Thursday, January 10, 2013

Bring Some Color Into Your Life With Dr Seuss Artwork

By Dorothea Garner


Since the 1930s, millions of children the world over have grown up with his books. It isn't only the stories in, for instance, 'Green Eggs and Ham' but also the colorful Dr Seuss artwork that has captivated young and old. After all these years, the illustrations still make bedtime stories a treat.

Ted Geisel's full names were Theodor Seuss Geisel. A native of Springfield, Massachusetts, he studied at Dartmouth College. There he started illustrating cartoons for one of the college magazines and later began using the name 'Dr Seuss' when signing his work. He was actually a doctor: not a medical doctor, but a doctor of Philosophy, a degree he obtained from Oxford's Lincoln College.

After obtaining his qualifications, Geisel became a professional cartoonist and illustrator for the advertising industry. It was for this work that he became a well-known name in the United States. Some of his early pieces also served as inspiration for characters that would later appear in his popular children's books. For example, an illustration he did for a car advertisement featured cats jumping out of hats, alluding to 'The Cat in the Hat' that would follow.

The first of Geisel's children's books was 'And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street'. Even though Geisel struggled to find a publisher, Vanguard Press eventually published the book in 1937. This kick-started a collection of children's books that would become some of the best sellers in publishing history. So far, more than 222 million copies of the Dr Seuss books have been sold and they're still selling like hotcakes.

Geisel preferred working in watercolors or in pen and ink to create his distinctive illustrations. There is a certain droopiness to the way he drew faces and figures, even buildings or the elaborate machines he created. He also avoided the use of straight lines. This appealed to children everywhere, along with the stories that were often written in the form of rhyme rather than prose.

Like all hit books, Geisel's most popular children's books have been adapted for the big and small screens alike. In the 1980s, an animated film based on a Dr Seuss story even emerged from the Soviet Union. Children can cuddle toys bearing the most beloved characters' likeness and if they want to enjoy special theme-park rides, they can visit a Florida attraction that replicates the 'no-straight-lines' style.

A lesser known aspect of Geisel's artistic legacy is his taxidermy project. He created 'A Collection of Unorthodox Taxidermy' in the 1930s. This consisted of imaginary creatures that he sculpted as if they were hunting trophies to be mounted on the wall. The sculptures included real animal bits, like beaks, feathers or horns. While the originals are hard to come by and very expensive, you can buy limited-edition replicas.

In 1991, the man who never had his own children but touched the lives of millions of youngsters, died. The awards he received during his career include not only literary awards, but also Emmys and an Academy Award. If you want to bring some color and quirkiness into your life, you'll find Dr Seuss artwork for sale at various galleries. Of course you can buy the books at any bookshop or online retailer too.




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