My most important "commission," thanks to Makayla Duran

A composite of a character Makayla Duran is calling "Gabby." Continue reading to fully view each piece and the story behind them! Art by Makayla and Coyote Duran.

Just recently, Makayla was hip deep in creating a character and scenario, both based on the "Grimace Shake" online trend, most popularly featured (I guess?) on TikTok.

Last June into July, McDonald's celebrated the big purple taste bud (yes, this is how he's described) Grimace's 52nd birthday (yes, he and I are both 52, although I don't believe Grimace's debut was until November of 1971) with a purple, berry-flavored shake. For whatever reason - and who knows why anyone posts overly weird stuff on TikTok - folks everywhere began uploading videos of the "results" of drinking these shakes.

Some people shared how the shakes "killed" people, transported them to other locations or just changed them somehow. As the kids say, it was a weird "flex"; to me, it was random as hell. However Guillaume Huin, the social media director for McDonald's (per Wikipedia), seemed to get down with it.

So one day, our daughter Makayla put her own spin on this trend by not creating a video but her signature, manga-inspired digital art.

Makayla's character, tentatively named "Gabby," who's undergoing a possession of sorts after drinking a "Grimace Shake." Note Makayla's version of Grimace looming to your left. Art by Makayla Duran.

As you can see, it appears that Makayla's character is fighting off (or enjoying. The story is still developing...) a possession of some sort. (I love that kid. She won't watch horror films with me but shares a twisted bent.) On your left, "Gabby" seems to be a normal, six-year-old, little girl enjoying a shake and on your right, a delighted Grimace is enjoying her subsequent possession, as she transforms into a strange entity, drooling out a mouthful of this weird, frozen beverage.

After Makayla finished the drawing, she asked me if I wouldn't mind rendering this crazy character in my style. I had a few art things to button up but promised her I would absolutely tackle such a neat challenge. I broke out the Strathmore Art Bristol Board (8.5" X 11"), my trusty "Blue Special" lead holder, erasers and pens and went to work on this new, fun "commission."

Art...I mean, ARN Anderson in ink

Arn Anderson. Micron pen (.05), Pentel Pocket Brush Pen, Sharpie roller pen (.05) and Copic markers in a Daler Rowney sketchbook (5.5" X 8.5"). Art by Coyote Duran

Boxing has always been my favorite sport...well, actually it's the only sport I watch. However professional wrestling has always held a very special place in my heart. I mean, you have a ring, physical combat and cool championship belts on the line plus villains ("heels"), heroes ("babyfaces" or "faces") and comic book-style storylines. Sure, it's theater-in-the-round but what's not to love?

And anyone who knows me knows my favorite athletes in this genre will always be Hawk and Animal, the Legion of Doom themselves, the Road Warriors. But if I had to choose an all-time favorite singles wrestler, it would be the "Enforcer," once a member of the dreaded Four Horsemen, Arn Anderson.

Yes, Anderson was clearly recognized for his association with Tully Blanchard, with whom he held the NWA World Tag Team Championships twice and the WWF (now WWE) Tag Team Championships once but Arn might be best known as (as least, in my opinion) the greatest NWA World Television Champion ever.

Now although the belt itself did not read "world" in its inscription, it was coined thusly during Dusty Rhodes' first reign, However Anderson made it a world title by his own insistence and tenacity, defenses and possession (four times and the record for the most combined days - 870) itself. With that came prestige fewer "mid-card" championships could boast. It was a championship belt I desperately wanted as a pup (among many others we wrestling fans coveted but couldn't buy because 1) they were unavailable to the public and 2) even if they were, they'd be far too expensive to buy. That would late change with the emergence of really neat replicas. At the very least, I wanted one because Arn Anderson simply made that championship so damn cool.

Roy Jones Jr., acrylic on canvas panel

 

Roy Jones Jr. Acrylic paint on 12" X 16" canvas panel. Art by Coyote Duran

Years ago, my friend Brad Cooney contacted me about doing an acrylic commission of former pound-for-pound great, four-division champion and (as of next year!) International Boxing Hall of Famer - and Brad's friend - Roy Jones Jr. as a gift for Jones himself.

