Saluki Calendar 2012 - Daredevil

OK, this is a bit crazy.  Saluki's parachutists . . . I just wanted to see it for myself.  

Saluki Calendar 2012 - Surf Watch

Maybe somewhere a Saluki would patiently wait on the beach like the one in the scene I've created here.  I think that the same scene a fraction of a second later would have the dog replaced with a cloud of sand and maybe the toe of the rear left foot just leaving the frame.

Saluki Calendar 2012 - Body Surfing

Shay is pouncing on her favorite flingy toy that had landed in the water.  This sequence shows her enthusiasm and how when combined with a sheen of water produces magical effects.

Saluki Calendar 2012 - The Patterned Coat

Animal patterns can be attractive on most species.

Saluki Calendar 2012 - Contemplation

Mutual contemplation is the source of inspiration for the month of May.  I love turtles and appreciate their confidence when they observe the world from the safety of the water, little heads just barely breaking the surface of the water.  The Saluki can consider the pursuit, but the water borne turtle is not her prey.

Leave that Turtle Alone!

This section of the poster really disturbs me.  I guess that the sharp claws and beak are supposed to make the turtle menacing, but it looks like it wants to get away from Mister Underpants.

This bowling ball shaped octopus isn't safe from the knife either. 

Saluki Calendar 2012 - Flying over the Sands

Shay rocketing across the sands.  Simple as that.

Saluki Calendar 2012 - The Model

The Model

Anyone who owns a Saluki will know this pose.  There is a wonderful greyhound (and by extension sighthound) art appreciation from the Metropolitan Museum of art here.  This pose is commented on.

This is the art for the month of March in my Saluki Calendar for 2012 for sale here (US shipping) and here for international shipping (shipping charges will be billed separately)

Saluki Calendar 2012 - The Retired Champ

The Retired Coursing Champ.  The trophy attests to her abilities, the destroyed fluffy toy to her instinct, the abandoned dog bed to her loftiness and the ignored squirrel to her peace of mind.

Saluki Calendar 2012 - A Formal Portrait

I started with a vintage photo of a boy who was posed with another breed of dog.  I felt the pride that the boy showed with his dog would be easily suited towards a Saluki.  I loved his hair and the suit, very mod.

Saluki Calendar 2012 - The Cover

Wyatte (above) and Shay (in orange) are the cover models.  I love this picture of Wyatte, she is clearing a rise in the ice-plant, leaving a tiny explosion of sand.

You can purchase the calendar here for shipping in the US and here for international shipping (shipping charges will be billed separately)

Vintage Win Photo

The Holy Hare God

The Holy Hare God has been guarded by the Temple Saluki Pack, specially bred for generations to perform the sacred rites and ponder the mysteries of their fearsome sect.

Oh, and this is the image that is going to be the month of October in my 2012 Saluki Calendar.

Going with the Animal Prints

I dug through Susan's collection of ASA Newsletters, specifically ones from the early 70's and came up with these 3 figures.  they weren't part of the same win pictures, but I think that each is interesting.  The dog is going to have a bindle coat, like tiger stripes.  The clothes of the judges and winner will feature prints too.

Music to draw by: Aerosmith, AC/DC, PJ Harvey, Om (lots'a Om)

Break Time

It's coming together.  A little more work here and there, on the painting of the dog.

Music to draw by: Om, Modest Mouse

Wyatte Comes Through!

I was ready with my camera phone when Wyatte gave me the pose I've been waiting for!  See Downtime below.  Good girl!

The Thief of Bagdad

My inspiration for the Hare Idol (see below) is this scene from The Thief of Bagdad (1940).  Sabu climbs up the inside of the great statue, fights a giant spider and steals the all seeing ruby eye.

Although there are so many wonderful figures that are made to receive peoples sincerest spiritual devotion, I prefer this amped up, stylized, motif mad version.  

It's a terrifically fun movie too.

Downtime

I'm waiting for the right pose from one of our girls (Wyatte, that's you) to help me finish the lounging artist's model on the right.  One of these days Wyatte will twist around on her back and throw her legs in the air and I'll be right there with a camera.

The Idol

The Hare God is watched over by the Temple Salukis.

Saluki Skydivers

I'm probably alone in wanting to see Salukis skydiving.  

A beautiful bitch on the ground, more hounds floating to Earth.

The parachute trailing off behind, a huge burst of color and pattern.

It could be like D-Day with thousands and thousands of hounds filling the skies, ice cream cones, deflated mushrooms toppling over on the sands.

Weeping Superboy

A pretty regular feature in the late 60's Superboy comics was the crying Superboy.  

Flipping though these old issues, not reading them, just looking at the art I was struck by this recurring show of weakness. 

Divorced from the gimmicky plots, these images suggested filled stories filled with the teen angst, hormonal hysterics of a wonderfully sensitive protagonist.  

His skin can deflect bullets, but insult, heartbreak, longing pierce it easily.

I prefer this Superboy.  

So full of feeling.

Saluki Calendar 2012

I've been struggling with this drawing for a week now. This is the third time I've drawn it!  In the other versions, the diner with her hounds were depicted larger with no one else in view. Putting the other diners into the composition makes things a little more dynamic.

Page 4

Ghostly Color

Music to Draw By: Fleetwood Mac, LCD Soundsytem, The Decemberists

Sucker

You ever find yourself hating characters in a story so much that you can't wait for them to get wasted?

The sooner they are all dead, the sooner the story will be over, the sooner you will be free.

Super Strange Adventure Detective Agency

Now that I look at the underwater scene that I drew, I guess the Sea Devils inspiration was minimal at best. This panel depicts Eliot's imagined take down of an undersea counterfeiting operation.

Music to Draw by: Dylan, X, Roxy Music, Can, Ray Charles . . . .

Sea Devils

Page 4 will feature some adventure fantasy motifs and one panel is inspired by these wonderful Sea Devils covers, some of the best by Russ Heath (the bottom two). For much of the book's run the covers included gray tones! The shading really must have made the book pop on the spinning racks of the day.