Comments on: Looking for swanky mid-century Art

Question: Looking for swanky mid-century Art

dogmom — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 14:03:44 -0800

Artfilter: There's a type of illustration that I think of as "60's Cocktail Party" art. Is there a name for this style of illustration and where can I find more?

Examples of the type I'm talking about are by S Britt and Derek Yaniger

By: dogmom

dogmom — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 14:06:30 -0800

I just realized that "art" should not be capitalized in my heading. I am *not* looking for Art Garfunkel.

By: who else

who else — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 14:11:14 -0800

I came across a lot of this type of art when I used to read Juxtapoz magazine. Particular names of artists escape me but you should find it if you search around in there.

By: Sweetie Darling

Sweetie Darling — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 14:13:28 -0800

Shag.

By: slowfasthazel

slowfasthazel — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 14:21:41 -0800

You can find a ton of it at CSA Images. He's more modern, but Jordi Labanda also comes to mind.

By: stleric

stleric — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 14:24:52 -0800

For cartoons/illustration, I guess it would be the chronological and stylistic (abstraction, geometry) parallel of modernism in other mediums, so calling it modernist/modernism would make as much sense as anything to me (the guy who wrote this book seems to concur). In moving form, that kind of style is also somewhat associated with the phrase "limited animation," as much of the early, choppily-animated TV cartoons were made in this style.

By: eschatfische

eschatfische — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 14:27:43 -0800

Based on your examples, the style seems directly pulled from Jay Ward cartoons of the early 60s.

By: dogmom

dogmom — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 14:43:00 -0800

Sweetie Darling- Shag is awesome!

stleric- very interesting. Do you own said book? does it go into the history of this type of illustration? either way, I'll probably end up buying it.

By: bunglin jones

bunglin jones — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 14:59:19 -0800

There's plenty to be found out about that type of art in "Beatsville"

By: miss lynnster

miss lynnster — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 15:10:04 -0800

I was thinking Jay Ward too. And Jim Flora's record covers. And old recipe books I found in my grandfather's basement. And cheesy napkins my parents thought were hysterical.

And when I think about that stuff, I hear Esquivel in my head. But that's me.

Shag's a given. One of my favorite current illustrators whose style reminds me of this is Bill Ledger in Britain. I've hired him on a few projects and he's awesome. His illustrations make me happy. Plus he's a good guy.

By: dpcoffin

dpcoffin — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 15:15:37 -0800

Check out Mary Blair to see one of the progenitor-geniuses of this style, and Tim Biskup to see one of her Juxtapoz-featured heirs. Neither is much into cocktail parties, though, if that's important.

More Blair, and many other cartoonists.

By: adamrice

adamrice — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 16:25:38 -0800

It's one of the styles that Rory Skagen works in.

By: Sweetie Darling

Sweetie Darling — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 16:59:28 -0800

Oh, and also Plan 59, formerly Ephemera Now, where you can buy high-quality blown-up scans of ads and artwork from that era. I have this one and this one in my office.

By: cazoo

cazoo — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 17:04:08 -0800

Matte Stephens

By: dogmom

dogmom — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 17:36:44 -0800

Judging from everyone's excellent links, this style was originally used in children's books, cartoons and advertising. Knowing that, it's a little easier to google the original stuff, but it's harder to find people who are currently working in this style. So if anyone has any more links, please keep 'em coming!

By: peagood

peagood — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 17:36:57 -0800

The Ward-O-Matic blog is a great source for art and inspiration and information on this topic.

By: abcde

abcde — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 19:03:55 -0800

Mark Frauenfelder is way into this stuff.

By: stleric

stleric — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 20:06:46 -0800

dogmom, I only came across the book on a Google search to check to see if one or several of the Internets agreed with my guess. Looks like an interesting book though - I might actually pick it up myself at some point.

By: peachfuzz

peachfuzz — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 20:34:25 -0800

Also check out Dyna Moe's most excellent Mad Men illustrations.

By: peachfuzz

peachfuzz — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 20:39:47 -0800

Forgot to mention, good links in her intro to the Flickr set - Aurelius Battaglia, the Provensens, Art Seiden, J. P. Miller. And another Flickr group that may be of interest.

By: Jasper Friendly Bear

Jasper Friendly Bear — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 22:02:36 -0800

Tiki Art Now! by Otto Von Stroheim and Robert Williams lists many artists who work in this style. This style of drawing is an example of tiki (Polynesian) art. Here's an Amazon list of books on tiki art.