I am familiar with Franklin Booth's work. He was not only a master at pen and ink, he was equally adept at creating compelling compositions. This was a wonderful look at this great illustrator.
I'm sure you're tired of me chiming in with my trivial commentary, but there was no greater example of Booth's influence in the world of comics than the genius Filippino artist Alfredo Alcala. A Google search will immediately confirm this claim. Not only was his rendering dramatically detailed, but he was also said to be remarkably _fast._ Great Video, Pete!
Alex Nino's work is spectacular and his work is a fine tribute to Booth's influence on illustrators but Bernie Wrightson's pen and ink work also deserves mention here. His interpretation of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein is an equally great example of Booth's influence on other illustrators.
@@Donald_McE SOME of Nino's work, yes, but not to the extent that Alcala does. That's Alcala's entire style. Even Wrightson only embraced it thoroughly in his Art Books.
I'm not tired of it at all, and it's far from trivial. And you have given me a new name to look out for. Believe it or not I did collect some names of Fillipino comic artists with a view (at least possibly) to making a video on the subject. But if I'm honest it's not near the top of my current list of priorities. We'll both have to hope I live considerably longer than I've a right to expect.
Such a shame that recording devices weren't more available during his era because I would love to be able to see him working on a piece from start to end. Excelent retrospective as always.
Thanks a lot for the comment. In my searches for the channel I have found a couple of clips of illustrators from the early 20th century at work, but there's nothing about Booth.
Thanks for the comment. And yes it's hard not to be intimidated - by the awesome abilities these masters demonstrate. I had to settle for a walk-on part in my own career in illustration, but I was still grateful for that.
OMG! You hit a nerve with Booth! He was one of the handful of artists that started my life of artists of renown. I was in my early 20's when I discovered his book in a local library. Along with Loomis, Leyndecker, Frazetta... This past Sunday I went to a museum about 4 hours away and thoroughly enjoyed Alphonse Mucha. Their digital rendering of his work was also amazing! I'll go thru this one again and screen grab all of thee phenomenal renderings. Thank you for this museum of amazing art!
Hello and thanks again for your continued appreciation. I'm glad you are an admirer of his incredible work. It's not even the type of illustration I'm all that bothered about but even I am slackjawed with admiration.
Wow, such mastery! I love the way he varies his technique within the same piece, with descriptive passages and near abstract, calligraphic expanses, always completely under control. I would guess that Berni Wrightson must have been a massive fan.
I really appreciated this presentation of the work of Franklin Booth. I particularly liked the castles and epic fantasy cities. The ink work and the clarity of realistic presentation combined with strange places and compositions take one's imagination to far places. Thanks very much for this excellent documentary, Pete.
Your coverage of illustrators from the early and mid 20th century almost always trigger pleasant memories and emotions most likely from my childhood reading experiences. This particular collection even more so than usual. The music you choose as your backdrop helps. All these works are beautiful. His choice to not produce “negative” or horrible war related material (as a majority of the other illustrators you have covered have) preserves his love of beauty that permeates all his work. Thank you for your work! I enjoy and watch every one of them!
Many thanks for your ongoing appreciation. I probably should have at least speculated that being a Quaker he would of course also be a pacifist. But I forgot.
Franklin Booth is my favorite illustrator of all time. I find his work to be captivating, breathtaking, intriguing and highly engaging. The tonal values that he was able to achieve in the thin, smooth line work of his pieces elevate the work, and they almost seem photographic at a distance. Talk about presenting romantic imagery! Booth was unmatched at it. His fantastic cityscapes, billowing clouds, and beautifully enchanting trees alone could hold my interest for hours! You did such a wonderful job on this spotlight on Booth, Pete! You always shine with each video, but this one just hit all the right notes with me! Thank you for posting this, as it made my day!
Thanks a lot for your comment and appreciation of Booth's work. Although I'm not generally that bothered about representational illustration I'm obliged to make an exception in Booth's case. Incredible aesthetic understanding and technique.
Such a brilliant capacity to elevate every subject to the level of mythology regardless of the era of the scene. Captivating! Thank you yet again, Pete.
Thanks again for your comment and appreciation. I didn't say so in the video (not my place) but those wonderful organ ads actually made me laugh out loud, such was their fantastical approach to selling.
True, those interested in seeing examples of how influential Booth was on Wrightson's style should look into Wrightson's stunning illustrations of Mary Shelly's Frankenstein. RIP Bernie Wrightson.
@@Donald_McE I've got a signed Wrightson print hanging on the wall about 7' from where I sit! Del Toro recently said that Wrightson greatly influenced his new Frankenstein film. Well... duh... how could it NOT??
@@petebeard Yr Obdnt Srvnt, as ever! Hey, you should do an episode on Wrightson while you're at it! Him, Frazetta, J. Allen St. John, Hal Foster... all those mid-century fantasy art geniuses! [Or - D'oh! - have I missed those episodes..?]
Thank you for this one. I have always loved Booth and although I knew a bit about his life I appreciate that depth you added. As always, a splendid job.
Thanks for the video, Pete. I have been an admirer of Franklin Booth for sometime so you can understand how happy I am that you have showcased his work today. In fact, funnily enough, I was watching a TH-cam video this morning by the Canadian artist Chloe Gendron showing her copying they style of Booth and I had wonder when you would include him in your list. Turns out I only had to wait a few hours.
Again, an incredible and amazing talent.. Always a pleasure to watch and to hear. The quality of the drawing in black and white, with the ink is astounding. Franklin Booth is really a master. Thanks to you, a lot, and your dedication to art and the artists !
It's by far my favorite video you've posted. I love them all, really. However, as a pen and ink artist myself, I hold a special place of honor for Franklin Booth. Thank you for sharing this with us.
I loved the verses. Just loved them. Put me in a different time and place, and fresh and open and tinder and close to the earth. It really touched me in an unexpected way. And thank you so much for photographing them so that we could read them.
