ONCE UPON A TIME

500 years of children's book illustration in just over 14 minutes

[@PurpleCoral]

I am learning more on your channel than I did in 4 years of BFA. All the efforts you put into your videos is astounding. The narration, the background music, the editing. This particular video made me a little emotional, I absolutely love children's book illustrations. Thank you so much for condensing all the information and making it so easily available for us. I am very grateful.

[@petebeard]

Hello and many thanks for you positive comments about the channel. I hope that despite the poor quality of art education these days you manage to have success in illustration. I hope you'll continue to watch as there are quite a few other videos featuring great children's illustrators.

[@ROMANTIKILLER2]

This channel is a hidden gem for anyone who loves illustrations and visual arts.

[@petebeard]

Hello again and thanks a lot for for your appreciation of my work on the channel. Positive reactions such as yours are particularly motivational.

[@JTA1961]

Well said

[@aquarius2284]

Thank you so much Pete. You’re a star! I’m a children’s book illustrator at the beginning of my career and your channel has been such a milestone in my art journey!! Thank you kindly ❤

[@petebeard]

Hello and thanks a lot for your comment. If watching these videos has been a source of inspiration to you then that makes me very happy. And I wish you the very best in your ambitions.

[@christopherjames3451]

Love the last sentence! ....’What they [children] like and the why of it will probably stay their little secret.”

[@petebeard]

Hi again and thanks for the compliment about my scripting -I don't often get them about the actual words.

[@greggoreo6738]

How you gleefully glided the hot air derrigible (sp?) Across the opening visual theme: is as splendidly heart warming as humorously possible! A most excellent device/ lead! Bravo! Gregg Oreo long Beach Ca Etats Unis

[@petebeard]

Just a little bit of very basic animation, but I thought it suitably whimsical.

[@cheerfulstrength940]

Beautiful!! I always learn so much from your presentations.🙏🏽💙

[@petebeard]

Hello and many thanks for your appreciation of the channel. It's always good to know.

[@LoveRachelXOXOXO]

I will have to rewatch this and take notes. Thank you Pete for another thoughtful video. Children’s tastes can certainly be mysterious to an adult. I have observed with my own 3 year old boy that books with hand drawn and painted illustrations hold more appeal than computer created. I suspect there is a warmth and intention somehow transmitted from the artist that the child intuitively receives.

[@petebeard]

Hi again and thanks for watching. I envy those who can communicate with kids through their pictures and stories. I could handle the pictures but not the stories.

[@ericmahady3460]

You are remarkably consistent. I have delighted in every one of your programs.

[@petebeard]

Hello Eric and thanks for the kind comment. I think I already said it but in case I didn't I hope 2022 brings you better luck.

[@JTA1961]

Good point and yes so have I

[@deedeequast9148]

Thank you for the overview! I wonder whether you have covered the amusing illustrations of J.G. Francis in any of your episodes? I recently enjoyed a book of his featuring the "cheerful cats" from 1892.

[@petebeard]

Hello and thanks a lot for your appreciation. I had never previously heard of Joseph Greene Francis so thanks for the information. Sadly it seems the only evidence of his existence is the book you mentioned, and there just isn't enough visual material - or biographical information - to construct a profile with. Sadly this isn't the first time and it won't be the last that this is the case.

[@hayliecasey9914]

Amazing video as always! I'm not sure I agree that children don't care about style and technique - I always think fondly back to a particular "Goldilocks" book illustrated by American Jan Brett. They're extremely realistic illustrations with beautifully detailed embellishment. She also did The Mitten! :)

[@petebeard]

Hello and thanks for the comment. I suppose what I meant was that with the huge success of books such as Miffy and the Mr. Men the vast majority of kides respond to the concept more than the style.

