Text 2011 J. David Spurlock
Art J. David Spurlock and as credited
WATSON-GUPTILL is a registered trademark and the WG and Horse designs are trademarks of Random House, Inc.
Spurlock, J. David.
How to draw chiller monsters, vampires, werewolves, and zombies / J. David Spurlock.
p. cm.
Includes index.
eISBN: 978-0-8230-9532-2
1. Monsters in art. 2. Animals, Mythical, in art. 3. DrawingTechnique. I. Title.
NC825.M6S68 2011
743.87dc22
2010045650
All rights reserved.
Neal Adams: pp. (bottom image)
Gene Colan: pp.
Jack Davis: pp.
Kerry Gammill: pp.
Basil Gogos: pp.
David Hartman: pp.
Alex Horley: pp.
Joe Kubert: pp.
Jim Steranko: pp.
Neil Vokes: pp.
Bernie Wrightson: pp.
The following art is property of New Comic Co.: pp.
DEDICATED TO
ALL MY LOVED ONES AND
ALL THE ARTISTS WHOSE WORK
INSPIRED ME TO DRAW.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
THE AUTHOR THANKS THE FOLLOWING FOR THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS: Rob Zombie, Jim Steranko, David Hartman, Gene Colan, Basil Gogos, Alex Horley, Kerry Gammill, Neil Vokes, Joe Kubert, Pat Binder, Dave Gutierrez, Dan Braun, David Armstrong, Keith Robinson, and Neal Jansons.
Featuring the Creepy and Eerie art of Frank Frazetta, Al Williamson, Bernie Wrightson, Jack Davis, Wallace (Wally) Wood, Gray Morrow, Steve Ditko, Dan Adkins, Rocco (Rocke) Mastroserio, and Angelo Torres by permission of New Comic Company, LLC.
CONTENTS
1. FORM AND STRUCTURE
Spheres, Blocks, Cones, Wedges, and Gravestones
2. FIGURE DRAWING
Man vs. Inhuman
3. MONSTERS IN YOUR FACE
Perspective and Foreshortening
4. LIGHT, SHADOW, TONE, AND TEXTURE
Creating Monstrous Dimension
5. ZOMBIES
Drawing the Walking Dead
6. VAMPIRES
Drawing the Living Dead
7. THE MONSTER
Drawing Dr. Frankensteins Creation
8. WEREWOLVES
Drawing Moonlight Mayhem to Howling Effect
9. COMPOSITION
Designing Monstrous Groupings
10. HARD-LINING IT
The Black of Night in Your Inkwell
CODA. STORYBOARDS
Pre-Direction for Film and TV
FOREWORD
I have to admit that the very first thing that popped into my mind when J. David Spurlock asked me to write a foreword for this book, which you are now clutching in your sweaty little hands, was Where the hell was this book when I was a kid? How to draw monsters? Geez man, how cool is that? Is there any other information that you really need as a kid to keep you happy as a clam? (I guess clams are happy.) Seriously, this is the exact book that I always dreamed of secretly finding on one of those mind-numbingly dull trips to the school library. Just imagine flipping through the same tired, dusty shelves of boring old crap and stumbling across this epic book. Well, that, my friends, would definitely be a 100-percent life-changing moment for any monster kid. So, perchance if you are that kid at this moment discovering this book in your crummy old school library, I say bravo, punk! Get ready to get your monster freak on! In a nutshell, here is basically everything you ever wanted to know about the fine art of drawing werewolves, vampires, zombies, and even the Frankenstein monster but were afraid to ask. Need some info on the art of inking? Well, no problem, we got that. Composition got you down? Dont fear, weve got your back on that one, too. Form and structure making you crazy? Calm down, it is all explained here. Now, seriously, if that isnt enough for ya, I really dont know what you wantbut weve got more! Gathered inside these unholy pages are a very, very select group of monster masters presenting some of their finest creations for you to howl and drool over like Larry Talbot under a harvest moon. Aaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhooooooooooooooooo!
I have been very lucky and have had the incredible pleasure of working with many of these amazing artists up close and personal, like Basil Gogos, David Hartman, Gene Colan, and Alex Horley. Others, Ive just worshiped since childhood, like the king of all monstersFrank Frazetta! That guy still rocks my world. At any rate, these cats will clearly illustrate just how far the art of drawing monsters can go. What could be forgettable trash in the wrong hands turns into high art with guys like these on the prowl. They set the bar high, but why not learn from the best? Anyway, what more can I say? This book is a monster lovers dream come true, so let the horror show begin!
ROB ZOMBIE
Top left: J. David Spurlocks art for Nick at Nite Records CD Nick at NiteMare. In the released version, they had me replace the Addams Family and Munsters photo heads with drawings, but I prefer this, the original version.
Top right: The Rondo Awardwinning Gogos retrospective Famous Monster Movie Art of Basil Gogos (Vanguard, 2006), by Kerry Gammill and J. David Spurlock.
Bottom left: Nick at Nite Goes to Outer Space CD cover art by J. David Spurlock (Nick at Nite Records, 2007).
Bottom right: My cover for the Space Cowboy comic book annual (2003).
PREFACE
Monsters! Grrrrrr. Creatures of the night, diabolical fiends, monstrosities with overwhelming strength ghosts, goblins, mummies, zombies, werewolves, vampires, and those terrific things that go bump in the night. From such hellish spawn, protective charms are eagerly sought, and the people have ever prayed, Good Lord, deliver us!
There are those who study these thingsthe undead, the walking dead, and such. There are those who seek them out to rid the world of them or to attempt to master them. While most humans are terrified and revile these horrors, some pity the things as the worlds ultimate outcastshomeless, friendless things that hate themselves and the world for the misery of their existence. There are even those who have a fondness for these depraved derelicts of destruction and keep them with delightin their minds or in their homessometimes as pets, until they break free to ravage again through the night.
There are likewise those who, for various reasons, need or want to draw such monstrosities. This might be for scientific purposes: field studies of monsters in their acts of mayhem or to illustrate classic texts or to design monsters for movies, television, or comic books or, even just for the diabolical thrill of it! This book is for everyone who has the need or desire to draw or know about drawing the most treacherous creatures of the night.