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IllustrationMagazines

Illustrators # 1 (magazine review).

Illustators1

Having just reviewed the latest issue of ‘Illustrators’, I was curious about the first issue which came out in 2012. It’s always interesting to see how magazines evolve and with an art magazine, the choice of artists they start off with. On top of that, how often have to wished we could lay our hands on the first issues of any magazine?

All contents copyright The Book Palace Ltd (c) The Book Palace
All contents copyright The Book Palace Ltd
(c) The Book Palace

In this case, its with the art of Denis McLoughlin (1918-2002). If you’re familiar with 1950s British ‘Buffalo Bill’ annuals, then this is the artist who painted and illustrated fourteen of them. As his friend and writer of the piece, David Ashford, points out, McLoughlin had a love of western culture that could bring it to life. As the extended article also shows, he also had a knack for film noir fiction covers although, I have to confess, the names of some of the books tended to steal it for me. You only have to look at titles like ‘The Morgue The Merrier’, ‘Death Runs Faster’ and ‘Lady, That’s My Skull’ to see eye-catching went everywhere and not just the art. Interestingly, SF author Fredric Brown authored some of these books so there is an SF connection. When you consider how text copy was spread over the art, not to mention the poor reproduction, its often a wonder that any effort was put into the art at all because it must have seen dispiriting to the time spent painting them. Even so, McLoughlin’s paintings did bring something out whether it was people or buildings and the occasional car.

All contents copyright The Book Palace Ltd (c) The Book Palace
All contents copyright The Book Palace Ltd
(c) The Book Palace

The real gold here is an interview with comicbook artist Ian Kennedy. I only really came across him by name in ‘Starlord’ and a little in ‘2000AD’ in the 1970s and actually thought he would have been much younger. Peter Richardson’s 2000 dated interview reveals he starting in the 1950s with little formal training. His first job was blacking the squares and putting the numbers in crosswords but it got him through the door. Working in a studio with other artists was also his main means to learn the basics to nurture his talent and illustrating westerns and war stories and only later in his career moving on to painted covers. He claims he has to work hard in getting his figure work done properly but has a great love of painting aircraft which comes out in his work. Although Richardson’s lack of knowledge of painting and illustrating shows from time to time at this time, Kennedy’s own knowledge is a goldmine from the past and his art is beautiful to look at.

All contents copyright The Book Palace Ltd (c) The Book Palace
All contents copyright The Book Palace Ltd
(c) The Book Palace

Continuing in this mode, David A. Roach examines the art of Spanish painter Angel Badia Camps, who working through agencies, had work that appeared in the UK. This is true of many Spanish artists from the 1950s-90s. Looking at his work here, it is apparent that his suggestion from a simple paint stroke is very effective and explicit in mood. Much of his work is on romance covers but the occasional sample here shows he was equally at home with painting children and even norish depictions.

All contents copyright The Book Palace Ltd (c) The Book Palace
All contents copyright The Book Palace Ltd
(c) The Book Palace

Having a brief look at other artists looks like it started with this issue. Roach also has a look at French artist Cheri Herouard’s (1881-1961) work, who could illustrate and paint. Delicate and stylish it’s also a reminder that some artists’ works don’t always come to our shores. Don’t be taken in by the name as he was born Darling Louis Marie Aime Haume. The French have some odd name choices.

There is also a brief look at how Mick Brownfield painted the Radio Times 2009 Christmas cover. That’s the one with the clockwork Dalek in case you forgot. There were two versions, the other using clockwork ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ dancers. He explains that rather that repeat himself twice, he did overlays to get what they wanted.

Art magazines such as this aren’t likely to get old simply because art grants immortality to any work. For a premiere issue, I would have thought that The Book Palace might have gone for some bankable or named artists to ensure sales. However, thinking about it, by going lower key they might have accomplished more long term by attracting the more serious art fan and that seems to have bore fruit.

GF Willmetts

April 2016

(pub: The Book Palace, 2012. 98 page illustrated squarebound magazine. Price: £15.00 (UK), $ (US). ISBN: 978-1-907081-17-0. ISSN: 2052-6520

check out website: www.thebookpalace.com

UncleGeoff

Geoff Willmetts has been editor at SFCrowsnest for some 21 plus years now, showing a versatility and knowledge in not only Science Fiction, but also the sciences and arts, all of which has been displayed here through editorials, reviews, articles and stories. With the latter, he has been running a short story series under the title of ‘Psi-Kicks’ If you want to contribute to SFCrowsnest, read the guidelines and show him what you can do. If it isn’t usable, he spends as much time telling you what the problems is as he would with material he accepts. This is largely how he got called an Uncle, as in Dutch Uncle. He’s not actually Dutch but hails from the west country in the UK.

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