The WEEK OF RU: Day 4

Thanks, everyone, for participating in the final day of voting for the WEEK OF RU! I'll be changing the format for the final 3 days, so be sure to check in on Facebook and Twitter tomorrow morning! So! Who took the top 2 spots today?

Well, first up is ADORE DELANO!

I think Adore is going to keep things really interesting. She’s got a Willam kind of thing going on, throwing out one-liners and projecting an off-kilter cockiness. Her character will be polarizing among fans, as will her edgy sense of style. But behind the bravado, this queen is funny, and she's gorgeous. She'll probably have some rough edges, some stumbles, but she's one to watch.

In a cast with so many more experienced queens, I see Adore and Laganja as two fierce upstarts in the season. Adore will bring comedy, style, and her vocal talents, whereas Laganja contributes her fierce personality, over-the-top fashion, and dance moves.

(Oh, and I should say that I designed a T shirt for Adore, and we should hopefully be seeing that soon! It's pretty badass, so watch for it!)

 And finally, Ms. Kelly Mantle!

I've been a huge fan of Kelly ever since I first started hearing about her last summer--yes, I might have stumbled across some rumors that she was in Season 6. As soon as I saw this fabulous video of hers, I was hooked.

Kelly has a really unusual temperament for a drag queen--she comes across as laid back, unshakable. Like, the Drag Race is just another gig--no big deal. I don't expect a lot of drama from Kelly, but I do expect her to bring a ton of talent to the stage. She's a comedian, an actress, a singer. She might not often steal the spotlight, but she's going to be a serious contender.

And any queen who can trade Ani Difranco lyrics with me on Twitter has the official Chad Sell seal of approval!

The WEEK OF RU: Day 2

Wowza! What a day! As I started to tally up today's votes, I really had no idea who'd be in the top 2. And it was a close one! The top 4 queens were all within 20 points of each other, after hundreds of fans participated! So, yeah! Thanks for another fabulous day!

I'm especially excited to announce that Miss Darienne Lake came out on top! I think Darienne is an absolute delight--gorgeous, hilarious, and sweet as hell. The drag mama of Pandora Boxx, Darienne has been in the drag world for, well, a long time, and she's sure to be a fan favorite during Season 6. How could you watch her "Meet the Queens" video and not fall in love?

I'm hoping for great, great things from Miss Darienne Lake.

Tonight's second spot could have gone either way (I'm sorry, Ben and Adore! You were soooo close!), but Courtney Act won out!

Of all the Season 6 queens, I actually had the hardest time capturing the likeness of "the most beautiful man in the world," because, well, he's so pretty! It was hard to pick out any one distinguishing feature amid the glorious radiance of Courtney.

I'm curious, in fact, whether the high, polished shine she brings to the competition will help or hinder her. She's already garnered a huge fanbase around the world, and for good reasons--besides her beauty, she's talented and funny as hell! But despite the recent seasons' embrace of the underdog drag queens, I wouldn't be surprised if Courtney takes the crown.

Voting for the WEEK OF RU will continue Saturday morning! There are still so many queen portraits I'm dying to share! So, I mean, I hope you're not entirely sick of this already! Thanks, everyone! Mwah!

The WEEK OF RU: Day 1

Wow! The WEEK OF RU got off to such a great start today! Thanks so, so much to all the queens and to all of you fabulous fans for participating! It’s so nice to see that you’re all as thrilled about these queen as I am, and it’s really amazing to share in the excitement with my Drag Race illustrations!

I’ll be the first to admit that the voting process on Twitter and Facebook was far from scientific, but I did my best to tally things up. And it was close!

Milk came out with the most votes, and here’s my take on that: There are a lot of incredible queens in the Season 6 cast, and many of them are well known in the drag community. For months, there had been rumors about the more established queens who had made it onto the show, but despite all the gossip, no one was ready for MILK!

Milk’s irreverent humor and delightful genderfuckery were an immediate hit with the fans, and the fact that no one knows anything about her just adds to the appeal--she’s a total wildcard, a queen of unlimited possibilities!

And she’s really, really fun to draw!

Laganja has a lot of buzz surrounding her, and it’s clear she’s learned a lot from her superstar drag mama Alyssa Edwards. In a cast filled to the brim with comedy queens, Laganja is pure performance--I suspect her killer dance moves will send a whole lotta queens home this season.

I’ll admit that this portrait is probably too reserved and unassuming for Laganja--it’ll take a lot more art to capture her over-sized character throughout the season! I think she’ll be a livewire, dramatic and divine. She has a huge fanbase already, and like Milk, she appeals to fans of a looser, more irreverent take on drag. But despite her stoner sense of humor, I think she’s focused, fierce, and ferocious.

The WEEK OF RU continues tomorrow morning! Thanks again, everyone!

Nostalgia, excitement.

 

I'm pretty far along with my first art of the Season 6 Drag Race queens, but I haven't set a date to reveal them all!

Also, I've been preparing a lot of my favorite RPDR art for a giant print run of postcards which has been fun. I love looking back on my first art of Raja, Manila, and Delta from Season 3, though this mega-portrait I did of Ru will probably be the best thing I ever do.

Check out the non-animated version below!

2013: Stringing together some words about it.

2013 was a big year for me! Not to make too big a deal of it, but I turned 30 in May. More importantly, it was my first full year supporting myself with freelance work. And it kind of makes sense that those two milestones coincided with one another. It can take a long time to build confidence and skills as an artist. And it's an even greater struggle to make any money as one. So I'm glad to have gotten through the tumultuous years of my twenties with only a few scars, bruises, and moderate psychological trauma.

I'm also overwhelmed with gratitude to all of you for your support over the years--even when I've doubted myself, there's always been such a persistent positivity from you to bolster my spirits. Plus, it's through all your online purchases on my website, Etsy, and FAB.com that I first started making any money through my work! And seriously, I was staggered by how many holiday orders I got this year during my print sale. It's a lot of work to print and package each order myself, but it's so, so satisfying to have such a direct connection with my fans.

