Mel Hunter (1927-2004)

He entered college a year early. After college, he held a variety of jobs, from pumping gas to writing copy for an insurance firm and selling insurance on a Fair circuit. Eventually he traveled to the West Coast in search of employment.

In 1950, Mel made up his mind to pursue a career in art and decided to teach himself illustration skills, which he did after work, on weekends and all other spare time, working at his kitchen table. Following three years of steady effort, the self-taught artist sold his first color cover idea to Galaxy Magazine. He also talked himself into a job as technical illustrator at Northrop, where he painted pictures for the Pentagon of advance...