Cracked #16 Cover 1960

Here, we see Jack Davis’s ‘Cracked #16 Cover’, an illustration that most likely uses watercolor and ink, conjuring a funhouse mirror effect. Davis' marks are wonderfully loose, letting the watercolor bloom and bleed. It's all about capturing the energy of the transformation, not precise realism. Look at the way the colors wash into each other in the mirror, especially around the figure’s overalls. The pigment creates a sense of depth and distortion, like the mirror is made of liquid. The sketchy lines that define the 'real' figure become more frantic, almost vibrating with cartoonish energy. Notice how the face on the right looks both grotesque and kind of endearing? Davis reminds me of other comic artists like Basil Wolverton, who weren't afraid to push the boundaries of good taste. It's a reminder that art can be both hilarious and thought-provoking, that sometimes the ugliest things can be the most beautiful, in their own weird way.