Greeting Loyal Airmen, this week we thought we’d have some fun sharing a few art “roughs” with you. What are “roughs” you ask. Well they are simply a very loose sketch done by an artist to get the feel for what composition will work best for his drawing. In the past few days we’ve received two such for two different Airship 27 Production books coming your way.

Now the firsts will show you were done by Canadian artist Steve Otis.  Steve has been assigned to do the cover to Philip McCormac’s novel, BEHOWLS THE MOON. This is the story of a werewold operating in Ireland during the Easter Rebellion of 1916 when the Irish Free Army staged a revolt in Dublin.  Whereas the main character is turned into a werewolf by a beautiful gypsy girl, the Air Chief hunted up the two pictures above on-line and sent them to Steve asking that his cover incorporate both such a creature and beautiful girl. Note, we did not ask him to “copy” them, but be inspired by them.

Not content to just do one “rough,” Steve went and did six of them and then sent the above page to the Air Chief and Art Director Rob Davis.  In looking at his positioning of the figures in each “rough” we told him we liked numbers 2 and 6 the best. Whereas Rob suggested to Steve that he take the girl from 2 and combining here with the werewolf from 6. Steve went along with that and is now in the process of doing the detailed drawing; his next step before he tackles the actual painting. Needless to say we’re very exciting as to what he is going to produce.

Next up are images from our 6th volume of SINBAD – The New Adventures.  This one features a long novella by writer Nancy Hansen and a short story by Greg Hatcher.  Above are two illustrations for Nancy’s tale by Mexican artist Jesus Rodriguez. Jesus is now working on the last three illos that will adorn Greg’s tale. Seeing the book was moving down the production line, the Air Chief contacted artist Adam Shaw and asked if he’d be available to do the cover for this one. Adam has done several stellar covers for us in the past and we love his work. Our only request of him was to have our black Sinbad at the wheel of his ship, the Blue Nymph with a sexy harem girl behind him.

And above is what Adam sent along as his idea “rough.”  Obviously we love it and when it is full drawn and colored, it will be amazing.  We are Airship 27 are so lucky to work with some of the finest artists in the world.

And finally, we’re going to end this art-themed installment with a beautifully finished illustration. It is by another new artist to Airship 27 Productions, Clayton Murwin and comes from the novel EYE OF DAWN by Brad Sinor. Truly some gorgeous detailing in Clayton’s drawing.

That’s it for this week’s Flight Log. As ever thanks for stopping by and see you back here next Friday morning.

Ron – Over & Out!