Night of the Living Chiller

Fans of Chiller Theater will recognize some of these faces. I did videos for both political parties. The hero in both is John Buriak, creator of the great website where I found the pics: Chiller Theater Memories See if you can identify the actors reprising their roles from the original movie.



Star in Your Own JibJab! It's Free!

Red Hot Nutz is Up!

FINALLY, the video is finished and posted. Many thanks to fellow animator Vincent Rogers, director Lemeul Muniz of Moon and Stars Studio Oh yea, and Uncle Paulie. More info on the animation process coming soon.

TriumphantI drew these guys a year earlier when they sang at my Mom's church but this time I had forgotten my trusty Flair napkin pen. Fortunately, I had an Ebony pencil and got a chance to do some shading. Next time maybe I'll break out my waterpen and capture them in color.

Anyway, they were great ... though I'm still looking for my art on their website: www.triumphantquartet.com/

John Johns Mural

Back in December, I posted a remembrance of my favorite super human caricaturist, John Johns: http://cartoonsteve.blogspot.com/2006/12/remembering-jj-one-year-ago-today-my.html

His bio copy, from a 1978 Fantrasy Convention program, revealed that he had painted a mural in the "2nd Federal Bank" building in Monroeville, PA. I did some checking and learned that the building (now National City Bank) and mural still exist - in an employee conference room.

Not having a chance to easily view it in person, I sought out the help of Louis Chandler, archivist from the Monroeville Historical Society. www.monroevillehistorical.org
Louis wrote the bank and was given clearance to take some detailed photos of the mural which he described at about 5'x15'.


Thanks for your help, Louis!
Now here a few more of those great TV Graphic covers:

I remember Mr. Johns displaying some of these at his caricature workshops back at AIP: Said that his rendering method was dictated by the number of days notice he would get from the editor. Some of the most detailed paintings were known as "five day" jobs, while others would be done in a just a few days or less. Notice the brilliant way he effectively uses color (or lack of it) to help capture the mood and personality of Hitchcock.

I see theres a John A. Johns Retrospective exhibit at the Art Institute gallery through August 15. More info to come.

Bo Diddley Get Well Card

Bo Diddly has been going through a tough time. Earlier in May, he was hospitalized after a stroke affected his speech. The latest is that he is recovering - although still not able to speak, he hums while listening to country music. I saw Bo perform in Murrells Inlet, SC about a decade ago and wanted to send him a card of support.

Originally I wanted to do it more cartoony, but decided to challenge myself and basically try to remember how to use those pesky gouache paints. Not my forte as much as the loose, spontaneous napkin cartoons but, hey, its the thought that counts, right?

I recall struggling with that stuff back in architectural rendering class in art school. We would have to mix all these different values and eyedrop the paint in a ruling pen, just to painstakingly make shadows on endless rows of windows. It was maddening... until I learned to cheat by using a gray marker. That was almost as sly as getting the cutest girl in class... to do my perspective homework. Oops, this post was supposed to be about Bo.

Anyway, I wrote David, his webmaster about where to send get well wishes:

Please write to him in c/o his Management at the following address:

Bo Diddley
c/o Talent Consultants International Ltd.
105 Shad Row, 2nd Floor
Piermont, NY 10968

Thank you so much.

Regards,

David Blakey, Webmaster,
BO DIDDLEY-The Originator
http://members.tripod.com/~Originator_2/index.html
A Celebration of his unique contribution to Popular Music.

Maybe you'd like to send him something too. Get better Bo!