If used properly you can find some pretty amazing inspiration in the most unlikely of places.
An example of this occurred last week when following TV presenter Jonathon Ross, who posted a link to the website of comic artist Jim Steranko.
Like most children (especially those that have found themselves in the creative arena as adults), I had an obsession with comic book art as a child. However, my affections were mostly focused on the art of Batman and the Incredible Hulk, and as a result am more familiar with the art of Jack Kirby, Neal Adams, Frank Miller and Brian Bolland.
If however, I had been more interested in the likes of Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D, I would have been captivated by the works of Steranko, much sooner.
With a dark and brooding, slightly dramatic abstract composition, his work does remind me of Frank Miller, but Steranko brings an infusion of surrealism, op art and graphic design to his work.
He began his career with Harvey Comics in 1965 after trying to gain employment at Marvel. After several years of creating lesser known characters such as Spyman, MagicMaster and Gladiator, he finally teamed up with Stan Lee at Marvel to create Nick Fury, after inking sketches for Jack Kirby in Strange Tales.
Drawing on the 'aesthetic of Dali' he introduced movements such as op art and psychedelia, as well as techniques such as photo montage, to comic book art.
More recently Steranko has been involved in film and TV, notably working with the History Channel to create the series Comic Superheroes Unmasked.
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