Spiral Living

Maurizio Quarello

Leo Lionni

Birmanian Folk Tales, E. Matveeva, M. Shevchenko, 1978, thanks to polny_shkaf

David Klein, thanks to Matt Hinrichs

Heinz Valk, illustration for children's poem book by Helvi Jurisson, thanks to 50 Watts

Celestino Piatti

Calef Brown

Janik Coat

Carson Ellis

Anne Crausaz

Maria Mikhalskaya

Mignon Kargie

twoems

Pino Pascali

Mid–Century Bright

David Klein is one of my favorite artists from one of my favorite design eras.

His vibrant saturated palette and exuberantly decorative designs reflect

the optimistic spirit of the times and his personal fascination

with bright colors and abstract shapes and patterns. 

David Klein was born in El Paso in 1918 and studied at the Art Center School in Los Angeles. 

During the 1930s he worked and exhibited as a fine art painter in California.

After serving in the army during World War II, Klein moved to New York and 

became the art director of a theatrical advertising agency where he produced 

window cards and posters for many successful Broadway shows.

Most of these images come from the David Klein website curated

by his estate, which hosts a rich selection of his works.

Around 1957, Klein was commissioned to illustrate a series of travel posters 

for Trans World Airlines. The gorgeous, colorful and innovative artworks 

which ensued have become his most famous and beloved creations

and many of them can be found here and there on the web.

 Recently, the very informative Today's Inspirations has posted 

beautiful high quality scans of some of these posters, and 

you can see a tribute by contemporary artists on illostribute.

Klein also illustrated children's books, but unfortunately 

I have no information about the titles, dates or publishers.

A lovely series of limited edition prints featuring animals

created by Klein in 1966 is now available at Rosie Hippo.

Sunday Safari - Striking Stripes

Celestino Piatti, cover of ABC der Tiere, 1964

André François, illustration from Roland, 1958, 

thanks to Le figure di libri

Józef Wilkon, cover of Pan Tip-Top

Russian Circus poster, thanks to Ben Perry's 

fantastic USSR posters collection on flickr

Polish matchbox label, thanks to Maraid's 

wonderful matchbox labels collection on flickr

Jacques Hnizdovsky, 1970

Kazumasa Nagai, Save me

Pep Montserrat, La selva del lenguaje

Swiss poster by Polly Bertram and Daniel Volkart, 1990

David Klein, poster Africa-fly TWA, ca.1967

Peter Clark, Stripe dreams collage

Sebastiano Ranchetti, Zebra print

Mario Mariotti

Matazo Kayama, 1954

Paul Le Mécano

Sunday Safari - Whale watching

The enamored whale by Albert Cerriteño, thanks to Drawn

Vintage brass whale from studiosmith on flickr

Blue whale by the bird machine

Whale bowl by Diana Fayt - One black bird

The whale by Kazaan Viveiros

illustration from the book For just one day by Marc Boutavant, thanks to The Apple and the Egg

cover design for Monster Children notebook by Geoff Mcfetridge

Whale by Tatsuro Kiuchi

Whale by David Klein