Arthur Rackham

I really cannot talk about my illustration inspirations and influences without mentioning Arthur Rackham (1867 - 1939)... His illustrations was the perfect backdrop to old fairytales, slightly dark, slightly muted colors, slightly surreal... his illustrations are straight from dreams, and subconscious, the stuff fairytales and myths are made of.

It's always cloudy and windy in Arthur Rackham's images... I simply love it. :-)

Pauline Baynes

In my mind one of the best illustrators in the world... I think her line drawings are better than her color work, but that too is wonderful... I wish I could... She died 2 years ago, and I still cry floods.

Pauline Baynes, queen of Narnia and Middle Earth
Pauline Baynes, 1922-2008
Pauline Baynes at Flickr

BTW, Paula Rego's painting from Tove Jansson post reminds very much of Pauline Baynes too...
Pauline Baynes: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe illustration

P.s. Somewhat similar is Olaf Hajek's cover for The Magician's Book

Tove Jansson

Tove Jansson is known all over the world for her Moomin books and characters. I love her illustrations and watercolors more than Moomin... There's just so sadly few samples online :-(

If you can, go to the Moomin Valley exhibition in Tampere. It's amazing...

Here's a couple of images that remind me of Tove Jansson...

Japanese woodcut

Paula Rego 

I don't like Paula Rego's art, it's too dark, sinister, wicked and twisted to my taste, but her style, the somewhat exaggerated, caricature-like, with strong angles and shadows and light, that I like :-)

Lesley Anne Ivory and some other cat painters

The details, colors... and cats. No wonder I love her art :-D

And, again, if you mention her, you have to mention also
Charles Wysocki

and
Geoffrey Tristram

This one is by Nadia Carre

 I also have to mention Martin Leman... I don't think I had ever seen painting like his...

This one I made a copy of, and made it into a hanger for my sister who loves cats...
I love the simple, naif lines and forms, and colors... Wonderful :-)

Jill Barklem and other animal lovers

Another artist filling her pictures with details is Jill Barklem (*1951) and her Brambly Hedge.

I also adore line closets, pantries and cabinets... attics filled with interesting, old things, second hand stores, antique stores, flee markets... places filled with stuff, to explore and make discoveries among... "I Spy" pictures :-)

I am going to mention two other illustrators here; Beatrix Potter (1866-1943) and Marjolein Bastin. (1943)

 I simply love Bastin's Vera the Mouse...
I bought several scraps with Vera,
and wanted to make a little toy
with all her things and clothes and everything,
when I was young :-D

and, frankly, if you mention Beatrix, you have to mention Ernest Aris, (1882–1963)

Racey Helps (1913-1970)

and Molly Brett (1902 - 1990) too

and Jan Brett (1949)

Sven Nordqvist

Norman Rockwell's humor and odd details make me think of a Swedish contemporary illustrator, Sven Nordqvist (*1946)

I love the fact that his illustrations are filled with details... I love watching the details...  It's like "I spy" pictures. I like his lines, compositions and colors too. :-)

Norman Rockwell

I love Norman Rockwell's illustrations. There we have another illustrator, whom the world sees as a genius, but who thought less of himself. He too wanted to be a "real artist"...


Norman Rockwell was an American illustrator and artist, born 1894, died 1978, and Wikipedia says his "breakthrough" came 1913, but I'd say his best years were 40's and 50's :-)