Through March and April 2024, I made several social media posts on my Facebook and Instagram profiles all showing the making of these exciting new color prints. I also allowed my supporters to choose which of the prints was best which was incredibly informative and only helped to confirm my choices and create some art you want!
From March 15th
Right now I am working on a full colour version of this beaut from 1973.
Always wanted to do this one in full colour but it never happened. Now I am digitally painting it so I would love your input.
I will post the first ideas here and let’s see what you all think of them and which is your fav.
1. Heres the original poster in black and white.
Thin Lizzy. The Rocker. Poster 1973. Pen and ink drawing.
I posted these version as I made them and to have the feedback from my supporters was really fantastic!
From March 15th
First two are here, let me know what you think.
I’m pretty set on the last one on white (next post) but all are runners until Monday when I will decide.
Then I have work to do fixing all the imperfections when I digitally colour. I’n no expert like my friends #lovernkindzierski and #erichope who do Marvel, DC and Image work to perfection.
I have worked with both on a new project that stopped at Covid lockdown but will be revived asap.
Anyway check these first two out and let me know what you make of them. It’s a learning curve for me but fun.
Thin Lizzy. The Rocker. 1973. Pen and ink. Digital painting 2024.
This is my final design for a colour version of The Rocker poster. The reason I lean towards the plain white background is that it retains the ‘look’ of the original which focused solely on the graphic with zero addition or distraction.
Incidentally when Philip saw this one he immediately asked me to design a new Lizzy logo from the lettering for The Rocker.
I never forget how visual Philip was and he could read my ideas over the old landline phone to London like I was sketching them out.
The man was really a wonderful creative genius and I loved working with him. Still miss the fun of hanging out with him, always will.
Let me know what you guys think, you are the ones who keep this flame alive.
March 18th Post
50 years and counting…
Still working, digitally colouring my my old artwork for The Rocker by Thin Lizzy.
I’m going with the one on the white background as in the old original… but I loved the blue one too so here’s my final version of that one too (last photo).
Might make a hand-enhanced silver print of this one myself and post it tomorrow so you can all have a look and tell me what you think.
I’m quite excited that my digital paint skills are finally improving too. I really enjoy it now, just very time consuming.
But practice makes perfect.
I still prefer the aul peannluaí and pen.
Thin Lizzy. The Rocker. 1973. Pencil sketch.
Just to finish up on my new work on the The Rocker poster here’s the only pencil sketch luckily saved on a paper negative for my records.
The actual sketches went from Ireland at night by courier, direct to Philip in the UK next morning, then we sorted it all out over a landline with those ancient dial-up black phones.
Luckily Philip could read my sketches easily and almost always said: ‘Go ahead, we need this asap’. Philip had massive input into all my work for Thin Lizzy and gave me a free hand for years, even when they were huge.
I was blessed to have such a friend and collaborator with a strong visual sense. I say it often but few notice: Philip was visual and a huge asset for an artist like myself, he mentioned me in so many interviews I was almost like one of the band.
How many rock stars ever think of the artists and designers who bring their music to life in print ? Philip always did and it was bloody great to feel so appreciated, at such a young age.
The story of the famous Thin Lizzy logo derived from this lettering is told here in a previous blog on my website. Check it out here!
Might have to update that post 😉
April 4th Post
The Rocker. Thin Lizzy. 1973. Poster. Art by some auld fella.
50 years later and this old dog is learning new tricks Still on the digital colour learning curve but enjoying it too big time.
Here’s my own final selection of the images I worked on with help from Redmond on the green one B.2. I will deffo use one white background image to keep with the feel and tone of the original but I want a second image for a silver enhanced print. I’m dead interested in your opinions, this is new territory for me. It’s weird, wonderful and beautiful to live long enough to reinterpret your own work.
Only a few thousand more to do Wish Philip was around , he would love this new way of working. We only had big black landline phones to communicate, now I can post these to my kids and ask Lizzy fans for their input. Mad.
It's not Judge Dredd?
One of the most amazing things about social media is how I can put out a question about my art that I don’t know the answer to and one of you finds it for me!
This was the case with The Rocker, for years and years, in many an interview I have wrongly attributed Judge Dredd 2000AD as the motorcycle reference, unfortunately The Rocker artwork predates Judge Dredd by at least four years 😉
You my supporters solved this one for me and I an guarantee I’d have never figured this out!
April 18th Post
Here’s one for Thin Lizzy fans:
In 1973 I created this poster for the new single The Rocker.
I have always believed, and written, that the major source of my inspiration for this image came directly from the Spanish artist Carlos Ezquerra in 2000AD British comic.
There is a slight problem.
2000AD was not published until 1977.
There’s a real anomaly with the dates so does anyone know where I could have seen that motorbike image long before ?
I’m stumped…
April 22nd Post
Great news on my art for Thin Lizzy, The Rocker.
We have finally found the reference that inspired my art on The Rocker and its thanks to social media and some dedicated Lizzy fans.
I believe I have a damn good memory but like everyone else time distorts memory and that’s how I ended up in an interviews over the years stating that my inspiration for this motorbike image came from British comic 2000AD and Judge Dredd.
The Rocker art is from1973.
Unfortunately The Rocker is from 1973 while Judge Dredd came years later, in 1977.
The answer to the puzzle was solved by two very astute art observers and now we have my root reference for this image and it’s no surprise to me that I nicked the idea from the great Jack ‘The King’ Kirby.
The source is this epic cover for one of his amazing works, Forever People no.1. Check it out below.
I knew Jack, met him and Roz in 1981 at #SanDiego #ComicCon where we were both guests of honour and it’s a pity hes not around to have a laugh at this one. He told me how much he liked my own work so this would have been a nice story to relate to him. The front chevron design is the giveaway.
Big thanks to both Michael Muto and Lee Jones for this one.
Been bugging me for years.
The Rocker Metallic Prints
