C.O.W.L. variant cover art

I will be a part of an exciting book release and signing this coming week end in the southern suburbs of Chicago at Amazing Fantasy Books and Comics. I was asked to create a variant cover for C.O.W.L. #1 by Kyle Higgins, Alec Siegel, and Rod Reis from Image Comics and Kyle, Alec, and I will be signing at all four AF stores. Needless to say, but I'll say it anyway - I'm beside myself to be a small part of the release of this new series. Especially, because I would have been buying it anyway. The first issue is awesome and I'm looking forward to the rest of the series. The Amazing Fantasy variant is limited and available only at the AF stores and site.
Come out and pick up a few copies for yourself:

Amazing Fantasy Books and Comics

Saturday, May 31, Frankfort: Noon - 3 pm, 

and Tinley Park: 5 pm - 7pm.

Sunday, June 1, Lockport: 11am - 1pm, 

and Crown Point, IN: 3pm - 5pm.

Lands and Legends: Satyr

I'm pleased to announce that my painting, "Satyr" is included in the release of Lands and Legends from volume one of The Fantasy Illustration Library from Michael Publishing.




It's a fantastic collection of fantasy paintings that include some of the very best in the field of fantasy art. If you are a collector of fantasy art and/or beautiful fantasy art books, this is one you'd be thrilled to have on your shelf. Available at conventions and online: http://www.michaelpublishing.net/

Universal's 1931 Spanish Dracula

Earlier this year my friends at Reel Art commissioned me to design and paint a poster for a screening of the Spanish version of Universal's Dracula in support of the Northwest Chicago Film Society. I enthusiastically took this opportunity to pay homage to the Warren magazine covers and Castle Films 8mm / Super 8 box art from my childhood. I've posted a process image while working on the face to show the Famous Monsters of Filmland influence and the final poster illustration with design by Bob Garcia. The Dracula logo is painted in acrylics on a separate board and finished in Photoshop.

Merry Christmas!

Warmest wishes for the holidays. Thank you for visiting my blog and your interest in my artwork. I am grateful to all who have commissioned artwork, purchased a print, my sketchbooks or have sent a message saying how much they enjoy my paintings during the past year. I am proud to present a recent painting of mine that was commissioned for the promotional calendar for the Joffrey Ballet's 25th Anniversary production of The Nutcracker, published by Munro Campagna Artist Representatives in Chicago. My painting of the Joffrey's principal dancers can be found gracing the month of September 2013.

From New Album 1/21/08 10:23 PM

H.P. Lovecraft Visits Sam Spade

I was visiting a friends gallery awhile ago and was asked about some of the projects I was currently working on. After offering some top secret information about various assignments, I mentioned a very interesting commission that was sitting before me. I said, "There's this really interesting piece that I've been sketching and about to start painting. It's H.P. Lovecraft visiting Sam Spade (portrayed by Humphrey Bogart) and Lovecraft is presenting a cthulhu statue, while Sam is displaying his Maltese Falcon." The explosion of laughter and enthusiasm from my friends at the gallery was exciting and it actually took me off guard!
I had known that I was fortunate to receive this commission but I didn't think anyone else would understand it or find it as exciting for me or for the patron who approached me. After all it was a personal request that the collector had been thinking about for sometime - and was waiting patiently for me to paint. In fact, when he first explained his idea to me, I immediately thought how awesome of a concept it was, but he didn't think it would be something that I'd be interested in or that I'd find it as cool of an idea that he'd been keeping to himself!
So, we discussed his idea in depth and did some rough thumbnails to capture his idea all while the "Maltese Falcon" played in the background. I wanted the complete back story so I could do his concept a deserved service and something that he can feel pride in. All I will say is that my friend, John is a big time detective, Maltese Falcon, film noir, pulp loving, fedora and trench coat wearing fan- who just happens to be a huge H.P. Lovecraft fan!
The BIG challenge here was a side view of Lovecraft to fit the rough we decided on. I had to get a good likeness to work from and all photo references that I could find were front view portraits and most were in shadow. The lighting for the painting was to be similar if not identical to the Sam Spade office set of the classic film. I also looked at paintings by illustrator, Harry Anderson for an overall emotional tone, and some composition inspiration. I wanted the painting to basically be that quiet moment when H.P holds up the artifact and the moment before Sam responds. Almost a pause or a reflection.
I had my model come in and do a photo shoot. My friend Dave doesn't look like Lovecraft but I knew I could work with him and I'd be able to get a solid foundation down. It took awhile and I almost lost heart but the pencil studies eventually "clicked" and I felt very confident that I had gotten a great likeness that people would respond correctly with.
Once I finished a rough drawing for presentation I waited for a response from John. I was mighty anxious to start painting but I'll admit that I was a bit nervous that John would have some comments. Fortunately he gave a call right away and it was all praise. I immediately began and finished the painting in about a weeks time in between a variety of other deadlines and obstacles. "The stuff that dreams are made of."- Sam Spade.

Gorgo

Happy Halloween! And in anticipation of the Holidays approaching, I wanted to reveal some great news concerning one Monster model from the past. I was contacted a few years ago by Monarch Models to paint an illustration of Gorgo for an upcoming release. I was treated to a prototype of the Gorgo model to work from, I knew of the movie (but never saw it) and being a former Aurora model builder myself, Monarch agreed that I had all of the requirements to be a part of the legacy of being a model box artist! A detail of the pencil sketch can be found inside my sketchbook, A Fistful Of Lead. My only direction was that the illustration should resemble a companion box for Aurora's Godzilla. I remember those glorious years building models as a young boy with. My favorites were, of course, Aurora's line of Famous Monsters with wonderful James Bama paintings that were just mesmerizing to me and all my friends and remain classics today. I'm sure those don't need any introduction. But, Monarch might. So, the news that I received is that Monarch will release Gorgo in time for Christmas this year! Check online or your favorite hobby dealer. My painting was originally commissioned and completed over 3 years ago. So, I have been just as anxious as any model collector to grab this off of the shelf. I'll be building mine with my sons!

