Behind the Cover: Robert McGinnis

[reviews_and_ramblings]

If you love the old savage romance, maybe you don't know the name Robert McGinnis but for sure you know his work, he is the cover artist for the first 13 books by Johanna Lindsey, yes, those famous and notorious covers, loved, hated, that sometime you find with a strategically positioned "sales price" and that are now collectible items for the lovers and fans of the genre.



















Robert McGinnis was born in 1926. He grew up in Wyoming and Ohio and studied art at Ohio State University and the Central Academy for Commercial Art in Cincinnati. He has done advertising work, book and magazine illustration, gallery art and movie poster (Breakfast at Tiffany for telling "only" one and many of the James Bond films). The first of his nearly eleven hundred paperback covers appeared in 1958. His home and studio are in Old Greenwich, Connecticut.

This is actually the 10th of the "Johanna Lindsey" covers, but I think it deserve to be out of the cut as first since it is the one that often you find with a "special price" stick on the... bum of the man and you can't remove it! Anyway, after this one enjoy also all the other covers, in release order:
































































Illustration for Area of Suspicion
















































































































Illustration for Fort Everglades


































































































































































































































































































































































Illustration for The Long Knife


















































The Stewardess





















































































Paperback Covers of Robert McGinnis released in 2001 by Pond Press is now a collectible item itself.
 
Amazon: Paperback Covers of Robert McGinnis.

A beautifully designed and produced book of the best of Robert McGinnis, one of America's foremost illustrators and a member of the American Illustration Hall of Fame. Since 1958, he has painted over 1,000 paperback covers in all genres, including mystery, romance, and western. In addition to a definitive list of his paperback work, the book provides over 200 full color illustrations, not just of the book covers, but of McGinnis' model photos, sketches, roughs and finished art. The book will provide indispensable to collectors of his works, as well as a visual treat for lovers of fine illustration.

Comments

[smuffster.livejournal.com]

I LOVE those Lindsey covers. Was so disappointed when they began releasing her books with those dreadful flower covers. Even the re-issues are bland now. Such a shame.

[elisa-rolle.livejournal.com]

I believe there are not so many artist like Robert McGinnis around, and probably covers like that now cost a fortune. Elisa

[rowenasudbury.livejournal.com]

Wow...those bring back a lot of fond memories.

[elisa-rolle.livejournal.com]

I bought most of them as second hand books to have that covers ;-) Elisa

[rowenasudbury.livejournal.com]

Good idea! I agree with the commentor above this about how disappointing some re-issues are with different covers. It's nice to have the original covers :)