Looking at the work of Garth Williams and his illustrations
In my own experience as a young artist, I find that drawing is a very relaxing and fun activity. I have had others ask me to draw specific things for them; you could say I’ve been commissioned, though I never asked for money. I appreciate the work of illustrators because their clarity of mind and allegiance to the author provides to the reader a mental movie of the story. If I were to be an illustrator, though, I imagine that it would be quite a bit more difficult than simply drawing for others, as the illustration drawn would have to satisfy oneself, the author, and publisher. In the many books that do have illustrations, the art is quite complicated – whether it is a matter of skill or artistic ability, or the feeling or emotion that the image was supposed to convey. For example, a simple image of many silhouettes, a dark background, and one colored-in person in the middle ground, may convey uniqueness, or even loneliness.
Garth Williams lived from April 16, 1912 – May 8, 1996, and he was born in New York City. Much of his work is in classical children’s literature, which includes The Rescuers, Charlotte’s Web, Stuart Little, A Cricket in Times Square and many more. His parents were both artists who had traveled from England, with his father a cartoonist and his mother a landscape painter. At first, Williams studied as an architect and became an architect’s assistant, but during the Great Depression, he changed his mind and decided to become an artist. Williams made lenses at a war plant and applied for the position of a camouflage artist, gave the British-American Art Center war-effort posters, and carried his portfolio with him to show to the major publishing houses. With both him and E. B. White collaborating on their first book, (Stuart Little, 1945) you can imagine that they gained a friendship between colleagues. From this point forwards, Williams decided to become a freelance illustrator. His illustrations are mainly drawn with ink, and in most of the books that he illustrated he has drawn the cute and fuzzy animals of many people’s childhood – from Miss Bianca to Tucker Mouse.
A children’s book illustrator is drawing for a very large audience of children, and therefore, the art in the book has to satisfy these children. For most young kids, they like to see bright colors and simple figures, images that clearly and blatantly depict what is written on the page. This is different for teen book illustrators – many teens prefer more of a detailed, complex style of art to the simple illustrations in children’s books – meaning that teen book illustrators have to draw in a different style than children’s book illustrators, as each type of book illustrator draws what their viewers will enjoy more, but also keeping in mind what the author of the book wants. This is why normally you wouldn’t find a simple, colorful drawing in a teen book and a more complex, detailed drawing in a children’s book – but while one could argue that a teen book, say, would have more elaborate or detailed drawings, and that a book for younger readers would more likely have simpler drawings, it is not always the case. Take A Cricket in Times Square as an example. Even though it is a children’s book, Garth Williams (who illustrated this book) has given its illustrations detail and precision.
As a reader (and somewhat as an artist), I have analyzed some of Garth Williams’s many illustrations in two of his books – The Rescuers, and Miss Bianca: A Fantasy. In these books, I have tried to find the emotions Williams wove into the characters, and in depicting what their thoughts or intentions are. Small gestures signify a lot in each of these images, and I have captured their significance to me, and put them down on paper, to open up the images in perhaps, a new view. I have also tried to find what the illustrator wanted to portray to the readers, and to explore his intent in drawing these pictures of these specific moments in the book. What did he want the reader to see?
The Rescuers Picture One
On page 65, there is a picture of a wagon train going through the incredibly barren landscape. You can see the random small heaps of rock jutting out of the ground every so often, and how they fade off into the distance. The expressions on all three of the horse’s faces are surprised and fearful, and their legs are spread wide as if they are preparing to run as fast as they can at any moment. Their eyes are quite large, as they stare at the remains of shackled people on ground – the people who are now but skeletons. The driver of the cart joins the horses with their wary expressions, with his arms steering the horses as far away from the skeletons as possible. The mice appear to be looking out at the closest skeleton to them as well, although you can’t see what they might be thinking because their faces are so small. There is also at least one more skeleton in the background that the trail of wagons has already passed, and most likely, they have passed more, and maybe there are more to come.
