We wish we were camping.

I grew up camping in the Western Sierra Nevada’s and my family has camped for generations. Growing up, we called it “dirt” camping, and now it is referred to as “dispersed” camping. If you’re getting to your destination via some kind of back country route, then you’re “overlanding”. Ultimately, it’s all still camping. The majority of camping we do today is dispersed camping and the more remote, the better.

Frederick family dirt camping, circa ‘86.

Before he retired, my dad’s nickname at work was Fred/Freddy. Today, he and my mom spend their summers as campground hosts in the Western Sierra Nevada Mountains. The Frederick family has a long history of camping, so “Fred’s Happy Campers” has a special meaning for us.

On our “VacationMoon” through the Southwest and onto Colorado, 2019.

Today, my wife Beth and I camp as often as we can depending on our work schedules and general work/life obligations. We’re tent campers today but aspire to some glamping in the future.

Old Frederick Family Camping Photos

At the table are my dad and his siblings with my grandma at the utility truck bed. The ‘porthole’ camper was built by my grandfather, Dwight. I remember using it as a fort in their backyard when I was a kid.

My great grandfather Elmer Frederick and his little trailer. I understand this was taken someplace out in the Anza-Borrego Desert in Southern California.

About Fred’s Happy Campers Artwork.

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The Fred’s Happy Campers seed was planted in my head back in the late summer of 2019 when I did this doodle titled “Escape Pod.” I was doing quite a bit of digital painting in an application called Procreate on the iPad, and posting them to Instagram @OverlandArt. Mostly, it was paintings of overland rigs in scenic settings and all done just for the enjoyment of it. The Escape Pod doodle was rough, but made me smile, so I started a few more sketches and decided to do a series of camp items in an illustration style that was different than how I’ve worked before; so Fred’s Happy Campers started to sprout.

Meet each of our Happy Campers here.

The designs start with a light pencil-like sketch that gets refined with stronger and bolder lines. Early on I decided to add a little “Kawaii” vibe to them and immediately loved the happiness.

With color flats added I go back and refine the linework and character features. This early stage of Mr. Green had a goofy smile that changed pretty quickly to resemble the final artwork as it is today.

Mr. Green shown with all his layers in the Procreate Application.

About My Paintings and Digital Artwork.

Whether it is a watercolor, caesin, mixed-medium or digital painting, each one is an original piece. Some paintings have been in my head for a while before they can escape, some just happen, and many are an exploration in a new or old medium.

Interested? There is much more to see over on theMirrorpool.com.

Thanks!

Matt Frederick