Monster Monday: xoxo Nessie - 6/13/16

Happy Monday from myself, the Singular Fortean Society, and Miss Nessie!


xx emily

Monster Monday: Greetings from Loch Ness - 6/6/16

It's the first Monday in June, and that means The Singular Fortean Society is featuring a different kind of monster. This month, we are focusing our attention on Lake Monsters. Sure, the Loch Ness Monster otherwise known as "Nessie" is the most famous of these monsters, but there are many more that have been reported worldwide. Believe it or not, there have been many lake monster sightings in Wisconsin. To read about Lake Monsters as well as others, visit our Monster Database.

Happy Monday,

xx emily

Monster Monday: SASSquatch - 5/30/16

Today's digital illustration is taken from a sketch I had for a merchandise idea. Bringing it to life in Adobe Illustrator was the first step in order to making this happen. Doesn't this bigfoot babe have a lot of sass? She's got it goin' on! ;-) (Wow...I can't believe I just wrote that).

As far as Emily's Monster Shop goes, I have put the shop on hold for the time being. Before you ask, I have NO intention of shutting the shop down. I am in the slow and steady process of turning it into a merchandise shop for my own brand as well as Singular Fortean's monsters. I want to put monster designs on shirts, phone cases, mugs, patches, art prints, totes, and more! This of course requires a lot of research and overhead in order to make this happen, but once production begins, we will be accomplishing a really unique and fun goal that will be great for both brands! Patience grasshoppers, keep your eyes peeled. The shop allows me to let my super-imaginative, whimsical creations live on perfectly marketable products!

I plan on creating monster sculptures for custom orders only for some time as I shift the focus of the shop for the time being.

Happy Monster Monday,

xx emily

Monster #14 - 2/15/16

This monster is the third in a set of "real-life" monsters illustrated with Prismacolor pencils (my favorite). Who could forget Bigfoot?

Also commonly known as Sasquatches, these creatures have been debated as hoaxes, myth, and hopeful reality. They are the beloved subject of popular culture such as the television series Harry and the Hendersons, as well as many other shows, movies, games, books, and more. I recently saw a Bigfoot Ale in the beer section of the grocery store. Clearly, as a population, we are mystified by the possibility of mysterious, giant ape-like creatures roaming our forests.

There is a certain lack of evidence of Bigfoot to where most scientists rule all film evidence and footprint casts as hoaxes. It's easy to say that we've dressed our best friend up in a gorilla suit and had him saunter around in front of the camera when there's never been a solid discovery of this monster. Believers argue that these creatures are somewhat endangered, and intelligent to a point that they know they can hide in solitude and be somewhat unknown. I try to think of the first captured bigfoot, and what a parade it would be...and for the captive bigfoot being on display and prodded by scientific instruments--that is no way to live. Perhaps they know better to stay away, and remain out of sight.

If they are real, I can't blame their decision to lay low.

Monster #13 - 2/8/16

Everyone has heard of the Loch Ness Monster, or otherwise lovingly and famously known as "Nessie." Loch Ness is a lake in the Scottish highlands and it's alleged beastly inhabitant could be a hoax, a surviving plesiosaur, a glitch on Apple Maps, or something else entirely. This urband legend of the mystical creature has not entirely been debunked.

As for me, I odon't know what I believe. The lake is supposedly pretty murky, so really, there could be anything in there. I know for certain I would not mind a surviving dinosaur on this planet.

This "Nessie" was created with use of Prismacolor colored pencils on Arches paper.

Happy Monday,
xx emily

Monster #12 - 2/1/16

Happy Monday (or, uh, Wednesday)! For the month of February I am focusing on drawing with Prismacolors--one of my longtime favorite mediums that I have not explored in a long time. I also have decided to depict traditional monsters this month.

This first February monster is the famously known yeti. I decided a notorious snow monster was an appropriate subject as we are still in the thick of a bitter, cold winter here in Wisconsin.

Yeti are a Bigfoot-type monster or "abominable snowman" that are rumored  to wander the Himalayas of Tibet. The yeti that were of reported sightings are similar in appearance to Bigfoot: reddish-brown in color and standing upright. I decided to go with a more "snowy" looking version of this creature that is often depicted white in the media and popular culture.

