Annan Water

The Hazards of Love is by far, my favorite album of 2009. As soon as I finished it the first time, I knew I wanted to illustrate at least one of the songs. I picked this one simply because at the time it's imagery was the most vivid in my head. But I also fell in love with the hero's unrelenting determination to fight against all to find and rescue his lover. Even bargaining his own life in return for one passage across the wild river. To me it's an allegory to life. You may only pass one way, once. and your debt is collected at the end of it all. It is an inescapable fate, so what you're looking for, had better be worth it.
The illustration itself, viewed separately from the song, is also a bit cathartic for me. The last few years have felt very much like trying to navigate a rushing river. I would be a fool if I didn't admit that the rapids themselves are reflections of my own thoughts and personal demons, that which I bargain with on a daily basis for peace and safe passage; however, much like William, I don't always escape them.
This piece was very fun and fulfilling to illustrate. I always seem to learn something new even now, when I am elbow deep in Adobe Illustrator. I've had alot of tremendously helpful critiques and tips along the way from some very good friends of mine. Thanks a bunch to the lot of you! I really feel like critique, more than anything else, turned this piece from a slew of mediocre thumbnail sketches to a fully fledged painting.