On this day, March 19, 1993, Alden Spurr McWilliams died in Stamford, Conecticut. McWilliams studied at the New York School of Fine and Applied Arts and was soon producing interior story illustrations for pulp magazines. After service in the Army in WWII, McWilliams returned to illustration and eventually also comic strip work. His memorable sci-fi strip was
On this day, March 18, 1935, comic artist Frank McLaughlin was born. Raised in Connecticut, McLaughlin studied at the University of Bridgeport and at the New Haven State Teachers College. After service in the army, he began working in comics, eventually working as art director at Charlton’s and then working freelance inking and drawing.
On this day, March 17, 1977, illustrator Russell Patterson died in Atlantic City, New York. Patterson studied at McGill University in Montreal. In Chicago he attended the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. In New York City, Patterson began providing illustrations for various magazines reflecting the Jazz Age. Patterson worked for department stores, on Broadway,
On this day, March 16, 1955, sci-fi and children’s book illustrator James Warhola was born in Smock (FayetteCounty), Pennsylvania. Warhola studied at Carnegie Mellon University and then at the Art Students League in New York. Warhola wrote and illustrated the book Uncle Andy’s about his famous uncle Andy Warhol.
On this day, March 15, 1937, Dan L. Adkins was born in Midkiff, West Virginia. Adkins worked as a draftsman when he served in the Air Force in the 50s. He launched his own fanzine and contributed to other publications working freelance for science fiction magazines and was an art director for biweekly medical journals. In
On this day, March 14, 1889, children’s book author and illustrator Marguerite de Angeli was born in Lapeer, Michigan. The daughter of a photographer/illustrator, Marguerite studied under illustrator Maurice Bower after her marriage and the birth of her children. By the 1920s he was working as an illustrator. The publication of her first book was in
On this day, March 13, 1971, illustrator Rockwell Kent died in Plattsburgh, New York. Famous for his black and white book illustrations, Kent also created more whimsical illustrations for Vanity Fair, the New York Tribune, and Harper’s Weekly. Kent also later wrote and illustrated his experiences in such places as Alaska and Tierra del Fuego.
On this day, March 12, 1888, illustrator Henry J. Soulen was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He studied at the Milwaukee Art Institute, at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and at Howard Pyle’s School of Art in Wilmington, Delaware. His successful career was focused on creating illustrations for a variety of popular magazines and for
On this day, March 11, 1875, Ernest Comstock Jenner was born in California. Jenner went to college in Seattle and began working as a lithographer there in 1894. He worked as an engraver and commercial artist for Western Engraving in Seattle. He was one of the group of artists who did the illustrations for the 1906
On this day, March 10, 1897, illustrator Mortimer Flaum was born in New York City. He worked for a time worked at the Rosenbaum Studios in New York. The art agency who used the initials R. S., created sheet music illustrations and post cards images. Flaum spent his whole career in commercial and advertising art.