Unarguably, Abraham Lincoln had one of the most fascinating faces ever recorded. Too bad I can’t capture it. Ah well, even in failure, grappling with those amazing features is always time well-spent. As the old saw goes, life indeed has left its mark here. And how profound that mark!

Happy Presidents’ Day!

I have no idea where the original of this is, but I recently discovered this photocopy, moldering away in the basement, and I’m fervently hoping the original looked much better. Anyway, I know this was drawn around twenty years ago. It was a little attempt at pointillism done with fine-tipped color markers and it depicts the great love of my life, Kathy, engaged in one of the great loves of her life.

“Baron Von Porkchop’s Terrifying Tales of the Macabre!” is a local television production specializing in scary movies. It’s the brainchild of movie producer Matt Brassfield and is hosted by the Baron. Unfortunately, it’s on a channel I can’t get so I’ve never seen it. Fortunately, though, episodes are being released on DVD. And now with the preface out of the way, here is my eldritch tale of suspense and terror:

Some time back Matt Brassfield asked the artist Jesy Kessel and me to do some DVD covers for “Baron.” This is the first of the four I did, using Poe’s “The Cask of Amontillado” as my inspiration. I especially enjoyed crafting this since there’s always been a soft spot in my heart for the poet and since the Alan Parsons Project tribute to the tale is one of Sarah’s favorite tunes. Bruce O. Hughes designed the outstanding borders and text for the finished project. And now a toast to the dead, mummers immured and unmourned, restlessly dwelling in their dank and dark catacombs. “In pace requiescat!”

Volstagg is a friend of Thor in the comic books. He’s a comic relief character and a homage to Shakespeare’s Falstaff. He is also one of Sarah’s favorite characters and she insisted I draw him as my final piece for the Christopher’s Restaurant exhibit.

Another superhero portrait that was shown in 2011 along with Eric Shonborn’s and Jason Young’s exquisite pieces at Christopher’s Restaurant. Notice the Creeper’s cape (or whatever it is) isn’t attached to him? I didn’t until I had already inked and colored the figure. Rats!

Everyone at Potter’s Sketchbook wishes you and yours a truly magical holiday season and wonderful new year.

Another superhero portrait shown at Christopher’s Restaurant some time back and drawn per Sarah’s request. Squirrel Girl is one of Sarah’s favorite comic book characters. She’s only read one Squirrel Girl story, her origin, and is still completely enamored with it. Truth to tell, I enjoyed it too since it was very much tongue in cheek. Or should I say tongue in pouch? Either way, it was a fun little story to read and this was a fun little picture to draw.

Another piece based on Greek myths. I must have been losing interest in the project by the time I did this one and I’m appalled at the poor and slovenly execution. But as for the blatant idea behind the wreck, even though Hephaestus is the only Greek god I don’t instinctively find repulsive, I never got around to doing anything with him directly. Instead I did this one about consequences, where, at least in the tale I’m familiar with, he humiliates his adulterous spouse and Ares by trapping them in unbreakable netting and showing them to the other gods. The simple idea behind this drawing is that unchecked animal passions are the most vicious, entrapping and destructive shackles of all, whether they are publicized or hidden, and far more terrible and ruinous than any device any vengeful Olympian figure could ever create.

This was done lifetimes ago. It’s sort of a self-portrait. There’s not much I can say about it, so I’ll quote Walt Whitman. His lines obviously don’t describe the theme of the piece, but there are some vague similarities:

O to disengage myself from those corpses of me, which I turn and look at where I cast them, / To pass on (O living! always living!) and leave the corpses behind.

Once again, my pens and inks and Wheeler’s colors are featured on Repaneled Blog. Check it out!