Julie
Bell

Julie Bell is an American artist, illustrator, photo artist and photographer, the brightest representative of the so-called heroic fantasy and fantastic hyperrealism with an easily recognizable painting technique. This kind of genre popular today is characterized by the antique manner of depicting the human body. Julie Bell’s work has played a huge role in the popularization of fantasy, previously considered a frivolous genre of painting.

The future star was born in 1958 in the small industrial town of Beaumont in south-eastern Texas. Since childhood, she drew both people and animals. She graduated from 6 schools, studied painting, drawing, and the art of photography. Her idols in the world of painting were Peter Paul Rubens, Michelangelo Buonarrotiand Norman Rockwell.

In her youth, the artist was interested in bodybuilding, took part in various competitions and received national recognition. This influenced her tendency to portray beautiful and muscular bodies in antique manner.

In the 80’s, Julie Bell married the scientist and writer Donald E. Palumbo. During this marriage she gave birth to two sons, Anthony and David Palumbo, who subsequently also became professional artists. The artist’s life changed forever, when in 1989 she met  Boris Vallejo. Julie Bell was destined to become his model (you can easily find her in Vallejo’s paintings), then his painting student, and after her divorce from Palumbo she married him in 1994. They currently live happily in Allentown, Pennsylvania. In addition to painting, the artist goes in for yoga.

Career

From 1990 to 2009, Julie Bell created illustrations for about 200 fiction and science fiction books and magazines.
In the early 1990s, she illustrated video game covers and drew Marvel and DC comic book superheroes, including the famous Conan. Julie designed the award-winning Dragons of Destiny series, the Mistress of the Dragons Realm series, as well as Temptation Rides series of sculptures. Together with her second husband, she created many paintings for such companies as Nike, Ford, Coca-Cola, Toyota, etc. and remains a sought-after specialist in the advertising business. J. Bell is the author of two album prints for musician Meat Loaf and other artists who play mainly heavy metal. In 2008, the artist won the Chesley Award for Artistic Achievement. She also took first place in the Animals category of the international salon Art Renewal Center 2011—2012 with her painting Order of Wolves.

Today, Julie Bell collaborates with the largest New York publishers, creates covers and designs art albums for popular magazines.
Julie Bell’s style is not just the “metal” flesh of Amazons and warriors with shiny skin and steel. It is elegant and sensual image of colour and structure, the fluidity of water, the emotionality of images and the hardness of steel. The artist’s work exudes strength, beauty and independence. Julie Bell’s paintings are mainly made from photographs, less often from nature.

Famous works

The most popular works by the artist include Hunting, Mermaid, Susan,  Virgo, Sisters, Fairy, Defenders of Paradise, Distant Memories, Wet, Dangerous Journey, Sea Battle, Cyberdemon, Nightmare Swamp, Seduction, Mistress of the Cats, etc. She also had joint works with her husband, for example, the Savage Land.

Our gallery offers you to get acquainted with the magnificent, divine and seductive works by Julie and other incomparable science fiction artists.