Awesome Art We’ve Found Around The Net: Barret Chapman (+ Giveaway)

December 7th 2024, 10:08am

Last Updated on December 9, 2024

For years, Awesome Art We’ve Found Around The Net has been about two things only – awesome art and the artists that create it. With that in mind, we thought why not take the first week of the month to showcase these awesome artists even more? Welcome to “Awesome Artist We’ve Found Around The Net.” In this column, we are focusing on one artist and the awesome art that they create, whether they be amateur, up-and-coming, or well-established. The goal is to uncover these artists so even more people become familiar with them. We ask these artists a few questions to see their origins, influences, and more. If you are an awesome artist or know someone that should be featured, feel free to contact me at any time at [email protected].This month we are very pleased to bring you the awesome art of…

Barret Chapman

Barret Chapman is an art director and part time illustrator. He lives in Vancouver, Canada with his family. Barret studied classical animation at Capilano University [then College] and worked in the animation industry in the early 2000’s. Some of his good friends from school suggested becoming a concept artist for Next Level Games and he has been there ever since. When Barret became the studios art director he found he didn’t get to draw as much for work anymore so, to keep his chops up, he started making movie posters for fun. Things started picking up after Barret did a couple of pieces for Bottleneck Gallery’s “It Came from 1984” show….and soon after Barret started doing commissions for low budget films and alternative movie posters. In 2016 Barret was approached by Hero Complex Gallery to do a screen-print for the film Leon. That started a relationship that continues to this day. Lately, Barret balances the day job with the occasional poster gig with HCG and Sideshow….and he is loving it.

JOBLO: What got you started as an artist?
BARRET: My dad was a pretty good artist and he showed my brother and I how to draw. He was also a big movie lover and since we were kids of the 80’s we got to watch everything. My first figure drawing lesson came from watching Conan the Barbarian multiple times and then drawing Conan over and over, HA! I love doing portraits more than anything….and in my mind, no one is better than Drew Struzan at capturing likeness…so his work was a big inspiration for me growing up.

Who were some of your favorite artists growing up?
My brother and I were a bit obsessed with movies and special makeup effects when we were growing up, so our room was plastered with Drew Struzan, Richard Amsel, John Alvin, Roger Kastel, plus posters from Fangoria and Gorezone showing off the work of Rick Baker, Rob Bottin, Tom Savini, Kevin Yager Jim Henson and Stan Winston. Later as I got more into art I fell in love with the work of Bernie Wrightson, Mike Mignola, Frank Frazetta and Michael Whelan.

Who do you really dig these days, follow on Instagram?
Oh man….so many people are inspiring me and the community is so great and supportive….here are a bunch of very cool people who inspire me!
Derek Stenning, Nigel Quarless, Marie Wyatt, Al OSanlou, Jon Pall, Alden Phipps, Kassondra Krahn, Ignacio RC, Pighands, Vance Kelly, Luke Preece, Dan Mumford, Marko Maneev, Chris Koeler, Bryan Johnson, Tony Stella, Kevin M Wilson, Ruiz Burgos, Dave O’Flanagan, Nick Charge, Paul Mann, Bryan Carey, Fredlobo Lopez, Dakota Randall, Blake Armstrong, David Henry Lantz, Zim Animation, Pat Pakula, Matty Ryan Tobin, Benedict Woodhead, Juan Saniose, Stuart Holroyd, Craig Drake, True Spilt Milk.

What advice would you have for budding artists today?
I’d start by saying make art for yourself first and foremost. Don’t chase the likes or the follows. If you make something you feel proud of, and makes you smile even if its only for 5 minutes before you can’t look at it anymore and move onto the next piece, you will keep making art and be fulfilled. Just keep making art….real art, not AI….old man rant over.

What should we be looking out for from you in the future?
I have something coming up soon with Sideshow. Also, I have a new The Shawshank Redemption print with Hero Complex Gallery dropping today, easily one of my favorite movies. This is my second print for Shawshank, I’m a full-fledged Constant Reader so revisiting this film has been too much fun! Its available now at Hero Complex Gallery.

Not only is Barret’s The Shawshank Redemption print available at Hero Complex Gallery today but JoBlo and Hero Complex Gallery are teaming up to giveaway a total of six stunning prints of Barret’s Shawshank Redemption piece! You can check out JoBlo Movie Network’s Instragram as well Hero Complex Gallery’s Instagram for full details on how you can become one of the very lucky winners. Check it out:

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Being a fansite, we have to ask you… What are some of your favorite movies/TV shows of all time?
If I had to pick my absolute favorite movie….I’d go with Raiders of the Lost Ark.

Scroll down to check out some of our favorite art pieces from Barret as we continue to follow his journey across his Website and social media hubs: Instagram / Hero Complex Gallery / Shop

The Abyss