Blog Archives - The Illustration of Doug Draper

Portrait Via Stick, The First

5/30/2018

One of my favorite parts of being a visual artist is the limitless opportunities to experiment with an endless array of mediums. The drawing to the left, as well as the series of drawings to follow, is drawn using a thin, bent stick a friend of mine found years ago. She carved it into a point and for the longest time I wanted to use it. And I finally did.

It's a simple process, dipping the stick's point into a bottle of India ink (Speedball Super Black) and doing your best to get the marks you're looking for. What I enjoy the most about this process is the way this method fights against you. It's not willing to deliver a fluid mark, unlike say a bamboo pen, as the stick only holds a small bit of ink before you hit a dry patch, then it's dip and repeat. It's a trying endeavor, one that asks for patience. But there's something to be said for results born out of difficulty. Sometimes they produce ineffective work and sometimes they produce work that would only exist in it's current form because of the difficulties that occurred in their making. The lesson here is to not shy away from that challenge but to welcome it, accept it and see what comes.

- D

Drawings of Drawings | Circus Day

5/25/2018

The final "Drawings of Drawings" I have is from a little comic called Circus Day by Wes Craig. It was one of three excellent short stories collected in the small hardback comic called Black Hand Comics. It's about the circus coming town and a young boy and his older sister and the misadventures he gets himself into. The artwork is outstanding, some of my favorite cartooning work. Right up there with Darwyn Cooke. Plus, his experimentation with the comics' medium on all three stories is in and of itself a pleasure to see.

Definitely check it out. You can pick one up at Image Comics right HERE.

- D

Drawings of Drawings | Haunted Horror #23

5/21/2018

Here's is another drawing of a drawing from the story THE MONSTER MAKER published in 1954, originally illustrated by Jim McLaughlin and reprinted in Haunted Horror #23.

- D

Drawings of Drawings | Haunted Horror #16

5/21/2018

This one is a little less of a direct drawing of the original and more of a drawing of the character depicted. From the cover of OUT OF THE SHADOWS #10 published in 1953, originally illustrated by George Roussos and reprinted in Haunted Horror #16.

- D

Drawings of Drawings | Haunted Horror #30

5/18/2018

Here's is another drawing of a drawing from the story DOLLS OF DOOM published in 1952, originally illustrated by George Wilhelms and reprinted in Haunted Horror #30.

- D

Drawings of Drawings | Haunted Horror #28

5/16/2018

The next couple Drawings of Drawings (sketches might be more apt) are from Haunted Horror, a bi-monthly comic reprinting pre-Comics Code Authority comics that were censored in the 1950's. These comics were banned for the grotesque, lewd, and controversial imagery found within their pages. Parents, fearing the negative consequences these comics could potentially have on their children's young, fragile minds, organized public burnings to rid society of their influence. In all honesty at first glance one might understand their concerns. The comics do have some disturbing artwork at times. However, after reading many of the reprinted comics now republished in HH I think you could argue that the parents may have missed the overall point of many of these stories, likely distracted by the walking corpses, severed limbs and deceitful acts of murder. Like Grim's fairy tales (Hansel & Gretel come to mind) these stories actually serve as warnings. All, or at least nearly all, of the people who reap the vengeance of a mummy's curse, the teeth of a harpy, or a demon overlord are those who have brought their untimely end upon themselves through their own acts of violence, greed, adultery and so on. Many of the them simply show the consequences of being a bad person, in a manner that's a bit frightening and of course pretty fun. This then brings about the question: Is it possible that these comics are in fact good for kids?

- D

Drawings of Drawings | City of Glass

5/14/2018

Here is a drawing of Peter Stillman from City of Glass, written by Paul Auster and adapted by Paul Karasik and David Mazzucchelli. The story centers around a writer who has gone through some tremendous personal struggles, losing both his wife and young son, who then, triggered by a phone call in the middle of the night, adopts the responsibilities of the private detective he writes about in his novels. He's hired to follow ex-professor and author Peter Stillman who's just been release from a mental institution. If you enjoy getting inside the mind of a character, losing your way and trying your best to find out who he is, what is motivating him and what is going on in the world that surround him then this is a graphic novel you'll have a good time with. It's impeccably well-crafted and uses the comics medium in a way that's refreshing and innovative. Once you've started prepare yourself to read it again, you'll likely both want and need to.

- D

Drawings of Drawings | Three Alfreds

5/14/2018

All these drawing were posted as individuals but I thought it might be cool to show how they were original drawn side by side in my sketchbook. Hope you enjoy.

-D

Drawings of Drawings | Alfred, the Fourth

5/11/2018

Here we have another drawing of Alfred Pennyworth, originally drawn by Joe Quesada in Batman: Sword of Azrael issue 2.

Drawings of Drawings | Alfred, the Third

5/9/2018

Here we have another drawing of Alfred Pennyworth, originally drawn by Joe Quesada in Batman: Sword of Azrael issue 4.

- D

Drawings of Drawings | Alfred, the Second

5/7/2018

Here's another "drawing of a drawing", originally drawn by Joe Quesada in Batman: Sword of Azrael issue 3.

- D

THE THIRD MAN | From Harry Lime to 'Baron' Kurtz

5/2/2018

I'm a big fan of The Third Man, though I have to be honest with you. The first time I watched it was in the middle of the night and I was absolutely beat, but I wanted to check it out. I managed to stay awake throughout the movies' entirety and I'm sad to say... I wasn't impressed. I know, right? In fact it quickly slipped out of my memory. But I kept thinking about it and seeing listed here and there and hearing how great it was and so on. So I thought "I should give it another chance". So I did. And yikes, it's shocking how off a person's first impression can be. It has just some of the most beautiful shots, an incredible setting, engaging characters, sharp humor, and a fantastic final shot (Anna Schmidt strolling on by Holly Martins as the leaves fall to the ground).

So there's the lesson for you: next time you're sleepy just go to bed.

Drawings of Drawings | Alfred, the First

5/2/2018

I occasionally enjoy doing drawings of others artists work. It can be an enlightening experience stepping in their shoes for a minute and trying to figuring out how they created what they did. This act has a long history and if you visit a museum on the right day sometimes you'll find a painter working directly from the work on the wall you and your friends came to see. As you may have guessed many of my influences (and in particular as a kid) are comics artists. They were my Michelangelo's and John Singer Sargent's. Many still are.

The drawing here was originally done by Joe Quesada, the longstanding and respected artist/writer and one-time Editor-in-Chief at Marvel Comics. It's from the comic, Batman: Sword of Azrael issue one and is of Alfred Pennyworth, who you may know as Bruce Wayne's butler. This came out in 1992 and I remember loving the artwork, especially the various drawings of Alfred. I loved the dramatic noir lighting and how it sculpted his face, and how he bled into the background. Drawing them myself was like enjoying them all over again, but in a bit more intimate way.

Hope you enjoy,

- D