Happiest of Holidays!

All the best during the holidays, folks. Make it the best and brightest however you celebrate!
Sincerely,
j.bone

The Unbreakable Bottom!

First seen in spring of this year, The Unbreakable Bottom (aka RJ Danvers, comic book fan and adorable blogger) returns to the page! I was inspired by a post made by RJ on his own blog (p.s. Not safe for work) of a drawing featuring Spidey and Ms. Marvel and a questionable tangent. One of RJ's fans suggested a Ms. Marvel team-up with the Unbreakable Bottom. Well, didn't draw Ms. Marvel but I did want to draw UB again. I don't consider myself a very good costume designer but I really like how this one turned out. It's a little bit Jett Vector with Wonder Man colors.

Update: Sketchbook's coming along slooooowly...oof! I've finally started putting it all together in my layout program. So that's something! :)

best,
j.

Post-Poser Post!

I love finding new sites that make it seem like I'm working (because they're art related) but that actually distract me from doing my work! The above drawing is based on a photo found at the always delicious Super Underwear Perverts. Below are sketches drawn from a brand new site (to me, anyway) filled with terrific reference pics of anatomy. The poses are digital, meaning they're not real people, but I've yet to see a pose that breaks any rules of anatomy
Check out Posemaniacs and try out the timed/random sketch sessions. Every 30 seconds (set your own time) you get a new pose. Do your best to sketch it up quickly, getting the gesture, etc... OR take a stroll through their cache of 19,440 images, rotate for different angles and build up your visual library of human anatomy. I like that the "models" are skinless...it means that I'm not distracted by staring at someone's "junk"* and focus, instead, on just drawing! That's important!
These were all drawn on the 45 second setting. You don't have the option of choosing only male poses but, c'mon, we need to draw women just as much as we need to practice drawing men! Right?

Enjoy.
j.
p.s. Send links to your own drawings if you check out the site.

* Junk - slang term for a man's privates. I also like to use the term "junkyard" when referring to the entire pelvic region. As in, "I would like to pay a visit to his junkyard."

This is Anatomy?

Well, I'm sure this isn't exactly the type of image you'd expect to find on this here Beefcake drawing blog! My previous post where I played around with straight lines vs. curved inspired me to try a little experiment: to draw a figure alternating, as much as possible, between straight and curved lines. You might be inclined to call me out on a few of my curve-ishy "straight" lines...but I would argue with you that the area in question leans more to the straight and, therefore, counts as such :)

Now, I'm a cartoony cartoonist so my technique does favor the more exaggerated. There are certainly very few(if any) completely straight lines in actual human anatomy. But drawing is all about interpretation of the actual/real. Even in the most realistic of drawings there is stylization going on (meaning that the artist is making choices in what and what not to include in the interpretation of the three dimensional world onto the two dimensional drawing surface).

Whew! That's nearly enough "Art" theory for me! As one of my college art teachers used to say, "Talking about Art is like Dancing about architecture." *

Here's a fleshy colored doodle to put us back on the Beefcake track. This was another experiment, however. The Red line running up the front-side of the figure was my starting point. I wanted to build a figure with as much of his form "locked" to a solid perpendicular. When I'm drawing from life I'll sometimes look for such "through lines" on which to build the rest of the figure.

j.
* (As I know there are both artists AND dancers who read my blog, I type that quote with tongue firmly planted in cheek ;)

Roughing it!

Rough sketches today provided by delicious beefcake found on the excellent Super Underwear Perverts blog managed by sexy Ray Randell. Just some quickies to warm up this morning before I get to the actual work.
The guy on the right was drawn for his backside...my aim was to alternate curves with straight lines. Those curves, to me, are absolutely beautiful and are among my favourite lines of the human body. The guy in shorts explores a little of my other favourite curve vs. straight line balancing act...the curve of the pecs connect with the straight lines of the abdominal, curving into the pelvis with a short straight before you get the quads, knee and shin.

Speaking of sketches I really ought to update on the whereabouts of my sketchbook. It was put ever so briefly on hold while I finished another issue of the Super Friends. But I'm back on it. I hope everyone hasn't lost patience with me...I want to make sure I give you guys my best stuff and finding all my big Photoshop files of color work has taken more time than I'd like.

