The Black Cat Press: FIRST LOOK: The Art of Oz

The characters as they appeared in the first edition of Wizard

There is very little doubt that art has played a very large role in the Oz legacy. After all, its characters are some of the most iconic and easily recognizable characters in the literary world. W.W. Denslow was the first of many to bring these characters to life. His art had a child-like whimsy to it, which inspired many imitators in its time. It also worth noting that Denslow's illustrations were so instrumental in the original publication, that he received co-copyright with Baum. His illustrations were also the basis of the costume designs in the lavish 1902 musical extravaganza Wizard of Oz.

While Denslow was the first, he is most certainly not the only name tied to these characters. When Baum and Denslow quarreled and ultimately parted ways after the musical, Baum sought out a new artist to create images as vibrant and imaginative as the World of Oz. Baum found this in a man by the name of John R. Neill. Neill would go on to illustrate not only Baum's 13 Oz sequels (and the supplementary Little Wizard Stories) but also most of the Famous Forty titles. He would even pen an Oz novel of his own. Neill's illustrations differed from Denslow's, as they were more realistic in design.

Neill's take on things, c. 1906

For The Black Cat Press's upcoming Oz storybook, illustrator Haley N. Dillon has decided to merge elements from both illustrators while still infusing her own unique style. One of the many reasons for blending Denslow and Neill concepts is to smooth transition from our new adaptation of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz into any sequel adaptations we may choose to do such as The Marvelous Land of Oz or Ozma of Oz. Furthermore, Neill's contributions were far to instrumental in the success of the Oz series as a whole to simply ignore them in the adaptation of the first story. The original two are not the only artists who have influence on Dillon's new take on Oz. To spark inspiration, Dillon and author Zachary Ryan Allen turned to their favorite illustrated versions of Oz by Charles Santore and Anton Loeb, respectively.

Santore's Illustration of the Foursome

When asked about the illustrations for the new back Zachary said, "Oz has a very broad influence. We wanted to borrow elements from throughout the legacy - a little of Denslow, a bit from Neill. We also wanted to acknowledge other artist who brought great things to Oz. For example, I grew up with the edition illustrated by Anton Loeb, so that is how I envision Oz and it was very important to have a similar feel. As for Haley, her favorite Oz illustrations were done by Charles Santore, so there's definitely some influence from him there. Of course in this day and age, it is next to impossible to avoid images that pay homage of the MGM film; however, Haley is using those very, very sparingly. At any rate, regardless of what has inspired Haley, she brings her own imagination and artistic
prowess to the table and I am quite certain this is going to be a fresh take on Oz that is both familiar and original."

While Oz is a fantastical place where most anything is possible, the story begins in our world. To create the look and feel of Kansas 1899, Allen and Dillon worked together to research authentic prairie clothing of the time period. Even in Oz, Dillon was insistent upon "practical whimsy." Therefore, research on animals, plant life and landscapes was conducted. These were then embellished upon with a touch of Ozian magic. Even the Tin Woodman has been designed with practicality in mind. The demands of the story/character dictate an agile and able being and he has been re-imagined to the fit the bill.

Illustration by Anton Loeb

At present, Ms. Dillon is busying herself with the creation of 75 new and original Oz illustrations. However, you may expect to see a post from her in the future in which she shall explain her though processes behind the new work. You are also likely to catch first glimpses of sketches and works in progress. The final products will be of mixed media incorporating traditional hand-drawing, watercolor, and digital media. Below we have included several of Dillon's original pen and colored pencil concept sketches and one finished illustration that will be incorporated into the finished book. Please note that these sketches were just the preliminary "brainstorm" for the characters. Many have been or will be redesigned for the completed work.