RIP Frank Frazetta

[Denis]

http://network.nationalpost.com/NP/blogs/theampersand/archive/2010/05/10/conan-tarzan-illustrator-frank-frazetta-dead-at-92.aspx

Illustrator Frank Frazetta, who was best known for his fantasy and science-fiction drawings, has passed away. He was 92.

Frazetta was famous for his works on paperback covers, including those of the Conan the Barbarian series. The character became a cult favourite and later inspired a series of movies starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. He was also known for his illustrations of Edgar Rice Burroughs characters such as Tarzan and John Carter of Mars.

His style, which depicted muscular barbarians often locked in combat with deadly beasts and other exotic figures, became the touchstones of fantasy and science fiction.

Read more: http://network.nationalpost.com/NP/blogs/theampersand/archive/2010/05/10/conan-tarzan-illustrator-frank-frazetta-dead-at-92.aspx#ixzz0nYB4GeSn

Dang, and I played Molly Hatchet at the station Saturday morning.

[TBird1958]

I remember first seeing his work in high scool (mid '70s) and being fascinated with it, especially the buxom alien women........ ( I'm so weird!)


R.I.P.  Frank.

[Highlander]

A genre of art I have always enjoyed, whether it is Foss, or Valejo, or Druillet, or Dean or Mouse/Kelley or just about anything that ever appeared on Metal Hurlant...

I don't care to think of how many of my older books or LP covers Frazetta's art is on... another true genius is gone... RIP Frank

[gweimer]

Drawing Conan probably wasn't that tough a deal.  Robert E. Howard painted a very clear picture of his characters in his stories.  Somewhat like an early Stephen King, Howard also wrote for Western magazines, using the old West as a backdrop for some much darker stories.  I read a bunch of Howard's short story collections.  He's very convincing.  The collection, Pidgeons From Hell, is one of the more well-known ones.

But I do love Frezetta's work.  RIP.

[Pilgrim]

I had no idea that Frazetta was that old!

To me, he is the icon of fantasy art....the level of detail, technique and colors are unsurpassed.  I have one or two books of his artwork.

R.I.P., Frank.  You left us very much the richer for your life and your work.

[Basshappi]

RIP Frank, thanks for all the wonderful artwork.
His style was a perfect fit for the Howard illustrations to the point that it is how I "see" the world and characters whenever I re-read Conan stories.

"Pidgeons From Hell" was one of the few stories that actually scared me. My favorite Conan story is "Red Nails" the imagry that Howard achieved in that story was truly fantastic.

[Rhythm N. Bliss]

So sad I never got to meet him. Alas

He's the King of Fantasy Art all right!
The only other guy who competed with Frank was Boris.
Someone described perfectly why Frazetta KICKS Vallejo's ass tho:
"Vallejo's warriors look like models who pump iron. Frazetta's warriors look like they got their muscles FIGHTING & have the scars to prove it!"
Not only that, but other artists, especially Boris, have a stiffness & static vibe to their art that Frank never had. He was able to capture a moment & he never used models!!!
He painted right out of his vivid imagination!!! Always.

The BARBARIAN (Conan) is brilliant! So is the one of Conan straddling a giant snake, chained in a dungeon.

I've done hundreds of copies of his work with airbrush on t-shirts & jackets & some canvasses too
I even made up the joke "Another day, another Dealer" instead of dollar cuz I did so many copies of his Death Dealer-one of the most BADASS paintings ever!!!
The Silver Warrior is a fav tooo
His women are incredibly voluptuous & his beasts are the best!

RIP Mr. Frazetta~Tons of respect & lotsa love to you, my fellow artist!
You've been a HUGE inspiration.

[Pilgrim]

Just read that Frazetta was 82, so the earlier report may have contained a typo.

I found this really interesting tribute on another site...the Artsbeat blogs of the NY TImes:

http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/05/10/frank-frazetta-fantasy-illustrator-dies-at-82/?ref=design

After viewing the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel a few years ago, I realized that comics and fantasy art are the last gasps of classicism. Craft and draughting were discarded by "high" art decades ago, leaving these skills to the practitioners of the so-called "low" arts. Frazetta was a giant among these pioneers of a new medium, and his influence resonates through his many stylistic heirs. Had he lived centuries ago, he would have been on his back high up on a scaffolding, illustrating the greater glory of the church. I for one appreciated his skills applied to scenes of testosterone-laced fantasy. Thanks, Frank. We'll miss you.

[Rhythm N. Bliss]

Been studying up on Fantasy & Sci fi Art & even bought a cool Anthology tonight to get me inspired to airbrush again--maybe even on a grand scale....

The latest & greatest stuff almost ALL pays homage to Frazetta, of course. HEDAMAN!

[Rhythm N. Bliss]

This was the first Frazetta I ever saw, when one of my artist buds in school got this poster.
Later I got all 5 paperback collections of his art & copied stuff out of 'em til they all fell apart & got lost.
Now I have his hardcover books--Legend & Icon--& a collection of his sketches. Also a great dvd.

[uwe]

All I see is a woman leaning against a phallic pillar with a strong black man looming in the background and a leopard with a tail like the proverbial snake. 'Tis all very Freudian, I must say, in a lurid way; this man had fantasies.   

[Highlander]

... and he could convey those fantasies in a way most of us could only dream of... that was the difference between Frazetta and the majority...

[uwe]

I grant him the talent in execution and perhaps he was the first, but that stuff was so overdone in the aftermath. It reminds me now of customized Harleys, Molly Hatchet covers and Vampirella comics.

[Highlander]

Nearly there... 

Gentleman, of all genders... excluding the musical form, what art does float your boat...? The great masters, the Sistine Chapel, the Venus de Milo...?



Whatever you say, it is still an artform... If you want shock value, check out most tattooed woman... 

[Pilgrim]

If you check the detail work in Frazetta's art (can't do it from these web clips) you will be amazed at the detail.  I really do understand why the review mentioned his tie to classical art.