We hope you’re just as inspired as we are by the works of Wisconsin artist Brad Renner. Check out his cool imagining of the sequel to Up. We think it’s out of this world! Brad’s work is tons of fun and overflowing with retro-modern goodness. Check out his site and you’ll see what we mean. We appreciate Brad taking the time to contribute this great piece. Keep reading to learn more about Renner in his own words.
Artist Information:
Name: Brad Renner
Blog: http://bradfordrenner.blogspot.com/
Portfolio Website: http://www.bradrenner.com
Flickr Page: http://www.flickr.com/photos/bradrenner/
I currently live in:
A small town in Wisconsin just outside Minneapolis/St. Paul.
I consider my hometown to be:
Right where I am now.
My favorite Pixar movie is:
Well my favorite Pixar movie right now is Up. The Incredibles would be a very close second. Up has really grown on me over the last year. The color, design, characters, and story are all just awesome.
My favorite Pixar character is:
Russell. Hands down. He has so much life and the design is so perfect, I love everything about him. I remember when I saw Up for the first time in the theater I thought “Geez, I think I know this kid!” He just seems so real.
Tell us about your piece:
I knew I wanted to do something with the characters from Up. I struggled for a long time trying to come up with an original idea. The possibilities seem endless. I started thinking about what a sequel for Up would be like. I liked the idea of putting the gang WAY UP into space and thought that would make a fun sequel.
Who/what inspires you?
I am inspired mainly by the illustration and design from the 50s and 60s. I am a big fan of early Hanna Barbera and Jay Ward’s stuff. I really love vintage children’s books and study them constantly to stay inspired. I am always learning something new. Some of my favorite children’s book illustrators are: Aliki, Roger Bradfield, Mary Blair, Miroslav Sasek, Fiep Westendorp, The Provensens, and Abner Graboff.
Recommend something, anything to our readers:
The list of illustrators above are definitely worth checking out.
Where else can we see your stuff?
I really enjoy meeting new artists through my blog (Toast Without Butter) and my flickr account (brad*renner) so look me up and say Hi!
I have a greeting card coming out in May through Peaceable Kingdom Press, and Illustrated a card game that just came out with Educational Insights called “Buck, Buck, Moose.”
I also have an Etsy shop where I have some prints available: http://www.etsy.com/shop/ToastWithoutButter
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Thanks, Brad!
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