Oh man, I LOVE Franklin Booth's illustrations.... He's so damn good. He must have the patience of a saint to line everything... I would go nuts shading like this....
Thabks for the comment, and you are so right - when you actually stop to analyse how many individual strikes make up the image it makes your head spin.
Hello Pete, and thanks for making this Franklin Booth video. It rounds out the tributes he has received lately in print for one of the US' greatest artists. John Flesk published his first Booth book in 2002 and revised it ( Silent Symphony) twenty years later with an introduction by Alice Carter (The Red Rose Girls, et.al.) with more biographic detail. They are both subscribers to your channel and would be too modest to mention it, but the book has the highest praise from reviewers and fans. Thanks for adding your video for his admirers to enjoy.
@@petebeard Glad to hear it. There is something to be said about balance, and there is no lack of talent to display. Can you imagine the comments if you were to show only women illustrators?
Obviously, I am absolutely beaming! 🙌🏼 absolutely masterfully done for an absolute master, by a absolute master in his own right. You’re a force for beauty in the world. 🙏🏼🫡
Hello again, and I'm very pleased you think I've done a decent job with the video. Your appreciation is very welcome, and so is your generosity in sending me those scans. I'm about to hit 100,000 subscribers, which isn't that many by TH-cam standards but it's way more than I ever thought I could achieve. And there is some interest from a UK publisher in converting the unsung heroes series to book format, although my past experiences with publishers doesn't make me all that optimistic.But who knows? I hope all is well with you and yours and have a good Christmas. Cheers Pete
Thanks so much Mr Beard. Booth has always amazed me with consistency and handling of ink intensity, at a repetitive level to produce such fantastic works. The fact his output was at a high level also. Thanks also for pointing out the scale aspect of his works....easy to see in a gathered group.
Terrific video as always. Booth was featured in one of my favorite art books, Rendering in Pen and Ink by Arthur L. Guptill (which I dug out of a pile of books just for this). I remember staring at one of his illustrations and the insane amount of details. His technique was never a mystery, you could see every line, every dot, but when you stood back, you just couldn't figure out how he did it. And then you'd see more of his work and realize, oh man, he did it again and again, it wasn't a fluke. One of my favorites. Thank you.
Thanks a lot for your comment and observations about Booth's truly remarkable work. Even among the greatest of pen and ink illustrators he was surely the pinnacle.
Thanks for the comment. I sometimes wonder if some of these illustrators were actual human beings, such is the level of their skill and creative productivity.
1:58 I noticed that the large figures of Faith, Courage, and Independent Thinking (which has the fewest people under it, sadly a pattern that has not changed) do not have strings to the people, like the negative figures, perhaps a reflection that the voices of reason, courage, and faith believe we are free to choose, while the voices pushing defeatism, fear/worry, and selfishness desire to control us? These last are the tools of cults everywhere and political propaganda. I kept saying, ‘oh, I like that one best!’ all through the video!🥰 Another banger! Thank you! I do pen and ink, and it is not easy to create detail like did, and the one you pointed out with the combination of styles really was impressive!
Great presentation. My favourite American artist/ illustrator of this era is Charles Gibson. Such ease of line, without complication. I dont know this artist Booth, but some of his images I have seen before in ignorance. He has great skills.
Thank you, Pete, this was an amazing video! In some of the comments the artist Berni Wrightson was mentioned, as well as Alex Niño... Both of them did fabulous work at Warren, in the company's horror-magazines. And there were a lot more artists working there that could be interesting for you. How about Reed Crandall, Richard Corben, Gray Morrow and even Wally Wood?
Thanks for your appreciation and suggestions. All such are noted for possible future use but I'm overwhelmed with dozens of others as works in progresss and I'm not starting any others until the end of that line is in sight (if ever). Otherwise my brain will explode.
What a fantastic artist!!! Versatile and attention to details, use of shadow and light. I specially like his portrait formats where he very often used the room and space above people to illustrate the size and grandness of the surroundings. Another artist of similar style, I would like you to cover is Italian Oswaldo Tofani, most known (to me at least) as the illustrator of the 1880 (I think) version of the gothic masterpiece "Le Mysteres De Paris" by Eugene Sue. Keep up the great work Mr Beard. Its easly one of the best things happened here at YT.
Many thanks for your appreciation. And more thanks are due for the name Oswaldo Tofani, who I had never previously encountered. I've googled him and bookmarked the page, and I will see if he's a viable subject with enough visual material to make a video. I should point out that I already have an enormous backlog of works in progress so if I do feature him it won't be for a while yet. But I'm very grateful for the suggestion and hope I can oblige.
Hard to adequately convey how exceptional these showcases are--this one hitting the bull's eye especially deep. Booth was a foundational inspiration for my younger self to pick up a crowquill pen decades ago; little did I know that that inimitable style had "begun as a technical misunderstanding that ended up making him" perhaps the ne plus ultra of pen and ink masters. Much as one marvels at Daniel Vierge, Joseph Clement Coll, John Byam Liston Shaw, Charles Gibson, and of course Howard Pyle, there is something of an isolate and splendid monumentalism in Booth's dominance of the form--a kind of unacknowledged final word, perhaps, with all due respect to Bernie Wrightson and all the other very exceptional pen and ink artists who forged their own superior contributions in his wake. Seeing his color work here is a revelation--I never thought of his work being in kindred company with Rackham or Dulac as quick examples, but I have clearly not understood the breadth of his conceptual canvas until now. Pete, the magnificent hand Booth drew holding the world up to the light with which you conclude this episode is an apt visual metaphor for your own grasp of the history of 19th and 20th century illustration--how fortunate we are indeed that you have seized this lofty mission and held it up to our collective delight, education and wonder, week after week, year after year!
My sincere thanks for such a considered and ultimately favourable response to a video on the channel seem somewhat inadequate, but you have them nonetheless. Such comments and observations are the lifeblood of the channel and keep me motivated with the reassurance that I'm doing something that's of use to others.
