Memories

Memory is such a mysterious human power that most of us take for granted. I can dredge up memories from so many points of my life, yet other points are seemingly lost forever.

A minor note: I do not ever remember eating lunch during my high school years. I didn't skip the meal, I'm sure, I just have no recollection in the least of ever eating lunch during high school. I can't even picture the school cafeteria in my mind, yet I can picture every other detail of the school's layout. And still I can remember specific days, events, smells and feelings as far back as when I was four and five years old (I remember several specific lunches from when I was 4).

Such a mysterious power we have.

Harold Nelson — Memories — early XXth century

Warning! Comic Book Geek Reference:

From the golden age of illustration is this Harold Nelson 'editorial cartoon' of sorts looking all the world like he channeled a Mike Kaluta Conan the King cover from decades into the future. Can't you just see the Conan the King masthead looming behind this guy?

Harold Nelson — A.D. 1918 — 1918

One of the Great Penmen

I've been on such a harsh deadline for so long now that I forgot what it's like to have a little goof-off time, like making a serious blog post. I have a lot of great stuff already scanned and in a docket, waiting for clean-up and organizing, but haven't had the time.

Well I finally got to this lovely 1901 book, Undine and Aslauga's Knight, illustrated by Harold Nelson, one of the great penmen of the golden age of illustration (I know, that's a lonnnng golden age). Nelson was of the age of Walter Crane and Howard Pyle and H.J. Ford, all who penned in a similar formal way, each with magical results.

I've included a bit of the text here and there, because it too is magical and part of the context of the book design.

Comparison Study

I love comparison studies—whether one image inspires another, or the images develop along parallel lines. This version of St. George is by Walter Crane, from Book I of Spenser's Faerie Queene, published in the 1890s. This drawing predates the Harold Nelson drawing of the last post. Both images were undoubtedly inspired by many a painting of St. George prior to their times.

St George

Harold Nelson (1871—1948) is one of my favorite ink illustrators, though it doesn't seem his body of work is as large as it might be hoped for. Primarily known for his book-plate designs, he illustrated several books, one of which I will post soon. The St George image shown above was, I believe, originally drawn for Spenser's Faerie Queene; but this version with coloration is from an early XXth century Inland Printer periodical insert, advertising a paper mill. One of my very favorite images.

Nelson submitted a similar design for the British Wembley stamp in January 1924. It was not accepted for that, but formed the basis for the £1 Postal Union Congress stamp of 1929:

It's interesting to see the changes made from concept design to issue: