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{{Short description|British artist (1938–2017)}}
{{EngvarB|date=August 2014}}
{{EngvarB|date=August 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2014}}
{{Infobox person
{{Infobox person
| name = Alan Aldridge
| name = Alan Aldridge
| image = Alan Aldridge (1971).jpg
| image = Alan Aldridge (1971).jpg
| caption = Alan Aldridge (1971)
| caption = Aldridge in 1971
| birth_name =
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{Birth date|df=yes|1943|06|01}}
| birth_date = {{Birth date|df=y|1938|7|8}}
| birth_place = London, England
| birth_place = London, England
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2017|02|17|df=yes|1943|06|01}}
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2017|2|17|df=y|1938|7|8}}
⚫
| occupation = Artist, illustrator, graphic designer, creative director, graphic entertainer
| residence = [[Los Angeles]]
| nationality = British
⚫
| occupation = Artist, illustrator, graphic designer, creative director
| years_active = 1965–2017
| years_active = 1965–2017
|spouse= Rita<br>[[Laura Lyons]]
| spouse = {{unbulleted list
| {{marriage|Rita Farthing|||end=divorced}}
| children = 8
| {{marriage|[[Laura Lyons]]|||end=divorced}}
}}
}}
| partner = Andrea Gayler

| children = 8, including [[Miles Aldridge|Miles]], [[Saffron Aldridge|Saffron]], [[Lily Aldridge|Lily]] and [[Ruby Aldridge|Ruby]]
'''Alan Aldridge''' (1 June 1943 &ndash; 17 February 2017)<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://bestclassicbands.com/alan-aldridge-obituary-2-18-17/|title=Alan Aldridge, Album Cover Designer for The Who and Elton John, Dies|work=Best Classic Bands|date=18 February 2017|accessdate=19 February 2017}}</ref> was a British artist, graphic designer and illustrator.
| relatives = [[Caleb Followill]] (son-in-law)
}}
'''Alan Aldridge''' (8 July 1938<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Sweeting |first=Adam |date=22 February 2017 |title=Alan Aldridge obituary |url=https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2017/feb/22/alan-aldridge-obituary |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220630052024/https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2017/feb/22/alan-aldridge-obituary |archive-date=30 June 2022 |accessdate=30 May 2019 |work=The Guardian}}</ref> – 17 February 2017)<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://bestclassicbands.com/alan-aldridge-obituary-2-18-17/|title=Alan Aldridge, Album Cover Designer for The Who and Elton John, Dies|work=Best Classic Bands|date=18 February 2017|accessdate=19 February 2017}}</ref> was a British artist, graphic designer and illustrator. He is best known for his psychedelic artwork made for books and record covers by [[The Beatles]] and [[The Who]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.lambiek.net/artists/a/aldridge_alan.htm|title=Alan Aldridge}}</ref> His bold, surreal, and colorful style was unique and different compared to the more restrained 'Swiss style' during his time.<ref name=":02">{{Cite web |date=2017-02-24 |title=Remembering Alan Aldridge: the graphic designer of the “swinging sixties” |url=https://www.designweek.co.uk/issues/20-26-february-2017/remembering-alan-aldridge-revolutionary-graphic-designer-swinging-sixties/ |access-date=2024-12-16 |website=Design Week |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Alan Aldridge Biography |url=https://www.artnet.com/artists/alan-aldridge/biography |access-date=2024-12-16 |website=www.artnet.com}}</ref>


==Personal life==
==Personal life==
Aldridge was born in East London and lived in Los Angeles, California. Four of his children are fashion photographer [[Miles Aldridge]]<ref>[http://www.palazzoeditions.com/index.php?item=213 Artist profile on the Palazzo website]</ref> and models [[Saffron Aldridge]],<ref name="Bio of Saffron Aldridge">[http://www.fashionmodeldirectory.com/models/Saffron_Aldridge/ Bio of Saffron Aldridge]</ref> [[Lily Aldridge]] and [[Ruby Aldridge]]. His daughter Lily announced his death on February 17th 2017 on Instagram<ref>[https://www.instagram.com/p/BQn6ZuYjH3b/?taken-by=lilyaldridge]</ref> .


