Saturday, October 31, 2020

Von Schmidt's Ideas about Epic and Incident


American illustrator Harold von Schmidt (1893-1982) said: "I have found that most good illustrations deal with epic subjects—life, death, growth, conflict, peace, contentment, flight, fear, anger, repose, or movement — rather than incidents in which pictures say: 'They swim,' 'He kisses her,' 'He talks to her,' 'They ride.'"



"Great pictures can be made from the epic themes, but the incidents, which may make good vignettes, are much more difficult to handle in a manner in which they will exist as art away from the story."

The idea of the epic versus the incident derives ultimately from Von Schmidt's teacher Harvey Dunn, and his 'grandteacher,' Howard Pyle.
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9 comments:

  1. Steve GilzowOctober 31, 2020 at 9:39 AM

    This theme is a near cousin to ordinary/infinite...

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  2. Susan KrzywickiOctober 31, 2020 at 12:08 PM




    I'm not sure I followed this - is he saying that "epic" is "better" than "incident"?

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  3. James GurneyOctober 31, 2020 at 12:13 PM

    Susan, yes, the idea is that epic themes are more universal and memorable than specific minor incidents.

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  4. Paul SullivanOctober 31, 2020 at 2:36 PM

    This is a very good post. I think the world of Harold von Schmidt’s work. Do you think the validity of his statement is in the type of stories he was usually illustrating, wild west and adventure?

    In comparison, I’m especially thinking of the early work of Dean Cornwell. At that time, a great many of Cornwell’s illustrations were of people in conversation or simply facing a problem. Sometimes only the composition or the body language of his figures established a mood of tension or a looming dilemma.

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  5. SmurfswackerOctober 31, 2020 at 5:02 PM

    During the Western Art boom of the 80s many illustrators pivoted from their shrinking field toward gallery art. Many were quite successful. I remember attending a huge Western art show in Los Angeles and discussing this point with a dealer. He noted that illustrators are accustomed to finding a narrative hook that grabs someone's attention and encourages them to buy the book. A paperback cover is a good story told in an instant. This approach didn't always transfer successfully to gallery paintings, which are destined to be hung on the wall and looked at for years to come.

    The dealer pointed out a nicely-painted canvas depicting a stagecoach robbery. In the foreground a robber, shot by a guard, is falling to the ground. The dealer said this painting wouldn't make good wall art because it told a specific story in its entirety. "That guy will be suspended there forever," he said. An owner would soon tire of looking at that same story over and over. On the other hand, he argued, an open-ended scene--for example bandits on a ridge watching a stage passing below, or even a simple shot of a racing stagecoach--provides a base upon which an owner can build his or her own stories. Each time they look at the painting it tells a slightly different tale. This gives the image a longer "shelf life," if you will.

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  6. MovieboardsOctober 31, 2020 at 5:21 PM

    Thanks for posting about the mighty Von Schmidt, one of my all time favorites. He always found the most dramatic moment and showed it so well. His short chapter on color theory in the old Famous Artists Course is interesting. He says he had a "Modern" period from 1911-1915, studying Cezanne & others. I know Maynard Dixon was also a big influence. @ Paul Sullivan, I agree Cornwell did such a great job in those early "drama" illustrations, often with just a couple in an environment.

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  7. MovieboardsOctober 31, 2020 at 5:25 PM

    Thanks for posting about the mighty Von Schmidt, one of my all time favorites. He always found the most dramatic moment and showed it so well. His short chapter on color theory in the old Famous Artists Course is interesting. He says he had a "Modern" period from 1911-1915, studying Cezanne & others. I know Maynard Dixon was also a big influence.
    @Smurfwacker great point and great story to illustrate it!
    @ Paul Sullivan, I agree Cornwell did such a great job in those early "drama" illustrations, often with just a couple in an environment.

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  8. Warren JBNovember 1, 2020 at 9:37 AM

    This is something I haven't really thought about, but it makes sense and I'll take note. (Thanks also to @Smurfswacker for another great example.)

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