# help me find this really cool illustrator **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 5, 2001, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-find-this-really-cool-illustrator/64403 "2001-05-05T01:34:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![They\_Call\_Me\_Sneeze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6a8cbe/32.png) [@They\_Call\_Me\_Sneeze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/They_Call_Me_Sneeze)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2001, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-find-this-really-cool-illustrator/64403/1 "2001-05-05T01:34:20Z")
Back a few years ago I remember looking at some illustrations that were really cool, and I was hoping to find them again, but I dont know who the artist is, so I aim to describe what I remember and hope someone out there knows what I am talking about. Ok, the illustrations are (I think) in black and white, and they are the kind that are very realistic - like if it is a pencil drawing, the shading is all very well done so that you can’t see pencil lines. The group of illustrations I remember looking at were all of kind of “disturbing” images, or “weird,” like there was one of a room, wallpapered with lovely bird wallpaper, and then on one wall the birds were flying up out of the wallpaper and out of a window, or something. In another, there was a giant plant that looked like it had just eaten the guy sitting in an easy chair. I first came across these illustrations back in '93/'94, so they’re not anything new. I know this is a very vague description, but if anyone knows what I am talking about, please, please help me out. Thanks, Sneeze ---
**Author:** ![Cyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a88e4f/32.png) [@Cyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cyn)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2001, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-find-this-really-cool-illustrator/64403/2 "2001-05-05T01:42:26Z")
Children’s books? Comic books? Lithographs? ---
**Author:** ![They\_Call\_Me\_Sneeze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6a8cbe/32.png) [@They\_Call\_Me\_Sneeze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/They_Call_Me_Sneeze)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2001, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-find-this-really-cool-illustrator/64403/3 "2001-05-05T02:39:58Z")
I’m guessing children’s books. I know it wasn’t a comic, and I’m not really sure what a lithograph is, but I am almost positive it was kids books. But I dont think there was any story accompanying the pictures. Maybe a kidsbook just of creepy pictures? ---
**Author:** ![Manduck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manduck/32/256_2.png) [@Manduck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manduck)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2001, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-find-this-really-cool-illustrator/64403/4 "2001-05-05T02:56:33Z")
The style sounds like M. C. Escher, but a quick search around the web didn’t find any Eschers exactly like the pictures you described. ---
**Author:** ![Kyomara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8edcca/32.png) [@Kyomara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyomara)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2001, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-find-this-really-cool-illustrator/64403/5 "2001-05-05T02:59:04Z")
Sorry to respond with the most obvious answer that might actually be wrong BUT… Edward Gorey? It sounds like the kind of things he would draw…except that his pictures are not especially realisitic…a bit more cartoonish. But the pencil drawing and black and white parts plus the subject matter all sound like him. If it is him…he was really cool. He died last year. Buy his books. ---
**Author:** ![They\_Call\_Me\_Sneeze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6a8cbe/32.png) [@They\_Call\_Me\_Sneeze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/They_Call_Me_Sneeze)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2001, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-find-this-really-cool-illustrator/64403/6 "2001-05-05T03:35:07Z")
Sad sigh - it wasn’t Escher or Gorey (but I looked up Gorey and recognized his stuff - he was the guy who did the cover of “The House with a Clock in It’s Walls,” which is a great book - He might have written it too, I don’t know, but (ooh! ooh! I’m referencing his web page while I write this) he also did the Gashleycrumb Tinies - a very cool guy ideed). Thank you for the suggestions, though, Manduck and Kyomara. I know I was kind of hopelessly vague in my description… Anybody else? Please? ---
**Author:** ![They\_Call\_Me\_Sneeze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6a8cbe/32.png) [@They\_Call\_Me\_Sneeze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/They_Call_Me_Sneeze)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2001, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-find-this-really-cool-illustrator/64403/7 "2001-05-05T03:36:59Z")
[hijack] Ok, “The House with a Clock in It’s Walls” was written by John Bellairs. The copy I had when I was a little kid had a picture by Edward Gorey (or atleast in Gorey style) on the cover. The kid’s name was Lewis, I think. [/hijack] ---
