Sunday Safari - Couch Surfing

 Tom Vroman, Alexander, 1964, thanks to art.crazed

Susann Stoebe

BM Mikhailov, illustration from Reluctant film stars, 1987

from polny_shkaf's amazing vintage children's book collection

 Morris Hirshfield, Angora cat, 1937, thanks to Arthur van Kruining

 Clement Hurd, Little Dog, Dreaming, 1967, thanks to my vintage book collection

Natsuo Ikegami

Mark Ulriksen

Juliane Carole Wenzl

Darla Jackson, They were plotting...

Sweet Mess, Nest Down 

Amber Alexander, Byron

Silvia Bautista, Zorro

Domenico Gnoli

WIldLifePrints, Squirreled Away

Exquisite Monsters

Illustration from L'abécèdaire de la colère

As soon as I first saw the artworks of Swiss illustrator Emmanuele Houdart I was captivated

by their beauty and originality. Houdart was born in Geneve, where she studied art, and later moved to Paris

to pursue her career as an illustrator. SInce then she has illustrated over twenty children's books, 

some written by her and others by authors like Laëtitia Bourget. 

Houdarts' surreal worlds are populated with a strange variety of monsters and hybrid creatures,

fantastical representations of her inner dreams, thoughts and emotions.

Illustration from Les choses que je sais, 2003

Some of her books have won important prizes, including the 2005 Bologna Ragazzi Award for Monstres Malades. 

Illustration from L'apprentissage amoreux, 2005

Les voyages merveilleux de Lilou la Fée, 2006

Houdart creates her illustrations with felt-tip pens, a technique which leaves very little space

 for mistakes. Often she utilizes a very restrained color palette, which I find both elegant

 and powerful. I love her illustrations colored in shades of red and green.

Dedans, 2006

L'abécèdaire de la colère, 2008

Tout va bien Merlin!, 2009

Illustration from Saltimbanques, 2011

By the way, it's going to be a very French February here at Animalarium...

Jim's Jazzy Creatures

With today's post I want to celebrate the recent Italian edition of Jim Flora's 

The Day The Cow Sneezed. To my knowledge, this is the first time that a book 

by Flora has been published in my country, and as they say, better late than never!

My gratitude goes to the wonderful publisher Orecchio Acerbo for bringing us 

another classic, after their beautiful re-editions of Peter Newell.

Like many, I discovered Flora through his famous jazz record covers before realizing 

that he had written and illustrated 17 children's books between 1955 and 1982.

The Day the Cow Sneezed was published in 1957, and was the second of the series.

Here's a peek at many of the other volumes, with links to more illustrations and info when available. 

And if you are not familiar with the artist, you may read his biography in Italian and English.

The Fabulous Fireworks Family, 1955

Charlie Yup and his Snip-Snap Boys, 1959

Leopold the See-Through Crumbpicker, 1961, thanks to Stickers and Stuff

Kangaroo for Christmas, 1962

My Friend Charlie, 1964

Grandpa's Farm, 1965

Sherwood Walks Home, 1966

Fishing with Dad, 1967

The Joking Man, 1968

Pishtosh Bullwash and Wimple, 1972

The Great Green Turkey Creek Monster, 1976

Grandpa's Ghost Stories, 1978

My thanks goes to the website and blog dedicated to Flora, and to the always delicious

Vintage Kid's Book My Kid Loves, which has uploaded most of the artist's books.

Mysterious Wanderings

A Moment of Respite

I am deeply fascinated by the arcane and magical worlds

evoked by the art of Andy Kehoe. I would love to take a walk

through his mystical forests and encounter his fabulous 

and harmless looking spirits, dragons and ghouls.

Who knows what secrets they may carry!

Carrier of Secrets and Mysteries

Meeting of Forest Dragons

Under the Gaze of the Glorious

March of the Exiled

Upside-down World of the Optimistic

On the Banks of Broken World

Ghouls of the Forest Deep

Hope in the Future

 King of the Hermits

 Forever my Fellow

 The Flood brings Curious Encounters

All things turn to Brilliance