U&lc.
Illustrated by Murray Tinkelman, December 1979
I love machinery. I love drawings, photographs and diagrams of machinery, particularly diagrams. They look important, they demand respect, and they inspire confidence. How dare anyone doubt that those dotted lines, those beautiful arrows, and the mystically placed little uppercase letters indicate something of great but obscure significance? The blueprint also is a form of visual tyranny. It is yet another kind of icon to be revered by the mechanically sophisticated and looked upon with awe by the mechanically illiterate, such as myself. These drawings are my semi-respectful homage to all the model airplanes that I almost completed, and every printed-in-Japan set of instructions that led me astray. However, most of all, to those passionately sterile drawings and engravings that graced the pages of the dictionaries and encyclopedias of my youth. As far as I am concerned, a Steam-Driven Chameleon, A Tractor-Treaded Rhinoceros, a Diesel-Driven Guppy, and a Propeller-Powered Bass are at least as valid as all that other stuff. These too, are real.
"In this age of depressing social, political and economic events, it is a welcome pleasure to be exposed to the delightful wit of Murray Tinkelman and to sense the love he has for his subject matter. In this case, his subject matter is his Mechanimals, those superbly inventive inventions of his fertile imagination. Tinkelman's mechanical animals are the combined accomplishment of a creative mind and a dexterous hand, two characteristics so often missed in today's so-called 'art' in America. Murray Tinkelman's contributions to the graphic arts lend considerable luster to an already illustrious profession. More power to Murray Tinkelman and his pseudo-technological revolution. Enjoy!"
Quote from Herb Lubalin, former Art Director, U & LC.
Sourced from here.
Diesel-Driven Guppy
Motorized-Rhino
Treaded Armadillo
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Murray Tinkelman's Curiously Creepy Mechanimals
In the 1980 book, "The Illustrations of Murray Tinkelman," the author writes that Murray's "Mechanimals" might have been "built by an obscure inventor who fancied himself a cross between Dr. Frankenstein and Henry Ford."
For his part as that "obscure inventor," Murray said, "I draw them strictly for myself, for sheer enjoyment."
"They give me a chance to grow, to experiment, and to make mistakes. Every artist needs to be able to make mistakes, but there's just no room for error when you're working on commercial assignments."
"They also keep me from stagnating. Since an artist is known for his former work, he can get channelled into repeating the same thing over and over. The Mechanimals help keep me flexible."
The fond memories of what Murray often calls his "misspent youth" have proven to be a wellspring of endless inspiration, fuelling a long and colourful career of cross-hatched creativity.
Murray's Mechanimals first appeared in print in 1979 in (legendary typographic designer) Herb Lubalin's "Upper and Lower Case" magazine. In his intro Murray wrote, "These drawings are my semi-respectful homage to all the model airplanes that I almost completed. Every printed-in-Japan set of instructions that led me astray."
"But most of all to those passionately sterile drawings and engravings that graced the pages of the dictionaries and encyclopedias of my youth."
Above sourced from here.
Loco Motoad
Syracuse Scholar made available to readers a limited edition of Murray Tinkelman's "Rail-Rhode Island Red" and " Iron Ram" offset lithographs of the artist's original ink drawings.