Drawing the Drag Race started out as such a simple little project, so it's particularly mind-blowing that it's led me in so many different directions. Besides drawing Season 5 of Rupaul's Drag Race early in the year, I returned to the "lost" first season and drew those incredible queens, too. I also did most of the art and animation for DRAGOPOLIS, a game for iOS and Android devices, illustrated some outrageous queens for the party game DRAG BALL, and even contributed a tiny bit of animation to Alaska's debut music video Ru Girl.

So, yeah, I've drawn a lot of drag queens this year. Which is amazing and totally ridiculous. But besides all the reality TV drama that's popularized queens in pop culture, it's been fabulous to meet and befriend some of the best drag queens in Chicago since moving here in June--seeing how they work, perform, and grow gives me a much more grounded and humane look at these artists beyond the scope of reality television.

Despite all the fun of drawing the drag world, I'll always love/hate/struggle the most with drawing my personal comics projects. My comics are what send me to my most inspired, excited places, and then they lead to the deepest, darkest existential despair when they don't live up to my expectations.

This year, I experimented with shorter stories to work on my writing skills, hone my process, and narrow down my technique. My two favorite comics of the year are MANTA-DAD and this crazy, animated story starring Sachiko, the PART-TIME NINJA!

I'm planning a lot more of these experimental short comics for 2014, though I'd also like to develop some longer work, too. But it's hard to say. I've got a very complicated relationship with my comics--sometimes we get along so well, and sometimes we fight. But I always come crawling back for more.

Regardless, you'll be able to see all my new comics this spring at a bunch of comics shows! So far, I'm already lined up for TCAF in Toronto and C2E2 right here in Chicago! So exciting.

Also, there's SEASON 6 of Rupaul's Drag Race, which is a big thing. Despite all my crazy comics ambitions, you can expect to see a lot of drag queens from me in 2014, because seriously. 

Thanks again for all your support in 2013! Happy New Year, and Don't F*ck It Up.

RuPaul's Drag Race: Season 1, Episode 9

What a reunion! Remember the good ol' days, when we got some real drama and closure at the end of each Drag Race season? Well, actually, I hadn't remembered how good they were, so watching this week's was a very pleasant surprise.

Tammie is a legend, and I'm so glad she was on this first season... even if she isn't. She admitted that she was relieved to go home so early in the season, and I don't blame her. The crazy interchange she had with Ru at the end of the reunion got clouded by weird metaphors and tangents, but I think she was basically saying: Why does there have to be judging, why do we have to compete?

You get a bunch of talented queens together, they get to know each other, and then you pit them against each other for a moderate amount of money and fame. It can be brutal, which wasn't for Tammie. And I've sometimes felt the same way--particularly during the toxic drama of Season 5. I'd much prefer to see the queens hanging out and getting along.

But that doesn't make for compelling TV. There's just something so tantalizing about the classic reality show competition format. Despite how arbitrary, maddening, and convoluted the structure of the show, it hooks you.

Ru's rant in response was also a little hard to follow. I think the gist of it was something to the effect of: You've gotta be tough and strong, bitches, 'cause the world's a rough place for all of us. And something about Dorothy and The Wizard of Oz.

In any case, it was fabulous to visit with each of the season's queens. All of them looked good, too. Ongina's headpiece was pretty terrifying (was that alligator head real??) but her attitude was sunny as ever.

Ongina

Nina's sleek hair and spooky eyes accented one of her more distinctive looks, and they inspired my favorite portrait of her!

Nina

Throughout the season, Bebe has inspired some of the most detailed, elaborate, and realistic Drag Race portraits I've ever done, but for my final piece, I tried to scale it back a bit, sticking with a simpler style. And I'm glad I did! When people talk about my "Drag Race style," they're usually thinking about the more minimal, "flat" look that they see more often in my earlier work. ...But it's nice to trot it back out every once in a while!

Bebe

Thanks so much for checking out my weekly updates for Season 1! I plan to collect the work into another art book, so keep an eye out for updates!

I'm relieved that Season 6 of the Drag Race won't start up until February--I need a break! But until then, follow me on Twitter, Facebook, or gossip with me in the RuPaul's Drag Race Reddit! 

T Shirts!

I've recently learned how to make silkscreen prints, and I've had a ton of fun! I've posted a lot of my prints in my Etsy store, though I'll be posting the occasional screenprinted T shirts here. Printing by hand on shirts is hard, and I'm not terribly good at it. I think these shirts look really great, and I'm proud to sell them, but please be forgiving of some minor printing mistakes and quirks if you purchase any of them!

I had the best luck with this crazy design, based on a Japanese demon, or Oni. I have a few shirts available in small, medium, and large sizes. I think it's a really fun, striking design, though some of the printing came out a little crooked.

The design was printed on pretty basic Gildan cotton shirts. They were all washed after printing to test for fading, and they came out well!

Shipping is $5 for all these shirts, and I will only be shipping them within the US.

[add_to_cart item="500" quantity="user:1" ]

I really love the design of this Pretty Purple Lady, but it was one of my attempts at printing on shirts, so I only had a few good ones turn out!

In any case, these are also printed on Gildan cotton shirts and have been pre-washed to test for fading.

[add_to_cart item="501" quantity="user:1" ]

RuPaul's Drag Race: Season 1, Episode 8

Okay, some quick thoughts on the "finale" episode of this first season: Cazwell was hilarious. His reactions to the queens' rapping were flawless. His utter disdain for Rebecca? Jaw-dropping.

Wait, rapping queens? Sure, okay.