Aldridge was born in North London but moved and lived in Los Angeles, California <u>i</u>n the 1980s, searching for opportunities in film and design.<ref name=":03">{{Cite web |date=2017-02-24 |title=Remembering Alan Aldridge: the graphic designer of the “swinging sixties” |url=https://www.designweek.co.uk/issues/20-26-february-2017/remembering-alan-aldridge-revolutionary-graphic-designer-swinging-sixties/ |access-date=2024-12-16 |website=Design Week |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":12">{{Cite web |date=2008-10-15 |title=Drawing on experience - Alan Aldridge interview |url=https://www.scotsman.com/news/drawing-on-experience-alan-aldridge-interview-2456893 |access-date=2024-12-16 |website=The Scotsman |language=en}}</ref> On 17 February 2017, his death was announced via Instagram.<ref>{{Cite Instagram |postid=BQn6ZuYjH3b |user=lilyaldridge |title=I love you Daddy 💔🙏🏼❤ I feel so blessed to have been given a father who I love admire & respect as much as you. I'm so proud to be your daughter. Thank you for the years of magic ✨❤🙏🏼 #MyIdol 🕷👁💧 |author=Lily Aldridge |date=2017-02-17 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/iarchive/instagram/lilyaldridge/1452386259338821083 |archive-date=25 December 2021 |url-status=live}}</ref>
⚫
==Career==


When he died, he left behind 8 children: fashion photographer [[Miles Aldridge]], model and social activist [[Saffron Aldridge]] and Marc from his first marriage to Rita Farthing; two sons, Pim and Toby, from a relationship with Andrea Gayler; and two daughters, models [[Lily Aldridge]] and [[Ruby Aldridge]], and a son, James, from his second marriage to [[Laura Lyons]], which also ended in divorce.<ref name=":0" /> He was given 11 grandchildren.
⚫
[[Image:Make Room! Make Room!.jpg|thumb|right|Aldridge's illustration for [[Make Room! Make Room!]] by [[Harry Harrison (writer)|Harry Harrison]] typifies his early style.]]<!-- FAIR USE of Image:Make Room! Make Room!.jpg: see image description page at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Image:Make Room! Make Room!.jpg for rationale -->Aldridge first worked as an illustrator at ''"The Sunday Times Magazine.'''' After doing some freelance book covers for [[Penguin Books]], he was hired in March 1965 by Penguin's chief editor [[Tony Godwin]] to become the art director of Penguin.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.penguinsciencefiction.org/08.html#Aldridge |title=The Art of Penguin Science Fiction}}</ref> Over the next two years as art director, he especially focused on science fiction book covers and introduced his style which resonated with the mood of the time. In 1968 he moved to his own graphic-design firm, INK, which became closely involved with graphic images for [[the Beatles]] and [[Apple Corps]].<ref name=Palazzo>{{cite web |url=http://www.palazzoeditions.com/index.php?item=213 |title=Palazzo : Artist & Author Profiles : Latest Profiles : Alan Aldridge |author= |authorlink= |author2= |date=17 September 2006 |format= |work= |publisher=''New York Times'' |pages= |language= |quote= |accessdate=2 December 2008}}{{dead link|date=January 2017|bot=medic}}</ref>


One of his important but unfinished projects was ''The Gnole'', a fantasy novel he wrote which was later picked up for a potential film adaptation. Although the movie was never produced, it remains as one of his notable creative works.<ref name=":12" />
⚫
During the 1960s and 1970s, he was responsible for a great many [[album cover]]s, and helped create the graphic style of that era. He designed a series of science fiction book covers for Penguin Books. He made a big impression with his illustrations for [[The Beatles Illustrated Lyrics]] book. He also provided illustrations for ''The Penguin Book of Comics'', a history of British and American comic art. His work was characterised by a flowing, cartoony style and soft airbrushing – very much in step with the psychedelic styles of the times. His work includes the 1971 anti-war poster entitled ''A great place for hamburgers but who'd want to live there!''<ref name="Aulich">{{cite book|last1=Aulich|first1=James|title=War Posters: Weapons of Mass Communication|date=2007|publisher=Thames & Hudson|location=New York|isbn=9780500251416|page=237}}</ref>


