Today's Inspiration

Bradshaw Crandell: Man of Distinction

noreply@blogger.com (Leif Peng) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 14:04:00 +0000

By guest author Kent Steine

By the late 1940's Bradshaw Crandell had turned over the reigns of producing the covers at Cosmopolitan to Jon Whitcomb. Crandell himself had been Harrison Fisher's beneficiary in the 1930's. However the decade of the 1950's brought a new direction for Crandell. Throughout his career, Crandell had used pastel as his primary media for it's spontaneity and managing deadlines. He was ready for a change. He had taught himself to paint with oils, and with his unwavering dedication was producing work that would rival his magnificent pastel illustrations.

(Above: "Red Head", was also one of the featured pieces in the Bottoms Up collection. A "Red Head" was: 1 jigger Seagram's 7 Crown; 1 barspoon of kirschwasser; 1 barspoon raspberry cordial; Juice 1/2 lemon; Ice. Shake well. Strain in to cocktail glass. Drop twist of orange peel in to glass.)

(Above: Although Brad worked with oils throughout his career, by the 1950's that medium dominated his work. "Time on My Hands", painted in 1960, displays a lifetime of study. His draughtsmanship, and manipulation of light and shadow are what every artist strives to duplicate.)

Crandell was now in his preferred element. Although he achieved immense success as a cover artist, it was only after he left the commercial field and began to concentrate on painting portraits, that he truly felt happy. He loved working with people directly. Crandell's models sat for him. He would work from photo reference as a backup to the original sitting. He instinctively knew that was the only way to make a great picture. Crandell never analyzed a subject to bring out the true nature of the sitter. He painted what he saw, where the real person came to life. Choosing to only see the good in people, he would capture his subjects at their best.

In 1954, Crandell made Madison, Connecticut his permanent residence. It had been his summer home and retreat for many years. He would maintain the East 52nd Street studio in New York for another eleven years. It was during this time that his status as a renowned portrait artist was established. Now instead of movie stars, his commissions were numerous Governors; heads of state; and society women. His career had come full circle. He was now fulfilled, producing art in the tradition of the masters he had long admired.

Throughout his life and career, Crandell had been at the top of his field. He received many of the accolades due a man and artist of his caliber (among other things you could walk into The 21 Club, or The Stork Club and order concoctions entitled "Red Head" and "Bachelor Girl", inspired by Crandell's work). Along with many associations, he was an active member of The Society of Illustrators, and was recently elected to their Hall of Fame. Crandell was very active within the "Society", contributing art, and goodwill throughout the membership. He was also a member of the Artists and Writers Association; and the Dutch Treat Club. Crandell was also an excellent and skilled chef. He was a member of the American Society of Amateur Chefs; as well as serving as President of the Property Owners Association in his hometown of Madison, Connecticut.

(Above: 1952 Dutch Treat Club Yearbook illustration by Bradshaw Crandell, featuring names and numbers of fellow club members)

Sadly, by 1965 Bradshaw Crandell had contracted cancer. Reviewing letters written by him at this time, one finds no remorse or bitterness as a result of his condition. There is merely grateful appreciation for the innumerable admirers of his work. He passed away in the comfort of his home January 25, 1966 at the age of 69.

(Below: John Bradshaw Crandell's NYT obituary, from Wednesday, January 26 1966.)

(Below: This original keepsake from Bradshaw Crandell's memorial was written by his wife, Myra.)

Today the measure of beauty has a different ideal in life and imagery. What likely appeals to the public in general during the year 2012, was a very different ideal in 1942. We are fortunate to have had likes of Brad Crandell to record a most unique period in history, when beauty was attractive, appealing, and refreshing.

(Above: Upon closer inspection, this example represents one of Bradshaw Crandell's very best pastel illustrations. Crandell preceded in scope and stature, nearly all of the illustrators associated with painting a pretty face or even pinup art . . . in some cases by twenty years. This masterfully simple, and perfectly rendered illustration presents an idealized and stylized face that set a standard for all who followed.)

* Kent Steine is an artist, author and teacher. His renowned series of "Masters" articles for Step-By-Step magazine remain some of the best ever written on the history of illustration. With this week being the anniversary of Bradshaw Crandell's death, I'm very grateful to Kent for sharing the story of this fabulous artist with us. An abridged version of this week's series of posts originally appeared as an article in SXS magazine. ~ Leif

Kent Steine's website

* Several of today's (and this past week's) images are courtesy of the Heritage Auctions website

Bradshaw Crandell: Artist of the Stars

noreply@blogger.com (Leif Peng) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 10:54:00 +0000

By guest author Kent Steine

By 1930 Bradshaw Crandell was producing covers for many of the major periodicals of the time like The Saturday Evening Post, Collier's and American.

In 1925 he opened a "shop" at 405 Lexington Avenue and simply called it John Bradshaw Crandell Studios. Crandell himself only recalled producing one editorial or story illustration. That was produced for Redbook magazine early in his career. There were countless advertising illustrations produced for a variety of elite clients and products. The images usually depicted an attractive woman or couple engaged in some glamorous or exciting activity. He became widely recognized for his Old Gold ads and point of purchase displays. Crandell's depictions of beautiful women were the staple for Palmolive skin soap advertising campaigns during the early 1930's. However, it was his Cosmopolitan magazine covers that made Bradshaw Crandell a household name.

By 1935, Crandell dropped the 'John' from his name, moved to a new penthouse studio at 400 East 52nd Street (he would maintain this location until August of 1965), and was at the beginning of his 12 year run as the cover artist for Cosmopolitan. He also produced covers for Ladies' Home Journal and various other "Curtis" publications. During WWII Crandell produced a variety of war effort illustration art. In 1939 he provided the artwork for the Salvation Army fund drive, and also produced numerous illustrations for General Motors Pontiac Division, depicting workers and their roles in producing aircraft.

