Michael Whittlesea RWS NEAC

Dustwrapper by Michael Whittlesea

He produced the first edition dustwrapper for the Marston Baines story Dark Danger (Heinemann 1965). For some reason it was not used for the reprint in 1976, a plain wrapper was substituted. Possibly the artwork was considered too dramatic. In 1966 Newnes published a new Lone Pine book with Whittlesea illustrations. This was Man With Three Fingers.

The following year Merlin started to publish paperback editions of six of the Lone Pine books illustrated by him.
These are: Lone Pine Five (1967), Saucers Over the Moor (1967), The Secret of Grey Walls (1967), The Secret of the Gorge (1967), Sea Witch Comes Home (1968) and Mystery Mine (1968). Each has some six full page illustrations as well as an attractive cover.

His pen and ink drawings are strong, beautifully composed and full of character, like this from 'Lone Pine Five' where Mr Wilkin is trying to get a look at Jenny's spoon. The setting, and the different emotions of the four characters are beautifully delineated as the amiable auctioneer intervenes.

Jenny and Tom at Bishops Castle Market

Penny is confronted by a gunman

In the more dramatic moments of the stories, the strength of feeling is reflected in the bold 'shot' of the action, as here, from 'The Secret of Grey Walls', where Penny is confronted by a stranger with a gun.

The same sense of drama comes through in the more peaceful scene from the same story, where Peter is trying to convince Mr Denton that she has seen sheep stolen, as they stand with the others on Clun Bridge. In this picture, as in many others, the stones of the bridge are individually drawn and form a regular pattern, a noticeable characteristic of this artists drawings, where brick walls may well have each brick drawn in.

On the bridge at Clun

Michael Whittlesea was born in London and studied at Harrow School of Art.
For many years he did commercial work, including book illustration.

He was elected a member of The Royal Watercolour Society and a is member of the New English Art Club.

He published his book The Complete Watercolour Course in 1987, republished in 1993 by Chancellor as The Complete Step-by-Step Watercolour Course.

He now lives and works near Henley on Thames and exhibits watercolours regularly. Some of his work can be seen on the site of The New English Art Club and bought at the Gallery sites of Richard Hagan Gallery and Michael's page. (information accurate at January 2012)