Angela Carter Cover Art

Posted on | April 28, 2010 | 10 Comments

Throughout Angela Carter month I have made mention of the fabulously designed cover art by the illustrator, Roxanna Bikadoroff, which I find not only striking but representative of Carter and her work; I now associate the bold cover art of the Virago copies (photographed above) and the Penguin US (some of which are shown in the page linked to) with Angela Carter. Today I am delighted to welcome Roxanna Bikadoroff to my blog to celebrate Angela Carter month and to answer a few interview questions in relation to her Carter illustrations.

PBR: I am a huge admirer of your work, coming to it through Angela Carter’s books and I find it refreshing; it has gone a long way in contributing to my love of book covers, the attention I now pay to them, and my coveting and collecting of them. I am most interested in how you found your inspiration for the covers and your thoughts on Carter and her writing.

RB: Thanks for your kind words. Haven’t done any such work in some time…guess I’ve been so associated with one writer, etc. Been working on paintings and other projects of late,though always open to more of the old style.

One thing I always insist on is reading the books I’m illustrating covers for (surprizingly not expected of illustrators) and doing the writing justice. Marketing depts are usually more concerned with visibility on the shelf, etc.

PBR: I’m glad that you mentioned insisting on reading the books before illustrating the covers as I was going to ask you that. Your illustrations for Carter’s books are so representative of the work itself and you can tell that you are familiar with the characters and story with the wealth of detail that has gone into the artwork. You have certainly done the writing justice as the illustrations are as rich and as vibrant as the prose.

Coming to blogging last year I have become even more interested in how books are marketed and especially in the cover art. Illustrators and translators seem to be the neglected parties when it comes to books being appreciated by the reader and I am more conscious of the work that goes into the design of a book especially. Your Carter artwork is definitely the bar against which I measure the cover of a book and its success at tempting me to buy it; I remember the first time I came across the cover you did for the Virago re-issue of The Magic Toyshop in 2006, I had to immediately purchase a copy of the book even though I already owned it.

Which moves me on to asking when you first began to illustrate Carter’s novels, how it come about, and then with Virago in the UK?

RB: It was for Penguin US back in the early nineties, I was just starting to gain some ground as a freelance illustrator, getting work for US publications, like the New Yorker. The art director at Penguin at the time was the brilliantly talented Michael Ian Kaye, who had a way of letting illustrators do their thing and simply providing the necessary design details to make it look fab. I used to send samples to art directors with fancy, hand-written envelopes (remember those days?) and I think this gave him the bright idea to let me do the hand-lettered titles. After that I was constantly asked to hand-letter things, as was everyone else.

As for Virago, I guess they just wanted to maintain the look. It’s funny, because for the longest time the UK publisher of AC (can’t recall if it was then Virago or Penguin UK) didn’t want the same look as the US covers. Maybe they were trying to attract a new/younger generation of readers.

PBR: in the Nineties Virago (who published AC) streamlined their covers so that they were a distinctive imprint, with bottle-green spines; I collect those old covers but I am delighted that they moved in the same direction as Penguin US, especially as it adds a dimension of universality to Carter’s books, which are also so immediately identifiable. I think that your eye-catching designs will definitely attract a wider -and perhaps- younger readership.

I am huge fan of your stylized typography and how the title and author are incorporated into the illustration; again, the font is recognisable on the front cover as your work (I would even know it on chocolate too!)

In reference to your and Carter’s work being mutually recognisable, you mention that you have been associated with this one writer, do you find that restrictive in any way, a blessing, or both?

RB: Both. I am honored to be associated with Angela Carter and Flannery O’Connor, two very strong, enduring, women writers that almost seemed to have sprung up from their graves and offered me a gift But my later association with trendy ‘chick lit’ books may have been the beginning of the end…

PBR: “seemed to have sprung up from their graves and offered me a gift” is a beautiful way of expressing it. For anyone who isn’t familiar with your Flannery O’Connor work (which is silk-screened, I believe) then I’ve linked to another interview with you here that displays the covers in the body of the post. I have only read a little Flannery O’Connor in the past but fully intend to read more in the future and perhaps I’ll obtain those stunning editions to do so; they contrast so much with the Carter ones and yet are also equally appealing.

It’s funny that you should mention the later association with ‘chick lit’ as there is a book that I came across through the post I’ve just linked to, which I was attracted to mainly for the cover and duly requested it from my library, but when it arrived it had an entirely different cover (I wrote about that experience here). Sometimes we most definitely do judge a book by its cover, for good or for bad.

Back to Carter, do you have a favourite book of hers and what do you enjoy about her work?

RB: That’s a hard one – but the one that seems to stick with me in most detail is The Magic Toyshop. I loved Nights at the Circus and Wise Children, too, because those were my intro to her work and they just blew me away! Like nothing I’d read before and right up my alley. What I like about her work is that she takes themes that might better be suited to a children’s book, but puts back all the creepiness and uncertainty and sensory perception – so it’s like, an adult remembering childhood but being able to go back with all the tools to decipher the experience intellectually. Yet she doesn’t detach from the emotional either.

