youtube

Cheesy Infomercials & Some New Art

| M. R. Kessell

So I needed to make a book trailer for my latest release Batboy & the Art of Self-Sabotage.

I decided on a cheesy approach in the style of all those goofy infomercials I grew up watching in the 80s and 90s.

Long story short, I had way too much fun making this parody infomercial. I hope it makes you guys laugh and you’ll consider checking out my book on Amazon.

“Don’tcha just luv the sunshine?”

In between my video editing and the continuing adventures of Batboy, I’ve tried keeping the creativity flowing with some quick pencil sketches on my Wacom Tablet. Above is some sort of woodland horror and below is some kind of friendly aquatic monstrosity.

Well, that’s all I’ve got for you at the moment, you can follow along with new Batboy comics every week on Instagram and Twitter.

And remember, don’t let those pesky vegetables bring you down!

Advertisement

Happy New Year, I think

| M. R. Kessell

Welcome to my first blog post of 2021. How is everybody doing?

I spent the end of 2020 reflecting on some things I had accomplished and other things that fell through the cracks. I thought about my unhealthy relationship with social media and I pretty much avoided it. I needed to relax and recharge a bit. I did some reading, some film marathons, and I ate a lot of shrimp.

I have no regrets.

Feeling a bit uninspired after the break, I decided to mess around with a really neat AI tool from Google called Chimera Painter. I was pretty excited by the results so I made a video lesson on how to create a quick creature design with it and then take it one step beyond and refine the design in Clip Studio Paint.

I’ve also added a new design to my portfolio, as well as my T-shirt store. It’s an idea that hit me way back when I used to ride the crowded New York City subway system.

Green tentacled space alien spreads a jelly made from humans on toast
MAN SPREAD ON SPACE TOAST
(That was the shrimp talking)

Follow me on Youtube! I’ve been told my monotonous voice is good if one suffers from insomnia.

Halloween Hijinks in December

| M. R. Kessell

It’s been over a month, but I’ve finally gotten around to compiling a video of the fun I had creeping around Brooklyn in my trash wild man costume.

Is that Sasquatch? A living pile of leaves and toilet paper? No, just a creepy wild man.

I’ve been toying with this costume idea for a few years but have never been able to get it together.

wild man creature sitting back in recliner pencil sketch
Ever since I did my sketchbook series of domesticated wild men. Which you can see here.

As with most of my ambitious projects, it was years in the making but then ultimately a spur of the moment, headfirst dive into cardboard, paper and duct tape. Maybe I can do a follow up with a few of the step-by-step progress photos in my messy, cramped apartment.

pagan woman in black with skull in a basket poses with a tall, wild man creature at Halloween 2020 in Brooklyn, NY.
A wild man with his pagan woman.

As you can see, I had way too much fun during this weird, pandemic Halloween of 2020. At least something was kinda normal for once.

Until next time!

Do you know that I tweet about stuff? I think I’m pretty entertaining, you should probably come hang out and say hi. It’s super fun. And if not there, why not check out my YouTube channel?

Making A Horror Comic

| M. R. Kessell

I’m very excited to share yet another new project that’s been in the works for a while now. I’ve been tasked with drawing a short horror comic by the hilarious and horrifying writer/comedian, Tim Vargulish.

In this latest video I give a little sneak peek of a rough comic book page, the process of setting up a comic page using Clip Studio Paint (which is a breeze, btw) and drawing a finished panel.

If you’re interested in drawing comics yourself, I highly recommend this software.

Aside from that, I’m jazzed to have illustrated the cover for Krampus Tales: A Killer Anthology, which will be available on November 24th! Check it out and maybe get yourself a copy.

Krampus creature steps out of doorway into a dark snowy night with basket on his back.

I’ve also just realized that I haven’t shared anything about my Halloween this year. Despite the nearly apocalyptic conditions, we did enjoy the holiday. I’ll cover it in more detail in my next blog post.

By the way, are you on Twitter? Why not join me for some laughs and whatnot.

Until next time!

Happy October!

| M. R. Kessell

I am holding out hope that everything will turn around in October. I know that it’s the season of cold and death and decay, but it leaves me feeling quite optimistic.

Maybe everyone will stay at home and watch horror movies all month. Or they will order candy apples in the mail and have cider delivered to their door. Maybe everyone would just wear a mask for once.

Even wild men wear masks

I have two different Halloween costumes planned, even though I doubt there will be a place to wear them outside of my own living room. Maybe this year we’ll have a Zoomoween.

I’ve said it before, at least Halloween won’t be canceled in my cold, dead heart.

Like usual, I have a handful of cool projects on the horizon that I can’t share with you just yet, but believe me, they’re going to be a lot of fun. Stay tuned.

I’m preparing a short story to publish on the blog next week that I’m hoping will get the goosebumps expanding and the blood pumping faster than usual.

In the meantime, did you know that I started a YouTube channel? There are some weird, new T-shirt designs over in my store. I also hang around on Twitter sometimes, stop by and say howdy.

Anxiety Drawings and Desktop Shredders

| M. R. Kessell
A maccabre pencil illustration of a man without a head but instead a large gritty, speckled black hole near the top of his torso.

Hey everybody!

I’m still plugging along. Some days my stress and anxiety get out of hand. Other days I channel it into art. See above.

An artist friend recently suggested that I try it. I think I always have done that to some extent, especially when it comes to my darker and more macabre pieces. But in the past few weeks I’ve made a more conscious effort to try it.

A sad, tired face wearing a mask to protect against COVID-19 infection.

Greetings

from the year

2020

How about you? How do you deal with stress and anxiety?

Another pursuit of mine is music. Lately I’ve enjoyed putting together some playlists on Spotify. Check out this one below that I call “Unknown Originals.” Famous songs performed by the original artists that you might not have ever heard before.

And finally, below is something I dug up in my archives from 2009. I recently revamped, polished up and uploaded to YouTube. It’s short and amusing and ridiculous and I had way too much fun working on it. Enjoy!

A Lowbrow Haiku

| M. R. Kessell

I’m trying something a little different today. Some of you may recall the first version of this from a few months back on the blog, it existed only as a pencil drawing in my sketchbook. But today I bring it to you in full color with sound and motion. Or at least the illusion of motion. I hope you enjoy!

Speed Drawing for Horror Enthusiasts On-The-Go

| M. R. Kessell

Here’s a quick little speed drawing over at my YouTube channel for any skull aficionados out there.

No? None? Just me? Okay then.

I’ve been going a bit crazy lately because I have a few big projects in the works and I can’t share any info just yet. They’re top secret!

So I’ve been keeping busy in between by creating these very random art and animation videos. Hopefully some of you enjoy them and maybe have felt some slight inspiration tickling your cranium. And if it’s not inspiration tickling your cranium I suggest that you do not turn around. There have been reports of a cranium tickler on the loose in your area.

That got weird pretty quick.

Anyway, until next time, keep doing whatever it is you do with gusto.

Why Aren’t You Drawing RN?

| M. R. Kessell

In an effort to show that I’m still alive and kicking (well maybe not kicking so much) I want to share a new introductory video from my YouTube channel.

It’s a short, somewhat motivational video intended to inspire the viewer through shame.

“What, are you watching too many YouTube videos?”

It’s my first attempt at a video other than a speed drawing, it’s a bit experimental, I hope you enjoy!