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I love your style. It is very well done and very smooth. The subject matter is just as great, and the concepts are very nice.

I really enjoyed all your works. I especially appreciate the written insights into each. Art with a philosophy behind it seems to be getting rare. Keep up the good work!

You are an excellent artist and very varied. I can't tell you how much I like the work you do. It is not only technically good, but imaginative as well. Keep it up.

Dear Mr. Wu, I must say that your art work is the best I have seen. I am a new computer user and just happened upon your site. Please keep up the EXCELLENT work and I will be returning often to see what amazing work you do next. Thanks. Brando.

Hi, Mr. Wu. I'm writing to tell you that I have enjoyed your site immensely and in order to share with my friends am going to (this weekend) place a link on my/our site to your own. Thanks for sharing, man.

I think your artwork is great and thought provoking. It is also great that it is being seen by a lot of people. I am glad that I stumbled upon it.

In my update above, you can see a list of my recent publications. Thanks for asking!

Hi Frank, I just looked at your site. I love your art and your style is very individual. I am into sci-fi art myself and have recently managed to get a whole bunch of my work onto a website:
http://www.gideon-pbem.clara.net/artwork.htm. I really find the web a great place for showing art since you needn't be a great artist or have access to a gallery etc. Luckily I have good friends who like my stuff and are willing to put some cash my way for a few pics as on the above site. Keep up the good work and I'll be checking back on your site to see any new stuff you do.
Regards Dave S

From Albert Yu 2/10/2000

Hi Frank,

I found your site at ASFA and I enjoyed your illustrations very much. I am also a Science Fiction artist and I am interested in joining ASFA. But first I would like to find out how satisfy current members are with ASFA.

Thank you very much for your time,

Al Yu Design

Your work is wonderful, and even a bit disturbing. It makes me think of the primordial instincts still in man. You're good, and I wish you lots of luck and success.

I really like this gallery - I've noticed that people at the sci-fi pages in general are more talented that those from the fantasy pages.

Reeeeaaaally nice work...especially Grendel...keep' em coming...oh, and congratulationz on the Grand Prize thingy... :)

I was using my lunch time to view asst. new data in various formats, when I saw your article and selected art works. Please let me offer my great delight and heart - felt amazement . Thank you . Your works remind me of 'eclectic viewing ' - akin to M.C. Escher.

Frank, I just finished reading "Guildmaster" in L. Ron Hubbard's Writers of the Future, Vol. XVI. Your excellent illustration so captured the essence of the story. I've been entering stories in the contest for several years with no success as yet. Ah, to success! I've written a book of black humor, which my publisher sends out gratis to people I designate. I'd like to have them send you a copy in appreciation of your fine work. If you'd provide me with a mailing address, I'll have a book sent to you.

Frank, Just a quick note to let you know that I took a tour of your site last night and was most impressed. Your style is at once, intricate and instantly memorable, an unusual combo. I particularly liked your unusually sensitive treatment of Grendel, bypassing the usual 'monster' tag and going straight for the sadness at the heart of the man trapped within. I'd welcome any comments you may have on my quarterly online horror comic, Halfmoon. I believe that you can't know too many artists. Meantime, keep up the amazing work, all the best.

Why is it that Asian artists involved in anime and sci fi never draw Asian-looking characters?

Dunno, Paul. It's been 35 years since the U.S.S. Enterprise introduced us to the integrated work place, and perhaps we've taken some steps backward since then. Maybe a lot of people have too much of a love for "American culture" and "Americans", which, too often, means white folk. I also find it curious that Jesus is depicted in American artwork as this whitebread guy, whereas he was Jewish and from the Holy Land, and probably had brown skin. (I once read an interesting book on depictions of Jesus around the world - Chinese people, fr'instance, drew Jesus with yellow skin.)

I have, perhaps subconsciously, perhaps in a feeble attempt to change the world, tried to include non-whites in my art. For the record, I, an Asian (specifically racially 100% Chinese) used myself as a model for Haunting Miranda, Attractive Distracter, and Dunk the Clown. There is also another Chinese guy in Colors of Pain, too. Also, there's a killer Japanese girl with a gun in my WillyCon poster. That means over a third of the pieces on my website have an Asian character in them. Hispanics, African-Americans and other races still remain under-represented in my art and in sci-fi art as a whole. But... the girl in Blood Culture is Hispanic, and one of the illustrations I did for the Spring 2001 issue of Fantastic Stories magazine has a black woman - this piece will be posted here shortly. Still, Paul raises an interesting issue. Partially this is because I am illustrating stories for magazines, and if the writer described the characters as white, then that's the way I have to draw them. I suppose I can sneak them into the background, like in Colors of Pain. In any case, I will endeavor to include more people of shades and colors in my sci-fi art.