The Rescuers Picture Two
On page 78, Miss Bianca, Nils, and Bernard are all sitting/lying down in their own homemade chairs, made out of matchboxes. Each mouse designed their chair a different way: Miss Bianca designed hers as a lawn chair, which she could lean back on; Bernard designed his as a normal chair, putting his back on the matches; and Nils just sat on a plain box. This shows the different preferences of each mouse – Miss Bianca prefers lushness, Bernard prefers it the classic way, and Nils was either lazy, or preferred to have his chair very simple. All with different expressions too: Miss Bianca seems to be relaxed, while Nils looks smug for some reason. Bernard seems to be excited – or is it worry? If you look closer, you can see that Bernard is in fact frowning a bit, and that he is looking at Miss Bianca. I think that he may be concerned for her safety.
The Rescuers Picture Three
On page 91, there is a picture of Miss Bianca riding on top of Mamelouk. His expression is one of extreme annoyance, anger, and agitation. You have a clear view of his tremendously sharp teeth and claws. This is an extreme contrast to the position Miss Bianca is in – on top of Mamelouk’s head, untangling a strand of fur. She looks perfectly content, and is smiling while looking down at something that is on the floor. This is also an extreme contrast to what many mice and cats do in real life; the mice certainly do not go and climb up a cat’s head to sort out their fur. This also brings up the fact that Miss Bianca is very small compared to Mamelouk, she is only around the size of… double his mouth! He could easily swallow her. It is not that she is fearless; it is just that she has no reason to fear him at the moment.
The Rescuers Picture Four
On page 145, in one of the last pictures, the poet is showing thanks to each of his heroic mice, by tapping/rubbing their fur. Nils just looks up at him with accomplishment, as if he is saying, “Well, here you go! We did it! I told you that we could have done it!” Miss Bianca and Bernard are holding hands, signifying that they are truly affectionate about each other, and while Miss Bianca is looking up at the poet like Nils is, Bernard’s attention is solely on Miss Bianca, and you can only see one of his eyes because his head is turned. The poet himself is smiling a great deal, and looks grateful for what the mice have done. He still does not care that the mice are, well, mice.
The Rescuers Picture Five
In the last picture of the book, on page 148, the image seems both happy and sad at the same time. The scene is somewhat wistful. Miss Bianca waves down to Bernard, who is in the very corner of the page, while she is high up in the cupped palm of a man. For some reason, I can almost imagine Miss Bianca as a princess in a high tower waving out of the window, and Bernard as a prince on the forest floor. The picture itself in the way it is drawn is also a bit gloomy, and I always keep thinking that it is raining in that scene, which is not true. Again, in this drawing, the size contrast between the mice and other objects is brought into focus, as the two people are so big while Miss Bianca and Bernard are so small.
Miss Bianca: A Fantasy Picture One
In the picture on page 109, Williams emphasized that the Duchess is a very fearsome woman, and so are her acquaintances. This is portrayed by the fact that one of the men in the picture is literally holding some form of a club. That particular man’s face is also very rugged, as he has an unshaven and messy beard, with squinted eyes that make him seem as if he were annoyed or mad. The other man who is standing beside the Duchess also seems very rugged, because of how his neck is too large for his coat, how his hair is scanty, and because the lines that were used to draw him are very uneven – look at the many small lines used to draw his right arm alone. The expression on Patience’s face reveals the quality of fear that the Duchess evokes. Patience has her shoulders tensed while her left hand is holding her arm – as if she is trying to keep herself calm or reassure herself that she will be okay. The image takes place when the two bloodhounds come out and start “fawning about the Duchess’s feet.” The dogs obviously have very long and sharp claws, with their teeth also fitting that description. Because one of them is glaring with intense hatred at Patience while the other one looks sad from lack of attention (from the Duchess), you can infer from this picture alone, that the dogs will be an enemy of Patience.
Miss Bianca: A Fantasy Picture Two
In the picture on page 114, there is an image depicting Miss Bianca enthusiastically talking with the two dogs who have sharper and longer claws and teeth than ever. The dog on the left seems to be skeptical, while the dog on the right seems to be almost sad – on the verge of being empathetic. As stated on page 116, Tyrant has a touched gaze and drooping eyelids, deceiving Miss Bianca that he cares, when the case is actually that he is just as heartless as the other dog. I believe that this image was supposed to emphasize that looks can be deceiving – a lot.
