Man with Present and Wreath Illustration

Here is an old, black and white illustration of a man wearing a tie and a long coat, braving the winter snow holding a present and a wreath in one hand while holding his hat onto his head with another.



This image is free of known copyright restrictions.

Man and Woman Reading a Paper

This is one of my favorite images I have come across in my hunt for vintage images. It is of a retro style man and woman holding and reading a paper. The woman has a rose in her well coiffed hair. The paper they are reading provides a nice "frame" or sign for sales messages and announcements or whatever else you can some up with. I think it's very versatile.

I liked this image so much that not only did I clean it up, I "vectorized" it so it has nice, crisp clean lines. I am providing a small version of this for free, in png format. It's 365 x 500 pixels at 100 dpi. 

However, if you want a much larger version (300 dpi image, 2188 pixels wide by 3000 pixels high) then you can purchase it here. 

Weird Wednesday: Little Kids Shoes

Every now and then I get around to adding images to this blog that were published before 1923 and thus are in the public domain. And every now and then I find a strange image and I try to remember to post those on Wednesdays--Weird Wednesday.

Well, today I have a doozy for you.

This is an ad for some business/product called Shookids from the year 1919. And in the ad the children are shoes. Not kids wearing shoes. They are shoes. Sitting around a dinner table about to be served--turkey? Mama Shoe looks very surprised about something. Maybe because she and the kids have all turned into shoes? Totally weird. Disturbing even?

I have not much to say about this image. I feel like I am having a weird dream. I want to wake up now.




This image is free of known copyright restrictions.

Santa Claus Clipart

Here's a fun, smiling, jolly Santa running along with a sack (certainly full of toys) slung over his shoulder. I think he's cute. His body is kind of small and round and he has a nice, eager smile on his face. As if he can't wait to get to his destination to deliver his gifts. The illustration style uses a sort of stippling technique for shading.

The image came from an old newspaper ad published back in 1916.

A vector version is available here.



This image is free of known copyright restrictions.

Belt Buckle Frame & Eagle Clip Art

Today I have two clip art designs that I am posting. These were originally one image, but I separated them to give you greater design flexibility.

I really liked this belt buckle frame. It originally had words on the belt, following its circular shape, so it could be used that same way again to use as a logo, have a short message, or what have you. Or leave the belt part as is, and just used the center as a frame for whatever text or image you want.

If you would like a larger, vectorized version of this belt buckle Frame then please click here.

Inside the center of belt, in the "frame" area had been this eagle with shield and banners that was pretty cool too. I removed the text that had been on the shield and banner so you can add your own.
You can get a vectorized version of this eagle here.




This image is free of known copyright restrictions.

Halloween Cat, Witch and Owl Illustrations Clipart

I have been taking some public domain images I have found and cleaned up and turned into vector images, then put them on Pixabay so I can use them as an image host of sorts and help get the images found perhaps by more people than those few who find this blog.

The latest images I put up were from a Halloween set of a witch, a cat, and an owl. I think they look kind of like stamped images from a rubber stamp or a wood cut. I think they are fun and whimsical and the cat is especially cute. You can click on the images to go to the link where you can either download png files in small, medium or large sizes or download the svg file (for use in vector editing programs like Illustrator or Inkscape).





These images are free of known copyright restrictions.

Carrots Clipart Black and White

Beautiful carrots. Okay, the illustration is a little flawed when it comes to the carrot on the left, but that only adds character, right? And considering the image is very old, from the year 1899, I think it looks pretty good.

Someone more ambitious (and skilled) than me could fix that up if they wanted to.

I think this is a cool image for garden related projects.



This image is free of known copyright restrictions.

Rutagbaga Black and White Illustration

The text that originally accompanied this vintage illustration of root vegetables said that these were rutabagas and then said, "Purple Top Yellow."




This image is free of known copyright restrictions.

Cheerful or Creepy Carnival Clown Announcer

I believe this is supposed to be one of those carny guys saying "Step right up!" or something like that, trying to get you to see a show at a circus or get on a roller coaster ride at the carnival. He has a bit of a clown like appearance as well.

Depending on how you look at it he is either creepy or just happy and cheerful. Actually, he might think the joke you just told is hysterical.





This image is free of known copyright restrictions.

Man In Garden Black and White Illustration Clipart

Here is an illustration from the year 1915 of a man in a garden with a watering can planting seeds. Behind him you can see a fence and trees and clouds in the sky. He seems pretty dressed up to be gardening to me, wearing a waistcoat, tie and hat ... but maybe you would plant seeds wearing that back then?

This image is free of known copyright restrictions.

Radish or Turnip or Other Root Vegetable Illustration

This year was my second year having a vegetable garden. But I am in a different location than last year and the soil and altitude and other conditions are different. There was also the hottest June recorded. So the vegetable garden hasn't gone very well...much of it is dead. The radishes aren't dead, but the roots that grew were spindly and not edible. Apparently most likely they didn't get enough water. So, I will vicariously have vegetables this year by posting pictures of them on this blog.

I don't know if this is a radish, or a turnip. Or something else. I tried asking, but got a mixed response. So I am saying it's a radish (except I named the file "radish or turnip"). Anyway, I think it's kind of cool looking. It's good for garden related designs.

It comes from an old ad for seeds from the year 1909.

This image is free of known copyright restrictions.

Peppers Black and White Illustration

This vintage illustration has some peppers in the corner of a dotted, rectangular frame.

It was originally from an ad for seeds in a newspaper published in 1904. However it could be used for many purposes. A good image for gardeners or cooks to use. Maybe write a recipe calling for hot peppers in the blank space in the middle?



This image is free of known copyright restrictions.

