art :: the etch-a-sketch king

I think every kid has owned an Etch-A-Sketch! This cool magic screen was created way back in the 1950's and became one of the most popular toys in America. But when George Vlosich III got a hold of it in 1989 at the tender age of ten he elevated it's toy status to serious art status, perfecting his "Etch A Sketches" to extraordinary works of art like these!

His artwork has been featured in museums and galleries across the country and now sells for thousands of dollars, in fact people around the world have commissioned him to do original one-of-a-kind Etches.

Curious about the origins of this popular toy?

In the late 1950's, a man by the name of Arthur Granjean invented something he called ``L'Ecran Magique", the magic screen, in his garage. In 1959, he took his drawing toy to the International Toy Fair in Nuremburg, Germany. The Ohio Art Company saw it but had no interest in the toy. When Ohio Art saw the toy a second time, they decided to take a chance on the product. The L'Ecran Magique was soon renamed the Etch A Sketch® and became the most popular drawing toy in the business. In the 1960, Ohio Art used television to advertise the Etch A Sketch®. via www.ideafinder.com

via oddee

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