I have a friend I've never seen.
He hides his head inside a dream.
Someone should call him and see
If he can come out.
Try to lose the down that he's found.
-Neil Young, "Only Love Can Break Your Heart," 1970
Early Friday morning I checked Illustration Friday and found that "Imagine" was the topic for the week. I had a five-hour drive ahead of me, and I loaded up a bunch of CDs for the road trip to pick up my son at college. During the drive I would dwell now and then on the topic and how to visualize it. Nothing good was coming to mind.
But it was shortly after I popped in Neil Young's After the Gold Rush (during the third song, actually), that one of his lyrics painted a picture for me. I departed from the lost love aspect of the words and started thinking about this friend hidden in a dream; an allegory for one's imagination. Something that has to break free from what is and become what might be.
I think Illustration Friday is a wonderful outlet for 400-500 folks and their imaginings every week. It's a great place to share and be inspired by others.
What I imagined the illustration would shape itself into -- for the piece itself takes over sometime during creation, and the artist just hangs on for the ride -- was slightly different from what ended up here, but I'll go with it. May we all nourish our imaginations. Peace to everyone.
28 comments:
Beautiful illo. Let´s paint the world with rainbow´s colours!!!
Lovely, I really enjoy the fountain of colours bursting out!
good job, Twisselman!
i like very much your work and the colors that you use
I really enjoy reading about the "birth" process of various illustrations. I love how you worked from the Neil Young song to create this picture of the colorful you (right?) breaking out of the big stone head. It's perfect! And...I love that album. It takes me back to another time and place:>>>>>
It certainly looks like nothing's going to stop your emergence there. Great idea as well as the result, and I like how ideas can pop in from anywhere. I agree about this week's topic, it had potential for eternal pondering. And IL, I've only been around a month (and new online) and it's just so... I think it's a good addiction......::::: )
ps Neil Young :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: )
It certainly looks like nothing's going to stop your emergence there. Great idea as well as the result, and I like how ideas can pop in from anywhere. I agree about this week's topic, it had potential for eternal pondering. And IL, I've only been around a month (and new online) and it's just so... I think it's a good addiction......::::: )
ps Neil Young :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: )
and if this comment comes out twice my apologies, I do it from time to time.
wonderful twisselman! Love the idea, the execution and Neil Young! I also love what you say about IF it is a wonderful thing!Many happy imaginings to us all!!!
I'm having a fine time being nourished by your imagination! Think your imagination looks too yummy :)
Love your illustration - way to be inspired by lyrics. I am a huge fan of Neil Young myself. Your mini-me is sure to break free and be bigger and better in 2006!
Great illo. When I see this drawing it reminds me of how I feel when I create. Thanks!
Great illo that, I think, captures the essence of creation. I also appreciate the insight into your creative process.
I agree! And peace to you as well. Cheers!
You also gain a spare pair of glasses. Winner.
Hey there! How inspiring to know how your idea come about. Indeed imagination must be nurtured and inspiration is everywhere around us. Awesome illo, well presented. The strips of primary colour and you popping out of the stone head, very clever. Fantastic. :)
Nice words, and I'm enjoying the illustration that brought those ideas alive with color and line. I love when a piece of music inspires other art. This is a fine example of that.
Great illo, great song!
I really enjoyed reading your story to go with this illustration. It's true, sometimes these concepts must come to you when they're ready to...I like your interpretation of the lyrics. Great work!
Insperation from Neil Young? Hard to go wrong with that. This is great illustration of his lyrics. The rainbow really adds to it.
Powerful image! Great inspiration!
We could all afford to lose the "down" we've found and find the friend inside. Nice concrete image for a vague and complex idea.
I love your style and use of colors. The clean lines of your illustration. You have a talent I can only imagine.
Note to everyone else: Be sure to check out Twisselman's other blog.
I just discovered your site. I love your work.
I fell in love with this illustration and its underlying concept immediately. This is wonderful, thanks for sharing it!
Thanks to all for the nice comments. Nice to know there are so many other Neil Young fans out there. Yes, that is s'posed to be breaking out of that stone cold other me. When this started coming together, I started thinking of those Easter Island stone sculptures. Didn't quite come up with the primitive look. There have been many wonderful Illustration Friday pieces this week. Don't have time to visit everyone... pretty much just randomly pick names out of the list, but I've been truly inspired by most everything I've checked out.
Great illo and isnt it cool when an illustration comes to you ... out of nowhere ... like that!
Happy Christmas to all!
Neat. I like what you've done.
I like the texture on the head and rainbow. Your line quality is nice as well.
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