On this day, March 4, 1892, cartoonist and illustrator Rex Hayden Maxon was born in Lincoln, Nebraska. Maxon studied art in St. Louis and worked on the staff of the St. Louis Republic. He moved to New York in 1917 and worked for several newspapers. In 1929 Maxon succeeded Harold Foster as the artist on the
On this day, March 3, 2012, conceptual designer and illustrator Ralph McQuarrie died in Berkeley, California. After serving in Korea, he studied art at the Art Center School in Los Angeles. He worked as a technical illustrator for Boeing and designed film posters and some animation for CBS New’s coverage of the Apollo space program. In
On this day, March 2, 1933, illustrator Leo Dillon was born on Brooklyn, New York. Dillon was trained at Parsons School of Design in New York, where he met his wife and collaborator, Diane Dillon. Together they created both science fiction illustrations and images for children’s literature. In 1975 and 76 they were awarded consecutive Caldecott
On this day, March 1, 1940, Warren Dayton was born in Sacramento, California. Dayton studied at the Chouinard Art Institute in Los Angeles. In the 60s Dayton pioneered reproducing wearable art on t-shirts. He produced posters during the psychedelic explosion and in 1974 he founded Prints of Peace.
On this day, February 28, 1913, illustrator John Coleman “Jack” Burroughs was born in Chicago, Illinois. The son of Edgar Rice Burroughs, at the age of 23 Jack illustrated one of his father’s books. He went on to illustrate all of his fathers books and the John Carter Sunday newspaper strip.
On this day, February 27, 1837, illustrator and author Francesca (Esther Frances) Alexander was born in Boston, Massachusetts. Her family moved to Florence, Italy when she was 16. Soon she was translating Tuscan songs and stories. These were published as the Roadside Songs of Tuscany in 1884-85. Her book Tuscan Songs was published in 1897.
On this day, February 26, 1953, comic book writer and illustrator David E. Boswell was born in Ontario, Canada. After his studies at Oakville’s Sheridan College, Boswell began drawing cartoons and comics. His underground comix Reid Fleming, World’s Toughest Milkman is based on a childhood bully.
On this day, February 25, 1961, illustrator Violet Oakley died in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. From a family of artists, Oakley studied at the Art Students League of New York, briefly at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts and then with Howard Pyle at Drexel Institute. She had a successful career as a magazine illustrator and also
On this day, February 24, 1921, sci fi illustrator Richard M. Powers was born in Chicago, Illinois. He studied art at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, at the University of Illinois in Chicago, and at the University of Kentucky while in basic training for the U. S. Army. After service during WWII, Powers
On this day, February 23, 1890, pulp illustrator Raymond Albert Burley was born in Ainsworth, Nebraska. Burley moved to New York City in 1916 and worked as an illustrator. He served in the infantry in WWI. Burley then studied at the Art Students League in New York and in the 20s he began selling illustrations to