On this day, August 16, 1892, Otto Messmer was born in West Hoboken (now, Union City), New Jersey. Messmer studied at the Thomas School of Art in New York City. He began his career creation illustrations for fashion catalogs. Inspired by Winsor McCay, Messmer began making comics for local newspapers. He created the proto-type of Felix
On this day, August 15, 1994, pulp illustrator Richard Lillis died in New York City. After WWI, Lillis studied art at the Art Students League. His first pulp cover illustration appeared on West Magazine in 1929. Lillis was a friend of Ralph DeSoto and he worked as a studio assistant and posed as a model to
On this day, August 14, 2011, illustrator, animator, and graphic designer Saul Mandel died in New York. Over his career Mandel created many advertising illustrations for a wide variety of companies. Among his most iconic creations are the Jolly Green Giant and the Puppy Love stamps for the U. S. Post Office in 1986.
On this day, August 13, 1874, illustrator Frederick Stewart Manning was born in Port Huron, Michigan. Early on he worked as a cartoonist for the Colorado Springs Gazette in Colorado. After working in Denver and Chicago, Manning moved to New York City where he worked creating advertising illustrations and sheet music illustrations.
On this day, August 12, 2001, pulp illustrator Harry Barton died. He studied at the Art Students League in New York. In the 50s Barton began producing pulp covers and covers for digests and paperback books.
On this day, August 11, 1902, pulp illustrator Jack Binder was born in Harka, Hungary. The family moved to the U. S. in 1910 to join the father in the U. P. of Michigan. Binder worked as an engraver while he attended the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. In the 30’s Binder moved to
On this day, August 10, 1955, Tom Kidd was born in Tampa, Florida. After a couple of years of study at Syracuse University, Kidd moved to New York City and began to work as a science fiction and fantasy illustrator and as a designer for films, theme parks, and figurines. His work has won many accolades
On this day, August 9, 1931, illustrator Mike Hinge born Auckland, New Zealand. He came to the United States on a green card in 1958 and studied at the Art Center School of Design in Los Angeles. His work includes many memorable book and magazine covers for the work of science fiction and cover portraits for
On this day, August 8, 1961, illustrator Rafael López born Mexico City, Mexico. Trained at the Art Center College of Design in Los Angeles, López has illustrated a variety of children's books, designed stamps, and painted murals.
On this day, August 7, 1957, illustrator George William Gage died in New York City. He studied at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts School, at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, and with Howard Pyle at the Howard Pyle School of Art in Wilmington, Delaware. His career was noted for cover illustrations for magazines