AD33: Arthur Rackham

 

Above is an illustration most people will recognise. It is one Arthur Rackham’s illustrations for Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (illustrated by him 1907). Arthur Rackham illustrating that story caused quite a stir at the time as people felt Tenniel’s original illustrations were intrinsic to the book.

Nonetheless, I think Rackham’s illustrations for Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland have yet to be bested. It is not so much his media that I like, it is something to do with the quality feel that emanates from his work. His deft pen and subtle colours are almost whimsical and yet very deliberate. Truly, he is a master of illustration. In this image, as with most of his images, there is a lot of fine detail and everything feels finished to perfection. This illustration must have taken quite some time.

In terms of my influences, he is actually one of a few actual illustrators that inspire me. I tend more towards the old masters such as Rembrandt and da Vinci. Unfortunately, I find contemporary illustrators and artists are just missing something. They have their tricks, or their “thing” that is quite interesting, but once you’ve seen it and figured it out they quickly become stale. A masterful work such as Jan Vermeer’s “Girl with a Pearl Earring” though leaves me in awe of the skill. It is the same with Arthur Rackham; his work isn’t trying to have a “trick” or be clever, it is pure high quality.