Publisher: Pitman Publishing Corp.

Year: 1961

Pages: 48

Type: Softcover

ISBN: 1-9876543

“…the success of the ad depends upon the illustration’s effectiveness.”

If you’ve ever wondered if you have what it takes to break into the world of advertising, this booklet is for you. It’s short and to the point but still packed with just about everything an aspiring artist would need to make a success with a pencil or paint brush.

I’m primarily drawn to these publications because of the vintage look and feel of them. And although they are decades old, they always seem to hold up in the advice and instruction they give. There truly is no school like the Old School!

The contents walk you through the process of choosing a specialty, obtaining the correct equipment, perfecting your drawing, and then selling your portfolio to an agency or client.

The four pages below are a sampling of the words of wisdom and graphic artwork used to teach this interesting profession:

I’ve included the next page because it explains the process of developing a cover, with this booklet’s own cover:

David K. Stone (1922-2001) was an American Illustrator. According to GoodReads, Stone was a native of Reedsport, Oregon and an illustrator of over 80 books and magazines. His paintings are part of a permanent collection in the U.S. Air Force, the U.S. Department of the Interior, Princeton University, the Smithsonian Institution, Society of Illustrators, as well as in private collections.

It seems only natural that such a gifted and accomplish artist would create such a How-to booklet like Art in Advertising. He would have been in his late 30s when he created it, and at the peak of his profession. Over 60 years later, his experience still holds up!

I would give Art in Advertising a solid 4.5 Out of 5 Stars. As an artist myself, I could easily follow the instruction and know that it could be just as easily applied by even a novice. But it is a bit brief, so one would be better served by the booklet if they already had some art instruction from an accredited course.

I believe it’s true value today lies in it’s historical context.