# That look belongs to a singular artist? I never knew. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 13, 2011, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-look-belongs-to-a-singular-artist-i-never-knew/596195 "2011-09-13T20:15:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2011, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-look-belongs-to-a-singular-artist-i-never-knew/596195/21 "2011-09-14T00:55:21Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > [LeRoy Nieman](http://www.google.com/search?q=leroy+neiman&hl=en&rlz=1C1GGGE_enUS357US356&nord=1&biw=1280&bih=623&site=webhp&prmd=imvnso&source=lnms&tbm=isch&ei=nOVvTt6yBuLb0QH169jzCQ&sa=X&oi=mode_link&ct=mode&cd=2&ved=0CB8Q_AUoAQ). I’d say that his stuff is actually fairly good. Back in the 70s, he was all over the place, usually with sports art. I remember that style dominating the Olympics one year. 1976 maybe? ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2011, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-look-belongs-to-a-singular-artist-i-never-knew/596195/22 "2011-09-14T01:24:08Z")
> [@Biggirl](#): > > The only other illustrator that I know the name of and had a very distinctive style would be [Keith Haring.](http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&newwindow=1&safe=off&client=firefox&rls=com.yahoo%3Aen-US%3Aofficial&biw=1360&bih=605&tbm=isch&sa=1&q=keith+haring&oq=keith+h&aq=0&aqi=g10&aql=&gs_sm=e&gs_upl=481910l483205l0l485227l7l7l0l0l0l0l326l1372l1.2.3.1l7l0) Never heard of him, but that look stinks of the late '80s and early '90s to me. There was a lot of similar more “ethnic” looking art around the same time. ---
**Author:** ![panamajack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/47e85d/32.png) [@panamajack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panamajack)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2011, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-look-belongs-to-a-singular-artist-i-never-knew/596195/23 "2011-09-14T01:34:21Z")
Going back to the Fifties, there’s [Art Frahm](http://www.google.com/search?tbm=isch&hl=en&q=art+frahm). ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2011, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-look-belongs-to-a-singular-artist-i-never-knew/596195/24 "2011-09-14T01:46:35Z")
> [@An\_Gadai](#): > > Never heard of him, but that look stinks of the late '80s and early '90s to me. There was a lot of similar more “ethnic” looking art around the same time. He was active during the '80s. He died in '90. ---
**Author:** ![Unintentionally\_Blank](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unintentionally_blank/32/5418_2.png) [@Unintentionally\_Blank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Unintentionally_Blank)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2011, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-look-belongs-to-a-singular-artist-i-never-knew/596195/25 "2011-09-14T01:47:20Z")
Ed “big daddy” Roth Syd Mead HR Geiger ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2011, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-look-belongs-to-a-singular-artist-i-never-knew/596195/26 "2011-09-14T02:14:44Z")
> [@KneadToKnow](#): > > I remember that style dominating the Olympics one year. 1976 maybe? That was probably Nieman himself. He was hired by the network do to artwork about each day’s competition. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2011, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-look-belongs-to-a-singular-artist-i-never-knew/596195/27 "2011-09-14T02:15:48Z")
> [@An\_Gadai](#): > > There was a lot of similar more “ethnic” looking art around the same time. Are you thinking of [Kokopelli](http://www.google.com/search?tbm=isch&hl=en&source=hp&biw=1280&bih=891&q=kokopelli&gbv=2&oq=kokopelli&aq=f&aqi=g10&gs_upl=1449l2864l0l3108l9l8l0l1l1l0l173l906l1.6l7l0&uss=1), by any chance? ---
