Random Notes on Look & Learn Artists

For the past eighteen months or so I've been jotting down notes on the many, many artists who helped make Look and Learn one of the finest looking magazines ever produced in the UK. But some artists remain stubbornly elusive so I thought I might throw a few names out into the ether and see if anything comes back.

Actually, the first name on the list is someone I have just managed to dig up a little information on.

Alexander (George) Oliphant. Scottish artist, born on 2 May 1911, who was exhibiting paintings in the 1930s at which time he was living in Grangemouth. He contributed to Eagle Annual, Daily Mirror Book for Boys, and was the artist who illustrated 'Sea Change' in Ranger in 1965-66. Oliphant was living in London at least as early as 1948 and moved to South Kensington in around 1951 where he was to live until his death in late 1971, aged 60.

A. John Nunney. Nunney produced posters used to promote the war effort during the Second World War and, around 1947, a number of posters describing various aspects of education around the British Colonial Empire. He was represented by both W. Partridge and Rogers & Co. Contributed to Swift Annual and Bible Story.

Nunney seems to have been around for many years: he was already a commercial artist as early as 1923 around which time he was living at Lincoln's Inn, Holborn. In the mid-1930s he was living in New Maldon. Unfortunately, that's where I start to lose track of him. He might have been the A. J. Nunney living in Ewell in the 1970s. He might be Albert John Nunney (1898-1990) who died in Cheltenham, Glos., aged 91. But that's just a stab in the dark so don't quote me.

David Nockels. Contributed wildlife illustrations to Look and Learn in around 1967. Also illustrated many books on animals and nature for Young World, Muller, Hamlyn, Heinemann, Bodley Head, Salamandar and Ward Lock between 1967-79. In 1980 he began working for Methuen Children's Books, writing and illustrating a series of pop-up books entitled 'Animals in Action' (1981) as well as two children's story books (1982). He also wrote and illustrated the 'Naughty Pets Board Book' series for Deans International (1985).

I believe he was living in Lee Green, S.E.3 in the early 1960s but other than that I haven't been able to find anything.

This is just a random selection and any information on these artists -- and any other artists or writers who contributed to Look and Learn -- would be welcome.


(* The Look and Learn publicity machine continues to rumble on: the feature below appeared in the Yorkshire Post (26 September 2006), quoting from both Stephen Pickles (editor) and myself. Incidentally, our Art Competition for kids is now up and running, so if you have children, why not encourage them to enter. We'd love to see as many entries as possible... and you could win a prize!)