Maxfield Parrish

A comprehensive survey of the artist's work, it covers not just his paintings, but also his posters, advertising and magazine and book illustration and the murals. Very well illustrated and with a comprehensive text it chronicles the artist's development and his vast array of work. One of the most interesting chapters is that which explains in detail the methods Parrish employed to achieve his remarkable results. This includes his use of photography and the painstaking glazing techniques he employed. A very interesting and useful publication; it is not one that sits idly on my book shelf.

This book has always been the "essential" Maxfield Parrish reference for me. It contains page after page of information about the artist's incredible personal and professional life. It also goes into great depth detailing the illustrator's perfected (and tedious) technique of creating illustrations. From crafting meticulous miniatures for layout to the final process of layering oil glazes onto the canvas. It's all there. I would highly recommend this book to Illustrators, art teachers, and overall art enthusiasts who want to expand their knowledge about illustration and a true master of the past. This book has been cited in other publications such as "Step by Step Graphics" for the depth analysis of his technique. My only small criticism is that I would've liked to seen more color prints within the book. A few too many black and white reproductions of the artwork. That aside, I feel this book is of tremendous value.

I, like you, want to own Daybreak--perhaps more so than any other painting. Sometimes an illustration entertains, perhaps greatly. Some evoke admiration, even gaping admiration. In the case of several Parrish paintings, admiration is merely the aftertaste of a much more powerful emotion: the craving to be in the space the artist has created, to have or to be the characters therein. A desire to truly exit this world and remain in the other. The list of works that affect me in that way starts off like this: It's A Wonderful Life, Oz, Narnia, Harry Potter's magical England, Parrish's Daybreak & Land of Make-Believe & Air Castles et al., Robert Heinlein's Glory Road, ERB's A Princess Of Mars... We read or watch or view them over and over again in an attempt to ease the longing.This volume satisfied that craving long enough for me to catch my breath.

Mr. Ludwig's book was the first tome on Parrish I ever had in my hands. That was in 1973, and I still consider it the most comprehensive book on the man and his art available. While there are many more Parrish publications on the shelves today than 25 years ago (several with more and better reproductions), none has the interesting mix of biography, reproductions, catalog and technical information on Parrish and his work that Mr. Ludwig included in this book (the bibliography sent me in search of as many of the original magazine articles as I could find,... well worth the hunt). This is one Parrish book that feels as if it were done for love of the artist and not for love of money.

Maxfield Parrish by Coy Ludwig - Maxfield Parrish was the illustrater of children's books and magazine advertisements of my childhood. When I look at this book it takes me back to a more innocent time. I always loved his imaginative landscapes and fairy tale buildings. I had a copy of this book but lost it in a flood. I have been trying to find it ever since so now I am replacing it.