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FORT WORTH — Described as a pillar of Texas Christian University’s graphic design program who had a "rock star" status in the industry, Donald Ivan Punchatz was both a teacher and working illustrator.
"Many people who reach his stature become very egocentric, but Don was extremely humble and shared his gifts," said Lewis Glaser, coordinator of graphic design at TCU who taught with Mr. Punchatz for 23 years. Mr. Punchatz died Thursday night at an Arlington hospital after a short illness. He was 73.Born in Sept. 8, 1936, in New Jersey, Mr. Punchatz started producing art for children’s books when he was 14 and was paid by a national advertising agency for work at age 17. He studied at the School of Visual Arts in New York under Burne Hogarth, who illustrated the Tarzan comic strip."Burne Hogarth was a huge influence on him in terms of anatomical rendering, an almost Michelangelo style of rendering," Glaser said. "I’ve seen him paint the fur of an animal by cutting off all but two hairs on a paint brush. It was painstakingly detailed." Mr. Punchatz worked in the advertising industry before being drafted into the Army in 1959. For his military service, he worked as a medical illustrator producing animated training films.Afterward, he became an art director for a national advertising agency in Pittsburgh.Mr. Punchatz began exhibiting his paintings in the early 1960s when he encountered Darwin Bahm, a New York artists agent who got him into book-cover illustration, mostly for science fiction, fantasy and horror books.Soon, Mr. Punchatz began to contribute to national magazines. His illustrations were published in Playboy, Penthouse, Esquire, National Lampoon, Time, Omni, Rolling Stone and Boys’ Life — many of which were science fiction or fantasy illustrations. His work also included the box-cover illustration for the computer game Doom, album covers and a poster for the original Star Wars movie.Mr. Punchatz began teaching at TCU in 1970, and continued, with occasional breaks, to teach illustration until his death. He had also served on the graduate faculty at Syracuse University during the past decade.In the early 1970s, Mr. Punchatz started the SketchPad Studio in Arlington, hidden behind a strip mall off Cooper Street. "The SketchPad was a completely unexpected outpost bursting with creativity and eclecticism," said Gary Myrick, who hung out at the studio with students of Mr. Punchatz. "The studio served as a launching pad for an unrivaled roster of successful visual artists of all stripes."The studio, behind a 7-Eleven, was a 30-foot by 70-foot room with one door and two windows. The one bathroom also served as an airbrush spray booth, said Michael Presley, a former student of the studio who is now retired."Elbow to elbow desks, plus cutting board, library shelves, projector — there was also two cats," he recalled. "The cat box was under the table in the projector booth."Students at the studio, who called themselves "elves," said that Mr. Punchatz was the center of creativity and learning and that he always kept up with those he taught."Never without a sketch pad, with pen in his pocket, he only seemed to grow younger in spirit and more enthusiastic about what he and everyone else could grab from the spheres and bring into the world," Myrick said.Survivors include his wife, Sandra Punchatz; a son, Gregor Punchatz; and daughter, Triska Tipton.
Services The family plans a private funeral. Arrangements are pending at TCU for a memorial service.Donations Mr. Punchatz did not have medical insurance, Lewis Glaser said. To help his widow pay his medical bills, donations can be made to Sandra Punchatz, c/o Lewis Glaser, TCU School of Art, TCU, Box 298000, Fort Worth TX 76129
Don was extremely humble and shared his gifts."
Lewis Glaser,colleague at TCU
Anthony Spangler, 817-390-7420
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