Also, I changed some of my Cafepress merchandise to include the Hot Toddy Devil Drawing. Toddy is supposed to be coming to Toronto soon and I can't wait to see him perform again. Hopefully I'll get to draw him again, as well! Fingers crossed!

j.

All Hallow's Eve!

Happy Halloween, boys and ghouls! Have a fantastic night of tricking and treating! Don't overindulge and always, ALWAYS, play safe!

j.

Man-Made Man!

Frank makes the scene. How to achieve this look at home: Green body paint, black or dark green body paint for the stitches, ripped jeans or dress pants (dark gray), big ol' belt buckle, big ol' clunky boots and bolts for your neck. You could make the bolts from stuff lying about your house...like cardboard or foam. Hold them on by tying a string around your neck, which you can hide under drawn-in stitches.

Easy peasy!

j.

Costumed Cro-Mag!

I think cavemen are hot.

:) j.

Costume Count!

Halloween is just around the corner! It's definitely become my favourite Holiday of the year as Church st. becomes a carnival of costumes and parties until the Great Pumpkin comes! I've been busy with work and not had a chance to create a costume for myself at all this year! I'm searching for inspiration, I think.
In the comments section last post Musclsvg put a question to me thus: "What would be your ultimate Halloween costume design? "

The Ultimate anything is a difficult request to fill. I have so many things I'd love to see as costume for Halloween or just every day life :) that I can't draw fast enough to get them all down. So, I thought what I'd do is draw up a few ideas I've got for Beefcake Costumes that play on some of my own personal favourite fantasies! As cartoony as the proportions are in my drawings I've tried to consider each costume as if it were to be worn by a "real" man.

First up is Vlad The Impaler! Very simple. Very, I think, sexy! I think it'd be hot to see the guy with the cape pulled across his chest at first before the big reveal as he swoops in for the big bite! Swoon!

I'll post as I finish each drawing, hopefully each day...though I can't promise it :)

If anyone has any requests as I go along feel free to post in the comments. I've got my own ideas but am not at all opposed to inspiration from all y'all!

j.

Bear Bar Doodles!

Last week was Woody's 20th anniversary and they celebrated by throwing a big party with plenty of food, cake, and drag queens! It was fantastic! And fantastically packed! I think every hot guy in the city was out for the festivities. I finally met the guy from the previous post, the one in the baseball tee. Practice makes perfect, and I'm working on what I call my "Man Courage". One day I'll be comfortable approaching just any ol' guy and introducing myself.
The above drawing is my memory sketch of a guy at the Woody's party who grabbed my attention and held it all night. He was just incredible looking. He was wearing a nice white plaid shirt (is plaid a color or just the pattern?) and an adorable smile (a good sign that someone is actually fun to be around). I got his attention as he passed me at one point just to introduce myself. *sigh*

These two pages are holdovers from the weekend at Man Camp (The Point). Mostly trying to capture the hotness of the guy who posed for me. He had a very sexy smirk, that one did!

Halloween is just around the corner. I'm looking forward to an evening of incredible costumes and eye-candy!

best,
j.

Raising The Bar!

Looking a lot tougher than he did in person, is my drawing of the tattooed guy from last weeks post. I say tougher because in person he was laughing and having a good time with his friends. Which is what attracted me in the first place (beyond the muscled frame, good looks, and tattooed hotness :) I most likely wouldn't have felt the urge to draw him right there at the bar if they had not looked like such a fun group!
This fella is another Woody's delight. I had seen him around a few times but on one particular evening he was wearing this t-shirt, a look for which I am an instant sucker (minds out of the gutter, boys ;) A shirt like this makes broad shoulders look even broader...accentuating that "V" torso that I so adore! I took a memory snapshot and drew him as best I could once I got home.

Now, let me ask you guys a question...because this topic has come up a few times in conversation with friends: When you see someone at a bar to whom you're attracted what is your approach?
Ladies, please feel free to weigh in as well! I like to hear all sides!

cheers,
j.

Rough Men!

