Your Favourite Blyton Illustrators

Enid used many illustrators in her books. Discuss them here.
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Rob Houghton
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Your Favourite Blyton Illustrators

Post by Rob Houghton »

Just wondered who everyone's favourite illustrator of Enids stories was.

I think I would choose two, one from her 'younger' stories and one from her stories for older children.

Although I love Eileen Sopers illustrations, sometimes I think her women and men had very similar bodies (big thick muscular arms etc) Has anyone else ever noticed this?

My favourite for the older children has to be Stuart Tresilian, who always made the adventure series look so dramatic and inviting.

For younger children I would have to choose Beek, whose Noddy illustrations are superb, so colourful and attractive. And of course, he visually invented Noddy and all the other characters.

What do others think?
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Anita Bensoussane
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Favourite Illustrator

Post by Anita Bensoussane »

Hi Robert,

I also have two favourite illustrators. Like you, I love Stuart Tresilian's evocative illustrations for the Adventure series - so detailed and dramatic, as you said.

My other favourite is Grace Lodge, who did illustrations for Brer Rabbit, The Adventures of Binkle and Flip, A Story Party at Green Hedges and others. Charming pictures, quite delicate but full of movement. She really captures the different expressions of both children and animals.

Anita
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Rob Houghton
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Post by Rob Houghton »

Yes, Grace Lodge is another of my favourites. Her illustrations for 'those Dreadful Children' seem to give the book a special feel all of its own somehow. Whenever i look at the illustrations in this book it always seems more of a 'classic' than Enids other family stories, purely because of the standard of her illustrations.
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Moonraker
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Post by Moonraker »

I'm afraid I'm with Eileen Soper. I used to stare at her illustrations as a child, and long to be on Kirrin Island! The faces of the Five are etched in my mind like photographs. I agree, Robert, with what you say, but she is still my favourite.
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oldbookfan
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Post by oldbookfan »

I have to admit Im a bit of an Eileen Soper fan. I love to look at a book I just bought and check the illustrations to guess who the illustrator was. And yes, you are right, Eileen probably was predictable and repetitive but oh but so brilliant in her portrayal of perfect children for the perfect ending story. I really dont care if she repeats. Such class.

I have to admit I do not like Probst illustrations much. So sought after......so lacking. My mother said if you dont have anything nice to say, dont say anything at all. So, Ill leave it there.

What does everyone else think. Oh, I mean people that READ the stories of course.

:P

Lee

Lee
Tony Summerfield
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Illustrators

Post by Tony Summerfield »

I have to admit that I like a number of Blyton illustrators - and not always the obvious ones. You can tell by some of the illustrations on the editorial that I also like Grace Lodge and I have used one in Journal 27 (which I have at last managed to finish posting out!) - perhaps someone will be able to tell me which book I took it from!! Although much is uncredited there are certain Blyton illustrators that you can instantly identify and Grace Lodge is one of these. Obviously I would also include Eileen Soper here and others I like are Dorothy Wheeler and Dorothy Hall - though I didn't think that The Secret of Moon Castle was her best work.

Best wishes
Tony
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Kirrin
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hi

Post by Kirrin »

Eileen Sopers illustrations do one thing which other illustrators dont: she actually illustrates how Enid describes the people/places etc which is actually quite rare in an others!!
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Post by Carlotta »

My favourite is Treyer Evans, the first time I saw one of his Five Find-Outer illustrations I immediately felt real happiness - they were exactly right! However I am not a fan of the J Abbey ones.

Stanley Lloyd's MT and W Lindsay Cable's St Clare's illustrations are also high points - Lloyd's are beautiful and sensitive and serious, and Lindsay Cable's have real charm, and embody the series perfectly.

