Hey, gang- for this Featured Creature Friday post I’ve got another Gillman painting to share with you.
This one is for my upcoming “Featured Creatures” art show at Playhouse on the Square this summer.
I first projected up the image with my Autograph Super AG opaque projector, and sketched it out with a #2 pencil and an acrylic paint pen.
I started off with a medium grey I mixed up with some white and black Createx paint. I have to airbrush outside on the back patio, so I have to take advantage of any nice weather days if I want to paint. Wind and rain can be a problem, but other than a couple storms the weather has been nice and mild, and May looks to be one of the coolest in years.
For airbrushing, I use a Paasche VL-3 double action airbrush and some Createx Colors airbrush paint. I also use a piston driven “pancake” style Craftsman compressor with a reservoir tank. If you’re going to learn to airbrush I recommend not only getting a double action airbrush (push down and get air, pull back to control paint flow) but also a tank compressor. You don’t need a a big one, it just needs to be able to produce 100-150psi (PSI=pounds per square inch). You won’t paint at that high amount of pressure (I use around 60-80psi), but if it can’t it’s going to struggle to keep up with you. A tank also helps keep the air flow smooth. A moisture trap coning off the compressor and one on the air hose can keep the water condensation that builds up in the tank from getting to your painting. Be sure to drain the compressor after each use.
It took a little while to fill in the shapes. I had a little bit of a “happy accident” when the black paint did a bit of a caterpillar effect- thankfully it was where the line on the mouth needed to be.
The weather outside has been nice, but I did get a little bit of rain start to fall while I was painting. I took the canvas back in and dried it off.
Once the rain was gone and I could get back outside, I worked on shaping up the face.
I then started working on creating some of the highlights and shaping up the face more.
I worked back and forth with white, light grey, dark grey, and black.
It slowly came together. I had to remind myself to take a step back and look at it from a few feet away. It helps with the overall look- dimensions, shading, contrasts, etc. Taking a picture on my phone and looking at it not only helps with that, but also gives me content for these art posts!
A portrait really doesn’t come alive until there are highlights in the eyes. It’s amazing how a few white dots can give your art life.
Since I use the gallery wrapped canvases I always make sure to paint the sides of the pieces. Looks so much better when they hang on the wall, and eliminates the need for any framing.
And after a few days of painting off and on I called this one done! I need to have Nicki get some good shots of all my latest paintings before we hang them at Playhouse.
The Gillman monster design has always been one of my favorite look of all the Universal monsters- with the Bride coming in second.
“Milicent Patrick, formerly an animator for Disney, was the primary designer for the head and face of the Gill-man costume. However, make-up artist Bud Westmore downplayed Patrick’s importance, and for half a century Westmore received sole credit for the creature’s conception. Jack Kevan, who worked on The Wizard of Oz (1939) and made prosthetics for amputees during World War II, created the bodysuit, while Chris Mueller Jr. sculpted the head.” – Wikipedia
My “Featured Creatures” art show reception will be 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, Angi Cooper, having their reception the same night in the downstairs gallery.
I’ll have several airbrushed Monsterpieces, some “Scared Silly” marker illustrations, and wood panel acrylic maker paintings on display and for sale.
My art show runs from June 6-August 2, 2026 and is in conjunction with Playhouse’s production of “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street“, June 12 – July 12, 2026. All art shows on display are free to attend art shows during Playhouse’s normal business hours.
Don’t forget that I’ll be set up at the Beale Street Monster Club’s “Bigfoot on Beale” event at A. Schwab’s downtown on Saturday, May 16th from 11am-6pm…
…the Memphis Public Libraries Comic Con on Saturday, May 30th from 10am – 3pm at the Raleigh Branch (3452 Austin Peay Hwy, 38128)….
…and I also just signed up for one of the last Memphis Monster Con artist alley tables at the AgriCenter in November .
Oh, and there’s a new “Drawing Funny” podcast episode available for downloading. EP. 91 features local art news, and couple quick interviews with local artists That Katie Jones and Ryan Ladner at the MSCA’s monthly dinner gathering at Garibaldi’s, and a longer interview with artist Tone Rodriguez on Free Comic Book Day. You can listen to it on Spotify, Appel, and most podcasting platforms.
Hope you all have a Freaky Friday and can make it out to the events!
Lin