**Author:** ![aseymayo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a88e57/32.png) [@aseymayo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aseymayo)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2001, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-find-this-really-cool-illustrator/64403/8 "2001-05-05T04:17:01Z")
[Charles Addams?](http://www.cartoonbank.com/cartoon_closeup.asp?pf%5Fid=35319&dept%5Fid=1001&mscssid=B595Q8CGU6S92MD000GPBQXDMNU0DXK9) ---
**Author:** ![They\_Call\_Me\_Sneeze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6a8cbe/32.png) [@They\_Call\_Me\_Sneeze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/They_Call_Me_Sneeze)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2001, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-find-this-really-cool-illustrator/64403/9 "2001-05-05T04:40:32Z")
Not Charles Addams. Thank you for the suggestion, though, aseymayo - the link didnt work for me, but I put his name in Google and looked up (about a million things until I found) a picture of the cover of his book “Creature Comforts,” and it isn’t anything like the style of the person whoever it is that I am thinking of. But anyway, thank you for the suggestion. ---
**Author:** ![A\_V\_Club](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f475e1/32.png) [@A\_V\_Club](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/A_V_Club)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2001, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-find-this-really-cool-illustrator/64403/10 "2001-05-05T06:01:52Z")
Hey, that link works for me. Take a look at that site - [http://www.cartoonbank.com](http://www.cartoonbank.com) and follow their Advanced Search link. You can search or browse their collection by cartoonist or topic. [Gahan Wilson ?](http://www.cartoonbank.com/cartoon_closeup.asp?pf%5Fid=45296&dept%5Fid=1001&mscssid=B595Q8CGU6S92MD0+00GPBQXDMNU0DXK9) ---
**Author:** ![loislane138](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f19dbf/32.png) [@loislane138](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/loislane138)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2001, 6:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-find-this-really-cool-illustrator/64403/11 "2001-05-05T06:48:07Z")
Could it be Frank Miller? I know, I know, he’s a comic book artist. But, usually he draws in pen and ink. And sometimes its pretty fucked up stuff. ---
**Author:** ![They\_Call\_Me\_Sneeze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6a8cbe/32.png) [@They\_Call\_Me\_Sneeze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/They_Call_Me_Sneeze)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2001, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-find-this-really-cool-illustrator/64403/12 "2001-05-05T16:48:08Z")
The link always tells me that “The parameter is incorrect.” But anyway, I looked up Gahan Wilson and Frank Miller and while both those guys are cool, they are not the one I am looking for. The guy I am talking about wasnt a cartoonist - I think if anything, he is more Caldecott Medal than cartoons. (And I checked the Caldecott Medal sight, but they only have pictures going back a few years). But thank you for the suggestions, A/V Club and loislane. ---
**Author:** ![They\_Call\_Me\_Sneeze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6a8cbe/32.png) [@They\_Call\_Me\_Sneeze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/They_Call_Me_Sneeze)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2001, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-find-this-really-cool-illustrator/64403/13 "2001-05-05T20:23:36Z")
Ok, I am still looking around and havent found anything, but: Think “Jumanji.” Remember how that book is illustrated? That’s the style these pictures were drawn in. ---
**Author:** ![They\_Call\_Me\_Sneeze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6a8cbe/32.png) [@They\_Call\_Me\_Sneeze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/They_Call_Me_Sneeze)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2001, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-find-this-really-cool-illustrator/64403/14 "2001-05-05T20:37:40Z")
Ok, I found them. They are in a book called “The Mysteries of Harris Burdick.” [http://www.eduplace.com/rdg/author/cva/book/burdick.html](http://www.eduplace.com/rdg/author/cva/book/burdick.html) By the Jumanji guy. Boy, I feel better now. Thanks everyone for your help. ---
**Author:** ![Cyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a88e4f/32.png) [@Cyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cyn)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2001, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-find-this-really-cool-illustrator/64403/15 "2001-05-05T20:42:15Z")
Glad you found it! A lithograph is made by imprinting, using ink. Different than drawings, but still inked and sometimes mistaken for penned ink drawings.🙂 ---
**Author:** ![AwSnappity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a3d4f5/32.png) [@AwSnappity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AwSnappity)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2001, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-find-this-really-cool-illustrator/64403/16 "2001-05-06T04:08:05Z")
Chris Van Allsburg! I love him! In elementary school, the librarian would always read us his books. There’s The Garden of Abdul Gasazi, Two Bad Ants, The Sweetest Fig… If you have the means, I highly recommend picking one up! (_Ferris Bueller’s Day Off_)