This cover is very nice. The summation on the cover along with this art really lets you know what this book is about. the way Fred has separated the soldiers double life. the happy wife back home ready to greet him and get their life going again and the obvious family he has created and left behind. The Asian woman with that concerned look and the boy that must be his. The colors are great and the cover overall tells the tale. Pfeiffer genius!
Another good example of the type of design derived from combining unrelated elements into something meaningful as a whole. It's both artistic and "poetic", a reminder that a painting is not always just a picture, but a "visual story"...if the viewer is willing to ponder that aspect of the art.
By the way, I believe the woman on the left most prominent in this painting is Mercedes, who I think was still married to Fred in 1971.
For the benefit of those who might be following this blog for the purpose of studying illustration technique, it might be helpful to note the works in which Fred has used some symbolism in his design, the kind which can sometimes be overlooked by the viewer.
In this piece, carefully notice the shape of the background to the left, specifically the tiny hooks or barbs incorporated into it, symbolic of a memory that sticks to and won't let go of the central character, while the shape of the fluttering flag on the right side of the background is depicted at a moment of waving when the flag appears almost severed in half, symbolic of a weak or almost severed allegiance to a memory from home.
Fred was well aware of how to squeeze effect from a design that would ultimately occupy no more than a few square inches on a paperback cover. The symbolism used here clearly shows his professionalism as an illustrator, but also his vision as an artist and storyteller.
I KNOW that Fred had been taught these lessons about including symbolism in something as seemingly minor as a background border, because I remember him telling me about using it in some ad illustrations...one ad illo showing a surfer, with the overall design of the illo in the shape of a wave, and another one of a fisherman casting in a stream, with the overall design in the shape of a fish leaping from the water.
Watch for these types of symbolism when you view Fred's work, and every once in a while you'll spot something you would've otherwise overlooked.
3 comments:
This cover is very nice. The summation on the cover along with this art really lets you know what this book is about. the way Fred has separated the soldiers double life. the happy wife back home ready to greet him and get their life going again and the obvious family he has created and left behind. The Asian woman with that concerned look and the boy that must be his. The colors are great and the cover overall tells the tale. Pfeiffer genius!
Another good example of the type of design derived from combining unrelated elements into something meaningful as a whole. It's both artistic and "poetic", a reminder that a painting is not always just a picture, but a "visual story"...if the viewer is willing to ponder that aspect of the art.
By the way, I believe the woman on the left most prominent in this painting is Mercedes, who I think was still married to Fred in 1971.
For the benefit of those who might be following this blog for the purpose of studying illustration technique, it might be helpful to note the works in which Fred has used some symbolism in his design, the kind which can sometimes be overlooked by the viewer.
In this piece, carefully notice the shape of the background to the left, specifically the tiny hooks or barbs incorporated into it, symbolic of a memory that sticks to and won't let go of the central character, while the shape of the fluttering flag on the right side of the background is depicted at a moment of waving when the flag appears almost severed in half, symbolic of a weak or almost severed allegiance to a memory from home.
Fred was well aware of how to squeeze effect from a design that would ultimately occupy no more than a few square inches on a paperback cover. The symbolism used here clearly shows his professionalism as an illustrator, but also his vision as an artist and storyteller.
I KNOW that Fred had been taught these lessons about including symbolism in something as seemingly minor as a background border, because I remember him telling me about using it in some ad illustrations...one ad illo showing a surfer, with the overall design of the illo in the shape of a wave, and another one of a fisherman casting in a stream, with the overall design in the shape of a fish leaping from the water.
Watch for these types of symbolism when you view Fred's work, and every once in a while you'll spot something you would've otherwise overlooked.
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