REELART Pt.1

 While I started out my career as a comic book artist with virtually no formal training, one of my ambitions was to learn how to paint and become an illustrator. While there was rarely a shortage of comic book and animation work, when I did get free time I spent it learning how to draw better and some of the basics of painting. Since movies had been a love from the time I was a youngster, it seemed logical that I would start to use them as my inspiration for my pictures. And getting excellent reference photos was never any problem.

Practice, practice,practice I've always found is the real secret. The series of  illustrations I've turned out over the years I've called my Reel Art. Here are some of the examples.  Best, Mike Vosburg

Errol Flynn was one of my earlier attempts. Loved him as the arrogant swashbuckler whether in Robin Hood, Captain Blood, or the Sea Hawk.

Since the Maltese Falcon was one of my all time favorites both as a novel and a movie,  with Mary Astor as Brigid O'Shaughnessy and Bogart as Sam Spade.

I loved all the Woody Allen films and how can you miss with Casablanca. I seemed to have as my finishes on Bogart and Bergman left a lot to be desired. There was definitely a lot more life in the pencil. 

Bette Davis had an etherial beauty early in her career, but like Joan Crawford, I found her later roles a bit offputting. Here in The Little Foxes. 

Ava Gardner was just drop dead beautiful...but difficult to capture all that loveliness.

Bull Dog Drummond remains one of my favorite bits of humor and escapism with Ronald Coleman playing the lead with a delightful whimsy and Warner Oland for once cast as an anglo-villian rather than the asian ones he usually played.

Since I first saw her in the Addams Family, Christina Ricci impressed me with her acting and poise.

Gary Cooper I started drawing likenesses of when I was in my early teens. My boyhood idol from the screen, I'm often "casting" him in my comic stories, most recently as Parker in Retrowood.

Catherine Zita-Jones is another beauty that I can't draw often enough...along with another beauty, Repo the cat.

I'm not sure if Shakira qualifies as a film star, but she is certainly an entertainment icon.  I like to think of this one as my self portrait with her. 

Not only of of the most beautiful women in Hollywood, but also one of the most brilliant, "Bombshell" Hedy Lamarr I was in love with from the early Bob Hope movie "My Favorite Spy."

When it comes to stunning elegance mixed with jaw dropping sexuality Marlene Dietrich was a true screen goddess. The background was from Shanghai Express and Marlene was probably from a George Hurrell photograph.

Paulette Goddard had a captivating  screen presences with her delightful smile and wit. Here with Gene Krupa in the background.

Dancer Josephine Baker was one of most accomplished and remarkable women of the 20th century. A leader in the civil rights movement she spent most of her life in her adopted France.

Loved Hitchcock films as a young boy and enjoy them just as much as an adult. A true judge of quality when you can appeal to both audiences.

One of the classic screwball comedies of the thirties was Midnight, with Claudette Cobert, Mary Astor, Hedda Hopper and John Barrymore among others. A laugh fest not to be missed.

Baz Luhrmann's Moulin Rouge with Nicole Kidman  was surprising delight for a such at ragic story.

Ralph Fiennes is always to watch. My favorite might be The English Patient (which is always a divisive film among fans.)

While William Powell and Myrna Loy as Nick and Nora Charles had absolutely nothing to do with the characters created by Dashiell Hammett (his autobiographical look at his relationship with Lillian Hellman), the Thin Man films remain delightful and entertaining..

Zhang Zizi was stunning in Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon . A fit image to end this  entry on.