He began his literary career writing short stories filled with dark, whimsical fantasy, including one concerning children and the fictional ways they could die by misbehaving. His unique macabre and jovial style eventually landed him a job and a Tony Award for Dracula's cape – not a bad way to build a career.

Open until January of next year at San Francisco's Cartoon Art Museum, American illustrator Edward Gorey's "Dracula" exhibit features rare, original sketches from the artist's personal sketch book; framed ink and pen drawings he made during his early days; and pages of preliminary outfits and hallway arches used to bring back the 1897 Bram Stoker novel for Broadway revue.

"We actually have been showing Gorey exhibitions for about a decade now," said Andrew Farago, gallery manager for the Cartoon Art Museum.

Gorey's attention to detail through his cross-hatching style shines in pieces on exhibit like "Basic Set Design," one of the larger works of the theatre sketches on ink and board. The drawing is composed of thousands and thousands of ink strokes hatched together in the most minute of brush width, creating shaded stones that assemble a domed gazebo with looming arches.

Skulls of elongated jaw lines and hollowed eye sockets, as well as corpses with similar skulls, lay throughout the dome. In another piece, sketches that comprised the set design from the first act of the play spotlight a library with shelves stuffed with books, all individually outlined and shaded, with an emboss-like feel reminiscent of copper etching work.

"He uses a full range of values: dark to light, from white space with no ink at all, to black spaces and his trademark cross hatching style," said Mimi Sheiner, who teaches an introduction to graphic design class at SF State this semester. "Part of [Gorey's] style was finding it and sticking to it. People know it's his."

"When you are making a living off being an artist, sticking to a recognizable method can be difficult; it can feel like a rut. But he found a style in which he was able to stay fresh. This allowed him to build a constituency," she added.

Sheiner, who is also a professional artist, has always appreciated Gorey's off-beat, dark sense of humor and remembers seeing his work in The New Yorker magazine when she was growing up.

"His stuff is magical," she said.

Theatre producer John Wulp approached Gorey in 1973 to see if he was interested in helming creative control for the visuals of "Dracula." The Stoker novel had been successfully adapted for the theatre in the early 20s, but Wulp after seeing Gorey's bleary undertones, he wanted to in revive it. Gorey spent the next four years meticulously designing nearly all of the sets and costumes for the show, including the famed Count's cape, his bat's wings, and the invitations and playbills that were handed out for the performance’s opening night party.

“He was so direct, so clean,” said studio art professor Mario Laplante. “[Gorey’s] illustrations are so clear as to what they mean.”

Laplante, who teaches a printmaking class at SF State, says he is pleased that Gorey's work is being shown. In addition to the Cartoon Art Museum, other art venues in San Francisco give students a good resource to view extensive collections of bookmaking, typography, and illustration from around the world and throughout the history of the press, especially since the bookmaking process used by Gorey during the 70s is still replicated in the printmaking studios in the Fine Arts building today.

Students in his class design mockups of books, learning how to use typography, lay out images, and eventually bind the final project together.

Gorey's work has also garnered cult followings and influences in pop culture through novels, stage productions, and other forms of media, including Tim Burton's "Nightmare Before Christmas."

Although "Dracula" was up for three Tony Awards, it only won "Best Costume Design" which Gorey was reportedly upset about; he had hoped to win the set design award. Despite the loss, "Dracula" went on to play to more 1,000 shows between 1977 and 1979, with Frank Langella in the title role in both the play and later movie adaptation as well.

Gorey, who died in 2000, went on to work on other theatre sets and productions after the success of "Dracula," even working on the PBS show "Mystery!" by sketching the opening credits. His contribution and influence into both worlds of illustrating and set design is thoroughly shown at the Cartoon Art Museum.

Edward Gorey's "Dracula" exhibit will run through January 28. For more information please visit http://www.cartoonart.org/