The 50 Most Macabre and Mindblowing Photoshop Manipulations of “Scaryjesus” + Exclusive Interview
Justin, a.k.a scaryjesus, is an extremely talented artist that we have discovered just recently and thought that he definitely deserves more attention. He uses Photoshop to create images that will give one chills down the spine, turning regular photos in the kind of art that you simply can’t stop looking at, searching for details or even imperfects. But there aren’t any, the results are absolutely breathtaking. Justin has honored us with a short interview in which he reveals part of his personality and artistic secrets.
Q: How old are you Justin and where does this talent live?
Q: How old are you Justin and where does this talent live?
A: I’m 29 and I live in Vancouver B.C, Canada. I moved across the country about a year ago from a small province called Newfoundland.
Q: When did you discover your passion and talent for Photoshop and art? How did all this start?
A: I’ve always been a creative person. I’ve sketched, drawn and doodled all my life. But as much as I loved drawing, I was very rarely satisfied with the end result a pencil and paper could bring. Somehow, I just couldn’t recreate on paper the things I saw in my head.
I first got introduced to Photoshop when I took MultiMedia: Digital Animation in college in 2000, and instantly fell in love. Although I didn’t actually start making artwork with it until some time later.
Of course, when I chose to use Photoshop as the medium to create, I really didn’t know how to use it.
I knew basics like opening a file, making it black and white, adding text and things like that. So I researched, practiced and read tons of tutorials. Even today I still look up new techniques and tutorials to try. Using Photoshop I found I could accurately create and invent the things I saw in my head. The things I wanted to invent. The things I continue to need to create. Fast forward about ten years, and here I am. Now I’m doing album artwork for bands, making magazine covers and creating logos for businesses among other things.
Q: Can you tell us what inspires you when creating your artwork?
A: My inspiration comes from a lot of different things. Mainly life events, and things that happen to me or around me. Feelings, emotions and reactions; that’s pretty much the base on which my ideas are built on. I don’t generally sit there and think “Woah, it’d be cool to make that!”. Everything comes from something.
Q: Do you use other editing software besides Photoshop?
A: Actually no. Everything I make is done entirely in Photoshop. It’s the program I’m most familiar with I guess. I’ve been using it for ten years.
Q: Are there any famous artists whom you admire or who influenced your work?
A: Absolutely. I’ve been a huge fan of Chad Michael Ward for years. I actually own four of his books, one of which is autographed. The guy has his finger on the pulse of what he does, and I admire him for that.
I also have huge respect and admiration for Paul Booth. His dark artwork and tattooing skills just stupify me. I actually met Paul a few years back. He’s a very nice guy.
Russell Mills is another artist that amazes me. His technique is astounding. When I bought Nine Inch Nails’ album “The Downward Spiral”, I studied his artwork in that booklet. I’ve never seen or heard of anyone else using animal skeletons, teeth and decay so effectively as Russell Mills.
Q: You have created your unique style, with these macabre works. Do you plan on continuing in the same direction?
A: I think what I do is a reflection of how I perceive the world, so you can defintiely expect more work like what I’ve been doing all along. It’s where my heart and mind live. That said, I do like to experiment with different techniques, and I try to branch out with my ideas. It’s always good to broaden your horizon.
Q: We figure that you are one busy guy, but still what is it that you like doing when you have a bit of spare time?
A: Yeah, there’s rarely a day I don’t open Photoshop. Besides doing my personal artwork I’m always restoring, fixing up and editing images for friends and family. But when I’m not photoshopping I’m usually found outside jogging. That, or killing zombies in Left for Dead, I love that game. More recently I went to an indoor shooting range and shot a bunch of guns. 9mm’s, shotguns, .44 Magnums and Desert Eagles. This may be my new favorite hobby, heh.
Q: What advice would you give to an artist just starting out?
A: Haha, am I really at the point where I get to be asked that? I guess first thing would be practice. Just don’t stop. Read every tutorial you can. Learn how to use the program and it’s tools. Only then can you apply what you’ve learned to accurately create the things you want in a satisfying way.
Also, try new things for the hell of it. I find when I try something radically different, I usually learn a little something I can apply to what I normally do. You never know when you can gain something that will enhance your work dramatically.
