Wednesday, January 2, 2008

A Master of Architectural Fantasy

Douglas created this superb pen and ink illustration for "The Haunted Doll's House" by M. R. James (Ghosts and Scholars number 16, 1993). The menacing monster in the foreground seizes our attention. Less noticeable are the architectural details in the background, details that hint at the artist's experience with the theater . . . where he designed and created scenery. In this illustration, architectural space is compressed. The flattened layers of space refer to theatrical perspective and theatrical space, where elements are arranged--plane after plane--like layers of theatrical scenery within the depth of a stage. Stylized "space" and unreal architectural elements make the illustrations of Douglas Walters unique and dreamlike.

1 comment:

Unknown said...

I like Douglas Walters Work a lot. Do you know if he has a website?