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Brian Froud

 
Brian Froud

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Brian Froud



 
 
Brian Froud (born 1947 in Winchester
Winchester

Winchester is the county town of Hampshire, in South East England. It lies at the heart of the wider City of Winchester, a local government district, and is located at the western end of the South Downs, along the course of the River Itchen, Hampshire....
) is an English
England

native_name =|conventional_long_name = England|common_name = England|image_flag = Flag of England.svg|image_coat = England COA.svg|symbol_type = Royal Coat of Arms...
 fantasy
Fantasy

Fantasy is a genre that uses magic and other supernatural forms as a primary element of Plot , Theme , and/or Setting . Fantasy is generally distinguished from science fiction and horror by the expectation that it steers clear of technological and macabre themes, respectively, though there is a great deal of overlap between the three ....
 illustrator
Illustrator

An illustrator is a graphic artist who specializes in enhancing writing by providing a visual representation that corresponds to the content of the associated text....
. He lives and works in Devon
Devon

Devon is a large Counties of England in South West England. The county is also referred to as Devonshire, but that is an entirely unofficial name, rarely used inside of the county but often indicating a shire....
 with his wife, Wendy Froud
Wendy Froud

Wendy Froud, born Wendy Midener in Detroit, is an American doll-artist, sculptor, and puppet-maker, best known for her work creating creatures for the Jim Henson films The Dark Crystal and Labyrinth....
, who is also a fantasy artist. The landscapes in his paintings are frequently inspired by Dartmoor
Dartmoor

Dartmoor is an area of moorland in the centre of Devon, England. Protected by National parks of England and Wales status, it covers .The granite highland dates from the Carboniferous period of geology history....
.

Biography
His work has been used as the inspiration for creatures in film
Film

Film encompasses individual motion pictures, the field of film as an art form, and the film industry. Films are produced by recording images from the world with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or special effects....
s such as The Dark Crystal
The Dark Crystal

The Dark Crystal is a cult film 1982 in film fantasy film directed by puppeteers Jim Henson and Frank Oz, creators of The Muppet Show. Although still marketed as a family film, it was notably darker than previous material created by them....
 and Labyrinth
Labyrinth (film)

Labyrinth is a 1986 fantasy film, directed by Jim Henson, produced by George Lucas, and designed by Brian Froud. Henson collaborated on the screenwriting with children's author Dennis Lee and Monty Python alumnus Terry Jones....
 (both in conjunction with Jim Henson
Jim Henson

'James Maury "Jim" Henson' , was one of the most widely known puppeteers in American television history. He was the creator of The Muppets, Fraggle Rock, and the leading force behind their long run in the television series Sesame Street and The Muppet Show and films such as The Muppet Movie and The Dark Crystal and Labyrinth...
's Creature Shop
Jim Henson's Creature Shop

Jim Henson's Creature Shop is a company founded in 1979 by puppeteer Jim Henson, creator of The Muppets.It was originally created as a result of the observation that the team that had been put together for The Dark Crystal was extremely hard to recreate for Labyrinth , since the majority of the people employed on it had gone on to other p...
). He collaborated with Terry Jones
Terry Jones

Terence Graham Parry Jones is a Wales comedian, screenwriter and actor, film director, children's author, popular historian, political commentator and TV documentary host....
, who was a screenwriter
Screenwriter

Screenwriters or scenarists are scriptwriters who write the screenplays from which films and television programs are made.Most screenwriters start their careers writing on speculation....
 on Labyrinth, on The Goblins of the Labyrinth (1986, re-issued in abridged form as The Goblin Companion: A Field Guide to Goblins in 1996), and subsequently on a number of non-Labyrinth-related books about fairies
Fairy

A fairy is a type of mythological being or legendary creature, a form of spirit, often described as spirit#Metaphysical and metaphorical uses, supernatural or preternatural....
 and goblin
Goblin

A goblin is an imaginary evil, crabby, and mischievous creature described as a grotesquely disfigured or gnome-like Wiktionary:phantom, that may range in height from that of a dwarf to that of a human....
s, namely of the "Lady Cottington" series, such as Lady Cottington's Pressed Fairy Book.






