Illustration of the Hey Day

[Lady Day]

Hello all,

Hoping around the forums, Ive noticed a few Gil Elvglen avatars, and some JC Leyendecker ones as well. Im curious as to who has favorites among the vintage illustration world.

I have BFA in illustration, so this is home for me. I do think that the 1930-late 1960 were when illustration became the paramount for american advertising. Well, 1920-50's are considered the golden age of illustration. Anywho, who are your favorites?

I LOVE Elvglen, his pin up girls had the best shoes. And its interesting (not in a creepy way) that he used his own daughter often as a model.

Mr. Arrow collar man himself. I have never seen a more measured artist than Leyendecker. Geeze!. Its insane how precise everything of his was. And he NEVER painted over anything twice. I find that amazing. That and all his people are so shiny so, so cool.

Of corse there is Rockwell, thats just a given.

If youre an animator, like me, your gonna love Andrew Loomis. The master of the generic figure.
Im also a big Tex Avery fan. His character designs were just so great.

As far as motion picture illustration, Id have to say my all time favorite, altho later in the century is hands down Saul Bass. Vertigo, Carmen Jones, Psycho, The Man with the Golden Arm, and my favorite (that I won) Anatomy of a Murder. Pretty much any Hitchcock film.

As anyone else have any favorites out there, Id love to see links.
Thanks, and super posting,


LD

 

[Dixon Cannon]

I love that stuff...

... there was a guy named J. Frederick Smith who would photograph his subjects and then use those photographs to develop his illustration on canvas. He became so good at the photography of the subjects, his were some of the first 'photo illustrations' to be published in lieu of a painted illustration. Along with Bert Stern and a few others, Fred Smith is one of the founding Photo Illustrators.

I also loved that guy that always put a bunch of celery into his models shopping bag!.... she was always having problems with a certain undergarment.... in every illustration! One could stare at those pictures for hours trying to figure out what?.... why? They were fascinating!!! -dixon cannon

 

[PrettySquareGal]

Of corse there is Rockwell, thats just a given.

I'm one of the few people who does not like his art. I think the people look sinister.

My favorite early illustrators are Harrison Fisher (he illustrated the cover of Cosmopolitan mag until the 30's, I believe as well as war posters and many other items), Maxfield Parrish, Ellen Clapsaddle (postcard illustrator) and Howard Chandler Christy.

 

[scotrace]

I'm one of the few people who does not like his art. I think the people look sinister.

You are some kinda freaky.



Leyendecker is my very favorite. If you search the forums for his name you'll find a lot of agreement.
I also like Maxfield Parrish.

 

[Maj.Nick Danger]

Maxfield Parrish has no peer.

Just my opinionated view.


http://www.artrenewal.org/asp/database/art.asp?aid=314#

 

[LizzieMaine]

I'm another Leyendecker fan -- there's a real sense of joy and fun in his Saturday Evening Post covers, especially his chubby New Years babies!

There's a couple of others I like who cross over between being illustrators and cartoonists. Raeburn Van Buren did a lot of interior illustrations for the Post in the twenties and thirties, before going on to a long career as a comic strip artist ("Abbie an' Slats"), and his work is really very finely detailed without looking mechanical, and also a bit on the moody side.

Then there's Russell Patterson, who was a lot more cartoony, but for my money he was the definitive artist of the "Roaring Twenties," even more so than John Held.

I think his best work showed up in "Judge" magazine c. 1925-29, and these issues are well worth looking for! (And the articles by the likes of S. J. Perelman and Norman Anthony are worthwhile too!)

 

[dr greg]

a bit fruity but fun

I like Willy Pogany's patterns and illuminations (?) as well as his general figures.
http://www.americanartarchives.com/pogany,w.htm

 

[Dixon Cannon]

No. No!!! Art Frahm - he the man!

...
I also loved that guy that always put a bunch of celery into his models shopping bag!.... she was always having problems with a certain undergarment.... in every illustration! One could stare at those pictures for hours trying to figure out what?.... why? They were fascinating!!! -dixon cannon

Art Frahm!... what was goin' on in that guys mind???

 

[photobyalan]

On the subject of Rockwell...

if you haven't seen his original paintings, you can't really appreciate that man's talent. I'm sure the same could be said for any artist, but it's particularly true for Rockwell because his work is mostly seen in small-format and relatively poor resolution. If you're ever in Stockbridge, Mass., do yourself a favor and go to the Norman Rockwell Museum.

 

[jake_fink]

I like a lot of stuff from the Hey Day. I reallly dig pen and ink work. Here's Franklin Booth.

 

[jake_fink]

ALex Raymond

 

[jake_fink]

Joseph Clement Coll

 

[jake_fink]

And I like pulp covers. Here's James Avati

 

[artdecodame]

Ever since I found a book on his work I've loved 30's Petty pinups.


And from a different era, Charles Dana Gibson (Gibson Girls!) is a favorite. Apparently, Mabel Normand posed for him while a model in her teens, as well as {edit: links clipped. Reason: http://www.thefedoralounge.com/FAQ.html#Nudity}

 

[Lady Day]

AMEN

On the subject of Rockwell...

if you haven't seen his original paintings, you can't really appreciate that man's talent. I'm sure the same could be said for any artist, but it's particularly true for Rockwell because his work is mostly seen in small-format and relatively poor resolution. If you're ever in Stockbridge, Mass., do yourself a favor and go to the Norman Rockwell Museum.

A traveling show on the history of Baseball came through Oakland and they had his painting, 'Game Called Because of Rain' http://store.nrm.org/browse.cfm/4,287.htm and it was like a lightening botd went off in my head. The way he worked cant be described. I looked at that painting for over 40 min. A lot of people dont realize how big his pieces are either. He worked near half life size. And his April Fools painting are the best. He is also the only illustratior to actively do social/ political commentary. He did a number of paintings on civil rights (this being my favorite of his works,"NEW KIDS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD" www.galleryone.com/rockwell_prints3.htm Yeah is peeps can look creepy, but there is so much in those paintings, man . . .

LD

 

[Lady Day]

True

Just my opinionated view.


http://www.artrenewal.org/asp/database/art.asp?aid=314#

I mean, the man DOES have his own color blue, from his own creation.


LD

 

[Maj.Nick Danger]

Actually, by his own humble admission, it was only simple cobalt blue from Winsor and Newton.


P.S.
(Johnny Mercer said, don't mess with Mr. Inbetween.)

 

[Lady Day]

Um, okay.

Actually, by his own humble admission, it was only simple cobalt blue from Winsor and Newton.
P.S.
(Johnny Mercer said, don't mess with Mr. Inbetween.)

Oops, said that wrong. I meant it was coined as 'his'. Man, you guys dont let any kind of slip up slide.

I dont get your P.S.

LD

 

[Maj.Nick Danger]

Oh, my P.S.

Oops, said that wrong. I meant it was coined as 'his'. Man, you guys dont let any kind of slip up slide.

I dont get your P.S.

LD

It's from the song by Johnny Mercer - "You got to accentuate the positive, eliminate the negative, latch on to the affirmative, and don't mess with Mr. Inbetween." ( I thought you would know that one.)

 

[MK]

.

I am glad you guys like illustration. We will have illustration in Classic Style and want at least some of covers illustrated too. I commissioned Steven Chorney to do the cover of the advertising brochure.