Miss Bianca: A Fantasy Picture Three
The picture on page 123 has this sense of foreboding, foreshadowing, especially if you read the words that come right before it. Bernard is there, and of course, being the reader, you would want him to be able to rush into the action and save Miss Bianca and Patience. But nooo, his wagon is stuck next to a giant mushroom, ‘completely occupied’ (and naïve to the situation, I must say) while Miss Bianca and Patience may as well be running for their lives. The image is ominous in a way that cannot be put into words, a feeling that somehow finds a way to seep into your mind as you hope for the best to happen, even as you realize that something bad is inevitably going to happen instead. Even worse, Bernard is drawn very cutely in this picture, with large and innocent eyes.
Miss Bianca: A Fantasy Picture Four
In the picture on page 130, Patience and Miss Bianca are running for their lives as they try to make it to the dovecote. The whole gist of this image is particularly suspenseful and dark, as Williams shaded in all of the background. The ladder is one of the things you notice quickly, as it is also one of the few things that are not shaded in. A light in times of darkness, if you will. The way that Patience’s hair and dress is drawn shows that it is moving wildly, with her arms in a position that shows that she is running very hard – as, who holds their hands almost parallel to the ground while they run or outstretched when they are going on a relaxing trip through the countryside? Not many people, I believe. Miss Bianca is also reaching out for the dovecote, even though she herself is unable to run, since she is tucked away in Patience’s pocket. This shows the longing that she has to be there.
Miss Bianca: A Fantasy Picture Five
In the picture on page 142, there is a gruesome sight of the Chief Ranger bellowing as he holds a hand to his chest with a foot just about to take the next step – and with a tiny sword imbedded in his neck. You can see how Bernard had scattered all of the weapons that he could not use all over the floor of the dovecote, and how he has flung out his right arm in a throwing position. I also believe that maybe, just maybe, the position that Williams drew Bernard’s arms in may have a double meaning, as it seems as if he is reaching out, upwards, to Miss Bianca as well. Miss Bianca seems to be calling out to Bernard, maybe even waving at him, with a hand behind her back, as always the polite lady. Perhaps, this picture has a double meaning, and can additionally show that no matter the situation, Miss Bianca and Bernard have a great love for each other. Again, the Chief Ranger looks very gruesome, with his stout body, few teeth, unkempt beard, and eyes bulging out of his sockets (at least in this moment). This image emphasizes even more that he is unruly and seems to be evil: the shadows under his eyes and around his swarthy neck are deep.
Miss Bianca: A Fantasy Picture Six
The picture on page 148 has a calm and peaceful setting, and both are relaxed – as Patience sleeps and Miss Bianca sings. Again, Miss Bianca has her arms clasped in front of her respectfully, even though Patience cannot see her. There is not much shading in this picture, only on Patience and Miss Bianca, and much of the image is the white of the paper. This gives more of a lighter feeling, unlike some of the more recent pictures, which had a suspenseful or dangerous air to them. When seeing this image, I imagine Miss Bianca to be a very nice singer, as she is singing with her mouth in a vowel shape and the skin around her eyes is a bit crinkled, or at least from looking at the way the eyes are drawn, it seems to be.
Miss Bianca: A Fantasy Picture Seven
In the picture on page 151, again, Miss Bianca is sitting in a ladylike position, with one leg beneath her daintily, and with a small arm steadying herself against one egg as Bernard helps to put her silver chain back in place around her neck. While Miss Bianca seems to be blissfully happy in this image, and maybe even distant from the way her eyes are drawn, Bernard’s large eyes are once again sullen as he sits with his side against Miss Bianca’s back. I wonder why Williams did not draw Bernard facing Miss Bianca’s back as he puts the silver chain around her neck – maybe there is a deeper meaning? (Note: Miss Bianca has a rather creepy expression in this image, as if she was forcing a smile and were to be extremely uncomfortable…) Miss Bianca seems to be placing her hand over her heart, however, and this could be interpreted as a sign that again, Miss Bianca and Bernard are very close. So, I suppose that what I feel is a rather creepy expression may also simply be Miss Bianca being extremely happy.