#AprilA2Z Art Sketching through the Alphabet “M” + #BOTB
Hello, Kitten & Dawgs! I appreciate you stopping by on the weekend. This is a time generally I unplug from social media and the Internet but I will join the linky. I’m muddling around with DH, so please patiently accept this apology and I’ll catch up with you later.
For the letter “M” inspiration, I went with Mermaids.
I’m joining the second round of April Battle of the Bands (BoTB) and I invite you to play along. You can learn how this works and who participates on Stephen’s site. It’s really simple, one song and two artists covering the same title. It’s up to you to tell me who’s your favorite in comments. There’s no right or wrong vote, except if you don’t vote at all. 🙂
Contender #1
Contender #2
Who gets your vote Dowling or Reed?
Are you having a marvelous time with the A2Z Challenge? I’m merrily celebrating what I mustered up to do and to sense the merit of my work if only in my mind. What “M”-inspired art sketch should I try next? Mention it in comments and if I use it, then I’ll make it known in my post with a link back to you!
[tweetthis]Join me in #AprilA2Z #Art Sketching Through the Alphabet “M” #drawings #mermaids #BoTB[/tweetthis]
I’m swimming over to link up with other fellow AtoZers and you’re invited to come along. I’m gonna leave you with one more mermaid tune just for fun. Check back next week this time to see if your favorite artist gets named in this showdown and don’t forget to dance back for Monday Mewsic Moves Me (Theme: freebie week – anything goes) and my next edition of Art Sketching through the Alphabet!
A2Z Art Sketching Through the Alphabet post recap:
- “A” for Angels
- “B” for Boys, little
- “C” is for Cows, Chicken & Chicks, and Big Cats
- “D” for Dog
- “E” is for Elephant, Eagle, & Elk
- “F” is for Fence, Fox, & Frog
- “G” is for Girls
- “H” is for Horses
- “I” is for Iris
- “J” is for Jack & Jill
- “K” is for Kanga & Roo
- “L” is for Lighthouse
This is an affiliate program but if you’ve been thinking about trying Amazon Music Unlimited then you can help me to earn a nice promotion through April by trying it!
38 Comments
moondustwriter
Dowling
I love the way you tie the two together. Your mermaids are sweet.
Cathy Kennedy
Thanks for visiting and for participating in my BoTB. Gotcha down for Dowling!
Dowling – 9
Reed – 1
Mike
Mike Dowling gets my vote. I just didn’t like Emily’s voice.
Cathy Kennedy
Mike,
For some reason, WP threw your comment into my Spam folder. I think Mike gets your vote because he has the same first name, what do you think? lol Thanks for voting!
Dowling – 8
Reed – 1
Birgit
First…I am so behind! Love mermaids so I love your drawing of them in the water having a fun time which goes right with your BOTB. I have to give it to Swampdog Blues but I went to YouTube to find a version and am listening to the one Debbie has here and it’s a bit Blues, folk and country so very different and this one gets my vote over the gal
Cathy Kennedy
Birgit, I’m glad that I doubled checked my comments. Somehow I overlooked yours and I apologize for that slip up. Anywho, I appreciate your vote. 😉
Dowling -10
Reed -1
lorigg
Can’t listen to the music while the family is sleeping so I will have to pass on voting. I enjoyed your mermaid sketches. Other M ideas include: mountains, monkeys, marmot (I have never seen one but have heard about them), and maracas.
Cathy Kennedy
Lori, No problem on not getting to vote. Maybe you’ll find time to slip back over to listen and pick your favorite artist. Thanks for the “M” sketch ideas. Have a blessed Easter Sunday! 😉
Suzanne Gunter McClendon
Those are great mermaids, Cathy. I love the curls in the hair of the one on the right. Just beautiful and they make me think of an octopus. 🙂
Have a blessed Easter!
Cathy Kennedy
Suzanne, An octopus would be a fun sketch to do. Maybe, a cute octopus! 😀 Thanks for visiting and I hope y’all have a blessed Easter!
