Tuesday, September 18, 2012

THE SKETCHBOOKS OF BERNIE FUCHS

In keeping with our current theme of preliminary sketches, today I am posting some unpublished sketches by Bernie Fuchs.




I have long admired the designs in Fuchs' finished pictures.  I assumed that, like everybody else, his working drawings would show a lot of sweat as he struggled with different compositions to achieve those beautiful designs.  Fuchs clearly worked hard, but after looking at a hundred sketches, I was struck by the way his sense of design seemed to be inherent in everything he touched, from the very start.


The simplest, earliest  marks in his sketches were applied with a sense of grace






The forthcoming book on The Life and Art of Bernie Fuchs will include a substantial collection of his unpublished sketches.


9 comments:

Boudewijn Rempt said...

Where can I order that book?

MORAN said...

I checked Amazon and it's not there. How do I get a copy?

Matt Dicke said...

Hey David
I hope the sketches you are talking about have a large percentage of painting sketches/prelims. To me there you really see his thought process for design, value, color and composition. Really Really looking forward to your book!!

matt dicke said...

here is what i am talking about painted sketches
sketch1
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mattdicke/8000456815/in/photostream
sketch2
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mattdicke/6427203827/in/set-72157625369781729
finish
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mattdicke/5242207382/in/set-72157625369781729

Kim Smith said...

Tnese are beautiful! I'm so enjoying the focus on artist sketchbooks. I share an interest with David (probably most of us do) in the energetic, informal work artists do.

David Apatoff said...

Boudewijn Rempt and Moran-- Thanks, as we get closer to publication I will post information here.

Matt Dicke-- I agree, those painting sketches are special, and there will be a number of them in the book.

Kim Smith-- Thanks again for lending me your dad's sketchbooks.

Anne said...

Terrfic, thank you for posting! Love Bernie Fuchs's work

Unknown said...

Hi, I recently stumbled across this blog - and am impressed and intrigued by this artist. Could you please enlighten me - I notice that the sketches shown here are made on tracing paper... can you tell me the reason why he would make sketches on tracing paper rather than ordinary paper?
Thanks

Ray Fawkes said...

I was fortunate enough to find one of his sketches at a dealer's booth at San Diego Comic-Con this year and snapped it up. I can't wait for the book.