The Chad Frye - Illustration GuyI had a few minutes to doodle something the other day, and returned to the topic of cats. Then the few minutes turned into another few when it felt like the little guy (and his even littler buddy) should be in color.
A little ol’ digital gouache painting, all in Photoshop. Having fun with the Kyle brushes.
– Paulo Coelho (1947 – present)
I don’t know. Sometimes it is just fun to pair an inspirational quote with an image that one might not initially think should go together. Or maybe they DO go together!
Perhaps the average hitman has dreams of being at the top of his game, right? Or maybe he has an unfulfilled aspiration to leave his dirty work behind and become a primo ballerino. Who knows?
Whatever YOU choose in life, knock ’em dead! (Figuratively speaking if you are not a hitman.)
Earlier this summer, I created a summertime illustration that debuted on a promotional card for my attendance at the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) conference held the first weekend in August in Los Angeles. It was inspired by a pencil sketch in my sketchbook created this past spring (which you can see if you CLICK HERE.)
I remember silly images like this in my favorite picture books when I was a kid, overcrowded with visual stimulation that made my little mind soar with wonder and amazement. This was likely how the seed was planted in me to one day wish to illustrate children’s books.
While in recent years I’ve worked primarily in animation, my career actually started in children’s books with the first one published way back in 1992. Hard to believe it has been that long. I have worked on around 30 or so books both on my own and together as a team with other illustrators. Maybe one day a blog post about that should be in order.
So, I’d like to do more children’s books, which was why I went to that conference earlier in the month – to get an idea of the state of the industry today. It would be nice to think that my brand of silliness could find a place once again on the shelves of Barnes & Noble, Amazon, or any number of small intimate bookshops scattered across the country.
For now, though, I leave you with some close-ups of this traditionally watercolored and colored pencil painting. (Only the lens flare was added digitally for those of you curious about such things.)
If you would like to see the major steps in the creation of this piece from rough sketch to final art, feel free to seek out my Instagram page where those were posted earlier this summer. You can get to it by CLICKING HERE!
Every now and then I get a little time where I can experiment. Still playing with some new brushes (to me) in Photoshop, working in a rough painting style. It’s kind of fun blocking in colors to get the feeling and action across instead of the detailed noodling I’m used to doing.
Also, I’m Batman.
Last week an old friend of mine from college shot me an e-mail surprising me with the news that she was in town with her family, so we made plans for me to show the six of them around the Warner Bros. studio where I now work.
The night before, her husband let me know that the day we’d be together was her birthday! So, with not much warning, I made this card for her the night before. After 26 years, it was a sweet reunion.
Dragons never seem to have to search for a match to light a birthday candle.
Move over Captain Hook. There’s a new menacing pirate on the high seas! Arrrrrrrrrmeow.
Felt like it was time for some bears to visit ol’ Chad’s sketchbook again. Here’s a recent page of inked bruins that came by way of a brush pen. I’d keep those fingers away from their mouths if I was you.
Incidentally, I hear Christopher Robin only has one bear in his posse. Amateur.
I generally don’t get too personal here on the ol’ blog, but today is a mighty special day in the Frye family. On this day in 1968, my parents were joined together in holy matrimony.
I wanted to do something a bit special for their 50th anniversary. I hope they don’t mind, but I decided to interpret their 1967 engagement photo in my own little way. A time when I could only possibly have been a mere twinkle in their eyes as they prepared to spend their lives together.
As my own experiences have taught me, that had to have been a HUGE decision for them to make. I often marvel at how two total strangers from different upbringings can find each other and choose to craft a life together – a life that will undoubtedly have many ups and many downs.
Through thick and thin, and always with an eye towards the Lord, my parents have come through the ups and downs that 50 years together have presented. They have four children who love them, and love the Lord because of them. They have two sons-in-law and a daughter-in-law who are grateful to them for the children they taught and nurtured. And they have nine grandsons, all in varying stages of awareness of what their 50 years mean to our family.
Due to some mitigating circumstances, we all gathered together on their 49th anniversary last year. It is unfortunate that we couldn’t all be there to jump up from behind doors and couches to surprise them today on the day.
To my folks, thank you for always putting Christ first, and training up your children in the way we should go, so that when we reach your age, we will not depart from Him. (Proverbs 22:6) I love you.