Suzanne Gunter McClendon
I bet you could draw a really cute octopus, too. 🙂 You’re welcome and thank you, too. Have a blessed Easter and a beautiful day.
XmasDolly
Well, these are really and truly a song of introduction. Needless to say I’ve never heard these before. ~hehehe~ HAPPY EASTER MY FRIEND TO YOU & YOURS!
Cathy Kennedy
Thanks, Marie! Have a blessed Easter!
15andmeowing
Your mermaids came out beautiful.I definitely prefer the Dowling version, I didn’t really care for Reed’s voice.
Cathy Kennedy
Ellen, Ahh, thanks! It was a lot of fun drawing my lovely Mermaids. I plan to draw more int he future. 🙂 I got your vote recorded. It looks like Dowling is running away with this battle!
Dowling – 7
Reed – 1
John Holton
I liked Emily Anne Reed’s voice, and she did this one well, but you know? This song needs a Dobro, and Mike Dowling had one and she didn’t. Plus, I thought it was a better song for a man to do. I’m going with Mike Dowling here.
Love the mermaid pictures, by the way…
Cathy Kennedy
John,
It seems y’all sorta like Emily but not enough to give her the “golden mic” award this round. lol I knew her style may pose a bit of challenge in this competition but I liked that she’s so much different from Dowling. Thanks for voting.
Dowling – 6
Reed – 1
John Holton
I liked her version, I just liked his better.
Cathy Kennedy
John, most everyone else thinks so, too! 🙂
Jacqui Murray
I love the mermaid background. It has everything I’d expect. She looks happy in her world.
Cathy Kennedy
Jacqui,
I would imagine Mermaids have a happy, careful sorta life, wouldn’t you? Thanks for visiting! 😉
McGuffy's Reader
Nice job, Cathy! It really shows how much fun you are having. Hugs!
Cathy Kennedy
Thanks Annie! I’m glad you enjoyed my newest art sketch. 🙂
D-FensDogG
CATHY ~
I’d never even heard of this song before but I really like it! And I’ll tell ya, after hearing just the first two or three notes of DOWLING’s version I was ALL IN! Great, fun song.
At first, I didn’t care for Emily’s “little girl” voice, but it grew on me as she went along and I actually wound up liking it. But not enough to beat MR. DOWLING to the vote.
You have a blessed Easter, my friend!
~ D-FensDogG
Check out my new blog @
(Link:] Stephen T. McCarthy Reviews…
Cathy Kennedy
Stephen,
Dowling has wonderful, smooth vocals. It’s gonna be really hard for Emily to conquer him in this showdown but like you, she has grown on me and her “little girl” voice as you put it seems a purrfect fit. I’m a bit undecided. Thanks for stopping by to vote. I hope you have a blessed Easter, as well, dear friend! ?✟
Dowling – 5
Reed- 1
Andy
Great mermaid sketches. I liked the funny mermaid song at the very end of the post, but you didn’t ask about that ;-).
The Mike Dowling version of the first song is the one I prefer. I think it’s the upbeat tempo that sells it. Such a fun post!
Cathy Kennedy
Andy, I’m delighted you came back by to see today’s Mermaid sketch as well as vote in this round of BoTB. Yeah, the last song was only a bonus for my readers. Thanks for playing along, though. I’ll see you soon!
Dowling – 4
Reed – 1
Debbie D.
Hi Cathy; Clever segue from sketching to singing! 🙂 Pretty mermaids you have there. Other M subjects that come to mind: mailbox, monkey, monster, motorcycle. As for the battle, I’m sorry, but Emily’s voice sets my teeth on edge. The other video wasn’t available to me, but I found an alternate. Not really my taste either, but Mike Dowling gets my vote by default. Wishing you and DH a Happy Easter!
