The Guide to Getting It On (178 page)

Notice how cut and buff the males in the book’s drawings are, while the women are soft and smooth? Without those exaggerations, it’s hard to distinguish males from females in line art. Plus, there’s the comic-book tradition where the males were werewolves, monsters and Supermen.

One of the challenges is balancing the exaggeration so the illustration is fun and has life, but doesn’t put you off because it seems so outrageous. So each illustration is often worked and reworked, with a lot of give and take between Daerick, the artist, and Paul, the author:

Paul:
Her breasts are humongous and his penis looks like it’s 16 inches long! And can’t you put some weight on her? She looks like she hasn’t eaten in two years.

Daerick:
OK, but you’re going to hate how this one looks if I make them normal.

The Anatomy of a Drawing

While the concept sketch on the next page looks promising, but it is still in sketch-form where the illustrator has used shading to deliver the concept. Getting it from there to line-art form can be fraught with peril. Fortunately,
The Guide’s
illustrator is one of the finest in the world. If anyone can make it work, it is he. Sometimes just a tiny tweak at the edge of a character’s mouth can be the difference between an illustration that works really well and one that doesn’t.

An extra benefit in working with Daerick Gross Sr. is the humor, parody and detail that he is able to create within his line-art drawings.

The Concept, Critique, and

Paul to Daerick:
I’m looking for a commentary on the couple who is certain the world will end if they aren’t constantly checking their laptop or phone for messages. So I’d like you to try creating an illustration with a couple having intercourse doggie style–she’s on her elbows and he’s kneeling behind her. She has a laptop open on the ground in front of her, working the keyboard with the fingers of one hand, while perhaps texting on her cell with her other hand. Her male partner has his laptop open on her back while he’s texting someone with a Blackberry in his other hand.

Daerick to Paul:
How’s this?

Paul to Daerick:
Fascinating—if they weren’t using laptops and headsets, it would be obvious they were having sex. But adding the technology makes it confusing. The sex needs to be more obvious; perhaps more of a sideways POV. Also, can you reel in her chest and make it a little less gravitationally challenged?

Daerick to Paul:
Okay...

Paul to Daerick:
Bingo. Ink it!

And here it is colorized for the color ebook version of The Guide!

The Unusual History of Another Illustration

Here’s an illustration from the 2nd edition of The Guide. The concept was to show that sex brings a lot more than just orgasms, including hope and new life.

Naturally, someone complained, saying we were showing a couple having intercourse while holding a baby. So for the 3rd edition, Daerick moved the mom back and added another leg to remove any doubt...

For the 7th edition, Paul said “I miss the original!” and so the original is back.

Thanks! Thanks! Thanks!

Mr. Jed Lyons, George “Chip” Franzak, Tom Hunt, Vicki Funk, Jason Brockwell, Michael Sullivan, Spencer Gale, Rob McCreadie, Les Petriw, Mark Cozy, Deborah Lewington, Ron Powers, and the rest of the staff at National Book Network who were a safe harbor during a hellstorm. And to everyone at Publishers Group West who helped the book grow and grow through its first five editions.

Mr. Dan Poynter, Jeff Harris, Neil Levin, Tracy Fortini, Kidder Kaper, Bill Hazeltine, Liz Brody, Cory Feldman, Kim Wylie, Sheri Lent, Rich Freese, John Cabral, Sarah Rosenberg, Heather Cameron, Melissa Fonseca, Kevin Votel, Elise Cannon, Cathy Vancik, Judi Baker, Mary Skiver, Kent Anderson, Sue Ostfield, Charles Gee, David Dahl, Eric Green, Keith Arsenault, David Ouimet, Kat Mulkey, Bill Richter, Michelle Fisher, Andrea Tetrick, Betty Redmond, Bill Getz, Eric Kettunen, Cindy Heidemann, John Masjak, Jon Mayes, Kristen Keith, Mike Katz, Ron Shapiro, Roy Remer, Graham Fidler, Sarah MacLachlan, Jill Kamada, Chris Schrader, Sabrina Young, Lance Tilford, Charlie Winton, Jerry Delaria, Becky Kaapuni, Cyndy Perlich, Chris McKenney, Sandra Patterson, Betty Redmond, Patricia Kelly, Harry Kirchner, Matthew Chilcott, Lina Hines, Roni Gallimore, Mr. Paul Rooney and Gary “who got the whole thing rolling!” Todoroff.

To the incredible staff of McNaughton & Gunn (present and past) including Renee Lane, Tiffany Voorhees, Vickie Jedele, Jill Esch, Carleen Rogers, Kerwin Leader, J.P. Stando, Dave Hite, Dave Fleming, Mike Vezo and Jeff Ochs
.

Ken Haslam, Michele Sugg, Maureen Wehlihan, Adam Safron, Stephen Snyder, Steve Schrader, Janet Minehan, Marian Shapiro, Angela Hoffman, Kara Wuest, Bob Francoeur, Bill Taverner, Sue Palmer, Joe Marzucco, Rich Siegel, Jennifer Ashley, Theresa McCracken, Scott McCann, Regina Seitz, Leonie S.