Poster Per Diem: David Kloc's "MacReady When You Are" Art Print

If you visit this site with any regularity, you already know I tend to write reviews for film and television inspired prints that are either currently on sale or are about to go on sale. And while I'll still be pouring the majority of my efforts into those sorts of posts, my daily "Poster Per Diem" feature will focus on awesome prints that have since sold out, never existed in the first place (AKA concept posters) or just bear mentioning. In other words: this is my chance to say, "I never got a chance, for whatever reason, to write about you on this here website, but I think you're really purty and I want to let the world know." Or something like that. Oh, and Per diem is latin for "per day" or "each day."

"MacReady When You Are" Art Print
David Kloc
13" x 17" - Paper / 12" x 16" - Image (Giclée) - Numbered
$40 - Limited to 30
Inspired By: The Thing

What started out as a must own painting recently became a must own print and is somehow still available (as of this writing) through Ltd. Art Gallery's website for $40. I've seen a few The Thing prints cleverly use MacReady's head in my time, but Kloc's poster takes the cake. This is seriously one of craziest, most awesome prints I've seen all year. The giclée measures 13" x 17" and is limited to an edition of 30. To learn more about artist David Kloc, head over to davekloc.com. And if you'd like to keep up with Ltd. Gallery's latest offerings, be sure to sign up for their newsletter and follow @ltdartgallery on Twitter.

Poster Per Diem: James White's "The Thing" Concept Art

For those wondering what the hell "Poster Per Diem" is / means / smells like, here's my not at all concise description. If you visit this site with any regularity, you already know I tend to write reviews for film and television inspired prints that are either currently on sale or are about to go on sale. And while I'll still be pouring the majority of my efforts into these sorts of posts, my daily "Poster Per Diem" feature will focus on awesome prints that have since sold out, never existed in the first place (AKA concept posters) or just bears mentioning. In other words: this is my chance to say, "I never got a chance, for whatever reason, to write about you on this here website, but I think you're really purty and I want to let the world know." Or something like that. Oh, and Per diem is latin for "per day" or "each day."

The Thing Concept Art
James White (AKA Signalnoise)
Not (currently) for Sale

At this point, it's my understanding that James White's The Thing artwork is only concept work and is not a printed poster available for purchase. With that said, there's a tiny Prince Charles Cinema logo (next to the Signalnoise logo at the bottom) that would seem to suggest this design might indeed become something we can one day proudly hang on our walls. And to that I say, "Huzzah!" Believe you me, James White / Signalnoise is definitely someone I'll be writing about more often in the future, as the guy is clearly a super talented artist and a fanatic for film. To learn more about James White and his Signalnoise Studio, head over to signalnoise.com and be sure to check out his incredibly informative blog, where he'll often break down the creative process step-by-step. You can also follow him on Twitter @signalnoise.

Drew Struzan's "The Thing" Art Print

Hear that heavenly sound? That choir of angelic voices? If I had to guess, I would imagine it's pretty similar to the sound Indiana Jones first heard when discovering the Holy Grail. Or when Jonas Salk developed the polio vaccine. Or how about when the "Star Wars Kid" realized his fifteen minutes of fame were almost up. I bet he was pretty stoked. That's sort of how I feel about today's poster. Hyperbole aside, Struzan's The Thing print, which holds a hallowed spot in film history, is sure to sit high atop most poster enthusiasts' "must own" list for a long, long while. It's hard not to get excited for its release, but a darker, more realistic side of me knows that actually getting my hands on one for a reasonable price will be nigh impossible - I can already taste the heartbreak. Then again, maybe if I just remind myself that it's only a piece of paper and some ink I can rise above my prescient depression and realize that I don't need material things to be happy. Maybe I can be a better pers- Nope. I need that poster, I want that poster, I must own and frame that poster.

The Thing Art Print
Drew Struzan
26" x 38" (Screen Print) - Signed and Numbered
$250 - Limited to 435

I'm not sure I have anything new to contribute to the conversation about Struzan's iconic The Thing poster, but that's never stopped me before. The one sheet for The Thing remains one of the most awesomely beautiful bits of promotional artwork ever created. It's otherworldly in that it suggests something literally extraterrestrial, but also uses the film's setting and transforms what many already consider alien - the frigid and inhospitable Antarctic - into a mind-blowing kaleidoscopic winter wonderland / wasteland. If you haven't discovered the great interview with Drew Struzan at movies.com, I highly recommend you head over there now. I was surprised to learn while reading it, that not only did the man only have a single day to create the original 1982 art from start to finish, he also had no reference shots from the film to work from. This poster is the perfect snapshot of Struzan's creativity and clearly holds a place in film lovers' hearts the world over, even to this day. I only wish Mondo had printed about a thousand more of these.

Drew Struzan's The Thing print will be available tomorrow (6/28) through Mondo at a random time. The poster measures 26" x 38", is limited to an edition of 435, and will cost $250. For up to the minute drop info be sure to follow @MondoNews, although you're probably better off F5ing all day. And as an FYI, Mondo has hinted that this poster release will be happening a little later than usual. Do with that tidbit what you will. To learn more about Struzan, visit drewstruzan.com, where you can spend lots and lots of money on his work, and be sure to pick up his newest book Drew Struzan: Oeuvre. Good luck!

