tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18907156.post767598340074062777..comments2024-03-19T02:12:41.691-04:00Comments on Today's Inspiration: Marvin Friedman: "You had to do what you had to do to get the work."leifpenghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07232334860061949895noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18907156.post-27502452124056162422015-03-09T13:55:43.171-04:002015-03-09T13:55:43.171-04:00did Marvin go to City College? I remember an art m...did Marvin go to City College? I remember an art major with that name but I would never guess he would go on to do this high level illustration. I thought he ended up an ad agency director<br />Renee KahnRenee Kahnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12673402329282414720noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18907156.post-39303651358406321802011-10-18T20:41:16.641-04:002011-10-18T20:41:16.641-04:00David;
Thanks very much for the kind words and al...David;<br /><br />Thanks very much for the kind words and also (and especially) for sharing your astute observations about Marvin's wonderful illustration! Its a treat to hear you analyze why that piece works so well on a compositional level (no, its not just you).leifpenghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07232334860061949895noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18907156.post-91937402100297933562011-10-18T20:38:28.498-04:002011-10-18T20:38:28.498-04:00Here's a note Bill Peckmann emailed to me, whi...Here's a note Bill Peckmann emailed to me, which is C&P'ed with his permission:<br /><br />A big shout out "Hubba Hubba" to you and Mr. Friedman! I want to see more of his stuff, he's always kinda snuck by me, I didn't buy or see the magazines he appeared in, what a terrific artist!<br /> <br />The money angle is not easy readin', is it. My educated guess would be that in the age before TV, all the advertising bucks went to print and now the big bucks go to TV. Years ago (B.TV) the mags had a pretty nice viscous circle going, the more mags they sold with the help of great art, the more adv. revenue they got, the more revenue they got, the more they could pay for even better art which then sold more magazines.... Seems like everyone should have been a happy camper in those days, advertisers, artists, editors and especially the readers. (I know they all weren't, because of human nature being squabbly human nature, but on the whole if you look back on what was turned out and the livings that were made then, I'd say it was all working pretty good.)<br /> <br />And now in the age of TV, the even bigger adv.bucks are still there but they go to over paid entertainers, lavish productions, sport stars, etc. etc.....leifpenghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07232334860061949895noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18907156.post-87664005546421289732011-10-18T09:06:12.571-04:002011-10-18T09:06:12.571-04:00Leif, this thoughtful, independent sociological re...Leif, this thoughtful, independent sociological research that you perform is one of the most valuable aspects of TI, in my view. People have long discussed this great fall off in anecdotal terms but the original analysis you perform, made up of interviews and hard statistical evidence and contemporary reference material, really advances the field. This is important work, thanks for all you do. <br /><br />I think the story you posted years ago about Andy Virgil's struggle to make a living during this era was especially heartbreaking. And Stanley Meltzoff's story from this same era is poignant too (although it had a happy ending as he re-invented himself).<br /><br />I've always enjoyed that Friedman illustration of the dancer in the pink bikini. With all of the wild activity going on in that picture, that frenzy of black marks on the ceiling and along the wall, the stark, high contrast colors, etc. etc., it still comes together shrewdly composed so that your attention is unmistakably led back to that rear end. It isn't easy to stay in control of a picture that robust, but you can see how he accomplishes it: those men Friedman placed at the bar in compositional stepping stones; the thrust of her body into the center of the picture, Friedman's use of the highest contrasts to steer your eyes-- all very effective.<br /><br />Or is it just me?David Apatoffhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11293486149879229016noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18907156.post-20255616990758219072011-10-17T21:34:07.094-04:002011-10-17T21:34:07.094-04:00Amazing post, so much to think about. And worry ab...Amazing post, so much to think about. And worry about. I've been lucky enough to talk to some artists I grew up loving and have been astonished at what a hard time they are having. Sometimes it seems that there's a seismic shift away from illustration, but I don't think that's the case. I think the people buying art from us simply want to pay less. I'm about six years into my career and have worked with a number of publishers big and small and it's still a struggle. I'm still not quite making a living.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15375615378259386972noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18907156.post-64867186495191473992011-10-17T21:18:42.224-04:002011-10-17T21:18:42.224-04:00This is an amazingly interesting post, Leif. So gl...This is an amazingly interesting post, Leif. So glad I found your blog via Eric Orchard on G+. <br /><br />#offtotheliquorstore<br />#greasethosewheelsGlendon Mellowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03582347493421110738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18907156.post-88949615602854896212011-10-17T20:43:45.567-04:002011-10-17T20:43:45.567-04:00Yeah, unfortunately, that's sort of where all ...Yeah, unfortunately, that's sort of where all this is leading - but thanks for the confirmation, Anonymous. Yes, it really is pretty sad. Yet the urge to illustrate seems greater than ever. There are more talented and engaged artists creating wonderful illustrative art than ever -- despite the horrendous financial situation. Some are finding alternative outlets, but I think very few - only a tiny percentage - can ever hope to make the kind of living from their art that was once (relatively) common.leifpenghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07232334860061949895noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18907156.post-73847347771462122652011-10-17T19:46:45.048-04:002011-10-17T19:46:45.048-04:00Unfortunately, Boy's Life pays the same today ...Unfortunately, Boy's Life pays the same today as they did when Marvin started -- we're talking decades... pretty sad really.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com