Charles Robinson (1870-1937) was a prolific illustrator and designer. He participated in more than one hundred books and contributed to numerous magazines like Pear's Annual, The Studio, Pearson's Magazine, The Graphics, and The Royal Magazine. Despite the lack of formal training, he was elected to the Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolours, became elected President of the London Sketch Club, and exhibited at the Royal Academy several times. He was a very versatile artist, skilled in line drawings, watercolors, designing covers, lithography, and decorated letters. He tried himself even at advertising and caricatures.

His older brother Thomas Heath, and younger brother William Heath, were successful illustrators as well. He often collaborated with both. Charles' father Thomas, was also an illustrator and bookbinder, and his grandfather (Thomas!) was an engraver. His uncle Charles was an illustrator as well. Especially the father showed his sons the importance of attention to detail and how necessary is to meet deadlines, which can be occasionally seen at their work where a certain haste contributed to some minor flaws.

Are you ready for more interesting facts about Charles Robinson, the illustrator?

• His style was clearly Art Nouveau with the incorporation of borders, floral elements, curvy lines, and numerous other details into a complex composition with the presented character being emphasized by its surroundings. Yet, he soon developed his distinguished style with the influence of Aubrey Beardsley, Japanese prints, Pre-Raphaelites (especially William Morris and Walter Crane), Venetian printing, and Albrecht Durer. One of the main characteristics of his works was suggestive white space.
• Money played an extremely important role in Charles Robinson's artistic development. His inherited talent and skills acquired in his father's workshop got him a place at the Royal Academy, but he couldn't afford the tuition due to his low income coming from an apprenticeship as a printer and lithographer at Waterlow and Sons. He took evening lessons instead. His illustrations for children's primers at MacMillan got him a commission for Stevenson's Child's Garden of Verses at John Lane's publishing house, which was a huge success. This secured him substantial royalties and a lot of commissions, so he could afford a marriage. He bought a house and had six children, but in the years before the World War, the market for picture books declined, and he was forced to take many less profitable jobs to survive.
• Charles Robinson tried to enroll in the army but was too old for regular forces. As a member of Volunteer Training Corpse, he reached the rank of second lieutenant.