The Mucker commission

Sorry for the late of updates lately....just busy as can be with things. Here is a very long overdue ERB commission that I finished up finally. I am sure the owner of the book will be glad to have it back. I am sure he thinks I ran off with it never to return it. ha. It's tough to draw right in a book, as I kid I never drew in books, or even dog eared the pages. So actually trying to draw in one it a tough mental thing to get over. Plus usually the paper is terrible for marker art at a con. So was glad to bring this one home and work with ink and brush on this one. Anyway will box it up tomorrow and send it on it's way.

Also I usually don't do any commissions or anything, just don't have the time with all that goes on. But I am opening up some time to do some commissions this coming week. I have a friend in need. He needs some money fast, like by the end of the month.
So I have some Spider art I could sell from the prose Moonstone Spider book. Or I could do original things, which I would prefer to do. Anyway you guys know my range of things. Adventure, pulp, early sci fi types of things. Please don't ask me to do 'odd' stuff, if you know what I mean. Anyway I am just going to give the money to my friend to help him out. I am trying to get my good karma built up I guess. Just seemed like the only thing I can do to help him out. I don't have savings or anything to pull from, just freeing up some time to do some drawing. So if you can help and get some art you like let me know, Legionnaires.

Prices start at $200 for:
11x17 original of your choice, within reason,
black and white
brush inked,
unframed piece.
includes shipping

Prices start at $35 for:
11x17 original head and shoulders
black and white
brush inked
unframed
includes shipping

Email me and let me know...we will talk about it.

Off to the DumDum.....in Chicago

That's right Jungle Pals, and Loyal Legionnaires....I am off to Chi-town tomorrow at the butt crack of dawn, to attend the annual meeting of the apes....better known as the DumDum. This year it is being held by the Muckers....a rebel offshoot of the Burroughs Society. I have the posters of the Mucker cover signed, along with the Tarzan posters that I previously previewed here on the blog. I am sure I will have some of each left on my return, so if you would like one I will post the price and all when I return. I would like the Burroughs folks that invited me the first shot at them, of course.

I am looking forward to the trip and meeting up with all the great people at the Burroughs event. Not looking forward to the speech I have to make though. But I will post it here when I get back next week.

Also I would like to make it over to wizard world chicago con, which is being held this weekend also. But money and time will tell that story when I get to it. Not a big fan of finding my way alone in Chicago traffic, but I guess if I was to go Sunday would be the day. Of course I also have to think about getting back home to all the work that is piling up on the drawing table.

So if you are around Hillside Ill. this weekend, drop by and see what's up in the Burroughs fan world. It is always a fun time.

in the works....

Well Loyal Legionnaires, here are a couple of things I am working on....Prints for the Burroughs Dum-Dum in Chicago this year. As I am sure you know if you tune in often, I will be one of the guests this year. One problem with that is, as most of you know, I did the cover to the Mucker digitally. So hence, no painting to sell to make any money. Not that I am trying to make a killing with my art. It isn't about that as you well know, if you know me. So the object is to produce something that will get some of my art out there in the public a bit more. Which sometimes is the object of this game of art.

So I thought I would produce some posters/prints of two of my Burroughs pieces. One the Mucker cover I produced for the Dum-Dum (in the tarzan books the council of the apes), and the other a Tarzan piece I produced in black and white, colored for the print. I originally produced the Tarzan piece, thinking it was going into an all Burroughs sketchbook to sell at the con. I may still do that too, but at this point probably all I will have time to get printed is the prints.

In July I am going to texas to see my eldest son's family, and attend my 40 th high school reunion. I don't want to think about all those years. ha. So that will take some production time away from me.

One thing with the designed white space on these I can do sketches to make them feel special since they are printed.

But, Loyal Legionnaires don't despair, I am also currently working on the script to issue on of the pulp action Captain Spectre comic. I also already have an outline for the third issue - the sword and planet story, but believe me when I say that story will be the pinnacle of my storytelling. It is the story I was born to tell. I feel that strongly about it.

