Sunday, December 2, 2018

Playboy Cartoon: December 2013

caption:  "How many times do you have to sleep with someone before you put them on your Christmas card list?"


Approved - "OK HMH" in red pencil - Playboy loose-style gag rough; full-page color cartoon was published on p. 85 in the December 2013 issue.


(blog entries by Heidi Hutson)

Playboy Cartoon With Prelims: December 2012

caption:  "Every year I leave Cookie out for Santa."


Since the early 1960s, Doug's submitted thousands of loose-style gag roughs to Playboy; close to 500 were approved by Hef for final art and ultimate publication.

After receiving the notice for an upcoming cartoon meeting, Doug would immediately call and/or email his writers with the requested topics - sports, entertainment, holidays, etc. - and the due date.  He liked to receive their gag lines two weeks before the deadline.  When they arrived, he'd take a couple of days to read them over and select those he thought would be visually interesting and also get a good laugh.

Once the best gags were chosen, he'd go to the drawing board in his studio overlooking Lake Couchiching in Orillia, Ontario and began to work.

The process started with a quick, loose sketch in pencil on standard 8 1/2 x 11 copy paper, to block out the characters and set the scene.  When these were finished, he'd go back, using a black Sharpie permanent marker, and add the caption and details.  Sometimes he'd overlay changes by cutting out a piece of paper, gluing it down, and then drawing over it.  Although some artists work with graphics programs, all of Doug's work was done by hand.  If there was time, he might also decide to enhance the roughs by adding color - first the flesh tones then the other colors, one by one.  He'd lay out six to eight at a time on a work table and add highlights using Dr. Ph. Martin's aniline dyes, which Doug used to render all of his Playboy originals.  This added step made it easier for Hef to quickly visualize the essence of the gag during a meeting that involved hundreds of cartoon roughs from several different artists.

Also at this time, Doug added his signature, generally in a lower corner, 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 checks to the right people.

Approved - "OK color page H" in black Sharpie - loose-style gag rough original, cartoon published in the December 2012 issue on p. 87.


early pencil rough (image area 8 x 8 1/2 on heavy tracing vellum)


later pencil/black Sharpie rough (image area 7 1/2 x 9 1/2 on heavy tracing vellum)



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


(blog entries by Heidi Hutson)

Doug's First Christmas Cartoon - December 1964, p. 117

caption:  "I understand you've been a bad little girl . . .!"


In 1964, a one-year subscription was $8.00 or $20.00 for 3 years.


(blog entries by Heidi Hutson)

Gag Rough Original from Secret Sneyd

Loose-style color gag rough - Chapter 9, Santa Baby, p. 235 - from Secret Sneyd:  The Unpublished Cartoons of Doug Sneyd.

The 280-page hardcover book, published by Dark Horse Books in April 2017, features 250 of Doug's favorite loose-style gag roughs, 8 1/2 x 11, from the thousands he's submitted to Playboy since the early 1960s.


The 280-page hardcover book can be purchased at:



The Secret Sneyd gallery room at CAF - www.comicartfans.com - features a selection of both color and black and white (8 1/2 x 11) loose-style cartoon rough originals published in 10 chapters:  Conversations, Hookers, Just Sex, Fun and Games, Relationships, Once Upon A Time, Inappropriate Behavior, Happy Holidays, Santa Baby and Potpourri.

If you have a copy of Secret Sneyd and find a favorite cartoon rough not posted at the CAF gallery room, please email through CAF for additional information on availability.

(blog entries by Heidi Hutson)

Sunday, November 4, 2018

Approved Gag Rough, Preliminary Roughs: Playboy Cartoon - Sept. 2014

caption:  "Our state-of-the-art computer will help you find the perfect mate for a lifetime of happiness.  On the other hand, if all you're looking for is a one-night stand, I'm available."

The full-page color cartoon (artwork size:  approximately 13 1/2 x 18) was rendered on Arches of France cold press art board using Dr. Ph. Martin's aniline dyes.


