Frank Frazetta's Lesson in Artistic Growth: Why Artists should NEVER Focus on SPEED

[@JKevinCarrier]

I'm reminded of a quote by the great Alex Toth: “I spent the first half of my career learning what to put into my work, and the second half learning what to leave out.”

[@knowgo411]

That's a Great quote👌

[@steverudethedude]

That's a fantastic quote by Alex Toth! Knowing what to leave out is a crucial skill that often comes with experience. It reinforces the idea that speed shouldn't come at the expense of quality or focus in your art. Thanks for sharing!

[@williambrown6185]

I think speed is a relative term. I think the speed to which something is done comes from the hours of practice put into learning your craft. The better you get at something the more intuitive it becomes. Works for anything. Especially sports and art. Back to in of my painting teachers at USM. He was an abstractionist painter. Muted Times and colors. Didn’t have much toleration for realists. Even though that’s how I had been trained in Highschool and junior college. Me and another guy talked about how long it took for us to finish a painting and he said painting isn’t something that takes a long time. It happens in moment. Needless to say we butted heads alot. I loved realism. Guys like Caravaggio. Even Rockwell. He looked down on Rockwell alot. Well I got a D in his class and had to retake painting again. But this time I took it in the summer and the Dept. Chair taught it. Best thing that ever happened. Learned soo much about color and how to use it. Great teacher for figure drawing. Got an A. I took an illustration class. And most of the students were proficient on the computer but not so much draftsmen when it came to drawing. Learned alot from that guy as well. He said the line between painting and illustration had become blurred. Told me I was a harder worker than any of his graphic design majors. I was an Art Education major. I’m an Art teacher now at an elementary school.

[@knowgo411]

I would like to add on to the 1st part of ur paragraph..The Thing that helped Frank with the speed of painting them was he meticulously prepped for them!..(thru the release of his many books now..u can see where he spent quite sum time sketch'n out & doing watercolor studies before he actually began his paintings!..So yeah ur experience & Knowlegde is a factor But preparation seems to go a long way too!

[@steverudethedude]

This is a great point! You're absolutely right, speed comes with practice and honing your craft. The more comfortable you are with your skills, the faster you can create high-quality work. It sounds like your painting teachers offered different perspectives on speed and artistic expression. Ultimately, finding your own balance is key. Thanks for sharing your story!

[@cbradfordgorby3237]

My brother and I were avid buyers of books that had Frazetta covers and how quickly he could knock one out was phenomenal, however if you look at the cover paintings as they were released in print initially compared to those same paintings collected years later and reprinted you'll notice that there are HUGE differences since Frank would go back and rework/finish pieces . How his Moon Maid art looked when initially printed as a book cover compared to how it appeared in one of the Peacock Press/Bantam collections is striking and this is true with a great many of the covers he did for REH's Conan as well, they were good when they first appeared but they became iconic after he had spent time on them.

[@steverudethedude]

Looking forward to feedback. If anything helped you, that's why I do these.

[@loubaker6861]

I agree that the "story" of frazetta finishing a painting in one night , if possible ,was done on something like The Night Stalker, which is a single figure with minimal background. But people latch onto that and think he did it with every painting. Which i would say is a complete falsehood. His paintings, are meticulously composed, and that factors into the time to complete a painting as well. Would love to have seen a video of a start to finish painting demo from him.

[@reginaldforthright805]

Exactly

[@steverudethedude]

That's a great observation! The speed myths surrounding certain artists can be misleading. Frazetta's meticulous compositions are a testament to that. While speed can be a factor, strong underlying structure and planning are also crucial for creating impactful work. A start-to-finish demo from him would have been incredible!

[@davedfw814]

@@steverudethedude ..any video of his process would have included him using photographic reference including shots of himself, at a time when he and his cohorts were spreading disinformation that tried to convince people he only worked from imagination. The two are not compatible.

[@GodLovesComics]

I posted a video called Frank Frazetta: Genius of Violence a month or so ago that mostly focuses on his very early White Indian stories in Durango Kid, but also gives a little history for laymen and talks about the classic Weird Science Fantasy #29 cover. I just wish he had done more comics work.

[@gumpster8913]

The sheer amount of experience Frazetta had before he began doing his book covers gave him an arsenal of techniques that no amateur could bring to bear quickly. So much of the stuff most of us would agonize over was old hat to him, so he could focus more on the overall design.

[@steverudethedude]

You're absolutely right. Frazetta's foundation in figure drawing, anatomy, and composition allowed him to create these iconic covers with incredible speed and efficiency. It's a testament to the power of dedicated practice.

