A-Z Challenge

2019 The Little Mermaid #art sketch series ‘XYLOPHONE Player’ #AtoZChallenge

April 27, 2019 /

Thanks for joining in today.  If you missed previous posts in The Little Mermaid Artsketch series you can find them easily under Latest Mews in my side menu.  ☞ ☞ ☞

The last few letters in the alphabet always prove difficult and with no ‘X’ animated characters or ocean terms to inspire me but I did think of the obvious choice. That’s when I went to YouTube to listen to and to watch the Under the Sea singing scene and sure enough, I spotted what I was hoping for about 0.53 seconds into the video, a Xylophone player.  I did a screen capture to use for my drawing. 

Pencil drawing
Pixelmator Newspaper effect

I have no idea what this guy is but he looks like a lobster and until now I didn’t know there are blue lobsters.  You learn something new every day thanks to Internet. 

[tweetthis]Celebrating the 10th anniversary of the #AtoZChallenge with my 6th-year participation in the April #blogfest. Join me this month with my #TheLittleMermaid characters #artsketch theme. X is for Xylophone Player. #pencildrawing #Procreate #illustrations[/tweetthis]

It’s the weekend, so I’m MIA in cyberspace but you’ll find more alphabet fun with other fellow AtoZers which I encourage you to join the fun.  Don’t forget to leave a breadcrumb (direct post URL) in comments so I might find my way easily to you.  Tomorrow is the A to Z community’s off day, but you’re invited hit the dance floor with Monday’s Mewsic Moves Me on Sunday with ‘motivational mewsic‘

 

For those unfamiliar with this 1976 hit classic “Moonlight Feels Right” features the xylophone around 1:50 mark. This was a favorite of mine back in the day.  

 

 Have an eXtraordinarily wonderful day, X💋X💋, Cathy

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31 Comments

  • Birgit

    May 1, 2019 at 12:39 pm

    Excellent drawing of this lobster (or crayfish??). Lobsters have blue blood, I believe, so this works with the blue pixel drawing. This is fun and love the letter X inspiration which you captured well

  • angelswhisper2011

    April 29, 2019 at 11:05 am

    We love Happy Lobsters 😀 All your sketches are so lovely <3 Starbuck is great too, I thought is was coffee, Granny knows the song, but we didn’t know the name of the singer🙀Extra Pawkiss🐾😽💞

  • kislaya

    April 29, 2019 at 5:16 am

    What a great find about Xylophone player and yes thanks to the internet it is like an ocean of information!
    Wonderful sketch – I like how this lobster is using the shells to create the effect of the sound emanated from xylophone…truly magical. He looks so involved and happy playing it! Happy Monday to you🙂🙂
    Read my X post here XYST

    • Cathy Kennedy

      April 28, 2019 at 1:15 pm

      Frederique,

      My xylophone player lobster needs a name. I wish I had given him one. How about Xander? The ‘x’ doesn’t say its name but I’m sure that it will if used in a name.

  • Lisa

    April 27, 2019 at 2:18 pm

    I think this is my favorite of all the ones so far! You still have Y and Z to change that though!
    Nice job today!
    (I don’t think that filter worked too well, not as well as with the sharks.)

  • 15andmeowing

    April 27, 2019 at 1:14 pm

    That came out great. I am so impressed you came up with every letter for one film. Have a nice weekend. 🙂 XO

    • Cathy Kennedy

      April 28, 2019 at 1:09 pm

      Ellen,

      Most of my characters were easy picks but a few as you know a bit tricky. Thankfully, I had the TV series to fall back on for those tight moments. Thanks for joining me throughout April for the A2Z fun!

    • Cathy Kennedy

      April 28, 2019 at 1:08 pm

      John,

      Starbuck sounds good after all these years in the first vid. The second one while nice, I think some of the magic is gone with it’s milder overtone and no xylophone. Thanks for the sharing both links, my friend!

      • John Holton

        April 28, 2019 at 1:32 pm

        Sadly, Starbuck’s marimba player, Bo Wagner, died a few years ago. That kind of changed everything, probably especially for Bruce Blackman, who lost a friend as well as a bandmate, and forced him to rethink the song. I commented to Bruce that the new version should have gotten some airplay on Adult Contemporary and/or Smooth Jazz stations, because the vibe is definitely there. It’s kind of like Eric Clapton’s slower version of “Layla”: it lacked the fire of the original, which was mostly due to Duane Allman, who also joined the Heavenly Jam Session.

        • Cathy Kennedy

          April 28, 2019 at 10:33 pm

          John,

          Ahh, that’s always to hear about anyone passing but the thing with mewsicians, we have recordings of their works to listen for years and generations. You said, you commented to Bruce…do you know him? I like how you described the new version of the classic and you have to allow the new arrangement to find a new place in your mind. That’s often the hardest thing to do when you love the original. 🙂

  • scr4pl80

    April 27, 2019 at 11:21 am

    Great drawing. I remember the xylophone player. I’ve heard that Disney tries to bring some new colors in with every movie. Only 2 more to go!

    • Cathy Kennedy

      April 28, 2019 at 1:01 pm

      Janet,

      Disney really stretches their colors sometimes pushing their left agenda a bit too far if you know what I mean. I see the A2Z finish line and it looks like we’re having another successful year to crossing it together, my friend! 🙂

  • lwwren

    April 27, 2019 at 6:49 am

    Yay – you have made it to X! Well done Cathy and for finding an X-cellent X to draw!
    Happy A – Z Grand finale
    Wren xx.

  • Thomas Anderson

    April 27, 2019 at 6:31 am

    Hi, Cathy!

    Happy Saturday and “X” day to you, dear friend!

    I enjoyed your sketch of the xylophone player. The mysterious critter looks like he is filled with glee to be making music under the sea. I studied him for a while before concluding he is a lobster. Then I read your text agreeing with that hypothesis. I also watched the musical scene you posted which provided stronger evidence. Only in Disney’s imagination can a blue lobster pound his claws on a xylophone made of clam shells and produce (underwater, mind you) the sound of a Jamaican steel drum. 🙂 I am glad you posted the Starbuck song to give us a better idea of what a xylophone sounds like. Thanks for letting me know that “Moonlight Feels Right” was one of your favorite songs in your youth. It is an amazing success story. The single was released New Year’s Eve 1975 but took until mid August 1976 to peak in the top 3 on the chart, becoming one of the biggest hits of the year. That’s a very long climb to the winner’s circle.

    I wish you and DH a safe and happy weekend, dear friend Cathy!

    • Cathy Kennedy

      April 28, 2019 at 12:58 pm

      Tom,

      Thanks for sharing the stats on Starbuck’s hit song. It’s interesting to read the backstory on the song and the artist. The Xylophone player in ‘Under the Sea’ doesn’t sound exactly like a xylophone but maybe you’re onto something, that being underwater makes the instrument sound like a Jamaican steel drum. Thanks for your attention and time to visit. You have been super loyal all month, which not only humbles me but I’m honored by your presences, dear friend!

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