35 Signs You Read Enid Blyton As A Child...

[Tony Summerfield]

I agree that Gilbert Dunlop was good with Barney and I like his cover illustrations, but some of his line drawings of the children are not all that great in my opinion - but hey, what do I know!

[Courtenay]

I also think Eileen Soper's illustrations deteriorated noticeably in quality as the series went on. The later ones tend to be sketchier, more rushed-looking, less realistic and no longer so full of character. The first several books have easily the best Soper illustrations. Maybe she got a bit bored with the series as it went on and she was having to illustrate story after story - often for the magazine serials before re-doing them for the complete books?

[Rob Houghton]

I think Eileen Soper was excellent at drawing younger children but I don't much like her depictions of the Five as they get older - she draws the children with squarish faces and boxy jackets, and Anne looks rather mannish. So I'm glad that she drew them looking younger again towards the end of the series!

Interesting! I think I prefer the older depictions myself! Although I agree they became more sketchy, I like the fact they look like teenagers.

I agree about Gilbert Dunlop's illustrations for the Barney Mystery series being more consistent, but really only in the first four books - which I think is why I dislike 'Rat A Tat Mystery' so much - it's inconsistent, using a different illustrator. When Dunlop came back to illustrate Ragamuffin, for some reason he made the characters look younger again, which I think is why these last two books in the series seem at odds with the others.


For example - Snubby in 'The Rubadub Mystery' -



Snubby in Ragamuffin Mystery -

[walter raleigh]

I think Eileen Soper was excellent at drawing younger children but I don't much like her depictions of the Five as they get older - she draws the children with squarish faces and boxy jackets, and Anne looks rather mannish. So I'm glad that she drew them looking younger again towards the end of the series!

Soper was inconsistent when it came to Timmy. He looks terrible here:



Her portrayal of Mischief also leaves a lot to be desired:



Perhaps it was because Soper and Maxey were both inconsistent that their drawings didn't really "stick" with me, whereas I imagine the Adventure and Barney characters exactly as Stuart Tresilian and Gilbert Dunlop drew them.

I have to say, although I will reluctantly concede that Soper was the 'better' artist, those two pictures prove that even she could have an off day! Mind you, much as I love Betty Maxey's artwork, I have to admit that her illustrations for "Five Are Together Again" weren't her finest hour either! Maybe Courtenay's supposition about Eileen Soper getting bored with drawing the books by this point, could also be applied to Betty Maxey?

[Anita Bensoussane]

All the Gilbert Dunlop pictures that people have posted look very attractive to me. Even when Snubby is in the background and among the shadows behind the boat, care has been taken with his proportions and posture and he isn't merely sketched in. Although Anyon Cook hasn't quite got Gerald Dunlop's fluidity of style, I don't think she does a bad job in The Rat-a-Tat Mystery.

...much as I love Betty Maxey's artwork, I have to admit that her illustrations for "Five Are Together Again" weren't her finest hour either!

Ah yes - that book contains Betty Maxey's illustration (third from bottom) of half a Julian appearing to float like a balloon in the air, tied to Anne's bed by a piece of string!

[Rob Houghton]

...much as I love Betty Maxey's artwork, I have to admit that her illustrations for "Five Are Together Again" weren't her finest hour either!

Ah yes - that book contains Betty Maxey's illustration (third from bottom) of half a Julian appearing to float like a balloon in the air, tied to Anne's bed by a piece of string!

That's an awful selection of Maxey illustrations, I must agree. The one of someone riding a horse is awful! Is it a pantomime horse? I can't recall as its a while since i read the book but it looks like one? The illustration that really made me laugh though is the one of the monkey/ chimp with a note pad and pencil! maybe he might have made a better job of the illustrations?

[Julie2owlsdene]

I presume that top picture is snubby, with his dog, finding the boat. The child has no nose!

Soper's picture of Timmy scratching, is just Timmy to me.

[Poppy]

I've always loved Gilbert Dunlop's portrayal of Loony. He looks so mischievous and playful, just as he is described in the books, and I love how his coat looks so shiny and clean!

[Katharine]

I'm guessing the journalist who wrote this article probably did too, although not sure the FF would have guzzled bottles of Irn Bru.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-g ... t-33985022" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Courtenay]

Oh, lashings of Irn Bru, obviously.