The Tenggren Book

Just got my copy of the brand new book on Gustaf Tenggren by Lars Emanuelsson and Oskar Ekman! It's one thick brick of a book. 280 pages!
It chronicles Tenggrens life and features an enormous amount of artwork from his entire career. Lots of stuff I never have seen before. I have yet to read the book, but I just wanted to share my enthusiasm and show you a few spreads from it. As you can see, even if you don't understand a word Swedish you'll want this for the images.

For more info on Tenggren and his art, check out the Tenggren blog!

/Joakim.

John Holmgren

One of my new favourite illustrators...

Advertising illustration 1924

Cover for Life, 1929

Cover for Collier's, 1929

Mead Schaeffer paints a Post cover

A classic Schaeffer.

While you are waiting for the next installment of the Westerner #194, here's Arthur Leighton Guptill on how Mead Schaeffer painted a cover for the Saturday Evening Post.
First published in American Artist, December 1945.
Enjoy!

While American Artist didn't have color back in 1945 the Internet have.  Here's the cover with and without logo.

The Post, November 10, 1945.

Miss Home Alone rides the rocking chair

This summer I spent a few days on the country side. Relaxing with my girlfriend in her familys cottage. Thats where I found this book. (Or maybe Hedvig showed it to me.)

Anyway, the book caught my eye and it turned out to be an amazing, surrealistic voyage through a childs imagination. I can highly reccomend everyone to read this childrens book. Not only for the text but for the illustrations also. "Fröken Ensam Hemma åker gungstol" ("Miss Home Alone rides the rocking chair".) has artwork by no one else than Swedish horror artist and fan favorite Hans Arnold.
I took a few snapshots that I hope you will enjoy.:)

Mel Graff ca 1935

Mel Graff is well known for having drawn Secret Agent X-9, 1940 - 1960 and Adventures of Patsy, 1935-1940.
Some of you might even have seen his Captain Easy sundays from the 60's.
But how many have seen his illustration art from the 30's?
I recently bought a set of X-9 dailies from the 40's and as a surprise bonus I found a set of illustrations from the mid 30's included. I don't know wich paper they are from or if they were syndicated. Guess they were done for AP.
All the illustrations I got are heavily yellowed and torn. I really should scan and do some restoration work on these when time permits.
Anyway, here's one of them. (If I get requests I can always post a few more.)

Pen and Ink #2, Part V

Here's the final post of scans from Pen and Ink no. 2.




Notice this drawing on page 13:

Hardie Gramatky (1907-1979) went on to be a successful painter and writer of childrens books. Most famous for his creation "Little Toot" (six books written between 1939 and 1979) wich was animated at Disneys and also featured in the Disney comic books.

Check out the website devoted to him at http://www.gramatky.com/
There I found this quote in the section about his Disney years:
"Hardie began working at the Walt Disney Studio in 1929, two years after the Studio began. He went to Chouinard art school at night and to the Studio during the day. His first job was to do a Disney comic book, but he finished six months of drawings in three days when Walt asked him, 'Gee, Hardie, what would you like to do now?'"
Now, what I wonder is what comic book that would have been? In 1929?

/Joakim.

Early Gohs

In Sweden Rolf Gohs is known for his many covers to the Swedish Phantom comic book (Fantomen) and his "Mystiska 2:an". But did you know that he also did illustrations for magazines? The examples below was found many years ago when I as a kid found old magazines in deserted houses in the countryside. They are probably from the late 50's or early 60's. Dunno wich magazine thy are from. Lektyr?
Got a few more that I will post if there's interest. Enjoy!

More Sullivant! :)

T. S. Sullivant... Do I have to say more?
I'll just let these two gags talk for themselves.
Both are taken from Life March 26, 1925, the year before Sullivant passed away.


BTW: Anyone who knows if Andreas Deja is still working on the Sullivant inspired animation he once mentioned? I'm really curious to see it...

As a bonus here is the cover and an interior page by Charles Dana Gibson, one of Life's most famous illustrators. (He might even have owned Life by 1925. I'm not sure.)
I hope you like them as much as I do! (The last illo should really be seen in high resoulution so you could see all his lines close up. Magnificent penwork!)


PS.
Some John Held Jr, Inwood and fgc artwork in the same issue.
Can be scanned if anyone's interested.

fgc

I don't think I have to comment on this Life cover from 1925.
What a striking design! I wish I could do at least one cover like this in my life.
F. G. Cooper knew what he did...
More on him on this fine blog: Fillboid Studge

I also found some of Russell Pattersons "For men only" columns (With some gorgeous artwork.) at the same time as I found this issue of Life. Will post those soon. :)

BTW: I'm quite surprised that no one has asked me to post the other two Mickey Mouse modelsheets from 1938. Not everyones cup of tea I suppose.

And since it's summer: here are two bathing beauties.
But watch out! They are showing their legs!!!
Naughty, naughty!

More Patterson

Still in Russell Patterson mode.
I hope you enjoy his stuff as much as I do.

Following are some scans from an original Ballyhoo cover. Simply beautiful...





A sample of his rare "Runaway Ruth". Wish I could find more.


And to end this post, an example of the kind of work Patterson did later in his life. It wasn't all glamour girls you know...


Today the rain is continuing to pour down. The whole town is soaked with water. And they say it will go on for several more days. Soon we'll be swimming in the streets here...
Myself I'm doing some work in the studio. Trying to figure out a simpler drawing style for "Emma & Sara" and roughing a new page.
The menue for tonight is fish sticks and mashed potatoes. :) Done properly it's a delicious dish! True!
And!!! The Art of Ratatouille book is out now! Dont miss it! Seems to be loaded with great art. I've ordered it and can't wait to get it!

Russell Patterson

I'm in Russell Patterson mode today, so why not share some random scans that I've collected. For those of you who hasn't seen a photo of the man before here's one. Posing with a model, as usual... :)

These are just taken from eBay. Some day I'll make better scans of other pics from magazines I've got, and post them here. But these will do for now. If you like his art I'm sure these small pics are better than nothing. For me every piece of new Patterson art I see is a treasure found. And there are plenty of it. Anyway: Enjoy!








This is just to wet your appetite for the book TOPHATS AND FLAPPERS: The Art of Russell Patterson from Fantagraphics Books.
184 pages. Hardcover!
A beautiful, beautiful, beautiful book!
Available from Bud Plant for only $19.95! Go get it! It's worth every cent.