Monday, September 10, 2012

Q is for Queequeg

This week's entry for AlphaBooks probably needs no introduction, but in case you haven't gotten around to reading Herman Melville's Moby-Dick, Queequeg is the tattooed Polynesian harpooner who befriends the narrator (a.k.a. Ishmael) in the opening chapters of the book. Though at first Ishmael is fearful of the "savage cannibal," he quickly comes to admire & trust him, as well he might, because Queequeg is definitely a mensch!

Given his strength as a character, his striking visuals & the fact that there aren't a whole lot of "Q" characters to choose from, I'm betting there will be a slew of Queequegs in this week's AlphaBooks! I'm looking forward to the Queequeg parade.

I actually remembered to throw in a few "Q"s in the illo this time-- last week I was so rushed that I completely forgot to "P"! ;-) I'll have to go back & tweak that one when I fill out the alphabet.

Acrylic on text scanned from a 1992 Modern Library edition (with the wonderful Rockwell Kent illustrations), ~ 5.75" x 8.75"


5 comments:

  1. Wow! This is wonderful. You better watch it! Someone may see this and commission you to design tattoos. I am serious. Someone actually contacted me to design a tattoo of a tree which scared the heck out of me. Hahahah! Always a pleasure to see a post from you.

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  2. By the way, after this project is done, iy will be terrific to have it published!

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  3. This character scares me just a little. But I definitely think you should get your series published when its done.

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  4. Seeing Queequeg in your list makes me so happy. (I was bummed when Ben Towle drew Ahab because that meant he wouldn't do Queequeg when the time came.) Kudos. It's a beautiful drawing, and I like the "hidden" Qs.

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  5. I wonder if there are Queens that people might use for Q? That might give more options, though I realize that isn't exactly a name.

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