Famous Artist Cartoon Course

My journey into the world of cartooning began at the tender age of ten. Way back in the early sixties, my mother made a wise investment of a few hundred bucks in a correspondence course called “The Famous Artist Cartoon Course.” Little did she know, it was an investment in me. I stumbled upon this course through a matchbook cover, as those matchbooks with advertisements were all the rage back then. Founded in 1948 in Connecticut by a group of prominent artists, including legends like Norman Rockwell and Ben Stahl, this school had a special place in my heart.

In the fifties, the school even offered a cartooning course taught by some of the most esteemed cartoonists of the time. I still cherish the three sizable textbooks my mother purchased for me; they feel like old friends, filled with wisdom and creativity. Although The Famous Artists School closed its doors in December 2016, you can still find their cherished texts for sale today. My journey into cartooning truly began with these materials.