Towering above all others in the land of the comic book gods stands Frank Frazetta, a powerhouse of science-fiction and fantasy art, sadly no longer with us, but whose work remains as popular and sought-after as ever. The Frazetta Sketchbook is a welcome addition to the collections of available work, offering a previously unseen look at the creative process behind this great artist.
From simple scraps of paper revealing roughly blocked out shapes that test a composition, to fully rendered pen and ink drawings that capture powerful physical forms and action-pack set pieces it’s all trademark Frazetta and work to be savoured by fans. Much of his most popular and well-known images are here including the Conan and The Death Dealer book covers, early cartoons and Eerie comic book covers, plus we’re treated to a chapter showing his life-drawings that present a more realist Frazetta that you might be used to.
Abandoned comic book illustrations from EC’s unfinished “Came The Dawn” story that were left in preliminary and mid-inked states offer an interesting look at his approach to comic work, if only leaving the reader slightly disappointed that only half has been included here, with the remaining due in the upcoming Volume 2.
Like IDW’s brilliant Dave Stevens sketchbook collections, the opportunity to study the process of such a talented artist is one that fellow illustrators and fans will not want to miss and comes highly recommend. Those who haven’t already should also check out the superb documentary “Painting With Fire“, available on import via Amazon.