Illustrators we would like to see more of

With a new book published this year illustrated by one of my favorite illustrators, Finn Campbell Notman, I thought it might be nice to compile a list for our "Folio Mole" to take back to the powers that be of illustrators we would love to have illustrate more books.

Harry Brockway! (Even if I don't want to read a book he's illustrated, I buy it.)

And Grahame Baker-Smith, and Elena and Anna Balbusso.

Balbussos' illustrations for The Handmaid's Tale were fantastic and so well-suited.

I second The Balbusso twins, and as I understand it, they've illustrated Pride and Prejudice, which is coming out some time this year. I have lots of other favourites as well. Will compile a list and post it later.

I agree about the Balbusso twins, the illustrations in First Love are beautiful.

I would love to see more Folio books illustrated by A. Richard Allen. I'd also like to see some more from Kate Baylay, who illustrated the Olive Fairy Book.

>5 Mweb: I just finished First Love and wholeheartedly agree. They were gorgeous.

One artist that stands out is Jane Josephs. Her etchings in ‘If This Is Man’ and ‘The Truce’ echo Primo Levi’s writing very well and are an asset to the books. One is almost compelled to study them closely, in contrast to some of the FS illustrations that I glace at briefly and promptly forget.

Niroot Puttapipat, anyone?

Peter stuart !

Roman Pisarev please.

Jillian Tamaki. I bought Irish Myths and Legends, pretty much for the pictures.

While we're at it, can we get more marbled papers? Not an illustrator, but an artist nonetheless to create them.

>9 ironjaw:
I second Niroot Puttapipat. His black and white drawings (ink?) are wonderful.

Michelangelo--and Raphael! Maybe they could work together on a book like the Balbusso twins.

On a more serious note, I second Peter Suart.

Sam Weber!

I adore, adore Balbusso sisters, but I also loved illustrations to The Foundation Trilogy by Alex Wells and then Pinocchio by Grahame Baker-Smith. Both added an extra dimension to the stories itself.

Reynolds Stone. He died in 1979 which might make commissioning new work a bit tricky, but nevertheless...

>13 sambadoll: Yes I agree! More marbled papers!

>13 sambadoll:,20
Another vote for more marbled endpapers and covers.

Michael Manomivibul. He illustrated Moonfleet, his only FS book thus far.

Elizabeth Magill's artwork for 'Gerald Manley Hopkins: Selected Poetry and Prose' is stunning. Not only would I like to see more work by her, but I'd like Folio to use this design - modest, no-nonsense binding (almost plain but pleasingly so) with beautiful commissioned art plates - to act as a kind of parallel Folio Poets series (whilst not supplanting the former). I'd suggest Poetry and Prose of John Donne for this format, and the poetry of Robert Herrick.

More from Caroline Smith, whose only FS book is Folktales of the Native Americans

More by Kareem Illiya who illustrated Things Fall Apart.

Abigail Rorer, Simon Brett

>13 sambadoll:, 20, 21

Yes count me in for more marbled endpapers.

> 13, 20, 21, 27

Yet another vote for marbled papers, as endpapers and covers!

>13 sambadoll:, 20, 21, 27, 28

Yes, marbled papers please with their infinite variation of pattern and colour.

Another vote here for marbled papers.

I thought Sam Weber would get lots of votes, at least more than 1!
:o

Another vote for Sam Weber here, and Manomivibul and Pisarev and Campbell Notman. Tamaki, and Joseph (completely agree about her work in the Levi books), Illiya and Magill too. And, as a lover of wood engravings, of course Simon Brett, Harry Brockway and Abigail Rorer. Omar Rayyan produced some of the best illustrations ever for the Fairy Books, I think, and Suart is unique.

I also really enjoyed the marriage of Friedrich paintings with Shelley's text in The Last Man, so not everything has to be a new commission to be inspired.

I think the FS has surely the most wonderful collection of talented illustrators since the heyday of the LEC.

Can I put in *lots* of votes for Charles van Sandwyk (of the beautiful FS Wind in the Willows fame)?
I also third Niroot Puttapipat
and add another vote for Sam Weber and the Balbusso sisters.
Hope the mole is busy adding these names to the secret FS plans for next year...

Now how about if you all post a photo of your favourite illustration by said illustrator in your posts?

All right. Caroline Smith, from Folktales of the Native Americans

Kareem Illiya, Things Fall Apart

>37 overthemoon: By a happy coincidence, I just pounced on a reasonably priced copy of this book on Abe yesterday.

>38 Smiler69: I'm just sorry it doesn't have an introduction, as I knew nothing about it when I started reading and it is quite confusing.

>39 overthemoon: Oh, that's a shame. I've read it already, and as it happens had found a softcover Heinemann edition at a second hand book shop ("Classics in Context", expanded edition with notes) which was very helpful and which I definitely recommend. I'm not sure I would have enjoyed the book as much as I did, and never mind made sense of it, without all the helpful supplementary information. So for me I guess no intro isn't a problem as such, but I have grown rather fond of the Folio's wonderful introductions and wouldn't have minded new insights.

