Here's a Jim layout drawn in the style of N.C. Wyeth, beautifully painted by Bill Wray.
While collecting up art for the Spumco book, Jim and I came up with a lot of rare stuff.
Jim's studies for Space Madness...
Here's a character we created for a new Mighty Mouse pitch around 1994. He is the head of the crime syndicate in Catville and his name is "The Big Puss". Jim is great at drawing mass and power.
Here's a Phil layout from the first Ren and Stimpy cartoon.
Jim is an all around cartoonist who did just about every job imaginable on Ren and Stimpy and other Spumco cartoons. He came up with story ideas, drew storyboards, designed characters and backgrounds, did layouts...whew
He even did some color keys.
Jim is the guy who I've collaborated with the most in the last couple decades. For my taste, he is one of the best cartoonists ever. He totally has his own unique style and isn't part of a school of styles. There aren't many artists like that, and thats what makes him so valuable to the cartoons I like to make. He has many talents no one else (including me) has and I rely on him to do all the hard stuff.
He's a master of composition and solidity. Here are some of his sketches for a George Liquor cartoon called Sunday Drive To Mars. The crummy unshaded one just above is mine.
He has a way of mixing cartoon and illustration techniques. He's the only artist I've ever seen who can make something look serious and funny at the same time. His work is like a caricature of seriousness. That made him perfect for not only Ren and Stimpy, but The Ripping Friends.
Here's some spectacular work from a secret project.
There will be lots more great Jim art in the Spumco book and a chapter all about the bastard. I hope you are as jealous as I am of his talent.Oh, and incidentally he also did the music for the opening and closing titles of Ren and Stimpy as part of "Der Screamin' Lederhosen". The man seems to have every creative talent.
Ralph Bakshi portrait drawn by Jim, painted by Simone Dupuis.
