About Kosart Effects Studios & Gallery
Serving all artistic needs, award-winning artist J. Anthony Kosar's company Kosart Effects Studios, LLC is dedicated to quality Fine Art, Illustration, Graphic Design, Storyboards, Concept Art, Sculpture, Creature FX, Special FX Make-up, Masks, Props.
Made an official LLC in 2008, Kosar has been doing business as Kosart Effects since his first foam-latex prosthetic in 2002, and has since been working out of the basement, garage, and anywhere else he could find the space. In April 2011, the opened the doors to his first commercial space, his very own gallery / studio / workshop in Westmont, IL, and finally has the space to work on his many different projects of many media. Since April, and between projects, Kosar has been teaching specialized courses in Art and FX from his studio with students from Illinois and surrounding states. With his love and appreciation for art, Kosart Effects Studios is proud to begin holding group art exhibitions featuring well-known and award-winning artists, with the inaugural event, the First Annual MALEFICIUM: Dark Art Exhibition opening Saturday Oct 29, 2011.
Despite the familiar connotation of the word “effects,” the name “KOSART Effects” not only encompasses Kosar's alter ego of special effects, but also of all his art and everything that he is. The word “effect” means “end result” and “the extent to which something succeeds.” In a way, “KOSART Effects” is more of a promise to himself and to the world, a promise best said in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, “So much has been done. More, far more, will I achieve; treading in the footsteps already marked, I will pioneer a new way, explore unknown powers, and unfold to the world the deepest mysteries of creation.”
Made an official LLC in 2008, Kosar has been doing business as Kosart Effects since his first foam-latex prosthetic in 2002, and has since been working out of the basement, garage, and anywhere else he could find the space. In April 2011, the opened the doors to his first commercial space, his very own gallery / studio / workshop in Westmont, IL, and finally has the space to work on his many different projects of many media. Since April, and between projects, Kosar has been teaching specialized courses in Art and FX from his studio with students from Illinois and surrounding states. With his love and appreciation for art, Kosart Effects Studios is proud to begin holding group art exhibitions featuring well-known and award-winning artists, with the inaugural event, the First Annual MALEFICIUM: Dark Art Exhibition opening Saturday Oct 29, 2011.
Despite the familiar connotation of the word “effects,” the name “KOSART Effects” not only encompasses Kosar's alter ego of special effects, but also of all his art and everything that he is. The word “effect” means “end result” and “the extent to which something succeeds.” In a way, “KOSART Effects” is more of a promise to himself and to the world, a promise best said in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, “So much has been done. More, far more, will I achieve; treading in the footsteps already marked, I will pioneer a new way, explore unknown powers, and unfold to the world the deepest mysteries of creation.”
About Artist J. Anthony Kosar
J. Anthony Kosar is the FACE OFF Season 4 Champion and Award-Winning Artist who graduated in May 2008 with highest honors as Valedictorian of his class from the American Academy of Art in Chicago, Illinois, earning his Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Illustration.
Since he began creating, Kosar enjoys experimenting and working in many medias and different subject matter to always grow as an artist, believing that the moment an artist becomes comfortable in whatever they are doing, it is the moment they stop growing as an artist. Therefore, he works within multiple industries of the artistic world through his company Kosart Effects Studios, LLC.
FINE ART
In the Fine Art world, Kosar has received many awards including the "Dong Kingman Award" at the 2009 American Watercolor Society's 142nd Annual International Exhibition in New York, NY and "Best of Show" at 24th Annual Illinois Watercolor Society Open Exhibition in 2008. Both of these awards were awarded to his painting Never Known, Never Forgotten which was one of 40 paintings selected from the American Watercolor Society Annual to tour through 7 States in their 2009-2010 Traveling Exhibition. This painting was also accepted into SPLASH 13: The Best of Watercolor book to be published June 2012. Kosar and his fine art watercolors are featured in Watercolor Artist Magazine's December Issue in their 2009 Top Ten "Ones to Watch" feature. Kosar has also received three "First Place" awards for his Byzantine Iconography.
