DerekMonster

more Kaiju anatomy

2011-09-20T10:19:00.001-07:00

i never get tired of Kaiju-related anatomical artwork ( thanks again monsterbrains )

TINTIN meets LOVECRAFT part 2

2011-09-19T15:37:00.000-07:00

I just love these fantastic HPL/TINTIN Book Cover Illustrations from artist Murray Groat:

TR!CKSTER SYMPOSIA

2011-06-14T08:23:00.000-07:00

TICKETS have gone on sale for the TR!CKSTER SYMPOSIA series. These are a series of in depth workshops and discussions taking place during TR!CKSTER. Some amazing talent is lined up, including Mike Mignola, Jill Thompson, Skottie Young, Doug TenNapel, Scott Morse, Jamie Baker and Ted Mathot. As if that wasn't exciting enough, Brian McDonald will be doing a compact version of INVISIBLE INK.

I'm also happy to report that I will be participating in 2 of the SYMPOSIA: "VISUAL STORYTELLING IN COMICS AND FILM", and "WORLD-BUILDING and the IMMACULATE REALITY"

TR!CKSTER

2011-05-17T07:57:00.000-07:00

TR!CKSTER is coming...

SET

2011-04-12T13:38:00.001-07:00

My piece for the upcoming TR!CKSTER Project...

ONE-Benefit Art Auction-THIS SATURDAY

2011-03-31T10:06:00.000-07:00

MAVERIX STUDIOS ART AUTION AND BENEFIT FOR JAPAN RELIEF is this Saturday- April 2 · 7:00pm - 10:00pm @ The New People 1746 Post Street San Francisco, CA 94115 (415) 525-8630

We are pre-registering all potential bidders in order to cut down on the "waiting in line" time at the event. If you plan to bid on some of the 50+ amazing pieces (http://maverixstudios.blogspot.com), please send the following info to Xiaojing at PUREXJ@GMAIL.COM

First & last name
Billing address
Email
Phone

Once you are registered, you will receive a BIDDER NUMBER to use for the auction. All information will remain CONFIDENTIAL.

MONONOKE HIME (1980)

2011-03-29T10:00:00.000-07:00

How cool is this?!!

I had no idea that the great HAYAO MIYAZAKI produced a book in 1980 called MONONOKE HIME. It's a beautiful fable and one can't help but wonder why it wasn't made into a movie..

It's done entirely in loose an vibrant watercolor paintings...bold, elegant and beautiful...

One can certainly see elements of both MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO and PRINCESS MONONOKE percolating here, but it is a wildy different story...

What a treat---Enjoy the entire translated book HERE- !

O N E - ひとつ

2011-03-22T10:43:00.001-07:00

Maverix Art Auction Benefit for Japan Relief
Together we can become "ONE" to make a difference.

Location : SuperFrog Gallery ,

1746 Post St , New People building , top floor,
San Francisco, CA 94115

Date APRIL 2 , 2011
Gallery doors open at noon

Bidding + Party starts 7 pm,

Silent Auction Bidding ends at 930 pm

Join us for the upcoming silent auction party ,
for the rare chance to bring home original art
from celebrated artists in the animation & film industry
(Pixar, Lucas, Dreamworks, Nickelodeon to name a few ),
including:

Dice Tsusumi, Robert Valley,
Ronnie Del Carmen, Enrico Casarosa,
Scott Morse, Bill Presing,
Lou Romano,Cam De Leon, Tooru Terada,
Daniel Simon, John Waishank,
Patrick Awa,Joey Chou, Ed Bell,
Todd Ueminami, Marcos Mateu,
Mari Inukai ,Yoriko Ito, Jackie Huang,
Soosa Kim, Jamie Baker, Alina Chou, Oren Haskins,
Sei Nakashima, Julia Lundman, Le Tang,
Ted Mathot ,Tom Rubalcava, Derek Thompson,
Sho Murase, Sergio Paez, Vaughn Ross, Miya Ando ,
Kent Williams ....and many more !

SuperFrog , Maverix and ArtistsHelpJapan are donating 100% of all proceeds to Artists Help Japan Fund with Mercy Corps

I drew this picture of GAMERA for my contribution:

ARTISTS HELP JAPAN

2011-03-14T09:42:00.001-07:00

In the aftermath of the devastating Earthquake and Tsunami in Japan, we are reminded of how important it is to contribute support any way possible.

The mighty DICE TSUTSUMI has helped organize and establish the ARTISTS HELP JAPAN Emergency Fund, working with GIVE2ASIA ,which is responding directly to the immediate needs of survivors as well as contributing to short-term and long-term recovery projects.

There will be an upcoming Benefit Art Auction ( details forthcoming ), but in the meantime, please don't hesitate to HELP!

MONSTER AVALANCHE 3!

2011-03-03T07:54:00.000-08:00

Here's the last batch of NEW MONSTERS for ECCC...WE head to Seattle tonight and the 3 day show starts Friday...

MONSTER AVALANCHE 2!

2011-03-02T07:51:00.000-08:00

MONSTER AVALANCHE!

2011-03-01T07:07:00.001-08:00

...More NEW monster drawings for the upcoming ECCC-!