**Author:** ![Sunshine\_and\_Smiles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a5b964/32.png) [@Sunshine\_and\_Smiles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunshine_and_Smiles)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2011, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-look-belongs-to-a-singular-artist-i-never-knew/596195/28 "2011-09-14T03:10:16Z")
[Banksy](http://www.google.com/search?tbm=isch&hl=en&source=hp&biw=1016&bih=679&q=banksy&gbv=2&oq=banksy&aq=f&aqi=g10&aql=&gs_sm=e&gs_upl=1090l1783l0l2190l6l3l0l0l0l0l381l608l0.2.0.1l3l0#hl=en&safe=off&gbv=2&tbm=isch&sa=1&q=banksy+art&pbx=1&oq=banksy+art&aq=f&aqi=g10&aql=&gs_sm=e&gs_upl=7339l8090l0l8226l4l4l0l1l1l0l175l457l0.3l3l0&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.&fp=ab35f5894805835c&biw=1016&bih=679) ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2011, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-look-belongs-to-a-singular-artist-i-never-knew/596195/29 "2011-09-14T03:37:39Z")
> [@KneadToKnow](#): > > Are you thinking of [Kokopelli](http://www.google.com/search?tbm=isch&hl=en&source=hp&biw=1280&bih=891&q=kokopelli&gbv=2&oq=kokopelli&aq=f&aqi=g10&gs_upl=1449l2864l0l3108l9l8l0l1l1l0l173l906l1.6l7l0&uss=1), by any chance? Sort of, although I don’t recall seeing that figure before. I’m trying to think of google terms that might get me some examples. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2011, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-look-belongs-to-a-singular-artist-i-never-knew/596195/30 "2011-09-14T03:51:14Z")
[Anne Geddes](http://www.google.com/search?tbm=isch&hl=en&source=hp&biw=1366&bih=585&q=anne+geddes&gbv=2&oq=anne+geddes&aq=f&aqi=g10&aql=&gs_sm=e&gs_upl=10340l12194l0l12309l11l10l0l4l4l0l176l757l2.4l6l0) You might not recognize the name, you’ve seen the work of [Sam Butcher.](http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&biw=1366&bih=585&q=Samuel+J.+Butcher&gbv=2&gs_sm=e&gs_upl=1899l1899l0l2832l1l1l0l0l0l0l85l85l1l1l0&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi#um=1&hl=en&safe=off&gbv=2&tbm=isch&sa=1&q=Samuel+J.+Butcher&oq=Samuel+J.+Butcher&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&gs_sm=e&gs_upl=6814l8731l0l9254l11l5l0l0l0l0l185l529l3.2l5l0&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_cp.&fp=29081ad04aadb3fb&biw=1366&bih=585) [Salvador Dali](http://www.google.com/search?tbm=isch&hl=en&source=hp&biw=1016&bih=679&q=banksy&gbv=2&oq=banksy&aq=f&aqi=g10&aql=&gs_sm=e&gs_upl=1090l1783l0l2190l6l3l0l0l0l0l381l608l0.2.0.1l3l0#hl=en&safe=off&gbv=2&tbm=isch&sa=1&q=salvador+dali&oq=salvador+dali&aq=f&aqi=g10&aql=&gs_sm=e&gs_upl=2741l5140l0l5382l13l10l0l3l3l0l206l879l2.4.1l7l0&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_cp.&fp=29081ad04aadb3fb&biw=1366&bih=585) [Georgia O’Keeffe](http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&biw=1366&bih=585&q=Samuel+J.+Butcher&gbv=2&gs_sm=e&gs_upl=1899l1899l0l2832l1l1l0l0l0l0l85l85l1l1l0&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi#um=1&hl=en&safe=off&gbv=2&tbm=isch&sa=1&q=georgia+o%27keeffe&oq=Georgia+o&aq=0&aqi=g2g-s2g1g-s1g1g-s2g1&aql=&gs_sm=e&gs_upl=102242l105433l4l106938l9l9l0l0l0l0l221l1600l1.5.3l9l0&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_cp.&fp=29081ad04aadb3fb&biw=1366&bih=585) [MC Escher](http://www.google.com/search?tbm=isch&hl=en&source=hp&biw=1016&bih=679&q=banksy&gbv=2&oq=banksy&aq=f&aqi=g10&aql=&gs_sm=e&gs_upl=1090l1783l0l2190l6l3l0l0l0l0l381l608l0.2.0.1l3l0#hl=en&safe=off&gbv=2&tbm=isch&sa=1&q=mc+escher&oq=mc+escher&aq=f&aqi=g10&aql=&gs_sm=e&gs_upl=105434l112567l2l112685l9l9l0l4l4l0l363l1063l0.2.2.1l5l0&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_cp.&fp=29081ad04aadb3fb&biw=1366&bih=585) ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2011, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-look-belongs-to-a-singular-artist-i-never-knew/596195/31 "2011-09-14T05:22:57Z")
> [@KneadToKnow](#): > > I had to dig a little to come up with Patrick Nagel’s name, but if you were alive during the '80s, you know the look. Nagel’s work is alive and well at every nail salon. [He is the patron saint of nail salons](http://www.google.com/search?q=cd+baby+percentage&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&hl=en&tab=wi&biw=1902&bih=957#um=1&hl=en&safe=off&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla:en-US%3Aofficial&tbm=isch&sa=1&q=nail+salon+nagel&oq=nail+salon+nagel&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&gs_sm=e&gs_upl=16125l18741l0l19037l6l6l0l3l3l0l192l518l0.3l3l0&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.&fp=7475c7d1b1879a59&biw=1902&bih=957). I’ve never been to a nail salon, and haven’t even had a haircut in 20+ years, but as I walk down the street, I see fake Nagels in shop windows. He was also very popular with early computer graphics enthusiasts. Any computer that could display 265 colors could display a Nagel credibly. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2011, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-look-belongs-to-a-singular-artist-i-never-knew/596195/32 "2011-09-14T15:17:58Z")
