Monday, October 20, 2008

Brian Stelfreeze Commission and Sketch Book


One of my favorite artists in the business is Brian Stelfreeze.



I began admiring his work on his long run of painted covers on The Shadow of the Bat title in the 90's. I also felt his covers nicely captured the moody feelings of Peter David's Fallen Angel series when it was published by DC.

And his interiors are just as dynamic as seen in the over the top 'Kill Bill' style action in Gun Candy and The Ride.

Outside of the absolute kinetic feel of his panels and his uncanny ability to know which panel perspective best captures the moment, I have always felt his women are strong, beautiful, and sexy. Best of all, he is able to capture that without pandering to impossibly curvaceous anatomy. His women seem naturally beautiful.

So last year at the Baltimore Comic-con, he was at the top of my list for a Supergirl commission and I was able to obtain the wonderful piece at the top of the post, playfully titled by me 'Come Hither'. I have to say I saw him produce some great commissions throughout the day including a phenomenal Fallen Angel piece. Just as impressive was how approachable he was by neophyte artists who wanted to show him their work. I saw him take the time to look at their work and, in the most supportive way, give the artists his opinion. He seemed like such a nice guy.

Well, I was thrilled to be contacted by Stelfreeze's management a while back about my Supergirl piece. They were putting together a sketch book for Stelfreeze and they were hoping they could include my piece.

How could I say no? It is every commission owner's dream to have their piece trumpeted in a sketch book, to share it with the world.


So here is "Freezing Point", this year's Brian Stelfreeze sketch book.



And here is my piece how it looks in the book with the sidebar. See what I mean about a natural healthy looking body but also a coy sensuality? The small touches speak volumes ... the upturned eyebrow, the turned in foot ... they make this a powerful piece. This is one of my favorite commissions in my collection.


Also in the book is the eye-popping color Supergirl piece. Whoever owns this commission has an absolute masterpiece.

I have Brian Stelfreeze's blog linked here and I think it is very much worth a look. He often posts sketches, paintings, and comic art there usually with some discussion of his approach to the piece.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Wow anj! Y'mean DC Comics actually contacted you personally regarding this here piece needed off of you! Sweet! :D

Oh and sincere congrats for making it into their intended collection credits come your own needed piece at the end of the day at that ah! :D

Lastly, both the piece in particular of yours needed as well that other colored Supergirl portrait comish (which seriously looks a heck of a lot like that of Helen Slater as being Supergirl there might I add) are just too cute to boot!

hhg said...

Wow, your Brian Stelfreeze commission looks so fantastic! I love her expression- very come hither. And she just looks so confident and cool! To me the best Supergirl shows Kara as healthy, fit, and Super for a lack of a better word (confident, fun, caring, determined, ect..). The realistic sytle is awesome too like what Renato Guedes did. It is wonderful your commission is appearing in a sketchbook!

The other Brian Stelfreeze piece actually reminds me of Laura Vandervoort more than Helen Slater. Her eyes especially remind of Laura's!

And speaking of Laura: according to this website she will be returning to Smallville in "Bloodline" November 6th! :) I hope this is right!

http://www.thefutoncritic.com/news.aspx?id=20081015cw01

Anj said...

Wow anj! Y'mean DC Comics actually contacted you personally regarding this here piece needed off of you! Sweet! :D

It was Stelfreeze's art group that contacted me.

I was pretty pumped for it to be included in his book. It is one of my favorites.

Anj said...

Wow, your Brian Stelfreeze commission looks so fantastic! I love her expression- very come hither. And she just looks so confident and cool! To me the best Supergirl shows Kara as healthy, fit, and Super for a lack of a better word (confident, fun, caring, determined, ect..). The realistic sytle is awesome too like what Renato Guedes did. It is wonderful your commission is appearing in a sketchbook!

Thank for the post and the compliment.

I like his art so much, I would probably spring for a color commission if he was at a convention I was going to.

Interesting news about Smallville too!