Mark Texeira
Encyclopedia
Mark Texeira is an American
comic book artist
. Classically trained as a painter, Texeira broke into the comics field in the early 1980s.
, and was granted a Presidential Scholarship at the School of Visual Arts
, where he attended for two years before dropping out to pursue a freelance commercial art career. During this period, Texeira took classes at the Art Students League. His oil paintings soon won mentions at the Salmagundi Club
and the Society of Illustrators
, which led to work on book, magazine, and record album covers.
Comics titles Texeira has contributed to include Jonah Hex
and its spinoff Hex (1985–1986), Psi-Force
(1986–1987), Punisher
War Journal (1990), Ghost Rider
vol. 2 (1990–1992, 1997–1998), and vol. 5, Wolverine
vol. 2 (1993), Sabretooth
(1993), Spider-Man
: Legacy of Evil (1996), Black Panther
vol.3 (1998), Moon Knight
vol. 4 (1999), Vampirella
, Cyclops
(2001), Hercules
vol. 4 (2005) and Wolverine vol. 3 (2005).
to a Masonite
board, and then carefully lay the drawing out in tight pencil, noting subtleties of skin tone and sharpening the image throughout the process. He will then create the underpainting
, in which he applies sepias
, or a mix of browns, blacks and whites. Any final changes to the painting, such as aspects of a character's facial expression, are made during this stage. He then carefully and thinly applies acrylic paint
to achieve the final colors, lightly so as to not lose the underpainting.
People of the United States
The people of the United States, also known as simply Americans or American people, are the inhabitants or citizens of the United States. The United States is a multi-ethnic nation, home to people of different ethnic and national backgrounds...
comic book artist
Comic Book Artist
Comic Book Artist was an American magazine founded by Jon B. Cooke devoted to anecdotal histories of American comic books, with emphasis on comics published since the 1960s...
. Classically trained as a painter, Texeira broke into the comics field in the early 1980s.
Career
Mark Texeira was born and raised in New York City. He attended Manhattan's High School of Art and DesignHigh School of Art and Design
The High School of Art and Design is a Career and Technical Education high school located at 1075 Second Avenue, between 56th and 57th Streets in Manhattan, New York City, New York.It is operated by the New York City Department of Education...
, and was granted a Presidential Scholarship at the School of Visual Arts
School of Visual Arts
The School of Visual Arts , is a proprietary art school located in Manhattan, New York City, and is widely considered to be one of the leading art schools in the United States. It was established in 1947 by co-founders Silas H. Rhodes and Burne Hogarth as the Cartoonists and Illustrators School and...
, where he attended for two years before dropping out to pursue a freelance commercial art career. During this period, Texeira took classes at the Art Students League. His oil paintings soon won mentions at the Salmagundi Club
Salmagundi Club
The Salmagundi Club, also known as the Salmagundi Art Club, was founded in 1871 in Greenwich Village, Manhattan, New York City, New York, in the United States. It currently is located at 47 Fifth Avenue...
and the Society of Illustrators
Society of Illustrators
The Society of Illustrators is a professional society based in New York City. Founded in 1901, the mission of the Society is to promote the art and appreciation of illustration, as well as its history...
, which led to work on book, magazine, and record album covers.
Jonah Hex
Jonah Woodson Hex is a Western comic book antihero created by writer John Albano and artist Tony DeZuniga and published by DC Comics. Hex is a surly and cynical bounty hunter whose face is horribly scarred on the right side. Despite his poor reputation and personality, Hex is bound by a personal...
and its spinoff Hex (1985–1986), Psi-Force
Psi-Force
Psi-Force was a thirty-two-issue comic book series published by Marvel Comics under their New Universe imprint from 1986 to 1989. Along with D.P...
(1986–1987), Punisher
Punisher
The Punisher is a fictional character, an anti-hero appearing in comic books based in the . Created by writer Gerry Conway and artists John Romita, Sr., and Ross Andru, the character made its first appearance in The Amazing Spider-Man #129 .The Punisher is a vigilante who employs murder,...
