From my sketchbook.
I’ve been in love with Aubrey Beardsley’s work since I was introduced to it in college.
Beardsley was quite controversial for his time. He depicted dark erotic imagery. However, it wasn’t for the imagery that I loved the work, it was the style. Beardsley had the ability to create compelling compositions by utilizing heavy black and white contrasting spaces, and heavily patterned areas. These are things I strive to achieve in my own black and white work. In particular, I try to use these techniques in my comics. I have always been a sucker for a good line. And maybe even more so for a good (and well used) pattern.
The sudden rediscover and urge to imitate came from a recent purchasing of Salome by Oscar Wilde. A very strange play originally written in French and mocked by critics. Which also happened to be illustrated by Beardsley. It has been said the Beardsley neither liked the play nor the author much. The work done for the play is widely regarded as some of his best. The details from my sketchbook above are imitations of details from the book. The featured image however is an imitation of a work entitled La Beale Isoud at Joyous Gard. An illustration from Le Morte d’Arthur.
So in case you don’t know who the heck he is, here’s what’s what on this Beardsley fellow (striped down, I don’t want to write a paper).
He was English. Born in 1872 and died of tuberculosis in 1898. He was 25 years old.
His black and white ink drawings where heavily influenced by Japanese wood cuts. His most notable achievements include illustrations for various plays and books, co-founding The Yellow Book, and heavily influencing styles of the Art Nouveau period. He was described as quite eccentric.
Unfortunately his association with Oscar Wilde may have ruined his career. Wilde was arrested and charged, which caused Beardsley to loose his position at The Yellow Book.
For more info on any of this:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aubrey_Beardsley
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oscar_Wilde
http://www.wormfood.com/savoy/
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/57391/Aubrey-Beardsley