Lunch with Ru: Bebe and Nina both had lovely Tic Tac lunches with Ru, opening up about all sorts of emotional stuff. Ru was clearly grateful to both of them for giving her crazy new TV show a try. Throughout her stagnant, limp lunch with Rebecca, Ru's internal monologue went something like, "HOLY GOD SERIOUSLY WHAT WAS I THINKING" and "Can we edit Shannel back into this show?"

Crowning a winner in reality TV is always tricky. For RPDR Seasons 1-3, they featured the winner being crowned, collapsing in a fit of joy and bewilderment, but then there's not much else. Roll credits! You want some sort of pay-off, some grander celebration. Like, maybe Ru and the winner run off and become best friends. And maybe they rob some banks, I dunno.

For Seasons 4 and 5, the show went to extreme lengths to prevent spoilers, filming sequences in which all three final queens are crowned. And then they only really find out who won during a live event in NYC that coincides with the airing of the show. So unless you're there in New York, you can't see the queen's actual reaction to her win. So, for everyone at home, it feels like you didn't see the "real" finale to the show.

Why not broadcast the NYC crowning live? It would be messy, loud, and chaotic, but that would give a much better sense of what a real drag show is like. Queens might have to deal with wardrobe malfunctions, broken heels, or snatched wigs, but all the better! It would be utterly riveting. And don't you think those queens would really work their asses off performing in front of those live cameras? It would separate the girls from the queens.

Anyway, I know it will never happen. I'm sure broadcasting live television is a total nightmare. For Season 6, I'm just praying for a more satisfying conclusion than the limp "reunion" episodes we've gotten the past two years.

Oh, right! Back to the beginning: Season 1.

Nina and Bebe are both great, agreed.

Nina stole our hearts in the workroom with her infectious energy and optimism...

Nina

...but Bebe really ruled the runway. She's arguably the most elegant and regal queen this show has ever seen.

Bebe

So... LONG LIVE THE QUEEN!

RuPaul's Drag Race: Season 1, Episode 7

The clip show! Traditionally, on the week of each season's clip show, I like to go back and draw any queens or outfits I missed the first time through. The one queen I regretted not drawing earlier is Jade! I really enjoyed Jade's contribution to the show, and she's gorgeous as hell! So I tried to capture her most elegant runway outfit:

Jade

I also wanted to go back and draw the gorgeous gown and headdress Bebe wore for the MAC challenge--especially because I've been thinking of using the illustration for the cover of this season's book collection! What do you think?

Bebe

I don't know whether the book collection should be called The Lost Season or The Lost Queens. Would the latter sound too... grim?

RuPaul's Drag Race: Season 1, Episode 6

For the sixth season of the Drag Race next year, can they just repeat all the first season's challenges? Like, everything? I want to see another vogue-off, please, please. Do another Oprah challenge--maybe this time you can get the Queen of All Media herself to show up. Hose off some of the queens on the hood of a fancy car. Seriously, this season has had a lot of magnificent, funny, crazy challenges. More voguing. What is a drag show without voguing? (And yes, that's how you spell it. Wikipedia says so.) Even this Absolut challenge was pretty good. I always love this point in the season--The "Ball" episodes serve up a ton of gorgeous runway looks. The Absolut theme gave each queen a distinct color palette, which was surely a huge challenge for some of them, but I was impressed with the vivid looks they came up with. (Which made it hard choosing which ones to draw!)

Also, I want to see more random celebrity appearances in the workroom. Did they even explain why Charo showed up? She was magnificent. It was fun. More of that!

I took this episode as an opportunity to finally draw Rebecca, because she was pretty stunning. Maybe some of the detailing of the dress was overdone and a little corn-y, but I can conveniently leave those elements out of my illustration! Art is magic.

Rebecca

There's been a lot of orange this season. When I think Lost Season, I think orange. But Shannel pulled off the color smashingly--I especially loved her Executive Realness and Swimwear looks. They had a youthfulness and lightness that sometimes gets lost in Shannel's more theatrical, overwrought outfits. The long, dark hair and whimsical headdress/hat/hair poof she sported for the swimwear ensemble were just too striking to ignore, so I had to draw 'em.

Shannel

I'll reiterate that Shannel is the greatest character of Season 1--everything you'd want in a reality TV star. Ego, looks, talent, and a flair for the theatrical.

In re-watching this episode, I was blindsided by Shannel's choice to kick herself off--a twist I had totally forgotten from my first viewing years ago. She seemed to have a change of heart and gave a good lip sync, but I can't help but dwell on the fact that two of the nine contestants this season, Tammie and Shannel, burned out and expressed interest in leaving the competition.

Maybe it's nothing, but I'd speculate that they just didn't really know what they were getting themselves into. It was the first season of this crazy show, so it was an unknown quantity. Each queen has their own scene, their own clubs, their own audience. Most of them had been doing their own thing for years prior to the show, and so they were most likely shocked at how unfamiliar the Drag Race set was, how different it was from their past experiences. I can only imagine that the shooting process of this show was grueling and surreal, with an unclear pay-off. Who knew if anyone would ever watch or care about this show?

Obviously, after running for so many seasons, I like to think that queens know what they're getting themselves into when applying for the show. But... I'm not so sure.

In any case, I should get around to my final piece for this episode: Bebe!

Bebe

I was just struck speechless by Bebe's raspberry-themed looks. The sleek, simple dress with that severe, Japanese-inspired hair. She had, by far, the most imposing challenge with those fickle little raspberries, but her use of them was smart and elegant.

This queen is good.

Just... gagging.

RuPaul's Drag Race: Season 1, Episode 5

Can we talk about Shannel for a bit? This cast has a lot of lovable queens and a ton of talent, but there's no character quite like Shannel. She's the one who reliably makes the best reality TV--the drama, the exhibitionism, the style, the ego! Whether it's calculated or just her typical charisma and competitive nature, she brings a hunger and driving force to the show that the other queens don't. Nina and Ongina are energetic and radiant, but they're too nice to bring the drama. Bebe tends to be too withdrawn in the workroom, and Rebecca is... well, she's Rebecca. 