Cosmopolitan was known for it's beautiful covers portraying Hollywood's most popular and attractive movie stars. It was imperative that these depictions not only be recognizable, but more beautiful and glamorous than the camera or "real life" could present. There was an abundance of infinitely skilled illustrators in those days. Few however had the ability to draw and paint a pretty face like those produced by Bradshaw Crandell. Over the years there have been but few artists with this uniquely aesthetic ability.

(Above: This feature in FOCUS magazine from the 1940's nicely represents a typical Crandell model sitting, in addition to his notoriety during the time.)

When Carole Lombard posed for Crandell in 1935, she was at the height of her acting career and popularity. In the image conscious movie industry of the 1930's to the 1950's, anything less than perfect would not be tolerated or accepted. This alone is a testament to Crandell's considerable abilities and influence within the studio system of yesterday. Movie stars of today are forced to embrace the public's fascination with the candid reality of photography. Somewhere along the line, the elements of fantasy and innocence have been lost.

(Above and below: These "Screen shots" of Bradshaw Crandell working, are from the historical movies produced by Frank Reilly. Filmed in 16mm between 1949 and 1952, they included many of Mr. Reilly's friends and fellow artists. Some of the finest illustrators of the last century participated in the project, and included: Crandell; Arthur William Brown (who documented everything in triplicate); William "Obie" Oberhart; John Falter; James Montgomery Flagg; Harvey Dunn; and featured Dean Cornwell's introduction and incredible demonstration. Here, Crandell begins a live portrait in pastel, and is shown looking back at his easel, drawing from memory.)

Bradshaw Crandell's approach, or technique to producing a pastel picture was in effect, quite laborious. The process gave his finished pastel pictures a deeper, richer appearance than a direct application. The first stage was to draw his model from life with charcoal. For a portrait bust he worked large, approximately 22" x 30", on white heavyweight paper attached to a board, and locked in an easel. He employed all of the various blending and rubbing techniques common to pastel and charcoal drawing, and with a mouth atomizer, would apply a fixative at various stages. After the initial drawing was adjusted and corrected, he would then begin to add whites and lighter values to the drawing with pastel.

(Above: Brad has already begun to establish the color and refinement process of the picture, and here we see the the artist, drawing, and model in each position of perspective.)

Now with a fully rendered B&W en grisaille drawing, he would apply a fixative with a mouth atomizer, and remove the drawing from the easel. Laying the work flat, Crandell applied a varnish/medium, to the entire working surface with a 2" sable brush. Once the surface was dry, he would begin to add the color with pastel.

(Above: A close up of Brad Crandell refining the details of the face. Like all well trained artists, he worked from the large to the small, from the simple to the complex.)

This approach is similar to an undertone (verdaccio) used when oil painting. He worked in the same manner one might when painting with oil, ie: dark to light, establishing all of the dark values and passages first with a corresponding value of color. He created new hues, by blending the colors as they were applied one over the other. As the medium dictates, this was a process of refinement and polish. After the trademark Bradshaw Crandell signature, he would spray fixative over the entire surface, and the picture was complete.

Although there are visual records of how Crandell created his pastel pictures, it would seem none of his working methods are available after he transitioned to painting with oils. However, it would be reasonable to presume his fundamental approach was similar.

* Kent Steine is an artist, author and teacher. His renowned series of "Masters" articles for Step-By-Step magazine remain some of the best ever written on the history of illustration. With this week being the anniversary of Bradshaw Crandell's death, I'm very grateful to Kent for sharing the story of this fabulous artist with us. An abridged version of this week's series of posts originally appeared as an article in SXS magazine. ~ Leif

Kent Steine's website

Bradshaw Crandell: The Natural

noreply@blogger.com (Leif Peng) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 17:23:00 +0000

By guest author Kent Steine

Anxious to return to his studies, he enrolled at the Art Students League. However, again he only attended for a few short months. This was undoubtedly due to the fact that he had already begun to receive commercial commissions and had never stopped independently studying.

(Above: In addition to his glamorous magazine covers created during the 1930's and 40's, Brad Crandell painted advertising art for many high profile accounts. Along with Haddon Sundblom, and Harry Anderson, Crandell also made pictures for Coca-Cola. These were typically done in oil, and likely reflected the art director's preference, or perhaps Crandell's fee. Oil on canvas: 50" x 36")

Crandell truly studied all of his life. At the Art Institute; and the Art Students League, he never advanced beyond the basics of working in charcoal as well as drawing and sketching from life and sculpted casts. For Crandell the sound fundamentals he had been taught would carry him far.

(Above: Veronica Lake's appearance in Preston Sturgis' Sullivan's Travels made her an overnight sensation. When Crandell was tapped to produce this portrait for the November 1941 cover of Cosmopolitan, the movie studio brass instructed him to avoid portraying her trademark peek-a-boo hairstyle, being copied by women around the country. Many were working in factories contributing to the war effort, and Uncle Sam considered the look a safety hazard.)

He was amazed at the work of the "Old Masters", and diligently studied them. He would have loved to live in the era when apprentices studied under the great masters of art. Learning first how to draw, then to paint.

(Above: The pastel illustration of Ingrid Bergman for the December 1942 cover of Motion Picture, showcases Crandell's considerable abilities. Bergman is completely idealized, yet maintains an absolute on-model likeness of the famed actress.)

Crandell felt that nothing truly great could be achieved or accomplished without hard work in any field. He deplored careless work. "Unskilled painting over inaccurate drawing." He truly felt it was an illness of the times - a desire to slide through life without working.

(Above: Bradshaw Crandell, Oct 24, 1949. At the time, he was enjoying celebrity status that rivaled the movie stars of the era. Seen here in an advertisement for Lord Calvert.)

Although he had been producing advertising illustration for various clients, his first major contract was to produce a cover illustration for Judge magazine, in 1921. This event, a mere four years after graduating from high school, would set in motion a career that would take him to the top of his field as a magazine cover artist.

