This article is written from the Real World perspective
"I feel strange accepting credit for establishing our style. It's true that I was the initial springboard, but without all the people who influenced this project, it wouldn't be what it is.[1]"
Eric Radomski served as the co-creator and co-producer of Batman: The Animated Series along with Bruce Timm. He was known for his definitive style of background painting, specifically painting backgrounds on black paper (a liquidtex acrylic paint through an airbrush onto a two-ply black board)[2] to give Batman: The Animated Series a darker look and feel. He left Warner Bros. after a successful tenure, but later returned to join the production team for shows such as Xiaolin Showdown and Shaggy & Scooby-Doo Get a Clue!
History[]
Studying as an artist in Cleveland, where there was no animation work, Eric Radomski made three separate trips to California at the age of 19 and 20 to look for work. With no luck finding anything, Radomski reached out to fellow Cleveland native Will Ryan, who was working as a voice actor on Winnie the Pooh and a Day for Eeyore. Will introduced Radomski to director Dave Bennet, who then introduced him to Rick Reinert who just so happened to have previously ran his animation studio out of Cleveland. Still having an ink-and-paint division located back in Radomski's hometown, headed by Gretchen Heck and Bev Chiara, Reinert gave the aspiring animator their telephone number, landing him an entry level job with the unit.[1]
Following his work on the Winnie the Pooh film, Radomski worked on commercials for two years until Dave Bennet offered him a job in L.A. For three-and-a-half years, Radomski assisted Bennet with storyboards and layouts, as well as background painting for Reinert and assorted cel work. After leaving Reinert and freelancing for six months, Radomski joined Warner Bros. full time.[1]
After the first season of Tiny Toons, looking to join a new show, Radomski sent in samples for every IP the studio was looking to develop: Gremlins,Taz-Mania, and Batman.Jean MacCurdy, impressed with Radomski's vision of Gotham City (inspired by artists Bob Peak and Bernie Fuches) paired him up with character designer Bruce Timm who had pitched a design for Batman and asked them to produce a two-minute promo to test their capabilities. Excited by the final product, Warner Bros. provided backing for the first 65 episodes of Batman: The Animated Series, which already had airdates scheduled.[1][3]
↑ 1.01.11.21.3"Knight Vision: That Master of Dark Deco, Eric Radomski, Looks Behind the Mask of the Animated Batman" by Bob Miller - Comics Scene #43 (June 1993)