LOTS of NEW MONSTERS

2011-02-27T10:16:00.000-08:00

MORE NEW MONSTERS

2011-02-26T15:54:00.001-08:00

NEW MONSTERS for ECCC 2011

2011-02-26T15:48:00.000-08:00

I've drawn 36 brand new MONSTERS for the upcoming 2011 EMERALD CITY COMIC CON.
These were drawn on Canson and Pastel paper, using a Mechanical Pencil, some Sharpies, PrismaColor Pencils and Markers...

I'll have the originals for sale at our ECCC booth, which I'll be sharing with TED MATHOT and JAMIE BAKER. After the show, I'll make the remaining sketches available for sale via this blog.

If you are in Seattle March 4-6, come by the show and say hello!

"MONSTERS, MUPPETS & MOVIES"

2011-02-17T16:12:00.000-08:00

Here's an illuminating and inspiring talk that my friend and fellow GOJIRA acolyte JOHN STEVENSON did for DICE 2011...thoughtful and wise musings on Harryhausen, Henson and the creative spirit....ENJOY-!

TINTIN meets LOVECRAFT

2010-11-22T11:35:00.000-08:00

I'm loving these H.P. Lovecraft inspired TINTIN book covers that artist Murray Groat has designed...spot on!

APE 2010

2010-10-15T17:33:00.000-07:00

I'll be exhibiting @ the ALTERNATIVE PRESS EXPO this weekend in San Francisco....I'll be sitting with Ted Mathot @ table #106...come on by and say hey!

MONSTERS FROM ABROAD

2010-09-22T10:06:00.000-07:00

Whenever I travel, I'm always on the lookout for Monsters, Creatures and Mythical Beasts represented in Art and Architecture...I recently returned from a trip through London and Northern Italy ( Lake Como, Tuscany, Venice ), and thought I'd share a sampling of what I found there:

THE FIRST ATOMIC MONSTER

2010-09-01T11:02:00.000-07:00

People often forget that GODZILLA wouldn't exist if it wasn't for the influence and success of the 1953 Sci Fi classic, THE BEAST FROM 20,000 FATHOMS. This was indeed the first movie where a giant monster is awakened my a nuclear blast and proceeds lay waste to New York.

The RHEDOSAURUS, a fictional dinosaur-hybrid, was one of Ray Harryhausen's most memorable creations, and it left a vivd impression on me growing up. I remember being particularly affected by the final scene where the BEAST meets it's end in an amusement park inferno...

lost ROD SERLING interview

2010-08-31T17:19:00.001-07:00

AICN has posted an awesome find...a lost interview from 1970 with TV icon Rod Serling....awesome!

Upcoming @ ARLUDIK

2010-08-31T11:23:00.000-07:00

my good friends IAIN McCAIG and PAUL TOPOLOS have a show coming up at the ARLUDIK GALLERY on the Ile Saint Louis in Paris starting September 9th. If you're in the area, make sure and stop by to see the show...afterwards you can get some delicious Berthillon Ice Cream, which I still dream about...mmmmm.

Little Yellow Dinosaur

2010-08-25T10:23:00.000-07:00

I love this cool image from a Viewmaster set from 1971 called THE LITTLE YELLOW DINOSAUR...besides being awesome, it gets bonus points for showcasing the elusive Albino Pterodactyl!

don't be afraid of the dark

2010-08-03T10:42:00.000-07:00

a TEASER is up for the remake of DON'T BE AFRAID OF THE DARK, a 1973 TV movie that traumatized me as a kid...the footage screened at Comic Con was apparently very intense and scary.

while i'm normally dubious about remakes, this looks like it could be well done...we'll find out in January when it opens...

HPL YEAH!

2010-07-28T21:20:00.000-07:00

IT'S ABOUT TIME

CON ABSENTIA

2010-07-20T13:18:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to post an alert that I will NOT be @ SDCC this year...I'll have more updates regarding my upcoming Convention schedule and DEREKMONSTER 2010 in the not too distant future!

Meanwhile, please enjoy this drawing of SLEESTAKS!

GODZILLA PRIZE DRAWING

2010-06-30T17:01:00.001-07:00

oh yeah... here's my GODZILLA prize drawing!

GODZILLA CONTEST WINNER

2010-06-30T16:54:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Charles Santos from Australia...He is the winner of the GODZILLA contest!
I really dug his piece in terms of Design, Execution and Old-School flavor...
You can see all of the other entries HERE, along with the FULL interview.

Thanks to Bobby Chiu for putting it all together and thanks to everyone who participated and tuned in!

INTERVIEW and CONTEST

2010-06-26T14:26:00.000-07:00

This coming Wednesday, June 30th, I'll be doing a live interview with designer Bobby Chiu via SKETCHAHOLIC. He'll be asking me questions about my art and career, and we'll be announcing the winner of the online contest live during the interview. The Topic is GODZILLA and the winner gets an original GODZILLA drawing by yours truly...

MORE FRENCH 3-D MONSTERS

2010-06-18T09:56:00.000-07:00

Roxan Carle, the Teacher at the "Bellecour école d'Art" school in France who gave the 'DerekMonster' assignment, has passed along more examples of 3D interpretations of my monsters by students there...it's so fun to see the designs living and breathing in a new way!

