Dog Art Today

Tag: dog posters

  • A Friend in Need Reinterpreted

    C_m_coolidge_parody

    Thursday Night Book Club by Mark Sowa

    I’ve often thought C.M. Coolidge’s “A Friend in Need” was ripe for parody.  That’s why I got a kick out of Mark Sowa’s reinterpretation of it entitled “Thursday night Book Club” or “Dogs Reading Books.”

    Mark says his version was inspired by thinking “about friends gathered together, and what better iconic image to use than ‘A Friend In Need’ by C.M. Coolidge?  Although the classic original is instantly recognizable, people usually know it as simply ‘Dogs Playing Poker’, and hardly anyone knows who the artist is.  Our interpretation pays homage to Mr. Coolidge, while at the same time ‘uplifting’ the casual pursuits of its participants.  What could be more politically correct?”

    He’s right.  No smoking, drinking, gambling, or cheating.  But still lots of fun.

    Mark’s version is available at his Owl Square Press which specializes in bookish prints.  I think he has a new future in bookish dog prints too.

    And here’s the original (available at Amazon
    ) for comparison:

    A_friend_in_need

    A Friend in Need by C. M. Coolidge

    Watch a video of the reinterpretation:

    A new classic is born!

  • Ken Bailey’s Husky Bars Released in Limited Editions

    Ken_bailey_husky_bars

    Ken Bailey, one of my favorite dog artists, recently started a blog where he shows readers the evolution of his food-themed custom dog paintings.   This recent work, Husky Bars was commissioned by the parents of Brody a Siberian Husky. They had two requirements:

           1. The background will match his beautiful blue eyes. 
           2. Brody’s two toys a flower and a green ball be included.

    Brody_close_up

    Brody_flower

    And Ken Bailey has two requirements for all his works:

     1. It must be a food or drink product.
     2. It must make some sense for the breed. But that can be quite broad. For example, any dog
             can be teamed with a Cafe or a cookie.

    So, according to Ken, the process then went like this:

    With Brody, the idea of Ice Cream Bars came to mind…..a frozen treat…..Siberia is cold.
    Brody parents liked the idea and they took it a step further. They like peanut butter and chocolate.
    So the main copy on the painting will read.
                 BRODY BARS
                 Chocolate-Peanut Butter
                 Ice Cream Novelties

    Here is a photo of the first stage of the commission:

    Brody_bars

    And here is the final piece that includes Brody’s favorite toys, that Ken then modified for the more generic Husky Bars prints:

    Brody_bar_final

    Thanks for sharing, Ken.  Art is such a private endeavor, I know I really appreciate when other artists share their creative process.  Keep the sneak peeks coming.

    Limited edition Husky Bar prints are available here.  And Ken has recently put his images on T-shirts and other products at his CafePress store.

    (If you like this post, please leave a comment or subscribe to Dog Art Today.  This blog is powered by traffic from readers like you.  Thank you for visiting!)

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  • Dog Band Gig Posters

    Dogs_at_play 

    Dogs at Play by Guy Juke

    I have never heard of these bands, but I am digging their posters from GigPosters.  Quite inspiring and a treasure trove for many of my visitors who come here looking for dog posters.  Cool ones are hard to find.  Enjoy!

    Dune_dogs 

    Dune Dogs by Skillet Gilmore

    The_dogs 

    The Dogs by Craig Horky  (the dog is swimming…right?)

    Sheepdogs_racoons 

    The Sheepdogs & The Racoons by Joey MacDonald

    The_honeydogs 

    The Honeydogs by Withremote (no actual dog, but great design)

    Yard_dogs_roadshow_2
     

    Yard Dogs Roadshow by Andrew Vastagh

    Golden_dogs

    Golden Dogs by Daniel Zender

    Visit GigPosters to see thousands more gig posters, designers posters, and graphic design merchandise, everything from coloring books to collectable art to t-shirts and playing cards .

    BTW, I discovered GigPosters via my new favorite blog, Fita Cola (Portuguese for "stick to me") where there is always something inspiring, especially the author, Carlos Quitério's, amazing collages.  Available on Etsy.  But alas, no dogs.

  • More Cyrk Dog Posters

    Cyrk_poster_1
    Headstand on Pole by Maciej Urbaniec

    Last June, after I featured Cyrk Contemporary Posters on Dog Art Today, company owner Donald Mayer generously allowed me to pick out one for myself.  After some excruciating deliberations.  I chose Headstand on Pole by Maciej Urbaniec.  Yes, he was shocked too that I didn't pick a dog poster. 

    When this came in the mail, I was completely blown away.  As I said to Donald, "It is so beautiful I could cry."

    Thank you so much.  I just adore it!

    Here are some more Cyrk Polish poster dogs to round out my day of circus themed art.

    Cyrk_poster_2
    Two Headed Dog by Marek Freudenreich

    Cyrk_poster_3 Dog with Soccer Ball by Danuta Zukowska 

    Cyrk_poster_4
    Three Beagles by Wiktor Gorka 

    Cyrk_poster_5 Two Balancing Poodles by Danuta Zukoska

    Read my original Cyrk post here.   See Cyrk's collection of dog posters here.  See all their posters and pick one for yourself here.

    I'd love to hear from you if you do.

  • Polish Posters: Cyrk Dogs

    Cyrk_dog_poster_1
    Jacek Neugebauer, 1975

    I knew very little about Polish Cyrk posters when I featured them last May.  There wasn’t much information on the Art of Posters website and I couldn’t figure out how to search their database for dogs.  Also, purchasing a poster meant sending money to Poland, and I know even though we all love and trust the Internet, that can still be scary.

