Tag: book illustration

Designer Desire: Lesley Barnes

Mosaic of Lesley Barnes illistrations | H is for Homeall images © Lesley Barnes

Glasgow-based, award-winning illustrator, author and animator, Lesley Barnes is a hugely talented individual. We’re so in love with her playful, colourful illustrations. Her clients have included Belle & Sebastian, Bestival, Cheltenham Jazz Festival, Glasgow Film Festival, Puffin Classics, the Museum of childhood and the V&A.

Lesley sells a small selection of her work – prints and cards – in her Etsy shop. Her books, and others that she’s illustrated, are available from Amazon and Hive (who give local bookshops a percentage of every single order they receive).

Have a look at this short video from a few years ago which showcases a number of Lesley’s designs.

madness from Lesley on Vimeo.

Designer Desire: Maurice Sendak

Collage of Maurice Sendak book illustrations | H is for Home

Maurice Sendak (1928-2015) was a children’s book illustrator and author. Born in Brooklyn to Polish immigrant parents, Sendak insisted that his books weren’t strictly for children. In a radio interview with Terry Gross in 1989, Sendak shared:

Despite the fact that I don’t write with children in mind, I long ago discovered that they make the best audience. They certainly make the best critics. …When children love your book, it’s ‘I love your book, thank you. I want to marry you when I grow up.’ Or it’s ‘Dear Mr. Sendak: I hate your book. Hope you die soon. Cordially…’

His first book, from 1956, was entitled Kenny’s Window. However, it was for Where the Wild Things Are, published in 1963, that he first gained widespread recognition. The latter must have had some influence on the appearance of The Gruffalo (published in 1999).

He wrote and illustrated over 100 titles; amongst them: (The frequently censored) In the Night Kitchen, Bumble-Ardy, Hector Protector and As I Went Over the Water: Two Nursery Rhymes, Nutcracker, Swine Lake and the posthumous Presto and Zesto in Limboland with long-time collaborator, Arthur Yorinks. He won numerous awards for his writing and illustrations including, in 1964, the prestigious Randolph Caldecott Medal.

As well as all the books he authored and illustrated, there are numerous books about the man himself and his creations. These include Maurice Sendak: A Celebration of the Artist and His Work, Art of Maurice Sendak: 1980 to Present: v. 1 and v. 2, Drawing the Curtain: Maurice Sendak’s Designs for Opera and Ballet and Conversations with Maurice Sendak. In their Sendak obituary, The New York Times deemed him, “the most important children’s book artist of the 20th century”.

The Maurice Sendak Foundation has produced a lovely mini-documentary about the man and his work; watch it below.

Collage of Maurice Sendak book illustrations | H is for Homecredit

Additional image credits:
Pinterest | Vintage Childrens Books my Kid Loves

The Maurice Sendak Foundation from Lynn Caponera on Vimeo.

Designer Desire: Peter Clayton, illustrator

Mosaic of Peter Clayton illustrations | H is fir Home

I can’t remember where I first came across the fab illustrations of Plymoth-based Peter Clayton – I’ve had him on our Designer Desire ‘to do’ list for AGES!

Clayton’s illustrations are bright, cheery, distinctive and humorous. His Series of Problems with having Short Legs is so funny!

See more of his wonderful designs on his website, his Dribbble page and his Instagram stream. He currently has a few examples for sale on Etsy.

Portrait of Peter Clayton, illustrator

All images: Peter Clayton ©

Designer Desire: Edward Gorey

Collage of Edward Gorey illustrations | H is for Home

Call it nominative determinism, Edward Gorey (1925–2000) was an American illustrator and author known for his macabre, surreal, often eerie, pen & ink drawings.

He has a cult following amongst Victorian and Edwardian Gothic fans; you can see his influence on Tim Burton, especially the figures of The Gashlycrumb Tinies (see top iillustration and dactylic couplet abecedarium below it). I absolutely love the morbid humour!

Whilst a designer at Doubleday in New York, he illustrated editions of  T. S. Eliot’s Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats and H. G. Wells’ War of the Worlds, amongst others

Hugely prolific, his first book was The Unstrung Harp, published in 1953. Other popular works include The Doubtful Guest, Amphigorey and The Utter Zoo: An Alphabet. He continued releasing work up to the year before he died. In addition, he wrote several books under pseudonyms that were often anagrams of his own name – most famously Ogdred Weary.

He said of his ‘nonsense’ works:

If you’re doing nonsense it has to be rather awful, because there’d be no point. I’m trying to think if there’s sunny nonsense. Sunny, funny nonsense for children—oh, how boring, boring, boring. As Schubert said, “There is no happy music.” And that’s true, there really isn’t. And there’s probably no happy nonsense, either.

There is a documentary about Edward Gorey – funded on Kickstarter – that has been in the pipeline for aaaaaages – I’ve put together a number of video clips below that may or may not be used within the final film.

Portrait of Edward Goreycredit

Additional image credits:

Artnet | Pinterest