Another superb artist I'd never heard of! His technique is in an area of emotionally compelling and technically intricate imagery reminiscent of Doré at his best! I can only imagine what he might have done with Tolkien's Ring -- or Wagner's for that matter!
Pretty much every new art form is birthed and or advanced from just such happenstance. A young boy trying to mimic the sounds of a freight train on a harmonica etc..
Fabulous line work! Do we know what size the originals are? I know during this period many illustrators worked larger than the printed piece, sometimes up to twice the size. His darks and half tones using simple cross hatching is incredible. What a treat to see these. Thanks again, Pete. Bloody cold here in the south; cooking and eating lots of stews and comforting soups to keep warm. Probably not good for my weight, but I figure the extra layer of fat may keep me warm..😁 Keep safe Pete. Cheers!
Thanks as always for the appreciation, and as it happens I do know how big the originals were. It seems he worked at around 150% of printed size, at least in every case where I could track down originals. I find it oddly reassuring that the south of France is possibly as bleak as the north of England at this time of year (which I know is somewhat mean-spirited of me). I'm way ahead of you with the extra layers of fat.
come to think of it...the 1976 Ralph McQuarrie Star Wars pre-production paintings had that sense of a huge world where small people wandered about getting into trouble. Not sure they squeezed the feeling into the film. but not a bad effort on a small budget.
Thanks a lot for your comment. And regarding your question the short answer (and that's all I can manage in this space) would be it very much depends on who's work we are talking about. Much of it I find quite generic (similar to manga) but on the other hand I've seen some pretty impressive and distinctive results too, especially from Southern European and South American illustrators. It's true I'm more at home with the early to mid 20th century illustrators but not exclusively so.
Fantastic. The question that everyone wants to know... How long did it take him and other illustrators of the same ilk to create each of their illustrations? Back then, there were no "shortcuts" like "copy and paste"...hahahahaha. Cheers
Thanks for the comment, and unfortunately I cant give a definitive answer to your question. I'd guess at around a couple of working days, given that quite complex black and whites were being created for pulp magazines at the rate of a couple in one day. But sadly we'll never know for sure.
Pete, Nice job as usual. I like his advertisement page layouts the best. But as you see now after publishing this piece, there is too much space between the R and the A in the word Franklin. You knew I was going to point that out. Frank
Haha! I won't use the word 'nitpicking' but it's one of the reasons I never had much time for typographers. Either way we are both stuck with that space now.
While we usually look to colour illustrations as the most evocative, Booth deserves all the acclaim he received. As a fan of B&W photography, I really appreciate his style. His ad for a car looks as if it’s set in the Hermitage in Petersburg. 😂
It's an interesting view of the world. Not all egocentric like these days. People exist small in a huge and majestic creation. It's the sense of wonder.
While unique in his own right, Booth rightfully shares this genre with Maxfield Parrish, a genre that evokes a mythos, a mythos that captivates our imaginations, a mythos that stops the ticking of clocks and silences the noise of everyday life. Among my personal favorites, this genre only rivals my love for the Impressionists. An incredibly talented artist...
@@petebeard If you could work it into your plans, I would love to see a series on them. Also, I subscribe to a lot of art channels and, as I wrote yesterday's comment, it came to mind that yours is the best of them. :)
I love this style, which was also used in early Australian colonial publications. Regarding Mr Beard's format, I would prefer some lengthier discussions of the interesting aspects of specific images, including zooming on details.
Thanks for the appreciation. And I would do more pictorial analysis, but as it is viewing time for any given video is less than half its length. So I am mindful of the shorter attention spans of younger and more casual viewers.
Another homerun Pete! I have a question... during your narration you mentioned this artist had a considerable income and was paid well... What does that mean in terms of money?
Thanks for the appreciation - and the question. I don't have a precise figure to quote, but a typical black and white in a magazine such as Scribners would have netted at least $2500 in today's money. A colour cover around 8000, and with advertising work always the best paid each of those press ads would have brought in at least 5000. Then there were royalties on the books, and so it goes on. He was apparently capable of creating a full page B&W in less than 2 days so I'll leave the maths to you. My guess is around half a million annually by today's values, maybe more.
Thanks for noticing, and of course thanks for your continued support. This calls for a drink - although there's not much in my opinion that doesn't. Onwards and hopefully upwards...
Grazie mille per l'apprezzamento di questo video e, nel caso non lo sapessi, sul canale c'è anche un video sul lavoro di Dulac che potrebbe interessarti.
Been a fan of your posts for so long now, but I hava a curiosity question. What happens to all of these beautiful works when the Illustrator dies? I ask because a freind of mine who was a published illustrator died, a few of his originals were found in a charity shop and the rest in boxes were dumped in a locked council office cellar room, never to be seen again!
Thanks a lot for your question, which I'll attempt to answer, although as you'll see it's a tricky subject. All original artwork is by default the property of the creator, unless they choose to sell it or give it away. So, many years ago (and even now in some cases) if an illustrator is successful enough they can sell original artwork to collectors, who in turn can either keep it to themselves or put on display. And like fine art the work can be sold on to another collector, frequently at a profit. Some artwork ends up in museums and galleries, donated by the illustrator's family. But the sad truth is that for many less well known illustrators they simply perish with their death or as you point out get locked away/lost in one place or another.
14:50 I think Gustave Dore’s linear monochromes are easily just as good as Franklin Booth’s, if not better. Although they are different mediums and Dore used help to engrave the wood, the end result is the same kind of image as Booth’s pen and ink images.
Yes, that has to be considered. Booth edges him out on those terms. You have one of my top 3 art channels; it should be way bigger. Thanks for your work.
@@petebeard It's an image enhancement option that the browser has for watching videos. Purists won't like it, of course, but for me, who has astigmatism, it helps a lot to make things look sharper without having to reach for my glasses. And in this kind of videos where the details are so important, I like to use it. Man, if they sponsored your videos it would make complete sense! Although I feel that you run this channel out of passion and not for profit...