(Above: At 39.5" x 29.5", and masterfully rendered, "Fine Feather", a pastel illustration produced for Gerlach - Barklow, becomes difficult to discern whether it was produced as an oil painting, or pastel picture.)

* Kent Steine is an artist, author and teacher. His renowned series of "Masters" articles for Step-By-Step magazine remain some of the best ever written on the history of illustration. With this week being the anniversary of Bradshaw Crandell's death, I'm very grateful to Kent for sharing the story of this fabulous artist with us. An abridged version of this week's series of posts originally appeared as an article in SXS magazine.

Bradshaw Crandell: Impressionable

noreply@blogger.com (Leif Peng) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 12:48:00 +0000

By guest authorKent Steine

He was born John Bradshaw Crandell, June 14, 1896 in Glen Falls, New York.

(Above: Of Bette Davis, Crandell remarked, "She was a swell model, and was always on time." Davis sat for Crandell on three separate occasions, with each session lasting about 2 hours. He encouraged his models to talk while he worked, claiming, "It helps make the picture interesting.")

Brad, as friends knew him, became interested with art through the majestic covers of the various periodicals of the time. Magazines like Colliers, The Saturday Evening Post, Century and others were the forms of entertainment. They were as recognizable and accessible as the nightly news on television is today. And like this modern day parallel, the person who delivered this product was as important as the product itself.

(Above: This charcoal study was produced during the 1930's, and was a variation of several images ultimately used by Palmolive.)

By the time Crandell graduated from high school, he knew that he wanted to produce artwork for the covers of these great publications. After graduation, he moved to Chicago and began attending classes at the Art Institute. Although his stay there would be brief (6 months), he most likely had the opportunity to study with Vanderpoel.

(Above: Although the precise date of this little editorial piece in the NYT is unknown, the reference to Crandell taking over for Harrison Fisher at Cosmopolitan, and McClelland Barclay, respectively place this between 1935 and 1943.)

Famed anatomist John H. Vanderpoel was the drawing instructor at the Institute, and various students of his were contemporaries of Crandell's. Artists such as Rolf Armstrong and George Petty studied under Vanderpoel. The great J.C. Leyendecker himself credited Vanderpoel with much of his success as a draughtsman and illustrator.

(Above: The study presented here, was produced around 1938. It was unsigned, and possibly a preliminary sketch for a calendar reproduction. Characteristically large, at 20" x 33", it was undoubtedly drawn from life, and lighted with absolute precision.)

For reasons unknown, Crandell stopped attending classes at the "Institute", and enrolled at Wesleyan University. While he was at Wesleyan, World War I erupted in Europe. Crandell interrupted his education and enlisted in the Navy serving as a Machinist's 1st mate.

(Above: At 25 1/2" x 18 3/4", the 1940 cover of Cosmopolitan typified Brad's working dimensions for his pastel pictures. Using a variety of boards and papers, some were as large as 30" x 40".)

After a medical discharge, he returned to New York and worked in the canteen at the Bryant Park YMCA as a cashier. It was during this period he met and married Myra Clarke.

* Kent Steine is an artist, author and teacher. His renowned series of "Masters" articles for Step-By-Step magazine remain some of the best ever written on the history of illustration. With this week being the anniversary of Bradshaw Crandell's death, I'm very grateful to Kent for sharing the story of this fabulous artist with us. An abridged version of this week's series of posts originally appeared as an article in SXS magazine.

Bradshaw Crandell and the Art of Glamour

noreply@blogger.com (Leif Peng) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 20:13:00 +0000

By guest author Kent Steine

Hollywood glamour portraits, the creation of idols in paintings and sketches rose with the star system in the motion picture industry of the 1920's. Studio publicity departments created an image of the star, artists fabricated that image with dramatic lighting, costumes and props. They used traditional methods of portraiture to achieve an on-model likeness, and added the veneer of Hollywood's glamour and idealism, drawn from the worlds of fashion and advertising.

(Above: The July 1936 cover of Cosmopolitan featured actress Carole Lombard at height of her career. Produced with his refined pastel technique, this example of idealized beauty presented Bradshaw Crandell at the top of his form.)

Bradshaw Crandell was one of the first and most recognizable artists to portray the essence of Hollywood glamour. Beginning with his first cover for Judge, in 1921, he embarked upon a career that would ultimately make him one of the most influential men in the motion picture industry.

(Above: This was Bradshaw Crandell's original concept for a logo design, as hand rendered at the top of letter sized piece of paper. ca 1921. Below: The May 1941 cover of Cosmopolitan represents Crandell's ability to create an exciting and interesting picture with a minimal amount of information. He understood how to make a good cover.)

The list of stars that eagerly sat for Crandell is like reading a who's who list of movie greats from the 1920's to the 1950's.

(Above: "The June 1938 cover of Cosmopolitan was an idealized representation of one of Hollywood's most recognizable stars, Bette Davis.)

In this highly competitive and specialized field of illustration, he captured the elements of beauty, and the feeling of life.

(Above: These point of purchase displays for Old Gold cigarettes were extremely popular in the 1930's. They set a standard for the company's advertising campaigns by representing excitement, youth, and healthy lifestyle.

* Kent Steine is an artist, author and teacher. His reknowned series of "Masters" articles for Step-By-Step magazine remain some of the best ever written on the history of illustration. With this week being the anniversary of Bradshaw Crandell's death, I'm very grateful to Kent for sharing the story of this fabulous artist with us. An abridged version of this week's series of posts originally appeared as an article in SXS magazine. ~ Leif

Kent Steine's website

Susan Perl... for Grown-Ups

noreply@blogger.com (Leif Peng) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 14:53:00 +0000

As much as Susan Perl will always be remembered for her prolific contribution to the world of children's books, as much as she is loved for her keen and sensitive observations of 'the secret world of children'...

...there was another more mischievous side to Susan Perl's art...

You could call it "Susan Perl for Grown-ups".

Perl's sense of humour and her skill at observing and interpreting didn't stop with children.

