Before Pooh there was a war...

E. H. Shepard is world-renowned for his delightful illustrations for A.A. Milne's 'silly old bear', Pooh, but before he became famous for creating the childhood symbol, he was an accomplished illustrator of difficult subject matter. During the First World War, Shepard drew his fellow soldiers far from home and their loved ones, and managed to capture not only the horrors of war with his draftsmanship, but also the camaraderie and humour shared by the men. Whilst I began looking at Shepard's work because of the themes of childhood and innocence in his Christopher Robin sketches as preparation for my work with a children's hospice, it is actually his war illustrations which have inspired me.

Over the next few months I will be tackling sensitive and challenging subject matter in my collaboration with Claire House, and Shepard's approach in his illustrations seems to me to be a balancing act. He weighs humour and tenderness against the sharp realities of war, which gives a far more insightful and rounded reference of his human experience during WW1 than if he had chosen to give either end of the spectrum more importance. I think my work will need to be about balance too. I want my animation for the hospice to be informative, but still display the joy and support that Claire House provides for its families. I want it to be heart-warming, but not sickly sweet.

It's the small gestures that gives Shepard's work it's authenticity, like the other illustrators and animators I have researched, he finds that nod to a person's character, such as the tilt of a head or the position of their feet (even if that person's a bear).

This war illustration is my favourite I think. The soldier on the left has been blinded and is asking the other to read the letter from 'his girl' to him. There's friendship here, a tenderness in the thought that he is loved back home, and also humour in the request that 'as it's rather private will you please stuff some cotton wool in your ears while ya read it?'