I made some wildly colorful versions of the above vector drawing, but… eh. You can scroll down a bit for color. Also, I took serious liberties here, including a fairly impressive civil engineering project – moving the Mississippi River – because that’s how I roll float.
Alright already, we’ll all float on…
No don’t you worry… We’ll all float on...
Alright, already… We’ll all float on...
Alright, don’t worry… We’ll all float on…
– Float On – Modest Mouse
About this image: digital media – vector art created with Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop
Ah, St. Louis… even your grungy streets and abandoned blocks can’t hinder our love for you. Red bricks. Cracked concrete. Green grass and weeds that will never give up or wither away, not even in the blistering heat and humidity of summer. They say your streets are the most dangerous in the country, but we don’t listen. Like those weeds, we grow our roots deep and thrive anyway. You have fight in you. So do we thanks to you. You’ve created a stubborn, outspoken, headstrong lot. Living amongst your historical buildings, your busy parks, your graffitied trains, muddy rivers and your boisterous population is a pleasure. You are truly a town for everyone. Thanks for being home.
I like this too. What a cool post!
Me, too!
How am I supposed to follow that, Annabelle?!
🙂
See? You have no word handicap. You are just using the wrong driver.
Red.
Ha! Annabelle needs to be my ghost-writer, I’m tellin’ you!
🙂
It could be good as header.
Have a good start to the week Mr. SIG 🙂
That’s true! Skylines tend to get long and narrow to begin with (when showing this much of them), but another reason I kept it longer is I was thinking this might look kind of cool on a skateboard, too (or at least the more colorful versions of it)!
I hope you have a wonderful Monday, too, Ms. B!
🙂
It looks cool 🙂
I had a bit lazy day, so it was undoubtly good 😉
Have a nice rest of the day Mr. SIG 🙂
I hear you, Ms. B!
Sometimes it’s very nice to have a lazy day (and by sometimes I mean most times)!
🙂
Is it wrong of me to wish I could enlarge the image to see more detail?
Only if you are not being naughty 😉 🙂 lol
Androgoth Xx
Not at all, N.M… and while this isn’t the most detailed thing I’ve ever made there’s certainly quite a bit more there than you can make out in this tiny one (a few of these would be about 9″x33″ if printed full scale, so there’s definitely a bit more there than meets the eye…)
🙂
I rather like the skateboard motif idea 🙂
Androgoth
I’m not a skateboarder myself, but I have to admit I thought that sounded kind of cool, too, Andro! Thank you very much!
🙂
There must be lots of alternative ideas for this kind of work SIG 🙂
Skateboards today and the world tomorrow, the applications for this
kind of artistry are endless I guess 🙂 great work as always SIG 🙂
Have a great evening 🙂
Androgoth
That is very kind of you to say, Andro – thank you so much, sir!
Making this stuff is always a lot of fun, but it never hurts to think there might be a more practical application for a few of these things, too!
I hope you are having a wonderful Wednesday, Andro – and thank you again!
🙂
I love this. It reminds me of a deco ad. Like an ad in an old National Geographic. An ad for what, I don’t know. . .
And the title ‘Float On’ – I remembered a different song of the same name that I thought was maybe by The Commodores, but I wasn’t sure, so I looked it up and the name of the band: The Floaters, I find most unfortunate for the varied imagery it provokes in me.
Float, float on. 🙂
Thanks so much, S.E.! I think one of the reasons I went with the more subdued colors is because the ‘feel’ reminded me a bit of some of the renderings I did for an architectural firm when I worked there. The bold / vibrant colors were kind of fun, too, but the more subtle version seemed a bit more elegant… and I kid of liked the water effects in this version, too.
🙂
I like it because I draw such buildings when I was a student in the university. I needed to draw many buildings because I studied architecture.
That is a fascinating field of study, sir! Do you still work with Architecture? I have worked for several small firms as an Architectural Drafter / CAD Technician… I’ve always loved the Art people can create in/with their built environments!
🙂
Yes, I have been working with architecture over ten years!
You must have great skill of draft. It’s interesting to see the buildings which we relate to.
That’s wonderful, sir!
I don’t know how much skill I have… but I always had a lot of fun, anyway!
🙂
Meet me in St Louis for gooey butter cake 🙂 …. I had to look that up 😦
So you can have your cake and Google it, too?!
