 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cotton Tales
Painted Into a Corner |
 |
Greg Hildebrandt just completed his greatest,
most cherished work—and in just a few weeks, he’ll
do it all over again.
You see, the 63-year-old artist is never satisfied resting
on his monstrous body of work—instead, he just keeps
creating. According to the artist, who’s best known
for working with his twin brother Tim
as The Brothers Hildebrandt and for creating the original
"Star Wars" posters for George
Lucas, says his best work is always his
next work. |
"My best work, my most treasured vision is always whatever
I’m currently working on," admits Hildebrandt
with a chuckle. "I’m always putting something
new into each piece. There’s constant evolution. Or at
least, I hope there is."
But Hildebrandt, who will appear with Dynamic
Forces President Nick
Barrucci on HSN
on Tuesday, Aug. 27 at 11 p.m. EST (8 p.m.
for you West Coast ballers), is far too modest. From his work
on Marvel trading
cards to his movie poster work to his fantasy paintings, Hildebrandt
is the artists’ artist.
For proof, just check out the product he’s got available:
the Dynamic Forces Spider-Man versus the Green Goblin
Lithograph available on the HSN show signed by
both Greg and Tim and offered at a special introductory price;
or the Spider-Man Giclee by the twins—and there’s
even the DF Ultimate 21st Century
Lucky 21 starter set including The
Spider-Man Premiere Hildebrandt Acetate "Cel" Lithograph—featuring
Spider-Man and also autographed by the brothers.
One of the things that makes Hildebrandt such an amazing creator
is the fact that he mixes so many styles of art and imagination.
He lists he biggest influences as everything from early Disney
animation to classic medieval art to early comic books he grew
up on, such as the Green Hornet, Prince Valiant and Superman.
"The early strips really influenced me,"
says Hildebrandt. "Bigger than that is probably the
feature films from the 1930s—just Hollywood movies in
general. Those were a huge influence on me—films like
King Kong and the monster films really influenced me as a kid."
But with an interest in art that stretched back to being a two-year-old
coloring side by side with his brother, doesn’t he ever
get tired or run out of ideas? According to the artist, no,
and he never will. Hildebrandt, who’s mother still tells
tales of her twin boys’ love of art at such early ages,
says each new project gets him juts as excited and interested
as his first work.
"It’s always a brand-new day and a brand-new
blank space," reveals Hildebrandt. "It’s
like all the horizons vanish and you’re starting all over
again—at least that’s where I put myself. I like
to jump out and try new things. I’ve never been bored."
Of course, being so closely tied to a sibling—especially
a twin—can add a different vibe to anyone’s work,
admits Greg. The painter says that there have been ups and downs
when it comes to working with his brother, but there have been
far more good days then bad.
"Just like any other siblings, we’ve definitely
got a love/hate relationship," laughs Hildebrandt.
"We’ve done that over the years. We get tired
of each other and then come back to each other. But we’ve
done that since we were kids. Being twins and being into art
was a very vital part of the two of us growing up together.
Being an artist can be lonely. You’re in a room by yourself,
working by yourself. But for us, there was always someone else
there. We competed and pushed each other on—we inspired
each other to do better. And we still do that even so many years
later—in some way, it’s what keeps us going."
Look for Greg in a rare television appearance
on HSN at 11 p.m. EST on Tuesday, Aug. 27 along
with Barrucci and a ton of amazing Dynamic Forces collectibles.
Next Week: Check back next week for a sit
down with Marvel Editor-in-Chief Joe Quesada as he lays out
exactly what it takes to break in as a writer or artist at
the House of Ideas.
WRITER’S
BIO: Mike Cotton
is a staff writer for Wizard:
The Comics Magazine. For more on the all of
Hollywood’s comic book deals and all the comic book
news fit to print, check out Wizard on sale every month at
comic book specialty shops and newsstands everywhere.
|
The
Cotton Club Archive |
- August
7 , 2003 - HOLLYWOOD RUN DOWN
- July
31, 2003 - SPIDER-MAN 2
- July
24, 2003 - BAG MAN
- July
17, 2003 - Moore or Less
- July
10, 2003 - Ink Test
- July
2, 2003 - HURRICANE WARNING
- June
25, 2003 - BANNER BANTER
- June
10, 2003 - PETER DAVID
- June
3 , 2003 - PAUL JENKINS
- May
28 , 2003 - GEOFF JOHNS
- May
21 , 2003 - BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS
- May
14 , 2003 - PHIL JIMENEZ
- May
9 , 2003 - Don't F[l]inch
- April
29 , 2003 - The X-Factors
- April
17 , 2003 - X2 Reviewed
- January
13, 2003 - Game Boy - WizKid’s HeroClix
- January
3, 2003- 2003 Bigger than 2002?
- December
20 , 2002 - Ring Bearer - A two-bit tour for ‘Two Towers’
novices
- December
13 , 2002 - ‘Sine of the Times
- December
6 , 2002 - Killer Read
- November
30, 2002 - Lex's World
- November
23, 2002 - Truth and Consequences
- November
15, 2002 - Triple X
- November
8 , 2002 - Giving the Devil his Due
- October
31, 2002 - Superhero DVD Preview
- October
25, 2002 - Mad Cow
- October
18 , 2002 - 80's a Go-GO
- October
11 , 2002 - Best Bets on Bats
- October
4, 2002 - Hunters & Pray
- September
27 , 2002 - The War Within
- September
19 , 2002 - Lee-Der of the pack.
- September
13 , 2002 - The Next Generation.
- September
6 , 2002 - Marvel Melee.
- August
30, 2002 - Breaking In. Joe Quesada reveals the ins and outs of getting
work at Marvel.
- August
23, 2002 - Painted Into a Corner. An Interview with Greg Hildebrandt.
- August
16, 2002 - X-citing News on X-Men 2!
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
