Monday, June 9, 2014

School Days: Burne Hogarth


Cartoonist Burne Hogarth, who was born Bernard pinoza Ginsburg according to a family tree at Ancestry.com, said he founded a number of art schools. In Something About the Author, Volume 63 (1991), his career included the “...Academy of Newspaper Art, New York, N.Y., founder, 1944–46….[and the] Cartoonists and Illustrators School (now School of Visual Arts), New York, N.Y., co-founder and vice-president, 1947–50…” In between the academy and the school was a center.

Below are two articles and a photo caption which mention Hogarth but not his academy. At this time I have not found any newspaper or magazine articles referring to the Academy of Newspaper Art.

The New York Sun, March 26, 1945

Long Island Daily Press (Jamaica, New York),
April 12, 1945

Long Island Daily Press (Jamaica, New York),
April 18, 1945

I did find advertisements regarding Hogarth’s second art school which was called the “Cartoonists & Illustrators Center”, the pre-cursor to the Cartoonists and Illustrators School. Advertisements ran in the New York Post in October 1945. Presumably the Academy of Newspaper Art ended in 1945.

New York Post, October 10, 1945
LEARN CARTOONING
With One of the Leading
Cartoonists in the Field
BURNE HOGARTH
OF “TARZAN” FAME
Classes Start October 16th, Eves. & Saturdays
Write for Information NOW!
CARTOONISTS & ILLUSTRATORS CENTER
2091 Broadway, New York, 23, N.Y.

New York Post, October 12, 1945
Learn Cartooning with BURNE
HOGARTH [illegible]

[illegible]
Cartoonists & Illustrators Center
2091 Broadway TRafalgar 4-6616

New York Post, October 19, 1945
PLAN YOUR CAREER NOW
Learn Cartooning with
BURNE HOGARTH
The demand for original cartoonists grows daily.
Comprehensive course in cartooning and illus-
trating. Special courses for advanced students.
CARTOONISTS & ILLUSTRATORS CENTER
BURNE HOGARTH (of Tarzan Fame, Dir.)
2091 Broadway at 72nd St. TRafalgar 4-6616


New York Post, October 24, 1945
PLAN YOUR CARER NOW
Learn Cartooning with
BURNE HOGARTH
The demand for original cartoonists grows daily.
Comprehensive course in cartooning and illus-
trating. Special courses for advanced students.
CARTOONISTS & ILLUSTRATORS CENTER
BURNE HOGARTH (of Tarzan Fame, Dir.)
2091 Broadway at 72nd St. TRafalgar 4-6616

New York Post, October 26, 1945
LEARN CARTOONING With BURNE
HOGARTH of “TARZAN” fame. New complete
intensive course for beginners and ad-
vanced students.
Cartoonist & Illustrators Center
2091 B’way (72nd St. N.Y.C.) TR 4-6616

The Brooklyn Daily Eagle published a Cartoonist and Illustrators Center advertisement on February 10, 1946.

Brooklyn Daily Eagle, February 10, 1946
LEARN CARTOONING
With A Leading Cartoonist
BURNE HOGARTH
of “TARZAN” fame
Now is the time to get
into the cartooning field!
Learn the technique of
newspaper and magazine
panel gags — sport car-
toons — comic strips —
caricature advertising
comic illustrations.
Classes: SATURDAYS ONLY
(Mornings & Afternoons)
CARTOONISTS & ILLUSTRATORS CENTER
ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON SCHOOL
246 West 80 N.Y.C. SC 4-3232

Advertisement in Arts Magazine
February 15, 1946
LEARN CARTOONING
With A Leading Cartoonist
BURNE HOGARTH
of “TARZAN” fame
Classes: SATURDAYS ONLY (Mornings & Afternoons)
Learn the technique of newspaper and magazine
panel gags — sport cartoons — comic strips — 
caricature advertising comic illustrations.
Write for Bulletin D
Cartoonists & Illustrators Center
Robert Louis Stevenson School
246 West 80 N.Y.C. SC 4-3232 

Hogarth said the Cartoonists and Illustrators School began in 1947. The New York Times, Philadelphia Inquirer and Milwaukee Sentinel, January 19, 1956, said it opened August 20, 1947. The school was mentioned in a New York Post article dated November 10, 1947.