⚫
==Career==
⚫
In the theatre, in February 1969 he designed the graphics for controversial [[Jane Arden (director)|Jane Arden]] play ''[[Vagina Rex and the Gas Oven]]'' at the [[Arts Lab#Drury Lane Arts Lab|London Arts Laboratory]], [[Drury Lane]].


⚫
[[File:Make Room! Make Room!.jpg|thumb|right|Aldridge's illustration for ''[[Make Room! Make Room!]]'' by [[Harry Harrison (writer)|Harry Harrison]] typifies his early style.]]<!-- FAIR USE of Image:Make Room! Make Room!.jpg: see image description page at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Image:Make Room! Make Room!.jpg for rationale -->Aldridge first worked as an illustrator at ''The Sunday Times Magazine''. After doing some freelance book covers for [[Penguin Books]], he was hired in March 1965 by Penguin's chief editor [[Tony Godwin]] to become the art director of Penguin.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.penguinsciencefiction.org/08.html#Aldridge |title=The Art of Penguin Science Fiction}}</ref> Over the next two years as art director, he especially focused on science fiction book covers and introduced his style which resonated with the mood of the time. In 1968 he moved to his own graphic-design firm, INK, which became closely involved with graphic images for [[the Beatles]] and [[Apple Corps]].<ref name=Palazzo>{{cite web|url=http://www.palazzoeditions.com/index.php?item=213 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080318205120/http://www.palazzoeditions.com/index.php?item=213 |url-status=dead |archive-date=18 March 2008 |title=Palazzo : Artist & Author Profiles : Latest Profiles : Alan Aldridge |date=17 September 2006 |work=[[The New York Times]] |accessdate=2 December 2008 }}</ref>
⚫
He is possibly best known, however, for the picture book ''[[The Butterfly Ball and the Grasshopper Feast]]'' (1973), a series of illustrations of [[anthropomorphism|anthropomorphic]] insects and other creatures, which he created in collaboration with [[William Plomer]], who wrote the accompanying verses. This was based on [[William Roscoe]]'s poem of the same name, but was inspired when Aldridge read that [[John Tenniel]] had told [[Lewis Carroll]] it was impossible to draw a [[Through the Looking-Glass#The Wasp in a wig|wasp in a wig]]. Illustrations produced in collaboration with Harry Willock.


⚫
During the 1960s and 1970s, he was responsible for a great many [[album cover]]s, and helped create the graphic style of that era. He designed a series of science fiction book covers for Penguin Books. He made a big impression with his illustrations for the book ''[[The Beatles Illustrated Lyrics]]''. He also provided illustrations for ''The Penguin Book of Comics'', a history of British and American comic art.<ref name=":1" /> His work was characterised by a flowing, cartoony style and soft airbrushing – very much in step with the psychedelic styles of the times. His work includes the 1971 anti-war poster entitled ''A great place for hamburgers but who'd want to live there!''<ref name="Aulich">{{cite book|last1=Aulich|first1=James|title=War Posters: Weapons of Mass Communication|url=https://archive.org/details/warpostersweapon0000auli|url-access=registration|date=2007|publisher=[[Thames & Hudson]]|location=New York|isbn=9780500251416|page=[https://archive.org/details/warpostersweapon0000auli/page/237 237]}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Knudde |first=Kjell |title=Alan Aldridge |url=https://www.lambiek.net/artists/a/aldridge_alan.htm |website=Lambiek Comiclopedia}}</ref>
Aldridge also created the artwork for ''[[Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy]]'' by [[Elton John]] in 1975.


