The last of the comic book cover parodies

Just a few more of my comic book cover parodies which were all created on the computer.

More oddball parodies

Here's Van Gogh with his famous painting "Shoes" and myself with a modern version.



A couple more of my comic book cover parodies. I've done about 145 of these so far. I'm going to submit them as a book idea hoping a publisher might be interested.

A few more comic book parodies

This ink drawing was originally done as part of a series of prints illustrating stories by Edgar Rice Burroughs that I used to sell at comic book conventions. This particular illustration was for The Land of Hidden Men, originally titled Jungle Girl. The art was rendered on Whatman's hot pressed illustration board using a crowquill pen. For this cover I scanned the art into my computer where the color and type was added.


In this illustration I combined my art with a few old engravings that I found. This is quite easy to do on the computer.


This illustration , minus the aircraft and dollar bills, was originally done for my book Drawing in Ink. It was part of a series demonstrating various brush ink drawing styles. Again, for this cover, the art was scanned into the computer where all the other elements were added.

More comic book cover parodies with aircraft

I have always been crazy for airplanes. I was an avid model builder when I was a kid and also did a lot of aircraft drawings at an early age. These are more examples of my limited edition series of comic book parody prints.


This was actually a sample illustration I did for my New York reps to show to art directors at book and paperback publishers. It was painted in acrylics on Whatman hot pressed illustration board.



These two covers were first drawn in ink, then scanned into the computer where the color and type were added. At an early age I was determined to be a comic book artist but my high school art teacher, Margaret Stein, steered me into the commercial and fine arts fields. I still have that old yearning which is probably why I create these covers.

A few more of my comic book cover parodies

At the beginning of the year I posted some of my comic book cover parodies which are all created on the computer, the basic drawings are done in ink and then scanned into the computer to add the color, logos and type. For the last couple of years I've been working on this series having completed 145 of them so far. They are 13 x 19" signed limited edition prints that I have exhibited in art centers and the Craig Smith Gallery in Harbert, Michigan. Here are three covers featuring combat aircraft.


This cover depicts a scene during the Spanish Civil War with German aircraft under attack by Polikarpov I-16's. The prominent aircraft in the scene is a German Messerschmitt ME 109 of the Condor Legion.


A World War I scene with British aircraft successfully attacking a German observation balloon with a German Fokker D.VII flying in the foreground.


Another WW I scene depicting the British Sopwith Camels knocking out a German dirigible.

These covers are a lot of fun to do, the computer is the perfect medium for creating these kinds of images. It's also a great way to practice and learn how to utilize the digital medium.

Unaltered photographs

Often I come upon scenes that are quite strange and would be difficult to imagine or to create.


This is what it looked like one foggy morning in Chicago, a very strange but beautiful scene.


An odd scene of a tunnel which I believe I photographed in Paris. Everything was just perfect for an instant, the mid-ground figure as well as the four figures entering the tunnel creating a perfect composition. It's a good idea to keep a camera handy to capture moments like these.


While riding a Paris bus I attempted a double exposure which worked out nicely. When attempting double exposures you never know just how the photo will turn out as pure luck plays a roll. You may have to try several shots before one really works.


Here's a photograph taken through my screen porch where I focused close on the screen itself throwing the background completely out of focus, creating a very interesting photograph.

Another photomontage experiment

Here is a shot of Tiff and I resting in my bedroom. It seems that he's always at my side.


The photograph is quite distorted and using the Skew Tool in Photoshop I was able to remedy that problem quickly.


Next I cropped the photograph.


I added a couple of red spheres, creating a photomontage.


I decided to try another version, this time using images of apples. I photographed the apples, outlined them in Photoshop then placed them in the scene.

More photomontage experiments

Above is a photo of my cats that I posted yesterday. I turned it into an interesting photomontage by adding five floating red spheres.


A couple of days ago I took this photo looking through my kitchen window. The perspective was distorted and I straightened it out using the Skew Tool in Photoshop which helped the image a great deal.


I added an outlined photo of a spider that I had photographed through my studio window and created a spooky photomontage. Interesting images can be created using rather mundane photos.

When my cats aren't sleeping...

I didn't have time to do a special post today so I'm posting a few cat pix.


Jpeg loves to sit up high on the beams in my house.


Here's a shot of Tiff and Laura loungimg in my studio. When I'm working they are usually nearby.


Jpeg loves to sit in sinks, she is the clown in the family.


Here is Laura strolling past Tiff who is inside a paper bag.


Another pic of Jpeg sitting in a sink.


A poster that I did of Jpeg watching me at work.

Paintings finished for Craig's party

The Craig Smith Gallery is having a dinner party this evening and Craig wanted me to finish a couple of paintings in a new series that I have been working on. Here is one of the new paintings. Incidentally, a digital version of this image was also used on the cover of my book DIGITAL DREAMS which is available from Xlibris.com. Next to it hangs a computer sketch for another painting.


Another computer sketch for a possible painting.


A couple more sketches that may develop into paintings.




My cats keep me company while I work. Here's Tiff lounging in a basket and Laura behind him laying amongst a bunch of computer wires, her favorite spot in my studio.


Another place that Laura loves is to lay under my Beseler projector. I use the Beseler to project sketches onto my canvases. Years ago most commercial artists used projectors of one sort or another in their illustration work. Working under tough deadlines made it imperative to employ time saving devices like this.


Here is Jpeg, a very funny cat, stretching by my laptop.

Sketches for paintings done on the computer

Above is a poster that I designed for the dinner party that my gallery is having next Saturday. The poster was created on the computer using Photoshop Elements 2.0.
Craig asked if I might have a couple of my new paintings ready to exhibit by then. I am currently working on a new series of paintings based on computer sketches and experiments.


Here is an abstract figure study that I hope to have finished in time to exhibit at the party. On each side of the painting you can see the preliminary sketches which were done on my computer.


Another abstract figure study which I am working on. My cats seem to like this one.


Here is the figure study almost finished.

More red sphere experiments

Here's my cat's red ball that I frequently use in my photomontages.


I first took a photograph of myself in the bathroom mirror, then flopped the image and added the red ball.


This odd shot of a stairwell gets even more interesting with the addition of the red ball.


A bland scene scene near my home which becomes a fun montage.


This photo was taken in St. Augustine recently and it becomes intriguing with the red ball as an element.

A few more photos

Before sunrise I often enjoy a wonderful scene like this while strolling the Lake Michigan beach near Sawyer.


The gulls add interest to these two photos.


A bright, crisp morning for a nice walk.


This scene was photographed in the late afternoon.


A dramatic sunset with a lone bird, a lucky shot.