Ron Embleton by Candlelight - Until We Meet Again

I have previously devoted a number of blog entries to the art of Ron Embleton and the post More Ron Embleton Magic (18 June 2011) has consistently proved to be one of my most popular.

Last month I was thrilled to be able to buy the painting shown above to add to my small collection of original Ron Embleton art.  It is not a large painting, but it is one I have loved ever since I first saw it as a child.

Although I admire all of his work I think Embleton's works lit by candlelight, firelight and moonlight are his most atmospheric and technically brilliant.

This is how the painting appears in the story 'The Secret of the Trolls', originally printed in 1970 in Once Upon a Time magazine.

In one of my earliest posts Here be Dragons (20 January 2011) I mentioned that prints/posters of Ron Embleton's work are available for sale that are often vaguely titled.  This painting is another example.  It is always called 'Girl Writing a Letter'.   The 'girl' in the illustration is called Lady Ulfstan - she is busy inviting all the noble knights in the land to her castle in the hope that one will offer to marry her troublesome daughter!

These works of art are usually referred to as 'boards'.   The paintings are taped onto a square of board (ready to be sent for printing) with instructions and dimensions written underneath.  For me that is part of their appeal - they are working illustrations - part of the magical process of bringing to life these wonderful stories for children.  I have chosen to keep them exactly as they are and not frame them (although I have covered them in cellophane to protect them.)     

Last December I bought another painting from the same story (shown above).   Again I think the use of light in this painting is brilliant, divided as it is into a hot and cold area.  Like the examples I included in Ron Embleton's Comic Cooks (September 2011) the inclusion of the dog is a lovely touch.

Once again here is the illustration in the context of the story:

     

I bought these two paintings from Frans Leeflang - items he is currently selling on eBay can be found on the link provided.  Frans is one of the nicest and most professional sellers on eBay and his art collection is truly incredible.  You can see some of the works he has sold on his blog Frans' Pop Art (not only children's art).

To finish this post I'm including three other examples (by no means a definitive list) of Embleton's work that is lit by candlelight.  The first is from 'The Magic Apples (1971).  I really wanted to be a delicate sleeping princess with long golden hair when I first saw this illustration.   

 

The next two are both from Snow White (1969) and show the wonderful depiction of the wicked stepmother in that story.

This will be my last blog entry for a while.  I've thoroughly enjoyed the 'almost year' that I have been putting these posts together.  A completely unexpected pleasure and treat has been the other bloggers (and blogs) that I have got to know.  It has been a real privilege - thanks so much for popping into my blog and for the comments that have been left.  I've really enjoyed visiting in return.

Although I've only completed one post a week I've found the process surprisingly time consuming and unfortunately spare time is not something I have in abundance.  My family have also been teasing me (in a nice way) that my blog is not one with a wide enough appeal and comparatively speaking does not perform that well.  So I'm going to try to spend more time with them and less plugged into a machine!  I won't stop blogging altogether and will perhaps do a post a month instead of one every week.  Hopefully I'll also still be visiting some of the other blogs I've really come to enjoy.

So for now all that is left for me to do is to blow out the candle.