Marc Drogin
Encyclopedia
Marc Drogin is an American writer
and illustrator
.
, and then at Columbia University
in New York City. His first drawings appeared as line fillers in New York’s The Village Voice
in the 1950s. He turned to journalism as a career in 1960, working as a reporter, editor, and features editor in newspapers from Colorado to Cape Cod. At one point a humor columnist on The Chicago Daily News, his columns were syndicated in newspapers from Britain to Borneo. He was also a staffer on Look Magazine
s The Insider's Newsletter in New York.
In 1972, Drogin established his current graphic design
business in New Hampshire. He became known for his whimsically illustrated business and appointment cards for dentists, physicians, banks, and businesses in the US and UK.
Drogin became interested in the scripts of the Middle Ages in the 1970s, researched palaeography
independently at the Bodleian Library
in Oxford, England, and wrote Medieval Calligraphy: Its History and Technique, which was published in 1980 by Allanheld, Osmun & Co. Publishers, Inc. and Abner Schram, Ltd. It was re-published with corrections in 1989 by Dover Publications. This was followed by a children's version titled Yours Truly, King Arthur. He then wrote the first-ever published volume on the history of book curse
s, Anathema!, and a history of the discovery and destruction of ancient manuscripts called Biblioclasm. During this period, he taught calligraphic
workshops and lectured across the United States, Canada, England, and Iceland. He is described on the back cover of the Dover edition of his calligraphy book as "a professional calligrapher of medieval styles, as well as illuminator, writer, and teacher."
For decades, Drogin divided his time between homes in the US and England. He established an antiques business dealing in miniature decorative objects which he runs on eBay.
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
and illustrator
Illustrator
An Illustrator is a narrative artist who specializes in enhancing writing by providing a visual representation that corresponds to the content of the associated text...
.
Biography
Drogin began work as a technical secretary, first at New York UniversityNew York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
, and then at Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
in New York City. His first drawings appeared as line fillers in New York’s The Village Voice
The Village Voice
The Village Voice is a free weekly newspaper and news and features website in New York City that features investigative articles, analysis of current affairs and culture, arts and music coverage, and events listings for New York City...
in the 1950s. He turned to journalism as a career in 1960, working as a reporter, editor, and features editor in newspapers from Colorado to Cape Cod. At one point a humor columnist on The Chicago Daily News, his columns were syndicated in newspapers from Britain to Borneo. He was also a staffer on Look Magazine
Look (American magazine)
Look was a bi-weekly, general-interest magazine published in Des Moines, Iowa from 1937 to 1971, with more of an emphasis on photographs than articles...
s The Insider's Newsletter in New York.
In 1972, Drogin established his current graphic design
Graphic design
Graphic design is a creative process – most often involving a client and a designer and usually completed in conjunction with producers of form – undertaken in order to convey a specific message to a targeted audience...
business in New Hampshire. He became known for his whimsically illustrated business and appointment cards for dentists, physicians, banks, and businesses in the US and UK.
Drogin became interested in the scripts of the Middle Ages in the 1970s, researched palaeography
Palaeography
Palaeography, also spelt paleography is the study of ancient writing. Included in the discipline is the practice of deciphering, reading, and dating historical manuscripts, and the cultural context of writing, including the methods with which writing and books were produced, and the history of...
independently at the Bodleian Library
Bodleian Library
The Bodleian Library , the main research library of the University of Oxford, is one of the oldest libraries in Europe, and in Britain is second in size only to the British Library...
in Oxford, England, and wrote Medieval Calligraphy: Its History and Technique, which was published in 1980 by Allanheld, Osmun & Co. Publishers, Inc. and Abner Schram, Ltd. It was re-published with corrections in 1989 by Dover Publications. This was followed by a children's version titled Yours Truly, King Arthur. He then wrote the first-ever published volume on the history of book curse
Book curse
A book curse was the most widely-employed and effective method of discouraging the thievery of manuscripts during the medieval period. The use of book curses dates back much further, to pre-Christian times, when the wrath of gods was invoked to protect books and scrolls.In their medieval usage,...
s, Anathema!, and a history of the discovery and destruction of ancient manuscripts called Biblioclasm. During this period, he taught calligraphic
Calligraphy
Calligraphy is a type of visual art. It is often called the art of fancy lettering . A contemporary definition of calligraphic practice is "the art of giving form to signs in an expressive, harmonious and skillful manner"...
workshops and lectured across the United States, Canada, England, and Iceland. He is described on the back cover of the Dover edition of his calligraphy book as "a professional calligrapher of medieval styles, as well as illuminator, writer, and teacher."
For decades, Drogin divided his time between homes in the US and England. He established an antiques business dealing in miniature decorative objects which he runs on eBay.
Published works
- Medieval Calligraphy, Its History and Technique, (Allanheld & Schram, 1980; Dover, 1989) ISBN 0-486-26142-5
- Yours truly, King Arthur, (Taplinger Publishing, N.Y., 1982), ISBN 9780800887667
- Anathema! Medieval scribes and the history of book curses, (Allanheld & Schram, 1983)
- Biblioclasm : the mythical origins, magic powers, and perishability of the written word, (Rowman & LittlefieldRowman & LittlefieldRowman & Littlefield Publishing Group is an independent publishing house founded in 1949. Under several imprints, the company offers scholarly books and journals for the academic market, as well as trade books. The company also owns a book distributor, National Book Network...
, 1989), ISBN 9780847675029 - Calligraphy in the Middle Ages, (Dover Publications Inc., 1998), ISBN 9780486402055