The Famous Five Illustrators Compared
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Re: The Famous Five illustrators compared
Another 40 Eileen Soper Famous Five illustrations are now in the Cave as I have at last finished adding the pictures for Five Get Into a Fix from the serial in Enid Blyton's Magazine.
http://enidblytonsociety.co.uk/book-det ... ustrations" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://enidblytonsociety.co.uk/book-det ... ustrations" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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Re: The Famous Five illustrators compared
Great! Thanks, Tony.
'Go down to the side-shows by the river this afternoon. I'll meet you somewhere in disguise. Bet you won't know me!' wrote Fatty.
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- Rob Houghton
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Re: The Famous Five illustrators compared
Yes - thank you Tony!
'Oh voice of Spring of Youth
hearts mad delight,
Sing on, sing on, and when the sun is gone
I'll warm me with your echoes
through the night.'
(E. Blyton, Sunday Times, 1951)
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hearts mad delight,
Sing on, sing on, and when the sun is gone
I'll warm me with your echoes
through the night.'
(E. Blyton, Sunday Times, 1951)
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- pete9012S
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Re: The Famous Five illustrators compared
Wow - thanks Rob and Tony.
Plenty to drool over now for ones who love Soper and her less gifted artistic acolytes
Plenty to drool over now for ones who love Soper and her less gifted artistic acolytes
" A kind heart always brings its own reward," said Mrs. Lee.
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- Julie2owlsdene
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Re: The Famous Five illustrators compared
Nice to see the Magazine, pictures, good old Eileen Soper. No one can beat her, not even your annuals, Rob.
But on a serious note, I think it all depends on which book illustrator we grew up with, and I'm glad I was brought up with Eileen Soper.
But on a serious note, I think it all depends on which book illustrator we grew up with, and I'm glad I was brought up with Eileen Soper.
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- Eddie Muir
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Re: The Famous Five illustrators compared
Spot on, Julie. I, too, am glad I was brought up with Eileen Soper. Her Famous Five illustrations are the best by miles.Julie2owlsdene wrote: But on a serious note, I think it all depends on which book illustrator we grew up with, and I'm glad I was brought up with Eileen Soper.
'Go down to the side-shows by the river this afternoon. I'll meet you somewhere in disguise. Bet you won't know me!' wrote Fatty.
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- Rob Houghton
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Re: The Famous Five illustrators compared
I think this is true. I'd never even seen an Eileen Soper illustration of the Five until I was about 26. I didn't read the Famous Five as a child (except the two Annuals I had) and so was only familiar with the annual depictions - which mirrored the TV series characters, as you can tell.Julie2owlsdene wrote:Nice to see the Magazine, pictures, good old Eileen Soper. No one can beat her, not even your annuals, Rob.
But on a serious note, I think it all depends on which book illustrator we grew up with, and I'm glad I was brought up with Eileen Soper.
I do like the Eileen Soper illustrations these days and they are now the 'definitive' versions of The Famous Five for me - but the annual books are definitely my second-favourite depictions.
I also think this is why I find it difficult to picture the Famous Five as children. To me, they were always teenagers...or maybe aged about 14 - 16. The annual illustrations seem to show these ages, and so do Eileen Soper's later illustrations (which I prefer) for books like Mystery Moor and Go Down To the Sea etc. This is the age I picture the Famous Five as being.
'Oh voice of Spring of Youth
hearts mad delight,
Sing on, sing on, and when the sun is gone
I'll warm me with your echoes
through the night.'
(E. Blyton, Sunday Times, 1951)
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hearts mad delight,
Sing on, sing on, and when the sun is gone
I'll warm me with your echoes
through the night.'
(E. Blyton, Sunday Times, 1951)
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- Anita Bensoussane
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Re: The Famous Five illustrators compared
More than one artist worked on the Famous Five Annuals of the 1970s-80s. I like most of the depictions in the annuals too, though I didn't have any of them as a child.Rob Houghton wrote:I have three personal top favourite Famous Five illustrators.
