Weekly Influence #5- MAXFIELD PARRISH!!!Posted By Phil! on May 28, 2007 - 6:59 pm
Maxfield Parrish (1870-1966) is one of my favorite illustrators and a very early influence on my work.
Parrish was commissioned at the age of 27 to illustrate Frank L. Baum's Mother Goose in Prose. These early illustrations were actually in black and white, which is surprising considering that he would be remembered in history for his amazing use of color.
Using a painstaking process involving many layers of glazed color separated by thin layers of varnish. Ultimately, most of the colors on the surface were transparent. This allowed light to penetrate the pigment, bounce off the white base of the ground and reflect back at the viewer. At the time that Parrish was working, the process of printing color was extremely tricky and most illustrators at the time were experimenting and looking for ways to get their colors to properly reproduce. Parrish's use of glazed layers seems to have been successful because he is mostly known for his vibrant hues.
His subject matter ranged widely from children's literature to magazines and advertising. In the 1920's Parrish separated himself from painting for illustration clients and began painting mostly for himself. This lead to Parrish to the work that is often seen with nudes in whimsical environments. These paintings we offered to the public in many forms including limited edition prints and calendars. He continued to paint for himself until his death at the age of 91.
click for a larger view
Last week, I wrote about Coles Phillips because I wanted to highlight the use of pattern and silhouette as compositional elements. This week, I'm writing about Maxfield Parrish as another illustrator who utilized pattern, albeit in a completely different way. Although he is known for his color, I love Parrish for his use of pattern and ability to place elements within the frame of his image.
Parrish's costume designs, use of patterned floors, wallpapers and banner placement are all well thought-out and executed. His collection of paintings for "The Knave of Hearts" is a great example. Unlike his landscapes, Parrish doesn't convey great depth with most of his "The Knave of Hearts" illustrations. The image plane feels shallow but this lack of distance works well to drive home the focus of the image. The images feel a bit claustrophobic and uncomfortable but are spectacularly designed. Some of the "Knave of Hearts" illustrations are below.
Visit our message boards to see more of Maxfield Parrish's work and discuss his influence.
For more about Maxfield Parrish's life and work visit these fine websites:
BPIB.com's biography
BPIB has a great write up on Parrish's technique as explained by Parrish himself.
Wikipedia
Parrish House
Art Passions
