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Chris Pyle

Chris Pyle

Illustrator Chris Pyle has a great style, full of color and whimsy. I first knew of him through his beautiful spot illustrations for Entertainment Weekly (okay, okay, it’s a guilty pleasure of mine), and considering the insane deadlines they impose upon the artists, for him to get his caricatures looking the way they do within the truncated time frame is downright amazing.

I love his work, but my only beef is with Chris’s portfolio presentation on his site. It’s a Quicktime movie that plays in a continuous loop (it goes on for just under 4 minutes before it starts up again). You can double-click to pause and double-click to resume the movie, but otherwise there’s no way of really viewing his fabulous work comfortably. Unless you save the movie to your desktop. Oh well.

  • jenny

    LOVE that illo you’ve posted. I agree with you about the site–take heed, artists! It’s possible to be too clever with the presentation! But great work. : )

  • jenny

    LOVE that illo you’ve posted. I agree with you about the site–take heed, artists! It’s possible to be too clever with the presentation! But great work. : )

  • Lone

    I dont mind the portfolio, its a demo reel. His content is specific and doesnt need much organization, so though it lacks control its still very well done and well timed.

    Anyways, great work. Im not a fan of this style normally but Ill make an exception here. It reminds me of the abstract, bohemian Disney work in the 60s that I remember watching as a kid. Good stuff :)

  • Lone

    I dont mind the portfolio, its a demo reel. His content is specific and doesnt need much organization, so though it lacks control its still very well done and well timed.

    Anyways, great work. Im not a fan of this style normally but Ill make an exception here. It reminds me of the abstract, bohemian Disney work in the 60s that I remember watching as a kid. Good stuff :)

  • http://ajmitchellart.com/ ajmitchell

    There’s no guilty pleasure in checking out the illustration in Entertainment Weekly. They regularly show caricatures and art by the best. Here’s another guilty pleasure for you then: the New York Observer newspaper. I don’t know who reads it but they also hire just the best illustrators. It’s worth tracking down.

  • http://ajmitchellart.com ajmitchell

    There’s no guilty pleasure in checking out the illustration in Entertainment Weekly. They regularly show caricatures and art by the best. Here’s another guilty pleasure for you then: the New York Observer newspaper. I don’t know who reads it but they also hire just the best illustrators. It’s worth tracking down.

  • joe b.

    loved that david bowie illo. too bad i couldn’t rewind to see it again.

  • joe b.

    loved that david bowie illo. too bad i couldn’t rewind to see it again.

  • J. Sasek
  • J. Sasek
  • http://www.maryburr.com/ Mary B.

    You can check out Chris’s work without animation at his altpick page:
    http://altpick.com/members.php?id=10084

  • http://www.maryburr.com Mary B.

    You can check out Chris’s work without animation at his altpick page:
    http://altpick.com/members.php?id=10084

  • http://wardomatic.blogspot.com/ Ward

    Thanks Mary B, for the link!

    Again, to make it all the more easier for you all, I right-click saved the movie to my desktop and was able to watch his ‘demo reel’ (which really should be left to animators and others who do motion work, not necessarily illustrators) however I choose. That’s how I was able to grab a frame from it to promote it here.

  • http://wardomatic.blogspot.com Ward

    Thanks Mary B, for the link!

    Again, to make it all the more easier for you all, I right-click saved the movie to my desktop and was able to watch his ‘demo reel’ (which really should be left to animators and others who do motion work, not necessarily illustrators) however I choose. That’s how I was able to grab a frame from it to promote it here.

  • http://www.blogger.com/profile/6708993 Gina Miller

    I really like the picture that you selected for your coverage. As an animator we are taught not to make our demo reels longer than 2 minutes so as to avoid loosing the viewers interest.

  • http://www.blogger.com/profile/6708993 Gina Miller

    I really like the picture that you selected for your coverage. As an animator we are taught not to make our demo reels longer than 2 minutes so as to avoid loosing the viewers interest.

  • http://alinanimation.blogspot.com/ Alina

    Beautiful style!! Love the character! V creative idea!

    Alina
    http://alinanimation.blogspot.com/

  • http://alinanimation.blogspot.com/ Alina

    Beautiful style!! Love the character! V creative idea!

    Alina
    http://alinanimation.blogspot.com/

  • sheila

    I like his style — reminds me somewhat of Jim Flora jazz album covers and Michael Bartalos in certain respects. Cool.

  • sheila

    I like his style — reminds me somewhat of Jim Flora jazz album covers and Michael Bartalos in certain respects. Cool.

  • Jimbo

    Hi folks –
    The Quicktime movie is actually pretty easy to use….. Click and drag on the slider bar below the images to navigate through the images or just let it play! I think I might like this better than having teeny tiny thumbnails that don’t show you much.

  • Jimbo

    Hi folks –
    The Quicktime movie is actually pretty easy to use….. Click and drag on the slider bar below the images to navigate through the images or just let it play! I think I might like this better than having teeny tiny thumbnails that don’t show you much.