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Inspiration from Artists Week 20: Arthur Rackham and Alfred East.
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Posted
Welcome to week twenty the artists featured this week are Arthur Rackham and Alfred East. Jenny will open with her chosen artist Arthur Rackham and post a selection of his paintings. Robert will be introducing Alfred East on Wednesday lunch time and post some of his artwork . I hope you enjoy the week and the painting of the two chosen artists.
Posted
Arthur Rackham (1867 - 1939) was an English book illustrator, one of the leading figures during the golden age of book illustration. A prolific artist from a young age, he was inspired by, among others, Randolph Caldecott and Aubrey Beardsley. He developed a unique style of his own consisting of bold pen and ink drawings combined with watercolour, a technique he was able to exploit due to technological developments in photographic reproduction which eliminated the need for an engraver.
He is best known for his fantasy work, including illustrations for Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and the Brothers Grimm Fairytales. One of my all-time favourite artists, I have thoroughly enjoyed looking at his work again.
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by Jenny Harris
Posted
Oh...big thank you ,I adore his work. You can always find something else looking at you from a branch or from under a blade of grass. I bought A midsummer nights dream about a thousand years ago with a pile of other books. Actually in the early sixties...we framed a lot of them and saw them every day. I was even wicked enough to copy Puck onto my childrens bedroom wall..
Posted
I'm another huge fan of Arthur Rackham. I have a large book of his work, a constant pleasure. Here's a favorite picture...'Common objects at the seaside.'
It's one of those images where you can always find something new. He's also played with perspective to get all this into the picture.
Another...A dance in cupid's alley....
Below...Winteer in Kensington Gardens...
Great imagination, wonderful skills, a constant inspiration.
It's one of those images where you can always find something new. He's also played with perspective to get all this into the picture.
Another...A dance in cupid's alley....
Below...Winteer in Kensington Gardens...
Great imagination, wonderful skills, a constant inspiration.
Posted
Thank you for the introduction Jenny , I have been aware of his artwork but not really looked at it closely.
He certainly was a highly skilled artist and what a imagination he must have had to come up with those superb illustrations.
His work certainly reminds you of how dark the original fairy tales were and he certainly met the challenge to bring the words to life with his illustrations. . I’m really spoilt for choice so I went for some of his work the I liked for various reasons mainly I just liked them. 
Posted
FAll wonderful aren’t they, and from the times when children gained their entertainment from beautifully illustrated books rather than t’internet! I remember having Grimm’s Fairy Tales and reading it over and over.
Here are a few I like.
The end of his beard was stuck in a crack in the tree!
This is one of gold coins falling at their feet!
And ‘he played until the room was entirely filled with gnomes’
Here’s a point maybe for further discussion. Rackham is an illustrator. Is he an artist as such? Is there a difference? Is he ‘just’ drawing someone else’s ideas, stories? Did he produce art work other than his illustrations? I’m not sure, Jenny will know. I’ve only discovered book illustrations while looking for these, so it set me wondering….
There’s a thought for a Monday morning!
Incidentally I’m not putting down book illustrations, it’s one of the ways I wanted to go when I started my art journey, that or portrait painting. Where did I go wrong!?
This is one of gold coins falling at their feet!
And ‘he played until the room was entirely filled with gnomes’
Here’s a point maybe for further discussion. Rackham is an illustrator. Is he an artist as such? Is there a difference? Is he ‘just’ drawing someone else’s ideas, stories? Did he produce art work other than his illustrations? I’m not sure, Jenny will know. I’ve only discovered book illustrations while looking for these, so it set me wondering….
There’s a thought for a Monday morning!
Incidentally I’m not putting down book illustrations, it’s one of the ways I wanted to go when I started my art journey, that or portrait painting. Where did I go wrong!?
Edited
by Tessa Gwynne
Posted
To me there is little or no difference between a artist and a book illustrator one created paints for framing etc the other paints pictures for books both are artists earning a living in different ways. I know at one time book illustrator’s tended to be looked down on as if they were not a proper artist, just look at the beautiful illustrations in many of the old books and you know how good the artists are. Sadly with modern technology etc it’s becoming a dying art . I often buy a second hand book because of the beautiful illustrations, it’s through these books that I developed my interest in drawing and painting. I’m dyslexic as a youngster the illustrations told me the story I must admit not always as it was written but most of the time I new the story when it was read to me. I love a painting that tells me a story even now or one I can imagine what’s going on.
Posted
This is one of those arguments that won't go away, like the 'copying photos' never-ending issue. Art is personal. In my 'avid consumer of art personal world' I decide what's art. Whatever it is, by whoever you like, if I think it's art...it's art. Be it painting, cartoon, cuppuccino, an armchair or a vintage touring car. You may be the same.