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Anatomy of a Logo: Uncanny Origins
Uncanny Origins was a logo commissioned by Mark Gruenwald of Marvel Comics.I began work on April 6, 1996. Below is a sheet with three thumbnail sketches.The designs were developed and refined. Tight...
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Under Cover: Standard Oil Bulletin Artists, Part 1
LAFAYETTE MAYNARD DIXONJanuary 24, 1875, Fresno, California – November 11, 1946, Tucson, ArizonaFull name at an Ancestry.com family treeMaynard Dixon MuseumBiographyMagazine IllustrationsThe Art of...
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Comics: Ira Schnapp, Class of June 1913
Comic book lettering artist, Ira Schnapp, graduated from New York City’s Stuyvesant High School in June 1913. His birth name, Israel Schnapp, was found in the Department of Education, The City of New...
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Comics: ...Green Lantern’s light!
A design worth repeating. November 1928Fall 1941February 1962October 1969July 1970November 1982May 1984Further ReadingMartin Nodell, Creator of Green LanternGreen Lantern OathsRejected Green Lantern...
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Under Cover: Standard Oil Bulletin Artists, Part 2
MAURICE GEORGE LOGANFebruary 21, 1886, San Francisco, California – March 19, 1977, Contra Costa, California1924 Passport PhotographAskArt BiographyCalifornia WatercolorStreamliner MemoriesJOHN MELVILLE...
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Anatomy of a Logo: Superman
Superman appeared in the first issue of Action Comics which had a cover date of June 1938. A year later, Superman had his own self-titled comic book.Superman was the creation of two teenagers, Jerome...
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Lettering: Gordon & George, Speedball Pen Inventors
Ross F. George and W. H. Gordon were the inventors of the Speedball pens. According to the Official Gazette of the United States Patent Office, Volume 223, their lettering pen design received patent...
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Under Cover: Standard Oil Bulletin Artists, Part 3
STANLEY McNEILLApril 2, 1890, California – February 1, 1934, San Francisco, CaliforniaFind a GraveWESLEY RAYMOND DE LAPPEJune 3, 1887, Maxwell, California – April 18, 1952, San Francisco,...
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Comics: Albert and Charlotte Jetter, Letterers and Artists
A CHRONOLOGYAlbert S. JetterBirth: January 7, 1913, New YorkCharlotte HaeckerBirth: November 20, 1914, Stuttgart, Germany(According to the Social Security Applications and Claims Index, her parents...
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Lettering: Dick Blick, Show Card Writer and Mail Order Art Supplier
Dick Ernest Blick was the founder of a mail order art supplies company, in Galesburg, Illinois, that became the Blick Art Materials chain stores. A timeline is here.Family HistoryFrom page 844 of...
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Kickstarter: “The Calligraphy of Alice”
The Calligraphy of AliceExcerpt:Over a career spanning more than 60 years, Alice’s artistry exemplifies taste, technique, wit,and her own unique graphic style. A keen understanding of craft, respect...
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Fourth of July (1904)
Ad SenseJuly 1904American MagazineSeptember 1917(Next post on Monday: Standard Oil Bulletin Artists, Part 4)
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Under Cover: Standard Oil Bulletin Artists, Part 4
HEATH ANDERSONJanuary 1, 1903, San Francisco, California – AskArt BiographyALAN ATKINSJune 26, 1910, Piedmont, California – December 14, 1990, Sacramento, CaliforniaAskArt BiographyJOHN RAYMOND...
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Anatomy of a Logo: Spyke
On Monday, January 4, 1993, Epic Comics editor Marie Javins contacted me about doing a new version of the logo, Spike, which would be spelled Spyke. She sent a two-page fax of the logo and cover. I...
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Comics: Searching for Gary Keller
Here is what is known about Gary Keller, Timely Comics letterer and production artist.Heritage AuctionsTimely Comics Staff, Hotel Astor, New York City.Stan Lee recalls, “On August 14, 1942 Martin...
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Street Scene: Diamond Building
•NEWYORKCITY•137–141 Duane Street, Manhattan(New post on Monday)
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Calligraphy: Edward Gentile
Edward Gentileborn July 20, 1890, Chicago, Illinois; also known as Edward GentleArt Institute of ChicagoStudent from 1911–1912North American Newspaper, Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaCommercial artist,...
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Anatomy of a Logo: X-Force
I met with Marvel editor, Bob Harras, at 12:30, October 22, 1990, to discuss the X-Force logo. I don’t remember the details of the meeting. Usually there’s a general description of the title and...
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Calligraphy: Donald Jackson’s The Story of Writing
The Story of WritingDonald JacksonTaplinger Publishing Company, 1981Dust Jacket FrontDust Jacket BackFront EndpaperTitle PageContentsAlice Koeth created the August 1981 flyer for the Donald Jackson...
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Anatomy of a Logo: The Freeman
The Freeman was an illustrated African-American newspaper that debuted July 14, 1888, in Indianapolis, Indiana. Most of the issues can be viewed here. Above is the masthead from the third issue. The...
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