You might roll your eyes at some of her theatrics or her jaw-dropping costumes, but her contribution to the show is undeniable.

Shannel

Plus, she looked damn good in this episode. And her partner Sweepea was just the best.

This show has had a lot of really spectacular makeover challenges over its five seasons, but I think this one still stands above the rest. There's something just so fascinating and totally endearing about a bunch of butch ladies getting made over by flamboyant men. It captures the vast spectrum of gender expression in such a crystal clear way, entire college seminars should unpack everything going on here. In subsequent seasons, when the queens are paired with various men to transform into queens, there just isn't the same juxtaposition. (Yes, those episodes are often highlights of each season, but in different ways.)

If only Drag U had captured the same energy, right?

Anyway, Shannel and Sweepee should have won. Yes, Rebecca forced her partner Tempele into a fairly good likeness of herself, but only after grinding away any last vestige of goodwill we might have felt for her.

Nina

I had to draw Nina as an evil Disney stepmother, because clearly. Also, her partner really reminded me of Cece's roommate from New Girl. Or am I just crazy?

Okay, and... Ongina.

Obviously, she's great. Ongina brought so much energy, positivity, and humor to the show that it's hard to imagine the season going on without her.

Ongina

I wanted to try something a little different in this week's illustration of her--with my previous drawings of Ongina, I felt like my digital style wasn't capturing some of the softness of her face, so I tried doing a more traditional drawing on paper with pencil and charcoal, then adding some color digitally.

It was great to see Ru give Ongina such a heartfelt goodbye. Seeing that crack in his composure added to the weight of the moment and the sincerity of his praise. I wish we'd see more of those rough edges in subsequent seasons. (Let it allll out, girl!)

RuPaul's Drag Race: Season 1, Episode 4

Once again, while re-watching this first season, I'm struck by how much the producers got right in this short little "lost" stretch of episodes. The lead-up to the mini-challenge, where the queens give feedback on their peers, was surprisingly candid and interesting without resorting to (too much) cattiness. And having the queens make each other over was brilliant! Not to mention the intriguing results, seeing their faces painted in dramatically different styles. Nina looked soft and understated, Ongina looked fresh-faced and lovely, and Bebe gave Rebecca a smoldering, smoky eye.

I always feel bad for the shy queens on this show. We get some screen time with this season's two quieter queens, Jade and Rebecca, but they express dramatically different attitudes. Rebecca, irritated that the other girls don't "get" her, says fuck 'em. Jade realizes that her introverted personality isn't anyone else's fault, and she needs to step up her game.

The Viva Glam challenge was an especially complicated one--how do you balance a socially conscious message of HIV prevention and research while also projecting an image of yourself as glamorous and fun? Nearly all the queens stumbled, in variously hilarious ways. The way they edited Shannel's wandering monologue was laugh-out-loud funny, resulting from yet another misunderstanding of the challenge's criteria. (Do you think in subsequent seasons they've been extra careful about meticulously spelling out the requirements for each challenge to avoid these blatant screw-ups?)

Rebecca's breakdown was a face-palm moment, Nina's language problems continued to plague her, and Jade just plain missed the mark, despite bringing more energy and confidence than I had expected. Bebe, however, brought a sincerity and seriousness to her commercial shoot, as well as a stunning outfit. But Ongina was the clear winner. Oh, Ongina! Just the best.

Ongina

It's interesting to look at the first season's (mostly) awkward MAC commercials compared to some of the stand-out film shoots of Season Five. For their perfume commercial, we got funny, smart performances from Alaska, Jinkx, and Detox. (Some painful ones from the other queens, but still.) Nowadays, it seems like the queens are generally much more media savvy, experienced in promoting themselves, shooting crazy YouTube videos, pandering to legions of Twitter fans. The queens from that first season seemed much more awkward in front of the camera, not sure of how to present themselves, how to act on a film set.

This week's runway looks were mostly underwhelming. Rebecca's outfit was a trainwreck. And that makeup? Yeesh. A lot of the queens wore dark, understated dresses that were hard to see through the greased up camera lens. I did love Nina's feathery flourish, though, and her tall column of hair.

Nina

And Bebe served up a dynamite look. Sure, there are a lot of mixed opinions out there about her, but week to week, I find myself saying, "Ooh, I want to draw her in that! And that! And that!" There's something so engaging and unique about her style that keeps me coming back for more.

Bebe

Was anyone else surprised that Jade was selected to sashay away? She definitely had better moves and more stage presence than Ms. Glasscock, but maybe she still came across as too tightly wound, too choreographed? Or maybe, with Rebecca's simmering attitude and conflict with the other queens, she was kept on purely for the sake of drama.

It's a shame! I had really been hoping to draw Jade this season, but none of her runway looks really jumped out at me. Maybe I need to go see her perform live here in Chicago and ask for a personal modeling session?

RuPaul's Drag Race: Season 1, Episode 3

Lordy, what a legendary episode! Seriously, this should be considered one of the all-time classics of Drag Race herstory. It started off slow, with Ru's weird trivia introduction to the week's challenge. And then... Oprah? A bunch of activities based around Oprah?

But man, the funny/strange/sweet/insane moments started piling up, one after another, culminating in one of the most memorable lip syncs ever on the show.

First, Shannel's over-the-top excitement and certainty that, at any moment, she is absolutely definitely going to meet Oprah. Every time Ru shows up, surely it must be to drag Oprah from behind a curtain and meet her biggest fan. Seeing Shannel so giddy and joyful revealed a sunnier side to the shadiest queen of the season. And girl, I wish you had gotten to meet Oprah.

