ronald searle’s christmas carol

for the last day of the year 2013 I want to show you some of my most favorite illustrations, RONALD SEARLE’S visual interpretation of CHARLES DICKENS’ – THE CHRISTMAS CAROL. searle illustrated this classic novel in 1960 and it was published by perpetua books, london. the way searle captures the mood of the story together with the english victorian period of time is I think unsurpassed by any other illustrator. his very special style, the way he mixes fat brushstrokes of black ink with a kind of nervous thin nib line, always fascinated me. but in these illustrations he adds a lot more, a very detailed world in the backgrounds beautifully colored in his very special watercolor style. this book is one of my treasures. have a HAPPY NEW YEAR.

© ronald searle / perpetua books

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greetings

before the internet-era it was common to send and receive via ‘snail-mail’ christmas greeting cards. over the years I have collected some special ones, mainly handmade cards from close friends. below is a small selection – happy holidays…

2 christmas cards by andreas deja, from 1987 and 1988

from harald siepermann when he was still my student in 1983

from stephan boeder, at that time responsible for the graphic design in WDR, west german television, 1977

from the producers of the alfred j kwak tv-series, telecable benelux, amsterdam + tokyo, 1989

one of my childhood christmas calendars from the fifties. you opened every day in december one little hidden window in the calendar and got rewarded with a simple illustration behind it

one of my favorite disney christmas cards from 1938

and another disney christmas card probably early forties

all disney artwork © disney enterprises, inc

photokina

storyboard for a planned commercial 1986 for PHOTOKINA COLOGNE. it was supposed to combine ‘monty python’-like cut out animation, traditional 2D animation and claymation. of course they chose something cheaper.

sailing nr.13

again…?

sailing nr.12

BORACAY, a tiny island – one of the 7.200 philippine islands. a little bit like paradise, turqouise bathtub-warm water, white sand, palmtrees and coconuts. delicious food and tropical drinks – I wanna go back…