dA Gallery Descriptions

Official Gallery Description
Photographs which focus on the frightening, grotesque and disturbing.

Extended Gallery Description
Artistic photography focusing on sinister, disturbing or grotesque content in the vein of horror-film-style visual atmosphere, not representation of real-life violence, death or suffering.

"Frightening, grotesque, and disturbing" refers to work that has an atmosphere. Think in terms of horror movies. Despite the fact that there are many different sub-genres of horror, they all have one thing in common - atmosphere. That eerie creepy feeling that crawls up the back of your spine, the bump in the night, the twisty-turny thing your stomach does when the splatter of blood hits the ground. THAT is atmosphere.

This is a photography gallery which means that the majority of the piece should be created in-camera, or at least with a minimum of digital processing. Adding blood splatter brushes, a crackled texture to skin, or cloning out the iris and pupils of your eye makes your work more at home in the digital darkroom gallery, miscellaneous digital art or photomanipulation.

Check out this news article by `WilderWein77 which explains the different between digital darkroom photography, digital art and photomanipulation.

Read Special effects make-up: Its FAKE! to find out why it may be worth explaining your materials and/or methods if you create fake injuries, blood, gore and violence to feature in your art.



Horror & Macabre Definitions

From Atmosphere to Zombies (an illustrated A to Z of horror) by ^RockstarVanity
But my teddy bear IS scary! (things that don't belong in the horror photography gallery and where to put them instead) by ^RockstarVanity
Horror and Macabre Photography Defined (a definition of the gallery and what does and does not belong) by ^Katerina423
A Horror and Macabre Guide by `arachnid15
A Year of Fear! by ^RockstarVanity
Dissecting Darkness (a discussion of all things Horror and Macabre in Digital, Traditional, and Photographic art) by ~djfox
Quoth the raven... (Interviews with Horror Photographers) by ^RockstarVanity



Horror Community

Horror&Macabre Chat
I haven't done much with the chat room yet but will be holding events and Q&A sessions with your favourite horror artists during Project Educate 09.

Dark Art Groups


Run a horror art group? Note me with a link and I'll add it to the list.



My Personal Nightmare Art Challenge

The My Personal Nightmare horror photography art challenge is an on-going project for which people are encouraged to submit a photograph (or photographs, there's no limit on submissions) depicting their own personal fear. You can find all the information about the challenge and how to submit your work here and can see all the entries so far by browsing to Community Projects > Projects & Clubs > My Personal Nightmare.

My Personal Nightmare [at Halloween]
My Personal Nightmare [an art challenge]





Photography Technique and SFX Guides

Basic Cut Tutorial by ~Guirnou
Rotting teeth tutorial by =pullingcandy
Physical application of colour and texture tutorial by ^RockstarVanity
Fake Blood Recipe Reference by ^RockstarVanity
Razor Blade Tutorial by =pullingcandy
DIY Blood, Sweat & Tears by ^Battledress
Non-Toxic is Not Make-up by ^Battledress
Horror and Macabre Photography FX FAQ and Guide (DIY special FX makeup) by @Xerces
Razor Blade Kisses Tutorial by @Xerces
Blood, boils, lipstick and latex. (create blood and gore special effects) by ^RockstarVanity
The Nightmare Collection [Vol. 21 Aftermath] (resources listed at the end) by ^RockstarVanity
Walkthrough finger bite by ~Guirnou
Walkthrough Black eye healing by ~Guirnou
Fake Blood Tutorial by ~loadsatequila
Wax Cut Tutorial by =sweetgreychaos
How To: Fake Blood by ~X-Mr-Penguin-X
Zombie Head Wound Tutorial by *Eisoptrophobic
Wound Tutorial by ~sporkbotic
How To Make an SFX Wound by ~jc6669
Best Fake Blood Ever by ~Blue-Mayhem
Zombie Make-up Tutorial by ~sml123
Liquid Latex Tutorial by =sweetgreychaos
Fake Blood Tutorial (another one) by ~Guirnou
5 Steps Fake Blood Tutorial by ~DasMeinUndDein
Creative Zoom Tutorial by ^RockstarVanity
Creepy Catchlights Tutorial by ^RockstarVanity
Burn Tutorial by ~Guirnou
Zombie Face Tutorial by =thegirlinthebigbox

Off-dA resource links
How to make a gash with stitches
Make-up FX by Lars Carlsson (LOTS of tutorials)
Horror shots widely used in film
Horror Genre (HUGE horror directory)
Make-up FX Tech (vast array of tutorials)
Making a 'Thing in a bottle'
FX Warehouse (DIY kits, based in Florida, ships worldwide)
FX Supply (ships worldwide but has minimum order amount)
Alcone Company (straight and fx make-up, based in USA but ships worldwide)
Burman Industries (prosthetics supplies and much more, for professionals only)
Smooth On (liquid rubbers and plastics, tutorials and supplies)
Kryolan (just about every fx product you can imagine)

_{Off-dA link disclaimer: We try to find interesting and useful links for the community but can't possibly verify all of the information and we encourage deviants to exercise caution at all times to protect themselves.}

I'm collecting horror tutorials! If you've written one or found one that you liked, please send me a link so I can add it to my Horror Resources and Tutorials Collection.



YouTube Video Tutorials

Zero Budget Zombie Makeup
Zombies! How-to SFX on the cheap
Zombies! Halloween Effects: zombie makeup & guts



Horror Photography Daily Deviations
Monthly round-up news articles:

October 2009
September 2009
August 2009
July 2009
June 2009
May 2009
April 2009
March 2009
February 2009
January 2009
December 2008
November 2008

See my DDs collection here.