Hell, I jumped at the chance. I mean, who wouldn't? The problem was I didn't - couldn't, really - jump all that high at the time.

You see, back then, I was going through a divorce. I was damn near homeless without the grace and generosity of my parents preventing such an indignity and I drank anything that wasn't nailed down just to get through my day. (I still drink but back then, I think I drank a sandwich, a stapler and half a bicycle pump. It was rough.)

Days, weeks and eventually months went by and I was only drawing for me, just to remind myself that I could and so I could get my emotions out on paper. Rightfully so, Brad was disappointed but he understood. The piece never saw the light of day.

However life got better. I got better. My Tracy and Makayla came into my life and fixed what was broken. My art came back to life and so did I. Yet I still didn't do this piece.

Until last year.

Svengoolie in ink

 

Svengoolie. Micron pen (.05), Pentel Pocket Brush Pen, Sharpie roller pen (.05), Sakura Gelly Roll pen (.05) and Copic markers in a Daler Rowney sketchbook (5.5" X 8.5"). Art by Coyote Duran

Alas, October, "Inktober" and Halloween are sadly behind us. However we never lost the Halloween spirit in our home, so I took a short break from a V.I.P. ("Very Important Painting") to knock out a marker sketch of America's favorite horror movie host, Chicago's own Svengoolie (Micron pen (.05), Pentel Pocket Brush Pen, Sharpie roller pen (.05), Sakura Gelly Roll pen (.05) and Copic markers in a Daler Rowney sketchbook (5.5" X 8.5"))!

"BERWYN!"

"No, Chicago..."

As many of you may already know, Halloween has always been my favorite holiday and its run-up all throughout the month of October has always felt special to me. The change in season and temperature, horror films of all sorts and eras, playing seemingly non-stop, and just the fun and imagination the season inspire are all take-aways I get from watching "Svengoolie" on MeTV every Saturday night at 7 pm, Central time.

It's a feeling I experienced way back in 1979 until the mid-'80s, as a pup, when the "Son of Svengoolie" first crept into our homes. One of my favorite memories (believe it or not) was when Sven played "Revenge of the Creature," which was to be presented in 3-D, on July 29, 1982. As an 11-year-old (the same age as our daughter today!), I was over the moon with the idea that we could watch a 3-D film in our own home! My dad rushed us over to the 7-11 in Oswego (our favorite one-stop shopping destination for comic books, microwave burritos and, later, VHS rentals) to pick up our special 3-D specs and returned home to adjust the TV.

I manned the vertical and horizontal on our living room TV as Sven gave specific instructions on fine-tuning until you "see one uniform color" (That's really the only instruction I recall at the time).

Unfortunately it didn't work out so well but I still enjoyed the show, as per usual.

Jason Voorhees in ink

Jason Voorhees of "Friday the 13th." Micron pen (.05) Pentel Pocket Brush Pen, Sharpie roller pen (.05), red Sharpie and grey and brown Copic markers in a Daler Rowney sketchbook (5.5" X 8.5"). Art by Coyote Duran

Since I was able to make time for one more "Inktober" piece before October comes to a close, I asked myself, "How can you render a version of Michael Myers from 'Halloween' and not draw Jason Voorhees from the 'Friday the 13th' franchise?"

This time, however, I went more with an old-school comic book approach, adding flat colors (well, three. Red, grey and a lighter brown variant) to the finished inks (.05 Micron pen, Pentel Pocket Brush Pen, .05 Sharpie roller pen, red Sharpie and grey and brown Copic markers in a 5.5" X 8.5" Daler Rowney sketchbook.

Michael Myers in ink

 

Michael Myers of "Halloween." Micron pen (.05) Pentel Pocket Brush Pen and Sharpie roller pen (.05) in a Daler Rowney sketchbook (5.5" X 8.5"). Art by Coyote Duran

It's October, kids, and you know what that means! Horror movies! And what better film to represent my favorite holiday (and my wedding anniversary!) than "Halloween"!

