Playboy Cartoon Pencil Rough Sequence: March 2002

caption:  "I had over 1000 hits last month and I don't even have a website."

Although many comics-cartoon artists typically work with graphics programs, all of Doug's preliminary pencil/color roughs and full-page color cartoons published in Playboy since the early 1960s were done by hand.  

Here's a preliminary pencil rough sequence - all done on heavy tracing vellum - for the March 2002 cartoon published on p. 79.

first preliminary pencil rough blocking out the characters and setting the scene; image area 7 x 9 - notice two Sneyd logos visible.  It's also common to see notes jotted down in the margins:  CTY Sat@10:00

second preliminary pencil rough; image area  7 x 8 3/4

third preliminary pencil rough; image area 7 x 8 3/4 with lounge patrons and TV screens more detailed

fourth preliminary pencil rough with several overlays, which are common in Doug's hand-drawn prelims; image area 6 3/4 x 8 1/2 - notice the man seated at a laptop is now wearing glasses and dressed more casually (no tie or cuff links)

final preliminary pencil rough; image area 7 1/8 x 9 with good detailing for lounge patrons

To see more available Playboy cartoon originals and preliminary pencil/color roughs, visit the Doug Sneyd Premium Gallery at:

www.comicartfans.com

(blog entries by Heidi Hutson)

Playboy Gag Rough Rejects - Enjoy!

Since the early 1960s, Doug has submitted thousands of loose-style gag roughs to Playboy.  Of course, not all could be selected for final art and ultimate publication in the magazine.  

Enjoy these unpublished Sneyd originals, featuring the humor of some of his talented gag writers.  

The process started with a quick, loose sketch (8 1/2 x 11) to block out the characters and set the scene.  

The final step - before mailing the gag roughs to a cartoon meeting for Hef's review and selection - was to add Doug's signature with the writer's initials under it.  This identification was important:  since Playboy paid the gag writers directly, it allowed the magazine to match initials with mailing addresses and issue the checks to the right people.   

To see some of Doug's favorite unpublished gag roughs, check out Secret Sneyd: The Unpublished Cartoons of Doug Sneyd, published by Dark Horse Books in April 2017.  The 280-page hardcover book features 250 of his loose-style originals published in 10 chapters: Conversations, Hookers, Just Sex, Fun & Games, Relationships, Once Upon A Time, Inappropriate Behavior, Happy Holidays, Santa Baby and Potpourri.  

It's available through:

Amazon.com

DarkHorse.com

PenquinRandomHouse.com

BarnesandNoble.com

Chapters.Indigo.ca

(blog entries by Heidi Hutson)

Playboy Cartoon With Preliminaries: March 1996

Doug's 2-column color cartoon was published in the March 1996 (p. 133) issue of Playboy.

caption:  "Well, I'm not a computer system, Harry.  I can't be entered with just a password!"

Hef's approved - "OK color 2 column HMH" in red pencil - loose-style gag rough original, on 24 lb 8 1/2 x 11 copy paper

final pencil rough - with image area of 6 x 7 3/4 - on heavy tracing vellum

color rough, xeroxed on 24 lb 8 1/2 x 11 copy paper; Doug typically xeroxes the final pencil rough and then applies aniline dyes to "test" color selections before going to final art.  Note changes in the man and woman's hair color as well as the office artwork.

To see available Playboy cartoon originals, approved loose-style gag rough originals and preliminary pencil/color roughs, visit the Doug Sneyd Premium Gallery at:

www.comicartfans.com

(blog entries by Heidi Hutson)

Playboy Cartoon: March 2007

Doug's full-page color cartoon was published in the March 2007 issue on p. 102.

caption:  "No need to ask what killed him."

Hef's approved - "OK color page H" in red pencil - loose-style gag rough original, 8 1/2 x 11 on 24 lb copy paper

preliminary pencil rough - image area 7 1/2 x 9 3/4 on heavy tracing vellum

To see more available Playboy originals, approved loose-style gag rough originals and preliminary pencil/color roughs, visit the Doug Sneyd Premium Gallery at:

www.comicartfans.com

The March 2007 full-page color cartoon was also reproduced on p. 113 in The Art of Doug Sneyd, published by Dark Horse Books in July 2011.  The 248-page hardcover book, also available in a softcover edition, features 270 of Doug's nearly 500 cartoons published in Playboy since the early 1960s.

March 2007 cover; Doug's cartoon was published on p. 102.

(blog entries by Heidi Hutson)