Fiction can reveal what truly makes us human, what makes us real.
Smithereens : [smith -uh-reenz] Plural Noun. 1. Small pieces, bits. Smithereens are tiny pieces, fragments of a larger thing. In this series of blog posts, I share small slivers of my process, thoughts on materials, and insights into the larger world of illustration. D rawing people was 'easy'
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Francis Spufford’s fiction début is a fast-paced romp, but it keeps its eyes on the moral conundrums of America.
Hi, this is Pilz, an illustrator and comic artist based in Baltimore, USA. I loving making original characters and fictions. I'm open for commissions of illustrations and sequential comics/graphic novels. I'm starting to use Twitter so... see more of my work on IG@Pilzpilzchen
30 books to fill your beach bag for the dog days of summer
On June 8th, a new exhibit curated by Tor’s own Irene Gallo and Orbit Books’ Lauren Panepinto opens at the Museum of American Illustration at the Society of Illustrators, turning a spotlight on the incredibly rich array of science fiction and fantasy art created by women, from established icons in the field to new and […]
The story of the flood as told by Mrs Noah, an introduction to the wonderful world of microbes, and gruesome tales to accompany Christmas dinner
Nicolas Delort est illustrateur franco-canadien installé à Paris. Auteur de séries d'illustrations frappantes soulignées par une signature reconnaissable.
The illustrations of James Bingham (1917-71) in Saturday Evening Post are not among the most highly regarded. It’s easy to see why – there’s no flashy brushwork, no painterly flourishes and no crowd-pleasing caricatures. The flat and undifferentiated surfaces are not especially inviting and the use of colour can appear garish at times. But Bingham was a consummate professional and his understanding of composition and ability to organise and combine form on the printed page never failed him. There was a strong cinematic element in his images, often suggesting the asymmetric dynamics of Hollywood film noir where dramatic slanting beams of light contrasted with deep pools of shadow to enhance the sense of unease. At his best in images like the erotic encounter between doctor and nurse or the femme fatale stealing from a suitcase outside a motel he captures a deep sense of foreboding that events are going out of control and all will end badly. Plunging perspectives and a preference for a low eye-level all played a part. His talent for visualising criminal behaviour made him the first choice to illustrate Earl Stanley Gardner’s “Perry Mason” stories whenever they appeared in Saturday Evening Post. Only once, for the issue dated 22 December 1945 did Bingham paint a cover for Saturday Evening Post but he produced an enormous volume of illustration for advertising which will feature in a future post.
Every year, the Spectrum Awards pick the most amazing art in science fiction and fantasy, from a number of categories including book covers, advertising, and concept art. This year’s nominees are absolutely stunning. Here are some of our absolute favorites.
Auad Publishing, which produced books about noted illustrators Robert Fawcett and Al Dorne, has done it again with an important new book about illustrator Al Parker (1906-1985). The 9' x 12" book contains 208 color pages with a rich cross section of Parker's work, along with family photos, reference materials and supporting essays. The text was written primarily by Stephanie Plunkett, Deputy Director and Chief Curator of the Norman Rockwell Museum but I was pleased to contribute as a co-author, along with Leif Peng. Parker was famous for his diverse visual solutions. While other illustrators worked hard to create a single recognizable brand, Parker's hallmark was ceaseless experimentation. I can't think of another illustrator who could pick up and put down artistic styles with such ease: Here's a sneak preview of the book: My essay says that Parker was the illustrator for the "interregnum"-- the power vacuum when the old gods of illustration (Norman Rockwell, Leyendecker, N.C. Wyeth, etc. ) were departing but the new gods (Pushpin Studios, Robert Weaver, Bernie Fuchs, Bob Peak, etc.) had not yet arrived. Everything was up for grabs; the styles of illustration which dominated the first half of the 20th century were becoming obsolete, but the new styles had not yet found their footing. In that window of time, Parker became the leading illustrator who explored dozens of new paths and planted dozens of new seeds. He never stayed in one place long enough to harvest those seeds himself, but they made profitable careers for a number of illustrators who followed in Parker's footsteps. Good friends: Al Parker surrounded by Bernie Fuchs and Bob Peak Despite his diverse approaches to picture making, young art students and beginning illustrators had no trouble spotting Parker's work, and would rush to the magazine stands each month to see what Parker was up to. As illustrator / comic artist Leonard Starr reported, "Parker was the man, and all the guys knew it." A book like this about Parker is long overdue, and I recommend it strongly to fans of illustration. P.S.-- For those of you living in the Los Angeles area, the Nucleus Gallery is having an exhibition of original Al Parker work. The show will only remain up for another week, and it provides a rare opportunity to see his great talents in the flesh.
(František Muzika, Z Českého ráje V (Ležící torzo), 1944) František Muzika (1900-1976), a key member of the Czech New Wave scene, created haunting paintings that blended human form with the surroun…
Immerse yourself in sapphic historical fiction with these 20 must-read books like Mademoiselle Revolution and Notes of a Crocodile.
The Best Of The Worst
Discover the finest artists from animation, games, illustration and comics..
Polish artist Paweł Kuczyński is an illustrator who combines social commentary and satire in his work to create thought-provoking pieces. The artist invites us to step back and consider the absurdities that are present in our lives. Kuczynski's illustrations force us to question accepted norms and reassess real priorities.
Check out Lindsey Look interview where she talks about her personal and professional journey. It is very inspiring for aspirant creative artists.
For Ferrante’s heroines, life is a conundrum of attachment and detachment, James Wood writes.
Illustration: Robert Maguire
The best illustrations about books and reading. By Paweł Kuczyński, Andrea De Santis, Jungho Lee, Gürbüz Doğan Ekşioğlu, Dale Edwin Murray, and Mariusz Stawarski, among others.
How potboilers and pin-ups showed gay and bisexual women they were not alone.
Explore LEGO Dog's 1000 photos on Flickr!
“He seems to be possessed with a demon of restlessness,” Stanwix’s mother remarked. But his real demon was motionlessness. After eighteen months in California, Stanwix reports: “I am still stationary." After Bartleby’s employer suggests that he might consider “going as a companion to Europe, to entertain some young gentleman with your conversation,” Bartleby replies, “I like to be stationary.” To which his exasperated employer responds: “Stationary you shall be then.” Published two years after Stanwix’s birth, “Bartleby, the Scrivener” could not be based on Stanwix. But could Stanwix be based on Bartleby? Could Herman Melville, the distant, depressed father, have helped create the conditions for a Bartleby?
a collection of retro sci-fi images from all over the web on Tumblr
In the literature of pestilence, the greatest threat isn’t the loss of human life but the loss of what makes us human, Jill Lepore writes.
Artist Nicolas Delort lives and works in the suburbs of Paris where he creates evocative and imposing illustrations using ink and scratchboard. Each piece represents a moment from an unknown narrative leaving me filled with questions in the same way Chris van Allsburg’s The Mysteries of Harris Burdick leaves you curious of the circumstances behind each image. Delort is officially represented by Shannon Associates where you can see much more of his work and hopefully hire him to illustrate a graphic novel that I will wait in line to purchase. More