Mind you, most of Enid's illustrators were superb.
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Re: hi

Post by Moonraker »

Kirrin wrote:Eileen Sopers illustrations do one thing which other illustrators dont: she actually illustrates how Enid describes the people/places etc which is actually quite rare in an others!!
That is a very good point, Kirrin. It really annoys me to read a description, then the illustrator paints a completely different picture.
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Topsy-Turvy
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Gilbert Dunlop anyone?

Post by Topsy-Turvy »

I don't think I have read enough to have a favourite illustrator yet but I wonder what everyone thinks of Gilbert Dunlop from the Barney Mysteries? His drawings left me with a strong impression of our dear Barney!

I'd also like to ask (since they weren't identified in the books) who illustrated the pictures in the Dean series - particularly the Wishing Chair/Faraway Tree series. I can still remember Thomas's face being stuck in the wind! I think it was Geogina Hargreaves but might be wrong.
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Illustrators

Post by Viv of Ginger Pop »

It makes me very sad to see so few illustrations in some of the current editions. Of Adventure series looks pathetic without the classic illustrations, and the modern strange black covers. It is the stories for the youngest children that have suffered the most, with many children deciding not to evn try a book with so few pictures. Parents make a similar choice when selecting bedtime story materials. As for the modern Noddy - I find those eyes positively spooky!

Viv :cry:
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Rob Houghton
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Post by Rob Houghton »

Topsy Turvy:
I always had the feeling that the Faraway tree illustrations in the Dean versions were drawn by Rene Cloak, as they are very close in style to others I've seen by her.

The Wishing Chair illustrations are similar, but I agree that Georgina Hargreaves is also a strong contender. As you say, they are all uncredited, which is a pity.

Viv:

I agree. In fact, as I mentioned in my journal articles about The Adventure series, many of Enids descriptions don't make sense to a modern reader without the illustrations. Particularly in 'Circus' when Jack climbs into the boot of a car when it falls open. A modern car boot couldnt do that.
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Post by Topsy-Turvy »

Rob:
The only ones I've seen done by Rene Cloak weren't in any Blytons! It was some young reindeer book I had as a child I think. I've just been going through Mr Pink Whistle and I like those done in there too (similar to Faraway Tree and Wishing Chair) - maybe it's similar for all Dean's books! And come to think of it...Naughtiest Girl series too! They sort of have a magical appeal about them somehow!

Viv:
I think it's a shame about the lack of illustrations too. Unfortunately mine are the afore-mentioned black covers for the Adventure series! :( I thought they looked nice as a set when I'd bought the lot. I wonder if that was massively edited as well....sigh...I'll have to stick with them though!
TT
Miranda
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Gilbert Dunlop

Post by Miranda »

I agree with Topsy-Turvey that the Dunlop illustrations for the 'Mystery' series are some of the best. They are very striking, and convey a strong sense of mystery. Look at the howling wolves at the beginning of Chapter Nine of 'Ring o' Bells'! Shiver down your spine, or what?
What's more, Dunlop obviously also bothered to read the text, as everything in the pictures is just as Blyton describes it.

(I'm sorry, I'm new on here, and I don't feel intimate enough to call her 'Enid' yet!)

And isn't Barney gorgeous? Girls, did/do you fancy him too?
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HeatherS
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Post by HeatherS »

I couldn't really pic an absolute favourite - each and every illustrator brings their own flavour to the Blyton books, and help you to imagine the scenes for yourself. For instance Stuart Tresilian is incredible, but I couldn't imagine the Secret Seven or Faraway Tree with Tresilian illustrations. van der Beek did an amazing job with Noddy, but there's no way the Find-Outers would be the same with Beek illustrations. Soper's Famous Five illustrations are beautiful, and match the series so well.

I could go on forever, but as you see, it's impossible for me to pick!

I do think Enid made wonderful choices when it came to illustrators though. All of the pictures just seem to "fit" somehow, and they enhance the books so much.
Heather
"Have you held your breath in wonder, at the sky so dark and deep?" - Enid Blyton
http://www.heathersblytonpages.com/
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