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Latest Ian Miller artwork purchase.

Final page from "The Luck in the Head" graphic novel [Victor Gollancz 1991], based on the short story by M John Harrison. Pen and ink / watercolour / compressed charcoal (??). 19" x 25" approx.

Shaking Like a Wet Dog

One thing that I will always readily admit to, is that when it comes to visual art, I am somewhat of a layman.

I think it's basically a lack of patience with the terminology; "Pre"-this, "Post"-that. All that sort of thing.

Such categorisation is alright when you're attempting to communicate who was influenced by what, and as pegs to hang ideas on to.

Not much good when there's nobody around to talk to, though.

Anyway, that's probably all irrelevant, since my spheres of interest are generally book, magazine and comic illustration, or severely minimal abstract "proper" art, neither of which are probably very well-regarded by opinion-mongers these days.

Fantasy art has been part of my life since I was about 8 years old, and on one teenage birthday, my mother gave me a book called "A Tolkien Bestiary" written in 1978 by David Day. (The Peter Haining of the Tolkien set, when Hobbit-fandom was also in its infancy).

And that book was crammed with some fascinating art, and it was here that I think I first encountered the work of Ian Miller, which I continued to regularly see when I was a Games Workshop obsessive later in puberty.

But I think it was Miller's graphic rendering of "The Luck in the Head" short story by M. John Harrison when many disparate elements finally fell into place. Not exactly an epiphany, but not that far off.

Anyway, I've been fortunate to be able to buy some pieces of Miller art lately, and I'm hoping to keep on acquiring bits when finances permit.

Pieces illustrated here are part of the "Castle Interior" series, unused (and presumably rejected?) concept sketches for the rather woeful film "Shrek".

Unfortunately, even clicking to enlarge will not do the pieces justice in this format. (Have a go though, if you can be bothered).

Anyway, just take my word for it, and maybe check out his website.

Great stuff. (And pleasingly too macabre for a movie starring Eddie Murphy as a talking ass...) 

Next Episode: Monoid One vs Charlie Brooker. Only one will come out alive...