And then Jade, sweet and sultry Jade, begging Bebe for some dark foundation to serve up some blackface realness. Oooooh my. What a trainwreck that could have been. Kudos to the other queens for stepping in and offering some sanity. Wowza.

Despite Nina's worries about the challenge, she overcame her language problems through sheer pluck and personality by laughing at herself and rolling with the punches. Seriously, signing off from her newscast with "This is your name, good night," was just the absolute best.

I loved the interview sections, too. Seeing the queens shoot the shit with a couple random celebrities made for some great TV. And my favorite part was Ru bringing Tori and Dean to the workroom afterward and hanging out with the girls. So fun and light-hearted, a great way to break the tension after the queens ran themselves ragged throughout the challenge.

Nina

It's strange that it took three episodes to offer the contestants a chance to wear their own clothes on the runway. Nina's wig and make-up were divine, and I loved the color palette of her look. Her styling lends itself well to a more angular, geometric illustration approach, which I love love love playing with.

Ongina

Ongina's look was gorgeous--so sleek and sexy, accented with her whimsical doll headpiece. Even though she didn't get a ton of screen time during the main challenge, it was great to see her shine on the runway.

Shannel had a lot of missteps this episode, with the crazy red dress she wore during the challenge, and her overeager interview, but her Medusa look was certainly a stunner. I drew this super cartoony take on it last year in preparation for All-Stars. (A sidenote: It's interesting to see how much Shannel changed between the first season and All-Stars. In the later season, she seemed much goofier, light-hearted, and humbled, as opposed to the I've-already-won attitude she wields throughout the first.)

Shannel-All-Stars

In any case, Shannel brought it for her lip sync. Did those snakes fly off by accident, or not? If it was intentional, it was a superbly calculated move on her part. I tend to think it was just a serendipitous slip, but who knows?

Speaking of missteps, we can't forget Akashia. Man! Tripping on the runway! A disaster, but one she handled admirably.

Bebe

This week's runway also offered up Bebe's most memorable and magnificent outfit. And that wig! Everything about Bebe's walk down the runway just screamed sex, elegance, and power. That combined with her strong, centered performance in the main challenge finally showed her as a real competitor for this season.

RuPaul's Drag Race: Season 1, Episode 2

Did anyone else start feeling claustrophobic this week, scratching at the walls as things heated up in this pressure cooker of an episode? The intense scenes of the groups working and arguing with each other felt really different than what we’ve gotten used to in subsequent seasons.

The bulk of the main challenge was shot really intimately, with lots of close-ups, and you couldn't look away from all the conflicts brewing among the queens. It was smart to give each queen a different responsibility for her group, to see how they could contribute and convince the other queens of their ideas. It came together for Ongina’s team (go, girl!) but for Akashia’s, well… all I can say is: Poor Tammie!

Miss Tammie Brown gave it her all in this challenge, gamely going along with a group that didn't want her. Sure, most of her ideas didn’t fit the fishy fashion the others wanted, but they could have at least considered those capes!

The other girls just didn't get Tammie, and my guess is that most viewers didn't either when this season first aired. But it also became increasingly clear that Tammie didn't get this show, either. She didn't anticipate the intensity of the competition, and after being steamrolled by Akashia throughout the whole challenge, she wasn’t willing to fight for her spot during the final lip sync.

Tammie

It was a shame, because I would have absolutely loved to see more of her-- and I’m not talking about her nip slip during the girl group performance!

Overall, I thought this first group challenge was fabulous--intense, fun, and it separated the queens from the girls. However, since we didn't get a proper runway show, I wasn't left with especially memorable outfits to illustrate.

Serving_fish

Ongina’s team “Serving Fish” lived up to their name, except for that crazy, cartoonish hair! Those giant, poofy wigs? I just… I couldn't. The standout performance was from Ongina--although half the height of the other queens, she had double the energy and attitude.

I actually loved the fashion and attitude of Akashia’s team “3D” despite Tammie and Akashia’s sloppy dancing. Bebe really stood out--I live for the fierce intensity she brought to the lip sync. Those facial expressions! Good lord. But she really faded into the background during the workroom scenes. I’m interested to see her trajectory over the course of the season, whether she emerges more as a personality among the cast, or whether she only shines onstage.

Bebe

CHICAGO QUEENS

If you follow me on Facebook or Twitter, you've probably heard that I moved to Chicago earlier this summer, which was quite a change from Ann Arbor, Michigan, where I'd been since 2006. But one of the most exciting developments is that I finally live in a city where I can regularly see, meet, and hang out with drag queens! Like, in real life! I know, kind of a big deal, right? I've already fallen in love with so many of these girls, and I've only been here a few months! It was hard to pick just five of my favorite queens to draw in this first batch, but rest assured that I plan to draw many more during my time in the Windy City.

And since these aren't queens you've seen on the Drag Race (yet?), I'll tell you a little bit about each one, and I'll share some fabulous photos courtesy of FierceFinder Studio + Neverland!

SISSY SPASTIK

[nggallery id=13]

Sissy is actually the very first queen I met in Chicago--in fact, she braved the crazy crowds of a comics convention to come meet me where I was exhibiting! (I think she dug seeing some of the more outlandish cosplayer makeup.) Sissy embraces a hard-edged high fashion style, which I just love. She cites Annie Lennox and Grace Jones as inspiration--gagging, yet? I love a queen who embraces androgyny and defies expectations. Plus, she's a hell of a performer, too!

KIM CHI

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My meager illustration skills cannot capture the full majesty of Kim Chi. She's impossibly tall, gorgeous, and she's an artist. Seriously, every one of her looks is a masterpiece. She adds to her skyscraper height with towering headpieces she meticulously makes herself. I couldn't even fit half of that amazing peacock creation in this drawing. (Helping her climb out of the cramped basement dressing room with that atop her head is a whoooole 'nother story.)