[@jebstewart666]

‘What is the use of a book,’ thought Alice, ‘without pictures or conversations?’ ;)

[@gamesonandopsofentertainme5235]

Thanks it would help improvement

[@cuddlemuff6632]

My hand-wrought window grates were dismissively described by a council safety assessor as "Heath Robinson", so when my last payment was a week late, he performed a "reality check" on me by coming round in the early hours to remove the lock on the front door security gate, which he had installed. I paid him the balance electronically and he chose a remorselessly rainy day to return to refit the lock. A phone call to remind me about the final payment would've sufficed.

[@petebeard]

Hi again and thanks for the story. Its a funny thing how that expression has endured - even with people who probably don't know its origin.

[@MissMichelsen]

I enjoyed this video very much!

[@petebeard]

Hello again and thanks a lot. One of my personal favourites but far from my most popular.

[@donnagranny9807]

WeLikeWhatWeLikeAndTheWhyOfItWillProbablyStayOurLittleSecret.. ThankYouAgain..WonderFullAnd Nostalgic😄💓👧💭🐦🐰💞

[@petebeard]

Hello again and thanks a lot for the comment. I did flatter myself that it was one of my better turns of phrase.

[@donnagranny9807]

@@petebeard Hello Friend! Yes..theColorsTonesHuesAndThe TurnOfAPhraseAreAMagicCarpet RideThruStoriesAndImagesThat EvokeMemoriesFromExoticPlaces AndTimesPast..OnceUponATime MadeMeFeelWeWereInALibraryIn CozyOverstuffedChairsWithPots OfTeaAndWallsOfIllustratedBooks WhereAllSortsOfMagicalAdventuresAreAtOurFingertips..Love It!!! 📕📚🎨🎶☕😺👸👨🐇🐠🐞

[@plukart777]

Such a beautiful video. I'm an author and illustrator from Colombia and I find This very inspiring!! Thank You!!!

[@petebeard]

Hello and many thanks for your appreciation. And I just took a quick look at some of your work, which looks fascinating. I've bookmarked you and look forward to spending more time with your images.

[@plukart777]

@@petebeard thank You very much !

[@Katrina.for_art]

thank you. I love the golden age.

[@cminor99]

You are brilliant!

[@petebeard]

I really am grateful for the praise but in truth it's the illustrators who are brilliant -even though I think I do a decent job presenting them. Thanks again.

[@errolfellows409]

As usual, well-presented, informative and entertaining. I'll be out of compliments and superlatives soon!

[@petebeard]

Hello and don't worry about that. You can repeat superlatives as long as you like as far as I'm concerned.

[@errolfellows409]

@@petebeard Chuckles! OK, Pete, no problem!

[@georgefrench1907]

Thomas the Tank Engine was huge in the States as well!

[@petebeard]

Hello and thanks for the comment. I had no idea that such a strange little series of books was popular across the Atlantic too. I can;t think of anything more English.

[@TexRenner]

Your research is always very impressive. When I see pete beard on a KZbin video, I try to make time to watch.

[@joeboddy3040]

excellent..thank you

[@petebeard]

Hello and thanks for your appreciation and comment.

[@georgefrench1907]

👍

[@callanturner4749]

Norman Lindsey’s the Magic Pudding is full of wonderful illustrations.

[@petebeard]

Hello and in case you haven't seen it there's a feature on Lindsay including some examples from that book in unsung heroes 28.

[@zzausel]

Busch never moralizes, just the opposite. The better audience understands this.

[@gillcawthorn7572]

My 35 years as a seller of secondhand books brought me in touch with many of these fine illustrators . No criticism, because of course this is a snapshot only of prominent illustrators, but for your viewers may I mention that there were three Robinson brothers ,all doing book illustration ,with Charles Robinson doing truly elegant work ,similar to Edmund Dulac and Arthur Rackham.

[@petebeard]

Hello and many thanks for your appreciation and comment. I don't know how recently you found the channel but you may not know that William has a video on the channel all to himself, Charles features in unsung heroes 8 and Thomas in unsung heroes 67. What a family.

[@philipdove6987]

Lovely

[@petebeard]

Thanks for the comment.

[@wordjunkys]

I enjoyed this video immensely! thank you for making this! i felt inspired by this!