Her hilarious (and accurate) delineations of the many real characters (of all ages) who walk among us made her a valued contributor to many publications aimed at an older audience.

Her work regularly appeared in The New York Times, she did illustrations for Life and Ladies Home Journal (above). Perl even wrote a humorous book for adults, The Sex Life of the American Female.

That 1964 book was, perhaps, inspired in part by an adventure in reportage commissioned by legendary Mad magazine creator, Harvey Kurtzman. For the April 1961 issue of the humour magazine, Help!, editor Kurtzman sent "our agents, Susan Perl (famous artist) and X9 Steinem (assistant editor)" on a mission "to invade the Fifth Avenue headquarters of a famous international beauty ring... and record its secret rites."

The resulting article contained some of the most hilarious - and rarest - Perl illustrations I have ever seen.

Susan Perl was an observer. From her apartment on the 24th floor, overlooking the Hudson River, she worked at her drawing table next to her living room window. She kept a pair of binoculars nearby. When she needed a break, she would focus her binoculars on the activity down below. Perl said, "I truly love to see the ships pass by; they come from all over the world."

Susan Perl died in 1983 of kidney failure. She was just 60 years old.

* Most of the information for this series of posts came from an article in the January 1968 issue of American Artist magazine.

* Many thanks to Bill Peckmann, Daniel Zalkus, Isle of Lucy and Blue Coat, all of whom provided image scans that appeared in these posts.

* Next month I'll be at The Nook presenting a lecture on Female Illustrators of the Mid-20th Century.

* Information and ticket reservations available here.

Susan Perl: "I am a ham."

noreply@blogger.com (Leif Peng) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 15:21:00 +0000

Early in her career Susan Perl met an artist's rep named Helen Wohlberg who suggested she try book illustration. It may be the best advice Perl ever received.

In 1955 she illustrated her first book, Opera Stars in the Sun, and two years later, her second, The Favorite Place.

An avalanche of book illustration assignments too numerous to list followed in the ensuing years.

Perl's work was ideal for children's story books...

... but with of her ability to stretch stylistically, authors and editors found her just as appealing a choice to illustrate books targeted at older audiences. Over the years Perl illustrated a variety of quirky, humorous book subjects.

There is always a genuine sense of humour in Perl's work. Its clear she embraced the material she illustrated.

She once told an interviewer, "Surely if I had not become an artist, I would have been an actress."

"I am a ham."

How else to explain the authenticity and humour with which Perl's people act out their roles in every one of her pictures.

It must surely be her 'inner actress' giving a command performance on a stage made of paper and ink.

Although Susan Perl never had any children of her own...

... thousands of them sprang fully formed from her imagination over the course of her career.

In the mid-1950s, Perl began a long and mutually rewarding relationship with the children's clothing label, Health-tex.

These charming, fun, distinctive ads ran for years and demonstrated once again Perl's innate skill of observation.

Her models, drawn directly in ink from memory, were her nieces and nephews, the many children who lived in her building, and the many more she observed while out walking in the city.

As one interviewer described, Perl's kids are "real children: all sizes and shapes with wonderful, authentic children's faces - appealingly ugly, freckled and buck-toothed, wide-eyed and pudgy."

"Their expressions are both impish and impudent, angelic and innocent, gleeful and mischievous."

"Susan has a wonderful capacity for capturing the essence of childhood in her deft drawings...

... they look and act like children we all know."

Concluded tomorrow.

Susan Perl: "The drawings are just there in my head."

noreply@blogger.com (Leif Peng) — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 20:52:00 +0000

When she was young, Susan Perl rejected the formalized study of art at the academy in Vienna...

... but that doesn't mean she ignored the fundamental tenets of picture making. Perl simply needed to "draw her own conclusions."

She had a knack for observing and remembering everything she saw.

When she was out and about, she took careful mental notes of people, places and things.

When she returned to her West Side apartment and her drawing board, she would begin drawing from memory.

Explaining her process to an interviewer in 1968, Perl said, "the drawings are simply there in my head."

Perl did no rough sketches... she felt they destroyed the spontaneity of her art. Starting each picture directly with crowquill pen and india ink on a blank sheet of one-ply board, the prolific Perl created an endless stream of artwork for books, magazines and advertisements throughout her career.

Perl had an always been intrigued by psychology and philosophy. After leaving Vogue in 1952, she took a two year 'sabbatical' at the Jung Institute in Switzerland to pursue the study of those interests. While there, she continued to do commissions for Swiss publishers and advertisers - and even produced costume designs for a ballet company.

Upon her return to New York in 1954 Perl connected with an artist's rep, Lester Rossin Associates, and her career began to take off.

One of her pieces was included in the 1956 NY Art Director's Annual - and many awards and citations followed.

But she was dismissive of these many accolades. The official recognition of her accomplishments by her peers did not mean nearly as much to Susan Perl as did the many letters she regularly received from fans of her books - especially when those letters came from children.

Tomorrow: Susan Perl's books - and kids.

Susan Perl: "The only skill I had was my artistic ability."

noreply@blogger.com (Leif Peng) — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 15:01:00 +0000

As a child growing up in Austria, Susan Perl loved to draw. Before she could even talk, she drew.

Rather than play with dolls, she drew. And when she drew, she drew in her own way.

Her art education in Vienna was abbreviated. She could not - or would not - draw in the academic manner taught by her professors. Perl felt stifled by the rules of formal art training.

Those rules interfered with her creativity. They simply did not suit her desire for self-expression.

Meanwhile, the Perl family was struggling to survive a most dark and dangerous time: The Nazis had invaded Austria.

Before escaping to the United States by way of Italy, the family suffered traumas Perl later likened to those experienced by Anne Frank and her family. Looking back she said, "I wonder how we managed to survive."

"After my family arrived here it was economically necessary for me to find a job." recalled Perl. "Since I was too young, I had to lie about my age. The only skill I had was my artistic ability."

