The Birth of Mickey Free

November 30, 2010
Woke up early and got out to the studio at seven to attack a long list of images I want for the next Graphic Cinema on the Birth of Mickey Free. Finished up a couple hanging illustrations like this one:

This is of the Coyoteros escaping towards the San Pedro with 20 head of John Ward's cattle and his step-son. Meanwhile, speaking of Felix Ward, I wanted to do a close-up of the boy as he sees the attacking Apaches from his vantage point on the hill of the Ward Ranch. Did a pages of sketches four days ago:

Yes, lots of Disney types (Sleeping Beauty!), trying to capture the simple gesture they are so genius at rendering. Then took another run at it two days ago, this time utilizing my extensive graphic novel collection:

The bottom three are done from the earliest known photos of Felix (1877), but they somehow seemed too mature. Finally, got inspired by, of all things, an Anime graphic novel with the big eyes (see sketch, top center), and it was that sketch that led me to this final:

Not sure it's a particularly truthful likeness, given the boy's bad eye, but I wanted to lean on his innocence a tad (Hmmm, I wonder what ol' Chekhov has to say about this?). I've still got about five illustrations to go. Did one at lunch today. That one I'll post tomorrow. Goes to press on Thursday.

"In search of the truth, people make two steps forward and one step back."
—Chekhov