Peter Brock, now a world renowned automotive designer, met illustrative artist, George Bartell, when they both attended Art Center College of Design in the mid 50s. Years later when Brock was creating Cobra ads for Shelby American and had no cars to photograph, hiring Bartell to create cars via his artwork was the answer.
Between 1963 and '67, Bartell created stunning oil paintings and water colors of various Cobras that were extensively reproduced in ads, posters, race programs, and other promotional materials. Those ads became iconic symbols of that era.
http://www.deansgarage.com/2010/the-design-staff-library/
https://www.automobilemag.com/news/1964-shelby-cobra-csx-2278-photos-history/
As an illustrator myself I was always fascinated with Bartell's work. I remember the covers of Car & Driver magazines which his work graced, and ads inside the magazines. He was a great illustrator. An artist through and through.
ReplyDeleteyou are? How we never talked about that? I didn't know!
DeleteWell, wow, I've posted a TON of illustrators over the years.
So... where's a link to your work?
and who are your top 5 favorite 1960s, 70s illustrators?
DeleteJesse, I don't have a link or a blog as I am more of a part time illustrator. Truth be told I haven't picked up a pencil or pen in many years as I have been over whelmed with aiding others who need help.
ReplyDeleteAs for my favorite illustrators, well certainly Bartell. In the comic book genera I looked up to Stranko and Kirby from Marvel comics. In Pulp art I really was amazed at Boris Vallejo's works, and the bizarre and erotic works of Robert Williams. I would add George Trosley's cartoon works for numerous car mags. There's a lot out there I could mention but those artist come to mind for that time period.
Love George Bartell's work! Really timely talk about him and Peter Brock and all things Shelby with the recent opening of the movie, "Ford VS. Ferrari". As an automotive illustrator and painter myself, this post really struck a chord. Thanks! -Don Coker
ReplyDeletehttps://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2019/12/don-coker-newspaper-art-director-and.html I love your art too!
DeleteAnd it was kicked off by the article (linked) in Automobile Magazine about a guy from San Diego who bought this Cobra, but more than that, it was that the Cobra was made for the illustrator that Shelby hired... and that ties in my appreciation for the illustrators (you probably haven't looked through my archives to see the variety of illustrators I've featured) and my respect for Art Center College of Pasadena alum (again, archives on both the alum, and the annual car show at the college) and then my interest was also bumped up by the tie in with Peter Brock having been his classmate (again, archives on Peter Brock)
ReplyDeleteIt happened that the movie was something I'd posted about, back when they announced that it was finally getting made, and when they cast the lead actors, but before that I'd posted about the Ford and Shelby vs Ferrari competition.
The movie may have inspired Automobile Magazine to post about this car at this time, but for my own post, it was nothing to do with the movie. That's a coincidence. I've simply been posting about the Art College and to learn that one of it's alum became Shelby's advertising illustrator, was astonishing. Hell, I don't think I'd known that Brock was an artist that had been through Art Center College, I'd only known of him as a racer, designer of the fastback for the Shelby Cobra Daytona, etc.
Until this, I'd never heard of Bartell!
Compliments on your painting of Bullard! https://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2014/12/eugene-bullard-forgotten-hero-ignored.html I was impressed with his story too!
ReplyDelete