⚫
In February 1969, Aldridge designed the graphics for the controversial [[Jane Arden (director)|Jane Arden]] play ''[[Vagina Rex and the Gas Oven]]'' at the [[Arts Lab#Drury Lane Arts Lab|London Arts Laboratory]], [[Drury Lane]].<ref name=":1" />
⚫
==Honours and awards==
⚫
A retrospective ''Alan Aldridge – the Man with the Kaleidoscope Eyes'' featured at the [[Design Museum]] in London from 10 October 2008 to 25 January 2009, and was reviewed as "The trip of a lifetime".<ref name=designmuseum>{{cite web |url=http://www.designmuseum.org/exhibitions/2008/alanaldridge |title=Alan Aldridge |author= |authorlink= |author2= |year=2006 |publisher= Design Museum |accessdate=2 December 2008| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20081205113507/http://www.designmuseum.org/exhibitions/2008/alanaldridge| archivedate= 5 December 2008 | deadurl= no}}</ref>


⚫
Aldridge is possibly best known for the picture book ''[[The Butterfly Ball and the Grasshopper Feast]]'' (1973), a series of illustrations of [[anthropomorphism|anthropomorphic]] insects and other creatures, which he created in collaboration with Harry Willock. [[William Plomer]] wrote the accompanying verses. This was based on [[William Roscoe]]'s poem of the same name, but was inspired when Aldridge read that [[John Tenniel]] had told [[Lewis Carroll]] it was impossible to draw a [[Through the Looking-Glass#The Wasp in a wig|wasp in a wig]].
''"Aldridge was the 'Guv'nor'....no one comes close to matching his influence on illustration in the 20th Century!..."'' – [[Sir John Betjeman]], ''The Times Literary Review'', 1975.


Aldridge created the artwork for [[Elton John]]'s 1975 album ''[[Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy]]''.<ref name=":1" /> In 1977, he created an advertisement illustration for the Dutch beer brand [[Heineken]].<ref name=":1" /> He was the creator of the ''[[Hard Rock Café]]'' logo.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.hardrock.com/news/passing-of-artist-alan-aldridge/|title = Home|date = 12 May 2017}}</ref>
"His Royal Master of Images to Their Majesties The Beatles." [[John Lennon]] in 1968.<ref>[http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/visual_arts/article4907331.ece Alan Aldridge in ''The Times'', October 12, 2008.]</ref>


⚫
==Honours and awards==
Nicknamed himself "The Man with the Kaleidoscope Eyes" after a line in the Beatles' song "[[Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds]]".


⚫
A retrospective ''Alan Aldridge – the Man with the Kaleidoscope Eyes'' featured at the [[Design Museum]] in London from 10 October 2008 to 25 January 2009, and was reviewed as "The trip of a lifetime".<ref name=designmuseum>{{cite web |url=http://www.designmuseum.org/exhibitions/2008/alanaldridge |title=Alan Aldridge |year=2006 |publisher= Design Museum |accessdate=2 December 2008| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20081205113507/http://www.designmuseum.org/exhibitions/2008/alanaldridge| archivedate= 5 December 2008 | url-status= live}}</ref>
Was known in the 1960s and '70s as "the Graphic entertainer".<ref>[http://art.bradley.edu/bug/?p=664 "Alan Aldridge"]. Archive edition of audio-video lecture by Aldridge(?) with brief preface. 17 September 2009. Bradley University Galleries, [[Bradley University]].</ref>


Over the years Aldridge has won many awards for his work, among them [[Costa Book Awards|Whitbread Children's Book Award]] (1973).<ref>[http://facstaff.unca.edu/moseley/whitbread.html Costa Book Awards.]</ref>
Over the years Aldridge won many awards for his work, among them [[Costa Book Awards|Whitbread Children's Book Award]] (1973).<ref>[http://facstaff.unca.edu/moseley/whitbread.html Costa Book Awards.] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100507023548/http://facstaff.unca.edu/moseley/whitbread.html |date=7 May 2010 }}</ref>


