Shoe Business

First, a little old business. Some people told me that they didn't get the last email, so I wanted to mention that the new cover features dogs based on photos from the Mendlow family (Phil, Fran & Susana, and I believe Susana's roommate Rachel) and Kevin Marbury. Thanks again. This week's dog comes courtesy Joann McVicker. (Please check it out in the book preview below). Sadly, I am still desperately behind on emailing high-resolution JPGs of dog drawings to the people who have been kind enough to send me photos, so if you want yours, feel free to send me an email with a small but potent guilt trip and I will get right to it.

As for this week's installment, I'm happy with the drawing, but now that I'm looking at it, I wonder if our hero might be more likely to be lounging around with his shoes off instead of on. On the other hand, I sometimes lounge around with my shoes on, so I don't think it's a completely bizarre drawing. It may be a completely bizarre character trait to lounge around with your shoes on, but if so, I'm unqualified to judge.

As always, PLEASE SEND ME YOUR DOGS. If you have friends who have dogs, tell them about this email, and have them SEND ME THEIR DOGS. Please.

More soon, promise. In the meantime, keep sending in dog photos (thanks to all of those I got this week!!), write me emails, make some comments on the blog, read the story so far or check out seltzerstudio.com.

Open publication

Judge This Book by its Cover

I was just about to send off the latest installment, when I realized that I'd grown sick of looking at the old cover. It was the only ink & watercolor piece left, and it looked more and more out of place with every new drawing I finished. So I whipped up a new cover, seen below on the snazzy story-so-far document at the bottom of this post.

This cover features dogs based on photos from the Mendlow family (Phil, Fran & Susana, and I'm guessing Susana's roommate Rebecca) and Kevin Marbury. The interior dog is, well, Rob Brown, but that's neither here nor there. I was originally going to feature Joann McVicker's dog – the drawing came out really well – but it didn't fit with the spread and will have to wait until next week.

By the way, I'm going to email everyone whose dog gets drawn a print-resolution JPG of their drawing. I should get everyone whose dog I've already drawn his or her drawing by next week (it's been a busy week). In the meantime, SEND ME YOUR DOGS. If you have friends who have dogs, tell them about this email, and have them SEND ME THEIR DOGS. Please.

More soon, promise. In the meantime, keep sending in dog photos (thanks to all of those I got this week!!), write me emails, make some comments on the blog, read the story so far or check out seltzerstudio.com.

Open publication

Tom Seltzer Will Draw Your Dog

As I've said before, thanks to everyone who sends me a picture of their dog to use in the book. Of course, I will draw your dog absolutely gratis, and send you a print-resolution of the drawing JPG as a thank-you. I could not be more grateful to everyone who participates.

But I have gotten inquiries as to whether I would be willing to draw or paint dogs on commission, not for use in the book. And I said I'd post on that.

Here’s what I’m thinking: A pen, brush & ink – with or without a color wash added – on acid-free archival paper, up to 11” x 14”, will go for $150, plus shipping. (That’s the same technique as I’m using for the dog pictures in the book.) A full-on watercolor painting on acid-free archival quality paper, up to 11” x 14”, will go for $350, plus shipping.

I do believe that I’ll have to charge sales tax on these, too. I haven’t checked officially, but my understanding is that when an actual object changes hands, as opposed to merely the rights to reproduce the objects, the boys in Albany want their cut.

Test of Some New Tech

Let's see if this works:

Open publication - Free publishing

Drawing Dogs for Money

With this latest page, I have, I believe, finally caught up to where I was before I decided to switch illustration techniques. All new material up ahead! The story progresses! The drama develops!

But that's not what you care about, is it? You care about dogs. When am I going to draw more dogs? Am I drawing more dogs today? When am I going to draw your dog? How about cats? Cats are kind of like dogs, right?

The answers are, respectively: 1) Just finished one now, 2) Probably, 3) Today!*, 4) What about cats exactly?, and 5) No, they're not. Honestly, people, cats are not dogs. We are all adults here. That should not be news.

The other question I keep getting is, will you draw dog portraits on commission? Well, I've never thought about it before, but the answer is sure, happily. Turns out I really like drawing dogs. I'll post information about pricing here on the blog, or you can contact me via email. Spread the word!

More soon, promise. In the meantime, keep sending in dog photos (thanks to all of those I got this week!), write me emails, make some comments on the blog, read the story so far or check out seltzerstudio.com.

* assuming that you are Cara Spenser, whose dog graces the last page of this week's PDF; and if you're not Cara, sorry for getting your hopes up.

The Core of the Dilemma

So last week I got ahead of myself, and, having drawn a mess of doggies and a new page of the book, I sent off an email with a picture of the doggies that also had a link to a PDF of the book so far. That PDF included the image above. So those readers who checked out the link – passionate, dedicated readers, (therefore) thin, good-looking readers – have already read this page. But other readers – less passionate, less dedicated, (and also quite possibly, but not necessarily) thin, good-looking readers – have not. How to resolve this dilemma, to bring in new material for some without leaving out the rest?

Stepping in to save the day is Rob Brown, model for the Part-Time Dog and also actor for New York's own Dysfunctional Theatre, which just staged an extrememly well-received revival of Arsenic and Old Lace. Rob played Mortimer, the role played by Cary Grant in the movie version. Those of you who haven't seen the movie really should – it's great, and you won't be able to see Rob in the production, because it ended its run last week. However, you can amuse yourself by reading the glowing reviews and see actual photos of the Part-Time Dog his own self in these articles from New York Press, Off-Off-Online, New York Theatre.com, and Backstage. Then check out the Dysfunctional Theatre's website to keep an eye out for the next production. (I would have sent these links around earlier, but Rob didn't send them to me until last week, confirming that Rob's destiny is definitely on the stage and not in, say, PR.)

Next up, a new page, with more dog pictures. In the meantime, keep sending in dog photos (thanks to all of those I got this week!), write me emails, make some comments on the blog or read the story so far.