Bob Clarke (illustrator) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bob Clarke |
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Bob Clarke
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| Born | Robert J. Clarke January 25, 1926 Mamaroneck, New York |
| Died | March 31, 2013 (aged 87) Seaford, Delaware |
| Nationality | American |
| Area(s) | Cartoonist |
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Notable works
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Mad magazine contributor Cutty Sark label |
Robert J. "Bob" Clarke (January 25, 1926 – March 31, 2013) was an American artist. He drew pictures for many advertisements and for MAD Magazine. He also designed the famous label for the Cutty Sark bottle. Bob Clarke was born in Mamaroneck, New York. He later lived in Seaford, Delaware.
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Bob Clarke's Art Style
Bob Clarke had a special way of drawing for MAD Magazine. He was very good at drawing everyday objects. He once said, "I was known as the 'thing' artist." This meant he could draw anything, like a telephone or a slot machine.
Al Feldstein, who was an editor at MAD, said Bob Clarke was very important to the magazine. He called Clarke "a godsend," meaning he was a huge help. John Ficarra, another editor, said Clarke was a great designer. He could even draw in the style of other artists. If there was a tricky drawing problem, Bob Clarke could usually fix it.
Early Career and Army Days
Bob Clarke started his art career at just 17 years old. He worked as an assistant on the "Ripley's Believe It or Not!" comic strip. He helped draw the amazing facts that Robert Ripley collected from around the world.
After two years, Clarke joined the army. He worked for the European newspaper Stars and Stripes. This is where he met his wife. Even after leaving the army, he kept working for Stars and Stripes as a civilian.
Later, he returned to America and joined an advertising company. This job taught him a lot about different fonts and how to arrange pictures. He learned how to draw in many different styles. Bob Clarke was also one of the artists who helped design the box for the children's game Candyland.
Working at MAD Magazine
Bob Clarke became a key artist for MAD Magazine after its first editor, Harvey Kurtzman, left. In his first year at MAD, Clarke drew for 24 different articles. Over time, he would draw more than 600 articles for the magazine.
Clarke was a very important artist as MAD became more popular. He was one of four main artists who helped MAD through the late 1950s and early 1960s. The other artists were Wallace Wood, George Woodbridge, and Joe Orlando.
Bob Clarke's drawings were often more like cartoons than the other artists. This was clear in two circus drawings for MAD #41. Wallace Wood drew a very detailed, grand circus. Clarke's circus drawing was simpler, showing everyday acts. This contrast helped show how circuses were changing.
Clarke was also able to draw very detailed pictures when needed. He once remembered a difficult task for MAD. He had to fit many small details, like a stagecoach, robberies, and explosions, into a tiny one-inch space. He managed to put everything in, and the art director was very impressed.
Fun Facts and Favorite Work
Like many people who worked at MAD, Bob Clarke sometimes appeared in funny photos in the magazine. In 1989, he was asked to create a pair of men's boxer shorts with Alfred E. Neuman's face all over them. Clarke playfully wore the shorts to the MAD offices. He was then convinced to model them for the cover of a MAD Special magazine!
Out of more than 600 articles he drew for MAD, Bob Clarke's favorite was "A MAD Look at the Joys of Scuba Diving." He worked on this in 1966 with writers Dick DeBartolo and Al Jaffee during a trip to San Juan. Clarke joked, "We wrote it underwater."
Bob Clarke passed away from pneumonia on March 31, 2013.
