serial killer portraits, originals.

Here we go, the full list (so far) of originals and prints for all my serial killer portraits. Click the image to see it bigger- and here’s a link to prints of these, Please go buy one there, as I am no longer producing handmade prints of this series. For originals, which I do have available, please email me. 

I started working on these because I have an inordinate fondness for true crime books, movies. Because I love gory things, horrorful stuff, and always find it fascinating that some people behave this way. (here’s an interview crimelibrary did with me, which explains a bit further.)

I also remember what Richard Chase said- that he didn’t choose his victims, he just tried doors until he found one open- because if it was locked he wasn’t welcome there. I think that sums up a lot of the phenomenon. Serial killers, sociopaths, they exploit our human weaknesses, and yet they don’t see others as human. It’s very interesting to me, the way watching predators on nature shows is interesting to me.

The first set of these I did are cannibal killers- the second set, which I am still working on (and which starts with Gacy, Martha Wise, and Albert Fish) are parental figures who were also serial killers. That set will be pretty big, as a lot of serial killers were parents, and upstanding citizens by their neighbors and friends. I plan to work with images of necrophiles after that, such as Gein, Bundy. That set should actually include Kemper, but I liked his story so much I worked on him already. Click through to see the rest of the collection so far!

carl panzram spoke up to his executioner, because it was taking too long to kill him. A true nihilist, Panzram had no M.O. or chosen type of victim. panzram, of all these killers, interests me the most. Could be because he was doing this decades before serial killing was even known as a common crime, and before there were many privately-owned cars on the road. He did a lot of his travel by train-hopping. He escaped from an Oregon prison. He wrote his autobiography on slips of paper while in prison. He was well-spoken for a man in his trade. More information on Panzram available here.

The jovial Andrei Chikatilo about to be tried in Russia. I love his smile. Chickatilo is known as the “ripper of Rostov”, since he had a habit of ripping apart his victims. This portrait was done using as reference a short film clip of him at his trial. He seems so light, carefree, and happy in this moment, during his trial he was sometimes withdrawn and quiet, and other times confrontational and angry at the judge. At one point he took out his penis and waggled it, claiming that his impotence was the reason he had killed so many people. . He was executed by a bullet to the back of the head in his cell. . He was thoroughly a product of his time.

richard chase, the vampire of sacramento. At one of his crime scenes, a circular bloodstain was found next to the body. Police could not figure out what had made this marking; but when chase was eventually arrested and they asked him, he said “that must have been where i set down the glass.” he had been scooping up blood in a glass, and drinking it. when he was finished, he had taken the glass to the kitchen and washed it, leaving it in the dishrack. Chase was at the time unmedicated, however his history of mental illness did not sway the jury at his trial, and he was judged competent. additional information about Richard Trenton Chase available here.

Ed Kemper is one of my favorite, I suppose. He spent most of his life in very small spaces. He was, unlike many killers, more than willing to openly discuss both his crimes and his feelings about them. Unlike most, he did not pretend to innocence or argue his liability. He also spoke freely about the urges he felt, and their origins. He claimed that he learned to lure young women into his vehicle with a process of trial and error- attempting to get them into his car, and then analyzing why he had failed if they wouldn’t go with him. His last crime was the murder of his mother. He spent quite some time with her remains before first running away, and then turning himself in. He had spent a lot of his time with police at a local bar during the time he was committing his crimes.

drawing of issei sagawa. 8×10″ colored pencil portrait drawing on thick textured paper. Issei Sagawa’s crime is sensationalised, he has proceeded to make a living discussing the murder and cannibalizing of a young student he met in France. He is currently free; and a celebrity in Japan. The fact that he was released soon after being returned there is due to his family’s wealth and influence; he still claims to feel urges to devour human flesh. His story is disturbing in its details, and should be contrasted with the story of Meiwes, who received a life sentence for performing the same acts consensually. full (gory) story behind this image is here.

another 8×10″ colored pencil drawing on heavy paper.   Arwin Meiwes posted internet ads asking for a well-built, fair-complected male to volunteer to be eaten by him. He was seriously and earnestly seeking a cannibal mate. He repeatedly attempted to meet someone who would fulfill his fantasy, but the men he met tended to be less than serious, and many would not meet him in real life. “I hope you can come quick to me, I am a hungry cannibal. Please tell me your height and weight and I will butcher and eat your fine flesh.” I’ll add the new ones to this post as they get finished, so check back if you like. If you have a favorite serial killer or criminal, feel free to comment and suggest them! I’m always looking for new horrible stories to read about, and perhaps illustrate. Here are a few I haven’t written up in full yet, but have finished work on the portraits:

Martha Wise, churchburner/serial poisoner

Myra Hindley

Richard Ramirez