Comments on: Al Hirschfeld http://www.linesandcolors.com/2007/02/14/al-hirschfeld/ Thu, 20 Nov 2008 11:59:10 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Gerry http://www.linesandcolors.com/2007/02/14/al-hirschfeld/#comment-74689 Gerry Wed, 20 Jun 2007 16:05:50 +0000 http://www.linesandcolors.com/2007/02/14/al-hirschfeld/#comment-74689 If you ever get a chance to see Hirschfeld's originals, the striking thing is that his beautiful lines are deceptive in their flowing perfection. They may look like they flow naturally in one swirling stroke, but in the originals you can see that the lines were plotted out in pencil, carefully built up and reworked to create an effect that looks spontaneous and effortless. There's also a video on YouTube of him drawing (I think a caricature of Paul Newman) that shows the care he took to build those beautiful lines. If you ever get a chance to see Hirschfeld’s originals, the striking thing is that his beautiful lines are deceptive in their flowing perfection.

They may look like they flow naturally in one swirling stroke, but in the originals you can see that the lines were plotted out in pencil, carefully built up and reworked to create an effect that looks spontaneous and effortless.

There’s also a video on YouTube of him drawing (I think a caricature of Paul Newman) that shows the care he took to build those beautiful lines.

]]> By: Charley Parker http://www.linesandcolors.com/2007/02/14/al-hirschfeld/#comment-25696 Charley Parker Mon, 19 Feb 2007 15:14:11 +0000 http://www.linesandcolors.com/2007/02/14/al-hirschfeld/#comment-25696 Don, Thanks for the suggestions. Walt Kelly and George Herriman are definitely on my list, as they are among my favorites, and you're certainly right about the wonderful character of their line. I hadn't thought of McDonnell that way, I'll have to take a closer look. Though I've enjoyed his New Yorker covers, I wasn't aware of the feature on Getz and he wasn't on my list. He now is, as is Peters. Thanks. Another cartoonist I would mention for character of line is Bill Watterson. Don,

Thanks for the suggestions. Walt Kelly and George Herriman are definitely on my list, as they are among my favorites, and you’re certainly right about the wonderful character of their line. I hadn’t thought of McDonnell that way, I’ll have to take a closer look. Though I’ve enjoyed his New Yorker covers, I wasn’t aware of the feature on Getz and he wasn’t on my list. He now is, as is Peters. Thanks. Another cartoonist I would mention for character of line is Bill Watterson.

]]> By: samacleod http://www.linesandcolors.com/2007/02/14/al-hirschfeld/#comment-25046 samacleod Sun, 18 Feb 2007 06:29:13 +0000 http://www.linesandcolors.com/2007/02/14/al-hirschfeld/#comment-25046 thanks! awesome links, really enjoyed seeing some of his lesser known work! thanks! awesome links, really enjoyed seeing some of his lesser known work!

]]> By: Don O'Shea http://www.linesandcolors.com/2007/02/14/al-hirschfeld/#comment-24676 Don O'Shea Fri, 16 Feb 2007 03:28:06 +0000 http://www.linesandcolors.com/2007/02/14/al-hirschfeld/#comment-24676 Charlie, When our daughter graduate from Yale Drama, we got her Hershfeld's "Phantom." Bigger than the Sunday Art image, it is something to behold. I am sucker for line. Let me suggest a few other "linesmen." First, of all: Walt Kelly. I came for the comedy and satire and stayed for the brushwork. Others: George Herriman, Mike Peters, Patrick McDonnell, and former New Yorker cover artist, Arthur Getz. An appreciation of his work is on the web at http://www.newyorker.com/online/covers/articles/020114onco_cover_gallery. However, the accompanying illustrations do not do justice to his line. The best way to appreciate his work is to go to the New Yorker Cartoonbamk: /www.cartoonbank.com/ and type in Getz. Sort by Recent to get a time series. Take a look at Aug. 5, 1985. Whatta line! Charlie,
When our daughter graduate from Yale Drama, we got her Hershfeld’s “Phantom.” Bigger than the Sunday Art image, it is something to behold.
I am sucker for line. Let me suggest a few other “linesmen.” First, of all: Walt Kelly. I came for the comedy and satire and stayed for the brushwork. Others: George Herriman, Mike Peters, Patrick McDonnell, and former New Yorker cover artist, Arthur Getz. An appreciation of his work is on the web at http://www.newyorker.com/online/covers/articles/020114onco_cover_gallery. However, the accompanying illustrations do not do justice to his line. The best way to appreciate his work is to go to the New Yorker Cartoonbamk: /www.cartoonbank.com/ and type in Getz. Sort by Recent to get a time series. Take a look at Aug. 5, 1985. Whatta line!