Hopefully I'll get next week's monster done on time 😊 I underestimated how long these drawings take. Oh well, live and learn I suppose.

xx emily

Monster #10 - (1/18/16)

I always begin planning a creature for Monster Monday a week in advance. Despite the growing list of ideas I had for these monsters, I felt compelled to ask my boyfriend what kind of monster I should make. A teddy bear possessed by the soul of a serial killer was one of these ideas.

Regardless, this little bear turned out pretty frightening. I don't know if he's possessed or demonic, but he is a savage terror bear.

As pictured above, this piece is not yet glazed and he does not yet have a name. Follow me on Facebook or Instagram for a post later this week that will also feature this monster. Maybe he will have a name by then.

Monster #8 - 1/4/16

This week I decided that the first monster of 2016 should be one that pays tribute to a beast that we are all familiar with...well, at least one that most Wisconsinites are.

Have you ever heard of a Hodag?

Hodags are a folkloric monster from Wisconsin, primarily in Rhinelander (which is the city mascot). They appear in several Paul Bunyan stories and newspapers reported a "discovery" which ended up being a hoax in 1893. The alleged capture had occurred in Rhinelander by a land surveyor and timberman named Eugene Shepherd. He had the event photographed as well as the created corpse on display at the county fair. Despite the discovery, capture, and evidence being completely fictitious, the Hodag remains a prominent symbol of Rhinelander and the folklore is still celebrated for its fantasy as any mystical, mythical monster should be.

The above Hodag made from Sculpey will lovingly be named Heinrich and will appear for sale in the Etsy shop soon.

Happy New Year,
xx emily

Monster #6, 7, and Emily's Monster Shop - 12/14/15, 12/28/15

I suppose it is better late than never, but here is a double Monster Monday post (on a Tuesday...I know) that I have been very excited to share. The fact is, I had a bit more to share than just a monster, and I will use the holidays as an excuse for my lack-of-one last week.

For Monday the 28th (which I did start yesterday, by the way) I created a digital illustration of a Beholder from the Dungeons and Dragons Monster Manual.

On the fourteenth, I sculpted this little guy. He was the first Monday Monster made from Sculpey. Sculpey was one of my favorite mediums as a child, where I constantly created creatures from my own mind and brought them to "life" through polymer clay. I recently rediscovered my love for this clay and had a happy accident with Amazon...therefore I've begun creating a bunch of these little guys for fun (and as Christmas gifts) and became inspired to finally join Etsy...here is my little Monday Mongrel (he still needs a name!) as well as some of his friends (or enemies) that will soon be available in the Etsy shop once they have a photoshoot.

Many of these monsters were created as Christmas gifts, so now that they have been gifted, I can finally share them! The rest (including this Monday Menace) will be for sale, soon!

My Etsy Shop will feature drawings, sculptures, photographs, and digital illustrations of many whimsical, often creepy, unique creatures and beasts...sometimes not, but mostly it will be of monsters. I am so excited to have a place to sell the fantastical results of my wild imagination. Believe me, this is only the beginning to what I hope will be a successful artistic endavor...and there are more where these critters came from.

xx Emily

Monster #5 - 12/5/15

This frightening beast was created with far too many vector layers on Adobe Illustrator through an 8-hour process (except for naptime).

xx emily

Monster #4 - 11/30/15

I had completely forgotten to blog this past Monday's monster! Oh well, without further ado...here is the creepiest monster yet, again with gel pen in my sketchbook.

xx Emily

Monster #3 - 11/23/15

Gel pen on sketchbook paper

Monster #2 - (11/16/15)

Untitled monster #2 - ballpoint pen in sketchbook

I was drawing this little dude right before the start of my shift in the coffee shop. One of our regulars saw it and proclaimed "Mike Wazowski!"

This guy needs a different name. Not every one eyed monster is Mike Waxowski, no offense to the scare-master.

Monster #1 - 11/9/15

Untitled November Monster, Sharpie on Canson Sketchbook Paper (8.5x11")

Happy (Monster) Monday!

I've decided that every Monday, I'm going to draw or create a monster in some fashion. There is no scheme to this weekly tradition other than the fact that coming up with my own creatures is something I've always enjoyed doing since the days of magic markers and model magic when I gallivanted around the house in what I considered to be princess or ballerina attire.

There could be bigger plans for these monsters, but for now they are to appear here and on Instagram (@emily_bartos) once a week for your viewing entertainment. Perhaps they could inspire your imagination, as they have redisovered mine.

xx emily