Welcome To So Ill Arts

The Home of Fine-Art for the Contemporary Pop Culture!

All originals are for sale, prints of the images are available starting at ten dollars and in a wide range of sizes, shapes and paper stocks directly from us.  We host images on DeviantArt but if you would like to purchase anything please e-mail us at so.ill.arts@gmail.com

All prints are hand-numbered limited editions of 500 copies or less.

Black and White Print Price List and Scale

8.5 x 11 = $10.00

11 x 13 = $15.00

13 x 19 = $20.00

24 x 38 = $25.00

 - Photo reproduction and portraiture are available, please contact us for detailed information and pricing scales at so.illarts@gmail.com

 - General Commissions for non-portraiture work is also encouraged.  Other areas of expertise include but are not limited to, fantasy, pulp / noir, superheroes and graphic design.  We've done several book covers as well as interior illustrations, tattoos and business cards.  If you can come up with it we can probably handle it.  A General Commissions Rate and Scale Information Section is coming soon but if you have any inquiries in the meantime please contact us for a general price quote.

Here at So Ill Arts we are dedicated to bringing Fine Pop-Art to the masses.  Located at the luxurious and secluded Woodhaven Studios, resident artists Johnny Davis and Roman Rathert, work daily to produce original Artwork, Prints, Paintings, Portraits, and more in hopes of presenting the highest quality possible products we can.

Coming Soon:
The creation of a drawing, step by step photo illustration...

Bela Lugosi, "Dracula"

Bela Lugosi - Dracula

Portrait, 8.5 x 11 in.

Lead on Paper

The first talkie horror film and the movie that launched the golden era of Universal's horror films.  Lugosi was a renowned stage actor and his presence on the screen is undeniable, he defined the Dracula character for generations to come with his stage and coinciding film performances of the character in the 20's and 30's.  While the latter half of his career was fraught with difficulty and typecasting - none of this diminishes the fact that Lugosi will be remembered for a long time to come for amazing portrayal of Dracula and so many other classic horror characters!

Boris Karloff, "Frankenstein"

Boris Karloff - Frankenstein

Portrait, 15 x 18 in.

Lead on Paper

While most people remember Dracula has having kicked off the golden age of Universal Horror films there were several movies before and around the same time that cemented their role as priceless pieces of Americana; Frankenstein was one of those films.  If it hadn't been for Karloff's kind and naive portrayal of Frankenstein's monster and Lon Cheney Sr. performance in The Phantom Of The Opera I have little doubt that Dracula would have been a flash in the pan.  With Karloff referred to the monster as his "friend" and was glad to have played the role that made him a legend, though I doubt he enjoyed it nearly as much as those of us who have spent countless hours watching and re-watching his films.

Robert Englund - A Nightmare On Elm Street, "Freddy Kruger"

Robert Englund: A Nightmare On Elm Street - Freddy Krueger

Portrait, 12 x 14.5 in.

Lead on Paper

Robert Englund here as the face that's haunted  my nightmares since I was six years old, Freddy Kruger!  From his first appearance in the original Last House On The Left, We Craven had big plans for Freddy, though I don't think even Craven himself foresaw just how popular the character would become.  With a 2010 sequel in the bag I was really excited, until I found out that they had recast the Freddy Kruger part after nine films.  This is my little way of saying thanks to Robert for all the great years and scares we've shared, long live Kruger!

Pam Grier, "Foxy"

Pam Grier - Foxy

Portrait, 11 x 14 in.

Lead on Paper

When I set out to do a Pam Grier piece I was originally going to do one from the Jackie Brown era - as that is probably the best things she's ever done despite her prolific career.  The more I thought about it though the more I thought I needed to at least start with a piece that paid homage to her films such as Fox Brown, Coffee and Doll House.  I started off with a small 8.5 x 11 in lay out but her hair wouldn't allow for that.  It was huge and even adding the extra inches I didn't quite get it all.  If you grew up watching her movies like I did it's time to snag up one of these amazing prints and get your wall snazzy yesterday!

Rob Zombie, "Hellbilly"

Rob Zombie - Hellbilly

Portrait, 14.5 x 10.5 in.

Lead on Paper

Years ago when Rob Zombie was first making his transition out of White Zombie there were a lot of people that weren't sure he was going to be able to make it on his own.  While Zombie is a talented lyricist he's always relied on the cadre of extremely talented musicians he surrounds himself with.  Any doubts were shattered when the ground breaking Hellbilly Deluxe album came out.  Dragula, Living Dead Girl and Demonoid Phenomenon invaded the radio waves and the deal was sealed.  His look has constantly evolved like his music but looking back, I will always fondly remember the Hellbilly Deluxe years as the ones that defined what he looked and sounded like to me.