Fairy Tales, for example, were not originally for children, they were more like ‘tribal therapy’, but were later relegated – along with women’s status – to the nursery. Angela Carter, has single-handedly put it all back together again. Does that make sense ?!

PBR: It makes complete sense! It is wonderful to detect the same enthusiasm for Carter’s work that I have in your answer and I understand your points perfectly, both agreeing and contemplating them further. Carter definitely deconstructed innocence in her fairy tales (rewriting, translating and/or editing them), injecting them with a more sinister, sensual overtone that was latent in the originals; The Magic Toyshop definitely does the same in novel-form and I can see why it would stand out to you for those reasons.

“Like nothing I’d read before” is the way I responded to Carter for the first time, every time really, and the way I describe her to others.

Speaking of there being no one quite like Carter … is there any particular writer whose work you would love to illustrate?

RB: Well, I’m huge on fairy tales. Started illustrating a Russian one, but had no takers, so it’s on hold while I tend to my other love-labours!

PBR: I’m also a huge fan of fairy tales (I love Pan’s Labyrinth and completely agree with you that Carter would have received a real kick out of that film) so you have me intrigued … I wish you success in finding a book for that particular illustration and for your future endeavours. I will definitely be continuing to pick up book covers with your work.

On behalf of myself and those reading I would like to thank you very much for your time and direct interested parties to your Snazzy Art Boutique and Gallerie Mystique. Our discussion has developed by appreciation for my Angela Carter collection even more (which I didn’t think was possible!) and my interest in book cover illustration. This was a wonderful way to celebrate Angela Carter and I am grateful to you for participating in my month as it draws to a close.

Comments

10 Responses to “Angela Carter Cover Art”

Jackie (Farm Lane Books)
April 28th, 2010 @ 4:27 pm

Fascinating post! I’m really impressed that Roxanna reads all the books before illustrating the cover, but I think it does shine through in the beauty of the designs.

I don’t really think about the effor required to design a book cover, but I will try to pay greater attention to them in future.
Verity
April 28th, 2010 @ 4:45 pm

That’s such a fascinating post – I don’t think I’ve seen a blog post like it. I agree that it is impressive (and a good thing!) that Roxanna reads the books – I am sure it helps contribute to such wonderful images. Like Jackie I’m going to think harder about cover art when I read – it’s something I pay attention to with Virago books but not very much otherwise.
Jenny
April 28th, 2010 @ 5:19 pm

How interesting! I’m also very intrigued by the process by which books get their cover art. I do wonder whether it’s common for illustrators to read the books in their entirety each time – it’s great that Roxana does! Her art is gorgeous.
tea lady (the glittering burn)
April 28th, 2010 @ 11:07 pm

Until recently, I had always pictured author and illustrator working in close harmony on books but have recently read about quite a few disagreements over the process.

It seems insane not to read a book that you’re supposed to be interpreting!
mee
April 29th, 2010 @ 12:19 am

Thank you for the lovely post. I admire Roxanna for reading all Carter’s books before illustrating them. Made me appreciate the covers even more. And how lovely that she loved the content of the books too.

Book cover is something that I always have great interest in. I may not go all my way to collect all books with covers I love, but I have deep appreciation for them and I always pay attention to their details. That’s why I often stare at the covers at bookstores for a long time!

I’m trying to finish my review of The Bloody Chamber before April ends. How quickly time passes! Eek!

Also I just got the 2 Carter books you sent yesterday night, after work. Thank you so much Claire. I was so excited and read the introduction by Sarah Waters straight away. But the books themselves I might save for later
Mrs.B.
April 29th, 2010 @ 5:46 am

What an excellent post Claire! I love the cover art of Angela Carter’s books and how wonderful that you were able to interview the artist. Fascinating interview!
Rachel
April 29th, 2010 @ 9:38 am

Thanks so much to Roxanna for all of this fascinating information! It’s so interesting to understand this side of the book creation process. Brilliant post Claire!
Carter Collation Post V | Paperback Reader
April 30th, 2010 @ 2:10 pm

[...] and I do hope that you enjoyed it. If you haven’t had a chance to then please read my interview with Roxanna Bikadoroff, illustrator of Angela Carter’s books, as it was one of my highlights [...]
claire (kiss a cloud)
May 2nd, 2010 @ 5:10 pm

Claire, thanks for giving us a taste of the artist behind Carter’s books. As you know, I absolutely loved her artwork in Carter’s novel LOVE. I also followed the link to her other works and didn’t realize she did those Flannery O’Connor covers which are so beautiful, especially The Complete Stories. Also love her cover of Roald Dahl’s Ghost Stories.
anothercookiecrumbles
May 3rd, 2010 @ 9:59 pm

Awesome post. Couple of months back, I succumbed and bought a piece of her artwork from her blogging site, and love it. It’s nothing as phenomenal as the Angela Carter covers, but, it’s a nice black and white painting. Exchanged a few emails with her, and she seemed like a really cool person.

Love the interview, and is great to get an insight into the wondrous world of Roxanna Bikadoroff. I do like the fact that her favourite is The Magic Toyshop!