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48th out of 612 books
—
1,314 voters
Faeries
by
Brian Froud,
Alan Lee
Edited by David Larkin. Two talented artists explore the world of faeries in myths, legends, and folklore.
Hardcover, 200 pages
Published
October 29th 2002
by Abrams
(first published January 1st 1980)
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I bought this book for my wife some years ago. She was an artist and very talented. Near the end of her life one of the subjects she was beginning to work with was "fantasy subjects" including faeries. She was (as I said above) very talented and throughout her life as she would pick up different techniques and concentrate on different subjects she would expand her "catalog" so to speak. She was able it seemed to study a new type or style and within a few attempts she'd have captured it. She did...more
Whether we are aware of it or not faeries have, for as long as can be remembered, always played a part in the daily lives of men, women and especially children. For as far back as can be remembered there have been stories, ballads and legends of faeries and their ability to connect with the nature on the planet and the nature of man. Though not always with the most desired of results, for as many stories as there are of faeries bringing messages of love and friendship there are also stories of t...more
This is the book that made Brian Froud famous and has yet to be surpassed. Alan Lee's ethereal watercolors are just as breathtaking and provide a lovely counterpoint to Froud's more dramatic drawings. But don't let the glowing images fool you into thinking this is just another coffee table "art" book. The folklore contained therein is just as sound. The flora and fauna sections are especially worthwhile. There is also a dangerous aspect to this work, which adds a fascinating spiciness. Not all f...more
Uno dei libri che mi ha fatto avvicinare al fantasy sia dal punto di vista dell'illustrazione che letterario.
Un regalo di compleanno per i miei 8 anni che, pur a distanza di un bel po' di tempo, se ne sta orgoglioso nella libreria accanto ai libri d'arte.
Libro pregevolissimo sotto ogni aspetto. La sovraccoperta protegge la copertina rigida in tessuto bianco nella quale sono disegnati dei folletti profilati in oro. Le pagine sono piuttosto grandi e la stampa è veramente pregevole permettendo di...more
Un regalo di compleanno per i miei 8 anni che, pur a distanza di un bel po' di tempo, se ne sta orgoglioso nella libreria accanto ai libri d'arte.
Libro pregevolissimo sotto ogni aspetto. La sovraccoperta protegge la copertina rigida in tessuto bianco nella quale sono disegnati dei folletti profilati in oro. Le pagine sono piuttosto grandi e la stampa è veramente pregevole permettendo di...more
Faeries is a wonderful book: illustrations that are charming, eerie and beautiful, and stories and a wealth of information on fairy-lore. I learned some things that surprised me - for example, although I was aware that people used to attribute prehistoric flint arrowheads to the fairies, I didn't know that the word 'stroke' for paralysis derives from a belief in seizures caused by the touch of a fairy, or 'Elf-stroke'. And although I've read the Harry Potter series a number of times, and tend to...more
This is a great and comprehensive walk through of Faerie mythology. The illustrations make you feel like you've actually entered the world, and the descriptions are in the present tense. The author speaks about the Faeries as if they are objectively real, which immersed me further into the world. Great for anyone who wants to know more about Faerie mythology and where it all originated.
Note: The Faeries in the book are mostly European, particularly of English, Welsh, Scottish and Irish origin,...more
Note: The Faeries in the book are mostly European, particularly of English, Welsh, Scottish and Irish origin,...more
I have been in love with Brian Froud from his collaboration with Alan Lee. I spent long hours pouring over his book, and saw the clear influence (excitedly) on the movie Labyrinth, one of my all-time faves, along with Outside Over There. I'm grateful to this because at a young age I saw the interconnectivity of books and other creative endeavors because of it. Not so literal, but still having profound impact. My work is more fantastical but I think a real argument could be made of the influence...more
Putting this in no-fiction because it is a great source on these fantastic creatures & the artwork is wonderful. It's worth buying just to look at the pictures.
My mum bought this book for me when I was a little girl.
It was love at first sight.
You see, I've always drawn very much and the usual subjects of my sketches were fairies, all kinds of magical creatures and fantasy places.
This book for me was pure gold.
I started to copy all the book illustrations.
Well, at the beginning that was all I could do, as the book in my possession is in english and I was only a little italian girl.
My mother translated it for me, every time I asked her to (believe me, a L...more
It was love at first sight.
You see, I've always drawn very much and the usual subjects of my sketches were fairies, all kinds of magical creatures and fantasy places.
This book for me was pure gold.
I started to copy all the book illustrations.
Well, at the beginning that was all I could do, as the book in my possession is in english and I was only a little italian girl.
My mother translated it for me, every time I asked her to (believe me, a L...more
I never knew there were so many different names for faeries. This book is comprised of legends and folklore. The illustrations reminded me of something but I couldn't put my finger on it till I read some of the other reviews of this book. They mentioned that Brian Froud worked on The Dark Crystal, and that is when I knew why they looked so familiar.
Fairies can turn on you at any moment, and they like to play jokes on human folks. So beware.
Fairies can turn on you at any moment, and they like to play jokes on human folks. So beware.
I am a huge fan of fairies, and I've seen Froud's work before, so I thought I'd check this book out from the library.
I I loved the artwork, but I thought it would be mostly drawings with a little text. There was a lot more text than I was expecting. It is pretty interesting, to see all the different kinds of fairies and some of the stories about them. There were some I had never heard of before, so at least I learned something new!
