Monster Monkey Monday

Julian Coalheart,  zombie chimp and card carrying Sinister Simian, invites you to jump into the spirit of Halloween by taking the Horror Movie quiz. (Be sure to use the pause button on this one.)

Quizzical Look

Characters from a selection of the Literary and Artistic Pets have been combined to make a new fun quiz on Sporcle, a site chock full of memory testing, trivia inducing fun.

A big thanks goes out to Dave Hejmanowski for putting the quiz together.

Peter Chan

Peter Chan’s work is a wonderful blend of mystery, humor and magic.

Artistic Pets Trading Card Set

Introducing”Artistic Pets,” a look into the lives of famous artists with canine and feline personalities. Test your knowledge of this alternative universe of four-legged art history.

Take the Artistic Pets Quiz:

1. This artist is famed for his fresco work on the walls and ceiling of the Sistine Chapel’s dog house.

2. American abstract expressionist painter made famous by his “Action Litter Box” drip and splash experiments.

3.Diminutive French painter known for documenting Parisian night life, especially the characters associated with the Meowlin Rouge cabaret.

4. American painter and printmaker who was a leader in the Pup Art movement. He achieved a portion of his more than 15 minutes of fame with his silkscreen portrait of Elvis Hound Dog.

(answers at the end of this post)

20 card set with full color portrait of each artist with biographical info on reverse. Each card measures 2 1/4″ x 4″ printed on sturdy 14 pt.cover stock and packaged in hand crafted paper portfolio.

Available For Purchase-Click Here To Visit The Etsy Shop


Answers to the quiz: 1.MichelangeLab 2.Catson Pollock 3.Henri de ToyFox-Lautrec 4.Andy Warhowl


Update: Now you can play a combined Literary Pets and Artistic Pets Quiz online at Sporcle.com. Click THIS LINK or the image below to start.

Michael Cho

I can’t get enough of Michael Cho’s great line work, compositions and limited color choices. This  portrait is timely, with the Captain America: The First Avenger movie in production.

Monk Jagger

But I’ve been bit and I’ve been tossed around
By every she-rat in this town 
Have you, babe?
Well, I am just a monkey man 
I’m glad you are a monkey woman too.

-Mick Jagger/Monkey Man

Just added to the monkey section of the Etsy shop: Mick Jagger as a rock and roll chimp.

Literary Pets

Think you know your famous literature? Take the “Literary Pets” quiz!
(Answers below)

  1. What author was famed for creating the epic struggle between Captain A. Lab and “Moby Poodle,” the great white lap dog?
  2. This writer’s play, “Pugmalion,”  was later musically adapted to “My Fair Labradoodle.”
  3. Considered one of the greatest authors of fantasy and science fiction, this writer is known for such classics as “The Illustrated Dog” and “Something Wagging This Way Comes.”
  4. Famed author of “Fancy Feast at Tiffany’s” and was a childhood friend of Harpurr Lee.

Learn more about these author’s lives and great works included in the entire set of 24 cards titled Literary Pets 2, the second volume of famous literary luminaries as cats and dogs. Each card measures 2 1/4″ x 4″ on sturdy 14 pt.cover stock and presents a full color portrait on one side with biographical information on the reverse. Card sets and individual signed portrait prints available in the Etsy shop.

Click here for more info and to shop.


Answers to the quiz:

1.Bloodhound author of dark romanticism, Herman Smellville 2. George St. Bernard Shaw 3. Stray Bradbury 4. Truman Catpote

Mike Worrall

Mike Worrall has been painting since the early 1960’s and claims he is almost entirely self taught.  He concentrates his subject matter towards exploring the subconscious with an appreciation of Paul Delvaux and Max Ernst amongst others.

