Paul Martin (illustrator)
Encyclopedia
Paul Martin (June 6, 1883, New York City, New York – March 19, 1932, Ossining, New York) was a graphic artist
Graphic designer
A graphic designer is a professional within the graphic design and graphic arts industry who assembles together images, typography or motion graphics to create a piece of design. A graphic designer creates the graphics primarily for published, printed or electronic media, such as brochures and...
and illustrator
Illustrator
An Illustrator is a narrative artist who specializes in enhancing writing by providing a visual representation that corresponds to the content of the associated text...
.
Background
The Father of American Illustration was the multi-talented Howard PyleHoward Pyle
Howard Pyle was an American illustrator and author, primarily of books for young people. A native of Wilmington, Delaware, he spent the last year of his life in Florence, Italy.__FORCETOC__...
. Others who gained much fame in this field included James Montgomery Flagg
James Montgomery Flagg
James Montgomery Flagg was an American artist and illustrator. He worked in media ranging from fine art painting to cartooning, but is best remembered for his political posters....
, Charles Dana Gibson
Charles Dana Gibson
Charles Dana Gibson was an American graphic artist, best known for his creation of the Gibson Girl, an iconic representation of the beautiful and independent American woman at the turn of the 20th century....
, J.C. Leyendecker, Maxfield Parrish
Maxfield Parrish
Maxfield Parrish was an American painter and illustrator active in the first half of the twentieth century. He is known for his distinctive saturated hues and idealized neo-classical imagery.-Life:...
, Frederic Remington
Frederic Remington
Frederic Sackrider Remington was an American painter, illustrator, sculptor, and writer who specialized in depictions of the Old American West, specifically concentrating on the last quarter of the 19th century American West and images of cowboys, American Indians, and the U. S...
, Norman Rockwell
Norman Rockwell
Norman Percevel Rockwell was a 20th-century American painter and illustrator. His works enjoy a broad popular appeal in the United States for their reflection of American culture. Rockwell is most famous for the cover illustrations of everyday life scenarios he created for The Saturday Evening...
and N.C. Wyeth. The vast majority of illustrators, however, received little recognition compared to the fine arts painters. This was basically due to their artwork being viewed as more commercially than creatively inspired. Nonetheless, illustrators once played a powerful role in communicating the people's aspirations, concerns, customs, humor, labor and social interests. One of these unheralded players was Paul Martin, whose work graced the covers of Collier's
Collier's Weekly
Collier's Weekly was an American magazine founded by Peter Fenelon Collier and published from 1888 to 1957. With the passage of decades, the title was shortened to Collier's....
, Everybody's, Farm & Fireside
Farm & Fireside (magazine)
Farm & Fireside was a semi-monthly national farming magazine that was published between 1878 and 1939.It was the original magazine for what eventually became the Crowell-Collier Publishing Company. In February 1930, it was renamed Country Home in an attempt to compete with Better Homes and...
, Liberty, Parents
Parents (magazine)
Parents, published by Meredith Corporation, is the oldest parenting publication in the U.S. It was first published in October 1926.Its editorial focus is on the daily needs and concerns of mothers with young children. The glossy monthly features information about child health, safety, behavior,...
and People's Home Journal from the 1920s to early 1930s. These six each at one time ranked among the leading magazines. They all went out of business a long time ago, except for Parents
Parents (magazine)
Parents, published by Meredith Corporation, is the oldest parenting publication in the U.S. It was first published in October 1926.Its editorial focus is on the daily needs and concerns of mothers with young children. The glossy monthly features information about child health, safety, behavior,...
. Their eventual downfall was caused by the changing times (or taste), radio and television (more attractive medium for advertisers) and economics (increased cost/decreased revenue). The more specialized ones tended to fare better. Incidentally, major advancements in photographic equipment and technology took place during the 1930s. This brought about the gradual changeover from illustrated to photographic covers.