What do you do when you're out at the bar, surrounded by hot tattooed and muscled men, and you absolutely MUST draw them but you haven't brought your sketchbook and the bar seems to be completely out of napkins? I'll tell you what I do. I grab one of those free newspapers available in nearly every city (you know, the ones promoting music/art/movie events in the city as well as their own political agendas). Find some open areas on ad pages, grab your pen (which you always carry around in your pocket) and draw, draw, draw!
I scribbled down these doodles at Woody's on Sunday night. First was the new bartender (bottom left) who is just simply adorable. Then the tattooed guys (middle and upper right). I couldn't stop staring at them because they were both incredible, were having a great time and the tall one in the dark shirt "spoke" sign language with a cute blonde chick. All my staring caught their attention (which, really, isn't that what I wanted to happen anyway? :) and the shorter guy and I chatted for a bit.
I'll be doing real and better illustrations of these guys but for now I wanted to get these doodles up. I make sketches like this often and then turn them into proper drawings later on...my sieve-like brain often forgets details and the doodles help remind me of important stuff like the arm tattoos, the fact that the tall guy had the cutest little overbite and both ears pierced, and that the new Woody's busboy wore his cap backwards.

j.

Summer Days Behind Us!

Like a selfish lover Summer has come and gone leaving me with no other alternative than to draw alone. It's true. The days are already getting shorter and the pants are getting longer. I take a jacket or sweater with me when I go out because it can be chilly walking home in just a t-shirt and jeans. I'm extremely glad for the terrific weekend I had at Man-Camp (my pet name for The Point (see previous entry)). The weather was perfect, I managed to get a suntan (actually a bit of a burn) and discovered a new and wonderful vacation destination. I will most definitely be returning next season.

In the meantime I'm buckling down with a re-newed workload, and nearly finalizing art for the sketchbook. I was hoping to be further along by now...all blame for delays rest squarely on my shoulders. I'm picking up the pace on the sketchbook when I get moments of spare time from regular work.

Hope everyone had a good summer (or, if you're on the other side of the world, are looking forward to a good summer ;)
best,
j.

Man Camp! Bears in the Wood!

What follows are the pages of my sketchbook from my weekend at Man Camp! An all-male, clothing optional, slightly roughing it extravaganza! I had a lot of fun, especially once I got up the nerve to actually talk to some of the guys I'd been drawing. In fact I stopped one of the guys from leaving his seat because I wasn't done drawing him yet...he obliged with an even better pose than the one I'd started.


Above is the guy who specifically posed for me. I didn't quite get his features right in the first drawing (which is the one on the right) so I drew him again as he chatted with his friends (the drawing on the left). I think the second turned out better.

The guy labeled "White Beard" was far, far, far more attractive than I managed to capture. He's going to have to get a re-draw and color. He had a snow white beard, tanned skin and the most incredible body I've ever seen in my entire life! His boyfriend was equally gorgeous and we talked a few times and Mr. Beard offered to pose nude for me. I think I may have babbled something along the lines of "Yeah! Buh...uh...guh!"
The leather man was as near a Tom of Finland man as you're likely to find in real life. He showed up to one of the night parties in this outfit and I did my best to memorize the details for this drawing. I can confirm as fact that his...er, "equipment" also met the requirements of a Tom of Finland man. Indeed!

The full body pose is my interpretation of the Tom of Finland dude...he really did have the awesome proportions of a broad shouldered, narrow wasted Tom Man! His butt was so adorably small and firm. *sigh*


And there you have it. Four days of sketching by the pool, roughing it in the wilds of South-western Ontario! If you've ever got the urge to go camping I highly recommend The Point. Weekends are always the busiest time so book your spot early!

In web news, Queerclick did a little piece on my blog and were very complimentary. Always happy to help the boys and their boners ;)

j.

Toronto Fan Expo 2009!

This past weekend was the Toronto Fan Expo comic book convention. I was set up with three feet of table space, my sketchpad, a bunch of comic books and a bushel full of enthusiasm! I always love meeting the fans of Darwyn's work and mine, signing books and drawing. But this year I met quite a few fans of this here blog...and that was pretty darned cool.

