The Overlook

When I get a prompt list from a gallery, I will usually go through it, and try to determine quickly what I am planning to do for each show. I typically make a couple selections (if given a list), along with an idea or two for a concept. That said, the ‘Location Scout’ prompt, was really challenging for multiple reasons. The concept for the show was to illustrate or create something to represent an iconic site from television or film. The first issue was that the locales were all preselected, and while the gallery was open to suggestions, I didn’t have any, or at least none that I haven’t already tackled. The next problem was, I had already done a piece based on Stanley Kubrick’s work, and was really reluctant to select the Overlook Hotel off the list. One of the reasons for this was, the Overlook has been such an iconic horror movie image (from the carpet to the axe scene), that I felt there really wasn’t much left to work with. That said, I felt that I already dodged this movie once, so….why keep fighting it?

First pass at creating stationary for The Overlook Hotel to frame my piece.

I determined that to set my piece apart from the copious amounts of art dedicated to the structure, I’d need to do something ‘different’. Initially I planned on using this piece to bridge the two films ‘The Shining’ (1980), and it’s sequel ‘Doctor Sleep’ (2019; based on King’s 2013 novel), but the more I worked on the layout, the less it felt it was about the location, and more about the narrative of the films. Something that echoed my piece for the ‘Off The Leash’ show. I determined that while the idea wouldn’t work for this particular show, it wasn’t a bad concept. I shelved the rough layout, and then as I began brainstorming, one particularly interesting idea came to mind. In the 1980 film ‘The Shining’ (featuring Jack Nicholson, and Shelley Duvall), Jack (Nicholson), takes the job of caretaker for ‘The Overlook Hotel’, located in the Rocky Mountains during the winter. Jack, an aspiring writer sets out to take advantage of the slow months developing his craft, but instead, madness descends due to isolation or the unholy hosts of the hotel, setting forth a radical chain of events.

 

In one scene of the film, Jack begins to churn out page after page of the same phrase reading: ‘All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy’. It’s an unsettling element, and a precursor to Jack’s devolvement.

I thought maybe I could use the text to create the image of the Overlook Hotel. I just wasn’t sure how to present it. I then began looking up hotel stationary in an effort to connect back to the locale in case the image was a hard read.

I spent approximately twelve (12) hours, and ten (10) minutes working on the design in Adobe Illustrator, as I attempted to incorporate the carpet design from the hotel’s interior on the border, but eventually determined it was going to upstage the image.

 

Digital ink drawing of The Overlook Hotel.

 

I discarded that concept, and set to work on illustrating the Overlook in Procreate on my iPad, based off of the reference imagery I had obtained from both the internet, and the (original) film itself. I didn’t have a very clear shot of the hotel with it’s original façade from the film, so I had to rely on multiple images. Thankfully the building (Oregon’s Timberline Lodge) is still standing, and quite famous, so I was able to get current images. I primarily used the Round Acrylic Brush, Old Skin, and an Inking Brush to create the image.

Side Note: the infamous interior is actually based on the Ahwahnee Hotel in Yosemite National Park, California. Neither of these locations are what inspired Stephen King’s novel, which is based on the The Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, Colorado.

I determined that, in order for the concept to read, I would need to add some environmental images surrounding the hotel.  Looking back at my reference, I determined the best choices would be to include the mountains, and the tree line to flesh it out. This really helped get the image to the ‘edges’ of the canvas, however, I was still left with negative space above, and below even after changing the format from vertical to horizontal when I ditched the stationary idea. Once again, I needed to pull from the film, and then I realized how I could transition back out into the negative space.

The blood.

I realized that using the blood from the elevator scenes I could transition from the tree line to the negative space less awkwardly. I feel like this addition also gave the image a more interesting look than before I applied it, and it tied back nicely into the film. 

Now, to be honest, I think I over detailed the hotel image, because when I finally finished the piece, and applied the text as I planned, it just wasn’t legible. Also, the amount of detail and time I spent on the hotel was completely wasted here. While I really wanted to use this concept, I determined it just wasn’t going to work for this piece, but it was something I plan on utilizing in another image in the future for sure. I like to experiment with my personal work either by learning new techniques or simply adding variety to my portfolio, and these gallery projects give me the freedom to do that which I am so thankful for.

(Note to self: remind self during Thanksgiving, so when someone asks you have an answer. Also apologies for the tangent).

 

With that in mind, we pivot…again…lol.

I was a bit irked about the change, however, I figured I could still include part of my original concept into the image by utilizing the positive space in which the blood occupied. By placing the text inside, I could still include at least a nod to my original concept if nothing else. 

 

'Final' tonal image of The Overlook Hotel.

 

It was at this juncture that I took the piece into Adobe Photoshop to run some edits, including the text (Mom’s Typewriter), and color application. I originally did the piece entirely in variations of gray to simply imply tone and value, as I was not originally intending for the image to be this detailed. Given the context of the piece, and well…the blood, I thought a monochromatic red motif worked best. I then took the project back into Procreate to rough up the text a bit and make sure it wasn’t extending past the blood border.

 

With that done, I was finally ready to get the image proofed (with SGX), which thankfully, didn’t need a second pass. I then requested a final run, and sent it off the gallery in record time for once.

I started the piece on January 5^th, 2024, and finished it on February 15^th, 2024. For this piece I needed a starker contrast, so instead of sketching it, I ‘inked’ it, which took me a cumulative eighty two (82) hours, and thirty (30) minutes. This also included the time spent painting the interior of the hotel, mountains, and hand rendering the forest. I also spent some time in Illustrator (twelve [12] hours and ten [10] minutes), and Photoshop (roughly three [3] hours), editing the piece for a grand total of ninety seven (97) hours, and forty (40) minutes. 

 

Revamped 'final' image to incorporate the typography, and monochromatic overlay.

 

The 14” x 11” image (printed on100lb Cover, thank you SGX), was made for Gallery1988’s  ‘Location Scout Show’ , a group show paying homage to some of the most memorable locations in film and television, which opened online April 26^th, 2024. The prints are part of a limited run of fifty (50), and at this time, are exclusively available via the gallery, so please check their website for all remaining works related to the show including mine.

Final 14' X 11" image on 100lb Cover.

For more information, or to see a catalog of my other work, please visit my online store here.

You can also find me on various social media platforms below doing a multitude of other artistic things that include hand lettering, and the occasional sculpting, crafting or painting.

 

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