Artist Entry 2 Ralph Steadman

For my 2nd artist entry I decided to go with Ralph Steadman, his work is easily recognizable. He was born in in Wallasey, England in 1936. Ralph is a writer/illustrator, he has written numerous books & his art has also been included in many books as well. His work is synonymous with Hunter S. Thompson a famous American writer. Like most people my age I was first exposed to his Ralph's work when I saw the movie "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas"(still one of the best, weirdest movies ever!). When I saw his art work I was truly blown away by the grittiness. Some of his most famous work is in George Orwell's Animal Farm. He also has other famous pieces like 1970's "Kentucky Derby", his "Gonzo" collection, and "The Joke's Over" collection which is dedicated to his long time friend Hunter S. Thompson.
Once again I'm drawn to this demented artwork. Like I said before, I'm drawn to the twisted work for some reason. I know his illustrations aren't what you expect from a great artist, the lines are rough but still flow; the work seems like it's a rough sketching or doodles of potential works. You get the impression the person who is doing the work is out of their mind, but at the same time is completely sane. I know when I first saw his work, I thought this guy has to be on heroin because who could image this off-the-wall shit. With his work he challenges the political & social norms of society. I love the fact that it goes to show you don't have to be an amazing artist to make powerful art. I truly admire his work because you can tell he put his true vision to paper.