New York Post, November 10, 1947
Classes are still forming at the Cartoonists and Illustrators School, 112 W. 89th St., it was announced by Silas H. Rhodes, director.
Nationally prominent cartoonists and illustrators, headed by Burne Hogarth, illustrator of “Tarzan,” comprise the faculty and lecturing staff.
In A Drinking Life: A Memoir, Pete Hamill recalled attending the Cartoonists and Illustrators School.

American Artist, January 1951
 
The following article may explain why Rhodes decided to rename the Cartoonists and Illustrators School.

Long Island Star Journal, January 19, 1956

The School of Visual Arts Archives website has the following statement:
The School of Visual Arts Archives serves as the final repository for the historical records of School of Visual Arts. Its primary purpose is to document the history of the School and to provide source material for administrators, faculty, students, alumni, and other members of the School community, as well as scholars, authors, and other interested persons who seek to evaluate the impact of the School’s activities on the history of American artistic, social, and cultural development. The SVA Archives is a division of the Visual Arts Foundation.
Materials in the Archives collections include posters, announcements, departmental and student publications, and other printed ephemera and artifacts, dating back to its founding in 1947. The Archives also collects administrative and departmental records, photographs, and the papers of important individuals associated with the College.
In 1947, Silas H. Rhodes and illustrator Burne Hogarth founded the Cartoonists and Illustrators School, with a faculty composed of New York City-based professionals working in the arts (a practice that continues to this day). Reflecting the belief that there is more to art than technique and that learning to become an artist is not the same as learning a trade, Silas H. Rhodes renamed the institution School of Visual Arts in 1956....
In 1970 Hogarth retired from the School of Visual Arts. His death was reported in The New York Times, February 1, 1996. Silas Rhodes’ obituary was published in the The Times, June 30, 2007.

(Next post on Monday: Phoenix Con 1970 and 1972)

Monday, June 2, 2014

Lettering: J.L. Fraazier


Julius Leroy Frazier
September 26, 1885 – February 1966

The Inland Printer
April 1914

The Inland Printer
May 1914

The Inland Printer
June 1914
 

The Inland Printer
July 1914

The Inland Printer
August 1914

The Inland Printer
September 1914

• • •

Julius Leroy Frazier was born in Quenemo, Kansas on September 26, 1885, according to his World War II draft card.

In the 1900 U.S. Federal Census, Frazier was the oldest of four children born to Simon and Susan. His father was a traveling salesman. They lived in Agency Township in Quenemo.

Frazier married Frances Medearis on July 1, 1908 in Jackson County, Missouri.

The 1910 census recorded the couple in Lawrence, Kansas at 531 Louisiana Street. Frazier’s occupation was printer at the “World” office.

On September 12, 1918, Frazier signed his World War I draft card. His address was 4313 North Lincoln Street, Chicago, Illinois. He was the associate editor at the Inland Printer Company. The description said he was of medium height and build with hazel eyes and black hair.

Frazier’s address was the same in the 1920 census. He had a five-year-old daughter, Ruth. His occupation was listed as “Ad Manager” for a manufacturing company.

Chicago remained Frazier’s home but at a different address, 7351 Hoyne Avenue, according to the 1930 census. His son, Robert, was ten-years-old. Frazier was a trade magazine editor.

On December 24, 1936, Frazier and his wife arrived in New York City. They had sailed on the S.S. Manhattan from Le Havre, France.

In 1940, Evanston, Illinois, at 2043 Orrington, was Frazier’s home. His occupation was editor, who had two years of college.

Frazier signed his World War II draft card on April 27, 1942. He resided in Chicago at 2043 Orrington Avenue. The Tradepress Publishing Corporation, located at 309 West Jackson Boulevard, Chicago, was his employer. He stood five feet seven inches and weighed 172 pounds, and had hazel eyes and gray hair.

