Thursday, July 30, 2009

breakfasts of champion art directors

These sketches were tissue roughs for Post ceral boxes, created back when art directors could draw, though it wasn't called drawing then (illustrators did that) it was "comping", and required unlimited exposure to toxic markers and other items now stocked only in The Museum of Forgotten Art Supplies

Guess "Digits" didn't make it out of focus group testing. Cannibals being a limited niche market and all. From the treasure troves of Dan Goodsell who displays more from his impressive collection here.










9 comments:

george tannenbaum said...

These are great and bring back such memories.

When I was at Ally & Gargano I worked with an old-time art-director. He could throw a storyboard together in a five minutes that was funny and emotive and wonderful. It was a joy to behold.

(Sometimes we'd unwittingly race. Could I type the 65 words of copy by the time he was done with eight frames.)

george tannenbaum said...

these are wonderful, thank you ad broad.

They remind me of my days at Ally & Gargano. While there I worked with an old-time art director who could put together an eight frame storyboard quicker than I could Selectric the copy.

Italo said...

Thank you AD for this post (and the other). Each time I discover new things about the american past (and present). Ciao, Italo.

Sympathetic Threads said...

Nothing brings back memories quicker than finding the remnants of an old dried-up boxset of Letraset markers in my supplies closet.

Those were the days...

Ad Broad, oldest working writer in advertising said...

@Geo Ally & Gargano! Now that was a place filled with art directors who could draw. And writers who could bang out wicked 65 words of copy. 140 characters seems a cinch, doesn't it? :)

@Italo Ciao and thanks for the read ;)

@Sympathetic Threads Ha! And remember the marker re-invigorators they used to sell? Sort of like Viagra for markers. Smelled like lighter fluid. Probably was.

Sympathetic Threads said...

Bah - inhalation of marker fumes doesn't scare me! I'll probably die far sooner from handling all of those corrosive stat camera chemicals. :D

Now you have me regretting that I tossed the old Letraset packs. I could have started my own little museum what with all the markers, rapidographs, pica rulers, type gauges, parchment paper pads...

California Girl said...

I am learning something new every day reading your blog. It's a pleasure.

Teenie said...

Lovely stuff, Ms. Broad!

My very first CD--some 10 years ago--would still sketch out concepts and write the headline in bold, black marker. He insisted that the idea needed to be sold first and foremost.

Nowadays, clients are demanding a polished piece (I mean from the perfect picture to full body copy) on the very first presentation. I guess we've trained them to be that way, mind. Although both ADs at work are fabulous at drawing and, once in a while, they get to show off their stuff. It's truly lovely.

Ad Broad, oldest working writer in advertising said...

@ Sympathetic Threads Pica rulers! Type gauges! Thanks for the memories...

@California Girl Nice to see you again :)

@Teenie Lucky you, working with the last two art directors in the world who can draw ;)