Legendary painter/illustrator Frank Frazetta died today May 10, 2010...
the Brooklyn-born artists began drawing comics in multiple genres
at the tender age of 16. He turned down work for Walt Disney to work for EC Comics and National Comics, among others. He also did work for Mad Magazine and Playboy. He earned a reputation doing movie posters and book covers, most notably for the Conan and Tarzan series. His cover art only coincidentally matched the storylines inside the books, as Frazetta
once explained: "I didn't read any of it... I drew him my way. It was really rugged. And it caught on. I didn't care about what people thought. People who bought the books never complained about it. They probably didn't read them..."
at the tender age of 16. He turned down work for Walt Disney to work for EC Comics and National Comics, among others. He also did work for Mad Magazine and Playboy. He earned a reputation doing movie posters and book covers, most notably for the Conan and Tarzan series. His cover art only coincidentally matched the storylines inside the books, as Frazetta once explained: "I didn't read any of it... I drew him my way. It was really rugged. And it caught on. I didn't care about what people thought. People who bought the books never complained about it. They probably didn't read them..." 
Frazetta's health has been declining for some time, and his wife died in July of 2009. The artist died today of a stroke at age 82. He leaves behind a legion of adoring fans and a catalog that includes comics, paintings, movie posters, album and book covers and animation. His evocative depictions of lusty wenches, bold warriors, and loathsome demonic villains inspired countless careers, but none has ever surpassed his mastery of fantasy illustration. It goes without saying that he remains one of the greatest to ever do it.
rest in peace Frank... samax.
I'm gonna miss the lusty wenches
ReplyDeletewon't we all...
ReplyDeleteI was betting you'd post.
ReplyDeleteFF was the man. Though he has many imitators none could never measure up to his attention to anatomic detail, his dynamism and his imagination. (To hear his name uttered in the same breath as Julie Bell and Boris V makes me twitch).
I still have two pictures cut from my Dad's 1979 Frazetta calendar. That calendar along with the Tolkien Bestiary were my early artistic inspirations (plus, his girls may have shaped my tastes a bit during early adolescence. ).
Shame about Fire and Ice, though...
when I was a kid, I thought Frazetta was a renaissance artist. seriously... like a contemporary of Michaelangelo and Davinci.
ReplyDeleteThe first time someone showed me a drawing of conan by him, my head nearly exploded!
Samax,
ReplyDeleteseriously though Frazetta was a renaissance artist . . . just as good as Michaelangelo and Leo.
I didn't see a difference.
word. I couldn't believe someone who was still alive could be that good! I thought painting like that wasn't happening anymore!
ReplyDeletewe were very lucky we got to live during his working years...
great write up my man, I remember last year a few of us were gonna get together after a show in Philly to visit his gallery,....the gallery was amazing according to the visitors though Frazetta wasn't present, but sure enough as the group was leaving here he is being driven up the driveway....the personal meet and great wasn't possible but still,... missed ops man, missed ops...
ReplyDeletein case you guys are interested, and I know you are, here's an interview with the man himself from 1994.
ReplyDeletesweet!
ReplyDeletethanks!
A big inspiration.RIP indeed.
ReplyDelete