Charles Keeping was a powerful force in my childhood. I was scared and fascinated by his books . The drawings burn on the page, and the stories cut into your heart. I was deeply influenced by his drawing style – that muscular scrawl with ink and wash. In this post I want to share one particular book: “Joseph’s Yard” which I grew up knowing as “Josef se plant”, in its Afrikaans version.
writer/illustrator Charles Keeping: Joseph’s Yard
16 May 2008 4 Comments
in Art, books, Colour, Illustration, Inspiration Tags: charles keeping, children's books, children's illustration, Illustration, josef se plant, joseph's yard, writer_artist
writer/illustrator Elizabeth Enright
01 May 2008 3 Comments
in books, Illustration, Inspiration Tags: children's books, elizabeth enright, Illustration, writer_artist
Here is yet another children’s author who illustrated her own books.
Elizabeth Enright: the perfect writer for children. Her books create a world of utter joy, salted with enough realism to make it possible for you to link them to your own life.
Namesakes: “Lisa Frank”
17 Apr 2008 3 Comments
in Art, Colour, Illustration Tags: commercial art, lisa frank
I suppose its not so strange. “Lisa Frank” must be quite a common name. And what is the significance of having the same name as some one else in any case? But I still find it fascinating to find two women with the same name who create such different works:
Leo and Diane Dillon
05 Apr 2008 2 Comments
in books, Colour, Illustration, Inspiration Tags: collaboration
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.
Pauline Baynes
22 Mar 2008 Leave a comment
in books, fantasy, Illustration, Inspiration Tags: children's books, fantasy books, Illustration, narnia
Since I am indulging myself by writing about my most loved children’s writers – and also illustrators – how can I miss out Pauline Baynes. Here is a really interesting interview with her, by Charlotte Cory.
Michael Ende
20 Mar 2008 3 Comments
in books, Illustration, Inspiration Tags: children's books
Writing about Cornelia Funke reminded me about Michael Ende – whom most people seem to know through the film version of the book “The Neverending Story”. I found this lovely version of the cover by Roswitha Quadflieg. I have not been able to find any other images by her.
Niki Daly’s talk at the Obs library
19 Mar 2008 2 Comments
in books, Illustration, Inspiration, Opinions & reviews Tags: children's books
Last night I went to illustrator/writer Niki Daly’s talk at the Observatory library : “How to travel lightly with 60 years of baggage”. I am so glad I went. Niki Daly told us about his journey through life, from working class child growing up in apartheid South Africa to an established illustrator – and how this journey has brought him to do the work he does.
Cornelia Funke Author/Illustrator
17 Mar 2008 1 Comment
in books, Illustration Tags: children's books, writer_artist
Cornelia Funke is another favourite author / illustrator. I’ve enjoyed many of her books – most of them for children, like “Dragonrider” and “The Thief Lord”. But I want to write about are her not-quite-children’s books, the “Inkheart” series.
Philip Pullman- illustrations
15 Mar 2008 6 Comments
in books, Illustration Tags: children's books, His Dark Materials, Illustration, Northern Lights, Philip Pullman, writer_artist
I couldn’t very well write about Steve Augarde as author / illustrator and leave out Philip Pullman, who has written some of my favourite books: the “His Dark Materials” series.
Steve Augarde – “The Various”
15 Mar 2008 4 Comments
in books, Illustration Tags: children's books
I’ve just used my birthday gift voucher from Vega to buy the latest in Steve Augarde’s “The Various” series. He is an illustrator – writer. Here is a link to his site.This is the third book in the series, called “Winter Wood”
It follows on from “The Various” and “Celandine”. These books have overcome my severe (trance scene induced) prejudice against anything to do with fairies, little folk, pixies and so on. More
Masha du Toit 
Recent Comments