A New Day For True West

[Bob Boze Bell]

December 29, 2008
A crazed couple of days with family obligations, a court date and serious painting. Finally finished the "Brother In Arms" study. Here 'tis:



Pretty nice likenesses, if I do say so myself. Notice how Pat Garrett's rifle intersects the Kid's head. I have one word to say about that:

Intended.

Ha.

The snow storm that rolled in on Saturday, didn't leave much snow, but the clouds were sure inspiring. Here's a study I whipped out yesterday:



"I went to a massage parlor. It was self service."
—Rodney Dangerfield

[XkimpunkrockX]

That is a really great painting.
I paint also but I am an abstract painter, realism escapes me.
There are so many stories about Billy and Pat that were made into movies. My favorite is The Outlaw. Like they say when the legend becomes fact, print the legend.

[Bob Boze Bell]

Thanks. I'm excited about doing the big oil. It's going to be a big sucker, about 32 X 46. It's a commission for a new Billy the Kid museum in Ruidoso, New Mexico. Yes, the history in the Outlaw is mighty weak, but oh, that is one fine rack. Very accurate. Ha.

[David]

As always, your painting of Pat and The Kid is great stuff with a lot of BBB character interlaced.

[Bob Boze Bell]

Thanks David. I just downloaded a slew of reference photos for the actual painting. I basically have all of the props that I show Pat Garrett wearing in the study, so I put them on and had Kathy shoot me in the back yard. When I got to thinking how much each prop cost me, I kind of blanched. I'll try and post those after lunch.

[Betty Lou Shepard Dowell]

Bob, I didn't know you were an artist. My husband is also an artist. He does a lot of portraiture. Disneyland wanted him to set up shop for them. He said that would then be his recrealtion becoming a job. He wouldn't do that.

[Jack Shuster]

Let me know if you come to Ruidoso with the painting. We can get some of the Lincoln County Regulators (SASS) together and grow.

[Bob Boze Bell]

December 30, 2008
Getting ready to attack the big oil painting of "Brother In Arms." So, on Sunday, I gathered all of my Pat Garrett props and threw them on an inexpensive model (me), and had Kathy shoot a dozen pics in the back yard.



After I finished the study I had numerous questions, or problems to solve, before I attack the big oil painting. In part, I wanted to know what the light would do to the buffalo coat as it went from direct light to shadow. I wanted to know what you could see of how the shadows would work on Garrett's hat if he turned to look into the sun, and I wanted to know exactly what shadows his rifle would produce. But most importantly I wanted to know how the light would reflect on Garrett's sheriff badge.

Since I had virtually every prop that Garrett's wearing I decided to put them on and take a series of photos to find out the answers. Here's a closeup by Ms. Radina of the items in question:



You may notice that I'm not wearing the buffalo cap. I took a series with that cap on, but I didn't like it as well as the broad brimmed hat series, so I'm considering changing to that headgear.

meanwhile, just for grins I tabulated the cost of my props and here they are:

• 1873 Winchester, $1,000 (a gift from Kathy, who bought it from John Gilchrease)

• Colts .45, $750 (bought used from Phoenix Pawn)

• Red River Gun Belt, $150

• Buffalo Coat, $300 (Big Bug Creek Antique Store)

• Custom, high top boots, $500 (Johnny Weinkauf bootmaker)

• Lincoln County Sheriff's badge, $260 (Badge collection)

• Vest, $75 (Custom suit from End of Trail)

• Cargo pants, $25 (Thomas Charles leftover bin)

And finally, the reason all of these props fit: a heart attack operation at Kingman Regional Hospital, $131,000 (Healthcare Net).

Ha.

Gee, I wonder what the great Henri has to say about this?

"An artist who does not use his imagination, is a mechanic."
—Robert Henri, The Art Spirit

[David Lambert]

Nice work, but am I wrong in assuming the cuffs Billy is wearing wouldn't be around until the late 1880s/early 1890s?

[Bob Boze Bell]

Good eye David. Yes, the cuffs will have to go. I also got an email on the accuracy of the 1873 Winchester that the Kid is holding. Evidently someone is claiming another rifle, which I'll find.

[Bob Boze Bell]

Here it is. I found it:

On Dec 29, 2008, at 5:22 PM, Don Worsham wrote:
"Is the Kid holding a Whitney-Kennedy rifle? I'm reading Gunfighters, The Outlaws and their Weapons. It states Billy owned a Whitney-Kenndey rifle."
—Don Worsham

" While I'm not entirely trusting of Billy the Kid's alleged weapons (in my Billy book I feature two pages of alleged weapons) I am aware of the Whitney-Kennedy angle. I may change the painting to give the Kid something more exotic, since we know Garrett carried Billy Wilson's 1873 Winchester and having them carry the same thing.
—BBB