From New Album 1/21/08 10:23 PM

Watch out! Zombie!

Here's a recent cover painting for a very enjoyable read from American Fantasy Press. It's the first collection of short stories featuring detective John Justin Mallory, the hero by Mike Resnick. The brand new hard cover publication will be available in time for Mike Resnick's Guest of Honor appearance at the 2012 World Science Fiction Convention. There's eight stories featuring a hard boiled detective from our world unhappily stranded in a Manhattan filled with trolls, pink elephants, blue nosed reindeer, powerful demons, and Mallory's office cat / sidekick Felina. You can read more about the book at the website: www.americanfantasypress.com Thanks to Robert Garcia for another incredible project and subject matter for me to work with. Bob and I sat down at the Windy City Pulp and Paperback Convention and roughed out a cover concept. From there I developed the drawing for approval and moved forward on the finish painting. The cover is directly inspired from a scene in the story, "Stalking The Zombie" which appears in this collection for the first time. I also did two black and white spot illustrations for the interior.

Yours Truly Johnny Dollar

The first in a series of cover illustrations for Radio Archives is the classic detective, Johnny Dollar. The old time radio program, "Yours Truly Johnny Dollar" was no mystery to me! I've been a fan of the series for a number of years and it's one of my favorites. Along with music, I listen to a lot of OTR in my studio while working. So, it's very exciting for me to be involved with creating artwork for the Radio Archives collections. I really needed this cover to appeal to die hard fans of the show as well as for a possible new audience. After selecting a thumbnail concept, I developed a tight sketch for approval and then painted the finished art.






The collection is available in stores or directly from the Radio Archives website: www.radioarchives.com

Star Struck: Process

For my painting STAR STRUCK, I grabbed a rough thumbnail that was sitting in my sketchbook and quickly developed a concept and design influenced by the black and white illustrations from artist Virgil Finlay. I admire Finlay’s imagination, design and craftsmanship, especially with the female form.

My space heroine is so awe struck (or star struck) by the alien world around her that she has innocently fallen into danger - and without a ray gun at her side! While working on the composition and my drawing, I started to think about dramatic and effective color. That’s when a palette reminiscent of pulp covers by Hubert Rogers seemed like a good choice to me. Rogers has a wonderful sensibility of his subject matter with an attachment to art deco. My color choice made the image more romantic and dream like, which set a nice mood against the ensuing danger. Pulp covers are full of excitement with dramatic colors, pretty dames, cool costumes and ugly monsters. My alien world draws our victim close enough to be dragged into an unknown world or… to her doom.



SKETCH: After roughing out a design and composition on paper based on my thumbnail, I gathered my photo references and spent time focusing on my star struck girl, designing her art deco space suit and dramatic lighting from the stars that surround her. I then transfer the drawing and develop a tighter drawing directly on the illustration board.

In the past, I enjoyed the process of working out very finished pencil drawings where I was solving all obstacles, putting all my thoughts down on paper and spending an average of 3 -5 hours working on studies before even thinking about painting. Recently, I have decided to spend more time working and drawing directly on the board. I gain more time against a deadline and enjoying the immediacy of painting.



ON THE BOARD: Working on a gessoed illustration board, I developed a detailed drawing using color pencils; light umber, terra cotta, indigo blue and light violet. I start painting with Liquitex acrylics by blocking in darks (Payne’s Grey) with flat brushes and introduce some more color (Raw Umber and Burnt Sienna). Once I start usinig a #4 round for details I know I’m about to broadly apply glazes with the Iwata HP-C air brush. I quickly cut some acetate masks with an x-acto blade around the figure, the alien, the red planet above, and the planet below.





COLOR: I lay masks over the figure, the alien at her legs, the planet above and the planet below and paint the background of stars and outer space, which allows me to establish the overall darks and lights. I then move onto the alien world and tentacles. While applying the acrylics with the airbrush I play with watercolor texture effects using rags and sponges.




FINISH: Once I add the strong yellow dramatic light on the figure and paint her space suit with Payne’s Grey and Brilliant Purple, I set the mood for a warm red planet at the top by applying Indo Orange Red and then Naphthol Red Light with the air brush. I wrap everything up by painting her flesh tone on her face and tying details together with a little more color pencil work and opaque paint and brushes. I spent approximately three 10 hour days on this project. Another day and a half pulling the article together and selecting photos.




Cover art and color inspiration by Hubert Rogers

(The original concise article was featured in the January 2011 issue of ImagineFX magazine. This post adds more insight and more photos into the step-by-step process.)

Wizard World Chicago Comic-Con

It's that time of the year again! I will be in Artist Alley with my friends from General Jack Cosmo Productions at the Chicago Comic-Con presented by Wizard World. Please stop by my table (3110-3112) and say "hello". I'll tell you all about what I've been up to as well as showcasing my recent Sketchbook: A Fistful Of Lead. Plus, there is also an extremely limited edition introduction to "New Dreaming Men" created by me and writer Aaron Shaps (General Jack Cosmo, Zeroids, Phantom Detective). More on NDM later, but Aaron and I will be offering 100 signed and numbered copies of NDM with the first introductory prose story, and black and white character paintings all behind a brand new full color card stock cover. It's a rip roaring, all ages pulp adventure to be published by Olympian Publishing.