Inspirations: Music

There's something about a great piece of music that inspires me to create.


More specifically, there's something about the music written for or about the subject of the art piece I am working on that can transport me into a realm where specific styles, details, and elements become remarkably clear.


For example, The Aulani piece I created for the Disney Parks Blog was created while only listening to traditional Hawaiian, Fijian, and Samoan music.  I drew my inspiration for the traditional aspects (the hibiscus, the carvings, and the relationship between the man-made building's structure and the natural elements around it) from the completely authentic music I set up as a playlist for this project.  


Music has a way of transporting a person to the location it was created for or to put them in the mood of the time it was written.  Think about it for a second.  When you've just come home from your vacation, you watch home videos to relive those magical moments, right?  For those with overactive imaginations, the same thing can be achieved with specific music.  You just put on the music, close your eyes, and envision that place and time.


What I also find to be interesting is that I could be listening to an instrumental piece by Buddy Baker while working on artwork that is supposed to reflect the style of the late 60's and early 70's...and though I wasn't there for it, I can almost "channel" a style through the use of that music.  The colors I choose, the way I draw the lines, and the blocking of the various elements in the art all come from the feeling I get when I listen to that music.


So...What inspires you with your hobbies or projects?

A "Sneaky Tiki Peek" At My Next Work Of Art!

I'm deep into my next project for the official Disney Parks Blog, and it's definitely going to make some of you smile!  By far, this will be the most diverse piece of artwork I have created in a very long time...and it has its roots in a classic piece of Disneyana!


Here's a teeny tiny portion of the incomplete artwork...

What might this be from?

Check back here for more hints over the next couple weeks!


UPDATE:  This piece of artwork is still in the works, but there are a couple projects that will make their debut before this one comes out.  I'll post another sneak peek soon!

Aulani Desktop Wallpaper on the Disney Parks Blog!

Aloha from sunny Florida!  Last month, I've  made my debut on the Official Disney Parks Blog with a desktop wallpaper depicting Disney Vacation Club's newest location...Disney's Aulani at Ko Olina, Hawai'i!

As you've seen in my other art, I tend to favor two-dimensional "head-on" scenes versus angled, perspective scenes...so creating this desktop wallpaper presented a little bit of a challenge for me.  Originally, I wanted to go with a "vintage travel poster" kind of look...using very simple shapes, loads of gradients, and almost zero realism.  I did, however, take a stab at a dimensional image by using a recent photo of the lobby building as my template.

My original concept for the Aulani Desktop Wallpaper

After some feedback from Disney Vacation Club and the Aulani Cultural Committee, more detail and color was added to produce the piece you see on the Disney Parks Blog today.  Head on over to the official Disney Parks Blog today to download it for free here!

Artwork by Jason "Tiki" Tackett.  Artwork ©2012 Disney

As always, thank you to all my friends for their continued support with these projects...and to you for sharing your feedback!  Stay tuned for sneak peeks of projects I am working on...and for information on projects I have recently finished!