Inspiration and learning

I went and spent some time today in the library, hoping to find some inspiration.
As I haven't been drawing/illustrating for very long, I feel that I need to develop my own 'style, and thought that if I found some artists work that I liked, it would help develop my own technique.
My favourite artists have always been Gustav Klimt, and Alphonse Mucha. Both from the same period in history (late 1800's- early 1900's), and my love for them has been their beautiful and almost ethereal depiction of women. Their work is neither perfect, or true to life, nor do I think they intended to be. That looseness and freedom in their work has both excited, and inspired me for several years.

Below are two pieces of artwork from the afore mentioned artists.

Alphonse Mucha

Gustav Klimt.

As I was already familiar with the work of these two artists, I began exploring the shelves to uncover those that I had heard of, but was not familiar with, or those that I hadn't heard of, but later realised their work was so popular I did in fact recognise it! I spent some time perusing the heavy-weights of the art world; Van Gogh, Botticelli, Matisse and so on. Despite finding many of the paintings impressive, there wasn't anything that I felt I could adopt in my own work. Later, I found a book about M.S.Escher, who I discovered is renown as one of the worlds greatest graphic artists (his work inspiring me to re-visit the exercise 'black and white). Escher lived between 1898-1972, and is most famous for his 'impossible' structures, such as 'Ascending and Descending, Relativity and his 'Transformation' prints.

ascending and descending

M.S.Escher

Apart from being a graphic artist, Escher also illustrated childrens books, postage stamps and murals. He worked with lithographs, engravings and woodcuts, as well as conventional drawing methods.

'Relativity' 

1938 'Swallows and dragonflies'

What I like most about this last print comes from my background in fashion. I love the idea of creating a print that could be used as a piece of artwork, a wallpaper or most excitingly for me: for textiles.

Finally, I also loaned a book called 'Botanical Illustration Course with the Eden Project', by Rosie Martin and Meriel Thurstan.  It is avaliable from Amazon for just £8 Botanical Illustration Course. It was also named Practical art book of the year 2008. I think it is a fantastic book, and I looked forward to referencing it when working on Assignment 2. There aren't lots of illustrations of fruit or vegetables, but the techniques discussed would work well or fruits, vegetables or flowers. There are a few illustrations of fruit which are just stunning. I really recommend this book!