3-D Spacescapes (1964)

SOURCE   Dreams of Space - Click here to go to original post

This is a spectacular book of punch-outs of the surfaces of other planets. It takes the space art and makes it 3-D. Because the book itself is 15" x 10" some of the images are harder to share. Also since I did not want to assemble this beauty you can only get part of the effect. What blows me away about this book is the impressionistic approach to showing the surface of these other planets.

As you see each page is huge with lots of images so I scanned part of the page so you can see some of the spaceflight vehicles and plans.

It is part of the Hammond "Construct-o-kit" books. Hammond was a map and atlas company that as their part of the space age created a number of spaceflight images as to be used in introductions to atlases and as maps.
Construct-o-kit 3-D spacescapes. By Sonya Rubin Fish. C. S. Hammond, Inc. 1965-02-18 (in notice: 1964)

Other uses of the Hammond images are found in these blog posts:

http://dreamsofspace.blogspot.com/2010/12/happy-holidays-from-my-room.html (the poster in the background)

http://dreamsofspace.blogspot.com/2010/05/space-mans-new-frontier-1962.html

Some of my favorite images include these of a moonbase and a lunar lander.

There is almost no text in this book except this information page. Like other punch-out books this one encourages a child to imagine what the future might bring.

FRANK R. PAUL: FATHER OF SCIENCE FICTION ART

SOURCE   Skiffy - Click here to go to original post

FRANK R. PAUL: FATHER OF SCIENCE FICTION ART is a modern volume published by Castle Books (New York) that contains a comprehensive history, critical essay and huge gallery of one of the most beloved SF artists. Contributors include ARTHUR C. CLARKE, SAM MOSKOWITZ and FORREST J. ACKERMAN.



Original artwork for LIFE ON NEPTUNE, from the back cover of FANTASTIC ADVENTURES, March 1940.



Artwork erroneously credited as appearing on the cover of WONDER STORIES, June 1931. According to the book SCIENCE FICTION ART - THE FANTASIES OF SF by BRIAN ALDISS this was actually the cover for SCIENCE FICTION, December 1939 and depicted a scene from PLANET OF THE KNOB HEADS by STANTON A. COBLENTZ.

The Giant Golden Book of Birds

SOURCE   Vintage Kids' Books My Kid Loves - Click here to go to original post

The Giant Golden Book of Birds
by Robert Porter Allen
designed and illustrated by Arthur Singer
Golden Press, 1962

I'm posting this morning on a book I probably should have highlighted a while ago considering it's prominently displayed in my banner. Those who read this blog regularly know that from the time my son was about 2 and a half, he's been obsessively preoccupied with all things feathered. This love has been unwavering. Never for a moment has it flickered. Other dalliances have come and gone, but for more three years, if you ask him what his favorite thing is, he will tell you. Birds.

I doubt many five years old have written fan letters to David Attenborough professing their love for his work. This past week, huddled in bed fighting colds and ear infections, the American Masters documentary on John James Audubon became his new best friend. He has a habit of circling every bird he sees with his index finger. He loves to draw them. He loves to memorize their names. He loves to make them out of tin foil and fly them around the house.

I was never really a bird person, but when your child embraces something so passionately and fully, you can't help but open up the window and let the love in. As such, I've searched the world over for bird books. My son has dozens of bird guides, chronicling species where his grandmother lives in Virginia, the coast of Maine, the Gulf, California... Being the vintage buff that I am, for me, there is no bird book better for children than The Giant Golden Book of Birds. It is, hands down, my son's favorite book.

Singer's first book Birds of the World was written for adults and published by Golden in 1961. It has many of the same illustrations --and more-- as it's three times the size. The Giant version was published a year later and is basically the same book whittled down in content and repackaged for children. To perfection I might add. There is something about its over-sized layout -- huge pages busting to the brim with colorful birds -- that makes me re-fall in love every time my son cracks it open. Though he adores both books, the one designed with kids in mind is definitely the winner.

If your child has any interest in nature or birds, ours makes a lovely addition to the coffee table. As a mother, this will be the book I look back on and remember.

And cry over, of course.


—————

Read along on Facebook, tumblr, Twitter and Etsy

3-D Spacescapes (1964)

SOURCE   Dreams of Space - Click here to go to original post

This is a spectacular book of punch-outs of the surfaces of other planets. It takes the space art and makes it 3-D. Because the book itself is 15" x 10" some of the images are harder to share. Also since I did not want to assemble this beauty you can only get part of the effect. What blows me away about this book is the impressionistic approach to showing the surface of these other planets.

As you see each page is huge with lots of images so I scanned part of the page so you can see some of the spaceflight vehicles and plans.

It is part of the Hammond "Construct-o-kit" books. Hammond was a map and atlas company that as their part of the space age created a number of spaceflight images as to be used in introductions to atlases and as maps.
Construct-o-kit 3-D spacescapes. By Sonya Rubin Fish. C. S. Hammond, Inc. 1965-02-18 (in notice: 1964)

Other uses of the Hammond images are found in these blog posts:

http://dreamsofspace.blogspot.com/2010/12/happy-holidays-from-my-room.html (the poster in the background)

http://dreamsofspace.blogspot.com/2010/05/space-mans-new-frontier-1962.html

Some of my favorite images include these of a moonbase and a lunar lander.

There is almost no text in this book except this information page. Like other punch-out books this one encourages a child to imagine what the future might bring.

Ward Brackett: How Far is Far (in an Artist’s Evolution)?

SOURCE   FitaCola - Click here to go to original post

Two or three years after yesterday’s images from Reader’s Digest Condensed Books, here are a group of Brackett illustrations for the same publisher.



Brackett’s mid-’60s style is gorgeously sophisticated and sensitive in its observation and execution.



Some comments to yesterday’s post suggested a similarity to Austin Briggs‘ work and here it seems even more apparent, doesn’t it?





Some of what Brackett is doing at this point I would almost describe as being “exhilaratingly crude.” I look at the piece below and I’m reminded of the work of Chicago artist, Carl Kock



Was this development the further influence of Reuben Tam?

During that same mid-’60s period Brackett illustrated several children’s books in a style that reflects this same ’sophisticated crudeness’.

From 1964



From 1966







And from 1967



This sort of thing won’t appeal to everyone – but I think its noteworthy that Brackett was effectively using this experimental technique in work directed at both child and adult audiences.

Lest you think Brackett completed his career cutting and pasting construction paper, take a look at this book, published in 1974 by McGraw-Hill.



Here is the work of matured artist who, after years as a student…



… now feels confident in his ability to become a teacher.







Finally, perhaps my favourite of all the Ward Brackett art we’ve looked at this week, three pieces sent to me long ago by our own Charlie Allen. No date on these, but they must surely be from the ’60s or even the early ’70s.



When he sent these, Charlie, never one to waste words, enclosed a note that simply said, “Ward Brackett, one of my many favorite illustrators.”





I like that! Hope you’ve enjoyed this week’s look at the work of Ward Brackett…



… one of my many favourite illustrators, too!

* My Ward Brackett Flickr set.

* Ward Brackett’s obituary

* Many thanks to my pal Drazen Kozjan for sharing some of his scans today from “You Will Live Under the Sea”. You can find several more from the book at Drazen’s blog.