British animator and illustrator Errol Le Cain was a member of Richard William’s animation studio in the 1960′s when they were producing the terrific and influential animated opening credits for films like A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum and Casino Royale (the original, weird one). He also worked on William’s The Thief and the Cobbler.
While he was working with William’s studio, Le Cain began to illustrate children’s books, developing a colorful style lush with patterns, textural design elements and Art Nouveau touches. In many ways his style seems like a continuation of the traditions of the European Golden Age illustrators (see the links in my recent post on Ivan Bilibin) without feeling like an emulation of any of them.
Le Cain went on to do extensive animation work for the BBC, continuing to create illustrations for children’s books into the years before his death in 1989.
Most of his books are out of print, but if you look around you can find them used.
There is a site devoted to his illustration work, The Illustrated Work of Errol Le Cain maintained by Tania Covo. Though it doesn’t have a gallery, per se, it has a list of his published work and the page for each title features two of his illustrations from that book.
One of my favourites, and love the examples you chose.
Thanks, Phillip.
Other readers should check out the rest of Phillip’s blog, Children’s/Fantasy Illustration, in addition to the Errol Le Cain link provided above.
I have always had a number of his books. I am now trying to purchase others,second hand I’m afraid from the net,as they fetch quite high prices.Would it not be great if his works were re-published?I LOVE Errol le Cains work.Roger