Bluebeard - from the Picture Book for the Red Cross 

Edmund Dulac created this illustration for the Picture Book for the Red Cross using watercolors and ink. These materials, of course, have a long and rich history, and the fluidity of watercolor is especially suited to fantasy. Look closely, and you can see the relatively direct way that Dulac has worked. The thin washes of color, combined with the sharp definition of line, gives the illustration its distinctive character. In terms of labor, we see the hand of the artist everywhere here, in the careful rendering of the figures, and in the textures that are created. The overall effect is one of great delicacy, a quality enhanced by the relatively small scale of the original. This image speaks to the enduring power of traditional materials, and the skill of those who use them, reminding us that digital methods are not the only way to create fantastical worlds.