Inspiring and solid work there. It reminds me of my art student years, discovering the works of McKean, Moebius and Nine, all the same year, mind bending. So glad to have your take on it guys
If you compare some of the original early printed covers with the Dust Cover editions, you can see that Dave 'remastered' them with Photoshop for the book. If memory serves me, he does acknowledge this in the commentary. I received the original printing of the book as a gift in 1997 and it changed my life. I was studying illustration at university at the time and my interest in learning Photoshop and taking extra courses in photography became a priority. My course work from that period was heavily influenced by Dave's art and techniques. It became a photocopy of a photocopy of a photocopy doing a bad McKean impression. My hope is that one day you will get to speak with him in a shoot interview. Thank you for this video!
Most of my original comics and books ended up lost or destroyed, but I still have my dog-eared original copy from 1997, I loved the Sandman, and especially the Dave McKean covers are what initially attracted me to that series in the first place. Love the Cartoonist Kayfabe! channel, Ed and Jim you guys are awesome, keep up the great work on this channel! I was born in November 1982, and the content of this channel definitely speaks to me, this is the only must-watch TV I've seen in years. Can't wait to see what the future holds for you 2 dudes, please continue to make great comics and carry on your mission to get folks to... READ. MORE. COMICS!
Speaking of Bill S., I haven’t looked at it in years, but my memory of Stray Toasters is that it, too, headed in this direction, even though I don’t think it went this far. I wonder if some of it isn’t just that, in the end, narrative needs to narrate a story, while covers can only allude, or imply or evoke a story?
Was lucky enough to get to go to a retrospective exhibition of Dave McKean's work at the Tunbridge Wells Museum & Art Gallery in Kent, England a few years ago; the original works for these covers and pages from Arkham Asylum are truly awe-inspiring. I was surprised by the scale of some mixed media assemblages being almost four times bigger than a standard US comicbook cover while a few hand drawn or painted images were practically the same or smaller than in print.
I got the single issues as they were released from the start. Remember taking them to art school, coleagues and the teachers would try to find how the hell the covers were done. Curiosity about Brazilian editions (Dave and Neil saw them and loved it): no ads on the last cover, they just blew up a detail of the illustration, solving some misteries to us young artists.
Loved this episode alot more than I thought I would! One cover looked like a dream theater album... Turns out he did the album cover! Learn new stuff every day!!
McKean's art always reminded me of the novel House of Leaves by Mark Danielewski. Not just because the novel includes similar visuals, but because of the surreal nature of the plot and form. Danielewski plays around with the medium itself (printing words allover the pages, writing massive footnotes, weaving together fonts) in a way very similar to Dave McKean.
... and I bought it. Dag Blasted Kayfabe effect! Look up english artist Russell Mills. McKean mentioned him as an influence way back in the day. Even though Mills is mostly abstract, you can really see how his process influenced early Mckean Sandman covers.
Awesome. Was out of comic collecting for a while but when I saw that Arkham Asylum I was blown away. McKean was at the SD Comic Conv around when AA came out and had the originals on his table/booth and I think they were for sale. From what I recall, I didn't have the money for any but sure would have liked to have one. They were large format pieces and those 3D elements were just glued down on them. I seem to recall pearls or something like that on one of them.
The fun was trying to figure out back engineer what him and David Carson were doing while I was in art school. I knew my limits with photography. That was my bootcamp with photoshop.
4x5 transparency is a 4x5” piece pf slide film shot on a large format camera, what people traditionally think of as the accordion style cameras they envision someone like Ansel Adams hauling around
Even more than Cages, I think the two volumes of Pictures That Tick would be fascinating to look at because McKean is doing a LOT of short comics in a variety of different art styles and media.
Highly recommend Black Dog: The Dreams of Paul Nash if you want to see some modern McKean comics. The guy became even better at pretty much everything.
There were only a couple of color copying machines, accessible to the general public, back in the late eighties-early nineties, in most cities. I worked at an office supply store, while I was in high school (~1993-'94), and we had 1, or 2, and they were a big draw, back then. People used them for a variety of projects.
I had an hours conversation with Dave back in 86 at UKCAC at that point he wanted to go into film making and cited Kubrick as his rôle model. BTW boys, any sign of the care package i sent you? Yours Tristram Wymark, your Number One Fan in London
Awesome review. I've been following his work in all forms since the mid 90s and have multiple versions of this book. Definitely TH-cam this title. It's a great interview and a tour of his studio showing alll the bits and pieces he uses for art. "Through the comic keyhole with… Dave McKean" - The Lakes International Comic Art Festival Also search out this video, great interview. "Dave Mckean" - Rye Arts Festival Digital Fringe
Inspiring and solid work there. It reminds me of my art student years, discovering the works of McKean, Moebius and Nine, all the same year, mind bending.
So glad to have your take on it guys
If you compare some of the original early printed covers with the Dust Cover editions, you can see that Dave 'remastered' them with Photoshop for the book. If memory serves me, he does acknowledge this in the commentary. I received the original printing of the book as a gift in 1997 and it changed my life. I was studying illustration at university at the time and my interest in learning Photoshop and taking extra courses in photography became a priority. My course work from that period was heavily influenced by Dave's art and techniques. It became a photocopy of a photocopy of a photocopy doing a bad McKean impression. My hope is that one day you will get to speak with him in a shoot interview. Thank you for this video!
