Early WSJ Illustration by Kevin Sprouls

all images, c. Kevin Sprouls

This post concerns the very first, early illustration work I created for the Wall Street Journal, back in the days of the Carter Administration. I was young and eager, looking for a paying job doing what I love -- drawing pictures. Here are two drawings that made it into the paper. I recall making, $75. for each drawing, to start out. As I found my feet, the style evolved...I am not sure who this is, perhaps someone can identify this man? My guess is he is a politician of the time. You can see the style coming into form.The subject here is Bob Wasson. It's very loose, yet elegant. Another published piece.An excellent, early portrait was of Mary Ellen Kay. The hair is fluidly drawn:We not only created portraits for the paper -- here is a drawing I made of the Centre George Pompidiou... very controversial at the time. The Centre, in Paris, serves as a Public Information Library, a vast public library; the Musée National d'Art Moderne, which is the largest museum for modern art in Europe; and IRCAM, a centre for music and acoustic research.The front page of the paper often contained 'Human Interest' stories. Here is an illustration of a royal guard...I must remind you, dear reader, these were from the very beginning of my time illustrating at the Journal. I was on staff from the end of 1979 until May of 1987. Quite a ride!Here is a hedcut that I can say stood up to the test of time. This is the style I arrived at that was the foundation of the WSJ portrait for decades to come: