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"The Life of Captain Edward Dix"

7/6/2012

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Whatsup everybody,

I don't usually "re-post" a piece on the blog here but I thought this was an interesting exception.

Last year I worked on a project called Project Run-a-way - a theatrical performance that through individual monologues told the stories of a handful of slaves, indentured servants, and convict servants.  In the stage background was a variety of projected imagery to accentuate their story, and amongst that imagery were a number of illustrations I created of pertinent characters.

One of these characters was the gentleman on our left, Captain Edward Dix.  Captain of the HMS Menelaus of the British Royal Navy.  A man known for his great character, honor and was responsible for the livelihood of one Maryland slave in particular, William 'Rolla'  Ross.

A little while back something very interesting happened.  My world of art-making and imagination was briefly touched by reality when I was contacted by a descendent of Captain Edward Dix.  A man by the name of Ross Dix-Peek of Dublin, Ireland.  He himself a writer & poet, had written an article on the life of his descendant.  Being that the captain lived from 1778-1837 there are no known images of him and in fact  when I depicted him I did so based solely upon the personality that came through in the script of Project Run-a-way.  Because of this Mr. Dix-Peek merely wondered if he could have permission to use the piece for his article.  And which of course, after a pleasant back & forth of emails, I was more than happy to give.

Here's an excerpt from the article, "The Life of Captain Edward Dix, Royal Navy (1778-1837)"...

What transpired is that only he (Dix) and eight others were to escape a subsequent outbreak of yellow fever, of which imprecation he knew well, and approximately thirty-three of the crew were to succumb, the Arab there-after returning to Spithead whereupon the remaining crew was paid off and the ship placed in ordinary at Woolwich and sold in September 1810.  Dix, “worn as he was by incessant fatigue of body and distressing anxiety of mind, was the only officer it spared”.  Years after, there were members of the crew who would often declare that it was thanks to the endeavours of Dix and his “active benevolence of character” that they were to survive, and that they were forever indebted to the “humane and tender assistance” of Edward Dix (to whom was also attributed “a strong constitution” and “a cheerful evenness of temper“).  Of interest too, and further testament to his character is the fact that the procurement of the comforts and refreshments needed by the ailing crew was done thus through the utility of the young lieutenant’s slender purse which was stretched to the “uttermost”.


If you'd like to read the full article you can simply click HERE.  I couldn't recommend it more highly.  It's a short and wonderfully documented biography of an honorable man - one I'm pleased to have had the opportunity to visually interpret.

Hope you enjoy and I'll talk with you soon!

- D


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LAST CARESS | Last Page

7/5/2012

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Whatsup everyone, today we have a special THURSDAY post.  Over the last few weeks I've been keeping a regular schedule of Monday, Wednesday & Friday and plan to do so well into the future (so please feel free to keep stopping by.  It's most appreciated).

However, today deserves some attention.  Why?  Well, today the final page of LAST CARESS as been posted on Split Lip Comics website!  That's right, it's all up there.  1 through 24.

So if you've been patiently waiting to check out the comic from day one onto it's conclusion... Now. Is. Your. Time. Just click HERE and you can read all 24 pages of Last Caress beginning to end.

For those who have been following the comic I just want to say thanks.  As you may know after 6 years of continuous tales of horror, Last Caress is the final comic from Split Lip - making today the final page to be posted.  It was a big decision for Sam but don't fret, he's currently hard at work on a new tale (told of course in the comics medium) so be sure to keep your eyes peeled for it.  It's guaranteed to leave you with more than a few chills up your spine.

As for me, it was an absolute pleasure to work with Sam and I'm honored to have been a part of the Split Lip family.  6 years, 37 stories and 550 plus pages of comics is a hell of an accomplishment.  Congrats on a job well done, sir.  All the best and I can't wait to check out what's brewing next.

- D

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Charles Stillman | The Map of Brownsville

7/4/2012

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Happy July 4th everyone!  Here where I live in Maryland it's currently 93 degrees outside with a heat index of a comfortable 96... well, maybe "comfortable" is reaching a bit.  Wonder what it's like in Brownsville, Texas.

To celebrate this extraordinary and momentous day in the history of our country I thought I'd post a scene from the history of Brownsville, Texas.

I've posted a couple thumbnails of this piece in the past as teasers, but today I'd like to unveil the fully inked illustration I've done for the potential graphic novel based on the life of Charles Stillman, a 19th century entrepreneur.  This scene in particular is a depiction of the moment Stillman reveals to his wife, Elizabeth, the map of the future town of Brownsville, Texas - which he founded on January 13, 1849.  This is but one of the many interesting moments in the life of Stillman, an intriguing and even controversial character in American history.  For the events that lead up to the founding of Brownsville were also one of the very reasons for the coming of the Cortina Wars a decade later.


And for a little "Interesting Trivia"...

Charles Stillman is believed to have named the first three streets in Brownsville after himself, his wife Elizabeth and his father Francis.  These Streets are named St. Charles, Elizabeth St. and St. Francis.  It is believed the sign making company who made the street signs originally misread the order and mistook 'street' (St.) for 'saint' (which is also St.).


Hope you enjoy and Happy 4th of July!

- Doug

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Securityplus FCU Mural | Thunderbird Detail

7/2/2012

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Here's another sneak peek at the mural I've been working on for the Securityplus Federal Credit Union.

A major theme is the passage of time, with respect to the variety of services their members have, which enabled me the opportunity to paint a 1950's Thunderbird. No complaints here!


- D

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    Douglas E. Draper Jr. is an award-winning artist working out of Philadelphia. He received his Bachelor of Fine Arts from the Maryland Institute, College of Art and his work has been exhibited throughout Manhattan, Brooklyn, Annapolis, Baltimore and various other cities and galleries.  His fine art and illustrative work can be seen from such publishers as Moonstone Books, Top Shelf, Desperado, IDW, and many others.
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