There must be some special kind of dementia lingering among a certain few of those who come to me for illustrations. Particularily the area of logotypes, for reasons unknown, is afflicted. Dumbo of the day (or night, we had our bickering done in the middle of the night) was a Naprapath -- this is at least the first time I've been had by a naprapath. Now, what did he want? Well, he wanted a spine, tied in a Valknut knot. He wanted to pay for it, too, reluctantly, if he was pleased. Did I have some kind of guarantee?
I tried to explain that I'd rather not send an endless amount of sketches until he eventually was pleased. Not if he wasn't going to pay. (I know by experience that some people are essentially insatiable. Don't even try.) The customer-to-be was very understanding. Of course you need to get paid. But one sketch and five seconds later we were at it again.
So. He got a sketch of a spine, the embryo of what you see now, tied in a Valknut. And at once rejected his brainchild. Now when he could see it, he no longer wanted it.
"It looks like if the spine is broken."
"But you wanted..."
We discussed other possibilities, as if we had time (we had not, it was a rush job on his behalf). And within said five seconds, I had to explain yet again that artists, as well as naprapaths, need to get paid from the first vertebra. (This went on for a while.) And so the clock struck midnight. Mr. Bones went to bed. The Artist went up in flames. And happily stole the idea of a delightfully twisted spine of sorts, which is now yours to see. I might sell it as a poster someday. I imagine that it might get very popular among all other naprapaths, chiropractors etc who
1) might appreciate twisted art better and
2) are less knotty when it comes to payment.