]]> By: Charley Parker http://www.linesandcolors.com/2007/02/14/al-hirschfeld/#comment-24388 Charley Parker Wed, 14 Feb 2007 18:26:50 +0000 http://www.linesandcolors.com/2007/02/14/al-hirschfeld/#comment-24388 My understanding is that Hirschfeld did, indeed, become weary of the attention given to the NINA hunting, feeling that is was overshadowing the actual drawings. He tried to discontinue the practice but was convinced to return by pitchfork and torch bearing mobs of disappointed fans. My understanding is that Hirschfeld did, indeed, become weary of the attention given to the NINA hunting, feeling that is was overshadowing the actual drawings. He tried to discontinue the practice but was convinced to return by pitchfork and torch bearing mobs of disappointed fans.

]]> By: Daniel van Benthuysen http://www.linesandcolors.com/2007/02/14/al-hirschfeld/#comment-24380 Daniel van Benthuysen Wed, 14 Feb 2007 17:16:02 +0000 http://www.linesandcolors.com/2007/02/14/al-hirschfeld/#comment-24380 About those hidden Ninas in his drawings: The number of hidden Ninas seemed to peak in the late 1970s. We used to get the Sunday Times arts section and there would be his drawing of some new Broadway show (or later a Hirschfeld drawing which somehow integrated all sorts of personalities into their Fall or Spring Arts preview) and the number by his signature would incredibly be something like 32. (A whole morning's work to find them!) By the mid 1980s the numbers seemed to trail off and by the 1990s one had only to find two or three Ninas in any given drawing. I imagine that although he never seemed to tire of reducing a recognizable face to a handful of undulating lines, he may well have tired of hiding Ninas but I suspect his audience wouln't let him quit. A Hirschfeld with NO hidden Ninas would have been a disappointment. The other interesting thing about Hirschfeld's work is that very late in his long, long career the New York Times began printing in color and of course asked him to incorporate color into drawings that had become the quintessence of what black and white can do. His solution was admirably elegant and simple as one would expect from such an artist. He simply chose a single, usually subtle tertiary color and made a single shape, say a large circle or square that floated, not quite arbitrarily, behind his drawing. The late drawings were just as magnificent and appropriate as the earliest. About those hidden Ninas in his drawings: The number of hidden Ninas seemed to peak in the late 1970s. We used to get the Sunday Times arts section and there would be his drawing of some new Broadway show (or later a Hirschfeld drawing which somehow integrated all sorts of personalities into their Fall or Spring Arts preview) and the number by his signature would incredibly be something like 32. (A whole morning’s work to find them!) By the mid 1980s the numbers seemed to trail off and by the 1990s one had only to find two or three Ninas in any given drawing. I imagine that although he never seemed to tire of reducing a recognizable face to a handful of undulating lines, he may well have tired of hiding Ninas but I suspect his audience wouln’t let him quit. A Hirschfeld with NO hidden Ninas would have been a disappointment. The other interesting thing about Hirschfeld’s work is that very late in his long, long career the New York Times began printing in color and of course asked him to incorporate color into drawings that had become the quintessence of what black and white can do. His solution was admirably elegant and simple as one would expect from such an artist. He simply chose a single, usually subtle tertiary color and made a single shape, say a large circle or square that floated, not quite arbitrarily, behind his drawing. The late drawings were just as magnificent and appropriate as the earliest.

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