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Ralph Steadman: A Life in Ink
Ralph A Life in Ink is the definitive career retrospective of this revered and provocative UK artist.
Renowned for his collaborations with iconic American writer Hunter S. Thompson, he formed an unlikely duo that created "Gonzo" journalism.
This lifelong collaboration included the now-legendary Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas , originally published in Rolling Stone magazine , which has since become a cult classic.
• Explores Steadman's signature ink-splattered style
• Features a diverse body of work that includes satirical political illustrations
• Includes art from award-winning children's books such as Alice in Wonderland
Ralph A Life in Ink is a must-have celebration of the artist's important and influential career.
This comprehensive monograph on the life and work of Ralph Steadman collects work from his dozens of books from his 50-plus year career.
• Satirist, artist, cartoonist, illustrator, writer—Steadman's prolific and influential career continues
to resonate and inspire.
• His work is synonymous with the counterculture of the 1970s.
• The ultimate gift and coffee table book for fans of Gonzo journalism, Hunter S. Thompson, and
political satire
• Add it to the shelf with books like .Ralph Proud Too Be Weirrd by Ralph Steadman,
The Curse of Lono by Hunter S. Thompson, and The Art by Ralph Steadman.
Renowned for his collaborations with iconic American writer Hunter S. Thompson, he formed an unlikely duo that created "Gonzo" journalism.
This lifelong collaboration included the now-legendary Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas , originally published in Rolling Stone magazine , which has since become a cult classic.
• Explores Steadman's signature ink-splattered style
• Features a diverse body of work that includes satirical political illustrations
• Includes art from award-winning children's books such as Alice in Wonderland
Ralph A Life in Ink is a must-have celebration of the artist's important and influential career.
This comprehensive monograph on the life and work of Ralph Steadman collects work from his dozens of books from his 50-plus year career.
• Satirist, artist, cartoonist, illustrator, writer—Steadman's prolific and influential career continues
to resonate and inspire.
• His work is synonymous with the counterculture of the 1970s.
• The ultimate gift and coffee table book for fans of Gonzo journalism, Hunter S. Thompson, and
political satire
• Add it to the shelf with books like .Ralph Proud Too Be Weirrd by Ralph Steadman,
The Curse of Lono by Hunter S. Thompson, and The Art by Ralph Steadman.
- GenresArtBiographyNonfiction
320 pages, Hardcover
Published November 17, 2020
5 people are currently reading
102 people want to read
About the author
Ralph Steadman
158 books270 followersRalph Steadman (born Wallasey, May 15, 1936) is a British cartoonist and caricaturist.
Born in Wallasey, Cheshire, and brought up in Towyn, North Wales, Steadman attended Ysgol Emrys Ap Iwan (high school), Abergele, East Ham Technical College and the London College of Printing and Graphic Arts during the 1960s, doing freelance work for Punch, Private Eye, the Daily Telegraph, The New York Times and Rolling Stone during this time.
Steadman is renowned for his political and social caricatures and cartoons and also for illustrating a number of picture books. Awards that he has won for his work include the Francis Williams Book Illustration Award for Alice in Wonderland, the American Society of Illustrators' Certificate of Merit, the W H Smith Illustration Award for I Leonardo, the Dutch Silver Paintbrush Award for Inspector Mouse, the Italian Critica in Erba Prize for That's My Dad, the BBC Design Award for postage stamps, the Black Humour Award in France, and several Designers and Art Directors Association Awards. He was voted Illustrator of the Year by the American Institute of Graphic Arts in 1979.
Steadman had a long partnership with the American journalist Hunter S. Thompson, drawing pictures for several of his articles and books. He accompanied Thompson to the Kentucky Derby for an article for the magazine Scanlan's, to the Honolulu Marathon for the magazine Running, and illustrated both Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas and Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail '72. Much of Steadman's artwork revolves around Raoul Duke-style caricatures of Thompson: bucket hats, cigarette holder and aviator sunglasses.
Steadman appears on the second disc of the Criterion Collection Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas DVD set, in a documentary called "Fear and Loathing in Gonzovision", which was made by the BBC in 1978, of Thompson planning the tower and cannon that his ashes were later blasted out of. The cannon was atop a 153-ft. tower of Thompson's fist gripping a peyote button; Thompson demands that Steadman gives the fist two thumbs, "Right now."
As well as writing and illustrating his own books and Thompson's, Steadman has worked with writers including Ted Hughes and Brian Patten, and also illustrated editions of Alice In Wonderland, Treasure Island, Animal Farm and most recently, Fahrenheit 451.
Among the British public, Steadman is well known for his illustrations for the catalogues of the off-licence chain Oddbins. He also designed the labels for Flying Dog beer and Cardinal 'Spiced' Zin', which was banned in Ohio for Steadman's "disturbing" interpretation of a Catholic cardinal on its label.
Steadman also illustrates Will Self's column in The Independent newspaper. Johnny Depp's anthology of songs, "Rogue's Gallery: Pirate Ballads, Sea Songs, and Chanteys" (2006) surprisingly contains two contributions from Steadman. He sings lead on "Little Boy Billee", and sings backing vocals on Eliza Carthy's song "Rolling Sea". Depp played Raoul Duke in the film adaptation of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.
Steadman currently lives with his wife in Kent, England.
Born in Wallasey, Cheshire, and brought up in Towyn, North Wales, Steadman attended Ysgol Emrys Ap Iwan (high school), Abergele, East Ham Technical College and the London College of Printing and Graphic Arts during the 1960s, doing freelance work for Punch, Private Eye, the Daily Telegraph, The New York Times and Rolling Stone during this time.