ILLUSTRATION
Kosar began his published illustration career with a traditionally painted series of 10 black and white illustrations for Moonstone Books for the interior art for The Spider: Judgment Knight #1. He has also worked on the following titles and licenses: Presidential Monsters, The Phantom, Bump, and Buckaroo Banzai. One of his Spider illusrtations, The Hunt, earned him a "Gold Award" in the Graphic Novel / Comic Book category in Illustration West 48 by the Society of Illustrators of Los Angeles. He received a "Bronze Award" the following year in SI-LA's Illustration West 49 for one of his Spider covers Satan's Murder Machines. Then in SI-LA's Illustration West 50, Kosar received the "Gold Award," "Bronze Award," and "Honorable Mention" for three more of his Spider illustrations. Beyond full-blown illustrations, Kosar also does character concept art for the entertainment industry, and concept designs for toys, masks, collectibles, and other types of product development.
Since he began creating, Kosar enjoys experimenting and working in many medias and different subject matter to always grow as an artist, believing that the moment an artist becomes comfortable in whatever they are doing, it is the moment they stop growing as an artist. Therefore, he works within multiple industries of the artistic world through his company Kosart Effects Studios, LLC.
FINE ART
In the Fine Art world, Kosar has received many awards including the "Dong Kingman Award" at the 2009 American Watercolor Society's 142nd Annual International Exhibition in New York, NY and "Best of Show" at 24th Annual Illinois Watercolor Society Open Exhibition in 2008. Both of these awards were awarded to his painting Never Known, Never Forgotten which was one of 40 paintings selected from the American Watercolor Society Annual to tour through 7 States in their 2009-2010 Traveling Exhibition. This painting was also accepted into SPLASH 13: The Best of Watercolor book to be published June 2012. Kosar and his fine art watercolors are featured in Watercolor Artist Magazine's December Issue in their 2009 Top Ten "Ones to Watch" feature. Kosar has also received three "First Place" awards for his Byzantine Iconography.
ILLUSTRATION
Kosar began his published illustration career with a traditionally painted series of 10 black and white illustrations for Moonstone Books for the interior art for The Spider: Judgment Knight #1. He has also worked on the following titles and licenses: Presidential Monsters, The Phantom, Bump, and Buckaroo Banzai. One of his Spider illusrtations, The Hunt, earned him a "Gold Award" in the Graphic Novel / Comic Book category in Illustration West 48 by the Society of Illustrators of Los Angeles. He received a "Bronze Award" the following year in SI-LA's Illustration West 49 for one of his Spider covers Satan's Murder Machines. Then in SI-LA's Illustration West 50, Kosar received the "Gold Award," "Bronze Award," and "Honorable Mention" for three more of his Spider illustrations. Beyond full-blown illustrations, Kosar also does character concept art for the entertainment industry, and concept designs for toys, masks, collectibles, and other types of product development.