I thought it needed to be better organized- there was no table of...more
I I loved the artwork, but I thought it would be mostly drawings with a little text. There was a lot more text than I was expecting. It is pretty interesting, to see all the different kinds of fairies and some of the stories about them. There were some I had never heard of before, so at least I learned something new!
I thought it needed to be better organized- there was no table of...more
This is kind of the classic book that really started the whole fantsy art genre. It has sold well and consistently every year since it's publication and there are often new anniversary editions that come out in hardback as the years go by.
This wasn't the first book by Froud that I bought, but it's one of my favorites. You can really see the affection that he has for his subjects and the paintings have a certain rawness to them that later paintings do not have. I'm not saying his later work is ba...more
This wasn't the first book by Froud that I bought, but it's one of my favorites. You can really see the affection that he has for his subjects and the paintings have a certain rawness to them that later paintings do not have. I'm not saying his later work is ba...more
Wonderful artwork, I've used it as a reference book. After reading this, I've been able to recognize a lot of different mythical creatures in other works that I would not have otherwise. For instance, Jenny Green Teeth shows up in Pratchett's The Wee Free Men and the Pooka in such movies as Darby O'Gill and the Little People, and the Jimmy Stewart classic, Harvey. This is the book that influenced Jim Henson to recruit Froud's help with the movie The Dark Crystal. I didn't realize until very rece...more
Jul 18, 2012
Mike
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
childhood-favorites,
novelties
I think I skimmed this book more than read it when my sister gave it to me when I was a kid, but the illustrations were terrific and I copied a lot of them in the afternoons after school when I first started to draw. I thought I had lost it but found it the other day, battered but still living.
This is one of Brian Froud’s older book’s all done in black and white giving you that sketch pad feel. They are lovely pictures just the same. You can feel him grow as an artist if you collect his work as I have. I am a great lover of his work, he is an amazing artist.
I believe that every story I've ever read about fairies, whether an epic fantasy or a modern urban one, has ties to the knowledge contained in this book. It's an indispensable source and an exquisitely interesting read! The watercolor art and sketches are phenomenal!
1 like · like · see review
Jun 18, 2009
Sandie
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
from small children to adults
Shelves:
fantasy-fairies
This is still my favorite of all of Brian Froud's works. The artwork is amazing but I absolutely love the literary end of this book as well. I remember reading it for the first time in high school, when I was a freshman and I was fascinated with the names and the stories and the pictures. This book is amazing. I think it would appeal to children and adults alike.
I love the art of Brian Froud, he's one of my favourite artists, and his wife, Wendy, well... She has created the most beautiful dolls that I've ever seem!. This is a wonderful masterpiece. I've read it a lot of times and I never get tired of it!.
Took a seminar/workshop on "Fairies/Fantasy" with Brian Froud, Wendy Froud, Ari Beck, and Eileen Kushman at Rhinebeck, NY many years ago. An amazing experience through the Endicott Studio of Mythic Arts. http://www.endicott-studio.com/
What a world they've created, these two fantasy geniuses... I read for the art more than anything~ this is the combined effort of two of my favorite and most admired illustrators!! Each page is inspiring, and so beautiful.
I adored this book for the beautiful art work. Emmy went through a period where she was completely taken by anything "fairy"!! We still spend time looking through the pictures! I wish I could draw/paint like this!!
No artist I know of reveals the personality of individual faeries while expressing his personal style so clearly as Brian Froud. He renders each detail with care and love; his devotion to his subjects shines through.
The first time I saw the beautiful illustrations in this book, it was like the fairy world came finally came alive. Brian Froud captured both the light and darkness of the magical and mysterious fey world.
Loved the imagination used in this book. Hardly any of the fairies are merely good, in fact most are beyond wicked - so it might scare some children - But we loved this book all the same.
Oct 26, 2012
Sara
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
science-fiction-fantasy
I saw this in the library yesterday and remembered reading this book many years ago. I looked at the pictures again - this is a beautiful book! It was definitely worth looking at again.
If your looking for inspiration for drawing, writing, or other forms of art this book is one of the best places for inspiration. The illustrations are simply stunning!
Very very fun to READ.... I can see why it's in art books, I suppose. This book made me want very badly to become an artist someday; I'm sure it still inspires today!
Hugely popular when this was originally released, unusual for the reason that so much pop-art was in fashion-this seemed very quiet and almost antique in quality.
Mar 26, 2011
Angela Alcorn
marked it as to-read
Found this book through this article - looks interesting.
yes. a mockhistorical account and illustrations of the Fae World. Bought it for my christian, artist, D and D, 15 yr ol midwestern neice. loved it. seriously.
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
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| Enchanted Bookends: Faeries | 5 | 6 | May 09, 2012 02:20pm |
Brian Froud is an award-winning illustrator, author, and faery authority. His books include the international best-sellers Faeries, Lady Cottington's Pressed Fairy Book, Lady Cottington's Fairy Album, and The Faeries' Oracle. He also served as the conceptual designer on Jim Henson's films The Dark Crystal and Labyrinth. Froud lives in Devon, England.
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"I paint the spirit and s...more
More about Brian Froud...
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Apr 26, 2012 04:46pm
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