Nostalgia & History > The Art of Tom Fawell - EMD Advertising Artist

From the first time I saw Tom Fawell's work in an advertisement, I was hooked.  During the 60's and into the 70's, Tom's work appeared in railway journals featuring EMD's product at work.  His use of color and drama definitely made a statement.  Unfortunately, Tom passed away this past year but his talent lives on.  

I was fortunate to secure a number of advertising slicks from EMD and up until now, they languished in a file for nearly 50 years, until now.

Enjoy,
Sven Molson



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/23/20 07:47 by SvenMolson.

---

---

---

.

---

---

---

Superb set!
Bob

/

---

---

---

\

---

---

---

<

---

---

---

>

---

---

---

Saved the best for last. Hope you enjoyed this set.  Something different.

Back to my cabin, north of the Arctic Circle in the wilds of Northern Norway.
Sven Molson

---

What a great set of illustrations! Sad part is that all but one or two are 'fallen flag' railroads...

James Nelson
Thornton, CO
www.flickr.com/mojaveflyer

These ads often appeared in old issues of Trains Magazine, but you have quite a few that I have never seen before.

TJY

An "A+" set. They certainly look better here than in my old Trains magazines.
Bob

Thank you so much for sharing those.  Alot of history there.  The backgrounds in each are classic in their own right.

I appreciate anyone who can sketch and color art by hand. Lord knows I cannot. Mr. Fawell's use of markers and colored pencils is notable.  Most of his graphic imagery is somewhat "hyper-real" railroading with recognizable but exaggerated qualities. But then comes the Western & Maryland  ad.  Can anyone help me decipher what is going on in it?  I am just baffled by the abstract nature of it.  Was there a UFO sighting he was referring to?

Thanks for the art!

I think maybe it is portraying the Cumberland Gap area, with the sun seen between the 2 high sides of the gap?

Yes, I've found them exaggerated as well, with the perspective lines skewed a bit from the standard 60 degree standard isometric view.

Rich

Hou74-76 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I appreciate anyone who can sketch and color art
> by hand. Lord knows I cannot. Mr. Fawell's use of
> markers and colored pencils is notable.  Most of
> his graphic imagery is somewhat "hyper-real"
> railroading with recognizable but exaggerated
> qualities. But then comes the Western & Maryland
>  ad.  Can anyone help me decipher what is going
> on in it?  I am just baffled by the abstract
> nature of it.  Was there a UFO sighting he was
> referring to?
>
> Thanks for the art!

Tremendous collection.

He sure caught some accurate details of the units such as correct number series, dynamic brakes/lack of dynamic brakes, air reservoir on roof and types of service common on the line.   

There was a man that worked for EMD, Mr. A. B. Dvorak who used to send me operators manuals and all I had to do was ask.  At Christmas, he would send me those posters you have displayed.  I have about 35 operators' s manuals and 10 or 11 posters.  He was a super nice guy.

Randy Lundgren
Elgin, TX

The Seaboard SDP35 is the class unit, number 1100.

OK, I liked the rest too, thanks.
john

Super "iron art," Sven.  Thanks for posting these gems.

Greg Stadter
Phoenix, AZ

PasadenaSub Wrote:
> I think maybe it is portraying the Cumberland Gap
> area, with the sun seen between the 2 high sides
> of the gap?
> Rich

I think you mean Cumberland Narrows. Cumberland Gap is at VA/TN/KY--just a tad out of WM territory.
/Ted