Influence. Bob Gill.
By Mark Kaufman In the podcast interview with me for Escape From Illustration Island, I name checked Bob Gill as one of my design/illustration heroes. A big influence on me and thousands of other designers and illustrators, his work struck me at an early age and set me on the path that I am on. […]
Bjorn Wiinblad: Danish Master
By Mark Kaufman I was lucky enough to purchase an original Bjorn Wiinblad poster recently, a gorgeous screenprinted affair for a Danish theatre company, 10+ colors including a lovely gold plate. I was familiar with the artists ceramics, but I have been trolling the web and ebay to see his lovely poster designs. I generally […]
Humbug Archival Project from Fantagraphics
By Mark Kaufman The 2009 Fantagraphics catalogue showed up in my mailbox the other day, and lo and behold it looks like they will be releasing a 300-page book of Humbug, the Harvey Kurtzman edited, post Mad humor magazine from the late 1950s. This is HUGE for fanboys of a certain age. I have never […]
Randall Enos and the Sullen Teen
By Mark Kaufman Back in my sullen teen days, way back in the early to mid 1970s, one thing which always brightened my day would be to curl up in some small, dark corner with a fresh copy of National Lampoon Magazine, an inspiration to a generation of layabouts, slackers and good for nothings. It’s […]
Lou Dorfsman 1918-2008
By Mark Kaufman Lou Dorfsman, the long-time Creative Director at CBS has died at the age of 90. A true design giant, he is one of the reasons that CBS was known as the Tiffany Network. His work for Columbia Broadcasting infused the company and the medium with class and intelligence. A true design pioneer. […]
What’s the Matter With Oregon?
By Mark KaufmanI spent the weekend in Oregon, a lovely day in Portland and a road trip down to Ashland for The Oregon Shakespeare Festival. Overall a great trip, Oregon is a beautiful state, however what the fuck is with Oregonians and their footwear choices? Never in my life have I seen such a horrid […]
Tomi Ungerer. Politics, Kids, Advertising, Erotica
By Mark Kaufman I was out of town for the weekend, so I didn’t get to read the New York Times Sunday edition until last night. To my pleasant surprise there was an article about one of my childhood heroes, Tomi Ungerer in the Arts & Leisure section. Happily Phaidon Press has purchased the English […]
Will Elder: 1921-2008
By Mark KaufmanAnother hero bites the dust. Will Elder whose illustration, draftsmanship, talent, humor and genius launched thousands upon thousands of pale imitators (myself proudly included) has died at the age of 86. EC Comics, Mad Magazine, Little Annie Fanny, those three contributions all by themselves illustrate a career that had a profound impact on […]
Robert Rauschenberg 1925-2008
A true giant of painting, assemblage, sculpture, collage, printmaking and performance art, Robert Rauschenberg has died at the age of 82. Thankfully you can see a bevy of interviews with the artist here.
Evil Kneivel Jumps Heaven
By Mark KaufmanEvil Kneivel, daredevil, movie star, marketing genius, showman, and an American original has died and jumped straight to Heaven as far as I am concerned. The first true extreme sport superstar, he mad many death defying jumps on his motorcycle over buses, cars, The Caesar’s Palace fountain, and a box of rattlesnakes, he […]