Illustration Friday - PORTRAIT

Ahh, a perfect opportunity to post a sketch I created a few days ago. This is a portrait of one of my many heroes, Lon Chaney- seen here as a stylish vampire from a "lost" movie called London After Midnight. The drawing was created with a Tombo brush pen, then colored with Prismacolor pens. Image scanned and then altered in Photoshop, frame and background added in Photoshop as well. From what I have read about London After Midnight, it wasn't a stellar movie. Great movie or not, I have always loved this character from the still photos I have seen. Here's a bit of info I pulled from the IMDB website regarding the movie:

London After Midnight was Lon Chaney's first and only foray into the vampire subgenre. Directed by longtime collaborator Tod Browning (of Dracula and Freaks fame), London featured a twist ending which many contemporary viewers found unsatisfying.

Unfortunately, it is impossible for modern-day viewers to effectively judge the film as there is not a print known to exist. What we do know about the film comes from its plethora of publicity stills (which have been reconstructed into a filmbook by Philip J. Riley), Browning's remake, Mark of the Vampire (which is allegedly a shot-by-shot imitation), and the recollections of those who saw the film decades ago, like the legendary Forrest J. Ackerman.

The general consensus is that, though Chaney's makeup is typically excellent, the film was only mediocre and its lost status is no great blow to film history. That being said, it is certain that the rediscovery of this film would send hundred of movie buffs into an absolute frenzy. As the IMDB says, "Check your attic!"