JEFF M. PITTARELLI:
(as excerpted from "NIGHTMARESCAPES: Fantasy Artist Jeff Pittarelli's Dark Worlds" Author: Dan Cziraky )

     The first time I noticed Jeff Pittarelli's work was on a cover of the magazine IMAGI-MOVIES. Then, he started doing covers for CHILLER THEATRE, including a gorgeous ALIEN: RESURRECTION painting of Ripley and Call against a background of Alien warriors. So, just how does somebody get this twisted? Well, Pittarelli's from San Diego. Ah . . . California. Explains a lot already!

     "In my senior year of high school, I elected to take a college class of 'life drawing' in lieu of showing up for the first half of high school. Quite a thrill for my teachers in high school to discover my nude drawings were from live models. I received a full scholarship to the Maryland College of Art & Design through the Scholastic Art Awards competition. My portfolio was the first entirely black & white to ever win." His first job out of college was as an illustrator for the IRS in Washington, D.C.

     "Probably the two single greatest influences on my artistic career were Frank Frazetta and Bernie Wrightson,. Bernie's work still amazes me even today. Now that he works as a conceptual artist for the film industry, his work really shines. Another big influence on the artist was Swiss fantasist H.R. Giger. Pittarelli's work can be described as noirish photo-realism, and many of his best paintings are based on characters from sci-fi, horror, and fantasy films. He works in various mediums, and has done huge, wall-sized cavasses, as well as small, sedate paintings.

     Obviously, as a genre fan, he has some interesting opinions on the subject. "Some of my favorite films include BLADERUNNER and RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK, of which I've seen over a hundred times each. I also enjoy the majority of horror and gore films. BASKET CASE, the EVIL DEAD series, and probably my favorite has to be RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD, PART 3, directed by Brian Yuzna. Something about the film really moves me. I've obsessed over it for years. Lately, THE MATRIX, and a twisted little film called FREEWAY, were really great films for their genre."

     As a genre fan, Pittarelli tries to keep up with what is going on in the literary world, but admits, "I don't read much now, but I am a huge fan of Stephen King's. Also, I was given a book by a friend of mine to read called SUNGLASSES AFTER DARK, by Nancy Collins, and I've been a fan of hers ever since. I used to read a lot of Edgar Rice Burroughs and some of the classics, like Mary Shelly's FRANKENSTEIN, as well as Victor Hugo's NOTRE DAME DE PARIS . Last, but certainly not least, I'd love a chance to illustrate a special edition of Clive Barker's BOOKS OF BLOOD. Clive's work has to be some of the most original ever written.

     As a working artist whose talent is drawing more and more praise and recognition within the sci-fi, fantasy and horror fields, Pittarelli works towards realizing his ultimate goal: "My dream project would be as a conceptual designer for a horror or vampire film, where I had a hand in the look of the film itself. To be a visionary and see it all come to life."

www.pittarelli.com