Kim is also kind, considerate, and lacks the ego you would typically find in a queen as talented as she is. She brings a really quirky, creative sensibility to her performances, and sometimes even... some fake blood.

RUBY DEE

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Ruby is a queen like no other. She's got a smoldering, sinister look, but she's also widely regarded as one of the best performers among the Chicago queens. She consumes the stage, commanding your attention and doing highkicks like you wouldn't believe. Seriously, I like to get up close when she's performing, but there have been some times when she's up there and I'm all "OH GOD SHE'S GOING TO BREAK MY FACE!" But really, don't be afraid of Ruby. She knows what she's doing.

PEARL

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Pearl is a ravishingly beautiful blond bombshell who looks like she just walked  out of 40's Hollywood... and also might be a robot. The first time I saw her perform, I thought, "My God! She's so GORGEOUS!" And then she started moving around the stage like a partially dysfunctional sexbot, and I was hooked. She combines an intoxicating beauty with a deranged wit and MY GOD SHE'S SO GORGEOUS!

SHEA COULEÉ

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Shea is one of the fiercest queens in Chicago. Period. Every single g*ddamn second she's onstage is electric. Once she starts dancing, you can't take your eyes off her. Seriously, I dare you to try.

She's got the moves, the style, and those eyes! Nothing like 'em. If you have a chance to go see Shea, you do it. 

So if you're in Chicago, go see and support these queens! (And if you see me in the crowd of adoring fans, say hi!) All the incredible photos in this post are courtesy of FierceFinder Studio, and they were taken at events organized by Neverland, which puts on DRAG CARNAGE, a fabulous monthly drag extravaganza, and its monthly Neverland parties.

All these queens have also performed in DRAG MATINEE, a fantastic show hosted by the inimitable Trannika Rex every two weeks! So there are plenty of chances to go see these queens, and you should! Seriously, my illustrations don't do them justice.

Stay tuned for more art and more queens!

RuPaul's Drag Race: Season 5, Episode 13

So, the season ends, and I'm met with mixed emotions. I love the weekly excitement of each new episode, getting to know and illustrate all my favorite girls... but it can also be exhausting, especially since life likes to throw other things into my schedule besides illustrating drag queens. Regardless, I'm endlessly grateful that I've fallen into this crazy line of work, and that so many of you have responded with such enthusiasm about it. During the season, I pretty much structure my entire life around my weekly illustrations, but I can only maintain that momentum for so long before needing a break! If you follow me on Facebook or Twitter, you might have heard about my quick little trip out to LA last week--and yes, it was to attend the taping of the finale! What a crazy few weeks! First, my work was featured on last week's recap episode, then I got to see the actual filming of the show! I'm really appreciative of So Much Drama! Studios for arranging the whole adventure, and I'm SO excited that our game RuPaul's Drag Race: DRAGOPOLIS is finally out! I did nearly all the art and animation in the game, so if you like my Drag Race work, you should definitely check it out!

In any case, I was fascinated to see how the televised version of the finale matched up to my memories of the taping. Obviously, I can't divulge any juicy secrets, but let's dive into it, shall we?

If you're invested enough in the Drag Race to follow the blog of some random fan art fanatic like me, you've probably heard how the finale was structured--three alternate endings were shot, with each queen winning the crown, and the real winner was revealed at a live event in NYC, where each queen performed in person. I'm a little jealous of everyone at the party in New York, because I'm sure the performances were a hell of a lot more rousing than the opening number of the reunion--my boyfriend (who never watches the show) said it best: "They all look bored."

Penny

But given my own experience the day of the shoot, I can understand why--those queens had been waiting around for hours and hours before the show began. They weren't bored, they were tired. One huge lesson learned from the taping was that good TV takes time! All the lighting, the cameras, the sound equipment--not to mention the make-up, choreography, and rehearsals--it made me realize what a miracle each episode of the show is, how many talented professionals behind the scenes work long, long hours to make it all happen.

So I can't blame the girls for such a subdued opening act. Even from out in the audience, it was clear that some of the queens just didn't want to be there. I'm sure some are still bitter about being booted off the show too soon, or being turned into a punchline. But one of the welcome surprises was from Penny Tration, who maintained a buoyant sense of good-natured goofiness throughout the shoot. (Maybe it helps that she was dressed like a deranged clown!)

Given how much time we've spent with the final three queens in the last few weeks, I was most excited to revisit some of the queens we hadn't seen in a while. Monica looked gorgeous in her flowing pink gown, and Lineysha was serving up a striking avian headpiece, even if, as usual, her personality wasn't as compelling as her fashion choices.

Ivy

Ivy Winters looked more sleek and glamorous than she had all season, and she projected a sense of fun, quirky charm that I hadn't seen during the competition. Although she struggled to stand out amid the over-sized personalities of the other contestants, she's obviously gorgeous and talented, and it was great to see her win the title of Miss Congeniality. The best part (which sadly didn't make it to TV) was seeing Latrice try to fit the sash over Ivy's colossal feather headpiece. (It took a while.)

After the season's endless drama between Coco and Alyssa, it was a relief to finally see them acting nicely with each other, despite some playful sparring. As many others have pointed out, Alyssa is clearly a breakout star of the season, and it's no wonder!--her infectious zeal for performance, her over-sized expressions, the way she cracks herself up with her own jokes? You can't take your eyes off her!

Alyssa

And yet, she always leaves you scratching your head--from the audience, it looked like her white dress was speckled with blood, which was an odd choice. I debated it with others in the audience, and we just couldn't figure out why Alyssa would be wearing that. Maybe Alaska, maybe Sharon, but Alussa? We struggled to come up with a reason, like, maybe she's referencing all the tussles she got into throughout the season? As I was looking at red carpet photos of the dress, I realized it was actually patterned with red roses, but that's only apparent upon close examination. Is it supposed to work on multiple levels? Like so much of what Alyssa does, it's hard to tell if she's in on the joke or not.