🙂
Cut me a slice Loon
and pour me a coffee 🙂
I will be over in ten minutes 😉 lol
Androgoth XXx
I don’t know if there’s any coffee in the fridge today…
I’m sure hitting the Coke pretty hard, though!
Come-on caffeine!
🙂
I always enjoy a nice cup of freshly made coffee
of an evening, as usually I burn the candle at both
ends 🙂 lol Maybe it is a Vampire thing? 🙂 lol
Androgoth
Hahaha!
I can relate! Well, I don’t think I’m a Vampire, but I do tend to do better with evenings than mornings, that’s for sure! Maybe it just takes a while for the caffeine I drink all day long to catch up!
🙂
what is this ‘morning’ you speak of? Early to bed early to rise? Fool.
breakfast at noon, dinner at 2:00 am. Maybe it’s an artistic thing -fangs sprout-
I tend to function much better on that schedule, too, Ms. B…
I think I’ve inherited that trait from my mother…
(the late part I mean – not the fangs)
🙂
The St. Louis Tourist Board should hire you to come up with their ad campaign. This makes me want to go for a visit.
Hope you’re having a good weekend!
That’s terribly kind of you to say, Ms. C! Thank you!
Well, hopefully they’ll consider not kicking me out, anyway?!
Thank you again! I hope you are having a wonderful holiday weekend as well!
🙂
Looks like a very cool old timey postcard! Love what you’ve done to that river. 😀
Why thank you, Nancy!
For the most part I was actually fairly pleased with the water effects (one of the biggest reasons I chose to post this version)!
🙂
You should sell that image on etsy.
Thanks, Bearman!
I was considering slapping the more colorful version(s) on some Skateboard decks (just to see what they might look like)…
🙂
I think that you should push that idea forwards SIG
as there is nothing like acting upon a whim and finding
out that it was one of your most genius moments 🙂 🙂
Good Luck With That Fine Thought 🙂
Androgoth
It certainly is a nice thought!
Hmmm…
*pondering further*
Thank you so much for your great generosity and encouragement, as always, Andro!
🙂
Another great piece. I also agree with Bearman, but not just this piece…many of your works.
Have a great Memorial Day!
Thank you so very much, Deb!
I hope you are having a wonderful Memorial Day, too!
🙂
Wow, St Louis now at the top of my want to go see list!
You are always incredibly kind, Patti…
thank you so much!
🙂
I am in awe. Excellent work SIGGY me boy, just excellent
Why, thank you so much, Astra!
I sincerely appreciate that, sir!
🙂
I recognize quite a few… Very premium vector, SIG. Bearman is right. I love your idea of decking them. This one could make a whole line of St. Louis products with a card insert with Annabelle’s tribute.
Think big, SIG.
Red.
I’m not much of a skateboarder, but it just seemed like this graphic with some vibrant reds / yellows etc. might do okay there.
I really like the card idea, too! Things would probably make a lot more sense around this refrigerator if Annabelle did the writing for me!
🙂
I have a son who skates competitively. If you had any idea how many decks we have been through over the years…some of the ones he has had were far off the beaten graffiti path. This would be one he would love.
Red.
Now that sounds impressive! And here I was pleased with myself for figuring out a bicycle (on a non-competitive level)!
Thanks so much, Red – that is such a nice thing to hear!
🙂
You made mention on my blog that you didn’t recognize Memorial Day. Well, my artistic gent, the liberties you took in the vector drawing were given to you by the U.S. Armed Forces.
Fine, fine. I had to really reach for that. Whatever. I like this creation.
Hahaha… Well, I do appreciate the effort, Ms. D… thank you very much for that!
Maybe next year I’ll remember to actually take a look at the calender every now and then!
🙂
Kinda art deco looking. Really cool
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I’ve been meaning to do a ‘grungy’ skyline for quite some time, and after having the opportunity to take a pretty decent reference photo a little while back I was finally able to give it a shot!
Thank you very much, OCDBG!
🙂
This is an excellent result SIG
Have a wickedly enjoyable rest
of Monday my great friend 🙂
Androgoth
Why, thank you so much, Andro!
I hope your day is going very well too, sir!
🙂
Is that the old Busch stadium in there too??!! I got to see the last regular season baseball game in the bleachers there… helluva experience!
I think you’ve got the location about nailed there, Mr. B… except I just took the reference photo for this one last weekend (otherwise I think you might indeed see a bit of it peaking out in the background – good call)!