Thanks to Gwendolyn Garan, Frederique Barbant, Sarah Ennaime, Ludovic Gavillet, Tom Gouill, Mickael Lelievre, Yann Moriaud and Yann Trioulayre for your hard work!

DEREKMONSTER IN 3-D

2010-06-16T13:41:00.000-07:00

This is a 3D version of one of my monsters from French student Jules Pinhede, who, along with a class from the 'Bellecour école d'Art' school there, have gotten an assignment to interpret different monsters of mine in the computer...cool!

GRICKLE

2010-06-04T16:06:00.000-07:00

DRAWN has posted a nice interview with the mighty Graham Annable, aka GRICKLE...I'm a big fan of his work and it's great to get a glimpse into his creative process...in the interview, he talks about his art, his films ( including my fave, THE HIDDEN PEOPLE ), game work, and his new BOOK OF GRICKLE ...

EXIT THROUGH THE GIFT SHOP

2010-06-01T11:54:00.000-07:00

I finally saw this amazing documentary over the weekend and I have to say it's one of the most exciting films i've seen in a while. A film by the mysterious and infamous artist Banksy, EXIT THROUGH THE GIFT SHOP offers a glimpse inside the hidden world of Street Art, but goes well beyond it, examining the role of art on the fringe of culture... and like some of my favorite documentaries, the film mutates into something quite different than what it sets out to be at the outset....A MUST SEE!

Frank Frazetta RIP

2010-05-10T11:39:00.001-07:00

One of my all time favorite artists passed away today...Rest In Peace, Frank

THE HOBBIT by TOVE JANSSON

2010-05-07T10:07:00.000-07:00

When I was young my Mom took a course on European Children's Literature, and one of the books she gave me from the course to read was Tove Jasson's FINN FAMILY MOOMINTROLL. I loved it, reading it many times over, and I've always had a warm spot in my heart for the characters and for the beautiful illustrations...

I was delighted to discover that DRAWN has posted a link to JANSSON'S illustrations for THE HOBBIT, which I was previously unaware of....ENJOY!

THE NEW GOJIRA?

2010-05-06T09:45:00.000-07:00

/Film has posted what MIGHT be the new design for the upcoming American GODZILLA film...
I think it looks pretty cool and honors the traditional design history, but it's missing something...'character' maybe? That said, Godzilla should be fearsome, unsettling and primal, so maybe stripping the personality is the way to go for the reboot..

HYENA DEMON

2010-05-02T13:49:00.000-07:00

This is a commision I just finished based on the Hyena Demon from ABE SAPIEN: DRUMS OF THE DEAD...

GODZILLA MODE

2010-05-02T11:06:00.001-07:00

These are some sketches of GODZILLA that I did during the WonderCon...

BIRTHDAY CARD

2010-04-22T11:09:00.000-07:00

My pal Josh Cooley made this awesome Birthday Card for me yesterday...i just had to share it...

THE GODZILLAS THAT WEREN'T

2010-04-01T09:41:00.000-07:00

Believe it or not, therer were two American GODZILLA projects that never quite made it out of the gate and were, for monetary reasons and more, never completed or realized...

In 1983 a GODZILLA 3-D project was developed by Steve Minor, with a script by cult favorite, FRED DEKKER ( Monster Squad, House ), and Concept Art and Storyboards by the legendary WILLIAM STOUT...
more on the Plot details and project history HERE.

Years later, JAN De BONT, hot off the success of SPEED, was slated to do GODZILLA..one HUGE ballooning budget later ( rumored @ 150+ million in early 1990's dollars ), the Studio pulled the plug...Stan Winston Studios was doing the creature work and G would battle some monster called Gryphon ( seen below in an early Carlos Huante design ):

...and although it wasn't produced for a specific Film project, I like this interpretation of Godzilla by sculptor Tony McVey:

WORTHY FOR REBOOT

2010-03-29T13:42:00.000-07:00

VARIETY reports that a GODZILLA reboot is finally coming to fruition...COUNT ME IN!

GRASSROOTS

2010-03-23T09:34:00.000-07:00

At long last, the CREATOR-CON effort is underway..!

FLASHBACK

2010-03-22T09:45:00.000-07:00

I was browsing the always enjoyable MONSTER BRAINS blog the other day when I stumbled across an image that made my heart skip a beat...this is the cover of a book I had as a kid called HOW TO DRAW MONSTERS, a book I haven't laid eyes on or really thought about at all since then...
Using the power of the INTERWEBS, I quickly tracked down a used ( like new ) copy and am now eagerly awaiting it's arrival in my mailbox. I can't for the life of me remember any specifics about what lay on the pages within, but I'm excited to take a trip down memory lane....I'll report my findings in the near future-

EMERALD CITY

2010-03-12T12:06:00.000-08:00

I'll be exhibiting at the EMERALD CITY COMICON in Seattle this Saturday and Sunday. I'll be at Booth # 606 with my pals Ted Mathot and Jamie Baker, so if you're in the area come on by and say HELLO!

PIPELORD

2010-03-06T14:46:00.000-08:00

Here is a drawing of PIPELORD for an upcoming charity auction...I hope to resume more frequent posting soon-thanks for your patience!

