That Art of Larry MacDougall
Larry MacDougall is a character designer and visual development artist for animation, games and stories. His faerie tale inspired work has appeared in Spectrum, as well as numerous other books including The Secret History of Giants, Eragon’s Guide to Alagaesia and The Secret History of Hobgoblins. Prints of selected work is available from Larry’s Etsy store.
Filed under Art & Illustration | Comment (0)The Art of PJ Lynch
I grew up on the art of PJ Lynch, and now I have a small child of my own I read the same stories to him and still adore the illustrations. PJ Lynch has worked as a children’s book illustrator since graduating in 1984. He has gone on to win numerous awards for his work and has a whole host of wonderful books to his name. Many of these are classic fairy tales like the Snow Queen and East o’ the Sun and West o’ the Moon. There are also modern classics such as Alan Garner’s A Bag of Moonshine. My absolute favourites however are Melisande (written by E Nesbit), about a princess and a faery curse; and Catkin (by Antonia Barber), about a little ginger kitten who travels to Faerie to win back his little girl in a riddling match with the King and Queen. Lynch’s illustrations are superb, his faeries at once grotesque and beautiful… you just want to get lost in these otherworlds. Some of the books are currently out of print, but if you can track down copies you will not be disappointed.
Filed under Art & Illustration | Comment (0)The Art of Ashley Lebedev
Although trained as a commercial photographer Ashley Lebedev of Bottle Bell Photography chose to step away from the commercial work to focus on her Fine Art. Her enchanting images are both atmospheric and nostalgic, with strong narrative themes, not least in the ongoing Faerieland series. The collection is dedicated to ‘Being lost, being found, childhood innocence and perseverance’. It is all quite, quite magical (especially viewed on Ashley’s website with the lovely music playing).
Filed under Art & Illustration | Comment (0)The Art of Paul Kidby
Best known for his covers for Terry Pratchett’s Discworld series, Paul Kidby also pursues his own projects in fantasy art. In recent years Paul has begun sculpting, and his limited edition bronzes are highly sought after. In 2010 Le Royaume Enchanté was published in France by Daniel Maghen, collecting together Paul’s faerie-inspired artwork.
Filed under Art & Illustration | Comment (1)The Art of Cris Ortega
Author and artist Cris Ortega is based in Spain, and her work explores the themes of horror and fantasy. With four books to date featuring solely her own work, Cris has also produced the artwork for numerous other books, as well as calenders, puzzles and posters.
Filed under Art & Illustration | Comment (0)The Art of Suza Scalora
It has been over a decade since Suza Scalora’s first book The Fairies was published, but it remains as enticing now as it was then. A modern day myth-maker, Suza blends the written word with traditional photography and artwork to create painterly dreamscapes of post-modern visions of ancient myths. Thereby opening a portal to a realm filled with: angels, fairies and other mythical creatures, to create a dialogue of possibility of another world coexisting within our world. Fairies has been followed by The Witches and Wizards Of Oberin, and most recently Evidence of Angels.
Filed under Art & Illustration | Comment (0)The Art of Rachel Johns
The work of British artist Rachel Johns, whether drawn in black ink with a simple stick or machine embroidered with red threads, is wonderfully expressive. The creatures that emerge from the paper and canvas are crowned with rams horns, wings or are hybrids of women and bird. It invokes a sort of modern day fairy tale, stripped of excess embellishment that cuts right to the emotional heart.
Filed under Art & Illustration | Comment (0)Kirsty Mitchell’s Wonderland
Born from the desire to capture the magic and wonder of childhood stories after the loss of her mother, Kirsty Mitchell’s breathtaking Wonderland project has also captured the public’s imagination. For three years Kirsty has created the elaborate fairytale images, featuring amazing costumes and props, mostly created by Kirsty herself, which now stand as a monument to her mother’s memory. A book and exhibition are forthcoming which will tell the Wonderland story.
Filed under Art & Illustration | Comment (0)The Art of Jeremy Hush
Philadelphia artist Jeremy Hush does not draw twee little folk. Tribal and fierce, they are the type to ride with the birds and lurk in the twining bone and bramble undergrowth, shooting elf-bolts at unsuspecting humans. His style is influenced by Rackham, but with the darkness turned up several notches. Jeremy’s work is frequently shown in galleries in the US, and definitely worth catching if you can.
Filed under Art & Illustration | Comment (0)The Art of Séverine Pineaux
French artist Séverine Pineaux is inspired by mthology, nature and Celtic culture, and her paintings depict many faeries, tree men and plant creatures. Her work has appeared in numerous exhibitions and books in France, and her latest book. Gothic Faërie is available in a limited edition English version direct from Séverine.
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