Frank Frazetta did so much quality painting and illustrating in his 82 years that it seems stupid to attempt to pick a favorite. Here’s a random assortment of images from the man who redefined–No, hell, defined fantasy artwork, influencing countless fellow fantasy artists, comic book illustrators, and when you get down to it, the guys who drew the covers to every book I ever loved as an awkward fantasy-minded adolescent. He hadn’t done too much lately, but his body of work speaks volumes. He will be missed.
His most famous image, The Death Dealer was used as cover art for Molly Hatchet’s 1978 S/T debut album.
Genius. Threatening, mysterious and detailed.
His covers for Robert E. Howard’s series of original Conan The Barbarian books were fantastic, and started the trend of “Badass dude on a pile of evil guys” trend in fantasy art. Here you can see his painting for Conan The Destroyer
Finally, Frazetta did for me what he likely did for a lot of awkward, lonely tweens: drew sexy ladies. His women were often caricatures, exaggerated in form and expression, but there was always a sort of playfulness to it, or an underlying power. Somehow he skirted the line between strength, coyness and objectification the way only a man who truly appreciates the appeal of a curvaceous female could. I’d be exaggerating if I said that Frank Frazetta’s portrayal of the female form informed my sexual preferences entirely, but I might be lying if I said that I didn’t spend an undue amount of time studying some book jackets in grades 6-8.
Above is a sketch and the full painting “The Moon’s Rapture.” Both fairly representative of his fantasy work (IE Non-pinup.) The Pinup stuff I discovered later, when I was less transfixed by the painted buttocks of a female. Still though, fantastic stuff.
Rest In Peace, sir.
RJC
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