The above drawings were done as commissioned pieces, finished before the convention. I don't take commissions...unless there's an upcoming con where I can personally hand over the art. The few times I've mailed out art it was for a European collector.
The drawing of Wolverine is for the Shuster awards charity auction. I pencilled it while staying with Darwyn for a weekend. He masterfully inked it up and it's now in the hands of the Shuster dudes. We were definitely being cheeky by handing in a Beefcake shot of Marvel's hottest Canadian hero. But, hey, there are plenty of female fans and they don't always get eye candy to enjoy. :)

Lastly, but not leastly, my dear friend G. ;) sent me a link to a site that recently featured me. So check out Fleshbot and see what Brian O'Brien had to say about my stuff! Thanks, Brian.

best,
j.
p.s. I'm off camping this weekend...at an all-male campground. I've never been but I'm looking forward to lots of beefy men who'll let me draw them in my sketchbook! Excited!

King of the Apes! Lord of the Jungle!

He Tarzan!
You didn't think I'd forgotten the fella who (arguably) started it all, didja? A person can't draw a week's worth of men in loin-cloths without drawing the Ape Man himself, ol' man Greystoke (a.k.a. Tarzan). In the comments sections a few of us have been discussing the many and favorite actors who've portrayed Tarzan over the years. I personally quite enjoy watching Miles O'Keefe in all his finely honed glory, lusted over by the voluptuous Bo Derek (I am a fan of the Cheesecake as well as the Beef). I also like the clips I've seen of Mike Henry and Ron Ely, though I haven't been able to find a copy of any of their movies/tv series on DVD. Naturally I'm fond of the old black and whites with Weissmuller or Gordon Scott.

As a kid I saw the Christopher Lambert movie but found it too drab to really enjoy it. It might be worth watching again because I have a feeling it was quite close to the actual story from the novel.

My own sinewy take on the character owes a lot to the Disney animated Tarzan. I've watched the movie many times just to admire Glen Keane's muscley Tarzan...and also because I think that Minnie Driver was so perfect as the voice of Jane that I wish she'd won an Oscar for it.

So, there's the week plus one of loin-cloths. I hope you all enjoyed it, and that it was worth the wait!

your pal,
j.

The Cover of FAB!!

Two posts today because I just have to tell you about the current issue of Fab and I didn't want to interrupt the flow of the Week of Loin-cloths! For those of you in or near Toronto, my art is on the cover of Fab magazine. Editor Matt Thomas interviewed me for the feature article on gays in comics and very kindly asked me to draw the cover. How could I say no? I've been reading Fab ever since I moved to Toronto for school, where I would nervously sneak copies into my portfolio and hope that none of my friends saw me standing near or picking up the latest issue. I've still got some of those early editions. I'm absolutely thrilled to be one of two artists to actually draw a cover (Glen Hanson is the other). It's pretty sweet to be out on Church st. and see my artwork sitting in store windows and all over the Fab news-boxes!

Matt also interviewed the delightful and good looking Phil Jimenez as well as Perry Moore (author of Hero). You can read the article at the Fab website.

If you're near a comic shop, check out the newest issue of Super Friends. I drew the interiors as well as the cover for #18. It's a Bizarro Super Friends story and I LOVE how it all turned out. The colorist did a terrific job and the writer, Sholly Fisch, wrote some of the funniest dialogue for the Heroes from the square planet!

Also, if you haven't seen District 9 and you're a fan of Sci-Fi, go check it out. There's a lot of political kerfuffle about the movie, charges of racism etc...and while certain stereotypes bothered me I still found it to be such an incredible movie. My favourite kind of Sci-Fi...the kind that makes us look at our own world and how we treat the Earth and each other.

And finally... I really appreciate all the comments during this week of Loin-cloth! I've got a bunch of movies to hunt down and a few requests for more cloth wearing characters. Check in on Monday for the Lord of the Loin-Cloths himself! I'll give you a hint - his name rhymes with 'Shmar-zan'

Have a great weekend!
j.

A Loin In Winter!

When I was a kid I had a set of He-Man knock-offs that included Hercules, some dude in tiger print kimono, and Warlord (sporting a stylish plastic loin-cloth). I didn't know about the Warlord comic book and so just assumed he was made up for this particular toy line. He fit into my He-Man universe as a substitute for King Randor. A wise father figure to my other scantily clad, over-muscled, harness wearing action figures.

