I became familiar with Virgil Finlay through CASTLE OF FRANKENSTEIN magazine. Publisher Calvin T. Beck published several of Finlay's illustrations, who must have recognized his enormous talent.
One has to remember that in the early 1970's, computers and search engines and the ability to view images by the hundreds of thousands were a decade away. So, imagine my surprise when I came across THE BOOK OF VIRGIL FINLAY, published by Flare Books in the summer of 1976. Needless to say, I had become entranced with Finlay's fantasy and horror illustrations and snatched it up without hesitation. It remains today in my personal library.
Born in Rochester, New York, Virgil Warden Finlay (July 23, 1914 – January 18, 1971) began his career in the pulp magazines, most notably appearing regularly in WEIRD TALES, as well as various science-fiction and fantasy publications. His immediately recognizable style was accomplished using the techniques of stippling and cross-hatching with pen and ink. He also used pebble-grained Coquille board to great effect.
The following collection of images are from his work with FAMOUS FANTASTIC MYSTERIES. These samples clearly show his unique talent.
See more of Virgil Finlay's work HERE.
Virgil Finlay was one of the greats of art and illustration.
ReplyDeleteI couldn't agree with you more!
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