Machines of the Godless III
The Futureless Atrocity
The Broken Submissive
Dead Inside Me
Under Faith, There’s Nothing
Dreamweaver
Self Annihilator
The Damaged Provider
Purge
Therapy VII: Inhale
UnderDecay
TrendSetter
The Pneumatic Drone
V.2.0
The Tooth Fairy
The Sandman
Therapy V
Systematic Human Erasure
PostHuman
Asleep
Cohesion
Deformography
Therapy IV: Self Smile
Social Suicide
The Archetype
Duality
Vicarious
Therapy III: Essential Bleeding
Avaritia of the Deadly Seven
The Fakest Perfection
Aphasia
Excursus
Therapy II
Hear No Evil
See No Evil
Speak No Evil
Cynosure
Aesthete
Sideless
Gracie
Broked
Superbia of the Deadly Seven
Colder
Something Scream
Pet
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IT RULES! @ Kris don’t be a wimp!
( 2 years and 4585 days ago ) -
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This stuff is amazing, but I honestly have to say, I so do not want to get a look inside this guy’s head.
( 2 years and 4584 days ago ) -
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“Colder” must be the scariest thing i’ve ever seen…
( 2 years and 4584 days ago ) -
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Thank you so much for this opportunity Giulia. It’s truly appreciated. I love when people help spread the warped perspective I have on reality. =)
( 2 years and 4584 days ago ) -
Justin, you’re awesome… scary, but awesome. I really like some of the newer pieces and it should be interesting to see where you take it. Of these posted I especially like social suicide. It is subtially creepy.
( 2 years and 4584 days ago ) -
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This guy is incredible! I hope to see more of his work!
( 2 years and 4584 days ago ) -
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I adore Justin, glad to read the interview, great choice.
( 2 years and 4584 days ago ) -
Freaking fantastic…Some of these creations,damn ziggyx u are right,in the head of the guy is 24/7 fun….:D
( 2 years and 4584 days ago ) -
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“…the things I saw in my head.” A very sad, disturbed individual, I’d say. Or perhaps just someone looking for attention. The emphasis on death, pain, and torture in art (and movies and books) is probably not a good thing.
What we focus on, we become.
( 2 years and 4584 days ago ) -
These literally make me sick… But I can’t deny it’s fantastic photoshop work… unbelievable
( 2 years and 4584 days ago ) -
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It’s been quite a while since I had a physical reaction to photoshop art. These are disturbingly awesomeness made pictures. Excursus and Cynosure I’d have to say are my favorite of the bunch.
@Bob Nolin I’d have to disagree. I think when we focus on death, pain and torture in art, 2 things happen:
1.- We acknowledge the darker side of humanity is in all of us. And the more we turn away from it, the more we deny it, then the more desensitized and shallow we become. As a society.
And 2.- Artists that express these feeling in this way, are releasing A LOT of emotions through their work, when otherwise they might feel the need to end up hurting others, or themselves. To quote Nine Inch Nails’ Trent Reznor: “If I didn’t find this outlet, I would be dead”
( 2 years and 4584 days ago ) -
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Your art is wicked, twisted and nightmarish. I think it RAWKS!!!!!!
( 2 years and 4584 days ago ) -
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Wow… I badly want to know who inspires him.. his works are wicked and stunning to say the least…
( 2 years and 4584 days ago ) -
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Awfully awful and creepy! So perfect it’s almost impossible to distinguish fantasy from reality!…
( 2 years and 4583 days ago ) -
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@ Bob Nolin, I guess you got Justin all figured out, just from his artwork and the numerous conversations you’ve had with him…yeah… you’ve never had a conversion with him, have you? I thought not.
( 2 years and 4582 days ago )
I gotta say, I love how you’ve taken your psychology training that you got from a Crackerjack box and applied it to Justin. “A very sad, disturbed individual, and What we focus on we become”. Wow. you’re really good at spewing verbal diarrhea, best to close thy mouth. Again if you knew the guy…
As for the attention Justin wants, it’s meant for someone to like the art he does, and people do. I get that you don’t like it, its your choice and that’s fine. But to state that he is something he’s not when you don’t know the individual, you come off like a complete trolling jackass. And for someone that has known Justin for a long time your judgment on him is laughable, and more importantly incorrect. -
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I just wanted to leave a comment for Bob Nolan.
Look, Bob, I’m not going to come in here and insult you or add fire to the trollery you’re spewing. But having known Justin (in real life, no less) for over ten years now, I consider him a dear friend, and you couldn’t be more wrong about your professional observations.