Is it any surprise I grew up with more affinity for the Bear culture than to the Dance/Twink scene? :)

And that wraps up the Week of Loin-cloths.

But...wait a sec...I did a weeks worth of men in loin cloths and yet something isn't quite right. Someone is missing. A character who lived most of his life clad only in a washcloth sized patch of animal skin. A man, no, a Lord who made famous the leather bikini and caused a curious stirring in the loins of many an unsuspecting young man (and woman, I'm sure) when he appeared on screen or in print. But, it's Friday. The last day of the Week of Loin. I've no days left. I can't update on the weekend! I guess...I guess we'll just have to wait until Monday for you to see who I'm talking about (no spoiling in the comment section).

Have a great weekend, everyone.
xo j.

The Loin Before Time!

I've always intended to draw a Beefcake version of Raquel Welch's famous fur-bikini pose from the movie One Million Years BC. The Week of Loin-cloths gave me that opportunity. I'd like to eventually throw a stop-motion looking dinosaur in behind him because those were some cool looking, highly innacurate (and yet, very well done) dinos in that movie.

j.

Purr-Loin!

I confess...this one is a completely made up character, drawn just so I could use the pun "Purr-Loin". That's the sole reason for his existence.

Second confession...I do have a fondness for Anthropomorphic characters. I know where that places me in the Nerd Hierarchy but dammit all I liked the Thundercats. Robin Hood is one of my favourite Disney movies. And Blacksad is one of my favorite European comics to come out in quite some time! Label me as you will ;)

beastly yours,
j.

B'Wana Loin a New Trick?

B'WANA BEAST! Introduced to me by the same friend who reminded me about Red-Wolf (see previous Loin Post), I kinda fell in love with B'Wana Beast myself. He's one of my buddy's favorites. Considering the fact that he's not wearing much of a costume he shows up in some unlikely places. Like in the Justice League Animated comic book, the Justice League tv show (and action figure line) as well as the new Batman: Brave and the Bold. I've drawn him for my blog, even!

Apparently he's had a name change in these more politically nervous times. But I looked up B'Wana, assuming it had some horribly negative meaning, and found that it's a form of respectful address in parts of Africa. His new name is 'Freedom Beast' which is an incredibly stupid name. How about 'Sir Beast' or 'Gentleman Beast' if you have to change the poor guy's name.

This is hardly the place to get political. I'm going to continue calling B'Wana Beast by his original name. And I'm going to continue drawing him because he sure is a heckuva lot of fun to draw!

beastly yours,
j.

The Loin Age of Marvel Comics!

Many years ago there came to Marvel comics a hero...a man wearing the head and pelt of a red-wolf! And he called himself - RED WOLF! His first appearance in Avengers #80 was drawn by the incredible John Buscema (who, in the issue previous, had introduced a villain wearing the head and pelt of a Gorilla. Did John have a thing for wearing taxidermy?)

I first saw this character in the form of the very cool Randy Bowen mini-bust (which I confess I now wish to own). I'd forgotten about him but when I was telling a friend, who has a vast knowledge of all Marvel characters especially the obscure, that I was finally doing a weeks worth of loin-cloth themed drawings he suggested drawing Red-Wolf. I changed his costume slightly, making the 'pants' something more like chaps, or hip waders. A change I'm sure most of you won't fault me for making, I'm sure.

Enjoy,
j.

The Pajama Game!

Another image of Hot Toddy...from his second act on the third night of the Toronto Burlesque Festival. He started in pajamas, hat and cigar with the boys alternating pillow coverage as he danced and removed pjs. A little flash of bum, and he was hidden again. The final bit had the boys holding up all four pillows as the pajama bottoms were kicked off, then Todd pushed back the two top pillows and cheekily tossed out a smile and chomped on his cigar! It was fantastic!!

What's this, you ask? Why it's an announcement of sorts. Five little boxes. Five days in a work-week. Whatever could it mean?

Check in on Monday for the answer and then each day thereafter for an update EVERY DAY! Zounds!

best,
j.

Catching Up!

Oof! I can't believe I forgot to post this final piece after initially teasing with a cropped shot of Jett's head. The lump of bearded flesh hanging onto Jett is me. This was drawn to accompany an interview conducted by a friend of mine and appeared in Toronto's Pink Pages magazine.

