Where do missing socks go? My 4 year old son blames robots.
This is a sketch for something I'm playing around with. It actually has nothing to do with sock stealing robots. Well, it didn't but now I'm not so sure.
Albert Bond Lambert and Charles Lindbergh
This illustration is for the Notable MIssourian book on Albert Bond Lambert by Christopher Lynch and published by Truman State University Press.
Albert Bond Lambert was one of the first investors to help Charles Lindbergh finance his famous aircraft, The Spirit of St Louis. By investing early and investing a lot, Lambert made it easier for Lindbergh to attract other investors as well. Its old hat nowadays but back then LIndbergh's attempt at a non-stop solo flight across the atlantic - something that had never been done - was akin to a moonshot.
Rough Sketch
What's better than motorcycles and balloons?
Answer: Many things depending on who you are! Maybe its ice cream, or bungee jumping, or quiet walks on the beach, or doing crossword puzzles in the bathroom. But if you were Albert Bond Lambert, the answer to that question would be airplanes! Albert loved adventure from his youth on. He first satisfied his thirst for adventure with motorcycling. That gave way to ballooning. Once the Wright Bros proved the viability of the fixed wing aircraft, Albert was immediately intrigued. He took lessons and bought himself a Wright brothers built aircraft. Not only did this become a hobby of his, but as a business man he could see how airplanes were going to change the world. Thus (yes...i said thus) he became a major investor in aviation and aviation infrastructure. I hear he also still really enjoyed doing crossword puzzles in the bathroom though. Some old hobby's are hard to let go.
The illustration below is for the Notable Missourian book on Albert Bond Lambert. This book was written by Christopher Lynch and published by Truman State University Press.
Albert flying a Wright Model B
Balloony!
Here is another illustration for the Notable Missourian book on Albert Bond Lambert, written by Christopher Lynch and published by Truman State University Press.
Before there were airplanes or dirigibles, balloons were the way to experience flying. The problem with flying a balloon is you're totally at the mercy of the air. You go where the wind blows you. Of course this made it exciting too. Albert Bond Lambert, ever the adventurer, spent much of his time flying and racing balloons. In fact some people thought he spent so much time with his gas filled hobby that he was neglecting his job as a city counsilman.
The more I think about it, "balloon race" is a bit of a misnomer as it was more about distance then getting somewhere first. How far would they go? Well, one time Albert and his fellow aeronaut H.E. Honeywell packed two fried chickens, twelve sandwiches, water and a thermos of coffee....so they clearly planned to be aloft for awhile. They landed almost 20 hours after takeoff in Tiger, Georgia - 450 miles away from where they started in St Louis.
Evan's Evans
So Evan wanted to paint. I asked him who the figures are supposed to be and he said "Those are both Evans!" Lets analyze this and make sure he didn't draw stick figures and call them "Evans" after the fact. Head fused to torso, check. Crazy hair literally floating above skull, check. Unevenly sized "Bill the cat" eyes, check. A line possibly indicating a massive underwear skid mark, Check. Yes, these are very accurate Evan likenesses indeed. Well done lad.
Seriously though I really do love the one on the left.
Albert Bond Lambert
Here are the first two illustrations for the Notable Missourian book on Albert Bond Lambert. The Notable Missourian books are published by Truman State University Press. This book (on Albert Bond Lambert) was written by Christopher Lynch.
Albert Bond Lambert was an Olympic golfer, an adventurer, and perhaps most importantly a strong supporter and benefactor to early aviation. Here are the first two chapter header illustrations showing young Albert, One shows him as a young golfer (He was on the U.S. olympic team) and the other shows Albert riding through France on an early motorcycle. Albert loved motorcylces, but that love was soon replaced by aviation.
Albert riding an early motorcycle through the french countryside
rough sketch
rough sketch
Jeffrey Deroine settles down
This is the chapter 5 header illustration for the Notable Missourian book on Jeffrey Deroine.
Jeffrey lead a remarkable life. He was a slave for a fur trapper, gained his freedom and became an interpreter for the Ioway nation, travelled the world with the Ioway, and ultimately was able to purchase some land and settle down.
This illustration is for the Notable MIssourian book on Jeffrey Deroine, published by Truman State University Press.
Rough sketch
Final art
Whoops I skipped this one...
This is the chapter 3 art for the Notable Missourian book (Truman State University Press) on Jeffery Deroine. Here Jeffery is shown witnessing a treaty between the Ioway nation and the U.S. federal government.
