CAMP HORROR

I'm Not Dead...I Think.

2010-04-05T22:47:00.000-04:00

I have been ridiculously busy between working, freelancing, and trying to enjoy being alive. It sucks I haven't been able to exist online (cuz it's so important) but even worse I have zero time to paint and illustrate, with my solo show "Oddly Enough" creeping up on like a serial killer with a hard on for giant nerds in a rickety van (too far). I'm trying to get some new prints done, most likely "London Burns For Her" since that's been the recent favorite. Also trying to get an exclusive print over to The Playground in Keyport. HOLY CRAP If someone can invent a way to get more hours in a day, I will name my first gray hair after you. Till next time...stay alive.

Studio lockdown, and Losing my mind.

2010-03-19T16:19:00.000-04:00

It's literally been to long since I've been able to paint and illustrate which is both good and bad. It gives me a chance to re-charge the mental batteries but also takes me away from something I love/need to do. I have been able to sketch quick ideas on everything from post it notes to napkins just so I don't lose out on an idea. God bless my phone, cuz I store an infinite amount of potential titles and thoughts. With work at vigg designs, and freelance jobs out the ass right now, it's tough to find the time to create. So this weekend I'm locking down the batcave (my studio) and do what I love to do most in this world. Hopefully I'll get a lot of work done and be able to post some new art. Anyway, hopefully I'll survive lockdown with a beard and some sort of mental stability left. Till next post...stay alive.

13 and Babbling

2010-03-06T14:00:00.000-05:00

If you get a chance and you're in the area, stop by the grand opening of gallery 13 in Asbury Park, NJ from 6-10, lower level at the shoppes at the arcade. 4 Photographers will be showing some of their incredible work, and asked me to bring over 4 pieces so I'll be there and I'll be showing four pieces from the Ballad of Misery series, as promo for my mega solo show in September!

Speaking of that show, busy days lately so I have taken a (unwanted) break from illustrating and painting to do other freelance projects. It's good to walk away for awhile or else I get trapped into just forcing myself to draw something new, which in turn becomes crap because I'm pushing for something to happen. If you can make it to the show tonight, you can get an early look at the title of the show as well as more detailed info about it. My fav part about these shows is getting a chance to talk to people, as opposed to people who I never get to meet who view it on my site (which sucks) but it's cool to watch people's faces either get excited or totally confused and disgusted. It's always interesting to get a reaction from somebody, commonly the "What goes on in your head?" or "Your really messed up dude" or "What are you on?" Just don't ask me what they mean, because I won't have an answer for you sorry. Anyway I got get my funeral all black attire ready for the event. I'll post some pics of the show tomorrow. Til' next time...stay alive.

Casket Avenger #1 Available Now!

2010-02-22T13:13:00.000-05:00

It's finally here! My first ever comic is finally done. Originally I was putting out a book with a mix of comics and strange tales, but a shitty deal with a made up company kinda put the book on the back burner for awhile. It took me 3 months to complete this comic, along with 2 others. Basically writing, designing, and illustrating the whole thing myself, and eventually producing it myself. I found a great comic printer, and after a few pushes from people to make this happen, I finally did it. I'm super proud of this comic, because I have been trying to make my own comic since I was 5 and have finally figured it out. I never wrote anything before, or ever took a class on it, but I gave it a shot because I knew I wanted this story to be my own and sometimes it's easier to just do it myself then try to explain it to people.

Casket Avenger became part of my life in college, in a graphic design class. We had to do a project on "what is graphic design" so I decided to say how comics are major piece of graphic design and illustration combined. So I figured what kind of superhero would I wanna see, and I figured why not a dead one? (insert stereotype here) People know me for liking the dark and macabre, so I figured what other kind of hero would I create? I drew him with sloppy gouche paint, and put the final touch of the casket emblem on his chest and I was stoked. Originally he wore red and consisted of only black, red, and white but I later made the choice to make him wear purple later because it's not only my favorite color, but the only comic character I can think of that wears purple was the Joker, and I figured it would make him stand out more. Casket was created in 2007, and wouldn't resurface till 2009 when it came time to make the original book. Masterpiece, the villain of the comic, was originally a hero who was part of a team that I never finished developing, but I didn't wanna let him get lost in my sketchbooks because I thought he was such an interesting character with a unique power. I first drew him with Michealangelo's David back in 2007 as well, and I knew that would be his first use of his power (which is the ability to bring masterworks of artists to life to do evil deeds). I'm a big fan of villains in comics, I think Batman has the best villains of any comic out there, each of them are iconic and memorable, so I knew with Casket I wanted him to have an incredible list of villains to battle, and that's when Masterpiece turned into a villain as opposed to a hero. The first issue is not really your standard comic story, it's more of the tragedy of both Casket and Masterpiece. You get to see the darker and more twisted side of two people on different paths. So if you wanna see the marriage of a classic horror movie and a dark comic, check out my first ever comic The Casket Avenger: Reborn in Death #1 available now at chrisraimoart.com! Till next time...stay alive.

"I'd Give You My Heart, But I'm Kind Of Attached To It"

2010-02-13T00:29:00.000-05:00

Here's a new piece just in time for Valentine's Day. Hope you like it all you happy people in love out there...till next time...stay alive.

Gallery 13 and The Playground.