[@petebeard]

Hello and thanks a lot for your favourable comment.

[@KB_Art]

Another great one Mr. Beard. Thank you for your efforts. This history is important. ❤

[@petebeard]

Thanks a lot - I'm glad you enjoyed it.

[@radiance4all137]

Mr Pete Beard all your narrations are very nice and i am taking it like lessons. Please try to include developments in illustrations of Asian countries

[@petebeard]

Hello and thanks fir the appreciation. I would love to be able to make videos about illustrators in Asian countries but there is a virtually total absence of information or pictorial evidence to be found here in the west.

[@JamesAllredWriter]

A most enthralling journey through the history of picture books.

[@petebeard]

Hello and thanks for your appreciation. I'm glad you enoyed it.

[@damogranheart5521]

I used to read to my little sister and my brothers when they came along. I now listen to children read to me and help them over the rough bits. One of my sons thanked .me last year for reading to him when he was little while he took his bath. It was the only time that he was relatively close to still! I have always had a soft spot in my heart for children's books and their makers. Particularly the Golden Books. Thank you very much.

[@petebeard]

Hello and many thanks for your comment. A lot of my own work was for children (nothing of any significance and mostly educational) but it was always the best bit of being an illustrator, even if the least financially rewarding.

[@damogranheart5521]

@@petebeard I loved the books that when I was reading them to my children made me laugh out loud! Like the Church Mice books of Graham Oakley! Another book was "The Day That Jimmy's Boa Ate The Wash" by Trinka Noble & illustrated by Steven Kellogg. So many books to remember. Wow! I certainly fell down the rabbit hole on Google looking up all the books, authors, and illustrators! I love the background stories of the people who brought these books to life. Pen & ink drawings by Beth and Joe Krush. Goodness!

[@kustomweb]

Thank you

[@dstirl]

Yet another wonderfully entertaining and informative video, Pete. I never tire of viewing them. But I was intrigued to hear right at the end of this one that these illustrators inspired your own career. But try as I might, I haven't been able to discover any examples. Or are you hiding your light under a nom de plume bushel? I think we should be told!

[@petebeard]

Hello again and my thanks as ever. This video doesn't seem to get the number of views I'd expected for some reason. And yes I was an illustrator for over 40 years, but I retired from that and teaching the subject 6 years ago. And it says all you need to know that a search in my name doesn't reveal any of my work. I was very much a bit part player. If you're interested there is actually a short, poor resolution video of some of my work on the channel and Pete Beard Portfolio will take you to it.

[@dstirl]

@@petebeard Brilliant - and I recognised many of the cartoons! You sound like you have a lot in common with an old mate of mine who was also a brilliant cartoonist and teacher - Bill Stott.

[@petebeard]

@@dstirl Thanks for alerting me to the comedic presence of fellow traveller Bill Stott. I hadn't heard of him but I dare say he hasn't heard of me either. Both legends in our own lunchtime...

[@gabriellew6467]

Watching this has made me realise what it is to be covetous, acquisitive and maybe even avaricious: to want to own these books, page through them and scrutinise them at will. Your videos give an approximation of these pleasures, at least

[@petebeard]

Hello again, and if it's any consolation many of them, including the earlier ones, are quite reasily and cheaply obtained as reprints online.

[@gabriellew6467]

​@petebeard Well, I already briefly checked secondhand places, inspired by your videos...

[@lisahodges8299]

Loved the uncle Lubin at the beginning. It would seem that many children were expected to deal with cruelty in the earlier centuries. Birdy

[@petebeard]

Hi and thanks again. I'm glad you enjoyed the video. And yes we didn't seem to care much if the little ones had nightmares. I'm currently working on Grimm's tales and it's interesting to see how they have been sanitised during the last 100 years.

[@lisahodges8299]

Thank you, it's nice to get a glimpse of the old logo. Birdy

[@rumaghosh4290]

Thank you, for making these videos. I enjoy watching your videos, you are improving my knowledge and my work. Thank you. God bless you...