To tell you the truth (for all the sporting events I’ve watched in my life) I’ve never been to a pro game of… anything… anywhere. Closest I came was a TV in the Mall of America when the Vikings lost to Atlanta in the 1998 playoffs. Maybe someday, though…
🙂
LOL…. I actually had someone give me those tickets for free or I wouldn’t have gone myself. 😉
Free can be a big help – very motivational!
🙂
It turned out nicely. I like the lighting effect in the sky, too. Moved a river you say? Wait until the Army Corps of Engineers hears about this!
Why, thank you, Patti!
Hahaha… I know! And I didn’t even ask nicely first! In triplicate!
🙂
how inspiring. what a cool piece. i like the river where it is, so good on you for moving it 🙂
never thought of visiting St Louis before, ever. but you never know. maybe some day.
i really like Annabelle’s comment, too. fits in well, like a collaborated piece in image and words. thank you both for sharing.
Thank you so much, P&K! Yeah… I know it’s not very accurate, but it seemed like some reflections were called for (to add some interest and a bit more height) but from the angle I took the reference photo for this it wasn’t happening, so I had to shift things around a
bitlot.I know exactly what you mean! I should have her ghost-write all my verbage!
🙂
Great post Bob What a Masterpiece idea ,good job 🙂
Thank you, sir!
This is another one of those projects I’ve been meaning to work on for some time and just finally got a chance to!
🙂
A very nice image. And if you added another arch. maybe you could sell it to McDonald’s!
HA! Or maybe I could trade it for a Large No. 1 with Coke!
🙂
Moving the Mississippi IS a pretty impressive engineering feat. Can you come over and part the stream that keeps flowing into my basement?
*whew*
And I just changed my socks!
Hang on.
*sigh*
I’ll get my bucket.
🙂
Well done! What program did you use?
Many thanks, Mr. H!
This one started out in Adobe Illustrator to create all the shapes / outlines, and then I pulled that into Adobe Photoshop (where I played with colors, textures, lighting effects, etc.).
Thank you again, sir!
🙂
Very Well done ! Now you need to do a “Jos. Louis” for Canadian content. It was a favourite food of my teenage years. 🙂
To tell you truth I had never heard of that before (I had to cheat and ‘Google it’)!
If those things taste anything like they look I can see why you appreciated it so much! Looks pretty darn good!
🙂
That’s a powerful image. The sun rays behind those buildings make me heard this song in my head, which is from Linkin Park – “Shadow of the day”. 😀
Why, thank you, Cristina!
That’s very cool – I have always liked Linkin Park, too!
🙂
LOVE this!! And listen, it’s your artwork, you can move a river whenever and wherever you want to!
You are so kind, Dishy, thank you!
I have a hunch I’ll be up to something similar again at some point…
no river (or shoreline) is safe, I guess!
🙂
This is really beautiful my friend.
Many thanks, my friend!
I sincerely appreciate that!
🙂
You moved the Mississippi River? You’re like an earthquake from the days of old. 🙂
I’m not sure why my name showed up twice??
Probably because everyone’s so happy to have you around, Mel!
🙂
HA!
An un-natural disaster of sorts!
🙂
That’s a fantastic piece of St.Louis Blues from Annabelle to kick off the comments! Interesting piece of art too with the sunburst stripes and the reflections in the river 🙂
I definitely need to convince Annabelle to ghost-write my… um… writing.
Except it would be pretty obvious to everyone what was happening when my posts suddenly started to make sense!
🙂
I really like this. It would look great hanging n my wall
That’s very kind of you to say, Tony!
Thank you so much!
🙂
Do you sell your work? This should be purchasable!
Thanks so much, Nigel!
I’ve been kicking around a few things, but it’s pretty much still experimental at this point.
🙂
So pretty. When I visit my Grandma in St. Louis I wish that was what I saw.
Thanks so much, Megan!
I’m almost too scared to ask what you saw!
🙂
A-MAZING! Please teach me how to do more than make illiterate and unrecognizable stick figures. It may help with the PS skills.
Loved it Bob.
Oh, forgot to mention my appreciation for one of my very favorite Modest Mouse songs 🙂
It’s kind of funny… I really like that song, too (although it doesn’t necessarily create the same ‘feel’ for me that this image does) but I had been looking at / talking about the river (I think) and once ‘floating’ came to mind it was all I could think of – so I decided to go with it.
🙂
Hahaha…
I suspect you are being a very ‘Modest Mouse’ here, Ms. B!
🙂