Jeffrey and the Ioway tour Europe
As a slave child, Jeffrey Deroine probably couldn't have imagined that one day he would visit Europe as a free man and rub elbows with some of the world's most powerful people. He was there as an interpreter for his friends the Ioway (most notably, Chief White Cloud) while they toured the continent with the painter George Catlin.
This illustration is for the book on Jeffrey Deroine, published by Truman State University Press.
Final art
1st version - can you spot the differences?
Rough sketch
Using the court to seek freedom
Slavery must've been such a confusing institution, filling people with all kinds of cognitive dissonance. I should probably follow that up with a hearty "Duh". In reading the manuscript for the Notable Missourian story about Jeffrey Deroine, I was surprised to read how Jeffrey tried to use the court system to gain his freedom from his owner, Joseph Robidoux. I didn't know that was possible.
At the time Jeffrey was still a minor, so a family friend posing as his grandmother went with him to the courthouse to file the paperwork. The grounds for the case was the excessive cruelty of his master. Apparently there had been cases where a slave could be freed if the court deemed the master was too cruel. That automatically makes me wonder what would constitute just the right amount of cruelty when it comes to owning another human being? Ugh, so strange. Anyways it's no shocker that Jeffrey's case was dismissed - In large part thanks to Joseph Robidoux's standing in the community and strong connections. Jeffrey remained the slave of Robidoux until his freedom was purchased by his friends in the Ioway nation.
This illustration is for the book on Jeffrey Deroine, published by Truman State University Press.
Young Jeffrey and a woman posing as his grandma filing paperwork seeking his freedom.
Young Jeffrey Deroine - a gifted communicator
This was my favorite Notable Missourian book to illustrate out of the 2015 series. Jeffrey Deroine was a fascinating guy. Born a slave, Jeffrey had a natural gift for language. As a teen he was owned by a fur trapper who used Jeffrey's communication skills to negotiate trades with native peoples such as the Ioway tribe. Starting with simple exchanges such as these, Jeffrey and the Ioway would form a strong friendship. A friendship that would ultimately help Jeffrey to become a free man, travel the world, and own property - very rare things for a former slave during the early 19th century.
This illustration is for the Notable Missourian book on Jeffrey Deroine, published by Truman State University Press.
Young Jeffrey Deroine interpreting for his fur-trapper master.
The Rest of Alphonso
Things are a bit hectic and I'm behind on posts so I'm going to post the rest of Alphonso all at once. Alphonso was a fascinating guy who continued to have a life full of adventures worth writing about even after he lost his arm in the War of 1812.
These illustrations are for the Notable Missourian book about Alphonso Wetmore, written by Mary Barile and published by Truman State University Press.
Alphonso riding to a fort to bring the soldiers their pay
Alphonso on the Santa Fe Trail recording the days adventures.
Alphonso writing his memoirs or some fiction or maybe a grocery list in his St Louis office.
The Phonz, Chapter 2
This is the Chapter 2 illustration for Notable Missourian Alphonso Wetmore. Its a bit busy, but as my editor said, "War is busy". I think I might be paraphrasing that badly, but still it seems accurate.
Anyways the subject of this is the The Battle of Queenston Heights, a pivotal battle in the War of 1812.
The Notable Missourian book about Alphonso Wetmore written by Mary Barile and published by Truman State University Press.
Rough sketch of an alternate version
Alphonso Wetmore Chapter 1
Alphonso is another Notable Missourian to be featured in the Truman State University Press series by the same name (Notable Missourians). This book was written by Mary Barile.
Alphonso was a veteran of the war of 1812, a leader of expeditions on the Santa Fe Trail and an all around adventurer. Even better, he was a good story teller too. I suppose one has to live up to a name like Alphonso. I can't even imagine anybody named Alphonso being a couch potato. Heck, when naming my kids, I kind of wish I would've thought about the name Alphonso. Alphonso Hare. Yeah, lucky for them that never crossed my mind.
This illustration shows young Alphonso studying hard in his families cabin. Alphonso was smart and curious even at a young age.
Original rough sketch showing evening life in the Wetmore cabin.
Alternate rough sketch showing the tension between the new settlers and the Native Americans.
Another sketch illustrating the tension.
And another.
