He began to study the folklore of Britain, and then the tales of other lands, fascinated by the ways the magical traditions in all cultures shared common roots. Rackham’s goblins, faeries, undines, and tree folk re-awakening Brian’s interest in the myths and legends he’d loved in childhood. His deep involvement with folklore and myth began during his student days, he says, when he came across a book illustrated by Arthur Rackham in his college library. For over 35 years, Froud has been regarded as the preeminent faerie artist in the world and an authority on faeries and faerie lore.Brian was born in Hampshire, raised Kent, and studied at the Maidstone College of Art. Today a highly celebrated English fantasy illustrator, Froud lives and works in Devon with his wife, Wendy, who is also a fantasy artist. He was inspired by the richness of the illustration and the level of detail that went into the nostalgic works. But it was not until he discovered Arthur Rackham – a turn-of-the-century artist who painted fairy tales – that Froud discovered his true passion. It hadn’t occurred to him to follow that path until an art teacher noticed his drawing talent and suggested art school, where Froud pursued painting for a while and later moved to graphic design. Pictured here: Mischievous Creatures journal and pencil caseįroud started his artistic career almost by accident.

Our Mischievous Creatures cover design reproduces a scene from this book, first published in 2007. It’s taken from an illustration accompanying the poem “The Land,” which provides the perfect companion to Froud’s distinctive style of art, telling the story of the elements of the earth taking on a life of their own.ĭrawing inspiration from the gnarled shrubbery of England’s windswept moorlands, Froud is best known for being the genius behind Jim Henson’s film The Dark Crystal, followed by Labyrinth, and for illustrating bestsellers such as Lady Cottington’s Pressed Fairy Book and the artbook Faeries, working closely with Alan Lee. Pictured here: Mischievous Creatures journal (back cover) This week marks the anniversary of the publication of Brian Froud’s book World of Faerie, a collection of fantasy art depicting whimsical creatures. The long-awaited sequel to his international bestsellers Faeries and Good Faeries/Bad Faeries, Froud’s World of Faerie offers us a startling new vision of the magical realm, enhanced by the author’s own words about his experiences and insights.

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