Portfolio Showcase: Union Station Illustration

Several years ago a friend of mine named Ande Parks, then fairly well-known as a comic book inker, began a second career as a writer. At the same time, I, being fairly well-known as a comic book inker, began a second career as an Illustrator. Ande was the first friend I'd made in comics, outside of my buddies from the School of Visual Arts who had become comics pros, and he and I talked frequently. When Ande started writing his outline for a new graphic novel, he shared it with me, and I had the pleasure of realizing that this talented guy was going to be an incredible writer. While he was busy writing, I was busy drawing, and had begun to develop what is now my photo-realistic pencil style. The graphic novel outline eventually became the book called "Union Station," which is about a massacre that occurred at Kansas City's Union Station during a prisoner transfer of Pretty Boy Floyd in 1933. The tale is historical fiction but gives some insight into the beginnings of the F.B.I. as well as a terrific story of love, betrayal, and gangsters and lawmen. When Ande had gotten a few pages drawn by a penciler he knew, he was going to submit the script and pages to some publishers to shop it around. He and I discussed the idea of me doing a pencil illustration as a cover piece for the proposal, and here is what I came up with:



Although it was intended to possibly be used as the frontispiece to the graphic novel, the idea was nixed by the book designer, so it never saw print. However, it's still one of my favorite pieces, and I plan to do at least one more companion piece to it someday. Hopefully, that'll be something for a future Portfolio Showcase.

As for "Union Station," it's a wonderful graphic novel, with beautiful art by Eduardo Barreto. If you haven't read it, do yourself a favor and pick it up. It's something I don't think you'll regret.

I'll be back next week with more. Have a nice weekend!

Best,
Rich

Philadelphia Dragonboats!

I want to let people know about a cool event with which I've been fortunate to be associated. But first, a little background: Almost two years ago, I had a bad case of tendinitis in my left elbow, and my wife urged me to go see an orthopedic surgeon she had profiled in her career as a television producer. It turns out that Dr. Nick DiNubile is the Orthopaedic Consultant to the Philadelphia 76ers Basketball Team and Pennsylvania Ballet, so you'd figure he's a pretty good doctor (and you'd be right)! Well, as I do a lot of sports illustration work, and ever the enterprising businessman, I figured I would bring my portfolio to show him after my appointment, if he had time to look. Hey, one never knows where one's next client work might come from, and in this case, it was from a most unexpected source...

After he diagnosed the tendinitis, and ordered me to rehab for my elbow (a story for another time), Dr. Nick took a look at my work, and gave me a few contacts that he knew. And since he was so nice to me, I feel I owe it to him to mention Dr. Nick's book, "Framework," as it will give you a brand new perspective on taking care of yourself and your body through exercise.

So, while Nick and his staff were looking through my portfolio, unbeknownst to me, there in the waiting room was a very nice lady who was not only a patient and friend of Dr. Nick, but who also happens to be the director of the Philadelphia International Dragon Boat Festival. And as luck would have it, she was looking for an Illustrator! So, when I arrived home from my doctor's visit, I was pleasantly surprised to find a message on my voicemail from Carol Lee Lindner, the Executive Director and Founder of the festival. Well, Carol Lee, my new client (and now friend), was looking for someone who could bring a new vision to the Festival and thought I'd be right for the job, based on Dr. Nick's enthusiasm for my work! She hired me to do the artwork for the Festival, and here it is:


It was a very ambitious project. The piece was done in pencil, and then colored digitally. All told, it took me about 120 hours to complete, easily the most time I've put into any one project in my career! All that hard work was worth it though, as I feel the end result really captures Carol Lee's vision. You'll soon see it available on the Festival's website for purchase. I'll follow up with info on that, as it becomes available.

The Philadelphia International Dragonboat Festival is this Saturday, October 6th, and takes place along Philadelphia's beautiful Boathouse Row (depicted in the illustration). If you're in the area, be sure to come by for this terrific event!

Best,
Rich