"Miles Fell Behind"

Detail of illustration (nearly done) for pages 28-29

Details of their journey blurred in George’s memory.

Changes of exhausted horses . . . Maehhumund emerging from dense forests with supply-laden natives . . . warming fires, prepared food . . . travel through water and wind gaps. George, at times in stuporous slumber, progressed northeast day and night. By his side rode the erect Lenape squaw, black hair rolled at her nape, a sacred bundle of bones across her saddleless horse. [Excerpt from "Buttons & Beads" -- text by Gretchen E. Hardy]

The full panoramic image will span two pages. Finished art is 28 inches wide

This early thumbnail sketch is only about two inches wide

Fort Lebanon by Night

This drawing shows George Washington and Wynonah approaching Fort Lebanon in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, one cold night in December 1758. The fort is found empty.

The drawing will act as one half of the back endsheet of the book. The page on which it appears will actually be glued to the inside of the back cover.

This drawing took a few days to do, mostly because of pencil layering required to create a darker scene.

Fort Lebanon in Progress

Washington and Wynonah on horseback survey the abandoned Fort Lebanon by the light of a candle lantern.

This image is a detail of the back endpaper in progress. The entirety of the fort appears in the full drawing.

It is difficult to create the look of darkness in a way that can still be read, but I'm having some success with this so far.

The figures in this drawing are about three-quarters of an inch tall.

Completed Schuylkill County Map

With the practice of the Pennsylvania regional map under my belt I completed the Schuylkill County map in just one day (it's also much less complex).

This map details the area where George and Wynonah brought Uncle Sassoonan's bones to rest, somewhere north of the endless hill Kittatinny Blue Mountain.

The image, along with a bird's eye view of Fort Lebanon, will comprise the back endsheet of the book.

First Finished Art: Front Endsheet

Today is a momentous day! Why? Because the first piece of final artwork has been finished for Buttons & Beads!

Days of preparation, hours of research, many, many sketches, and a single, 24-hour marathon session of drawing have yielded the art seen here.

Lenape Royal Family Tree

Here are some experiments with the Lenape family tree that will appear on the front end paper of the book. The tree will be an approximation of a large old elm. The family names and dates will appear on flowing bands.