June 20, 2006
Fried. And major down on my artwork. I have great ideas but can’t seem to make them reality. Very discouraging. Did three illustrations today to finish up the Medicine Lodge bank robbery. Here’s where I failed:

• Impromptu Posse: I had this vision of the pent-up cow-boys exploding out of the Medicine Lodge Livery Stable, the ground is wet and they are hell bent for leather as they blast past the livery sign with weapons out and mouths wide open, in a rebel yell. So-so. No livery stable sign, ground is soggy, but so are the horses. Ha. Pretty weak. It sure was great looking in my mind.

• Inside The Bank: Henry Brown reacts, shooting the bank president as the latter reaches for a pistol. Brown is wearing a wet slicker and he’s got that special Winchester that is so distinctive (and I have great reference!). Too bad he looks like he was drawn with a shovel, and the Winchester could just as well be a stick, although a stick would be straighter. Damn!

• Hell to Pay: Ben Wheeler stumbles through the night with his vest on fire as Henry Brown is cut almost in half by a double barrelled shotgun. Well, it could be Henry, or it could be Gumby, getting ripped in half by a Norsky midget wielding cotton candy. And Ben Wheeler looks like your typical Weasels Ripped My Flesh style. pulp goober. Biggest disappointment of the week. I wanted it to be stunning, but it ended up stuttering suck-a-stash. Pai-inga! Pancho!

Old Chap (Vaquero) Saying?
"If all the year were playing holidays, to sport would be as tedious as to work."
—Frederick Nolan, Old vaquero from Stratford-upon-Avon saying