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Brian Froud

“Jim was really intrigued by the work of the British illustrator, Brian Froud, and he wanted to translate Froud’s visual ideas to three dimensions, which became the basis for the film “The Dark Crystal.” He wanted to go off and push that envelope and whether it was successful or not he just wanted to do it.” -Frank Oz

Brian Froud (Conceptual Designer) is a fantasy artist whose work is much admired and collected. Born in Winchester, England, he studied graphic design at Maidstone Art College, being graduated in 1971 as an illustrator. He worked first as a freelancer, illustrating books and magazine stories before moving to Devon to explore the world of fantasy, with which he was becoming increasingly fascinated.

"At first I simply couldn't grasp the fact that these were my drawings come to life," says famed British illustrator Brian Froud. "I thought, 'Isn't this weird? What are my characters doing moving around and breathing?' It was an incredible experience."

What Froud refers to is his initial viewing of "The Dark Crystal," Universal's fantasy-adventure set in a world different from any ever known before.

While the story was conceived by Muppet master Jim Henson, who co-produced and co-directed his own tale, the look of the characters and their environment belong to Froud.

Briefly, they range from the good, elfinlike Gelflings to the wise and ancient Mystics to the evil, lizard-like Skeksis, whose corrosive domination threatens to destroy their world. Protected by the Garthim, armored warriors of distinction, the Skeksis' stronghold is nearly impregnable . . . until heroic young Jen, the last of the Gelflings, embarks upon his quest: to solve the secret of the Dark Crystal. This takes him into a realm where fanciful creatures scamper through surreal surroundings.

Such mythic adventures have fascinated Froud ever since his graduation from England's Maidstone Art College. It was there that the talented young freelance artist from Winchester, the son of a flight engineer, discovered the field of fantasy.

He credits turn-of-the-century artists Arthur Rackham and Dulac, whose rich, romantic illustrations, principally of children's fairy tales, enchanted him. Froud soon found himself reading folklore and drawing its creatures, adding his own whimsy and humor to the traditional fairies, elves, and goblins.

Publication of his fantasy art first came when he illustrated Lamb's children's version of A Midsummer Night's Dream. Froud's ethereal sketches won rave reviews, but it was several years before he was able to concentrate entirely on what he calls "my own work."

This is his term for creating a complete, imaginary world with its own unique environment and inhabitants, far beyond the familiar forms of legend. Making its first appearance in Once Upon A Time, an anthology of the works of British illustrators, Froud's dream world proved highly successful and led to the publication of his own anthology, The Land Of Froud published in 1977. Next came Faeries, in collaboration with Alan Lee which became a bestseller in the United States. The book's beautiful and bizarre cover won the prestigious Silver Medal of the Society of American Illustrators.

Jerry Juhl, a vice-president of Henson Associates, saw The Land Of Froud on exhibit at the San Francisco Book Fair, and recommended it to Jim Henson. A quick invitation to visit the set of The Muppet Show in London was gladly accepted by Muppet fan Froud, and it was here that Henson initially invited Froud to conceptualize "The Dark Crystal."

The timing was perfect. Froud, who had begun to work in three-dimensional forms himself, at last had an opportunity -- and a reason -- to bring those forms to life.

“[Henson] was, I think, looking for something different to the style he had been working in and it is interesting to discover how different it was. Whereas the Muppets are very simple bold shapes, what I designed was very complex and complicated. I was responsible for the conception of an entire world, a world that had never been seen before. I had to design everything. Not only the general look of the world, from skies to the landscape, but down to the smallest detail which included things like knives and forks, pots and pans, the everyday minutiae details of the creatures that lived in this world.” -Brian Froud

Brian Froud's Wife

Wendy (Midener) Froud

Creature Design and Fabrication Supervisor for the 'Gelflings'

They met and married while working on The Dark Crystal.

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