Richey Beckett's "Mac Wants the Flamethrower" Art Print

UPDATE (4/9): Wow. That was fast! Richey's "Mac Wants the Flamethrower" is now completely sold out. If you missed your chance to pick one up, I'm sure a few will be popping up on eBay or Expresso Beans in the next few days.

I've covered a decent amount of Thing inspired artwork on Posterocalypse, but this may be my favorite piece yet. Originally created for the Mondo Gallery's opening in Austin, Richey Beckett's "Mac Wants the Flamethrower" is an insanely detailed and and creative tribute to John Carpenter's landmark The Thing.

"Mac Wants the Flamethrower" Art Print
Richey Beckett
450mm x 320mm (17.7" x 12.6") - Signed and Numbered
£20 - Limited to 50
Inspired By: The Thing

What a gorgeous work of art! Richey Beckett, an artist I wasn't familiar with in the slightest, has put himself on the map with this grotesque goody. Beckett captures the sinewy alien tendrils in all their gory glory, yet manages to imbue his snapshot with an otherworldly beauty. The living cords erupting from the canine body remind me of a spear or arrow, while the fibrous coils encircling the creature's neck and paws could easily be mistaken for a ranch hand's lasso. I mention all of this to suggest there's something innately primal present in this print. If you couldn't already tell, this is one of those posters that will need to be seen in person to be believed. And can someone please have this guy start working on some art for a Cronenberg flick already? I'm thinking Videodrome, The Fly, eXistenZ, Rabid, Scanners, and The Brood (in that order). What say you? For those unfamiliar with the film, here's the clip that inspired Beckett's art.

Richey Beckett's The Thing inspired "Mac Wants the Flamethrower" art print is available right now for £20 (approximately $32) through Beckett's online store. The print measures 450mm x 320mm and is limited to an edition of 50. To learn more about artist Richey Beckett, be sure to visit richeybeckett.com, follow him on Twitter @richeybeckett, and check out his store.

Mark Englert's "Det er en Slags Ting" Art Print

UPDATE (3/7): As mentioned in this post, Englert's "Det er en Slags Ting" print was a time-limited release, and that time has come to an end. They're all sold out folks! Now we just need to wait until Mark's amazing It print comes out!

I've already written about The Thing several times on this site. It's one of those movies that will forever drive its fans to share their appreciation with one another and the world beyond, including those who've yet to see Carpenter's 1982 classic. Thankfully for us, Mark Englert, an illustrator who's worked with the likes of Image, Archaia, and Microsoft, has decided to dedicate his sizable talents toward capturing the icy landscape better known as Outpost 31 via two beautifully epic screen prints.

"Det er en Slags Ting" Art Print
Mark Englert - 12" x 36"
$40 - Edition Size TBD
Inspired By: The Thing

"Det er en Slags Ting" Art Print ("Yeah, Fuck You, Too" GID Variant)
Mark Englert - 12" x 36"
$70 (Already Sold Out) - Limited to 31
Inspired By: The Thing

You've really got to admire the level of detail in Englert's work. Much like Dan McCarthy's "Hoth" and JC Richard's "Fortress of Solitude," both of which served as inspirations in the creation of "Det er en Slags Ting," Mark's posters are about as photorealistic as they come. I actually wondered (very briefly) if any of the above was drawn at all, then I was directed to his incredibly thorough process thread on Expresso Beans (seriously, go read it right now). There, I witnessed just how much detail and effort went into even the most seemingly minute elements of the design. I've included a few of my favorites below for your viewing pleasure.

Helicopter - Illustration Close-up

Alaskan Malamute - Illustration Close-up

Outpost 31 / Station 4 - Illustration Close-up

While some of these elements couldn't be bigger than a fingernail within the boundaries of "Det er en Slags Ting" (I'm looking at you, adorable but violent alien dog), you can see how intricately each vehicle, character and building was drawn. I'm completely serious when I say every one of these could be a print unto themselves! Mark was nice enough to provide me with some detail about these, his first prints ever, as well as briefly summarize his process and talk a little bit about why he loves The Thing so much:

"It's my first print, but I've been making a living doing illustration for over 12 years now, so I was fairly confident I could pull it off. I work in Photoshop, took pictures of some local mountains after a recent snow storm and drew the rest myself, piece by piece. I drew the dog, base and helicopter at a much larger size then they would be printed in the end, so that when I shrunk them down, they would have a comparable level of detail as the picture of mountains they were placed in front of. The movie is a long-time favorite... lots of note-perfect, iconic moments that are carved into my brain and just re-watchable as hell."

As far as first prints go, I'd say this was a smashing success, wouldn't you?

