The G.O.A.T imo. I bought this when it first came out in the UK as a kid from the original 2000 A.D./D.C. crossover publication. I still can't fathom how he could create masterpieces in every frame - so regularly & so easily. A true genius. I hope art history does him as much justice as the great painters of old. He does chiaroscuro as well as Caravaggio, another bad boy , regardless of his sexed up style - with a feeling for mood, form and colour that stuns me as much today as when I saw his art for the first time. A certified legend.
Biz also used the free sampler paints you get from DIY stores..he uses anything to get an effect..hes also fast, im in the uk and we got a lot of this stuff over the years
Awesome book Rich! The thing that's blown me away about BIZ recently is the volume of work he has done. And not just in comic pages, but also in illustrations, wether fully painted, fully rendered in graphite (Paradise Lost, The Bible etc) or fully inked works. The amount of detail and content and time in anything he does is staggering. His fun extreme exaggerated style is so inspiring and addictive. I think he said Frazetta is his biggest influence, theres some nice interviews with him on the youtube Biz tv channel.
I always thought of BIZ as a cross between Corben and Seinkeiwicz (sp?) on steroids. I also think of both him and Corben as actually spoofing the Heroic Fantasy genre (as well as a few others) but doing it better than many of the more serious artists. His Batman is looking very Dave McKean. Speaking of him being a barbarian, wasn't he a bodybuilder who rode a motorcycle? Think it was ether an Indian or a Norton? One artist I think must have been an influence was Liberatore, from Heavy Metal, who did a series called Ranxerox.
It'll be a replay video for me for sure. Pure energy in that book, Sláine does that too! Keep up the great vids man. I feel the good vibes coming through here.
About Phil Hale doing some comic stuff early n his career - man, this is absolutely mind blowing! I had always wondered how Kent Williams, who was exactly my age, had started working in Epic Illustrated when I was 2 years out of high school - did he not go to a college or art school??! I forget now where I read this, but apparently Pratt Institute had a deal worked out with Marvel to launch this new fully-painted comics magazine and they wanted a bunch of super-talented students from Pratt to be involved. Among them were Williams, I believe Hale and Rick Berry, and a few more - oh including George Pratt (no relation to the college). So they worked it out so those guys could do assignments for the magazine and get class credit for it. What an amazing deal!! Imagine, getting paid to do professional sci-fi/fantasy art rather than doing regular school assignments!! Truly a *stars-aligned* moment for everyone involved!
I remember going to my local magazine shop as a young teen and poring over this one for days on end as I couldn't afford it. The Biz was and is my favourite/most influential comic artist/illustrator to this day. Plus he's a fellow Brit, what more can I say 😉
Thanks Rich, this book got me into both Batman and Judge Dread when I was young, I have a lot of good memories associated with this book. I love Bisley's art and storytelling and haven't seen this book since I was about 15, I lent it to someone and never got it back.
It seems like bisley was inspired quite a bit by Bill sienkiewicz work on batman #400 and elektra: assassin. Also his first published comics work on abc warriors has a bit of a hr giger influence to it. Thanks for looking at this book, it's maybe my favorite thing he did during that period of 87-92 when everything he was doing was absolute fire. Also I've been having better luck with the Bing image search, google image search sucks now.
I just realized the Batman who laughs (from Dark knight metal comic) was the design of the character influence by Judge Death (the character from the Judge Dredd comic)?
nowadays in the uk art education is pritty lacking nowadays. you dont really get art fundamentals taught at collage or university (i got lucky in collage as my tutor went the extra mile off his own back to give us extra info an books and things) but at my uni i studied animation we had to fight to even get life drawing classes, we spent most of it drawing each other (clothed ) , most art unis or collages focus more on modern/contemporary art stuff that dont involve drawing. i think karl kopinski talks about it in prokos interview and in the animators survival kit book richard williams talks about how art schools are letting people down not teaching drawing that was published in 2001 . there is no interest from the schools in academic drawing or figure drawing in most places, i am sure there are some exceptions but most people i know had a simmaler experience to me, maybe its different in mainland Europe but im not sure.
