Image with Pulp magazine Adventure logo
Earlier this year, for about two months, the Society of Illustrators had an exhibit of Robert Lesser's Pulp Art collection. To this day, it's the one show that really stood out to me while working there. I was amazed by these oil paintings- quickly slapped down by artists like HJ Ward, Norman Saunders, Rafael De Soto, etc. And despite some reviews here and there I've read about the work, I think the craftmanship is remarkable. Sure, they are a bit rushed, but they had to be in order to survive in that line of work. Ever since that show I've been wanting do something along those lines.
Doing a Damsel in Distress/ Femme Fatale on the cover only seemed right. At the same time, to go in with my heavy blacks and leave them with the job of defining shadows in this creepy jungle. Despite the lure of a sexy figure, that trail can't lead to anything good.
Final image without text
Initial thumbs and reference from my sketchbook
Pencil sketches under a layer of inked tracing paper
Linework
Also, don't ask me why, but after inking this, I realized those two bird have appeared in drawings of mine before. I can't help it. I like those two birds.
Speaking of birds, Happy Thanksgiving! Hope everyone has a nice week. I'll be in touch.
5 comments:
This is a great piece Johnny, I love the comic style and the mystery which invokes images in my head from one of my favorite artists, Frank Frazetta. I had just found your page while browsing artists from the 3x3 website. I am now a follower of your blog :)
Thanks Timothy, glad you're following my blog! I can see what you mean about Frazetta- definitely don't mind that! Thanks again!
love the ink drawing... love the final too... man, you're good!!! congratulations on all the work... have a happy thanksgiving johnny
It had an interesting journey to your world of feeling of aesthetics
I like the details.
A great treatment that makes this work so different and special.
congrat.
I love how you add all of your reference and sketches into your posts. It gives the image so much more life (as if that's possible). Great job as always, Mr. D.
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