Master of the pen

Arthur Rackham (1867-1939) was an illustrator of mostly children's books in the late 19th - early 20th century. His works, done in ink and watercolor, are some of the most beautiful and fluent drawings and was a huge influence on my own draughtsmanship.

His skill at drawing human, animal and plant forms in fantastic scenes matched his ability to create dynamic compositions. I love how he can turn hair and water and flora into beautiful patterns and textures. Books and images of his work are easy to find as he is still to this day considered a master of the medium with few if any equals.

{top image courtesy of An Actress In Venice.com, above image courtesy of The Melvillian Blog}