Gnnngggh.
Well, these prompt words for Illustration Friday just don’t get any easier, do they? I mean, really. How on earth do you depict an elusive quality like talent!
The obvious option would be to do a simple piece of art showing one particular talent. One suggestion made to me was to draw someone licking his elbow, because that was clearly a talent. Not wishing to pursue this kindly-meant offering, I sat and thought. And thought.
And finally, the thing that lodged in my head among all the dross, was this: talent is indeed such an elusive quality, and so hard to judge, that the late, great Fred Astaire was almost rejected by RKO studios after his screen test. Rumour has it that on the report from that screen test, someone wrote those famous words: ‘Can’t sing, can’t act – can dance a little’.
In fact, the quote is ‘Can’t sing, can’t act, balding, can dance a little’, which is even worse.
However, Astaire himself apparently denied this, saying that the wording was actually ‘Can’t act, slightly bald, also dances’. However this may be, the fact is that David O Selznick, who had commissioned the test was reported to have said that he was taking him on ‘despite this wretched test’ and his ‘enormous ears and bad chin line’ because of his ‘tremendous charm’.
And as it turned out, he’d really have been a fool not to take him on, wouldn’t he? What a wonderful asset to the studio he was – yes, he had tremendous charm, and enormous ears talent and he put bums on seats, as they say. He may not have been a truly great actor, but he was no worse than many in full employment by the studios at the time and boy, could that man dance!
For this piece of artwork, I found three photos of Astaire online. After much playing around with them, I ditched my original idea, which was to do a series of three images in a row in ‘squeaker’ pen, because it just didn’t seem to be working. Instead I drew a single ink outline, cartoon style, on Bristol Board, and coloured it with squeakers. Sadly, my black Pantones had bitten the dust after being incarcerated for a couple of decades in the painting box, but the greys worked OK. I couldn’t get a replacement black today so I used an ordinary Sharpie.
I also did the original series idea in simple ink outline, with the quote underneath, and I’m not sure which I prefer. Let me know what you think!
By the way, the typeface I’ve used has a little tiny top hat over the ‘i’, and is called ‘Just Wait And See’. Isn’t that perfect?
You bring so much thought to your work and I love how you describe it…although the elbow licking drawing would have probably gotten more interesting responses to your “What do you think?” question. I find the simple line drawing particularly interesting because you really capture the movements with such simplicity.
Lori – What Remains Now´s last [type] ..Clever Ideas
Isn’t it funny, too, that what some consider talent others completely dismiss? I’m glad they took a chance on Fred Astaire. I can’t imagine a world without Singin’ In The Rain!
The font IS perfect! I love it! I like the top picture better, but really, both of them are great! It just comes down to personal preference.
houndstooth´s last [type] ..EzyDog Walking
Lori – I was almost tempted by the elbow licking. I might yet have a go at it!
You like the line drawing? I think, on balance, so do I. It was more satisfying to do, and – importantly for this challenge – is something new to me. The loose, cartoony, pen and ink style is where I began, really.
Houndstooth – It’s amazing, especially when you consider that it was his job to spot talent … although having said that, despite his misgivings, he DID take him on, so he must have seen something.
Singing in the Rain was Gene Kelly, but they were really very similar dancers, I think. Gene Kelly had a somewhat looser style, and Fred Astaire seemed to specialise in ballroom, but I imagine they had exactly the same training.
Nice that you each liked a different version!
I love this, Jay. The dancer pays no heed to the cruel words and proceeds to cut a rug.
I’ve heard that story about Astaire–the “balding” part is especially irksome–and I’m so glad Selznick decided to ignore whoever made that idiotic remark.
Fred Astaire movies are pure magic. Remember him dancing on the ceiling in “Royal Wedding”? And he did decent dramatic work in “On the Beach.”
The series has a nice cinematic look to it, a real sense of motion. A great tribute to a great artist!
Rob Lenihan´s last [type] ..Stalk of the Town
I knew who the subject is at first glance without having knowledge of the story behind the caption. So, yeah, you illustrated talent WHILE AT THE SAME TIME, you demonstrated talent. A two birds with one stone kind of thing . . .
Those Brindle Kids´s last [type] ..Walking with the Hounds, Part 4
” talent is indeed such an elusive quality, and so hard to judge.”
You are absolutely right, Jay!
Lucille Ball was also told she couldn’t act, and look at far she went.
And might I reiterate what Lori shared above….
“You bring so much thought to your work.”
Beautifully expressed post, my friend.
Personally, I like both the drawings that you did. The first because you REALLY captured his facial features. The second because you captured (through simply outlining) more of the movements and style to his dance. The ‘energy.’
Well done, Jay! WELL done!
You are soooooooooo talented!
X
Ron´s last [type] ..Toy Story: Mr. Potato Head And Buzz
Ha ha …licking elbows!! That would of been fun. But Fred Astaire…typical hollywood response!!…”pearls before swine” my old violin teacher would of said. He was a star!! I love your illustration…you’ve given him that free as a bird look and I’m going to keep on dancing no matter what you think attitude!!
