In my last article I mentioned “artistic tributes” to the show Mad Men. Well, although these illustrations aren’t specifically based on that series, many of the fantastically drawn examples from London based Jack Hughes certainly harken back to that mid-century appeal. Over bold background gradients and two-tone blocks of color, Hughes illustrates fashionable people from bygone eras: from the flapper craze of the 20s, right up to hip 70s kids sporting Native American threads. [Read more...]
I’ll admit it: I’m a complete fiend for mid-century media. When it comes to, say, cartoons from that era, it’s hard to beat the warm nostalgic feeling you get from their positive, often childlike vibe, and optimistic outlook towards the possibilities of the future. So when I ran across these classy retro animations from Colin Hesterly, I couldn’t help but love each short tasty nugget of nostalgia. [Read more...]
The work of Eyvind Earle is truly timeless, looking so current it could have been painted yesterday by a mature artist we’d flock to gallery openings for… but Earle passed away almost 13 years ago. His lifetime of work continues to inspire with its imaginative, dreamlike scenery; confetti-like array of colors across the canvas; and for the many influential film works he helped create. If these landscape paintings look familiar, we’ll tell you why. [Read more...]
If you’ve ever had the pleasure of reading a mid-century men’s adventure magazine, you’ll immediately recognize their place in Nadine Boughton’s work. For the muscular strong men featured in the periodical pulp-fiction; wrestling alligators, shooting sharks and rescuing scantily clad damsels in distress was all in a days work. When Boughton ran across these 50s and early 60s magazines at the flea market, she wondered how they would look set against the sleek interiors of the same era. As she puts it, it’s “men’s adventure magazines or ‘sweats’ meets Better Homes and Gardens.” [Read more...]
When I ran across these old 50′s pin-up gals the other day, I couldn’t help but hear some lonely Korean War soldier remarking, “wow, will you look at the gams on this dame!” If these did make it to that war, they came all the way from the advertising pages of America. These classic examples of the mid-century feminine ideal were created by legendary advertising painter Gil Elvgren during his long and successful career. Each image features his original photograph, mocking up the scene to be painted later. His models pose in campy and sometimes awkward positions, doing their best to emulate the scene and demonstrating what must be some of the earliest examples of the dreaded “duck face.” [Read more...]
From utopian to dystopian worlds, on thing can be said about the future predicted in illustrator Matthew Lyons’ work: it’s going to look seductively retro. Drawing heavily from Bauhaus like boxy architecture and the wedge shaped automobiles of Bertone, his works place this now classic design right next to modern technology like tablets, wind energy and smart phones. For those in love with the aesthetics of the past, this is paradise. [Read more...]
The illustration work of Pascal Blanchet may trick you into thinking it was created in the 1960s with its effortless vintage style. Blanchet is a graphic novelist and illustrator born in Trois-Rivieres, Quebec. His work is reminiscent of mid-century jazz record cover art, which he says is a source of inspiration from his childhood. His work is compositionally beautiful, and each piece tends to use strong shapes and colors with hints of texture that add just the right amount of depth and detail to his work. Blanchet is a very versatile illustrator because he can work in perspective, add wonderful lighting, or create something flat and still be interesting. [Read more...]
Mix one part Mad Men, one part 60s novel covers, a dash of modern life commentary and shake over rocks… and you get Neil Webb’s highly polished editorial illustrations. Webb’s work has a distinctly minimalistic mid-century feel that makes it both classically familiar and easily digestible… but that doesn’t mean that it’s not intensely clever too: his forms often hide double meanings that aren’t at first apparent. Lending to their classic feel, many of his works have a texture that reminds me of 1960s hard cover books, having the look of warn ink lovingly printed on thick, long-lasting canvas binding… just check out his gorgeous covers for The Desert War Trilogy below. [Read more...]
When I was a young kid, I literally spent months drawing home plans. My childhood designs where heavily based off the vintage books I spent hours pouring over, little knowing they where long outdated designs from 50s and 60s America. So when I ran across this small booklet of vacation home plans from the Douglas Fir Association in 1960, I have to say I had a very soft (I mean soft!) spot in my heart for these fantastically creative and classic designs. The booklet is filled with stylishly painted illustrations of the homes, floor plans and interiors, depicting a leisurely existence of life at the lake, horseback riding, barbecues and dancing at midnight. [Read more...]
Ever dreamed of looking like a stylish cowboy or beatnik? These clever illustrations will have you square-dancing or spitting poetry in no time. With a strong Mid-Century influence, artist Toby Neighbors tells stories through his detailed and entertaining illustrations, often putting an emphasis on style trends and pop culture. His work has been featured at the Hive Gallery in Los Angeles, the Young Blood Gallery in Atlanta, the Owl & Lion in Edinburgh and recently at the Compound Gallery in Portland. See more of his work at hepcatink.com
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