Looking through my books for inspiration this weekend, I pulled out my book of Hans Andersen stories, which had also been my Dad's when he was a child. Even though I grew up with the illustrations, everytime I look at it I am still amazed at the elegance, wit and at times surprising edginess of Rex Whistler's drawings (see top left). The other book is a selection of stories illustrated by Edmund Dulac, whose designs are delicately coloured and totally magical. I am often asked which illustrators I admire, and I find many are children's book illustrators, whether it's E.H.Shephard and his sensitive and witty drawings for Winnie the Pooh, or John Tenniel and his woodcuts for Alice in Wonderland. Ivan Bilibin is another favourite - his illustrations are decorative and rich with Russian folklore of extravagantly dressed Kings, mystical forests and carved wooden architecture (see below).
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