Paul Faris artist of Panic Restaurant

BrontyBronty
in Collector's Corner
I really enjoy the wacky image on the Panic Restaurant box.      Irreverent and crazy and fun.   



Its also maybe the only box where there is actually a name clear as day.    I looked it up and thought people here might be interested to see some of his other kick ass work.    Did quite a bit of pinball work it seems.    



Here are some of his pinball pieces.    Enjoy the pics.



Phantom of the Opera,

Frankenstein, 

Paragon,

007?,

Centaur.



Side note besides being an artist it seems Paul is also a wrestling and football coach - some pretty diverse skills there!



image



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Comments

  • DainDain
    I've always really loved this artwork as well. Thanks for the info!
  • PrinceOfBrainsPrinceOfBrains
    Awesome post! I love seeing boxart artists get their due.



    I've seen this particular box get some flack on the internet, but let's face facts: you're an artist in the early 90s who has been asked to work on a game called Panic Restaurant, and all you're given is some screen shots. What the hell else are you gonna paint, huh?
  • UncleTuskUncleTusk
    Thanks for sharing Bronty! Awesome stuff!
  • BrontyBronty
    oops, wrong pic. fixed
  • NESMASTER14NESMASTER14
    Cool post! The pinball art is pretty awesome too.  Really love the bottom left piece (Phantom of the Opera I'm assuming?).
  • LincolnLincoln
    My friend has a Paragon machine. That backglass art is epic. The whole machine is pretty amazing.
  • FireEmblemZackFireEmblemZack
    Cool!
  • BeaglePussBeaglePuss
    Paul is extremely well known in the Pinball world and is regarded as one of the top artist for good reason. All lot of the machines he did art for were duds of sorts, but he certainly him some homeruns with things like Centaur and Paragon.



    That "007" machine is actually a Sega Goldeneye machine.



    Good stuff.
  • jonebonejonebone
    Not an art guy but digging the Goldeneye one.
  • BrontyBronty

    Originally posted by: BeaglePuss



    Paul is extremely well known in the Pinball world and is regarded as one of the top artist for good reason. All lot of the machines he did art for were duds of sorts, but he certainly him some homeruns with things like Centaur and Paragon.



    That "007" machine is actually a Sega Goldeneye machine.



    Good stuff.



    yeah centaur and paragon are sweet.   Trophies.   I shudder to think what he'd ask for them though.     I seem to recall reading that he'd sold Playboy (IMO not a very good one) for some five figure amount.    I want to say 20k but don't remember now.


  • batteriesnotincludedbatteriesnotincluded
    I like that the Phantom isn't wearing a mask. Diverse work, doesn't remind me of Panic Restaurant at all.
  • BrontyBronty
    Yeah the story goes it was found to be a little too gruesome without a mask so that was added after the fact
  • BrontyBronty
    Originally posted by: batteriesnotincluded

    I like that the Phantom isn't wearing a mask. Diverse work, doesn't remind me of Panic Restaurant at all.





    Paul also did cadash (genesis). I think you'll find that more in line with the pinball/paragon look
  • JerbillyJerbilly
    Funny, I was about to quote batteries up there but saw your post... I kind of dig how that Phantom in the original piece is not wearing a mask but the portrait in the background adds some sort of Portrait of Dorian Gray bit to the piece. I am digging the guy's work, big time. Good stuff.
  • batteriesnotincludedbatteriesnotincluded
    Originally posted by: Bronty

    Originally posted by: batteriesnotincluded

    I like that the Phantom isn't wearing a mask. Diverse work, doesn't remind me of Panic Restaurant at all.







    Paul also did cadash (genesis). I think you'll find that more in line with the pinball/paragon look





    I checked out the masked version. Wouldn't have given it a second look. Always a travesty when great work is altered for the masses.

    Definitely see his style in Cadash.
  • MrWunderfulMrWunderful
    That pinball work is really cool.
  • ne$_pimpne$_pimp
    I would have never thought aboot who created various game art, had it not been for this thread.
  • VGS_MrMark0673VGS_MrMark0673

    Originally posted by: batteriesnotincluded




    Originally posted by: Bronty




    Originally posted by: batteriesnotincluded



    I like that the Phantom isn't wearing a mask. Diverse work, doesn't remind me of Panic Restaurant at all.







    Paul also did cadash (genesis). I think you'll find that more in line with the pinball/paragon look







    I checked out the masked version. Wouldn't have given it a second look. Always a travesty when great work is altered for the masses. Definitely see his style in Cadash.





