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!