@@aldiergreen Thanks for the information, but I'd already checked it out and downloaded. I see what you mean and it certainly sharpens the images. I had cataracts for many years (not ideal for an illustrator) and when they were fixed the world came into remarkably sharp focus, so I'm no longer a candidate for using this format. But I can see its benefits. Either way thanks a lot for replying.
I doubt he influenced Parrish as they were pretty much contemporaries, although they did have similar approaches to their work. But Wrightson is quoted as saying Booth was his biggest influence.
Thanks a lot for your appreciation and suggestion. Wrightson is on a list of future possible subjects, but he's a long way down a terrifyingly long queue, and at the moment I'm not adding any more until I complete the current works in progress. As it is I'll probably fall off my perch before I get even close to the end. Sorry.
Olá e obrigado pelo seu comentário. Você pode selecionar seu idioma para os vídeos como este... Clique no ícone Configurações Selecione Legendas no menu Selecione Tradução automática Selecione seu idioma. Boa visualização!
If there be such a thing in art as included with others so-worthy, I would grant unto Booth the style/embellishment -- 'maître' and possibly even, 'grand maître' in his area of artistry, it being as it is sans peer.
Thanks for your comment and I'm very much inclined to agree with your observation. The idea that fine art is somewhow worthier than illustration really annoys me
Muito obrigado pelo seu comentário e apreciação. E não devemos esquecer que Doré tinha equipas de gravadores a trabalhar para ele. Booth fez tudo sozinho.
Hello again and thanks a lot for your appreciation of this video. And should you want to use the word again it's 'insightful'. But I hate pedantic people so it was close enough for me.
I am familiar with Franklin Booth's work. He was not only a master at pen and ink, he was equally adept at creating compelling compositions. This was a wonderful look at this great illustrator.
Thanks as always for the comment and appreciation.
Just lovin' those giant cloudbanks. What a superb video. Don't know how you do it Pete,but keep doing it!!
Thanks for the appreciation, and I've no intention of stopping in the foreseeable future. Too many still on the list.
I'm sure you're tired of me chiming in with my trivial commentary, but there was no greater example of Booth's influence in the world of comics than the genius Filippino artist Alfredo Alcala. A Google search will immediately confirm this claim. Not only was his rendering dramatically detailed, but he was also said to be remarkably _fast._ Great Video, Pete!
Alex Nino's work is spectacular and his work is a fine tribute to Booth's influence on illustrators but Bernie Wrightson's pen and ink work also deserves mention here. His interpretation of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein is an equally great example of Booth's influence on other illustrators.
Thanks for the name.
@@Donald_McE SOME of Nino's work, yes, but not to the extent that Alcala does. That's Alcala's entire style. Even Wrightson only embraced it thoroughly in his Art Books.
Alcala’s inks over John Bucsema’s pencils in the over-sized black and white Savage Sword of Conan from Marvel Comics is his best work.
I'm not tired of it at all, and it's far from trivial. And you have given me a new name to look out for. Believe it or not I did collect some names of Fillipino comic artists with a view (at least possibly) to making a video on the subject. But if I'm honest it's not near the top of my current list of priorities. We'll both have to hope I live considerably longer than I've a right to expect.
Such a shame that recording devices weren't more available during his era because I would love to be able to see him working on a piece from start to end. Excelent retrospective as always.
Thanks a lot for the comment. In my searches for the channel I have found a couple of clips of illustrators from the early 20th century at work, but there's nothing about Booth.
I've always been in complete awe of the skills involved in Booth's work, as an illustrator it's both intimidating and inspiring.
Thanks for the comment. And yes it's hard not to be intimidated - by the awesome abilities these masters demonstrate. I had to settle for a walk-on part in my own career in illustration, but I was still grateful for that.
OMG! You hit a nerve with Booth! He was one of the handful of artists that started my life of artists of renown. I was in my early 20's when I discovered his book in a local library. Along with Loomis, Leyndecker, Frazetta...
This past Sunday I went to a museum about 4 hours away and thoroughly enjoyed Alphonse Mucha. Their digital rendering of his work was also amazing!
I'll go thru this one again and screen grab all of thee phenomenal renderings. Thank you for this museum of amazing art!
Hello and thanks again for your continued appreciation. I'm glad you are an admirer of his incredible work. It's not even the type of illustration I'm all that bothered about but even I am slackjawed with admiration.
Wow, such mastery! I love the way he varies his technique within the same piece, with descriptive passages and near abstract, calligraphic expanses, always completely under control. I would guess that Berni Wrightson must have been a massive fan.
Thanks a lot for your appreciation of the video, and yes, Wrightson quotes Booth as his primary influence.
This guy’s work was/is AMAZING!!! Truly one of the American Illustrattion HEROES!!!
Thanks a lot for your comment and appreciation of Booth's incredible work.
I really appreciated this presentation of the work of Franklin Booth. I particularly liked the castles and epic fantasy cities. The ink work and the clarity of realistic presentation combined with strange places and compositions take one's imagination to far places. Thanks very much for this excellent documentary, Pete.
Many thanks for your appreciation of Booth's marvellous work and my efforts in making the video about him.
Your coverage of illustrators from the early and mid 20th century almost always trigger pleasant memories and emotions most likely from my childhood reading experiences. This particular collection even more so than usual. The music you choose as your backdrop helps. All these works are beautiful. His choice to not produce “negative” or horrible war related material (as a majority of the other illustrators you have covered have) preserves his love of beauty that permeates all his work.
Thank you for your work! I enjoy and watch every one of them!
Many thanks for your ongoing appreciation. I probably should have at least speculated that being a Quaker he would of course also be a pacifist. But I forgot.
@ that explains it! Thank you!
Thanks for spotlighting another Master! I knew of him, but never explored his life's portfolio like this. As only Pete Beard can do. Thank you!
Thanks for the comment and Im glad you think the closer inspection was worth it.
