Gangsters, Gunsels, Crooks, Cops and...Hitler! Willard Mullin Draws Some Amazing Characters

standing man talks to guy in chair - cartoon drawing by Willard Mullin copy
If you want to learn how to draw people in lively dynamic poses...even regular folks doing everyday things..you can't do better than to study these amazing drawings of civilians by legendary sports cartoonist Willard Mullin.
man in a zoot suit looks back at another guy - cartoon illustration by Willard Mullin copy
Click any image for a ridiculously HUGE high-resolution scan
Gangster with gun forces man to drink from bottle illustration by Willard Mullin copy
As you can see from previous posts on Willard Mullin (see links at bottom), he was the master at drawing sports cartoons that had a breakneck and electrified sense of life. But it wasn't just athletes that received this treatment...Willard Mullin could infuse even the most mundane activity with the breath of life.
Big guy approaches a talking cartoon cow illustration by Willard Mullin copy
Adolph Hitler and Nazi marching in cartoon illustration by Willard Mullin copy
These scans are the last batch from the book, "It Beats Working."
The previous sets of boxing, baseball, football and horse-racing cartoons from the same book are linked at the bottom of this post.
Little boy talks with his mother as she is busy cooking - cartoon art by Willard Mullin copy
Fat man in pinstrip suit pushes a guy in the face-  cartoon drawing by Willard Mullin copy
You remember Jim Braddock cartoon drawing by Willard Mullin copy
Paper boy hawking newspapers illustration by Willard Mullin copy
Big man in suit talks with thinner timid man cartoon drawing by Willard Mullin copy
Men playing pool illustration by Willard Mullin copy
man at a bar talks to big fat bartender - cartoon art by Willard Mullin copy
Cop  grabs spectator and tosses him out -drawn by Willard Mullin copy
Crying man drops flowers on the grave of cricket -drawn by Willard Mullin copy
great silhouettes, leading the eye, line of action, nothing is horizontal or vertical, beautifully unbalanced balance
Previous posts on Willard Mullin:
Willard Mullin on Boxing
Willard Mullin on Boxing
Willard Mullin on Baseball and Football
Willard Mullin on Baseball &Football
Willard Mullin on Horse Racing
Willard Mullin on Horse Racing
You'll find lots more links when you see those posts, too!

2 comments:

  1. These are eye-poppingly good. Thanks million for sharing 'em.

    Willard Mullin's art always puts me in mind of Jack Davis...I've always wondered if he considered him an influence. Sadly, the one and only time I got to talk briefly to Mr. Davis, (over the phone about a dozen years ago), I was to stupefied with awe to think of asking...

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  2. Thank you, Sherm, for scanning and posting these beautiful Mullin drawings. Back in the late 50s, I took the Famous Artist Course and his stuff was my favorite. The man could draw! What a beautiful lyrical line.

    Best Wishes,
    -Elwood

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