Hey, gang- Halloween is almost here…and I’ll drink to that!
For this Muppet Monday I’m featuring a sketchcard of one of my favorite Muppets from Sesame Street…Count von Count!
“The Count” first appeared on the educational show counting blocks in a sketch with Bert and Ernie in the Season 4 premiere (Episode 0406) way back on November 13, 1972.
He was created by writer Norman Stiles and voiced and performed by Muppeteers Jerry Nelson (1972–2004 performer & 1972–2012 voice) and Matt Vogel (2004–present performer & 2013–present voice).
Jerry passed away in 2012 from emphysema at age 78.
I always loved to watch Sesame Street growing up in the late ’60s and ’70s. I was the perfect age when it first aired (November 10, 1969), and being a monster kid I was the perfect target audience for characters like Cookie Monster, Grover, and The Count.
I even share a birthday with Cookie Monster – which is later this week!
I started off drawing the Count sketchcard with a click HB lead pencil on a Mid-South Cartoonists Association blank.
I had a bunch made up for the group a while back, as well as some custom personal sketchcard blanks for myself.
After I got the pencils done I broke out my Copic markers and started coloring his lavendar’ish fleece fleshtone, and then filled in the background.
Then I started working on his clothes, hair, and went a bit “batty” with the background.
Blending the colors is key to depth, but be sure not to overwork it. I’ve been guilty of that!
Once I was done with the colors I then started to do the black line art with a Pigma Micron pen– usually an 03 or 01 depedning on the details.
I used a white Gelly Roll pen for the some of the highlights, and then went back over some with markers to create the fleece effect.
I then used a white Prismacolor pencil for more highlights and blending.
Once the art was completed I sprayed a couple light coats of Krylon workable fixative to protect it. Sometimes I will do a light coat over the highlights before using the Prismacolor pencil. Helps protect the highlights and gives the card surface a bit of tooth for the Prismacolor to hold on to.
I’ve got this card and many other sketchcards for sale at 901 Comics East out on Macon Road in Cordova, TN.
If you’d like to see more of my vampire artwork in person be sure to slide by the MSCA “Drawing Blood” art show and check out my two- two Monsterpieces…ah, ah, ah!
The art show runs through November 12th in the lobby of the Germantown Community Theatre.
There are several Dracula/horror themed pieces on display, including more Count by Mid-South Cartoonists Association prez Kevin L. Williams!
Kev, myself, and other members of the MSCA will be back out at GCT for our closing reception and mini-con on Saturday, Nov. 12th from noon-4pm.
It’s a free event, so be sure to bring along a fiend, uh- “friend” with you..!
Lin