Drawn: A Compendium of Visual Storytelling by Craig Frazier

Drawn is an incredible compilation of Craig Frazier‘s work, tracing his illustrious career as an internationally recognized designer and illustrator. Frazier is known for his distinctive style and visual storytelling. His work has not only defined American illustration for over three decades but also proved that his approach remains as fresh today as when he started. The new monograph, Drawn, attests to this enduring relevance.

The book provides a comprehensive look into Frazier’s creative process, showcasing a selection of his most iconic works and offering insights into his artistic journey.

Book meets barn

After spending considerable time working on the monograph, he wanted one last review of the book before finally delivering it to the publisher:

“As long as I’ve been designing, I always try to look at the project in reality, off the computer.”

“Though I had printed various spreads of Drawn during the process, I had never printed the entire book to look at in sequence front to back. I find that the computer can deceive me. Type never looks the same, size and scale are inaccurate, and of course, color isn’t the same. I wanted to view it as ink on paper as a life-size storyboard.

The problem was that there was no place in my studios to look at 220 linear feet of book. I knew that my friend had just finished a barn he designed on his property in the Petaluma (CA) hills but I hadn’t seen it. I imagined pinning the pages on the interior wooden walls. I soon found out that the barn was steel and the exterior was the perfect surface. My calculations told me that it would take 4 rows over two sides of the barn plus 600 magnets! This was barely planned, we just showed up at the barn three days later. Anticipating a spectacle, my old friend and videographer showed up with two cameras and a drone.”

You can watch the full video here, or keep scrolling for some stills. Drawn will be released on February 1st, 2023 and is currently available for pre-order.

More illustration inspiration via Frazier Books