Say, What's The Big Idea?

I drew this character, but then as often happens to me, I wasn't quite sure what to do with him. I ended up trying to make him look like he was on the cover of an old book. The aging effects look OK I guess, but it doesn't really look like something that would be on a book cover.

I also had trouble finding a font that looked like it was from the 1940s. I think the problem with coming up with a suitable font is that back in the 1940s and 1950s they rarely used them, or if they did there were only a handful available. Back then most signage was hand lettered rather than typeset. Lettering has pretty much become a lost art.

Since I wasn't happy with the book cover look, I gave it another shot and put him on a distressed tin sign.

I'm still not crazy about either version. I need to revisit this illustration some day.

Also, I didn't really plan it, but after I drew him I thought he looked a lot like Fred Mertz.

Both versions were drawn in Photoshop with the graphic tablet.