War Journal (1990), Ghost Rider
Ghost Rider (comics)
Ghost Rider is the name of several fictional supernatural antiheroes appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Marvel had previously used the name for a Western character whose name was later changed to Night Rider and subsequently to Phantom Rider.The first supernatural Ghost Rider is...
vol. 2 (1990–1992, 1997–1998), and vol. 5, Wolverine
Wolverine (comic book)
Wolverine is a number of Marvel Comics comic book series starring the X-Men member Wolverine.-Publication history:The first Wolverine was a limited series written by Chris Claremont with pencils by Frank Miller, inks by Joe Rubinstein, letters by Tom Orzechowski, and colored by Glynis Wein...
vol. 2 (1993), Sabretooth
Sabretooth (comics)
Sabretooth is a fictional character, a Marvel Comics supervillain created by writer Chris Claremont and artist/co-writer John Byrne. The character first appeared in Iron Fist #14...
(1993), Spider-Man
Spider-Man
Spider-Man is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero. The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and writer-artist Steve Ditko. He first appeared in Amazing Fantasy #15...
: Legacy of Evil (1996), Black Panther
Black Panther (comics)
The Black Panther is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics universe. Created by writer-editor Stan Lee and penciller-co-plotter Jack Kirby, he first appeared in Fantastic Four #52...
vol.3 (1998), Moon Knight
Moon Knight
Moon Knight is a fictional character, a mercenary-turned-superhero appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character exists in the Marvel Universe and was created by Doug Moench and Don Perlin...
vol. 4 (1999), Vampirella
Vampirella
Vampirella is a fictional character, a comic book vampire heroine created by Forrest J Ackerman and costume designer Trina Robbins in Warren Publishing's black-and-white horror comics magazine Vampirella #1 . Writer-editor Archie Goodwin later developed the character from horror-story hostess, in...
, Cyclops
Cyclops (comics)
Cyclops is a fictional character, the leader of the X-Men superhero team in the . A mutant, Cyclops emits a powerful energy beam from his eyes...
(2001), Hercules
Hercules (comics)
Hercules, or Heracles, in comics, may refer to:* Hercules , a long-running Marvel character** Hercules, a trainee member of The Order.* Hercules , a DC Comics character...
vol. 4 (2005) and Wolverine vol. 3 (2005).
Technique and materials
When painting, Texeira begins with a penciled layout on loose paper, and following approval of the layout, will acquire reference photos or hire models to pose for him, in order to "capture the feeling of the sketch as closely as possible." Texeira will then apply a few layers of gessoGesso
Gesso is a white paint mixture consisting of a binder mixed with chalk, gypsum, pigment, or any combination of these...
to a Masonite
Masonite
Masonite is a type of hardboard invented by William H. Mason.-History:Masonite was invented in 1924 in Laurel, Mississippi, by William H. Mason. Mass production started in 1929. In the 1930s and 1940s Masonite was used for many applications including doors, roofing, walls, desktops, and canoes...
board, and then carefully lay the drawing out in tight pencil, noting subtleties of skin tone and sharpening the image throughout the process. He will then create the underpainting
Underpainting
In art, an underpainting is an initial layer of paint applied to a ground, which serves as a base for subsequent layers of paint. Underpaintings are often monochromatic and help to define colour values for later painting...
, in which he applies sepias
Sepia (color)
Sepia is a dark brown-grey color, named after the rich brown pigment derived from the ink sac of the common cuttlefish Sepia.The word sepia is the Latinized form of the Greek σηπία, sēpía, cuttlefish.-Sepia in human culture:...
, or a mix of browns, blacks and whites. Any final changes to the painting, such as aspects of a character's facial expression, are made during this stage. He then carefully and thinly applies acrylic paint
Acrylic paint
Acrylic paint is fast drying paint containing pigment suspension in acrylic polymer emulsion. Acrylic paints can be diluted with water, but become water-resistant when dry...
to achieve the final colors, lightly so as to not lose the underpainting.
DC
- GhostsGhosts (DC Comics)Ghosts is a comic book series published by DC Comics for 112 issues from September-October 1971 to May 1982. Its tagline was "True Tales of the Weird and Supernatural" , changed to "New Tales of the Weird and Supernatural," as of #75 , and dropped after #104...
#108, 111-112 (1982) - Hex #1-9, 11-14 (1985-86)
- House of MysteryHouse of MysteryThe House of Mystery is the name of several horror-mystery-suspense anthology comic book series. It had a companion series, House of Secrets.-Genesis:...
#308 (1982) - Jonah HexJonah HexJonah Woodson Hex is a Western comic book antihero created by writer John Albano and artist Tony DeZuniga and published by DC Comics. Hex is a surly and cynical bounty hunter whose face is horribly scarred on the right side. Despite his poor reputation and personality, Hex is bound by a personal...
