Freelance artist Tim Seelig created this striking Constantine image. You can see this one slightly larger and also a second version over at the new Straight-to-Hell forums. Tim gave us a first look of how Keanu would look as a scruffy John Constantine back in June of last year and has been designing various UK indy comic covers and one-shots since then. You can see some of his work, including some brilliant Hellblazer pieces at his gallery at BritComicArt.com.
When I first saw Keanu like that,
he looked like a mixture of Abe L. and Dr Sigmund F. to me...
How close Tim Seelig came to the real KR,
a year before he became Bearded Reeves,
is astonishing!
Sweet! I liked the grey Constantine drawing with cigarette smoke the best though. Did you notice the ke-pics in two others?
Posted by: Nudel on October 15, 2004 06:48 PMvery intense work.... very talented.... and very very interesting imagery.... he looks seriously there...in the moment... very he. ...
Posted by: wanda on October 15, 2004 07:03 PMYeah...amazing how close Niobe. Some of these pictures here are sort of "impressionistic" wouldn’t you say? The beard just makes him look SO different. Gotta love a "shaven" Keanu! Whoohoo!!
Posted by: shelz on October 15, 2004 07:24 PMok love a shaven keanu.... one word that comes to mind sometimes when i think of keanu are actually a series of words
a heart that understands knowledge
actually, i just found those words...but they apply i think!
coucou it s me your little" rat ".
Posted by: christelle on October 16, 2004 07:06 AMThe still shot of Constantine in that position is exquisite and I can understand why the artist was compelled to create such a work of art from it. The same colors and position but more layers and emotional dimension of the tortured soul. Brilliant! Thanks so much for posting this Krix!
Posted by: Parsippanynj on October 16, 2004 07:26 AMI just love this image. Beautiful. Really. Is it just me or does anyone else see remnants of what looks like singed, time-worn wings at his back? He looks desolate and so weary. Really nice work.
Posted by: irene on October 16, 2004 08:52 AMI saw wings too, Irene, they remind me of Pegasus,
the winged horse which is the symbol of the elaborate imagination of the Muses...
here reduced to utter despair and gloom.
I thought more of fallen angels... like irene beautifully described, desolate and weary.
Posted by: Nudel on October 16, 2004 02:02 PMwas the hand (or claw) holding the light which is shining in his face in the original photo? I dont remember it.
Also - looks like Japanese symbols (writing?) in black above his back. (??)
i've been thinking about this pic... and adding, if i may, to everyone's observations...
the light offered is a false light but he gets a smoke out of it... the time worn thing is good... and not only that but there looks to be something trying to pull out the feathers remaining... he wears his illusions ( the enslaving falsitys/beliefs of the mental plane) over and around like clam shells...almost for protection....but always the pearl is w/inside, this case is no exception... but constantine sees not... only the illusory glow of another illusion... if he reached the 'pearl of truth'(kingdom of heaven) inside he would connect with all the truth especially the truth apsolute which directly overshadows his head...no wonder he didn't get any highlights for the hair... this is all about the low lights...he doesn't hear, even faintly, 'amazing grace' which is always being sung somewhere in time... looks down not up.... there is a weight of his ... to recognise the truth is to break the percieved power of illusion... Plato addresses this in the form of a ray of hope when he says..." to escapefrom evil we must be made as far as possible ( constantine need possiblities) like God and this resemblance consists of becoming Just and Holy and Wise."
ask... seek... you will find...
only archangel Michael silently aids him... like a set of 3 pairs of light and dark angels battleing over the roof tops in LA...
Interesting observations Wanda, thanks for sharing...it makes me think this:
As I mentioned before, the artists rendering presented here is "impressionistic." Meaning it is an image presented somewhat out of focus from what would otherwise more closely resemble a photograph. If the picture here were closer to reality it would be "realism," and show the lines and colors drawn more clearly and directly, not so "fuzzy" and out of focus like it appears here. As with all artistic interpretation, previous experience with the subject of a portrait, and words used to describe it, often promote the "impressionistic" elements of a rendering. Sometimes, "impressionistic" elements can even cause us to imagine more to a drawing than what is actually there, or, create "illusions." When this happens, the image is likely to cause an even deeper emotional reaction to how it makes us feel. In the case of this "impressionistic" picture, the lines here are drawn in such a way that they appear "fuzzier" than they actually are in other artist renderings. Him smoking, the blackness, and the other eerie elements portrayed here give the feeling that something "evil" is going on when in reality it is just a drawing, not a photo. You’ll notice the difference when viewing movie stills where it’s evident that Keanu represents a real person playing the role of John Constantine rather than a drawing like this one.