Collier's
General interest magazines (mixture of entertainment, pictures, politics, serials, short stories and sports) were once very popular and appealed to mass audiences.One of them was the historically significant Collier's
Collier's Weekly
Collier's Weekly was an American magazine founded by Peter Fenelon Collier and published from 1888 to 1957. With the passage of decades, the title was shortened to Collier's....
, for which Martin drew numerous covers during the Roaring Twenties
Roaring Twenties
The Roaring Twenties is a phrase used to describe the 1920s, principally in North America, but also in London, Berlin and Paris for a period of sustained economic prosperity. The phrase was meant to emphasize the period's social, artistic, and cultural dynamism...
. His recurring theme was of a youthful boy in various situations. This included the following: catching a baseball, eating desserts (pictured below), playing the flute, wearing a straw hat, shooting marbles, shoveling snow, carrying schoolbooks, riding a sled, winding up a toy, bobbing for apples, playing football (pictured), eating turkey, happily swimming, getting a shaved haircut, saying grace, working as a messenger, daydreaming at school and going down a water slide. He occasionally would veer from this subject matter. His simple yet bold drawing style captured the aspects of youth that were innocent and carefree. Martin excluded the non-essential details (extra people, structures, trees etc.), which allowed the viewer to make an instant connection. His paintings are often easy to recognize, since their theme and style remain fairly consistent.
The Fisk Tire Boy
Prelude: The Fisk Rubber Company (as originally known) switched over from producing primarily bicycle to automobile tires in 1901. Their plant was located along the riverfront in Chicopee Falls, MassachusettsChicopee, Massachusetts
Chicopee is a city located on the Connecticut River in Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States of America. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 55,298, making it the second largest city in...
. Its facilities were making 5,000 tires a day in the 1920s. Fisk struggled financially during most of the 1930s. They were bought out by U.S. Rubber
United States Rubber Company
The United States Rubber Company was founded in Naugatuck, Connecticut in 1892. It was one of the original 12 stocks in the Dow Jones Industrial Average, and became Uniroyal Inc...
(1940), which became known as Uniroyal Inc.
United States Rubber Company
The United States Rubber Company was founded in Naugatuck, Connecticut in 1892. It was one of the original 12 stocks in the Dow Jones Industrial Average, and became Uniroyal Inc...
(1961). Through a merger, their name changed again to Uniroyal Goodrich
Goodrich Corporation
The Goodrich Corporation , formerly the B.F. Goodrich Company, is an American aerospace manufacturing company based in Charlotte, North Carolina. Founded in Akron, Ohio in 1870 as Goodrich, Tew & Co. by Dr. Benjamin Franklin Goodrich. The company name was changed to the "B.F...
(1986). Four years later, this company sold its tire division to Michelin
Michelin
Michelin is a tyre manufacturer based in Clermont-Ferrand in the Auvergne région of France. It is one of the two largest tyre manufacturers in the world along with Bridgestone. In addition to the Michelin brand, it also owns the BFGoodrich, Kleber, Riken, Kormoran and Uniroyal tyre brands...
.
He completely reshaped one of the most famous characters in the history of American advertising. It was the Fisk Tire Company's yawning boy, with the catchphrase "Time To Re-Tire" (debut 1914). A very slight artistic touch-up turned the yawning into a smiling boy in early 1929. Martin was then commissioned to come up with a drastically different, well-defined, modern-day figure in late 1929. During the changeover process, the lad's one-piece sleeper became a two-piece pajama. The slippers were also added. His nephew was used as the model (neck down).
Still, the pose itself remained basically intact. This new version was initially used by Fisk Tires to showcase their Air-Flight brand, in advertisements and promotions. This included twelve times in the Saturday Evening Post
The Saturday Evening Post
The Saturday Evening Post is a bimonthly American magazine. It was published weekly under this title from 1897 until 1969, and quarterly and then bimonthly from 1971.-History:...