[@jonjonrods5776]

More of this, please. Would enjoy seeing you work on pages as well

[@dwaynemuth8775]

Thanks ALWAYS,Steve!

[@LevelNineDrow]

Absolutely true, the challenge comes when you are recording for KZbin. The longer you take doing an illustration the longer you have to edit, an oh how I hate editing.

[@steverudethedude]

That's a very real challenge for artist KZbinrs! Finding the balance between creating high-quality illustrations and minimizing editing time can be tough. There might be some time-saving editing tips or techniques you could explore! In the meantime, your viewers will definitely appreciate the polished final product. Thanks for sharing!

[@benb3584]

When I was in the military, a guy asked me to paint a Frazetta painting a month...I must have painted 20 of Frazetta's work...I used acrylic paints....

[@coopart1]

I did a master copy of Moth man a few years ago, Frazetta was a huge influence on my art from the beginning! Plus I lived about thirty miles from where moth man was seen !

[@hlpursley5377]

I have re produced several Frazetta paintings and average about 4-6 weeks boggles the mind he could do it in a couple of days

[@steverudethedude]

That's impressive! Reproducing Frazetta's paintings takes dedication and skill. It's important to remember that artistic speed is often a product of experience. Frazetta likely had years of honing his technique to achieve that level of speed. There's no shame in taking your time to create high-quality work that reflects your own artistic journey. Which Frazetta paintings have you reproduced and what aspects did you find most challenging?

[@theothercomicguy]

A boost of inspiration and insight. Thanks Dude.

[@steverudethedude]

Awesome! I'm happy this video could spark some creativity. What part resonated with you the most?

[@StrayCatMatt]

Just got recommended this randomly. Subbed!

[@steverudethedude]

Welcome aboard! So glad you stumbled upon this video and decided to stick around. I hope you enjoy the content!

[@slagit]

Great video!!!

[@peckerdecker]

if you *enjoy and have fun* .... then the work just flows and you make and produce more....

[@suprebaddeathmachine]

Excellent advice, and video. Thanks for the wisdom Dude! 🙏🏻

[@steverudethedude]

Thanks for watching and commenting! I'm glad the video was helpful. Feel free to share it with anyone who might benefit from this advice.

[@kirtburdick]

Great advice! I really need to start doing more artist studies.

[@byronschexnayder875]

THE RUDE DUDE RULES🤩😎🤪🖤💕

[@steverudethedude]

Thanks!

[@byronschexnayder875]

@@steverudethedude 💥❤️YOU'RE WELCOME❤️💥🤩😎🤪

[@SmokeDrawRepeat]

Great lil vid here. Looking forward to more of these.

[@lordzontor]

I needed this,thanks for this❤

[@rafaelmontagner9328]

You said everything I needed to hear. Thank you !

[@MYTHFROMNATURE]

You' are awesome

[@williampalomares248]

i learned that after 23 years of being an artist .people ask how long does it takes? i tell them until it look right thats my main goal.

[@o82774]

I think you're missing the essence of Frazetta's approach (as well as Kirby's). Frazetta's speed came from his directness. His directness came from his knowledge which enabled him to drumroll.. .WORK ENTIRELY FROM HIS HEAD. He used NO reference and after only the barest of prep, was largely improvising every aspect of his paintings as he went along. When a jazz musician improvises (or an mc spits bars from the dome) the speed at which they are creating music is instantaneous. Time is eliminated by this level of creativity. Frazetta worked instantly. It's a superpower worth aspiring to. It's just a matter of unlocking your true abilities by letting go of safety nets and qualifiers like reference, sketches and ultimately time itself.

[@davedfw814]

proven BS

[@larrynavarro70]

Good Talk Steve. This is a down fall for many young artists these days because with all the social platforms displaying all these "Speed Demons" . All the young artist feel like they have to keep up . Another down fall I've seen when I was younger and even today is the taboo of using reference. We all need models and too many have listened too literally when they here that Frazetta NEVER used any reference at all . That was my down fall for a while. Good to hear what you have to say . We met through Brian Deputy at Hanna Barbera working on "The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest".

[@helium73]

You can look at the steps he took. He drew a cartoony rough sketch. He didn't do a bunch of thumbnails first. He did one sketch and by doing that he took a likely imperfect initial composition and worked on it until he made it work. He found ways to make it work compositionally. He cared a lot obout the design and the colors and the composition. He would add color to his original sketch and if the color didn't work hed find a way to make it work. Once that was done he had a second secret weapon. That is the oil underpainting. Because he did his underpainting in oil. He could keep working on the underpainting till he had it perfect. Any mistakes he could just wipe away. A canvas with an oil sketch on it is like a wipe board. You can just keep refining for a whole day. He could take that extra time to again to improve on that initial prelim.

