Barbara & Adam Maitland

These woodblock prints of Beetlejuice's friendliest ghosts, Adam and Barbara Maitland, are a playful take on classic Victorian portraiture. The Maitlands, caught between the living and the dead, face each other as they pull their features into grotesque shapes to scare the new occupants of their beloved home.

Process

To begin my design, I referenced  stills from the film to begin sketching out my concept. Once the design was planned out in rough sketches, I transferred the image to the block using transfer paper. The tricky part is making sure the image is mirrored horizontally because when the block is printed the image will be facing the opposite direction. Once my woodblock is prepared, I start inking.  During this stage, I add in details using various pens and brushes to help guide my carving. My inking is often more of guide than a set direction. I like to let the different tools bring their own characteristics to the line work. Once I’ve finished carving the block, it’s ready to be inked and printed.