George Caleb Bingham

Recently I made some illustrations for the Notable Missourian book on the painter George Caleb Bingham.  He was an interesting man in both art and politics.

Young George sits and watches Chester Harding paint a portrait of Daniel Boone.  His love of art was now official.

George went east to study the works in the big museums there.

George was passionate about the plight of the people, and got deeply into politics.

Not only did George enjoy politics, but he used it as a subject of many of his works.

George as an elder teaching a painting class.

Long time no post!

Busy busy!  Now where did we leave off?  Oh yes good old James Cash Penney.  Here are some of the final illustrations for the story of his life, written by Jason Offut and published by Truman State University Press.

Young businessman J.C. Penney raising and selling pigs in his family's yard, much to the chagrin of neighbors.

J.C. as a young man, working at the Golden Rule dry goods store in Wyoming.

J.C also had an interest in raising prize winning livestock.  Now that I look at this illustration for the first time in awhile, I realize both the men look related or like the same guy.  Eesh.  

J.C. going over accounts while his wife does some canning.  Every penny had to count during the depression.

An older J.C. at a department store during the 50s.

JC Penney

Its time to get started on the 2017 Notable Missourian illustrations for Truman State University Press.  The first book features James Cash Penney.  That's right, JC Penney himself.   Here are some of the sketches done for Chapter 1 - They show a young JC in the hog business.

Andrew Taylor Still teaching

This illustration shows an older Andrew Taylor (A.T.) Still watching over a class being taught at his newly founded school of Osteopathy.  This illustration is for the Notable Missourian series published by Truman State University Press.

Final art

Rough sketch.  You can see quite a few changes were made.

Andrew Taylor Still - Helping the wounded during the Civil War

This Illustration of A.T. Still shows him dressing the wound of an injured soldier at a Civil War field hospital.  This illustration is for the Notable Missourian book an Andrew Taylor Still, published by Truman State University Press.

Final Art

Rough sketch

Rough sketch

Andrew Taylor Still

Here is the first illustration for the Notable Missourian book on AT (Andrew Taylor) Still. He founded the school of Osteopathy.  What is Osteopathy?  Well this question illustrates why I like these Notable Missourian books so much...I learn from them!  I've always wondered what it meant when a doctor has DO by his or her name instead of MD.  Now I know It stands for Doctor of Osteopathy.  I'm pretty sure a lot of you are saying "No shit", but I had no idea. Anyways this first illustration shows AT Still as a child with his family watching his dad return a trip.  His dad was a traveling preacher.  

The Notable Missourian series is published by Truman State University Press. 

Ella Ewing at the Fair

This illustration for the Notable Missourian book on Ella Ewing (Truman State University Press) shows the Missouri giantess Ella Ewing as an attraction at a state fair.

Final Art

Rough sketch....she was a little too big here.  I was approaching "Lord of the Rings" giant size.

Rough sketch with details honed in.

Animated GIF showing the difference between the final art completed on the computer and the rough base hand painted on panel.

Ella Ewing

This illustration is for the Notable Missourian book (Truman State University Press) on Ella Ewing. Ella was a giant hailing from Missouri.  I'm not sure if calling someone a "giant" is politically correct, but it seems like one of those words that can't be used in a diminishing way.  Well I guess when you use it as an adjective it definitely can be used to diminish.  Like "Fred is a giant @#$&#%$".  But! as noun its hard to imagine that it would be offensive.  That said what do I know?!  

Okay, forgive me that tangent.  This illustration shows a young Ella and her parents visiting Chicago for the first time. Ella's parents were initially reluctant to accept any of the offers to "display" her at fairs or the circus, but the money was good and Ella thought it would be an opportunity to travel and meet new people.  Her parents ultimately agreed so long as they could travel with her, no doubt to look out for her.

Ella and her parents disembarking from a street car in Chicago ~ 1890

Original rough sketch.  I thought the view was pulled back a bit to far.  Was afraid the people would get lost.

A tightened rough sketch with a closer view of the street car.  I was mainly thinking the street car would be a good device to show the relative sizes of the people.  

Buck O'Neil gets the news about Jackie Robinson

Here's the Chapter 4 illustration for the Notable Missourian book on Buck O'Neil.

While Buck was serving in the Pacific he got the news about Jackie Robinson getting signed with the Brooklyn Dodgers.  Black players finally being "welcomed" into the major leagues was a big deal; it also meant the inevitable death of the Negro League which had become a celebrated contributor to black culture.  Still, Buck and most of the country was thrilled.  Finally, the best could play with the best.

This illustration is for the Notable Missourian book on Buck O'Neil, published by Truman State University Press.

Final Art

Rough sketch

Buck O'Neil with the Monarchs

Here's another illustration for the Notable Missourian book on Buck O'Neil (Truman State University Press).  This one shows Buck playing 1st base for the Kansas City Monarchs during the Negro League World Series against the Homestead Grays.  

Rough Sketch

Barnstorming Baseballers

This illustration is for chapter 2 of the Notable Missourian book on Buck O'Neil by Truman State University Press.  Many early Negro League teams would "barnstorm" small towns to play baseball against local company teams or other Negro League teams.  The towns loved this because they weren't often able to watch high caliber major league players, and in every sense the negro league players were exactly that.  It is still commonly believed that some of the best players to ever play baseball were likely in the negro leagues.

Anywho I'm on a tangent!  I've been on a Ken Burns kick and am smack in the middle of the Baseball series which dovetails nicely with this book about Buck O'Neil.  This illustration shows Buck and a bunch of his teammates driving to the next small Florida town where they have a game scheduled.  If one of the cars would break down, the guys would have to all cram into a single car to make it to their destination. Some of the guys would even stand on the running boards and ride on the outside of the car! Now that's dedication.

Rough Sketch

Buck O'Neil!

Here's some more Notable Missourian artwork for a book on baseball legend Buck O'Neil (published by Truman State University Press).  This illustration shows young Buck and some friends watching a baseball game through a fence.  

Final Art

Approved rough sketch.  I ended up moving the fence and the ball field up for the final art.

Alternate rough sketch

Another alternate sketch

William Clark Chapter 1 GIF

Okay, I know animated GIFs can be annoying but what the hell.  Here is one that gives an idea of  the process and edits that go into some of these Notable Missourian illustrations.   This illustration is for the book on William Clark (Published by Truman State University Press).  Here a young Clark is shown hunting with his slave and contemporary, York.  York would later accompany Clark on his trip across the continent to explore the Louisiana Purchase and search for a Northwest Passage.

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

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.  

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.

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.

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.