Tuesday 1 December 2009

ABC Wednesday T for Tennis





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Click to enlarge, please.

Four ways to play tennis, drawn by W.Heath Robinson in his book "Absurdities, a book of collected drawings".

W.Heath Robinson was born in 1872 and died in 1944. Heath Robinson, having studied art at the Islington School of Art and sporadically at the Painting Schools of the Royal Academy, truly wished to make a living as a landscape painter. At the age of 25, however, came the rude realization that making drawings for the burgeoning publications of the day was likely to earn him a living, whereas the sale of just one landscape that year (to a friend) was not. His brothers had already started their illustration careers, and it seemed it was time for young Will to join them. That year, 1897, he produced illustrations for four books:

* The Giant Crab and Other Tales From Old India
* Danish Fairy Tales and Legends of Hans Andersen
* Don Quixote
* The Pilgrim's Progress



ABC is created by Denise Nesbitt .For more interesting ABC posts click on the logo in the sidebar or Here. This week we are looking for words beginning with T.

37 comments:

Dina said...

Well then, I'm glad Robinson went into drawing. These cartoons are really funny, especially the "Flat Life." LOL

Rune Eide said...

There was no lack of imagination here! I feel even for grateful for not playing tennis ;-)

The Weaver of Grass said...

Heath Robinson has become a term in the English language to describe something which has been rather cobbled together. It is lovely that his name lives on in this way. Lovely pictures reader wil.

Middle Ditch said...

Such funny drawings. How do you find them?

I will miss Saint Nicholas day. This is still the day for presents to me and not Christmas.

I remember when a child and in Sunday school I was asked to sing a St Nicholas song and, as I heard my brothers sing this one at home, I sang it loud and clear

Sinterklaas is jarig
Set hem op de pot
O wat zal hij stinken
********************* (forgotten)

En rommeldebom, de pot viel om en alle keuteltjes lagen krom

I was only four but I do remember my mother's horrified look.

Sylvia K said...

These are so funny and there is most definitely no lack of imagination! I love them!

Have a great day, Wil!

Sylvia

Mara said...

I normally don't enlarge any photos, but I did with these drawings/illustrations. So much fun!

Je Sinterklaas collectie vind ik ook geweldig trouwens.

Patty said...

Love the cartoons. I guess if you love playing tennis, you will find a way to do it. LOL

Leslie: said...

What hilarity! Can you imagine actually playing tennis in those circumstances? Fabulous collection here! :D

Anya said...

Ik doe zelf nog veel aan sport
maar tennissen heb ik nog nooit geprobeerd !!
Leuke blog vandaag :-)

(Ik heb mijn sinterklaas blogje klaar yippieeee....... :-)

Fijne avond
oops ik kan beter zeggen welterusten hihihi....

anthonynorth said...

Those market forces certainly seem to direct so many creative people nowadays. I wonder what could have happened if he was left to his own devices? Maybe nothing - maybe even greater art.

photowannabe said...

Fascinating and so really funny illustrations. Playing tennis in the water is supurb.

Anonymous said...

Quite interesting post. They are such funny pictures.
QMM

Bradley Hsi said...

Apparently he has made the right choice for his career and for his talent. Thanks for introducing him to us.

Sistertex said...

Great post, loved the art and had to check them all out, they are so interesting and humorous.

Thank you for posting them.

Unknown said...

Tennis has always been one of my most favorite sports : ) Lovely post and lesson! As always!

Vicki Lane said...

I learned of Robinson while reading English novels of the period. His work is delightful!

Cloudia said...

What fun!



Aloha, Wil


Comfort Spiral

Hildred said...

Wonderful drawings, - looks like quite riotous fun.

Etje said...

Grappige tekeningen zijn dat wel vind ik

Roger Owen Green said...

Wotta hoot! I got into watching tennis from an ex, but it didn't look like THESE!

Arkansas Patti said...

Have to admit I loved the high rise tennis. How creative.

Middle Ditch said...

Draai de deur op slot!

It came suddenly to me after I logged out. XX

Joy said...

I love Heath Robinson's drawings and the amazing detail. I had never seen the tennis ones, so funny, especially Flat life. Great post.

Tumblewords: said...

These are terrific! Thanks!

Rose said...

I don't know what kind of landscape artist Robinson might have been, but he certainly found his calling in illustrating. These are hilarious! Thanks for introducing him to me!

Miss_Yves said...

Très intéressant! L'humour et le style de ce dessinateur me font penser à Dubout .

Miss_Yves said...

www.dubout.fr/

Smart Mouth Broad said...

I like the water tennis. We have a net we put across our pool to play volleyball. Maybe we should try tennis. LOL

Vagabonde said...

Je viens de lire tous les posts que j’avais manqués depuis mes vacances. Vous avez de jolies photos, surtout celle de la Nouvelle Zélande. J’aime bien ces dessins amusants de Robinson.

Judi said...

Creative choice. Good job!

jay said...

I love the drawings of Heath Robinson, but I didn't know he illustrated Don Quixote! Interesting that it wasn't his first choice of career, though, because he so obviously had a real talent for this type of illustration.

Dorothy said...

So interesting into the minds of others is always worth the journey.

Dorothy from grammology
grammology.com

Jeannette StG said...

Had no idea that he was the one who illustrated Pilgrims Progress!
the second illustration is hilarious!

Rajesh said...

Very beautifully drawn pictures. Very creative.

antigoni said...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, WIL!
It's 4th of December and you're always on my mind my friend.
I wish you all the best!

Crafty Green Poet said...

very entertaining visions of tennis

Ann, Chen Jie Xue 陈洁雪 said...

Wimbleton would be very different if people played like that?

I tried playing when I was 16, and I think your paintings had my photo there. That is why I stopped.