The approved - "OK color w/c HMH" in black Sharpie permanent marker - loose-style gag rough was done on 24 lb. 8 1/2 x 11 copy paper using red pencil and Sharpie permanent marker.  Please note:  overlays (see woman's face) are common in Doug's hand-drawn preliminary work.


Early pencil prelim (image area approximately 6 1/2 x 8 1/4) on light tracing vellum - notice placement of Sneyd logo and items on desk


later pencil prelim (image area approximately 6 x 7 1/2) on light tracing vellum - notice changes with man's shirt, items on the desk, placement of the lettering and addition of office back wall


final pencil prelim (image area approximately 5 1/2 x 7 1/8) on light tracing vellum - notice Doug's logo is now in the top right, the girl is holding paper in her left hand, a desk lamp has been added, etc.


color rough (image area approximately 5 1/2 x 7 1/8) on 100% cotton 140 lb. cold press Arches of France watercolor paper using Dr. Ph. Martin's aniline dyes to "test" color selections before going to final art  (please note:  Doug frequently xeroxes the final pencil rough and then applies aniline dyes for the color rough.)




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


(blog entries by Heidi Hutson)

December 1992 Playboy Cartoon With Prelims

caption:  "She's built like you, only not so dramatically."

The full-page color cartoon was published on p. 141 in the December 1992 issue and reproduced on p. 212 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 cartoons - his first was published on p. 205 in the September 1964 issue.


final pencil prelim (image area: 7 3/4 x 10) hand-drawn on heavy tracing vellum


color rough (on 8 1/2 x 11 standard copy paper); please note that Doug typically xeroxes the final pencil rough and then "tests" color selections before going to final art


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


(blog entries by Heidi Hutson)

11 x 14 Pencil Originals

Since I spend a lot of time in my office in Orange Beach, Alabama working on this blog and posting Doug's work on the Doug Sneyd Premium Gallery at CAF - www.comicartfans.com - I asked him to render and frame 11 x 14 pencil originals based on 3 of my favorite cartoons published in Playboy



caption:  "Lydia's the only sure thing in the casino."

October 1994, p. 113, issue and reproduced on the cover of The Art of Doug Sneyd, published by Dark Horse Books in July 2011.  (private collection in the U.K.)



•  caption:  "Can I call you back, Abdul?  I'm on a roll."

October 1992, p. 99, issue and reproduced on p. 181 in The Art of Doug Sneyd, published by Dark Horse Books in July 2011.  (private collection in Vancouver, BC, Canada)



caption:  "I violate local community standards.  What do you do?"

March 1986, p. 117, issue and reproduced on the dust jacket front flap of The Art of Doug Sneyd, published by Dark Horse Books in July 2011.  (private collection in California)

August 1961 Cover

The first issue of Playboy - featuring Marilyn Monroe on the December 1953 cover - was produced in Hef's Hyde Park, Illinois kitchen; it was undated as he was unsure there would be a second issue.  

Despite the magazine's popularity; issues remained undated for several years, but covers consistently featured the suave, sophisticated bunny icon - in the August 1961 issue the rabbit was surrounded by beauties by several of Hef's popular cartoonists: (from left to right, standing) John Dempsey, Richard Taylor, Erich Sokol, Alberto Vargas, Claude (Smith), E. Simms Campbell and (seated) Eldon Dedini.

Doug's first full-page color cartoon was published in the September, p. 205, 1964 issue; it was later reproduced on p. 71 in The Art of Doug Sneyd, published by Dark Horse Books in July 2011.  The 248-page hardcover book featured 270 of his Playboy cartoons.


(blog entries by Heidi Hutson)

Gag Rough Original from Secret Sneyd

Loose-style gag rough - Chapter 8, "Happy Holidays," p. 223 - from Secret Sneyd:  The Unpublished Cartoons of Doug Sneyd.


The 280-page hardcover book, published by Dark Horse Books in April 2017, features 250 of Doug's favorite loose-style gag roughs,  8 1/2 x 11, submitted to Playboy since the early 1960s.