==Selected works==
==Selected works==
<!-- formerly "Other works" and (two eds. of one book) "Further reading" -- what is the criterion? important works covered in prose listing here too -->
<!-- formerly "Other works" and (two eds. of one book) "Further reading" -- what is the criterion? important works covered in prose listing here too -->
*Cover for ''Boswell's London Journal 1762–1763'', ed. Frederick Pottle, Penguin (1966).
* Cover for ''Boswell's London Journal 1762–1763'', ed. Frederick Pottle, Penguin (1966).
*Cover design for ''[[A Quick One]]'' by [[The Who]] (1966).
* Cover design for ''[[A Quick One]]'' by [[The Who]] (1966).
*Poster for [[Andy Warhol]] and [[Paul Morrissey]]'s film ''[[Chelsea Girls]]'' (1966).
* Poster for [[Andy Warhol]] and [[Paul Morrissey]]'s film ''[[Chelsea Girls]]'' (1966).
*Covers for [http://www.penguinsciencefiction.org/10.html Penguin Science Fiction books] (1967).
* Covers for [http://www.penguinsciencefiction.org/10.html Penguin Science Fiction books] (1967).
* Cover design for ''[[Under the Jasmin Tree]]'' by the [[Modern Jazz Quartet]] (1968).
*''[[The Beatles Illustrated Lyrics]]'' (US, [[Houghton Mifflin]]; UK, MacDonald Unit 75, 1969) editor, select illustrations.
* ''[[The Beatles Illustrated Lyrics]]'' (US, [[Houghton Mifflin]]; UK, MacDonald Unit 75, 1969) editor, select illustrations.
*''Ann in the Moon'' (1970), with story by [[Frances D. Francis]].
*''The Penguin Book of Comics'' (1971), with George Perry, published by Penguin Books.
* ''Ann in the Moon'' (1970), with story by [[Frances D. Francis]].
* ''The Penguin Book of Comics'' (1971), with George Perry, published by Penguin Books.
*Famous [[Hard Rock Cafe]] logo (1971).<ref>[http://www.debutart.com/illustration/alan-aldridge/hard-rock-cafe-logo#/illustration-portfolio Hard-rock-cafe-logo.]</ref>
*''[[The Ship's Cat (children's book)|The Ship's Cat]]'' (1977), illustrated in collaboration with [[Harry Willock]], with verses by [[Richard Adams]].
* ''[[The Ship's Cat (children's book)|The Ship's Cat]]'' (1977), illustrated in collaboration with Harry Willock, with verses by [[Richard Adams]].
*''The Peacock Party'' (1979) and ''The Lion's Cavalcade'' (1980), sequels to ''The Butterfly Ball'', based on anonymous sequels to Roscoe's version, both illustrated in collaboration with [[Harry Willock]], and with verses by [[George E. Ryder]] and [[Ted Walker]] respectively.
* ''The Peacock Party'' (1979) and ''The Lion's Cavalcade'' (1980), sequels to ''The Butterfly Ball'', based on anonymous sequels to Roscoe's version with verses by [[George E. Ryder]] and [[Ted Walker]] respectively. Illustrated in collaboration with Harry Willock.
*''Phantasia: Of Docklands, Rocklands and Dodos'' (1981), illustrated in collaboration with [[Harry Willock]].
* ''Phantasia: Of Docklands, Rocklands and Dodos'' (1981)
*''[[The Gnole]]'' (1999), with [[Steve Boyett]] (writer) and [[Maxine Miller]] (colorist).
* ''[[The Gnole]]'' (1999), with [[Steve Boyett]] (writer) and [[Maxine Miller]] (colorist).
* Illustrations and logo design for ''[[Everybody Loves a Happy Ending]]'', the sixth studio album by British pop rock/new wave band [[Tears for Fears]], 2004.
* Illustrations and logo design for ''[[Everybody Loves a Happy Ending]]'', the sixth studio album by British pop rock/new wave band [[Tears for Fears]], 2004.
* Aldridge is also credited for Art Direction and Illustration on ''[[Light Grenades]]'' (2006), the sixth studio album for [[Incubus (band)|Incubus]].
* Aldridge is also credited for Art Direction and Illustration on ''[[Light Grenades]]'' (2006), the sixth studio album for [[Incubus (band)|Incubus]].


