Never noticed that in the bottom of this illustration from VOE, a boy is being given a hard time by his friends for his “period clothing” - just another example of the Edwards painting so much life into these pictures.
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For me it's the eyes of Skarloey's driver being visible behind the smoke - I think the fact the Edwards' artwork is the most realistic of all the RWS illustrators makes this cartoony detail extra funny 😄
VOE will always stand unparalleled in my mind as not only the best RWS book, but the one with the most intriguing premise and best execution. The idea of doing almost a whole book as, effectively, a work of historical fiction about the Talyllyn Railway is SUCH a good one, and is brought to life-
in a way that only artists like the Edwards who REALLY understood the potential of the setting Wilbert Awdry created can achieve.
The most minute details in this book's illustrations make me yearn to know more about its world; and, in turn, because the book is so heavily tied with REAL history, -
about the REAL world and history that inspired it as well. Beyond being an entertaining story for children and parents alike, I feel like this book achieves Wilbert's goal of sparking interest in railway history better than any other he wrote.
VOE presents the closest Sodor can come to being real.
I really wish there were some in-depth interviews with the Edwards about their work and the decision to take the direction they did/the funny little things they put in the pictures. I agree though - VOE is probably my favourite book of all.
I would give anything to read the back-and-forth there must have been between Awdry and the Edwards about how exactly to go about rendering VOE's illustrations; from the characters with historical counterparts, to the condition of the engines at the time, to the gags and easter egg references...
I love the humans in the Edwards illustrations. This one is a personal favourite. I love how PISSED Bert's driver is, how the woman behind Teddy Boston is also soaked from Bert's trick, and how awkward the guy in the brown jumper looks as The Small Controller berates his engine in front of everybody
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The most minute details in this book's illustrations make me yearn to know more about its world; and, in turn, because the book is so heavily tied with REAL history, -
VOE presents the closest Sodor can come to being real.
But someone is bound to do that.