Franklin Booth is my favorite illustrator of all time. I find his work to be captivating, breathtaking, intriguing and highly engaging. The tonal values that he was able to achieve in the thin, smooth line work of his pieces elevate the work, and they almost seem photographic at a distance. Talk about presenting romantic imagery! Booth was unmatched at it. His fantastic cityscapes, billowing clouds, and beautifully enchanting trees alone could hold my interest for hours! You did such a wonderful job on this spotlight on Booth, Pete! You always shine with each video, but this one just hit all the right notes with me! Thank you for posting this, as it made my day!
Thanks a lot for your comment and appreciation of Booth's work. Although I'm not generally that bothered about representational illustration I'm obliged to make an exception in Booth's case. Incredible aesthetic understanding and technique.
@@petebeard Booth's skill was exemplary. Not bad for a dirt farming kid from Indiana!
Such a brilliant capacity to elevate every subject to the level of mythology regardless of the era of the scene. Captivating! Thank you yet again, Pete.
Thanks again for your comment and appreciation. I didn't say so in the video (not my place) but those wonderful organ ads actually made me laugh out loud, such was their fantastical approach to selling.
Very interesting to see the different kinds of work he created. Thanks for this video. Had to pause and watch it in two sessions - so rich!
Thanks a lot for watching -twice!
Superb line work. Another diamond uncovered for us Pete. Thank you.
Thanks as always for your comment and appreciation.
What monumental works! Thank you Mr.Beard from the bottom of my heart.
You are very welcome, as always.
OKAY! Finally... someone I know and love!! And one of the most important influences on Bernie Wrightson as well !
True, those interested in seeing examples of how influential Booth was on Wrightson's style should look into Wrightson's stunning illustrations of Mary Shelly's Frankenstein. RIP Bernie Wrightson.
@@Donald_McE I've got a signed Wrightson print hanging on the wall about 7' from where I sit!
Del Toro recently said that Wrightson greatly influenced his new Frankenstein film. Well... duh... how could it NOT??
Thanks a lot for your comment and appreciation.
@@petebeard Yr Obdnt Srvnt, as ever!
Hey, you should do an episode on Wrightson while you're at it! Him, Frazetta, J. Allen St. John, Hal Foster... all those mid-century fantasy art geniuses! [Or - D'oh! - have I missed those episodes..?]
As da Vinci said: The artist ought first to exercise his hand by copying drawings from the hand of a good master.
What a gift this is.
Thank you!
Thanks a lot for your comment - and the quote, which I had never previously heard.
Thank you for this one. I have always loved Booth and although I knew a bit about his life I appreciate that depth you added. As always, a splendid job.
Thanks a lot for your appreciation, and I'm pleased I've shone a bit more light on him.
What a talented illustrator, never heard of him before. Thnak you so much for this richly illustrated biography of his artworks.
Thanks for your comment, and I'm pleased to have introduced you to Booth's remarkable work.
Thanks for the video, Pete. I have been an admirer of Franklin Booth for sometime so you can understand how happy I am that you have showcased his work today. In fact, funnily enough, I was watching a TH-cam video this morning by the Canadian artist Chloe Gendron showing her copying they style of Booth and I had wonder when you would include him in your list. Turns out I only had to wait a few hours.
Hello again and I'm glad you think I did his work justice. Thanks for the comment.
Mr. Beard in the narration world you are our Franklin Booth. Cheers to you for another excellent production and explanation.
That's very flattering, and thanks a lot for saying so.
Again, an incredible and amazing talent.. Always a pleasure to watch and to hear.
The quality of the drawing in black and white, with the ink is astounding. Franklin Booth is really a master.
Thanks to you, a lot, and your dedication to art and the artists !
Thanks as always, and it's a real pleasure to draw a bigger audience for the work of Booth, and others.
It's by far my favorite video you've posted. I love them all, really. However, as a pen and ink artist myself, I hold a special place of honor for Franklin Booth. Thank you for sharing this with us.
Thanks a lot for your appreciation. And it's always a pleasure to know that actual working illustrators find the content of the channel interesting.
I loved the verses. Just loved them. Put me in a different time and place, and fresh and open and tinder and close to the earth. It really touched me in an unexpected way. And thank you so much for photographing them so that we could read them.
You are very welcome. Thanks a lot for your comment.
Oh man, I LOVE Franklin Booth's illustrations.... He's so damn good. He must have the patience of a saint to line everything... I would go nuts shading like this....
Thabks for the comment, and you are so right - when you actually stop to analyse how many individual strikes make up the image it makes your head spin.
Hello Pete, and thanks for making this Franklin Booth video. It rounds out the tributes he has received lately in print for one of the US' greatest artists. John Flesk published his first Booth book in 2002 and revised it ( Silent Symphony) twenty years later with an introduction by Alice Carter (The Red Rose Girls, et.al.) with more biographic detail. They are both subscribers to your channel and would be too modest to mention it, but the book has the highest praise from reviewers and fans. Thanks for adding your video for his admirers to enjoy.
Hi again and I'm glad you enjoyed it - even if he wasn't a female. There are a couple of women in the immediate pipeline though.
@@petebeard Glad to hear it. There is something to be said about balance, and there is no lack of talent to display. Can you imagine the comments if you were to show only women illustrators?
Obviously, I am absolutely beaming! 🙌🏼 absolutely masterfully done for an absolute master, by a absolute master in his own right. You’re a force for beauty in the world. 🙏🏼🫡
Hello again, and I'm very pleased you think I've done a decent job with the video. Your appreciation is very welcome, and so is your generosity in sending me those scans. I'm about to hit 100,000 subscribers, which isn't that many by TH-cam standards but it's way more than I ever thought I could achieve. And there is some interest from a UK publisher in converting the unsung heroes series to book format, although my past experiences with publishers doesn't make me all that optimistic.But who knows? I hope all is well with you and yours and have a good Christmas.