A plane picnic
This is an illustration showing Marie Meyer Fower and her husband having a picnic under the wing of one of their private aircraft. They continued to get enjoyment out of their aircraft long after retiring from the barnstorming business.
This illustration is for the Notable Missourian book on Marie Meyer Fower written by Christine Montgomery and published by Truman State University Press.
Final Art
Orignal rough sketch
Wing Walker
Here is another illustration for Truman State University Press book on Notable Missourian Maria Meyer Fower (Written by Christine Montgomery). Here she is shown climbing out onto the wing of her JN-4 Jenny. A common thing for her, but this time was different. They were flying through downtown St Louis on a particularly gusty day while attempting to whip up crowds for a show. The intense wind made it harrowing enough that the pilot cut it short and returned to the open air in short order.
Final Art
Rough Sketch
Alternative Rough Sketch
Barnstormstress
I made that word up. Its kind of a cool word methinks, but I suspect anything made feminine by adding "stress" to the end is understandably pejorative. I mean you're adding the word stress to something to a title to denote its a woman! Sheesh. All that said, if there's one word I think could easily have stress woven in to it its barnstormer. Hmmm Is that one word or two? Anyways, ironically I don't think stress was part of Marie Meyer Fowers vocabulary when it came to anything flight related, it was her love and she was incredible at it. Here is an illustration of her after jumping from another JN-4 Jenny while impressing a gathered crowd.
This illustration is for the Notable Missourian book on Marie Meyer Fower written by Christine Montgomery and published by Truman State University Press.
Finished art
Initial rough sketch
Marie Meyer Fower Learns to Fly
This illustration for Chapter 2 of the Notable Missourian book on Marie Meyer Fower (written by Christine Montgomery and published by Truman State University Press) shows Marie being instructed on how to fly the famous and at the time ubiquitous Curtiss JN-4 Jenny. The Jenny was designed as a trainer aircraft during WWI. After the war thousands were sold as surplus for next-to-nothing prices. All these easy easy to fly aircraft were suddenly in the hands of civilians brave enough to fly them in an almost completely unregulated environment. Thus began the barnstorming era! That period really helped put the plane into the public consciousness....although not always for the good. In the daredevil world of Barnstorming, dramatic accidents were not uncommon.
Rough Sketch
Rough painting, acrylic on panel
Final image
Marie Meyer Fower, a Missouri Barnstormer
This Notable Missourian book (written by Christine Montgomery and published by Truman State University Press) is about Marie Meyer Fower. Not only was she one of the rare women pilots in the early days of flight, she was also a barnstormer, wing walker, and all around daredevil with a true love of aviation. This first illustration shows Marie playing with the other kids in St Louis and noticing an early airplane flying in the distance.
Rough Sketch
Colors roughly blocked in by hand in acrylic
Finished art, completed in Photoshop
Stan the Man Musial
Before working on these Notable Missourian story illustrations for Truman State University Press, I honestly had no idea who Stan Musial was. So I was surprised when I'd mention this project to people and if they had so much as an inkling of Cardinals fandom they would indignantly declare that Stan was not a Notable Missourian, he was a Famous Missourian.
So How did this amazing baseball player who grew up in poor coal mining country in Pennsylvania to Polish parents become one of the best known names in baseball in the 40s, 50s and 60s? If you mentioned "Stan the Man" during that time, everybody knew exactly who you were talking about. So why don't folks remember him now with the other baseball greats?
Young Stan and other AAA baseball players trying to keep up with a tight game schedule.
Stan in the 1942 World Series
Stan always made time to sign autographs
After reading this story and watching some videos I honestly think its because he was simply a nice guy! He wasn't a tortured soul, he wasn't an ass, he wasn't a drunk or a womanizer. Basically he didn't have that juicy backstory that makes for great movies. He married his high school sweetheart, he went to church, he was warm and welcoming when the league started to integrate and many players were...well.. not warm and welcoming. He even befriended a young cardinal in Poland who just happened to end up becoming Pope John Paul the II. Their friendship was a close, casual one that lasted their lifetimes. I mean think about that. The guy was a buddy with the pope. Nice guy!
So anyways, Learning about Stan Musial was refreshing. His legacy stands on his excellence in his profession and his being a nice guy. It may not linger like the legacy of more dramatic and controversial figures in sports, but I don't think he would want it any other way. Hell I don't know why any of us would?
While retired, Stan and his wife spent a lot of time doing charitable work in Poland...and introducing them to baseball.