Hey, gang- for this Monster Monday I’ve got a new marker painting for my upcoming “Featured Creatures” art show starting this June at Playhouse on the Square.
This one is the Gillman from “The Creature From The Black Lagoon” Universal movie. I decided to go in color with my acrylic paint markers on a round wood panel.
I started off by scaling the image on my laptop and then tracing the Creature off my computer screen using with tracing paper and a Sharpie marker. I added pencil lead to the back of the paper.
I then taped the paper to the wood panel and then traced over the Sharpie lines with a pencil which transferred the image to the board. I then did a more detailed drawing of the Creature with a Sharpie.
I then started coloring in the background and Creature with my acrylic paint markers. I fill in areas with flat color.
I then start filling in the claw and mouth of the Creature.
I use Sharpie, Posca, and Ivsun brand acrylic paint markers.
I worked a bit on the marker painting at the MSCA‘s monthly dinner gathering at Garibaldi’s Pizza near the U of M.
The cartooning group meets there on the first Tuesday of each month from 6-8pm.
I wasn’t happy with the lighter water color, so I went back with darker blue markers which helped with the contrast with the Creature.
I finished up the color on the Creature by doing some highlights with yellow and white, and some detailing with darker greens in the shadow areas.
I used a black Pigma Micron pen, and highlights with a white Gelly Roll pen and a Prismacolor pencil.
Once done with the finished piece, I took it outside and sprayed it with a light coat of Krylon Workable Spray Fixative. Best to do light overlapping coats in a well ventilated area.
I’ve done a few acrylic paint pen paintings the past year or so and will have more at this upcoming art show, as well as at this year’s Monster Market again. Keep an eye out here for what will be available for sale at each, and be sure to add the Beale Street Monster Club’s Bigfoot Celebration to you’re calendar. I’ll be set up there upstairs at A. Schwab’s on May 16th, and at the Memphis Public Libraries Comic Con at the Raleigh branch on May 30th. Both are free events.
Hope you all have a monster of a Monday, and can make it out to my “Featured Creatures” art show this June-August at Playhouse on the Square– scare ya there!
“Featured Creatures” art show reception by Lin Workman on June 5, 2026 from 5-7pm in 2nd Floor West gallery at Playhouse on the Square – 66 South Cooper Street, Memphis, TN 38104. There’s another artist having their reception the same night in the downstairs gallery. Show runs from June 6-August 2, 2026 and in conjunction with Playhouse’s production of “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street“, June 12 – July 12, 2026. Free to attend art shows during Playhouse’s normal business hours.