I Never Would Have Guessed

If it wasn't for the signature on this intense portrait study, I never would have guessed it was by Gustav Klimt — an early experimentation of his, quite modern in an illustrative way. It looks rather like a 1960s' Time magazine cover illustration of a famous conductor or architect, maybe by Barron Storey, or Bernie Fuchs or Bob Peak — with its concentrated coloration and characterization.

Gustav Klimt — Study of a Blind Man — 1896

The One True Bond

Connery. Sean Connery. The one true Bond for me. Oh, I like Daniel Craig, but in my book, Connery is the man. He's one of those actors that we could like more and more the older he got. Best choice ever for Indy's dad.

Robert McGinnis — You Only Live Twice — 1967

Lucky Dad

It's a great responsibility and privilege to be a father. I'm such a lucky dad to have such a great kid! Happy Father's Day to all you other lucky dads!

Norman Rockwell — Father's Day — 1935

Barsoomian Expedition

It only takes a simple Krenkel sketch to spark the imagination . . .

Roy G. Krenkel — Barsoomian Expedition

Serpent and Sirene

Another encounter between serpent and sirene. Eden, I think not.

Charles Ricketts — 1886

Fruit of the Tree of Knowledge?

This was a painting used for the cover of a Heavy Metal extra edition. You can see how cropping the tail could make a difference in how one might interpret the meaning of the painting.

Pamela Lee — 1983

Pamela Lee — Bride of Heavy Metal — March 1985

The Artists' Life

The artists' life hasn't changed much since paleolithic times — he still has naked women applauding him and clients telling him how great his art is, but he needs to "make it smaller and change the color, oh and actually could you make it face the other direction?" *

Paul Jamin — A Painter in the Stone Age — 1903

* actually, that's why I like digital art — all those things can be changed in seconds. And naked women still applaud.

Out of This World

For all their imperfections, comic books are still out of this world for primary color entertainment. This is a nice panel.

John Giunta — Crom the Barbarian - panel detail

Out of This World comics

Mythopia

I could gaze at a Kinuko Craft painting til the ravens come home, especially the ones detailed like this mythopia — looking akin to, but so much more elevated than, medieval illuminations.

Kinuko Craft — Isabo & the Mystery of Aislin House — 2008

Peacock's Tail

Move in close to admire this clever drawing . . .

Leo & Diane Dillon — The Peacock's Tail — 1965

Outdoor Living Room

You may be tempted to follow the plans, above, for your very own outdoor living room. But be careful, uninvited guests may drop in:

Charles Soulacroix — Spring

Operation Deep Freeze

I love expository schematic perspectives, fueling my imagination to walk into the scene. I want to hang out in the Sky Lab and Lounge!

Fred Wolff —Popular Science — August 1971

'Operation Deep Freeze'

Oh, How I Lust

Oh, how I lust for the designs of yesteryear . . .

1932 Cabriolet Roadster Hupmobile

Morning of the World

This painting has a nice atmospheric quality that evokes an ancient day in the morning of the world . . . if it just wasn't for that jet vapor trail disintegrating in the upper atmosphere . . .

E. René Ménard — Le Jugement de Paris — ca 1908

Book Project

Just a reminder that we're sharing some of our studio's art over on Snippets and Bibbets, pulling from 30 years of creating art for kids. The image below is a drawing in progress for a current book project that's in its final deadline phase.

©2012 Haller-Buchanan — Mountain Town Main Street, ca 1920

Memories

Memory is such a mysterious human power that most of us take for granted. I can dredge up memories from so many points of my life, yet other points are seemingly lost forever.

A minor note: I do not ever remember eating lunch during my high school years. I didn't skip the meal, I'm sure, I just have no recollection in the least of ever eating lunch during high school. I can't even picture the school cafeteria in my mind, yet I can picture every other detail of the school's layout. And still I can remember specific days, events, smells and feelings as far back as when I was four and five years old (I remember several specific lunches from when I was 4).

Such a mysterious power we have.

Harold Nelson — Memories — early XXth century

Catherine the Great

Staying in a Russian frame of mind for another minute, Marlene Dietrich makes a stunning Catherine the Great in the 1934 The Scarlet Empress, ala Josef von Sternberg. Sam Jaffe makes quite an impression as well, in his own way.

The Scarlet Empress — 1934

Godunov Decor

Designs for theater are always wonderful to see, as the artist is usually compelled to use a rich palette with a fanciful interpretation of reality.

These two decor designs are for Boris Godunov, one of the 1913 stagings of the opera by Modest Mussorgsky. I'm such a low level geek that I can never hear the name Boris Godunov without thinking of Boris Badenov, the no-goodnik villain from Rocky and Bullwinkle.

But I digress.

Leon Bakst — Decor for Boris Godunov — 1913

Leon Bakst — Decor for Boris Godunov — 1913

Fantasy ala Finlay

Virgil Finlay — from The Ship of Ishtar — 1949

It is Just As I Feared

Donn P. Crane — There Was an Old Man — 1930s