Frazier’s listing in the 1948 Evanston City Directory was editor who resided at 2043 Orrington Avenue, Evanston.

Frazier passed away in February 1966 as recorded in the Social Security Death Index.

• • •

The Alexander S. Lawson Archive
A Personal Reminiscence of J.L. Frazier

(Next post on Monday: Burne Hogarth)

Monday, May 26, 2014

Creator: Michael Bartalos


Rubber Stamps
The 5 & Dime

8-page catalog from the 
late-1980s or early 1990s
6.3125 x 10 inches
16 x 25.4 centimeters


Guide
April 1997
Illustrated by Michael Bartolos
Warner Bros. Records promotional CD




Business Card
225 East 10th Street
New York City

(Updated March 18, 2017; next post on Monday: J.L. Frazier) 

Monday, May 19, 2014

Typography: Only in New York, March 1990


Only in New York
The Newsletter of the New York City
Transit Authority
March 1990

Six postcards in an accordion fold,
free for the asking at token booths

Front

Back
(Next post on Monday: Michael Bartalos)

Monday, May 5, 2014

Asian Pacific American Heritage Month


May is Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month, which was established 35 years ago as Asian/Pacific American Heritage Week.

Links to Cartoonists and Comic Book Artists


Jack Chen
Jack Chen in Life Magazine
Jack Chen on China’s Militant Cartoons


About the Artist: Chu F. Hing
The Art of Chu F. Hing, Part 1: one-page features
The Art of Chu F. Hing, Part 2: covers and stories for various publishers
The Art of Chu F. Hing, Part 3: Marvel Comics
The Art of Chu F. Hing, Part 4: the Green Turtle, and the Judge and the Jury

Monday, April 28, 2014

Anatomy of a Logo: X-Factor


On April 25, 1986, Walter Simonson called and said he would be drawing X-Factor. He asked me if I would be interested in reworking the logo. I accepted. We met for lunch on April 29. Walter liked the current logo but wanted it to be bolder. I agreed to modify the current logo but would also explore other designs.


Photocopies of the previous logo designs

Tracing paper with a couple of logo modifications
and some thumbnail sketches of alternate designs

First version of the bolder logo

Second version of the bolder logo

First alternate logo design

Second alternate logo design


On May 23, Walter and his wife, Louise, stopped by my studio at 6 West 20th Street. First I showed sketches with the bolder letters. He liked them. Then I showed my alternate designs. He paused a while, looking back and forth at the sketches. Then he asked Louise what she thought. I don’t recall what was said but their decision was to go with the second alternate logo design.

The next day I started working out the details of the design. The first thing was figuring out the letterspacing in the word “Factor” as it projected from the bottom of the “X”.

In this sketch all the letters are under the X.

Here the F and R are spaced just beyond the X 
so more of their perspective lines are visible.

Next the F and R were moved just
under the X, and the A was changed.

More adjustments to the letterforms and spacing

These overlapping tracing paper tissues show
how much the letters and spacing changed.

On June 2, I showed a tight pencil rendering to Walter.
He suggested removing the perspective line where the
C and T touched. He wanted the finished art on the sixth.

The finished artwork with register marks for the overlay.

Acetate overlay with X extended beyond the cover’s edge. 
I thought it was possible to have the logo bleed off the top.

Paper was rubber-cemented to the underside of the acetate.
As I far as I know, this version of the logo was never used.

X-FACTOR
#10 (November 1986)–#111 (February 1995)

Mephisto vs. the X-Factor
#2, April 1987

#24, January 1988
I designed “The Fall of the Mutants”.

Merchandising

My logo appeared on annuals two through nine.

#100 with embossed and computer-manipulated logo

Spider-Man and X-Factor: Shadowgames
#1, May 1994

Issue #111 (1995) was last issue with my logo.

X-FACTOR FOREVER
#1–5 (2010)
Font for “Forever” was selected by another designer.

X-Men Special #2, November 1971, was the
first time the X was on top of the other letters.

Related Posts
X-Force
Magik


(Next post on Monday: Asian Pacific American Heritage Month)