Hope everyone's having a great summer (or winter if you're on the other side of the world)!
best,
j.

Devil of a Time!

Last week the incredibly talented Mr. Michael Wiggam sent me three more colored Guy a Day drawings! I love what he did with these, as I've loved all the pics. The bottom night scene is particularly beautiful. Thanks, Michael!
This past weekend was the Second Annual Toronto Burlesque Festival! After missing it last year I was determined to see as much of the event as possible this year! And I'm glad as heck that I did! I saw so many fantastic performances that I've been drawing burlesque ladies all weekend. Recently men have started to perform burlesque...called "Boylesque", they've been hitting the stage with the gals! The highlight of my weekend (besides getting to see the delicious Coco Framboise perform live) was seeing the amazing HOT TODDY, not once but TWICE!! He is astounding! Words can't do justice to his act, you've got to see it for yourself. It's no wonder he won Best Boylesque at the Burlesque Hall of Fame 2009 awards in Las Vegas this year.

I saw him first in his Devil act, the end result of which you see here. Two nights later he blew me away again in a pajama and pillow routine alongside Toronto's own Boylesque troupe. The boys were great, but Hot Toddy was clearly the star of the show!

More Hot Toddy drawings are in the works!

best,
j.

Ice Cream!

Ah, Summer! A time for ice cream, days at the beach, nights on a friendly restaurant patio, guys in shorts, beach volleyball, and on and on and on...

Unfortunately Toronto is currently under the crushing grip of a city-wide garbage strike. It's not so horrible in the downtown core but the parks that are being used as waste storage facilities are tragically overfilling! I keep thinking of books like "Blindness" and "Day of the Triffids" where the accumulation of garbage (and corpses) bring on the rat infestation and terrible diseases. Of course, there are worse places to live...so I'll try to focus on my blessings...like living in a neighbourhood with lots of men in shorts and friendly restaurant patios.

j.

Bloody Beefcake!

This month, July 22nd to be precise, the adaptation of Richard Stark's (aka Donald Westlake) first Parker novel "The Hunter" is released in better bookstores and comic book shops! It's drawn and adapted by my buddy and superstar artist Darwyn Cooke! Over on his "Almost Darwyn Cooke" blog (click his name) blog supervisor Cal is running a cool draw Parker contest. This is my entry!

The guy's a pretty ruthless character, from what I'm told. The books have been adapted a few times in film...I cribbed this list from The Violent World of Parker website:

* Made in U.S.A. (based on The Jugger)
* Point Blank (based on The Hunter)
* Mise à Sac [Pillaged] (based on The Score)
* The Split (based on The Seventh)
* The Outfit (based on The Outfit)
* Slayground (based on Slayground)
* Payback (based on The Hunter)

Check out the site for reviews of the films. Darwyn's done interviews all over the net about the book and his favourite screen versions (see above blog link). I'm pretty darned sure that the Lee Marvin Point Blank is considered by Cooke as one of the better movies based on Westlake/Stark's work! I tried for some of Marvin's meatiness in my own drawing...but no one beats Darwyn for drawing tough guys! From Slam Bradley, to Stark (a character in SELENA'S BIG SCORE, who looks more than a little like Lee Marvin) to Flagg and many of the old-school superheroes in The NEW FRONTIER Cooke draws men with weathered faces and hands like meat-mitts!

j.

From Flesh to Photoshop!

Since the last update, right after Pride, I've been doing a lot of sketching from the photos I took of hot Pride men! I thought it'd be more of a challenge to make each drawing an illustration rather than just a sketch of a guy in basically the same pose as my photo. So I'm playing around with cartooning the guys, or putting them in fabricated scenarios. At this point I'm not even sure if the guy in the chair is based on anyone in particular! I suppose loosely he's based on a few different guys I saw.

I'm well into collecting my drawings together for the sketchbook. I'll keep you all posted on it's progress and give some sneak peaks of things as I work up cover ideas and themes. Already I find that I've done quite a few more leather drawings than I ever thought! Is it because leather outfits are superheroic in design? Is it my love of He-Man expressing itself as leather harnesses?

best,
j.