<!-- these two editions of one books formerly called "Further reading" -->
<!-- these two editions of one books formerly called "Further reading" -->
* ''The Man with Kaleidoscope Eyes'' ([[Thames & Hudson]], 2008), 240 pp, ISBN 978-0-500-09342-9; also published as ''The Man with Kaleidoscope Eyes: The Art of Alan Aldridge'' ([[Abrams Books]], 2009), 240 pp, ISBN 978-0-8109-0596-2
* ''The Man with Kaleidoscope Eyes'' ([[Thames & Hudson]], 2008), 240 pp, {{ISBN|978-0-500-09342-9}}; also published as ''The Man with Kaleidoscope Eyes: The Art of Alan Aldridge'' ([[Abrams Books]], 2009), 240 pp, {{ISBN|978-0-8109-0596-2}}

==See also==
{{Portal bar |Speculative fiction |Visual arts}} <!-- delete the word "bar" if there are enough ordinary See also -->


==References==
==References==
{{reflist|2}}
{{Reflist|25em}}


⚫
* {{cite book|last1=Aulich|first1=James|title=War Posters: Weapons of Mass Communication|url=https://archive.org/details/warpostersweapon0000auli|url-access=registration|date=2007|publisher=Thames & Hudson|location=New York|isbn=9780500251416}}
===Bibliography===
⚫
*{{cite book|last1=Aulich|first1=James|title=War Posters: Weapons of Mass Communication|date=2007|publisher=Thames & Hudson|location=New York|isbn=9780500251416}}


==External links==
==External links==
{{Portal |Speculative fiction |Visual arts}}
* {{Official website }}
*[http://bartolomy.com/galleries/designers/ Picture of Alan Aldridge @ The Design Museum]
* [http://bartolomy.com/galleries/designers/ Picture of Alan Aldridge @ The Design Museum] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120401072906/http://bartolomy.com/galleries/designers/ |date=1 April 2012 }}
*{{cite web |url=https://www.dexigner.com/news/16087 |title=Alan Aldridge – The Man with Kaleidoscope Eyes |work=[[Dexigner]] |accessdate=2 December 2008}}
* {{cite web |url=https://www.dexigner.com/news/16087 |title=Alan Aldridge – The Man with Kaleidoscope Eyes |work=Dexigner |accessdate=2 December 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140903072433/http://www.dexigner.com/news/16087 |archive-date=3 September 2014 |url-status=dead }}
*{{cite web |url=http://www.timeout.com/london/museums-attractions/event/64824/alan-aldridge-the-man-with-kaleidoscope-eyes.html |title=Alan Aldridge – The Man With Kaleidoscope Eyes at Design Museum – Museums & Attractions – Time Out London |work= |accessdate=2 December 2008| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20081028152209/http://www.timeout.com/london/museums-attractions/event/64824/alan-aldridge-the-man-with-kaleidoscope-eyes.html| archivedate= 28 October 2008 | deadurl= no}}
* {{cite web |url=http://www.timeout.com/london/museums-attractions/event/64824/alan-aldridge-the-man-with-kaleidoscope-eyes.html |title=Alan Aldridge – The Man With Kaleidoscope Eyes at Design Museum – Museums & Attractions – Time Out London |accessdate=2 December 2008 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20081028152209/http://www.timeout.com/london/museums-attractions/event/64824/alan-aldridge-the-man-with-kaleidoscope-eyes.html |archivedate=28 October 2008 |url-status=dead }}
*[http://www.penguinsciencefiction.org/10.html Alan Aldridge's science fiction covers for Penguin Books.]
* [http://www.penguinsciencefiction.org/10.html Alan Aldridge's science fiction covers for Penguin Books.]
*[http://www.debutart.com/illustration/alan-aldridge/ Alan Aldridge agent website]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20110923195047/http://www.debutart.com/illustration/alan-aldridge Alan Aldridge agent website]
* {{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/archive/working/0811.shtml?all=1&id=0811 |title=Man Alive: Top Class People |date=10 May 1967 |author= |work=Working Class Britain Collection |publisher=BBC |accessdate=31 May 2009 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090116081140/http://www.bbc.co.uk:80/archive/working/0811.shtml?all=1&id=0811 |archivedate=16 January 2009 |df=dmy }}. Alan Aldridge is one of six people interviewed during the 29-minute BBC2 program.
* {{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/archive/working/0811.shtml?all=1&id=0811 |title=Man Alive: Top Class People |date=10 May 1967 |work=Working Class Britain Collection |publisher=[[BBC]] |accessdate=31 May 2009 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090116081140/http://www.bbc.co.uk/archive/working/0811.shtml?all=1&id=0811 |archivedate=16 January 2009 |df=dmy }}. Alan Aldridge is one of six people interviewed during the 29-minute BBC2 program.
* {{isfdb name|2285 }}
* {{isfdb name|2285 }}
* {{LCAuth|n50037324|Alan Aldridge|19|ue}}
* [http://lccn.loc.gov/n50037324 Alan Aldridge]{{dead link|date=October 2016 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} at [[Library of Congress]] Authorities – with 19 catalogue records