To see available Playboy cartoon originals, preliminary pencil and color roughs and gag rough originals from Secret Sneyd, visit the Doug Sneyd Premium Gallery at:


(blog entries by Heidi Hutson)

Happy Thanksgiving

Over the years, Doug submitted thousands of loose-style gag roughs for cartoon meetings.  

Holidays, of course, were always an important subject for Playboy cartoons . . . enjoy this unpublished 8 1/2 x 11 color gag rough celebrating Thanksgiving.



(blog post by Heidi Hutson)

Sunday, October 7, 2018

Prelims for Cartoon Originals From Playboy Press Publications

In addition to having nearly 500 of Doug's full-page color cartoons published in Playboy magazine since the early 1960s, a limited number of cartoon originals were featured in supplementary collections from Playboy Press/Chicago.

(All of Doug's work for Playboy was rendered on Arches of France cold press art board using Dr. Ph. Martin's aniline dyes; image area approximately 13 1/2 x 18.)

To see these available cartoon originals - some with preliminary roughs, visit the newest CAF gallery room - Cartoon Originals - at the Doug Sneyd Premium Gallery at:



caption:  "I'd like to work you into my circuit training program."


final pencil prelim, on heavy tracing vellum/notice the omission of the second gymnast in the final art


color rough "tests" color selections before going to final art




caption:  "He's really fit - 150 cholesterol, 60 resting pulse rate and a 10 minute recovery time after he comes."


final pencil rough on heavy tracing vellum


color rough


caption:  "She's a lot of blonde for the money, assuming you want a lot blonde and you've got the money."


preliminary pencil rough on heavy tracing vellum


final pencil rough (please note:  overlays are common in Doug's hand-drawn preliminary work)


(blog entries by Heidi Hutson)

Playboy Cartoon: October 2012

caption:  "Follow the white rabbit."


Approved - "OK color page - H" in red pencil - loose-style gag rough original; full-page color cartoon published in the October 2012 issue (p. 115).


early preliminary pencil rough on heavy tracing vellum; image area approximately 7 1/4 x 9 1/2

color rough (image area approximately 7 x 9) on Arches of France 100% cotton 140 Lb. cold press watercolor paper; left side is hand-drawn, right side is a xerox overlay, which are common in Doug's hand-drawn preliminary work


(blog entry by Heidi Hutson)

3 Commercial Advertising Cartoons Posted in New CAF Gallery Room

Three commercial advertising cartoons, commissioned by an ad agency in Toronto in the early 1980s, are now available in a new CAF gallery room - Cartoon Originals - at the Doug Sneyd Premium Gallery at:  


All of Doug's cartoons are rendered on Arches of France cold press art board using Dr. Ph. Martin's aniline dyes.

In 2017, Arches was granted "Entreprise du Patrimoine Vivant" (Living Heritage Company) status by the French government in recognition of its high quality paper making since 1492 in the Arches paper mill in the Vosges region of France.  Hermes, Cristalleries Saint-Louis, Baccarat and Chanel have also earned Living Heritage Company status and act as ambassadors for "Made in France" quality. 

Overall board size is approximately 14 1/2 x 19 1/2; image area is approximately 13 1/2 x 18.

caption:  "Fletcher's into creative writing.  He's ghosting the President's Message 
for our corporate brochure."



caption:  "How do you want me - suave, sophisticated, charismatic, didactic, pedantic, 
or just my usual bastardly self?"



caption:  " . . . there's a cover that says it all."


(blog entries by Heidi Hutson)

Playboy Cartoon: October 2008

 caption:  "You won't find this kind of reality on TV." 


Hef's approved gag rough - "OK H" in red pencil - on 20 lb. standard paper.  Before sending gag rough originals to the Mansion for Hef's selection and approval of new material, Doug added his signature, generally in the lower corner, 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.


color rough, which was typically a xerox copy of the final pencil rough


final preliminary pencil rough


The full-page color cartoon, published on p. 53 in the October 2008 issue of Playboy, was also reproduced on p.  35 (Chapter 2/Pickups, Hookups, Breakups) 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 Playboy cartoons published since the early 1960s.


 (blog entries by Heidi Hutson)