Drawlloween 2023 – Frankenstein’s Monster

As I explain every year when the “Frankenstein” prompt appears on the list, ‘Frankenstein’ is my favourite novel and the 1931 movie one of my favourite films. I, therefore, end up drawing the Boris Karloff version of the Creature almost every year. I suppose I like the familiarity of the subject during a creative challenge and it is also interesting to look at all of the versions I have drawn across Drawlloweens past and observe any growth or skill development. The tricky part, however, is coming up with a new way to approach the exact same subject. Having not drawn Frankenstein’s Monster in profile for any Drawlloweens, I thought that would be different enough to keep things interesting. I enjoyed drawing the face from that angle and I really like the hands but I definitely struggled to create the sense of the Creature’s looming height. The 2020 version, therefore, remains my personal best.

Drawlloween 2020 – Frankenstein’s Monster

The Day 17 prompt was “Frankenstein”.  ‘Frankenstein’ is my favourite novel of all time – partly because it was one of my favourite texts to teach – and the 1931 movie is one of my favourite films of all time too.  I, therefore, had to draw Boris Karloff’s portrayal of the Creature.  The novel’s Creature and the movie’s Monster are, of course, very different. While he plays him as more of a hulking, somewhat mindless brute, I love the fact that Karloff manages to emote through all of that heavy make up and suggest some sensitivity and humanity lurking beneath the monstrous exterior.  That balance was what I wanted to communicate in my illustration.  It turned out to be my favourite illustration from my 2020 Drawlloween efforts and maybe my favourite of all the Karloff Monster drawings I have ever done.