NEW MONSTER PAINTINGS

2009-12-03T09:59:00.000-08:00

I've finally wrapped up work on a new batch of monster paintings !!

These are for the upcoming ROOT BRANCH Winter Art Exhibit at MAVERIX STUDIOS...some of these beasts have been lingering in my studio in an unfinished state for well over a year, so it feels really, REALLY good to finish them!

CTN Animation Expo

2009-11-18T09:40:00.000-08:00

I'll be attending the CTN Animation Expo this weekend, doing some LIVE monster-drawing demonstrations as well as participating in a PIXAR Story Panel. If you are in the LA/Burbank area and you are a fan of Animation, this might be the show for you. My schedule is as follows:

-Demo #1 : Friday @ 6pm

-PIXAR Story Panel : Saturday @ 12pm

-Demo #2 :Sunday @ 10am

There are many other Demos, Speakers, Panels and Screenings listed on the CTNX site...

Anatomy Of Japanese Folk Monsters

2009-10-26T11:47:00.001-07:00

I just can't get enough of these ANATOMICAL DRAWINGS of various monsters from Japanese Folklore. These are from a book called YOKAI DAIZUKAI by manga artist Shigeru Mizuki. I want this book!!!

ILLUSTRATED HORROR FILM POSTERS

2009-10-26T10:44:00.000-07:00

These days, illustrated film posters are increasingly rare. So, in celebration of this diminishing art form, here's a GREAT collection of 100 illustrated posters for horror films: PART ONE and PART TWO.

APE 2009

2009-10-16T21:51:00.000-07:00

Here's an awesome Polish PLANET OF THE APES poster to celebrate this weekend's convention, APE 2009-! If you've never been the the ALTERNATIVE PRESS EXPO before, it's definitely worth a look. Ted and I will be situated at Table #267-!!

Corben Ape Thing

2009-10-08T11:27:00.001-07:00

Love this little Richard Corben panel from an 1974 TARZAN strip he did...

BIZARRE GELATINOUS CREATURE

2009-09-28T22:29:00.000-07:00

"...not good for eating."

even more ERAGON creeps...

2009-09-20T17:00:00.000-07:00

more ERAGON creeps...

2009-09-20T16:50:00.000-07:00

Some of the development drawings that preceded the artwork from my earlier ERAGON post...

CEREBUS THE BARBARIAN

2009-09-20T16:14:00.000-07:00

Here's a recently finished commision based on Dave Sim's CEREBUS THE AARDVARK...it was especially fun to do since i'd never really drawn a finished CEREBUS piece before-!

VACATION

2009-09-04T18:25:00.001-07:00

I will be on vacation in KAUAI until September 16th. I can't quite decide which of these KONG faces better describes the feeling ...

SITHISIS: Visual Development

2009-09-03T10:18:00.001-07:00

Back in 2004-2005, I did a 14 page story for STAR WARS: VISIONARIES, a graphic novel designed and created with fellow artists from the EPISODE III Art Department. We were given more or less free rein to do our own take on our favorite Star Wars characters. With DARK HORSE set to publish, and LUCASFILM'S blessing, we all set out to create our stories.

I wanted to do a piece centered on the Dark Lord of the Sith, PALPATINE, and I wanted it to give the reader a glimpse of some arcane and secret Sith Ritual.

I had lots of fun coming up with ideas and possibilities, generating a bunch of sketches and designs. I was even able to arrange a phone interview with Ian McDiarmid, who portrayed Emperor Palpatine in the films, and discuss with him some of his impressions and ideas he had about the character. He was very gracious and insightful, and complimentary of my approach and the drawings I'd done...

ERAGON creeps

2009-09-03T09:54:00.000-07:00

Here are some creature designs I did for the feature film adaptation of the popular fantasy novel, ERAGON back in 2005...I got called in specifically to take a pass at the RA'ZAC, ringwraith-like meanies who pursue the boy hero. The major brief from director Stefen Fangmeier was to avoid visual parallels to the Lord of the Rings villains, so I took them in another direction. This was a fun bit of design work, and the last bit of pure freelance that I did before I started work on WALL-E in the beginning of 2005...

Belated COMIC CON Photos pt.2

2009-08-11T23:27:00.001-07:00

This guy gets the prize for the most chilling JOKER costume...scared me right out of focus....

Special E-VILLE Agent Anita Coulter showcases some product with the help of Wonder Woman and Green Lantern...

E-VILLE Booth crew in effect...Ted, Nina and Stephan help make the magic happen.

Now there's some dedication...Wonder Twin Powers-ACTIVATE!

ARRRRRR....

This dude gets my vote for Best CON Tee-Shirt.

Belated COMIC-CON Photos

2009-08-11T07:48:00.000-07:00

Since returning from this years Comic-Con, I've been up to the gills in work, so I haven't had a chance to post any photos from the show....here's a sample of some memorable moments:

Here's our booth...Ted at the ready...

The Convention floor was pretty much this crowded all 5 days. An absolute sea of humanity...

Fantastic New School and Old School TRANSFORMERS costumes! Bumblebee had a huge mob of fans wherever he went...

POTA crew...awesome!

I've seen more and more elaborate and groovy STEAMPUNK related costumes in recent years...these two were a couple standouts...

