If you’re trying to figure out who illustrated that Silver Surfer image above, just stop.
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That’s because no one drew it. The illustration is actually a photographed portrait by artist Cris Alex who, through body paint and clever lighting, fashioned a photo shoot that belongs on the comics page. Alex, a professional makeup effects artist, has lent her talents to comic book features like X-Men: Days of Future Past and The Amazing Spider-Man 2.
But Mystique and Green Goblin have nothing on this. As Alex explains it, she pulled the stunning portraits off with PPI Skin Illustrator, a professional body paint used in Hollywood feature films. She then cast “a strong light to flatten the appearance of the body paint,” giving her subject that medium-bending look. The surfboard and rock props with were made of foam core and acrylic paints. Or, we can just say that she did the entire shoot via the Power Cosmic, and leave it at that.
The pose is a recreation of “Silver Surfer Vol. 3 #20,” which was illustrated by Ron Lim. Check out some of Alex’s “Surfer selfies” below, and keep reminding yourself that you’re not looking at a piece of silver age comic art.
Fingers crossed that Alex can break free of the Hollywood grind for San Diego Comic Con next year.