Cheers
Pete
@ you deserve it bud. 100,000 is YUGE! It’s all you bud. You deserve every bit of it. You should have your own show… wait… you do! lol 🫡
one of the most unique channels i've come across - thank you
Thanks a lot for your appreciation.
It gives me chills to see such expertise in cross hatching and monochrome drawings!! What a fantastic artist and video! Thanks Pete;-)
Thanks a lot and I'm pleased you appreciate Booth's remarkable talent.
Thank you Frankly Booth is my favorite artist,it was pleasure hear from you about him
Thanks a lot and Im glad you enjoyed the video.
Thanks so much Mr Beard. Booth has always amazed me with consistency and handling of ink intensity, at a repetitive level to produce such fantastic works. The fact his output was at a high level also. Thanks also for pointing out the scale aspect of his works....easy to see in a gathered group.
Many thanks for your appreciation of Booth's work, and my efforts in presenting it.
Thank you, this one helped me with a watercolor in full moon and the lighting. As always appreciate these.
Thanks for the comment and I'm pleased it inspired tou.
By far, Booth is the pen and ink artist that I most admire. Great presentaion of his work. Thank you!
Many thanks for your comment.
Brilliant as usual. And 100k at last and well deserved. Keep up the great work Pete!
Thanks for your assistance and persistence in getting me to the 100,000 mark. Downhill all the way from here...
Terrific video as always. Booth was featured in one of my favorite art books, Rendering in Pen and Ink by Arthur L. Guptill (which I dug out of a pile of books just for this). I remember staring at one of his illustrations and the insane amount of details. His technique was never a mystery, you could see every line, every dot, but when you stood back, you just couldn't figure out how he did it. And then you'd see more of his work and realize, oh man, he did it again and again, it wasn't a fluke. One of my favorites. Thank you.
Thanks a lot for your comment and observations about Booth's truly remarkable work. Even among the greatest of pen and ink illustrators he was surely the pinnacle.
“Jaw dropping expressive pen techniques...” indeed, Booth's drawings are awe inspiring, truly a master illustrator.
Thanks for the comment. I sometimes wonder if some of these illustrators were actual human beings, such is the level of their skill and creative productivity.
Booth's work still gets to me. The sense of space and wonder, not to mention his genius with pen and ink, still my favourite medium.
Thanks for the comment.What a talent he had.
Another great inciteful reading Pete.Booth definitely had a thing for monumental clouds,much like Moebius
Great job 👏
Thanks a lot.
1:58 I noticed that the large figures of Faith, Courage, and Independent Thinking (which has the fewest people under it, sadly a pattern that has not changed) do not have strings to the people, like the negative figures, perhaps a reflection that the voices of reason, courage, and faith believe we are free to choose, while the voices pushing defeatism, fear/worry, and selfishness desire to control us? These last are the tools of cults everywhere and political propaganda.
I kept saying, ‘oh, I like that one best!’ all through the video!🥰
Another banger! Thank you!
I do pen and ink, and it is not easy to create detail like did, and the one you pointed out with the combination of styles really was impressive!
Thanks for your comment and appreciation, and I must admit I didn't notice that at all about the marionettes picture.
7:29 min, if you'd show us only this image, we know that are in front of a genious! It's a discovery for me, thanks Pete!
Hello my friend, and I'm glad you appreciate Booth's remarkable talent.
@petebeard and yours definetly, to show him to us!
Crackin' work, Pete! 😊
Thanks for the appreciation.
Fantastic ! Thanks for another great video.
You are very welcome.
Wow, the arrangements and compositions! If only I could capture that and put it in a bottle...
Thanks a lot for your comment, and appreciation of Booth's remarkable work.
I see some Rembrandt in his early engravings and his clouds are superb. Thank you for presenting Booth, a wonderful artist.
Thanks again for your comments.
@petebeard thanks for all these wonderful presentations! It is turning into some sort of encyclopedia of illustrators who deserve more attention.
Great presentation.
My favourite American artist/ illustrator of this era is Charles Gibson.
Such ease of line, without complication.
I dont know this artist Booth, but some of his images I have seen before in ignorance. He has great skills.
Thanks a lot for your apprciation of the video and Booth's remarkable work.
Thanks, Pete, another great educational and entertaining video. You do great work!
Your appreciation is very welcome, as always.
Oh, those volcano eruption like cloud compositions...!
Thank you, Pete!
Thanks a lot for your comment and appreciation.
Thank you, Pete, this was an amazing video! In some of the comments the artist Berni Wrightson was mentioned, as well as Alex Niño... Both of them did fabulous work at Warren, in the company's horror-magazines. And there were a lot more artists working there that could be interesting for you. How about Reed Crandall, Richard Corben, Gray Morrow and even Wally Wood?
Thanks for your appreciation and suggestions. All such are noted for possible future use but I'm overwhelmed with dozens of others as works in progresss and I'm not starting any others until the end of that line is in sight (if ever). Otherwise my brain will explode.
Oh, that's wonderful! I know I've seen his work!
Hi and thanks for both your comments. I'm glad you continue to enjoy the content.
@@petebeard You are so welcome!
Great video. Beautiful artworks.
Thanks a lot for your appreciation of Booth's wonderful work, and my efforts in presenting it.
What a fantastic artist!!! Versatile and attention to details, use of shadow and light. I specially like his portrait formats where he very often used the room and space above people to illustrate the size and grandness of the surroundings. Another artist of similar style, I would like you to cover is Italian Oswaldo Tofani, most known (to me at least) as the illustrator of the 1880 (I think) version of the gothic masterpiece "Le Mysteres De Paris" by Eugene Sue. Keep up the great work Mr Beard. Its easly one of the best things happened here at YT.
Many thanks for your appreciation. And more thanks are due for the name Oswaldo Tofani, who I had never previously encountered. I've googled him and bookmarked the page, and I will see if he's a viable subject with enough visual material to make a video. I should point out that I already have an enormous backlog of works in progress so if I do feature him it won't be for a while yet. But I'm very grateful for the suggestion and hope I can oblige.