2010-02-08T14:00:00.000-05:00

Check out thegallery13.com, it's a new fine art photography gallery opening up in Asbury Park, NJ. A group of super talented people are running it and there's gonna be some pretty amazing shows there, including yours truly. I'm collaborating with a few photographers on some out of this world pieces, and sculptures. It's really a massive installation show we're working on for September, everything ranging from sculptures, photos, films, and just straight up illustrations based on my recent series. Couldn't do this without the legend himself John Vigg, he's a big kick in my ass to get things done and motivates me to step into different mediums (esp with sculpting, cuz I have no talent in that department). So check us out at thegallery13.com as we build up and grow!

I also have some pieces hanging at The Playground in Keyport, NJ. It's a rad place run by fun people selling everything from vintage books and art to perfumes and other oddities. Def worth checking out, everything there is super interesting and will def be a force to be reckoned with in the art/underground world!

Teeth

2010-02-03T20:21:00.000-05:00

I have officially see one of the most fucked up horror movies I've ever seen. I have seen so many shitty/great horror movies in my life and there has been plenty of really messed up scenes but this movie takes the cake. Teeth is about a girl with razor sharp teeth in her vagina. Let me say that again...Teeth...is about a girl with razor sharp teeth in her vagina. How do you even explain that to a movie studio, and then have them actually make it. Basically she is a prude, and as a kid her step brother tries to put his hand there and gets bit. He's convinced for life she is a weirdo (no shit). She grows up and preaches against teen sex, while her boyfriend wants to tap it. He forces himself on her with the fantastic line "I haven't jerked off since Easter!" Seriously. Mind-blowing. Then you hear a chomp noise and he starts wincing in pain. You would think they wouldn't show such graphic images...oh no they do. You get to see a bloody hole in his bush before they cut to his dick laying on the ground. For some reason I feel like I wouldn't have taken it so lightly. Throughout her vagina bites a gynecologist's fingers off, another dude's dick off, which he tries to reattached (he also doesn't react like you would expect) and eventually you hit the pinnacle of film history. She decides to let her step brother have a crack at her...chomp...she stands up and his dick drops from between her legs. (he also doesn't seem to care that much reaction wise) and you think that would be brutal enough...nope...he dog snatches up his dick and eats it. Few horror movies make me upset...this movie wins. It was so disgusting me and my friends all just lost it at every dick removal moment. You would hope that after seeing all these chewed up dicks and fingers you would at least get a peek at what the teeth-vag would look like...and you don't. Quite the let down especially after sitting through that. But hey, if you wanna have a horror movie that makes you cringe check it out...if you have a dick and you get squeamish, I would avoid it. That's all for now, till next time...stay alive.

Over-titled

2010-02-02T16:00:00.001-05:00

Forget get "untitled," I'm all about "over-titled." I have had some inquiries as to "how the hell do you come up with those titles?" for my illustrations. Plain and simple...it just happens. The titles usually come to me during the early pencil sketch process and that kinda helps me finish or add elements to the final product. I view these not just as illustrations but more of characters in their own world, and I try to think "what would this person say, or what would be said about them." However sometimes, the title comes before I even hit the paper and start sketching. Most are innocent names and such, but others hold a more personal secretive meaning. Some people can figure them out, others can't, and some just make up their own reasons (which I love to hear). Although I tend to keep things a bit enigmatic, (which most people can't stand about me) it suits my work the best. That's it for today, I gotta get back to finishing a painting I started a few months ago and still haven't gotten a hot minute to finish. 'Till next time....stay alive.

From the Dead, For the Dead.

2010-02-01T15:47:00.001-05:00

So this is my stupid blog. If you're reading this I'm stoked because I'm pretty sure no one will. Basically I made this to document crap I do with my art, talk about stuff that interest me, and hopefully make some sense in the process. In case you haven't checked out what I do, visit chrisraimoart.com and check it out. I've been an illustrator for as long as I can remember, and I say illustrator instead of artist, because I wouldn't classify myself as such. There is too much of a stereotype and negative connotation that comes with the title of an "artist." My friends like to consider me the "anti-artist artist," and I kinda like that. I'm no better than anyone, or have any kind of sad sense of ego, because I stuck with something I've been doing since I was old enough to hold a pencil, and have developed it past other people's abilities. Everyone can do it, but few stay with it I believe. I just had this drive to create, plus it kept me occupied during classes I should have been paying attention to. When I was younger we lived in an area where it wasn't really safe to go outside, so I kinda stayed indoors and made my own world. I got hooked on the Batman, and Ninja Turtle movies and used to watch then over and over wishing I could be in that world. Thus sparked my obsession with comics and superheroes, which I still don't care what people think about me, I still love reading comics now in my mid-20s. I've always been fascinated by the idea of putting pen to paper and letting my mind wander without any kind of filter or fear of what people will think. I have been called odd and weird my entire life for liking darker things, and drawing strange creatures and people. In my opinion, why draw stuff that already exists? I'd rather make something that has never been seen before, but lurks somewhere hidden in my mind. I like watching people's faces light up, or have their jaws drop, or just have a look of complete confusion when they look at my pieces. I like for them to think "what the hell goes on in this guys head?" and try to figure out what I'm trying to say or where this idea came from. There's a lot of secrets and hidden themes in my pieces, and if someone figures them out I'll be amazed, but I'd rather have the viewer conjure up their own reasons or story about what's going on. Isn't that the whole point of making art? To elicit a reaction, whether it's positive or negative? I think so. Well that's enough babbling for now, I'm in the process of making some models of my characters for an upcoming show, till next post...stay alive.