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Encyclopedia


Brian Froud (born 1947 in Winchester
Winchester

Winchester is the county town of Hampshire, in South East England. It lies at the heart of the wider City of Winchester, a local government district, and is located at the western end of the South Downs, along the course of the River Itchen, Hampshire....
) is an English
England

native_name =|conventional_long_name = England|common_name = England|image_flag = Flag of England.svg|image_coat = England COA.svg|symbol_type = Royal Coat of Arms...
 fantasy
Fantasy

Fantasy is a genre that uses magic and other supernatural forms as a primary element of Plot , Theme , and/or Setting . Fantasy is generally distinguished from science fiction and horror by the expectation that it steers clear of technological and macabre themes, respectively, though there is a great deal of overlap between the three ....
 illustrator
Illustrator

An illustrator is a graphic artist who specializes in enhancing writing by providing a visual representation that corresponds to the content of the associated text....
. He lives and works in Devon
Devon

Devon is a large Counties of England in South West England. The county is also referred to as Devonshire, but that is an entirely unofficial name, rarely used inside of the county but often indicating a shire....
 with his wife, Wendy Froud
Wendy Froud

Wendy Froud, born Wendy Midener in Detroit, is an American doll-artist, sculptor, and puppet-maker, best known for her work creating creatures for the Jim Henson films The Dark Crystal and Labyrinth....
, who is also a fantasy artist. The landscapes in his paintings are frequently inspired by Dartmoor
Dartmoor

Dartmoor is an area of moorland in the centre of Devon, England. Protected by National parks of England and Wales status, it covers .The granite highland dates from the Carboniferous period of geology history....
.

Biography


His work has been used as the inspiration for creatures in film
Film

Film encompasses individual motion pictures, the field of film as an art form, and the film industry. Films are produced by recording images from the world with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or special effects....
s such as The Dark Crystal
The Dark Crystal

The Dark Crystal is a cult film 1982 in film fantasy film directed by puppeteers Jim Henson and Frank Oz, creators of The Muppet Show. Although still marketed as a family film, it was notably darker than previous material created by them....
 and Labyrinth
Labyrinth (film)

Labyrinth is a 1986 fantasy film, directed by Jim Henson, produced by George Lucas, and designed by Brian Froud. Henson collaborated on the screenwriting with children's author Dennis Lee and Monty Python alumnus Terry Jones....
 (both in conjunction with Jim Henson
Jim Henson

'James Maury "Jim" Henson' , was one of the most widely known puppeteers in American television history. He was the creator of The Muppets, Fraggle Rock, and the leading force behind their long run in the television series Sesame Street and The Muppet Show and films such as The Muppet Movie and The Dark Crystal and Labyrinth...
's Creature Shop
Jim Henson's Creature Shop

Jim Henson's Creature Shop is a company founded in 1979 by puppeteer Jim Henson, creator of The Muppets.It was originally created as a result of the observation that the team that had been put together for The Dark Crystal was extremely hard to recreate for Labyrinth , since the majority of the people employed on it had gone on to other p...
). He collaborated with Terry Jones
Terry Jones

Terence Graham Parry Jones is a Wales comedian, screenwriter and actor, film director, children's author, popular historian, political commentator and TV documentary host....
, who was a screenwriter
Screenwriter

Screenwriters or scenarists are scriptwriters who write the screenplays from which films and television programs are made.Most screenwriters start their careers writing on speculation....
 on Labyrinth, on The Goblins of the Labyrinth (1986, re-issued in abridged form as The Goblin Companion: A Field Guide to Goblins in 1996), and subsequently on a number of non-Labyrinth-related books about fairies
Fairy

A fairy is a type of mythological being or legendary creature, a form of spirit, often described as spirit#Metaphysical and metaphorical uses, supernatural or preternatural....
 and goblin
Goblin

A goblin is an imaginary evil, crabby, and mischievous creature described as a grotesquely disfigured or gnome-like Wiktionary:phantom, that may range in height from that of a dwarf to that of a human....
s, namely of the "Lady Cottington" series, such as Lady Cottington's Pressed Fairy Book. He has also worked with American writer Ari Berk on more recent books, including Goblins and "The Runes of Elfland", and produced art books such as Good Faeries/Bad Faeries. One of his most famous art books is simply titled Faeries, in collaboration with Alan Lee
Alan Lee

Alan Lee is an England book illustrator and movie conceptual designer.He has illustrated several fantasy books, notably several works of J.R.R....
. His latest book were The Secret Sketchbooks of Brian Froud (2006) and World of Faerie (2007).

Froud has also dabbled in other media and has recently created a deck of Oracle cards
Oracle card decks

Oracle card decks claim to provide insight and positive outlooks to people. They are conceptually similar to divinatory tarot cards, but they are often not divided into playing card suits....
 entitled "The Faerie's Oracle". He also designed the album artwork for the German band Qntal
Qntal

Qntal is a Music of Germany "electro-medieval" band founded in 1991 by Michael Popp and Ernst Horn. They later added Singer Sigrid Hausen to complete the band....
's 2006 release Qntal V: Silver Swan. The enhanced 2CD version of the album also featured a second CD featuring a short gallery of his fairy and goblin work.

