Designing Handy Mandy!

Here we have another design sketch by John R. Neill for Handy Mandy in Oz (1937) by Ruth Plumly Thompson. 

HANDY MANDY IN OZ  sketch by John R. Neill $500.

"Handy Mandy in Oz - sketch 3" (1937)

John R. Neill (American) 1877-1943

Pencil on paper, unsigned

Image size: Multiple images on sheet

Paper size: 11" x 8.5"

$500 SOLD 

Click here to see this drawing on our sales page 

There are very few of these preliminary drawings that survive, showing Neill's process illustrating the famous Oz books. This sheet shows two very early (and rather different!) ideas for Handy Mandy herself. In the main image she appears younger than she does in the final book illustrations, with Heidi-like braids hanging down her back. The second drawing at lower right shows her in the Dutch cap Neill finally decided upon and the semi-circle behind her shows Neill's pondering the chapter heading design.

HANDY MANDY design sketch showing Chapter Heading design.

Two more "chapter heading" shapes appear along the mid-right hand side of the sheet. Above them, to the right of the standing Mandy, is a rough for the final illustration of Mandy on the flying rock from page 22 on the published book.
 

HANDY MANDY design sketch & final illustration of Mandy on flying rock.

We have many other fine original drawings by John R. Neill on the website!

Come check it all out at

www.johnrneill.com 

"The Oz Parade"

One of the highlights of this collection is this extraordinary Oz painting by John R. Neill. Wonderfully impressionistic, the painting shows a parade of all the main Oz characters: Jack Pumpkinhead, the Tin Woodman, the Scarecrow. Tik-Tok, Glinda the Good riding the Hungry Tiger, Ozma and Dorothy riding the Cowardly Lion, with the Patchwork Girl and the Wizard of Oz himself bringing up the rear!

"The Oz Parade" (1936) watercolor by John R. Neill $8000.00

"The Oz Parade" (1936

John R. Neill (American) 1877-1943

Watercolor, gouache, and metallic silver ink on paper, unsigned

Image size: 6" x 9.5"

Paper size: 11.25" x 14.5

 $8000.00 SOLD

Click here to see this drawing on our sales page

This painting is one of the final color studies for a large-scale commission Neill did for the Lufkin family in the summer of 1936. There are at least six studies known to survive with this being one of the more finished. This magical Oz painting is on thick paper done in watercolor, gouache, and pencil, and is further enhanced with metallic silver ink on the Tin Woodman and on the border. It's rather reminiscent of Neill's use of metallic ink in the early printings of The Emerald City of Oz (1910).

Note the silver metallic ink highlighting the Tin Woodman.

The painting is very loose, feeling almost effortless, yet captures the personality of each character with a minimum of line. Look at Tik-Tok's face as he gazes up at Glinda, and the resigned dignity of the Hungry Tiger and his wonderful purple stripes!

Detail from "The Oz Parade" (1936) by John R. Neill.

Neill experimented with a red line for the border (see right hand side of image) but decided against it. He has marked it with pencil and written the word, "out."

The drawing is in very good condition, though there is some very light soiling to the surface of the image area. There is some staining in the margin area and a Neill family inventory label at upper left corner.  The back of the paper has a landscaping design drawn in pencil.

Back of "The Oz Parade" (1936) showing landscaping sketch by Neill.

We have many fine original drawings by John R. Neill on our sales site: Pen-and-ink, watercolors, pencil drawings, and some additional Oz material, too, with more being added every couple weeks.

Come check it all out at

www.johnrneill.com

"Handy Mandy in Oz #1"

This wonderful collection contains some very special Oz material - roughs and design sketches showing John R. Neill's process in illustrating the Oz books - such as the following page of roughs for the 1937 Oz title Handy Mandy in Oz by Ruth Plumly Thompson.

"Handy Mandy in Oz - sketch 1" (1937)  SOLD

"Handy Mandy in Oz - sketch 1" (1937)

John R. Neill (American) 1877-1943

Pencil on paper, unsigned

Image size: Multiple images on sheet

Paper size: 11" x 8.5"

$700.00 SOLD 

CLICK HERE to see this drawing on our sales page

There are very few of these roughs that survive, showing Neill's process illustrating the famous Oz books. This sheet shows five images of Handy Mandy. Neill is trying out different poses, working out how best to show a girl with seven hands to best advantage!

The bottom sketch of Mandy holding a tray of food in each of her seven hands was utilized in the final pictorial endpaper design of the book.

Comparison of sketch and printed illustration.

Interestingly the pose is reversed in the final illustration. The loose sketch of Mandy drawing back multiple fists was also incorporated into the endpaper design.

Comparison of sketch and printed illustration.

The sketch of Mandy pointing her finger was used for the drawing on page 114 of the published book.

Comparison of sketch and printed illustration.

It's curious that Neill chose to use mirror images of Handy Mandy holding the trays of food and Handy Mandy pointing. He may have used a transfer technique (such as rubbing the back of the image face-down on the illustration board) or perhaps he just changed the pose. The nearly identical flip-flop of the assorted foods makes it seem the reversal was simply part of Neill's method.

We have many other fine original drawings by John R. Neill on the website!

Come check it all out at

www.johnrneill.com