the illustrated book
Regardless of my love for all that technology has to offer, nothing can tear me away from an amazing book. Watching the evolution of printed matter through my life has at times inspirational. Letterpress artists like Sarah Nicholls and Asuka Ohsawa continue to embrace the book as a medium for fine art while others, like Chip Kidd (I am specifically thinking about the book he designed for Haruki Murakami titled The Strange Library), have taken the design of the mainstream book to a new level and presents fiction as art.
In tribute to amazing artists everywhere who continue to embrace the art of the book, here are four amazing illustrated stories that inspire me to design, create, and continue to buy and cherish printed matter.
Number 1: Ballad by Blexbolex
Bernard Granger, known as Blexbolex, is an artist, illustrator and printmaker. He is well known for his experimental approach to both book production and printmaking, and his contemporary illustrative style uses a ligne claire approach (clear line). As part of a trilogy, Romance (Ballad) follows the two previous titles in the series, L’Imagier Des Gens (People) and Saisons (Seasons). Each picture book exists as a solitary work and retains a continuous narrative through both the illustrative elements and accompanying text, while the bright color compositions are rich and inspiring. Ballad has an undulating foundation of music to the story, inspired by the history of nursery rhymes and folk songs. The vibrant characters and rich environments draw the reader in and make for a book that can be revisited over and over.
Blexbolex, Ballad, New York: Enchanted Lion Books, 2013.
Number 2: Land of Lines by Victor Hussenot
Victor Hussenot is a French artist and illustrator who is a master in a wide variety of media and artistic methods, as evidenced by his recent book of watercolors titled The Spectators. In his 2014 masterpiece, Land of Lines, Hussenot blends together simple line drawing techniques with those of the comic book genre. This work, in a simple color palette of blue, red and the occasional splash of yellow, is absent of any text. The book tells the story of a young boy and girl, reminiscent of comic book characters, connecting and embarking on a journey together. Over cliffs, through unknown terrain and otherworldly spaces, our two heroes take us on an adventure through the pages of Hussenot’s imagination. The rich story combined with effective visual storytelling make this book a must-have for any creative soul.
Victor Hussenot, The Land of Lines, San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 2015. Originally published in Switzerland by Editions La Joie de lire SA under the title Au pays des lignes.
Number 3: Ice Cream Work by Naoshi
In Japan, sunae is the art of using colored sand to create unique patterns and textures on a flat surface. Naoshi, a Los Angeles-based artist, is an expert at this craft and has developed a colorful style that is strongly influenced by anime and comic book art. Her book, Ice Cream Work, follows an ice cream man (in a fantastic, gender-ambiguous way) through an average or less-than-average work week. The rounds of the ice cream character include selecting a hair helmet for the day, curling up with a slice of chocolate cake, pretending to be a golf ball and driving down a strawberry-lined road. The imaginative characters, excellent design and fun story make this a must-have for a weekly dose of inspiration.
Naoshi, Ice Cream Work, Portland: Overcup Press, 2015.
Number 4: Wittgenstein’s Rhinoceros by Francoise Armengaud and Annabelle Buxton
Francoise Armengaud is a French writer, philosopher and academic. She has studied language, art, and feminism, and has written children’s books, novels and everything in between. Annabelle Buxton is an illustrator of the highest caliber who creates highly-detailed illustrations for books, prints and a variety of other works. These two respected, creative women are a match made in heaven in Wittgenstein’s Rhinoceros. Armengaud draws on one of the first encounters between Bertrand Russell and Ludwig Wittgenstein about whether there was a rhinoceros in the room (drawing on the concept of ‘asserted propositions’). We travel through Buxton’s beautiful illustrations on trains, across Iceland and through dreams all in search of the ever-illusive animal. This enchanting story, fascinating for children and adults alike, will captivate the reader time and time again while also pleasing any need for an influx of creativity.
Francoise Armengaud (narration) and Annabelle Buxton (illustrations), Wittgenstein’s Rhinoceros, Zurich: Plato & Co., 2016.
These suggestions should get you started on the road to “book love” but more updates will come as the discovery of printed matter continues!