Oil, Airbrush, or Colored Pencil

Most Monday mornings, a group of opinionated CT editors and artists get together to discuss the layout and design of a coming issue of CHRISTIANITY TODAY. And one of the larger graphic challenges usually addressed and debated during this hour (or two, or three) concerns the cover.

Deciding how a cover should be illustrated (and what it should illustrate) is about as subjective a process as any in editorial work. But fortunately for all of us, deciding who should do the cover illustration has rarely proved a dilemma, thanks to a select group of artists who have worked closely with art director Joan Nickerson over the past three years. In this group of “regulars” are Nathan Greene (last month’s cover artist), Dwight Walles, Joe VanSeveren, Myron Sahlberg, and this month’s cover artist, Paul Turnbaugh.

Paul’s work has been on more CT covers than that of any other recent illustrator. In 1986 alone he illustrated nine covers, including caricatures of Donald McGavran (Feb. 21) and John Wimber (Aug. 8), the genetic Tower of Babel (Feb. 7), and America’s Catholics (Nov. 7). His “high-brow” caricature work has also added a much-appreciated touch to the special supplements of the Christianity Today Institute.

Not tied to one particular style, Paul, 30, is an artistic adventurer. All media are fair game—oil, airbrush, colored pencil, whatever. And he works well with each. So well, in fact, that his illustrations have been featured in such prestigious publications as The American Illustrator.

With such talent and exposure, Paul is in high demand. But he is commited to CT—to its editorial purpose and graphic direction. Which means the question of “Who?” should not pose a great problem to us editors for quite a few Mondays to come.

HAROLD SMITH

Managing Editor

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