¿Habla usted español?

A few phrases are remembered from high school Spanish... and I'll assume this one is correct. Scrolling forward to the 70's, Here are some brochure illustrations for a language TV program for Spanish speaking youngsters... no doubt through PBS stations in the S.F. Bay area and So. California.


That time frame may sound odd now... 'forward to the 70's'... but it was my third decade of illustration in San Francisco. As previously mentioned, work had changed drastically over those years. I was kept busy... more brochures, trade ads, 'point of sale' assignments, new and different agencies and accounts. Billboards - with the exception of the occasional highway painted bulletin and big magazine ads - had disappeared... and most of the 'big budgets' to boot! TV had become the '600 lb. gorilla' in the ad world. But other things... and a lot of variety... filled in.


More one and two color ads were the norm. The Spanish language brochure was essentially black on toned paper stock....and I used my weapon of choice in those days, a General charcoal pencil on cold pressed illustration board.


I'd like to add (and I haven't mentioned this) I worked with some great and talented guys and girls at P&H... and at the advertising agencies. There were creative ad designers and lettering designers, well before the age of instant computer generated fonts and designs... cartoonists, production experts, et al. We worked as a team... and I credit much of my stuff to those talented people. It was a pleasure working with professionals of that caliber!


Following the brochure, a couple of illustrations using the same method. Although legitimate jobs, I can't recall where the 'historical' montage was used...


...and I'm drawing a blank on the 'pencil on rough board' portrait. I think a local S.F. journalist...


...but just too many years!

Will try one more... ¿Habla usted inglés?

Charlie Allen's Flickr set.