Sparrow: Phil Hale, Number 2

phil hale

Continuing with an entirely new way of looking at comic book art -- the Sparrow series of art books. The second release in this new line features 48 pages of stunning art by Phil Hale goodness, presented in a special hardcover format.

Genres art

48 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1,2006

Series

Sparrow

This edition

Format: 48 pages, Hardcover
Published: December 12, 2006 by IDW Publishing
ISBN: 9781600100406
ASIN: 1600100406
Language: English

About the author

phil hale

Philip Oliver Hale is an American figurative painter known for his striking, surreal depictions of the human form. Based in London, Hale has built a reputation for creating dynamic and unsettling imagery that blends technical mastery with psychological intensity.
Born in Boston, Massachusetts, Hale comes from a lineage of prominent American painters, including Ellen Day Hale, Lilian Westcott Hale, Philip Leslie Hale, and Robert Beverly Hale. He spent part of his childhood in Nairobi, Kenya, before returning to the U.S. At 16, he apprenticed with artist Rick Berry in Boston, an experience that shaped his early career as an illustrator.
During the late 1980s and 1990s, Hale became known for his book cover illustrations, including his work on The Dark Tower II: The Drawing of the Three and Insomnia by Stephen King. Over time, he transitioned from commercial illustration to focus on painting, developing a style that emphasizes exaggerated forms, eerie lighting, and kinetic compositions.
In 2007, he was commissioned by the UK House of Commons to paint the official portrait of former Prime Minister Tony Blair. The resulting artwork, unveiled in 2008, received widespread attention for its intense, almost confrontational portrayal of the former leader.
Hale's work has been exhibited internationally, and his paintings are held in major collections, including the National Portrait Gallery and the Palace of Westminster. In addition to painting, he has explored filmmaking, founding the production company Unprofessional.com with his son, Callum Hale Thomson, specializing in analogue film techniques.
Throughout his career, Hale has published several art books, including Goad: The Many Moods of Phil Hale and Use Music to Kill. His illustrations and paintings have also appeared in comics, magazines, and on the covers of Penguin Classics editions of Joseph Conrad's works. His art continues to push the boundaries of figurative painting, blending classical influences with a distinctly modern, sometimes unsettling aesthetic.