Arnaldo Putzu RIP

Arnaldo Putzu RIP

Mon, 2012-09-24 13:21


6 August 1927 - 1 September 2012.
An Italian, Arnaldo Putzu arrived in England in the mid 60’s and stayed for twenty years creating iconic illustrations for film posters, most famously for ‘Get Carter‘,  Hammer horror movies and British comedies like the Carry On films. In the seventies he was also responsible for almost every cover portrait for the highly popular TV based comic Look-in. There is a Look-in editor Colin Shelbourn interview relating to Arnaldo at -  http://www.animus-web.demon.co.uk/lookin/colin2.html

Submitted by Arthur on Mon, 2012-09-24 13:21


6 August 1927 - 1 September 2012.
An Italian, Arnaldo Putzu arrived in England in the mid 60’s and stayed for twenty years creating iconic illustrations for film posters, most famously for ‘Get Carter‘,  Hammer horror movies and British comedies like the Carry On films. In the seventies he was also responsible for almost every cover portrait for the highly popular TV based comic Look-in. There is a Look-in editor Colin Shelbourn interview relating to Arnaldo at -  http://www.animus-web.demon.co.uk/lookin/colin2.html

Comments

Submitted by Andy (not verified) on Mon, 2012-09-24 21:39.

That's sad news Arthur, it's an over-used phrase these days but he was responsible for some really iconic images staring out of the news racks throughout the 70s and early 80s, a real document of popular culture from the Osmonds to Catweazle via Benny Hill. Didn't he do the posters for the David Essex films too? His mention of using acrylic medium in a Look-In article turned me onto using acrylic paints. He was a truly masterful painter. Equally loved your Bowie and Bolan covers, also the Look-In Annual cover with Robin Nedwell, Les Dawson et al with the decorating paraphernalia and step ladder.
Hope all's well,
Andy.

Submitted by Arthur on Tue, 2012-09-25 11:34.

Hullo Andy,
Arnaldo was a terrific artist whose bravura technique and compositions I always envied. He set the standard.
Best,
Arthur

Submitted by Bheki (not verified) on Tue, 2012-09-25 15:06.

Enjoy this man's art almost as much as I enjoy Arthur Ranson's. He never explored sequential art at all, from what I've researched. Still, he created great art for a publication teeming with it. The Get Carter image is one of my all-time favourites.

Did Get Carter influence Button Man at all? You mentioned in your introduction to the first edition that you'd discussed shared experiences of movies, I've always wondered what some of those were.

Submitted by Arthur on Thu, 2012-09-27 11:48.

Hullo Bheki, it was a great poster but the 'Get Carter' film has no special meaning for me.
No recollection of what fims I had in mind with the 'shared experiences' line.
Been looking for Italian film posters that Arnaldo did - one of which I believe that got him in trouble with the Pope.
Best,
Arthur

Submitted by Bheki (not verified) on Fri, 2012-09-28 13:48.

I found this article on him: http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/2012/sep/21/arnaldo-putzu which you might have already seen, and I saw the Pope-bothering poster here: http://www.flyersandposters.co.uk/poor-but-handsome-italian-movie-poster...

It is VERY different from the work we're used to from him, if it is his, with it's Rockwellian brushwork.

Submitted by Arthur on Fri, 2012-09-28 17:11.

Hullo Bheki,
thanks for the links, especially to the film poster. Wouldn't doubt that it was his, just that he was younger and less experienced.
Best,
Arthur