Working on a couple projects: The Assassination of Pat Garrett layout. Article by Mark Boardman. A very strong cover story. Cover is giving us fits. Dan The Man has done about six versions, so far, and we keep nitpicking them to death. Told Dan to stand down today (it's his birthday by the way) until we can all get on the same page with it. Working on some sketches and cover concepts today. I'm also doing the Fountain murder for Classic Gunfights as a companion piece to the Garrett murder. Corey Recko, who researched and wrote this year's "Murder On The White Sands: The Disappearance of Albert and Henry Fountain" is wonderful to work with and the book is fantastic. Just realized both Fountain and Garrett were riding in buggies on the same damn road when they were shot and killed. But the most disturbing aspect of both cases is that the killers got away scott free. If you believe in karma, both these stories will make you weep.
It was a total treat last weekend to be at the White Stallion Guest Ranch outside Tucson, WITHOUT my laptop. I left it on purpose because I felt like I needed a break, plus I wanted to work on The 66 Kid project without interference. Sat on the patio of our casita. This was my view across the way:
Noodled another take on The Night Man, playing with midnight light, etc.
Daily Whipout, "The Night Man Sketches, No. 4"
Of course, as soon as I started noodling the shapes a movie scene took shape and I quickly jotted it down above the sketch. I need to give myself these enforced sabbaticals from blogging, email and Facebook. I love it, but it sure is a time suck.
Meanwhile, got this sketch going this morning:
Daily Whipout, "The 66 Kid Sketches No. 106"My good friend Russ Shaw, Jr. talked me into joining Rhapsody, a music sharing app that allows me to download all the music I want for $10 a month. I'm currently on a free-30-day-trial period and over the last two days I have downloaded a dozen versions of Bobby Troup's "Route 66," by a variety of artists. I have long been partial to the Rolling Stone's version, even though Mick Jagger refers to Kingman as "Bixlow." And the Asleep at The Wheel version has a rambling, smoothness that totally gets me, but I have to say, I really dig the Cheetah Girl's version which is a bit of an Electronic Dance Music ass kicker.
"That's the history of New Mexico: kill somebody or steal something and you can sure get a good office."
—J.A. Woodward