GVN Talking Comics Interview: Doug Bell On Illustrating Perdido Street Station For The Folio Society

GVN: There is no better way to describe The Folio Society than in their own words. How would you define their mission?

Doug Bell: The Folio Society is an employee-owned, independent publisher that has been creating beautifully crafted, illustrated editions since 1947. They are dedicated to producing books that have shaped the world, entertained readers, and left a lasting impact. Every Folio book is a labor of love, combining expert craftsmanship with outstanding design. Their team of editors, designers, and artisans work meticulously to ensure each book is a true work of art.

GVN: With that dedication to quality in mind, The Folio Society recently released an illustrated edition of China Miéville’s Perdido Street Station. How did you become involved with this project?

Doug Bell: I had been regularly sending updated samples of my work to The Folio Society. When the art directors found a project they felt my style would complement, they reached out to me. That project turned out to be Perdido Street Station.

GVN: Your work spans a variety of styles and formats, from book illustrations to portraits and posters. As you developed your artistic career, did you ever consider specializing in one particular style, or was versatility always important to you?

Doug Bell: When I first started professionally in 1990, I experimented with different styles, from humor-based illustrations to more painterly techniques. But I struggled with consistency. Around 2007, I discovered scratchboard and fell in love with it. Since then, I’ve refined my approach, making small adjustments along the way, but my core style has remained the same. It’s like riding a bike—small corrections here and there, but always moving forward.

GVN: Since this is our first time chatting, let’s go back a bit. What first sparked your interest in art and illustration, and who were some of your biggest influences?

Doug Bell: I was drawn to comic books early on. Artists like John Buscema, Michael Golden, Arthur Adams, and Bernie Wrightson really inspired me. I’ve also admired illustrators like NC Wyeth, Howard Pyle, Bev Doolittle, Barry Moser, C.F. Payne, Bill Thomson, Lacey Lewis, Sarah Mesinga, Chris Lensch, Bryan Ballinger, Franklin Booth, and Virgil Finlay. Their work has had a lasting impact on my artistic journey.

GVN: As you worked on the illustrations (both black and white and color) for this deluxe edition, were you given any direction by the author or the Folio Society or did they trust you and your artistic talents to deliver your usual brilliance?

Doug: “On the black-and-white illustrations for the different parts of the book part one through eight, the subject matter was left to me to pitch and sketch up different ideas. Their art directors then gave any final direction before artwork was actually completed. The color artwork was very much a collaboration between art directors and myself. They made sure that I didn’t group images too close together in the book and made sure prominent characters were represented.”

Future Work with The Folio Society

GVN: As I mentioned, this was your first opportunity to work with the Folio Society, who are known for their high-quality deluxe editions. Now that you have, do you think you might collaborate with them on future projects? Looking at your illustrations for “A Christmas Carol, or “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow,” your work would be a perfect fit for other deluxe tomes.

Doug: “I would love to work with the Folio Society again on any project that they thought I was right for. It’s a fantastic company to work with, and the entire process was fantastic. Start to finish.”

Visiting Doug’s Work

GVN: Thank you once again for your kind attention, Doug. Before I let you go, I want to give you the opportunity to tell our readers where they can follow you and your work.

Doug: They can visit me at Doug Bell-Drawing.Com

The Folio Society’s Deluxe Edition of China Miéville’s Perdido Street Station is due to be released on March 18th. With illustrations by Doug Bell, this volume is another must have for fans of Miéville’s iconic story.