But hey, at least we finally learned what "Alyssa's secret" is!

Detox

Detox pretty much stole the show with both her attitude and her show-stopping film noir look. This finale reaffirmed her fierceness, and it's easy to understand her bitterness at not making it into the final three. Not that she needs the crown, or not yet. (Future winner of ALL STARS, Season 2?)

The crazy dance break that interrupted Detox's interview was just as abrupt and bizarre in person as it was on the screen. But it was a little dirtier, since they edited out some of the, uh, floppier bits. Shawn and Jason, the Pit Crew, were onstage with all those Andrew Christian models, but a lot of what they were doing wasn't quite appropriate for television. (Let's just say that Andrew Christian underwear leaves a lot of, uh, wiggle room.)

Whew! Finally! We've made it to the top three! Geez, this reunion episode was long, wasn't it? It was heartening to hear Roxxxy's apologies, and I was swayed by her sincerity. I think she's gone a long way toward rehabilitating her image, and you couldn't help but feel her pain as she talked about losing her drag mother, Erica Andrews.

Alaska-Reunion

But you can always count on Alaska to break up the sentimental moments with a bracing jolt of wit. Although I didn't love her final look--so much pink!--I love that queen so much.

Picking between her and Jinkx must have been tough. Although Jinkx was the clear frontrunner, she peaked a little too early in the season--she delivered some highlights with her Day of the Dead look, her outrageous lip sync, and her veteran's makeover, but nothing could quite match her transcendental channeling of Little Edie during the Snatch Game. And Alaska started gaining momentum too late in the game--because of Rolaskatox, and the Sharon comparisons--and it took a while for viewers to really get her.

And so Jinkx took home the crown, which will hopefully serve as a springboard for innumerable other fabulous accomplishments. Besides the usual club tours, I'm so excited to see that Jinkx has already booked a number of performances in NYC for her show, The Vaudevillians, a fabulous duo act with Major Scales. I'm jealous of all you New Yorkers who get to see the show, though I'm optimistic that she's a star that will keep shining for a long, long time. Here's to MONSOON SEASON!

Jinkx

Thanks for following all this season's work! It means a lot to get such great encouragement, and all your support has really taken me tremendously far this past year. The attention I've gotten from my Drag Race work is largely what has allowed me to make a living doing what I love to do, and that's pretty much all a guy can ask for. How cool is it that my "day job" is drawing drag queens for posters, comics, and video games?

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Speaking of all that, I've updated The Sellout Store to feature this week's latest Drag Race art, and I've made50 QUEENS, the book collection of my favorite Season 5 art, available for pre-order! I'm still working on the final cover design and layout, but I'm planning to have the book printed and mailed out by the end of the month!

If that's still not enough Drag Race art for you, I've also got another FAB.COM sale scheduled to start May 21st! They'll be featuring exclusive 18" x 24" prints of my Season 5 queens!

If you've enjoyed my work this season, check out my crazy comics and see a whole other side of how my brain works!

Pre-order 50 QUEENS Now!

I'm now taking pre-orders for my book 50 QUEENS, which collects all my favorite art from RuPaul's Drag Race: Season 5. Although I'm still working on the layout and cover design, it will be a full-color 5.5" x 7.5" book, and I'm planning to send out copies by the end of May! 50 QUEENS is $10 + $2 shipping, and it will be shipped separately from any other orders.

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Quick update! Good news, bad news!

So! It's been a really exciting few weeks, but unfortunately, all the developments and travel haven't allowed me the time to create the work I wanted to for the clip show this week! It's thrilling that my artwork made it into the show, and I'm absolutely planning some spectacular things for the finale, but that means there may not be any new artwork this week. Many apologies, all! There's lots more to come! Thanks so much for your support!

RuPaul's Drag Race: Season 5, Episode 12

Well! These "finale" episodes are tricky, because you're left with a cliffhanger ending and the feeling that nothing really happened--no one got kicked off, no one won, we're left frantically voting for our favorite queen on every form of social media under the sun. But a lot did happen this week. Or, at least a lot of ridiculous and lovely antics.

All season, Alaska has continually been set up as sort of a brilliant, deranged clown. There have been several weeks where the editing makes her seem like she's failing miserably (and in the case of the chiffonography, hilariously) but when we see the final results, she kills it. Is it all manipulation by the editors? Does Alaska intentionally clown around during rehearsals? Any way you slice it, it's worked for her this season.

It helps that this episode had so many ridiculous aspects to the challenge, keeping things fast paced and full of schtick. I loved how buoyant and playful Jinkx was during the car shoot. The "chipmunkery" was insane, as was Alaska's flailing chiffonography. Both Jinkx and Alaska let loose in the courtroom shoot, and I died hearing Jinkx's elaborate back stories for each character.

Mathu Andersen provided a perfect, dry "straight man" to the queens' antics, delivering delicious one-liners that cut straight to the bone. Mathu does really provocative drag, himself, and posts thoughtful commentary on his Facebook page, which is worth a look!

The queens' lunch conversations with Ru sort of fell flat for me this season. It seemed like they were mostly treading on old ground, so even though the scenes were emotional, they weren't particularly revealing. However, I think it was brilliant to juxtapose those warm, affirmational segments with Gloria Allred's incisive, no-nonsense prep sessions with the girls. I LOVED that she called out Roxxxy's "pageant babble".

No matter what you feel about Roxxxy--whether you think she's just playing mind-games, or that she regrets lashing out, or that she's just a bully--I think the key to understanding her issues with Alaska and Jinkx was in hearing that she sees their campy humor as "making fun" of drag itself. Which is strange, because Roxxxy herself can be really funny, but her ultimate goal is always glamour, and it kills her that other queens don't take that as seriously as she does. But that approach is fundamentally flawed. To me, it's like trying out for a school play because you like to wear fun outfits. Sure, the costumes and stage make-up are part of the process, but they're secondary to your performance on stage, your ability to embody a character and entertain the audience.