Now I'm sure you all have your favorite version of the original concept (mine is Rob Zombie's 2007 reimagining) or sequels (of which most have been retconned out of existence...with the exception of "Halloween Kills," which is coming out this Friday! I'll be firing it up on Peacock!) but I believe we can all agree on one thing: Michael Myers is and will always be one of cinema's most frightening and prolific murderers. Relentless, unfeeling and ice-cold with a soul as black as his eyes...

That said, October is also an equally fun time for us artists, whom participate on different levels (some daily - bless their hearts! - some sporadically - like Yours Truly!) in something we call "INKTOBER"!

Yes, Inktober. A month in which we grace paper, sketchbooks and the internet with scribblings of the inky persuasion. So, I combined two loves - horror and art - for my initial foray this year, an ink drawing of "The Shape" himself (done in .05 Micron pen, Pentel Pocket Brush pen and .05 Sharpie roller pen in a 5.5" X 8.5" Daler Rowney sketchbook)!

(It didn't even hit me until know that this is the second John Carpenter character - here's the first piece - I've rendered this year. That's pretty neat, man.)

If I can make the time (my plate is delightfully getting fuller, especially with cartooning commissions on which  I've been regularly working!), I'll do my best to get out some more "ink-only" pieces to share with you fine folks before the month ends.

Robin Williams in ink

Robin Williams. Pentel Pocket Brush Pen and Sharpie roller pen (.05) in a Bob Ross sketch journal (5.5" X 7.75"). Art by Coyote Duran

The late great Robin Williams was one of my idols. By no means is this a revolutionary statement. Many of my childhood peers felt the same way. However, as opposed to their reverence of "Mork & Mindy," I saw an artist who possessed a wealth of wisdom. With every bit Mr. Williams fired off in 1986's "A Night at the Met," I felt like I was part of the gag, an insider, someone in his elite inner circle. I was privileged company.

When I was younger, my best mate coming up in our old neighborhood, Jeff Jacobson, once told me I reminded him of a young Robin Williams. Whether or not being funny, kinetic or simply annoying was the case will forever be unknown but I took that statement as a compliment of the highest degree.

After Mr. Williams passed away, I rendered a portrait for a local monthly pop-up gallery for the theme "Humor"...

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...and I did it in less than 24 hours before showtime. Why? Because I'm an idiot and a servant to procrastination. But no matter how much people liked the aforementioned piece, I promised to do better next time. An that time was nearly seven years later when I honored my Bob Ross sketchbook with an ink drawing of Mr. Williams (Pentel Pocket Brush Pen and Sharpie roller pen (.05) 5.5" X 7.75")

And I guarantee this won't be my final Robin Williams piece. This one simply had to be done in my Bob Ross sketch journal, a sketchbook reserved for legends, some whom have left too soon.

Questions? Comments? Complaints? Commissions? Hit me up at artofthepaw@gmail.com. You can also follow me on Twitter @CoyoteDuran, on Instagram @CoyoteDuran and on Facebook @CDCreationNation.

Terri "The Boss" Moss, acrylic on canvas panel

 

Terri "The Boss" Moss. Acrylic paint on 12" X 16" canvas panel. Art by Coyote Duran

When my longtime friend, boxing journalist and publicist Amy Green asked me to create a piece of art for our mutual friend Terri "The Boss" Moss, I couldn't say no.

Leaving a career in law enforcement in the rearview mirror, Moss started her professional boxing career in her 30s, making her somewhat of a rarity as a smaller fighter, much less a fighter in general. But that never stopped her. In a career that spanned just a shade over six years, Moss vied for two major titles in as many divisions - strawweight (105 pounds) and junior flyweight (108 pounds) - and after she retired in 2008, she remained dedicated to the sport as a trainer and mentor to young fighters and is currently the CEO of the Buckhead Fight Club, in Atlanta, Georgia. If that isn't enough, Terri is also an inductee in the International Women's Boxing Hall of Fame, Class of 2015.

Not freaking bad for a former public servant who started in the pro ranks at 34 years of age. Not freaking bad at all.

And that's why she's The Boss. I only hope this piece is worthy of her moxie, confidence, guts and accomplishments.

Snake Plissken in ink

Snake Plissken. Ink on 5.5" X 8.5" sketch paper. Art by Coyote Duran

"Some people think you're already dead, Snake. Some say you never will be. Though you may have survived Cleveland. You may have escaped from New York. But this is L.A., vato! And you're about to find out that this fucking city can kill anybody!"

