Sunday, January 6, 2019

Doug in Studio, Dark Horse Books

Doug spent the early part of his professional career in Montreal and Toronto before moving his family to Orillia, which is 80 miles north of Toronto.  He works on the third floor of his home-studio overlooking Lake Couchiching.


In addition to his self-published book, Unpublished Sneyd - which debuted at his first comics-cartoon convention June 2007 in San Jose, California, Doug worked with Dark Horse Books to publish The Art of Doug Sneyd; the 248-page hardcover book debuted at the San Diego Comic-Con in July 2011 and features 270 of his full-page color Playboy cartoons.


His second publication with Dark Horse Books is Secret Sneyd and features 250 of his favorite unpublished loose-style cartoon roughs from the thousands he submitted to Playboy since the early 1960s.  The 280-page hardcover book was released April 2017.


Both books can be purchased at:


If interested in Doug's available full-page color Playboy originals, hand-drawn preliminary pencil and color roughs, loose-style cartoon roughs or 10 x 14 and 11 x 17 watercolor originals, please contact us through the Doug Sneyd Premium Gallery at:


It's been a pleasure the past 11 years to share Doug's artwork, convention appearances, fun times meeting fans, talking with fellow artists and our travels on the the blog; thank you for your interest and support.  I've enjoyed doing these blog posts and will continue to post available artwork on CAF this year.

(blog entries by Heidi Hutson)

Doug's Final Full-Page Color Playboy Cartoon

The January/February 2016 issue of Playboy was the last to feature full-page color cartoons.  Doug's first cartoon appeared on p. 205 in the September 1964 issue; this was his final appearance in the magazine.

caption:  "It was a fantastic night, Babs!  First he took me to a charming little restaurant no one's ever heard of and then he showed me an erogenous zone I never knew existed."  


All of Doug's preliminary development pencil and color roughs and full-page color cartoons in Playboy since the early 1960s were done by hand - overlays were common.

This pencil rough, image area 7 1/2 x 10, was done on heavy tracing vellum.


The cover of the January-February 2016 issue featured Pamela Anderson, who appeared on 14 covers.  Her first cover was in October 1989.


To see more of Doug's Playboy available cartoon originals as well as preliminary pencil and color roughs, visit the Doug Sneyd Premium Gallery at:



(blog entries by Heidi Hutson)

Playboy Cartoon With Prelims: January-February 2013

caption:  "Looking for a midnight noisemaker?"


Approved - "OK color page H" in black Sharpie - loose-style color gag rough; full-page color cartoon published in the January-February 2013 issue (p. 107).


early pencil rough (image area:  7 7/8 x 10 on heavy tracing vellum) to block out the characters and set the scene


follow-up pencil rough (image area 7 1/2 x 10 on heavy tracing vellum)


later pencil rough refining details to the main characters; all of Doug's pencil prelims were hand-drawn


Over the years, Playboy published close to 500 of Doug's cartoons -  all were rendered on Arches of France cold press art board using Dr. Ph. Martin's aniline dyes.  Image area:  approximately 13 1/2 x 18 1/4.


(blog entries by Heidi Hutson)

Early 11 x 17 Limited Edition Prints

After Doug's first comics-cartoon convention in June 2007 in San Diego, California, he decided to add 11 x 17 limited edition prints (numbered 1 through 25 or 1 through 50) to his convention inventory of Playboy cartoon originals, preliminary pencil and color roughs and personalized copies of Unpublished Sneyd

His first print - from an 11 x 17 original rendered on Arches of France cold press art board using aniline dyes - featured a blond in lingerie drinking a martini.  

(Please note, however, how the hand-drawn preliminary pencil and color roughs differ from the final art.)


first pencil rough on heavy tracing paper; image area 4 x 8 1/4


second pencil rough on heavy tracing paper; image area 4 x 8


third pencil rough on light tracing paper; image area 4 x 8 - notice the addition of lingerie and deciding where to add the Sneyd signature



a quick color test on heavy glossy paper; image area 3 1/4 x 3 1/2

first of two hand-drawn color roughs on heavy card stock; image area 4 x 8


second color rough on heavy card stock; image area 5 x 10 - notice changes Doug made before going to final art, especially changing a cigarillo to a martini


11 x 17 limited edition print of a redhead holding a cigarillo


hand-drawn color rough on heavy card stock; image area 4 x 7 1/2


These hand-drawn pencil and color preliminary roughs are available on the Doug Sneyd Premium Gallery at:


(blog entries by Heidi Hutson)

Doug's First Full-Page Color Playboy Cartoon



Doug first full-page color cartoon was published on p.  205 in the September 1964 issue.  The image area of his originals is approximately 13 1/2 x 18 1/4; all have been rendered on Arches of France cold press art board using Dr. Ph. Martin's aniline dyes.

Arches of France has produced high quality paper since 1492 in the Vosges region of France; in 2017 the company was granted the "Enterprise du Patrimoine Vivant" (Living Heritage Company) status by the French government.  Hermes, Cristalleries Saint-Louis, Baccarat, Chanel, DeBuyer and Garner Thiebaut have also earned LHC recognition.


caption:  "He wants to know if we make deliveries!" 

The cartoon was also reproduced on p. 71 in The Art of Doug Sneyd, published by Dark Horse Books in July 2011.  The 248-page hardcover, also available in a softcover edition, features 270 of Doug's Playboy cartoons.

For availability of originals, contact Doug through the Doug Sneyd Premium Gallery at:


(blog entries by Heidi Hutson)

Watercolor Original: Doug's Bunny Profile

Since Doug's first comics-cartoon convention - June 2007 in San Jose, California, he's drawn thousands of bunny profiles for attendees and fans of his work in Playboy; his first full-page color cartoon was published in the September 1964 issue, page 205.

In addition to a commissioned bunny - rendered on Arches of France watercolor paper or art board  using Dr. Ph. Martin's aniline dyes - copies of Unpublished Sneyd were sold with a pencil/black and white bunny profile sketch on the Introduction page.  The self-published book featured a collection of Doug's favorite unpublished cartoon gag roughs.

Four 8 x 10 bunny profile originals (pink, green, orange or turquoise) are available in the Doug Sneyd Premium Gallery/Original Art at:



(blog entries by Heidi Hutson)

January 2004: 50th Anniversary Issue

Since the first issue of Playboy, covers featured both gorgeous ladies and the iconic Bunny - an exception, however, was the January 2004 Fiftieth Anniversary Issue.  The Bunny had the cover to himself.


Doug had two cartoons in the issue:

• "Well, your singing was off-key, but I really like the big finish."  on p. 141 of the 318-page issue.  The cartoon was also reproduced on p. 215 in The Art of Doug Sneyd, a 248-page hardcover book published by Dark Horse Books in July 2011.  It features 270 of Doug's full-page color cartoons.

• "Your husband should be home shortly, Mrs. Simpson.  He's pulling out now."  on p. 161.

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




Vol. 8, No. 9 - September 1961



Vol. 7, No. 10 - October 1960



Vol. 5, No. 11 -  November 1958

(blog entries by Heidi Hutson)