I think the fine artist he references sometimes as a bit of a game-changer for him was Gustav Klimt? Certainly his women and some of his more painterly work hold alot of Klimt's aspects I reckon.
First!!!!! Yeah..I'm editing after securing the number 1 spot to say that, no one can mess with the ultimate champ. Everyone knows Rich's vids are some of the hardest to get First on, but I did it anyways.
I'm still trying to find the artists name...he drew a character that sort of looked like Deathlok...but so far I've not been able to figure out his name...we'll figure it out because now it's really bugging me/
lol yes please do. Would help to see 'what not to do' as well. Great Bisley vid btw. Been a fan since Slaine. Love how you list their influences or similar artists. It's like a suggested playlist if you like said style. Cheers Rich!
Thanks for the link. Not really a fan of Liberatore's highly sexualized stuff or use of values. And I don't think he uses reference that creatively. But some of his looser stuff or ink work I do like to be honest. I also think he can bust out decent sketches without the need for reference, something you don't see people like hmm Alex Ross do much (there I said it, gulp) However, I much prefer artists with with their own style and flair such as Bisley, he paints with style and freedom and without compromise, I think his work reflects his personality to be honest. Would love a Biz original. Thanks again dude. Just my opinion!
Bisley watered down is unfortunate. He spawned alot of immataters ike Horley. I like his quick 5 minute con sketches better than when he takes his time. Sometimes less is more in that setting. His sense of Humor is always there. Bill started out imitating Neal Adams. He never did the figures on steroid thing though.
The G.O.A.T imo. I bought this when it first came out in the UK as a kid from the original 2000 A.D./D.C. crossover publication. I still can't fathom how he could create masterpieces in every frame - so regularly & so easily. A true genius. I hope art history does him as much justice as the great painters of old. He does chiaroscuro as well as Caravaggio, another bad boy , regardless of his sexed up style - with a feeling for mood, form and colour that stuns me as much today as when I saw his art for the first time. A certified legend.
Biz also used the free sampler paints you get from DIY stores..he uses anything to get an effect..hes also fast, im in the uk and we got a lot of this stuff over the years
Awesome book Rich! The thing that's blown me away about BIZ recently is the volume of work he has done. And not just in comic pages, but also in illustrations, wether fully painted, fully rendered in graphite (Paradise Lost, The Bible etc) or fully inked works. The amount of detail and content and time in anything he does is staggering. His fun extreme exaggerated style is so inspiring and addictive. I think he said Frazetta is his biggest influence, theres some nice interviews with him on the youtube Biz tv channel.
I always thought of BIZ as a cross between Corben and Seinkeiwicz (sp?) on steroids. I also think of both him and Corben as actually spoofing the Heroic Fantasy genre (as well as a few others) but doing it better than many of the more serious artists. His Batman is looking very Dave McKean. Speaking of him being a barbarian, wasn't he a bodybuilder who rode a motorcycle? Think it was ether an Indian or a Norton? One artist I think must have been an influence was Liberatore, from Heavy Metal, who did a series called Ranxerox.
He has a sick style, I like it!
Hell yeah! just perfect for tonight, cheers Rich!
it's a surprisingly informative video. I just listened to it back./ :)
It'll be a replay video for me for sure. Pure energy in that book, Sláine does that too! Keep up the great vids man. I feel the good vibes coming through here.
About Phil Hale doing some comic stuff early n his career - man, this is absolutely mind blowing! I had always wondered how Kent Williams, who was exactly my age, had started working in Epic Illustrated when I was 2 years out of high school - did he not go to a college or art school??! I forget now where I read this, but apparently Pratt Institute had a deal worked out with Marvel to launch this new fully-painted comics magazine and they wanted a bunch of super-talented students from Pratt to be involved. Among them were Williams, I believe Hale and Rick Berry, and a few more - oh including George Pratt (no relation to the college). So they worked it out so those guys could do assignments for the magazine and get class credit for it. What an amazing deal!! Imagine, getting paid to do professional sci-fi/fantasy art rather than doing regular school assignments!! Truly a *stars-aligned* moment for everyone involved!