- Cuervo Jones, "Escape from L.A.," 1996

OK, so maybe the aforementioned quote isn't from John Carpenter's widely preferred movie of the two (the first being 1981's brilliant "Escape from New York") but, damn, it's a terrific line (delivered by Georges Corraface as the film's big bad Jones) that sums up just another obstacle that gunfighting antihero Snake Plissken must conquer in order to serve the whims of his country.

As someone who has an animal-inspired name, I've always loved Snake for his doggedness, moral code and disdain for...well, everything. So while at my late-night Joe job, small Daler Rowney sketchbook (5.5" X 8.5") in paw, I sketched this out within a day.

For the uninitiated, this Daler Rowney sketchbook is amazing but limited (but not in a bad way!) because it doesn't have a vellum-type surface, so standard graphite (in my case, I exclusively use 2H sticks in my leadholder) is a little more difficult to erase. So I did my layout with a Staedtler Mars non-photo reproducible blue pencil. It worked great and I could erase my numerous flubs as well as my finished lines once my initial ink "wireframe" was completed, prior to hammering in the blacks (Sharpie thin stick pen and Pentel Pocket Brush Pen).

Snake Plissken. Ink on 5.5" X 8.5" sketch paper. Art by Coyote Duran

If nothing else, if Carpenter and Kurt Russell offered their stamps of approval, that would be enough for me.

Welcome to the human race...

Questions? Comments? Complaints? Commissions? Hit me up at artofthepaw@gmail.com. You can also follow me on Twitter @CoyoteDuran, on Instagram @CoyoteDuran and on Facebook @CDCreationNation.  

Melinda Cooper, acrylic on canvas

Melinda Cooper. Acrylic paint on 18" X 24" stretched canvas. Art by Coyote Duran

I don't know about those of you whom draw and paint but I've always found women more difficult to render than men. Men are historically simpler to me because - let's face it - you can get away with deeper shadows and depth in the face. Not so much with the ladies.

There is an undeniable smoothness to a woman that has to be gradually and subtly defined. And anyone attracted to the female persuasion can attest to this being part of the attraction. Perhaps it's also why we have a tendency to wince when we see this beautiful gender get socked right in the mush.

However women have been fighting for decades in shorter rounds - and much shorter pay - than their male counterparts. And this drive to prove themselves just as worthy as said counterparts has been wielded by boxers like Sue Fox, Christy Martin, Laila Ali, Heather Hardy, Holly Holm and Claressa Shields among so many others. And I figured why not pay tribute to them with as much enthusiasm as I do male fighters?

Enter Melinda Cooper.

Roy Jones Jr.!

Roy Jones Jr. Micron pen, Pentel Pocket Brush Pen and Copic marker on 9" X 12" Strathmore Art Bristol Board. Art by Coyote Duran

I have an idea. I think. I'll get back to you on it later when I can figure out how to make it work.

That said, the idea - raw and unrefined as it is - is being christened with this image, a comics-style portrait of former four-division boxing champion (and former pound-for-pound best) Roy Jones Jr. (Micron pen and Copic Marker on 9" X 12" Strathmore Art Bristol Board).

I hope you boxing, art and boxing art fans dig it! And I'll keep you posted on that idea I have...

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Questions? Comments? Complaints? Commissions? Hit me up at artofthepaw@gmail.com. You can also follow me on Twitter @CoyoteDuran, on Instagram @CoyoteDuran and on Facebook @CDCreationNation.  

The Legion of Doom: The Road Warriors and Precious Paul Ellering

The Legion of Doom/The Road Warriors: Road Warrior Animal, Precious Paul Ellering and Road Warrior Hawk. Micron pen, Pentel Pocket Brush pen and Copic Marker on 5.5" X 8.5" sketch paper. Art by Coyote Duran

It's been a while since I've posted anything substantial, art-wise here. Something about last year seemed to have sapped my creativity and I never saw it coming. I mean, I worked all year, for which I'm very grateful, and my family and I didn't get sick. Everything seemed great but 2020 still got its hooks into me and I still have no idea how or why. I thought I was too strong to be affected. I guess I was wrong.

