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Monday, June 25, 2007

More Tove

There are a handful of authors who are lucky enough to create a complete, complex universe that people relate to and love and return to again and again.
J.R.R Tolkien.
A.A Milne.
C.S Lewis.
J.K Rowling.
(What's with all the initials?...)
Another that is not so well known outside of Europe is Tove Jansson - someone I've blogged about a million times before.
Tove created a series of very sophisticated books for young people.
They are full of complex and interesting characters and situations in a completely fantastical and whimsical world (I hate that word, "whimsical". It's what bad children's authors and illustrators strive for. Tove just did it).
My favorite character of hers was The Groke.
The only worthwhile image I can find of The Groke is this one from a completely charming animated version of the books.

The Groke slides about the place icing up everything she slides over.
Her motives are never explained but she is bad news.
I found a soundclip of the noise she makes in this animated show which should help if you are trying to imagine her...
Tove's books and pictures have been a huge influence on my own work, but I never realised it until a few years ago.
I looked her up straight away to discover she had died only a few days before.
Since I last blogged about her I've found a great deal more of her art online, so here's the nicest stuff.
You'll also find to the left a link to Tove's drawing for The Hobbit, and if you shuffle about on the same site, you'll find a pile of BEAUTIFUL images done for Alice in Wonderland.















10 comments:

donnachada said...

Cheers Elliot, thanks for that link. Just spent loads of time browsing and I'll be back there again and again. Fantastic link.

Matt Jones said...

Gorgeous- like a Viking Mary Blair! Her influence on your work is obvious now,especially in such pieces as 'shitnails'...

Boris Hiestand said...

lovely work. On top of my monitor is a tin of candy from Japan. Now I know where the characters on it are from: moomin!

Elliot Cowan said...

Don - a pleasure! Sorry I haven't replied to your email yet, I've been very busy.

Matt - Tove released an entire sketchbook of her characters with feces under their fingernails.

Boris - They are hugely popular there. The Japanese did some unwholesome things with the Moomins...

MikeS said...

Thanks for sharing her work Elliot. There is a lot of greatness there!

And congrats on the Frederator interview!

Cheers,

mr.ed said...

fabuloooOOOooso!

Jay D Smith said...

thanks for the tove work!!

j.

Elliot Cowan said...

Smook - I'm pleased you like them.

Mr Ed - How nice to see you on Sandwichbag.

JD Smith - Pleasure.

karim Qabrawi said...

Hi Elliot this is Karim

I Work with Animations & Comics

I liked your Job so

I wanted to leave you my Blogspot

so If you like my Job Add me to your Link Section At:

http://karim-qabrawi.blogspot.com/

keep going with your Fine Art!

Elliot Cowan said...

Karim - you draw like a Frenchman.

 
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