Brian Froud

Brian Froud Biography

Artists UK - prints posters and books

Brian Froud - Dark Crystal and Labyrinth artist

 
Brian Froud was born in Winchester in 1947 and graduated with a first class honours diploma in Graphic Design from Maidstone College of Art in 1971. Based in London Brian Froud was soon involved in everything from book jackets and magazine covers to advertising work. He also found time to illustrate several children's books. In 1975 Brian Froud moved to Devon and shared a studio with fellow artist Alan Lee. Three more books by Brian Froud followed: "Ultra Violet Catastrophe", "The Wind Between the Stairs" (Brian Froud won the 'Best British book at the Bologna book fair' for this) and "Are all the giants dead?". In 1977 'The Land of Froud" by Brian Froud, an anthology of Brian Froud work was published by Pan Books. Brian Froud was one of the first living artists that Pan published. 
In 1978 the legendary Froud and Lee book "Faeries" which he co-illustrated with Alan Lee reached number 4 on the New York Times best sellers list and sold around ¼ million copies. Brian Froud made his first foray into the film world in 1978 as conceptual designer for "The Dark Crystal" which won the Avoriaz prize for best fantasy film followed in 1986 with 'Labyrinth" under the same Director (Jim Henson). "Goblins" by Brian Froud was published in 1984. One of Brian Froud's best-loved books is "Lady Cottington's Pressed Faeries Book" where Brian Froud illustrated faeries who had been caught whilst Lady Cottington was pressing flowers. 
Brian Froud has won a number of awards over the years including the ASFA best interior illustration and Hugo award for best original artwork in 1995. Brian Froud is very interested in folklore and nature spirits. He has begun painting faeries in a more abstract style as creatures of Nature's intelligent energy. Brian says he tries to put a "healing energy" into his paintings. 
Brian Froud's greatest achievement to date is possibly his 1998 book titled "Good Faeries, Bad Faeries". Following on from the 1978 book Brian Froud worked on with Alan Lee this book goes deeper into the experience of the faery realm. Some of these Brian Froud paintings are available as high quality fine-art prints including Brian Froud's 'Tapestry', 'Green Woman l' and 'Green Woman ll', 'The Hedge Pixie' and The Gnome' and the Artists UK published 'Caterpillar's Mushroom'. 'Tapestry' is the hardest to obtain having been mainly distributed in the USA where most of Brian Froud's original work is sold (A sad loss for the UK!). The same is to some extent true for the watercolour wash and pencil sketch pairs mentioned above. 'Caterpillar's Mushroom' was our attempt to have a brilliant Brian Froud image freely available in the UK as a high quality fine art limited edition. Brian Froud's original  painting was for a travelling 'Alice in Wonderland' exhibition. It is Brian Froud transforming the story into the land of faery and populating it with a mixture of Wonderland images and his own goblins and fairies. Brian Froud is one of the most collectible and famous of all the UK's fantasy artists.  Brian Froud still lives in the middle of nowhere whilst being known everywhere.

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