M. Coburn Whitmore, known as "Coby," described his three primary interests as "racing cars, illustrating and smart clothes on good-looking women. The racing cars were a hobby, but he was thoroughly professional in his illustrations of beautiful women. Probably no other illustrator has been so inventive over so long a time in doing variations on the theme of "boy meets girl".

Coby was born in Dayton, Ohio and attended the Dayton Art Institute there. Next, he went to Chicago as an apprentice in the studio of Haddon Sundblom and Edwin Henry, and took night classes at the Chicago Art Institute.

Following his apprenticeship, he worked for the Chicago Herald Examiner and the Charles Jensen studio in Cincinnati, Then he moved to New York for a long association with the Charles E. Cooper Studio, and also began to get illustration assignments from the major magazines, including McCalls, The Ladies Home Journal, Redbook, Good Housekeeping, Cosmopolitan and Womans Day. Many foreign publications purchased the second rights to publish his pictures abroad.

Whitmore exhibited at Art Directors shows in New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, and Westchester, winning many awards and citations. He was a member of the Society of Illustrators and was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1978. He was an artist and resident of Hilton Head Island for several years.

Source:
Walt Reed, The Illustrator in America 1880-1980 , p.332

American painter and magazine illustrator known for his publications and covers for the Saturday Evening Post, Coby Whitmore was a commercial artist whose work included advertisement for Gallo Wine and numerous national brands.

He is more specifically famous for his postwar images representing ideal white American families and pretty, middle class housewives living joyfully in their new houses along with their perfect children, dogs and new cars.

He also illustrated many women’s magazines such as McCall’s, Ladies Home Journal and Good Housekeeping.