from the Dragon Smaug. Exploring the design and development of the environments, cultures, creatures and artefacts encountered by the characters, it is filled with more than 1,000 stunning images of conceptual art, supplementary photographs and detailed commentary provided by the film’s cast and crew.

As a bonus feature, unique to this book, there is a special fold-out replica of the portrait of the Master of Lake-town, played by Stephen Fry, exactly as it appears in the film.

Compiled by Weta Workshop senior concept designer Daniel Falconer, this is the third book in The Hobbit: Chronicles series and it has been created in full collaboration with key members of the production’s creative team to ensure the most comprehensive and authentic film companion possible.


Come face to face with Smaug the Magnificent, the most realistic, breathtaking and destructive dragon ever to appear on screen, in this gallery of exclusive images that tell the story of how he was created.

Smaug is one of the most memorable characters in JRR Tolkien’s The Hobbit: a huge, malevolent, fire-breathing, talking dragon! But while he makes quite an impact in the book, in Peter Jackson’s film adaptation he is definitely the most spectacular creature ever to appear on screen.

So how did the filmmakers manage to take the dragon that has lived in millions of readers’ imaginations and turn him into a totally unique and unforgettable living, breathing character?

The answer can be found in Smaug: Unleashing the Dragon. Packed with stunning, exclusive new images, it reveals how he grew out of thousands of detailed and fantastical concept designs into the beast that is unleashed in awesome digital glory.

Compiled by the Academy-Award-winning teams at Weta Digital and Weta Workshop, who provide fascinating insights telling the story of the dragon’s creation, and featuring an exclusive foreword by Benedict Cumberbatch, this is the perfect companion for every fan who was blown away by Smaug, the Magnificent!