The Chad Frye - Illustration Guy…is worth a bird in the belly! Of course I’m kidding. I’m sure this bear and bird are the best of pals.
I recently did a little drawing of a bear for a friend, and was pleased with the result. Thought I’d do one for myself this past weekend.
For those of you curious about the method of execution, I used a black brush pen on bumpy watercolor paper with some watercolor paint thrown on for good measure. Keeping it all loose makes it feel a bit energetic and whimsical, don’t you think?
Ten years ago my good friend and composer Nicholas Lawrence asked me to design a CD for him that was to feature his original compositions inspired by his love for sea life. Titled Aquarium, the concept lent itself to fun graphic possibilities, so I accepted!
I first met Nick when he was just a student in the film music program at the University of Southern California (USC) where some of his professors were Elmer Bernstein, Leonard Rosenman, David Raksin, Jerry Goldsmith and Christopher Young. He and I both attended the same church, and with his interest in composition and my love for film music, we had an instant common ground. Friendship had to ensue.
While I am an illustrator first, it seemed that Nick’s new concept album should be given a stripped-down minimal graphic treatment to the art. He performed his music for the album on electronic instruments in what could be considered a New Age instrumental style. So, using my illustration abilities, the cover art was created completely as a gouache painting just hinting at the variety of sea life the music evoked.
For the rest of the album design, I dusted off my old college graphic design training and played around with hand drawn art and digital type composited with Photoshop. Here is a sampling of what the CD itself looked like.
If you’d like to see the rest of the album art, and would like to hear Nick’s music, CD Baby is offering the CD for the low price of $4.99 right now. CLICK HERE to listen to free samples and to order your very own copy. This is the only CD art I’ve done for a commercially available item – unique in my artography!
So, today is the unveiling of my latest illustration for the article Parasites – Unwelcome Guests featured in the latest issue of Answers Magazine (Vol. 8, No. 1, Jan-Mar 2013). If you have followed the past two posts about the process this week, you are ready to see some final artwork!
After the final drawing (shared here yesterday) is approved, I print it out and then trace it onto my watercolor paper with regular pencil. I use the VERY nice and very expensive Arches watercolor paper onto which I apply my Winsor & Newton paint. The edges of the painting are taped with white artists tape (it usually doesn’t rip up the surface of the paper when you pull it up later) because when I do a full bleed painting, I like nice clean edges.
So, now for the grand unveiling. Drumroll please…..
Hope you enjoyed the little behind-the-scenes of creating this piece. Painting is a lot of fun. Whether you are a beginner or a seasoned artist, grab a brush and paint something on paper! There is nothing like it. At the end of the day you can sit back and hold your creation in your hands – hopefully with some satisfaction. Then go do another one!
Christmas is upon us once again. Many thoughts and prayers have been with the families of Newtown, Connecticut following their unspeakable sorrow this season. When news of that tragedy crackled over the airwaves, I was putting the finishing touches on the painting for my annual Christmas card – a card with the theme of coming to Christ the Savior with a childlike faith.
I pray this Christmas that you will hug your kids a little harder, open a Bible to Luke chapter two, and read to them the reminder of how God the Father sent his only Son as a sacrifice for the sins of mankind. Whether or not you are religious, let your children hear the reason for why the name of Christ is a part of the name of this holiday we hold dear.
Merry Christmas.
Now and then I’ll do a little something for the fun of it for family. My late Uncle Ken was a big fan of Tweety from Looney Tunes. He was so much of a fan, that he even had a Tweety tattooed on his ankle.
I can’t actually remember what the occasion was for creating this pencil and watercolor piece a few years ago, but I know it was something I did for Uncle Ken. You see, he lived in Arizona in the shadow of Superstition Mountain, which explains all the cactus and cowboy gear. Whatever the reason, I thought you might find it interesting as this is the rare Warner Bros. piece you’ll find here on my blog. It may only be the second WB thing I’ve posted here. I grew up loving the Looney Tunes characters, but just don’t often get asked to draw them.
Speaking of Warner Bros., this coming Saturday I’ll once again be at the Warner Ranch studio lot in Burbank drawing for the families who needed the services of the Ronald McDonald House this past year due to an ill young member of their family. Should be fun drawing for folks who probably need a little cheer in their lives about now.
I thought I would reach into my archives this week and pull out a Thanksgiving themed illustration I did a few years ago based on a favorite television family of mine – the Barones.
I was a big fan of the Everybody Loves Raymond show on CBS, and often went to the live tapings on the Warner Bros. studio lot here in Burbank, CA. It was always so much fun to see the familial relationships played out amongst the actors who seemed to genuinely get along with each other. If they shot a joke a certain way, they’d do take after take with a different punchline until they got the biggest laugh, and all were funny.
I am also a big fan of Norman Rockwell’s paintings, a sentiment I share with many Americans who are moved by his idyllic depictions of life in this country. I was thrilled to see a traveling exhibit of his original work a few years back first in San Diego, then again in New York City. The exhibit included what have become known as Rockwell’s “Four Freedoms” paintings. The Freedom from Want piece in that series always struck a chord with me with its portrayal of a family enjoying each other around the Thanksgiving table.
