Another Year, Another Poster!

Just in time for the holiday season, we will be distributing copies of this poster throughout Dallas, in preparation for our New Year's show at the Kessler Theatre. This is one of my favorites so far, with some new technical twists that I wouldn't have thought of in earlier projects. For those new to Brave Combo (who we are thrilled to share the stage with for the evening), they are a much-beloved group from Denton, TX... and it's very difficult to categorize them. Nowadays, they focus largely on what I would term "fusion polka", incorporating classical, jazz and rock elements into the dance tempo. However, their influences and practices go far beyond that - my first exposure to them was thanks to their collaboration with Tiny Tim, for their album, "Girl". Anyone who appreciates the late, incredible Tiny is good people in my book. But on to the drawing. Let's have a look!

The whole idea here was to connect the Germanic (polka) with the Freewheeling (jazz) - what better way than to feature two pin-ups, toasting the beginning of the new year? My Teutonic cutie sports lederhosen and miesbacher hat, trimmed in a somewhat unorthodox gamsbart. With a characteristically teeny waist and shapely legs, she proves that lederhosen can be sexy. A look at the metallic scroll on the steel-colored garment...

I've said it so many times... I love metallic inks. The mica pops right off the surface of the drawing, and the relatively even nature of the liquid allows for clear, strong delineation of details. It just hums among the more muted pencil. And now for our jazz belle...

Of course, she's a redhead. I figure that I'll likely be doing most of the Charleston dancing that night, so why not? The only caveat - I just wish I had a beaded dress like this one! I shamelessly detest the cheap, historically-insulting fringed "flapper" costumes that have flooded the market since, oh, 1955 - but beaded strands are more than good by me. Hell, I have a circa 1912 evening gown with just that trim all down the front - appropriate is the word. Our girl holds a champagne glass, whereas her cohort prosts with beer - a happy cultural blend.

And now, a look at my favorite aspect at play, the colors!

I've learned over the years that, despite my gratefulness for a steady-ish hand in terms of pen and ink, the color palette I adopt tends to find itself, and evolve over time. Sometimes it's brash, often soft, here and there in-between... it just happens on its own terms. This time around was no different, but I tried a new technique, to help the girls and central timepiece stand out. Over a base of numerous metallic inks, I did a bit of color shading and white-washing, to mute the tones down. What I ended up with reminds me somewhat of the great traditional fairground painters, such as Sid Howell and Fred Fowle. If I haven't mentioned these all-too-often overlooked artisans, Please Look Them Up. They were masters of leafing and painting techniques, highly respected in their time for their work on early English amusement rides. I would be tempted to give any number of toes for the mastery of what those men were capable of...

Anyhow, away from such gruesome praise! I hope you've enjoyed today's entry - I only hope that it won't be the last this year! But, just in case, here's wishing you a wonderful, prosperous, healthy and happy...
... and Many Happy Returns!

Matinee Melodies

Granted, I apologize for this being a touch late to the party - but at long last, I present the poster for our last show, "Matinee Melodies". This was a program celebrating the music of 1930s Hollywood, so I went with simple black and white, with a cinematic theme. Let's have a look at our model...

As Norma Desmond famously said in Sunset Boulevard, "We had faces!" - and I quite enjoy this lady's coy countenance. She holds her trusty Western Electric carbon microphone, although the cord isn't attached to the element - the magic of illustration, in favor of a better line! Her evening gown is cinched with film, that cascades into a train, circling around the perimeter of the drawing...

A lot of fun, as I love to work with long, fluid curves. The "Matinee Melodies" lettering is actually India ink on white bristol - I prefer to let the paper itself show through, rather than use white ink on top. You can see how rough the inked surface is here...

And finally, a little detail - one of her feet. Just short of being indicative of a fetish, I love feet, and get a kick - no pun intended - out of drawing them. Heels, pointe shoes and slippers in particular have a power over my pen, sneaking in at every opportunity.


