PAPERBACK EDITION – The Art of Ron Lesser Volume 1: Deadly Dames and Sexy Sirens

Description

This is the PAPERBACK edition of The Art of Ron Lesser Volume 1. It has the same content as the hardcover edition at a lower price. Ron Lesser is one of America’s greatest illustration artists. The Art of Ron Lesser Volume 1 is a 145-page art book that showcases more than 200 book covers, posters, original paintings, and model reference photos from artist Ron Lesser’s personal archives, illuminated by his own commentary. It gives the reader unique insights into the man, his work, and the world of commercial illustration. This volume focuses on the paperback cover, movie and magazine artwork Lesser painted from 1959 to 1979. Future volumes in The Art of Ron Lesser series will focus on other decades and subjects, such as his Western and action/adventure paperbacks, celebrity portraits, historical artwork, and more. In the late 1950s, while studying with the legendary art teacher Frank J. Reilly at the Art Students League in New York City, Ron Lesser embarked on a long career as one of America’s top illustration artists. Over the next four decades, his artwork was used for thousands of paperback book covers, movie posters, magazines, and advertisements. Many great artists once made a good living doing such illustration artwork and Ron Lesser is among the best.

The hardcover edition is also available in our bookstore and on Amazon in the US and worldwide. We also offer the exclusive option of getting the hardcover bundled with an 8″x10″ Giclée print hand-signed by Ron.

“This astonishing book – perhaps the best ever assembled about a key artist of paperback book covers – is a mind-boggling feast for the eyes. What surprised me most was how many books I have purchased over the last fifty years, how many movies I have attended, that were due to Ron Lesser luring me in. Nothing ‘lesser’ about Ron – he is one of the handful of masters, right next to McGinnis and Maguire.”
     – Max Allan Collins
        Bestselling author of Road to Perdition, The Quarry novel series, and Spillane: King of Pulp Fiction

“Ron Lesser’s captivating depictions of impossibly beautiful women have always held a magnetic allure for connoisseurs of vintage paperbacks. This long-overdue and meticulously crafted book offers a rich tribute to Lesser’s illustrious career, brimming with an array of his original art, reference photographs, and a treasure trove of vintage artifacts – from paperback covers to movie posters and beyond. This inaugural volume in an anticipated series is an instant ‘must have’ for fans of paperback art, and a particular delight for those who appreciate the timeless charms of deadly dames and sexy sirens!”
     – Dan Zimmer
       Editor and publisher of Illustration magazine

“The Art of Ron Lesser Vol. 1 isn’t just a beautifully designed collection of Lesser’s exceptional artwork, we also learn about his career — and the mid-20th century illustration business in general — as described by artist himself. For fans of popular culture, genre fiction, and lovers of the best in illustration art of the period, this book is a must-have!”
     – Leif Peng 
       Author of The Art of the REAL Tom Sawyer and creator of the popular “Today’s Inspiration” illustration art history blog and Facebook Group

Click the image below to see a video preview of The Art of Ron Lesser Volume 1 posted by the popular retromedia blogger Jules Burt…