16 Facts About Tom Lovell

Tom Lovell was an American illustrator and painter.

Tom Lovell was a creator of pulp fiction magazine covers and illustrations, and of visual art of the American West.

Tom Lovell produced illustrations for National Geographic magazine and many others, and painted many historical Western subjects such as interactions between Indians and white settlers and traders.

Tom Lovell was inducted into the Society of Illustrators' Hall of Fame in 1974.

Tom Lovell was a keen reader as a child, and although he received no early training in art, he often visited the Museum of Natural History in New York, beginning a fascination with Native American objects and weapons.

Tom Lovell died in a car crash in New Mexico on 29 June 1997, aged 88.

Tom Lovell enrolled at Syracuse University in 1927, graduating in 1931.

Tom Lovell eventually moved to the artist colony of New Rochelle just outside New York City.

From 1940 onwards Tom Lovell produced covers for several magazines including Ace-High Western, Clues, Complete, Detective Tales, Dime Detective, Rangeland Romances, Star Western, and Top-Notch.

Tom Lovell drew pen and ink interior illustrations for The Shadow, Courtroom Stories, Popular Western, Triple Western, and Clues.

Tom Lovell served for two years in the Marine Corps Reserve during World War II.

Tom Lovell was sent as a Staff Sergeant to Washington DC with John Clymer and Fred Lasswell to illustrate the Marine Corps magazine, Leatherneck.

On returning to Westport Tom Lovell produced a set of historical drawings for National Geographic Magazine, including depictions of the Norman invasion of England, the career of Alexander the Great, and the conquests of the Vikings.

Tom Lovell took great care in reproducing what he considered to be historical accuracy in the illustrations, including making models of weapons and ships, visiting historical sites and carrying out other research.

Tom Lovell was commissioned to create a series of paintings about Western oil exploration, as well as several paintings for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

In 1969, under commission from the Abell-Hanger Foundation, Tom Lovell produced a series of paintings commemorating the history of the Southwest that are now on permanent display at the Permian Basin Petroleum Museum, Midland, Texas.