In 1896, at age 18, he was employed with periodical publisher C. Arthur Pearson.[2][note 2] He soon became Pearson's chief artist, leaving after six years to turn freelance.[4]: 246
In 1902, he married the fashion artist Charlotte Forge.[4]: 246 The couple had two sons and one daughter.[5]
His books include The Bow-Wow Book (1912), Rummy Tales (1920), The Noo-Zoo Tales (1922), Jolly Rhymes (1926), Fun Fair (1931), The Old Nursery Rhymes (1933), The Bedtime Picture Book (1943), Meddlesome Monkeys (1946) and Mischief Makers (1946).[2] Frederick Warne of London a seried of Mr. books by Wood in 1916:Mr Prickles, Mr Quack, Mr Trunk, Mr Grunt, Mr Fox, and Mr Pup[6].
Peppin and Micklethwait stated that Wood's wide reputation as a humorous illustrator and commercial artist was based in part on astute management. He retained the copyright in his work and licensed it in Britain and abroad for posters, postcards, etc.[7] Cran'pop was merchandised in pottery, calendars, postcards, and cigarette cards.[4]: 246 Wood worked in pen and ink, pencils, chalk, and watercolour[7]. He used a specially made enamel palette about one foot (300mm) square and worked on Milburn Drawing Board at an architects desk.[4]: 246
Houfe said that most of Wood's work was "humorous in drawing and content, his repertoire of characters including peppery army officers, namby-pamby men and dominating old dames. The figures are heavily caricatured and he was one of the group of artists who made capital
out of imaginary prehistoric scenes."[8] Kelly calls a watercolour by Wood "a welcome holiday from the prehistoric monsters and chimpanzees on which he wasted so much talent."[9] Peppin and Micklethwait cite Percy Bradshaw as saying the Wood had a "breadth, ease and fluency which many an infinitely more serious artist must envy".[7]
Wood lived in a 15th-century medieval manor house he moved brick by brick from Sussex to the Kent border. He died in Devon on 26 October 1957 at the age of 79.[2]
^Greenwall, Ryno (14 June 1905). Artists and Illustrators of the Anglo-Boer War. Vlaeberg, Western Cape, South Africa: Fernwood Press. p. 235. ISBN0-9583154-2-6.
^ abcdeDalby, Richard (1991). The Golden Age of Children's Book Illustration. Edison, New Jersey: Chartwell Books, Inc. p. 108. ISBN0-7858-1427-2.
^Houfe, Simon (1996). Dictionary of 19th Century British Book Illustrators and Caricaturists. Woodbridge: Antique Collectors' Club. p. 354. ISBN1-85149-193-7 – via 0.
^Kelly, C. M. (1975). The Brocks, A family of Cambridge Artists and Illustrators. London: Charles Skilton Ltd. p. 113.
