Ionicus facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ionicus |
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|---|---|
| Born | Joshua Charles Armitage 26 September 1913 Hoylake, Cheshire, England |
| Died | 29 January 1998 (aged 84) Hoylake, Wirral, Merseyside |
| Nationality | British |
| Area(s) | Illustrator, cartoonist |
Joshua Charles Armitage (born September 26, 1913 – died January 29, 1998) was a talented English artist. He was known for his amazing illustrations, especially for books. He used the special name Ionicus when he signed his work. You might know him best for drawing the covers of many P. G. Wodehouse books published by Penguin. He also drew cartoons and pictures for Punch magazine for over 40 years! In total, he created art for almost 400 books.
Contents
Meet Ionicus: The Illustrator
His Early Life and Art Journey
Joshua Armitage was born in 1913 in a town called Hoylake, right by the Irish Sea in Cheshire, England. He passed away in the same town in 1998. In 1939, he married Catherine Buckle, and they had two daughters. Catherine passed away in 1988.
Joshua studied art at the Liverpool School of Art. He also taught art at the Wallesey School of Art. In 1940, he joined the British Navy during World War II.
He started using the name Ionicus for his first cartoon published in Punch magazine on March 29, 1944. He chose this name because his drawing featured two ionic columns. Over 40 years, he drew 358 pictures for Punch magazine.
Creating Famous Book Covers
Ionicus is most famous for his pictures of P. G. Wodehouse's stories, which often showed a perfect, old-fashioned England. But he also drew covers for many other well-known writers. He worked on books in different styles, not just funny ones.
Here are some of the books he illustrated:
- A book of Grimm's Fairy Tales published in the 1950s. This book included some color pictures by him.
- Children's fantasy novels by Diana Wynne Jones. These included Charmed Life, The Magicians of Caprona, and Witch Week. He worked on these from 1977 to 1982.
- Horror novels by Ronald Chetwynd-Hayes. These were The King's Ghost, Tales From The Hidden World, and The Haunted Grange. He illustrated these between 1985 and 1988.
Art During Wartime
While Joshua Ionicus was serving in the British Navy during the war, he also contributed his art to a special magazine. This magazine was called Ditty Box, and it was supported by the Navy.
See also
In Spanish: Ionicus para niños