[@petebeard]

Hello and many thanks for your kind comment about the channel. It's very rewarding to know the videos are appreciated.

[@Cmdtheartist]

Wonder. Like a time machine racing forward, with fast glimpses of my childhood and the childhoods of others. I can't narrow it down, I really loved all your choices, even Tenniel. It's not his fault that Arthur Frost was out and about at the same time.

[@petebeard]

Hello and many thanks for the comment. Frost's Brer Rabbit pics were marvellous and I know I've featured them in another video but I'm damned if I can remember which one...

[@colourmequaint9690]

This is lovely! Thank you!

[@petebeard]

Hello and thanks a lot for your positive response to the video.

[@lindaking9222]

Pete..just found it on eBay UK but no mention of illustrator,maybe you will have more luck…it is a vintage book…somewhat like myself

[@petebeard]

Hi again and I've hit a brick wall too. That's the second time in a couple of days I've had to admit defeat.

[@lindaking9222]

@@petebeard some things from the past are difficult to find again,however,with the internet,KZbin etc.it is amazing just what we can find

[@petebeard]

Hi and that;s a fact. I do try to focus on the gems I can find rather than moan about those I can't. And regarding your question about my technical methods....Here's a quick rundown of what I used during what passed for a career... Scratch pen, brush and ink for line work and washes of watercolour or gouache. Sometimes I used a mechanical airbrush to get smooth tones (but hated using it). This continued for about 25 years, and then I realised I was getting less and less work. So with the greatest reluctance I started using graphics software, specifically photoshop. I still drew the image by hand in pencil and ink though, and scanned it for colouring. Later on I also experimented with image manipulation by making collages from photo sources and then distorting and blending them together as digital paintings.

[@lindaking9222]

@@petebeard thanks so much Pete,I am always interested in the different methods/ techniques artist use ..

[@gilesellis8002]

Brilliant to put it mildly . . . .

[@petebeard]

Hello and many thanks for your comment and appreciation. It's most welcome.

[@roguegryphonica3147]

i had forgotten about the midnight kitchen. i was exposed to almost all of these as a child. Flora and the ostrich is an amazing childrens book because of the playful similarities in the visual character between flora and the ostrich. it should be in this list.

[@petebeard]

Hello and thanks for your appreciation of the video. Unfortunately it's inevitable that many worthy illustrators get left out of overviews such as this - particularly the more recent, because we just don't know yet what will and won't be significant down the line.

[@emptyentertainments7914]

A wonderful overview.

[@petebeard]

Thanks a lot. For reasons I'll never understand this one doesn't get that many views compared to others.

[@franciscoherrera9602]

So much beauty

[@petebeard]

Hello and many thanks for both your recent comments about videos on the channel. It's great to know my efforts are appreciated by viewers.

[@lindaking9222]

This is wonderful…many of the books & illustrators I recognized & have appreciated over the years..always being drawn in by the illustrations more than anything…the stages of childhood can determine what appeals…I have an alphabet book from the early 50!s….flat soft watercolour with simple images

[@petebeard]

Hi again. I don't suppose the illustrator of the book is credited? I'm curious about who it might be.

[@lindaking9222]

@@petebeard can’t seem to see an illustrator named but the title of the book is ABC and Counting Book printed by Parnell & Sons LTD,,also see Birn Brothers Ltd.London,I would be interested to know the illustrator also

[@rubygreen1433]

Thank you!

[@jvs2926]

Thanks!

[@petebeard]

Glad you liked it.

[@seanstark4312]

My uncle has actually done a lot of illustrations for children's literature, his name is Brian Ajhar, and i recommend you take a look at his art, it's very good

[@petebeard]

Hello Sean, and thanks a lot for the tip about your uncle's work. I've just spent one of the happiest hours I can remember browsing his site. And I'm genuinely astounded by the quality of his work. To be honest I was dreading it being not very good and having to send a polite response, but really, he's up there with the best of them (and I mean globally) as far as I'm concerned. If only he was 50 years older and dead I could feature him as an unsung hero. Wonderful stuff and I'm ashamed to admit I'd never heard of him until now. Thanks again.

