David Johnson, Articles of War, Watercolor on Paper, 12 X 8"

Watercolor on Paper, 12 X 8"

While working at a daily Bay Area newspaper, Dave became one of several go-to in-house illustrators, producing a wide range of original illustrations for the local news. When editorial wanted to supplement their Monthly Book Club articles with illustrations rather than photos (of an author sitting at a table, stack of books in the foreground) Dave happily took on the assignment.

For these book club book illustrations Dave read each pre-selected book in its entirety, came up with a concept, and painted the resulting composition. Each offers his unique pictorial take on the fictional world.

For Nick Arvin's 2005 Articles of War, Dave does his own masterclass in storytelling - with the powerful conceit of the missing green army man, and a trompe l'oeil rendering of a letter home.