"Dakota Rawhide" (update in OG Post June.18th.2009)

**In Amber Clad** · May 1st, 2009, 08:58 AM

The comic/short story looks awsome. Inspired by firefly by any chance?

**Phuzion** · May 1st, 2009, 12:23 PM

In Amber Clad: I do love me some Firefly, to be sure, and without it, I don't think I would have felt comfortable doing a sci-fi/western in this fashion. However, I am going quite a bit more western with it. I am focusing more on land with very little space travel. I guess Firefly was partly the inspiration, the other part is the stack of western DVDs and books that I have gone through in the last few years... three cheers for Howard Hawks and Louis L'Amour!!! Oh! And watching all those Clint Eastwood movies with my dad as a kid

I have heard that there was a time when you would never see me without my bright red cowboy hat... but I don't remember that too much. But I guess people at Comic Con are not used to seeing me without my black-straw cowboy hat... so maybe I haven't changed that since preschool...

Cheers,
~d

**duddlebug** · May 1st, 2009, 12:57 PM

I love the Dakota piece! She's got so much attitude! And I think the graphics work great with her too, especially the pinks. Are you going to sell the book on your website too, or just at SDCC?

Lovely watercolours, I'd plump for the middle one as my favourite with the loosely scrawled type....

**Bear65** · May 1st, 2009, 02:26 PM

awesome!

how does the water color work on gesso? w/o paper to absorb the water, does it take much longer to dry?

**mikeb2000** · May 1st, 2009, 03:29 PM

Very nice work. I really like the first one.

**rlederer** · May 3rd, 2009, 10:16 AM

I like how you left the wood grain showing through on the last piece. Gorgeous work! -R

**Kaffinated** · May 3rd, 2009, 10:55 PM

your girls are like hot sex for the eyes!

**Phuzion** · May 4th, 2009, 01:51 PM

duddlebug: Thank you! The graphics were a blast, and a nice reprieve from the representational art. As for the book... I am still exploring the options as far as availability post Comic Con. I know a couple comic-store owners that I need to talk with about distribution ideas, so I'll keep you posted

Bear65: With Liquitex Clear Gesso it actually doesn't take much longer to dry. The clear gesso has a lot of tooth, and is very absorbent, unlike normal gesso which is essentially just plastic.

rlederer: I'm glad you caught the exposed wood grain. His guitar is a semi-hollowbody PRS, and the wood is exposed, so it was a nice opportunity to use the grain of the panel. Glad you're diggin' it, thanks!

I also want to thank everyone for your enthusiasm over the cover. I will have a preview of the book online in the next few days, once I finish another illustration for the interior. So I will let you know when that is up, and I can only hope you like the story as much as you like the images. Thank you all for your support! It really keeps me inspired and geared up to keep on pushing forward. Thank you thank you thank you!

Cheers,
~d

**Phuzion** · May 14th, 2009, 01:50 AM

Heya folks!
Here is a minor update to the cover for Dakota Rawhide Book 1: "Genus: Panthera" Part 1 of 2. I just added the texture in the background to tie it in with the design for the rest of the book.

And! Speaking of the rest of the book, there is now a preview online! So head on over to On The D/L and check it out. It is just a few pages, but it should give y'all a feel for what the story is like. The book will be about 40 pages at 8.5"x11" with the last ten pages or so being development sketches and maybe a couple one sheets and pin-ups. It will be available first at San Diego Comic Con in July, and from there I will keep you posted on availability. Come back here and let me know what y'all think!

Cheers,
~d