No one would be shocked if I said this image wasn't drawn verbatim from the reference photo. Of course it wasn't. This is a friend's dog, and I didn't just want her cocking her head. I sent my imagination to work.
One of my grade school art teachers used to say, "Draw what you see, not what you think you see." This advice was more helpful than it sounded to ten-year-old me. We all must learn the rules before we can break them. If I hadn't yet mastered proportion and perspective, this would look like a wonky cartoon. Nothing's wrong with that, but for this drawing, I wanted it to look more realistic with the toon elements coming from my mind rather than a lack of skill.
I sent the end result to my friend, and he loved it.
In short, none of this could be possible without imagination. A no-brainer, sure, but it's a skill often taken for granted. I'm guilty of forgetting just how precious it is to have the ability to dream while awake.
Whenever my parents tell me I "must see (insert random movie title)," I'm naturally skeptical. My taste differs from most people, especially when it comes to film. Two different film classes in college made me into a harsh critic. If the plot and character development is lacking, and some other element such as humor or an engaging romantic arc doesn't save the day, I'm done. When I risked indulging their last suggestion, my parents were right.
The movie was The Magic of Belle Isle.
My husband was sold right away when he saw that Morgan Freeman plays the main character. That was a strong persuasive argument, but I still had my doubts. Months later, we finally watched the film. I enjoyed every bit of it. This movie did what no other (non-animated) film has done in years. It surprised me.
Wry humor, awkward situations, and heartwarming connections drive the plot. But, at the center, the film celebrates the joy of creation and its essential ingredient: imagination.
How does the movie do this? A young girl offers to pay her alcoholic, handicapped neighbor—best-selling author of an old western series—for lessons on storytelling. At one point, the author tells the child to stare at an empty street until she sees something other than what's there. This advice was the exact opposite of what my teacher gave me—although equally as useful. The child was confused, of course, but I felt that old creative tingle going. While the kid was still working out the lesson, I added my own mental scene of elephants and other wildlife spilling out into the road, Jumanji style.
Imagination has always come naturally to me. Perhaps it's one of the perks of preferring animated movies and the company of animals to people. Perhaps I was left on my own too often. Either way, I'm grateful for it. This movie reminded me that creativity is a gift. Imagination should be treasured for life—not packed up and put in the donate pile along with childhood toys. Without it, there would be no Batman battling Joker and no Willy Wonka watching kids fall into a chocolate river.
For those in a creative rut, I highly recommend The Magic of Belle Isle. Any reason to celebrate creativity is a good one.
Keep on smilin'!
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