jabberwocky
more than
two years after I illustrated Father William, I saw Jabberwocky as much more of a challenge.
The poem is such a magical work of mystery that it’s almost sacrilegious to try and pin it down. Even Carroll himself spoilt it with all the definitions he gave, both in Humpty Dumpty’s words and his own.
Here’s my take on it.
t'was brillig
and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.
"beware
he took
Long time the manxome foe he sought –
so rested he
And stood awhile in thought.
The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame,
Came whiffling through the tulgey wood,
one, two!
he left it dead,
He went galumphing back.
"and
Come to my arms, my beamish boy!
O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!”
He chortled in his joy.
'twas brillig,
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.
first sketches
My favourite images of this poem by other illustrators are by Arthur Rackham and Eran Cantrell.
I wanted something more dynamic and lighthearted. I also wanted to explore how a child young enough to be cuddled by his father would be able to kill a dragon and to carry its head home.
I carried on
I sat with
in the end
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more than
two years after I illustrated Father William, I saw Jabberwocky as much more of a challenge.
The poem is such a magical work of mystery that it’s almost sacrilegious to try and pin it down. Even Carroll himself spoilt it with all the definitions he gave, both in Humpty Dumpty’s words and his own.
Here’s my take on it.