Claire Wildish´s last [type] ..Illustration Friday – Talent
I’m especially taken by the top drawing. I think you’ve done a pretty good job of depicting talent. He looks remarkably fluid and graceful. And somehow his hat hasn’t fallen off!
nick´s last [type] ..A diet of brutality
Rob – Thank you, Rob!
You know, after doing a little bit of research for this week’s Illustration Friday, I now want to dig out our Fred Astaire movies and watch one or two! I remember him dancing on the ceiling, but I hadn’t remembered which movie it was… I just remember his performances as pure magic, as you so rightly say.
Those Brindle Kids – Really? You recognised him at first glance! Success! Thanks for that!!
The story is fun, isn’t it?
Ron – Lucille Ball was told she couldn’t act? Wow. She was just so large a presence that it almost doesn’t matter if she could or not! She had that star quality, for sure, didn’t she?
You think I captured his face? Yay!! I wasn’t too sure about that, though I tried, of course.
Now, do you know what’s funny? When I came to answer this comment, I actually wrote ‘Lucille’ where your name should be! Perhaps I should call you Lucy in future.
Claire Wildish – I know! I almost wish I’d done the elbow-licking thing now, even though personally, I can’t!
You’re right. I think Hollywood isn’t so much interested in talent as what sells. Thanks for your kind comments!
Love it! really nice way of using markers!! it’s tempting me to not give up on my attemps at using mine! Thanks for the lovely comment on my blog!
Catherine – Thank you! They’re not as easy to use as they look, are they? But rewarding, I think.
Whoa, Jay..you’re talented and that is a fantastic drawing/painting.
Wandering Thought´s last [type] ..Shooting the Breeze
Wandering Thought – Thanks! What a lovely thing to say!
Hmmm…it was Gene Kelly in “Singin’ In the Rain,” but Fred Astaire, what a treasure! and what a loss had he not been given the chance to share his talent and charm with us
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Roberta – Exactly! And I think the fact that his career was in the balance at that point just proves how difficult it is for someone to judge talent in someone else.
I like the top drawing. You’ve depicted the nebulous quality of talent most effectively. You’ve cleverly caught the grace and fluidity of his dancing.
“Can dance a little.” A classic understatement if ever there was one!
nick´s last [type] ..A diet of brutality
Lovely. Really super! I prefer the grey as you can see the edges of the strokes and it keeps the work honest. Black is very flat, and I avoid it where I can in my own work.
The row of dancers is good, but a tad TOO good. Love the Fred.
Katherine´s last [type] ..Hello?
Katherine – I know what you mean about ‘a tad too good’. I like to be a lot freer, most of the time, when I draw, which is why I love to do cartoons (my favourite of this series is the dog on wheels, I think). However, I’m treating this as a challenge to try different media and surfaces and techniques and find out what I can do.
I did start out with the intention of using just black and white as a kind of abstract figure, just letting the absence of black show where features were, but in the end I couldn’t resist using some grey toning and ink lines.
Thanks so much for your honest comment – I truly value the opinions of others, especially other artists.
I think you’ve brilliantly illustrated just how much talent YOU actually have, bonny lass – wow, you’re quite the artist, aren’t you? What a sweet post, and yes, gives pause for thought, doesn’t it?
Shrinky´s last [type] ..Warning: May Contain Nuts
Nick – Just found your comments in my Akismet spam folder – sorry about that! Have you changed your email recently?
Thanks for your kind comments – I was (of course) aiming to capture the fluidity and grace of his dancing – the effortless quality which screams ‘talent’, so it’s nice to know that I succeeded on some level.
Shrinky – Aw, how kind you are!! Thank you so much. Yes, indeed, it certainly makes one think: how many youngsters are put off pursuing a particular artistic path because of an insensitive comment or bad judgement? I suppose you could say that if they’re that easily put off, maybe they didn’t have what it takes … but is that really true?
No, haven’t changed my email. But my comments have gone missing from four blogs – two WordPress and two own websites like yours.
nick´s last [type] ..Just a splash
Nick – How odd.. something must’ve changed, but I have no idea what. Mine is WordPress, by the way, just self-hosted, not the free one.
love this piece and your idea!
Kimberley Joyce – Thank you! I’m not a profession (you will have noticed!) but I have fun.
Nice! I love all the old Fred & Ginger movies – have them all on DVD! My friend Maura & I would watch them whenever they came on TV… always liked him much better than Gene Kelly (although I do love Singin’ in the Rain!)
Must.. go… watch …. Fred… tonight!!
Jeannine – You know, while I was doing a bit of research for this post, I was thinking ‘I must watch Top Hat’ because I don’t remember ever having seen that one and it was mentioned so much. I did enjoy his movies – watched several of them when I lived at home – Mum loved him!