I remember going to my local magazine shop as a young teen and poring over this one for days on end as I couldn't afford it. The Biz was and is my favourite/most influential comic artist/illustrator to this day. Plus he's a fellow Brit, what more can I say 😉
Thanks Rich, this book got me into both Batman and Judge Dread when I was young, I have a lot of good memories associated with this book. I love Bisley's art and storytelling and haven't seen this book since I was about 15, I lent it to someone and never got it back.
I think Joe Quesada was noted for an art Nuevo style in comics over alphonse mucha
Funny i was about to pick up that issue a week ago.Caught my eyes
great vid Rich, the art in this book is god tier.
There's a lot of Klimt and classical artists in his work, this was a super fun video, please do crack out Sláine, it'll blow people's minds!
It seems like bisley was inspired quite a bit by Bill sienkiewicz work on batman #400 and elektra: assassin. Also his first published comics work on abc warriors has a bit of a hr giger influence to it. Thanks for looking at this book, it's maybe my favorite thing he did during that period of 87-92 when everything he was doing was absolute fire.
Also I've been having better luck with the Bing image search, google image search sucks now.
I just realized the Batman who laughs (from Dark knight metal comic) was the design of the character influence by Judge Death (the character from the Judge Dredd comic)?
Micheal Golden next^^... but if you take a break... I'm glad for you too
nowadays in the uk art education is pritty lacking nowadays. you dont really get art fundamentals taught at collage or university (i got lucky in collage as my tutor went the extra mile off his own back to give us extra info an books and things) but at my uni i studied animation we had to fight to even get life drawing classes, we spent most of it drawing each other (clothed ) , most art unis or collages focus more on modern/contemporary art stuff that dont involve drawing. i think karl kopinski talks about it in prokos interview and in the animators survival kit book richard williams talks about how art schools are letting people down not teaching drawing that was published in 2001 .
there is no interest from the schools in academic drawing or figure drawing in most places, i am sure there are some exceptions but most people i know had a simmaler experience to me, maybe its different in mainland Europe but im not sure.
Martin Emond and Dermot Power had very similar art to Simon's after he blew up
Just a little tech pickup--Bisley never used or uses oils. It's all acrylic so not as toxic. Not that he needs help in that direction...
I think the fine artist he references sometimes as a bit of a game-changer for him was Gustav Klimt? Certainly his women and some of his more painterly work hold alot of Klimt's aspects I reckon.
First!!!!!
Yeah..I'm editing after securing the number 1 spot to say that, no one can mess with the ultimate champ. Everyone knows Rich's vids are some of the hardest to get First on, but I did it anyways.
hahahhahaha...now that is funny! hahahah
What do you think of Alex Ross work?
Hey Rich! Do you think he used heavy paper or boards?
27:16 who is he talking about?
Please could someone say or maybe link the video :)
I'm still trying to find the artists name...he drew a character that sort of looked like Deathlok...but so far I've not been able to figure out his name...we'll figure it out because now it's really bugging me/
lol yes please do. Would help to see 'what not to do' as well.
Great Bisley vid btw. Been a fan since Slaine.
Love how you list their influences or similar artists. It's like a suggested playlist if you like said style.
Cheers Rich!
I got it Liberatore!!! images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/519HduNlTqL._SX364_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg
Thanks for the link.
Not really a fan of Liberatore's highly sexualized stuff or use of values. And I don't think he uses reference that creatively.
But some of his looser stuff or ink work I do like to be honest. I also think he can bust out decent sketches without the need for reference, something you don't see people like hmm Alex Ross do much (there I said it, gulp)
However, I much prefer artists with with their own style and flair such as Bisley, he paints with style and freedom and without compromise, I think his work reflects his personality to be honest. Would love a Biz original.
Thanks again dude. Just my opinion!
ThAdonis I've never followed his work. I just thought that one character he drew reminded me of Bisley. I don't even know the name of him/it.
always wonder if he was influenced by don lawrence
Bisley watered down
is unfortunate. He spawned alot of immataters ike Horley. I like his quick 5 minute con sketches better than when he takes his time. Sometimes less is more in that setting. His sense of Humor is always there. Bill started out imitating Neal Adams. He never did the figures on steroid thing though.