Making PICKMAN’S MASTERPIECE

This is a recent project I photographed for Famous Monsters of Filmland magazine called PICKMAN’S MASTERPIECE.

This sequence of images is based on a 1927 short story by H.P. Lovecraft called Pickman’s Model.  I was attracted to this project because of the character of Pickman – who in Lovecraft’s mythology is a brilliant but marginalized artist notorious for his horrifying artwork.  Due to the graphic and disturbing nature of his work, he is shunned by his fellow artists.

Pickman is my patron saint.

I focused on the moment in the story when Pickman brings his last willing patron into his underground studio to show him his Masterpiece – his greatest and worst work – the one that can never be shown in public.

What he reveals is too much for the human mind to bear.

Instead of creating one heroic image, I wanted to create a sequence of images, like shots from a scene in a movie.

The patron was played by Damian Blake.  He provided his own vintage wardrobe and grew a handlebar moustache for the project.  Here you can see Damian standing in for a lighting test while still wearing his coat.  The basement location was very cold.

The character of Pickman was played by Bob Barber.

My regular assistant Demian Vela, as well as my wife Jen Hoffine (who played the lead in LADY BATHORY) acted as crew.  Here you can see Demian running the fog machine and moving the sheet into position using fishing line.

Pickman’s artwork was provided by fellow Horror Photographer Chad Michael Ward.

Thank you to Famous Monsters for inviting me to shoot this project.  See you next time!