I’m guessing we’re all visual and creative artists in some way. These are two “learn to draw cartoon” books I found along the way. These vintage characters have a really unique look, just loaded with personality. My cartoon drawings never quite looked the same twice. Pages from these books would look great in a frames.
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Allee Willis
Gorgeous. Gorgeous. Gorgeous! I absolutely love learn how to draw books just as I love learn how to paint tv programs or learn how to do anything in any medium for that matter.
These vintage books on the subject are classic, especially something going back this far when animation really came to the forefront. Is there a date on these? I’d guess 1940’s but could go a little on either side of that too.
These are so great as most learn to draw books have you studying more conservative or true-to-human shapes.
I never really learned to draw just like I never really learned how to do music and go purely on instinct with both but I may have ended up being trained had seen these books in my youth.
MyFunCloset
The earlier book is dated c1949 and no date on the later. The “modern” cartoons are a great collections by various artist with lots of tips. There’s a spread of 5 charicatures, Clark Gable, Kathryn Hepburn, Stalin, Eddie Cantor and Veronica Lake, all by Salvador Baglez that are really slick. (looks like Brown Derby charicatures??). I love to share. Glad you like them!
Allee Willis
I own about 30 Brown Derby originals! Got them in a Bekins parking lot sale for $5 each!! One of the best scores I’ve ever made.
MyFunCloset
Did you say ORIGINALS!!!!!! What a score! Is the artist Salvador Baglez? Every line drawn on paper is fab-u-lous. The artist really knew how to swing a brush! I’m jealous times 10. Please put a few up for us all to see.
Allee Willis
YES, ORIGINALS! As original as the drawings were in the three Brown Derbies in LA, two on Wilshire and one on Vine. The actual story behind those drawings is that the owner of the Brown Derby, Bob Cobb, after whom the Cobb salad was named, kept the original drawings of each portrait in his house. Then he made three copies via whatever process they used in those days and one of each hung in the three Derbys. I have the ones from the last Derby that closed on Vine. I went to the Bekins parking lot sale after seeing a teeny tiny classified in the LA Times saying the contents of the restaurant were being sold becuase the original buyer didn;t pay his storage bill. Most people there were there for chairs, stoves, lamps, etc. There was only one other person who was interested in the art so we made a pact that we wouldn’t bid against each other and would each take every other portrait that came up. So we each ended up with about 30 of them for five bucks a pop. The whole way driving home I kept thinking someone was going to pull me over and tell me it was all a mistake.
My house was built as the party house for MGM in 1937 and the 16 smaller ones fit perfectly on my kitchen wall with not even 1/16 of an inch to spare. I firmly believe that I was karmically meant to have these!
MyFunCloset
If you have the time, can you snap a shot or two and share with all your loyal kitsch-heads?
Allee Willis
Yes. All my posts in the museum are part of my Kitsch O’ The Day blog so as soon as I get the energy up to blog about them I’ll do it. I’m taping a BROWN DERBY note next to my desk so it will be sitting here haunting me until I do it.