The Art of Robert E. McGinnis - by Robert E McGinnis & Art Scott (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

A Modern Master

Robert E. McGinnis began his career in 1947 as a cartoonist, and produced his first cover illustrations for 1956 issues of the magazines True Detective and Master Detective. Then in 1958, he painted his first paperback book cover, and from that day forward his work was in demand.

The emergence of the "McGinnis Woman"--long-legged, intelligent, alluring, and enigmatic--established him as the go-to artist for detective novels. His work appeared on Mike Shayne titles and the Perry Mason series, and he produced 100 paintings for the Carter Brown adventures. Yet McGinnis became famous for his work in other genres as well: espionage, romance, historicals, gothics, and Westerns.

McGinnis's first major magazine assignments were for The Saturday Evening Post, and his work has graced the pages of Cosmopolitan, National Geographic, Good Housekeeping, Guideposts, and others. McGinnis women frequently cropped up in the men's magazines of the '60s and '70s.

His first movie poster was for Breakfast at Tiffany's, with an iconic rendering of Audrey Hepburn. Almost instantly, his poster artwork could be seen everywhere--in theaters, on billboards, in newspapers, and even on soundtrack albums. His work for Hollywood became a who's-who, with posters for James Bond, The Odd Couple, Woody Allen, The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes, and many more.

Some of his most ambitious works have been his gallery paintings, often depicting stunning American landscapes, vast Western vistas, and of course, beautiful women. The Art of Robert E. McGinnis collection reveals the full scope and beauty of the work of a true American master--one whose legacy continues today.

Review Quotes

"Famous pulp cover and movie poster artist Robert E. McGinnis had a massive impact on a whole generation of folks obsessed with storytelling." - Aint it Cool

"With the McGinnis Woman, the illustrator quite literally changed the face of pop culture marketing. "But is it art?" Hell yes it is." - Badass Digest

"The Art of Robert E. McGinnis is one of those "must haves," a book any movie or fine art fan will want to pick up to look through again and again." - Cinema Retro

"The best cover artist of the mid-20th century." - Boing Boing

"Robert McGinnis can paint anything--a movie poster, a Western landscape--and draw you in. But when he paints a woman, he makes you fall in love."--Lawrence Block, New York Times bestselling author ofGetting Off and the Matthew Scudder series

"McGinnis was and is the king of paperback cover art, truly the gold standard."--Max Allan Collins, New York Times bestselling author of The Last Quarry

About the Author

American artist and illustrator Robert E McGinnis is best known for his movie poster and book cover illustrations, though he has also done work for various newspapers and magazines. He currently illustrates covers for Hard Case Crime and has produced posters for many classic Bond movies. He is a member of the Society of Illustrators Hall of Fame.