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Show l:i.IJ FI you like to draw, you may have If a ,v talent God-giye- n '. t&k -- 'ft. . T JT7 i wm ,k v ' j ' : ' '' by NORMAN ROCKWELL nwioutn n mm uaem I can't think of a greater watte in die world than being biased with a natural ability . . . and doing nothing about it A talent for drawing, for example, is a wonder ful gift. It can bring you such a rich and rewarding life that it just doesn't teem right not give it a chance to develop and grow. Nobody knows this better than 1. 1 was born in a shabby tenement in New York City. I guess I always wanted to be an artist. I remember, when I was six, drawing on old cardboard to amuse my friends.. At fifteen, I had earned enough money from odd jobs to go to art school. Then, over my parents' objections, I left high school after my first year so that I could attend two art schools at once. Many timet I became terribly discouraged and wanted to give up art school to start earning money. But my instructors encouraged me to continue and got me work to tide me over. One day a friend urged me to submit my work to The Saturday Evening Post To my surprise, they bought the first three pictures I showed them and asked me to do three more. I didn't know it then, but this sale started me toward the realization of my dream . . . making the most of the talent I was born with. , pic-hir- es . . Others struggled, too My story is not unique . . . other artists overcame greater hardships. Albert Dome left school at 1 3 to support his family, but studied art at home in spare tune. At 22 he was earning $500 a week. He went on to become secrets into a unique series of home-stud- y lessons. We made over 5,000 special drawings for a magnificent set of textbooks. After we had covered the fundamentals, each man contributed his own specialty. For example, Jon Whitcomb showed how to draw his famous "glamour girls." Dome showed one of the highest-pai- d commercial artist ;' in America. .. StevanIhanos,fainouscoveranist,C(rove a truck before turning to art Harold Von Schmidt was orphaned at five. Robert Fawcett, "the illustrator's illustrator," left school at 14. Austin Briggs struggled to supfiat when he port his family in a cold-watfirst broke into art As I progressed in my career, hundreds of promising artists came to me for help. I gave them as much time as I could. But what they really needed was an effective' way to master the trade secrets and professional know-hoof many successful artists. step-by-st- ep to achieve animation and humor. I devised a simple way to explain characterization and the secrets of color. New methods devised Finally, we spent three years working out a revolutionary new way to correct a to help others Albert Dome found the way. One day over fifteen years ago, he asked me to meet him in his New York studio. When I arrived, I found Dohanos, Von Schmidt, Fawcett and Briggs. With them were Ben StahL Peter Helck and John Atherton. Dome pointed out the growing need for trained artists that existed all over the country. Then he asked, "Why can't we develop a way to share our art experience and knowledge with all who have talent ... no matter where they live or who they are?" All of us loved the idea. Taking time off from our own careers, we poured all our trade knowledge of art all our hard-wo- n James Ryan of Los Angeles, Calif., is a good n talent for drawexample. If his ing had gone undeveloped, he might still be g, a clerk, unhappy with his routine job. Taking our course radically changed his future. Today he's an illustrator at Hughes Aircraft and pours out a steady stream offrce-lanc- e art work in hiiipare time. Ellen Wilhelm, a housewife from Illinois, found that our training helped to make extra income for her family. Last year alone, she earned over 14,000 from art work. At one show, she sold 39 paintings. To Dean Brinkley of Arlington, Tex., the course opened a new world of accomplishment He's had growing success as an illusart work trator, doing important for firms like Texas Refining Corp. And last Amarica'a 12 Most Famous Artists From left to right, standing: Albert Dorne, Ben Suhl; seated: Fred Ludckrns, Norman Rockwell, Stevaa Dohanos, Jon Whitcomb, Harold Von Schmidt, Al Parker, Peter Helck, Austin Briggs, Robert Fawcett and George GiustL en . UNIQUE ART TALENT TEST. Norman Rock- well, Albert Dome and the other Famous Artists have created a revealing talent test to discover people who have art talent worth developing. Formerly, they charged for the test But now it is offered free and graded free. Men and women who ' do Well on the test or offer other evidence of art talent may enroll in the School. But " there's no obligation. 12-pa- ge -- Famous Artitts Schools Studio 7 fit, WtstporL Conn. I would like to nnd out whether I have art taleat worth developing. Pkaae tend me, without obligation, your Famoui Arosn Talent Teat sod information about your course. Mr, Mn. Mia " free-lan- free-lan- ce ed full-tim- Our students succeed low-payin- fp well-train- d God-give- mm stu- dent's work. For each assignment the student would send in, his instructor would actually draw in black and white or paint in full color hit detailed corrections of the student's work. Then the instructor would dictate a letter of further-detailecriticism and advice. This way, there would be no misunderstanding. And the student would have a permanent record of his progress as an artist And so we' started the Famous Artists Schools. Our classrooms are the students' own homes, and our faculty totals hundreds of years of top professional experience. The School started in a converted old barn in Westport, Conn. Today it occupies its own modem buildings and has thousands of stu- dents. All of us with the school are extremely proud of what our students everywhere have accomplished. w 1 9 an ways er A plan year he participated in nine art exhibitions and had his own one-mshow. Since taking our course, Felcie Wells, a Charlotte, N. C, housewife, hat sold every painting she's finished. And she's made valuable contributions to her church painting murals and other art work. And an elderly woman from California told me her doctors stated many timet that all the medicine they could administer would never replace what the course has done for her health. She hat found relaxation and contentment in painting. I am not at all surprised by the success of our students. Opportunities open to trained artists today are enormous. The School continually gets requests from art buyers all over the country asking us for practical,' students not geniuses who e or part-tim- e can step into art jobs. Do you like to draw? Do you have the desire to train toward a full- - or part-tim- e career in comrnercial art or fine art? If your answer is even a tentative yes to either, I urge you to take Steps to develop your God-givtalent to its fullest You owe it to yourself not to waste it X 4H.J.m.mi prim. If Jim . I Ci9 ; r AceradiMd a . Zm. br la Accnditiaf Owwainii, Natioaal Hoac Srody Council, WaliuM, D.C J s |