Once again, Jamie and Rhode knock it out of the park as the DISCIPLES OF COMIC BOT!!

And finally, there was this crazy Furry-Squirrel running around and looking creepy. I had to get a shot...according to reports I read later, this might actually have been JOHNNY DEPP, roaming the CON floor undercover. Seriously?...

COMIC-CON INTERNATIONAL

2009-07-14T10:09:00.000-07:00

It's almost time for the 40th edition of the COMIC-CON INTERNATIONAL!

I've been attending this show on a regular basis since the late seventies, but it still never ceases to amaze me...

You'll be able to find me, along with the mighty TED MATHOT, at Booth # 1215...on Row #12 towards the front 1/3 of the building. We're listed as : E-VILLE/DEREKMONSTER/ROSE &ISABEL.

In addition to my brand new DEREKMONSTER ANNUAL 2009, I'll have last year's ANNUAL, along with my GNOMON DVD and original artwork for sale. The book will also be available for sale on this blog, however we won't be fulfilling any orders until after the CON...

See you in San Diego!

COVER

2009-07-02T10:15:00.001-07:00

CRUNCH TIME!

2009-06-12T09:54:00.000-07:00

Just a few days left before the DEREKMONSTER ANNUAL 2009 goes off to the printer...I'm finalizing layout now, adding last minute color tweaks and trying to finish the cover, which has been a real challenge...

There will be 32 FULL COLOR monsters in the center of the book this time around, distinguishing it from previous editions...

The book should be hot off the press just in time to debut at the 40th Annual COMIC CON INTERNATIONAL in San Diego next month!

MONSTER BRAINS

2009-05-08T13:49:00.000-07:00

Somehow I missed this awesome blog run by Aeron Alfrey..

MONSTER BRAINS has been going strong since 2006 and it's filled to the brim with all kinds of fantastic monster artwork...tons of vintage and contemporary stuff...what a treasure trove for monster lovers!

it's going to take me a while to sift through all of the archives there, but Ican't wait to dig in...!

California Academy Of Sciences

2009-04-21T10:14:00.000-07:00

I finally got a chance to visit the newly remodeled and revitalized CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES in Golden Gate Park over the weekend....and it was great! My mom was up visiting from San Diego and she joined Nina and I as we finally made the effort to check out the new Museum. The crowds were reasonable ( apparently it's been an INSANE wait to get in for months and months... ) The architecture and design of the place struck us right away...very modern, green, and cool.

Right away we saw the resident Albino Alligator who lives in a big swamp pit there along with giant snapping turtles. Wandering through the beautifully designed and multi-leveled RAINFOREST was particularly exciting.

In it, one is surrounded by butterflies, birds and amphibians of all sorts...it had a very magical and ethereal effect, although the heat and humidity combined with the crowds made it a little more challenging...

We cooled off, though, as we descended beneath the enclosure into a vast web of aquariums, which were populated by all kinds of strange fishes, amphibians and reptiles...tons of great reference for my upcoming DerekMonster Annual 2009...

Afterwards, we climbed to the beautiful Living Roof and enjoyed the views of the park and of the neighboring and recently rebuilt De Young Museum...

The Academy is a great spot to visit if you're in the Bay Area, and it was well worth the $25 price of admission....I'll be going back there for sure.

1906 Anniversary Photos and Event!

2009-04-17T10:11:00.000-07:00

Cool item from SFGATE today...On the eve of the 103rd anniversary of the Great Earthquake and Fires of 1906, some RARE PHOTOS have been released...

And if you're in San Francisco this Saturday, you can gather at a 1906 themed celebration at the CASTRO THEATER, featuring live Barbary Coast Music and culminating in a screening of the 1936 classic SAN FRANCISCO!

The WARREN Influence

2009-04-15T10:14:00.000-07:00

I spent a good deal of my childhood reading and enjoying the magazines of WARREN PUBLISHING. In CREEPY and EERIE I found and devoured fantastic and macabre horror and monster stories. My first ever magazine subscription was to FAMOUS MONSTERS OF FILMLAND, which, under the guidance of the late, great Forrest J. Ackerman, introduced me to a wealth of genre movies. Many of the FMOF covers were painted by the amazing Basil Gogos, who was a huge influence that fed my early desire to learn how to paint.

Click HERE to enjoy a massive treasure trove of cover artwork from the Warren Magazines, which includes many pieces by two of my other painting heroes, Frank Frazetta and Richard Corben ...

Japanese Monster Mummies

2009-04-13T10:50:00.001-07:00

Check out this survey of the MUMMIFIED MONSTER REMAINS of demons, mermaids, kappa, tengu, and other japanese creatures that are on display throughout Japan....

Thanks to BKO for bringing this to my attention, and to the Pink Tentacle for continuing to post so much cool stuff...!

Where The Wild Things Are

2009-04-07T09:48:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite books growing up was WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE, the beloved children's classic by Maurice Sendak.

I couldn't be more excited about the upcoming film adaptation by Spike Jonez...especially in light of the images that have been released along with this magical TRAILER.

EMERALD CITY CON: APRIL 4-5

2009-04-01T09:52:00.000-07:00

Convention Season keeps on rolling as we exhibit in Seattle this weekend for the EMERALD CITY COMICON!!

