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| I remember it took both time and effort to draw this back in 1985. |
Not a day goes by without Elvis taking part in my life in some way or the other. Today, on Elvis birthday no less, I rediscovered an old drawing I made in the middle 80's, inspired by the RCA 50th Anniversary Series.
I don't know what it's like in other countries, but here in Sweden, each apartment usually has its own storage in the basement. Having moved to a bigger apartment last year, you can imagine what it looks like in our storage. Lots of boxes full of stuff.
Anyway, today I went down there because my four year old son was missing some of his children books I had retired, thinking he was a bit old for them. Finding them surprisingly fast, I then spotted a box containing books I had when I was a kid. Thinking there might be something there for my ten year old daughter, I opened the lid. Leafing through the books inside, I saw nothing she would be remotely interested in.
But just as I was to put the lid back on I spotted a folder with some drawings inside. I recognized the top one right away and was transported back in time, remembering how I painstakingly had tried to draw not one, but five versions of Elvis, each one representing a certain point in his career.
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| I must have had a lot of patience when I was younger. |
Together with the books, I took the drawing with me up to the apartment. Looking at it now, I think I nailed the jumpsuits pretty well (three of the five versions of Elvis were from the 70's as I thought that was the coolest period), and the hairstyles on the other two (from the 50's and the 60's) aren't half bad. But the faces on all five leaves a lot to be desired. Clearly, I couldn't get them right. Although the letters "ELVIS" and the 50th Anniversary-logo turned out ok.
All in all, it was nice getting reacquainted with a drawing I did in 1985. Maybe I should have it framed?
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12 comments:
It turned out better than my attempts ever would :-)
You should put this up in a gold frame!
I can actually remember some of the photos you used for this cool drawing, as some of them are from the Flaming Star magazine I subscribed to.
How about doing another one? :-)
Thanks Kees, appreciate it :-)
That's right Mårtenbrother, I remember it now! Wasn't the 60's Elvis on the cover of one of the Flaming Star magazines? Hmm, another drawing? I don't think so, I'll stick to writing about Elvis :-) But maybe a gold frame for this one!
Nice story son Elvis lives forever in our family over the generations!
Thank you K-G, that's true, he really does!
I love your drawings! Far better than I did as a kid back in the 1980s.
Your story reminds me of the scene in the Special Edition version of Elvis: That's The Way It Is where the lady in the audience hands Elvis one drawing she made of him to autograph and another copy for him to keep. As he walks away to give her drawing to Charlie Hodge, she asks for her pen back and then apparently tries to get another autograph. Always makes me laugh.
Welcome back to blogging! It is great to read your stuff again.
Nice to have you back, Thomas. Two good posts so far. I look forward to reading more.
Phil Arnold, ElvisBlog
Thanks Ty and Phil, I am glad to be back!
Very nice drawing! How old were you in '85?
If you do indeed get it framed to hang on the wall, please be sure to hang it on a wall where it doesn't get exposed to direct sun light - otherwise the ink will be faded and the paper completely yellow in a few years time. Electric light doesn't have the same damaging effect.
Regards,
Jakob Skjernaa Hansen,
Denmark
Thanks Jakob, both for the compliment and for the tip on how to hang it on the wall. I think I was just shy of my 18th birthday when I drawed it, a long time ago. :-)
You're welcome :-)
We are almost exactly the same age then, I remember that "50th Anniversary" logo so well! I still have it on my blue vinyl copy of the "Reconsider Baby" compilation from 1985, which is one of my all-time favourite Elvis releases :-D
Oh, and thanks for the blog, as others have said, it really is very nice to have you back!
Reconsider Baby is a great compilation album! When I first heard it, I was blown away by the fast version of "Ain't That Loving You Baby", the alternate mix of "Stranger In My Own Town" as well as "One Night (Of Sin)." And of course "Merry Christmas Baby." Play the blues, man!
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