I drew very little and every time I tried to commit to art, I would grab my supplies and change my mind. However something compelled me to render sketches of three of my favorite people in the world - two of whom are no longer with us - The Legion of Doom: The Road Warriors with their manager Precious Paul Ellering.

Last August, I grabbed a small sketchbook (5.5' X 8.5") and penciled, then inked and colored them with Micron pen, Pentel Pocket Brush pen and Copic markers. My plan was to ultimately group all three of their heads like those in the corner boxes of older issues of Marvel Comics (thus the variant black and red backgrounds, the latter for the color of blood, naturally!). This was fitting as these cats were my heroes when I was coming up as a pup. Billed from Chicago, Illinois, these brutal, painted-up wrecking machines showed me every weekend that if they could break bodies and invoke fear, I could do it too. (Of course, I didn't really want to invoke fear more than I wanted to beat the living shit out of my oppressors - and I did. Who said achieving 50% of one's goals was bad?)

One month later, Joe Laurinaitis - Road Warrior Animal - passed away suddenly. And I froze. Other than a sketch of Bendy,  a weird character our daughter Makayla digs, I drew nothing. I blew an important commission. I stopped altogether.

But I kept those drawings. I had to. I had plans for them.

Erik Morales in ink

Erik Morales, Micron pen and Pentel Pocket Brush Pen on 5.5" X 8.5" sketch paper.

I've been having some fun with these ink studies I've been doing lately. They're relatively quick to conceive and finish and they keep things artistically fresh. What makes these studies super-interesting are my subjects. A stark, comic book-ish approach doesn't exactly work for everyone (or maybe it does and I just have to get better at it) but when you have someone with a distinct look or face, that can make all the difference.

Take legendary four-division titleholder Erik Morales (yeah, another boxer. Sue me) for instance. "El Terrible" has such unique and sharp facial features that when he made weight for some of his most legendary bouts, he looked downright gaunt. Such jutting and angular features are often ripe for swelling and cutting. Even in his retirement (and with a few extra, well-deserved pounds), the former, 122, 126, 130 and 140-pound champion is still recognizable, albeit with more smiles these days.

So here's another strictly ink study, done with Micron pen and Pentel Pocket Brush Pen on 5.5" X 8.5" sketch paper. (He kind of has a Bart Sears feel to him; don't you think? I hope my fellow comic book art geeks are picking up the groove I'm laying down!) I hope you dig it - especially if you're an Erik Morales fan!


Questions? Comments? Complaints? Commissions? Hit me up at artofthepaw@gmail.com. You can also follow me on Twitter @CoyoteDuran, on Instagram @CoyoteDuran and on Facebook @CDCreationNation.

Eric Draven: The Crow in ink

Eric Draven: The Crow, Micron pen and Pentel Pocket Brush Pen on 5.5" X 8.5" sketch paper.

Buildings burn; people die but real love is forever.

It's been 15 years since I drew The Crow and I thought I would give him another whirl in my stark, inked comic book style (Micron pen and Pentel Pocket Brush Pen on 5.5" X 8.5" sketch paper) a couple of nights ago since I was telling my daughter Makayla (who turns 10 today! Happy Birthday, Beautiful!) about his movie starring the late, great Brandon Lee.

Now I wouldn't recommend sharing the film with her just yet (it still makes me cry to this day) but the TV show inspired by the film, "The Crow: Stairway to Heaven," is a pretty safe alternative!

Hope you dig it! And remember...

It can't rain all the time.


Questions? Comments? Complaints? Commissions? Hit me up at artofthepaw@gmail.com. You can also follow me on Twitter @CoyoteDuran, on Instagram @CoyoteDuran and on Facebook @CDCreationNation.

Roberto Duran in ink: Get well soon, Champ!

Roberto Duran, Micron ink pen and Pentel Pocket Brush Pen on 5.5" X 8.5" sketch paper.

Just recently it was reported that legendary boxing champion (and my favorite fighter of all-time) Roberto Duran was diagnosed with COVID-19. From all reports, it seems "Manos de Piedra"/"Hands of Stone" is in great spirits and his symptoms are mid-level. For a gentleman of his age (69 years old), that's a very good sign. So let's keep this great champ - as well as all folks suffering from this terrible virus - in our thoughts and prayers.

