Session 9: Western Post-War Illustration

25/11/2020

Task 9:

A) RESEARCH Research the work of some of the artists covered - or any others from the era, who you find and engage with. Collate (and post) a collection of illustrations which depict normal/mundane and everyday moments (think Bernie Fuch’s obsession with people in chairs and how he was still able to create visual interest and energy). Be sure to name the artists responsible for each.

B) PRACTICAL Create an illustration / drawing which shows a normal/mundane and everyday moment but renders it visually interesting and exciting - look to the tricks used by the artists you research (composition, mark-making, foreground & narrative elements) which were used to create a mid-century feel AND bring visual flare where it wasn’t obvious or expected. (Setting up, composing and taking photos of scenes of normal/mundane and everyday moments would be an acceptable substitute to drawing / illustration).

LORRAINE FOX
(1925-1976)

Lorraine Fox, born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. was described as an elegant woman who was quiet and highly imaginative and gifted in design, she is a standout artist within a field that was highly ran by men.

Lorraine attended the Pratt Institute of Art, she later graduated in 1944, during her time there she met an aspiring artist Bernard D’Andrea who she married in 1951. Lorraine entered the Charles E. Cooper studio the same year where she wouldn’t be the only few female artists. In her early years she claimed a place for herself and became an increasingly known illustrator as she kept busy with books, covers, magazine and advertisement. Woman’s Day, Redbook, Seventeen, Pfizer Spectrum, and Sports Illustrated all feature prints of Fox’s illustrations.

Murray Tinkelman, a friend, called her work “decorative illustration” as Fox’s early style was mainly prioritised on the design. Her work falls under folk art, in contrast to the modern, retro style that was prevalent in contemporary commercial work.

1961, Fox returned to her studies at the Brooklyn Museum Art School for five years under Reuben Tam. Tam encouraged his students to find their own originality as he believed this would lead them naturally to paint their best abilities. As Fox had a distinctive style, she worked hard to find her identity. Tam wouldn’t tell his students ‘This is the way...’ as he knew that the search comes from you and how you live and how everyone has the potential for originality as you keep learning about yourself. Fox’s time at the Brooklyn Museum Art School her style continued to evolve.

Before her studies with Tam she would focus largely on feminine themes that fit well with magazines like Better Homes and Gardens, and later, Woman’s Day, Seventeen, Good Housekeeping, Cosmopolitan, The Ladies’ Home Journal, Redbook, and McCall’s. She later moved onto more mature themes in her later career. Fox would later frequently exhibit her work at the Society of Illustrators and the Philadelphia Art Directors Club exhibitions, the Brooklyn Museum, New York City Center Gallery, and the Silvermine Guild New England Show.

Fox later on taught at the Parsons School of Design in New York City, she was a teacher and a member of the Famous Artists School in Westport, Connecticut. She was the first female that was introduced into the Society of Illustrators’ Hall of Fame in 1979 where she was finally recognised for her work as she paved the way for other female practitioners.

Her papers are archived at The New School and Smithsonian Archives of American Art house with a significant amount of her magazine collections in the Norman Rockwell Museum archive.

Beauty is as Beauty Is, Hearst

Swing Set

Carriage Stroll

Pastry and Pies, Meredith Corporation

Woman Baking, Redbook Illustration, 1956 Gouache on board

Biography

Illustrations

Norman Rockwell
(1894 - 1978)

Norman Rockwell, born on the 3rd February, 1894, New York was an American painter and illustrator who was known for his iconic description for The Saturday Evening Post. His favourite subjects would be families and mischievous children and small-town life which can be seen within his work with the 1943 painting of a Thanksgiving dinner “Freedom from Want” which became parodied and reproduced many times in culture.

Rockwell’s paintings are seen as indelible images that inspired American directors such as George Lucas, Steven Spielberg, and Robert Zemeckis who recreated scenes for the 1994 film Forest Grump. Although very pleased with the success Rockwell was not easily embraced by the art critics as throughout his career, he had an idyllic and sentimental look on American Society.

He later went onto studying at the National Academy of Design and the Art Students League.
He died on the 8th November, 1978, Stockbridge, MA.

Going and Coming, 1947.

A Scout is Helpful, Norman Rockwell. 1941.

The Problem We All Live With, 1963.

No Swimming, 1921.

War News, Norman Rockwell. 1945

Girl Reading the Post, 1941.

Biography

Artwork

Bob Peak
(1927 - 1992)

Bob Peak, born in Denver, Colorado (grew up in Kansas). He knew from an earlier age that he wanted to be a commercial illustrator. He attended Wichita State University where he majored in geology and got a part time job at McCormick-Armstrong in the art department where he started to gain confidence within his career choice, while there he learned the skills of doing layout, illustration and lettering. He was later transferred during the Korean War - Peak graduated in 1951 at the Art Center College of Design.

Peak is one of the most imaginative illustrators of the 20th century as he revolutionized advertising in the film industry. Peak is considered the “father of the modern movie poster”. Peak transformed the approaches of movie advertising from ordinary collages to more flamboyant illustrations. Peak promoted “West Side Story” in 1961, he also created more than 100 movie posters which include “My Fair Lady”, “Camelot”, “Star Trek”, “Superman” and “Apocalypse Now”. He also worked on editorial pieces such as the cover for Times Magazine which features a portrait of Mother Teresa.

With the Wind Cycling, Men on Bicycle..., 1983

In the Spotlight, 1984

First Heat, 1983, 1983

Camelot (1967)

Star Trek: The Final Frontier 1989

The Dark Crystal 1982

Artwork

Poster Art

Biography

Bernie Fuchs
(1932 - 2009)

Bernie Fushs, born on the 29th October, 1932, O’Fallon. Fushs is an American illustrator who worked within advertising art, magazine illustrations and postage stamps for the U.S.

His painting style is heavily influenced from photography but always managed to simplify the details and colours. Fushs studied at the Washington University and graduated in 1954.

Over the years he started working in Detroit as a car advertisement illustrator at New Center Studios.
Some of his most notable works has been for sports magazines where over his years created 50 covers in which he received the honour of Sport Artists of the Year in 1991 from the American Sport Art Museum and Archives.

Fuchs died on the 17th September, 2009, Fairfield.