Mark Lemon present’s The Illustrated Alamo, 1836
by Victoria Reynolds
On Thursday, June 28, Mark Lemon’s presentation for his upcoming book, The Illustrated Alamo, 1836, was presented in the Georgian Room of the St. Anthony Hotel in San Antonio, Texas. The presentation, organized by the San Antonio Area Foundation, hosted Mr. Lemon’s speech. Shown during the presentation was a slideshow containing images from the upcoming book that details the Alamo’s appearance as it stood in March of 1836. The ground-breaking depictions of the mission-fortress are the most detailed, and arguably authentic, representations of what the Alamo looked like on that fateful day in 1836.
On Thursday, June 28, Mark Lemon’s presentation for his upcoming book, The Illustrated Alamo, 1836, was presented in the Georgian Room of the St. Anthony Hotel in San Antonio, Texas. The presentation, organized by the San Antonio Area Foundation, hosted Mr. Lemon’s speech. Shown during the presentation was a slideshow containing images from the upcoming book that details the Alamo’s appearance as it stood in March of 1836. The ground-breaking depictions of the mission-fortress are the most detailed, and arguably authentic, representations of what the Alamo looked like on that fateful day in 1836. Mr. Lemon discussed the process in which his book was created. It began with illustrations, which his book was initially based upon. The format of the book was then changed to showcase a model based on Mr. Lemon’s illustrations. While the model of the Alamo compound was not on display due to it’s size, guests of the presentation were treated to pictures that chronicled its creation. Simple pieces of wood and foam soon became the Alamo’s church and its long barracks. The finished product was a very authentic replica of the Alamo as it was before the battle. Gary Foreman, of Native Sun Productions, then photographed the Alamo replica in its entirety. Some of the photographs, englarged on canvas, were on display in the Georgian room. They gave spectators an idea of what the wonders The Illustrated Alamo, 1836 will hold.
Mr. Lemon’s speech closely followed the slides that were projected for the audience. He discussed the process of creating his book from illustrations to the completed model. While he admitted to not keeping track of the hours that he put into his model, he said that his wife estimated them to number in the thousands. The Alamo model occupied most of his days and nights, as he worked most days from twelve in the afternoon until six the next morning. The end result was a model that would be the star of Mr. Lemon’s book. During his presentation, Mr. Lemon gave pointers on personal discoveries he made during the creation of his book. He described the columns inside the Alamo church and how they vary, as well as various architecual findings. Mr. Lemon also discussed his article, “Where’s Juana?,” which was published in issue #145 of The Alamo Journal. In attendence at the event were many Alamo buffs and historians, which included Rich Curilla of Alamo Village, producer Frank Thompson, author John Hinnant, and Joan Hedley of San Antonio.
The Illustrated Alamo, 1836, is expected to hit retail in February, 2008. It is a ground-breaking, highly anticipated gem of a book that is sure to be a treat for Alamo fans and historians everywhere.
See more photos from the presentation in the messageboard under “Latest Alamo Research”!