If you have yet to see any of Chris Scalf’s amazing artwork, then you’re seriously missing out. From the pages of G-Fan (who, along with Bob Eggleton, have become the-in my opinion-top artists for the magazine) to the covers of various Star Wars and Battlestar Galactica comic books, Mr. Scalf’s work has graced numerous publications …
Category: Art
Nov 02 2010
Day of the Dead
It’s el Dia de los Muertos! Seeing as how I explained the holiday last year, let’s skip straight to the fun stuff! Have you ever read about the delicious-sounding Mexican pan de muerto (bread of the dead) and wanted to have a taste? Well, you’re in luck, because I found a two page recipe for …
Oct 26 2010
Had a wife. Couldn’t feed her.
When I think to myself “I better go down to the basement. I have two that I need to take the knives to, today,” I realize it’s thoughts like those are why I wouldn’t be a good schoolteacher, but a great one.
Oct 25 2010
The Trail of Terror
Photos by Jonathan Matthews, jon (at) krative.com. Located in Wallingford, Connecticut, The Trail of Terror (www.TrailofTerror.com) celebrates its 16th year of operation in 2010. Thankfully, haunt expert Bertram Bertram invited me to come visit and partake of the Trail’s spookiness. This year celebrates ‘Sweet 16,’ marking the anniversary of the Central Valley Hospital massacre that saw …
Oct 21 2010
Jill Thompson: Queen of Halloween.
Jill Thompson is amazing. There’s no denying that her career as a cartoonist has produced some of the most fantastic spooky artwork out there. There’s both a playfulness in her line work and a genuine sense of creepy in her colors, making her a great example of how spooky and weird can be fun. I …
Oct 20 2010
A Halloween Moon
Although the use of video technology for decoration did exist in the days of VHS, things really didn’t take off until DVDs entered the picture. Finally, a program could be played over and over again in a loop without the need for constant rewinding. TransLumen Technologies seeks to differentiate themselves from the virtual fireplaces and …
Oct 14 2010
Tricks and Treats
A Halloween How-To: Costumes, Parties, Decorations, and Destinations by Lesley Pratt Bannatyne has tons of easy tricks to pull during your next Halloween party or haunted house, with my favorites being the dropping spider and half man gags. Here’s something to do when you’re bored while on Twitter: Tweet the phrase “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” and …
Oct 11 2010
Head-Shrinking Made E-Z
Although associated with African jungles and voodoo in American popular culture, shrunken heads are actually a product of select South American and Melanesian tribes. Most reference material on the matter focuses on the Jivaro, a collective term for the Shuar, Achuar, Huambisa and Aguaruna groups. The purpose of the shrunken heads is simple: When an …
Oct 04 2010
Providence
[This is going to be a long one.] Providence, Rhode Island was and remains the home of H.P. Lovecraft. It was a town I had been to only once before I ventured north to see the Deadbolt show at Club Hell back in May 2010. The last time that Deadbolt came east was a year …
Oct 03 2010
Additional: derf city
Oct 02 2010
A Horror Beyond Imagination…
While reading the excellent horror site Evilontwolegs.com, I learned of the artistic equivalent of the fabled Necronomicon, which only gets worse for your sanity the more you look at it. Here’s a quote hinting at the madness within: “If you imagined Freddy impregnating Jason, you’d probably think that this a completely original, albeit bizarre, idea. …
Aug 28 2010
Freaky Tiki Surf-ari: Arts & Crafts
With all of the music reviews that are being done for the Freaky Tiki Surf-ari, odds are that some of you have developed a hankering for some Tiki stuff of your very own. The appeal of Tiki bar decor is very understandable, whether you want it regular or spooky. With that in mind, I have …
Jul 29 2010
Freaky Tiki Surf-ari: Shag! and The Art Of Tiki
With all of the focus on Tiki music here at the Local, it’s all too easy to forget its artistic side. Thankfully, Google Books makes it just as easy to jog one’s memory on the subject. Let’s start with Tiki Art Now! by Otto Von Stroheim and Robert Williams. In addition to its great information …
Jun 27 2010
More Cool Cover Art
While browsing through the recent “Gravedigger’s Local 16 Flashback” entry, I couldn’t help but find myself drawn to the “Cool cover art” entry. Although the website noted in it (Critical Condition Online) is the undisputed king of online VHS cover art collections, I was inspired to see if there were any other sites devoted to …