Hey diddle diddle, the cat and the fiddle, the cow jumped over the MOON...
Pastel and Digital, combined in Photoshop. Yet another one inspired by, or in this case partly drawn during my vacation in Oregon. I had done a pastel of a strawberry-roan cow we encountered during the trip, scanned the pic and pasted it over a digitally drawn moon. With some tweaking in Photoshop, I tried to make the cow look like it was leaping.
Wikipedia has some interesting takes on what the "Hey Diddle Diddle" nursery rhyme meant. Some think it was about Queen Elizabeth I. Others say it was Richard III. Still others theorize the rhyme has to do with astronomy, explaining that nearly all "characters" are constellations. Cat (Leo – the Lion), Fiddle (Lyra – the Lyre), the Cow (Taurus – the Bull) jumped over the Moon (the Moon); the Little Dog (Canis Minor – the Lesser Dog), the Dish (Crater – a dish shaped constellation), the Spoon (Ursa Major – the Big Dipper).
You can see the theories here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hey_Diddle_Diddle
Details about the Queen Elizabeth I connection can be found here: http://childrens-verse.suite101.com/article.cfm/hey_diddle_diddle
12 comments:
i never knew that about the nursery rhyme... interesting! i really love your art! thanx for your compliments on mine...
have a good day!
That is an interesting inclusion about the Astrological meaning! Fantastic! Where did you go in Oregon? Is that a dairy cow from Tillamook?
Thanks so much for your comments die hohe dame and greg! I went to Southeastern Oregon for a week and had a grand time. We tried to see wild horses, but all we found were lots of lovely cows. It was relaxing to spend time in the Oregon High Desert and in the small quaint towns -- and surrounded by lots of wide open spaces!
The cow is perfect! What a great expression on its face. :)
love the cow, her anatomy's great! i always had hard times with that. wonderful concept!
However you interpret the nursery rhyme this is a wonderful illustration. I had never heard of a strawberry roan cow before. Your cow and moon have great character.
Great illo, JC! Love the moon glow! And that cow is cute!
Love your illo, JC! The cow has a funny, worried-looking expression on its face...as if it knows its doing something ridiculous...LOL
I like the solidity and heft of your cow - it makes the concept of her leaping over the moon more humorous.
The origions of the nursery rhymes is interesting. By all accounts Elizabeth was a bit of a cow as well as catty! and she was strawberry blond like your own cow!
great illo too.
Love the character of the cow and this big, bright, glowing moon JC!! This is how the moon looked last night while traveling back to VA from PA last night actually.
Thanks all! Love seeing each and every one of your blogs and the wonderful art you've all produced!
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