Scanning Around with Gene: You Too Can Be a Famous Artist
A recent thrift store stop netted the source for today’s column, a look back to 1956 and an important slice of American art history, not to mention the talent of a young chicken farmer from Sebastapol, California.
For there on the thrift store shelf was a 53-year-old packet of promotional material from the Famous Artists School, along with a completed talent test never sent in for evaluation. From the looks of it, this farmer, Norman Olsen, had quite an eye for art. I’m sure he would have qualified for any of the correspondence courses offered by the school, which is still in business today.
Here’s Norman Olsen’s application and a couple examples of his art technique.
Conceived in 1948 by artist Albert Dorne, Famous Artists School was founded by 12 artists who were indeed well-known, including Norman Rockwell, Robert Fawcett, and Harold von Schmidt. Each had received hundreds of letters from people looking for artistic advice, so they figured a mail-order art school might be a profitable undertaking. Here is Dorne, followed by a picture of the dedicated faculty.
And it was successful. Courses in Painting, Illustration/Design, and Cartooning consisted of 24 lessons, which students completed at their own pace at home. In 1948, the fee per two-year course was $300 plus the cost of supplies.
Here is Norman Olsen’s optional freestyle illustration, as well as an example of his shading technique.
The courses were serious and the faculty sincere — this wasn’t a fly-by-night scam. Student work was reviewed and graded by the artist faculty, who wrote lengthy letters and provided drawn comments on tissue overlays.
Each student’s progress was tracked in an individual file, according to the brochure, and from the promotional literature you’d think the faculty often sat around in groups critiquing individual works. But with thousands of students, I’m not sure everyone got that sort of attention.
The talent test itself included topics such as composition, design sense, imagination and, of course, actual drawing skills.
Included with the test was a lavish brochure explaining not just how the courses worked, but what it would be like to be a successful artist. There are many examples of successful students and their work, along with endorsements from hiring art directors, magazine editors, and others.
Which one of the following celebrities was not a student? A – Charlton Heston, B – Dinah Shore, C – Debbie Reynolds. Go to page 2 to find out!
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My parrents enrolled me in that course inthe early 60’s. At the end of two years they bought a watercolor of mine I submitted for a final project.
I was about 12 when I completed the test in 1967 and excitedly mailed it in. An appointment was made to meet with me and my parents in our home one evening to discuss my test results. The gentleman was very encouraging when looking over my test, and I was accepted into the school that night, but when they said the dollar amount to enroll, I was shocked (at the age of 12 anything over $50 would have seemed like a lot.) and I told him I wasn’t interested. My parents didn’t understand my change of heart, and I never told them I didn’t want them to spend that much money for me to take art classes. Looking back, I wish I had. I did go on and received my BFA. And I did get to keep my test booklet. I still have it. So perhaps the chicken farmer/artist did mail it in and possibly enroll. – Sandy in Ohio
Mail order in the “olden” days was safer than today in the sense that the people offering, for example, this course, were talented themselves!
I remember John Gnagy too. I have a friend who looks like Gnagy, and they were both exceptional artists.
Good article Gene.
I grew up in a small town in Kentucky a few miles from the Ohio river. I wanted to be a commercial artist from the time I was old enough to hold a pencil, but as a twelve-year old kid living in such a small town in 1959, so young and so far from any real commercial art training opportunities, I thought wishing to go to art school was like wishing I could go to the moon. I found out about the Famous Artists School from a magazine ad and pleaded with my parents to let me do the course. It was quite an expense for my parents, but they agreed. The F.A.S. thought I was too young at first, but they sent a representative to my home, talked to me and my parents, and decided to allow me to take the course based on my desire and my art samples. It was a wonderful program and kept me busy hour after hour for several years (in fact, it probably kept me out of a lot of typical teenage trouble), Long story short, the course helped kick-start my career at an early age. By the time I was 19 years old I had already become a Television Art Director in Lexington and was well on my way. I have been a graphic design professional for over 42 years now and I can say without reservation that the Famous Artists Schools were a great contributor to my success. If by some chance there are any former F.A.S. teachers reading this, I would like to let you know how grateful I am for all you and your course did for me so long ago. May God bless you!
I passed the test about 1970 and, like #3 below, a guy came out to interview me, but we decided the cost was too high. Still have the test booklet. I remember their TV ads clearly–it’s what pops into my head whenever I hear the term “commercial artist.” I guess it left an impression. BTW, Charles Schultz worked for their Minneapolis competitor, Art Instructions Schools, evaluating student work, before he became a famous cartoonist. There is a detailed inside look at the correspondence art school business in “Schultz and Peanuts: A Biography.”
