On this day, January 6, 1977, artist and illustrator William Gropper died in Manhasset, New York. Gropper worked for various newspapers as an illustrator and cartoonist including The Masses and later the Liberator. His social concerns were often the focus of his art.
On this day, January 5, 1957, illustrator John Cuneo born in New Jersey. Cuneo's wonderfully funny and beautifully rendered watercolor and ink illustrations may be seen in The New Yorker, Esquire, and The Atlantic magazines.
On this day, January 4, 1987, artist, illustrator, and author Peggy Bacon died Kennebunk, Maine. Trained as a painter and print maker, Bacon wrote and illustrated her first book in 1919, The True Philosopher and Other Cat Tales. Bacon illustrated over 60 books, writing 19 of them, including her books of caricatures, Off With Their
On this day, January 3, 1930, cartoonist and illustrator Clare A. Briggs died Baltimore, Maryland. After a couple of years of study at the University of Nebraska, Briggs took his first job in St. Louis at the Hearst newspaper, The Globe-Democrat. Briggs worked in Chicago and New York producing both editorial cartoons and daily comic strips.
On this day, January 2, 2005, illustrator Frank Kelly Freas died West Hills, California. After serving in the air force and studying at the Art Institute of Pittsburgh, Kelly Freas began to produce advertising illustrations. In 1950 he produced his first fantasy magazine cover illustration. In addition to science fiction illustration, Kelly Freas also produced the
On this day, January 1, 1978, cartoonist, children's book author and illustrator Don Freeman died in Santa Barbara, California. Freeman studied art at the Art Students League in New York. His early success was creating pictures of life in New York for various newspapers and magazines. Freeman began creating ideas and illustrations for children's book with
On this day, December 31, 1956, cartoonist Steve Rude was born in Madison, Wisconsin. In 1981, Rude and writer Mike Baron created the Nexus comic series, an independent science fiction comic book. In 2004 Rude co-created and penciled The Moth with writer/inker Gary Martin.
On this day, December 30, 1943, children's book writer and illustrator Mercer Mayer was born in Little Rock, Arkansas. While studying at the Honolulu Museum of Art school, Mayer decided to be an illustrator. His first book was published in 1967 and since then he has published over 300 books.
On this day, December 29, 1979, cartoonist Ariel Schrag was born in Berkeley, California. Schrag created her first graphic novel while attending high school which she self-published. Her next three were published by Touchstone/Simon & Schuster. Schrag currently writes for the HBO series, How To Make It In America.
On this day, December 28, 1967, cartoonist and graphic novelist Chris Ware was born in Omaha, Nebraska. Ware's distinctive cartoon style images delve into subjects such as social isolation and the loneliness of modern life. His style and approach to his work has changed the field.