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Bush Rolling Stone Cover

JANUARY 7, 2009
The cover of Rolling Stone
 As my year was winding down and in between Barack Obama paintings I was thrilled to be asked to paint outgoing disaster president George W. Bush for Rolling Stone.  The job was a full page interior originally.Matt Taibi was writing a piece on W and It was believed to be a hard look at this lamest of ducks.
  http://www.rollingstone.com/issue1070
I did sketches and kept making him older and angrier to fit the article we thought was coming in.  The final was completed, but the article arrived and was a bit different.  Bush came off more pathetic and defeated.  I was asked to do another piece and that it was up for a cover.  I worked like mad on this piece and think it's a fitting final kick in the pants to a president who seemed to do almost everything wrong.  I suppose his fight against AIDS in Africa is his only noteworthy achievement.
It was a thrill to work on this before it was slated for the cover and just the best way to finish the year when I knew it was on the cover.
I see it's out today.
Happy New Year.  Happy New administration.
The original piece
My sketch.
Final Art
Major details...see veins on his nose.
© 2024 Tim O'Brien