[@steverudethedude]

That's a great breakdown of Frazetta's process! It's fascinating to see how he approached his work. His ability to refine a single sketch into a powerful composition is truly impressive. The oil underpainting technique is also genius - it allowed him to experiment and iterate without committing fully to the final piece. Thanks for sharing these insights!

[@wildgoosedreaming1]

"Things takes as long as they take. Not a moment longer, not a moment less..."

[@Sams911]

no less than Van Gogh himself was said to produce a painting inside of a day at times... genius knows no bounds...

[@gunsmokeandghouls]

van Gogh

[@pastmasterdan4080]

Makes me wish today was the 5th…🥺

[@Quartered_Rodent]

slow is smooth, smooth is fast, find the groove, and make it last

[@TheTonyFigueroa]

Another excellent tutorial. Does knowing more mean that you tend to work more slowly because your awareness is greater?

[@steverudethedude]

Thank you for the kind words, Tony. And, yes.

[@djo-dji6018]

It depends on what one means by 'knowing more'. Often beginners indulge in unnecessary details because they don't understand what elements should be sacrificed in order to achieve a more professional result and save time. So knowledge is also awareness of what is to be ignored.

[@TheTonyFigueroa]

@@djo-dji6018 I agree. I think we're both saying essentially the same thing.

[@djo-dji6018]

@@TheTonyFigueroa I think so.

[@larrydotson2625]

He's one Rude dude

[@TheCombatartist]

Sales rep+deadlines/art director=speed

[@jay48091]

I don't study Frazetta, I study Steve!

[@jojoheartspaypay]

Whoa, gotta roll back a minute.. Didn't Frank lose the use of his hands and started using his mouth and (or) feet for a surprising bulk of his art?

[@Scout555]

Only in the latter days of his life, the bulk of art that everyone is familiar with were created decades before he had a stroke. After the stroke, he would still hold the brush or pencil in his right hand and guide it with his left hand. That is according to information online from those closest to him.

[@pheunithpsychic-watertype9881]

I'm only into speed because when I post the art online and it fails to gain traffic then I won't feel bad for the work and time I put I to it as long as it was done quickly so no shame felt

[@Mohammadzaheerzee]

Hello Sir I have lots of comic character and cerachtor ideas but I need a platform and a chance to explore my unique art work in the 🌎

[@rec.artanddata]

I already disagree with you on this premise, but look forward to seeing why you came to this conclusion (premieres in 12 hours). Focusing on speed, like in timed gesture drawings (where speed is necessary) allows the mind to work more intuitively because it forces the artist to limit his second guessing due to time constraints. Working fast and loosely can be a way to tap into intuitive skill, the same way that working in a slow, zen-like rhythm can also unleash intuitively enhanced artistic skills. Both modes work on the premise of relaxation as a trigger to intuitive skill. Working fast and loosely is also known as sketching and can be honed into a fine art level of execution. Coming up with new ideas, coming up with a layout, developing new things visually, getting past blocks, and learning how to draw or paint something in new ways are all much more fruitful when done in a loose, sketching mode. The slow, zen-like drawing mode conversely excels at achieving precision, honing, polishing, and purifying your image. At least, that's what I picked up from studying Sargent. I know you're more than familiar with his work, so look forward to see what you have to say about it.

[@steverudethedude]

Looking forward to hearing what you think after you watch it.

[@rec.artanddata]

@@steverudethedude I still think drawing or painting quickly and loosely can unlock visual intuition and skill when done right. However, one thing I've learned is if someone is producing gold by working at a slower speed, there's no need for them to stop. People should pay attention to the speed they are working and what range they are most comfortable or most effective in. Some of my best work has come from hours upon hours of slow, tedious shading and smoothing in charcoal pencil. However, varying my speed, usually where I work quickly for most of the painting/drawing then slower towards the end until I'm happy with it, has worked best for me. When you hold back on making corrections so that you can stay in a certain speed window and your second guessing gets naturally censored out of the process, it's much better for certain kinds of drawing/painting. Design work is much easier when you can get into a flow where you are pumping out as many ideas as possible, so you can choose the best version. It's 'sketching.' Anytime you're sketching (working loosely), certain things will be easier and coming up with ideas quickly or coming up with a bold layout will be easier when you are sketching. To be clear, I'm not trying to contradict you, you're quite an accomplished painter and I've enjoyed your videos. Loved this video. Your Nexus paintings are beautiful, and your Frazetta studies are expertly done (one of the best ways to learn is painting copies of an artist you want to emulate. I've primarily focused on painting copies of Sargent, Gil Elvgren, and Enoch Bolles). Just recently got the Loomis book on drawing the head and hands. Can't go wrong with Loomis. Looking forward to more of your videos, I caught a lecture you did at Wondercon in San Francisco and was blown away by your technical knowledge and sketchbooks.

