On this day, May 3, 1935, illustrator Jessie Willcox Smith died in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Smith began working as a kindergarten teacher. While teaching she also studied art. Her first illustration was published when she was 25 in St. Nicholas magazine. Smith's memorable illustrations, primarily of children and mothers, graced more than 40 books, advertisements, magazine articles, and
On this day, May 2, 1984, animator, producer, director, and puppeteer Bob (Robert Emerson) Clampett died in Detroit, Michigan. Clampett was best known for his work on the Looney Tunes animated series from Warner Brothers. Without graduating high school, Clampett joined the team working on Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies and designed some of their characters
On this day, May 1, 1940, comic book artist Alex Niño was born in Tarlac, Luzon, The Philippines. Niño was recruited to work for DC Comics in 1971. He moved to the U. S. in 1974. Niño’s stylized and imaginative work has been influential on other comic creators and sci-fi illustrators.
On this day, April 30, 1994, children’s book illustrator Richard Scarry died in Gstaad, Switzerland. Scarry studied art at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. He served in the army during WWII and after produced work for various magazines. In 1949 Scarry began to produce work for Little Golden Books. His most famous
On this day, April 29, 1894, Pete Martinez was born in Porterville, California. Martinez studied art at the Mark Hopkins School of Art in San Francisco and then at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Art. Known as a Cowboy artist, Martinez also served in the cavalry in WWI, worked as a jockey, and a rodeo cowboy.
On this day, April 28, 1885, Howard Everett Smith was born in West Windham, New Hampshire. He studied at the Art Students League in New York, with Howard Pyle in Wilmington, Delaware, and at The Boston Museum of Fine Arts School. Smith’s illustrations appeared in Scribner’s, Harper’s Monthly, and in the Ladies Home Journal.
On this day, April 27, 1988, illustrator Jon Whitcomb died in Menlo Park, California. Whitcomb majored in English and studied at Ohio Wesleyan University and Ohio State University. As a student he began drawing illustrations for student publications and after found work making advertising illustrations. After joining the Cooper Studio in New York Whitcomb became known
On this day, April 26, 1902, Vernon Simeon Plemion Grant was born in Coleridge, Nebraska. Grant studied art at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Early in his career he landed the job of creating the gnome-like mascots for Kellogg’s Rice Krispies. He also created advertising illustrations for General Electric, Gillette, and Hershey’s and
On this day, April 25, 1996, graphic designer and illustrator Saul Bass died in Los Angeles, California. Bass studied at the Art Students League in New York and attended night classes at Brooklyn College. In the 1940s Bass began working in Hollywood doing work for film ads and eventually he also created film title sequences and
On this day, April 24, 1913, The Woolworth Building in New York was opened. Designed by architect Cass Gilbert, this rental prospectus with illustrated drawing of the skyscraper was offered with the comment that this soon to be opened building was the “Highest Building in the World.”