The Belle Of The Ball

I apologize for not having posted for quite a while, but professional gigs have had me jumping through hoops...

But onward and upward! I simply HAD to share some of the terrific artwork recently posted on the CLASSIC HORROR FILM BOARD, by a lovely lass who goes by the name of "Belle Dee Bilbrey" on those boards. Her beautiful graphic interpretations of classic horror characters are so delightful that I immediately contacted Richard Klemenson of LITTLE SHOPPE OF HORRORS magazine and brought her work to his attention. He agreed that these snazzy little pieces were worthy of a place in his next issue. So look forward to seeing more of "Belle's" work in the near future.

Here are two wonderful examples. THE GIANT GILA MONSTER and Hammer's THE REPTILE...

2008 - The Sketchy Year In Review

The year 2008 certainly turned out to be interesting. I became an actor again, and 2009 should see the release of THE LOST SKELETON RETURNS AGAIN and possibly THE RESTROOM, which we hope to shoot in the early Spring. The coming year should also see the release of several art projects I worked on this past year - stuff I can't show you yet. Bill Warren's revised edition of "Keep Watching The Skies" and Midnight Marquee's mystery novel "Bela Lugosi and The House Of Doom" are just two you'll be seeing soon. In the meantime, here's a quick look back at some of the classic monster art created in the last twelve months...








I wish all of you a happy and healthy 2009. I'll be appearing at Wonderfest (Louisville, KY) and Monsterpalooza (Burbank, CA) this May, so I hope to see many of you there.

Have fun!

Happy Holidays...

...to all my friends and fans!!!

Forrest J. Ackerman

Forrest J. Ackerman 1916 - 2008

Thanks for everything, Uncle Forry.

Building The House Of Dracula Part 5

After giving myself a day away from the painting, I came back to it with a fresh perspective - a new set of eyes, if you will. I noticed a couple of small changes I wanted to make and took care of them. You'll notice these if you compare the two images. I am now satisfied with the painting and have signed it.

In the end, I am much happier with this version than I was with the first attempt at this same image. This one is moodier, richer in atmosphere than the previous painting. I want to thank Kirsten Perez for giving me the opportunity to reimagine this iconic image, one of my favorites from all the Universal horror classics.

There is one more step involved, but isn't worth posting here. Once the paint is thoroughly dry, a thin coat of retouching varnish will be applied, which will enhance the paintings luster in the tones and colors.

Now, back to the drawing board!

"I believe you're in the house of Dracula right now!" - Lawrence Talbot (Lon Chaney Jr.) from ABBOTT AND COSTELLO MEET FRANKENSTEIN.

Building The House Of Dracula Part 4

Now I begin to really breathe life into the painting. I start with the larger areas and work my way down to the more detailed parts. I try to use thicker paint on in the "foreground" areas, thinner paint in the background. This adds to the illusion of depth.

For those interested, these are the colors I used: Ultramarine and Prussian Blues, Veridian Green, Sap Green, Cadmium Orange and Yellow, Alizarin Crimson, Raw Sienna and Titanium White. I did not use black of any kind, and the fact is that I never do. I don't even own a tube of the stuff. I always prefer to "create" my own blacks, which are never really true black but a mix of colors that have a similar effect. Pure black from the tube always looks "flat" to me. It's a personal choice that I have stayed with since I started oil painting.

So this piece is just about finished. I don't want to over-work it, I want to keep it "painterly" - meaning a little loose and not quite so illustrative. I am actually liking this new painting much better than the first piece I did of the same subject.

The next step: The Final Step!

Monsters In Progress

Here's a sneak peek at two other oil paintings that are "in the works." The CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON piece is an image I had previously rendered in Prismacolor markers, but I am so taken with that moment from the film that I wanted to capture it in oils as well. The CURSE OF THE DEMON is such a startling character, I've wanted to paint him for quite a while. Both of these I'm doing without a rough sketch, just jumping in with tones and color. It's a little more challenging this way, but a bit faster and really fun!