>37 overthemoon:-39 I've got the Norton Critical Edition which has lots of supplementary content but I've still got the FS edition on my wish list.

I just took quite a long while typing up a message in which there was a long list of some of my favourite illustrators, only to see it disappear before my eyes. Too tired to retype it all, especially on the iPad, so I guess I'll try again some other time.

One thing I said was that I'd like them to work with Claire Malary for some future project as I was very impressed with her entries for the Brave New World competition and would have definitely bought this title had she won, but as it is I am very disappointed with the safe and (to me) incredibly boring choice they made and won't be buying that publication even if it were to be drastically discounted in some future sale.

eta: Malary's entries:
http://www.houseofillustration.org.uk/bravenewworld/bnw-3-150-rgb-2/
http://www.houseofillustration.org.uk/bravenewworld/bnw-2-150-rgb-2/

>43 DejaVoo:
If Orwell's 1984 gets published, we'll have a great selection of classics!
Peter Pan,The Great Gatsby,Pride&Prejudice are already due for Christmas!

>43 DejaVoo: Nicky, I may be mistaken, but I thought I'd seen a few illustrations from The Great Gatsby, but it's only a vague memory (possibly was a dream?) so obviously I couldn't say where that was. If I like the overall package, it's a sure bet I'll be getting that one. Same for 1984, if indeed they are publishing it. I don't at all like what they did with the Orwell set they've published previously, so won't be getting that from the secondary market any time soon.

>47 EclecticIndulgence: I'm actually always very happy when I see a book or set by the society that doesn't work for me: one less thing to spend my limited funds on.

>49 EclecticIndulgence: I'm not sure I understand what you mean... What feeling do you need a defence mechanism against? If I could, I'd have no feelings at all; would make things a lot easier in general, and I wouldn't suffer from FAD for sure!

>51 EclecticIndulgence: That's a biggie. I'm not sure I have an answer but I'll sleep over it and see if I dream up a solution.

> 50

"Good grief," I thought, "but then how would she draw and paint the way she does?!?"

>51 EclecticIndulgence: Have given it some thought. I don't know how badly you're affected Chris, but I personally don't think I've bought anything I don't have a strong interest in just because it's on sale or about to go OOP. One thing that keeps me from doing that is that I intend to read every book I buy (even if it takes me 12+ years to get to it!). Also, I have very limited space in my apartment. Also, there's only so much debt I can take on and still manage to sleep at night. As it is, my sleep is not untroubled... HOWEVER when I see a book I have a strong interest in at anything like a reasonable price, I'm quite helpless and no amount of common sense seems to help make me leave it to someone else. Not sure that's of any help to you.

>53 GravitasShortfall: It took me a while to understand your comment. Do I take it you've visited my art blog then? And if so, thank you.

I like a number of illustrators mentioned so far, but I want to put another vote in for Finn Campbell-Notman. I thought his work for "The Remains of the Day" was perfect with Ishiguro's prose.

Very impressive Nicki, especially the Dracula illustration - the woman is the same colour my partner goes on seeing my Folio bill.

>56 DejaVoo: That's just amazing Nicky! Thanks for sharing. The kind of images I'd gladly stare at for a long time; they are so lush and full of detail and well, simply gorgeous to look at. I clicked on one of the images and followed yet another link and was taken to the following http://www.goodillustration.com/children-portfolio/Anne-Yvonne-Gilbert-56/ which is her agent's site where more of her work can be viewed.

>60 DejaVoo: Too bad there aren't any more Fairy Books for her to illustrate, she would have been perfect for that. I agree I'd love to see her work in another Folio.

>61 Smiler69:

Just what I was thinking.

> 59-62

Gosh, yes! I particularly like her more 'oriental'-style pictures. I think she'd have been a lovely choice to illustrate A.S. Byatt's Possession (one of my favourite novels of all time, although I sadly don't own it in FS garb).

One illustrator I am a bit obsessed with currently is Kate Baylay. I've been tempted to buy the Olive Fairy Book ever since it was published last year simply for the sake of her illustrations (I am trying very hard to resist the Fairy Books), and the new edition of Seven Gothic Tales is simply astounding. Perhaps my favourite Folio standard edition. Her style is so intriguing -- reminding me of Beardsley. Luckily she is very young (just out of college) and so I hope she'll be receiving many more FS commissions!

ETA: Thanks for sharing the links to Anne Yvonne Gilbert's online work!

>64 DejaVoo: Surely you're going to invite him indoors before long to admire the bookcases full of Folios he's been carrying, semi-naked and sweat-dripping, for you?

>66 EclecticIndulgence: Patience, patience, Eclectic, you've just moved to Victoria, give her time to come knocking at your door...