Well here are the rough pencils for the Mucker cover. Not very exciting is it? I had a problem with making an exciting cover for this book. I have read the list of contributor illustrations and if all the artists contribute then the excitement is all in the book. So I thought I would go with a tone or mood piece for the cover. Also I was requested to have Billy, Babs, and the pony Brazos on the cover. Well they only appear for a split second together in the book. So actually illustrating a scene from the book was totally out from the beginning. Which poses a problem in itself.
Billy, the Mucker, tries to make good thru out the book for the love he has for Barbara Harding. He fights his inner demons of violence and isolation. Barbara tames those feelings and makes him want to be a better man. A man like she would want. Hence the shirtless Billy ready to fight at the drop of a hat, and Babs beside him gently pushing his hand down.
I sure hope it works on that level. I try, what can I say.
Also the costuming in this piece was difficult. Burroughs, usually descriptive as hell, in this book left out alot of visual information. Babs is mentioned about half way thru the Return of the Mucker as wearing 'riding togs'.....ok then her clothing is never mentioned again. So in Mexico around the turn of the century riding togs I took as a rough shirt, riding breeches, and added the scarf around her neck as some color, and to offset the fact I didn't show the full figure.
Now comes the tough decision: how to finish the piece. Digitally or traditionally.
The pros and cons are with digital there is no original to sell. I thought I would ink the pencils to sell them to offset the fact there wouldn't be a finished painting. Also with my lack of painting the last few years, at least traditionally, there are the screw ups which will happen. I don't really have the time to screw up on this and start over.
So I have to ponder what to do next. Any thoughts, Legionnaires?
I think it'll be a really cool cover. Your reasoning concerning digital finishing seems very logical to me, too. You could always sell prints of it, couldn't you? Nice job, pal.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure Brazos should be behind and to the right... it doesn't look right for some reason. You know that Doc Savage I just did was kinda crappy... and I think it was because he was just sort of standing there. I wouldn't try for a book cover with main characters just standing there.
ReplyDeleteThat Burroughs con sounds fun. That's awesome that you are a guest of honor.
I like the cover, it shows more of their love for each other.
ReplyDeleteI think digital, since you are more comfortable with it, and Martin's suggestion of selling prints of the art is a good one, which should ease your mind about some art to sell.uperitc
I love your style.Remember Mike Kaluta and ilustrations of pulp literature.
ReplyDeleteI a big fan of pulp heroes like Doc Savage,The Shadow,Spider-the master of men,and others.
I am a brazillian penciler whos draw various RPG books and Comic-books in Brazil and International Market (Mongoose Publishing, Goodman Games, Elemental Lands, Twelve Comics, Argo Comics,Chameleon Studio,Chiaemera Comics…)
Is possible you see more in http://carloshenry.deviantart.com/ and www.carloshenry.blogspot.com
Is a honor talk with you.Please,coment my job,send the opinions for henrystudio@hotmail.com
Thanks!
Nice looking cover, I haven't an idea about where to go from there though. You'll have to trust your judgement and go from there. I can see why you'd want to have the advantage of an actual art piece, but prints are fine too, especially if time is an issue.
ReplyDelete