The Greasy Double Cheeseburger of the Art World

Scottish artist Jack Vettriano died in March at age 73. Vettriano, whose paintings have been described as being “like a double cheeseburger in a greasy wrapper,” was insanely popular with the masses but thoroughly despised by the art world. Considered a terrible draftsman whose work lacked anything of substance to say about the world, he … Continue reading The Greasy Double Cheeseburger of the Art World

Hot Shots of the Week: Hi, Felicia

One of my favorite artists, Bill Sienkiewicz, doing one of my favorite Marvel characters, Felicia Hardy, aka Black Cat. Sienkiewicz has been an artistic hero since he first blew my mind on Moon Knight, New Mutants, and on Batman #400 back in the eighties. Felicia has been a beloved character since she caught my eye … Continue reading Hot Shots of the Week: Hi, Felicia

The Gothic Horror Art of Bruce Timm

Artist, animator, writer, producer, and director: Bruce Timm has been an integral creative force across popular culture for decades now. He’s worked in comic books and television, primarily, and is probably best known for co-creating the landmark program Batman: The Animated Series, and his art style has been integral to DC Comics’ animated branding for … Continue reading The Gothic Horror Art of Bruce Timm

Michelle Monday: Artificial Edition

As a lifelong artist myself, I’ve been struggling to accept art generated from artificial intelligence (AI). It’s seemingly everywhere now, so whatever ethical qualms I might have about disrespecting artistic integrity or taking work away from real artists seem fairly moot at this point. I’m still holding onto those reservations, mind you, but I’m also … Continue reading Michelle Monday: Artificial Edition

The Horror Movie Poster Art of Enzo Sciotti

Italian artist Enzo Sciotti, who passed away in April 2021, always comes to mind during the scary season for me. His horror movie poster artwork, so lurid and lush, was filled with women in peril, knife-wielding maniacs, and grotesque creatures of the night. During his peak period in the 1970s through the 1980s, Sciotti illustrated … Continue reading The Horror Movie Poster Art of Enzo Sciotti

From the Vault: Eyes of Laura Mars

This essay first appeared, in slightly different form, at my old site, four years ago. Eyes of Laura Mars is a favorite slasher/American giallo-style horror film of mine, so Halloween season feels like the perfect time to revisit it. As its title indicates, Eyes of Laura Mars (1978) is especially concerned with eyes, and specifically … Continue reading From the Vault: Eyes of Laura Mars