Giant Vegetables Funny Illustration

This is a funny illustration of farmers with giant vegetable (or miniature farmers with regular sized vegetables) carrying and moving them via various means such as on horses and carts.

There is a lettuce or cabbage head. Onions, peas or beans, corn, a tomato and more. There is a lot of detail to look at in this black and white illustration.

This image is free of known copyright restrictions.

Creating Transparent Backgrounds in GIMP Tutorial

There is a very simple method of creating transparent backgrounds in GIMP that works nicely for illustrated, black and white drawings such as I usually offer on this blog. It works best with a background of a solid color. It can be used on other images too, but it might not work quite as you wish. It removes all of one color...and also makes lighter shades of that color semi-transparent.

For example, the default color to remove is white (which is what we want to use too). However, be aware that shades of gray will turn semi-transparent with this method. The lighter the color the more transparent it will be, the darker the color the more opaque it will remain. So black remains black, white becomes completely transparent, and shades of gray have varying degrees of transparency. If you try this method on an image with colors, you will find that light colors (such as pink) become semi-transparent as well.

Version One

Step 1: Click "Colors" and then on "Color to Alpha."

1904 Vintage Car Clipart Black and White

Here is a cool, vintage black and white car illustration from the year 1904. I believe it is a "Winton Touring Car." Wouldn't it be fun to drive an antique car like this?

I used it in a tutorial here to explain how I use GIMP to remove backgrounds from black and white images like this.

This image is free of known copyright restrictions.

Vintage Cottage Illustration Clipart

I love cottages. So as soon as I saw this illustration I immediately wanted to make it available here on this blog. It comes from a newspaper published in the year 1903. There are trees, a hedge,I think a fence...and a dapper gentleman standing in front. The description that accompanied this image said that it had six bedrooms (so it is a Large cottage...of course, the bedrooms were probably small too...I am currently typing this in a house that was built in 1907 and the bedrooms are tiny by today's standards).

The cost of the house and the lot it came on at the time...$5,500.

As usual, this image is in the public domain, because it was published before 1923...so you can use it any way you want!



This image is free of known copyright restrictions.

Antique Motor Truck

Here's a fun image of an old truck from an ad from the year 1919. I removed the name that showed on the truck, because I believe that company is still around and the name is trademarked? But the image itself is public domain. The image is quite a bit flawed, somewhat "grungy" ... but I think that makes it look cool and adds to the antique feel.

As I was preparing this image for posting her I suddenly thought, isn't Father's Day coming up? So, maybe this image could be incorporated as something for Dad's Day, like a card, or on a t-shirt or mug that you create and put on Zazzle?




This image is free of known copyright restrictions.

Funny Marathon Runner B&W Clipart

Here is a funny looking illustration of a mustached man running. If I remember right, the article it was from said this illustration was of a marathon runner from England. I do know that it came from the year 1908.





This image is free of known copyright restrictions and is in the public domain.

Strawberries Clipart Black and White

Here are two black and white illustrations of cute, tasty strawberries. From an old newspaper ad that is in the public domain. So you can utilize these as clipart images in any project you like, any way you like.

  





This image is free of known copyright restrictions.

Bicycle Skis / Sled

Have you ever seen those bicycles with skis on them? There are a lot of different versions around, I think. Well, the idea isn't new. Here is an image from 1896 of one that a "Yankee" invented. I just thought it was fun and unusual...so this is my "Weird Wednesday" post. I'm not sure why I am posting it in late the late spring time though. :P

This image is free of known copyright restrictions.

Pear Clipart - Black and White

Continuing with the fruit theme I had yesterday, here is a pretty black and white illustration of a pear. It also is from an old newspaper ad and is in the public domain, making so you can do whatever you want with it.



This image is free of known copyright restrictions.

Peach Clipart in Black and White

I was working in the garden a lot this past weekend, so I thought I would try to post a few plant / food related things the next few days. This is the first one. 

This is a pretty black and white image of a peach from an old newspaper ad. Makes great clipart for all sorts of uses. Because it is in the public domain you can do anything you want with it.

This image is free of known copyright restrictions.

Boys with Newspaper

I'm making an extra post today because I just found this picture of some boys with a newspaper and someone once requested that I keep my eye out for "newspaper boys" or "newsies" so I thought I'd add this one to the blog.

These young men are from the year 1911. Love the cap on the one kid, and the long shorts and the jackets on all of them. I wonder if they are checking out the sports pages?

This public domain clip art image could be used for a news bulletin / announcement or many other things.



This image is free of known copyright restrictions.

Old Books & Candles

Finally I am adding a new public domain image to the blog ... it's been a long time. I will be, at least for awhile, trying to post a few things more often.

So, this is a cool image of books (books are cool), with an inkwell and feather pen in front of them, and two candles flanking the sides. Then there is a neat border around it all. Great for bibliophiles and fans of libraries.

This image, unfortunately, is not quite as large as I like my images to be. It is close to being 1,500 px wide. But I think it still can be used in many applications.



This image is free of known copyright restrictions.

Three Leaf Clover for St. Patrick's Day

Ah, it's been a long time since I have posted anything here, hasn't it? Well, with St. Patrick's Day coming I've been keeping my eye out for clover images and here is a pretty three leaf clover that I found. It's from a newspaper from the year 1922. As you can tell part of the image is a bit "ruined" on the top leaf, but I think it gives it a cool grungy look. If one were inclined they could grunge it up some more in an image editing program...or it could be edited to "fix" it easily enough too. The circle around the clover could be removed as well. With the circle it makes me think of a rubber stamp design though, and if it were "grunged" up a bit more it would remind me of that even more so.

This image is free of known copyright restrictions.