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{{Authority control}}
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[[Category:Album-cover and concert-poster artists]]
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Latest revision as of 03:15, 19 December 2024

Alan Aldridge
Aldridge in 1971
Born(1938-07-08)8 July 1938
London, England
Died17 February 2017(2017-02-17) (aged 78)
Occupation(s)Artist, illustrator, graphic designer, creative director, graphic entertainer
Years active1965–2017
Spouses
  • Rita Farthing
    ​
    (divorced)​
  • ​
    (divorced)​
PartnerAndrea Gayler
Children8, including Miles, Saffron, Lily and Ruby
RelativesCaleb Followill (son-in-law)

Alan Aldridge (8 July 1938[1] – 17 February 2017)[2] was a British artist, graphic designer and illustrator. He is best known for his psychedelic artwork made for books and record covers by The Beatles and The Who.[3] His bold, surreal, and colorful style was unique and different compared to the more restrained 'Swiss style' during his time.[4][5]

Personal life

[edit]

Aldridge was born in North London but moved and lived in Los Angeles, California in the 1980s, searching for opportunities in film and design.[6][7] On 17 February 2017, his death was announced via Instagram.[8]

When he died, he left behind 8 children: fashion photographer Miles Aldridge, model and social activist Saffron Aldridge and Marc from his first marriage to Rita Farthing; two sons, Pim and Toby, from a relationship with Andrea Gayler; and two daughters, models Lily Aldridge and Ruby Aldridge, and a son, James, from his second marriage to Laura Lyons, which also ended in divorce.[1] He was given 11 grandchildren.

One of his important but unfinished projects was The Gnole, a fantasy novel he wrote which was later picked up for a potential film adaptation. Although the movie was never produced, it remains as one of his notable creative works.[7]

Career

[edit]
Aldridge's illustration for Make Room! Make Room! by Harry Harrison typifies his early style.