As a get-well gesture, I thought I'd share an ink study I knocked out the other day (Micron ink pen and Pentel Pocket Brush Pen on 5.5" X 8.5" sketch paper). I hope you dig it!

Get well soon, Stone!!



Questions? Comments? Complaints? Commissions? Hit me up at artofthepaw@gmail.com. You can also follow me on Twitter @CoyoteDuran, on Instagram @CoyoteDuran and on Facebook @CDCreationNation.

Bob Ross in ink meets...a Bob Ross sketch journal!

Bob Ross. Pentel Pocket Brush Pen and Sakura Micron marker (.01) in a Bob Ross sketch journal. Art by Coyote Duran

Back on Valentine' Day of this year, Mrs. Coyote (Tracy) gave me this really amazing Bob Ross sketch journal as a gift and I thought long and hard about what I should render in its pages.

Ten long months to be exact. So long that Tracy even forgot she gave it to me.

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My Mrs. Coyote gave me this #BobRoss sketch diary as a Valentine's Day gift this year and all I could do is wrack my brain on how to use it. Well, today I decided to just use it for more #SketchbookChronicles entries. Bottom line: Art isn't always about planning and overthinking. Sometimes it's just about entertaining others, most importantly yourself. #StayTuned #Art #Artist #Illustration #Illustrator #Painting #Drawing #Portrait #Portraiture #Boxing #BoxingArt #BoxingArtist #Sketch #Sketchbook #InstaArt #Champions #Paint #PopArt #TraditionalArt #CoyoteDuran

A post shared by Coyote Duran (@coyoteduran) on Dec 19, 2019 at 8:47am PST

I thought something this special deserved a special brand of art. However as I was working on other pieces concurrently, I thought, "Would Bob himself just sit on something so amazing and overthink its use?" Probably not. So I put it to use immediately with the idea that I would fill its pages with ink sketches. That way, I could share some art with you all while working on my secret art project. And who better to draw first than the guy we all know and love, Mr. Ross himself (sketched with my No. 1 pencil, my trusted Alvin Drafting leadholder, and finished with a Sakura Micron ink pen (.01) and a Pentel Pocket Brush Pen)!

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So what's the first entry in the #BobRoss sketch diary I got from Mrs. Coyote back on #ValentinesDay? Why, the man himself, of course! This is the graphite layout; stay tuned for the finished ink version! #Art #Artist #Illustration #Illustrator #Painting #Drawing #Portrait #Portraiture #Boxing #BoxingArt #BoxingArtist #Sketch #Sketchbook #InstaArt #Paint #PopArt #TraditionalArt #CoyoteDuran #TheJoyOfPainting #Graphite #PencilDrawing #Pencil #AlvinDrafting #LeadHolder

A post shared by Coyote Duran (@coyoteduran) on Dec 26, 2019 at 8:47am PST

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Here's the first entry in the #BobRoss sketch diary I got from Mrs. Coyote back on #ValentinesDay! It's the man himself! This finished ink version is done with a .01 Micron ink pen and a Pentel Pocket Brush Pen! A close up will be up soon at www.coyoteduranart.com! Hope you like it! #Art #Artist #Illustration #Illustrator #Painting #Drawing #Portrait #Portraiture #Boxing #BoxingArt #BoxingArtist #Sketch #Sketchbook #InstaArt #Paint #PopArt #TraditionalArt #CoyoteDuran #TheJoyOfPainting #PencilDrawing #Pencil #AlvinDrafting #LeadHolder #Ink #PentelPocketBrushPen #Micron #Sakura

A post shared by Coyote Duran (@coyoteduran) on Dec 28, 2019 at 10:27am PST

Hopefully you'll like what's coming up within these pages soon! Have a Happy New Year and an awesome start to a brand-new decade!



Questions? Comments? Complaints? Commissions? Hit me up at artofthepaw@gmail.com. You can also follow me on Twitter @CoyoteDuran, on Instagram @CoyoteDuran and on Facebook @CDCreationNation.