October 22 – Happy Birthday, N.C. Wyeth

Posted October 22, 2017

The Boy's King Arthur!

Robin Hood!

Robinson Crusoe!

And don't forget the first: Treasure Island!





Newell Convers Wyeth - who is known by his initials, N.C. Wyeth - was the student of a famous artist (Howard Pyle) and became the father and grandfather of two more famous artists (Andrew Wyeth and Jamie Wyeth). But N.C. Wyeth is himself a famous painter, as well. 


Born on this date in 1882, in Massachusetts, Wyeth was prolific. That means that he created a LOT of artwork. He created over 3,000 paintings, he illustrated 112 books, and he created magazine covers, posters, calendars, advertisements, and even large-scale murals!

Wyeth liked to paint things realistically, and when illustrating books he tried for historical accuracy in, say, clothing. But he also liked to create "atmosphere" and emotion with his illustrations - shadows and dark backgrounds and action-packed scenes.

At the time that Wyeth was painting, the camera and photography were just starting to compete with paintings in illustration. Once photographs were used a lot for realistic pictures, many illustrators began to focus less on realism. But Wyeth was still in the heyday of realistic illustration, and his illustrations made such big hits that the money he earned for his first book illustration job - Treasure Island - paid for his art studio.

Take a gander at some of Wyeth's work:







Also on this date:
          

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