EXTRACTS: Illustrators Issue 4 © 2013 The Book Palace (96 PAGES in Full edition)

4 introduced subtle changes in editorial policy to reflect the new aspirations of the readers. Women’s magazine illustration was at its height at this time, and many of the paintings depicted happy couples blissfully enjoying life in their new found stylish homes and social settings. Romantic fiction illustration at its best! I first met Michael Johnson when I was working as assistant art editor of Woman magazine, and he was one of our major contributing illustrators. We both had an interest in fast cars, and by 1962 we both owned 3.8 litre Mark II Jaguars. Johnson was braver than me, and used his Jaguar to tow his Lotus on a trailer to race meetings. He won twelve races, came second in two more, and third in another: a career as a racing driver beckoned. Fortunately for art directors, and the readers of women’s magazines and paperback books, the appeal of being an illustrator was the eventual winner. Johnson was born in Thirsk, a horse-racing town, in the north of England. As a small boy, he liked painting and drawing, but especially liked modeling 3D objects; this later developed into an interest in sculpture, which also beckoned as a possible career. However, he didn’t think there was any money in it, and that working as an illustrator promised to be more lucrative. Once again the appeal of illustration was the winner. I thought that some of his work in the mid-sixties, which I also thought was some of his most successful, had a sculptured look about it, as if he had picked up a hammer and chisel, instead of a paintbrush and paint. In his early teens he started to build model gliders, and learned about aerodynamics; an interest which later led to working with Sir Norman Foster on a book entitled Aeroplane, as well as producing several books about gliders. He was also commissioned to make two paintings of ABOVE TOP: Illustration for Woman magazine. The model for this painting was our friend Nancy Egerton. ABOVE: Illustration for a Sphere book cover with model Maggie Lorraine. Courtesy of Mitch Itkowitz and Brandi Budziak Graphic Collectibles © IPC Media