Saturday 23 February 2013

Inspiring Illustration....Molly Brett

Hello Lovelies,
My recent attempts at drawing have led me to search out a couple of books I've kept safely since childhood.
They are both by Molly Brett and I was given then as Christmas gifts back in the seventies.....


 My most favourite of the two is this one. It was first published in 1962 and I just love the illustrations on the cover and the beautifully calligraphy of the title..........


As well as being a joy to look at this book has a very sweet story about a group of animals who loose their woodland home when some new houses are built. They decide to look for new places to live and begin a treacherous journey  together........

 I love the Frog and Toad helping each other and the bouncing Hedgehog, not to mention the cute Bunnies.



I think this double page illustration in the centre of the book is wonderful

 You can click on the pictures to make them bigger

Viewed close up the drawings are adorable.......




And my most  favourite pictures come at the end, when all the animals find new homes........




First the Rabbits and the Frog



Then the little Mouse.....too adorable.......


the sign says Mouse Manor

Then the  Toad

The wildflowers are just perfect don't you think.

The the red Squirrel




And finally, after helping all his friends , Tom Tit...........

It really is a special book that I will continue to treasure.

 The other Molly Brett book I have kept is this one........



As you can see from the cover this is a colouring book . There are a few ready coloured pictures but they are a bit dark and muddy.
My favourite image is the cover picture, with teddy soaring above pretty cottages and patchwork fields, a glimpse of the sea in the distance.

Here is another lovely page.......I expect my Mum coloured this one......it's much better than the childs colouring on other pages.............


I think it's all the pretty spring flowers and cute birds that I love in this image.
I've been drawing a lot lately, spring things again, I'm a little bit obsessed :0)

Hope you enjoy your weekend.
Jacquie x

31 comments:

  1. They are lovely books - I had several when the boys were smaller - choosen by me as I loved the pictures!!

    I also loved the Shirley Hughes books both for the stories but also the wonderful illustrations of family life :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I agree Vicki, Shirley Hughes books are wonderful too.
      Jacquie x

      Delete
  2. I loved this post! I'm a big fan of children's books and love the Milly-Molly-Mandy books and am a big fan of Shirley Hughes too, along with your other commenters. I was given some miniature bars of chocolate last year and the wrappers were illustrations by Molly Brett. They were utterly gorgeous! Your books are so lovely, and I bet you enjoyed reading them to your children too. :) xx

    ReplyDelete
  3. Just delightful in every way xx

    ReplyDelete
  4. What beautiful books! My youngest son would love these, he has a real eye for beautiful things, and he just loves animals. I will have to see if I can get my hands on them.

    Thanks for sharing your treasures.

    ReplyDelete
  5. These looks like two wonderful books. I'm not familiar with them but they look like real treasures. Glad you kept them and shared them.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I have that first one! We also have "A Surprise for Dumpy", "The Runaway Fairy" and I think we have "The Untidy Little Hedgehog" but I'm not sure on that last one. x

    ReplyDelete
  7. I love revisiting childhood books and your are gorgeous. Full of inspiration for sketching and drawing ideas. It doesn't hurt to copy until you get the hang of the way something is shaped and then when you think you've got it nailed, to make up your own sketches.
    Anne xx

    ReplyDelete
  8. Thank you for sharing these wonderful books Jacquie! I went straight to amazon and ordered Tom Tit Moves House :) Now I can't wait for it to arrive! If you have other beautiful children books to recommend I would be so happy, I have a 4 months old little girl and just started to collect beautiful books for her when she gets older - and until then I can enjoy them too :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anything by Michelle Cartlidge, yum! Or Janet and Allen Ahlberg. My children are grown but I have kept them for the beauty of the pictures.
      Happy reading.
      Susan
      x

      Delete
    2. Thank you Susan! I took a look and there are some lovely books by these authors that are even available in the bookshop here. Sure I will buy The Jolly Postman for example :)

      Delete
  9. Yesterday I finished the crochet owl. A bit later than I wanted, but that's ok.
    The tutorial was very easy to follow. Thanks!
    I made the owl as a present, and it's in the post now.
    I made a photo of it, because it was a bit hard to let it go just as soon as it was finished!
    I'll be making some more, I think, because my son likes to have one too!
    Thanks a lott for the tutorial!