Years earlier, when the family was living in Vienna, Perl's mother had sent some of her daughter's drawings to the art director at Vogue magazine. He had replied that should Perl ever come to America, she should come see him. "I decided to seek him out," said Perl. "I didn't stop to think about it long enough to be afraid or nervous. I just went to the Condé Nast offices with some samples of my work and presented myself."

"I was hired as a staff artist right away. What good fortune!"

What followed was ten years of drawing - learning on the job - at Vogue, House and Garden, Glamour and any other Condé Nast publication that might need Perl's services. She drew everything from lingerie to furniture, spot drawings for stories and fillers to full-blown illustrations for articles. Along the way she met some of the iconic giants of fashion illustration: Ludwig Bemelmans, René Bouché and Carl Erikson (Eric). Perl said, "This was my schooling. It really was a fantastic experience."

Perl said, "The world of Vogue was so different than the horror I had fled. It seemed so strange to be plunged into the glamorous, frivolous milieu of fashion. Because of the terrible things I'd seen happen in Austria, I was older than my years... "

"... but it [Vogue] was a great working experience."

Next week: The 1950s - Life After Vogue

* Next month I'll be at The Nook once again to present a lecture on Female Illustrators of the Mid-20th Century. For information and ticket reservations click here.

* For more stories about female illustrators of the mid-20th century, please visit my other blog

Mary Suzuki tells Andy Warhol: "Draw shoes"

noreply@blogger.com (Leif Peng) — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 21:37:00 +0000

"Mary Suzuki was working in NY when I got there in 1956. She was particularly noted for the work she did for Seventeen Magazine... fashion spreads and some beauty spots. Her figures were distinguished by the absence of eyes..."

"... somehow because, I think, the figures were so highly designed they did not look strange." ~ Mia Carpenter

Mary Suzuki's son, Taro, contacted me last year and shared some interesting additional information. Taro wrote, "She did a lot of work in the 50's and 60's for Harpers Bazaar and Seventeen magazine. When Andy Warhol first came to N.Y. he showed her his book and she told him to do shoes and got him some work."

Suzuki must have known what she was talking about... she illustrated the ad below, which received a NY Art Directors medal.

Taro Suzuki was able to tell me a few more details about his mom's career:

"She grew up on a farm in Imperial Valley Ca. I know she was very ambitious and went to Art Center in L.A. where she met my father. I don't know what her first job was, but she had a lot of success before I was born. I don't think family interfered with her career."

"I was her only child and was often given to the care of an aunt or nanny. I can't give you a dollar figure on what jobs paid
then, but I think she was well paid. You're right about the 60's -- Pop graphics changed the style. She tried to adjust and was great friends with Milton Glaser and Pushpin Studios, but she was of a slightly older generation -- She cited Ben Shahn and the Ashcan School as inspirations."

"She worked on a host of different projects: a children's book (never published). "Twiggy " paper dolls (couldn't get rights) , and fine art(oil painting)- she showed in the first feminist art show at The Huntington Hartford Museum "Women Choose Women". Toward the end she derived most of her income from illustrating clothing patterns for Butterick and the like, and she also designed clothes. She designed a promotional scarf for Pepsi Cola and showed it to Bill Blass who stole it."

Taro also wrote, "I vaguely remember some illustrator friend's names: Cliff Condack, Bernard Simpson and Bill Charmatz." and he sent this fabulous picture of Mary Suzuki in the 1950s - which almost looks as though it was taken at that moment when she advised the young Andy Warhol to "draw shoes."

* Next month I'll be at The Nook once again to present a lecture on Female Illustrators of the Mid-20th Century. As I begin preparing for that event, the female illustrators I've presented here on Today's Inspiration - and those I still intend to present - are very much on my mind. This week, as we begin another year of TI, let's take a look at some more female illustrators and designers of the '40s, '50s and '60s.

* Information and ticket reservations for my lecture at The Nook available here.

Happy New Year! Here's Who You Are...

noreply@blogger.com (Leif Peng) — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 15:25:00 +0000

Just as 2011 was drawing to a close, this blog crossed a new threshold: there are now over 3,000 followers of Today's Inspiration. Happy New Year to all of you!

And many thanks for your interest and participation in this ongoing research project into/appreciation of mid-century illustration, which I began in late 2005.

In the past I've used the new year as an opportunity to ask "who are you?"... this year I thought instead I'd tell you a little about "who you are."

Beside the 3,000 people who choose to be official followers of this blog, nearly 7,000 of you receive TI via RSS feeds.

As well, about 1,200 of you have signed up for the "daily scan" (sorry that its not always daily anymore... my teaching job often overwhelms my schedule). Its because of the daily scan subscriber list, by way of your names, that I have the clearest picture of who you are. Your names, which I often recognize, or the contact info in your email signature tell me a lot about what kind of people share my interest in illustration from "the last golden age".

I often marvel at what a diverse crowd - both in age range and by profession - you are.

There are hundreds of illustrators, designers, art directors, creative directors and copy writers, journalists and editors, cartoonists, animators, comic book artists and fine artists on the TI mailing list. There are also many (dozens) of educators who teach secondary and post-secondary arts courses. Hundreds of graphic and fine arts students also subscribe to TI. There are also many professionals in a wide range of fields to diverse to list. And lets not forget gallery owners and museum curators, as well as nostalgia collectors and dealers. Then there are just those folks who have a fondness for the period we feature on TI. There are an awful lot of you as well, and I'm grateful to you all for your continuing support and enthusiasm - thank you!

There are easily as many females as males who enjoy Today's Inspiration - and you come from all over the world. Here's a snapshot of site traffic from yesterday morning:

You are busy people. The average visitor to Today's Inspiration stays for only a couple of minutes...

... but your interest level in the content here is quite involved. Most readers view at least two pages, which means you typically look at around ten posts - or two weeks worth of material.

Connected to this blog are visitors who used a variety of social media platforms and tools. Nearly 2,000 people follow our tweets on Twitter (and often retweet them - many thanks!)...

