EXTRACTS: illustrators issue 2 © 2012 The Book Palace (96 PAGES in Full edition))

94 The Bookshelf T he definitive retrospective on a truly great illustrator. The work of Bob Peak was without doubt some of the most powerful and innovative work of it’s kind, in an era whentherewas still aconsiderabledegree of buzz and confidence in illustration. In an era when the use of illustrations helped to shape the perceptions of generations of shoppers, readers and movie-goers, Peak’s work shone out like a beacon, and this beautifully produced and authoritatively written book is the definitive statement on his life and work. The presentation of this massive tome is a delight to navigate, and each aspect of Peak’s work is presented in it’s own section, with clean, crisp and uncluttered layouts, and the illustrations afforded generous space, so that the viewer can absorb each image on it’s own merits. Leafing through the book is akin to taking a trip through the latter half of the twentieth century, and as fashions change, so too does Peak’s work evolve, from the earliest and slightly youthful work done while Peak was studying at Wichita University, through the eclecticism of his early years at the Cooper Studio, to the flowering of his own distinctive style. A tribute from his son Tom, whose mission it was to see his father’s work presented to posterity this book is a must have addition to the libraries of art lovers the world over. F antagraphics 30 volume of Carl Barks Donald Duck and Uncle Scrooge stories has got off to a tremendous start with two volumes already released and a third scheduled for publication in November 2012. The first volume including such classic Duck stories as ‘Lost in the Andes’, ‘Race to the South Seas’ and ‘Voodoo Hoodoo’ has rightly received rave reviews as has it’s successor which features the first of the Uncle Scrooge classics, including ‘Only a Poor Old Man’ and ‘Back to the Yukon’. The design of these books adds much to the pleasure of leafing through these timeless tales. The design and layout is entirely sympathetic with Barks artwork and add to this the superb colouring that Rich Tommaso has applied to these stories and you are looking at the optimum best that any lover of Barks artistry could ever hope for. It’s worth mentioning that Tommaso has sensibly avoided falling into the trap of applying computer colouring effects and stuck closely (but not slavishly) to the colour schemes employed by the original colourists working on these stories. The result is beautiful flat laid back colours that allow Bark’s drawings to work their magic. Fantagraphics has to be congratulated for it’s masterly realisation of one of the most exciting comic reprint projects ever undertaken. The Art of Bob Peak by Tom Peak/Frank Darabont. Hard-bound 300 pages. Artworks £65.00 The Complete Carl Barks Disney Library by Carl Barks, Donald Ault & Rich Tommaso Hard-bound 240 pages. Fantagraphics Books £17.99 The Bumper Book of Look and Learn by Stephen Pickles Hard-bound 256 pages. Century Publishing £18.99 T his fabulous book with very little preamble represents some of the most visually arresting pages from Look and Learn’s twenty year history. Surprisingly the pages still retain the freshness that the images held when they were first published, this is in part due to the editor’s wise decision to concentrate much of the collection on Look and Learn’s unerring ability to present history as if it has just happened. This was always one of the great strengths of the magazine and the fact that it’s illustrators, including such greats as Fortunino Matania, Ron Embleton, Peter Jackson, James McConnell, Sep Scott, Eric Parker, Cecil Doughty and John Millar Watt were allowed free reign to illustrate texts vividly recreating some of the most seminal moments from times past provided it’s youthful audience with the ability to engage with events that had hitherto been largely consigned to dry and dusty world of school text books. All in all this book is a must have, a great book to dip into, a great resource for creatives seeking visual references, the most palatable aid to homework conceivable, and a beautiful book to have on your shelves.