    ReplyDelete
  10. I would be quite content living in either of these little villages.......the drawings are just beyond words, thank you for sharing.
    xx Sandi

    ReplyDelete
  11. Oh Jacquie you clever thing you! I do believe that you have found the book that I have remembered since a child of 5 but long since have I forgot the name, but today - I am truly over the moon for you have reminded me it is "Tom Tit Moves House"...oh how grateful I am thank you so much!

    ReplyDelete
  12. These illustrations are ALL very sweet... I remember from when I was just a young girl, admiring, and feeling very inspired by all the Betsey Clark illustrations out at the time. Do you remember her?.. much of her work, I believe, was through Hallmark . Her illustrations of little ragamuffin children were just some of the cutest, sweetest things I'd ever seen back then. It was interesting to me that she first introduced samples of her work to Hallmark on the very year I was born!... but I was sad to hear that she died the year my daughter was born. I since hear her work is collectible now, and I'll have to start keeping my eyes open for it! ~tina

    ReplyDelete
  13. i love those books! the sweet animals and their cozy homes makes me happy. thanks for sharing!!

    ReplyDelete
  14. It would be lovely to see some more of your work - hope you will post some soon. I have just bought another copy of Peepo by Janet and Alan Ahlberg. I read it to my teenagers when they were little and although that copy is in the loft I wanted my new baby to have her own. We are enjoying it all together.I love all the detail in the illustartions and their messy house!

    ReplyDelete
  15. I love your books! I love your drawings too! Keep up the good work!!! Hugz, Lisa

    ReplyDelete
  16. Jacquie, I have just had the most incredible feeling of deja vu while reading this post. I am positive that my sisters and I must have had this book as children as the illustrations feel so familiar. Especially the frog with his floating house and lily pad roof. I am going to ask my sisters if they remember this book too! Thanks for the reminder.

    Gillian x

    ReplyDelete
  17. What a gorgeous story and beautifully illustrated - I noticed a little resemblance between Tom Tit and those sweet birds you've been hiding in your own drawings!
    Jones x

    ReplyDelete
  18. How lovely! I love the field of wild flowers and the clever little mouse crafting a quilt from leaves and cobweb thread. I'm sure your creative mind must tip a nod to some of these lovely influences x Jane

    ReplyDelete
  19. I loved seeing your childhood books. I have some of mine too and I enjoy looking at them from time to time. I noticed the comments about Shirley Hughes' books above; I have been reading hers recently with my own children but I had no idea she was so prolific until I had my own kids. Maybe she wasn't as popular in the US when I was a child but I had a book she wrote called George the Babysitter that I loved. I love the illustrations in these books, especially the hedgehog tumbling down.

    ReplyDelete
  20. The illustrations in your books are lovely. It makes you want to read them....xx

    ReplyDelete
  21. Oh how sweet! I think I can understand where the inspiration might have come from for Watership Down.
    I love kids books and I especially loved well illustrated ones with adorable artwork. I guess that is why I admire so much the work of Beatrix Potter. Her artwork was exquisite.
    Keep being inspired!

    ReplyDelete
  22. What lovely books, they are new to me but what delightful illustrations. I can see how they inspire you.
    Hope you are having a lovely weekend.
    Carol xx

    ReplyDelete
  23. How adorable those sweet little books are. I wish children today had the opportunity to have them. The illustrations are charming..I love to see little animals in everything. I enjoyed your post so much! Sandy

    ReplyDelete
  24. What gorgeous books! Last year I brought a large framed painting/print of a woodland scene with lots of animals for £10 at a car boot sale. The lady selling it had had it since she was little. Its by Molly Brett & had pride of place in my daughters bedroom. Its one of those pictures that you just stand & look at & always see something new.xxx

    ReplyDelete
  25. Oh my goodness! I have been trying to recall that Tom Tit book for years! Those images take me right back, I always loved them as a child and wanted to try and find it for my kids, sadly probably too late now. How funny, I must see if I can find it and keep it for my grand-children instead!
    Sandra x

    ReplyDelete
  26. Such lovely books! Thanks you for sharing. Can't wait to see what beautiful drawings you're inspired to make from their pages.

    ReplyDelete
  27. Oh wow, I just went on amazon to have a look at all the books she has written and found one that I had when I was little! The Runaway Fairy, I recognised it as soon as I saw it! I don't think I still have it, might have to order it and see if my little boy would like it (just an excuse for me to read it again really!).

    ReplyDelete

I always love to hear from you , thank you for taking the time to leave a message.