Superman in gouache (when he shouldn't have been!)

So I had a Superman piece brewing upstairs one day and I figured, I'm gonna knock out something new and different by doing something retro and familiar. These days, the mythos of the "Last Son of Krypton" is inundated with Henry Cavill's "Man of Steel" (I dig it) or what DC Comics' "The New 52" is offering as its latest version of Kal-El (Not digging it since 2011). I thought I would render something resembling the late Christopher Reeve.

As you can see, this piece isn't so much Christopher Reeve as it is an amalgam of Christopher Reeve and Matt Bomer (of the USA Network's "White Collar. Interestingly enough, Bomer, who looks like he could pass as Cavill's brother, almost got the lead for 2006's "Superman Returns" but ultimately, Brandon Routh scored it. However, Bomer voiced Superman/Clark Kent on 2013's animated "Superman: Unbound").

But that wasn't my biggest problem.

No, Howlers, the biggest problem was lack of commitment to a medium and original intent. See, friends, this painting (gouache and ink on 11" X 14" Bristol Board) wasn't even supposed to be a painting. It was supposed to be ink and Prismacolor watercolor pencil on Bristol Board but I thought I would be a wise-ass and use paint instead for the sake of time and coverage. Besides, that's how I rendered my Rowdy Roddy Piper tribute and that turned out OK, right?

Wrong. That one was also something of a pain-in-the-ass BUT not as difficult as this one would turn out.

Man, I was smearing ink (something I NEVER do) and when it came time to paint., I was everywhere on the map. Not combining and blending and experiencing the glorious texture and porosity that cold press watercolor paper offers but moving color from here to there ad everywhere. Yeah, it sucked and I actually got upset at a piece for the first time in my life.

But I stuck around and finished the job.

So here you have it, Kids. Not the best painting I have to offer (and you deserve and should expect better of me. I call it a six on a 10 scale) but I'm sharing it anyway because I have to be held accountable for my art. That said, I'm right back on the artsy-fartsy horse and ready to kick off my next piece, a portrait of the Marvel Family - Captain Marvel (the REAL Cap. Not some New 52 knockoff who calls himself "Shazam." What ridiculous horseshit), Mary Marvel and Captain Marvel Jr./CM3.

And I won't puss out on my challenges in medium. I promise. :)



Questions? Comments? Complaints? Hit me up at coyote@coyoteduran.com. You can also follow me at twitter.com/CoyoteDuran, instagram.com/coyoteduran and facebook.com/CDCreationNation.

Miguel Cotto vs. Canelo Alvarez in watercolor and ink

On Saturday, Nov.21, THE RING magazine and WBC middleweight champion Miguel Cotto will face Saul "Canelo" Alvarez at the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino Events Center in a highly-anticipated championship throwdown.

In celebration of this huge bout, I threw together a gouache (watercolor) and (Pentel Pocket Brush pen) ink piece on 11" X 14" cold press paper. This piece is also neat in the fact that it's immediately available as my inaugural giclee print reproduction (soon to be followed by some of my previous boxing works), also on 11" X 14" textured paper, hand-signed and shipped flat - free in the continental United States - to you for just $30. For more information on how to order or shipping outside the US, please contact me at coyote@coyoteduran.com! I hope you dig it!

Questions? Comments? Complaints? Hit me up at coyote@coyoteduran.com. You can also follow me at twitter.com/CoyoteDuran, instagram.com/coyoteduran and facebook.com/CDCreationNation.

Rowdy Roddy Piper: A tribute (part two)

For part one, please click here.

Rowdy Roddy Piper once said he "was rowdy before rowdy was cool." Truer words were never spoken.

As a pup, I was fascinated by the man who made life miserable for WWE/WWF heroes like Hulk Hogan and Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka. He was cheeky, colorful and - prior to Yours Truly appropriating the moniker - honestly could have been more Coyote (a royal, pain-in-the-ass Trickster) than me. And no matter where Roddy Piper went, his name and reputation followed, whether he was portraying a heel or an antihero/face. Just as well, hijinks would ensue.

In part one of this blog post, I shared my ink rendering of Rowdy Roddy on Aug. 2. I locked in the image (on 9" X 12" Bristol Board) in Micron and Pentel Pocket Brush pens. I wasn't certain if I was going to add color, how much or in what manner. Ultimately I went with gouache (watercolor) paint and a smidge of Faber-Castell PITT artist pen for the highlights I couldn't suss with white gouache.

And I did because Roddy Piper was nothing short of colorful.

While my favorite professional wrestlers were - and always will be - the Road Warriors (the Legion of Doom, Hawk and Animal), they obviously were blessed with a different presence and mic skills. Piper was a talker, nonpareil, and could get in your face with the best of them. And that's what I wanted to be verbally and personality-wise. I wanted that kind of bravery. I wanted it to be OK to be mouthy and weird. I also wanted to be that guy who could take a shot in the mush for the cause and smile wickedly in response.

And although I knew for certain from an early age that pro wrestling was a different sort of entertainment, I also knew for sure that Piper was who Piper was. He might have been a completely different cat at home or away from the squared circle but the Rowdy Roddy Piper we were lucky enough to experience was a genuine part of Roderick George Toombs.

We were lucky to have experienced Rowdy Roddy Piper in all facets of his careers (wrestling and film. "They Live," anyone?) because fans in my age demographic were born at just the right time.

So cue the bagpipes and grab your coconuts. And before all the answers are all figured out, don't forget to change all the questions.

I hope you like this, Roddy. Because I loved drawing and painting it. Sneaky and all-knowing in its moment, it's a snapshot of the Rowdy Roddy Piper I loved best.

Rest in peace, Sir.


Questions? Comments? Complaints? Hit me up at coyote@coyoteduran.com. You can also follow me at twitter.com/CoyoteDuran, instagram.com/coyoteduran and facebook.com/CDCreationNation.