November 21, 2005
Monday Morning Inspiration: Charles Harper
This Flickr collection of 1950s bird illustrations by Charles Harper, courtesy of Eric Sturdevant, is incredible...so many interesting graphic variations on a single theme. I've heard that Harper is still alive -- somebody should really do an in-depth interview with him while he's still around. Though I don't think he ever worked in animation, he's influenced many animation artists. Background designer Scott Wills acknowledged Harper's influence on SAMURAI JACK in the book MAKIN' TOONS:
What I love about Harper's work is the ultra-stylization...Even the character design here has been influenced by him--how we draw birds, for example. We've a lot of influences, I have to say, but when I feel like I've done a painting that's very SAMURAI JACK, the way I want it, it's mostly Harper's kind of feeling.
(via fwak blog)