Happy Easter

I had a rare day of freedom today and got to play. I chose to use cardboard, printing the corrugations in acrylic and then using grainy watercolour.
I thought I would have an Easter crocodile as my subject. These amazing creatures are so gentle with their young, so I composed mine carefully carrying an egg.

Happy Easter, Happy Spring.

Vendi Vernić III

I was unable to attend this years Bologna Children's Book Fair. It is an annual event that I hate to miss, as it is so good to see the worlds new children's books and discover new talent and new projects, in particular the exhibition and on the illustrators wall.  As well as see great friends and be in this fantastic city in Spring.

However I was extremely happy to hear that the winner of the 2018 International Award for Illustration Bologna Children's Books Fair is Vendi Vernić from Croatia. I have admired Vendi's work for many years and particularly love her submission, five illustrations for 'The Crocodile' a short story by F. M. Dostoyevsky published in 1865. It is the story of Ivan Matveich and his wife Elena Ivanovna who visit an Arcade to see a crocodile that has been put on display by a German entrepreneur. After teasing the crocodile Ivan is swallowed whole. Surprisingly, this new situation doesn’t affect Ivan as one would expect . . . 

Jerzy Srokowski I

'O żabkach w czerwonych czapkach' published 1958, written by Helena Bechlerowa and illustrated by Polish illustrator Jerzy Srokowski (1910-1975). Jerzy like many artists of his time also designed scenography, posters and painted.

Ota Janecek

Ota Janecek's (1919-1996) stark linear illustrations  in black and orange for 'Čimčirínek A Chlapc'i by Rudolph Tēsnohlidek, published in 1967. Ota was a painter , sculptor, and printmaker who delighted in line work as is shown in these examples.

Franciszka Themerson

Franciszka Themerson's  (1907-1988) illustrations of Alice In Wonderland are a delight. the anarchic mix of line drawing and detailed etching is perfect to transport you into the realms of wonderland.

Franciszka was born to the artistic parentage of painter Jakub Weinles, and a pianist, Łucja Weinles. At first she pursued music in her studies before changing to painting at the Academy of Fine Art in Warsaw. In 1931 she graduated and married Stefan Themerson (1910-1988) who had studied physics and architecture whilst making collages, film and photographs. Thus began a creative collaboration that would last their life times. In the first four years of married life they lived in Warsaw and created ten picture books together whilst also working on their own projects. Then they moved to Paris finding a creative community in this wonderful city. War came and they both enlisted for years they were apart their lives up in the air but eventually they were reunited in Britain. here they were able to work together and apart on film's books,and operas. They must have been very in love and died just three months apart in 1988. 

 

Seydl Zdenek

Seydl Zdenek's (1916-1978) lively illustrations and typography for 'Kouzelny Slabikar' an alphabet picture book written by Jan Vladislav published in 1961.

Josef Novák

It is odd to see 'Winnie the Poo' illustrated by anyone other than E.H.Shepard. This Czech version was illustrated by Josef Novák (1902-1987) was published in 1960. I adore the end papers.

First Day of Summer

I have been working in the town of Aberdour, Fife for a number of months now.
Aberdour is blessed with a resident population of noisy inquisitive jackdaws, that bark their salutations to each other all day while their wings whirrr and stir the air.
There is a small but growing murmuration of starlings and a few robust rookeries. The jackdaws and ravens have been very busy the last few weeks prising clumps of moss from the ground and going on long forays for suitable twigs and sticks. I have loved catching them, particularly at the end of a hard day as they languidly fly over me bearing their carefully selected building materials.

Jolanta Lysková

Illustrations from 'Jak Husa Malovala' a book of verse written by Jana Moravcova  in 1969. Illustrated by Jolanta Lysková in a fantastic, bold graphic woodcut style referencing folk art traditions of Eastern Europe but blending these with fabulous mid twentieth century design. Jolanta was born in 1939 and studied at Prague University of Applied Arts from 1959-1965. She has illustrated for children and adults, and worked for magazines; Sluníčko and Mateřídoušek.

Janosch III

I am constantly drawn by the delicate painterly beauty of Janosch's early works. these illustrations are from Joshua and the Magic Fiddle published in the 1960s. It tells the tale of the son of a charcoal burner who is too small and weak to follow his father's profession. A bird gives him a magic fiddle and teaches him a special song that can make things bigger and stronger.

Daisy Mrázková II

Daisy Mrázková's 'Haló, Jácíčku' published in 1972 has wonderful pools of nature illustrations.