A remarkably similar number follow on Google Plus...

Our posts and single images are regularly reshared by many folks who use Facebook and Tumblr and we are linked to over a hundred blogs and websites. Many thanks to everyone who helps spread the word about Today's Inspiration - I really appreciate your generosity and support!

The 'other half' of Today's Inspiration is on Flickr, where TI's image archive, currently standing at over 11,000 scans, has been viewed more than ten million times - wow! Here some interesting statistics reveal who you are.

Not surprisingly, two of the top three images viewed in the archive feature pin-up style art. As of January 1, 2012 this Coke ad by Haddon Sundblom has been viewed 9,025 times.

This 1952 pin-up calendar page by Ward Brackett has been viewed more than eleven and a half thousand times.

But the number one viewed image of all time in my Flickr archives remains the great "mystery of the ages" ...

This page from an issue of Famous Artists School magazine, a page from an article in which Al Parker describes his illustration workflow, has been viewed over 22,000 times (7 times already this morning as I write this!) and I have absolutely no idea why (Flickr does not provide enough data about viewers to allow me to track back where these daily visitors are coming from).

Returning to the blog, here's what Sitemeter predicts about your visits for the year ahead:

I'm looking forward to sharing more visual inspiration with you in 2012 - and whatever new information I'm able to discover about the art and artists of the mid-20th century. To all of you who share my passion for this material - whoever you are - Happy New Year!

Brian Sanders: "a professional artist for five decades"

noreply@blogger.com (Leif Peng) — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 19:17:00 +0000

Guest author Bryn Havord, following his overview of English illustrator Brian Sanders’ work produced in the 1960s, which we featured in April, continues with samples of Brian’s illustrations made during the 1970s and ’80s.

Brian has now been a professional artist for five decades during which time he has worked in every area of the illustrative arts ranging through: book publishing, magazines, advertising, government agencies, film, television and art education. He is one of the founders of the British Association of Illustrators.

Below: HRH Prince Charles for Woman’s Own

Below: Serial opening for Woman magazine.

Above and below: two more opening spreads for Woman’s Own serials.

Three paintings from Man and the Automobile published in France as L’Homme et L’Automobile. All three were painted in acrylics.

Taxis of the Marne. General Galieni requisitioned the Renault taxis of Paris to take troops to the front in 1914.

The Auburn

Rolls Royce Silver Ghost

Below, illustration for the first part of a serial for Woman magazine...

... and the final part of the same serial. It was rare for a complete serial to be in full colour throughout.

Two of four watercolours for a Readers Digest article about the British government’s cabinet war rooms. The brief was to construct a scene to include the war cabinet. Left to right are: Brendan Bracken, Lord Beaverbrook, Ernest Bevan, Winston Churchill and Clement Attlee.

Below: Winston Churchill

Escape from Arnhem for The Sunday Times. The Dutch Resistance hid the survivors of the Arnhem parachute drop and battle, dressing them in civilian clothes, hiding their uniforms and weapons. One night they were all brought together, and re-kitted before escaping across the Neder Rhine. Art director Michael Rand’s brief was: “imagine the fear of being caught by the enemy with your pants down”.

Another illustration for Readers Digest - this time for their special books series. There were four other watercolours made for this story.

Cry God for Harry and St George - The Battle of Agincourt, watercolour for Men Only.

Article on duelling for Men Only. Brian visited London’s Hampstead Heath at dawn for the scene described by the author. As the mist cleared he saw a hawk swoop and take a pigeon.

Noel Coward for Nova, the magazine most illustrators wished to work for. One of twenty illustrations showing famous peoples’ foibles.

Coward ostentatiously left invitations on his mantelpiece marked either “accept” or “decline”. When Brian’s agent delivered the drawings, the then young art director David Hillman said: “some of these oldies can still turn it on.”

Brian was thirty-two.

At 73 years-of-age Brian still works as hard as he did back in the 1970s and ’80s. It’s always a pleasure to visit him and his wife Lizzie, also an illustrator; I still find their work as exciting as I did all those years ago.

* Brian was very pleased with the responses he received after his first blog was kindly published by Leif Peng back in April. His e-mail address is briansanders[dot]art[at]googlemail[dot]com

* If you'd like to read all of Bryn Havord's posts about Brian, including many more examples of his earlier artwork, they have just been collected as one continuous story on a new blog, The Art of Brian Sanders

Brian Sanders: Personal Work, Gallery and Exhibition Pieces

noreply@blogger.com (Leif Peng) — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 18:29:00 +0000

Guest author Bryn Havord, following his overview of English illustrator Brian Sanders’ work produced in the 1960s, which we featured in April, continues with samples of Brian’s illustrations made during the 1970s and ’80s.

Brian has exhibited widely in mixed exhibitions, and one man shows have been held at The Imperial War Museum, York Castle Museum, The Association of Illustrators’ Gallery, National Trust Gallery at Trelissic, Cornwall, and The Sir Rowland Hill Museum.

Below, from small to very large; the half size study for H M Queen Elizabeth’s presentation of new Standards to The Royal Tank Regiment.

The final watercolour was over six feet wide and was accepted for exhibition by the Royal Academy in London.

The Frog and the Water Filter. This watercolour was accepted for an Association of Illustrators annual and exhibition...

... but vanished from the Woman’s Own offices before it could be shown.

Below, a bedroom in designer Laura Ashley’s house.

An exhibition of Brian’s personal watercolours was held at the Association of Illustrators Gallery in London in 1983.

Above: Mirror Mirror Below: Live Edge

Throughout his career, Brian has made many works purely for his own satisfaction.

Above is the Elysian Garden of Audley End House, which is close to where he now lives.

Concluded tomorrow.