Santa Clause, "Elf"

Santa Clause - Elf

Portrait, 8.5 x 11in.

Lead and White Conte Crayon on Paper

When I did the more modern, now traditional Santa Clause I also thought it was important to pay tribute to where the imagery had originally come from and show Santa with his Elf ears, enjoying a bottle of soda he may be.  He is a "jolly old elf" according to the poem, and while I understand why everyone doesn't like Santa looking like Spock to one extent or another I respect the look - and thought it should be available to other like minded individuals - so if you do or you don't like 'em we've got your bases covered now.

Santa Clause, "Rockwell"

Santa Clause - Rockwell

Portrait, 8.5 x 11 in.

Lead on Paper

For Christmas I wanted to do something special, something that is very near and dear to me and has been for a really long time.  I wanted to do a Norman Rockwell like Coca-Cola Santa Clause.  Rockwell is the guy responsible for shaping what we think of now as the modern Santa Clause in his extremely famous Coke advertising campaigns.  As such I wanted to do a little tribute to that campaign which has so shaped our modern view of the Holiday and it's jolly proprietor.  Join me in paying tribute and homage to the season and the symbols of this wonderful time of the year!

Marlon Brando, "Godfather"

Marlon Brando - Godfather

  

Portrait, 8.5 x 11 in.

Lead on Paper

Marlon Brando was a master of acting and over his illustrious career played more roles than I could recount here.  Many of those roles have become legendary, some of the most lauded moments in American cinema - but in my mind one of them stand above almost all the rest.  It at least earns a place on the top five list there and that's his role as Vito Corleone, The Don, The Godfather - in the movie of the same title.  One of the best period films ever made and unarguably one of the best mafia films ever made, Brando cemented his place as a house hold name for generations to come with this one.  And now Vito can give you your own consultation any time you want!

Alfred Hitchcock, "Shadow"

Alfred Hitchcock - Shadow

Portrait, 8.5 11 in.

Lead on Paper

Everyone has a favorite Hitchcock film - Vertigo, The Birds, North By North West, Psycho, Rear Window, Dial M For Murder, I could go on and on.  Looking over the list of movies it's almost inconceivable that one person could have done them all, and that he was also the person that at once created a uniquely original version of the emerging horror film of the time - the thriller.  Suspense and mystery were the supreme tools of Hitchcock, earning him the apt title,the Master of Suspense.  On one hand he was a dark and sinister, brilliant and uplifting director of the time - and on the other a loving and warm family man.  I tried to do a half and half image of him that kind of conveyed that a little.  No matter what your favorite film, hasn't he earned a spot on your wall?

Stephen Geoffreys, "Evil Ed"

Stephen Geoffreys - Evil Ed

Portrait, 8.5 x 11 in..

Lead on Paper

Until the recent talk of a remake the 1985 film, Fright Night has definitely flown under the radar for the most part, cementing it's role as a cult classic and fan favorite.  I am definitely one of those fans, watching both Fright Night and it's sequel nearly every Halloween for years now.  Roddy McDowell often steals the show for people as Peter Vincent but Stephen Geoffreys always caught my eye during a particularly charged seen that seems very out of place in the res of an otherwise camp and pretty badly acted film.  Geoffreys career has been a rough one, finding him doing pornographic films sometime after Fright Nights release.  I submit this piece in loving memory of the man who stole a scene from Roddy McDowell in one of the most awful films I've ever seen and ended up making me love it!

William S. Burroughs, "Tell"

William S. Burroughs - Tell

Portrait, 8.5 x 11 in.

Lead on Paper

William S. Burroughs is probably best known for his amazing literary genius as displayed in his most famous book, Naked Lunch - as well as a herald and founding member of the Beat Generation along with Alan Ginsberg and Jack Kerouac.  Though Burroughs works have not celebrated the same success as Kerouac's works has he definitely carved out a comfortable niche amongst disillusioned drug addicts as well as collegiate and intellectual circuits alike.  Early in his career Burroughs accidentally shot his wife in the head while performing a re-enactment of the William Tell routine as they called it, where Burroughs would shoot a cup off of his wife's head.  He missed and she was killed in the middle of a crowded bar.  Though he never served time for the crime as it was ruled accidental it haunted him for the rest of his life.  Knowing this the symbolism of this picture should then not be missed...

Audrey Hepburn, "Cigarette"

Audrey Hepburn  - Cigarette

Portrait, 8.5 x 11 in.

Lead on Paper

Audrey Hepburn is a legend, just mentioning her name summons the ideals of beauty and elegance.  She is pictured here early in her career while she spent all her time nursing those long cigarette filters in her dainty little fingers.  I had thought about doing her in Breakfast At Tiffany's but instead I decided instead simply to remain in those idyllic years of her career during which she would make such movies as Paris When It Sizzles, How To Steal A Million and of course 1964's blockbuster smash My Fair Lady.  If you're like me and just can't get enough Hepburn even with all of her films available on DVD now you need to snag this piece up and make your wall a bit more stylish, everyone should be so lucky as to have her consultation on decoration, haha!

