Got a mysterious envelope from Germany in the mail the other day. For a brief moment, I thought I might be an international spy suffering from amnesia. The letter inside was roughly translated and read, in part:
Dear Mister Dorse,
I am 59 years old, work as cook and I am fascinated and interested in comics, cartoons and illustrations for children and adults since many years. Every good artist and also every country has an own unique style and I do love a lot. So whenever it is possible I do visit some comic conventions and book cons in Europe, but I am little bit sad that I have never been in the USA.
I know and love your many sided portfolio and work for a while and I am very impressed. That is the reason to tell you my honour and respect of your fantastic work and person and I need to tell you a mad and little bit impertinent request in hope of an answer, but without any expectations.
My wife is a fan and collector of "pigs" and I do collect the autographs from the best and most famous illustrators in the world. You would make us really very proud and happy if you are so kind to dedicate us your autograph, too and may be there is little time to let us know how your illustration would look like on the letter-card we included???
Anyway, you get the picture. A nice couple from Germany sent a blank notecard and a S.A.S.E. with a nice request for a pig illustration if I could make the time. Here's why I decided to do a quick sketch for them:
1) They called me Mister Dorse. I never get that here in the States. It's always, "hey idiot!"
2) They lump me in with "the best and most famous illustrators in the world." So that's two they got right.
3) On the off chance that I am some kind of sleeper agent, I'm not going to risk an international incident and not respond.
Here's the quick doodle 'n sketch process I went through to come up with the image. I didn't have a ton of time (other deadlines right now), but these people seem very nice and I wanted to send them something.
The coloring process. Couldn't do it digitally as it had to go on their enclosed notepaper. So I busted out the colored pencils and got to work. I put the image in the post today so soon some very polite people in Germany will have an ultra-rare, hand-drawn, signed, colored pencil rendering of a cute little pig done by me, one of "the best and most famous illustrators in the world." Jealous? -v
You are too funny, Mr. Dorse.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Beth. But mum's the word. It's actually a very closely guarded secret.
DeleteAnd I'm not jealous, at least not entirely so. I've been working on characters for a comic strip (to send to my daughter while she's in BT) and it's uphill work. You have the harder job, sir.
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