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Polish born Pienkowski moved to England in 1946 at the age of ten, and
went on to study English Literature at King's College, Cambridge. He
worked for a short time in advertising before founding his own studio
to produce cards and posters. Recognised as a unique talent, he was
commissioned to illustrate books, and was soon designing graphics and
cartoons for the BBC. Meg and Mog (first published 1972) was his first
independent picture book, written in collaboration with Helen Nicoll.
The huge success of the characters led him to produce at least eleven
more titles in the series, the most recent being published in 1987.
The books have been endlessly reprinted, children's love of the characters
showing no signs of diminishing.
What distinguishes Pienkowski from other contemporary children's illustrators
is his concern for his books' production quality. He has experimented
with numerous techniques such as torn paper, marbling, bronze-powder,
and silhouettes in pursuit of clarity and brightness of appearance.
In Meg and Mog he employs heavy black lines for figures' outlines, creating
striking shapes which may then be coloured in. Pienkowski has produced
numerous other children's books and has won the Kate Greenaway Medal
twice. He has done set designs for theatre and The Royal Opera House
and has seen exhibitions of his illustration. Original drawings by this
artist rarely appear on the market.
References: Douglas Martin: The Telling Line. Essays on Fifteen
Contemporary Book Illustrators: 187-202.
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