Indie Edge October 2009: Tim Bradstreet

Eisner Award nominated Illustrator Timothy Bradstreet was born February 16, 1967 in Cheverly, Maryland. Primarily a self-taught illustrator, he has been working professionally since graduating from high school in 1985. Forgoing institutional art training, Tim joined Fantasmagraphics in 1986, where he worked for two years under the guidance of early mentor, Steve Venters. During this time, Bradstreet began illustrating role-playing games, honing his skills while pursuing a lifelong ambition to break into the comics industry. In 1990 he hit the ground running with industry legend Tim Truman on the serialized graphic tale Dragon Chiang, and he never looked back.

Over the ensuing 22 years Tim Bradstreet has illustrated everything from RPGs, trading cards, and comic books, to book covers, album sleeve art, and movie posters. He began his career illustrating role-playing games with GDWs Twilight 2000, and FASAs Shadowrun. Tims ground-breaking work on White Wolfs Vampire: The Masquerade established him as a critical and pop-culture favorite, and it wasnt long before he began illustrating for major comic publishers. Tim has since exercised his skills freelancing for hundreds of comic, game, and film related projects including Activisions Vampire: Bloodlines VG, Dark Horses Hard Looks, and Another Chance To Get It Right (With author Andrew Vachss), Star Wars, X, Comics Greatest World, and Criminal Macabre Clive Barkers Age Of Desire, Marvels The Punisher and Blade, Vertigos Gangland, Unknown Soldier, Human Target, and Hellblazer. In 1997 Tim was voted Best Artist by the Horror Writers Guild Of America. In 2000 Tim joined film director Guillermo del Toro as a conceptual artist to help realize the film Blade II. In the fall of 2003 Tim began work on a string of movie posters for the Marvel/Lions Gate film, The Punisher; a rare opportunity to influence the film incarnation of a character he so deftly impacted in comics. Bradstreet is now realizing a long time dream to work in film as a conceptual artist, production designer and producer, counting directors Guillermo del Toro (Hellboy, Pans Labyrinth), Frank Darabont (The Green Mile, The Mist), Clive Barker (Hellraiser, Nightbreed), and Jonathan Hensleigh (The Punisher) among his many artistic admirers.

In 2007 Tim entered new territory working in the film industry as a production designer for the 3D gothic horror film Dark Country, starring and directed by RAW Entertainment partner Thomas Jane. Also with Thomas Jane and Steve Niles, Bradstreet co-created the sci-fi-horror comic series Bad Planet.

Bradstreet recently ended a long association as cover artist for two major comic franchises, Marvels The Punisher, and DC/Vertigos John Constantine: Hellblazer.Combined, he has contributed over 180 covers to those titles over the last 8 years and has left an indelible mark on both characters while simultaneously re-establishing them for a new generation. Tim begins a new chapter as a cover artist bringing his dark vision to such titles as Steve Niles Criminal Macabre at Dark Horse, and 28 Days Later from BOOM! Studios. Bradstreet is also exploring new directions with Rogue Angel, an ongoing series of novels from Gold Eagle. Currently, Bradstreet has his sights set on taking his character Gallows, and the story of Red Sky Diary to the silver screen. Tim, wife Missy, and daughter Lydia reside in San Diego California.

Recent & Classic Works from Tim Bradstreet

The Art Of Tim Bradstreet (APR083741)	Age Of Desire (DEC073572)

Tim Bradstreet, what are you reading?

Atomika (JUL090989) - Love this crazy world and the energy that creator Sal Abbinanti jams into every issue. Great covers by some great heavy hitters too.

Grimjack: The Manx Cat (SEP090889) – and anything by Tim Truman, anytime.

The Walking Dead - Can't stop reading it, can't stop looking at it. And Bob Kirkman is NUTS in the best spirit of the word.