From Hawbakerc July 8, 2001: Wow!!! I wish I could draw/paint/whatever like that, but a little more practice would be in order, no? (for me) Do you have any of these in poster form *wink wink nudge nudge* I especially enjoyed the rat in the cubicle...that one would definitely go up on my wall! And I want to thank you for not drawing any Amazon women in steel bikinis. I find that very degrading to women, I don't want to see that stuff, and it makes me think the artist is a pervert. Sincerely, GreenBird From Christina Sng July 11, 2001: Hi Frank, Congratulations! I just read on your site that you won the Illustrators of the Future Award. That is wonderful news! Meanwhile, I hope you are well, and wish you all the best with your art. Sincerely, Christina Sng http://emote.org/csng

From Joan Stewart July 11, 2001 Greetings, I was wandering around the internet and was delighted to find that you now have a site. You don't know me, but I have enjoyed watching you and your work flourish. I was present last year when you won your award from the [Illustrators of the Future contest]. And I just wanted to say that you thoroughly charmed the audience. The entire point of this email is just to say that I have seen your work over the years at the various Cons I've attended and really enjoy what you do. I hope you will keep submitting your work to the Cons even when you are exceptional successful (which is what I see in your future). Wishing you all the best, Joan Steward

Ya, I really enjoy your artwork. ... Your compositions of images with backgrounds are unique, and the contrasty colors are awesome. You kick @$$! - DC

dear frank I stumbled onto ur art website and I just want to say this is the most intelligent expressive art i have ever seen it really makes me think and i just wanted to share with u my thoughts of ur art u are an inspirating person if i could draw i would take after u but i write instead but ur art gives me inspiration to pick up my pen and write

Hey I happened to come across your site, and I love your artwork! Outstanding job, especially on the "Guildmaster" piece... the emotion portrayed is remarkable. I just have one question: what medium/material did you use to create this artwork? Thanks and again, great job!

The GUILDMASTER piece was done in a style imitating that of the great illustrator Virgil Finlay. Finlay employed a stipling technique, with individual dots placed one by one on the paper. What I did was use a magic marker to do the dot dot dotting. Generally, black dots on white paper. For the commander's hand in the foreground, the stipled image was reversed electronically to make white dots on black.

Hi there. I have just come across your work on the net and it is so amazing. I am an art student myself and I was looking for some pics of buildings. I was wondering if you have drawn any, as I would love to use u as one of the artists in my project.

Hello Frank Wu,

For good reason, I'm sure you haven't a clue as to who I am. We've never met or had any contact. In fact I hesitate to even send this to you since I have no real reason for initiating contact. I just seem to be running across your name everywhere I go on the Internet lately and, judging from your posts, writings and web page, you seem to be a friendly, likeable and very helpful sort of person.

I kid you not; it seems that no matter where I turn your name pops up. This isn't a bad thing, as you seem to be a man of taste and culture. I come to this conclusion by noting that everywhere I go that has anything even remotely to do with Fantasy and/or Science Fiction art I know I'll find your cyber footprints. If there isn't a post or letter by you there will be a mention of your name by someone else. You are becoming downright ubiquitous.

By now you must be thinking, "What's up with this weird woman? What is her point? Why did she write me?"

Truthfully I have no explainable reason. I like your art and think you're quite talented, but then so do lots of people. I don't believe in coincidence so running across your presence so many times has a meaning. Darned if I know what it is but if the Universe is going to continue to hit me over the head I figure I'd better start paying attention. So I'm doing my part by writing you to just to say hello. What comes of saying "hello" whether it is a passing nod, an acquaintance or nothing at all isn't for me to know right now.

Since I've become indirectly acquainted with you via the information on the Internet I think it's only fair that you know a little about me. My name is MaryAnne Campbell. I’m female, 40 years of age, a resident of Dallas, Texas, a lover of good art and bad puns. I’m blessed/cursed, (which one depends on your status as innocent bystander or recipient) with a sometime caustic wit. I’m extremely happy in my relationship with my soul mate, Mark, and am on the staff of one cat.

I have a day job that isn't art related. I’m an artist by virtue of the fact that I've seen "art" that would perplex Jackson Pollack and if the people who create that stuff are artists then I certainly qualify. I have no formal art training unless you count one ill-fated week in high school. After the 5th bowl of fruit I was told to draw I asked the teacher: "When are we going to start learning real art, like painting Elvis on black velvet?" (You may be relieved to know that I have mellowed somewhat with age and have cultivated a fine sense of diplomacy.) Fantasy and Science Fiction art is what I would do full time if I didn't have bills to worry about. Until that day I dabble as I can with pencil, pen and ink and acrylics. Though I've been a lifelong fan of the genre I have yet to attend my first Con but I hope to remedy that some day. I've toyed with the idea of entering the Illustrators of the Future contest, though I don't really think it's meant for people my age.