Eileen Soper
The sadly uncredited artist for the Famous Five annuals I grew up with
And Betty Maxey (but really only her coloured cover artwork)
If I had to pick one favourite Famous Five artist which meant more to me emotionally, nostalgically, and artistically, it would be the unidentified artist of the 1970's annuals. This is because these were how I pictured the Five throughout my childhood and teenage years, until I first encountered Eileen Soper illustrations in the late 1990's.
Very interesting, Pete. The Look-in covers featuring Mike Noble's coloured illustrations of the 1970s Famous Five cast are superb.pete9012S wrote:This article contains a few examples of Famous Five comic book illustrators work:
http://downthetubes.net/?p=38153" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;The Famous Five at 75: The Comic Strip Stories
Some French editions of the Famous Five books contain coloured internal pictures. I particularly like the romantic-looking illustrations by Jeanne Hives:
http://serge-passions.fr/jeanne_hives_b ... ons.htm#Le" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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Re: The Famous Five illustrators compared
It seems to me that hard-covered French books by bibliothèque rose usually contain 4 coloured illustrations in the inside. It's possible though that early editions may contain more. Sometimes early editions of the idéal biblithèque have more coloured illustrations than later editions - some former coloured illustrations have been turned into grey-scale. But that isn't always happening.
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Re: The Famous Five illustrators compared
I'm not sure some of them even do that much.Julie2owlsdene wrote: All the other illustrators, just draw children.
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It was a nuisance. An adventure was one thing - but an adventure without anything to eat was quite another thing. That wouldn't do at all. (The Valley of Adventure)
It was a nuisance. An adventure was one thing - but an adventure without anything to eat was quite another thing. That wouldn't do at all. (The Valley of Adventure)
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Re: The Famous Five illustrators compared
The earlier Famous Five annuals - the first four or five - all have very similar illustrations, although they may not be the same artist - probably not. I wasn't so keen on the later ones, or when they introduced colour in the last couple. Those I like best are the two I had as a child - Smuggler's Top and Mystery Moor - probably due to nostalgic reasons more than anything, I admit!Anita Bensoussane wrote:More than one artist worked on the Famous Five Annuals of the 1970s-80s. I like most of the depictions in the annuals too, though I didn't have any of them as a child.
'Oh voice of Spring of Youth
hearts mad delight,
Sing on, sing on, and when the sun is gone
I'll warm me with your echoes
through the night.'
(E. Blyton, Sunday Times, 1951)
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hearts mad delight,
Sing on, sing on, and when the sun is gone
I'll warm me with your echoes
through the night.'
(E. Blyton, Sunday Times, 1951)
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- pete9012S
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Re: The Famous Five illustrators compared
The amazing and inimitable Betty Maxey - perfect for the 1960's/1970's generation (only in my opinion).
" A kind heart always brings its own reward," said Mrs. Lee.
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- Anita Bensoussane
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Re: The Famous Five illustrators compared
I like most of Betty Maxey's illustrations. They're pared down but still capture the tension and emotion of the adventures.
"Heyho for a starry night and a heathery bed!" - Jack, The Secret Island.
"There is no bond like the bond of having read and liked the same books."
- E. Nesbit, The Wonderful Garden.
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"There is no bond like the bond of having read and liked the same books."
- E. Nesbit, The Wonderful Garden.
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- Rob Houghton
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Re: The Famous Five Illustrators Compared
The selection of Betty Maxey illustrations above are all fantastic - some of her best, as they are complete, with no unfinished outlines!
'Oh voice of Spring of Youth
hearts mad delight,
Sing on, sing on, and when the sun is gone
I'll warm me with your echoes
through the night.'
(E. Blyton, Sunday Times, 1951)
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hearts mad delight,
Sing on, sing on, and when the sun is gone
I'll warm me with your echoes
through the night.'
(E. Blyton, Sunday Times, 1951)
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- Eddie Muir
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Re: The Famous Five Illustrators Compared
The Betty Maxey illustrations are interesting, but very inferior to those by Eileen Soper.
'Go down to the side-shows by the river this afternoon. I'll meet you somewhere in disguise. Bet you won't know me!' wrote Fatty.
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