Evening star., 1912-09-08
MODERN ILLUSTRATION.
1.-THE ARTIST.
By Frederic ]. Haskin.

Each year records an increase in the
number of artists of reputation who are
turning their attention to Illustration.
which offers far more in the way of re-
enumeration to the average artist than any
other form OF art. 1t also is the speediest
way of becoming known to the public, for
while a successful painting may be ex-
hibLed at a number of academies and
galleries IL will not be seen by the large
majority of people until it has been re-
produced and used in some publication as
an illustration. Painters now are realiZ-
ing that ii Is frequently better to paint
a picture with view to having 1t used
as an illustration than merely to hang in
A gallery, and many who are recognized
as masters are making a side line of IL
lustrations to which they devote quite as
much attention as to their exhibition pic
lures.
The difficulty with the average artist
at the beginning of his illustrating career
is that he is absorbed i'm his own ideas
that it is hard for him to take into con-
sideration the fact that his idea must be
subject to that of the writer whose work
his is supposed to illustrate and also that
he must consider the limitations of the
reproduction process. a failure to un-
derStand these matters is the cause of
SO many illustrations being issued which
really do not illustrate and therefore
are not filling their true purpose, what
ever their artistic value.
Despite the number of distinguished ar
lists whose names are attached to maya
zine illustra-
One Young Artist tions there
Meets With Trouble. YET are son., ,a,'S
the beginner, who regards the Illustration
as pot boiler" to be abandoned soon
as he has established name which will
give him different market for his pic
lures. Such young man recently ap-
preached magazine publisher asking for
work. He was armed with influential
letters OF Introduction and the specimens
OF his work showed real ability. so he was
lntrusted with novel to illustrate. He
was highly indignant that his work did
not meet with approval, but he portrayed
the heroine petite blonde when she was
intended by the author to be a large and
handsome brunette. The broad shoulder
cd. smooth faced athlete, described as the
here apeared from the artists hand as
a dapper little man with dark mus
tache. The whole series of pictures was
misleading and therefore could not be
accepted. although a little attention upon
the part of the artist could have made
them ideal
Book and periodical illustration is COM
paratively young in America The eyo-
luton of II can be traced in the bound
volumes OF two or three of the best
known magazines whose publications go
back over half century. II is only
about thirty years since photography
stepped In TO give the illustrator the ad-
vantage of first-class reproduction of his
work, which before that had been de-
pendent upon the more or less uncertain
de- 1f he TT
so often were unsatisfactory that a good
artist hesitated to risk having his con-
ceptton spoiled. But now American illus
trations are the finest in the world, and
in no other country are such generous
sums paid to the artist producing them.
a
The sum OF 81. 900 for a single drawing
sounds fabulous. and yet the report that
High Prices Paid period c /
For Fine Illustrations. paio sa'u" ~,
Dana Gibson for contract involving the
production Of picture each alternate
week during the year never has been
contrad;cted, and there are a number of
cases on record of $1,000 being paid for
a cover page or inside illustration. Five
hundred dollars is not infrequently paid.
and S. 900 is not an unheard of price to
pay an artist of repute for the drawings
TO illustrate a popular novel. OF course
such prices do not come to the beginner
or the unknown artist, but the field TO-.
illustration is broadening so rapidly that
the price for good work is well worthy
OF consideration.
The names OF such artists as the late
Edwin A. Abbey and Howard Pyle. as
we'll as those of j. Pennell. Robert Blum
and others who are still with us, will be
recognized in the future as the founders
of the modern American school OF illus
traticn. since their influence has been felt
not only In the United States. but
throughout Europe as well. The high
standard set by their pen and brush
drawings to be used for illustrations has
been an inspiration TO thousands OF
younger artists following in their field.
Many of these forgotten pictures hidden
in the files of old magazines are being
sought out and treasured by young illus
traitors .or their good qualities In detail
and treatment. The modern young Illus