Steadman is renowned for his political and social caricatures and cartoons and also for illustrating a number of picture books. Awards that he has won for his work include the Francis Williams Book Illustration Award for Alice in Wonderland, the American Society of Illustrators' Certificate of Merit, the W H Smith Illustration Award for I Leonardo, the Dutch Silver Paintbrush Award for Inspector Mouse, the Italian Critica in Erba Prize for That's My Dad, the BBC Design Award for postage stamps, the Black Humour Award in France, and several Designers and Art Directors Association Awards. He was voted Illustrator of the Year by the American Institute of Graphic Arts in 1979.
Steadman had a long partnership with the American journalist Hunter S. Thompson, drawing pictures for several of his articles and books. He accompanied Thompson to the Kentucky Derby for an article for the magazine Scanlan's, to the Honolulu Marathon for the magazine Running, and illustrated both Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas and Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail '72. Much of Steadman's artwork revolves around Raoul Duke-style caricatures of Thompson: bucket hats, cigarette holder and aviator sunglasses.
Steadman appears on the second disc of the Criterion Collection Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas DVD set, in a documentary called "Fear and Loathing in Gonzovision", which was made by the BBC in 1978, of Thompson planning the tower and cannon that his ashes were later blasted out of. The cannon was atop a 153-ft. tower of Thompson's fist gripping a peyote button; Thompson demands that Steadman gives the fist two thumbs, "Right now."
As well as writing and illustrating his own books and Thompson's, Steadman has worked with writers including Ted Hughes and Brian Patten, and also illustrated editions of Alice In Wonderland, Treasure Island, Animal Farm and most recently, Fahrenheit 451.
Among the British public, Steadman is well known for his illustrations for the catalogues of the off-licence chain Oddbins. He also designed the labels for Flying Dog beer and Cardinal 'Spiced' Zin', which was banned in Ohio for Steadman's "disturbing" interpretation of a Catholic cardinal on its label.
Steadman also illustrates Will Self's column in The Independent newspaper. Johnny Depp's anthology of songs, "Rogue's Gallery: Pirate Ballads, Sea Songs, and Chanteys" (2006) surprisingly contains two contributions from Steadman. He sings lead on "Little Boy Billee", and sings backing vocals on Eliza Carthy's song "Rolling Sea". Depp played Raoul Duke in the film adaptation of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.
Steadman currently lives with his wife in Kent, England.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
April 21, 2021
A favourite artist summed up by a short bio and hundreds of works. This is a book that could never be too long for me as I love the man’s work and have collected his books for over 20 years and even created a Facebook group dedicated to his art. Love it!
March 10, 2021
“The only thing of value is a thing you cannot say.” That's Wittgenstein for you. And Steadman. The book is scarce in words and for such a full life, one wishes it had a bit more.
I wouldn't go so far as to say that that the illustrations reach the poetic. They are grounded in the social and political, and violently comment on current events spreading throughout the last 50 years. My favourites remain the Gonzo series as well as Tyrants of Our Age.
What is the value of owning such a book and how one should 'read' it?
Most of the pictures are available online, but having the book allows for a more intimate relationship with the author. This is a retrospective and is curated. We see what we are supposed to see and we see it in its chronology. We follow not only Steadman's career but also what was happening on the world stage. Having the book will encourage you to look into his work more often.
But if you do not believe in the coffee table book concept, which I understand as a position, please don't get this - it's big, heavy and beautiful.
I wouldn't go so far as to say that that the illustrations reach the poetic. They are grounded in the social and political, and violently comment on current events spreading throughout the last 50 years. My favourites remain the Gonzo series as well as Tyrants of Our Age.
What is the value of owning such a book and how one should 'read' it?
Most of the pictures are available online, but having the book allows for a more intimate relationship with the author. This is a retrospective and is curated. We see what we are supposed to see and we see it in its chronology. We follow not only Steadman's career but also what was happening on the world stage. Having the book will encourage you to look into his work more often.
But if you do not believe in the coffee table book concept, which I understand as a position, please don't get this - it's big, heavy and beautiful.
December 26, 2020
I can’t think of a better gift to the world, and especially fan’s of Ralph Steadman’s visceral work. I have never been brought to tears, joy, and anger in a single book before, especially in an art collection volume, but that is a power of Steadman and his weapon of choice.
September 8, 2021
I love Steadman!! And I love Hunter S. Thompson. These two just go together like peanut butter and jelly. Steadman's art work would not be as popular as it is today without Hunter and that eventful weekend at The Derby. I had to get my hands on this book!! This will forever be one of those books that I pick up and thumb thru time after time and always find enjoyable. Awesome collection of work!!
Happy Reading and Splatter On.....
Happy Reading and Splatter On.....
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April 24, 2022Great, if you kinda treat it like a gallery of Steadman's work produced in book form, if a gallery were something that was possible in June 2020.
Good to have some annotations, but I feel like there could have been some more in-depth thoughts in quite a lot of instances.
Still, very good for those just looking to own some Steadman pieces on glossy paper at a large scale.
Good to have some annotations, but I feel like there could have been some more in-depth thoughts in quite a lot of instances.
Still, very good for those just looking to own some Steadman pieces on glossy paper at a large scale.
March 8, 2022
This is a stunning collection if art spanning Steadman’s entire career. I would have liked to see more writing about what was behind pieces or techniques he explored beyond the sentence or two most of the items include. But heck, this is still an indispensable collection for me!
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews