Post-It Monsters

by John Kenn Mortensen

Om dagen arbejder John Kenn Mortensen som børne-tv-instruktør, og i fritiden skal hans små tvillinger passes. Men så, når mørket er faldet på, glemmer han alt om det børnevenlige, finder pen og post-it-blok frem, og hyggeligt uhyggelige monstre myldrer ud på blokken.

Genres: Art, Horror, Comics, Graphic Novels, Fiction, Fantasy, Graphic Novels Comics

Hardcover

First published November 4, 2011

Reviews

[Jakob J. 🎃 · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a collection of early work from the great reminder of things terrible and wonderful. Mortensen has letter-opened an otherworldly niche with his gimmick—and I do not use the word derogatorily—with his Post-it note depictions of folk horror, oceanic horror, and floating spirits by way of Edward Gorey’s grimly adorable children in peril.

His work can be simultaneously hilarious, tragic, and bone-chilling. The children encountering these stationery beasts and entities often appear oblivious, bored, lightly frazzled, or perhaps austerely resigned. It’s as if being haunted, stalked, or menaced by grotesque creatures is part of their daily life. It’s all they know.

There is a thematic pattern in Mortensen’s work which suggests that this sickly world is replete with idiot gods demanding oblation. They may be a nuisance, depriving their subjects of peace and sleep. Perhaps some are guardians, protecting their surrogate children from more malevolent forces. The children also seem to enjoy catching some of these entities like Pokémon.

The possibilities for story accompaniment are endless, which is why I will not fault this collection for not containing words. The pieces and the monsters are all unnamed. It is a smorgasbord of imagination.

[Dave Schaafsma · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the heirs of Edward Gorey's mantle of cute creepy horror cartooning is Landis Blair, whose work I love. Here I find another in John Kenn Mortensen, who draws these little cute scary cartoons on sticky notes. This is a hardcover collection in small book form.

Oh, here it is on YouTube. Just look at for a couple minutes, c'mon!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DyOLy...

[Forrest · Rating 5 out of 5]

John Kenn Mortensen's first collection of his macabre drawings, all done on post-it-notes, will hold a place of prominence on my artbook/graphic novel shelf. It's not a graphic novel, per se, but Mortensen's visual vignettes each tell a story, usually by presenting a knife's-edge moment of suspense, leaving the viewer wondering what has just happened, and what is about to happen, between his cast of monsters (from the ectoplasmic to the cthulhoid to the ghoulish) and their foils (usually children). The washed out yellow of each page, combined with the artist's fine linework, gives each piece a pseudo-sepia-tone that is perfect for the archaic dress and minimalist, yet prosaic, settings of each of these drawings. If you're an Edward Gorey fan who wants a little more "bite," then this is the perfect book for you. And while Mortensen's pieces do point back to a simpler age (e.g., Klimt's "Tree of Life" is evoked throughout), the subtle emotional complexity of these artworks points to something altogether new. Much of Mortensen's work is available online, however, one must see these drawings in this book in order to appreciate what a fine artifact the book itself is.

[Peter Derk · Rating 3 out of 5]

The illustrations are great. Although it should be noted, the book gets its title because the monsters were all originally drawn on sticky notes, not because it's a catalog of monsters who are sticky. Which is too bad. Sticky monsters rarely get their due, but I love a good, sticky monster. Like in John Carpenter's The Thing? When that dude's head falls off and turns into a spider? That looked sticky, and that was damn gross. Or half the stuff in The Fly. Or parts of that dude in Hellraiser, the only worthwhile parts of that movie being the gross creature effects (fight me if you disagree. Physically fight me).

But your The Blobs and The Stuffs just don't get credit. Your Gelatinous Cubes. Everyone's into these living dolls and Facebook ghosts and shit these days. These Babadooks and ghouls that aren't really monsters so much as they're representations of societal ills, which really illuminate the other side of...

Sorry, I passed out on my keyboard from boredom.

#SitckyHorrorIn2018

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Mortensen draws monsters on Post-It Notes," feels like too short of a review. What else? Well, he clearly owes a debt to Edward Gorey, but he's darker, more macabre and openly 'horrific'. There's little of Gorey's whimsy, and no narrative at all. I get a greater sense of existential dread from Mortensen, of seeing the inside of a terrifying non-consensual reality, of ineffable anxieties being given visual form. Simple, fascinating and unsettling.

[Molly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got this for my husband as a Christmas gift and then read it this morning - well, kind of? It's all wordless drawings of monsters on sticky notes. They are eerie and delightful. I recommend it for anyone who enjoys monsters or doodles.

[Kirsten · Rating 5 out of 5]

John Kenn Mortenesen draws monsters on sticky notes. His drawings are reproduced here in actual size, in all of their whimsical and creepy glory. I want all of these reproduced in poster size!

