Animal Follies

Seymour Chwast, Master & Dog Issue, 1972

In 1954 Seymour Chwast, Reynold Ruffins and Edward Sorel started to publish and send 

to advertising agencies the Push Pin Almanack to promote their skills and creative

perspective. Three years later, the Almanack evolved into Push Pin Monthly Graphic, 

an innovative publication that led to the birth of Push Pin Studios and lasted until 1980.

Its 86 themed issues showcased eclectic and groundbreaking work by the studio and 

a group of talented illustrators including Paul Davis, Isadore Seltzer, John Alcorn, 

James McMullan and Emanuel Schongut. Even though it was mainly a promotional 

venue, the magazine often tackled powerful social and political issues. 

 Seymour Chwast, Master & Dog Issue, 1972

  Stanislaw Zagorski, All Blue Issue, 1979

 Seymour Chwast, Eleven Nursery Rhymes Issue, 1961

  Milton Glaser, The Circus Issue, 1960

Milton Glaser and Seymour Chwast, Bertrand Russell on Peace, 1959

  Seymour Chwast, Flora and Fauna in Wood, 

premiere issue of Push Pin Graphic, 1957

  John Alcorn, About Fishing Issue, 1957 

  Seymour Chwast, Back to Sleep Issue, 1978

 A bit of advertising

Isadore Selzer, The Calendar Christmas Issue, 1979

Many thanks to AIGA Design Archives for uploading these beauties and more.

And of course, if you like Push Pin Graphic, you should get this book!

The Owl and the Lemming

This adorable animation was written by Alootook Ipellie and directed by Co Hoedeman in 1971.

 Hoedeman was a Dutch filmaker who moved to Canada in 1965 to work for the National FIlm Board. 

In the early 70s he collaborated with artists in Canadian Eskimo communities to produce a series

 of animated films based on Inuit legends using sealskin figures, soapstone carvings, and drawings. 

The lovely puppets were designed by Germaine Arnaktauyok.

Monday Matticchio – Elefante Pasquale

Easter Safari - Nesting

Attilio, The little cuckoo

Raquel Aparicio

Gina Triplett, Nest

 Francesca Zoboli, C'era un ramo

 Alain Bailhache, The beautiful world of hoopoe, 

thanks to International Children's Digital Library

Michael Gillette

Mai Miturich from The rainbow book, 1974, thanks to art.crazed

David Klein sketch, thanks to Matt Hinrichs

Mary Blair's lovely Golden Book of Little Verses, 

thanks to the Hollywod Animation Archive

Christian Northeast, thanks to cocotazo

Mikhail Belomlinsky, Wonders under the feet, 

thanks to bookvart's magnificent collection

Ota Janecek from Kinderparadies, 1960, and

Adolf Zabransky from Kinderfreuden, 1958, 

thanks to arthurvankruining's wonderfully inspiring flickr collection

Best Wishes!

Just Me And My Bunny

 Milton Glaser, Shirley and Mr Hoffman I, 1981-82, via Galerie Martel

  Jean Dieuzaide, Portugal, 1954, thanks to So Woods at Le blog de SoVeNa

  Takiyaje

Margo Selski, Desire's pet

 Erika Yamashiro, Rabbithair

 Susumu Fujimoto (discovered at the Bologna book fair,

photo thanks to Sophie Van der Linden)

 Sam Weber

 James Jean

 Ghostpatrol, Lapin voyage skateboard

 Karolin Schnoor

Maurice Sendak, Mr. rabbit and the lovely present,

thanks to Sergio Ruzzier

Lori Field, Area 25, thanks to Phantasmaphile

French Finesse

This gorgeous volume by Jean-François Martin was the winner of this year's 

Bologna Ragazzi Award in the fiction category.

Jean-François Martin is a graphic designer and illustrator living in Paris. Since 1993, 

he has published many children's books with major French companies like Nathan, Flammarion, and Bayard. 

Fables d'Esope has come out for Milan Jeunesse, the same lovely people who last year published 

Sebastiano's Animal Rainbow. In fact, when we visited Milan's booth to talk about future projects, 

I completely forgot to take a good look at the book, so the following photos come courtesy of School Library Journal.

Both illustrations and typography have a wonderful retro feel,

but I'll let the jury do the talk, since they are much more eloquent than me: 

“Countless illustrators have returned down the ages to the ancient magic of the fairytale.

 Here it seems that Felix Valloton in his halcyon years has returned to instill a new pace

 into a time-honoured tale, without, however, diminishing its power. The splendid illustrations resonate 

to mysterious melodies. Allusive line-work, intriguing faces and a subtle blend of ochre and grey tones

 are all bathed in a captivating surreal light that draws everything together. A truly magnificent 

“tale of all tales”, this book is a typographical masterpiece blending to perfection beautiful type faces 

with an unusual yet extraordinarily harmonious amalgam of delicate almost unsubstantiated hues.”

Funny thing is, when I visited Albin Michel's booth I was drawn to the striking cover

of this book of cat tales. The inside illustrations were also very intriguing, so I took 

quite a few photos and only days after I realized that they were by the same artist.

As you can see, these artworks too are rich with historical references.

The scene above in particular strongly reminds me of William Nicholson's woodcuts. 

Well, it was love at first sight...

Now I can't wait to see more of Martin's books, 

including the very promising Nouvel abécédaire Russe!