The Art of Raymond Ameijide

The Beverly Hillbillies

Raymond Ameijide (1924-2000) was an award-winning illustrator who was best known for creating whimsical constructions using paper bas-relief and felt cloth. Because of the use of the multi colors in his work, he was often referred to as a "Rainbow Snipper"

postcard stamp art by Ameijide created in 1986Add caption

Ameijide enjoyed a long career creating three dimensional advertisements and magazine illustrations. His work probably received the most attention when he was hired to create a series of memorable TV Guide covers in the seventies/early eighties featuring caricatures of popular TV show casts. I first discovered his work via those covers, they really jumped out at me at the time and still remain my favorites of his work. If you're discovering his art for the first time, enjoy. 

Bonanza

The Waltons

Ameijide created these 2 Christmas covers for TV Guide:

the original art

M*A*S*H

Barney Miller (including Abe Vigoda)

The Love Boat

1964 TV Guide ad

ad for the Mike Douglas Show

ad for three western TV shows

ad for Gilligan's Island

cover art for Saturday Review, 1976

a 1971 book cover

in 1975 Ameijide created the Society of Illustrator's poster image for their annual

An Ameijide elephant, most likely created for a children's book

a sample of Ameijide's advertising artwork...
 This poster image was created for PAN AM in the fifties

more whimsical illustrations for various clients...

late seventies baseball image

Postcard for The Anchor Savings Bank

Thanks to Spencer Gorman, Robert Hunt & Stephen Kroninger

                                     An obituary for Ameijide from 2000:

AMEIJIDE, RAYMOND
	Raymond Ameijide of Cortlandt Manor died on January 11, 2000. He was 75. He worked as a self-employed commercial artist. An artist and philosopher who had many great accomplishments during his lifetime yet was ever humble. A loving father whose bright mind and gentle way will be deeply missed. Mr. Ameijide was a renowned illustrator, having originated and developed paper and felt sculptures as illustrations in the mid 1950ës. During his career he illustrated for such clients as Fortune, National Geographic , IBM. Pfizer, TV Guide, Chase Manhattan, Discover, and Harcourt Brace Jodanovich and the United States Post Office and other major companies. He was also included as one of the leading illustrators of the past 100 years in "The Illustrator in America" 1880-1980. Mr. Ameijide won many awards for his illustrations from the New York Art Directors Club, Graphis, The Society of Illustrators, including Gold Medal and the prestigious Hamilton King Award. He was born on September 14, 1924 in Newark, NJ, to Lisardo and Casimira Rancano Ameijide. He earned a Bachelors of Fine Arts from Pratt Institute. He served in the United States Army during World War II. He was married for 52 years to Irene Kipus, and had lived in Cortlandt Manor for the past 32 years. He is survived by Irene Ameijide, his wife of Cortlandt Manor; two daughters, Sue Ameijide of Manhattan, and Lisa Ameijide of Medford, OR; two sons, Ray Ameijide of Washington, and Peter Ameijide of Cortlandt Manor, NY; and a brother, Jose Ameijide of Manhattan. Calling hours are today from 2-4 and 7-9 pm at Joseph F. Nardone Funeral Home. The funeral is today 3 pm at the funeral home. Cremation is private. JOSEPH F. NARDONE FUNERAL HOME 414 Washington St, Peekskill (914)737-1363

Covering Books

Last Gasp, 1984
Over the years I've been hired by various publishers to create a number of book cover illustrations, (aside from the covers of my own books and anthologies of work.)

Here's a look at all the covers I've drawn, starting with this biography of middle Stooge Larry Fine, written by his brother Morris Feinberg, who served as president of the official Three Stooges Fan Club for many years. I also supplied illustrations for the interior chapters of the book, all of which now hang at the "Stoogeum", the Three Stooges museum, near Philadelphia.

This was Cleveland comics author Harvey Pekar's third anthology. Robert Crumb created
the first two covers, and Harvey asked me to create this one based on a photo he sent me by photographer Chris Buck.
Four Walls, Eight Widows, 1991

This was an annual (800 pg) video catalog that I did the cover art and cover design for in 1996. Movies Unlimited is now partners with TCM in creating their DVD movie catalog.

I had never heard of "The Fabulous Sports Babe" when I was hired to create this cover image for her autobiography. I haven't heard of her since.
Harper Collins, 1996

Art for Vince Waldron's excellent book on his picks for the top 10 TV sitcoms of all time. I created this wrap-around cover image (see below)
Silman/James Press, 1997

The entire image

I originally drew this silhouette of R. Crumb for Entertainment Weekly magazine,
and editor Monte Beauchamp asked to use it for the cover of his book on Crumb.
St. Martin's Press, 1998

A new design for the Kitchen Sink Press reprint

Entertainment Weekly's TV critic Ken Tucker asked me to draw this split screen image of him for the cover of his book of TV essays.
St. Martin's Press, 2005

The wild Hollywood Misadventures of "The Bundy Drive Boys", including W.C. Fields.
John Barrymore, Errol Flynn, John Carridine and others.
Feral House, 2007

The updated edition of this scandalous classic by the Wallace family.
Feral House, 2008

Cover art for this huge anthology of the best of the New York Observer
Harper Collins, 2008

Possibly the two most disgusting faces I've ever drawn appear on the cover of this hilarious
"biography"
Virgin Books, 2008

The autobiography of the legendary Hollywood screenwriter Irving Brecher. I wanted to include Mr. Brecher on the cover but he reasoned: "No one knows what the Hell I look like!"
Ben Yehuda Press, 2009

Back cover art created for this biography of 3 Stooges heavy Vernon Dent
Bear Manor Media, 2010

Various comic book fan/journalist faces, for the cover of this anthology of comics criticism edited by Ben Schwartz
Fantagraphics, 2010

2010, A cover that was not to be. Art created for this excellent book reprint that
was to be published by Applause books. It was
 eventually published elsewhere with a photo cover.

For the new edition Of Steve Stoliar's book on working as Groucho Marx's secretary in the seventies, I created this updated Groucho posed as Capt. Spauling portrait.
Bear Manor Media, 2011

Kipp Friedman's new memoir from Fantagraphics books, 2013

More of WHAT I'M READING

More of what I'm reading and what I've read. Special thanks to Larry Karaszewski, Plonsky and Sugar Cookies.