Will Owen (illustrator)
Encyclopedia
Will Owen was an English book illustrator, cartoonist, caricaturist and a commercial and poster artist, possibly best known for his iconic images of the Bisto Kids, Bovril
, Lux
and Lifebuoy
. He received his art training at the Lambeth School of Art
, and evolved a style similar to that of Tom Browne
and John Hassall
.
Owen was the son of a Royal Navy engineer, and received his first education at Sir Joseph Williamson's Mathematical School
in Rochester. Before becoming a full-time illustrator, he worked at the Post Office Savings Bank where he met the writer W. W. Jacobs
whose novels and short stories for The Strand Magazine he illustrated for many years. Owen himself wrote short stories, eventually joining the East Kent Mercury
where he worked as a journalist. During the First World War he produced cartoons for the Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News
, introducing readers to new terms such as 'strafe', 'Blighty
', 'pipsqueak' and 'brass'.
Owen produced highly popular cartoons for the Bystander
and The Sketch
, and designed some posters for the Underground Group in 1926. His profusely illustrated guide, Old London Town, was published in New York by
Robert M. McBride
in 1922 and has been placed on the web by Project Gutenberg
.
His work was usually signed "WO" or "WILL OWEN" in a cartouche.
Bovril
Bovril is the trademarked name of a thick, salty meat extract, developed in the 1870s by John Lawson Johnston and sold in a distinctive, bulbous jar. It is made in Burton upon Trent, Staffordshire, owned and distributed by Unilever UK....
, Lux
Lux (soap)
Lux is a global brand developed by Unilever. The range of products includes beauty soaps, shower gels, bath additives, hair shampoos and conditioners. Lux started as “Sunlight Flakes” laundry soap in 1899....
and Lifebuoy
Lifebuoy (soap)
Lifebuoy is a brand of soap containing phenol marketed originally by Lever Brothers in England in 1895.-History:Although Lifebuoy is no longer produced in the US and UK, it is still being mass produced by Unilever in Cyprus for the UK, EU, US and Brazil markets, as well as in Trinidad and Tobago...
. He received his art training at the Lambeth School of Art
Lambeth School of Art
Lambeth School of Art was founded in 1854 by William Gregory as a night school associated with the St. Mary the Less Church in London.-History:...
, and evolved a style similar to that of Tom Browne
Tom Browne (illustrator)
Tom Browne born Thomas Arthur Browne , was an extremely popular English strip cartoonist, painter and illustrator of the late Victorian and Edwardian periods....
and John Hassall
John Hassall (illustrator)
John Hassall was born in Walmer, Kent on 21 May 1868, died 8 March 1948 and was an English illustrator.Hassall educated in Worthing, at Newton Abbot College and at Neuenheim College, Heidelberg. After twice failing entry to The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, he emigrated to Manitoba in Canada...
.
Owen was the son of a Royal Navy engineer, and received his first education at Sir Joseph Williamson's Mathematical School
Sir Joseph Williamson's Mathematical School
Sir Joseph Williamson's Mathematical School is a boys' grammar school in Rochester, Kent, often known as Rochester Math or The Math. It was founded by the 17th-century politician Sir Joseph Williamson, who left £5,000 to set up the school and another in Thetford in Norfolk...
in Rochester. Before becoming a full-time illustrator, he worked at the Post Office Savings Bank where he met the writer W. W. Jacobs
W. W. Jacobs
William Wymark Jacobs , was an English author of short stories and novels.-Writings:Jacobs is now remembered for his macabre tale "The Monkey's Paw" and "The Toll House"...
whose novels and short stories for The Strand Magazine he illustrated for many years. Owen himself wrote short stories, eventually joining the East Kent Mercury
East Kent Mercury and Dover Mercury
The East Kent Mercury and Dover Mercury are weekly newspapers serving the district of Dover in Kent. The Dover Mercury covers the town of Dover, and the East Kent Mercury the towns of Deal and Sandwich...
where he worked as a journalist. During the First World War he produced cartoons for the Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News
Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News
The Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News was an English weekly magazine founded in 1874 and published in London. In 1945 it changed its name to the Sport and Country, and in 1957 to the Farm and Country, before closing in 1970....
, introducing readers to new terms such as 'strafe', 'Blighty
Blighty
Blighty is a British English slang term for Britain, deriving from the Hindustani word vilāyatī , from Persian vilayet and ultimately from Arabic wilayah, originally meaning something like "province"...
', 'pipsqueak' and 'brass'.
Owen produced highly popular cartoons for the Bystander
Bystander (magazine)
Bystander, a British weekly tabloid magazine, featured reviews, topical sketches, and short stories. Published from Fleet Street, it was established in 1903 by George Holt Thomas...
and The Sketch
The Sketch
The Sketch was a British illustrated newspaper weekly, which focused on high society and the aristocracy. It ran for 2,989 issues between February 1, 1893 and June 17, 1959. It was published by the Illustrated London News Company and was primarily a society magazine with regular features on royalty...
, and designed some posters for the Underground Group in 1926. His profusely illustrated guide, Old London Town, was published in New York by
Robert M. McBride
Robert M. McBride
Robert Medill McBride was the publisher of James Branch Cabell and the later books of Frank Buck .-Early years:...
in 1922 and has been placed on the web by Project Gutenberg
Project Gutenberg
Project Gutenberg is a volunteer effort to digitize and archive cultural works, to "encourage the creation and distribution of eBooks". Founded in 1971 by Michael S. Hart, it is the oldest digital library. Most of the items in its collection are the full texts of public domain books...
.
His work was usually signed "WO" or "WILL OWEN" in a cartouche.