A Thing Of Beauty

I’ve been investigating websites on and off lately, because my own has grown distinctly ragged and deformed. And I’ve found out that writers are at a disadvantage compared to illustrator’s websites and blogs.

A demonstration.

If I was to show you my work in progress I could write this:
Dr Styrax circled his room, thinking, and each time he passed along polished table. On that smooth surface lay a full sat of playing cards. Each time Dr Styrax passed, he ran his long pale fingers over the table, spreading the cards.
Anyone watching would have seen the cards somehow change.
And then I could follow it up with a more recent version:

Doctor Styrax circled his room, deep in thought. Each time, he passed the long polished table where, across the smooth surface, lay a full set of playing cards. As Dr. Styrax passed, he ran his long pale fingers lightly over the table, spreading the cards.
Anyone watching would see the cards somehow change, observe how the cards rearranged themselves into different sets and suites.
Hearts.
Diamonds.
Clubs.
Spades.
Kings, Queens and Knaves.
A flutter of intriguing Numbers.
And, of course, a Joker.
Dr Styrax created a different pattern every time.

Maybe in between you could glance at the image at the top of this post, to add to the tension? But I saw that yawn. Blocks of text don’t really lift the heart, do they? Engage the eye? Yet these cunning illustrator folk can show you the whole damn thing in a few glances, and that makes for an exciting site.

For example, Joanna Troughton’s site, mentioned by Adele yesterday, has slideshows that move from first sketches through to finished artwork, a process I absolutely love to see.

A very favourite blog, Lynne Chapman’s “An Illustrators Life for Me” mixes “everyday” sketches with images from works in progress and lots of other stuff besides. And a good webite too!

Not all illustrator sites go for such depth or process or closeness. Some go for the simpler approach: Peter Bailey, the illustrator for my novel A Boy Called Mouse (out in October) shows a selection of his completed artwork that speaks for itself.

Why I am I so into pictures at the moment? Maybe it's because last weekend I went to see an exhibition of original artwork by Gillian MacClure at Newby Hall, on its way up to Seven Stories. All those roughs and sketches and sketchbooks reminded me of the boxes of pens & paints hidden under the dust on my shelves.

On the other hand, painting with words is so much easier to correct.

Come on, do tell. What illustrator sites and blogs do you love?