Aldridge first worked as an illustrator at The Sunday Times Magazine. After doing some freelance book covers for Penguin Books, he was hired in March 1965 by Penguin's chief editor Tony Godwin to become the art director of Penguin.[9] Over the next two years as art director, he especially focused on science fiction book covers and introduced his style which resonated with the mood of the time. In 1968 he moved to his own graphic-design firm, INK, which became closely involved with graphic images for the Beatles and Apple Corps.[10]

During the 1960s and 1970s, he was responsible for a great many album covers, and helped create the graphic style of that era. He designed a series of science fiction book covers for Penguin Books. He made a big impression with his illustrations for the book The Beatles Illustrated Lyrics. He also provided illustrations for The Penguin Book of Comics, a history of British and American comic art.[11] His work was characterised by a flowing, cartoony style and soft airbrushing – very much in step with the psychedelic styles of the times. His work includes the 1971 anti-war poster entitled A great place for hamburgers but who'd want to live there![12][11]

In February 1969, Aldridge designed the graphics for the controversial Jane Arden play Vagina Rex and the Gas Oven at the London Arts Laboratory, Drury Lane.[11]

Aldridge is possibly best known for the picture book The Butterfly Ball and the Grasshopper Feast (1973), a series of illustrations of anthropomorphic insects and other creatures, which he created in collaboration with Harry Willock. William Plomer wrote the accompanying verses. This was based on William Roscoe's poem of the same name, but was inspired when Aldridge read that John Tenniel had told Lewis Carroll it was impossible to draw a wasp in a wig.

Aldridge created the artwork for Elton John's 1975 album Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy.[11] In 1977, he created an advertisement illustration for the Dutch beer brand Heineken.[11] He was the creator of the Hard Rock Café logo.[13]

Honours and awards

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A retrospective Alan Aldridge – the Man with the Kaleidoscope Eyes featured at the Design Museum in London from 10 October 2008 to 25 January 2009, and was reviewed as "The trip of a lifetime".[14]

Over the years Aldridge won many awards for his work, among them Whitbread Children's Book Award (1973).[15]

Selected works

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  • The Man with Kaleidoscope Eyes (Thames & Hudson, 2008), 240 pp, ISBN 978-0-500-09342-9; also published as The Man with Kaleidoscope Eyes: The Art of Alan Aldridge (Abrams Books, 2009), 240 pp, ISBN 978-0-8109-0596-2

References

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  1. ^ a b Sweeting, Adam (22 February 2017). "Alan Aldridge obituary". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 30 June 2022. Retrieved 30 May 2019.
  2. ^ "Alan Aldridge, Album Cover Designer for The Who and Elton John, Dies". Best Classic Bands. 18 February 2017. Retrieved 19 February 2017.
  3. ^ "Alan Aldridge".
  4. ^ "Remembering Alan Aldridge: the graphic designer of the "swinging sixties"". Design Week. 24 February 2017. Retrieved 16 December 2024.
  5. ^ "Alan Aldridge Biography". www.artnet.com. Retrieved 16 December 2024.
  6. ^ "Remembering Alan Aldridge: the graphic designer of the "swinging sixties"". Design Week. 24 February 2017. Retrieved 16 December 2024.
  7. ^ a b "Drawing on experience - Alan Aldridge interview". The Scotsman. 15 October 2008. Retrieved 16 December 2024.
  8. ^ Lily Aldridge [@lilyaldridge] (17 February 2017). "I love you Daddy 💔🙏🏼❤ I feel so blessed to have been given a father who I love admire & respect as much as you. I'm so proud to be your daughter. Thank you for the years of magic ✨❤🙏🏼 #MyIdol 🕷👁💧". Archived from the original on 25 December 2021 – via Instagram.
  9. ^ "The Art of Penguin Science Fiction".
  10. ^ "Palazzo : Artist & Author Profiles : Latest Profiles : Alan Aldridge". The New York Times. 17 September 2006. Archived from the original on 18 March 2008. Retrieved 2 December 2008.
  11. ^ a b c d e Knudde, Kjell. "Alan Aldridge". Lambiek Comiclopedia.
  12. ^ Aulich, James (2007). War Posters: Weapons of Mass Communication. New York: Thames & Hudson. p. 237. ISBN 9780500251416.
  13. ^ "Home". 12 May 2017.
  14. ^ "Alan Aldridge". Design Museum. 2006. Archived from the original on 5 December 2008. Retrieved 2 December 2008.
  15. ^ Costa Book Awards. Archived 7 May 2010 at the Wayback Machine
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