Wonderful artist!
Thanks for your comment.
Great episode, thank you 🎉
Thanks as ever.
Astonishing artist. One of my favorites.
Thanks for the comment.
Hard to adequately convey how exceptional these showcases are--this one hitting the bull's eye especially deep. Booth was a foundational inspiration for my younger self to pick up a crowquill pen decades ago; little did I know that that inimitable style had "begun as a technical misunderstanding that ended up making him" perhaps the ne plus ultra of pen and ink masters. Much as one marvels at Daniel Vierge, Joseph Clement Coll, John Byam Liston Shaw, Charles Gibson, and of course Howard Pyle, there is something of an isolate and splendid monumentalism in Booth's dominance of the form--a kind of unacknowledged final word, perhaps, with all due respect to Bernie Wrightson and all the other very exceptional pen and ink artists who forged their own superior contributions in his wake. Seeing his color work here is a revelation--I never thought of his work being in kindred company with Rackham or Dulac as quick examples, but I have clearly not understood the breadth of his conceptual canvas until now.
Pete, the magnificent hand Booth drew holding the world up to the light with which you conclude this episode is an apt visual metaphor for your own grasp of the history of 19th and 20th century illustration--how fortunate we are indeed that you have seized this lofty mission and held it up to our collective delight, education and wonder, week after week, year after year!
My sincere thanks for such a considered and ultimately favourable response to a video on the channel seem somewhat inadequate, but you have them nonetheless. Such comments and observations are the lifeblood of the channel and keep me motivated with the reassurance that I'm doing something that's of use to others.
Thank you. 👍
My pleasure.
Another one of my favorites and inspirations.
Thanks a lot for your comment.
Another superb artist I'd never heard of! His technique is in an area of emotionally compelling and technically intricate imagery reminiscent of Doré at his best! I can only imagine what he might have done with Tolkien's Ring -- or Wagner's for that matter!
Thanks for the comment. And it is a pity that his work wasn't allied with some of the great works of fiction.
The misinterpretations made by autodidactic geniuses can lead them to produce such wonderful creations! Thanks for sharing this story, Pete.
Pretty much every new art form is birthed and or advanced from just such happenstance. A young boy trying to mimic the sounds of a freight train on a harmonica etc..
Thanks for the comment and appreciation, as always.
Getting close to that TH-cam plaque.
As we speak I need just another 170 gullible souls...
Fabulous line work! Do we know what size the originals are? I know during this period many illustrators worked larger than the printed piece, sometimes up to twice the size. His darks and half tones using simple cross hatching is incredible. What a treat to see these. Thanks again, Pete. Bloody cold here in the south; cooking and eating lots of stews and comforting soups to keep warm. Probably not good for my weight, but I figure the extra layer of fat may keep me warm..😁 Keep safe Pete. Cheers!
Thanks as always for the appreciation, and as it happens I do know how big the originals were. It seems he worked at around 150% of printed size, at least in every case where I could track down originals. I find it oddly reassuring that the south of France is possibly as bleak as the north of England at this time of year (which I know is somewhat mean-spirited of me). I'm way ahead of you with the extra layers of fat.
A true master!
Thanks for the comment.
Oh, be still my heart.
I know what you mean. Thanks for the comment.
YOU DO NOT DISAPPOINT!!!
Never
I'm very glad you think so. But my wife might argue with you on that score...
come to think of it...the 1976 Ralph McQuarrie Star Wars pre-production paintings had that sense of a huge world where small people wandered about getting into trouble. Not sure they squeezed the feeling into the film. but not a bad effort on a small budget.
I'll look that up. I wasnt previously aware of his work.
Thanks for revisiting this great artists. Engravings are pretty cool, in my opinion.
A question, Mr Beard: what is your take on graphic novel artists?
Thanks a lot for your comment. And regarding your question the short answer (and that's all I can manage in this space) would be it very much depends on who's work we are talking about. Much of it I find quite generic (similar to manga) but on the other hand I've seen some pretty impressive and distinctive results too, especially from Southern European and South American illustrators. It's true I'm more at home with the early to mid 20th century illustrators but not exclusively so.
Fantastic. The question that everyone wants to know...
How long did it take him and other illustrators of the same ilk to create each of their illustrations?
Back then, there were no "shortcuts" like "copy and paste"...hahahahaha.
Cheers
Thanks for the comment, and unfortunately I cant give a definitive answer to your question. I'd guess at around a couple of working days, given that quite complex black and whites were being created for pulp magazines at the rate of a couple in one day. But sadly we'll never know for sure.
Amazing video thank you 😁
My pleasure. Thanks for the comment.
Franklin Booth is the goat. My all time favorite
Thanks a lot for your comment.
Pete, Nice job as usual. I like his advertisement page layouts the best. But as you see now after publishing this piece, there is too much space between the R and the A in the word Franklin. You knew I was going to point that out. Frank
Haha! I won't use the word 'nitpicking' but it's one of the reasons I never had much time for typographers. Either way we are both stuck with that space now.
While we usually look to colour illustrations as the most evocative, Booth deserves all the acclaim he received. As a fan of B&W photography, I really appreciate his style. His ad for a car looks as if it’s set in the Hermitage in Petersburg. 😂
Thanks for your comment and appreciation of his remarkable technique and aesthetic sensibility.
It's an interesting view of the world.
Not all egocentric like these days.
People exist small in a huge and majestic creation.
It's the sense of wonder.
Well said and thanks for the comment.
Excellent.
I'm glad you appreciate Booth's work.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Thanks *Pete*
Thanks as always for the comment and the stars. Both are appreciated.
The GOAT of ink work.
Thanks for the comment.
@@petebeard Keep up the great work, love these videos!
While unique in his own right, Booth rightfully shares this genre with Maxfield Parrish, a genre that evokes a mythos, a mythos that captivates our imaginations, a mythos that stops the ticking of clocks and silences the noise of everyday life.
Among my personal favorites, this genre only rivals my love for the Impressionists.
