Today we’d like to introduce you to Douglas Klauba.
Douglas, we’d love to hear your story and how you got to where you are today both personally and as an artist.
I started out in advertising and illustration studios that serviced advertising agencies in Chicago, after graduating from the American Academy of Art. I ended up at a small design and illustration studio. That was a fantastic environment to learn about business, and being an artist. I continued my art education in the studio where I was getting paid to learn new mediums, and tools, as well as continue to develop and build upon what I already knew. But, between the hours for the studio and my own clients that I was working for, I ended up losing myself as an artist. I had gotten so accustomed to working from layouts, and giving clients what they were asking for, and being able to work in a variety of mediums and styles – I had lost my own vision. I wasn’t painting subject matter that I was interested in. That situation that I had put myself in, wasn’t what I had envisioned myself as an illustrator. That was a wake-up call for me.
I was reading some books on the Italian Renaissance and loved the idea of being an apprentice and studying under a master. So, I made the decision to quit my job, leave Chicago, and attend the Academy of Art College (now Academy of Art University) in San Francisco. There, I studied with my favorite illustrators at the time: Thomas Blackshear, Kasuhiko Sano, and Drew Struzan, and dug deep to find that artist in me again. I worked on new portfolio pieces, enjoyed the beautiful city, made incredible friends, and then when school ended – I went back to Chicago with the intention of moving to San Francisco. But, I started to show my new portfolio around Chicago and got work right away. And there were projects that I was thrilled getting.
Eventually, I showed my work to a local comic book publisher and I became their signature cover artist for a few years. Many years before, I had gone to art school with the hopes of becoming a comic book artist. While studying I fell in love with painting and put my focus on Illustration. I had put aside the thought of doing comic book work for years until this opportunity presented itself. My influence has always been comic art, and golden age illustrators. Particularly adventure art and pulp art. I’ve painted artwork for posters and covers for a variety of clients including, American Fantasy Press, Pegasus Books, Moonstone Books, Zenescope Entertainment, Dynamite Entertainment, Radio Archives, DC/Upperdeck, and Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc. My paintings have been included in the Society of illustrators, Spectrum: The Best In Contemporary Fantastic Art, and Imagine FX magazine.
My interest in art and process has also lead me to teach at the International School of Comics/Chicago, where I teach Illustration and Comics.
We’d love to hear more about your art. What do you do you do and why and what do you hope others will take away from your work?
One of my favorite clients one time described my artwork as Heroic Deco – and that has stuck for the most part while others have told me I’m a contemporary pulp artist. Both descriptions are obviously from my inspiration of comic art, adventure art, and the classic pulp illustrators. My interests are crime/noir, sci-fi, and fantasy. I like the classic pulp heroes, and classic spaceships and costumes. I’m a huge fan of Edgar Rice Burroughs characters. There is that connection that my clients and collectors see. Art is communication, we are able to talk to the viewer with proper composition, design, color, and lighting. So, I like to show emotion, atmosphere, drama (or even melodrama) and characters in my narrative art. I’m hoping the viewers will see that I understand the subject matter. I’ve done my research and they see my enthusiasm behind the pieces. I’m still pretty much old school. I paint in acrylics on board, using hand-held tools: color pencils, brushes, and airbrush. I like to move the pencils and brushes around, as well as the feeling of splashing water and paint. But I do work digitally more and more.
Artists face many challenges, but what do you feel is the most pressing among them?
Staying focused and true to yourself as an artist. I know I need to draw and paint everyday, but we can get sidetracked with obstacles around us in everyday life. We need to study and remain inspired. For the young artist, seek out the good schools that offer instruction and guidance from instructors that are still working in the industry.
Do you have any events or exhibitions coming up? Where would one go to see more of your work? How can people support you and your artwork?
You can see my work at my website: douglasklauba.com, Facebook, and Instagram as well as some area conventions such as the Windy City Pulp and Paperback Convention, April 12 – 14, 2019 at the Westin in Lombard, IL. I’m currently illustrating the covers for The Lovecraft Squad from Pegasus Books, various projects for Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc. including a recent cover and interior illustration for John Carter of Mars. My art was featured in The Art of Horror, and The Art of Horror Movies. I also teach the Comic Art Program, and various Illustration and Comic Workshops at the International School of Comics. Please look for my upcoming Kickstarter campaign!
Contact Info:
- Website: douglasklauba.com
- Email: doug@douglasklauba.com
- Instagram: douglasklauba
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/douglas.klauba
- Other: https://www.facebook.com/Douglas-Klauba-Illustration-200637220113839/
Image Credit:
Kevin Selph
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