Coles Phillips

Coles Phillips (1880-1927) was among the most in-demand illustrators in his field during the 1910s and 20s. A dynamic and highly skilled watercolor artist and draftsman, Coles did dozens of covers for mainstream American magazines. In 1908 he created a style in which the figure in the foreground blended seamlessly into the background, rendering some amount of the clothing invisible, save for the edges. Dubbed "The Fadeaway," the eye-catching technique became a huge hit and was employed to great...See more

Coles Phillips (1880-1927) was among the most in-demand illustrators in his field during the 1910s and 20s. A dynamic and highly skilled watercolor artist and draftsman, Coles did dozens of covers for mainstream American magazines. In 1908 he created a style in which the figure in the foreground blended seamlessly into the background, rendering some amount of the clothing invisible, save for the edges. Dubbed "The Fadeaway," the eye-catching technique became a huge hit and was employed to great effect by the artist for the rest of his career. See less