Brian Stauffer (born May 20, 1966 in Prescott, Arizona) is an American artist and illustrator.[1] Stauffer begins works with hand-drawn sketches, then incorporates painted elements and scanned found objects. The final works are digital, but often the hand-drawn elements remain as part of the finished works.[2]
Stauffer attended Yavapai College as a music major. During his second year, Stauffer began working in graphic arts, working with Yavapai instructor and color theorist Glen Peterson.[3] Stauffer later attended The University of Arizona, where he received a BFA in 1989.[2]
Before taking on illustration as a full-time career, Stauffer worked as an art director at New Times in Phoenix, The Miami New Times,[4] and for Starmedia. While working at The Miami New Times, Stauffer sent a few of his illustration samples to Fred Woodward at Rolling Stone magazine who, with Gail Anderson, gave him his first freelance assignment for a movie review.[5]
Stauffer gained recognition early in his illustration career for his November 13, 2000, cover for The Nation, titled Alfred E. Bush, which depicted President George W. Bush as Alfred E. Neuman, the fictitious mascot and cover boy of Mad Magazine. In 2005, the cover was selected by the American Society of Magazine Editors as number 23 of the top 40 magazine covers in the last 40 years.[7]
Stauffer was featured as a cover illustrator for magazines such as The New Yorker,[8]The Nation, and Worth Magazine.[5] In 2010, the Society of Publication Designers recognized the work of design director Dean Sebring and Stauffer for their Worth Magazine covers.[9]