Errol Le Cain 27 Apr 2006 07:27 am
Errol Le Cain I
One of the most influential artists on Richard Williams‘ The Cobbler and The Thief was Errol Le Cain.
Errol came to the Williams studio in Soho, London early on. Dick took him under his wing and pushed him to complete, almost singlehandedly, the animated short The Sailor and The Devil (1967). The film is a very stylized piece animated in a very liquid and fluid fashion all on ones. The bacgrounds are predominantly black with large expanses of sea always in motion.
Having this artist do much of the film, himself, was how Dick felt would be the best way to teach him animation. In fact it is a good way, but one doesn’t expect such films to be this exceptional. A good portion of the film is featured in a BBC documentary done about the Williams Studio in 1967.
Errol went on to set the style of Nasurudin, one of the original titles of Dick’s dream feature. Over the years he became most prominently involved in doing the backgrounds for the feature.
While working for Richard Williams, Errol Le Cain illustrated children’s books. His illustration style is a meticulous one, often using a soaked parchment which he took weeks to prepare. The books took on a fame for the illustrator, and he received his greatest acclaim, deservedly so, for this art.
I have in my collection a number of these books, and starting with Thorn Rose, I’d like to post a couple of the book illustrations.
(Click any image to enlarge.)
on 10 Jul 2006 at 7:02 pm 1.justin murphy said …
thanks for posting some bio info and scans from this amazing person. i wish the search for his completed backgrounds from cobbler was easier.
on 06 Aug 2006 at 11:46 pm 2.M Dillman said …
Thanks! Your post is the only info I was able to find. I enjoyed his books as a child.
on 10 Nov 2006 at 7:53 am 3.Sue said …
Thank you for the chance to see more of the beuatiful art of Erro Le Cain. I’ve been searching all over for a list of his work and books. I want to see more for me and I’d like to give copies of his books to all my neices and nephews!
on 19 Nov 2006 at 2:39 am 4.sally said …
i adored errol le cain’s illustrations as a child, also … totally submersed myself in them. the white cat was a favourite of mine, also the enchanter’s daughter. i think he must have had a bit of a japanese influence, but also, the art in thorn rose is reminiscent of mediaeval tapestries. so gorgeous. great to find others who were similarly touched and inspired.
ps.i’m really enjoying k.y. craft as an illustrator right now.
on 17 Jan 2007 at 9:16 am 5.Michael said …
I have posted four other pages featuring art of Errol LeCain:
Pied Piper of Hamelin
12 Dancing Princesses
Have You Seen My Sister
Hiawatha’s Childhood
Growltiger’s Last Stand
on 16 Apr 2007 at 8:18 am 6.Stephen said …
Errol’s work is a real inspiration to me
thank you for posting his work
on 22 Apr 2009 at 4:08 pm 7.Mari said …
Thanks so much for blogging about Le Cain in such detail! So glad the internet has brought the few people who follow him together.
on 04 Aug 2009 at 6:33 am 8.rosie said …
I couldn’t remember Le Cain’s name, but had both Thorn Rose and 12 Dancing Princesses as a child. I’m so overjoyed to have finally found out who created those amazing illustrations… thanks for posting all those pictures!
on 06 Oct 2010 at 6:51 pm 9.john carnell said …
Great to see Errol getting some webspace! He was a good friend and mentor and is an inspiration to me still. I watched him work and it was incredible. I also saw how he would talk and give guidance to his buddhist friends in need, on the phone, sometimes for hours – while still painting!
He was an incredible guy. He encouraged me to write, and is one of the reasons I’m still creating now.
on 06 May 2014 at 12:02 pm 10.Roger Langton said …
I have been trying to collect all of Errol Le Cains books for some time. Its not easy,some of the copies on Amazon and Ebay fetch large sums of money.Which publisher owns the copyright and why can’t they be re-published? I have illustrated children’s books for quite a number of years and wish I had half of his talent. I absolutely LOVE his work. Wish he was still here working. Roger Langton