#89 (1985) - Power LordsPower LordsPower Lords - The Extra-Terrestrial Warriors is a science fiction themed action figure line produced by Revell in 1983. Revell hired Wayne Barlowe to design the toys.Each figure has an action feature...
#1-3 (1983-84) - Swamp ThingSwamp ThingSwamp Thing, a fictional character, is a plant elemental in the created by Len Wein and Berni Wrightson. He first appeared in House of Secrets #92 in a stand-alone horror story set in the early 20th century . The Swamp Thing then returned in his own series, set in the contemporary world and in...
Annual #1 (1982) - Stormwatch: Team AchillesStormwatch: Team AchillesStormwatch: Team Achilles is an American super-hero series, the third incarnation/revision of the Image comics Stormwatch.This version was penned by Micah Ian Wright and drawn variously by Whilce Portacio, C. P. Smith, Mark Texeira, Tomm Coker, Carlos D'Anda, and Clement Sauve. The longest run for...
#7 (2003)
Image
- The DarknessThe Darkness (comics)The Darkness is a series of ongoing American comic books created by Marc Silvestri, Garth Ennis, and David Wohl and produced by Top Cow Productions. The comic first appeared in 1996 and enjoyed an initial period of relative success during the Top Cow/Image Comics boom of the late 1990s. However,...
: Wanted Dead (Image, 2003) - Tomb RaiderTomb Raider (comics)The Tomb Raider comic book series are based on the character of Lara Croft, from the games produced by Eidos Interactive and Core Design.-Publication history:...
: Scarface's Treasure (Image, 2003) - UnionUnion (comics)Union is a fictional character in the Wildstorm universe.-Character history:Ohmen was a member of a faction, called the Protectorate, on his homeworld of Aegena. The world was mired in a long civil war, as the Protectorate fought against another faction, the Directorate, for control of the planet...
#1 (1993)
Marvel
- AkiraAkiraAkira may refer to:*Akira , a 1980s cyberpunk manga by Katsuhiro Otomo**Akira , a 1988 anime film adaptation of the manga...
#37 (painted art) (1995) - Black PantherBlack Panther (comics)The Black Panther is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics universe. Created by writer-editor Stan Lee and penciller-co-plotter Jack Kirby, he first appeared in Fantastic Four #52...
, vol. 3, #1-4 (1998-99) - Buckaroo BanzaiBuckaroo BanzaiBuckaroo Banzai is the lead character, played by Peter Weller, of the eponymous 1984 cult film, The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension. A renaissance man, the character is a top neurosurgeon, particle physicist, race car driver, rock star and comic book hero, and probably the...
, miniseries, #1-2 (1984) - Clive Barker's Hellraiser #8 (1991)
- CyclopsCyclops (comics)Cyclops is a fictional character, the leader of the X-Men superhero team in the . A mutant, Cyclops emits a powerful energy beam from his eyes...
, miniseries, #1-4 (2001-02) - Ghost RiderGhost Rider (comics)Ghost Rider is the name of several fictional supernatural antiheroes appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Marvel had previously used the name for a Western character whose name was later changed to Night Rider and subsequently to Phantom Rider.The first supernatural Ghost Rider is...
, vol. 3, #5, 7, 13-19, 22-24 (1990-92) - Guardians of the Galaxy #23 (1992)
- HerculesHercules (Marvel Comics)Hercules is a fictional character that appears in publications by Marvel Comics. The character first appears in Journey into Mystery Annual #1 and was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist/co-plotter Jack Kirby....
, miniseries, #1-5 (2005) - HulkHulk (comics)The Hulk is a fictional character, a superhero in the . Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in The Incredible Hulk #1 ....
#5, Annual 2000 (among other artists) (1999-2000) - Marvel Comics PresentsMarvel Comics PresentsMarvel Comics Presents was an American comic book anthology series published by Marvel Comics originally from 1988 to 1995; it returned for a second volume in 2007-2008.-Volume 1:The first volume was released on a biweekly basis and lasted for 175 issues...
(WolverineWolverine (comics)Wolverine is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Born as James Howlett and commonly known as Logan, Wolverine is a mutant, possessing animal-keen senses, enhanced physical capabilities, three retracting bone claws on each hand and a healing...