* Brian was very pleased with the responses he received after his first blog was kindly published by Leif Peng back in April. His e-mail address is briansanders[dot]art[at]googlemail[dot]com

Brian Sanders: Posters, Stamps and Gallery Paintings

noreply@blogger.com (Leif Peng) — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 16:02:00 +0000

Guest author Bryn Havord, following his overview of English illustrator Brian Sanders’ work produced in the 1960s, which we featured in April, continues with samples of Brian’s illustrations made during the 1970s and ’80s.

Since the early seventies, Brian’s work has encompassed formats from book covers and magazine illustration to large-scale posters and military paintings.

Above, a poster advertising the Official Royal Mail Souvenir Cover to a Commemorative Stamp for the London Marathon in 1982. Below, two of a set of four stamps featuring British Police. Brian nearly lost the commission when he refused to replace the mounted policewoman with a policeman.

Below, two illustrations from a set of five stamps commemorating Marshals of the Royal Air Force. This first one is of Lord Trenchard, founder of The Royal Air Force...

... and this second one is Air Marshal Lord Dowding, Chief of the Air Staff Fighter Command during the Battle of Britain.

Above: Rose d’Angou: one of a set twelve wine labels

Above: From a series of packaging projects for Reckit and Coleman.

Above: Packaging for Coty Products. 12 different packs were designed from this artwork.

Brian has also exhibited widely in mixed exhibitions and one man shows. We'll look at some of those works... tomorrow.

Continued tomorrow.

* Brian was very pleased with the responses he received after his first blog was kindly published by Leif Peng back in April. His e-mail address is briansanders[dot]art[at]googlemail[dot]com

Brian Sanders' 1970s Book Covers

noreply@blogger.com (Leif Peng) — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 18:02:00 +0000

Guest author Bryn Havord, following his overview of English illustrator Brian Sanders’ work produced in the 1960s, which we featured in April, continues with samples of Brian’s illustrations made during the 1970s and ’80s.

Yesterday I described how the 1970s proved to be a challenging decade for every illustrator in Britain trying to pursue a career in magazine illustration.

However, the market for paperback book cover illustration remained buoyant, although more and more photographic cover illustrations were being used.

In the early seventies David Larkin, then art editor of Pan Books, asked Brian if he would like to re-jacket the Steinbeck books. They both agreed that watercolour was too English for the subject matter, so Brian said he would work in ‘acrylic solid colour’. Brian thought that there were only six books. There were twenty-six.

Above are Brian's illustrations for "Of Mice and Men", "The Moon is Down" and "Sweet Thursday." Below, "Log from the Sea of Cortez." The figure of Doc in these last two paintings was kindly modelled by illustrator Alan Lee, now better known as the creative director of the Lord of the Rings films.

Below, book cover for Heat and Dust by Ruth Prawer Jabwallah.

A Stronger Climate. The main building on this cover was not in India but based on the view from the roof above Brian’s studio at Artist Partners in London’s Soho. It is actually the Windmill Theatre.

Below, cover for A Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovitch by Alexander Solzhenitsin. Published by Panther Books.

Above, one from a series of covers for books written by John Fante commissioned by Granada Books

Below, cover for a book entitled Poonah Company by Farrukh Dhondy.

Below, the cover for a book entitled It’s an Old Country by J B Priestly. Watercolour with dry brush.

The model Brian chose to play the part of the aging private detective in the novel turned out to be one!

Two covers for Brian Moore novels. Above: The Emperor of Ice Cream Below: The Luck of Ginger Coffey

Brian re-jacketed several C S Forester books for David Larkin at Pan.

This was for Hornblower in the West Indies

Continued tomorrow.

* Brian was very pleased with the responses he received after his first blog was kindly published by Leif Peng back in April. His e-mail address is briansanders[dot]art[at]googlemail[dot]com

The 1970s: a challenging decade for illustrators in Britain

noreply@blogger.com (Leif Peng) — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 20:04:00 +0000

Guest author Bryn Havord, following his overview of English illustrator Brian Sanders’ work produced in the 1960s, which we featured in April, continues with samples of Brian’s illustrations made during the 1970s and ’80s.

In common with the illustrators working in the USA, the 1970s proved to be a challenging decade for every illustrator in Britain trying to pursue a career in magazine illustration. Television stole away advertising revenue and page counts went down. There was a decline in the interest in fiction in women’s magazines, and for some reason art directors and art editors started asking the illustrators to produce more highly finished work.

(Above and below: 1969. Weekend Telegraph — illustrations for an article by Werner von Braun.)

They also increasingly turned to photography in place of illustration.

It was also a time of personal change for Brian. He felt that the scumbled acrylic genre (bubble and streak) illustration had run its course, and that the work of many illustrators was taking on a similar look.

(This was the last of Brian’s use of ‘bubble and streak’ (scumbled acrylic) He was surprised to discover that playwright Harold Pinter was a cricket fan.)

Knowing that figurative illustration was his forte, he began working with traditional methods, beginning with watercolour as taught to him by his earliest mentor, J C Middleton who had been art master at the school he had attended as a boy.

(Changing style: Woman's Realm 1970. This was one of his earliest published watercolours.)

At the beginning of the 1970s there was still a common belief in the graphics industry that watercolour was “wishy-washy” and did not reproduce well.

(Sample to demonstrate that watercolour need not be “wishy-washy”. This was later used on a calendar.)

Brian’s response was “You just need to charge your brush with more colour to allow for the fact that it dries a couple of tones paler than it looks when wet.”

(Double page spread for Woman’s Own.)

Continued tomorrow.

* Brian was very pleased with the responses he received after his first blog was kindly published by Leif Peng back in April. His e-mail address is briansanders[dot]art[at]googlemail[dot]com

The Countdown Concludes... with 'The 12 Famous Artists of Christmas'

noreply@blogger.com (Leif Peng) — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 16:05:00 +0000

Famous Artist #12: Al Parker

And that concludes another "Countdown"! I hope you and those you are close to have a very Merry Christmas!

To everyone who participated in this open-ended project of mine - whether as a guest author, a contributor of scans and/or information, a commenter or as someone who has shared a link or spread the word about Today's Inspiration through Twitter, G+, Tumblr and Facebook - and to all those who signed up for the daily scans or are following TI here or via RSS feeds... many, many thanks to you all!

