Cruikshank , Doyle, Caldecott, Durer, Beardsley and even Japanese prints all had their influence on his imaginative mind. His sweeping success was perhaps in part a reaction to the harsh Victorian educational ethic of facts, facts, facts. His world of fairies and goblins, intermingled with a real world of animals, people and plants, fired the imagination of his readers. Sometimes marvelling, sometimes terrifying, always thrilling. His skilful use of the new three-part colour printing process adds enormous appeal to all his subject matters.
Primary colours are virtually non-existent.
Instead, soft harmonies abound, which serve to draw the viewer into his world, perhaps a childish world, but one where most adults are most happy to be taken. Born into a prosperous middle-class family in London, he began his working life in 1885 in an insurance office whilst attending art classes at Lambeth School of Art. He then joined the staff of the magazine Westminster Budget, but soon found himself increasingly illustrating books. Some of his early works, such as Ingoldsby Legends , Tales from Shakespeare , and Fairy Tales of the Brothers Grimm were so popular that new editions after the turn of the century were produced with new additional illustrations included. Despite his gentle forms and colours, he also excelled at line drawings.