Wonky colorful shapes and playful characters in Abner Graboff's work

May 07, 2023

Hello, hello! How is life going?

Here's a brand new issue of The Attic, full of freshness and wonderful mid century goodies! Today we have a bold and colourful illustrator, a cute Korean stamp, a colorful place, a cute Japanese ad, a collection of egg cups, an old book about mushrooms and a book recommendation!

✧ An illustrator: Abner Graboff ✧

Abner GRABOFF - 1966 - Mrs. McGarrity's Peppermint Sweater by Adelaide HOLL

Abner Graboff (1919 - 1986) was an artist and illustrator born in East Orange, New Jersey.

Graboff started his career as a freelance graphic designer, but it was in 1954 where he illustrated the first of many children books to come: The Sun Looks Down, which was awarded The New York Times Best Illustrated Children’s Book by The New York Times. During his life, he also illustrated cookbooks, music books and album covers.

Below you can see some of his picture books, illustrated in different techniques. I love the shapes and bright and bold colours!

Abner GRABOFF - 1960 - The Sun Looks Down by Miriam SCHLEIN

Abner GRABOFF - 1960 - Something For You, Something For Me, by Mabel WATTS

Abner GRABOFF - 1963 - 10 Little Indians

✧ A stamp: Yeonnalligi 연날리기 ✧

AHN Seung Kyung - 1977 - Korea postage stamp

✧ A place: San Francisco ✧

Joseph BINDER - 1957 - United Airlines. San Francisco

✧ An ad: Aji no moto ✧

✧ A collection: Four egg cups ✧

✧ A book: Atlas des Champignons ✧

M. E. DESCOURTILZ - 1827 - Atlas des Champignons

I recently made this little illustration for a Catalan festivity called Sant Jordi which is held every year on the 23rd of April, during that day people give books and roses to each other, which is super cool! :)

VIU - 2023 - Feliç lectura! (Happy reading!)

This year I got this children’s book titled Truffe by Fanny Britt and illustrated by Isabelle Arsenault (I love Arsenault’s work), it’s not an old book but I can see there’s some mid-century inspiration there… Do you see it too?

The book tells three stories that revolve around music, which I also love, so it was a perfect book for me :)