Monkey Monday-Big in Japan

Next month the International Primatological Society will convene in Kyoto, Japan for their 23rd Congress. ChetArt’s monkey business will be a part of the festivities, thanks to the efforts of Laura Marsh. I met Laura last month in San Diego during our Comic-Con event. She runs the comic shop and gallery True Believers in Santa Fe and is also a director of the Global Conservation Institute. As a participate in next month’s Primatological Congress, she will be a presenting a symposium  and teaching a pre-congress course. Perhaps most importantly, she’ll be exposing her colleagues to a variety of my monkey personalities in the form of Sinister Simian and Steampunk Monkey buttons that she purchased to re-sell while she’s there. Perhaps this will spark the idea for a future lecture on the migratory habits of evil, death ray wielding, megalomaniac chimps. Stay tuned…

(Above portrait from the beautiful and fascinating photo series by James Mollison.)

Magnificent Specimens

Austin photographer Dave Mead presents an impressive collection of  portraits from the 2009 World Beard and Mustache Championship. Think you know your famous facial hair? Take this Mustache Test.

Literary Pets

Coming this fall from Half Price Books: a “Literary Pets” calendar. Twelve of my dog and cat as famous author portraits will adorn the interior, complete with the accompanying text I wrote for each. A calendar cover was commissioned however the above color cover will be relegated to a sepia version for their final product.

Michael Myers

Michael Myers creates strong graphic images and wonderful caricatures using a pleasing color palette. The Lost fan in me really enjoys his cast portraits. (Dude.)

“Twilight of the Tiki” Limited Edition Book

“Twilight of the Tiki” limited edition book, written and illustrated by Chet Phillips. Lettered edition- limited to 26 books. Each signed and lettered.

Discover the mystery and supernatural origins of this collection of unique Tiki figures. 36 portraits and lore, printed in glorious Tiki Colorvision. Book measures 4.5″ x 6.75″ and is hand bound by Julie Sullivan using an exposed spine sewn boards binding. The cover utilizes an attractive beige olive wood grain patterned paper and the spine construction uses hand-dyed linen thread.

Greg Peltz

Greg Peltz has imagined a fun series of Star Wars characters with a Steampunk and Victorian flavor.

Dang! It’s Hot Sale

In conjunction with Etsy Dallas, now through July 8th I’ll be offering free shipping within the U.S. for all signed prints in the Etsy Shop.

Monkey Color! Coloring Book

Just released into the wild… Monkey Color! Coloring Book. This 8.5″ x 11″coloring book offers a collection of 24 monkey and ape portraits from both the Steampunk Monkey Nation and Society of Sinister Simians series.

(Coloring Book Back Cover)

Each portrait is printed in rich black lines on 80 lb opaque text paper, just begging for your artistic genius. Below is a small sample from the series of 24. Get out your crayons, markers or colored pencils and monkey around! Available here.

Thrillist-Monkey Madness

A tip of the hat to Mike over at Thrillist for the great spotlight on my work today.

The Society of Sinister Simians

“The Society of Sinister Simians” explores the mysterious world of an evil collection of vicious and power hungry primates that held sway over the land centuries ago. Thanks to the efforts of the ill-fated Sourcrust archeological dig of 1887, details of this foul organization have finally come to light. In this book you will learn of The Society’s immortal leader, his powerful and brutal cadre of ministers and advisors as well as a variety of assassins, spies, soldiers and frightful supernatural figures.

Just released: the paperback book, limited edition hardcover book and trading card set depicting members of a secret society quite sinister. Part Victorian, part Steampunk and all evil. 122 pages. 24 evil simians illustrated with extensive biographies. Map detailing the realm of sinister sway, weapons and medals galleries as well as an addendum of sinister ephemera. The hardback version is hand bound with a rich Flanders British Tan bonded leather covering, sewn pages and topped off with a custom gold foil stamp. Each is signed and numbered from an edition of 50. The trading card set includes the complete roster of evil membership with the added fun of a poster puzzle on the reverse.

Continue reading “The Society of Sinister Simians”

Stereoviews of Old Japan

Animated stereoview of old Japan --

In the late 19th and early 20th century, photographer T. Enami (1859-1929) captured a number of 3D stereoviews depicting life in Meiji-period Japan. Visit Pink Tentacle for more animated Stereoviews.

Kristin Elder

New Mexico based artist Kristin Elder creates watercolor images of elegant beauty with a twist of magical surrealism that really satisfies. More examples of delicate watercolor work can be found on her blog as well.

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