Enlistee's art gallery!

[ThereWolf]

I was really excited when I saw the picture Mike sent of this portrait. Every portrait that I have commissioned from him is exceptional. Bringing something more out in the pictures themselves.

I will be sad. I used to love going to my email, waiting for the next coolest universal monster to come alive in paint thorugh a picture Mike sent.

Now...the collection is done.

For now (insert maniacal laugh here)

(or is it?)

Mike, I am sure somewhere down the road in 2008, you'll be hearing from me. I'll need a monster fix!   

[Illoman]

Keith, I have certainly had a blast doing these portraits for you. You have been an exceptional client to work with, and your enthusiasm for each piece is greatly appreciated.

Hope everyone enjoyed these, and I appreciate everyone's comments on them.

Mike

[fmofmpls]

I too am a very proud owner of an original oil painting by Mike Bennett. He captured the true beauty of my dear Helen. Helen Chandler that is. I have crossed oceans of time to find her, and thanks to Mike, I finally have.

[Meek]

       Here's another older watercolor--I honestly don't recall the year this was done but it now belongs to Ray Bradbury--given as a birthday gift.
       This is a deleted scene when Erik begs a kiss from Christine before he lets her go, she kisses him on the cheek and then he crawls away to die just like it is in the novel. I guess death by the combination of a final wish and a broken heart just wasn't exciting enough and instead the chase scene was filmed where Erik is killed by an angry mob. Just a small painting 5 x 4 inches.

      "Meek"

[MonsterArt]

Wow, so much good stuff here. Mike, Meek, everyone.

I've been doing quite a lot of commissions lately, and some just for fun.







And I know this one isn't exactly classic horror, but I do love the Apes! This was a commissioned watercolor...



Frank

[michblk]

Meek, Mike, Frank, your work is fantastic!  Thanks for sharing!

BK

[Meek]

    But wait, there's more! I've been digging in my painting files and have found a few more to share.
    Here's Dr. Mirakle and Erik and the recycled set from "Frankenstein". What I like best about this image is Mirakle's paternal hand on top of Erik's head. I've always liked this still ever since seeing it inside the one Crestwood House Monster Series books--it is right opposite of the title page.  Sorry the scan is so dark, the painting had far more detail and contrast to it.

     "Meek"

[Meek]

   
    A bit more "minkee" business. I'm a big fan of Charlie Gemora and any still that shows his gorilla suit in detail is a favorite of mine. I used this illustration for one of my "Ghastly Greetings" Valentine's Day cards---the text inside said "After weeks of searching, Dr. Mirakle found just the right poem to put in his Valentine:  "I love you. I love you. I love you I do. But don't get excited I love monkeys too."

      "Meek"
 

[Meek]

    Mind where you're putting your hands, Henry.
    Once again, this was used for a "Ghastly Greetings" Halloween card. The look on Fritz's face seems a bit worried so the text inside the card said:
   "In their haste to leave the laboratory, Fritz realised that not only had he forgotten to turn off the High Voltage Pyrogeyser but that he had also left the iron plugged in."
    By the way, "High Voltage Pyrogeyser" is the actual name for one of Strickfadden's electrical gizmos---I looked it up. The plugged in iron was homage to my Mum who is obsessive-compulsive.

     "Meek"

[The Drunken Severed Head]

Damn, Linda Miller, you are sooo talented!

You, Mr. Bennett and Mr. Dietz really know how to make monster fans swoon!

[Tom Smith Monsternut]

Amazing work all. It makes me want to take some time out from my regular comic computer color Schedule and break out the pencils and paint and do some fun monster art myself.

A question for my fellow working artists ..Don't you find when your working as an artist and doing it everyday you never have the time or the desire to sit down do something for yourself art wise in your off hours ?
Maybe not the desire ,that's not the right word..,I have that and would love to do some .. but it's like if you paint houses for a living everyday the last thing you want to do on your weekends is to paint your own house ..right ? The only bad thing "except for the lack of work sometimes" working in the art field is that creating art becomes a job and takes some of fun out of it.  Am I right ?

While I love working on the computer for my comic work " it is so easy to make corrections " I really miss getting my hands dirty while painting by hand. The only time I do things by hand is when I do Murals or commissions.. Check out some here.. http://comicartfans.com/GalleryDetail.asp?GCat=1645 or here for murals..http://comicartfans.com/GalleryRoom.asp?GSub=5036

That's it ! I'm inspired by you guys this year I start painting again. when i can find the time

Tom

[MonsterArt]

A question for my fellow working artists ..Don't you find when your working as an artist and doing it everyday you never have the time or the desire to sit down do something for yourself art wise in your off hours ?

It's funny, Tom. When I was at Disney, and animating/drawing their stuff all day long, I couldn't wait to get home and start drawing what I wanted to draw (monsters, of course). That's actually how the Sketchy Things series started.

What was more frustrating was when I was teaching drawing and painting. Helping other folks develop their artwork certainly had it's emotional payoff, but it drove me crazy not having the time or energy to work on my own stuff.

[Illoman]

A question for my fellow working artists ..Don't you find when your working as an artist and doing it everyday you never have the time or the desire to sit down do something for yourself art wise in your off hours ?
Maybe not the desire ,that's not the right word..,I have that and would love to do some .. but it's like if you paint houses for a living everyday the last thing you want to do on your weekends is to paint your own house ..right ? The only bad thing "except for the lack of work sometimes" working in the art field is that creating art becomes a job and takes some of fun out of it.  Am I right ?


Tom

Honestly, Tom, I have a regular job and do my art on the side. So what little time I do find for myself I try to do landscapes, which I do in a looser format, and I find it helps me when I paint portraits. In spite of all the monsters I've been painting of late, I have two monster paintings that I have been chipping away at for at least six months, that I am doing just for myself. One is a scene with the Monster and his Bride. The other is a pose of Lon Chaney as the Wolf Man, that I know I painted when I was young. I finally found a decent reproduction of the photo to work from, and wish I could finish it!! If I remember correctly, I used a pin up from an issue of Monster Times the first time around. I just wish I still had that painting. Back then, if I needed a canvas I would paint over whatever was laying around my room.

Mike

[Meek]

    Once in a while I get an actual paying customer but most of the time what I paint I paint for myself---I'd given up years ago trying to please other people who didn't know what they wanted. If, by chance they happen to like one of my paintings and want to adopt it--that's fine with me. I will confess to actually talking a few of the undecided into a painting that I really wanted to do. My black & white paintings are never work--as Vincent Van Gogh once wrote to his brother "My paintbrush goes between my fingers like a bow on a violin and purely for my own pleasure."

   "Meek

[Meek]

    Still more "minkee" business. Two things that were the cause of this painting being done---Mirakle's disolving into the pitchy shadows above the ladder and the way the light made Erik's fur shine. You can also see the arm extensions that Charlie Gemora used to give them the proper gorilla length--the fur "grows" in two different directions. More of the recycled "Frankenstein" set--even down to the anatomical charts on the wall.
    This painting belongs to Bob Burns.

   "Meek"