James Gurney on Victorian Caricaturist Phil May

James Gurney, who you know from those Dinotopia books, has a blog that's always a good read. it's for

 

"... illustrators, plein-air painters, sketchers, comic artists, animators, art students, and writers. You'll find practical studio tips, insights into the making of the Dinotopia books, and first-hand reports from art schools and museums."

 

Here's a recent one on Victorian caricaturist Phil May (1864-1903) that has some fascinating behind the scenes information, from Phil himself, on his working method in How Phil May Built a Drawing: 

"First of all I get the general idea, of which I sketch a rough outline, and from this general idea I never depart. Then I make several studies from the model in the poses which the drawing requires, and redraw my figures from these studies.

"The next step is to draw the picture completely, carefully putting in every line necessary to fulness of detail: and the last to select the particular lines that are essential to the effect I want to produce, and take the others out."

 

Go read!