I just can't wait to get to that third one, so that helps with producing the first two stories. As per the poll from the site here, the first one will be a slam bang action piece, the second a world war 2 story, which is in the works also....and the third one, a sword and planet piece that will establish Captain Spectre as the Phantom Soldier from the Skies!!! I am so proud of it I will sneak the working title to you, my Loyal Legionnaires. It is called "the Men Who Lost Yesterday". So stay tuned Legionnaires, it may be awhile to produce these, but by hook or crook I will do it. I live for this.

Oh, and also if anyone is interested in these prints, I will have some extras to sell thru the site, just let me know. Then I can add the numbers to my print run. thanks.....

Progress report....the Mucker

Well it almost 4:30 Sunday afternoon. I am about 22 hours into the paint of this. I think it is time for a little break. Plus I need to cook some food, do a bit more laundry and get ready for another exciting monday at the day job.....yuck.

I smoothed up some areas, still needs some work, and actually have some paint in all the areas where paint goes. Hopefully it is coming along. I sure wish I was a better painter. I still prefer colored line art like a comic. Just something about it full fills all I like about images. I never was much of a painter. But for what it is worth I think the gun belt is ok. ha.

Long day at the office.....

Well it was a long day at the 'office'. I started finishing the inks this morning about seven. It is now after 8 at night and I am starting to see cross-eyed. ha. I finished the inks and started on the painting. As you can see the painting has a very long way to go. It is a very slow process for sure. But, I think I have an ok start on things. I wanted an inked version of the piece before moving on to the painted version. I think I am also going to actually ink the pencilled piece sometime before the con. But there is time for that later on. I do need something physical to sell. Anyway I have found out I am as horrible of a painter as I always was. But thought I would let everyone in on the progress I made today. The inks were about a third of the way done as I started this morning.

So now I think I will find some supper, and a good video to watch.

Maybe I will put in the Davy Crockett Disney series, since we lost Fess Parker the other day. It was sad news to me. I never missed a showing of that series on the Disney show. Ha, the wonderful world of color on a black and white TV.

Mucking around....

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?

Yet another Mucker....

Still trying to nail down the image of the Mucker, Billy Byrne. This one a bit more 'fleshed out'. Or maybe more normal in structure. Also Barbara looking a bit more to Billy as her protector. Also I need to work on the design of the cover, but all in good time.

Enter the Mucker...

As many of you Loyal Legionnaires know, I have been invited to be the Artist Guest of Honor at the Burroughs Bibliophiles con this year. It isn't until August but to go along with the honor is the duty of producing a cover for the new edition of Edgar Rice Burroughs - the Mucker.

For those that aren't familiar with the story....it is a pure adventure/romance yarn. Not the usual fantastic genres of Burroughs, like Tarzan or John Carter of Mars.

Anyway in the production of the book cover, which by the way will be also illustrated by many different Burroughs artists inside. I don't know for sure who's illustrations will be in the book until a later date as they are organizing it.

But as a starting place of course I am re-reading the book, which is a combo of both Mucker books. Also I am trying to pin down the look of the two major characters that will be on the cover, also the Brazos pony will be there too - it was requested by the organizer. But first is the Mucker himself - Billy Byrne. A tough guy from Chicago, who frankly is a jack-ass thru most of the story. But he is changed by his meeting with Barbara Harding, a woman from the rich part of town.

So this is the beginning of the process of feeling out the characters, how to visually represent them and their personalities, and then moving to a design.

So in place of updates to the strip for a bit, you Loyal Legionnaires will have to put up with this. After all it is the first time I will be able to take advantage of a real Guest of Honor status. So please bear with me as I want to do a good job on it and be worthy of the invitation.

Also, Legionnaires, please vote on the poll at the right of the page here. I am ready to start on the stand alone comic and have developed several storylines, but I want you to be a part of the selection. So Vote!