Part 21 - Juan
In the early 1990’s I was looking for an artist to illustrate Petticoat Punishment stories. I wanted to create classics like those written by Nan Gilbert and illustrated by Gene Bilbrew. I tried a few artists and, while they were no doubt talented, there was something lacking. I needed a partner who could begin with my ideas and create something more than I could describe.
I found the work of an artist, Juan Puyal, in the British publications Madame and World of Transvestism. He drew for them for almost twenty years beginning in 1987. Here is a collage of some of his male maid drawings from that period.
NOTE - click on this and any of the following art to see it larger
I contacted his agent through the magazine and commissioned a few drawings to illustrate part of a Reluctant Press story ‘In Training’.
I sent his agent the story and a few basic instructions. In a few weeks I received encouraging pencil drawings.
This was what I was looking for. Juan’s pencil drawings were very detailed and he was quite willing to modify them. I suggested some changes and sent them back. Shortly I had finished ink drawings and Juan and I had the beginning of a partnership.
Juan is Spanish and speaks little English and I speak little Spanish, but he is creative and intelligent so we overcame our communications problem. I asked him for some samples of his published work and pricing. He sent me these.
Finished Pencil – I have done this for a collector. It allows for all sorts of modifications before being fixed with a special spray.
Inked page in strips – This procedure requires more work and is priced depending upon the complexity
Large magazine type
Oil color
I selected inked pages using one or more panels and, in January of 1994, I sent Juan’s agent instructions, including images of some specific clothing I wanted him to use, for my first Sandy Thomas story, ‘Jeff’s Humiliations’. It is available now for sale on Kindle - search for Carole Jean.
As our work together became more voluminous and complex Juan and started working with each other directly and we became good friends. Over time I sent him stories and instructions containing hundreds of thousands of words and many hundreds pages of supporting images. I used a translation program and sent text and instructions in both English and Spanish. While I am sure the translation to Spanish was poor at best and laughable at worst, Juan seemed to appreciate the effort.
Juan sent me these drawings describing how our relationship worked.
Sandy Thomas appreciated his ability and asked if I would be willing to have him illustrate some stories by other authors. I was delighted to agree. I am a very slow writer and all the slower since it is a hobby and not my profession.
When I decided to create this web page and to feature various artists I asked then to tell me a bit about themselves. Juan sent me the following resume:
Juan Puyal. Professional résumé..
I began to draw for publishers in 1956. My takings were scarce and I supplemented it with an administrative employment. Same time also as student in a school of Art of my city Barcelona. In fact my full beginning as professional was in 1959.
It is necessary to say that, as all the Spanish artists of the time my production was totally for children's comics because publications for adult readers then didn't exist in my country. I also drew illustrations for juvenile books.
In 1962 I travel to London and I obtain demands for the main magazines for adolescents. I repeat similar trip the following year but this time, to Dundee (Scotland) where I received a very good welcome and I pass a short stay. It begins a long and continue period of activity working in comic's books for the publishers John Leng. That is prolonged until to year 90. The market of teenagers publications it falls in eighties.
Then a Italian publisher offers me to draw for his magazine of feminine domain in Spanish version. It is my first work in the fetish field and really, my works were a good acceptation. Later I was in touch with the publications Swish of London. Along the last years I have drawn in its magazines “Madame” “The World of TV” and “Fighting Gal” and I have made other occasional works for " Rubberist " and other Spanish publishers.
In 1994 I began to draw for Bill's stories that facilitate me the access to an unsuspected and interesting universe where I try to make my own visual interpretation of its content. Also I am making drawings in assignments from Sandy Thomas for their other writers.
DRAWINGS.-
1966 (“Star” Scottish publication)
1975 (Dutch publication)
(“Fighting Gals” Swish publication)
(The World of TV” Swish)
6 & 7 (“Madame” Swish)
8 - (“Donna Sade” Spanish publication
If you would like to see more of these vintage drawings by Juan, I have selected some his best from the 1980s and 1990s and made them available for sale.
Unfortunately after a decade of working together, I ran out of time and energy. I had hundreds of drawings illustrating outlines and scenarios Juan had drawn and no time to write the stories they were to illustrate. I still hope to finish them sometime during the next decade.
In order to keep Juan working, I sent him an unpublished story written years ago by Nan Gilbert. I asked him to draw in much more detail than usual.
Then the problems started. I had always been flexible with his illustrations of my stories. If his drawing was slightly different from what I had imagined, rather than have him change every little thing, I would rewrite the story so the art and text matched. However, I did not want to make any changes in Gilbert’s text. Juan tired of the many corrections and I do not blame him.
I wish him well.
Here are some drawings from my book 'Nick and Mike the Beautified Bullies' The published version of the book contained only the black and white line art. Even though at the time I could not share them I had Juan do a few of my favorite drawings in color.
BJ liked to add some of his special touches to Juan's Art
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Color is particularly effective in showing makeup as seen in these images from my story 'Schooled With Girls'
Here is an unpublished 'extra' drawing that Juan did for 'Schooled'
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Sometimes Juan redid the art when doing a color drawing as you can see in these of Jeff 'helping' Bill with his lipstick in my story "Bills Humiliations in Panties'
The third drawing is BJ's modification
This is Juan's oil painting of the scene
These two are extra drawings. The first shows Jeff and Bill at their high school reunion. The second offers an unusual view of Jeff's attire.
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Juan did some drawings of Carole Jean for me to insert into my stories wherever I wished. You may recognize CJ from some of my Sylvan School stories.
He also did these of himself
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This pencil drawing of a young boy being helped into his apron appeared unsolicited as did the color drawing of the boy being petticoated.
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My friend Curtus who's art you can see starting HERE
Requested these two drawings of the wild west.
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Here is an example of a preliminary and a finished pencil drawing. I don't know why Juan drew these or the following color drawing.
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Juan drew these samples of a cartoon character as a proposal for a Sandy Thomas book. The book was never commissioned.
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And finally Juan drew and send me a Christmas card every year. I have saved and treasured them all.
The End