[Alyssa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super wonderful and detailed drawings on sticky notes. Honestly very beautiful.

[Klara Gonciarz · Rating 4 out of 5]

illustration game so strong

[Melusina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Monsters are everywhere - around us, under us, within us. This book reminds you that the shadows can lurk everywhere and in a fantastically simplified way of drawing, its goreyesque qualities shine through - children are being haunted and taunted, but they often seem rather unimpressed and stoic when faced or lurked over by the various monsters. Monsters also often tend to have a “balloon-like” quality and there is something inherently funny in seeing a stoic child holding a monster as a balloon or balloons of monsters hovering around the skies of unimpressed faces. If real monsters could only be so easy to ignore!

[Jessie (Zombie_likes_cake) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quite cute but also actually quite creepy, even unsettling. Mortensen is not holding back with his monsters, some of these were genuinely a bit disturbing. Even more so when you think about the fact the he apparently likes to draw these on little sticky notes after putting the children to bed, meaning after his children are asleep he envisions landscapes where monsters threaten often (but not exclusively) children.

At first glance, reminiscent of Edward Gorey but buckle up, I think Mortensen takes the art of cute creepies to a darker level and provides a more atmospheric stage. Also occasionally a gooier level.

Loved it, perfect seasonal flip through.

[Anetq · Rating 5 out of 5]

Uhyggelige monstre, bøvede monstre og virkeligt klamme mareridtsmonstre - alle sammen tegnet på bred gul post-it. De er fantastiske!

[Denise Kruse · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best black and white "scary" drawings since Edward Gorey!

Danish "John Kenn Mortensen’s day job is directing children’s tv, and in his spare time he takes care of his young twins. But then, when darkness falls, he forgets everything cute and cuddly, takes out his pen and post-it pad, and wonderfully scary monsters burst forth."

* View every Monster on Post-It Notes drawing:
my link text

* View and buy the book:
my link text

[Ksenia Anske · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pictures to scare you silly.

[Michael Adams · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this little book of post-it note monsters. Cute and quirky illustrations done by an immense talent. Everyone in the world should own this book.

[Trevor Price · Rating 4 out of 5]

Inspired by Edward Gorey's illustrations, these drawings, all of them pen on rectangular yellow sticky notes, are more full of existential dread and oversized monsters. With blank eyes, too many teeth, and no lips, these creatures dwell in misty forests, stalk children, lurk underwater, or float in the sky unseen above oblivious targets of their curiosity.

They're not masterpieces like Stephen Gammell's iconic work for the Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark books, but if you're into (scary) art, see if you can find a copy of this British artist at a library or in a YouTube video.

[Mike Watson · Rating 5 out of 5]

The dark arts of illustration… sublimely creepy and sinister, where often the art is created by the space left in and around the drawing than what the pen has made.
Hair, teeth and tentacles galore… cold empty eyes stare from the page as poor unsuspecting characters either look on knowingly or unknowingly - I have a pack of post it notes and I am sorry tempted to start drawing on them!

[James Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fascinating little book. It has no words in it and consist only of the author's drawings, which are absolutely fascinating. They are macabre and dark and extremely well drawn. If you want to see some examples, look up John Kenn Mortensen on Google images. Definitely my favourite gothic artist.

[Libraty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Super fun! I love black-and-white illustrations (or in this case black and yellow), because it shows that you don't need much, to make cool artworks. The motives are super creative, the perfect mixture between creepy and fun. The book was also a great inspiration for a university project of mine!

[Jessie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this. A great coffee table book.

[Lea Dokter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely adorable monster pictures drawn with intricate precision. I adore the aesthetics of this little book that was gifted to me by a friend.

[Marion · Rating 5 out of 5]

Some are adorable and cute, some are really uncomfortable, and others are just the manifestation of your deepest fears. But they're all great.

[Regina · Rating 5 out of 5]

This may well be one of my favourite picture books now. Drawing monster on Post-its/sticky notes. Simple but brilliant. Think Edward Gorey, Charles Addams, or Gris Grimly.

[Martina_H · Rating 4 out of 5]

Vše, co žije pod postelí (a jinde) a báli jste se na to kouknout.

[AlenGarou · Rating 5 out of 5]

Niente... amo i mostri, problemi? u.u

[Malene Erika Kristensen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rigtig flotte tegninger og er vild med monstrene, dog svinger tegningernes kvalitet igennem historien så det trækker ned især baggrundene.

[Margo Sinks · Rating 1 out of 5]

Just not my taste.

[Edward Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very Creative use of post it notes to mentally step away from the larger drawings and books he is working on.

A fun quick little book

[Rikke Nordravn · Rating 5 out of 5]

love it <3

[L · Rating 5 out of 5]

Deliciously scary monsters, amazingly done when you consider their tiny size :O