, between Feb. 8 and Aug. 23, 1930 (pictured above). It was also offered to the public as an 11x14 inch art-print, via a special coupon offer in 1930. Plus; appeared on the cover of their promotional books titled "Time to Re-Tire, A Bedtime Story" on Candy Land, Jack and the Bean Stalk, Little Black Sambo, Peter Rabbit, Three Bears and Three Little Kittens (all six dated 1931). Martin drew a much scaled-down version as well, that had a slight facial change. Fisk Tires then went back to the original sleepy boy in 1935. Incidentally, Norman Rockwell
Norman Rockwell
Norman Percevel Rockwell was a 20th-century American painter and illustrator. His works enjoy a broad popular appeal in the United States for their reflection of American culture. Rockwell is most famous for the cover illustrations of everyday life scenarios he created for The Saturday Evening...
drew a series of paintings surrounding the character, which were published in 1917-19 and 1924-25.
Graphic Artist
He painted a lively advertisement for General Electric RefrigeratorRefrigerator
A refrigerator is a common household appliance that consists of a thermally insulated compartment and a heat pump that transfers heat from the inside of the fridge to its external environment so that the inside of the fridge is cooled to a temperature below the ambient temperature of the room...
in 1930. It featured two active boys running a lemonade stand, with their mother gleefully looking on through the open kitchen window. Other credits include a girl playing with blocks that spell out GE, and two girls attentively listening to an enthusiastic sales boy. Martin drew a poster for the old Hecker H-O Company (manufacturer of oatmeal), which received much acclaim. Another popular one was titled "Juniors Helping Everywhere" (with twenty-one different scenes), for the American Junior Red Cross
American Red Cross
The American Red Cross , also known as the American National Red Cross, is a volunteer-led, humanitarian organization that provides emergency assistance, disaster relief and education inside the United States. It is the designated U.S...
in 1930.
He designed a contest-winning poster titled "Usefulness • Beauty • Health • Truth • Knowledge," for the Girl Scouts
Girl Scouts of the USA
The Girl Scouts of the United States of America is a youth organization for girls in the United States and American girls living abroad. It describes itself as "the world's preeminent organization dedicated solely to girls". It was founded by Juliette Gordon Low in 1912 and was organized after Low...
in 1931. This image appeared on the cover of their 1931 fall and 1932 spring catalogs. It symbolized the Girl Scout movement and was in use until 1937. His skillful drawings also ended up on Gerlach-Barklow calendars, such as one titled "Singin' in the Rain" from 1931. It showed a boy sitting down and sheltering several pups with an umbrella (pictured). Some trade publications that used his artwork were Good Hardware, Progressive Grocer and Silent Hostess.
Personal life
Martin studied commercial art at the National Academy of DesignNational Academy of Design
The National Academy Museum and School of Fine Arts, founded in New York City as the National Academy of Design – known simply as the "National Academy" – is an honorary association of American artists founded in 1825 by Samuel F. B. Morse, Asher B. Durand, Thomas Cole, Martin E...
in New York City from 1902-06. He then went to work for an outdoor advertising firm (before going freelance). Martin was one of the top-ranked tennis players in the New York metropolitan area
New York metropolitan area
The New York metropolitan area, also known as Greater New York, or the Tri-State area, is the region that composes of New York City and the surrounding region...
, and won numerous trophies from the late 1910s to early 1930s. This included, for example, one for capturing the championship at Sunnydale Country Club in 1920. He played number one singles and doubles for both the University Heights (Bronx, NY) and County (Scarsdale, NY) Tennis Clubs. The Westchester County Tennis League holds the annual Paul Martin Singles Tournament. (Its namesake was one of the league's founding fathers.) The winners of this tournament have their names engraved, on one of Martin's first place trophies. His homes in New Rochelle
New Rochelle, New York
New Rochelle is a city in Westchester County, New York, United States, in the southeastern portion of the state.The town was settled by refugee Huguenots in 1688 who were fleeing persecution in France...
(once known for its elite artists) and Ossining, New York
Ossining (village), New York
Ossining is a village in Westchester County, New York, United States. The population was 25,060 at the 2010 census. As a village, it is located in the Town of Ossining.-Geography:Ossining borders the eastern shores of the widest part of the Hudson River....