Past CR Updates

By ^RockstarVanity
#22 (7th October 09)
#21 (1st September 09)
#20 (4th August 09)
#19 (2nd July 09)
#18 (28 May 09)
#17 (21 April 09)
#16 (18 March 2009)
#15 (25 February 2009)
#14 (28 January 2009)
#13 (19 December 2008)
#12 (18 November 2008)


By ^Katerina423 and `arachnid15
Horror News #11
Horror News #10
Horror News #9
Horror News #8
Horror News #7
Horror News #6
Horror News #5
Horror News #4
Horror News #3
Horror News #2
Horror News #1.5
Horror News #1



Shadows + Echoes News Articles

Volume 07
Volume 06
Volume 05
Volume 04
Volume 03
Volume 02
Volume 01



Horror News Weekly
by =mzscarecrow1313

What is horror? with ~alafaye
Horror News Weekly (27 Oct 09) edited by ~alafaye
Horror News Weekly (02 Nov 09) edited by ~alafaye and `koffeeben
Horror News Weekly (09 Nov 09)



Over To You News Articles
Artist bio and features articles based on interviews with horror photographers on dA.

Over To You...vennecto!
Over To You...SandyClaws91!
Over To You...tigerpusen05!
Over To You...digitalarticulation!
Over To You...asesinatuya!
Over To You...Neitzarr!
Over To You...DistortedSmile!
Over To You...L-u-t-h-e-r!
Over To You...ian-x!
Over To You...mzscarecrow1313!
Over To You...HopTuNaa!
Over To You...bassqee!
Over To You...pullingcandy!
Over To You...Xerces!
Over To You...BlueSatine!
Over To You...ptollemy!
Over To You...Guirnou!
Over To You...Sielunvihollinen!



Nightmare Collection News Articles

The Nightmare Collection [Vol. 26 Monster Mash]
The Nightmare Collection [Vol. 25 Horror Week]
The Nightmare Collection [Vol. 24 Sanguinary]
The Nightmare Collection [Vol. 23 Sinful]
The Nightmare Collection [Vol. 22 The Night(mare Collection) Before Christmas]
The Nightmare Collection [Vol. 21 Aftermath]
The Nightmare Collection [Vol. 20 Style Edition]
The Nightmare Collection [Vol. 19]
The Nightmare Collection [Vol. 18]
The Nightmare Collection [Vol. 17]
The Nightmare Collection [Vol. 16 Resourceful]
The Nightmare Collection [Vol. 15]
The Nightmare Collection [Vol. 14]
The Nightmare Collection [Vol. 13 - Rising Stars Edition]
The Nightmare Collection [Vol. 12 - Journal Edition]
The Nightmare Collection [Vol. 11]
The Nightmare Collection [Vol. 10]
The Nightmare Collection [Vol. 9]
The Nightmare Collection [Vol. 8]
The Nightmare Collection [Vol. 7]
The Nightmare Collection [Vol. 5]
The Nightmare Collection [Vol. 4]
The Nightmare Collection [Vol. 3]
The Nightmare Collection [Vol. 2]
The Nightmare Collection [Vol. 1]

I have no idea at all where volume 6 went to. There's every possibility that I accidentally skipped from 5 to 7.



Misc. Horror News Articles

Virtual Halloween Party...the aftermath!
Blood and Fangs
Dark Artists and Gore on dA
Spotlight On Horror!
I wanna see your insides
Horror, Loved By You
Horror is Reality Curdled
Blood&Horror: Best in Halloween Art
Oh the horror! [March features]
The Art of Critique (in horror and beyond)
This is Halloween

Written a horror photography news article? Send me a link and I'll list it here.



Dark Muse News Articles
By ^Katerina423

The Dark Muse IV: George Romero and Zombies
The Dark Muse III: The Exorcist
The Dark Muse II - Stephen King
The Dark Muse I: Alfred Hitchcock



The Horror News Articles
By ^Katerina423

The Horror - Vol. Thirteen: September 08 Features
The Horror - Vol. Twelve: August 08 Features
The Horror - Vol. Eleven: July 08 Features
The Horror - Vol. Ten: June 08 Features
The Horror - Vol. Nine: May 08 Features
The Horror - Vol. Eight: April 08 Features
The Horror - Vol. Seven: March 08 Features
The Horror - Vol. Six: February 08 Features
The Horror - Vol. Five: January 08 Features
The Horror - Vol. Three and Four: November and December 07 Features
The Horror - Vol. Two: October 07 Features
The Horror - Vol. One: September 07 Features



Project Educate
Horror and Macabre Week 2008

Horror Week Descends - The introductory article to Horror Week
The Horrified Masses - Community features
The Nightmare Collection [Vol. 25 Horror Week]
The Dark Side of the Rainbow - There's color on the dark side
Artist Spotlight - ThIrTeeN KillErs Series - Delve where few men dare to tread
The Dark Muse II - Stephen King
Shock Tactics- Get scared out of your skin
July 08 - A tribute to Horror and Macabre week
From the Special FX Chat Event: Tips and Tricks
Horror and Macabre Photography: Why We Do It
Horror Week News from the Community



Relevant FAQs
FAQ #284: What is the policy for submissions concerning injury, self-harm and mutilation?
FAQ #7: What is the policy concerning photographs of corpses, cruelty or death?
FAQ #554: Is my deviation Mature Content?
FAQ #199: How do I add Mature Content tag to my deviation?



Thank you VERY much to ^Katerina423 for compiling a huge amount of this guide while she was gallery mod for horror photography and to `arachnid15 for his work as the first horror photo gallery mod. Those two are hard acts to follow and I appreciate all their hard work and help so much.