    The mask is a decal on the outside of the backglass.  When the flashers go off, you get the "reveal" of the disgusting face.  It's a super cool effect in an otherwise "blah" game.
  • BrontyBronty
    Ah neat so I had the story wrong. Cool effect
  • VGS_MrMark0673VGS_MrMark0673

    Originally posted by: Bronty



    Ah neat so I had the story wrong. Cool effect



    No no, you actually may have had it right.  The mask is intentionally translucent for the effect, but it may be there only because the face was too gruesome.  I don't actually know if the mask was always a planned addition, but I do know that when it was added it was created to show through when the flashers went off.
  • BrontyBronty
    Ok yeah that makes more sense given what I was told. I didn't think I had misremembered but wasn't sure
  • batteriesnotincludedbatteriesnotincluded
    Originally posted by: MrMark0673


    Originally posted by: batteriesnotincluded




    Originally posted by: Bronty




    Originally posted by: batteriesnotincluded



    I like that the Phantom isn't wearing a mask. Diverse work, doesn't remind me of Panic Restaurant at all.







    Paul also did cadash (genesis). I think you'll find that more in line with the pinball/paragon look







    I checked out the masked version. Wouldn't have given it a second look. Always a travesty when great work is altered for the masses. Definitely see his style in Cadash.





    The mask is a decal on the outside of the backglass.  When the flashers go off, you get the "reveal" of the disgusting face.  It's a super cool effect in an otherwise "blah" game.





    That redeems it, very cool.
  • MrClutchMrClutch
    Good stuff, that dude has some talent.
  • DarkToneDarkTone
    Thanks for sharing. Good stuff.
  • PrinceOfBrainsPrinceOfBrains

    Originally posted by: Bronty



    Paul also did cadash (genesis). I think you'll find that more in line with the pinball/paragon look



    Man, I used get SO SCARED of that Cadash art as a kid, something about the creepy demon face. The Roger Dean font probably didn't help.
  • K.ThrowerK.Thrower
    I know a lot of artist don't care for the collage/montage type work (Struzan commented on Big Trouble in Little China saying it looked messy or something to that effect), but I can't help but love them on the Frankenstein and 007 works. They were so common during my youth, I grew to associate them as an attribute of pinballs in general.



    Love this stuff, thanks for sharing Dan.
  • BrontyBronty
    Never thought of that. I suppose it would be hard or at least annoying to try and tie together 20 different elements into one painting. The simpler standalone images like paragon and centaur do look less cluttered. But I get why they wanted to have a bunch of different elements to promote the game and as you say there's some of its own appeal in that. Plus anytime you can put a woman in tight red pants in a painting , something is going well
  • BrontyBronty

    Originally posted by: PrinceOfBrains




    Originally posted by: Bronty



    Paul also did cadash (genesis). I think you'll find that more in line with the pinball/paragon look



    Man, I used get SO SCARED of that Cadash art as a kid, something about the creepy demon face. The Roger Dean font probably didn't help.



    super creepy demon face I agree.   Not quite sure what it is; its something about the eyes and the gaze.   The fact the eyes are that amber color is part of it I think.


  • BrontyBronty
    I guess I never did mention a list of credits for Paul. These are his game related artworks that I am aware of. I don't think there were any others but not 100% sure.



    Super Chase HQ SNES

    Sonic Blast man SNES

    Panic Restaurant NES

    Zombie Raid arcade

    Power Blade 2 NES

    Toki NES

    Knightquest (ad)

    Rampage (arcade flyer)

    Beach Volley (PAL gameboy)

    St Sword (ad)

    Cadash (genesis)



    EDIT, also:

    double dragon (arcade flyer)

    pyros (arcade flyer)



    most of us will be familiar with most of these, but zombie raid is a pretty cool one that most of us won't have seen with a different image on either side of the cab:



    image





    image





    beach volley also has that cool bobblehead thing going on, a little bit like panic restaurant does with the exaggerated head:





    image


  • batteriesnotincludedbatteriesnotincluded
    Originally posted by: Bronty

    I guess I never did mention a list of credits for Paul. These are his game related artworks that I am aware of. I don't think there were any others but not 100% sure.



    Super Chase HQ SNES

    Sonic Blast man SNES

    Panic Restaurant NES

    Zombie Raid arcade

    Power Blade 2 NES

    Toki NES

    Knightquest (ad)

    Rampage (arcade flyer)

    Beach Volley (PAL gameboy)

    St Sword (ad)

    Cadash (genesis)



    most of us will be familiar with most of these, but zombie raid is a pretty cool one that most of us won't have seen with a different image on either side of the cab:



    image





    image










    That art is badass! Is Zombie Raid a fun game?
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