I took the test back in 1963 and received a very nice letter back from the school applauding my skill and encouraging me to continue drawing, but explaining that because I was only 8 years old I was too young for the course. Oh well! Years later I did go on and become a graphic artist after all.
My FIL took the course, but I don’t know if he graduated. He gave me the entire course instruction (in three big red, white and blue binders) and I must say that they are the best art books I have :-)
I neither graduated nor took the test, but my grandfather was Harold von Schmidt, one of the original founders. I know that, at least at the beginning, students really were given personal comments & critiques.
Grandpa was also always happy to talk & give advice to people who just stopped by his studio (ok, one might say he was happy to pontificate!) & I know he was, as you say, sincere in his dedication to the school & its students. I don’t think the current school shares much with the original school except for its name.
Wonderful…just wonderful to be reminded of Albert Dome. As a young child with aspirations of being a syndicated cartoonist or a full time animator for Disney, I had purchased a copy of ‘Being a Cartoonist’ authored by Mr. Dome. I did every exercise in the book, thinking I too would be of great artistic significance as Albert.
Unfortunately at the age of 60 I realize that childhood ambitions may never materialize. Yet, because of artists of influence and support of a loving family, I have not wavered from fine art or commercial graphic design.
30+ years in the career of a creative professional. Mr. Dome was a hero of mine.
Thanks for the memories.
PZ
I always loved to draw and my mother bought me the Jon Gnagy “Learn to Draw Kit” when I was in Grade 2. I did all the exercises in the book. I worked as an Art Director in Advertising for 25 years and also teach advertising creative. Not sure if I owe it all to Jon, but I sure had fun.
I did take the test as a kid, and I was mad that the comments came back to my parents stating “Your son Tracey” shows talent–I’m a girl! My parents couldn’t afford the course, but I did eventually go on to Parsons and have been a graphic designer and art director for years…Tracey Diehl (still a girl)
My father-in-law was commercial artist in his earlier days. When he passed away in 2001, I received a lot of his art supplies. Included were 4 large (12×18) binders from the Famous Artists School. These probably date back to the early 50’s. Really interesting stuff from a historical and artistic perspective.
I took the test and passed, started the corse and finished abaout half of it. I was young and arogant and thought I learned enough. I did learn enough to get hired as an Jr Engineering Illustrator. Chryslers in Detroit I started out as a Tracer and because of what I had learned from FAS. The older Illustrators I worked with, would put up with me.
I still need to finish the corse. lol Gman
Ha! This propaganda isn’t too far off from the booklets I received from school when I was in High School.
The Famous Artists School Magazine featured her in a 1961 article. There were photos of my dad and me posing with our cat, looking at “The Princess Who Never Laughed”, the book she illustrated for Golden Books in 1961. She had a good career as a fashion illustrator until leaving it to sell antiques. She already had the talent and the course probably gave her the confidence to get work in the male chauvinist 50s and 60s.
Course takers still get each assignment evaluated and commented on by an artist instructor and we currently have an active group of students. Soon we will be launching a forum for our students and other interested parties.
lee fleming, webmaster, http://www.famous-artists-school.com
I loaned my red book and never got it back from my cousin. – as yet not found. Can I get another one?? I enrolled in 1966 (maybe it was 1965) as Sandra Gossett.
Ah! I remember them very well… in the 60’s. I was in my teens. I filled out their application and a salesman came to our house. It was $400 (canadian) if I remember well. that was a LOT of money back then. My dad didn’t buy. I was disappointed.
Thanks for those wonderful images. It brought back great memories. I would love to find a test booklet or one of the books in a second hand bookstore!
I took the test in 1967 and when they came to see me, they said I was too young to sign the contract. I was already married but only 16 so I wasn’t old enough to sign the contract. Much later in life I became a newspaper photographer and later trained in graphic design. They gave me the desire to be an artist. BTW My father studied the Famous Writers School Correspondence Course and eventually did become a very successful writer and playwright.
I neither graduated nor took the test, but my grandfather was Harold von Schmidt, one of the original founders. I know that, at least at the beginning, students really were given personal comments & critiques.
Grandpa was also always happy to talk & give advice to people who just stopped by his studio (ok, one might say he was happy to pontificate!) & I know he was, as you say, sincere in his dedication to the school & its students. I don’t think the current school shares much with the original school except for its name.
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