Ted Mathot and I will be there with our Books, DVD's and Original Art...so come on by and say hello if you're in the area! Booth # 606

WONDER-CON 2009

2009-02-24T11:13:00.000-08:00

Convention Season is upon us! If you are in San Francisco at the Wonder-Con, come on by and visit the E-VILLE PRESS Booth (# 920)...Ted Mathot and I will be there with our books, DVD's and original artwork...See you there!

Kaiju Anatomy

2009-01-21T10:36:00.000-08:00

How cool is this...Anatomical drawings of GIANT MONSTERS!!

Check out more at the Pink Tentacle and make sure to click through to modern_fred's Flickr set...tons of great images.

I'll have another post soon about the influence the DAIKAIJU have had on me...

Love These Monster Stamps!

2009-01-12T09:40:00.000-08:00

These are my new favorite stamps, by Bay Area artist Adam McCauley...Well Done!

Go Chargers!!

2009-01-05T10:10:00.001-08:00

Back To Work...

2009-01-05T10:00:00.000-08:00

1906 is rumbling....

New Year Monster

2009-01-05T09:53:00.000-08:00

Happy 2009 Everyone....

HOLIDAY READING

2008-12-30T15:29:00.000-08:00

THE GRAPES OF WRATH by John Steinbeck

I recently finished reading THE GRAPES OF WRATH, another amazing book by John Steinbeck. Over the last year or so, I've read a number of his books for the first time, delighting in the discovery that somehow I hadn't been required to read them in school. I feel lucky, as no author that I've read in years comes close to Steinbeck for managing such incredible storytelling so consistently.

While THE GRAPES OF WRATH joins EAST OF EDEN and OF MICE AND MEN as my favorite of his works, I still highly recommend pursuing other Steinbeck volumes, such as the Monterey themed CANNERY ROW, SWEET THURSDAY, and TORTILLA FLAT.

For those interested in lifting the curtain to witness Steibeck's process, I'd also HIGHLY recommend checking out JOURNAL OF A NOVEL: The EAST OF EDEN Letters.

TEATRO GROTTESCO by Thomas Ligotti

A great recent discovery...and completely by accident too! Ligotti's Weird Fiction evokes elements of H.P.Lovecraft and Franz Kafka while maintaining a very distinctive voice. This book is a good Ligotti-Primer, collecting some genuinely creepy and disturbing stories...I loved it and have sought after some of Ligotti's harder to find collections.

DARK GODS by T.E.D Klein

I got this book after I'd read a creepy story called "THE EVENTS AT POROTH FARM", in a collection of American Supernatural Fiction.

T.E.D. Klein, a modern practitioner of the "Lovecraftian Form", wrote very few novellas and the four collected in DARK GODS are really effective and nearly as enjoyable as "THE EVENTS AT POROTH FARM". Interestingly, T.E.D. Klein greatly expanded this story for his novel, "THE CEREMONIES". For me, though, the longer form didn't help. It bogs down in the pacing and lessens the impact of the novella. Maybe these kinds of creepy tales fare better in the Short form...

Here are some other books in my On-Deck Circle:

BAMBI Vs. GODZILLA by David Mamet

MONEYBALL by Michael Lewis

SHUTTER ISLAND by Dennis Lehane

Alternative Press Expo

2008-10-30T10:11:00.000-07:00

I'll be exhibiting at the APE this weekend, representing E-VILLE Press.

I'll have copies of the 2006 and 2008 DerekMonster Annual, my Gnomon DVD, Afterworks 2 and original artwork for sale.

Come by table #234 and say hello!

Hallow Monster

2008-10-30T10:10:00.001-07:00

Squat Monster

2008-10-16T10:18:00.001-07:00

happy friday monster

2008-09-12T09:44:00.000-07:00

$201,236.00 !!!

2008-09-10T14:07:00.000-07:00

WOW...the initial results are in from the TOTORO FOREST PROJECT Auction last Saturday..

$201,236.00!!!

It was a really amazing event and I hope to share some pictures as they trickle in...

Every single piece of artwork was sold, raising enough money to purchase a 1/2 acre of Sayama Forest in Japan, birthplace of Totoro...

You can follow up on more details at the official TFP Blog!

Warm-Up Monster

2008-09-09T10:29:00.001-07:00

here's a quick morning monster to get warmed up....

LOVECRAFT IN FILM Pt. 2 : Beyond The Horror Cosmic

2008-08-24T14:38:00.000-07:00

The notion that the universe is not only far beyond man's understanding, but hostile towards him as well, was a common theme in H.P. Lovecraft's stories. Woe to the poor soul who crosses paths with one of these malevolent, extraterrestrial forces. Few films come closer to epitomizing this idea than Ridley Scott's 1979 masterpiece, ALIEN. A seminal contribution to Cinema, taking the Horror and Science Fiction genres to new levels of believability and raw intensity.

