Society of Illustrators Names 2019 Hall of Fame Recipients - Frank Godwin

Frank Godwin (1889–1959), was an American illustrator and comic strip artist. Born in Washington D.C., Godwin worked as a young man for his father’s paper, The Washington Star. Godwin studied at the Art Students League in NYC. His book illustrations were featured in classic best-sellers Treasure Island, Kidnapped, Robinson Crusoe, Robin Hood and King Arthur. He is most recognized for his comic strips Connie and Rusty Riley. Additionally, he was a prolific editorial and advertising illustrator. A Society of Illustrators vice president, Godwin was also a member of the National Press Club and the Dutch Treat and Salmagundi clubs.

Attribution: Mercedes Milligan, animationmagazine.net

Born in Washington DC in 1889, Godwin was the son of the city editor of The Washington Star. Self-taught, he began his career as an apprentice on that newspaper. A stint at the Art Students League brought him in contact with James Montgomery Flagg and, by 1908, his work began to appear in humor magazines of the day. By 1915, he was firmly established at Judge doing headings for stories (at right), and even the title page drawing for their annual reprint collection (at left).

While obviously influenced by Flagg (and Charles Dana Gibson), Godwin managed to create a style that was recognizably his and that stood out from both his idols and the mass of clones that were cropping up everywhere. His ability to create tones, especially facial characteristics, with his pen and brush were equal to and in some ways better than Gibson and, I think, obviously superior to Flagg. His use of pen and brush in the same illustration demonstrated an understanding of the medium that set his work apart from his contemporaries. It, combined with his tonal skills, gave his work a depth and weight that was seldom equaled. Walt and Roger Reed in The Illustrator in America 1880-1980 credit some of this realism to his modeling of busts in clay for reference. They don't say when he adopted this practice, but it's unlikely that he was doing this so early in his career.

Attribution: http://www.bpib.com/illustrat/godwin.htm
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