Happy Birthday, Gemini 1980

Jack Davis made this movie poster for ‘Happy Birthday Gemini’ with pencils, inks and dyes. You can almost see him at his desk drawing away, hatching and cross-hatching to create depth and shadow. I like how the energy just pops right off the page! All the figures are squeezed together, like revelers squashed in a photo booth. Each of them a caricature. The way he exaggerates their expressions, with big eyes and goofy grins, must have been hilarious to draw. I bet Davis enjoyed working with the textures here. From the rough brickwork, to the soft cake, to the shiny metal of the car, he’s really showing off his technical skills. I mean, look at the way he renders the lady's dress in the foreground. All those little lines and squiggles! He’s not just drawing a dress; he's capturing its flirty essence. It’s like he's saying, “Here’s to you, Gemini!”