Well, I should wind this up. You no doubt have painting to do. It was nice meeting you, so to speak.

Regards,
MaryAnne Campbell

I just happened across your art tonight. I was looking at another great artist I know and saw info on the [NorwesCon] convention, and since I live near Seattle (kind of) I thought I'd go and see who was there. So looking, looking, looking, and well there you were.

You've got some really great styles, and I particularly like Birth of Flight. I'm more of a fantasy girl than a sci-fi girl, and I really loved this picture. As a matter of fact, I was kind of wondering if you wouldn't mind me putting it up on my website. All my links are pictures, and of course full credit would go to you as well as a link to your webpage. If you want to see how I've implemented other artists' works, with permission of course, then go to my website at http://home.attbi.com/~jesca10/ .

I am thinking your picture might fit well in the roleplaying section of my site. The site itself is a place where I publish my writings, and as you well know any good website is one with vivid pictures that capture imagination.

Anyway, please let me know...and even if you decide not to let me us it, I still want to say great job on the artwork!

Jennifer Andersen

I gave Jennifer permission to use this image, so long as she credited me.

Dear Frank:

... I've taken a bit of time to peruse the gallery, and must say -- and I know this should come as no surprise, since I like your work enough to nominate you for the _Best Fan Artist_ Hugo -- that I'm awfully impressed! Your B&W pieces are incredible -- I was particularly struck by "Lifeforce" and "Losing Memories" -- with a rich attention to detail that in many cases shows up in the scans far better than the actual printed versions (perhaps due to the printing process or the quality of the paper they're printed upon). I also really like "Chairman Mao Goes to Mars" -- it gives a good sense of the vastness of the planet in relation to the station, and has a bit of a hard-science, Chesley Bonestell feel to it. Wonderfully done! "Best-Known Man in the World" is another one I quite enjoyed, not only because of the detail, but also due to the humor of the piece!

That having been said, I'm curious to know a bit more about a couple of the paintings: Works like "Silence Before Starlight" and "Hamlet Dreams" seem, in a sense, unfinished to me. Both strike me almost as studies that would be done just before painting on the final canvas or board begins. Obviously, the look is intentional, but at the same time the colors seem harsh and austere. From an artist's perspective, what were you trying to say with these works? Why are these pieces so...for lack of a better word...simplistic compared to the others? I'm not saying they're bad -- while not my cup of tea, they definitely show great skill -- but I'm curious to know the process and goal, from an artistic sense, behind these paintings.

Two other suggestions: While the images are great, it'd be nice to know for all of the pictures what medium was used (some say "acrylic and oil on canvas," "oil and acrylic on board," etc., but others don't say anything), along with some indication of the chronology of the works (are they all "done to order," or are some the result of ideas that were first painted or sketched months or years in advance and then modified slightly for various assignments?). Such information would provide some insight into the process, which, for me at least, helps to better appreciate the final product.

I also really loved your Austin Powers 2 reference review -- for folks who've visited the site but not checked out the review section, this is a must-see!

Again, Frank, I remain a huge fan, and look forward to seeing more of your work in the years to come!

All the best,

Jeff Berkwits
San Diego, CA

_Best Fan Writer_ Candidate - 2002 Hugo Award Nominations

Thanks, Jeff. Easy questions first. The artwork is done mostly in the order it is shown on the site, the most recent stuff first; the older works continue on the second page. As for "Silence Before Starlight" and "Hamlet Dreams" seeming "unfinished"... interesting. I can understand that esp. with Hamlet, because there are large blocks of color with not much going on, but these were areas where I needed to leave space for type. If you scroll down to the bottom of the Hamlet Dreams page, you'll see the cover. Does this look more finished? As for Starlight, the unfinished look may be because I really struggled with the composition, and perhaps I'm still not totally happy with it. Or perhaps the flaming girl still needs more flames. Perhaps. An artist's work is never done.

As for techniques... Mao and Starlight are 100% acrylic, except for Europa in Starlight, which is a splattered mix of acrylic and house (oil) paint (but you should never mix oil and acrylic, ahem). Most of the other pieces are a blend of drawings done by hand in watercolor, marker, pencil, etc., and then scanned in and cleaned up on the computer. Almost all the stuff I do on the computer uses the smudge tool and the paint tool to move blobs of color around. I wrote an essay on the WillyCon poster to give a more detailed breakdown into how one of these pieces is created. But, basically since art that involves computers isn't taken seriously, I've moved back solely into paint. So for the last two paintings I've done (not on the site yet) and for the foreseeable future, I'll be working in acrylics.