There's room in this world for many different approaches to drag, and I'm glad that the Drag Race celebrates a fairly large variety of them. But as I've mentioned in previous posts, it's clear that the focus of this show has shifted more toward the performance-oriented queens, the ones with character and the ability to leave a crowd roaring with delight. And it kills Roxxxy that she's been left behind.

Ultimately, it's down to Alaska and Jinkx. I'd be truly delighted if either won. I hold both in such high esteem, and they've endlessly surpassed my expectations all season.

Jinkx_animated

Jinkx is a consistent delight--her broad array of talents and staunch professionalism deliver every time. Her fashion choices have been a mixed bag, but as she said, she's been listening to criticism and improving her looks. Even though her final dress was fairly simple, has she ever looked more gorgeous? It seems like she's still got the majority of fan support, and she'll probably win.

Alaska

However, Alaska is, and always has been, a wildcard. She doesn't have as diverse a skill set as Jinkx, and her performances have been up and down. But when she gets a foothold and comes up with a clever concept or retort, there just ain't nothing like Alaska. She's edgy, provocative, and has provided the most jaw-dropping, gut-bustingly funny moments of the season.

So it's any girl's game! We're all just left waiting for Judge Rudy's verdict!

Judge_Ru

As always, this week's portraits of Jinkx and Alaska are both available to purchase on The Sellout Store, so go check that out! I've also been thinking about making smaller 5" x 7" prints of my Drag Race work available online--is anyone into that? It would be a way of celebrating your favorite queens, but for those without much wallspace and/or framing skills. And yes, I'm working on a book collection of my best work from Season 5, and it will be available for pre-order soon!

And finally, I'll be exhibiting at C2E2 in Chicago this weekend, Friday-Sunday! It's a giant comics and pop cultural show, and it will be crazy. I'll be at Table R16 in Artists Alley with my Drag Race work and my new comic MANTA-DAD! So you should absolutely come, and maybe even buy discounted advance tickets!

RuPaul's Drag Race: Season 5, Episode 11

This is the episode I had been waiting for, and dreading. Who would make it to the final three? I've been preoccupied with that question all season, and we finally got our answer, with a few swerves along the way. Despite her uproariously funny puppet performance, Alaska seemed destined to go. She stumbled through the most basic of choreography for the girls' routine, and her candy couture dress was literally falling apart as she prepped for the runway. From the season's start, I've had the nagging worry that Alaska wouldn't make it to the end, given all the early comparisons of her with Sharon Needles, and then increasingly Jinkx! Surely Ru wouldn't have two "funny queens" in her final three!?

Alaska

But this season has had a lot of unexpected turns from the beginning--starting with the cast of queens. From its onset, I've been struck by this season's focus on performers and comedy queens. Yeah, obviously you've got Jinkx as a triple threat, Alaska's subversive humor, and Detox's unique brand of lip sync. But remember Ivy's wild assortment of circus skills and Alyssa's impressive dancing background? She didn't stick around long enough to show it, but Honey Mahogany is a fantastic singer, too. This ensemble was loaded with talent above and beyond the expected for a drag show.

Roxxxy claimed that Jinkx made it this far entirely on luck, that the challenges seemed custom built for a queen with her talents. But girl, there's no luck in reality TV. This season has been all about performance--singing, dancing, comedy, comedy, comedy. It wasn't luck, it was a clear shift on the part of Ru and the production team. All that being said, I don't know what it all means--does Ru want a queen who can do it all, or have all these performance challenges been strung together just because they make for the best TV?

Roxxxy

It's the answer to that question that will determine the winner of this Race.

Roxxxy would have rocked this show in its earlier seasons. She's gorgeous, stylish, and brings a boatload of energy and enthusiasm to every challenge. Facing off against previous winners like Bebe or Tyra Sanchez, Roxxxy probably could have snatched the crown from either one of them. But in Season 5? I'm not sure. Given the shift in this show's priorities, I don't know if she's a viable contender. But on the other hand, I could see how RuPaul wouldn't want to set the precedent of consistently rewarding the campy/comedy/edgy queens, and so she might pick a queen like Roxxxy who embodies the highest ideals of glamour and polish in drag.

Detox

In any other season, Detox would have stood out from the pack--and she did in the early episodes! I thought she was the clear frontrunner, given her fierce combination of style, skills, and stunningly distinctive looks. She's a magnificent queen, and well-rounded, but she had a hard time standing out in later challenges. When it came to acting and singing, Jinkx had an edge. In comedy challenges, it was hard to top Alaska's razor sharp wit. I love Detox's edgy outfits and expressive physical comedy, and I'm glad she made it so far into this competition.

Jinkx

I don't know if it was luck, or a thread of fate woven by Ru and her production team, but Jinkx was certainly fortunate to face off against Detox performing one of the most eccentric (and delightful) song selections in Drag Race herstory. Like she said, the song was perfectly suited to Jinkx's love of schtick, and she channeled its quirky charms through every inch of her being. Jinkx had clearly thought out the whole number, bringing distinctive choreography and character to it, and she justified her place in the final three.

Do you think it'll come down to Jinkx and Alaska? What a lip sync that would be! Throughout the season's second half, Jinkx has emerged as the fan-favorite to win, but Alaska has really picked up steam in just the last few weeks. And she's the one queen who can reliably crack up Ru in the workroom. So, it's anybody's game! And it should be a hell of a show.

I don't know if we get the clip show next, or what, but during the "recap week," I'm hoping to draw some of the best queens and outfits I missed earlier in the season, so share your suggestions below. And yes, finally: ALYSSA.

And remember: buy prints and books of my Drag Race work right here and on Etsy!