Hamlet Project
2011
Description
This is an excerpt from a June 2011 presentation I was a part of, pertaining to the the Hamlet Project. Delivered at University Commons, Ann Arbor --

The artist and illustrator, John Austen, lived from 1886 until 1948. He illustrated in the style of Aubrey Beardsley for only a decade, early in the 20th century. During that time, he illustrated only one of Shakespeare's plays. We are glad it was Hamlet , and pleased that he did over 80 illustrations.
One vignette illustration appears on every page of this near century-old edition. Two years ago, when a copy of the historic edition came into the Howland Research collection, it was recognized that the characteristics of line, composition, and gesture, in Austen's black and white vignette illustrations would make them ideal for water coloring.
This year, Ann Arbor artist Greta Barnard and I were invited to collaborate on the project. We approached every aspect the art of John Austen with the same respect that our textual collaborator, Jasmine Noel An, showed for the historic text of the Globe edition, which was the text utilized in the antique Austen edition. Austen’s original black and white illustrations were scanned at 300 dpi, and enlarged to four times original size. The background tone of the old paper was removed using Photoshop, and the illustrations were reproduced, using micron-type waterproof black ink, on watercolor papers, specifically Stonehenge, BFK Reeves, and Arches.

The final product is scheduled to be published mid spring of 2012. More information at http://www.howlandresearch.com/
Fields
watercolor, Drawing, Illustration
  • Hamlet
    Triple Anvil Press Edition
  • This first project I completed for the Triple Anvil Press was coloring a series of illustrations originally inked by John Austen. Below is an excerpt from a June 2011 presentation I was a part of, pertaining to the the Hamlet Project. Delivered at University Commons, Ann Arbor --

         The artist and illustrator, John Austen, lived from 1886 until 1948. He illustrated in the style of Aubrey Beardsley for only a decade, early in the 20th century. During that time, he illustrated only one of Shakespeare's plays. We are glad it was Hamlet , and pleased that he did over 80 illustrations.
           One vignette illustration appears on every page of this near century-old edition. Two years ago, when a copy of the historic edition came into the Howland Research collection, it was recognized that the characteristics of line, composition, and gesture, in Austen's black and white vignette illustrations would make them ideal for water coloring.
         This year, Ann Arbor artist Greta Barnard and I were invited to collaborate on the project. We approached every aspect the art of John Austen with the same respect that our textual collaborator, Jasmine Noel An, showed for the historic text of the Globe edition, which was the text utilized in the antique Austen edition. Austen’s original black and white illustrations were scanned at 300 dpi, and enlarged to four times original size. The background tone of the old paper was removed using Photoshop, and the illustrations were reproduced, using micron-type waterproof black ink, on watercolor papers, specifically Stonehenge, BFK Reeves, and Arches.

    The final product is scheduled to be published mid spring of 2012. More information at http://www.howlandresearch.com/
  • The cover of the new edition of Hamlet. The following are only a selection of about 80 vignette illustrations found in the book.