Most of my original comics and books ended up lost or destroyed, but I still have my dog-eared original copy from 1997, I loved the Sandman, and especially the Dave McKean covers are what initially attracted me to that series in the first place.
Love the Cartoonist Kayfabe! channel, Ed and Jim you guys are awesome, keep up the great work on this channel! I was born in November 1982, and the content of this channel definitely speaks to me, this is the only must-watch TV I've seen in years. Can't wait to see what the future holds for you 2 dudes, please continue to make great comics and carry on your mission to get folks to...
READ. MORE. COMICS!
Speaking of Bill S., I haven’t looked at it in years, but my memory of Stray Toasters is that it, too, headed in this direction, even though I don’t think it went this far.
I wonder if some of it isn’t just that, in the end, narrative needs to narrate a story, while covers can only allude, or imply or evoke a story?
Was lucky enough to get to go to a retrospective exhibition of Dave McKean's work at the Tunbridge Wells Museum & Art Gallery in Kent, England a few years ago; the original works for these covers and pages from Arkham Asylum are truly awe-inspiring. I was surprised by the scale of some mixed media assemblages being almost four times bigger than a standard US comicbook cover while a few hand drawn or painted images were practically the same or smaller than in print.
I got the single issues as they were released from the start. Remember taking them to art school, coleagues and the teachers would try to find how the hell the covers were done. Curiosity about Brazilian editions (Dave and Neil saw them and loved it): no ads on the last cover, they just blew up a detail of the illustration, solving some misteries to us young artists.
Loved this episode alot more than I thought I would! One cover looked like a dream theater album... Turns out he did the album cover! Learn new stuff every day!!
You quickly learn to keep a texture library to sample from. I do know he'd work as high as he could resolution wise then drop it.
My absolutely favorite artist who has inspired me in many ways and even led me to music I loved with his album covers
Forever a fanatic of Dave McKean’s covers
McKean's art always reminded me of the novel House of Leaves by Mark Danielewski. Not just because the novel includes similar visuals, but because of the surreal nature of the plot and form. Danielewski plays around with the medium itself (printing words allover the pages, writing massive footnotes, weaving together fonts) in a way very similar to Dave McKean.
... and I bought it. Dag Blasted Kayfabe effect! Look up english artist Russell Mills. McKean mentioned him as an influence way back in the day. Even though Mills is mostly abstract, you can really see how his process influenced early Mckean Sandman covers.
I bought volume 2 also. Selling like hot cakes now.
Awesome. Was out of comic collecting for a while but when I saw that Arkham Asylum I was blown away. McKean was at the SD Comic Conv around when AA came out and had the originals on his table/booth and I think they were for sale. From what I recall, I didn't have the money for any but sure would have liked to have one. They were large format pieces and those 3D elements were just glued down on them. I seem to recall pearls or something like that on one of them.
I think Vaughn Oliver's 4AD work was an influence.
Dave McKean did the album covers for the band Front Line Assembly and did the Stabbing Westward 'Darkest Days' album.
I love these covers! I remember them at the store. They stood out!
His covers always blew me away. That said, his favorite work of mine is probably Cages. I love his stripped-down illustrations in that book.
The fun was trying to figure out back engineer what him and David Carson were doing while I was in art school. I knew my limits with photography. That was my bootcamp with photoshop.
4x5 transparency is a 4x5” piece pf slide film shot on a large format camera, what people traditionally think of as the accordion style cameras they envision someone like Ansel Adams hauling around
Even more than Cages, I think the two volumes of Pictures That Tick would be fascinating to look at because McKean is doing a LOT of short comics in a variety of different art styles and media.
Highly recommend Black Dog: The Dreams of Paul Nash if you want to see some modern McKean comics. The guy became even better at pretty much everything.
6:35 I'm no veterinarian, but I have silver-plated animal and bird skulls in the past and that looks like it might be a cat's skull.
materials isnt enought , a description of the proces would be great , how you get to the final piece!
Pure magic!🖤
There were only a couple of color copying machines, accessible to the general public, back in the late eighties-early nineties, in most cities.
I worked at an office supply store, while I was in high school (~1993-'94), and we had 1, or 2, and they were a big draw, back then. People used them for a variety of projects.
I had an hours conversation with Dave back in 86 at UKCAC at that point he wanted to go into film making and cited Kubrick as his rôle model. BTW boys, any sign of the care package i sent you? Yours Tristram Wymark, your Number One Fan in London
Awesome review. I've been following his work in all forms since the mid 90s and have multiple versions of this book. Definitely TH-cam this title. It's a great interview and a tour of his studio showing alll the bits and pieces he uses for art.
"Through the comic keyhole with… Dave McKean" - The Lakes International Comic Art Festival
Also search out this video, great interview.
"Dave Mckean" - Rye Arts Festival Digital Fringe
karen berger shoot interview YES PLEASSSEEE
Freaking Kayfabed myself into another book purchase because of you jerks. 🤦♂
Keep up the good work!
It's cyclical! The comments section on our Sandman vids inspired this purchase. --Ed
!