Books &Illustration 18 Jan 2008 09:28 am
Steig Children’s Books
- Continuing my obsession with William Steig I’m posting some artwork from some of Seig’s children’s books. I’ve done four of the books as films: Abel’s Island, Doctor DeSoto, The Amazing Bone and Sylvester and the Magic Pebble. I’ve always felt a kinship in the artwork of Steig and find it easy to draw in that style. It just feels natural to me, probably because I’ve been doing it since I was about 12.
You can view a lot of the original art at The Jewish Museum in NYC until March 16, 2008. The exhibit is delightful, and you’ll see how intense the original colors are in his artwork. William Steig’s brother, Arthur Steig, developed dozens of art supplies over the years, including Luma Colors, a line of brilliant watercolors, and calligraphic inks that would not clog technical pens. William used these Luma dyes profusely in his work. The first use was in what was originally called The Bad Island (1969) and was later republished with a new text as The Rotten Island.
These Luma colors are delicate, and I feel they often don’t publish well in the printing process. The colors of the originals are absolutely radiant, whereas even in the new art book, The Art of William Steig, many of the colors are a bit on the reddish side, and have lost something in the transition.
Cover illustration for Shrek! (1990)
pen and ink and watercolor on paper
© 1990 William Steig
Can someone tell me how they got from these illustrations to the ugly art on display in the Shrek films? Even the drawings on display at the museum from Dreamworks are much more palatable than those films. It’s sad.
“‘You jabbering jackass!’ Shrek screamedâ€
pen and ink and watercolor on paper
© 1990 William Steig
“There before him was the most stunningly ugly princess on the surface of the planetâ€
pen and ink and watercolor on paper
© 1990 William Steig
“Oh, ghastly you, with lips of blueâ€
pen and ink and watercolor on paper
© 1990 William Steig
“‘Oh, how I wish he were here with us on this lovely May day,’ said Mrs. Duncanâ€
preliminary illustration for Sylvester and the Magic Pebble (1969)
pen and ink and watercolor on paper
© 1969 William Steig, renewed 1997
Final illustration for Sylvester and the Magic Pebble (1969)
pen and ink and watercolor on paper
© 1969 William Steig, renewed 1997
“Doctor De Soto stepped into the fox’s mouthâ€
illustration for Doctor De Soto (1982)
pen and ink and watercolor on paper
© 1982 William Steig
Tomorrow’s Saturday. The museum is free. There’s no excuse. Go, take a look if you’re in the NY area.
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