Cathy Kennedy
Debbie, I’m sorry Dowling’s vid didn’t work but I’m glad you found an alternate to listen to. I appreciate you picking between the two artists even though you didn’t like either a lot. Thanks for the new “M” prompts. I may have to draw a monkey chasing a monster on motorcycle but not before dropping by his mailbox. 🙂 Thanks for visiting. I’ll be by soon!
Dowling – 3
Reed – 1
Debbie D.
” I may have to draw a monkey chasing a monster on motorcycle but not before dropping by his mailbox.” I’d love to see that! 😀
Cathy Kennedy
Debbie, I reckon I’ve sketched myself in a corner now. lol I’ll make a note to get on this one. It could be a fun sketch to share in my Friday Sillies contribution, what do you think?
Debbie D.
Great idea! 😀
Thomas Anderson
Happy M Day, Cathy!
I like your sketch of the three mermaids. I say three because the tail fins of a third creature are visible in the background as she plunges beneath the surface of the water. Once again “the eyes have it.” On the closeup detail, I detect a pleasing personality for each mermaid. The girl-fish in the lower right of the frame seems to be giving her sister an admiring glance, literally looking up to her. Your drawing instantly reminded me of an attraction not far from where I live – the world-famous Mermaids of Weeki Wachee Springs. The mermaids are currently presenting an underwater production of Hans Christian Andersen’s The Little Mermaid. For six decades the Mermaids of Weeki Wachee have been performing underwater feats including eating and drinking underwater. The Mermaid shows are set to mewsic and that brings me to your mid month BOTB challenge.
This cute little Mermaid ditty is new to me and the words made me smile. I liked Dowling’s swamp blues style, but Emily’s pleasing female vocal quality and straightforward country style won me over on her version. I vote for Emily Anne Reed!
Bobby Bare’s Mermaid story song is a hoot. It has clever lyrics throughout and a hilarious surprise twist at the end. I love it!
Remember the one hit wonder 60s girl group called The Murmaids? Their “Popsicles and Icicles” single, which reached the top of the chart in January 1964, is sometimes cited as the last #1 hit record of the pre-British Invasion rock and roll genre.
Have a safe and happy weekend, dear friend Cathy!
Cathy Kennedy
Tom,
What’s this you have Mermaids nearby? lol I bet that’s a cool show to see and something I’d like to catch if ever in Florida again. I actually about The Murmaids’ Popsicles and Icicles single until you reminded me. That’s a very good oldie and would’ve been a nice BoTB song choice. I’ll have to try to remember to use it somewhere down the line. 🙂 I’m torn on which artist is going to get my vote but Emily definitely stands a good chance to win me over.
Thanks for stopping in to view my Mermaid art sketch and your generous words. Have an excellent weekend, dear friend!
Dowling – 2
Reed – 1
Mary B
I don’t know that I’ve ever heard this song before. But I did prefer Mike Dowling’s version. Enjoyed Bobby Bare’s song as well. My vote goes to Mike Dowling
~Mary
Jingle Jangle Jungle
#AtoZChallenge 1970’s Billboard Hits
Cathy Kennedy
Mary, The cover artists and song are new-to-me, too. I was grasping at straws a bit trying to find a song to fit today’s art sketch but relieved that I came up with one that had been covered a few times. Bobby Bare’s song really surprised me and it was a great fun intro. Thanks for stopping by and I have your vote recorded
Dowling – 2
Reed – 0
Arlee Bird
Nice song tie-in. Certainly not a song that I’ve ever heard before. Emily makes a noble attempt at this one, but I’ve got to give my vote to the more polished version by Mike Dowling. Nice dobro and guitar work.
Arlee Bird
Tossing It Out
Cathy Kennedy
Lee, I wanted to tie the two hops together and I was happy that I found a song that worked. I was actually surprised to find a song about mermaids, especially the bonus track which was quite funny. Mike Dowling is more polished but there’s something interesting about Emily’s cover. At this point, I’m undecided. Thanks for popping in and weighing in this round of BoTB!
Dowling – 1
Reed – 0