[@seanstark4312]

@@petebeard You are very Welcome!

[@maryclarafjare]

This is most enjoyable!! Thank you!

[@petebeard]

Hello and many thanks. I appreciate your comment.

[@hughprice5237]

Hi Pete, I've only recently discovered your channel and subscribed, and you don't disappoint, thank you! I hope you can help me track down a book I read as a child, via the illustrator who, like the author is sadly long gone from memory. The book was called simply "Wigley" and the cover featured the main elf-like character, sitting on a wind-blown leaf. I think it may have been published by Dean, who did a lot of children's books, but I cannot swear to it. I have searched online for it to no avail. Might you have come across it?

[@petebeard]

Hello and thanks for the appreciation and subscription. Funnily enough I did encounter this book when I was researching a video sequence on the illustrator Margaret W. Tarrant. But I must confess I didn't include it (can't remember why not). But there are examples revealed by a google image search, especially if you include the author's name - Rosemary Barnes - or the illustrator's. And a quick search revealed that you could acquire an admittedly secondhand copy via Abebooks for around £22. Happy hunting.

[@hughprice5237]

@@petebeard Thank you for that. So sorry for the delayed thanks, but I lost the message when I went into hospital a few weeks ago, and only just found it again! Your knowledge and work is appreciated. H.

[@petebeard]

@@hughprice5237 Hello again, and I'm glad you came out the other side of your hospital stay.

[@hughprice5237]

@@petebeard thanks, although I will be going back in at some point 😏

[@wadegilbreath3674]

I very much admire your work, and this is another great addition. As you said, you can’t cover everyone, but I think John Schoenherr might be worthy of inclusion.

[@petebeard]

Hello and thanks for the name - I hadn't heard of him before. As it happens I have a video about the evolution of science fiction in early development and he will make a worthy inclusion. It'll be some time before it's finished but I'm very grateful to you for filling this gap in my knowledge.

[@wadegilbreath3674]

I’ve been thinking about your sf video. Here are some names you might consider. You might already know all of these, but if not, you might find them interesting. Regards! John Berkey Michael Whelan Dean Ellis Virgil Finlay Jeff Jones (Jeffrey Catherine Jones) Bernie Wrightson Vincent Di Fate Robert McCall Drew Struzan James Gurney Roy G. Krinkel (signed work RGK)

[@petebeard]

@@wadegilbreath3674 Hello and many thanks for the list. Some I knew but some i did not. They have all been added to the work in progress folder and I'm grateful for the support. I don't know if I said so last time we communicated but don't hold your breath - It's a long queue and I can only make them as fast as I do currently. And that's due mainly to covid as I haven't got anywhere better to be...

[@wadegilbreath3674]

One more name I forgot, Edd Cartier. Also I was watching an extensive interview with James Gurney. At one point the discussion lauded all the great and often forgotten illustrators, and Gurney talked about your website and was very complimentary of your videos, their format and your commentary.

[@petebeard]

@@wadegilbreath3674 Hello again and thanks, but I already have Cartier on the list for the video. He and Virgil Finlay are particular favourites - brilliant inking technique. And another viewer mentioned the thumbs up from the illustrious Mr. Gurney, for which I'm particularly grateful. I know I owe quite a few subscribers to him.

[@robertocurosopittoreitalia2939]

Chi paga vince

[@JeffreyKahnartist]

Another brilliant presentation. Thank you.

[@petebeard]

Glad you think so. Thanks a lot.

[@justspacegoatfarts]

Thank You so much for what you do with theses video's , you have opened my eyes to so many wonderful artist's of all genre's , THANK YOU .

[@petebeard]

Hello and thanks for the comment. Bringing these neglected talents into the light is the while purpose of the channel so it;s good to hear that it's succeeding.

[@pprehn5268]

second watch

[@petebeard]

Hello and that;s what I like to hear. Thanks.