Masha du Toit

I was doing some research to find out who the illustrator was for a particularly lovely edition of Garth Nix’s “Sabriel”:

…and discovered Leo and Diane Dillon. They have been working together for more than 40 years, and they have some interesting things to say about how artists can collaborate.

Leo Dillon says: ”People often comment on the ‘Dillon style.’ I think that someplace, the two of us made a pact with each other. We both decided that we would give up the essence of ourselves, that part that made the art each of us did our own. And I think that in doing that we opened the door to everything.”

Below is the cover that I had in mind, showing Sabriel in her Abhorsen gear, the mail, the key embroidered surcoat and the bandolier of bells that she uses to “walk the dead” back into their country. Below is the cover for “Abhorsen”, the next book in the series. It is not often that the cover of a book reflects my personal vision of a character so exactly.

Once I started looking, I found many familiar images. Apparently they were particularly influential in the Science Fiction art scene in the 60’s and 70’s, winning a Hugo for Science Fiction art in 1971.

Here is another childhood favourite – the lovely “Wrinkle in Time” by Madeleine Le’Engle. A perfect image of Mrs Who, Mrs Witch and Mrs Whatsit.

The source of the above picture did not mention which book it is from. But the picture below is the cover of a book on their artwork.

If you liked this post, you might also like:

• Pictures without Stories – a collection of mysterious images that evoke stories
• The circle of death and life illustrated by Spirin
• The haunting illustrations of Eva Bednarova: Chinese Fairly Tales.
• Cornelia Funke Author/Illustrator
• Philip Pullman- illustrations