So, when I heard that Everybody Loves Raymond was going to come to an end, immediately Norman Rockwell’s famous painting came to mind. It seemed to be a perfect fit, all the way down to putting Robert in the lower right corner partially cut off as he would expect. Robert always felt he was getting the second fiddle treatment from the family. With a bit of watercolor and colored pencil, this piece was created just for the fun of it.
You know, during the time I was finishing up the painting, I took in a concert at the Hollywood Bowl where I bumped into Doris Roberts. She didn’t know me from Adam, so I probably spooked her a bit when the first words my mind thought to say were, “Oh hi! I was just painting you today!” Smooth, Chad. Smooth.
Pictured with the turkey is Peter Boyle (who passed away a few years ago) and Doris Roberts, then on the left Madylin Sweeten, Ray Romano, Patricia Heaton, and Sawyer Sweeten. On the right is Monica Horan, Sullivan Sweeten, and of course, Brad Garrett. On the back wall is show creator Phil Rosenthal.
On an interesting side note, last year Brad did the voice of a character I designed for a third Zhu Zhu Pets movie that has yet to be released. It was literally a talking rock. It seems as though Robert Barone STILL can’t get any respect.
Enjoy Thanksgiving with your own friends and family this week, and remember not only to be thankful for the blessings in your life, but to whom that thanks should be directed. The holiday is modeled after the Pilgrims who gave thanks to the almighty God for their survival in this untamed land. In many ways it is still untamed, and God is the One who deserves our appreciation.
Psalm 136:1 “O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.”
Well, I managed to squeeze out one more monster drawing here in what I usually dub “Monster Month”, and I leaned on my go-to guy Frankenstein. This one started as just a Prismacolor pencil sketch in my sketchbook, and I liked how he turned out so I added some watercolor right there in the book!
Yes, you purists out there will say that technically he is Dr. Frankenstein’s monster, and not actually Frankenstein. I differ with you on that, thou nay sayers! If one gives birth to a new life, they take your name. Dr. Frankenstein birthed, sort of, this creature, so by all rights he should also bear the name “Frankenstein”!
Regardless, Frankenstein has appeared a few times on the ol’ blog. In case you would like to explore my past with the big green guy, CLICK HERE to see all the Frankie posts.
Hopefully next October I’ll be back with monster art for each weekday. Until then continue to enjoy the various other art that I post here throughout the year!
This past weekend I made a quick trip from my California home to visit my parents in Delaware. I’m not usually the fast jet-setting type who just flies off to the other coast for the weekend, but this was a very special occasion – a milestone if you will. My father was turning 70.
Technically Dad turned 70 back at the end of May, but we were gathering to celebrate it here in June unbeknownst to him. Carefully laid plans for this momentous family celebration began last year. We wanted it to be a grand festive time with food, family and friends. Mother tried to find clever ways to get Dad out of the house so she could have freedom to make her preparations. I worked on getting invitations into the hands of their many friends both near and far – a list that seems to grow shorter with each passing year.
Dad was born in the thick of World War II in May of 1942. He was the second of two sons born to a photographer and a home maker. WWII was the impetus for what we were going to do for the party. I began with researching old war propaganda posters when creating the painting for the invitations. One poster in particular reached out and slapped me like the Allies did to Hitler. It had a ferocious yellow sky with bomber planes and a rugged Uncle Sam right in the middle. I made my Uncle Sam hold a baby that resembled an infant version of my father, and the bombers became a flying fleet of storks ready to drop their bundles of joy onto unsuspecting families.
Carrying the WWII theme inside the invitation was a newsreel spiel I wrote appropriate for the occasion:
NEWSFLASH: In late May of 1942 in the midst of WWII, the stork visited Kenneth and Jeanetta Frye of Wisconsin, U.S.A. with their second little bundle of joy. That year the advance of the evil Axis was curtailed, Bing Crosby opened up a Holiday Inn and had time for a trip to Morocco with Bob “Where’s My Oscar” Hope, Glen Miller earned the first ever gold record for riding the Chattanooga Choo Choo a million times, Bambi lost his mother, General Douglas MacArthur promised to return, and Sam was playing it again in Casablanca.
The day of the party was very special. Somehow through all the planning, Dad never caught on and was genuinely surprised to see us all there in the kitchen where he stood dripped in sweat from a golf outing with my uncle. Along with my aunt and uncle, all my siblings travelled from their far away homes, and old friends from Arizona, New Jersey, North Carolina, and Tennessee joined those newly formed friendships from Delaware. We had times of reflection, played games about 1942 and made fun of growing old, listened to 1940s music, and enjoyed good food and greater laughter. Best of all, we were able to give thanks to the Lord for the wonderful life He has given my father, and in respect, the life He has given us for having been a part of Dad’s life.
The next day as we all dispersed into the haze of our own corners of the country, the thought struck me that we aren’t promised long life, good health and happiness. We just take each day as a gift and live as we can before the Lord. I love my dad, and look forward to however many more of those special days God will give us together, and be grateful.