    Now, there is Cyrk, a New York based company that specializes in these Polish works of art with a terrific, informative website that gave me a new appreciation for these mid-century graphic gems.

    Here’s a little of the Cyrk story:

    “Polish circus/art posters, with their most recognizable subjects and unmatched popularity, are the quintessential posters of the golden age of the Polish School of Posters -1945 (the end of World War II) through 1989 (the fall of Communism). During this time, the Polish Government financially supported and encouraged poster art. Posters became the primary art form of the nation. The art of Polish posters attained international fame, becoming established as the best in contemporary/vintage poster art.”

    Read more here.  It’s fascinating and ironic that censorship and state control, two things assumed antithetical to artistic expression cultivated such spectacular works, in many ways unsurpassed in the market driven, free society of today.

    Cyrk_dog_poster_2
    Gustaw Majewski, 1965

    Cyrk_dog_poster_3
    Jerzy Treutler, 1973

    Cyrk_dog_poster_4 Bozena Rogowska, 1974 

    Cyrk_dog_poster_5 Wiktor Gorka, 1969

    Cyrk_dog_postr_6
    Danuta Zukowska, 1973

    To see all the spectacular posters (dog and non-dog) visit Cyrk’s website.

    P.S. If you’re in Los Angeles, the Weidman Gallery’s 2nd Annual Polish Poster Festival is going on now with 100s of contemporary/vintage original posters for sale.  Show runs until June 22.

  • European Dog Posters

    In honor of AllPosters.com’s 10 Day European Vacation Sweepstakes I’ve selected some charming dog art posters to get you excited to update your passport, pack your bags, and hopefully win! Enter by clicking on the banner at the bottom of the post.

    Spratts_patent_ltd

    Spratt’s Patent Ltd by Auguste Roubille, c. 1909. I believe this gorgeous poster is for dog biscuits. Anyone who knows French let me know if not. I love the colors and design and, of course, the super happy dogs.

    Scottie_westie_poster

    Holiday by Rail by Johanna Kriesel. This is a contemporary poster with a 30s travel vibe. Perfect for Scottie and Westie globe-trotters.

    Circus_dogs_paris
    Dogs Jump Through Hoop at the Paris Hippodrome. This poster reminds me of my dad training his dog Minnie.

    Joan_miro_dog

    Dog Barking at the Moon by Spanish painter Joan Miró.

    Vintage_whippet_poster

    Vintage Whippet Poster by Ludwig Holhlwein for a 1912 Frankfurt festival. Hand pulled limited edition lithographs.

    Enter to win the European Vacation by clicking on this banner::


    Good Luck 🙂

  • Francis Barraud: His Master’s Voice

    Barrud

    Design Boom has a cautionary tale for artists about getting and keeping the copyright for your art. In 1899, British artist Francis Barraud painted this famous painting of his dog Nipper curiously searching for his master’s voice in the phonograph’s horn. Not only was Barraud turned down for a copyright for the image, but he was also rejected by the Royal Academy, various magazines and the Edison Bell company who responded that “dogs don’t listen to phonographs.”

    Masters_voice_color

    Barraud eventually sold another painting, with a Berliner brass horn, to one of the company’s managers, where it caught the eye of the Emile Berliner, the company’s founder, who commissioned another copy AND bought the rights to it!

    Masters_voice_patent

    The famous image went on to become the trakemark of the Victor Talking Machine Co. (Victor was Berliner’s partner) and ultimately survived Victor’s merger with RCA in 1929. It was printed on record labels, letterhead, novelties, and catalogues for decades, but Barraud, the original artist, only received two payments of £50 each.

    Brutal.

    Image was also eventually licensed to AllPosters.com and is available here.

  • Vintage Boston Dog Show Poster

    In honor of my new Dog Art Poster section (see left sidebar) I’m debuting my new vintage poster available at my DreamDogsArt Store.

    Vintagedogposter

    I found this c.1890 image in the Library of Congress Archives and turned it into some darling dog lover merchandise — t-shirts, greeting cards, mugs, onesies, and more. Perfect Christmas gifts for the New England dog lover in your life!

    More posters are coming soon.

  • Bill Tosetti: Dog Artist + Fearless Flyer

    Billtosettiflyer

    What inspires me most about some dog artists is their fearlessness. Bill Tosetti is a perfect example. He’s not afraid to show a dog recovering from surgery (Radio Flyer)…

    ….or in an unconventional position (Belly Up), using white on white, no less….
    Billtosettibelly

    …viewed from the back (Me and My Shadow) ….
    Billtosettishadow

    …or spelling “flying” with a “ph” and making the sky yellow (Phlying Puli).
    Billtosettipuli

    His work is joyful, original, and brave. And it reminds us that dogs aren’t always perfect (or posed) and that makes us love them even more. Contct Bill to commission a Tosetti portrait of your dog. Prints and posters available here.

  • The Art of Posters: 5000 Polish Posters

    Polishballs

    Looking for some Polish graphic art? I found the place. The Art of Posters features over 5000 Polish posters from 1900-2005 searchable by artist, subject or movie title. I especially love the circus designs like Ruminski Tomasz’s 1971 work (above) and Januszewski Zenon’s 1965 piece (below.) Put on a pot of coffee and lose yourself in this amazing — my new favorite — site!

    Polish3dogs