, doubled as studios. He occasionally used family members as models. Uncle Paul's niece is shown writing down the license number of a boy's wagon (for knocking over her doll carriage), on the Liberty cover of September 12, 1925. His mother-in-law is shown basting a turkey for Thanksgiving, on the People's Home Journal cover of November 1928. Martin died of ulcers following a major operation at Ossining Hospital in 1932. He was 48 years old. His wife (and occasional mixed doubles partner Lauretta) survived him by forty years. She donated the tournament trophy named after her husband.
Illustrated & Signed Mag Covers
(Or else imprinted with the words "Cover by Paul Martin." His artwork featured on Foreign Service was initially sold to Parents in 1930. They ended up not using the piece and so it was resold. This is a list of known credits.)- Collier'sCollier's WeeklyCollier's Weekly was an American magazine founded by Peter Fenelon Collier and published from 1888 to 1957. With the passage of decades, the title was shortened to Collier's....
(1888–1957): 5-26-1923, 2-2-1924, 6-28-1924, 10-25-1924, 11-22-1924, 12-27-1924, 5-2-1925, 5-30-1925, 6-27-1925, 7-4-1925, 7-25-1925, 9-19-1925, 10-31-1925, 1-16-1926, 2-13-1926, 5-22-1926, 12-25-1926, 2-26-1927, 8-13-1927, 8-27-1927. - Everybody's (1899–1929): 9-1925.
- Farm & Fireside / Country HomeFarm & Fireside (magazine)Farm & Fireside was a semi-monthly national farming magazine that was published between 1878 and 1939.It was the original magazine for what eventually became the Crowell-Collier Publishing Company. In February 1930, it was renamed Country Home in an attempt to compete with Better Homes and...
(1878–1939): 11-1923, 8-1930. - Foreign ServiceForeign Service JournalThe Foreign Service Journal is a monthly publication of the American Foreign Service Association founded in 1924. It covers foreign affairs from the perspective of American Foreign Service officers, members of Washington's foreign policy establishment, as well as features on living overseas as a...
(1924-To Date): 5-1932. - Liberty (1924–1950): 9-12-1925.
- ParentsParents (magazine)Parents, published by Meredith Corporation, is the oldest parenting publication in the U.S. It was first published in October 1926.Its editorial focus is on the daily needs and concerns of mothers with young children. The glossy monthly features information about child health, safety, behavior,...
(1926-To Date): 10-1928, 2-1929, 5-1929, 8-1929, 10-1929, 2-1930, 10-1930. - People's Home Journal (1885–1929): 5-1928, 11-1928.
Illustrated Books
(His artistic contributions to short stories, include the following from Scribner's MagazineScribner's Magazine
Scribner's Magazine was an American periodical published by the publishing house of Charles Scribner's Sons from January 1887 to May 1939. Scribner's Magazine was the second magazine out of the "Scribner's" firm, after the publication of Scribner's Monthly...
: Tragedy by Eve Bernstein, April 1928 p. 479 and On the Dark Trail by Franklin Holt, July 1928 p. 71.)
- Araminta. Helen Cady Forbes, 1927 (credits are on the frontispiece & facing pp. 134, 212).
- Philus, the Stable Boy of Bethlehem and Other Children's Story-Sermons for Christmas. Edmund J. Cleveland, 1927.
- The Prince and the Pig's Gate, and Other Sermons in Story. Robert Hugh Morris, 1928.
- The Baseball Detective. Charles G. Muller, 1928 (credits are on the frontispiece & facing pp. 22, 132, 250).
It's the story of baseball, competition, friendship and intrigue at Fisk School for Boys. - Chad of Knob Hill; the Tale of a Lone Scout. Howard R. Garis, 1929 (credits are on the frontispiece & pp. 14, 60, 85,
97, 163, 187, 213, 281). Garis was the author of the Uncle Wiggly stories.