Hey, gang- today have I got someTHING to show you…The Thing sketchcards!
I dig the original 1951 B/W movie “The Thing From Another World” (starring James Arness) which is based on the novella “Who Goes There?“. There is also a 2011 prequel to the 1982 “John Carpenter’s: The Thing‘ version called “The Thing‘, and another movie in 1972– “Horror Express” (basically The Thing on a train and stars Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing).
But the ’80s film by John Carpenter and starring Kurt Russell is probably one of my favorite sci-fi/horror flicks. I think it does the best job of selling the paranoia and suspence. I haven’t seen the 70’s one or read the original book, but have them in my collection and hope to soon. I also have a copy of “The Thing” artbook produced by Printed In Blood in my collection that’s massive and awesome!
A little while back I showed you my restoration/upgrade for the “spider-head” creature statue from the ’80s John Carpenter film for my friend Eric Crimmins.
The effects for the 1982 movie were done by by Rob Bottin (pronounced “bah-teen”). If you haven’t seen the ’80s movie, you can see the iconic spider-head transformation scene here, and here plus more behind the scenes and THING SPFX here and here on YouTube. There are a couple more clips on the SPFX- click here and/or here. Honestly, seeing how some of the effects were created, and some of the effects of those effects I’m amazed no one actually died on the set!
A few months back I got messaged by RRParks Cards and invited to work on a new card set they were creating for “The Thing“. There was just one catch…we couldn’t do photorealistic of any of the actors’ likenesses. They had to be caricatures/cartoony, or we could draw the creature.
I decided to focus on the creature in some of its many forms, as well as the ship, and non-face shots of the expedition crew.
I did 10 official sketchcards for the set (I still have two artist returns to draw), which is my usual number of cards for any RRParks Cards sets I do, especially if I’ve committed to do more than one set at a time.
This time I was also working on the Trilogy of Horror card set which features cards from “Psycho Ape 2“, “The Slasher Nurse“, and “Coffintooth”. All were drawn on official sketchcard blanks. (You can find out more about sketchcards here: PiP Episode 33 – Lin Workman or PiP Episode 77 – How to be a Sketch Card Artist)
I was given ‘March 2025’ as the due date, and sent mine in around the 10th of the month. I found out a bit too late that artists who returned their cards back before March would be included in the first Thing set, and those after would be rolled into Series Two. So bad news I wasn’t included in the first set, but good news is that there is a second one and that’s the set my cards will be a part of. Lessons learned- don’t commit to doing two cards sets at once and don’t drag your feet.
RRParks did send me some extra “Halloween Trick or Treat” blanks as a thanks for working for them before, and invited me back on that set for this year. You can see some of my previous sketchcards for a previous year’s RRParks Kickstarter in the above image.
I’ll have some of my sketchcard returns and “BATS” trading card sets at upcoming conventions around Memphis.
RRParks Cards just launched their Kickstarter campaign for this year’s 12th Annual Halloween Trading Card Event..!
“Finally… clicked the launch button and the Kickstarter is LIVE! Our BIGGEST Halloween Event EVER with 16 different 9 to 36 card sets and that includes 6 different 3D lenticular cards, original art sketch cards, and even a Scary Clowns PLAYSET with cards, toys, stickers, lenticular, toilet targets, and more. MUCH is limited availability.”
LOTS of great trading cards again this year, and as always more hand-drawn sketchcards to collect!
For drawing my sketchcards I like to start off in pencil. Usually either a yellow #2 or a mechanical “click” HB pencil.
I then will break out my markers for the color work. I use a variety of markers including Copic, Ohuhu, Touch New, Weisbrandt, Letraset, and Prismacolors.
I did my line work with a black Pigma Micron pen, white Gelly Roll pen, and a white Prismacolor pencil.
Sometimes I’ll do a light dusting of Krylon Workable Fixative if I feel the card stock needs a bit of “tooth” for the colored pencil to take hold better. Once I was done with the art, I sprayed a light coat of the fixative to protect them.
I then scanned and sent them to RRParks for approvals, and once approved I shipped the cards back.
I did another of the ship and three cards of Jed the wolf-dog before his on-screen transformation…
…and one after!
This is how I did that card. Poor Jed…
I also drew a few other forms the creature took on that you might remember.
Most of the cards I drew while watching the movies, and one I drew while out at a Mid-South Cartoonists Association‘s Sat-Art-Day event.
I started off in pencil and then colored with markers.
I like to use a variety of alcohol markers, and the flames on these two were fun to draw.
I inked details with a Micron pen. My go to is an 03 sized nib- not too small, not too big for these cards.
I like doing the white highlights with a Gelly Roll pen- usually a #10.
And I like to blend the white highlights with a Prismacolor pencil. Sometimes I’ll spray the card with workable fixative to give it a bit of tooth if the surface feels a bit too slick.
As you can see, I drew these using the same steps as my previous ones above, except I did use a bit of acrylic white with a thin brush on some for the highlights. Now that I have some acrylic paint markers* I may use them on some cards in the future. *(See some of my previous painting posts for examples of how I work with the paint markers/pens.)
For three of these “The Thing” cards I used that “spider-head” statue above as reference. Glad I took pics of it when I was done repainting it for Eric!
October/November is always a busy time for me, and this year’s spooky season is no different. I’ll have my work available for sale at the MSCA/Mid-South Cartoonists Association‘s “Drawn Of The Dead” art show this October 10th – November 10th in the lobby of the Germantown Community Theatre, and in the annual Halloween pop-up shop Monster Market at The Medicine Factory in downtown Memphis on October 10-16. Both events open tomorrow!
I’ll also be set up at the upcoming Comic Con in the Park at Marquette Park this Saturday, October 11th, from 3–7 p.m., and back again at the 10th annual Zine Fest on Sunday, November 16th from 12-4 p.m. at Havenhaus in historic downtown Memphis (84 E GE Patterson Avenue).
All 4 art events are free to attend, but bring your wallet so you can take home some horribly terrific horror and sci-fi art. Come see me if you’d like any of my original sketchcards, sketchcovers, paintings, or copies of my zines, trading cards, prints, stickers, and more. I don’t do personal commission work, but will have lots of my art to choose from at all of these events around town.
BTW- I no longer have my art for sale at 901 Comics East or in the DeSoto Art Council’s gift shop/gallery anymore, but will have some back out at The Cellar in Bartlett just in time for Christmas shopping.
Hope you enjoyed this Thursday Thing. “Stay tooned” for more sketchcards and sketchcovers from me in the months to come- I’ve got lots of blanks to work on once I get through Halloween!
Lin
