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Binders Full of Women

OCTOBER 17, 2012

Illustration projects get killed for many reasons- magazine covers often get changed at the last minute because of changes in the news cycle. That was the fate of this project. I generally don't post projects that don't wind up published, but last night's debate, and the face of Mitt Romney caused me to think back to these sketches I did for The New Republic -way back last January.
This was just before the pivotal South Carolina debate during the primaries, and had to do with Mitt's sense of (ironically) entitlement to the nomination and his frustration at having to defer his gratification because of the annoying Newt Gingrich.
One direction I tried was simply an annoyed excpession on Romney's face. It was a little hard to do in the sense that almost every news photo of him had variations on the same handful of bland expressions...I wanted to show what was going on inside.
The cover I was working on didn't run but last night, during the debate, the Romney that I wanted to show was on full view, maybe for the first time.

My process, pretty simple. Oil on paper, 1 hr. each.

The great art direction of Joe Heroun and Christine Car at The New Republic was recognized last week on the SPD Blog. I was honered to have one of my covers for them featured among the work of so many great artists.
I want to thank Joe and Christine  for the chance as always, to work on the cover of The New Republic, even this occasion when it didnt wind up going to the finish line. And I have to say- I really want to get another crack at Romney and Ryan.
© 2024 Robert Hunt