EXTRACTS: Illustrators Issue 6 © 2013 The Book Palace (96 PAGES in Full edition)

96 Letters @ Dear Peter, This is the most amazing quarterly. The high quality of the publication is beautiful both to look at and to handle. Very well done. Looking forward to issue five. — Sheila Wall Peter, What can I say... another publishing triumph! How nice to see my old friend Chris McEwan in all his glory... Though he would be perfect casting for Gepetto these days. —Mick Brownfield Dear Peter, The production and repro on the mag is beautiful—the work really shines. Nice range, too—different styles and periods, not just the genre fan-faves. The AOI mag VAROOM seems to cover the modern stuff (of a certain style they favour), while the US mag ( Illustration ) covers the sf/gangster stuff, but not so much outside that. —Rian Hughes Peter, WOW—stunning! Unbelievably gorgeous. Pat on the back for all of you is required! —Johnny Mains Dear Peter, Illustrators is a welcome addition to both the scholarship and the pleasure of the field of illustration. The reproductions are excellent. I especially enjoyed your articles on David Wright and Andy Virgil, and I am always grateful to learn about British illustrators who have not received the proper attention in the US. I hope that you will eventually consider stories about other neglected talents such as William Hatherell, Gordon Browne or David Low (as well as better known talents such as E.H. Shepherd and Charles Robinson). I am a big admirer of what you do, and I look forward to each new issue. Keep up the good work! —David Apatoff Great to hear from you David, and with reference to your list of artists, we are intent on running features on all of them . ● David Apatoff is one of the most erudite and passionate documenters of illustrators and the history of illustration, and all his books and essays on illustration are essential reading. Visit his illustration blog at illustrationart.blogspot.com Dear Peter, You can feel immensely proud of the magazine and it looks and reads just wonderfully. I don’t always agree with the choice of artist in each issue—but you do everything with such conviction that you sell me on it each time. Keep it up! — David Roach Hiya Peter, I must be famous! The package arrived today with my copies for which many thanks. I’ve already heard from someone who agrees that Rupert is “triffik” and he had a tale to tell. Rather odd reading about yourself.This cove sounds rather interesting and clearly he has such an exciting time. Strange that I can remember doing them all as I can’t remember what I did yesterday. I’m sending a copy to a friend who I shared a grotty flat with in London while doing some of the early stuff. I’m interested to hear if it brings back memories of life in Ealing… Ho Hum. I’m going to try and be casual and leave a copy on a table so that guests don’t exactly fall over it, but really can’t fail to notice it. Perhaps you can tell I’m mightily pleased. Hope you think it worth all the effort. It socks you in the eye as you turn the page, and is nicely different from the other offerings. You done well! —Chris McEwan Sir, I heartily agree with the sentiments expressed by Bryn Havord in his feature ‘In Passing’, (illustrators issue four). In many ways we are blessed with modern technology, especially with the introduction of cameras for use in mobile phones. However, the examples of current photographic book covers, when compared with the variety of the covers painted by illustrators in the ’60s and ’70s, shows just how bankrupt of ideas modern book publishing designers really are. Shame on them and their marketing and sales departments! —Harvey Clegg Dear Mr Richardson, Am I alone in thinking that perhaps your journal whilst worthy in many departments, is a little restricted in the artwork that you have so far chosen to present to your readers? Whilst I cannot fault the quality of the reproductions that you offer, and whilst I admire your discursive and entertaining biographical sketches, I feel that you are dwelling overlong on artists whose vogueishness is of passing interest to the serious scholar of illustration. I would much prefer to see a greater emphasis on the work of artists of the late nineteenth and early twentieth century, artists such as Randolph Caldecott, Charles Folkard, John Tenniel and such French masters as Job and Leloir. —Hugo Glanville You will be pleased to learn that we will be featuring the work of Charles Folkard in the very near future, alongwith several other of the distinguished alumni you mention. Win a book worth £45.00! Your feedback is important to us! Send us your views, and we are offering a free book to the writer of the best letter published in each issue. The prize for the best letter published in the next issue is The Art of Denis McLoughlin (Limited Edition). The editor’s decision is final. ● Please send your comments to the editor, Peter Richardson, at Illustrators. The Book Palace. Jubilee House. Bedwardine Road. Crystal Palace. LONDON. SE19 3AP, or email him at p-r@dircon.co.uk