Happy Monster Monday– I’ve got another acrylic marker monsterpiece for you- Barnabas Collins from Dark Shadows. The show was an American Gothic soap opera that aired weekdays on ABC from June 27, 1966, to April 2, 1971.
Barnabas Collins was a 175-year-old vampire on the daily show played by Jonathan Frid (1967–1971, 2010). “I have spent the last two centuries locked in a box, with nothing to keep me occupied but a glimpse into the dark shadows of my soul.”
For this project I started off with a 7″ x 14″ wood coffin panel from Trekell art supplies online. I had bought several on sale a couple years ago on-line. For markers I use acrylic Posca, Ivsun, Artistro, and Sharpie Creatives.
You can see all the other Trekell wood panels I’ve done – Count von Count, Beetlejuice, Nosferatu, and Sandworm here on my site.
I started off on this one by scaling the image on my laptop, and then tracing the bust onto some tracing paper. I transferred the faces onto the boards by creating some “carbon paper” by scribbling/rubbing pencil lead onto the back of the tracing paper, taped the paper into place, and then traced over the line art.
Once I removed the paper, I cleaned up the transferred image and added a few more details. I then started filling in the background with an Artistro Jumbo Tip large nib black marker.
I trimmed up the black areas with an Artistro smaller fine tip nib marker. I went around the sides of the coffin canvas with an oil based large nib Sharpie paint pen. I like using this oil based marker on the sides of my wood panel painting. It gives it a nice finished look, and seems to soak into the wood a bit more than the acrylic ones.
I filled in the blue areas of his coat with a variety of IVSUN acrylic markers.
I used a black Sharpie Creative marker for some of the details on the jacket, and a white one for the shirt.
Filled in the purple lapels with a Sharpie Creative marker, and did some details on the tie with a light blue IVSUN marker. I used some Posca markers here and there.
I worked in some highlights on the coat with various shades of blue and purple, and filled in the teeth with an ivory marker.
I then began work on the flesh-tones on the face with different cream, orange, and brown IVSUN markers.
Then moved onto the hair. I forgot to take pics after that part, but used a black Pigma Micron pen for details, and a white Gelly Roll pen for highlights.
Once done I took the piece outside and sprayed a few light overlapping coats of Krylon spray fixative to seal and protect the painting. Finally I added some eyelets and picture hanging wire on the back.
This monsterpiece will be one of my many Monster Market exclusives that will be available for sale at The Medicine Factory from October 16-25, 2026.
I’m just dying for Halloween to get here!
Monster Market 2026
October 16-25, 2026
The Medicine Factory
85 Virginia Ave W
Memphis, Tennessee (downtown)
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