Alyson Hannigan, "Sprite"

Alyson Hannigan - Sprite

Portrait, 8.5 x 11 in.

Lead on Paper

Alyson Hannigan has worn many hats in her career.  She started off as a side joke int he American Pie series and has made her way into the the lexicon of the American language now with her role on the television series, How I Met Your Mother - which is in it's sixth season.  A mother several times over, I will always remember Alyson Hannigan in her early roles - so young and jovial, cute in ever sense of the word.  I tried to capture a snapshot of that smile - when you look at it you know exactly who you are looking at, and you almost can't help but smile back up at the wall every time - guaranteed to brighten the room up with this one!

Julie Newmar, "Tasteful"

Julie Newmar - Tasteful

Portrait, 8.5 x 11 in.

Lead on Paper

Julie Newmar went on to world fame as an actress, most notably in her role as Catwoman on the 1960's camp version of Batman, she always wanted to be a comedian after all.  In the 30's though she made her living as a pin-up model.  She never did anything extremely racy in my opinion, but she did do some really nice tasteful pin-up work that I consider to be classic Americana along side the likes of Bettie Page and Marilyn Monroe.  I think I captured the essence of that very well here in this piece which is a companion to the earlier Catwoman, #1 piece that I did portraying her more as she always wanted to be seen - a jovial comedian, rather than a sexy cover girl - in my mind and on your wall though she can be both!

Bettie Page, "Beach"

Bettie Page - Beach

Portrait, 8.5 x 11 in.

Lead on Paper

Bettie Page is known best for her classic pin-ups but I wanted to show her in a slightly brighter setting and a beach proved to be an ideal setting.  The black rose in her hair helped to keep the color of the picture in her color scheme, but I like how uncharacteristically light this is.  One one of the most recognizable faces in American these days, on everything from lunchboxes to t-shirts Bettie Page has become part of the American mythology.  Join in on the fun and pick yourself up one of these amazing drawings today!

The Reverend Doctor Martin Luther King Jr., "Dream"

Reverend Doctor Martin Luther King Jr - Dream

Portrait, 8.5 x 11 in.

Lead on Paper

The Reverend Doctor Martin Luther King Jr. is one of the most recognizable faces in American history.  One of the major founding and guiding forces behind the Civil Rights movement in this country, and the first in our series of portraits spotlighting these amazing individuals.  I toyed with doing a more complex piece where Dr King was addressing a crowd but the simplicity here is one of the greatest strengths in the end.  It more accurately and appropriately portrays the sense of majesty he presented - there might have been a million people around but when he was speaking it felt like there was only one voice in the world.
When this series is completed I plan on donating them to the Carbondale African American Museum, but you can get a print today and celebrate the legacy of this amazing American!

Mos Def, "Hood"

Mos Def - Hood

Portrait, 8.5 x 11 in.

Lead on Paper

Mos Def is with out a doubt my favorite Hip-Hop artist out there.  He's also one of the few musicians turned actors that I've ever seen that isn't only decent, but I think he's actually a hell of an actor.  Something The Lord Made was an absolutely stunning film and his most recent album, "Ecstatic" is a non-stop thrill ride from beginning to end!  This piece pays tribute to the cover of his first album Black on Both Sides where images were heavily contrasted against each other in a black and white fashion, but depicted in color.  It was a neat photo and I covered half of his face to give it that same sort of dark, shadowy, cloak and dagger feel.

Frank Sinatra, "Blue Eyes"

Frank Sinatra - Blue Eyes

 

Portrait, 8.5 x 11 in

Lead on Paper

Who can forget Old Blue Eyes himself, Mr Frank Sinatra?  I know I can't.  When trying to think of things that went along with the Christmas season I heard Frank singing song after song about the season in my head and decided that I had to do a piece for him.  Everyone knows at least one Sinatra fanatic and yet it seems like these days there just isn't the amount of cool memorabilia created, but this should help.  Get Frank on your walls for the holidays before the family comes round and watch the conversations begin!

Bettie Page, "14 Cent"

Bettie Page - 14 Cent

Portrait, 8.5 x 11 in

Lead on Paper

The unforgettable Bettie page is seen here in one of her classic pin-up poses.  After I did the beach scene with here and all that bright color light color scheme I wanted to do a piece that remained a little truer to the black and white images that have become so associated with Page.  I wanted something that felt more like a pulp magazine cover than what I had ended up with before - and this stunning piece is the finished result.  I hope you like it as much as I liked drawing it!