Illustration works

  • Romeo And Juliet (1971)
  • The Man Whose Mother was a Pirate (1972)
  • A Midsummer Night's Dream (1972)
  • Ultra-violet catastrophe! Or, The unexpected walk with Great-Uncle Magnus Pringle (1975)
  • Are All the Giants Dead? (1975)
  • The Wind Between the Stars (1976)
  • The Land of Froud (1977)
  • Master Snickup's Cloak (1979)
  • Faeries (1979) — With Alan Lee
  • The World of the Dark Crystal (1982)
  • Goblins: Pop-up Book (1983)
  • Goblins of the Labyrinth (1986)
  • The Goblin Companion: A Field Guide to Goblins (1986)
  • The Dreaming Place (1990)
  • Lady Cottington's Pressed Fairy Book (1994)
  • Quentin Cottington's Journal of Faery Research: Strange Stains and Mysterious Smells (1996)
  • Good Faeries/Bad Faeries (1998)
  • The Faeries' Oracle (2000)
  • The Runes of Elfland (2003)
  • Goblins! (2004)
  • The Secret Sketchbooks of Brian Froud (2005)
  • Chelsea Morning (2005)
  • Brian Froud's World of Faerie (2007)


Brian Froud's Faerielands series

Froud also produced a collaborative series of books collectively known as Brian Froud's Faerielands. He produced the Faerielands artwork in 1991, then invited four top fantasy authors (Patricia McKillip, Terri Windling, Midori Snyder, and Charles de Lint) to choose their favorite pieces and write the story that the pictures evoked for them. The first two books were published in elegant hardcover editions with numerous Froud illustrations; sadly, Bantam then cancelled the series due to changes in their fantasy and science fiction lineup. Windling's and Snyder's books were later published by Tor Books
Tor Books

Tor Books is one of two imprints of Tom Doherty Associates, LLC, based in New York City. It is noted for its science fiction and fantasy titles....
 and Viking Press
Viking Press

Viking Press is an American publishing company currently owned by Penguin Books. It was founded in New York City on March 1, 1925 by Harold K. Guinzburg and George S....
 respectively.

  • Something Rich and Strange by Patricia McKillip (1994)
  • The Wild Wood (1994) by Charles de Lint
    Charles de Lint

    Charles de Lint is a Canada fantasy author and Celtic folk musician.Along with writers like Terri Windling and John Crowley, De Lint popularized the genres of urban fantasy and mythic fiction which fall somewhere between classical fantasy literature, and mainstream fiction with a magical realism bent....
  • The Wood Wife (1996) by Terri Windling
    Terri Windling

    Terri Windling is an UNited States editing, artist, essayist, and the author of books for both children and adults. Windling has won nine World Fantasy Awards, the Mythopoeic Award, the Bram Stoker Award, and her collection The Armless Maiden appeared on the short-list for the James Tiptree, Jr....
  • Hannah's Garden (2002) by Midori Snyder
    Midori Snyder

    Midori Snyder is an United States writer of fantasy, mythic fiction, and nonfiction on myth and folklore. She has published eight novels for children and adults, winning the Mythopoeic Award for The Innamorati....


Conceptual works

  • Faeries_(television) (1981)
  • The Dark Crystal
    The Dark Crystal

    The Dark Crystal is a cult film 1982 in film fantasy film directed by puppeteers Jim Henson and Frank Oz, creators of The Muppet Show. Although still marketed as a family film, it was notably darker than previous material created by them....
    (1982)
  • Labyrinth
    Labyrinth (film)

    Labyrinth is a 1986 fantasy film, directed by Jim Henson, produced by George Lucas, and designed by Brian Froud. Henson collaborated on the screenwriting with children's author Dennis Lee and Monty Python alumnus Terry Jones....
    (1986)
  • The Storyteller
    The Storyteller

    The Storyteller is a live-action/puppet television series. It was an United States/United Kingdom co-production which originally aired in 1987 and was created and produced by Jim Henson....
    (1988)
  • Little Nemo: Adventures in Slumberland (1988)
  • The Life & Adventures of Santa Claus
    The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus

    The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus is a 1902 children's book, written by L. Frank Baum and illustrated by Mary Cowles Clark.Story...
    (2000)
  • Peter Pan
    Peter Pan (2003 film)

    Peter Pan is a film released on December 25, 2003 as a joint venture of Universal Studios, Columbia Pictures and Revolution Studios. P. J. Hogan film director a screenplay co-written with Michael Goldenberg which is based on the classic play and novel by J....
    (2003)
  • Power of the Dark Crystal (2008)


Toby Froud


Froud's son, Toby Froud, played the baby in
Labyrinth
Labyrinth (film)

Labyrinth is a 1986 fantasy film, directed by Jim Henson, produced by George Lucas, and designed by Brian Froud. Henson collaborated on the screenwriting with children's author Dennis Lee and Monty Python alumnus Terry Jones....
, one of his father's works. Toby Froud is currently studying filmmaking and special effects techniques in London. He is also apprenticed at the Muppet workshop in New York City, and on the set of the Lord of the Rings films in New Zealand, in addition to working as a stilt-walker with a troupe in England.

External links

  • , official website of Brian Froud