In the comic book world at least, the art of [Todd McFarlane](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Todd_McFarlane) is quite distinctive. I remember people swooning over his attention to detail: “Spider Man’s web isn’t just a line, it’s a bundle of cords wrapped with more cords!” Oh yeah, and [R. Crumb](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R._Crumb). ---
**Author:** ![Shadowfyre](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shadowfyre/32/9972_2.png) [@Shadowfyre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shadowfyre)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2011, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-look-belongs-to-a-singular-artist-i-never-knew/596195/33 "2011-09-14T15:25:47Z")
My wife is a huge fan of [Micheal Parkes](http://www.google.com/search?tbm=isch&hl=en&source=hp&biw=1130&bih=592&q=Patrick+Nagel&btnG=Search+Images&gbv=2&oq=Patrick+Nagel&aq=f&aqi=g10&aql=&gs_sm=s&gs_upl=1763l1763l0l2929l1l1l0l0l0l0l189l189l0.1l1l0#hl=en&gbv=2&tbm=isch&sa=1&q=michael+parkes&pbx=1&oq=micheal+parke&aq=0s&aqi=g-s10&aql=&gs_sm=e&gs_upl=279329l281700l0l285308l13l11l0l0l0l0l600l4337l0.1.2.2.4.2l11l0&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.&fp=9780afdd3722389e&biw=1130&bih=592). We have a few prints in our house. Very easy to tell they are by the same artist. ---
**Author:** ![cjepson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9adbd/32.png) [@cjepson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cjepson)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2011, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-look-belongs-to-a-singular-artist-i-never-knew/596195/34 "2011-09-14T15:37:28Z")
[Stanley Mouse and Alton Kelley](http://www.collectable-records.ru/images/post/mouse_kelley/index.htm) were largely responsible for the late-60s San Francisco psychedelic poster-art look. (Which owed a lot to Alphonse Mucha, mentioned upthread.) ---
**Author:** ![Death\_of\_Rats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a6a055/32.png) [@Death\_of\_Rats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Death_of_Rats)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2011, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-look-belongs-to-a-singular-artist-i-never-knew/596195/35 "2011-09-14T15:48:02Z")
> [@miss\_elizabeth](#): > > He didn’t do it all, but I was surprised to find that a lot of that psychedelic pop art is from [Peter Max](http://www.google.com/search?pq=artist+peter+max&hl=en&sugexp=eppshb&cp=0&gs_id=8&xhr=t&q=peter+max&qe=cGV0ZXIgbWF4&qesig=oO40DRRvuH3m7_Pneo7g4w&pkc=AFgZ2tlyPKnV_aHj1Z7GqhExY1LfkQCJ8KBjx_nq8SsuTqDfpAAc-JHQ2a59nqd5nA8CflnbWfGvmg4h_htxEHqvjdclnygk7A&safe=off&client=ubuntu&hs=xgv&channel=fs&gs_sm=&gs_upl=&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_cp.&biw=1152&bih=679&bs=1&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi). He also gets credited for a lot of the psychadelic pop that he did not do but people assume from the style, he did. Like the Beatle’s _Yellow Submarine_ movie. ---
**Author:** ![Baal\_Houtham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baal_houtham/32/13604_2.png) [@Baal\_Houtham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baal_Houtham)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2011, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-look-belongs-to-a-singular-artist-i-never-knew/596195/36 "2011-09-14T16:03:54Z")
It’s surprising how few artists have developed an iconic style. Lots of artist have identifiable styles, but not many are ingrained into popular culture. In photography [Richard Avedon](http://www.google.com/search?tbm=isch&hl=en&source=hp&biw=2379&bih=1305&q=Richard+Avedon&gbv=2&oq=Richard+Avedon&aq=f&aqi=g2g-s1g7&aql=&gs_sm=e&gs_upl=4647l12847l0l13577l26l26l6l6l6l0l211l2127l2.10.2l14l0) qualifies. Did the cover of Simon and Garfunkel’s Bookends. He also did multicolor Beatle portraits, although he’s famous for his black and white, straight on, minimal background portraits. ---
