During the pandemic I was doing a lot of drawings and frequently asked for cues from people to have a subject. On this day, someone recommended Eddie.
Well, I love Iron Maiden.
I love drawing Eddie. (Always struggled with getting him just so which is weird since the style he is drawn in isn’t that much different than my own, but I digress…)
In short, I had to do it.
So I looked for a scene from an Iron Maiden song that Eddie had not been drawn in. Try as I might, I could not find one where Eddie was Icarus. Sure he was in Flight of Icarus. But never as Icarus. This is strange. Eddie is kind of burnt up, and he is undead, which implies he died. So how was he not Icarus. So I had my theme.
AND
I love drawing classical art scenes.
So now it is the perfect storm.
I drew Eddie as Icarus falling away from flying to close to the sun.
This drawing is 9×12 and done in water color brush pens on heavy paper stock.
For those of you not familiar with Iron Maiden, the lyrics to the song are:
As the sun breaks, above the ground
An old man stands on the hill
As the ground warms, to the first rays of light
A birdsong shatters the still
His eyes are ablaze
See the madman in his gaze
Fly on your way, like an eagle
Fly as high as the sun
On your way, like an eagle
Fly and touch the sun (yeah)
Now the crowd breaks and a young boy appears
Looks the old man in the eye
As he spreads his wings and shouts at the crowd
In the name of God, my father I’ll fly
His eyes seem so glazed
As he flies on the wings of a dream
Now he knows his father betrayed
Now his wings turn to ashes to ashes his grave
Fly on your way, like an eagle
Fly as high as the sun
On your way, like an eagle
Fly, touch the sun
Yeah
Fly, on your way, like an eagle
Fly as high as the sun
On your way, like an eagle
Fly as high as the sun
On your way, like an eagle
Fly, touch the sun
On your way, like an eagle
Fly
Fly as high as the sun
It is a great song, about a great story, about mans great failing.
Here is a short and sweet version of the story.
Once upon a time, in the labyrinthine palace of King Minos on the island of Crete, there lived a master craftsman named Daedalus. Renowned for his ingenuity and skill, Daedalus was the creator of many marvelous inventions, including the intricate Labyrinth designed to imprison the fearsome Minotaur.
Daedalus had a son named Icarus, a spirited and adventurous young man. Together, they found themselves imprisoned by King Minos, who feared Daedalus might divulge the secrets of the Labyrinth. Determined to escape their captivity, Daedalus devised a daring plan.
Using his remarkable talents, Daedalus constructed two pairs of wings made from feathers and wax. With these wings, he and Icarus could soar above the island and fly to freedom. As Daedalus carefully fastened the wings to Icarus, he imparted crucial instructions to his son: “Do not fly too close to the sun, for the heat will melt the wax. Do not fly too close to the sea, for the moisture will dampen the feathers and weigh you down. Follow my path and you will be safe.”
With hearts full of hope and excitement, Daedalus and Icarus took to the skies, leaving their prison behind. At first, everything went according to plan. They marveled at the sensation of flight, the wind rushing past them as they glided over the azure waves and verdant hills.
But the exhilaration of flight soon overwhelmed young Icarus. Thrilled by his newfound freedom, he ignored his father’s warnings and began to ascend higher and higher, soaring towards the bright sun. The golden rays warmed his face and filled him with a sense of invincibility. He felt as if he could touch the heavens.
However, as Icarus drew nearer to the sun, the heat grew intense. The wax binding his wings began to soften and melt. Suddenly, he realized his folly, but it was too late. The feathers detached, one by one, and Icarus plummeted from the sky.
Daedalus, helpless and heartbroken, watched as his beloved son fell into the sea. Icarus vanished beneath the waves, the water claiming him in its cold embrace. In grief, Daedalus continued his journey, eventually reaching the shores of Sicily, where he mourned his son and offered his wings as a tribute to Apollo, the god of the sun.