An incredibly talented artist...
Thanks a lot for your comments, and yes there are many parallels with the emotive power of Parrish's work.
@@petebeard If you could work it into your plans, I would love to see a series on them.
Also, I subscribe to a lot of art channels and, as I wrote yesterday's comment, it came to mind that yours is the best of them. :)
I love this style, which was also used in early Australian colonial publications. Regarding Mr Beard's format, I would prefer some lengthier discussions of the interesting aspects of specific images, including zooming on details.
Thanks for the appreciation. And I would do more pictorial analysis, but as it is viewing time for any given video is less than half its length. So I am mindful of the shorter attention spans of younger and more casual viewers.
Another homerun Pete! I have a question... during your narration you mentioned this artist had a considerable income and was paid well... What does that mean in terms of money?
Thanks for the appreciation - and the question. I don't have a precise figure to quote, but a typical black and white in a magazine such as Scribners would have netted at least $2500 in today's money. A colour cover around 8000, and with advertising work always the best paid each of those press ads would have brought in at least 5000. Then there were royalties on the books, and so it goes on. He was apparently capable of creating a full page B&W in less than 2 days so I'll leave the maths to you. My guess is around half a million annually by today's values, maybe more.
100k, you made it!
Thanks for noticing, and of course thanks for your continued support. This calls for a drink - although there's not much in my opinion that doesn't. Onwards and hopefully upwards...
Grazie per farmi conoscere cosí illustre illustratore, quanta eleganza nel suo tratto…mi ricorda Dulac …
Grazie mille per l'apprezzamento di questo video e, nel caso non lo sapessi, sul canale c'è anche un video sul lavoro di Dulac che potrebbe interessarti.
Been a fan of your posts for so long now, but I hava a curiosity question. What happens to all of these beautiful works when the Illustrator dies? I ask because a freind of mine who was a published illustrator died, a few of his originals were found in a charity shop and the rest in boxes were dumped in a locked council office cellar room, never to be seen again!
Thanks a lot for your question, which I'll attempt to answer, although as you'll see it's a tricky subject. All original artwork is by default the property of the creator, unless they choose to sell it or give it away. So, many years ago (and even now in some cases) if an illustrator is successful enough they can sell original artwork to collectors, who in turn can either keep it to themselves or put on display. And like fine art the work can be sold on to another collector, frequently at a profit. Some artwork ends up in museums and galleries, donated by the illustrator's family. But the sad truth is that for many less well known illustrators they simply perish with their death or as you point out get locked away/lost in one place or another.
Stunnsationally exquisite!!!!
Thanks a lot for your comment and appreciation of Booth's work.
*Booth* obviously liked clouds & elongated things
14:50 I think Gustave Dore’s linear monochromes are easily just as good as Franklin Booth’s, if not better. Although they are different mediums and Dore used help to engrave the wood, the end result is the same kind of image as Booth’s pen and ink images.
Thanks for the comment, although as you point outDoré's work ows its character to the engravers who he employed.
Yes, that has to be considered. Booth edges him out on those terms. You have one of my top 3 art channels; it should be way bigger. Thanks for your work.
this one is particularly good to watch in opera browser with "lucid mode" turned on
I'd never heard of that - I must investigate.
@@petebeard It's an image enhancement option that the browser has for watching videos. Purists won't like it, of course, but for me, who has astigmatism, it helps a lot to make things look sharper without having to reach for my glasses. And in this kind of videos where the details are so important, I like to use it. Man, if they sponsored your videos it would make complete sense! Although I feel that you run this channel out of passion and not for profit...
@@aldiergreen Thanks for the information, but I'd already checked it out and downloaded. I see what you mean and it certainly sharpens the images. I had cataracts for many years (not ideal for an illustrator) and when they were fixed the world came into remarkably sharp focus, so I'm no longer a candidate for using this format. But I can see its benefits. Either way thanks a lot for replying.
Looks as though he influenced Parrish and Wrightson?
I doubt he influenced Parrish as they were pretty much contemporaries, although they did have similar approaches to their work. But Wrightson is quoted as saying Booth was his biggest influence.
I really enjoyed this expose on Mr. Booth. For me, his equal would be Bernie Wrightson . Hands down.
It would be nice to do an expose on Mr Wrightson.
Thanks a lot for your appreciation and suggestion. Wrightson is on a list of future possible subjects, but he's a long way down a terrifyingly long queue, and at the moment I'm not adding any more until I complete the current works in progress. As it is I'll probably fall off my perch before I get even close to the end. Sorry.
the goat
Thanks a lot.
Por favor o texto pode ser em português
Se der obrigado
O canal e ótimo.
❤
Olá e obrigado pelo seu comentário. Você pode selecionar seu idioma para os vídeos como este... Clique no ícone Configurações Selecione Legendas no menu Selecione Tradução automática Selecione seu idioma. Boa visualização!
👍
If there be such a thing in art as included with others so-worthy, I would grant unto Booth the style/embellishment -- 'maître' and possibly even, 'grand maître' in his area of artistry, it being as it is sans peer.
Thanks for your comment and I'm very much inclined to agree with your observation. The idea that fine art is somewhow worthier than illustration really annoys me
@@petebeard 👍
I absolutely am transported into near heavenly regions by Booth's artistry, @petebeard.
vídeo muito bom. Um artista incrível do nível de Gustave Dorè.
Muito obrigado pelo seu comentário e apreciação. E não devemos esquecer que Doré tinha equipas de gravadores a trabalhar para ele. Booth fez tudo sozinho.
Insiteful?
Hello again and thanks a lot for your appreciation of this video. And should you want to use the word again it's 'insightful'. But I hate pedantic people so it was close enough for me.
One of the greatest to ever do it and an all time personal favorite of mine. Thank you very much for the video
Thanks and I'm glad you approve my choise of subject.
@@petebeard I'm always happy to see your videos regardless of if they're a personal favorite or not but it is certainly a special treat when they are.