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LostonWallace β My Influence Map
Published: 2010-08-14 01:09:51 +0000 UTC; Views: 3706; Favourites: 26; Downloads: 61
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Using fox-orian's template [link] I made an "influence map". If you're interested in the artists whose work I personally admire, many of them are listed right here. I have many, many influences, and even expanding on this template, I scarcely had room for only a handful of them. I have to mention that there were many instructors at the JOE KUBERT SCHOOL that did a lot to shape me into the artist I am today--Kim DeMulder , Jose Delbo, Alec Stevens, "Tex" Blaisdell, Mike Sellers, Nick Napolitano, Doug Baron , Mike Chen, and too many others to name. Thanks for the education, gang! I've tried to make the most of it! Hope you get a kick out of checking 'em out!Related content
Comments: 30
That is one of the best influence maps I've seen... and no, not only because it has a lot in common with mine (Newton, Wrightson, Kirby, Stevens, Schultz, Wood, Frazetta) but also for the way you designed it. Love the Kirby Mister Miracle and Barda jumping out of the panels!
This is mine: james-lemay-graphix.deviantartβ¦
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Weird man, we just might be twins! Except for Bruce Timm, (and that's a big EXCEPT) this is almost every great in my head. Especially Bruce Lee and Neal Adams. And Byrne of course. But the fact that you got Don Newton in there, one the greatest artist to draw Batman, says a frikin lot.
Great collage for the map of your mind!
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That's a great roster of influences. Nice to see Don Newton and Dan DeCarlo are cool to you too!
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Faaaaantastic list, Loston. While I'm not sure I could personally list them as influences, I'm also huge a fan of Timm, Wood, Wildey, Newton, Buscema, and Williamson.
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Thanks, man! I loved Don Newton's PHANTOM and BATMAN books growing up, and I became a huge fan of both Wally Wood and Al Williamson when I discovered EC COMICS' WEIRD SCIENCE reprint comics. Al Williamson's last pro work was a FLASH GORDON Sunday fill-in for King Features, and I had the privilege of following Al's strip with my own FLASH GORDON Sunday fill-in the following week. I can't say enough great things about Wood and Williamson, really. Doug Wildey's JONNY QUEST cartoon series was one of my favorites growing up--it made me want to fly around the world and have adventures 'n' stuff. LOL. Still working on that.... 
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I JUST recently discovered Newton's work but immediately fell for it. I've been collecting all the Shazam stories he did in World's Finest.
That's awesome that you had the fill-in the week after Williamson, I LOVE his stuff on Secret Agent Corrigan, practically live by it.
I know I haven't read enough Buscema Conan stuff, but man I really like his work too. I've got a bunch of his Silver Surfer, Thor, and FF sitting around here and I'm enamored with it.
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Thanks for making my influence map for me Loston.... LOL!
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Heh. Uhm...you're welcome.
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Oh man, Don Newton! Awesome pick, and most folks in comics today don't even realize they are influenced by him, even if indirectly. And I can't believe I left Wrightson off of mine. But seriously, how could any one page hold all of an artists influences?
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Don Newton had a MAJOR inpact on my work. I have all of his BATMAN and DETECTIVE issues, and even his BATMAN FAMILY comics. I first discovered Don's work on Charlton's PHANTOM comics in the mid 1970s. I was only 5 or 6 then, but I loved the way he drew the Phantom! Newton died too early. With CRISIS on INFINITE EARTHS, DC's continuity was altered, and a lot of the issues from Newton's era were no longer considered to be cannon. That, and Frank Miller's BATMAN casting a long shadow over all the '80s BATMAN works, leaves Don's run on the Dark Knight largely forgotten by fans, and that's a real shame. Many fans today don't have a clue who Don Newton was, and there's a good chance they've never seen his artwork. I feel very fortunate to have been of just the right age to appreciate the art of his BATMAN run. There are a few artists like me left that champion Don Newton's work. His artwork on Batman ranks amongst the very best. Right up there with guys like Neal Adams and David Mazzucchelli, in my book. In the early '80s Newton drew BATMAN and Gene Colan drew DETECTIVE, and Batman art has rarely been better than it was back then.
Rest in Peace, Don.
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As well or better than I could have put it, Loston.
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Loston, it's a very interesting list, and I've noticed much of Buscema's influence in particular your work. Could you explain how Bruce Lee has influenced you - do you mean in terms of posing and anatomy?
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Not all my inspirations are in regards to drawing or drawing style. It takes some will to be an artist, and a hell of a lot of it to be a successful freelancer.
Bruce Lee was not only a great martial artist, but he was also a wise philosopher. He believed that we could do anything if we put our minds and bodies towards it. Bruce was also someone who broke down social barriers. He was the first Asian actor to play the lead in a big budget film, for instance. ENTER THE DRAGON was a box office smash in 1973, becoming the second highest grossing movie of that year (only the Exorcist made more money). He bucked the Hollywood system. Hollywood at that time believed that only caucasians could carry big movies and turn film profits. After the crazy success of ENTER THE DRAGON, karate and kung fu schools popped up all over America overnight. Bruce Lee's success alone made that happen. He single handedly started the martial arts craze, which is still going on today. Bruce also introduced the world to the concept of mixed martial arts via JEET KUNE DO. Today we see mixed martial arts everywhere. Al most all of the UFC fighters today are mixed martial artists. Mixed martial arts didn't really exist before Bruce Lee. He challenged the old ways that martial arts being taught, and saw value beyond individual styles.
As a black belt martial artist, Bruce inspired me in all the ways you might think, but the way he inspired me the most is his spirit. I've tried to apply his can-do attitude all through my art career. Bruce Lee never let anyone tell him that he couldn't succeed, and he followed this idea with total conviction. His will and spirit were colossal, and I have always admired that he was a true individual striving to be the best. He is a great source of inspiration to me.
I hope that answers your question, steviem.
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Thanks for the reply Loston; I can understand why you've listed him as an influence now. You're right, Lee was a great pioneer in both film and martial arts, and I used to idolise him when I was studying Wing Chun. I'm still inspired by his maxim "efficiency is anything that works." Anyway, keep up the great work!
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Thank, Nick. I just like what I like, I reckon.
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that's pretty neat, i think i'm going to try it. oh and that bruce timm conan is awesome...never seen that before.
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Yeah. That's from a Dark Horse CONAN issue from a few years ago. It was only a 4-page story, but it was crazy-good!
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You have damn good taste! I love everyone of them. If I were an illustrator mine would have looks alot like yours.
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Heck yes to John Buscema, Dave Stevens, Bernie Wrightson, Mark Schultz, Frank Frazetta, Al Williamson, and Neal Adams.
I think the one on your chart I'm the least fond of would have to be John Byrne.
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Byrne's work influenced me a lot growing up. His UNCANNY X-MEN and FANTASTIC FOUR issues had a particular impact on me. It was good stuff! 
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I don't think he's bad, I just think his work is rather boring at times, that and his female faces look odd a lot of the time.
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Loved Berni's work! SWAMP THING, FRANKENSTEIN, CREEPY--EERIE...was all great!
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His Frankenstein stuff is killer... he also did Creepshow with S. King and I must check that out as well.
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