SCULPTURE & SPECIAL FX
To further his growth as an artist, and because his passion for the arts began at a young age while performing on stage and painting on canvas, Kosar's duality of performing art and visual art has led him to the world of Special Effects. In 2002 at age 16, he created his first foam-latex mask, The Zombie. Since then, he has created make-up, effects, creature suits, and props for numerous plays, commercials, conventions, feature and short films, and has held several Make-up and Effects workshops throughout the Chicagoland area. During Summer 2007, Kosar interned in Hollywood at Stan Winston Studio (Jurassic Park, Predator, Aliens) working for his hero, legendary FX artist Stan Winston on several commercials, including Xbox’s Halo 3: Believecampaign, and the film Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull and James Cameron’s major motion picture AVATAR. Also, while in Hollywood, Kosar studied sculpture under acclaimed Hollywood sculptor and creature designer Jordu Schell of Schell Sculpture Studio. In 2008, Kosar sculpted his first commercially made Halloween mask for Zagone Studios, Gargoyle, and has been designing and sculpting Halloween masks for Zagone ever since. His Satanic Panic mask was featured in Fangoria issue #287 and his Ex-Gov Blago mask was Chicago's Best Seller in 2010. Kosar also sculpts medical anatomical models for Denoyer-Geppert, as well as toy and collectible prototypes. In 2011, Kosar created his BOARIS FRANKENSWINE life-size sculpture for a charity benefit auction, and in 2012, his monster pig was selected to appear in SPECTRUM 19: The Best in Contemporary Fantastic Art. His work was also selected for SPECTRUM 20. Once the doors opened in to his new studio in Westmont, IL, Kosar began teaching various classes of art and FX. Click HERE for more information on his classes and workshops. On March 26th, 2013, J. Anthony Kosar was crowned the FACE OFF Season 4 Chamption on the Syfy channel, having won 6 of the 11 Spotlight Challenges, plus 1 Foundation Challenge against 13 other talented make-up FX artists. In the finale, which aired on March 26th, Kosar had to create 2 characters for a performance in Las Vegas at the Wynn for La Rev: The Dream, and the make-ups needed to be 100% waterproof to withstand dives from over 40ft in a million gallon tank.
From Byzantine Iconography to Special Effects, J. Anthony Kosar takes his art from Saints to Monsters and everything in between, denying himself the luxury of ever being comfortable. See the work of J. Anthony Kosar on his website: KOSARTEFFECTS.com
To further his growth as an artist, and because his passion for the arts began at a young age while performing on stage and painting on canvas, Kosar's duality of performing art and visual art has led him to the world of Special Effects. In 2002 at age 16, he created his first foam-latex mask, The Zombie. Since then, he has created make-up, effects, creature suits, and props for numerous plays, commercials, conventions, feature and short films, and has held several Make-up and Effects workshops throughout the Chicagoland area. During Summer 2007, Kosar interned in Hollywood at Stan Winston Studio (Jurassic Park, Predator, Aliens) working for his hero, legendary FX artist Stan Winston on several commercials, including Xbox’s Halo 3: Believecampaign, and the film Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull and James Cameron’s major motion picture AVATAR. Also, while in Hollywood, Kosar studied sculpture under acclaimed Hollywood sculptor and creature designer Jordu Schell of Schell Sculpture Studio. In 2008, Kosar sculpted his first commercially made Halloween mask for Zagone Studios, Gargoyle, and has been designing and sculpting Halloween masks for Zagone ever since. His Satanic Panic mask was featured in Fangoria issue #287 and his Ex-Gov Blago mask was Chicago's Best Seller in 2010. Kosar also sculpts medical anatomical models for Denoyer-Geppert, as well as toy and collectible prototypes. In 2011, Kosar created his BOARIS FRANKENSWINE life-size sculpture for a charity benefit auction, and in 2012, his monster pig was selected to appear in SPECTRUM 19: The Best in Contemporary Fantastic Art. His work was also selected for SPECTRUM 20. Once the doors opened in to his new studio in Westmont, IL, Kosar began teaching various classes of art and FX. Click HERE for more information on his classes and workshops. On March 26th, 2013, J. Anthony Kosar was crowned the FACE OFF Season 4 Chamption on the Syfy channel, having won 6 of the 11 Spotlight Challenges, plus 1 Foundation Challenge against 13 other talented make-up FX artists. In the finale, which aired on March 26th, Kosar had to create 2 characters for a performance in Las Vegas at the Wynn for La Rev: The Dream, and the make-ups needed to be 100% waterproof to withstand dives from over 40ft in a million gallon tank.
From Byzantine Iconography to Special Effects, J. Anthony Kosar takes his art from Saints to Monsters and everything in between, denying himself the luxury of ever being comfortable. See the work of J. Anthony Kosar on his website: KOSARTEFFECTS.com
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