[@MYTHFROMNATURE]

Phenomenom?

[@kermitfrog593]

A Frazetta painting looks like it took two months, let alone two weeks, let alone two days.

[@steverudethedude]

I've heard stories about Frazetta working long hours to meet deadlines. His dedication to his craft was truly impressive.

[@davedfw814]

If you want to get paid-FOCUS on speed, ditch the juvenile porn and violence. Frazettas work wouldn't be accepted by any art buyer today.

[@steverudethedude]

It's important to acknowledge the value of different artistic styles. Frazetta's work, while not aligned with contemporary commercial standards, has inspired countless artists and fans. It's a testament to his unique vision.

[@davedfw814]

@@steverudethedude he's responsible for encouraging a lot of truly terrible art that's for sure. Ironically, his best work, ie pen and ink, was his least popular which tells you a lot about his audience

[@davedfw814]

FF quite simply lied about everything so we can safely assume the reverse is true of whatever he says....

[@steverudethedude]

Interesting perspective on Frazetta's comments about speed. There are definitely stories surrounding his artistic process. The core message of the video is about focusing on quality in your art, and that can take time regardless of the artist.

[@davedfw814]

@@steverudethedude if you want to make a living as an illustrator or commercial artist you'd better be fast! We have deadlines usually. If it's just a hobby as it more or less was for FF then take your time. basically you have to be fast AND good to make it in this business.

[@kermitfrog593]

Frazetta was good and not fast and made it in the business.

[@davedfw814]

@@kermitfrog593 nonsense

[@TheTruth-cy4le]

I got kicked out of Disney because I didn't focus on speed.

[@steverudethedude]

Interesting! Your comment highlights the importance of finding a good balance between speed and quality in creative work. Thanks for watching!

[@davedfw814]

serves you right. I worked for them and you really have to love it, be fast and high quality.

[@davedfw814]

Your premise for this video is wrong. If I'm a client and I'm commissioning you the illustrator/ artist, and I need the work in one week, and you miss that deadline guess what? You're fired. Frazetta was fired from many assignments for being TOO SLOW, and consequently he never made much money. He was a big Diva, who was in fact very uncommercial.

[@steverudethedude]

That's an interesting perspective. It's true that deadlines are crucial in the professional world, and Frazetta's reputation for being meticulous often led to delays. However, his unique style and ability to capture the imagination were also in high demand. It's a complex issue with valid points on both sides. The balance between artistic vision and commercial realities is a challenge many artists face.

[@davedfw814]

..put another way I think most artists given enough time can produce uncommercial meticulous work-the trick is to do it to a deadline

[@steverudethedude]

@@davedfw814 That's a fascinating point. Deadlines undoubtedly push artists to make decisive choices and prioritize impact over perfection. Frazetta was a master at balancing meticulous detail with commercial appeal. It's a skill that many artists strive to achieve.

[@davedfw814]

​@@steverudethedude there are many artists who achieve meticulous detail. To be fair I don't really see much meticulous detail in Frazetta's work. I think he got away with a lot of sub-par level output because most of his clients were semi-bankrupt publishers like Ace. Today you'd have to be way more finished and digital.

[@kermitfrog593]

Who cares if he was fired from assignments. Those who commissioned and fired him - where are they now? Frank knew his process and took his time to create timeless works, and the world is better for it. Fuck a couple angry clients.

[@garymcguire8529]

Frazetta did not paint under a stop watch! He did not clock every second of time, only James Gurney does this on KZbin. Artist time is hard to measure, and so is finishing! It what seems like a day , is sometimes only 12 hours, but you stop and start, constantly . Sometimes you refuse to go to bed, and paint till dawn the next day, only to wake up and add one more thing. Artists loose track of time, especially fantasy artist, as time does not exist.

[@steverudethedude]

You're absolutely right. Artists often lose track of time when they're deeply engrossed in their work. Frazetta's dedication to his craft is evident in the meticulous details and rich storytelling of his paintings.

[@bozoclown2098]

Why is that thing going up his butt !?!?!

[@MRaadesign]

Deadlines and paychecks say different.

[@TheCombatartist]

ai will be used by publishers as soon as they can figure out how to legally use these platforms.