Jeff Berkwits here: you probably don't remember me, but I believe we met briefly at the Writers of the Future Awards Ceremony in 2000, which I covered for the late, lamented GalaxyOnline.com. Anyhow, I hope that you are doing well and that your art is coming along nicely. (I can tell that it is from your Website updates -- congratulations!)

I know that now is the time for Hugo nominations, so I was wondering if I could ask a two-part favor from you (for which I, of course, will reciprocate). Last year was a banner year for me in terms of SF writing: I had a few items posted at GalaxyOnline.com before they went bust, along with my various commentaries at Locus Online (in case you did not see them, here are links to two of them...http://www.locusmag.com/2001/Commentary/Berkwits0514.html, http://www.locusmag.com/2001/Commentary/Berkwits08.html), my work at SciFiNow.com (before they too went bust), my contributions to the Argentus fanzine, interviews with Algis Budrys (at Science Fiction Weekly -- http://www.scifi.com/sfw/issue209/interview.html) and Frank Kelly Freas (in Outré magazine) plus, of course, my usual Science Fiction Weekly writing. So I figured this is the year to at least try to get nominated in the _Best Fan Writer_ category. So...

Would you mind nominating *me* for _Best Fan Writer_ this year (if you in fact do Hugo nominations, which you'd be eligible for if you were a member of last year's Worldcon in Philadelphia or this year's Worldcon in San Jose)?

Would you mind asking/suggesting to as many of your World Con-going friends, colleagues, relatives, etc. as possible to also nominate me? I am happy to nominate them too (in their respective categories :-) ) if they'd like.

Of course -- and here's the reciprocal part -- I intend to nominate you in the _Best Fan Artist_ category (if you would like), and similarly suggest the same to my friends! In re-reading my WotF volume recently, (for which I am definitely nominating Melissa Yuan-Innes, Michael Jasper and Toby Buckell for the Campbell Award), I also enjoyed your illustration for "Guildmaster," which led me, in part, to your Website, which led me to writing this letter.

Regardless, I am really trying to get onto the ballot, as last year was a crucial year for me in terms of the breadth and depth of my critical SF writing. As you may know, the voting in this particular category can be very tight, so every vote counts in the nomination process!

Anyhow, I would very much appreciate your support and vote in the _Best Fan Writer_ category in this year's Hugo nomination process, and you certainly have my vote this year for a _Best Fan Artist_ nomination. All the best, and I look forward to hopefully hearing from you.

Hey, Jeff. Thanks for your note. I will definitely nominate you in the best fan writer category - no problem, and certainly I appreciate the nod for myself!

I visited the articles you sent. I think you're right that the internet is a flood of information, a final encyclopedia, but perhaps there is a glut of misinformation. Perhaps the analogy is the library that Italo Calvino wrote about in "Numbers in the Dark", which contains every book ever written - but also contains slight variations thereof, i.e., right next to the correct book is another book with one sentence wrong, and the book next to that has two sentences wrong, and so forth - so it's almost impossible to find the exact right book among the background buzz. I find the Internet particularly worthless in finding out about anything that happened before, oh, 1991.

Well, you get what you pay for.

Anyway, Jeff, nice to hear from you, and I will nominate you, and I also nominated Toby and Jeff and Mike, but also Carrie Vaughan and Ken Wharton.

Are you, in fact, coming to WorldCon? I imagine you would be, if you're on the final ballot. But, if so, I'll see you there. (My con schedule is: Boskone (yikes- really soon, better get ready), Norwescon in Seattle, BayCon here in the bay area, the L.A. con over fourth of July, and WorldCon. Maybe Loscon in Nov. You going to any of those?

Frank

P.S. I found it interesting when you commented that you are unlikely to find a bad review of an author's work on his website. So... if you want to same something less-than-glowing about any of my artwork (like you didn't particularly care for one piece or other - and that's cool, because they're all pretty different and some are intentionally ugly or repulsive), go ahead, I can take it, and I will post that so all opinions get equal airtime.

Frank! I love your work! Beautiful. And, while I attended last year's WorldCon, I won't be attending this year. BUT... I will nonetheless nominate you for the Best Fan Artist category for this year's Hugo awards. Thanks!

Thanks, Jessie for nominating me for the Hugo Award for Best Fan Artist; their website is here.

The House of Crunchy Art: Award-winning Sci-Fi & Fantasy Art by

FRANK WU