Walter T. Foster
Encyclopedia
Walter T. Foster was an American entrepreneur
, artist
, art instructor, writer
and publisher. While residing in Laguna Beach, California
, Foster owned and operated an advertising agency
, where he worked with many local artists and illustrators. Through his friends in the art community, he discovered many artists who wanted to teach art and write books. In response, Foster started a publishing company in his home where he wrote, illustrated, printed, bound, packaged, shipped and distributed the books himself. An artist in his own right, Foster penned the company’s first book, How to Draw, which has sold more than one million copies and is still in print today. Walter T. Foster passed away in 1981 at the age of 90, at which time the Foster family took over company operations.
One of Foster's most notable artists was Preston Blair
, whose book, Animation, has sold more than one million copies and is still in print today. Another noteworthy artist, Hal Rasmusson
, wrote Modern Cartoon. Walter Foster Publishing is part of the Quayside Publishing Group, which is owned by Quarto Publishing.
), Illinois businessman Rhett Butler, attorney Paul Hegness, and California businessman and former Price Waterhouse CPA Ross Sarracino purchased Walter Foster Publishing. With Sarracino at the helm, the company began developing instructional drawing and painting books especially for children.
The popularity of these children’s books eventually led to licensing agreements with The Walt Disney Company
, Nickelodeon
, Hasbro
, Marvel
, DC Comics
, and Warner Bros. Walter Foster Publishing’s Walt Disney books and activity kits have sold more than 4,500,000 copies since 1991.
In 1996, Quarto Publishing, under direction of CEO Laurence Orbach, acquired Walter Foster, leaving Sarracino at the helm as President and CEO. In addition to growing its publishing and custom packaging (creating books and kits for Baker & Taylor
, Barnes & Noble
, Chronicle Books
, Disney Press
, Michaels
, Scholastic
, TJ Maxx and Target
) business, Walter Foster teamed with MEDL Mobile
to create the Learn to Draw Digital Sketchbook app
for the iPad
. Since the app became available in 2010, it has been downloaded over 200,000 times.
In March, 2012, Walter Foster Publishing will celebrate 90 years in business.
Entrepreneur
An entrepreneur is an owner or manager of a business enterprise who makes money through risk and initiative.The term was originally a loanword from French and was first defined by the Irish-French economist Richard Cantillon. Entrepreneur in English is a term applied to a person who is willing to...
, artist
Artist
An artist is a person engaged in one or more of any of a broad spectrum of activities related to creating art, practicing the arts and/or demonstrating an art. The common usage in both everyday speech and academic discourse is a practitioner in the visual arts only...
, art instructor, writer
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 publisher. While residing in Laguna Beach, California
Laguna Beach, California
Laguna Beach is a seaside resort city and artist community located in southern Orange County, California, United States, approximately southwest of the county seat of Santa Ana...
, Foster owned and operated an advertising agency
Advertising agency
An advertising agency or ad agency is a service business dedicated to creating, planning and handling advertising for its clients. An ad agency is independent from the client and provides an outside point of view to the effort of selling the client's products or services...
, where he worked with many local artists and illustrators. Through his friends in the art community, he discovered many artists who wanted to teach art and write books. In response, Foster started a publishing company in his home where he wrote, illustrated, printed, bound, packaged, shipped and distributed the books himself. An artist in his own right, Foster penned the company’s first book, How to Draw, which has sold more than one million copies and is still in print today. Walter T. Foster passed away in 1981 at the age of 90, at which time the Foster family took over company operations.
One of Foster's most notable artists was Preston Blair
Preston Blair
Preston Blair was an American character animator, most noted for his work at Walt Disney Productions and the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer animation department...
, whose book, Animation, has sold more than one million copies and is still in print today. Another noteworthy artist, Hal Rasmusson
Hal Rasmusson
Hal Rasmusson was an American cartoonist best known for the comic strip Aggie Mack about a teenage girl.Born in Crookston, Minnesota, Rasmusson grew up in Minneapolis, where he attended the Minneapolis School of Art for two years. He started his career doing fashion illustration...
, wrote Modern Cartoon. Walter Foster Publishing is part of the Quayside Publishing Group, which is owned by Quarto Publishing.
Walter Foster Publishing
In 1988, a group of investors comprising Andrew McNally IV (former president of Rand McNallyRand McNally
Rand McNally is an American publisher of maps, atlases, textbooks, and globes for travel, reference, commercial, and educational uses. It also provides online consumer street maps and directions, as well as commercial transportation routing software and mileage data...