The Countdown Continues... with 'The 12 Famous Artists of Christmas'

noreply@blogger.com (Leif Peng) — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 14:48:00 +0000

Famous Artist #8: Ben Stahl

Famous Artist #9: Fred Ludekens

Famous Artist #10: Stevan Dohanos

Famous Artist #11: Peter Helck

* Thanks to Flickr member vintageillu for providing the Peter Helck scan above!

The Countdown Continues... with 'The 12 Famous Artists of Christmas'

noreply@blogger.com (Leif Peng) — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 13:35:00 +0000

Famous Artist #7: Norman Rockwell

* Here's a curiosity: an unknown artist (the signature appears to be cropped off - could it be Walter Richards?) paints Norman Rockwell painting Santa Claus for a 1949 Hallmark Cards ad. The text below the illustration reads, "Norman Rockwell is one of many famous artists who have painted Hallmark Christmas cards for you."

* A special show celebrating the 200th anniversary of Charles Dickens’ birth and featuring original Rockwell artworks inspired by the literary giant’s contributions is on right now at the Norman Rockwell Museum!

The Countdown Continues... with 'The 12 Famous Artists of Christmas'

noreply@blogger.com (Leif Peng) — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 16:43:00 +0000

Famous Artist #5: Austin Briggs

Famous Artist #6: George Giusti

* Many thanks to Sandi Vincent, who provided the Giusti scan above.

The Countdown Continues... with 'The 12 Famous Artists of Christmas'

noreply@blogger.com (Leif Peng) — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 12:04:00 +0000

Famous Artist #3: Harold VonSchmidt

Famous Artist #4: Robert Fawcett

The Countdown Continues... with 'The 12 Famous Artists of Christmas'

noreply@blogger.com (Leif Peng) — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 20:00:00 +0000

Number 1: Albert Dorne

Number 2: Jon Whitcomb

The Countdown to Christmas Continues... with Some Helpful Advice for Couples

noreply@blogger.com (Leif Peng) — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 11:42:00 +0000

Let's face it, ladies; men are dopes.

Remember that lazy Sunday afternoon in September... you were flipping through a fashion magazine and casually mentioned how much you'd love one of those gorgeous angora sweaters for Christmas? Well, when we responded "uh-huh", we weren't actually filing that piece of information in our mental rolodex. In the universal vernacular of the male of the species, "Uh-huh" is our way of pretending we're listening to you while...

- we're reading the paper

- the big game's on tv

- we're trying to sleep

- other (pick one)

So when Christmas finally rolls around, it should come as no surprise that we haven't got a clue what you'd like. And asking you is out of the question, because that would mean admitting we "don't listen to a word you say."

This is why men are so susceptible to whatever suggestion advertisers decide to drop into our pointy little heads - especially at Christmas time. A guy sees an ad like this one below...

... and fails to realize the expression on this lady's face isn't one of sheer ecstasy - its one of sheer incredulity. "Oh my god, this idiot actually bought me a vacuum cleaner... for Christmas!"

You know, divorce rates in the US began to climb dramatically after the early '60s. I suspect it was all those post-WWII marriages that were suddenly becoming unglued. Whatever their number, I bet you could blame Madison Avenue for at least half of those divorces.

Because after a decade or two of patiently putting up with cast iron cooking pot Christmas gifts...

... who could blame any woman for throwing "Mr. Thoughtful" and his smarmy, self-satisfied wink out on his keister? (And he probably had to duck on the way to avoid getting beaned by that pot!)

In the interest of hopefully saving a few relationships, lets look at - and learn from - the mistakes of the past. Here's a little advice to the guys out there...

No she won't.

There are actually more than four ways to please any woman - none of them involve giving her a coffeemaker.

Oh god, do not give your wife windshield wipers for Christmas!

Seriously? A long pointy knife? All I can say is, learn to sleep with your eyes open, buddy.

And ladies, as mentioned at the top, men are simpletons. Subsequently they have simple tastes - which makes your Christmas shopping a breeze. Most guys will be more than happy if you'll just provide them with the following:

beer...

boxers...

and...

... a new razor, of course!

Why? What did you think I was going to say?

The Countdown to Christmas Continues... with another "Oddball Ad Campaign" of the 1940s!

noreply@blogger.com (Leif Peng) — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 14:36:00 +0000

So how do we top last week's 'Sexy Santa' and 'Smokin' Santa'?

Why, with 'Suicide Santa', of course!

You've got to hand it to the boys on Madison Avenue who convinced Arrow Shirts to run an ad campaign depicting dear old Saint Nick with his big toe on the trigger at the moment before he blows his own head off.

I can't help but wonder if the agency might not have originally presented a layout where Santa actually had a gun in his mouth - then "cooler heads prevailed" and they switch the rifle for a comical old blunderbuss.

It turns out that when Santa warned the kid in "A Christmas Story" that "You'll shoot your eye out!" he was speaking from experience!

* My Mid-Century Xmas Flickr set

The Countdown to Christmas Continues... with "Bad Santa"

noreply@blogger.com (Leif Peng) — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 14:26:00 +0000

Today's Santa is a squeaky-clean grandpa figure thanks to decades of Rankin-Bass Christmas specials and the combined efforts of the mass media, toy manufacturers and retailers, and the packaged food and beverage industry ("Hellooo Coca-Cola!")

But the mid-century Santa... well... that Santa was "different."

You're probably familiar with the 1952 Christmas hit song, "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus", but you may have missed the less-frequently heard lyrics, "I saw mommy showing Santa her seamed stockings"...

... and "I saw Santa checking out mommy's cleavage"...

... which would have been right at home in a Spike Jones parody song "recorded for Jones' own amusement."

Ah, the good ol' days!

* More mid-century Christmas ads and illustrations in my Mid-Cent X-Mas Flickr set.