The Art of Russell Patterson

Over Sexteen 6

2011-11-05T12:39:00.000-07:00

This is an old post from my Sekvenskonst blog that I felt belonged here. /Joakim.

Russell Patterson is probably most well known for his stylish artwork, produced between the late teens and the early forties. Covers for Ballyhoo, American Weekly etc including numerous gorgeous flappers.

A lesser known part of his career is his work for Grayson Publishing Corp. in the 50's.
Not beeing the hot artist anymore, he illustrated at least two joke books in the "Over Sexteen" series.
Just to give you a few samples of his work on these books, I've scanned a few of his gag illustrations from volume 6. If you want to see Patterson artwork from his peak years I recommend the book "The Art of Russell Patterson".

Now, over to the Sexteen gags. Funny or not, here they come...

There's more in the book, so if you like them it's pretty easy to find it on eBay, along with the "Sexteen goes abroad" book that followed. Enjoy!

Original art

2010-10-25T13:24:00.000-07:00

Illustration artwork to ...?

Custom Russell Patterson

2010-09-26T16:32:00.000-07:00

2009-12-21T11:25:00.000-08:00

Artists and models clip

2009-12-20T05:35:00.000-08:00

TCM will show the 1937 movie Artists and models on February 23, 2010. And they have posted a few clips online. Including this one where we see Patterson and other artists drawing.

Just click HERE to watch it. (The image above is just a screen shot.)
Or HERE for the entire list of clips including a scene with Pattersons Personettes.

2009-12-18T02:43:00.000-08:00

New York Journal April 29, 1933

Pin-up girls, 7-6 1944

2009-12-14T13:09:00.000-08:00

Original art for a 1944 "Pin-up Girls" cartoon.

2009-12-12T01:47:00.000-08:00

Found a couple more items. Wish I could hold on to them, but trying to sell off unecessary stuff. You can find them on e-bay. Hope you don't mind me posting information on these here.

Patterson-Cleary Children's Book

2009-12-10T18:19:00.001-08:00

I came across Top Hats and Flappers and the name of Russell Patterson rang a bell. After digging around, I found this children's book in my storage container. Do not know how it got there or who it came from. The thing that baffles me is that not much of Mr. Patterson's original art is on the open market and when it does sell, it goes rather cheap. How can this be for such an accomplished artist?

2009-12-10T12:13:00.000-08:00

Pictorial Review 1949

2009-04-19T03:26:00.000-07:00

Cover to the Pictorial Review July 3, 1949.

Russell and Janet

2009-04-12T01:34:00.000-07:00

Caption from back of photo:
One of the world's most famous fashion designers meets an even more famous actress. Russell patterson, left, is the designer and the actress -- well, it's scarcely neccesary to mention that she's Janet Gaynor. Patterson, recently brought to Fox Film to design scenery and costumes for "Fox Follies", is talking over what Miss Gaynor is to wear in the huge production.

[Was this movie ever finished/released?]

Russell Patterson, Rube Goldberg & Arthur William Brown

2009-04-11T10:45:00.000-07:00

cartoonretro.com

Coronation rehersal

2008-09-30T10:23:00.000-07:00

Russell Patterson, Majorie Norton and Peter Arno.

Russell Patterson on Design From The Artist & Advertiser magazine, 1932

2008-09-29T18:03:00.001-07:00

Russell and model

2008-09-17T12:53:00.000-07:00

Year and model unknown. (1937?)

Sob Sister

2008-09-14T04:06:00.000-07:00

Unpublished (?) comic strip.

Burlesque

2008-09-11T11:42:00.001-07:00

Title: Burlesque (?)
Year: 1964 (?)

Still life with flowers

2008-09-09T12:02:00.000-07:00

Year unknown.

Puppet invasion

2008-08-31T09:55:00.000-07:00

Article from Literary Digest April 27, 1935.
The image he sold in "one minute and seventeen seconds" can be found in the Fantagraphics book "The Art of Russell Patterson".

He woke up married

2008-08-30T10:19:00.000-07:00

Story illustration to "He woke up married" by Eric Hatch in College Humor, July 1932.

American Weekly Nov 26, 1939

2008-08-28T07:57:00.000-07:00

The third Flossy Frills page. (I'm mising the second.)

/Joakim.

American Weekly Nov 12, 1939

2008-08-26T13:08:00.000-07:00

The very first Flossy Frills cover!

These American Weekly covers are way too big for my scanner. Maybe scanned closeups should be added to the photos of these. But this will have to do for now.

/Joakim.

Ballyhoo cover, sept 1935

2008-08-25T11:06:00.000-07:00

(Patterson did no interior art for this issue. )

Ballantines ad

2008-08-25T10:43:00.000-07:00

Back cover to Ballyhoo, September 1935.

"One Touch of Venus"

2008-08-24T13:08:00.000-07:00

Playbill for "One Touch of Venus", 1948 State Fair of Texas

Nude painting

2008-08-23T11:06:00.000-07:00

Year and title unknown.

My villa in Normandy

2008-08-23T11:00:00.001-07:00

This painting titled "My villa in Normandy" is 20 1/4 x 20 inches and was up for bids on an auction site recently. I guess this is from the early 20's when he lived in France. Signed in the upper right corner.

/Joakim.

For Men Only, June 1933

2008-08-22T12:27:00.000-07:00

This "For Men Only" column is taken from College Humor, June 1933.

/Joakim.

"How-to" and "why"

2008-08-22T12:13:00.000-07:00

Just a short "how-to" and "why" to start this blog.

Why?
I love the work of Russell Patterson and have been collecting it for several years. But no matter how much I find I know that getting a full set of his total output will be a lifetime quest. And I guess some items are so rare that I'll never find them.
So, what to do? Start a blog wich is open for all fans of Patterson to post on is hopefully the answer.

How?
Simply log in with "pattersonblog" and "russellpatterson1" and you'll be able to edit and post your own images.
You got a rare interview or article about him? Some unseen sketches or other original works that you own or have found on the net? Magazine covers or spot illustrations. All are welcome to post their treasures. (But no scans from the Art of Russell Patterson book published by Fantagraphics, please. I encourage everyone to buy it. But if you've read this far I'm pretty sure you already have this magnificent book. )
Please use the labels function to make the blog searchable. Like if you post a Life cover from 1927, then use "Life" and "1927" as labels etc.
This blog also has a Google Analytics account with the same log in. There you can see how many visitors we have and where in the world they come from. :)

My first posts will be taken from my blog Sekvenskonst but new stuff will follow as soon as it's scanned.

/Joakim.

The Pretty Girl In Caricature

2008-08-21T12:13:00.000-07:00

From Gene Byrnes: The Complete Guide To Drawing, Illustration, Cartooning and Painting (1948).

Pictorial Review 1949

2008-08-21T10:07:00.000-07:00

Cover to the Pictorial Review (Baltimore American) November 6, 1949.