Author: Chad Frye

Chad Frye is Helping the Hodges

Post author By Chad Frye
Post date November 23, 2009

Things have been really busy for me since ending Monster Month here on the blog. I have been working with Tony Bancroft (supervising animator of Pumba, Kronk, and co-dircted Mulan) and Tom Bancroft (supervising animator of Mushu) on helping to put together a charity auction to raise funds for Tim Hodge’s family.

On August 22, 2009 Matthew Hodge, the 17-year-old son of former Disney story artist and Big Idea productions director Tim Hodge, was in a serious auto accident. A train struck his car at 50mph as he was crossing the tracks. While Matt suffered neither broken bones nor any internal organ damage, he did receive severe head trauma causing him to remain in a state of coma today. Matt is a high school senior, a straight A student, and a drummer in his state championship marching band.

Seventeen year old Matthew Hodge in better days practicing on the drum line of his high school’s state championship marching band.

Being self-employed, Tim has short term medical insurance that will not fully cover all of his bills. Additionally, with the care the family is giving Matt, full-time work is not possible for Tim right now. This loving family is relying on their faith and the love of family and friends for their survival. This is a tragic accident that will forever affect their lives as the road to recovery for Matt may be a long one.

In an effort to help the Hodge family, the National Cartoonists Society Foundation (of which I am a board member) is getting involved by hosting a fundraising auction to be held on eBay. The NCSF is a fully licensed 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that not only helps fund educational endeavors for cartooning, but is there to help cartoonists in dire circumstances like the Hodges.

The cartooning community has really be rallying to help us out by donating artwork to Help the Hodges. I have been busy creating an online catalog of the auction items as they come in over on HelpTheHodges.com, and encourage you to go take a look. It’s truly amazing to see who has been participating.

On November 20-22, Help the Hodges had a booth at the CTN Animation Expo. A full report with photos of the many famous faces that visited our booth are on HelpTheHodges.com. Faces such as Don Bluth, Mike Mignola, J. Scott Campbell, Don Hahn, Peter DeSeve, Lou Romano, and many more.

Josè Zeldaya, whom I worked with on “My Friends Tigger & Pooh”, looking over the shoulder of the great Don Bluth.

If you are a professional artist, we would love an artwork donation from you still. If you would like to help financially, your monetary donations are completely tax-deductible. HelpTheHodges.com has a link to where you can donate via Paypal, and by credit card.

Chad About Town

MONSTER MONTH: Day 31 – The Flame Thrower

Post author By Chad Frye
Post date October 31, 2009

Welcome to this, the final day of MONSTER MONTH here on the blog. It has been a fun 31 days of monsters, and I thought I’d cap it off with a doozy for Halloween!

If you are at all familiar with the story of Frankenstein, you would know that the monster has a fear of fire. But what truly caused that fear? I mean, at some point, he must have been okay with it, right? Something had to set him off. Oh, there may be some paltry explanation in the pages of Mary Shelley’s tome, but I believe that the true moment when the monster’s fear was born came in the laboratory one fateful day.

I suppose that along with fire, one might fear Dr. Frankenstein after this incident. Igor only approaches him from the front these days.

Thank you for joining me this month. I had a blast drawing MONSTERS of all shapes and sizes. If you enjoyed it as much as I did, feel free to leave a comment here on the blog!

MONSTER MONTH: Day 30 – Opposites Attract

Post author By Chad Frye
Post date October 30, 2009

LOVE is a strange and wondrous thing. When one looks for that special person, they have an idea of what it is that they want, but there is always that single undefinable quality that just smacks them like a ton of bricks when two like-minded souls find each other. What these two have must be very special, and certainly something that only they can understand.

Xanquerd and Zorp, sittin' in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G.... — Xanquerd and Zorp, sittin’ in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G….

Come back again tomorrow on HALLOWEEN to see the grand finalè post in 2009’s MONSTER MONTH!

Art: Colored Pencil Art: Watercolor Character Designs Illustrations Monsters

MONSTER MONTH: Day 29 – My Brown Eyed Girl

Post author By Chad Frye
Post date October 29, 2009

Who can resist looking deep into a pair of sultry brown eyes dripping with earnest, heartfelt emotion. Now do it to four pairs, and not so much heartfelt emotion as it is crazed infatuation. At least it’s earnest.

With two tongues, I wonder if she can converse with herself?

Art: Colored Pencil Art: Watercolor Character Designs Illustrations Monsters

MONSTER MONTH: Day 28 – Bayou Beast & Son

Post author By Chad Frye
Post date October 28, 2009

If you happen to find your way to a hot, steamy Louisiana bayou one day, keep an eye open for the Bayou Beast. This kind of evil has terrorized the Spanish moss laden woods and swamps of the South for many hundreds of years; an evil carried from father to son for generations among the ranks of the beasts. Although, sometimes it does skip a generation.

BEHOLD! The ultimate EVIL Bayou Beast snarling and snorting and stomping his way through the steamy sludge of the Southern outdoors - and Jr! — BEHOLD! The ultimate EVIL Bayou Beast snarling and snorting and stomping his way through the steamy sludge of the Southern outdoors – and Jr!

Art: Drawings Art: Inking Art: Photoshop Character Designs Monsters Random Doodles Sketchbook

MONSTER MONTH: Day 27 – Count Dracula

Post author By Chad Frye
Post date October 27, 2009

Where are you sneaking off to? MONSTER MONTH isn’t over quite yet! How could it be without some representation of the most famous overbite sufferer of them all – Count Dracula!?

I didn’t set out to stray too far from conformity regarding this famous literary and cinematic nocturnal nightmare. Everyone knows who lies before them when they see the widow’s peak, pointy ears, and dual fangs. However, the ways to portray those characteristics are endless!

Here, directly from my sketchbook, are a few face studies of this conflicted count for your amusement.

WARNING: It is advised that one have a supply of garlic handy when viewing this art!

Character Designs Monsters Random Doodles Sketchbook

MONSTER MONTH: Day 26 – The Andy Griffin Show

Post author By Chad Frye
Post date October 26, 2009

I love classic TV shows. Probably because I love the innocence in them. Of course, I had to go and mess around with the innocence of Andy Griffith‘s iconic Mayberry show to include it here for Monster Month! Now whistle the theme song in a minor key when viewing today’s post to completely set the ominous monster mood!

If you think THIS is disturbing, you don't even want to know what Aunt Bee looks like! (Yes, that is spelled incorrectly on purpose!) — If you think THIS is disturbing, you don’t even want to know what Aunt Bee looks like! (Yes, that is spelled incorrectly on purpose!)

Art: Drawings Art: Inking Art: Photoshop Cartoons Character Designs Illustrations Monsters

MONSTER MONTH: Day 25 – Hair of the Chinney Chin Chin Chin Chin…..

Post author By Chad Frye
Post date October 25, 2009

One night as I was watching television, I grabbed my sketchbook with a sudden burst of inspiration to draw this troll with chin after chin after chin. I don’t know why exactly. After all, Jay Leno wasn’t even on yet.

Whatever the reason, I liked how this freak of nature turned out. Hope you do, too. Oh, and don’t worry – this troll doesn’t live under bridges to scare you. He just hangs out there to practice his singing. You know, good acoustics and all.

Another fine example of the results of the public school system.

Art: Drawings Character Designs Monsters Random Doodles Sketchbook