I've been looking for examples of graphics to share with you, and am struck by paucity of decent instructional images for adults. For some reason, most educators and textbook publishers simply do not use pictures when teaching adults. Weird...
To get you thinking about the use of color, shape, movement, and line in images, I would like to share with you some pictures by my father's college art instructor. Charley Harper taught graphic design and illustration at the University of Cincinnati Art Academy for many years. During his very long career, he created posters, illustrations, books, and original artwork for a variety of clients. As a young child, I spent many hours pouring over a Biology book he illustrated.
Now for the interesting part of this story... In the summer of 1980, I went to the National Park Service's Visitor's Center at Harper's Ferry, West Virginia. I really liked the history of Harper's Ferry and had been there several times before to walk around the streets of the town. Much to my surprise and delight, there was a display of Charley Harper's work on the walls of the Visitor's Center!
As I walked around the room examining the different pictures, I was approached by an older gentleman. He asked me what I thought of the artist's work. I told him that I loved the artist's work and knew it well. Imagine my surprise when the man introduced himself as Charley Harper! Imagine his surprise when he learned I was the daughter of his former student, Herb Beard!
After learning the identify of my father, Charley made me an offer. He said that when my father was my age, he had offered him the opportunity to come work with him in his studio for one year, but that my father had turned him down. (That was no surprise as my father had 3 young children at that time... He needed a real job.) When he asked me if I would be interested, I told him that as tempting as it sounded, I had just accepted a new job and that I felt obligated to stick with it. I just couldn't fathom interrupting my life to move to Cincinnati for a year. He said that it was ironic that he made the same offer to two people in the same family and received the same reply.
Imagine, if I had accepted Charley Harper's offer all those years ago... I probably wouldn't be here now at JMU teaching you about Visual Literacy! Here are some links to Charley Harper's work. Enjoy!
Charley Harper Website
Cardinal
Warbler
Raccoons
Ladybugs
Egret
Charley Harper Blog
Now for the interesting part of this story... In the summer of 1980, I went to the National Park Service's Visitor's Center at Harper's Ferry, West Virginia. I really liked the history of Harper's Ferry and had been there several times before to walk around the streets of the town. Much to my surprise and delight, there was a display of Charley Harper's work on the walls of the Visitor's Center!
As I walked around the room examining the different pictures, I was approached by an older gentleman. He asked me what I thought of the artist's work. I told him that I loved the artist's work and knew it well. Imagine my surprise when the man introduced himself as Charley Harper! Imagine his surprise when he learned I was the daughter of his former student, Herb Beard!
After learning the identify of my father, Charley made me an offer. He said that when my father was my age, he had offered him the opportunity to come work with him in his studio for one year, but that my father had turned him down. (That was no surprise as my father had 3 young children at that time... He needed a real job.) When he asked me if I would be interested, I told him that as tempting as it sounded, I had just accepted a new job and that I felt obligated to stick with it. I just couldn't fathom interrupting my life to move to Cincinnati for a year. He said that it was ironic that he made the same offer to two people in the same family and received the same reply.
Imagine, if I had accepted Charley Harper's offer all those years ago... I probably wouldn't be here now at JMU teaching you about Visual Literacy! Here are some links to Charley Harper's work. Enjoy!
Charley Harper Website
Cardinal
Warbler
Raccoons
Ladybugs
Egret
Charley Harper Blog
I am pretty certain that I have seen some of Mr. Harper's work before. It has a familiarity to it. Very interesting man.
ReplyDeleteWow! That is amazing. What are the odds of running into Charley Harper at Harper's Ferry? I love his art work!
ReplyDelete