I saw the film when I was 8 years old, and it's had an everlasting effect. I'm confident that I'm not alone in this declaration, as the impact of the film has been felt for decades, and it's titular creature is one of the very pinnacles of Film Design. A good deal of H.R. Giger's inspiration can be found in Lovecraft's work. Giger used the title NECRONOMICON for a collection of his work published in the seventies. This omnious name refers, of course, to the ubiquitous tome that appears in many of HPL's stories. This collection of Giger's work caught Ridley Scott's eye and became the visual foundation for the Alien design work in the film. Giger's BioMechanical Imagery channels Lovecraft, I think, and certainly the scene in the Derelict Spacecraft feels like a tableau from a Lovecraft story. The image of tiny astronauts dwarfed by a vast cathedral of ancient, biomechanical decay...ominous and humbling and deeply chilling.

The Alien itself is one of the all time great movie monsters. Countless imitations attest to the originality and vision in the design and execution of Giger's Star-Beast (also the original title of Dan O'Bannon's and Ronald Shusett's screenplay ). Structurally, ALIEN borrows more or less from two films, IT!: The TERROR FROM BEYOND SPACE and PLANET OF THE VAMPIRES. Ridley Scott also cites THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE as a major influence. In it's sophisticated exectution, though, the film becomes something much more powerful. No one was prepared for the sort of deep, primal terror it stirred.

To this day, the 'ChestBurster' scene is one of the most profoundly unsettlng and shocking moments in movie history. That scene visualizes, quite literally, one of the deepest fears rooted in the H.P.Lovecraft tales, a total ALIEN domination of the self. The harsh use of the body as incubator gets under the skin of even the toughest moviegoer. There is also, clearly, an extremely sexual dimension to the horror of ALIEN, and it is part of the reason the film is so disturbing. The connection to Lovecraft there is less overt , I think, and it is the air of sexual repression that is more dominant in his stories.

This idea of 'Alien Domination', and the fear and paranoia it provokes, is also evident in a number of Sci-Fi/Horror films from the Fifties. Over and over again, we are at the mercy of Malevolent Cosmic Terrors. While it could be argued that these films may not owe as much to H.P. Lovecraft's work as they do to the state of the Cold War and McCarthyism in the Fifties, I think they bear mention and consideration...

INVADERS FROM MARS, IT CAME FROM OUTER SPACE, and INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS all deal directly with the idea of aliens taking over humanity from within and without. John W. Campbell's story WHO GOES THERE?, the inspiration for THE THING, also covers this territory. Whether through mind control or body replication, all of the ET's in these films have an anti-human agenda.

Both the 1956 and 1978 versions of INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS owe a debt to Robert A Heinlen's novel THE PUPPET MASTERS, which also inspired it's own film adaptation. I think that of them all, Phillip Kaukman's interpretation is my favorite, and I think it channels H.P.Lovecraft in several ways. There is a genuinely creepy mood throughout the film. The stark sense of realism is offset by peculiar sound design and brief, unsettling glimpses of background characters, who may or may not be the OTHER. It reminds me of THE SHADOW OVER INNSMOUTH, with it's shambling, gilled townsfolk going on about their business...

Perhaps the most Lovecraftian element in INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS , though, is the tragic, iconic figure of Donald Sutherland, the intrepid Journalist/Scientist/Scholar who finally loses to a Cosmic Evil. Throughout H.P.L.'s works, there is some form of this character. Usually a learned skeptic or realist, these Protagonists will often go mad by the end of the story, or be consumed in some way by these powerful otherworldly Antagonists. This root idea is very common in Lovecraft's work: Those who are Cosmic are not friendly. Beware...

next up: LOVECRAFT IN FILM Pt.3

Staring into MADNESS...

LOVECRAFT IN FILM Pt. 1 : The Horror Cosmic

2008-08-10T10:43:00.000-07:00

One of the hallmarks of the Lovecraftian stories is the element of COSMIC HORROR. In many of his stories, the antagonistic force is from beyond space, a sometimes unnameable, often insanity-inducing thing that is quite beyond human comprehension. Lovecraft actually crafted an entire pantheon of alien beings, the ELDER GODS or OLD ONES, and elements from these mythologies pop up all over the stories in various ways.

This idea of persecution and death at the hands of an unknown alien force is also a common ingredient in a lot of Science Fiction movies. Some of the most influential films for me growing up are brimming with these Lovecraftian ingredients...

John Carpenter's THE THING is based on the short story WHO GOES THERE?, by the author John W. Campbell Jr. While it's arguable that his story was influenced by H.P. Lovecraft ( they were both being published regularly in the 30's ), I think the film is gets right to the heart of imagery and themes that are typical in HPL's work. In fact, I'd argue that this film is one of the BEST of it's kind, and that John Carpenter succeeded here in making the ULTIMATE Lovecraft film.

From the setting of of an isolated Antarctic Research Base, where a group of scientists discover an ancient spacecraft in the ice, to the UNSPEAKABLE horror that emerges from it, this film covers the gamut of Lovecraftian elements. But it isn't simply superficial ingredients that make THE THING so effective. It amplifies the horror even more by delving into the deep, psychological trauma and paranoia felt by the men as they are infiltrated by the chameleonic visitor.

From a DESIGN standpoint, THE THING is also a high water mark. Most of the original Lovecraft stories only vaguely hint at what the the creature looks like, while the protagonists risk insanity if the look too closely. I think it's one of the most unsettling aspects of the original stories ( I will touch on this idea in more detail in later posts... ).

