How do you approach the Horror illustration? Who are some of the best Horror Illustrators?

 You got a gig to illustrate horror and Where do you go to get inspiration and references?

Horror illustrators can be classified into Arthouse Illustrators and Commercial Illustrators

Arthouse Horror illustrations

1. Zdzisław Beksiński 
2. H R Giger

There are only few Illustrators or painters who is absolute and doing things without any compromise.

Commercial ones

1. Arthur Rackham
2. Nils hamm
3. Jason A. Engle
4. Bernie Wrightson
5. Clive Barker

These are some of the illustrators which are the best in commercial firm that includes Magazine, Books and Films. 

Why i have differentiated them into two groups is because of this reason. 

Most of the works created by Zdzisław Beksiński were personal pieces. If you have the time and money to do that. then it is better. Commercial artists like Arthur Rackham was not creating personal pieces. He was getting commission from other editorials and magazines and illustrations were the major share of his livelihood.

IF YOU WANT TO BE A REAL ARTIST, HAVE A REAL JOB AND CREATE ART IN SPARE TIME

Now, you are not an Artist. you are a craftsman. Lets get into business. We want to make some out of it. For that we must go to Bekisnski than Rackham first and understand the core of Horror Illustrations. And when applying it in the medium you can go to any of the Commerrcial artists to get the job done. Because you are getting the job with a specific instruction. Water color painting style or Gustave Dore style.( we have missed a Legend in here which is Paul Gustave Louis Christophe Dore) Then you study their style.

Basically you understand the substance from Arthouse Illustrators and Implement the style and technique of Commercial artists.

And when you practice it again and again, you will develop your own thing. And with good interpersonal relationship with the editors and professionals you can achieve great success in this field. Nothing to worry about.

But my art is not good enough!

If you have sold your artwork for money, then you are good enough. Stop beating over it. It is all right. We will become good at it, eventually. 

Excellence is not an act, But a habit. - Aristotle

Ok. That's it. Good luck.

See you with another blog post