What I Drew Sunday, July 28th - Top 3

Quickly, what are the top 3 liked sketches that I drew for last Sunday’s “What Shall I Draw Today?”
A lot of powerful women.

#1 - Xena: suggestion by @alfredofrangella.

I like to kick off “What Shall I Draw Today?” with one of the single character suggestions. Frankly, of the nine singles character suggestions, “Xena” was the simplest one, only requiring that I find a good piece of visual reference, and that suited me just fine for the first piece.

I watched the series, Xena: Warrior Princess (1995-2001) starring Lucy Lawless when it had originally been syndicated. I remember the Sam Raimi co-created series to be entertaining and engaging. So much so, that in 2017 to brace myself should the Gal Gadot lead movie disappoint, I had thought, “Well, you had Xena.” 

The character had several costume variations since having been introduced in Hercules: The Legendary Journeys (1995-1999) through its own final season, but I wanted to draw what could be considered the most iconic, “standard” costume. 

#2 - “The Squad”: suggestion combo by @alexandrabowmanart & @ourladylourdes.

One suggestion requested a “caricaturable political figure” further suggesting President Trump. A second suggestion requested “any of the female members of Congress recently called out to go back to their country.” The combining of suggestions was for plain expediency, since a majority of the suggestions involved multiple characters, and taking those one would surely minimize the number of sketches I could complete in the allotted eight-hours.

I felt that depicting the four Congress women, sometimes referred to by the nickname “The Squad,” was more deserved than selecting a representative individual. Featured from left to right are Ilhan Omar, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Rashida Tlaib and Ayanna Pressley. 

I attempted a caricature style inspired by the work of Al Hirschfeld. The results aren’t 100% Hirschfeld. I’d probably need another two passes to better hit that high mark. In the way that Hirschfeld hides his daughter’s name, “Nina” in his drawings, I inserted these four words, “faith,” “freedom,” “representation” and “opportunity.” They’re not exactly the “Four Freedoms” described by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, but along the same thoughts. I also drew five-pointed stars on all four as another shared, patriotic motif.

#3 - Sailor Moon Meets Captain Marvel: suggestion by @japchrissy.

With “meet-up” suggestions, there is an inherent expectancy to illustrate a clash of personalities.  Such story telling is difficult when I’m not familiar with either of the listed characters. I was/am opening title (i.e. surface) familiar with Sailor Moon. My impression of Captain Marvel in the 2019 movie and the MCU is a flat bravado.

Based on that little information, a bubbly Sailor Moon excitedly greets famed galactic hero, Captain Marvel, who while surprised, still chooses, for unknown reasons, not to instantly blast the young woman.

Here are the remaining 4 of the 7 sketches:

Severus Snape

Elizabeth & Mr. Darcy in a Haunted Mansion stretching portrait

King Louie

Bob’s Burgers in the style of Eric Goldberg.

All original art to be available for sale at my next convention - CTN Expo in November.

The next WSIDT is re-scheduled for Sunday, August 18.

More drawings posted on my Instagram feed @monstergram7.

All: Black ink and color pencil:
“Xena” on paper. 12.70 cm x 17.78 cm (5.00 in. x 7.00 in.).
“The Squad” on Bristol Board.  17.78 cm x 12.70 cm (7.00 in. x 5.00 in.).
“Sailor Moon & Capt. Marvel” on Bristol Board. 8.89 cm x 6.35 cm (3.50 in. x 2.50 in.).

Rapunzel Mashpunzel

Frequenting the pool of suggestions for my monthly What Shall I Draw Today? sessions are fun mash-ups, the combination of 2 or more different things into a new (some times more awesome) thing. I say “fun” because even if I never end up draw those suggested mash-ups, in almost all cases, the ideas tickle the brain to wonder, “what would that look like.”

RAPUNZEL / DAENERYS TARGARYEN

Black ink and color pencil on Bristol Board.
6.35 cm x 8.89 cm (2.50 in. x 3.50 in.).

When the Disney version of the fairy tale character is mashed-up with the Game of Thrones’s Queen of Dragons, naturally the companion chameleon, Pascal gets mashed-up as one of here dragons.

I confess here, that I still haven’t watched any of the HBO series (and 15 minutes of what was probably the much-talked-about “Red Wedding” on a hotel room television on a comic convention trip doesn’t count). Therefore, I don’t know how apt the mash-up is. But it does not need to be, because I’m not developing a story here - not even a Mad Magazine styled satire.

As posted on Instagram

Therefore 2: I gave Pascal costume wings secured by a tiny harness. Even making the assumptive leap from promotion images to imagine that Daenerys did/does ride dragons, I can’t say the she had done/did on a saddle. If she does ride on a dragon saddle, then WIN!

RAPUNZEL / SAILOR MOON

Black ink and Color pencil on Bristol Board.
6.35 cm x 8.89 cm (2.50 in. x 3.50 in.)

I suppose one could argue that the one object in the sky that Rapunzel is most associated with is the Sun, because of the sun symbol (spoilers) belonging to her family; and that would make her “Sailor Sun,” yes?

In designing the mash-up, I tried keeping much of the colors from Rapunzel’s costume and apply them to the typical Sailor Moon costume. Not satisfied with that, I added more of Raunzel’s details like striped pouffy sleeves, laces down the front of her bodice and fringes. Of course, she needs her signature long, long hair.