American Illustrators


Introduction

This section of the Traditional Fine Arts Organization (TFAO) catalogue Topics in American Art is devoted to the topic "American Illustrators." Articles and essays specific to this topic published in TFAO's Resource Library are listed at the beginning of the section. Clicking on titles takes readers directly to the articles and essays. The date at the end of each title is the date of publication in Resource Library.

Following the listing of Resource Library articles and essays is the heading "TFAO references." Periodically TFAO conducts keyword searches from the Resource Library homepage relating to this topic. The count of pages within Resource Library citing the keywords indicates breadth of coverage in Resource Library for this topic. We recommend that researchers always search within Resource Library for additional material. Please see TFAO's page How to research topics not listed for more information.

After "TFAO references" are links to online resources found outside the TFAO website. Online resources are gathered from TFAO catalogues. Following online resources is information about offline resources including museums, DVDs, and paper-printed books, journals and articles. Our goal is to present complete knowledge relating to this section of Topics in American Art.

TFAO welcomes volunteers to further the broadening of knowledge related to this topic. To learn more about TFAO's many volunteer opportunities please click here. Volunteers are welcome to contribute suggestions for additional content in this catalogue. Please see Catalogue and database management for details.

Also see Children's Illustrated Literature

 

Articles and essays from Resource Library in chronological order:

2012-2013

2011

2010

2009

2008

2007

2006

2005

2004

2003

2002

2001

2000

1999

1998

1997

 

TFAO references:

As of 8/19/11 TFAO's website contained: 623 pages referencing the word "Illustrator." To search TFAO's site please click here.

(also see Children's Illustrated Literature)

 

From other web sites:

American Art Archives is a website dedicated to American Illustrators.

American Legacy Fine Arts, LLC. presents on its Research Library page as of 10/13 several essays including The Rise of an American Art by Michael Zakian

Darley, Felix Octavius Carr (1821-88): American illustrator from The Darley Society

Elegant Enigmas: The Art of Edward Gorey, an exhibit held February - June 2011 at the Boston Athenæum. Accessed May, 2014

Fins and Feathers: Children's Book Illustrations from The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art, an exhibit held January 21-April 22, 2012 at the Figge Art Museum. Includes images. Accessed 9/14.

Illustrators from AskArt.com

More Than Words: Illustrated Letters from the Smithsonian's Archives of American Art, from Archives of American Art. Accessed November, 2013.

National Museum of American Illustration

Norman Rockwell: Behind the Camera, an exhibit held November 19, 2010 - April 10, 2011 at the Brooklyn Museum. The page for the exhibit includes a comprehensive teacher packet. Accessed May, 2014

State of the Art: Illustration 100 Years After Howard Pyle, an exhibit held February 9, 2013 - June 2, 2013 at the Delaware Art Museum. Includes brief biographies. Accessed 9/14.

The PBS American Masters series includes a documentary concerning Alfred Stieglitz. PBS's web site offers a page that includes eight video clips from four to nine minutes in length not found in the original documentary. Stieglitz-experts in the clips include Historian Thomas Bender; Alan Trachtenberg, Professor of American Studies at Yale; Richard Whelan, Stieglitz Biographer; Elizabeth Hutton Turner, Curator at Philips Gallery; Sarah Greenough, Curator of Photographs, National Gallery of Art; Joanna Steichen, Author, and widow of Edward Steichen; Sue Davidson-Lowe, author and grand-niece of Stieglitz; and Wanda Corn, art historian at Stanford.

More from American Masters:

Society of Illustrators

 

TFAO also suggests these DVD or VHS videos:

Charles Dana Gibson: Portrait of an Illustrator The "Gibson Girl," created by American illustrator Charles Dana Gibson, first appeared in 1890, and was the first popular image of the American woman. Her independent, self-assured spirit and beauty captivated the American imagination. This 28 minute 1997 Josiah Emery video, produced by Gibson's great-grandson, explores the origins of the Gibson Girl, with an in-depth look at her creator and his life's work. It features numerous pen-and-ink drawings, interviews with family members and illustration experts, plus rare archival footage of Gibson.
 
 
J. C. Leyendecker - The Great American Illustrator is a 2002 video from Kultur Video With hundreds of paintings for The Saturday Evening Post and other publications, J.C. Leyendecker was one of the most successful illustrators of his time. This 45 minute video biography explores the warmth and imagination that marked his work. Kultur Video says: J.C. Leyendecker was the most successful illustrator of his time, creating over 500 paintings for magazine covers - including 322 for the Saturday Evening Post - and advertisements that made his clients famous. His paintings portrayed a lifestyle that resonated with millions of Americans. Even when depicting those issues that mattered most - a woman's right to vote, the economic woes of the Depression, victory over Nazi Germany - he never employed a heavy hand or a dark mood; his images were always full of human warmth and imagination. Leyendecker told the story of consumerism as if it were lyric poetry; replacing the turbulence of cultural history with a beauteous glance, a beguiling child, a muscular vision, or a gentle hand."
 
 
Norman Rockwell: An American Portrait is a 60 minute 2002 video from V.I.E.W. Video is a PBS special, narrated by 3-time Emmy Award nominee Mason Adams. Norman Rockwell had a love affair with America. His poignant paintings captured the truths of daily life with a simple humane grace and greeted Americans from the cover of The Saturday Evening Post for over five decades. This documentary celebrates Rockwell's life and art, with interviews and commentary by art historians, close friends and the artist himself. "This notable documentary shows Rockwell was a perceptive social commentator of exceptional artistic skill and narrative power" (Entertainment Weekly). DVD: Bonus features include a Norman Rockwell biography, an art gallery and more.
 
 
 
Norman Rockwell. "Norman Rockwell's distinctive illustrations, glowing with the simple, noble character of average citizens, crystallized an image of 20th century American life." This 50 minute 1994 A&E Biography video "provides an intimate portrait of the artist and the man with interviews of friends and people he used as models and takes us on a tour of the Norman Rockwell Museum and his best-known images."
 
 
 
Norman Rockwell: Painting America is an 86 minute 1999 American Masters Production from Winstar Home Entertainment.based on the award-winning PBS series. Norman Rockwell: Painting in America looks at the life and art of one of America's most celebrated illustrators. Best known for his memorable covers of The Saturday Evening Post, Rockwell achieved unprecedented fame for masterfully showing warmth and humor in his renderings of everyday life. This program includes interviews with artists, critics, historians, friends and admirers, as well as archival newsreel and television footage of the artist himself. VHS/DVD.
 
 
 
Norman Rockwell's World: An American Dream is a 24 minute 1972 video directed by Robert Deubel that presents the world of American illustrator Norman Rockwell (1894-1978) through reenactment, stills, paintings, and old film footage. Rockwell himself narrates this Academy Award®-winning film. Using the artwork and the commentary of Rockwell himself in combination with old film footage and staged reenactments, the Saturday Evening Post covers once again come alive.
 
 

TFAO does not maintain a lending library of videos or sell videos. Click here for information on how to borrow or purchase copies of VHS videos and DVDs listed in TFAO's Videos -DVD/VHS, an authoritative guide to videos in VHS and DVD format.

 

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