What else do I like? Seeing these lines so close-up. I tend to get lost in the moment when I'm working, and miss out on how India ink plays with the almost-smooth surface of bristol, like a funny ballet between the weight/control of my hand, and the unique character of whatever nib I'm using at the moment. And trust me, no two are alike - not only in terms of makes and models, but individually. It's a pain and a joy, working with such temperamental tools.

Up next - the antithesis of this drawing, a veritable orgy of color! Stay tuned!

Signs of Spring, or December in Dallas

Lately, the weather around here has been in its transition toward winter - more in the way of rainfall and breezes, a second round of new foliage on the plants, and an overall sense of fresh life. In other words, it's a lot like spring. I learned early on that Dallas offers two "growing seasons" - we're at the tail end of the second this year.

As such, when I sat down to work out the colors of the illustration above my mind turned to floral themes, and tones more traditionally characteristic of May, than of December. I created this one for a greyhound-adoption fundraising auction - with limited time on my hands, I had to keep it simple. And while the lines of the thing are to my mind the most significant aspect, the colors are a joy. I've called it "Crocus Pocus", thanks to the sprout-like shapes and colors in the scale pattern...
How about a closer look, to see the wonderful, reflective mica powder in the metallic ink...

I'm frankly hooked on metallic inks - they give me the effect of tinsel, without nearly the risk of overdoing it. They shade beautifully, too - something I use often for the Singapore Slingers poster designs.

A little close-up of the greyhound's face - I just realized that I subconsciously created a "C" in the dog's ear - for "crocus", I imagine...

In all, lots of fun. The illustration will be auctioned off tonight by the Greyhound Adoption League of Texas, hopefully for a goodly sum. Sadly, they've just taken in eleven abandoned pups with a range of serious medical needs - this fundraiser is indeed timely. Any opportunity to assist in the adoption and care of these magnificent dogs is a pleasure to participate in - I'm glad that I can do so with pen and ink. Here's to helping the animals!

Lives Remembered

Initially I'd held back on posting this illustration, as I created it for a friend who recently lost his father. Being personal in nature, I wanted him to see it before anybody else - but now that the original is safely in his hands, I feel it's proper to share with you folks, too.

Over the years, I've learned, via two-sided experience, that it's almost impossible for me to express grief, or sympathy, for a lost parent through words... whether too strong, or not strong enough, my attempts often fall flat. It's too significant a thing. So I tend to try through illustration - this being an example. I wanted to create a simple, hopeful image to raise his spirits - and honestly, I couldn't think of a better subject than toads. They've brought me a hell of a lot of joy, after all. The banjo refers to the recipient personally - I threw in a pretty lady to serenade on its strings, for good measure. Let's have a closer look at her...

I put her in a frosty, silver dress trimmed with organza and metallic spots - and peacock feathers in her hair, set in a Beardsley-rose ornament. She and the toads are perched on voodoo lilies (amorphophallus rivieri), personal favorites from my garden. The toads, of course, are Gulf Coast specimens - let's have a peek at their faces, just for the sake of personality...


... chipper, and...
... somewhat more serious. The leaves of the voodoo lilies deserve a bit of attention, too - as in reality, they boast a remarkable design of undulating leaves and patterns. They're something of an alien presence among my other plants, their only competition in oddness being Venus Fly Traps and Sarracenia Rosea...


I'm happy to say that our friend enjoys the illustration, to the extent of having it displayed in his living room - I consider that one of the highest honors, others finding amusement and joy in my work. As well, an interesting side note... although it didn't strike me at the time, it makes sense that toads would play such a primary role, seeing as how my own pop adored these little creatures. I'm sure that, subconsciously, I was thinking of him as well, while paying tribute to another's late father. Better yet, both were clearly bon vivants in their own ways - lives truly worth celebrating.

Here's to the memory of loved ones past, and present - at all stages, let's never forget to embrace one another.