), Illinois businessman Rhett Butler, attorney Paul Hegness, and California businessman and former Price Waterhouse CPA Ross Sarracino purchased Walter Foster Publishing. With Sarracino at the helm, the company began developing instructional drawing and painting books especially for children.
The popularity of these children’s books eventually led to licensing agreements with The Walt Disney Company
The Walt Disney Company
The Walt Disney Company is the largest media conglomerate in the world in terms of revenue. Founded on October 16, 1923, by Walt and Roy Disney as the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio, Walt Disney Productions established itself as a leader in the American animation industry before diversifying into...
, Nickelodeon
Nickelodeon
Nickelodeon is a US cable TV channel.Nickelodeon may also refer to:-In television:*Spinoffs of the Nickelodeon channel:** Nickelodeon Magazine, a children's magazine.** Nickelodeon Universe, an amusement park....
, Hasbro
Hasbro
Hasbro is a multinational toy and boardgame company from the United States of America. It is one of the largest toy makers in the world. The corporate headquarters is located in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, United States...
, Marvel
Marvel
-In business:*Marvel Entertainment, an American entertainment company**Marvel Animation, an animation production company**Marvel Comics, a comic book publisher**Marvel Productions, a television and film studio subsidiary...
, DC Comics
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
, and Warner Bros. Walter Foster Publishing’s Walt Disney books and activity kits have sold more than 4,500,000 copies since 1991.
In 1996, Quarto Publishing, under direction of CEO Laurence Orbach, acquired Walter Foster, leaving Sarracino at the helm as President and CEO. In addition to growing its publishing and custom packaging (creating books and kits for Baker & Taylor
Baker & Taylor
Baker & Taylor is the world's largest distributor of books and entertainment, in business for over 180 years. Based in Charlotte, North Carolina, and privately owned, in 2006 it had $2.2 billion in sales, employed 3,750 and was # 181 on Forbes list of privately owned companies...
, Barnes & Noble
Barnes & Noble
Barnes & Noble, Inc. is the largest book retailer in the United States, operating mainly through its Barnes & Noble Booksellers chain of bookstores headquartered at 122 Fifth Avenue in the Flatiron District in Manhattan in New York City. Barnes & Noble also operated the chain of small B. Dalton...
, Chronicle Books
Chronicle Books
Chronicle Books is a San Francisco-based American publisher of books for adults and children.The company was established in 1968 by Phelps Dewey, an executive with Chronicle Publishing Company, then-publisher of the San Francisco Chronicle. In 1999 it was bought by Nion McEvoy, great-grandson of...
, Disney Press
Disney Press
Disney Press is a department of The Walt Disney Company specifically used to produce books of various genres and for various age groups . Many of the books Disney Press produces are picture books based on Mickey Mouse and friends and other characters from many popular Disney animated features...
, Michaels
Michaels
Michaels is an arts and crafts retail chain. It currently operates more than 1040 Michaels Arts and Crafts Stores located in 49 U.S. states and in Canada. The company owns and operates the Aaron Brothers retail chain which consists of more than 140 stores...
, Scholastic
Scholastic
Scholastic may refer to:* Scholastic * Scholastic Corporation, a book publisher* Scholasticism, a form of theology and philosophy* School, a place of learning* A junior member of a religious order, such as the Jesuits...
, TJ Maxx and Target
Target
Target may refer to:-Retail:* Target Corporation, an American retail chain** Target Canada, its Canadian subsidiary* Target Australia, an Australian retail chain similar to, but not associated with, Target Corporation...
) business, Walter Foster teamed with MEDL Mobile
MEDL Mobile
MEDL Mobile Inc. is an American mobile application developer and mobile marketing firm based in Fountain Valley, California. The company designs, develops and markets mobile applications for iPhone/iPod Touch, iPad and Android....
to create the Learn to Draw Digital Sketchbook app
APP
App commonly refers to:* Mobile apps, software made for mobile devices*Application software, also called an App, software for specific purposesApp or APP may also refer to:-Computers:...
for the iPad
IPad
The iPad is a line of tablet computers designed, developed and marketed by Apple Inc., primarily as a platform for audio-visual media including books, periodicals, movies, music, games, and web content. The iPad was introduced on January 27, 2010 by Apple's then-CEO Steve Jobs. Its size and...
. Since the app became available in 2010, it has been downloaded over 200,000 times.
In March, 2012, Walter Foster Publishing will celebrate 90 years in business.