**Author:** ![Simmerdown](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/simmerdown/32/14859_2.png) [@Simmerdown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simmerdown)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2011, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-look-belongs-to-a-singular-artist-i-never-knew/596195/37 "2011-09-14T17:33:57Z")
Another anal bum cover artist: [Roger Dean](http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&sugexp=cppshb&cp=10&gs_id=12&xhr=t&q=roger+dean&safe=off&gs_sm=&gs_upl=&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.&biw=1577&bih=986&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi) ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2011, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-look-belongs-to-a-singular-artist-i-never-knew/596195/38 "2011-09-14T17:42:46Z")
A couple of years ago, [Shepard Fairey](http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&sugexp=gsis,i18n%3Dtrue&cp=16&gs_id=1y&xhr=t&q=shepard+fairey+art&pq=obey+artist&gs_sm=&gs_upl=&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.&biw=1280&bih=870&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi)’s look was everywhere. Much longer ago, [Charles Dana Gibson](http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&sugexp=gsis,i18n%3Dtrue&cp=23&gs_id=50&xhr=t&q=charles+dana+gibson+artist&pq=gibson+girl+artist&gs_sm=&gs_upl=&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.&biw=1280&bih=870&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi#um=1&hl=en&safe=active&tbm=isch&sa=1&q=charles+dana+gibson+art&pbx=1&oq=charles+dana+gibson+art&aq=f&aqi=g1&aql=&gs_sm=e&gs_upl=5569l5857l0l6193l3l3l0l0l0l0l143l308l1.2l3l0&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.&fp=2dfb4b0b8099d048&biw=1280&bih=870)’s work was distinctive. ---
**Author:** ![Toucanna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3bc359/32.png) [@Toucanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Toucanna)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2011, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-look-belongs-to-a-singular-artist-i-never-knew/596195/39 "2011-09-14T19:49:28Z")
Those practitioners of the visual arts that I _like_ have already been mentioned. All I can think of is an example from the plastic arts: [Juan, José and Vicente Lladró Dolz.](http://www.google.com/search?q=plastic+arts+definition&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&hl=en&tab=wi&biw=800&bih=361#um=1&hl=en&tbm=isch&sa=1&q=lladro+figurines&pbx=1&oq=lladro&aq=1&aqi=g10&aql=&gs_sm=c&gs_upl=1651l4470l0l7066l28l11l0l0l0l3l613l2527l0.4.3.0.1.1l11l0&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.&fp=91d14c1f72815cdf&biw=800&bih=361) (FWIW, I can’t stand these figurines; the style is jes so pweh-shus it hurts to look at them. YMMV.) ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2011, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-look-belongs-to-a-singular-artist-i-never-knew/596195/40 "2011-09-14T20:28:36Z")
Anyone who’s spent any time at all in the F&SF aisle of their local bookstore in the 80s and 90s will recognize these folks’ work, if not their names: [Michael Whelan](http://www.google.com/search?q=michael+whelan&hl=en&safe=off&client=firefox-a&hs=pfH&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&biw=1600&bih=739&prmd=imvnso&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=pg1xTtKaMe3I0AHF8fSKCg&ved=0CFcQsAQ) (Lord of Dragons and Whales) [Gerald Brom](http://www.google.com/search?pq=brom&hl=en&sugexp=gsis,i18n%3Dtrue&cp=8&gs_id=c&xhr=t&q=brom+gerald&qe=YnJvbSBnZXI&qesig=y-eEaYSBncrhf_zgBEDUwQ&pkc=AFgZ2tlqVKbHg5ASJlJPPaNAvB_7_YBwV31y3PLBqRuxM8Ht-89_FI5DD6UFvjHPavVSlG-MB84pGwRcdzDNpcB0REO2fBDPVg&safe=off&client=firefox-a&hs=ohH&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&gs_sm=&gs_upl=&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.&biw=1600&bih=739&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi) (who basically created the look of D&D’s Dark Sun setting) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-look-belongs-to-a-singular-artist-i-never-knew/596195.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-look-belongs-to-a-singular-artist-i-never-knew/596195.md?page=3)