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Norman Rockwell 1

A Brief History of Illustration (Part III)

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In the past parts, we reviewed since the origins of Illustration to 1940.
In this part we are going to check thirty years of Illustration, from 1940 to 1970.
The pervasive facts to remember for this period are:
1.- The Second World War.
2.- In 1949 we had the first Photocopier and in the 1960s appeared Xerography Photocopier.
In 1969 appears the Laser Printer.
And finally (for this period), in 1970 it appears the Dot Matrix Printer.
3.- Political posters and “lighter” colors. The last thing because the prints were made in cheap paper.
4.- In America springs the image of the Housewife ( which still is not desperate) and the images of lifestyles according to the American Dream.
5.- High badges for Advertising.
6.- The appearing of the Aerobrush.
7.- The new medium, the TV, is getting in the houses of the world.
8.- Some artistic influences of the period: Abstract Expressionism, Postwar Expressionism in Europe, Pop Art, Op Art, Color Field Painting and/or Conceptual Art, Performance Art, Photorealism, Minimalism and Neoromantic (specially in England).
9.- The illustrated novels are disappearing.

Howard Pyle 1

A Brief History of Illustration (Part II)

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In the first part, we review the first years of the history of Illustration, since the Lascaux’s Bulls to the year 1900.
For this part, we are going to travel to the first forty years of the 20th century.
Let’s see what was happening in the world:
1.- In England, books were very expensive, then, the target market of the books was the adults. However, there was a huge market for the books for children (with wealthy parents).
A strong influence of Aubrey Beardsley (see part I).
England was the center for the Book production.
2.- In America, we have the influence of Howard Pyle, called the Father of the American Illustration.
America was the center for Magazines production.
3.- Illustrators became specialists in some sort of illustration.
4.- The rising of the poster as a medium for the Advertising.
5.- The Great Depression of the 30’s.
6.- The year 1907 was the year of the creation of the Screen Printing, but it was used extensively the 20’s decade.
7.- Influence of the First World War.
8.- Artistic influences: Art Noveau, Japanese art, Art Decó, Fauvism, Cubism, Futurism, Dadaists, De Stijl (Neo-Plasticism), Surrealism and Harlem Renaissance ( in America).
We are gonna begin a trip since the father of the American Illustration, Howard Pyle, and then with the beautiful illustrations for children of Beatrix Potter and Jean de Brunhoff, passing by the Christy Girls of Howard Chandler Christy, the new patriotism of James Montgomery Flagg and we are gonna finish with Ernest Shepard, the author of the famous Winnie the Pooh, and with the amazing and mathematical artwork by Maurits Escher.

arte

A Brief History of Illustration (Part I)

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This brief history of illustration is not intended to be an academic vision of the illustration. It is a subjective approach to the discipline and a medium to show some of the most important illustrators of all times. We will be jumping from East to West, from Britain to America.

It is ordered in five parts. This is the first one.

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