Making art, be it sketching, photomanipulation, paint-tracing (I’m sure you’re familiar with that) or writing, comes from something you can’t explain. You, as a writer, do it out of getting an article published or to make some money. We do it as a form of therapy and as a way to reach an audience we might not have ever known existed. Assuming a person is obviously reflected by the art they create demonstrates to me how oblivious you are to any creative process outside of your own. I’ve done art for kid’s books, and that doesn’t mean I’m a sugary Disney lover. We do what we do for our own reasons and you’ve got no right to make assumptions of someone’s future psychology just because they like to make art of weird, twisted things.
But the real issue I’ve got with your comment is really akin to the old adage, if you’ve got nothing nice to say, don’t say anything. A comment like yours is obviously not going to make Justin wake up some morning and say, “well Jesus, Bob thinks I’m headed down a dark road, perhaps I should make nice art for a change.” I don’t understand the internet mentality of thinking a negative comment is appreciated beyond trollery. You’re entitled to your opinion, obviously, as we all are, but Justin’s got a following, he’s got a fan-base, and he’s making money at what he loves to do. Again, knowing him personally is something I hold dear, and seeing people like you be completely off-base with your hasty, knee-jerk remarks, frustrates me to no end.
Considering what your job actually is, I would have thought encouraging someone’s talent and critiquing their art, and not damning what you’ve ASSUMED is their personality and shortcomings, would be the goal. You do fantasy art as well, and I’m sure your head isn’t swimming with thoughts of mages and dungeons and that those ideas aren’t what drive your personality outside of the canvas. You’ve assumed Justin’s some sort of monster in his own right, and knowing better, I just wanted to let you know that judging someone on what they create, when it does absolutely no harm to anyone, shows a level of unprofessionalism that the industry simply doesn’t need.
( 2 years and 4582 days ago ) -
In my opinion these images are stunning!
( 2 years and 4581 days ago )
Beautifully disturbing and a fantastic addition to the art world. I’m a photographer and would kill to produce images that could even remotely stir up such strong emotions and reactions.
Congratulations you are a real asset to our world. -
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These are all very dangerous
( 2 years and 4579 days ago ) -
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@satya very sick actually
( 2 years and 4577 days ago ) -
this is beautiful. No simple words can describe this.
( 2 years and 4577 days ago ) -
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Very creepy and somewhat sickening, this artwork is brilliant to the extreme and thought provoking, although i love this stuff and these images, it does raise an alarm to the mind of the artist.
1) Is this a sick individual using art as an outlet for his illness?
2) Or is this just someone looking for attention?
either way, these images are superbly put together……love this stuff!
( 2 years and 4526 days ago ) -
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these are awesomee!!!!!! yu shuld make a tutorial : D i’d be the happiest person on earth if yu did : )
( 2 years and 4515 days ago ) -
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Have to agree with Chris P.. one of the coolest things about Justin is the crazy juxtaposition between the art and the guy who creates it.. yes the art is dark and macabre, but meanwhile Justin’s one of the nicest, friendliest dudes one could have the privilege of associating with.
Bob Nolin, you should take a look at Van Gogh, who made a lot of pretty pictures but was a pretty disturbed individual before you start making character assumptions.
( 2 years and 4475 days ago ) -
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Dear Scaryjesus, you are absolutely, positively phenomenal. Your vision is dismal, depraved, depressing and I adore it. You are brilliant. This is some of the best photoshop I have ever seen. Your macabre artistry is inspirational and gloriously grotesque. I have to ask, do you ever do commissions? I have a horror film review site I’m just starting up and a photo-manipulated profile image of your style would set the exact mood I’m going for. If you do, you can email me at verymacabre@yahoo.com. Keep it up.
~C
( 2 years and 4475 days ago ) -
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Hey scaryjesus, this may come across wierd but I absulotly love your images. They have given me the creeps everytime I look at them but I’m just so amazed on how you have used and turned normal photos into this chill rushing feeling that goes down peoples spines is yeah, I just can not get over it. I like your work so much that I have used you for my art assessment for inspiration, and it got my peers attention real quick! So to you, thank-you for being much a creepy inspiration.
( 2 years and 4459 days ago )
I <3 YOUR ARTWORK -
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these are amazing
( 2 years and 3877 days ago )
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Wow, I won’t be able to sleep tonight… djeezes scaryjesus, what were you thinking!
( 2 years and 4585 days ago )