He was known for his attractive handling of romantic and domestic scenes, always up to date with the latest trends.
Whitcomb contributed a lot to the field of illustration as one of the founders of the Cooper Studios and the Famous Artists School. He also wrote a column about the life of Hollywood celebrities, and was himself a sought-after celebrity for his work in illustration.
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| Courtesy Norman Rockwell Museum and Famous Artists School Jon Whitcomb, “Portrait in Stages of Development,” c. 1948. Gouache on board. |
He kept his own darkroom and brought in the best models. His painting style was efficient and assured, working in both gouache and oil.
The new book is 224 page, 9x12" in a hardcover format. In its basic edition, it retails for $45.00. It starts with an informative and well illustrated bio, filled with pragmatic information. The rest of the book is all artwork, a combination of printed pieces (with graphics) and reproductions taken from original artwork, arranged chronologically. As with the other Illustrated Press editions, the quality of the printing, paper, and binding is first rate.
I would recommend the book for anyone who is interested in mid-20th century glamour styles, retro graphics, or gouache illustration techniques.
From Amazon: The Art of Jon Whitcomb
The book is also available from Illustration Press
Also, don't miss the other Illustrated Books editions:
Tom Lovell-Illustrator
The Art of Dean Cornwell
Shannon Stirnweis: 80 years Behind the Brush
8 comments:
-sigh- I wish The illustrated press would find a way to make these books more affordable for international customers.
This would end up costing me $146.It's no wonder The Art of Dean Cornwell kickstarter only had a few backers from anywhere but America.
Aiki-Guy, I sympathize with both you and the publisher. Regrettably, the US Postal Service charges extremely high prices to ship books out of our country. It typically costs far more than the price of the book itself to ship it overseas. Other countries have government subsidies to encourage exporters. This has forced me to discontinue offering my signed books to international customers.
Side note along Aiki-Guy's comments, just went to Emerald City Comic Con. With the exception of Tintin, thee is a complete drought of European comics :(
I really want some mo' Sergio Toppi.
Is it me or does Jon Whitcomb look a bit like a young William Shatner.
I grew up looking at images of women like those. I thought that's what I would look like when I grew up. Imagine my surprise!
Hi James, how can one tell which of Jon‘s paintings are gouache or oil paint, and how does he decide which medium to use? Also, which did he do more of? Thank you!!
Hi James, how can one tell which of Jon‘s paintings are gouache or oil paint, and how does he decide which medium to use? Also, which did he do more of? Thank you!!
I would love a copy of this book - both Amazon and Bud Plant are sold out. Any suggestions welcome.
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