I love impressionism, it is one of my favorite forms of art. However, it will never replace the clarity of a photo.
i think i need to look more at this pic...
Posted by: wanda on October 16, 2004 10:17 PMThank you for the comments folks. I really appreciate it
Best Wishes
Posted by: Tim Seelig on October 17, 2004 07:41 AMWhoa. The actual artist drops in. How sweet is that?
I can't dissect art the way wanda and shelz do, but I know what I like and I like this picture. ;)
Posted by: Zen on October 17, 2004 12:40 PMshelz-e... you are good!
very good!
i like krix's site you have the best pictures of keanu that i have ever seen. the picture above is a deep,one thousand word exchange . Art expression is limitless...because it really is about what your eye is capable of perceiving, movement and desire to touch your soul, that is why i love to marvel in amazement of musical, artistical and emotional expression from talented individuals. the picture is everything art should be...however i didn't think of fallen angels. i thought he contemplates over quitting smoking because usually smokers don't think about their problems when they are smoking...they just think about quitting smoking...and the solution to a problem smokers ponder over, while smoking is only vocalized when another conversationalist smoker enters the scene. i try to stick to the basics until i see the movie.i didn't want to think to deep about the picture, i haven't seen the movie.
Posted by: adams on October 17, 2004 03:00 PMkrix,the photographs of keanu are awesome i found your website quite unexpected and you have the dreamiest photographs i have ever seen. sweet
Posted by: kyss on October 17, 2004 03:14 PMI am utterly speechless! All I can say is Beautiful work and how inspiring :)
Posted by: Catz on October 17, 2004 03:24 PM
safe to say the excitement and anticipation of the movie is nutured from the portrait, and now we are exhibiting our strong capacity to understand another human existence...artists, musicians...pur excellence that connects us...
..."nurtured from the portrait" please forgive the typo ;)
Posted by: kyss on October 17, 2004 05:36 PMInteresting observations everyone...very "thinky" ;-)
...nice work Tim, Thanks!
Posted by: shelz on October 17, 2004 05:44 PMFarther along on the line from the Pointers to Polaris and Cassiopeia is a large, nearly perfect square of four stars. This is the Great Square of Pegasus. Pegasus, the Winged Horse, lies almost directly overhead in autumn. Located east of Andromeda; signals the coming of Fall. Because Pegasus flies so fast, his hind quarters can’t be seen.
http://hsci.cas.ou.edu/exhibits/exhibit.php?exbgrp=3&exbid=20&exbpg=83
Posted by: wanda on October 17, 2004 06:52 PMwanda, i am thinking about that last fact... Pegasus's Great Square, consider this,it could be a million miles away or right on earth. does not the constellations in heavens mirror the earth, such as the ocean reflects the sky, everything you see above is reflective on earth, but finding the connection of the constellations will always be a mystery. Always. one day we all find the constellation we belong in on earth...the journey is astonishing.
Posted by: kyss on October 17, 2004 08:15 PMWhy is it Keanu looks so natural in all the edits with wings? Like they were meant to be!
Posted by: Parsippanynj on October 18, 2004 06:15 AMGood point Kyss. A *kiss* for Kyss ;-)
Posted by: shelz on October 18, 2004 07:00 AMshelz, understands...;)sweet
Posted by: kyss on October 18, 2004 10:39 AM
i actually chose the sign on name because my name has a "k" in it,i couldn't think of anything else (not that imaginative)and because i am new to the site i didn't want to mislead his fans on the site, i sure didn't want all of you to think i am keanu....
i actually chose the name because my name has a "k" in it,i couldn't think of anything else (not imaginative at the time)and because i am new to the site i didn't want to mislead his fans on the site, i sure didn't want all of you to think i am keanu....
Posted by: kyss on October 18, 2004 03:04 PMCan’t help but be captivated this impressionist interpretation of Keanu as Constantine. Super Coolness! Really want the poster.
And the totality of insightful comments re this portrait, and that Constantine Hellblazer cover you posted, krix,
really make me even more anxious to see the movie.
Hi Folks there's a new Keanu based image over at the hellblazer site. It's in the Constantine section under Promo Art II
and someone should thank krix,
for the great pics and articles...thanks
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