Farewell, old girl

It was with great sadness that I went down to Hart Plaza on the banks of the Detroit River to say goodbye to an old friend, the US Coast Guard Cutter Mackinaw (WAGB 83).
I served aboard this fine lady in 1981, and consider it to be the happiest time that I spent in the service. She was already 38 years old when I reported to her for duty.

She is heading back up to Cheboygan, Michigan, where she is to be decommisioned in June after over 61 years of service.

She is now painted red, but this drawing reflects how she looked when I served on board.

What a great ship she was. She could break through ice up to 20 feet thick.

Some vitals:

Builder:American Shipbuilding & Drydock Company, Toledo, Ohio.

Displacement:5,252 tons
Length:290 feet
Beam:74.3 feet
Draft:19.5 feet
Speed:15 knots
Propulsion:6 Fairbanks-Morse 10cyl. Diesels 10,000 shaft horsepower
Anchors:2-6,000 pound Bower stockless with 2 inch diameter links
Crew:8 Officers, 67 enlisted
Fuel capacity:276,000 gallons

I understand she is to be turned into a museum. Rest well, old girl. You have earned it !

Robot

Guys, I just can't get excited about this week's subject over at illustration Friday. I'll put up a drawing in a day or so, but it's not going to be a robot. I'm hearing some interest from posters about WWII aircraft, so that could be the next one. I also have heard a request for a Captain America drawing. Let me know what you would like to see. I'm looking for a little inspiration.

SPOTTED

This is this week's entry for Illustration Friday . The topic "spotted" made me think of Jungle Bettie, an incarnation of The "Notorious" Bettie Page. In case you have never heard of her, she was a pin-up girl from 1949-1957.

Although she is famous for her Bondage photos, my favorite photo shoot was the Jungle session that was photographed by the famous Playboy Playmate photographer, Bunny (coinsidence?) Yeager.

I am really looking forward to seeing the new film starring Gretchen Mol.

I have been a huge Bettie Page fan since I was about 8 years old and found my Dad's porn stash (which was very tame by today's standards.)

How many other Bettie fans read this blog? Leave a comment in support of the sexiest woman there ever was!

Speed

This is a drawing I did for Illustration Friday, a site designed to inspire artist creativity. Last Friday, the topic announcement was "SPEED". So here is my drawing. Done with Pen, Brush, and ink. What influenced the topic was an art exhibit in Pontiac that was all about Biker Art.
I was most inspired by the Artwork of Spain Rodriguez, an underground comics artist. I also remember from my Coast Guard days the art of Dave Mann . The guys in the Engine Room were mostly bikers. Click on the drawing for enlarged view.