May 8, 2010
Worked all day on the big Digging Up Billy painting, utilizing the study I finished yesterday and several other sketch ideas I came up with from perusing a huge book I have on Michelangelo ("The Complete Work of Michelangelo"). Nobody has done the big crowd scenes, with naked gay guys jockeying for position with sharp elbows, better than the Italiano-Boy. In fact, one of his ceiling fescos inspired me to include a boulder heaving woman (I'll let you guess who that will be) about to toss "the second stone," as in "He who casts the first stone."

And if you're Gail Cooper's attorney, I would recommend you all relax, it's satire (I always imagine myself on the witness stand with some anal attorney reading me these lines and asking me if this is an accurate statement. Of course, I included "anal attorney," so he, or she, will have to read that into the record).

I know, I really take these things to ridiculous levels, but it's what I do. Look at True West, the magazine. Ten years ago it was a company that was on the verge of collapse and today it's a company that nobody can kill. Several have tried, myself included, but it apparently cannot be done (read the business timeline, click on the BBB blog above, if you don't believe me). Many have predicted the demise of the magazine but it just keeps going. Call it the Joe Small Big Perpetual Motion Machine.

Or not.

But I digress. Got about six or seven character washes in place, including Drew Gomber, Steve Sederwall, Paul Andrew Hutton and a very dapper Frederick Nolan. Hope to finish the mob tomorrow.

Not sure I'm going to post this progress beause it's too juicy and perhaps too libelous (counselor?). At this point I'm thinking you can wait and see it when it lands in your mailbox.

Or not.

"See you in court. Or, perhaps at a sidebar."
—BBB