Frank Frazetta, RIP

The artist Frank Frazetta, whose luscious oil paintings for science fiction and fantasy paperback covers were usually better than the stories themselves, died today. He was 82 and one of my favorite artists.

Comics Beat has more.

Previously:

Mark Frauenfelder is the founder of Boing Boing and the editor-in-chief of MAKE and Cool Tools. Twitter: @frauenfelder. Come and hear Mark speak at the ALA conference in Chicago on July 1.

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Anonymous

My appreciation of art and the female form started with Frank Frazetta, RIP.
Anonymous

One of the shining lights on earth has gone on to the bright white light from which we all have come. His amazing talent made the world a better place.
bat21

First Lena Horne and now this. Today sucks.
jfrancis

They sure don’t make ‘em like that anymore.
Ugly Canuck

The world I grew up in is gone.

RIP Mr Frazetta.
bbonyx

As I said to a friend moments ago on FB, I actually find comfort in the fact that he didn’t have to spend much time without Ellie.

And, as I always do when anything FF appears on BB, I *highly* recommend the doc Frazetta: Painting with Fire
Muse

Wow. Frazetta was one of my art heroes. The power of his compositions and confidence of his brushwork inspired my current love of painting. Thanks partly to him, I am now a professional artist. Thanks for the inspiration Frank, you will be missed.
benher

RIP Frank. Your work has always been and always will be an inspiration to me.
Anonymous

A temendous loss to his fans and the art world – Frank, you will live on forever in the amazing works you created. Rest in peace.
Vanwall

I think Frank Frazetta was so much a part of the resurgence of fantasy, and specifically Conan and ERB, that they, and fantasy in general, may have languished in the past for ever if he hadn’t been so influential as a cover artist. He wasn’t just a sci-fi/fantasy/poster artist, either – his cover for the hardback “Downward to Earth” won award as a book cover, period, against a lot of other, more mainstream, contenders. Here’s one of my favorite interviews with him:

http://www.happyhomelandstore.com/interviews/FrankFrazettasworkdoe.htm
Vanwall

As an extra note, Ellie, his wife was often a model, but so was Frank. He painted and drew his own face into hundreds, perhaps thousands of comic panels and paintings. It’s Frank himself in most of the famous covers, as I see them.
Tony Moore

Now we say good night to one of the industry’s prototypes. They sure don’t make ‘em like that anymore.
Joel Fletcher

There is some kind of magic in the style of Frank Frazetta’s art that transcends the subject matter and genre. Artistic charisma! He was a true genius and one of the greatest artists of the twentieth century. I, like numerous others, found his work a powerful influence on my creativity. His passing is a true loss. My condolences to the Frazetta family.
Daemon

You know when you are a successful fantasy artist when your paintings inspire books, instead of the other way around.
Anonymous

Wow, he was iconic. I remember discovering his work when i was 12, his work inspired me for the longest time.
Teller

I hope he spends eternity with the women he painted.
Ugly Canuck

You know, he just cracked through the “1 million dollar” ceiling. Link:

http://www.spectrumfantasticart.com/full_content.php?article_id=1084&full=yes&pbr=1

I know people whom I recall predicting his original stuff would be worth millions, decades ago.
Wassermelone

Good lord, the art world lost a giant :(
cymk

Its sad to say goodbye to one of the greats. RIP Mr. Frazetta.
Anonymous

:^( It’s a very, very sad day for those who had mad admiration. Bless your adventurous heart, Mr. Frazetta, and thank you for sharing your amazing gift with us.
JDavid

Holy crap. This is a tremendous loss…one of my favorites of all time.
PixelFish

Teller: Given that Ellie Frazetta posed for many of them….well, he at least got this life with her.
cinemajay

So sad, Frazetta was one of the great ones. I know his family has been in turmoil the last few years, I wish his family the best.
Anonymous

Growing up, I bought so many fantasy books that I might never have read, simply because of Frazetta’s cover art. He was – and is – my favorite artist, and was my hero as a kid. I felt as if I knew him, perhaps partially because he shared a similar background as my parents (who, like Frank, were from Brooklyn) and was around the same age as them. He could have been one of my Italian uncles. I’m so sad, but glad he’s with Ellie and that he’s no longer suffering. God bless, Frank. Prayers and best wishes to the Frazetta family.
Anonymous

This is truly a sad say for the art world. You will be missed, Frazetta, but you will keep living on through your magnificent paintings and illustrations.

Thank you for opening up the door to the mesmerizing hardcore fantasy world we, your fans, fall in love with every time we see your art. R.I.P.
Anonymous

“Better than the stories themselves” better not be a slight against John Carter or Conan, sir.
franko

you can harsh on the (retrospective) cheeziness of the subject matter, but you can’t deny the artistry. RIP, sir. your artwork fueled my D&D-based youth.
defacebook

Undoubtedly one of the greatest and most influential painters of the 20th century — don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. Perhaps now some great museum will finally do a proper retrospective exhibit. He deserves it.
machuka

This is truly a sad say for the art world. You will be missed, Frazetta, but you will keep living on through your magnificent paintings and illustrations.

Thank you for opening up the door to the mesmerizing hardcore fantasy world we, your fans, fall in love with every time we see your art. R.I.P.
Tony Moore

Now we say good night to one of the industry’s prototypes. They sure don’t make ‘em like that anymore.
- Wassermelone
  
  As sad as this is, there is no end to the amount of amazing artists alive and currently working in Frazetta’s field of illustration. To say that ‘they sure don’t make ‘em like that anymore’ is a pretty bold insult to Frazetta’s current colleagues.
  - Hools Verne
    
    You said it yourself: they work in Frazetta’s field. Call me when your name is synonymous with an entire artistic movement. They sure don’t make ‘em like that anymore.
snakedart

In my hypothetical version of Heaven, he’s having a beer and swapping stories with Jack Kirby right now.

Thanks for so much fantastic work, Frank.