Andrew Loomis
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
|
Related e |
|
Featured: |
William Andrew Loomis (1892–1959), better known simply as Andrew Loomis, was an American illustrator, author, and art instructor. His commercial work was featured prominently in advertising and magazines; however, Loomis is best known as author a series of instructional art books printed throughout the 20th century. Long after his death, Loomis' realistic style has continued to influence popular artists.
Biography
Born in Syracuse, New York, Loomis grew up in Zanesville, Ohio and spent much of his working life in Chicago, Illinois. He studied at the Art Students League of New York under George Bridgman and F.V. du Mond when he was 19. Loomis then went back to Chicago to work at an art studio and study at the Art Institute of Chicago.
After military service in World War I, Loomis worked for a couple of advertising agencies before opening his own studio in downtown Chicago. In the 1930s, he taught at the American Academy of Art. It was during this time that his teaching techniques were compiled for his first book, Fun With a Pencil, in 1939.
Loomis would go on to release several more books in the coming decades, including one of his most popular, Figure Drawing for All It's Worth, in 1943. Many of the books exhibit his own personally crafted techniques - such as the "ball and plane" method of head drawing - guided by Loomis's witty and humorous dialogue. Many of the titles gained strong appeal for their rich academic value and went through several prints during the 20th century. Loomis died in 1959, but his final book, Eye of the Painter and Elements of Beauty, would be printed posthumously in 1961.
Influence and legacy
Noted comic book artists Alex Ross, Dick Giordano, and Steve Lieber, among others, have cited the influence of Loomis on their style and studies. Another influenced artist, Steve Rude, named one of the characters he drew in the Nexus comic book General Loomis.
Despite their undying popularity, Loomis's books are currently all out of print, except for some excerpts available from the art publisher Walter Foster. Some of his books are currently being published in Japanese via Maar Sha Co., Ltd. Early prints have become highly collectible and sought out by art enthusiasts and practitioners.
Bibliography
- Fun with a Pencil (1939)
- Figure Drawing for All It's Worth (1943)
- Creative Illustration (1947)
- Successful Drawing (1951) This book was also republished in a revised edition as Three Dimensional Drawing. (16 new pages with technical material on perspective replacing the pictorial gallery sections)
- Drawing the Head and Hands (1956)
- The Eye of the Painter (1961) (Loomis presents the problems of anatomy, movement, balance, expression, technique and he significantly emphasizes the importance of creativity and idealism in every artist's work.)
