“Monster Soup Halloween 2019” by Julie Devin
Welcome to our ongoing series spotlighting original horror creations. This time we have is an illustration celebrating Halloween by Julie Devin, creator of the webcomic Monster Soup.
We’ve previously interviewed Julie about her comic, but her Halloween image was just too cool not to share. We really dig those Junji Ito vibes. But what did Julie have to say about the illustration?
Hello Julie, it’s been a while since we last talked to you. How have you been? How is Monster Soup going?
I just finished Chapter 7 this month and started working on Chapter 8. Got to keep that productive momentum going! This chapter goes back to the castle and the main story. It deals with Jacklyn, the ghost character, as her fellow inmates help her remember her past.
So, how long did the Ito-style take you to figure out? What was it like working on this?
I had plenty of references on hand to help guide me, and it took me about two days, on and off, to finish it. I like working in different styles from time to time. Fun mini-challenges, as I like to call them. The hatching of lines is an important part of his style, and there is the way he draws eyes. I tried my best to recreate those elements.
What is it about Junji Ito you find so inspiring? Any particular favorites in his work?
I’ve been familiar with his work for a while now. He has a uniqueness, and when you see his art, you instantly know it’s his. I think one of the things that draws me in is how his stories feel like old school horror. I can’t really pick out a favorite story, but I do have some of his collections, particularly “Smashed” and “Shiver.” Though, the stories in “Shiver” have stuck with me well after reading.
Be sure to check out Julie’s webcomic Monster Soup. It is part of the Comicadia webcomic collective, so be sure to check out some of those titles as well!
Don’t forget to support Julie on Patreon either…
If you have an original creation you would like us to spotlight here on Haunted MTL please let us know!
So I happened upon this very cheesecake-heavy premiere issue of Extremes of Violet, complete with pinups by some of the comic book greats of the time, and decided to make some Peeping Toms collage art by incorporating the voluptuous vixen into various crystal pieces to create a sort of fishbowl effect centered largely on her bosom (which is unavoidable).
Each of the Peeping Toms is shown from three angles because of how much the pieces shift as the light plays off the crystal. I started with these star forms.
The second bowl was even a bit iridescent, and violet at that!
Next I did a series of really perky busty bowls, which really get the feeling across that you are looking through the tiny peephole in a door as well as exemplifying the content even more. Note: these are shown in two rows with side details as well, so there are a lot of pics here…
I experimented a little and tried a couple of other scenes, like the portrait, as well. She’s staring back at the Peeping Toms…
I also tried this more square bowl form.
And finally, I found this little heart, which is my personal favorite of the group.
These works are a continuation of my Creepy Comics collage series, shown on Haunted MTL here.
Creepy Comics 5
Feel free to check out more of Jennifer Weigel’s work here on Haunted MTL or on her writing, fine art, and conceptual projects websites.
So I probably should have taken a before picture, but I found a faux wood stained plaster Jesus statue and turned it into Zombie Christ. Because it’s the second second coming. Or something. It’s kind of an offshoot of my nail polish paintings reappropriating thrift store art…
Anyway without further ado, I present…
I was a little concerned that I made him too green at first, but I’m happy with the finished result. This statue just looked so anguished. It’s eyes had been closed but I like them better open and even painted them with blacklight reactive nail polish so they will stand out even more and be interactive in other ways to add creepy factor.
Sadly I don’t have a blacklight anymore or I’d share a picture that way too. Oh well. I’ll leave you with a fun detail shot instead.
Next time I may make him more gray than green though. We shall see…
Feel free to check out more of Jennifer Weigel’s work here on Haunted MTL or on her writing, fine art, and conceptual projects websites.
So it’s been awhile since we’ve looked at some of the things I have gathered, so I thought I’d bring back my art collection for another round… Here are the first and second highlights in case you missed earlier explorations.
From left to right: M Pena Windstone Editions bat-winged flap cat, bone mask by Terry and Susan Wright, wood cat in skull by labcreature, real hair art by myself, pencil drawing of Barbarois Elder for Vampire Hunter D anime cel
From left to right: Barbarois Elder for Vampire Hunter D anime cel, Turn Me Royal portrait of my father and stepmother as Frankenstein’s monster and his bride, painted horse skull
Left to right: Overgrowth by Ellie Bradley, heart by TenderFlesh, praying devil girl by Torman’s Treasures
And a vintage plastic 2-foot Jack O Lantern I got at a yard sale and have kept on display on his very own stool in the living room since. So happy.
Anyway, there are some more highlights from my art collection, as it is always growing and evolving. I have lucked into several of these pieces at antique and thrift stores or acquired them from the artists or more. And yes, I still have Da Ting the taxidermy shih-tzu from the first of these posts.
