Tarzan...

 On Sunday, June 20. I was sitting in the Animation Guild Buiding, in North Hollywood, California, attending a fund raising art auction for Pres Romanillos, a Disney Feature Animation artist  undergoing his second bout with leukemia. One of the auctioned items was an out of print artbook on the Disney version of "Tarzan". The end papers of the volume were decorated with several sketches by various Disney Feature artists, mostly of Tarzan. That spurred me to do this drawing for myself. I worked as a storyboard artist on the Disney TV Series version that spun off from the movie. This drawing was done from memory as I sat in the auction.

I ended up buying an original acrylic painting by Peter Gulierud, "Surrealistic Painting" for $150.
http://www.pres-aid.com/search/label/Peter%20Gullerud

Superman Vs Thor

Here's another recent drawing done during a moment of downtime at my new job. Oh, I haven't told you, I started a new job last Monday. I'm a staff storyboard artist on "Bob' Burgers", a new series created and helmed by Loren Bouchard (Dr. Katz, Home Movies) and Jim Dauterive (King of the Hill). Anyway, I was cooling my heels for a while and did this sketch. I need to work on my punches; this one is goofy. auterive (King of the Hill

Fogtown At Flazh! Alley

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 26 - September 4, 2010       "FILTHY FIFTIES FRISCO" THE ART OF FOGTOWN        By Bradley C. Rader       Four years after his debut show (THE LEGEND OF HARRY & DICKLESS TOM: Original Comic Book Art Work - October - November 2006), Emmy award winning animation artist/director Brad Rader returns to Flazh!Alley Art Studio to celebrate the release of his latest book, the 171 page graphic novel, FOGTOWN (DC/Vertigo, August 10, 2010) written by Andersen Gabrych.   Paraphrasing the author, FOGTOWN is a raw, ugly, and explicitly human pulp/noir detective series, set in the ferociously filthy underworld of       ‘50’s San Francisco. It follows the seamy temptations, damnations, and redemptions of Frank Grissel, P.I., an aging, hard-living, and morally       ambiguous detective in the Mike Hammer/Sam Spade tradition…who “just happens” to be a pier-trawling, deeply closeted homosexual.   Brad Rader’s original artwork from pages of his book, drawn in black and white pen and ink, comprise the show.  Stylistically, the Alaska born artist emulates the comic book artwork of the 1950’s with influence of Russ Heath and E.C. Comics artists Jack Davis and Wally Wood.     An Emmy Award winning animation artist and director, Brad Rader has served as storyboard artist on many animated series including The Real Ghostbusters, Alf, Batman, Gargoyles, Stripperella and most recently, King of the Hill. He has directed several series, including HBO’s Spawn, for which he won an Emmy award (1999).  He has illustrated the comic books Batman Adventures, and Catwoman  (DC Comics); The Mark (Dark Horse Comics); and Tex: The Fine Art of Character Assassination (Atomic Basement).  A graduate of Art Center College of Design (illustration), Mr. Rader returned to his alma mater and to Otis/Parsons to teach storyboarding. His art has been exhibited in galleries in the United States as well as internationally.     The only public receptions will be on San Pedro's 1st Thursdays Art Walk Nights, August 5 and September 2, 2010 from 7-11 PM ADULTS ONLY (18 and over) "Filthy Fifties Frisco" can also be seen by appointment. Please call, 310.833.3633 or flazhalley@aol.com Flazh!Alley Art Studio is located at 1113 S. Pacific Ave., Suite B, San Pedro, CA. Park in the large city parking lot behind the Ramona Bakery at Pacific & 11th Street. Enter Flazh!Alley from the alley, of course.   www.flazhalleystudio.com       FLAZH!ALLEY ART STUDIO REPRESENTING BOB BARRY'S DIANE ARBUS COLLECTION:  "HOROWITZ BY ARBUS" RICHARD B. CHAUDAVIS DANIEL DEROUX WIM GRIFFITH JOHN MIDDELKOOP MIRIAM PREISSEL LIEZEL RUBIN DON SABAN MAX UBER

Channelling My Inner Sal Buscema

I did this drawing  yesterday. It reminds me of similar poses by Sal Buscema, even though I've never made a study of his work, or even much liked his stuff. During the early/mid 70's I was "forced" to look at his work because he illustrated the adventures of characters I liked; I viewed his as the apotheosis of the soul-less hack, phoning the work in without variation or inspiration.

Now I can appreciate his work for its clarity, economy and dynamism. Take what  you like and leave the rest. I still find his character designs ugly and repetitive (everybody basically looks the same), but he knows how to throw a mean punch.