Garden seed packet illustrations

A busy spring! Which is all good, and now I can finally start to post some of the projects I have been working on. Here's the most recent, a trio of seed packet illustrations painted digitally, using traditional methods (underpainting, grisaille, etc.)

Being a gardener myself, you can imagine that I really enjoyed this assignment! Click on any image to see a larger view.

Recommended: Early Advertising Art, Typographical Volume

This book gave birth to my love for ornate fonts, weird typography, and hand drawn lettering and by that I mean the old-school stuff! This collection was compiled by Charles Hornung and although it's called Advertising Art, it is about half type with the other pages being devoted to borders and ornaments.

Handbook of Early Advertising Art: Typographical Volume (Dover Pictorial Archive)

But it's not just pages of alphabets! The page layouts show the collected fonts in different sizes and weights and make for great reading -- the designer must have had fun putting this together. Here are a couple of examples (click on the images to see them at a legible size):

Fun to page through, and a great reference in general. I can imagine steampunk aficionadi would appreciate this volume. I also love some instructions in the middle of the book that give very specific instructions for copperplate handwriting -- beautiful!

(I do recommend getting a used, and therefore more affordable, copy.)

Recommended: The Scrapbooks of Robert Opie

Seriously, I couldn't pick just one! Robert Opie's fantastic collection of vintage British memorabilia is laid out in these oversized art books, with very few words and lots and lots of pictures! If you are interested in recreating an era in packaging or illustration, color schemes or decor, interested in history and advertising, etc., these books are a visual delight. Here are a couple:

1930s Scrapbook

Victorian Scrapbook

And for you Downton Abbey fans, an Edwardian Scrapbook! There are also ones on the 1910's, WWII, 1920's, 1950's, 60's and 70's... it goes on! If you are interested in UK packaging and memorabilia, just do a search for Robert Opie books and you can browse further.

Apart from being lovely to look at, these montages give you a personal sense of how people lived 'back in the day' and what was of concern to the British at the time, much more than a modern day movie or TV show that tries to recreate an era in stereotypes. I'd love to see an American series of books done in a similar manner.

Recommended: Painting Better Landscapes, Specific ways to improve your oils

Plein air painting can sound like fun, but once you've lugged your oh-so-many supplies into the great and often windy/sunny/cold/hot outdoors, then comes the problem of exactly what to paint. Many a landscape has turned out blah due to lack of composition and focus. But Margaret Kessler saves the day with:

Painting Better Landscapes: Specific Ways to Improve Your Oils

I love this book because I am new to the whole landscape/ plein air thing and my background of illustration has involved more years in dark cubicles with little sunshine than it has with panoramic vistas! Now that I've embraced the fun of painting and drawing wherever I can see real results in my artwork in general. And although this book is aimed at the landscape painter and not specifically plein air, really anyone who puts landscapes in their artwork including illustrators will benefit from the information.

Margaret Kessler takes you through all the problematic landscape scenarios, explains why they are problematic, and offers solutions. The book is well thought out with plenty of examples and the text is direct.

I recommend reading the book, then taking one topic at a time and trying it out on your next painting or illustration. You are sure to see some good results. 

Recommended: The Art of the Label, Designs of the Times

Without a doubt, this is a book any packaging designer should have on their shelves. My older and very well-thumbed copy features a different cover, but the pages are filled with gorgeous examples of British labels, packaging and product, over 1000 labels covering 150 years:

The Art of the Label

These label examples come from the extensive collection of Robert Opie, who began collecting labels and packaging at age 16 and his immense collection now covers all aspects of daily life such as toys, advertising, souvenirs, magazines and travel. The book leads you from one era to the next, and discusses some of the changes going on in society that lead to changes in design.

If you are interested in typography, packaging, nostalgia, vintage art and design, this book will give you plenty of inspiration.                                                                                 

Recommended: The Encyclopedia of Writing and Illustrating Children's Books

I've a very short stack of books on illustrating for children, in part because at some point you have to just do it, reading more won't help! But this beautifully designed book has managed to keep a place on the shelf:

The Encyclopedia of Writing and Illustrating Children's Books: From creating characters to developing stories, a step-by-step guide to making magical picture books

Despite having the longest subtitle of all time, this book makes an excellent partner to Martin Sinclair's Illustrating Children's Books: Creating Pictures for Publication. This is another UK publication but don't let that deter you if you're reading this from the US or Canada. The information is absolutely valid in terms of the North American market as well.

Both cover the basics and build towards creating professional book dummies and color examples, each taking a slightly different road to get there. I find the information in both to be very accurate, with this book going further into some of the details of the narrative aspect. I'd be hard pressed to pick one book over the other so I say, get both! 

Recommended: Illustrating Children's Books, Creating Pictures for Publication

I love this particular book on children's book illustration as not only is the information very accurate and current, but the art examples are diverse and of excellent quality:

Illustrating Children's Books: Creating Pictures for Publication

This book has everything for the would-be children's book illustrator, and some good reminders/pointers for those of us already in the business! Starting with a little background on children's books you quickly get into the meat of things with advice about drawing, media (including digital), characters and concepts, book covers, non-fiction, and on into professional presentation and tips for getting work.

It's beautifully done and a reference that you will want to revisit. The book has a slight UK slant to it as the author is a well-known British illustrator and educator. However all the information is applicable to illustrators elsewhere (and seems to have been adapted for the US and Canadian audience by the publisher Barron's), and it's informative to see examples of lovely book illustration from across the pond!