I believe your art should be the culmination of every art you've ever seen and everything you have absorbed, while also being a development of a singular personal style. Art worth seeing is art that is in a unique vein.
As a teenager in the 60's I was awestruck by the images that Frank Frazetta created for Warren Magazines and the Lancer and Ace paperback covers. When I got to college in the 70's I began to break down the elements of his work to study the components of his compositions (the way Bridgeman's book does). By the 80's I started discovering the artists that preceded Frazetta and might have influenced him. Understanding his sense of color became my prime interest then. It no longer was just about line art like Joseph Clement Cole, but how color became shapes like in Dean Cornwell's paintings. i was attracted to art that depicted strong virile men of action and lithe sensuous women in recline. Eventually it took me full circle. Now I appreciate the work of Jackson Pollock as well as Alphonse Mucha. I was fortunate enough last year to purchase a copy of one of Frazetta's portfolios on Ebay. It was the black and white "WEREWOLF" story from Warren's CREEPY magazine ( I think). The print edition hardly did it justice. The large copy had all the precise line work and lush washes from his originals ! These are going for huge sums of money now. It's definitely one of my treasures !
Ya know what Louis? I've looked at and been amazed by Frazettas work for 45 years now, but I don't think I've ever looked at his fantasy paintings with the thought they were "cartoony!" Coming from a comic book foundation of expressing action and anatomy, it was just normal to me. But you have a very powerful point, and I am going to experience Frazettas work from now on with a fresh light!
Thanks for this. I've been a long time fan of Frazetta. For some reason I always separated his cartoon work from his comic and painting work. Your video made the connection that clicked and help explain so much :)
That's great, glad to hear it. Since I have a foot in both world, I thought I'd talk about how the disciplines of cartooning and representational art tend to compliment and inform each other.
Icon, Legacy, and Testament are my go-tos for Frazetta paintings, drawings, and biography. They replace the five white editions that are out of print. I'm glad you mentioned Bridgeman first, because those who skip that vital step first end up with overexaggerated foolishness. Some of the examples in the books previously mentioned are far more realistic and strictly figurative, which gives insight to both his process and mindsight while making his fantastic covers. Without the grounding in realism, his exaggeration would come off completely different than it does.
Thank you for this video. I was exactly as you said, I thought that Frazetta was on a level i'd never reach. I have been very discouraged. This is very inspirational
At the same time I have kind of not liked the fact that alot of his painted figures would not be able to sustain there balance in real life. It looks cool but figures would fall on there asses in real life. Just kind of started getting to me. Also Frazetta was great at interpretation of reference. Although he always denied using photos or swipes. Which was just not true.
Hmm, not sure why that would bother you, considering that most of his figures are posed in mid action, which requires people to be off balance. The worst kind of action pose is the one that's posed out exactly like they are in whatever photo reference is used. If you want that, might as well just use a photo. I don't think Frazetta wanted to be a copy machine. Seems to me, since he was comic artist, that he was using that sensibility and trying to stylize, exaggerate, reinterpret and go beyond what's possible in real life. He was basically doing what Jack Kirby was doing, but with a slightly more representational style.
Thanks! Very Muchly! For Your Wonderfully Insightful Guiding - Especially on Mr Frazetta's Amazing Artwork, particularly - the Foundation of The Energy in Frank's pictures! Apologies for my earlier? Post, mistaking your Reply invitation - for a general Comment invitation. Your's Faithfully, Stephen W.
I believe your art should be the culmination of every art you've ever seen and everything you have absorbed, while also being a development of a singular personal style. Art worth seeing is art that is in a unique vein.
Yes.
As a teenager in the 60's I was awestruck by the images that Frank Frazetta created for Warren Magazines and the Lancer and Ace paperback covers. When I got to college in the 70's I began to break down the elements of his work to study the components of his compositions (the way Bridgeman's book does). By the 80's I started discovering the artists that preceded Frazetta and might have influenced him. Understanding his sense of color became my prime interest then. It no longer was just about line art like Joseph Clement Cole, but how color became shapes like in Dean Cornwell's paintings. i was attracted to art that depicted strong virile men of action and lithe sensuous women in recline. Eventually it took me full circle. Now I appreciate the work of Jackson Pollock as well as Alphonse Mucha. I was fortunate enough last year to purchase a copy of one of Frazetta's portfolios on Ebay. It was the black and white "WEREWOLF" story from Warren's CREEPY magazine ( I think). The print edition hardly did it justice. The large copy had all the precise line work and lush washes from his originals ! These are going for huge sums of money now. It's definitely one of my treasures !
That's awesome James. Thanks for sharing.
Im a life long Frazetta fan! Thank you!!
I'm blessed to have had access to Frazzetta paintings; he
taught me---without ever meeting him!---to paint, and to do
so with ENERGY and LIFE!
Wow, that's awesome. I'm envious.
Ya know what Louis? I've looked at and been amazed by Frazettas work for 45 years now, but I don't think I've ever looked at his fantasy paintings with the thought they were "cartoony!" Coming from a comic book foundation of expressing action and anatomy, it was just normal to me. But you have a very powerful point, and I am going to experience Frazettas work from now on with a fresh light!
Thanks for this. I've been a long time fan of Frazetta. For some reason I always separated his cartoon work from his comic and painting work. Your video made the connection that clicked and help explain so much :)
That's great, glad to hear it. Since I have a foot in both world, I thought I'd talk about how the disciplines of cartooning and representational art tend to compliment and inform each other.
Luis a most informative presentation thank u buddy..
Glad you found it so. Thanks.
Icon, Legacy, and Testament are my go-tos for Frazetta paintings, drawings, and biography. They replace the five white editions that are out of print. I'm glad you mentioned Bridgeman first, because those who skip that vital step first end up with overexaggerated foolishness. Some of the examples in the books previously mentioned are far more realistic and strictly figurative, which gives insight to both his process and mindsight while making his fantastic covers. Without the grounding in realism, his exaggeration would come off completely different than it does.
I totally agree.
Fantastic analysis of Frazetta Luis!
Thank you for this video. I was exactly as you said, I thought that Frazetta was on a level i'd never reach. I have been very discouraged. This is very inspirational
Awesome.
I love your videos and I love Draw Fu! Thanks for sharing all this knowledge.
My pleasure!
At the same time I have kind of not liked the fact that alot of his painted figures would not be able to sustain there balance in real life. It looks cool but figures would fall on there asses in real life. Just kind of started getting to me. Also Frazetta was great at interpretation of reference. Although he always denied using photos or swipes. Which was just not true.
Hmm, not sure why that would bother you, considering that most of his figures are posed in mid action, which requires people to be off balance. The worst kind of action pose is the one that's posed out exactly like they are in whatever photo reference is used. If you want that, might as well just use a photo. I don't think Frazetta wanted to be a copy machine. Seems to me, since he was comic artist, that he was using that sensibility and trying to stylize, exaggerate, reinterpret and go beyond what's possible in real life. He was basically doing what Jack Kirby was doing, but with a slightly more representational style.
Thanks! Very Muchly! For Your Wonderfully Insightful Guiding - Especially on Mr Frazetta's Amazing Artwork, particularly - the Foundation of The Energy in Frank's pictures! Apologies for my earlier? Post, mistaking your Reply invitation - for a general Comment invitation. Your's Faithfully, Stephen W.
I'm happy to reply from anywhere.
Pls do jim lee next !
Inspirational
Yay!