These two gorgeous looking posters are a must-have for any Thing fan. While the glow-in-the-dark variant has already sold out, Mark Englert's "Det Er En Slags Ting" art print is still available for $40 from his Talco Belvedere storefront for a few more hours (it's a time-limited release). The print measures 12" x 36" and will be expertly screen printed with three colors. To learn more about Mark and his process head over to the amazingly detailed EB process thread he started, check out his website at markenglert.com, and follow him on Twitter @markenglert. As you can tell, he's a pretty talented guy and I think we'll be seeing a lot more from him in the near future! More specifically, fans of It should keep their eyes on Mark and what he does next!

Fernando Fro Reza's "The Thing" Movie Posters

Fernando Fro Reza, better known as Fro Design Co on the web, has been creating and selling film / television inspired prints since early 2010 through his Fro Design Co blog. He's created prints based on shows like Lost and The Walking Dead, to movies like Inception, The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (my favorite Wes Anderson film) and now, John Carpenter's legendary The Thing. In collaboration with CHUD.com, Fernando has been, and will continue to, create monthly movie posters for Cinematic Happenings Under Development (also known as CHUD). Here's a much more eloquent summary of this union than I could ever produce (copied, pasted, and then slightly edited / paraphrased from Nick Nunziato):

"Every month for as long as we’re able to keep on keepin’ on, we will be saluting two films with glorious and beautiful posters that should get your gears turning real nice. What qualifies for a CHUD SALUTES honor? It’s a weird combination. Some of these will be great movies. Some will be horrible movies. Some unsung classics. Some pretty obvious flicks. The end result is that when this man [Fernando Fro Reza] graces them with his eye, they’re all unified in their delightfulness."

Now onto the fun stuff!

The Thing: MacReady

Fernando's The Thing "MacReady" movie poster is my favorite of the two. It's very Olly Moss, in that there's so much going on and yet it's so minimal. I'd actually recommend clicking on the image to get a better look at a larger version, you might be surprised at all of the hidden elements he's thrown in. This poster is of course an image of The Thing's resident badass / protagonist R.J. MacReady (played to perfection by Kurt Russell). My favorite details are the hanging light that acts as MacReady's eye and the petri dish filled with alien goo and reacting to the heat under the cast and crew credits. If like me, you never had the chance to grab one of Stout's amazing The Thing posters, then you'll no doubt be picking this one up to fill that deep, dark, vacuous void in your soul. The "MacReady" poster measures 11" x 17", costs $25 and is limited to an edition of 50. There also happens to be an amazing buy one get one free deal through CHUD, so I HIGHLY recommend heading over there ASAP (hint: read the first two paragraphs) - you won't be sorry. These will sell out quickly, so act fast!

The Thing: The First Week of Winter

The Thing "The First Week of Winter" print is a bit more traditional, but definitely highlights the kick-ass-ness of Kurt Russell much more prominently, and there's absolutely nothing wrong with that. In a lot of ways these posters fit together perfectly. The "MacReady" print features fiery red hues, and seems to give off heat and represent action, while "The First Week of Winter" print represents the colder and more isolated atmosphere of the American Antarctic research station by using shades of blue; together these prints seem to create a whole picture. Much like the previous The Thing print, "The First Week of Winter" poster costs $25, measures 11" x 17", is limited to an edition of 50 and is available through the Fro Design Co store. Again, please be sure to check out the CHUD post before buying either one of these prints to take advantage of the BOGO offer.

Now it's time for the self serving aspect of this post, where I remind everyone who hasn't already done so (US only) to enter themselves in Posterocalypse's The Fighter print giveaway. I'll be giving away The Fighter movie poster by Alan Hynes and a mystery print on February 28th to one lucky person who leaves a comment with their name and email address in last Saturday's blog post (it was titled "Giveaway - The Fighter by Alan Hynes"). ¡Bueno suerte!

Dan Mumford's "The Thing" Art Print

I knew following yesterday's post about Tim Doyle's newest art print inspired by the 1981 horror classic An American Werewolf in London was going to be no easy task. So what did I do today? I decided to write about a print inspired by the 1982 science fiction horror classic The Thing. Duh. I don't know too much about the artist Dan Mumford, but if this is any indication of the quality of his work - I'm in, I'm completely in.

The Thing

My God, this poster is amazing. Dan Mumford's "The Thing" art print is unlike anything I've ever seen before. He's found a very clever and creative way to convey just how versatile the alien in question really is - the creature can literally become anything. By using tendril-like cords of flesh to represent the Thing in its most primitive state, Dan has crafted a creepy, but beautiful, body horror masterpiece (just like the film). There's also something slightly crazy (in a good way) about the artwork. The amount of detail here vaguely reminds me of Charles Crumb's sketches (thanks Criterion). Charles, Robert Crumb's troubled brother, started using dense concentric lines to create characters and shapes, evidently a common trait among psychologically troubled individuals, though let me be clear, I don't think this applies in any way to the incredibly talented Mr. Mumford - just a random observation.

Dark City Gallery is selling "The Thing" print through their online store. The print measures 18" x 24", is signed and numbered and costs £30 (roughly $48). You can also visit Dan Mumford's website and store to see some pretty insane artwork. The man definitely has an eye for detail. White Duck Screen Print, the folks who screenprinted this beauty, also have some great process shots in their blog.