From Dove, with Love

Peter Max, 1968

This spirited flock just flew by, inspired by current human events.

May Peace Be with You Wherever You Go!

Stamp and poster designs by Stefan Kanchev, discovered thanks to Grain Edit

 Asela Pérez, 1978

 

 Herb Lubalin, U&lc cover, 1981

 Tahamtan Aminian, 2006

 Hassan Massoudi, discovered thanks to Gramatologia

Linda Vignato, from her peace drawings series

Tamas Toth, poster in memory of the 1956 Hungarian uprising, 2006

thanks to Rene Wenner's Poster Page

Kazumasa Nagai, 1989, 

from a recent post of vintage Japanese political posters on Pink Tentacle

McRay Magleby

 

Gürbüz Doğan Ekşioğlu

 Mehdi Saeedi, thanks to Robert L.Peters

 Bansky at West Bank. Photo: Reuters

Alfazoo

 Alfredo De Santis was born in 1941 in Rome, and while as an art student, fully immersed himself 
in the lively and exciting artistic and intellectual life of the city during the 1950s. 

In 1962 he moved to Milan,where learned to appreciate the graphic design works 

of GIancarlo Iliprandi, Pino Tovaglia and other exponents of that fervently modernist era.

After moving back to Rome, in 1964 he opened a graphic design studio and published a number of 

children's books with Emme Edizioni. The funny alphabetic bestiary Alfazoo came out in 1968.

Maira's dogs

Self portrait with Pete, 2004-5

I assume that many of Animalarium's readers are familiar with Maira Kalman.

You probably have seen some of her whimsical New Yorker covers and children's books, 

or maybe you know her for her design work with M&Co, or as the wife and collaborator

of the late Tibor Kalman, legendary graphic designer and founding editor of Colors.

Recently, Maira wrote and illustrated the blog "And the pursuit of Happiness" 

for the New York Times. The list of her creative pursuits could go on and on...

Illustration from Maira Kalman's book The Principles of Uncertainty

Recently I discovered one more artistic expression of the multi-talented Ms. Kalman,

 this series of portraits of pets and their owners' legs from Ralph Pucci's website. 

I quite enjoy them, and hope you do too!

Mad Men & Crazy Critters - 5th episode: Keeping it simple

Design is so simple, that's why it is so complicated. Paul Rand

Yesterday was the end of spring semester at FIDI, and my turn to assign grades 

(my least favorite part of being a teacher) and say goodbye to my dear students, 

who are going back to their homes across four continents and moving on 

to new challenges and adventures. I know I am going to miss them, but on the bright side 

I will finally have some time to work on my art and garden, update my website and 

flickr and clear my backlog of emails... (btw, I am the one in the red raincoat)

Stafford Fabrics, 1942

Anton Maix Fabrics

I have come to really enjoy teaching, a work which among other wonderful things 

has inspired me to study and love more deeply graphic design, a field I entered many

 years ago mostly by accident. Doing research for the lectures also has the added bonus 

of giving me an extra chance to stumble upon interesting designs featuring animals...

Ohrbach's Department Store, 1940s

Today's finds are a series of ads designed and illustrated by Paul Rand 

in his classic playful and modern style. Most of the pictures come from 

the extensive and beautiful website dedicated to him, a very good place to start 

in case you are not familiar with this great and highly influential designer.

Architectural Forum, 1943

Robeson Cutlery Company, late 1940s

El Producto Cigar Company, 1952-57

Westinghouse, 1960s

Elegant kittens & more: Manny Schongut's children books

Illustration for a Saki (H. H. Munro) story in The Literary Cat, edited by J.C. Suares 
and Seymour Chwast. Published by the Push Pin Press in 1977.

Thanks to A Journey Round My Skull's beautiful book covers post and a tip from my lovely flickr friend
 art.crazed, I am very pleased to have discovered and to share the artwork of Emanuel (Manny) Schongut.
 Schongut is now a San Francisco resident but used to live in New York City, where he collaborated
 with the phenomenal Push Pin Studios and created illustrations for periodicals like The New York Times,
 New York Magazine and Harper's Bazaar.

Following is a selection of illustrations recently uploaded by Schongut in his flickr set dedicated to
 the numerous children's books (over twenty) he has worked on during his still productive editorial career.

from Stone Man, Stone House, written by Anne Merrick Epstein, 
illustrated and designed by Emanuel Schongut.

Published by Doubleday in 1972.

from Elidore and the Golden Ball, written by Georgess McHargue, illustrated by Emanuel Schongut.

Published by Dodd, Mead & Company in 1973.

I asked Schongut about the influence of late 19th century illustration on this book's beautifully
 outlined drawings, silhouettes and elegant compositions, and he kindly answered:

"You are correct about Elidore. I think Heath Robinson (not Charles, always preferred Heath),
 Rackham, a bit Beardsley, and Howard Pyle. I think Pogany as well, Kay Nielson, Dorothy Lathrop,
 maybe Rockwell Kent, and too many more! Jean de Bosschere, the wonderful Boutet De Monvel,
 and Maude and Miska Petersham have had some influence. As a child I had access to early elementary school
 readers inherited from an older sister. I still have them and more I have collected through the years,
 these may really be my roots. The illustrations in the color fairy books and Jessie Willcox Smith
 illustrations, Japanese prints, art nouveau, art deco, early Disney, early to mid 20th century magazine illustration.
 Although probably not obvious, Richard Lindner, who taught at Pratt Institute, had a strong influence.
 Later on when I worked on projects with Milton Glaser and Seymour Chwast at New York Magazine
 and Pushpin studios, I suppose I could not help but absorb a bit there!"

What an impressive list of inspirations! And it includes at least five artists that I am not familiar
 with and definitely need to check out ASAP... thanks again, Mr. Schongut!

from The Lonely Skyscraper, written by Jenny Hawksworth, designed and illustrated by Emanuel Schongut.

Published by Methuen/Walker books, Doubleday, and Hachette in 1980.

from Five Kitten Board books (Look Kitten, Play Kitten, Wake Kitten, Catch Kitten)

illustrated, designed, and written by Emanuel Schongut. Published by Walker Books
 London in 1983. Co published in the U.S., France, and the Netherlands.

from Christmas Eve Blizzard, written by Andrea Vlahakis, illustrated by Emanuel Schongut.

Published by Sylvan Dell in 2005.

from Turtles In My Sandbox, written by Jennifer Keats Curtis, illustrated and designed 

by Emanuel Schongut. Published by Sylvan Dell in 2006.