INSANE might be the best term to describe Rob Bottin's creature design work in THE THING. Testing the limits of Animatronics in the early 80's, the work in the film still has quite an impact. The very nature of the THING, a creature who mimics the cellular structure of it's victims, is realized to great effect... With it's different biological components mixing and taking elements of man and dog and more, it's whipping tentacles, oozing and gibbering...It is the EPITOME of Lovecraftian imagery.

Bill Lancanster wrote the screenplay adaptation of the original story , and he does a great job capturing the tone of it, as well as preserving a number of great scenes and characters. I was pleasantly surprised to see how closely the film adheres to the original story, since the the first film adaptation, THE THING FROM ANOTHER WORLD, strays a bit further...I'm still personally curious what sort of influence Lovecraft had on Campbell. HPL's classic AT THE MOUNTAINS OF MADNESS was serialized just a couple of years before WHO GOES THERE?and they have some definite parallels. The remote Antarctic expedition, evidence of ancient alien 'things' preserved in ice and brought to the camp, mayhem and death and madness...I'm sure John Carpenter was aware of these things too, but regardless of his sources, he has a clear appreciation for the Lovecraftian sensibility. I think THE THING remains one of his very best films, a quintessential exploration of the HORROR COSMIC.

next up : LOVECRAFT IN FILM Pt.2 :

The Horror Cosmic Continues...

another CON sketch

2008-08-08T09:44:00.000-07:00

Some more monster doodles in between book signings...usually sketches like these will find their way into my ANNUALS...

CON Sketches...

2008-08-07T09:44:00.000-07:00

Sitting at the Comic-Con Booth for days and days, I had a chance to do some sketching. Here's a couple of pages from my sketchbook, and a glimpse of some of the ideas cooking for my new AFTERWORKS 3 story....

LOVECRAFT IN FILM : An Introduction

2008-08-06T09:53:00.000-07:00

Speaking of the weird fiction of H.P. Lovecraft, I wanted to get started on what I expect to be a series of posts about films that bear the influence of his work. Years ago, as I first discovered his stories, I began to realize that a lot of the monster movies I enjoyed were very much connected to Lovecraftian imagery and themes. Some of these films were either direct adaptations, or tangentially influenced, but all were connected in some way to his imaginative works .

I plan to touch on how elements of Lovecraftian Design, Story and Theme have permeated these films. I also plan on discussing the huge challenge filmmakers have faced in their efforts to ADAPT his work, and how these different films have succeeded or failed in their efforts.

I hope this will be an interesting examination, worthy of a case study at Miskatonic University...

shambling thing

2008-08-06T09:48:00.000-07:00

a monster for wednesday in the Lovecraftian spirit...

tuesday

2008-08-05T10:41:00.003-07:00

Monday

2008-08-04T09:59:00.000-07:00

Sunday Cyclops

2008-08-03T15:30:00.000-07:00

Saturday Monster

2008-08-02T11:37:00.000-07:00

Son of the Forest

2008-08-01T10:16:00.001-07:00

Here's the painting I contributed to the upcoming TOTORO FOREST PROJECT...

Click the link in the sidebar to see the rest of the AMAZING artwork donated for this HISTORIC event!

Friday Monster

2008-08-01T09:40:00.000-07:00

A new MONSTER for today...

WALL-E Story Team-!

2008-07-31T14:31:00.000-07:00

Here's a shot of our proud WALL-E Story Team after opening weekend...

STANDING (Left to Right: ): Ted Mathot, Kevin O Brien, Derek Thompson, Andrew Stanton, Jim Reardon, Ronnie Del Carmen, Alex Woo, Rob Gibbs, Sabine Koch, Max Brace
SITTING (Left to Right): Jeff Pidgeon, Nate Stanton, Scott Morse, Brain Fee, Pete Sohn

photo by Debby Coleman

Conceptual Storyboarding DVD

2008-07-31T13:38:00.000-07:00

I have a brand new DVD from the Gnomon Workshop !

This is the first in a series of DVD's about StoryBoarding that I'll be producing for them.

I have some copies available for sale, but you can also order the DVD directly from Gnomon.

More info is available at their site:

http://www.thegnomonworkshop.com/dvds/dto01.html

DEREKMONSTER ANNUAL 2008

2008-07-31T11:38:00.000-07:00

My new collection of 365 Monsters is hot off the press!

We just got back from the San Diego Comic-Con International, where the book debuted, and now I'm happy to present it here on my new Blog!

The book is 128 B&W pages, Color front and back covers, 5x8...

$15.00 ( plus $5.00 with shipping, handling and paypal fees...)

We plan to have a Paypal button/ Shopping Cart soon, but in the meantime, you can order the book via PayPal with my email:

derek@derekmonster.com

DerekMonster is Blogging...

2008-07-31T11:27:00.000-07:00

This is my first effort at having a DEREKMONSTER blog with regular posts....

This undertaking has been long delayed, and is a bit daunting, so bear with me as I find my footing...

I'm looking forward to showcasing new artwork as well as progress reports on my new projects ...not to mention ramblings on comics, films and, of course, MONSTERS!

here we go....