/Ghost Rider): #65-71 (1990-91) - Marvel Super Special (Buckaroo Banzai): #33 (1984)
- Moon KnightMoon KnightMoon Knight is a fictional character, a mercenary-turned-superhero appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character exists in the Marvel Universe and was created by Doug Moench and Don Perlin...
, miniseries, #1-4 (1999) - Psi-ForcePsi-ForcePsi-Force was a thirty-two-issue comic book series published by Marvel Comics under their New Universe imprint from 1986 to 1989. Along with D.P...
#1-5, 8, Annual #1 (1986-87) - PunisherPunisherThe Punisher is a fictional character, an anti-hero appearing in comic books based in the . Created by writer Gerry Conway and artists John Romita, Sr., and Ross Andru, the character made its first appearance in The Amazing Spider-Man #129 .The Punisher is a vigilante who employs murder,...
#36-37, 42, Annual #1, 3, Summer Special #1 (1990-91) - Punisher War Journal #25-30, 50 (1990-93)
- Punisher: Red X-Mas (2005)
- Punisher War ZoneThe Punisher War ZoneThe Punisher War Zone is a comic book spin-off series featuring the Punisher, a fictional character published by Marvel Comics. The first installment of the series ran for 41 issues with two 64-page annuals. Multiple writers contributed to this series during its three-year run from 1992 to 1995...
#37 (1995) - SabretoothSabretooth (comics)Sabretooth is a fictional character, a Marvel Comics supervillain created by writer Chris Claremont and artist/co-writer John Byrne. The character first appeared in Iron Fist #14...
, miniseries, #1-4 (1993) - Sectaurus #1-2 (1985)
- Sentry / X-MenX-MenThe X-Men are a superhero team in the . They were created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, and first appeared in The X-Men #1...
(2001) - Spider-ManSpider-ManSpider-Man is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero. The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and writer-artist Steve Ditko. He first appeared in Amazing Fantasy #15...
: Legacy of Evil (painted art) (1996) - Terror Inc.Terror Inc.Terror Inc. was an American comic-book horror series from Marvel Comics starring the antihero Terror. Terror is an eternal entity that absorbs the talents of others through their dismembered limbs. He was created by writers Dan Chichester and Margaret Clark and artist Klaus Janson as the villain...
#6 (along with Jorge ZaffinoJorge Zaffino-Biography:Zaffino spent a lifetime working as an artist in and out of comics. At the age of 16, he began working as an unpaid apprentice at the comics studios of Ricardo and Enrique Villagran in Buenos Aires, where his father had requested that they take him on...
) (1992) - ThorThor (Marvel Comics)Thor is a fictional superhero who appears in publications published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Journey into Mystery #83 and was created by editor-plotter Stan Lee, scripter Larry Lieber, and penciller Jack Kirby....
("Tales of Asgard") #416 (1990) - Thor: Heaven & Earth, miniseries, #2 (2011)
- Tomb of Terror (Man-ThingMan-ThingThe Man-Thing is a fictional character, a monster in publications from Marvel Comics. Created by writers Stan Lee, Roy Thomas, and Gerry Conway and artist Gray Morrow, the character first appeared in Savage Tales #1 , and went on to be featured in various titles and in his own series, including...
) #1 (2010)
Other publishers
- ConanConan (Dark Horse Comics)Conan, the sword-and-sorcery character created by Robert E. Howard, is the protagonist of four major comic series published by Dark Horse Comics...
and the Daughters of Midora (Dark Horse, 2004) - Megalith #1-3 (Continuity, 1989-90)
- VampirellaVampirellaVampirella is a fictional character, a comic book vampire heroine created by Forrest J Ackerman and costume designer Trina Robbins in Warren Publishing's black-and-white horror comics magazine Vampirella #1 . Writer-editor Archie Goodwin later developed the character from horror-story hostess, in...
(PanthaPanthaPantha is a fictional character, a superhero published by DC Comics. She first appeared in New Titans #73 , and was created by Marv Wolfman and Tom Grummett.-Fictional character biography:...
): 13-17 (Harris, 2002-03) - Vampirella / Pantha: Faster Pussycat (painted art) (Harris, 1997)
External links
- Comic Book Pros - Original Comic Art For Sale, represents Mark Texeira
- Gallery of Texeira's artwork
- Mark Texeira on Marvel.com